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It's Time for High Calibers!
Eugene Pugach (World of Warplanes Evangelist) June 12, 2017
Update 1.9.10 brought a new addition to the Soviet arsenal: a mini-branch of high Tier multirole fighters whose main feature is a long-range high caliber armament.
Sukhoi Su-9
Development of this single-seater twin-engine fighter-bomber was started as Sukhoi’s initiative in 1944. During the design stage, the team was forced to switch from using the jet engines developed in the USSR at the time to captured German Jumo-004 because the former models were not ready for production and riddled with technical issues. The project’s concept was approved by the aviation ministry in autumn 1945; the sketches passed approval in December.
The Sukhoi Su-9 was designed as a maneuverable aircraft capable of engaging enemy fighters and bombers on the frontlines. The machine was quite suitable for that purpose: two RD-10 (Soviet analogs of the Jumo-004) provided good speed characteristics, while its powerful armament consisted of a single N-37 37 millimeter cannon and two 23 millimeter NS-23 cannons that were more than adequate for tackling both light aircraft and armored bombers. Additionally the N-37 cannon could be switched with a 45 millimeter N-45 one or, optionally, the aircraft could carry a 500 kg bomb load on its nose part of the fuselage. The pilot cabin was armored.
Test flights showed that the Su-9 was easy and pleasant to pilot. Interestingly, various technical issues discovered during testing allowed the designers to further sophisticate the fighter: it was eventually equipped with an ejection seat and landing parachute. The aircraft passed evaluation successfully, but still had not entered production by 1948. By that time, the requirements for jet-powered fighters had grown significantly, and the Su-9 could not satisfy them anymore. The project was abandoned.
The Sukhoi Su-9 in World of Warplanes is a Tier VIII Soviet multirole fighter that has a similar character to the lower-tier Yakovlev fighters. It combines good maneuverability and altitude performance for an MRF with powerful forward-facing armament. This makes it suitable for both long-range engagements, and dogfighting at medium and close range. The “Sharpshooter” N-37 and top-tier N-45 cannons are exceptionally dangerous to enemy fighters but require good aiming skill from a pilot. Closing the distance to an enemy will allow you to easily deal significant damage in mere seconds due to its accurate double 23 millimeter cannons.
Alexeev I-211 and I-215
The perspective I-21 fighter-interceptor was developed in OKB-21 lead by S.M. Alexeev in 1946. The key targets the team needed to achieve were to significantly improve the flight range and make the fighter capable of efficiently destroying heavy bombers.
The search for a suitable engine was quite long, but eventually the designers chose the Soviet-developed TR-2 turbojet engine project that was being actively developed at the time. Nevertheless, during the design stage it became apparent that the TR-2 would not be ready by the time the I-21 would go into testing, so it was modified to use another engine – the TR-1.
The I-211 (I-21 1st modification) had its engine gondolas located in the wing planes, was equipped with a pressurized cockpit, and had manually controlled aerodynamic braking planes for maneuvering and landing. It was supposed to be armed with three 32 millimeter N-37 cannons located in the nose part of the fuselage, additionally bombs and rockets could be installed.
The I-211 fighter entered testing in autumn 1947. Despite the fact that the pilots noted it to be very easy to pilot and control, numerous issues with the TR-1 engines slowed the process significantly. Eventually development of the TR-1 was abandoned, which in turn ended the I-211 project itself. The only prototype built was damaged in a landing incident, later fixed and modified.
The Alexeev I-211 in game follows the Su-9 in gameplay style and general “feel”, but it is more tailored for long-range engagements. Decent maneuverability and speed, and ease of control make quick switching between targets comfortable. This will be especially valuable because the three 37 millimeter cannons deal astonishing damage when they hit, but they require good aiming skills and the ability to pick suitable targets quickly.
The Alexeev I-215 was an upgraded version of the I-211. The main changes included switching from Soviet engines to more powerful, reliable and fuel-efficient Rolls-Royce Derwent V engines. This necessitated changes to the fuel system, the size of the fuel tanks were increased. Additional radio equipment was supported, including a radar and IFF system, which made the I-215 suitable for an interceptor role. Another change was made to the armament: now the fighter could carry two 57 millimeter cannons instead of three 37 millimeter ones. The I-215 passed testing successfully, but suffered the same ultimate fate as many other projects from that time: by 1948, jet powered aircraft progressed so significantly that even two-year old designs became obsolete. The ministry chose the much more promising MiG-15 project instead.
The Alexeev I-215 in the game is the ultimate sniper. Two 57-millimeter nose-mounted long-range cannons devastate any light target and will quite probably send them to the hangar instantly. Heavies and attack aircraft will also feel the full weight of high caliber shells: aside from huge damage, they deal a lot of critical damage to modules, so even the very first hit will cripple many enemies and end the fight for them. The I-215 is not perfect though and has its drawbacks: consistently hitting targets with high caliber cannons requires a lot of skill, and their weight makes the I-215 slower than most of its rivals at Tier X. Nevertheless, if you take your time and pick your targets carefully, the warplane’s inability to fly as fast as speedier enemies won’t be a problem: even if you can’t catch up to them, a 57 millimeter shell easily can.
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Marc Goldberg
When they attack the Jewish warriors of World War II
The lie about Jews that the power of the IDF never failed to shed was that we’re incapable of fighting, that we manipulate others into doing our fighting for us and that we’re constantly pretending to be victims in order to gain undeserved sympathy from those around us.
As if to prove that point the one time Labour Party political candidate for Witham in Essex in the 2015 general election spent a long time both attacking Jews for killing too many people once they had a state and for not killing enough people before Israel was founded;
It’s unfortunate that this was posted in 2012 and yet still Clarke was able to run as the Labour Party political candidate for his constituency but the way the Labour Party is today I’m not sure that holding such views didn’t actually help him. But his accusation about Jews fighting in World War II hits a particular nerve with me and should with Jews everywhere. From the USA to the former Soviet Union and all around the world Jews fought, shed blood and died in the name of freedom. Their children and grandchildren shouldn’t now, decades later, be forced into proving it. Yet here we are.
Apparently John Clarke has never heard of Major General Maurice Rose who was killed in Germany while leading his division from the front. Rose’s father and grandfather were rabbis but he was always determined to become a soldier. Major General Rose was the highest ranking US officer to be killed by enemy fire in the European theater of operations. He ran his division from the front line and he earned every promotion he got by advancing against the enemy.
I imagine that Clarke has never heard of Raymond Zussman, Isadore Jachman and Ben Salomon three Jewish boys who awarded the Congressional Medal of Honour, the highest decoration for bravery in the US military for their courage fighting in World War II. Jachman was awarded the medal for attacking two German tanks with a bazooka that he retrieved while under fire. Zussman, Jachman and Salomon account for just three of the 26,000 medals and citations awarded to Jews in the US Armed Forces during World War II. Another three Jewish soldiers were awarded the Victoria Cross, the UKs highest award for gallantry during the war while serving in the British armed forces.
Over 550,000 American Jews served in the US armed forces during world war II. An estimated 500,000 more Jews wore the uniform of the Red Army (including at least nine generals). One of whom was called Yakov Kreizer. He was awarded Russia’s highest award for bravery and promoted to the rank of Field Marshal in the Russian Army after war. 100,000 wore the uniform of the Polish Army and 30,000 the British, including privates Jack Goldberg and Jack Fisher, my grandfathers. One of whom lost his entire unit, killed by a bomb hitting their ship while it was docked in St Nazaire at the start of the war. From Arnhem to the Battle of Britain to the Deserts of North Africa Jews fought, killed and died during World War II. Even as far away as India and Burma where my Great Uncle served with the RAF. Many of them returned home only to have to carry on fighting against the same racism Clarke so stubbornly, so contemptibly perpetuates.
When I recently visited the Imperial War Museum at Duxford with my father I paused at a memorial for the American Airmen killed while flying missions over the Third Reich. I was looking for Jewish names in that memorial and I found them. When I found them I felt the pain caused by the accusation that we Jews don’t do our part slightly healed, though mixed with shame at feeling the need to look for Jews at all. Clarke’s accusation cuts deep. Even when we’re dead he’s judging our actions over those of others. Even when the war is long done and the battles won Clarke places the burden of proof on Jews to clear the reputation he has besmirched. When Clarke says;
As for WW2 I am unaware of any significant military action taken by Jews against Nazi Germany; ask older Jews why didn’t actually FIGHT the Nazis.
He separates the Jews who fought in every major campaign in World War II from all the other soldiers wearing the same uniform and shedding the same red blood in the same noble cause. Something antisemites consistently attempt to do. Jews fought the Nazis everywhere, except where they were fighting the Japanese or the Italians or some other Axis acolyte instead. If you want to know where Jews fought in World War II just ask yourself where there was fighting and you’ll find us. If he wants to know why “the Jews” weren’t fighting the Germans it’s because the Jewish state didn’t yet exist and there was no Jewish army to fight them. Now the state of Israel does exist and Clarke is busy attacking it for doing too much fighting.
Just yesterday another petty politician, this time in the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament took it upon himself to lecture Jews saying that;
We have all had terrible sufferings in history – all of us. But we actually have to overcome that and start to live like human beings together. I believe it is perfectly possible. And I think there are many many Jewish people — Jews for Justice [for Palestine] for one — who know this perfectly well. To be a Jew is not to be a Zionist. That’s a different qualification.”
But Jews don’t need to “overcome” in 2017. We literally overcame our terrible suffering through our resistance to Hitler while he was still in power. Jewish warriors of the Holocaust rose up against their oppressors in feats of resistance unparalleled by any of the hundreds of thousands of combat trained allied prisoners of war who never rose up at all. The Warsaw Ghetto uprising was the first mass uprising of any people under Nazi occupation. The weak, starving, untrained Jewish fighters held out against the German army almost as long as Poland did. They only gave up when they were out of ammunition and German guns were systematically destroying every building in the ghetto.
From the French resistance to the Polish underground Jewish resistors to Hitler were the leading light in the battle against Nazism. From Abba Kovner and his band of partisans who broke out of the Vilnius Ghetto to resist the Nazis from the forests to the Bielski brothers. Even in the death camps Jews resisted against the certain death that stalked them. The revolt in the Treblinka death camp resulted in 300 prisoners escaping, 200 of them were later found and killed.
Those who died defending that which we love and hold so dear deserve better than to be erased from history by the ignorance and pettiness of these little men. Those who died in the Holocaust deserve better than to be ignored by those whose hatred of Israel sees them dismiss the Holocaust and remembrance of it. Both Clarke and Kent are by no means the only ones who believe the sentiment they express. But the onus should not be on Jews to clean up their mess but on the people they claim to be speaking for.
Where is the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament on this? Where is the Labour Party in this? Why has this been allowed to go on for so long?
Marc Goldberg is a copywriter and avid blogger, author of Beyond the Green Line the story of fighting through the al Aqsa Intifada in the IDF Paratroopers https://www.amazon.com/Beyond-Green-Line-volunteer-Intifada-ebook/dp/B075HBGS21/
Ex-minister, Arab MKs slam Trump for ‘go back’ tweets, but Israeli officials mum
For the first time ever, Israel hosts a global symposium on Hispanic culture
Cecilia Lazzaro Blasbalg
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BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth
Research article | Open | Open Peer Review | Published: 21 March 2012
Getting more than they realized they needed: a qualitative study of women's experience of group prenatal care
Deborah A McNeil1,2,
Monica Vekved1,3,
Siobhan M Dolan4,
Jodi Siever1,
Sarah Horn1,3 &
Suzanne C Tough3,5
BMC Pregnancy and Childbirthvolume 12, Article number: 17 (2012) | Download Citation
Pregnant women in Canada have traditionally received prenatal care individually from their physicians, with some women attending prenatal education classes. Group prenatal care is a departure from these practices providing a forum for women to experience medical care and child birth education simultaneously and in a group setting. Although other qualitative studies have described the experience of group prenatal care, this is the first which sought to understand the central meaning or core of the experience. The purpose of this study was to understand the central meaning of the experience of group prenatal care for women who participated in CenteringPregnancy through a maternity clinic in Calgary, Canada.
The study used a phenomenological approach. Twelve women participated postpartum in a one-on-one interview and/or a group validation session between June 2009 and July 2010.
Six themes emerged: (1) "getting more in one place at one time"; (2) "feeling supported"; (3) "learning and gaining meaningful information"; (4) "not feeling alone in the experience"; (5) "connecting"; and (6) "actively participating and taking on ownership of care". These themes contributed to the core phenomenon of women "getting more than they realized they needed". The active sharing among those in the group allowed women to have both their known and subconscious needs met.
Women's experience of group prenatal care reflected strong elements of social support in that women had different types of needs met and felt supported. The findings also broadened the understanding of some aspects of social support beyond current theories. In a contemporary North American society, the results of this study indicate that women gain from group prenatal care in terms of empowerment, efficiency, social support and education in ways not routinely available through individual care. This model of care could play a key role in addressing women's needs and improving health outcomes.
Open Peer Review reports
Pregnant women in Canada typically receive prenatal care through one-on-one visits with their physician or midwife. The Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada guidelines recommend that pregnant women have an initial prenatal visit with her provider within 12 weeks from the time of the her last menstrual period with subsequent visits increasing in later gestation [1]. Canada's universal health care system provides funding for prenatal visits with a physician, and most Canadian provinces provide funding for prenatal visits with a midwife [2]. In Alberta, the province where this study was conducted, the government began providing funding for midwifery services in 2009. In 2006, about 90% of pregnant women in Canada received prenatal care from a physician (58% from an obstetrician/gynaecologist and 34% from a family physician) with 6% receiving care from a midwife [3]. In the United Kingdom, Norway, Sweden, Finland, and New Zealand, there is a high proportion of midwives relative to each country's population, reflecting the fact that midwives deliver the majority of prenatal care in these countries [4–6]. This is in contrast with Canada and other countries, such as the United States and Germany, which have a low proportion of midwives relative to the country's population and where prenatal care is largely provided by physicians [4].
In addition to individual prenatal visits with their physician or midwife, some Canadian women also choose to attend prenatal classes. In prenatal classes, an educator provides pre-specified, educational material to a group of about 12 pregnant women and their partners or support people, and the material tends to focus on child birth. In Calgary, the city where this study was conducted, most prenatal classes start in the third trimester of pregnancy and vary in length from a total of 12 to 20 hours of instruction. Women are generally required to pay to attend most prenatal classes in Calgary.
Group prenatal care, an emerging alternative form of care, is gaining momentum. It is a departure from current practices for prenatal care and education, providing a forum for women to experience medical care and child birth education simultaneously and in a group setting. In CenteringPregnancy, a specific form of group prenatal care, pregnant women receive prenatal care over 10 two-hour sessions in a group of 8 to 12 women of similar gestational age [7]. Group sessions start early in the second trimester of pregnancy [7]. During each session, women participate in their own assessment by measuring and recording their own blood pressure and weight in addition to having an individual physical assessment with their provider in the group space [7]. The women then participate in a facilitated group discussion about pregnancy, childbirth, and parenting topics [7]. While each session has an overarching plan and relevant content is covered, the session is led in a facilitative manner which allows the group to contribute to the content [7]. Women also have an opportunity to socialize with each other during the sessions [7].
To date, two randomized controlled trials of group prenatal care have been conducted. One randomized controlled trial, among mostly African American women in the United States, suggested that women who participate in CenteringPregnancy may have a decreased risk of preterm birth, improved prenatal knowledge, greater satisfaction with care, and greater readiness for both delivery and baby care compared to women who receive standard individual prenatal care [8]. Another randomized controlled trial, among American military families, found that women in group prenatal care were more likely to have an adequate number of prenatal visits during their pregnancy and were more satisfied with their care, compared to standard individual prenatal care [9]. However, this study did not find any differences in stress, social support or depressive symptoms [9]. Other studies of group prenatal care have had equivocal findings, potentially as a consequence of research design and measurement, small sample sizes, or different populations [10–15].
The objective of the current study was to understand the central meaning or the core of the experience of group prenatal care for both the women and care providers who participated in CenteringPregnancy through a community maternity clinic. The following research questions guided the study:
What is the experience of group prenatal care?
What are women's and care providers' responses to group prenatal care?
This paper focuses on the experience from the perspective of women who took part in group prenatal care.
Although other qualitative studies have described the experience of group prenatal care [16, 17], this is the first which sought to understand the central meaning or core of the experience. As such, this study will make a unique contribution by discovering what the experience of group prenatal care means to women. It will provide a depth of understanding of the phenomenon of group prenatal care, going beyond understanding what the experience is like for women and seeking to understand the meaning of the experience. Providers of group prenatal care can use this information to explain the care model to prospective patients and can also use this information to approach their role with a greater awareness of how group prenatal care impacts women. Given growing interest in group prenatal care, providers and health care systems considering adopting or supporting this model of care can use these findings to inform their decisions and planning.
This study used the qualitative tradition of phenomenology and Heidegger's approach to inquiry to study the experience of group prenatal care [18]. The basic premise was that cultural groups with common experience have common meanings that can provide insight into the experience using the language of the women to find the message of the meaning [18]. Although we suspected that social support would arise as the core phenomenon of interest, we did not review the social support literature before beginning the study. We used bracketing of the theories that we were aware of during the analysis phase of the study to reduce the risk of being influenced by the literature and its projections about what might arise from the data.
Model of care
Group prenatal care was the model of care being studied, and CenteringPregnancy was the specific model implemented. While many CenteringPregnancy programs include a midwife as the prenatal care provider, this particular CenteringPregnancy program included family physicians as the prenatal care providers. These family physicians were part of a clinic that provides maternity care exclusively to women with low risk pregnancies in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. A physician co-facilitated the group sessions with a perinatal educator. The physicians and educators involved in this group prenatal care program received two days of training in the CenteringPregnancy model through the Centering Healthcare Institute.
As is routine prenatal practice in Alberta, women generally received early prenatal care from their own family physician or a walk-in clinic physician and were referred to the maternity practice for later care. Women who had been referred to the maternity practice or were on its waiting list were contacted and offered the option of participating in group prenatal care. Women were informed that they could attend group prenatal care and discontinue it if they later decided that they preferred to have one-on-one visits. Group prenatal care began between approximately 16 and 20 weeks gestation, and women did not have to pay to attend group prenatal care sessions.
Recruitment and data collection
Women were recruited to participate in this qualitative study from a cohort study of women who attended the CenteringPregnancy group prenatal care program specified above. For one-on-one interviews, a purposive sample of 8 to 12 postpartum women was planned to facilitate diversity of opinions from women of different cultures and child bearing experience. We planned to complete recruitment when no new data emerged during the interviews.
In May 2009, November 2009, and December 2009, the study team identified women who had recently delivered infants. A research assistant contacted these women by phone and invited them to participate in a one-on-one interview about their experience with group prenatal care. In June 2009, December 2009, and January 2010, one of two interviewers (DAM or MV, both not members of the health care team) met with participants in their homes. The interviews were audio recorded and ranged in duration from about 10 to 30 minutes. Each study participant was assigned a study number, and when the interviews were transcribed verbatim, all names were removed from the transcripts. The central interview question was "What was it like for you to participate in this type of care?" Additional questions included: "What was the best part? What was the worst part? How was this care experience different from what you expected?" The interviewers used probes such as "Can you tell me more about what that was like for you or meant to you?" to assist in further expanding a participant's explanation to gain an understanding of the meaning to the participant.
All participants provided written informed consent, and all names used in this paper are pseudonyms. The study was approved by the University of Calgary Conjoint Health Research Ethics Board.
Before beginning data analysis, each investigator wrote a description of their personal experience of group prenatal care and/or identified their own personal beliefs or theoretical understandings of social support that might influence the way they would be examining the data to address reflexivity [19]. Each investigator read the transcripts independently multiple times to facilitate dependability [19]. To begin the coding process, investigators highlighted and noted in margins statements (issues, highlights, concerns, accomplishments) that had meaning in relation to the group prenatal care experience. Each investigator grouped these statements into "meaning units" or themes and composed a description. The investigative team then met to look for all possible meanings and divergent perspectives (commonalities and unique aspects; the range of responses) and to write a description of the group prenatal care experience. The investigative team met on a regular basis to reach consensus on meaning themes and develop an overall description of the "essence" or core of the experience, returning to the text and their associated meaning statements to ensure dependability [19].
In July 2010, a validation session was arranged to address confirmability [19]. A research assistant invited women to participate in a two-hour focus group of 6 to 10 women and asked each woman to indicate her availability for the two proposed times. A research assistant later confirmed the date of the event and reminded each woman of the event by phone or email. The focus group was held in a meeting room at the research office. At the focus group, DAM shared preliminary findings with study participants and asked women to share their thoughts on the analysis and how it aligned with their own personal experience. The validation session lasted approximately 90 minutes and was audio recorded and later transcribed. Further data collection and validation sessions were planned if needed based on results of the first validation session.
From September 2008 to July 2010, 77 women had participated in the cohort study on group prenatal care and were eligible to participate in this qualitative sub-study. A total of twelve women (50% of those invited) participated in a one-on-one interview and/or the validation session. Table 1 details the number of women at each stage of recruitment. Of the two women who were invited to participate in a one-on-one interview but declined, one cited being too busy with her infant and the other asked for a call back but a research assistant was unable to reach her. Of the five women who were invited to participate in the validation session but declined, three cited that they would be out of town during the proposed times for the session and two were not interested. Of the eight women who agreed to participate in the validation session but did not attend, one woman called the day of the validation session to inform the research assistant that she could not attend due to a sick infant and the reasons for the other seven women are unknown. Table 2 reports the characteristics of those who participated. The one-on-one interviews occurred approximately 8 to 14 weeks postpartum while the validation session included women who were between 7 and 43 weeks postpartum.
Table 1 Number of women in each stage of recruitment
Table 2 Characteristics of women who participated in the interviews and validation session
During the analysis, six themes emerged that described the meaning of the experience to the women participating in group prenatal care and contributed to our perspective of the women's core experience (Figure 1). These themes were "getting more in one place at one time", "feeling supported", "learning and gaining meaningful information", "not feeling alone in the experience", "connecting", and "actively participating and taking on ownership of care". The validation session confirmed these themes and the core experience, which was "getting more than they realized they needed". The themes and core experience are presented in the following sections using exemplars from the participants that best illuminated the themes or statements that summarized the exemplars.
Women's experience of CenteringPregnancy.
Theme: Getting more in one place at one time
Group sessions were more efficient than one-on-one visits because women did not spend time waiting for their session to start. They knew the specific time that all sessions would start and when they would end. Women spent more time with their physician and had more opportunity to ask questions. "Usually at the doctor's office you have to wait... like an hour... so this is only two hours and you're done... it's not so much more time that I'm spending, but I'm gaining more than just a doctor's visit," (Lisa, 31-year-old first-time mother). Two women in the validation session thought the first few group sessions involved waiting time but indicated, "It got better... as time went on. And maybe because we knew each other better too, so we would talk a little bit more," (Nora, 29-year-old first-time mother).
Women thought they learned more than they would have at a standard prenatal visit with just a physician because they received information from the physician, educator, and the other women in the group. "You can learn from other people... so it's good. It helped me," (Nicole, 34-year-old, first-time mother). When other women in the group asked questions, women learned things beyond that which they had thought, remembered, or felt comfortable to ask about on their own. Natasha, a 27-year-old first-time mother, stated, "If I were to just go to the doctor, I wouldn't think to ask about something that hasn't happened." As time went on, women became more comfortable in asking their questions too because "you get people who aren't afraid to ask questions, so it makes you feel more comfortable," (Natasha, 27-year-old first-time mother). On the whole, women felt they got the information they needed and even more information than they realized they needed.
Theme: Feeling supported
Women felt supported in numerous ways. The physicians paid attention to their concerns and provided women with more than one potential solution or option. At the same time, the group setting and atmosphere helped women realize it was a safe place to ask questions and share. "So I feel supported, I feel that when I have questions I can... have them answered," (Lisa, 31-year-old first-time mother). Furthermore, the physicians, the educators, and in particular the other women were a source of rich information and knowledge that one "couldn't get from books," (husband of Rebecca, 30-year-old first-time mother). As one woman said, "It's nice that somebody can... give you advice and you can give them advice," (Natasha, 27-year-old first-time mother).
Women in the group also supported each other by listening to each other and giving each other time to share. Women were "... not fighting over people to get [their] words in and... everybody had their time," (Natasha, 27-year-old first-time mother). Another woman said, "It was nice and good to know everybody... and share the experience with them," (Priya, 27-year-old mother with other children). Through this, women received emotional support from the other women in the group. "They understood where I was, I understood where they were and... we all just became friends," (Rebecca, 30-year-old first-time mother). Women could share their experiences and feelings with other women in the group, including things they thought their friends outside of the group might not want to talk about. One woman who had been through multiple pregnancies reported, "I tell everyone I've never had this much support and it really helped... it's the first time I didn't get postpartum depression and I think having all this support during my pregnancy is what kind of eliminated that," (Robyn, 38-year-old mother with other children).
Theme: Learning and gaining meaningful information
Women reported that the information they gained in group prenatal care was useful, practical, detailed, up to date, and tailored to their needs. "I liked that each day was... a different topic, and... the [educator] would always ask if there was anything you wanted to discuss next time... that way everybody got what they needed," (Rebecca, 30-year-old first-time mother). The information was especially helpful for first-time mothers. "I think the information that I received was very valuable... very helpful detailed information, especially preparing for the labour part... I didn't know what to expect, so it was really helpful to be able to get information about those things," (Lisa, 31-year-old first-time mother). As women's relationships developed over time within the group, the information became more meaningful. Feeling a sense of connection and support in the group, women interacted with others in a way that shared some of their deepest needs, fears, questions, concerns, and experiences.
When women's partners attended group sessions with them, women reported increased involvement from their partner and partners "got to know... about all our aches and pains," (Robyn, 38-year-old mother with other children). In addition, women felt supported and secure when their partners attended. "My husband learned a lot too... and he helped me with everything... at the end, like at delivery time, he was with me. So... actually I felt more safe," (Alia, 27-year-old first-time mother).
Theme: Not feeling alone in the experience
Talking to "other women going through the exact same thing at the exact same time as you," (Natasha, 27-year-old first-time mother) helped women to "feel normal... like I'm not the only one," (Naomi, 31-year-old first-time mother). Even women who had gone through pregnancy before felt this way. "I wish... this group existed when I had my first, 'cause... I felt really alone with my first.... And this time... to be in that group... it's like, 'Wow, other people do feel like that,'" (Robyn, 38-year-old mother with other children).
Women identified with each other and understood where other women were at. For some women this was more than they knew they needed. One woman stated, "At first [the sessions] were... I didn't find them useful. I thought they were quite... touchy feely, not very concrete... we talked about how we felt," (Lisa, 31-year-old first-time mother). Yet later in the interview she acknowledged, "It helped a lot to talk to people and... oh you have this happen too? Or you feel this way too? So... to identify with... the people there. It was very good for me."
Theme: Connecting
Women saw one of two physicians over the duration of their prenatal care. As a result of this consistency, the additional time, and the type of encounter, women said they developed a connection with the physicians and "buil[t] a relationship with them which was nice," (Angela, 39-year-old first-time mother). This relationship increased women's level of comfort with the physicians, which enabled women to feel confident in asking their questions and sharing their thoughts. "I had more of a connection I feel with Doctor S because I saw her more. But I mean, just the connection that I felt with her I felt so comfortable asking questions," (Rebecca, 30-year-old first-time mother). Women thought the physicians were more aware of what care had been provided to date, and women did not have to explain themselves and their history at each visit.
Women experienced a connection with other women in the group in going through the pregnancy experience together and sharing along the way. This was particularly meaningful for those who did not have friends who were pregnant at the same time. "Lots of my friends haven't had kids, so they don't understand exactly... where somebody who's going through the same thing will talk to you about it," (Natasha, 27-year-old first-time mother). The universal pregnancy experience and sharing about their lives allowed connections to develop and facilitated the development of friendships for some women. Some of these friendships endured beyond the group.
Theme: Actively participating and taking on ownership of care
Women actively participated in the care of themselves and their babies by eliciting the information that was important to them. Women learned what they could expect and came to understand what they were experiencing or might experience next. "And they prepare you for it, whether it be scary or not but at least you know what to expect," (Natasha, 27-year-old first-time mother).
Women became knowledgeable, had a greater awareness of their own health, and learned to care for themselves and the baby growing inside of them. Women learned what to worry about and what not worry about and knew what to do in previously unknown circumstances. "...'Cause my water breaks and I knew that... I'm supposed to go to the hospital...[at the hospital] they gave me two options... you can go home [and] come back, or... you can stay here. Because... they taught me... when your water breaks, your baby's at risk. I'm like, '... I'll just stay here,'" (Alia, 27-year-old first-time mother).Knowledge became power for women because as Natasha, a 27-year-old first-time mother, said "The more you know, the better you can handle a situation."Women became more responsible for their own health and were more involved in their care than at a regular physician appointment.
"You take your own blood pressure. You check your own urine. So I think it also helped... us to... take ownership of our own care... you're doing something for yourself to take care... so not just to go sit in a doctor's office and be told to... pee in a cup. And they don't even tell you what it means or what they check," (Lisa, 31-year-old first-time mother). However, this level of responsibility created some discomfort at times for one mother who found that "occasionally I was worried about the accuracy of my own [blood pressure] readings," (Nora, 29-year-old first-time mother).
The core of the experience: Getting more than they realized they needed
Although women both contributed to and received from the group, women focused on what they gained from the group (physicians, educators and other women) rather than what they gave when describing their experience. The group allowed women to share the pregnancy experience together and information with each other while also allowing physicians and educators to contribute their expertise. Through this kind of sharing, women found more in one place at one time, learned and gained meaningful information, connected with others, did not feel alone in the pregnancy experience, felt supported, and actively participated in their care. As women went through the pregnancy experience and prepared for parenting a newborn, "it was nice that... everything I needed was right there," (Natasha, 27-year-old first-time mother).
Encountering similar needs and experiences in the group, women did not feel alone in their experiences but rather felt supported and connected with other women. At the same time, the diversity of needs, experiences and ideas in the group resulted in women gaining more in one place at one time. As the group had its needs met, each woman also had her individual needs met. "So there is actually [a] very good balance of both... practical information and also the emotional support... so I think anyone could benefit [from] at least... some part of it," (Lisa, 31-year-old first-time mother).
When women came to the group, some had ideas of what they needed, others realized they had needs but were not entirely clear on what those were, while others were unaware of some of their needs. Regardless of the level of awareness that women had of their needs, they came away with more than they realized they needed, whether it was information, feeling normal in identifying with other pregnant women, or something else. Women expected to get some medical care but ended up getting so much more than that. "I just want to say thank you because I never expect... to have... this care when I go to my family clinic," (Nicole, 34-year-old, first-time mother).
The central meaning of the experience of group prenatal care for women in this study was getting more than they realized they needed. Although these results do not indicate that women are not getting what they need from individual care, the results suggest that women can gain more from group prenatal care than from individual care. In individual care, the physician has very limited time, and the woman tries to get what she thinks she needs in that time. The brief prenatal visit does not allow much time to develop a connection with the physician, women may not be as comfortable asking questions, and women do not actively participate in their care. Consequently, the information provided by the physician may not meet the underlying need or question that the woman has. Moreover, women do not have the same opportunity to learn from others in an individual visit as there is no one else to ask the questions that she has not thought to ask, is not comfortable asking, or has forgotten to ask. In individual care, women also do not have the same sense of ownership with regards to their health and prenatal care.
It is also important to note that while women may have received more than they realized they needed through group prenatal care, each woman may have experienced this core in a slightly different way based on their experience of the themes within the core. Some women may have found that they received more than they realized they needed by learning that they were not alone in the experience of pregnancy and by actively participating in their care. Others may have received more than they realized they needed because they learned and gained a vast amount of meaningful information. Regardless of the variation in experience of the themes, group prenatal care provided more than women realized they needed.
While the current study used the phenomenological method to understand the central meaning or core of the experience of CenteringPregnancy, other studies have used other qualitative methods to describe the experience of CenteringPregnancy. A study by Teate et al. among Australian women found that CenteringPregnancy used women's time well, offered a supportive environment, improved learning, provided a sense of being normal, and provided opportunities to develop relationships [20]. These themes paralleled the following themes in the current study: "getting more in one place at one time", "feeling supported", "learning and gaining meaningful information", "not feeling alone in the experience", and "connecting". Other qualitative studies have been conducted among specific sub-populations. Kennedy et al. conducted a study among women in an American military setting and found that women described the experience as "I wasn't alone" [16]. Their experience included an aspect of normalization and identification with other pregnant women as well as a sense of community and friendship, closely aligning with two of the six themes in the current study - "not feeling alone in the experience of pregnancy" and "connecting". Another study by Novick et al. among African American and Hispanic women in the United States described six themes [17]. While the themes identified by Novick et al. had some alignment with those identified in the current study, there was particularly clear alignment regarding "learning and gaining meaningful information" [17]. To summarize, the themes found in the current study align well with previous research. This provides additional confidence in the validity of the themes identified.
Overall, there were strong elements of social support reflected in the women's experiences in this study. Most commonly, social support has been conceptualized (and measured) by looking at different forms of social support [21–23]. The basic assumption among these concepts is that there are different forms of social support that meet distinctly different needs--from material or tangible needs, to needs for information or advice, to needs for encouragement, affection, identification, or a sense of belonging. Indeed, women in group prenatal care had a variety of needs met, such as being connected to other women in the group (positive social interaction), not feeling alone in the experience of pregnancy (emotional support), and learning and gaining meaningful information (informational support). Furthermore, a number of social support theories note that support must be perceived as such by the recipient [23–26], and this was found to be true with women feeling supported in group prenatal care.
In addition, the findings of this study advance our understanding of social support beyond current conceptualizations. Some have suggested that needs must be identified before support can be given, but women in group prenatal care found support for needs they were aware of and for needs they did not realize they had [24–27]. Moreover, the theory of mutual intentionality posits that the giver and recipient of social support make active decisions to give and receive support [25, 26]. While it was clear that women in group prenatal care supported each other, it seemed more so that women gave support to others as they sought to have their own needs met in the group and less so through an active, conscious choice. Indeed, the experience of social support in a group context may vary when compared to social support offered by one individual to another.
Finding elements of social support in women's experience of group prenatal care was not surprising as assessment, education and support are core program components of CenteringPregnancy [28]. The structural elements of the CenteringPregnancy groups have been designed to facilitate the development of social support [7, 28]. Each session takes place in a circle and is facilitated rather than directed; women's contributions are valued, and there is time to talk socially with other women [7, 28]. The shared experience of pregnancy is also thought to promote relationships among women in the group [28].
Social support has been theorized to impact health, either through a direct effect or a buffering effect. It would be plausible then that group prenatal care, through providing an experience like that of social support, would also lead to improved health outcomes. Programs specifically designed to provide social support have often focused on the instrumental or tangible needs of pregnant women like child care or transportation [29]. While these tangible needs are important, group prenatal care may additionally meet the intangible needs of women. Women actively participate in their care and have more meaningful information to use as they progress in pregnancy, deliver their infant, and ultimately become parents. Women may have lower stress levels as they feel connected with others, supported, and empowered. Lowering stress levels may affect the physiology of the pregnant woman and her fetus and is a potential pathway through which group prenatal care may lead to improved birth outcomes such as lower rates of preterm birth, as found in Ickovics et al. [8].
As this study indicates, group prenatal care has the potential to enhance the care experience for women in community prenatal care clinics. Group prenatal care may also have the potential to change the experience of social support for marginalized groups, such as pregnant adolescents, who describe having to "piece together" social support from available sources [30]. In group prenatal care, women are connected through their pregnancy experience and have access to more than they realize they need in one place at one time, regardless of parity, ethnicity, economic means, and age.
Limitations and other considerations
The women who participated in the interviews were those who chose to complete the program or stay with the program as far as they were able (e.g. one woman was ordered on bed rest and could no longer attend group prenatal care). We do not have perspectives from those women who dropped out of the program, and their experiences are likely to have differed from those who stayed. Also, the sample for this study largely consisted of first-time mothers. While this could mark a limitation to the current study, the data gathered from the two mothers with other children suggest their experience of CenteringPregnancy was consistent with that of the first-time mothers.
The two participants who thought a group prenatal care session may not be as efficient as a physician's visit attributed this to the time spent waiting in the first few group sessions. Both reported less waiting in later sessions and seemed to suggest that some amount of "sitting around and waiting" in the first few sessions may be necessary for women to become comfortable enough to interact with each other during the session. Also, some providers may have been more skilled at facilitating interaction among the women in earlier sessions. However, for those not planning to take prenatal classes, group prenatal care may be perceived as less efficient.
Perceived inefficiency may have acted as a barrier to recruitment and retention for some women. Another aspect of the program that may have been a barrier for some women was discomfort with the level of responsibility required for self-care assessments (e.g. blood pressure measurements). However, we did not conduct an analysis of factors that acted as barriers and facilitators to participation in the group prenatal care program. Our focus in this paper was on group prenatal care as a phenomenon and not on the decision to participate in group prenatal care.
Although women reported that group prenatal care gave them more than they realized they needed, some expressed a desire for more postpartum and parenting information as also found in another study [20]. This may indicate a gap in information and support after delivery and the opportunity to continue to support women in the postpartum and parenting stages.
While some have suggested that cultural values may lead to different social views on the need for social support [26, 31], many cultures have embedded practices where people interact in groups and these have endured over time [32]. For instance, circles of women are an ancient tradition where women share values and beliefs and where women learn from one another [33]. Yet even in a contemporary North American society where independence is valued, the results of this study suggest that group prenatal care could play a key role in addressing women's needs and improving health outcomes through the influence of information and social support.
Authors' information
DAM is the director of the department of Public Health Innovation and Decision Support within Alberta Health Services and an adjunct associate professor in the Faculty of Nursing at the University of Calgary. MV is a project coordinator with the Department of Paediatrics at the University of Calgary and a research assistant with the Public Health Innovation and Decision Support department at Alberta Health Services. SMD is an associate professor of Clinical Obstetrics & Gynecology and Women's Health at Albert Einstein College of Medicine/Montefiore Medical Center. JS is a senior analyst in the department of Public Health Innovation and Decision Support within Alberta Health Services. SH was a research assistant with the Department of Paediatrics at the University of Calgary and the Public Health Innovation and Decision Support department at Alberta Health Services. SCT is a professor in the departments of Paediatrics and Community Health Sciences at the University of Calgary.
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Pre-publication history
The pre-publication history for this paper can be accessed here:http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2393/12/17/prepub
The authors would like to acknowledge:
• Alberta Innovates - Health Solutions, formerly the Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research, for salary support for Suzanne C. Tough,
• the Maternity Care Clinic, Alberta Health Services (Perinatal Education), and members of the Program Committee for partnering in the development and implementation of the CenteringPregnancy program,
• the physicians and perinatal educators who implemented and provided the CenteringPregnancy program,
• members of the Research Committee for informing the development and implementation of the study,
• Sharon Schindler Rising and the Centering Healthcare Institute for their support in the development of a Calgary model for CenteringPregnancy, and
• all members of the Preterm Birth and Healthy Outcomes Teams (PreHOT), particularly Kathy Hegadoren, for their support, assistance and enthusiasm for this study.
This study was funded by:
• Alberta Health Services (specifically former Calgary Health Region, Three Cheers for the Early Years) and
• Alberta Innovates - Health Solutions, formerly the Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research, as part of the Preterm Birth and Healthy Outcomes Team (PreHOT) Interdisciplinary Team Grant.
The funding sources were not involved in the study design; the collection, analysis, and interpretation of data; the writing of this article; or the decision to submit this article for publication.
Public Health Innovation and Decision Support, Population and Public Health, Alberta Health Services, Southport Atrium, 10101 Southport Road SW, Calgary, Alberta, T2W 3N2, Canada
Deborah A McNeil
, Monica Vekved
, Jodi Siever
& Sarah Horn
Faculty of Nursing, University of Calgary, 2500 University Drive NW, Calgary, Aberta, T2N 1 N4, Canada
Department of Paediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Calgary, 2888 Shaganappi Trail NW, Calgary, Aberta, T3B 6A8, Canada
Monica Vekved
, Sarah Horn
& Suzanne C Tough
Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Women's Health, Albert Einstein College of Medicine/Montefiore Medical Center, Mazer 634, 1300 Morris Park Avenue, Bronx, NY, 10461, USA
Siobhan M Dolan
Department of Community Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Calgary, 3280 Hospital Drive NW, Calgary, Aberta, T2N 4Z6, Canada
Suzanne C Tough
Search for Deborah A McNeil in:
Search for Monica Vekved in:
Search for Siobhan M Dolan in:
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Correspondence to Deborah A McNeil.
DAM and SCT conceived and designed the study. DAM and MV acquired the data. All authors contributed to the analysis and interpretation of data. DAM and MV drafted the manuscript, and SMD, JS, SH, and SCT revised it critically for important intellectual content. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.
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Daniel Pipes: Denying [Islamist] Terrorism
New York Sun
http://www.danielpipes.org
Anyone following the investigation into the mid-January slaughter of the Armanious family (husband, wife, two young daughters), Copts living in Jersey City, N.J., knows who the presumptive suspects are: Islamists furious at a Christian Egyptian immigrant who dares engage in Internet polemics against Islam and who attempts to convert Muslims to Christianity.
The authorities, however, have blinded themselves to the extensive circumstantial evidence, insisting that "no facts at this point" substantiate a religious motive for the murders.
Somehow, the prosecutor missed that all four members of this quiet family were savagely executed in the ritualistic Islamist way (multiple knife attacks and near-beheading); that Jersey City has a record of Islamist activism and jihadi violence, and that the http://www.paltalk.com/ website carried a threat against Hossam Armanious: "We are going to track you down like a chicken and kill you."
Law enforcement seems more concerned to avoid an anti-Muslim backlash than to find the culprits.
This attitude of denial fits an all-too-common pattern. I previously documented a reluctance in nearby New York City to see as terrorism the 1994 Brooklyn Bridge ("road rage" was the FBI's preferred description) and the 1997 Empire State Building shootings ("many, many enemies in his mind," said Rudolph Giuliani). And the July 2002 LAX murders were initially dismissed as "a work dispute" and the October 2002 rampage of the Beltway snipers went unexplained, leaving the press to ascribe it to such factors as a "stormy [family] relationship."
These instances are part of a yet-larger pattern.
* The 1990 murder of Rabbi Meir Kahane by the Islamist El Sayyid Nosair was initially ascribed by the police to "a prescription drug for or consistent with depression."
* The 1999 crash of EgyptAir 990, killing 217 - by a co-pilot not supposed to be near the aircraft's controls at that time who repeated 11 times "I rely on God" as he wrenched the plane down - went unexplained by the National Transportation Safety Board.
* The 2002 purposeful crash of a small plane into a Tampa high-rise by bin Laden-sympathizer Charles Bishara Bishop went unexplained; the family chimed in by blaming the acne drug Accutane.
* The 2003 murder and near-decapitation in Houston of an Israeli by a former Saudi friend who had newly become an Islamist found the police unable to discern "any evidence" that the crime had anything to do with religion.
Nor is this a problem unique to American authorities.
* The 1993 attack on foreign guests dining at the Semiramis Hotel in Cairo, killing five, accompanied by the Islamist cry "Allahu Akbar," inspired the Egyptian government to dismiss the killer as insane.
* The 2000 attack on a bus of visibly Jewish schoolchildren near Paris by a hammer-wielding North African yelling "You're not in Tel-Aviv!" prompted police to describe the assault as the result of a traffic incident.
* The 2003 fire that gutted the Merkaz HaTorah Jewish secondary school in a Paris suburb, requiring 100 firefighters to douse the flames, was described by the French minister of the interior as being merely of "criminal origin."
* The 2004 murder of a Hasidic Jew with no criminal record as he walked an Antwerp street near a predominantly Muslim area left the Belgian authorities stumped: "There are no signs that racism was involved."
I have cited 13 cases here and provide information on further incidents on my weblog. Why this repeated unease acknowledging Islamist terrorism by the authorities, why the shameful denial?
And for that matter, why a similar unwillingness to face facts about right-wing extremists, as in the 2002 murder by a cursing skinhead of a Hasidic Jew outside a kosher pizzeria in Toronto, which the police did not find to rate as a hate crime? Because terrorism has much greater implications than prescription drugs going awry, road rage, lunatics acting berserk, or freak industrial accidents. Those can be shrugged off. Islamist terrorism, in contrast, requires an analysis of jihadi motives and a focus on Muslims, steps highly unwelcome to authorities.
And so, police, prosecutors, and politicians shy away from stark realities in favor of soothing and inaccurate bromides. This ostrich-like behavior carries heavy costs; those who refuse to recognize the enemy cannot defeat him. To pretend terrorism is not occurring nearly guarantees that it will recur.
Other items in category Terrorism
Other items in category Militant Islam
Other items in category Islam in America
Other items in category Islam in the West
Labels: Daniel Pipes, Islam and Terrorism
AP: New Springsteen Album Due in April, Tour to Follow
NEW YORK (AP) — The seeds for Bruce Springsteen's new album Devils & Dust were sown nearly a decade ago, when the singer-songwriter launched his first-ever solo acoustic tour.
Springsteen said the tour would be an acoustic affair whether he performs alone or with a band, targeting theaters and smaller venues.
"I was so excited after playing on that tour, I'd get off the stage and go write," Springsteen told The Associated Press about those 1995-96 dates. "Then I put those songs on the shelf for a while, until I had a chance to revisit them."
The visit is now complete, with a 12-song album due in stores on April 26 — Springsteen's first release of all-new material since his Sept. 11-themed The Rising in July 2002. A tour was planned to follow the release, although Springsteen said it was unclear if he would perform alone or with a small band.
Two of the new album's songs, The Hitter and Long Time Comin', were actually written and performed on The Ghost of Tom Joad tour. But not all the material dates back that far; the title track was written around the start of the war in Iraq, Springsteen said.
"It works as a metaphor for all the music underneath it, the individual stories of people wrestling with their demons," Springsteen said of the title track. "A lot of it is set in the west, in what feels like a rural setting.
"It's about people working through their confusions, sometimes well and sometimes tragically," he said in a telephone interview earlier this week.
Springsteen opted to record without the E Street Band for Devils & Dust. The core group was Springsteen on guitar and other instruments, producer Brendan O'Brien on bass and drummer Steve Jordan, who had produced last year's 23rd Street Lullaby album by Springsteen's wife, Patti Scialfa.
In keeping with his pattern of recording, the new album is a quieter, more acoustic affair than The Rising. Springsteen, now 55, has alternated between large-scale rock records followed by more introspective material since 1982's Nebraska was released two years after The River.
Pedal steel guitar, harmonica and violin fill in the sparse, rootsy arrangements. Springsteen, who says his vocal range has expanded with age, provides some higher-pitched vocals on the track All I'm Thinking About.
Springsteen said the accompanying tour would be an acoustic affair whether he performs alone or with a band, targeting theaters and smaller venues.
"I was actually signed as an acoustic act, and I've always enjoyed playing acoustic," Springsteen said. "Even when I was in a band, back in my early days, I was always writing songs that weren't meant for the band."
Labels: Bruce Springsteen
Billboard.com: Springsteen to Release "Devils & Dust" April 26th
From Billboard.com:
Springsteen Stares Down 'Devils' On New Album
Bruce Springsteen re-teams with producer Brendan O'Brien on his 19th album, "Devils & Dust," whichColumbia will release on April 26. The 12-track set follows the format of Springsteen's '90s studio work, in which he was surrounded by a rotating cast of collaborators, including some members of the E Street Band.
The title cut has been in Springsteen's catalog for several years, and was dusted off in soundchecks for the E Street Band's run on last fall's Vote for Change tour, but never performed at a show.
Two of the tracks on "Long Time Comin'" and "The Hitter" -- date back at least 10 years and were performed during the tour in support of the 1995 album "The Ghost of Tom Joad".
Like much of the material on that set, the songs are both first-person narratives, using details and fragmented scenes to sketch out a life's story. The first is about a father celebrating the optimism that comes with an awaited child; the second about a street fighter nearing the end of an unenviable career.
Springsteen will tour in support of the new album, but no details have been announced as to who will back him or what size venues he will play.
"Devils & Dust" is the artist's first studio album since 2002's O'Brien-produced "The Rising," which debuted at No. 1 on The Billboard 200 and has sold 2.09 million copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan. The tour in support of the set grossed $221.5 million from 121 shows reported to Billboard Boxscore.
As previously reported, Springsteen won a Grammy on Sunday for best solo rock vocal performance for the "Code of Silence," which was released on the 2003 collection "The Essential Bruce Springsteen."
Here is the track list for "Devils & Dust":
"Devils & Dust"
"All The Way Home"
"Reno"
"Long Time Comin'"
"Black Cowboys"
"Maria's Bed"
"Silver Palomino"
"Jesus Was an Only Son"
"Leah"
"The Hitter"
"All I'm Thinkin' About"
"Matamoras Banks"
Ann Coulter: Not Crazy Horse, Just Crazy
FrontPageMagazine.com
University of Colorado professor Ward Churchill has written that "unquestionably, America has earned" the attack of 9-11. He calls the attack itself a result of "gallant sacrifices of the combat teams." That the "combat teams" killed only 3,000 Americans, he says, shows they were not "unreasonable or vindictive." He says that in order to even the score with America, Muslim terrorists "would, at a minimum, have to blow up about 300,000 more buildings and kill something on the order of 7.5 million people."
To grasp the current state of higher education in America, consider that if Churchill is at any risk at all of being fired, it is only because he smokes.
Churchill poses as a radical living on the edge, supremely confident that he is protected by tenure from being fired. College professors are the only people in America who assume they can't be fired for what they say.
Tenure was supposed to create an atmosphere of open debate and inquiry, but instead has created havens for talentless cowards who want to be insulated from life. Rather than fostering a climate of open inquiry, college campuses have become fascist colonies of anti-American hate speech, hypersensitivity, speech codes, banned words and prohibited scientific inquiry.
Even liberals don't try to defend Churchill on grounds that he is Galileo pursuing an abstract search for the truth. They simply invoke "free speech," like a deus ex machina to end all discussion. Like the words "diverse" and "tolerance," "free speech" means nothing but: "Shut up, we win." It's free speech (for liberals), diversity (of liberals) and tolerance (toward liberals).
Ironically, it is precisely because Churchill is paid by the taxpayers that "free speech" is implicated at all. The Constitution has nothing to say about the private sector firing employees for their speech. That's why you don't see Bill Maher on ABC anymore. Other well-known people who have been punished by their employers for their "free speech" include Al Campanis, Jimmy Breslin, Rush Limbaugh, Jimmy the Greek and Andy Rooney.
In fact, the Constitution says nothing about state governments firing employees for their speech: The First Amendment clearly says, "Congress shall make no law ... abridging the freedom of speech." Firing Ward Churchill is a pseudo-problem caused by modern constitutional law, which willy-nilly applies the Bill of Rights to the states – including the one amendment that clearly refers only to "Congress." (Liberals love to go around blustering "'no law' means 'no law'!" But apparently "Congress" doesn't mean "Congress.")
Even accepting the modern notion that the First Amendment applies to state governments, the Supreme Court has distinguished between the government as sovereign and the government as employer. The government is extremely limited in its ability to regulate the speech of private citizens, but not so limited in regulating the speech of its own employees.
So the First Amendment and "free speech" are really red herrings when it comes to whether Ward Churchill can be fired. Even state universities will not run afoul of the Constitution for firing a professor who is incapable of doing his job because he is a lunatic, an incompetent or an idiot – and those determinations would obviously turn on the professor's "speech."
If a math professor's "speech" consisted of insisting that 2 plus 2 equals 5, or an astrophysicist's "speech" was to claim that the moon is made of Swiss cheese, or a history professor's "speech" consisted of rants about the racial inferiority of the n-----s, each one of them could be fired by a state university without running afoul of the Constitution.
Just because we don't have bright lines for determining what speech can constitute a firing offense, doesn't mean there are no lines at all. If Churchill hasn't crossed them, we are admitting that almost nothing will debase and disgrace the office of professor (except, you know, suggesting that there might be innate differences in the mathematical abilities of men and women).
In addition to calling Americans murdered on 9-11 "little Eichmanns," Churchill has said:
"The U.S. Army gave blankets infected with smallpox to the Indians specifically intending to spread the disease. "
Not only are the diseased-blanket stories cited by Churchill denied by his alleged sources, but the very idea is contradicted by the facts of scientific discovery. The settlers didn't understand the mechanism of how disease was transmitted. Until Louis Pasteur's experiments in the second half of the 19th century, the idea that disease could be caused by living organisms was as scientifically accepted as crystal reading is today. Even after Pasteur, many scientists continued to believe disease was spontaneously generated from within. Churchill is imbuing the settlers with knowledge that in most cases wouldn't be accepted for another hundred years.
Indian reservations are the equivalent of Nazi concentration camps.
I forgot Auschwitz had a casino.
If Ward Churchill can be a college professor, what's David Duke waiting for?
The whole idea behind free speech is that in a marketplace of ideas, the truth will prevail. But liberals believe there is no such thing as truth and no idea can ever be false (unless it makes feminists cry, such as the idea that there are innate differences between men and women). Liberals are so enamored with the process of free speech that they have forgotten about the goal.
Faced with a professor who is a screaming lunatic, they retreat to, "Yes, but academic freedom, tenure, free speech, blah, blah," and their little liberal minds go into autopilot with all the slogans.
Why is it, again, that we are so committed to never, ever firing professors for their speech? Because we can't trust state officials to draw any lines at all here? Because ... because ... because they might start with crackpots like Ward Churchill – but soon liberals would be endangered? Liberals don't think there is any conceivable line between them and Churchill? Ipse dixit.
Ann Coulter is a bestselling author and syndicated columnist. Her most recent book is How to Talk to a Liberal (If You Must).
Labels: Ann Coulter, Education
Dennis Prager: The Case for Judeo-Christian Values, Part V
Better Answers: The Case for Judeo-Christian Values, Part V
FrontPageMagazine.com February 15, 2005
Before continuing to make the case for Judeo-Christian values, it is time to answer a question frequently posed by Jews and Christians, as well as others: How can there be such a thing as Judeo-Christian values when Judaism and Christianity have different, sometimes mutually exclusive, beliefs?
The most important answer is that beliefs and values are not the same things.
Of course, Judaism and Christianity have some differing beliefs. If they had the same beliefs, they would be the same religion. The very term "Judeo-Christian" implies that the two are not the same. The two religions have some differing beliefs and occasionally even some different values.
For example, Christianity believes in a Trinity that Judaism does not believe in. That is a major theological difference, but it has no impact on values. Likewise, Christianity believes that the Messiah has come, whereas Judaism believes that he has not yet come. As a Jewish theologian, I am fascinated by theological differences among religions. But I am far more preoccupied with real-life issues of good and evil, and that is where Judeo-Christian values come in.
Both religions are based on the Old Testament, which Judaism and Christianity hold to be divine or divinely inspired. Clearly, then, they will share values -- unless one holds that the New Testament rejects Old Testament values. But that is untenable since, in addition to Christianity believing the Old Testament is God's word, Jesus was a believing and practicing Jew. He would not practice a religion whose values or Bible he rejected.
One way to understand Judeo-Christian values, therefore, is as values that emanate from a Judeo-based Christianity. Christians have always had the choice to reject the Jewish roots of Christianity (which, when done, enabled Christian anti-Semitism), to ignore those roots, or to celebrate and embrace them. American Christians have, more than any other Christian group, opted for the latter.
For much of Christian history, the majority of Christians either ignored or denied the Jewish origins of Christianity and the Jewishness of Jesus and the Apostles. That is how many Christians were able to rationalize their anti-Semitism, and that is why Europe self-identified as "Christian," not as "Judeo-Christian" as America has.
It is also true that as the centuries passed, some values differences, not merely theological ones, did arise. But it is the greatness of Judeo-Christian values that they combine the best of both religious traditions and cast aside some of their weaker aspects.
For example, the Christian emphasis on faith above works led often to faith without works. Meanwhile, the Jewish emphasis on works above faith has led to many Jews abandoning God and valuing only works -- meaning, more often than not, the embracing of destructive secular radical faiths.
Judeo-Christian values combine the two religions' strengths -- the Jewish emphasis on moral works in this world with the Christian emphasis on keeping God at the center of one's values and works.
Another example is the American Christian's ability to remain God-centered and hold onto traditional beliefs while fully participating in modern society. This has not generally been the case in Jewish life. Over the centuries, God-centered and Torah-believing Jews retreated from mainstream society. They did so because: 1) anti-Semitism forced Jews into ghettos; 2) Jewish ritual laws increasingly restricted contact with non-Jews; and 3) Jews are a people, not just a religious group.
On the other hand, Jewish rituals have kept Judaism and the Jews alive while the abandonment of ritual (for example, Sabbath observance) has hurt Christianity. And Jewish peoplehood has ensured action on behalf of persecuted fellow Jews while Christians usually did little on behalf of persecuted fellow Christians -- as, for example, those many Christians terribly persecuted under Communism; the Copts in Egypt; the Maronite Catholics in Lebanon; and the Christians of Sudan.
In sum, despite whatever differences they have, Jews and Christians need each other and Judaism and Christianity need each other. The Judeo-Christian values system has become a uniquely powerful moral force. Among its many achievements is that it is the primary contributor to America's greatness.
Dennis Prager is a nationally syndicated radio talk show host, columnist and author of four books, including Think a Second Time (HarperCollins), containing 44 of his essays.
Mike Prisuta On NHL Labor Dispute
Leadership on both sides led owners, players astray
By Mike Prisuta
And so, it came to pass that on the 152nd day of a work stoppage that dragged hockey into darkness and despair, the NHLPA and the NHL finally saw a sliver of light.
Word spread on Tuesday morning that the players reportedly had at last agreed to the salary cap the owners had been insisting upon, and that the owners had surrendered on "linkage" between revenues and player costs (as if a cap wasn't enough protection from themselves all along).
So it was down to semantics, rather than philosophical differences.
These last-second concessions to common sense were made during a secret meeting on Monday, according to the Canadian Press.
That left what was left of the hockey world waiting and wondering, as yesterday afternoon dragged into last night, whether NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman's scheduled news conference at 1 p.m. today would announce an agreement or the season's cancellation.
Both sides should be outraged that they blindly followed leadership so misguided it came to this.
No matter how it turned out.
The players should be ready to ambush Bob Goodenow the way Marty McSorley did Donald Brashear right about now. They've lost millions. And for what? Some half-baked stand on a principle that wouldn't apply to the majority of the rank and file, one that's been abandoned now that deal-seekers have turned desperate.
Some of these guys won't be coming back when this is eventually settled.
And not nearly enough of them went to college.
Those unfortunates will have lost their jobs in a fight to preserve someone's ability to obscenely overpay Jaromir Jagr.
As for those who have been doing the over-paying, the owners, they ought to be ready to take turns playing Claude Lemieux and Kris Draper on one another right about now.
Their biggest mistake -- and there have been many -- was putting their franchises in Bettman's hands.
All along Bettman has been part of the problem rather than part of the solution, the biggest part of the problem. The players despise him, and his mere presence compromised the process and delayed the inevitable inclusion of a salary cap from the beginning.
Once the owners get one -- today or down the road -- they'll consider the damage done to the league and among its dwindling fan base justified. But we won't know the extent of that damage for some time; we only knew going in that the NHL could scarcely afford anything that might offend its few customers and viewers.
Of course, the owners had good reason to stick with Bettman, whose reign of error produced the CBA that pushed the league to the brink of financial ruin, more unnecessary expansion and the dilution of talent. He also ushered in the neutral zone-trap era, officiating so inconsistent it's almost impossible for the game to attract new fans because no one can tell what is a penalty and what is not, and a TV contract that couldn't pay Alain Lemieux's salary, let alone Mario's.
Did the guy ever do anything right?
No wonder he gets booed before every draft.
He ought to be booed again today, no matter the announcement he has to make.
And the players, to a man, are guilty of gross misconduct.
Mike Prisuta is a columnist for the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.
Labels: Hockey
Filip Bondy: Canseco's Charges Have Juice
You watched Jose Canseco laugh and boast of his misadventures last night on "60 Minutes," not squirm a bit inside his open white shirt collar, and the thing you took away from it more than anything is that this shameless clown now must be taken seriously.
It's true. Canseco is suddenly some kind of public Deep Throat, an expert spy. He has been empowered by all the naughty Big Boys of Baseball, by the BALCO hearings and by the muscled jocks who treated hypodermics as if they were some kind of acupuncture treatment.
"The national pastime is juiced," he reiterated last night. Canseco wrote the book, "Juiced," and he says he personally stuck a couple of needles right there in Mark McGwire's gluteus maximus (Mike Wallace never asked which cheek).
Canseco says he did that in a bathroom stall after batting practice and before games, and that he used anabolic steroids with Ivan Rodriguez, Rafael Palmeiro and Juan Gonzalez. He says he also advised Jason Giambi on the matter of this cheating.
"Common ground," Canseco called it. It was a way to interact comfortably with teammates who were not always cozy buddies. This was a new form of clubhouse water cooler banter. Kind of like, "Inject me, and I'll inject you."
Canseco's details on this matter may be as suspect as his own personal history. But laugh at him now at your own risk. Wallace never did last night, because times have changed so much and plausible deniability among our oversized heroes is at an all-time low. Whenever they showed an old picture of Popeye McGwire last night on CBS, you had to wince and wonder at those forearms all over again.
The terrain has changed, and with it the media's outrage at informants has noticeably diminished. The stoolies are treated with wariness now, not dismissed as common horseflies.
Back in 1989, there was a guy named Darrell Robinson who went on the "Today" show, charging that he'd sold human growth hormones to sprinter Florence Griffith Joyner. Robinson had his own share of legal problems, much like Canseco, and the host Bryant Gumbel attacked Robinson as if he were the biggest jerk in the world. Then Griffith Joyner came on the show and called Robinson "a compulsive, crazy, lying lunatic."
And that was about the last you heard about Robinson and his charges, until the day Griffith Joyner died at the age of 38 from uncertain causes.
Now, though, it is tougher to reject the tell-all guys, even if they are as screwed up as Canseco. McGwire says it's all nonsense and Tony LaRussa says it's all nonsense and all the old Texas Rangers say that whatever Canseco says is nonsense.
But then you remember that Giambi once said the steroid reports were all nonsense, too. He was last seen apologizing in the Bronx, and if the leaked grand jury testimony is true then Giambi joins Gary Sheffield and Canseco as the third Yankee or former Yankee to admit using performance-enhancing drugs.
These days, there are two burners going full blast in the hot stove league, heating baseball's long winters. Over one fire, there are the free agent rumors and signings, the congratulatory quotes and back page headlines. The Mets, the Yankees, the Red Sox, they will all be champions. That is the old promise of spring this sport has always offered, a piece of October in February.
But right behind that, over full flame, come the steroid leaks and reports. They are now as big part of offseason baseball as the signings. Players are outed for steroids, the way they might once have been traded to Detroit. When the season starts, the rush of events will disguise the problem again for some time. Not for long, though. Never again.
It would be nice to at least believe that Canseco has learned something from all this, but of course then he would not be Canseco. He still seems to believe that steroids are more helpful than harmful, even after all of this.
"I don't recommend steroids for everyone and I don't recommend growth hormones for everyone," he said last night. "But for certain individuals, I truly believe, because I've experimented with it for so many years, that it can make an average athlete a super athlete. It can make a super athlete - incredible. Just legendary."
Canseco is a blithering idiot. Dismiss him at your own risk.
Originally published on February 14, 2005
Labels: Baseball
Mark Steyn: UN Forces - Just a Bunch of Thugs?
(Filed: 15/02/2005)
http://www.telegraph.co.uk
It's a good basic axiom that if you take a quart of ice-cream and a quart of dog faeces and mix 'em together the result will taste more like the latter than the former. That's the problem with the UN. If you make the free nations and the thug states members of the same club, the danger isn't that they'll meet each other half-way but that the free world winds up going three-quarters, seven-eighths of the way. Thus the Oil-for-Fraud scandal: in the end, Saddam Hussein had a much shrewder understanding of the way the UN works than Bush and Blair did.
And, of course, corrupt organisations rarely stop at just one kind. If you don't want to bulk up your pension by skimming the Oil-for-Food programme, don't worry, whatever your bag, the UN can find somewhere that suits - in West Africa, it's Sex-for-Food, with aid workers demanding sexual services from locals as young as four; in Cambodia, it's drug dealing; in Kenya, it's the refugee extortion racket; in the Balkans, sex slaves.
But you get the general picture: on a UN peace mission, everyone gets his piece. Didier Bourguet, a UN staffer in Congo and the Central African Republic, enjoyed the pleasures of 12-year-old girls, and as a result is now on trial in France. His lawyer has said he was part of a UN paedophile network that transcends national boundaries.
Now how about this? The Third Infantry Division are raping nine-year olds in Ramadi. Ready, set, go! That thundering sound outside your window isn't the new IKEA sale, but the great herd of BBC/CNN/Independent/Guardian/New York Times/Le Monde/Sydney Morning Herald/Irish Times/Cork Examiner reporters stampeding to the Sunni Triangle. Whoa, hold up, lads, it's only hypothetical.
But think about it: the merest glimpse of a freaky West Virginia tramp leading an Abu Ghraib inmate around with girlie knickers on his head was enough to prompt calls for Rumsfeld's resignation, and for Ted Kennedy to charge that Saddam's torture chambers were now open "under new management", and for Robert Fisk to be driven into the kind of orgasmic frenzy unseen since his column on how much he enjoyed being beaten up by an Afghan mob: "Just look at the way US army reservist Lynndie England holds the leash of the naked, bearded Iraqi," wrote Fisk. "No sadistic movie could outdo the damage of this image. In September 2001, the planes smashed into the buildings; today, Lynndie smashes to pieces our entire morality with just one tug on the leash."
Who's straining at the leash here? Down, boy. But, if Lynndie's smashed to pieces our entire morality with just one tug, Bush's Zionist neocons getting it on with Congolese kindergarteners would have the Independent calling for US expulsion from the UN - no, wait, from Planet Earth: slice it off from Maine to Hawaii and use one of those new Euro-Airbuses to drag it out round the back of Uranus.
But systemic UN child sex in at least 50 per cent of their missions? The transnational morality set can barely stifle their yawns. If you're going to rape prepubescent girls, make sure you're wearing a blue helmet.
And at least the Pentagon put a stop to Abu Ghraib. As a UN official in Congo told the Telegraph yesterday: "The crux of the problem is that if the UN gets bolshie with these governments then they stop providing the UN with troops and staff."
And the problem with that is?
In Congo, the UN has now forbidden all contact between its forces and the natives. The rest of the world should be so lucky.
I take it from his use of "bolshie" that the quoted UN wallah is British. If so, that's the system in a nutshell: when a British bigwig is with British forces, he'll enforce British standards; when a British official is holed up with an impeccably "multilateral" force of Uruguayans, Tunisians, etc, he's more circumspect. When in Rome, do as the Visigoths do.
The child sex racket is only the most extreme example of what's wrong with the UN approach to the world. Developed peoples value resilience: when disaster strikes, you bounce back. A hurricane flattens Florida, you patch things up and reopen. As the New Colonial Class, the UN doesn't look at it like that: when disaster strikes, it just proves you and your countrymen are children who need to be taken under the transnational wing.
The folks that have been under the UN wing the longest - indeed, the only ones with their own permanent UN agency and semi-centenarian "refugee camps" - are the most comprehensively wrecked people on the face of the earth: the Palestinians. UN territories like Kosovo are the global equivalent of inner-city council estates with the blue helmets as local enforcers for the absentee slum landlord. By contrast, a couple of years after imperialist warmonger Bush showed up, Afghanistan and Iraq have elections, presidents and prime ministers.
When the tsunami hit, hundreds of thousands of people died within minutes. The Australians and Americans arrived within hours. The UN was unable to get to Banda Aceh within weeks.
Instead, the humanitarian fat cats were back in New York and Geneva holding press conferences warning about post-tsunami health consequences - dysentery, cholera, BSE from water-logged cattle, etc - that, they assured us, would kill as many people as the original disaster. But it never happened, any more than did their predictions of disaster for Iraq ("The head of the World Food Programme has warned that Iraq could spiral into a massive humanitarian disaster") or Afghanistan ("The UN Children's Fund has estimated that as many as 100,000 Afghan children could die of cold, disease and hunger").
It's one thing to invent humanitarian disasters to disparage Bush's unilateralist warmongering, but a month ago the UN was reduced to inventing a humanitarian disaster in order to distract attention from the existing humanitarian disaster it wasn't doing anything about.
All this derives from a UN culture in which the free nations have met the thug states so much more than half way that they now largely share the dictators' view of their peoples - as either helpless children who need every decision made for them, or a bunch of dupes whose national wealth you can reroute to your Swiss bank account, or a never-ending source of fresh meat.
Those British officials trying to rationalise Oil-for-Fraud or child sex rings give the game away: it's not just the underage Congolese girls who get corrupted by contact with the UN.
Labels: Mark Steyn
Thomas Fleming: The Tsunami and the Pornography of Compassion
http://www.chroniclesmagazine.org
The tsunami that struck Asia and Africa on St. Stephen’s Day wreaked a considerable amount of havoc, but no one knows, even approximately, how many people actually died. In the first few weeks, it looked as if the grisly total would add up to about 150,000 victims, but, as politicians in Indonesia began to see the advantages, the figures have crept up to perhaps 175,000.
Nonetheless, even 150,000 dead in a single day is a horrifying number. People all over the developed world took the news hard, as they stayed glued to CNN, watching for ever more graphic bits of footage, listening for even sadder tales of children snatched from their mothers’ arms. “What’s it up to now, Charlie?” I can almost hear their wives calling out from the kitchen.
When the tsunami struck, I was in Siena without a television set, and, though I had skimmed the front page of the Corriere, I did not grasp the dimensions of the catastrophe until I reached Naples on December 30. In Italy, the New Year’s Eve celebrations were supposed to be more muted this year, out of respect for the victims, but the explosions going off in Naples were enough to flatten the tires of parked cars and start trash fires all over the city. If that is Naples’ idea of muted, I do not want to be there when they have a really good time.
Some holiday parties in Europe and the United States were cancelled in honor of the event. I do not give or attend New Year’s Eve parties, but I should not have cancelled any plans for the sake of a far-off natural disaster. I do not know anyone who died, and I do not know anyone who knew anyone. It was 150,000 strangers who died. That is surely not an unusual event. After all, how many human beings die on the planet every day? One calculation I have discovered puts it at just shy of 150,000, roughly the same number as died in the tsunami. That adds up to roughly 55 million people per year. Such figures make John Donne’s famous sermon sound ridiculous. If each man’s death diminishes me by even a small particle, there would not be much left by the end of a decade. The truth is that we are more affected by the death of a pet hamster than we are by the death of 150,000 strangers to whom we are not bound by ties of history, kinship, or religion.
That most people agree with this cold-blooded conclusion is evident from all the national news reports. The Italian press was filled with heart-rending stories about killed and missing Italians; the BBC focused on British victims; American newspapers and networks talked mostly of Americans. One Islamic physicians’ group maintained its religious identity by saying that jihad was more important than ministering to the victims. What this means is clear: We feel little sorrow for the sufferings of strangers, but, if we are stirred up by the yellow press, we will clutch at anything to establish an imaginary bond of sympathy. The “pornography of compassion,” as I have described the phenomenon in The Morality of Everyday Life, is one of the hallmarks of the liberal mind-set. When the Lisbon earthquake wiped out a goodly part of the Portuguese capital in 1755, Voltaire rejected the cheery optimism he had imbibed from Leibniz and began railing against human suffering. He also, in a private letter, exulted that so many priests had been killed. Scratch an humanitarian, and you almost always find an anti-Christian. Samuel Johnson, by contrast, was at first skeptical about the numbers and, when they proved to be more or less correct, still refused to jump on the humanitarian bandwagon. The word he reserved for such enthusiasms was cant, and what was cant in 1755 is cant today. Voltaire’s sanctimonious poem on the “Lisbon Earthquake” led directly to his greatest anti-Christian squib, Candide, and we have been plagued ever since by the cynical sentimentalism that raises trillions of dollars to help strangers while poisoning us against the needs of family, neighbors, and friends. The Christian Dr. Johnson taught us that suffering and death are part of the human condition, and blaming God for our misery or pretending it is not so will not change that condition.
There is nothing wrong in Americans giving of their abundance to the victims of African genocide or Asian tidal waves, but there is something dreadfully wrong in the pretense that we care deeply. The more we flatter ourselves with such fantasies of universal compassion, the less room we have in our hearts for the suffering humanity we meet in our own hometowns. It is easier to write a check to a telethon than to carry supper to a shut-in. Groups such as the St. Vincent de Paul Society are to be applauded for doing what they can to discharge the obligations of Christian charity to people in their own communities. We leave it to liberals to neglect their own families while saving the world’s children. Mother Teresa, when a Milwaukee woman offered to come and help the poor in Calcutta, sagely advised her to find Calcutta in Milwaukee. Charity begins at home.
[From the forthcoming March 2005 issue of Chronicles, Cultural Revolutions]
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Labels: Far East
Mark Steyn: On Culture Front, We're Losing War
BY MARK STEYN, CHICAGO SUN-TIMES COLUMNIST
Here are three small news items from around the world you might have missed:
1) An unemployed waitress in Berlin faces the loss of her welfare benefits after refusing a job as a prostitute in a legalized brothel.
2) A British court has ruled that a suspected terrorist from Algeria cannot be detained in custody because jail causes him to suffer a ''depressive illness.''
3) Seventeen-year-old Jeffrey Eden of Charlestown, R.I., has been awarded an A by his teacher and the ''Silver Key'' in the Rhode Island Scholastic Art Awards for a diorama titled ''Bush/Hitler and How History Repeats Itself.''
A trio of itsy-bitsy little stories from the foot of page 27 of your daily paper, if they made it at all. But they're as revealing about the course of the war as anything going on in Iraq. The Germans, in the bad old days when their preferred field of combat was France rather than Fraulein Helga's government-regulated bondage dungeon, used to talk about ''wehrwille'' -- war will. America, Britain, Australia and a select few other countries have demonstrated they can just about muster the ''war will'' on the battlefield. On the broader cultural front, where this war in the end will be won, there's little evidence of any kind of will.
The waitress forced into prostitution by the government pimp is, at one level, merely an example of the unintended consequences that follow every legislative initiative. But, at another, it's the logical reductio of the modern secular welfare state. Like all those European utopias John Kerry wants America to be more like, Germany has a permanently high unemployment rate and, as a result, penalizes those who refuse to take available jobs -- like providing ''sexual services.'' The welfare office in Gotha ordered a 23-year-old woman to attend an audition for a job as a ''nude model.''
As Queen Victoria is said to have advised her daughter on her wedding night, lie back and think of England. Now the welfare office says lie back and think of Germany. And why not? When you cede to the state the responsibility for feeding, clothing, housing yourself, for your parents' retirement and your own health care, it's hardly surprising they can't see what the big deal is about annexing your sex life as well. If a welfare state were a German S&M club, the government is the S and you're the M. The ''security'' of welfare is not usually quite such literal bondage, but it always is metaphorically.
When the Germans legalized their whorehouses, they thought it showed how relaxed and enlightened they were. The al-Qaida types take a different line: They think it's a sign that the West is decadent and weak and cannot survive. And they have a point: The government forcing women into prostitution is merely the latest example of the internal contradictions of the modern secular state.
That British court judgment is another. SIAC, the United Kingdom's anti-terrorist court, found in 2003 that the 35-year-old Algerian male in question had ''actively assisted terrorists who have links to al-Qaida.'' But he was released from Belmarsh Prison because of his ''depressive condition.'' I'd be in a depressive condition if I were a terrorist: The Afghan camps are gone, the Great Satan's liberated Iraq, and Osama re-emerges from his three-year sabbatical only to release a floppo ''Vote Kerry!'' video recycling a lot of lame Michael Moore gags. The more Islamists in a depressive condition the better. Maybe if they get sufficiently depressed they'll stop being terrorists and become trainee accountants or male hairdressers.
But this surely illustrates the impossibility of fighting terror as a law enforcement operation. By Western standards, every Islamic terrorist is ''depressive'' -- for a start, as suicide bombers, they're suicidal. Sen. Kerry, you'll recall, thought terrorism should be like prostitution: a nuisance. But, if these court judgments are any indication, it seems to be more like German prostitution: They're free to do what they want, and with the full backing of the legal system.
In such a world, it's good to know we still have the guts to finger the real bad guys. Thus, when Chariho Regional High School art teacher Lynn Norton set her pupils the task of expressing an idea three-dimensionally, Jeffrey Eden immediately thought of a diorama comparing Bush to Hitler. You might think that ought to be disqualified on the grounds that characterizing Bush as Hitler is about as two-dimensional as you can get, and it's less of a diorama than the diarrhea of leftist rhetoric, as poured forth by millions of moveon.org drones and nude Marin County feminist protesters and European activist puppeteers. But there's always room for one more, and Jeffrey's schoolmarm was thrilled at the way he did it so cutely, draping a swastika on one side and the Stars and Stripes on the other, and putting in little plastic soldiers -- Nazi and American, though who can tell the difference, right? -- and then adding his own penetrating observations on both Bush (''Saddam had no affiliation with the Taliban'') and his predecessor as Fuhrer (''Hitler's own justification was his own hatred.'' Hmm. What a testament to the quality of Rhode Island's ''Social Studies'' curriculum).
Well, Jeffrey's 17. One day, with a bit of luck, he'll realize Bush isn't Hitler. If he were, Jeffrey would be in the Bush Youth doing patriotic exercises in shorts every morning and singing the special Texan lyrics to the Horst Wessel song, and he wouldn't have time to do dioramas of dissent. But what are we to make of everyone else in this sorry story? The art teacher who gave him an A. The 15 judges in the Rhode Island Scholastic Art Awards who awarded him their ''silver key.'' The proprietor of Alperts Furniture Showroom in Seekonk where the winning ''art'' work is proudly on display. Are there no grown-ups left in Rhode Island?
I'm not worried about Iraq. As they demonstrated on Jan. 30, they'll be just fine. The western front is the important one in this war, the point of intersection between Islam and a liberal democratic tradition so mired in self-loathing it would rather destroy our civilization just to demonstrate its multicultural bona fides. It's not that young Eden knows nothing, but that neither his teachers, judges nor furniture showroom proprietors do. By contrast, our enemies know us very well, at least when it comes to courtroom strategies and canny manipulation of the fetish of ''tolerance.''
It's an open question whether the West will survive this twilight struggle: Europe almost certainly won't, America might; on the other hand, the psychosis to which much of the culture is in thrall may eventually reach a tipping point into mass civilizational suicide. And then the new barbarians will inherit, and young Master Eden will end his days pining for the rosy-hued nostalgia for the Bushitler tyranny.
Labels: Mark Steyn, Marriage and Family
AP: New Springsteen Album Due in April, Tour to Fo...
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Dennis Prager: The Case for Judeo-Christian Values...
Thomas Fleming: The Tsunami and the Pornography of...
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Concerning the spiritual and the concrete in Kandinsky's art
Florman, Lisa Carol, author.
Stanford, California : Stanford University Press, 2014.
1 online resource (281 pages, 24 pages of plates) : illustrations (some color)
Local Note:
Electronic reproduction. Ann Arbor, MI : ProQuest, 2015. Available via World Wide Web. Access may be limited to ProQuest affiliated libraries.
Kandinsky, Wassily, 1866-1944-Criticism and interpretation.
Hegel, Georg Wilhelm Friedrich, 1770-1831 Ästhetik.
Painting, Abstract.
Painting, Modern -- 20th century.
Art -- Philosophy.
Aesthetics.
Lundquist, Bruce,
This book examines the art and writings of Wassily Kandinsky, who is widely regarded as one of the first artists to produce non-representational paintings. Crucial to an understanding of Kandinsky's intentions is On the Spiritual in Art , the celebrated essay he published in 1911. Where most scholars have taken its repeated references to "spirit" as signaling quasi-religious or mystical concerns, Florman argues instead that Kandinsky's primary frame of reference was G.W.F. Hegel's Aesthetics , in which art had similarly been presented as a vehicle for the developing self-consciousness of spirit (or Geist , in German). In addition to close readings of Kandinsky's writings, the book also includes a discussion of a 1936 essay on the artist's paintings written by his own nephew, philosopher Alexandre Kojève, the foremost Hegel scholar in France at that time. It also provides detailed analyses of individual paintings by Kandinsky, demonstrating how the development of his oeuvre challenges Hegel's views on modern art, yet operates in much the same manner as does Hegel's philosophical system. Through the work of a single, crucial artist, Florman presents a radical new account of why painting turned to abstraction in the early years of the twentieth century.
Choice Review
Wassily Kandinsky is one of many creative thinkers and practitioners whose ideas have been contracted into stereotypical assumption. In a deeply researched and closely argued text, rich in perceptive insights and information, Florman (Ohio State Univ.) clarifies Kandinsky's concept of spirit and recovers the significance of his overlooked later art production. In so doing, Florman extends her commendable corpus of studies on modernism, which includes Myth and Metamorphosis (2000), and adds much to readers' understanding of the artist's intellectual heritage and aesthetic objectives. She also enlarges the broad literature on the history of color theory, the significance of abstraction for the diverse modern movements, and the meaning of such terms as materiality and subjectivity in current critical discourse. The writing, while concentrated, is readable. The book is further enhanced by a sequence of 24 superb color plates and 49 monochrome illustrations of other pictorial work by Kandinsky and contemporaries, together with interesting diagrams. This well-produced volume includes a concise index and efficacious endnotes that also serve as the bibliography. --R. Windsor Liscombe, University of British Columbia
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The World, and some in the Church, Hate the Pope
by Steve Ray on March 25, 2010
If they ever suspect a chink in the armor the enemy will smell blood and rush in with hatred in their eyes. Thus it is with the secular media and the Catholic Church, especially regarding the Pope.
L’Osservatore rips Pope’s critics on sex-abuse claims
A strongly worded editorial in the Vatican newspaper has decried the “vile intent” of journalists seeking to link Pope Benedict XVI to the sex-abuse scandal. Following up on a statement from the Vatican press office, L’Osservatore Romano insisted that there was no cover-up by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF) in a case involving a Milwaukee priest. The CDF only became aware of the case in 1996, the Vatican newspaper noted– decades after the sex-abuse complaints against Father Lawrence Murphy first arose.
http://apnews.myway.com/article/20100327/D9EN1HPO0.html
New York Times highlights Vatican inaction on abusive Milwaukee priest
In a front-page headline story, the New York Times has called attention to a sex-abuse case in which the Vatican failed to act promptly on a request to defrock a Wisconsin priest who was accused of molesting up to 200 boys at a school for the deaf.
A documented rebuttal to Christopher Hitchens attack on Pope Benedict
This week the militant atheist Christopher Hitchens published a vitriolic attack on Pope Benedict XVI and the Catholic faith, concentrating on the sex-abuse scandal and charging that the Pope’s “whole career has the stench of evil.” In a detailed, carefully documented rebuttal, Sean Murphy points to multiple errors of fact in Hitchens’ piece, and concludes: “Were it not for its appearance in the National Post, it would be difficult to believe that a reputable newspaper would publish such absurdity.”
Vatican Spokesman Refutes Murphy Case Accusations
By Genevieve Pollock, VATICAN CITY, MARCH 25, 2010 (Zenit.org).- There were no cover-ups, the Vatican is confirming in response to media accusations that tried to implicate Benedict XVI in the case of a priest accused of abusing deaf children. Today, several media sources followed the New York Times in reporting a story about Father Lawrence Murphy, a priest from the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, who was accused of molesting up to 200 children. The Holy See published the statement that Father Federico Lombardi, director of the Vatican press office, gave to the Times, in which he deplored this “tragic case” that “involved particularly vulnerable victims who suffered terribly.” For Lombardi’s whole statement, click here
Sean Murphy tracked down all the references and researched all the accusations. Here’s the result, with 80 references.
And an abbreviated version here: http://www.catholiceducation.org/articles/apologetics/ap0325.htm
Murphy concludes: “It would be unfair to conclude that Mr. Hitchens deliberately distorted and withheld all of this information. One hesitates to attribute his failings to malicious anti-catholic bigotry. Perhaps he was just remarkably careless in his reading and incompetent in his research.”
Enemies who Call Themselves Catholics: Van Thuân Observatory Affirms Support for Benedict XVI, By Monsignor Giampaolo Crepaldi
ROME, MARCH 22, 2010 (Zenit.org).- The attempt of the press to implicate Benedict XVI in the question of pedophilia is only the most recent sign of the aversion that many have for the Pope.
It is necessary to ask oneself how this Pontiff, despite his evangelical meekness and honesty, the clarity of his words joined to the depth of his thought and of his teachings, arouses in some places sentiments of disgust and forms of anti-clericalism that it was believed had been surmounted. And this, it must be said, causes even greater astonishment and also distress when those who do not follow the Pope and criticize his alleged errors are men of the Church, whether theologians, priests or laymen.
The unheard of and clearly forced accusations of theologian Hans Kung against the person of Joseph Ratzinger, theologian, bishop, prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and now Pontiff for having caused, according to him, the pedophilia of some ecclesiastics through his theology and magisterium on celibacy profoundly distress us. It never happened before that the Church was attacked in this way. For the rest of the article, click here.
New York Times Tries to Tie Pope to abuse scandal
The New York Times has reported that Pope Benedict XVI was informed about the parish assignment given to a priest who had been accused of molesting children. But the Vatican has countered that the Times story contains no new information to contradict previous statements that the Pope was unaware of the assignment.
Paul Primavera March 25, 2010 at 9:49 PM
We can expect nothing less than this from the liberal Democrat, atheist humanist NY Times. This is its revenge against the Church for opposing Obamacare and abortion.
I tell you that truly the best liberal Democrat is the defeated, muzzled and emasculated liberal Democrat.
Sorry – I have to tell it like it is.
bible sweepstakes March 26, 2010 at 5:10 AM
This is quite alarming. I do hope that everything gonna be okay.
Mike Drabik, Toledo, Ohio March 26, 2010 at 2:18 PM
Of course there were cover-ups and the Pope did know. Ya know the whole world iS not going to come crashing down if the Holy Father admits he knew and expresses a heart-felt ‘mea culpa’ and takes some real actions to stop this from happening again.
Yes, many will probably leave for good should he do so. However, the truth that is at the core of our faith: that God became Man in Jesus Christ and that he suffered, died, was buried, rose from the dead on the third day; commissioned twelve men to spread this Good News through out the world and; ascended to heaven and will return in judgment some day holds. No matter what happens.
However, it’s high time the Catholic laity remove the covers from their own eyes and pull the plugs out of their own ears and face the cognitive dissonance of this matter with all its horror. We can’t keep on talking about saving children from abortion while Catholic children are being allowed to languish in the dark depths for a life time as a result of the sexual abuse imposed upon them from some of those who are supposed to be their pastors. It is also high time that the priests who haven’t done these things stop walking in lock-step defense of their predatory brothers. And finally it is high time the bishops be real shepherds not a apartachiks and concern themselves with the healing, justice and prevention demanded from this situation rather than worry about the reputation of the Church and the preservation of their social position.
Suzanne March 26, 2010 at 6:26 PM
The New York Times puts this on page 1. However, Obama’s associations with some people, say a certain domestic terrorist named Bill Ayers…well, that was hardly worth any mention. Why should we discuss anything that might possibly taint someone who may become (and, unfortunately, did become) our President? However, it’s like they are just waiting for the slightest, littlest thing about the Church or the Pope and then they splash it there on page 1. Yeah, that is unbiased reporting for you. Very sad state of affairs in our country.
Those of us who know better know we are so blessed to have Pope Benedict as our shepherd. I continue to pray for him and for our Church daily.
Thanks and God bless you.
HG March 26, 2010 at 8:00 PM
2000 years and counting, and the devil is desperate at how he can destroy the Catholic Church. The words of our Lord can be trusted, “the gates of hell will not prevail against it.” Thank you Lord for your promise.
We even love you more Pope Benedict XVI! The archangel Michael is right beside you!
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terms-of-use
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College Funding Specialists
College Funding Specialists was founded by Ryan Thomson in January of 2006. Ryan graduated from Michigan State University's Eli Broad College of Business in December of 1996. From January of 1997 until December of 2005 Ryan worked for National College Funding Service out of Troy, Michigan.
While in Michigan, in addition to working with families to properly prepare for college, Ryan also served as one of the chief counselors for National Association of College Funding Advisors for over 5 years to help train college funding professionals around the country.
In 2006, after 9 years of helping families and training college funding professionals, Ryan decided the time to start his own company had arrived. Having visited the Austin area frequently on family trips and having two brothers in the Dallas area, the decision to move to Austin was an easy one. He happily traded in his snow shovel and winter clothes for the opportunity to come to the warm and friendly Austin area.
Over his career Ryan has presented hundreds of workshops teaching thousands of families how to properly plan for college and how to maximize all of the resources available to help in doing so. In addition to the two workshops CFS promotes each month Ryan is frequently invited to present his workshop at different public high school events, for specific private high schools, private companies, charitable groups, and even workshops that are organized by families he is working with that want their friends/relatives/co-workers to have the benefit of attending one of his workshops.
CFS is currently working with families from over 30 different public high schools from the following Independent School Districts: Austin ISD, Leander ISD, Round Rock ISD, Georgetown ISD, Pflugerville ISD, Eanes ISD, Lake Travis ISD, Marble Falls ISD, Bastrop ISD, Dripping Springs ISD, Lago Vista ISD, Liberty Hill ISD, Hutto ISD, Manor ISD, and Elgin ISD. In addition to these families we also assist many families with students attending private high schools, home schooled students, and we even assist families who live outside of the Austin area and the state of Texas.
Content copyright . College Funding Specialists. All rights reserved.
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Maleficent: Mistress of Evil Trailer Released by Disney
By Charlie Ridgely - May 13, 2019 08:30 pm EDT
As if Disney didn't have enough live-action adaptations of animated movies heading to theaters in 2019, the House of Mouse decided to add one more to its slate. Earlier this year, it was revealed that Maleficent: Mistress of Evil, the follow-up to the Angelina Jolie-starring Sleeping Beauty prequel, was being moved to 2019 from its original 2020 release date. Ever since that announcement, fans have been awaiting the first trailer for the film. Finally, on Monday evening, the wait paid off.
The first trailer for Maleficent: Mistress of Evil was released by Disney on Monday, giving everyone the first look at what's to come in Jolie's second outing as the iconic villain. You can check out the full trailer in the video above!
Maleficent: Mistress of Evil sees the return of Jolie as the titular character, and Elle Fanning will reprise her role as Princess Aurora. Also returning are original cast members Juno Temple, Sam Riley, and Imelda Staunton. However, this film will also see plenty of new faces joining the franchise, including Ed Skrein, Michelle Pfeiffer, and Chiwetel Ejiofor.
One person who isn't returning for this follow-up is director Robert Stromberg. Instead, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales helmer Joachim Ronning will be taking over the director's chair for the sequel. The script was written by Micah Fitzerman-Blue, Noah Harpster, and Linda Woolverton.
The first Maleficent hit theaters in 2014 and really helped push forward the trend of Disney's live-action adaptations. The film earned a total of $241 million domestically, on its way to a whopping $758 million at the worldwide box office.
Are you looking forward to the new Maleficent? What did you think of the trailer? Let us know in the comments!
Maleficent: Mistress of Evil hits theaters on October 18th.
In this latest episode, we go all in on the IT CHAPTER TWO trailer and do a deep dive into all the movies coming out this summer! After Avengers: Endgame is there any movie worth seeing? Find out the answer and make sure to subscribe now to never miss an episode!
Christoph Waltz Rumored to Return for Bond 25
Hilarious Iron Man Meme Reveals the True Villain of the Marvel Universe
Ludacris Welcomes John Cena to Fast & Furious 9
Spider-Man: Far From Home Writers Address Changing SPOILER for the MCU
Marvel Only Told Spider-Man: Far From Home Writers Three Important Avengers: Endgame Details
Spider-Man: Far From Home Writers Dish on Major MCU Callbacks from Iron Man and Captain America
Cameron Boyce's Sister Reveals Touching Tribute to the Late Actor
Power Rangers Movie to Reboot Again With New Cast After 2017 Flop
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Consultation on the Adoption of the Draft National Policy on the Protection of Civilians and Civilian Harm Mitigation Draws Wide Range of High-Ranking Government Officials and Military, Diplomats and International Agencies, and Civil Society Representatives
Momentum continues toward adoption of globally-lauded policy in advance of upcoming elections
ABUJA, NIGERIA — On Monday, October 29, 2018, officials across the Nigerian government, including branches of the military, members of the diplomatic community, and representatives of civil society will gather for a high-level consultation hosted by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), with support from Center for Civilians in Conflict (CIVIC). The consultation is the most recent step on a steady and encouraging path toward the adoption of Nigeria’s innovative proposed policy on the protection of civilians.
“We welcome the honourable representatives from esteemed institutions and entities to this critically important consultation,” said Anthony O. Ojukwu, Esq., Executive Secretary of the NHRC. “For nearly one decade, Nigerians have suffered the impact of violent insurgency. Nigeria has developed a way to address that suffering through the National Policy on Protection of Civilians and Civilian Harm Mitigation. This draft policy is both groundbreaking, yet proven. It is both inclusive and informed, and ambitious yet achievable. This draft policy is consistent with existing law whilst also furthering the security and welfare of the Nigerian people. The time to adopt it is now.”
