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__label__wiki	0.513643	0.513643	Trailer / Videos Historical Themes BLPI.tv 1913: Seeds of Conflict Discuss the Film Author: Ben Loeterman Date: March 30, 2015 at 9:00 am 14 Comments As the director of SEEDS, I can’t help but wonder about the effect my film has on its audience. What insights did the film provide for you? What were your takeaways? Do you have a comment you’d like to share? A discussion you’d like to spark? Filed Under: Discussion Author: John Stodel Date: October 1, 2015 at 8:20 pm As a recent South African (SA) – secular Jewish immigrant to the US and being hypersensitive to the issues of Race & Colonialism – I congratulate you and your team for demystifying many myths and clearing away the “fog” of past and current public hysteria that has continued to obscure the core of the Israel – Palestinian issue. In my view one of the the mindsets of Zionists from the get-go was strongly influenced by the 19th and early 20th Century European concept of Colonialism and bringing “Civilization” and economic “Development & “Progress” to the rest of the world, at the expense of indigenous populations, who at best, due to racial, cultural and religious differences were to be regarded as “untermenchen”. It is unfortunate that this Colonial mindset and attitude has over time transformed itself into the modern, cancerous mindset of Apartheid. In the post Nelson Mandela era in South Africa, there is no more ethnic cleansing, no more forced removals, no more detention without trial. There is the Freedom Charter based on the fundamentals of the US Bill Of rights. and a Constitution. It’s not Utopia by any means, but rather, hard work in progress. Until Israeli society summons up the courage to deal deeply & meaningfully with its own internal Colonial past and present , I fear there will be no end to this terrible conflict. Author: Paul Russell Date: July 3, 2015 at 5:47 am Hi, Im writing a thesis on barriers to education for Palestinian youth in the West Bank. Researching the historical context of Palestinian education currently. I would love to view the film but its blocked by PBS here in Australia. Any other viewing option? Author: Ben Loeterman Date: July 4, 2015 at 11:07 am 1913: Seeds of Conflict can be purchased at ShopPBS.org Author: Art Black Date: July 2, 2015 at 5:23 pm Since becoming an Evangelical Christian and seriously studying the Bible for many years, I am a strong supporter of Israel and the Jews returning to their historical homeland. “Seeds of Conflict” was an eye-opening experience as I watched the program on PBS. While I knew that the Jews has purchased the land they settled, I did not know that by-and-large they purchased it from apparently uncaring and uninvolved absentee Ottoman/Arab land owners. This seems to have been a critical foundation-piece of what was to become the “conflict”. The arrival of the Russian Jews (Ashkenazim) fleeing the pogroms of that country seems to have played a major role in the political orientation of Israel (a strong bent to socialism exemplified by the establishment of communal living in Kibbutz). The harsh attitude toward and treatment of the locals instigated by the early Paid Paramilitary Guards composed of Russian Jews was also a significant “planting of the seeds”. It’s encouraging that there were Jewish voices warning that ill treatment of the native Arabs could/would led to conflict but its disappointing that they were not heeded. They were, it turns out, voices “crying in the wilderness”. Thank you for this fine production. I’ve already begun referring many of my friends, most all very strong supporters of Israel, to this website and the film. Author: Robert LaBrie Date: July 2, 2015 at 8:54 am A great piece of research that enables everyone to really understand: — the reasons, the importance of integration between societies looking for a place to live, — land acquisitions goals of so many groups which havelong histories across the region of what is now called the Middle East ( why is this called the idle East) countries, and the people who now confuse the past with the future. This piece of research provides a base for Jews, Arabs, Christians , everyone who immigrates to lands faraway, to clearly see the need to search out gateways to peace amongst all groups who perceive this region as a checker board on which war and peace are paws in the greater game of living. Who has the right to take over land – something that we are so short of – and the importance of determining a livable peace between mankind, not simply in the targeted region but across this multi-cultural world? This 1913 Seeds of Conflict clearly defines the flow of how we people of this land have descended into confusion when peace is so clear. This piece of research documents clearly the reasons why we need a table where we can secure a win-win result to the present uneasiness and prolonged death cycle of the Palestine issue. Why can we not get this 1913 Seeds of Conflict circulated to all people who are looking for a gateway to a solution to peace? I am a Canadian born in Quebec, now living in Alberta and who has worked in this region and who fell in love with the region which is discussed . God/Ala has stopped making land therefore the conflict needs a resolution and this research documentary is the base for the solution. I thank the producers for having done such a great research document. Muslim, Jews and Christians (all) must find a pathway to peace and this documentary clearly shows that we are one people and we MUST trust each other as we move forward in our lives. This film / documentary is the guiding light towards this pathway. Many thanks. In sincere appreciation for this great research into the past and shining the light!, Author: Ran Kohn Date: July 1, 2015 at 6:37 pm The Jews of Jerusalem of 1913 were steeped in European Talmudic scholarship and had no connection with the local Arab community anymore than they have with Israel today. They accepted their dhimmi (2nd class citizenship) status. The newcomer Jews from Europe who came to frankly retake the land, a land they thought was empty and frankly considering that there were less than a half a million people in a the land now being occupied by 10 million people, that was a reasonable feeling a the time. And to just focus on one early episode, where the Jew angrily chastises the poor Arab who does not understand how his land became Jewish land. That vignette focuses on the disenfranchised Arab. It neglects to explain, that the Arab did not own the land he farmed. The land was leased to the Arab but was in turn sold to the Jew. And the seller was an Arab. That is how the Jews got much of the land. They bought it. And in fact much of what they bought early was no-man’s land. Tel Aviv is the best example of that. Tel Aviv was built from empty uninhabited sand beaches that the former owners thought were worthless–why else would they sell it. Author: John Hagar Date: July 1, 2015 at 9:10 am I was astonished to find out that the Jews did not forcefully take over the land but instead purchased it. I was also amazed to see how the Arab leaders acknowledged that the Jews were coming back to their ancestral land. I was always told the Jews were conquerors and now I feel duped. Author: Steve B Date: June 30, 2015 at 8:31 am Overall, my wife and I thought this was an informative and well-presented and well-documented film. The points of view were balanced. The main surprise I got was the early description of the Arab (Bedouins?) view of the land compared to the Jews’ views. Arabs: “we’ve always been on this land.” Jews: “We paid for it under the laws of the land.” It sounded just like the divergent viewpoints of American Indians and early American settlers. Author: Sam Bahour Date: June 29, 2015 at 3:22 pm Anywhere to see/buy/rent film in Palestine? Author: Adam Kadmon Date: June 28, 2015 at 3:30 pm THAT JEWS & ARABS LIVED IN jERUSALEM IN HARMONY IS ONLY BECAUSE jEWS WERE SMALL IN NUMBER AND NO THREAT TO ARABS ESPECIALLY RELIGIOUS AND HASSIDIC JEWS WERE NOT CONSIDERED THREATS. THE YOUNG HALUTZIM FROM RUSSIA & RUMANIA WHO CAME AND BOUGHT LAND AND BUILT KIBBUTZIM WERE BIG THREATS TO ARAB TENANT FARMERS WHO WERE THROWN OFF JEWISH-OWNED LAND, NOW FARMED BY JEWISH LABOR. ARABS & JEWS CAN NEVER LIVE TOGETHER. DIFFERENT LANGUAGE, RELIGION, CULTURE, MENTALITY… WE HAVE NOTHING IN COMMON WITH ARABS. Author: Sue Peterson Date: March 14, 2015 at 3:39 pm I took 3 High School Exchange students from Bosnia-Herzegovenia, Montenegro, and Lithuania, to a showing of this film. Discussion afterwards included comments by a Rabbi, an Imam, and a Christian Pastor. Two of my students are familiar with the Ottoman Empire–and are Muslim. I personally was very moved by the film and the implications it has for all immigrant groups seeking a new life–and also by the observation that most of the Jews who arrived in Palestine before WWI and then again after WWII, were traumatized by severe persecution–This continues today–How does a government, a culture, assist immigrants such as these to make a transition into another culture–how do people build trust and come to understand that a healthy, non-violent future can only be achieved by dialogue, by slow assimilation, by leadership that builds bridges rather than defend settlements. How in fact, does any civilization live with and learn to love diversity? Those are the answers we must seek–because domination leads to violence and then a discounting of the “other”–so that all “others” are seen as enemy. What has been done to us, we then do to others–a terrible misinterpretation of the Golden Rule! Author: Bob Horner Date: March 11, 2015 at 7:50 pm I recently watch 1913: Seeds of Conflict and thought the movie did an outstanding job taking the viewer through the history of this region. I have to say the more I learn the more sympathetic I have become to the Palestinians. I think what it would be like if the Canadians created settlements in the US, forcing Americans further and further South, bulldozing our homes along the way until we were all forced into the State of Florida. How would be feel? As I see it, the Gaza Strip and the West Bank have become nothing but concentration camps for the Palestinians. Another way to look at it it’s pretty much what Putin is now doing to the Ukrainian people. A land grab. Every other county in the world, other than the US, objects to what the Israelis are doing in this region. There have be as many as 40 resolutions in the UN to deplore the Israeli actions and to bring peace to this region, all have been block by the US. Israel has no incentive to make peace. They’re proven they can do pretty much whatever they want to do to the Palestinians knowing that our military will bail them out. Author: Joseph Siry Date: March 4, 2015 at 9:57 am The film is remarkable, yet the audience asked the usual, off the mark questions and no one who understood history could redirect the conversation to what the Director clearly understands; that unscrupulous politicians will always use the divisions of the past to fuel hatred in the present. Thank you for making this seriously revealing and thus important film. You feel a bit less of a prisoner of the past watching this extraordinary footage and hearing the dialogue. Author: Andrew Goldstein Date: January 30, 2015 at 7:48 am Thank you for directing a wonderful film, I saw it last night, January 29th, at Hebrew College. I thought the film really exploded some Zionist myths and also painted the Zionists in a poor light. The Zionists came to Palestine to build a state that excluded the local inhabitants, which, to me, is the root cause of the conflict. The film touches on this. Watch Trailer > COPYRIGHT © 2020 - BLPI: Ben Loeterman Productions, Inc. site design by ByteGraphics	cc/2020-05/en_head_0057.json.gz/line1
__label__wiki	0.73526	0.73526	Tag Archives: David Thewlis ALFRED EAKER VS. THE SUMMER BLOCKBUSTERS: WONDER WOMAN (2017) June 12, 2017 Alfred Eaker 3 Comments Patty Jenkins’ Wonder Woman (2017) is reaping critical praise, and opened with an astounding one hundred million dollar weekend box office. It’s being hailed as the best movie in the DCEU—i.e., D.C. comics extended universe—although I’m not sure how exactly that’s different than the DC movies that preexisted that label. Regardless, this is the first big screen standalone treatment of the character, which originally debuted during the Second World War, created by William Moulton Marston and Harry G. Peter. Wonder Woman was always a kind of female variation on Superman. Paradoxically, she was both a symbol of female empowerment and a pinup bondage fantasy. Initially, under the original artists, she was more feminist than titillating. Predictably, it was the pinup quality that drove the bulk of her fan base and informed most of her subsequent incarnations, the notable exception being the series helmed by George Perez’ silvery pencils. Even then, “Wonder Woman” comics never equaled the sales of her male counterparts. When it was announced that Israeli actress Gal Gadot was being cast as the big screen Wonder Woman, a lot of fanboys harped, comparing her unfavorably to 1970s TV Wonder Woman Lynda Carter—because, frankly, Carter has more robust cleavage. In 2011, an updated TV movie was planned, but once publicity stills were released of actress Adrianne Palicki wearing a long pants version of the red, yellow, and blue suit, the DC fundamentalists were up in arms. They wanted legs, dammit, and went the politically correct route of whining about political correctness. The movie, which apparently was a pilot for a series, was purportedly wretched anyway, and seems to have vanished from memory. Five years later, when Gadot’s cameo proved the only bright spot in the execrable Batman vs. Superman, the fanatics were finally appeased, and thankfully silenced. Wonder Woman is well-crafted, entertaining, and has a charismatic lead, which says a hell of a lot more than the recent crap fests Man of Steel, the aforementioned BvS, and Suicide Squad. It gets right what all those films missed—it remembers that simplicity, primary colors, and ethical nostalgia, all wrapped up in a lasso of fun, are the attraction of the DC characters, who are really more appealing than their angst-ridden Marvel competitors. With a few exceptions, the multiple DC based TV series (live action and animated) get that right (i.e., “The Flash,” “Supergirl,” and the recent “Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders,” which could as easily have been dubbed “The Return of Adam West, Burt Ward, and Julie Newmar”). One of the main positives here is the direction of Jenkins, who is far better suited to the material than the dullard boys have proven to be. Predictably, right-wing fan boys, while giving faint praise and Continue reading ALFRED EAKER VS. THE SUMMER BLOCKBUSTERS: WONDER WOMAN (2017) → 2017ActionDavid ThewlisHollywoodPatty JenkinsSummer blockbusterSuperhero CAPSULE: ANOMALISA (2015) December 16, 2015 Alex Kittle 1 Comment DIRECTED BY: Charlie Kaufman, Duke Johnson FEATURING: Voices of David Thewlis, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Tom Noonan PLOT: A motivational speaker attending a business conference is dissatisfied with his humdrum existence, until he meets a seemingly average woman who, to him, is different than everyone else in his life. WHY IT WON’T MAKE THE LIST: While many of Charlie Kaufman’s films are shoo-ins for any list of weird movies, Anomalisa is comparatively straightforward. The weird factor is there, but limited, with most of the film focusing on small details of human interaction. COMMENTS: Michael Stone (voiced by David Thewlis) is a renowned expert in customer service, middle-aged and settled in, married with a young son, but his apparent career and familial success have not brought him happiness. He feels isolated from those around him, exemplified by their voices, which all sound the same. He reconnects with an old flame who lives in the city where he’s staying for a conference, but their meeting only leads to further estrangement. Michael’s hopelessness is finally lifted when he hears Lisa (voiced by Jennifer Jason Leigh), a shy, self-conscious sales representative attending the conference. Her voice is distinct, and thus she is distinct, and he immediately falls for her simply for her difference. They spend the night together and Michael hopes to begin a new life with her, but their connection is not as solid as he thinks. Animated in an incredibly detailed stop-motion style with 3D-printed figures, Anomalisa is a film that opens itself up gradually, reveling in small tics and awkward moments and everything left unsaid. Whether intentionally or inadvertently, Michael has cut himself off emotionally from everyone around him, keeping his headphones in as he walks through the airport, unwillingly engaging in small talk with his cab driver, and acting uncertain around the polite staff of his hotel. His few attempts at connection are somewhat awkward and ill-conceived, most noticeable in how he sputters his way through a drink with a former girlfriend, whom he left for no stated reason, who is still getting over the loss of him, and still questioning herself because of it. Though he seems rueful, Michael is unable to explain himself, and they leave one another disappointed. Later, he finds a “toy” store that’s open late, looking for a gift for his son but eventually realizing this shop has more adult fare. He ends up purchasing a mechanical Japanese doll shaped like a geisha, perhaps an unconscious stand-in for the multiple women he no longer loves, preferring a robotic