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This Privacy Statement discloses the privacy practices for the Philippine Association of Speech Pathologists (“PASP”) and its Internet Web site www.pasp.org.ph (hereinafter referred to individually as a "Web site"). PASP, an independent, non-profit organization, provides you with the following information:
What personally identifiable information of yours or third-party personal identification is collected from you through the Web site;
How the information is used;
With whom the information may be shared;
What choices are available to you regarding collection, use and distribution of the information;
What security procedures are in place to prevent the loss, misuse or alteration of information under PASP's control; and
How you can correct any inaccuracies in the information.
PASP, or third parties designated by PASP, collects personally identifiable and non-personally identifiable information from users in a variety of ways. PASP is the sole owner of all the information collected on the Web site, and may use and share with third parties any and all of the information collected in any manner whatsoever that it deems appropriate for business purposes in its sole discretion.
To access areas designated as "member areas," users must be current members or affiliates of PASP. The information collected when members join PASP is also used to control access to these areas of the Web site. PASP members and affiliates who wish to use the "member areas" of the Web site will be required initially to enter certain personal identification information (e.g., current PASP account number, last name, e-mail address, username and password) to gain access.
Currently there are two types of cookies. The standard cookie is information about the user stored on the user's hard drive. The second type of cookie, called a session cookie, also stores information about a user. However, these cookies are not stored on the user's hard drive. These cookies are used only while the user is actively connected to a Web site. Once the user closes the Internet browser (or is inactive for more than 20 minutes), these session cookies are destroyed. PASP uses both types of cookies on its Web site. In the future, PASP may add additional cookies for business purposes.
PASP uses permanent cookies for several business purposes. Primarily, when visitors arrive at our site, a unique cookie is automatically stored on the visitor's computer by their Internet browser that allows analysis software to differentiate between new and returning users.
Second, a permanent cookie is written when members opt to save their log-on information. This cookie saves time for members because they do not have to enter security information for each visit to the site. If members reject the cookie, they may still use the Web site but they will have to manually log in to access "member areas."
Finally, session cookies are used while a user is active on the Web site for a multitude of business purposes. For example, these cookies allow members to navigate freely through the Web site once they have logged in to the Web site. Without these cookies, members would have to login each time they requested a "member area" page. These cookies are also used while a member is joining, renewing or altering account information. This allows the Web site to track a user's activity before any data is committed to a database.
Each view of a page on the Web site is logged. Information such as the user's Internet Protocol ("IP") address, time of day and duration of activity on the Web site is recorded. This information may be used by PASP or third parties designated by PASP to analyze trends, administer the Web site, track users' movements and gather broad demographic information for aggregate use or for other business purposes.
If illegal activity is detected on the Web site, PASP or third parties designated by PASP may attempt to connect an IP address to personal information.
PASP will share aggregated demographic information with third parties, including without limitation its partners and advertisers, as it deems appropriate in its sole discretion.
From time to time, we share personally identifiable information, as PASP deems appropriate in its sole discretion, with third parties in a number of ways for a variety of business purposes, including name and other personally identifiable information.
The Web site contains links to other Internet sites. Please be aware that PASP is not responsible for the privacy practices of such other Internet sites. We encourage our users to be aware when they leave the Web site and to read the privacy statements of each Internet site that collects personally identifiable information. This Privacy Statement applies solely to information collected by PASP’s Web site.
From time to time, PASP, or third parties designated by PASP, requests information from users via surveys. Information requested may include contact information (such as name and shipping address) and demographic information (such as zip code). Survey information may be used by PASP, or third parties designated by PASP, for a variety of business purposes. For example, surveys will be used for purposes of monitoring or improving the use of and satisfaction with the Web site and other services offered by PASP. Security When you submit information via the Web site, PASP, or third parties designated by PASP, takes certain precautions to protect your user information both online and offline. For example, currently, when registration/order forms on our Web site ask users to enter information (such as credit card number and/or social security number), that information is encrypted and is protected with encryption software: Secure Sockets Layer ("SSL"). While you are on a secure page, such as our order form, the lock icon on your Internet browser becomes locked, as opposed to unlocked or open. These security features may be updated from time-to-time in PASP's sole discretion.
Just as we currently use SSL encryption to protect sensitive information online, we also use certain efforts to protect user-information offline. Currently, our users' information is restricted primarily in our offices and our servers are all password protected.
PASP may send all new members a welcoming e-mail to verify password and username. Members and other visitors to our Web site may also occasionally receive information on products, services, special deals, newsletters and other information from PASP, or third parties designated by PASP. PASP, or third parties designated by PASP, may also send notifications of renewals and other communications to members via e-mail.
Site and Service Updates
PASP also sends user site and service announcement updates. Members cannot opt-out from service announcements, which contain important information about the service. We communicate with users to provide requested services and in regard to issues relating to their account via e-mail or phone.
Correcting/Updating Personal Information
If a user's personally identifiable information (such as zip code) changes or if a user no longer desires our service, we will endeavor to provide a way to correct or update personal data which that user has provided to us. This can usually be done from our member center page.
Users who no longer wish to receive our e-mail newsletters or promotional materials may opt-out of receiving a specific communication from PASP by sending a reply e-mail containing the word "unsubscribe" in the subject line. Please note that there are certain communications, which will still be sent to users by PASP, or third parties designated by PASP, as referenced above, including without limitation site and Service Updates and membership renewals.
If we decide to change our privacy policy, we will post those changes on PASP's homepage so that our users are always informed of what information we collect, how we use it and under what circumstances, if any, we disclose it.
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Plymouth United Church of Christ
Right click to download to your computer.
Sermon, Year B, Easter 5, May 6, 2012
Plymouth United Church of Christ, Eau Claire, WI
© Rev. David J. Huber Focus Scripture: Acts 8:26-40, John 15:1-8
Every now and again, the best laid plans of mice and men go oft awry. And sometimes so it is with sermons. You may not know that, but it is true. My intention had been to focus on the Gospel: “I am the vine, you are the branches.” Especially this being a communion Sunday, I thought that was the natural, logical way to go. To go with the Gospel, with the relation between the wine of communion and the fruit of the vine. We are the branches, with a command to bear good fruit. There is certainly a connection there. Right there at the end of this passage, Jesus says, “My father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples.” Harkening back, if you were here last week, last week’s sermon about how it’s not so much about belief, though that’s the starting point of our faith, but it’s really more about how we live out our belief and whether we do or do not; how we live out that belief. God is glorified by us bearing good fruit. I believe, and I can’t provide this, and I could be wrong, but I believe that while God’s preference is for all of us to be believers and to be believers who bear good fruit, I think God would probably prefer a loving, joyful, kind, good, peaceful, patient, gentle, self-controlled non-believer over a believer who does nothing. Hopefully, we are people who do—and I think we are. We at Plymouth are people who do. Who do live out our faith. We give away quotes, and we have the St. Francis Food Pantry, Community Table, we come together and live in love and fellowship over potlucks and cleanup days and thrift sales. We show God’s love and we live our faith. And by taking part in communion, by sharing in the cup (one can think of wine as the fruit of the fruit), we take fruitfulness inside us, and pray that inspires us to fruitful faithfulness.
As I said, my plan had been to dive deeper into that text, and you had a little of what I was going to expand on and talk abotu. But the Holy Spirit was at work this week. Just as it was with Philip in this Acts passage, when the angel shows up and tells him to somewhere else. So the Spirit kept showing up to me and pointing me to this Acts text, which I was not going to talk about at all. But the Holy Spirit kept driving me there.
Those of you who were here two summers ago may remember that I preached through Book of Acts, and you may then remember that it is the story of the first 30 or 50 years of the church after Jesus’ resurrection and ascendance into Heaven. It’s the story of that first generation of the Church after his resurrection. It’s the story of the disciples trying to figure out how to continue Jesus’ movement. Jesus has left them, and so they are asking these questions in trying to figure out how do we organize, how do we teach, how do we include new people. And as their numbers increased in various cities, they had this question of how do we keep all these churches connected. How do we keep all these followers connected together? And who has authority? Always that question of who has authority to decide what should be and should not be. It was an exciting time for the church. They were growing in leaps and bounds, but it was also a a time of struggle and anxiety. Because they were growing in many ways than they could organize themselves around, and there was also a lot of persecution going on.
So Peter and a few other disciples had stayed behind in Jerusalem to try to coordinate this movement, and that worked for a little while until there were too many evangelists out in the world starting churches all over the place and spreading the Word. That caused some strife, especially a lot with Paul because he was off converting Gentiles, people who weren’t supposed to hear the word. It was a movement that soon got out of their control in many ways. And this was due to the Holy Spirit, sending them in new directions. Trying to get them to let go of some of their need for control and trust in the process, trust that the Holy Spirit was at work doing all these new things, and that all that was happening for the good and was by God’s will. As I mentioned, they were also being persecuted so they had to flee out of Jerusalem. Some fled to Samaria and some went into Judea to start converting. The Holy Spirit is a bit of a rogue through all of this. Sending them into places they didn’t expect. Maybe that they didn’t want to go. And certainly the Spirit was active in this text that we read earlier, when an angel comes to Philip and says, “Go to the wilderness road to Gaza.” The angel doesn’t say why. Just says to go. This may bring back some thoughts of the Exodus. God saying to Moses, “Lead your people into the Promised Land, the land of Milk and Honey but first you have to go into the wilderness.” The wilderness being a place of testing and suffering, but also a place of change and a place to learn to trust God. That God will provide what is needed. And Philip at this time has been off in Samaria and been very successful converting people, starting churches, leading a lot of people to Jesus. He has a really good thing going, and then the Holy Spirit says, “Go to the wilderness road to Gaza.” And he does. That’s a pretty bold move, to leave all that success to go into the unknown. And on that road he meets this Ethiopian eunuch from the queen’s court of Ethiopia who is on his way home from Jerusalem after worshiping in Jerusalem. Quite an unusual encounter. We know, in our modern day, because we have globes and maps, that Ethiopia is not the end of the world. But at the time Ethiopia was the southern border of civilization. Kind of the end of the road of what people knew as civilization. So here is this Ethiopian showing up. And by talking to him, Philip is saying that God’s Word is for all of the world. God’s desire for an ethnically rich body of Christ sends Philip on this journey, and sends other disciples off to the west into Europe and off to the east into Asia to spread the Word to all of the world.
So that’s a lot of new stuff the Holy Spirit caused for these disciples who originally thought that this movement was just for the Jewish people, and probably just to be restricted to Israel, maybe even Jerusalem. And there is in this story another great leading of the Holy Spirit that happens in this encounter with Philip and the eunuch. And that is what grabbed my attention and caused my sermon to derail. I couldn’t get past this one section. I was so happy in the Samaria of the Gospel text, and the Spirit kept leading me to the wilderness of this Acts text. It occurs after Philip has explained the Isaiah passage that the eunuch has been reading. He explains it in light of Jesus. And the Eunuch asks to be baptized. He says, “Is there anything that can prevent me from being baptized?” And Philip baptized him right there. Right where they are. Right there on the side of the road. Philip baptized this eunuch.
How crazy is that? It’s pretty crazy! We know that the eunuch had gone to Jerusalem to worship. We don’t know he was Jewish or one of the God-fearing Gentiles who liked the Jewish religion. He could have been either one. But what we do know is that he’s a eunuch: he’s been changed. He’s been castrated. He’s different. And as a eunuch, he is not allowed to enter the inner part of the Temple. So even if he is Jewish, he can’t participate fully. And if he’s a Gentile, he can’t even go into the Temple at all because he’s a Gentile. And yet he’s gone there to worship, even knowing that whatever religion he is, he is not going to be allowed full participation in this community. He goes there to worship. So Philip baptizing him is quite miraculous!
“Is there anything to keep me from being baptized?” he asks, probably expecting to hear, “Yeah, you’re a eunuch. You can’t be part of this community.”
But this baptism is also crazy because the eunuch has no church community; has had no lengthy catechism or preparation; no tests of faith; no testimony of faith. All the things that we so often worry about around baptism are completely ignored. That’s what grabbed my attention. It’s all been thrown out the window. Think of these passages from John’s first letter that we read last week and read today that say it’s not about worrying about right belief, or nuances of belief, or microbelief, but act in love. That’s faith: to act in love. The Isaiah passage the eunuch is reading: “like a lamb silent before its shearer ... in his humiliation justice was denied him.” I think the eunuch would identify with that. He knows what it is like being a lamb before its shearer, and he knows humiliation and injustice. He’s gone through that as a child when they made him a eunuch when he was 10, 11, 12. And he knows he can’t be part of the community because of that, because he’s been shorn. And yet here the suffering servant, Jesus, is the leader of this new community. I would think the eunuch finds some identification here. So he asks, “Okay, I can’t be part of the old community, can I be part of this new one?” And Philip says, “Yes, of course.” Because the Holy Spirit says yes.
Philip acts in love. He baptizes the eunuch. Which is very exciting. It excites me. It’s a very liberating thought to think that maybe all one needs to be baptized is the desire. If we trust in the Holy Spirit, maybe that’s enough. But it also kind of bothers me that his baptism comes so easily. because I have been taught that baptism is something to take seriously, which it should be. So seriously that maybe you slog through hours or months of preparation, take a test or two, maybe answer to your elders or the bishop. Some kind of process that one has to go through to be baptized. And I wonder what does this story say to us? Are we too restrictive? And if not about baptism, perhaps something else? Are we too restrictive? We have an open communion table. Open to anyone who wants to eat or drink from it with the only condition being that you want to. All who are hungry and all who are thirsty are allowed to come to this table and eat and drink. The only condition is that you want to do so. But there are some barriers to baptism, and maybe even others things. One meets with the pastor a few times if it’s a believer baptism, not a baby baptism. Maybe a little quick quiz to make sure there is some right belief. In some churches there is a year-long process that ends with baptism at the Great Easter Vigil on Holy Saturday, which is a beautiful and momentous thing. But even outside those churches, I don’t know of any church without some kind of preparation, at least to say, “These are the vows you’ll be saying, let’s talk about them so you know what you are going to be doing.”
But there are no vows in this baptism of the eunuch. And there are no vows recorded from John the Baptist. No vows that Jesus has taken at his baptism, or suggest that people must take. All Jesus said to the disciples was to go out and baptize in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Jesus says that to his disciples, and then he disappears, and left everything to his disciples to figure out. And being human beings, one of the first things they did was to start writing policy. The need to come up with some rules and a plan about how we are going to do all of these things. And the Holy Spirit kept changing their policy. Kept redefining their boundaries for them, and always by expanding them. Making them larger and larger, including more and more people, and left us these stories to continue to challenge us in today’s world to look to our boundaries. To look to our comfort zones, our places of retreat behind policy and belief to see where we ought to knock down some walls and let anyone who desires to be a disciple to be a disciple. To allow anyone who wishes to glorify God to glorify God. And to bear good fruit for the Kingdom. The good fruit of deed and action born out in love. “My father is glorified by this: that you bear much fruit and become my disciples.”
Let us pray: Loving God, full of surprises, your Holy Spirit blows where it wills, often jarring us out of our comfort and complacency into greater generousness of belief and deed. Where we are narrow, make us wide. Where we are motionless, bring us to action. Help us overcome our rules to live further into your rule. But know that we are often anxious because we don’t want to do the wrong thing: we don’t want to do what you dislike, so we like to play it safe. Help us, we ask, please give us greater trust in your infinite grace than we have in your limited wrath. Help us, we ask, please, to know that a risk taken in love will never be judged harshly and is, in fact, what you call us to do. Help us as individuals and as your body that is Plymouth to be fruit-bearing disciples willing to take risks of faith to glorify your name. Amen.
2010 Moholt Drive
Eau Claire, Wisconsin, 54703
Webpastor: Pastor David
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Things to do in Sydney
Sydney, Australia - from penal colony to world class living
Sydney is the state capital of New South Wales, and home to nearly five million people, making it the most populated Australian city.
Originally formed in 1788 as a penal colony, it has matured into a world famous, high ranking city with a high quality of life for its citizens.
Holiday goers won’t want to miss the Sydney Harbour Bridge, which opened in 1932.
The arched bridge goes across Sydney Harbour and is used by rail, vehicles, bikes and people that travel between the central business district and the North Shore.
Until the Port Mann Bridge in Vancouver was built, the Harbour Bridge was the world’s widest long-span bridge.
Music lovers should visit the Sydney Opera House, which is visited by more than a million people every year and holds more than 1,500 performances a year.
Sydney Aquarium & Sydney Zoo
If you have kids, don’t miss either the aquarium with its more than 650 different species and 6,000 fish and other sea animals or the Sydney zoo, which consists of 52 acres of land, and is the home of more than 340 different species and 2,600 animals.
When to go to Sydney
Sydney is in a temperate climate zone with warm summers and mild winters. There are always tons of fun things to do in Sydney, and many tourists choose to come in January or February, as that is Australia’s Summer, with average temperatures ranging from 18.7°C to 25.8 °C 78.4 °F.
It’s the coldest in July, with average temperatures of 8.0–16.3 °C (46.4–61.3 °F).
Sydney Marathon
Runners should come in September to be a part of the annual Sydney marathon. First run in 2001, there is also a half marathon, and a nine kilometers (5.6 mi) ”Bridge Run, as well as a three and a half kilometer (2.2 mi) ”Family Fun Run.”
Sydney Facts
Longitude 151.211111
Latitude -33.859972
Airport Sydney Intl, Australia (SYD)
Sydney average temperatures
UNESCO World Heritage Sites Sydney- Sydney Opera House
If you think of Sydney, the first image that most probably will come to your mind is the Sydney Opera House, one of the most iconic attractions of the city. In case you didn’t know the history behind it, here’s a brief summary: in 1956 the New South Wales Government organized an international design competition with no cost limit or specific design requirements in order to attract the greatest designers in the world. The winner was a young Danish architect, Jørn Utzon, with little experience (and, in fact, no engineering advice at all!). At that moment and also today, its design was considered extremely modern and innovative, and in June 28th 2007 it entered UNESCO’s World Heritage List. If you plan on going, keep in mind that it is easier to get there with public transportation than by driving. Also, you will need to walk a few minutes to get to the building itself, but the effort is worth it. From the outside, you can enjoy the amazing views of the Opera itself or the Harbour Bridge and Botanic Gardens among others. If you go inside, guided tours are offered and if you have the chance to view any performance, do not miss it! You will enjoy the amazing acoustics and the range of shows and prices is very broad, from talks and movies to theatre pieces.
This iconic opera house, built in 1973 by the late Danish architect Jørn Utzon is located on the tip of the Royal Botanic Garden peninsula. Its status among the most beautiful and impressive opera houses in the world was cemented in 2007 when it was considered for when the New7Wonders Foundation announced candidates for a new list of world wonders. While it didn't make the final cut, it did become a UNESCO World Heritage Site the same year which is a testament to the quality of the design and engineering that makes The Sydney Opera House arguably the most famous opera house in the world. The opera house features several auditoriums, where the Concert Hall is the biggest, seating not only 2679 people but also the largest organ in the world with over 10,000 pipes. While Opera Australia, the primary opera house company in Australia, resides here, so does also many other performing arts companies. No matter what kind of entertainment you are looking for, you will probably find it here!
Water Parks in Sydney - Large wave pool at Wet 'n' Wild Sydney
Wet’n’Wild Sydney is located in Prospect. The water park offers loads of different water slide attractions just waiting for you to swoosh down on. The area consists out of a large wave pool in the middle and four water slide towers around, grouped after what level of thrill you are seeking. The smallest children have an area all to themselves, Wet’’n’Wild Junior, which is a miniature version of the main attractions in the park. A day at Wet’n’Wild Sydney will amuse most people, no matter if you are 5 years, or 35 years old!
Sydney Marathons
Participate in Western Sydney’s premier running event by running the Western Sydney Marathon! The course offers you scenic views over the Lower Blue Mountains with a course that takes you around the Sydney International Regatta Centre lakes. It is a flat race and it also offers a half-marathon, a 10K run and a 5K family run. The course of Blackmores Sydney Running Festival takes you through some of Sydney’s most known historical places, such as the Harbour Bridge and their Opera House.
Golf in Sydney
If you want to watch some top level golf you should go to Sydney late in November as that is when The Australian Open is held and it usually takes place near or in Sydney. In 2014 it was held in the suburbs of Rosebery in The Australian Golf Club, a top 10 golf club in the country. Other great courses include the Lakeside Country Club and St. Michael's Golf Club, both delivering golf experiences of the highest standards!
Theme Parks in Sydney - A cinematic experience at Luna Park
Located on the northern shore of Sydney Harbor you find the amusement park Luna Park Sydney. A fun thing, besides all the exciting roller coasters and attractions of course, is that this park is a popular location for filming movies and television shows. So maybe you’ve already seen the park, while sitting on your sofa at home.
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home News, Politcs BREAKING: Hillary Cleared In Email Scandal, But IRS Just Made DEVASTATING Announcement
BREAKING: Hillary Cleared In Email Scandal, But IRS Just Made DEVASTATING Announcement
By Sean Brown Posted in News Politcs
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Hillary Clinton was recently cleared of charges from the FBI over her deliberate mishandling of classified information, but that’s the least of her worries after a devastating announcement from the IRS.
Overnight, the Daily Caller broke the news that IRS Commissioner Josh Koskinen has formally launched an investigation into her beloved, and extremely corrupt, Clinton Foundation on charges of “public corruption” following a request from House Republicans. Koskinen referred the case to his tax exempt operations office to look into the “pay-for-play” scheme that many have long accused the Clintons of running through their organization.
“We have forwarded the information you have submitted to our Exempt Organizations Program in Dallas,” Koskinen told the Republicans in a July 22 response to their request.
Republicans just received the response Monday, the opening day of the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia, and it’s sure to make waves through conservative circles that have long begged for such an investigation to take place. The charge for investigation is being led by Rep. Marsha Blackburn, who believes the IRS is operating with a double standard because it’s willing to investigate conservatives but hasn’t ever even thought about the Clinton Foundation despite its seemingly obvious corrupt dealings, such as those with Uranium One and Laureate Education.
More from the Caller on the foundation’s corrupt dealings:
Laureate hired former President Bill Clinton as “honorary chancellor,” paying him $16.5 million over five years. The Baltimore-based company, which operates for-profit universities in 28 countries, also donated between $1 million and $5 million to the Clinton Foundation, according to the foundation’s web site.
While Bill was collecting a paycheck from the company and his wife was secretary of state, the International Finance Corporation (IFC), an arm of the World Bank, invested $150 million in Laureate. It was the largest-ever single IFC investment to an educational company. The United States government is the largest contributor to the IFC. During that same period, the Department of State’s U.S. Agency for International Development awarded $55 million to the International Youth Foundation. Laureate CEO Douglas Becker is on the foundation’s board of directors. International Youth Foundation, the Clinton Foundation and Laureate jointly participated in foundation programs.
A Laureate spokesman denied the quid pro quo charges: “Allegations of any quid pro quo between Laureate, the International Youth Foundation and the Clintons are completely false,” she told TheDCNF, adding, “the IFC’s decision to invest in Laureate had no connection to and was not influenced in any way whatsoever by Hillary Clinton.”
The IFC also awarded $150 million to another company owned by Frank Giustra, a close friend of Bill Clinton. Giustra donated $100 million to create the “Clinton Giustra Enterprise Partnership” within the Clinton Foundation. The funds went to Pacific Infrastructure, a company in which Giustra had a significant financial stake. The company was to build a port and oil pipeline in Colombia that was strenuously opposed by environmental and human rights groups because the pipeline sliced through five indigenous villages and forcibly displaced the tribes.
Giustra also was an owner in Uranium One, a uranium mining company with operations in Kazakhstan and in the western United States. Giustra wanted to sell a share of the uranium business to Russia’s atomic energy agency, which required U.S. approval, including that of Secretary Clinton. The Russian investment was approved.
So there you have it. Finally, our prayers have been answered and the Clinton Foundation is being investigated.
Although I wouldn’t place too much stock in it just yet considering the IRS, like the FBI, is supposed to be non-partisan, but as we saw with the email scandal, Democrat corruption runs deep in our government, which means the IRS likely won’t find any wrongdoing with the Clintons. However, in a perfect world, the IRS would pull through and deliver justice for America after years of Bill and Hillary selling our nation off to the highest bidder.
I won’t be holding my breath.
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BREAKING: Fox News Uncovers MASSIVE Scheme From Clinton Foundation…
JUST IN: Wikileaks Uncovers Email From Month BEFORE Trump, Jr. Meeting, And It’s TROUBLE For DNC
Sean Brown
Sean is the founder of The Political Cult and a lifelong patriotic political junkie. As a former small business owner, he’s able to break down even the most complex issues and explain them in a way everyone can relate to. He believes that truth and honesty are the cornerstones of good journalism, and his love of God, family, and country are what motivate him to do his part in once again making America the great nation she used to be. You can email him or follow him on Facebook and Twitter using the button below!
Author Site: Sean Brown
BREAKING: Liberals Have DISGUSTING Reaction After Trump Allows Boy To Live Out His DREAM [Video]
After London Terror Attack, Leftists Absolutely ENRAGED… At Trump’s TWEET?!?!
BREAKING: Harvard Dumps The Traitor
JUST IN: The REAL Cost Of Obama’s Vacations EXPOSED
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Over Speeding Kills
Speeding Kills, and Safety Group Says States Should Take It More Seriously America has seen little progress in reducing speeding deaths for decades. Currently, drivers are not permitted to drive at a rate of speed greater than 50 kilometres per hour within a local municipality or within a built-up area, under section 128 of the Highway. By Ken Haddad. (the son) and a friend hit a telephone pole at a high rate of speed after their car had become airborne and left the road. What we do: Read more about NSSL's research into damaging winds here. The force of the impact was such that the front portion of the Honda City car was completely pushed. speeding-related offense or if an officer indicated that racing, driving too fast for conditions, or exceeding the posted speed limit was a contributing factor in the crash. "Die JACKSON!" yelled Kronos as he swung his scythe to the floating figure of Percy Jackson. An essay or paper on Driving Over The Speed Limit. One of the largest collections of self submitted, User generated content of its kind online. June 14, 2002. Alluvial soils of river valleys are ideal for banana growing. Speed humps. Effects of blast pressure on structures and the human body The following table 1, based on Department of Defense data from Glasstone and Dolan (1977) and Sartori (1983), summarizes the effects of increasing blast pressure on various structures and the human body. Speeding endangers everyone on the road: In 2018, speeding killed 9,378 people. Just over a third of pre-school children who are killed or seriously injured while walking or playing are accompanied by an adult. In all, 60 human-people allegedly lost their lives that day at the "Alien-Human Battle of Dulce. Made landfall over North Carolina with 115 mph winds in September of that year, and caused some $3. There is the possibility of side effects, drug interactions, or harm due to excessive doses. com has position rank in alexa is 0 and rank in google page rank is 0. WARREN, Ohio Investigators are focusing on speeding as a key factor in the crash of a sport utility vehicle carrying eight teenagers in northeast Ohio that slammed into a guardrail and flipped. Speeding kills about as many people each year as drunken driving, NTSB warns. Speeding a deadly issue for teen drivers. How would you feel if a cop killed your son by breaking the law? shakezula123, Oct 26, 2008. One of the largest collections of self submitted, User generated content of its kind online. Excessive speed in a parking lots is a common cause of accidents as parties often are in a hurry or may think the travel lane is not speed restricted given the lack of speed limit signs. Progressive Economy develops ideas and practical public policy solutions for international trade and economic globalization, to promote widely shared prosperity and opportunity, strengthen peace and security, establish and enhance the rule of law, encourage scientific and technological progress, and eliminate global poverty and hunger. The message should strongly encourage safety belt use by front and back seat passengers. 2 percent of respondents admitted to exceeding the posted speed limit on the highway. Unlike desktop computers that get their. Bowman - another in the fine Osprey "Combat Aircraft" series, featuring a wartime history of the B-17, many period photographs, and over forty original profiles and paintings. Evening light rain followed by a mix of rain and snow overnight. The impact speed of Car 1 in our example is about 8. Speeding Puts Your Family and Others in Danger (ARA) - Despite statistics showing that excessive speed is a factor in a third of all fatal crashes, a recent survey by Farmers Insurance Group shows that 69. Worldwide, an estimated 1. The days are numbered for the landmark Nikki's Drive-In in North Chattanooga. Elephant Killed After Being Run Over By Speeding Train In Bengal While one elephant died on the spot, the injured one was found this morning some distance away from the spot which falls between. The driver of the Quanto, Rishi Kumar (30), has been arrested. The prosecution has to prove that you were driving the car and doing so over the speed limit. A mother and son were killed when a tree fell on their home amid a severe weather outbreak that spawned at least 8 tornadoes across the South. The moment he touched the ground Percy's legs bent, he grabbed a piece of stone off the ground and charged at Kronos. The accident took place at 10 pm. These charges should be brought when there are provable aggravating factors, such as excessive speeding above the limit, overtaking on a blind bend, or driving over the legal limit for alcohol. A 34-year-old Willits man was killed when his speeding car ran off Highway 20 near Willits in the dark late Sunday, struck a tree and overturned, the CHP said. According to police, Lawhon Jr. Speeding is a deliberate and calculated behavior where the driver knows the risk but ignores the danger. In the United States, motorcycles are involved in 11% of all accidents on the road. Watch Queue Queue. Return to footnote 2 referrer Note : In Alberta, New Brunswick, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan, "urban" includes any area within the corporate boundaries of a city, town, village or hamlet. I believe you need more info on item #9. The incident occurred at around 7. Run, run, run till opponents take the ground game away. Inappropriate speed is defined as driving at a speed unsuitable for the prevailing road and traffic conditions. A speeding car ran over pedestrians in West Bengal’s South 24 Parganas district, killing seven and injuring seven others on Monday. The suspect's name has not been released at this time. In 2011, there were 32,367 fatalities on our Nation's roadways, of which 9,944 were speeding-related – down 5 percent from the previous year! Speeding is a safety concern on all. The high speed limits are often causes of accidents that cause serious injuries and even death. They can occur quickly or over a long period and may last days, weeks, or longer. Speedball (or powerball) is a mixture of cocaine (a stimulant) with heroin or morphine (an opioid) or sometimes benzodiazepine, taken intravenously or by insufflation. Excess speed is defined as exceeding the speed limit. The police said that the accident took place when the over-speeding truck collided head-on with the van after which both the vehicles fell into a gorge. Two others who were in the car were injured. Over the last second they will fall about 138 feet, averaging a speed of about 95 miles per hour. Nov 17, 2017 · Earlier this year, the county paid $4 million to settle a wrongful-death suit over a 2013 crash in which a sheriff's deputy failed to turn on his lights and sirens while answering a call in. The snow then quickly wrapped up shortly after 5 First snow of the season in the books with another on the way. Next tonight, to the former NFL foot wall player killed in Colorado after allegedly being called to a high school parking lot. "He claimed I was speeding, but never gave me a speeding ticket," Gardner said. Drivers like this are wrong. There are three types of speeding - all dangerous: low level - here a driver travels just over the speed limit - usually by 5km/hr. 2 million dogs are killed on the roads each year. Most shark attacks occur less than 100 feet from the shore. com with free online thesaurus, antonyms, and definitions. Effects of Vehicle Speed on Pedestrian Fatalities. On this day in 1962, Ernie Kovacs, a comedian who hosted his own television shows during the 1950s and is said to have influenced such TV hosts as Johnny Carson and David Letterman, dies at the. This manner of death is similar to the single vehicle accidents that killed Paula Grober, and Neil Moody. Chance of precip 80%. [5] More people are killed by bee stings and lightning than by shark attacks. Speeding is not only against the law, but also wastes gas and increases the risk of accidents. It grows in shade. Innocent bystanders are all too often the victims of these reckless pursuits. 8 million as of 2014 and covering 163,696 square miles, California has one of the most diverse terrains and climate in the United States. A KING investigation revealed that money supposedly being used to maintain stormwater drainage trenches instead went to a company controlled by the Thomases. QUETTA: At least one person was killed when a speeding car collided with a mini-bus in Kuchlak area near Quetta on Sunday. And when it comes down to hand-to-hand combat. Over Fifty (50) people have been knocked down and killed at Asuoyeboah in the Kwadaso Municipality of the Ashanti Region by speeding vehicles. Teenagers tend to take more risks while driving partly due to their overconfidence in their driving abilities. Timothy Record pleaded not guilty to murder after allegedly stabbing his older brother over an argument about which devices were slowing down the Wi-Fi. The Dangers of Speeding. Save time & money by riding together with Waze Carpool. John Travolta's biopic on Don Aronow, or "Ben Aronoff" in the film, is set to release August 16, 2018. Speed can be divided into three categories: excessive - speeding is deliberate and substantially over the speed limit; low level - the driver travels at a speed marginally over the posted speed limit, typically by 5km/hr (research shows the majority of motorists engage in low level speeding) and. During 2017 there were 50 fatalities as a result of crashes involving speeding motorists, representing approximately 20% of the Queensland Road Toll. It may not kill you, but your 5-mph bumper and entire front end would sure look bad because even at that speed, the forces engendered by the average 4,000-pound vehicle are pretty fierce. The sixth. Road Traffic Accidents Mum's anguish as daughter, 13, and four other kids killed in Disney World crash WARNING - DISTRESSING FOOTAGE: Video footage of the horror smash has been released as the. The extent of that speed, though, remains under investigation, State Police said. What we're looking at here is the intersection of two different ideas. However, in all cases a person hit by a train is likely to be going home in a bucket. Taxi driver Allen Ingram, 64, was crushed against his vehicle and a wall. ScienceDaily features breaking news about the latest discoveries in science, health, the environment, technology, and more -- from leading universities, scientific journals, and research. Authorities said the crash. 33% of the young drivers ages 15 to 20 who were killed in crashes had a BAC of. Underage Drunk Driving Fatalities - National Statistics Since the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) began recording alcohol-related statistics in 1982, the number of persons under 21, killed in drunk driving crashes decreased 80% from the record high of 5,215 in 1982 to 1,064 in 2017. This is the most common form of speeding. local time were still unknown, authorities said they believed that the car crashed accidentally, after Alm was speeding and lost control of. 01 or higher and 28% had a BAC of. The Hans India. Learn more at Biography. Five people were killed and several others wounded after a speeding bus rammed into a roadside tree in Deoghar district of Jharkhand. operation October 27, 2019 Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the elusive leader of the Islamic State, has been killed, President Trump confirmed Sunday morning. Speeding hasn't garnered the national attention of other teen driving issues, a report says. At about 7 a. Two brothers were killed and at least four others were critically injured after a speeding car ploughed into vehicles. And when it comes down to hand-to-hand combat. 1 This averages to one crash-related pedestrian death every 1. A shorebird you can see without going to the beach, Killdeer are graceful plovers common to lawns, golf courses, athletic fields, and parking lots. Speeding Car Runs Over, Kills Man Near Delhi's Connaught Place: Police Dheeraj, the victim, was on his scooter going towards India Gate when a black Hyundai Creta hit him from behind at Windsor. Speed Kills Update: June 12, 2018. Patchy freezing drizzle possible. Cars News Fiat Chrysler Automobiles Diesel cars Industry news. Hypothermia affects the body's core – the brain, heart, lungs, and other vital organs. P-38J specs: 420 MPH, four 50 caliber machine guns, one 20 mm cannon. Day to day I have to make all sorts of choices about what is good and important and fun, and then I have to live with the forfeiture of all the other options those choices foreclose. Delhi Over-speeding car kills auto rickshaw driver in North Delhi. Note that we’re talking about bullets shot straight up. Taxi driver Allen Ingram, 64, was crushed against his vehicle and a wall. Question: 24. In distance running, it kills anyone who does not have it. The motorist and pillion rider were killed on the spot after. One of the largest collections of self submitted, User generated content of its kind online. The Indiana Trial Lawyers Association is dedicated to the constitutional rights of open access to the courts and equal protection under the law for all persons in Indiana. The orangutans that are displaced starve to death, are killed by plantation workers as pests, or die in the fires. List with Cheats to kill your Sim I keep wondering what actually CAN over exert a Sim - since whenever my elder reaches that level of exhaustion it blocks her. Only 5% of people struck and killed were struck in areas where the speed was less than 50 kilometres per hour. Troy Haney, 16, was driving south. Speed kills, and traveling above the speed limit is an easy way to cause a car accident. Speed also kills on the fabled route 66, named Foothill Boulevard as it passes through San. They had driven less than 1/4 of a mile at the time of the accident. Speed definition, rapidity in moving, going, traveling, proceeding, or performing; swiftness; celerity: the speed of light; the speed of sound. The dangers presented in police officers chasing motorcycles are so high, in fact, that many states have policies of non-pursuit: meaning they can actually get in trouble for chasing high-speed motorcycles. 5 million people were seriously injured in crashes last year – also a 1% decrease over 2017. The National Transportation Safety Board reported Tuesday that speeding kills about 10,000 people a year, about the. (WFLA) — A boater was speeding through a slow wake zone Friday afternoon when he ran over and killed another man on a jet ski, the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office said. Relationship between Speed and Risk of Fatal Injury: Pedestrians and Car Occupants (e. Fines Ticket fines increase the further over the speed limit you drive. Greensboro Officers Want Drivers to Slow Down. What a difference a week makes. com with free online thesaurus, antonyms, and definitions. Getting hit by a car is the third leading cause of death for kids 5- to 9-years-old, and kids up to age 15 make up a disproportionate number of pedestrian casualties worldwide. That said, bullets fired at an upward angle of 45 degrees or less can be far more lethal, since they’re likely to hit someone on the ground while traveling at a much greater speed. One reason is the almost universal use of car seats for the very young. " Road environments analyzed include surface conditions, alignment, and intersections. There was some initial confusion about the dead woman’s identity. Colorado has three types of speeding laws: a "basic speeding law," "presumed speed limits," and "absolute speed limits. What Were The Top 5 Leading Causes of Motor Vehicle Traffic Crash Deaths in Utah from 2012-2016?. Kill Switch and Hook- The kill switch is always hooked first, allowing the sled operator to stop the engine of the attached vehicle in the event of an emergency or if the vehicle breaks free of the sled. Thousands have Died in Crashes Involving Cell Phone Use. About 600 people in the U. View daily MI weather updates, watch videos and photos, join the discussion in forums. Vansant initiated and caused a dangerous pursuit over a minor speeding infraction. {HIGH SPEED, DRUGS AND DRIVER ERROR KILLED TRUCKIES} {Inquest Revelations over Double-Death Truck} {Drivers Ignored Crash Truck Where Men Died}; Dying Man's Last. What we do: Read more about NSSL's research into damaging winds here. Get Killed by a Car, Depending on Its Speed. With the increasing number of cars on the roads of the US each year, car accidents have unfortunately become a very common sight. How would you feel if a cop killed your son by breaking the law? shakezula123, Oct 26, 2008. Floods are the most common and widespread of all weather-related natural disasters. Michael Schwerner, Andrew Goodman, and James Chaney are killed by a Ku Klux Klan lynch mob near Meridian, Mississippi. Speed has been identified as a key risk factor in road traffic injuries, influencing both the risk of a road crash as well as the severity of the inju-ries that result from crashes. The motorist and pillion rider were killed on the spot after. Skid Marks: Key Evidence One indicator of how the accident occurred is revealed by measuring skid marks left on the road surface by the cars. The engine tends to fail after a few minutes, and just over six minutes is the all-time world record. com with free online thesaurus, antonyms, and definitions. Speeding - defined as "exceeding the posted speed limit, driving too fast for conditions, or racing" - is a dangerous driving behavior that is often overlooked. But the truth is that around 2% are killed, and only 0. Most shark attacks occur less than 100 feet from the shore. Speeding Kills, and Safety Group Says States Should Take It More Seriously America has seen little progress in reducing speeding deaths for decades. May 13, 2013 · Stretches of the motorway, most famously referenced by Top Gear, currently have no speed limit although the advisory limit stands at 81mph. Drug injection is a method of introducing a drug into the bloodstream via a hollow hypodermic needle and a syringe, which is pierced through the skin into the body (usually intravenously, but also at an intramuscular or subcutaneous location). Are you a bit of a speed demon? If you consistently find yourself pushing the needle on your speedometer past the legal limit, you could be risking much more than just the ire of your fellow motorists. It will also check your connection speed. Contacts between Police and the Public, 2005 Presents data over a 12-month period on the nature and characteristics of face-to-face contacts between residents of the U. About 30% of all traffic deaths that occur each year are caused by a speeding driver. Speeding is one of the most prevalent factors contributing to traffic crashes and. Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for U. On single carriageway 60 mph roads in non-built-up areas, 8% of drivers speed but only 3% go over 70 mph. Young novice drivers are more likely to engage in risky behaviors like speeding, tailgating, running red lights, violating traffic signs and signals, making illegal turns, passing dangerously, and failure to yield to pedestrians. In physics this number is represented by the letter "c. Out of all motorcycle crashes, the number one cause of death is a head injury. New Delhi, Oct 19 (PTI) A 23-year-old man was killed and his two friends were injured after their motorcycle hit the gate of the BSES office in east …. Speeding is not just driving above the posted speed limit, but includes driving too fast for road conditions, or any other speed-related violation charged (racing, speed greater than reasonable, and exceeding special speed limits). Over 20 key resources were used, including police officers, attorneys, judges and experts in the fields of radar/laser speed detection, to give you the most up-to-date information available on the internet. Nikol is then thrust forward and the car then flips over. June 14, 2002. Safety pro-grams such as those that have increased seat belt use and. Edition: 001 Week: 12 Dec 10. A woman going 82 mph had 13. While faster speeds will usually cause more damage,the simple fact is that even a very slow speed impact can cause serious injury or death. However, more than 32,000 people are killed and 2 million are injured each year from motor vehicle crashes. and the police. Rule 20 Exceed speed over 10 km/h (other than a learner or provisional licence)* 4A $280 3 Yes Rule 20 Exceed speed over 10 km/h (learner or provisional licence)* 4A $280 4 Yes Rule 20 Exceed speed over 20 km/h* 6A $481 4 Yes Rule 20 Exceed speed over 30 km/h* 9A $920 5 Yes Rule 20 Exceed speed over 45 km/h* 14A $2,482 6 Yes. Emergency. The speed limit should be lowered so we can control accidents caused by high speed driving, pollution, and the high cost of operation and insurance. 19 ESP – Madrid – 0 March 27, 2019. Scott Keyes Nov 27, another black teenage student was killed under suspicious circumstances. The car, however, very rapidly increases Sam's speed from zero to the impact speed of the vehicle. An appeals court. This was modified in 2013 to reflect low-level speeding to Wipe off 5. Could a Penny Dropped Off a Skyscraper Actually Kill You? and hurling it over the barricades at the top of by the time it reached the ground (or your head). 9 Dead, 20 Injured After Speeding SUV Runs Over School Children In Bihar The accident occurred under Minapur police station area, about 10 km from the district headquarters, when the school got. Distracted driving (pulled over because you’re texting, emailing, eating, and driving). HARRIS COUNTY - A man is dead after a dramatic high-speed crash that sent his truck flying over a bayou. On the other hand, natural weed control is labor intensive but will always be more eco-friendly. What we're looking at here is the intersection of two different ideas. With a population of 38. Car-Accidents. Posted: 9:11 AM, Oct 16, 2016. Made landfall over North Carolina with 115 mph winds in September of that year, and caused some $3. Borrow and read free ebooks, audiobooks, and magazines from your library using your phone or tablet. Play free online games; car games, racing games, puzzle games, match 3 games, bubble shooting games, shooting games, zombie games, and games for girls. In 2016, 5,987 pedestrians were killed in traffic crashes in the United States. The engine tends to fail after a few minutes, and just over six minutes is the all-time world record. ISLAMABAD (AP) — A bus crash in northern Pakistan killed 26 people Sunday after its brakes failed on a winding mountain road, police said. The report also provides demographic and other characteristics of residents involved in traffic stops and use of force incidents. Illinois' zero tolerance law became effective January 1, 1995. Topspeed offers daily industry news and reviews on cars, trucks, motorcycles, boats and airplanes. Ip Address freedomfightersforamerica. Excessive speed in a parking lots is a common cause of accidents as parties often are in a hurry or may think the travel lane is not speed restricted given the lack of speed limit signs. The Netflix ISP Speed Index. Featuring local, state and world news. uk or call 0207 782 4368. 4; In 2014, nearly 5,709 senior drivers were killed and 221,000 were injured in traffic crashes. The accident happened on Cromwell at Shady in north Harris County around 9 p. The chase started at about 7 p. Speeding killed 230 people in 525 accidents in UAE last year said speed kills and this is aggravated by motorists' ignorance of seatbelt use. Driving the news: "Increased speed limits have killed nearly 37,000 people over the last 25 years, according to new research by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety," USA Today reports. Bihar: 9 killed, 20 injured after speeding car runs over school children. Speed humps normally slow vehicles to an average of around 15 miles per hour. Also weather, business and sports information. We have all been told that since driver's education class, and yet American drivers routinely exceed the speed limit. It may not have been as "hot" as later designs, but it was a sound design, based on the earlier P-36, mated to the Allison V-1710 engine, that Curtis was able to. Edition: 001 Week: 12 Dec 10. This is as bad as it gets. NHRA Top Sportsman racer Randy Alexander of Harvest, Alabama, died Saturday following a high-speed crash during the Southern Nationals at Atlanta Dragway in Commerce, Georgia. Although most lightning occurs in the summer, people can be struck at any time of year. Speeding hasn't garnered the national attention of other teen driving issues, a report says. The accident took place at 10 pm. Cars News Fiat Chrysler Automobiles Diesel cars Industry news. Why Android Phones Slow Down Over Time, and How to Speed Them Up Cameron Summerson and Chris Hoffman @Summerson December 26, 2017, 6:40am EDT If you’ve had your Android device for a while, you’ve probably started to notice some lag that wasn’t there before. Hurricane Fran--The most powerful hurricane to make landfall in the United States during the 1996 Hurricane Season. A ballistic missile also closely follows a pre-established azimuth from launch point to target. Inappropriate speed is defined as driving at a speed unsuitable for the prevailing road and traffic conditions. NTSB: Speed Kills, and We're Not Doing Enough to Stop It The federal safety watchdog says speeding is a big blindspot in America's road safety efforts. Another 4,100 people were killed in crashes on stretches under repair or under construction. Hillsborough County Sheriff's Deputy Philip Montesi was. At that speed, it might very. Other recognised TAC slogans from the 1990s include Belt up, or suffer the pain, Take a break, fatigue kills, It's in your hands, concentrate or kill, and Country people die on country roads. It is easier to lose traction when speeding around a curve and the high center of gravity makes it easier to roll over. Analyses were made of. 2 Pedestrians are 1. From national coverage and issues to local headlines and stories across the country, the Star is your home for Canadian news and perspectives. 4, respectively). Sacramento Deputies Shoot, Kill Man After PursuitSacramento County Sheriff's Deputies say they were forced to shoot and kill a man following a high speed chase in Carmichael late Saturday night. outlookindia. According to the Home Office 126 people lost their lives in accidents. Speed humps. Two others who were in the car were injured. A Florida Highway Patrol trooper who made national news for pulling over a speeding cop at gunpoint lost the only part of her privacy lawsuit against police that made it to court. Bihar: 9 killed, 20 injured after speeding car runs over school children. Laura D But in the footbridge scenario, pushing the fat man over the side is in intentional act of killing. Road Traffic Accidents Mum's anguish as daughter, 13, and four other kids killed in Disney World crash WARNING - DISTRESSING FOOTAGE: Video footage of the horror smash has been released as the. 42 Likes, 3 Comments - Manson x Murders (@mansonxmurders) on Instagram: “#PatriciaKrenwinkel / #Katie Pat claims that she didn't know they were going to kill people until…”. Effects of blast pressure on structures and the human body The following table 1, based on Department of Defense data from Glasstone and Dolan (1977) and Sartori (1983), summarizes the effects of increasing blast pressure on various structures and the human body. What are damaging winds? Damaging winds are often called “straight-line” winds to differentiate the damage they cause from t. Thank you to everyone for the 17 years of interest in Overkill 3800, I wish you the best with your vehicle!. Topspeed offers daily industry news and reviews on cars, trucks, motorcycles, boats and airplanes. Obviously a 92. After creating an external virtual switch, my Internet speeds slowed to about 10% of the normal speed. | Speeding train runs. Fatalities declined among all categories of vehicle occupants and nonoccupants as shown in Table 1 below. It is possible within a single town or city to find both populations of cockroaches that are resistant to a particular insecticide and others that are susceptible to the same insecticide. She collided with the passenger side of the SUV, was thrown over the car and sadly died before she reached the hospital. A man who killed a hardworking grandfather while speeding at 70mph as he fled police has been jailed for eight years. We've also added a new rule regarding crowdfunding, and the thread for that is here. Many people die as a result of car accidents, with many more receiving serious injuries. Weather Wiz Kids is a fun and safe website for kids about all the weather info they need to know. Otherwise, its a trick show that makes a valid point. According to preliminary reports, the driver of a Ford Focus was driving at high speeds when a Taxi driver suddenly braked in front of him. Subscribe to our channel: https://. RT is the first Russian 24/7 English-language news channel which brings the Russian view on global news. Learn by example and become a better writer with Kibin’s suite of essay help services. If you hit them frequently, though, they could cause serious damage to your car. Police say if you're driving 15 to 20 miles per hour over the limit, you're not saving much travel time. Over the past hundred years, as automobiles have been woven into the fabric of our daily lives, our legal. Cars News Fiat Chrysler Automobiles Diesel cars Industry news. by Driving over the speed limit, they say. Case Study 1 – Las Vegas speed at all times. Speeding is one of the most prevalent factors contributing to traffic crashes and. Bihar: 9 killed, 20 injured after speeding car runs over school children. Two people have died in a crash during an event at Queensland Raceway. Within the eye wall, the wind speed reaches its maximum but within the eye, the winds become very light sometimes even calm. Welcome to the official site of the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles, with quick access to driver and vehicle online transactions and information. Nearly 60% of young drivers involved in fatal drinking and driving crashes didn't use a seat belt. Let Overstock. Massive fentanyl seizure 'enough to kill everyone' in the state, officials say. But that "small" increase in speed translates to a 78 percent increase in collision energy - that's nearly double. There's no way around it. Here is my experience regarding shot shell velocity in a nutshell: the faster you push the payload the more you and your accuracy will suffer. Toolbox Talk Fatigue : The hidden Killer. Matthew David Molloy, 35, has been sentenced over the December 29 crash on Leach Highway which killed Leonardus Tjandra, 5, and seriously injured other family members in the Hyundai mini-van. It is reported that the two children, who got down from the bus, were crossing the road with their mother when a car that was speeding up behind the bus hit them. PEARLAND, Texas - One person was killed after a speeding driver slammed into the back of a vehicle, causing a three-vehicle pileup at a busy Pearland intersection. 8th May 2017 - Shobdon airfield, Herefordshire, UK - Auto-Gyro MTOsport - G-HOTC - the UK AAIB summary states - "Prior to takeoff on Runway 09, the pilot stated that the pre-rotator had rotated the gyroplane’s main rotor to approximately 150-160 rpm, less than the normal speed of 200 rpm. Weather Channel sued for $125M over death of man killed in 'horrific' Texas crash with storm chasers Storm Wranglers” — were speeding down the highway in their Chevy Suburban at 70 mph. By Ken Haddad. Technically, it only needs to be in neutral on a hill to kill you… so… 0 MPH. A vampire is usually quite a bit stronger than the average bodybuilder, but not so much as those on the upper end of the scale—the ones squatting 1,000 pounds and bench pressing 600. Witnesses reported that Phills was speeding in his Porsche and had been drag-racing with teammate David Wesley at the time of the accident. Speed humps are a proven way to limit the speed that vehicles move around a traffic system. Posted Jul 21, 2010. Speeding Facts • Speeding is a major cause of crashes among teens under age 21. Most shark attacks occur less than 100 feet from the shore. In physics this number is represented by the letter "c. Private property accidents are still covered under common law or Nevada case law for negligence. Speeding decreases your fuel efficiency. She collided with the passenger side of the SUV, was thrown over the car and sadly died before she reached the hospital. But the truth is that around 2% are killed, and only 0. Ezvid Wiki is powered by Ezvid Inc. which means it slowed to below the speed of sound. Looking at the above graph, you would be over 28 g's for about 0. In fact, Galt highlighted speed and agility drills at Lift for Life to give fans a look at Penn State’s offseason training. All the electronic speed indicators on my boat read differently, and I have 4 surface speedometers, plus speed over ground (SOG). The Indiana Trial Lawyers Association is dedicated to the constitutional rights of open access to the courts and equal protection under the law for all persons in Indiana. Montana and Nevada, for example, have historically opposed speed limit laws. Why Android Phones Slow Down Over Time, and How to Speed Them Up Cameron Summerson and Chris Hoffman @Summerson December 26, 2017, 6:40am EDT If you’ve had your Android device for a while, you’ve probably started to notice some lag that wasn’t there before. Indiana Tech Law School The Law School's affordable, fully integrated program of experiential legal education develops core legal competencies by collapsing the distinction. • 6 occupants of fire apparatus killed per year over on the exit ramp. New Mexico doesn't assess points for speeding 75 or less outside a residential zone, for speeding 5 or less over any limit, or for speeding in rural areas. Colorado has three types of speeding laws: a "basic speeding law," "presumed speed limits," and "absolute speed limits. That includes a 2013 commuter-train crash in the Bronx that killed four and a 2015 Amtrak crash in Philadelphia, when a train traveling more than twice the speed limit went off the tracks, killing. Shark attacks happen all over the world, but mainly around popular beaches in North America (especially Florida and Hawaii), Australia, and South Africa. The relationships are similar to those seen for actual travel speeds, but they show less drastic swings. Worse, he suggests, a skilled hacker could take over a group of Uconnect head units and use them to perform more scans—as with any collection of hijacked computers—worming from one dashboard. A city board on Tuesday gave the go-ahead for an upscale apartment complex at the site on Cherokee Boulevard. What Temperature Kills Bed Bugs? Can Heat or Cold Kill Bed Bugs? While bed bugs are sensitive to changes in temperature, there are plenty of myths about what temperature kills bed bugs. To change that, it's issuing a new set of recommendations for federal and state officials. Below you will find our collection of inspirational, wise, and humorous old speed quotes, speed sayings, and speed proverbs, collected over the years from a variety of sources. Over speeding. Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for U. I’ve also seen businesses suffer when they assumed that if a. Before you underestimate the danger of exceeding the speed limit, consider that in 2016, speeding was a factor in 27 percent of motor vehicle crash deaths. A woman going 82 mph had 13. In the development of power work it is a good idea to select exercises which have little or no inherent slowing of bar speed towards the end of the repetition. Speeding decreases your fuel efficiency.
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Flight of the Hippogriff quiz
Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey quiz
Categories: 1999 establishments | Amusement parks in Orlando, Florida | Blackstone Group companies | Islands of Adventure | Companies established in 1999
Where is Islands of Adventure?
What entity owns Islands of Adventure?
NBC Universal,
Powell Development
Osaka City
Question 3: [7] As part of the promotion for the upcoming area, a behind the scenes documentary on production of the park section is included on the ________ and DVD release of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.
China Blue High-definition Disc Optical disc authoring HD DVD Blu-ray Disc
Question 4: Palm trees, curved by the winds of ________, were even installed in the area to continue this theming.
Hurricane Andrew Hurricane Katrina Hurricane Camille Hurricane Ivan
Question 5: There is also a ________ Cafe and Circus McGurkus restaurant.
Green Eggs and Ham Daisy-Head Mayzie The Butter Battle Book The Lorax
Question 6: In this first version, an old tour guide known as The Keeper wove a tale about the great lost city of ________ and an epic battle between Zeus and Poseidon.
Asia Atlantis Europe Continent
Question 7: Incredible Hulk Coaster, the only launched Bolliger & Mabillard ________.
Wooden roller coaster Inverted roller coaster Roller coaster Roller coaster elements
Question 8: Seuss Landing is specially geared towards small children and is based on the works of author ________.
The Seven Lady Godivas The Butter Battle Book Dr. Seuss Yertle the Turtle and Other Stories
Question 9: Universal Express Plus is not a ________ service, where users receive a specific time to return to the priority line.
Virtual queue Automatic call distributor Call centre Queue area
Question 10: Marvel Super Hero Island has rides inspired by Marvel ________, and focuses primarily on thrilling rides.
American comic book Comic book British comics Graphic novel
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Tag Archives: Roman Polanski
Pirates (1986) Roman Polanski, Walter Matthau, Cris Campion, Damien Thomas
August 27, 2019 Adventure, Comedy, Family
Captain Red runs a hardy pirate ship with the able assistance of Frog, a dashing young French sailor. Read More »
Rosemarys Baby (1968) Roman Polanski, Mia Farrow, John Cassavetes, Ruth Gordon, Drama, Horror
April 21, 2018 Drama, Horror
Horrifying and darkly comic, Rosemary’s Baby was Roman Polanski’s Hollywood debut. Read More »
Macbeth (1971) Roman Polanski, Jon Finch, Francesca Annis, Martin Shaw, Drama, War, History
January 6, 2018 Drama, History, War
Roman Polanski imbues his unflinchingly violent adaptation of William Shakespeare’s tragedy of ruthless ambition and murder in medieval Scotland with grit and dramatic intensity. Read More »
Frantic (1988) Roman Polanski, Harrison Ford, Betty Buckley, Emmanuelle Seigner, Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thriller
November 1, 2017 Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thriller
A doctor and his wife go to Paris for a medical conference. While showering, his wife disappears. Read More »
Repulsion (1965) Roman Polanski, Catherine Deneuve, Ian Hendry, John Fraser, Drama, Horror, Thriller
October 29, 2017 Drama, Horror, Thriller
Roman Polanski followed up his international breakthrough Knife in the Water with this controversial, chilling tale of psychosis. Read More »
Zemsta / The Revenge (2002) Andrzej Wajda, Roman Polanski, Janusz Gajos, Andrzej Seweryn, Comedy
July 6, 2017 Comedy
A winter day at a Polish castle, half owned by a fatalistic notary and half by a volcanic old soldier’s niece. Read More »
Death and the Maiden (1994) Roman Polanski, Sigourney Weaver, Ben Kingsley, Stuart Wilson, Drama, Mystery, Thriller
May 13, 2017 Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Paulina Escobar is a political activist whose husband is a prominent lawyer in an unnamed South American country just out of a dictatorship. Read More »
Chinatown (1974) Roman Polanski, Jack Nicholson, Faye Dunaway, John Huston, Crime, Drama, Mystery
January 31, 2017 Crime, Drama, Mystery
JJ ‘Jake’ Gittes is a private detective who seems to specialize in matrimonial cases. He is hired by Evelyn Mulwray when she suspects her husband Hollis, builder of the city’s water supply system, of having an affair.
The Tenant / Le locataire (1976) Roman Polanski, Isabelle Adjani, Melvyn Douglas, Thriller, Drama
July 4, 2016 Drama, Thriller
In Paris, the shy bureaucrat Trelkovsky rents an old apartment without bathroom where the previous tenant, the Egyptologist Simone Choule, committed suicide. The unfriendly concierge (Shelley Winters) and the tough landlord Mr. Zy establish stringent rules of behavior and Trelkovsky feels ridden by his neighbors. Meanwhile he visits Simone in the hospital and befriends her girlfriend Stella. After the death of Simone, Trelkovsky feels obsessed for her and believes his landlord and neighbors are plotting a scheme to force him to also commit suicide.
Che? / What? (1972) Roman Polanski, Marcello Mastroianni, Sydne Rome, Hugh Griffith, Comedy
October 31, 2015 Comedy, Erotic
A young American woman (Sydne Rome) traveling through Italy finds herself in a strange Mediterranean villa where nothing seems right. Her visit becomes an absurd, decadent, oversexed version of “Alice in Wonderland”, with Marcello Mastroianni as the maddest of mad hatters and Roman Polanski a kinky March hare.
Tess (1979) Roman Polanski, Nastassja Kinski, Peter Firth, Leigh Lawson, Drama, Romance
October 18, 2015 Drama, Romance
Wessex County, England during the Victorian era. Christian values dominate what are social mores. These mores and her interactions with two men play a large part in what happens in the young life of peasant girl, the shy, innocent, proper yet proud Tess Durbeyfield. The first of these men is Alec d’Urberville. After learning from a local historian that they are really descendants of the aristocratic d’Urberville family which has died out due to lack of male heirs, Tess’ parents send her to a nearby mansion where they know some d’Urbervilles actually reside. This move is in order for the family to gain some benefit from their heritage. Upon her arrival at the mansion, Tess quickly learns that the family of Tess’ “cousin” Alec are not true d’Urbervilles, but rather an opportunistic lot who bought the family name in order to improve their own standing in life.
Nóz w wodzie / The Knife in the Water (1962) Roman Polanski, Leon Niemczyk, Jolanta Umecka, Zygmunt Malanowicz
July 27, 2015 Drama
Well off Andrzej and Krystyna’s marriage is at a stage where familiarity breeds contempt, that contempt which is outwardly shown only behind closed doors and only when an incident of some sort sets off one or the other. While driving through the countryside on a Sunday on their way to the lake to embark on an overnight sailing excursion, they almost run over a young male hitchhiker. Despite the antagonism between Andrzej and the hitchhiker, Andrzej offers him a ride as far as the marina. By the time they reach the lake, their antagonism has dissipated enough that Andrzej asks if he would like to join them on their sailing trip. The hitchhiker accepts despite knowing nothing about sailing. As the sailing trip progresses, the antagonism between the two men begins to increase again, fueled on both sides as each strives to be the alpha male. Andrzej needs to show his superiority, while the hitchhiker needs to show that his young age and inexperience, not only with sailing but with life in…
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Rolling Stones To Perform in Cuba
The Rolling Stones, always full of surprises, announced today that they will do a free open air concert in Havana, Cuba on Friday March 25, 2016. Wish I could be there, but I guess “you can’t always get what you want.”
It will be the first concert in the country by a British rock band. Under the theme of “Concert for Amity,” the path-breaking concert in Havana will come only a few days after President Obama’s visit there. The Stones are now on a tour of other Latin American cities.
The concert will be filmed and produced by award-winning production company JA Digital with Paul Dugdale directing and Simon Fisher and Sam Bridger as producers.
Let’s give it up to the Stones! But let’s also give it up to the Cuban government for refusing to be a prisoner of outmoded ideas and practices.
Sam Webb
I'm a long-time socialist and activist, but new to the blogging world, to which I aim to bring a different perspective on politics, sports, culture, and Marxism. I also teach online classes, but leave plenty of time for swimming, hiking, ESPN, music, reading, drinking good beer, and, not least, my family and friends. I wish I could play basketball, but my knees ruled out that possibility long ago. While I currently reside in New York City, my politically formative years were spent in Detroit during the 1970s and 1980s. I graduated from St. Francis Xavier University in Nova Scotia (where I played basketball) and received my MA in economics from the University of Connecticut. I was the national chairperson of the Communist Party, USA from 2000 until 2014 when I stepped down at the convention. In 2015 I resigned from the Communist Party.
Aretha, Jim, and Respect
Looking back, glancing ahead
gfalsetta
Right on Stones! Early on, not my favorite but they grew on me… perhaps because we grew older together….
© 2015 SamWebb.org
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LatviaGermanyUnited StatesFinlandSwedenEstoniaUnited KingdomLithuaniaNorwayCzechiaNetherlandsRussiaSwitzerlandBelgiumDenmarkAustriaSlovakiaFrancePolandJapanCanadaItalySpainIrelandTurkeyBelarusSingaporeNew ZealandBrazilLuxembourgAland IslandsSerbiaSloveniaGuadeloupe
Poland Population: 38,420,687
Poland's history as a state began near the middle of the 10th century. By the mid-16th century, the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth ruled a vast tract of land in Central and Eastern Europe. During the 18th century, internal disorders weakened the nation, and in a series of agreements between 1772 and 1795, Russia, Prussia, and Austria partitioned Poland among themselves. Poland regained its independence in 1918 only to be overrun by Germany and the Soviet Union in World War II. It became a Soviet satellite state following the war. Labor turmoil in 1980 led to the formation of the independent trade union "Solidarity" that over time became a political force with over 10 million members. Free elections in 1989 and 1990 won Solidarity control of the parliament and the presidency, bringing the communist era to a close. A "shock therapy" program during the early 1990s enabled the country to transform its economy into one of the most robust in Central Europe. Poland joined NATO in 1999 and the EU in 2004. With its transformation to a democratic, market-oriented country largely completed and with large investments in defense, energy, and other infrastructure, Poland is an increasingly active member of Euro-Atlantic organizations.
Historically, an area of conflict because of flat terrain and the lack of natural barriers on the North European Plain
Location: Central Europe, east of Germany
Geographic coordinates: 52 00 N, 20 00 E
Area: total: 312,685 sq km
water: 8,430 sq km
Size comparison: about twice the size of Georgia; slightly smaller than New Mexico
Land Boundaries: total: 3,071 km border countries (7): Belarus 418 km, Czech Republic 796 km, Germany 467 km, Lithuania 104 km, Russia (Kaliningrad Oblast) 210 km, Slovakia 541 km, Ukraine 535 km
Coastline: 440 km
exclusive economic zone: defined by international treaties
Climate: temperate with cold, cloudy, moderately severe winters with frequent precipitation; mild summers with frequent showers and thundershowers
Terrain: mostly flat plain; mountains along southern border
Natural resources: coal, sulfur, copper, natural gas, silver, lead, salt, amber, arable land
Natural hazards: flooding
Current Environment Issues: decreased emphasis on heavy industry and increased environmental concern by post-communist governments has improved environment; air pollution remains serious because of emissions from burning low-quality coals in homes and from coal-fired power plants; the resulting acid rain causes forest damage; water pollution from industrial and municipal sources is a problem, as is disposal of hazardous wastes
International Environment Agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94
Nationality: noun: Pole(s)
adjective: Polish
Ethnic groups: Polish 96.9%, Silesian 1.1%, German 0.2%, Ukrainian 0.1%, other and unspecified 1.7% (2011 est.) note: represents ethnicity declared first
Languages: Polish (official) 98.2%, Silesian 1.4%, other 1.1%, unspecified 1.3% (2011 est.) note: data represents the language spoken at home; shares sum to more than 100% because some respondents gave more than one answer on the census; Poland ratified the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages in 2009 recognizing Kashub as a regional language, Czech, Hebrew, Yiddish, Belarusian, Lithuanian, German, Armenian, Russian, Slovak, and Ukrainian as national minority languages, and Karaim, Lemko, Romani (Polska Roma and Bergitka Roma), and Tatar as ethnic minority languages
Religions: Catholic 85.9% (includes Roman Catholic 85.6% and Greek Catholic, Armenian Catholic, and Byzantine-Slavic Catholic .3%), Orthodox 1.3% (almost all are Polish Autocephalous Orthodox), Protestant 0.4% (mainly Augsburg Evangelical and Pentacostal), other 0.4% (includes Jehovah's Witness, Buddhist, Hare Krishna, Gaudiya Vaishnavism, Muslim, Jewish, Mormon), unspecified 12.1% (2017 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 14.8% (male 2,924,077 /female 2,762,634)
65 years and over: 17.47% (male 2,663,364 /female 4,049,281) (2018 est.)
Population growth rate: -0.16% (2018 est.)
rate of urbanization: -0.25% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)
Major urban areas - population: 1.768 million WARSAW (capital)
767,000 Krakow (2018)
Physicians density: 2.4 physicians/1,000 population (2016)
rural: 3.1% of population
Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Poland
conventional short form: Poland
local long form: Rzeczpospolita Polska
local short form: Polska
former: Polish People's Republic
etymology: name derives from the Polanians, a west Slavic tribe that united several surrounding Slavic groups (9th-10th centuries A.D.) and who passed on their name to the country; the name of the tribe likely comes from the Slavic "pole" (field or plain), indicating the flat nature of their country
Government type: parliamentary republic
Capital: name: Warsaw
etymology: the origin of the name is unknown; the Polish designation "Warszawa" was the name of a fishing village and several legends/traditions link the city's founding to a man named Wars or Warsz
Administrative divisions: 16 voivodships [provinces] (wojewodztwa, singular - wojewodztwo); Dolnoslaskie (Lower Silesia), Kujawsko-Pomorskie (Kuyavia-Pomerania), Lodzkie (Lodz), Lubelskie (Lublin), Lubuskie (Lubusz), Malopolskie (Lesser Poland), Mazowieckie (Masovia), Opolskie (Opole), Podkarpackie (Subcarpathia), Podlaskie, Pomorskie (Pomerania), Slaskie (Silesia), Swietokrzyskie (Holy Cross), Warminsko-Mazurskie (Warmia-Masuria), Wielkopolskie (Greater Poland), Zachodniopomorskie (West Pomerania)
Independence: 11 November 1918 (republic proclaimed);
notable earlier dates: 966 (adoption of Christianity, traditional founding date), 1 July 1569 (Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth created)
National holiday: Constitution Day, 3 May (1791)
Constitution: history: several previous; latest adopted 2 April 1997, approved by referendum 25 May 1997, effective 17 October 1997 amendments: proposed by at least one-fifth of Sejm deputies, by the Senate, or by the president of the republic; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote in the Sejm and absolute majority vote in the Senate; amendments to articles relating to sovereignty, personal freedoms, and constitutional amendment procedures also require passage by majority vote in a referendum; amended 2006, 2009, latest submitted in 2015 and is pending legislative process (2019)
Legal system: civil law system; judicial review of legislative, administrative, and other governmental acts; constitutional law rulings of the Constitutional Tribunal are final
Executive branch: chief of state: President Andrzej DUDA (since 6 August 2015)
head of government: Prime Minister Mateusz MORAWIECKI (since 11 December 2017); Deputy Prime Ministers Piotr GLINSKI and Jaroslaw GOWIN (since 16 November 2015), Jacek SASIN (since 4 June 2019)
cabinet: Council of Ministers proposed by the prime minister, appointed by the president, and approved by the Sejm elections/appointments: president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 10 May 2015 with a second round on 24 May 2015 (next to be held in May 2020); prime minister, deputy prime ministers, and Council of Ministers appointed by the president and confirmed by the Sejm
election results: Andrzej DUDA elected president in runoff; percent of vote - Andrzej DUDA (independent) 51.5%, Bronislaw KOMOROWSKI (independent) 48.5%
Legislative branch: description: bicameral legislature consists of: Senate or Senat (100 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote to serve 4-year terms) Sejm (460 seats; members elected in multi-seat constituencies by party-list proportional representation vote with 5% threshold of total votes needed for parties and 8% for coalitions to gain seats; minorities exempt from threshold; members serve 4-year terms)
elections: Senate - last held on 25 October 2015 (next to be held in October 2019) Sejm - last held on 25 October 2015 (next to be held in October 2019)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PiS 61, PO 34, PSL 1, independent 4; composition - men 87, women 13, percent of women 13% Sejm - percent of vote by party - PiS 37.6%, PO 24.1%, K15 8.8%, N 7.6%, PSL 5.1% other 16.8%; seats by party - PiS 235, PO 138, K15 42, N 28, PSL 16, German minority 1; men 334, women 126, percent of women 27.4%; note - total legislature percent of women 24.8% note: the designation National Assembly or Zgromadzenie Narodowe is only used on those rare occasions when the 2 houses meet jointly
Judicial branch: highest courts: Supreme Court or Sad Najwyzszy (consists of the first president of the Supreme Court and 120 justices organized in criminal, civil, labor and social insurance, and extraordinary appeals and public affairs and disciplinary chambers); Constitutional Tribunal (consists of 15 judges, including the court president and vice president) judge selection and term of office: president of the Supreme Court nominated by the General Assembly of the Supreme Court and selected by the president of Poland; other judges nominated by the 25-member National Judicial Council and appointed by the president of Poland; judges serve until retirement, usually at age 65, but tenure can be extended; Constitutional Tribunal judges chosen by the Sejm for 9-year terms
subordinate courts: administrative courts; military courts; local, regional and appellate courts subdivided into military, civil, criminal, labor, and family courts
Political parties and leaders: Civic Platform or PO [Grzegorz SCHETYNA] Democratic Left Alliance or SLD [Wlodzimierz CZARZASTY] German Minority or MN [Ryszard GALLA] Kukiz 15 or K15 [Pawel KUKIZ] Law and Justice or PiS [Jaroslaw KACZYNSKI] KORWIN (formerly the Coalition for the Renewal of the Republic-Liberty and Hope or Liberty) [Janusz KORWIN-MIKKE] TERAZ! (NOW!) [Ryszard PETRU] Nowoczesna (Modern) or N [Katarzyna LUBNAUER] Polish People's Party or PSL [Wladyslaw KOSINIAK-KAMYSZ] Razem (Together) [collective leadership] Wiosna (Spring) [Robert BIEDRON]
International organization participation: Arctic Council (observer), Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CBSS, CD, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, ESA, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MONUSCO, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNOCI, UN Security Council (temporary), UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
National symbol(s): white crowned eagle;
national colors: white, red
National anthem: name: "Mazurek Dabrowskiego" (Dabrowski's Mazurka)
lyrics/music: Jozef WYBICKI/traditional
note: adopted 1927; the anthem, commonly known as "Jeszcze Polska nie zginela" (Poland Has Not Yet Perished), was written in 1797; the lyrics resonate strongly with Poles because they reflect the numerous occasions in which the nation's lands have been occupied
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Piotr Antoni WILCZEK (since 18 January 2017)
chancery: 2640 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, New York
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Georgette MOSBACHER (since 6 September 2018)
embassy: Aleje Ujazdowskie 29/31 00-540 Warsaw
mailing address: American Embassy Warsaw, US Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-5010 (pouch)
telephone: [48] (22) 504-2000
FAX: [48] (22) 504-2226
consulate(s) general: Krakow
Poland has the sixth-largest economy in the EU and has long had a reputation as a business-friendly country with largely sound macroeconomic policies. Since 1990, Poland has pursued a policy of economic liberalization. During the 2008-09 economic slowdown Poland was the only EU country to avoid a recession, in part because of the government’s loose fiscal policy combined with a commitment to rein in spending in the medium-term Poland is the largest recipient of EU development funds and their cyclical allocation can significantly impact the rate of economic growth. The Polish economy performed well during the 2014-17 period, with the real GDP growth rate generally exceeding 3%, in part because of increases in government social spending that have helped to accelerate consumer-driven growth. However, since 2015, Poland has implemented new business restrictions and taxes on foreign-dominated economic sectors, including banking and insurance, energy, and healthcare, that have dampened investor sentiment and has increased the government’s ownership of some firms. The government reduced the retirement age in 2016 and has had mixed success in introducing new taxes and boosting tax compliance to offset the increased costs of social spending programs and relieve upward pressure on the budget deficit. Some credit ratings agencies estimate that Poland during the next few years is at risk of exceeding the EU’s 3%-of-GDP limit on budget deficits, possibly impacting its access to future EU funds. Poland’s economy is projected to perform well in the next few years in part because of an anticipated cyclical increase in the use of its EU development funds and continued, robust household spending. Poland faces several systemic challenges, which include addressing some of the remaining deficiencies in its road and rail infrastructure, business environment, rigid labor code, commercial court system, government red tape, and burdensome tax system, especially for entrepreneurs. Additional long-term challenges include diversifying Poland’s energy mix, strengthening investments in innovation, research, and development, as well as stemming the outflow of educated young Poles to other EU member states, especially in light of a coming demographic contraction due to emigration, persistently low fertility rates, and the aging of the Solidarity-era baby boom generation.