“Thousands of civilians have been killed, displaced, or are suffering other deep losses due to conflict in Nigeria,” added CIVIC’s Country Director, Tunde Ojei. “This draft policy, deservedly praised by several global leaders, puts the promise of protection of civilians into action. Grounded in the principles of Civilian Harm Mitigation, the policy takes a government-wide approach to preventing, minimizing, and addressing civilian harm. By adopting and implementing this policy, Nigeria would signal to its people – and to the world – that the government prioritizes the protection of civilians.”
In addition to the Office of the Vice President and the Ministries of Defence and Justice, attendees will represent branches of the Nigerian military and intelligence services, elected officials focused on defence and human rights, representatives from Yobe State, Borno State, and Adamawa State, numerous embassies and the EU, and civil society organisations, including the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).
Attendance at the consultation is strictly by invitation only, but all are encouraged to join the conversation on social media using #NigeriaProtects.
National Human Rights Commission
The National Human Rights Commission was established by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) Act, 1995, as amended by the NHRC Act, 2010, in line with the resolution of the United Nations General Assembly which enjoins all member States to establish national human rights institutions for the promotion and protection of human rights.
Center for Civilians in Conflict (CIVIC)
Center for Civilians in Conflict is an international nonprofit based in Washington, DC and dedicated to promoting the protection of civilians caught in conflict. CIVIC’s mission is to work with armed actors and civilians to develop and implement solutions to prevent, mitigate, and respond to civilian harm. CIVIC was established in 2003 by Marla Ruzicka, a young American activist and humanitarian who saw first-hand the impacts of conflict on civilian casualties and their surviving family members. In April 2005, Marla was tragically killed by a suicide bomber in Baghdad. She died advocating for civilian war victims and their families. Since then, CIVIC has continued her extraordinary legacy and expanding its presence around the world. In Nigeria, CIVIC engages with the national and state governments, military, and communities to promote the protection of civilians. We support the development of policies, programs, and training to minimize civilian harm during the conduct of military operations. In the northeast, CIVIC works closely with communities affected by the conflict as well as security providers. Visit civiliansinconflict.org for more.
National Human Rights Commission (NHRC)
Fatima Agwai Mohammed, NHRC, 08035911999
Piper Hendricks, CIVIC, phendricks@civiliansinconflict.org
Image courtesy of
Joint Workshop Brings Together Government and Civil Society to Discuss National Policy on the Protection of Civilians
CIVIC Statement: Civil Society Welcomes Bipartisan Legislation To Tackle Global Violence
Uniting for Peace in Syria: Global Civil Society Appeal to UN Member States
Dec-01-2016
CIVIC STATEMENT: Iraqi Compensation Law Needs Urgent Reform to Address Civilian Losses: Research Shares Civilian Perspectives of Compensation Procedure and Provides Practical Recommendations for Improvement
CIVIC STATEMENT: CIVIC Welcomes Congressional Recognition of Need for Commitment to the Reduction and Prevention of Violent Conflict
Aug-23-2018
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Are the very digital tools designed to enhance communication actually making us worse communicators?
Back Longreads Apr 10, 2018 By Jeff Wilser
I prefer to text. It’s easy, quick and it saves me the hassle of having to actually, you know, talk to someone.
Yet I realize that not everyone’s a texter, so to accommodate other communication styles, I’m happy to WhatsApp, Facebook Message, Instagram, Twitter DM or, for a more intimate touch, maybe send an email. But the idea of talking on the phone? Terrifying.
Related: A Note on Our April Issue
Related: Can You Hear Me Now?
I’ve become addicted to digital communication, and I know this has a cost. I’m less likely to catch up with a friend and talk for an hour, which hurts my relationships. I’m anxious when I phone an editor, which hurts my career. Even the sound of my ringtone floods me with panic.
The good news for me — and the bad news for the world — is that I’m not alone. Various studies estimate that we check our phone somewhere between 80 and 150 times a day. While these magical gadgets allow us to stay hyper-connected, research suggests that as a communication tool, ironically, they blunt our ability to communicate. That matters in the workplace. “I see this with executives all the time, and they ask me how to manage all the information that is constantly coming at them 24/7,” says Michelle Payne, a Sacramento-based leadership coach and the CEO of See Strategies. This over-reliance on digital communication can impair the soft skills so essential to leadership and, without these skills, the entire organization suffers.
Happily, this is a trend that can be reversed — but the solution will require less iPhone and more eye contact.
The Digital Demand
Most of us refuse to let go of our phones, even though we can all agree it’s annoying. A 2015 survey from Pew Research Center found that 82 percent of adults said that when people use their phones in social settings, it “hurts the conversation.” (Despite that, a full 89 percent admitted they, too, used a phone in their last social setting.) Even the presence of a phone can ruin the vibe. In one experiment, British scientists from the University of Essex arranged a series of conversations between adults; a test group had a cell phone on the table, the control group did not. People reported greater intimacy and higher-quality conversations without the looming distraction of the phone.
“We’re extending our limits to keep up with that influx of information, and a lot of it is junk. Our brain has a harder time processing it.” Dr. Hakan Ozcelik, professor of management, Sacramento State
But it’s not just our phones. A 2008 survey by AOL surveyed 4,000 users in the U.S. and found that just under half identified themselves as “hooked” on the communication mode — and that was 10 years ago. In 2015, the average office worker received 122 business emails a day, but that’s an average. Apple CEO Tim Cook says he receives 700-800 per day. How many times have you returned from a meeting to find 57 unread emails or 17 texts? You dive in and then, poof, there goes your afternoon.
“All of this information is efficient, but it can lead to overload,” says Sacramento State’s Dr. Hakan Ozcelik, a professor of management. He gives us a thought experiment: Say you’re at a party trying to socialize. Even if you’re a social butterfly, you can probably only talk to 10 or maybe 15 people. More realistically, it’s probably five or six. This is a cognitive load our brain is good at handling. Talking to people face-to-face is what humans have done since we dwelled in caves and wore loincloths to the office. “Now let’s compare that with opening your inbox, and you’ve got 80 messages,” Ozcelik says. “We’re extending our limits to keep up with that influx of information, and a lot of it is junk. Our brain has a harder time processing it, just as our body has a harder time processing junk food.” He calls this dynamic “information obesity.”
Scrambling to process all of that junk is a chore for anyone, but the cost is particularly high for a business leader. Payne says executives now spend so much time on rapid-fire responses that they don’t have time to properly strategize. “Leaders are being paid to innovate, create and solve problems. This takes thinking time,” she says.
The Impact on Organization
An incoming generation of workers has never known life without a smartphone. For them, this soft-skill deficit may be even more pronounced, says Dr. Tim Elmore, the founder of Growing Leaders, an organization devoted to improving leadership skills in youth.
“Millennials bring so many great qualities and new perspectives, but when employers do a 360-degree assessment, they find that team members serving under them say things like: ‘I don’t think he likes me,’ or ‘He’s not good with people’ or ‘He’s awkward,’” Elmore says, attributing this to a cohort that, while competent in digital communication modes, is “not aware of how they come across to others in person.”
Elmore says writing skills can take a hit when one’s primary communication method relies heavily on shorthand (e.g. tbh, omg and brb). “Writing clear and professional emails is a skill employers look for, and often fail to find in young candidates,” Elmore says.
Related: Back and Forward: Dr. Hakan Ozcelik on Management Theory
Related: Texting and Messaging in the Workplace — What’s the Risk?
Careful, though: This isn’t exclusively a problem of today’s youth. “In all honesty, I see all ages becoming ‘screenagers,’” Elmore adds. “Unless I work at it, I think I am less patient and less conversational than I was 10 years ago. Screens tend to make us lazy.”
On top of that, exchanging information via words on a screen can be ineffective or even counter-productive. “Communication is distinct from just ‘exchanging messages,’” Ozcelik says. “Communication relies upon people using a variety of channels to create a shared experience.” Seventy percent of all communication is nonverbal — the subtle tilt of the head, a smile, a nod of understanding or a furrowed brow of confusion. “People think that if I send an email to someone, then whatever message I sent has been ‘received.’ That’s a big fallacy. There’s always room for error.”
These mini breakdowns in communication can hurt an organization’s teamwork. Every good team is comprised of people who fit different roles. Just as a baseball team needs to have a mix of sluggers, base-hitters and pitchers, Ozcelik says members of a business team typically fall into rolls of organizer, harmonizer, energizer, task-master and so on. “For the organizer role, technology is great,” Ozcelik says. “But that’s only one of the roles. How are you going to harmonize over text? How are you going to energize? If these roles are not being fulfilled, then people cannot get the job done.”
“Listening is the most strategic action you can take as a leader.” Michelle Payne, CEO, See Strategies
Even more damning is that for the VPs and CEOs, a reliance on digital communication can impair the ability to actively listen. Listening well is hard to do, and it can be tedious. We may not always find the other person’s thoughts that interesting. We have short attention spans. We get antsy. Real lousy listeners are inclined to interrupt and that, Payne says, “is a very big deal. People will stop sharing ideas, feedback and different perspectives. This creates a culture of silos, narrow thinking and the status quo.”
When the boss doesn’t listen, his or her employees start to feel like speaking up is simply wasted energy. “Listening is the most strategic action you can take as a leader,” says Payne, as leaders who actively listen are “tuned in to the overall energy of their company,” and can better detect clues on her employees’ judgments, values and feelings.
Fiddling with your phone — while in a meeting — is a special sub-category of bad leadership. “We all think we’re so subtle as we check our phones or watches for the latest text or email,” Payne says. “Yet everyone notices. And it says that whatever could be happening on my phone is more important than this meeting.” Then it gets worse. Later in the meeting, the phone-abuser will often perk back up, re-engage with the conversation and ask a question that was already discussed. “This irritates people, and slowly but surely erodes their leadership brand,” she says.
Digitally-Induced Isolation
Not only is digital addiction unhealthy for teams and leadership, it potentially hurts our emotional well-being. “Our brains are designed in a way that they need these non-verbal cues,” Ozcelik says. “And the cues are not being fed as much as they should. That’s not healthy.” When we are not receiving the non-verbal cues in real life, then we’re forced to seek them elsewhere. Guess where we get them? More screens. “You need to see a face and a smile, but instead of seeing that smile from a coworker, you get that smile from a YouTube video,” Ozcelik says.
In 2009, Dr. Tamyra Pierce, a professor of media relations at Fresno State, conducted a study of 280 teenagers, and found a correlation between social anxiety and a heavy reliance on texting and digital communication. While acknowledging the results are not necessarily causal, Pierce says “people believe that communicating via technology is less intimidating and more convenient … The more dependence one has on using technology to communicate, the less likely they are to communicate in person.”
And when they do communicate in person, they’re not as good at it. Specifically, they struggled with eye contact, starting conversations and handling conflict. “A majority of participants in my research say that they use technology to handle difficult situations and confrontations, instead of communicating face-to-face,” Pierce says, because it’s “less difficult” and “you don’t have to look at the person.”
This, in turn, can make us lonelier. That theory is supported by research like a 2011 study in Australia, which found that 42 percent of people who use four “channels” to communicate (like texting, email, Facebook, etc.) are lonely, compared to 11 percent who only use one communication channel. In a vicious cycle, loneliness can make us even worse communicators. “When lonely people have the opportunity to interact with someone, they start conversing in ways that really throw off the other person,” Ozcelik explains. “They either ‘over-disclose’ and reveal things they shouldn’t, or they ‘under-talk.’ And then they become even lonelier.” At Sacramento State, he has conducted research on loneliness for more than a decade, across both for-profit companies and nonprofit organizations, finding that when employees are lonelier, they are worse at their jobs (as judged by manager feedback), have lower morale and are less effective teammates.
That squares with a 2010 survey from Gallup, which found an inverse correlation between loneliness and job performance. “Just 30 percent of employees have a ‘best friend’ at work. Those who do are seven times as likely to be engaged in their jobs, are better at engaging customers, produce higher quality work, have higher well-being and are less likely to get injured on the job,” the researchers wrote in their report. Loneliness can spike our levels of stress and boost the risk of Type 2 diabetes, arthritis and suicide. In January 2018, the U.K. even established a Ministry of Loneliness. “For far too many people, loneliness is the sad reality of modern life,” Prime Minister Theresa May said at the time. The former U.S. Surgeon General described loneliness as an “epidemic” worse than obesity, and warned it had the same impact to average lifespan as smoking 15 cigarettes a day.
So, in summary, too much digital communication can literally kill us, on top of hurting teamwork and our ability to effectively lead.
The solution?
The obvious advice is to put down the phone. Payne advises her clients to turn their phones off in meetings, limit email checking to three times a day (good luck with that), and carve out at least one hour a week to strategize and assess the most important priorities of your business.
She also recommends doing something more realistic, and very simple, that will have an outsized impact on all of our non-verbal communication skills: practice active listening, which involves lots of patience and eye contact. “Start with the intention of listening at a deeper level, no matter how mundane or boring,” she says. “Notice how long it takes you to become distracted, then keep pulling yourself back to focus on the speaker.”
I tried this myself in my last business meeting, and I only lasted about 20 seconds before getting distracted. (Payne assures me this is normal.) “Listening intently for two minutes when you are not interested is a challenge. Make it a game to exercise the listening muscle.”
Like any muscle, it gets stronger with more exercise. So the next time I want to catch up with a friend, I’ll skip the text or WhatsApp and I’ll suggest a meeting, face-to-face, just like our grandparents used to do.
(And by that, of course, I mean Skype.)
Please type the numbers into the box below: * 83002790624338 »
Jeff Wilser
@jeffwilser
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Understanding pediatric speech disorders
Speech and sound disorders – difficulties in articulation, language, voice or fluency – affect 8 to 9 percent of children in the U.S.; however, a variety of therapies can help children strengthen their speech/language skills.
Children typically start producing sounds (babbling) at around six months of age, and between 10 and 15 months, they form their first words. By age 2, children normally know 50 to 200 words, are 60-percent intelligible when speaking to strangers and use two-word combinations (e.g., “more cookie”). “Around age 3, children should have a 450-word vocabulary, use three-to-five-word phrases, and be able to follow simple directions such as ‘Get your shoes,’” says Lisa Owens, AuD, director of audiology, House Children’s Hearing Center of UCLA.
Overall, more than half of speech/language disorders have no known cause. In some cases, the child has a known medical condition such as cleft palate, hearing loss or Down syndrome – all of which increase the chance of developing speech and language disorders.
“Hearing loss in particular plays a significant role in speech and language delay,” Owens explains. “When children do not have access to speech in their hearing range, their ability to develop speech and language can be compromised.” Speech disorders have also been tied to learning disorders such as dyslexia and auditory processing disorders, which can hinder academic success.
If your child exhibits delayed speech and language development, it is important to schedule a full hearing examination with your pediatrician. “One in four children will have some degree of hearing loss in their life and nearly 6 percent will be diagnosed with a specific language impairment,” Owens says. From there, a speech-language evaluation with a licensed speech pathologist may be necessary to assess voice, fluency, and speech and language. Los Angeles public schools also offer free evaluation and school-based therapy for children older than 3.
Types of speech disorders
• Speech articulation: Omitting /distorting sounds; substituting one sound for another.
• Voice: Abnormal vocal skills; changes in voice quality may indicate ongoing disorder.
• Language: Affects use or understanding of language; may affect social communication and ability to understand body language.
• Fluency: Stuttering or abnormal speech production (common among pre-schoolers); if lasts for more than a few months, it may indicate a more severe, ongoing disorder.
Depending on the child’s age and the underlying cause of the impairment, early intervention can be critical to preventing long-standing difficulties with speech and language.
“Children between the ages of 1 and 4 with speech difficulties are often treated through play-based speech therapy,” Owens says. “As they get older, therapy may continue to utilize games, art and music in addition to more structured techniques such as oral-motor assessments, language interventions or speech practice — depending on the type of speech disorder, the cause and the therapist.”
Get more health tips for parents at uclahealth.org/healthtips.
Tags: children's health, Children’s Health, fluency, health tips for parents, House Children’s Hearing Center of UCLA, language, speech articulation, speech disorders, speech impairment, UCLA Mattel Children's Hospital, voice
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June 8, 2015 by Ken Goldstein
Records So Good We Bought Them Again (and Again)
I guess for me this is turning into The Year of The List! Earlier this year, inspired by a Writers Guild initiative, I catalogued a suggested collection of the Funniest Screenplays of All Time. Right around that time, inspired by the Fleetwood Mac reunion tour, I found myself thinking about musical recordings so beloved I had purchased them multiple times on replacement platforms. While the records stayed largely the same (yes, I will keep calling them records as long as I am listening to them), a series of innovations in consumer technology offered us relatively inexpensive access to personal libraries of vinyl, 8-track tape, cassette, reel-to-reel, DAT, CD, DVD, and MP3-like digital hard drive storage along the lines of iTunes. Here I am considering what I would call three-buy and above purchases for personal use, which of course live alongside AM & FM radio broadcast, satellite play, streaming services like Pandora and Spotify, and any number of less legitimate ways to file-share.
While I was pondering all that—and readying myself to attend Fleetwood Mac’s current reunion tour at the recently refurbished concert-only Fabulous Forum in Los Angeles (remembering I had attended in 1990 what I believed was the final performance of the farewell Fleetwood Mac Word Tour)—what should be playing in our living room but Rumours. Yep, at home in 5.1 Dolby Surround played an album so impossibly fantastic I had bought it at least five times with each subsequent technological improvement, including the remastered scratch tracks on the latest Expanded Edition, which chronicled the development of each song. I sat there listening again to this marvel, no regrets of any kind for the many dollars spent. I have extracted so much entertainment value from this record I would gladly purchase it again. And again.
Thus it occurred to me that Rumours was not alone, and that I was not alone in the three-buy, four-buy, and even five-buy serial record purchases. Rather than pencil out my own list, I went to my social network and asked friends where they had repeatedly dumped their dough buying the same thing over and over. Below you will see an unedited list of those records, some of which I also bought a bunch of times, others of which I have never heard but may sample now. Rather than allow this list to expire in the ephemeral Facebook news feed, I decided to recreate and share it here. I think it’s a cool list, one you should feel free to expand upon in broadening our spirit of sharing.
There is definitely a late Baby-Boomer Bias to these confessions of multiple repurchase, represented no doubt by my circle of social media friends, along with our age and taste. I think you will find the publishing dates stamped for the most part between the mid 1960s and the early 1980s, when the formative years of my contemporaries had disproportionate influence on our modest discretionary spending. Not surprisingly, in the “nifty fifty” albums reported here entirely unscientifically and in no particular order, multiple appearances are logged by the Beatles, Pink Floyd, the Rolling Stones, and Elton John.
If you’re looking for any connective tissue in all these, I think you’ll need more than the music to draw a speculative conclusion. Here is my one linking observation to the extent that I recognize most of the titles: they are in one way or another albums, curated collections or song cycles of various sorts that weave into and around themselves. Much has been written about the demise of the album in this day of pop streaming shuffles. For a while when we were younger, there was a wild notion that a record album could be something of its own as a form of, dare I say it, art.
I’m not sure I have the intellectual fortitude to plow through the art manifesto, but let me just say that when I play Abbey Road I don’t skip tracks, I play it through beginning to end. Okay, on The White Album I do skip “Revolution 9” most of the time, you got me there. But Dark Side is beginning to end, Hotel California is beginning to end, and Rumours is beginning to end. Remember, when these were vinyl, that meant getting up and switching to the flip side—yes, getting up physically to hear the rest!
There is a “something of substance” in these picks that a lot of us find missing in contemporary LP equivalents that don’t even try to compose, let alone somehow unite, a dozen or more flowing songs. I think that’s why a lot of us miss the days of AOR—album oriented rock—and why we’re willing to spend anew when landmark records with recurring motifs and thematic resonance repeatedly make their way back to the virtual shelves. These albums age well, a bit like fine wine, and seldom seem dated. Absent historical and social context, most of these carefully crafted works could just as well have been recorded today and simultaneously sound modern and classic. They were expertly written, performed, and engineered with creative courage that resulted in textured, lasting impact. Good is good, great is great, and unforgettable is, well, just what the word says.
So here is a compilation of fifty records my friends found so remarkable they bought them on three, four, or even more platforms (not to mention extended or remastered versions), and will probably continue to play until their last days on the planet in whatever form they may become available:
1) Abbey Road by The Beatles
2) Sergeant Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band by The Beatles
3) The Beatles (The White Album) by The Beatles
4) McCartney by Paul McCartney
5) Band on the Run by Paul McCartney & Wings
6) All Things Must Pass by George Harrison
7) Imagine by John Lennon
8) Dark Side of the Moon by Pink Floyd
9) The Wall by Pink Floyd
10) Exile on Main Street by The Rolling Stones
11) Let It Bleed by The Rolling Stones
12) Madman Across the Water by Elton John
13) Goodbye Yellow Brick Road by Elton John
14) Hotel California by Eagles
15) Quadrophenia by The Who
16) Songs in the Key of Life by Stevie Wonder
17) Blonde on Blonde by Bob Dylan
18) Born to Run by Bruce Springsteen
19) What’s Going On by Marvin Gaye
20) London Calling by The Clash
21) The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars by David Bowie
22) The Joshua Tree by U2
23) Led Zeppelin II by Led Zeppelin
24) Lady Soul by Aretha Franklin
25) Songs of Love and Hate by Leonard Cohen
26) Silk Degrees by Boz Scaggs
27) The Point by Harry Nilsson
28) After the Gold Rush by Neil Young
29) John Barleycorn Must Die by Traffic
30) Dr. Hook and the Medicine Show by Dr. Hook
31) Running on Empty by Jackson Browne
32) Cheap Trick at Budokan by Cheap Trick
33) Black Sabbath by Black Sabbath
34) Candide by Leonard Bernstein
35) The Lady and the Unicorn by John Renbourn
36) Nights in the Gardens of Spain by Manuel de Falla
37) The Remains of Tom Lehrer by Tom Lehrer
38) The Doors by The Doors
39) Tapestry by Carole King
40) Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
41) Berlin by Lou Reed
42) Wheels of Fire by Cream
43) 21 by Adele
44) Crime of the Century by Supertramp
45) Bridge Over Troubled Water by Simon & Garfunkel
46) Graceland by Paul Simon
47) Dreamboat Annie by Heart
48) Pet Sounds by The Beach Boys
49) Something/Anything? by Todd Rundgren
50) Rumours by Fleetwood Mac
Which “greatest albums of all time” did we miss? Probably a lot. Add your favorites in the comments below and if there is anything you discover new in the suggestions provided, let us know what it sounds like no matter the player you choose as a conduit.
This entry was posted in Entertainment, Innovation, Media, Music and tagged 5.1 Dolby Surround, Abbey Road, album oriented rock, AOR, Baby-Boomer Bias, Dr. Hook, Elton John, Expanded Edition, Fabulous Forum, Fleetwood Mac, greatest albums of all time, nifty fifty, Paul McCartney, Pink Floyd, Rolling Stones, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, three-buy and above purchases. Bookmark the permalink.
Tavis and Maya
It’s All Getting Personal
3 thoughts on “Records So Good We Bought Them Again (and Again)”
Ed Wolfman says:
Just for kicks…and to burnish my nerd credtentials, I looked up where each of the albums ranked in the Rolling Stone Top 500 of all time…here you go….
1) Abbey Road by The Beatles (#14)
2) Sergeant Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band by The Beatles (#1)
3) The Beatles (The White Album) by The Beatles (#10)
4) McCartney by Paul McCartney (not listed)
5) Band on the Run by Paul McCartney & Wings (#418)
6) All Things Must Pass by George Harrison (#433)
7) Imagine by John Lennon (#80)
8) Dark Side of the Moon by Pink Floyd (#43)
9) The Wall by Pink Floyd (#87)
10) Exile on Main Street by The Rolling Stones (#7)
11) Let It Bleed by The Rolling Stones (#32)
12) Madman Across the Water by Elton John (Not listed – incredibly!)
13) Goodbye Yellow Brick Road by Elton John (#91)
14) Hotel California by Eagles (#37)
15) Quadrophenia by The Who (#267)
16) Songs in the Key of Life by Stevie Wonder (#57)
17) Blonde on Blonde by Bob Dylan (#9)
18) Born to Run by Bruce Springsteen (#18)
19) What’s Going On by Marvin Gaye (#6)
20) London Calling by The Clash (#8)
21) The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars by David Bowie (#35)
22) The Joshua Tree by U2 (#27)
23) Led Zeppelin II by Led Zeppelin (#79)
24) Lady Soul by Aretha Franklin (#85)
25) Songs of Love and Hate by Leonard Cohen (#295)
26) Silk Degrees by Boz Scaggs (#496)
27) The Point by Harry Nilsson (Not listed)
28) After the Gold Rush by Neil Young (#74)
29) John Barleycorn Must Die by Traffic (not listed)
30) Dr. Hook and the Medicine Show by Dr. Hook (not listed)
31) Running on Empty by Jackson Browne (#496)
32) Cheap Trick at Budokan by Cheap Trick (#426)
33) Black Sabbath by Black Sabbath (#243)
34) Candide by Leonard Bernstein (Not Listed)
35) The Lady and the Unicorn by John Renbourn (Not Listed)
36) Nights in the Gardens of Spain by Manuel de Falla (not listed)
37) The Remains of Tom Lehrer by Tom Lehrer (not listed)
38) The Doors by The Doors (#42)
39) Tapestry by Carole King (#36)
40) Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers (Not Listed)
41) Berlin by Lou Reed (#344)
42) Wheels of Fire by Cream (#205)
43) 21 by Adele (Not Listed)
44) Crime of the Century by Supertramp (Not listed)
45) Bridge Over Troubled Water by Simon & Garfunkel (#51)
46) Graceland by Paul Simon (#71)
47) Dreamboat Annie by Heart (Not listed)
48) Pet Sounds by The Beach Boys (#2)
49) Something/Anything? by Todd Rundgren (#173)
50) Rumours by Fleetwood Mac (#26)
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UDC officer receives crisis intervention award
Brandee Casias, CIT Utah director (left), Sgt. Carl Muniz (center) and Liane Frederick, deputy director CIT Utah (right).
Congrats to UDC Sgt. Carl Muniz for being named the Utah Crisis Intervention Team Officer of the Year!
The Utah Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health and the National Alliance on Mental Illness-Utah (NAMI Utah) presented the award to Sgt. Muniz Friday at the 9th Annual NAMI Utah State Conference.
More than 90 departments and agencies throughout the state have received Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) training in Utah. The training teaches law enforcement officers and others about mental health disorders and tactics to effectively and peacefully deal with someone experiencing a mental health crisis.
Sgt. Muniz has worked for the Utah Department of Corrections for 10 years and is currently assigned to the Uinta 2 facility. He oversees the Maximum Security Gang Unit at the Utah State Prison.
His masterful grasp of CIT skills have prevented staff and inmates from being injured during disturbances and allowed him to bring a peaceful end to numerous volatile situations. One example: Last year, Muniz was able to get an inmate who had threatened to kill an officer and broken a sprinkler in his cell to submit to being handcuffed without further incident or injury.
Muniz has been able to get the same response from inmates on many occasions so far this year — including from an inmate who had assaulted another inmate, from two inmates who had refused to return to their cells and from an inmate who would not allow officers to handcuff him to facilitate a move.
In a nomination letter, Muniz was described as a “great leader” who encourages other staff to learn CIT skills and “an icon of the successes of CIT and its ability to work.”
Sgt. Muniz will represent Utah at the 2015 CIT International Conference in Chicago.
Utah’s CIT program for Corrections is co-sponsored by the Utah Department of Corrections and the Salt Lake County Sheriff’s Department. It was launched in 2007 and was the first CIT for Corrections in the nation.
Two other UDC employees were among the seven finalists for the award: Officer Genny Taylor, who works in the Timpanogos Women’s Facility, and Sgt. Richard Port, who works at the Central Utah Correctional Facility.
Port is considered the “go-to” officer whenever there is a critical incident at the Gunnison prison and has a way of “making offenders feel at ease and calmer.”
He has “talked many offenders into cooperating with staff and he has changed dangerous situations into safe outcomes for staff and offenders,” his nomination letter said.
Taylor’s nomination letter said she “goes above and beyond, often studying on her own about gender responsive ideals that are being fostered by the UDC administration” and is “cheerfully willing to help and has a genuine concern and resolve to use her personal and communicative skills to intervene in the women’s prison facility or wherever she is needed.”
Congrats to Sgt. Muniz, Officer Taylor and Sgt. Port!
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Public Education and Notification of High Wind Events
Particulate Matter Background History
In a memo dated May 30, 1996, by Mary D. Nichols, Assistant Administrator for the Office of Air and Radiation, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) established a Natural Events Policy to address National Ambient Air Quality Standards for PM10 (particulate matter less than 10 microns) violations or exceedances that occurred during natural events. One of the three natural events identified in the memo was high winds.
Rapid City experiences PM10 exceedances that could lead to violations of the National Ambient Air Quality Standard. Past history has shown that the majority of these exceedances occur during high wind events. In 1997, the South Dakota Department of Environment and Natural Resources began to develop a Natural Events Action Plan, which is the compliance mechanism to the Natural Events Policy. A coordinated effort between the department, the Pennington County Air Quality Board, the City of Rapid City, Pennington County, and the industries in the Northwest Industrial Complex was undertaken to complete the plan. The plan was finalized on July 1, 1998.
To download the Natural Events Action Plan in Adobe Acrobat format click here.
To download the NEAP 5 year review click here.
To download the NEAP Appendices click here.
The purpose of the plan was to identify the Natural Events that have resulted in past PM10 exceedances and to develop or identify controls for PM10 sources to reduce or eliminate future PM10 exceedances in West Rapid City during high wind events. If the proposed Best Available Control Measures and public notice of an event are implemented, any future exceedance occurring during a high wind event, as defined in the plan, would not be counted towards a violation.
This plan will be implemented in West Rapid City where the PM10 exceedances have occurred. West Rapid City lies in the middle of the geological formation termed the limestone racetrack that surrounds the Black Hills National Forest. It is bordered on the west and south by the Black Hills and on the east by a series of hogback hills, creating a bowl-like formation ideal for air pollution problems. The city’s main industrial and mining complex is located in this section of the city. The area of implementation for this plan will be between a line extending north and south from the "Gap" to 5 miles west of the city's western city limit. The "Gap" is a geographic marker that is drainage for Rapid Creek out of the Black Hills that runs through Rapid City. Click here to view a map of the NEAP Control Area. Click here to view air quality monitoring locations in Rapid City.
It is stated in the Natural Events Policy that all sources contributing to a PM10 violation are required to have Best Available Control Measures implemented. This plan identifies fugitive dust sources within the industrial complex as the main contributors to the PM10 exceedances. It also identifies the proposed Best Available Control Measures for these sources and the process of implementation.
Other sources having the potential to contribute to the exceedances include point sources in the area, street sanding operations, construction activities, paved and unpaved parking lots/alleys, woodburning, and open burning. Best Available Control Measures have already been implemented for these sources because of past particulate pollution problems in other sections of the city. They are desscribed in the plan. Since the implementation of these measures, particulate pollution problems in other areas in the city have been significantly reduced or eliminated.
The 1996 policy stipulates that Best Available Control Measures must be federally enforceable. The controls for industrial fugitive dust sources are implemented through the industrial sources’ state air pollution permits. These are either in the state’s Part 70 permit or minor permit, both of which are federally enforceable through South Dakota's State Implementation Plan (SIP). Controls for other sources contributing to the violation, such as reentrained street dust, unpaved parking lots/alleys, woodburning, construction activity, and open burning, have been established either under state regulations or the local Pennington County Air Quality Ordinance #12.
A review of meetings held to notify the public of high concentrations and to discuss the Natural Events Action Plan is provided in the plan along with the process for calling high wind dust alerts for future high wind events.
Historically, the Rapid City area has had problems with high particulate levels. Due to recorded exceedances, Rapid City was classified as nonattainment for total suspended particulate (TSP) in 1978. In 1986, the dust standard was changed to PM10. With the change in standards, Rapid City became designated "unclassifiable" for PM10. Rapid City met the new standard for several years.
In October 1992, two samples collected at Jaehn’s Business Supply site in West Rapid City violated the PM10 standard and triggered the nonattainment process with EPA. The department submitted information to EPA requesting the samples be flagged as exceptional events under 40 CFR Part 50 Appendix K as a result of abnormally dry conditions coupled with high winds. It was stated these samples should not be used to determine the air quality status of Rapid City. The department made several appeals to EPA for a favorable ruling.
In a letter from EPA to Governor Janklow dated July 19, 1995, EPA did not agree with the department’s position and planned to go forward with the nonattainment designation. EPA based their decision on the belief that high wind events are recurring. However, the department convinced EPA the designation would be counterproductive to all the work the city, county, industry, and state had done to improve the air quality. EPA decided to suspend the designation if the following conditions were met:
The department submitted an analysis of the Rapid City air monitoring data to EPA;
New requirements to control fugitive emissions for street sanding operations and industry were implemented;
The department continued to operate the air monitoring network in Rapid City; and
No further violations of the air quality standards in Rapid City were documented.
DENR established some fugitive dust controls in the sources’ permits, but the controls were not implemented in all the permits due to the then recent development of the Part 70 permitting program and the Natural Events Policy.
In January, February, and December 1996 and May 1997, four exceedances of the daily PM10 standard occurred at the Family Thrift Center site in Rapid City. The department flagged these exceedances as exceptional events in the Aeromatic Information Retrieval System (AIRS) database. Although the four exceedances occurred on high wind days, the exceedances could not be considered exceptional events under 40 CFR Part 50 Appendix K because, according to EPA, the conditions could recur.
On May 30, 1996, EPA issued its Natural Events Policy to address PM10 violations that occur during natural events. The policy covered natural events such as wildfire, volcanoes, and high wind with the requirement that best available control measures be applied to sources contributing to the PM10 violation even if the event could recur. On August 7, 1997, the department notified EPA that the policy would be applied to the three exceedances and any future exceedances caused by high wind events to the Natural Events Action Plan the department developed for Rapid City. The plan was reviewed by EPA and accepted by them on July 1, 1998.
The department submitted its first high wind exceedance (May 6, 1999) to EPA for exclusion under the Natural Events Action Plan. In a letter dated December 20, 1999, to the department, EPA acknowledged the exceedance as a high wind event that would not be counted towards a violation under the Natural Events Action Plan.
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Category Archives: Liberty
Education and Schooling–What’s Our GPS?
July 27, 2018 by dinobeano
By Dr. Azly Rahman@ Columbia, NYC
COMMENT | Education, that gentle profession, that conveyer belt of social reproduction, that process called schooling, and that idea of “educare” (from the Latin) or to draw out human potential is again, a main topic of concern for us Malaysians these days. A very serious journey, often treacherous, requiring good stewardship.
Where is our global positioning system (GPS)? Where are we heading? What is our reading of the global sustainable development goals and how do we use that understanding to plan for mega-structural changes?
What areas must we focus on in order to see these five years as ones where we make drastic changes to renew prosperity in education – beyond this current political-economic malaise, the World Bank report, at times disheartening results of PISA or TIMSS surveys, fragmented and divisive schooling, pursuit of trivialities in maiden-steps of reform, and endless ethnic and religious politicisation further threatening the hope for national reconciliation (if not “unity”)?
What would be the nature of the systemic change and renewed philosophical orientation we need, in order to capture the nobility of multiculturalism/pluralism as the best way to include all Malaysian citizens in this gentle journey called ‘education’?
How do we bring back learning into the classroom and put the child back in the centre of attention so that we may again see human self-flowering and flourishing?
I have addressed these issues in the past through the seven volumes of writing published over the last five years. My passion for translatable concepts in education, critical consciousness, and “cultural action for freedom” (borrowing the Brazilian philosopher Paulo Freire’s words) has made me become worried if we are indeed seeing Malaysian educational leaders asking the right questions, let alone attempt to focus on systemic, structural changes that would bring the desired measurable sense of equity, equality, and equal opportunity to our children, regardless of race, religion, color, creed.
I wrote an open letter to Malaysia’s future education minister the week the new government assumed power. I wasn’t sure if the opinions were what leaders and policy makers were interested in paying attention to, but that was not my concern. I wrote out of deep passion and concern of what we have gone through in trying to find meaning in education and national development, and the shape of what we will continue to chart.
Focusing questions
What are we to do with our educational mission, philosophy, ideology, paradigm, pedagogy, process, passion, and the possibilities of a truly progressive and reflective nation? We must reconstruct, rejuvenate, and reconfigure the entire gamut of learning and teaching, from each brain cell/neural connection to the collective building of a civilisation based on the principles of cosmopolitanism, from the womb to the grave – in order to affect radical changes.
These considerations are not new, but to translate into sustainable effort of seeing progress through and through will be a novel agenda.
Essentially these are the considerations that are missing in the Malaysian education system, albeit the grand and elegant language of systemic change and yes, the world ‘systemic’ needs to first be reconstructed, as in any work that needs to be done on the reconstruction of philosophy.
The big questions by way of a ‘backward design’ or with the end in mind, are, “what will be the shape of society we envision collectively as Malaysians”, and “what kind of cognitive, emotional, and spiritual evolution do we wish to see in each child”, and how must schooling respond to these twin demands of a vision.
In the late 80s when I started this gentle and passionate profession called “teaching”, I was fortunate to be involved in an effort to create a highly engaging environment and cultural context of learning, working with other dedicated educators day in, day out to prepare determined and dedicated youth to secure places, by their own achievements, in top-ranking institutions in the United Sates, the UK, and other countries.
These are some the places they were accepted into: Princeton, Columbia, Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Wharton School of Business in U Penn, Stanford, University of Paris – Sorbonne, Carnegie Mellon, Monash, Australian National University, London School of Economics, Warwick, Royal Institute of Surgeons in Ireland, Australian National University, and many other places of academic repute – an effort worth replicating should one know the proper ingredients and recipes of educational success framed evolvingly and contributing to the idea of “human and social engineering”.
Greedy Rosmah Mansor– Product of a Malaysian Failed Education System
In short, how do you design a system that will bring bright and eager-to-learn children from the rubber estates, the city slums, the kampungs, into the classrooms of the most prestigious universities in the world? This is not a simple task of parroting the rhetoric of “world-classism” alone that we must all work together in crafting.
Highest quality for all
There has to be a renaissance or a rebirth in the way we conceptualise the schools we wish to build for children of all Malaysians. Many are asking this question: Why must parents be made to worry about the future of their children by way of economic worry?
Why must good and safe schools that ensure learning happens be prohibitively expensive and reserved for children from parents whose major worry is when to get a new Bentley, Maserati, or the latest Jaguar or a private jet in the way they move around and about in this world?
Or even worse, to get a US$20 million diamond ring or a US$30 million apartment in New York in the way they consume themselves whilst the poor are not just neglected, but asked to think positive about price hikes and to be less lazy.
Our brainstorming session on such hope in educational renewal must begin with these simple questions:
“What kind of schools does each Malaysian child deserve?” And, “how must we be true to ourselves in making sure that our children have the best teachers, technology, and tender loving care, as soon as they enter schools?”
“How do we turn them into the everyday geniuses and make them love the country, be productive enough to care for their fellow men and women?
These are philosophical, political, and psychological questions we must address if we are to build schools that will not turn out to be “successful failures”.
This should be our topic for the great national school debate for this new regime we have some hope for. Otherwise we will, again, be lost and be fighting endlessly for the directions to get out.
AZLY RAHMAN is an educator, academic, international columnist, and author of seven books. He grew up in Johor Bahru, and holds a Columbia University doctorate in international education development and Master’s degrees in five areas: education, international affairs, peace studies communication, and creative writing.
The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.
Posted in Academic Freedom, Character and Integrity, civil society issues, Critical Thinking, Education, Freedom, Human Rights, Humanity, Justice, Knowledge, Leadership, Liberty, Malaysia, Malaysiakini, Meritocracy and Competence, Public Accountability, Public Policy, Rukun Negara, The Malaysian Constitution, Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad.
Mr. Mat Sabu, what are you up to–Rebranding the NSC Law?
July 1, 2018 by dinobeano
by Cmdr (rtd) S. Thayaparan
“Najib’s rights are far more numerous and superior in comparison with the rights and powers of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.”
– Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad on the National Security Council law
COMMENT | I just don’t get it. The current Pakatan Harapan grand poobah says because they (Harapan) thought they could not win the elections, they made strong promises. Bersatu supreme council member Rais Hussin claims that the promises were not plucked out of thin air but instead the election manifesto was the efforts of a wide range of political operatives and various stakeholders. Now the disputed debt in this country is the Harapan excuse as to why their 100-day promises cannot be met.
Malaysiakini columnist P Gunasegeram and Rais Husin and anyone actually reading the Harapan 100-day manifesto would understand there is a whole load of promises that could be kept in the first 100 days which would not incur any expenses. I once wrote that if Harapan manages to do quarter of what they said they would do, they would be a better government than BN.
Now it is all about rebranding or reshuffling. BN government agencies and programmes that were supposed to bring ruination to this country have been rebranded Harapan-style, with the expectation that nobody cares because of the euphoria – as Rais calls it, I say Kool-Aid – is strong and folks who think otherwise are kicked to the curb.
I get it. I really do. When people are baying for the blood of people from the establishment and Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad says that certain people are needed to remain in place, even if they did something wrong, that is the reality of politics. You do not destroy the bureaucracy by burning it to the ground. That is stupid. However, this should not be used as an excuse to shy away from promises made which does not incur expenses and that gives democracy back to the people.
Now Defence Minister Mohamad Sabu (popularly known as Mat Sabu) says that the National Security Council (NSC) Act is supposed to be “reshuffled”. It’s all about how this Act is actually a “good vehicle” for government minions to serve the state. All that is needed is a few legal provisions to be “reshuffled”.
What the hell have they been giving him to smoke in the Defence Ministry? This is especially when people like his boss, Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, DAP supremo Lim Kit Siang and just about all the big guns in Harapan had previously argued that the Act would be used on the opposition, usurped the power of the Agong and as Kit Siang claimed, with this law, Malaysia would replace Myanmar as a rogue state.
This is what he said – “When the Najib government regards democracy and human rights activists as bigger threats than ISIS terrorists as envisaged by the monstrous NSC bill, Malaysia is replacing Myanmar as the rogue nation in Asean.”
Okay, I am not an objective person when it comes to the NSC Act. My public statements on this issue were brazen calls for street demonstrations and my frustrations as to why this never happened are a matter of public record. When Mahathir first started attacking this law as diminishing the powers of the Agong, he met with pushback from Universiti Malaya Professor Shad Saleem Faruqi, who is now in the Council of Eminent Persons, or whatever it is called.
Shad said – “In sum, the grounds of challenge against the NSC Act mentioned by Tun Mahathir may not be sustainable in law.” But he also wrote – “The NSC Act is an ordinary law passed by a simple majority under Parliament’s ordinary law-making powers. It is not a law under Article 149 (to combat subversion). As such, several issues of fundamental rights violation are relevant.”
Of course, as former Federal Court judge Sri Ram Gopal and others point out, this law did bypass the consent of the rulers.
Why keep the law?
So, two points. The first point of this law, as many Harapan advocates claim, diminishes the power of the Agong and the second, that it violates basic human rights and legitimises the authoritarian power of the state in the hands of one person.
Recent events and the shocking behaviour of royalty before and after the elections demonstrate that perhaps we are better off with formalising certain powers of the executive which further curtail the powers of the royalty. Those issues which Mahathir – and yes, people like me – claimed were being taken away from the royalty are perhaps better left in the hands of the executive without any need of consultation with the royalty.
And if this is the case then, why retain this law? Just pass laws which further restricts the powers of the royalty and for further more definite issues, wait till you can amend the constitution with the necessary two-thirds majority. Indeed, reshuffling what aspects of the law?
Which brings us to point two. We have a load of draconian laws in this country which Harapan claimed that they would end. For heaven’s sake, there was even waffling on the Anti-Fake News law a few weeks ago and Harapan decided that it was not worth the public anger to retain such laws. So, this idea of tweaking a law which Harapan had claimed was destroying the role of the Agong is absurd.
Why even reshuffle the bad parts of this law? What does the Council of Eminent Persons, which Shad Faruqi is part of, think of this new development? Does Harapan want its grand poobah to have powers superior to the Agong? Maybe it should be this way. After all, a former UMNO autocrat, and now Harapan big cheese, has been doing that for years?
We have enough “security laws” to deal with the type of warfare – including psychological – against the kind of extremism – Islamic – that poses a danger to this country. Not to mention, willing partners and assets which have been sidelined for far too long, because the former regime was mired in corruption scandals.
There are Harapan leaders willing to go on record stating clearly that this law has to be removed. For the life of me, I cannot fathom why Mat Sabu would even consider such a move. Maybe some folk in Harapan really do not understand why this piece of “monstrous” legislation needs to be removed or maybe, just maybe, they think it is a good thing, now that there is really no opposition in this country.
S THAYAPARAN is Commander (Rtd) of the Royal Malaysian Navy.
Posted in Civil Rights, Defence-Security, Democracy, Freedom, Human Rights, Liberty, Malaysia, Malaysiakini, Pakatan Harapan, Rule of Law, The Malays, Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad.
Man of the Moment: Meet Attorney-General Tommy Thomas
June 5, 2018 by dinobeano
by Hafiz Yatim
Born in 1952 in Kuala Lumpur, the father of three received his early education at Victoria Institution. He then pursued his law degree at the University of Manchester in England and subsequently received an MSc from the London School of Economics. He then became a barrister at Middle Temple, London.–Hafiz Yatim
Malaysians woke up this morning to the news that Tommy Thomas has been appointed as the new attorney-general by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Muhammad V, replacing Mohamed Apandi Ali.
Born in 1952 in Kuala Lumpur, the father of three received his early education at Victoria Institution. He then pursued his law degree at the University of Manchester in England and subsequently received an MSc from the London School of Economics. He then became a barrister at Middle Temple, London.
He is a founder and partner at Tommy Thomas, a litigation firm with an office in Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur. According to the firm’s website, Thomas specialises in administrative law and judicial review; intellectual property; arbitration; land; banking and finance; oil and gas; commercial property; company law; securities law; constitutional law; and insolvency and wills.
He was involved in numerous landmark cases and appeared before the Privy Council, which was Malaysia’s highest court in London, until 1985.
Thomas has published two books titled “Anything But the Law: Essays on Politics and Economics” and “Abuse of Power: Selected Works on the Law and Constitution”.
Besides being a well-known lawyer, he also participated in several Bersih rallies in the past.
An active member of the Malaysian Bar, he held the post of secretary of the Bar Council from 1995 to 1997.
Among his well-known cases were Metramac vs Fawziah Holdings, and as noted by Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, he appeared for BN in several cases concerning election petitions.
Thomas has also appeared for the PAS Kelantan and Terengganu oil royalty case against Petronas and the federal government, and also represented Selangor government lawyer Fahda Nur Ahmad Kamar against Syarikat Bekalan Air Selangor (Syabas) in the latter’s bid to cite the former for contempt of court.
Thomas also represented Malayan Communist Party Secretary-General Chin Peng in his application to return to Malaysia, and former Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng in contempt proceedings filed against him by Apandi.
Meanwhile, Thomas’ law firm greeted his appointment with pride.
“He successfully led our team in two of the best-known bond recovery cases in the courts of Malaysia: Pesaka Astana and Aldwich Berhad. And as corporate asset recovery is topical, with the government focused on recovering the assets of 1MDB, there is no doubt in our mind that they have appointed Malaysia’s finest barrister in that field, with the knowledge, experience and industry to lead the 1MDB litigation, whether civil or criminal,” said the firm in a statement.
The firm noted that Thomas was an established corporate and commercial barrister, having acted successfully in some of the landmark cases on corporate debt and asset recoveries, such as Amos William Dawe and Mosbert; Lian Keow v Overseas Credit Finance; and Bank Bumiputra v Lorrain Osman.
More recently, he acted for the Securities Commission against Swisscash, the worldwide Ponzi scheme hatched in Malaysia – tracing the funds in the Ponzi scheme to banks in Hong Kong, and the Jersey and British Virgin Islands; obtaining worldwide Mareva injunctions, and what the firm claimed to be the largest reparation of funds for the victims of the Ponzi scheme.
According to the firm, Thomas had handled some of Malaysia’s largest and most complex cases, and in addition to his outstanding track record on commercial cases, he had a strong public law practice, having acted on major judicial reviews and constitutional cases.
“A significant percentage of his practice has been pro bono work, for the less privileged and oppressed.While we shall obviously miss him, we are delighted for our country, as Thomas’ combined talent, integrity, legal knowledge and experience, gives Malaysia one of its best and brightest barristers as its next Attorney-General. We wish him every success as Attorney-General of Malaysia,” it said.
Thomas met Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad at the Prime Minister’s Department at 8.30am today.
Posted in Attorney-General, Character and Integrity, civil society issues, Democracy, Governance, Justice, Law and Order, Liberalism and Open Society, Liberty, Malaysiakini, Meritocracy and Competence, Public Accountability, Public Service, reform, Rule of Law, Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad.
Sleepwalking? What is progress supposed to look like?
On Turning 79–A Time for Personal Stock Taking
COMMENT: I chose Firoz’s article to remind Malaysians of Generation X and Y of what they failed to do in the last decade when they allowed Najib Razak and UMNO kleptocrats to govern our country carte blanche. We have been sleepwalking. Now look what Najib had done and imagine what more he could have done if he were re-elected on May 9, 2018.
Thanks to the present generation of voters, Najib is out of action; he is now being asked to account for the scandals he left behind including a trillion ringgit in national debt for the Mahathir 2.0 government to deal with. It takes my generation of 1950s, men like Tun Daim, Tan Sri Robert Kuok, former Attorney- General Abu Talib and others to come back to sort out the mess.
For me, money is not everything. It is important to have money. How much is enough? It is never enough. It was Mahatma Gandhi who said there’s enough for everyone’s needs, but never enough for someone’s greed. Najib Razak and Rosmah Mansor succumbed to greed and now they must bear the consequences of their avarice.
That is why I seek to lead a simple life and as I reach 80 in a matter of 365 days from today, I choose to lead a life of an academic, a life of learning and devoted service to my students at The University of Cambodia in Phnom Penh. These students challenge me everyday to give my best.
It was the late Mr. Lee Kuan Yew who urged us to lead a purposeful life. Greek Philosopher and teacher of Plato, Socrates said an unexamined life is not worth living. Descartes pronounced “I think , therefore I am” (Cogito Ergo Sum). Finally, I am just beginning to realize what they mean. It is a lonely life of deep contemplation. It does not make one popular; in fact, it may ruin relationships, but I will give it my best shot. And if I fail, it will not be for the lack of effort.
Mr. Lee Kuan Yew led a life of public service
Today I turn 79. I choose to celebrate this day by posting Firoz’s article and to remind myself that I must continue to speak the truth to power. I will, therefore, hold our new government accountable for their policies and actions. I will remain critical. While I congratulate Pakatan Harapan on their electoral success, I will speak up when our leaders in the Mahathir 2.0 administration fail to honour their pledge to serve Malaysians.–Din Merican
by Firoz Abdul Hamid
http://investvine.com/highlights/tech-and-education/
Robert Frost, a well known American poet wrote a poem on the 1919 inflation which reads:
The pain of seeing ten cents turned to five,
We clutch with both hands fiercely at the part,
We think we feel it in – the head, the heart,
Is someone cutting us in two alive?
Is someone cutting us in half?
These words cannot ring truer in a landscape where we are seemingly sleepwalking into losing homes and our life savings. A world where you could walk into work and be greeted by your pink slip, when only yesterday you were probably told you were a star in the galaxies of the workplace. The world of capitalism markets has created more people on Prozac (or similar tranquilisers) in search of their own personal worth and purpose. Even dogs are said to be on Prozac now – a testament of how we treat animals today
Is this what progress is suppose to look like? Does progress leave one billion people in hunger whilst another billion overindulging on food? How can the 21st century tolerate illness due to hunger and poverty and that due to overeating of “super scale” sized food at the same time and on the same planet? Why are people overeating anyway in the first place? Is the food produced for the “life on the rat race” lacking in nutrition that we have to keep eating? Even the basics like milk are no longer pure. We get pasteurised, skimmed, 1 per cent, 99 per cent with many other combinations. Coffee used to just be yes, coffee. Today we have all sizes and designs – it has become an industry unto itself to wake the stressed life we have all subscribed to.
And then we see the springing of organic food for the enlightened. But shouldn’t all food be organic in the first place. How did our food become unhealthy and inorganic that we need to search for health in food?
How did we get here as a civilisation?
When we have movements like the 1 per cent versus the 99 per cent on wealth, countries like the USA which makes just under 6 per cent of the world’s population is said to be one of the world’s largest consumers of global resources. Yet under these same skies we have the poorest of the poorest who are probably living on dhal (lentil) and bread, living a more prosperous life than those with multi-gated security having their three course meals, all cooked and served (flown to wherever they are for some).
Robert Frank wrote a book titled “Richistan” in 2007. In a commentary article on the book he wrote, “The wealthy weren’t just getting wealthier — they were forming their own virtual country. They were wealthier than most nations, with the top 1 per cent controlling $17 trillion in wealth” He further adds, “The real story behind all this wealth, however, isn’t in the numbers. It’s in the people, and how they’re changing the culture and character of wealth in America. Richistan is largely about a country in flux — one in which Old Money is being shoved aside by self-made entrepreneurs, philanthropy is changing from passive check-writing to ‘high-engagement philanthropy,’ and the progressive new rich are changing the politics of wealth. Most of all, Richistan is about the entertaining way that today’s rich are making, spending, donating and living with their wealth. (Like the guy in my book who has a house staff of 105 people.)”
It is reported that since Frank wrote the book, some of the people in the book have faced repossession, but that isn’t the question at hand here. The argument really is about what is just, what is equitable, what is equity and what is mercy? What is humanity? What indeed is our purpose on and for this earth?
This is not a debate on class warfare. It is not about being against the rich and opting for the less privileged. It is about our motives and what should be the essence of our humanity and our civilisation. Yes, these are probably questions we are asked and taught in Sunday schools, in our Islamic classes, and other similar religious settings both in our schools and homes. Yet we tend to cast it aside when we reach a certain age in our adult life. We get so hamstrung into the hamster cycle of competition and the “dog eat dog” world that we forget the simple basics of doing unto others as you like it done unto yourself.
There is little to dispute about the state of our planet today, never mind our economies and markets globally. One thing that doesn’t require a debate – we are in trouble!
The models of yesterday haven’t worked – we only need to reflect on the staggering changes in our weather cycles from East to West and the breakdown of our economies and communities. Whether we are religious in our inclinations or otherwise, we have a moral purpose and responsibility for our time on this planet; if for nothing else for the people who will stay behind to pick up the pieces after we are long gone. Do we let them pick up pieces of destruction – or savour the pieces of our achievements and success? You know we are in trouble when you don’t know for sure what is in the food packs that you are buying (this relates to the recent horse meat saga in the UK). We are in trouble when the food that is served in Muslim schools is not what it seems (a recent incident in the UK).
Progress cannot possibly bring such episodes. Progress cannot justify loss of dignity for so many in an instance and from a decision made by a reckless someone in one part of the world. Progress cannot consent dire hunger and obesity sharing the same space in time. This surely cannot be progress. Are we sleepwalking into progressive destruction?
Even in fields like medicine, how far must you and can you go to seek cure for an illness? Where do the remits and limits of conscience and ethics stand when seeking solution – is it or must it be at all cost?
Across industries and sectors, there is a real crises of conscience on what we must do differently. Abdal Hakim Murad, the Dean of Islamic School at Cambridge, wrote in a 2009 article in The Guardian, “Ours is an age that has made idols of the great banks and finance houses, driven to frenzy by competition amongst billionaires who are kept awake at night by the thought that a rival might make a business deal more quickly than them. A banker who can asset strip companies and throw its employees out onto the street is someone who is in the grip of an obsession that has thrown him beyond of the normal frontiers of humanity.”
The purpose of this column is to scour industry and sector leaders on what the role of ethics in business should entail and how it can be implemented. Does it hold a place in markets, economies and businesses? What works and what should be done? Through interviews, this column will seek to understand their views on ethics in their areas of business.
Aristotle spoke of justice in societies and equitable spreading of wealth. Imam Ghazali, one of the most leading scholars in the Islamic tradition, wrote books on trade justice. Today we have such organisations like Fairtrade International accrediting companies to safeguard injustices and abuse against farmers so that these farmers can have a more dignified life than if they were to sell their products in the traditional conveyor process of the capital markets. In return, consumers are probably getting a better deal. Whether you are inclined towards an organic or halal industry type setting or the mass market setting, the essence of humanity needs to get back into how we transact with our fellow human beings in business. The Orwellian world view can only truly destroy our souls and of what may be left of the future of this planet.
I hope you will enjoy these interviews – there are some real great people in store at http://www.investvine.com
Editorial note: This article is the prelude to a series of interviews on ethics in business with high-ranking executives globally.
Posted in Character and Integrity, civil society issues, Critical Thinking, Education, Humanity, Intellectual Development, Justice, Knowledge, Liberty, Malaysia, Philosophy, Rule of Law.
Ode to the Unsung Heroes of GE-14–People of Malaysia
By James Unsworth
Her Departure from Seri Perdana, the Official Residence of the Malaysian Prime Minister, in itself is cause for celebration
Now that we have the title, Change Was the Victory, perhaps this can be the narrative. Like any good narrative, there will be complications, plot twists and the like, but if the product is truly one Malaysia, one equal Malaysia, then that would be quite the book.
Recently, we all bore witness to a truly momentous and historic event. The momentous occurrence, was the change itself, the change in government. It is not that a band of saviours sailed ashore and a bright destiny was, or even will be, realised, it was merely that change was seen to be possible. It was that hope returned.
The change was the victory. From now on, whoever holds the reins will know that should they govern poorly, they will lose their jobs. They will be kept honest.
It is not the next band of political leaders that needs celebrating therefore, this victory belongs to the people, as the people did not vote for particular individuals, they voted for change, they voted for hope.
This ballad therefore is not dedicated to the big names of the new government, it is for the smaller, less heard, but nonetheless effective actors, the everyday man, the everyday woman, who long ago spoke of ‘Malaysians’, long before 1Malaysia, those who spoke of equality, justice and transparency and saw political change as the first step towards this.
This ballad is dedicated to the quiet warriors, the quiet heroes, who, in Malcolm Gladwell’s terminology, were “the few”, the few who became the many, the many who spoke together last week. This ballad is to people like my wife: Gayatri Unsworth.
Since before I knew my wife, she has spoken with a tone of confused frustration about a Malaysia, without “Malaysians”, where division is normal and unity is a dream.
I’ve heard the stories of her childhood, of Ahmad’s, Chin’s, Kumar’s and Jonathan’s, of an idyllic singular Malaysia. When she was a young journalism student, I read her articles, which accounted as such and in which she dreamed of a day where this might once again become reality.
When she was a young professional in Australia, I heard her broadcast this message in her weekly Malay Language programme on SBS Radio around the country, to the Malaysian diaspora.
Back in Malaysia, I heard her imbue this message in her teaching to university students, as she taught them journalism ethics. I have heard this message repeated and manifest in the actions of her many graduated students, who have since taken leading roles in the Malaysian and foreign media and other aspects of civic life.
I have read it in her alternate news media articles, like ‘Merdeka, Merdeka, Merdeka’, widely read before a previous election, in her FB posts, in her weekly column and even in her article published the night before this famous election. I have seen it in her work with charities and social enterprises and in the way she raises our children.
Most importantly, I have heard it in the way she has consistently and calmly (and sometimes not so calmly) held firm in innumerate conversations over the past two decades, with family, friends and strangers, even when they said, “don’t trouble”, “don’t risk”.
I am delighted for my wife and for this country, as every one of these individuals has changed their tune, over time, gradually, one by one. Every wave, began with a ripple.
Tun Dr. Mahathir is back with his Fellow Malaysians to make history and drain the swamp in Putrajaya. Together, we can make a difference
My celebration this week is for Malaysia, a country I love and for Malaysians and my tribute is to those few, those quiet warriors, those quiet heroes who kept on, kept on, kept on, until all of a sudden it happened!
Is there still plenty to fix in Malaysia? Yes. I first came to Malaysia in 2001 and I have lived here full-time for the past 12 years, longer than I have lived in any other place and I have observed many things.
Will these things be fixed because there is a different group in charge? No, maybe some, but that is not the point. Change was the victory, but it is just the beginning, not the end, not the climax, not even the introduction, just the title of a new story: Change Was the Victory.
I love this country, I was married here, my children have been born and raised here, I have taught here, I have studied here, I have bought, lived in and then sold a house here.
I have traveled all over this beautiful land and lived in three states, as I followed the work, like so many. I have become “me” here. I have partaken in the culinary multiculturalism of open-house culture, I have cheered for Harimau Malaya in the stands, I have cried at Chong Wei’s loses and sung Negaraku with pride.
I have sat in the front row at a Zainal Abidin concert, rocked out at Rock the World (back in the day), been to more weddings than I can remember, each a different kind, sweat it out on the local badminton court each Monday night and craved a teh tarik or Milo ais straight after.
But, despite my BM, my palate for sambal, my pride, my history on the ground, my Malaysian cultural idiosyncrasies, I will always be a foreigner. Well, maybe not always, but certainly for a long time yet.
Before I might be accepted, Malaysians need to accept each other, they need to come to know each other, one bangsa, equal. This is the story that needs to next be written.
James is the Head of English at an esteemed private school in Malaysia.
The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of FMT. http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com
Posted in Character and Integrity, Corruption, Democracy, Dr Mahathir, Dr. Wan Azizah Ismail, Freedom, FreeMalaysiaToday, GE-14 Malaysian General Election, Governance, History, Leadership, Liberty, Malaysia, Pakatan Harapan, Politics, Rule of Law.
Restoring the nation’s confidence
By Farouk A. Peru
www.themalaymailonline.com
If it’s one thing that the entire period of 2004-2018 taught me, it’s how it feels to have low expectations in one’s nation.
I grew up in the era of Mahathir 1.0 (except we did not know it was 1.0 then!) and there was an air of confidence. Of course, being kids in school, we were not able to see the problems but that’s besides the point.
The point is, we had a great deal of confidence in his administration and this translated into national pride. This, I can tell you, was an exuberant feeling.
Then came the lost years. Abdullah Badawi, Pak Lah, came into office enjoying a high level of confidence. The 2004 general election was proof of that.
However, his unenergetic leadership soon floundered and he was made into a laughing stock. He was also unable to handle the Islamofascists who ruined any chance of an interfaith council.
Pak Lah was told to leave after Barisan’s relatively disastrous performance in the 2008 general election where Barisan lost five states, later reduced to four. The period of Najib Razak had begun.
In 2009, when Najib came in, I recall a high level of confidence, especially from the Malay professionals who believed that Najib’s eruditeness was proof that he was very clued in. I was quite hopeful myself although by this time, I was unreservedly anti-Barisan.
Then came the scandals. 1MDB was the whale of them, at least until the FGV scandals came to light. I recalled the feelings of buoyancy from the 90s when I read about 1MDB.
How the tables had turned and how we were now the laughing stock of the world whereas once we were admired as the darling of developing nations. When the 1MDB so-called investigations came to nothing, no one was surprised.
Like all Malaysians, I was hopeful when Tun Dr Mahathir led Pakatan Harapan to victory. I am quite sure that without Tun, BN would still be in power today and we would be in the doldrums.
What did worry me slightly was the execution of justice by the Mahathir 2.0 administration. The slow-moving machinery of the government may slow down this process.
This would mean that people being investigated would be able to haul stakes and seek asylum elsewhere. There are no shortages of countries providing this type of asylum. No less a dictator than Idi Amin himself was able to live out the rest of his life in luxury.
However, Tun dealt with the matter swiftly. Being Tun, he had already planned things several moves ahead. He placed a travel ban on Najib and effectively had him under surveillance at all times. At the time of writing, Najib’s own house had been raided and several items seized.
The Auditor General’s report on 1MDB has also been declassified and downloaded so many times, the server is said to have crashed!
And this is what I mean. Confidence has been restored. The rakyat is now actively rooting for the nation.
At the end of the Najib administration, their confidence in the administration had been so down that when UMNO’s own status was called into question (due to breaking its own by-laws), we rightly expected no action to be taken and true enough – the case has been thrown out.
I applaud Tun on his swift actions. While the rakyat are rejoicing at the abolishment of the GST, to show us that past misdeeds will not go unpunished was a major win.
Now we feel no longer alienated by active stakeholders in the future of the nation.
* This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of Malay Mail.
Posted in 1MDB Financial Scandal, Character and Integrity, Corruption, Democracy, Ethics, GE-14 Malaysian General Election, Governance, Justice, Liberty, Malaysia, Politics, Rule of Law, Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad, Uncategorized.
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Broad Cove Reserve / Payson
The property is located in Cumberland Foreside on the east side of Route 88 near the intersection with Tuttle Road. A parking lot is located on the right side of Beach Drive just beyond the entrance.
Spears Hill Road Homeowners and Town of Cumberland (CCLT easement)
There is public access to 23-acre Broad Cove Reserve and the Stonewall Trail during daylight hours for walking, boating, swimming, fishing, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, and educational activities.
Limiting development, protecting scenic views, protecting natural and historic resources, and public access to the shore.
This conservation easement was the result of years of consideration and discussion between the land trust and members of the Payson family. This prominent parcel, bounded by Casco Bay on the east and Route 88 on the west and characterized by fields, forests, and shorefront, was notable for its scenic and habitat values. It also was ripe for several dozen prime building lots. This easement limited the development potential to just 10 residences and established a trail for public use. The 0.6 mile “Stonewall Trail” that runs parallel to Route 88 is popular with Cumberland Foreside residents.
The Payson property remained largely undisturbed and intact until 2014 when it was sold to 179 Foreside, LLC for development. Subsequently, the developer offered a portion of the property to the Town of Cumberland for use as a public park. In November 2014, Cumberland residents approved a referendum allowing the Town to acquire 12 acres along the shorefront including the beach and pier and an additional nine acres along Route 88 along with a gravel road linking the two parcels. The town has since welcomed public access to the beach, improved the access road and bath house for use by beach goers, and added a parking lot to accommodate visitors. Renamed Broad Cove Reserve, this town-owned portion of the property represents the best waterfront access opportunity within the town of Cumberland. The remainder of the parcel is being developed into a series of private house lots in accordance with the restrictions of the conservation easement. For more information, see the town of Cumberland’s Broad Cove Reserve website.
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Part 3 APPROACHES TO THE STUDY OF THE OLD TESTAMENT
DOES THE OLD TESTAMENT RECORD RELIABLE HISTORY? How do critical methodologies explain the historical reliability of the OT? Biblical scholarship offers five answers to this question that can be charted chronologically by tracing the history of consensus positions. At times these methods have coexisted to some extent and all three are embraced across the spectrum of biblical scholarship in modern times as well.
First, during the first 17 centuries of the Christian era, the vast majority of biblical scholars accepted the inspiration and authority of the Bible. They viewed the Bible's descriptions of various events as reliable, actual history and regarded the biblical text as divinely given. Of course there were a few detractors along the way, but even they did not abandon wholesale the general reliability of the biblical tradition. Modern biblical critics regard (and generally discount) this era as a "precritical" period of biblical scholarship.
Second, the Renaissance and Enlightenment periods fostered a significant degree of skepticism toward beliefs and practices that had been the consensus for centuries.1 A growing number of scholars sought to explain God, the Bible, and science primarily through the perspective of a man-centered rationalism. The idea of the Bible being divinely revealed and authoritative became much less acceptable. By the end of the eighteenth century, Jewish and Christian scholars began to subject the OT to wholesale critical analysis. This led to a broad consensus in Europe and then America that viewed the OT as a written work that drew on various sources and demonstrated, in general, sloppy editing. The events and truths presented by the OT were considered untrustworthy and therefore not historical. Rather than granting divine revelation as the basis of Israel's function as a holy nation, these scholars viewed OT religion as the product of a long period of evolution from primitive paganism to monotheism (by the postexilic period).
Third, as scholars at the end of the nineteenth century began to discover and study literary and nonliterary artifacts from the ANE world, they began to realize that the world described by the Bible was not totally out of touch with the world depicted by the recently unearthed artifactual evidence. W. F. Albright and his protégés introduced an understanding of the OT that viewed the biblical text as generally reliable. Rather than creating fictional traditions, they suggested that the Bible preserved believable historical events and traditions. They may not have believed the Bible to be divinely inspired and authoritative, but they did conclude that it was a credible and reasonably accurate tool for reconstructing the history it described.
Fourth, the consensus of modern biblical scholarship is that the Bible is unreliable as a source for reconstructing the history of the events and characters it describes, especially when there is the absence of abundant archaeological evidence.2 Since the amount of archaeological evidence significantly increases from Israel's divided monarchy period, critics are much more willing to view the biblical narratives from that period as having greater potential historicity. However, even when understood in conjunction with compelling archaeological evidence, most scholars still do not view the OT with much credence. To them it came into existence through a long oral prehistory, during which time various "communities" changed and reshaped the message of the OT to fit the needs and challenges of their own historical setting. A more radical subcategory of this last broad perspective on the OT (known as minimalism) dates the OT to the Persian or Hellenistic periods and rejects any thought of the OT having historical credibility.
Fifth, the evangelical wing of scholarship (like the authors of this volume and scores of others) regard the Bible as God's Word, divinely revealed and inspired, presenting its readers with an inerrant and authoritative message. The Bible gives an authoritative redemptive message, and also delineates credible and reliable history. Although it does not "prove" anything in the Bible, archaeology illuminates, illustrates, supplements, and confirms the biblical record. The following section offers a few examples of recent discoveries that demonstrate that the historical context presented by the OT matches that suggested by artifactual evidence.
A lot of the views described appear in regards to a physical perspective of the Word, whereas I look at most of what is written in a more spiritual context.
exegete
My Tiny Apartment
The basic question of the excerpt is: "DOES THE OLD TESTAMENT RECORD RELIABLE HISTORY?"
The first thing to keep in mind is that the OT is not meant to be a reliable record of history. That's not what the Israelites were interested in, at least, not in the same context that a modern western culture would interpret the phrase 'record of history'. They were more concerned with recording the record of interactions between themselves and their God (as opposed to the Philistines with Dagon or Marduk with the Babylonians).
In terms of historical accuracy, to the best of my knowledge, there is little extra-biblical sources to confirm anything in the OT much before 720 BC. That does not mean that information prior to that time is incorrect or false, it's just not verified by outside sources.
When viewing the books of the OT as a whole, we see a common thread of God yearning to enter into a covenant relationship with His creation - all of it, not just the Israelites - and the plan that comes to fruition in the NT with the person of Jesus Christ.
Macabeus
Lynnnnn said:
Second, the Renaissance and Enlightenment periods fostered a significant degree of skepticism toward beliefs and practices that had been the consensus for centuries.1 A growing number of scholars sought to explain God, the Bible, and science primarily through the perspective of a man-centered rationalism. The idea of the Bible being divinely revealed and authoritative became much less acceptable. By the end of the eighteenth century, Jewish and Christian scholars began to subject the OT to wholesale critical analysis. This led to a broad consensus in Europe and then America that viewed the OT as a written work that drew on various sources and demonstrated, in general, sloppy editing. The events and truths presented by the OT were considered untrustworthy and therefore not historical. Rather than granting divine revelation as the basis of Israel's function as a holy nation, these scholars viewed OT rsligion as the product of a long period of evolution from primitive paganism to monotheism (by the postexilic period).
As far as archeological evidence. there is much archeological evidence to support the Bible. For example, not long ago, scholars thought that the Hittite empire was a myth, because it was only mentioned in the Bible. That was until archeological evidence for the Hittites was discovered not long ago.
quote- How did the discovery of the lost Hittite civilization provide evidence in support of the biblical record? The Old Testament mentions the ancient Hittite civilization more than 50 times, either by their Hebrew name "Chitti" or by their designation as the sons and daughters Heth. However, prior to their rediscovery in the 19th century, there appeared to be no evidence for their existence outside of the Bible. Skeptics cited the missing evidence as evidence that the Bible actually fabricated their existence. This called the reliability of the biblical account into question. Basically the skeptics said, "We can't find any evidence for the Hittite civilization outside of the Bible. This demonstrates that the Bible cannot be trusted as an historical source."
Then, in the 19th and 20th centuries archaeologists hit the jackpot, not only identifying extrabiblical references to the Hittite civilization, but by actually finding and excavating the ancient Hittite capital city of Hattusa (
https://www.allaboutarchaeology.org/hittite-faq.htm
They also doubted the existence of David, until the Tel Dan stele was discovered in the 90s.
https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org...rical-evidence-of-the-king-david-bible-story/
Skeptics laughed at Daniel's mention of Belshazar as a soveriegn in the book of Daniel, until historical evidence revealed that Belshaazar was indeed a coregent of Babylon at precisely the time Daniel said he was.
http://1peter315.blogspot.com/2011/06/bibles-critics-were-wrong-again-daniel.html
There is still many things yet undiscovered, as evidenced by the fact that they are still finding stuff that validates the Bible. There are many parts of the ANE that are still being/or not yet fully explored.
pottersclay
God has made his footsteps through history to be seen. Psalms tells us the word of God is proven.
Many get confused as some believe we have faith in a unseen God. That's not so.
God has left his footsteps from the garden to the presence state of Israel.
crossnote
'Scholars' 'Fowlers', all one has to do is insert the phrase 'the scholars say' and peoples eyes glaze over with a mesmerizing glaze of silly putty.
Jesus on a number of occasions cited historical events as true, as well did His disciples under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.
Who should we believe, the One who was there since the beginning or some pot bellied armchair skeptic philosophizing thousands of years after the events?
dcontroversal
Yes, it does...........and as a matter of fact also records 100% accurate prophecy ....for example.....Alexander the Great was so impressed with Daniel's predictions concerning the He Goat from the West conquering at speed that he spared Jerusalem and gave them numerous years without taxation........
It is interesting to note that archeology and geology both support the biblical narrative and many truths found in the bible have been coming to light from an archeological standpoint just in the last century.....
Lanolin
HIstory is His Story. THe Bible is all about God, so I would say its even more reliable than any other history spanning the same time period which we can only piece together through oral traditions and many retellings. GOd preserves His word in scripture that cannot be broken. What other manuscripts have that claim, where even a word copied out of place renders the whole scripture unusable.
What other nations history do people around the world all read in translation? The history of GOds people, Israel...what other nation on earth has a Bible a whole library of 66 books all about them and their King who is the saviour of the world?
My own country nz, was inhabited only in the last 200 or so years. There is no one book that records a history of this nation that everyone reads as a definitive history. The Bible...it goes back to the very first day of creation! It tells about when the lands were divided, the very first people, gives details about their names...and all this is recorded by Moses who God entrusted as his oracle. Mt sinai is still there today, theres evidence of egyptian chariots smashed to pieces at the bottom of the red sea. The landmarks, the memorials, the people still carry on, everywhere you look in the land of canaaan bears a record. Even the flood waters of the Great flood still lap the shores of every landmass on earth this day.
And what other book also gives us the expected end of history? Of things still to come to pass? What other book bears eyewitness testimony to Jesus, a compliation of four different viewpoints from the 500+ witnesses to His majesty at his resurrection.
I dont know of any other history book that can compare with the Bible. Its the greatest story ever told.
Nehemiah6
This is the only position to take if anyone believes that the Bible is the Word of God.
As to so-called *modern biblical scholarship* it is plainly an attack on the Bible. What Christians need to also understand is that while the Higher Critics decided that the Bible consisted of myths, legends and fables, the Lower Critics (textual scholars) promoted the hoax that the traditional Bible manuscripts were corrupt, and therefore the Hebrew and Greek texts needed to be seriously revised (with thousands of changes). This led to the *new and improved* (read corrupt) modern Bible versions starting in 1881. This was a two-pronged attack by Satan, and the majority of Christians have been deceived.
pottersclay said:
crossnote said:
True. Many of these so called scholars are not even Christians. (if you don't believe in the resurrection of Jesus, you are not a Christian), so they do not know how to understand and interpret the Word, being devoid of the Spirit. There is a thing called the scarlet thread of redemption and there is a remarkable internal unity that shows that the 66 books, though written by many authors over many centuries, are the product of ONE MIND, but unsaved people cannot see these things because these things are spiritually discerned.
eternally-gratefull
I think literal interpretation of all scripture is essential, if we start to take literal events, such as the flood, Israel, abraham, crossing the red sea and all that happened in the wilderness, and everything else as spiritual truths not physical, we take away from gods word and his ability to use those things to point to him and his word.
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Home › Entertainment › TV › Reality TV
EXCLUSIVE: Will Bishop Noel Jones Make It To The Altar?
Tonya Pendleton
Bishop Noel Jones is one of the preachers in Preachers of L.A. the controversial reality show that explores the lives of some of Loa Angeles’ most popular religious leaders. Critics of the show, including Pastor Donnie McClurkin and others have said that its intimate look at the personal lives of the men in the pulpit undermines their mission to provide spiritual service to their congregations. Jones has come under fire for his relationship with a long-time girlfriend, Loretta, who he has yet to marry.
“I’m the victim in this situation,” Jones told the Tom Joyner Morning Show. “We’ve been friends for a long time. It’s funny that man cannot be friends with a woman and not marry her as though she’s some kind of ininmate object who you just simple decide I’m marrying you and she has to fall in line. It seems to me that if she has he own mind and she decides not to, then that’s up to her. If she intimates that she wants to, when we started out not intending to, then now I have to make a decision.
Considering that Jones is a pastor, you would think there would be som e Biblical instruction that would be relevant to jones’s situation. He says nor necessarily.
“The Bible has nothing to do with it in that sense. Some of the greatest people in the Bible were never married. Paul was never married and he talked more about marriage than anybody there was. Of course, Jesus was too much for any one woman so he couldn’t get married.”
Jones says that this new push to marriage has come as a surprise and that perhaps Loretta is being influenced by the other pastors, including Bishop Ron Gibson, who is happily married.
EXCLUSIVE: Will Bishop Noel Jones Make It To The Altar? was originally published on blackamericaweb.com
Bishop Noel Jones , Black Christianity , Black Reality TV Shows , Black Reality TV Stars , Noel Jones , Preacher's L.A. , Preachers Of L.A.
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Edisto Island Beach Rentals Currently Available
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Just an hour’s drive south of historic Charleston lays the picturesque sea island community of Edisto Island, South Carolina. Nestled in rural Colleton County, this idyllic community boasts a rich and colorful history dating back more than 500 years. It’s this history and geographic location that makes Edisto Island beach rentals a popular place to explore the rest of what coastal South Carolina has to offer.
Originally inhabited in the 1500s by the Edisto tribe of Native Americans, the island was later explored and settled by Spaniards in the 1600s. This was followed by the English during the reign of King Charles II.
In the 18th century, this coastal barrier island was nearly devastated by pirates, drought, boll weevils, the plague, fires and hurricanes, all of which took a terrible toll on the Native Indians and the European settlers. These natural disasters have long since dissipated and as such, have allowed for Edisto Island beach rentals to flourish in the years since.
Prosperity returned to the region in the 1800s as a result of the demand for rice, indigo and Sea Island cotton. However, the Civil War destroyed many of the plantations and historic homes. Some plantations remain and are listed on the National Register of Historic Places, which continue to be popular tourism sites among those who book Edisto Beach rentals for their visit to South Carolina.
Today, the island boats approximately 3,400 residents who rely primarily on the tourism industry. These same people who book Edisto Island rentals are welcomed by residents, who work hand-in-hand to keep the local economy humming. There are excellent outdoor recreational opportunities, local seafood restaurants, a marina, a golf course and Edisto Island beach rentals currently available.
Are you considering making a move to Edisto Island – or have you decided that Edisto Beach rentals are the way to go? Either way, you’re encouraged to contact us with any questions regarding Edisto Island rentals and other real estate topics.
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Visit Gusztáv’s YouTube channel
0141 339 2708 info@fenyo-musicmakers.co.uk
NEW SERIES, NEW VENUE
Posted on 21 February 2011 by Jeanette
We are pleased to announce that Music-Makers will be returning to the West End of Glasgow for a new series of concerts, beginning in March 2011, at a new venue. Our first concerts in 1995 were at another West End venue, the Cottier Theatre, so it is with real excitement that we look forward to being back on our home patch, famously described by an MP in a pre-election speech as “the UK’s most cultured square mile”.
Our chosen venue is St Bride’s Episcopal Church, Kelvinside where music has long played an important part. Due to its fine acoustic and historic organ, it already has a thriving concert life with many visiting choirs and chamber groups, including the BBC SSO Club, NYOS, McFall’s Chamber and the Auricle Ensemble, and is a popular choice during the West End Festival.
However, it is only recently that the church has acquired a professional standard piano, a Steinway Model D concert grand. The piano was previously in the loving ownership of Milngavie Music Club but due to a change of venue, which cannot accommodate the instrument, they reluctantly decided to sell it. It was fortuitous that St Bride’s was able to purchase the instrument and thus ensure that it remains in service to professional music-making.
A familiar landmark with its distinctive square tower, the church was consecrated on 1st February 1915. Its earliest work was by the noted English architect G F Bodley, whose early commissions included Queen’s College chapel, Cambridge, but due to a combination of poor workmanship and lack of funds, Bodley’s designs were never fully realised. The present church is largely the work of the Edinburgh architect, H O Tarbolton, including the tower, Lady Chapel and north aisle. The south aisle has yet to be built! This gives the interior of the church its distinctive shape and, it is thought, contributes to its excellent acoustic. Further information at www.stbride.org.uk
Gusztáv’s blog
Music-Makers is a company limited by guarantee and a charity | Registered in Scotland No. 155257 Scottish Charity No. SC023220
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Sale of consecrated hosts violates Etsy's policies, website confirms
An Etsy representative has clarified that the sale of consecrated hosts for the purpose of desecration is a violation of the e-commerce website’s terms.
A petition asking Etsy to confirm that it does not allow the sale of consecrated hosts gained thousands of signatures overnight, following a listing claiming to offer hosts to abuse.
On May 7, the Etsy account “Pentagora” claimed to be selling “Real Catholic Hosts, consecrated by a priest.” The hosts were advertised “to abuse for classic black fairs or black magic purposes.” The listing claimed to be selling a package of nine hosts that had been consecrated in Germany.
In the following days, the listing drew attention on Twitter, with critics arguing that it violated Etsy’s policies. The popular online marketplace only allows for the sale of items that are handmade, vintage, or craft supplies. Stolen items are explicitly prohibited, as are items that “support or glorify hatred toward people or otherwise demean people based upon: race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, gender, gender identity, disability, or sexual orientation.”
A few days later, the listing for the consecrated hosts was marked as “Sold Out.” It was subsequently deleted.
On May 13, a Change.org petition was started, calling on Etsy to clarify that the sale of consecrated hosts is a violation of the platform’s policies.
“Catholics believe that Consecrated Hosts are truly the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus Christ. It is the most precious thing in our religion,” the petition said.
“It is given freely, and so the only reason anyone could ever have to sell it would by definition be illicit. To sell them ‘for abuse’ is hateful against the Catholic Church, and should be prohibited by Etsy.”
The petition recognized that Etsy does not screen individual listings, but said that “to prevent this happening again, we ask that Etsy add ‘Consecrated Hosts’ to their already strict list of prohibited items.”
By the following day, the petition had gained more than 7,500 signatures. Jess Kallberg, policy manager for Etsy, responded to the petition May 14, confirming that “the reselling of consecrated hosts is a violation of our policies.”
Etsy removed the “sold out” listing promptly upon being notified of it, she said.
Kallberg reiterated Etsy’s commitment to creating a welcoming environment, including for religious users.
She noted that listings are not pre-approved before appearing on the site.
“We rely on each seller to ensure the items they list adhere to our policies, and our specialized teams take action when we see items that violate these policies,” she said. “We strongly encourage anyone who sees an item that violates our policies to submit a flag by clicking the ‘Report this item to Etsy’ link at the bottom of the listing.”
U.K. Fund Appeal -Suffering- Walsingham
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St. Peter the Apostle Church served southwest Baltimore's large Irish Catholic community for over 160 years. From its dedication in September 1844 through its final service in January 2008, the church earned a reputation as "The Mother Church of West Baltimore" for its role in the growth of the Catholic church.
Built from 1843 to 1844, the handsome Greek Revival building was designed by prominent Baltimore architect Robert Cary Long, Jr. who modeled the church on the Temple of Hephaestus in Athens, Greece. The building is now owned by nearby Carter Memorial Church.
St. Peter the Apostle Church ~ Source: Wikimedia Commons ~ Creator: Jaime Nish ~ Date: 2007 November 18
Saint Peter the Apostle Church ~ Source: University of Maryland, Baltimore County, Photography Collections ~ Creator: Hughes Company ~ Date: c. 1905-1940
13 S. Poppleton Street, Baltimore, MD 21201
Carter Memorial Church of Baltimore
“Saint Peter the Apostle Church,” Explore Baltimore Heritage, accessed July 18, 2019, https://explore.baltimoreheritage.org/items/show/288.
Irish immigration
Robert Cary Long Jr.
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The modern medium of comics, a history that spans 150 years. The flexibility of the medium encountered through the genres of humorous and dramatic comic strips, superheroes, undergrounds, independents, journalism, and autobiography. Innovative creators including McCay, Kirby, Barry, Ware, and critical writings including McCloud, Eisner, Groenstee. Topics include text/image relations, panel-to-panel relations, the page, caricature, sequence, seriality, comics in the context of the fine arts, and relations to other media.
Terms: not given this year, last offered Autumn 2018 | Units: 4 | UG Reqs: GER:DB-Hum, WAY-A-II | Grading: Letter (ABCD/NP)
Issues include objectivity/subjectivity, ethics, censorship, representation, reflexivity, responsibility to the audience, and authorial voice. Parallel focus on form and content.
Instructors: Krawitz, J. (PI)
FILMSTUD 115 | 4 units | UG Reqs: GER:DB-SocSci, WAY-A-II | Class # 19075 | Section 01 | Grading: Letter (ABCD/NP) | LEC
09/23/2019 - 12/06/2019 Tue, Thu 1:30 PM - 3:20 PM at McMurtry Building rm 115 with Krawitz, J. (PI)
09/23/2019 - 12/06/2019 Wed 6:30 PM - 9:20 PM at McMurtry Building rm 115 with Krawitz, J. (PI)
Historical, aesthetic, and formal developments of documentary through nonfiction films in Europe, Asia, Latin America, and Africa.
Terms: not given this year, last offered Autumn 2018 | Units: 4 | UG Reqs: GER:DB-Hum, WAY-A-II, WAY-ED | Grading: Letter (ABCD/NP)
We live in an information age, and information comes to us through various media. But different media ¿embody¿ information differently, and are experienced differently. How do these differences impact the ways we come to understand the world and our place in it? One example: Photography, cinema, and console games all attempt to communicate the experience of war, but each does so in its own way -- a Robert Capa photograph of the moment when a soldier is shot is different from the sensory and narrative immersion of Saving Private Ryan, which is different from the interactive experience of Call of Duty. nnFollowing Marshall McLuhan¿s dictum that ¿the medium is the message,¿ this course will examine the ways that different media present, organize, and structure information as forms that are ¿read¿ or experienced. The course will consider such historical media as illuminated books, print, painting, and photography, and such recent forms as cinema, television, comics, presentation software, and interactive and computational media. Readings will be drawn from across disciplines, and will include McLuhan, Sontag, Merleau-Ponty, Goffman, Jenkins, Hayles, and others. Fiction, film screenings, and comics reading will also be part of the course.
Instructors: Bukatman, S. (PI)
FILMSTUD 117 | 4 units | UG Reqs: WAY-A-II | Class # 17765 | Section 01 | Grading: Letter (ABCD/NP) | LEC
03/30/2020 - 06/03/2020 Tue, Thu 12:00 PM - 1:20 PM with Bukatman, S. (PI)
03/30/2020 - 06/03/2020 Mon 6:30 PM - 9:20 PM with Bukatman, S. (PI)
Notes: Class will meet TTh 12-1:20pm in McMurtry 360. Screenings will be on Mondays 6:30-9:20pm in McMurtry rm 360.
FILMSTUD 117 | UG Reqs: WAY-A-II | Class # 31454 | Section 02 | Grading: Letter (ABCD/NP) | DIS
The ubiquity of superheroes in contemporary global popular culture makes them an apt subject for a course. The American superheroâ¿¿s 80+ year history across multiple media (comics, film, television, video games, toys, and apparel), with particular emphasis on the comics that birthed them. Superheroes as flamboyant, kinetic, and allegorical characters. The relation of superheroes to issues of technology (industrial, biological, nuclear, and digital), cultural identity, corporeal imagination, hybridity, justice, performance, and media itself.
FILMSTUD 120 | 3-5 units | UG Reqs: WAY-A-II | Class # 19342 | Section 01 | Grading: Letter (ABCD/NP) | LEC
09/23/2019 - 12/06/2019 Tue 6:30 PM - 9:30 PM at McMurtry Building rm 115 with Bukatman, S. (PI)
09/23/2019 - 12/06/2019 Mon, Wed 11:30 AM - 12:50 PM at ARTGAL7 with Bukatman, S. (PI)
Notes: Class meets MW 11:30am-12:50pm in AG7. Screenings meet T 6:30-9:30pm in McMurtry 115.
From its beginnings, the cinema evinced an affinity with the phantom realm of specters, ghosts, and supernatural beings. Not only does horror have deep and diverse roots in the international history of film; it emerges as a trope of film itself, as a medium of shadows, dematerialized presence, life drained of substance. Overview of filmic imaginations of horror with a focus on the U.S., Europe, and Japan. Theories of horror, from the fantastic to the uncanny; unpacking these in light of key moments in the genre's development. The merits of vampires versus zombies. Ongoing debates through the lens of horror about cinematic representation, from Linda Williams' thesis of body genres to Jeffrey Sconce's notion of haunted media.
Instructors: Ma, J. (PI)
03/30/2020 - 06/03/2020 Mon, Wed 1:30 PM - 2:50 PM with Ma, J. (PI)
03/30/2020 - 06/03/2020 Mon 6:30 PM - 9:20 PM with Ma, J. (PI)
Notes: Class will meet on MW 1:30-2:50 in McMurtry rm 350. Screenings on Mondays 6:30-9:20pm in Oshman.
This course will provide an overview of cinema from India, the world's largest producer of films. We will trace the history of Indian cinema from the silent era, through the studio period, to state-funded art filmmaking to the contemporary production of Bollywood films as well as the more unconventional multiplex cinema. We will examine narrative conventions, stylistic techniques, and film production and consumption practices in popular Hindi language films from the Bombay film industry as well as commercial and art films in other languages. This outline of different cinematic modes will throw light on the social, political, and economic transformations in the nation-state over the last century.
New film cultures and movements in Taiwan, Hong Kong, and mainland China in the 80s. Key directors including Jia Zhangke, Wu Wenguang, Tsai Ming-liang, Hou Hsiao-hsien, Wong Kar-wai, Ann Hui. Topics include national cinema in the age of globalization, the evolving parameters of art cinema, and authorship.
Terms: not given this year, last offered Spring 2013 | Units: 4 | UG Reqs: GER:DB-Hum, WAY-A-II | Grading: Letter or Credit/No Credit
An exploration of the dynamic relationship between technology and the ways we see and represent the world, with a focus on American visual culture from the 19th century through the present. We study the history of different tools from telescopes and microscopes to digital detectors that have changed and enhanced our visual capabilities; the way technological shifts, such as the introduction of electric lights or train travel, have shaped our visual imagination and aesthetic sensibilities; and how technology has inspired or responded to visual art. Special attention is paid to how different media, such as photography, cinema, and computer screens, translate the visual experience into a representation; the automation of vision; and the intersection of technology with notions of time and space.
India is the world's largest producer of films, and Bollywood is currently its most visible cinematic product on the festival circuit as well as university curricula. This course, probably the first of its kind in the American academic setting, will focus instead on the various art cinemas of India. From the well-known Satyajit Ray to his important contemporaries, Ritwik Ghatak and Mrinal Sen, from the social realist New Wave cinemas of the 70s and 80s to contemporary indie films, we will engage with the history of the "parallel cinema" movement. Considering the relationship of Indian art cinema to Third Cinema and to European art cinema will bring attention to transnational networks and exhibition circuits. The course will engage with scholarship on art cinema more broadly to understand how films are categorized as such through narrative, form, audience, auteurism, funding, censorship, and relationship to the nation-state.
Instructors: Iyer, U. (PI)
FILMSTUD 134 | 5 units | UG Reqs: WAY-A-II, WAY-ED | Class # 17685 | Section 01 | Grading: Letter (ABCD/NP) | LEC
01/06/2020 - 03/13/2020 Tue, Thu 1:30 PM - 2:50 PM with Iyer, U. (PI)
01/06/2020 - 03/13/2020 Tue 5:30 PM - 8:20 PM with Iyer, U. (PI)
Notes: Screenings will be on Tuesdays 5:30-8:20 in ART350.
FILMSTUD 134 | UG Reqs: WAY-A-II, WAY-ED | Class # 31174 | Section 02 | Grading: Letter (ABCD/NP) | DIS
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home // News // Bundaberg: Fluoride grinds to a halt //
Bundaberg: Fluoride grinds to a halt
Source: Bundaberg News Mail | August 24th, 2010 | By Clementine Norton
THE clock is ticking in the countdown to fluoridation, but Bundaberg Regional Councillor Alan Bush says progress has come grinding to a halt over funding uncertainty.
“The bottom line is that nothing is happening,” Cr Bush said.