replacement for their human inadequacies. That Michael’s professional life is centered around customer service expertise is a blatant irony, but that knowledge allows viewers to see how he must put on an act when he is with other people, much like the sales representatives he advises. He must play at being a warm, sociable human being, despite hating the sound of every voice he hears, even with his wife and son. With Lisa, he can stop acting, and Continue reading CAPSULE: ANOMALISA (2015) → 2015AnimationCharlie KaufmanComedyDavid ThewlisDramaDuke JohnsonExistentialJennifer Jason LeighPsychologicalRecommendedStop motion animation CAPSULE: JAMES AND THE GIANT PEACH (1996) February 23, 2015 Scott Sentinella 3 Comments DIRECTED BY: Henry Selick FEATURING: Paul Terry, Joanna Lumley, Miriam Margoyles, Pete Postlethwaite, Steven Culp, Richard Dreyfuss, Susan Sarandon, Jane Leeves, David Thewlis, Simon Callow PLOT: A boy rides a giant peach across the Atlantic Ocean to New York City. WHY IT WON’T MAKE THE LIST: It’s a light-hearted fantasy film for children, and fantasy isn’t necessarily weird just because it’s fantastical. Also, the movie tones down some of the darker elements of the original 1961 source novel by the delightfully mean-spirited Roald Dahl. COMMENTS: Orphaned James (Paul Terry, in his only film) is mistreated, Cinderella-style, by his cruel aunts, the angular Spiker (Joanna Lumley) and the portly Sponge (Miriam Margoyles). When a mystery man (Pete Postlethwaite) gives James a jar of magical crocodile tongues–which are supposed to solve all of James’ problems, although he doesn’t understand why–James loses them in the grass near the roots of a dead tree. The next day, a peach that was in the grass has grown to the size of a house, and the insects inside the fruit—a centipede (voiced by Richard Dreyfuss), a Russian spider (Susan Sarandon), a ladybug (Jane Leeves), an earthworm (David Thewlis), a grasshopper (Simon Callow) and a glowworm (Margoyles again)—are now taller than James, who takes off with the bugs inside the now-rolling peach to New York City. This somewhat obscure Disney production is a masterpiece of beautiful and stunning stop-motion animation, directed by Henry Selick, who helmed the equally dazzling 1993 classic The Nightmare Before Christmas (contrary to popular belief, Tim Burton did not direct Nightmare, although he did co-produce and co-write the film, as well as design its distinctive look.) This one is not, however, a masterpiece of storytelling. Even at a mere 79 minutes, James and the Giant Peach feels like a rather thin—although marvelous—children’s book stretched out to feature-length. The filmmakers added episodes not in the novel, such as an encounter with ghostly pirates (including one that’s a dead ringer for Nightmare protagonist Jack Skellington) to flesh out the plot. Also threaded throughout the proceedings are a number of songs by Randy “Short People” Newman, although they sound more like conventional showtunes than the low-key ditties he penned for many Pixar films. The all-star voice cast is not known for their singing, and this film does nothing to change that. Richard Dreyfuss is at his most abrasive as the cigar-chomping centipede (the only American character in the story), but casting the glamorous Jane Leeves (“Frasier”) as the ladybug—a jolly old British matron—is a nice change of pace. The film’s most memorable performances come courtesy of Joanna Lumley (“Absolutely Fabulous”) and Miriam Margoyles, who are made up to look especially ghoulish in the film’s opening and closing live-action sequences, although their monstrous Aunt characters are spared the dire fates they had in the book. (Aunts Spiker and Sponge seem to be a clear influence on Harry Potter’s horrible Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia.) There’s plenty of visual razzmatazz on display here, but ultimately the film is less memorable than either Nightmare or Selick’s superb later effort Coraline. Since James and the Giant Peach is a relatively little-known film, Disney gives its Blu-ray release short shrift (by their standards) in the extras department. There’s a game, a music video, a “making of” featurette that runs a whopping four-and-a-half minutes, the movie’s trailer, and a gallery of fifty-nine “Behind the Scenes” still photographs. “…shines with weird, whimsical invention.”–Stephen Rea, The Philadelphia Inquirer (contemporaneous) 1996Children's FilmDavid ThewlisHenry SelickRichard DreyfussRoald DahlStop motion animationSusan Sarandon CAPSULE: THE ZERO THEOREM (2013) August 18, 2014 James Phillips 2 Comments DIRECTED BY: Terry Gilliam FEATURING: Christoph Waltz, Mélanie Thierry, David Thewlis, Lucas Hedges, Tilda Swinton, Matt Damon PLOT: Qohen Leth (Waltz) is a gifted but troubled programmer (or “cruncher” as they are referred to in the film) who is assigned a seemingly impossible task: to calculate the “Zero Theorem” and thus prove the lack of meaning in anything. The only problem is, Qohen is convinced that there is meaning to everything, and that it’s just a matter of time before he finds out what it is. WHY IT WON’T MAKE THE LIST: Gilliam alleges that The Zero Theorem is a tragedy and that has fared poorly with critics due to assumptions that it is supposed to be a comedy. But the honest-to-God tragedy is Gilliam’s decision to essentially rehash one of his finest films (Brazil) with a more contemporary slant regarding technology and our current sense of isolation. This is a film that has plenty of fine moments, and it’s something of a must see for all the weird fans out there, but it’s a footnote in Gilliam’s cinematic career that puts more pressure on the now 73 year-old auteur to complete the long gestating “Don Quixote” project that has dragged him through Hell (and Spain) and back over the last two decades. COMMENTS: For all the Gilliam aficionados out there, please don’t despair! The Zero Theorem is lots of fun, and demonstrates just what a criminally overlooked talent Gilliam is behind the camera. The movie looks superb, especially given its extremely modest budget, and many of its imaginative flourishes are a joy to behold. A film needs to be more than just the sum of its parts in order to truly succeed, however, and The Zero Theorem cannot escape the shadow of its far superior filmic sibling Brazil in terms of quality and vision. The two movies are simply too thematically similar in terms of subject and presentation, and particularly in terms of David Thewlis’ performance which directly channels Michael Palin‘s turn as the terrifying Jack Lint. The update of modern society is viewed through Gilliam’s eye: the blaring in-your-face nature of technology and the personal detachment it encourages. All this is all well and good, but this is all ground that is well-trod, and in better boots, by the earlier and superior film. Zero Theorem is simply too derivative of his past work to have any lasting merit. Perhaps the biggest saving grace of the film is the performances of the main cast. Mélanie Thierry’s eccentric allure is charming and garish at the same time, and Lucas Hedges gives a star turn as the teenage genius Bob, a role he leaps into with such abandon that he is surely an actor to watch out for in the future. Let’s just hope that Gilliam pulls one last truly great masterwork out of his thoughtbox before he dies, as this minor film would be an unworthy epitaph for such a great director. “There’s weird and there’s Terry Gilliam weird, and his latest exploration into the fleeting nature of humanity, The Zero Theorem, may as well have been watermarked with his name… weirdly enjoyable”–Blake Howard, Graffiti with Punctuation (contemporaneous) 2013Christoph WaltzDavid ThewlisMeaning of LifePhilosophicalScience FictionTerry GilliamTilda Swinton	cc/2020-05/en_head_0057.json.gz/line3
__label__wiki	0.812476	0.812476	The windwheel of Hero of Alexandria (10 AD – 70 AD) marks one of the first recorded instances of wind powering a machine in history.[2][3] However, the first known practical wind power plants were built in Sistan, an Eastern province of Persia (now Iran), from the 7th century. These "Panemone" were vertical axle windmills, which had long vertical drive shafts with rectangular blades.[4] Made of six to twelve sails covered in reed matting or cloth material, these windmills were used to grind grain or draw up water, and were used in the gristmilling and sugarcane industries.[5] United Nations' Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has said that renewable energy has the ability to lift the poorest nations to new levels of prosperity.[14] In October 2011, he "announced the creation of a high-level group to drum up support for energy access, energy efficiency and greater use of renewable energy. The group is to be co-chaired by Kandeh Yumkella, the chair of UN Energy and director general of the UN Industrial Development Organisation, and Charles Holliday, chairman of Bank of America".[147] Most horizontal axis turbines have their rotors upwind of its supporting tower. Downwind machines have been built, because they don't need an additional mechanism for keeping them in line with the wind. In high winds, the blades can also be allowed to bend which reduces their swept area and thus their wind resistance. Despite these advantages, upwind designs are preferred, because the change in loading from the wind as each blade passes behind the supporting tower can cause damage to the turbine. In 2014 global wind power capacity expanded 16% to 369,553 MW.[83] Yearly wind energy production is also growing rapidly and has reached around 4% of worldwide electricity usage,[84] 11.4% in the EU,[85] and it is widely used in Asia, and the United States. In 2015, worldwide installed photovoltaics capacity increased to 227 gigawatts (GW), sufficient to supply 1 percent of global electricity demands.[86] Solar thermal energy stations operate in the United States and Spain, and as of 2016, the largest of these is the 392 MW Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System in California.[87][88] The world's largest geothermal power installation is The Geysers in California, with a rated capacity of 750 MW. Brazil has one of the largest renewable energy programs in the world, involving production of ethanol fuel from sugar cane, and ethanol now provides 18% of the country's automotive fuel. Ethanol fuel is also widely available in the United States. “As Trump’s Tariffs Raise the Cost of Solar Installations, Elon Musk and Tesla Cut Their Prices” • Tesla, unmoved by tariffs, is reducing prices on its solar systems 10–20% in recognition of the progress it has made streamlining its solar sales process by integrating Tesla Energy products into its existing high-traffic storefronts. [Red, Green, and Blue] Since 2013 the world's highest-situated wind turbine was made and installed by WindAid and is located at the base of the Pastoruri Glacier in Peru at 4,877 meters (16,001 ft) above sea level.[94] The site uses the WindAid 2.5 kW wind generator to supply power to a small rural community of micro entrepreneurs who cater to the tourists who come to the Pastoruri glacier.[95] As the cost of solar electricity has fallen, the number of grid-connected solar PV systems has grown into the millions and utility-scale solar power stations with hundreds of megawatts are being built. Solar PV is rapidly becoming an inexpensive, low-carbon technology to harness renewable energy from the Sun. The current largest photovoltaic power station in the world is the 850 MW Longyangxia Dam Solar Park, in Qinghai, China. Contact us at webmaster@affordsolartech.com \| Sitemap xml \| Sitemap txt \| Sitemap	cc/2020-05/en_head_0057.json.gz/line7
__label__cc	0.689854	0.310146	Tag: thao and the get down stay down FT50: Songs of 2009 December 4, 2009 nathan.lankford 8 comments We have to start this list off with a disclaimer. We have three writers, all with different tastes, so the list should reflect that a little bit. Also, these are our opinions, and by no means, are they meant to be seen as an “end all be all” to the question of what were the best songs of 2009. That being said, we like our list quite a bit. Sure, it’s got some expected numbers at the top, but the rest of the list is genius. We’ve got some of the songs streaming for you, and the rest take you straight to youtube. Follow the jump for full list. Friday Top 5 New Thao And The Get Down Stay Down September 17, 2009 RayRay Leave a comment After the critical and blogger success of their 2008 album We Brave Bee Stings and All San Fran band Thao and The Get Down Stay Down are back with new material for 2009. Their new album will be release on October 13th via Kill Rock Stars and will be named Know Better, Learn Faster. Here’s a first taste of that new album with title track “Know Better Learn Faster”. Your thoughts? [audio: http://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/Thao-With-The-Get-Down-Stay-Down-Know-Better-Learn-Faster.mp3] Download: Thao With The Get Down Stay Down – Know Better Learn Faster [MP3]	cc/2020-05/en_head_0057.json.gz/line12
__label__wiki	0.652918	0.652918	Home Page \| Index Contract law Consumer law Cases Legislation News Reports Reading Room Links Overview Formation Scope and content Avoidance Performance and Termination Remedies Overview Misleading conduct Consumer Guarantees Unfair Terms Unconscionable conduct Alphabetical New cases (2019) Australian contract and consumer law Please note that Australian Contract Law is currently being redesigned for responsiveness; the new site is available here and will fully transition later in 2019. Contract law encompasses any laws or regulations directed toward enforcing certain promises. We all make contracts almost every day. Whenever we buy a coffee, do the grocery shopping, fill the car up with petrol or purchase a ticket for public transport we are entering into a contract. We are often unaware we are contracting (or at least don't turn our minds to that fact) and in most cases it is unnecessary to do so; most contracts are made and performed instantly (or almost instantly) without any problems arising. However, should something go wrong (eg, one party fails to perform (eg, deliver goods) or goods delivered or services performed are defective in some way), it may become important to assess when and whether a valid contract was entered into, the nature of its terms and obligations and what, if any, remedies may be available in the event of a breach. In Australia contract law is primarily governed by the 'common law', but increasingly statutes are supplementing the common law of contract - most notably, but certainly not exclusively, in the area of consumer protection. This site is designed to provide an introduction to Australian contract and consumer law. The core content can be found by following the links in the top menu. The contract law section focusses primarily on the common law of contract, with some reference to relevant legislation. It is broadly divided into five categories: contractual formation scope and content of contracts avoidance of contractual obligations performance and termination of contracts and remedies for breach of contract. The consumer law section includes information relating to consumer guarantees, unfair terms in consumer contracts, unconscionable conduct and manufacturers' liability. Please note that the content on this website does not constitute legal advice and should not be used as a substitute for legal advice. See disclaimer for further detail. Please also note that the site is currently undergoing a re-fresh and is being updated. This site remains (and will remain!) a work in progress and, while every endeavour is made to keep it up to date and accurate, no guarantee is made as to currency or accuracy. This site is designed to provide resources relating to Australian contract and consumer law. The site is maintained as hobby and remains a work in progress. Julie Clarke Copyright and disclaimer \| Last updated: 12 June 2019	cc/2020-05/en_head_0057.json.gz/line13
__label__wiki	0.863328	0.863328	Tag Archives: Jamaican Assembly Of an unjust imprisonment and a shocking legacy June 23, 2012 Anne M Powers 2 Comments By Thomas Hudon, engraved by Johan Faber (The National Maritime Museum), via Wikimedia Commons Many who are new to tales of Jamaican slavery are deeply shocked when they discover that freed slaves and mixed Jamaicans often themselves owned slaves. I think this is understandable (which is not to say justifiable), if you accept that for most people in the eighteenth century slavery was a fact of life and one which they generally did not question. Since owning slaves reflected your economic and social status it is unsurprising that freed slaves and mixed race Jamaicans would want to reinforce their new status, in much the same way as aspiring middle class Victorians in England would employ a live-in maid or a cook. A key difference of course being that the latter were free to leave for other employment. However, I did find it particularly shocking when I read the Will of Francis Delap to discover, that in freeing and educating his little six year-old mulatto son Arthur, he was requiring his executors to provide Arthur with ‘three new Negro Boys nearly of his Age to be bought for him by my Executors immediately after my death to be marked AD and to be bred to the same Trade with himself’. Not only were three little African boys straight off the boat to be branded with Arthur’s initials, but they were to be the slaves of another child of their own age. Since they were all to be bred up in the same trade I presume Francis was trying to provide Arthur with the ultimate means