Gross national saving: 20% of GDP (2017 est.) 19.2% of GDP (2016 est.) 19.9% of GDP (2015 est.) GDP - composition, by end use: household consumption: 58.6% (2017 est.) government consumption: 17.7% (2017 est.) investment in fixed capital: 17.7% (2017 est.) investment in inventories: 2% (2017 est.) exports of goods and services: 54% (2017 est.) imports of goods and services: -49.9% (2017 est.) GDP - composition, by sector of origin: agriculture: 2.4% (2017 est.) industry: 40.2% (2017 est.) services: 57.4% (2017 est.)
Agriculture - products: potatoes, fruits, vegetables, wheat; poultry, eggs, pork, dairy
Industries: machine building, iron and steel, coal mining, chemicals, shipbuilding, food processing, glass, beverages, textiles
Labor force: 17.6 million (2017 est.)
services: 57.6% (2015)
note: data cover general government debt and include debt instruments issued (or owned) by government entities other than the treasury; the data include treasury debt held by foreign entities, the data include subnational entities, as well as intragovernmental debt; intragovernmental debt consists of treasury borrowings from surpluses in the social funds, such as for retirement, medical care, and unemployment; debt instruments for the social funds are not sold at public auctions
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2% (2017 est.) -0.6% (2016 est.)
Current account balance: $1.584 billion (2017 est.) -$1.369 billion (2016 est.)
Exports - commodities: machinery and transport equipment 37.8%, intermediate manufactured goods 23.7%, miscellaneous manufactured goods 17.1%, food and live animals 7.6% (2012 est.)
Exports - partners: Germany 27.4%, Czech Republic 6.4%, UK 6.4%, France 5.6%, Italy 4.9%, Netherlands 4.4% (2017)
Imports - commodities: machinery and transport equipment 38%, intermediate manufactured goods 21%, chemicals 15%, minerals, fuels, lubricants, and related materials 9% (2011 est.)
Imports - partners: Germany 27.9%, China 8%, Russia 6.4%, Netherlands 6%, Italy 5.3%, France 4.2%, Czech Republic 4% (2017)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $113.3 billion (31 December 2017 est.) $114.4 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
Debt - external: $241 billion (31 December 2017 est.) $347.8 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad: $72.87 billion (31 December 2017 est.) $64.52 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares: $397 billion (31 December 2017 est.) $265.4 billion (31 December 2016 est.) $277.4 billion (31 December 2015 est.)
Exchange rates: zlotych (PLN) per US dollar - 3.748 (2017 est.) 3.9459 (2016 est.) 3.9459 (2015 est.) 3.7721 (2014 est.) 3.1538 (2013 est.)
Electricity - exports: 12.02 billion kWh (2016)
Crude oil - production: 20,070 bbl/day (2017 est.)
Crude oil - exports: 4,451 bbl/day (2017 est.)
Crude oil - proved reserves: 126 million bbl (1 January 2018)
Natural gas - production: 5.748 billion cu m (2017 est.)
Natural gas - consumption: 20.1 billion cu m (2017 est.)
Natural gas - exports: 1.246 billion cu m (2017 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves: 79.79 billion cu m (1 January 2018 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy: 359 million Mt (2017 est.)
Telephone system: general assessment: modernization of the telecommunications network has accelerated with market-based competition; fixed-line service, dominated by the former state-owned company, is dwarfed by the growth in mobile-cellular services; regulatory is framed by EU principles of competition; mobile penetration is above European average; 5G trials begin; LTE-B and VoWi-Fi technologies; launch of 1Gb/s cable services (2018)
domestic: several nation-wide networks provide mobile-cellular service; coverage is generally good; fixed-line 24 per 100 service lags in rural areas, mobile-cellular 130 per 100 persons (2018)
international: country code - 48; international direct dialing with automated exchanges; satellite earth station - 1 with access to Intelsat, Eutelsat, Inmarsat, and Intersputnik
Broadcast media: state-run public TV operates 2 national channels supplemented by 16 regional channels and several niche channels; privately owned entities operate several national TV networks and a number of special interest channels; many privately owned channels broadcasting locally; roughly half of all households are linked to either satellite or cable TV systems providing access to foreign television networks; state-run public radio operates 5 national networks and 17 regional radio stations; 2 privately owned national radio networks, several commercial stations broadcasting to multiple cities, and many privately owned local radio stations (2019)
Internet country code: .pl
Pipelines: 14198 km gas, 1374 km oil, 2483 km refined products (2016)
(2016) standard gauge: 18,836 km 1.435-m gauge (11,874 km electrified) (2016) broad gauge: 395 km 1.524-m gauge (2016)
(2016) paved: 291,000 km (includes 1,492 km of expressways, 1,559 of motorways) (2016)
Waterways: 3,997 km (navigable rivers and canals) (2009)
by type: bulk carrier 1, container ship 1, general cargo 13, oil tanker 7, other 126 (2018)
Ports and terminals: major seaport(s): Gdansk, Gdynia, Swinoujscie container port(s) (TEUs): Gdansk (1,593,761) (2017) LNG terminal(s) (import): Swinoujscie
river port(s): Szczecin (River Oder)
Military branches: Polish Armed Forces: Land Forces (Wojska Ladowe), Navy (Marynarka Wojenna), Air Force (Sily Powietrzne), Special Forces (Wojska Specjalne), Territorial Defense Force (Wojska Obrony Terytorialnej) (2019) note: Territorial Defense Force only began recruitment in winter 2016
Military service age and obligation: 18-28 years of age for male and female voluntary military service; conscription phased out in 2009-12; professional soldiers serve on a permanent basis (for an unspecified period of time) or on a contract basis (for a specified period of time); initial contract period is 24 months; women serve in the military on the same terms as men (2019)
Military expenditures: 2% of GDP (2018 est.) 1.99% of GDP (2017) 1.99% of GDP (2016) 2.14% of GDP (2015) 1.9% of GDP (2014)
Disputes - International: as a member state that forms part of the EU's external border, Poland has implemented the strict Schengen border rules to restrict illegal immigration and trade along its eastern borders with Belarus and Ukraine
Refugees and internally displaced persons: refugees (country of origin): 9,893 (Russia) (2018)
stateless persons: 10,825 (2018)
Illicit drugs: despite diligent counternarcotics measures and international information sharing on cross-border crimes, a major illicit producer of synthetic drugs for the international market; minor transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and Latin American cocaine to Western Europe
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News Nokia, — January 10, 2012 14:49 — 0 Comments
Nokia chief executive Stephen Elop launches the Lumia 900 at CES 2012. Photo: Tom Krazit
Finnish company rumoured to have a marketing budget of between $100m and $200m for its latest push
This article titled “Nokia starts ‘new dawn’ in the US with two smartphones” was written by Charles Arthur, for guardian.co.uk on Tuesday 10th January 2012 01.10 UTC
Nokia is aiming to break back into the US smartphone market with two new phones, including a new Lumia 900 with high-speedmobile internet, after being overhauled in the past five years by Apple and phones running Google’s Android software.
Stephen Elop, chief executive of the Finnish phone maker, said at the Consumer Electronics Show 2012 in Las Vegas that the company had now established “a beachhead” in the UK and Europe with the releases in November of its first phones running Microsoft’s Windows Phone software, and was looking to start “a new dawn for Nokia in the US”.
Together with Microsoft, the company is rumoured to have a marketing budget of between $100m (£64m) and $200m for its latest push, which will consist of a combination of advertising, marketing and incentive payments of $10 to $15 to retail sales staff in carrier shops for each handset sold, to drive Nokia sales. “We’ve got the perfect device to appeal to the 150 million Americans who have not yet made the transition to smartphones,” Elop said.
Elop reiterated his belief that “the smartphone market has moved from being a battle of devices to a war of ecosystems”, and that Windows Phone is the ”third” ecosystem along with Apple and Android.
The new phone, called the Lumia 900, will be available on AT&T, the biggest US mobile carrier, and will include long term evolution (LTE) – also known as 4G – capability, which can give mobile internet connection speeds as fast as fixed broadband connections.
The Lumia 900 also has a larger screen, at 10.9cm diagonally, than the 9.6cm screen of the Lumia 710 and 800 launched in Europe. That also allows the phone to have a larger battery, with a capacity of 1830 milliamp hours (mAh), 26% greater than the 1450mAh of the Lumia 800.
No price or date was announced for the release of the Lumia 900, though Elop said it would be on sale in the ”coming months”. The other phone will be the Lumia 710, which has already gone on sale in Europe, and will be sold through the T-Mobilenetwork in the US.
Nokia’s smartphone sales share has dropped to almost zero in the US, after years when its Symbian platform dominated the broader market. But since the introduction of the iPhone five years ago, followed in 2008 by the introduction of phones running Google’s Android, it is now Microsoft and Nokia which face an uphill struggle.
Elop declined to give any figures about sales so far in Europe for the Lumia devices because Nokia is in its “quiet period” following the end of its financial quarter on 31 December. But he said that having established a beachhead in those markets, “the focus now shifts to pricing and marketing”.
He suggested that Nokia will produce a number of lower-pricedsmartphones in the coming months to attack more segments of the US market, where competition at the low end is intense from phones running Google’s Android software.
Elop declined to comment on rumours that the company had sought to buy BlackBerry maker Research In Motion (RIM), which he was said to have approached with Microsoft. Instead, he suggested that Nokia was seeking to demolish the struggling Canadian company: “We do see an opportunity for ourselves in the business-to-businessmarketplace. The combination of our phones and Microsoft’sback-endserver capabilities gives us the tools to compete with people who have been in the business market in the past.” RIM’s strongest sector has been its business users.
Some analysts privately suggested to the Guardian that the inclusion of the LTE capability would adversely affect battery life on the Lumia 900. Phones such as Samsung’s Galaxy Nexus run down the battery more quickly than it can be charged when using the LTE capability.
But Elop said in response that Nokia has worked with Microsoft and the chipmaker Qualcomm, which provides the basic communications chips for the phones. “We believe the battery performance will be very superior on LTE networks compared with other devices,” he said.
The phones will not have NFC (near field communications) capability, which is the increasing focus of attention over cashless payment systems, despite Nokia having included it on other Symbian phones previously. “With our first Windows Phone devices we had to make decisions about priorities,” Elop said. “But NFC is growing in importance, and I personally believe in it.”
Elop hedged on the question of whether Nokia will introduce its own tablet, as has been suggested following an interview by one of his executives. “Our reasoning would be the same as for phones: we’d want to achieve differentiation, and we’d do that with design and optics and services. If we believe we have a combination of those we can bring to a tablet, then that’s an opportunity that’s presented to Nokia.”
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You'll find it here.
Solutions to the Eurovision political voting problem
I went out of my way to defend Terry Wogan on the All Kinds of Everything blog yesterday (I know, I've got an unhealthy fixation with that place), so it was a bit disappointing to hear him make such fatalistic remarks about the future of the Eurovision Song Contest in his commentary tonight. If he's ready to call it a day, that's his prerogative, but the idea that the entirety of western Europe is going to join him in doing so is a bit melodramatic. I wouldn't deny for a moment there's a serious problem with political voting, but the irony is that this is the year a significant first step was made towards addressing that issue. The new rules that applied at the semi-final stage successfully produced a fair balance between western and eastern qualifiers for the first time in years, so now all that's needed is a similar innovation to sort out the problem in the final. Off the top of my head, I can think of four possibilities that would provide at least a partial solution.
1) Allow each country to award points to fifteen different entries, instead of the current ten. This wouldn't have been feasible in the past, but now that only the top marks are read out, it would no longer slow proceedings down at all. Of course, under this system the top points would still be awarded on a neighbourly basis, but it's reasonable to assume the lower set of points would be distributed more on merit, leading to a fairer overall outcome. An example to illustrate - if a country happened to finish twelfth out of twenty-five in every single televote, under the current system it would finish last with no points at all. That simply can't be considered a fair reflection of the result people are actually voting for.
2) Allow each country to award points to five eastern countries, and five western countries. This would have the advantage of still allowing viewers to decide the result, and still to vote for whichever country they like - indeed it would be a strong incentive to cast two votes - but it would also, at a stroke, neutralise the in-built advantage eastern countries currently enjoy.
3) The BBC could surrender its 'Big Four' status in exchange for something more worthwhile - separate representation in the contest for Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland. It would be the right thing to do on its own merits, but it would also produce a new British Isles voting bloc that could balance out its counterparts in the Balkans, the Baltic, Scandinavia, and the ex-Soviet Union. And if anyone tells you Scotland would never award high marks to England, I can tell you for certain they're wrong. Apart from anything else, about 8% of the population is English-born.
4) Revert to a 50/50 weighting for the jury and televote. Probably the simplest solution, in that it's been done before, at least in some countries.
On the contest itself, I was a bit disappointed to see Russia run away with it - as I said before Serbia, Portugal and Albania were my favourites, but I would still have been much happier to see Greece, Ukraine or Armenia take the crown than Russia. Ah well, it's all a matter of personal taste at the end of the day. At least I had the satisfaction of seeing my prediction turn out to be close to the money, although it wasn't exactly a tough one to call this year! And at least the song that was 'clearly the worst in the whole contest' (© Keith Mills 2008) somehow managed to finish 5th out of 43 entries. Wonder how it managed that?
Labels: Albania, Armenia, Eurovision, Eurovision Song Contest, Greece, Norway, political voting, Portugal, Russia, Scotland, Serbia, Terry Wogan, UK, Ukraine, voting blocs
Belgrade boasts
"Belgrade is the city where it is IMPOSSIBLE to sleep!"
So why did Zeljko have to urge everyone to stay awake halfway through?
"Belgrade is the city where you're not allowed to be alone!"
Call me a hopeless intovert, but that sounds like a grim kind of town to me.
"The interval act does weddings AND funerals!"
A band might normally expect an increase in bookings after playing to 150 million people, but in this particular case...
Labels: Eurovision, Eurovision Song Contest
Prediction for Eurovision final (Saturday)
There's an episode of the 1980s sitcom Just Good Friends where Jan Francis' character repeatedly tells Paul Nicholas there's "something missing" in their relationship without specifying what, which eventually results in an exasperated Nicholas screaming "WHAT IS THIS THING?". I felt a bit like that today when trying to make sense of the reports of Jelena Tomašević's performance in the final round of rehearsals. The most frequent comment was that she was in good voice, but that there was "something" missing. WHAT IS THIS THING?
Even leaving aside this missing thing that everyone seems utterly incapable of articulating (maybe Andy Abraham's nightmare vision has already come to pass), I was always a bit sceptical that Serbia could quite pull it off. In my view, it's definitely the class song of the field, but then I thought the same about Serbia & Montenegro in 2004 (they came second) and Bosnia-Herzegovina in 2006 (they came third). So my prediction for Serbia is top three, but without any embarrassing need for Zeljko Joksimovic to present the trophy to himself. ("Great song, Zelkjo." "Thanks, Zeljko, you did a great job presenting too. And I love what you've done with your hair.")
But if not Serbia, then who? The bookies seem to agree (although they've been spectacularly wrong before) that the only other countries in serious contention are Russia, Ukraine, Greece, Sweden, and possibly Armenia. Personally, I just can't see Sweden winning - Hero is slightly higher quality than their usual fare, but it's still sticking to the same basic formula that frequently delivers them fifth or sixth place but no higher. I think Greece and Armenia will similarly come up short, so that leaves a battle between Ukraine and Russia. If that's the case, I feel Russia might just sneak it, if only because it cunningly draws the ice skating and violin-loving demographic into the pool of potential televoters (I'm being flippant).
So my prediction is :
Winners - Russia
2nd - Ukraine
3rd - Serbia
Potential dark horses :
Norway (aka 'clearly the worst song in the contest', © Keith Mills 2008)
Mr Mills' musings also lead me to have an even greater interest in the fate of the UK this year. He confidently stated at a ridiculously early stage (when many songs had yet to even be selected) that Andy Abraham was 'certain' to finish in the bottom five, and was highly likely to finish last. I responded that I felt he could achieve the UK's best result since Jessica Garlick, which would mean a top fifteen placing. Unfortunately, I made that prediction before the UK received its lousy place in the draw, so I'm less confident than I was, but to be honest I'd settle for top twenty - since that would be sufficient to show up Mr Mills' "certainty" for the closed-minded nonsense it always was. Here's hoping.
Labels: Armenia, Eurovision, Eurovision prediction, Eurovision Song Contest, Greece, Jan Francis, Jelena Tomašević, Norway, Paul Nicholas, Portugal, Russia, Serbia, Sweden, UK, Ukraine
My issues with this year's Eurovision contestants - no. 8
Andy Abraham of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
(just in case anyone thinks he's representing 'England')
"Even if the world stops loving
I could never stop loving you
Even if the sun stops rising
I still wanna wake up with you
Even if all words lost their meaning
You would understand I love you"
I'm not sure Andy fully appreciates the sheer horror of the picture he's painting here. For starters, many would argue that our facility for language is the one and only thing that separates us from the animals, but it seems not for much longer if 'words have lost all meaning'. Furthermore, if the sun really did stop rising, crops would fail, and we'd have a major famine in store. Which all begs the question - who exactly is this poor woman that Andy is waking up beside, and what God-awful state will she be in as she meets his 'loving' gaze? Let's face it, she'll certainly be in dire need of a square meal, and at a more basic level, given that it'll be pitch dark will she even be sure that she's woken up in the first place? Let's also not forget that she'll be going through the unimaginable emotional anguish of knowing that her dearest friends and family have utterly forsaken her, since they have, along with the rest of the entire human race (save our Andy) lost their capacity for love.
But fear not, because in spite of these rather serious misfortunes, and in spite of the fact that she'll be in the arms of a man spouting complete gibberish (words have lost all meaning, remember), she'll just somehow know what he feels for her in his sweet little heart. So that'll completely make up for global calamity, then. There's always a silver lining.
Labels: alternative Eurovision preview, Andy Abraham, Eurovision, Eurovision Song Contest, UK
Maria Haukaas Storeng of Norway
"Love can be hard sometimes
Yes, it can catch you off guard like bad crimes"
Hmmm, this is problematical on just all sorts of levels. First of all, Maria seems to be drawing a curious distinction here between 'bad' crimes on the one hand and, well, 'good' crimes on the other. What are all these good crimes? Perhaps I shouldn't dismiss this out of hand, after all I'm instantly conjuring up an image of Tony Benn with pipe in mouth, arms flailing about like only Rory Bremner can, saying "oooh, think of the suffragettes, they had to break the law". So, in the interests of fairness, I've taken this issue very seriously and done some painstaking research, ie. I googled it. And, indeed, it seems there are some things that are against the law which are, if not exactly 'good', then certainly relatively harmless. For instance, in Miami, it is strictly illegal to impersonate a bison, while in Missouri you could find yourself hauled before a court for shaving without a licence. So presumably these are the sorts of things Maria has in mind for her 'good' crimes, while the bad ones are obviously things like murder, rape, arson, and grievous bodily harm. But while being randomly murdered or having your house burnt down could certainly be said to "catch you off guard", does that entirely capture the gravity of the situation? I think not. On the other hand, it might just capture the lesser gravity of being the victim of an unprovoked bison impersonation, so in my view Maria should really be singing "love can catch you off guard like those not-so-bad crimes they have in Miami".
(Phew, I thought I'd never get to the end of that paragraph).
To be fair to Maria, though, she offers a far more robust and convincing argument later on in the song -
"If it ain't right, it is wrong"
Let's face it, the girl's got a point. Which is more than anyone's ever said about John Barrowman.
Labels: alternative Eurovision preview, Eurovision, Eurovision Song Contest, John Barrowman, Maria Haukaas Storeng, Norway, Rory Bremner, suffragettes, Tony Benn
Teräsbetoni of Finland
"Missä miehet ratsastaa
Siellä lampaat ei voi laiduntaa"
TRANSLATION -
"Where the men ride
There the sheep can't pasture"
This is undeniably informative, but does such commendable attention to detail really lend itself to a situation where you're got just three minutes to impress the whole of Europe? Maybe it does, and if Finland win tomorrow, I'll seriously consider entering a song next year that takes regular detours to ponder the latest fascinating evidence on the causes of peat-bog erosion in eighteenth century Kazakhstan.
Labels: alternative Eurovision preview, Eurovision, Eurovision Song Contest, Finland
Por-tu-gal!
Do you know, I actually found myself punching the air when Portugal were named as the final qualifier. I had to remind myself I've never even been to Portugal, but it was my second-favourite song of the night, and I would have been heartbroken if it hadn't made it through. When there was only one spot in the final remaining, I honestly believed it was going to Malta.
And as for my favourite Albania - well I'm obviously rubbish at predictions, but on the plus side there is some justice in this world after all! My dream result for Saturday would now be a Serbian victory, with Portugal and Albania also in the top ten. And a top fifteen finish for Andy Abraham and the UK, if only for the pleasure of watching the sainted Keith Mills being forced to eat his words - again.
Labels: Albania, Andy Abraham, Eurovision, Eurovision Song Contest, Portugal, Serbia, UK
Prediction for second Eurovision semi-final (Thursday)
I probably should quit while I'm ahead on the prediction front, but here goes nothing (as my Mum would say). In no particular order, here are the ten countries I think will qualify for the final tomorrow night -
Macedonia (or FYROM if you're Greek)
The first thing that may leap out at you is that I've omitted one of the frontrunners for the Eurovision crown this year, in the shape of Switzerland. It's strange to find myself doing that, because I think it's a fantastic song, but it seems to have been completely drained of its dynamism in the two rehearsals I've seen. I'm still a little unsure about its prospects, however, because I haven't seen today's dress rehearsal, and frustratingly the reports of how Paolo got on are somewhat contradictory. Belarus probably wouldn't feature in my list on the merit of the song alone, but it's there because a) the choreography and visual impact of the performance is superb, and b) even with the new rules Belarus will still have one or two natural allies to boost its points tally.
The other point of uncertainty is what you might call the Kate Ryan factor - how many times have we seen a western European country with a superb song, well performed, yet inexplicably failing to qualify? It's not too difficult to imagine that scenario playing out again for, say, Iceland or Malta - especially since the Maltese entry is penned by the same Borg/Vella combination that came a cropper with Olivia Lewis last year. However, my instinct is that both countries will sneak through - perhaps assisted by the new jury vote.
And who will I be voting for? Call me peculiar, but it's definitely Albania for me. As I mentioned the other night, I only vote for songs performed exclusively in a language other than English, but even if I didn't follow that rule I'd do the same thing anyway. It's incredible to think it was way back at Christmas that I first had the chance to fall in love with Olta Boka's beautiful song. I've tried not to let my personal regard for it cloud my judgement in terms of its prospects tomorrow, but if there's any justice at all in this world...
Labels: Albania, Belarus, Eurovision, Eurovision prediction, Eurovision Song Contest, Iceland, Kate Ryan, Malta, Switzerland
Dustin's Demise is Down to his Diabolical Diction
The TV commentary box isn't necessarily always the first port of call for incisive analysis on the Eurovision Song Contest, but its occupants did make one telling point last night, right after Dustin the Turkey posed the poignant question "did I win?". Caroline Flack observed "I didn't understand a word of that", to which Paddy O'Connell replied "well, I heard something about a wig." This was surely the rather fundamental flaw in Ireland's approach from the word go - what's the use of a joke entry if hardly anyone can actually make out the jokes? Thinking back to when I first heard the track two months ago, I had to resort to the text of the lyrics before I could understand about two-thirds of what Dustin was saying - and I'm a Scot. What chance has your average Azerbaijani got?
Labels: Dustin the Turkey, Eurovision, Eurovision Song Contest, Ireland
Morena of Malta
"Spy One to Spy Four
I’ve deciphered the code, yeah…
Vodka – that’s the secret word
Vodka – and they want it so bad
Vodka – I’ve deciphered the code"
That's a tremendous achievement, Morena, congratulations. Just one small thing though - and brace yourself for some grim news at this point - you've just won a destination in the centre of our resident enigma's heart.
Labels: alternative Eurovision preview, Eurovision, Eurovision Song Contest, Greece, Kalomira, Malta, Morena
Weakest joke of the evening from the Eurovision hosts
I imagined myself being here all night trying to work that one out, but then Zeljko and Jovana came up with this, which I think is without question in a league all of its own -
"Give me five."
(She gives him high-five)
"No, I meant five envelopes."
And what on earth was Jovana wittering on about when she told Novak Djokovic that he was facing brighter lights in the hall than he would in Paris? Did no-one think to point out to her that they tend to play the French Open in daylight hours?
Labels: Eurovision, Eurovision Song Contest, French Open, Novak Djokovic, tennis
I don't want to blow my own trumpet, but...
Since Keith Mills is, with his customary humility, busily awarding himself a royal pat on the back for correctly predicting all ten qualifiers tonight, I may as well point out that I achieved the same feat. Actually, I think my own accuracy should count for more, if only because at no point in the last two months have I ever made the (now demonstrably bizarre) claim that Norway is "clearly the worst song in the contest"! Keith really can't be let off the hook about that, because while Maria's performance has undoubtedly become more polished over the course of the rehearsals, at the end of the day it's still exactly the same 'appalling' song she started out with. As Keith has noted himself in previous years "you can't make a silk purse from a sow's ear", so I think that stands as pretty conclusive proof that Norway never had a sow's ear to begin with. Face it, Keith, your radar was way off, however much you've tried to row back in recent days - and I've noticed a few signs of you trying to do the same with Andy Abraham. Now there's a "slight chance" that he won't finish last, apparently. Such generosity. Doubtless if he finishes in the top ten, Keith will somehow trumpet that as yet another "correct prediction".
OK, rant over. For now.
Labels: Andy Abraham, Eurovision, Eurovision Song Contest, Maria Haukaas Storeng, Norway, UK
Prediction for first Eurovision semi-final (Tuesday)
In no particular order, here are the ten countries I think will qualify for the final tomorrow night -
I've based this partly on the songs, partly on what I've seen and heard of the rehearsals, and partly on the familiar political voting patterns that I still expect to have a huge impact in spite of the new format. Probably the biggest call I've made is that I don't think Ireland's temptingly edible representative will quite make the cut, but that may prove to be more wishful thinking than anything else.
And the question I don't hear you all asking - who would I vote for? (This is hypothetical, because living in the UK I don't get a vote until Thursday). You might assume Norway, given the way I've been championing Maria over the last few days, but unfortunately I have my own personal rule that I only vote for countries that sing entirely in a language other than English. I suspect that would lead me to vote for San Marino - more in hope than expectation, as you can see from the list above!
Labels: Eurovision, Eurovision Song Contest, Ireland, Norway, San Marino
A post about Macedon...well, you know, that country Skopje is the capital city of
You know you've got an international dispute of some seriousness on your hands when even the lyrics of a novelty pop song form part of the battlefield. Ireland's Eurovision entry Dustin the Turkey has been forced to drop all mention of what I can only describe as 'a certain country in the Balkans', because he inexcusably referred to it as Macedonia, a name Greece does not recognise. Dustin tried to smoothe things over by pointing out that geography wasn't his strong point, and that he hadn't set out to offend any "Greeks or Macedonians". But surely the sensibilities of any right-thinking Greek will have been even more outraged by this calculated insult disguised as an apology? He singularly failed to say he didn't mean to offend any "Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonians".
Labels: Dustin the Turkey, Eurovision, Eurovision Song Contest, FYROM, Ireland, Macedonia
Couldn't they have yodelled for Scotland?
Having had a few days to reflect on the riot in Manchester on Wednesday, it strikes me that this is genuinely the first time in my life that I've ever felt a little bit ashamed to be Scottish. Wouldn't it be nice for the country to get a swift opportunity to present a more positive image of itself to the rest of Europe, and what better arena to do that than the carnival of fun, colour and refreshingly non-violent skulduggery that is the Eurovision Song Contest? Sadly, though, we've never been allowed to compete in our own right, and there's no sign of that situation changing any time soon. Personally, I've always sensed that if the BBC were willing to trade their 'Big 4' status in exchange for separate representation for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, that would be likely to gain some traction from other countries, but to date they've shown no sign of putting that case forward. That being the position, it's about time Scottish songwriters and artists at least started getting a fair crack of the whip for the UK at Eurovision - it's been a full two decades since a Scot last represented the country (Scott Fitzgerald). And, correct me if I'm wrong, but in the whole time since then it seems to me there have only been two Scottish acts in the UK national selection - City Chix with All About You a couple of years ago, and the unforgettably-titled Yodel in the Canyon of Love that almost upset the apple-cart for Katrina and the Waves in 1997. With 9% of the UK population, two songs in two decades is not exactly generous representation, is it?
This, ladies and gentlemen, has been an insight into the trials and tribulations of being a Eurovision fan and a Scottish nationalist all at the same time. I've suffered from the affliction for years...
Labels: Eurovision, Eurovision Song Contest, football hooligans, Manchester riot, politics, Rangers, Scotland, UEFA Cup
Visual aid required
Gordon Brown was said today to be "relaxed" about the ruling that MPs are required to fully disclose their expenses. I think if his spokespeople want to make that line stick, they'll have to produce an artist's impression of what a relaxed Gordon Brown actually looks like. I can't be the only one struggling to conjure up the image.
Labels: Gordon Brown, politics
There is always someone out there who will eat his words
Has the world just turned upside down? Keith Mills now says that Norway is a guaranteed qualifier for the Eurovision final. The reason is this amazing second rehearsal -
Wow. Maybe that'll persuade one or two of you to vote for Maria in our poll after all. Having said that, I've just seen what Ani Lorak's going to be wearing on the night and it's, well, short...
Labels: Eurovision, Eurovision rehearsals, Eurovision Song Contest, poll
Forget Esctoday's "Big" Poll - this is the one that counts!
A warm welcome to everyone who's dropped by to take part in our very own death-or-glory Eurovision MegaPoll. So OK, I give in, I'm obviously not going to convince many of you to vote for Maria Haukaas Storeng, but how about voting for anyone outside your own country? Even if it's only a very nearby country? I mean, what hope is there for the human race if not even lust can transcend national boundaries? What terrible future lies in store for our children and grandchildren if as a species we fail to realise...OK, I'll shut up now.
Labels: Eurovision, Eurovision Song Contest, poll
Breaking News : Chicago at risk of nuclear attack
If you're interested in witnessing a textbook example of just how paranoid some of our right-wing, gun-loving cousins across the pond can be, cast an eye over this surreal little debate I took part in yesterday at the Althouse blog with somebody called Revenant (it's towards the bottom of the page). He/she genuinely seems to believe that the only thing preventing the American people from being massacred by their own government is the widespread ownership of guns. It is simply a fact of human nature, apparently, that if a government enjoys a monopoly on the possession of weapons, it will eventually turn them on its own people. So if the government has guns, the people must have guns, and that's the contract that preserves life and liberty in the good ol' U.S. of A. The only slight flaw in this theory is that, the last time I checked, the US government also has a massive stockpile of chemical, biological and nuclear weapons up its sleeve, while individual American citizens most certainly do not. Evidently we should be standing by for a surprise American nuclear attack on downtown Chicago any day now.
And fortunately nobody picked me up on my claim that the murder rate in France is ten times lower than in the UK - I double-checked that later and I was completely wrong! I'm also not sure how I ended up being quite so effusive about the virtues of the European Union - the existence of the Common Fisheries Policy must have temporarily slipped my mind...
Labels: gun control, nuclear weapons, USA, weapons of mass destruction
Regína Ósk of Iceland
"This is my life"
Life, perhaps, but not quite as we as know it. How else do we explain why a woman now looks like this...
...when just two short years ago she looked rather more like this?
Now try and tell me that's the same person. You can't, can you? It seems to me there is only one satisfactory explanation - that, horrified by her 2006 look, she decided to use up one of her twelve regenerations. On last week's episode of Doctor Who, Catherine Tate posed the obvious question "what do you call a Time Lord who's a girl?" Answer : a caterwauling Icelandic Eurovision megastar, that's what.
Labels: alternative Eurovision preview, Catherine Tate, Doctor Who, Eurovision, Eurovision Song Contest, Iceland
Without repetition, hesitation or deviation...
There was a fab new late-night game show on BBC2 tonight, presented by Gordon Brewer. The concept is deceptively simple - contestants have to answer exactly the same question over and over again, but without uttering the words "yes" or "no", while always remembering to work the phrase "no blank cheques" into each reply.
Tonight's impressive winner by a large margin was Labour MSP Malcolm Chisholm.
Labels: independence referendum, Labour, Malcolm Chisholm, Newsnight Scotland, politics, referenda, Scottish politics
Ani Lorak of Ukraine
"Since I've lived in your shade
Every step that I made
Brought me nothing but zero"
Nothing but zero? That's a helluva lot of zero. Fair dos, the girl's got my sympathy, but there's still no excuse for the display of petulance we see later on -
"Baby, don't call me baby"
Round our way, we'd call that rank hypocrisy, baby.
Labels: alternative Eurovision preview, Eurovision, Eurovision Song Contest, Ukraine
I'll raise your 'no more than thirty'
I read the headline this morning - "Survey : women think Cameron is good in bed". How many women exactly, and how do they all know? Nick Clegg is going to be devastated.
Labels: David Cameron, Nick Clegg, politics, polling
Always listen to the ones you love
It must be obvious by now that I'm no fan of Gordon Brown, and I was certainly cheering Frank Field on during the 10p tax row. I have to say, however, that the tone of Field's latest pronouncement on the Prime Minister's long-term prospects was sanctimonious beyond belief. Any self-respecting Brownite (if that isn't a contradiction in terms) would be fully entitled to say in response, "I think Frank should speak to those he loves most, and those who love him, and heed their honest counsel as he reflects on whether he's let this childish personal grievance fester for just a little too long..."
Labels: Frank Field, Gordon Brown, Labour, politics
Ishtar of Belgium
ORIGINAL FLEMISH LYRICS -
"O julissi na jalini
O julissi na ditini
O bulo diti non slukati
Sestrone dina katsu
O julissi na ti buku
O julissi na katinu
Dvoranu mojani bidna
Marusi naja otcha tu"
Of course, if you're not a fluent Flemish speaker, it may not be immediately clear what my problem with these lyrics is. Indeed, from the way the Belgian audience are whooping in the clip, you'd be forgiven for thinking they're spontaneously responding to some ingeniously inspiring feel-good lyrics. So I've gone to the trouble of providing a full English translation below. It's important to note, however, that in one or two cases a particular word may not be translatable, because it has no meaning as such - ie. it's a nonsense word that does not actually exist in Flemish (or in any other language for that matter). Wherever this is the case, I have simply retained the original word in the text.
ENGLISH TRANSLATION -
Are you starting to sense the issue here? The Dutch entry a couple of years ago implored us to realise "there is a way to understand without a language". Whatever that way is, I think we can safely say this isn't it.
Labels: alternative Eurovision preview, Belgium, Eurovision, Eurovision Song Contest
War is Peace, Ignorance is Strength, Labour is United
"No-one is saying Gordon Brown takes an identical position to Wendy Alexander," says Malcolm Chisholm in the Scotsman today. "That's what devolution is all about." What are you on about, Malcolm? Everyone knows their positions are identical. Gordon Brown does not want a referendum, and Wendy Alexander completely agrees with him. On the other hand, Wendy Alexander does want a referendum, and Gordon Brown completely agrees with her too. So now they agree with each other twice over. That's why Labour have emerged from last week more united than ever.
War is Peace. Freedom is Slavery. Ignorance is Strength. Labour is United.
And if you're still not convinced, David Cairns is available for further interviews.
Labels: David Cairns, Gordon Brown, independence referendum, Labour, Malcolm Chisholm, politics, referenda, Scottish politics, The Scotsman, Wendy Alexander
There's always someone out there who will care for you...
The rehearsals for the 2008 Eurovision Song Contest are now well under way in Belgrade, and judging by the accounts that have come out from the hall, it seems that Norway was the clear winner from the batch that had their turn on day one (Sunday). We can tell this not only from the people who actually said the Norwegian singer Maria's performance was good, but more particularly from the report of a certain Mr. Keith Mills, who had previously said that it was "clearly the worst song in the contest" and that Maria is a "charmless and robotic performer". Intriguingly, he conceded yesterday that it's not quite "as bad" as before, and then hurriedly changed the subject onto what a large bottom Maria has. Hmmm. I think I've seen this pattern before with Keith when it suddenly dawns on him that he's called it wrong. Norway could be onto something here...
Labels: Eurovision, Eurovision rehearsals, Eurovision Song Contest, Norway
Yet another twist...
The spin in all the Sunday papers this morning was that Gordon Brown had finally won his tug-of-war with Wendy Alexander, and forced her into a humiliating climbdown, removing an independence referendum from Labour's agenda. But then, Wendy appears on the Politics Show for the second week in a row, and basically restates her original position that she is fairly likely to allow the SNP's referendum bill to pass in 2010. You really couldn't make this up...
On the same programme, David Cairns tells us that he's not the sort of politician to pretend that everything is wonderful when it quite obviously isn't. Funny that, because he's done an astonishingly good impersonation of exactly that sort of politician up till now - not least in the run-up to last year's Holyrood election fiasco.
Labels: David Cairns, independence referendum, Labour, politics, referenda, Scottish politics, Wendy Alexander
Kalomira of Greece
"An open book, an open book, well I'm sorry I am not..."
Is it entirely healthy to be quite so bloody triumphant about not being an open book? I'm not a slightly ajar door but I don't feel the need to witter on about it endlessly. But the lassie's narcissism doesn't end there -
"Sometimes I'm acting like a lady
sometimes woman, sometimes baby"
Oooh, what an enigma. If it's all the same to you, love, I might forego all this "finding your secret combination" and "winning a destination in the centre of your heart" malarkey and just concentrate on having a chocolate hobnob instead. At least you know where you are with one of those.
Labels: alternative Eurovision preview, Eurovision, Eurovision Song Contest, Greece
Wendy-don't-speak
I suppose I should write something about Labour's total meltdown over an independence referendum, but I'm almost speechless (a state of being Gordon Brown must wish Wendy Alexander would emulate for a few days). It's extraordinary how this issue has crept up on everyone - in retrospect it all started with Wendy's appearance on the Politics Show, but as you can see from my post on Sunday, what she said on the subject of a referendum didn't even leap out at me as being the most noteworthy part of the interview.
On an unrelated political matter, I was saddened to hear of the death of Ray Michie, the former Liberal Democrat MP for Argyll and Bute. She was one of the last of a dying breed of politicians who seemed almost too nice and principled to be in parliament (and I mean genuine nice, not any sort of 'Blair Babe' synthetic niceness).
Labels: independence referendum, Labour, Liberal Democrats, politics, referenda, Scottish politics, Wendy Alexander
Wendy-speak
In Scotland today, there are four notable languages spoken - Gaelic, Scots, English and Wendy-speak. Fortunately, the latter of these is the easiest to learn. It's almost identical to English (albeit with a strange system of tones and related facial expressions that are known to grate on non-native speakers), but with one key difference - if you want to convey that you don't have a bloody clue what the answer to a question is, you instead say "well what I'm saying to you is..." Witness the textbook examples on Newsnight Scotland tonight.
"Ms Alexander, do you want an independence referendum to be held in twelve months' time?"
"Well, what I'm saying to you is..."
"If Alex Salmond said let's compromise and have a referendum in 2010, that would be all right with you, would it?"
"So when do you want a referendum?"
Labels: Labour, languages, politics, Scottish politics, Wendy Alexander
What is the point of PR for the London Assembly?
On the day Boris Johnson becomes master of all he surveys, it's worth pondering this point. The principal rationale for proportional representation is 'majority rule', ie. no more compulsory ID cards imposed by New Labour on the basis of 35% of the popular vote, and no more unfettered Thatcherism on 42% of the vote. But how is the London voting system supposed to achieve that objective? The key problem is that for the only substantive decision the London assembly is permitted to take - to reject or amend the Mayor's budget - a two-thirds majority is required. This means the Mayor can be elected on a minority vote (quite probable on the supplementary vote system, since in practice most second preference votes are non-transferable) and then exercise total control provided that his party has a blocking minority in the assembly, which only requires 33% of the vote. All in all, the practical effect of 'electoral reform' in London looks suspiciously similar to first-past-the-post to me.
Labels: Boris Johnson, democracy, elections, electoral reform, politics, proportional representation
Stalin or Hitler?
It's the debate that's raged for decades - was Stalin worse than Hitler? Is communism intrinsically even more evil than fascism? This story settles the matter conclusively. It seems fascist countries could only win the Eurovision Song Contest by cheating. Communism may be responsible for the deaths of millions, but one thing is beyond dispute - it won its sole victory at the Eurovision by talent (ahem) alone.
I'm sure no-one needs reminding, but the song in question was "Rock me, baby" by Riva, which won for Yugoslavia in 1989. As with the seemingly corrupt Spanish victory in 1968, it was the UK that was edged into second place with the (really quite good) "Why Do I Always Get It Wrong?". To clarify in the words of the Swiss host on the night - "that isn't my question, it's the name of song from United Kingdom..."
Labels: Cliff Richard, communism, Eurovision, Eurovision Song Contest, fascism
Something's afoot...
Oooh, what's going on? First, Wendy Alexander says on the Politics Show that she won't "rule out" a referendum on independence, now Douglas Alexander says he is "not afraid" of one. When the Alexanders achieve something vaguely approaching inter-sibling co-ordination, you know something's afoot. Rest assured, though, by next week they'll have changed their minds again and decided that a referendum is "a distraction from the people of Scotland's priorities" after all (translation - we've had a proper think about it and we are actually quite scared).
Curiously, Wendy is continuing with her stubborn insistence that the one thing she won't countenance is Alex Salmond's suggestion of an STV-style multi-option referendum. But surely that's what would suit her best? The alternative is a straight yes/no vote, and all the polls show that format produces the most favourable outcome for independence, and sometimes a majority in favour. Is Wendy shooting herself (and the Union) in the foot here?
Labels: Alex Salmond, Douglas Alexander, independence referendum, politics, referenda, Scottish politics, Wendy Alexander
Just one thing, Wendy...
Scottish Labour leader Wendy Alexander appeared on the Politics Show on Sunday, and took the opportunity to crow about her party increasing its share of the vote by 5% in the Abbey local council by-election on Thursday. That more than makes up for total annihalation throughout England and Wales, apparently. She also claimed that the SNP's vote in the by-election had flatlined (translation - it was exactly the same as the record high last year). But strangely, she neglected to mention there were in fact two by-elections in Scotland on Thursday - and that the SNP won the other one with a whopping 15% increase in its vote share. Funny that, must have completely slipped her mind.
Labels: elections, Labour, local by-elections, local elections, politics, Scottish politics, SNP, Wendy Alexander
Morality tales in Marrakech
Snooker is one thing, but why do I suddenly also find myself hooked on The Apprentice, a programme whose central world view I utterly loathe and despise? (That world view being not so much that backstabbing and ruthless ambition are desirable qualities, but more that Sir Alan Sugar is some sort of top bloke who we should all be in awe of, and perhaps even have a secret crush on.) I'm going to be generous to myself and believe that the reason must be that I'm a hopeless idealist who yearns to see a little bit of justice done in the least promising places. And, if the rumours are true, I'm at least temporarily going to get my wish - the resident bullies Jenny C and Jenny M are going to get their comeuppance on Wednesday's episode after making the innovative tactical decision to bribe a street-trader in Marrakech. For one week only, The Apprentice reinvents itself as Christian morality tale.
Labels: Christianity, morality, reality TV, Sir Alan Sugar, television, The Apprentice
Snookered by the cynics
It was refreshing to read this article in the Sunday Herald reflecting on the ongoing therapeutic and life-affirming effect of watching snooker. I know, I know, I feel quite stupid for even having written those words. But the thing is, it's become a bit depressing each year at this time (and it's felt like this for at least fifteen years now) to read the ritual articles about how the glory days of the sport are long since past. Apart from anything else, it always leaves me with the alarming feeling that I'm wasting my life spending hours being gently hypnotised by something that's just so 1980s and past its prime. I'm also tormented by the knowledge that I probably failed one or two important exams in the 1990s because I was too busy willing Stephen Hendry or John Higgins to victory at the Crucible. There I part company with the writer of the Herald piece, though, because during the same period she was apparently willing the likes of Higgins and Hendry to fail against the so-called more 'charismatic' players like Jimmy White and Ronnie O'Sullivan. But if O'Sullivan's probable third world title tomorrow is what it takes to make others start to nod in agreement with her more general sentiment, I might just say it's worth it.
Labels: snooker, sport, Sunday Herald
The Kellner conundrum
Michael Portillo was widely ridiculed on Thursday night for suggesting that the Tories' 44% showing wasn't good enough, and that they "should be doing better" if they wanted to win the general election. At the time, I thought the rubbishing of this claim was entirely justified - after all, the Conservatives' lead of 44% to 24% looks remarkably similar to the 47%-25% lead Labour enjoyed in 1995 in the run-up to securing a record parliamentary majority of 179 in 1997. Anthony King (not my favourite psephologist, a subject I may return to another day) confirmed that a 20 point Tory lead in local elections has few historical precedents.
But now Peter Kellner of the polling company YouGov has muddied the waters by suggesting that, in real terms, Gordon Brown's 24% is somehow less bad than John Major's 25% in 1995. This is because, he claims, Labour tend to under-perform in local elections when compared to general elections, while the Liberal Democrats tend to over-perform. This has left me deeply confused. The point about the Lib Dems is undoubtedly true, but surely it's the incumbent government - whether Labour or Tory - that tends to see its vote depressed? Is there really a separate phenomenon that hurts Labour regardless of whether they find themselves in government or opposition? If I ever have a spare month or two, I might try to wade through the figures and work it out.
Labels: elections, local elections, Michael Portillo, politics, polling
Positive thoughts on local elections
One of the untold stories of the local elections (untold outside Wales, that is) has been the solid progress made by Plaid Cymru in their first test as a party of government. Across Wales the party scored a net gain of 33 council seats - just one short of what the Liberal Democrats managed across the entirety of England and Wales. That figure looks better still when you realise it was achieved even as Plaid were taking something of a hit in their Gwynedd heartland due to a local controversy over schools.
Not that you'd be likely to be aware of any of this if you live outside Wales, of course. The so-called 'national' UK media's coverage of political life in Wales is so minimal it makes their treatment of Scotland look positively fair (well, perhaps not). The truly historic moment of Plaid ministers taking up office for the first time last summer barely seemed to even register - there was, perhaps, fifteen seconds on it halfway through the Six O'Clock News. On last night's BBC election results programme, there was an extensive interview with Peter Tatchell on behalf of the Green Party of England and Wales. Quite right too - but given that the Greens won just 47 seats to Plaid's 207, that makes the omission of an interview with a Plaid represenative all the more indefensible. I dare say the defence would be the usual line that there was extensive coverage of Plaid's results during the Welsh opt-out segments. This is simply not good enough. If political coverage is to be ghettoised in that way, I really struggle to understand why those of us in Scotland have been subjected to relentless chatter about the London mayoral election for several weeks now. (And, no, repeated contrived explanations from Nick Robinson of 'Why This Matters to You Even If You Live Outside London' do not really alter that fundamental point.)
On the subject of the Ken and Boris show, I hear that Boris has finally been declared the winner, a mere twenty-six hours after the polls closed. We in Scotland set an impressive record of twenty hours last year, but it seems London with its instinctive understanding of its own importance simply couldn't resist taking matters to the next level. As for the result itself, I feel weirdly disappointed. In recent years, I've tended to be allergic to Labour under all circumstances, but the stubbornly progressive Ken is perhaps an exception. It's been quite amusing watching New Labour's finest (ahem) Tessa Jowell forced to defend him to the hilt - if only someone had put her on the spot about his pro-Chavez foreign policy!
Nevertheless, Boris it is. Of course, it's his multiple appearances on Have I Got News for You that have got him to where he is, but I think my own favourite Boris moment was when he won a prize at the Channel 4 political awards two or three years back. For the life of me, I can't remember exactly what he said, but it has to be one of the funniest acceptance speeches ever - and to be fair, I think that time I was laughing with him, not at him. Hopefully somebody might stick it on YouTube at some point.
Labels: elections, intrusive thoughts, Liberal Democrats, local elections, Nick Clegg, Plaid Cymru, politics
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Twitter Tracking
Domestic Grosses
BoxOffice Pro Magazine
3D Release Calendar
Weekend Predictions: 'Brave,' 'Magic Mike,' 'Ted,' 'Madea's Witness Protection' and 'People Like Us'
Featured Stories - on June 27, 2012 by Phil Contrino
Brave should have no problem fending off male strippers and talking teddy bears at the box office this coming weekend.
When it comes to family entertainment, the Disney/Pixar combo stands ahead of the rest. Brave is shaping up to be yet another steady earner in the tradition of Cars, WALL-E and Up. The animated flick currently boasts a healthy 85% combined approval rating from more than 73,000 Flixster users—a clear sign that word of mouth is strong enough to propel it to a second #1 finish.
As of 4 p.m. PT, Fandango reports that Brave accounts for 11% of daily sales.
Look for Brave to take in $33 million during its sophomore frame.
Magic Mike is shaping up to do some serious damage, and its breakout potential means that a #1 finish this weekend is a real possibility. The male-stripper drama will do incredibly well with female moviegoers and terribly among men—this is no four-quadrant hit. Magic Mike appeals to the same moviegoers who turned Bridesmaids into a $288.8 million worldwide sensation. Critics have been kind to Magic Mike, but they also caution that there's more depth to it than the ads let on. If the film isn't as fun as advertised, then that could hurt its staying power in the weeks to come.
Fandango reports that Magic Mike leads with an impressive 52% of daily sales.
Magic Mike should earn $29 million from more than 2,900 locations during its debut frame.
There's also plenty of room this weekend for Ted. Instead of having a date night, couples are bound to split up: women will see Magic Mike and men will see Ted. Ted director Seth MacFarlane's brand of humor is well-established thanks to the popularity of Family Guy, and it shouldn't be hard for him to transfer that trust to Ted. It also helps that the disappointing performance of That's My Boy leaves the market wide open for an R-rated comedy.
Fandango reports that Ted accounts for 7% of daily sales.
Look for Ted to rope in $26 million from around 3,000 locations.
By now, Tyler Perry's fans know exactly what they are getting when they go to see a Madea film. Perry's biggest hit remains Madea Goes To Jail with $90.5 million domestically, and the multi-hyphenate's loyal fans will show up once again for this latest effort.
Madea's Witness Protection accounts for 6% of daily sales on Fandango.
Expect Madea's Witness Protection to grab $24 million from around 2,000 locations.
People Like Us will struggle to find a market in such a crowded market. The female-skewing flick will have to settle for what's left over after Brave and Magic Mike take big bites. Expectations are modest. A $4.5 million opening from around 2,000 locations is likely.
Check out the rest of our weekend predictions in the table below.
Weekend Gross
Brave Jun 22, 2012 Disney
$33,000,000 $131,000,000
Magic Mike Jun 29, 2012 Warner Bros.
$29,000,000 $29,000,000
Ted (2012) Jun 29, 2012 Universal
Tyler Perry's Madea's Witness Protection Jun 29, 2012 Lionsgate
Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted Jun 8, 2012 Paramount / DreamWorks
Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter Jun 22, 2012 Fox
$6,500,000 $29,800,000
Prometheus Jun 8, 2012 Fox
$5,000,000 $118,500,000
People Like Us Jun 29, 2012 Disney
Marvel's The Avengers May 4, 2012 Disney
Moonrise Kingdom May 25, 2012 Focus
Snow White and the Huntsman Jun 1, 2012 Universal
Additional reporting by Daniel Garris and Alex Edghill.
Tags: Brave, Magic Mike, Ted, Tyler Perry's Madea's Witness Protection, People Like Us
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Long Range Forecast: 'Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows' & 'Me Before You'
Weekend Forecast: 'Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice', 'The Boss' & 'Hardcore Henry'
Long Range Forecast: 'X-Men: Apocalypse' & 'Alice Through the Looking Glass'
Weekend Forecast: 'Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice', 'Zootopia' & 'God’s Not Dead 2'
Long Range Forecast: 'Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising', 'The Angry Birds Movie' & 'The Nice Guys'
Weekend Forecast: 'Batman v Superman', 'Zootopia' & 'My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2'
Long Range Forecast: 'Money Monster'
Weekend Forecast: 'Zootopia', 'Allegiant' & 'Miracles from Heaven'
Long Range Forecast: 'Captain America: Civil War'
Weekend Forecast: 'Zootopia', '10 Cloverfield Lane', 'The Young Messiah', 'The Brothers Grimsby' & 'The Perfect Match'
© 2016 BoxOffice® Media, LLC. All rights reserved.
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Clear The Air News Tobacco Blog
Tobacco: Al the Facts, Legislation, and How it Affects Your Health.
Tobacco Blog
Shipping Blog
Tobacco Links
July, 2017:
‘Quitting tobacco can decrease cancer chances eight times’
by Editor.
Increase in tobacco consumption has led to rise in cancer cases among the youth in recent years. “It is most common in people between 25 and 40 years of age,” said Dr Satsheel Sapre, HoD of Head and Neck Cancer Department at Rashtrasant Tukdoji Regional Cancer Hospital (RST).
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/nagpur/quitting-tobacco-can-decrease-cancer-chances-eight-times/articleshow/59814866.cms
Sapre was speaking at an awareness programme organized by RST and Indian Medical Association (IMA) to mark Head and Neck Cancer Day, on Thursday, on the premises of the hospital. “Vidarbha is world capital of tobacco related cancers. Quitting tobacco can decrease chances of cancer eight times,” he said.
“Young people mostly start smoking or chewing tobacco due to peer pressure or perceive it as something glamorous. But smoking causes lung cancer and increases development of unwanted, uncontrolled and abnormal cells,” Sapre added.
Making an appeal about quitting smoking, Sapre said, “Our body does not need tobacco. It only harms our body, still many youths take the suicidal path. According to WHO, one among every eight persons is likely to be affected with cancer before death.”
Talking about symptoms of cancer, Sapre said, “Bleeding from mouth, constipation, change in voice, stink from mouth and fever or cough for more than 15 days can be symptoms of cancer. Patients must visit doctors for fighting cancer, it will not disappear by itself.”
A cancer survivor Shrimad shared his experience. “In 2000, I developed a small lump on my chick, which was due to cancer. I use to chew tobacco but I didn’t lose hope and fought it. Now I am living a normal life. I will suggest everyone not to eat tobacco and never lose hope because you can fight cancer. Doctors are your closest friend against diseases like cancer,” he said.
A small play on banning tobacco, alcohol and smoking was also staged at the programme. It illustrated cancer as the ‘boss’ of all addictive materials that are driving people towards destruction.
Dr BK Sharma, director of RST, and Dr Avinash Wase, president of IMA, were also present at the programme.
Report claims tobacco laws could change post Brexit
The Department of Health has issued a report that shows Brexit will allow some aspects of standardized tobacco packaging to be re-evaluated.
https://www.packagingnews.co.uk/news/markets/tobacco/cpma-brexit-offers-tobacco-pack-deregulation-21-07-2017
The government report, ‘Towards a Smokefree Generation – A Tobacco Control Plan for England’, includes a section titled ‘Leaving the European Union’ which states:
“Over the course of this Tobacco Control Plan, the government will review where the UK’s exit from the EU offers us opportunities to reappraise current regulation to ensure this continues to protect the nation’s health. We will look to identify where we can sensibly deregulate without harming public health or where EU regulations limit our ability to deal with tobacco.”
Mike Ridgway of the CPMA said that he acknowledges the objective of sensible and balanced regulation in tackling the issues surrounding smoking and health. However, he argues that that Brexit offers opportunities to re-appraise current regulation and identify where deregulation can take place.
He cites two examples from a packaging perspective would allow for the re-introduction of cigarette packs of tens and reducing the R-Y-O loose tobacco minimum limit of 30g where the restrictions have adversely affected packaging manufacturers.
“Both existing regulations currently encourage the purchasing of more product and the spending of more cash by the consumer on tobacco products in direct contradiction of the objectives of the tobacco control advocates to reduce consumption,” said Ridgway. “A further relaxation in pack shape design would allow an additional degree of packaging innovation which would add complexity to the packaging and reduce further opportunities for counterfeiting,” concludes Ridgway who has been opposing the “excessive regulation” of packaging on consumer products for many years.
WHO report gives India high marks for fighting tobacco use
A new report by the World Health Organisation on the global use of tobacco shows India, Bangladesh and Bhutan on top of the list of South East Asian countries that have achieved a high level of tobacco control.
http://www.domain-b.com/organisation/who_collaborating_centre/20170721_tobacco.html
The prevalence of tobacco use in India has fallen from 34.1 per cent to 28.6 per cent over the last seven years, the report says, comparing data from two rounds of the Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS) in 2009-10 and 2016-17.
The WHO report titled Global Tobacco Epidemic, 2017: Monitoring Tobacco Use and Prevention Policies, was released in New York on Wednesday on the sidelines of the United Nations High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development. The report covers 194 countries, divided into The Americas, South East Asia, Europe, Eastern Mediterranean, Western Pacific, and Africa. There are 11 countries in the South East Asia group, including India.
Though the population worldwide protected by tobacco control measures has grown almost five-fold than ten years ago, the World Health Organisation (WHO) on Wednesday called on countries to do more to prioritise these life-saving policies.
In India, Mumbai, Kolkata, Delhi, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Pune, Surat, Kanpur, Jaipur, Lucknow and Nagpur are among the top 100 cities across the world named for the strict implementation of policies to prevent tobacco use. The report lists the cities population-wise, using figures published in the UN Statistics Division’s Demographic Yearbook.
Globally, the WHO report said about 4.7 billion people, or 63 per cent of the world’s population, are covered today by at least one comprehensive tobacco control measure. Ten years ago, in 2007, the number was only one billion, or 15 per cent of the world’s population.
However, tobacco use has still become the leading single preventable cause of death worldwide, killing over seven million people each year.
Its economic costs are also enormous, totalling more than $1.4 trillion in healthcare and lost productivity, according to WHO.
Meanwhile, the tobacco industry continues to hamper government efforts to fully implement life- and cost-saving interventions, by, for example, exaggerating the economic importance of the tobacco industry, discrediting proven science, and using litigation to intimidate governments, the report says.
Poor countries ahead
More than half of the top national performers on tobacco control are low- and middle-income countries, showing that progress is possible regardless of economic situation. A tracking of MPOWER measures – introduced by WHO in 2007 to assist in the country-level implementation of measures to reduce the demand for tobacco – has revealed that the number of people protected by at least one best-practice measure has quadrupled to 4.7 billion – or almost two-thirds of the world’s population.
As many as 121 out of 194 countries have introduced at least one MPOWER measure at the highest level of achievement (not including monitoring or mass media campaigns, which are assessed separately).
Thirty-four countries with a total population of 2 billion have adopted large graphic pack warnings. Six countries (Afghanistan, Cambodia, El Salvador, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Romania and Uganda) have adopted new laws making all indoor public places and workplaces smoke-free. Six countries (El Salvador, Estonia, India, Jamaica, Luxembourg and Senegal) have advanced to best-practice level with their tobacco use cessation services, the report says.
India and Nepal are regional and global leaders in implementing large, pictorial warning labels on tobacco packaging. With the increase in the size of pack warnings to 85 per cent of both front and back panels on all tobacco products, India now has the third largest pack warning label among all countries.
The findings of GATS-2 showed that graphic warning labels depicting throat cancer and oral cancer are a strong tool to discourage the youth from initiating tobacco, and have motivated 275 million current users to quit.
Dr Vinayak Prasad, Geneva-based head of the WHO Tobacco Free Initiative, told The Indian Express that among the many measures to control tobacco in India was the joint WHO-International Telecommunication Union initiative mCessation, launched in 2015 with the Ministries of Health and Family Welfare and Communication and Information Technology. ”The programme to encourage people to quit tobacco use registered more than two million users last year and the initial evaluation showed that more than 7% quit successfully after six months,” Dr Prasad said.
The WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC), the first international treaty negotiated under the auspices of WHO, was adopted by the World Health Assembly in 2003, and entered into force in 2005. It has since become one of the most widely embraced treaties in UN history.
Tobacco companies interfere with health regulations, WHO reports
Tobacco industry is interfering with government attempts to regulate products and aggressively pursuing new markets in Africa, World Health Organization says
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/jul/19/tobacco-industry-government-policy-interference-regulations
Cigarette manufacturers are attempting to thwart government tobacco controls wherever possible, even as governments make progress regulating the products, a new World Health Organization report has found.
World health officials also warn that tobacco companies have moved their fight to the developing world, such as Africa, where smoking rates are predicted to rise by double digits in the coming decades.
“Tobacco industry interference in government policymaking represents a deadly barrier to advancing health and development in many countries,” said Douglas Bettcher, director of the WHO’s department for the prevention of noncommunicable diseases. “But by monitoring and blocking such activities, we can save lives and sow the seeds for a sustainable future for all.”
Tobacco-related diseases are the leading preventable cause of death worldwide. The products kill more than 7 million people each year – more than HIV and Aids, tuberculosis and malaria combined. The effects of the substance are also costly. Researchers believe that tobacco-related harm costs the world $1.4tn in healthcare costs and lost productivity.
A recent investigation by the Guardian found that tobacco companies, including British American Tobacco, threatened African countries with domestic and trade lawsuits if certain anti-smoking measures were put in place. BAT says it is not against all regulations but needs to take action from “time to time”.
A Reuters investigation found that BAT’s arch-rival, Philip Morris International, developed a vast lobbying campaign to delay and prevent tobacco controls. PMI says there is nothing improper about its executives engaging with government officials.
Wednesday’s WHO report, which was funded by Bloomberg Philanthropies, comes on the same day as a shareholder vote on a $49bn merger between BAT and Reynolds American Incorporated, a deal that would make BAT the largest listed tobacco company in the world.
“The epicentre of this epidemic has moved to the developing world,” said Dr Vera Luiza da Costa e Silva, head of WHO’s convention secretariat. “Low- and middle-income countries struggle to combat a tobacco industry seeking to pursue new markets, often through shameless interference with public health policymaking.”
Currently, the World Health Organization recommends countries put in place six regulations health officials see as critical to reducing smoking: systems to monitor smoking rates; laws to protect people from secondhand smoke; tools to help people quit; warnings about the dangers of tobacco use; enforcement of advertising bans, and increased taxes on tobacco products.
Six in 10 countries have implemented at least one of the six protections, officials said, four times the population that was protected in 2007.
However, progress is lopsided. Some recommendations have been far more widely accepted than others. For example, 3.5 billion people in 78 countries are protected by graphic warnings on cigarette packs, but only 15% of the world’s population is protected by a comprehensive advertising ban, and high tobacco taxes, while very effective, are one of the least-implemented measures.
Even some wealthier nations have had trouble getting tobacco control measures in effect. In the United States, for example, there are no graphic warnings on cigarette packs because of industry lawsuits and regulatory delay, and tobacco taxes remain low.
Anti-tobacco lawmakers and campaigners in the US blame the slow progress on “pervasive” tobacco industry influence, which reaches all the way to top officials in the Trump White House.
“Working together, countries can prevent millions of people from dying each year from preventable tobacco-related illness,” said Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the WHO director-general. “Governments around the world must waste no time”.
Bloomberg Philanthropies funds Vital Strategies, which part funds the Guardian’s Tobacco: a deadly business series, the content of which is editorially independent.
UN Reports More People Warned Against Tobacco Use
Despite measures protecting a majority of people from tobacco-related illness and death, the tobacco industry continues to hamper Government efforts to fully implement life and cost-saving interventions, the United Nations health agency reported.
http://www.womenofchina.cn/womenofchina/html1/features/health/1707/4690-1.htm
“One-third of countries have comprehensive systems to monitor tobacco use. While this is up from one-quarter of countries monitoring tobacco use at recommended levels in 2007, Governments still need to do more to prioritize or finance this area of work,” according to the UN World Health Organization’s WHO report on the global tobacco epidemic, which was launched today on side-lines of the UN High-level political forum on sustainable development in New York.
The report shows that some 4.7 billion people – more than 60 per cent of the population – are protected by at least one “best practice” tobacco control measure from the WHO’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC). These measures include no smoking areas and bans on advertising tobacco products, for example.
In the foreword to the report, the head of WHO urged Governments to incorporate all the provisions of the WHO FCTC into their national tobacco control programmes and policies, and to fight against the illicit tobacco trade.
“Working together, countries can prevent millions of people from dying each year from preventable tobacco-related illness, and save billions of dollars a year in avoidable health-care expenditures and productivity losses,” said Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General.
The report, funded by Bloomberg Philanthropies, noted that systematic monitoring of tobacco industry interference in government policymaking protects public health by shedding light on tobacco industry tactics.
Such tactics include “exaggerating the economic importance of the tobacco industry, discrediting proven science and using litigation to intimidate governments.”
Douglas Bettcher, director of WHO’s Department for the Prevention of Noncommunicable Diseases (NCDs), said tobacco industry interference in government policy making represents “a deadly barrier to advancing health and development in many countries.
Controlling tobacco use is a key part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The Agenda includes targets to strengthen national implementation of the WHO FCTC and a one-third reduction in premature deaths from NCDs, including heart and lung diseases, cancer and diabetes, according to a press release launching the report.
“The progress that’s been made worldwide – and documented throughout this report – shows that it is possible for countries to turn the tide,” said Michael R. Bloomberg, WHO Global Ambassador for Noncommunicable Diseases and founder of Bloomberg Philanthropies.
Comprehensive Tobacco Bill Drafted
Minister of Health, Dr. the Hon. Christopher Tufton, says a comprehensive Tobacco Control Bill has been developed and is under review.
http://jis.gov.jm/comprehensive-tobacco-bill-drafted/
Making his contribution to a private member’s motion brought by Member of Parliament for Central Kingston, Rev. Ronald Thwaites, on public health issues arising from tobacco and ganja use, in the House of Representatives on July 18, Dr. Tufton said the comprehensive legislation seeks to address critical matters which have not been addressed under the existing Tobacco Control Regulations.
These, he said, include: regulating the interactions of Government officials with the tobacco industry; and regulating price and tax measures in a manner that will effectively contribute to the reduction of tobacco consumption.
Other focus areas of the Bill include: testing and measurement of the contents and emissions of tobacco products and provisions for the disclosure of toxic substances to the public; full prohibition on tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship, including a ban on point-of- sale tobacco displays; and Jamaica’s commitment to eliminate all forms of illicit trade in tobacco products.
“The Bill will also prohibit sale of all forms of tobacco products to and by minors. The Child Care and Protection Act (CCPA) does not prohibit the sale of tobacco products in general (including electronic nicotine delivery systems) to and by minors,” Dr. Tufton
He noted that the current provision restrictively references cigarettes, cigars, cheroots and cigarillos.
The Minister added that attempts were being made by the Office of the Children’s Advocate to amend the CCPA to accord with the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) requirements.
“Therefore priority areas for the Government include: full implementation of a comprehensive ban on tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship; enacting a comprehensive tobacco control legislation; and reducing demand on tobacco products
through increased taxes,” Dr. Tufton said.
He noted that multi-sectoral collaborations on the drafting of the Bill have been completed and a report is to be submitted to each of the portfolio ministries for their final comments.
The Ministry has also engaged the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade to lead the process, which involves deliberations among legal personnel from the various ministries.
A Cabinet submission is to be developed in relation to this legislation.
Fariñas, Marcos swap raps of stealing original tobacco fund papers
House Majority Floor Leader Rodolfo Fariñas has called out Ilocos Norte Governor Imee Marcos for her “very cheap and wild desperation shot,” after she accused him of stealing the original documents on transactions using proceeds from the tobacco excise tax.
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/915402/farinas-marcos-swap-raps-of-stealing-original-tobacco-fund-papers
Marcos claimed in a Wednesday statement that Fariñas’ personnel swiped the original documents from the Commission on Audit’s office inside the provincial capitol. She added that the Ilocos Six officials only declined to give sworn statements on the photocopies presented to avoid the risk of committing perjury.
Sought for comment, Fariñas called out Marcos for “coming up with a yarn” and shot back that “her people stole the original documents and now claim the loss of such as their alibi not to remember the transactions subject of the inquiry”
“Really? Who’s using the loss of the originals as an alibi in not remembering the transactions under question?” he exclaimed.
At the same time, he mocked Marcos for appearing in a July 13 press conference in Manila, where she compared the investigation to the politics of Game of Thrones and quoted: “The North remembers and it never forgets.”
“She even borrowed a line from the Game of Thrones that the North remembers! Really? How come the Amnesiac 6 do not remember the P66.45M cash advances that Imee gave them?” Fariñas said.
“She should appear at the hearing, if she is really from the North, and show the Filipino people how she’ll help the Amnesiac 6 remember their suspicious cash transactions.”
Fariñas also called out Marcos for asking the Supreme Court to prohibit the House good government and public accountability committee’s inquiry while going on “a media blitz for her false statements.”
“The public clearly sees who is spending millions of pesos to cover up the loss of the bulk of P66.45M of tobacco funds,” he said.
The Ilocos Six refers to the following employees: provincial planning and development officer and bids and awards committee chair Pedro Agcaoili, provincial budget officer Evangeline Tabulog, provincial treasurer Josephine Calajate, accountant Eden Battulayan, and treasury office staff Genedine Jambaro and Encarnacion Gaor.
They were detained at the House since May 29 after giving unsatisfactory answers during the committee inquiry on the alleged misuse of P66.45-million tobacco tax proceeds to purchase government vehicles supposedly without public bidding, instead of spending on projects for the benefit of tobacco farmers. SFM
Raise tax on tobacco and make smokers pay for health costs
I support Gauri Venkitaraman’s plea for bans in public areas where the permeation of cigarette smoke is harmful for passers-by or those trying to enjoy the outdoors (“Smoking in public leaves even non-smokers in Hong Kong facing serious health risks [1]”, July 11).
Non-smokers in proximity risk having their asthma flare up. Curious toddlers could become poisoned by ingesting carelessly discarded butts.
The fire contagion risk posed by still-burning cigarette ends is well known during the height of Australia’s bush-fire-prone sizzling summer and hot summers elsewhere.
Less smoking means fewer discarded butts posing a fire hazard. Another reason to impose smoking bans is to prevent adverse lifestyle role modelling for impressionable children.
From a public health perspective, raising tobacco sales tax is likely to reduce daily cigarette consumption and, more importantly, dissuade adolescents from taking up smoking. The cost disincentive of a higher tax holds the potential to improve the community burden of heart and lung disease that consumes avoidable health-care outlays.
It’s about time smokers who adopt unhealthy life habits subsidised the huge expense incurred in treating the acute exacerbation of chronic lung disease, pulmonary community rehabilitation as well as stents and bypass surgery required to alleviate coronary artery disease. Smokers have an addiction requiring an external agency to help them give up.
Imposing higher taxes on fast food and alcohol offers opportunities to improve public health related to “diabesity” (diabetes plus obesity), alcohol-related trauma and interpersonal violence. If we can extend sales tax disincentives to fast food and alcohol, then claims that a tobacco tax discriminates against smokers cannot be justified.
Joseph Ting, associate professor, School of Public Health and
Social Work, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
Source URL: http://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/2103457/raise-tax-tobacco-and-make-smokers-pay-health-costs
Taxation: Most effective but still the least-used tobacco control measure
source: Infographic: Stop Smoking: It’s Deadly and Bad for the Economy
A new report by the World Health Organization (WHO) shares some good news: Six in 10 people worldwide are now protected by at least one of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC)-recommended demand reduction measures, including taxation. The report, launched on the sidelines of the UN high-level political forum on sustainable development, also makes clear that raising taxes to increase tobacco product prices is the most cost-effective means to reduce tobacco use and prevent initiation among the youth. But it is still one of the least used tobacco control measures.
https://blogs.worldbank.org/health/taxation-most-effective-still-least-used-tobacco-control-measure
The facts about this global public health scourge are undisputable:
Tobacco use is the leading single preventable cause of death worldwide, killing over 7 million people each year.
Cigarettes are addictive by design, and smoking cigarettes can damage every part of the body, causing different cancers from the head or neck to the lungs and cervix and other chronic conditions such as stroke and heart disease, which lead to early death.
The direct and indirect economic costs are also enormous, totaling more than US$1.4 trillion.
Controlling tobacco use is critical for the achievement of the health and social and economic targets in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
But we know what needs to be done and governments are acting. Governments are implementing “MPOWER”, six tobacco control measures in line with the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC). MPOWER includes:
Monitoring tobacco use and prevention policies;
Protecting people from tobacco smoke;
Offering help to quit tobacco use;
Warning about the dangers of tobacco;
Enforcing bans on tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship; and
Raising tobacco taxes.
The WHO report indicates that 43% of the world’s population (3.2 billion people) are now covered by two or more MPOWER measures at the highest level, nearly seven times the number covered in 2007. Eight countries, including five low- and middle-income ones, have implemented four or more MPOWER measures at the highest level: Brazil, Islamic Republic of Iran, Ireland, Madagascar, Malta, Panama, Turkey, and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
Some additional findings are noteworthy:
Monitoring: Several countries, such as Nepal, India, and the Philippines, that conducted WHO-backed initiatives to monitor tobacco use have used the information to adopt measures to protect people from tobacco use. For example, Philippines’ landmark Sin Tax Reform Law was passed in 2012 after its 2009 global adult tobacco survey showed high smoking rates among men (47.4%) and boys (12.9%). The implementation of this policy measure has contributed to declining tobacco use as evidenced by the country’s 2015 adult tobacco survey results.
Protect: Comprehensive smoke-free legislation is currently in place for almost 1.5 billion people in 55 countries. Dramatic progress has been witnessed in low- and middle-income countries, 35 of which have adopted these laws since 2007.
Offer: Appropriate cessation treatment is in place for 2.4 billion people in 26 countries.
Warn: More people are protected by strong graphic pack warnings than by any other MPOWER measure, covering almost 3.5 billion people in 78 countries – almost half (47%) the global population. And, 3.2 billion people live in a country that aired at least one comprehensive national anti-tobacco mass media campaign in the last two years.
Enforce: Bans on tobacco advertising, promotion, and sponsorship interfere with the tobacco industry’s ability to promote and sell its deadly products and reduce tobacco use. But only 15% of the world’s population is currently covered by a comprehensive ban.
Raise: Raising taxes to increase tobacco product prices is the most cost-effective measure to reduce tobacco use and encourage users to quit, but it is one of the least used tobacco control measures globally.
What the World Bank Group is doing
As an institution, the Bank has long been committed to tobacco control as reflected in its unambiguous Operational Directive 4.76 of 1999 that mandates that the World Bank Group does not lend directly or provide credits, grants, or guarantees for tobacco production, processing, or marketing. The Bank’s policy advice and technical assistance support tobacco tax increases to protect the population from health risks and to mobilize additional domestic resources.
Over the past two decades, Bank teams have carried out substantial analytical work to build the global knowledge base on issues related to tobacco control.
In recent years, the Bank, in partnership with the Gates and Bloomberg Foundations, and in coordination with WHO, has supported countries in the design of tobacco tax policy reforms to raise prices, reduce consumption, and mobilize domestic resources in accordance with the 2015 Financing for Development Addis Ababa Action Agenda.