“The council can’t do anything … we can’t move forward until we know whether we have funding.”
The state government announced in 2008 that fluoride would be added to the Bundaberg water supplies by December 2012, and funding was offered for treating river water, which makes up just 30% of the region’s water supply.
But Cr Bush said they had still not received an answer whether legislation would be changed to offer funding for bore water treatment — which supplies the remaining 70%.
“It would be absolutely useless to just treat 30%,” Cr Bush said.
He said the council approached the Department of Infrastructure and Planning but had not yet received a response.
“They’re telling us we need to do it, but they’re not making it easy,” he said.
“I personally believe they would be better off spending the money on improving the water quality.”
Cr Bush said he was also waiting to find out whether Gin Gin would need to have fluoridation.
“At the moment, they have less than 1000 users, which is the cut-off point,” Cr Bush said.
“But by 2012, they are expected to have more than 1000, but they haven’t told us one way or another about funding,” he said.
Tom McLaughlin, the council’s water and waste water group manager, said they expected to have a response from the Department of Infrastructure and Planning about the legislation this week.
He said the council hoped work would start on putting fluoride in place by early 2011, and was still aiming to have the project complete by the December 2012 deadline.
“We’re working towards that,” Mr McLaughlin said.
He said the final cost would not be known until the preliminary design and costings were done, which was scheduled to take place later this year.
“One hundred percent of the capital costs are borne by the state government, and the operational costs are borne by council,” he said.
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Forgotten Illinois 200
To celebrate the Illinois Bicentennial in 2018 and to spark curiosity about Illinois history and its implications for our state’s present and future, Illinois Humanities, in partnership with the Illinois State Historical Society, launched a grants program entitled Forgotten Illinois. For the grant page on the Illinois Humanities website, follow this link.
Why we’re doing it
The core question to which this program responds is, “What can lesser-known features of Illinois history tell us about the ever-evolving identity of our state?” By shedding light on chapters of our history that are significant despite their obscurity, and by using media and digital storytelling platforms to make them widely accessible, Forgotten Illinois intends to engage numerous partners throughout the state in feeding curiosity about the many facets that comprise Illinois’s complex identity.
Partners and their roles
Illinois Humanities will administer this grants program, while the Illinois State Historical Society will help to publicize the opportunity to apply as widely as possible, evaluate and select proposals, and disseminate the products of this initiative.
Illinois Humanities respects the privacy of its audiences and will at no time sell or distribute personal information to any party not directly affiliated with Illinois Humanities and its programs.
Illinois Humanities is supported in part by the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) and the Illinois General Assembly [through the Illinois Arts Council Agency], as well as by contributions from individuals, foundations and corporations.
Any views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed by speakers, program participants, or audiences do not necessarily reflect those of the NEH, Illinois Humanities, our partnering organizations or our funders.
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Madrid skyscraper devastated by fire
The ruins of the Windsor tower.
The 32-story Windsor Tower, located in the business district of Madrid, Spain, was devastated by the largest fire in the city's history.
The fire destroyed large parts of the building, completely gutting the top 14 floors. Parts of the structure collapsed during the blaze, which was extinguished on Sunday evening.
The 106m high tower is now extremely unstable, and experts believe there is a chance it could collapse in the next 24 hours. Surrounding areas have been evacuated, traffic diverted, and trains stopped on the three subway lines beneath the building.
The fire is believed to have been started by an electrical short-circuit on the 21st floor. No-one was in the building (which was undergoing refurbishment) at the time of the blaze; the only casualties being three firefighters treated for smoke inhalation.
The top twenty floors of the building housed the Deloitte & Touche auditing firm. The remains will be demolished at a future date.
"Madrid skyscraper faces collapse" — BBC News, February 13, 2005
Isambard Wilkinson. "Madrid skyscraper destroyed in blaze" — The Telegraph, February 14, 2005
Retrieved from "https://en.wikinews.org/w/index.php?title=Madrid_skyscraper_devastated_by_fire&oldid=1110413"
Last edited on 9 October 2010, at 18:24
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Eighth UNESCO Medals for contributions to the development of nanoscience and nanotechnologies
focus_2018_nanotech_medal_laureates_unesco-jake_lewis.jpg
© UNESCO/ Jake Lewis
On 22 November 2018, ten eminent scientists and scientific institutions received the UNESCO Medals for contributions to the development of nanoscience and nanotechnologies during a ceremony held at UNESCO headquarters, Paris. The medal is awarded each year by the Director-General of UNESCO to prominent scientists, public figures and organizations that contributed to the development of nanoscience and nanotechnologies in the spirit of UNESCO’s priorities.
The fields of nanoscience and nanotechnology have been developing for just a few decades, but they now contribute to the economy of all countries and almost every human life. “Today, we meet to celebrate exceptional scientists and practitioners from around the world, who are pushing back the frontiers of scientific knowledge of what lies beyond our world and to transform our lives for the benefit of all”, said Miguel Clusener-Godt, Director of UNESCO’s Division of Ecological and Earth Sciences. “They impact electronics and computing, medicine, materials and manufacturing, energy and transportation… Nanoscience and nanotechnology have the potential to foster new developments in science, technology and innovation via the dissemination of new knowledge and applications.”
This is why the Medal was established in 2010 at the initiative of the International Commission responsible for developing the Nanoscience and Nanotechnologies theme for the Encyclopedia of Life Support Systems (EOLSS) . Since then, 46 Medals have been awarded to prominent scientists, institutions and public figures, such Isamu Akasaki, winner of the 2014 Nobel Prize in Physics, Zhores Alferov, winner of the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2000, and Chunli Bai, President of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
The 2018 UNESCO Medals for contributions to the development of nanoscience and nanotechnologies were awarded to:
Sergeev Alexander Mikhaylovich – Russian Federation
President of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Deputy Chairman of Russian Presidential Council for science and education.
His expertise in plasma physics, nonlinear dynamics of optical systems and highly sensitive optical measurements are internationally recognized. He has made important contributions to the fields of optical tomography of bio-tissues, and for created of the most powerful laser that can generate impulses with peak power of hundreds petawatts.
Tatartchenko Vitali Antonovitch – France
Consultant at the Aix-Marseille University in France, Vice-Chairman of COSPAR (International Committee of Space Research).
He provided the theoretical basis of PeTa effects (Perelman-Tatartchenko effect) – the physical phenomenon of characteristic radiation accompanying first order phase transitions - and demonstrated its existence experimentally. On the basis of the PeTa effect he developed a new conception of cavity-less lasers and models for cavitation luminescence, sonoluminescence and laser induced bubble luminescence.
Fursenko Andrei Aleksandrovich – Russian Federation
President of the Supervisory Board of the Russian Scientific Foundation, Assistant of the President of the Russian Federation, Chairman of the Academic Council of the Foundation "Centre for Strategic Research North-West”.
He directed the development of the national programme "Development of nanotechnologies in Russia" as Minister of Education and Science of the Russian Federation. He is the author of over 100 scientific publications, notably on technological innovation.
Ismail Elnaggar Mohammed – Egypt and United States of America
Founding Director of the Khalifa Semiconductor Research Center in the United Arab Emirates.
His many achievements include the development of a self-powered wearable device that can predict the onset of a heart attack ahead of time.
Kauppinen Esko Ilmari – Finland
Manager of the NanoMaterials Group at the Department of Applied Physics of the Aalto University School of Science
His research focuses in gas phase synthesis of nanomaterials, including carbon nanotubes and polymer-drug composite nanoparticles and their characterization with advanced electron microscopy methods. These fields create new opportunities for drug delivery, inhaled at the micro and nano scales, which are very promising to treat diabetes and many other diseases.
Nassiopoulou Androula Galiouna – Greece
Director of Research and Head of the "Nanostructures for Nanoelectronics, Photonics and Sensors" research group at the National Centre for Scientific Research Demokritos in Athens, President of the General Assembly of the European Institute of Nanoelectronics.
She pioneered the fabrication of vertical silicon nanowires on the Si wafer and developed innovative applications of Si nanowires, nanocrystals and porous Si, which include low-loss transmission lines and antennas on the Si wafer working up to 210 GHz, thus enabling fast communication on the Si chip, nanocrystal memories, high capacitance density microcapacitors for energy storage, high performance miniaturized Si thermal sensors applied in a respiration system and a flow meter for gas engine etc.
When receiving her medal, she stressed the importance of caution when dealing with nanostructures, since their properties are not yet fully known and of aiming for societal benefits in all research. Through miniaturization, Microelectronics made devices faster and cheaper and revolutionized computing and communication systems. This has been now expanded to the general field of Nanotechnology, fostering applications in all fields of life, including new medical applications, new drugs and drug delivery systems, she explained. "Safety issues should thus be always one of the main priorities to be studied, discovered and applied.
(...) Finally, as scientists we should stay committed and engaged that Nanoscience and Nanotechnology and its innovative applications stay within the spirit of Unesco for sustainable development for all, against poverty and for a peaceful world, for the profit of all societies."
Zehetbauer Michael Josef – Austria
Head of the Faculty Group "Physics of Nanostructured Materials" at the University of Vienna.
He has been working on increasing the efficiency of functional materials such as nanostructured thermoelectrics, hydrogen storage materials, and biodegradable implant materials.
Jagadish Chennupati – Australia
Head of the Semiconductor Optoelectronics and Nanotechnology Group of the Australian National University; Convenor of the Australian Nanotechnology Network
He has made important contributions in the field of semiconductor nanotechnology, and established a pioneering research programme in Australia in semiconductor nanotechnology and optoelectronics.
Mansurov Zulkhair – Kazakhstan
Director-General of the Institute of Combustion Problems, Doctor of Science, Professor
He has made important contributions in the production of nanocarbon materials and carbon nanotubes and graphene. His research focuses on hydrocarbon combustion kinetics and mechanisms, the structure of cold and sooting flames, and investigation the functions of nanocarbon materials.
Chekhonin Vladimir Pavlovich – Russian Federation
Vice President of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Founder and Head of the Department of Medical Nanobiotechnologies of the Russian National Research Medical University
His fields of research include development of nanotechnological visualization systems and the targeted delivery of therapeutic agents and genetic material to target cells, and investigation of nanotechnological approaches to genodiagnostics and bioprotection in socially significant diseases. This includes the targeted delivery of diagnostic compounds to cancer cells, which can bring us closer to better understanding and treating oncological diseases.
Jagadish Chennupati, Nassiopoulou Androula Galiouna and Esko Ilmari Kauppinen were among the 10 eminent scientists who received the 8th UNESCO Medals for contributions to the development of nanoscience and nanotechnologies. © UNESCO / Jake Lewis
About the Encyclopedia of Life Support Systems (EOLSS)
EOLSS is the world’s largest web-based source of professional knowledge on trans-disciplinary science base for sustainable development, as a result of the joint efforts of over 8000 specialized authors in over 100 countries. The encyclopedia is a virtual dynamic library that is aimed at a wide audience, from pre-university students to educators and professional practitioners, as well and policy analysts and decision-makers. By providing a complete and accessible body of knowledge, EOLSS aims to lead to the fulfillment of human needs by simultaneously considering socio-economic and technological progress that may lead to conservation of Earth’s natural systems.
More information :
• UNESCO Medals for contributions to the development of nanoscience and nanotechnologies
Science for a Sustainable Future, Building Capacity in Science and Engineering
Australia, Austria, Egypt, Finland, France, Greece, Kazakhstan, Russian Federation
UNESCO Medals for contributions to the development of nanoscience and nanotechnologies
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Canon de 75 modèle 1897
Canon de 75 mm Modele 1897
Canon de 75 Modèle 1897 on display in Les Invalides
Regimental artillery field gun
1898–present (still used as a saluting gun)
Kingdom of Serbia
Kingdom of Romania
French colonial campaigns
Boxer Rebellion,
World War I,
Polish–Soviet War,
Rif War,
Spanish Civil War,
Second Sino Japanese War
other conflicts and wars
Albert Deport, Etienne Sainte-Claire Deville and Emile Rimailho.
Government arsenals: Puteaux, Bourges, Tarbes, St Etienne
No. built
1,544 kg (3,404 lb)
8 ft 10 in (2.69 m) L/36
6 feet 7 inches (2 m)[1]
4 feet 7 inches (1.4 m)[1]
Fixed QF 75×350 mm R[1]
HE (5.4 kg)
HEAT (5.97–7.25 kg)
shrapnel shell (7.24 kg)
75 mm/2.95 in
Breech
Nordenfelt eccentric screw[1]
Hydraulic[1]
6 horse team,
Artillery tractor
−11° to +18°
Rate of fire
15-30 rpm burst (dependent on crew training and fatigue) 3-4 rpm sustained (dependent on rate of cooling)
Muzzle velocity
500 m/s (1,600 ft/s)
Effective firing range
8,500 m (9,300 yd) HE
6,800 m (7,400 yd) shrapnel
Maximum firing range
11,000 m (12,000 yd)
Lieutenant-colonel Joseph Albert Deport, the developer of the 75 mm field gun
Rifling of a 75 modèle 1897
Range setting device
The French 75 mm field gun was a quick-firing field artillery piece adopted in March 1898. Its official French designation was: Matériel de 75mm Mle 1897. It was commonly known as the French 75, simply the 75 and Soixante-Quinze (French for "seventy-five"). The French 75 was designed as an anti-personnel weapon system for delivering large volumes of time-fused shrapnel shells on enemy troops advancing in the open. After 1915 and the onset of trench warfare, other types of battlefield missions demanding impact-detonated high-explosive shells prevailed. By 1918 the 75s became the main agents of delivery for toxic gas shells. The 75s also became widely used as truck mounted anti-aircraft artillery. They were also the main armament of the Saint-Chamond tank in 1918.
The French 75 is widely regarded as the first modern artillery piece.[2][3] It was the first field gun to include a hydro-pneumatic recoil mechanism, which kept the gun's trail and wheels perfectly still during the firing sequence. Since it did not need to be re-aimed after each shot, the crew could reload and fire as soon as the barrel returned to its resting position. In typical use, the French 75 could deliver fifteen rounds per minute on its target, either shrapnel or melinite high-explosive, up to about 8,500 m (5.3 mi) away. Its firing rate could even reach close to 30 rounds per minute, albeit only for a very short time and with a highly experienced crew.
At the opening of World War I, in 1914, the French Army had about 4,000 of these field guns in service. By the end of the war about 12,000 had been produced. It was also in service with the American Expeditionary Forces (AEF), which had been supplied with about 2,000 French 75 field guns. Several thousand were still in use in the French Army at the opening of World War II, updated with new wheels and tires to allow towing by trucks rather than by horses. The French 75 set the pattern for almost all early-20th century field pieces, with guns of mostly 75 mm forming the basis of many field artillery units into the early stages of World War II.
It is not to be confused with the Schneider-manufactured modele 1907 and "modele 1912" made for the French cavalry and the export market, and its 1914 modification or the Saint-Chamond-Mondragón 75mm gun. Although the Schneider used the original French 75's ammunition, these privately manufactured Schneider guns were lighter, smaller, and mechanically different.
1.1 Description of the hydro-pneumatic recoil mechanism
1.3 Rapid fire capability
2 World War I service
3 World War II service
4 British service
5 US service
6 Contemporary usage
7 Variants and derivatives
7.1 Naval and coastal artillery
7.2 Field artillery
7.3 Mountain gun
7.4 Anti-aircraft
7.5 Anti-tank
Development[edit]
The forerunner of the French 75 was an experimental 57 mm gun which was first assembled in September 1891 at the Bourges arsenal under the direction of a Captain Sainte-Claire Deville. This 57 mm gun took advantage of a number of the most advanced artillery technologies available at the time:
1) Vieille's smokeless powder, which was introduced in 1884.
2) Self-contained ammunition, with the powder charge in a brass case which also held the shell.
3) An early hydro-pneumatic short recoil mechanism that was designed by Major Louis Baquet.
4) A rotating screw breech built under license from Thorsten Nordenfelt.
The only major design difference between the 57 and 75 that would emerge was the recoil system. But even before the 57 entered testing, in 1890 General Mathieu, Director of Artillery at the Ministry of War, had been informed that Konrad Haussner, a German engineer working at the Ingolstadt arsenal, had patented an oil-and-compressed-air long-recoil system. They also learned that Krupp was considering introducing the system after testing it. Krupp would later reject Haussner's invention, due to insoluble technical problems caused by hydraulic fluid leakage.
In 1891 Haussner sold his patents to a firm named Gruson, which searched for potential buyers. After reviewing the blueprints in February 1892, the French artillery engineers advised that a gun should be produced without purchasing the Haussner invention. Accordingly, General Mathieu turned to Lt. Colonel Joseph-Albert Deport, at the time the Director of the Atelier de Construction de Puteaux (APX), and asked him whether he could construct a gun on the general principle of the Haussner long-cylinder recoil without infringing the existing patents. After it was judged possible, a formal request was sent out on 13 July 1892.[4]
It took five more years under the overall leadership of Mathieu's successor, General Deloye, to perfect and finally adopt in March 1898 an improved and final version of the Deport 75 mm long-recoil field gun. Various deceptions, some of them linked to the Dreyfus Case which erupted in 1894, had been implemented by Deloye and French counter-intelligence to distract German espionage.[5]
The final experimental version of Deport's 75 mm field gun was tested during the summer of 1894 and judged very promising. Extensive trials, however, revealed that it was still prone to hydraulic fluid leakage from the long-recoil mechanism. The Deport 75 was returned to Puteaux arsenal for further improvements. Hydraulic fluid leakage was typical of this experimental phase of artillery development during the 1890s, as Haussner and Krupp had previously experienced.
In December 1894, Deport was passed over for promotion, and resigned to join "Chatillon-Commentry", a private armaments firm. Two young military engineers from Ecole Polytechnique, Captains Etienne Sainte-Claire Deville and Emile Rimailho, continued development and introduced an improved version in 1896. Their contribution was a leakproof hydro-pneumatic long-recoil mechanism which they named "Frein II" (Brake # II). A major improvement was the placement of improved silver-alloy rings on the freely moving piston which separated the compressed air and the hydraulic fluid inside the main hydro-pneumatic recoil cylinder. These and other modifications achieved the desired result: the long-term retention of hydraulic fluid and compressed air inside the recoil system, even under the worst field conditions.
Captain Sainte-Claire Deville also designed important additional features, such as a device for piercing the fuzes of shrapnel shells automatically during the firing sequence (an "automatic fuze-setter"), thus selecting the desired bursting distance. The independent sight had also been perfected for easy field use by the crews, and a nickel-steel shield was added to protect the gunners. The armored caissons were designed to be tilted in order to present the shells horizontally to the crews. The wheel brakes could be swung under each wheel ("abattage"), and, together with the trail spade, they immobilized the gun during firing.
The gun was officially adopted on 28 March 1898 under the name "Matériel de 75mm Mle 1897". The public saw it for the first time during the Bastille Day parade of 14 July 1899.
Description of the hydro-pneumatic recoil mechanism[edit]
Canon de 75 breech mechanism.
The gun's barrel slid back on rollers, including a set at the muzzle, when the shot was fired. The barrel was attached near the breech to a piston rod extending into an oil-filled cylinder placed just underneath the gun. When the barrel recoiled, the piston was pulled back by the barrel's recoil and thus pushed the oil through a small orifice and into a second cylinder placed underneath. That second cylinder contained a freely floating piston which separated the surging oil from a confined volume of compressed air. During the barrel's recoil the floating piston was forced forward by the oil, compressing the air even further. This action absorbed the recoil progressively as the internal air pressure rose and, at the end of recoil, generated a strong but decreasing back pressure that returned the gun forward to its original position. The smoothness of this system had no equal in 1897, and for at least another ten years. Each recoil cycle on the French 75, including the return forward, lasted about two seconds, permitting a maximum attainable firing rate of about 30 rounds per minute.
Ammunition[edit]
At the beginning in 1914, the French 75 fired two main types of shells, both with high muzzle velocities (535 m/s for the shrapnel shell ) and a maximum range of 8,500 meters. Their relatively flat trajectories extended all the way to the designated targets. French 75 shells, at least initially in 1914, were essentially anti-personnel. They had been designed for the specific purpose of inflicting maximum casualties on enemy troops stationing or advancing in the open.
A 5.3-kilogram (12 lb) impact-detonated, thin-walled steel, high-explosive (HE) shell with a time-delay fuze. It was filled with picric acid, known in France as "Melinite", used since 1888. The delay lasted five hundredths of a second, designed to detonate the shell in the air and at a man's height after bouncing forward off the ground. These shells were particularly destructive to men's lungs when exploding in their proximity.
A 7.24-kilogram (16.0 lb) time-fused shrapnel shell containing 290 lead balls. The balls shot forward when the fuse's timer reached zero, ideally bursting high above the ground and enemy troops. During 1914 and 1915, the shrapnel shell was the dominant type of ammunition found in the French 75 batteries. However, by 1918, high-explosive shells had become virtually the sole type of 75mm ammunition remaining in service. Furthermore, several new shells and fuses were introduced due to the demands of trench warfare. A boat-tailed shell (with a superior ballistic coefficient) which could reach 11,000 metres (12,000 yd) was also used during the latter part of the war.
Every shell, whether it be a high-explosive or shrapnel shell, was fixed to a brass case which was automatically ejected when the breech was opened.
Rapid fire capability[edit]
Canon de 75 (back).
The French 75 introduced a new concept in artillery technology: rapid firing without realigning the gun after each shot.[6] Older artillery had to be resighted after each shot in order to stay on target, and thus fired no more than two aimed shots per minute. The French 75 easily delivered fifteen aimed rounds per minute and could fire even faster for short periods of time. This rate of fire, the gun's accuracy, and the lethality of the ammunition against personnel, made the French 75 superior to all other regimental field artillery at the time. When made ready for action, the first shot buried the trail spade and the two wheel anchors into the ground, following which all other shots were fired from a stable platform. Bringing down the wheel anchors tied to the braking system was called "abattage". The gun could not be elevated beyond eighteen degrees, unless the trail spade had been deeply dug into the ground; however, the 75 mm field gun was not designed for plunging fire. The gun could be traversed laterally 3 degrees to the sides by sliding the trail on the wheel's axle. Progressive traversing together with small changes in elevation could be carried out while continuously firing, called "fauchage" or "sweeping fire". A 4-gun battery firing shrapnel could deliver 17,000 ball projectiles over an area 100 meters wide by 400 meters long in a single minute, with devastating results. Because of the gun's traversing ability, the greater the distance to the enemy concentration, the wider the area that could be swept.
World War I service[edit]
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"Our glorious 75", propaganda postcard
Each Mle 1897 75 mm field gun battery (4 guns) was manned by highly trained crews of 170 men led by 4 officers recruited among graduates of engineering schools. Enlisted men from the countryside took care of the 6 horses that pulled each gun and its first limber. Another 6 horses pulled each additional limber and caisson which were assigned to each gun. A battery included 160 horses, most of them pulling ammunition as well as repair and supply caissons.
The French artillery entered the war in August 1914 with more than 4,000 Mle 1897 75 mm field guns (1,000 batteries of 4 guns each). Over 17,500 Mle 1897 75 mm field guns were produced during World War I, over and above the 4,100 French 75s which were already deployed by the French Army in August 1914. All the essential parts, including the gun's barrel and the oleo-pneumatic recoil mechanisms were manufactured by French State arsenals: Puteaux, Bourges, Châtellerault and St Etienne. A truck-mounted anti-aircraft version of the French 75 was assembled by the automobile firm of De Dion-Bouton and adopted in 1913.
The total production of 75 mm shells during World War I exceeded 200 million rounds, mostly by private industry. In order to increase shell production from 20,000 rounds per day to 100,000 in 1915, the government turned to civilian contractors, and, as a result, shell quality deteriorated. This led to an epidemic of burst barrels which afflicted 75 mm artillery during 1915. Colonel Sainte-Claire Deville corrected the problem, which was due to microfissures in the bases of the shells, due to shortcuts in manufacturing. Shell quality was restored by September 1915, but never to the full exacting standards of pre-war manufacture.
The M.1897 75mm field gun was used as the main armament of the St Chamond tank, after the production of the 165th vehicle.
The French 75 gave its best performances during the Battle of the Marne in August–September 1914 and at Verdun in 1916. At the time the contribution of 75 mm artillery to these military successes, and thus to the French victories that ensued, was seen as significant.[citation needed] In the case of Verdun, over 1,000 French 75s (250 batteries) were constantly in action, night and day, on the battlefield during a period of nearly nine months. The total consumption of 75 mm shells at Verdun during the period February 21 to September 30, 1916, is documented by the public record at the Service Historique de l'Armée de Terre to have been in excess of 16 million rounds, or nearly 70% of all shells fired by French artillery during that battle. The French 75 was a devastating anti-personnel weapon against waves of infantry attacking in the open, as at the Marne and Verdun. However, its shells were comparatively light and lacked the power to obliterate trench works, concrete bunkers and deeply buried shelters. Thus, with time, the French 75 batteries became routinely used to cut corridors with high-explosive shells, across the belts of German barbed wire. After 1916, the 75 batteries became the carriers of choice to deliver toxic gas shells, including mustard gas and phosgene.
The French Army had to wait until early 1917 to receive in numbers fast-firing heavy artillery equipped with hydraulic recoil brakes (e.g. the 155 mm Schneider howitzer and the long-range Canon de 155mm GPF). In the meantime it had to do with a total of about four thousand de Bange 90 mm, 120 mm and 155 mm field and converted fortress guns, all without recoil brakes, that were effective but inferior in rate of fire to the more modern German heavy artillery. The excessive reliance on the 75 mm field gun, a doctrine developed by the General Staff during the pre-war years, cost hundreds of thousands of French lives that were lost during the unsuccessful Joffre offensives (Artois/Champagne) in 1915.[citation needed]
World War II service[edit]
Canon de 75 modèle 1897 modifié 1938–1940 (anti-tank modification with pneumatic wheels) used at the Battle of Bir Hakeim by the Free French Forces, Musée de l'Armée
7.5 cm Pak 97/38 antitank gun featured a large muzzle brake
Despite obsolescence brought on by new developments in artillery design, large numbers of 75s were still in use in 1939 (4,500 in the French army alone), and they eventually found their way into a number of unlikely places. A substantial number had been delivered to Poland in 1919–20, together with infantry ordnance, in order to fight in the Polish-Soviet War. They were known as 75mm armata wz.1897. In 1939 the Polish army had 1,374 of these guns, making it by far the most numerous artillery piece in Polish service.[7]
Some French guns were modernized between the wars, in part to adapt them for anti-tank fire, resulting in the Canon de 75 Mle 1897/33 which fired a high-explosive anti-tank shell. Many were captured by Germany during the Fall of France in 1940, in addition to Polish guns captured in 1939. Over 3,500 were modified with a muzzle brake and mounted on a 5 cm Pak 38 carriage, now named 7.5 cm Pak 97/38 they were used by the Wehrmacht in 1942 as an emergency weapon against the Soviet Union's T-34 and KV tanks. Its relatively low velocity and a lack of modern armor-piercing ammunition limited its effectiveness as an anti-tank weapon. When the German 7.5 cm Pak 40 became available in sufficient numbers, most remaining Pak 97/38 pieces were returned to occupied France to reinforce the Atlantic Wall defenses or were supplied to Axis nations like Romania and Hungary. Non-modified remainders were used as second-line and coastal artillery pieces under the German designation 7.5 cm FK 231(f) and 7,5 cm FK 97(p).
British service[edit]
In 1915 Britain acquired a number of "autocanon de 75 mm mle 1913" anti-aircraft guns, as a stopgap measure while it developed its own anti-aircraft alternatives. They were used in the defence of Britain, usually mounted on de Dion motor lorries using the French mounting which the British referred to as the "Breech Trunnion". Britain also purchased a number of the standard 75 mm guns and adapted them for AA use using a Coventry Ordnance Works mounting, the "Centre Trunnion".[8] At the Armistice there were 29 guns in service in Britain.[9]
In June 1940, with many British field guns lost in the Battle of France, 895 M1897 field guns and a million rounds of ammunition were purchased from the US Army. For political purposes, the sale to the British Purchasing Commission was made through the US Steel Corporation.[10] The basic, unmodified gun was known in British service as "Ordnance, QF, 75mm Mk 1", although many of the guns were issued to units on converted or updated mountings. They were operated by field artillery and anti-tank units. Some of the guns had their wheels and part of their carriages cut away so that they could be mounted on a pedestal called a "Mounting, 75mm Mk 1". These weapons were employed as light coastal artillery and were not declared obsolete until March 1945.[11]
During World War II, the British also received the American half-track M3 Gun Motor Carriage under Lend Lease terms and used these in Italy and Northern Europe until the end of the war as fire support vehicles in Armored Car Regiments.
US service[edit]
"Bridget" in 2007
M2A3 anti-tank gun
The US Army adopted the French 75 mm field gun during World War I and used it extensively in battle. The US designation of the basic weapon was 75 mm Gun M1897.[12] There were 480 American 75 mm field gun batteries (over 1,900 guns) on the battlefields of France in November 1918.[13] Manufacture of the French 75 by American industry began in the spring of 1918 and quickly built up to an accelerated pace.[13] Carriages were built by Willys-Overland, the hydro-pneumatic recuperators by Singer Manufacturing Company and Rock Island Arsenal, the cannon itself by Symington-Anderson and Wisconsin Gun Company. American industry built 1,050 French 75s during World War I, but only 143 had been shipped to France by 11 November 1918; most American batteries used French-built 75s in action.
The first US artillery shots in action in World War I were fired by Battery C, 6th Field Artillery on October 23, 1917 with a French 75 named "Bridget" which is preserved today at the United States Army Ordnance Museum. During his service with the American Expeditionary Forces, Captain (and future U.S. President) Harry S. Truman commanded a battery of French 75s.
During the 1930s most M1897A2 and A3 (French made) and M1897A4 (American made) guns were mounted on the modern carriage M2A3 which featured a split trail, rubber tires allowing towing at any speed, elevation limit increased to +45 degrees and traverse increased to 30 degrees left and right. Along with new ammunition, these features increased the effective range and allowed the gun to be used as an anti-tank gun, in which form it equipped the first Tank Destroyer battalions.
In 1941 these guns became surplus when were replaced by the M2A1 105 mm M101 split-trail Howitzer and were removed from their towed carriages and installed on the M3 Half-Track as the M3 Gun Motor Carriage (GMC). M3 GMCs were used in the Pacific theater during the Battle for the Philippines and by Marine Regimental Weapons Companies until 1944. The M3 GMC also formed the equipment of the early American Tank Destroyer Battalions during operations in North Africa and Italy and continued in use with the British in Italy and in small numbers in Northern Europe until the end of the war. Many others were used for training until 1942.
The 75mm M2 and M3 tank guns of the M3 Lee and M4 Sherman Medium tanks, the 75mm M6 tank gun of the M24 Chaffee light tank and the 75mm gun of the -G and -H subtypes of the B-25 Mitchell bomber all used the same ammunition as the M1897. The 75mm Pack Howitzer M1 used the same projectiles fired from a smaller 75x272R case.
Newsreel footage of US gunners preparing a gun position and then engaging in rapid fire in World War I
Contemporary usage[edit]
A Canon de 75 modèle 1897 used as a Saluting gun, fielded in front of the Invalides and having fired the 21-gun salute in honour of François Hollande, when inaugurated President of the French Republic.
The Canon de 75 modèle 1897 is still used in France as a saluting gun.[14] When the French Army discarded its 105 HM2 howitzers to replace them with MO-120-RT mortars,[15] only 155mm artillery pieces remained, for which no blank cartridges were available. The Army then recommissioned two Canon de 75 modèle 1897, then located at the Musée de l'Artillerie de Draguignan. They are used for State ceremonies.
Variants and derivatives[edit]
Naval and coastal artillery[edit]
The French Navy adopted the 75mm modèle 1897 for its coastal batteries[16] and warships[17]
The 75mm modèle 1897–1915[18] was placed on SMCA modèle 1925 mountings with a vertical elevation of -10 to +70° and a 360° rotation. This allowed it to be used in an anti-aircraft role.
New 75 mm guns were developed specifically for anti-aircraft use. The '75 mm modèle 1922', '75 mm modèle 1924' and '75 mm modèle 1927'[19] of 50 calibre were developed from the 62.5 calibre '75 mm Schneider modèle 1908' mounted on the Danton-class battleships.
Field artillery[edit]
canon de 75 mm mle 1897 modifié 1938
motorized artillery variant with wooden wheels replaced by metallic wheels with tyres, altered shield
Mountain gun[edit]
canon de 75 M(montagne) modèle 1919 Schneider
canon de 75 M(montagne) modèle 1928
Anti-aircraft[edit]
On rotating AA platform, Salonika Front, World War I
Self-propelled anti-aircraft mounting
autocanon de 75 mm mle 1913
self-propelled anti-aircraft variant, on De Dion-Bouton chassis using Canon de 75 antiaérien mle 1913-1917.
canon de 75 mm contre-aéroplanes sur plateforme mle 1915
static anti-aircraft variant on rotating platform
canon de 75 mm contre-aéroplanes mle 1917
anti-aircraft variant on 1-axle trailer with stabilizer legs.
Anti-tank[edit]
similar shield and wheels as the standard version, but split-trail carriage allowing 58° traverse. Used in the anti-tank role
7.5 cm Pak 97/38
Several thousand captured French guns were modified by the Germans during World War II as makeshift anti-tank guns, by adding a Swiss-designed muzzle brake and mounting it on German-built carriages.
French 75 (cocktail) – cocktail named for the gun
United States home front during World War I
^ a b c d e Foss, Christopher (1977). Jane's pocket book of towed artillery. New York: Collier. p. 25. ISBN 978-0020806004. OCLC 911907988.
^ Chris Bishop, "Canon de 75 modèle 1897", The encyclopedia of weapons of World War II, pg. 137
^ Priscilla Mary Roberts, "French 75 gun", World War One, pg. 726
^ Menne, Bernard (2007). Blood and Steel - the Rise of the House of Krupp. READ BOOKS. p. 185. ISBN 978-1-4067-5533-6.
^ Doise, Jean (1994). Un secret bien garde: Histoire militaire de 1'Affaire Dreyfus. Paris: Editions du Seuil. ISBN 978-2-02-021100-0. Archived from the original on 28 October 2010.
^ Bidwell, Shelford, and Graham, Dominick, Fire-power — The British Army Weapons and Theory of War 1904–1945, Pen & Sword Books, 2004, pp 8–9
^ Nowicki, Konrad. Artyleria polska oczami jej dowódcy, "Poligon" Nr.3(27)/2012 (in Polish)
^ Hogg & Thurston 1972, Page 48.
^ Routledge 1994, Page 27
^ Andrew Roberts, Storm of War, Penguin Books 2010, ISBN 978-0-141-02928-3 (p.89)
^ British and American Artillery of World War II, Ian V. Hogg, Arms & Armour Press, 1978, p. 22
^ U.S. Army Veterinary Corps Historical Preservation Group - 75-MM GUN M1897, U.S. ARMY
^ a b Crowell 1919.
^ "Investiture du Président : les coups de canons étaient... made in United States !". Archived from the original on 2012-05-17. Retrieved 2012-05-15.
^ L’ARTILLERIE FRANÇAISE DE 1945 A 1990 (LES PIÈCES ET LEUR ENVIRONNEMENT), Lieutenant-colonel Jean-Paul PAILHES.
^ Canon de 75 mm. Recueil de renseignements sur le matériel et les munitions de l'artillerie de côte. Planche XXI : canon G de 75 mil. modèle 1897 sur affût de campagne modèle 1897 approprié aux côtes. 1903. Centre des archives de l'armement et du personnel civil 578 1F3 477, on Alienor.org - [1]
^ Naval Norman Friedman Weapons of World War One, Seaforth Publishing, 2011, p. 227
^ France 75 mm/35 (2.95") Model 1925 and 1928. Updated 03 March 2012. [2], John Campbell, cited sources - Naval Weapons of World War Two, Henri le Masson, Navies of the Second World War - The French Navy, The French Navy under Steam" picture essay in "United States Naval Institute Proceedings" Vol. 80, No. 7, July 1954
^ 75 mm/50 (2.95") Model 1922, 1924 and 1927. Updated 28 March 2013 - [3], cited sources, John Campbell, Naval Weapons of World War Two, Henri le Masson, Navies of the Second World War - The French Navy, Jean Guigliani and Albert Moreau, French Light Cruisers, Warships International n°3, 2001, John Jordan and Jean Moulin, French Cruisers: 1922 - 1954", M.J. Whitley, Battleships of World War Two, Cruisers of Worldar Two et Destroyers of World War Two
Alvin, Colonel; André, Commandant (1923). Les Canons de la Victoire (Manuel d'Artillerie). Paris: Charles Lavauzelle & Cie.
Benoît, Lt-Col. Christian (1996). Le Canon de 75: Une gloire centenaire. Vincennes, France: Service Historique de l'Armée de Terre. ISBN 978-2-86323-102-9.
Challeat, J. (1935). Histoire technique de l'artillerie en France pendant un siècle (1816–1919). Paris: Imprimerie Nationale.
Crowell, Benedict (1919). America's Munitions 1917-1918. Washington, DC: Government Printing Office.
[Detailed history.] ‹See Tfd›(in Polish) http://www.1939.pl/uzbrojenie/polskie/artyleria/a_75mm_wz97/index.html
Doise, Jean (1994). Un secret bien gardé: Histoire militaire de l'Affaire Dreyfus. Editions du Seuil. ISBN 978-2-02-021100-0.
Gudmundsson, Bruce I. (1993). On Artillery. Westport, Connecticut: Praeger. ISBN 978-0-275-94047-8.
Hogg, Ian V. (1998). Allied Artillery of World War I. Crowood Press. ISBN 978-1-86126-104-5.
Hogg, Ian V. (1972). British Artillery Weapons & Ammunition 1914-1918. London: Ian Allan. ISBN 978-0-7110-0381-1.
Routledge, Brigadier N.W. (1994). History of the Royal Regiment of Artillery. Anti-aircraft artillery 1914-55. London: Brassey's. ISBN 978-1-85753-099-5.
Touzin, Pierre; Vauvillier, François (2006). Les Matériels de l'Armée Française: Les canons de la victoire, 1914–1918. Tome 1: L'Artillerie de Campagne. Paris: Histoire et Collections. ISBN 978-2-35250-022-3.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Canon de 75 modèle 1897.
Manual For The Battery Commander. 75-mm Gun. FROM "L'ECOLE DU COMMANDANT DU BATTERIE, I PARTIE, CANON 75", Of THE FRENCH ARTILLERY SCHOOL, OF DECEMBER, 1916, CORRECTED TO MARCH, 1917. Translated to English and republished by US Army War College 1917
Notes on the French 75-mm Gun. US Army War College. October 1917
Range tables for French 75-/mm Gun Model 1897
Firing tables
75 Millimeter Gun Material Model of 1897 M1 (French). Pages 80–93 in "Handbook of artillery : including mobile, anti-aircraft and trench matériel (1920)" United States. Army. Ordnance Dept, May 1920
United States War Department. TM 9-305 Technical Manual 75-MM Gun Matériel, M1897 and Modifications. 31 March 1941
List and pictures of World War I surviving 75 mm Mle 1897 guns
Photos of a reproduction or restored US M1918 limber for the 75 mm gun M1897 with all accoutrements
French artillery of World War I
Anti-aircraft guns
Canon de 75 antiaérien mle 1913-1917
Coastal artillery
Canon de 100 mm Modèle 1891
Canon de 145 L modele 1916 Saint-Chamond
Canon de 19 C modèle 1870/93
Canon de 19 C modèle 1875
Canon de 240 L Mle 1884
Mortier de 270 mm modèle 1889
Canon de 75 modèle 1912 Schneider
De Bange 90 mm cannon
Obusier de 120 mm C modèle 1890
Obusier de 120 mm mle 15TR
Infantry guns
Canon d'Infanterie de 37 modèle 1916 TRP
Medium and heavy artillery
Canon de 105 mle 1913 Schneider
Canon de 155 court modèle 1904 Rimailho
Canon de 155 C modèle 1917 Schneider
Canon de 155 C modèle 1915 St. Chamond
Canon de 155 L modèle 1877/14 Schneider
Canon de 155 L modèle 1918 Schneider
De Bange 155 mm cannon
Mortier de 220 modèle 1915/1916 Schneider
Mortier de 58 mm type 2
Mortier de 150 mm T Mle 1917 Fabry
Mortier de 240 mm
Mountain artillery
Canon de 65 M modele 1906
Canon de 76 M modele 1909 Schneider
Canon Court de 105 M modele 1909 Schneider
Railway artillery
Canon de 140 sur affut-truc mle 1884
Canon de 164 modèle 1893/96 TAZ
Canon de 19 modèle 1870/93 TAZ
Obusier de 200 "Pérou" sur affût-truck TAZ Schneider
24 cm Canon G modèle 1916
Canon de 240 modèle 93/96 TAZ
Canon de 274 modèle 93/96 Berceau
Canon de 274 modèle 87/93 Glissement
Canon de 305 modèle 1893/96 à berceau
Canon de 305 modèle 1893/96 à glissement
Canon de 32 modèle 1870/81 à glissement
Canon de 340 modèle 1893 à glissement
Canon de 340 modèle 1912 à berceau
Obusier de 370 modèle 1915 à berceau
Obusier de 400 Modèle 1915/1916
Obusier de 520 modèle 1916
Siege artillery
Canon de 240 TR Mle 1903
Mortier de 280 modèle 1914 Schneider
Mortier de 293 Danois sur affut-truck modèle 1914
Mortier de 370 modèle 1914 Filloux
Self propelled artillery
Canon de 194 mle GPF
Canon de 220mm L Mle1917 Schneider (FAHM)
Mortier 280 mm TR de Schneider sur affût-chenilles St Chamond
Tank guns
Puteaux 37 mm SA 18
French artillery of World War II
Mitrailleuse de 25 mm CA mle 39
Canon de 75 CA modèle 1940 Schneider
Anti-tank guns
25 mm Hotchkiss anti-tank gun
25 mm APX modèle 1937
AC 37 anti-tank gun
47 mm APX anti-tank gun
Medium and Heavy
Canon de 105 court mle 1934 Schneider
Canon de 105 court mle 1935 B
Canon de 105 L mle 1936 Schneider
Mortier 280 mm TR de Schneider-St Chamond
Canon Court de 105 M modèle 1919 Schneider
Railroad artillery
47mm SA mle 1935
Artillery of France
Calibres de France (1552)
Keller (1666)
de Vallière system (1732)
Gribeauval system (1776)
Year XI system (1803)
Paixhans gun (1823)
Valée system (1828)
Canon de l’Empereur (1853)
La Hitte system (1858)
de Reffye system (1870)
Lahitolle system (1873)
de Bange system (1875)
Canet gun (1880)
Canon de 75 (1897)
Canon de Schneider (1905)
Canon de St. Chamond (1915)
Canon de GPF (1917)
Canon de Bourges (1935)
Mk 61 105 mm Self-Propelled Howitzer
Obusier de Modèle 50 (1950)
Tr-F1 (1990)
Camion équipé d'un système d'artillerie CAESAR (2008)
French weapons of the 19th century
Small arms
Delvigne rifle (1826)
Thouvenin Carabine à tige (1846)
Lefaucheux M1858 revolver
Minié rifle (1849)
Tabatière rifle (1864)
Chassepot rifle (1866)
Gras rifle (1874)
Lebel rifle (1886)
Modèle 1892 revolver
Reffye mitrailleuse (1866)
Hotchkiss "Canon-Revolver" (1872)
Mitrailleuse Gatling modèle APX 1895 (1895)
Mle 1897 Hotchkiss Machine gun (1897)
Canon obusier de 12 (1853)
Reffye 85 mm (1870)
Lahitolle 95 mm (1873)
de Bange 80 mm (1877)
Canet 320 mm (1880)
Steam battleship Napoléon (1850)
Ironclad floating battery Lave (1854)
Ironclad Gloire (1858)
Mechanical powered submarine Plongeur (1863)
Steel battleship Redoutable (1876)
Armoured cruiser Dupuy de Lôme (1890)
Electrical submarine Gymnote (1888)
Lepage fulminate (1807-10)
Pauly-Prélat integrated cartridge (1808)
Prélat percussion cap (1818)
Lefaucheux cartridge (1836)
Tamisier ball (1841)
Minié ball (1847)
8 mm Lebel smokeless powder cartridge (1886)
Lepage percussion system (1807)
Marié-Davy naval periscope (1854)
De Bange breech obturator (1872)
Du Temple high-circulation steam engine (1876)
Krebs naval electric gyrocompass (1880)
Smokeless powder Poudre B (1886)
French Intervention in Spain
French conquest of Algeria
Second Italian War of Independence
French Intervention in Mexico
French weapons in the American Civil War
Tonkin Campaign
Sino-French War
United States artillery of World War I
Puteaux SA 18
QF 6-pounder 6 cwt Hotchkiss
Small and pack guns
37 mm Infantry Gun Model 1917
QF 2.95-inch Mountain Gun
Field, medium and heavy guns
3-inch M1902 field gun
75 mm Gun M1897
3.2-inch gun M1897
5-inch gun M1897
6-inch howitzer M1908
155 mm GPF M1918
155 mm Howitzer Carriage M1917 (Schneider),
BL 8-inch howitzer Mk VI – VIII
BL 9.2-inch howitzer
240 mm Trench Mortar
Coast artillery guns
4.72-inch Armstrong gun
6-inch Armstrong gun
10-inch gun M1895
12-inch coast defense mortar
155 mm gun M1918MI
7"/45 caliber gun
12-inch gun M1895MIA1
14"/50 caliber railway gun
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Canon_de_75_modèle_1897&oldid=903392840"
World War I guns
World War I field artillery of France
World War I artillery of the United States
75 mm artillery
World War II weapons of France
Articles with Polish-language external links
Articles containing video clips
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Charles Voysey (theist)
Voysey photographed in the 1860s
Charles Voysey (18 March 1828 – 20 July 1912) was a priest of the Church of England who was condemned by the Privy Council for heterodoxy and went on to found a theist church. He was the father of architect Charles Francis Annesley Voysey.
1 Early life and career
2 Condemnation for Heterodoxy
3 The Theistic Church and Later Life
Early life and career[edit]
Born in London on 18 March 1828, Voysey was the youngest son of architect Annesley Voysey, a relative of Samuel Annesley and of Susanna Wesley (née Annesley), mother of John and Charles Wesley.
He entered St Edmund Hall, Oxford in 1847 and received his B.A. from the University of Oxford in 1851. The following year he married Frances Maria Edlin and was ordained a priest in the Church of England in 1853, becoming the curate of Hessle. Voysey served in that position for seven years, also serving as vice-principal of Kingston College. His eldest son Charles F. A. Voysey was born in Hessle in 1857. Voysey was appointed curate of St Andrew's, Craigton, Jamaica in 1858, where he lived for 18 months.[1][2]
In 1862, after his return to England, he served as curate of Great Yarmouth for six months before being appointed to the curacy of St Mark's, Whitechapel.[2]
Condemnation for Heterodoxy[edit]
"I have much to be thankful for"
As depicted by James Tissot in Vanity Fair, 21 October 1871
In 1863 Voysey was removed from the curacy of St Mark's, Whitechapel after preaching a sermon denying the doctrine of eternal punishment. He was recommended for the curacy of St Mark's, Victoria Docks. After a brief period as curate of North Woolwich he became curate and eventually Vicar of Healaugh near Tadcaster, in 1864, but soon ran into difficulties there.[3]
From Healaugh he commenced writing his most famous work The Sling and the Stone. Originally published in monthly parts, it was eventually collected into ten volumes, the first of which was published in 1865. The work was immediately condemned by the conservative wing of the Anglican Church and William Thomson, Archbishop of York, began proceedings against him in 1869. He was summoned before the Chancery Court of York for heterodox teaching, where he defended his case for two years. He appealed to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council which gave its judgement on 11 February 1871:
The Appellant is charged with having offended against the Laws Ecclesiastical by writing and publishing within the diocese of London certain sermons or essays, collected together in parts and volumes, the whole being designated by the title of "The Sling and the Stone," in which he is alleged to have maintained and promulgated doctrines contrary and repugnant to or inconsistent with the Articles of Religion and Formularies of the Church of England.
His appeal dismissed, Voysey lost his benefice.[3]
The Theistic Church and Later Life[edit]
Voysey photographed in old age
Before the judgement, Voysey had begun holding services in London at St George's Hall, Langham Place, attracting a number of sympathisers. These gatherings eventually formalised as an independent religious denomination under the name of the Theistic Church. For use at services Voysey published The Revised Prayer Book in 1871 which retained much of the content of the Book of Common Prayer, rewording and removing specific references to Christ, the Trinity, and other distinctively Christian doctrines.[1]
He wrote in 1873 to "The Index" on the subject of "Funeral Rites" and "The Custom of Mourning". His principal objection to the latter practice was that "Mourning tends to perpetuate unhappy and false views of death...Death ought to be looked upon as at least as much of a heavenly boon to the beloved one, as a source of bitter pain to ourselves.".[4]
His teaching was based upon a pure theism, without a miraculous element. While retaining belief in God, in prayer, and hope for life beyond death, Voysey denied the perfection of Jesus and the authority of the Bible. He would spend much of his remaining career publishing books, sermons, articles, and pamphlets criticising traditional Christian doctrines, and defending his version of theism against critics.[1]
The congregation took over the Swallow Street Church in 1885 just off Regent Street in central London, where he continued to hold services for nearly thirty years. The building was altered and refitted by his son C. F. A. Voysey whose work included the removal of the upper gallery, the insertion of "Cathedral glass" in all windows, "painting, papering and colouring throughout", and a new entrance at the north end of the façade. The congregation obtained a new lease of the property in 1898, and the building was again repaired by C. F. A. Voysey. The spire was removed in or shortly after 1901.[1]
He befriended Guy Aldred, the "Boy Preacher" in Holloway, in 1903, a friendship that would last through conversation and correspondence until Voysey's death. Aldred would credit Voysey with being influential in his intellectual journey and for being an important figure in Britain's freethought movement.[2]
Voysey died at his home, Annesley Lodge, at Platts Lane in Hampstead (which had been designed for him by his son in 1895), on 20 July 1912. His congregation soon began to disperse, and the Swallow Street building was closed in 1913 and demolished shortly thereafter.[1][2][3]
^ a b c d e "Reverend Charles Voysey and the Theistic Church". voyseysociety.org.
^ a b c d Aldred, Guy Alfred (1908). From Anglican Boy-preacher to Anarchist Socialist Impossiblist. London: Bakunin Press. pp. 31–33.
^ a b c Reynolds, K. D. "Voysey, Charles". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/36667. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
^ Voysey, Charles [1828-1912 (1873), The custom of wearing "mourning", Thomas Scott, retrieved 2019-05-18
GND: 105538197X
SNAC: w6tt5bw7
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19th-century English Anglican priests
Alumni of St Edmund Hall, Oxford
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Red Bull Arena (New Jersey)
(Redirected from Red Bull Arena (Harrison))
This article is about the home of Major League Soccer's New York Red Bulls. For other places with the same name, see Red Bull Arena (disambiguation).
Red Bull Arena
The Cathedral of American Soccer[1]
View from behind the goal at Red Bull Arena, 2010
Location near New York City
Location within New Jersey
Show map of New Jersey
Location within the United States
Red Bull Park (2006–08) prior to opening
Harrison, New Jersey
40°44′12″N 74°9′1″W / 40.73667°N 74.15028°W / 40.73667; -74.15028Coordinates: 40°44′12″N 74°9′1″W / 40.73667°N 74.15028°W / 40.73667; -74.15028
PATH: Harrison
NWK–WTC
NJT Bus: 40
Hudson County Improvement Authority[2]
Red Bull GmbH
Field size
120 × 75 yards
Kentucky Bluegrass
Broke ground
$200 million[4]
Rossetti Architects[5]
Paulus, Sokolowski & Sartor, LLC.[5]
URS Corporation[6]
Hunter Roberts Construction Group[5]
New York Red Bulls (MLS) (2010–present)
New York Red Bulls II (USLC) (2015–2016, 2018)
New York City Rugby League (League 1) (2020-future)
Red Bull Arena is a soccer-specific stadium in Harrison, New Jersey that is home to the New York Red Bulls of Major League Soccer.[7] Featuring a partial transparent roof, it is located on the waterfront in the Riverbend District of Harrison[8] across the Passaic River from Newark and approximately 7 miles (12 km) west of Lower Manhattan. With a seating capacity of 25,000, it is the third-largest soccer-specific stadium in the United States and in Major League Soccer.[9]
1 Initial planning
2 Red Bull buyout and new design
5 Tax controversy
6.1 Soccer
6.2 Rugby union
6.3 Lacrosse
6.4 Concerts
6.5 Community
7 Awards and recognition
8 Accessibility and transportation
Initial planning[edit]
The original plan, announced on July 1, 2004, was to move the MetroStars (as the New York Red Bulls were known at the time) from their home at Giants Stadium by the beginning of the 2006 season.[10] Negotiations between MLS and the state of New Jersey dragged on until an agreement was announced on August 5, 2005, for the MetroStars to build and complete construction of a new dedicated soccer facility for the 2007 season. Concerns about environmental clean-up at the selected site forced another delay.[11] Additionally, though the groundbreaking took place September 19, 2006 and construction was set for November 2007, that was delayed by one month when Red Bull GmbH bought the MetroStars from Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG), changing the club's name in the process.[12][13] After projections of opening during the 2008, and then the 2009 season, on January 23, 2009, it was announced that the arena opening would be delayed until 2010.[14]
According to Erik Stover, Red Bulls managing director at the time, Harrison Redevelopment Agency chairman Peter B. Higgins was "quite simply the reason that the New York Red Bulls have a new home in Harrison. His vision and leadership guided us through numerous difficulties." [15] The Higgins' contribution is memorialized by the naming of the street at the main gates along the west side of the stadium as Pete Higgins Boulevard.[16]
Red Bull buyout and new design[edit]
Aerial view of the arena and downtown Newark in the background.
In addition to purchasing the team, Red Bull bought out AEG's $100 million share of the stadium, an after-effect of lasting disagreements between the two corporations regarding their plans for the facility. Their differences prompted a significant delay in the early stages of the stadium's construction. After the naming rights of the soccer team were acquired, leading to the name Red Bull Park, Red Bull instituted a number of changes to the stadium's original design, which sparked tension between the Austrian-based energy drink company and AEG. Red Bull opted out of AEG's plan to construct a stage in the stadium for performances, one that would have increased profit margins for the group.[17][18]
The updated design was completed by Rossetti architects from Detroit and was built by New Jersey-based Hunter Roberts Construction Group, LLC. The stadium's unique roofing system was engineered, fabricated, and installed by the projects specialty roofing contractor Birdair of Amherst, New York, a suburb of Buffalo.[19]
Features[edit]
A tension-fabric curved exterior shell of PTFE fiberglass wraps around the entire two-tiered stadium, creating a distinguishing feature of Red Bull Arena.[19] The roof extends 120 feet (37 m) from the last row of seats to just past the field's touchlines with 60 feet (18 m) of the roof being translucent to allow for natural light and at 322,276 sq ft (29,940.4 m2) is the largest roof canopy of all Major League Soccer stadiums covering all 25,000 seats.[19][20] The low and enclosed roof design is known for providing superior acoustics by holding, amplifying and reflecting crowd noise back onto the field.[21] Dual 800 sq ft (74 m2) light-emitting diode (LED) high definition Panasonic video boards are suspended from the north and south ends of the roof.[22] In early 2019, both video boards were replaced with two new 1,325 sq ft (123.1 m2) LED Daktronics displays as part of stadium wide upgrades.[23][24]
The seats of Red Bull Arena are of the tip-up variety without arm rests (except for a few sections near the player benches which feature small arm rests and cup holders) similar to those of European soccer stadiums with the first row of seating approximately 21 feet (6.4 m) from the touchlines. The stadium's seating is raked at 33-degrees for optimal sight-lines.[25] Included in the 25,000 seats are 30 luxury suites and 1,000 premium seats.[26] The Red Bull logo is patterned in red and yellow lower level seats directly opposite the team benches and field entrance tunnel. Sections 133, 101 & 102 collectively make up the 1,500 seat home supporters section known as the "South Ward".[27] Among the blue seats of the South Ward is the "Red Seat" located at Section 101, Row 11, Seat 20. The Red Seat signifies the Red Bulls first goal scored at Red Bull Arena; Section 101 represents the Arena's first game, Row 11 marks the minute of the game in which the goal was scored and Seat 20 remembers the goal scorer, No. 20 Joel Lindpere. Following the passing of Empire Supporters Club member Mike Vallo, the Red Seat's No. 20 was replaced by the initials "MV" to honor him.[28]
On the west side of Red Bull Arena is the "Red Ring of Honor". Established in 2015, the club's 20th season in Major League Soccer, the ring honors the 20 best players in the first 20 seasons of the club as voted on by fans.[29] Above the Red Ring of Honor is the retired jersey number 99 of striker Bradley Wright-Phillips. His jersey number is the first to be retired by the Red Bulls.[30] Also above the Red Ring of Honor are listed the years honoring the teams that won the Supporters' Shield in 2013, 2015, and 2018.[31]
The lower bowl of the stadium is constructed of concrete, while the upper bowl is constructed of galvanized-metal. The Red Bulls intentionally chose galvanized-metal for the upper bowl so fans could create more noise by stamping their feet. In addition, the main concourse is elevated 26-feet high, eliminating a majority of field-level entryways.[20][21] On the North side of the main concourse are 13 "Red Beams"; each one memorializing a special moment in the club's history.[32]
In 2017, the Red Bulls opened MLS's first permanent sensory room for individuals and families affected by autism. The space was formerly used as executive offices by the club's general manager Marc de Grandpre, whose daughter is on the autism spectrum. The sensory room overlooks mid-field and features dimmed lighting and lightly-colored walls to offer a soothing environment, along with visual aids, fidget toys and other activities. There is no special ticket or any charge required for use of the room.[33][34]
Construction[edit]
Red Bull Arena under construction in Harrison, New Jersey on March 10, 2009.
Construction commenced on Red Bull Park on January 3, 2008, on the site of a former Remco factory service building, including the first of 3,000 timber piles driven into the ground to support the new stadium. On January 11, 2008, Erik Stover was announced as the new general manager of Red Bull Arena during construction and then on after. He had served as GM of Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego since 2005.[35] On February 20, 2008, a CAN$28–$30 million contract was announced with Structal-Heavy Steel Construction to assist in the fabrication and construction of steel components. Fabrication began offsite in the second quarter of 2008, and erection in Fall, 2008.[36] Total project size is estimated at 9,000 tons of structural steel.[37]
The first steel girder was put in place on August 19, 2008.[38] The arena was reported by The New York Times to be 55% complete on March 27, 2009.[39] The last major beam for the roof was topped out on April 14, 2009.[40] Enclosure panels started going up on May 7, 2009.[41] The first section of the Red Bull Arena roof was completed in August 2009.[42] The underground drainage and turf-heating system installation began on August 18, 2009.[43]
Red Bull Arena internal view
Tax controversy[edit]
In 2010, the Red Bulls refused to pay a $1.4 million property tax levy to the town of Harrison, claiming that the stadium was exempt from paying taxes.[44] The team also refused to pay a $1.3 million for 2011. While the team did eventually pay the back taxes, it subsequently filed a lawsuit to have the payments reimbursed by the town, claiming the stadium was exempt from local taxes.[45]
On June 30, 2012, the Tax Court of New Jersey ruled that Harrison did have the right to tax both Red Bull Arena and the land underneath it and denied the team's claim for reimbursement.[46][47] This decision was upheld by an appellate court in May 2014.[48] The Red Bulls appealed to the state Supreme Court, who in October 2014 agreed to hear the case.[49] The Supreme Court referred the parties to mediation.
A settlement was proposed in which the Hudson County Improvement Authority would take over ownership of the land and stadium and enter into a lease agreement with the team, using the lease payments to give Harrison an annual PILOT (Payment In Lieu of Taxes) tied to the Consumer Price Index.[50] The settlement was approved by the Harrison Town Council and mayor on March 16, 2016.[51]
On July 14, 2016, the Red Bulls and town agreed to a revised settlement, in which the stadium and land will be turned over to the Hudson County Improvement Authority. The Red Bulls will pay an annual rent of $1.3 million, escalated annually based on the Consumer Price Index, of which $1.115 million will go to the town of Harrison. The lease agreement will be in place through 2038, with team options through 2058. At the end of the lease term, ownership of the stadium will revert to the town. This agreement must be finalized by the end of 2016.[52]
Soccer[edit]
The stadium before a match between the Red Bulls and Montreal Impact.
A soft opening of the stadium, a match between the Red Bulls Under-18 Academy team and the United States U-17 men's national soccer team scheduled for March 13, 2010, was postponed due to heavy rain and high wind.[53] The facility instead opened on March 20, 2010 as the Red Bulls played a friendly match against Brazilian club Santos FC winning before a sold-out crowd 3–1.[7][54]
The first official match, the MLS season opener against the Chicago Fire, took place March 27, 2010 with the Red Bulls winning 1–0 in front of a sold-out crowd. Joel Lindpere became the first player to score a goal at Red Bull Arena.[55]
Red Bull Arena hosted its first-ever international soccer game in May 2010, when Turkey beat the Czech Republic in front of a crowd of 16,371.[56] The stadium also hosted an exhibition between Ecuador and Colombia in October 2010. The game drew a sellout crowd of 25,000.[57]
In addition, Red Bull Arena hosted the 2011 MLS All-Star Game on July 27 versus Manchester United.[58]
On October 8, 2011, Red Bull Arena hosted its first New Jersey high school soccer game when the Harrison Blue Tide hosted the Kearny Kardinals in both boys' and girls' soccer matches.[59][60][61]
On October 11, 2011 Red Bull Arena hosted its first United States men's national soccer team match, as the US squad lost 1–0 to the Ecuador national football team in an international friendly.
On November 13, 2011, Red Bull Arena hosted the semifinals and championship match of the 2011 Big East Conference Men's Soccer Tournament, a college soccer tournament.[62] The 2012 Big East Men's Soccer Tournament was also held at Red Bull Arena.
On July 28, 2012, Red Bull Arena hosted the Trophée des champions, a soccer game between the champions of Ligue 1 and the winners of the Coupe de France: Montpellier HSC vs Olympique Lyonnais. Lyon won on penalties after the match ended 2–2. The match was organized by Ligue de Football Professionnel.
On June 20, 2013, the United States women's national soccer team played an international friendly against the South Korea women's national football team. It was in the Red Bull Arena that United States forward Abby Wambach scored four goals, beating Mia Hamm's record for most international goals scored ever, male or female.
On October 27, 2013, the New York Red Bulls won their first ever Supporters' Shield championship by beating the Chicago Fire 5–2 in front of a sold-out crowd of 25,219.[63]
The New York Red Bulls II of the United Soccer League had played their home games at Red Bull Arena from 2015 to 2016 as the team will move to Montclair State University's MSU Soccer Park at Pittser Field starting in the 2017 Season.[64]
On August 12, 2016, Major League Soccer, in collaboration with the United Soccer League and oversight by the International Football Association Board, made history by becoming the first soccer league ever to use video assistant referee (VAR) in a live match. The match was between New York Red Bulls II and Orlando City B at Red Bull Arena. During the match, referee Ismail Elfath reviewed two fouls and after consultation with video assistant referee Allen Chapman, issued a red card and a yellow card in the respective incidents. New York Red Bulls II won the match 5–1.[65][66][67][68]
On October 23, 2016, Red Bull Arena hosted the 2016 United Soccer League Final with New York Red Bulls II beating the Swope Park Rangers 5–1 winning their first United Soccer League Championship. New York Red Bulls II became the first Major League Soccer-owned team to win the United Soccer League title.[69]
On July 25, 2017, Red Bull Arena hosted Tottenham Hotspur and A.S. Roma as part of the 2017 International Champions Cup. A.S. Roma defeated Tottenham Hotspur 3–2 in front of a sold-out crowd of 26,192.
On September 1, 2017, Red Bull Arena hosted its first ever World Cup Qualifier Match between the United States and Costa Rica as part of the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification – CONCACAF Fifth Round.[70] The United States lost to Costa Rica 2–0 in front of a sold-out crowd of 26,500.[71][72]
On September 24, 2017, the Danone Nations Cup World Final was held at Red Bull Arena. It marked the first time the international youth soccer tournament was held in the United States in its 18-year history.[73][74]
Rugby union[edit]
In addition to soccer, the arena has also been the host of several rugby union matches.
All three finals of the 2010 Churchill Cup were held at The Red Bull Arena.[75]
London Irish played their home game against Saracens in Premiership Rugby at the Red Bull Arena on March 12, 2016. This marked the first time an English premiership rugby match had been played overseas. The timing and location were selected to coincide with St. Patrick's Day festivities in an area were there is a large Irish influence.[76] The game was televised live across the US on NBCSN.[77] London Irish did not return the following season due to their relegation to the RFU Championship.[78]
The USA faced Ireland on June 10, 2017.[79] This was the Eagles' first test of the 2017 summer internationals.[80] The Eagles lost 19–55 in front of 22,370 spectators.[81]
Lacrosse[edit]
The Premier Lacrosse League will be holding five matches over the course of two weekends at Red Bull Arena. Regular season matches will be held on June 8 and June 9, 2019 and the playoffs will be held on September 14, 2019. This will be the first time that Red Bull Arena has hosted lacrosse matches.[82]
Concerts[edit]
Red Bull Arena hosted its first-ever concert, with Dispatch on June 18, 2011. Following the concert the stadium was highly praised by the sold-out crowd and media for its sight-lines, sound, and acoustics.
On October 10, 2016, Red Bull Arena announced plans to regularly host concerts and live entertainment events beginning in 2017.[83][84]
On September 24, 2017, as part of the festivities for the Danone Nations Cup World Final, DNCE closed out the tournament with a concert.[73][85]
Community[edit]
Covenant House – New Jersey, in conjunction with Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey and the New York Red Bulls, have staged two "Sleep Outs" at Red Bull Arena in order to raise awareness and funds for New Jersey's homeless youth. The first was on October 17, 2014 and the second was on October 16, 2015.[86][87]
On Sunday, April 10, 2016, Red Bull Arena hosted thousands of Peruvian Americans from New Jersey and Pennsylvania to vote in the 2016 Peruvian General Election. Citizens of Peru are entitled to vote in Peru's national elections regardless of where they reside.[88]
Awards and recognition[edit]
In December 2010, the stadium was named "Project of the Year (Sports/Recreation)" by Engineering News-Record – New York.[89]
In January 2016, Red Bull Arena was awarded Major League Soccer – "Security Staff of the Year" for 2015. The security staff was particularly recognized for its security plan for the Major League Soccer Eastern Conference Final during a heightened state of security worldwide following the November 2015 Paris attacks.[90]
In August 2016, Red Bull Arena was awarded the first annual J.D. Power – "Best In Fan Experience" for 2016. The stadium was selected from all the pro sports and entertainment venues in the New York metropolitan area. Red Bull Arena scored highest for overall satisfaction, security and ushers, seating area and game experience, ticket purchase, food and beverage, and leaving the game.[91][92][93]
Also in August 2016, Red Bull Arena and the Red Bull Training Facility were awarded the Sports Turf Managers Association's (STMA) Certification for Environmentally Responsible Management.[94][95] The training facility is the first facility to earn the 80% or higher ratings on the 10-part written assessment.[96][97]
In August 2017, Red Bull Arena and the Red Bulls were awarded their second consecutive J.D. Power – "Best in Fan Experience" award for the New York metropolitan area. The stadium scored highest for ticket purchase, security and ushers, seating area and game experience, food and beverage and game arrival.[98]
In November 2018, Red Bull Arena and Director of Grounds, Dan Shemesh, were honored with the "Field of the Year" award by the Sports Turf Managers Association (STMA) for the professional soccer division.[99][100]
Accessibility and transportation[edit]
The stadium can be reached via the Harrison station by the Newark-World Trade Center train of the PATH rapid transit system. The station is currently undergoing a $256 million reconstruction and expansion to accommodate the burgeoning economic growth and development in the area and the increasing number of fans taking the PATH on game days.[101][102] The expansion of the station was completed on June 15, 2019.[103] A complementary New York Red Bulls shuttle bus service is available on game days from nearby Newark Penn Station and New Jersey Transit's Newark Broad Street Station to transport fans to and from Red Bull Arena.[104][105] The stadium is also served by the 40 New Jersey Transit Bus route.
In 2018, the New York Red Bulls partnered with the ride-sharing service Lyft and created designated pick-up and drop off zones outside Red Bull Arena.[106]
The nearby Jackson Street Bridge crosses the Passaic River to the Ironbound neighborhood in Newark and is a popular pedestrian route to and from the stadium.
Red Bull Arena is accessible by car via I-280, with connections to the New Jersey Turnpike (I-95), Garden State Parkway, McCarter Highway (NJ-21), and other highways and roads. There are several designated lots and the Harrison Parking Center garage available for parking in the immediate vicinity.[107] [108][109]
^ "Red Bull Arena: The Fortress". New York Red Bulls. October 2, 2016. Retrieved March 1, 2017.
^ New Jersey Tax Records For Red Bull Arena in Harrison, New Jersey
^ "Red Bull Arena – Facts and Figures". newyorkredbulls.com. 2014. Retrieved June 4, 2014.
^ Giase, Frank (February 26, 2007). "Red Bulls: MacDonald Strives to Fulfill a Town's Tradition". The Star-Ledger. Newark. Retrieved October 18, 2011.
^ a b c Wood, Debra (April 1, 2010). "Red Bulls Start the 2010 Season in a New Venue Built by Hunter Roberts". New York Construction. McGraw Hill. Retrieved October 19, 2011.
^ "Red Bull Soccer Stadium". Binsky.com. Retrieved February 18, 2013.
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^ "Harrison Follows Its Vision Towards Redevelopment". njtod.org. June 1, 2015. Retrieved March 8, 2017.
^ "Can U.S. soccer fill Red Bull Arena with U.S. supporters for World Cup qualifier?". The Washington Post. July 6, 2017. Retrieved July 7, 2017.
^ Bell, Jack (July 1, 2004). "MetroStars' New Home Is Nearly a Reality". The New York Times. Retrieved February 27, 2010.
^ "Stadium Delay; Red Bull Park Opening Pushed Back to Late Third Quarter in 2008, Could Open in 2009". BigAppleSoccer.com. May 21, 2007. Retrieved February 14, 2010.
^ "AEG Announces Red Bull Park Groundbreaking Plans" (Press release). New York Red Bulls. August 11, 2006. Archived from the original on September 16, 2008. Retrieved February 27, 2010.
^ "The Stadium Details". BigAppleSoccer.com. September 13, 2006. Retrieved February 27, 2010.
^ Wentworth, Bridget (January 23, 2009). "Opening of Red Bulls' New Stadium Pushed Back a Year". The Star-Ledger. Newark. Retrieved May 27, 2009.
^ "From the Desk of Erik Stover". January 4, 2010. Retrieved November 14, 2011.
^ "Stadium Facts". Redbullarena.us. Archived from the original on February 18, 2014. Retrieved March 12, 2012.
^ "End of a Marriage; Red Bull Negotiating to Buy Out Red Bull Park from AEG". BigAppleSoccer.com. July 23, 2007. Retrieved February 14, 2010.
^ "N.Y. now full owners of new park". MLSnet.com. November 16, 2007. Retrieved February 14, 2010.
^ a b c "Red Bull Arena". Birdair. Retrieved March 3, 2017.
^ a b "Red Bull Arena". Architect.com. Retrieved March 3, 2017.
^ a b "Guide/Red Bull Arena". CBS New York. July 28, 2010. Retrieved March 3, 2017.
^ "RED BULL ARENA—NY RED BULLS, MLS – New Stadium Construction Project" (PDF). Panasonic. Retrieved July 11, 2017.
^ Butler, Dylan (February 11, 2019). "Red Bull Arena enhancements coming ahead of 2019 MLS season". Pro Soccer USA. Retrieved February 11, 2019.
^ "Daktronics Provides New Visual Experience at Red Bull Arena". www.digitalsignageconnection.com. February 21, 2019. Retrieved February 25, 2019.
^ "Fans sue Barclays Center over 'exceedingly dangerous' cheap seats". New York Post. September 16, 2017. Retrieved December 10, 2018.
^ "FREQUENTLY ASKED KLJESTANS". New York Red Bulls. Retrieved March 3, 2017.
^ "Red Bull Arena Seating Guide: The South Ward". onceametro.com. August 19, 2015. Retrieved April 20, 2017.
^ "NEW YORK RED BULLS HISTORY – MONUMENTS". New York Red Bulls. Retrieved April 20, 2017.
^ "New York Red Bulls History-Monuments Best 20 in 20". New York Red Bulls. Retrieved August 15, 2017.
^ "New York Red Bulls honor Bradley Wright-Phillips: The last to wear No. 99". mlssoccer.com. August 5, 2018. Retrieved October 10, 2018.
^ "New York Red Bulls to Commemorate 2018 Supporters' Shield at Home Opener on Saturday". New York Red Bulls. March 14, 2019. Retrieved March 19, 2019.
^ "NEW YORK RED BULLS HISTORY – THE RED BEAMS". New York Red Bulls. Retrieved April 20, 2017.
^ "Sensory Room at Red Bull Arena Now Open". New York Red Bulls. May 17, 2017. Retrieved May 7, 2018.
^ "Red Bulls' inspiration for autism awareness starts at home". nypost.com. April 21, 2018. Retrieved May 7, 2018.
^ "Park Boss; Stover to Be Red Bull Park GM". BigAppleSoccer.com. January 11, 2008. Retrieved February 14, 2010.
^ "Structal Secures a CAN$30 M Contract for the Construction of Red Bull Park, the New Home of the New York Red Bulls" (Press release). Canam Group. February 20, 2008. Retrieved February 5, 2010.
^ "Red Bull Arena (Harrison)". StadiumDB.com. Retrieved March 3, 2017.
^ Villanova, Patrick (August 20, 2008). "Red Bull Arena's 1st Beam in Place". The Jersey Journal. Jersey City. Retrieved August 20, 2008.
^ Bell, Jack (March 27, 2009). "With Red Bull Arena, Building for Future and for Fans". The New York Times. Retrieved February 27, 2010.
^ "Red Bull Arena in Harrison 'topped off'". DailyHarrison. April 15, 2009. Archived from the original on March 11, 2016. Retrieved May 23, 2009.
^ "First panel of Red Bull Arena roof installed". DailyHarrison. May 7, 2009. Archived from the original on March 10, 2016. Retrieved May 23, 2009.
^ "First Section Of Red Bull Arena Roof Completed". Redbullsreader.wordpress.com. August 5, 2009. Retrieved March 12, 2012.
^ "SubAir system installation begins at Red Bull Arena". MLSnet.com. August 18, 2009. Retrieved February 14, 2010.
^ "Rating Update: MOODY'S DOWNGRADES TO Ba3 FROM Baa1 THE G. O. RATING FOR THE TOWN OF HARRISON (NJ); AFFIRMS NEGATIVE OUTLOOK". Moody's. Retrieved May 5, 2016.
^ "Court: Red Bulls must pay $2.8M in property taxes". USAToday.com. Associated Press. Retrieved May 5, 2016.
^ Leir, Ron. "Court: Red Bulls must pay taxes". The Observer Online. Retrieved May 5, 2016.
^ "Red Bull Arena, Inc., v. Town of Harrison". law.justia.com. Tax Court of New Jersey. Retrieved May 5, 2016.
^ "RED BULL ARENA, INC v. TOWN OF HARRISON". law.justia.com. Superior Court of New Jersey, Appellate Division. Retrieved May 5, 2016.
^ Conte, Michaelangelo. "Red Bulls' bid to recoup $2.8 million in taxes from Harrison still alive". The Jersey Journal. Retrieved May 5, 2016.
^ Leir, Ron. "Settlement: team stays, pays PILOT". The Observer Online. Retrieved May 5, 2016.
^ Leir, Ron. "Still no Red Bull settlement". The Observer Online. Retrieved May 5, 2016.
^ Lier, Ron. "Town scores Red Bull revenues". The Observer Online. Retrieved August 1, 2016.
^ "Heavy rains, wind postpone opening of $150M Red Bull Arena in Harrison". Associated Press. March 13, 2010.
^ "A Grand Opening Night". Bigapplesoccer.com. March 20, 2010. Archived from the original on December 3, 2013. Retrieved March 12, 2012.
^ "Red Bulls beat Chicago Fire, 1–0, in first-ever home opener at Red Bull Arena". The Star Ledger. March 27, 2010. Retrieved March 1, 2017.
^ Lewis, Michael (May 23, 2010). "Turkey Tops Czech Republic at New York Red Bull Arena". Daily News. New York. Retrieved January 20, 2010.
^ "Colombia Beats Ecuador 1–0 in Friendly". USA Today. Associated Press. October 8, 2010. Retrieved January 20, 2010.
^ Bondy, Filip (July 28, 2011). "Manchester United's 4–0 Romp Over MLS All-Stars More Proof U.S. Pro Soccer Not Up to Snuff". Daily News. New York. Retrieved July 28, 2011.
^ "New York Red Bulls announce Harrison, Kearny soccer games on Oct. 8 at Red Bull Arena". The Jersey Journal. Jersey City. September 7, 2011. Retrieved October 4, 2011.
^ "The boys soccer report: News and notes". The Record. Hackensack. October 5, 2011. Retrieved October 7, 2011.
^ "Harrison, Kearny boys soccer teams bring rich rivalry to Red Bull Arena". The Star Ledger. Newark. October 8, 2011. Retrieved October 10, 2011.
^ "Harrison's Red Bull Arena will host Big East men's soccer championship in November". NJ.com. August 18, 2011. Retrieved September 13, 2011.
^ "Red Bulls beat Chicago 5–2, win first Supporters' Shield championship". New York Red Bulls. October 27, 2013. Retrieved March 1, 2017.
^ "New York Red Bulls II Make Montclair State University Home; Remainder of 2016 USL Schedule to be played at Red Bull Arena". newyorkredbulls.com. Retrieved May 10, 2016.
^ "Red Bull Arena to Host First USL Matches with Video Assistant Referee Testing". New York Red Bulls. August 12, 2016. Retrieved March 1, 2017.
^ "Video assistant referees edge closer after successful trial in United States". The Telegraph. August 13, 2016. Retrieved March 1, 2017.
^ "MLS makes soccer history with debut of video assistant referees". Sports Illustrated. August 19, 2016. Retrieved March 1, 2017.
^ "New York Red Bulls II vs. Orlando City B". USL Soccer. August 12, 2016. Retrieved March 1, 2017.
^ "New York Red Bulls II win 2016 USL Cup 5–1 over Swope Park Rangers". Major League Soccer. October 23, 2016. Retrieved March 1, 2017.
^ "U.S. Soccer Selects Red Bull Arena to Host Critical USA-Costa Rica World Cup Qualifie". New York Red Bulls. July 6, 2017. Retrieved July 7, 2017.
^ "USA's World Cup hopes take hit in underwhelming 2–0 defeat to Costa Rica". theguardian.com. September 1, 2017. Retrieved September 5, 2017.
^ "Ticket Sold Out For USA-Costa Rica World Cup Qualifier, Presented By Volpi Foods, At Red Bull Arena". newyorkredbulls.com. September 1, 2017. Retrieved September 5, 2017.
^ a b Villanova, Patrick (August 3, 2017). "DNCE to perform at Red Bull Arena for international youth soccer tournament". The Jersey Journal. Jersey City. Retrieved August 3, 2017.
^ "2017 Edition". Danone Nations Cup. Retrieved August 3, 2017.
^ [1] Archived June 23, 2010, at the Wayback Machine
^ "London Irish Aviva Premiership Rugby match in USA". London Irish. Retrieved October 27, 2015.
^ "Aviva Premiership Rugby Going Live on NBC Sports in America". London Irish. London Irish. Retrieved March 7, 2016.
^ "London Irish and Saracens make flying start in the United States". Guardian. Guardian News and Media Ltd. Retrieved March 14, 2016.
^ "Men's Eagles to host Ireland at Red Bull Arena for "Emirates Airlines Summer Series" match". February 21, 2017. Retrieved February 21, 2017.
^ http://www.americasrugbynews.com/2017/03/21/eagles-confirm-georgia-test-venue/
^ Ireland hammer US Eagles in New Jersey – ESPN / PA, June 10, 2017
^ "Premier Lacrosse League Announces Two Events at Red Bull Arena". New York Red Bulls. February 22, 2019. Retrieved February 22, 2019.
^ "Red Bull Arena Announces Expansion Into Concert & Live Entertainment Industry". New York Red Bulls. Retrieved March 1, 2017.
^ "New Jersey's Red Bull Arena to Host Concerts". Billboard. Retrieved March 1, 2017.
^ "WATCH: DNCE performs 'Cake by the Ocean' at Danone Nations Cup". www.nj.com/hudson. September 25, 2017. Retrieved September 25, 2017.
^ "Red Bull Arena to host Covenant House Sleep Out on behalf of homeless youth presented by Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey". New York Red Bulls. September 24, 2014. Retrieved June 15, 2017.
^ "Covenant House Sleep Out". New York Red Bulls. Retrieved June 15, 2017.
^ "Peruvian Americans vote for next president at Red Bull Arena". NJ.com/The Jersey Journal. April 10, 2016. Retrieved June 15, 2017.
^ "Project of the Year". Engineering News Record New York. December 1, 2010. Retrieved March 1, 2017.
^ "New York Red Bulls take home 4 MLS awards". The Jersey Journal. January 17, 2016. Retrieved March 1, 2017.
^ "#NYisRED: New York Red Bulls Score Top Rating in Fan Experience in New York DMA, J.D. Power Finds". New York Red Bulls. August 15, 2016. Retrieved March 1, 2017.
^ "Red Bull Arena Announces Expansion Into Concert & Live Entertainment Industry". New York Red Bulls. October 10, 2016. Retrieved March 1, 2017.
^ "2016 Fan Experience Study". August 16, 2016. Retrieved March 1, 2017.
^ "Environmental Facility Certification Program". Sports Turf Management Association. Retrieved August 14, 2017.
^ "Environmental certification earned by 18 sports facilities". SportsIllustrated.com. April 20, 2017. Retrieved August 14, 2017.
^ "Red Bulls Training Facility Recognized for Environmentally Responsible Management". New York Red Bulls. August 5, 2016. Retrieved August 14, 2017.
^ "MLS Club Makes Sports Turf History – The training facility of the New York Red Bulls receives the first STMA Certification for Environmentally Responsible Management". Sports Field Management Magazine. August 22, 2016. Retrieved August 14, 2017.
^ "New York Red Bulls Earn Top Spot in J.D. Power Fan Experience Study for Second Consecutive Year". New York Red Bulls. August 16, 2017. Retrieved August 16, 2017.
^ "STMA 2018 FIELD OF THE YEAR AWARDS". Sports Turf Managers Association. November 27, 2018. Retrieved November 28, 2018.
^ "Red Bull Arena named America's best pro soccer field". onceametro.com. November 28, 2018. Retrieved November 28, 2018.
^ "PATH Harrison Station Replacement Project". Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. Retrieved February 28, 2017.
^ "PATH Harrison Station Replacement and Expansion Program" (PDF). Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. Retrieved February 28, 2017.
^ "PORT AUTHORITY AND PATH LEADERSHIP JOIN HARRISON MAYOR IN ANNOUNCING SATURDAY OPENING OF NEW EASTBOUND HARRISON PATH STATION". Port Authority of New York And New Jersey. June 12, 2019. Retrieved June 13, 2019.
^ "Transportation HUB". New York Red Bulls. Retrieved February 27, 2017.
^ [2] Archived April 16, 2010, at the Wayback Machine
^ "New York Red Bulls Name Lyft Official Rideshare Partner". New York Red Bulls. March 3, 2018. Retrieved March 12, 2018.
^ "Transportation HUB-General Parking Map". New York Red Bulls. Retrieved February 27, 2017.
^ "Parking Map". New York Red Bulls. Retrieved July 11, 2017.
^ "Harrison Parking Center". LAZ Parking. July 28, 2017.
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Duke, UNC play Saturday for Victory Bell, Coastal Division Title
November 27, 2013 by Denis Dotson Leave a comment
Duke players celebrate with the Victory Bell trophy after their win last October against UNC.
Duke has been waiting for this opportunity for a long time. A VERY long time. With a win on Saturday, the Blue Devils will win the ACC Coastal Division championship and play in their first ACC Championship Game. Only one little problem: they have to go to Kenan Memorial Stadium and knock off a surging North Carolina Tar Heels team that has won 5 straight games. It could be the biggest game Duke has ever played.
They have already surpassed many expectations under head coach David Cutcliffe. Last season they won the Victory Bell Game against UNC for the first time since 2003 and made their first bowl game appearance in more than 20 years. This season has been nothing short of great for Duke: currently the Blue Devils are on a 7 game winning streak, are 9-2 overall, and #24 in the BCS rankings (their first ever BCS appearance).
North Carolina head coach Larry Fedora wants to make sure they don’t celebrate a Coastal Division title, too. According to freshman wide receiver Ryan Switzer, Fedora has played the footage of Duke players spray painting the Victory Bell trophy royal blue after last year’s game nonstop in the locker and weight training rooms at Kenan Stadium. Fedora knows the importance of this victory for his team. “They’re the no. 24 team in the country and they’re on a seven-game winning streak. We’re excited for our seniors playing their last home game in Kenan Stadium so it should be a heck of a football game,” Fedora said Wednesday.
After a disheartening loss to Miami on October 17th, North Carolina has turned its season around quite nicely. The Tar Heels have won five straight games to become bowl eligible at 6-5, and North Carolina’s defense has stepped up nicely. Senior defensive end Kareem Martin currently ranks fifth in the country with 11 sacks. But more impressive for North Carolina has been their improved offense, especially from underclassmen.
Fedora broke out the trick plays once again last Saturday, and Carolina scored on a 56 yard pass off a flea flicker. Throw in a double pass TD from a wide receiver against N.C. State, a reverse pass to a quarterback for a TD against Virginia, and four punt returns in the last three weeks (all by Switzer), and you can see that Carolina is playing with confidence. UNC’s last 23 touchdowns have been scored by freshmen or sophomores, with 11 of those touchdowns coming last week in an 80-20 drubbing of Old Dominion.
UNC freshman WR Ryan Switzer has 4 punt returns for touchdowns (1st in the country) in the last three weeks.
Both teams will use a dual-quarterback system of sorts. For Duke, both Anthony Boone and Brandon Connette are expected to play. “You definitely have to be aware (of who’s under center) because they don’t do the same things” Fedora said of both Blue Devil signal-callers. Meanwhile, UNC will feature sophomore Marquise Williams, a proven threat passing AND running. There will also be talented receivers on both sides: Duke WR Jamison Crowder has over 1,000 yards receiving this season, and North Carolina TE Eric Ebron is expected to be a first round pick in the 2014 NFL Draft.
So it’s five straight wins versus seven straight wins. If Duke wins, they win the Coastal Division. If UNC wins, they win a share of the Coastal Division (with Duke, Georgia Tech, Miami, and Virginia Tech – who would win the tiebreaker). There are BCS standings and bowl implications on the line. And of course, the bell. As Dick Vitale would say, this game is going to be “AWESOME BABY!!!”
Filed under College Sports, Football Tagged with ACC, Duke Blue Devils, NCAA Football, North Carolina Tar Heels, UNC, Victory Bell
Top College Football Games: Week 14
It’s the unofficial final week of the regular season, as most conferences play their championship games next week. Only the Army-Navy Game on December 14th remains for Week 16. But there sure are some awesome games this week with BCS Bowl implications, and any decent college football fan has good reason to be excited.
#6 Clemson (10-1) @ #10 South Carolina (9-2) – 7:45 pm Saturday
The Battle of the Palmetto State has recently favored South Carolina, with the Gamecocks winning the last four matchups against Clemson. This year, Clemson comes into the matchup as the higher-ranked team, but the two teams are combined for their best ranking in this matchup’s history (the previous record came in 1987, when #12 USC defeated #8 Clemson). Tajh Boyd is the ACC’s all-time leading touchdown passer, but he faces a big challenge in South Carolina DE Jadaveon Clowney, one of the top prospects in the 2014 NFL Draft. Clemson’s lone loss came to then #5 Florida State, while South Carolina has lost to #11 Georgia and Tennessee. Look for South Carolina to feed off an energetic crowd and continue their push towards a BCS bowl bid. The Gamecocks will win the SEC East if Missouri loses to Texas A&M.
Prediction: South Carolina 27, Clemson 21
#3 Ohio State (11-0) @ Michigan (7-4) 12:00 pm Saturday
Ohio State has won 8 of the last 9 in “The Game” against their archrivals from Michigan. The Wolverines started the season ranked 17th, but have lost 4 of their last 6 matchups, three of them to unranked teams. Ohio State, on the other hand, has won every game it has played under head coach Urban Meyer and is trying to leapfrog Florida State to get into the BCS National Championship Game. The Buckeyes have a dynamic offense led by QBs Braxton Miller and Kenny Guiton and RB Carlos Hyde, which should overpower the Michigan defense. The question is though, will this game be enough for Ohio State to inch closer to Florida State in the BCS standings? Or will Ohio State get some help (see below)?
Prediction: OSU 41, Michigan 21
#1 Alabama (11-0) @ #4 Auburn (10-1) 3:30 pm Saturday
The Iron Bowl. The SEC West Championship Game. The Biggest Game of the Year. Call it whatever you want, but this matchup of Alabama foes will determine a lot about the BCS Championship picture. The winner of this game will advance to the SEC Championship Game against either Missouri or South Carolins (if Mizzou loses this week). On one side, you have the two-time defending champs who have looked strong from day 1. On the other hand, you have an upstart Tigers team under first year head coach Gus Malzahn who have looked impressive. Auburn QB Nick Marshall is good, but Alabama beat a more dynamic Texas A&M offense earlier this year on the road, and I believe they can do it again. Nick Saban will have the Tide rolling on Saturday.
Prediction: Alabama 34, Auburn 24
Filed under College Sports, Football Tagged with Alabama Crimson Tide, Auburn Tigers, Clemson Tigers, Iron Bowl, Michigan Wolverines, NCAA Football, South Carolina Gamecocks
Philadelphia Flyers Hanging Onto Playoff Hopes
We’re 20 games into the 2013-14 NHL season, the unofficial quarter mark of a long 82-game season. The Philadelphia Flyers have had a difficult and trying time. For those of you who missed it, they accomplished the following feats:
-Started 0-3 and fired Head Coach Peter Laviolette on October 7th
-Continued their dismal start to 1-7, falling to the bottom of the NHL standings
-Captain Claude Giroux failed to score a goal in his first 15 games
-Goalie Ray Emery nearly bashed Washington Capitals goalie Braden Holtby’s skull in during a line brawl in a November 1 loss
-Failed to score more than 2 goals in their first 9 games, and currently stand 28th in the league in offense
-Currently last in the Metropolitan Division standings
So there’s that. But, I contend that things are looking up for the Orange and Black and they can easily continue their quest for a playoff spot. In their last 5 games, the Flyers have 4 wins and one overtime loss, and they are scoring over 3.5 goals per game in that span. Their offense is waking up, with scorers like Giroux, Jakub Voracek, and Wayne Simmonds slowly beginning to tally points. And Philadelphia’s much maligned power play has scored 5 goals in the last 4 games.
And then there’s the curious case of Steve Mason. After winning the Calder Memorial Trophy as the NHL’s rookie of the year in 2009, Mason struggled in Columbus, failing to live up to his rookie hype. He was traded to the Flyers last April, and found the change of scenery to be inviting and motivating. He went 4-2 at the end of last season with an impressive 1.90 GAA. This season, Mason has been the Flyers’ best player. Although his record is a losing one (mostly because of atrocious goal scoring), he has a 2.12 GAA and 93.2% save percentage (both 10th in the NHL). It appears that Philadelphia’s years of goalie woes might be over. At just 25 years of age, Mason has plenty of room for growth.
The Flyers upcoming schedule also shows signs of hope. Tonight, Philadelphia hosts a Buffalo Sabres team that is sinking faster than the Titanic. After that, the Flyers host the Islanders on Friday and travel to Miami to play the Florida Panthers on Monday. And despite all the struggles, all the trials, and all the criticism and public scrutiny, the Flyers are only 3 points out of a playoff spot. That’s extremely easy to make up with 62 games left to play. “The team looks good right now,” defenseman Kimmo Timonen said yesterday. “A lot of things are going well for us now and we have to keep it going.” Indeed, things are going well, and if they continue, the Flyers could rise quickly in the Eastern Conference standings.
Filed under Hockey Tagged with Claude Giroux, Eastern Conference, NHL, Philadelphia Flyers, Ray Emery, Steve Mason
November 20, 2013 by Denis Dotson 1 Comment
We’re almost getting to the good rivalry games in the college football season, and conference titles and BCS implications are on the line for teams. Three of the top four teams in the country face inferior opponents and should win easily (Alabama vs. Chattanooga, Florida State vs. Idaho (Mashed Potatoes?), and Ohio State vs. Indiana). That can’t be said for the #4 team in America, and that brings us to the biggest game of the week.