of setting himself up in business. And of course this is not the only case of a child being given his own slaves. But shocking nevertheless. Francis Delap has however gone down in history for quite another reason. He was at the centre of the great Jamaican controversy in the mid 1750s surrounding the location of the island capital. When the British arrived in Jamaica in 1655 St Jago de la Vega was the Spanish capital, situated inland for easier defence against seaborn raiders. After the 1692 earthquake and a later fire largely destroyed Port Royal, Kingston rapidly grew to be the centre of mercantile activity. By the mid- eighteenth century a schism had grown up between the planter and administrative classes who favoured Spanish Town, where the Assembly met and legal cases were heard, and the merchants who wanted to move the capital to Kingston. Apart from the disruption this would have caused, planter social life centred on the times of year when they arrived from their estates to enjoy the Spanish Town entertainments and attend the races, to get married and to baptise their children. Any move of the capital would also have had a depressive effect on property values in Spanish Town which had just been ascertained in the 1754 Census. When Sir Charles Knowles arrived in Jamaica as Governor he sided with the Kingston lobby in favour of the move, falling out with the Spanish Town inhabitants and choosing to move to Kingston rather than as was traditional living in Spanish Town. He also insisted on the supremacy of the English parliament over the Jamaican Assembly. This direct confrontation with the Assembly came to a head when the Governor dissolved the Assembly and elections were called. There was not of course any universal franchise, only free white men who were freeholders could vote. It appeared that the votes for the three members for Port Royal were going to be critical and the pro-Kingston lobby wanted to ensure that the vote was not supervised by the Provost Marshall Francis Delap, who was thought to favour the Spanish Town cause. Uncertain what to do for the best when told to hand over the Writs, Delap had the Writs and all his papers locked in two chests and deposited them with Charles Price and Dr William Wynter. The Governor had Delap arrested and ordered him to surrender the Writs for the election so that new ones could be issued, putting a Mr Johnston who he had appointed as the new Provost Marshall in charge of the election. Delap had serious doubts about the legality of this, but was unable to act beyond securing all his papers, as Governor Knowles had him committed to the Kingston jail where he was clapped in irons, deprived of the use of pen and ink and prevented from communicating with anyone. Knowles intended to have him shipped out to England as a prisoner, but the Island Council decided instead to prosecute him for a misdemeanour and he was at last able to apply for a writ of Habeas Corpus and to obtain bail. Following a court appearance in June 1755 Delap was fined £500 and once again imprisoned. One of Delap’s friends and supporters was Rose Fuller, who had earlier clashed with Knowles as a result of which he had resigned as Chief Justice. In the Spring of 1755 he heard that his brother John had died in England and so after two decades in Jamaica Rose Fuller returned to England, arriving in August of 1755. His presence there enabled him to coordinate support for Delap’s case in London and eventually Delap was freed. Papers held at the East Sussex Record Office at Lewes show that Fuller had raised a letter of credit on Arnold, Albert and Alexander Nesbitt of London for £6000 for Delap’s legal support, based on a valuation of Delap’s Jamaican estate which ‘recently stocked with a great strength of able negroes and mules, is good security for £30,000’ (ESRO SAS-RF/21/42). The Board of Trade eventually decided in favour of Spanish Town on a technicality and Governor Knowles left Jamaica. A huge procession of carts brought the island papers back to Spanish Town and the celebrations included two huge bonfires, one topped with an effigy of Governor Knowles and the other one of his ship[1]. When Delap died over twenty years later most of his wealth was left to his siblings in Ireland, but he also made provision for the care of four mixed race children, whose mother was Mary Shippen, and for little Arthur, now the master of his own slaves. [1] You can read a fuller account of the Spanish Town versus Kingston controversy in Gone is the Ancient Glory, Spanish Town, Jamaica 1534-2000 by James Robertson, Ian Randle Publishers, Kingston 2005; and a contemporary account of the trial of Francis Delap in An account of the trial of Francis Delap Esq upon an information for a misdemeanour: at the Supreme Court of Judicature, held in the town of Kingston, in Jamaica, on June 18, 1755. Ecco Print Editions (print on demand). Board of Trade, Francis Delap, Governor of Jamaica, Jamaican Assembly, Kingston, Rose Fuller, Sir Charles Knowles, Sir Charles Price, slavery, Spanish Town, William Wynter The Maroon War settlement of 1739 November 27, 2011 Anne M Powers 1 Comment Cudjoe and Colonel Guthrie under Cudjoe’s cotton tree The escaped slaves of Jamaica had one big advantage over slaves in many other places, that the geography of the island provided them with areas where they could hide and live with much less fear of discovery. The original Maroons were freed or runaway Spanish slaves, whose name is thought to come from the Spanish word cimarrón, meaning wild or untamed. Over time two main areas of Maroon settlement developed, the Trelawney Maroons lived in an area around Maroon Town and Accompong in the Cockpit country, and the Windward Maroons lived on the northern slopes of the Blue Mountains. The territory occupied by the Maroons was ideally suited to guerrilla warfare, although that name for the technique would not be used until the time of the Peninsular War at the end of the 18th century. Led by an extremely able commander called Cudjoe, with his brothers Accompong and Johnny in the West, and sub-chiefs Quao and Cuffee in the East, the Maroons avoided open fights preferring ambush. Camouflaged from head to foot in leaves, surprise and their accurate shooting often brought them quick victory after which they would melt back into the woods to prepare another attack. Various armed attempts to subdue them were made by British troops and in 1734 a Captain Stoddart led a party that attacked and destroyed Nanny Town in the Blue Mountains. The town was never resettled and even now is believed to be haunted by the ghosts of those who died. Nanny the Maroon chieftainess after whom the place was named is now a National Hero of Jamaica. Although the Maroons had suffered severely under this attack many escaped, some to build a new village further inland and others removed to the Cockpit area of Trelawney. Maroon raids increased and so did the fear of the colonists that they would encourage a mass uprising of slaves on the plantations, where they now outnumbered white settlers by about 14 to 1. The Jamaican Assembly voted money for a large-scale campaign and the Maroons found themselves in a desperate situation, however the government did not realise this and, eager to end the fighting, they sent Colonel James Guthrie with a detachment of militia, and Lieutenant Francis Sadler with a party of soldiers, to seek out Cudjoe and offer him favourable terms for a peace.` The negotiators exchanged hats as a sign of friendship, as depicted above, and the treaty was agreed on 1 March 1739 beneath a large cotton tree, afterwards known as Cudjoe’s Tree. Under the settlement Cudjoe and his followers were all to be free, and any slaves who had joined them were given the choice of remaining with the Maroons or returning to their masters. It would be interesting to know if any did, somehow I doubt it! A land grant was made to the Maroons of 1500 acres in Trelawney, where they would have hunting rights and it was agreed “That they shall have liberty to plant the said lands with coffee, cocoa, ginger, tobacco, and cotton, and to breed cattle, hogs, goats, or any other flock, and dispose of the produce or increase of the said commodities to the inhabitants of this island”. In addition Cudjoe and his followers were to assist the British in pursuing any remaining rebels and in the case of foreign invasion they would assist the British against the invader and in return would receive their protection. The Maroons agreed not to harbour runaway slaves but to return them for a reward of ten shillings per slave. Cudjoe himself was given the right to dispense justice within his community and the succession was assured, naming Accompong, Johnny, Quao and Cuffee, and after their deaths such leaders as might be appointed by the Governor. The Maroons were required to build and maintain a road to Trelawney Town, and four white persons were to be nominated to live with the Maroons in order to facilitate communication with the government. Following the agreement with the Maroons the Jamaican assembly rewarded several negroes who had assisted the authorities to bring about the peace. Three men named Cuffee, Sambo, and Quashey were manumised and their owners were compensated to the value of £40 per man; and two women called Venus and Affiba were also freed with their owners being paid £30 for each. One further consequence of the events leading to the peace was the award of £1500 to Guthrie (who however died in June 1739) and £600 to Francis Sadler who subsequently received land grants totalling 1200 acres which formed the basis of the Montpelier estate. When Francis Sadler married Colonel Guthrie’s widowed daughter Janet Hynes in 1742 he extended the Montpelier estate still further. This Francis Sadler, who took the name Francis Sadler Hals when he inherited Halse Hall from his half brother, was the son of Mary Rose whose life in Jamaica has already been described on this website. So successful was the peace agreement of 1739 that it lasted for more than fifty years. The full text of the agreement and the subsequent Act of the Jamaican Assembly can be found here. A note about the picture: When I first saw the picture of Colonel Guthrie and Cudjoe I thought it an attempt to belittle the latter with a caricature. However he was described at the time as being very short and squat with a large lump of flesh on his back, and a strange wild manner. He dressed in a tattered old blue coat, white knee breeches, a head tie and a small round hat. His gun was an old Spanish musket with powder and shot, and he carried a machete worn in a leather holster. Accompong, Blue Mountains, Cudjoe, Francis Sadler, Guthrie, Halse Hall, Jamaica, Jamaican Assembly, Janet Hynes, Maroon, Montpelier, Nanny, Nanny Town, Trelawney Town The Great Jamaican Earthquake of 1692 September 3, 2011 Anne M Powers Comment The terrible earthquake that struck Jamaica just before noon on the 7th June 1692 changed the geography of the island for ever and set its progress back by many years. The timing of the earthquake was recorded by survivors but confirmed by the discovery of an early pocketwatch, made about 1686 by Frenchman Paul Blondel, during an underwater excavation. The watch had stopped at 11:43 am. Looking at this 1670 map and comparing it with one drawn nearly a century later, you can see that a huge area around Port Royal, notorious it is true for its pirates and brothels but nonetheless the centre for a lively trade with the outside world, simply ceased to exist. Port Royal was described as the wickedest city on earth, but mostly after its destruction when people were looking for an explanation and seeing it as God delivering a just punishment on a sinful people. Port Royal in 1670 About two thirds of the town of Port Royal disappeared in the quake, much of it because of liquefaction of the sandy soil on which the town was built. Brick buildings and wooden warehouses collapsed and slid into the sea. According to Robert Renny in his An History of Jamaica of 1807, “All the wharves sunk at once, and in the space of two minutes, nine-tenths of the city were covered with water, which was raised to such a height, that it entered the uppermost rooms of the few houses which were left standing. The tops of the highest houses, were visible in the water, and surrounded by the masts of vessels, which had been sunk along with them”. In the triple shocks of the quake the liquefied soil flowed in waves, fissures opened up and then closed again trapping victims as the sand solidified, some horrifically left with just their heads visible. In the tsunami that followed most of the twenty or so ships in the harbour were sunk or carried right over the town, and many who had survived the initial quake were drowned. The horror of the survivors at the huge number of corpses floating in the harbour was increased when they realised that many of these bodies had been washed out of the town’s graveyard. Looting began almost at once with the looters even hacking fingers off the dead in order to obtain their rings, and goods were stolen from the wharves and warehouses. The earthquake, which modern estimates suggest was about 7.5 in magnitude, was not of course confined to Port Royal. A huge landslip occurred at Judgement Hill. At Liguanea, the site of modern Kingston, the sea was observed to retreat 300 yards before a six-foot high wave rushed inland. Most of the buildings in Spanish Town were destroyed and serious damage occurred all across Jamaica. Worse was yet to come, for the survivors then had to endure a series of epidemics particularly of Yellow Fever. Perhaps 2000 of the 6500 inhabitants of Port Royal perished in the quake, many more died across Jamaica in the following few years. The island was over dependent on imported food and goods from England, and the disruption to its main harbour, loss of ships and warehousing brought about shortages of essential goods and reduced the ability to export. The Jamaican Assembly removed from Port Royal to Spanish Town and rebuilding began almost at once, but it has been suggested that the progress of the colony was set back by 20 years as a result of the devastation. Port Royal itself was so much reduced in area and further devastated by fire in 1704 that it never recovered. Two years after the quake Dr Fulke Rose, one of the early colonists who had been in Jamaica since at least 1670, returned to London with his family in order better to plead the cause of the island. He died there in March 1694 and you can read a transcript of his Will here. During the 1980s and 1990s underwater excavations took place at Port Royal which revealed much about life there before the quake struck. You can read about that project here. Jamaica suffers up to 200 earthquakes every year, most of which are quite minor, but the Earthquake Unit of the University of the West Indies at Mona describes the quake of 1692 as ‘perhaps our largest and most damaging natural disaster’. 1692, earthquake, Fulke Rose, Jamaica, Jamaican Assembly, Kingston Jamaica, Liguanea, liquefaction, London, Port Royal, Spanish Town	cc/2020-05/en_head_0057.json.gz/line14
__label__wiki	0.852061	0.852061	Company Details and Investment Strategy Material Contracts Recent Releases and Media \| Reports Baker Steel Resources Trust’s board of independent directors has substantial mining sector experience and industry expertise Howard Miles Howard Myles currently acts as a non-executive director of a number of investment companies. He was a partner in Ernst & Young from 2001 until 2007 and was responsible for the Investment Funds Corporate Advisory team. He was previously with UBS Warburg from 1987 to 2001. He is a fellow of The Institute of Chartered Accountants and of The Chartered Institute for Securities and Investments. Charles Hansard Charles Hansard has over 30 years experience in the investment industry as a professional and in a non-executive capacity. He is currently a director and senior advisor on a number of boards including the Moore Capital group of funds. He has also served as a director of a number of mining companies. He commenced his career in South Africa with Anglo American Corporation and Fleming Martin as a mining analyst. He holds a BBS from Trinity College, Dublin. Clive Newall Clive Newall is President of First Quantum Minerals. He has worked in mining and exploration throughout his career, having held management positions with Amax Exploration Inc and the Robertson Group plc. He has also been a director of a number of public companies in the UK and Canada. He has an honours degree in mining geology from the Royal School of Mines and an MBA from the Scottish Business School at Strathclyde University. Chris Sherwell Chris Sherwell has worked since 2004 as a senior non-executive director, based in Guernsey with roles in the offshore finance industry. He has served as a director for a variety of listed funds managed by institutions such as Goldman Sachs, Hermes and Dexion. Prior to 2004 he was Managing Director of Schroders’ offshore investment and private banking operations in the Channel Islands. He is a Rhodes Scholar with degrees in science and in economics and politics. He has worked as a university lecturer and was a journalist for 15 years, 12 of them for the Financial Times. Copyright 2017 © Baker Steel Resources Trust Ltd \| Legal Notice	cc/2020-05/en_head_0057.json.gz/line16
__label__wiki	0.63156	0.63156	B-Sides TV On-Air & Online INTERVIEWS \| REVIEWS \| LIVE EXPERIENCES PHOTOS: Pierce The Veil Kick Off Fall ‘Made To Destroy’ Tour In San Francisco, CA by B-Sides Staff - 09/04/2016 09/04/2016 Pierce The Veil opened their Made To Destroy tour at the Warfield Theater in San Francisco, CA on Sept. 3, 2016 to a sold out and raucous crowd. The San Diego-based band released their fourth studio album, Misadventures, earlier this year and the setlist mixed in many tracks off the album, kicking off the show with “Dive In” and included “Caraphernalia”, “Floral & Fading” and “Texas Is Forever” amongst others. The audience, who waited for hours before doors opened, was as energetic as the band themselves and the singalongs were strong throughout the roughly hour and a half set. Taking the stage in space suits out of the spaceship stage props, the quartet comprised of Vic and Mike Fuentes, Tony Perry and Jaime Preciado played with precision, were active on-stage switching places and interacting with the crowd. Vocals by lead singer Vic Fuentes were on-point, hitting the appropriate screams as they blended in with the band’s frenetic energy. Check out the pics from the first show of the Made To Destroy tour! B-Sides Staff B-Sides On-Air has staff contributors across the country, writing about their musical passions, new discoveries, thoughts on the musical climate and top-of-mind events. If you're interested in writing for us, send over your info and writing sample to- bsides (at) b-sides (dot) tv ALBUM REVIEW: Glass Animals – How To Be A Human Being Riot Fest Chicago 2016: Who to See	cc/2020-05/en_head_0057.json.gz/line18
__label__wiki	0.620365	0.620365	Social Media & Technology Experts Meeting/Event Planners’ Resources Executives’ Resources AboutFind a SpeakerCategoriesRequest InfoNewsContact Displaying 1 - 25 of 80 Sorted by: Price A-Z Page Size: 25 50 All 1 2 3 4 Rick Barry Price Range: Call For Fee Bio Info: NBA player and member of the NBA's 50 Greatest Players. Larry Bird Price Range: Call For Fee Larry Bird spent 13 seasons with the Boston Celtics, and excelled in all areas of the game such as scorer, passer, rebounder, defender, and team player. Larry Bird was so self-confident that he was known to waltz up to the opponents'... Eduardo Najera Price Range: Call For Fee Eduardo Najera is a basketball player in the NBA, currently for the New Jersey Nets and formerly with the Denver Nuggets. His career has been puntuated with a talent for rebounding and defense. Eduardo Najera (born July 11, 1976 in Meoqui,... 