In addition to support provided to the reforms in Philippines in 2012, in Botswana in 2013, in Ghana in 2014, and in Peru in 2015, the Bank’s assistance to Armenia, Colombia, Moldova, and Ukraine contributed to the adoption of significant tobacco tax increases in 2016. The total population covered by these policy actions is about 250 million people.
Ongoing support is being provided in 2017 to an additional set of countries across regions, including Montenegro, where the government recently announced that tobacco taxes will be increased over the next 3 years in line with the European Union Tobacco Tax Directive’s target rates, and in Lesotho, as part of the 2017 budget presented by the new government to Parliament.
In moving the global tobacco control agenda forward, as the findings of the 2017 WHO report suggest, a dedicated focus by governments with support of the international community is required to raise tobacco taxes since it continues to be the least used tobacco control measure. This is of critical importance to make these deadly products unaffordable, reduce consumption among current smokers, and prevent smoking initiation among children and youth.
While health is the main objective, we also need to argue, on the basis of country evidence from across the world, that raising tobacco taxes can generate a significant fiscal benefit by helping to expand a country’s tax base and increase the budgetary capacity of governments to fund priority investments and programs that benefit the entire population.
Philip Morris takes aim at young people in India, and health officials are fuming
The tobacco giant is pushing Marlboros in colorful ads at kiosks and handing out free smokes at parties frequented by young adults – tactics that break India’s anti-smoking laws, government officials say. Internal documents uncovered by Reuters illuminate the strategy.
http://www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/pmi-india/
S. K. Arora spent more than three years trudging through the Indian summer heat and monsoon rains to inspect tobacco kiosks across this sprawling megacity, tearing down cigarette advertisements and handing out fines to store owners for putting them up.
But as fast as he removed the colorful ads, more appeared.
The chief tobacco control officer at the Delhi state government, Arora asked the major cigarette companies to put a stop to the cat-and-mouse routine. In official letters and face-to-face meetings, he told them India’s tobacco control laws barred such public advertising and promotion of cigarettes.
That included the Indian arm of Philip Morris International Inc, the world’s largest publicly traded tobacco company. Early last year, Arora said, he met with a Philip Morris director for corporate affairs in India, a man named R. Venkatesh, and told him the signs were an unequivocal violation of Indian law.
Like other tobacco companies, Philip Morris kept up its ad blitz.
Venkatesh says Philip Morris is doing nothing wrong. In response to questions from Reuters, he said the company’s advertising is “compliant with Indian law” and that Philip Morris has “fully cooperated with the enforcement authorities” on the matter.
But Indian government officials say Philip Morris is using methods that flout the nation’s tobacco-control regulations. These include tobacco shop displays as well as the free distribution of Marlboro – the world’s best-selling cigarette brand – at nightclubs and bars frequented by young people.
In internal documents, Philip Morris International is explicit about targeting the country’s youth. A key goal is “winning the hearts and minds of LA-24,” those between legal age, 18, and 24, according to one slide in a 2015 commercial review presentation.
As with the point-of-sale ads at kiosks, public health officials say that giving away cigarettes is a violation of India’s Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act and its accompanying rules.
Philip Morris’ marketing strategy for India, which relies heavily on kiosk advertising and social events, is laid out in hundreds of pages of internal documents reviewed by Reuters that cover the period from 2009 to 2016. In them, Philip Morris presents these promotions as key marketing activities. In recent years, they have helped to more than quadruple Marlboro’s market share in India, where the company is battling to expand its reach in the face of an entrenched local giant. Reuters is publishing a selection of those documents in a searchable repository, The Philip Morris Files.
The company’s goal is to make sure that “every adult Indian smoker should be able to buy Marlboro within walking distance,” according to another 2015 strategy document.
In targeting young adults, Philip Morris is deploying a promotional strategy that it and other tobacco companies used in the United States decades ago. A study published in the American Journal of Public Health in 2002 found that during the 1990s, “tobacco industry sponsorship of bars and nightclubs increased dramatically, accompanied by cigarette brand paraphernalia, advertisements, and entertainment events in bars and clubs.”
With cigarette sales declining in many countries, Philip Morris has identified India, population 1.3 billion, as a market with opportunity for significant growth. “India remains a high potential market with huge upside with cigarette market still in infancy,” says a 2014 internal document.
According to government data, India has about 100 million smokers. Of those, about two-thirds smoke traditional hand-rolled cigarettes. Tobacco use kills more than 900,000 people a year in India, and the World Health Organization estimates that tobacco-related diseases cost the country about $16 billion annually.
Philip Morris is not alone in using marketing methods that Indian officials say are illegal. The country’s largest cigarette maker, ITC Ltd, uses similar tactics, such as advertising at kiosks. British American Tobacco Plc and Indian state-run companies have large, passive stakes in ITC, which controls about 80 percent of the market.
Tobacco-control officer Arora, a short, mustachioed man with a gruff demeanor, sent a letter to Philip Morris and other tobacco companies in mid-April, giving them until the end of the month to remove all advertisements. “Legal action will be initiated against the company” if it did not comply, he wrote in the letters, copies of which were reviewed by Reuters.
A day after Arora’s deadline passed, he and his team conducted a raid in an affluent area of cafes and coffee shops in New Delhi that showed his letters did not have the desired effect.
On that hot afternoon in May, the team cut down about a dozen advertisements for Marlboro and various ITC brands. As word of the raid spread, worried vendors covered their ads with newspapers or took them down.
One kiosk owner, Rakesh Kumar Jain, removed his Marlboro ads before Arora’s team arrived. Jain said the signs had been put up by Philip Morris representatives. In return, he said, he received free cigarettes each month worth about 2,000 rupees (about $30). Jain knew that putting up the posters was illegal, but they helped improve sales, he said.
About a dozen kiosk owners interviewed by Reuters said that tobacco companies paid them a monthly fee for advertisements and product displays, with the amount determined by factors such as location, volume of business and type of promotional material.
In payment receipts seen by Reuters, Philip Morris’ India unit promised to pay 500 Indian rupees ($7.50) a month to a cigarette seller with a small roadside kiosk in New Delhi for putting up Marlboro ads. The receipts were signed by a company representative.
During the raid, fines were issued to some vendors, many of them repeat offenders, and they were threatened with court action if the ads went up again.
Like Philip Morris, ITC says that it is in full compliance with India’s 2003 tobacco control law. If it wasn’t, the company said in a statement to Reuters, then “the relevant government authorities would have initiated action.”
Since Arora’s threat of legal action in April, there are fewer Philip Morris advertisements outside cigarette shops in the capital. But both Philip Morris and ITC say that advertising inside a shop is allowed.
“Advertisements of tobacco products at the entrance and inside the shops selling tobacco products are clearly and categorically permitted,” ITC said in response to questions from Reuters.
Arora, however, said all advertising is prohibited – “There are no two ways about it,” he insisted – but he can’t start legal proceedings until getting further guidance from the federal government. He has yet to receive an answer.
Federal health officials say in interviews that the ads are out of bounds. Amal Pusp, a director for tobacco control at the health ministry, told Reuters that “there is no confusion”: All advertisements – inside and outside shops – are illegal.
The 2003 law allows tobacco companies to advertise at shops, but subsequent rules issued by the government prohibit it.
“India remains a high potential market with huge upside with cigarette market still in infancy.”
From a 2014 internal Philip Morris document
In 2004, India became one of the first countries to ratify the World Health Organization’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) treaty. The pact has 181 members and contains a raft of anti-smoking provisions, including tobacco taxes, warning labels on cigarette packs and advertising bans. The country enacted its national tobacco control law the year before ratifying the FCTC, and since then the government has added rules to strengthen the law in line with the treaty’s provisions.
The health ministry published rules in 2005 that banned any display of brand names, pack images or promotional messages. The rule specified that tobacco retailers could only display a 60-by-45 centimeter board, roughly 24 by 18 inches. The sign can have a description of the type of tobacco products sold – such as cigarettes or chewing tobacco – but cannot include any brand advertising and must carry a large health warning.
The health ministry’s rules were challenged in court by a group of cigarette distributors and put on hold by a state-level High Court for seven years. They finally came into force in 2013 on orders of India’s Supreme Court.
The High Court had overlooked the fact that advertisement of tobacco products “will attract younger generation and innocent minds, who are not aware of grave and adverse consequences of consuming such products,” the Supreme Court said in its ruling.
Philip Morris has lobbied against the passing of stricter tobacco control rules by the Indian government. In documents detailing the company’s plans for the biennial FCTC treaty convention in India last November, Prime Minister Narendra Modi emerges as a prime target. A key goal: to pre-empt Modi from taking “extreme anti-tobacco measures” before delegates were to gather from around the world for the treaty meeting, according to a 2014 corporate affairs PowerPoint presentation.
Excerpts from the Philip Morris Files
Reuters reviewed hundreds of pages of internal Philip Morris International documents relating to India. These excerpts show the company’s marketing and lobbying tactics, which are aimed at bolstering the Marlboro brand among young adults and blocking the “enactment of extreme anti-tobacco measures.” Letters from Indian officials detail the government’s efforts to enforce the country’s tobacco control regulations. (Some documents include highlighting by Reuters.)
A slide from a Philip Morris training manual shows the kinds of people the company aims to target for Marlboro sales in India. LAS = legal age smokers.
A slide from a 2014 strategy presentation shows Philip Morris’ goals for marketing Marlboro Red in India. LA-24 = legal age to 24-year-old smokers.
This slide from a 2012 marketing presentation shows where Philip Morris planned to target 18-to-24-year-old smokers in India.
A Philip Morris training manual lays out rules for how those marketing its cigarettes should look. FWP = field work personnel.
Another slide from the Philip Morris training manual includes instructions for company representatives handing out free cigarettes at kiosks as part of brand promotion. (IPM = India Philip Morris; GPI = Godfrey Phillips India; POS = point of sale.)
Kiosk owners in Delhi say that Philip Morris pays them a monthly fee to put up its advertisements. Names have been redacted on this Philip Morris receipt.
Keshav Desiraju, then a senior health ministry official, wrote to state governments in January 2013, instructing them to stop all tobacco advertisements.
In April, S.K. Arora, the chief tobacco control officer in Delhi, warned Philip Morris International in a letter that it could face legal action over its advertising.
An excerpt from a 2013 letter from a health ministry official to state governments shows specifications for the board that can be displayed at shops selling tobacco products. According to Indian law, the board cannot include any brand names. Beedis are traditional hand-rolled cigarettes.
Ahead of the World Health Organization’s global tobacco control treaty meeting in India last November, Philip Morris planned to engage Prime Minister Narendra Modi in an effort to head off new anti-tobacco measures. The slide is from a 2014 corporate affairs document. CoP7 = Conference of the Parties, the biennial treaty meeting.
The company planned to gain Modi’s ear through those close to him. It identified several people in this group, including Commerce Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Health Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda, and Amit Shah, president of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party.
Modi and the other politicians didn’t respond to requests for comment. Philip Morris International also didn’t comment on the plan.
The tobacco giant’s efforts to fend off anti-smoking steps have had limited impact so far. Last year, for instance, India ordered manufacturers to cover 85 percent of the surface of cigarette packs with health warnings, up from 20 percent. The rule, which is still being challenged in a state court by the tobacco industry, including Philip Morris’ India partner, was implemented by order of the Supreme Court.
Marlboro has just a 1.4 percent share of the almost $10 billion cigarette market in India. The industry is dominated by ITC, which has a strong grip on distributors and retailers.
One major method Philip Morris is deploying to gain ground, the marketing documents show, is the free distribution of cigarettes at bars and nightclubs – known as Legal Age Meeting Points, or LAMPs, in company jargon. The hiring of young women and men to work at these gatherings is outsourced to event management companies, according to people with knowledge of the gatherings.
Some of the recruiting takes place online. “Hey girls…We are searching A++ Hot & Gorgeous girls for the Marlboro pub activity…Pay: 2000/day…Work: Promotion in clubs in Delhi,” read one post on a Facebook public group in June last year. There was no company name attached to the ad.
At several parties attended by Reuters in Delhi and Mumbai, young women dressed in the colors of the latest Marlboro variant handed out packs of cigarettes. During one party at a nightclub in a Delhi hotel, a young woman walked around with a tablet showing an ad that highlighted Marlboro features. A television screen played a video promoting the brand: “For trendsetters, for forward thinkers, a smooth and balanced smoking experience.”
In many ways, it was right out of the Philip Morris 1990s playbook. The American Journal of Public Health study, drawing on previously secret industry documents, found that Philip Morris ran bar promotions in 1990 using racing jackets, and added “neon message boards and cocktail trays” in 1991. The study described methods for collecting names for a company database “to generate smoker profiles, direct mailing campaigns, and conduct telephone research studies after the bar events.”
At the parties in India, people who took the Marlboro packs were asked their names, ages and preferred brands. Philip Morris calls this distribution of free cigarettes “sampling,” which it says in an internal document is allowed under the law.
The company has spent millions of dollars on these activities. In 2014, for example, Philip Morris estimated it spent $1.6 million on LAMP events and sampling at kiosks in India, according to the 2015 commercial review presentation.
The company planned to use LAMPs in 2015 to generate 30,000 “trials,” or samplings of cigarettes. And it planned to generate another 500,000 trials that year through sampling at cigarette shops and kiosks, according to the 2015 strategy document.
The company instructs employees to watch their words. An undated training manual for market researchers says: “Do not say this is a ‘PROMOTION’ or ‘ADVERTISING’.”
Indian health ministry officials say that anyone who hands out free cigarettes, whatever the circumstances, is breaking the law.
The Health Ministry’s Amal Pusp says the law against distribution of free cigarettes is unambiguous. He cites Section 5 of the country’s tobacco control act, which says: “No person, shall, under a contract or otherwise promote or agree to promote the use or consumption of” cigarettes or any other tobacco product. The law carries a fine of up to 1,000 rupees (about $15) and a sentence of up to two years in prison for a first conviction.
“We believe we market our products in a responsible manner, and in compliance with Indian regulations,” Philip Morris’ Venkatesh said, without elaborating.
In October last year, the month before India was due to host delegations from around the world at the biennial FCTC tobacco control conference in Delhi, tobacco-control officer Arora said he suddenly started getting traction.
The cigarette ads vanished and Delhi was “cleaned,” he said.
That success couldn’t have come at a better time for Arora and his colleagues at the federal health ministry: They wanted to make sure foreign delegates visiting India saw the country was serious about its tobacco regulations.
Weeks after the FCTC delegates left town in November, however, kiosks in the capital were again displaying ads for Marlboro.
STOREFRONT ADS: Marlboro advertisements can be seen on this kiosk in a marketplace in New Delhi in April. Despite warnings from health officials, Philip Morris has continued to advertise its Marlboro cigarettes. REUTERS/Adnan Abidi
Additional reporting by Aditi Shah in New Delhi, and Abhirup Roy and Swati Bhat in Mumbai.
The Philip Morris Files
By Aditya Kalra, Paritosh Bansal, Tom Lasseter and Duff Wilson
Design: Troy Dunkley
Photo Editing: Tom White and Altaf Bhat
Edited by Peter Hirschberg
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Kitimat Project History
Kitimat was the place to be in North America in the 1950s, both for the new town plan and for the pioneer engineering of the time.
The massive Kitimat Project was completed in just five years – dam, tunnel, powerhouse, Kemano, transmission line, smelter, and Kitimat. In the post-war industrial boom worldwide, the Kitimat Project was the largest construction project for the time. Thousands came and participated in the feverish construction activity.
The BC and Canadian governments and the Aluminum Company of Canada promoted Kitimat around the world. With aluminum as the new metal, they were building the future. The Kitimat Project was the model of modern Canadian ingenuity – a feat that Canadians were able to surmount the wild Canadian landscape.
The Kitimat Project was constructed from scratch, records were set, innovation was at every turn, and the result was the largest smelter in the world and the premier community to go with it. Kitimat would be British Columbia’s first planned community – a suburban utopia so desirable to the worker that a stable work force would be maintained.
Kitimat would be designed for the worker and his family. The fulfillment of people’s needs as the focus of a town plan was considered revolutionary. Alcan wanted a social and physical master plan and sought the assistance of renowned American planner Clarence Stein, and later, at Stein’s request, town planners Mayer & Whittlesey of New York. The plant officially opened August 3, 1954 with His Royal Highness Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, tapping the first ingot.
Memories of the Project - 300 Images
www.kitimatmuseum.ca
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Changing Lives . . . Changing Communities
Partners Resources
Development Assessment
A Resource Development Assessment (RDA) is a preliminary evaluation of the six characteristics of a successful private-sector resource development program. The purpose of the assessment is to evaluate the present effectiveness and productivity of the institutional advancement operation and to provide a blueprint for the implementation of an effective and productive program in support of the college’s mission, goals, and objectives.
The Feasibility Study (also sometimes called an "implementation study") is neither a poll nor a survey. It provides the information necessary to prepare a plan of campaign that will organize the people and the programs to maximize the institution's success. Seeking the advice and counsel of those people whose time, energy, and money would be essential in a major gifts campaign before they are asked to work and contribute is the key to success, and the feasibility study begins this cultivation.
The Clements Group’s Strategic Planning (SP) service is an established process that enables a college (and/or foundation) to identify strategic goals and objectives, determine the strategies they will implement in order to achieve those goals, and determine the most critical strategic needs over the next three to five years. The plan is based on the anticipated changes in the organization’s external environment. These changes will impact the manner in which the organization seeks to achieve its vision and accomplish its mission. The organization can then develop a flexible financing plan that describes how it will acquire the resources necessary to implement the plan and finance their critical needs. The process is participatory and can include members of the community as well as representatives of the foundation and/or college.
Major Gifts Campaigns
A major gifts campaign is generally conducted over a 21- to 36-month period. The timing of the institution’s ongoing programs and services, as well as other community-based activities, events, and fundraising efforts, are taken into consideration when the detailed plan of campaign is established.
Upon completion of a successful Foundation Board Development program, your institution can expect to have obtained successful strategies for carrying out the major components of an effective resource development program, including annual giving/special events, friend-raising, planned giving, strategic planning, and major gifts campaigns.
Reduced to its essentials, a successful Planned Giving (PG) program is a service-oriented program that gives the opportunity for an individual to arrange their estate in a way that will meet their financial needs, while at the same time assisting the college to fulfill its mission. A fundamental principle of successful gift-planning programs is long range commitment by the college.
Prospect Research
The Prospect Research function for a comprehensive institutional advancement program identifies individuals, corporations, and foundations that have a philosophical rationale for becoming involved in the life of the college and who have the potential to make large gifts. This process specifies the most effective way to cultivate and solicit major gifts from these sources, while also identifying a significant pool of potential volunteers, future board members, and "friends of the college."
Alumni Development
Activities associated with alumni development are important elements in a community college's institutional advancement program. Not only is this endeavor a significant way to raise funds but it is an equally important way to enhance volunteerism, establish additional relationships throughout the service area and advance awareness of your college's programs and services, which can result in significant returns for many years.
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Grey Skies Fallen Premiere “Visions From the Last Sunset” from Cold Dead Lands
Posted in audiObelisk, Reviews on January 13th, 2020 by JJ Koczan
New York trio Grey Skies Fallen release their new album, Cold Dead Lands, on Jan. 24. Pick your apocalypse-in-progress and you just might find it in the pages of the story they’re telling across their fifth LP’s six-song/53-minute span, which begins with “Visions From the Last Sunset” and ends with “After the Summer Comes the Fall,” and all throughout paints its point of view clearly in the band’s well-established modus bringing together progressive death and depressive doom melody. The expansive vision the three-piece of founding guitarist/vocalist Rick Habeeb, bassist Tom Anderer and drummer Sal Gregory makes a perfect backdrop on which the theme unfolds, whether it’s the biting extremity of “Procession to the Tombs” and the penultimate “Ways of the World” or the broad reach of longer pieces like the aforementioned opener and closer as well as “Picking up the Pieces.” In these more fleshed-out, 10-minute-plus songs, Cold Dead Lands presents its scope as the first Grey Skies Fallen release in six years and the work of a band who are not just mature in their approach — having come together in 1996 — but who are unwilling to do anything other than continue to push forward and expand their range. “Visions From the Last Sunset,” “Picking up the Pieces” and “After the Summer Comes the Fall” make a kind of mini-album unto themselves, with “Cold Dead Lands,” “Procession to the Tombs” and “Ways of the World” — neither of which lacks breadth for their relatively shorter runtime — expanding the grim palette and theme around which the record is largely based.
The outlier in terms of perspective would seem to be “Picking up the Pieces,” if only because it presents some basic notion of there being any hope on any level whatsoever, but amid its early gallop
and later stateliness of lead guitar and harmonized vocals the prevailing spirit is still markedly doomed. This too is the case with “Visions From the Last Sunset,” which basks in its progressive aspects enough that the standalone guitar line that kicks in shortly before two minutes in reminds of Devin Townsend, and amid all the inevitable Opeth and Paradise Lost comparisons, the prog in prog-death shouldn’t be understated just because it plays out at a nodding tempo. Habeeb, Anderer and Gregory unfold the opener with a sense of purpose and thoughtful arrangement, not overly dramatic, but with clear intent toward making a statement about the world around them. In this way, Cold Dead Lands is very much built on what the leadoff track lays out. That’s the case tonally and melodically as well, but the title-track and “Procession to the Tombs,” which follow in immediate succession, effectively tip the balance of elements to one side or the other of the deathlier side of their sound. This too is a clear sign of intent as the band executes these changes with grace that might be considered deceptive given the harshness of some of what plays out — those who’d argue there’s no beauty in the grotesque are simply mistaken — and one finds in listening through that as they careen here and there, pauses like that preceding the final march in the title-track and more sudden turns like that from melodic to growling vocals early in “Picking up the Pieces” are united by a sense of creative will to serve the needs of the song and album as a whole at that moment.
In that way, Cold Dead Lands argues to be heard in its front-to-back entirety — so here’s a single track (ha!) — and with as much attention and willing immersion as one is ready to give. It is immediate in its deathly urgency and resonant in its melodicism, not overly emotional in the My Dying Bride sense, but neither unaffected by the decay it convincingly describes and portrays. It’s not an easy thing to position yourself at some distance to comment on the world around you falling apart. Grey Skies Fallen do it well in concept and execution, and if these are the endtimes, at least the fossil record will show we saw it coming.
You can and should stream “Visions From the Last Sunset” on the player below. Some quick band comment and PR wire info follow.
Please enjoy:
Grey Skies Fallen, “Visions From the Last Sunset” official track premiere
Rick Habeeb on “Visions from the Last Sunset”:
We wanted to open the album on an epic note, setting the stage for what’s to come. It’s about the end times and how at that moment people finally realize that humanity is the cause of our own demise. Most of the album shares this theme. We don’t consider it a concept album, but it definitely follows a central theme. There just seems to be a lot of people in denial about the state of the world.
New York-based melodic death/doom metal veterans, Grey Skies Fallen are proud to present “Visions from the Last Sunset.” The track is the second single taken from the group’s forthcoming album Cold Dead Lands. Video was created by former Grey Skies Fallen member, Craig Rossi. Grey Skies Fallen will release the album independently on their own imprint, Xanthos Music on January 24th, 2020. It is the fifth album in the band’s 23-year career.
Cold Dead Lands was recorded and engineered by Keith Moore at Audio Playground and produced by Grey Skies Fallen. Mixed and mastered by renowned musician/producer, Dan Swanö (Witherscape, ex-Edge of Sanity, ex-Bloodbath). Travis Smith (Death, Opeth, Nevermore, Katatonia) created the cover art. Dan Gargiulo (Revocation, Artificial Brain) and Will Smith (Buckshot Facelift, Artificial Brain, Afterbirth) appear as guests.
Cold Dead Lands Tracklist
1. Visions from the Last Sunset
2. Cold Dead Lands
3. Procession to the Tombs
4. Picking Up the Pieces
5. Ways of the World
6. After the Summer Comes the Fall
Grey Skies Fallen is:
Rick Habeeb – Guitar/Vocals
Tom Anderer – Bass
Sal Gregory – Drums
Grey Skies Fallen on Thee Facebooks
Grey Skies Fallen on Instagram
Grey Skies Fallen on Bandcamp
Tags: Cold Dead Lands, Grey Skies Fallen, Grey Skies Fallen Cold Dead Lands, New York, New York City, Unsigned bands, Xanthos Music
Grey Skies Fallen Announce Cold Dead Lands out Jan. 24
Posted in Whathaveyou on December 4th, 2019 by JJ Koczan
New York-based death-doomers Grey Skies Fallen have set a Jan. 24 release for their fifth long-player, Cold Dead Lands, which is about an accurate a description of NY in January as I could ever hope to devise. They’re streaming a teaser for it as well as the whole track “Procession to the Tombs,” and both would seem to speak of a consuming bleakness to come, some inescapable aspects of New York’s death metal crunch making their way into the sound of the tracks. Unsurprisingly, it’s very, very dark. Like 5PM for the next two months.
I’ve observed a phenomenon over the years that when I write about death-doom, no one ever really gives a crap. I don’t know if that’ll be the case here, but I dig the track they’ve posted, so I’m going to try to review the album if I can regardless, so take that, I guess. If you want more fuzz rock, I don’t know, wait five minutes or something. I’m sure it’ll be along soon enough.
Meantime:
Grey Skies Fallen to Release “Cold Dead Lands” January 24th, 2020
Grey Skies Fallen will self-release Cold Dead Lands on January 24, 2020. Cold Dead Lands is the 5th studio album from the New York-based melodic death metal/doom band in a 23-year career.
Cold Dead Lands was produced by Grey Skies Fallen. The album was recorded at Audio Playground, and engineered by Keith Moore. Dan Swanö (Nightingale, ex-Edge of Sanity, ex-Bloodbath) mixed and mastered the album at Unisound Recordings Studio.
Travis Smith (Opeth, Nevermore, Katatonia) created the artwork. Dan Gargiulo (Revocation, Artificial Brain) and Will Smith (Buckshot Facelift, Artificial Brain, Afterbirth) appear as guests.
Listen to the Album Teaser
Cold Dead Lands Tracklisting
Pre-order a digital download or digipack CD of Cold Dead Lands via the band’s Bandcamp page. All pre-orders include an instant, high-quality download (MP3, FLAC, more) of the album track “Procession to the Tombs,” plus the complete album the moment it’s released on January 24th.
http://www.facebook.com/greyskiesfallen
https://greyskiesfallen.bandcamp.com/
Grey Skies Fallen, Cold Dead Lands album teaser
Grey Skies Fallen, Cold Dead Lands (2020)
Cold Dead Lands by Grey Skies Fallen
Tags: Cold Dead Lands, Grey Skies Fallen, Grey Skies Fallen Cold Dead Lands, New York, New York City, Unsigned bands
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Brian littrell dating
Littrell was born with a heart defect that brought him several times into hospital with life-threatening conditions – for two months alone when he was five years of age because of a bacterial infection.
An open heart surgery in 1998 closed the hole he had in his heart, as he said on his Hour of Power interview in 2007.
He is also a contemporary Christian recording artist and released a solo album, Welcome Home, in 2006.
Brian has four Top 20 solo singles in the US Christian chart.
Music was always important to him, and he originally planned on entering school to become a music minister.
While a junior in high school, Littrell changed plans and accepted the offer to join what became the very successful vocal harmony group, the Backstreet Boys.
The band manager Lou Pearlman marketed the Backstreet Boys in Europe, where they became commercially successful in 1995.In 1998, after their separation, she released the book What You Wanna Know: Backstreet Boys Secrets Only a Girlfriend Can Tell, about their relationship and the Backstreet Boys.In 1997, Littrell met model and actress Leighanne Wallace at the video shoot for their single "As Long as You Love Me".They became hugely popular in Europe, Latin America and the United States in the late 1990s and the early 2000s.During this time they released four albums, Backstreet Boys, Backstreet's Back, Millennium and Black & Blue followed by a greatest hits album, The Hits: Chapter One.
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Market Intelligence for Printing and Publishing
Schawk Announces Improved Earnings for Second Quarter Vs First Quarter of 2001
Press release from the issuing company
DES PLAINES, Ill., July 19 Schawk, Inc., North America's leading provider of digital imaging prepress services to the consumer products industry, today reported income after taxes of $2.5 million before net restructuring charges and the loss at Schawk's software start-up InterchangeDigital for the second quarter of 2001, better than $1.8 million in the first quarter of 2001, but below the prior year second quarter of $4.1 million on the same basis. Earnings per share for the second quarter ended June 30, 2001, excluding the net restructuring charges of $0.01 per share and the loss at InterchangeDigital of $0.01 per share, were $0.12 per share compared to $0.09 per share in the first quarter of 2001 and versus $0.19 per share in the prior year second quarter on the same basis. Net income for the second quarter of 2001 was $2.1 million compared to $1.4 million in the first quarter of 2001 and $3.9 million in the prior year second quarter. Earnings per share for the second quarter of 2001 were $0.10 per share as compared to $0.07 per share in the first quarter of 2001 and compared to $0.18 per share in the prior year second quarter. Revenues of $47.5 million decreased by 11% in the second quarter of 2001 versus the second quarter of 2000, excluding $1.2 million as of June 30, 2000, from the Montreal operations which were sold June 1, 2000, and therefore, excluded for comparative purposes. The total decrease in revenues was 13%. The decrease in revenues reflected the soft economy both in consumer products packaging spending and in advertising spending. Despite the decrease in revenues, the Company achieved a 40.8% gross margin. This is compared to 41.3% in the prior year. The consolidation of facilities and cost cutting initiatives that the company completed over the past eighteen months contributed to keeping the gross margin close to the prior year, despite $6.1 million less in revenues in the second quarter of 2001. Operating income, before restructuring charges of $0.4 million and the loss at InterchangeDigital of $0.5 million, was $5.3 million in the quarter ended June 30, 2001, a $1.0 million increase over the March 31, 2001 quarter, and a $3.1 million decrease from $8.4 million on the same basis in the prior year second quarter. The decrease in operating income was primarily a result of lower revenues as described previously. The operating margin before restructuring charges and InterchangeDigital's loss was 11.3% for the second quarter of 2001 versus 9.4% in the first quarter of 2001 and 15.5% on the same basis in the second quarter of 2000. In the second quarter of 2001, the Company reduced staffing levels and incurred severance costs of $0.2 million in connection with the on-going 2001 restructuring announced in the first quarter of 2001. This amount is included on the Statement of Operations on the line labeled restructuring charges and other. In addition, the Company recorded an additional restructuring charge of $0.2 million to terminate the lease of a facility that was closed in connection with the Company's 1999 restructuring. Interest expense was $1.1 million in the second quarter of 2001 and $1.5 million in the second quarter of 2000. The decreased interest cost is a result of lower average debt levels and lower interest rates in 2001 as compared to the prior year. Other income (expense) for the second quarter ended June 30, 2001, includes a $0.2 million pretax gain on the sale of equipment at a location that is being impacted by the Company's restructuring efforts. This gain is excluded from the adjusted income after tax amounts described in the first paragraph of this release. For the six month period ended June 30, 2001, revenues were $93.4 million, an 11% decrease, as compared to $105.3 million in the comparable prior year period, excluding $2.3 million as of June 30, 2000, from the Montreal operations which were sold June 1, 2000, and therefore excluded for comparative purposes. The decrease is due to the reasons described previously for the second quarter. Net income for the six months ended June 30, 2001, was $3.5 million as compared to $6.8 million for the six month period ended June 30, 2000. Earnings per share for the six months ended June 30, 2001, were $0.16 per share as compared to $0.32 per share for the six month period ended June 30, 2000. The decrease in earnings was caused by the factors described previously in the second quarter discussion. David A. Schawk, president and chief executive officer, commented on the results for the quarter, "In the second quarter, we saw an increase in business at certain of our locations as compared to the first quarter of 2001. However, last year's second quarter was an all time record high for the Company, both in terms of sales and profits. In the current soft economy, itis difficult to make comparisons to last year. In the advertising industry, ad pages are down 10% from a year ago, negatively impacting our business. In packaging, consumer products companies are tightening their belts to ride out the downturn in the economy and our sales and profits suffer as a result.'' Mr. Schawk continued, "On a positive note, looking forward, new disclosures on packaging should result in new business for the Company over the next twelve months. Certain 'non-allergenic language' and statements claiming that the product in the package is 'free of genetically engineered ingredients' are being voluntarily added to packages by leading consumer product companies, to assist consumers in their buying decisions.'' Mr. Schawk concluded with, "Despite the slow economy in the United States, our international operations continue to grow at a good pace. Both Asia and Latin America are growing nicely. It is rewarding to see that our decision to expand globally is starting to bear fruit. We look forward to the recovery of the economy in the United States later in 2001 or early in 2002.'' Schawk, Inc., headquartered in suburban Chicago, is a leading supplier of digitized high- resolution color imaging, database management and on-site facility management, as well as related prepress and digital archiving and distribution services. Schawk provides advanced technology services for the food, beverage and consumer products packaging, advertising and promotional markets.
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All Today's Industry News »
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J. Kwest
As a national speaker, advocate and emcee, Julian “J.Kwest” DeShazier has appeared on ABC, CBS, FOX, and Dr. Maya Angelou’s “Oprah & Friends” radio program. J.Kwest is also an Emmy Award-winning musician, featured in the video “Strange Fruit,” a commemoration of the Billie Holiday song and a meditation on racial violence. In 2012 he and his group, Verbal Kwest, appeared in the OXFAM and Bread for the World-produced documentary The Line, providing a critical voice against poverty and violence in the US. The Chicago native and graduate of Morehouse College and the University of Chicago is also pastor of University Church, which most recently worked on a campaign for a trauma center on Chicago’s Southside. Julian is an adjunct professor at the University of Chicago Divinity School and McCormick Theological Seminary, and is a regular contributor to Sojourners and Huffington Post publications.
www.jkwest.com
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Posts tagged Gold & Youth
Audio / Music / Series 8 / WildWorks Blog
Interviews with Purity Ring and The Matinée – S08E33
Hi friends, this is Candice with a quick recap of today’s edition of WildWorks. It’s been a busy week for us – on today’s show, we brought you a double-dose of interviews from two great Canadian acts.
On April. 2nd, we spoke with electropop duo Purity Ring, made up of one part Megan James and the other part, Corin Roddick. The pair was in Ottawa to play a show at Ritual Nightclub as part of their North American tour. They’ll eventually go on to Coachella and Bonnaroo later this summer.
We also caught up with The Matinée, a five-piece roots-rock outfit out of Vancouver. They were in town on March 29 for a Good Friday show at Mavericks. After nearly five years of trying to make it as a band, they were finally signed to Light Organ Records, and the result was their debut album, We Swore We’d See the Sunrise. They also released a video for their song, “Young and Lazy,” on March 1st. The photo posted has Lenny with all of the band members.
Check the bottom of this post for the full interviews.
Also on the show, we played a track from The Costanzas, a garage/surf/rock n’roll band out of Toronto. We brought in even more Canadian offerings with songs from Fire X Fire (who are playing Friday night at Cafe Dekcuf), Kashka and Victoria-based singer-songwriter Chris Ho. (Note: The Costanzas are now called The Kostanzas)
On the Wild 10 Countdown for April 3rd, for the second week in a row, Gold & Youth was at number one with “Jewel.”
You can check the countdown blog here. (Note: Songs played in the first part of the show are listed in the countdown blog)
And if you’re looking for the playlist from today’s show, you can find that here. (Another note: CKCU’s playlist has their on-demand audio for the second part of the show)
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About Ballard/
Our leaders champion every aspect of Ballard’s business, from technology innovation and product manufacturing to customer service, financials, and our workforce.
Randall MacEwen, President and Chief Executive Officer
Mr. MacEwen has been the President & CEO and a member of the board of directors of Ballard since October 2014. He has held executive roles in clean energy companies for over 15 years, including in fuel cells and solar.
From 2009 to 2014, Mr. MacEwen was Founder and Managing Director of NextCleanTech LLC, a cleantech consulting firm. From 2005 to 2009, Mr. MacEwen served as President & CEO of Solar Integrated Technologies, Inc., a commercial rooftop solar company. From 2001 to 2005, he served as Executive Vice President, Corporate Development of Stuart Energy Systems Corporation, a leading supplier hydrogen generation systems.
Mr. MacEwen began his career as a corporate associate at Torys LLP, a leading business law firm, where he specialized in M&A and corporate finance from 1995 to 2001. Mr. MacEwen holds a Bachelor of Arts (Hon) degree from York University and a Bachelor of Law degree from the University of Western Ontario.
Rob Campbell, Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer
Rob Campbell was appointed Chief Commercial Officer at Ballard Power Systems in May 2017. Mr. Campbell’s responsibilities include global business development, sales, marketing, product line management and after-sales service activities in the Company’s key Power Products markets of Heavy Duty Motive, Material Handling and Back-up Power.
Rob has considerable experience in global business development for technology based products in China, Japan, India, Europe and the United States. He has deep knowledge of high-growth markets and engineering-based capital equipment sales to sophisticated customers.
Mr Campbell was most recently President and CEO of SoloPower Systems Inc., Prior to SoloPower his career included: SVP of Business Development at Energy Conversion Devices and Solar Integrated Technologies in the US., EVP of Sales and Marketing at Hydrogenics in Ontario, Canada and senior leadership roles at several construction and power generation companies in Ontario, Canada.
Mr. Campbell earned a Bachelor of Science degree in engineering at Queen’s University and an MBA in Finance and Marketing at York University’s Schulich School of Business. He is a licensed Professional Engineer with the Professional Engineers Association of Ontario.
Kevin Colbow, Vice President and Chief Technology Officer
Kevin Colbow was appointed Chief Technology Officer in March 2019. Dr. Colbow’s responsibilities include Research, Product Engineering and Program Management. He also provides leadership of the Company’s Technology Solutions business segment, including Engineering Services and Intellectual Property licensing.
Dr. Colbow joined Ballard in 1994 and his areas of responsibilities have included research and development, product development, technology portfolio management and product management. He was Director of Research and Development until March 2010, when he was appointed Director of Product Management & Solutions Engineering with responsibility for fuel cell stack products. Dr. Colbow joined the Ballard Executive Team in February 2014 and served as Vice President, Technology Solutions. Most recently, from February 2016 to March 2019, he served as Vice President, Technology and Product Development.
Following receipt of a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Physics from Simon Fraser University in 1986, Dr. Colbow completed a Master of Science in lithium-ion rechargeable batteries at the University of British Columbia and, in 1992, completed a Ph.D. in photoelectron and soft x-ray spectroscopy on semiconductor surfaces. Dr. Colbow has also completed the Certificate Program for Technology Management at the California Institute of Technology and has 23 patents in the area of PEM fuel cells.
Tony Guglielmin, Vice President, Chief Financial Officer
Tony Guglielmin joined Ballard as Vice President and Chief Financial Officer in June 2010.
Mr. Guglielmin previously served as SVP Finance and Chief Financial Officer of Canada Line Rapid Transit Inc. (CLCO), a $2 billion rapid transit project connecting the Vancouver International Airport, City of Richmond and downtown Vancouver. Prior to joining CLCO, Mr. Guglielmin held senior management roles in treasury, investor relations, corporate development and strategic planning at Finning International Inc. in Vancouver; was Corporate Treasurer of British Columbia Hydro; and held various management positions with The Bank of Nova Scotia in Toronto.
Mr. Guglielmin holds a BA in Economics and Political Science and an MBA from McGill University. He also holds the Chartered Financial Analyst designation and belongs to a number of professional organizations including the Financial Executives Institute. He serves on the Board of Information Services Corporation (where he also serves as Chair of the Audit Committee), as well as a number of private companies.
Jan Laishley, Vice President, Human Resources
Jan Laishley was appointed Vice President, Human Resources in March 2019. Ms. Laishley’s responsibilities include Executive leadership of the Global Human Resources function (including: Organizational Design and Effectiveness, Leadership and Talent Development, Employee Engagement, Talent Retention and Acquisition and Compensation and Benefits).
Ms. Laishley joined Ballard in 2003 and key focus areas during her tenure have included talent acquisition, compensation and benefits, leadership development, employee engagement, immigration and expatriate management. Ms. Laishley served as an HR Manager from 2010 to 2017 and joined the Ballard Executive Team as the Director of Human Resources in 2017.
Ms. Laishley began her HR career at a global software company during a time of high growth and rapid expansion. She earned a Master of Arts in Organizational Development and Leadership and a Certificate in Evidence Based Coaching at Fielding Graduate University in 2015. She also completed a Certificate in Human Resources Management from British Columbia Institute of Technology, followed by a Bachelor of General Studies at Simon Fraser University in 2010. Ms. Laishley serves as the Chair of the Board of the HR Tech Group, an association representing HR professionals from more than 150 diverse technology companies.
Sarbjot (Jyoti) Sidhu, Vice President, Operations
Sarbjot (Jyoti) Sidhu was appointed Vice President, Operations in December 2018. Ms. Sidhu has global leadership responsibility for Operations, including EH&S, Quality, Supply Chain, Production, Maintenance and Facilities.
Ms. Sidhu joined Ballard in 2000. Most recently she served as Director, Quality since 2014. She previously held positions in Production Management, EH&S and Production Planning. Ms. Sidhu has led significant projects during her tenure at Ballard, including company-wide training on lean Six Sigma, leadership of Ballard’s continuous improvement program and an ERP implementation in the areas of Procure to Pay, Supply Chain and Manufacturing. In addition, Ms. Sidhu serves on Oracle’s Supply chain advisory board.
Ms. Sidhu earned a Master of Business Administration from Simon Fraser University in 2013 as well as a certificate in Operations Management from British Columbia Institute of Technology in 2008.
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Excess moisture in the air can cause substantial damage to items in your home and your health. A good dehumidifier removes excess humidity from the air, which can help prevent mold and mildew buildup and eliminate allergens. Dehumidifiers are often placed in basements, but there are other use cases for them, such as in closets where you store damp clothes or other smaller areas where too much moisture can cause a problem such as bathrooms, RVs, boats, and more.
Dehumidifiers fan-force air over coolant-filled coils to remove moisture. The remaining condensed moisture then drips from the coils into a bucket or basin, or it may be pumped out of the unit depending on the model. As a result, drier air is expelled back into the room.
A dehumidifier helps maintain an ideal relative humidity level (RH level) in your home. Relative humidity refers to the ratio of the current absolute humidity to the highest possible absolute humidity. According to the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) Standard Environmental Conditions for Human Occupancy, it's recommended you keep relative humidity between 30% to 50% in the summer and 30% to 40% in the winter.
When selecting a dehumidifier, it's important to consider the size of the area you wish to dehumidify, along with the condensation moisture removal method, and the amount of power you expect the machine to consume.
At their most basic level, dehumidifiers vary according to pint removal capacity every 24 hours. Moderately damp areas will require between 25 and 40-pint capacity, while extremely moist areas will need between 40 and 70-pint capacity, all dependent upon the size of the area you wish to dry.
Unless you plan on removing and clearing the water basin constantly, you'll want to go with a direct drain feature, which allows for continuous operation without emptying the unit's bucket. Direct drains are convenient but typically require a floor-level water drain. If that's not an option based on your layout, opt for a unit with a pump, which can push water into a specific space, such as a basement sink.
Dehumidifier energy performance is rated by the amount of water extracted every hour versus the amount of energy consumed to do so. Low-level units usually consume less power, but they may not be effective enough for your humidity needs. To get maximum efficiency out of any unit, look for those that are ENERGY STAR certified. Also consider the following:
The following picks are based on online research, ratings from review and dehumidifier-specific sites, Amazon ratings, and customer reviews. They're intended for commercial use and we've included picks for different sized areas ranging from spaces as small as a gym bag to an entire apartment. Beyond square unit cooling capabilities, we also took into consideration moisture removal options, energy requirements, specialized features, such as high tech control panels, and of course, price.
The highly-rated Frigidaire FFAD7033R1 dehumidifier protects your home from the mold and mildew caused by excess moisture, and it helps to eliminate bacteria in the air.
The dehumidifier is capable of continuous operation when the unit is located near a suitable drain and has Ready-Select electronic controls, including a digital humidity readout, a 24-hour on/off timer, and a control lock.
It can capture up to 70 pints of moisture every 24 hours and allows you to control the exact percentage of humidity in any room. It has a portable design that includes a top handle, integrated side handles, and caster wheels, all which make it easy to move from room to room. The Energy Star Certified product has a low-temperature operation that helps you save both energy and money.
The Frigidaire FFAD7033R1 has rave reviews across the web and is considered the best on top review sites including The Sweethome (now Wirecutter), Consumer Search, and Dehumidifier Web. It's a top-ranked Amazon product with a 4.3 out of 5-star average rating based on more than 4,700 customer reviews.
Most Amazon reviewers highly recommend the product, many stating that it's the perfect size for apartments and that it's an excellent option for the price.
Pros: Electronic control panel, portable design, Energy Star Certified, various digital controls, very precise humidity control
Humidity is everywhere, which is why this Eva-Dry E-333 Portable Dehumidifier is a must have for smaller areas. The handheld 5-by-5-inch device can be placed anywhere extra humidity clogs up the air such as in closets, under your kitchen sink, in safes, boats, RVs, or bathrooms, and more.
Each Eva-Dry E-333 Portable Dehumidifier helps to eliminate excessive humidity for up to ten years using renewable silica gel technology that works without batteries or external power. Without the need for a power source, the portable dehumidifier is completely silent, but it's powerful enough to provide a humidity-solution in any area up to 333 cubic feet.
The dehumidifier is renewable, meaning it will not require any expensive refills, and comes backed by a 5-year warranty. The product works on a cycling system in which you place it in a damp area to soak up moisture and then remove it to charge.
As the unit absorbs the humidity, there is an indicator window containing crystals that will change from orange to green over the course of two to four weeks or as the device collects between 8 and 10 ounces of moisture. When the crystals have changed to green, this indicates the dehumidifier is ready to be renewed or plugged in for 8 to 10 hours in a well-ventilated area, and then placed back in the area you wish to remove humidity from. The product is designed to be used in this way for up to 10 years as it captures moisture in the air without any leaks or spills.
Consumer Search and Faveable both rate it highly. On Amazon, the product holds a 4.2 out of 5-star average based on more than 2,000 reviewers.
Many Amazon reviewers are pleasantly surprised to learn the product exists, while others are more than satisfied with the low price or that the tiny device works so well. Critical reviews tend to center around the fact that you have to check it from time to time, or that it's really best for small spaces such as safes, rather than medium-sized spaces such as cars.
Suck humidity out from large rooms with an Ivation 70 Pint Energy Star Dehumidifier. The dehumidifier keeps spaces up to 4,500 square feet cool and comfortable by removing 70 pints of moisture a day. It uses an advanced filtration and evaporation system that helps to prevent mold, mildew, and structural cracking. The dehumidifier also safeguards those in your home against allergens, mites, and other asthma triggers.
It has an easy to use LCD interface that lets you check the humidistat, set your ideal levels, adjust fan speed, program the 24-hour timer, and receive important filter and reservoir alerts. It also uniquely has multiple green features, including energy-saving auto-shutoff mode, a timer and a cleanable and thus reusable filter.
Other perks include an extra long 6-foot, three-prong power cord that eliminates the need for extension cords, two fan speeds of regular and turbo, an optional hose connection to make draining easy, and an auto-defrost sensor that prevents wasted energy and protects evaporator coils all within a relatively small, compact 40-pound design.
The Ivation 70 Pint Energy Star Dehumidifier is featured on Best Reviews, Good Air Geeks, and Faveable. On Amazon, it has a 4.4 out of 5-star rating based on nearly 250 reviews.
Reviewers generally state the dehumidifier works well and was a great buy with many buyers stating it's effective in removing moisture from basements and like that it's easy to move around from place to place. Critical reviews tend to center around the fact that it's louder than expected (although many positive reviews refute that claim) or that setup was difficult or confusing.
Pros: Easy to use LCD screen, eco-friendly features, two fan speeds, optional hose connection, auto-defrost sensor
Humidity Cabinet, Cabinet Dryer, Dry Cabinet, Electric Drying Cabinet - Yunboshi,https://www.bestdrycabinet.com/
Extruded Polystyrene Foam (XPS) Insula..
Preparatory Chemicals Suppliers –..
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actuellement 18168 films recensés, 3168 textes recherche | » english
films réalisateurs acteurs producteurs distributeurs festivals agenda pays espace personnel
comptes rendus de festivals»
écrans d'afrique»
desinscription»
dépêches »
nouvelles de
Sitou Ayité
� films, artistes, structures ou événements liés à cette analyse
� les commentaires liés à cette analyse
Beti Ellerson Poulenc
Interview with Beti Ellerson, American scholar and filmmaker
"The importance of a global database available to anybody, anywhere"
You are interested in women in cinema, how did that desire come to you?
I have a Ph.D. in African Studies with a sub-specialization in African Cinema Studies and Women Studies. As a feminist I have always been interested in critically engaging women's issues, and academically I wanted to make a critical inquiry into African women's experiences through the medium of the moving image. I found this medium to be especially compelling in that filmmakers are able to use cinema to deal with a complexity of issues in their society as well as a pedagogical tool and a means to build awareness. This inquiry led to my interest in framing an African Women Cinema Studies, which encompasses research in historiography and spectatorship and also as activist-to promote their work and provide a forum for discussion. Spectatorship and advocacy are of particular interest because I would like to see African Women Cinema Studies discourse go beyond the classroom and conferences, but also out to the general public who may find these kinds of issues of interest. Thus I define "African women in cinema" as a concept-which includes theory and practice.
Do you think women in this domain are given their rightful place?
It is important to understand women's overall place in the social, political and cultural structures in Africa. Then look at the place that cinema holds in African societies. One may notice an increasing visibility of women in all echelons of the African cinematic infrastructure, not only behind or in front of the camera but also behind the scenes. To cite Sarah Maldoror: "Women must be everywhere. They must be in the images, behind the camera, in the editing room and involved in every stage of the making of a film. They must be the ones to talk about their problems..."
What will you especially keep from your discussions with women in cinema?
I have gotten a great deal from the conversations with the many women over the past fifteen years. The notion of women's voices as an "alternative discourse", proposed by Anne-Laure Folly-Reimann (Togo), for example, has become a leitmotiv for my research and writing. With the changes in technology and new tools for communication many more women have the possibility of promoting themselves and their films. Nonetheless, there are things that remain. One may have expected a generational shift of attitudes and ideas. Yet some of the reflections around the dual experiences as mother and filmmaker resonate in the same way. Moreover, there are young women today who view themselves as a filmmaker (period), rather than as a "woman filmmaker", a similar reaction by Safi Faye several decades before.
What were the objectives and expectations of your discussions with them?
I wanted to gather experiences from women throughout the continent in all areas of cinema: directors, producers, actors, critics, and organizers as a collective body, to hear their voices, to allow them to speak about how they interpret their image and visualize their societies. I had some surprises along the way. Some women gave very personal responses that I never expected nor would I have asked the questions that invoked them. Overall, I have received genuine interest and support, as they realize the importance of researching and archiving history.
You are a writer and a filmmaker who centralize your theme essentially on women and cinema. In your career have you confronted any of these difficulties?
My main difficulty is the lack of time. The time to write, think, research, mull over ideas. Having said that, I would emphasize my very different position, living in the West, working both as an academic and independent scholar. Not to minimize the difficultly, but the few film productions that I have done have been well received, perhaps principally because of the nature of the subject. As an academic, writing is part of the job, which does not mean that one may always find a publisher. On the other hand, the African Women in Cinema Blog is a very effective means to publish my interviews and critical analysis-as I have been able to touch a diverse readership and attract their interest. And as I stated earlier about the advances in technology, I have really benefited from being totally wired and connected as it has given me a great deal of visibility and has allowed me to do a tremendous amount of networking. But yes, I have had difficulties, though with each success story and less successful endeavor that is told to me-I understand the importance of perseverance and self-confidence.
Your book "Sisters of the Screen" was published in 1999, followed in 2003 by a documentary of the same name. What was the process from a written to visual work? Was it simply a need to change the means of communication?
I received a Rockefeller Humanities Fellowship (a postdoctoral research grant) for this project. The interviews were filmed with the intention of producing a documentary and drawing from the interviews to publish a written document. So the book and film are visual and written "documents" of the same research project. I had hoped to have a French version of the book, as was the case for the film, but as you know, some projects don't always see the light of day. And in terms of the difference in release dates between the book and the film-finding the time and funding to do so. Also, before producing the documentary I was executive producer and host of a 27-episode series that was broadcast on the public access community television network throughout the United States. This experience was essential in preparing me for the documentary project.
In 2008, you launched the Center for Study and Research of African Women in Cinema. Why such an initiative?
Ah, the desires of a scholar! Wanting to continue to update and document the experiences of African women in cinema, but realizing the generally fixed state and linearity of the book and film-in hard copy, I followed the trend of new media and social networking to continue the project, which provided the means to continually update information. Understanding the importance of a global database available to anybody, anywhere, I wanted to provide an online resource. I launched the Center for the Study and Research of African Women in Cinema, as a virtual environment in which cultural producers, scholars, students, and the general public may research information relating to African women in cinema: filmmakers, actors, producers, and all film professionals. As social media and video sharing have become central features of the Internet, the Center extends to include the African Women in Cinema Blog, and a presence on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube, Vimeo and Dailymotion.
A special message for an African woman working in the cinema domain?
Remember the wisdom of your foremothers, listen humbly to the experiences of your elders and learn from their history.
Interview by Sitou Ayité
liens films
Sisters of the Screen: African Women in Cinema (Cinéma d'Afrique au féminin) 2002
liens artistes
Ellerson Poulenc Beti
liens structures
Center for the Study and Research of African Women in Cinema (AFWC)
États-Unis | Washington
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A Good CUP International, Inc.
Compassion Unveiled with Purpose
A Good CUP of Christmas Tea!
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A Good CUP of Tea!
COMPASSION TRIP TO INDIA 2017
Compassion Unveiled 2018
Compassion Unveiled 2019 – Flavors of India
Bay Area, USA
Visiting Teams
Home Meet the Team
Elizabeth Nandakumar, Founder President
Elizabeth was born and raised in Calcutta, India where she graduated from HS and achieved her Teaching credentials from Loreto College. In 1977, Elizabeth graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in English and History from Calcutta University and shortly after, she acquired her Master’s Degree in English Literature.
In 1985, Elizabeth came to the USA with her family to pursue higher studies and acquired her second Master’s Degree in Special Education in addition to the California Teaching Credential and the Learning Handicapped Specialist Credential in 1990.
For the past 26 years Elizabeth has been working at a school district as a Learning Handicapped Specialist with children who have learning disabilities. She serves in several leadership roles, is a trainer of teachers, mentors new teachers and is the founding member of the JULI Initiative with Valley Christian Schools and her school district.
Elizabeth served in leadership and speaking roles in the Women’s ministries at her church. She developed and led mentoring programs and learned how to follow the example of the older women of significance and influence who mentored and empowered her. She taught foreign students in the ESL programs, continues to provide support to the Global Outreach Missions, coordinates events, and organizes teams to participate in short term mission trips across the globe. Elizabeth participated and led teams on multiple humanitarian, missions and education trips to Kenya, India, Poland, Mexico and Turkey.
Elizabeth currently resides with her family in San Jose, CA. Armed with her life experiences and love and compassion for God’s people, Elizabeth is dedicated to empower and restore struggling women in places where they have no voice or rights.
Janelle Clarke, Vice President
Janelle has been married to her husband, Bill, for 51 years. He brought to the marriage 1 daughter, Cathy. They have no children of their own but they do have about 6 or 7 children and about 15 (depending on who’s counting) grandchildren. All by love not blood. They have found a world of people who need them, which sums up their desire to help those in need. God has lead her for years and is constantly guiding her path.
Terri Gurahoo, Treasurer
Ministering to women has been an integral part of Terri’s life. Having grown up in a church environment, she was in college when she was challenged to personalize my relationship with God. Through her involvement with Inter-Varsity Christian Fellowship, Terri developed a deeper understanding of her role as a Christian and how she might use her gifts. As a woman in leadership within the corporate environment of the technology industry, she has managed and lead teams for more than 20 years. She has a passion for helping women, which has been exemplified through leading women’s small groups, discipling women, leading women’s ministries and reaching out to women and meeting their needs, whether in a corporate role or through personal connections. Terri is blessed to be a part of A Good Cup and looks forward to how she may continue to be used to provide for the needs of women.
Bruce E. Stanton, Secretary
Bruce has been a practicing California attorney since 1982, and has spent the majority of his legal career specializing in the representation of mobile home residents, small businesses and families. He served as general counsel for the Golden State Manufactured – Home Owners League (GSMOL) from 1991-1996, the California Mobilehome Resource & Action Association (CMRAA) from 1996-2008, and since 2009 is once again general counsel for GSMOL. His practice concentrates on mobile home law but also includes estate planning and business planning for individuals and families. He gives seminars on mobile home rights throughout California, and represents many seniors and fixed income mobile home owners. His duties have routinely take him to Sacramento, where he has helped to author California Civil Code amendments and has assisted with the passage of pro-homeowner, and the defeat of park owner-sponsored legislation. He has also argued legal cases in many courts of appeal throughout California, and helped author a brief to the U. S. Supreme Court in 1992 on mobile home rent control issues. Bruce has written manuals about mobile home rent control, conversion ordinances and long-term leases. He has worked with and assisted City Attorneys and other City and County officials to pass or amend mobile home rent Ordinances in a number of jurisdictions, and has appeared at the Public Utilities Commission on issues involving gas, electric and water charges.
Bruce attended Crossroads Bible church in San Jose for over 30 years, and served as an Elder of the church from 1997-2008. He currently attends Crossroads Church in Grass Valley, California. Bruce still maintains an office in San Jose, and lives in Auburn, California with his wife Jennifer.
Copyright © 2015 A Good CUP, Inc.
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AICA > News > AICA news > Michael Bracewell lecture now online
Michael Bracewell lecture now online
The audio recording of Michael Bracewell’s AICA UK annual lecture, given at Tate Britain on December 6 2012, ‘Re-make/Re-model’: How Pop art became Art Pop‘ is now available on Tate’s website here.
Between 1997 and 2006, Michael Bracewell researched and wrote a highly detailed account of how the art rock group Roxy Music emerged from ideas and attitudes prevalent in British art schools and University departments of Fine Art during the 1960s.
In this lecture, he recounts some of the story that he unearthed, and examines the challenges and questions that were posed by the research, and by the literary form in which such a subject – linking the commercial world of pop music to the ideas of fine art – might best be presented.
Michael Bracewell is the author of six novels and four works of non-fiction, including Re-make/Re-model, 2006 and England Is Mine, 1997. He writes widely on modern and contemporary British art, and is a regular contributor to Frieze magazine. His most recent book The Space Between: Collected Writings on Art edited by Doro Globus, 2012 is published by Ridinghouse.
He is co-author with Christopher Riopelle of Richard Hamilton: The Late Works, Yale University, Press October 2012, to coincide with the exhibition at the National Gallery, London 10 October to 10 January 2013.
Filed in : AICA news
Tags : AICA, annual lecture, Michael Bracewell, Tate
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Tension at townhall
Parents hoping to have their concerns over recent fee increases heard by the University Child Care Centre Board of Directors received little comfort at a Town Hall meeting on Tue., March 12.
The board distributed information packages to parents and attempted to address parent concerns. Although the board members sympathize with parents and many have children attending daycare themselves they said the fee increase is necessary for the centre's survival.
"We operate on a cost recovery basis," said Board Chair Katherine Sheehan. "The question of providing accessible day care to students is a university problem. We are trying to send this message to the administration."
Parents communicated their desire to the board to find other ways of easing the UCCC's financial predicament, specifically asking the board to withhold the increase until September, allowing investigation of other sources of funding such as fundraising and university support. Board member Brad Braaten said the increase cannot be delayed or the centre will face a financial debt.
"There will be fee increases every year," said the Director of University Audit Services and board member Brad Braaton. "I don't think we can hold off on [raising fees], I won't support that."
"I do think that it is a good idea to hold off on the increase until September," added board member and Students' Union Commissioner Yana Mikhailovski. "If we must have an increase we must be able to alleviate student funding crises."
In an e-mail response to a concerned parent, U of C Vice-President Finance and Services Dr. Keith Winter indicated that the university was willing to work with the board to explore options of increasing fiscal responsibility.
"We recognize the special relationship [between the board and the university] and will do what is possible to work with the [board] to see where we can assist it in reducing its operational expenses," said Winter. "The university recognizes the importance to our community of affordable, quality child care."
With 426 families reportedly on the waiting list for care at the UCCC, low income students may be out of luck.
"I can't pay that fee," a tearful parent told the board. "It makes me angry when you say I have a choice, if I don't have the money I have to leave. I am a student, in my case, who cares?"
In response to parent requests for help, Chair of the Senate Inquiries Committee Mary-Ellen Tyler reported the concerns to the Chancellor and Senate Executive and referred the issue to the members of the Inquiry Committee.
"Our role is to inquire and to put the issues before the appropriate person or persons within the university who do have a mandate to take action," said Tyler in an e-mail to parents. "I assure you this will be done and that a response to your inquiry will be forthcoming as soon as possible."
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Freemasonry F.A.Q.
Collateral Bodies
WM Message
Notable Annapolitans
Annapolis Masonry
Building History
What are the origins of Masonry?
Who are Freemasons?
Is Freemasonry a secret society?
What is a Masonic Lodge?
What do Freemasons Do?
How does a man become a Mason?
reemasonry is one of the world's oldest and largest fraternal societies. It provides a code of living in today's society based on moral and ethical standards. Freemasonry is an organization of men who strive to live by the fundamental principles of integrity, goodwill and charity. It is a non-profit organization that is heavily involved in supporting charity and community service.
reemasonry is a society that unifies men of high ideals, regardless of color, creed or worldly status.
t is largely believed by academics and scholars that Freemasonry formed out of medieval stonemasons' guilds. These guilds were responsible for designing and constructing glorious cathedrals and impressive castles. Masonry's formal organization began in 1717, when four lodges combined in London to create England's first Grand Lodge, which survives to this day. Masonic lodges can be found in almost every community throughout the United States and Brothers from all over the world are welcome into the lodges found spanning the entire geopgraphy of inhabitable Earth.
any of our nation’s early patriots were Freemasons--George Washington, the Marquis de LaFayette, Benjamin Franklin, John Hancock, Paul Revere, John Paul Jones, Rufus King, James Otis, Baron von Steuben, and Joseph Warren--as were 13 signers of the Constitution. Fourteen Presidents, beginning with Washington, and 18 Vice-Presidents were Masons. Five Chief Justices of the U.S. Supreme Court--Oliver Ellsworth, John Marshall, William Howard Taft, Frederick Vinson, and Earl Warren--were Freemasons, and the ranks of Masonry have included a majority of Supreme Court Justices, of Governors of States, of members of the U.S. Senate, and a large percentage of members of the U.S. House of Representatives.
amous Masons include Simon Bolivar, James Boswell, Robert Burns, Edward VII, Giuseppe Garibaldi, George VI, Goethe, Rudyard Kipling, Haydn, Mozart, Will Rogers, Sir Walter Scott, Jean Sibelius, Voltaire, and many others.
oday, the more than four million Freemasons around the world come from virtually every occupation and profession. Within the Fraternity, however, they all meet as equals. They come from diverse political ideologies, but they meet as friends. They come from virtually every religious belief, but they all believe in one God.
ne of the most fascinating aspects of Freemasonry has always been how so many men, from so many different walks of life, can meet together in peace, never have any political or religious debates, always conduct their affairs in harmony and friendship, and call each other “Brother.”
o. Members are encouraged to speak openly about their membership. Like many other organizations, though, meetings of Lodges are held in private.
o. Freemasonry is not a religion. Men of many different religions are Masons. There is nothing in Freemasonry that conflicts with a member's religious beliefs and practices.
owever, to be a Freemason you must have a belief in a "supreme being". Traditionally there is a bible in all Lodges but provisions are made for the presence of other Holy Books, according to the beliefs of members. This is because Freemasonry is truly a non-sectarian organization.
ost Masonic Lodges meet at least one evening a month to conduct their regular business and vote on petitions for membership. It is here that the bonds of friendship and fellowship are strengthened. Annapolis Lodge #89 meets on the 1st and 3rd Mondays each month.
reemasons are respectable citizens who are taught to conform to the moral laws of society and abide by the laws of the government under which they live. They are men of charity and good works. They remain unchallenged as “the world’s greatest philanthropy.”
he Freemasons of America contribute more than one million dollars every day to charitable causes which they, alone, have established. These services to mankind represent an unparalleled example of the humanitarian concern of this unique and honorable Fraternity.
ome men are surprised that no one has ever asked them to become a Mason. They may even feel that the Masons in their town don't think they are "good enough" to join. But it doesn't work that way. For hundreds of years, Masons have been forbidden to ask others to join the fraternity. We can talk to friends about Masonry. We can tell them about what Masonry does. We can tell them why we enjoy it. But we can't ask, much less pressure, anyone to join.
here's a good reason for that. It isn't that we're trying to be exclusive. But becoming a Mason is a very serious thing. Joining Masonry is making a permanent life commitment to live in certain ways. We've listed most of them above—to live with honor and integrity, to be willing to share with and care about others, to trust each other, and to place ultimate trust in God. No one should be "talked into" making such a decision.
o, when a man decides he wants to be a Mason, he asks a Mason for a petition or application. He fills it out and gives it to the Mason, and that Mason takes it to the local lodge. The Master of the lodge will appoint a committee to visit with the man and his family, find out a little about him and why he wants to be a Mason, tell him and his family about Masonry, and answer their questions. The committee reports to the lodge, and the lodge votes on the petition. If the vote is affirmative—and it usually is—the lodge will contact the man to set the date for the Entered Apprentice Degree. When the person has completed all three degrees, he is a Master Mason and a full member of the fraternity.
lease contact membership@annapolislodge.com This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it for more information about becoming a mason.
Board of Trustees and Charitable Foundation Meetings
Lodge - Superbowl Get Together
Sunday - February 2, 2020
Stated Comm (MM) & Dinner (open)
Monday - February 3, 2020
Line Officer Practice
Stated Communication (EA)
Stated Comm & Dinner
Monday - March 2, 2020
Monday - March 16, 2020
Monday - April 6, 2020
Monday - April 20, 2020
Monday - May 4, 2020
© Annapolis Lodge No. 89
162 Conduit Street Annapolis, MD 21401
Membership Information: membership@annapolislodge.com
General Information: info@annapolislodge.com
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New report from UN Women unveils far-reaching alternative policy agenda to transform economies and make gender equality a reality
“Progress of the World’s Women 2015-2016: Transforming Economies, Realizing Rights” launches in seven cities
(London) A major report from UN Women, released today in seven locations globally, brings together human rights and economic policy-making to call for far-reaching changes to the global policy agenda that will transform economies and make women’s rights, and equality, a reality. It takes an in-depth look at what the economy would look like if it truly worked for women, for the benefit of all.
Progress makes the case that the alternative economic agenda it outlines would not only create fairer societies, it would also create new sectors of employment, for instance in the care economy.
The report is being published as the international community comes together to define a transformative new agenda for sustainable development and 20 years after the landmark Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing, China, which set out an ambitious agenda to advance gender equality.
Since the Beijing Conference, significant advances have been made by many societies, particularly in advancing women’s legal rights. However, as Progress shows, in an era of unprecedented global wealth, millions of women are still consigned to work in low paid, poor quality jobs, denied even basic levels of health care, without access to clean water and decent sanitation.
Globally, only half of women participate in the labour force, compared to three quarters of men. In developing regions, up to 95 per cent of women’s employment is informal, in jobs that are unprotected by labour laws and lack social protection.
Women still carry the burden of unpaid care work, which austerity policies and cutbacks have only intensified. To build fairer, more sustainable economies which work for women and men, a future comprising more of the same will no longer do.
“Our public resources are not flowing in the directions where they are most needed: for example, to provide safe water and sanitation, quality health care, and decent child- and elderly-care services. Where there are no public services, the deficit is borne by women and girls,” said UN Women Executive Director Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka.
“This is a care penalty that unfairly punishes women for stepping in when the State does not provide resources and it affects billions of women the world over. We need policies that make it possible for both women and men to care for their loved ones without having to forego their own economic security and independence,” she added.
Through solid, in-depth analysis and data, this evidence-based report provides ten key recommendations for actions that governments and others can take in order to move towards an economy that truly works for women, to the benefit of all.
Progress sets out a vision of a global economy fit for women, where they have equal access to productive resources and social protection, which provides them with sufficient income to support an adequate standard of living. In such an economy, the work that women do would be respected and valued; stereotypes about what women and men can and should do would be eliminated; and women would be able to work and live their lives free from violence and sexual harassment.
The reality, however, is very different.
The report reveals that globally, on average, women are paid 24 per cent less than men. The gaps for women with children are even wider: In South Asia, for example, the gender pay gap is 35 per cent for women with children (compared to 14 per cent for those without).Lower rates of labour force participation, gender pay gaps and lower access to pensions add up to a huge care penalty for women. In France and Sweden, over their lifetime, women can expect to earn 31 per cent less than men; in Germany 49 per cent less than men; and in Turkey, an average woman can expect to earn a staggering 75 per cent less than an average man over her lifetime.
Women are clustered into a limited set of under-valued occupations. For example, 83 per cent of domestic workers worldwide are women and almost half of them are not entitled to the minimum wage. Even when women succeed in the workplace, they encounter obstacles not generally faced by their male counterparts. For example, in the EU, 75 per cent of women in management and higher professional positions and 61 per cent of women in service sector occupations have experienced some form of sexual harassment in the workplace in their lifetimes.
An economy designed with women’s needs in mind would give them an equal voice in economic decision-making: from the way in which time and money are spent in their households, to the ways in which resources are raised and allocated at the national level, to how broader economic parameters are set by global institutions.
Women are still under-represented in economic leadership positions, from trade unions to corporate boards, from finance ministries to international financial institutions. Women’s membership in trade unions is growing in some countries, but they rarely reach top leadership positions. In 2014, across six of the most influential global economic institutions, women’s representation on their boards ranged from 4 to 20 per cent.
Through case studies and concrete examples of change from Bolivia to Botswana, Progress calls for a paradigm shift in the way governments, financial institutions, businesses and civil society approach economic policy thinking and human rights, to bring about an alternative economic agenda which places women and their rights at its centre.
“The new economic agenda that UN Women is advocating for is not a pipe dream. Many countries, including low-income developing countries, are already implementing elements of this agenda,” said Shahra Razavi, Chief of UN Women’s Research and Data Section and lead author of the report. “The kind of change we need is far-reaching, but it can be done.”
In its key recommendations, Progress underlines that with the right mix of economic and social policies, governments can generate decent jobs for women (and men) and ensure that the unpaid care work that goes into sustaining all economies is recognized and supported. Well-designed social services (e.g. health, care services) and social protection measures (e.g. pensions) can enhance women’s income security, from birth to old age, and enhance their capacity to seize economic opportunities and expand their life options.
Macroeconomic policies can and should support the realization of women’s rights, by creating dynamic and stable economies, by generating decent work and by mobilizing resources to finance vital public services. Governments need to go beyond the old metrics of GDP growth and low inflation, and instead measure success in terms of the realization of human rights.
Women’s economic and social rights – the right to a decent job, to health care and a life free from violence and discrimination – are guaranteed in human rights treaties, which almost all governments in the world have signed. Governments are ultimately responsible for delivering these rights, but they cannot do it alone. International financial institutions and the private sector are among the key players that shape the economy. They all need to be held accountable by civil society and the public, to play their part.
The changes proposed in the report will not only make the economy work for women, but also benefit the majority of men for whom the economy is not working either. The report argues that progress for women is progress for all.
To read the full report, visit: http://progress.unwomen.org
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Germany surrenders to the joys of the Great Challenge (Gran Desafío), a new 2015 tourist attraction.
The Costa del Sol presents the Great Path, Coastal Path and El Caminito del Rey path in front of eighty professionals from German tourist industry.
ITB Berlin gives the opportunity to meet operators who are specialized in hiking.
These three attractions can host 2.5 million visitors a year.
ITB1
At ITB Berlin Convention, the Costa del Sol presented their main inland tourist attractions for this year: the Great Challenge, which includes three cultural heritage sites — The Great Málaga Path, the Coastal Path and El Caminito del Rey (The King's Little Pathway).
This event took place at the fair yesterday afternoon, and was attended by Costa del Sol Tourism delegate Carlos Conde and County Council representative for Tourism and Territory Promotion JacoboFlorido. Round eighty professionals from the tourist industry, including tour operators, on-line agencies, press and bloggers gathered for the presentation. All of them were favourably impressed by the possibilities that these tourist destinations offer to visitors, such as hiking all around the province, rambling along the coast for 180 km, and enjoy a walk at an altitude of 100 metres along the refurbished path, called El Caminito del Rey.
During his speech, MrConde pointed out the main qualities of the Costa del Sol, such as the weather conditions — an average annual temperature of twenty degrees centigrade, more than 320 sunny days a year; and a great tourism supply for this century tourists, which includes golf, health, wellness, and cultural tourism, among others. He pointed out that 'these stunning tourist attractions are supposed to attract tourists in autumn and winter, and to keep building customer loyalty in German market. This country's tourists know the Costa del Sol very well , since 71% of German population has already been to this destination and would like to visit it in future (38% in the near future and 33% in distant future).
MrConde has also explained that 96% of German visitors who come to the Costa del Sol promise to recommend this destination to their friends and family, and that every five of them (20%) specify that the purpose of their visit are holidays in the inland and the natural environment.Because of this, the Great Challenge is becoming a perfect tourist attraction, which can receive 2.5m travellers a year.
At the end of the event, many German agencies were interested in this tourist product and were willing to include the Great Challenge among their tourist supply.The Costa del Sol's delegates met the corporate delegates of Krauland, the company specialized in hiking routes.Krauland's representative Wolfgang Krauland, worldwide tracking expert who collaborated with famous brands, such as Neckerman and Thomas Cook, affirmed that the presentation had been 'stunning'. He said that he noticed the changes that had been made, because he had climbed in the area of El Caminito del Rey twenty years ago.After the meeting with the above agency, MrFlorido concluded: 'We made progress in launching this product as we committed ourselves to future meetings and to creating an action plan.'
There was a meeting with another tour operator specialized in hiking and journeys to Spain, called Schlosser Reisen, during ITB Convention. Future business plans for the Great Challenge marketing in Germany were created with this company as well.
Discover Fuente de Piedra Lagoon
Today at ITB, a new project of inland and nature tourism was promoted. 'Discover Fuente de Piedra Lagoon' is a project which advertises natural, cultural and tourist values of the Nature Reserve Fuente de Piedra Lagoon.MrFlorido said: 'This spot is ideal for ornithological (birding) tourism due to the biggest colony of flamingo birds in Spain, and the second largest of the kind in Europe. Moreover, some other activities related to nature can be done in this reserve, and there is cultural and leisure tourist supply in surrounding towns and villages, such as Fuente de Piedra or Campillos.’
This project is going to be presented on the website, which will also spread information about the reserve and host some other initiatives that will gradually be developed through specific actions, such as, events on social networks.
The Great Path
The Great Málaga Path is 650 km long and contains 35 stages. It was officially open this year in February. This is the only route of its kind in Andalusia. It covers a diverse range of landscapes and natural surroundings of the province. This unique trail enlivens interest for natural environment of the province and promotes Malaga's towns and villages.