#4 Baylor (9-0) vs. #10 Oklahoma State (9-1) 8:00 pm
This Big 12 matchup is BY FAR this week’s premier matchup. The nation’s number 1 offense (Baylor, 61.2 points per game) meets a top 15 defense and a hostile environment in Stillwater, Oklahoma. Oklahoma State features not one, but two 1,200 yard passers this season, but Baylor’s Brice Petty has 2,992 yards on his own. The Cowboys have two wins over top 25 teams this season (Texas Tech and Texas), and both were on the road, while Baylor has won only one such matchup (over then-#10 Oklahoma at home). This game will likely decide whether the Bears are for real, and I predict the Cowboys to give them a good run for their money.
Prediction: Oklahoma State 44, Baylor 41
#8 Missouri (9-1) vs. #24 Ole Miss (7-3) 7:45 pm
This game is essentially an SEC semifinal game for the Missouri Tigers, one of college football’s most surprising teams this year. Starting the season unranked, the Tigers have dominated the SEC East, beating #7 Georgia on the road and #22 Florida at home. Quarterback James Franklin has been excellent for Mizzou, and backup Maty Mauk has filled in nicely as well. This is a huge game for the Tigers because, if they lose, they are eliminated from the SEC Championship Game. Their lone loss was to South Carolina, who would advance on a tiebreaker if Missouri loses either of their last two games.
Prediction: Missouri 37, Ole Miss 24
#18 Arizona State (8-2) @ #14 UCLA (8-2) 7:00 pm
This Pac-12 South matchup could determine the division champion in 2013. Arizona State has one conference loss, and a win in this game would send the Sun Devils to the Pac-12 Championship Game (likely against Oregon). A loss throws a monkey wrench into the equation. UCLA faces USC next week, and the winner of that game would likely win the division. Brett Hundley has been fantastic for the Bruins, who have looked perfect on the field except against Oregon and Stanford. This is a game UCLA can’t afford to lose, and they will not.
Prediction: UCLA 37, Arizona State 30
Filed under College Sports, Football Tagged with Arizona State Sun Devils, Baylor Bears, BCS, Missouri Tigers, NCAA Football, Oklahoma State Cowboys, Ole Miss Rebels, UCLA Bruins
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Roy Halladay Announces Retirement
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TReND IN AFRICA TRAINS FUTA PHYSIOLOGY STUDENTS IN ELECTROPHYSIOLOGY
Teaching and Research in (Neuro) Science for Development in Africa, TReND in Africa, a Global .nonprofit organization based in Sussex England which is run entirely by volunteer scientists of Universities has begun collaboration with the Federal University of Technology Akure,FUTA through its Department of Physiology. To jumpstart the working relationship Physiology students of FUTA were taken through a practical demonstration in electrophysiology, using spikeling labs to mimic neural stimulation by an official of the orgnisation. The trainer Dr. Jeffery Diamond said he was excited to be part of an organization that encourages young scientists. He urged the students to apply knowledge of electrophysiology to solve health related issues and advance studies in neurology. Diamond, a scientist with United States of America’s National Institute of Health, donated 50 spikeling labs to the Department. The organization makes use of latest technologies and developments ranging from open source software and hardware approaches such as 3D printing and online teaching tools.
The training which entailed practical demonstration on how to construct spikeling labs is part of the terms of reference of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed in 2017 between FUTA and TREND in Africa which was facilitated by Dr. Temitope Adedeji of the Department of Physiology. Dr. Adedeji and the Head of Department, Dr. J. O. Jeje expressed optimism that the practical demonstration will enhance learning and research in the study of neurons and their application to modern health issues.
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U.S. Acting Defense Chief Backs Kabul Role In Peace Talks
Acting U.S. Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan (second from right) and acting Afghan Defense Minister Asadullah Khalid (right) visit an Afghan special force unit on the outskirt of Kabul on February 11.
U.S. Acting Defense Secretary Pat Shanahan has arrived in Afghanistan on an unannounced visit to meet with military commanders and Afghan officials amid a heightened push by Washington for a peace deal with the Taliban.
Shanahan, who arrived early on February 11, told reporters traveling with him that he will stress in talks with Afghan leaders that they will be the ones to ultimately decide their future, including the final nature of any potential peace with the Taliban.
"It is important that the Afghan government is involved in discussions regarding Afghanistan," Shanahan said.
"The Afghans have to decide what Afghanistan looks like in the future. It's not about the U.S. It is about Afghanistan," he added.
Shanahan, who took over the job after Jim Mattis quit in December over policy differences with U.S. President Donald Trump, said he could not make any guarantees because U.S. peace envoy Zalmay Khalilzad was leading the talks.
"The U.S. military has strong security interests in the region. [The] presence will evolve out of those discussions," Shanahan said.
He said the aim of his trip was to get an understanding of the situation on the ground from commanders and then brief Trump on his findings.
U.S. Acting Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan (file photo)
Shanahan also said he had no instructions from the White House to reduce the troop level in Afghanistan from the current 14,000.
Reports have circulated that U.S. President Donald Trump is looking to cut about half of the force as part of efforts to reduce U.S. military involvement in the region.
Trump has already said he is pulling out all 2,000 U.S. troops in Syria, where they have been aiding a Syrian Arab and Kurdish alliance fighting against the Islamic State and other insurgent groups.
Shanahan's trip comes as the Afghanistan envoy Khalilzad is setting off on a visit to several key countries as part of efforts to push a U.S. peace initiative for the war-torn country.
The State Department said Khalilzad would travel on February 10-28 to Belgium, Germany, Turkey, Qatar, Afghanistan, and Pakistan.
Khalilzad recently returned from talks with the Taliban in the Persian Gulf state of Qatar.
It was not immediately clear if Shanahan and Khalilzad would be conducting joint discussions during their trips.
Shanahan said in late January that he saw "some very encouraging possibilities" in Khalilzad's negotiations with the Taliban.
"But we need to give them time and space," he said.
Shanahan, 56, has said his priorities would include the impending U.S. troop withdrawal from Syria and countering China's military might.
Shanahan is expected to attend a meeting of NATO defense chiefs in Brussels on February 13-14 and then the Munich Security Conference in Germany on February 15-17.
With reporting by AP, AFP, and Reuters
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Geological Survey (U.S.) Minerals Information Team9
Economy12
Minerals9
Mines and mineral resources9
Iron4
Rhenium4
Point[remove]25
You searched for: Institution Stanford Remove constraint Institution: Stanford Place Idaho Remove constraint Place: Idaho Data type Point Remove constraint Data type: Point
1. Agricultural Minerals Operations
2003. Geological Survey (U.S.). This point shapefile represents locations of agricultural minerals operations in the United States. The data represent commodities covered by the M... National Atlas of the United States.
2. Airports of the United States, 2012
2012. Geological Survey (U.S.). This point shapefile includes airports in the United States, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The data were derived from an extract of the ... Geological Survey (U.S.).
3. Cities and Towns of the United States, 2004
1972. National Atlas of the United States. This point shapefile includes cities in the United States, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. These cities were collected from the 1970 Natio... National Atlas of the United States.
2014. National Atlas of the United States. This point shapefile includes cities and towns in the United States, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. A city or town is a place with a rec... National Atlas of the United States.
5. Construction Minerals Operations
2003. Geological Survey (U.S.) Minerals Information Team. This point shapefile represents construction minerals operations in the United States. The data represent commodities covered by the Minerals Infor... National Atlas of the United States.
6. Costly Landslide Events in the United States
2001. Godt, Jonathan W. This polygon shapefile shows point locations of costly individual landslide events in the 50 United States and Puerto Rico. Landslide locations wer... National Atlas of the United States.
7. Crushed Stone Operations in the United States, 2002
2001. Geological Survey (U.S.) Minerals Information Team. This point shapefile represents locations of crushed stone operations in the United States. These data were obtained from information reported volu... National Atlas of the United States.
8. Ferrous Metal Mines
2003. Geological Survey (U.S.) Minerals Information Team. This point shapefile includes ferrous metal mines in the United States. The data represent commodities covered by the Minerals Information Team (MI... National Atlas of the United States.
9. Ferrous Metal Processing Plants
2003. Geological Survey (U.S.) Minerals Information Team. This point shapefile includes ferrous metal processing plants in the United States. The data represent commodities covered by the Minerals Informat... National Atlas of the United States.
10. Global Map: Airports of the United States, 2014
2014. National Atlas of the United States. This point shapefile represents airports in the United States, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. This layer includes 1:1 million scale data from... National Atlas of the United States.
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Home Analysis China, Trade and Artificial Islands
China, Trade and Artificial Islands
China and the United States have agreed to substantially reduce the massive trade imbalance between the two countries, according to a joint statement released over the weekend. Also over the weekend, China reportedly landed military aircraft on artificial islands it built in the South China Sea. Though these issues don’t appear connected, they are: Both have to do with the relative power of China and the United States, and both deal with perceptions more than reality.
Since President Donald Trump’s election, the United States has been deeply concerned with the balance of trade with China. For the United States, trade is a social issue. Increased trade with China has helped the U.S. economy as a whole by shifting production of certain goods to China’s low-wage economy. But it has also created severe social stress among those left unemployed or underemployed, a significant part of U.S. society.
For the Chinese, utilizing their low-wage environment to entice Western businesses to transfer production to China was a fundamental element of their national economic strategy. It surged the Chinese economy but also left it vulnerable to the appetites of other countries, particularly the United States, for their goods at a time of global stagnation and intensifying competition among low-wage producers.
A trade war would hurt parts of both countries’ economies, but on the whole, China needs that trade more than the United States does. Therefore, the aggressive American stand inevitably led China to agree to reduce the trade imbalance. But agreeing to reduce the imbalance doesn’t mean China actually will. It’s still unclear how Chinese exports would be restrained or how Chinese purchases of American goods would be increased to create more balanced trade. The Chinese government can increase its controls over the mechanics of trade far more readily than the Americans can.
Both sides have an interest in declaring victory and continuing to do business as usual. The Chinese are not in a position to give up their trade surpluses with their major customer, nor can they endure the avalanche of other countries making similar demands. But the Chinese understand American politics: They know that the Trump administration wants a win, and they are likely calculating that Trump will settle for the appearance of victory. That might be true, but since Trump’s political opponents are likely to point out that the emperor has no clothes, Trump will need to press the issue, and the Chinese have made what is for them a major concession. The pressure will continue from the U.S., and relations will deteriorate, but it is hard to see how China has much room to maneuver on this. Still, both sides have bought themselves some time.
Meanwhile, China continues to develop its military capabilities in the South China Sea. Last month, U.S. Navy Adm. Philip Davidson told the Senate Armed Services Committee that China can now control the South China Sea “in all scenarios short of war with the United States” because of its increasing military presence there. China has reportedly started to base some aircraft, including bombers, and missile systems on manmade islands in the region, causing concern among other Southeast Asian countries.
Some see this development as a major advance for China, but it’s hard to understand why. The Chinese bombers located on these islands would be used only in the case of war. And if a war does break out, these islands would be turned into craters. They do not affect U.S. naval power because they are small and their location is known. Neither satellites nor unmanned vehicles would be needed to locate them. Cruise missiles launched by air, sea or land could neutralize the islands rapidly. Certainly, the Chinese could build air defenses, but as we have seen in Syria, shooting down cruise missiles doesn’t protect your position. Since any air defense system can be saturated by too many missiles, an attacking force could calculate how many missiles it will take to penetrate the system. And since cruise missiles are unmanned, the U.S. wouldn’t hold back out of fear of taking on casualties in the way it might if neutralizing the Chinese positions required manned aircraft.
On the surface, these islands are hard to see as military bases at all. Given the size of the South China Sea, China could launch air attacks using manned or unmanned vehicles from bases on the mainland. Basing aircraft on these islands might give China a shorter time to reach some targets if it initiated conflict, but that advantage would quickly disappear. The islands are small, the number of aircraft that can be deployed on them is limited, and the first American response would eliminate them.
There’s a broader point about the strategic reality here. After years of trying to change the balance of power in the South China Sea by taking control of key islands, the Chinese have failed to do so. They have built the artificial islands to compensate for their failure. The advantage this deployment gives them would be militarily insignificant in a time of war. Its value is psychological – it improves China’s international prestige as a rising power, and it’s useful for domestic Chinese consumption. (Although, this type of advantage requires vastly overestimating the significance of these islands.) As China must gesture accommodation on trade issues, it must gesture toward its growing military power.
China’s power in both issues is less than it appears, at least at this point. The Chinese agreement to reduce the trade imbalance leaves open many opportunities for failure. The Chinese deployment of aircraft to artificial islands that are hard to defend opens new vulnerabilities to the Chinese. In both cases, the Chinese gestures have some importance. Each can conceivably become more important than it is now, but neither is as important as it appears.
George Friedman is an internationally recognized geopolitical forecaster and strategist on international affairs and the founder and chairman of Geopolitical Futures. Dr. Friedman is a New York Times bestselling author and his most popular book, The Next 100 Years, is kept alive by the prescience of its predictions. Other best-selling books include Flashpoints: The Emerging Crisis in Europe, The Next Decade, America’s Secret War, The Future of War and The Intelligence Edge. His books have been translated into more than 20 languages. Dr. Friedman has briefed numerous military and government organizations in the United States and overseas and appears regularly as an expert on international affairs, foreign policy and intelligence in major media. For almost 20 years before resigning in May 2015, Dr. Friedman was CEO and then chairman of Stratfor, a company he founded in 1996. Friedman received his bachelor’s degree from the City College of the City University of New York and holds a doctorate in government from Cornell University.
Daily Memo: Japan and South Korea Dig in, Turkey’s Call to Arms, American Immigration
Making Sense of the Kerch Strait Crisis
George Friedman - December 4, 2018
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Board index News & Announcements
Important news and announcements will be put here - Subscribe!
Moderator: Network Admins
Post by Noah » Mon Jan 07, 2013 1:48 pm
So it's 2013. Holy shit. TinyCrab (ZTecNet) has been around for so long I'm starting to lose track of where we even started. Oh, I remember... Back when we were running UnrealIRCd and received almost daily ClonesX attacks<3 Ah... the good ole' days.
I started the ZTecNet project over 6 years ago and never planned on it turning into the full blown community it is today. It all started with the idea of running a virtually rule-free chat network to compete with the rule-strict networks that were around. I was really sick of getting banned from everywhere because I was, like most teenagers, a bit immature. I wasn't alone with this problem. Networks like WyldRyde made it really hard for teenagers to hang out the way they like to hang out. All teenagers including myself had tendencies to be a bit immature and do "adventurous" things like flooding and using caps. WyldRyde didn't take kindly to that and we typically found ourselves banned from the network - even more than once. So the idea came along to create a place for people that wanted a bit more relaxed of an environment and to be a bit immature.
So ZTecNet was born! It was named after my nickname at the time, ZTecWiz. Makes sense, right? I thought so anyways. It didn't take long before the network was labeled as a "skiddie-net" because of the age and maturity of us at the time. At that point it frequently got attacked by people that didn't really like it. They just didn't know what it was like to have fun on IRC. Heh.
Well we're all grown up now. Most of us not even teenagers anymore.. and it's evolved into the great community it is now.
It's pretty much exclusive these days. If the community doesn't recognize someone that enters, everyone will ask who they are ("and you are?") and who invited them before even greeting them. 99% of the time if they weren't able to prove who invited them, they're a troll or some idiot evading and are banned pretty quickly. This goes to show how exclusive your access to TinyCrab is. It's almost like invite-only. We might as well password-protect our IRCd's.
We've even got a meme database full of memes that were started by the community. This just shows how relaxed we are. The 'anything goes, we don't give a fuck' environment makes a really good home base for people to meet other people with similar interests and build friendships. Have you seen our rules page? It seriously tells you how much we give a fuck about people flooding or using caps and stupid shit like that. As long as you're not being an asshole or interrupting others conversations, we don't give a fuck what you do. That's the kind of philosophy I wanted to have when building this network. Staff members were picked that weren't power hungry, but rather eager to help out, support us, and make the community a better place for everyone. The outcome has been awesome.
The truth is, we've all worked together. The staff and community members all work together to create this corner of the internet we call 'our home on the internet.' We've created and continued to run this awesome place that's built amazing friendships and relationships not just with the community itself but on a personal level as well. Community members that have never met or spoke before are Skyping each other, texting, and some are even meeting up in person. It just amazes me what's all come out of this. Just think - if I never created ZTecNet, would you even know half the people you hang out with every single day online?
As I'm writing this, we're running the latest version of Charybdis and Atheme services and have 8 amazingly stable IRC servers all over the world that run this network and keep it accessible. We've got 6 servers in the US, 1 in Canada, and 1 in Europe. We have 7 staff members, an average of about 80 people in #TinyCrab on a daily basis with an average of about 5,000 lines per day, a total of 153 registered active nicknames, and 40 registered channels. Some of these statistics may look diminutive to some of the larger networks out there, but in all reality we're so far ahead because of the quality of friendships and the community that we have. People on TinyCrab are there for each other, not the network. The people that are true to the community won't leave or go anywhere else. There is nowhere else. TinyCrab is home base for most people that are here. They're devoted and will protect the community at all costs. It's like a fucking beehive.
It's so motivating for me to pay for the servers month after month and all the other cool stuff (like that awesome sounding radio station) when I see people building these strong friendships with other people and to hear people say things like "There isn't any other place I'd rather chat and hang out online" and "It's like my home on the internet." It makes me think to myself "wow.. I really built that?" Some of the things that people come up to me and say just makes it all worth it. I've met such cool people online.. people that would bend over backwards to help me out, even though I've never had the pleasure of meeting them in person (yet). Some people love the community so much that they donate hard earned money and bring their friends in, who do the same at some point and make the community what it is at present.
And, let's not forget about all the people that are actively donating through ZTN Hosting. Yep, that's what that was all about - a way for the community to give back and help pay for the servers, all while getting something of their own out of it. It's my pleasure to tell you that it's most certainly helping us out. The servers that power ZTN Hosting are paid for an then some. That's right - no overhead for ZTN Hosting. So, when you buy that VPS that costs $4 per month, you're helping us out greatly. Every little bit counts and I really want to say thank you for that.
I just wanted to say thanks for everything that everyone's done over the years. You guys make it what it is. Without you, we wouldn't be where we are now. You guys are literally like family to me. We've become a great enough community that even if the entire IRC network went down forever, the community would still be alive one way or another. It's truly been a really great experience and I've learned so much just by being here. If you think about it, we're all learning from each other day after day.. staying in touch with the world of technology, and best of all: each other. You guys are fucking awesome.
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Visiting the old Allegan jail and museum
Posted 6:15 PM, February 10, 2015, by Kevin Craig
ALLEGAN, MI -- I've got to believe that not many of us have been in jail. In fact, most of us have probably never seen the inside of a real jail except on TV shows. Built in 1906, the old Allegan County jail still stands but has now been turned in to a museum. There are thousands of artifacts and vintage pieces from all over the county from the past 200 years or longer. It doesn't matter if you're not from the area, anyone who enjoys history or the past will appreciate this one-of-a-kind museum.
It goes without saying that the jail side and all the old cells are a popular attraction. Each sheriff through the years would live in the front part of the house with his family, while those in jail were confined to the rear of the house in the cells. You can clearly get a feel for the comfortable home look, to the colder-callus feel of an institution as you move from house to jail. The cells were small with no toilet facilities in the cell, but it was adequate for the time with all the petty theft, larceny, and vagrancy that was occurring in the early to mid 1900s.
The jail closed in 1963 and the Allegan County Historical Society eventually acquired the property and turned it into a museum. I must say...I've been to plenty of West Michigan town, city, and village museums, but this one is certainly unique...probably due to its jail connection. "The majority of society has never been in jail, and I think it's just that allure of the villains in your community, the villains in your country, and getting to go in and actually seeing a jail for the first time" says museum volunteer Scott Kuykendall.
The department of motor vehicle license bureau operated here until 1963. The first piano brought to Allegan County in 1840 is on display, plus you'll find one of the old, original courtrooms and the actual judge's bench from the late 1800s. There's also hand written court dockets and clerk books with court cases and entries made from 1890 that still are very visible and legible some 125 years later.
It's also interesting to visit the basement where an old mock post office exists along with hundreds of pantry items from companies all over West Michigan...many of which are long gone as a business. My tour guides the day I visited were Nancy Fleming, dressed in era appropriate clothes and playing the part of how the women would have looked decades ago. Also, retired navy man Scott Kuykendall, who was as excited and as enthusiastic as I am shooting this kind of a historical West Michigan Story.
If you'd like more information on the Allegan County Jail and Museum click here for the Allegan County Historical Society website. You can click here for their Facebook page. You can click here for more Allegan County history.
Filed in: West Michigan Stories
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Man sentenced in theft from 2 vehicles at governor’s home
Whitmer orders jail study, says status quo ‘isn’t working’
Driver tries to kill another over alleged road rage in Springfield
Mom jailed in rare truancy case
Driver charged with driving intoxicated in buggy crash that killed 3 kids
Ohio day care owner accused of sexually abusing children sentenced to 30 days
Videos released in arrest of veteran at Butterworth Hospital
Billionaire Jeffrey Epstein faces sex trafficking and conspiracy charges
Murder suspect mistakenly released from Florida jail
Wife of Barry County homicide suspect, community in total shock after shooting
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Australian Saddles
An Australian saddle (also called an Australian Stock saddle or an Aussie saddle) is basically a hybrid between an English saddle and a western saddle. While the western saddle’s origins can be traced to the Spanish saddles used by the North American explorers, the Australian saddle is an offshoot of the English hunting saddle. Australian settlers modified the hunting saddles to meet the needs of the cattle business in Australia. The result is a saddle that looks more like an English saddle (particularly like a dressage saddle), but has a number of western saddle features.
Working enormous cattle ranches, or stations as they are called in Australia, with relatively untamed stock demanded saddles that were designed for comfort and security on very, long, hard rides in the roughest terrain. Anyone who’s seen “The Man From Snowy Winter” can appreciate the challenge. (If you haven’t seen this movie, run, don’t walk, to the rental store and see it now.) The release of “The Man From Snowy River” in the early 1980’s sparked an interest in Aussie saddles for pleasure and trail riding in the US market, and their popularity has continued to grow. They provide a very secure and comfortable ride and offer an alternative to English and Western saddles.
Typical features of an Australian saddle include:
Very deep, level seat with a narrow twist (width)
Poleys, a padded crescent-shaped piece attached below the pommel. The poleys are positioned in front of your upper thighs and lock your legs in position.
Long flaps which are similar to western fenders. The flaps are shorter than western fenders but longer than English saddle flaps, making tall English-style boots (to keep the horse’s sweat off the rider) unnecessary.
Typically without a horn (Australian cattle technique does not involve tying an animal to the horn), but horns are appearing on more and more saddles as a hand-hold
Both a girth (an English version of a cinch) and a surcingle are often used for added security. (Remember that ride down the mountain in “Snowy River?”) A surcingle is a strap that goes around the belly of the horse and threads through slots to wrap over the seat.
Much lighter weight than a typical western saddle, but heavier than an English saddle
Aussie saddles can be a good choice for beginner riders as they really secure you in the saddle. Aussie saddles tend to fit a bit higher and further forward on the horse than western saddles and the rider rides with a more forward (English-style) riding position. Seat size on Aussie saddles follow English sizing, which tends to be about 2 inches larger than western sizing.
There’s an increasing amount of variety available in Australian saddles, both in the intended use of the saddle (i.e. endurance) and in the features. Some have much more western styling than others.
Information from western-saddle-guide.com
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GRACosway Weekly Policy Wrap Up
Economic growth figures released this week show the economy recorded its lowest growth rate in two years for the three months to June 2015. Treasurer Joe Hockey says Australia is not headed for a recession, despite a growth rate of only 0.2 per cent. See the Treasurer’s statement: Continued growth in the Australian economy
On Tuesday, the Federal Government announced the proposed bank tax levy will not go ahead. The announcement comes not long after it was revealed that Treasurer Joe Hockey had agreed to apply the levy only to the four big banks – exempting small banks to appease disgruntled backbenchers. The policy was originally proposed by Labor in 2013, but wasn’t legislated. See media release: Dumping Labor’s Bank Deposit Tax
A Cabinet discussion of Small Business Minister Bruce Billson’s proposed amendments to Federal competition laws, which aim to crack down on the misuse of market power by big business, has been deferred due to reported division on the issue among ministers.
Opposition Leader Bill Shorten announced the ALP will not support the China-Australia Free Trade Agreement (chAFTA) because of concerns about labour provisions in the deal. The agreement has sparked divisions inside the Labor Party, with Shadow Trade Minister Penny Wong throwing her support behind the chAFTA and Labor Premiers Jay Weatherill, Annastacia Palaszczuk and Daniel Andrews publicly backing the deal.
Justice Dyson Heydon announced he will continue as head of the Royal Commission into Trade Union Governance and Corruption, despite pressure from unions and the Labor Party to step down over allegations of bias. The Opposition will move a Senate motion next week in an attempt to remove the Commissioner but the Federal Government says the motion would be of no legal consequence.
Former Victorian Premier Denis Napthine and former Victorian Roads Minister Terry Mulder announced their resignations from Parliament this week, with Dr Napthine seizing the opportunity to urge Premier Daniel Andrews to build the East West Link toll road. Both MPs’ seats are safely held by the Liberals; Dr Napthine’s son, Tom, is one of four candidates who will seek Liberal Party preselection for his father’s seat.
Adelaide City Councillor Robert Simms has been announced as successor to South Australian Greens Senator Penny Wright who is leaving the Senate for personal reasons. Simms will face re-election at the 2016 Federal Election. Still on South Australia, Federal Liberal MP Dr Andrew Southcott has announced he will not recontest the seat of Boothby at the next election. Dr Southcott first won the seat in 1996.
The Federal, NSW, SA and WA parliaments sit next week.
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Kim Kardashian to run for mayor of Glendale, CA in 2017
April 18, 2012 by Anonymous
Reality show twit Kim Kardashian said on a recent bonus clip of Khloe & Lamar that she wants to run for mayor of Glendale, California. Keep in mind that this is someone whose claim to fame is a sex tape with Ray J.
Kim said, “I decided. I’m gonna run for the mayor of Glendale, but it’s gonna be in like five years. So mark your calendars for 2017!”
She also added that she would have to establish residency first in the city and that her pal Noelle Keshishian is taking the reigns on her future campaign. She added, “You have to have full residency in Glendale…so I have to buy a house there. Noelle and I are looking into all the requirements. It’s Armenian town.”
Do we really need to have a politician who’s been in a sex tape? Since we don’t really know her politics or what she stands for, we can’t comment on her future mayoral bid. We’re pretty sure that she has enough money to buy the office if she so chooses.
Our sister site earsucker, says that her ex-husband Kris Humphries thinks it’s all a ploy for publicity. He’s probably not that far off.
UPDATE: NBC Los Angeles douses the speculation with cold water by explaining Glendale’s appointed mayor system, “On a technical note: in the city of Glendate all of the city council members take turns filling the mayoral seat, so technically you can’t run for mayor, you run for city council.” Yet the real power lies in the job of city manager, an appointed bureaucrat who has the real power and would run things in what we presume as a SimCity style overseer.
Regardless, it’s not the mayor of Glendale who has the power, so NBC generously offers up a bigger slice of the pie by telling her to run for governor of California. “If you want to get into public service in California, don’t bother yourself with winning office in a city. If you want to be the center of attention, and of the action, aim higher. Run for governor.”
“As Governors Reagan and Schwarzenegger demonstrated, experience in public service isn’t a prerequisite.”
And she hasn’t even given barely any hints of her political affiliation, other than blatant capitalist. Maybe that’s not so bad a characteristic of someone aiming to be the head public servant of of the world’s eighth largest economy.
Tags: California, Glendale, Kim Kardashian, Kris Humphries
Jag says:
She should at least talk about the issues so we know where exactly to make fun of her.
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The evil implanted in man by nature spreads so imperceptibly, when the habit of wrong-doing is unchecked, he himself can set no limit to his shamelessness. — Cicero
Curriculum CDs
Lucius: Adventures of a Roman Boy - Alfred J. Church
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The Pirate Captain
Heracleo had now to dispose of his prisoners, of whom there were about thirty in all. It was no part of his policy to feed a number of useless mouths, and he could not dispose of them by sale—the usual way, in those times, of dealing with such property. They were all ranged in a line along the deck, and Lucius had to take his place among them. The pirate captain walked up and down this line several times, carefully inspecting the men's faces and figures. For the most part they were a poor, puny, half-starved lot. Never very strong, bad and scanty food had still further reduced them, while their ragged clothing would have almost looked shabby upon scarecrows. Still there were four young fellows whose frames, large, though ill-filled out, seemed to promise better things. These the captain picked out with the eye of a connoisseur, and beckoned them to stand out from the rank.
"Men," said he, "Rome does not seem to have fed or clothed you very well. Do you feel disposed to try whether I shall treat you better? Look at these fellows here "—the crew were standing in a half-circle watching the proceedings—"and see how you like their looks. We are all free comrades here. Every man has his share of what we earn according to his rank and time of service. When he thinks he has had enough he can retire, and we will find him a bit of land somewhere at home. What do you say?"
Three of the four came forward at once and said, "We agree;" the fourth stood still in his place, but shook his in token of refusal.
"Very good, my man," said the pirate; "you think us a disreputable lot, and will have nothing to do with us. Perhaps you are right. Stand back; I will dispose of you afterwards."
The poor wretches who had not passed the captain's scrutiny stood trembling and fearing the worst. Pirates always have, and, for the most part, deserve, a very bad reputation, and report had of course been busy with the horrible doings of Heracleo and his companions. The men fell on their knees, stretched out their hands, and begged mercy. Lucius remained standing, and another who had looked at first inclined to imitate the rest, followed his example.
"Rise up," said the captain with a smile of contempt. "I have no quarrel with you, and would not stir a finger to hurt you. I do not love the Romans; and you, if I may guess from your looks, have no special reason to do so. You shall be set on shore, but I recommend you not to try to earn your living in this way again. You see it is but a poor trade, and it isn't every one would be so merciful to his prisoners as I am, nor will I promise to be so a second time, if I catch sight of your faces again."
He then ordered a small flag to be hoisted from the mizzen mast. Two or three fishing-boats that were in the neighborhood of the ship seemed to understand the signal, and hastened to approach. They evidently recognized the pirate, but were in no sort of fear of him. It was indeed his policy to be on good terms with the fishermen and all the humbler inhabitants of the coast, while he waged unceasing war against the fleets of Rome whether they were bent on war or on trade. These humble folk furnished him with information which often enabled him to lay his hands on prizes which he would not otherwise have secured, they piloted him through unknown waters, and indeed made it possible for him to defy for so many years all the power that was brought against him.
"Have you any fish for sale?" he began by asking.
An ample supply was promptly forthcoming, of which he purchased as much as he wanted at what seemed to Lucius a liberal price.
"And now," said he, "I want you to do something for me. You see these fellows here. I didn't ask you to take them in exchange for your fish. You might have thought it a bad bargain. What I do ask you is this. Put them ashore at the nearest town. Here is a silver piece for each man's passage-money. Deal fairly with them; you are honest fishermen, so don't behave worse than pirates."
He divided the prisoners among the boats, paying to the captains the sum which he had promised to give for their fare to the shore. He then handed to each prisoner another silver piece. "This," he said, "will buy you a loaf of bread or so till you can get something to do. And here are five pieces for you who were too honest a man to join us. As it is don't think we want you. Still I like an honest man though I am a pirate. Good luck go with you."
The fishing-boats went off with their new cargo, and now Lucius and a single companion remained to be dealt with. The elder of the two was taken first, and it was evident from the looks of the crew that a serious matter was in hand.
"Who is this man?" asked the captain; "does any one any thing about him?"
"I do," said one of the crew, stepping forward and making his salute. "He used to be a tax-gatherer in Lycia; and if he gathered a silver talent for the tax-farmers he gathered a couple for himself. One of his tricks was to put off giving a receipt, and then declaring that he had never been paid. Another was to give no notice, or next to none, claim a great sum which a man could not easily get in a day or two, and sell him up if he was so much as an hour behind. That was how he ruined me. The gods confound him for it! I had as pretty a little farm, corn-land and pasture, and vineyard as there is in Lycia, and this fellow turned me out of it in the depth of winter. My wife and her baby died in the snow, and I lost these fingers from the frost," and he held up his maimed hand. "Yes, I know him."
"Is there any one else to speak to him?" said the captain after a pause.
"I know him," said a gray-haired sailor. "He was a trader then at Rhodes, and I was captain of one of his ships. He was one of a company that made good each other's losses at sea, and he took care that they should have losses enough to make good for him. He sent me to sea with a weak place in my ship's bottom that was bound to give way as soon as ever it was tried. I had my little bit of cargo on board to trade with on my account. That I lost; but that was not all. My two sons were among the crew, and they were both drowned. We three held on to a mast for a day and a night; they, poor fellows, dropped off, first one and then the other; I was coward enough to see them die and to live on. But that is the fellow that did it. Yes, I know him."
"Is there any one else?" asked the captain again.
"I know him," said a third voice, and a young man stepped forward. "If he has been a tax-gatherer and a merchant, he has followed our trade too. You know Cleon of Coracus? But do you know how he, one of the cleverest men that ever sailed a ship, was taken like a fool of a rabbit in a trap? Why, this man betrayed him, sold him and his crew to the Rhodians. He was his lieutenant, and knew his plans. He put the admiral of Rhodes on his track, and was well paid for it too—a quarter-talent for Cleon and three gold pieces for each of his crew, and there were eighty of them. My own brother was one of them; and I saw them crucified and stuck round the harbor. Yes, I know him."
The wretched man turned to each of his accusers as he rose a face that grew more and more ghastly pale.
"What have you to say for yourself?" asked Heracleo in a cold quiet voice.
"They have lied," he said. "I am an honest man."
"Nay," said the captain, "now that I come to think, I do remember you as Cleon's lieutenant, but you are grown fat and sleek beyond all knowledge. That he was betrayed I know, and I always believed that you were the man that did it. And if you could do that, it would be easy enough for you to sell up a farmer, and send a ship and its cargo to the bottom. What say you, men?"
A low growl of assent went round the half-circle. At a sign from the captain a stalwart fellow stepped out from the ranks and laid a heavy hand on the culprit's shoulder. The man started and screamed with fear. "Take care what you are doing. Any harm that you may do me will be repaid tenfold. Don't touch me. I am a citizen of Rome."
The words produced a singular effect upon the assembly. They seemed to pass in a moment from rage to calm. But it would have been a very careless observer who should fancy that the change boded any good for the prisoner. The smile that passed over the captain's face was grim and mocking. It was not fear, but the eager prospect of a bitter jest that made his crew so quiet. The man that had put his hand on the prisoner's shoulder at once stepped back and made an exaggerated gesture of respect.
"Pardon me, sir," he said; "we were not aware that we had the honor of entertaining so distinguished a guest."
Then turning to the rest of the crew, "Do you hear this, you insolent fellows? Here is a Roman citizen, and we have actually kept him in the hold! Down on your knees, all of you, this moment, and beg his pardon."
The men did as he said, with a ludicrous imitation of dismay and penitence. They seized hold of the wretched man's hand and covered it with kisses, while they implored his pardon and besought his good offices with his countrymen. When they had sufficiently amused themselves in this way they went on to play another act in the farce.
"Don't you see," cried the man who had spoken before, "that our honored guest is not dressed quite as he should be? We did not see at once that he is a citizen. Bring a pair of shoes and a gown."
A pair of shoes in the last stage of shabbiness and decay, and a gown of which one might possibly guess that it had once been white, were brought out. The leader in this tragical sport began to untie the sandals which the prisoner wore and to fasten the shoes in their place with an elaborate show of respect and care. The gown was then carefully arranged, the folds being made to fall with as much dignity as their ragged condition allowed.
"There, sir," said the man, falling back a step and pretending to look at his victim with admiring awe. "There, sir, you are dressed at last as becomes your station. And now I doubt not you would gladly leave us and return to your native country. It overwhelms me with grief and dismay to think that we have detained a citizen of Rome so long. – Make ready there for my lord's departure."
A ladder was let down the ship's side, and the pirate, taking the prisoner's hand, led him with the utmost courtesy of manner to the side.
"I am afraid, sir," he went on, "that there will be a little difficulty about the way. We can take you most conveniently as far as the water; but as to any thing further we really don't see what can be done. You will have to do the best you can. But no harm can possibly happen to so distinguished a person, and in any case we could not possibly think of detaining you any longer. Will you please to descend?"
The wretched man cast an agonized glance about him; but there was not one gleam of pity in any of the swarthy faces which surrounded him. Then he collected himself. Vicious and degraded as he was, his nerves shaken by the excesses of an evil life, he was still a Roman, and like a Roman he would die. Folding his arms resolutely upon his breast he jumped from the deck, and in a moment disappeared below the water.
It was now Lucius' turn, and the prospect was gloomy for him. The ferocious instincts of the crew had been roused, and they were ready to demand another victim.
"And you too, young sir," said the man who had taken the leading part in the dismal farce which has been described, "are you a Roman citizen?"
The captain whispered, "Say that you are not. No one knows you here."
For a moment Lucius hesitated. Life was dear to him, as it is dear to every man, even to those whom it has given little, and promises, perhaps, less. And it had been dearer than ever to him since that perilous ride across the Calabrian hills with the Tarentine maiden, and the happy following days in which he had learned to love, and had begun to hope that he was himself beloved. For a moment he hesitated, but not for more than a moment. If he followed that poor wretch down to the bottom of the sea he should never look on Philareté again, but neither, he felt, could he look upon her again if he were to stain his honor with a lie, and deny his country. He made up his mind.
"Yes," he said in a clear confident voice, lifting his head as he spoke, "yes, I am a citizen of Rome."
There were a few in the crowd on whom the courage of this frank declaration was not lost; but they were only a few. A pirate's life does not help to cultivate generous feelings. A low growl of "Let him go home with his fellow "ran round the crowd, and the man who had been foremost in the sport stepped forward again. But Lucius' time was not come. The pirate captain stood up in front of the men and spoke:
"Comrades, I don't often interfere between you and your spoil or your sport. You have your share, and I have mine. If there is any one who thinks that he has been unfairly dealt with, let him speak. You are all silent; then I will assume that you are satisfied. But I have a right, which I have seldom claimed, the right to have my first choice out of the booty which we take. I claim it now, and my choice is this lad. And you, I trust, approve."
He spoke in a good-humored tone, but like a man who was not accustomed to have his requests denied. A sullen murmur was heard from some of the crew. In a moment his manner changed. "What!" he cried; "do you hesitate? It is my right, and I will have it. Have I been your captain these ten years, led you to victories more than you could ever have hoped, and made you richer than your dreams, and now my right, I do not say my wish, but my right, is questioned. Who is on my side?"
More than half the crew stepped forward; the rest looked at each other and hesitated. "Down on your knees, mutineers," cried the captain in a voice of thunder, "and beg pardon." He was instantly obeyed. Then his manner changed again. His tone became soft and caressing. "Surely such old friends as we are cannot quarrel about such a trifle as this. It is my whim, and you must honor me. The steward shall broach a cask of Cyprus for you, and you shall drink to our new comrade."
He turned to Lucius and whispered, "You are safe for the present. Come into my cabin. It will be best for you to be out of their sight. We shall have time to talk about your future to-morrow. Meanwhile take a little rest."
The young Roman was glad to follow this advice. His head was beginning to ache most painfully. He had had, in fact, a slight sunstroke. For two or three days he was not able to raise his head from the couch on which he had thrown himself, but passed his time in a half-dozing condition. The pirate ship meanwhile was rapidly pursuing its journey eastward.
A Start in Life
Philarete
Agrigentum
A Cruise
The Result of the Cruise
Among the Pirates
A Struggle for Life
A Meeting
A Hunting-Party
An Embassy
Campaigning (continued)
A Change of Scene
The Death of Mithradates
In Harbor
Four-And-Twenty Years Afterwards
An Old Acquaintance
The Pirate-Captain's Story
Mission FAQs Terms of Use Privacy Contact
Copyright © 2019 Hertiage History. All Rights Reserved.
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What happens during a food-drug interaction?
Food-drug interactions can happen with both prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) medications, including antacids, vitamins, iron pills, herbs, supplements, and beverages. Therefore, it is important to know if what you eat and drink can potentially interact with your medications.
The Family Ties of Nursing at Hillcrest
When Janice Allyn, RN, thought about what she wanted to be when she was growing up, the answer was clear. “I always wanted to be a nurse ever since I was a little girl,” she says. “I’d go into hospitals and just be in awe of nurses.” In 1968, Janice first started working at Hillcrest Medical Center as a nurse’s aid and enrolled into Hillcrest’s School of Nursing. By 1971, her dream to be a registered nurse became a reality.
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Momma Interviews "Expert Edition" featuring Amanda Zaidman
May is Maternal Mental Health Awareness Month, so I've relaunched my "Momma Interviews" series--This time with an extra special set of moms. These mommas also work to support other moms and their families during the transition into new parenthood and beyond. I'm calling it the "Expert Edition", but I think you'll find that while these women definitely are experts in their work, parenthood has a way of making a beginner out of everybody. Even experts get surprised by the unexpected and learn new bits of wisdom while in the trenches!
This series is all about their experiences with motherhood, in the hopes that it provides you with some validation and new tips to try. Because for all the many different ways there are to be a mom (and there are definitely MANY ways to do it right), it's so amazing how much we moms all really have in common.
Today, I'm chatting with Amanda Zaidman, LCSW, a parenting coach and mother of two from Charlotte, NC.
Amanda is a mom who prioritizes growth over perfection, mindfulness and dancing to good music. I love her honesty about her struggles with her first baby and how motherhood has changed how she views her own mother.
Scroll down to watch the video, read the transcript or learn more about Amanda below.
Amanda's Quotables:
Interview Transcript:
Catherine: This is Catherine O'Brien again at happywithbaby.com, and I'm doing another one of my expert interviews with mommas around the country. I'm so excited because Amanda Zaidman is here with us today, and she is a LCSW in Charlotte, North Carolina and has her own private practice. So thank you so much for being with us. I'm so glad you could join us.
Amanda: Thank you for having me.
Catherine: Yeah. So why don't you tell us a little bit about your family? What's your family dynamics?
Amanda: Okay. So I have two children. I have a daughter, Maia, she's nine years old and she's in third grade. And then we have a son, Jonah, who his eight years old and he's in second grade. And then I'm married. My husband is Jess.
Catherine: Okay. Cool. So tell me about how do you balance being a mom, working, and your relationship goal?
Amanda: Well, so for me it's ... The balance really is leaning more towards prioritizing my family. In terms of balancing career, and family, and so that meant when I got pregnant with our first child I decided to take time off from my career. I'm a clinical social worker, and so at that point I was working in an agency, and honestly the salary I was making would have probably barely covered a nanny, and I was working with children and I love children. So my husband and I talked, and it really made sense for me to take that time and spend it raising our kids, being a stay at home mom. And then during that time I prioritized my career, just keeping up with my CE's because I knew I wanted to go back, but I was home until both my children were in elementary school.
And then with my husband, when they were young it definitely took a toll on our relationship but as they've gotten older it's easier to prioritize that alone time, spend time one-on-one together.
Catherine: Yeah. Yeah. I know it's always ... I feel like it's a constant adjustment of how get ... How you do all those things, because especially as they grow, and age, and their needs and such change it's a constant adjustment. So I talked to a lot of moms and they often speak about moments when they're ready to throw in the towel. Have you ever had one of those moments, and can you describe that and what ... Why you felt that way and what got you through it?
Amanda: Thinking about that I think the clearest time for me was when I had my first daughter, my first child. She, for six weeks, was really hard. She had trouble learning how to latch, and so we had a lactation consultant. It was really important to me that we try to figure that out. I was willing to use formula if that's what we needed to do, but I wanted to try everything else first. And it was a very vulnerable time. You're having people touching my body that way, and then not being able to ... It wasn't working. And so I would have to pump every feeding and then after we were done ... After I was done pumping I would try to nurse for five minutes and then when it didn't work, I would feed her the bottle.. And so we did six weeks of that. I think a hard piece too was that then we were seeing everything she was getting.
And so she was starting to learn how to latch, and my husband would say "How do you know she's getting enough?" Which, of course as a father looking back that makes perfect sense. You saw what she was getting and now we're not sure. We could see her weight going up, but it felt like an attack in a way. It's just your body feeding her. How do we know that you're really able to do it? So that was a really hard time for us. But she did learn to latch and she got older, and it got so much easier.
Catherine: Yeah. Yeah. No, it is ... It's exhausting. That's an exhausting process, and doing all those steps, and being a new mom, and having all those doubts and stuff like that. It definitely takes a toll. And I know I've heard that from other families and stuff too. So what do you do when you feel overwhelmed, over stretched, or less than?
Amanda: Well typically if I am feeling really overwhelmed I go to my husband. He's really my rock. He's very supportive. When I'm upset he takes it seriously and he gives good advice. And I also try to prioritize time, downtime for myself. So whether that's yoga, or meditation, or spending time with my friends, that sort of thing. That's what I do when I'm feeling stressed.
Catherine: Yeah. That's good that you have that support. I've also had parents tell me that one of the hardest things about being a parent is comparisons and judgements from other parents. Have you experienced that, and then how do you cope with that?
Amanda: Well in terms of judgements, that's not really been a big issue for me just because I think I tend to gravitate towards women who are kind and supportive. Who are wise and that's just the people I want to be around. And so the judgment piece I believe ... I can't think of a time when that's a been a big issue. But the comparison piece does sort of play in there because I'm ... The people that I'm with I'm in awe of them a lot of times, so trying to keep up with either what they're doing with their kids, or their career, or they decided to do private school so what opportunities do they're kids have that mine aren't getting, or just always comparing in my own mind. When that happens I try to ground myself and recognize that that's not what's important. That that's not why we're friends. That's not important to them. Maybe we all play this game in our heads, but I'm not thinking that about them, "Oh what are they doing," or "What are their kids doing?" But I think it is very hard, it's a challenge to remember to just try to worry about myself in a sense.
Catherine: Right. Right. Yeah, it's almost like coming up with a mantra or something in your head. Like, "It's just me that we have to worry about. Our family and not everybody else's," because there's such a dynamic for ... Everybody has a different dynamic, and different needs, and it's not even fair to compare. So I know that's easier said than done. So what do you feel is your greatest personal struggle with the experience of motherhood?
Amanda: I think, for me something I do struggle with is self-judgment. I think a lot of it was alluding to that already, but even just ... I've thought a lot about what it meant when I took that time off to be home with my kids. I spent so much time working hard to prove myself through my grades, and then in a career, and there was always something almost tangible. I got the A, or I got the raise, or I got the pat on the back. And then being home with my children it didn't feel that way. I gave more of myself than I'd ever done before, but it doesn't end. The dishes are always there. The laundry's always there. Someone always needs you. So that has been hard, and I think I hold myself a high standard. How do you know that you're doing it right?
And it's hard at times to not take things personally when really it's just I'm raising my children. They're their own people, they're not me. But when things don't go well, like when my daughter didn't nurse, when my kids needed bk, even every time my son talks back and refuses to do what we've asked him to. Just very typical things. It's not always easy to just normalize and that say, "They're being their own person. I'm doing my best to be a good mom." But I think having the background that I have in child mental health, and now recreating myself as this parenting expert, it's hard to remember "Okay that's being a parent. Being someone who understands parenting well doesn't mean you're a perfect parent. And that's okay."
Catherine: Right. There's no such things as the perfect parent. Yeah, but it's definitely easy to be like, "Oh no, they're doing this. Somehow that is a reflection like I'm being a bad parent." When it is, so much of it is this typical child development stuff that they have to go through to become their own person. So that's a good reminder. So tell me something that has surprised you about being a mom that maybe you didn't realize you'd enjoy, or something you didn't know that kids did. Because I know for me I have this similar background in child mental health as well, but having my own kids totally woke me up to like, "Oh wow. I didn't realize this happened." Or something you didn't know could bring you so much joy. Like what do you love about being a mom?
Amanda: I didn't know that it would feel like this. I'm a pretty connected person. I feel my emotions large with my friends and my family, so it's not a shock that I would feel this way, but what it feels like to just give so much to this little person and then send them off. I remember when my daughter went to preschool for the first time, and I was like "I can't ... How is she functioning right without me by her side?" And she came home with little stories of this life she's creating and it was amazing. But it is, all of those feelings are so big. When something goes well, just feeling so happy. When something bad happens to one of my kids, feeling scared for them. And just, I didn't realize that it would be like this.
And it's getting exciting. They're seven and nine ... They're eight and nine actually, and so they're at ages where it's just really fun. They don't need me as much. They're doing things on their own. Sometimes things that I don't even understand. Like the work they're bringing home or the chess clubs or whatever. So there's a sense of them being their own person, and I love it. I love learning from them. Yeah.
Catherine: Yeah, no it is fun. So tell me about your relationship with your partner. How has that changed and/or how has that stayed the same?
Amanda: It's definitely very different. Our relationship before we had children versus now. It was easy before we had kids. We were always pretty much on the same page. Having children makes everything more complicated. It makes it harder. But it feels like, having done it this long, we're a team and we depend on each other and count on each other's perspectives, which often are different. But we each bring something to the table. But yeah ... I mean, I think I notice we went away for our anniversary to Napa for a week and it was like "Wow. This is what it's like to be with just you and I having fun without kids. It's so easy we don't even fight about anything."
So that's ... It's harder. But again, he ... I don't know ... I can't imagine doing it without him. It's worth how hard it is. I'm amazed by the father that he is to our children.
Catherine: Yeah. Yeah. I know that's awesome to hear. And it is good to have those times where you can reconnect, and you're "Oh yeah. I really like being with you. Everything's not always a battle. I like being with you. So this'll be good when they move out."
Amanda: Yeah. Right?
Catherine: Cool. So what about relationships with friends, family, or other support systems? How has that changed or stayed the same?
Amanda: Well you mean since I've had children?
Catherine: Yeah.
Amanda: So I've always, I think friends and family have always been super important to me. Spending time with others. I'm not ... I'm an extrovert. And that has been consistent, but as I've had my own children I think the biggest change maybe has been the way that I look back at my own childhood and all of the sacrifices that my parents made. The respect that I have for my mom for everything that she did. She couldn't have kids right away, and so she adopted me, and she had two more with my father. But he then was diagnosed with brain cancer before she actually delivered my youngest brother. So he died when I was, well when I was almost five. And then she remarried.
So there's a lot of drama in the beginning and things to smooth out. And my mom remarried, and my stepdad is amazing and I don't think of him as a stepdad at all. But I knew that. I lived that. And then I became that age when my mom would have found out that my dad was sick, and the age when my dad died, and just thinking about how strong she was, and how she's there for us, just gave a new perspective, a whole new dimension to our relationship.
Catherine: Right. Right. Well that's cool. So what's the greatest lesson, or one of the lessons, that you've learned about as being a mom?
Amanda: Well I did take this course I learned at ... From a parent educator. Elizabeth Crary. It's called star parenting. I became a facilitator in that, but she has a mantra that's "A star parent is a growing parent, not a perfect parent."
Catherine: Oh, I love that.
Amanda: And I think that just rings true to me that, that's my goal. I really ground myself in that when I'm struggling, when I'm comparing myself, and I'm judging myself that any little growth. That's my goal. I can't be perfect and that's okay, but I want to do better. Everyday I learn something.
Catherine: Yeah. No, I love that. It's not perfect parent, it's a growing parent. Is that what you said?
Amanda: Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Catherine: Yeah. That's so perfect. Yeah. So a favorite quote that inspires you as a mom? I think that's a pretty good one, but any others?
Amanda: Yeah I guess it is the one that I think of. I don't know. I'm just thinking ... Yeah. That's the quote that stays with me.
Catherine: Yeah. Yeah. Cool. How about favorite song that inspires you as a mom, or makes you think of being a mom?
Amanda: There's a song by Sara McLachlin, the ice cream song. "Your love is better than ice cream. Your love is better than chocolate." That was playing once when ... We have a lot of music in our house usually, and that was playing once when the kids were around me. And I always just thought it was a pretty song and it [inaudible 00:15:03] thinking about how much I always thought about it in terms of my husband. How much I love him. But when my children were there, and I thought "God, this song's even deeper than that love somehow." Yeah. And I think that song makes me think of my kids now.
Catherine: Yeah. I'll have to check that out. I mean, I'm sure probably I've heard it, but I'm always terrible about the names of songs. [crosstalk 00:15:27]
Amanda: I'd sing it for you, but yeah [crosstalk 00:15:29] either.
Catherine: Cool. How about any you can't live without gadgets, or some kind of product or something that has made mom life easier or better for you? Something that you're like, "Oh this is cool," or ...
Amanda: Yeah. There's maybe a couple things right now. We're really into Alexa. I think that's [inaudible 00:15:49] and we love having music, so it's just so easy that before we'd have to turn on our phone and sync to our speakers. But I think she just came on. Alexa off. Sorry about that.
Catherine: It's like, "Are you talking to me?"
Amanda: Yeah so just at this moment we have dance parties, or we always have something playing in the background. It's just changes our mood. And then another big one was definitely ... So I really want my children to ... They're getting older, and we're thinking about gadgets and devices, and screen time, and I want them to keep their ... They've grown up [inaudible 00:16:24] but I want no screens in the room. I don't want computers in their room, and when they get phones I don't want them ... Meanwhile my phone was my alarm clock, and it had been for years. I'm going to say, can you pause because it's still going.
Catherine: Yeah. Yeah.
Amanda: And so that meant it's time for bed and I would ... I'd always get it out and be on it. The kids would come in in the morning and I'd wake up and I'd have to check emails, and texts, and see what was going on. And I found this alarm clock by Emerson, I'm sure there's plenty of them, but it has atomic time so you don't have to set it when the power goes out. Which happens a lot with the thunderstorms in North Carolina. When the power goes out you don't have to ... I figured it couldn't be harder than my cellphone or I wouldn't use it. And it lets me set the time to the alarm I have. There's two of them.
So there's a weekday alarm, and then on the weekends it knows not to ring. So I never touch it which makes it easy. And that's made it so that I can sleep without my phone in the room, and hopefully that's a good [inaudible 00:17:51] in our house we don't do that, versus you don't do that but I use my cellphone.
Catherine: Yeah. Yeah. No that sounds cool. I'll have to check that out because I was thinking I need an alarm clock because [crosstalk 00:18:05] the phone by your bed when I was reading this study and I was like "Oh, I should get the phone out of my room."
Amanda: I'm pretty sure Emerson makes it. The only downside it has a bright blue screen, but you can turn it away.
Catherine: Yeah. Okay, so last question is what is the one piece of advice you like to give other moms? What are your final thoughts?
Amanda: I think something that I've been thinking a lot about recently is mindfulness. I, as someone who worked with children, and I'm a parent, I spend a lot of time talking about how to stop and think before you make a choice. As a child [inaudible 00:18:46] how do you do that? As a parent how do you stop and think about how you want to parent with intention? And then I would find myself at home with my kids, and if I was tired, or I was stressed, or I was hungry, snapping at them and acting in a way that I wasn't proud of. So there felt like there was an inconsistency there.
And then I discovered mindfulness, and I feel like that has really been such a gift. It's not just what to do, but it's how. How do you find the space to calm yourself down in the moment, so that you can really respond rather than react? And it's something that a mentor of mine had talked about when ... Before I ever had children, but I didn't really look into it. I learned certain parts about the brain, and the relevant pieces of it but not exactly what it is. And I wish I had understood it better and started a meditation practice before I had children, or even when they were younger. It's something I would encourage any mom who's interested in figuring out how do you parent with intention? How do you really hold true to those values when in the moment where we're always [inaudible 00:19:55] by the amount of stress we have because of multitasking and all the responsibilities we have? Or how do you ground yourself during those times?
Catherine: Yeah. Yeah, like things fly at us and then all of a sudden it's like, "What?" And you just yell and you get upset, and it's like ...
Amanda: Yeah.
Catherine: "Oh I didn't mean to do that." But, yeah. How do I stay in this moment and let the things fly but not penetrate or something? So ...
Catherine: Yeah. No, I think that's such a good practice and can be hard to do, but I think yeah worth practicing. Makes it easier and such. So ... Well thank you for joining us. You have any other final thoughts or anything you want to say before we end?
Amanda: I think we've covered everything.
Catherine: Okay, cool. Well thank you so much. I'm so glad you could be here and share with us your wisdom, and your insights, and your little nuggets. So thank you so much, and have a good day.
Amanda: Thank you.
Catherine: All right. Bye.
Amanda: Bye.
About Amanda Zaidman:
Amanda J. Zaidman is a licensed clinical social worker, mother of two, and owner of Constructive Parenting, PLLC in Charlotte N.C. She received a bachelor degree in psychology from Duke University and a Master degree in Social Work from UNC-Chapel Hill. Amanda is a parenting expert with a background in working with children and parents on social emotional awareness as a child behavioral therapist. Amanda is a certified STAR Parent Facilitator and has formal training in mindfulness education through Mindful Schools.
Connect with Amanda:
Website: www.constructiveparenting.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/constructiveparenting/
Instagram: @constructive_parenting
Twitter: @ConstParenting
Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/constparenting/
Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/company/constructive-parenting-pllc
Tagged: momma interviews project, maternal mental health
Newer PostGuest Blog: The Stigma of Maternal Mental Health Keeps Women in The Dark Ages
Older PostMomma Interviews "Expert Edition" featuring Dr. Katayune Kaeni
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Strategy execution
Bureaucracy Must Die
Almost 25 years ago in the pages of HBR, C.K. Prahalad and I urged managers to think in a different way about the building blocks of competitive success. We argued that a business should be seen as a portfolio of “core competencies” as well as a portfolio of products. By building and nurturing deep, hard-to-replicate skills, an organization could fatten margins and fuel growth. While I still believe that distinctive capabilities are essential to distinctive performance, I have increasingly come to believe (as I argued in an earlier post) that even the most competent organizations also suffer from a clutch of core incompetencies. Businesses are, on average, far less adaptable, innovative, and inspiring than they could be and, increasingly, must be.
Most of us grew up in and around organizations that fit a common template. Strategy gets set at the top. Power trickles down. Big leaders appoint little leaders. Individuals compete for promotion. Compensation correlates with rank. Tasks are assigned. Managers assess performance. Rules tightly circumscribe discretion. This is the recipe for “bureaucracy,” the 150-year old mashup of military command structures and industrial engineering that constitutes the operating system for virtually every large-scale organization on the planet. It is the unchallenged tenets of bureaucracy that disable our organizations—that make them inertial, incremental and uninspiring. To find a cure, we will have to reinvent the architecture and ideology of modern management — two topics that aren’t often discussed in boardrooms or business schools.
Architecture. Ask just about any anyone to draw a picture of their organization — be it a Catholic priest, a Google software engineer, a nurse in Britain’s National Health Service, a guard in Shanghai’s Hongkou Detention Center, or an account executive at Barclays Bank — and you’ll get the familiar rendering of lines-and-boxes. This isn’t a diagram of a network, a community, or an ecosystem — it’s the exoskeleton of bureaucracy; the pyramidal architecture of “command-and-control.” Based on the principles of unitary command and positional authority, it is simple, and scaleable. As one of humanity’s most enduring social structures, it is well-suited to a world in which change meanders rather than leaps. But in a hyperkinetic environment, it is a profound liability.
A formal hierarchy overweights experience and underweights new thinking, and in doing so perpetuates the past. It misallocates power, since promotions often go to the most politically astute rather than to the most prescient or productive. It discourages dissent and breeds sycophants. It makes it difficult for internal renegades to attract talent and cash, since resource allocation is controlled by executives whose emotional equity is invested in the past.
When the responsibility for setting strategy and direction is concentrated at the top of an organization, a few senior leaders become the gatekeepers of change. If they are unwilling to adapt and learn, the entire organization stalls. When a company misses the future, the fault invariably lies with a small cadre of seasoned executives who failed to write off their depreciating intellectual capital. As we learned with the Soviet Union, centralization is the enemy of resilience. You can’t endorse a top-down authority structure and be serious about enhancing adaptability, innovation, or engagement.
Ideology. Business people typically regard themselves as pragmatists, individuals who take pride in their commonsense utilitarianism. This is a conceit. Managers, no less than libertarians, feminists, environmental campaigners, and the devotees of Fox News, are shaped by their ideological biases. So what’s the ideology of bureaucrats? Controlism. Open any thesaurus and you’ll find that the primary synonym for the word “manage,” when used as verb, is “control.” “To manage” is “to control.”
Managers worship at the altar of conformance. That’s their calling—to ensure conformance to product specifications, work rules, deadlines, budgets, quality standards, and corporate policies. More than 60 years ago, Max Weber declared bureaucracy to be “the most rational known means of carrying out imperative control over human beings.” He was right. Bureaucracy is the technology of control. It is ideologically and practically opposed to disorder and irregularity. Problem is, in an age of discontinuity, it’s the irregular people with irregular ideas who create the irregular business models that generate the irregular returns.
In this environment, control is a necessary but far from sufficient prerequisite for success. Think of Intel and the extraordinary control it must exert over thousands of variables to produce its Haswell family of 14-nanometer processors. This operational triumph is tempered, though, by Intel’s failure to capitalize on the explosive growth of the market for mobile devices. More than 60% of the company’s revenue is still tied to personal computers, and less than 3% comes from the company’s unprofitable “Mobile & Communications” unit.
Unfettered controlism cripples organizational vitality. Adaptability, whether in the biological or commercial realm, requires experimentation—and experiments are more likely to go wrong than right—a scary reality for those charged with excising inefficiencies. Truly innovative ideas are, by definition, anomalous, and therefore likely to be viewed skeptically in a conformance-obsessed culture. Engagement is also negatively correlated with control. Shrink an individual’s scope of authority, and you shrink their incentive to dream, imagine and contribute. It’s absurd that an adult can make a decision to buy a $20,000 car, but at work can’t requisition a $200 office chair without the boss’s sign-off.
Make no mistake: control is important, as is alignment, discipline and accountability—but freedom is equally important. If an organization is going to outrun the future, individuals need the freedom to bend the rules, take risks, go around channels, launch experiments, and pursue their passions. Unfortunately, managers often see control and freedom as mutually exclusive—as ideological rivals like communism and capitalism, rather than as ideological complements like mercy and justice. As long as control is exalted at the expense of freedom, our organizations will remain incompetent at their core.
There’s no other way to put it: bureaucracy must die. We must find a way to reap the blessings of bureaucracy—precision, consistency, and predictability—while at the same time killing it. Bureaucracy, both architecturally and ideologically, is incompatible with the demands of the 21st century.
Some might argue that the biggest challenge facing contemporary business leaders is the undue prominence given to shareholder returns, or the fact that corporations have too long ignored their social responsibilities. These are indeed challenges, but they are neither as pervasive nor as problematic as the challenge of defeating bureaucracy.
First, only a minority of the world’s employees work in publicly-held corporations that are subject to the rigors and shortcomings of American-style capitalism. Bureaucracy, on the other hand, is universal.
Second, most progressive leaders, like Apple’s Tim Cook or HCL Technologies’ retired CEO Vineet Nayar, already understand that the first priority of a business is to do something truly amazing for customers, that shareholder returns are but one measure of success, that short-term ROI calculations can’t be used to as the sole justification for strategic investments, and that, since corporate freedoms are socially negotiated, businesses must be responsive to the broader needs of the societies in which they operate. All this is becoming canonical among enlightened executives. Yes, work still needs to be done to better align CEO compensation with long-term value creation, but that work is already well underway. And while some CEOs still grumble that Anglo-Saxon investors are inherently short-term in their outlook, their argument breaks down the moment you realize that investors often happily award a fast-growing company a price-earnings multiple that is many times the market average.
Simply put, at this point in business history, the pay-off from reforming capitalism, while substantial, pales in comparison to the gains that could be reaped from creating organizations that are as fully capable as the people who work within them.
I meet few executives around the world who are champions of bureaucracy, but neither do I meet many who are actively pursuing an alternative. For too long we’ve been fiddling at the margins. We’ve flattened corporate hierarchies, but haven’t eliminated them. We’ve eulogized empowerment, but haven’t distributed executive authority. We’ve encouraged employees to speak up, but haven’t allowed them to set strategy. We’ve been advocates for innovation, but haven’t systematically dismantled the barriers that keep it marginalized. We’ve talked (endlessly) about the need for change, but haven’t taught employees how to be internal activists. We’ve denounced bureaucracy, but haven’t dethroned it; and now we must.
We have to face the fact that any change program that doesn’t address the architectural rigidities and ideological prejudices of bureaucracy won’t, in fact, change much at all. We need to remind ourselves that bureaucracy was an invention, and that whatever replaces it will also be an invention—a cluster of radically new management principles and processes that will help us take advantage of scale without becoming sclerotic, that will maximize efficiency without suffocating innovation, that will boost discipline without extinguishing freedom. We can cure the core incompetencies of the corporation—but only with a bold and concerted effort to pull bureaucracy up by its roots.
This post is part of a series leading up to the 2014 Global Drucker Forum, taking place November 13-14 in Vienna, Austria. See the rest of the series here.
Gary Hamel is a visiting professor at London Business School and the founder of the Management Lab. He is a co-author of Humanocracy: Creating Organizations as Amazing as the People Inside Them (Harvard Business Review Press, forthcoming).
This article is about STRATEGY EXECUTION
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Bremen Tribunal
Dublin Tribunal
Home News How Dilan’s torment relates to all of us
How Dilan’s torment relates to all of us
Dilan’s father, Yüksel Koç is on indefinite hunger strike to stop the isolation regime imposed on the imprisoned Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan. In describing her feelings about it (in the video below), German born Dilan raises uncomfortable questions to those of us living in Europe. The terrible situation that Dilan finds herself was set into motion 20 years ago – and it was as much to do with Europe as it was with Kurdistan.
news —- the hunger strike has been stopped — thanks for your support
https://humanrights.de/wp-content/uploads/videos/kurdistan/dilan_en.mp4
Europe’s cowardice leads to the Kurdish leaders’ abduction
In late 1998, with the backing of the USA, Turkey threatened Syria with invasion if it continued to give safe haven to the leader of the PKK. This was a period when US/UK military action in the middle east was escalating and war clouds were gathering in preparation for heavy strikes on Iraq. Within Europe there was much opposition to the US/UK war policy – from the population as well as the Governments. Abdullah Öcalan and the PKK were confronted with a fateful choice. He could leave Syria and go to the mountains in Kurdistan and consequently intensify the guerrilla struggle or go to Europe and pursue politics of a negotiated solution to the Kurdish question and by example promote peace throughout the middle east. Based on an optimistic assessment of the strength of the political opposition to war, in Europe, Abdullah Öcalan put his life and freedom on the line by coming here. From November 1998 to February 1999, the period he was in mainland Europe, an intense political battle took place between those European forces who wanted a negotiated peace in Kurdistan and those who wanted a military solution. These political/legal struggles took place in Italy, Greece, Germany, and Holland. To its eternal shame, Europe could not stand up to US statecraft. Quoting a high-ranking American officer, the New York Times stated: ‘American diplomatic pressure backed by intelligence-gathering helped, ….to persuade nation after nation to refuse him sanctuary, and to drive him into an increasingly desperate search for a city of refuge…’. Finally, he was forced to leave Europe and was abducted in Kenya and taken to Turkey. As Robin White for the BBC in London asks its Nairobi correspondent Louise Tunbridge. ‘But, why would the Kenyan Government want to be getting involved at all in getting Mr. Öcalan handed back to Turkey, unless perhaps, you know, there was some pressure from the Americans? Louise Tunbridge responds: ‘Exactly, …. perhaps the CIA perhaps MOSSAD, came in and did a deal… ‘
Is history going to repeat itself?
Now, 20 years later, with over 2 million people killed in wars in the middle east, the Kurdish leader’s message of peace through negotiations is needed as ever before. His stature amongst the Kurdish people – which is as strong as Nelson Mandela’s was amongst black people in Apartheid South Africa – makes him an essential element in negotiations and peace talks. However, the 70-year-old Abdullah Öcalan is under such an extreme isolation regime that the last time he was allowed to speak to his lawyers was in 2011. Will the progressive-minded people in Europe allow their political representatives to stand by while Abdullah Ocalan’s voice is silenced and his life extinguished?
It is possible to change the situation?
Today, as it had in 1999, Europe has the ability to make a decisive difference. The severe human rights violations and the prevention of his meetings with lawyers is an open breach of the ‘European Convention for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment’ – which was signed by Turkey in 1988. It is also an open break from the 1954 Convention signed by Turkey for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms. Council of Europe, of which Turkey is a member, is the body which can bring consequent pressure on the Turkish state. The European Council established the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT). The CPT is an institution that regularly visits facilities where people are deprived of their liberty to prevent torture, inhuman and degrading treatment before it happens. But the applications submitted to the CPT by the Abdullah Öcalan family, lawyers and Kurdish institutions were fruitless. Because the EU, the Council of Europe and the CPT have made no attempt to prevent the mistreatment and isolation of Abdullah Öcalan, the imprisoned Kurdish Parliamentarian Leyla Güven started a hunger strike in November calling for the ending of the isolation regime of the PKK leader. Thousands of prisoners joined her. In solidarity, Dilan’s father Yüksel, a leading political figure in the Kurdish Diaspora, and several of his colleagues started an indefinite hunger strike in Strasbourg in December 17 last year.
‘Ich bin Bremerin’
Dilan was born and raised in Bremen. She is a Bremerin. She has been socialised in Bremen. She is a daughter of Bremen. But she is the daughter of Yüksel too. Can she be both? Does the society that she has integrated into – into Bremen, Germany, and Europe – have the necessary ethical values she now expects and needs? Or will it fail her like Europe failed Abdullah Öcalan in 1999?
Dilan talks about German weapons being used against the Kurds. Certainly, no one can dispute that in their efforts to topple Assad most western countries gave weapons to Anti-Assad forces. It is not surprising that these weapons found their way to the most virulently anti-Assad forces: the extremist Islamic groups. For these groups, exemplified by ISIS, the Kurds, with their secular and socially progressive politics constituted the bitterest enemy. When Dilan is questioned about US support for the Kurdish YPG – she says ‘to put it sharply, the Kurds are good enough to destroy ISIS…. but still we won’t accept them – That is contradictory’. Dilan like most Kurds understands that the American support for the YPG fighters is not based on any ethical principles. That US policy is utilitarian. That it will support, a certain group who is against the USA’s current enemy and if and when that enemy is destroyed, the Americans could well turn against the group that it was in alliance with. The endless war this policy produces is purportedly opposed by the EU – whose very formation was based on the prevention of war. This peaceful intent, that the EU is based on, surely must not only apply to a full-scale world war – but also to proxy-wars that are raging in ‘the periphery’ – especially as they have invariably been initiated by the center – the powerful western countries.
Will you make a stand?
The desire for peace and justice does exist within the hearts of the population in Bremen, in Germany, in Europe. Abdullah Öcalan in coming to Europe – put his person, his body on the line in the expectation that this desire for peace and justice exists within Europe. Now two decades later Dilan’s father, is putting his body, his life on the line – optimistic that European society will respond positively. Dilan – the new generation, who is part of Europe will test this society much more deeply.
Time is running out – the physical condition of the 17 hunger strikers in Strasbourg in deteriorating rapidly. The type of hunger strike that they are enduring is where liquids with a little sugar and salt are taken as well as vitamin B1 for brain function. Whereas the type of hunger strike where there are zero calorific intakes has a life expectancy of around 70 days, this type has a longer life expectancy. However, at the time of writing, the Doctors say that even if the hunger strike ends today, the damage to their internal organs could result in serious complications. The most concerning issues are muscle atrophy, cardiac issues, insomnia, and hunger-based damage to the nervous system.
Will you respond? We want to make our website into a video petition. Will you make a short video with your personal message to show that the society in Bremen, Germany, Europe contains people with the ethical values that Dilan hopes it has? You can even use a mobile phone to make the video and send us the video through Dropbox or some other means. Once we have several videos on our site – we will ensure that members of the European Parliament, the various governments in Europe and the relevant bodies that we have mentioned above will see the videos coming in on to our website.
Internationaler Menschenrechtsverein Bremen e.V
imrvbremen@gmail.com
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Ajith Herath
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Calling on Jacinda Ardern to resettle the Andika refugees
‘Monster-Process’
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Chick-fil-A and the First Amendment (and mobster movies)
I had no respect for chicken sandwiches. I’m a burger addict, and a proud one at that. If ever given the opportunity to write about food for a living, I’d beg for a month-long tour of the country’s burger joints. Then off to Vietnam for some real pho in the streets.
Chick-fil-A was damn good. I was utterly disappointed when I first sampled the “original” chicken sandwich- at American University’s cafeteria The dry, semi-hot specimen with two pickle slices was a disgrace to my tongue and esophagus. But I guess that was just an AU fluke. In Fairfax, where the real action is, the fresh, steaming protein on a bun was delightful to say the least. Paired with the Chick-fil-A sauce, the experience was divine, beautiful.
Then the man expresses his belief in public.
There are different ways to say things. Some of us are blunt and unashamed, at times using our socioeconomic positions to better deliver our message. Like a blunt blow to the side of the head with a cast iron pan. Some of us are more reserved, crafting our message and subtly implanting it like a microchip in the brain. Dan Cathy chose the former method. Arguably, In-N-Out Burger (by the way, when will we ever get one of those on the East Coast??) chose the latter. Enthusiasts of their animal-style fries, like me, would have surely noticed “John 3:16” on the bottom of their soda cups and fries (on a separate note, the “John 3:16” message is a more profound, complete statement of one’s faith, more so than anything Cathy said).
Then some mayor, surely without consulting his lawyers, thinks he can ban a legit American business from his city’s boundaries. Sure, he has retracted and modified his statement since then. But hey, the guy should’ve read his How to be a Mayor for Dummies before speaking in public. Some say Cathy is an ignorant bastard, right? It doesn’t really matter who is right or wrong. Mayor Menino is an equally ignorant bastard. An eye-for-an-eye, so to speak.
Mayors and CEOs have a First Amendment right to voice their opinions, because they are just that, opinions. One should be able to say (even a CEO), with relative ease, “I don’t approve gay marriage”. One should not, however, be able to say (and carry out as proclaimed) “I don’t approve gay marriage and now will slap you silly with my cast iron pan because you approve gay marriage”. A mayor, governor, president, or your Italian mother-in-law should all be allowed to say “I approve gay marriage”. A mayor, governor, president, or your Italian mother-in-law, however, cannot set up barbed wire and electric fences around city hall because you don’t want to sink your teeth into a mouth-watering, savory filet.
We live in a civilized democracy. Or maybe we live in such an illusion. I thought “political muscle” was only appropriate (and beautifully portrayed) in The Godfather or any other mobster movie. “If they need licenses in this city, it will be very difficult…” What the hell?! This statement is absurdly uneducated, and quite offensive. I understand if you think homosexuals have the right to marry. I understand if you think marriage should be reserved for a man and a woman. But who the hell are you, as mayor, to decide which businesses get licenses based on personal belief? Isn’t this America? Didn’t we try to (and still do) brainwash developing countries into carbon-copying our ever-successful model democracy?
Oh the fleeting images of Marlon Brando, dim cigar smoke-filled rooms, bada bim.
Political muscle belongs in mobster movies, period. I thought it was embarrassing to constantly read about Korean presidents and politicians being arrested and indicted for using their political muscle. You can (kind of) forgive them though- their democracy is only sixty-years old. But I thought this was the U.S. of A.
So, my friends, let us be free to enjoy the food we enjoy, regardless of what the restaurant owner says, thinks, or sleeps with at night. Food, after all, is food.
Chick-fil-A for lunch, pho for dinner. Why not.
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studio mk27
In 2001 the office headed by Marcio Kogan took on the name studio mk27. At that time a democratic and collaborative form of working was organized, in which each responsible architect is co-author of the projects, together with Marcio. In this manner of organization, the division of tasks is minimized. The architects accompany almost every phase of the project, beginning with the first client contact to the worksite. This results in extremely elaborated projects, developed to the slightest detail, by architects that work as craftsmen.
Along this line of thought, the team of studio mk27 is constituted by architects with a vast and multidisciplinary formation. Knowledge about art, music, cinema, economy and politics is just as much a part of architecture as is knowledge about design, visual programming and urbanism.
In addition to this select team of architects, that work in a small building in the proximity of Paulista Avenue, in São Paulo, studio mk27 works with dozens of collaborators in Brazil and abroad. This structure makes it viable to develop new projects in the United States, Latin America, Europe and China.
LEARN MORE: http://www.studiomk27.com.br/
Prefab Off-Grid House Located at an Altitude of 1,500 Meters
Laid out over the valley, at an altitude of 1,500 meters, this prefab off-grid house has a strong relationship with the local nature, abundant throughout most of the year.
Gama Issa House / Studio Mk27
The project ” Gama Issa house “, ended in 2001. was retrofitted in 2015 when the finishing, decoration and window frames were changed, and a new lateral volume (a workshop) perpendicular to the pool was added.
Planar House / Studio MK27
Planar House is a radical exercise in horizontality, aspect commonly explored in the projects of the studio. Discreetly inserted in the highest point of the plot and favoring the existing topography, its presence is most strongly felt in the footprint rather than volumetrically. An extensive line in an open landscape.
Casa Branca / Marcio Kogan Studio MK27
Casa Branca is a tropical beach house designed by Studio MK27 in collaboration with Eduardo Chalabi. Comfort and building maintenance throughout the years are two fundamental aspects for houses built in tropical areas next to the sea, where the high temperatures and the effect of the sea air determine the extreme local conditions. The Casa Branca […]
SP Penthouse in Sao Paulo / Studio MK27
SP penthouse is a project recently completed by Sao Paulo-based Studio MK27. Project description: The architectural interiors project for the penthouse SP Penthouse sought to attend to the demands of the program with the minimal division of space possible, shaping spatial continuity and amplitude for the apartment. Infinite circulations accentuate the fluidity between the spaces […]
Metallic Structure House in the Midst of a Beautiful Forest of Pine Trees
Located at 180km from São Paulo, Mororó house was completed in 2015 by studio MK27. Description by Studio MK27: The Mororó House is in a mountainous region, 180 km from the city of São Paulo, known for its low temperatures. The architecture sought to create generous internal spaces for the cold days, such as, for example, […]
Hale House – A Lateral Apartment with Enviable Proportions for a Family
Hampstead Manor – Residential Interiors Refurbishment
Apartment in Prague with a Completely White Interior
Victorian Era House Completely Rebuilt by Eco Edge Architecture
Multifamily Housing Designed with a Shiny Colorful Ceramic Facade
Converting a 50-Year-Old Barn in a Modern Home for a Young Family
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Gorman Thomas
James Gorman Thomas III (born December 12, 1950) is an American former professional baseball player. He played Major League Baseball (MLB) as a center fielder and right-handed hitter. Thomas played in the American League (AL) with the Milwaukee Brewers (1973–76, 1978–83, 1986), Cleveland Indians (1983) and Seattle Mariners (1984–86).[1]
With the Brewers, Thomas was one of the franchise's most popular players. He was a leading home run hitter in the late 1970s and early 1980s, though he hit for a low batting average and frequently struck out. Thomas had good fielding skills and his throwing arm was strong until shoulder surgery in 1984, after which he became a designated hitter until his retirement in 1986.
Thomas after throwing out the ceremonial first pitch before Game 1 of the 2011 NLCS
Center fielder
Born: December 12, 1950 (age 68)
April 6, 1973, for the Milwaukee Brewers
October 5, 1986, for the Milwaukee Brewers
Runs batted in
Milwaukee Brewers (1973–1976, 1978–1983)
Cleveland Indians (1983)
Milwaukee Brewers (1986)
2× AL home run leader (1979, 1982)
Miller Park Walk of Fame
Thomas was born in Charleston, South Carolina. His father, Gorman Sr, was a postal worker and a former minor league pitcher.[2] Thomas was raised in nearby James Island. His family moved to Columbia, SC where he attended Cardinal Newman High School through his Junior year, playing on a State Championship Basketball team in 1968. He attended James Island High School his Senior year.[3] In high school, Thomas earned 14 letters in four sports - baseball, football, basketball and track. He was the first draft pick of the Seattle Pilots in 1969.[4]
In 1971, Thomas played Class A baseball in the Milwaukee system. With the Danville Warriors that year, Thomas led the Midwest League in both home runs and strikeouts.[5] The next year with the Class AA San Antonio Brewers, Thomas led the Texas League in the same two categories, registering 26 home runs versus 171 strikeouts.[6]
Thomas spent parts of 1973 and 1974 in the major leagues with the Brewers, but he mostly played Class AAA baseball during those seasons. With the Sacramento Solons of the Pacific Coast League in 1974, Thomas finished second in the league in home runs (51), third in RBI (122), fourth in walks (93), third in runs scored (117) and first in strikeouts (175).[7] He spent most of the next two years on the bench with the Brewers, but he enjoyed being teammates with Hank Aaron during Aaron's last two MLB seasons.[2]
Thomas played in Class AAA for the entire 1977 season. After the season, Thomas was traded to the Texas Rangers as the player to be named later in an earlier trade for Ed Kirkpatrick. Rangers executive Dan O'Brien Sr. explained the move as a temporary "friendship deal". Brewers general manager Harry Dalton needed to open up a roster spot over the winter, and he asked O'Brien to hold Thomas on the Texas roster for a few months. In February 1978, O'Brien sold Thomas back to Milwaukee before he appeared in any games with the Rangers.[8]
Becoming an everyday center fielder for the Brewers in 1978, Thomas hit 32 home runs to go along with 86 RBI. In 1979, Thomas enjoyed his best MLB season, compiling career high numbers in home runs (45, first in the AL), RBI (123), runs scored (97), hits (136), doubles (29), walks (98), on-base percentage (.356), total bases (300), slugging percentage (.539) and OPS (.895). He finished seventh in MVP Award voting. Thomas was affectionately known as "Stormin' Gorman."[9]
In 1980, Thomas had another productive season, hitting 38 home runs to go along with 105 RBI, while playing in every game. Gorman followed that up in 1981 by finishing second in the AL in home runs with 21 and being named to the AL All-Star Team. He finished eighth in MVP Award voting that year. In 1982, Thomas hit an AL-high 39 home runs (tying with Reggie Jackson for the league lead) and drove in 112 runs to help the Brewers win the American League Championship and face the Cardinals in the World Series. The Brewers lost to the Cardinals in seven games, with Thomas striking out against Bruce Sutter to end the Series.
While with the Brewers, Thomas opened a bar in Milwaukee with pitcher Pete Vuckovich. It was called "Stormin' & Vuke's", a play on their nicknames.[10][11]
Trade to the Indians
In June 1983, Thomas, Jamie Easterly, and Ernie Camacho were traded to the Cleveland Indians in exchange for Rick Manning and Rick Waits.[12] Thomas's play had declined late in the 1982 season; he hit .181 after September 1, and he had only four hits in more than 40 at bats in the 1982 postseason. After the announcement of the trade, angry Brewers fans flooded the team's switchboard with phone calls criticizing the transaction. [13]
After the 1983 season, Thomas expressed his desire for another trade, saying that he did not feel comfortable playing in Cleveland.[14] Thomas had hit more home runs during the period from 1978 to 1983 than any other player in the AL (197).
Traded to the Seattle Mariners for the 1984 season, Thomas played in only 53 games for the team that year before he underwent season-ending rotator cuff surgery in June. In spring training before the 1985 season, Thomas had some difficulty with the timing of his swing, but he was able to swing without pain and he was looking forward to assuming Seattle's designated hitter role.[15] Thomas was selected as The Sporting News AL Comeback Player of the Year in 1985, hitting 32 home runs and 87 RBI.[16] However, Thomas - normally a practical joker - began to feel alienated from his teammates. At a team tenth anniversary party, Thomas was left out of a 1985 Mariners highlight video. Mariners executives said they tried to trade him away but that there was minimal interest in Thomas because of his age and his limitation to the designated hitter role.[17]
After Dick Williams took over as the manager in Seattle toward the beginning of the 1986 season, Thomas saw decreased playing time. By late June, he was hitting .192 with 10 home runs and 26 RBI, and the team decided to release him. Thomas was making $650,000 that season and Mariners owner George Argyros had to absorb the loss of $361,000 that was still owed to Thomas under that contract.[18] Thomas contemplated retirement, and he turned down a contract offer from the Detroit Tigers, but he signed with the Brewers a couple of weeks later to fill a designated hitter and pinch hitter role.[19][20]
Thomas retired after the 1986 season.[21] He was a career .225 hitter with 268 home runs and 782 RBI in 1435 games.
In retirement, Thomas played amateur golf and he spent time hunting and carving duck decoys. In the early 1990s, he collected limited-edition prints and considered opening an art gallery.[21] Thomas works under a personal services contract with the Brewers to make appearances in the community and welcome visitors to Gorman's Grill at Miller Park. He was elected to the Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame in 2003.
List of Major League Baseball career home run leaders
List of Major League Baseball annual home run leaders
^ La Russa, Tony; Dennis Purdy (2006). The Team-By-Team Encyclopedia of Major League Baseball. Workman Publishing. pp. 606–. ISBN 9780981792910. Retrieved 16 July 2012.
^ a b Holtzman, Jerome (July 4, 1985). "Thomas is still indomitable". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved August 18, 2016.
^ "Stormin' Thomas reconnects with Lowcountry roots, Citadel baseball". WCIV. February 18, 2013. Retrieved August 18, 2016.
^ "Gorman Thomas". Wisconsin Center. Retrieved August 18, 2016.
^ "1971 Midwest League Batting Leaders". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved August 18, 2016.
^ "1972 Texas League Batting Leaders". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved August 18, 2016.
^ "1974 Pacific Coast League Batting Leaders". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved August 18, 2016.
^ Newberg, Jamey (August 16, 2007). "Swapping Stories: The Gorman Thomas trades of 1977 and 1978". MLB.com. Retrieved August 18, 2016.
^ "Gorman Thomas". baseball-reference.com. Retrieved 20 October 2013.
^ Nashawaty, Chris. "A LEAGUE OF ITS OWN". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved 13 December 2016.
^ Prigge, Matthew J. "So-Long Gorman: This Week Marks 33 Years Since the Most Hated Trade in Brewers History". Shepherd Express. Retrieved 13 December 2016.
^ Gorman Thomas deal upsets Brewers fans
^ Gorman Thomas dealt to Tribe
^ "Indians' Thomas says he wants to be traded". Lawrence Journal-World. Associated Press. October 27, 1983. Retrieved August 18, 2016.
^ Cour, Jim (April 8, 1985). "Gorman is stormin' back for Mariners". The Spokesman-Review. Associated Press. Retrieved August 18, 2016.
^ "Thomas, Reuschel honored as year's comeback players". The Courier. November 20, 1985. Retrieved August 18, 2016.
^ Wojciechowski, Gene (April 14, 1986). "Stormin' Gorman: Playing in Seattle has its moments, but Milwaukee is his kind of town, Thomas believes". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved August 18, 2016.
^ "Mariners' Thomas swept from roster". Boca Raton News. Associated Press. June 26, 1986. Retrieved August 18, 2016.
^ "Thomas may retire". Lewiston Daily Sun. Associated Press. July 3, 1986. Retrieved August 18, 2016.
^ "Briefs". Spokane Chronicle. July 16, 1986. Retrieved August 18, 2016.
^ a b Derrick, Mel (August 3, 1991). "Trivia answer Gorman Thomas cooks up life after retirement". Baltimore Sun. Retrieved August 18, 2016.
Baseball Library
Career statistics and player information from Baseball-Reference, or Fangraphs, or The Baseball Cube
The 1969 Major League Baseball (MLB) draft took place prior to the 1969 MLB season. The draft featured future Hall of Famers Bert Blyleven (pick 55) and Dave Winfield (pick 882).
1978 Milwaukee Brewers season
The 1978 Milwaukee Brewers season involved the Brewers finishing third in the American League East with a record of 93 wins and 69 losses.
1978 Texas Rangers season
The 1978 Texas Rangers season involved the Rangers finishing 2nd in the American League West with a record of 87 wins and 75 losses.
The 1979 Milwaukee Brewers season involved the Brewers' finishing second in the American League East with a record of 95 wins and 66 losses.
1981 American League Division Series
The 1981 American League Division Series (ALDS), the opening round of the 1981 American League playoffs, began on Tuesday, October 6, and ended on Sunday, October 11. The Division Series were created on August 6 in response to the 1981 Major League Baseball strike, which caused the cancellation of roughly one-third of the regular season between June 12 and August 9; by the time play was resumed, it was decided that the best approach was to have the first-half leaders automatically qualify for postseason play, and allow all the teams to begin the second half with a clean slate.
The first half and second-half champions in both the East and West divisions would meet in best-of-five series, with the winners advancing to the AL Championship Series (ALCS). If the same team won both halves, a wild card team—the second-place team, based on overall record, in the division—would qualify for the postseason, but this proved unnecessary in both leagues. There were no plans to continue the format in later seasons, although the Division Series resumed in 1995 after both major leagues realigned into three divisions. The teams in the 1981 ALDS were:
Eastern Division: New York Yankees (first-half champion, 34–22) vs. Milwaukee Brewers (second-half champion, 31–22): Yankees win series, 3–2.
Western Division: Oakland Athletics (first-half champion, 37–23) vs. Kansas City Royals (second-half champion, 30–23): Athletics win series, 3–0.The second-half champions played the first two games at home, with the first-half champions potentially hosting the last three; the first-half champions all posted better records in their half of the season than the second-half champions did.
The Royals became the first (and as of 2018, only) team to reach the MLB postseason with a .500 or worse record. Kansas City recovered to win the second half in the AL West following a 20-30 first half, giving them a 50-53 overall mark.
The Yankees and Athletics went on to meet in the AL Championship Series. The Yankees became the American League champion, and lost to the National League champion Los Angeles Dodgers in the 1981 World Series.
The 1982 American League Championship Series was played between the Milwaukee Brewers and the California Angels from October 5 to 10, 1982. Milwaukee won the series three games to two to advance to the franchise's first World Series, where they would lose to the St. Louis Cardinals, four games to three. The 1982 ALCS was marked by a dramatic comeback by the Brewers, who lost the first two games of the series and were trailing late in the final game. This is also the first of only two Championship Series between Milwaukee and a Los Angeles team, the other being 2018.
The series was noteworthy as being the first to feature a matchup between two "expansion" teams (i.e., franchises not included among the sixteen operating in the major leagues for most of the first half of the twentieth century), for featuring two teams that had never before won a pennant, and for being the first time a team came from a 2-0 deficit to win the series.
This was the first ALCS not to feature the Athletics, Orioles, or Yankees.
The 1982 Major League Baseball season. Making up for their playoff miss of the year before, the St. Louis Cardinals won their ninth World Series championship, defeating the Milwaukee Brewers, four games to three.
The 1982 Milwaukee Brewers season resulted in the team winning its first and only American League Championship.
As a team, the Brewers led Major League Baseball in a number of offensive categories, including at bats (5733), runs scored (891), home runs (216), runs batted in (843), slugging percentage (.455), on-base plus slugging (.789), total bases (2606) and extra-base hits (534).
The 1982 World Series featured the St. Louis Cardinals and the Milwaukee Brewers, with the Cardinals winning in seven games.
The Cardinals had last been in the World Series in 1968, and a Milwaukee team, the Braves, in 1958. The Milwaukee team of 1982 started as an expansion team in Seattle in 1969, which then moved to Milwaukee in 1970 and changed their name to the Brewers.The Cardinals made it to the Series by winning the National League East division by three games over the Philadelphia Phillies, and then defeating the Atlanta Braves by 3 games to none in the National League Championship Series. The Brewers made it by winning the American League East division by one game over the Baltimore Orioles, and then defeating the California Angels by 3 games to 2 in the American League Championship Series.
With the Cardinals winning this series, the National League achieved four straight World Series championships from 1979 to 1982. The National League would not again achieve even back-to-back victories until the Giants won in 2010 and the Cardinals in 2011.
Though the teams had never met before, their home cities had an existing commercial rivalry in the beer market, as St. Louis is the home of Anheuser–Busch, which owned the Cardinals at the time, while Milwaukee is the home of Miller Brewing and other past major competitors of Anheuser–Busch. This led the media to refer to it as the "Suds Series."
The 1983 Milwaukee Brewers season involved the Brewers finishing 5th in the American League East with a record of 87 wins and 75 losses.
The Seattle Mariners 1985 season was their ninth since the franchise creation, and ended the season finishing 6th in the American League West with a record of 74–88 (.457).
The Milwaukee Brewers' 1986 season involved the Brewers' finishing 6th in the American League East with a record of 77 wins and 84 losses.
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit so far that the batter is able to circle all the bases ending at home plate, scoring himself plus any runners already on base, with no errors by the defensive team on the play. An automatic home run is achieved by hitting the ball on the fly over the outfield fence in fair territory. More rarely, an inside-the-park home run occurs when the hitter reaches home plate while the baseball remains in play on the field. In Major League Baseball (MLB), a player in each league wins the home run title each season by hitting the most home runs that year. Only home runs hit in a particular league count towards that league's seasonal lead. Mark McGwire, for example, hit 58 home runs in 1997, more than any other player that year. However, McGwire was traded from the American League's (AL) Oakland Athletics to the National League's (NL) St. Louis Cardinals midway through the season and his individual AL and NL home run totals (34 and 24, respectively) did not qualify to lead either league.The first home run champion in the National League was George Hall. In the league's inaugural 1876 season, Hall hit five home runs for the short-lived National League Philadelphia Athletics. In 1901, the American League was established and Hall of Fame second baseman Nap Lajoie led it with 14 home runs for the American League Philadelphia Athletics. Over the course of his 22-season career, Babe Ruth led the American League in home runs 12 times. Mike Schmidt and Ralph Kiner have the second and third most home run titles respectively, Schmidt with eight and Kiner with seven, all won in the National League. Kiner's seven consecutive titles from 1946 to 1952 are also the most consecutive home run titles by any player.