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Bardo's experience as a former standout point guard on Illinois' 89 Final Four team, dubbed, "The Flyin' Illini," and his ten-year professional career that included stops in... HomeContactSearchSite MapLogin	cc/2020-05/en_head_0057.json.gz/line22
__label__cc	0.720006	0.279994	Impact Assessment on the Enterprise Culture Component, ILO Sri Lanka, 2008 Mr. Roel Hakemulder The Enterprise for Pro-poor Growth project supports the Government of Sri Lanka's strategy for poverty reduction and generation of quality employment for women and men through an integrated micro and small enterprise development programme. It targets four districts with a high incidence of poverty, Kurunegala, Polonnaruwa, Anuradhapura and Puttalam. The project also addresses enterprise-related issues at the national level that will enhance impact in the provinces and transfers lessons learnt to the national policy level. Under the enterprise culture component of the project, an in-depth assessment of values, norms and attitudes in relation to business was carried out in all four districts at inception. The results of this socio-cultural assessment were used in the design of the social marketing campaign based on the "forum theatre" concept and in supporting the revision of secondary school curricula in collaboration with the National Institute of Education in Sri Lank. The overall objective of the impact assessment on enterprise culture was to find out qualitatively whether the Enter-Growth project has been able to change norms, values and attitudes towards enterprise in the four districts that it was implemented. For practical reasons, the assessment was confined to two districts, Polonnaruwa and Puttalam. It has to be kept in mind at the outset that changing cultural norms and values, which attitudes and behaviour are based on, is a long-term process and what can be assessed qualitatively, immediately at project completion will be somewhat limited. The main focus of the assessment was on these specific objectives: - Assess the impact of the social marketing campaign (Palama theatre performances) and the Entrepreneurial Studies course on the norms, values and attitudes of the target population and those who affect their decision-making as they relate to enterprise. - Identify cases where enterprises have been started (behavioural change) or improved as a result of Palama, as qualitative evidence that such impact is being achieved. Associated Activities and Documents » Enterprise for Pro-Poor Growth Socio-Cultural Assessment, ILO, Sri Lanka 2006 » Enterprise for Pro-Poor Growth, ILO, Sri Lanka 2005-8 » Enterprise for Pro-Poor Growth Progress Reports, ILO, Sri Lanka 2005-8 » Enterprise for Pro-Poor Growth Baseline Reports, ILO, Sri Lanka 2006 » The Effects of Theatre on Beliefs about Business, ILO Sri Lanka, 2007 » Enterprise for Pro-Poor Growth Intervention Reports, ILO, Sri Lanka, 2007-8 » Enterprise for Pro-Poor Growth Case Studies, ILO, Sri Lanka 2005-9 Impact Assessment on the Enterprise Culture Component	cc/2020-05/en_head_0057.json.gz/line23
__label__wiki	0.723997	0.723997	Tag Archives: public engagement Engagement Centre Projects, Projects, Research, Voices of War and Peace First World War Engagement Centre The Indian Army in the First World War: an Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire perspective August 7, 2018 sharon brookshaw Leave a comment “It has given me a clearer understanding of the fact that it was a world war rather than just the British vs. Germany” – exhibition visitor. Continue reading The Indian Army in the First World War: an Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire perspective → ancestorsBritish AsianBuckinghamshireCommunity groupsCommunity Researcherscrowdsourcingexhibitionfamily historyIndian ArmyOxford Hindu Temple ProjectOxford Muslim Community InitiativeOxford UniversityOxford University Sikh SocietyOxfordshirePriya Atwalpublic engagementSOFOSoldiers of Oxfordshire MuseumStephen BarkervisitorsVoices of War and PeacevolunteersWycombe Museum Community Engagement, Engagement Centres, Voices of War and Peace First World War Engagement Centre Being Young: Understanding Young People’s Experiences in the First World War May 10, 2018 ahrcww1 1 Comment In this blog post, Dr Marcus Morris looks at his project exploring the impact of the Great War on children and young people. Continue reading Being Young: Understanding Young People’s Experiences in the First World War → being youngboy soldierschildrencommemorationhome frontlearningManchester Metropolitan Universitymarcus Morrisperformancepublic engagementVoices of War and PeaceYoung people Community Engagement, Voices of War and Peace First World War Engagement Centre Voices of Women in the Great War and its Aftermath May 8, 2018 ahrcww1 Leave a comment Professor Maggie Andrews brings us our latest blog post, discussing her thoughts from the recent AHRC funded Voices of Women Conference. Continue reading Voices of Women in the Great War and its Aftermath → 1918black country living museumConferenceEnfranchisementeventhome frontLeeds Mercurypresspublic engagementpublic eventrepresentation of the peoples act 1918social changeSuffragette cookbooktrench choirVoices of War and Peacevoices of womenvotingwar widowwomenWomen workerswomens history networkwomens suffrage Community Engagement, Engagement Centres Taking the Engagement Centre to the Public April 16, 2018 ahrcww1 Leave a comment In our latest post, Michael Noble from the University of Nottingham’s Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) funded Hidden Histories Engagement Centre discusses taking WW1 history to the public. One of the joys of working for an Engagement Centre comes from the opportunity to meet and work with interested and committed people around the country. Over the course of the centenary, I have worked, talked and collaborated with hundreds of people, of all ages, who have a keen interest in the First World War and who have used their knowledge and enthusiasm to make the commemorations a success. But what about those people who have little or no interest in the war? Those whose knowledge extends simply to the popular images of the conflict, the trenches, the truce, the Somme, the poppy. We would be neglectful as an Engagement Centre if we didn’t make efforts to reach these people, the ones that don’t necessarily meet us half-way. Continue reading Taking the Engagement Centre to the Public → artefact boxesartefactsCentre for Hidden Historiescity centreengagement centrefamily historyFestival of Science and Curiosityflorence nightingalehistorykinship of knowledgelocal connectionsmichael noblenottighamitesNottinghamobject handlingoutreachPoppyprivate peacefulpublic engagementpublic eventrolesaturdaysciencesommestalltimeslotuniversity of nottinghamwar horse BBC WW1 at Home The BBC World War One at Home Project: Reflections November 27, 2014 ahrcww1 Leave a comment In this piece, Dr Helen B. McCartney reflects on her involvement in the BBC World War One at Home project and the broadcasting, public engagement and learning opportunities that came from it. The BBC World War One at Home project began with an ambitious aim – to produce over 1400 local stories that illustrated the diversity of experience on the British home front during the First World War. The BBC English Regions and Nations were tasked with each providing 100 stories that had a strong sense of locality, and explained how different individuals and places influenced and were affected by the British war effort from 1914. The first stories were broadcast across radio, television, and online in February 2014 with further stories released in June and August. The final tranche of stories have been released this week, with a few kept in reserve to be broadcast later in 2015. The project was a collaborative initiative between the BBC, the Imperial War Museums, and researchers funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC). Supporting World War One at Home is one of the key ways in which the AHRC is marking the centenary of the First World War. Through funding researchers to work with broadcasters, they aimed to facilitate the input of new historical ideas and broader national and international contexts into the project. As one of the researchers on the project, working alongside Professor Ian Beckett and the broadcast journalists of BBC South, I want to offer a few reflections on what academics were able to contribute and what I, in particular, have taken away from the experience. It is important to remember that this was an experimental project. Collaboration between AHRC academic researchers and broadcasters had not previously been attempted on this scale and this necessarily meant that roles had to be defined and refined as the project took shape. A key player in this was our broadcast controller, Joanne Babbage, who expertly managed the interface between the journalists researching the stories and academics providing advice. We all had to recognize that journalism and academic cultures are different. I had to learn the hard lesson that although one of my primary functions was to add context, there was a limit to the amount of context that can be provided in a 5 -10 minute story. Inserting context concisely is, indeed, an art form. However, the broad selection of stories, presented collectively, also helped in the quest to highlight a wider view of the war experience. Charles Booth, one of the researchers in the South West, has pointed out how many of the stories illustrated the global dimensions of the conflict. Across the UK, there were stories about the interaction between local people and those of other nationalities – troops from undivided India, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and the United States, as well as Yemeni sailors and men of the Chinese Labour Corps. All these stories helped to emphasize the international character of the war. Nor were the darker stories of wartime glossed over. For example, while Belgian refugees were welcomed by many British people at the start of the war, there were clearly tensions between some refugees and their communities by its end and stories detailing anti-German riots featured in a number of regions. There is also the journalistic imperative to find the unique, out-of–the ordinary stories that engage audiences. These stories were crucial to the project, but so were the stories that looked at everyday life and experience. For example, we were able to cover not only the experience of conscientious objectors but also the experience of the many men who faced military service tribunals seeking exemption from military service for more mundane but no less fascinating reasons. Finally, I was impressed with the way in which the journalists with whom I worked were prepared to discuss and amend parts of their programming to accommodate alternative views or tighten up terminology. The fact that there was room for ongoing discussion before the final production of the stories was a very positive part of the relationship and added greater depth and complexity to some of the stories presented. The overall result has been, I hope, a rich variety of stories that reflect the experience of different regions and nations with different characteristics, different economic outlooks and different populations with different skills. The United Kingdom in 1914 was decentralized, both administratively and culturally. Most people lived their entire lives at the local level with their expectations and connections tied to their local communities and the project admirably reflects these realities. It does more than this, however. One of its real strengths is the way in which the stories have been archived both by locality and by theme. The thematic approach is significant because it also allows for people to engage with the stories more broadly, permitting comparison of how the war was experienced across the UK. The other key strength of the project was that it was not simply about the production of stories but also about engaging with the public through a series of roadshows held around the country. These roadshows provided academics with an opportunity to highlight some of their own recent research to more diverse audiences than traditionally encountered. Talking to audiences in a BBC roadshow tent at Weymouth carnival was a new experience for me. It made me think carefully about what was essential to my argument as well as what might hold the attention of an audience with a wide demographic against the backdrop of potentially more interesting attractions. This was an audience that could vote with its feet. BBC World War One at Home ‘Battle Bus’ at the Weymouth roadshow, 20 August 2014. © Robert T. Foley The whole experience of working on the World War One at Home project has been incredibly valuable to my own research project that looks at the British soldier in the First World War and how different public narratives have become prominent in the UK over the last century. It has provided insight into how to engage a wide range of people from disparate backgrounds, allowed me to study the construction of narratives within a media organization, and afforded me the opportunity to influence those narratives by suggesting alternative perspectives from which to view the First World War. I hope that the collective experience of this collaborative project will be viewed as positively and will help to shape engagement between academics and the BBC in the future. This piece was originally posted at defenceindepth.co academiaBBCCollaborationJournalismpublic engagementRoadshowsTribunals Poetry, protest and ‘pukka’: World War One at Home in Scotland October 23, 2014 ahrcww1 Leave a comment The Scottish experience of the First World War and its aftermath was different, in many ways, from that of the rest of Britain. Among other things, it was in Scotland that Britain probably came closest to having its own version of the Russian Revolution. Red Clydeside Billy Kenefick is Senior Lecturer in History at the University of Dundee. As he points out, ‘Scotland in many ways was highly patriotic in the First World War: some 63% of eligible men in Dundee were in uniform, for example – that’s a very high proportion. And the “tank campaign” to raise money for the war effort in 1917/18, which involved battle-scarred tanks touring towns and cities to drum up sales of War Bonds and Savings Certificates, saw several Scottish cities vying to outdo each other. Dundee raised £4.5 million in one week.’ Yet several Scottish cities were also leading centres of the anti-war movement, with many of them having anti-conscription fellowships. Scottish cities also saw significant industrial and civil unrest, during and immediately after the war. The Independent Labour Party in Scotland grew from 3,000 members to 10,000 by war’s end – a rate of growth that wasn’t replicated elsewhere in Britain. And ironically perhaps it was Glasgow, seen by many as the second city of the British Empire, which became the focus of political radicalism, and effectively found itself under martial law during what became known as the Red Clydeside era. Glasgow and the surrounding area was home to a significant amount of heavy industry, but many factory and shipyard workers lived in conditions of extreme poverty. During the war, the government introduced a number of laws that were met with hostility by the trade unions, while at the same time, living and working conditions became worse. This led to a campaign for a 40-hour week, and other improvements in working conditions. Then on 31 January 1919, a huge rally was held in George Square in the centre of Glasgow, organised by the trade unions. The gathering turned into a riot, and the Red Flag was raised by the crowd. Barely a year after the Russian Revolution, the government in Westminster panicked: fearing a Bolshevik-style insurrection on the streets of Britain, they sent troops and tanks into the city to quell the unrest, making sure that the troops weren’t Glaswegian (the local regiment was locked inside its barracks), and that few of them were veterans of the war, lest they prove too sympathetic to the aims of the protestors. Poetry and rare finds Another Scottish location that is famously associated with the First World War is the Craiglockhart Military Hospital in Edinburgh, where officers suffering from shell shock were treated with ‘talking cures’ and other newly developed therapies (enlisted men were subjected to altogether less enlightened regimes, in other locations), and where the poets Wilfred Owen and Siegfried Sassoon first met, inspiring each other to write some of the poetry that continues to shape the view of the war that so many of us have. Staff and patients at Craiglockhart War Hospital (courtesy of Edinburgh Napier University) Alistair McCleery is Professor of Literature and Culture at Edinburgh Napier University, which now includes the old Craiglockhart buildings, as well as housing the specialist archive of materials relating to Owen, Sassoon and others – the War Poets’ Collection. The Craiglockhart site is still home to a rare form of moss, found in Northern France, which presumably arrived on soldiers’ boots. ‘With the War Poets being an important part of the school curriculum,’ says Alistair McCleery, ‘we get a lot of school groups making visits to the campus. World War One at Home has led to the creation of learning resource packs that we can give to them: it’s a lasting legacy of the project.’ And according to Alistair McCleery, the summer roadshows that have been organised as part of the World War One at Home project, including one in Dundee, have been ‘like the TV programmes Cash in the Attic, or the Antiques Roadshow.’ Among the original material that has come to light, as members of the public have brought it in, has been a concert programme from Craiglockhart during the war: the evening’s festivities described in the programme, and put on by the patients, began with the national anthems of the Allies, including Russia’s old Tsarist anthem. Another person at the roadshow came forward with rare copies of The Hydra, the magazine produced by patients at Craiglockhart, which Wilfred Owen edited, and which features the first appearance of his poetry in print. The real Miss Jean Brodies According to Alistair McCleery, the World War One at Home project has helped draw attention to some Scottish writers who should be better-known, including the Dundee poet Joseph Lee, and Christine Orr, whose novel, The Glorious Thing, describes ‘ordinary lives during an extraordinary time.’ But then, ‘this was an experience that engulfed everyone. The First World War wasn’t a remote conflict, like the Boer War – no-one could escape its effects.’ The Morningside area of Edinburgh, for example, used to be famous for its spinsters – real-life Miss Jean Brodies. ‘But behind the type is a sad reality – so many women were forced to turn to the teaching profession after their fiancés were killed. You need an empathetic imagination, to picture what life must have been like for them, in the Twenties. The life that was mapped out for them, all gone.’ A diaspora in reverse Other distinctive elements of the Scottish experience of the First World War include the sense of martial tradition. ‘The kilted soldier really was the poster boy of Empire,’ says Derek Patrick, Lecturer in History at the University of Dundee. The exploits of Scottish regiments in conflicts like the Peninsular, Crimea and Boer Wars, had cemented the place of the Scottish soldier in Britain’s consciousness. ‘National, religious and military traditions all came together. It says something about Scotland as a nation. Military achievements helped Scots identify with the imperial project – the Scots saw themselves as Empire-builders, and as defenders of the Empire in adversity. There was also what amounted to a ‘diaspora in reverse’ during the First World War, with first or second-generation Scots returning from Canada, Australia, South Africa and New Zealand, to fight in Europe, either with Scottish divisions, or in kilted South African or Canadian regiments. And this story of the movement of Scottish soldiers around the world led to some interesting cases of cultural cross-over. The famous Scottish regiment the Black Watch, for example, had a long association with the Indian subcontinent, and its second and fourth battalions served with Indian divisions during the War. Several Indian regiments incorporated pipe bands and tartans, while long periods stationed in India rubbed off on Scottish soldiers, affecting their language (military slang of the period is full of words of Indian origin, including ‘pukka,’ ‘cushy’ and ‘doolally’, which blended with the Franglais slang popularised by men of the New Army) and their taste in food – curry was offered by army cooks from influence of the Indian army, and introduced more widely as a result of the War. The newspapers in Dundee, a city whose jute trade was closely linked with India, used to delight in showing photos of Scottish soldiers rubbing shoulders with troops of many different nationalities, knowing that their readers would find them interesting. Commemoration in Scotland The Great War Dundee Commemorative Project aims to co-ordinate a city-wide approach to the centenary commemoration of the First World War, bringing the local community together with Dundee’s museums, archives, libraries, universities, schools and businesses, through a programme of activities that encourage the broadest possible public participation and collective reminiscence. These activities include the opening of a hundred-year-old time capsule, located in Royal Mail’s Dundee East Delivery Office, which is thought to contain a large number of letters from soldiers on various First World War battle fronts, and photographs of Dundee men and women, as well as stamps and coins from the time. The aim is for events in Dundee to serve as a focus for a specifically Scottish commemoration of the war. Scotland has a particular culture of remembrance, too. According to Billy Kenefick, that can be seen in the cathedral-like Scottish National War Memorial in Edinburgh: ‘there was a sense that the Cenotaph in Whitehall wasn’t good enough – there was a national desire to commemorate Scottish soldiers in their own way, to see them as fighting the war for Scotland as well as for Britain. But then, Robert the Bruce had been used on recruiting posters, while others used to say “we cannot allow the sons of the rose, the leek and the shamrock to get ahead of the sons of the thistle”.’ Find out more about what research reveals about WW1 and its legacy in the AHRC’s Beyond the Trenches publication. Read it online or order a free copy here. Black WatchCraiglockhartDundeepublic engagementpublicationsScotlandThank campaignWilfred OwenWW1 at Home Connected Communities Festival: World War One ‘Antiques Roadshow’ Event A number of sessions at the recent Connected Communities Festival in Cardiff reflected on the nature of community at this time of commemoration and during the First World War. Three academic experts from Welsh universities were on hand in a special ‘Antiques Roadshow’-style event to look at First World War memorabilia brought in by members of the public. Some 40,000 Welshmen died during the War and its impact reached into every aspect of Welsh life. Its legacy lives on in countless ways and not least in the memories, objects and artefacts handed down through the generations and still treasured today. You can find out more about the roadshow in the video below, or read about the experiences of members of the public who attended on the BBC News website. You can revisit all the sessions which were live streamed in a YouTube playlist. artefactscommunityConnected CommunitiesConnected Communities Festivalpublic engagementpublic eventroadshow Premiere of new films on North East WW1 experiences There will be a unique premiere at Tyneside cinema this July, as two short films about North East experiences of the First World War are aired. The films were created by Newcastle and Durham University postgraduates and sixth formers from Heworth Grange and Ponteland High School. Postgraduates visited the Northumberland Archives at Woodhorn to gather private diaries, letters and photographs. These personal accounts and current sixth formers’ responses to them are at the heart of both films. These films show the war through the eyes of the generation that experienced it and explore what it means for modern students to read those experiences. The film-showing will take place in the Roxy at the Tyneside Cinema in Newcastle on 28th July at 6.30pm. The event is free and all guests will receive a glass of wine on arrival. Once the films have been shown there will be a Q&A session with the filmmakers, the sixth-formers who took part and archivists from the Northumberland Archives at Woodhorn. This will be chaired by the Project Co-Ordinator, Dr Katherine Cooper. To attend please email Faye Keegan on faye.keegan@ncl.ac.uk by 20th July 2014. This project is funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council, as part of the Collaborative Skills Development programme. archivescollaborative skills developmentevenfilmnewcastleNorth EastNorthumberlandpostgraduatespublic engagementpublic eventschoolsTyneside Co-ordinating Centres Launch of Gateways to the First World War, Friday 30th May 2014 June 6, 2014 ahrcww1 Leave a comment Last week saw the launch of Gateways to the First World War, one of five AHRC-funded centres designed to mark the centenary of the conflict, and to enhance public engagement with it. Gateways is based at the University of Kent and brings together a team of researchers from the Universities of Portsmouth, Brighton, Greenwich, Leeds and Queen Mary, London. The launch was part of a First World War Study day organised by the University of Kent’s German Department. The event was opened by Professor John Baldock, the University of Kent’s Pro-Vice-Chancellor Research, who expressed the university’s pleasure in hosting the Centre and introduced an afternoon of debate and discussion on the First World War and its commemoration. Dominieck Dendoveen, Dr Suzanne Bardgett, His Excellency Dr Emil Brix and Dr Deborah Holmes discuss how and why we should commemorate the First World War One of the highlights of the event was a panel discussion on the commemoration of the First World War chaired by the event’s organiser, Dr Deborah Holmes of the German Department, and featuring Dr Emil Brix, Austria’s Ambassador to the UK, Dr Suzanne Bardgett, the Imperial War Museum’s Director of Research, and Dominiek Dendooven of In Flanders Fields Museum, Belgium. The panel led a fascinating discussion of both the problems and benefits of commemorating an event often complicated by ‘contested memories’. Dr Brix expressed his belief in the importance of European collaboration in the commemoration of the war, and Mr Dendooven discussed the ways in which the Flanders Field Museum is attempting to overcome national boundaries through exhibitions focused on individual war experiences. Dr Bardgett outlined some of the exciting centenary projects supported by the Imperial War Museum, including Lives of the First World War, the First World War Partnership, and Whose Remembrance?, the IWM’s project to investigate the role of colonial troops in the conflict. The discussion reinforced one of the key aims of the Gateways project: to encourage academics and the wider public to work together to discover connections between the local and the global during the First World War. As Gateways’ Director Professor Mark Connelly stated, the conflict was, for Kent and the South East in particular, a ‘global event with global repercussions’ which took place ‘on the doorstep’. Gateways Director Professor Mark Connelly with His Excellency Dr Emil Brix, Dr Deborah Holmes and Dr Heide Kunzelmann The panel discussion was followed by an illustrated lecture by Professor Connelly and Dr Heide Kunzelmann of the German Department, presenting photographs taken of troop mobilisation and prisoners of war in 1914 by Dr Kunzelmann’s great-grandfather, a medical officer in the Habsburg Army. Comparing these newly discovered sources to photographs taken by British officers in 1914, the pair talked about the connections between the personal and the public, and the similarities between artefacts of the First World War from different sides of the conflict. Through their discussion of the photographs – which focused on the themes of mobilization, violence, vulnerability and reconstruction – they emphasised the importance of revisiting accepted and established approaches to the conflict. Photographs taken by Dr Friedrich Kunzelmann in 1914 The event ended with a drinks reception and official launch of the Gateways to the First World War centre. Professor Connelly and Dr Will Butler outlined some of the centenary projects already underway, including a collaboration with Step Short of Folkestone on an app tour highlighting the town’s connections to the conflict, and guests were shown the newly-launched Gateways website. After a successful opening event, the Gateways team is now looking forward to developing its work with local groups and organisations on a range of First World War projects across the UK. The Centre aims to encourage and support public interest in the conflict through a range of events and activities such as open days and study days, providing access to materials and expertise, and signposting for other resources and forms of support. Forthcoming events include: 19th July 2014 – 25th January 2015 – ‘Lest We Forget’, an exhibition in conjunction with Portsmouth City Council 13th September 2014 – A Family History Day at Brighton Museum in conjunction with Brighton Museums and Pavilion 28th September 2014 – Gateways to the First World War Public Open Day, National Maritime Museum, Greenwich 12th December 2014 – ‘Representations of the Christmas Truce’, a one day symposium at the University of Kent More details of these and many other projects can be found on the Gateways website. The Gateways team can be contacted at gateways@kent.ac.uk and via Twitter and Facebook. centenarypublic engagementuniversity of Kentww1	cc/2020-05/en_head_0057.json.gz/line26
__label__cc	0.716835	0.283165	Public Meeting in Georgia to Discuss NEPA Requirements for Oil and Gas Projects Posted on November 25th, 2015 by Jessica Wentz Associate Director and Fellow Earlier this month, I visited Savannah, Georgia to talk with concerned citizens about the environmental review process for oil and gas infrastructure in their state. My presentation focused on how the public can use the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) to ensure that agencies evaluate the full scope of environmental impacts associated with major projects, such as Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) terminals, pipelines, and offshore drilling. The event was hosted by the Center for a Sustainable Coast, an environmental NGO in Georgia. One of the key points of discussion was that NEPA requires agencies to evaluate the “indirect impacts” of projects, including any indirect greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with the expansion of oil and gas infrastructure. The U.S. Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) recently issued draft guidance clarifying that the indirect impact analysis should encompass: “[E]missions from activities that have a reasonably close causal relationship to the Federal action, such as those that may occur as a predicate for the agency action (often referred to as upstream emissions) and as a consequence of agency action (often referred to as downstream emissions).” But despite this guidance, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and the Bureau of Ocean and Energy Management (BOEM) routinely overlook downstream and upstream emissions in their NEPA analysis for proposed pipelines, LNG export terminals, and offshore drilling plans. There are two ways that citizens can get involved in the NEPA process to advocate for disclosure of upstream and downstream emissions. First, citizens can submit comments to the lead agency highlighting certain environmental issues that should be considered in the environmental review process. For example, the Sabin Center recently used the NEPA process to submit comments on a proposed LNG export terminal in Alaska, urging FERC to consider both indirect emissions and the impacts of climate change on the project. The Savannah residents were excited to learn about how they, too, could use the NEPA process to comment on proposed projects, such as the Sabal Trail Pipeline, the Elba Island LNG Export Terminal, and the 2017-2022 Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Program. Second, citizens can file a lawsuit when an agency fails to comply with NEPA—for example, by refusing to prepare a full Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for a project that will have significant impacts, or by publishing a final EIS that does not adequately analyze the environmental consequences of the project. The courts play an important role in enforcing NEPA, and there is now a growing body of case law requiring agencies to consider upstream and downstream GHG emissions from fossil fuel projects (summaries are available on our U.S. Climate Change Litigation Chart). The participants at the Savannah event were also interested in the prospect of litigation, in part because they felt that FERC, BOEM, and other agencies have not been responsive to public input. FERC, for example, has consistently maintained that it need not consider upstream or downstream emissions in its review of pipelines and LNG terminals, despite many public comments urging it to do so. This issue is currently being reviewed in court—the Sierra Club has filed several lawsuits in the D.C. Circuit challenging FERC’s failure to consider indirect effects for natural gas pipelines, liquefaction facilities, and export terminals (the cases are listed here). The participants also raised some specific concerns about the environmental reviews of key projects in their state. These included: Concern about FERC’s decision to conduct an Environmental Assessment for the Elba Island facility, rather than proceeding with the preparation of a full EIS. FERC may conclude that the project—which involves transforming an LNG import terminal into an LNG export terminal—will have no significant impacts and approve the project without conducting a full review of potential environmental impacts, including upstream and downstream emissions. Concern that a large amount of information about the Elba Island project is being withheld from the public on the grounds that this is Critical Energy Infrastructure Information (CEII) which need not be disclosed in a NEPA review. CEII information includes engineering, vulnerability, or detailed design information” that relates details about the production, generation, transmission or distribution of energy and could be useful to a person planning an attack on critical infrastructure. CEII information is except from disclosure under NEPA and the Freedom of Information Act. More generally, the participants expressed frustration about the inconsistency between executive policies aimed at reducing GHG emissions and the ongoing approvals from executive agencies for projects that will increase fossil fuel production on federal lands and waters. We highlighted this inconsistency in comments on the proposed OCS oil and gas leasing plan submitted earlier this year. Relevant Publications and Resources For more on this topic, please take a look at our publications on environmental impact assessment and climate change. In addition, Executive Director Michael Burger and I are currently drafting a white paper on the scope of indirect emissions that must be analyzed under NEPA. Keep an eye on our blog and website for that paper and other contributions from the Sabin Center. Posted in Energy, Environmental Impact Review, NEPA, Uncategorized Article tags: BOEM, FERC, indirect impacts, NEPA, oil and gas Unlockninja, on November 27th, 2015 at 6:13 am Said: Great Blog and thanks for sharing this great post… David Kyler, on December 1st, 2015 at 9:49 am Said: As executive director of the Center for a Sustainable Coast I want to thank Jessica Wentz and the Sabin Center for their expert advice on these critically important issues. We are very thankful for the guidance provided and hope it will empower us to use the law more effectively to protect public interest. A point I would like to underscore is the ongoing confusion and disarray being caused by national policies that are deeply conflicted. While the U.S. has adopted policies to reduce domestic generation of greenhouse gases, our nation continues to subsidize fossil fuels – and at much higher levels than clean energy. Moreover, U.S. policies encourage the export of processed fossil fuels, which only adds to global climate disruption, while sending mixed signals to both consumers and the leaders whose cooperation is essential to preventing climate catastrophe. Yet the fossil-fuels industry continues to claim the false moral justification of America’s ‘energy independence’ while avidly exporting millions of barrels of petro-products daily from our shores. It is time we insist on coherent and consistent policies that serve national public interest, unfettered by obsolete ties to vested influence wielded by those who profit at the public’s expense.	cc/2020-05/en_head_0057.json.gz/line30
__label__cc	0.669125	0.330875	An Old Order in a New World: Norbertine Tradition in America Posted on July 9, 2013 by Dr. Michael A. Marinelli, Ed.D, '76 One of my favorite summer activities is to catch up on reading that I put aside during the school year. The most recent book in my stack that I just finished is Dr. Jean van Stratum’s biography of Abbot Bernard H. Pennings, O.Praem., founder of the Norbertine Order in the United States. Dr. Jean van Stratum (Rick Evans \| The Compass) Before reading the biography, I knew the historical outline of the Norbertine missionaries’ arrival in the United States in 1893, and the subsequent founding of Saint Norbert Abbey and Saint Norbert College on the Fox River in De Pere, Wisconsin. But van Stratum’s work adds dimension and color to the outline of dates and accomplishments. He assembles stories of people with sometimes common, and sometimes different, visions about the role of the Norbertine community in the New World – stories of collaboration between religious and lay, stories of tension between religious tradition and interpretation of that tradition in Abbey religious life “in ministry” to early 20th century America. I could not help but think how these fundamental issues of “how we should live” are a part of our current thinking. According to van Stratum, Abbot Pennings addressed a letter to Abbot General Crets in August 1932, asking his support of “two great enterprises.” One of those “enterprises” was the takeover of the Dutch parish of Saint Willebrord in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The other was the purchase of John J. Raskob’s Archmere estate to create Archmere Academy, a boarding and day school for boys. Van Stratum suggests that Abbot Crets felt positive about these Norbertine developments in America. John J. Raskob Estate, 1927 Dallin Aerial Survey Company As headmaster of Archmere today, I found it particularly interesting, helpful, and humbling to try to gain insight into Abbot Pennings’ vision and style of leadership. On one hand, he accomplished extraordinary projects in administering parishes and establishing schools, thereby rooting the foundation of Norbertine communities in the United States. On the other hand, some of his confreres criticized his non-collaborative leadership style, and what they considered to be his lack of attention to the spiritual life of the Abbey. Abbot Bernard H. Pennings, O.Praem. A vibrant and well-respected figure in the Church and community, Abbot Pennings enjoyed a long life, singularly leading the Norbertine community until age 86. At that time in 1947, Abbot General Noots recommended that the community elect a Coadjutor Abbot to assist with the duties and responsibilities of the office and assure a smooth transition once Abbot Pennings could no longer serve as Abbot. The transition to a collaborative form of leadership was difficult for Abbot Pennings after so many years of being “in charge.” It was equally difficult for the Coadjutor, 42-year-old Abbot Sylvester Killeen. I am sure that these were difficult conversations, just as they would be today. However, by reading and studying the dynamics between Abbot Pennings and his colleagues, we can learn about how to be more effective in similar present-day circumstances. Abbot Sylvester Killeen, O.Praem. A significant issue that kept surfacing throughout Abbot Pennings’ term was the balance between communicating transparently while maintaining appropriate confidentiality. Managing these two opposite forces, at times, seems impossible – even for effective leaders today. What communities believe they need to know, should know, and want to know can be very different. Consider that several members of Saint Norbert Abbey that were most critical of Abbot Pennings’ authoritative leadership style were raised and educated in a country with democratic ideals – concepts antithetical to the hierarchical models of the Church and European society. Certainly, Abbot Pennings’ charismatic leadership continued to be effective, but attentiveness to the voice of the growing community seemed to be an issue, particularly as its members became more informed through formal education, religious training, and work experience. Did Abbot Pennings fail to adapt his communication and leadership styles to adequately address the concerns of the younger community members? Perhaps he was aware of the need for change, but he simply did not know how to implement such a transition in leadership style. Van Stratum points to a 1949 letter from Abbot Pennings to confrere Alphonse Diedrich: Reflection on what to do in the case that a new abbey would somewhere be established, he [Abbot Pennings] said that this should occur ‘always where people are, in or near a city.’ In the old times, as he continued, an abbey would be built in the country side ‘ but they had none or little active work – only to sing the office, but that was 700 to 800 years ago: no colleges, only some parish work. It is different today because Tempora mutantur et nos mutamur in illis.’ (Times are changing and we have to change with them). It sounded like the genuine if not lifelong conviction of the 88-year-old-man. (p. 369) This duality of mission – monastic and ministerial – is something very Norbertine, and it is subject to varying degrees of interpretation. That interpretation depends on the vision of the Abbot elected by the independent Abbey communities, each influenced by its particular local, national, and international history and circumstances. I experienced this on our 2012 Heritage Tour of Norbertine Abbeys in Belgium and France. While each community had uniqueness and felt “more” or “less” monastic, there was a common bond of confraternity and hospitality rooted in the Rule of Augustine as interpreted and lived by Saint Norbert nearly 1,000 years ago. Similarly, Archmere Academy – founded by Norbertine Fathers, more specifically Abbot Pennings – has evolved over its more than 80-year history in its understanding of mission, governance, commitment to academic excellence, and Norbertine spirituality. With many lessons learned from the past, I am excited and hopeful that the members of the Archmere community are in contemporary dialog about these fundamental questions of purpose and relevancy that seem to be in constant evolution and change. Perhaps Saint Norbert designed it to be that way. In Norbertine History and Spirituality, Fr. Bernard Ardura, O.Praem., claims that Norbert’s intention in establishing abbey communities after Premontre was not to build a hierarchical network of houses, which were tightly linked and managed by the founder. Rather, Norbert, with Hugh of Fosse, created a confederation of linked, but independent abbeys with the hope that their communities would grow and respond to the needs of their individual locales. Uniquely, members of the Abbey, in addition to their vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience, took an additional “vow of place” – a vow to be a member of that particular abbey community for life. This Vita Communis underscored the intentional uniqueness of each abbeys’ work that was to respond to the needs of the larger community, in which it was founded. A missionary and pioneer, Abbot Pennings was raised in a 19th century, lower-middle class household in an under-industrialized Netherlands where every penny mattered. He was asked to found, grow, and lead a religious community in a New World where adaptation and amalgamation were critical for success. Drawing from his humble upbringing and life experience, Abbot Pennings proved to have the right mix of skills to make a lasting foothold in the then underdeveloped United States frontier. He founded and led a Norbertine community, enduring harsh Wisconsin winters, economic recession, religious schism, and language and cultural barriers. Can we, as leaders of today’s Norbertine legacy, be as effective as Abbot Pennings in advancing the missions of our institutions? Can we be of the world and not in it, address the needs of our communities and “place,” demonstrate value and importance to exist within the larger international community? I believe we can. With the advantage of studying nearly a millenium’s worth of Norbertine successes and failures, we can extract the best lessons that our contemporary culture has to offer and effectively relate them to the unchanged, fundamental beliefs of our Catholic faith. By remaining open to the Holy Spirit, which directs and guides us in the present, we allow ourselves to be filled with God’s will rather than our own. The Patio at Archmere Academy Last month, during the week-long Saint Norbert Leadership Corps Program, my wife and I were able to visit with two of my former Archmere teachers – Fathers Sal Cuccia and Steve Rossey, who now live at Saint Norbert Abbey. Father Sal works at the College in Campus Ministry. Annually, he brings his students to visit Archmere as part of their community service trip in working with the Daylesford Abbey initiative Bethesda Project for homeless men in Philadelphia. Father Rossey continues to be my aesthetic inspiration for the revitalization of The Patio. As my first art teacher and founder of the visual arts program at Archmere, Father Steve is a wealth of knowledge, and he is an important resource for the development of a 21st century Patio that works effectively with the school’s future plans while also respecting the tremendous artistic and historic place it has in our national history. Throughout the week, we made connections, fortifying relationships between Archmere, Saint Norbert College and Saint Norbert Abbey – Archmere’s founding Abbey. I think Abbot Pennings would have been pleased to see Archmere students being instructed by the faculty of Saint Norbert College. A highlight of the tour was the students’ visit to the crypt under the Abbey Church where Abbot Pennings and Abbot Killeen are buried. Father Cuccia, in his wonderfully nostalgic teaching style, recounted stories about the history of the communities from Premontre and Berne Abbeys. The students were attentive, respectful, and I think, aware, that they were in a special place and part of a special history. It felt like an afternoon of family story-telling. As lay men and women who have been entrusted with this wonderfully rich legacy of a millennial religious tradition, we need to work in collaboration with one another and with the ordained members of the Norbertine communities, both in the United States and abroad. As counter-cultural institutions, it is important that we support one another as school and abbey communities, sharing key strategies that are effective in sustaining and fulfilling our missions. We can learn a lot from successful leaders such as Abbot Pennings while continually “re-learning” how to be in the world rather than of the world. Abbot Penning’s confreres criticized his strategy for balancing these opposing sentiments, but would we be the Norbertine presence in America that we are today without him? Tags: 2012 heritage tour, abbot general crets, abbot general noots, abbot sylvester killeen, alphonse diedrich, archmere academy, archmere estate, bernard h. pennings, bethesda project, catholic, claymont, dallin aerial survey company, daylesford abbey, de pere, delaware, father bernard ardura, father sal cuccia, father steve rossey, fox river, green bay, hagley digital archives, headmaster, high school, hugh of fosse, independent, jean van stratum, john j. raskob, michael a marinelli, norbertine charism, norbertine history and spirituality, norbertine order, norbertine spirituality, premontre, private, saint norbert, saint norbert abbey, saint norbert college, saint norbert leadership corps program, saint willebrord, the patio, wisconsin Posted in Monthly Posts \| 1 Comment » Gothic Cathedrals to Gourmet Kitchens Posted on June 18, 2013 by Dr. Michael A. Marinelli, Ed.D, '76 Having just returned from a week-long immersion into the Nobertine Midwest culture of Saint Norbert Abbey and College in De Pere, Wisconsin, many ideas and images are circulating in my head. A short stop in Chicago on the return trip to engage Archmere alumni living in the area in an informal reunion added to the experience. It leads me to the question, “What is it about ‘Archmere’ that attracts so many to support the ‘idea’ in so many ways?” Traveling from the airport to the city center of Chicago, my wife and I noticed so many steeples of churches, closely knit together in neighborhoods, each one so different in architectural style. Similarly, on a tour of Saint Norbert’s campus with Vice President for Academics Dr. Jeff Frick we saw two former Catholic churches. One was being transformed into a Womens’ Studies center, while the other church, completely renovated, was a concert hall. Formerly Catholic churches for specific ethnic immigrant groups, these beautiful buildings were repurposed with great care to provide new services to the 21st century community of Saint Norbert College. As I thought about these images, I saw a tangible effect of our contemporary cultural transition from a church-centered, other-worldy, higher-order-thinking