This circular route can be started at any of its parts. It is 650 km long, and goes through 70% of Malaga's municipalities. It stimulated local economy by creating 6,500 job posts in an indirect way, and it had a positive impact on 1,500 inland accommodation establishments.
The Great Path entailed identifying, register and adaptation of ways, paths for livestock, mountain and other kinds of tails and paths, as well as river banks.
Thanks to it, the province got connected with the Mozarabic Way of St James (Camino Mozárabe de Santiago), and, therefore, with the national and European trail network, as well as with the Long-Distance European Trail (GR-92 E-12), called the Mediterranean Trail, which ends in Greece.
The Coastal Path, is a cultural heritage with beautiful nature, divided in 400 stages. This is a footpath that stretches from Balcón de Europa Viewpoint in Nerja to the Port of Duquesa de Manilva. It was created by the County Council with intention to connect the coastal parts of the Costa del Sol and its fourteen municipalities (180 km).
Today, 75% of the Malaga's coast is connected by the footpath. 40km-long part is to be adapted, although the works on 17km-long stretch have already started.The cost of the project is 30m euros, and it is planned to be carried out within five years, although many of its sections have already been finished.
The construction of the Coastal Path involves connecting some old structures such as sea fronts, lanes, paths, etc., and building some new parts. It will be developed in co-operation with other responsible institutions.
Moreover, thanks to the Coastal Path, the Costa del Sol can be seen as the whole, a tourist product that spans the entire coast of the province, and stretches east to west. It will as well make possible for visitors to get closer to the attractive natural spots that form part of the municipalities, such as the Cantales de La Araña, Peñón del Cuervo Mountain or the mouth of the Guadalhorce (Málaga), Punta Chullera (Manilva), Artola Dunes (Marbella), the Vêlez Delta (Vêlez-Málaga) or the mountainous area between Calahonda and Calaburras (Mijas).Forty-two watchtowers on the coast of Málaga, as well as the Phoenician ruins in Vêlez-Málaga can be also seen from the path.
El Caminito del Rey Path was open on 28th March. It consists of ancient and dizzy boardwalks that go over the Gaitanes Gorge, placed in the beauty spot El Chorro (The Spurt). The path has been refurbished for its opening on March 28th.
It was built so the maintenance workers could approach the Hydroelectric Power Company El Chorro and carry materials.The first refurbishment was started in 1901 and finished in 1905.It was named El Caminito del Rey (the King's Little Pathway) after King Alfonso XIII who crossed the boardwalks in order to officially open the Count of Guadalhorce's Reservoir.
The refurbishment works were done along four kilometres of the path, above all on the 1.2km-long boardwalks, which are hundred metres above the level of the Guadalhorce. The boardwalks had been closed due to its neglected condition.
The new boardwalks were made of wooden boards and moorings which are drilled onto the rock. Some sections have glass floor so the visitors could see the gorge and the original path.
The route is 7.7 km long (this includes 4.4km-long access ways and 2.9km-long boardwalks), and the entrance will be free for six months, although there is to book the tickets on http://www.caminitodelrey.info/.
gran desafío
gran senda
senda litoral
The Costa del Sol goes to ITB Berlin Convention with golf, inland and health tourism in order to promote this destination during low season.
Tourist mobile phone app, which includes 2000 sites, upgraded by the County Council
The first awards for Turistic Quality Caminito del Rey have been given to 17 business and organizations
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Need help editing articles? Start out with the new Introduction to Editing Articles Video.
Ballantine Hall
From Bloomingpedia
Ballantine Hall by Kagan Tuncay.
Ballantine Hall is a ten-story building used primarily for classrooms and offices. It was completed in 1959 at a cost of $6,242,422. At the time it was finished, it set a record as the largest academic building in the world. Because of the high cost, the building went without air conditioning for its first 18 years.
Named for Elisha Ballantine, who first taught at IU in 1854, Ballantine Hall was built at the north end of Forest Place sub-division (photo), where several houses used by fraternities, sororities, and as general boardinghouses were located, including Alpha Hall.
The globe six-foot in diameter that is perched in the foyer of the first floor was donated by two alumni in 1961.
Ballantine hall is the tallest IU campus building, and has an unfortunate history of suicides. In 2004, a student leapt from the 8th floor and survived.
Retrieved from "http://www.bloomingpedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ballantine_Hall&oldid=33425"
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An Evening with Max Hastings – The Dambusters
18th September 2019, 7.30pm (doors 6.45pm) at Lion Quays Hotel, Oswestry, SY11 3EN
Join bestselling and critically acclaimed military historian Max Hastings as he talks about Operation Chastise and the famous Dambusters raid of 1943.
In his new book Chastise, Max Hastings offers a fresh and compelling account of the Dambusters raid. He grew up embracing the story, the classic 1955 movie and the memory of Guy Gibson, the 24-year-old wing-commander who led the raid. In the 21st Century, however, he urges that we should see the dambusters in much more complex shades. The aircrew’s heroism was entirely real, as was the brilliance of Barnes Wallis, inventor of the `bouncing bombs’. But commanders who promised their young fliers that success could shorten the war fantasised as ruthlessly as they did about the entire bomber offensive. Some 1,400 civilians perished in the biblical floods that swept through the Mohne valley, more than half of them Russian and Polish women, slave labourers.
Here once again is a dramatic retake on familiar history by a master of the art. Hastings sets the Dams Raid in the big picture of the bomber offensive and of the Second World War, with moving portraits of the young airmen, so many of whom died; of Barnes Wallis; the monstrous Harris; the tragic Guy Gibson, together with superb narrative of the action of one of the most extraordinary episodes in British history.
We’re delighted to welcome Max Hastings to Oswestry for what should be a fascinating event!
Tickets: £10 (without book - redeemable against a signed copy of Chastise) or £25 (with book - includes a signed copy of Chastise). Tickets available from the bookshop or purchase online with booking fee.
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Girl Birthday Party Game Ideas
Glamour Girl Relay
This game is for 4 or more players, and should be played in an open area. To set up the game, you need: 2 backpacks/large purses, 2 teddy bears, and different accessory items, like: 2 sets of clip-on earrings, 2 necklaces of plastic beads, and 2 small hats/scarves. Put one of each item into a backpack. Divide up into two teams. On the word “go”, the first player from each team puts on the backpack/picks up the purse, runs to end of the playing field, empties the backpack/purse, puts on all the accessory items, kisses the bear, removes the items, and re-packs the backpack/purse. She then runs back to her team and hands the backpack/purse to the next player who does the same. The first team to finish wins.
Restaurant Relay
This game is for 6 or more players, and should be played in an open area. To play, you need two trays and lots of plastic dishes/containers. Form two teams. The first person on each team has to put half of the plastic dishes/containers on her tray and then balance it while running to the end of the playing field and back. If a player drops anything, she has to stop and pick the containers up. When she gets back to the starting line, the next person in line goes. The first team to finish wins.
Poor Kitty
To play purr-fectly, you can’t laugh. This game is for 5 players or more. To play, let the birthday child begin as the “Kitty.” She has to go up to a player and act like a kitty, (meowing, purring, etc.). The player then has to pat the kitty on the head 3 times and say, “Poor Kitty,” WITHOUT LAUGHING! Yes, you must keep a straight face. If the player is successful at not laughing, the kitty must move on to a different person. But if not, the person who laughed becomes the kitty!
One-Handed, Blindfolded Cotton Ball Transfer
To set up the game, you need a bowl filled with cotton balls, a plate, a spoon, and a blindfold for each player. Players blindfold themselves and using a spoon, try to transfer the most cotton balls in 30 seconds from the bowl to the plate. Since this is one-handed, players can’t use their other hand to keep their cotton balls on their spoons. Whichever player transfers the most cotton balls wins.
Balloon Pop Relay
This game is for 6 or more players and should be played outside or in an open area. Give one balloon to each player and form two teams. Put two chairs at one end of the playing field, and have the two teams stand on the other end. The first players of each team have to hold the balloon and run with it to a chair. When they get to the chair, they have to sit on the balloon and try to pop it. When they pop the balloon, they run back to their team and the next person goes. The first team to pop all of their balloons wins!
Excuse Me, What Are You Doing?
This game is for 4 or more people, where you say one thing but do another. To play, you pretend to do an action like washing your hair or drinking tea. The person next to you then asks, “Excuse me, what are you doing?” You have to say something other than what you are really doing. So if you were pretending to brush your teeth, you could say, “I’m eating cookies.” Then that person has to pretend that she’s eating pizza and say something different when the next person asks her, “Excuse me, what are you doing?” If a player makes a mistake, she’s out. Try to keep it going around the circle and see how fast you can go!
Hankie Hop
This is a game for 4 or more players and should be played outside or in an open area. Form two even teams and give each team a handkerchief. To play, the first player of each team has to balance a handkerchief on her foot and hop to the finish line and back. Then the next person in line goes. If a player drops the hankie, she has to start over. The first team to finish wins.
You will need at least two feet of string for each person, candy or sweet cereal with holes, and small bowls to put the goodies in. Before your party, fill the bowls with the candy or cereal, and place them at the party table. Give each child a piece of string, and let them create a necklace, bracelet, anklet, etc. They’ll have fun creating their own jewelry, and will have a yummy take-home party favor!
This game is for 3 or more players. Give each person a heart cut out of paper and have them write down their favorite color, movie, book, animal, and food. Then put all of the hearts into a hat and have people take turns reading them. Try to guess who you think the author of each heart is.
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Our trades
Purchase / Sale / Advice
Charles Enel
Serge Boyer
Florent Boyer
News / Auctions
A Great expert since 1911 at 48 rue de Rome, a violin maker and restorer , he was born in Mirecourt in 1880. He served his apprenticeship in Mirecourt at Grillon’s, Gustave Bazin’s then at Leon Mougenot’s. He worked at Auguste Deroux’s in Paris, then at various foreign makers in Geneva, Luiz, Augsburg and Stuttgart. In 1909 he settled in rue de Clery and then in rue de Rome in 1911 . He died August 14, 1954.
FREDERIC BOYER
A great violin and viola maker of Italian inspiration, restorer and expert, he was born in Prague in 1926. He served his apprenticeship in Mirecourt at Rene Jacquemin’s and Louis Bazin’s then worked with Roger and Max Millant when he arrived in Paris. In 1948 he joined Charles Enel as an assistant. In 1960, he took over the house of his master and
primarily carries on with a carreer of violas creator. In 1978, he moves to settle at 46 Rue de Rome.
An expert of quartet instruments, of high restoration of violins, violas and cellos and an expert at auctions, he was born in Paris in 1955. He served his apprenticeship in Mirecourt at Jean Eulry’s then worked several years at Charles Beare’s in London.
He joined his father in 1979 as a collaborator , whom he succeeds in 1984.
Born in 1983, he begins his apprenticeship in September 2003 in Mirecourt at Jean-Jacques Pagès International School of Violin Making then at Roland Terrier’s for a year in 2006. He then goes to New York for two years to complete his apprenticeship at the famous violin maker Christophe Landon. In 2009 he joins his father as a collaborator in the Parisian workshop.
Réalisation SO12 @en
39 RUE DE LIÈGE, 75008, PARIS
contact@boyerlutherie.com
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California’s Water Storage Failure is Another Example of Dysfunctional Political Leadership
June 21, 2018 By Ed Ring 6 Comments
In 2017, when cracks appeared in the Oroville Dam’s spillway, more than 180,000 Californians faced the prospect of floods. The emergency came a few years after Californians had overwhelmingly approved Proposition 1, a ballot measure to spend $7.1 billion on water-storage projects. In the drought-stricken Golden State, where runoff from rain and snowmelt races uselessly into the Pacific Ocean, the proposition won wide support, with voters approving it, two-to-one. But four years after passage, the state water commission has yet to assign a dime of funding for storage.
California once performed miracles in building infrastructure to quench the thirst of its residents and agricultural producers. In the 1960s, Governor Pat Brown oversaw construction of the San Luis Reservoir, capacity 2 million acre-feet. Approved for construction in 1963, it was completed by 1968—five years from start to finish. Those days are long gone. Any surface-storage project now faces years of litigation from environmental groups such as the powerful Sierra Club. At every stage in the construction process, delays of months or years ensue to resolve well-funded lawsuits launched under every conceivable pretext, from habitat destruction to inundation of Native American artifacts.
Nevertheless, the California Water Commission has finally announced its plans to fund new projects with the money from Proposition 1. Many Californians were surprised to learn that the proposition’s fine print stipulated that only a third of the money was ever intended to fund water storage. The rest is earmarked for other projects, ranging from habitat restoration to levee upgrades. Neither the commission nor most of the applicant agencies offer clarity as to how much additional storage the projects will add to California’s normal water supplies in an average year.
Clearly, some of the projects will make a tremendous difference to California’s parched water economy. The proposed Sites Reservoir, to be built just west of the Sacramento River, promises a capacity of nearly 2 million acre-feet; it alone could contribute a half-million acre-feet or more to the state’s water supply even in drought years, and much more in years with normal rainfall. Similarly, the Temperance Flat Reservoir will expand an existing reservoir on the San Joaquin River. Propitiously located south of the delta, this 1.3 million acre-foot construction could contribute 250,000 acre-feet or more to California’s water supply, even in drought years.
To appreciate how much capacity these two projects would add, consider that California’s total residential water consumption — indoor and outdoor combined — is only 4 million acre-feet per year. None of the other proposed projects comes close to matching these two, but in any case, it will be years before this new infrastructure can capture one drop of rain or runoff. The Sites Reservoir application anticipates completion by 2029; the Temperance Flat Reservoir, by 2033. Constant litigation, combined with years of legislation empowering unions and state agency bureaucrats to slow construction, have quadrupled the time required to build — and sent costs soaring. In 2018 dollars, Pat Brown’s San Luis Reservoir cost $672 million; the Sites Reservoir is projected to cost $5.2 billion — seven times as much, for a nearly identical facility.
To eliminate politically contrived shortages, Californians should embrace an all-of-the-above strategy to increase water supplies. They should select projects that yield the best return on investment while they take a hard look at what’s driving construction costs out of sight. Proposition 1 was a mandate to solve a solvable problem — store runoff to eliminate water scarcity. But California legislators have dragged their feet on implementation, betraying their constituents and exemplifying the state’s dysfunctional political culture. When it comes to water issues in California, not just quality of life, but life itself, is at stake.
Ed Ring co-founded the California Policy Center in 2010 and served as its president through 2016.
This article was originally published by City Journal Online
Filed Under: Top Stories Tagged With: California Water Commission, Drought, Oroville Dam, Water, Water storage
Last reply was June 22, 2018
View June 21, 2018
What do you call 1000 lawyers at the bottom of the Ocean?
Boris Badenov replied:
A good start, what do you call 10,000 EnviroLoons Joining them? Payback. I’m all for making sure we don’t mess up the environment but it’s time to curtail the nonsense and get on with the business of having water for the millions of future Democrat voters coming over the border.
drjim replied:
HILARIOUS, Boris!
Sadly true, but very funny nonetheless…
Even Democrats are beginning to wake up to the idea that CEQA needs reforming.
A ballot measure would be quicker though.
Brenda Torres
What can you expect from the Hypocritical, Dysfunctional Democrats?!!!
ambrjak
A little known fact about Pat Brown was that he was a world class eye-roller. I always made it a point to inquire about Jerry.
Gavin Newsom’s Solution to California’s Homelessness Problem: Throw Another Billion Dollars at It
New Prop 13—Education Scam to Finance Higher LOCAL Property Taxes and More
California, 13 other states sue to stop Trump’s food stamp cuts
Your company might be next–to Leave California
Happiness, Thy Name is National School Choice Week
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Forty Hadiths on Marriage: by Imam Ali al-Qari (d. 1014 AH)
This is an English translation of 40 hadiths on the value and significance of Marriage in Islam by the leading Imam of his age, Ali al-Qari al-Hanafi (d. 1014 AH). Its Arabic title is Raf al-Junah wa Khafd al-Janah bi-Arba’in hadithan fi bab al-Nikah, and it was translated into English by Sayyad Arfan Shah al-Bukhari.
The narrations are also significant to the ethos and morality needed within a practicing Muslim household which is striving to be in line with the teachings and practice of the Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam), and those who guarded and followed his beautiful way through the ages by means of the sanctity of marriage
A biography of the erudite Mullah Ali al-Qari:
He is the Imam, the Erudite Scholar, the Shaykh, Light of the Deen, Abul Hassan, ‘Ali (the son of Sultan Muhammad) the Reciter the Hirawi (later the Makkan) the Hanafite, renowned as Mulla ‘Ali al-Qari.
The meaning of al-Qari (the Reciter) is derived from qa-ra-‘a (to recite). He was given this appellation due to his mastery of the science of Qur’anic readings, and his vast knowledge and expertise in this field.
It is possible that he became particularly famous as “the Reciter” because he memorized the Qur’an so well in his home town and used to lead the taraweeh prayers there in a most excellent manner.
“Hirawi” refers to the famous city, Herat (Hiraah), one of the greatest cities of the land of Khorasan, and now the second city of Afghanistan. The Shaykh is called “the Hirawi” as he was born and brought up there.
He is called “the Makkan” because he travelled to the Venerated City, Makkah, and made it his home. He was blessed with remaining in the neighbourhood of the Glorious Ka’bah for over forty years, before passing away in its radiant precincts.
As for the title “Mulla”, some of the scholars write it as “Munla” and some as “al-Mawla”, regarding it as being originally an Arabic word. However it has become a part of the Persian language, and is widely used by the people of Iran, Turkistan, Turkey, Afghanistan, India and Pakistan.
The Hafidh, Murtada al-Zabeedi, believes that “mulla” is derived from the Arabic word “al-mawlaa”. He mentions in the dictionary, Taj al-‘Uroos: “the adjective from al-mawlaa is mawlawi. This is used by the non-Arabs as a title for a great scholar, but they pronounce it mulla.”
The historians do not record the precise date of his birth [but it was sometime in the 15th century CE].
His seeking of sacred knowledge can be divided into two main stages:
The first stage was in Herat, his town of birth, where he studied the recitation and pronunciation of the Noble Qur’an, and memorized it cover to cover. He also studied the elementary disciplines, and attended the circles of sacred knowledge there.
The second stage begins with his journey to the Sanctuary (Makkah), where he gained in knowledge and understanding, and increased in his humility and sincerity towards Allah ‘azza wa jall. He persevered in seeking sacred knowledge, and accompanied the distinguished scholars of the blessed land.
In Herat, he studied tajweed and the science of Qur’anic readings with his Shaykh, the Qur’an teacher, Mu’een al-Deen the Hirawi (the son of the Haafidh, Zayn al-Deen). He studied with the scholars of his city that were renowned for their learning. During that time Herat had become an important centre of Islamic civilization in Central Asia, and a city in which the sciences and arts flourished.
Shaykh ‘Ali the Reciter was born at a time when the fluorescence of learning in Herat was beginning its decline. When the Sultan, Isma’eel ibn Haydar the Safawid (known as Shah Isma’eel), the first of the Shiite Safawids, conquered Herat, he oppressed and massacred the Muslims, and commanded that Shiite practices be instituted in the city. He even ordered that all Imams must curse and insult the Pious Caliphs (al-Khulafaa al-Rashidun) in their Friday speeches. This led to the emigration of a large number of scholars, seeking to leave behind a land of Innovation for a land of Islam. Amongst them was the Erudite Shaykh, ‘Abd al-‘Aziz al-Abhari (d. 928H). Also amongst those leaving behind their native land was Shaykh ‘Ali the Reciter. He made intention to go to the Venerated City, Makkah, and to take up residence there, and to benefit from its learned men and women.
The conquest of Herat by Shah Isma’eel was in the year 916 H [approx. 1515 CE], and was followed by long years of oppression and tribulation. Shaykh ‘Ali left Herat soon after this period, but is known to have arrived in Makkah after an extended period of time.
Surely, the Venerated City picks for herself the choicest of fruits! From these fruits are the great scholars who, within her precincts, teach students from all over the world the various sciences of the sacred Law.
Thus begins the second stage of Shaykh ‘Ali’s journey of knowledge. He travels this Golden Path of sacred knowledge which winds through the Venerated City, and Allah opens his heart and desires good for him, so he assiduously accompanies the people of knowledge in the city for many long years, devoting himself to study and teaching.
The Shaykh lived a simple, humble life, eating from the fruit of his own labour in accordance with the prophetic saying: “No-one ever ate any food better than that which their own hands earned. Surely, the Prophet of Allah, Dawud (peace be upon him), ate from the earning of his own hands.”
Shaykh ‘Abd ul-Haleem al-Nu’mani said: al-Mawla ‘Ali the Reciter remained satisfied with what he earned from selling books which he wrote with his hands i.e. he worked as a scribe. His predominant state was one of indifference to material riches, gentleness, and being pleased with sufficiency. He mixed little with others, and was strong in worship and piety (taqwa). He was earnest in his drawing closer to the Knower of the secret and the manifest.
The Shaykh was deeply religious, God-fearing, scrupulous in religious affairs, indifferent to the lower world (dunya), gentle, and dignified. He was of the opinion that flattering rulers, accepting salaries from them, and seeking official positions was detrimental to one’s piety and sincerity. He wrote an epistle on this matter which he called “Distancing the Scholars from Approaching the Rulers”. He often used to say: “May Allah have mercy on my father who used to tell me he wished I did not become a scholar, as he feared that I may end up at the doors of the rulers.”
The Shaykh emphasised strongly the seeking of knowledge for the sake of Allah , and was particularly strict against those who studied for worldly ends, like seeking careers, that would soon perish. He said: “This is how we find students nowadays. They are confused about what they are doing and why. Sometimes they are studying knowledge that has no benefit in this world or the Next, just so that they can attain certain spurious objectives, such as getting in with oppressive rulers, gaining high position in society, using flattery to attain ranks, or even just to get food for their bellies.”
He also said: “The scholars of the early generations (may Allah have mercy on them) used always to examine closely those who sought to keep their company. If they saw them to be deficient in observing nafl (supererogatory) acts of worship, they would rebuke them and cease to respect them. If they found any evil in them , such as making the forbidden permissible, they would dispel them, and banish them from their gatherings, leaving off even conversation with them, let alone teaching!”
For some time, Shaykh ‘Ali held the opinion that the parents of the Messenger of Allah (may mercy of Allah and peace be upon him) will be in the Fire. He even wrote an epistle to back this view. However, he changed his opinion later on in life, al hamdo lillah, as we find unequivocally stated in his commentary on al-Shifaa of Qadi ‘Iyadh, which he wrote just three years before his demise. In it he states: “Abu Talib’s embracing Islam is incorrect. As for the Islam of [the Prophet’s (may mercy of Allah and peace be upon him)] parents, there are several opinions. The most correct is that they both had Islam, according to the consensus of the greatest of the ummah.”
Shaykh ‘Ali used to challenge all innovations and wrong beliefs and actions that prevailed at his time, and used to condemn them with a strong voice. He condemned the masses for their deviations and faced the scholars with reminders and good counsel.
His Books include:
Fath al-‘Inaayah, commentary on al-Niqaayah
Commentary on the Commentary of Nukhbat-ul-Fikr
Mirqaat ul-Mafaateeh, commentary on Mishkaat ul-Masaabeeh
Jam’ al-Wasaail, commentary on al-Shamaail
Commentary on al-Shifaa
Commentary on the Muwatta
Epistle called “Distancing the Scholars from Approaching the Rulers”
Commentary on al-Shaatibiyyah
Commentary on al-Jazariyyah
Al-Athar al-Janiyyah, on the Hanafite scholars
Biography of Shaykh ‘Abdul-Qadir
…and many others on a variety of disciplines.
His teachers include:
Shaykh Ibn Hajar al-Haytami
Shaykh ‘Ali the Pious the Indian
Shaykh Mair Kelan
Shaykh ‘Atiyyah al-Sullami
Shaykh ‘Abdullah the Sindi
Shaykh Qutb al-Deen the Makkan
Shaykh Ahmad ibn al-Deen the Egyptian
His students were extremely numerous as he was the Imam of his age, and the Unique of his time. He was a glorious scholar, a jurisprudent, an hadith-specialist, a Qur’anic exegete, and specialist in Qur’anic readings. Indeed, his mastery extended to many disciplines.
His main students include:
Shaykh ‘Abd al-Qadir al-Tabari
Shaykh ‘Abd al-Rahman al-Murshidi
Shaykh Muhammad ibn Furukh al-Mawrubi
…and many others.
The biographers mention that Shaykh Mulla ‘Ali the Reciter died in the Venerated City, Makkah, in the year 1014 after the Hijrah.
Some mention that he died in Shawwal of that year and was buried in al-Ma’laah graveyard in the Venerated City. Shaykh Ahmad al-Qittaan delineates the precise location of his grave in his book “Tanzil al-Rahamaat”.
It is said that he died in 1010H. Haji Khaleefa mentions this in “Kashf al-Dhunun”, but it is incorrect.
It is said that when the news of his death reached the scholars of Egypt, they prayed the funeral prayer for him in al-Azhar university. It was attended by over four thousand people.
[Translation from the introduction to Mulla ‘Ali al-Qari’s fatwa on “Al-Samaa’ wal-Ghinaa” by ‘Uthman Muhammad Na’urah, published by Dar al-Furfur, Damascus].
Here is a digital image from an original handwritten manuscript of the description page of the 40 hadith compilation by Imam Ali al-Qari on Marriage, and it is dated 1010 AH (which indicates that it was scribed in the lifetime of Imam Ali al-Qari by the author himself):
The slideshow bar at the top of the page is from the beginning of the first page which mentions the title of the work
Read online:
Tafsir al-Qurtubi - one volume in English
How to understand the Attributes of Allah - al-Qawl al-Tamam
An investigation (Tahqiq) into the term "Ahlul Hadith"
Sahih al-Bukhari - Maknaz edition - certified by al Azhar University
Shiaism - A Brief analysis
Imam Al-Tabari : Allah is not located in a Place
Salafis say al-Istawa’ is Julus – Allah is Sitting
Tafwid of the Attributes of Allah according to Imam Mujirud-Din al-Hanbali (d. 927 AH)
Are the Ash'aris the majority of the Ummah historically?
The 'Makan' Narration Attributed to Imam Mujahid
Issues Related to the ‘Aqida of Imam Ibn ‘Abdal-Barr (d. 463 AH)
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New look for an established PTE peak body
author:Voxy
Quality Tertiary Institutions - Nga Wananga Kounga - is the new name for the private tertiary education sector peak body Independent Tertiary Institutions - Nga Wananga Motuhake. QTI represents twelve, large, high-quality Private Training Establishments (PTEs) and is recognised as an industry body by key Government agencies including the Ministry of Education, NZQA, the Tertiary Education Commission, Immigration New Zealand and Education New Zealand. Members of QTI educate over 10,000 learners a year in a highly diverse range of subjects, from foundation to certificate to degree to post-graduate level.
The name change and new logo were approved at the recent ITI Annual General Meeting. Newly re-elected QTI Co-Chair Tommy Honey (Whitecliffe College of Arts and Design) said "the name reflects our members’ absolute shared focus on quality and facilitating real outcomes - both economic and social - for all our learners. Members are committed to working together in a collaborative way to raise our performance. QTI also makes sure that our collective voice on key policy issues is clearly heard in Wellington through regular meetings with Ministers, politicians and officials, and through the professional lobbying work of our long-serving Executive Director."
Co-Chair Wendy Pyne (Bethlehem Tertiary Institute) was elected for the first time at the same Annual General Meeting. She noted "QTI’s new logo is designed to be reminiscent of a whare or meeting house. It is a place where people get together and speak freely in order to make a difference. The name Nga Wananga Koura means a quality place of education. The Board of QTI is tremendously grateful for the expert advice of Sir Wira Gardiner during the development of this name."
QTI will soon be launching a new, re-branded and improved website (www.qti.ac.nz) though the existing site (www.iti.org.nz) will continue to work, diverting to the updated site once fully operational.
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Daniel Muñoz-Espín studied Biology and Molecular Biology at the Autonomous University of Madrid in Spain, where he also completed his PhD with cum laude honours within the Viral DNA Replication Group at the Centre of Molecular Biology Severo Ochoa (CMBSO), under the supervision of Dr Margarita Salas. During his PhD, he also worked at Sir William Dunn School of Pathology (University of Oxford, UK) as a visiting student. He was then awarded an I3P Fellowship followed by a Spanish National Research Council Fellowship to conduct postdoctoral research on DNA replication, resulting in several first- and corresponding authored papers. Based on his research, a patent was filed on a novel gene delivery system to Sygnis AG Pharma (2013). Dr Muñoz-Espín then moved to Dr Manuel Serrano’s group at Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO), where his productive work culminated with two awarded grants: a Ramon y Cajal Programme Senior Grant and a National Programme Grant for Researched Aimed at the H2020 Societal Changes. His work demonstrated that, in addition to cancer and ageing, cellular senescence also plays a role during normal embryonic development, a process that was termed as “developmentally- programmed senescence”. This work, published in Cell in 2013, redefined cellular senescence as a tissue remodelling process acting in a physiological context. The scientific community received this novel concept with enthusiasm, as reflected by commentaries in top journal, including Cell, Nature, The EMBO Journal and Nature Reviews Molecular and Cell Biology.
In 2016, Dr Muñoz-Espín joined the Department of Oncology at the University of Cambridge as Principal Investigator as part of the Cancer Early Detection Programme of the CRUK Cambridge Centre. Some of his current funding sources include an MRC New Investigator Research Grant (NIRG), a CRUK Early Detection Project Award, and a Royal Society Research Grant. Recently, Dr Muñoz-Espín and colleagues have reported in EMBO Molecular Medicine a versatile drug delivery tool to target senescent cells that has been validated in a model of lung fibrosis, resulting in a remarkable reduction of the fibrotic scar and in the restoration of the pulmonary function, and in a model of cancer, resulting in full tumour regression in combination with senescence-inducing chemotherapy.
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Fornits
Fornits Home for Wayward Web Fora
An open discussion about the troubled parent industry
Fornits »
Treatment Abuse, Behavior Modification, Thought Reform »
Straight, Inc. and Derivatives »
And the Bodies Keep Piling Up
Author Topic: And the Bodies Keep Piling Up (Read 2354 times)
ajax13
According to the Canadian Government, a Canadian male has a 2.6 percent chance of dying by age 45. For male AARC survivors, it is not looking quite so good.
http://www5.statcan.gc.ca/cansim/a26?lang=eng&id=1095402
MAZUR _ Andrew Blair May 17, 1983 - January 8, 2005 It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of our beloved son, Andrew at the age of 21 years. Andrew is survived by his father Lawrence Mazur, stepmother Amanda Mazur of Calgary; and his mother Teresa Bastian of Toronto; maternal grandfather Blair Bastian; paternal grandmother Hazel Mazur. He also leaves to mourn, his brothers, Sam and Adam of Calgary; and sister Megan of Toronto. He was predeceased by his Grandpa Walter Mazur; his Grandma Dorothy Bastian; and his dog Sarge. Andrew was a very caring and loving person - anyone who met him could tell you this. He will be deeply missed by everyone who ever met him. May his light shine in our hearts forever. Funeral Services will be held on Thursday, January 13, 2005 at 2:00 p.m. at Advent Lutheran Church, 11 Scenic Acres Gate N.W., Calgary, Alberta. Cremation will follow the Service. In lieu of flowers please make all donations to the Alberta Adolescent Recovery Center, 303 Forge Road S.E., Calgary, Alberta. PIERSON'S FUNERAL SERVICE in charge of arrangements. Telephone: 235-3602
NEWSON _ Devon Chester 1987 - 2006 It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Devon Newson of Calgary on Sunday, July 23, 2006 at the age of 18 years. Devon was born on October 20, 1987 in Calgary. He was an energetic little boy from the start with a huge heart and a great personality. Very active, he loved doing anything outdoors, including achieving the position as a running back on a Calgary football team. Devon's favourite vacations were those summer camping trips spent with his family, participating in activities like quading and fishing with his Dad. Despite this all he faced many challenges in his short life. Beloved son of Trevor and Christine Newson of Calgary; brother to Danielle Newson of Calgary; and grandson of Enid Ford of Calgary, and Julie and Tim Bolen of Ponoka, AB and Barbara Sims of Sicamous, BC. Devon was predeceased by his grandfathers, Elmer George Sims of Sicamous, BC, and Bruce Newson of Stony Plain, AB. He will be forever loved and remembered by his many aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends. Devon will forever be in our hearts. Those wishing to pay their respects may do so at McINNIS & HOLLOWAY'S Fish Creek Chapel (14441 Bannister Road S.E.) on Monday, July 31, 2006 from 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. A Celebration of Devon's Life will be held at McInnis & Holloway's Fish Creek Chapel (14441 Bannister Road S.E.) on Tuesday, August 1, 2006 at 2:30 p.m. Forward condolences through www.mcinnisandholloway.com . If friends so desire, in lieu of flowers, memorial tributes may be made directly to the Alberta Adolescent Recovery Centre (AARC), 303 Forge Road S.E., Calgary, AB T2H 0S9 (Telephone 403-253-5250). The family wish to thank all of their family and friends for their support during this time. In living memory of Devon Newson, a tree will be planted at Fish Creek Provincial Park by McINNIS & HOLLOWAY FUNERAL HOMES, Fish Creek Chapel, 14441 BANNISTER ROAD S.E. Telephone: 403-256-9575.
LeBARON _ William "Steven" 1979 - 2007 William "Steven" LeBaron passed away suddenly on Hornby Island, BC, on April 29, 2007, at the age of 27 years. He will be dearly missed by his father Glen LeBaron and wife Karlene; mother Diane Williams and husband Richard; and siblings, Emily, Tom, David, Annie and Noah. He will also be missed by his grandmother Stella Massey-Hicks and Rowena Massey-Hicks of Canmore. Many thanks to Robear LeBaron and his family for their loving care of Steven during his stay on Hornby Island. Memorial Services will be held at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Calgary West Stake Chapel (6560 Silver Springs Crescent N.W.) today, May 5, 2007, at 11:00 a.m. Forward condolences through www.mcinnisandholloway.com . If friends so desire, memorial tributes may be made directly to AARC (Alberta Adolescent Recovery Centre), 303 Forge Road S.E., Calgary, AB, T2H 0S9. In living memory of Steven LeBaron a tree will be planted at Fish Creek Provincial Park by McINNIS & HOLLOWAY FUNERAL HOMES, Crowfoot Chapel, 82
GETTIS _ Brent James Charles September 1, 1977 - November 2, 2007 Brent James Charles Gettis, beloved son of Barbara and Jim Gettis, of Calgary passed away on Friday, November 2, 2007 at the age of 30 years. Brent was born in Calgary, AB and attended Silver Springs Elementary and Montgomery Jr. High Schools. His senior high school years were spent at Brentwood College School in Mill Bay, BC. He returned to Alberta to study Engineering at the U of C. Later, Brent worked at Western Energy Ltd. with his dad, and more recently at Siemens Technologies, a job which he loved. Brent had a great passion for music and was an accomplished Jazz Pianist. He was an adventurous person, who loved water skiing, playing hockey and downhill skiing. Fishing was Brent's ultimate passion and hobby; he was a skilful fly fisherman and had a great knowledge of all types of fish and styles of fishing. He spent many hours casting his fly rod by his "beloved" Bow River. Besides his loving parents Barbara and Jim, Brent is survived by two brothers, Paul and Michael; his special friend Carey Sponholz; his grandmothers Matilda (Tillie) Blake and Mary Gettis; special auntie Palma McCullagh; as well as several other aunts, uncles, and cousins; and his loving canine friend, Pookey. Brent was predeceased by his grandfathers Charles Blake and Duain Gettis. Brent especially loved his family, and he will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved him. Relatives and friends are invited to a Celebration of Brent's Life at McINNIS & HOLLOWAY'S Crowfoot Chapel (82 Crowfoot Circle N.W.) today, November 7, 2007 at 7:00 p.m. Funeral Services will be held at McInnis & Holloway's Crowfoot Chapel (82 Crowfoot Circle, N.W.) on Thursday, November 8, 2007 at 2:30 p.m. Forward condolences through www.mcinnisandholloway.com . In lieu of flowers, if friends so desire, memorial tributes may be made directly to the Alberta Adolescent Recovery Centre, 303 Forge Road S.E., Calgary, AB T2H 0S9 (Telephone 403-253-5250) or the 1835 Recovery Acres Society, 1835 - 27 Avenue S.W., Calgary, AB T2T 1H2 (Telephone 403-245-1196). In living memory of Brent Gettis, a tree will be planted at Fish Creek Provincial Park by McINNIS & HOLLOWAY FUNERAL HOMES, Crowfoot Chapel, 82 CROWFOOT CIRCLE N.W. Telephone: 403-241-0044
HYDE _ Lawren Llewelyn Goodale January 7, 1984 - September 30, 2008 Lawren, beloved son of Valerie Goodale and the late Willie Hyde died suddenly in a car accident on Tuesday, September 30. He brought love and joy to those close to him. He will be lovingly remembered and deeply missed by his mother Valerie; his sister Morgan (Devon) Nahanee; his girlfriend Edith Savanya; as well as many family members and friends. Lawren's unexpected, early death has left a huge void in the lives of those who loved him. We will cherish his memories through all of our "Lawren Stories". Letters of tribute and personal messages may be sent to the family care of AARC at sanderson@ aarc.ab.ca . A Service to honour and celebrate Lawren's life will be held on Tuesday, October 7, 2008 at 7:00 p.m. at The Alberta Adolescent Recovery Center (AARC), 303 Forge Road S.E., Calgary, Alberta. Lawren was AARC's 186th graduate. As a tribute to Lawren and in lieu of flowers we invite you to make a donation in his memory to the Alberta Adolescent Recovery Centre.
NIEDERGESAESS _ Aaron Gerhard March 12, 1987 - September 30, 2008 Aaron Niedergesaess of Calgary passed away suddenly in a motor vehicle accident on Tuesday, September 30, 2008 at the age of 21 years. Aaron touched the lives of many with his open, enthusiastic nature and his big heart. He was an avid athlete who excelled in anything he tried. In 2006, he helped the Vancouver Island Raiders win the Canadian Junior Championship. Aaron will be lovingly remembered by his daughter "baby girl" Giselle; soulmate Jenine Gilbertson; parents Margaret and Ernst Niedergesaess; brother Marc (Rachel) Niedergesaess; sisters, Kirsten (Mike) Petersen and Eve Niedergesaess; grandfather Paul Babchishin; nephews, Michael and Jesse; nieces, Kate and Anna; as well as numerous aunts, uncles, cousins and close friends. Funeral Services at Centre Street Church (3900 - 2 Street N.E.) on Saturday, October 4, 2008 at 11:00 a.m. Graveside Service to follow at Queen's Park Cemetery. Forward condolences through www.mcinnisandholloway.com . Donations can be made for Aaron's daughter, payable to Donna Babchishin and/or Sarah Anderson (in Trust for Giselle Niedergesaess) or at any TD Canada Trust branch.
Anthony Dean Congo of Red Deer passed away on September 4, 2010. He will be lovingly remembered by his parents, Neil and Sharon Congo, his siblings, Chad (Heather) Congo and Tamara (Glenn) Yingst,
Grandma Kathleen Congo, 3 nephews: Dallas, Corey and Ryan, 3 nieces: Tara, Robyn and Cassidy, and several aunts, uncles and cousins.
He was a an accomplished guitar player and song writer and loved sharing his faith with others. He recently completed his book “Foolish Miracles“to help families understand living with mental illness.
Anthony was simply known by those that knew him well as a sensitive, loving, generous and caring person. He is now where he longed to be at home with his Saviour.
A memorial service in his honour will be held on Thursday September 9, 2010 at 2;30 p.m at Living Stones Church, 2020- 40 Ave. Red Deer.
If friends so desire memorial tributes may be made to “Guitar Church “ or Living Stones Church Benevolent Fund. Heartland Funeral Services, Innisfail, entrusted with arrangements.
Scott Russell Cable
8 JUNE , 1981 – 12 JANUARY , 2013
S Scott Cable passed away suddenly on January 12, 2013 at home in Okotoks at the age of 31 years. He is lovingly remembered by his long term partner Amanda and his father Terry, sister Heather, Uncle Dave (Carol), grandparents Leonard (Cynthia “Babs”) Cable, cousins Raymond, Sarah and family.
Scott will be sadly missed by all who knew him including the pipe band communities Scott played in for many years.
A Celebration of Life will be held at Okotoks United Church (43 Riverside Drive, Okotoks) on Thursday, January 24, 2013 at 2:00 p.m.
If friends so desire, a donation can be made directly to the Canadian Mental Health Association, #400, 1202 Centre St SE, Calgary, AB T2G 5A5.
BRENNEMAN, Tyler McKenzie
April 4, 1979 Calgary, Alberta –
December 4, 2013 Toronto, Ontario
A Life Too Short
Brodie, Peter
July 8, 1989-July 21, 2014
CORY, Ben
It is with broken hearts that we announce the sudden departure of our beloved Ben. We are devastated by the loss of his smile, big heart, sharp wit, quirky and profound intelligence, sense of humour, deep insights about people, and competitive and fun-loving nature. Ben loved sports, music and especially his family, friends and AARC community. Ben will be forever in the hearts of his loving parents, Jill and David, his cherished sister Becky and her partner, Sherwin, and his best feline friend, Oreo. He will be profoundly missed by his Grammy Joyce, aunts and uncles Mike and Joany, Barry and Diane, Jeff and Sue and Nancy and Mike, as well as his cousins Stephen, Gordon, Noah, Dan and Melanie. Ben will be fondly remembered by the Link family - aunts, uncles and cousins. The AARC community grieves with us. They gave endless support and love to our family throughout Ben's journey with recovery. Ben's community will be gathering on Saturday, March 14, 2015 at Eden Brook Funeral Home (24223 Township Road 242 at Lower Springbank Road & 17th Avenue SW) at 2:30 p.m. Memories and condolences may be shared with the family by visiting www.leydens.com. Tributes in Ben's name may be directed to a scholarship fund for AARC graduates
McKENZIE, Jeremy
Our hearts are broken and it seems as though even the angels are weeping. Jeremy McKenzie, at the tender age of 16, our loving son left us suddenly on Tuesday, March 17, 2015. He will be greatly missed by his sister Jordan, his parents Joan Hollihan and Wade McKenzie, grandmother Molly Hollihan, and many aunts, uncles, cousins and friends. He was predeceased by his grandparents Dale Hollihan, Dale and Irma McKenzie. Jeremy had a one-of-a-kind personality that included a unique sense of humour, a kind and caring heart and a great love for his family and his three dogs ("the girls"). Jeremy really loved his auto body class, and had a passion for vinyl records, photography, glass blowing, baseball and long boarding. He loved to travel with his family and explored China, Hawaii, Greece, Mexico, and many cities across Canada and U.S. These great vacations have given us many special memories we will treasure forever. Please join us for the visitation and viewing on Saturday, March 21, 2015 at LEYDEN'S CHAPEL OF REMEMBRANCE (corner of 17th Avenue & 2nd Street SW) from 3:00 to 4:30 p.m. A Gathering of Jer's Clan will be held at the same location on Wednesday, March 25, 2015 at 7:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, donations in Jeremy's name may be made to Alberta Adolescent Recovery Centre (AARC), 303 Forge Road SE, Calgary, AB T2H 0S9,
SPIEGELMANN, Kevin Michael
August 7, 1996 – March 31, 2015
It is with profound sadness that we announce the sudden passing of our cherished son, Kevin Michael Spiegelmann. His loss will be forever felt by his loving parents Brian and Kathy Spiegelmann, brother Daniel, Aunts Debbie and Lori, Uncles Larry, Steve and Dave, cousins Nicholas, Samantha, Katie, Rachelle, Elissa and Chelsea (Brett) and second cousins Kaden and Carter. He will also be lovingly remembered by his Grandma Helen, Nana Anna, Papa Gary, birthmother Michelle and her family, godparents Anna and Pat and their children Thomas and Claire. He was predeceased by his cousin Nicole and grandpa Vic. Kevin's beloved cat Sparky will remain an important reminder of the caring nature Kevin embodied. Kevin was a beautiful, compassionate, loving soul who could light up any room. He also possessed a wonderful wit, intelligence and wisdom beyond his years. His very competitive side was evident in the way he played video games and family card games. He loved basketball, magic tricks and vacationing with family and close friends. He was in his element giving of his time and feedback to anyone who needed it. We are proud of the man he became in working through many challenges during his teen years. Please join with the family for an evening visitation on Monday April 6, 2015 at Eden Brook Funeral Home from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.. A Celebration of Kevin's Life will be held at the same location on Tuesday, April 7, 2015 at 6:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, donations in Kevin's name may be made to Alberta Adolescent Recovery Centre (AARC), 303 Forge Road SE, Calgary, Alberta T2H 0S9
FAULKENHAM, DYLAN REESE
November 28, 1992 – May 1, 2016
It is with great sadness and heavy hearts that we announce the unexpected passing of our son and brother Dylan. Dylan is survived by his mother Wendy, his father Robin and his brother Jeremy. He is also survived by many wonderful family members and friends. Dylan lived for today, and we are so thankful that he did what he wanted, when he wanted. He loved sports and was a very loyal friend. Dylans' happy place was Baseball!
"Our lives will never be the same without you Dylan" Love Mom, Dad and Jeremy.
There will be a Celebration of Life on Wednesday, May 11th at Fresh Start Recovery Centre, 411- 41 Ave NE, Calgary at 6 PM. All are welcome.
To send condolences please go to www.remembering.ca and sign the guest book.
KISER, Andrew "Andy" Richard
October 7, 1984 - June 20, 2016
It is with great sadness that we say goodbye to Andy, a loving and devoted father, husband, son, brother, grandson, uncle, cousin and friend to many. His gentle soul and huge heart are now with the angels. There is a new star shining down on us all. Andy may be gone from this world, but he will be in our hearts forever. There will be a celebration of Andy's life so that family and friends may join together and share their stories. Condolences and tributes can be shared with the family at www.choicememorial.com. Service details will be announced later.
SAVAGE, Ryan David Matthew
March 7, 1977 – December 30, 2016
With heavy hearts we unexpectedly said goodbye to father, son, brother, and dear friend Ryan Savage. Ryan passed away on Friday, December 30, 2016. Ryan is survived by his children Brooklyn, Oskar and Jonathan; parents Cindy and Bill; brother Bill; and sister Sara and a large extended family. He was predeceased by his sister Kari Savage whom he is now with. Thank you for the overwhelming support from friends and family during our time of loss and grief. If friends so desire, contributions can be made to Cindy Savage to be placed in a trust for Ryan's children. A Service of Remembrance will be held at McINNIS & HOLLOWAY (Crowfoot, 82 Crowfoot Circle N.W.), on Saturday, January 7, 2017 at 10:30 a.m. Condolences may be forwarded through
www.mcinnisandholloway.com.
http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/calgaryherald/obituary.aspx?n=ryan-david-matthew-savage&pid=183325613&fhid=6131
SHAW, Dylan Frank
July 13, 1986 – Cold Lake, Alberta
August 31, 2017 – Calgary, Alberta
Dylan Shaw passed away on Thursday, August 31, 2017 at the age of 31 years. He leaves behind a culinary legacy. Dylan had an enthusiasm for life. His generous and caring nature will be deeply missed. Dylan is survived by his mother Christine; his father and step-mom Wayne and Kathi; his brother Trayce; and numerous family and friends.
NEUFELD, Avery Charles J.
June 21, 1997 – April 4, 2018
It is with unimaginable sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved son Avery on Wednesday, April 4, 2018 at the age of 20 years in Calgary, AB.
Avery leaves behind to cherish his memory his dad, Chuck Neufeld (Kelsey), his mother, Crystal and stepfather Pat Tellier and siblings Paige and Ethan Tellier. His grandparents, Stan (Helen) Neufeld and Brenda Lavergne, Maureen (Dave) Carew as well as a large extended family across Western Canada.
Avery had an exceptional sense of humor and loved to travel (Europe, Southern California and Western Canada). He had intense passion for music ranging from hip hop to country to industrial music. Avery was devoted to working out and when the weight room was not free, push-ups were his forte.
A Celebration of Avery's Life will be on Friday, April 13, 2018 at Eden Brook Funeral Home (17Ave. SW and Lower Springbank Rd.) at 2:00pm.
Memorial donations in Avery's memory can be made to the Alberta Mental Health Association (https://alberta.cmha.ca/get-involved/donate/) or Alberta Adolescent Recovery Centre, 303 Forge Road SE, Calgary, AB T2H 0S9 (http://aarc.ab.ca/donate/).
JONES, Colin David - October 18, 1984 - June 5, 2018
With heavy hearts, we announce the passing of Colin Jones, on June 5, 2018 at the age of 33 years. He will be lovingly remembered by Bill, Liz, Richard, Cara, his little buddy Max, and so many more whose lives he touched. A Celebration of Colin’s Life will be held at Marlborough Park Community Center (6021 Madigan Dr. NE, Calgary, AB) on Thursday, June 14, 2018 at 2:00 p.m. Condolences may be forwarded through www.mcinnisandholloway.com. If friends so desire, memorial tributes may be made to the Alberta Adolescent Recovery Centre, 303 Forge Road SE, Calgary, AB T2H 0S9 .
« Last Edit: May 12, 2019, 02:17:16 AM by ajax13 »
"AARC will go on serving youth and families as long as it will be needed, if it keeps open to God for inspiration" Dr. F. Dean Vause Executive Director
"...based on an understanding that addiction is a chronic relapsing disease that makes people more vulnerable to overdose after they've been in treatment." Zontar?
Re: And the Bodies Keep Piling Up
STAHL, Sean Corey
March 12, 1987 – December 27, 2018
If friends so desire, memorial tributes may be made directly to the Alberta Adolescent Recovery Centre (AARC)
BROWN, Colin Peter
June 18, 1978 – February 7, 2019
Professionally, Colin was an outstanding friend, a gifted psychologist respected by his colleagues. For sixteen years Colin worked at the Alberta Adolescent Recovery Centre, where he achieved the position of Clinical Director. He deeply impacted the lives of many young people and families. He transferred pain to hope and his gift of humour brought light and laughter amid tremendous darkness.
« Last Edit: February 10, 2019, 11:42:55 PM by ajax13 »
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FC Youth News
What makes a bully magnet?
Hey FC Parents & Kids,
Another school year has begun. It’s a long school year and I’m sure the kids will be faced with many challenges. We all hope that our kids do not encounter bullies but if they do what I show them at FC will help them in so many ways. Here is an article from 2016 that gives you good perspective of what to look for and how to avoid these issues in the first place. I love reading it at the beginning of the school year to remind me of the warning signs.
Feel free to forward this to any other parents so they have the information before it happens. I will also be talking to the kids about bullying this week to make sure they have the information.
See you at FC,
What to do if your child is being bullied at school
Adriana Barton – The Globe and Mail
Schoolyard bullies don’t pick on just anyone. Like wolves culling caribou, they single out the wounded, the stragglers, the loners who stray from the herd. More often than not, bullies are the popular kids, the ringleaders with a competitive streak, researchers say. In their baboon-like displays of dominance and control, children who bully are simply aping what happens in the wild (or the political arena). That’s small comfort for bully targets and their parents. The best way to fight back, according to new research, is to make sure that tormenting your kid is not worth the bully’s while. The Globe and Mail spoke to three specialists on how to inoculate your child against bullying.
How to tell if your kid is being bullied
One of the biggest issues with bullying “is that many kids, indeed, do not tell anybody,” said Jaana Juvonen, a professor of developmental psychology at the University of California, Los Angeles. Juvonen urges parents to take notice if a child is suddenly reluctant to go to school or doesn’t want to join the kids they used to play with. Children who are being victimized may complain of headaches and stomach aches, especially in the morning. Young children may become clingy with their parents, whereas older children tend to isolate themselves. “Any of these changes in the child’s behaviour could be a warning sign,” Juvonen said.
Kids who become targets are more likely to be shy and timid, and tend to have higher levels of depression and anxiety to begin with, researchers say. Standing out from the crowd is another risk factor, said Susan Swearer, a psychologist at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and co-director of the global Bullying Research Network. Whether they stick out because of their race, religion, gender identity, disability or sexual orientation, “these are kids who are somehow perceived as different,” she said. Kids such as these may need extra coaching on how to deal with bullying before it starts. Nevertheless, there is more to bullying than the target or aggressor, Juvonen noted. Peers play a critical role in reinforcing the behaviour, she said. While most kids agree that bullying is wrong, ganging up against a social outcast strengthens their bonds to the group.
When a child grabs another’s backpack and everyone laughs and tosses it around the school bus, “there’s this sense of being on the right side, feeling united,” Juvonen said. Bullying someone without an audience is “very rare.” Group dynamics, she added, are a good starting point for talking to children about the difference between a good buddy and a fair-weather friend.
Coach your child on how to defuse an attack
A child’s reaction to the first taunt can have an impact on whether he or she becomes a perpetual target, Juvonen said. When children respond submissively and show they’re hurt, “that can be rewarding for the bully,” she said. Similarly, if a child gets heated and tries to retaliate, “that seems to increase their risk of getting targeted again,” she said.
Humour may be a good strategy, according to some research. While it can be tough to pull off, cracking a joke in response to an attack may deprive the bully of the payoff, Juvonen surmised. Tony Volk, a developmental psychologist at Brock University in St. Catharines, Ont., described bullying as a “cost-benefit behaviour.” Bullies, over time, tend to get more resources, more reputation and dominance, according to Volk’s research (and, as adults, more sex). “So why don’t they do it all the time?” he said. “Because it can be costly to attack the wrong people.” Children can deter bullies by getting support from teachers and other adults who will discipline the child, and by bringing in peers who can help them stand up against tormentors. For bullies, Volk said, “that raises the cost.”
Help your child make at least one good friend
A kid who sits alone in the school lunch room day after day is an easy target for victimization, which can lead to mental-health problems that persist into adulthood. Having just one loyal friend cuts the risk of long-term consequences from bullying by 50 per cent, Volk said. “It’s the biggest protective factor that we know – more so than supportive parenting, or a positive school environment, or self-esteem.” Kids who are bullied tend to internalize negative feedback from their peers, no matter how much parents tell them that it’s not their fault, Volk explained. The friend doesn’t have to be someone who steps up and stops the bully. “It’s more that the child has someone who can say to them afterward, ‘It’s not you, it’s them,’ ” he said. “That’s a very positive message from a peer that can shore them up.”
A good friend can be hard to come by, especially if a child has had a falling-out with a peer group or moved to a new school. Parents can encourage children to seek out new social relationships through extracurricular activities such as sports, theatre and arts groups, Swearer said. “Often, friendships are developed through shared interests.” Think twice before confronting the bully’s parents. Calling the other child’s parents may be your first instinct, but in many cases, “that’s the worst strategy,” Juvonen said. She recommends that parents listen to their child, without letting their own emotions run high, and calmly ask about the facts.
Children tend to tell only partial truths, especially in cases when they were the instigator, she pointed out. Often, when two sets of parents hear different stories from their kids, “each parent is going to feel like it was their child who was the target,” she said. Volk pointed out that the personality traits associated with bullying – including lower levels of honesty and humility – have genetic components, “and are certainly influenced by the home environment.” If a bully’s parents share traits such as competitiveness and an inflated sense of self-worth, chances are they will respond to another parent by saying, “Your kid does stupid things and my kid has lots of friends. The problem isn’t my kid – it’s your kid,” he said. Conversations about bullying are often easier among parents who have known each other for some time, Swearer said. “I think, partly, parents have to make the decision [to discuss it] based on the relationship they have with the other parent.”
Talk to your child’s educators
Since bullying tends to escalate away from adult eyes, it may help to ask teachers and schoolyard monitors to keep an eye out for your child during lunch hour and recess. “It’s just really important to have a lot of supervision, period,” Swearer said. Some schools provide lunch-hour groups where vulnerable children can eat with others.
Many school districts have adopted programs that address the broader bullying dynamic. One intervention, called KiVa, uses role-playing exercises, classroom lessons and a virtual-reality video game aimed at teaching bystanders to intervene in bullying.
In a recent study conducted by Juvonen, Finnish kids involved in this program felt better about their schools and themselves, compared with children in schools without the KiVa program. What’s more, kids who had been victimized “benefited the most,” she said.
Programs that have been more widely studied in North America include Social Emotional Learning (SEL). This approach focuses on teaching kids how to manage their emotions, achieve positive goals, feel empathy for others and maintain positive relationships, which are helpful skills for all children. Teachers and parents can check out the SEL resource finder at selresources.com, developed by Shelley Hymel, a specialist in educational psychology at the University of British Columbia. According to Swearer, “research is really demonstrating a link between better social emotional learning skills and lower levels of bullying behaviour.”
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/parenting/back-to-school/what-to-do-if-your-kid-is-being-bullied/article31895235/
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Now Open: Thomas Hospital Emergency in Malbis
Daphne, Ala.—Thomas Hospital Emergency in Malbis, a freestanding emergency department located at 29487 Hwy. 181 in Daphne (the corner of Hwy. 181 and Hwy. 90), is now open.
The 24-hour, 7-day-a-week emergency department provides the same full service emergency care as a traditional emergency department and fills the gap for emergency care in the Spanish Fort and Daphne area. The 22,000 square foot facility has 12 exam rooms, 2 trauma rooms, an in-house laboratory and inpatient as well as outpatient imaging department, complete with MRI, CT, X-ray and ultrasound equipment.
"We are committed to providing quality healthcare to the communities we serve. Baldwin County is the fastest growing county in the state of Alabama, and with that growth, we must assure residents that life-saving resources are readily available. The freestanding emergency department does just that,” says Ormand Thompson, President of Thomas Hospital.
In addition to providing care to those in need of emergency services, the facility also servesas an outpatient imaging center. Outpatient imaging appointments can be scheduled by calling 251-990-1042.
Thomas Hospital:
For more than 50 years, Thomas Hospital in Fairhope, Ala., has served Baldwin County and the Eastern Shore. The hospital employs 1,100 staff and more than 200 physicians actively serve the hospital’s community. The 162-bedfacility is ranked as a 4 Star hospital by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), ranked nationally for outstanding patient experience, cardiac care and orthopedics and has a $320 million total annual economic impact on Baldwin County.
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Portugal is located in the western part of the Iberian Peninsula. It faces the Atlantic ocean on one side and has a border with Spain on the other.
Portugal’s monarchy began in 1143. Its first King was D. Afonso Henriques who conquered the land from the Moors.
For a short period Philip II of Spain ruled the country, from 1580 until 1640, when it reverted to the Portuguese monarchy again. The last King Manuel II left and went into exile and in 1910 Portugal became a Republic.
From 1932 to 1968 the economist Dr António de Salazar ruled as Prime Minister. He was succeeded by Dr Marcelo Caetano who was overthrown in the 25th April 1974 revolution. Since then it has been succeeded by various elected Presidents.
Portugal joined the European Union in 1986 and subsequently adopted the Euro as its currency.
The majority in the country are Catholics.
The capital is Lisboa and the other major towns are Porto in the north, Coimbra in the middle and the Algarve with its wide stretches of beaches in the south.
The Estoril Coast is a half hour’s drive from Lisboa and during the monarchy this area was the summer residence for the royals who spent their vacation in palaces built in neighbouring Sintra.
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Foreign media, 'cruise' into the Chinese popular options cruise bookings came second in the world
Foreign media, said the cruise as a wealthy family in Europe or North America and retiree unique pastime era is over.Aboard a cruise travel to southeast Asia and the Mediterranean is becoming China's tourism market is increasingly common phenomenon, and its power from a middle class to seek fresh experience.
According to a report in the August 8, Latin American club, according to relevant international organizations, China cruise bookings have came second in the world, second only to America.In 2018, nearly 2.4 million Chinese tourists travel on cruise travel, is almost three times as many as 2014.This way has become newly-weds honeymoon and popular choice of family travel.
A taobao user said: "this is my first time to buy cruise.Tourism experience is very good, I think is worth to recommend."The shopping platform built through Japanese ports route, there are also more economy in the Yangtze river three gorges tour in three days.
In recent weeks to buy the preferential route 3500 customers, has a customer said: "I thought the boat will be crowded, but that is not the case, and the content on this trip."
In June 2019, the United States carnival cruise company chief executive Donald Arnold said: "we see China's potential in the market, is the biggest of all."
The industry leaders announced with China shipbuilding industry group co., LTD., set up a joint venture, to strengthen its position in the Chinese market, and by using the country's production capacity for shipbuilding.
Donald said: "as the world's largest cruise operator, we hope to become a part of the Chinese market, and to help China and Chinese people experience a variety of cruise travel features."
In early 2019, the first two ships began to be assembled.Each ship cost is $770 million, with more than 2000 guest rooms, can accommodate more than 5000 passengers.
According to the report, promote cruises is part of the "five-year plan" of China.According to "much starker choices-and graver consequences-in planning outline", China should and steadily move the international cruise terminal building.This part is to promote the development of tourism industry and tourism industry is considered to be one of the pillars of the current strategy of China's economic growth.
Reported that Beijing's intentions will not only make the people aboard the ship, but also to let the Chinese shipping industry leading position in the future.
Reported that the ship manufacturing is high-end industry.Is cruise ship, but also the floating city.Passengers can be in the center of the large commercial shopping, have dinner in the restaurant, or taste cocktail served by robots.
According to the report, China's vision is not limited to the tropical beach like heaven.In march of 2019, China's first domestic polar explorers cruise "polar cruise ship 1" in jiangsu haimen smooth water.The ship can accommodate a maximum of 255 people, and provide highly safe adventures at sea and water sports and other entertainment services.
Prev:Two Indian joint office announced financing services on the same day
Next:Huangshan tourism: 11 million yuan capital increase in six hundred tea industry to speed up the pace of 'second venture'
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Welcome to the Spin Machine
04.05.2001 | SCIENCE
From: Wright, Tony (BSMG)
Subject: Biotech articles for Freezerbox.com
Date: Wed, 14 Feb 2001
To provide your online visitors with information on biotechnology, we would like to offer you one or more bylined articles written by experts in the field, to publish on Freezerbox.com. These articles are available free of charge and provide educational information about biotechnology that we believe will interest your readers.
"Agricultural Biotechnology: It's Here to Stay," By Leonard Gianessi, senior research associate at the National Center for Food and Agriculture Policy. Gianessi addresses examples of how biotech helps farmers with pest management, Citing examples in corn, soybeans, and cotton. (1,015 words).
"Biotechnology-A Tool to Help End World Hunger," by Dr. Stanley Wallach, Executive Director of the American College of Nutrition. Wallach discusses breakthroughs in biotechnology that can provide starving and/or malnourished populations with foods rich in vitamins and nutrients. (665 words)
"Modern Biotechnology and Small Farmers in Developing Countries," by Per Pinstrup Andersen, Director General of the International Food Policy Research Institute. The author highlights the benefits that biotechnology can bring to a small farmer in a country such as Africa (sic). It also addresses the implications of the European debate about biotechnology and its effect on developing countries. (1,126 words)
I hope that you find these of interest, so we can provide you with the full text for review. I will follow up to learn of your interest. In the meantime, if you have any questions, please call me at 972-***-**** or email me.
CyberPR Senior Account Executive
BSMG Worldwide
From: Mike Manville
To: Wright, Tony (BSMG)
Subject: Re: Biotech articles for Freezerbox.com
Date: Thursday, 15 February 2001
Dear Mr. Wright:
Freezerbox is always interested in publishing articles of divergent views, so we would be happy to examine anything you wish to submit. Biotechnology is certainly a topic worthy of discussion, not so much for its potential, which is inarguable, but for the question of whether its use will live up to the lofty rhetoric that has surrounded its introduction. So please do forward on the texts.
I have to assume, as you are an employee of BSMG, that you are contacting us on behalf of a client. A former PR man myself, I was a little confused as to why you didn't identify the company in whose interest you are working. Naturally, we would appreciate knowing who your client is before we publish anything you give us.
But again, we are eager to see the articles. Thanks for your interest and for thinking of us.
Michael Manville
Freezerbox Editorial Board
From: Tony Wright (BSMG)
To: Mike Manville
Date: Thu, 15 Feb 2001
Mr. Manville
I am excited that you are interested in the op-ed pieces about the benefits of biotechnology. As far as my client, we represent the three authors of these op-eds who are trying to make a name for themselves on this up-and-coming topic. We assist them with media placements. I have attached the three op-ed pieces in a Word format. If you would like them in another format, please let me know. And of course, if you have any questions, please contact me. Also, if you do decide to use the articles, could you send me a link to them? The authors will be very interested. Thanks.
To: Tony Wright (BSMG)
Subject: Biotech Articles: Follow-up questions
Date: Friday, 16 February 2001
Thanks for letting us review the articles. Our interest in biotech at this point, as I mentioned earlier, lies more in the debate over its implementation (labeling, monopolistic practice, etc.) than its scientific potential alone. The articles you have submitted, though interesting, unfortunately do not address some of these issues head-on.
Also, and you must forgive me for if I sound skeptical, but I find it unusual that three academics who work for non-profit organizations would (or could) hire one of the world's largest PR firms to disseminate their writings for free. I find it doubly unusual that the PR firm they choose also happens to list as its clients transnational corporations like Philip Morris, Monsanto, and Dupont, all of whom are heavily invested in biotech. Finally, I find it triply unusual that this PR firm also happens to have signed a three-year, $50 million contract with those companies to design a program whose goal is to allay concerns over genetically engineered food in the United States.
Would you care to comment on this? I would be interested in the explanation. Anyone is welcome to submit an article to our magazine; we only ask that They do so openly, honestly, and in the spirit of full disclosure.
Mike Manville
Subject: RE: Biotech Articles: Follow-up questions
Date: Monday, 26 February 2001
Sorry for the unintended confusion about who we represent. You are correct that we do, of course, work for the Council for Biotechnology Information, an organization whose goal is to promote the benefits of biotechnology. In our work with the CBI we assist like-minded supporters of the of the technology with their own media placement opportunities.
If you would like to discuss other ways that we can work with you, please feel free to contact me. Thank you for your interest.
As a senator once asked Robert MacNamara: "If I can't trust you on the little lies, sir, how will I ever believe you on the big ones?"
The above exchange can be understood in two different ways. The first is to see it simply as a lesson in the foibles of paying A grade money for B grade public relations. BSMG advertises itself as a corporation with "All the tools to change thinking," and one doubts that those tools come cheap. On the other hand, having their PR representative get caught in a lie, take ten days between emails to figure out the best way to handle it, and then come back with a breezy apology about "unintended confusion," changed my thinking about BSMG much more than it did about biotechnology. And this is putting aside just who and what the Council for Biotechnology Information is, something we'll address later. While we're still on the topic of value, I would think that for whatever astronomical fee BSMG charges its corporate clients, the company could cough up a PR rep who was a little less creative with the relevant geography (who knew, for instance, that Africa was a country?). This is, in other words, not just lying but bad lying.
The second way to understand the exchange requires quite a bit of background. Beyond being expensive incompetence, the emails we received represent another salvo of propaganda from an industry that is very powerful but also increasingly desperate. It is the story of an ongoing and underreported battle over the future of agriculture, and it involves the systemic suppression of information, a quiet but massive consolidation of the food market, and a depressing pattern of collaboration by federal agencies. It has culminated in this latest PR push, which is a series of outright lies told at the expense of the least powerful people on earth.
Right now, sixty percent of the packaged food sold in America has been genetically altered, meaning that some of its ingredients are derived from organisms that do not occur in nature. This phenomenon, the genetic engineering of food, is wholly unprecedented in history. Although farmers have long practiced selective breeding, merging different seed types to yield new traits in plants, scientists now can take genes from completely unrelated organisms and drop them into plants. A breed of corn developed by the French company Aventis, for instance, contains bacteria and viruses that kill weeds, making the corn easier to grow. And a form of Canola seed made by St. Louis-based Monsanto has genes from California Bayseed, turnip rape, bacteria, and viruses.
Genetic engineering is the cutting-edge of biotechnology, and in some quarters it is expected, without hyperbole, to be the biggest industry of the twenty-first century. Unlike the Internet, whose vast potential has yet to yield significant return, biotech lends itself easily to profit. Monsanto, for instance, has developed a strain of soybean that is immune to a Monsanto-made herbicide called Roundup, meaning that a farmer can douse fields liberally with Roundup, and be confident that it won't hurt his crops. This leads to purchases of both the seeds and the pesticide, and plentiful amounts of the pesticide at that. Other companies have grown crops genetically engineered to grow only if planted with their own fertilizers. Buoyed by these innovative marketing tactics, biotech has generated billions of dollars already, and is expected to be an $8 billion enterprise by 2002. The field is dominated by six massive and well-established corporations: Monsanto, Aventis, Dupont, Dow Chemical, Novartis of Switzerland, and Germany's BASF AG.
Genetically Modified, or GM, ingredients are now found in countless products containing soy and corn. Certain brand of chocolate bars, soy sauce, corn oil, and baby formula all have GM products in them. In addition, a large number of dairy cows are now treated with the genetically-engineered recombinant Bovine Growth Hormone (rGBH), a product made by Monsanto that can increase a cow's milk output by 25 percent. The milk, too, is genetically altered.
Most people aren't aware of this for a simple reason: GM food isn't labeled. It would be neither fair nor accurate to say that genetically altered food is unsafe, although it has certainly tripped some red flags, particularly with respect to people who have allergies. The idea that someone might unknowingly eat food altered with substances they are allergic too has become increasingly common. In March, Aventis had to recall millions of cases of its Bt corn. The corn, which is genetically modified to produce its own pesticide as it grows, has not been approved for human consumption, and is intended for use as animal feed. But it had found its way into tortilla chips and other food products, and was triggering reactions in humans.
Only a discriminating reader of the newspaper would be aware of this recall, and might wonder, depending on the extent of the article, why anyone would even think of eating a vegetable that emits its own pesticide. The answer is that they don't. Put bluntly, genetically altered food has been introduced into the American diet without an open public debate or meaningful public consent. In 1992, after a quiet but ferocious lobbying campaign by the biotech industry, the Food and Drug Administration ruled that GM food is "substantially equivalent" to conventional food, and categorized it GCAS, or "generally considered as safe." This decision, made over the strident objections of groups such as the Consumer's Union and the Union of Concerned Scientists, means that GM food requires no independent testing before it is released; individual companies test it themselves and submit the results to the FDA. This is a classic example of corporate rights: the product, like a person, is innocent until proven guilty. And most important for the industry, as innocent food, it doesn't have to be labeled.
Labeling--or, more accurately, the absence of it--lies at the heart of the biotech industry's marketing strategy. GM companies are afraid that labeling their products would imply uncertainty about their safety, trigger calls for new layers of regulation, and depress sales while adding costs. Far better to allow the food to slip unnoticed into most Americans' diets, and let it be assimilated. This strategy has forced the industry into the awkward position of proclaiming themselves to be on the cusp of a new scientific revolution--as they do when they patent new seed varieties--while at the same time assuring regulators that there is really nothing new about the food this revolution produces. The contradiction here is easily swept away by the inevitability of Science, a logical atom bomb that portrays doubters and opponents as illiterate paranoids or, failing that, closet communists.
"Those of us in industry can take comfort of a sort from such obvious Luddism," Monsanto CEO Robert Shapiro wrote of biotech opponents, in the Journal of the Center for the Study of American Business. "After all, we're technical experts. We know we're right. The 'antis' obviously don't understand the science, and are just as obviously pushing a hidden agenda--probably to destroy capitalism."
This statement brims with so much condescension that one can almost forget how lame an argument it is. One needn't be a scientist to mistrust Dow Chemical--the company that made napalm a household word--with one's food. Nor need one be an anarchist to harbor misgivings about Monsanto, a company whose ability to police itself, and indeed to be policed at all, is highly questionable.
The oldest and most aggressive of the food biotech companies, Monsanto deserves a close look from anyone interested in genetic engineering. It was founded in 1901, as Monsanto Chemical, to make saccharin, a substance whose production was at that time monopolized by Germany. It began as a small concern--the initial investment was $5,000--but grew rapidly and diversified. In 1929 it began to produce polychlorinated biphenyls, or PCBs, and eventually became the world's largest supplier of them. PCBs had a variety of uses, but were used mostly to insulate electrical transformers. Evidence of their toxicity was first reported in the 1930s, and in the 1960s Swedish scientists documented high levels of them in dying wildlife. PCBs were finally banned in 1979, and the United States has classified them as a "probable human carcinogen." PCBs have left a broad legacy of environmental degradation; they are the major pollutant at a number of Superfund sites, and most notoriously in the Hudson River, where years of PCB discharge from General Electric has left 2.6 million cubic yards of contaminated sediment.
Like other chemical companies, Monsanto was also a producer of DDT, the pesticide famously indicted by Rachel Carson in Silent Spring. Monsanto had actually stopped making the pesticide by the time Carson's book was first serialized in the New Yorker, but the company, fearful that public attitudes would turn against pesticides in general, took action nevertheless. Rather than confront Carson's evidence, however, it hired a ghostwriter to pen The Desolate Year, a parody of Silent Spring that depicted a pesticide-free America being ravaged by insects. The Desolate Year was mailed free to over 5,000 media outlets, and applauded by Walter Sullivan in the New York Times.
The late 1960s would bring other problems, however. In the company's 1977 official history, Faith, Hope and $5,000: The Monsanto Story, the author--a former Monsanto PR director--looks back wistfully at the tumult of the sixth decade, and notes with sympathy that while Dow was being castigated for its involvement with napalm, Monsanto had little to do with war-related controversy. The author does concede, however, that the company was "occasionally mentioned as a manufacturer of 2,4,5-T weed and brush killers, some of which were identified as defoliants used during the war in Vietnam."
This sentence could be called disingenuous, or more accurately an astounding act of omission. It is, in truth, an extremely oblique way of saying that Monsanto made Agent Orange. The world's most notorious defoliant is indeed created by combining the herbicides 2,4,5-T and 2,4,D, and frankly Monsanto sells itself short by using such sterile language to describe its product (the sentence I just quoted is the most the book says about AO, and the defoliant is never named). Although a number of corporations made Agent Orange, and all assured the Defense Department that it was perfectly safe for humans, Monsanto's version was significantly more potent than those of its competitors. When a coalition of Vietnam Veterans successfully sued the manufacturers of AO, a judge ordered that Monsanto pay 45.5 percent of the damages, in recognition of its product being so much more heavily laden with dioxins.
In 1985 Monsanto purchased G.D. Searle, the chemical company that held the patent to aspartame, the active ingredient in Nutra Sweet. Monsanto was apparently untroubled by aspartame's clouded past, including a 1980 FDA Board of Inquiry, comprised of three independent scientists, which confirmed that it "might induce brain tumors." The FDA had actually banned the drug based on this finding, only to have Searle Chairman Donald Rumsfeld (currently the Secretary of Defense) vow to "call in his markers," to get it approved. On January 21, 1981, the day after Ronald Reagan's inauguration, Searle re-applied to the FDA for approval to use aspartame in food sweetener, and Reagan's new FDA commissioner, Arthur Hayes Hull, Jr., appointed a 5-person Scientific Commission to review the board of inquiry's decision. It soon became clear that the panel would uphold the ban by a 3-2 decision, but Hull then installed a sixth member on the commission, and the vote became deadlocked. He then broke the tie in aspartame's favor. Hull later left the FDA under allegations of impropriety, served briefly as Provost at New York Medical College, and then took a position with Burston-Marsteller, the chief public relations firm for both Monsanto and GD Searle. Since that time he has never spoken publicly about aspartame.