Ruth set the Major League Baseball single-season home run record four times, first at 29 (1919), then 54 (1920), 59 (1921), and finally 60 (1927). Ruth's 1920 and 1921 seasons are tied for the widest margin of victory for a home run champion as he topped the next highest total by 35 home runs in each season. The single season mark of 60 stood for 34 years until Roger Maris hit 61 home runs in 1961. Maris' mark was broken 37 years later by both Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa during the 1998 home run record chase, with McGwire ultimately setting the mark at 70. Barry Bonds, who also has the most career home runs, set the current single season record of 73 in 2001. The 1998 and 2001 seasons each had 4 players hit 50 or more home runs – Greg Vaughn, Ken Griffey, Jr., Sosa, and McGwire in 1998 and Alex Rodriguez, Luis Gonzalez, Sosa, and Bonds in 2001. A player has hit 50 or more home runs 42 times, 25 times since 1990. The lowest home run total to lead a major league was four, recorded in the NL by Lip Pike in 1877 and Paul Hines in 1878.
Marshall Edwards
Marshall Lynn Edwards (born August 27, 1952), is a former professional baseball outfielder. He played in three seasons in the major leagues from 1981 until 1983, all for the Milwaukee Brewers. In the fifth and final game of the 1982 ALCS, Edwards subbed for a limping Gorman Thomas in center field in the 8th inning, and made a spectacular catch at the warning track of a deep fly ball off the bat of Don Baylor, helping preserve Milwaukee's narrow margin victory over the California Angels.
Edwards has two brothers who also played in the major leagues, Dave Edwards and Mike Edwards, who is Marshall's twin.
Edwards is retired from baseball and works as a minister at the World Changes International Church.
The Milwaukee Brewers are an American professional baseball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The Brewers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. The team is named for the city's association with the brewing industry. Since 2001, the Brewers have played their home games at Miller Park, which has a seating capacity of 41,900.
The team was founded in 1969 as the Seattle Pilots, an expansion team of the American League (AL), in Seattle, Washington. The Pilots played their home games at Sick's Stadium. After only one season, the team relocated to Milwaukee, becoming known as the Brewers and playing their home games at Milwaukee County Stadium. In 1998, the Brewers joined the National League. They are the only franchise to play in four divisions since the advent of divisional play in Major League Baseball in 1969. They are also one of two current MLB franchises to switch leagues in their history, the other one being the Houston Astros.
The team's only World Series appearance came in 1982. After winning the ALCS against the California Angels, the Brewers faced off against the St. Louis Cardinals in the World Series, losing 4–3. In 2011, the Brewers defeated the Arizona Diamondbacks to win the NLDS 3–2, but lost in the NLCS to the eventual World Series champion Cardinals 4–2.
Outfielder
An outfielder is a person playing in one of the three defensive positions in baseball or softball, farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder. As an outfielder, their duty is to catch fly balls and/ ground balls then to return them to the infield for the out or before the runner advances, if there is any runners on the bases. As an outfielder, they normally play behind the six players located in the field.
By convention, each of the nine defensive positions in baseball is numbered. The outfield positions are 7 (left field), 8 (center field) and 9 (right field). These numbers are shorthand designations useful in baseball scorekeeping and are not necessarily the same as the squad numbers worn on player uniforms.
Outfielders named to the MLB All-Century Team are Hank Aaron, Ty Cobb, Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle, Willie Mays, Stan Musial, Pete Rose, Babe Ruth, Ted Williams and Ken Griffey Jr.
Rick Manning
Richard Eugene Manning (born September 2, 1954) is a former center fielder and current broadcaster in Major League Baseball (MLB), who played for the Cleveland Indians (1975-1983) and Milwaukee Brewers (1983–1987), and has been a color commentator for Cleveland Indians telecasts since 1990.
Thomas Gorman
Thomas Gorman or Tom Gorman may refer to:
Tommy Gorman (1886–1961), Canadian lacrosse player and founder of the National Hockey League (NHL)
Thomas Kiely Gorman (1892–1980), Roman Catholic bishop of Dallas
Tom Gorman (American football) (1910–1975), American football player and coach
Tom Gorman (rugby league) (1901–1978), Australian rugby league player
Tom Gorman (tennis) (born 1946), American tennis player
Tom Gorman, guitarist with the alternative rock group Belly
Tommie Gorman, Irish journalist
1969 Major League Baseball Draft First Round Selections
Jeff Burroughs
J. R. Richard
Ted Nicholson
Randy Sterling
Alan Bannister
Paul Powell
Terry McDermott
Don Stanhouse
Gene Holbert
Noel Jenke
Don Gullett
Alvin McGrew
Roger Metzger
Don Hood
Charles Minott
Balor Moore
John Simmons
Randy Elliott
Milwaukee Brewers first-round draft picks
1968: None
1969: G. Thomas
1970: Porter
1971: Bianco
1972: D. Thomas
1973: Yount
1974: Edge
1975: O'Keefe
1976: Bordley
1977: Molitor
1978: Hernandez
1982: Sveum
1983: Plesac
1984: Clark
1985: Surhoff
1986: Sheffield
1987: Spiers
1988: Fernandez
1989: Eldred, Powell
1991: Henderson, Hill
1992: Felder, Martinez
1993: D'Amico, Wunsch, Dunn, Wagner
1994: Williamson
1995: Jenkins
1998: Gold
1999: Sheets
2000: Krynzel
2001: Jones
2002: Fielder
2003: Weeks
2005: Braun
2006: Jeffress
2007: LaPorta
2008: Lawrie, Odorizzi, Frederickson
2009: Arnett, Davis, Heckathorn
2010: Covey
2011: Jungmann, Bradley
2012: Coulter, Roache, Haniger
2014: Medeiros
2016: Ray
2017: Hiura
2018: Turang
2019: Small
American League season home run leaders
1901: Lajoie
1902: Seybold
1903: Freeman
1904: H. Davis
1908: Crawford
1909: Cobb
1910: Stahl
1911: Baker
1912: Baker & Speaker
1915: Roth
1916: Pipp
1918: Ruth & Walker
1919: Ruth
1922: K. Williams
1925: Meusel
1931: Ruth & Gehrig
1932: Foxx
1934: Gehrig
1935: Greenberg & Foxx
1937: DiMaggio
1938: Greenberg
1941: T. Williams
1943: York
1944: Etten
1950: Rosen
1951: Zernial
1952: Doby
1955: Mantle
1957: Sievers
1959: Killebrew & Colavito
1961: Maris
1962: Killebrew
1965: Conigliaro
1967: Yastrzemski & Killebrew
1968: Howard
1971: Melton
1973: Jackson
1975: Jackson & Scott
1976: Nettles
1977: Rice
1980: Jackson & Oglivie
1981: Grich, Murray, Evans & Armas
1982: Jackson & Thomas
1984: Armas
1985: Evans
1986: Barfield
1987: McGwire
1988: Canseco
1989: McGriff
1991: Canseco & Fielder
1992: González
1994: Griffey Jr.
1995: Belle
2000: Glaus
2001: Rodriguez
2004: Ramirez
2006: Ortiz
2008: Cabrera
2009: Peña & Teixiera
2010: Bautista
2013: C. Davis
2014: Cruz
2016: Trumbo
2017: Judge
2018: K. Davis
Sporting News American League Comeback Player of the Year Award
1965: Cash
1966: Powell
1967: Chance
1968: Harrelson
1970: Wright
1972: Tiant
1973: Hiller
1976: Ellis
1977: Soderholm
1978: Caldwell
1979: Horton
1980: Keough
1981: Zisk
1982: Thornton
1983: Trammell
1984: Kingman
1986: Candelaria
1989: Blyleven
1990: Winfield
1991: Guzmán
1992: Sutcliffe
1995: Wakefield
1996: Elster
1997: Justice
1999: Jaha
2000: F. Thomas
2001: Sierra
2002: Salmon
2003: Meche
2004: Konerko
2005: Giambi
2006: Thome
2007: Peña
2010: Guerrero
2011: Ellsbury
2013: Rivera
2017: Moustakas
2018: Price
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Ozzy Osbourne & Zakk Wylde Come Alive With An Epic Performance Of “Bark At The Moon”
Jeff Kravitz / Getty Images
Ozzy Osbourne Steals The Show At VH1 Rock Honors
These days, the majority of people who are familiar with Ozzy Osbourne in someway would probably only know him for being a reality star, and that obviously sounds absurd thought, but it’s true, unfortunately. That being said, it’s safe to assume that YOU the reader know damn-well who Ozzy Osbourne is. It goes without saying that Ozzy Osbourne is truly one of the Godfathers of heavy metal as we know it. He is… deal with it. 🙂
Paul Natkin / Getty Images
Alongside legendary guitarist Zakk Wylde, Ozzy Osbourne has put on some truly iconic performances and has written some of the most timeless rock anthems ever, and the crazy thing is, he’s still going strong as he’ll be going back into the studio with Zakk to create a new album.
It was in 2007 that Ozzy Osbourne headlined the annual VH1 Rock Honors and as you can imagine, stole the entire show. It was on this night that Ozzy Osbourne and his band played some of their most iconic hits including the one you’ll see here, Bark At The Moon. To put it simply, Ozzy and Zakk’s chemistry in this performance is off the charts! See for yourself.
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Items tagged “ligament”
Acetabular labrum
Acetabular labrum acts to deepen the acetabulum and increase contact between the pelvis and the femoral head. Its exact biomechanical role remains to be fully elucidated. Gross anatomy The acetabular labrum is a C-shaped fibrocartilaginous structure with an opening anteroinferiorly at the site...
Posterolateral ligamentous complex
The posterolateral ligamentous complex (also known as the arcuate ligamentous complex) of the knee is an important stabilizer and consists of a number of structures. Depending on the publication/definition more or less of the following structures are included 1-4: lateral (fibular) collateral l...
Arcuate ligament
The arcuate ligament is part of the posterolateral ligamentous complex of the knee that is variably present, being found in ~65% (range 47.9-71%) of knees. It is a Y-shaped thickening of the posterolateral capsule, which arises from the fibular styloid and divides into two limbs: medial limb: c...
Hill-Sachs lesion
Diagnosis certain
Dr Erik Ranschaert
Iliolumbar ligament
The iliolumbar ligament is a strong band of connective tissue which courses from the transverse process of L5 (in over 96% of cases) to the posterior iliac wing and crest of the ilium. It functions to maintain the alignment of L5 on the sacrum during various movements 1, 2. It is an important l...
Anterior cruciate ligament
Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is one of the two cruciate ligaments that stabilize the knee joint. Gross anatomy The ACL arises from the anteromedial aspect of the intercondylar area on the tibial plateau and passes upwards and backwards to attach to the posteromedial aspect of the lateral ...
Triangular space of cruciate ligaments
Triangular space of cruciate ligaments (TSC) is defined as the potential extrasynovial space between anterior and posterior cruciate ligaments of the knee joint. Gross anatomy Boundaries anteriorly: anterior cruciate ligament posteriorly: posterior cruciate ligament inferiorly: tibial plate...
Lateral collateral ligament of the ankle
The lateral collateral ligament (complex) of the ankle is a set of three ligaments that resist inversion of the ankle joint. They are more commonly injured than the medial collateral (deltoid) ligament of the ankle. They run from the lateral malleolus of the fibula to the talus and calcaneus. ...
Calcaneofibular ligament
The calcaneofibular ligament (CFL) is the middle ligament of the lateral collateral ligament complex of the ankle and stabilizes both the ankle and subtalar joints. Gross anatomy The CFL is an extracapsular round cord measuring 20-25 mm long x 6-8 mm width. Its origin is distal to the anterior...
Posterior talofibular ligament
The posterior talofibular ligament (PTFL) is one of three ligaments that compose the lateral collateral ligament complex of the ankle. When the anterior talofibular and calcaneofibular ligaments are intact, it only has a secondary role in ankle joint stability and is also the least commonly inju...
Proximal MCL osseous avulsion
Dr Matt Skalski
Anterior longitudinal ligament
The anterior longitudinal ligament (ALL) runs along the anterior surface of the vertebral bodies (firmly united to the periosteum) and intervertebral discs (attaching to the anterior annulus). It ascends from the anterosuperior portion of the sacrum inferiorly to the become the anterior atlanto-...
Anterior atlanto-occipital membrane
The anterior atlanto-occipital membrane is a thin membrane that joins the upper border of the anterior arch of the atlas (C1) to the anterior inferior surface of the foramen magnum. It is a continuation of the anterior longitudinal ligament above the C1 level. It is immediately posterior to the ...
Apical ligament
The apical ligament is a small ligament that joins the apex (tip) of the dens of C2 to the anterior margin (basion) of the foramen magnum. It is the weak, fibrous remnant of the notochord and does not contribute significantly to stability. The more posterior alar and cruciate ligaments are stro...
Alar ligament
The alar ligaments join the lateral margins of the sloping upper posterior margin of the dens of C2 to the lateral margins of the foramen magnum (adjacent to the occipital condyles) and lie on either side of the apical ligament. They may be oblique or vertical and are thickest at the occipital a...
Cruciate ligament of the atlas
The cruciate ligament of the atlas (also known as the cruciform ligament) is an important ligamentous complex that holds the posterior dens of C2 in articulation at the median atlantoaxial joint. It lies behind a large synovial bursa (surrounded by loose fibrous capsule) and consists of two band...
Posterior longitudinal ligament
The posterior longitudinal ligament (PLL) is a long and important ligament located immediately posterior to the vertebral bodies (to which it attaches loosely) and intervertebral discs (to which it is firmly attached). It extends from the back of the sacrum inferiorly and gradually broadens as ...
Tectorial membrane of the spine
The tectorial membrane is the thin superior continuation of the posterior longitudinal ligament from the body of the axis. It joins the axis body to the clivus on the anterior half of the foramen magnum, and ascends as high as the spheno-occipital synchondrosis and laterally extends to the hypog...
Ligamentum flavum
The ligamentum flava are paired ligaments which run between adjacent laminae of the vertebral bodies and are present from C2/3 to the sacrum. Above the C2/3 level the equivalent structures are known as the posterior atlanto-occipital membrane (between the base of skull and C1) and the posterior ...
Posterior atlanto-occipital membrane
The posterior atlanto-occipital membrane attaches the upper border of the posterior arch of the atlas (C1) to the outer margin of the foramen magnum. It is continuous with the posterior atlantoaxial membrane (inferiorly) and ligamentum nuchae (posteriorly) and lies immediately posterior to the t...
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Enabling Act
Fire Commission
CHAPTER 2000-393
House Bill No. 867
An act relating to the Immokalee Fire Control District, Collier County;
providing legislative intent; providing for a codification of the special
laws relating to the Immokalee Fire Control District pursuant to s.
191.015, F.S.; codifying, reenacting, and amending all prior special
acts; creating and establishing a fire control and rescue district as
an independent district in Collier County and fixing the boundaries
of the district; providing for a governing body; prescribing the powers
of the board; authorizing the board to establish and maintain
emergency medical services and equipment; authorizing the board
to make policies, rules, regulations, and a fire code; providing for
assessing and collecting taxes, assessments, impact fees, and user
charges; providing that this act shall be construed liberally; providing
for severability; providing for the repeal of chapters 55-30666,
57-1236, 78-490, 80-485, 87-499, 88-513, 91-368, and 98-489, Laws
of Florida, as said laws relate to the district; providing an effective
Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
Section 1. Pursuant to section 191.015, Florida Statutes, this act constitutes
the codification of all special acts relating to the Immokalee Fire
Control District. It is the intent of the Legislature to provide a single,
comprehensive special act charter for the Immokalee Fire Control District
which includes all current legislative authority granted to the district by
general law and by its several legislative enactments, as said laws may be
amended from time to time, and any additional authority granted by this
Section 2. Chapters 55-30666, 57-1236, 78-490, 80-485, 87-499, 88-513,
91-368, and 98-489, Laws of Florida, relating to the Immokalee Fire Control
District, are hereby codified, reenacted, and amended as herein provided.
Section 3. The Immokalee Fire Control District is re-created and the
charter for such district is re-created and reenacted to read:
Section 1. There is hereby made, created and established the Immokalee
Fire Control District, an independent special district, hereinafter referred
to as the district, through the codification and reenactment of the district’s
several legislative enactments, which shall include the following described
lands:
Sections 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20,
21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, and 36 of Township
46 South Range 28 East and Sections 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12,
13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32,
33, 34, 35, and 36 of Township 46 South Range 29 East and Sections 1,
2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23,
24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, and 36 of Township 46 South
Range 30 East and Sections 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15,
and 36 of Township 47 South Range 29 East and Sections 1, 2, 3, 4, 5,
6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26,
27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, and 36 of Township 47 South Range 30
East and Sections 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, and
18 of Township 48 South Range 29 East and Sections 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7,
8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27,
28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, and 36 of Township 48 South Range 30 East.
All of said land being located in Collier County as set forth in public
records thereof.
Section2. Governing body.—The district shall be governed by a board
which shall consist of five resident electors of the district elected by a vote
of the electors of the district pursuant to the laws of Florida, as said laws
may be amended from time to time.
Section 3. Officers; powers.—Within 60 days after the election of members
of the board, the members shall meet and elect from the membership
a chairman, a vice chairman, a secretary, and a treasurer; provided, however,
the same member may be both secretary and treasurer. The district
shall have and the board may exercise those general and special powers
prescribed by chapter 191, Florida Statutes, or any other applicable general
law or special law, as said laws may be amended from time to time.
Section 4. Emergency medical and rescue response services.—The district
is authorized to establish and maintain emergency medical and rescue
response services and acquire and maintain rescue, medical, transport, and
other emergency equipment, as prescribed by general law and special law,
as said laws may be amended from time to time.
Section 5. Policies, rules and regulations, and fire code.—The board is
authorized to make and adopt policies, rules, regulations, and a fire code for
the prevention of fires, for fire control, and for the provision of rescue services
within the district. Such policies, rules, regulations, and fire code shall
be adopted in accordance with applicable general law and special law, as
said laws may be amended from time to time.
Section 6. Taxes; non-ad valorem assessments; impact fees; user
charges.—The district board shall fix and cause to be levied on all property
of the district, a millage sufficient to meet the requirements of the adopted
budget; provided, however, 2 mills is the maximum that can be levied in any
1 year, except as provided in chapter 191, Florida Statutes, or any other
applicable general law or special law, as said laws may be amended from
time to time. In addition, the district shall have such authority to levy
non-ad valorem assessments and charge impact fees and user charges as
prescribed in chapter 191, Florida Statutes, and all other applicable general
Section 7. Assessment and collection of taxes, assessments, impact fees,
and user charges.—Taxes, assessments, impact fees, and user charges as
provided herein shall be assessed and collected in the manner prescribed by
time to time.
Section 4. This act shall be construed as a remedial act and shall be
liberally construed to promote the purpose for which it is intended which is
a codification, reenactment, and repeal of the several legislative enactments
of the district.
Section 5. If any clause, section, or provision of this act is declared unconstitutional
or invalid for any cause or reason it shall be eliminated from this act, and
the remaining portion of the act shall remain in full force and effect
as if said unconstitutional or invalid portion had not been incorporated
herein.
91-368, and 98-489, Laws of Florida, as said laws relate to the district, are
repealed.
Section 7. This act shall take effect upon becoming a law.
Approved by the Governor May 22, 2000.
Filed in Office Secretary of State May 22, 2000.
chief@immfire.com
502 New Market Rd E. Immokalee, FL 34142
© 2019 Immokalee Fire Control District
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New series of podcasts by renowned psychologist Dr Linda Papadopoulos
The well-known psychologist, author and columnist, Dr Linda Papadopoulos recently launched a new weekly series of podcasts, called “The Psychology Behind”. The podcasts are uploaded on the platform AudioBoom, but are also available on multiple platforms: Apple Podcasts, iTunes, Spotify as well as any other website that hosts podcasts. People can access the podcasts for free, while every week new material will be posted.
Dr Papadopoulos offers advice on anger management, nutrition, how human behaviour affects us as well as trust in the workplace. “I am often approached and asked by people about how to cope with the challenges that life throws at them. It’s been a privilege to have people reach out and tell me their stories–and this is why I decided to produce The Psychology Behind,” said Dr Papadopoulos. “Through the podcast technology, the fact that someone can listen to evidence-based theory and advice at a time and place that suits them is a real leap forward in the way that we approach mental health and well-being and I am thrilled to be a part of it.” she adds.
Dr Linda Papadopoulos is one of the best-known psychologists working in the United Kingdom today. Her CV includes a remarkable academic career, creating and leading successful postgraduate and research programmes. She has authored many books, including “Unfollow”, “Whose Life is it Anyway?”, “The Man-Manual”, “Mirror: Dr. Linda’s Body Image Revolution”, “What Men Say What Women Hear” and “Psychodermatology: The Psychological Impact of Skin Disorders”. She has been a columnist in a permanent column of the Cosmopolitan magazine for 15 years. She often writes articles in various publications and she has often made appearances in American and international TV and radio networks such as CNN, BBC, Sky News, Channel 5 News, CBS, Discovery, CNBC, VH1 and MTV. Her show “My Naked Secret” is being aired on Discovery TLC. Currently, she appears on two Netflix shows, “Inside the Mind of a Serial Killer” and “Autopsy: The Final Hours”.
Dr Linda is a Chartered Psychologist and an Associate Fellow of the British Psychological Society. She has worked in various treatment settings both privately, with her own practice and in the National Health Service. During her 20 years as a clinician, she has gained extensive experience in the counselling of individuals, couples and families. She was recently included in the Top 20 therapists in London by the Evening Standard newspaper.
Her recent work on the effect of social media networks on mental and cognitive health has been met with huge praise. This has prompted many companies around the world, including Google, to invite her to provide counselling services. Today she is an ambassador of the not-for-profit organisation Internet Matters, which consults parents on helping their children navigate the online sphere.
As a psychologist and as a mother Dr Papadopoulos draws inspiration from young people who have developed a positive body image and have a healthy self-esteem. Her philosophy is that when an individual feels good about themselves, their challenges and their successes, they are inevitably led to accept the image they see in the mirror.
Dr Papadopoulos lives in London with her husband, who is Cypriot and their daughter.
Collaboration with Audioboom
Her collaboration with the podcast platform Audioboom is very important, since its goal is to give people the opportunity to access evidence-based advice, through the ease and the flexibility of podcasting. “Dr Linda is a well-respected professional who has offered real insight with regards to the content that we choose to include on our platform, since her advice guides her audience on serious life issues”, the Senior Vice President of Audioboom Ruth Fitzsimons, notes.
Audioboom is a global podcasting platform that unifies the on-demand content enterprise, making the material accessible and wide-reaching. It operates globally, with offices in North America, Europe, Asia, Australia and Latin America, creating an affordable and user-friendly experience. It hosts over 8,000 active channels, with notable partners from all around the world, and receives over 60,000,000 listener requests, allowing its users to share their content through Apple podcasts, Google Play, Spotify, Facebook as well as their own websites and apps.
What is Podcasting
Podcasting is a new initiative by amateurs as well as professionals. It is a new kind of “on-demand” web radio that someone can listen to when they want to. Its function is as follows: The creator/producer records their speeches and uploads them on the platform. Users can then download them on a mobile device or an mp3 player and listen to them whenever they wish. Podcasts are incredibly popular abroad, while in Cyprus the trend has also been growing in the last few years.
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IUPUI
Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI), a partnership between Indiana and Purdue universities, is Indiana’s urban research and academic health sciences campus. IUPUI’s mission is to advance the state of Indiana and the intellectual growth of its citizens to the highest levels nationally and internationally through research and creative activity, teaching and learning, and civic engagement. By offering a distinctive range of bachelor’s, master’s, professional, and Ph.D. degrees, IUPUI promotes the educational, cultural, and economic development of central Indiana and beyond through innovative collaborations, external partnerships, and a strong commitment to diversity.
IUPUI played an integral role in helping ICESA win its Office on Women’s Health grant. ICESA is especially grateful to IUPUI Counseling and Psychological Services and IUPUI Office for Women for their visionary leadership in best practices for sexual violence response and prevention.
Learn More About Christine Contact Christine
Campus Liason: Christine Kung'u
Assistant Director of Interpersonal Violence Prevention and Response
Christine Kung’u joined IUPUI Division of Student Affairs in September, 2017. As the assistant director of interpersonal violence prevention and response, Christine is responsible for the strategic planning and coordination of the prevention, education, intervention and advocacy efforts related to sexual assault and relationship violence for the IUPUI campus. Christine offers face-to face confidential advocacy and support and is also the designated originator for interim measures, a process required by Title IX.
Christine has over 8 years of experience working with survivors of sexual assault and relationship violence in Kenya and the U.S. which has provided her unique insights and made her sensitive to the needs of survivors. Using the trauma informed lens, she understands that trauma affects each individual differently and works to meet survivors at their point of need and assist them in accessing the resources they need, which include safety planning, legal services, counseling, and other support services. Her particular interests include working with survivors of sexual and relationship violence and understanding the intersection of law and social justice issues.
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DREAM 11
Caster Semenya’s future in doubt after she says no to medication to lower testosteronehttps://indianexpress.com/article/sports/sport-others/caster-semenya-wins-800-metres-two-days-after-losing-appeal-against-new-rules-5709620/
Caster Semenya’s future in doubt after she says no to medication to lower testosterone
Double Olympic champion Caster Semenya won her last 800 metres race on Friday before the introduction of controversial rules limiting testosterone levels in female athletes which she had battled for years to stop.
By Reuters | Updated: May 4, 2019 11:49:11 am
Caster Semenya wins women’s 800, wants to defend world title
Weight gain, fever, nausea: Semenya recalls nightmare
Caster Semenya denied entry into Rabat 800 metres race
The much-awaited CAS verdict could impact the career of 800m Olympic champion Caster Semenya. (Reuters)
Double Olympic champion Caster Semenya’s future was in doubt on Friday after she said she would not take medication to lower her testosterone levels to comply with new rules for the 800 metres.
There was confusion about how she will be able to compete in her specialist event again, as the 28-year-old South African declared “Hell no!” when asked if she would take testosterone-lowering medication.
At Friday’s Diamond League meeting in Doha, she was adamant she would be back in the Qatari capital in September to defend her 800 metres world title. But how she plans to do that without conforming to the new rules remained unclear.
Semenya easily won the 800 metres event on Friday, the last time she will be able to run that distance before the International Association of Athletics Federations’ testosterone limiting rules come into effect on May 8.
Under the new regulations, female athletes with high natural levels of testosterone wishing to compete in events from 400m to a mile must medically limit that level to under 5 nmol/L, double the normal female range of below 2 nmol/L.
Semenya, who has battled for years against the new rules and was competing two days after losing her appeal at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), also refused to clarify suggestions that she would switch to a new distance that is exempt.
However, she said she would return to Doha in September to compete in the 800m at the world championships.
“Yes of course … I will be here defending the world title,” she said, adamantly rejecting suggestions she would quit the sport altogether.
“I’m never going anywhere,” she said. “At the end of the day, it’s all about believing.
“God has decided my career and he will end my career, so no human can stop me from running. I understand there’s been a lot of controversy but that does not control anything.”
In Wednesday’s ruling, CAS said the regulations were necessary for athletes with differences in sexual development (DSDs) to ensure fair competition. Semenya’s legal team said it was considering appealing that ruling.
The case is likely to have far-reaching consequences for women’s sport, and has split opinion around the globe.
“We’re doing it for the next generation. We want to inspire them,” Semenya said.
“I believe in my legal team, they will do their best to get me back on the track.”
Following the CAS case, other sporting bodies may now choose to set their own parameters for participation by athletes with difference in sexual development (DSD) in their individual codes.
Semenya cruised home on Friday as she won her 30th successive race over the distance in one minute 54.98 seconds, nearly three seconds ahead of Burundi’s Francine Niyonsaba.
Given a warm reception by a sparse crowd at Doha’s Khalifa International Stadium as the runners were presented at the start, Semenya bided her time before taking the lead with around 300 metres left and then powered away from the rest of the field.
Niyonsaba, Olympic silver medallist in 2016, recently revealed she had similar DSD characteristics to Semenya.
If Semenya wants to continue with the 800m, she must now begin taking medication to lower her testosterone levels, based on the new rules. Testosterone is a hormone that increases muscle mass, strength and haemoglobin – which affects endurance.
Semenya could compete in longer distances not affected by the rule change.
She claimed the 5,000-metres title at the South African Athletics Championships last week, an event not covered by the IAAF regulations, but in a modest time of 16:05.97, well below the qualifying standard for the world championships of 15:22.00.
“I’m a crazy athlete, I switch events like hell but, yeah, 800 metres is my calling, I believe in it, and that’s what I want to do,” she said.
“I will switch races when I want to — no man can tell me what to do. I’m here for a purpose, if I want to switch events I switch them, but if someone wants me to switch them, that’s their own problem, not mine.
“I’m a power athlete, I can run from 100 metres to 5 km, so I can run any race I want.”
Sport Others
Caster Semenya's future in doubt after she says no to medication to lower testosterone
1 Neeraj Chopra undergoes elbow surgery, doubtful for Doha World Championships
2 Bajrang Punia wins gold at Ali Aliyev wrestling
3 Sad for Caster Semenya, IAAF’s wrong policy on hyperandrogenism caused her loss, says Dutee Chand
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Bye Queen, hey King
Posted on April 29, 2013 April 29, 2013 by gatsie
It is Monday the 29th of April. Tonight we in The Netherlands will have our last Queen’s Night and tomorrow will be our last Queen’s Day Celebration. Traditionally, throughout the country there will be people selling their junk on the streets on these days, accompanied with lots of orange colored snacks and drinks, live music and games. The streets will be packed with people dressed in orange, getting wasted and having a good time. If you’ve ever been to Amsterdam before; during this time of year it is extra crazy there.
The Queen normally visits a town each year, to celebrate the event with. But since the Queen will abdicate and her son will take over the throne, things will be done differently this year.
Today Queen Beatrix will address the Dutch nation for the last time, reflecting on her 33 years on the throne. Her speech will be aired live on national television and radio at 20.30. Later in the evening, the Queen will host a farewell dinner in the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. Foreign guests will accompany her during this get-together and will stick around for the crowning of Queen Beatrix’ son and daughter-inlow, King-to-be Willem-Alexander and Queen-to-be Maxima.
Dutch television will be broadcasting 14 hours of live coverage of tomorrow’s events: Which starts with the Queen signing the instrument of abdication between 10.oo and 10:30 in the morning in the Royal Palace in Amsterdam. At that moment, Willem-Alexander and Maxima will officially become King and Queen of The Netherlands. The old and new monarch will then appear together on the palace balcony, overlooking the Dam Square.
The party doesn’t end there. The new King and Queen will also go to the Nieuwe Kerk in Amsterdam and do a whole lot of tradition and official stuff. After the all of that, Willem-Alexander and Máxima will do a boat tour on the IJ so even more people can admire the royal couple.
This lil’ Royal party won’t be too cheap: The inauguration alone is costing the government 5 million euros, excluding security measures… But that’s not all! The city of Amsterdam is spending another 7 million euros on the event. Police will deploy 6,000 officers, 3,500 brought in from other parts of the country, to make sure things won’t get out of hand.
Some people are scared for a big riot tomorrow in Amsterdam. Not all the Dutchies are too happy about the Royal Family. There are some of us Dutchies who think the whole thing is a waste of taxes, some think it’s old-fashioned to live in a Monarch in this modern world. Hell, when Queen Beatrix was crowned 33 years ago things got way out of hand too.. It’s almost a tradition to riot during events like these.
There are others though, who can’t help but feel nostalgic towards the Dutch Royalties. Because they have been representing for The Netherlands for centuries. They are like the wallpaper you’ve grown accustomed to throughout the years….
To say that today and tomorrow will be interesting for us Dutchies is an understatement. These events are historical. Meanwhile my mom, my sis and I are going to celebrate this year’s last Queen’s Day and Queen’s night as simple as possible. We will have a stroll downtown later on tonight, to check the junk people are selling on the streets. But most of the time we will be having orange snacks while watching the entire event on TV.
Posted in BrainfartsTagged Dutch, holland, Queen Beatrix, royal family, Royalty, the netherlands
Pinky Elefant’s Monday Post
The Last Queens Day
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Merchant’s Bank Building, 20 Westminster Street
587.20WestminsterEntry
542.Merchants_1
588.MerchantsBank
586.MerchantsBankStoneRepair
Situated in the heart historic of Providence, when this shockingly narrow six-story masonry building was built in 1840, it was the tallest building in Providence and played a key role in the city’s maritime past. Still containing multiple bank vaults, it played an important role in the city’s history as a financial hub of New England, and is a contributing structure in the National Register Historic District. Situated on the banks of the Providence River, it took advantage of its waterside location and catered to merchants arriving with precious cargo. From structural evidence and historic photos, the top story was built after the original was constructed, and the ornamental stonework of the lower facade replicated.
After use as an office building, and home for many years to RISD Works, it was vacant for many years until a new life as upscale residences with a ground floor restaurant was undertaken. KITE helped the developers with appropriate interior layouts, details, and finishes to the interiors. The construction challenges of a tight urban site were dealt with as the decaying stonework were stabilized and new openings with wood windows crafted to match the original were created. Now completed, the mixed-use building contains the ground floor restaurant Cilantro, and high-ceilinged sophisticated apartments with unparalleled riverfront and city views.
As a recipient of State and Federal Historic Tax Credits, the project was subject to Department of the Interior standards, and also benefited from the special provisions of the RI State Rehabilitation Code. The central historic staircase was allowed to be maintained, and historic elements such as the ornate main entry were preserved.
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Los Angeles Galaxy vs Los Angeles FC, August 24, 2018
LAFC Supporters
Carson, CA - Friday August 24, 2018: The Los Angeles Galaxy and Los Angeles FC played to a 1-1 tie during a Major League Soccer (MLS) game at StubHub Center.
Los Angeles Galaxy vs Los Angeles FC
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Leaky San Diego: "America's Finest City" Mirroring DC
by Jeff Powers, published Jun 29, 2017
https://twitter.com/acbowen/status/880575437432160257
San Diego, CALIF. - The eighth largest city in America is no stranger to political scandals.
From Enron by the Sea, to the sudden resignations of Mayors Dick Murphy and Bob Filner, the City of San Diego has not been deprived of shortcomings. And now, the place affectionately called America's Finest City, has a new scandal brewing.
Not to be outdone by the constant flow of leaks in Washington, D.C., the city attorney of San Diego, Mara Elliott, in a memo released Thursday, is calling for the immediate resignation of the city employee(s) responsible for leaking a classified document related to a controversial development project, known as SoccerCity.
The proposed project has had a bumpy road in its bid to replace the Qualcomm stadium location where the NFL's Chargers used to play.
In her memo Elliott wrote, "The 16-page memorandum analyzes the City’s position and risks as it negotiates the terms of the Qualcomm Stadium lease that would be required should the Soccer City initiative pass."
"The person or persons who gave this confidential legal analysis to FS Investors did more than commit a crime. They betrayed the taxpayers of San Diego. Given this egregious breach of public trust, I further expect that the person or persons responsible will step forward, identify themselves, and resign their positions with the City."
How Nick Stone of FS Investors, the hedge fund behind the SoccerCity initiative, came into possession of the document is the issue.
Elliott has asked Stone, through his attorney Christopher Garrett of Latham & Watkins LLP, to explain how the confidential language reached his hands.
In an interview with KPBS Stone said, "The document did not come to me from a city employee. Had I been aware that the memo was not intended to be made public, I would not have shared it with my attorney — and he certainly would not have referenced it in a public letter." Stone continued, "In our minds, this memo was consistent with an earlier public memo about the initiative from the City Attorney's office that was sent to the media even before it was released to the client, the City Council and the mayor."
Garrett has taken to the airwaves to defend his position. In a tv interview, Garrett seemed unaware of the confidential status of the memo:
"I was quite shocked to find out that that memo was something that she considered to be confidential, it's quoted in my letter and everything else," said Garrett
He continued, "[The memo] was floating around the council chambers, I thought everybody had it on Monday, and when I spoke to the council about it I thought they knew I had the memo."
Garrett's position does seem a bit odd because the document was marked confidential with a disclaimer right on the cover.
According to Elliott, Mayor Kevin Faulconer and City Council members requested the analysis so they could best protect the public’s interest in their dealings with FS Investors. She states that nearly a dozen attorneys in her office devoted hundreds of hours to researching and preparing the memorandum. With history as our guide, this new San Diego scandal will no doubt have many twists and turns.
Jeff Powers is an award-winning journalist. He joins the IVN team as a news editor and writer. Jeff grew up in San Diego where he still resides.
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Umm Suqeim 1
United Arab Emirates Dubai
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Book Bushido
We have dates available for clubs, venues, festivals and other opportunities throughout Europe
Book Bushido now
Bushido Available now
Contact: Jozef Akcay | jozef@j-noah.com | +31640958479
Request booking info
HEAR IT FIRST.
German gangsta rap trailblazer Bushido was born Anis Mohamed Youssef Ferchichi on September 28, 1978, in the Tempelhof district of West Berlin. Of Tunisian and German decent, Anis left school early, becoming involved with crime and drugs. A court-ordered painting apprenticeship alongside future labelmate Fler turned the corner for the young artist. He released a mixtape in 1999 that never saw major distribution, but paved the way for a relationship with the Aggro Berlin label. With Aggro Berlin, Anis, taking the name Bushido (the ancient honor code of the Samurai), worked with Germany’s rising stars of hip-hop like Sido, B-Tight, and Fler. King of Kingz was released in 2003, followed by a remixed release a year later. In 2004 he jumped labels to Universal, a move that started a long-running beef between Bushido and Sido that would last for seven years. With them he released Electro Ghetto later that year, which reached number six on German charts. Bushido used the pseudonym Sonny Black to release other works, including 2002’s Carlo Cokxxx Nutten, which he then re-released during his time with Universal.
Bushido‘s hard-edged, racist, misogynistic, and nationalistic lyrics caught the attention of neo-Nazi audiences and government officials alike. His material brought questions about content control to the forefront of Germany’s attention. The German public has never had any cause to doubt Bushido‘s authenticity, with a string of indictments for violent offenses running the length of his career. His 2005 release Von der Skyline zum Bordstein Zurück (From the Skyline Back to the Curb) ensured his status as Germany’s number one proponent of the thug life, with its raw, crime-themed lyrics. A string of further popular albums followed, including 2011’s Jenseits von Gut und Böse (Beyond Good and Evil) and 2012’s AMYF. In 2011, he also finally resolved his feud with Sido and they recorded a collaborative album, 23. It was by far the biggest success to that date for either artist, reaching number three on the German albums chart. Bushido‘s 11th album, AMYF, arrived the next year, topping German and Swiss charts. Sonny Black was released in 2014, once again peaking at number one in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. In the summer of 2017, Bushido released Black Friday, featuring guests like AK Ausserkontrolle, Shindy, and Fler.
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Bases Loaded
From The Weekly Standard. July 29, 2013.
Order this Book through Amazon.com
The Summer of Beer and Whiskey: How Brewers, Barkeeps, Rowdies, Immigrants, and a Wild Pennant Fight Made Baseball America's Game
Author: Edward Achorn
Publisher: PublicAffairs
Much has been written about the origins and earliest years of baseball, and much, much more has been written about the period after the founding of the American League and the introduction of the rule to make foul balls strikes in 1901, from which point most people date the modern game.
Much less well known is the period from the founding of the National League (NL) in 1876 to the end of the century, and Edward Achorn helps to fill in the gap with The Summer of Beer and Whiskey — an allusion to the short-lived American Association (AA), also known as the Beer and Whiskey League, for its owners’ practice (unlike that of the more abstemious NL) of selling alcoholic beverages to spectators. In particular, he concentrates on the exciting pennant race of the 1883 season, which he regards as the real beginning of baseball — or "base ball," as it was then known — as the national pastime.
The AA, which was one of several startup leagues in the last quarter of the 19th century, and which was to amalgamate with the National League nine years later, had been founded the year before as a sort of salon des refusés for teams expelled from the stodgier NL by its dictatorial president, William Hulbert of the Chicago White Stockings. Hulbert objected not only to the beer and whiskey but also to the AA teams’ charging only 25 cents admission and playing on Sundays. That kind of thing, he thought, would attract the wrong sort to the game and would drive away the professional classes, which, though smaller in numbers than the raucous crowds that showed up for AA games, were clearly a better class of people.
Achorn’s history lesson goes down easily not only because of his account of the epic battle between the St. Louis Brown Stockings and the Philadelphia Athletics, which was full of drama and came down to the last day of the season, but also because of the colorful characters who populated the game in those days. Chief among them, and the hero of this volume, was a German immigrant named Chris Von der Ahe, a St. Louis grocer and saloonkeeper who bought the Browns chiefly as a way to sell more beer. Though he was a buffoonish character of ridiculous appearance and very uncertain command of English, Von der Ahe was farsighted about the future of baseball and deserves to be remembered as one of the pioneers of the professional game—as well as a memorable figure in his own right.
Von der Ahe’s own knowledge of the game was sketchy, to say the least. At one point, he bragged that his diamond at Sportsman’s Park was the biggest in the league, until it was explained to him that they were all of a standard size. But he was shrewd enough to hire as his manager an Irish immigrant named Ted Sullivan, who built the team into a powerhouse, and he was temperamental enough to fire Sullivan and take over the team himself as the season approached its exciting climax. His passionate nature got him into more than one kind of trouble, and eventually he lost the team and all his money. A hundred years ago this summer, at the age of 61, he died broke and, like so many of his star players of 30 years before, all but forgotten.
Even without the beer and the Sunday games, there was a more-than-faintly scandalous air about baseball in those early days. Professional players were frequently drunks and womanizers, or in trouble with the law. Some who came from what were considered "good" families—like Harry Stovey, born Harry Stowe, of Philadelphia and the Athletics—changed their names so that the family name would not be sullied and, in some cases, so that the families wouldn’t know how they were making their living.
The game also took a hard physical toll on its players, whose careers tended to be short. In those days, pitchers were routinely expected not only to pitch complete games but to pitch on successive days—until their arms were so worn out that a second pitcher had to be put in. Some teams ran to the luxury of a third pitcher, but usually this was a player at another position who could turn his hand to pitching when both regular pitchers were incapacitated. Then the incapacitated ones, if they were capable of walking at all, would often have to play in the field and take their turn at bat. Team rosters consisted of only 12 or 13 men, with those not playing on a given day obliged to take tickets.
Though the "dead ball" era is usually dated from 1901 to 1920, the 1883 ball was perhaps even deader. It was rubber-centered, rather than cork, and only one was normally used per game — which made rigor mortis set in by the late innings. Foul balls were still not strikes, but those caught on the bounce were outs. Seven balls were required for a walk, and batters could choose high or low strike zones. The plate umpire had to adjust with each batter, and was further kept busy by having to rule from behind the plate on long foul balls and plays on the base paths, as he was the only umpire on the field. There is no record of spectators actually killing an umpire, but more than one of them had to run from a mob of "fans" (Ted Sullivan may have coined the term that season) — in fear for his life.
Batters hit by a pitch did not take their base, which led some pitchers, such as George Washington "Grin" Bradley of the Athletics and Tony Mullane of the Browns, to hit people deliberately as a form of intimidation. Pitchers did not stand on a mound, but in a four-by-six-foot pitcher’s box, which allowed them a brief run-up for their delivery. The front edge of the pitcher’s box was only 50 feet from home plate and further increased a pitcher’s scope for intimidation. Officially, at that time, the pitcher’s elbow was not allowed to rise above his shoulder, a relic of the days when pitching had been underhand. But the rule was widely flouted in 1883 and was changed to allow an overhand delivery the following year.
The Athletics’ most sensational (if not always their best) pitcher was Dan "Jumping Jack" Jones, recruited right out of Yale, the Ivy League champions, in the heat of the pennant struggle as relief for the team’s fading stars, Bradley and little Bobby "Shrimp" Mathews. Jones’s distinctive delivery involved a leap skywards to give further impetus to the ball and was widely ridiculed even when it briefly made him successful. Nobody as yet wore a glove, except for the catcher — Jones’s battery-mate from Yale, Al Hubbard, was signed along with him — who had two of them, one on each hand with the fingers cut off. Naturally, playing hurt was a normal part of the game for more than just pitchers.
"Base Ball is old in the world," a joke from the St. Louis Globe-Democrat of the period informed its readers, "as is proven by the very first line of Genesis: ‘In the big inning . . .’ " Baseball may not be as old as the world, but it’s good to learn that the joke is almost as old as baseball, whose colorful early days and characters, especially Chris Von der Ahe, could hardly have hoped for a better retelling than Edward Achorn’s.
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Irony of Ironies
From The New Criterion. May 31, 2019.
When as a young man I went to live among the English for some years, I was puzzled by many things that their language, ostensibly my own, habitually expressed by using words that I could understand but so arranged that I couldn’t understand them. Not the least of these enigmatical expressions, to my American ears, was "self-parody." People would apply the expression to those of whom they were inclined to be critical, so I knew that the expression was also critical. But I still couldn’t quite see how it was critical. How could somebody be a parody of himself? It was only when my ear became further attuned to the British habit of ironical discourse and I began to understand how there is always a gap of some size, large or small, between the way people see themselves and the way they are seen by others — that gap which satire is perpetually being invited to fill — and that this gap, beyond a certain point of self-absorption, would inevitably become obvious to pretty much everyone but the self-absorbed ones themselves.
Irony’s sine qua non, however, is a culturally (and linguistically) shared sense of reality — that reality against which self-importance and self-deception can be measured and found wanting. Without it, irony and the ironical temperament must decline and fall, and that is in fact what we see happening today, even in Britain. How else to explain the fact that, so far at least, none of the parliamentary posturers over Brexit has yet been laughed off the public stage (though some have departed it)? How else to explain why a walking self-parody like Jeremy Corbyn is still the leader of the Labour party? It was Mr Corbyn, you may remember, who once said that Jews don’t understand English irony, thus betraying his own irony deficiency as well as that of the not insignificant portion of the country which has made him prime minister in waiting.
In America, I’m afraid, irony has declined even further, along with that shared sense of reality which makes it possible. Here in recent years we have come to think it the height of bad manners not to recognize everybody’s right to his own, private reality — including his preferred self-image — or to laugh at that pseudo-reality’s deviation from the kind that all of us used to share. "My" truth, at least in polite society, must always take precedence over "the" truth, since the latter is presumed to be either non-existent or unknowable or in the most extreme cases, such as that of the media, identical with "my" truth. Only some such belief could have produced an intellectual Wunderkind from Harvard to advocate, as one did some years ago, irony’s abolition — though perhaps he was only doing so ironically.
As that example reveals, until reality is entirely privatized, irony will go on undiminished, although to one degree or another deferred in its power to debunk. For it has never been clearer that, in our own time, our cultural betters in the media are by now at least as irony-blind as Jeremy Corbyn, even when they have not themselves become, as Nobel prize-winning columnist Paul Krugman has, a self-parody for the ages — though, alas, only for ages to come. As I write, Mr Krugman’s latest column is headed: "Donald Trump Is Trying to Kill You," and if no one at The New York Times is any longer capable of seeing or hearing the screaming self-parody in that headline, it may be centuries before the radioactive intellectual desert that is today’s media will once again become hospitable to the growth of irony, or the self-awareness on which irony feeds.
You can tell as much from the media’s response to the Mueller report’s conclusion that, contrary to what they have been reporting with ever growing confidence for the past two years — confidence, that is, that their truth was the truth — President Trump did not, after all, collude with Russia to steal the 2016 election from their preferred candidate, Hillary Clinton. Anyone who has been paying attention could have predicted that the media’s new breed of propagandists would be unfazed by such a balk. Their self-importance is now such that they are simply incapable of imagining that they could be wrong about anything in which they have invested so much of their time, energy and credibility as the Trump-Russia narrative.
Such self-certainty must also be what gives them, in their own view, a sort of divine right to be seen by others just as they see themselves, rather like Representative Ilhan Omar of Minnesota who, according to the New York Post, has asked God to forgive the president for mocking her — as if it could only have been by inadvertency that the Almighty neglected to include among the Ten Commandments the one forbidding any mockery of Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn). Perhaps it was meant to go in place of the one about bearing false witness. The media regularly speak or write of Mr Trump’s criticisms of themselves as a threat to their constitutionally-guaranteed freedom, which they must therefore suppose includes freedom from criticism. Those who dare to criticize them are presumably wrong by definition and can be automatically disregarded, and even expelled from decent society, since it is not possible for the media’s idea of themselves as noble crusaders for the unbiased Truth to be mistaken.
Self-parody in such a case is inevitable. The top example, in my view, came (as it so often does), from The New York Times whose edition of March 26th ran an article by Astead W. Herndon and Richard Fausset whose headline read: "Disappointed Fans of Mueller Rethink the Pedestal They Built for Him." In other words, Mr Mueller must have blundered, somehow, since it was obviously impossible that The New York Times and other "fans" of the Special Counsel could have done so. Someone on Twitter said that the headline sounded as if it had come from The Onion, but it’s actually funnier than the one that The Onion came up with on the same day — "Liberal Feels Like Idiot For Placing Entirety Of Hopes On Mueller Probe Instead Of New York Prosecutors’ Investigation" — or even the one from the previous day: "Man Who Spent Last 2 Years Drawing Pictures Of Trump And Putin Making Out Beginning To Realize Just How Wrong He’s Been." It’s hard to avoid the suspicion that, at The Onion, they find that funny because they think he’s not wrong — any more than they are — since the would-be parodists, in this case, are also self-parodists.
In this connection, see also the Times’s gripping post-Mueller podcast of "The Argument" (not an Argument, mind you, but the Argument) featuring three anti-Trumpers (Ross Douthat, Michele Goldberg and David Leonhardt) discussing "Who Botched the Mueller Report?" — "And Should We Abolish the Electoral College?" I somehow managed to skip it. Or what about the same paper’s report on the following day of how the "Mueller Report Exceeds 300 Pages, Raising Questions About Four-Page Summary." That was also a popular talking point among congressional Democrats like Adam Schiff and Jerrold Nadler who clung with particular ferocity to the hope that, if the report’s bottom line was that there was no collusion, there might nevertheless be tucked away in some corner of its 300-plus pages a slender reed of evidence on which Collusion Mark II could be founded. In the old days, that would have been obviously comic self-delusion on their part, but neither Mr Schiff nor Mr Nadler looks like a man who feels in any danger of being laughed at.
And, indeed, the laughter must die on our lips, too, when we realize that, on the release of the full report, some such pretext for nullifying its conclusion is not just likely but absolutely certain to be found by those who are determined to find one, as these men and many of their supporters are — and that there will be few of the people they care about who are prepared to fault them for it, let alone laugh at them. After a couple of weeks of such shenanigans, I finally realized what the media’s desperate will to believe in Mr Mueller as vanquisher of the hated Trump reminded me of, which was a particularly virulent form of unrequited adolescent love — love that is more like worship than love, love that is blind, unthinking and undiscourageable, love that remains undiminished when all hope is gone and hope that is inextinguishable no matter how often disappointed.
The Suicide of Young Werther
There is nothing more ridiculous to those who do not feel it themselves, than such puppy love; there is nothing more serious or more momentous for those who do feel it, which is why it can lead, in extreme cases, to suicide. Like the many followers of Goethe’s young Werther two hundred years ago, such lovers can only still the laughter of maturity at them and claim a share in reality for their phantasm of love by killing themselves. That will show them! And some similar thought must be what lies behind the intellectual suicide of the Trump-era media, for which I can think of no other explanation. As so often in the last two and a half years, it is instructive to go back to the original suicide note, written by Jim Rutenberg and published in The New York Times on August 8, 2016:
If you’re a working journalist and you believe that Donald J. Trump is a demagogue playing to the nation’s worst racist and nationalistic tendencies, that he cozies up to anti-American dictators and that he would be dangerous with control of the United States nuclear codes, how the heck are you supposed to cover him? Because if you believe all of those things, you have to throw out the textbook American journalism has been using for the better part of the past half-century, if not longer, and approach it in a way you’ve never approached anything in your career.
Again like the teenage lover, he cites the world-shaking importance of what he feels as too great to be judged by the ordinary rules of sober adult conduct. Dare you doubt it? He’s prepared to destroy his own and his paper’s reputation to prove it to you. Little wonder, then, that neither can admit to error, or even to recognize that error is possible for him.
Not that there weren’t some honest journalists who recognized the disaster to the media that the Mueller report represented. But for the most part they missed the bigger, more revealing story of how the media themselves remained oblivious to the fact. Sean Davis of "The Federalist," writing in The Wall Street Journal editorial pages, of "A Catastrophic Media Failure" saw that "it wasn’t merely an error here or there":
America’s blue-chip journalists botched the entire story, from its birth during the presidential campaign to its final breath Sunday — and they never stopped congratulating themselves for it. Last year the New York Times and Washington Post shared a Pulitzer Prize "for deeply sourced, relentlessly reported coverage in the public interest that dramatically furthered the nation’s understanding of Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election and its connections to the Trump campaign, the President-elect’s transition team and his eventual administration." A 2017 Time magazine cover depicted the White House getting a "makeover" to transform it into the Kremlin. All based on a theory — that the president of the United States was a Russian asset — produced by a retired foreign spy whose work was funded by the Democratic National Committee and Hillary Clinton’s campaign.
Who us? We wuz just reporting the facts. That’s what some of them had the chutzpah to tell Amy Chozick when the after-tremors of their catastrophic failure were felt even in the newsroom of the New York Times. Ms Chozick had to acknowledge that some people — even some who were not in the White House or the right-wing media — thought there had been some media malfeasance, but she did so only in the context of a defense by supremely self-assured media blue-bloods of their own righteous and entirely justified behavior in the whole Collusion-gate saga.
Jeff Zucker, president of CNN, said he was "entirely comfortable" with the network’s coverage. "We are not investigators. We are journalists, and our role is to report the facts as we know them, which is exactly what we did," Mr. Zucker said in an email. "A sitting president’s own Justice Department investigated his campaign for collusion with a hostile nation. That’s not enormous because the media says so. That’s enormous because it’s unprecedented." Bill Grueskin, a professor at the Columbia School of Journalism, said there seemed to be some confusion about the role of journalists. "Mueller and Barr need to prove beyond a reasonable doubt — do we file charges or don’t we?" he said. "Journalists don’t have that standard." In other words, Pulitzer Prize-winning reports of alleged wrongdoing do not need to provide evidence of criminality in order to be factual, newsworthy and relevant to readers. "The special counsel investigation documented, as we reported, extensive Russian interference in the 2016 election and widespread deceit on the part of certain advisers to the president about Russian contacts and other matters," said Martin Baron, executive editor of The Washington Post. "Our job is to bring facts to light. Others make determinations about prosecutable criminal offenses." Dean Baquet, the executive editor of The Times, echoed that sentiment. "We wrote a lot about Russia, and I have no regrets," he said. "It’s not our job to determine whether or not there was illegality."
The laugh-factor at such disingenuousness would be very high indeed in a cultural environment with any remaining tether to reality, and it is one measure of their own detachment from reality that the media are unembarrassed to print such drivel at all, let alone as a supposedly credible "defense" of their own behavior. Here was what Lee Smith of Tablet called "an extinction-level event" for the media, and there they were mouthing the same old platitudes about their factual and disinterested reporting while pretending that the presumption of the president’s guilt was not implicit in every line of these papers’ or networks’ coverage of the story for the past two years.
This was to show a contempt for their readers or watchers that only an even greater contempt for the president could mask. For in truth, it never was on the cards that the media’s progressive vanguard was going to admit to error except in the sort of scattered minor details that Ms Chozick cites, supposedly to show it capable of admitting fault. Sometimes. That the entire "collusion" narrative was misconceived, however, simply could not be true, in their view, since their entire political world-view was based upon it. They had managed to make an ideology out of the president’s evil purposes, which are axiomatic because they are so opposed in every respect to their own. And the great thing about any ideology for its adherents is, as Karl Popper pointed out long ago, that it is unfalsifiable. They say in criminal circles, I’m told, that if you don’t know who the patsy is, it’s you. In the same way, I think, if you can’t see the self-parody, you’ve probably become one.
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An Air Force ‘Way of Swarm': Using Wargaming and Artificial Intelligence to Train Drones
For decades, swarms in nature, like locust swarms, have intrigued scientists and inspired them to uncover their fundamental laws.
US says worldwide terrorism deaths decreased 27% last year
The number of deaths and attacks attributed to terrorism significantly decreased in 2017 according to a new report by the State Department's Bureau of Counterterrorism and Countering Violent Extremism.
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Anthony Cordesman, the Arleigh A. Burke chair in strategy at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), joins James M. Lindsay to discuss President Trump's Afghanistan strategy.
Battlefield Internet
A Plan for Securing Cyberspace
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The Saudi-led coalition has continued to escalate its campaign against Iranian-backed Houthi rebels, resulting in heavy civilian casualties.a
How Artificial Intelligence Will Reshape the Global Order
The Coming Competition Between Digital Authoritarianism and Liberal Democracy
TERROR WARNING: Latest holiday advice on what to do during a terrorist attack
The United States won't get everything it wants, but it would be wise to protect Washington's remaining interests before it's too late.
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BOMBSHELL: THE HEDY LAMARR STORY (2017) review
tags: Alexandra Dean, Bombshell: The Hedy Lamarr Story, David J. Fowlie, Diane Kruger, film, Fleming Meeks, Hedy Lamarr, Mel Brooks, Peter Bogdanovich, review, Robert Osborne
written by: Alexandra Dean
produced by: Alexandra Dean, Katherine Drew and Adam Haggiag
directed by: Alexandra Dean
rated: not rated
U.S. release date: April 23, 2017 (Tribeca Film Festival) and January 19-25, 2018 (Music Box Theatre, Chicago, IL)
Some of you may only know of the name Hedy Lamarr from “Blazing Saddles“, the comic classic from Mel Brooks, which is something director Alexandra Dean is counting on. Going into her film, “Bombshell: The Hedy Lamarr Story”, I at least knew that Lamarr was a Hollywood movie star back in the 30s and 40s, but I had no idea of the surprises that would smack me upside the head when I watched the film that covers on who she was when she wasn’t in front of a camera. I have a feeling many viewers will have the same response when they learn the revelations this enlightening and informative documentary provides.
Born Hedy Kiesler in Vienna in 1914, she would go on to be hailed as Hedy Lamarr “the most beautiful and glamorous woman in the world”, but “Bombshell” is set on reminding viewers that there is always so much more to outward appearances. When she wasn’t being photographed or filmed, the Austrian-born movie star was busy tinkering away in her own lab, creating gadgets and working on inventions. Her ravishing image may have been the inspiration for Snow White and Catwoman, but it’s her mind that made her a trailblazer who developed a radio system called frequency hoping that would throw Nazi torpedoes off course during WWII, something that would later be put to use in GPS, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth technology.
That’s incredible! How come no one knew about this or did anything, you say? Well, that’s the point of Dean’s documentary. Sure, we get to know some background about Lamarr – how she came to the States, the origins of her scandalous nude scenes in the movie “Ecstasy”, how she could never find true love after six failed marriages, the estranged relationship she had with her family, as well as how she was charged for shoplifting and relied heavily on plastic surgery in her later years – but what stands out is how the world could never see past her beauty and acknowledge the brilliant mind behind it. In that sense, “Bombshell” is as frustrating and sad as it is eye-opening and fascinating.
The film also sheds light on how women have been (and still are in many ways) overlooked or pushed to the side when it comes to their contribution to science and math, not to mention contributing to the benefit of mankind. In that sense, this documentary could easily be a viewing companion to “Hidden Figures”. We learn that Lamarr did get the frequency hopping method that she co-created with composer George Antheil patented and offered it to the government for them to use during the war. It was shelved for years, only to be used effectively in the war, yet Lamarr never received the credit or the benefits that she deserved. She was written off as an alien since she didn’t have U.S. citizenship at the time, but it becomes clear that it was mainly because no one could believe someone so beautiful could come up with what she developed.
Like other documentaries focusing on a specific person, Dean incorporates interviews with family members and biographers, as well as filmmakers like Peter Bogdanovich and Mel Brooks (it’s bittersweet to see the late Turner Classics hist Robert Osborne here too), along with seldom-seen video clips, but the way in which “Bombshell” stands out among other bio-docs is how the subject comes alive and feels very present throughout the entire film. Lamarr’s voice can actually be heard thanks to a journalist that Dean tracked down named Fleming Meeks who had interviewed Lamarr over the phone for a 1990 Forbes magazine article and recorded all of it on cassette tapes. Through an arduous process, Dean was able to make sure of those old cassette, essentially resuscitating Lamarr’s voice from a recording that was over 25 years-old. Hearing her voice draws us in even more, especially considering how candid and off-the-cuff she was in the interview. It makes “Bombshell” a more personal doc than one would expect.
The other way in which we hear Lamarr’s voice is when Dean employs the voice of German actress Diane Kruger to read letters Lamarr had written long ago. Any other director could’ve had Lamarr’s son, Anthony (who features prominently throughout the film) read the letters – but again, it’s more personal to hear her voice – even if it’s essentially voice-over work, it’s still quite riveting to imagine what we’re hearing is a young Lamarr.
For those who are unaware of her Hollywood story, the side of “Bombshell” that details her trajectory is equally interesting and also quite revealing as to how her beauty had limited how she was perceived as a person. She probably had no idea how controversial (mostly to American eyes) her sensually titilating role in one of her earliest features, the 1937 Czech romance “Ecstasy” would be received. After being hired by a persistent MGM head Louis B. Mayer in 1937, she starred opposite Charles Boyer in “Algiers”, another controversial film “White Cargo” in 1942, and at the height of her career would star in Cecil B. DeMille’s blockbuster Biblical epic “Samson and Delilah” in 1949, in which she played the alluring and spirited Delilah. It wasn’t lost on Lamarr that she was hired for her looks, but she always seemed to wrestle with how others perceived her, stating, “Any girl can be glamorous. All you have to do is stand still and look stupid.”
“Bombshell” is a documentary that lives up to its name. It’s less about the typical definition of a sexy and attractive female entertainer and more about a surprising and/or disappointing revelation. What Dean presents is indeed surprising to those who knew very little of Lamarr (there’s certainly enough here for those who think they knew her), but it’s also saddening, maddening even, the more that is revealed of Lamarr away from the camera. This timely documentary does a great job relaying her complex, bizarre and inspiring story.
RATING: ***1/2
← Interview with BOMBSHELL: THE HEDY LAMARR STORY director Alexandra Dean
12 STRONG (2018) review →
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"I had to defend myself and my family..."
The following police report describes an incident that could have turned deadly. It happened in my hometown of Ocala, Florida. This chilling report is printed verbatim.
After responding to a 911 call, Marion County Sheriff's Deputy Paul Bloom wrote:
"On 1/31/2014, I responded to 6075 NW 31 Avenue, Ocala, Florida, in reference to a call from a homeowner stating that they found an unknown man in their 7-year-old daughter's bedroom upon returning from dinner.
"Upon arrival, I observed the mother, victim Heather Smith, running from the home toward my car with her three small children. Victim Heather stated that her husband, victim Jesse Smith, was inside holding the subject at gunpoint until I could arrive.
"I entered the home and observed the victim Jesse standing in the kitchen holding a pistol pointed at the defendant. The defendant, later identified as Paul Matheny, was lying on the floor of the adjoining bedroom hiding under a blanket. Victim Jesse was advising me as I approached him that he 'has no idea who this man is.'
"I ordered the defendant to show me his hands from under the blanket at which time the defendant refused to do so. At that point, I pulled the blanket off of him and ordered him to place his hands behind his back. He further refused and rolled onto his stomach, tucking his hands into his chest. I then grabbed the defendant's right arm and was able to place a handcuff on him, however, as I grabbed his left arm, he pulled away and attempted to roll away from me. Seeing the struggle, victim Jesse offered to assist me in handcuffing the defendant. However, after a brief struggle, I was able to place his left hand in cuffs also.
"It should be noted that I arrived at this call in a marked patrol car, in duty uniform and clearly identified myself as a law enforcement officer to the defendant.
"The defendant openly stated, 'This is my house.' I asked him what his address was and the defendant replied 3030 NE 18 Court and that his phone number 352-622-8862. I advised him that this was not the address where I found him tonight. He continued to state, 'But this is my house. I built it.' The defendant's driver's license indicates an address of 3112 NE Jacksonville Road, Apartment # 5, Ocala, FL 34479. Further investigation revealed that the defendant is most likely homeless.
"The defendant had apparently entered the home through a side door that victim Jesse says does not always close properly. He stated that when he returned home with his family from dinner, the door was closed but not locked. He did not become alarmed because of the ongoing trouble with the door lock.
"Victim Jesse stated that as his wife Heather was getting their 7-year-old daughter ready for bed, she entered the child's bedroom with the daughter and 'saw the blanket on the floor begin to move.' She and the child screamed, at which point victim Jesse responded from another room in the house and held the defendant at gunpoint until my arrival. The homeowners stated that nothing appeared to be missing and that the defendant had apparently came in the home, turned on the television, drank a soda and took a blanket from the sofa into the child's bedroom and went to sleep on the floor.
"The defendant did have a slight smell of an alcoholic beverage about him during my contact with him. The defendant was arrested and transported to the Marion County jail without further incident."
If that's not scary enough, it turned out that Paul Michael Matheny had three previous convictions for exposing himself to others. In an interview with the Ocala Star Banner, Smith recounted that Matheny was lying next to his daughter's clothes. "I had to defend myself and my family," Smith told staff writer Austin L. Miller.
In Florida, more than half its twenty-one million residents owns at least one gun and one and-a-half million have concealed carry permits (not counting several hundred thousand out-of-state visitors). At any restaurant in Florida, several patrons are likely to be carrying handguns. Armed robbers have been shot by customers or business owners. Burglars and home invaders have a good chance of encountering an armed homeowner, as happened in this case.
Matheny should consider himself lucky he didn't get shot.
Posted by Robert A. Waters at 8:10 AM 1 comment:
Can You Help Solve these Cold Cases?
Julie Fuller
Two decades-long mysteries
A Sad End for Baby X
Rupert, Idaho has a population of nearly 6,000 souls. This quiet town near the Snake River seems an unlikely place for a gruesome mystery to unfold. But on November 17, 1989, Robert Boseiger located a burned-out 50-gallon drum near the Minidoka Landfill. Peering inside, he saw what he thought was a dead monkey. When sheriff's deputies arrived, they determined the remains were those of a child. Lawmen reported that the three-week-old female victim "had been disemboweled, was missing both hands, missing her right arm, had her abdominal organs cut out, was possibly skinned, and then burned." After nearly 30 years, no one has identified the child that became known as "Baby X."
During that time, lots of theories surfaced. Was the baby sacrificed by a devil-worshipping cult? Worse yet, was the child bred and born specifically to be tortured and murdered? Or was the case as simple as Minidoka County Sheriff Ray Jarvis's theory that a "migrant worker" gave birth to a child who died of pneumonia or some such natural disease. Not being fluent in English, and from a culture that fears authority-figures, maybe the mother and her family placed the body in the barrel and burnt it so they wouldn't have to report it to cops. And maybe, he continued, animals ate the hands and arms and its internal organs.
Who knows? One thing is certain: this case is as cold as it gets, and, unless some guilty soul confesses, the true answer will likely never be known.
Who Murdered Julie Fuller?
On July 27, 1983, in Arlington, Texas, eleven-year-old Julie Fuller stepped outside of her room at the Kensington Motel to take trash to the dumpster. Less than a minute later, she was gone. Vanished. Julie's family, which had recently immigrated to the U. S. from England, launched a frantic search of the area, then called police. The next day, her nude body was found in Fort Worth, raped, strangled and discarded in a ditch. Thirty-five years later, the case is still unsolved.
Recent advances in DNA technology have allowed investigators to create an image of what the killer might have looked like. It's called phenotyping, and can predict physical appearance, including eye color. Ft. Worth police recently released pictures of what the suspect may have looked like at various ages. A detective stated that since there were no eyewitnesses to Julie's abduction, they hope these images can spark someone's memory.
"I had to defend myself and my family..." by Robe...
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The Joy of Violent Movement
Independent Music with an International Focus
Tag: Les Big Byrd Back to Bagarmossen EP
indie rock by William Ruben Helms Jan 7, 201920:45 January 7, 2019
Live Footage: Les Big Byrd Perform “A Little More Numb” at Tapetown Studios
Comprised of founding duo Jocke Åhlund and Frans Johansson along with Frans Johansson and Martin Ehrencrona, the Stockholm Sweden-based indie rock act Les Big Byrd features a collection of their hometown’s most accomplished indie musicians. Åhlund co-founded cult Teddybears with his brother Klas in 1991. Åhlund went on to play guitar in Caesars — and formed Smile, with Peter, Björn and John’s Björn Yttling. And in that insanely busy period, Åhlund managed to find time to write for and produce the legendary Giorgio Moroder and renowned Swedish pop artist Robyn. Johansson, meanwhile, was a bassist in Swedish Grammy Award-winning act Fireside since the early nineties and worked as a touring bassist with The Soundtrack of Our Lives.
As the story goes, by 2011 Åhlund and Johansson had become increasingly disillusioned with their primary gigs and they began to collaborate with each other, frequently bouncing musical ideas off one another; the band’s founding duo quickly recruited two fellow grizzled scene vets, keyboardist Martin ‘Konie’ Ehrencrona and Caesars drummer Nino Keller to finalize the band’s lineup.
The band’s debut, 2014’s Back to Bagarmossen EP was an atmospheric, guitar driven effort that found the quartet receiving attention from Swedish national TV. Interestingly, with a growing national profile. the members of Les Big Byrd ran into The Brian Jonestown Massacre’s Anton Newcombe at a local record store, and after hitting it off with him, the band headed to Newcombe’s Berlin-based studio to jam with him — and the end result was a handful of tracks which eventually appeared on their critically applauded Åhlund-produced full-length debut, They Worshipped Cats, an album that was a decided left turn into trippy space rock.
In the winter of 2015, 18 months after the release of They Worshipped Cats, Åhlund was looking forward to working on new material; however, unlike their debut, he was determined to bring in an outside producer to allow him to focus just on the songwriting and playing. With much of their material drawing heavily from psych rock and drone, while retaining a pop sensibility, the band recruited Spacemen 3‘s Sonic Boom (a.k.a.Pete Kember) to produce the album as the band loved his work on MGMT‘s 2010 sophomore album Congratulations. The initial sessions with Kember quickly went awry; Kember clashed with Newcombe, who also headed to Sweden to work on some ideas for the record with the band — and Åhlund eventually found himself taking up the production role, he didn’t want and wasn’t seeking.
Burned out by the experience, the band shelved the second album for a while. “I didn’t know it at the time, but I needed to get some distance from it,” Åhlund says in press notes. “It was only after a while that I was able to go back and realise that there was a really good album in there.” The members of Les Big Byrd spent the bulk of last year remaking and re-imaging the material in their own image — with Kember and Newcombe’s contributions being limited. Recorded between two Stockholm studios — Åhlund’s own and Ehrencrona’s Studio Cobra — the band’s sophomore album Iran Iraq IKEA derives its title from a slogan that Åhlund’s saw printed on a tie while in Berlin years earlier and wanted to use for years; in fact, Åhlund felt that it suited the album, “because it gave it all some kind of subtly poetic intrigue.” However, the album’s politics — if you really want to call it that — are rooted within the personal, As Åhlund says in press notes, “It’s about classic topics like love and failure. And about being older and feeling like you’ve pissed your life away, It’s about regrets and wishing you’d done things another way,”
The band’s Åhlund takes up production duties again, but with the admission that maybe it was something he never really wanted to give up — and sonically speaking, the band reportedly have reinvented themselves and their sound but while retaining elements of the sound and approach that first won them national and international attention. “I still love my krautrock, and space rock, and experimental, improvisational stuff” says Åhlund. “But I also have a strong love for psychedelic sixties pop music, and I love reverb-drenched guitar with a lot of tremolo on it. All of those things make it on to Iran Iraq IKEA, but the lines are blurred – there’s a lot of electronics, and you can’t always tell where each individual sound is coming from. Hopefully it’s suggestive, a little bit uncertain and unpredictable, at least that’s what I wanted.”
Now, if you’ve been frequenting this site over the past couple of years, you’d recall that Aarhus, Denmark-based recording studio Tapetown Studios in partnership with Sound of Aarhus have been inviting national, regional and internationally recognized touring bands to come into their studios for a live session, which they film and distribute through all of your favorite social media sites. So far they’ve inited British indie rockers Ulrika Spacek, Gothenburg, Sweden-based trio Pale Honey, the Bay Area-based JOVM mainstay Tim Cohen and his The Fresh & Onlys, renowned British psych rockers The Telescopes, Malmo, Sweden-based punk rock act Sista Bossen, Copenhagen, Denmark-based indie rock quartet ONBC, and up-and-coming, Los Angeles-based post punk rock act Moaning. Recently, the members of Les Big Byrd stopped by Tapetown Studios to perform the bittersweet lament “A Little More Numb.”
New Audio by William Ruben Helms Sep 27, 201809:45 September 27, 2018
Comprised of founding duo Jocke Åhlund and Frans Johansson along with Frans Johansson and Martin Ehrencrona, the Stockholm Sweden-based indie rock act Les Big Byrd features a collection of their hometown’s most accomplished indie musicians. Åhlund co-founded cult hardcore outfit/genre-benders Teddybears with his brother Klas in 1991, and went on to play guitar in Caesars and form another duo, Smile, with Peter, Björn and John’s Björn Yttling. He also managed to find the time to write for and produce Giorgio Moroder and renowned Swedish pop artist Robyn. Johansson, meanwhile, had played bass in Swedish Grammy Award-winners Fireside since the early nineties and worked as a touring bassist with The Soundtrack of Our Lives. As the story goes, by 2011 Åhlund and Johansson had become increasingly disillusioned with their primary gigs and they began to collaborate with each other, frequently bouncing musical ideas off one another; the band’s founding duo quickly recruited two fellow grizzled scene vets, keyboardist Martin ‘Konie’ Ehrencrona and Caesars drummer Nino Keller to finalize the band’s lineup.
The band’s debut release, 2014’s Back to Bagarmossen EP was an atmospheric, guitar driven effort that found the quartet receiving attention from Swedish national TV. As the Stockholm-based indie quartet’s profile was growing nationally, they ran into The Brian Jonestown Massacre’s Anton Newcombe at a local record store, and after hitting it off with him, the band headed to Newcombe’s Berlin-based studio to jam with him — and the end result was a handful of tracks which eventually appeared on their critically applauded Åhlund-produced full-length debut, They Worshipped Cats, an album that was a decided left turn into trippy space rock.
In the winter of 2015, 18 months after They Worshipped Cats‘ release, Åhlund was looking forward to working on new material; however, unlike their debut, he was determined to bring in an outside producer to allow him to focus just on the songwriting and playing. With much of their material drawing heavily from psych rock and drone, while retaining a pop sensibility, the band recruited Spacemen 3‘s Pete Kember to produce the album as the band loved his work on MGMT‘s 2010 sophomore album Congratulations. Unfortunately and perhaps unsurprisingly, the initial sessions with Kember quickly went awry; Kember clashed with Newcombe, who also headed to Sweden to work on some ideas for the record with the band — and Åhlund eventually found himself taking up the production role, he didn’t want and wasn’t seeking.
Burned out by the experience, the band shelved the second album for a while. “I didn’t know it at the time, but I needed to get some distance from it,” Åhlund says in press notes. “It was only after a while that I was able to go back and realise that there was a really good album in there.” The members of Les Big Byrd spent the bulk of last year remaking and re-imaging the material in their own image — with Kember and Newcombe’s contributions being limited. Recorded between two Stockholm studios — Åhlund’s own and Ehrencrona’s Studio Cobra — the band’s long-awaited, forthcoming sophomore album Iran Iraq IKEA derives its title from a slogan that Åhlund’s saw printed on a tie while in Berlin years earlier and wanted to use for years; in fact, Åhlund felt that it suited the album, “because it gave it all some kind of subtly poetic intrigue.” However, the album’s politics — if you really want to call it that — are rooted within the personal, As Åhlund says in press notes, “It’s about classic topics like love and failure. And about being older and feeling like you’ve pissed your life away, It’s about regrets and wishing you’d done things another way,”
“Geräusche,” Iran Iraq IKEA‘s third and latest single, is the album’s opening track and interestingly enough, the song’s title is the German word for “noise” — although ironically, the expansive and atmospheric, krautrock-like track is centered around a motorik groove, shimmering and arpeggiated keys, angular guitar lines, mathematically precise beats and dreamy sense of harmony that in some way brings Evil Heat-era Primal Scream and Joe Jackson’s “Steppin’ Out” but with a lysergic vibe.
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← Acquittals and the Battleground Over the ICC’s Legitimacy
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Filling the Vacuum: Syria and the International Criminal Court
Posted on March 19, 2019 by Mark Kersten
Toby Cadman and Carl Buckley join JiC for this post on their recent application requesting the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) to investigate the deportation of Syrians into Jordan. Carl is a Barrister with Guernica. Toby is the Co-founder of The Guernica Centre for International Justice, which submitted an amicus curiae to the ICC on Myanmar and which also submitted an Article 15 submission to the ICC Prosecutor concerning jurisdiction for Syria by way of application of the Myanmar decision.
(Photo: Getty Images / D. Souleiman)
It’s your turn, Doctor’. These were the words that initiated one of the cruellest conflicts in the recent history of the Middle East.
A group of seven teenagers in the Syrian town of Daraa, inspired by the winds of freedom and democracy blowing from the Arab Spring in Tunisia, Egypt and Libya, adorned their school walls with these words in defiance of the Syrian oppressive regime. Basher-al-Assad, the Syrian dictator whose family has tyrannically ruled the country for more than four decades, is a doctor specialized in ophthalmology.
The response of the Syrian State Security Forces was brutal and prolonged. It treated with extreme violence the young authors of the graffiti. The town of Daraa in turn lit the flames of revolution, initiating with their actions a conflict which is now entering its ninth year and has no clear end in sight.
This war has witnessed unimaginable atrocities. More than half the pre-war population have been either killed, disappeared, or displaced. Most of those who were forced to flee due to the brutal conduct of the Syrian State Security Forces have not been able to return for the very same reasons that forced them to leave. Those responsible, including the Syrian President Assad, must be brought to justice and held accountable.
Spinning the Tires of Jurisdiction?
In recent years, numerous conflicts have been characterized by credible allegations of war crimes and crimes against humanity. The initial reaction to such allegations is to call for the International Criminal Court (ICC) to investigate and prosecute such atrocities.
The basis upon which the ICC can investigate a situation however, is often misunderstood; it does not, contrary to what many believe, have the mandate to investigate any and all instances of conflict-related international crimes, no matter how severe that conflict, no matter how credible the allegations, and no matter how grave the suffering of the victims. The ICC Prosecutor, can commence an inquiry into a situation in one of three circumstances: (i) where the offences are alleged to have been committed within the territory of a ‘State Party’ to the Rome Statute, in which case, jurisdiction is automatically conferred; (ii) where a non-state party ‘self-refers’ itself and thereby grants jurisdiction; and (iii) where the UN Security Council (UNSC) refers a situation. The net result of this limited form of jurisdiction is that there are many situations that the ICC simply cannot consider, no matter how much it may want to. It is here where the issue lies concerning Syria.
Syria is not a State Party of the ICC and given that it is alleged to be directly responsible for atrocites, it is hardly likely to ‘self-refer’. As a result, the only other option is through the UNSC. This in itself has proven to be impossible given its overtly politicised nature and that one of the permanent members, Russia, being an ally of Syria and directly involved in the conflict, has consistently exercised its right of veto over any resolution tabled to refer the matter. It is noted that China has also consistently sided with Russia vetoing any resolution and the United States has previously argued that it would veto any referral that included the disputed territory of the Golan Heights which borders Israel.
Here’s the catch: the position insofar as jurisdiction is concerned however is now more nuanced than previously thought. In 2018, the jurisdiction of the ICC was widened thus presenting the millions of Syrian victims a route, albeit one that is restrictively narrow in scope, to justice.
Learning from the Rohingya
Like in Syria, the world was horrified by allegations in Myanmar of horrific crimes being committed against the Rohingya in a vacuum of accountability. As a result, the ICC Prosecutor requested a ruling of the Pre-Trial Chamber, asking whether jurisdiction could be exercised for the crime of forced deportation of the Rohingya from Myanmar into Bangladesh.
The argument was a novel one for which the Prosecutor should be rightly applauded. Myanmar is not a State Party to the Rome Statute and therefore the ICC does not have jurisdiction. However, neighbouring Bangladesh has been a State Party since 2010 and was the first Asian State to join the Court. It was hosts more than half a million Rohingya refugees that had been forced to flee their homes amid conduct that amounted to ethnic cleansing. The Prosecutor sought to argue that the ICC had jurisdiction on the basis that although the crime commenced in Myanmar it was concluded on the territory of a State Party.
Guernica was one of a small number of legal groups granted leave to file an amicus curiae brief on the question of jurisdiction. We argued in some detail that the ICC had clear jurisdiction in respect of the crimes of forced deportation, persecution and other inhuman acts. The Pre-Trial Chamber agreed, and confirmed that, subject to the relevant substantive elements of the crime being satisfied, the Prosecutor had the mandate to investigate.
Guernica was the only legal group to argue in the Myanmar case that the decision on jurisdiction would have wider implications including in Syria where more than a million civilians have been forced into neighbouring Jordan. Guernica therefore commenced on preparing an Article 15 Communication to the ICC Prosecutor on Syria immediately after the Pre-Trial Chamber handed down its Myanmar decision on jurisdiction.
It is important to note here that the Pre-Trial Chamber merely answered the question posed of it and confirmed that there would be jurisdiction if the relevant elements of the crimes could be shown to an appropriate standard, and that those offences were committed within the territory of a State Party, either in whole or in part.
It is on this basis that Guernica submitted an Article 15 Communication with the ICC Prosecutor concerning the Forced Deportation of up to one million civilians from Syria into neighbouring Jordan and that there is no discernible difference between the two situations and therefore no basis upon which to draw a distinction.
Upon Further Reflection
Two further points arise as a result of this filing however that fall to be briefly considered.
Firstly, if it is accepted that the analysis and argument concerning the applicable law presents a clear basis in principle, i.e.that the situation is analogous to that considered by the Pre-Trial Chamber in Myanmar, then the position is clear that a preliminary examination mustbe opened. Of course, any eventual investigations and/or prosecutions will fall on a detailed factual analysis of the evidence. However, this is a task to be undertaken within the context of that preliminary examination, and not a decision as to whether one ought to be opened or not.
Secondly, given the request made by the Prosecutor concerning Myanmar, the question must be asked: why this was not done in the context of the Syrian conflict? Hundreds of thousands of civilians have been pouring into Jordan since the beginning of the conflict and therefore it cannot be seen as a new development. The point is perhaps moot. The important issue is that the argument is made out that the ICC doeshave a clear legal basis to exercise jurisdiction and thus there is finally a pathway towards accountability.
Managing Expectations
It is not suggested that this filing will force the ICC Prosecutor to look at the entire conflict and every crime that has been committed; it will not. The allegations of aerial bombardment, use of chemical and other prohibited weapons, torture and execution of detainees, attacking protected sites such as schools and hospitals will not be considered as the ICC’s jurisdiction, if exercised, will be limited to forced deportation. However, the ICC will need to hear and consider these allegations as they set out the contextual basis for forced deportation and other associated acts. Many instances of international crimes being committed will be outside of its scope, and as much as that continues to be frustrating, we must also be realistic and not offer false hope to the hundreds of thousands of victims of the Syrian conflict.
The ICC cannot do everything. Alone it will not be able to address every allegation and bring justice to every victim of the conflict. It will need to focus on the most senior perpetrators: civilian and military leaders. Doing so will complement those steps already being taken by a host of European States under the principle of universal jurisdiction.
In offering a route to accountability for somevictims of the conflict, the international community must now recognise that it has an essential part to play. It has an obligation to ensure that the ICC has the resources and capacity it needs to deal with this situation. Without them, the ICC will become the white elephant that it has been accused of being, rather than the instrument of justice and accountability that it was created to be.
This entry was posted in Guest Posts, ICC Prosecutor, International Criminal Court (ICC), International Criminal Justice, Syria. Bookmark the permalink.
4 Responses to Filling the Vacuum: Syria and the International Criminal Court
Pingback: Filling the Vacuum: Syria and the International Criminal Court – Jehtro Lewis – Blog
Thanks for that important post. Just worth to note, that another possibility to investigate or prosecute has gone missing here(or at least, semi possibility). And it is on the basis of nationality. Here I quote the prosecutor (see link):
” Under the Rome Statute, the ICC may nevertheless exercise personal jurisdiction over alleged perpetrators who are nationals of a State Party, even where territorial jurisdiction is absent. On this basis, my Office has reviewed communications received alleging crimes committed by ISIS, with a view to assessing the prospect of exercising personal jurisdiction over States Parties nationals within the ranks of this organisation. In doing so, my Office took into account the scope of its policy, which is to focus on those most responsible for mass crimes.”
https://www.icc-cpi.int/Pages/item.aspx?name=otp-stat-08-04-2015-1
woodpecker1925 says:
Some of the Court’s persistent critics(such as John Bolton) seem to want have their cake and eat it simultaneously, decrying it for being “too weak” one moment and the next for “being too strong”!
Hakimi Abdul Jabar says:
MY HUMBLE LEGAL OPINION ON THE UNENFORCEABLE & ILLEGAL USE OF ANY UNSC P5 VETO TO CIRCUMVENT THE PREVENTION OF WAR CRIMES
194 nation-states have accepted and recognized, without any reservation Common Article 1 to the Geneva Conventions. Not a single state has contested the International Committee of the Red Cross, ICRC’s interpretation of Common Article 1 which gives imperative, legal force to the duty to prevent war crimes. The duty to prevent war crimes is absolute & unconditional in character and no two states, or a collection of states, may enter into reciprocal agreements that allow them to circumvent this duty. Hence, having factors under Article 53 of the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties duly satisfied, the duty to prevent war crimes is a peremptory norm of international law, a jus cogens norm. By the authorities adumbrated above, these factors make any use of any UNSC P5 veto to circumvent the prevention of war crimes unenforceable and illegal as such will be contrary to a well-established jus cogens norm.
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Even in astoundingly hot and humid weather, Toronto is hard not to love. #The6ix https://t.co/5JBN9uDetu 1 hour ago
Rethinking Amnesty and Accountability
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← The Long Read: Waiting for Bashir – Will the Deposed Sudanese Dictator Ever Stand Trial in The Hague?
“When We Read a Story, We Inhabit It.” Selectivity and the International Criminal Court →
Ten Years Later: Seeking Justice for Wartime Atrocities in Sri Lanka
B. Aloka Wanigasuriya joins JiC for this post on ongoing efforts to achieve justice and accountability for atrocities committed during Sri Lanka’s brutal civil war. This piece coincides with the ten-year anniversary of the end of the war. Aloka is an Australian lawyer and a PhD scholar at the Faculty of Law, University of Copenhagen (Dernmark).
(A Sri Lankan soldier surveys damage during the country’s civil war. Photo: Association for Diplomatic Studies and Training)
In 2009, during the final stages of its nearly three-decade long civil war, Sri Lanka was the subject of much international attention due to allegations of war crimes and crimes against humanity committed by its government armed forces and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). A UN report estimates that 40,000 civilians perished during the final offensive that lasted from January to May 2009.
Since the end of the war, multiple internationalorganisations have repeatedly called for a UN-mandated international justice mechanism to be established in relation to Sri Lanka. Those efforts have failed. In order to quell both internal and external calls for justice, the Sri Lankan government has engaged in several box-ticking exercises. However, with the 10thanniversary of the end of the conflict falling in May, and in the absence of any viable means through which victims and aggrieved communities can seek justice for the alleged crimes, initiatives to achieve justice and accountability have fallen short of any real attempt at combatting impunity.
International scrutiny
In May 2009, the UN Security Council expressed concern regarding the humanitarian crisis in northeast Sri Lanka, calling for urgent action by all parties to the conflict to ensure the safety of civilians.Earlier that year, the UN Secretary-General (UNSG) recommended establishing an accountability process for any international crimes. The government agreed. However, faced with a lack of concrete action, ayear after the end of hostilities,the UNSG appointed a panel of experts to advise him on the implementation of this joint commitment. The Panel’s report concluded that serious violations attributable to both sides of the conflict had taken place, warranting accountability under domestic and international law. It recommended establishing an international mechanism to carry out independent investigations into the alleged violations, whilst also monitoring and assessing the extent to which the government was carrying out an effective domestic accountability process. The report received a cold reception from the Sri Lankan government.
Calls for setting up a legal mechanism to try the alleged perpetrators of wartime atrocities continued. In 2013, UK prime minister David Cameron urged the Sri Lankan government to hold an independent international inquiry into the alleged war crimes. In March 2014, the UN Human Rights Council passed a resolution on ‘Promoting reconciliation, accountability and human rights in Sri Lanka’ stressing the importance of Sri Lanka complying with its obligations to prosecute those responsible for crimes under international law. Moreover, in September 2015, the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) released its investigative report on Sri Lanka, recommending the establishment of “truth-seeking mechanisms, investigations, prosecutions … and measures to prevent the recurrence of … abuses”.
Instead of trying the crimes under domestic law, the OHCHR recommended establishing a hybrid accountability mechanism with international judges, prosecutors, lawyers and investigators. The rationale was to provide legitimacy to and instill confidence in the process, particularly among victims who doubted the impartiality of any process given the “politicisation and highly polarised environment in Sri Lanka”. Less than a month afterwards, UN Human Rights Council Resolution 30/1 again echoed the findings of the OHCHR report.Additionally, in his 11 September 2017 opening remarks to the Human Rights Council, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, called on Sri Lanka to establish transitional justice mechanisms, urging it to treat its obligations not as a mere“box-ticking exercise to placate the council but as an essential undertaking to address the rights of all its people”. To date, however, very limited action has been taken by Sri Lanka to address impunity.
In terms of establishing an accountability mechanism, the three main steps taken by the Sri Lankan government have been the (i) Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC), (ii) Consultation Task Force (CTF) on Reconciliation Mechanisms, and (iii) Office on Missing Persons (OMP).
Of these, the LLRC was criticized in the UNSG Report for failing to meet international standards for an effective accountability mechanism.Instead of being an investigative commission, its mandate was limited. Thereafter in January 2016, following its pledge to the UN Human Rights Council with regard to Resolution 30/1 (which Sri Lanka co-sponsored) the CTF was established. Through conducting consultations with the Sri Lankan public, the CTF was to ascertain the public’s views on the mechanisms for transitional justice and reconciliation proposed in Resolution 30/1. It recommended granting effective remedies (including through criminal justice) to those having suffered harm during the conflict. Outlining the illegality of granting amnesties for international crimes, it also recommended the establishment of a hybrid mechanism consisting of national and international judges. However, its recommendations faced an uphill battle from the outset. Merely days after the release of its final report, the Sri Lankan justice minister opined that he had ‘no confidence’ in the CTF.
The latest development in the push for accountability has been the operationalization of the OMP in 2018 (probing the disappearances that took place during and after the civil war) and enacting the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearances Act No. 5 of 2018 (EDA). The EDA incorporates the obligations under the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearances into domestic law. However, the national criminalization of enforced disappearances remains inadequate. The OMP’s August 2018 interim report criticized the EDA for:
not including instances where some elements of the crime occurred prior to the enactment of the Act in the definition of ‘enforced disappearances’;
not capturing the full range of potential perpetrators and full scope of command responsibility; and
not recognizing enforced disappearances as a crime against humanity.
The report further acknowledges the polarized national context within which the OMP has to operate, with a large segment of the population questioning the need for addressing the issue of missing and disappeared persons. Victims’ rights groups too have been skeptical and have criticized the OMP for being a largely watered down version of victims’ aspirations. Being the only functioning transitional justice mechanism that is currently in operation in Sri Lanka, these shortcomings pose significant issues for achieving justice.
The way forward?
The time for establishing an international prosecutorial mechanism with regard to the crimes appears to have come and gone. The International Criminal Court too has no jurisdiction over Sri Lanka. Instead, the focus has shifted to establishing domestic mechanisms to probe the allegations. However, the approach by the Sri Lankan authorities has been lethargic. The government has repeatedly sought extra timefor initiating national prosecutorial action. The country’s president has rejectedinternational involvement. The prime minister too has ruled outa hybrid court and has instead proposed the establishment of a domestic truth and reconciliation commission.
According to the February 2019 reportof the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, beyond the establishment of coordinating bodies, the Sri Lankan government has failed to implement its commitments to establishing a transitional justice process. While a proposal for establishing a truth and reconciliation commission was submitted to the Cabinet in October 2018, if and when this mechanism will finally eventuate remains to be seen. Should it materialize, it be an indication of the government’s commitment to heading down the path of national truth seeking and reconciliation on behalf of all ethnicities affected by the war. However, for such a mechanism to garner the confidence of affected communities, its mandate should sufficiently cover the entirety of the civil war and be broad enough to address any international crimes that took place during this time – and since.
In terms of the OMP, Sri Lankan lawmakers should revisit and rectify the shortcomings of the EDA.Additionally, the Sri Lankan government should reconsider the CTF’s recommendation for establishing a hybrid mechanism for probing the alleged crimes. Through establishing a comprehensive system where various mechanisms for seeking truth, establishing reconciliation and granting criminal justice interact to provide redress, Sri Lanka would be in a strong position for achieving lasting peace.