culture to a popular culture of immediate gratification. Along the ride into and out of Chicago, there were a number of homes that were being refurbished. I could not help but think of the HGTV show that highlights “miraculous” makeovers for couples and families moving into or remodeling existing homes. It always strikes me when newly married couples are looking for homes with granite counter-top kitchens, stainless steel appliances, and real hardwood floors. The kitchen and the home, in some ways, has become the “church of today,” with a focus on family life as the secret to happiness. But what about the experience my wife and I had walking the Magnificent Mile? At practically every street corner, we encountered someone, usually a woman and her children, who was begging for help – money for a meal or a place to stay for the night. Walking in and out of the high-end stores with price tags we only laughed about, we wondered, “How do you spend $1,395 for a pair of shoes and simply walk by a beggar who is sitting on the sidewalk?” I am not sure of the answer; I am sure that many people who shop in these high-end locales are also generous to philanthropic causes. At the same time, are we not asked the question, “And so what do you do in proportion to your own means?” I often think of the comment that Jesus made to Judas when Mary Magdalene washed the feet of Jesus with perfumed oils: For you always have the poor with you, but you do not always have Me. (John 12:8) Judas comments that the funds for the oils could have been used for the poor, but Jesus responds that what Mary had done was an act of faith and devotion. I suppose we all struggle with this fine line of what is practical and what is over-the-top. Maybe the lesson learned is to not be so judgmental form the perspective that only we see. At the very least, we take from Jesus’ teaching that, as we express ourselves and our questions, we should do so in a manner that is non-accusatory and authentic. In this way, we may engage in good conversation that may transform a process, policy, or approach that previously had been considered the “best” method. We do not intend to put down another, rather build upon each other’s ideas and thoughts. My impression of Jesus in his dealings with the people around him is that he tried very hard to get various factions to communicate on common terms – the same thing that effective leaders are trying to accomplish today. The Saint Norbert Leadership Corps program at Saint Norbert College was developed collaboratively between Archmere Academy and the College with the purpose of infusing our students with the leadership skills, rooted in the spiritual context of Norbertine Charism, to be successful in school and career. The program involved 39 students – rising Sophomores, Juniors and one Senior – and eight teacher chaperones. Students were presented with servant-leadership models that provided contexts for ethics and faith-based discussion. The goal was not for the students to leave the week-long experience with all the answers, but instead equipped with the tools to become mindful Catholic Christian leaders of the new century. Personally, I was overwhelmed by the whole experience. My wife Diane and I stayed at Saint Norbert Abbey, while the students and chaperones lived in a residence hall on the College’s campus. Diane and I immersed ourselves in the daily rhythm of the Abbey with morning prayer at 7:30 a.m. and evening prayer at 5 p.m. We were fortunate to be able to attend the viewing of Father Gilbert, O.Praem., who taught at Archmere from 1955 to 1965. It was a most impressive event, and family and community were warmly welcomed at the Abbey. On the heels of the recent sudden loss of Father Thomas Hagendorf, O.Praem., my Freshman religion teacher at Archmere, the experience reminded me how much like a family experience my Archmere years felt – both those as a student from 1972 to 1976 and as a staff member from 1984 to 1996. I said in my opening letter to the school community when I returned as Headmaster that Archmere is a “place that never leaves you.” I believe that even more after this past week. It is as if we have been tattooed on the heart with the Archmere charism. Once you have it, it is there until you intentionally burn it away. Tags: a place that never leaves you, archmere academy, archmere charism, chicago, de pere, father gilbert, father thomas hagendorf, headmaster, john 12:8, magnificent mile, mary magdalene, michael a marinelli, midwest, norbertine, norbertine charism, O.Praem., saint norbert abbey, saint norbert college, saint norbert leadership corps program, wisconsin	cc/2020-05/en_head_0057.json.gz/line31
__label__wiki	0.598975	0.598975	Home News Crime & Legal Making a Murderer attorney primed for Limerick event Making a Murderer attorney primed for Limerick event Dean Strang Attorney Dean Strang, who featured in the Netflix documentary series Making a Murderer, will discuss implications of the Steven Avery case at an event in Limerick later this month. An Evening with Dean Strang, will take place at the University Concert Hall on September 26, and is organised by the University of Limerick Law Society. It will be chaired by Professor Shane Kilcommins, head of UL’s School of Law and will be followed by a question and answer session. Mr Strang, along with Jerry Buting, represented Steven Avery in his trial for the 2005 murder of photographer, Teresa Halbach. Mr Avery had previously served 18 years in prison for sexual assault and attempted murder before being exonerated in 2003. Making a Murderer covers his 2007 trial and his subsequent conviction for the murder of Ms Halbach. Amy Dermody, second-year law student at UL and conference convener with the UL Law Society, explained why the group decided to invite Mr Strang to the campus. “Most law students have seen Making a Murderer and it really highlights potential inadequacies in the American legal system, and how important it is to correctly frame legislation to prevent miscarriages of justice. We contacted Mr Strang’s office earlier this year and they mentioned that Mr Strang would be in Ireland in September, and while initially he had no plans to visit Limerick, we were told he would be delighted to accept our invitation,” she said. “We are thrilled to have such a well-known and highly respected attorney coming to speak to us. One of the things I really liked about Making a Murderer was the way it highlighted the commitment and dedication to the law of a down-to-earth, working attorney rather than a celebrity lawyer,” she continued. Professor Shane Kilcommins commended the students and said he was looking forward to chairing the event. “Attracting Dean Strang here is an outstanding coup and it is part of UL School of Law’s broader engagement with community and is an excellent example of law in action. It fulfils part of UL’s mission in engaging with practitioners and the community,” he said. “It is fantastic that the UL School of Law has such a positive relationship with the student law society. This type of event is part of the wider curriculum – that students should learn in their modules but also should be involved in societies that promote broader learning,” Professor Kilcommins added. “As well as promising to be an enjoyable and interesting evening for students and members of the public, this event offers excellent pedagogical outcomes for students who will have the opportunity to listen to a practitioner and to tease out some compelling issues around the justice system. In chairing this, I will be asking questions about issues of policing, integrity in the criminal justice process, miscarriages of justice, the evidential process and the consequences of decision making”. Dean Strang currently works as an attorney in Wisconsin with Strang Bradley Trial Lawyers and has taught in the University of Wisconsin since 2008. An Evening with Dean Strang will take place at University Concert Hall, Limerick on Monday, September 26, 2016 at 8pm. Tickets are available from UCH, by telephone on 061 331549 or online at www.uch.ie. Student tickets are priced at €12 and general admission is €20 with proceeds going to the UL Law Society. Shane Kilcommins Ambassador Awards 2019 celebrate €12m brought to region Holiday Show returns to UL for 4th Year UL launches campus safety information campaign Eight inducted into the UL Sports Hall of Fame Clare journalism student nominated for national award LIT President backs Northern Distributor Road UL seal place in Fitzgibbon Cup quarter-finals Lohan questions Davy’s demands during Clare tenure Mid-West is fastest growing region outside of Dublin	cc/2020-05/en_head_0057.json.gz/line35
__label__cc	0.694873	0.305127	Home > Commentaries > Darby's Synopsis > Matthew > Chapter 10 John Darby's Synopsis of the New Testament So long as God gives Him access to the people, He continues His labour of love. Nevertheless, He was conscious of the iniquity that governed the people, although He did not seek His own glory. Having exhorted His disciples to pray that labourers might be sent into the harvest, He begins (chap. 10) to act in accordance with that desire. He calls His twelve disciples, He gives them power to cast out devils and to heal the sick, and He sends them to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. We see, in this mission, how much the ways of God with Israel form the subject of this Gospel. They were to announce to that people, and to them exclusively, the nearness of the kingdom, exercising at the same time the power they had received: a striking testimony to Him who was come, and who could not only work miracles Himself, but confer power on others to do so likewise. He gave them authority over evil spirits for this purpose. It is this which characterises the kingdom-man healed of all sickness and the devil cast out Accordingly, in Hebrews 6, miracles are called "the powers of the world to come." [See Footnote #27] They were also, with respect to their need, to depend entirely on Him who sent them. Emmanuel was there. If miracles were a proof to the world of their Master's power, the fact that they lacked nothing should be so to their own hearts The ordinance was abrogated during that period of their ministry which followed the departure of Jesus from this world (Luke 22:35-37). That which He here (Matthew 10) commands His disciples appertains to His presence as Messiah, as Jehovah Himself, on the earth. Therefore the reception of His messengers, or their rejection, decided the fate of those to whom they were sent. In rejecting them they rejected the Lord Emmanuel, God with His people. [See Footnote #28] But, in fact, He sent them forth as sheep in the midst of wolves. They would need the wisdom of serpents, and were to exhibit the harmlessness of doves (rare union of virtues, found only in those who, by the Spirit of the Lord, are wise unto that which is good and simple concerning evil). If they did not beware of men (sad testimony as to these), they would but suffer; but when scourged and brought before councils and governors and kings, all this should become a testimony unto them-a divine means of presenting the gospel of the kingdom to kings and princes, without altering its character or accommodating it to the world, or mixing up the Lord's people with its usages and its false greatness. Moreover circumstances like these made their testimony much more conspicuous than association with the great ones of the earth would have done. And, to accomplish this, they should receive such power and guidance from the Spirit of their Father as would cause the words they spoke to be not their own words, but His who inspired them. Here, again, their relation with their Father, which so distinctly characterises the sermon on the Mount, is made the basis of their capacity for the service they had to perform. We must remember that this testimony was addressed to Israel only; only that, Israel being under the yoke of the Gentiles since the time of Nebuchadnezzar, the testimony would reach their rulers. But this testimony would excite an opposition that should break all family ties, and awaken a hatred that would not spare the life of those who had been the most beloved. He who in spite of all this should endure to the end should be saved. Nevertheless the case was urgent. They were not to resist, but if the opposition took the form of persecution, they were to flee and preach the Gospel elsewhere, for before they had gone over the cities of Israel the Son of man should come. [See Footnote #29] They were to proclaim the kingdom. Jehovah, Emmanuel, was there, in the midst of His people, and the heads of the people had called the master of the house Beelzebub. This had not stopped His testimony, but it very strongly characterised the circumstances in which this testimony was to be rendered He sent them forth, warning them of this state of things, to maintain this final testimony among His beloved people as long as possible. This took place at that time, and it is possible, if circumstances permit, to carry it on until the Son of man comes to execute judgment. Then the master of the house will nave risen up to shut the door. The "to-day" of Psalms 95 will be over. Israel in possession of their cities being the object of this testimony, it is necessarily suspended when they are no longer in their land. The testimony to the future kingdom given in Israel by the apostles after the Lord's death, is an accomplishment of this mission, so far as this testimony was rendered in the land of Israel; for the kingdom might be proclaimed as to be established while Emmanuel was on the earth; or this might be by Christ's returning from heaven as announced by Peter in Acts 3. And this might take place if Israel were in the land, even until Christ should return. Thus the testimony may be resumed in Israel, whenever they are again in their land and the requisite spiritual power is sent forth by God. Meanwhile, the disciples were to share in Christ's own position. If they called the master of the house Beelzebub, much more they of His household. But they were not to fear It was the necessary portion of those who were for God in the midst of the people. But there was nothing hid that should not be revealed. They themselves were to hold nothing back, but were to proclaim on the housetops all that they had been taught; for everything should be brought into the light; their faithfulness to God in this respect, as well as all other things. This, while it met the secret plottings of their enemies, was itself to characterise the ways of the disciples. God, who is light, and sees in darkness as in light, would bring all out into the light, but they were to do this morally now. Therefore were they to fear nothing while performing this work, unless it were God Himself, the righteous Judge at the last day. Moreover the hairs of their heads were numbered. They were precious to their Father, who took notice of even a sparrow's death. This could not happen without Him who was their Father. Finally, they were to be thoroughly imbued with the conviction that the Lord was not come to send peace on the earth; no, it should be division, even in the bosom of families. But Christ was to be more precious than father or mother, and even than a man's own life. He who would save his life at the expense of his testimony to Christ should lose it; he who would lose it for the sake of Christ should gain it. He also who should receive this testimony, in the person of the disciples, received Christ, and, in Christ, Him that sent Him. God, therefore, being thus acknowledged in the person of His witnesses on earth, would bestow, on whoever received the latter, a reward according to the testimony rendered. In thus acknowledging the testimony of the rejected Lord, were it only by a cup of cold water, he who gave it should not lose his reward. In an opposing world, he who believes the testimony of God, and receives (in spite of the world) the man who bears this testimony, really confesses God, as well as His servant. It is all that we can do. The rejection of Christ made Him a test, a touchstone. Footnotes for Matthew 10 27: For then Satan will be bound and man delivered by the power of Christ. And there were partial deliverances of the kind. 28: There is a division of the Lord's discourse at verse 15. Up to that it is the then present mission. From verse 16 we have more general reflections on their mission, looked at as a whole in the midst of Israel on to the end. Evidently it goes beyond their then present mission and supposes the coming of the Holy Ghost. The mission by which the church is called as such is a distinct thing. This applies only to Israel they were forbidden to go to Gentiles. This necessarily closed with the destruction of Jerusalem and the dispersion of the Jewish nation, but it is to be renewed at the end, till the Son of man be come. There was a testimony to the Gentiles only, as brought before them as judges, as Paul was, and that part of his history even on to Rome in Acts, was amidst Jews. The latter part, from verse 16, has less to do with the gospel of the kingdom. 