In 1982 the town of Times Beach, Missouri, which ia located adjacent to a Monsanto plant, was found to be so contaminated with dioxins that it had to be evacuated. An investigation into Monsanto's culpability was stalled when the Reagan Administration, citing Executive Privilege, ordered EPA Administrator Anne Burford to withhold key documents from a House Committee that had subpoenaed them. Reagan, it should be noted, had long wanted to destroy the EPA, and absent his ability to so he appointed Burford to run it. She was cited for contempt of Congress for her refusal to cooperate in the investigation of Monsanto, and later forced to resign in 1984 amid charges of misusing Superfund money. Her top assistant, Rita Lavelle, spent four months in jail for perjury for the same reason. Lavelle had been suspected of destroying documents related to the Times Beach case, and she regularly attended luncheons with Monsanto executives.
In 1990 the EPA's regulatory division reported that Monsanto had "submitted false information to EPA," and "doctored" samples of herbicides given to the US Department of Agriculture. In urging a criminal investigation of the company, the division noted that:
Monsanto covered up the dioxin contamination of its products. Monsanto either failed to report contamination, substituted false information purporting to show no contamination or submitted samples to the government for analysis which had been specifically prepared so that dioxin contamination did not exist.
The litany goes on. East St. Louis, Illinois, where the company manufactured PCBs, still has the highest rate of fetal death in the state. Monsanto has paid settlements to its own employees, who sued the company on grounds that it knowingly exposed them to dangerous substances. It ranks fifth on the EPA's Toxic Release Inventory, having expelled 37 million pounds of toxic chemicals into the United States. It is identified as a "potentially responsible party" at 48 Superfund sites, and since 1986 it has paid $148.5 million in fines and settlements.
And in 1996, it began to buy up agricultural research companies. February of 1996 saw Monsanto partner with Dekalb Genetics, and three months later it bought Agracetus for $150 million. In 1997 it acquired Asgrow Agronomics, and days later spent $1.2 billion to pick up Holden Foundation Seeds. The shopping spree continued from there: Calgene, Cargill, Millennium Pharmaceuticals, Delta and Pine Land, Water Health International. All told, Monsanto spent $8.4 billion on companies most people have never heard of. The effort pushed the company to its fiscal limits; its stock plummeted, and observers speculated that it would be taken over, perhaps by DuPont (it was ultimately bought out by Pharmecia). But it emerged controlling 85 percent of the U.S. market for cotton seed, 40 percent of the market for soy, and an awful lot of agricultural genetic technology.
To complement its new acquisitions, the company also gave itself a corporate makeover. It now has one web page covered with butterflies, and another that depicts farmers conferring in a lush and vast field. The corporate literature now liberally uses eco-buzzwords like "sustainability," and the company has styled itself a "life sciences" corporation. It sports the motto "Life. Health. Hope."
This is all well and good, but given the company's past, one wonders why the federal government has given it such leeway in the creation of food. Can a new PR campaign and the "life sciences" moniker really erase fifty years of what could at best called horrible misjudgment, and at worst outright disregard for human safety?
The company thinks so. The past is, after all, the past. "There have been times in Monsanto's 94-year history," CEO Robert Shapiro wrote in the 1995 Monsanto Environmental Review, "when we, like others, weren't as aware of our actions as we should have been. Those days have been over for a long time."
This was three years after the FDA had decided that biotech foods required no labeling. That decision, it should be noted, was written by an FDA Deputy Commissioner who, prior to joining the agency, had spent seven years working at Monsanto. By 1999, he was working there again.
Anatomy of a PR Disaster
The first large-scale commercial plantings of GM crops went into the ground in 1996. A year later they were seamlessly integrated into the U.S. food chain, some directly, and others (such as most genetically-engineered corn) as feed for beef. American agriculture is an industry of exports, however, and trouble arose when the transgenic food crossed the Atlantic.
Americans pride themselves on their distrust of government, but often restrict their skepticism to Presidents and congressmen. Witness, for example, the tendentious debates over campaign finance. Finance reform is a worthy goal, but it ignores the fact that our regulatory agencies--most of which have a far greater impact on everyday life--are equally if not more polluted by money than our federal elections. Rarely, however, do these agencies come under our scrutiny.
This is not the case in Europe, where systems of strong central government are checked by a vigilant suspicion of not just elected officials but of the bureaucracy as well. At the time GM foods were arriving, this ingrained suspicion had been compounded by waves of fear over Mad Cow Disease in England and dioxin contamination in Belgium, and thus many Europeans looked on transgenic food, rightly or wrongly, as little more than a fresh opportunity to be poisoned. Protests erupted over what was derisively called "frankenfood." Ships carrying GM crops were turned away at docks, and sacks of genetically-altered seed were dumped in ministries. Prince Charles denounced biotech food as unnatural and dangerous.
In response, the European Union did exactly what the biotech industry didn't want it to do. It passed a mandatory-labeling law for genetically modified food, and began working on stringent regulations for them. The governments of Australia, Japan, New Zealand and South Korea, watching the European uproar and hoping to avoid it, soon followed suit. European food companies, including giants like Nestle, Cadbury and later Carrefour, sought to allay consumer fears by pledging to use only conventional ingredients.
Under these pressures, the export market for American corn collapsed. Fear of genetic modification caused a 96 percent decline in sales to Europe between 1997 and 1998. Alarmed at the lost income, the American Corn Growers Association began advocating an abandonment of GM technology, and a return to conventional farming. Then Frito-Lay announced it would use no GM ingredients in its products, and a study in the Nature revealed that Monarch butterflies trying to pollinate the flowers of GM maize could be poisoned by the corn's genetically-implanted toxins.
On and on it went. Scientists talked about the dangers of "genetic pollution": the danger of GM crops escaping into the wild and cannibalizing other varieties. Farmers in the developing world burned fields of GM crops. For the biotech industry, this was a public relations catastrophe that portended a still larger one. If the negative momentum accumulated in Europe were to make its way back across the Atlantic, then the entire infrastructure, the billions of dollars expended to put the companies at their pinnacle of influence, would all toboggan into an obscene loss. Already farmers felt angry and betrayed, and advocates--emboldened by European labeling laws--were clamoring for the FDA to reconsider its initial ruling. Fueled in no small part by fear of transgenic crops, the organic food industry was growing at a staggering 20 percent per year. Long derided as a backward niche market, by 1998 organic farming had done $4 billion worth of business, making it the same size as GM.
The low point came on October 27, 1998, when Monsanto CEO Shapiro gave a keynote speech about genetic engineering at a "State of the World" Conference in San Francisco's Fairmont Hotel. After his address he was assaulted by members of the anarchist Biotic Baking Brigade (motto: "We speak pie to power"), who smashed a tofu vegan cream pie in his face. A member of the brigade, identified only as "Agent Apple," then distributed a press release that ripped Monsanto for masquerading as an environmental corporation, and accused it of a "PR Greenwash" that hid its activities beneath an eco-friendly veneer.
Nine months later, Deutsche Bank, the largest bank in Europe, took the unusual step of advising investors worldwide to sell their shares of Novartis and Monsanto, citing the failed European campaign as evidence that the market "wasn't ready for GMO." Greenpeace punctuated that sentiment on February 18, 1999, when it dumped four tons of genetically altered soybeans on the steps of 10 Downing Street, where Prime Minister Tony Blair resides. In a snide reference to the Clinton Administration's support for biotech crops, as well as to Clinton's matrimonial turbulence, activists unfurled a banner over the soy that read "Tony--Don't Swallow Bill's Seed."
Two days later, the London Observer asked Dan Verakis, Monsanto's UK PR spokesman, to assess the company's progress in Europe. Verakis was succinct in his reply. "Everybody over here," he said, "hates us."
The Silencing Machine
If you are a Public Relations type, then you know there are two elements to managing a crisis. The first is getting the critics to shut up, and the second is shifting the public debate in a manner that makes everyone start talking about something else, while they think they're talking about the problem at hand.
In 1998, amid the European uproar about genetically modified food, the prestigious British magazine Ecologist prepared an entire issue dedicated to the biotech controversy. Two lengthy articles in the issue detailed Monsanto's checkered past, as well as its cozy relations with U.S. regulators. The issue was completed, but while the magazine was on the press its printer--who had printed every issue of the outspoken periodical for 26 years--abruptly destroyed it, citing fears of a libel suit. The magazine found another printer willing to do the job, and then learned that major newsstands were refusing to sell it. The issue eventually ran, but went largely unnoticed, prompting Project Censored, Sonoma State University's media watchdog group, to list it as one of the most suppressed news stories of the year.
Monsanto insisted it had made no threats to the Ecologist's printer, and in fact it may not have. British libel law places the burden of proof on the accused, a punishing standard that has made printers sensitive and triggered its share of bizarre trials (in the year 2000 a British historian, sued for libel by a Holocaust revisionist, actually had to go to court to prove that the Holocaust took place). In such a hostile legal atmosphere, Monsanto's reputation alone could act as a catalyst for self-censorship, and preclude the need for an actual threat.
And Monsanto is, without a doubt, notoriously protective of its reputation. The most instructive example of this is the case of recombinant Bovine Growth Hormone, the Monsanto drug, sold under the name Posilac, that induces higher milk production in cows. During the drug's approval process, Monsanto hired no less than 10 PR firms, and lobbied heavily to have the FDA rule that milk from rGBH-treated cows need not be labeled as such. Once this approval was granted, the company sent a letter to grocery stores, threatening to sue any supermarket that voluntarily labeled rGBH milk.
A year later, in February of 1997, Florida's WTVT, a Fox affiliate, abruptly pulled what had been advertised as an explosive look inside Posilac's approval process. The series, investigated by the husband and wife team of Steve Wilson and Jane Akre, disclosed that rGBH had made a significant number of cows sick. More troubling was the fact that a standard cancer test for a new drug involves two years of testing on several hundred rats, but rGBH, according to Wilson and Akre, was tested for 90 days on 30 rats, and the results of the tests were never published. The series also featured health officials from Canada alleging that Monsanto executives had offered them a multi-million dollar bribe during Posilac's approval process there. (Canada ultimately banned the drug, primarily for its danger to cows but also due to potential hazards for humans.)
The story had been heavily promoted and was set to air during sweeps week, but was scuttled when Monsanto's lawyer, the famed libel litigant John J. Walsh, sent a letter to Fox News Chief Roger Ailes that made thinly-veiled threats of a massive lawsuit. In the following months Wilson and Akre rewrote the story 73 times in an attempt to appease Fox's lawyers, who in turn were trying to appease Monsanto. Six airdates were set and cancelled, and finally the Fox attorneys crafted their own script, which omitted most criticism of Monsanto, and told Wilson and Akre to air it. The two reporters refused, citing FCC rules that prohibited the intentional broadcasting of false information. When management refused to yield, Akre threatened to go the FCC, at which point both she and Wilson were fired. Jobless, the two reporters promptly filed a lawsuit against the station for violation of Florida's whistleblower statute (the suit was ultimately successful, and details of it can be viewed at www.foxbghsuit.com).
Walsh's letter capped a series of events that have effectively silenced media criticism of food in the United States. In 1996 the Food Lion supermarket chain won a massive libel decision against ABC, and shortly thereafter the Chiquita Corporation won a similarly large judgement against the Cincinnati Post. Both cases set a disturbing precedent, because the media outlets lost despite being able to prove that their information was correct. Traditionally, the veracity of information had been an exculpatory factor in libel litigation, but the courts, in a perverse interpretation of the law, had now said that a news outlet could criminally defame a corporation by telling the truth about it. (Walsh referenced the Food Lion case in his first letter to Fox, and in a subsequent letter said that the WTVT segment contained "defamatory statements which...could lead to...dire consequences for Fox News.")
This shift in the legal landscape was complemented by an aggressive lobbying campaign from the American Farm Bureau Association, which culminated in 12 states passing "Agricultural Disparagement Statutes"--uniquely pointed libel laws designed to prevent the slandering of certain foods. The first significant use of an agricultural disparagement statute came in 1996, when Oprah Winfrey was sued for having an open discussion about Mad Cow Disease on her TV program. Winfrey won the initial decision in 1997 (prompting her to crow, in her uniquely indefatigable way, that "free speech rocks!"), but the case immediately went to appeal, and she had already spent $2 million of her own money. Most news organizations are unwilling to invest in such a legal extravaganza, and as a consequence stories about the GM food controversy are rarely given broad coverage in the United States.
In the media's silence, the industry has roared. In 1998, on the day before Thanksgiving (one of the year's slowest news days), the U.S. Department of Agriculture released draft standards for organic quality. The standards were part of an effort begun eight years before, when Congress had passed the National Organic Foods Production Act, officially recognizing organic agriculture. As part of that law, the USDA had appointed a National Organic Advisory Panel to determine what the government definition of "organic" food should be.
The definition, as it turned out, would be broad. Observers, and particularly organic growers, were stunned to find that the USDA had almost completely ignored the recommendations of its own panel, and instead drafted guidelines that eviscerated the existing benchmarks for organic quality. Under the proposed measures, genetically altered foods, irradiated food, foods grown on fields fertilized by sewage sludge, crops doused in pesticide, and beef from taken from perpetually confined farm animals could all be called organic. Also dropped into the guidelines was a clause that gave the USDA a monopoly on the word "organic" itself, making it illegal for independent producers to adopt higher standards and create their own labels.
The implications of this, for a biotech industry terrified of labeling, were obvious. Genetically-altered food could enjoy something far better than being label-free; it could be given a label that most Americans associated with only the highest levels of purity. It would also pry open the door for the organic food market--a system of small, independent businesses--to be taken over by large corporations. It is a truism that the higher standards of organic farming preclude mass-production, but with standards dropped to a level that allowed factory-farming methods, there would be nothing to stop agribusiness concerns from having their cake and eating it too. They could flood the "organic" market, subsume its multi-billion dollar profits, and enjoy the benefits of the organic name without the tedium of its practice. As a bonus, should other nations--most of whom have very strict organic regulations--object to the inclusiveness of the American rules, the arbitrating body would be the World Trade Organization, an institution that has consistently depressed world standards in order to foster greater exchange.
It is reasonable to ask why the USDA would gut the rules for organic quality. Part of the explanation might be the agency's traditional proclivity for industrial agriculture (it was a proponent of DDT), and its historic enmity to organic farming (it actually lobbied against the Organic Foods Production Act). And certainly the comfortable relationship that Monsanto had with the Clinton Administration didn't hurt. Monsanto CEO Shapiro served on the President's Advisory Committee for Trade and Policy Negotiations, and Mickey Kantor, who was Clinton's Trade Representative from 1992-96, left his post to take a seat on Monsanto's Board of Directors. Marcia Hale, a personal assistant to President Clinton, went on to become the company's Public Affairs Director in Britain.
The real problem, however, may lie in the evolution of the USDA, which in the last fifteen years has become less a regulatory agency and more a clearinghouse for corporate agriculture. In 1986, The Federal Technology and Transfer Act made it legal for corporations to provide private funding to the USDA, and for research done with that funding to be patented by corporations. In 1992, under the auspices of this law, the USDA set up the Alternative Agricultural Research and Commercialization Corporation, essentially an in-house venture capital firm. Since then the AARG has invested more than $11 million in the Biotechnology Research and Development Corporation, a private company funded by, among others, Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Dow Chemical, and the McDonald's Corporation. These companies contribute to the BRDC and in exchange get access to taxpayer-funded agricultural research. The BRDC's mission is to find a commercial market for technological innovations in agriculture, and any profits made in the sale of the research are split evenly between the AARC, the BRDC, and the USDA. The USDA, in other words, has a vested interest in the success of biotech products, including, of course, genetically altered food. The alliance between USDA and biotech has nothing to do with conspiracies or evil intent, and everything to do with the fact that they, regulatory agency and regulated corporation, have become business partners.
Given the stacked nature of this deck, it is to the credit of the organic food community that the proposed standards were derailed. The USDA received 275,000 letters during its public comment period, more feedback than it had at any time in its history, and the overwhelming outcry forced the agency to roll back its agenda.
On the other hand, the idea of pure food is still encroached on every day. Supermarket giant Archer Daniels Midland now makes a soy burger, as does Philip Morris. Watchdog groups say that both use genetically-altered soybeans. While this may matter little to vegetarians who eat soy products for no other reason than that they contain no meat, it does undermine a larger idea of vegetarianism as a purer and more natural diet. In a democracy, there is a crucial difference between manufactured consent and informed consent. Informed consent is the product of education and full disclosure. Manufactured consent is the work of the lawsuits, lobbyists and revolving door regulators. It relies on silence, and thrives on spin.
The Spin Machine
And so back, finally, to where we started: the emails to Freezerbox. This is part two of the biotech PR strategy: redirecting the argument. A look at the titles of the second and third essays, "Biotechnology: A Tool to Help End World Hunger," and "Modern Biotechnology and Small Farmers in Developing Countries," shows where we are headed. Biotech is the planet's best hope for supplying food to a growing population. Genetic engineering can let us make plants that will grow in deserts, that will have vaccines built into them, that will be fortified with extra vitamins. While we waste time debating labeling, the poor starve, and if you oppose genetically-modified food, then you oppose feeding the world, too. So good luck sleeping at night.
Good luck indeed. Before plunging into a sea of guilt, we should first figure out just who is sending us these fine missives. BSMG is, as my first return email noted, one of the world's larger public relations firms. Its regular clients include Monsanto, Dow, Baxter Bayer, the Grocery Manufacturers of America (an ardently pro-biotech group) and the Pharmaceutical Researchers and Manufacturers of America. In addition, in March of 2000, Monsanto, Dow, Aventis, Novartis, Dupont and BASF entered a multiyear contract with BSMG, for the purpose of taking American doubts about biotech and nipping them in the bud. The contract was originally signed for $50 million, but the companies expressed a willingness to spend up to $250 million to get their message out.
This is a remarkable step, and illustrates the seriousness with which these companies fear a real discussion. These corporations are not, after all, friends, and while they may work together in trade associations, it is highly unusual for them to enter into joint PR ventures. Last year Dupont even sued Monsanto, alleging theft of intellectual property.
BSMG inaugurated its biotech campaign by taking two immediate steps. The first was to set up the Alliance for Better Foods, a non-profit group whose sole purpose is to advocate for GM products. The Alliance lists as its most prominent sponsor the Grocery Manufacturers of America, and it is run, according to a report in PR Watch, out of BSMG's Washington office. BSMG's second step was to found the Council on Biotechnology Information, a non-profit front group funded entirely by the six companies named above. The CBI, readers will remember, is the group that Mr. Wright is purporting to work for. It is an interesting arrangement: his company is hired by six other companies to create a nonprofit he can hide behind, not right away, but only after his initial claim--that he works for three researchers--is found out. The true catalysts of the PR, a group of wealthy corporations, lie three layers back, behind the benevolent veils of academia and nonprofit advocacy. Welcome to the spin machine.
With this in mind, if we look at the authors of the articles sent to Freezerbox, and their respective affiliations, the story gets a bit more interesting. Dr. Stanley Wallach works for the American College of Nutrition, an organization sponsored by the Alliance for Better Foods. Leonard Gianessi is described as a "senior research associate" at the National Center for Food and Agricultural Policy, but anyone who wanders to the center's website can see that he is actually director of its Pesticide Use Program. And the Pesticide Use Program is funded--as anyone who clicks the mouse a few more times can learn--by Monsanto, Dow, Dupont and Novartis.
Finally there is the question of Per Pinstrup Andersen, Director General of the International Food Policy Research Institute. The IFPRI is one of 16 research centers run by the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR), an organization headquartered at the World Bank. This makes it a tough nut to crack. The CGIAR is run jointly by the World Bank, The United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization, and the United Nations Development Programme. In 1994, a rumor that the Bank was planning to buy out the UN's shares of the CGIAR caused a panic in the developing world.
The panic came because the CGIAR also happens to be the world's largest repository of agricultural genetic material. It holds 40 percent of all the genetic plant material stored on earth, a collection worth billions of dollars. Currently it allows any researcher access to its gene bank, on the condition that no research done with it can lead to a patent. Such a free flow of information is contrary to every doctrine of the World Bank, an organization whose love of secrecy is surpassed only by its ebullience for markets and its history of very bad ideas. This led observers to fear that the Bank, if left in command of the CGIAR, would "help" the Third World by raffling off its genetic diversity. The takeover plan went nowhere, however, and the CGIAR is, for the most part, an admirable institution. It has condemned Monsanto in the past, and rebuked the World Bank for concentrating it agricultural lending on large-scale farms, rather than subsistence crop-growing. Mr. Andersen is writing, perhaps, because he honestly believes that biotechnology will feed the world.
And to be fair: will it? Do the deception, the libel threats, the use of PR-created front groups and agenda-driven third party testimonials really mean that the central point isn't true? And if that is the case, shouldn't we abandon this debate about labeling, and move ahead, for the benefit of the poor? "Most of the readers of these words have probably never seen someone starve to death or suffer the consequences of malnutrition," Dr. Wallach writes in the first sentence of his article. "It's a testament to American productivity that most of us have been spared first-hand knowledge of hunger." Similarly, Andersen's first sentence reads, "It must be hard for an African farmer to understand the debate currently raging in Europe about the use of modern biotechnological methods in agricultural research." He then talks, as Wallach does, about biotechnology creating crops that can grow in difficult African soil, crops with enhanced vitamins and nutrients, "miracle rice" with extra vitamin A that can prevent night blindness in children. Crops, in other words, that will end hunger.
There are a few problems with this scenario. First, significant doubt exists about whether biotech crops really do improve crop yields. A widely-cited analysis of 1,800 university studies of genetically-engineered crops shows that the biotech plants are actually somewhat less productive than conventional varieties, and over 200 farmers in Georgia, Florida and North Carolina have sued Monsanto over the poor crop yields from genetically engineered cotton.
It is also worth noting that while biotech companies talk quite a bit about "miracle rice" and other hunger-busting crops, none of these corporations actually make them. Miracle rice was developed by a public research institution; Monsanto's biggest GM product, Roundup Ready, is designed not to feed the masses, but help the company sell more herbicide.
But these are questions of intent and capability, both of which can be changed. Monsanto, if it wanted to, could produce miracle rice, and hitches in crop yield could probably be ironed out over time. The real problem is more fundamental. Anderson says it must be hard for an African farmer to understand why the Europeans debate biotech food while she struggles to feed her family. And he is right. It probably is hard for an African farmer, eking out a subsistence living, to follow the controversy raging in Europe. But the African farmer would probably find it harder still to understand why her own country is a net exporter of food.
Almost every organization that has studied the problem of hunger has come to the conclusion that the quantity of the world's food supply has almost nothing to do with it. According to the Institute for Food and Development Policy, the preeminent hunger advocacy organization in the United States, in the last 35 years the production of food has outstripped the growth of population by 16 percent. There is currently enough food on earth to feed every inhabitant over four pounds a day. Hunger is not caused by lack of food, but by disparities in wealth that deny vast portions of the population access to the food already available. It is exacerbated by structural adjustment programs, levied by the World Bank and International Monetary Fund on scores of Third World nations, that force agricultural products to be exported in order to service debt. It is for this reason that India, with its 200 million hungry citizens, is also one of the world's top food exporters, and that many countries in sub-Saharan Africa regularly ship away the food they produce. The United States, in fact, artificially depresses the world food supply to keep prices up and protect farmers: mountains of surplus grain sit in storage in our country, and the USDA subsidizes farmers to keep production down. Every year the United States disposes of 48 million tons of good food.
By no means, then, does biotechnology fit into the hunger equation. Hunger is a symptom of income inequality, and hurling wave after wave of genetically-altered crops at the problem may ameliorate the symptom, but it will exacerbate the source. If farmers in the developing world become dependent on corporations for their seeds, then control of the food supply will be further consolidated, and the inability of the poor to access food--the real root cause of hunger--will be made worse.
What the biotech companies don't talk about is the fact that genetic engineering turns food into intellectual property. A seed no longer represents the work of nature, but the work of nature augmented by millions of dollars of research. In the calculus of the free market, those research costs must be recouped, and recouping these costs fundamentally alters agrarian tradition, because it targets the age-old practice of saving seeds from year to year. Monsanto has gone to extreme lengths to prevent farmers from reusing their seeds. In the United States it has hired Pinkerton detectives to raid farms, and encouraged farmers to spy on their neighbors, and report anyone who is saving seed. These efforts have resulted in almost 500 prosecutions for "seed piracy." In the developing world, the company attempted to introduce a genetically-altered seed that would kill itself after sprouting, thereby forcing the world's poorest farmers to buy new seed each year. This "Terminator" technology caused an international uproar, but the company only backed down from it when the CGIAR, in a remarkably courageous move, condemned it, vowed to block its use in development projects, and urged Third World governments to ban it.
The idea of patenting food and aggressively protecting that patent may be a logical outgrowth of market economics, and in its place it may be reasonable. But it is far from reasonable in the developing world. New barriers to food will not end hunger. Nor, for that matter, will more food.
None of this, of course, is mentioned by the good people at BSMG, who are first working for some nice academics, and then working for a friendly non-profit, but never working for six companies who will pay them up to $250 million to hide behind the plight of dying people in Africa so their products will not have to be labeled in the United States.
There are 800 million hungry people in the world; 34,000 children starve to death every day. There are those who consider this a tragedy, and then are the biotech companies and their countless PR firms, who seem to consider it a flawless hook for product branding. It is an insult of the highest and most grotesque order to turn those who live from day to day into the centerpiece of an elaborate lie. Maybe genetically-engineered foods should be labeled. Maybe they shouldn't. But the companies who make them, and the flacks who hawk their falsehoods, offer us a new definition of depravity, a new standard to plunge for in our race to care least, want more, and divest ourselves of all shame.
Following is a partial list of sources used. Other sources are cited in the text, and facts found in more than three sources were considered common domain. Readers are urged to educate themselves on every side of this issue, and the following sources may be helpful.
Alliance for Better Foods. www.betterfoods.org
Brayda, Deborah, "USDA, Inc.," MojoWire, April 7, 1998.
Shapiro, Robert, "The Welcome Tension of Technology: The Need for Dialogue about Agricultural Biotechnology," The Center for the Study of American Business, CEO Series, No. 37, February 2000
Brown, Paul, and Vidal, John, Guardian, (London) August 25, 1999.
Caufield, Catherine, Masters of Illusion: The World Bank and the Poverty of Nations, Henry Holt & Co., New York, 1997. Charman, Deborah, "Force Feeding Genetically-Engineered Food," PRWatch, Fourth Quarter, 1999.
Charman, Deborah, "Saving the Planet with Pestilent Statistics," PRWatch, Fourth Quarter, 1999.
Charman, Deborah, "Biotechnology Will Feed the World," PRWatch, Fourth Quarter, 1999.
"Monsanto and the Council for Biotechnology Information," CorporateWatch
Ibid., "Greenwash Award of the Month."
Ibid., "The Next Generation of Frankenfoods."
www.foodfirst.org
Forestal, Daniel J., Faith, Hope and $5,000: The Monsanto Story, 1977.
George, Susan, How the Other Half Dies:The Real Reasons for World Hunger Allanweld, Oscar and Company, Montclair, NJ 1977
George, Susan, A Fate Worse than Debt: The World Financial Crisis and the Poor, Grove Grove Wiedenfeld, New York, NY, 1990.
Guttenplan, DD, "Denying the Holocaust," The Atlantic Monthly, Vol 285, No. 2. February 2000.
Kahn, Jennifer, "The Green Machine," Harper's, April 1999.
Lilliston, Ben, and Cummins, Ron, "Organic vs. 'Organic': The Corruption of a Label," Ecologist, July/August 1998.
Motion Magazine, November 9, 1998.
Philips, Peter, et. al., Censored 1999: The News that Didn't Make the News, Seven Stories Press, New York, NY, 1999.
www.purefood.org
Stauber, John, "Food Fight Comes to America," The Nation, December 27, 1999.
Stauber, John, and Rampton, Sheldon, Toxic Sludge is Good for You: Lies, Damn Lies, and the PR Industry, Common Courage Press, Monroe, ME, 1995.
Tokar, Brian, "Monsanto: A Checkered History," Ecologist, Sept/ October 1998.
Ibid., "Monsanto and the Regulators."
"What is Biotechnology?" Union of Concerned Scientists, www.ucs.org
"What is the CGIAR?" The World Bank Group, www.worldbank.org
www.monsanto.com
www.cbi.org
www.epa.gov/history/collection/aid38.htm
www.ifpri.org
www.ncfap.org
www.bsmg.com
http://www.bsmg.com/clients/c_frame.htm
Copyright © 1998-2020 Infocrat, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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Saturday 27, May 2017
Pan Am Conference Conclude With Anti-Doping Insights
The two-day Pan American Conference, co-hosted by The Jockey Club and the Latin American Racing Channel (LARC), has concluded at the Grand Hyatt Washington.
The Conference was featured with presentations on a wide variety of topics by prominent individuals from inside and outside the Thoroughbred racing industry. The conference was attended by more than 400 participants from 25 countries. The lineup of speakers included Bill Thomason, the president and chief executive officer of Keeneland Association; Noted sports anti-doping attorney Professor Richard McLaren, OC; Jon Miller, president of programming for NBC Sports; Larry Bowers, PhD, who served as chief science officer of the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) until his recent retirement; and Louis Romanet, chairman of the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities.
Belinda Stronach, the chairman and president of The Stronach Group, delivered the keynote address and reminded delegates that they must work together to ensure future of the sport. Belinda remarked she is really optimistic about the future if we work together as industry on race-day medication, Thoroughbred aftercare, and the range of issues we have discussed here. The chairman and president of The Stronach Group added the future looks really promising and she is very committed to strengthening our sport and investing in racetracks and hope to really broaden the reach and modernize this great sporting legacy for the future.
Jon Miller commented this is an international sport and we’ve had great success with our international properties. The president of programming for NBC Sports also said we know how to tell stories about the participants and also added that we are aiming to bring in casual viewers and to turn those casual viewers into fans of the sport.
In a presentation preceding a panel dedicated to integrity, McLaren urged attendees to join forces as an international community to combat doping together. McLaren also commented that harmonized, centralized, self-regulated regime and investigations are keys for maintaining fairness in sport and also remarked that national oversight with outside regulation is the only approach since government has a stake in the system in horse racing. McLaren also said you need a proper, single set of rules and uniform regulation.
Romanet, chairman of the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities, said horses should compete only when they are free of medication and drugs. Romanet highlighted on the importance of the worldwide harmonization of the anti-doping rules and out-of-competition testing and also remarked we must have out-of-competition testing because we have new major doping agents and without out-of-competition testing we will not find them.
Stuart S. Janney III, chairman of The Jockey Club, in welcome remarks to the international audience, encouraged American racing participants to forge ahead to be more global and remarked the main goals of the conference were to learn about better policies, better practices and build stronger relationships.
Di Arbuthnot of the United Kingdom-based Retraining of Racehorses retirement program said it is the entire racing industry’s responsibility for the welfare of the Thoroughbred racehorse. Arbuthnot added racing needs to lead the way and added there will be no racing if we fail on welfare and aftercare.
Download in PDF: Pan Am Conference Conclude With Anti-Doping Insights
Tags: doping rules, major doping agents, thoroughbred racing
Posted in Performance Enhancing Drug Abuse, Steroids and Anabolic Steroids, Steroids in Sports
Saturday 11, Feb 2017
Endurance Horses Test Positive For Doping In UAE
The International Federation for Equestrian Sports (FEI) has confirmed seven cases of horses testing positive for prohibited substances.
The FEI, for the first time, has suspended the horse trainers and riders with immediate effect. Usually, only riders receive immediate sanctions.
FEI secretary general Sabrina Ibanez said we take all breaches of the FEI anti-doping regulations extremely seriously and these latest positives demonstrate clearly that those using prohibited substances will be caught. Ibanez added this is the first time that we have suspended the trainers at the same time as the athletes, but when there are multiple breaches by one trainer, it is clear that there is something wrong with the stable management. The FEI secretary general also remarked that suspending the trainers immediately, rather than waiting until the athlete has been prosecuted, confirms that the FEI will not tolerate any attempts to enhance the performance of the horse.
All horses tested positive for the same four prohibited substances: the stimulant caffeine and its metabolites Theophylline, Theobromine, and Paraxanthine. Theophylline that is clinically indicated for the treatment of asthma and various respiratory diseases can be metabolized into caffeine. One of the horses also tested positive for Flumetasone, the corticosteroid, which is beneficial in the treatment of skin disorders.
Under the FEI’s equine anti-doping and controlled medication rules (EADCMRs), Theophylline, caffeine and Theobromine are listed as controlled medication and specified substances and Paraxanthine is a banned substance under the FEI EADCMRs. Under the anti-doping rules, controlled medications are used to treat horses on a regular basis but must have cleared from the horse’s system by the time of competition, while banned substances should never be found in the body of the horse.
The horses, all registered to the UAE, were tested at four different events at the Al Wathba venue in Abu Dhabi.
Castlebar Lightning, ridden by the UAE’s Saeed Sultan Shames Al Maamri, Intisaar, ridden by the UAE’s Sheikh Rashid Dalmook Al Maktoum, and Mraseel, ridden by the UAE’s Sheikh Sh Hamed Dalmook Al Maktoum in the CEI2 120km ride at Al Wathba on 17 December 2016, tested positive for the four substances. Mraseel also tested positive for Flumetasone.
Samples taken at the CEI2 120km ladies ride at Al Wathba, Abu Dhabi in the UAE on 26 November 2016 from Rafik De Kerpoint, ridden by Ireland’s Amy Louise McAuley tested positive for all four substances.
Salam Banquetol, ridden by the UAE’s Abdulla Ghanim Al Marri to finish second at the CEI2* 120km event at Al Wathba on 24 December, tested positive to all four substances, as did both Tom Jones TE, ridden by the UAE’s Abdulla Ghanim Al Marri, and Aspenview Amir, ridden by the UAE’s Saeed Ahmad Jaber Al Harbi at the CEI2 120km event at Al Wathba on 14 January 2016.
The seven horses are also suspended for a two-month period from the date of notification (30 January 2017). The seven riders and the trainers Ismail Mohd, Khalifa Ghanim Al Marri and Mohd Ahmed Ali Al Subose have all been provisionally suspended from the same date.
Download in PDF: Endurance Horses Test Positive For Doping In UAE
Tags: caffeine, corticosteroid, doping rules, Flumetasone, Theobromine, theophylline
Wednesday 06, Apr 2016
UK Anti-Doping To Face A Government-Mandated Investigation
Britain’s anti-doping agency will face a government-mandated investigation into why it dismissed allegations that a “tainted” doctor prescribed performance enhancing drugs to a sportsman. Andy Ward, who stood down as Assistant Chief Constable of Merseyside Police in January, has been appointed by the UKAD board with the agreement of Culture Secretary John Whittingdale to review UK Anti-Doping’s handling of the Dr Mark Bonar saga.
Recently, the Sunday Times newspaper revealed that documents implicating Dr. Mark Bonar were handed to UK Anti-Doping in 2014 by an unnamed sportsman who had been suspended for breaching doping rules. It was confirmed on Sunday by UK Anti-Doping that an investigation had been opened into the doctor after interviewing a sportsperson in April and May 2014.
The Sunday Times also managed to secretly record Bonar making allegations to an unnamed “aspiring Olympic runner” who was sent by the newspaper house to him about how banned performance enhancing drugs had been prescribed for sportspeople. Bonar was recorded as saying some of these treatments he uses are banned on a professional circuit and therefore the “athlete” should be mindful of that but he has worked with lots of professional athletes who do use these treatments.
Britain’s anti-doping agency further revealed it let off the doctor as he fell outside its jurisdiction because he was not governed by a sport. In a statement, UKAD said it had no other intelligence to corroborate the sportsman’s allegations. UK Anti-Doping further added it as a result recommended to the sportsperson that more information was needed and that information could be passed, if appropriate, to the General Medical Council, which does have the powers to investigate possible medical malpractice and pursue if necessary.
Britain’s culture, media, and sport department wants UK Anti-Doping about its handling of the case. In a statement, Culture Secretary John Whittingdale said he had asked for there to be an urgent independent investigation into what action was taken when these allegations were first received and what more needs to be done to ensure that British sport remains clean. Whittingdale added there is no room for complacency in the fight against doping and the government is already looking at whether existing legislation in this area goes far enough and added if it becomes clear that stronger criminal sanctions are needed then we will not hesitate to act.
Reacting to the case, the General Medical Council, the regulatory body for doctors, said Bonar does not presently hold a license so cannot practice medicine in Britain. GMC chief executive Niall Dickson said these are serious allegations and we will follow them up as a matter of urgency.
The Sunday Times reported that Bonar later denied doping sportspeople. The newspaper quoted Bonar as saying the fact that some of my patients happen to be professional athletes is irrelevant. Bonar also said if they have proven deficiencies on blood work and are symptomatic, he will treat them and also added that they are well fully aware of the risks of using these medicines in professional sport and it is their responsibility to comply with anti-doping regulations.
Download in PDF: UK Anti-Doping To Face A Government-Mandated Investigation
Tags: doping rules, fight against doping, Performance enhancing drugs
Posted in Celebrities and Steroids, Performance Enhancing Drug Abuse, steroid nation, Steroids and Anabolic Steroids, Steroids in Olympics, Steroids in Sports
Tuesday 26, Mar 2013
Two-Year Doping Ban For Erik Morales
Mexican professional boxer Érik Isaac Morales Elvira has received a doping ban of two years after he twice tested positive for the banned substance, Clenbuterol last October, prior to his junior welterweight bout with Danny Garcia, according to the United States Anti-Doping Agency.
The 36-year-old Erik Morales was knocked out by Danny Garcia at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center on October 20 and it was argued by the critics that the fight should have been cancelled, while the debate about the doping policies of boxing raged anew. Boxers are not subject to a uniform drug-testing policy as the sport has no national governing body.
Before the fight, both the boxers agreed to be tested by USADA and signed a contract that stipulates any adjudication process must go through the agency. The legal process was still ongoing despite the New York State Athletic Commission was notified 24 hours in advance of the Garcia-Morales bout regarding the positive drug test results of Morales. The fight was allowed by NYSAC even though Morales, the first Mexican-born boxer in history to win world titles in four different weight classes, tested positive for Clenbuterol on October 3 and 10.
A portion of USADA’s statement reads professional boxing does not have a universally-implemented, WADA (World Anti-Doping Agency) accredited anti-doping program, and as a result of the lack of effective testing, many professional boxers and event organizers have contracted with USADA to conduct comprehensive anti-doping programs prior to and during their fights. It also stated that USADA conducts testing programs for professional boxing matches only when both athletes contractually agree to participate in the anti-doping program, which stipulates agreeing to abide by the applicable anti-doping rules, including the rules regarding the adjudication process and sanctioning.
The boxer had said he might retire after the October 20 bout rather than face the potential sanction and had until February 18 to respond to USADA as to whether he would contest the decision, and was granted an extension. A ban of two years was imposed on Morales after he selected not to elect an “independent arbitration process,” according to an announcement by USADA.
The former WBC Light Welterweight Champion, WBC & IBF Super Featherweight, WBC Featherweight (x2), and WBC & WBO Super Bantamweight Champion is famous for his trilogies with fellow Mexican legend three-division champion Marco Antonio Barrera and Filipino octuple champion Manny Pacquiao and ranks #49 on ESPN’s 50 Greatest Boxers Of All Time. Erik Morales has defeated 15 different world champions during the course of his career. At the age of 16, he made his professional debut by knocking out Jose Orejel in two rounds. The record of Morales consists of 52 wins, 36 of these by knockout, and 9 losses (2KO) and he has won eight world titles in four different weight classes and successfully defended his titles fifteen times. The Mexican-born boxer also holds victories over champions Kenny Mitchell, Hector Acero-Sanchez, Daniel Zaragoza, Junior Jones, Jose Luis Bueno, Wayne McCullough, Marco Antonio Barrera, Kevin Kelley, Guty Espadas Jr., In Jin Chi, Paulie Ayala, Jesús Chávez, Carlos Hernández, and Manny Pacquiao.
Download in PDF: Two-Year Doping Ban For Erik Morales
Tags: clenbuterol, Danny García, doping ban, doping programs, doping rules, erik morales, Manny Pacquiao, professional boxing
Posted in Celebrities and Steroids, Performance Enhancing Drug Abuse, Steroids in Boxing, Steroids in Sports
Monday 17, Sep 2012
Michael Rodgers Accepts Nine-Month Ban
US Sprinter Michael Rodgers has accepted a ban of nine months after he failed to clear a drug test. An athlete in the sport of Track & Field, Rodgers of Hutto, Texas tested positive for methylhexaneamine (dimethylpentylamine).
The 26-year-old sprinter tested positive during an in-competition urine sample collected at the Sport e Solidarieta event on July 19, 2011, in Lignano, Italy. Stimulants like methylhexaneamine are prohibited under the USADA Protocol for Olympic Movement Testing and the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) Anti-Doping Rules, both of which have adopted the World Anti-Doping Code and the World Anti-Doping Agency Prohibited List.
The 2009 national champion in the 100 meters, Michael Rodgers, was eligible for the Olympic trials and a spot on the U.S. team in London. The American sprinter accepted a nine-month period of ineligibility, beginning on July 19, 2011 the day his urine sample was collected. As a result of this sanction, the sprinter is disqualified from any and all results obtained on and subsequent to July 19, 2011, including forfeiture of any medals, points, and prizes. The sprinter originally made a request for a hearing in front of independent American Arbitration Association (AAA) panel at which Rodgers offered an inaccurate and misleading testimony but soon recognized his responsibility and agreed to accept his sanction and to pay the full cost of the arbitration hearing before the false testimony was acted upon by the arbitration panel by acknowledging the truth to the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency.
The sprinter offered dependent corroborating evidence that his positive drug test resulted from the use of the supplement called Jack3d several days prior to a competition. An advisory was issued by the U.S. Anti-doping Agency on June 16, 2011 to make athletes aware of the concerns regarding methylhexaneamine (dimethylpentylamine). Athletes subject to the WADA Prohibited List are advised to avoid supplements that reference methylhexaneamine, dimethylpentylamine, 1,3-Dimethylamylamine HCl, dimethylamylamine, geranium, geranamine, or geranium stems or which purport to come from geranium oil or any constituents of a geranium plant. Products sold as dietary supplements with Methylhexaneamine include Jack3d (USP Labs), Lipo-6-Black and Hemo-Rage Black (Nutrex), Spriodex (Gaspari Nutrition), F-10 (Advanced Genetics), Clear Shot (E-Pharm), 1.M.R. (BPI Sports), and many others.
It was previously believed that the US world indoor 60m silver medalist Rodgers mistakenly consumed the stimulant while out socialising. The sprinter first claimed that he took an energy drink when in a club with some friends but later changed his story and admitted to taking a supplement called Jack3d.
Michael Rodgers finished third behind Walter Dix and Justin Gatlin at the US championships in June 2011. He earned his first Olympic berth with a strong performance at the U.S. Trials and was out-leaned in the men’s 100m final at the finish line, 9.93 to 9.94, by Ryan Bailey for third place and the final spot available on the Olympic team. He was however out of the London 2012 Olympic Games with a broken foot in what was termed by him as a 4th degree fracture. The sprinter finished fourth in the men’s 100m race at last month’s US Track and Field trials, running a personal-best 9.94 seconds.
Download in PDF: Michael Rodgers Accepts Nine-Month Ban
Tags: dietary supplements, dimethylpentylamine, doping rules, Justin Gatlin, London 2012 Olympic, methylhexaneamine, Michael Rodgers, Walter Dix
Posted in Steroids and Anabolic Steroids, Steroids in Olympics, Steroids in Sports
Friday 04, Mar 2011
Call to bring an end to lifetime doping bans
Andy Parkinson, chief executive of UK Anti-Doping (UKAD), recently said that lifetime Olympic bans are harming attempts to identify suppliers and root out drugs from sport.
Athletes are entitled to reduced bans if they provide evidence against those providing drugs, as per the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) guidelines.
The chief executive of UK Anti-Doping (UKAD), in a column for the insidethegames website, wrote: “We have seen in the US and here in the UK how going beyond the anti-doping rules established by WADA creates confusion and impedes our role.
Tags: doping rules, drugs, Olympic
Posted in Steroid Cycles, steroid nation, Steroids and Anabolic Steroids, Steroids in Olympics, Steroids in Sports
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How to send messages from Hiroshima as city marks 74th year since A-bombing, Part 4
Part 4: Unearthed remains of atomic bombing serve as “witnesses” to life at that time
by Kyosuke Mizukawa, Staff Writer
On July 7, Miyoko Doi, 89, a resident of Asakita Ward, saw A-bombed remains of the former Nakajima district, including charred and carbonized tatami mats and a crumbled mud wall turned reddish-brown. The City of Hiroshima is now pursuing excavation work in the former district which is now the location of the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park. Ms. Doi said, “I want the city to tell people about the neighborhood that was once in this place.” She gazed at traces of her former neighbor’s house, laying 60 to 90 centimeters in the ground.
4,400 people lived in the district
The atomic bombing, carried out by the United States, destroyed and incinerated practically the entire area within a two-kilometer radius of the hypocenter. It is said that the former Nakajima district, most of which was located within 500 meters of the hypocenter, was lined with many homes and shops and had a population of about 4,400 people. Excavation work is now underway in the former Tenjin-machi-suji area, located on the north side of the east building of the Peace Memorial Museum. Ms. Doi’s home once stood at 78 Zaimoku-cho, several doors down from the Tenjin-machi-suji area to the west.
On the same day, a gathering was held by a citizens’ group seeking to preserve the A-bombed remains that lie beneath the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park. At the gathering, Ms. Doi talked about what her former neighborhood and her family were like before and after the bombing. She shared her memories of the site, recounting such things as “There was a restaurant that served issen-yoshoku (the old type of okonomiyaki)” and “I went to a public bath near my house.”
Then came August 6, 1945. Ms. Doi was then a second-year student at Hiroshima Girls Commercial School. As she had been mobilized to work at Fukuya Department Store, which was located 710 meters from the hypocenter, she narrowly escaped death. But five members of her family — her 37-year-old mother, Yoshiko Miyoshi; her younger sisters Tokiko, 13, Hiroko, 6, and Misao, 3; and her younger brother Shigeharu, 9 — were all killed in the bombing.
Ms. Doi said, “I don’t want anything sad like this to ever happen again.” The late Shigeru Miyoshi, Ms. Doi’s father, identified his wife’s remains, still wearing her belly-warmer tie, in the ruins of his home. His wife was in the last month of her pregnancy. Ms. Doi showed the audience an A-bomb picture that was drawn by her father while he was still alive to depict his memory of the moment he found his wife lying in the ruins. Some participants covered their eyes with their hands.
After reaching her late 80s, she sometimes turns down requests to share her A-bomb experience. But she decided to speak at the gathering because she hopes to support the effort to utilize the A-bombed remains of the district. Shunsuke Taga, 69, the head of the group, said, “I want to tell people that the area where Peace Memorial Park is now wasn’t a park before the bombing. In fact, many people lived in this place and were leading lives as individuals.” The remains that lie beneath this site will serve as witnesses to the atomic bombing.
Meanwhile, some former residents of the district also raised concerns about the remains during the gathering, saying, “The remains that have been excavated so far haven’t given others enough sense of the former residents’ lives.” The unearthed site is believed to be near a lumber shop that was run by the parents of Shizuko Kato, who was then 15, and in the same grade as Ms. Doi. The acquaintance of Ms. Doi’s died in the bombing. But nothing has yet been found to directly indicate that the shop was at this site.
Concern about deterioration of artifacts
The city is planning to begin displaying these remains to the public on a regular basis starting in fiscal 2020. So far, work to investigate and excavate an area of about 25 square meters has been performed. In the future, the scope of the excavation will be expanded by about 25 square meters to the east from the current remains. When an approximately 2,100 square meter site was dug out by March 2017, in connection with anti-seismic reinforcement work for the museum’s main building, many items were unearthed, including charred rice paddles and the tiles of a public bath. Thus, some former residents of the district are hoping that the excavation effort of the area can be expanded further. But the city has asked for their understanding about the current plan, arguing that the excavation work needs to proceed while maintaining the aesthetic aspect of the park, considered a national scenic spot.
On July 7, the city’s advisory panel offered opinions about the excavation and the use of the A-bombed remains. Masayuki Miura, the chair of the panel and an honorary professor at Hiroshima University who specializes in architectural history, pointed out the risk of deterioration to the excavation site that is unearthed. It was proposed that the minimum level of excavation be carried out to prepare for the public display by 2020, and discussion take place to determine if the excavation should be widened afterwards by evaluating the impact of the remains in terms of conveying its message to the world.
It is presumed that the remains were kept intact beneath the ground because soil was added to cover the burnt-out site after the end of the war to develop the Peace Memorial Park. On one hand, the landscape of the park is well known around the world, but on the other hand, the remains of the former urban area are preserved underground. It is time to engage in more thorough discussions with citizens and experts on the ideal state of the park in order to enhance its ability to more strongly convey the reality of the atomic bombing.
Plan to display the A-bombed remains of the former Nakajima district
This plan was developed by the City of Hiroshima to convey the lives of the people who lived in the former Nakajima district (where the Peace Memorial Park is now located in Naka Ward) before the A-bomb attack by the United States and the resulting devastation. With the goal of opening the site to the public from fiscal year 2020, the 75th anniversary of the bomb, excavation work is now underway on the north side of the Peace Memorial Museum’s east building to prepare for this public display. After an observation tour of the site was conducted on July 7, the area was backfilled for the Peace Memorial Ceremony on August 6. The site will be excavated again after the ceremony.
(Originally published on July 28, 2019)
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Hockey's Future | The #1 Online Prospects Resource
Jurco, Ouellet among Wings prospects to enjoy long post-seasons
By Mike Farkas
Photo: Tomas Jurco is among the few Red Wings prospects to see an extensive post-season. (Brace Hemmelgarn/Icon SMI)
Success in Hockeytown is measured in Stanley Cups, but unfortunately, the Detroit Red Wings and their local affiliates came up well short of their intended goals this past season. The Red Wings made the playoffs but failed to advance past the division rival Nashville Predators in the first round. The AHL's Grand Rapids Griffins missed the playoffs altogether. They won just three of their final 10 games down the stretch and missed the playoffs by nine points. At the ECHL level, the Toledo Walleye posted the third-worst record in the league as they were unable to clinch a postseason berth for the second straight season. It was a disappointing spring for most Red Wings prospects abroad as well, though there were several notable exceptions.
On the powerhouse Saint John Sea Dogs, Slovakian import Tomas Jurco made significant contributions to the Sea Dogs quest to repeat as Memorial Cup champs. While they were unsuccessful in re-capturing Major Junior hockey's biggest prize, they did steamroll the rest of the QMJHL during the playoffs going 16-1 en route to another President's Cup championship. Before being upset and ousted by host team Shawinigan in the Memorial Cup semi-finals, Jurco poured in 15 goals and 32 points in 20 games.
Defenseman and 2011 second-round pick Xavier Ouellet has jumped leaps and bounds in his development on what was supposed to be a bottom of the rack team in the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada. Ouellet served as the captain of the Armada and led them to the playoffs, quite literally in fact. With 21 goals and 60 points from the blue line, Ouellet was fourth on the team in goals and second in points and a rock defensively as he was named a First Team QMJHL All-Star in the process. Ouellet's strong play continued into the playoffs which saw his team go the distance in the second round against Rimouski losing by one goal in game seven. Ouellet had 10 points in 11 games while being a plus-three in the postseason.
Goaltender Petr Mrazek starred for the Czechs at the World Junior Championships as the calendar turned to 2012 and he carried his confident, big-game stealing ways into the postseason with the Ottawa 67's. He played in 17 games going 9-8 with a 2.59 goals against average and .926 save percentage as Ottawa dispatched Belleville and Barrie before losing to a talent-laden Niagara club in the third round. His aggressive, athletic style puts him in prime position to steal games and make highlight reel stops. The same style can lead to some inconsistencies in his technique and serve to be destructive at points as well. He thrives in big time situations though, and is fired up by the intense atmosphere around him. As a professional, his technique, at least, will be roped in a bit to fit into the more structured AHL and NHL game – whether his demeanor follows suit is another story all together. Better positioning and better focus should help to stem the tide of the odd bad goals he gives up from time to time. His lightning quick glove has been thieving would-be goal scorers of tallies all season long and will be a great asset to him at any level of play. Already armed with an entry-level contract, Mrazek hopes to become the starter in Grand Rapids (AHL) next season and with Thomas McCollum struggling and Jordan Pearce failing to set the world ablaze, the door is wide open for him.
Over in Sweden, Calle Jarnkrok's impressive playoff performance lent an extraordinary hand to Brynas' capturing of the Elitserien championship. The 2010 second round pick finished fourth in playoff scoring with 16 points in 16 games and second overall in assists with 12. His plus-12 rating was also second in the playoffs to teammate and talented prospect Jakob Silfverberg (OTT). Jarnkrok, a heady two-way centerman, did a fine job setting up Silfverberg so he could unleash his vicious shot both at even strength and on the power play (the latter generally runs through Jarnkrok).
Mattias Backman, a defenseman for Linkoping (SEL) was sent down to the J20 SuperElit level for the playoffs where he registered eight points in six games and helped his club capture the Anton Cup as champions of the league.
Alexei Marchenko, Detroit's seventh round pick in 2011, finished his injury-riddled year strong in the MHL playoffs. In Russia's top junior league, Marchenko helped CSKA to the finals with a nice effort from the back line. He led all defensemen in points and was tied for second overall in the playoffs with 18 of them in 19 games. The lanky rearguard is a very good skater and can lug the puck up the ice with effectiveness and finish the rush with a crisp pass and excellent scoring opportunity. Hoping to put the injuries behind him, Marchenko would like to eventually move to the North American game but will hopefully gain more experience in the KHL first.
Prospect Signings
The Wings signed two of their big name picks in the 2010 draft in Riley Sheahan and Teemu Pulkkinen. Sheahan actually appeared in one NHL game, effectively burning a year off his entry-level deal. He'll be expected to start the 2011-12 season in the AHL. Both players will need to add strength before they can contend for spots in the NHL.
The Wings are attempting to sign Tomas Jurco but the process has become dicey. According to Jurco's agent, J.P. Barry, the Red Wings and he have settled on the terms of an entry-level contract, however it cannot be filed with the league due to the lack of an agreeable transfer agreement between Slovakia and the NHL. The NHL has extended the window to sign such prospects until June 15th (typically there is a moratorium on signing entry-level contracts between June 1st through July 1st) which would allow Jurco to play in the AHL (or NHL, of course) next season. He is eligible to return to Saint John for an overage season, but that's not a direction the Red Wings or Jurco's representation seem too interested in as, developmentally, he is ready for a new challenge. When asked whether Jurco may have to spend a year in Slovakia's pro league, Barry expressed optimism to Hockey's Future that it would not come down to that but did not rule it out completely.
If and when the Wings do sign Jurco, they will get a silky smooth stickhandler, who can weave in and out of the tightest of spaces and make plays. He has good hockey sense and anticipation skills which he invests offensively more than defensively but he exhibits the ability to learn, which should earn him the adulation of Detroit's brass in due time. Jurco saw significant minutes throughout the Sea Dogs championship run and seems poised to move on to the next level.
Ouellet was also signed to an entry-level deal. The French-born defenseman proved to be an all-situation minute muncher with a penchant for strong positional play and an accurate shot from far out. Though he took over 200 shots this year (second on the club) he is a smooth playmaker who exhibits terrific vision. His hockey sense comes to the forefront on the other side of the puck and now that he has shown a bit more physicality, he ranks as one of the most complete defensemen in the QMJHL with another year to go.
Ryan Sproul, who missed the playoffs entirely with the Soo Greyhounds, was signed to a three-year offering. The 2011 draft pick was a solid presence at both ends of the ice for a Greyhounds team that had difficulty keeping the puck out of their own net. A solid puck-distributor, Sproul managed 54 points in 61 regular season games.
The Wings also signed Calle Jarnkrok to an entry-level deal at the end of May. Though smart and positionally sound, Jarnkrok can be over-matched on the ice physically. When the going gets rough, it's tougher for Jarnkrok to perform and he tries to exact his revenge by drawing penalties and attacking with the man advantage. He's a smooth puck-handler and adept passer but will likely require a state of the art sniper by his side to unleash his full potential. If the Finals against Skelleftea is any indication, the 6' 176-pound forward will need to improve his strength before he moves on to the rigorous North American game.
North American Leagues
USA Juniors
European Leagues
NHL Resources
NHL Entry Draft FAQ 1
NHL Prospect Criteria
NHL Player System Rating Rules
Writers Needed
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Logan Hicks | 113 S. 20th Avenue
Logan Hicks is a New York-based stencil artist whose work explores the dynamics of the urban environment. Originally a screen printer, Logan's work has gained notoriety due to his ability to create photo realistic murals with intricately layered hand-sprayed stencils. Stenciling started as a substitution for screen printing, but quickly morphed into Logan's medium of choice.
The mural that he painted for DHMP is from his "water girls" series. With this series he takes photos of women floating and sinking under the water's surface, surrounded by a lush patterned landscape. "The water girls series represents freedom. The feeling of letting go... of drifting, unhindered, free, and by any external forces. The water girls murals strive to depict peace and tranquility, and the ability of a person to become 'centered'." says Hicks.
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PROSPECT PARK WEST BOUTIQUE CONDOMINIUMS
This landmarked limestone mansion was built in 1884 and originally designed by architect Axel Hedman as a single family home. It was divided into 8 apartments in the 1950's and later abandoned in the 1980's. It was then purchased by Horrigan Development and meticulously renovated into 5 luxury condominiums overlooking Prospect Park. Due to lack of maintenance for over half a century, a complete structural and mechanical gut renovation was required. The apartments were designed to restore the building's classic turn-of-the-century elegance and infuse it with modern touches and open spaces. Interior moldings and wainscoting were carefully cataloged and restored while the buildings interior was completely gutted. All missing applique and brackets on the building's massive 7' high cornice were recreated and installed to match the original. Outdoor space was created for each apartment whether it be a garden, terrace or rooftop deck. The rear of building was excavated to provide the basement level with additional light and views of the garden. The project was the recipient of the Ortner Award for Historic Preservation. For additional information click here for the buildings official website.
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The Effects of Relational Intentionality and Self-presentation Tendency on Word-of-mouth Activities
관계의 유대지향성 및 자기표현성향이 구전활동에 미치는 영향
Roh, Minjung ;
Chu, Wujin
노민정 (경희대학교 경영대학 빅데이터 연구센터) ;
주우진 (서울대학교 경영대학 경영학과)
The decision to actively reveal oneself as a consumer on social media depends on whether the focus is more on positive rewards than negative threats associated with self-presentation, that is, who the other party is in that relationship. The audience of self-presentation could also be divided into expressive and instrumental ties: work partners can be classified as an audience of instrumental ties, whereas school friends can be regarded as an audience of expressive ties. This study accordingly predicted that people would focus more on prevention of negative threats than positive reward, exhibiting defensive self-presentation in relationships with strong instrumental ties because the fallout from negative threats due to failed self-presentation have a more detrimental effect than a positive reward from successful self-presentation. The empirical findings thereby indicated that as the proportion of coworkers increased among Facebook friends, the mediation effect through defensive self-presentation increased, whereas such effect through acquisitive self-presentation decreased.
Word-of-mouth;Instrumental Ties;Expressive Ties;Protective Self-presentation;Acquisitive Self-presentation
Supported by : 서울대학교 경영연구소
R. M. Arkin, "Self-Presentation Styles," In J. T. Tedeschi (ed.), Impression Management Theory and Social Psychological Research. New York: Academic Press, pp.311-333, 1981.
R. N. Wolfe, R. D. Lennox, and B. L. Cutler, "Getting Along and Getting Ahead: Empirical Support for a Theory of Protective and Acquisitive Self-Presentation," Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, Vol.50, No.2, pp.356-361, 1986. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.50.2.356
A. Chernev, "Goal Orientation and Consumer Preference for the Status Quo," Journal of Consumer Research, Vol.31, No.3, pp.557-565, 2004. https://doi.org/10.1086/425090
R. Chitturi, R. Raghunathan, and V. Mahajan, "Form versus Function: How the Intensities of Specific Emotions Evoked in Functional versus Hedonic Trade-Offs Mediate Product Preferences," Journal of Marketing Research, Vol.44, No.4, pp.702-714, 2007. https://doi.org/10.1509/jmkr.44.4.702
T. J. Brown, T. E. Barry, P. A. Dacin, and R. F. Gunst, "Spreading the Word: Investigating Antecedents of Consumers' Positive Word-of-Mouth Intentions and Behaviors in a Retailing Context," Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Vol.33, No.2, pp.123-138, 2005. https://doi.org/10.1177/0092070304268417
L. F. Feick and L. L. Price, "The Market Maven: A Diffuser of Marketplace Information," Journal of Marketing, Vol.51, No.1, pp.83-97, 1987. https://doi.org/10.2307/1251146
T. Hennig-Thurau, K. P. Gwinner, G. Walsh, and D. D. Gremler, "Electronic Word of‐Mouth via Consumer‐Opinion Platforms: What Motivates Consumers to Articulate Themselves on the Internet?" Journal of Interactive Marketing, Vol.18, No.1, pp.38-52, 2004. https://doi.org/10.1002/dir.10073
C. Saenger, V. L. Thomas, and J. W. Johnson, "Consumption‐Focused Self‐Expression Word of Mouth: A New Scale and Its Role in Consumer Research," Psychology & Marketing, Vol.30, No.11, pp.959-970, 2013. https://doi.org/10.1002/mar.20659
A. C. Ahuvia, "Beyond the Extended Self: Loved Objects and Consumers' Identity Narratives," Journal of Consumer Research, Vol.32, No.1, pp.171-184, 2005. https://doi.org/10.1086/429607
L. R. Flynn, R. E. Goldsmith, and J. K. Eastman, "Opinion Leaders and Opinion Seekers: Two New Measurement Scales," Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Vol.24, No.2, pp.137-147, 1996. https://doi.org/10.1177/0092070396242004
E. L. Deci and R. M. Ryan, "The 'What' and 'Why' of Goal Pursuit: Human Needs and the Self Determination Theory of Behavior," Psychology Inquiry, Vol.11, No.4, pp.227-268, 2000. https://doi.org/10.1207/S15327965PLI1104_01
진보래, 노현주, "페이스북 친구들의 반응과 관계적 유용성: 자기노출 성향의 영향력과 성별의 조절효과," 한국콘텐츠학회논문지, 제15권, 제7호, pp.449-459, 2015. https://doi.org/10.5392/JKCA.2015.15.07.449
A. Nadkarni and S. G. Hofmann, "Why Do People Use Facebook?," Personality and Individual Differences, Vol.52, No.3, pp.243-249, 2012. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2011.11.007
A. Barasch and J. Berger, "Broadcasting and Narrowcasting: How Audience Size Affects What People Share," Journal of Marketing Research, Vol.51, No.3, pp.286-299, 2014. https://doi.org/10.1509/jmr.13.0238
R. F. Baumeister, D. M. Tice, and D. G. Hutton, "Self-Presentational Motivations and Personality Differences in Self-Esteem," Journal of Personality, Vol.57, No.3, pp.547-579, 1989. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-6494.1989.tb02384.x
M. R. Leary and A. B. Allen, "Personality and Persona: Personality Processes in Self-Presentation," Journal of Personality, Vol.79, No.6, 1191-1218, 2011. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-6494.2010.00704.x
박남수, 백강희, "페이스북 이용자의 자기노출, 페이스북 이용강도, 프라이버시 인식과 프라이버시 관리 능력이 페이스북 지속적 이용의향에 미치는 영향: 프라이버시 관리 능력의 조절효과를 중심으로," 한국콘텐츠학회논문지, 제16권, 제11호, pp.53-62, 2016. https://doi.org/10.5392/JKCA.2016.16.11.053
S. Atkinson, "Senior Management Relationships and Trust: An Exploratory Study," Journal of Managerial Psychology, Vol.19, No.6, pp.571-587, 2004. https://doi.org/10.1108/02683940410551499
C. P. Lin, "To Share or Not To Share: Modeling Tacit Knowledge Sharing, Its Mediators and Antecedents," Journal of Business Ethics, Vol.70, No.4, pp.411-428, 2007. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-006-9119-0
A. H. Maslow, "A Theory of Human Motivation," Psychological Review, Vol.50, No.4, pp.370-396, 1943. https://doi.org/10.1037/h0054346
K. M. Sheldon and J. C. Hilpert, "The Balanced Measure of Psychological Needs (BMPN) Scale: An Alternative Domain General Measure of Need Satisfaction," Motivation and Emotion, Vol.36, No.4, pp.439-451, 2012. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11031-012-9279-4
N. Bozionelos, "Intra-Organizational Network Resources: Relation to Career Success and Personality," International Journal of Organizational Analysis, Vol.11, No.1, pp.41-66, 2003. https://doi.org/10.1108/eb028962
A. F. Hayes, "PROCESS: A versatile computational tool for observed variable mediation, moderation, and conditional process modeling" [White paper], Retrieved from http://www.afhayes.com/public/process2012.pdf, 2012.
T. Jackson, "Protective Self-Presentation, Sources of Socialization, and Loneliness among Australian Adolescents and Young Adults," Personality and Individual Differences, Vol.43, No.6, pp.1552-1562, 2007. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2007.04.012
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CLICK BUTTON TO GO TO TOPIC
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STORY OF THE JEWISH PEOPLE
LA JUDERIA, THE JEWISH QUARTER, TOLEDO, SPAIN
Spainexchange
During the Middle Ages, a time in which Toledo, Spain was under Muslim control prior to the Christian conquest, the city was home to large communities of Jewish, Muslim and Christian inhabitants, all living and working together in relative peace and harmony. This confluence of cultures and the resultant spirit of religious and ethnic tolerance, because it was so rare in Spain and Europe given the time, came to define the picturesque city of Toledo as a region of great diversity and cooperation. Today thousands of visitors flock to the city each year to visit the monuments and ancient structures that still survive from that time, including many that exist in the neighborhood known as La Juderia, or the Jewish Quarter.
LA JUDERIA: OVERVIEW
Most of the Jewish contingent of Toledo during the Middle Ages lived in an area called La Juderia, or the Jewry, where they could work, raise families and practice their religion at one of the region’s 10 synagogues, without the fear of being persecuted for their beliefs. Much of this area has been preserved over the years and is now on display for tourists who share an interest in the history of the Sephardic Jews
The charismatic tangle of steep streets that comprise the Jewish Quarter transport visitors to the Jewish Toledo of the Middle Ages. The route begins at the renowned Plaza de Zocodover, the hub of the city for most of its history. Formerly known as Plaza Mayor, or Main Square, it has been the local meeting and gathering place for Toledo’s residents since medieval times.
The tour of La Juderia continues through an ancient maze of narrow streets, until visitors reach the Synagogue of el Transito. Founded in 1356 by Samuel ha-Levi, Treasurer to King Peter of Castile, it is one of two synagogues that still remain in Toledo. It is a brilliant example of the Mudejar style of architecture, and was converted into a church following the expulsion of the Jews in 1492. It is now home to the Sephardic Museum, where visitors can explore the history of Jewish Toledo through ancient artifacts and works of art.
From the Synagogue of el Transito, visitors can make their way to the Inquisition Museum, where they’ll have the unique opportunity to witness an exhibit known as the “Ancient Instruments of Torture.” The exhibit is divided into five thematic sections, each displaying a remarkable and soul-searching visual tour into the history of one of the most feared courts in history: the Spanish Inquisition.
The second and final remaining synagogue in Toledo, the Synagogue of Maria la Blanca, is the next stop on the tour. It is located in the heart of the Jewish Quarter, in an area known as Aljama. It was built in the 12th century, also in the Mudejar style, and received its present name when it was converted into a church in the late 15th century under the Order of Calatrava. Today the synagogue is a museum and home to many cultural events and festivals celebrating important days on the Jewish religious calendar.
If you lack the time during your stay in Toledo to take a walking tour of the Jewish Quarter, we recommend you at least head to the Mirador de San Cristobal, where you can get a bird’s eye view of the entire neighborhood. The quarter stretches from Calle Taller del Moro to the city walls at the Puerta del Cambron, the lone city gate where vehicle access is permitted.
JEWISH QUARTER OF TOLEDO
The Jewish quarter of Toledo is a district of the city of Toledo, in Castile-La Mancha, Spain. It was the neighborhood in which the Jews lived in the Middle Ages, although they were not obliged to live within it.
It is the Jewish community of Toledo, which became, in the 12th and 13th centuries, the most populous and rich of the Kingdom of Castile. And coexists for centuries, more or less peacefully, with Muslims and Christians, in which it would be called city of the three cultures. [1]
The quarter can be reached through a gate. One of the many entrances is the gate Puerta de Assulca, which has in its vicinity in flea market where oil, butter, chickpeas, lentils and everything necessary for daily life are sold.
Then it enters the streets, adarves (dead-end streets) and squares of the quarter. The main street is called Calle del Mármol and connects the Jewish quarter with the rest of the city.
There is a market, places to pray, public baths, bread ovens, palaces and a wall. Near the Tagus river is the neighborhood Barrio del Degolladero, so named because here was the carnage-slaughter where the cattle was sacrificed according to the Jewish ritual.
In the neighborhood Barrio de Hamazelt the richest Jewish families lived and in the street known today as San Juan de Dios, lived the most known Jew of Toledo: Samuel ha-Levi. He was the treasurer of the king Peter of Castile and ordered to build a big synagogue, that later was known like "Synagogue of El Transito". And like in all the Jewish houses, also in his one there is a mezuzah with the scriptures that serves to protect the home.
The place of prayer of the Jews is the synagogue and today it is conserved the one of Santa María la Blanca and the one of El Tránsito. Before, every Friday at sunrise, a rabbi sounded three times the sofar (a goat's horn) announcing the arrival of the Sabbath, a holiday for the Jews, who rested while the rest of the city continued with its usual bustl.
Near each synagogue there is an underground bath called mikveh. The Jews came here to purify themselves on different occasions, for example after healing from a wound or a serious illness, women before getting married or even to wash the dishes that are used at the feast of Passover.
Only Three Jewish Expulsion synagogues (1492) (converted to churches) survive in Spain
One in Cordoba and Two in Toledo
Go to Video - Synagogues
to see them
Only Three Jewish synagogues
(converted to churches) survive in Spain
after the expulsion (1492)
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Jewish World Review Dec. 19, 2003 / 24 Kislev, 5764
The Clintons' real legacy
http://www.NewsAndOpinion.com | Former co-President Hillary Rodham Clinton, who usually denies she wants to be president again — solo next time (you can be sure she won't share the reins with Bill) — announced that she was tired of President Bush interfering with her and Bill's accomplishments.
Mrs. Clinton accused the Bush administration of nullifying the "success" of the Clintons' presidency. "I cannot imagine four years of a second term of this administration, with no accountability and no election at the end," she said. I'm not sure what she meant by "no election at the end," unless she thinks President Dubya intends to establish a monarchy and become King George. Now that would drive them batty, wouldn't it?
Mrs. Clinton added, "I shouldn't take it personally. Because what (the Bush) administration was attempting to do was turn back the progress of the entire 20th century."
Drama aside, obviously Mrs. Clinton does take it personally and resents President Bush's undoing of her co-legacy. Mrs. Clinton is apparently unaware of an excellent book on the market right now that disputes her vision of the Clinton Legacy.
Perhaps someone should get her a copy of Rich Lowry's "Legacy, Paying the Price for the Clinton Years." (Click HERE to purchase. Sales help fund JWR.)
With this informative book in hand, perhaps she can avoid making the same mistakes she and her husband made the first time around, in the event she is eventually elected to a third term.
Ironically, Bill Clinton benefited in a way from the myriad scandals that pervaded his tenure. Were it not for the diversion, the public might be better apprised of his many miserable policy failures. Rich Lowry has done a great service by refocusing our attention on the Clinton legacy beyond the scandals — not that he ignores the scandals. He covers those too, but he does much more.
"The most shocking thing about Bill Clinton's presidency is the smallness of it, both personally and politically," writes Lowry. This "do nothing presidency" left America weak and vulnerable, he says. And he proves it in a book that is rich with scholarship but highly fascinating and readable.
How dare we forget his appeasement toward North Korea, virtually inviting her to cheat on her nuclear agreements? Or how about his immediate retreat at the first sign of blood in Mogadishu and his persistent inaction in the face of recurring Al Qaeda terrorism against American targets, both of which virtually invited the September 11 attacks?
How about Clinton's emasculation of the FBI and CIA? He not only loathed the military, but our vital intelligence services as well. And, as Lowry details, he "refocused the CIA on humanitarian interventions, economic security, the environment, and a host of issues associated with global crime �" Terrorism was buried in a blizzard of other boutique, post-historical priorities."
Lowry shows that Clinton treated terrorism as a law enforcement matter, rather than warfare. At Clinton's direction, the FBI became the lead agency in the war on terror — "a task for which it was inherently unfit." As a law enforcement agency, honor bound and structured to operate within the rules of evidence and the high standards of proof of American courtrooms, its hands were tied, and it was rendered ineffectual working against terrorism.
The Clintons brag about deficit reduction during their years, but they conveniently omit that they tried to bankrupt the federal government through Hillary's grandiose and clandestine scheme to socialize health care. They also forget to mention that the Republican Congress restrained their other efforts to spend during the last six of their eight years in office.
As Hillary is trying to recapture the White House in 2008, we will also need to be armed with Lowry's legacy corrections as to the Clinton economic record, which "benefited from two big lies. The first was the dishonest picture Clinton painted of the American economy in 1992. � The other lie is that his 1993 economic package transformed the federal budget, and hence the American economy." In fact "it didn't cause interest rates to fall, it didn't significantly reduce the deficit, and it didn't cause the economy to grow."
As you would expect from National Review's Rich Lowry, this is an intelligent book that not only chronicles the events, but trenchantly analyzes their historical significance.
BUY THIS BOOK for yourself and a friend. Read it, and put it in a safe place. Then bring it out for the 2008 campaign and spoil Hillary's plan to campaign on a revised version of the Clinton legacy
David Limbaugh, a columnist and attorney practicing in Cape Girardeau, Mo., is the author of, most recently, "Persecution: How Liberals Are Waging War Against Christianity". (Click HERE to purchase. Sales help fund JWR.) Comment by clicking here.
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Summary: Private housebuilders have been accused of “appalling self-interest” over their lobbying against building more accessible homes for disabled residents.
The Home Builders Federation (HBF) has been objecting to councils across England that wish to fix new targets to increase the number of homes with room for wheelchair users and which could be adaptable.
It has made submissions to at least 17 authorities, from Liverpool to Sevenoaks, arguing that new local planning policies seeking more accessible housing could make it unprofitable to build new homes. The submissions also question whether predictions of an ageing population mean an increased demand for adaptable and accessible housing would be certain.