Against this backdrop, a comprehensive action plan outlining which transitional justice mechanisms will be established, when they will be created, as well as the links between these mechanisms is urgently needed. 2019 being a presidential election year, swift action is necessary lest the domestic political climate change, creating greater opposition to a transitional justice process. In the absence of establishing strong mechanisms to provide redress to those affected by these crimes, achieving true reconciliation between the Sinhalese and Tamil communities in Sri Lanka would be a near-Sisyphean task.
This entry was posted in Guest Posts, Sri Lanka, Transitional Justice, War crimes and tagged B. Aloka Wanigasuriya. Bookmark the permalink.
1 Response to Ten Years Later: Seeking Justice for Wartime Atrocities in Sri Lanka
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Tower Hamlets Mayor’s man gets on
Posted by David Boothroyd
View David's blog
7 years ago / April 20, 2012
The latest information about local council electoral matters is as follows:
Amber Valley borough council: There is a double vacancy election in May in Kilburn, Denby and Holbrook ward after the death of Conservative councillor and former Mayor Mel Hall. The two terms filled will end in 2015 and 2016.
Blaby district council: Vacancy in Ravenhurst and Fosse ward after the death of Labour councillor Phil Fox. Term ends 2015.
Charnwood borough council: Vacancy in Sileby ward after the death of Conservative councillor Roy Brown. Term ends 2015.
East Northamptonshire district council: Vacancy in Barnwell ward after the death of the deputy leader of the council and Conservative councillor, Philip Hardcastle. Term ends 2015.
North Lincolnshire council: Vacancy in Town ward after the death of Labour councillor and former Mayor Darrell Barkworth. Term ends 2015.
Basildon borough council: There will be a double vacancy election in Billericay West ward in May. The vacant seat was left after the death of the deputy Leader of the council, Stephen Horgan, who was a Conservative councillor. The two terms end in 2015 and 2016.
Brentwood borough council: Byelection on 3 May (simultaneous with the election of a third of the council) in Herongate, Ingrave and West Horndon ward, after the resignation of Conservative councillor Gordon MacLellan. Term ends 2015.
Chelmsford borough council: Vacancy in Patching Hall ward after the death of Liberal Democrat councillor Tom Smith-Hughes. Term ends 2015.
Epping Forest district council: Double vacancy election in Epping Lindsey and Thornwood Common ward on 3 May, after the resignation of Conservative councillor Sarah Packford. Terms end 2015 and 2016.
Essex county council: Vacancy in Chelmsford North division after the death of the leader of the opposition, Liberal Democrat councillor Tom Smith-Hughes. Term ends 2013.
Harlow borough council: There is a double vacancy election in May in Bush Fair ward, after the resignation of Labour councillor Helen Hart. The terms end in 2014 and 2016. Vacancy in Mark Hall ward after the death of Liberal Democrat councillor Nick Macy who was the sole member of his party remaining on the council. As his term was due to end in May, there will be no byelection for a replacement.
Hertfordshire county council: Byelection on 3 May in Meriden Tudor division after the resignation of Liberal Democrat councillor Audrey Oaten. Term ends 2013.
Hertsmere borough council: There will be a double vacancy election in May in Potters Bar Furzefield ward, after the death of Conservative councillor Ron Morris. The terms end in 2016 and 2015.
Ipswich borough council: There will be a double vacancy election in Bixley ward in May, following the death of leading Conservative councillor Russell Harsant. The terms end in 2014 and 2016.
North Norfolk district council: Byelection on 26 April in Waterside ward after the resignation of Liberal Democrat councillor Simon Partridge. Term ends 2015.
Norwich city council: There are two wards with double vacancy elections in May. Catton Grove has a second vacancy following the resignation of Labour councillor Julie Westmacott. Wensum ward has a second vacancy following the resignation of Green Party councillor Steven Altman, who was gaoled for arson in tragic circumstances earlier this year. Both wards will fill terms ending in 2014 and 2016.
St Albans city and district council: There will be a double-vacancy election in May in London Colney ward after the resignation of Conservative councillor Irene Willcocks. The terms end in 2014 and 2016.
Suffolk county council: Byelection on 3 May in Bixley division after the death of leading Conservative councillor Russell Harsant. Term ends 2013.
Thurrock council: Vacancy in Corringham and Fobbing ward after the resignation of Independent Conservative councillor and former Mayor Ian Harrison. As his term was due to end in May, he will not be replaced in a byelection. His resignation means that the Labour group now has exactly half of the members of the council.
Barking and Dagenham borough council: Simon Bremner was elected councillor for Goresbrook ward on 19 April, holding the seat for the Labour Party.
Barnet borough council: Vacancy in Brunswick Park ward after the death of Conservative councillor and former council leader Lynne Hillan. Term ends 2014.
Brent borough council: Byelection in Barnhill ward on 3 May after the resignation of Labour councillor Judith Beckman, who has moved out of the borough. Term ends 2014.
Bromley borough council: Byelection on 3 May in Bromley Town ward after the resignation of Conservative councillor Diana MacMull. Term ends 2014.
Camden borough council: Byelection on 3 May in Camden Town and Primrose Hill ward after the resignation of Labour councillor Thomas Neumark, who is moving to the USA. Term ends 2014.
Hackney borough council: Byelection on 3 May in Hackney Central ward after the resignation of Labour councillor Alan Laing. Term ends 2014.
Islington borough council: Byelection on 3 May in Holloway ward after the resignation of Labour councillor Lucy Rigby, following her selection as Labour candidate for Lincoln. Term ends 2014. Meanwhile Arthur Graves, who was elected for the Liberal Democrats in Junction ward, has left the group to sit as an Independent following disagreement with his leader over parking policy.
Royal Borough of Kingston council: Byelection on 3 May in Coombe Hill ward, after the resignation of Conservative councillor and former council leader David Edwards due to ill health. Term ends 2014.
Merton borough council: Byelection on 3 May in Wimbledon Park ward, after the resignation of Tariq Ahmad, Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon. Term ends 2014.
Richmond-upon-Thames borough council: Byelection in North Richmond ward on 3 May after the resignation of Conservative councillor Richard Montague, who has moved to Barbados. Term ends 2014.
Tower Hamlets borough council: Gulam Robbani was elected councillor for Spitalfields and Banglatown ward on 19 April. He stood as an Independent and was nominated by the Independent Mayor of Tower Hamlets, Lutfur Rahman; he replaces a councillor who was elected for Labour but was sitting as an Independent supporter of the Mayor when she was disqualified. There is a further byelection on 3 May in Weavers ward after the resignation of Labour councillor Anna Lynch. Both terms end in 2014.
Westminster city council: Byelection on 3 May in Hyde Park ward after the resignation of former council leader and Conservative councillor Colin Barrow. Term ends 2014.
Durham county council: Vacancy in Peterlee West division after the death of Liberal Democrat councillor Barbara Sloan. Term ends in 2013.
Newcastle-upon-Tyne city council: There will be a double vacancy election on 3 May in Dene ward after the resignation of Liberal Democrat councillor Sharon Bailey. The terms end in 2014 and 2016.
South Tyneside borough council: There will be a double vacancy election in May in Simonside and Rekendyke ward, after the death of Labour councillor Joan Meeks. The terms end in 2014 and 2016. Harton ward has a seat vacant after the death of the council’s longest serving member, Progressive councillor Jim Capstick As his term was due to expire in May, there will be no byelection.
Sunderland city council: There will be a double vacancy election in Sandhill ward on 3 May, after the death of Labour councillor John Gallagher. The terms end in 2016 and 2015.
Blackpool council: There are two byelections on 3 May. Bloomfield ward will elect a councillor after the death of Labour councillor and former Mayor Mary Smith. Marton ward will elect a councillor following the death of Conservative councillor Jim Houldsworth. Both terms end in 2015.
Bolton borough council: On 3 May there will be an election for three councillors in Bradshaw ward. Diana Brierley and Paul Brierley, a married couple who were Conservative councillors, have both resigned from the council due to work commitments and seeking to move out of the borough; their terms were due to end in 2015 and 2014 respectively.
Bury borough council: Vacancy in East ward after the death of Labour councillor and former Mayor John Byrne. As his term was due to end in May, there will be no byelection for his replacement. His death removes the Labour group overall majority.
Carlisle city council: There are two vacancies. Castle ward has a seat vacant after the death of Liberal Democrat councillor Jim Tootle; there will be no byelection as his replacement will be elected in May. Harraby ward has a seat vacant after the death of Labour councillor Dave Weedall who was the longest serving councillor in the City. The term ends in 2014.
Chorley borough council: There is a double vacancy election in May in Adlington and Anderton ward, after the resignation of Labour councillor Catherine Hoyle. The terms end in 2014 and 2016.
Cumbria county council: Byelection on 3 May in Kendal Strickland and Fell division after the death of Liberal Democrat councillor Brendan Jameson. There is another byelection on 24 May in Aspatria and Wharrels division after the resignation of Conservative councillor Mike Johnson who has become an employee of the council and would have been disqualified. Both terms end in 2013.
Halton borough council: There are two vacancies, both caused by the deaths of Labour councillors. Grange ward has a vacant seat after the death of former Mayor John Swain. Riverside ward has a vacant seat after the death of Dave Leadbetter. Both terms were due to end in May so there will be no byelections for replacements.
Liverpool city council: Vacancy in Allerton and Hunts Cross ward after the resignation of Liberal Democrat councillor Vera Best. Term ends 2014.
Manchester city council: Vacancy in Baguley ward after the death of former Lord Mayor and Labour councillor Tony Burns. As his term was due to end in May, there will be no byelection.
Pendle borough council: There will be a double vacancy election on 3 May in Boulsworth ward after the resignation of Conservative councillor George Askew. The terms end 2016 and 2014.
Preston city council: There are two wards which have double vacancy elections on 3 May. Preston Rural North ward has an additional vacancy following the resignation of Conservative councillor Kate Calder; the terms end in 2015 and 2016. St George’s has an additional vacancy following the resignation of Labour councillor Taalib Shamsuddin; the terms end in 2014 and 2016.
South Lakeland district council: Byelection in Kendal Fell ward on 3 May, simultaneous with the election of one third of the council, after the death of Liberal Democrat councillor Brendan Jameson, who was leader of the council until his death; the term ends in 2014. There is also a vacancy in Ulverston North ward after the death of Conservative councillor Colin Hodgson; as the term ends in May the seat will be filled in the ordinary election.
Adur district council: Vacancy in Eastbrook ward following the disqualification of Liberal Democrat councillor Gavin Ayling, who failed to attend any meetings of the council in six months. The term ends in May, so no byelection can be held.
Basingstoke and Deane borough council: There will be a double vacancy election in Popley East ward in May, after the resignation of Labour councillor Andrew McCormick. The terms end in 2014 and 2016.
Chichester district council: Nick Thomas was elected councillor for Plaistow ward on 19 April, holding the seat for the Conservative Party.
Havant borough council: Vacancy in Purbrook ward after the death of Conservative councillor David Farrow. As his term was due to end in May, he will not be replaced in a byelection.
Isle of Wight council: Wayne Whittle, who was elected as an Independent in Ryde North East division, has joined the Conservative group.
Kent county council: Vacancy in Tunbridge Wells East division after the death of Conservative councillor Kevin Lynes. Term ends 2013.
Maidstone borough council: There will be a double vacancy election in Heath ward in May, after the resignation of Liberal Democrat councillor Jenni Sharp. The terms end in 2014 and 2016.
Oxfordshire county council: Caroline Newton was elected county councillor for Watlington division on 19 April, holding the seat for the Conservatives.
Portsmouth city council: Vacancy in Paulsgrove ward after the resignation of Conservative councillor Mike Blake. As he resigned within six months of his term ending in May, no byelection will be held.
South Oxfordshire district council: Byelection on 10 May in Chinnor ward, after the resignation of Conservative councillor Geoff Andrews. Term ends 2015.
Southampton city council: There will be two double vacancy elections in May, both caused by councillors resigning their seats. Bitterne Park ward has been vacated by Conservative councillor Phil Williams, while Peatree has been vacated by Liberal Democrat councillor Gerry Drake. In both cases the terms will end in 2014 and 2016.
Surrey county council: Byelection in Worplesdon division on 3 May after the resignation of Conservative councillor Nigel Sutcliffe. Term ends 2013.
Tunbridge Wells borough council: There are two double vacancy elections on 3 May. Broadwater ward will elect two councillors after the death of Liberal Democrat councillor Peter Crawford. Pembury ward will elect two councillors after the resignation of Liberal Democrat councillor Claire Brown, who had gained the seat from the Conservatives in a byelection in 2011. In both wards the two terms end in 2016 and 2014.
Vale of White Horse district council: Angela Lawrence, who was elected for the Liberal Democrats in Abingdon Northcourt ward, has left the party and will sit as an Independent councillor, over disagreement with the National Health Service and Community Care Bill.
Wealden district council: Vacancy in Frant and Withyham ward after the death of Conservative councillor John Padfield. Term ends 2015.
Worthing borough council: There will be a double vacancy election on 3 May in Offington ward after the death of Conservative councillor Reg Green. The terms end in 2016 and 2014.
Cotswold district council: Byelection on 31 May in Fosseridge ward after the resignation of Conservative councillor Michele Jeffrey for work reasons. Term ends 2015.
Plymouth city council: Vacancy in Plympton Erle ward after the resignation of Conservative councillor John Lock. As his term was due to end in May, there will be no byelection.
Stroud district council: At the time of the local elections on 3 May there will also be a byelection in Coaley and Uley ward, after the resignation of Conservative councillor Graham Trave. Term ends 2014. There is also a vacancy in Severn ward after the death of Conservative councillor Norman Smith. As his term was due to end in May he will not be replaced until then.
Swindon council: Vacancy in Moredon ward after the death of Labour councillor Jenny Millin. As her term was due to end in May, there will be no byelection for a replacement.
Cannock Chase district council: There is a double vacancy election on 3 May in Hagley ward after the resignation of Labour councillor Gordon Brown. The terms end in 2015 and 2016.
Dudley borough council: There are two double vacancy elections on 3 May. Kingswinford North and Wall Heath ward will fill a seat left vacant after the resignation of Paul Woodall who was elected as a Conservative but sitting as an Independent; he has pleaded guilty to assault. The two terms end in 2014 and 2016. Woolaston and Stourbridge Town ward will fill a vacancy after the death of Conservative councillor Margaret Cowell. The two terms end in 2015 and 2016. There is also a vacancy in Norton ward after the death of Conservative councillor Angus Adams; the term ends in 2014.
Newcastle-under-Lyme borough council: Byelection on 10 May in Kidsgrove ward, after the disqualification of Kyle-Noel Taylor whose appeal against a six month jail sentence for assault was turned down. Originally elected for Labour, he left the party when convicted and sat as an Independent councillor. Term ends 2014.
Redditch borough council: There will be a double vacancy election in Church Hill ward in March, after the death of Labour councillor Robin King. The terms will end in 2015 and 2016.
Tamworth borough council: Vacancy in Mercian ward after the death of Conservative councillor and former Mayor Sam Munn. Term ends in May.
Bradford city council: Vacancy in Keighley West ward after the resignation of Robert Payne. Originally elected as a Conservative, he was sitting as an Independent after being convicted of fraud, and was recently imprisoned for cruelty to cats. His term was due to end in May so there will be no byelection for his replacement.
Craven district council: Byelection in Hellifield and Long Preston ward on 3 May (simultaneous with the election of one third of the council) after the resignation of Conservative councillor Helen Firth. Term ends 2014.
East Riding of Yorkshire council: Byelection on 3 May in Holderness South East ward after the death of Conservative councillor Richard Stead. Term ends 2015.
North Yorkshire county council: Byelection on 3 May in Central Richmondshire division after the resignation of Conservative councillor Melva Steckles. Term ends 2013.
Richmondshire district council: Byelection on 3 May in Hornby Castle ward after the resignation of Conservative councillor Melva Steckles. Term ends 2015.
Rotherham borough council: Vacancy in Brinsworth and Catcliffe ward after the disqualification of John Gamble, who had originally been elected for the British National Party but left the party and later joined the England First Party and then the National Front. Former councillor Gamble did not attend any meetings of the council in six months, but as his term was due to end in May there will be no byelection for his replacement.
City of Wakefield council: Vacancy in Hemsworth ward after the resignation of Independent councillor Ian Womersley. His term was due to end in May so there will be no byelection.
Caerphilly county borough council: Vacancy in Argoed division after the death of Labour councillor Allen Williams. The term ends in May so there will be no byelection for a replacement.
Carmarthenshire county council: Vacancy in Tycroes division after the death of Labour councillor and former chairman Dewi Enoch. As his term was due to end in May there will be no byelection.
Gwynedd county council: There will be no election on 3 May in Bryncrug/Llanfihangel division, as no candidates were nominated. A byelection will be held after May.
Newport city council: There are two seats vacant. Alway division has a vacancy after the death of veteran Labour councillor Ken Powell. Allt-yr-yn division has a vacancy after the death of veteran Conservative councillor Les Knight. Both terms were due to end in May so no byelection can be called.
Pembrokeshire county council: Vacancy in Pembroke Dock Central division after the resignation of Labour group deputy leader Kate Becton, following a conviction for drink driving. As her term was due to end in May, there will be no byelection for a replacement.
Swansea city and county council: Three seats are vacant. Castle division has a seat vacant after the death of Labour councillor Barbara Hynes. Penyrheol division has a seat vacant after the resignation of Independent councillor Alan Jopling, who has moved to the north of England. Townhill division has a seat vacant after the death of Labour councillor Billy Jones. With a full council election due in May, there will be no byelections.
Argyll and Bute council: The election in Dunoon ward has been postponed until 10 May after the death of sitting Scottish National Party councillor Alister MacAlister, who was a candidate for re-election. There are two other vacancies in the outgoing council. Helensburgh Central ward has a seat vacant after the death of Liberal Democrat councillor Al Reay and Oban South and The Isles ward has a seat vacant after the death of Scottish National Party councillor Donald McIntosh. As it is less than six months until the full council elections, no byelections can be called.
East Ayrshire council: There are two vacancies. A seat in Ballochmyle ward is vacant after the death of Labour councillor Jimmy Kelly, and a seat in Doon Valley ward is vacant after the disqualification of Scottish National Party councillor Drew Filson. As both vacancies occurred within six months of the full council elections, there will be no byelections.
Orkney Islands Council: Vacancy in Stomness and South Isles ward after the death of Independent councillor John Eccles. As his term was due to end in May there will be no byelection.
Renfrewshire council: Vacancy in Renfrew North ward after the resignation of Scottish National Party councillor Derek Mackay, now Member of the Scottish Parliament for Renfrewshire North and West, who has been named as Minister Designate for Local Government and Planning in the Scottish Government. As his term was due to end in May there will be no byelection for a replacement.
West Dunbartonshire council: Vacancy in Dumbarton ward after the resignation of Labour councillor Geoff Calvert. As the full council election will be held in May, no byelection will be held.
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CASA's Housing Compact - How ideologically-driven policies will make housing less affordable
Posted by: Bob Silvestri - December 9, 2018 - 11:56am
Lately, it seems as if we are only being offered only unacceptable choices, regarding growth and planning and how to address our affordable housing challenges.
In the San Francisco Bay Area, we are at risk of drowning in the politically correct view that embracing big government and a no-holes-barred, hyper-growth agenda built on preposterous regional plans, is our only hope. This ideology claims that increased taxation and top-down control of growth and planning, combined with the removal of local zoning laws will unleash powerful market forces that will magically solve all our affordable housing problems.
In reaction to this big government agenda, the opposite view claims that the only solution is the deconstruction of all government on all levels: that less is more.
Unfortunately, both ideologies are clouded by emotion: the former being that life feels “unfair” and the latter by a longing for a past time that never actually existed – let’s call it the “fabulous 50s” fantasy.
But framing the argument in terms of more government versus less government entirely misses the point, which is that we need better government and more efficient and effective government. Size is not the issue so long as it is delivering bang for the buck and positively impacting the greatest number of people, which sadly, our present government at all levels is not.
Still, California’s uber-progressives led by San Francisco Senator Scott Wiener and his YIMBY shock troops, self-interested major tech corporations trying to off-load their needs onto the public ledger, academic think tanks, and an increasing number of powerful, “off ledger” quasi-governmental, unelected committees such as the Bay Area Council and CASA, The Committee to House the Bay Area, are united in their unwavering belief in centralized power and the market’s ability to produce socially equitable solutions.
Their emphasis on “market forces” is no doubt the outcome of letting billion dollar corporate interests help shape their public policy beliefs. In truth, if markets or for profit developers had a solution to our affordable housing needs, they would have already built it. That’s how markets and the profit motive work.
In the midst of all this, we have all the rest of us, most of whom fall somewhere in the middle, politically, and are socially liberal, but financially conservative, or at least practical, but who are summarily lumped together and labeled obstructionists, NIMBYs, racists, entitled, selfish “rich” people, and worse, even though the vast majority of us are none of those things in any way shape or form.
The great challenge for the rest of us, which includes the dwindling middle class and the poor, is that we are not all in agreement about any one, overly simplistic, ideological solution to everything, which turns out to be a big disadvantage when dealing with fervent ideologues. As a group, we still like democracy a lot. And we love our towns and cities and take pride in them. And most of us have more to do with our lives than waste it on viewing everything in life only through a highly politicized lens.
While uber-progressives incessantly demand more state government intervention and less say about how our tax money is spent, the rest of us are begging for relief from unachievable and economically unrealistic top down government mandates and more help with solving our very real, day to day problems of overwhelming traffic congestion, inadequate public transportation options, fixing our infrastructure, combating environmental degradation, and keeping our schools and public services from being cut to the bone.
The argument that unlimited growth will create affordable housing boils down to a belief that big government-controlled solutions are the best solutions, but that belief lacks any real world, post-World War II evidence. It claims that in order to help those who need affordable housing, we need more economically oppressive and highly regressive taxes and fees and fines collected from everyone, including those very same people they claim to want to help.
Apparently, the CASA crowd has never heard of irony.
We’re asked to give all that money to unaccountable government agencies and committees and private for profit interests, who will, of course, spend it wisely, sans any political influence, or perhaps more likely, spend it on the agendas of those who have the greatest political influence.
But the worst thing about all this is that this whole discussion, again, misses the point.
The impacts of the CASA Housing Compact where the rubber meets the road
CASA and Senator Wiener ask us to accept that all that ails us is a “housing crisis.” I wish it were that simple. This belief is incredibly naïve and ignores the long wave socio-economic factors that are driving our markets, our tax revenues, and our lives, and consequently impacting affordability. It ignores the impacts of globalism and the speed of capital around the world. When those factors are considered, it becomes clear that what we’re experiencing is not just a housing affordability crisis but an overall affordability crisis everywhere in this country.
The crisis is one of affordability of a decent standard of living, not just housing.
But before we go into all that, let’s take a look at the so-called “CASA Housing Compact,” the super tax “plan” to achieve affordable housing and social equity, which is currently being rammed down the throats of our seemingly oblivious locally elected officials in Marin. I'll examine the original proposal and the newly revised version.
As noted in my recent article, The Committee to house the Bay Area and the coming tax tsunami, the CASA Housing Compact, as originally proposed, consisted of 16 major taxes and fees and assessments to fund a massive transfer of wealth from the private sector and local government to regional and state agencies. How that money would be managed and spent is not explained. It’s just “give us all the money and trust us.” The lack of accountability aside, the overall impacts of this cannot be under-estimated and, unfortunately, have not even begun to be investigated.
Even though the original CASA proposal has been revised, as discussed below, I want to go through the original proposal just to show the audacity of the kind of thinking we're dealing with.
This chart is the original plan for the CASA Housing Compact.
Click on the chart to expand
To help illustrate how absurd the impacts of the original proposal for the CASA Housing Compact were, in a way that is tangible to the average resident, let’s analyze that plan using an example of how it might affect housing in just one small city, Mill Valley. The most recent US Census indicates that there are currently about 4,000 single family homes in Mill Valley and the median price for a home is about $1.5 million, and about 2,000 condos and the median price is about $800,000 each.
That means the total estimated value of the residential, for sale real estate in Mill Valley is currently about $7.6 billion. For each Mill Valley home then the proposed CASA Housing Compact will add a housing sales tax of 3.35% on "home value appreciation" and a 1.35% per $1,000 in value transfer tax, both at the time of sale/purchase.
Let's assume this tax started running today and assume that the average forward appreciation rate on housing prices is 4%, which is much lower than it actually has been these days, but closer to the very long term historical averages. Now let's use the current average rate of housing turnover rate in California, which is about once every 9 years. [1] That means that the $7.6 billion in value would result in $416 million in appreciation subject to the CASA 3.35% in that 9 year period.
That equates to about $14 million over 9 years, plus 1.35% per $1,000 in value, or about $190,000 for a combined total of $14,190,000 in new taxes. Market economics dictate that all things being equal (no booms or busts), this amount will be added to the purchase price and passed on to buyers.
And because housing “valuation” appraisals are based on appraisals on recent sales figures, these new taxes and fees will immediately have an impact on the entire housing market, which will quickly adjust up to the new price.
This means that the proposed CASA Housing Compact sales tax fees would have potentially raised the total appraised, for sale, residential real estate values in the City of Mill Valley by $14 million of guaranteed housing price inflation. For good measure, CASA then added a $48 per year homeowner’s tax, which equates to another $288,000 tax burden per year, every year.
The obvious question is how can that possibly lead to greater housing affordability? Increasing taxes does nothing to help the income side of the equation.
The CASA Housing Compact - Version 2
In the past months, it appears at least some semblance of sanity prevailed and the latest version of the CASA Compact has removed the taxes on home values and sales. It left the $48 per year parcel tax on all homes and left a ridiculously difficult to assess 1% tax on the assessed value of vacant homes.
This chart is the current plan for the CASA Housing Compact.
However, even the newly proposed CASA Housing Compact still doesn’t stop at taxing homeowners. It goes after all types of development and businesses and finally turns its sights on local government itself.
For developers of commercial space CASA will add $5 to $20 per sf for commercial development (depending on size) plus another $10 per sf new construction tax. Then if you put a business in that building, you will pay another $40 to $120 per person head tax (depending on the number of employees), plus another .1% to .75% tax on gross receipts. And your customers will also pay an additional 1/4% sales tax.
Wow, that should convince a lot of business and jobs to stay in the Bay Area, right?
All this considered, you would think the CASA Housing Compact would take into consideration that towns and cities provide extremely important services, all of which are fundamental to the health, safety and welfare of their residents and that unlimited development will weigh heavily the ability to provide those services. But you’d be wrong.
The CASA Housing Compact funds collected do not go to your local government. As such, the CASA Housing Compact’s authors seem oblivious to such mundane concerns even though a well-run city that provides reliable public services and has good schools and well-maintained infrastructure are things investors and housing developers look for when deciding where to invest and build.
But not only is none of the CASA windfall going to go to your local government and agencies, but your town will also have to pony up.
CASA expects to raise $100 million from cities and counties by requiring them to share 20% of their future property tax incremental revenue growth. They also expect to reap another $200 million by requiring municipalities to create a “redevelopment revenue set aside” that takes away another 25% of that incremental revenue growth “for affordable housing” – though it’s not specified who will spend that money or how.
It doesn’t take an accounting degree to conclude that this would quickly deplete the funding available for public services in every city in Marin three times over.
I’m compelled to ask, where do the drafters of the CASA Housing Compact think money to pay taxes comes from, and how do increased taxes help those most in need?
We live in a consumption driven economy and that is a major component of local tax revenues. Every single one of the taxes, fees and penalties proposed in the CASA Housing Compact are ultimately “regressive” and/or economically debilitating. Those who are the poorest or hanging on the last rung on the middle class ladder will be hit the hardest, which means they will have less to spend on basic necessities and everything else, including housing, which will drive down sales tax revenues.
And in a market driven economy (versus government built housing), if there are only "x" dollars that can profitably invest in housing at any given time, based on real demand, how can there be more funding available for housing development if the government has inserted itself as a middle man in the aggregation of capital and siphoned off a considerable percentage of those funds for its administrative and planning costs? Wouldn't it be better to just offer tax incentives directly to private capital, to build affordable housing, rather than creating yet another bureaucratic mega-agency and taxing those who actually create capital... all of us who work for a living?
Overall, there’s no question that one of the long term results of CASA's wasteful confiscation of private capital will be increased wealth disparity.
Does this mean that taxes and fees are categorically a bad thing?
Not at all. It’s just that taxes have to result in a positive feedback loop on the income and credit availability side, whereas the CASA Housing Compact is more like an animal eating its own foot in an attempt to get out of a trap, because it’s willing to ignore that it will be a cripple for life afterwards, just to survive another day.
READ PART II HERE
READ PART III HERE
[1] Lawrence Yun, the Chief Economist of NAR, at the Realtor’s Summit in San Diego, CA. Besides the Great Recession of 2008, another reason for this is that more and more people cannot really afford the house they presently live in, if they had to purchase it today. So many residents are "stuck" in their homes, which decreases the number of homes available for purchase. This is why the average home purchase to resale cycle has doubled in the past ten years in California.
Bob Silvestri is the founder and president of Community Venture Partners, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit community organization funded only by individuals in Marin and the San Francisco Bay Area.
The CASA Housing Compact V2 (pdf 1.72 MB)
Copyright 2019 Community Venture Partners, Inc. All rights reserved.
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Archive for the ‘Bubbles In The Wine’ Category
Rolfe’s Doc Ranney Pitches for Armstrong — in 1932
Pictured* are Dr. R.B. Ranney and his assistant, Erma (Hopkins) Lund. Dr. Ranney retired from his Rolfe, Iowa, dental practice in 1978. In 1986 he passed away at the age of 72. (Click on photo to enlarge; twice for further enlargement.)
Today, Major League Baseball’s 2012 opening day, I’m posting about Dr. Ranney (back row, far left in photo below). He was a high school pitcher playing for the 1932 Armstrong, Iowa, high school baseball championship team. He later became the dentist in my hometown of Rolfe, Iowa. Pictured above is Dr. Ranney with Erma (Hopkins) Lund. Off-and-on from approximately 1967 to 1978, Erma was Dr. Ranney’s assistant.
The caption to this 1932 photo** reads, "Here is the crack Armstrong High school baseball team which climaxed a great season by winning the state prep championship. The members are, back row, left to right: Ranney, E. Lorig, B. Lorig, Erickson, Gagestad, Olson, Coach Estel Thompson. Bottom row, left to right: Horswell, Fitzgibbons, Gaarde, Wilson, Ankrum, Nicoson." (The player with the last name of Nicoson was Mac Nicoson. He was the catcher on the team. He was also a brother to long-time Rolfe resident Sam Nicoson who married Geraldine, "Gerry." Mrs. Nicoson was my first grade teacher.) (Click on photo to enlarge.)
In 1976 my dad, Deane Gunderson, wrote in his weekly “Bubbles in the Wine” column about Dr. Ranney.
“Ranney Pitches”
Bubbles in the Wine (column) in the Rolfe Arrow
by Deane Gunderson
First published 36 years ago…May 13, 1976
Dr. T.D. Jones, 1934.*** (Click on photo to enlarge.)
Dr. R.B. Ranney is one of Rolfe’s best liked citizens and a very highly regarded professional. Russ graduated from dental school and came to Rolfe in 1940. I had looked in the old files of the Arrow for some account of his coming, but didn’t find any. Doc said he rather “snuck” in. That must have been the case. It’s understandable, in a way, because when he first came he worked on a commission basis for Dr. T.D. Jones who was in failing health. Three years later when Ranney bought Jones out, the local residents probably weren’t aware of much of a change. Who cared as long as the dental work was that good?
Doc and Maureen, who are two of our most solid citizens, reared a family of two boys while in Rolfe. They don’t brag much.
But did you know that Doc was the winning pitcher in the 1932 Iowa High School Baseball tournament, pitching hometown Armstrong to the state title with the school’s 23rd consecutive win? That little guy? (120 lbs. then) And who was the victim? North High of Des Moines, the 1931 state champs!
The intensity of the feeling in Armstrong must have begun to build up about May 12, 1932, when the Armstrong Journal headlined, “Baseball Team Will Enter State Tourney,” and continuing, “The Armstrong High School baseball team left this afternoon for the state tournament in Des Moines, having wiped the slate clean at the Spencer tournament last Saturday and Monday.
“They met the Spencer team in the first round and eliminated them 9 to 0. Monday morning they defeated Sanborn 8 to 1, and in the afternoon, played in the finals against Arnold’s Park, winning 6 to 1.
“Ranney pitched the first and last games.”
A week later the town must have been bustling with pride and excitement. Again from the Journal:
“Armstrong High School baseball team came home Saturday night with the State Championship, after having won three straight games in the tournament at Des Moines in Western League Baseball park. A crowd was waiting [for] them near the midnight hour at the Junction and formed a parade, marching up through Main Street led by the high school band. A tired and happy bunch of boys and Coach Thompson piled out of cars to play the game over among the fans who for two days had paced up and down main street anxiously waiting for a telephone call from Des Moines announcing the result of each game.
“Armstrong played their first game Friday afternoon against Moulton and defeated them 6 to 1. Ranney let the Moulton team down with three hits, while Armstrong batters hit 10 safe singles.
“Saturday morning Hamburg was the next to fall, 8 to 2. Horswell allowed five scattered hits, and Armstrong hit safely eight times.
The final game was played against North High, Des Moines, last year’s champions. This team was rated strong, especially their crack pitcher, Jim Iles, who had been played up in news reports. He met his downfall in a slugging match with 14 hits for Armstrong and 13 for North High. Ranney pitched this game and was nicked hard, this making his second full game in two days.
“The Score was tied at 9 in the fifth inning after each team had been ahead by as much as three. It was again tied at 11 in the 6th inning. Ranney allowed but three batters to face him in the seventh inning and Armstrong went to bat in the last half of the inning with a tie score. With one out Wilson walked, Ranney singled, Gaarde was purposely walked and the bases were full. B. Lorig crashed a single through the infield and Armstrong won the tournament.”
See last year’s opening day post about the Chicago Cubs here.
*From the collection of Erma (Hopkins) Lund.
**From the collection of Richard (Dick) Ranney.
***From the Webb photo collection at the Rolfe Public Library.
Posted in Bubbles In The Wine, Deane Gunderson | 1 Comment »
The Iowa Caucus: 36 Years Ago
The following is my dad’s (Deane Gunderson) Bubbles in the Wine column about Iowa caucuses. This article was originally published in the Rolfe [Iowa] Arrow on January 15, 1976, just four days before that year’s caucus.
I’m a conservative and will be voting in Iowa’s Republican caucus tomorrow night, January 3. I am solid with my choice, but (for now, anyway) feel that I’ve designed this blog for topics other than pushing my political beliefs onto others. I’ll save that for my speech at the caucus tomorrow night. (Am I nervous to speak? Yes!) Or for anyone who wants to private-message me. If you are wanting to know for whom I am voting, feel free to email me and I will tell you. MGundersonArt@gmail.com
Contrarily, if you’d like to comment on your thoughts, feel free to do so below. Or, private message me about your thoughts, as well.
For now, here’s my dad’s column.
“Jan. 19 Political Caucuses”
First published 36 years ago…January 15, 1976
There have been press releases and official notices of political caucuses, Republican and Democrat, to be held January 19. [Remember, this was written in 1976 and that the 2012 Iowa caucuses will be held tomorrow, Tuesday, January 3.]
A rather unique thing happened this year. The Democrat State Chairman and the Republican State Chairman held a joint news conference and issued a joint news release, “. . . we challenge people to demonstrate their concern for responsible government by attending one of these caucuses.”
It used to be that the Republican and Democrat organizations did a good job of ignoring each other, especially the other’s good points.
The above joint announcement should be taken as a sincere feeling that more participation in political activity is a good thing for the country.
I was surprised to be asked a few days ago if these caucuses were open to anyone, or if they were just for the party committee men and political workers.
Emphatically — the caucuses are open to anyone who wishes to indicate that he or she has the slightest inclination to make his desires known through one of the parties. Obviously, party structure would break down if it were permissible for a bunch of Republicans to attend a Democrat caucus and make decisions — or vise-versa. Likewise, independents without any purpose except to undermine the organizational framework should not be allowed to make decisions.
I’m sure that either party will welcome anyone who shows any indication whatsoever to make his voice heard through that party structure. You do not have to be registered. Just be one who could be eligible to vote November 2 and be a resident of the precinct for the caucus you attend. (See notices in last week’s paper.) [In 2012, you will need a photo ID that includes your current address, for example, your driver’s license. If you’ve moved and your current address is not on your photo ID, you will need some proof of your current address, for example, a utility bill including your address.]
The purposes of the party caucuses, both Republican and Democrat, are to:
1. Name a precinct committeeman and committeewoman who will serve as members of the county central committee for that party.
2. Elect delegates to the county conventions which in turn will elect delegates to the state and district conventions. The state and district conventions will name delegates to the national political conventions, thus naming the candidates for which you will be making a choice for president Nov. 2, 1976.
3. Suggest resolutions and platforms which will be considered at county, district, state and national convention.
While you might consider the impact at the local caucus level to be very small, every idea will have a hearing and be voted on in a democratic way and, if accepted, ushered on up the line to the proper point of application (state, national — or county, for that matter). Be there January 19th. [Or, in 2012, tomorrow, Tuesday, January 3.]
If you want to know more about this year’s Iowa caucus, click here. And, remember, some elections win or lose by just one vote. Heck, my dad got one vote one time at the county level…and won!
Posted in Bubbles In The Wine, Deane Gunderson | 11 Comments »
Population Trends for Pocahontas County and Rolfe, Iowa
In case you didn’t see it already, DesMoinesRegister.com published an interactive map indicating the population changes for each Iowa county as indicated by the 2010 census. Of all 99 Iowa counties, Pocahontas County had the biggest percentage drop — minus 15.6% — in population. Rolfe, Iowa, my hometown, is in Pocahontas County.
In my dad’s 1976 Bubbles in the Wine column (below) about population trends, he referred to Pat Wood. Since Pat was a former mayor of Rolfe and longtime businessman there, I thought it would be fun to include a couple of photos of him. Pat passed away in 1987.
This photo of Pat was taken in 1976 by, I assume, my mother (Marion Gunderson). During that year of our nation's bicentennial, my mother photographed nearly every Rolfe community member. All of those photos are in albums at the Rolfe Public Library. (Click on photo to enlarge.)
POPULATION TRENDS
Bubbles in the Wine — A Rolfe [Iowa] Arrow weekly column
Several years ago the Register had an article on the projected population growth of different Iowa areas to the year 2020. The Skunk River valley area — Ames, Newton, etc. — was predicted to have the highest growth (0.45 percent per year). Our area, the Des Moines River valley was predicted to have an increase of 0.35 percent per year. The lowest was southwest Iowa, I believe.
I visited with Mayor [Pat] Wood a few days ago. He told me that whereas the town of Rolfe had an official census of 767 in 1970, the population, according to the count taken in February, 1976, was 838.
That’s a nice gain and it has been gratifying to see a number of your young people come back to Rolfe as well as others that have moved into town.
Projecting from the figure of 838 at the rate of 0.35 percent per year, we come up with a figure of 976 in the year 2020. Or using the 6 year growth rate from 767 to 838 (and assuming it would continue) we would come to a figure of 1359 in the year 2020.
We would like to think that if the town did get to one of those figures it would mean that the Rolfe School would have a substantial gain in enrollment. That will probably not be the case as the percentage of old people is increasing, the young ones decreasing. That is substantiated by there having been a school enrollment drop averaging 8 per year for the last 5 years, the heaviest being the last two years — even with the town population increasing as mentioned. The 1976 census shows only 247 people age 0 to 20. The drop in farm population is no doubt a factor also.
The influx of population to Rolfe seems to be primarily retiring people and people that are using Rolfe as a bed room town and working elsewhere. The latter is probably the greatest hope that we have to continue to grow some. It seems that we haven’t had much sound interest by anyone in locating an industry here — and apparently the same is true in other towns of our size.
It’s easy for me to understand why there hasn’t been a lot of interest in locating industries in smaller towns and why there probably won’t be in the future. This writer attended a meeting in a larger town outside the county several years ago and listened to the executive director of the Chamber of Commerce tell what all they were doing and offering to find industries that might locate there. The extent and the detail of their research amazed me. My feeling ever since that time is that with all the bird-dogging by the larger towns and cities, there would be very little chance of industries coming to the smaller towns.
This photo of Pat Wood and Tom Diggs is taken from the November 19, 1970, edition of The Rolfe Arrow.
Posted in Bubbles In The Wine, Deane Gunderson, Iowa, Rolfe | 2 Comments »
Johnny Zeman: Long on Loyalty, Know-how, and Getting Things Done
In this 1961 photo, Johnny prepared the seedbed with John Deere 730 tandem tractors pulling two 14-foot tandem discs and a 30-foot harrow. This configuration was designed by my dad, Deane Gunderson, who in the early 1940s was an engineer for the John Deere Tractor Company in Waterloo, Iowa. The tractors could also be used separately for lighter fieldwork during the summer. (Click on photo to enlarge.)
Bubbles in the Wine (A Rolfe [Iowa] Arrow weekly column)
Johnny Zeman, long on loyalty, know-how, and getting things done, a 145 pound bundle of tough muscle and porcelain innards. The muscle is just about as good as it was 19 years ago when he started to work at Gunderland, and his know-how and a few other things have improved a good bit in the last few years.
No longer will Johnny be slowly turning Irving Cornwell’s corner at 7:59 a.m. (winter hours) with his six-soother at his side. We’ll miss the convenience to us in the little things as well as his sincere desire to get the crops in and out properly and quickly.
Johnny...and Johnny. (Year unknown. Click on photo to enlarge.)
Johnny had his funny side. One night he was relaxing in the old tavern (now extinct) near the coin laundry. A friend along the bar said he was going up to the (old) Midway to see what was going on there, and friend left. Johnny thought, “I’ll just duck out the back door and slip up to the Midway and be nonchalantly at the bar when friend comes in the front door of the Midway.” Johnny was scurrying back behind the buildings in pretty good darkness with a smile on his face, no doubt, when he unexpectedly found himself scrambled with sandburs, broken shipping crates, and cinders in the bottom of an abandoned basement drive-in entrance to one of the buildings.
Johnny and Daddy at Gunderland. (Year unknown. Click on photo to enlarge.)
On another occasion, Johnny called up about 9:00 p.m. on a Sunday evening and suggested that he go up to Les Allen’s to pick up some equipment so that we’d be ready to charge into our work more quickly Monday morning. I told Johnny, “No, just let it go — we’ll take care of it in the morning.” Nevertheless, half an hour later, Johnny called from Allen’s to say he had encountered a couple of horses in the middle of the road and his car was over in Martin DeWall’s field. “I’ll come to get you,” I said. We looked for the horses, [but] didn’t find them although we could see where they had been. Later I took Johnny home and by then Johnny was concerned about what discipline he was going to get, because he had outright disobeyed me. “No, Johnny,” I said, “it’s just that at certain times you ought to keep away from that car.” “You mean to say that I’m not going to get laid off, or have my wages docked or anything like that?” Answer: “That’s right.” Whereupon Johnny said, “O.K., then, give me some more ell.”
Once when visiting in California, I was regaling my dentist uncle with some of Johnny’s antics, telling about how Johnny liked to get to the tavern after work and tell his buddies about how we (or he) did this today, and we did this much this week, etc. My uncle said, “Yep, that’s his fraternity.”
Best regards Johnny, LaVonne and the kids, and fond memories from Gunderland.
Johnny passed away in 1989.
Click here to read a few more of Daddy’s “Bubbles in the Wine” columns, including his story about how he began his BITW column. I’ll be sure to post more of them in the future. I have his permission, and the Pocahontas Record-Democrat‘s, which now owns the Rolfe newspapers.
If you want to learn more about the John Deere configuration and didn’t already see it when I posted my dad’s obituary, click here for a 1964 Fort Dodge Messenger article about it. The article also includes another photo of Johnny.
Posted in Bubbles In The Wine, Deane Gunderson, John Deere | Leave a Comment »
Deane C. Gunderson (Obituary, 1964 Fort Dodge Messenger Article, and Links to Additional Articles)
Daddy at the age of 88 in 2007. He looked just like this (including the sparkle in his eyes) until within days before he passed away on July 1st, 2010. The only difference from this photo and seeing him in “real life” was he typically had his shirt collar buttoned and was a true blue Iowa Stater wearing his self-handcrafted ISU bolo tie! (Click on photo to enlarge.)
Deane C. Gunderson, age 91, died on Thursday, July 1, 2010, at the Israel Family Hospice House in Ames.
Deane Charles Gunderson, son of John Christian Gunderson and DeElda (Lighter) Gunderson, was born on September 16, 1918, in Roosevelt Township, Pocahontas County, Iowa. He graduated from Rolfe High School in 1935 and received B.S. degrees in Agricultural Engineering (1939) and Mechanical Engineering (1940) from Iowa State College.
On July 23, 1941, Deane Gunderson and Marion Abbott were married in Ogden, Utah. They resided in Waterloo, Iowa, for nearly four years while Deane worked as an engineer for the John Deere Tractor Company. In 1945 Marion and Deane moved with their three young children to the farm southwest of Rolfe where they continued to live for six decades.
Deane was a member of Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity, president his senior year and president of the House Corporation for 24 years. He was active in the Republican Party, Community Chest and Lions Club, and a Life Master in the American Contract Bridge League.
Deane was a member of the Shared Ministry of Rolfe. He served on the Board of Directors of the Rolfe State Bank. He was involved in public education for 25 years, having served on the Rolfe Community School District Board of Directors from 1966 to 1981, and as a Director and Treasurer of the Iowa Association of School Boards from 1971-1991. He also served on the Board of Governors of the Iowa State University Foundation.
In 1980, Iowa State University awarded Alumni Recognition Medals to Deane and Marion. He was an avid Cyclone fan and in 1975 created an 11½-foot, welded sculpture of Cy that stood at the north end of the ISU football stadium for many years. In 1981 Iowa State named Deane as Cy’s Favorite Alum.
During 1975-1977, Deane wrote a weekly column, “Bubbles in the Wine,” for The Rolfe Arrow.
His interests included farming, education, mathematics, welding, land surveying and farm drainage systems. He specialized in creating larger combinations of farm machinery* for increased production per farm worker. He seemed to have friends wherever he went and enjoyed engaging them with his stories. He was proud of his children and delighted in his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He was a generous person, encouraged others in their endeavors and was noted for pointing out life’s wonders, including Sputnik, the Pythagorean theorem, bean seeds germinating, a fox den in a creek bank, and the West Bend Grotto.
Deane was preceded in death by his wife, Marion, his parents, and one son, Christian Gunderson. He is survived by his son Charles Gunderson and wife Gloria; daughters Clara Hoover and husband Harold, Helen Gunderson, Martha Carlson and husband Michael, Margaret Moore and husband Jeffrey, and Louise Shimon and husband William; seven grandchildren: Christina Gunderson, Timothy Gunderson, Kevin Carlson, Joshua Moore, Jonathan Moore, Abigail Shimon and Kathryn (Shimon) Moon; three great-grandchildren: Michael Williams, Addison Valletta and Jackson Johnstone; and several cousins.
A memorial service will be held at the Shared Ministry of Rolfe at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, July 31.
In lieu of flowers, Deane requested contributions be made to the Rolfe Lions Club (P.O. Box 101, Rolfe, Iowa 50581).
*If you have time, I hope you will click TWICE on this photo to read this 1964 Fort Dodge Messenger article about one aspect of my dad’s engineering. (With clicking on the photo just once, the text will likely be too small to read. This is posted with permission granted by The Messenger.)
Daddy’s obituary will be in today’s (July 21st) edition of the Pocahontas Record-Democrat. It will also be in this Sunday’s (July 25th) edition of the Fort Dodge Messenger, the Ames Tribune and the Des Moines Register. Sometime later I’ll post a bunch of photos of Daddy; in the same post as his obituary somehow just didn’t seem to work for me.
If you are able to attend Daddy’s service and luncheon afterward, please be sure to let me know you are there. (I felt so bad that I missed some people who were at Mother’s service.) Also, if you can’t attend the service but think you will be in Rolfe later in the day on the 31st or sometime that weekend, it would be nice if you’d email (mariongundersonart@gmail.com) or call me to let me know; maybe we could work out a way to have our paths cross.
(Cy’s Favorite Alum)
(Click here to go to Louise Shimon’s blog’s home page.)
Tags:CY, Iowa State University
Posted in Bubbles In The Wine, Deane Gunderson, Iowa, John Deere, Marion Gunderson, Rolfe | 6 Comments »
Help the Lions Help Others
(Click here to go to this blog’s home page.)
Daddy is on the left with (I think) auctioneer Jay Arnold during a Lions Club auction when it used to be held at Rolfe's Post Office parking lot. The view is looking northerly. Daddy was in charge of the Lions Club auction for several years. I remember he'd contact area residents, including all of the business owners in town, for donations. (Click photo to enlarge.)
A previous post includes information about my dad’s (Deane Gunderson) “Bubbles in the Wine” weekly column that he wrote in the ’70s for The Rolfe Arrow. Below is another of his “Bubbles” columns, this time having to do with the Rolfe (Iowa) Lions Club annual auction.
This Saturday, July 10th at 11:00 AM, during Greater Rolfe Days will once again be the Lions’ annual auction. It will be held at the gazebo on Main Street. (I’ll be in the library across the street selling prints of Mother’s watercolors. The prints profits will go toward digitizing 101 years of Rolfe newspapers so they will eventually be accessible at no charge on the web.)
Before my dad passed away last week, he requested that in lieu of flowers, any memorial contributions be made to the Rolfe Lions Club (P.O. Box 101, Rolfe, Iowa 50581). He’d be just as glad if you stopped by the gazebo this coming Saturday and bought something for way more than it was worth in an effort to “Help the Lions Help Others.”
Also, at 10:00 AM on Saturday, just before the auction, will be the Greater Rolfe Days parade…with the Rolfe Lions as Grand Marshals. How fitting!
BUBBLES in the WINE
In the March 6, 1975, issue of The Rolfe Arrow
Elsewhere in this issue is an ad about the annual Lions Club sale which this year will be held March 8 at 1:30 p.m. The proceeds “Help The Lions Help Others.”
The Lions, officially known as Lions International, has over a million Lions club members in 147 countries. The purpose stated in the constitution is to serve others. Our club has [?] members. Roger Witt is our president; Pat Wood is our secretary and has been a Zone chairman.
The main projects of the national organization are related to serving the blind. They are:
(1) Operation of an eye bank — a storage of eyes in medical centers for the replacement of faulty eyes.
(2) Sponsoring a school for leader dogs.
(3) Collecting discarded eyeglasses which are checked and redistributed through a national center. (We’ll take yours.)
Our neighboring towns of Palmer, Gilmore City, Laurens, and West Bend have Lions Clubs. Some towns have clubs that are more for fun and the pulling of practical jokes on each other at the meetings. Our Rolfe club is a serious club and is very intent on the service angle. Proof of this is this list of local activities:
(1) Easter sunrise services.
(2) Easter Egg hunt.
(3) Scholastic banquet for honor roll students.
(4) College educational fund for two handicapped children, one now in college.
(5) Summer Little League program.
(6) Eye glasses for the needy students in Rolfe School. The students remain anonymous as far as the Lions are concerned.
(7) Christmas baskets for the elderly and/or needy.
(8) Ushering for basketball games.
(9) Installation of house numbers, street signs and sidewalk benches.
The Lions are grateful to the merchants and other people of Rolfe for their generous support of our projects. Almost every merchant will be donating some new merchandise for the sale, and other people will be donating worthwhile used items — some real goodies. Homemade baked goods will be donated. The auctioneering and clerking are donated.
We have some fun too. Several years ago we sold one bushel of competing seed corns (buyer’s choice). The price got up to $70. Les Allen and Art Sellers were bidding against each other, but Les had the advantage because he charged half to his landlord*.
So, Saturday, March 8, be in Rolfe, bring your money, take home some bargains, and “Help The Lions Help Others.”
*Hmmm…..The inside joke is that I think that landlord just happened to be someone with the initials of D. G.! That Les was certainly a prankster.
Most likely next week I’ll include information about the Rolfe Lions Club’s current projects. My intent is to later this week post the second audio segment of my conversation with Sharon (Wickre) Rickard. I’ll wait until July 21st to post my dad’s official obituary. His memorial service will be at 11:00 AM on Saturday, July 31st at the Shared Ministry in Rolfe.
Posted in Bubbles In The Wine, Deane Gunderson, Uncategorized | Leave a Comment »
Bubbles In The Wine by Deane Gunderson (February 27, 1975 — Part II)
(You probably won’t understand Part II below unless you first read Part I.)
“Bubbles In The Wine” by Deane Gunderson, February 27, 1975 * (Part II)
My father, Deane Gunderson (back row, far left), played on this John Deere softball team during his 1940 to 1945 employment with John Deere in Waterloo, Iowa. During this employment he attended the meeting described in his February 27, 1975, "Bubbles In The Wine" article. (Click photo to enlarge.)
About thirty years ago [in the early- or mid-1940s] the John Deere Experimental Men’s meeting was being held in Moline and a good friend of mine from the Waterloo factory, Emil Jirsa, was to give a talk on the development of the John Deere Powr-Trol (hydraulic) system, then in its infancy.
Emil wasn’t much of a talker and he didn’t have the handsome, slippery appearance of John Connally. He was, as a matter of fact, just the opposite, and I suppose the audience was expecting a dull halting speech, hoping to get on to the next topic or to get into the bar, where each engineer would have the opportunity to brag about what he had dreamed up. more…
Posted in Bubbles In The Wine, Deane Gunderson, John Deere | 4 Comments »
Bubbles In The Wine by Deane Gunderson (February 27, 1975 — Part I)
For background information about my father’s (Deane Gunderson) mid-1970s “Bubbles In The Wine” newspaper column, click here. The article below is the first of his “Bubbles In The Wine” articles appearing in the weekly Rolfe Arrow from early 1975 through mid-1977. The article below is also his favorite!
“Bubbles In The Wine” by Deane Gunderson, February 27, 1975 *
My father in the mid-1970s, when he wrote 114 articles for his "Bubbles In The Wine" column.
On a recent Sunday morning yours truly was sitting in the Presbyterian Church of Rochester, Minnesota, when the minister said something that prompted the going ahead with this column. The idea of a column for the Rolfe Arrow had been tossed around a lot over the last several years. If you don’t like the idea, you’ll have to blame it on going to church, and that’s a pretty tough argument. more…
Posted in Bubbles In The Wine, Deane Gunderson | 2 Comments »
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MarylandReporter.com (https://marylandreporter.com/2019/03/22/state-roundup-march-22-2019/)
State Roundup, March 22, 2019
SENATE OKs $46.6B BUDGET: The state Senate on Thursday unanimously passed a $46.6 billion budget that contains less funding for the state’s public schools than its House of Delegates counterpart — and restores money for a program to send kids from poor families to private schools, writes Luke Broadwater for the Sun. The Senate budget passed 47-0.
END OF LIFE BILL: Members of a key Senate committee are expected to vote Friday on a bill that would allow terminally ill Marylanders to request medication they could take to end their life. The House of Delegates has already approved a version of the measure after an emotional debate earlier this month. But the measure’s fate has been more uncertain in the Senate, Pamela Wood of the Sun writes.
A Senate committee appeared deeply divided Thursday over legislation that would allow terminally ill patients to request and receive life-ending medication from their physicians who conclude they have at most six months to live, Steve Lash of the Daily Record reports.
MAYORS PRESS FOR PREAKNESS: Baltimore continued its full-court press Thursday to preserve Pimlico Race Course and keep the Preakness Stakes in the city, as current and former mayors lobbied the state’s black lawmakers to join the cause, Pamela Wood of the Sun reports.
STRONACH DISPUTE PUGH DEAL CLAIM: The company that owns Pimlico Race Course is disputing Mayor Catherine Pugh’s claim that she had worked out a plan with them to keep the Preakness Stakes at the Baltimore track. Pugh told members of the Legislative Black Caucus on Thursday that her team had met with officials from the Stronach Group and thought they had worked out a way to maintain the signature race at Pimlico, Pamela Wood reports for the Sun. She said Stronach “walked away from negotiations.”
HOUSE PANEL OKs JHU POLICE, WITH PROHIBITIONS: Maryland’s House of Delegates Judiciary Committee voted 13-8 Thursday night to advance legislation to authorize a police force for Johns Hopkins University. The committee voted for the bill after adding a series of amendments, including one that requires a member of the university’s Black Faculty and Staff Association to sit on the accountability board that will oversee the force; another that prohibits the force from using surplus military equipment; and a third that mandates officers are trained in the legal use of searches, Luke Broadwater of the Sun reports.
FREDERICK CAPITAL PROJECTS: The General Assembly has preliminarily approved well over a million dollars of funding for local projects in Frederick County, Samantha Hogan of the Frederick News-Post reports. The House and Senate each released their list of funding priorities for local projects with the largest allocations in Frederick County targeted at damage from the 2018 floods. The state Capital Budget has initially awarded $200,000 for flood mitigation to the Frederick YMCA, and earmarked an additional $100,000 to repair drinking water infrastructure in the city of Brunswick.
HOGAN PUSHES FOR STATE TO TAKE OVER BW PKWY: Gov. Larry Hogan continued his push for Maryland to take over the Baltimore-Washington Parkway from the National Park Service, arguing that the federal agency “has increasingly demonstrated it is simply not up to the task of maintaining” the highway, Colin Campbell of the Sun reports.
NO. OF FEMALE BOARD MEMBERS SOUGHT: The Maryland Senate passed legislation Thursday that would require qualifying Maryland companies to provide information regarding the number of women members of their Boards of Directors. Senate Bill 911 would require companies filing personal property reports to the Department of Assessments and Taxation include the number of female board members and the total number of Board of Directors, Chase Cook reports for the Annapolis Capital.
OPINION: PAID LEAVE IS MORAL THING TO DO: In an op-ed for Maryland Matters, Aaron Seyedian, owner of Well-Paid Maids, opines that as a small business owner who employs and serves Maryland residents, I am eager to see the Time to Care Act of 2019 (HB 341/SB 500) enacted. I believe that paid family and medical leave for all workers is not only affordable for businesses but will benefit businesses and, most importantly, is the moral thing to do.
UMMS CEO PLACED ON PAID LEAVE: University of Maryland Medical System CEO Robert A. Chrencik was placed on leave Thursday as accusations of self-dealing and no-bid contracting with board members have rocked the hospital network. He earns $4.2 million a year and will continue to take a salary on leave, Luke Broadwater and Pamela Wood of the Sun reports.
Board chairman Stephen A. Burch announced Thursday that the board asked Chrencik to step aside and unanimously agreed at an emergency meeting Thursday to engage an independent accounting and legal firm to conduct an audit of the board’s contracts, reports Rachel Chason in the Post.
John Ashworth, senior vice president of network development for UMMS, will act as interim president and CEO, the board said in a statement. A measure to force new ethics rules on the board was introduced Thursday by House Speaker Michael E. Busch (D-Anne Arundel) and — in a display of bipartisanship — was introduced by Del. Nic Kipke (R-Anne Arundel), the minority leader.
HOGAN, MILLER MEET UMMS HEADS: Gov. Larry Hogan said Thursday he believes a clear message was sent to leaders of the University of Maryland Medical System who came to Annapolis a day earlier amid concerns members of the board have benefited from contracts with the organization they oversee. Senate President Mike Miller Jr. described Hogan as “exercised” about reports of potential self-dealing among nine of the 30 board members, including Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh, Bryan Sears reports for the Daily Record.
Rachel Baye of WYPR-FM writes that board chairman Stephen Burch said a board meeting Thursday will determine next steps and ways to ensure this doesn’t happen again. “We’re more concerned about the institution and its reputation than we are about people on the board or in management,” Burch said. “The institution is by far paramount.”
PUGH PANEL FAILED TO FILE FORMS: The committee that organized a day of festivities to celebrate Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh’s inauguration in 2016 hasn’t filed the financial disclosures the IRS requires of nonprofits, Ian Duncan of the Sun reports. Jon Laria, an attorney and one of Pugh’s inaugural committee directors, said he realized the forms hadn’t been filed after the Baltimore Sun asked this week to review copies of the documents, which are supposed to be public. The filings would provide a look at how much money the committee raised and how it was spent.
PUGH DEFENDS BOOKS: Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh defended her self-published children’s book series in a lengthy statement that came a week after it was revealed she had a lucrative business deal with a hospital system whose board she served on for nearly two decades, Sarah Meehan of the Sun reports.
Baltimore Brew publishes Pugh’s entire statement, which you can read here.
The illustrator of Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh’s self-published “Healthy Holly” book series says he was unaware of her deal to sell $500,000 worth of the books to the University of Maryland Medical System, where the mayor sat on the board of directors until resigning this week. What’s more, Andre Forde says, he’s never actually met his collaborator, Colin Campbell writes for the Sun.
CHRISTIE TELLS HOGAN TO BE NIMBLE IN 2020: Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie told reporters in Annapolis on Thursday that he advised Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan to be “nimble” as the 2020 presidential election approaches. Christie appeared shoulder to shoulder with Hogan at the Government House, Hogan’s official residence, as Christie promotes his new book, Scott Dance of the Sun writes.
Christie offered his thoughts Thursday during an early evening appearance with Hogan at the Governor’s Mansion. Rachel Chason of the Post writes that Christie came to Annapolis as part of a tour to promote a new book about his unsuccessful run for the GOP nomination in 2016 and his subsequent stint with the Trump campaign. From the mansion, the men headed to the Annapolis Yacht Club, where Hogan introduced Christie at an event that included a discussion and book signing.
DELANEY URGES HOGAN TO STAND UP TO TRUMP: Jeff Barker of the Sun writes that former U.S. Rep. and current Democratic presidential candidate John Delaney is urging Gov. Larry Hogan — or another Republican — to challenge President Donald Trump’s 2020 re-election bid. “Voices like John Kasich and Governor Hogan, from my state, would do an enormous service to not just their party, but to their fellow Americans to stand up and challenge this president,” said Delaney, who stepped down from his Maryland 6th Congressional District seat at the end of last year to run for president.
HARRY HUGHES EULOGIZED: At the outset of former Maryland Gov. Harry Hughes’ funeral Thursday, Gov. Larry Hogan and Congressman Steny Hoyer described Hughes as a man of humility and integrity who was exactly what the state needed to stop corruption, Scott Dance reports for the Sun.
U.S. House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.), one of the men chosen to eulogize Hughes, said the ex-governor’s titles were incidental to the man and his legacy, Josh Kurtz of Maryland Matters writes. “He was not our delegate, or our senator, or our secretary, or our governor,” observed Hoyer, who served with Hughes in the state Senate and later was on an opposing gubernatorial ticket. “He was just our Harry – and that was more than enough.”
CUMMINGS CONCERNED ABOUT TRUMP, KUSHNER USE OF EMAILS: Chad Day and Jill Colvin of the Associated Press report that Ivanka Trump, the president’s daughter and a powerful White House aide, did not preserve all of her official emails as required by federal law, and her husband, Jared Kushner, used a messaging application to conduct U.S. business outside government channels, the chairman of the House Oversight and Reform Committee said on Thursday. Rep. Elijah Cummings, a Democrat from Maryland, said in a letter to the White House that the use of private email accounts and the messaging application WhatsApp by senior administration officials raises “security and federal records concerns.”
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Utah launches zero-emission transit with buses from New Flyer
Monday, September 24, 2018 7:21 PM - St. Cloud, USA
New Flyer of America Inc. (“New Flyer”), the U.S. subsidiary of NFI Group Inc. (“NFI”), the largest transit bus and motor coach manufacturer and parts distributor in North America, today announced that the Utah Transit Authority (“UTA”) has awarded New Flyer a contract for five forty-foot New Flyer Xcelsior CHARGE™ heavy-duty, battery-electric buses.
The award includes the zero-emission buses and supporting charging equipment, and was supported by Federal Transit Administration (“FTA”) funds through the Low or No Emission (“Low-No”) Vehicle Deployment Program. Partners include the University of Utah, CALSTART, Utah State University, Rocky Mountain Power, and the Utah Office of Energy Development. Rocky Mountain Power will provide technical support and management for daily charging demands, CALSTART will collect data, analyze, and report on vehicle performance, and the Utah Office of Energy Development will support promotion of more efficient, renewable energy infrastructure.
“New Flyer is proud to deliver safe, reliable, zero-emission transit to the community of Salt Lake City and the University of Utah,” said Wayne Joseph, President, New Flyer of America. “We commend UTA as an industry leader in developing and providing mobility solutions for its communities, and through deploying our Xcelsior CHARGE buses, also improving transit sustainability while improving air quality and conserving natural resources.”
The Xcelsior CHARGE™ buses will serve Salt Lake City and the University of Utah campus. Three will be deployed on a UTA route between downtown Salt Lake City and the university, while the other two buses will support the university’s new transit shuttle using a dedicated transit and pedestrian lane.
“The Utah Transit Authority is looking forward to putting these five New Flyer battery-electric buses into service in our community,” said Steve Meyer, Interim Executive Director of UTA. “Air quality is a major concern in our service area and a top priority for UTA. These zero-emission buses will aid UTA in its efforts to improve our air quality throughout the year, and be a responsible steward of our precious natural resources.”
The Utah Transit Authority is the provider of public transportation and mobility solutions in the Wasatch Front of Utah, including the metropolitan areas of Ogden, Park City, Provo, Salt Lake City, and Tooele. It provides over 45 million trips annually, and in 2014, UTA was named the American Public Transportation Association’s Outstanding Public Transportation System.
NFI has over 50 years of experience in manufacturing zero-emission buses (ZEBs). In 2018, it joined CharIN to support industry charging standards for all electric vehicles, became the first licensee outside the Volvo Group to join OppCharge in North America, and became the first bus manufacturer in the world to sign on to the Shared Mobility Principles for Livable Cities. It is the only provider of full suite bus solutions in North America, offering transit, motor coach, and low-floor cutaway buses.
About New Flyer
New Flyer is North America's heavy-duty transit bus leader and offers the most advanced product line under the Xcelsior® and Xcelsior CHARGE™ brands. New Flyer actively supports over 44,000 heavy-duty transit buses (New Flyer, NABI, and Orion) currently in service, of which 7,300 are powered by electric motors and battery propulsion and 1,600 are zero-emission.
Lindy Norris
contract new buses zero-emission heavy-duty CHARGE™ Xcelsior battery-electric Utah Flyer
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HomePosts tagged 'Alive!'
Year of the Gatefold
May 6, 2018 May 7, 2018 mayobat Music AC/DC, Aerosmith, Alice Cooper, Alive!, At Budokan, Blue Öyster Cult, Cal Jam II, California Jam, Cheap Trick, Double Live Gonzo, Frampton Comes Alive, Frank Marino, Go For What You Know, If you want Blood, Judas Priest, Kiss, Live and Dangerous, Live Bootleg, Mahogany Rush, Montrose, Pat Travers, Rainbow, Ramones, Sammy Hagar, Scorpions, Some Enchanted Evening, Strangers in the Night, Ted Nugent, Thin Lizzy, Tokyo Tapes, UFO, Unleashed in the East
Ah, the live album. The gatefold sleeve, plastered with tons of live pics of your favorite band, holding four sides of music recorded live on stage, where it really mattered, performing before an audience of worshiping fans. The best live records drop you in the front row, where the thick, humid air smells like a mixture of weed, puke, and sweat; where your ears take a pounding from a PA system bigger than your house as the crackle and pop of firecrackers echoes through the arena. Some say that the 1970s was the Decade of the Live Album, and if any single year should hold that same distinction, it’s got to be 1978, when an unprecedented number of live sets arrived in record stores (remember them?) to add color to the soundtrack of our youth.
Call it The Frampton Effect. ‘Frampton Comes Alive!’, Peter Frampton’s 1976 double-live release, spawned 2 hit singles and topped the Billboard charts for a whopping 10 weeks, and went on to become the best-selling album of that year. The record remained in the Top 100 for 97 weeks, well into 1977. Live albums by Bob Seger, The J. Geils Band, Joe Walsh, and Rush also reached deep into the Top 40 in 1976. The success of these records had a significant impact on the industry. And in the world of pure Hard Rock, the Top Ten success of Kiss and their ‘Alive!’ and ‘Kiss Alive II’ albums was also hard to ignore.
At a time when the rockers of the era were struggling mightily to get on the radio, the monster success of Frampton’s live album suggested there might be another way to break through. The Record companies saw the gazillions being made from records that cost relatively little to record. And so mobile recording units rolled out for virtually every tour that hit the road in 1977; those recordings would bear fruit the following year. Notable live records from Alice Cooper, Rainbow and Foghat appeared in ’77, but the sheer number of HR/HM live albums released in 1978 is stunning… I count no less than TEN significant live records hitting the market between January ’78 and January ’79.
1978 kicked off with an expanded field recording of Ted Nugent captured in the wilds of America in ’76 and ’77. Unleashed in January, ‘Double Live Gonzo!’ showcases The Nuge’s big guitars and even bigger mouth. His guitar prowess already firmly established, Terrible Ted’s live album is peppered with politically incorrect between-song raps that have become the stuff of legend (just ask Atlanta band Nashville Pussy). But the real value in ‘Gonzo’ lies in it’s capture of Nugent’s classic-era band in a live setting, and how it provides Nugent-the-guitarist the opportunity to put up or shut up… And as we know, Ted never shuts up. I remember walking around with friends, blasting this out of a portable 8-track player, feeling all badass as Nugent’s raunchy raps echoed off my neighbors’ houses.
After the Nugent extravagonzo, there came an almost 5-month lull, the calm before the storm of live releases that would hit in the second half of the year. Thin Lizzy opened the floodgates in June with ‘Live and Dangerous‘, a 2-record set that reached the #2 spot in the UK. While it’s safe to say that Nugent’s ‘Gonzo’ is 100% pure NUGE, Thin Lizzy’s ‘L&D’ is another story. Debate endures regarding just how much of this album is ‘live’… but, seriously, who cares? What matters is the end result, and ‘Dangerous’ is a worthy celebration of the Lizzy experience. Shamefully short at just 50 minutes, it’s overflowing with fantastic songs played with charisma, passion, and flair. Suspend your disbelief and enjoy the show.
Recorded in Japan during guitarist Uli Roth’s final two shows with Scorpions, ‘Tokyo Tapes‘ came out in August as a Japan-only release. Nothing like waiting until the last minute to capture the Uli-era Scorps live! I didn’t catch this one until it was released domestically the following year, but when I did, mind = blown. There is some truly jaw-dropping guitar playing within these grooves, and each and every one of us should take a moment to thank their higher power that Dieter Dierks and RCA records rolled tape during Roth’s final 48 hours with the band. ‘TT’ contains some jarring edits that break the ‘concert experience’ feel, but overall this collection really cooks.
Also in August, Sammy Hagar decides to return to his monstrous Montrose roots and release a live album balls-out with scorching rockers. ‘All Night Long‘ was recorded in San Francisco, San Antonio, San Bernardino, Santa Cruz and Santa Monica… I’m not kidding. I snapped this one up after learning that the band on the record was 3/4 of Montrose, and the track list includes two songs from the mighty Montrose debut. The Red Rocker keeps this single-disc live outing tight and punchy, and Sam reveals himself to be a smokin’ guitarist. ‘All Night’ is the first and only live album that I’m aware of where the final song fades out —while the band is still playing! Like having to leave the concert before it’s over because your ride wants to be home early.
A few weeks later in September, Blue Oyster Cult would offer up their second live album, ‘Some Enchanted Evening‘. Like Hagar, BOC would limit themselves to a single disc, and much to this young listener’s disappointment, include two covers. With a catalog as deep as BOC’s, why waste precious space on somebody else’s tunes? Where’s ‘Tattoo Vampire’? Where’s ‘The Golden Age of Leather’? And what about ‘Dominance & Submission’?? Thankfully, the stellar version of ‘Astronomy’ included is worth the price of admission all by itself. Despite the dubious song selection, ‘SEE’ would somehow become best-selling album in the Cult’s catalog. Go figure!
I remember walking into my local record store in early October and spotting Cheap Trick’s ‘Cheap Trick At Budokan‘ high on the wall behind the counter, with a $27 price sticker on it. CT had just released ‘Heaven Tonight’ in April; I was completely blindsided by this mysterious live record. ’27 bucks!?’ I exclaimed. The clerk explained that it was a Japanese import, and wasn’t coming out in the US. Shit. Somehow the 14-year old me came up with the 30 dollars (I seem to remember rolling coins…) and snagged it off the wall before anyone else did. Woohoo! ‘Budokan’ was another single-disc live record, (in a gatefold sleeve!) and featured three songs we’d never heard before. Allowance money well spent.
I have come to appreciate Aerosmith’s ‘Live! Bootleg‘, but back in October of ’78, I was disappointed. ‘Bootleg’ dispenses with the ‘concert recreation’ feel that most of the live LPs of the era went for; instead, it serves as a live retrospective, featuring recordings from as far back as 1973 and right up to March’s ‘California Jam II’ concert. It’s a mixed bag; performances by young scrappers in Boston clubs segue into recordings from the biggest stadiums on the planet, not in chronological order, all adding up to kind of a jumbled sonic documentary of the band’s heyday. Teenaged me wanted something more like what Lizzy or Cheap Trick had delivered. Still, two live albums from two of my faves in one month was pretty killer. Wait, what? THREE??
With ‘Bootleg’ and ‘Budokan’ still in heavy rotation on my turntable, Australian upstarts AC/DC joined the fray in late October with ‘If You Want Blood… You’ve Got It‘. The band had released their ‘Powerage’ album back in May and I was instantly hooked; this live album followed a mere 5 months later. Recorded at the Glasgow Apollo (see also: Status Quo’s ‘Live!’, portions of Rush’s ‘Exit: Stage Left’) before an absolutely rabid audience (ANGUS! ANGUS! ANGUS!), ‘Blood’ is a sweaty, raunchy workout that captures the band’s stage show as-is. I remember riding my bike home from the record store with this album clutched to my chest, trying not to bang it around and ding up the album cover. Which reminds me of a story…
So I’m at the record shop, and spot the record, marvel at it’s totally awesome front and back covers, and head to the front counter, where the clerk (let’s call him Steve) checks out the cover, and starts laughing. He says ‘You don’t really want to buy this piece of crap do you?’ I say, um, yeah, I do, and he starts yelling to another employee, ‘Hey man, have you seen this cover? HAWHAWHAW!!’ He looks at me once again and says ‘Really?’ Just then an older gent walks up to us (I presume was the owner or manager) and tells Steve ‘meet me out back in a minute’. Steve, with an *Oh Shit* look on his face, heads to the back room. The owner/manager rings up my sale, smiles and says ‘AC/DC! Cool!’ Never saw Steve there again. True story.
At some point in 1978 (details are scant) came a single-disc live LP from Frank Marino and Mahogany Rush. This is another record that I didn’t get hip to until a few years after it’s release. Marino was largely written off as a Hendrix clone decades ago, a stigma that prevented him from ever achieving the mainstream success enjoyed by his peers… although Frank Marino is entirely without peer as a rock guitarist. This guy OWNS every other rock player of the era. On the imaginatively-titled ‘Live‘, Marino, backed by his sturdy rhythm section, blazes through hippie-trippy highlights from his catalog, then shoots himself in the foot by including a Hendrix cover. The liner notes for a 2018 re-issue claims that there are no overdubs on this puppy, but hey, who knows. Call this one Single Live Gonzo.
As if to hammer home the fact that 1978 really was the Year of the Live Album, CBS Records released ‘California Jam II‘, a selection of highlights from the second Cal Jam concert that took place back on March 18. The 2-record set included tunes from Aerosmith, Nugent, Heart and Mahogany Rush. Dave Mason, Santana, Jean Michel Jarre and Rubicon (with Jack Blades and Brad Gillis, pre-Night Ranger) also appear. (Bob Welch and Foreigner played the show, but didn’t make the record, as they were not signed to one of CBS’ labels.) But it’s the hard rockers who dominate the set, of course: Nugent gives us live versions of two songs that didn’t show on ‘Gonzo’, Aerosmith gift us with one that didn’t make ‘Bootleg’, and Marino wipes the floor with all the other guitar slingers on the bill. Worth hunting down on vinyl, as the album has never been released on CD.
As if TEN live albums in one calendar year wasn’t enough, the Gonzo just kept on comin’, a residual effect that would carry through much of ’79. First up: I caught Cheap trick at Boston’s Orpheum Theater in December ’78, and was blown away by opener UFO. A few weeks later, I took the bus (it was January; my bike wasn’t feasible) to the record store, headed for the end of the alphabet, and found the just-released ‘Strangers in the Night‘ double album. The lineup I saw featured Paul Chapman on guitar, but ‘SITN” captures Mad Michael Schenker’s final swing with the band. An instant classic, and possibly the finest album covered here. A shame that a re-arranged re-master is the only way to purchase this album today, as the original Chrysalis version is flawless.
Also in January of ’79, Scorpions finally release ‘Tokyo Tapes’ in the US. With both Uli Roth and Michael Schenker long gone before either ‘SITN’ or ‘TT’ are released, the Scorps/UFO live albums became indispensable documents of a bygone era. Then, in early February, the suits at CBS wise up and release Cheap Trick’s ‘Cheap Trick At Budokan’ domestically as well. The Japanese version had become the biggest-selling import album of 1978, so CT’s next studio record (‘Dream Police’) was shelved to allow for ‘Budokan’s release, and the rest is history. Oh, and in April, the Ramones released the double ‘It’s Alive‘ set… but not in The States, where it wouldn’t be released until 1995 on CD.
Queen’s ‘Live Killers‘ hit the bins in June. Here again, the now-15-year-old me was a little disappointed; Queen’s studio records were so elaborately constructed that to me it didn’t sound like Queen (ex: during ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’, a tape of the operatic a capella section was played after the band hastily exited the stage, and that moment plays very awkwardly on a live album). But what I grew to understand is that it does sound like Queen, as this is exactly what the band really sounds like, and in this context, stripped of the indulgent studio magic that adorned their studio records, a great live band comprised of supremely talented performers is revealed.
The Pat Travers Band kicked our asses over the summer of 79 with their single-disc live set, ‘Go For What You Know‘, and their version of ‘Boom Boom (Out Go the Lights)’ became a minor radio hit. A double-disc might have been much, but would have allowed for the inclusion of PTB’s roof-raising live version of ‘Statesboro Blues’, or a live ‘Life in London’. The syngery between guitarists Travers and Thrall is stunning, and the chops on display here are phenomenal. This young lad found the myriad tones and effects the two employed positively hypnotic. But it’s not just the guitars that impress here; some of the drumming on GFWYK has to be heard to be believed. Mars was no slouch on the bass either. Where’s the expanded remaster??
This unprecedented super-cluster of live releases comes to a close in September of 79, when The Beast that is Priest release ‘Unleashed in the East‘. Live? Studio? Overdubbed vocals? Again— WHO CARES. The record is simply awesome. At the time, this was the heaviest metal I had ever heard. This single-disc wonder should have been– and could have been –released as a double album, had all the bonus tracks and B-sides culled from the same shows been utilized. As-is, this record explodes with state-of the art, pure of heart, flag waving HEAVY METAL, released at a time when it was definitely not cool to be tagged as such.
WOW. Fifteen live albums from just about all of my favorite bands in a year and a half! You couldn’t leave your house without stepping on a live album. It was almost as if Heavy Metal’s underlying strategy was to ‘wait out’ Punk Rock; that the hard rockers of the era conspired together to take some time off and reassess. Whatever the reason, this deluge of live gonzo makes 1978 (and half of ’79) a standout year in 70s Metal, despite the fact that the rest of the music world was preoccupied with either Punk or Disco, and most critics and journos had decided that Metal was over… One month after the release of ‘Unleashed in the East’, the cover of the Oct ’79 issue of CREEM Magazine blared: “Is Heavy Metal Dead?” No, stupid, Heavy Metal is LIVE!
Attn: Marketing Dept
Aside November 3, 2013 November 3, 2013 mayobat Music Alive!, British Steel, Destroyer, Gene Simmons, Hell Bent for Leather, Judas Priest, Kiss, Point of Entry, Scorpions, Taken by Force, Virgin Killer
Ever wonder why Scorpions’ ‘Taken By Force’ cover art is so ridiculously bad? Great record, but the album cover looks like it was thrown together by an uncaring record label, unwilling to spend any coin on anything half-decent, and assembled by art department interns. And, in fact, that’s exactly what happened. But why?
‘Taken By Force’ was the third consecutive Scorpions album that the U.S. arm of RCA Records decided to change for the stateside market. Their third record, ‘In Trance’, needed only minimal altering; but their fourth, ‘Virgin Killer’, is a different story altogether. Featuring a completely nude prepubescent girl in an unquestionably provocative pose, ‘Virgin Killer’s artwork was and still is blatantly inappropriate and offensive. Yes, sensitivities to this type of imagery in the 70’s (especially when used on a rock album cover) were different than they are today; remember the Blind Faith album? But even back in 1976, several different territories issued the record with a completely different cover.
So, when the Scorps handed the ‘Taken By Force’ artwork to RCA, the label wasn’t willing to take any chances. The US and UK branches of RCA rejected the cover. “Two kids playing with guns in a military cemetery” (as Francis Bucholz characterized the shot in a recent interview) was once again too much for the label bosses to deal with. In the 1970’s, Scorpions was RCA’s token heavy metal band, their records tossed out into the US and UK markets without any discernable promotion. Clearly Scorpions were not a priority for RCA; the label didn’t need all of this ‘cover controversy’ hassle. And, as they established with the towering mediocrity of the ‘Virgin Killer’ replacement art, they certainly weren’t willing to replace the original with anything challenging or even the least bit artistically valid.
When Kiss broke through with their ‘Alive!’ album, their label paired them with Alice Cooper producer Bob Ezrin for their next studio album ‘Destroyer’. Massive mainstream success was just one ballad away. Casablanca Records was taking no chances, however, and demanded changes to cover art that they felt was “too violent”. And so, Kiss dancing while a city burns was changed to Kiss dancing in the ruins of a destroyed city. The original is definitely more badass, with the red and orange fire-inspired color scheme (‘Flaming Youth’, after all), now famously replaced by cool blues and pale yellows.
The opportunity was also taken to depict Kiss in their new stage costumes, which makes sense. Simmons’ new Godzilla boots always made for a pretty striking image. But I have such an emotional attachment to the replacement cover, having spent countless hours staring at it as a kid, that it’s hard for me to acknowledge that there’s a better version. But even the 13 year old in me agrees: The original has flames!
The Beast that is Judas Priest was no stranger to record company foolishness. Their third album for CBS, ‘Killing Machine’, was retitled for the US when record company execs objected to the “murderous Implications” of the original title. The title to the song ‘Killing Machine’ remained unchanged, but another song title was used for the title of the US version: ‘Hell Bent for Leather’.
After the global success of the band’s 4th studio album ‘British Steel’, which featured one of the most iconic album covers in heavy metal history, Priest followed up with the rather left-field ‘Point of Entry’. The cover featured an abstract representation of the title concept; not a very ‘metal’ image, but a cool, futuristic image with a slightly scifi look.
Why on earth anyone decided to change the original cover to the one we got here in the US has to be one of Metal’s Greatest Mysteries. A never ending trail of computer paper unfolding down the middle of a highway and leading into the horizon. Ok. Plain white cardboard boxes of various sizes placed on the ground in the desert. Um… Not exactly making Hipgnosis nervous here, fellas. Someday, someone will explain this to me… and I will still think it sucks
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Review - The Summer Children
Brilliance Audio, 2018
Dec 20th 2018 (Volume 22, Issue 51)
This is a lightweight crime novel with a serious theme. Detective Mercedes Ramirez works for the FBI unit in Quantico Virginia that deals in crimes against children. She lives with her girlfriend: the two women come home one night to find a child covered in blood on their front porch. The young boy says that an angel killed his abusive parents. It turns out that this is just the first episode in a series of murders of adults who have been suspected of child abuse who managed to keep hold of the children in their charge. This vigilante murderer always sends the children to Mercedes, showing some kind of belief that the children will be safe with Mercedes.
Detective Ramirez narrates her story and she has a distinctive character -- she is passionate and devoted, and she has her own past of abuse that motivates her. Being Hispanic, she has her own language and tone of voice. She is also feisty and joking, bantering with her colleagues in a way that those on the outside find hard to understand.
Of course, eventually the detectives track down the killer and it's all very dramatic. Along the way, readers may learn something about abusive families and the plight of abused children, together with detective methods in investigating these sorts of crimes and the pathology of serial killers. None of it is very illuminating, so it's mainly entertainment. Ultimately The Summer Children is a forgettable crime novel and one might feel that playing with such a serious topic doesn't give it enough respect. But maybe it can do some good.
The performance of the unabridged audiobook by Siiri Scott is energetic and brings Mercedes' voice to life.
Christian Perring teaches in NYC.
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Posted by mguhlin in Education, Politics, PressRelease, Texas
A press release about an education advocacy group…
Statewide education advocacy group, Raise Your Hand Texas, launches a new look for educators, legislators, parents, and concerned citizens. Along with tightening it’s focus on supporting the more than 4.8 million students in the Texas public education system, Raise Your Hand Texas has extended into the online community with newly created website and interactive social media presence.
San Antonio, TX July 20, 2009 — Raise Your Hand Texas, whose focus is the 4.8 million students in the Texas public education system, seeks to increase awareness and participation within the business sector, amongst educators, parents, and concerned citizens, to see students reach the ultimate goal of graduation.
Raise Your Hand Texas believes firmly in a strong early education foundation for future success. Participating in high-quality pre-kindergarten increases high school graduation rates by as much as 44 percent. Staring at zero members in its inception in 2007, Raise Your Hand Texas is now 25,000 members strong and growing.
Kara Johnson, CEO and President of the Texas Early Childhood Education Coalition had this to say about the importance of early learning,
“The first 5 years of a child’s life are absolutely critical in terms of brain development. Literally developing a foundation for success in school and life for that child.”
She elaborated further by sharing how early childhood education can have a lasting impact,
“…children at this age learn through play and exposure to different things such as touch sound words feelings impressions. So, if engaged properly children will experience a dramatic increase in their vocabulary, they’ll be better able to regulate their emotions, develop confidence, as well as create positive relationships in early childhood and take that into adulthood”
Raise Your Hand Texas believes that every child deserves a quality education. We support high standards and expectations, along with securing the financial resources and tools to increase student performance.
Through online community interactions via newly launched social engagement platforms and an informative website, Raise Your Hand Texas looks to continue it’s mission to inform, educate, and create awareness for Texas public education.
About Raise Your Hand Texas:
Raise Your Hand Texas is a non-profit, bi-partisan advocacy organization made up of business and community leaders, taxpayers and concerned citizens, all with a single focus: supporting the more than 4.8 million students in the Texas public education system.
Elizabeth Lorenz, Web Marketing Raise Your Hand Texas 512-476-4178 http://www.raiseyourhandtexas.com
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Anacortes, Washington, Will Survey Community About FTTH
Posted August 25, 2017 by lgonzalez
Bit by bit, Anacortes has been taking steps to cultivate better connectivity in their community of approximately 16,000. Earlier this week, city leaders decided to move forward with a survey to determine if residents and businesses are interested in service from a municipal Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) network.
Considering The Next Steps
At the August 21st City Council meeting, staff provided an update of the project that the city is working on with Northwest Open Access Network (NoaNet) to improve city water utility efficiencies. Anacortes needed better communications between more than 30 pump stations, reservoirs, and water treatment plants and, working with NoaNet, determined that they could use abandoned water lines for fiber conduit. They’re nearing the end of what they describe as Phase I of the project.
Phase II involves determining whether or not the city wants to harness extra dark fiber capacity in the backbone for a municipal FTTH network throughout the community. Before they decide to move forward with a trial system, Anacortes and NoaNet will reach out to the community for their input starting with a survey. At the meeting the City Council approved $10,000 to fund the survey, which will also help determine which areas have the greatest demand.
If the community decides it wants a municipal network, Phase III would depend on the success of the “trial phase” and would require installation of fiber within the community. While Anacortes is still developing solid details for this phase of the plan, early discussions indicate they will take an incremental or fiberhood approach based on demand in particular areas of town.
City leaders anticipate an open access model, but they are considering also taking on an additional role as a retail Internet Service Provider. In order to examine all the options, city staff are examining several possible models. One of their primary goals is to increase competition.
Freedom FIBER, Tombigbee Electric Cooperative in Alabama
Posted July 11, 2017 by htrostle
Huntsville, Alabama, already has high-speed Internet service through Google Fiber, but the surrounding rural areas must look to their local cooperative for better connectivity. Tombigbee Electric Cooperative has started an ambitious Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) project to eventually cover its entire service area over four counties in northwestern Alabama.
In a press release, Tombigbee Electric announced that their Freedom FIBER network will start providing Internet service in the towns of Hamilton and Winfield in September 2017. It’ll take about a year to get the new network to everyone in the designated build out area.
Much Needed Connectivity
Hamilton is the seat of Marion county with about 7,000 residents; 20 miles to the south, Winfield has a population of 5,000. As of June 2016, about 75 percent of the population in Marion County does not currently have access to FCC-defined 25 Megabits-per-second (Mbps) download speeds.
With Freedom FIBER, residents will have a choice between two tiers of Internet service: 100 Mbps for $49.95 per month or 1 gigabit (1,000 Mbps) for $79.95 per month. The co-op will also offer phone service for an additional $29.95 each month. The fiber network will be much more reliable than CenturyLink’s DSL network, which is currently the only choice in the towns.
An Incremental Plan
Tombigbee Electric’s plan will eventually cover much of Marion, Fayette, Lamar, and Winston counties. That’s about 1,600 miles across northwest Alabama, and the co-op has set a goal of covering this area in only 5 years. The expected cost is...
Tri-County Electric in Tennessee To Build High-Speed Network
Posted July 4, 2017 by htrostle
On the border of Tennessee and Kentucky, an electric cooperative looks to a more connected future. The Tri-County Electric Cooperative that operates across state lines is preparing to build a state-of-the-art network for high-speed Internet service throughout Trousdale County, Tennessee. This will be the first year of construction for the cooperative after several years of planning.
Tri-County Electric plans to soon begin services to Trousdale County, the smallest county in Tennessee. Many of the county's 8,000 residents' choice is limited to Comcast and AT&T, and Tri-County Electric's Vice-President and General Manager Paul Thompson noted that people in the county often only subscribe to about 6 Mbps download and 1 Mbps upload. With a steady membership base of 50,000 spread across two states and a close relationship with the county, the electric co-op is in a good position to move forward with the Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) project. The cooperative intends to offer an affordable base package that provides faster, more reliable connectivity than what the incumbents are willing to offer the rural communities.
Funding From The Feds
Since 2014, Tri-County Electric Cooperative has actively pursued financing for a FTTH network in the county. The co-op applied for a grant through the Rural Broadband Experiments program managed by the Federal Communications Commission. They did not receive any funding, but the process resulted in a tangible plan.
The process of applying for the grant built up community support for the project and enabled the co-op to identify key assets. As part of the grant application, they noted which census blocks they expected to connect and what community anchor institutions, such as schools, libraries, and government buildings, could be included. The Trousdale County government even passed a resolution giving explicit permission for Tri-County Electric to build and operate a FTTH network.
Although Tri-County Electric Cooperative did not receive that grant, the co-op continued to pursue different avenues for funding. This year, the co-op received a...
Great Community Advice and Colorado Update - Broadband Bits Podcast 253
Posted May 11, 2017 by christopher
Bonus episode! We did several interviews while at the Broadband Communities Summit and Dallas, so we are publishing two episodes this week. Diane Kruse joined us for today's discussion, episode 253, with an update about progress around community broadband in Colorado and great advice for communities considering an investment.
Diane is the CEO and President of NeoConnect, a consulting firm located in Colorado that works with communities around the country. We discuss realistic expectations for the nearly 100 communities that have voted to restore their authority to build and partner for better Internet networks.
We also discuss the range of options from doing nothing to building the full citywide fiber-optic network that Longmont is currently completing. Our interview touches on everything from incremental approaches to shadow conduit.
This show is 35 minutes long and can be played on this page or via iTunes or the tool of your choice using this feed.
Thanks to Arne Huseby for the music. The song is Warm Duck Shuffle and is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license.
Update on Westminster's High Profile PPP Network - Community Broadband Bits Podcast 252
If you picked up the Institute for Local Self-Reliance dictionary, under "public-private partnership," it would say "See Westminster and Ting fiber-optic network." We discussed it with Westminster City Council President Robert Wack in episode 100 of Community Broadband Bits and he rejoins us for episode 252 to update us on the progress they have made.
We get an update on the construction process and the exciting developments around the Mid-Atlantic Gigabit Innovation Collaboratory (previous accomplishments noted here). One piece of good news is that they are hitting the milestones needed in the business plan for the network to break even financially.
We also discuss the importance of finding a good partner to work with. Communities seeking a similar partnership cannot just copy this arrangement - they might start with it as a blueprint but will have to mold it to their circumstances and partner.
To learn more about Westminster, read our paper on partnerships and the Westminster tag on this site. Also, this interview from last year...
Read the transcript of the show.
Thanks to Arne Huseby...
Erwin Expanding Again, Moving Into The Mountains
Erwin Fiber is growing in stages and now that the utility in Erwin, Tennessee, has completed phase three of its Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) deployment, about half of its electricity customers have access to high-quality Internet access. That’s not all - phase four this spring will bring gigabit connectivity to more rural customers in two nearby mountain communities.