Charities including Age UK, the Centre for Ageing Better and Disability Rights UK said on Tuesday they were alarmed at its objections to planning policy proposals to make greater disability access mandatory. It said only 7% of homes were classed as accessible and that building to a higher accessibility standard would cost about £500 more.
The HBF represents highly profitable housing firms including Persimmon, which recorded gross profits of £565m in the first six months of this year, during which it built 8,000 new homes – a margin per home of about £70,000.
“Without homes that enable us to live safely and independently for as long as possible, we will see increased and unsustainable pressure on our health and social care services and much-reduced quality of life for people in older age,” the charities told the HBF in an open letter.
Unless it was enshrined in local planning policy, it remains optional under national regulations to incorporate features that make new homes suitable for people with reduced mobility and some wheelchair users. It also remains voluntary to make them fully wheelchair accessible, unless town halls make it mandatory.
In one submission to Broxbourne council in Hertfordshire, the HBF said: “The key issue we have with … policies that add financial burdens on the development industry in this local plan is that they have not been effectively tested.”
Objections have been raised by the HBF where it believes councils have not taken into account the financial impact of the proposals alongside other demands such as the provision of affordable housing, and said that if a council wanted to prioritise disabled access, it should reduce its demands for affordable homes.
An HBF spokesman said: “New homes are already more accessible than those built previously, but not all homebuyers want a home that has been adapted for accessible use.
“If government deemed that all homes should be built to higher accessibility standards it could make it a requirement. Currently levels are set by the planning system, which specifically requires local authorities to provide evidence to support their demands.”
“Their attitude is appalling self-interest,” said Cllr Pam Thomas, a wheelchair user and cabinet member for inclusive and accessible city at Liverpool city council, which has faced objections from the HBF to its plan to make 10% of new homes wheelchair accessible. “If they looked at this properly they would realise there wasn’t a problem with the cost or [extending] the footprint. They need to have a social conscience here.”
Source: The Guardian
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ATS2109 - The commodities that changed the world: An introduction to globalisation and global history
Dr Adam Clulow
First semester 2016 (Day)
How have commodities shaped the world we live in today? The unit explores a range of key commodities including silver, tobacco, cotton, sugar, coffee, spices and oil that were exchanged across large parts of the world and which came to transform the political, economic and social contours of disparate regions. Through an analysis of the transnational flow of goods across the last 600 years, we will explore the expanding field of Global History and consider the advantages and pitfalls involved in moving beyond the standard boundaries of area studies to make use of new methodologies and historical frames. In addition to exploring the objects of globalisation, the unit also uncovers its agents by focusing on how mercantile companies, smugglers, trade diasporas and a host of other groups facilitated the creation and exploitation of global connections. By weaving together the stories of different commodities, this unit aims to present new ways to understand the development and impact of global capitalism.
On successful completion of this unit, students will:
Demonstrate an understanding of the field of Global History and be able to identify some of the key approaches used by scholars in the field
Identify long-term economic trends and the role of trade and commodities in shaping global history
Gain an understanding of the continued role of commodities in binding together disparate parts of the world today
Identify the local, national and global impact of commodity exchange and the positive and negative effects long-distance trade has had on different societies
Gain an understanding of the long history of Globalisation and reflect on the different ways in which this term has been used
Demonstrate oral and written skills in constructing evidence-based arguments using a variety of primary and secondary sources
Explore ways in which material objects can be used in the study of history
Demonstrate an ability to reflect critically on what they have learnt
Twelve credit points of first-year Arts units.
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29th December 2017 7th October 2019
Rating: 0
USA. 2014.
Director/Photography/Story – David DeCoteau, Screenplay – Charlie Meadows, Producers – Marco Colombo & David DeCoteau, Music – Big Score Music, Visual Effects – Kevin Kutchaver. Production Company – Tiberius Film/Rapid Heart Pictures.
Donna Wilkes (Pamela Vantzen), Stephanie Shemanski (Alyssa), Rachel Rosenstein (Jess), Braden Bracha (Bryce), Jeffrey Decker (Tyler), Judson Birza (Denny), Nikki Breanne Wells (Marcie)
Six students move into a Beverly Hills mansion owned by the father of one of the group to take part in an oceanographic anthropology course taught by Pamela. In between their various foolings around, it is discovered that Alyssa is the daughter of a famous oceanographer who vanished after going hunting a legendary Mexican shark god. This stirs up Alyssa’s buried memories. Pamela encourages her to do so, having in actuality contrived the whole expedition to get Alyssa to reveal what happened to her father so she can write a book about it. However, what they have not reckoned with is that the shark curse that killed Alyssa’s father is still active.
David DeCoteau is a prolific B-budget director. He came to prominence in the midst of the video era of the 1980s. He began at Empire Productions and continued at Empire’s successor Full Moon Productions, making a steady output of low-budget horror and occasionally science-fiction films with titles that include Creepozoids (1987), Sorority Babes at the Slimeball Bowl-a-Rama (1988), Puppetmaster III: Toulon’s Revenge (1991), Beach Babes from Beyond (1993) and Test Tube Teens from the Year 2000 (1994), among others. DeCoteau currently has over 130 films to his name (frequently under a bunch of different pseudonyms). A full list of his genre films can be found at the bottom of the page.
The gonzo shark film has become its own mini-genre during the 2010s. Jaws (1975) produced an industry of imitators, which made a steady slide towards the B end of the market through the 1990s and 2000s. With Shark in Venice (2008) and especially Mega Shark vs Giant Octopus (2009), the killer shark film began a move towards the increasingly tongue-in-cheek, reaching its zenith with the bad movie hit of Sharknado (2013) and sequels. There have been a great many shark films in a similar vein, all of which celebrate intentionally ridiculous title and conceptual mash-ups – see the likes of Dinoshark (2010), Sharktopus (2010), Sand Sharks (2011), Snow Shark: Ancient Snow Beast (2011), Swamp Shark (2011), 2-Headed Shark Attack (2012), Jersey Shore Shark Attack (2012), Jurassic Shark (2012), Avalanche Sharks (2013), Raiders of the Lost Shark (2015), Roboshark (2015), Shark Exorcist (2015), Zombie Shark (2015), Ice Sharks (2016), Ozark Sharks (2016), Piranha Sharks (2016), Planet of the Sharks (2016), Sharkansas Women’s Prison Massacre (2016), House Shark (2017) and Trailer Park Shark (2017), among others.
I have watched quite a few killer shark films but would have to say that 90210 Shark Attack is the single worst one I have ever seen. Like the much wittier Jersey Shore Shark Attack, it seeks to throw killer sharks together with a parody of a popular tv show – Beverly Hills 90210 (1990-2010), which had just been revived as 90210 (2008-13) a few years prior to this. However, the parody begins and ends with the title. The rest is little more than the opportunity for David DeCoteau to shoot a killer shark film around a Beverly Hills mansion of which he has managed to obtain use. The film has been shot in Calabasas, which is 24 miles away from Beverly Hills in actuality. It should also be mentioned that Beverly Hills is also about ten miles inland from the nearest beach – Santa Monica or Pacific Palisades – which makes it rather odd as a setting for an oceanographic anthropology team planning to go out to sea. On the other hand, 90210 Shark Attack is so cheap that is has the distinction of being the only killer shark film to never go out to sea or at the very least onto a lake. The nearest we get to any body of water is that the mansion features a swimming pool. The few shark shots that we do get consist of footage that has been taken in an aquarium.
Rachel Rosenstein (r) gets her head bitten off by a shark-transformed Stephanie Shemanski (l) in possibly the crappiest shark effects of all time
David DeCoteau is a gay director. No problem with that. The oddity about this is that he started out as a director in the Scream Queen fad of the 1980s, shooting films that made a feature of girls taking their tops off. During the 1990s, DeCoteau came out of the closet as a filmmaker and started to specialise in horror films with a high softcore gay erotic content. The amusing thing about 90210 Shark Attack is that it has been sold with a video cover that depicts girls running around in bikinis. However, when it comes to the film itself, DeCoteau is back to his usual proclivities and shooting sofctore gay erotica. There is a scene that goes on for about five minutes where Rachel Rosenstein stands at the window watching a bare-chested Judson Birza swimming in the pool; and another one that goes on for about the same length of time where Donna Wilkes stands watching as Jeffrey Decker spends an inordinate length of time languorously soaping up his body in closeup in the shower. One pities the poor unsuspecting punter who sat down to watch 90210 Shark Attack expecting bikini-clad babes based on the cover and ended up with this instead.
All of the males have been selected for their good looks and bodies rather than any discernible acting talent – the only expression they seem capable of is pouting. The sole recognisable name present is Donna Wilkes who once played one of the teens, the love interest of Roy Scheider’s son, in Jaws 2 (1978). She also played the lead role as the teenage hooker in Angel (1982) and has had a couple of dozen other bit parts and guest tv acting roles since. Not too surprisingly, she (now in her fifties) is the only one who gives a halfway serviceable performance.
The most ridiculous aspect of the film is the appearances of the shark. For the greater part of the film, there are no sharks at all – just cutaways to marine life in the aquarium and the mystery about Stephanie Shemanski’s father who disappeared because of the Mexican shark god curse. Then comes the scene where Braden Bracha and Nikki Breanne Wells play a cruel prank on Stephanie Shemanski by pretending that he is attracted to her while Wells films on her phone from hiding, before the completely WTF moment where an upset Shemanski transforms into a shark and turns and bites off his head. What makes the scene even more ridiculous is the fact that the transformation is one of the shittiest CGI effects ever placed on film. From that point on and about every time that the CGI shark transformation occurs thereafter, 90210 Shark Attack is well and truly on its way to one of the great bad movies of all time. If I had to compile a list of the Five Worst Films of the 2010s, 90210 Shark Attack would be on it without any question.
David DeCoteau’s other films of genre interest are:– Dreamaniac (1986), Nightmare Sisters (1987), Creepozoids (1987), Sorority Babes at the Slimeball Bowl-O-Rama (1987), Dr Alien/I Was a Teenage Sex Maniac (1988), Murder Weapon (1990), Puppetmaster III: Toulon’s Revenge (1991), Beach Babes from Beyond (1993), Test Tube Teens from the Year 2000 (1994), Blonde Heaven (1995), Prehysteria! 3 (1995), Beach Babes 2: Cave Girl Island (1996), Bikini Goddesses (1996), Lurid Tales: The Castle Queen (1996), Petticoat Planet (1996), Prey of the Jaguar (1996), The Journey: Absolution (1997), Shrieker (1997), Skeletons (1997), Beach Babes from Beyond 2 (1998), Curse of the Puppet Master (1998), Frankenstein Reborn (1998), The Killer Eye (1998), Talisman (1998), Alien Arsenal (1999), Ancient Evil: Scream of the Mummy (1999), Witchhouse (1999), The Brotherhood (2000), Frankenstein and the Wolfman Reborn (2000), Prison of the Dead (2000), Voodoo Academy (2000), Final Stab/Final Scream/Scream 4 (2001), The Frightening (2001), The Brotherhood 2: Young Warlocks (2001), The Brotherhood 3: Young Demons (2002), The Wolves of Wall Street (2002), Leeches (2003), Speed Demon (2003), Ring of Darkness (2004), The Sisterhood (2004), Brotherhood IV: The Complex (2005), Killer Bash (2005), Witches of the Caribbean (2005), Beastly Boyz (2006), Grizzly Rage (2007), The Raven (2007), House of Usher (2008), Alien Presence (2009), The Brotherhood V: Alumni (2009), The Brotherhood VI: Initiation (2009), Nightfall (2009), The Pit & the Pendulum (2009), Son of a Witch (2009), Stem Cell (2009), 1313: Giant Killer Bees (2010), Puppet Master: Axis of Evil (2010), A Dream Within a Dream (2011), 1313: Haunted Frat (2011), 1313: Actor Slash Model (2011), 1313: Boy Crazies (2011), 1313: Wicked Stepbrother (2011), 1313: Bermuda Triangle (2012), 1313: Bigfoot Island (2012), 1313: Cougar Cult (2012), 1313: Frankenqueen (2012), 1313: Hercules Unbound (2012), 1313: Night of the Widow (2012), 1313: UFO Invasion (2012), A Halloween Puppy (2012), Immortal Kiss: Queen of the Night (2012), Santa’s Summer House (2012), Snow White: A Deadly Summer (2012), 2: Voodoo Academy (2012), Hansel & Gretel: Warriors of Witchcraft (2013), My Stepbrother is a Vampire (2013), A Talking Cat (2013), A Talking Pony (2013), 3 Scream Queens (2014), 3 Wicked Witches (2014), 666: Devilish Charm (2014), 666: Kreepy Kerry (2014), Bigfoot vs D.B. Cooper (2014), Knock ‘Em Dead (2014), Asian Ghost Story (2016), Bloody Blacksmith (2016), Evil Exhumed (2016), Sorority Slaughterhouse (2016), 666: Teen Warlock (2016), The Wrong Child (2016), The Wrong Roommate (2016), Swamp Freak (2017), The Wrong Crush (2017), The Wrong Man (2017), The Wrong Student (2017), The Wrong Cruise (2018) and The Wrong Friend (2018). DeCoteau has made films under a variety of pseudonyms, including Ellen Cabot, Richard Chasen, Julian Breen and Victoria Sloan.
(Winner for Worst Film in this site’s Worst Films of 2014 list).
Trailer here
Director: David DeCoteau
Actors: Donna Wilkes, Stephanie Shemanski, Rachel Rosenstein, Braden Bracha, Jeffrey Decker, Judson Birza, Nikki Breanne Wells
Themes: Killer Sharks, Animal Transformation, Curses, Bad Movies, Deliberately Ridiculous Titles, Films of 2014
Raiders of the Lost Shark (2015)
Snow Shark: Ancient Snow Beast (2011)
Hans Crippleton: Talk to the Hans (2014)
The Rats Are Coming! The Werewolves Are Here! (1972)
Hillbillys in a Haunted House (1967)
Beach Babes from Beyond (1993)
The Incredibly Strange Creatures Who Stopped Living and Became Mixed-Up Zombies (1964)
They Saved Hitler’s Brain (1964)
Ancient Evil: Scream of the Mummy (1999)
House Shark (2017)
Redneck Zombies (1989)
Toxic Shark (2017)
Alien Beach Party Massacre (1996)
6-Headed Shark Attack (2018)
5 Headed Shark Attack (2017)
Bigfoot vs Zombies (2016)
Lake Fear (2014)
Pernicious (2014)
Rock’n’Roll Nightmare (1987)
Slit Mouth Woman in L.A. (2014)
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Saugatuck Expo
a month-long celebration this June of arts and culture that have made the Art Coast of Michigan a tourism destination for 150 years.
Here is a quick highlight of the weekends:
Week One: The Culinary Arts
Saugatuck/Douglas is home to an astounding number of talented chefs, restauranteurs, sommeliers and culinary professionals. The first week of Expo will showcase all of the delicious ways to experience our region through our foodie-focused events.
- Taste of EatDrinkSDF - June 1, 1 - 4 p.m.
Downtown Saugatuck, Parking lot adjacent to Wick's Park
Taste of EatDrinkSDF is an outdoor food festival with more than 10 area restaurants offering "tastes" of some of their new summer menu items. Taste of EatDrinkSDF will take place in the parking lot adjacent to Wick's Park in downtown Saugatuck. Entry is $6 and includes 2 food tickets. Entertainment like live music as well as a blind smell/taste competition will also take place during this fun event.
- Restaurant Week - June 2 - 9
Downtown Saugatuck and Douglas, Varying locations
To get a true taste of our communities, visit Saugatuck/Douglas during the first week of June, and bring your appetite. Eat out at any of our participating restaurants for community-wide specials that showcase the true talent and creativity of our area's chefs. Come experience curated, specially-coursed menus with items at $10, $15 and $30 price points.
Week Two: Fine Arts
The second weekend of Saugatuck Expo celebrates our region's long-standing reputation for fostering and supporting the fine arts. With dozens of working artists residing in our communities, there's no better place to host these fine art-focused events.
- Exhibition Opening - June 7, 5:30-8:30 p.m.
Downtown Saugatuck, Saugatuck Center for the Arts
The SCA's exhibition opening kick's off the fine arts weekend with live music, food trucks and of course, art at their summer gallery opening. This family-friendly event is open to the public and is free to attend, however, a cash bar and food trucks will be available for refreshments.
- Summer Gallery Stroll - June 8, 6 - 8 p.m.
Downtown Saugatuck & Douglas, Varying locations
Experience the Art Coast of Michigan, strolling through our many galleries in downtown Saugatuck and Douglas. While every participating gallery will have artwork on display and for sale, each gallery will offer unique experiences like refreshments and live music.
Week Three: The Art of Music
The third week of Saugatuck Expo celebrates the art of music with live performances all over town. Expect pop-performances, shows at restaurants and bars and of course, other fun events throughout our towns.
- Sounds of Summer - June 14-16
Community-wide, varying times and locations
Many of our local bars, restaurants and organizations begin hosting live music for the summer in June. Download our music lineup at www.saugatuck.com/expo/ for the full list of artists, venues and show times.
- Town Crier 5k, 10k and Half Marathon - June 15, 8 A.M.
Since 2002, this event has been benefiting the Saugatuck High School Cross Country and Track teams. For runners who vacation here, this is an annual tradition. There's no better way to experience our towns than through a run. All races start at Saugatuck Public High School and end at Beery Field, Douglas.
Week Four: The Performing Arts
The fourth week of Saugatuck Expo celebrates the performing arts. Theater productions, comedy shows and even sporting events will make this week entertaining and fun.
- "In the Heights" Opening - June 21-23
"In the Heights" tells a captivating story of a neighborhood on the brink of change, full of hopes, dreams and pressures, where the biggest struggles can be deciding which traditions to take with you, and which ones to leave behind. Expect Latin rhythms, electrifying dancing and another entertaining show at the Saugatuck Center for the Arts. Purchase tickets at www.sc4a.org.
- Laugh Shore Comedy Festival - June 21 - 23,
The Laugh Shore Comedy Festival will feature four, 90-minute comedy shows at venues throughout the Saugatuck area. Tickets to each show are $10/person. Ticket sales and comedian lineup to be announced on April 1.
Week Five: The Art of Shakespeare
The final weekend of Saugatuck Expo will encompass a mini-renaissance festival, anchored by multiple performances by the Pigeon Creek Shakespeare Company.
- Shakespeare in the Park - June 29, 6 p.m. - 10 p.m.
Shakespeare in the Park is more than a show, it's a mini renaissance festival. The entrance to Coghlin Park will open at 6 p.m. The show and festival is free to attend, and food and drinks will be available for purchase. Activity tents and restrooms will be available on-site. At 7 p.m., the two-hour outdoor performance of Romeo & Juliet by Pigeon Creek Shakespeare Company will begin. Participants are welcome to bring lawn chairs and blankets to the show. The performance will end by 10 p.m. and the park will close at this time as well.
- Shakespeare Mini-Performances - June 28, 29 & 30
In addition to the other large performance of Romeo & Juliet on Saturday, Pigeon Creek Shakespeare Company will be performing other mini shows you can catch for free throughout the weekend as well. Showtimes and locations are as follows:
Friday, June 28 - 8 p.m., at the Saugatuck Women's Club
Saturday, June 29 - Noon, at the Saugatuck Women's Club
Sunday, June 30 - Noon, at the Saugatuck/Douglas History Museum
6PM Glow in the Park - Downtown Saugatuck
3:30PM - Costume Judging - at Saugatuck's Wick's Park
4PM - Parade
9:30PM - Halloween Parade for Adults- Downtown Douglas
Douglas Halloween
Live Music:
Saugatuck Brewing Company at 6:30 - 9:00 P.M. - Nicholas James
Salt of the Earth at 7:00 - 9:00 - Escaping Pavement & Drew Nelson
Saugatuck Brewing Company at 6:30 P.M. - Sean McDaniel
May 5th, 2018
Saugatuck Brewing Company at 6:00 P.M. - Toby Bresnahan
Salt of the Earth at 6:00 P.M. Josh Rose & Kaitlin Rose Parmenter
May 11th of 2018
Saugatuck Brewing Company at 6:30 P.M. - El Brandino
May 12th of 2018
Saugatuck Brewing Company at 6:00 P.M. - Joe Jason
Cold War/Hot Towns
Saugatuck-Douglas in the 1950s-1970s Saugatuck, Douglas as a Mirror of American Life in the “Atomic Age”
Currently closed for the winter. Will re-open May 26th 2018, Noon-4pm
Daily, Memorial Day through Labor Day, weekends in September and October
This exhibition chronicles how the two small lakeshore villages of Saugatuck and Douglas reflected the contrasting worlds of fear and fun during the Cold War era of the 1950s-1970s.
Prior to World War II, the villages had a remarkably good relationship with visitors, but in the post-war years this cozy relationship was disrupted amid a rapidly changing world. New cars, superhighways, and plenty of cash drew the pre-war tourist clientele to more exotic destinations, leaving the towns ripe for invasion by wild youth in fast cars and motorcycle gangs who arrived on summer weekends by the thousands. Some were hippies, most were not. Some were locals, most were not. The streets were clogged with cars parading up and down. Ruffians zoomed through town on loud motorcycles. Bars were plentiful—from classy to trashy—and the live jazz and rock music was the best in Michigan. Add in big boats and the Oval, the marvelous “drive-in” beach, to complete a '50s scene where automobile, sand, water, and beach crowd met like nowhere else.
Looming above it all, from high atop the once-friendly old Mt. Baldhead dune, beamed a frightening message. In the new Cold War, a U.S. Air Force radar station was built to monitor approaching Russian bombers—a scary and omnipresent threat of a nuclear attack from abroad. Dauntingly, the tower and its constantly revolving radar screen looked down upon a divided nation, ushering in an unsettling era of fallout shelters, school “duck and cover” practice, and air-raid drills, as well as assassinations, student protests, and anti-war music and culture.
Troubling, unsure, but also happy, it was a time of sharp contrasts. Local authorities, although fair and adept, found the young visitors impossible to control. The music played on, and the visitors had a blast. It was indeed the hottest town in Michigan.
Welcome to Cold War|Hot Towns.
Saugatuck-Douglas History Center
Artz & Gardenz Studio Tour: May 12th & 13th of 2018
A rural tour of six artistic studios with display gardens hosted by resident artists and special guest garden experts and demonstrating artists on hand to greet visitors of all ages.
Studio
1) Pottworks Studio
2) Stone Forest Pottery
3)Marcia Perry Sculpture Studio
4)cMc Design Studio
5) Summer House Lavender Farm
6) Peachtree Studio
More Info on Artz & Gardenz
Tulip Time May 5th to May 13th
Link to Tulip time
For nearly 90 years, millions of people have gathered to participate in Holland’s Tulip Time Festival. Only a 15 minuet drive from downtown Saugatuck. With over 5 million tulips blooming throughout the City of Holland and hundreds of Dutch dancers, Tulip Time has been celebrated as the nation’s Best Flower Festival. From traditional Dutch dance to renowned entertainment, Tulip Time celebrates Dutch culture. This year, participate in all the festival offers — parades, carnival rides, wooden shoes, food, fireworks and tulips. Other activities are Nelis' Dutch Village, Veldheer Tulip Gardens and Windmill Island.
SCA: Little Stones
Wednesday, April 11 | 7:00 PM$5 Members | $7 Not-yet member
Tickets available ONLY at the door
About the filmFrom a graffiti artist speaking out against domestic violence in the favelas of Brazil to a dancer rehabilitating sex-trafficking survivors in India, each of these women is contributing a stone to the mosaic of the women’s movement through their art. Directed by EMMY® Award-winning, Detroit-based filmmaker Sophia Kruz and cinematographer Meena Singh (HOLLIDAYSBURG), with music by Amritha Vaz (500 DAYS OF SUMMER), Little Stones was named Best Documentary at the 2017 Vail Film Festival, Best Foreign Documentary at the Female Eye Film Festival, and an Award of Excellence from the Impact Docs Awards.
SCA: Lake Michigan Mermaid March 1st, 2018
Intriguing Conversation
MARCH 1 | 7:00 - 8:30PM
$16 | Cash Bar
Ticket includes a signed copy of Lake Michigan Mermaid
Join authors Linda Nemec Foster and Ann-Marie Oomen with illustrator Meridith Ridl for an exciting book launch celebration and conversation inspired by our exhibition "Surface Tension".
During this debut event Foster and Oomen will showcase their process, original illustrations, read a few excerpts
and share their story of conception -- speaking exactly
10 years later, in the very location the Mermaid project concept originated!
The Lake Michigan Mermaid is a new tale that feels familiar. The breeze off the lake, the sand underfoot, the supreme sadness of being young and not in control—these sensations come rushing back page-by-page, bringing to life an ancient myth of coming of age in a troubled world.
This is a gripping tale in poems of a young girl’s desperate search for guidance in a world turned upside down by family and economic upheaval. Raised in a ramshackle cottage on the shores of Lake Michigan, Lykretia takes refuge in her beloved lake in the face of her grandmother’s illness and her mother’s eager attempts to sell their home following her recent divorce. One day Lykretia spots a creature in the water, something beautiful and inexplicable. Is it the mythical Lake Michigan mermaid, or an embodiment of the stories her grandmother told as dementia ravaged her mind? Thus begins a telepathic conversation between a lost young girl and Phyliadellacia, the mermaid who saves her in more ways than one.
Accompanied by haunting illustrations Lake Michigan Mermaid offers a tender tale of friendship, redemption, and the life-giving power of water. As it explores family relationships and generational bonds, this book is an unforgettable experience that aims to connect readers of all ages.
Linda Nemec Foster is the founder of the Contemporary Writers Series at Aquinas College. She is also the author of nine collections of poetry including Amber Necklace from Gdansk, Talking Diamonds, Listen to the Landscape, and Living in the Fire Nest. Foster was selected to be the first poet laureate of Grand Rapids, MI from 2003-2005.
Anne-Marie Oomen is author of Love, Sex and 4-H (Next Generation Indie Award for Memoir), House of Fields andPulling Down the Barn (both Michigan Notable Books) and Uncoded Woman (poetry), among others. She teaches at Solstice MFA at Pine Manor College (MA), Interlochen’s College of Creative Arts (MI), and at conferences throughout the country.
Meridith Ridl is an artist and an art teacher with a BA from the College of Wooster and MFA from the University of Michigan. She is represented by Lafontsee Galleries in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Meridith lives with her wonderful husband Brent, in Saugatuck, Michigan and loves wandering the lakeshore and dunes much like Lyk
retia
SCA: Hempy Key Board Series: Tom Vendafreddo March 11th, 2018
Hempy Keyboard Series: Tom Vendafreddo
$15 adults | $50 series | students free
The SCA is excited to welcome back Tom Vendafreddo on March 11 as part of our 2018 Hempy Keyboard Series. Tom performed in Mason Street Warehouse's "Murder for Two" production in 2016. Currently living in Chicago, Tom is a musical theatre performer, music director, and educator.
In 2012, he completed his MFA in Musical Theatre at San Diego State University. His undergraduate degrees are in Vocal Performance and Music Education from the Eastman School of Music. In 2014, Tom became the founding artistic director of the Chicago Artists Chorale and has directed the music on such sets as Jesus Christ Superstar, Sweeney Todd, The Little Mermaid, Mamma Mia!, West Side Story, Hairspray, A Christmas Story, Oklahoma!, to name a few.
Sponsored by Rex Hempy, Alan McPhail, Friends of Amity Meadows, Michigan Council for Arts & Cultural Affairs, and National Endowment for the Arts.
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Home / Old House Blog / Called on the Carpet III
Called on the Carpet III
By: Dan Cooper , Contributing Writer
In: Old Houses, Old House Construction, Old House Terminology, House Styles, Old House History
A series of posts that address historic floorcoverings in the late 18th, 19th and early 20th centuries
Full disclosure: I consult on and provide carpets for historic houses, museums and state capitols. This article may appear self-serving, and while it is, my words will hopefully clear up some misconceptions about historic floorcoverings.
The High End: Wilton, Brussels and Axminster Carpets
Last week, I wrote about reversible, flat-woven carpets, and went into detail about the Venetian and Ingrain carpets that were and are appropriate for historic houses in America during the late 18th and 19th centuries. This week’s subjects are the pile carpets that were woven concurrently during this era.
We’re all familiar with pile carpet; it’s the wall-to-wall floorcovering in many of our homes. The pile, or cut ends of the yarn, faces upwards, and we walk upon it. When flipped over, the backing side is a tight, scratchy grid of warp, weft and tufts of yarn.
As previously mentioned in Chapter I, the carpet looms of this period produced narrow width goods, usually 27” wide that were then hand-sewn together, laid upon the floor and tacked down. If you look at old photographs of interiors, you can often see these seams, referred to as gutters by those in the business, spaced neatly every 27 inches.
Carpet Seam (or gutter) 3/4 of the way on right
The premium grades of pile carpet were Wilton and Brussels goods. The term Brussels originates from the first European carpets that were woven in Flanders and France; they were created by having the loom weave the yarn over rods, which were then withdrawn, forming a series of tightly packed loops. If desired, these loops were then cut, which created what was termed a Wilton (or Velvet) carpet. Next time you’re in a commercial airplane, look down at the cabin floor; it’s typically a Brussels, and you’ll see the little loops.
Here’s a trick to remember the difference: a “W” (for Wilton) looks like the cut pile, while a “B” (for Brussels) is composed of loops. In the earlier part of the 19th century, the additional effort required in cutting and finishing the piles evenly to create a Wilton made it cost twice as much as a Brussels: today, this process adds just a small fraction to the price.
Wilton Carpet (cut pile)
Wilton and Brussels carpets are essentially the same construction; all of the colored yarn in the pattern passes along the length of the goods, and the desired color for any point in the grid of the pattern is pulled up by the loom, as programmed by the jacquard card. Therein lies the technical limitation of both Wilton and Brussels weaves; most (although not all) are limited to five colors in any given point, as all potential colors must be present inside the backing. Additional colors can be “planted” with careful designing, and I’ll explain this next week. On a positive note, this construction results in a denser, firmer backing and yields a carpet that is extremely long-lived.
In the second half of the 19th century, Axminster carpets became very popular as a lower-priced version of cut-pile carpet. Because Axminsters were so prevalent, many people involved with historic buildings mistakenly refer to all strip-type carpets as such, when in truth, they could also be a Wilton or Brussels. Today, when one sees patterned carpet in a public place, such as a casino, hotel or restaurant, it is usually an Axminster.
Axminsters are more economical, for they use less yarn in their construction. The pile is created by a V-shaped tuft of wool that is trapped in place between the warp and weft. This weaving method also allows for the use of many more colors, as it is not limited like the Wilton/Brussels construction. For this reason, there were many carpets with huge sprays of flowers and Arabesques that could now be produced cheaply, and were available to the middle class, including outlets such as Sears and Roebuck.
Brussels Carpet (note loops)
Sometimes many of these carpets patterns had matching borders that were either 13, 22 or 27 inches wide, and they were cut and mitered to frame the body of the carpet. Borders were a rarity in the earlier part of the 19th century, and don’t show up in any great number until the middle phase of the Victorian era. Eventually, they were designed for almost every pattern, and this trend seemed to occur as hardwood floors were becoming popular, when Wiltons et al were used as areas rugs as well as in wall-to-wall applications. By the late 1870s, a narrow runner was often designed en suite with the body and the border.
I realize that this may not have been the most riveting post ever, but it’s critical to understanding the history of floorcoverings. Next week will be a bit more visual: we’ll go into an overview of patterns as they evolved from 1790 through the early 20th century.
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Take a Road Trip with Cyberspace Visionary William Gibson, Watch No Maps for These Territories (2000)
in Film, Sci Fi, Technology | July 31st, 2014 1 Comment
"I probably worry less about the real future than the average person," says William Gibson, the man who coined the term "cyberspace" and wrote books like Neuromancer, Idoru, and Pattern Recognition. These have become classics of a science-fiction subgenre branded as "cyberpunk," a label that seems to pain Gibson himself. "A snappy label and a manifesto would have been two of the very last things on my own career want list," he says to David Wallace-Wells in a 2011 Paris Review interview. Yet the popularity of the concept of cyberspace — and, to a great extent, its having become a reality — still astonishes him. "I saw it go from the yellow legal pad to the Oxford English Dictionary, but cyberspace is everywhere now, having everted and colonized the world. It starts to sound kind of ridiculous to speak of cyberspace as being somewhere else.” A dozen years earlier, in Mark Neale's biographical documentary No Maps for These Territories, the author tells of how he first conceived it as "an effective buzzword," "evocative and essentially meaningless," and observes that, today, the prefix "cyber-" has very nearly gone the way of "electro-": just as we've long since taken electrification for granted, so we now take connected computerization for granted.
"Now," of course, means the year 1999, when Neale shot the movie's footage. He did it almost entirely in the back of a limousine, tricked out for communication and media production, that carried Gibson on a road trip across North America. The long ride gives us an extended look into Gibson's curious, far-reaching mind as he explores issues of the inevitability with which we find ourselves "penetrated and co-opted" by our technology; growing up in a time when "the future with a capital F was very much a going concern in North America"; the loss of "the non-mediated world," a country to which we now "cannot find our way back"; the modern reality's combination of "a pervasive sense of loss" and a Christmas morning-like "excitement about what we could be gaining"; his early go-nowhere pastiches of J.G. Ballard and how he then wrote Neuromancer as an approach to the "viable but essentially derelict form" of science fiction; his fascination with the sheer improbability of those machines known as cities; and his mission not to explain our moment, but to "make it accessible," finding the vast, near-incomprehensible structure underlying the pounding waves of thought, trend, and technology through which we all move. Watching No Maps for These Territories here in cyberspace, I kept forgetting that Gibson said these things a tech-time eternity ago, so pertinent do they sound to this moment. And happiness, as he puts it in one aside, "is being in the moment."
No Maps for These Territories will be added to our collection, 265 Free Documentaries Online, part of our larger collection, 1,150 Free Movies Online: Great Classics, Indies, Noir, Westerns, etc..
Timothy Leary Plans a Neuromancer Video Game, with Art by Keith Haring, Music by Devo & Cameos by David Byrne
William Gibson, Father of Cyberpunk, Reads New Novel in Second Life
The Penultimate Truth About Philip K. Dick: Documentary Explores the Mysterious Universe of PKD
Colin Marshall hosts and produces Notebook on Cities and Culture and writes essays on cities, language, Asia, and men’s style. He’s at work on a book about Los Angeles, A Los Angeles Primer. Follow him on Twitter at @colinmarshall or on Facebook.
devans00 says:
So many deep thoughts in the film. Must watch several times to absorb even a fraction of the words coming out of Gibson.
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«…A small village, Portofino, stretches crescent shaped along the edge of this calm bay…
Surrounded by woods of a deep and vivid green…
Never have I experienced a sensation to rival what I felt as I entered that cove”. So wrote Guy de Maupassant in 1889. Portofino is the pearl of the Riviera di Levante, the branch of the Ligurian Riviera where the sun rises. It is a welcoming harbour that in Roman times served as a rest stop for ships navigating from Rome to Marseilles. Plinius the Elder named it Portus Delphini because dolphins abounded in its waters. It is a naturally deep harbour where vessels can safely cast anchor for shelter.
On the mountains behind the bay thousands of hectares are planted with maritime pines, chestnuts, oaks and olive trees. Portofino was already famous at the turn of the last century, but it took off as a tourist resort in the fifties.
Artists, actors, writers, celebrities come here from all over the world. The village is elegant in a relaxed manner. The local people have the directness and the honesty of the Ligurian people.
The façades of the houses are painted in colors typical of this region, soft yellow, “rosa antico” (a kind of faded pink), soft blue and green. The “persiane,” the window shutters, are invariably painted in a forest green.
Many buildings are decorated with “trompe l’oeil effects”. Very popular among VIP’s and their followers, and known all over the world because of its small square, Portofino has been capable of keeping, throughout the years, the old, picturesque aspect, the polychrome identity of its buildings.
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PD Smith
Doomsday Men: The Real Dr Strangelove and the Dream of the Superweapon
Homo sapiens is the only species that knows it will die. The thought obsesses us. From the earliest marks made on cave walls to our most sublime works of art, the fear of death haunts our every creation. And in the middle of the twentieth century, human beings became the first species to reach that pinnacle of evolution – the point at which it could engineer its own extinction.
In February 1950, as the temperature of the cold war approached absolute zero, an atomic scientist conceived the ultimate nuclear weapon: a vast explosive device that would cast a deadly pall of fallout over the planet. Carried on the wind, the lethal radioactive dust would eventually reach all four corners of the world. It would mean the end of life on earth.
One of the founding fathers of the atomic age, Leo Szilard, stated that it would be very easy to rig an H-bomb to produce lethal radioactivity. All you had to do, said Szilard, was surround the bomb with a chemical element such as cobalt that absorbs radiation. When it exploded, the bomb would spew radioactive dust into the air like an artificial volcano. Slowly and silently, this invisible killer would fall to the surface. ‘Everyone would be killed,’ he said.
In the 1950s – the doomsday decade – the fallout from his chilling suggestion spread fear around the world. For many it seemed as though the biblical story of Armageddon was about to be realized; the seventh angel would empty his vial into the atmosphere, and it would contain radioactive cobalt-60.
The story of the cobalt bomb is an unwritten chapter of the cold war. In my new book Doomsday Men: The Real Dr Strangelove and the Dream of the Superweapon I explore its history and cultural impact for the first time.
For Szilard it was a dramatic way of warning people about weapons of mass destruction and the escalating arms race. Scientists had been praised by many for curtailing World War II with the atomic bomb. But in the cold war the creators of these apocalyptic superweapons were seen as holding the fate of the world in their hands. They had transformed the laws of nature into instruments of mass destruction and, as far as the public was concerned, there would soon be little to distinguish real scientists from that fictional master of megadeath, Dr Strangelove.
Leo Szilard said that it was the ‘tragedy of mankind’ that the story of the atomic bomb began with laudable hopes for a better future. At the beginning of the twentieth century, people had marvelled at the hidden worlds revealed by X-rays and were awestruck by the mysterious glow of the new miracle element, radium. As Doomsday Men shows, such discoveries offered tangible hopes that a new age was dawning.
The Hungarian Quartet
It is said that Leo Szilard was the most brilliant scientist never to have won a Nobel Prize. His vision of an atomic utopia was inspired in part by the fiction of H. G. Wells. I first came across this remarkable Hungarian-born scientist while researching Einstein’s life. The two men were great friends and collaborated on one of the great forgotten research projects of the last century – a household refrigerator (it should be said that it was rather a revolutionary one). I soon realised that Szilard’s life epitomised the glories and the follies of science in the twentieth century: the story of the Doomsday Men could not be written without him.
The scientists who would lead the world into the atomic era emerged from Berlin’s golden age of physics in the 1920s. Among them was Szilard himself, known to his friends as the ‘inventor of all things’. The story of Szilard’s mission to save the world takes us through the first, explosive years of the atomic age and into the cold war. It is a story that features three of his fellow countrymen: Eugene Wigner, John von Neumann and Edward Teller. Together they were the Hungarian Quartet, a group of remarkable scientists who all played leading roles in the Manhattan Project to build the atomic bomb and later became key figures in cold-war America. All were inspired by the dream of the superweapon.
In the twentieth century, scientists were raised up to be gods only to be cast down as devils. Films and fiction first turned them into saviours who free the world from war. But as fears grew about superweapons, those saviour scientists were transformed into mad scientists. However, the history of weapons of mass destruction in the twentieth century is not just about soldiers and scientists.
To explain why some of the most gifted and idealistic men of the twentieth century spent so much effort trying to destroy the planet, I needed to pursue the origins of these hopes and fears, not only in the lives of the scientists but also in films, fiction and other popular media. For humankind’s most terrible yet ingenious inventions were inspired by a desperate dream, one that was shared by a whole culture. It is a dream that may yet turn into a nightmare for us all.
Leo Szilard also played a little-known but crucial role in inspiring the Doomsday Machine that ends the world in Stanley Kubrick's cold war classic Dr Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb. This features in the book but I have also discussed it in a blog here.
As I explain in my book, 'Perimetr' is the code-name of the computerised system designed to protect the Soviet Union against a sneak nuclear attack from the US. Also known as the Dead Hand, it bears an uncanny resemblance to the 'Doomsday Machine' described in the film Dr Strangelove. It went operational in 1985. As far as anyone knows, it remains combat alert today. On new information that came to light in 2009 about the Dead Hand, see my piece here.
Doomsday Men and “The Return of the Doomsday Machine” in today's Russia is the subject of an interesting article by Ron Rosenbaum at Slate Magazine. There have also been pieces on this by Brandon Keim at Wired, by Kevin Arthur at Question Technology, and Simon Rohling at the German site Telepolis (among many others).
Bill Hammack of WILL Radio’s ‘The Afternoon Magazine’ has interviewed me about Doomsday Men. To hear this 45-minute programme click here (MP3) or visit their archive page here.
You can also listen to an interview I did on Doomsday Men and the Cold War for the BBC's The World Today below.
My paper "Faust, the Physicists and the Atomic Bomb" (based on a lecture I gave in 2006 and published in 2008) explores themes discussed in my book Doomsday Men, in particular the cross-fertilization between science and literature in the 1930s, at key moments in atomic physics and in the development of the atomic bomb. Read more here and here.
I have also written a chapter entitled "Gentlemen: You are mad!’: Mutual Assured Destruction and Cold War Culture" for the Oxford Handbook of Postwar European History (OUP, 2012), edited by Professor Dan Stone.
Clare Dudman interviewed me in 2009 for her literary blog, Keeper of the Snails.
In December 2014, Sanford Simons - the "Plutonium Collector" whose story I told in Chapter 3 of Doomsday Men - died. I wrote a piece about why he took the sample of plutonium in 1946 and what happened to him afterwards. You can read it here.
Reviews of Doomsday Men
"Books on nuclear physics aren't often entertaining to the layperson, but Doomsday Men is comprehensible and fascinating, although likely to send one scurrying to lead-line the cupboard under the stairs just in case."
- Helen Zaltzman, The Observer, October 5 2008
"Written with all the pace of a thriller, this is a compelling, and ultimately extremely chilling, look at the way scientific discovery has always gone hand-in-hand with warfare".
- Daily Mail, October 2008
"It is a tremendously rich and rewarding book, a magnificent accomplishment - and, I think, an important one."
- Clare Dudman, Keeper of the Snails, 2009
"It is an impassioned account of everything from the discovery of radioactivity to plans for a Doomsday Device (yes, there really were such plans) from an author who feels that to the generations growing up who see the Cold War only as something in history books, the true horror of nuclear weapons has been forgotten. While politicians talk glibly of 'weapons of mass destruction', nobody has any real feeling for what it means to experience intense machine gun fire, the kind of bombing that destroyed Dresden, or a nuclear holocaust. Nor do many people know that there are still about 30,000 nuclear weapons still ready for launch around the world. Doomsday Men aims to address that gap, focusing on nuclear weapons, but also looking at other forms of mass destruction. [...]Doomsday Men is ... important, and, depressingly, there is a need for it - people, especially younger people than me, ought to read it".
- John Gribbin, Literary Review, July 2007
"The story of the plan to create the C-bomb - a nuclear bomb capable of destroying all life on Earth - is chilling. Yet PD Smith's history, told with the joyful enthusiasm of a sci-fi aficionado, is also irresistible."
- Daily Telegraph, October 2008
"Smith does a fine job of diligent research and summary".
- Ross Leckie, The Times, September 2008
"Weaving together biography, science and art, Smith has created a compelling history of physics in the 20th century... Smith's dynamic, riveting narrative reveals details of people, places and events that are rarely covered in textbooks, bringing to life not just scientists like Robert Oppenheimer and Leo Szilard, but the horrors of chemical and atomic warfare...Captivating and thoroughly referenced, this chronicle should interest a wide audience, from science and history buffs to armchair politicos."
- Publishers Weekly, starred review, January 7, 2008
“Doomsday Men is prodigiously researched, the author seeming to have read everything on nuclear strategy, both fiction and non-fiction”.
- Gregg Herken, Nature, August 23, 2007
"The science is told with a Bill Brysonish kind of panache. But, at times, it becomes a cross between Bryson and Umberto Eco. There is a sub-narrative of esoteric knowledge and mysterious, astonishingly accurate predictions from HG Wells. Learned, accessible, and drawing occasionally on the stylistic skills of the novelist, this makes for a very good read."
- Revd Dr Gavin Ashenden, The Church Times, November 23, 2007
"Humane and highly readable"
- Christopher Hirst, The Independent, October 31, 2008
"One of the main strengths of this account lies in Smith’s ability to combine science, history, and fiction in an engrossing cultural history of one of the concepts lying at the heart of the Cold War. ... Smith charts out fascinatingly how the figure of the scientist fluctuated in the period from the turn of the twentieth century up to the 1960s between the polarized extremes of a role as saviour of humanity or its villainous destroyer."
- Prof David Seed, Modern Language Review 104.1 (January 2009), 195-6
"chillingly compelling"
- New Scientist, June 2, 2007
"British historian of science PD Smith masterfully chronicles the literary antecedents and cultural repercussions of the development of nuclear armaments... Doomsday Men offers a marvelous resource for understanding the issues and personalities underlying Kubrick's masterpiece and other creative interpretations of the Cold War. From pulp science-fiction stories to Godzilla's theatrical invasions, it is a veritable lexicon of atomic-age culture... With the Cold War fading into history, Doomsday Men offers a valuable reminder of the period's fears and foibles. It provides an outstanding guide to a pivotal era when humanity first faced the terrifying prospect of annihilation by its own hand."
- Philadelphia Inquirer, January 28, 2008
"...superb... The research is impressive, but it’s his eye for revealing anecdotes and his ability to distil it all into lively prose that makes this a real pleasure to read."
- Sunday Business Post, June 17, 2007
“Doomsday Men doesn’t just deal with thermonuclear destruction. It’s a meticulous account of weapons of mass destruction and the science and scientists behind them. Indeed, it is two books for the price of one, because it is also a cultural disquisition. Smith scours fiction for visions of death rays and lurid imaginings of Armageddon to show how writers often preceded or influenced scientists. ... always readable and entertaining ... PD Smith deserves some sort of award for value for money”.
- Tibor Fischer, Daily Telegraph, June 30, 2007
"… massive, but lively… Smith's impressive research turns up innumberable end of the world thrillers... A competent history of WMDs combined with a capativating account of books and films that predicted their discovery..." - Kirkus Reviews, September 2007
“engaging, unsettling… Scientifically and culturally adept, Doomsday Men tracks the pursuit of devastating weaponry in both laboratories and pulp magazines. Smith’s wide-ranging book also serves as a biography of sorts of the scientist, writer and thinker Leo Szilard, who emblematizes science's growing awareness of the consequences of its own thirst for knowledge.…Smith’s startling story chronicles the ways in which science divorced itself from humanity”. - The Moscow Times, February 15, 2008
"he puts the nuclear age into a new context, engagingly and even excitingly"
- Financial Times, July 21, 2007
"... Doomsday Men is well worth reading. It is a powerful reminder that weapons of mass destruction are still 'out there' and new ones are being developed every day. But it is not solely about scientific knowledge; it ranges much wider than science fiction. It tells the story of disaster. One question is left hanging: will we allow our governments to repeat the mistakes of the last century?"
- Joanna Bourke, Independent, August 10, 2007
"Smith entertainingly takes on Dr Doom and his colleagues, setting them in popular culture as scientific messiahs and madmen."
- Times, June 23, 2007
“Doomsday Men is a gripping but disturbing read... What it highlights for me is the unavoidable social responsibility that scientists carry for their work and the constant danger that scientists may be reduced to being little more than ‘tools of war’.”
- Physics Education, March 2008, vol 43, pp 217-19
“a chillingly compelling history of chemical, biological and atomic superweapons ... Doomsday Men analyses dozens of examples of how culture influenced science in the devising of superweapons. They range from the prophetic writings of HG Wells, and the science fiction published in Amazing Stories and other magazines in the 1920s and 1930s, to highly influential post-atomic-bomb novels such as Nevil Shute’s On the Beach and Mordecai Roshwald’s Level 7. And, of course, there is the darkly comic film Dr Strangelove, directed by Stanley Kubrick in 1963, in which the story centres around the ‘doomsday machine’ - a phrase originally coined by gung-ho phyisicst Herman Kahn. ... [Doomsday Men] successfully shows how and why superweapons have been simultaneously admired and reviled by both scientists and the public.”
- Andrew Robinson, Physics World, July 2007, p 48
"academic, entertaining, informing, thought-provoking...8/10"
- In The News, June 13, 2007
"Told largely from the viewpoint of the scientists devoted to turning the military's demands into reality, PD Smith's account is packed with striking anecdotes... this is a readable, informative work exploring why intelligent men worked on such insane projects".
- Metro, June 13, 2007
"This is the story of the men behind attempts to develop a superweapon - a weapon so utterly devastating that no force on Earth could overcome it... Doomsday Men is easy to read and gives a good insight into the personalities of some of the scientists involved in WMD."
- Frank Barnaby, BBC FOCUS Magazine, August 2007
"Smith’s study is the gripping, untold story of the ultimate weapon of mass destruction, which first came to public attention in 1950 when the Hungarian-born scientist Leo Szilard made a dramatic announcement on radio: science was on the verge of creating a Doomsday Bomb. For the first time in history, mankind would soon have the ability to destroy all life on the planet. The shockwave from this statement reverberated across the following decade and beyond."
- Christopher Coker, Times Literary Supplement, 8 August 2007
"an illuminating, exciting and memorable read"
- Flipside
"Less than a decade after the first atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima, total annihilation of the human race haunted the imagination of scientists and writers alike, a convergence that PD Smith chronicles doggedly in Doomsday Men".
- William Grimes, New York Times, December 28, 2007
"a comprehensive review of Cold War cultural history"
- Department of the Planet Earth, February 2008
"[P.D. Smith] charts the ways in which science and science fiction interacted in a quest for Doomsday ‘superweapons’ in the 20th century. From HG Wells to Dr Strangelove and after, fiction has evoked weapons of mass destruction and their consequences, and created new horizons of possibility. Many scientists and policy-makers reacted to the possibilities, and from the First World War onwards, scientists worked with the military to produce the weapons and strategies that shaped the world in which we now live."
- BBC History Magazine, September 2007
"Smith delivers an indelible reminder that we ignore our worst nightmares at our own peril".
- Associated Press, December 2007
"...for those with the time and inclination to get their heads around nuclear physics, with its dizzying intermingling of the massive and the infinitesimal, then P. D. Smith’s Doomsday Men is as good a place to start as any. Despite its rather titillating title and the schlock-horror gaudiness of its fifties-style cover, Smith’s is a hugely interesting history of some hugely difficult subject matter, in which the alchemy of nuclear fission and fusion is merely part of a wider story stretching back to the nineteenth century... Smith is no less fascinating on the pre-history of weapons of mass destruction, from the chemical weapons of the First World War, to Japan’s experiments with biological weaponry, to the bombing of German and Japanese cities (the accounts of which are scarcely less harrowing than the accounts of the effects of the atom bomb)."
- Richard King, The Australian Literary Review, November 2007
"...well-written and infinitely interesting. It is also incredibly frightening".
- Greenbeard, May 2008
"Smith...puts science's Faustian bargain through its literary paces".
- Booklist, December 15, 2007
"[a] valuable account"
Survival: Global Politics and Strategy, Volume 50, Issue 5, 2008, pp 209-10
"captivating..."
- Buffalo News (New York), January 13, 2008
Buy at Penguin (ePub eBook) | Amazon UK | Amazon US | Barnes & Noble (Nook edn) | Indiebound
I’m the author of four books. The most recent is City: A Guidebook for the Urban Age. Before that I wrote a cultural history of science and superweapons called Doomsday Men, a biography of Einstein, and a study of science and literature. More
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City: A Guidebook for the Urban Age
Today, for the first time in history more than half the population of the planet live in cities. Two hundred years ago, just three per cent were city dwellers, but by 2050, 75 per cent will be urbanites. City is the ultimate guidebook for our urban age, taking the reader on a journey through the past, present and future of the world's cities. Illustrated throughout and with essays on everything from Ellis Island and Eco-cities, to Street Food and Tahrir Square, this is a fascinating celebration of our greatest creation – the city. More
Buy on Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.com
Buy at Barnes & Noble
Buy at Indiebound
Metaphor and Materiality: German Literature and the World-view of Science 1780-1955
Writers in Sussex
Sex, Lies & Brain Scans by Barbara J Sahakian and Julia Gottwald
Yellow: The History of a Colour by Michel Pastoureau
The Scoundrel Harry Larkyns by Rebecca Gowers
Happy New Year! 01 January 2020
Travellers in relativity & the Anthropocene 15 December 2018
Book addiction 08 September 2018
Three New Books 29 May 2018
Nature, Bodies & the Shape of Things to Come 13 April 2018
Elisabeth’s Lists 23 March 2018
Inside the Mind of Marine Le Pen 06 March 2018
A Philosophy of Dirt 26 February 2018
Owl Sense 18 February 2018
The Pixels of Paul Cézanne 04 February 2018
Mrs Peabody Investigates
ekosystem.org
everything second-hand
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Planetizen
Guardian Cities
BLDG BLOG
Nick Harkaway
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Prose & Passion
Adventures in Uncinema
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Keeper of the Snails
Leo Szilard Online
© PD Smith 2007–2020 | Site credit: designed by Jean-Michel Dentand
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Below is a blog post for the www.pianoworks.co.uk website. For home piano lessons in Finsbury Park, Manor House, N4 and the surrounding areas, please click here: Piano Teacher Finsbury Park.
The Irish Messiah
Performances of George Friedrich Handel's Messiah are a mainstay at Christmas time in churches and concert halls around the country. It is one of the most famous pieces of Classical choral music - perhaps the most famous piece of sacred music written in English - and is performed either in full or in a reduced version, and with or without audience participation. It is almost without fail that you will come across Handel's music in the run up to and during Christmas. You might encounter a choir singing the famous "Hallelujah" chorus, or turn on the television and catch a snippet between programmes. In short, Messiah is synonymous with Christmas. Hence it may come as a surprise to the casual observer that the work was not originally intended to become part of Christmas festivities. Instead it received its world premiere in the Musick Hall in Dublin, a very secular setting, in the year 1742.
The brainchild behind Messiah was a scholar named Charles Jennens, who compiled material from sources such as the King James Bible, as well as the Book of Common Prayer. In coming up with the text that would eventually form the words to the music, Jennens edited vast sections of text on historical areas such as the prophecy of the Messiah's coming, the birth, crucifixion and resurrection of Christ, before presenting his compiled work to his friend Handel, explicitly stating it should form "the basis of an oratorio intended for performance in a secular setting." It sounds like a bit of an oxymoron, to have a religious work performed in a secular setting, but Jennens was hoping to promote Messiah to the theatre-going public, to remind them of their religious obligations, rather than the religious church-goers. The former was his target group, so to speak.
But why Dublin? Why not London? After all, Handel had been living in London for a number of years now, at the invitation of the King, and it was his second home. (His residence in the capital has since been turned into the Handel House Museum.) Handel had been disappointed by the reception given to his previous works by music audiences, and was unwilling to face another poor response. After all, you can only go through a few rejections before you get discouraged altogether. Choosing the city of Dublin to premiere Messiah, in a way, was using a smaller city as a testing ground for the work. Perhaps Handel also hoped to gauge the response to the work and make any necessary revisions before launching it in London - kind of like a focus of group of sorts.
Messiah can be said to have had some form of royal influence in its origin. It was a success in Dublin but back in London the success was less forthcoming. Perhaps it was due to the scale of the work, which had 53 movements and required large numbers of musicians. (One performance of the work advertised the presence of eight hundred musicians as a selling point.) But the work has established itself and its success needs no further scrutiny. Centuries on, it still remains part of the framework of Western choral music, and a core of Christmas music. In concert halls it is customary to stand for the "Hallelujah" chorus. It originates from a belief that later at the London premiere, King George II did so, out of respect for the Creator, and all his subjects were hence obliged to also stand.
If you are looking for a piano teacher around N4 to hold lessons at your home, please click here: Piano Teacher Finsbury Park (N4)
I am a visiting piano teacher and come to your home to give piano lessons. I work in and around the following locations:
Muswell Hill (N10) Crouch End (N8) Stroud Green (N4) Finsbury Park (N4) Hornsey (N8) Harringay Ladder
(N4, N8, N15)
Highgate (N6)
Hornsey Vale (N8)
Seven Sisters (N17)
West Green (N15)
Manor House (N4)
Islington (N19)
Highbury (N5)
Turnpike Lane (N8)
Wood Green (N22)
Archway (N19)
This list is constantly changing, so if you are based in an area not listed above, please get in touch to ask; I might still be able to visit.
learn@pianoworks.co.uk
Music Battles
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Those Odd Musicians
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POSTED Wed. Sep 30, 2015
Some of the Best of Hell Yes Fest
Written by CATE ROOT
You can see comedy every night of the week in New Orleans. That’s true in 2015 – the fifth year of the New Movement’s comedy festival Hell Yes Fest – but it wasn’t true five years ago. The city’s rapidly-spreading…... CONTINUE
How To Get Your Gretna On
Kid Rock, Bret Michaels, Hank Williams Jr and Aaron Lewis will all be playing at the 21st Gretna Heritage Festival from Friday through Sunday, during this first weekend…....
Written by ADAM KARLIN
An Offering for the Spirits (of Vintage & Costume Fashion)
It’s twilight on St. Claude Avenue, where the setting sun bathes a surreal streetscape that’s causing drivers to rubberneck and diners across the street at St. Roch Market…....
Written by CREE MCCREE
This Weekend: Nailing The Landing
Add another event to the packed New Orleans festival calendar: Landing Festival, which is marking its inaugural debut this weekend at South Shore Harbor on Sep 26 and…....
Get Your Free Museum On
Music, food and an approach to life that leans towards the libertine are some of New Orleans’ biggest tourism draws, but the city has another angle: her museums.…....
The New Orleans Horror Film Festival Lurks Around the Corner
New Orleans is considered one of the world’s most haunted cities. Certain realtors brag or warn of this fact when pitching French Quarter properties. Our tourism industry is…....
Written by MICHAEL PATRICK WELCH
Bogalusa Brings the Blues
About 90 minutes north of New Orleans, Bogalusa, LA is a mill town on the Mississippi that churns along in quiet obscurity for most the year. We don’t…....
Ponderosa Stomp Celebrates the Unsung Heroes of American Music
Ira Padnos never meant to start a music festival, he just didn’t want to hire the same old wedding band for his wedding. So instead, he hired some…....
Written by DANNY CAPORALETTI
A 'Stage Kiss' Begins the Southern Rep Season
“A stage kiss is a particularly alien, artificial thing,” says Jason Kirkpatrick, director of the Southern Rep Theatre’s new meta-comedy, Stage Kiss, adding, “This is partly a play…....
A Peek Inside (Way Inside) 'Modernist Cuisine'
Ever wanted to see food sizzling from the inside of an oven? Or a levitating grilled cheese sandwich? Or how about the cellular make up of a blueberry?…....
The Candy Land Ball: Pretty Sweet
In the same way us adults tend to end up a bit loopy after certain Mardi Gras reveries, our children will return home from this Saturday’s Candy Land…....
El Libre Brings Cuban Cuisine to French Quarter
We’re always excited about new ethnic food options in New Orleans, and to this end, we’re in countdown mode waiting to sip a Cafe Cubano at El Libre…....
NOLA History
The Orpheum: Renovated & Re-opening
When Wilco last performed in New Orleans at Jazz Fest in April, pyrotechnic lightning crackling above the Gentilly stage forced the band to cut their set short. Five…....
Fleur de Tease Begins a Tenth Season of Local Burlesque
Over the last decade, burlesque — the art of dancing for admiring eyes while shedding clothes in a subtler, more cheeky and less naked fashion than employees at…....
It's SELLabration Time at the Preservation Resource Center
The people who marvel at the historic homes of New Orleans often wonder what it would be like to own one of them. The people who live in…....
POSTED Sep 9, 2015
Hop Along to Bunnyfest '15
Back in 1977, when it was still called the 501 Club for its Napoleon Avenue address, the just-opened music venue that became Tipitina’s held its very first benefit.…....
Introducing: The Garden District
There are two New Orleans that people think of when they hear the name of the city. One is the Quarter: iron balconies, Creole townhouses, thin alleyways and…....
Everybody's Laboring For The Weekend
Labor Day weekend marks the traditional end of summer and beginning of fall, which is admittedly a laughable proposition in New Orleans, where an 80-degree September day would…....
Jazz in the Park Brings the Beat Back to Armstrong Park
The shoulder seasons in New Orleans – that is to say, spring and autumn – are the generally agreed upon most pleasant months to be in the city.…....
The 7th Culture Collision Collides with New Orleans
The end of August doesn’t just usher in cooler weather in New Orleans (also, let’s be honest. We’ve got at least a month before it gets anything like…....
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American and Estonian Choral Music
Gregory Brown, Maria Kõrvits, Evelin Seppar, Kile Smith, Pärt Uusberg
DAVID PUDERBAUGH, conductor
World Premiere Recordings
Gregory Brown: A Black Birch In Winter
"Gorgeous, transcendent, resonant, radiant and transfixing... [This album] is destined to thrill a listener to the core just when [they thought] beauty has been totally drained out of the world... this international recording is a welcome reminder that is not the case... If your mind is full of thoughts, visions and desires and you set this CD to play, you may find yourself completely absorbed, mesmerized, as I was, listening to the choir in deep meditation, piece after piece... The vocal range and harmonious quality of the chorus contribute to the quality of the effort inspired by the outstanding poetry that has been set."
Joel C. Thompson, Cherry Grove Music Review [November 2019]
"The world première recordings performed by the Voces Musicales chamber choir...provide an opportunity to explore less-familiar vocal territory... The very smoothness of the chorus tends to lull a listener to this CD... the choir’s singing [is] even and well-balanced."
Mark J. Estren, InfoDad [November 2019]
In the fall of 2004, with the benefit of a Fulbright Scholarship, American conductor David Puderbaugh arrived in Tallinn, Estonia, to embark on a year-long study of the venerated Estonian national song festivals (laulupidu) for his doctoral dissertation. He soon joined the Estonian chamber choir Voces Musicales as a singer for that concert season and returned to Estonia numerous times in the following years to perform with the choir, not only as a singer but as conductor. A Black Birch in Winter is symbolic of the long relationship between Puderbaugh and Voces Musicales—an American conductor and an Estonian choir collaborating on a recording of recent choral music of the two nations. It is also emblematic of the primary goal of the Fulbright program, which initially brought this conductor and choir together: “to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries.”
David Puderbaugh is Assistant Director of Choral Activities at the University of Iowa, where he conducts the UI Camerata, teaches graduate choral literature and undergraduate choral conducting, advises doctorate theses and assists in administration of the choral program. He is also Associate Director of the School of Music, overseeing its graduate program. Puderbaugh conducts the Chamber Singers of Iowa City, an ensemble that performs choral music of all eras; recent notable performances include Beethoven’s Mass in C major, Handel’s Judas Maccabaeus, Haydn’s The Seasons, Orff’s Carmina Burana, Rachmaninov’s All-Night Vigil and Pärt’s Passio. Puderbaugh’s current focus centers on Estonian choral music, an interest that resulted in a Fulbright Scholarship to conduct dissertation research on that country’s national song festivals during the Soviet occupation. He served as consultant for the educational DVD release of the documentary film The Singing Revolution (Sky Films Incorporated, 2008) as well as for the making of its sequel, To Breathe as One (2014). Puderbaugh seeks to bring the Baltic region’s vast choral treasury to the United States through performance and the creation of performing and critical editions. Puderbaugh is active in several professional organizations. He is the editor of the Recorded Sound Reviews column in the ACDA Choral Journal, and has served as editor of the NC-ACDA newsletter Melisma and board secretary for the Iowa chapter of the Fulbright Association. In addition, Puderbaugh is a member of the National Collegiate Choral Organization, College Music Society and Pi Kappa Lambda honorary music society. Also an active tenor soloist, he has performed in the Midwest and in Estonia in repertoire that includes Messiah, The Creation, Mozart’s Mass in C minor, Bach’s Christmas Oratorio and Schütz’s St. John Passion. In Estonia, Puderbaugh has premiered several works by contemporary Estonian composers in the annual Eesti Muusika Päevad new music festival and appeared in performances of Orazio Vecchi’s madrigal comedy L’Amfiparnaso. Puderbaugh frequently collaborates with Voces Musicales as both vocalist and conductor. He holds degrees from Drake University, the University of Missouri-Columbia and the University of Iowa. His teachers include Timothy Stalter, David Rayl and Aimee Beckmann-Collier.
Chamber Choir Voces Musicales, founded in 1999 by Risto Joost, occupies an established and unique place in Estonian musical life, presenting works that are seldom performed due to their difficulty. The choir achieved success in its early seasons, receiving awards in several competitions, including Second Prize at the Harald Andersén Chamber Choir Competition in 2009. In 2014, the choir was a finalist in the London International A Cappella Choir Competition. The repertoire of Voces Musicales includes works in diverse genres, including Renaissance polyphony and contemporary music, as well as numerous works in the established classical canon. Recent notable performances by the choir include Erkki-Sven Tüür’s Requiem; Arvo Pärt’s Stabat Mater and Kanon Pokajanen; Handel’s Solomon, Alexander’s Feast, Messiah and Dixit Dominus; Orff’s Carmina Burana; Haydn’s The Creation; Monteverdi’s Vespro della Beata Vergine; and J.S. Bach’s Mass in B minor. The choir has participated in various themed concert series and festivals, appearing in Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Israel, Japan, Latvia, Russia, Slovakia, and the United Kingdom. In addition to its work with Joost, Voces Musicales has also performed with several other outstanding conductors, including Neeme Järvi, Eri Klas, Olari Elts, Arvo Volmer, Andres Mustonen, Kaspar Mänd, Stephen Layton and Peter Phillips. The choir has performed with many renowned Estonian orchestras and ensembles, as well as with Sinfonietta Rīga (Latvia), Baroque ensemble Barrocade (Israel), and Orchestra Ensemble Kanazawa (Japan). In 2015, Voces Musicales received the annual music award of the Estonian Culture Endowment. The choir’s recent album Pilgrim’s Song, highlighting the music of Arvo Pärt, received widespread acclaim.
Kadri-Liis Kukk
Ingrit Malleus
Marite Oroperv
Ursula Roomere
Kadri Toomoja
Leiu Tõnissaar
Nele Erastus
Kai Maasoo
Tiina Meos
Marleen Nurm
Anni Marie Rea
Evelin Seppar
Eve-Lii Valdmets
Taavi Hark
Benjamin Kirk
Johan Kütt
Tarmo Rajamets
Kaarel Telgmaa
Daniel Beuster
Lauri Esko
Karl Juhkami
Jaanus Kann
Henri Taube
Siim Valdmets
EVELIN SEPPAR (b.1986)
SIRELITE AEGU
KILE SMITH (b.1956)
WHERE FLAMES A WORD
I. Before your late face
II. Conversation in the Mountains
III. I know you, you are the deeply bowed
PÄRT UUSBERG (b.1986)
KODUMAA LAULUD
I. Otsida iseend
II. Viibida, vaikida…
III. Uni
IV. Kodumaa
GREGORY W. BROWN (b.1975)
THE FABRIC OF STREAMS
MARIA KÕRVITS (b.1987)
GRAN PIANT’ AGLI OCHI
MINA SEE OLIN
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Columbia Heights Neighborhood of Washington DC Real Estate Analysis
March 23rd, 2013 at 8:36 am by Albert Hallivis
Located in the Northwest quadrant of Washington, D.C., Columbia Heights borders the neighborhoods of Shaw, Adams Morgan, Mount Pleasant, Park View, Pleasant Plains, and Petworth. On the eastern side is Howard University. The streets defining the neighborhood’s boundaries are 16th Street to the west; Spring Road to the north; Georgia Ave to the east; and Florida Avenue to the south. It is served by a subway station stop on the Washington Metro Green and Yellow Lines.
Once farmland on the estate of the Holmead family (called “Pleasant Plains”), Columbia Heights was part of Washington County, District of Columbia (within the District but outside the borders of the city of Washington; the southern edge of Columbia Heights is Florida Avenue, which was originally called “Boundary Street” because it formed the northern boundary of the Federal City). In 1815 an engraver from England, William J. Stone, purchased a 121-acre tract of the Holmead estate — east of Seventh Street Road (present-day Georgia Avenue), and north of Boundary Street — and established his own estate known as the Stone Farm. Nearby, construction of the first building for Columbian College, now The George Washington University, was completed in 1822 on the campus which was bounded by Columbia Road, 14th Street, Boundary Street (Florida Avenue) and 13th Street. The area began developing as a suburb of Washington soon after the Civil War when horse-drawn streetcars delivered residents of the neighborhood to downtown.
The northern portion of modern-day Columbia Heights (i.e., north of where Harvard Street currently lies) was, until the 1880s, a part of the village of Mount Pleasant. The southern portion still retained the name of the original Pleasant Plains estate, though it was also known as “Cowtown.”
In 1871, Congress passed the D.C. Organic Act, which eliminated Washington County by extending the boundaries of Washington City to be contiguous with those of the District of Columbia. Shortly afterward, in 1881–82, Senator John Sherman, author of the Sherman Antitrust Act, purchased the land north of Boundary Street between 16th Street and 10th Street, including the Stone farm, developing it as a subdivision of the city and calling it Columbia Heights in honor of the college at its heart. (The neighborhood’s eastern, major traffic artery, Sherman Avenue, is named after its early developer.) Much of Sherman’s purchase was land belonging to Columbian College. The college had decided to move into the center of Washington’s downtown business district and in 1904, changed its name to The George Washington University in an agreement with the George Washington Memorial Association. Columbian, now George Washington, relocated its major operations to Foggy Bottom by 1912. The federal government also purchased some of the college’s land and built Meridian Hill Park in the early 20th century. The park, also known as “Malcolm X Park”, contains many statues including those of Joan of Arc, Dante and James Buchanan.
Upscale development in Columbia Heights circa 1900, was designed to attract upper level managers of the Federal government, U.S. Supreme Court justices, and high-ranking military officers. An imposing mansion known as “Belmont” marked the entrance to the neighborhood between Florida and Clifton Streets. The mansion was emblematic of the confidence that the affluent placed in the concept that Columbia Heights represented the ideal suburb. In the early 1900s, Columbia Heights was the preferred area for some of Washington’s wealthiest and most influential people. Residents included authors Jean Toomer, Ambrose Bierce, Sinclair Lewis, Chief Justice Melville Fuller, and Justice John Marshall Harlan.
In 1901, the Commissioners of the District of Columbia renamed streets all over the District in accordance with a newly adopted street-naming system.[1] In Columbia Heights, Clifton Street, Roanoke Street, Yale Street, Princeton Street, Harvard Street, Columbia Road, Kenesaw Avenue, Kenyon Street, Dartmouth Street, and Whitney Avenue were renamed Adams Street, Bryant Street, Channing Street, Douglas Street, Evarts Street, Franklin Street, Girard Street, Hamlin Street, Hooker Street, and Irving Street, respectively.[1]
In 1902, there was a building boom in North Columbia Heights, with the expansion of the streetcar down 11th St, 14th St and 16th St. Homes were being built for between $2,000 and $5,000 and a total of five million dollars worth of homes were being built.[2]
In 1904, the Columbia Heights Citizen’s Association published an illustrated brochure entitled “A Statement of Some of the Advantages of Beautiful Columbia Heights.” (PDF [1]) The publication describes Columbia Heights as a “residential section populated by public and spirited citizens.” Residents at that time were “ever alive to the mental, moral, and spiritual advancements of their homes surroundings.” The neighborhood organization sponsored competitions for landscaping house lots and offered prizes to the best kept lawn and garden, at the same time fought the erection of street poles and overhead telegraph and telephone lines. 1904 was also the year that Congress authorized changing the names of streets to align with the alphabetical and orderly naming convention of the Old City (i.e., below Boundary Street, now Florida Avenue). The name changes were put into effect the following year.[3]
By 1914, four street car lines served the section providing transportation to downtown Washington in twenty minutes. The neighborhood also became the home of the Washington Palace Five professional basketball team.
The popularity of the neighborhood resulted in the construction of several large apartment buildings during the beginning of the twentieth century that changed the suburban character of the area into a more urban and densely populated district. As of mid-century, however, Columbia Heights retained much of its upscale residential appeal, supporting establishments such as the ornate Tivoli Theatre movie house (completed in 1924). The neighborhood was adjacent to Washington’s thriving middle class black community and came to be home to some of its most notable citizens by the 1930s. Duke Ellington, who had grown up in Shaw, purchased his first house at 2728 Sherman Avenue in Columbia Heights. Marvin Gaye attended Cardozo Senior High School in the neighborhood.
Looking north on 14th Street NW in Columbia Heights
In 1949, during the era of racial segregation in the public schools, Central High School, an under-enrolled white high school that bordered the southern edge of Columbia Heights, saw the existing Cardozo High School, a “colored” high school moved to the site to accommodate the growing African American population. Significant demographic changes began in the late 1940s when African American residents began to buy apartment buildings previously owned by whites, and in the 1950s blacks bought individual homes in ever increasing numbers. The neighborhood remained a middle-class African American enclave in Washington, along with the nearby Shaw neighborhood and Howard University through the mid-1960s.
The neighborhood was featured in various clips, and as the home of protagonists Helen and Bobby Benson, in the 1951 film The Day the Earth Stood Still.
In 1968, following the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr., riots ravaged the 14th St. Corridor in Columbia Heights along with many other Washington neighborhoods. Many homes and shops remained vacant for decades.
Redevelopment and current day
In 1999, however, the city announced a revitalization initiative for the neighborhood focused around the Columbia Heights Metro station that opened that year. The opening of the Metro station served as a catalyst for the return of economic development and residents. Within five years, it had gentrified considerably, with a number of businesses (including a Giant Food supermarket and Tivoli Square, a commercial and entertainment complex) and middle-class residents settling in the neighborhood. However, unlike some gentrified neighborhoods in the city, it had not become homogeneous: as of 2006, Columbia Heights is arguably Washington’s most ethnically and economically diverse neighborhood[citation needed], composed of high-priced condominiums and townhouses as well as public and middle-income housing.
On March 5, 2008,[4] DC USA, a 546,000 square-foot (51,000 m²) retail complex across the street from the Columbia Heights Metro station opened. The space is anchored by retailers Target and Best Buy.[5] The shopping center also includes 390,000 square feet (36,000 m²) of underground parking.[6] A number of bars and restaurants have since opened in the neighborhood, including Pho 14, which was voted best pho in Washington City Paper’s Best of DC 2010 poll.
A sign in Columbia Heights in English, Spanish, and Amharic, reflecting the diversity of the neighborhood
The 2000 census figures estimated Columbia Heights with a 58 percent African American population; 34 percent Hispanic population; 5.4 percent white population; and 3.1 percent other.[7][8]
The 2010 census figures estimated Columbia Heights with a 43.5 percent African American population; 28.1 percent Hispanic population; 22.9 percent White population; 3.2 percent Asian population; and a 2 percent Other population. In 2012, Columbia Heights was named one of the fastest gentrifying neighborhoods in the United States.[9]
In January 2005, the neighborhood became the first permanent home of the GALA Hispanic Theatre which moved into the newly refurbished Tivoli Theatre, a former movie theater built in 1924 that had been vacant since 1976. GALA is a theater company dedicated to performing Spanish-language plays.