Reaching Out In Steps
All told, Erwin Fiber more than tripled its service area in 2016. A December grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) will allow the utility to complete the spring build out, which will serve an additional 680 homes and 30 businesses. The Temple Hill and Bumpass Cove areas located in the mountains outside of downtown Erwin will have access to Erwin Fiber's symmetrical Internet access. Due to the remote character of these neighborhoods, people here had little prospect of obtaining high-quality Internet access from other providers. The 35-mile expansion will cost approximately $400,000.
November’s expansion added 2,200 homes and businesses, while a similar effort last March included 1,300 homes and businesses. Both expansions came after the community successfully experimented with a 2015 pilot project in which the city’s electric utility connected an initial 1,200 customers. The utility needed the infrastructure for the electric system other utilities; it was the right to to invest in the equipment for high-speed connectivity and phone service
Not An Impluse
The municipality of about 6,000 people had considered the investment some 15 years prior but couldn’t afford the investment until recent years when the cost of deployment decreased. In January, Christopher interviewed Lee Brown and John Williams from Erwin Utilities who discussed the community’s project and explained how the fiber infrastructure is benefitting all the utility customers, even those who don’t subscribe to FTTH services.
UC2B Moves On With A New Partner
Posted February 28, 2017 by lgonzalez
About a year ago, Internet service provider Countrywide Broadband (CWB) and equity firm Seaport Capital announced that they would collectively acquire the assets of Illinois based ISP, iTV-3. The partners would form the subsidiary Internet service provider i3 to take over operations that belonged to iTV-3. Not an unusual course of events when one hears about large companies gobbling up smaller ventures on a regular basis. This situation was different because iTV-3 had been working with the communities of Champaign and Urbana to bring high-quality connectivity to residents and businesses via its publicly owned fiber. Just yesterday, CWB announced that the deal has been completed.
Partners 1 and 2
When the UC2B nonprofit organization chose iTV-3, the partnership was lauded as one that held local concerns a top priority. iTV-3 is an Illinois based company and their interest in participating as a community member, rather than just a distant ISP, made them a desirable choice.
An important component of the partnership was iTV-3’s commitment to invest by expanding the existing network and they did build out in some areas. Expansion did not happen quickly, however, and elected officials hope that i3 can accelerate private investment so more neighborhoods can access the Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) network. From the Countrywide press release:
Urbana Mayor Laurel Prussing further commented, "With new management and a more aggressive build-out schedule, more residents will have access to high-speed internet. This is essential for local entrepreneurs in our modern economy and for all other users as well."
The UC2B nonprofit began the project with a $26 million award from American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funding. It was an urban FTTH project that allowed residents to sign up for Internet access for as low as $19.99 per month. In 2014, chose iTV-3 to...
Rock Falls: The Future Is In Fiber
The community of Rock Falls, Illinois, is well on its way to developing a gigabit municipal network to offer better connectivity to residents, businesses, and public facilities. Last week, the City Council adopted an ordinance that allows the city to issue general obligation bonds to fund citywide fiber-optic Internet infrastructure.
Following Demand
The city’s plan will expand first in business corridors and then use the fiberhood approach in residential areas, building only after a certain percentage of households preregister. The plan divides the city into 14 fiberhoods with each area’s build out cost estimated to be approximately $250,000. Residential fiberhoods will require 45 percent participation prior to construction. Consultants estimate citywide buildout costs will be $13 million; the City Council authorized bonding for that amount. The first bond issue will be $4.1 million likely to happen in early May if approval proceeds as planned.
The City Council authorized the first phase of the project to begin - network design and project administration - which will cost approximately $207,000. The process to issue GO bonds will start in March and city leaders hope to have the backbone completed by the end of June.
Most publicly owned Internet infrastructure is funded by revenue bonds, avoided costs, or interdepartmental loans rather than GO bonds. When funded by general obligation bonds, a project is backed by the credit and taxing power of the issuing jurisdiction and the resource is always publicly owned. Clearly, the community of Rock Falls recognizes how critical the investment is to the community's future.
From The Mayor
In his recent State of the City address, Mayor Bill Wescott focused on three factors that drove the initiative: growth, the city’s strong finances, and local control.
While it’s common knowledge that economic development needs better connectivity than what is now available in Rock Falls, Wescott noted that residents stuck with 10 - 20 Megabits per second (Mbps) download Internet access need and deserve higher capacity connectivity to participate in the modern economy. He defined “growth” broadly, encompassing jobs, education, innovation, public safety, and government.
Fairlawn Folks Get FTTH; Residents Now Connected
Not long ago, FairlawnGig in Ohio began serving businesses with symmetrical connectivity, offering speeds up to 1 Gigabit (1,000 Megabits) per second. The incremental build is progressing and now the city is offering Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) connectivity to residents in Fairlawn.
They Want It
According to a recent Akron Beacon Journal article, demand for residential services is already strong with more than 1,400 subscribers in line for installation; one-third of the installation is now complete. If 4,100 households and businesses in Fairlawn sign up, the city estimates it will break even. In the neighborhood where the first series of installations are taking place, 80 percent of households have signed up.
Fairlawn's goal is not to make profits from its investment; city leaders consider the network an essential piece of infrastructure like roads or sewers. They’ve chosen to fund the investment with municipal bonds, an atypical funding mechanism for Internet infrastructure. Their decision, however, underscores their commitment and belief that better connectivity is an essential service that will keep the community competitive.
“It’s going to make [Fairlawn] much more attractive,” [said local business development manager Mike Perkins]. “Fairlawn is at the forefront and everyone else is going to be playing catch-up.”
Nuts And Bolts Of FairlawnGig
When we interviewed Deputy Director of Public Service Ernie Staten about the project last spring, he described the city’s partnership with Extra Mile Fiber, an Ohio company that collaborates with Fairlawn to provide Internet access services. The city and Extra Mile will share revenue from the service, FairlawnGig.
The first business subscribers connected to the network last summer. Two local hotels anticipated heavy Internet access needs due to the Republican National Convention in August, so the city made a special effort to get them on the network. The RNC was in Cleveland, but attendees were also staying in Fairlawn, about 30...
Spencer, Iowa, About To Go Citywide FTTH
Posted January 18, 2017 by lgonzalez
Last spring we reported that Spencer Municipal Utilities (SMU) was marching steadily on with its Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) project that it started in 2015. Within a few months, SMU is set to begin the fourth and final phase; the entire community will soon will have access to fiber connectivity.
Last And Final Phase
As part of the last phase, the utility will place a new substation in the northeast section of town. According to SMU General Manager and CEO Steve Pick, the utility has purchased a prefabricated structure built especially for this purpose. The structure will be delivered and installed by the sellers and the utility will pay approximately $40,000 for the building.
Spencer, Iowa, population 11,200, is one of the many rural towns that chose to invest in the necessary infrastructure to improve connectivity for local businesses and residents, rather than gamble on whether or not national companies would ever deliver. They began serving customers in 2000 with a cable network and, after they realized customers’ bandwidth demands would continue to rise, decided to upgrade to fiber. The network has been good for the quality of life and economic development in Spencer.
Prepping For The Future
Amanda Gloyd, SMU marketing and community relations manager, told the Daily Reporter:
“Our customers continue to use more bandwidth and we only see that continuing to increase in the future. In the areas of Spencer where the conversion is already complete, we are able to offer 50 [Mbps] all the way to 1 [Gbps] of service, which is exciting to be able to offer in addition to the increased reliability, decreased maintenance and paving the way for how our communication services will be delivered in the future.”
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Journal of the Early Republic
Robert Love’s Warnings: Searching for Strangers in Colonial Boston by Cornelia H. Dayton and Sharon V. Salinge, and: Taming Lust: Crimes Against Nature in the Early Republic by Doron S. Ben-Atar and Richard D. Brown (review)
Thomas J. Humphrey
10.1353/jer.2015.0034
Rent from DeepDyve
Robert Love’s Warnings: Searching for Strangers in Colonial Boston by Cornelia H. Dayton and Sharon V. Salinge, and: Taming Lust: Crimes Against Nature in the Early Republic by Doron S. Ben-Atar and Richard D. Brown
Thomas J. Humphrey (bio)
Microhistories, Poor relief, Crime in early U.S., Early U.S. legal system
Robert Love’s Warnings: Searching for Strangers in Colonial Boston. By Cornelia H. Dayton and Sharon V. Salinger. (Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 2014. Pp. 272. Cloth, $34.95.)
Taming Lust: Crimes Against Nature in the Early Republic. By Doron S. Ben-Atar and Richard D. Brown. (Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 2014. Pp. 216. Cloth, $34.95.)
Over the past forty years, historians have produced a veritable mountain of studies that may best be described as microhistories. When writing microhistories, historians often invoke a specific moment, or a few moments, from a subject’s life to reach some broader conclusions of that subject’s community.1 Two recent books provide excellent examples of microhistory. In Robert Love’s Warnings, Cornelia H. Dayton and Sharon V. Salinger study the copybooks and warnings issued by Robert Love to investigate the region’s mobile working population. In doing so, they uncover Boston’s civic, legal, social, and civil community in the last decade of the colonial period. In Taming Lust, Doron S. Ben-Atar and Richard D. Brown examine the lives of Gideon Washburn and John Farrell, two elderly men who, in the 1790s, were accused and convicted of bestiality. The trials and their aftermath reveal a New England in flux as residents struggled to reconcile their cultural and political traditions with the new realities of a post-Revolutionary United States. Both books use their specific subjects as windows to explore and explain the wider world these men inhabited. While Dayton and Salinger expertly detail the changes Boston’s mobile working class faced as the imperial crisis [End Page 313] intensified, Ben-Atar and Brown show us a New England in turmoil as the region’s residents tried to make sense of their new, post-Revolutionary world.
Dayton and Salinger introduce readers to Love’s world by taking us on a walk. This is, however, no ordinary walk. Love was appointed to issue warnings to non-residents in Boston, a job he held from January 1765 until he died in April 1774. Thus, for roughly nine years, Robert Love spent approximately three days per week walking the streets of Boston, looking for people he needed to question. If the people he interrogated had no prospects for work or a place to live, he warned them that they had to leave the city in fourteen days. Few people saw transient and working-class people more regularly, or more closely, than did Robert Love.
Love’s story of warning out is part of a larger English culture that colonists carried with them when they crossed the Atlantic. In the seventeenth century, England’s Parliament began passing a series of acts collectively termed the Poor Law that determined who was eligible for poor relief and how officials should provide it. People removed from town were ultimately sent back to their hometowns, where they might legally obtain some aid. In eighteenth-century Massachusetts, nonresidents could be warned and, if necessary, removed after authorities acquired a court order. While less onerous than the practice in England, Massachusetts used warning out as a way to minimize or eliminate the amount of poor relief paid to strangers. By the time Robert Love issued his warnings in 1765, Massachusetts officials were using warnings more as a way to keep track of people than as a way to get rid of the poor.
Love kept track of his interactions in a series of notebooks, which Dayton and Salinger use to reveal the people who lived and worked in Boston in the last ten years of the colonial period. Because he relied on visual cues to remind him whom he had warned, Love often described people’s faces, hair, clothes, and accents. One man he described as middle aged with his ''own black Hair'' (60). Another was a sailor who had apparently deserted a British...
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October, 6
Tickets for Glastonbury sell out
Tickets for next year's Glastonbury Festival sold out in a record time of just one hour and 27 minutes, the event's organisers said.
Around 120,000 tickets went on sale, with over one million people registered for the music event.
Organisers Michael and Emily Eavis said in a statement: "We have, once again, been blown away by the numbers of people who were hoping to join us at the festival, and we're sorry that many of you have missed out on a ticket.
"We genuinely try to make the ticket system as fair as it can be, but when demand outstrips supply, it is an unfortunate inevitability that some people will be left disappointed."
Technical issues affected the first 30 minutes of sales.
A spokesman for See Tickets wrote on Twitter: " Now selling approx 3000 tickets a minute. Again, we're really sorry for that first half hour and good luck to everyone who's trying."
Tickets cost £210 for the festival, which will take place from June 25 to 29 next year.
Source: music.uk.msn.com
The BBC is to team up with leading online music services to allow them to compile playlists of tracks they have heard on TV or radio to save for later listening.
Dizzee Rascal has said he doesn't think Kanye West should be a spokesman for hip hop at the moment after his recent radio interview hit the headlines.
Ellie Goulding is to release this year's fundraising single for BBC Children In Need.
Ed Sheeran turned wedding singer for a friend when he provided the music for his pal's first dance.
Britney Spears has insisted she will sing live during her Las Vegas residency, and said she always does even if the results aren't great.
US band Haim have gone straight to the top of the charts with their debut album.
One Direction and Little Mix are to become unlikely additions to the Radio 3 playlist after the station commissioned orchestral versions of their hits.
Neil Young is set to perform at a benefit concert hosted by Red Hot Chili Peppers' Flea and Anthony Kiedis.
Alicia Keys and Jennifer Hudson have joked that their children could form a supergroup.
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Gail Cartmail
TUC 2018 Driving out the bandits — no more Carillions
Carillion’s collapse in January was the largest corporate failure in modern British history, Britain’s equivalent of the Enron scandal in the United States, writes GAIL CARTMAIL
CARILLION was a multinational which had mutated from a construction firm to an entity which was as likely to be providing the outsourced cleaning contract in a hospital to constructing new buildings.
When it went bust Carillion had liabilities of £7 billion, including pension liabilities of £2.6bn, it had just £29 million in the bank.
It employed over 19,000 people, 3,000 of whom were eventually made redundant. An additional 35,000 people were employed by its subcontractors and its supply chain.
Eight months after Carillion went bust companies are still going to the wall because of the losses they suffered. We will never know how many workers lost their jobs as a result of the company’s demise.
While there are several ongoing official inquiries into what happened at Carillion and a highly influential and critical select committee report into the company, the government’s view is of business as usual — an entirely unacceptable attitude.
It is workers who have borne the brunt of Carillion’s collapse through losing their jobs or being transferred from one outsourced contract to another on inferior terms and conditions, due to the fact that Carillion was in compulsory liquidation and the protections afforded by Tupe did not apply.
At the same time the “guilty men” who crashed the company are finding new lucrative work. For example, former Carillion director Mark Davies has recently been appointed by Balfour Beatty to oversee the High Speed 2 (HS2) rail project.
As trade unionists we need to ensure that the government’s business-as-usual attitude is challenged at every turn and radical policies to guarantee that there are no more Carillions in the future are adopted.
Until July 2017, Carillion was seen as a highly successful company, it had recently paid its shareholders record dividends and its accounts were showing a very healthy set of finances. It was all an illusion.
Sir John Bourn, the former auditor general and hardly a raving socialist, has described Carillion as acting like a “Ponzi scheme” which was constantly acquiring new contracts in order to offset the losses it was making. Finance expert Frances Coppola has said that Carillion “was effectively insolvent from 2016.”
The reason this wasn’t spotted earlier was due to the company’s so-called highly dubious “aggressive accounting” practices.
Under the former finance director Richard Adam, who retired and cashed in £776,000 worth of shares before Carillion hit the rocks, financial reports were altered to show that large projects which were in reality suffering serious losses were on paper showing a profit.
In July 2017 the house of cards began to collapse when Carillion was forced to issue a staggering £845m profit warning and its share price tumbled overnight. A black hole which had been gradually growing for years and that the auditors failed to spot.
The only thing which kept Carillion going for another six months was that inexplicably the government kept awarding it contracts, worth in excess of £2bn, including the prestigious HS2 project.
Those contracts were critical as they gave false confidence to subcontractors and the supply chain, the fact it was receiving blue-chip contracts, gave the impression that its financial problems were temporary, not terminal. Without that false confidence companies could have exited from Carillion’s embrace with much lower financial losses.
Even after Carillion’s collapse the government seems to have learnt nothing. In June it announced that it had awarded the 12-year contract to run the Ministry of Defence’s fire and rescue service to Capita.
A company that had to find an additional £700m in capital this April and the government had found it had a risk factor of 10 out of 10 and a financial health score of just three out of 100.
There are some key reforms needed to prevent a further Carillion style collapse including:
Holding a public inquiry into how Carillion collapsed, which includes examining the failure of the regulatory regime to spot what was happening and the government’s role in the debacle.
Rapidly moving towards insourcing of public-sector contracts which ends the outsourcing mania which has afflicted our public sector for too long and has resulted in a race to the bottom on pay, conditions and quality of service.
An immediate end to the use of all forms of PFI for public-sector infrastructure projects. Especially given that the Midlands Metropolitan Hospital, which was originally a Carillion PFI scheme costing £350m, will now be at least two years late, will cost £524m and will be completed under direct government finance as the private financers have pulled out.
Reform of directors’ duties to require promotion of the long-term success of the company as their primary aim.
The recognition of a trade union on all outsourced contracts and that agreements secured through collective bargaining become the minimum terms of conditions regarding pay, terms and pensions, in each sector.
The joint select committee report into Carillion said: “Carillion’s rise and spectacular fall was a story of recklessness, hubris and greed. Its business model was a relentless dash for cash, driven by acquisitions, rising debt, expansion into new markets and exploitation of suppliers. It presented accounts that misrepresented the reality of the business, and increased its dividend every year, come what may. Long-term obligations, such as adequately funding its pension schemes, were treated with contempt.
“Even as the company very publicly began to unravel, the board was concerned with increasing and protecting generous executive bonuses. Carillion was unsustainable. The mystery is not that it collapsed, but that it lasted so long.”
What the trade union movement needs to recognise is that Carillion was not a one-off, there are plenty of other companies, especially those who specialise in outsourcing, with similar business models.
The role of unions is to protect workers and the best way is to end the outsourcing racket and introduce laws and regulations to make it impossible for a company to lie and distort its true financial position.
Gail Cartmail is assistant general secretary of Unite the union.
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Old Brookville Cluster-Reston, VA Houses
OLD BROOKVILLE CLUSTER
Old Brookville Cluster is a neighborhood n Reston’s North Point area. Built in 1988, Old Brookville consists of 29 detached single family houses on Old Brookville Court, the only street in the neighborhood. Old Brookville Court travels in a hook formation to a cul-de-sac at the end. It is located off of Great Owl Drive to the north of Reston Parkway near Wiehle Ave. and Route 7.
The houses of Old Brookville Cluster are built in the Nantucket Shingle architectural style. They feature wood shake siding and an imaginative summer cottage appearance. Each house ranges in size from approximately 2,000 to 2,500 square feet of living space. They all have either 3 or 4 bedrooms and 4 baths. The lot sizes are in the range of approximately 5,000 to 9,000 square feet.
Shopping and Entertainment: The Old Brookville Cluster is convenient to a range of amenities, starting with the North Point Village Center next door. The North Point Village Center includes a Giant food store, gas station, several banks, a selection of restaurants, a gym, dance studio, and retail stores. Reston Town Center, the city’s urban hub, is just two miles away. The Town Center offers plenty of shopping and dining as well entertainment. There is an eleven screen movie theater featuring BTX auditoriums and an open air pavilion that hosts year-round events including concerts, festivals, and ice skating in the winter.
Outdoor Recreation: The Reston Association provides recreational facilities, including swimming pools, tennis courts, trails, and parks, for the benefit of its members. North Hills Park, Deer Forest Recreation Area, and Lake Newport Recreation Area are near Old Brookville Cluster. The Lake Newport Recreation Area and the North Hills Park each have a pool and a playground. The Lake Newport Recreation Area also has soccer fields, a basketball court, a baseball field, and a volleyball court. The North Hills Park has a picnic pavilion, grills, and four tennis courts. The Deer Forest Recreation Area has a playground and fitness trail. All areas can be reached by a direct trail route.
Trails: The North Point Loop of the Reston Pathways can be accessed directly from the Old Brookville Cluster. Reston Pathways consist of a 55 mile network of multi-use trails, most of which are paved. Individual trails are identified by both name and color. The North Point Loop, also called the Pink Trail, provides easy walking access to and from the North Point Village Center to nearby recreation areas and joins the trail network via the Blue Trail for access to other parts of Reston.
Public: The public schools serving Old Brookville are Armstrong Elementary School, Herndon Middle School, and Herndon High School. Fairfax County public schools (frequently abbreviated as “FCPS”) are administered by location. The county is divided into Regions then further divided into “pyramids”. Each pyramid represents a high school and contains the middle and elementary schools that feed into it. The locations for elementary schools are called boundaries. Using this terminology, the Old Brookville Cluster would be located in the Region 1, Herndon High School pyramid and the Armstrong Elementary School boundary. The FCPS website has more information and can be viewed at http://commweb.fcps.edu/directory/region.cfm.
Higher Education: Within Reston are also some higher education options. Northern Virginia Community College’s Reston Center is located on Wiehle Avenue, three miles from the Old Brookville Cluster. In the same building complex is also Marymount University’s Reston Center, offering adult education.
Metro, Bus: The Silver Line Metro Station is about three miles from Old Brookville. Public transportation is accessible from the Old Brookville Cluster via Fairfax County’s Reston bus service, RIBS (Reston Internal Bus System) and the Fairfax Connector. The RIBS 4 bus stops .2 miles from the Old Brookville entrance and runs throughout the day, providing service to the Silver Line Metro Station and other Reston locations. There are two Fairfax Connector routes that stop at Old Brookville Cluster, the 554, a weekday rush hour service, and the 558, providing service all day until around midnight on weekdays and weekends. Both routes include the Silver Line Metro Station.
Car: To get around by car, Old Brookville is convenient to Reston Parkway and major roadways in the area, including Route 7 and Fairfax County Parkway. The Dulles Toll Road entrance is less than two miles away.
Proximity to other public services: The Reston Hospital Center is less than two miles away. The Reston Regional Library is also within two miles of Old Brookville. The post office is three and a half miles away. There is a police station one and a half miles away.
All Old Brookville Cluster homeowners are members of the Old Brookville Cluster Association, a Virginia corporation formed to enable Old Brookville homeowners to self-govern their community. As members of the community, homeowners share both the benefits and the responsibilities of using and enjoying common areas such as open space, streets, and sidewalks. While the townhouses and their adjoining properties are individually owned, the street, sidewalks, playground, parking areas, streetlights, and common grounds are owned and maintained by the Association. Members pay yearly dues to the Association for its operation, including recycling pickup, landscaping, and snowplowing in the winter. A volunteer Board of Directors is elected to conduct these affairs, including determining the annual assessment amount needed to preserve the value and appeal of the neighborhood and to ensure its comfort and safety for everyone.
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New Jersey to spend $5 million on reviving local journalism
Michael Symons
New Jersey’s new state budget includes $5 million for a first-of-its-kind nonprofit effort to help finance local journalism in cities and towns where it has been decimated.
The campaign creating the investment originally sought $100 million – $20 million a year for five years, from some of the $332 million the state received from selling broadcast spectrum space that had been owned by its public television station.
That was scaled back to $5 million, but Mike Rispoli, the news voices director at the media reform advocacy group Free Press, said it’s “an incredible start” and helpful.
“Over the past decade, media consolidation and changes in the media industry have left a lot of communities in the dark. There are communities around the state of New Jersey with little to no local news coverage whatsoever,” Rispoli said.
“Studies have shown what happens when local news coverage dries up or disappears. Fewer people vote. Fewer people volunteer. Fewer people run for public office. Corruption increases,” Rispoli said.
“So really what this is about is making sure that people around the state can get news and information that they need in order to participate in democracy but to also ensure the health of the towns and cities where we live,” he said.
The approved budget includes language added by the Legislature that appropriates $5 million from the Trust Fund for the Support of Public Broadcasting to the New Jersey Civic Information Consortium to advance research and innovation in the field of media and technology.
That nonprofit consortium doesn’t technically exist yet, as it is to be created by a separate bill still on Murphy’s desk passed last week, 35-0 in the Senate and 52-22 in the Assembly.
Rich newspaper owners: Industry savior or foe?
The consortium will include The College of New Jersey, Montclair State University, the New Jersey Institute of Technology, Rowan University and Rutgers University, which will operate a grant program overseen by an executive director and 15-member board of directors.
Rispoli anticipates that the consortium will be organized by year-end.
“There is a local news crisis going on in New Jersey,” he said. “Every day that goes by something happens that people need to get information about. And I don’t think we have a lot of time to waste.”
Some of the money could be used to strengthen traditional media sources, such as newspapers and radio stations, and existing hyper-local websites. Funds might be used for seed investments in startups in areas without local news, or even media literacy programs and “civic technology” that promotes engagement, such as open data portals and legislative tracking software.
“It’s really a reimagining of what public interest media looks like in the 21st century,” said Rispoli, who said government has provided money to public media outlets, such as PBS, for years.
“What this idea really has a lot of promise for is not just having money go toward a single public media outlet but instead investing in media that spring up in communities around the state, so that all communities in New Jersey can get the news and information that they need,” he said.
The $5 million appropriation in the budget won’t necessarily recur in future years. Rispoli said the consortium might seek more government funding in the future but was structured as an educational charity so it can also seek money from donors and philanthropic groups.
The consortium will be required to hold three public hearings a year around New Jersey and make annual reports to the governor and Legislature listing all grant applicants, approved grants and a status report on the activities that were funded.
Its board is required to be politically balanced so that no more than eight of its 15 members can be members of the same political party.
New Jersey: Decoded cuts through the cruft and gets to what matters in New Jersey news and politics. Follow on Facebook and Twitter.
Michael Symons is State House bureau chief for New Jersey 101.5 and the editor of New Jersey: Decoded. Follow @NJDecoded on Twitter and Facebook. Contact him at michael.symons@townsquaremedia.com
Filed Under: Mike Rispoli, montclair state university, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newsletter, Rowan University, Rutgers University, The College of New Jersey
Categories: New Jersey News, New Jersey: Decoded
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NJ father and four daughters die in Delaware crash
Crash scene on Route 1 in Townsend, Delaware (6 ABC Action News)
TOWNSEND, Del. — A Teaneck father and his four daughters were killed in a crash in Delaware on Friday afternoon after a pickup truck drove onto the wrong side of the highway and collided with their minivan.
The family's 1998 Toyota Sienna was traveling north on Route 1 in Townsend when it was struck by a Ford F350 pickup truck that crossed the grassy median about 3:45 p.m., according to Delaware State Police.
The driver of the Sienna, a 61-year-old man, and his daughters — ages 20, 17 and two 13-year-olds — were pronounced dead at the scene. The man's 53-year-old wife was hospitalized with serious injuries.
The husband and wife were properly restrained but the daughters in the rear seats were not, according to police.
[UPDATE: Teaneck family identified]
Police said it is still unknown why the pickup driver, a 44-year-old man from East New Market, Maryland, lost control. He first struck a Mercury Sable, causing it to spin off into an embankment. Police said the minivan, traveling behind the Sable, hit the passenger side of the pickup, sending both into a ditch.
Story continues after the video
The crash left debris across the roadway, according to DelawareOnline.com's account of the crash.
Route 1 South was closed for five hours for cleanup and investigation, according to police, creating a 17-mile backup.
A passenger in the pickup, a 30-year-old man from Hurlock, Maryland, and the driver of the Sable, a 24-year-old man from Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, were hospitalized and released.
Police have not yet disclosed the identity of anyone involved in the crash.
Contact reporter Dan Alexander at Dan.Alexander@townsquaremedia.com or via Twitter @DanAlexanderNJ
Filed Under: Bergen County, Newsletter, Teaneck
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"Fraternal organizations"
White supremacy movements 30
Communities 26
Associations and institutions 19
Politics 19
Religious groups 19
Fraternities 18
Journalism 18
Political organizations 18
Professional organizations 18
Sororities 18
United States--History--1969-2001 18
Urban life 18
Magazines (periodicals) 18
Medals 6
Pins (fasteners) 4
Robes (main garments) 4
Capes (outerwear) 2
Motion pictures (visual work) 2
Plates (dishes) 2
Sheet music 2
Tokens 2
Advertising cards 1
Archival materials 1
Belts (costume accessories) 1
Certificates 1
Costume (mode of fashion) 1
Ensembles (costume) 1
Harlem 18
Dukes County 13
Martha's Vineyard 13
Oak Bluffs 12
Fulton County 9
Caribbean 4
Ku Klux Klan, 2nd 29
Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. 19
MelPat Associates 18
Patrick, C. Melvin 18
National Urban League 17
Shriners International 17
Lambda Kappa Mu Sorority, Inc. 16
National Association for the Advancement of Colored People 16
National Medical Association 16
National Newspaper Publishers Association 16
369th Veterans Association 15
National Association of Negro Business and Professional Women's Clubs, Inc. 14
Prince Hall Freemasonry 13
Chi Delta Mu Fraternity, Inc. 12
Improved Benevolent and Protective Order of the Elks of the World 12
National Dental Association 12
National United Church Ushers Association of America, Inc. 12
Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity 12
Chi Eta Phi Sorority, Inc. 11
National Association of Market Developers 11
Pamphlet for the Ku Klux Klan written by Colonel William Joseph Simmons
Simmons, William Joseph, American, 1880 - 1945
Ku Klux Klan, 2nd, American, 1915 - 1944
H x W: 8 7/8 x 3 7/8 in. (22.5 x 9.8 cm)
An informational pamphlet on the Ku Klux Klan written by William Joseph Simmons, Imperial Wizard. The cover of the pamphlet features a light-colored illustration and text against a dark background. The illustration depicts a hooded and robed figure holding a flaming torch aloft while riding a horse that is also hooded and robed. The text reads [THE / KU / KLUX KLAN / YESTERDAY / TODAY AND / FOREVER / THE "FIERY" SUMMONS / WILLIAM JOSEPH SIMMONS / IMPERIAL WIZARD]. The pamphlet contains a declaration and the Ku Klux Klan creed.
White supremacy movements
Member badge for the I.B.P.O.E. of W.
Improved Benevolent and Protective Order of the Elks of the World, American, founded 1898
metal and silk
H x W: 8 1/4 x 3 in. (21 x 7.6 cm)
Newport News, Virginia, United States, North and Central America
A three-tiered, gold metal pendant attached to a wide ribbon made of purple silk with gold border and fringed bottom. The first tier of the pendant features a symbol of clasped hands, the second reads [MEMBER], and the third features an elk in black and white. Below the pendant, printed on the pendant is [PANDORA / LODGE No. 2 / I.B.P.O.E. of W. / Newport News, Va.].
Member badge for the I.B.P.O.E of W.
metal , enamel and paint
Three-tiered gold metal member badge for the Improved Benevolent and Protective Order of the Elks of the World consisting of two hands shaking suspended above the word MEMBER with a decorative medallion below with the intials I.B.P.O.E. of W. around the outside.
Member badge for the House of Ruth belonging to Josephine B. Tate
Household of Ruth, American, founded 1858
Tate, Josephine B., American
metal and paint
H x W: 3 1/4 x 1 3/4 in. (8.3 x 4.4 cm)
A gold medal with the words: JOSEPHINE B. TATE suspended above a circular medallion with the words: Empire City H.R.3878 around the top and the words: G.U.O. of O.F H or R around the bottom.
Defending Freedom, Defining Freedom: The Era of Segregation, 1876-1968
NMAAHC (1400 Constitution Ave NW), National Mall Location, Concourse 2, C 2053
Hat with an emblem for a fraternal organization
wool (textile) , patent leather , cotton (textile) , metal and silk (textile)
H x W: 1 7/8 x 7 x 9 1/4 in. (4.8 x 17.8 x 23.5 cm)
This flat wool cap with squared polished patent leather brim and a military insignia at center front is a non-military fraternal piece, possibly Masonic. A leather chin strap is buckled over the top of the cap, secured by a button on either side. A third metal button is at the center front. All three buttons appear to be made of brass. The device on the buttons and the metal insignia at center front is a hammer (proper right) crossing over a chisel (proper left). The background of the metal insignia is blue and red-and-white striped silk encircled first by a blue silk border and then a brassy ‘rope’. Two bands that appear to consist of silver-plated plaiting encircle the cap: one at the top ridge and one around the side of the cap just below the middle. A third band of tripartite gold-colored metal-wrapped cording encircles the cap at the base of the side, extending over the brim. The interior of the cap is lined with cardboard on the inner side walls and covered with a cotton tabby outer lining. The roof interior is leather, probably Moroccan leather.
Photographic postcard of Magdalene Hendricks and sister in Eastern Star regalia
Magdalene Hendricks Boozé, American, 1902 - 1971
Order of the Eastern Star, American, founded 1850
albumen and silver on paper
H x W: 4 13/16 × 3 5/16 in. (12.2 × 8.4 cm)
Bronx, New York City, New York, United States, North and Central America
Black and white photographic postcard of Magdalene Hendricks (right) and her sister (left) wearing tiaras and sashes across their right shoulders. Magdalene Hendricks is wearing is a dark colored, mid-calf length dress with a loose drop waist, long sleeves and a square neckline. One her feet are high buttoned boots, and she wears glasses. The long sash is draped lengthwise across her body, from the right shoulder. The sash is light colored and has fringe at the very ends. There is a five pointed star at the juncture where the two ends cross each other. On her head is a crown with five stars spaced at intervals above a thin band. The figure to the left is wearing an ankle length white dress with a natural waistline, long sleeves and rounded neckline. Her sash, draped lengthwise across the body from the right shoulder, is made up of five different colored bands. The ends are fringed and there is a five point star at the juncture where the two ends cross each other. She wears a crown on her head that consists of a single five pointed star above a wide band, with three jewels spaced along the band in front. Both figures gaze directly that the viewer. In the background is a painted backdrop of a column on plinth, a brick walkway, and some foliage.
On the back is a postcard format. At top are the words "POST CARD." Underneath are two sections, one headed "Correspondence” and the other "Address." At the top right corner is a square section with the words "Place Stamp Here" surrounded on four sides by the word "AZO" with four small triangles at each corner.
Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Robin J. Boozé Miller
Trophy cup given by the Grand United Order of Odd Fellows
Rockford Silver Plate Company, founded, 1882
Grand United Order of Odd Fellows, American, founded 1843
silver, horn
H x W x D: 8 3/4 x 11 x 10 in. (22.2 x 27.9 x 25.4 cm)
trophies (prizes)
Ohio, United States, North and Central America
An engraved Rockford silver-plated trophy cup with three horn handles. The cup has etching on one side. The etching indicates that this cup served as the first place prize awarded on August 8, 1907. The cup has decorative filigree on the top, at the handles, and the base. The three horn handles protrude at the top and narrow at the bottom.
Centennial Anniversary - Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Ohio and Its Jurisdiction - F. & A. M.
Freemasonry, American, founded 1730
H x W x D: 9 x 5 7/8 x 3/8 in. (22.9 x 14.9 x 1 cm)
A booklet celebrating the centennial anniversary of the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge, a chapter of the Prince Hall branch of the Freemasons fraternal organization. Inside are various membership rosters, composite photographs, and advertisements. The front cover is light blue with dark blue writing and has a freemason symbol in gold at its center.
Documents and Published Materials
Albumen print of mebers of the Grand United Order of Odd Fellows
H x W (photograph): 6 x 17 1/2 in. (15.2 x 44.5 cm)
H x W (mat): 7 x 18 in. (17.8 x 45.7 cm)
The Ohio State University, Columbus, Franklin County, Ohio, United States, North and Central America
Albumen print of members of the Grand United Order of Odd Fellows. The men are in full uniform standing in front of a grandstand at The Ohio State University. The grandstand is filled with people. A large American flag is visible in the left side of the photograph.
Albumen print of African American Odd Fellows in front of a grandstand
Albumen print of a group of African American Odd Fellows. The men are in full uniform standing in front of a grandstand at The Ohio State University. There are tears and loss along the edges, and there is a tear from top center to center right.
Certificate of endowment for the Grand United Order of Odd Fellows
Boyd, Edgar Leroy, American, 1882 - 1953
ink on paper, foil, wood, metal
H x W (certificate): 21 x 16 in. (53.3 x 40.6 cm)
H x W x D (frame): 26 1/4 x 30 1/4 x 2 1/4 in. (66.7 x 76.8 x 5.7 cm)
Urbana, Champaign County, Ohio, United States, North and Central America
A certificate of endowment made out to Edgar Leroy Boyd by the Mutual Endowment Association of the District Grand Lodge of Ohio of the Grand United Order of Odd Fellows. A foil seal is affixed to the document in the bottom left. The certificate has red and black print as well has red and black handwriting.
2011.89.8ab
Documents and Published Materials-Business and Legal Documents
Ku Klux Klan robe from the Wilds Family Plantation
synthetic fiber and metal snaps
H x W (flat): 51 1/4 × 34 in. (130.2 × 86.4 cm)
H x W (flat): 29 1/4 × 43 3/4 in. (74.3 × 111.1 cm)
Fernandina Beach, Nassau County, Florida, United States, North and Central America
A Ku Klux Klan (KKK) robe worn by a member of an undetermined rank. The calf-length robe is made from ivory synthetic satin and has full-length sleeves that are slightly flared near the cuff. The robe has a neckband that is lined with red satin and that closes with two sets of snap fasteners. Seven (7) snap fasteners run almost the full length of the button band at the center front. The robe has bands of red, white and blue ribbon sewn near the bottom of the robe approximately five (5) inches from the hem. There are single red ribbon bands at the cuff of each sleeve and running down the proper left and right sides of the button bands. The robe is not lined and there is a single, center back vent measuring 20.75 inches from the hem. There are ivory satin belt loops on each side of the waist. Sewn over the proper left breast is a machine embroidered patch with an ivory satin cross outlined in black against a red satin background with a “blood drop,” embroidered in red, oriented vertically in the center of the cross. The black lines on the patch form a cross with a black diamond in the middle of the cross. The design is typically referred to as the "Mystic Insignia of a Klansman" (MIOAK). The robe has an attached ivory synthetic satin semi-circular half cape with red synthetic satin lining. The half cape has a snap closure sewn to either side of the bottom, front corners.
Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of the Wilds Family descendants of Nassau County, Florida
Hood worn by an unidentified member of the Ku Klux Klan
H x W (flat): 25 3/16 × 13 3/4 in. (64 × 35 cm)
hoods (headgear)
United States, North and Central America
An off-white conical-shaped Ku Klux Klan hood with an attached back flap with squared corners worn by a member of an undetermined rank. Rough eye holes are cut into the front of the mask. A crease is on the left side of the mask. Several brown stains are on the mask.
Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Anonymous Gift
Robe worn by an unidentified member of the Ku Klux Klan
H x W: 48 1/16 × 40 15/16 in. (122 × 104 cm)
A Ku Klux Klan robe worn by a member of an undetermined rank. The calf-length robe is made from cotton and has full-length sleeves that are slightly flared near the cuff. Four white, plastic buttons are on the button band at the center front. Sewn over the left breast is a machine embroidered patch with an ivory satin cross outlined in black against a red satin background with a “blood drop,” embroidered in red, oriented vertically in the center of the cross. The black lines on the patch form a cross with a black diamond in the middle of the cross. The design is typically referred to as the "Mystic Insignia of a Klansman" (MIOAK). The robe has an attached circular half cape.
Belt worn by an unidentified member of the Ku Klux Klan
H x W x D: 13/16 × 72 7/16 × 13/16 in. (2 × 184 × 2 cm)
belts (costume accessories)
A white rope belt worn by a Ku Klux Klan member of an undetermined rank. Each end of the belt is knotted with tassels.
The Clansman: A Historical Romance of the Ku Klux Klan
Thomas Dixon Jr.
Illustrated by
Arthur I. Keller, American, 1867 - 1924
Grosset & Dunlap, American, 1898 - 1982
Schumann, Leon W., American, born 1875
H x W x D: 7 11/16 × 5 5/16 × 1 3/8 in. (19.5 × 13.5 × 3.5 cm)
A hardcover book titled “The Clansman: A Historical Romance of the Ku Klux Klan” written by Thomas F. Dixon. The 374-paged book has a red cover with white lettering. The front pastedown page has a bookplate adhered to it at top left. The bookplate reads “LIBRARY OF / LEON W. Schumann / No. Date.” An inscription written in black ink is located on the front free endpaper at center. The inscription reads “Bessie / from / Uncle Aaron / Christmas, 1915.” The work is the second volume in a Ku Klux Klan trilogy by Dixon that included The Leopard's Spots and The Traitor. The novel is set in Reconstruction-era United States and concerns the Klan's role in protecting white Southerners from carpetbaggers and an oppressive government that would turn former enslaved persons against white Southerners.
Constitution and laws of the Knights of the Ku Klux Klan
H x W x D: 8 7/16 × 3 11/16 × 1/8 in. (21.4 × 9.3 × 0.3 cm)
Place printed
Atlanta, Fulton County, Georgia, United States, North and Central America
A pamphlet titled “Constitution and laws of the Knights of the Ku Klux Klan” published by the Knights of the Ku Klux Klan, Inc. It has a brown cover with black text and a rectangular border. The title is at the top of the cover. An image of two Klansmen riding horses and holding torches is at the center of the cover. Printed between the two figures is “Non Silba / Sed Anthar.” Printed on the bottom of the cover is “IMPERIAL PALACE-INVISIBLE EMPIRE / KNIGHTS of the KU KLUX KLAN / ATLANTA, GEORGIA. The internal pages of the pamphlet are printed on white paper with black ink. It has fifty-three pages. The pamphlet has an illegible inscription on the back.
The Ku Klux Klan; its origin, meaning and scope of operation
Fowler, Charles Lewis, American, 1877 - 1974
H x W x D: 8 11/16 × 5 13/16 × 1/8 in. (22 × 14.8 × 0.3 cm)
A sixty-page pamphlet titled “The Ku Klux Klan; Its Origin, Meaning and Scope of Operation” written by Charles Lewis Fowler. The pamphlet is printed on white paper with black text. It discusses the history of the Ku Klux Klan and its goals as an organization.
Cape worn by an unidentified member of the Ku Klux Klan
cotton (textile), metal, tassel
H x W (flat): 30 5/16 × 46 7/8 in. (77 × 119 cm)
capes (outerwear)
A cotton, rose colored hip-length cape used by a Ku Klux Klan member. The robe is completely lined with white cotton fabric. The lining is attached to the outer cape by snap fasteners all along the front edges and around the bottom edge. Two snaps sewn on the outer left back permits the left front of the cape to be pulled back and fastened, allowing the lining to show. The cape has a large flat collar. Underneath the collar are metal cape fasteners around the neck of the cape. A rose colored cord is attached to the neckline of the cape at both lapels. The cord has fringed ends.
cotton (textile), metal
H x W (flat): 29 3/4 × 43 11/16 in. (75.5 × 111 cm)
A cotton, light brown, hip-length cape used by a Ku Klux Klan member. The robe is completely lined with white cotton fabric. The lining is attached to the outer cape by snap fasteners all along the front edges and around the bottom edge. The cape has no collar and a small, metal safety pin is attached to the neckline at the front of the cape.
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Home > News > News stories > Consequences of bad driving will be dramatically displayed at emergency services weekend
Consequences of bad driving will be dramatically displayed at emergency services weekend
Posted on 28 May 2019 at 12:50pm in News stories
The story of a serious road traffic collision told from the perspective of four different people - a member of each of the emergency services and the sister of the person involved in the accident - will be featured in a demonstration at the RNLI Emergency Services Weekend in Whitby on 15 and 16 June.
Teams from North Yorkshire Police joined by Police Volunteers and Cadets; North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue; North Yorkshire Ambulance Service; 95 Alive and North Yorkshire Road Safety Partnership will all collaborate to deliver the demonstration.
The dramatic conclusion is scheduled to take place at 2.30pm on Saturday 15 June, when North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue. give a live demonstration of how they go about cutting the roof off a crashed car after an accident, to get someone out who might have spinal or other serious injuries.
The “Actions have Consequences” project was originally designed to reach young people who are a vulnerable road user group and raise awareness that driving safely could literally be a matter of life or death.
Present at the demonstration will be Tiffany Rollins who tells the poignant story of how she felt when her brother died when his Seat Arosa veered onto the wrong side of the road at speed and hit an oncoming vehicle, and how it affected her and other people.
Tiffany said: “I help with the presentations to push road safety to other young adults as I aim to prevent more road traffic collisions in the area. Most people think that these things won’t happen to them and that they’re invincible, when in fact it can happen to anyone.”
Actions Have Consequences was developed by North Yorkshire Police, and is supported by the 95 Alive York and North Yorkshire Road Safety Partnership.
Antony Baldwin, North Yorkshire Police Volunteer Area Co-ordinator for Scarborough and Ryedale said: “A momentary lapse of concentration while driving isn’t uncommon but it can be absolutely catastrophic. Many collisions are preventable. So we hope that people will take something away from this event and think about what they’ve seen when they get behind the wheel in the future.”
Mandy Pepworth, North Yorkshire County Council’s Road Safety and Travel Awareness Officer said: “Tiffany’s story really resonates with the audience we are trying to reach. She is extremely professional and we are extremely grateful to her for sparing the time to talk to the public during this demonstration.
“Feedback from previous events shows her story as being the one that really stands out for them, inspiring them to think about the potential consequences of antisocial or dangerous driving.”
Steve Harris, Whitby Fire and Rescue Manager, said: “This is a great opportunity to demonstrate the multi-agency approach for a road traffic collision and the consequences of such an incident. Too often we attend collisions where the perceived skill of the driver outweighs their actual competence.”
The Emergency Services Weekend is organized and managed by Whitby RNLI with participation from the following organizations:
North Yorkshire Police, North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue, Yorkshire Ambulance Service, North Yorkshire County Council Road Safety, H M Coastguard, Scarborough Mountain Rescue, Yorkshire Air Ambulance, the Environment Agency and RNLI Lifeboats, Lifeguards and Community Safety. The objective is to assist the public to avoid danger, to keep safe and to know what to do should an incident occur.
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« Tampa Bay Rays Need a New Stadium
Contemporary Minor League Stars, Part II »
Contemporary Minor League Stars, Part I
Before roughly 1955, it was possible for a fine baseball player to have a long and successful professional career even without ever playing in the major leagues or playing in the Show only very briefly. The main reasons for this were that minor league teams had a lot more independence and thus were able to maintain loyal fan bases and hold onto star players and also the fact that the number of major league teams (16 and all east of the Mississippi River) compared to the total number of minor league teams was tiny.
In those days there were three of what we would now call AAA leagues (the Pacific Coast League (“PCL”), the American Association and the International League) and four of what we would now call AA leagues (the Texas League, the Southern League, the Eastern League and the Western League), compared to two and three such leagues today. There were also far more lower minor leagues and teams than now, with teams playing in cities with populations as small as 10,000 or 20,000.
Because the number of minor league teams relative to the number of major league teams was so much greater than today, you had to be both great and lucky to have a long-term major league career. (You also had to be white, since black players were excluded from “organized baseball” until 1946 and instead played in their own segregated leagues).
As a result, many excellent ballplayers became minor league stars. As a general rule, the greatest minor league stars of that era fall into these categories:
(1) spitball pitchers who weren’t in the majors in 1920 and thus were not allowed to throw one of their best pitches at the major league level (Frank “Shelly” Shellenback, Rube Robinson, Paul Wachtel and Buzz Arlett are examples — they could continue to throw the spitter in the high minor leagues in which they pitched during the 1920 season thanks to grandfathering, but could not throw it in the majors);
(2) players who hit like major leaguers but didn’t play major league defense (Ike Boone and Smead Jolley are examples — Bill James once wrote that these players had their defensive failures overstated by sportswriters of the era as a way to explain why they weren’t major league stars; however, there is enough objective evidence/stats to suggest their defense was pretty bad);
(3) players who fielded like major leagues but didn’t hit enough or hit with enough power for their positions (Joe Riggert, and Jigger Statz are examples — in fairness to Statz, his most valuable skill, on base percentage, was not as highly valued in his day as it is now; however, while Statz was fast, he was not an effective base stealer at the major league level);
(4) players who were good all-around players but a shade below major league regulars — particularly in the Pacific Coast League, these players had more value to their minor league teams playing in major league-size cities than they did to major league teams (examples are Dick Gyselman, Truck Hannah and Billy Raimondi);
(5) players who had major injuries at the wrong time in their careers (Joe Hauser and Ray Perry are great examples);
(6) players who didn’t take advantage of their major league opportunities, which were fewer than today’s minor league stars get (examples are Bunny Brief (birth name Anthony Grzeszkowski), a fantastic minor league slugger who didn’t hit in any of his three significant major league trials, Nick “Tomato Face” Cullop and Spence Harris);
(7) players who developed late, i.e., after age 27 (Ollie Carnegie and Ox Eckhardt are great examples of a common type of minor league star); and
(8) players whose careers were interrupted by World War II.
In fact, a majority of the great minor league stars of this era and most of those listed above fit into more than one of the categories I’ve identified above, along with others not mentioned. Perhaps the one all-encompassing factor for minor league stars was simply bad luck.
For example, Buzz Arlett, probably the quintessential minor league star of this era, started his career as a pitcher whose best pitch was a spitball. He was still establishing himself as a PCL ace in 1920, the only league in which he could throw his best pitch after that season. He converted to a full-time hitter in 1923 at age 24, and by the time he had established his bona fides as a top PCL slugger, he was no longer young.
Further, his team, the Oakland Oaks, rightfully recognized Arlett as their franchise player and wouldn’t sell him to a major league team for less than $100,000, too high a price for a hitter his age. When the Oaks’ price finally came down, Arlett was past 30 and had put on weight, which negatively impacted his outfield defense. Despite a great year at the plate for the 1931 Phillies in his only major league season at age 32, this Phillies team sucked eggs, and Arlett spent almost all of his remaining professional career in Baltimore and Minneapolis, big cities with major league caliber fan bases and ballparks taylor-made for left-handed sluggers like Arlett.
Since about 1978, the Society for Advanced Baseball Research (“SABR”) has done a great job of educating today’s baseball fandom of the great minor league stars who played in this bygone era. The purpose of this article, notwithstanding my long introduction, is to identify the minor league stars, if any, playing today.
I decided that in order to qualify as a contemporary minor league star, a player had to have at least 4,000 career minor league plate appearances in AA and AAA ball, based on the premise that you can’t have been a minor league star unless you spent a long time playing in the high minors. Bear in mind, that given the shorter playing schedules of even the top minor league teams today, it takes nearly eight full seasons at the AA and AAA levels to meet this requirement.
[A couple of notes here: organized baseball (and thus baseball-reference.com) treat the Mexican summer league as a AAA league (the quality of play is probably closer to AA ball) but do not consider Japan’s NPB (a true 4-A league) and South Korea’s KBO (probably between AAA and AA in terms of level of play) as AA or AAA leagues. I have followed the OB/baseball-reference definition since I’m interested in identifying American minor league stars, neither NPB or KBO is really a “minor league” regardless of the level of play (the countries’ top players play in these leagues and are not readily available to MLB the way the best Mexican League players are), and it makes it much simpler to calculate who qualifies.]
At first, I thought that there would not be a lot of players meeting this requirement, because a number of the most well-known 4-A players since 2000 don’t qualify — specifically, Dan Johnson, Dallas McPherson, Tag Bozied, Brad Eldred and Joe Borchard don’t have enough plate appearances to qualify. I also figured that there wouldn’t be a lot of player in today’s professional game who could play for years and years at a high level without substantial major league careers cutting into their high-minors playing time.
Turns out I was wrong. There are a great number of contemporary players who qualify as minor league stars under my definition. In no particular order, the following are the contemporary minor league stars I was able to find.
1. Jack Cust (3758 AAA plate appearances, 568 AA, and 2581 MLB). Cust is clearly the best of the contemporary minor league stars, and he has had a significant major league career. Even so, he spent years and years in the high minors before the money-ball Oakland A’s decided his OPS was too high to ignore, no matter how low his batting average or how many times he struck out, and he’s now back in the high minors since his major league run ended in 2011. Cust’s career minor league OPS of .936 and major league OPS of .813 are far and away the best of any contemporary minor league batting star.
The player Cust reminds me most of in baseball history is Ripper Collins. Collins was a slugging 1Bman for great Cardinals and Cubs teams from 1931 through 1938, playing for three pennant winners and two World Champions and leading the NL with 35 HRs and 128 RBIs in 1934. Ripper was a great minor league star before and after his long major league career.
Collins slugged 135 HRs in the Show and 193 HRs in the minors. Cust has hit 105 in the Show and 225 in the minors. Collins hit for a much higher average, but Cust has a slightly higher on-base percentage at the major league level.
This type of player was much more common in the pre-1955 era than today, in part because major league careers were more precarious than today (one bad year and the team often decided to give someone else a shot, sending the veteran back to the minors for good) and also because it was easier to accumulate plate appearances in the high minors which had schedules as long or longer than the major league schedule. See Dale Alexander, Smead Jolley, Jack Bentley and Joe Hauser as examples.
2. Mike Hessman (4530 and counting AAA plate appearances, 1008 AA, 250 MLB). Mike Hessman is a great minor league slugger who has been identified as the real life “Crash” Davis because he is the active minor league home run leader by a wide margin. Hessman has hit 369 minor league home runs (plus six in Japan and 14 in the Show) in his professional career, which likely places him in the bottom of the top ten all-time (I haven’t been able to find any information on the top Mexican League sluggers other than Hector Espino, who at 484 career HRs, is the all-time minor league HR leader).
However, Hessman has also struck out a whopping 2,168 times in his professional career. His chronic inability to make contact has limited him to a career minor league batting average and OPS of .230 and .773 (.188 and .694 in the Show). His ability to slug the long ball has kept him around in the high minors for years, but he’s clearly not a major league player unless a bunch of guys on the parent club get hurt.
Stay tuned for part two of this series.
Explore posts in the same categories: Baseball History, Chicago Cubs, Oakland A's, Philadelphia Phillies, St. Louis Cardinals, Uncategorized
This entry was posted on April 27, 2013 at 6:21 am and is filed under Baseball History, Chicago Cubs, Oakland A's, Philadelphia Phillies, St. Louis Cardinals, Uncategorized. You can subscribe via RSS 2.0 feed to this post's comments. You can comment below, or link to this permanent URL from your own site.
One Comment on “Contemporary Minor League Stars, Part I”
Mike Hessman now has 389 career minor league home runs which places him as high as seventh all-time in that somewhat dubious category.
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Posts Tagged emily blunt
The Huntsman: Winter’s War
Posted by Cindy Robinson, Life on the Scene in Celebrity, Movies on April 7, 2016
Chris Hemsworth and Oscar® winner Charlize Theron return to their roles in The Huntsman: Winter’s War, an epic action-adventure in which they are joined by Emily Blunt and Jessica Chastain in this pre-quel to Snow White and the Huntsman.
Long before the evil Queen Ravenna (Theron) was thought vanquished by Snow White’s blade, she watched silently as her sister, Freya (Blunt), suffered a heartbreaking betrayal and fled their kingdom. With Freya’s ability to freeze any enemy, the young ice queen has spent decades in a remote wintry palace raising a legion of deadly huntsmen—including Eric (Hemsworth) and warrior Sara (Chastain)—only to find that her prized two defied her one demand: Forever harden your hearts to love. When Freya learns of her sister’s demise, she summons her remaining soldiers to bring the Magic Mirror home to the only sorceress left who can harness its power. But once she discovers Ravenna can be resurrected from its golden depths, the wicked sisters threaten this enchanted land with twice the darkest force it’s ever seen. Now, their amassing army shall prove undefeatable…unless the banished huntsmen who broke their queen’s cardinal rule can fight their way back to one another.
Universal Pictures presents THE HUNTSMAN: WINTER’S WAR arrives in theaters nationwide on April 22, 2016.
The cast of the film is currently making the promotional rounds for the film with a busy week of Los Angeles activities next week including the Los Angeles premiere of the film on Monday, April 11, 2016 at the Regency Village Theatre, 961 Broxton Ave., Los Angeles, CA along with appearances on the Late Late Show with James Corden on Tuesday, April 12, 2016 and Jimmy Kimmel Live! on Thursday, April 14, 2016
charlize theron, Chris Hemsworth, emily blunt, jessica chastain, life on the scene, Los Angeles, Snow White, the huntsman winter's war, Universal pictures
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Posts Tagged Priceless
Posted by Jade Robledo in Charity, Concert, Music on December 3, 2012
“Performance occurs rain or shine” stated the Terms & Conditions for those who were lucky enough to obtain a ticket to gain entry to see Bon Jovi at the MasterCard Priceless Los Angeles presentation of GRAMMY Artists Revealed. As evidenced by those who watched the live stream of the performance at the Paramount Studios Backlot in Los Angeles on December 1, 2012, it definitely occurred in the rain.
This fact only bothered fans while waiting for the exclusive performance. Once Bon Jovi hit the stage, the umbrellas were put away and all worries were forgotten. It was their first performance since the last date of the “Bon Jovi” tour in 2011, a fact that was noted by Jon Bon Jovi between songs such as their first number one hit single from Slippery When Wet (a pun referenced by a few fans in the crowd) “You Give Love a Bad Name,” to “It’s My Life” from Crush, and Have a Nice Day’s “Who Says You Can’t Go Home.” Always a fan favorite, Jon shared lead vocals on “Wanted Dead or Alive” with lead guitarist Richie Sambora and let the audience take over on vocals during the opening verse of “Livin’ On A Prayer.”
Even though Jon mentioned being “one wet motherf****r,” the weather did nothing to slow him down, even with puddles forming on the front of the stage as the night progressed. In fact, while some began to leave after the band blazed through “Bad Medicine” (which included a chorus from The Isley Brothers’ “Shout”), the band came back to perform an encore consisting of a cover of Chuck Berry’s “Run Run Rudolph.” The night ultimately ended with fans singing along loudly on their own to “I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead.”
If you have a chance, you definitely should catch them on their upcoming “Because We Can” tour in 2013. Tickets are on sale now for most shows via the Bon Jovi fan club and Ticketmaster. The tour kicks off February 9, 2013 in Uncasville, CT at Mohegan Sun.
It should also be noted that the band, with origins in Sayreville New Jersey, has one more performance scheduled as part of the 12-12-12 Concert for Hurricane Sandy Relief. Even if you are unable to obtain a ticket to the show, you can still donate to the Robin Hood Foundation, the beneficiary of the charity concert which will also feature performances by Sir Paul McCartney, Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, The Who, Billy Joel, Foo Fighters and Alicia Keys.
12-12-12 Concert for Hurricane Sandy Relief, Alicia Keys, Billy Joel, Bon Jovi, Bruce Springsteen, Chuck Berry, GRAMMYS, Jon Bon Jovi, life on the scene, Los Angeles, MasterCard Priceless Los Angeles, New Jersey, Paul McCartney, Priceless, Richie Sambora, Robin Hood Foundation, Sir Paul McCartney
MasterCard Priceless Presents Bon Jovi
Posted by Cindy Robinson, Life on the Scene in Concert, Contests, Enter to Win on November 20, 2012
MasterCard Priceless Los Angeles presents GRAMMY artist Bon Jovi live in concert on Saturday, December 1st at the Paramount Studios back lot in Los Angeles. Wednesday, November 21st is your last chance to win a pair of FREE tickets. Wouldn’t that make a great present to start off the Thanksgiving holiday weekend with?
Sign up now so you know when to log in for the chance to get your complimentary tickets! When you sign up you will also receive a code to watch a live stream of the concert if you don’t win tickets.
The New Jersey natives are playing a handful of shows before 2012 ends including the Concert for Sandy Relief benefit in NYC on 12.12.12 with Bruce Springsteen, Paul McCartney, Alicia Keys, Billy Joel and more.
In 2013 Bon Jovi will head out on a coast to coast Because We Can tour of the United States.
Alicia Keys, Billy Joel, Bon Jovi, Bruce Springsteen, cindy robinson, donate, Grammy Award, Hamilton College, Hurricane Sandy, Los Angeles, MasterCard, New Jersey, Paul McCartney, Priceless, relief, United States, Wednesday
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Journal of Business Ethics
Private Sector Corruption, Public Sector Corruption and the Organizational Structure of Foreign Subsidiaries
Michael A. Sartor
Paul W. Beamish
First Online: 04 April 2019
Corporate anti-corruption initiatives can make a substantial contribution towards curtailing corruption and advancing efforts to achieve the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. However, researchers have observed that underdeveloped assumptions with respect to the conceptualization of corruption and how firms respond to corruption risk impeding the efficacy of anti-corruption programs. We investigate the relationship between the perceived level of corruption in foreign host countries and the organizational structure of subsidiary operations established by multinational corporations (MNCs). Foreign host market corruption is disaggregated into two components—private and public corruption. We employ an uncertainty-based perspective grounded in transaction cost theory to focus upon the distinct mechanisms through which private and public corruption can each be expected to impact a foreign subsidiary’s organizational structure [wholly-owned subsidiary (WOS) or a joint venture (JV) with a local partner]. We expect that each type of corruption fosters a different type of uncertainty (environmental or behavioral) which predominates in shaping the MNC’s choice of foreign subsidiary investment structure. Hypotheses are developed and tested with a sample of 187 entries into 19 foreign host markets. Each type of corruption was found to exert a distinct effect upon the organizational structure of foreign subsidiaries. More precisely, while heightened perceived levels of public corruption were found to motivate MNCs to invest through a JV with a local partner rather than a WOS, more pronounced private corruption precipitated the opposite outcome.
Corruption Uncertainty Multinational corporations Foreign subsidiaries Organizational structure
Corruption is a relentless grand global challenge that has been implicated as the root cause of numerous social and economic maladies (Argandoña 2007). The Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) agenda developed by the United Nations (UN) is comprised of 17 goals that have been designed to protect the planet and improve the living conditions of its inhabitants (Voegtlin and Scherer 2017). One of these goals (SDG 16) targets to “substantially reduce corruption and bribery in all their forms” (United Nations 2015). The gravity of this imperative is undeniable given the recent sobering observation that more than 80% of the world’s population lives in a country with “a serious corruption problem” (Transparency International 2016). Scholars have concluded that corruption has become one of the world’s most pressing challenges, affecting “environmental protection efforts, human rights, national security, access to healthcare and justice services, economic development and the legitimacy of governments around the world” (Feathers 2014, p. 287). In fact, researchers and policy makers have observed that corruption is particularly harmful to humans and society because it threatens to undermine progress with respect to several other pressing SDGs that have been developed to reduce inequality and improve living standards (Trapnell et al. 2017). As examples, the SDGs adopted by the UN include goals pertaining to the alleviation of poverty (SDG 1), enhancing health and well-being (SDG 3), improving education (SDG 4), and ensuring access to clean water and sanitation (SDG 6). However, scholars have found that corruption adversely impacts health and well-being by limiting access to public health clinics, reducing immunization rates and delaying the vaccination of newborns (Azfar and Gurgur 2008). Further, countries characterized by widespread corruption have experienced lower levels of educational attainment and a lower likelihood that their citizens will escape the poverty trap (Eicher et al. 2009). Researchers have also found a statistically significant negative relationship between the level of corruption in a country and access to both adequate drinking water and sanitation (Anbarci et al. 2009). Consequently, reducing corruption has become an important component of the sustainable development agenda (Trapnell et al. 2017).
In elaborating a role for management researchers in efforts to address the grand challenges highlighted by the UN’s SDGs, George et al. (2016) propose that scholars should focus on deepening our comprehension of stubborn societal problems. Building on this proposition, researchers have observed that corporate anti-corruption programs can play a central role in both combatting corruption (Argandoña 2017a) and attaining sustainable development because “anti-corruption efforts…underpin the achievement…of all other SDGs” (Trapnell et al. 2017, p. 36). However, assessments with respect to the efficacy of corporate anti-corruption codes and programs have been mixed. While some have suggested that they have shown some “ability to foster ethical behaviors” (Mercier and Deslandes 2017, p. 781), others have concluded that there is “no definitive evidence that codes have a significant effect on ethical behavior in organizations” (Painter-Morland 2010, p. 266). Heeks and Mathisen (2012) propose that the effectiveness of anti-corruption initiatives can be undermined by “design-reality gaps” whereby theoretical assumptions embedded within the design of anti-corruption programs fail to accurately reflect the reality of the contexts within which these initiatives are deployed. Two prominent sources of potential misalignment include a narrow conceptualization of corruption (Persson et al. 2013) and an underdeveloped comprehension of how firms respond to corruption (Hansen 2011). Consistent with this perspective, scholars have observed that two assumptions frequently underpin the strategic and policy prescriptions of anti-corruption theorists. First, corruption is conceptualized as occurring primarily within a multinational corporation’s (MNC’s) public sector transactions with government officials and bureaucrats (Goel et al. 2015). In this regard, legal scholars (Green 2013) and economists (Hodgson and Jiang 2007, p. 1043–1044) have observed that the prevailing conceptualization of corruption has constrained the scope of research inquiry “to the public sector, despite the fact that private sector corruption is often acknowledged.” Second, engaging a “middleperson” such as a joint venture (JV) partner is assumed to be a key strategy employed by MNCs to manage the uncertainty and transaction costs precipitated by more pronounced government corruption (Bray 2005; Drugov et al. 2014). Consequently, the efficacy of scholarly recommendations with respect to corporate anti-corruption programs risks being impeded by underdeveloped assumptions with respect to how corruption is conceptualized and how firms respond to corruption.
To address these limitations, business ethics scholars have become more focused upon enhancing our understanding of the various types of corruption that firms encounter in foreign markets (Luiz and Stewart 2014; Van Vu et al. 2018), as well as the different strategic, structural and operational responses of MNCs to heightened levels of corruption (Godinez and Liu 2018; Orudzheva et al. 2018; Xie et al. 2018). In doing so, ethics scholarship (Clark and Brown 2015; Gago-Rodríguez et al. 2018; Hauser 2018; Remišová et al. 2018) is generating new research insights that are helping to inform the efforts of anti-corruption scholars who endeavor to design better strategies to curb MNC engagement in foreign market corruption.
We build on this research tradition in the ethics literature in two important ways. First, we leverage the work of business ethicists’ who have advocated in favour of broadening the conceptualization of corruption and elaborating the nature and effects of different types of corruption, particularly private sector corruption and public sector corruption (Argandoña 2003, 2017b; Gopinath 2008). Second, we extend the work of ethics scholars who have theorized that corruption and the uncertainty that it precipitates may impact the organizational structure of foreign subsidiary investments (Godinez and Liu 2018; Luiz and Stewart 2014). In this regard, Montiel et al. (2012) have proposed that different manifestations of corruption may precipitate distinct uncertainties for firms and exert disparate impacts upon firm decision-making.
As such, we ask: How do the perceived levels of public sector (government) corruption and private sector (non-government) corruption impact upon the organizational structure of a MNC’s foreign subsidiaries? We apply an uncertainty-based perspective (Sartor and Beamish 2018) to focus on the distinct mechanisms through which the two types of corruption can be expected to influence the structure of foreign subsidiary investments. When MNCs enter into foreign markets characterized by more pronounced host market corruption, we anticipate that public and private corruption will each exert distinct effects upon the organizational structure of their subsidiaries. This is because each type of corruption can be expected to foster different types of uncertainty and risk which predominate in shaping the MNC’s choice with respect to the structure of its foreign subsidiary (wholly-owned subsidiary (WOS) versus JV with a local partner). In the case of public corruption, we expect that environmental uncertainty and knowledge-based risk will be the primary uncertainty and risk influencing the MNC’s structural decision. Conversely, in the case of private corruption, behavioral uncertainty and opportunism-based risk will predominate in shaping the MNC’s preference.
Hypotheses are developed pertaining to the impact of each type of corruption upon a MNC’s choice between a WOS and a JV with a local partner. We test these hypotheses and find that each type of corruption exerts a distinct impact upon the organizational structure of foreign subsidiary investments. More precisely, while heightened levels of public corruption were found to motivate MNCs to invest through a JV with a local partner rather than a WOS, more pronounced private corruption precipitated the opposite outcome.
Our research makes several contributions. First, building on ethics scholarship that has expanded the conceptualization of corruption, we apply an uncertainty-based perspective to examine the effects of both private and public corruption upon the strategic decisions of foreign-investing MNCs. Second, our findings bolster the efforts of theorists who have endeavored to enhance our understanding of the impact of corruption upon the organizational structure of foreign subsidiaries. Third, we contribute new insights which serve to broaden the set of assumptions that can be employed by scholars who develop prescriptions that are intended to narrow design-reality gaps in corporate anti-corruption programs. In doing so, our work responds to George et al. (2016, p. 1887) who urge management researchers to assist in the transformation of “stubborn societal problems into tractable managerial challenges” for which solutions can be devised. In this regard, our research buttresses the efforts of business ethics scholars, policy makers and managers who strive to both curtail MNC engagement in overseas corruption and advance the UN’s sustainable development agenda.
The remainder of our paper is organized as follows. In the “Theory and Hypotheses” section, we present some of the literature that has contributed to elaborating the distinction between private and public corruption, in addition to highlighting some of the main tenets of transaction cost theory. Moreover, we review the uncertainty-based perspective that we apply in our work and we present hypotheses with respect to the impact of both private and public corruption upon the organizational structure of foreign subsidiaries. We describe our study’s sample and discuss both the estimation techniques and variable measures in the “Methods” section, followed by the presentation of our empirical findings in the “Results” section. In the “Discussion and Conclusions” section, we summarize our study, highlight its contributions and discuss its potential limitations.
Theory and Hypotheses
Public Sector Corruption and Private Sector Corruption
To describe the nature of corrupt activities, business ethics scholars have referred to various taxonomies such as market versus parochial corruption (Husted 1994), bureaucratic versus political corruption (Lindgreen 2004), petty versus grand corruption (Argandoña 2005) and low-level versus systemic corruption (dela Rama 2012). Notably, these taxonomies have collectively focused on one type of corruption—government corruption. Consequently, researchers have routinely defined corruption as the abuse of public power for personal gain. While succinct, the narrow conceptualization of the construct has limited study to the domain of bureaucratic activity and restrained what scholars choose to study, model and report (Hodgson and Jiang 2007). Notwithstanding the important insights that have been generated by prior research that has focused on government corruption, business ethicists have continued to advocate in favor of broadening corruption-based research to incorporate a consideration of both public corruption and private corruption (Argandoña 2003, 2017b; Gopinath 2008). As such, other taxonomies such as policy-specific versus widespread or general corruption (Montiel et al. 2012), and procedural versus schematic versus categorical corruption (Aguilera and Vadera 2008) have emerged and challenged scholars to start incorporating a consideration of private sector corruption in their work. In distinguishing private sector corruption from public sector corruption, ethics theorists maintain that private sector corruption involves the abuse of power within private sector (non-governmental) organizations (Argandoña 2003).
Gutmann and Lucas (2018) have extended this conceptualization by highlighting four segments of the private sector within which private sector corruption transpires, including businesses, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), religious bodies and the media. Common examples of private sector corruption within business organizations include, among others, commercial bribery, kickbacks, corporate fraud, collusion and insider trading (Green 2013; Kim 2014; Zinnbauer et al. 2009). As other examples, Montiel et al. (2012) observe that some private firms may circumvent the substantial cost associated with implementing various ISO standards which operate as market-based mechanisms designed to signal a firm’s commitment to procedures, policies and practices that contribute to sustainable growth (Aravind and Christmann 2011; Christmann and Taylor 2001). To do so, these private firms may endeavor to obtain certification in some international jurisdictions by paying bribes to private third-party auditors and certifiers which enable the firms to engage in symbolic rather than substantive implementation of standards such as ISO 9000 and ISO 14001 (Christmann and Taylor 2006). Researchers whose work has focused on combatting corruption within NGOs have observed that prevalent forms of abuse of power (or, corruption) within this type of private sector organization include the establishment of “fictitious NGOs” solely for the purpose of generating income for the organization’s executives or Board members, the receipt of kickback payments by NGO employees from prospective vendors with respect to the procurement of goods or services for the organization, and the solicitation of bribes by NGO employees from prospective beneficiaries who seek inclusion on NGO aid distribution lists (The Economist 2017; Trivunovic et al. 2011). Corruption within religious organizations is manifest in the self-interested behavior of a religious organization’s leaders and administrators who extract rents through embezzlement or wasteful spending of the organization’s resources (Gutmann 2015). Finally, corruption in the media occurs when journalists, editors and other media employees solicit or accept bribes in exchange for publishing positive news that is known to be untrue (Spence 2017) or for suppressing the publication of negative or damaging news (Li 2013).
To provide a preliminary illustration of the distinction between public and private corruption, we refer to the recent experience of a MNC that was accused of engaging in both types of corruption through its subsidiaries in three foreign markets. The corporation (a provider of automated teller machines (ATMs) used by banks) was alleged to have engaged in public corruption with Indonesian and Chinese public officials who were empowered to influence the ATM-related contract decisions of government-owned banks in those two countries. At the same time, the MNC was also alleged to have engaged in private corruption with employees with similar decision-making powers in privately owned Russian banks (Gorman 2013; Jordan 2016). As another example, a MNC that manufactures tires settled charges pertaining to the alleged payment of bribes by its subsidiaries in Angola and Kenya to the employees of both government-owned entities (i.e., public corruption) and private companies (i.e., private corruption) in exchange for tire sales (Handa 2016; Holtmeier 2015).
Transaction Cost Theory
Business ethics scholars have employed the transaction cost lens to develop theory with respect to the impact of ethics-oriented concerns upon the organizational structure (Luiz and Stewart 2014; Robertson et al. 2010) and strategies of MNCs (Godinez and Liu 2018; Johnsen 2009; Xie et al. 2018). The tenets of transaction cost theory specify distinct types of uncertainty and costs. Environmental uncertainty includes any ambiguity in the operating environment (Karjalainen and Moxham 2013; Montiel et al. 2016) with respect to host government policies, procedures and practices which creates unpredictability for managers (Miller 1992). Information uncertainty is a type of environmental uncertainty that arises when managers’ limited ability to collect and process information about the external environment (Grewatsch and Kleindienst 2017) makes it difficult for them to predict the outcomes of their decisions (Shi et al. 2015). When environmental uncertainty is more pronounced, firms experience greater knowledge-based risk which may impede their ongoing ability to navigate within foreign host market environments (Milliken 1987). Consequently, this need for new knowledge about the external environment precipitates greater information costs (North 1990) which are the costs associated with searching for information that is required to execute transactions in the host market (Madhok 1996). Collectively, environmental uncertainty and knowledge-based risk generally motivate a preference for hybrids over hierarchies (Geyskens et al. 2006), as firms endeavor to leverage a partner’s knowledge and minimize their information costs.
Behavioral uncertainty is the uncertainty associated with predicting how others will behave (Krishnan et al. 2006). More pronounced behavioral uncertainty increases the risk of opportunism (Brouthers and Brouthers 2003). Opportunism is “behavior that takes advantage of a chance to deceive or mislead another party” (Smith 2018, p. 612). Partner opportunism is a persistent concern when firms engage in JV relationships (Li 2008). Consequently, an increased risk of opportunism stimulates more pronounced transaction costs, particularly monitoring and enforcement costs (Nooteboom et al. 1997; Romar 2004). While monitoring costs are the costs associated with ensuring that a party fulfills its predetermined obligations (Sampath et al. 2018), enforcement costs include the costs associated with sanctions or exerting control over a party that fails to fulfill its obligations (De Colle et al. 2014). Collectively, behavioral uncertainty and the risk of opportunism motivate firms to prefer vertical integration as they seek to minimize monitoring and enforcement costs (Geyskens et al. 2006).
Business ethics scholarship has conceptualized corruption as an institution that fosters uncertainty for foreign-investing MNCs (Luiz and Stewart 2014). Milliken (1990, p. 58) observed that managers “experience several different types of uncertainty as they attempt to adapt an organization to its environment” and, as such, “aggregating uncertainty…may mask significant differences between types of uncertainty.” As such, scholars have advocated in favor of elaborating the principle uncertainties that are precipitated by different institutions in more precarious foreign markets (Ahsan and Musteen 2011; Sartor and Beamish 2014). Drawing a distinction between different uncertainties is important because they underpin firms’ governance choices (Ashill and Jobber 2009).
Consistent with this view, Sartor and Beamish (2018) have advanced an uncertainty-based perspective which proposes that different types of corruption can be distinguished on the basis of the disparate uncertainties (environmental uncertainty versus behavioral uncertainty), the unique risks (knowledge-based risk versus opportunism-based risk) and the distinct costs (information search costs versus monitoring and enforcement costs) that they precipitate. More specifically, they propose that some varieties of host market corruption can be expected to primarily inhibit transparency in the foreign market which heightens environmental uncertainty and knowledge-based risk for the MNC. As such, the firm experiences increased information costs as it searches for the knowledge and information that it requires to operate in the foreign market. Conversely, other types of corruption can be expected to primarily inhibit trust in the foreign market and heighten behavioral uncertainty which increases the risk of opportunism and stimulates more pronounced monitoring and enforcement costs for the MNC. In turn, the disparate uncertainties precipitated by the distinct types of corruption are expected to exert different effects on the MNC’s strategic choices. Notably, corruption researchers have identified an important conceptual distinction between public corruption and private corruption which motivates our application of this uncertainty-based framework. More specifically, Montiel et al. (2012, p. 1104) have observed that “government corruption undermines the rule of law and creates uncertainty in the enforcement of regulations…while private sector corruption reduces trust in private institutions and parties…”.
Building on the foregoing, Table 1 summarizes how we expect that the differences between public and private corruption will be manifest in foreign markets. First, we focus on the primary impact of each type of corruption upon the host market (either inhibiting transparency or inhibiting trust). Second, we focus on the primary uncertainty (environmental or behavioral), risk (knowledge-based or opportunism-based) and costs (information search or monitoring and enforcement) that are associated with public corruption and private corruption. In turn, more pronounced levels of each type of host market corruption are expected to motivate different preferences with respect to a subsidiary’s organizational structure. While we develop hypotheses with respect to our expectations regarding the distinct effects of public and private corruption upon the organizational structure of foreign subsidiary investments, we acknowledge that other factors such as the characteristics of the parent firm (Brouthers et al. 2003) are also salient determinants.
Public corruption, private corruption and the organizational structure of foreign subsidiaries
Type of host market corruption
Public corruption
Private corruption
Predominant impact of each type of corruption upon the host market
Inhibits institutional transparency/fosters opaqueness within the host market
Inhibits trust/fosters mistrust within the host market
Transaction cost-grounded characteristics associated with each type of corruption
Predominant type of uncertainty
Environmental uncertainty
Behavioral uncertainty
Predominant type of risk
Knowledge-based risk
Opportunism-based risk
Predominant transaction costs
Information costs
Monitoring and enforcement costs
Predominant mechanism triggered
Knowledge-enhancement mechanism
Opportunism-reduction mechanism
Hypothesized effects upon the organizational structure of foreign subsidiaries (WOS or JV with a local partner)
Hypothesized main effects
Hypothesis 1: Preference for JV with a local partner hypothesized in markets characterized by higher perceived levels of public corruption
Hypothesis 2: Preference for WOS hypothesized in markets characterized by higher perceived levels of private corruption
Hypothesized interaction effect
Hypothesis 3: The positive relationship between the perceived level of public corruption and the likelihood that foreign-investing MNCs will invest through a JV with a local partner (rather than a WOS) is weakened by an increase in the perceived level of private corruption
Public Corruption and Organizational Structure
When MNCs enter into a foreign market, they often need to interact with the host market’s public officials to secure goods, services and other resources that are controlled by the state (Wan 2005). Permits, approvals, licenses, utilities, customs clearances, regulatory rulings, tax concessions, judicial decisions and procurement contracts are just a few of the many government-controlled goods and services that may be needed by the MNC to facilitate foreign entry or to sustain ongoing operations in the host market (Rose-Ackerman 1997). Public corruption occurs when government officials and bureaucrats leverage their ability to arbitrarily modify or alter the policies, regulations and procedures that govern the distribution of the state’s goods, services and resources (Lambsdorff 2002b; Luo 2005). Consequently, we assume that public sector corruption inhibits institutional transparency and fosters environmental uncertainty due to the resultant ambiguity with respect to the host government’s policies, regulations and procedures (Miller 1992). In turn, MNCs are exposed to increased knowledge-based risk in foreign markets characterized by heightened environmental uncertainty because public corruption exacerbates information uncertainty for the MNC (Javorcik and Wei 2009). More precisely, foreign-investing MNCs often find that they lack the knowledge and information that is required to navigate their interactions with government officials in more corrupt host market environments (Roy and Oliver 2009). Consequently, information costs will be more pronounced (Luo 2004) as MNCs endeavor to overcome heightened environmental uncertainty and knowledge-based risk in such markets. These “knowledge-based transaction costs” include the cost of identifying new sources of relevant knowledge and information, as well as the cost of absorbing this knowledge (Conner and Prahalad 1996, p. 484). As such, we expect that the relationship between public sector corruption and a foreign subsidiary’s organizational structure will be grounded in a knowledge-enhancement mechanism.
When a MNC commits to investing in a foreign market characterized by more pronounced public corruption, the firm will consider a wide array of possible responses to corruption which range from outright compliance with corrupt local norms to outright avoidance of corrupt transactions in the host market (Søreide 2006). The MNC’s choice will ultimately be contingent upon its understanding of how to manage corrupt practices in the local market (Doh et al. 2003). This comprehension is essential for the MNC because host market governments typically maintain monopolistic control over many of the critical resources (such as permits, licenses and other resources) that the MNC will need when entering and operating there (Buck et al. 1998; Shleifer and Vishny 1993). We have proposed that public corruption increases the costs of investing in a foreign market because corruption exploits the foreign-investing MNC’s lack of knowledge with respect to operating in the host market (Meyer and Nguyen 2005). The need for local knowledge is particularly salient in countries that exhibit lower levels of institutional transparency (Xu and Meyer 2013). Scholars have theorized that when a firm wants to enhance its knowledge base in foreign markets, it can develop the knowledge organically over time through experience because a firm’s prior experience is an important source of learning and it has been found to influence organizational structure (Powell and Rhee 2016). Alternatively, it can access the local market knowledge that is embedded in prospective collaborators (Madhok 1997). A host market equity partner can bolster the MNC’s efforts to augment its local market knowledge in at least three important ways. First, a local partner can reduce or even eliminate the need for the MNC to interact with the government directly, allowing the MNC to rely entirely upon the partner’s knowledge and experience (Doh et al. 2003). Second, the MNC can access the partner’s knowledge of the local environment (Luo 2001). More specifically, an equity partner can teach the MNC how to bargain with government agents more effectively and efficiently (Rodriguez et al. 2005). Finally, a partner may help the MNC to integrate into local networks (Meyer et al. 2009). Inclusion in these networks enhances the bargaining power of the MNC because the reputations and repeated transactions that are associated with these networks are resources that can be leveraged to contain the information costs associated with bargaining with government officials (Lambsdorff 2002a). In this regard, leveraging a local partner’s network and knowledge of corrupt institutions prevailing in the host country can position a foreign-investing firm to reduce information-based transaction costs (Meschi 2009). Accordingly, we hypothesize,
Hypothesis 1
A higher perceived level of public corruption in a foreign host market will increase the likelihood that a MNC will structure its foreign subsidiary investment as a JV with a local partner.
Private Corruption and Organizational Structure
Management scholars and political scientists have observed that private sector corruption impairs societal trust (Montiel et al. 2012; Rothstein 2005). A firm’s value chain is populated by a wide range of private sector stakeholders such as customers, suppliers, investors and employees (Pfarrer et al. 2008). The existence of trust throughout a firm’s value chain confers a degree of confidence that exchange transactions will be executed as agreed upon and expected (Anokhin and Schulze 2009; Jung and Lee 2017). However, the prevalence of private corruption degrades both individual trust and collective trust (Ashforth et al. 2008), as well as undermining “predictability…and…mutually understood standards of behavior for exchange relationships” (Lange 2008, p. 718). Consequently, we assume that higher levels of private sector corruption in foreign countries inhibit trust and foster mistrust within those countries. In turn, MNCs are exposed to heightened behavioral uncertainty (Brouthers and Brouthers 2003; Noorderhaven 1996) and opportunism-based risk (Das and Teng 1996). Monitoring and enforcement costs will be more pronounced (Rose-Ackerman 2010) as MNCs endeavor to overcome the increased behavioral uncertainty and opportunism-based risk that they encounter when the level of private corruption is high. As such, we expect that the relationship between private sector corruption and a foreign subsidiary’s organizational structure will be grounded in an opportunism-reduction mechanism.
Intuitively, some might speculate that a foreign-investing MNC will prefer a JV with a local firm in foreign markets characterized by heightened private corruption because a partner could help the MNC to learn how to manage private corruption in the host market. However, we expect that behavioral uncertainty and opportunism-based risk will be a more prominent concern for the MNC here. This is because MNCs engage in innumerable transactions in the private sector when entering an overseas market. Establishing foreign subsidiary operations “requires negotiations with…suppliers, distributors and customers, and a labor force needs to be hired and trained” (Guillén 2002, p. 511). While it is possible that a MNC might encounter private sector monopolies when executing some of these private sector transactions, a host market’s private sector tends to offer a broad array of suppliers, customers, employees and other private sector stakeholders with which the MNC may transact (Calhoun 2002; Meyer 2004). This is very different from the monopolistic conditions that MNCs encounter with respect to the host government’s goods, services and other resources (Shleifer and Vishny 1993). Consequently, we expect that any learning from a potential local JV partner with respect to managing private sector corruption in the host market will be limited by the challenge of bounded reliability (Verbeke and Asmussen 2016). More precisely, the potential learning benefits will be largely idiosyncratic and restricted to a relatively narrow range of private sector counterparties in the host market with which a prospective local JV partner may be familiar through prior commercial transactions. Moreover, a firm’s prior experience in dealing with uncertainty and risk in a foreign market may be as important as a prospective partner’s knowledge. In fact, MNCs routinely rely upon their prior experience to guide their decisions, strategy and behavior under conditions of uncertainty and risk (Jiménez et al. 2018).
Scholars have theorized that corporate corruption can be conceptualized as a “social trap” which cultivates societal mistrust that impedes individuals and organizations from being able to cooperate (Rothstein 2005). This is because corruption undermines the foundation upon which trust becomes generalized across a host market’s constituents (Anokhin and Schulze 2009). Consequently, when a MNC enters into a foreign market characterized by heightened private corruption, the risk of opportunistic behavior can be expected to infiltrate its relationships with suppliers, customers and any prospective local JV partners (Hess 2009). Opportunistic parties generally tend to focus on their own interests which weakens the foundation for collaboration (Luo 2007). When trust is lacking, both the negotiation and execution of JV arrangements “will be subject to more formal and costly procedures than would occur under a regime of greater trust” (Williamson 1985, p. 293). As such, heightened levels of behavioral uncertainty will motivate MNCs to engage in efforts to lessen the risk of opportunism (Roy 2012). In turn, we expect that an opportunism-reduction mechanism underpins the relationship between the perceived level of private corruption in foreign host markets and the organizational structure of foreign subsidiaries. Scholars have theorized that when a firm wants to reduce its exposure to the risk of opportunism in foreign markets, it may internalize transactions and protect itself from the costs of transacting with a partner (Madhok 1997). In fact, when prospective partners pose a high risk of opportunistic behavior in foreign markets, MNCs will prefer to invest through a structure that offers maximum control over the subsidiary (Dikova and van Witteloostuijn 2007). As such, we hypothesize that,
A higher perceived level of private corruption in a foreign host market will increase the likelihood that a MNC will structure its foreign subsidiary investment as a WOS.
Interaction Effect: Public Corruption, Private Corruption and Organizational Structure
Transaction cost theory has traditionally focused upon the governance choice that minimizes opportunism-based transaction costs (Conner and Prahalad 1996; Madhok 1997). However, scholars have advocated the need to integrate established transaction cost tenets with knowledge- and learning-oriented concepts (Rugman and Verbeke 2003). Our disaggregation of the host market corruption construct into its public and private components, in addition to our hypotheses which posit the distinct impact of each upon a foreign subsidiary’s organizational structure, implicitly suggest that an interaction effect between the two types of corruption may influence the foreign entry decisions of MNCs. As Table 1 indicates, the mechanisms that underpin our work are grounded in the distinct uncertainties, risks and costs associated with each type of corruption. Paradox theorists have noted that when a firm engages in decisions with respect to how to structure its operations, contradictory pressures become increasingly salient (Smith and Lewis 2011). The conflicting demands of public and private corruption in the host market complicate a MNC’s efforts to devise its foreign entry strategy and illuminate competing concerns regarding the utility versus the riskiness of a local partner.
In practice, we anticipate that a foreign-investing MNC will be particularly focused upon the level of public corruption in the context of its governance choice when planning its foreign entry. We attribute this to the substantial environmental uncertainty and knowledge-based risk that can be precipitated by the bureaucratic exercise of discretionary power and monopolistic control over the government resources that the MNC needs in the foreign host market (Shleifer and Vishny 1993). Public corruption is a consequential complicating factor for MNCs that choose to enter into foreign markets (Javorcik and Wei 2009). The adverse impact of public corruption upon the financial performance (Petrou 2015) and survival (Meschi 2009) of foreign subsidiary investments has been well documented by both academic researchers and the media (The Economist 2010). As such, a compelling imperative exists to motivate the MNC to focus its strategic efforts upon learning how to handle heightened public corruption in foreign markets. To enhance its knowledge base, we have proposed that the MNC will be more likely to invest through a JV with a local partner in such markets. In this context, we expect that “knowledge-based considerations” will “outweigh opportunism-related ones” when the MNC evaluates its governance options (Conner and Prahalad 1996, p. 479).
However, a direct consequence of the MNC’s preliminary attentiveness to the level of public corruption is that the choice to minimize the “cost of information…can increase…(the) cost of opportunistic betrayal” (Buckley and Chapman 1997, p. 134). Transaction cost logic is fundamentally motivated by the cost-reduction objective (Williamson 1985). As such, we expect that competing transaction cost-based considerations are unlikely to permit the unfettered exercise of uncertainty trade-offs in the context of foreign market entry. Instead, the MNC will be compelled to balance its efforts to minimize both “opportunism-based transaction costs” and “knowledge-based transaction costs” (Conner and Prahalad 1996, p. 492). This is because “both transaction cost considerations and learning effects influence strategy selection” (Verbeke 2003, p. 502). In fact, given that cooperative strategies designed to reduce environmental uncertainties can progressively expose the MNC to an increased risk of opportunistic behavior by the cooperating partner (Miller 1992), we expect that heightened private corruption will negatively moderate the relationship between public corruption and the organizational structure of a foreign subsidiary. Accordingly, we hypothesize that,
The positive relationship between the level of public corruption and the likelihood that a MNC will structure its foreign subsidiary investment as a JV with a local partner will be weakened by an increase in the level of private corruption.
Data Sources and Focal Independent Variables
Our sample was constituted by 187 subsidiaries established in 19 foreign markets between 2005 and 2008. The 19 host countries included (the number of subsidiary investments established follows the country name in brackets): France (6), Germany (8), Hong Kong (13), India (20), Italy (1), South Korea (24), Malaysia (4), Mexico (2), Netherlands (11), Philippines (7), Poland (3), Russia (4), Singapore (12), South Africa (1), Taiwan (13), Thailand (23), Turkey (1), United Kingdom (4) and United States (30). The corporate data were obtained from the Kaigai Shinshutsu Kigyou Souran database which reports on the worldwide foreign subsidiary investment activity of Japanese MNCs. Our observations with respect to the dependent variable were lagged by 1 year relative to the observations with respect to our measures of the perceived levels of private corruption and public corruption. We employed Transparency International’s Global Corruption Barometer (GCB) database to constitute our measures of private and public corruption. These data were reported by Transparency International for a period of 4 consecutive years (2004–2007), following which the GCB surveys and the collection of some of the constituent indicators have been executed more intermittently, rather than on a regular annual basis. As such, the availability of this country-level data determined the study period, the host countries and our sample of foreign subsidiary investments.
Private Corruption and Public Corruption
The GCB database reports on the extent to which the general public perceives that various sectors in the country are affected by corruption. The lack of prior research pertaining to private corruption has traditionally been attributed to the shortage of longitudinal data with respect to the level of private corruption in host countries (Rose-Ackerman 2007). However, scholars have recently developed a measure of private corruption that employs the GCB database. Leveraging this data, Gutmann and Lucas (2018) have proposed that the level of private corruption in a country can be measured in terms of the public’s perceptions with respect to the prevalence of corruption in businesses, NGOs, media and religious bodies. Scores range between 1 (not at all corrupt) and 5 (extremely corrupt). We subjected the GCB’s corruption data for these four sectors, along with data for three other sectors reported in the GCB (corruption in the police, political parties and tax revenue) to a principal components analysis with a varimax rotation. Consistent with Gutmann and Lucas’ (2018) conceptualization and measurement of private corruption, businesses (0.765), NGOs (0.773), media (0.857) and religious bodies (0.839) all loaded on one component which we named private corruption. The police (0.963), political parties (0.853) and tax revenue (0.784) all loaded on the second component which we named public corruption. The two components explained 80.05% of the variance in the data and the Cronbach’s alpha for private corruption (0.859) and public corruption (0.908) both exceeded the 0.70 cut-off (Nunnally and Bernstein 1994). The public corruption measure was computed by calculating the average of the three items (police, political parties and tax revenue), while the private corruption measure was calculated by computing the average of the four remaining items (business, NGOs, media and religious bodies). As an example, given that observations with respect to the dependent variable were lagged by 1 year relative to the observations with respect to the perceived levels of corruption, for a subsidiary established in France during 2005, the public corruption measure (3.23) was computed by averaging the results reported by the GCB for France for 2004 with respect to corruption in the police (3.1), political parties (4.1) and tax revenue (2.5). Similarly, averaging the GCB results reported for corruption in businesses (3.5), NGOs (2.5), media (3.5) and religious bodies (2.2) in France yielded the private corruption measure (2.93).
Dependent Variable, Control Variables and Estimation Methods
Dependent Variable (Organizational Structure)
We investigate the impact of public and private corruption upon a MNC’s organizational structure (the choice between a WOS and a JV with a local partner). Prior empirical work has employed different equity ownership cut-off conventions to distinguish between a WOS (coded “0” in our study) and a JV with a local partner (coded “1” in our study). We employed the 80, 90, 95 and 100% equity ownership cut-off conventions to distinguish between WOSs and JVs in our sample (Park and Ungson 1997; Yiu and Makino 2002). We report the results of our estimations using the 100% convention in Tables 3 and 4. We present the results using the 80, 90 and 95% conventions as robustness tests in the “Robustness Estimations” section. Using the 80% cut-off, 80.7% of the subsidiary investments were categorized as WOSs and 19.3% as JVs with a local partner. When the 90% equity ownership cut-off convention was employed, 80.2 and 19.8% were categorized as WOSs and JVs with a local partner respectively, while the 95% cut-off yielded a sample in which 78.9% of the subsidiaries were WOSs and 21.1% were JVs with a local partner. Finally, 78.7% were WOSs and 21.3% were JVs with a local partner using the 100% cut-off.
Control Variables
Variables were included to control for other effects which have been found to influence a MNC’s decisions with respect to the organizational structure of its foreign subsidiaries. The subsidiary’s relative size was operationalized using a ratio of the subsidiary’s total capital to the MNC’s total assets. The parent MNC’s experience, size and profitability are also important determinants of a MNC’s governance choice for its subsidiary investment (Brouthers et al. 2003). We controlled for the parent’s host market experience using the MNC’s total number of subsidiary years of prior experience in the host market. Parent size was measured using the MNC’s total sales, while profitability was operationalized with the firm’s return on assets. We included a set of dummies to account for the year in which the subsidiary investment was established (Reuer and Ragozzino 2014). A dummy variable was also used to distinguish between service industry and manufacturing industry firms because a firm’s industry designation has also been found to be an important determinant of organizational design decisions (Brouthers and Brouthers 2003). A host market’s economic, institutional and cultural conditions are well-established predictors of a MNC’s organizational structure. We measured host market size using the gross domestic product for each country (Uhlenbruck et al. 2006; Voyer and Beamish 2004). Further, a host market’s economic growth prospects contribute to its environmental risk profile and impact the foreign entry decisions of MNCs (Schwens et al. 2011). We operationalized host market growth rate using the percentage change in real gross domestic product based on national currency in constant prices (Habib and Zurawicki 2002). Foreign direct investment (FDI) restrictions (Gomes-Casseres 1990) was based upon data from the Heritage Foundation’s Economic Freedom Index database. Policy stability was measured using the most recent value prior to foreign entry available from Henisz's (2002) data. Robustness estimations using the risk of political instability indicator data from IMD's World Competitiveness Yearbooks produced substantially similar results in terms of the sign (±) and the significance of the public and private corruption main effects across all of the models. The cultural distance covariate was based upon data from the World Values Survey (WVS) (Chipulu et al. 2018; Ralston et al. 2011). We employed Berry et al.’s (2010) measure which uses the WVS database to compute the cultural distance between countries. Skewed covariates (subsidiary size, host market size, parent MNC size and profitability) were log transformed (Tabachnick and Fidell 2007).
Estimation Methods
Multilevel data structures exist when outcomes at a lower (individual)-level are nested within a higher (group)-level such that the lower-level outcomes are predicted by both lower-level and higher-level independent variables (Liu 2015). Given that the lower-level outcomes occur within higher-level groups, it can be important to allow for the correlations among the observations for lower-level units that belong to the same higher-level group (Rabe-Hesketh and Skrondal 2008). When higher (group)-level information is disaggregated to the lower (individual)-level and all predictors are associated with the lower unit of analysis, researchers overlook the possibility that individuals from the same group may have correlated errors (Luke 2004). As such, multilevel logistic regression models facilitate the efforts of researchers to investigate data structures with variables that span different levels of analysis and to simultaneously estimate relationships between predictors from multiple levels and the binary outcome variable (Liu 2015).
Notably, sample size guidelines for multilevel regression models vary (Schoeneberger 2016). Some researchers advocate in favour of the need to employ relatively large sample sizes to execute these models and estimate the effects accurately (Hoffmann et al. 2000; Schoeneberger 2016). However, other scholars maintain that multilevel models can be estimated using unbalanced samples (Peterson et al. 2012) with as few as one to two observations per group (Bell et al. 2008). Given that some of the countries in our sample hosted a smaller number of subsidiary investments relative to other countries in our sample, we report results using multilevel logistic regression (Table 3), as well as ordinary logistic regression (Table 4) as a robustness test (Rabe-Hesketh and Skrondal 2008).
In both Tables, Model 1 is a base model which includes all the control variables but excludes the effects of public and private corruption. We then estimated models (Models 2 and 3) which introduce the effects of public corruption and private corruption separately, before presenting Model 4 which includes both main effects together. Hypothesis 3 pertaining to the interaction effect was tested in Model 5 which also includes the main effects of both types of corruption. As such, while Hypothesis 1 with respect to the main effect of public corruption was tested in Models 2, 4 and 5, Hypothesis 2 with respect to the main effect of private corruption was tested in Models 3, 4 and 5. WOS was designated as the reference category in all the models.
Table 2 provides descriptive statistics and Table 3 presents the results of the multilevel logistic regression estimations. The highest variance inflation factor (VIF) score (3.79) reported for our models in Table 3 is less than the benchmark value of 10 (Tabachnick and Fidell 2007) and the average VIF across all of our models is 2.04. Further, none of the correlations between the variables in our models exceed the 0.70 threshold (Tabachnick and Fidell 2007). Accordingly, we concluded that multicollinearity was not a concern in our regression estimations.
Descriptive statistics and correlations
1. Organizational structurea
2. Subsidiary size
− 2.88
3. Parent size
4. Parent profitability
5. Parent host market experienceb
6. Entry year dummy (2005)
9. Industry dummy
10. Host market size
11. Host market growth rate
12. FDI restrictions
13. Policy stability
14. Cultural distance
15. Public sector corruption
16. Private sector corruption
17. Public corruption × private corruption
Correlations with an absolute value equal to or greater than 0.15 are statistically significant at the p < 0.05 level
All are two-tailed tests
aWholly owned subsidiary or joint venture with a local partner
bRe-scaled 10−3
Results of multilevel logistic regression analyses of public corruption and private corruption on the organizational structure of foreign subsidiaries
Organizational structurea
Main effects
− 1.46 (0.58)*
− 1.71 (0.59)**
Subsidiary size
0.14 (0.25)
Parent size
Parent profitability
− 0.02 (0.97)
Parent host market experience
Industry dummy
0.87 (0.52)t
Entry year dummy (2005)
− 7.45 (4.19)t
Host market size
Host market growth rate
FDI restrictions
Policy stability
Cultural distance
Public sector corruption
1.31 (0.63)*
3.32 (1.23)**
Private sector corruption
Public corruption × private corruption
Variance inflation factor range
Average variance inflation factor
Model deviance
∆ devianceb
∆ AICc
All are two-tailed tests. Standard errors are in rounded parentheses
tp < 0.10; *p < 0.05; **p < 0.01; ***p < 0.001
aThe dependent variable organizational structure is coded as follows: 0: wholly owned subsidiary; 1: joint venture with a local partner
bCompared to Model 1 (base)
cAIC Model i − minimum AIC
In Table 3, we present the base model which excludes the effects of the two focal corruption variables, along with the models that include the main effects and the interaction effect associated with public and private corruption. Consistent with the expectations posed in Hypothesis 1, the results presented in Model 2 which introduces public corruption alone indicate that this main effect is a significant predictor of a foreign subsidiary’s organizational structure (Model 2: β = 1.31, p < 0.05). The results suggest that higher perceived levels of public corruption increase the likelihood that MNCs will invest through a JV with a local partner, rather than a WOS. Model 3 presents the results when private corruption alone is added to the base model to test Hypothesis 2. The results indicate that the main effect of private corruption is also a significant predictor of a subsidiary’s organizational structure (Model 3: β = − 2.60, p < 0.10). Firms are more likely to employ a WOS investment structure to facilitate entry into foreign host markets characterized by heightened perceived levels of private corruption. To investigate the effects of both types of corruption simultaneously, Model 4 introduces the main effects of both public and private corruption. Consistent with the expectations posed by Hypotheses 1 and 2, more pronounced perceived levels of public corruption continued to predict an increased likelihood that a MNC would invest through a JV with a local partner (Model 4: β = 3.32, p < 0.01). Conversely, higher perceived levels of private corruption precipitated the opposite outcome, namely, an increased likelihood of structuring the foreign subsidiary investment as a WOS (Model 4: β = − 6.74, p < 0.05).
Finally, the results associated with Model 5 which tests Hypothesis 3 reveal that the interaction effect between public and private corruption does not have a statistically significant impact upon the structure of a MNC’s foreign subsidiary investments (β = 2.12, p > 0.10). However, the results with respect to the main effects of public (Model 5: β = 3.88, p < 0.05) and private corruption (Model 5: β = − 7.77, p < 0.05) are consistent with the outcomes predicted in Hypotheses 1 and 2. As such, while Hypotheses 1 and 2 are supported by the results presented in Models 2, 3, 4 and 5, Hypothesis 3 is not supported. Taken together, the non-significance of the interaction effect in Model 5, coupled with the significance of the public and private corruption main effects in Models 2, 3, 4 and 5 of Table 3, suggest that public and private corruption do not interact to impact upon the organizational structure of a MNC’s foreign subsidiary investment. Instead, the results reveal that it is the main effects of these conflicting forces that ultimately influence the organizational structure of foreign subsidiaries that are established in more corrupt host markets. The results also reveal that Model 4 exhibits the lowest Akaike information criterion (185.75) (Burnham and Anderson 2004; Liu 2015).
Robustness Estimations
To test the robustness of the results reported in Table 3, we executed additional models using the 80, 90 and 95% equity ownership cut-off conventions that have been used in the literature to distinguish between WOSs and JVs (Park and Ungson 1997; Yiu and Makino 2002). Employing these alternate conventions, the results were substantially similar in terms of the sign (±) and the significance of the main effects of public corruption and private corruption across all of the models, with the primary exception being that the main effect of private corruption became significant at the p < 0.01 level in Model 4 when the 80% cut-off convention was used.
We also investigated the possibility that two of the sectors that are incorporated into the measure of private corruption (media and religious bodies) may not be purely private sector entities in some of the 19 countries that we study. To do so, we leveraged prior cross-country research pertaining to government involvement in religious organizations and media organizations (Barro and McCleary 2005; Djankov et al. 2003). We determined that some of the subsidiary investments in our sample were established in a country with a state religion during our study period (i.e., Protestantism in the United Kingdom; Catholicism in Italy; Buddhism in Thailand, etc.) (Barro and McCleary 2005) and some were established in a country within which the top five daily newspapers were not owned entirely by private sector individuals and entities (Djankov et al. 2003). Therefore, as a robustness check on our results, we re-executed each of the models reported in Table 3 using a two-item measure of private sector corruption which was constituted by the indicators of corruption pertaining to businesses and NGOs (and excluded the items pertaining to the media and religious bodies). Employing the two-item measure of private sector corruption, the results were substantially similar in terms of the sign (±) and the significance of the main effects of public corruption and private corruption across all of the models, with the primary exception being that the main effect of public corruption became significant at the p < 0.01 level in Model 5.
As discussed in the “Estimation Methods” section, we also tested whether our results were robust to an alternate regression method. Table 4 presents the results of the ordinary logistic regression models that were estimated as a robustness check on the multilevel logistic regression results that are reported in Table 3. As Table 4 indicates, the results were substantially similar to the results reported in Table 3 in terms of the sign (±) and the significance of the main effects of public corruption and private corruption across all of the models. The primary exception to this is that the main effect of private corruption became significant at the p < 0.01 level in Model 4. Further, some of the covariates (such as parent MNC host market experience and FDI restrictions) that were not significant in the multilevel models that are reported in Table 3 became significant in some of the binary logistic regression models reported in Table 4.
Results of ordinary logistic regression analyses of public corruption and private corruption on the organizational structure of foreign subsidiaries
30.86**
42.65***
Pseudo R2 (∆R2 compared to Base Model)
Finally, given the non-linear nature of logistic regression, the coefficients can be more challenging to interpret (Tabachnick and Fidell 2007). As such, we also assessed the substantive or practical significance of our results by calculating the predicted probabilities (Long and Freese 2014) of a MNC from our sample investing through a JV with a local partner at different perceived levels of private corruption and public corruption. We hypothesized a positive relationship between the perceived level of private corruption and the likelihood of a WOS (or conversely, a negative relationship between the perceived level of private corruption and the likelihood of a JV with a local partner). The results of the regression estimations supported this hypothesis. Consistent with this finding, the predicted probability of a MNC in our sample establishing a JV with a local partner at a perceived level of private corruption one standard deviation below the mean of private corruption was 43.9%, whereas it was 10.9% at a perceived level of private corruption one standard deviation above the mean. We also hypothesized a positive relationship between the perceived level of public corruption and the likelihood of a JV with a local partner. Again, the results supported this hypothesis. Consistent with this finding, the predicted probability of a MNC from our sample establishing a JV with a local partner at a perceived level of public corruption one standard deviation below the mean of public corruption was 8.8%, whereas it increased to 39.4% at a perceived level of public corruption one standard deviation above the mean.
Discussion and Conclusions
Both the UN’s Global Compact and its SDGs implore stakeholders to work against all forms of corruption. Despite the urgency of this objective, corruption has persisted as an unrelenting global challenge that has been implicated as the root cause of numerous social and economic maladies. For example, economists have established that countries with high levels of corruption suffer from higher levels of poverty and income inequality because corruption reduces the resources available to fund public services such as education and healthcare (Gupta et al. 2002; Rose-Ackerman and Palifka 2016). Given that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has recently estimated that the annual cost of bribery now amounts to approximately 2% of global gross domestic product (IMF 2016), a compelling imperative continues to motivate scholars’ efforts to deepen our comprehension with respect to the nature of foreign host market corruption and its impact on the strategic and structural decisions of MNCs, in order to contribute to efforts to curb MNC engagement in foreign market corruption. As such, our research has asked: How do the perceived levels of public sector (government) corruption and private sector (non-government) corruption impact upon the organizational structure of a MNC’s foreign subsidiaries?
Our research makes several contributions. First, building on ethics scholarship that has broadened the conceptualization of corruption (Argandoña 2003, 2017b; Gopinath 2008), we have examined the effects of both private and public corruption upon the strategic decisions of foreign-investing MNCs. Given that corruption taxonomies have primarily focused on public corruption, the narrow conceptualization of the construct has traditionally constrained the scope of research inquiry to the domain of bureaucratic activity. However, practical concerns are motivating the need to enhance our understanding of the private corruption construct. More specifically, achieving the targets established for the UN’s SDGs is predicated upon the existence of sustained global economic growth (United Nations 2015). However, private corruption has been associated with both substantial declines in equity markets worldwide and subsequent global economic contractions on two separate occasions during the first decade of the twenty-first century (Ashforth et al. 2008; Tridico 2012; Weismann 2009). Equally-troubling, scholars have argued that private corruption engenders a wide range of adverse organizational consequences including, among others, lost revenues (Vadera et al. 2009), inefficient resource allocation (Green 2013) and the deterrence of capability-building (Luo 2005). In addition to amplifying the negative social, political and distributional effects of public corruption (Gopinath 2008), scholars have also proposed that private corruption may undermine shareholder value both indirectly, as a consequence of fines and penalties (Bishara and Schipani 2009), and directly through the depreciation of a firm’s market capitalization (Narayanan et al. 2007). Our desire to focus more attention on private corruption may help to inform the development of managerial strategies that can be implemented to alleviate the adverse organizational effects of private corruption (Lambsdorff and Schulze 2015). Ultimately, “an understanding of private corruption is vital to any assessment of the role of business in society and of the effects of firms on the environment of corruption” (Rodriguez et al. 2006, p. 739).
Second, we have investigated how the perceived levels of private and public corruption each impact upon the organizational structure of a MNC’s foreign subsidiaries. In addition to the practical urgency that we described above, our efforts have also been motivated by a sense of theoretical urgency. More specifically, scholars have proposed that the pervasiveness of host market corruption should influence a MNC’s choice between two distinct organizational structures—a WOS and a JV with a local partner (Rodriguez et al. 2005). However, empirical studies have yielded conflicting results that have not fully substantiated this theoretically expected outcome (Asiedu and Esfahani 2001; Chang et al. 2012; Demirbag et al. 2007). Consequently, researchers have advocated in favor of more clearly elaborating the nature and effects of different types of corruption (Montiel et al. 2012), particularly public sector and private sector corruption (Argandoña 2003, 2017b; Gopinath 2008). As Montiel et al. (2012, p. 1105) have observed, corruption is a “complex phenomenon that requires more fine-grained research…distinguishing between different dimensions of corruption can contribute to our understanding of its effects on firm behavior.”
We have contributed to this research agenda by applying an uncertainty-based perspective that is grounded in transaction cost theory (Sartor and Beamish 2018) to detail the different mechanisms through which public and private corruption can be expected to influence the organizational structure of foreign subsidiaries. We proposed that when MNCs encounter more pronounced corruption in foreign markets, public and private corruption can each be expected to exert distinct effects. Hypotheses were tested using a new measure of private sector corruption developed by Gutmann and Lucas (2018). We found that whereas more pronounced perceived levels of public corruption in foreign host countries motivated MNCs to prefer JVs with a local partner (rather than WOSs), heightened perceived levels of private sector corruption prompted MNCs to structure their foreign subsidiaries as WOSs. We attribute these distinct strategic responses to the different uncertainties and risks that underpin the relationship between the perceived level of each type of host market corruption and the organizational structure of an MNC’s foreign subsidiary investment. More specifically, in the case of public corruption, environmental uncertainty and knowledge-based risk are the primary uncertainty and risk that influence the MNC’s structural decision. Conversely, in the case of private corruption, behavioral uncertainty and opportunism-based risk predominate in shaping the MNC’s preference. Our empirical findings and efforts to disaggregate host market corruption into both public and private corruption collectively help to clarify and improve our theoretical comprehension of the relationship between the perceived level of host market corruption and the organizational design decisions of foreign-investing MNCs.
Third, our research has built on the recent work of business ethics scholars who have become more focused upon enhancing our understanding of the various types of corruption that firms encounter in foreign markets (Luiz and Stewart 2014; Van Vu et al. 2018), as well as the different strategic, structural and operational responses of MNCs to heightened levels of corruption (Godinez and Liu 2018; Orudzheva et al. 2018; Xie et al. 2018). In doing so, we extend the body of business ethics scholarship (Clark and Brown 2015; Gago-Rodríguez et al. 2018; Gorsira et al. 2018; Hauser 2018; Remišová et al. 2018) that is generating theory to help inform the efforts of scholars who endeavor to design better corporate anti-corruption strategies and curb MNC engagement in overseas corruption. More specifically, our work contributes new insights which serve to broaden the set of assumptions that can be employed by anti-corruption researchers. Transaction cost-based anti-corruption research conceptualizes corrupt acts as exchanges (Aidt 2003). Scholars have theorized that increasing the costs associated with engaging in these exchanges should reduce their prevalence (Bray 2005). As such, transaction cost researchers have identified a range of theoretically grounded strategies that should increase the costs associated with engaging in corruption. These include strategies designed to enhance monitoring, destabilize corrupt agreements and encourage betrayal among corrupt actors (Lambsdorff et al. 2005). However, assessments with respect to the efficacy of these transaction cost-grounded strategies in reducing the prevalence of MNC engagement in foreign market corruption have been mixed (Lambsdorff 2007; Rousso and Steves 2006). Heeks and Mathisen (2012) propose that the limited effectiveness of anti-corruption initiatives can be a consequence of design-reality gaps whereby theoretical assumptions embedded within the design of anti-corruption programs fail to accurately reflect the reality of the contexts within which these initiatives are deployed. We noted that two key assumptions have frequently underpinned the strategies and policy recommendations of anti-corruption theorists. First, corruption is conceptualized as occurring primarily within a MNC’s public sector transactions with government officials and bureaucrats (Goel et al. 2015). Second, engaging a “middleperson” such as a JV partner is assumed to be a key strategy employed by MNCs to manage both the transactional uncertainty precipitated by more pronounced government corruption and the heightened transaction costs instigated by global anti-corruption efforts (Bray 2005; Drugov et al. 2014). However, these assumptions constitute important sources of potential misalignment between the design of an anti-corruption program and the context within which the program is deployed (Hansen 2011; Persson et al. 2013).
Our conceptual work and research findings suggest that policy prescriptions designed to curb MNC engagement in overseas corruption must consider both the multidimensional nature of the construct and the distinct strategic responses of MNCs to different types of corruption to ensure that anti-corruption programs are properly calibrated. As such, the insights that emanate from our work contribute to the ethics-based anti-corruption research agenda which has advocated in favor of “subscribing to a wider view of the definition of corruption” and developing “a more comprehensive understanding of how corruption impacts business” (Bishara and Schipani 2009, p. 766). Given the global pervasiveness of both private and public corruption, some researchers have recognized the importance of deterring both types of corruption (Goel et al. 2015; Rose-Ackerman 2010; Weismann et al. 2014). Our findings that public and private corruption each exert a distinct impact upon the structural decisions and partnering choices of MNCs suggest the need for increasingly multifaceted anti-corruption and corporate governance initiatives. In doing so, we bolster efforts to reduce the prevalence of design-reality gaps that threaten to undermine the efficacy of anti-corruption programs. In turn, our work serves to enhance the potential for scholars, policy makers and managers to curtail MNC engagement in overseas corruption. Further, improving our understanding of how MNCs respond to distinct types of corruption in foreign markets is ultimately intertwined with ongoing efforts to foster more responsible MNC leaders (Siegel 2014) whose actions can make a positive contribution to the achievement of the UN’s full suite of sustainable development objectives.
Limitations and Future Directions
Notwithstanding our contributions, some limitations do exist. A first limitation is the use of a sample of firms from a single home country. While scholars have argued that this approach can be beneficial because it minimizes the impact of differences between multiple home countries upon the dependent variable (Coeurderoy and Murray 2008), future research should consider opportunities to verify our results with a sample of non-Japanese MNCs. Second, while our study is one of the first to employ the new measure of private corruption that has been developed by Gutmann and Lucas (2018), the geographic and temporal coverage of the measure’s underlying data is still limited. As one example, private corruption data for our study period was not available for several countries including China, notwithstanding China’s prominence as a global destination for FDI (World Investment Report 2017). Moreover, after 2007, the GCB surveys have been executed more intermittently, rather than on a regular annual basis.
Despite these limitations, the patterns that emerge from our research open new avenues for future scholarship. Different types of corruption have been found to exert distinct impacts upon the structure of a MNC’s foreign subsidiaries. To extend our work, researchers should explore the effects of public and private corruption upon other decisions facing the MNC such as its expatriate assignment and asset deployment strategies. Additionally, the corporate social performance implications associated with adopting different organizational structures in more corrupt host market environments should also be investigated, with particular attention being given to the contingent effects associated with the distinct components of corruption that we have studied. Each of these lines of research inquiry holds the potential to augment the efforts of anti-corruption researchers, policy makers, MNCs and managers to address the pernicious challenge of overseas corruption.
Compliance with Ethical Standards
The authors declared that they have no conflicts of interest.
This article does not contain any studies with human participants or animals performed by any of the authors.
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1.Smith School of BusinessQueen’s UniversityKingstonCanada
2.Ivey Business SchoolWestern UniversityLondonCanada
Sartor, M.A. & Beamish, P.W. J Bus Ethics (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-019-04148-1
Received 28 May 2018
Accepted 13 March 2019
First Online 04 April 2019
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Central European Journal of Operations Research
Rotation of the age pattern of mortality improvements in the European Union
Péter Vékás
First Online: 12 March 2019
Human mortality tends to decline in the long run, which is fortunate for humans, but less so for pension and health insurance schemes and annuity providers. Empirical studies have shown that rates of mortality improvement depend heavily on the age, gender and country in question, and additionally, they also tend to change in time. More specifically, the historical acceleration of mortality decreases among the elderly and a simultaneous slowdown of improvement at younger ages, which are sometimes jointly referred to as the rotation of the age pattern of mortality decline, have been observed in several populations. After a concise summary of the most relevant literature, this paper suggests a simple, largely data-driven methodology with few assumptions for the empirical examination of the rotation phenomenon in historical mortality datasets. These techniques are then applied on United Nations data from the period between 1950 and 2015 for both genders and all 28 countries of the European Union. The results indicate that rotation has indeed taken place in numerous member states, but its presence is far from universal, and it appears to have been notably more prevalent in populations of women than among men. Life expectancies seem to predict degrees of rotation only in the former Eastern bloc despite prominent literature that suggests otherwise, while increments of life expectancies over the observed period are better predictors of the degrees of rotation in the case of Western European women.
Mortality Actuarial science Demography European Union Rotation
I would like to thank the anonymous referees and Patrick Gerland for their valuable comments. This research has been supported by the ÚNKP-17-4-I New National Excellence Program of the Ministry of Human Capacities. This research has been supported by the European Union and Hungary and co-financed by the European Social Fund through the Project EFOP-3.6.2-16-2017-00017, titled “Sustainable, intelligent and inclusive regional and city models”.
Human mortality has decreased significantly since at least the beginning of the past century (Tuljapurkar 2000), which has resulted in an unprecedented increase of human life expectancies. Despite its nearly univeral occurence, the speed of mortality decline varies heavily by age, gender and country (Lee 2000), and to make things more complicated, mortality improvement rates themselves may very well change in time, even for the same triad of the aforementoned variables (Kannisto et al. 1994; Horiuchi and Wilmoth 1995; Lee and Miller 2001; Carter and Prskawetz 2001; Rau et al. 2008).
1.1 Rotation of the age pattern of mortality decline
More specifically, several authors have noted a historical pattern of diminishing mortality decline at relatively younger ages, accompanied by accelerating improvements at more advanced ages (Christensen et al. 2009). Li et al. (2013) call this phenomenon the “rotation” of the age pattern of mortality decline, which is captured by a counterclockwise rotation in Fig. 1.
A somewhat simplistic explanation of the rotation is that longevity increases used to be driven by rapidly declining infant and childhood mortality rates (e.g., due to widespread vaccination programs and improved child nutrition)—and to some extent, by improvements in middle-aged mortality—, where spectacular advances are less and less possible, but on the other hand, better medications, nutrition and lifestyle choices for the elderly and costly medical procedures to extend life at higher ages are increasingly available.1 It should be noted that the investigation of the causes of the rotation falls outside the scope this paper.
The practical significance of the topic lies in the fact that ignoring rotation in long-term mortality forecasts leads to the systematic underestimation of the old-aged population, which exacerbates longevity risk. This may lead to serious financial consequences for life and health insurers as well as pension schemes.
1.2 Literature overview
Mortality forecasting techniques play a key role in demography, life insurance and pensions. Due to the immense and ever-growing literature on these methods (see e.g. (Booth and Tickle 2008) and (Pitacco et al. 2009) for comprehensive reviews), an exhaustive overview is not attempted here, but instead, this paper will only focus on sources related to the rotation phenomenon.
1.2.1 The Lee–Carter model
The famous paper of Lee and Carter (1992) has probably been the most important breakthrough in the history of mortality forecasting. The authors model the logarithm of the central mortality rate at age x and calendar year t as
$$\begin{aligned} \log m_{xt}=a_x+b_x k_t +\varepsilon _{xt}, \end{aligned}$$
where \(a_x\) represents the mean of the observed logarithmic central mortality rates for a given age, the time series \(k_t\) captures the evolution of the overall level of mortality across time, and \(b_x\) denotes the speed of mortality decline for every age.
Rotation of the age pattern of mortality decline (stylized illustration)
As the parameters \(b_x\) do not depend on time, and the time series \(k_t\) is overwhelmingly assumed to follow a linear pattern (Tuljapurkar 2000), age-specific mortality declines at a constant speed in the Lee–Carter model, and the rate of improvement only depends on the age of the individual in question. The latter implicit assumption of the model has attracted intense scrutiny by the scientific community.
1.2.2 Empirical evidence against constant age-specific improvements
Kannisto et al. (1994) find accelerating mortality improvements between 1950 and 1989 among those aged 80–99 years in 27 countries. Horiuchi and Wilmoth (1995) use Swedish data to demonstrate a shift in mortality improvements from younger towards older ages. Lee and Miller (2001) compare the average rates of mortality improvement by age across the first and second halves of the twentieth century, and observe the shift in mortality improvement from younger to older ages in several countries. Based on this observation, they propose using data from the years after 1950 for the estimation of the Lee–Carter model in order to reduce violations of the time-invariance assumption. Carter and Prskawetz (2001) estimate several Lee–Carter models on Austrian data using different time windows to illustrate the evolution of age-specific mortality decline.2 Rau et al. (2008) and Christensen et al. (2009) note that mortality among the oldest old (aged 80 years or more) has overwhelmingly decreased in the second half of the twentieth century in the majority of more than 30 countries, and in some cases, the pace of this decline has accelerated.
1.2.3 The rotated Lee–Carter model
Several approaches have been developed to address the inflexibility of the classic Lee–Carter framework with respect to the age pattern of mortality decline. Notably, Li et al. (2013) have managed to incorporate the rotation into the original procedure.3 Instead of Eq. (1), they model the logarithms of central mortality rates as
$$\begin{aligned} \log m_{xt}=a_x+B(x,t) k_t +\varepsilon _{xt}. \end{aligned}$$
The parameters B(x, t) in Eq. (2) capture the rotation phenomenon by converging smoothly across time from their initial levels corresponding to \(b_x\) in Eq. (1) to their assumed ultimate levels, as life expectancy at birth advances from an initial threshold to an upper ceiling (the authors propose 80 and 102 years, respectively) in the original model described by Eq. (1). It is important to note that the authors recommend their model for low-mortality countries and very long forecasting horizons, and knowledge of the estimated parameters of the original Lee–Carter model is sufficient to fit the rotated model to data. Ševčíková et al. (2016) and Dion et al. (2015) recently incorporated this technique into population projections for the United Nations Population Division and Statistics Canada, respectively.
1.2.4 Other modeling approaches
Another solution is to capture the rotation by modeling the evolution of age-specific mortality improvement rates instead of mortality rates, as proposed by Haberman and Renshaw (2012) and Mitchell et al. (2013), among others. Bohk-Ewald and Rau (2017) follow this line in a Bayesian framework capable of combining mortality trends of different countries. They demonstrate on British and Danish data that assuming constant age-specific mortality improvement rates may lead to the underestimation of life expectancies at birth, and also apply their framework on U.S. data in Bohk-Ewald and Rau (2016). These approaches are data-driven, as opposed to Li et al. (2013), who impose a somewhat arbitrary process on age-specific mortality improvement rates, as they are of the opinion that empirical evidence for the rotation is too subtle to govern forecasts.
Yet another alternative is the approach of Booth et al. (2002) and Hyndman and Ullah (2007), who recommend using more than one interaction of age- and time-dependent parameters in Eq. (1) in order to capture the non-constant evolution of age-specific mortality improvement rates, which produces so-called multi-factor mortality forecasting models. Bongaarts (2005) proposes a shifting logistic model to describe the transition in the age pattern of mortality decline. Li and Lee (2005), Cairns et al. (2011), Russolillo et al. (2011) and Hyndman et al. (2013) model mortality rates of several populations in a coherent framework. In a multi-population setting, age-specific rates of mortality improvement are not necessarily constant due to interactions among different populations.
Further recent developments in this field include De Beer and Janssen (2016), who aim to model the distribution of the age at death by calendar year, and Li and Li (2017), who propose a sequential statistical testing procedure to determine the starting point of the longest plausible estimation base period where the two conditions of the linearity of the time series \(k_t\) and the time-invariance of the parameters \(b_x\) jointly hold, and find that for the majority of the 34 countries examined, this period starts somewhere between 1960 and 1990.
2 Data and methods
2.1 Demographic data
The statistical analysis presented in this paper was performed in R (R Development Core Team 2008) using mortality rates, life expectancies at birth and population counts of the 28 members of the European Union.4 These indicators are available for both genders, all 28 EU member states, 22 age groups (0, 1–4, 5–9, 10–14, ..., 95–99 and 100 years and older) and 13 calendar periods (1950–1955, 1955–1960, ...2010–2015).5 The grouping of ages and calendar years smooths the data (akin to moving averages) so that they contain less undesirable random fluctuations. All data are the courtesy of the UN World Population Prospects 2017 (United Nations Population Division 2018).
Mortality improvement rates pertaining to age group \(x \in \{x_1, x_2, \ldots , x_{22}\}\), calendar period \(t \in \{1,2,\ldots ,12\}\), country \(c \in \{c_1,c_2,\ldots ,c_{28}\}\) and gender \(g \in \{M,W\}\), denoted by \(r^{cg}_{xt}\) and computed as
$$\begin{aligned} r^{cg}_{xt}=-\log \Big (\frac{m^{cg}_{x,t+1}}{m^{cg}_{xt}}\Big ) \end{aligned}$$
will be used throughout this paper instead of the corresponding mortality rates \(m^{cg}_{xt}\).
2.2 Measuring rotation
Based on the quantities defined by Eq. (3), acceleration rates \(\beta ^{cg}_{x}\) may be computed for every age group \(x \in \{x_1, x_2, \ldots , x_{22}\}\) and country \(c \in \{c_1,c_2,\ldots ,c_{28}\}\) as well as both genders \(g \in \{M,W\}\). Long-term mean acceleration is measured by the slope of the linear trend of mortality improvement rates6:
$$\begin{aligned} \beta ^{cg}_{x}=\frac{\sum _{t=1}^{12}{(r^{cg}_{xt}}-\bar{r}^{cg}_{x}) (t-\bar{t})}{\sum _{t=1}^{12}{(t-\bar{t})^2}}. \end{aligned}$$
\(\beta ^{cg}_{x}\) in Eq. (4) may be interpreted as the mean growth of the mortality improvement rate for age group x, country c and gender g over a 5-year period assuming a linear trend. Equation (4) arguably produces more reliable results than computing the mean rate of increase between the starting and end points (akin to the maximum likelihood estimate of the drift parameter of a random walk with drift), since it takes all data points into account and is less sensitive to outliers at the two ends of the data series.
To determine the degree to which rotation has taken place (if at all) for a given country and gender, it has to be examined whether the acceleration of mortality decline has been more pronounced at advanced ages than in the earlier and middle stages of life (possibly characterized by deceleration). In other words, the degree of association between the variables acceleration and age needs to be measured using a plausible statistical technique. As age group x is an ordinal variable,7 and additionally, the association need not be linear for the rotation to take place, the popular Spearman’s \(\rho \) for rank correlation (computed between the variables age group and acceleration) is chosen as the measure of rotation. Furthermore, as population sizes vary significantly by age group, and more populous age groups should arguably have higher importance in determining the degree of rotation, a commonly used, weighted version of Spearman’s \(\rho \) (Pinto da Costa 2015) is used, with the respective average population sizes \(P_{x_i}^{cg}\) over the period 1990–20158 as weights:
$$\begin{aligned} \begin{aligned} \rho ^{cg}=\frac{\sum _{i=1}^{22}P_{x_i}^{cg}(\text {rank}(\beta ^{cg}_{x_i}) -\mu ^{cg})(i-\nu ^{cg})}{\sqrt{\sum _{i=1}^{22}P_{x_i}^{cg}(\text {rank} (\beta ^{cg}_{x_i})-\mu ^{cg})^2}\sqrt{\sum _{i=1}^{22}P_{x_i}^{cg}(i-\nu ^{cg})^2}} \\ \quad ((c,g) \in \{c_1,c_2,\ldots ,c_{28}\} \times \{M,W\}), \end{aligned} \end{aligned}$$
$$\begin{aligned} \mu ^{cg}=\frac{\sum _{i=1}^{22} P_{x_i}^{cg} \text {rank}(\beta ^{cg}_{x_i})}{\sum _{i=1}^{22} P_{x_i}^{cg}} \quad \text {and} \quad \nu ^{cg}=\frac{\sum _{i=1}^{22} P_{x_i}^{cg} i}{\sum _{i=1}^{22} P_{x_i}^{cg}} \end{aligned}$$
are the weighted means (taken over all age groups) of the ranks9 of the acceleration rates and the age group indices, respectively.
Additionally, the one-sided z-test (Pinto da Costa 2015) with
$$\begin{aligned} H_0: \rho ^{cg} \le 0, \quad H_1: \rho ^{cg}>0 \quad ((c,g) \in \{c_1,c_2,\ldots ,c_{28}\} \times \{M,W\}). \end{aligned}$$
may be used to test whether degrees of rotation are significantly different from zero.
2.3 Correlations between degrees of rotation and other variables
It is worth examining which variables may predict degrees of rotation \(\rho ^{cg}\). In this subsection, methods of determining the strengths of association between degrees of rotation and several variables are presented in detail. These associations will be examined in the European Union as a whole, and additionally, within the former Eastern10 and Western blocs separately. The reason for handling these two groups of countries separately is to avoid Simpson’s paradox, which might result from the very different paths of demographic, economic and social development of the two former blocs of countries, especially between 1950 and 1990.
The relationship between degrees of rotation \(\rho ^{cg}\) and gender within bloc \(b \in \{EU, West, East\}\) may be examined by computing and comparing the mean degrees of rotation by gender (weighted by population counts in order to reflect the relative importances of various countries):
$$\begin{aligned} \rho ^b(g)=\frac{\sum _{c \in b}{\rho ^{cg}P^{cg}}}{\sum _{c \in b} P^{cg}}. \end{aligned}$$
Differences in mean degrees of rotation between the two genders may be tested for significance using the elementary paired-samples t test with
$$\begin{aligned} H_0: \mathbb {E}[\rho ^{b}(M)]=\mathbb {E}[\rho ^{b}(W)], \quad H_1: \mathbb {E}[\rho ^{b}(M)] \ne \mathbb {E}[\rho ^{b}(W)] \quad (b \in \{EU, West, East\}),\nonumber \\ \end{aligned}$$
weighted by population counts of the countries.
Additionally, differences in mean degrees of rotation between the two former political blocs may also be investigated separately for men and women by comparing the quantities defined by Eq. (7). To test whether the differences between the two halves of the European Union are significant, the basic independent-samples t test11
$$\begin{aligned} H_0: \mathbb {E}[\rho ^{West}(g)]=\mathbb {E}[\rho ^{East}(g)], \quad H_1: \mathbb {E}[\rho ^{West}(g)] \ne \mathbb {E}[\rho ^{East}(g)] \quad (g \in \{M,W\})\nonumber \\ \end{aligned}$$
may be performed, again weighted by population sizes.
Li et al. (2013) state that rotation is more prevalent in low-mortality countries, and therefore they recommend that the process of rotation in the rotated variant of the Lee–Carter model should only start after the life expectancy at birth has reached a certain threshold (more specifically, they recommend the threshold of 80 years).
To examine the empirical validity of this statement separately for men and women, the strength of the association between degrees of rotation \(\rho ^{cg}\) and mean life expectancies at birth \(e_0^{cg}\) (over the period between 1950 and 2015) is measured using Spearman’s \(\rho \) statistic, weighted by mean population sizes \(P^{cg}\)12. The choice of Spearman’s \(\rho \) is motivated by the fact that the relationship need not be linear, and weighting is applied since population sizes are highly heterogeneous, and countries with small populations should arguably have less importance in determining the strength of the association.
Additionally, to determine which other demographic variables degrees of rotation may depend on, the relationship between degrees of rotation \(\rho ^{cg}\) and
increments of life expectancies at birth between the periods 1950–1955 and 2010–2015, denoted by \(\varDelta e^{cg}_0\), as well as
remaining life expectancies at the age of 60 years,13 denoted by \(e^{cg}_{60}\)
are examined, again by computing Spearman’s \(\rho \) statistic between the variables of interest, weighted by mean population sizes \(P^{cg}\), by the same argument that more populous countries ought to have more influence on these measures of association.
The reason for choosing \(\varDelta e^{cg}_0\) is that there used to be significant differences in life expectancies in the 1950s and the patterns of improvements have been different in various countries, while \(e^{cg}_{60}\) is another variable of interest because pension providers might only be interested in forecasts for higher ages.
In general, the strength of the association between degrees of rotation \(\rho \) on the one hand and one of the indicators \(I \in \{e_0, \varDelta e_0, e_{60} \}\) on the other hand, inside bloc \(b \in \{EU, West, East \}\) for gender \(g \in \{M,W\}\) may be measured as
$$\begin{aligned} \rho ^{bg}(I) =\frac{\sum _{c \in b} P^{cg}(\text {rank}(\rho ^{cg})-\alpha ^{g})(\text {rank}(I^{cg})-\beta ^{g})}{\sqrt{\sum _{c \in b} P^{cg}(\text {rank}(\rho ^{cg})-\alpha ^{g})^2}\sqrt{\sum _{c \in b} P^{cg}(\text {rank}(I^{cg})-\beta ^{g})^2}}, \end{aligned}$$
$$\begin{aligned} \alpha ^{g}=\frac{\sum _{c \in b} P^{cg} \text {rank}(\rho ^{cg})}{\sum _{c \in b} P^{cg}} \quad \text {and} \quad \beta ^{g}=\frac{\sum _{c \in b} P^{cg} \text {rank}(I^{cg})}{\sum _{c \in b} P^{cg}} \end{aligned}$$
are the weighted means (taken over all members of the selected group of countries) of the ranks14 of the degrees of rotation and the selected indicators, respectively.
To test whether the measures of association \(\rho ^{bg}(I)\) defined by Eq. (10) significantly differ from zero, p values of the one-sided z-test (Pinto da Costa 2015) with
$$\begin{aligned} H_0: \rho ^{bg}(I) \le 0, \quad H_1: \rho ^{bg}(I) >0 \quad (b \in \{EU, West, East\}, g \in \{M,W\}) \end{aligned}$$
will be computed and evaluated for significance throughout the rest of this paper.
3.1 Degrees of rotation by country and gender
Figure 2 displays degrees of rotation by country and gender, as defined by Eq. (5), alongside the critical values at the 5% and 1% significance levels of the test of the hypotheses defined by Eq. (6). Table 5 in the Appendix contains the exact numeric values of \(\rho ^{cg}\) as well as the p values of the above test by country and gender.
Degrees of rotation (measured by Spearman’s \(\rho \)) by country and gender (top: men, bottom: women). The dashed and dotted-dashed lines denote the one-sided critical values at the 5% and 1% significance levels, respectively
Evidence for rotation is significant at the \(5\%\) level in 19 European Union member states for women and 14 countries for men, and only in 11 countries (out of 28) for both genders, which suggests that rotation of the age pattern of mortality decline has been far from universal between 1950 and 2015.15
Apparently, no statistically significant rotation took place in case of either gender in 6 countries (Belgium, Croatia, Denmark, France, Luxembourg and Romania). On the other hand, degrees of rotation are very strongly significant (with \(p<0.001\)) for both genders in 6 other EU member states (Bulgaria, Cyprus, Finland, Greece, Poland and Slovakia), with the strongest evidence (\(\rho \approx 1\) for both men and women) in Cyprus.
For the sake of illustration, three selected countries with very different rotation profiles are examined visually in Fig. 3 in more detail: namely, Cyprus, where evidence for rotation is the strongest for both genders, Denmark, where \(\rho \) is negative for both men and women, indicating a slight yet somewhat surprising “anti-rotation”, and Germany, the most populous EU member state, which demonstrates weak (if any) evidence for rotation.
Acceleration rates by age group for men (left) and women (right) in Cyprus (top), Denmark (middle) and Germany (bottom), along with the corresponding LOESS curves. The sizes of the bubbles are proportional to the populations of the corresponding age groups
The visual pattern is almost perfect in Cyprus, where acceleration rates start from the negative range at age 0, and increase with age thereafter, reaching the positive range around age 40 for men and 20 for women. The weak negative trends in Denmark and the similarly weak positive rotation in Germany are also visible in Fig. 3. It should be noted that the acceleration rates \(\rho \) are weighted by population, which is represented by the sizes of the bubbles in Fig. 3. Recognizing the trends with the naked eye is facilitated by LOESS (LOcal regrESSion, a flexible generalization of both moving averages and polynomial regression, Cleveland and Devlin 1988) smoothing curves. The theoretical assumption of time-invariant improvements, which is widely used due to the popularity of the Lee–Carter model, would correspond to horizontal lines at zero acceleration.
Rotation of the age pattern of mortality decline for men (left) and women (right) in Cyprus. The solid LOESS curve approximates the pattern of improvement between 1950 and 1960, while the dashed curve displays the new pattern between 2005 and 2015. The sizes of the bubbles are proportional to the populations of the corresponding age groups
The textbook case of Cyprus is further illustrated by Fig. 4, where the pattern of mortality improvements gradually shifted from the solid LOESS curve (1950–1960) to the dashed one (2005–2015). The size of the shift is a nearly perfectly monotone increasing function of age. Charts like Fig. 4 for Bulgaria, Finland, Greece, Poland and Slovakia yield comparable (even if somewhat more subtle) results, whereas similar plots for Denmark, France and Luxembourg display weak, barely recognizable tendencies of a clockwise anti-rotation, as captured by the negative values of \(\rho ^{cg}\).
3.2 Mean degrees of rotation by gender and former political bloc
Table 1 contains weighted mean degrees of rotation by gender and country group, as defined by Eq. (7). As the weighted mean degree of rotation for women is more than twice as high as the one for men in the European Union as a whole, the results suggest that rotation was considerably more prevalent in female populations than among men between 1950 and 2015. According to the paired-samples t test of the hypotheses defined by Eq. (8), the differences between weighted mean degrees of rotation of men and women are statistically significant in the European Union as a whole as well as within both former political blocs.
On the other hand, even though Eastern member states apparently display higher mean degrees of rotation than coutries in the former Western bloc for both men and women, the differences between these groups are not statistically significant in case of either gender according to the t test with hypotheses defined by Eq. (9).16
Weighted mean degrees of rotation by gender and differences between the two genders, with corresponding p values
Gender (region)
\(\rho ^b(g)\)
Men (EU)
Women (EU)
Gender difference (EU)
\(-\) 0.252
0.001**
Men (West)
Women (West)
Gender difference (West)
Men (East)
Women (East)
Gender difference (East)
Regional difference (Men)
Regional difference (Women)
*\(0.01<p<0.05\); **\(0.001<p<0.01\)
3.3 Degrees of rotation by life expectancies at birth
Li et al. (2013) state that the rotation of the age pattern of mortality decline is more prevalent in low-mortality countries, and suggest that rotation should only start in their model once a high enough level of the life expectancy at birth (specifically, 80 years) has been reached.
In contrast to this assumption, several European Union member countries display strong evidence in favor of a rotation for both men and women throughout the period between 1950 and 2015, as demonstrated by Fig. 2, even though in many cases their life expectancies at birth had still not reached 80 years by 2015 for either males or females (Bulgaria and Slovakia, for example), and numerous other member states with very high life expectancies at birth display no sign of rotation at all (or even to the contrary, such as Denmark and France).
Figure 5 examines whether rotation has indeed been more prevalent in countries with higher life expectancies at birth. It is apparent in the top row of Fig. 5 that there is no significant positive trend for either men or women in the European Union as a whole: on the contrary, the linear regression lines have slightly negative slopes, and are nearly horizontal. Based on this figure, the statement of Li et al. (2013) about the relationship between degrees of rotation and life expectancies at birth may hold for Western European men and citizens of both sexes from the former Eastern bloc.
Degrees of rotation \(\rho ^{cg}\) as functions of mean life expectancies at birth \(e_0\) between 1950 and 2015 for men (left) and women (right), in the EU as a whole (top), the former Western bloc (middle) and the former Eastern bloc (bottom). The solid straight lines are linear regression estimates. The sizes of the bubbles are proportional to the (male and female) mid-year populations of the corresponding countries in 2015
Beyond visual inspection, Table 2 summarizes the strengths of assocations \(\rho ^{bg}(e_0)\), as defined by Eq. (10), between degrees of rotation \(\rho ^{cg}\) and life expectancies at birth \(e^{cg}_0\) alongside their associated p values. Table 2 indicates that the assumption of Li et al. (2013) only holds among former Eastern bloc countries, and by contrast, degrees of rotation are largely unrelated to life expectancies at birth within the European Union in general and among Western member states in particular.17
Strengths of association \(\rho ^{bg}(e_0)\) between degrees of rotation and mean life expectancies at birth among all, only Western and only Eastern member states of the European Union, by gender, with one-sided significance levels
\(\rho ^{bg}(e_0)\)
*\(0.01<p<0.05\)
3.4 Degrees of rotation by increments of life expectancies at birth
In a similar fashion, Table 3 displays the strengths of assocations \(\rho ^{bg}(\varDelta e_0)\), as defined by Eq. (10), between degrees of rotation \(\rho ^{cg}\) and increments of life expectancies at birth \(\varDelta e^{cg}_0\) as well as the corresponding p values. It may be inferred from Table 3 that degrees of rotation among men are uncorrelated with increments of life expectancies at birth, while the associations are significant among women, but only in the European Union as a whole and among Western member states, and not inside the former Eastern bloc.
Strengths of association \(\rho (\varDelta e_0)\) between degrees of rotation and life expectancy improvements at birth among all, only Western and only Eastern member states of the European Union, by gender, with one-sided significance levels
\(\rho (\varDelta e_0)\)
3.5 Degrees of rotation by life expectancies at the age of 60 years
Finally, Table 4 indicates that degrees of rotation are universally unrelated to remaining life expectancies at age 60 (except for perhaps some very weak evidence in favor of a positive relationship among Eastern European men).
Strengths of association \(\rho (e_{60})\) between degrees of rotation and remaining life expectancies at age 60 among all, only Western and only Eastern member states of the European Union, by gender, with one-sided significance levels
\(\rho (e_{60})\)
\(-\) 0.14
0.092\(^{.}\)
\(^{.}0.05<p<0.1\)
4 Conclusions
Based on detailed data from the period between 1950 and 2015 for both genders and all 28 European Union member states, along with a relatively simple nonparametric, data-driven methodology using only popular, well-known statistical techniques, it is clear that the rotation of the age pattern of mortality improvements has only taken place in part of the 28 members, with only 11 countries displaying statistically significant evidence for rotation at the 5% level in case of both genders, while apparently no rotation at all (or even on the contrary, an anti-rotation) has occurred in a number of EU countries.
The results indicate that the rotation of the age pattern of mortality decline has been notably more prevalent among women than in male populations, in the EU as a whole as well as within both the former Eastern and Western blocs. This difference has been more significant in the Western half of the Union.
Contrary to Li et al. (2013), the presence and strength of the rotation phenomenon appear to be largely unrelated to mean life expectancies at birth in the European Union as a whole: positive and negative cases appear among both low- and high-mortality countries, and the strength of the assocation between these two variables is apparently statistically negligible. On the other hand, there is significant evidence for a positive relationship between degrees of rotation and life expectancies at birth, as noted by Li et al. (2013), among member states that used to be part of the Eastern Bloc during the Cold War.
Instead of life expectancies at birth, increments of these quantities between the beginning and the end of the observation period appear to be better predictors of the degrees of rotation in the case of women in the EU as a whole and the former Western bloc, which has not been noted in the literature.
The questions why the rotation of the age pattern of mortality decline has only taken place in part of the European Union and why it has been more noticeable in time series of female mortality rates deserve closer examination. Most likely, the explanation has to do with the way advances in medicine, lifestyle and nutrition among the elderly have been more prevalent in some countries than in others, especially among women. Unfortunately, a more thorough investigation of the causes of these findings falls outside the scope of this paper, as it would require an interdisciplinary approach transcending the purely statistical analysis presented here.
It would be desirable to create a multivariate model that explains degrees of rotation using several predictors simultaneously, however, it would require a much larger set of (possibly all) countries as observations in order to produce statistically significant effects.
As the rotation phenomenon may jeopardize the reliability of mortality forecasts for pension schemes as well as life and health insurers, which may lead to severe financial consequences, it is essential to be aware of the possibility of its presence and apply appropriate forecasting procedures that take it into consideration, whenever necessary.
As the immensely popular Lee and Carter (1992) mortality forecasting model ignores rotation, it is advisable to use the particularly promising Li et al. (2013) variant of the original method whenever there is evidence for rotation in the data series. This model variant incorporates a smooth rotation into forecasts, however, it is somewhat inflexible, as the proposed starting point (the age of 80 years) and the speed of the rotation (controlled by the exponent 0.5) are externally given by the authors and are not determined by past data. Making these parameters endogenous, possibly by extending and operationalizing the rotation as presented in this paper, would definitely increase the practical applicability of this excellent method even further.
Li et al. (2013) argue that the rotation is more prevalent in developed countries characterized by low mortality, which is consistent with this explanation. Elderly mortality itself is far from homogeneous, and this general description may hold for some age groups and countries and not for others.
Additionally, Carter and Prskawetz (2001) also present a procedure to locate structural changes in the time series \(k_t\). Coelho and Nunes (2011) recommend another technique for the same purpose.
Li and Gerland (2011) present an earlier, not fully developed version of this approach.
At the time of writing this paper, the United Kingdom is still officially an EU member state.
Every period spans 5 years and starts and ends on July 1 of the respective years.
These mean rates of acceleration are averages over a long time period, which may or may not contain intervals that contradict the overall trend, such as in some former socialist countries.
By contrast, time period t is an interval variable due to its equidistant scale.
The reason for choosing this particular period is that it is the longest interval throughout which all EU members have available data for all age groups up to 2015 in United Nations Population Division (2018). To check sensitivity with respect to the weights, the alternative scenario of using the population sizes from 1990–1995 as weights has been tested. The correlation coefficients between the original and modified degrees of rotation have turned out to be near 0.99 for both men and women, which indicates a lack of sensitivity with respect to the choice of weights.
In an increasing order, with average ranks assigned in case of ties.
The former Eastern bloc is the group of eleven member states that used to have centrally planned command economies and self-proclaimed communist governments before 1990, comprising Bulgaria, Czechia, Croatia, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia.
More precisely, its variant not assuming equal variances, which is also known as Welch’s t test.
Again taken over the period between 1990 and 2015, due to some missing data in earlier periods.
More specifically, the values from 2012, which are the most recent data available on the website of the United Nations (https://data.un.org). The reason for using this additonal data source is that remaining life expectancies at the age of 60 years are not included in United Nations Population Division (2018).
Again in an increasing order, with average ranks assigned in case of ties.
A stricter testing framework might take into account that \(2 \cdot 28 = 56\) null hypotheses are being tested simultaneously. Hence applying the popular Bonferroni adjustment for controlling the familywise error rate (see Frane 2015 for a critical discussion), the p values below \(0.05/56 \approx 0.001\), marked by *** in Table 5, imply statistical significance at the \(5\%\) level. Based on this procedure, statistically significant rotation is detected in only 7 countries for men and 15 member states for women.
This occurs due to the high intra-class variances.
The same results hold if weighted Pearson’s linear correlation coefficients are used instead of Spearman’s \(\rho \), which increases the validity of these results. In addition, even though there seems to be a positive trend for Western European men in Fig. 5, the standard error around the trend line is too large for the slope coefficient to be statistically significant.
Open access funding provided by Corvinus University of Budapest (BCE).
see Table 5
Degrees of rotation \(\rho ^{cg}\) by country and gender and one-sided p values
\(\rho \)
0***
0.001***
0.06\(^{.}\)
\(^{.}0.05<p<0.1\), *\(0.01<p<0.05\), **\(0.001<p<0.01\), ***\(p<0.001\)
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1.Corvinus University of BudapestBudapestHungary
Vékás, P. Cent Eur J Oper Res (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10100-019-00617-0
First Online 12 March 2019
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Research & Technologies
Intelligent manufacturing
Raise your glasses
Cheers to the 60th anniversary - Gallo Glass relies on process control technology from Siemens
In 2018, Gallo Glass celebrates its 60th anniversary and looks back with pride on its development. Siemens has also contributed to the success story with its process control system.
A company’s successes are often better understood in retrospect, and anniversaries can be an excellent opportunity for a company to review its history. When North American glass facility Gallo Glass celebrates its 60th year, there are sure to be many milestones that contributed to making this famous manufacturer of wine and spirit bottles what it is today. When it was founded in 1958 by Ernest and Julio Gallo in Modesto, California, a new era in bottle making was launched. From the very start, Gallo Glass was able to meet production needs while minimizing the impact on the environment. As early as 1961, the company commissioned a second melting furnace, which continued to be supplied by only one batch plant. When Gallo Glass needed a third furnace in 1970, the batch house had almost reached its limits. When a fourth furnace was added in 1972, a second batch house was finally acquired.
Growing environmental awareness
In the 1980s, society experienced a renewed awareness of environmental matters, which led Gallo Glass to make its processes even more efficient and resource-saving. At that time, the company invested in triple gob coolers, designed smaller bottles, and converted from mechanical to machine-aided time control. The next milestone occurred in the 1990s, when Gallo Glass became one of the first glass packaging companies to install natural gas / oxygen furnaces to minimize NOx emissions. An automated electrostatic filter unit was installed to significantly reduce particulate emissions.
Bottles made by Gallo Glass consist of up to 50 percent recycled glass.
At full capacity
The lack of redundancy was problematic for Gallo, because high availability with a simultaneous increase in capacity was essential. Operating the two batch plants also required a relatively high deployment of staff. The first immediate action on the part of the company was to consolidate its two raw-material silos. Then, in 2014, Gallo Glass commissioned EME GmbH to plan and upgrade the batch plant and parts of the cullet-return system so as to guarantee maximum redundancy and enable predictive maintenance. At the same time, Gallo ordered new melting furnaces from EME’s sister company Nikolaus Sorg, meaning that the core technology was supplied from a single source – with all the advantages in terms of quality and interfaces. Gallo Glass also decided to use melting furnaces with the latest oxy-fuel technology.
Thanks to the integrated solution and the expertise of the batch systems engineering company, the Simatic PCS 7 process control system also found its way to Gallo Glass.
Mo Mashinchi, project manager at Gallo Glass
Premiere of Simatic PCS 7
“Thanks to the integrated solution and the expertise of the batch systems engineering company, the Simatic PCS 7 process control system also found its way to Gallo Glass,” recalls Mo Mashinchi, project manager for the bottle maker. This was no small feat, given that it was the U.S. market. Another first: The control system’s standards, standardized libraries, comprehensive functionalities, and modular engineering enabled EME to implement an end-to-end automation solution at the hot end.
Complex upgrade phase
The recent 18-month upgrade also proved to be a complex task. In addition to a cold furnace repair, it involved expanding and integrating the cullet plant, including the belt loading station. The cullet plant was integrated into the batch-house controller during operation. “It was sort of like open-heart surgery in which additional controllers were embedded,” says Mashinchi. “There were no major interruptions during the upgrade. We were able to continue producing millions of bottles a day. And now, for the first time, we’ll be able to prevent future failures through predictive maintenance – that was extremely important for us.”
The desired effect
“We’re extremely satisfied with Siemens and have excellent relationships with our colleagues there,” Mashinchi adds. “The implemented solution is environmentally sustainable and has given us the desired increase in efficiency and availability. And thanks to system redundancy, we were also able to expand our capacities. As an added bonus, the technologies were developed in such a way that it’s theoretically possible to add two more melting furnaces.” Meanwhile, Gallo Glass was able to achieve higher annual production volume – with no end in sight. So everything’s ready for the anniversary. Raise your glasses!
Picture credits: Siemens AG
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Zippe is implementing customer-specific, automated, and highly efficient batch and cullet plants worldwide – as demonstrated by the examples of Vetri Speciali in Italy and Industria Vidriera de Coahuila in Mexico.
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My Pop Life #105 : Come Rain Or Come Shine – Ray Charles
by magicman in 1959, 1992, Music, pop Tags: archway road, Atlantic, Betty Carter, country, Diorama, gospel, Great American Songbook, highgate, Hit The Road Jack, jazz, Jenny Jules, Ken Cranham, kenneth cranham, Lauderdale House, Mary Ann Fisher, Modern Sounds In Country & Western Music, Neil Cooper, pop, Prague, Rae-Lettes, Ray Charles, Rhythm & Blues, Rory Cameron, soul, St Josephs, The Birth Of Soul, The Genius Of Ray Charles, The James Joyce pub, wedding songs
Come Rain Or Come Shine – Ray Charles
…days may be cloudy or sunny….
….we’re in or we’re out of the money…
I first heard this song on my wedding day, 23 years ago July 25th 1992. Dear Ken Cranham (who has graced these pages before) made Jenny and I a ‘wedding tape’ which we played at home after the church ceremony in Holy Joe’s, Highgate Hill (St Joseph’s) and reception afterwards in Lauderdale House, Waterlow Park (next door). I actually carried Jenny over the threshhold of 153 Archway Road N6 like you’re supposed to, much to the amusement of the two ladies opposite who ran the sweet shop who waved at us, beaming. I smiled. I didn’t have a free hand as I recall. Jenny waved – she was still in her golden frou-frou wedding dress and we were both drunk on champagne and love and words and Chopin and wedding cake and delirious happiness abounded. There was a huge reception in the evening at the Diorama, and dear gorgeous departed friend Neil Cooper was sorting that side of things, so we had a few hours to change and feed the cats etc. Ken’s cassette (of course) had a wonderful selection of wedding songs and love songs which will be forever associated with the day, and I’ve done similar tributes on CD, paying that moment forward to other couples about to get hitched. Nothing more glorious than a wedding playlist, and no better party than a wedding party. Please, whoever is reading this, invite Jenny and I to your wedding !
Ray Charles was always there somehow. I must have heard Hit The Road Jack on the radio in 1961 when I was 4 yrs old, living in Portsmouth, & the Hoagy Carmichael evergreen Georgia seems to be made of earth and stone it feels like it has been around forever. The other big hit from the early 1960s was I Can’t Stop Loving You off the LP Modern Sounds In Country and Western Music, syrupy choir singing backing vocals, smooth like chocolate sauce, it’s almost too sweet. But not quite. But it was lounge music to me as I became sentient. I would have to grow up a bit and grow some ears before I understood the genius of Ray Charles.
Like Frank Sinatra or Elvis, he is a giant of music and in particular of interpretation and arranging of other people’s songs. Not to say he didn’t write music – he did – unlike Elvis or Frank, Ray Charles wrote plenty of music including some stone-cold red-hot classics : I Got A Woman, Hallelujah I Love Her So, A Fool For You and the monster What’d I Say, which may or may not have been improvised live (as the film Ray would have it). It’s difficult to encapsulate the full breadth of his work in one blog, so I won’t even try. But if a martian were to land in my room today and say “One artist will represent pop music” it would have to be Ray Charles. He’s played every kind of music from blues and jazz to soul (which he invented some say) gospel and country, big band and ballad to funk and pop. It’s the phrasing in the end which is so astonishing – the phrasing and the arrangements are impeccable rhythmically, melodically, all delivered with taste, groove and soul. Plenty of imitators, but only one Ray Charles.
When I was going through my soul education period in 1978-9 (see My Pop Life #98 for example) I bought a large box set called Atlantic Rhythm & Blues 1947-1974. It remains “the answers” for anyone seeking to understand American music of the 20th century. I guess it’s a CD box set now – I have five double LPs squished into a box. It sounds like a lot – but it’s actually a surface skim of a huge period of artists and tunes, from race-music and blues 78s through R&B, soul, Stax/Volt right up to Roberta Flack.
Ray turns up on Side Two and Three and Four with classics including I Got A Woman, the mighty Mess Around and the searing genius of Drown In My Own Tears which so many great artists have covered. I had hit a golden seam of fantastic music and next I bought a triple LP box called The Birth Of Soul – now available on CD :
which covered the same period as Sides 2,3 & 4 of the Atlantic collection but also had all the other songs they missed out – so many favourites but I’ll briefly mention What Kind Of Man Are You? which features one of the Rae-Lettes miss Mary-Ann Fisher on lead vocals, and which was a highlight of the film Ray. The story about the Rae-lettes is that they all had to Let Ray or they’d be out of the band. The line-up changed frequently.
left to right : Gwen Berry, Merry Clayton, Clydie King, Alex Brown
Next I purchased Modern Sounds In Country & Western Music from 1964 – the smooth silky sound which includes the heartbreaker You Don’t Know Me, one of my all-time favourite songs, Ken then turned me onto Ray Charles & Betty Carter (1961) which is a completely fantastic LP –
Betty Carter is a wonderful jazz vocalist with sensational phrasing too and together they did the ultimate versions of quite a few songs including Baby It’s Cold Outside and Alone Together. Then there was What’d I Say (1959) – pure R&B grooves, and Genius + Soul = Jazz (1961 again!) an instrumental big band jazz LP. And then I probably sat down and patted myself on the back for buying loads of Ray Charles albums whom by now I completely adored. But you see the thing with Ray is, he keeps on coming. He was clearly prolific, just looking at what came out of 1961 for example it’s almost impolite how much music was produced.
So then came the wedding tape in 1992 and there was Come Rain Or Come Shine. What a beautiful song. The muted trumpets at the beginning are so romantic and late-night New York nightclub. Lyrically it reminds me loosely of the wedding vows themselves which I guess is why it works as a wedding song. And then there’s that middle eight :
I guess, when you met me
It was just one of those things
But don’t ever bet me
‘Cause I’m gonna be true, girl if you let me…
Pictured : composer Harold Arlen
Johnny Mercer, lyricist extraordinaire
Written by the wonderful Johnny Mercer with music by ‘Over The Rainbow‘ composer Harold Arlen in 1946, it became a jazz standard almost immediately and has been covered by many artists both vocal and instrumental including Billie Holiday, Judy Garland, James Brown, Frank Sinatra and Ella Fitzgerald. I can’t imagine any of them being better than this version though. Although I can be wrong tha’ knows.
Come Rain or Come Shine appeared on an LP from 1959 called The Genius Of Ray Charles where he takes a stroll through the Great American Songbook and sings Sammy Kahn, Irving Berlin, Hank Snow (!) and others, stretching out from his R&B and gospel roots. He would continue to stretch until he passed away. There is still so much to discover – I recently heard his take on The Beach Boys’ Sail On Sailor and it was – like his Eleanor Rigby – a revelation. Yes he was a musical genius. Once you’ve heard him sing a song, his phrasing feels like The Way to Sing It. Elvis and Frank also have this gift, yes it’s true. As do others. Ray Charles always felt to me like one of those bedrock people in music, you know when people talk about standing on the shoulders of giants, he is one of those giants. He may be the giantest giant.
One of the Brighton Beach Boys felt the same way as me about Ray – notably Rory Cameron, now moved away from Brighton (as have I) – he would enthuse regularly on his timing and impeccable choices.
I chose this song today because last night I was sitting alone in the local pub here in Prague, The James Joyce, nursing my third vodka and tonic, and thinking about my wedding anniversary, which was yesterday, and all the lovely Facebook family and others who took time to send Jenny and I love on our day of love. And then this song came on.
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Aahaa-1997-Tamil-Movie
aahaa tamil movie
Aahaa (Eng: Wow!) is a 1997 Tamil family drama film directed by Suresh Krishna starring Rajiv Krishna and Sulekha in the lead roles. The film was a decent hit among Deepavali releases and ran for 100 days. This film later remade in Telugu titled Aaha starring Jagapathi Babu.
Parasuraman (Vijayakumar) is a rich businessman who lives with his wife Pattammal (Srividya), elder son Raghu (Raghuvaran), younger son Sriram (Rajiv Krishna), and a physically-challenged daughter. Raghu is more matured, and he assists his father in managing the business, while Sriram is a fun-loving person. Parasuraman hates Sriram’s careless attitude, and he keeps scolding him often for his irresponsible behavior. Rajeshwari (Bhanupriya) is the Raghu’s wife, and she is close to her family members.
Sriram falls in love with Janaki (Sulekha), daughter of Ganesan (Delhi Ganesh), a cook. Sriram gets Rajeshwari’s help to convince Parasuraman about his love. But Parasuraman does not accept his son’s love as Ganesan is from low societal status. One day, Sriram follows Raghu and comes to know about his relationship with Geetha (Sukanya). Sriram gets angered thinking that they are in illegitimate relationship. But Raghu tells a flashback that both he and Geetha were in love during college days, and suddenly Geetha went away without informing Raghu. After a few years Raghu got married to Rajeshwari, and recently, he got a call from Geetha. While meeting, Raghu got to know that Geetha was suffering from brain tumor, and that was the reason she decided to stay away from Raghu. As she approached her last days, Geetha requested Raghu to be near her during her death for which he accepted.
Sriram understands the situation and befriends Geetha. One day, Geetha’s condition gets serious, and Sriram rushes her to the hospital, as Raghu is away for a business meeting. Geetha dies in the hospital. Parasuraman spots Sriram along with Geetha while he took her to the hospital, misunderstands that Sriram is in relationship with another girl, and scolds him. Sriram accepts the blame as he does not want his brother’s marriage life to be spoiled by revealing the truth. Raghu thanks Sriram for taking care of all the formalities after Geetha’s death during his absence.
Parasuraman’s daughter’s wedding is fixed, and Raghu has to travel to Chidambaram on the day before the marriage for a business meeting. The train in which Raghu travels meets with an accident. Sriram gets the information and rushes to the railway station and is shocked to see Raghu’s name in the passengers’ death list. Sriram does not inform this to his family as he does not want his sister’s wedding to be cancelled because of this. Sriram hides the information and pretends to be happy in front of others. Meanwhile, everyone starts looking for Raghu as he is expected to return on the day of marriage. Sriram lies that Raghu’s meeting got extended, and he is unable to attend the wedding.
Parasuraman’s daughter’s wedding is done, and now Sriram informs about Raghu’s death to everyone. All the family members get shocked hearing this. To everyone’s surprise, Raghu suddenly comes alive to the wedding hall. Sriram inquires about the train accident to Raghu. Raghu informs that he missed boarding the train at the last minute, and he finally took a car, and luckily he was escaped from the accident. He apologizes to everyone as he did not inform about this to them, as he was busy with the meetings. Now, Parasuraman understands Sriram’s responsible behavior and affection towards his sister, as he does not want her wedding to be cancelled, and starts praising Sriram. Meanwhile, Raghu also informs the truth about his relationship with Geetha and clarifies that Sriram is no way connected to her. Raghu also apologizes to Rajeshwari for hiding the truth about Geetha which she forgives immediately. At the end, Sriram gets married to Janaki.
Directed by Suresh Krishna
Produced by R. Mohan
Written by Crazy Mohan(Dialogue)
Screenplay by Ananthu
Suresh Krishna
Story by Suresh Krishna
Starring Rajiv Krishna, Sulekha, Raghuvaran, Vijayakumar, Bhanupriya, Srividya, Sukanya
Music by Deva
Cinematography S. Saravanan
Edited by Suresh Urs
Production Shogun Films Ltd
Distributed by AP International
Release date 30 October 1997
Running time 162 minutes
Language Tamil
Download Aahaa.1997.Tamil.DvDRip.API.XviD.AC3.Subs.MeN [www.MaJaa.Mobi].rar from https://uploadfiles.io/ for free
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Maldives opposition intensifies campaign to destabilise government – World Socialist Web Site
Maldives opposition intensifies campaign to destabilise government
By Rohantha De Silva
An impeachment motion by the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) against Abdulla Maseeh Mohamed, the parliamentary speaker, failed last week following a violent confrontation. The motion was part of ongoing moves to oust President Abdulla Yameen and his government by Mohammed Nasheed, the pro-US MDP leader and former president.
While the MDP only has 26 MPs in the 85-member parliament, it hoped several parliamentarians from the ruling Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) which supports Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, would break ranks and vote with the opposition. Gayoom, a long-time leader of the PPM and president of the Maldives from 1978-2008, has opposed Yameen—his half-brother—after being marginalised in the party.
MDP lawmakers began a protest in parliament, claiming that the ruling coalition had changed the usual electronic voting system, in order to conceal how MPs voted on the impeachment motion. Military officers were called in by the speaker to remove 13 protesting MPs from the parliament. The opposition claimed that MPs were manhandled and dragged from the chamber.
The impeachment motion was voted down by 48 MPs. The public, media, and non-government organisations were barred from parliament house during the vote.
While increasingly isolated, President Yameen is attempting to muzzle the opposition and block its attempts to oust the president. Nasheed told the Economic Times that there are currently 1,700 political activists, either under threat, on trial or in jail. Nasheed and his party, however, have no concern for the democratic rights of the Maldivian people.
The infighting between the opposition and President Yameen is bound up with US and Indian geo-political manoeuvres against China. The Maldives, an archipelago of 1,192 islands with a population of just 400,000, is strategically located astride major sea lanes across the Indian Ocean.
Following the failure of the impeachment motion, Yameen sacked Gayoom as the nominal president of the PPM. Gayoom’s three-decade rule of the Maldives ended in 2008 when Nasheed became the first president elected in a contested election. Nasheed and Gayoom recently announced an alliance to oppose Yameen.
Before launching the impeachment resolution, Nasheed said: “If we succeed, as we expect, the president will be reduced to a lame duck and will have to carry out reforms reversing the anti-democratic measures he has introduced.” Nasheed claims that he is attempting to make the forthcoming 2018 presidential election free and fair.
Nasheed wants the removal of a law introduced last year by Yameen banning anyone convicted of terrorism from running for president. The anti-democratic law was specifically introduced to prevent Nasheed from contesting the election. MDP leader Nasheed was charged and convicted of terrorism, after ordering the arrest and detention of former Chief Justice Abdulla Mohamed in 2012. Nasheed was sentenced to 13 years jail but was later released under pressure from the US and Britain.
Nasheed is openly attempting to bring the country’s foreign policy into line with Washington’s agenda. Speaking to Colombo-based foreign correspondents on Wednesday, he said that if elected, his government would change the terms of China-funded projects in Maldives. “We will learn from the experience of the Sri Lankan Ports Minister Arjuna Ranatunga in re-negotiating the deal over Chinese built Hambantota project,” he said.
Nasheed’s comments are significant. Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena was elected in January 2015, following a regime-change operation against former President Mahinda Rajapakse orchestrated by the US with the backing of India. The US was hostile to Rajapakse’s close relations with Beijing.
After coming to power, Sirisena and his new government suspended all Chinese-funded projects—the terms of these projects are still under discussion—and has developed close political and military relations with the US.
Nasheed said that Chinese loans constitute about 70 to 80 percent of foreign debt and if elected his administration would “seek the restitution of transactions and properties unlawfully seized from citizens by the government.” The MDP has attacked the Yameen government over the 99-year land leases granted to Chinese companies that open the way for Beijing to build a permanent base in the archipelago.
Nasheed accuses Yameen of corruption and authoritarianism. He told Colombo-based journalists that the US, EU and Canada were openly supporting the Maldives opposition and suggested that he had behind-the-scenes support from India and Sri Lanka.
Former Sri Lankan President Chandrika Kumaratunga has called on Nasheed and Gayoom to come together against Yameen. This, she declared, would “ensure democratic governance and the guarantee of civil and political rights.” Kumaratunga was a major player in the Washington inspired regime-change operations against Rajapakse in Sri Lanka.
Source URL: Google News
Maldives Consumer Fair 2017 to be Held May 4-6
Ruling coalition strong despite lawmakers shifting sides: Minister
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Guidelines to Understand Literature About Leadership
There is a recent explosion of literature about leadership. The literature offers a great deal of advice from many different perspectives, which can be quite confusing to readers. (After years of reading leadership literature, I've begun to notice that, despite the seemingly different perspectives, many writers are actually asserting very similar points of view.)
The guidelines in this article help the reader to get the most out of leadership literature by helping them to closely examine the various points of view and suggestions from writers. This article is referenced from the topic Leadership (an Introduction) in the Free Management Library. and are referenced at the end of this article.
Potential for Confusion Among Readers of Leadership Literature
"Leading": A Basic Definition as a Starting Point
Where the Confusion Often Starts: Traits Versus Roles
Writers Have Varying Views on "Leading" and "Managing"
Writers Have Varying Views on Universal Versus Relative Perspectives of Leadership
Writers Might Interchange Terms "Managing" and "Management" in Same Article
Writers Might Vary Modes of Time in Same Article
Writers Might Mix Reference to Traits and Roles in Same Article
Writers Sometimes Vary Scope of the Term "Leader" in Same Article
Is Sometimes Difficult to Glean Clear Message About Good Leadership
Is Sometimes Difficult to Glean Consistent Message About Good Leadership
Suggestions to Completely Understand Literature About Leadership
Learn More in the Library's Blog Related to Leadership
In addition to the articles on this current page, see the following blog which has posts related to Leadership. Scan down the blog's page to see various posts. Also see the section "Recent Blog Posts" in the sidebar of the blog or click on "next" near the bottom of a post in the blog.
About Potential Confusion Among Readers of Leadership Literature
Readers sometimes become confused while reading literature about leadership in businesses. This confusion happens for a variety of reasons, none of them are any one's fault. However, there are some guidelines that might help the reader to avoid confusion and get the most out of this literature.
We live and work in a fascinating, yet fearful time. Increased competition is forcing organizations to implement customer-driven policies where industry-driven strategies worked before. To be more adaptable, organizations are decentralizing. Organizations are transforming, reinventing and reengineering. As a result, there is often a great deal of pain in organizations.
There is an increasing number of practitioners, educators and writers who are trying to help. Each person feels strongly about his or her advice. Among those trying to help are a wide variety of suggestions and a wide variety of views. This situation can cause a great deal of confusion, particularly in readers who are new to reading about the concept of leadership.
After 20 years of reading literature about leadership (including intensive focus during doctoral studies), I've gleaned several insights that I share below. By no means do I intend to disparage writers in the following (I am a writer, too!). I sincerely believe that each writer is attempting to help leaders in organizations. I offer the following guidelines in the hope that readers and writers alike will get the most out of leadership literature in the future.
First, let's look at some causes for potential confusion among readers. Then we'll review some basic guidelines that hopefully will avoid confusion in the future.
"Leading": Offering a Definition as a Starting Point
At a minimum, "Leading" is influencing someone in some way. Most people will agree on at least this much of some ideal definition for the term. There are numerous, additional facets to this assertion that could be explored, but this simple definition may be enough to go forward in this article for now.
A "leader" is someone who is leading -- maybe. Some writers use the term "leader" as based on the formal role in an organization ("He is a leader, that is, he's the CEO".) Other writers refer to a "leader" as someone who is showing traits of leading ("He is the group leader for now, that is, he's showing us where to go".) However, many writers would disagree that a CEO is always a leader. For example, if an organization is floundering badly with little or no direction, maybe the CEO (a formal leader by nature of his top-level role) is not effectively leading the organization (that is, showing the traits of leading) and, therefore, is truly not a leader. It depends on one's use of the word "leader".
Most would agree that the term "Leadership" refers to the ability to lead. Many writers use the term "leadership" to refer to a person who show traits of leading ("He's shows strong leadership"). However, many writers also use the term to refer to the executive level of an organization ("The leadership decided we're downsizing".)
Writer's Have Varying Views on "Leading" and "Managing"
Traditionally (although many would now disagree), the term "management" is described as the functions of planning, organizing, leading and controlling (or coordinating) activities in an organization. "Managing" is explained as carrying out these activities. Courses in management often teach from this perspective. Some writers follow this view and believe that the activity of leading is but one aspect of management. Other writers disagree and assert that "managing" is planning, organizing and controlling and that "leading" is a distinctly separate activity that primarily involves influencing people. An old adage that follows from this latter view is "Leaders do the right things. Managers do things right". Another adage is "Leaders lead people, managers manage things". Other writers would even disagree with this view, however. They would assert that, although a person happens to be carrying out activities that influence others, if he or she does not hold a formal role in the organization with the title of "manager", then he or she is not a "leader".
Writers Have Varying Views on Universal Versus Relative Perspectives on Leadership
Some writers believe that there are universal principles and styles of leadership that should be consistent no matter the situation faced by the leader. These writers may assert, e.g., that an executive should retain a highly humanistic and participative style, whether a CEO in a hospital or a field general in a war. Other writers believe that the nature of leadership depends to a great extent on the situation. They might assert that a general exhibit a highly autocratic style, while a CEO should be highly humanistic and participative in a hospital.
Some Writers Might Interchange Terms "Managing" and "Management"
Occasionally, an article (often when comparing leading to managing) will assert that "leading" is different than "managing", and later mention that "leading" is different than "management". This can be particularly confusing for people who believe that a) leading is different than managing (which they believe to be organizing, planning and controlling), but that leading and managing together are management
Some Writers Might Vary Modes of Time in Same Article
For example, a writer might explain how a group member can be the an informal leader in a group even though that member does not have the formal role of leader. Typically, the writer describes that the group follows that the informal leader's suggestions, listens to the informal leader more than other group members, etc. The writer may go on to assert that everyone throughout the organization needs to be a leader. However, at this point, it may not be clear if the writer is asserting that the person is a leader at that time -- or always. Is the writer asserting that people throughout the organization should be leaders (by traits) always or sometimes depending on the situation?
Some Writers Might Mix Reference to Traits and Roles
In the above example where the writer is describing the informal leader in a group, the writer may continue to refer to the person throughout the rest of the article as "a leader" (no longer referring to the person's traits that led the writer to conclude the person was the leader). The writer seems to have switched from asserting that a person is the leader at that time because of his or her traits to now be asserting that the person is the leader because the person is, well, "a leader", that is, someone who will always be a leader (by trait) in any given situation.
Along the same lines, some writers mention how important it is that everyone throughout the organization be a leader (by traits). Later, the writers will mention how important it is that the organization's "leadership" (apparently now meaning the executive levels of the organization) take a strong role to ensure that everyone in the organization is a leader (by trait).
Some Writers Vary Focus of the Term "Leader"
Discussion about the question of "What makes a good leader?" has continued for decades, if not longer. Some people assert that a good leader (by trait) is someone who focuses on leading within a business to reach the business-specific goals of the business. A frequent counter to this assertion is "Well then was Hitler a good leader?" Others look at a leader (by trait) as someone who focuses on achieving vision, and always in a highly moral and socially conscious way.
All of the various suggestions about good leadership can sound very appealing, e.g., have clear vision, embrace change, lead from principles, be a servant to your people, cultivate community, focus on the future, etc. For various reasons, writers often don't address how these suggestions can be implemented. In addition, many of us have different impressions of what these suggestions mean. At some point, these suggestions have to be translated to behaviors in the workplace. How does one know if they're actually implementing the suggestions or not?
Leading (whether leaders by traits or roles) is a very human activity. All of us are human. So most of us can offer a lot of advice about what a good leader should do. We want them to transform themselves and their organizations, while ensuring that all of us have jobs. We suggest that leaders build teams, yet focus on employees. They should cultivate clarity, yet embrace change and chaos.
Meanwhile, of course, no matter how much a person believes that leading is separate from managing, every leader must operate within certain budget constraints. Executive-level leaders (by role) hear from board members and others in the organization that the top priority is strong fiscal management. The struggle to take risks while managing cash flow can be overwhelming. Consequently, it can become quite confusing for these leaders to glean a consistent message from all of the ongoing advice.
Suggestions to Get the Most Out of Leadership Literature
The following guidelines are offered to help readers get the most from the advice offered by writers of leadership literature.
1. Come to your own conclusion about "What is 'management'? Managing? Leading? Are they different? Does it matter?"
Even if your conclusion is "There is no clear definition" or "It doesn't matter", at least your conclusion will give you a stable frame of reference from which to consider assertions of various writers.
2. Attempt to identify if the writer is talking about traits of a leader, the role of a leader or both
3 Attempt to identify if the writer is talking about whether someone is a leader for now, in the future or always
4. Attempt to identify the writer's scope of the term "leader". Do they focus on someone as being a leader in the organization or also in society, etc?
5. Attempt to glean any advice from the writer about how leaders can actually implement the values and principles suggested by the writer
For the Category of Leadership:
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The Cocktail Hour
BY A.R. GURNEY
Tuesday to Thursday, & Saturday @ 6pm. Sunday* @ 3pm.
Winner of the Lucille Lortel Award as Best Off-Broadway Play.
The time is the mid '70s, the place a city in upstate New York. John, a playwright, returns to his family's house, bringing with him a new play that he’s written about them. His purpose is to obtain their permission to proceed with production, but his wealthy, very proper parents are cautious from the outset. For them, the theatre is personified by the gracious and comforting Lunts and Ina Claire, and they are disturbed by the bluntness of modern plays. There is also John's sister Nina to contend with, although her reservations have to do with the fact that John has given her character a minor role. The confrontation takes place during the ritual of the cocktail hour, and as the martinis flow, so do the recriminations and revelations, both funny and poignant. In the end, it is evident that what John has written is closer to the truth than his family has been willing to admit, and that beneath their WASP reserve, his parents and siblings are as beset by uncertainties and frustrations as their presumed "inferiors." But though they seem shackled by the past and tantalized by an alien future, the ties that bind them do prevail—surmounting disputes and disappointments and, with unfailing warmth and humor, converting pained resignation into cautious but hopeful anticipation.
"The Cocktail Hour is as funny and moving as The Dining Room…it could be the best play he has done so far." —The New Yorker.
"An examination of an overprivileged family that fights domestic battles while downing drinks." —The New York Times "It makes for a deliciously funny and also occasionally touching evening, as Gurney's family sit around raking over old coals and settling old scores with a quite new and beguiling freshness." —New York Post
Directed by Dan Foster
Run time: 2 hours
Visit event website
https://web.ovationtix.com/trs/pe.c/10281994
Bennett Hall | 62 Centre Stree
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Hastings’ (Neb.) Douglas named MaxPreps/NFCA National High School Player of Week
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Hastings (Neb.) High School’s Olivia Douglas was selected MaxPreps/NFCA National High School Player of the Week for games played Sept. 5-11.
Douglas keyed Hastings at the plate and in the circle as she helped the Tigers to a 5-0 week and extend their winning streak seven games. The junior hit .600 (9-for-15) with a double, two home runs, 10 RBI and a 1.062 slugging percentage, while going 4-0 with a 0.91 ERA, 18 strikeouts and three shutouts. At the plate, Douglas homered and knocked in four runs in wins over Northwest and Holdrege. She doubled and added two more RBI in a victory over Adams Central. In the circle, she held Adams Central to one hit in a six-inning blanking of the Patriots and also tossed a pair of four-inning shutouts versus Holdrege and Northwest. Douglas came out of the bullpen against Cozad and struck out eight as she held the Haymakers to no runs and two hits over the final 6.2 innings in a 7-1 victory.
Please note, in order for a school to have multiple player(s) recognized during the course of a season, a coach from that institution must be an NFCA member. To become an NFCA member, please click HERE or call 502-409-4600.
9/12 – Olivia Douglas | Hastings (Neb.) HS
9/6 – Kerrigan Gamm | Osage (Mo.) HS
8/29 – Lindsey Malkin | Broomfield (Colo.) HS
8/22 – Madison McPherson | Marion County (Ga.) HS
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x_butterfly19_x
Meryl Streep's Maggie Thatcher: A feminist icon?
The topic has become recently relevant due to the chatter around the release of the trailer for this Meryl Streep vehicle:
FOR a while it seemed the makers of The Iron Lady – the Margaret Thatcher biopic that hits UK cinemas at the turn of the year – were in a no-win situation. The daughter of a Grantham grocer was nothing if not a Marmite figure.
*Op ed opinions about Margaret Thatcher*
Those who loved her had no desire to see her depicted as a befuddled old lady, eking out her final years in an Alzheimer’s-induced fog of half-remembered glories; those who loathed her (and let’s face it that’s everyone but a handful of Tory grandees) [It's the SoS. Not an entirely inaccurate statement] had no desire to have their long-standing view of her as a human wrecking ball softened either by a quasi-sympathetic portrayal or their affection for Meryl Streep.
Streep didn’t help matters by enthusing about the “privilege of being able to look at a life deeply with empathy”. Thatcher is a woman for whom the natural laws of empathy were long ago suspended; a woman whose early demise even those liberals who balked at the sight of Colonel Gaddafi being dragged through the streets would have greeted with giddy displays of triumphalism.
To understand how that visceral hatred endures you only had to visit the website Is Thatcher Dead Yet? which charted her deteriorating health when she was taken into hospital with an infection last year. More than two decades after her resignation the vast majority of us may have stopped fantasising about how we will celebrate her passing, but we’re sure as hell not ready to accept her as one of the 20th century’s most inspiring figures.
Yet last week, as a select few were treated to a sneak preview of the film, the mood seemed to be shifting ever so slightly. Not amongst her adoring fans. Lords Tebbit and Bell pronounced the movie a travesty, Tebbit saying Thatcher bore no resemblance to the “half-hysterical, over-emotional, over-acting woman portrayed by Meryl Streep”. But amongst the chatterati there seemed to be a growing willingness to accept the validity of a film that tries to move away from the Spitting Image caricature and paint a more nuanced picture of a formidable if flawed woman.
While no-one has faulted Streep’s performance – some critics have complained the film fails to show the human cost of Thatcher’s policies. Thatcher without Thatcherism, one reviewer called it. And that’s a huge loss, particularly for a generation who didn’t experience the fall-out first-hand.
But I don’t have any problem with reappraising Thatcher as a human being. Anyone who has seen the Brian Clough biopic, The Damned United, knows you don’t have to like a public figure to find them compelling. And it’s possible our obsession with the destruction Thatcher unleashed has blinded us to the complex human being who loved her family and knew how to switch from homebody to Boudicca in order to bend others to her will. Maybe it takes an outsider like Streep to point out that Thatcher’s policies were born of an ideological conviction that seems to have all but disappeared from politics today.
*Bits relevant to feminism*
Where I draw the line, however, is at any attempt to recast Thatcher as a feminist icon. This spurious notion has been raised before, most memorably by the author Tim Lott, who claims the model of female potential Thatcher provided – an ordinary housewife who gains wealth, power and authority – has more resonance with women today than the Andrea Dworkin/Greenham Common version of a braless, humourless sisterhood of wimmin. Last week, former Tory MP Matthew Parris suggested The Iron Lady is a “feminist” story about male prejudice and a “woman’s vision”.
Of course, it’s errant nonsense. Thatcher breached the defences of the Tory Party and Westminster, not by challenging the deep-seated prejudices of those institutions, but by playing along with them; behaving exactly like a man. Oh, she used her sexuality when it suited her, but her arrogance, her obstinance and her famous three hours of sleep a night regime – all those flamboyant displays of machismo – were just attempts to prove the lack of a Y chromosome didn’t stop her having balls.
Once in power, Thatcher – who once said she owed nothing to women’s lib – showed no more interest in helping her gender. She may have bemoaned the sexual discrimination she faced campaigning on the streets of Finchley, but she showed little interest in equal pay, rape or domestic violence. In her 11 years as prime minister, she appointed only one woman to the cabinet. Indeed, far from paving the way for women to rise to the top, she slowed their trajectory, providing a vivid example of how much havoc one female could wreak. (I get the literary dichotomy here, but I don't like this sentence.) In truth, Thatcher was a Queen Bee who revelled in being the lone woman in a man’s world. She was no more a feminist icon than OJ Simpson is a black icon. And it would take more than an Oscar-winning performance to convince me otherwise.
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There is also a great piece in the Sunday Times which is extracted, not posted in full and relates to
...Instead there was concerned silence in the car that took us from the screening to the director’s house in north London. And then we erupted almost as one: “The politics are all off!”; “She comes across like Gloriana Mk 2!”; “Well, the Tories will be pleased”; “So she’s the great feminist heroine of the 20th century, then. Kill me now.” And so on. General consensus: much to praise, but revisionist to a fault, and not in the right direction, either.
As you watch The Iron Lady you have to remind yourself that the character about which you are feeling protective is the character you spent more than a decade loathing, and I don’t use the word lightly.
Much of my generation hated her; some of us still believe that everything that is broken about Britain today is the direct consequence of something that she personally took the hammer to — the underclass that she created by not only destroying jobs but also by selling off social housing, for example.
I bore you with my politics only to try to convey the violent dislike in which she is still held by many people my age, more than 20 years after she left office. When I told a friend — a fortysomething academic whose manner is mild to the point of sedated — that I was going to see The Iron Lady, he practically spat on the floor.
Thatcher invokes extreme reactions, still; unlike her successors, she is blamed in some quarters for ripping apart the society she famously didn’t believe in. She is the bogeyman, always with us.
Except ... the old woman goes back to her flat, clutching her blue (of course) plastic bag, and settles down happily to breakfast with her husband. But he is there only in her head: he is dead, and she is lonely and lost and overhears people whispering about her tenuous grasp on reality from behind closed doors.
As well as being a film about dementia, The Iron Lady is about loss: loss of power, loss of love and companionship, loss of self.
At another level it is a love story about a family. The problem with all this is that you would have to have a heart of stone not to feel sympathetic and saddened: it may be Margaret Thatcher, but it’s still a person.
At the risk of beating a dead horse before the film is even out, I made this post. (Am aware of that happening though, fear not!)
I think it's maybe a relevant/topical discussion for ONTD because they are using the "girl power"! idea to sell the film. Is it a convincing sell? Convincing enough for an Oscar? etc etc
For a very different view, the Vanity Fair profile of Thatcher's premiership is interesting.
Is Meryl good enough to pull this off ONTD?
Tagged: award show - academy awards, meryl streep
HAH! I was thinking about making that comment myself ♥
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