In November 2006, the Dance Institute of Washington opened a new 12,000 square foot (1100 m²) facility across the street from the Tivoli Theater.[10]
The neighborhood is also home to the Greater Washington Urban League, the local affiliate of the National Urban League, in addition to other non-profit community and service-based organizations including: The Latin American Youth Center, CentroNia, Central American Resource Center (CARECEN) and the Shaw/Columbia Heights Family and Community Support Collaborative, all located along the 14th St. and Columbia Rd. corridor.
Columbia Heights is home to the Ecuadoran embassy on 15th Street and the Mexican Cultural Institute on 16th Street. Located next door to the Mexican Cultural Institute is the former residence of the Ambassador of Spain. The Spanish Embassy is working to turn the former residence into a cultural facility. [11] The Polish and Lithuanian Embassies are also located in Columbia Heights on 16th Street, as is the Cuban Interest Section of the Swiss Embassy.be
Banneker Community Center (2011)
The Banneker Community Center, a unit of the District of Columbia Department of Parks and Recreation, contains playing fields, basketball and tennis courts, a swimming pool (Banneker pool), a computer lab and other indoor and outdoor facilities.[12] Constructed in 1934 near Howard University and named for Benjamin Banneker, the center’s building (formerly named the Banneker Recreation Center) was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1986 because of its role as a focal point in the development of the black community in Washington, D.C.[13]
More information about Columbia Heights Neighborhood can be found here at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Columbia_Heights_%28Washington,_D.C.%29
Walk Score for Columbia Heights, Washington
Columbia Heights, Washington School Data
District Of Columbia Public Schools
http://dcps.dc.gov/portal/site/DCPS/
Cesar Chavez Public Charter Schools for Public Policy
http://www.chavezschools.org/
Community Academy Public Charter School (Capcs)
http://www.capcs.org/
The Next Step Pcs
Carlos Rosario International Pcs
Eagle Academy Pcs
Two Rivers Public Charter School Agency
Appletree Early Learning Center Pcs
Bridges Pcs
Early Childhood Academy Pcs
Youth Build Pcs Layc
The William E. Doar, Junior Public Charter School for the Performing Arts
http://www.wedjschool.us/
Education Strenghtens Families Pcs
Washington Latin Public Charter School
http://www.edline.net/pages/Washington_Latin_PCS
Septima Clark Pcs
Arts And Technology Pcs
Booker T. Washington Pcs
Capital City Pcs
Cesar Chavez Public Pcs
Community Academy Pcs
D.C. Bilingual Pcs
D.C. Preparatory Academy Pcs
http://www.dcprep.org/
E.L. Haynes Pcs
Friendship Pcs
http://www.friendshipschools.org/
Hope Community Academy Pcs
http://www.hopecommunitycs.org/
Hospitality Pcs
Cedar Tree Academy Public Charter School
PK-K, 7-8
http://www.howardroadacademy.org/
Howard University Middle School Of Math And Science
Perry Street Preparatory Pcs
Integrated Design Electronics Academy Idea
Ideal Academy Pcs
https://www.iapcs.com/
KIPP DC
http://www.kippdc.org
Latin America Youth Bilingual Montessori
Mary Mcleod Bethune Pcs
Maya Angelou Pcs
Meridian Pcs
Nia Community PCS
Options Pcs
Paul Public Charter School
http://www.paulcharter.org
Potomac Lighthouse Pcs
Roots Pcs
Sail PCS
Seed Pcs
St. Coletta Special Education Pcs
Elsie Whitlow Stokes Communtiy Freedom Pcs
Thurgood Marshall Academy Pcs
Tree Of Life Pcs
Two Rivers Pcs
http://www.tworiverspcs.org/
Washington Latin Pcs
Washington Math Science Pcs
William E. Doar Jr Pcs
Achievement Preparatory Academy Pcs
Center City Pcs
http://www.centercitypcs.org/
Imagine Southeast Pcs
National Collegiate Prep
Washington Yu Ying Pcs
Dyrs
7-12 & ungraded
Excel Academy Pcs
Inspired Teaching Demonstration Pcs
Shining Stars Montessori Pcs
Richard Wright Pcs For Journalism And Media Arts Pcs
Basis Dc Pcs
Creative Minds Pcs
Dc Scholars Pcs
Mundo Verde Bilingual Pcs
Ingenuity Preparatory Pcs
PK-K
Sela Pcs
Somerset Pcs
State Operative Agency
Washington Schools
Murch Elementary School
PK-5, public
http://www.dcps.dc.gov/DCPS/murch
Moten Elementary School
http://www.motenes.org
Montgomery Elementary School
Miner Elementary School
http://www.dcps.dc.gov/DCPS/miner
Meyer Elementary School
Merritt Middle School
McGogney Elementary School
Roosevelt High School @ MacFarland
http://www.dcps.dc.gov/DCPS/roosevelt
M.C. Terrell / McGogney Elementary School
http://www.dcps.dc.gov/DCPS/mc-terrell
Takoma Education Campus
http://www.takomaec.org
Stanton Elementary School
http://www.dcps.dc.gov/DCPS/stanton
Duke Ellington School of the Arts
http://www.dcps.dc.gov/DCPS/ellington
Sousa Middle School
http://www.dcps.dc.gov/DCPS/sousa
Shaw Middle School @ Garnet-Patterson
http://www.dcps.dc.gov/DCPS/shaw
Ron Brown Middle School
http://www.dcps.dc.gov/DCPS/ron-brown
Shaed Education Campus
Shadd Elementary School
Seaton Elementary School
http://www.dcps.dc.gov/DCPS/seaton
Savoy Elementary School
http://www.dcps.dc.gov/DCPS/savoy
Rudolph Elementary School
Ross Elementary School
http://www.dcps.dc.gov/DCPS/ross
River Terrace Elementary School
Randle Highlands Elementary School
http://www.dcps.dc.gov/DCPS/randle-highlands
Shepherd Elementary School
http://www.dcps.dc.gov/DCPS/shepherd
Marie Reed Elementary School
http://www.mariereedes.org
Comments Off on Columbia Heights Neighborhood of Washington DC Real Estate Analysis
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Bhanap I
Excessive noise
expressway noise pollution
noise data logging
photovoltaic cells
variance of noise level with height
Viewed 10820
An analysis of roadway noise at residential estates in close proximity to expressways in Singapore
Indraneel Bhanap
Department of Science, United World College of South East Asia, Singapore
Date of Web Publication 21-May-2013
Singapore is a city-state of 5 million people. The entire urban population has expanded from 4.4 million to 5 million in a matter of 5 years. Because of the scarcity of land available, more major roads and expressways are being run close to residential developments, exposing the residents to expressway noise. Recognizing the problems of noise in a high-density urban society such as Singapore, the National Environmental Agency of Singapore (NEA) has set prescribed noise limits for residential areas. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the noise level in one such development that is adjacent to an expressway, examine the effect of building height on noise and to compare the results with the NEA standards. The paper concludes with the implications of the results and a discussion on the solution to the problem.
Keywords: Excessive noise, expressway noise pollution, noise data logging, photovoltaic cells, sound barriers, variance of noise level with height
Bhanap I. An analysis of roadway noise at residential estates in close proximity to expressways in Singapore. Noise Health 2013;15:183-9
Bhanap I. An analysis of roadway noise at residential estates in close proximity to expressways in Singapore. Noise Health [serial online] 2013 [cited 2020 Jan 21];15:183-9. Available from: http://www.noiseandhealth.org/text.asp?2013/15/64/183/112369
Today, there are many ways in which our environment is contaminated. For example, our air these days can be contaminated with dust, ash and other small particles, a phenomenon known as air pollution. Similarly, the water bodies and land can also be contaminated with harmful, leading to the phenomena of water and land pollution respectively.
But, perhaps, the form of pollution we tend to overlook most often is noise pollution; perhaps because its effects are not as sudden or striking as the other forms of environmental pollution; nevertheless, it is equally dangerous as the other forms of pollution and can cause a string of health complications to people around the world.
Every day, we are all exposed to different sounds in this world. While some are pleasant to our ears, others irritate us. The latter is known as noise. The exposure to irritant or displeasing levels of noise, which may lead to a disruption in human activity is known as noise pollution.
Because of urbanization and the shift in population to the cities, more and more people are exposed to noise, leading to the development of health complications associated with noise, which will be discussed further. Noise pollution these days is mostly experienced in busy cities around the world, such as New York, London, Tokyo and Singapore.
Singapore has transformed itself into a highly developed, economically advanced city-state. All of Singapore's 5 million residents live in urban areas, with almost no rural population. [1] Land in Singapore is scarce, with an area of approximately only 694 km 2 . [2] To cope with the increasing population of Singapore, more road networks are being built in Singapore. The road density of Singapore has increased from 447.5 km per sq. km of land to 471 km per sq. km of land from 2003 to 2008. [3] Due to the limited land, it is inevitable that many residential estates will be developed close to major arterial roads and expressways with high traffic densities.
According to an article in the "Straits Times," as Singapore's economy and population have grown so have public complaints about noise pollution. The government announced in June 2011 that it would study noise along all 65 km of elevated Mass Rapid Transit (MRT i.e., the commuter trains) tracks to identify hotspots and solutions. The Land Transport Authority of Singapore is also co-chairing a multi-agency study on noise with the National Environmental Agency of Singapore (NEA). This second study will look into the noise levels of 60 road and rail locations across Singapore. Noise levels look set to increase as Singapore's population and road traffic rises. There were 951,307 vehicles on the road at the end of June 2011, a 37% jump from 2000. [4]
In this study, roadway-generated noise is measured throughout the day for a 1-week period and the data logged on a computer for analysis. Noise is measured in the logarithmic scale of decibels (dB). [Figure 1] [5] below shows the different types of background (ambient) noise we hear and how they are expressed in dB. In the case of sound, as the decibel scale is a logarithmic scale; a sound of 20 dB is nearly 10-times as loud as a sound of 10 dB and not twice as loud. This just shows how much difference there is in the sound from a quiet office and the sound in a bedroom. In this situation, a quiet office is about 10-times louder than a bedroom.
Figure 1: A standard noise chart equating the loudness of different environmental sounds in terms of decibels[5]
Health complications of noise pollution
The effects of noise pollution have been severely underestimated and overlooked. While the complications caused by exposure to excess noise are not as serious as other medical problems, they are known to have caused numerous problems such as the ones listed below. [6]
Productivity: Noise is often known to be distracting and can often interfere with people when they are doing their work. Extensive research has shown that people working in noisy environments tend to be less motivated and have higher stress levels than others working in a relatively quieter environment, as excessive sound is often considered as an annoyance.
Learning impairment: Noise pollution has also known to have caused learning impairment and reading difficulties in children who were exposed to noise for long periods of time.
Other health complications: The most serious problem of noise pollution is the health complications it offers. People who are exposed to excessive noise or noise for long periods of time are known to have suffered from problems such as chronic stress, temporary and permanent hearing loss, irritability, hypertension, high blood pressure, stroke and the most obvious one that is sleep disturbance. Research has shown that sleep can be significantly disrupted when ambient noise is 55 dB or higher.
How much noise can we sustain
Generally, sound of up to 45 dB is considered the limit indoors as per the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA). [7] Above 45 dB, we tend to get a little irritated. And, as seen from [Figure 1] below, on different scenarios and the amount of noise generated, 45 dB is a little shy of the amount of sound in a quiet office. However, as the research is being conducted in Singapore, we will adhere to the noise limit set by Singapore's NEA. Here is a table that shows the limit set by the NEA of Singapore on the maximum noise level permitted for a residential area.
The research was conducted in an apartment block in a condominium adjacent to the East Coast expressway. The apartment block is 50 m away from the expressway. The East Coast expressway is a major expressway linking the international airport and the eastern areas of the island with the central business district, port and the west coast of Singapore. The expressway is a 10-lane expressway near the apartment block used for the study and is approximately 37 m wide. [8]
Noise data was logged using a noise data sensor and data logging software on a Windows laptop [Figure 2]. The noise sensor was mounted near an open window facing the expressway on the 11 th floor apartment and the data logged on the Windows laptop. Noise data was logged from 8:30 am to 10 pm every night for all days of the week. The logging software was set to sample noise data every minute. The software user interface is shown below [Figure 3].
Figure 2: The noise data logger connected to a laptop via a USB connection for logging
Figure 3: User Interface of the data logging software
Data logging commenced on Sunday, the 7 th of August and ended on Saturday, the 14 th of August.
Data sensor and logging software details
The noise level data logger Standard Model ST-173 consists of a data sensor with a USB connector at the other end [Table 1], [Table 2], [Table 3] and [Table 4] and [Figure 4]a-h. It plugs into the computer through the computer's USB port. Once everything is set-up, the next time the data logger is plugged into the USB port of a computer, the software automatically launches and is ready to record the sound.
Table 1: The residential noise limits prescribed by the national environmental agency of Singapore at different periods of the day
Table 2: The maximum, minimum and average sound values from Sunday to Monday
Table 3: The noise level (in decibels) at different floors
Table 4: The quietest and loudest floor in terms of noise level (decibels)
The graphs below show the noise level on Sunday 7 August as well as the noise limits prescribed by the NEA at different times during the day. [9] The y-axis represents the noise level, measured in dB, while the x-axis represents the time, with intervals at every 0:30 h. (could you kindly also show the noise levels for the other days).
Here are the statistics for the noise level throughout the week represented in the form of a tabular column.
We can observe that the average noise level on a Monday is highest, topping at 73 dB. The quietest day that was observed was a Tuesday, with an average noise level of 70 dB.
How does noise vary with height?
A study was also conducted on how the noise level varies with height and, therefore, the study was conducted in the same block where the previous study was conducted. The research involved going to each floor in the block, logging the noise level for 5 min and taking its mean. Unlike the first data collection, this was done in real time, just to analyze the variance of the noise level with height. Given below is the data in a tabular and graphical form.
Noise level decibels versus floor number
[Figure 5] shows a rapid increase in the noise level as you ascend from the 1 st to the 6 th floor. However, interestingly, the increase in noise as you ascend from the 6 th floor to the 11 th floor is very minor compared with the rapid change from the 1 st to the 6 th floor. Nevertheless, we can observe that the graph of noise level against floor height is linear. Also, interesting to note is that even though the noise level varies with height, it has consistently remained above the prescribed limit, which is a concern.
Figure 5: The graph of the noise level against the floor number. The y‑axis represents the noise level measured in dB, while the x‑axis measures the floor number
Solutions to counter noise
As can be seen by the study, there is clearly a major problem with the amount of noise the residents near expressways in Singapore are exposed to. Throughout the period that has been recorded, the noise level has been above the prescribed limit.
A large number of studies have been done globally on the reduction of roadway noise and from the literature available; it appears that most tend to focus on erecting a suitable sound barrier on the side of the road, such as concrete or earthen walls or planting trees. These are quite adequate where the roads run through low-rise residential estates but are of not much use in high-rise residential areas. As we have seen, the roadway noise level continues to rise with the height of the residence and as such short barriers erected on the side of the expressway or trees provide little or no relief. It is quite obvious in this case that the only way to shield residents from roadway noise is to encapsulate and thereby insulate the expressway in some way. A few solutions already deployed in some major urban centers as well as some novel possible solutions are discussed along with their pros and cons.
The Melbourne sound tube
As shown in [Figure 6] [10] a giant glass structure built around the western portion of the City Links expressway in Flemington, a suburb in Melbourne, which links the Tullamarine freeway with the central business district in Melbourne. [11] The aim was to mitigate noise around the portion of the expressway near residential areas. It was designed by Roger Rugless, and is 300 m long, 42.4 m wide and about 8 m in height. In Australia, the government standard for maximum noise is about 63 dB, while before the construction of the sound, the residential areas, especially at the higher floors, experienced noise levels of 70 dB.
Figure 6: The sound tube located in Flemington, Melbourne, Australia
Curved and tapering steelplate frames encapsulate the twin roadways. The sound attenuating cladding forms a C-shaped enclosure on one side and roofs over one outside lane of traffic completely. On the other side, cladding rises only a little above the parapet level. [12]
The green tube
A possible ecologically friendly solution to this problem would be to build a 'green tube' around the expressway as shown in [Figure 7]. [13] Similar to the Melbourne sound tube, it envelops the expressway, but instead of being made of glass, it is made of very strong bamboo. Bamboo is ecologically friendly as it is biodegradable and is also very strong and flexible at the same time. Then, creepers can be grown around this bamboo structure. These creepers will aid in mitigating the noise, as they will absorb most of the sound. A similar structure was presented at the Shanghai Expo by India, which consisted of a large bamboo dome covered with creepers and plants. [14]
Figure 7: The bamboo structure of the Indian pavilion at the Shanghai Expo
The photovoltaic sound tube
I believe that the same idea that was implemented in Melbourne should be implemented here in Singapore by building noise barriers around major roads and expressways that are adjacent to residential areas. However, instead of simply building a noise barrier to block the noise, solar panels can be placed on top of the sound barrier to generate clean electricity. Because Singapore receives a large amount of sunshine, this solution would be feasible and has a lot of potential. While the transition may not be easy or cheap, generating electricity for using solar energy might offset the costs.
Conclusively, this research has revealed the alarming noise problem of residential areas near expressways and their concomitant health problems. A thorough analysis of the varying levels of sound with height has also been explored and a number of solutions have been proposed that can, if not eradicated, mitigate the noise levels near residential areas.
1. Available from: http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/364095/1/.html.
2. Available from: http://www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Singapore.
3. Available from: http://www.tradingeconomics.com/singapore/road-density-km-of-road-per-sq-km-of-land-area-wb-data.html.
4. Available from: http://www.cars.st701.com/articles-cars/motoring-news/the-problem-with-urban-noise/a/16442.
5. Available from: http://www.osha.gov.
6. Available from: http://www.osha.europa.eu/en/topics/noise/problems_noise_cause_html. and http://www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Health_effects_from_noise.
7. Available from: http://www.earplugco.com/hearing.htm and http://www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Health_effects_from_noise.
8. Available from: http://www.unescap.org/ttdw/common/tis/ah/files/egm06/roadsafety_singapore_ppt.pdf.
9. Available from: http://www.app2.nea.gov.sg/topics_noise.aspx.
10. 10 Available from: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3d/TullamarineFwy.jpg.
11. Available from: http://americandreamcoalition.org/highways/ps348.pdf.
12. Available from: http://www.tollroadsnews.com/node/2207.
13. Available from: http://c1038.r38.cf3.rackcdn.com/group 1/building5567/media/Bamboo%20Structure%20of%20 th e%20Dome%20under%20construction.JPG.
14. Available from: http://www.worldinteriordesignnetwork.com/news/worlds_largest_bamboo_dome_adorns_indian_pavilion_at_shanghai_expo_100721.
185 Tanjong Rhu Road, #11-01, Sanctuary Green, Singapore 436924
[Figure 1], [Figure 2], [Figure 3], [Figure 4], [Figure 5], [Figure 6], [Figure 7]
[Table 1], [Table 2], [Table 3], [Table 4]
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NLD No Match for Formidable Opponents in Rakhine State
The Arakan National Party head office in Sittwe. (Photo: Soe Zeya Tun/Reuters)
By Moe Myint
The Irrawaddy
The Arakan National Party (ANP) is tipped to win a majority of state and Union constituencies in Arakan State,
RANGOON — Saw Thein Htun’s quest to win a seat in the Arakan State Parliament has hit something of a snag: he is not allowed to campaign.
The National League for Democracy (NLD) candidate for the Buthidaung-2 constituency on the Bangladeshi border, Saw Thein Htun told The Irrawaddy on Friday that he had been prevented by locals from canvassing in several locations, most recently the Arakanese Buddhist village of Thar Si.
“When we reached the village, they said to us, ‘the NLD is a Muslim party, don’t hold a rally here,” he said.
The Arakan National Party (ANP) is tipped to win the seat Thein Htun is seeking, along with a majority of state and Union constituencies in Arakan, in Burma’s Nov. 8 elections.
The party lobbied aggressively for the eventual disenfranchisement of the state’s Rohingya population, which had voted in every national election up to 2010, and is now expected to capitalize on widespread and enduring antipathy among Arakanese Buddhists to the Muslim minority and the inability of the ruling-Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) to address community tensions.
Kaung San Hla, a native of Arakan capital Sittwe, is also contesting a state seat for the NLD. He told The Irrawaddy that even before the communal violence of 2012, a majority of people in the area distrusted the opposition party.
“We can’t hope to get votes in this area,” he said. “It’s even very difficult to rent a building to open a party office.”
Kaung San Hla has a small chance of winning the seat all the same, partly thanks to a minor dispute within the ANP that led some spurned candidates to contest the constituency as independents. Under Burma’s first-past-the-post electoral system, he will need to win a plurality of the vote against seven other contenders.
At the same time, he conceded that with the disenfranchisement of the Rohingya population, he was unlikely to prevail over a groundswell of support for Arakanese nationalist opponents.
‘‘White card holder disenfranchisement [in Sittwe] has hit the NLD like it did in Maungdaw and Buthitaung townships,” he said, referring to the government’s decision to prevent Rohingya in possession of temporary identity documents from voting in the 2015 election.
The Irrawaddy spoke to five NLD candidates contesting seats in Arakan State on Friday. Most claimed the party still had a chance of picking up seats in the south of the state, but noted that the ANP was providing strong competition in every constituency.
Ba Gyi Kyaw, a 71-year-old Sittwe resident and journalist, said that he believed the ANP would sweep the state despite having less of a toehold in southern townships such as Thandwe and Gwa.
‘‘The USDP will win places with the military,” he said, referring to the Burma Army’s Western Command in Ann Township. “The competition will be strong in southern Arakan, but the ANP will win a majority of votes across the state.”
A total of 17 parties and 362 candidates will compete for Arakan’s 64 state and Union constituencies in the Nov. 8 poll.
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Manufacturing Slowdown... What Does It Mean for the Economy?
In September 2019, the Institute for Supply Management (ISM) Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) — which measures a wide variety of manufacturing data — fell to 47.8%, the lowest level since June 2009.1
A reading below 50% generally means that manufacturing activity is contracting. The August reading of 49.1% had signaled the beginning of a contraction, and the significant drop in September suggested that the contraction was not only continuing but accelerating.2 Shortly after the ISM report was released, nearly two-thirds of economists in a Wall Street Journal poll said the manufacturing sector was already in recession, defined as two or more quarters of negative growth.3
The PMI — which tracks changes in production, new orders, employment, supplier deliveries, and inventories — is considered a leading economic indicator that may predict the future direction of the broader economy. Manufacturing contractions have often preceded economic recessions, but the structure of the U.S. economy has changed in recent decades, with services carrying much greater weight than manufacturing. The last time the manufacturing sector contracted, during the “industrial recession” in 2015 and 2016, the services sector helped to maintain continued growth in the broader economy.4
That may occur this time as well, but there are signs that the services sector may also be slowing down. In September, the ISM Non-Manufacturing Index (NMI) dropped suddenly to its lowest point in three years: 52.6%. Although this still signaled service sector expansion — for the 116th consecutive month — it was a significant decline from the 56.4% reading in August 2019 and the 12-month high of 60.4% in November 2018.5
Global Weakness and Trade Tensions
The slump in U.S. manufacturing is being driven by a variety of factors, including a weakening global economy, the strong dollar, and escalating tariffs on U.S. and imported goods.
In October 2019, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) downgraded its forecast for 2019 global growth to 3.0%, the lowest level since 2008–09. The IMF pointed to trade tensions and a slowdown in global manufacturing as two of the primary reasons for the weakening outlook.6 Put simply, a weaker world economy shrinks the global market for U.S. manufacturers.
The strong dollar, which makes U.S. goods more expensive overseas, reflects the strength of the U.S. financial system in relation to the rest of the world and is unlikely to change in the near future.7 Tariffs, however, are a more volatile and immediate issue.
Originally intended to protect U.S. manufacturers, tariffs have been effective for some industries. But the overall impact so far has been negative due to rising costs for raw materials and retaliatory tariffs on U.S. exports. For example, tariffs on foreign steel, which were first levied in March 2018, enabled U.S. steel manufacturers to set higher prices. But higher prices increased costs for other U.S. manufacturers that use steel in their products.8 Retaliatory tariffs by Canada and Mexico contributed to a $650 million drop in U.S. steel exports in 2018 and a $1 billion increase in the steel trade deficit.9 (In May 2019, the United States removed steel tariffs on Canada and Mexico, which dropped retaliatory tariffs in return.)10
U.S. manufacturers in every industry may pay higher prices for imported materials used to produce their products. An average of 22% of “intermediate inputs” — raw materials, semi-finished products, etc., used in the manufacturing process — come from abroad.11 Tariffs paid by U.S. manufacturers on these inputs must be absorbed — cutting into profits — and/or passed on to the consumer, which may reduce consumer demand.
The Uncertainty Factor
Along with specific effects of the tariffs, manufacturers and other global businesses have been hamstrung by trade policy uncertainty, which makes it difficult to adapt to changing conditions and commit to investment. A recent Federal Reserve study estimated that trade policy uncertainty will lead to a cumulative 1% reduction in global economic output through 2020.12
On October 11, 2019, President Trump announced that he would delay further tariff hikes on China — including an increased tariff on intermediate goods scheduled for October 15 — while the two sides attempt to negotiate a limited deal. Although a deal would be welcomed by most interested parties, past potential deals have collapsed, and it’s uncertain how any agreement might affect the $400 billion in tariffs on Chinese goods already in place, or the tariffs on goods from other countries.13
Will the Slowdown Spread?
Manufacturing accounts for only 11% of U.S. gross domestic product (GDP) and 8.5% of non-farm employment, a big change from 50 years ago when it accounted for about 25% of both categories.14–15 However, the manufacturing sector’s economic influence extends beyond the production of goods to the transportation, warehousing, and retail networks that move products from the factory to U.S. consumers. The final output of U.S.-made goods accounts for about 30% of GDP.16
Even so, a continued slowdown in manufacturing is unlikely to throw the U.S. economy into recession as long as unemployment remains low and consumer spending remains high. The key to both of these may depend on the continued strength of the services sector, which employs the vast majority of U.S. workers. It remains to be seen whether the service economy will stay strong in the face of the global headwinds that are holding back manufacturing.
1–2, 5) Institute for Supply Management, 2019
3) The Wall Street Journal, October 10, 2019
4) The New York Times, July 28, 2019
6) International Monetary Fund, 2019
7) National Review, August 22, 2019
8) Bloomberg, March 24, 2019
9) The Wall Street Journal, March 18, 2019
10) Bloomberg, May 17, 2019
11) Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, 2018
12) Federal Reserve, 2019
13) USA Today, October 11, 2019
14) U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2019
15–16) The Wall Street Journal, October 1, 2019
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JAPANESE SCHOLARS’ POSITION ON RESPONSE TO STATEMENT ISSUED BY AMERICAN SCHOLARS
Categories: American History (Culture) ,Comfort Women ,Greater East Asian War (Pacific War) ,Tokyo Trials (International War Tribunals for the Far East) ,War Crime
(Opening Address)
Speaker: Dr. WATANABE Toshio
Chancellor, Takushoku University
Date: August 6, 2015 (Tuesday)
Place: FCCJ (Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Japan)
My name is Watanabe Toshio. I am one of the organizers of today’s event.
In May of this year a statement concerning the so-called comfort women was published; it was signed by 187 American scholars. I was astonished to see the names of Ronald Dore and Ezra Vogel in the list of signers, as they are distinguished scholars who have had significant influence on Japan’s intellectuals.
I have read the statement in question and noticed that it makes claims that absolutely must be challenged. It is my hope to improve mutual understanding between Japan and the United States. To that end, I will limit my discussion to two points at issue.
First, the statement contains the following language: “Among the many instances of wartime sexual violence and military prostitution in the twentieth century, the ‘comfort women’ system was distinguished by its large scale and systematic management under the military, and by its exploitation of young, poor, and vulnerable women in areas colonized or occupied by Japan.”
Because it is an attack on a nation’s history, an accusation like this one must be based on scrupulous verification of the facts. Is this statement the product of such an effort? The fruits of meticulous research into the comfort-women system done by Japanese scholars prove that the assertions made by the Americans will not stand up to scrutiny.
The statement enters the realm of obsession when it chastises Japanese researchers for using “legalistic arguments focused on particular terms or isolated documents to challenge the victims’ testimony.” It urges us to abandon this approach, and instead focus our efforts on leaving “as full and unbiased an accounting of past wrongs as possible.”
We, on the other hand, embrace a value system rooted in the belief that the truth exists only in facts. We search for historical resources and testimony to the extent possible. They may be limited, but when we examine them in detail and accumulate a body of verified facts, then — and only then — can we arrive at the unvarnished truth. In other words, we are advocates of historical positivism.
Through painstaking efforts on the part of Japanese researchers, we now know the truth about the comfort women. Today the great majority of Japanese are aware of the results of that research and have come to terms with it. Professor Nishioka Tsutomu will address this topic later today. In any event, the allegation that Japanese military authorities forced 200,000 Korean women into sexual slavery, and then slaughtered most of them after the war is patently untrue.
In the world of Japanese journalism, the Asahi Shimbun has for many years been publishing articles maintaining that Japanese military personnel abducted Korean women and compelled them to serve as comfort women. However, even the Asahi Shimbun published an article in August 2014 admitting that its statements about abduction and coercion were erroneous, and retracting all previous articles on the subject. The Americans’ contention that the comfort-women system stands out “[a]mong the many instances of wartime sexual violence and military prostitution in the twentieth century” is extremely inappropriate, flying in the face of sound research as it does.
It is most unfortunate that the notion that comfort women were forcibly recruited has become conventional wisdom in the Western world. American history textbooks, which are used by young people at a suggestible age, contain appallingly brazen statements such as:
“The Japanese army forcibly recruited, conscripted, and dragooned as many as two hundred thousand women … to serve in military brothels … .”
“The army presented the women as a gift from the emperor … .”
“At the end of the war, soldiers massacred large numbers of comfort women to cover up the operation.”
There is no factual basis for any of these insulting accounts.
Precisely because they are scholars, and because they exert a powerful influence on society, I urge American scholars to turn their attention to the empirical research conducted by members of Japan’s academic community, and then to do everything in their power to dispel the misconceptions that have arisen from false reports like those in the aforementioned textbook.
The second issue I would like to raise concerns the portion of the statement that praises Japan for its postwar history of democracy. Unfortunately, the next sentence reads as follows:
“Yet problems of historical interpretation pose an impediment to celebrating these achievements.”
I object to the arrogance of this particular remark, which demonstrates a complete lack of tolerance for differences of “historical interpretation” between nations or ethnic groups.
Today’s date, August 6, marks the 70th anniversary of the day the atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima, killing 140,000 noncombatants. Three days later, on August 9, another atomic bomb claimed 74,000 innocent victims, this time in Nagasaki. Earlier in 1945, on March 10, more than 100,000 Japanese citizens burned to death during the firebombing of Tokyo. These events have been validated as undeniable fact. However, there is a difference between the way they are perceived in Japan and in the US. We believe in tolerance for diverging interpretations of historical events that have been substantiated. But if the Americans insist on our adopting their interpretations of historical events, which have not been substantiated, we have no hope of forging healthy international relations.
Furthermore, we are convinced that the report issued by the UN Commission on Human Rights (commonly known as the Coomaraswamy Report) in 1996, the resolution condemning the comfort-women system issued by the US House of Representatives in 2007 and other, similar publications are nothing more than attempts to inculcate a specific, unsubstantiated historical interpretation.
We appeal to all principled Japanese scholars who believe that the truth lies in the facts, and only in the facts, to join us in our protest against the statement issued by the American scholars, and urge you to support our position.
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By Merryl Azriel on May 7, 2013 in Press Releases
Source: NASA/Jessica Culler
Abegael Jakey, outreach coordinator for NASA’s Aviation Safety Reporting System, suits up for her special recognition flight with the Navy’s Blue Angels. (Credits: NASA/Kevin Jakey).
Abegael “Abby” Jakey has aviation in her blood, taking her first flight at six months old in a Globe Swift. She hasn’t veered too far away from the industry since.
A pilot since she was 17, daughter and sister to commercial airline mechanics, recreational pilots, former Navy enlisted men, and a wife to a commercial airline pilot, 32 year-old Jakey worked through college as a certified flight instructor teaching others to fly safely.
She has had the unique opportunity to grow up flying antique airplanes, which drove her to her first flying job outside instructing, flying freight in a Beech 18 that led to a job as a regional airline pilot.
Now a contractor with Booz Allen Hamilton, Inc. working for NASA’s Aviation Safety Reporting System (ASRS), Jakey recently took her passion for flight to a higher level as she rode with the U.S. Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron, the Blue Angels.
In her position with the ASRS, Jakey coordinates outreach about the program to pilots, air traffic controllers, maintenance technicians, flight attendants, dispatchers and other aviation personnel. The program collects, analyzes and responds to confidential and voluntarily submitted safety incident or situation reports from those who are frontline personnel working in the National Airspace System. The reports are combined into a set of data that researchers and others can examine as a whole or individually, to reveal potential patterns of unsafe practices or conditions that might otherwise go unreported. Under a memorandum of agreement with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), NASA manages the ASRS at NASA’s Ames Research Center in Silicon Valley, Calif.
Because of her dedication to flight and the benefit of adding this experience to her understanding of the full scope of aviation, Jakey was invited earlier this year to ride along with the Blue Angels. The mission of the Blue Angels is to enhance Navy recruiting, and to represent Navy and Marine Corps aviation to the U.S. and its armed forces to America and other countries as international ambassadors of good will. Jakey was selected to fly based on her ability to influence attitudes and opinions in her community.
On March 13, 2013, Jakey went to El Centro, Calif., to fly in an F/A-18 Hornet with Navy pilot Lt. Ryan Chamberlain. The following is Jakey’s account of her experience, in her own words.
I woke up on the morning of March 13, 2013 fully expecting some unforeseen dark force to ruin the chance of a lifetime that was just around the corner. What was scheduled to happen in less than nine hours was almost too good to be true. Without my morning coffee and five minutes ahead of our scheduled 5:30 a.m. departure, I got into our rental car with my husband Kevin, our four year-old daughter Madison and Don Purdy, a colleague and former Naval aviator. We were bound for the Naval Air Facility El Centro, California from San Diego. Being susceptible to car sickness, I drove. I was nervous. I was anxious, yet eager, and I was enthusiastically looking forward to my upcoming flight with the U.S. Navy Blue Angels.
At 1:15 p.m., MC1 (Mass Communications Specialist) Terry Siren asked me to suit up. I nervously put on the provided flight suit and walked out to the van that would transport us to the glistening F/A-18 Hornet, Blue Angel #7. It was 92 degrees on the ramp when the crew chief, AME2 (Aviation Structural Mechanic) Jared Mann wasted no time buckling me in. Shortly thereafter, Lt. Ryan Chamberlain approached, strapped in, and without much delay we were ready to go. Fired up, I waved my daughter and husband an “Aloha” and away we went.
On taxi-out, Lt. Chamberlain and I started some casual conversation. I explained my flight experience and he gave a brief account of his. We both were turbo-prop pilots in a former life and the welcome rapport of the conversation instantly put me at ease for the high-G maneuvers I was about to experience. Lt. Chamberlain asked me to make the call to the tower for takeoff. I was a bit surprised at the suggestion, but didn’t hesitate; a plane is a plane… right? But, when you say high performance takeoff for an F-18, it’s a little different than what I’m accustomed to. As we took the runway, I grabbed a deep breath and wore a million dollar grin as we started our takeoff roll. At 280 knots we pulled up to 90 degrees and at that point I knew what 6 G’s felt like; an amazing experience. For the next 50 minutes I felt like a kid in a candy store, a flyer at the pinnacle of aviation. Here I was, actually experiencing it; the flight and opportunity of a lifetime. Diamond rolls, squirrel cages, Cuban eights, sustained inverted flight (not once, but twice), from slow flight to just over 600 knots in 30 seconds, practice target runs — 50 minutes of exhilarating, envelope-pushing fun. Returning for the overhead break back at the field, Lt. Chamberlain briefed me on the overhead break. This time, at 7.8 G’s, he “got me.” I briefly passed out. We shared a smart comment and laugh on arrival to a textbook landing.
The whole time in El Centro, I was in awe of the professional demeanor and manner of the Blue Angels. The entire team was made up of exceptional professionals representing the highest traditions of the men and women of our US Navy and Marine Corps. It was an absolute honor to be invited and welcomed into their operation for a day.
The next day, I woke up and was still glowing like I had just won the lottery… to an aviator it might as well have been a billion bucks. I was honored, and always will be, for having this experience.
TagsAviation Safety Reporting SystemBlue AngelsFAANASA
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5D (Fifth Dimension)
Title: 5D (Fifth Dimension)
Subject: The Byrds, The Notorious Byrd Brothers, Fifth Dimension (album), The Byrds' Greatest Hits, The Byrds (box set), The Essential Byrds, Eight Miles High, Fifth Dimension, The Original Singles: 1965–1967, Volume 1, The Byrds discography
"5D (Fifth Dimension)"
"Captain Soul"
May 24 and May 25, 1966, Columbia Studios, Hollywood, CA
Folk rock, psychedelic rock
Jim McGuinn
Allen Stanton
The Byrds singles chronology
"Eight Miles High"
(1966) "5D (Fifth Dimension)"
(1966) "Mr. Spaceman"
"5D (Fifth Dimension)" is a song by the American rock band The Byrds, written by band member Jim McGuinn.[1] It was released as a single on June 13, 1966 and reached #44 on the Billboard Hot 100 but failed to chart in the United Kingdom.[2][3][4] The song was also included on the band's third album, Fifth Dimension, released on July 18, 1966.[2] "5D (Fifth Dimension)" followed the release of the band's influential "Eight Miles High" single and arguably took The Byrds' psychedelic experimentation to even further extremes than their previous single had.[1]
According to McGuinn, the song's lyrics were an attempt to explain Einstein's theory of relativity and were directly inspired by the book 1-2-3-4, More, More, More, More by Don Landis.[5] In a 1966 interview with Hit Parader magazine the guitarist stated "It's sort of weird but...what I'm talking about is the whole universe, the fifth dimension, which is height, width, depth, time and something else. But there definitely are more dimensions than five. It's infinite. The fifth dimension is the threshold of scientific knowledge."[6] Talking to Michael Ross of Creem magazine in 1970, McGuinn further explained the song's meaning: "'5D' was an ethereal trip into metaphysics, into an almost Moslem submission to an Allah, an almighty spirit, free-floating, the fifth dimension being the 'mesh' which Einstein theorized about. He proved theoretically - but I choose to believe it."[7]
The song's abstract lyrics were largely interpreted by the band's audience as being about an LSD trip, much to McGuinn's dismay.[6] The notion that the song was about drugs was given further credence when it was singled out, within a month of its release, by Variety magazine as one of a recent spate of pop songs containing references to illegal drug use.[6] As a result of these allegations, the song was banned by some radio stations in the U.S.[8]
The master recording of "5D (Fifth Dimension)" was taped on May 24 and 25, 1966, during sessions for the Fifth Dimension album, with Allen Stanton serving as producer.[9] The song features the Bach-influenced organ and electric piano playing of Los Angeles composer, arranger, producer, and session musician Van Dyke Parks.[9][10] "5D (Fifth Dimension)" was a favorite of The Byrds' bass player, Chris Hillman, who described it as "one of the greatest songs McGuinn has ever written."[7]
Following its release, the song was performed sporadically during The Byrds' 1966 live concerts but was abandoned for the rest of the group's lifespan.[11] However, the song is frequently performed by McGuinn during his solo concerts and consequently appears on his 2007 live album, Live From Spain.[12] In addition to its appearance on the Fifth Dimension album, "5D (Fifth Dimension)" also appears on several Byrds' compilations, including The Byrds' Greatest Hits, History of The Byrds, The Original Singles: 1965–1967, Volume 1, The Byrds, The Very Best of The Byrds, The Essential Byrds, and There Is a Season.[1]
Clarence White
Gene Parsons
Skip Battin
Younger Than Yesterday
The Notorious Byrd Brothers
Sweetheart of the Rodeo
Dr. Byrds & Mr. Hyde
Ballad of Easy Rider
Byrdmaniax
Live at the Fillmore - February 1969
Live at Royal Albert Hall 1971
The Byrds' Greatest Hits
Preflyte
The Byrds' Greatest Hits Volume II
The Best of The Byrds: Greatest Hits, Volume II
History of The Byrds
The Byrds Play Dylan
The Original Singles: 1965–1967, Volume 1
20 Essential Tracks from the Byrds Box Set (1965-1990)
The Very Best of The Byrds
The Preflyte Sessions
The Essential Byrds
There Is a Season
Tribute albums
Time Between – A Tribute to The Byrds
Notable songs
"You Showed Me"
"Mr. Tambourine Man"
"All I Really Want to Do"
"I'll Feel a Whole Lot Better"
"Spanish Harlem Incident"
"The Bells of Rhymney"
"Turn! Turn! Turn!"
"She Don't Care About Time"
"Set You Free This Time"
"It Won't Be Wrong"
"Lay Down Your Weary Tune"
"He Was a Friend of Mine"
"The Times They Are a-Changin'"
"Why"
"Mr. Spaceman"
"So You Want to Be a Rock 'n' Roll Star"
"My Back Pages"
"Have You Seen Her Face"
"Lady Friend"
"Triad"
"You Ain't Goin' Nowhere"
"Hickory Wind"
"Lay Lady Lay"
"Ballad of Easy Rider"
"Jesus Is Just Alright"
"Chestnut Mare"
"Full Circle"
Jimmi Seiter
John Guerin
Terry Melcher
Johnny Rogan
See also: Discography
David Crosby, Rock music, Roger McGuinn, The Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan
Single (music)
Music, Rock music, Album, Music video, Bob Dylan
The Byrds, Gene Clark, Bob Dylan, Banjo, Chris Hillman
The Byrds, Roger McGuinn, David Crosby, Gene Clark, Rock music
David Crosby, The Byrds, Country music, Carole King, Gene Clark
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Close and Distant: A Journey to Cuba
Cuba is a fertile soil in which to plant Much Ado About Nothing. In the mid-20th century the Cuban Tourist Commission’s slogan was “Cuba—So Near… And Yet So Foreign.” It is easy to forget how close we are to our neighbors—less than 100 miles from Key West. The island has become invisible in the cultural imagination: a political vestige of the iron curtain. Yet, we also hold in our minds the lingering memory of something else. We have another picture of Cuba, a picture created before Castro. This picture is tropical, filled with music, rum and cigars, luxurious resorts and rural estates. It is romantic and exotic.
Shakespeare sets Much Ado About Nothing in Messina, on the island of Sicily. For Shakespeare, Sicily could be a land that was comfortable yet distant, relatable yet also titillating, a Catholic island where he could place a story of love and honor. In the United States, particularly in the first half of the 20th century, Cuba existed as a similarly imaginary place where someone could escape her everyday life for sensual and swashbuckling pursuits. In films such as The Cuban Love Song (1931), Havana Widows (1933), Wife vs. Secretary (1936), Week-End in Havana (1941) and Cuban Madness (1946), a visitor to Cuba has their world turned around. The most recognizable version of this reversal is in Guys and Dolls. In the 1955 film adaptation of the popular Broadway musical, gangster Sky Masterson takes missionary Sarah Brown on a date to Havana. Plied with Bacardi and forced to dance in a Havana nightclub just distant enough from their New York apartments, prim Sarah Brown becomes reckless and tough-guy Masterson softens. Cuba becomes a transforming space.
While Hollywood movies showcased the glamorous side of the island, the land was going through its own changes. Just as the U.S. was hit by the Great Depression, the Cuban economy was ravaged. The population, especially plantation workers, students and intellectuals, started demanding action. Small rebellions became nationwide in 1933, when Sergeant Fulgencio Batista led a large-scale military revolt that overturned the sitting government. The United States government supported the changes that came into place through Batista—and Batista turned a favorable eye to U.S. corporations eager to take advantage of the island’s deregulated utilities and productive plantations. Yet through these internal struggles the effects on the relationship with the United States was minimal, and tourism continued. In the 1933 film Havana Widows, Joan Blondell and Glenda Farrell play showgirls who’ve come to Cuba on a mission to find wealthy husbands. Hollywood was in the business of making Great Depression audiences forget their worries, and Cuba was just the place to do it. There was no need to look at what was really happening on the island just to the south, especially when rum cocktails still encouraged vacationers to let loose and lose themselves to a Cuban rhythm.
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About Shoreline+
Healthy City Strategy
Diversity & Inclusion+
Environment+
Sustainable Shoreline+
Climate, Water & Energy
Materials, Food & Waste
Trees, Parks & Ecosystems
Events & Meetings+
Calendar+
Getting Around+
Maps - GIS+
Online Interactive Maps
Neighborhoods+
Council of Neighborhoods+
CON Minutes
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CityWise Project
Stay Informed-
Our City » Stay Informed
Currents - A complete archive of the City's newsletter.
On January 6, City Council decided to move forward with the purchase of the Storage Court property located at 17828 Midvale Avenue N. This is the location that was the preferred site through the public process and selected by Council for a potential community and aquatics center.
Even though Proposition 1 failed to pass by the required 60%, more than 54% of Shoreline voters voted to approve funding a new aquatic, recreation, and community center. Over the next several months, Council will discuss options for the future of Shoreline’s recreation facilities and aquatic programs, including going out to voters again with a new proposal. Council decided that if they were to go out to voters again with a new proposal for an aquatic, recreation, and community center, the Storage Court location was still the preferred location for a new facility. It is centrally located; easily accessible by transit, bike, and foot; and fits into the community’s vision for a Town Center. Council also believes that with the potential for increasing property values, it makes sense to move forward with purchasing the property now. If Council were to go out for another vote to fund the aquatic, recreation, and community center, and voters were to approve the measure, the site would already be secured and would allow the City to move forward with site preparation and construction as soon as possible.
The City will continue to operate the storage facility until the City obtains the funding to move forward with the construction of a new recreation facility. Should it become necessary to close the storage business in the future, tenants will receive relocation assistance as required by law. Tenants will receive ample notification when and if such plans are put in place. The income generated from the operation of the storage facility will go towards the debt service to purchase the property and operational expenses.
During the election, many people asked why the City would purchase property when the School District offered to allow the construction of a new facility on School District property. The City looked at the cost of constructing the facility on the property offered by the School District near the current Shoreline Pool. We found that even factoring in the purchase price of the Storage Court property, it was more expensive to construct the facility on the School District property. There were a number of reasons for the higher costs, including the need to phase construction; the need to rebuild the tennis courts located at the site and a portion of the School District’s maintenance facility that would need to be taken for parking; and the School District property being located in the new MUR 70 zone, which has some of the strictest environmental construction requirements in the City, adding to the construction costs. These factors, among others, made constructing the new facility at the School District site more expensive than at the Storage Court site.
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FRM Race Preview: Texas I
Michael McDowell on Texas
18 Starts
“I think Texas is going to be the real test for the new aero package. The track still needs some more time for the second and third lane to really come in, but we're looking forward to getting our No. 34 Love's Ford Mustang up to speed and I'm excited to have WinStar World Casino and Resort on the car this week, as well.”
Matt Tifft on Texas
(Xfinity Series) 7 Starts | 5 Top-10
"We've seen some good speed at Texas in the past in Xfinity, so I'm looking forward to going back this weekend in a Cup car. I think we'll continue to see some interesting racing with the repave plus the aero ducts. Glad to have our partners at Surface Sunscreen and Tunity TV back on the No. 36 Ford Mustang."
David Ragan on Texas
24 Starts | 2 Top-10
"I'm looking forward to seeing what we can do in our No. 38 Ford at Texas with the new rules package. We've learned a lot running the aero ducts and the tapered spacer earlier this season, which I think will help us see some good speed this weekend.”
FRM Race Preview - Martinsville I
Michael McDowell on Martinsville
“Martinsville is where I made my Cup Series debut, so it's always been a special place for me. Because it's such a tight, flat track, it's so important to try and have a clean race. The track can really take a toll on the car, especially with all the bumping and banging that we've seen in the past.”
Matt Tifft on Martinsville
(NGOTS) 3 Starts | 2 Top-10
"I'm definitely looking forward to heading back to Martinsville. It's been a while since I've raced there, but I think we're going to see some aggressive racing this weekend. It's easy to get caught up in your own head because you're running so close together and it's a little like bumper cars sometimes. So it'll be important to stay focused and be smart throughout the race. I'm glad to have our partners at Surface Sunscreen and Tunity TV back on the car and look forward to getting another good result for them."
David Ragan on Martinsville
25 Starts | 3 Top-10 | 1 Top-5
"Martinsville is one of my favorite races on the circuit. There's a lot of history at that place and it's the kind of racing that NASCAR was built on. It can be such a tough track for drivers mentally and physically, running in traffic for pretty much all 500 laps. But that's what makes it exciting for fans to watch and I'm looking forward to putting on a good show for them.”
Race Preview - Fontana
Michael McDowell on Fontana
“I'm looking forward to going to Auto Club Speedway this weekend. It will still be a learning experience, even though we've seen this package at Vegas and Atlanta. I think we'll see more cars staying wide open for longer periods of time. Looking forward to making strides with our No. 34 Love's Ford Mustang and setting ourselves up for where we need to be moving forward this season.”
Matt Tifft on Fontana
"We've got some good momentum heading to Fontana this weekend. Coming off a Top-20 finish at Phoenix, I'm excited to see what this package will bring. Our partners at Surface Sunscreen are based in Southern California, so I'm really excited to have them on the car again and hopefully we can strive for another great finish."
David Ragan on Fontana
"It will be interesting to see how the race plays out with the aero ducts and downforce in this package. Auto Club is a unique track and I really enjoy racing there. We’ve had some good speed so far this year, so I think we will continue to be competitive this weekend.”
Race Preview - Phoenix I
Michael McDowell on Phoenix
“I’m excited to go to Phoenix with this package. It will be the first race for a short-track package, so it will be interesting to see what happens. I haven’t been able to test there, so I’m not really sure what to expect, but it's Phoenix, it’s my hometown race and I always look forward to that.”
Matt Tifft on Phoenix
(Xfinity Series) 4 Starts | 1 Top-5 | 2 Top-10
"Phoenix was a great track for me last year and we came up just short of getting a win there in the Xfinity Series. I feel like this is a great weekend to get some momentum going in the right direction for our team, especially because last week was rough, but we still saw potential during parts of the race. I'm looking forward to hitting the track in our No. 36 Tunity/Surface Sunscreen Mustang."
David Ragan on Phoenix
"I’m really looking forward to going to Phoenix. Phoenix kind of races like a short-track and I think that the new downforce package is going to make for an exciting race. So again, this will be another racetrack that’s unique to start the schedule off with and I can’t wait to see all of our friends from Select Blinds as well.”
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Cyfartha Ironworks - UK Mining Remains
Cyfarthfa Ironworks - LARGE FURNACE BANK
The Cyfarthfa works commenced in 1765 by Anthony Bacon. Work on the first coke blast furnace began in August 1766. It was probably brought into blast in Autumn 1767. The heyday of the works was under the Crawshay family from 1794-1810. Producing cannon critical to the Navy resulting in a visit from Admiral Nelson in 1802. By 1819 it had six blast furnaces, producing 23,000 tons of iron. The works continued to provide high-quality iron to the Industrial Revolution, but lost its position as the leading ironworks in Merthyr Tydfil to its rival, Dowlais Ironworks. Competition and rising iron ore costs (imported by this point) took their toll and given a reluctance to switch to steel, the works closed in 1875. The family reopened the works, but soon closed it again for a costly, long rebuild to a steel works completed in 1884 known as Crawshay Brothers, Cyfarthfa, Limited. The works were sold to Guest, Keen & Nettlefolds Ltd, proprietors of Dowlais Ironworks in 1902. By 1910, the steelworks again closed. It briefly reopened in 1915 for the production of materials for World War I, but closed for the last time in 1919 being dismantled in 1928. The closure was a devastating blow to the local economy. Today at NGR SO038068 can be found the huge & impressive furnace bank containing 6 original furnaces, to the front of these are the bases of the later steel furnaces.
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Family launches charity fund in honour of slain son
Monday, August 1, 2016 - 12:30
"Determined to not let her son’s death be in vain, the mother of 22-year-old Isaiah Hospedales, who was brutally murdered in the wee hours of Saturday 23rd July 2016, has established a charity fund to assist families who have also lost loved ones to gun violence.
The Isaiah Hospedales AKA ‘Papi’ Charity Fund will provide counselling, financial and emotional support to families who have endured similar tragedy.
Isaiah’s mother, Avis George-Hospedales, explained that the idea to embark on this initiative stemmed from a conversation she shared with her son a week prior to his demise.
In that resounding moment, Isaiah, a budding chef and lover of life, expressed a desire to do more to improve the lives of others.
“My son will not be another statistic. I won’t allow his life, though surreptitiously cut short, to be easily forgotten” stated George-Hospedales.
“Through the Isaiah Hospedales AKA ‘Papi’ Charity Fund we will endeavour to ease the burden in whichever way possible of families (particularly parents and siblings) whose lives have been drastically altered because of gun violence.
To provide relief to those who need it the most, we will partner with non-governmental and community-based organizations and other local bodies”, his mother added.
The family is currently in the process of registering the Charity and establishing a governance structure that would ensure the smooth and transparent operating of the fund.
The offering that was collected at Isaiah’s farewell service on July 29, 2016 will serve as the first deposit of funds to the Charity and will be graciously matched by the Hospedales family.
The family encourages those interested in donating to the Isaiah Hospedales AKA ‘Papi’ Charity Fund to contact Shaheeda Sylvester at [email protected] or 480-8296.
On Saturday 23rd July, 2016 at 5:15 a.m., 22-year-old TTHTI student Isaiah Hospedales became murder victim number 253 after he was shot and killed on Ariapita Avenue."
This article was written and submitted to the media by Shaheeda Sylvester.
FOR MORE TOP STORIES: http://www.cnc3.co.tt/latest-news
Isaiah Hospedales
Charity Fund
Bazodee opens this week
Former Housing Minister questions inaction within 'Land for the Landless' programme
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| 0.386949
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Arthritis Borax
How the Arthritis Cure has been Stopped
by Walter Last
Published in the June/July 2012 issue of Nexus magazine
http://www.health-science-spirit.com/borax.htm
You may not be able to imagine that Borax, this humble insecticide and laundry detergent, has the potential of singlehandedly bringing down our entire economic system. But you do not need to worry, the danger has been recognised and the necessary steps are already being taken to defuse the situation. I will start with the basics and you will understand what I mean as the story unfolds.
Borax is a naturally occurring and mined mineral salt and the source of other manufactured boron compounds. The main deposits are in Turkey and California. Chemical names are 1) sodium tetraborate decahydrate, 2) disodium tetraborate decahydrate, or simply 3) sodium borate.
This means it contains four atoms of boron as its central feature combined with two sodium atoms and ten molecules (or sometimes less) of crystallisation water. Therefore, borax is the sodium salt of the weak boric acid. Because sodium is more strongly alkaline, this makes a solution of borax strongly alkaline with a pH between 9 and 10 (pH 7 is neutral). When ingested, it reacts with hydrochloric acid in the stomach to form boric acid and sodium chloride (table salt). The boron content of Borax is 11.3% while for boric acid it is 17.5% or about 50% higher. Ingested boron compounds are rapidly and nearly completely excreted with the urine.
Formerly, boric acid was widely used as a preservative in foods, but is now banned for this purpose in most countries, and is also banned from public sale in Australia.
According to conventional medicine, it is not known if boron is essential for humans, but research shows that we do need it. The reason why it was difficult to answer this question is the presence of boron in all plants and unprocessed foods. Diets with a fair amount of fruit and vegetables provide about 2 to 5 mg of boron per day, but this also depends on the region where the food was grown and how it was grown.
In reality the average intake in developed countries is 1-2 mg of boron per day. Institutionalized patients may receive only 0.25 mg of daily boron. Chemical fertilizers inhibit the uptake of boron from the soil: an organic apple grown in good soil may have 20 mg boron, but if grown with fertilizer it may have only 1 mg of boron. Fertilizers combined with poor food choices have greatly reduced our boron intake compared to 50 or 100 years ago.
Further, unhealthy cooking methods greatly reduce the availability of boron from food. The cooking water of vegetables containing most of the minerals may be discarded during home cooking or commercial processing; phytic acid in baked goods, cereals and cooked legumes may greatly reduce availability, while gluten sensitivity and Candida overgrowth inhibit the absorption of minerals. All this makes health problems due to boron deficiency now very common.
Health Effects of Boron
Due to their content of boron, borax and boric acid have basically the same health effects, with good antiseptic, antifungal, and antiviral properties, but only mild antibacterial action. In plants as well as animals, boron is essential for the integrity and function of cell walls, and the way signals are transmitted across membranes.
Boron is distributed throughout the body with the highest concentration in the parathyroid glands, followed by bones and dental enamel. It is essential for healthy bone and joint function, regulating the absorption and metabolism of calcium, magnesium and phosphorus through its influence on the parathyroid glands. With this, boron is for the parathyroids what iodine is for the thyroid.
Boron deficiency causes the parathyroids to become overactive, releasing too much parathyroid hormone which raises the blood level of calcium by releasing calcium from bones and teeth. This then leads to osteoarthritis and other forms of arthritis, osteoporosis and tooth decay. With advancing age, high blood levels of calcium lead to calcification of soft tissues causing muscle contractions and stiffness; calcification of endocrine glands, especially the pineal gland and the ovaries; arteriosclerosis, kidney stones, and calcification of the kidneys ultimately leading to kidney failure. Boron deficiency combined with magnesium deficiency is especially damaging to the bones and teeth.
Boron affects the metabolism of steroid hormones, and especially of sex hormones. It increases low testosterone levels in men and oestrogen levels in menopausal women. It also has a role in converting vitamin D to its active form, thus increasing calcium uptake and deposition into bone and teeth rather than causing soft tissue to calcify. Also other beneficial effects have been reported such as improvement of heart problems, vision, psoriasis, balance, memory and cognition.
The German cancer researcher Dr Paul-Gerhard Seeger has shown that cancer commonly starts with the deterioration of cell membranes. As boron is essential for cell membranes and boron deficiency widespread, this may be an important cause for the initiation of tumour growth. Boron compounds have anti-tumour properties and are "potent anti-osteoporotic, anti-inflammatory, hypolipemic, anti-coagulant and anti-neoplastic agents" (1).
This overview shows the wide-ranging influence of boron on our health. In the following I want to describe some of these health effects in greater detail.
The Arthritis Cure of Rex Newnham
In the 1960's, Rex Newnham, Ph.D., D.O., N.D., developed arthritis. At that time he was a soil and plant scientist in Perth, Western Australia. Conventional drugs did not help, so he looked for the cause into the chemistry of plants. He realized that plants in that area were rather mineral deficient. Knowing that boron aids calcium metabolism in plants he decided to try it. He started taking 30 mg of borax a day, and in three weeks all pain, swelling and stiffness had disappeared.
He told public health and medical school authorities about his discovery, but they were not interested. However, some people with arthritis were delighted as they improved. Others were scared to take something with a poison label on the container and meant to kill cockroaches and ants. Eventually, he had tablets made with a safe and effective quantity of borax.
Within five years and only by word of mouth he sold 10,000 bottles a month. He could no longer cope and asked a drug company to market it. That was a major mistake. They indicated that this would replace more expensive drugs and reduce their profits. It so happened that they had representatives on government health committees and arranged that in 1981, Australia instituted a regulation that declared boron and its compounds to be poisons in any concentration. He was fined $1000 for selling a poison, and this successfully stopped his arthritis cure from spreading in Australia. (2)
Subsequently he published several scientific papers on borax and arthritis. One was a double-blind trial in the mid 1980's at the Royal Melbourne Hospital which showed that 70% of those who completed the trial were greatly improved. Only 12% improved when on placebo. There were no negative side-effects, but some reported that their heart ailment had also improved, and there was better general health and less tiredness. (3)
Most of his later research was devoted to the relationship between soil boron levels and arthritis. He found, for instance that the traditional sugarcane islands, due to long-term heavy use of fertilizers, have very low soil-boron levels. Jamaica has the lowest level and arthritis rates are about 70%. He noted that even most dogs were limping. Next comes Mauritius with very low boron levels and 50% arthritis. The daily boron intake in these countries is less than 1 mg/day. An interesting comparison is between Indian and native Fijians. The Indians are estimated to have an arthritis rate of about 40% and eat much rice grown with fertilizer while the native Fijians with an estimated arthritis rate of 10% eat mainly starchy root vegetables grown privately without fertilizer.
The US, England, Australia and New Zealand generally have average soil-boron levels with an estimated intake of 1 to 2 mg of boron and arthritis rates of about 20%. But Carnarvon in Western Australia has high boron levels in soil and water, and the arthritis rate is only 1%. It is similar in a place called Ngawha Springs in New Zealand with very high boron levels in the spa water which is curative for arthritis. Actually all spas reputedly curing arthritis have very high boron levels. These are also high in Israel with an estimated daily boron intake of 5 to 8 mg and only 0.5 - 1% arthritis.
Bone analysis showed that arthritic joints and nearby bones had only half the boron content of healthy joints. Equally, synovial fluid that lubricates joints and provides nutrients to the cartilage is boron deficient in arthritic joints. After boron supplementation, bones were much harder than normal and surgeons found them more difficult to saw through. With additional boron, bone fractures heal in about half the normal time in both man and animal. Horses and dogs with broken legs, or even a broken pelvis, have fully recovered.
Borax is also effective with other forms of arthritis, such as Rheumatoid Arthritis, Juvenile Arthritis, and Lupus (Systemic Lupus Erythematosus). For instance Dr Newnham saw a young girl aged 9 months with juvenile arthritis. He was able to cure her in 2 weeks.
He wrote that people can commonly get rid of their pain, swelling and stiffness in about 1 to 3 months. Then they can reduce treatment from 3 to 1 boron tablet (each 3 mg) per day as a maintenance dose so that they can avoid any future arthritis. He also stated that patients with rheumatoid arthritis commonly experienced a Herxheimer reaction [healing reaction],and that this is always a good prognostic sign. They must persevere and in another 2 or 3 weeks the pain, swelling and stiffness will be gone. (4,5)
I found this statement not only interesting, but also surprising. The Herxheimer reaction is an early aggravation of symptoms with increased pain. It is commonly due to toxins released by killed Candida and mycoplasma. This is very common with antimicrobial therapy, and borax definitely is an exceptionally good and strong fungicide. What surprises me, however, is that this fungicidal effect is already present at this rather low dose of 75 to 90 mg of borax. Equally surprising is the finding that also up to 30% of those with osteoarthritis experienced a Herxheimer reaction, suggesting that the border between osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis is rather fluid. I believe that in long-standing and especially resistant cases it will be advisable to use other antimicrobials in addition. For co-factors in arthritis treatment also see my article Arthritis and Rheumatism or the booklet OVERCOMING ARTHRITIS.
Osteoporosis and Sex Hormones
Boron deficiency causes greatly increased amounts of calcium and magnesium to be lost with the urine. A borax supplement will reduce the daily loss of calcium by nearly 50%. As this calcium comes mainly from resorbed bone and teeth, boron deficiency may be the most important factor in causing osteoporosis and tooth decay.
It has been estimated that 55% of Americans over 50 have osteoporosis and of these about 80% are women. Worldwide, 1 in 3 women and 1 in 12 men over the age of 50 may have osteoporosis, and this is responsible for millions of fractures each year. Rats with osteoporosis were given a boron supplement for 30 days with the result that their bone quality was now comparable with that of the healthy control group and of a group supplemented with oestradiol (6).
The beneficial effect of borax on bones seems to be due to two interrelated effects: a higher boron content of the bones which makes them harder, and a normalisation of sex hormones which stimulates the growth of new bone. Low oestrogen levels after menopause are thought to be the main reason why so many older women develop osteoporosis. In men, testosterone levels decline more gradually which seems to be reflected in their later onset of osteoporosis as a group.
Research has now shown that boron supplementation in postmenopausal women doubles the blood level of the most active form of oestrogen, 17-beta oestradiol, to the level found in women on oestrogen replacement therapy. Equally, the blood levels of testosterone more than doubled (7). With HRT [hormone replacement therapy] there is a higher risk of breast or endometrial cancer which is not known to happen with hormones produced by the body as with borax supplementation.
Some women get premenstrual problems because oestrogen levels are too high and progesterone too low, and therefore may be afraid of using boron. However, I found no evidence that boron raises oestrogen above normal healthy levels. Boron may balance levels of sex hormones similar to the action of maca root powder. Maca acts on the pituitary gland not only to increase, but also to balance our sex hormones and seems to stimulate our own progesterone production as needed.
A recent study in younger men (29 - 50) showed that the level of free testosterone (the form that matters most) had risen by one third after a daily supplementation of about 100 mg of borax for one week (8). This is of special interest for bodybuilders.
Contrary to the medical preference of chemically castrating men with prostate cancer, research with boron has shown that elevated testosterone levels are beneficial by shrinking prostate tumours and PSA levels, PSA [prostate specific antigen] being a marker for tumours and inflammation in the prostate. Also, significantly improved memory and cognition in elderly individuals may be partly due to increased levels of sex hormones and partly to improved membrane functions of brain cells (9).
I have been asked about boron supplementation for women with oestrogen-sensitive breast cancer. Breast cancer is related to calcifications in the breast. In my opinion, it is more important to normalize the calcium-magnesium metabolism and cellular membrane functions rather than feel restricted by a possibly faulty medical concept, especially as I believe that cancer can usually be controlled with long-term antimicrobial therapy. Therefore I would use boron as well as maca in this case.
Fungi and Fluoride
Being such an excellent fungicide, it is not surprising that borax is being successfully used to treat Candida. There is much interesting information on an Earth Clinic forum called Borax Cures (10). With low to medium-weight people use 1/8 teaspoon of borax powder and with heavier weight 1/4 teaspoon per litre of water. One drinks the water spaced out during the day, and does this for 4 or 5 days a week as long as required.
Many contributors wrote that it cured or greatly helped them. So for instance this post: "I also have psoriasis, so maybe the soreness in my joints is the psoriatic arthritis creeping in. I thought, after reading about borax here on this forum, I would give it a try. OMG! In one day, the soreness in my knees has vanished! .... Also, my psoriasis seems a lot better after 2 days drinking 1/4 tsp borax in 1 litre of water per day."
Another one about toe fungus: "He wet his feet and then took a handful (of borax) and rubbed it all over his feet. He said it stopped itching immediately! He was stunned. A few weeks later I asked him how his athletes foot was and he said: oh wow! it hasn't come back! that stuff totally cured it !!!"
Other enthusiastic posts were about vaginal thrush [candida]. Borax appeared to be more effective than other remedies. Commonly, one large gelatine capsule filled with borax or boric acid was inserted at bedtime for several nights or up to 2 weeks. Alternatively the powder can be mixed with cool solidified coconut oil as a bolus or suppository.
A recent scientific study (11) confirms these positive observations with vaginal thrush. Boric acid at the dose of a filled capsule worked even in cases of drug-resistant Candida and against all the tested pathogenic bacteria. Because of the greater dilution, a douche may not be strong enough for bacteria and drug-resistant Candida, but it should work for normal Candida. Borax, due to its alkalinity, was more effective than boric acid.
In normal healthy conditions, Candida exists as harmless oval yeast cells. When challenged, chains of elongated cells called pseudohyphae develop, and finally strongly invasive long, narrow and tube-like filaments called hyphae. These damage the intestinal wall, and cause inflammation and Leaky Gut Syndrome.
Pseudohyphae and hyphae can be seen in the blood of individuals with cancer and autoimmune diseases. Candida can also form tough layers of biofilm. This same study shows that boric acid/borax inhibits the formation of biofilms and also the transformation of harmless yeast cells into invasive hyphal form. In other articles, I have shown that this process, commonly initiated by antibiotics, is a basic cause of most of our modern diseases, and this makes borax and boric acid primary health remedies. But this article shows that there are many more reasons to give them a top rating.
A scientific review in 2011 concluded: "... boric acid is a safe, alternative, economic option for women with recurrent and chronic symptoms of vaginitis when conventional treatment fails..." (12). But as it is so much better than drugs, why not use it as a first option, or use the even more effective borax?
Another study from Turkey (13) shows the protective effect of boric acid on food contaminated with mycotoxins, especially fungal aflatoxins. Among these, Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) causes extensive DNA damage and is the most potent carcinogen ever tested, especially affecting liver and lungs, also causing birth defects, immunotoxicity and even death in farm animals and humans.
Boric acid treatment was protective and led to increased resistance of DNA to oxidative damage induced by AFB1. The strong antifungal action of boric acid is, of course, the reason why it has traditionally been used as a food preservative.
Borax, similar to the equally endangered Lugol's iodine solution, can also be used to remove accumulated fluoride and heavy metals from the body (14). Fluoride not only causes bones to deteriorate, but also the pineal gland to calcify and the thyroid to become underactive. Borax reacts with fluoride ions to form boron fluorides which are then excreted in the urine.
In a Chinese study, borax was used to treat 31 patients with skeletal fluorosis. The amount was gradually increased from 300 to 1100 mg/day during a three month period, with one week off each month. The treatment was effective with 50 to 80% improvement.
One forum contributor suffered with Fibromyalgia/Rosacea, chronic fatigue and TMJ for over 10 years which she believed were caused by fluoride. She used 1/8 tsp of borax and 1/8 tsp of sea salt in a litre of de-chlorinated water, and drank this for 5 days each week. Within two weeks her face cleared, the redness faded, body temperature normalized, energy level increased, and she steadily lost excess weight. The only side-effect was an initial aggravation of her Rosacea symptoms.
Another post: "7 years ago thyroid cancer, the next year adrenal fatigue, then early menopause, the following year uterine prolapse followed by hysterectomy - the following year fibromyalgia and neuropathy. Early Childhood was fluorinated water along with fluoride tablets. Fall of 2008 I was looking at total disability. I could barely walk and couldn't sleep because of the pain and was throwing up daily from the pain in my back. ... After reading about fluoride I came to understand where all of my problems originated. ... I began the borax detox of 1/8 tsp in a litre of water and within 3 days my symptoms were almost gone."
Calcium-Magnesium Metabolism
There is antagonism as well as cooperation between calcium and magnesium. About half of the total body magnesium is found in bones and the other half inside the cells of tissues and organs. Only 1% is in the blood. The kidneys try to keep this level constant by excreting more or less with the urine.
In contrast, 99% of calcium is in bones, and the rest in the fluid outside of cells. Muscles contract when calcium moves into the cells, and they relax when calcium is again pumped out and magnesium moves in. This cellular pump requires much energy to pump calcium out, and if cells are low in energy, then calcium may accumulate inside cells. Low cellular energy may be due to Candida, faulty sugar or fat metabolism, deficiencies, or accumulating metabolic wastes and toxins.
This then leads to only partial relaxation of the muscles with stiffness, a tendency to cramps, and poor blood and lymph circulation. The problem gets worse the more calcium moves from bones into soft tissue. Nerve cells can also accumulate calcium, leading to faulty nerve transmission. In the eye lens, it causes cataracts. Hormonal output keeps reducing as endocrine glands increasingly calcify and all other cells become handicapped in their normal functions. In addition, it causes intracellular magnesium deficiency. Magnesium is needed to activate countless enzymes, and a deficiency leads to inefficient and blocked energy production.
A further problem is that excess calcium damages the cell membrane and makes it difficult for nutrients to move in and wastes to move out. When the intracellular calcium level gets too high, the cell will die.
Here we can see the importance of boron as a regulator of cell membrane functions, especially in regard to movements of calcium and magnesium. With boron deficiency, too much calcium moves into the cell while magnesium cannot move inside to displace it. This is the condition of old age and of the boron-deficiency diseases leading up to it.
While in good health and especially in younger years, a calcium - magnesium ratio of 2 : 1 is normal and beneficial and supplied with a good diet. But with increasing age, boron deficiency and resulting disease conditions, we need progressively less calcium and more magnesium.
For boron to be fully effective in reversing tissue calcification, ample magnesium is required. For elderly individuals, I recommend 400 to 600 mg of magnesium together with the daily borax supplementation spaced out during the day, and with protracted joint problems additional trans-dermal magnesium. However, oral magnesium may need to be adjusted according to its laxative effect. I am doubtful whether calcium supplements are needed and beneficial, even in case of osteoporosis. In my view these individuals have plenty of calcium stored in soft tissues where it does not belong, and supplementing boron and magnesium is expected to redeposit this misplaced calcium into bones. I regard the medical focus on a high calcium intake as a prescription for accelerated aging.
What and How Much to Use
In some countries (e.g. Australia, NZ, USA), borax can still be found in the laundry and cleaning sections of supermarkets. There is no "food-grade" borax available or necessary. The label usually states that it is 99% pure which is safe to use, and is the legal standard for agricultural grade borax. Up to 1% mining and refining residues are permitted. Boric acid, if available, may be used at about the dose of borax.
Firstly, dissolve a lightly rounded teaspoonful (5-6 grams) of borax in 1 litre of good quality water free of chlorine and fluoride. This is your concentrated solution. Keep the bottle out of reach of small children.
� Standard dose = 1 teaspoon (5 ml) of concentrate. This has 25 to 30 mg of borax and provides about 3 mg of boron. Take 1 dose per day mixed with drink or food. If that feels right then take a second dose with another meal. If there is no specific health problem or as a maintenance dose you may continue indefinitely with 1 or 2 doses daily.
If you do have a problem, such as arthritis, osteoporosis and related conditions, menopause, stiffness due to advancing years, and also to improve low sex hormone production, increase intake to 3 or more spaced-out standard doses for several months or longer until you feel that your problem has sufficiently improved. Then drop back to 1 or 2 doses per day.
If you want to try the higher doses recommended by Earth Clinic for treating Candida and removing fluoride from the body - using your bottle of concentrated solution - then use:
� Lower dose for low to normal weight - 100 ml (= 1/8 teaspoon of borax powder); drink spaced out during the day.
� Higher dose for heavier individuals - 200 ml (= 1/4 teaspoon of borax powder); drink spaced out during the day.
Always start with a standard dose and increase gradually to the intended maximum. Take the maximum amounts for 4 or 5 days a week as long as required.
Borax is rather alkaline and in higher concentrations has a soapy taste. You may disguise this with lemon juice, vinegar or ascorbic acid. Keep the bottle with the concentrated solution out of reach of small children.
Borax and boric acid have been classified as reproductive poisons in Europe, and since December 2010 are no longer available to the public within the EU.
Presently, borax is still available in Switzerland (15), but shipment to Germany is not permitted. In Germany a small amount (20 - 50 grams) may be ordered through a pharmacy as ant poison (it will be registered).
Boron tablets can be bought from health shops or the Internet, commonly with 3 mg of boron. These contain tightly bound boron not present in ionic form as with borax or boric acid. While suitable as a general boron supplement, I do not expect them to work against Candida and mycoplasmas, or as a quick arthritis, osteoporosis or menopause cure. Most scientific studies and individual experiences were with borax or boric acid. To improve effectiveness, I recommend 3 or more spaced-out boron tablets daily for an extended period combined with sufficient magnesium and a suitable antimicrobial program (16).
Possible Side-Effects
While side-effects from pharmaceutical drugs tend to be negative and often dangerous, with natural medicine, such as borax therapy, these are usually healing reactions with beneficial long-term effects. Most common is the Herxheimer reaction from eliminating Candida.
In some of the above forum posts, rapid improvement was experienced within days. This is always a functional response. High cellular calcium levels cause muscle contraction with cramps or spasms as a common cause of pain. Boron, especially together with magnesium, can rapidly relax these muscles and take away the pain.
However, with long-standing severe calcifications a large amount of calcium cannot be redistributed in a short time. This leads to increased calcium levels in the affected area, especially the hips and shoulders, and can cause problems for a considerable time, such as a tendency to severe cramping and pain, or problems with the blood circulation, or nerve transmission. Nerve-related effects in hands and feet may be numbness, or reduced sensitivity or feeling in the skin. Higher amounts of calcium and fluoride passing through the kidneys may cause temporary kidney pain. Such healing reactions cannot be avoided when aiming for a higher level of health.
Whenever you experience an unpleasant effect reduce or temporarily stop borax intake until the problem subsides. Then gradually start increasing again. Helpful additional measures are a) a greatly increased fluid intake, b) using more organic acids such as lemon juice, ascorbic acid or vinegar, and c) improving lymph flow as with rebounding, walking or inverted positions.
Toxicity Issues
Government health agencies are concerned about boron toxicity. You might be concerned as well if you read the following, pertaining to sodium chloride (or more commonly known as table salt (17):
'Acute oral toxicity (LD50 - the dose at which half of the tested animals die): 3,000 mg/kg [Rat]. Chronic Effects on Humans: Mutagenic for mammalian somatic cells. Slightly hazardous in case of skin contact, ingestion or inhalation. Lowest Published Lethal Oral Dose in Man: 1000 mg/kg. Causes adverse reproductive effects in humans (fetotoxicity, abortion) by intraplacental route, may increase risk of Toxemia of Pregnancy in susceptible women. May cause adverse reproductive effects and birth defects in animals, particularly rats and mice - fetotoxicity, abortion, musculoskeletal abnormalities, and maternal effects (on ovaries, fallopian tubes). May affect genetic material (mutagenic). Ingestion of large quantities can irritate the stomach with nausea and vomiting. May affect behavior (muscle spasicity/contraction, somnolence), sense organs, metabolism, and cardiovascular system. Continued exposure may produce dehydration, internal organ congestion, and coma.'
Now compare the sodium chloride toxicity with the Material Safety Data Sheet or MSDS for borax (18):
'Low acute oral toxicity; LD50 in rats 4,500 to 6,000 mg/kg of body weight. Reproductive/developmental toxicity: Animal feeding studies in rat, mouse and dog, at high doses, have demonstrated effects on fertility and testes. Studies with boric acid in the rat, mouse and rabbit, at high doses, demonstrate developmental effects on the fetus, including fetal weight loss and minor skeletal variations. The doses administered were many times in excess of those to which humans would normally be exposed. No evidence of carcinogenicity in mice. No mutagenic activity was observed in a battery of short-term mutagenicity assays. Human epidemiological studies show no increase in pulmonary disease in occupational populations with chronic exposures to borate dust and no effect on fertility.'
Here you see that table salt is 50 to 100% more toxic than borax. Table salt changes the genetic material and is mutagenic, while borax is harmless in this regard. Infants are most at risk from high borax ingestion. It has been estimated that 5 to 10 grams can cause severe vomiting, diarrhoea, shock and even death, but it also says that lethal doses are not well documented in the literature.
The following toxicity data are from documents of the US Environmental Protection Agency and the Centers for Disease Control(19, 20).
A review of 784 accidental human poisonings from 10 - 88 grams of boric acid reported no fatalities, with 88% of cases being asymptomatic, meaning they did not notice anything. However, gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, hepatic, renal, and central nervous system effects, dermatitis, erythema, and death have been observed in some children and adults exposed to more than 84 mg boron/kg, corresponding to more than 40 grams of borax for 60 kg of body weight.
Animal studies have identified reproductive toxicity as the most sensitive effects of boron ingestion. Exposure of rats, mice, and dogs for several weeks showed some damage to the testes and sperm at doses of more than 26 mg boron/kg which corresponds to 15 grams of borax/day for 60 kg body weight.
Most at risk is the developing foetus, and in the studied animals rats were most affected. In one study slight reductions in the foetal body weight were already found at 13.7 mg boron/kg/day used during pregnancy. The [has] no effect dose was set at less than 13.7 mg/kg/day corresponding to about 7 grams of borax per day for 60 kg body weight. With an added safety factor, a no effect value of 9.6 mg boron/kg/day was calculated corresponding to 5 grams of borax for 60 kg.
However, a rat study lasting for 3 generations found no reproductive toxicity or effect on the parents or offspring at 30 mg boron/kg/day. This dose corresponds to 17 grams of borax for 60 kg ingested for 3 generations! In another 3-generation study no problem was found at 17.5 mg boron/kg/day, corresponding to 9 grams of borax/60 kg, while the next higher tested dose of 58.5 mg/kg/day, corresponding to 30 grams of borax/60 kg, resulted in infertility. Therefore we can assume that the safe reproductive dose is up to about 20 grams/60 kg/day.
Human studies of the possible association between impaired fertility and high boron levels in water, soil and dust in a Turkish populations, and boron mining and processing workers, found no effect. One study even reported elevated fertility rates in borax production workers as compared to the U.S. national average.
All this is important because possible reproductive toxicity is the official reason for the present assault on borax. The sodium chloride MSDS mentioned above also states: "While sodium chloride has been used as a negative control in some reproductive studies, it has also been used as an example that almost any chemical can cause birth defects in experimental animals if studied under the right conditions." Keep this in mind when you read the following.
The Assault on Borax
Arthritis in its various forms and its close relative osteoporosis affect about 30% of the population in developed countries. Osteoporosis is responsible for more long term hospital care than any other individual disease. This is due to the very high incidence of fractures, and especially the protracted nature of hip fractures. This is a main source of income for the medical-pharmaceutical system. If the boron-magnesium cure for these diseases should become widely known, this vital income stream would dry up and the system collapse. As this is the biggest and most profitable industry in the world, this cannot be allowed to happen.
When Dr Newnham discovered the boron-arthritis cure, it was not a big problem for the pharmaceuticals because news travelled slowly and was easily suppressed. This is very different now with Internet communication. Most research funding comes from the pharmaceutical industry, and nothing has come forward to duplicate Dr Newnham's findings and other positive osteoporosis studies. Instead, funding goes into the development of patentable boron drugs for limited application as in chemotherapy, or even to discredit boron. A test-tube experiment found that a relatively low dose of about 4 grams of borax can damage lymphocytes, just like an earlier test-tube study showed that vitamin C supplements are toxic. Most positive borax studies now come from China, Japan and Turkey.
Furthermore, PubMed is a publicly funded search facility for bio-medical research publications. While other articles for Newnham R.E. and Zhou L.Y. are still listed, the two important borax publications mentioned earlier - about the arthritis trial at the Royal Melbourne Hospital and the treatment of skeletal fluorosis in China - are no longer listed, but they belong there and obviously had been there originally. I suspect that they have been deliberately removed to prevent them from being quoted in other research.
In addition, increasing effort goes into publicly demonizing borax for its alleged reproductive and infant toxicity. As an example, I recently read an article by a 'senior scientist' of the supposedly 'green' Environmental Working Group. In it, the perceived dangers of borax were so exaggerated that most comments in effect said: "Thank you for opening my eyes. I did not know how poisonous and dangerous borax is, I certainly will not use it anymore in my laundry, or for cleaning my toilet and kitchen" .
This is obviously a deliberate campaign to make people grateful for banning borax from public sale. For laundry and cleaning purposes Borax Substitute now replaces the product previously sold as Borax. The EU has spearheaded this campaign. In June 2010, borax and boric acid were reclassified as �Reprotoxic Category 2�, suggesting that they may be harmful to the reproductive functions of humans in high doses, and the product package must display the skull and crossbones symbol. From December 2010, these products were no longer available for public sale within the EU. While this classification now applies for all of Europe, non-EU countries still have some leeway in regard to public sales. This initiative is part of a Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS) which is to be implemented as soon as possible. Australia is well-advanced on preparing regulations to implement the GHS for industrial chemicals, with new regulations expected in 2012 (21).
The European Chemicals Agency gave as reason for their reclassification of boron products (paraphrased):
'The available data do not indicate major differences between laboratory animals and humans, therefore it must be assumed that the effects seen in animals could occur in humans as epidemiological studies in humans are insufficient to demonstrate the absence of an adverse effect of inorganic borates on fertility. 17.5 mg boron/kg/day was derived as a NOAEL (no event level) for male and female fertility. For the rat decreased foetal weight occurred at 13.7 mg boron/kg/day, and a safe limit of 9.6 mg/kg/day has been derived.' (22)
What they are really saying is this: 'While we have no human data, animal studies suggest that for adult reproductive functions a daily ingestion of about 2 teaspoons of borax is safe. But to be absolutely sure that no-one is harmed, we will ban it totally.' Importantly, this ruling is not related to borax in foods or supplements where it is already banned, but only for general use as in laundry or cleaning products or as insecticides. Because borax is not readily inhaled or absorbed through intact skin, it is difficult to see how even a few milligrams daily could get into the body with the conventional use. If the same standard would apply to other chemicals, there would be none left.
The key study in this assessment was published in 1972. Why is this being dug up now to justify banning borax when it was of no concern for the past 40 years? It does not make any scientific sense, especially if you consider that the main chemical in the new borax substitute, sodium percarbonate, is about three times more toxic than borax. Acute oral LD50 values for animals are from 1034 to 2200 mg/kg/day (23). Even the commonly used sodium bicarbonate, with an animal LD50 of 3360 mg/kg, is nearly twice as toxic as borax (24). Both of these chemicals have not been tested for long-term reproductive toxicity at the high doses that caused fertility problems in rats and mice.
The same applies to washing powders [laundry detergents], it has been stated that no toxicity is expected if used in the approved way, or that reproductive tests have not been done. Ingredients in these products are more toxic than borax, why can they be used in the approved way but not borax? And how about really toxic items such as caustic soda and hydrochloric acid? Why do they remain available to the public when one of the safest household chemicals is banned despite the fact that it is absolutely impossible to cause any reproductive harm with the approved use?
Regardless of the lack of any scientific credibility, the stage has been set for borax and boric acid to be globally removed from public sale at short or no notice. Even low-level and less effective boron tablets are now tightly controlled by the pharmaceutical industry, and may be restricted at any time through Codex Alimentarius regulations. With this, the medical-pharmaceutical system has safely defused any potential danger that borax may have posed to its profitability and survival.
(1) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9638606
(2) http://www.whale.to/w/boron.html
(3) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1566627/pdf/envhper00403-0084.pdf
(4) http://nah.sagepub.com/content/7/2/89.full.pdf
(5) http://www.arthritistrust.org/Articles/Boron and Arthritis.pdf
(6) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/172591209
(7) http://www.ithyroid.com/boron.htm
(8) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21129941
(9) http://www.lef.org/magazine/mag2006/aug2006_aas_01.htm
(10) http://www.earthclinic.com/Remedies/borax.html
(11) http://jac.oxfordjournals.org/content/63/2/325.long
(12) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21774671
(13) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2873987/
(14) http://www.earthclinic.com/CURES/fluoride.html
(15) http://www.supergenial.ch/pi1/pd2.html
(16) http://www.health-science-spirit.com/ultimatecleanse.html
(17) http:/www.sciencelab.com/msds.php?msdsId=9927593
(18) http://www.hillbrothers.com/msds/pdf/n/borax-decahydrate.pdf
(19) http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxprofiles/tp26-c2.pdf
(20) http://www.regulations.gov/#!documentDetail;D=EPA-HQ-OPP-2005-0062-0004
(21) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Globally_Harmonized_System_of_Classification_and_Labelling_of_Chemicals
(22) http://echa.europa.eu/documents/10162/17230/supdoc_boric_acid_20100609_en.pdf
(23) http://www.inchem.org/documents/sids/sids/15630894.pdf
(24) http://www.sciencelab.com/msds.php?msdsId=9927258
Borax dosages
http://www.earthclinic.com/Remedies/borax.html#BORAX-DOSAGES
Borax blog with good tips
http://www.earthclinic.com/Remedies/borax5.html
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Welcome to the Southern Arizona Independent Film Festival
2020 Festival on Friday and Saturday, April 10 and 11
The 2019 festival was great with 14 outstanding selections that raised the bar for both student and independent productions.
Your opportunity to showcase and be recognized for your talent and hard work as an independent filmmaker.
The Southern Arizona Independent Film Festival is designed to solicit entries from all levels of experience, age groups and genre interests ensuring that opportunities are broadly available to anyone creating visual stories. Film types accepted include narrative fiction, non- fiction/documentary, animation and educational and films must be 15 minutes in length or less.
Get your film on . . . at the Southern Arizona Independent Film Festival.
Did You Know . . .
Every great filmmaker found their start somewhere.
(“Lord of the Rings”, “King Kong”) was a 15-year-old experimenting with a Super 8 camera when he made “The Valley”, a time travel tale about four prospectors who battle for their lives in a world overrun by mythical beasts.
(“Star Wars”, “American Graffiti”) created several shorts with his first, “Look at Life” combining photos of the 1960′s cultural landscape, with a doomsday ending.
(“The Godfather”, “Apocalypse Now”) made his debut with a re-edited Soviet space movie about a race to colonize Mars titled “Battle Beyond The Sun”.
(“The Departed”, “Casino”, “GoodFellas”) was a student at NYU when he made his first short film “Vesuvius VI” set in ancient Rome. He fondly referred to it as his “Miniature Epic”.
(“ET”, “Jaws”, “Raiders of the Lost Ark”) was only thirteen when he won a prize for a 40-minute war film he titled “Escape to Nowhere”. At sixteen, he wrote and directed his first feature film called “Firelight” which later inspired “Close Encounters of the Third Kind”.
Copyright (c) 2020 WillcoxFilmFest.com. All rights reserved.
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Downhill Globe Lifelong Goal for Vonn
BORMIO, Italy (March 12) - Lindsey Vonn (Vail, CO) fulfilled her lifelong goal of winning the World Cup downhill title when she received the coveted crystal globe on Wednesday during World Cup Finals in Bormio, Italy. She received the globe in the same village where her childhood hero Picabo Street first won it in 1995 when Vonn was just nine."It's amazing. I was really happy about it in Whistler when I knew I had won, but it's not the same until you actually get the globe. It's beautiful," Vonn said. "I've been dreaming about the downhill globe since I was a kid and it's surreal that it has finally come true. It's amazing to finally have it in my hands. It's everything that had dreamed it would be."
Flatland Midwesterner Rules the Big Mountains
Vonn grew up on tiny Buck Hill outside Minneapolis. She showed signs of promise as a young ski racer in a USSA club program under noted coach Erich Sailer. After a few years, she moved on to Ski Club Vail where she continued her ascent to becoming the best in the world.
"It's not easy to get to where I am. When you see me race, in the start or in the finish, that's the final product. You don't see everything that goes into it," Vonn said. "It's a lot of work. In the summer I'm in the gym between six and eight hours a day. It's tough."
Dream Started with a Hero
Vonn has been a competitive skier for most of her life, spending countless hours trying to reach extreme goals. But being able to attain the World Cup downhill title holds a special and personal significance to her that dates back to an encounter when she was a young girl.
"When I first met Picabo Street was when I first dreamed of winning the downhill title," Vonn said. Street also won her first of two World Cup downhill globes in Bormio..
"She really inspired me to want to win it. And I've been working hard to get there ever since. I just can't even believe it. It's been a lifelong goal of mine and it's finally here so I'm just ecstatic," Vonn said.
Sights Now Set on Overall
Vonn was awarded her globe following the cancellation of both the men's and women's World Cup Final downhill races due to soft snow conditions.
"I was a little disappointed that the race got canceled today. I think that hurts my chances of the overall a little bit, but I'm going to keep fighting," Vonn said. "I just have to keep on doing what I've been doing and hopefully we have some more races this week."
Although it was Vonn's main focus to become the World Cup downhill champion, another title is within her reach as she sits in the lead of the overall World Cup standings.
"It's huge. I wasn't even close to thinking about the overall this year. I was just hoping for a downhill title," Vonn said. "The overall is such a respected and coveted trophy. I can't even tell you how much it would mean to me if I won it. Not very many people in the history of the United States have won it."
Vonn, along with fellow American Bode Miller (Bretton Woods, NH) are both poised to win the overall World Cup titles. It would mark the first U.S. wins since Phil Mahre and Tamara McKinney both won in 1983
"It would be a pretty historic day. Hopefully it works out for the two of us. The overall is so high up there. It's like an Olympic gold medal," Vonn said.
World Cup Finals continue Thursday with men's and women's super G. WCSN.com will be broadcasting all World Cup Finals races starting daily at 8:00 a.m. ET and remaining on-demand for subscribers.
To hear Lindsey Vonn's press conference click here.
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NINTENDO Wii vs. XBOX 360 vs. PS3 - The Console War Ends 2012
Unknown Tuesday, May 17, 2011 Videos
XBOX 360 vs. Playstation 3 vs. Nintendo Wii -- the current video game console wars. I read time and time again. PS3 is better. XBOX 360 is better. PS3 is better. XBOX 360 is better. I may need to remind you that the console wars are based on sales, which company is selling the most consoles.
In the 90’s it was the Sega Genesis vs. Super Nintendo, and it was an intense battle that had Super Nintendo winning with 9 million more units sold.
Late 90’s, Sony introduced it’s Playstation and surprised the gaming world with it’s awesome machine, and overshadowed Nintendo 64 and trampled over the Sega Saturn.
The 21st Century welcomed the Gamecube and Playstation 2, and their power, especially Sony’s, overshadowed Sega’s Dreamcast even when they had a head start in the war years earlier. Microsoft now joined the battle as a formidable opponent aside from what critics had to say about it before it was launched.
In 2006, everyone, and I mean everyone, had to own the Wii. It was impossible to find for months after it’s release, and now today, there are many people who don’t even like mentioning it. I’m basing this off of my own experiences, from what my friends have said, to how I see the Wii being treated in gaming publications, like IGN and Gamespot, and comments I see from on internet forums. They have turned their back on the Wii like it’s yesterdays news, yet in reality, it’s actually winning the console war.
And even though it’s winning, I’ve seen time and time again that people treat it like it doesn’t exist. Friends say the Wii was disappointing and didn’t deliver what they had hoped. Internet forums, as well as YouTube comments, have kids and big kids, arguing over which console is better, but the Wii is rarely mentioned, and if it is, it’d be rare not to see “and the graphics suck” in the same sentence. Gaming publications and websites, which I may make an entire video dedicated to, have totally turned their back on the Wii. The highest rated video game last year was Super Mario Galaxy 2, but no recognition for Game of theYear. Very reminiscent of the movie business last year with Toy Story 3. Highest rated movie of the year, nominated for Best Picture, but would never be taken seriously as a true contender. We talked about this before, right? It’s for kids.
Even so, aside from all of this, Nintendo is winning the console war with over 85 million units sold as of March 2011. XBOX 360 with over 50 million. PS3 with around 50 million. As soon as Nintendo’s new console hits shelves next year, this console generation is over, and the new one begins.
If a tree falls in the woods, does it make a sound? If Nintendo wins the console wars, will people care? Not if they’re too busy fighting over whether the 360 or PS3 is better than one another… fighting over the fact they’re both playing the same games except they use a different controller and machine to play them on.
-- The Console Wars End in 2012
by Anthony J. Gomez
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Isn't social media just so full on... it's scary that people particularly young people (I'm VERY VERY OLD!) rely on likes on a filtered picture to feel happy in their own skin... and it makes me so sad...
Liking yourself can be so hard, it's a skill that we have to learn in life sadly because it's a feeling that's knocked out of us when we're little, for many reasons... Look at the confidence of a 4 year old, do they like their belly, of course! Their hair, Yup! In fact the only thing on their agenda is learning, playing and having fun! Bullies in school, looking 'different', being good at something, remember how being good at something just made you a target as a swot or teacher pet... all the way through to work life, offices where colleagues are only having a 'laugh' but at your expense, bosses who think they can push you around because they misinterpret kindness and wanting to move forward as 'easy & gullible' to the point you're the office skivvy... I've got all these t-shirts sadly and I can genuinely say I still don't like me very much... Of course there are days when I feel happy about my journey but I still can't see the reflection I want looking back at me, there are darker days when I feel ugly and can't understand why anyone would bother following a failure, a fraud like me... This is how most people think... So how do we get out of that rut? Honestly I'm still working it out... Cutting loose the deadwood who don't care about you is one I can highly recommend... It's very lonely to start with but suddenly you find yourself surrounded by people who really do like you for you, not how many chins you moan about, or the jelly belly... they love you and love being around you because you're you! But it really starts from within... and just look at how amazing we really are! How many people on the planet would love to be able to walk, talk, work and do all the things we take for granted but they can't...
Stop wondering if people are judging you... if they are it's their problem... I was once sitting in a restaurant with some friends and a woman kept staring over at me... I was SO paranoid! In MY head that woman was judging me for eating my lunch, for having chips, for drinking cocktails... I mean look at the size of me, I should be at home with my mouth stapled... As she got up from her table she walked towards me and I was fully prepared to have a go at her when she asked 'where did you get your coat? It's just gorgeous and I can never find nice jackets in my size?' Floored me! I was about to smack her one if I needed to! People aren't judging you, they've got enough on their mind! We're judging ourselves too harshly... so today, look in the mirror and be kind... that body is the only one you've got and it's pretty awesome!
Dec 11, 2017 / / motivation, Motivation Monday, Weight watchers / The Skinny Doll
David Millar December 28, 2017 at 7:22 AM
What a wonderful article! it's so fabulous.Thanks for sharing with us
Last night in Tescos...
You...
Tis the season... AGAIN!
Never give up...
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Temple Predictions – April 2018 General Conference
Posted by Mark Brendanawicz | Mar 30, 2018 | General Conference, Relative Race, Temple
Managua Nicaragua Temple
Joe: We’ve said a bunch about this in the past two conferences, but the main thing I’d add is that when you have a member population that very likely would be too poor to have the money for the transportation as well as international travel logistics and approvals needed to make it to the neighboring country, there is a question of access that can be met. Just look at the Port-au-Prince Haiti Temple. Sure, there are numbers of saints in Haiti, but it’s also about access for the poorest country on earth.
This question of access seems to have been a major factor in temples that have shockingly small membership in their districts (Hello, Halifax). But that isn’t even at play here. With more than a dozen stakes in Nicaragua alone, there is, at least on paper, a really compelling reason to give the saints in this part of Central America their own house of the Lord, not only as a place to receive temple blessings for themselves, but as a symbol of growth and encouragement for the temporal as well as the spiritual, the people of Nicaragua should be made to feel that they are rich enough, deserving enough and in numbers plentiful enough to at least be equal among their Central American peers. (Belize doesn’t count.)
Geoff: Too right Belize doesn’t count. They speak English there. In Central America. What’s up with that?
I agree that the Managua prediction is almost tiresome at this point, as if we’ll keep calling for it until we get our way, sorta like Martin Harris. Regardless, the entirety of Nicaragua falls under the Tegucigalpa Honduras Temple, which is only 4 years old. Nicaragua and Costa Rica have rocky relations, requiring all Nicaraguans—residents of the second-poorest country in the western hemisphere—to travel to Honduras for the work. Granted, the trip is shorter than it used to be when temple patrons had to travel all the way to Guatemala, but still. Nicaragua has long reigned as the country with the most stakes without a temple. Two stakes were organized in Nicaragua in 2017 and the lion’s share of stakes in the country came after 2005. That’s crazy.
Also, building a temple in Nicaragua would complete all of Latin America as far as temples go. Every Hispanophone country in the world (minus Equatorial Guinea and country/not country Western Sahara) would then have a temple. We’re already at the point where we’re talking about where second or third temples should go in South American countries, but li’l ol’ Nicaragua still doesn’t have its first.
Unless Nicaraguans stink at paying tithing.
Pages: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
PreviousSpain and Chile Missionary Training Centers to Close
NextApril 2018 General Conference Tie Tracker
Mark Brendanawicz
Mark Brendanawicz (also known as "Brendanaquits") is a construction manager and former city planner. He lives alone in Indiana.
St. George Utah Temple Renovations Plans Call for a Very Imposing Annex
186th Annual General Conference Tie Tracker
Rendering Released for Feather River California Temple
For Some Small Temples, a Renovation Means a Complete Rebuild
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Team USA's Epic World Cup Love Story
Jonathan Lehman
June 04, 2019 - 2:35 pm
The best women's soccer players on the planet will lean on their loved ones for support as they vie for the trophy in the 2019 World Cup, which begins June 7.
For two players on Team USA, their partner will be right next to them on the bench: Defender Ali Krieger and goalkeeper Ashlyn Harris are engaged to be married.
The longtime couple went public with their relationship in March in People magazine. Together since 2010, the American soccer stars were engaged last September, and plan to marry in December.
she really rocks my boat. (--: @danielseunglee ) hair & makeup: @clinttorres_hair
A post shared by Ali Krieger (@alikrieger) on Mar 14, 2019 at 5:42am PDT
She said YES!!! @alikrieger -- @danielseunglee
A post shared by ashlynharris24 (@ashlynharris24) on Mar 15, 2019 at 5:10am PDT
Harris, 33, described to People how the relationship started: “We became really close friends, and we just hung out, we clicked, and we had so much in common. We always sat next to each other on the bus and on flights, and we kind of just talked about our dreams and our hopes and what we wanted to do one day when we grew up. ... The rest has kind of been history.”
The couple kept the relationship private for years, partly out of a desire to be "professional" as teammates (they also play together on the Orlando Pride of the National Women's Soccer League), Krieger said. But they felt comfortable sharing their engagement this spring.
“We weren’t expecting all the love and support,” said Krieger, 34, according to NBC. “Everyone involved in our soccer team, including fans and supporters, have been so incredible.”
“It feels so good, and it feels so light,” Harris told the Philadelphia Inquirer. “For so long, it felt like this burden, and it was so heavy because we couldn’t tell people. Now that it’s out there and it’s open, I think we can just genuinely be the best versions of ourselves.”
Krieger made the World Cup roster as one of the final cuts after several years away from the national team. She made her 100th appearance for the U.S. in a friendly last month. Harris is the backup goalie behind starter Alyssa Naeher. Both players also were on the World Cup-winning squad in 2015.
The United States opens group-stage play on June 11 against Thailand.
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Prince’s Death Certificate Released With Criminal Investigation Underway
Eeshé White
Kevork Djansezian, Getty Images
Following the release of Prince's toxicology results, which shows that he died from an accidental overdose of Fentanyl, a criminal investigation is now underway over how the late guitarist obtained the powerful opioid that ultimately killed him.
TMZ also revealed Prince’s death certificate, which outlines his official time of death as 10:07AM on April 21. However, the details on the death certificate bear some discrepancies. 10:07AM is the time he was pronounced dead when paramedics arrived at his Paisley Park estate. He may have passed from the overdose hours before paramedics finally arrived.
Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is 100 times more powerful than morphine which makes this story more complicated than a painkiller overdose. The drug can be administered by injection, lozenge or patch to treat severe pain after surgery and to manage chronic pain. However, it’s commonly sold illegally and misused by addicts.
Although difficult to process, Prince was suffering from a drug addiction and in the process of getting help. Whether Fentanyl had been prescribed to Prince is unclear; but its extreme potency is usually prescribed to patients who have become tolerant of other opioids for pain relief. Sources close to the investigation, admit to knowing "for a long time" that Fentanyl was the cause of The Purple One’s death.
Prince was 5'3" and weighed 112 pounds at his time of death and reportedly had surgery several years ago on an ailing hip. He was quite possibly treating the pain from his surgery and simultaneously battling his addiction to the drug. If someone illegally prescribes or fills a Fentanyl prescription for a patient who dies as a result, they could face third degree murder charges and up to 25 years in prison.
The day before Prince was found dead, he was treated by Dr. Michael Todd Schulenberg for withdrawal symptoms from opioid addiction. The physician treated Prince for fatigue, anemia and concerns about opiate withdrawal.
Next: 25 Facts You Probably Didn’t Know About Prince
Source: Prince’s Death Certificate Released With Criminal Investigation Underway
Categories: What's New
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Zambrano demands new deal:
MESA, Ariz. — Chicago Cubs ace Carlos Zambrano has a new message for the team: sign him to a new contract before the season starts or he'll leave and become a free agent after it's over.
"I'm ready to sign and I would do my job anyway with the Cubs this year," Zambrano said in an interview with WGN-TV that was reported Tuesday by the Chicago Tribune.
"Whatever happens, I don't want to know about a contract during the season. I want to sign with the Cubs before the season starts. If they don't sign me, sorry, but I must go. That's what Carlos Zambrano thinks."
Zambrano, 16-7 with a 3.41 ERA and 210 strikeouts last season, asked for $15.5 million in arbitration. The team offered $11.025 million. He made $6.5 million last season.
How many millions did it take before he started referring to himself in the third person (dude, you're no Manny Ramirez) and believing that if he demanded a new deal before the start of the 2007 season lest he leave at the end of the 2007 season, it would make the Cubbies more likely to want to work with him. Seriously, at this point the Cubs should refuse to give him a contract and then the day before the trading deadline send him to Kansas City in return for a bucket of hockey pucks. (As a Cubs fan, putting Angel Berroa into the bucket isn't a bad idea either). You want a new contract buddy? Enjoy playing for a last place team! Ha ha ha! [er, you know he's currently with the Cubs, right? -ed]
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Vereiste Elementen
Productie documenten
Vereisten voor de kortfilm
Competitiereglement Rotterdam, Netherlands
In the United States, The 48 Hour Film Project (Project) is intended for play by legal residents and legal visitors of the United States. Residency requirements may vary in other countries. Void where prohibited.
The 48 Hour Film Project Organizers may add to or amend these rules at any time prior to the beginning of the Official Time Period.
Below are the rules that govern the Competition. Be sure to also read the official Vereisten voor de kortfilm.
Nieuw bij het 48?
In the United States, the Team Leader must be a legal resident or legal visitor of the United States or the District of Columbia. Outside of the United States, residency requirements may vary. A team is not eligible if either the Team Leader or any Team Member is one of the following: employee, city producer, contractor, director or officer of 48 Hour Film Project, Inc. (48HFP), its parent, subsidiaries or affiliated companies, distributors, web design, advertising, fulfillment, judging or Project agencies involved in the administration, development, fulfillment and execution of this Project (collectively, Project Parties), or the immediate family member of any Project Partner (e.g., spouse, parent, child, sibling, grandparent, and spouse or step child) or those living in their same household (those persons whether related or not who live in the same residence for at least three months during the twelve-month period preceding the start date of the Project). Void where prohibited.
2. To Enter
To register for the 48 Hour Film Project in the United States, follow the instructions found on www.48hourfilm.com. Registration is based on a first-come first-served basis and space is limited. Early Bird registration fees are $148 per team. Regular registration fees are $168 per team. Late registration fees are $188 per team. First Year Cities Only: If the 48HFP is coming to a city for the first time, the Early Bird registration fee per team is $125, the Regular registration fee is $135 and the Late registration fee is $145. Typically, Early Bird registration begins 8 weeks before a competition and closes 4 weeks before the competition. Typically, Regular registration begins 4 weeks before the competition and closes 2 weeks before the competition. Typically, Late registration begins 2 weeks before the competition. For fees and registration for International Projects, please check the city's webpage.
3. Official Filmmaking Period
In the United States, each 48 Hour Film Project will commence on a Friday and end on the following Sunday as announced on the 48 Hour Film Project website. Days of the week may vary in other countries.
4. Refund Schedule
In the United States, if a team (Entrant) must withdraw from the 48 Hour Film Project, refunds will be paid on the following schedule: Notify 48 Hour Film Project, Inc. of withdrawal in writing more than 30 days before competition, you will be refunded $115; Notify 48 Hour Film Project, Inc. of withdrawal between 15 and 30 days before the competition, you will be refunded $100; Notify 48 Hour Film Project, Inc. of withdrawal between 7 and 14 days before competition, you will be refunded $75; No refunds for withdrawal less than 7 days before competition. The refund policy may vary in other countries.
5. Participation of Minors
Some of the events (e.g., Kickoff, Drop Off) may be held in "21 years of age or older" locations. Every effort will be made to ensure that any under 21 teams will not be affected adversely. Entrants may wish to consider having at least one member of its team be 21 years or older.
6. Team Leader's Agreement
Entrants will be required to sign the standard 48 Hour Film Project Team Leader's Agreement. If under the legal age of majority in your state of residence, your parent or legal guardian must sign it on your behalf.
As a condition of entry, participants must agree to the Team Leader's Agreement, which sets forth the rights of Entrant and 48HFP with respect to the use of Entries by 48HFP. Entries that do not include all required information and adhere to the foregoing and following requirements will be considered void and will not be considered in this 48 Hour Film Project.
7. Production Costs
All costs associated with the production of the Entry are solely the responsibility of the Entrant.
8. Judging of Entries
Eligible Entries will be judged based on the judging criteria stated below.
9. Kickoff Event
Entrants must be present at the designated times at the designated events to participate.
10. Basic Requirements of the Project
Entrants must adhere to the official 48HFP Filmmaking Rules. In addition, at the Kickoff Event, Entrants will receive an assignment and be given exactly 48 hours to make a video (an "Entry"). See www.48hourfilm.com for details.
11. Project Terms of Submission
By submitting an Entry into this 48 Hour Film Project, each Entrant warrants and represents that the Entrant owns all rights to the Entry he/she is entering in this Project, including, without limitation, the video or digital recording, and the performance contained in each Entry, with the exception of any assets provided by the 48HFP for use by Entrants in connection with this Project. Each Entrant further warrants and represents that the Entrant has obtained permission from each person who appears in the Entry to grant the rights to the Project Parties described in these Official Rules, and will submit copies of such permissions to the Project Parties. By submitting an Entry, Entrant agrees to the Official Rules, and further agrees to indemnify and hold the 48HFP, Project Parties and their respective affiliates, officers, directors, agents, co-branders or other partners, and any of their employees (collectively, the Project Indemnitees), harmless from any and all claims, damages, expenses, costs (including reasonable attorneys' fees) and liabilities (including settlements), brought or asserted by any third party against any of the Project Indemnitees due to or arising out of the Entrant's Entry materials in this Project, or the Entrant's conduct during and in connection with this Project, including but not limited to trademark, copyright, or other intellectual property rights, right of publicity, right of privacy or defamation. Entrant agrees to release, indemnify and hold harmless 48HFP and the Project Parties from any and all claims that any advertising, presentation, web content or any other material subsequently produced, presented, and/or prepared by or on behalf of 48HFP or the Project Parties infringes on the rights of Entrant's work as contained in any Entry.
12. Multiple City Participation
Entrants may compete in more than one city and are eligible to be the City Winner in each city in which they compete. Teams may compete in two cities simultaneously but must submit a different film in each city to be eligible for awards.
Note: In order to qualify as different, 25% of each film's footage must be unique to that film.
13. Designated Team Leader
If any group of individuals elects to collaborate on an Entry, they are required to designate one (1) person as the agent of the group to enter the 48 Hour Film Project, agree to these Official Rules, sign the Team Leader's Agreement and accept the prize on behalf of the group. Neither 48HFP nor any of the Project Parties are liable for any disputes between collaborators arising out of or related to the Project.
14. Selection of Winners
Entries will be judged in a two tier process; first locally—within each competition city, then internationally with each city winner eligible for the Best 48 Hour Film of the Year award. Entries will be judged by a process in which qualified panels of judges will evaluate the eligible entries based on the following judging criteria:
Artistic Merit (e.g., Story, Creativity, Entertainment Value) (45%)
Technical Merit (30%)
Adherence to the Assignment (25%)
15. Winner Location
16. One (1) City Winner Prize
The top Entry in each city will be awarded a trophy; will be screened at "Filmapalooza", the Annual 48 Hour Film Project, Inc. Awards Weekend (date and location to be announced); and shall be eligible for the award of "Best 48 Hour Film of the Year".
17. General Conditions
By participating, Entrants agree to these Official Rules which are final and binding in all respects. The 48 Hour Film Project is governed by the laws of the District of Columbia, Washington, DC, USA, and all claims must be resolved in the District of Columbia courts or the Federal courts located in the District of Columbia.
18. Limitations of Liability and Release
No liability or responsibility is assumed by 48HFP or Project Parties resulting from any user's participation in or attempt to participate in the 48 Hour Film Project or ability or inability to upload or download any information in connection with participating in the Project. No responsibility or liability is assumed by the 48HFP or Project Parties for technical problems or technical malfunction arising in connection with any of the following occurrences which may affect the operation of the Project: hardware or software errors; faulty computer, telephone, cable, satellite, network, electronic, wireless or Internet connectivity or other online communication problems; errors or limitations of any Internet service providers, servers, hosts or providers; garbled, jumbled or faulty data transmissions; failure of any e-mail transmissions to be sent or received; lost, late, delayed or intercepted e-mail transmissions; inaccessibility of the Web Site in whole or in part for any reason; traffic congestion on the Internet or the Web Site; unauthorized human or non-human intervention of the operation of the Project, including without limitation, unauthorized tampering, hacking, theft, virus, bugs, worms; or destruction of any aspect of the Project, or loss, miscount, misdirection, inaccessibility or unavailability of an email account used in connection with the Project. 48HFP and Project Parties are not responsible for any typographical errors in the announcement of prizes or these Official Rules, or any inaccurate or incorrect data contained on the Web Site or social media sites maintained by the 48 Hour Film Project. Use of Web Site and the 48HFP's social media sites is at user's own risk. 48HFP and the Project Parties are not responsible for any personal injury or property damage or losses of any kind which may be sustained to user's or any other person's computer equipment resulting from participation in the Project, use of the Web Site or the download of any information from the Web Site. By participating in the Project, Entrant agrees to release, indemnify and hold 48HFP and Project Parties harmless from any and all claims, damages or liabilities arising from or relating to such Entrant's participation in the Project.
19. Winners
Winners will be posted online at www.48hourfilm.com.
20. Project Organizer
The 48 Hour Film Project, Inc., P.O. Box 40008, Washington, DC 20016.
Evenement data • Film Tips & Tricks Nieuws • Recente winnaars
Concurrentie
Belangrijk bericht: Copycat Disclaimer • Privacy Policy
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Admiral moves into new offices in Newport city centre
Today, Monday 2nd June 2014, more than 450 Admiral Group staff will begin work in brand new offices in Newport city centre.
The staff, who have been located in Langstone Business Park since October 2008, will now be based in the specially built 6 storey, 80,800 sq ft office block on Queensway, directly opposite Newport railway station, a redevelopment of the Cambrian Centre.
Admiral Group CEO, Henry Engelhardt and COO, David Stevens will be greeting staff as they arrive for their first working day in the office.
CEO, Henry Engelhardt said, “It’s very exciting to move into our new offices in Newport city centre. The building itself looks fantastic and the location couldn’t be better. I’m sure our staff will be taking advantage of the local amenities and will be very happy working here.”
Admiral Group Head of Property and Facilities Management, Huw Llewellyn said, “After three years of planning, re-planning and hard work from our internal teams, Newport Council, Scarborough and SDC, we’re delighted to have moved into our new offices in Newport.
“Thank you to SDC, the main contractor, all the sub-contractors and Scarborough Developments for meeting our strict timescales and getting the building ready for handover.
“Thank you also to Newport Council for its support which has been integral to the project, and of course, our internal teams who have worked tirelessly to ensure the building is ready for our staff to move in on a very tight schedule. I’m confident our staff are going to enjoy working in what is a fantastic building in a great location, especially with local traders and retailers putting on a terrific welcome already.”
The new office’s proximity to Newport train and bus stations means getting to work will be easier for many staff, and more than 50 businesses in Newport city centre have contacted Admiral to offer discounts and special offers to its employees.
Yvette Watkins, an Operations Manager in Admiral’s Claims Service department in Newport, said, “I’m really happy to have moved to our lovely new building in the centre of town. I drive from Neath every day and because of the traffic it sometimes takes me more than an hour and a quarter each way, so the office being right across the road from the train station is a godsend to me.
“It’s also great to have shops, restaurants and bars on our doorstep for lunchtime and after work. I’m sure our staff are going to love it here!”
Admiral Group currently employs more than 5,000 staff in south Wales; 2,660 in Cardiff, 1,900 in Swansea and 450 in Newport. More than 80 staff currently working in Cardiff will be relocating to Newport city centre in September 2014.
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Robert Kimmitt
Former US Ambassador
Robert was the United States Deputy Secretary of the Treasury under President George W. Bush between 2005 and 2009.
Before joining the Bush Administration, Robert was a partner at Wilmer, Cutler & Pickering. Robert was also Vice Chairman and President of Commerce One, a software company headquartered in the San Francisco Bay area and Chairman of the International Advisory Council of Time Warner Inc., where he had served as Executive Vice President of Global Public Policy.
Robert graduated with distinction from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1969. He received a law degree from Georgetown University in 1977, where he was editor in chief of Law & Policy in International Business.
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Filters: Author is T. Arnold [Clear All Filters]
Rigby, M., R. G. Prinn, S. J. O’Doherty, B. R. Miller, D. J. Ivy, J. Mühle, C. M. Harth, P. K. Salameh, T. Arnold, R. F. Weiss et al. "Recent and future trends in synthetic greenhouse gas radiative forcing." Geophysical Research Letters 41, no. 7 (2014): 2013GL059099.
Kim, J., P. J. Fraser, J. Mühle, A. L. Ganesan, P. B. Krummel, P. L. Steele, S. Park, S.-K. Kim, M.-K. Park, T. Arnold et al. "Quantifying aluminum and semiconductor industry perfluorocarbon emissions from atmospheric measurements." Geophysical Research Letters 41, no. 13 (2014): 2014GL059783.
Patra, P. K., M. Krol, S. A. Montzka, T. Arnold, E. L. Atlas, B. R. Lintner, B. B. Stephens, B. Xiang, J. W. Elkins, P. J. Fraser et al. "Observational evidence for interhemispheric hydroxyl-radical parity." Nature 513, no. 7517 (2014): 219-223.
Arnold, T., C. M. Harth, J. Mühle, A. J. Manning, P. K. Salameh, J. Kim, D. J. Ivy, P. L. Steele, V. V. Petrenko, J. P. Severinghaus et al. "Nitrogen trifluoride global emissions estimated from updated atmospheric measurements." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 110, no. 6 (2013): 2029-2034.
Arnold, T., A. J. Manning, J. Kim, S. Li, H. Webster, D. Thomson, J. Mühle, R. F. Weiss, S. Park, and S. J. O’Doherty. "Inverse modelling of CF4 and NF3 emissions in East Asia." Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics 18, no. 18 (2018): 13305-13320.
Prinn, R. G., R. F. Weiss, J. Arduini, T. Arnold, H. L. DeWitt, P. J. Fraser, A. L. Ganesan, J. Gasore, C. M. Harth, O. Hermansen et al. "History of chemically and radiatively important atmospheric gases from the Advanced Global Atmospheric Gases Experiment (AGAGE)." Earth System Science Data 10 (2018): 985-1018.
Arnold, T., D. J. Ivy, C. Harth, M. K. Vollmer, J. Mühle, P. K. Salameh, P. L. Steele, P. B. Krummel, R. H. J. Wang, D. Young et al. "HFC-43-10mee atmospheric abundances and global emission estimates." Geophysical Research Letters 41, no. 6 (2014): 2228-2235.
O’Doherty, S. J., M. Rigby, J. Mühle, D. J. Ivy, B. R. Miller, D. Young, P. G. Simmonds, S. Reimann, M. K. Vollmer, P. B. Krummel et al. "Global emissions of HFC-143a (CH3CF3) and HFC-32 (CH2F2) from in situ and air archive atmospheric observations." Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics 14, no. 17 (2014): 9249-9258.
Simmonds, P. G., M. Rigby, A. J. Manning, M. F. Lunt, S. J. O’Doherty, A. McCulloch, P. J. Fraser, S. Henne, M. K. Vollmer, J. Mühle et al. "Global and regional emissions estimates of 1,1-difluoroethane (HFC-152a, CH3CHF2) from in situ and air archive observations." Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics 16 (2016): 365-382.
Kim, J., K.-R. Kim, J. Mühle, S.-K. Kim, M.-K. Park, A. Stohl, D.-J. Kang, T. Arnold, C. M. Harth, P. K. Salameh et al. "Emissions of Halogenated Compounds in East Asia Determined from Measurements at Jeju Island, Korea." Environmental Science & Technology 45, no. 13 (2011): 5668-5675.
Arnold, T., J. Mühle, P. K. Salameh, C. Harth, D. J. Ivy, and R. F. Weiss. "Automated Measurement of Nitrogen Trifluoride in Ambient Air." Analytical Chemistry 84, no. 11 (2012): 4798-4804.
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Reaching the 'First 90': Gaps in Coverage of HIV Testing among People Living with HIV in 16 African Countries
December 2017 - Reports, Guidelines, and Tools
View Full Edition Send to a Friend
Staveteig, S., Croft, T.N., Kampa, K.T., and Head, S.K. PLOS ONE (October 2017), e0186316, doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0186316.
This study used Demographic and Health Surveys and AIDS Indicator Surveys in 16 sub-Saharan African countries to measure the proportion of people living with HIV (PLHIV) who know their status, and to identify associations between background and behavioral characteristics and gaps in testing. The proportion of respondents who had ever tested for HIV ranged from 34 percent in Sierra Leonne to 94 percent in Rwanda. In the average country, 54 percent of PLHIV knew their status; women of reproductive age comprised the majority of PLHIV in every country. In 10 countries, the majority of PLHIV reside in urban areas. PLHIV tended to be wealthier than their HIV-negative counterparts, and in half of countries, at least 50 percent of PLHIV were in the top third of wealth. Most PLHIV reported two to three lifetime sexual partners. In 12 countries, adolescents and individuals who had not had sex were less likely to be tested for HIV. In nine countries, HIV-positive men were less likely than HIV-positive women to ever have been tested. In nine countries, PLHIV in the lowest third of wealth and those without education were less likely to be tested. The authors concluded that testing interventions should be targeted toward men, adolescents, and those with no to minimal education.
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. The island’s waters have claimed many ships over the years
THEICONIC
SS MAHENO
SHIPWRECK.
For many, Fraser Island is home to natural scenic attractions. However, there’s another side to it. The island’s waters have claimed many ships over the years. Between 1856 and 1935, 23 shipwrecks were recorded in these waters. The iconic SS Maheno shipwreck has become the most famous among them.
Just north of Happy Valley on Fraser Islands 75mile beach, the final resting place of the SS Maheno, a rustic skeleton sits today. It stands testimony to what was once the mighty SS Maheno.
What’s so special about the SS Maheno shipwreck?
In Maori (New Zealand’s native language), the word ‘Maheno’ stands for ‘island.’ In 1905, the 5000-ton SS Maheno was built in Scotland for New Zealand’s Union Steam Ship Company. This ship was the first turbine steamer to have crossed the Pacific Ocean.
SS Maheno transported passengers between Auckland and Sydney regularly until it was commissioned during World War I and converted into a hospital ship. After the war ended, SS Maheno resumed its commercial services after it was returned to its owners. In 1935, a Japanese shipbreaker bought it.
Maheno left Sydney on July 3, 1935 bound for Osaka Japan, under tow by Oonah, a former Tasmanian ferry. On July 7, off the coast of Queensland its towline parted in a severe cyclone. After the crew’s unsuccessful attempts to re-attach the towline, the Maheno drifted away. Finally, it washed upon the shores of Fraser Island’s 75 Mile Beach.
The Maheno was stripped of her fittings, but attempts to re-float the ship failed. The wreck was later offered up for sale but since there were no takers, it was finally abandoned.
What can you do at the SS Maheno shipwreck?
Step back in time to imagine what this mighty ocean liner might have looked like in its heyday. Despite the environmental conditions taking a heavy toll on the wreck every day, the picturesque ruins are still a sight to behold.
Take any of our daily Fly/Drive Tours from Sunshine Coast and Hervey Bay Airports to explore the Maheno shipwreck.
The Maheno Shipwreck...with Air Fraser Island
We can get you to Fraser Island from the Sunshine Coast or Hervey Bay, where you can see The Maheno Shipwreck from above. From there it's your choice how to explore Fraser Island & The Maheno with one of our many Packages.
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‘Minecraft’ Movie Reveals Release Date And First Plot Details
Minecraft debuted in 2011 and it’s been hugely popular for a while now. But development of a movie version has moved slowly. Today it was announced by Mojang, the company that produces Minecraft, that the film finally has an official release date: March 4, 2022. That’s almost three years away (and more than a decade after the game first came out).
Mojang did reveal the first details about the plot of the Minecraft game as well:
So, what do you have to look forward to, roughly 25,000 hours from now? Well, as you devour your movie snack of choice (we like a suspicious stew with a side of square watermelon), we’ll tell you the story of a teenage girl and her unlikely group of adventurers. After the malevolent Ender Dragon sets out on a path of destruction, they must save their beautiful, blocky Overworld. Sounds ambitious! Luckily, the very talented director Peter Sollett (Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist) will be making sure everyone stands in the right place and delivers award-worthy performances. No pressure!
Warner Bros. will release the film to theaters. The studio has had a lot of success with blocky animation of late; releasing four different LEGO movies in the last couple years, most of which became major hits.
As for Minecraft, 11 years is a long time between a game’s initial release and a first movie. Then again, eight years is a long time between a game’s initial release and its continued popularity, and you still find plenty of Minecraft fans out there. If they stick around for a couple more years, they’ll get to see a movie as well.
Gallery — The Dumbest Sequel Subtitles in Movie History:
The Worst Video Game Movies in History
Source: ‘Minecraft’ Movie Reveals Release Date And First Plot Details
Filed Under: minecraft
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White House: 51 companies pledge $650M in refugee support
The White House (images source: Wikimedia Commons)
NEW YORK -- More than four dozen U.S. businesses have pledged $650 million in support to help some of the world's refugees, the White House announced Tuesday as President Barack Obama seeks to highlight the refugee plight before world leaders gathered for the annual U.N. General Assembly session.
Fifty-one corporations, including Facebook, Twitter, MasterCard, Johnson & Johnson, yogurt maker Chobani and other companies, have committed to easing access to education, employment and financial services for some 6.3 million refugees in more than 20 countries.
Criticized for not doing enough to help desperate people fleeing their countries because of war and or for other reasons, Obama was hosting a refugee summit Tuesday with the leaders of Jordan, Mexico, Sweden, Germany, Canada and Ethiopia, along with U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.
Countries participating in the summit are expected to announce individual pledges that are in line with a U.S. goal of increasing humanitarian aid by $3 billion, doubling resettlement and providing access to jobs and education, said Samantha Power, U.S. ambassador to the U.N.
World leaders are grappling with the largest crisis of displaced persons since World War II, more than 65 million people who have fled their homes because of armed conflict or persecution, or because they are seeking asylum or a better way of life.
Power said the summit wouldn't be a "panacea" for the crisis, but would show what the U.S. can achieve when it leads on an issue of global concern.
Last week, the White House announced that the U.S. would resettle 110,000 refugees in the coming year, a 30 percent increase over the 85,000 allowed in this year.
The 85,000 figure included 10,000 Syrian refugees, a figure advocacy groups had criticized as inadequate given the wealth of the U.S. and the fact that other countries, such as Canada and Germany, were welcoming far greater numbers of Syrians fleeing the civil war there.
The administration has yet to release a country-by-country breakdown of the 110,000 refugee figure.
Before the summit, Obama planned to meet with some of the CEOs of the corporations that have pledged support for refugees.
The refugee issue, meanwhile, was for the first time the subject of a daylong U.N. summit on Monday. Leaders approved a declaration to provide a more coordinated and humane response to the crisis, but the document included no concrete commitments and is not legally binding.
the white housethe white houseu.s. & worldrefugees
Copyright © 2020 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.
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Alberto della Marmora
Name Alberto Marmora
Role Italian statesman
Died March 18, 1863, Turin, Italy
Alberto Ferrero La Marmora (or Della Marmora; 7 April 1789 – 18 March 1863) was an Italian soldier and naturalist. He was elder brother to Alessandro Ferrero La Marmora, soldier and founder of the Bersaglieri, and to Alfonso Ferrero La Marmora, Italian general and statesman.
Born in Turin but educated at the Ecole Militaire de Fontainebleau, graduating in 1807, and was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant of infantry in the French Army. He was the second of four brothers, all of whom had distinguished military careers. He served under MacDonald in Calabria and in 1809 he joined the army of the Kingdom of Italy, participating in the campaign in Venetia. He fought at the Battle of Bautzen at the age of 24 and following the defeat of the combined Russian and Prussian forces in that engagement he was personally decorated with the Legion d'Honneur by Napoleon Bonaparte. After Napoleon's abdication Marmora gave his allegiance to the House of Savoy, the ruling house of the Kingdom of Sardinia.
Marmora was posted to Sardinia but was forced to resign his commission during the insurrection of 1820–21 due to his sympathy with the rebels. Three years later he was recalled to active service, mainly on Sardinia. Despite his liberal sympathies he rose to the rank of General and in 1840 he was given command of the Royal School of Marines. He became Governor-General of Sardinia in 1849, eventually retiring to Turin where he died age 73 on 18 March 1863.
He wrote Viaggio in Sardegna (Travels in Sardinia) in 1860, which extended the study of the island previously made by Francesco Cetti. Many of the animals collected by La Marmora were sent to Franco Andrea Bonelli at Turin University, and he also corresponded with Bonelli's successor, Giuseppe Gené. He sent the first specimens of the warbler that bears his name, Sylvia sarda or Marmora's warbler, to Turin, where his description was read out at the Turin Academy on 28 August 1819.
The highest point of Sardinia is Punta La Marmora, commemorating the physical and geological surveys of the island Marmora conducted
Alberto della Marmora Wikipedia
Salt White
Robertina Mečevska
Ibrahim bin Yousuf Al Fakhro
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Aleksandr Kotelnikov
Updated on Aug 17, 2018
Name Aleksandr Kotelnikov
Aleksandr Petrovich Kotelnikov (1865 – 1944) was a Russian mathematician specializing in geometry and kinematics.
Aleksandr was the son of P.I. Kotelnikov, a colleague of Nikolai Lobachevsky. The subject of hyperbolic geometry was non-Euclidean geometry, a departure from tradition. The early exposure to Lobachevsky's work eventually led to Aleksandr undertaking the job of editing Lobachevsky's works.
Kotelnikov studied at Kazan University, graduating in 1884. He began teaching at a gymnasium. Having an interest in mechanics, he did graduate study. His thesis was The Cross-Product Calculus and Certain of its Applications in Geometry and Mechanics. His work contributed to the development of screw theory and kinematics, as noted by Wilhelm Blaschke (Kinematics and Quaternions (1960)). Kotelnikov began instructing at the university in 1893. His habilitation thesis was The Projective Theory of Vectors (1899).
In Kiev, Kotelnikov was professor and head of the department of pure mathematics until 1904. Returning to Kazan, he headed the mathematics department until 1914. He was at the Kiev Polytechnic Institute directing the department of Theoretical Mechanics until 1924, when he moved to Moscow and took up teaching at Bauman Technical University.
In addition to the Works of Lobachevsky, Kotelnikov was also the editor of the collected works of Nikolai Zhukovsky, the father of Russian aerodynamics.
One reviewer put Kotelnikov at the head of a chain of investigations of Spaces over Algebras. Successive researchers included D.N. Zeiliger, A.P. Norden, and B. A. Rosenfel’d.
1925: Introduction to Theoretical Mechanics, Moscow-Leningrad
1927: The Principle of Relativity and Lobachevsky's Geometry, Kazan
1950: The Theory of Vectors and Complex Numbers, Moscow-Leningrad
Aleksandr Kotelnikov Wikipedia
The Elective Affinities
Denys Miroshnichenko
Serena Dunn Rothschild
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Alex Fraga
Name Alex Fraga
Playing position Central back
Height 1.8 m
2002–2003 PSTC-PR
2004-2005 Atletico Paranaense B
Full name Alex Jose de Oliveira Fraga
Date of birth (1986-05-22) May 22, 1986 (age 29)
Place of birth Alto Parana, Brazil
Current team J. Malucelli Futebol
Alex José de Oliveira Fraga or simply Alex (born May 22, 1986 in Alto Paraná), is a Brazilian central back who plays for J. Malucelli.
Alex Fraga began his career in the youth ranks of Atlético Paranaense and helped his side capture the Dallas Cup in 2004 and 2005. He made his professional debut with Atlético-PR in 2-2 home draw against Iraty in the Campeonato Paranaense on February 25, 2006. In 2009, he was loaned to Ituano and played in the Paulista league.
After a brief stay with Ituano, Fraga joined Georgian Premier League side Olimpi Rustavi on loan for the 2009-10 season. In his one year in Georgia Fraga started 31 games and scored one goal in helping Olimpi Rustavi to capture its second Georgian League title.
Dallas Cup: 2004, 2005
Olimpi Rustavi
Georgian Premier League:2009-10
Alex Fraga Wikipedia
Matt Forbeck
John Michael Liles
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Supriya Home
Supriya Ghosh (Editor)
A teacher by profession and engineer by trade
County Cherokee
ZIP codes 30114, 30115, 30169
Elevation 295 m
Population 24,163 (2013)
State Georgia
Time zone EST (UTC-5)
Area code(s) 770/678/470
Area 48.5 km²
Local time Wednesday 8:56 AM
Weather 10°C, Wind NW at 5 km/h, 47% Humidity
Points of interest Etowah River Park, Boling Park, Heritage Park
Canton is a city in and the county seat of Cherokee County, Georgia, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 22,958, up from 7,709 at the 2000 census.
Map of Canton, GA, USA
Ethnicity, age, and sex
City Government Council and Mayor
Canton is located near the center of Cherokee County at 34°13′38″N 84°29′41″W (34.227307, −84.494727). The city lies just north of Holly Springs and south of Ball Ground. Interstate 575 passes through the eastern side of the city, with access from exits 14 through 20. Canton is 40 miles (64 km) north of downtown Atlanta via I-575 and I-75.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 18.7 square miles (48.5 km2), of which 18.6 square miles (48.2 km2) is land and 0.15 square miles (0.4 km2), or 0.76%, is water. The Etowah River, a tributary of the Coosa River, flows from east to west through the center of the city.
As of the 2010 census, there were 22,958 people, 8,204 households, and 5,606 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,234.3 people per square mile (476.8/km²). There were 9,341 housing units at an average density of 502.2 per square mile (194.0/km²).
There were 8,204 households, out of which 42.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.6% were headed by married couples living together, 14.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.7% were non-families. 25.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.8% were someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.77, and the average family size was 3.30.
The racial makeup of the city was 75.6% White, 8.9% African American, 0.8% Native American, 1.3% Asian, 0.2% Pacific Islander, 10.2% some other race, 2.9% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race comprised 22.5% of the population.
In the city, the population was spread out with 29.7% under the age of 18, 9.0% from 18 to 24, 34.7% from 25 to 44, 17.1% from 45 to 64, and 9.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30.6 years. For every 100 females there were 96.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.0 males.
For the period 2010-12, the estimated median annual income for a household in the city was $46,691, and the median income for a family was $52,432. Male full-time workers had a median income of $36,971 versus $37,092 for females. The per capita income for the city was $20,705. About 13.4% of families and 18.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 26.6% of those under age 18 and 7.8% of those age 65 or over.
Located in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, the site where Canton would be founded lay in the heart of the Cherokee Nation. During the first 100 years of Georgia's history, Northwest Georgia was generally considered "Indian Country" and was bypassed by settlers going West. Georgia had made a treaty with the federal government in 1802 shortly after the Revolutionary War to relinquish its Western Territory (it claimed the Pacific Ocean as its western boundary) in exchange for the removal of all Indians within its boundaries. Although other tribes had been removed, the Cherokee remained. Since this was the heartland of the Cherokee Nation, the state and nation were reluctant to disturb them. But following the Georgia Gold Rush in 1829, European-American settlers ignored the Indian problems and began to move into the area north of Carrollton and west of the Chattahoochee River and named it Cherokee.
Many members of the Cherokee Nation moved west in 1829, but the majority stayed until removed by federal troops sent into the area during the summer of 1838. The remaining Cherokee were gathered and held in forts until the removal could be completed. Present-day Cherokee County had the largest and most southerly of these forts, Fort Buffington, which stood 6 miles (10 km) east of Canton. Today nothing stands to identify its timber structure, but the area is marked by a large piece of green Cherokee marble quarried near Holly Springs. By autumn of 1838, the federal troops had accomplished their mission, and the Cherokee at Fort Buffington were marched off to join other groups on the infamous "Trail of Tears," a lengthy march in worsening winter weather to Indian Territory west of the Mississippi River.
The new settlers chose a site for a permanent county seat and courthouse in 1833, naming it "Etowah". The name was changed to "Cherokee Courthouse" in 1833. In 1834 it was changed to "Canton" (pronounced cant'n), after the Chinese city of Guangzhou, which was then known in English as Canton (pronounced can tahn). The name was chosen because a group of citizens had dreams of making the Georgia town a center of the silk industry, which was concentrated in China at the time. Though Canton never became a significant silk center, it did become a successful manufacturing community.
During the American Civil War, Canton, which had a population of about 200, was burned between the dates of November 1–5, 1864, by the Union Army under the command of Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman. Canton was destroyed by a foraging party of the Ohio 5th Cavalry under the command of Major Thomas T. Heath. At the time the Ohio 5th Cavalry was headquartered in Cartersville. The written order for destruction was given on October 30, 1864, by Brig. General John E. Smith. Union troops were ordered to burn the town because of Confederate guerrilla attacks coming from Canton and directed against the Western and Atlantic Railroad near the town of Cassville. The railroad was a vital supply line for the Union Army from the captured city of Chattanooga, Tennessee, to newly captured Atlanta. The Union troops identified the Canton home of Governor Joseph E. Brown for destruction. The same Union party destroyed Cassville, the county seat of neighboring Bartow County, on November 5, 1864, as it has also been a base of guerrilla actions. Cassville never rebuilt, but Canton survived to prosper, as it was the county seat.
Over the years, Canton evolved from unsettled territory to a prosperous mill town known the world over for its "Canton Denim". The original county of 1831 now includes 24 counties. The city of Canton remains the county seat.
The poultry division of Central Soya Corporation located a plant to the region in the 1954 which is now Pilgrims Pride. The Canton Cotton Mills, which produced the famous "Canton Denim", closed in 1981. Since then, Canton has grown as the suburbs of Atlanta have expanded northward, and is currently experiencing its period of greatest population growth, which nearly tripled between 2000 and 2010.
The city of Canton is governed by a council-mayor form of government. The six council members and mayor are each elected to four-year terms by city residents. The city is divided into three council wards, with two council members serving from each ward. The mayor is elected at-large. The Mayor and Council hold the monthly council meetings on the first and third Thursday of each month at 6:00 p.m. All meetings of the City Government Manager and Council are held in the Council Chambers of City Hall located at 151 Elizabeth Street.
The Administration Department of the City Government of Canton consists of the City Government Manager, City Government Council, City Government Administration Manager, City Clerk and Administrative Secretaries. The office is located at Canton City Hall at 151 Elizabeth Street in Canton.
The City Manager is the Administrative Executive of the City of Canton and is responsible for overseeing daily operations of all City departments. The City Manager is appointed by the City Government Manager and The City Government Council, the governing authority of the city.
The City Clerk serves as the Clerk of Council and is responsible for the minutes and records of all meetings. The City Clerk is responsible for serving as custodian of all legal documents for the City.
Many projects are underway in the city including new construction, renovation, and revitalization. Canton has received millions of dollars in grants for park and sidewalk improvements in the city. The city's public buses have established routes and carry thousands of passengers throughout the city from residential areas to downtown, shopping areas, the medical district, and job sites.
The Historic Canton Theatre on Main Street features plays and other special entertainment events throughout the year, injecting new life into the downtown business district. Streets in the downtown area were recently improved, by the removal of parking spaces, as part of the "Streetscapes" program, bringing brick pavers to sidewalks, lamp posts, lush landscaping and intersection upgrades.
In May 2004, the city held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for Heritage Park, the first phase of the Etowah River Greenway. The park covers approximately 30 acres (120,000 m2) and has pedestrian and bike trails and a natural amphitheater. The city used to hold concerts and movies in Heritage Park throughout the summer free of charge to its residents.
The city, in partnership with the Metro Atlanta YMCA, constructed an $8 million community center on Waleska Street contiguous to Heritage Park. Now completed, the community center includes an indoor swimming pool, a gymnasium, wellness center, aerobics studio, childcare facilities and the Cherokee Sports Hall of Fame. Although construction was approved for the facility by a local referendum authorizing a "free" community center, the city decided to operate it through the YMCA. People must become members, thus paying a fee for use.
Phase two of the Etowah River Greenway north of Heritage Park consists of recreation fields for softball, baseball, tennis, and soccer. This phase involves approximately 60 acres (240,000 m2) of property.
In June 2004, the Bluffs Parkway opened off Riverstone Boulevard. This parkway, funded by an $8 million grant from the Georgia Department of Transportation, bisects the Bluffs at Technology Park, owned by Technology Park/Atlanta. It will be home to 15,000 high-tech jobs when built out in 10 years. The technology park includes a satellite campus of Chattahoochee Technical College, which opened in the fall of 2011.
The federal Hickory Log Creek Dam project, north of the city center, was approved by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The construction and ownership of the Hickory Log Creek Raw Water Reservoir will be shared by the Cobb County / Marietta Water Authority and the City of Canton on a 75% and 25% respective basis; it was completed in December 2007. This water source will provide 44 million US gallons (170,000 m3) of water per day and will be bordered by 15 to 25 acres (6.1 to 10.1 ha) of park land with picnic and other public areas.
In 2009, Canton opened the newly renovated Canton Marketplace. It features a Super Target as well as a Kohl's, Lowe's, Best Buy, Dick's Sporting Goods, and more. With the rapid increase in population, restaurants and shopping centers have had a rise in business.
Education in Canton is run by The Cherokee County Government and The Georgia State Government
Cherokee County School District
The Cherokee County School District serves grades pre-school to grade twelve, with 23 elementary schools, six middle schools, and six high schools. As of 2010, the district had 1,766 full-time teachers and over 28,434 students. Schools in Canton and surrounding unincorporated areas include:
Avery Elementary School
Buffington Elementary School
Canton Elementary School- Situated on Marietta Highway, next to Cherokee High School and across from Bruster's Ice Cream
Clayton Elementary School
Free Home Elementary School
Hasty Elementary School
Hickory Flat Elementary School
Joseph Knox Elementary School- Located in the River Green neighborhood across from the Franklin Park Townhomes
Liberty Elementary School- Next to Freedom Middle School off Bells Ferry Road
Macedonia Elementary School
Sixes Elementary School- Off of Sixes Road, near Freedom Middle School
Indian Knoll Elementary School
Dean Rusk Middle School
Freedom Middle School- Next to Liberty Elementary School on Bells Ferry Road
Teasley Middle School- Off of Knox Bridge Hwy near River Green
Cherokee High School
Sequoyah High School
Etowah High School
Creekview High School
Chattahoochee Technical College (Canton Campus)
The Cherokee County Airport (FAA LOC ID: 47A) is located adjacent to I-575 7 miles (11 km) northeast of downtown Canton.
A redevelopment project currently underway includes an already completed 10,000-square-foot (930 m2) terminal, the ongoing lengthening of the runway from its current 3,414 to 5,000 feet (1,041 to 1,524 m), a new parallel taxiway, instrument landing equipment, and new hangars. The new facilities will accommodate 200 hangared corporate aircraft and provide 100 tie-downs for smaller aircraft.
Joseph E. Brown, headmaster, attorney and politician, Governor of Georgia 1857-1865, and US Senator. From 1844 he lived in Canton, where he became devoted to public education. He achieved great wealth in railroads and mining after the Civil War. Brown is the only person ever to have been elected governor of Georgia four times.
Josh Holloway, who played James "Sawyer" Ford of the television series Lost, attended Cherokee High School in Canton.
Bruce Miller, current NFL player (San Francisco 49ers)
Audio, R&B group, all live in Canton.
Mark Anthony Cooper, entrepreneur, founded the Cooper Ironworks in Etowah in 1847.
Ron Bath, world arm wrestling heavyweight champion. 2016 World Armwrestling League finalist.
Canton, Georgia Wikipedia
Flight (1929 film)
Prince Pedro Thiago of Orléans Braganza
Sarabjit Singh Dhillon
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Ali Alkhatib
Quitting by their rules
I tried to be cool about it but let’s face it, I’m not a cool guy. I got a comment from Anil Menon and it’s kinda like a drug when someone whose work you’ve read suddenly interacts with you. I mean I know that authors and professors are people, it just… kinda strikes close to home when they pop in to comment on my blog.
He made an interesting point about the betraying nature of someone in the in-group (in this case an Indian man) perpetrating colonization upon his own people. It got me thinking, strangely, about the relationship Whites had with African Americans for the worse part of a century from the mid-1800s to the late 1960s. From Frederick Douglass to Martin Luther King Jr, Whites (it’s dubious whether I should say “we”, since I hardly feel White but I’m evidently not Arab, so I’m in an existential quandary best suited for another time) dismissed Blacks who fought for civil and human rights and basic equality on the basis that they were inarticulate, cognitively deficient, and ultimately sub-human. It took the unprecedented eloquence of Mr. Douglass and later Dr. King (whose letter from a Birmingham jail happens to be my favorite piece of correspondence ever, incidentally) to convince mainstream empowered society to endorse civil rights for African Americans as well as Whites.
You may be wondering where the connection is. The connection I drew was the standard imposed on African Americans all the way up to today, which dictated that breaking free of the judgmental, biased criteria of White slavers required adhering to that criteria and excelling in it. What I mean is that, in order to make the case for freedom from oppression based on ethnocentric measures, people like Douglass and King had to play into those ethnocentric measures, coming off as well-spoken, articulate, and ultimately benign. In the same way, the only way India seemed to have out of its crushing judgmental white scrutiny was by demonstrating - through academics such as Kosambi - that India could meet the criteria of “White standards”. Only then would any argument not to be judged by that biased and unfair standard be entertained.
Essentially, even if you didn’t want to submit to their “game”, you still had to play it long enough to prove that you could, and only then could you “quit”. It strikes me that this may have been easier for India - with its existing written language, more familiar mathematics, and other advances (to which, frankly, the West largely owed its own advances) - to accomplish than Africa or the people in North and South America, who didn’t have a writing or number system which was easily comprehensible by the West (I’m not sure what writing or number systems African tribes had, but I’m more familiar with the base-20 system of the Maya and Aztec, and the ambiguous maybe-base-10 quipu system the Inca used).
This course in “Modern” India has left me with a lot of unsettling thoughts about the subtle ways we’ve persistently marginalized other cultures; more subtle than Jim Crow laws (to make an allusion to something a whole paragraph or two back), and even more subtle than the language we use to describe them as traditional or antiquated. It makes me wonder more about the subtle, sometimes unintentional ways we may dismiss, belittle, or oppress others. This will certainly be something I take with me, if I can.
If you have something to say about this post, email me or tweet at me.
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Remembering Bud Moore, the Late NASCAR Legend and World War II Veteran
Richard Thompson, December 6, 2019 10:45 am
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AP Photo/Bob Brodbeck
It’s been more than a year since Bud Moore, a NASCAR Hall of Famer and World War II veteran, passed away.
Moore, who died on November 27, 2017 in his hometown of Spartanburg, South Carolina at the age of 92, took part in the D-Day Normandy invasion and was awarded two Bronze Star Medals for heroic actions and five Purple Hearts for being injured in combat over the course of his career in the Army.
After the war, Moore won a NASCAR title in 1957 as a crew chief before staring his own racing team in 1961. He won back-to-back titles as an owner and was inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2011.
After Moore’s death, Brian France, who was NASCAR’s acting CEO at the time, had this to say about the auto racing legend and American hero.
“Many choose the word ‘hero’ when describing athletes who accomplish otherworldly sporting feats. Oftentimes, it’s an exaggeration. But when detailing the life of the great Bud Moore, it’s a description that fits perfectly.”
“Moore, a decorated veteran of World War II, served our country before dominating our sport as both a crew chief and, later, an owner. As a crew chief, Moore guided NASCAR Hall of Famer Buck Baker to a championship in 1957. As an owner, he captured consecutive titles in 1962-63 with another Hall of Famer, Joe Weatherly. Those successes, along with many more, earned him his own spot in the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2011.”
“On behalf of all of NASCAR, I offer my condolences to Bud’s family, friends and fans. We will miss Bud, a giant in our sport, and a true American hero.”
Rest in peace, Bud.
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Bud Moore: NASCAR Icon and American Hero
Walter Maynard “Bud” Moore Jr. famously referred to himself as “an old country mechanic who loved to make ’em run fast,” and there is really no better way to describe the NASCAR Hall of Famer.
Born May 25, 1925 in Spartanburg, South Carolina, Moore started racing cars by the age of 14, immediately after he got his driver’s license. However, he had to put his racing aspirations on hold, after he was drafted into the United States military a week after his 18th birthday. Bud was a machine gunner in the U.S. Army, and, as part of the 4th Infantry Division, he participated in the Normandy landings, during which he landed on Utah Beach. Moore, who also fought in the Battle of the Bulge, was formally discharged on November 15, 1945.
Immediately after his discharge, Bud went right back into his passion: cars. He and his high school friend, Joe Eubanks, opened up a used car business together, working on cars that were used in moonshine running. Eventually, they sold a 1939 Ford for a race car, and that’s when Bud’s racing career officially took off.
After moving to NASCAR in 1950, Moore got his first taste of major success as a crew chief. Moore won 49 races during his crew chief career, including back-to-back Grand National Series championships with Buddy Baker in ’56 and ’57.
In the ’60s, Moore kicked off his career as a team owner by opening Bud Moore Engineering. During the team’s first year of operation in 1961, it fielded cars for Fireball Roberts, Tommy Irwin, Joe Weatherly, and Cotton Owens (who Moore had known since high school). Success came almost instantly. In ’61, Weatherly racked up a second-place finish at the Daytona 500. In ’62 and ’63, he won the Grand National championship.
Throughout his incredible career, Moore went on to field such Cup Series racers as Dale Earnhardt, Cale Yarborough, Darrell Waltrip, David Pearson, Bobby Allison, Bobby Isaac, Ricky Rudd, Tiny Lund, Benny Parsons, and Billy Wade. Talk about being in the company of greatness.
As a result of his impressive NASCAR career, Moore won a number of accolades, including inductions into the Stock Car Racing Hall of Fame (2002), International Motorsports Hall of Fame (2009), and the NASCAR Hall of Fame (2011).
On top of his success as a NASCAR team owner, Moore was also a devout family man. After returning from WWII, he married his high school sweetheart, Betty Clark, and the couple had three sons — Greg, Daryl, and Brent — and five grandchildren. Clearly, Bud Moore’s legacy goes far beyond the sport of auto racing.
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Brian France
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