29: Observe here the expression "Son of man." This is the character in which (according to Dan. 7) the Lord will come, in a power and glory much greater than that of His manifestation as Messiah, the Son of David, and which will be displayed in a much wider sphere. As the Son of man, He is the heir of all that God destines for man (see Heb. 2: 6-8, and 1 Cor. 15:27). He must, in consequence, seeing what man's condition is, suffer in order to possess this inheritance. He was there as the Messiah, but He must be received in His true character, Emmanuel; and the Jews must thus be tested morally. He will not have the kingdom on carnal principles. Rejected as Messiah, as Emmanuel, He postpones the period of those events which will close the ministry of His disciples with respect to Israel, unto His coming as the Son of man. Meantime God has brought out other things that had been hidden from the foundation of the world, the true glory of Jesus the Son of God, His heavenly glory as man and the church united to Him in heaven. The Judgment of Jerusalem, and the dispersion of the nation, have suspended the ministry which had begun at the moment of which the evangelist here speaks. That which has filled up the interval since then is not the subject here of the Lord's discourse, which refers solely to the ministry that had the Jews for its object. The counsels of God with respect to the church, in connection with the glory of Jesus at the right hand of God, we shall find spoken of elsewhere. Luke will give us in more detail that which concerns the Son of man In Matthew the Holy Ghost occupies us with the rejection of Emmanuel. These files are public domain and are a derivative of an electronic edition that is available on the Christian Classics Ethereal Library Website. These files were made available by Mr. Doug Nicolet. Darby, John. "Commentary on Matthew 10". "John Darby's Synopsis of the New Testament". <http://classic.studylight.org/com/dsn/view.cgi?book=mt&chapter=010>.	cc/2020-05/en_head_0057.json.gz/line36
__label__wiki	0.675891	0.675891	Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens (2015) By Overstreet, October 30, 2012 in Film 3 hours ago, Attica said: Buckeye Jones said: I very much appreciated the final wide shot of that sequence which held for just a beat. Very good stuff. You mean when a certain character fell? Yeah that was well done. Actually, there's a very wide shot after that fall, with the remaining character dwarfed in the shadows. That's what caught me this time. Celtic Creation Mystic, Film Buff- -oon Interests:Film, Music, nature, hiking. I play the drums and some guitar, and have been drawing cartoons for over 20 years. I also have a deep interest in experiencing, and comprehending God, and believe that one of the ways to do this is through the arts. This is a thing that Christianity has sometimes lost sight of . This interest often leads to a theological quest. Oh. Okay. I don't remember that at the moment. Ren stands alone, his lightsaber pointed down. It only lasted a second. Then Chewie shot him. Peter T Chattaway said: Rod Dreher disparagingly compared BB-8 to the Ewoks for his "Pixar cuteness" (I quote from memory) the other day. It'll be interesting to see if anyone else picks up that vibe. I thought BB-8 was cute, but not "Pixar cuteness." He sat fine with me, but mind you I've never had much of a problem with the Ewoks, so my sensibilities are possibly out of step with a lot of critics in these regards. Ren also came across as a powerful yet confused child in further scenes. Of all men feared 4 hours ago, Peter T Chattaway said: Hmmm. There's no evidence that Shmi (Vader's mother) was Force-sensitive, so I don't know why any other branch of that family would be. But if Snoke is Darth Plagueis, i.e. the one who created Anakin and put him in Shmi's womb, then who knows what he may have done with other members of her family. Whoa. I never knew this (having almost no knowledge of anything outside the movies). Does that mean Anakin wasn't really "conceived by the midichlorians"? NBooth Collector of Oddities Interests:Literature. Film. Music. The theater. Philosophy. Theology. Yeah, apparently that was a red herring. Anakin's origins as the result of Darth P's meddling was heavily implied in the opera scene in ROTS and was apparently even clearer at one point (and was canon in the EU-that-was, it seems). Unfortunately, not enough makes it into the film to draw many conclusions about its broader significance (though it would significantly complicate the franchise's Oedipal themes). Edited December 31, 2015 by NBooth Nathanael T. Booth More Man than Philosopher Tumblr--Twitter Peter T Chattaway He's fictional, but you can't have everything. Twitter:ptchat Ryan H. wrote: : But I've said that this film is only meant to function as a mash-up of reunion special and a pilot for a new series, and on that level, I think it mostly succeeds. It hits what it was aiming for, I suppose. But I think it was a big mistake to aim for that. (There's a video making the rounds, on why The Force Awakens is worse than the prequels, and I was amused when the narrator complained that The Force Awakens was just a TV pilot like the first episode of Lost. What sounds like praise (or at least appreciation) to some is criticism to others...) : We already know that Johnson asked Abrams to make changes to The Force Awakens to allow him to take certain narrative elements in different directions. The Force Awakens was meant to have more closure than it offers, but Johnson asked that certain narrative reveals be withheld for later in the trilogy. Oh, this is the first I've heard of that. Weird. So Abrams had that to work around, too. Attica wrote: : I mean maybe there is actually hope for future films as good as Empire, or even, dare I say, better. Empire had the advantage of having to follow up just one film. It didn't need to ignore the existence of any others, the way that e.g. Star Trek Beyond is reportedly ignoring Star Trek into Darkness (or the way that The Force Awakens mostly, but not completely, ignores the prequels). : Could Snoke have always been behind the scenes pulling strings when it comes to the Skywalker family . . . I don't know about always pulling strings, but apparently in the novelization Snoke tells Kylo that he watched the Galactic Empire rise and fall, so he's certainly been behind the scenes somewhere... Rushmore wrote: : Does that mean Anakin wasn't really "conceived by the midichlorians"? Practically from the moment The Phantom Menace first came out in 1999, fans were speculating that it was no coincidence that the film introduced both <a> an objective material connection to the Force that can be measured (and, therefore, manipulated), and <b> the apparently miraculous conception of Anakin Skywalker. One person I knew at the time said it was obvious that Anakin's conception wasn't really miraculous -- that it was more akin to a feat of genetic engineering -- and that someone had created Anakin specifically to create the appearance of fulfilling the prophecy, or to manipulate the prophecy, or something like that. Six years later, in Revenge of the Sith, Palpatine came verrrry close to confirming these speculations, when he told Anakin the story of Darth Plagueis (who happened to be Palpatine's mentor, until Palpatine killed him). According to Palpatine, Darth Plagueis was unique among all Jedi/Sith because he had the ability to create life -- and when Palpatine says the words "create life", he looks at Anakin in a way that indicates he's dropping a huge, huge hint here. (And keep in mind that the Jedi first discovered Anakin on Tatooine, which is practically next door to Palpatine's home planet Naboo. When Palpatine says at the end of Episode I that he'll be watching Anakin's career with great interest, I think he knows exactly where Anakin came from, in a way that nobody else in that scene does.) Edited December 31, 2015 by Peter T Chattaway "Sympathy must precede belligerence. First I must understand the other, as it were, from the inside; then I can critique it from the outside. So many people skip right to the latter." -- Steven D. Greydanus Now blogging at Patheos.com. I can also still be found at Facebook, Twitter and Flickr. See also my film journal. 10 hours ago, Peter T Chattaway said: Let's hope Johnson knows what he's doing, because he's the one who is really determining the shape of this trilogy (having written VIII and outlined IX, with potentially more involvement to come). I suspect they chose Trevorrow for IX because he'll be safe and can follow the established trajectory. They don't want someone who will come in and rock the boat. I've Seen That Movie Too Darrel Manson Detached Existential INFP Dreamer-Minstrel Redux Twitter:revdemanson Interests:wine, sports, fantasy sports Business columnist for LA Times has a take on SW VII: Admit It: "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" Stinks and Here's Why A foreign movie can't be stupid. -from the film Lucas forgets it isn't the 19th Century, says he sold the franchise to "white slavers." “They looked at the stories, and they said, ‘We want to make something for the fans,’” Lucas said. “They decided they didn’t want to use those stories, they decided they were going to do their own thing. … They weren’t that keen to have me involved anyway — but if I get in there, I’m just going to cause trouble, because they’re not going to do what I want them to do. And I don’t have the control to do that anymore, and all I would do is muck everything up. And so I said, ‘OK, I will go my way, and I’ll let them go their way.’” He says that the new movie is too "retro." And, in spite of the fact that he uses a retro[grade] vocabulary, himself, to discuss the issue, I think he's probably right. The man was born during World War II; he's technically not even a Baby Boomer, he's from the generation before that. I'd cut his vocabulary some slack. And yeah, I agree with him about the "retro" thing. Side note: a friend referred me to Terry Teachout's basically dismissive blog post about the film the other day. What surprised me was that Teachout begins by saying that he hadn't seen a Star Wars movie since The Empire Strikes Back came out in 1980. After deciding Star Wars movies were beneath him for 35 years, this was the movie he made an exception for? Oy. 1 hour ago, Peter T Chattaway said: At any rate, Lucas himself has said it was a “very inappropriate analogy.” “I have been working with Disney for 40 years and chose them as the custodians of Star Wars because of my great respect for the company and Bob Iger’s leadership,” Lucas said in his statement, issued Thursday afternoon by Disney. “Disney is doing an incredible job of taking care of and expanding the franchise. I rarely go out with statements to clarify my feelings but I feel it is important to make it clear that I am thrilled that Disney has the franchise and is moving it in such exciting directions in film, television and the parks.” Variety wrote: : . . . issued Thursday afternoon by Disney. If you watch the interview, it's pretty clear that Lucas was joking when he made the comment; he laughs and everything. I can see why people took the comment so very very seriously when they saw it in print, but in context it wasn't so bad. The more concerning bit here is that Lucas also seems to be walking back his "retro" comments ("such exciting directions"?). This guy did a nice job of editing Kylo Ren's theme music into a suite (alas, only Rey and the Resistance are given concert versions of their theme music on the OST): https://youtu.be/mp433n4KzDA Justin Hanvey Twitter:hipsterpelagius My review and argument that Abrams was the perfect choice to play gatekeeper to a new trilogy. I'll stand by that. "The truth is you're the weak, and I'm the tyranny of evil men. But I'm tryin Ringo, I'm tryin real hard to be the shepherd." Pulp Fiction Justin's Blog twitter Facebook Life Is Story Being led on an illegal suicide mission by a selfish maniac. 5 hours ago, Justin Hanvey said: Nice review, Justin! And it's good to see you back here as well. I've missed your input the past year. "Anyway, in general I love tragic artists, especially classical ones." "Even the forms for expressing truth can be multiform, and this is indeed necessary for the transmission of the Gospel in its timeless meaning." - Pope Francis, August 2013 interview with Antonio Spadaro Thanks Evan Sorta just needed a break for a while and to focus on other things, but glad to be back. I've been gone a while too, but wanted to share my take on the gender role conversation that's been going on with regards to the movie. http://www.breakpoint.org/features-columns/articles/entry/12/28682 (Funny how a blockbuster can bring us all out of the woodwork. :-) ) 57 minutes ago, Gina said: I noticed on my second viewing of the film that they also made a point of putting a female pilot into one of the X-Wings. Welcome back to both of you. 25 minutes ago, Attica said: : I noticed on my second viewing of the film that they also made a point of putting a female pilot into one of the X-Wings. That's not new, surely, is it? There were female pilots in the space battle in Return of the Jedi, no? Gina wrote: : He knows the story of that famous tyrant (though he seems to have slept through the part where Vader finally turned away from darkness) . . . For what it's worth, in the novelization (and thus, perhaps, in at least one version of the screenplay), Snoke talks to Kylo about Vader's turn away from darkness (and how does Snoke know about that!?), and Snoke blames Vader's "sentiment" for the fall of the Empire. So when Kylo fights against the "light", he is explicitly fighting against giving in to "sentiment" the way his grandfather did. Nope no female pilots in Return of the Jedi. It was mentioned that women were filmed as xwing pilots but cut in the final cuts John Drew A vast sponge of movie minutiae... - Jason Bortz I don't think there female pilots in RotJ, but there were definitely female pilots in The Phantom Menace attack on the Trade Federation command ship. Anyway, I don't have time to make a longer post, so I'm only going to touch on one particular aspect about The Force Awakens that I came away with. I was visiting family and friends in Sacramento this weekend, and had a game night scheduled for Saturday night. Since I knew the topic of the evening was going to be The Force Awakens, I got around to seeing it Saturday afternoon. Count me among those who weren't very impressed. I'd only rank Attack of the Clones lower. When it ended, I turned to my sister and said that the first thing they need to go back and change is the opening title card. It shouldn't read, "A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away...", rather, it should read, "A long time ago, in a solar system far, far away..." I'm not sure how he managed it, but JJ Abrams has succeeded in turning what has felt (until now) to be a large universe, into a small neighborhood. edit - BTW, saw this a day after seeing Creed. Creed definitely is the 7th Movie in a Series winner for 2015. Edited January 4, 2016 by John Drew Formerly Baal_T'shuvah "Everyone has the right to make an ass out of themselves. You just can't let the world judge you too much." - Maude Harold and Maude Interesting point. I wonder why they didn't keep it in the script. Maybe it was simply cut for time, but it seems rather important.	cc/2020-05/en_head_0057.json.gz/line38
__label__wiki	0.632259	0.632259	Collision Safety Engineering Professional Bios Mark H. Warner Professional Biographies Jon E. Bready M.S. Kevin C. HenryM.S., P.E. Michael B. James P.E., M.S. Tyler S. Munson Ronald P. Nordhagen P.E., M.S. Mark A. Perl M.S. Thomas R. Perl P.E., Ph.D. Gregory C. Smith P.E., Ph.D. Mark H. Warner M.S. Mark H. Warner has investigated and reconstructed hundreds of accidents over more than 30 years. He has developed a wide range of traditional and advanced methods for accident reconstruction, and has applied these skills in casework throughout the US, and internationally. He is certified to use sophisticated scanning, data gathering, and aerial mapping technologies. Mr. Warner has distinctive expertise in vehicular accident reconstruction methods - from ATV, snowmobile, and motorcycle crashes, to heavy vehicle impacts and rollovers. He has published technical papers applicable to many types of accident reconstruction, including side impacts, pole impacts, seats and seatback strength, crash pulse analysis, crash compatibility, loadpath, window glazing, and photogrammetry. Mr. Warner continues to develop, research, and publish in the field of accident reconstruction and crash testing. He has served as a crash test engineer and has personally conducted over 200 crash tests. Credentials & Professional Honors Mr. Warner earned a B.S. in Manufacturing Engineering from Brigham Young University Provo, Utah in 1998 and an M.S. in Mechanical Engineering from BYU in 2004. Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) Society for the Advancement of Materials and Process Engineering (SAMPE) International Traffic Medicine Association ©2020 Collision Safety Engineering	cc/2020-05/en_head_0057.json.gz/line39
__label__cc	0.58378	0.41622	Health Guide USA Commentary A look at regional and national healthcare topics. Health Licensing Boards Health and Medical License Lookup Local Health Departments Ten States Most Under-Served by Registered Nurses According to Area Health Resource Files (AHRF) data available from the Health Resources and Services Administration, there are 839 registered nurses employed for every 100,000 people here in the United States . Among all health professions, that is the largest number of practitioners per 100,000 population in the U.S., which is not really surprising given the essential role registered nurses (RNs) play in quality healthcare delivery. What may be more surprising is how much disparity exists in registered nurse employment from State to State. As this map of registered nurse employment per 100,000 population reveals, some areas of the country are much better served by RNs than are others: There are 31 States in all that have registered nurse employment that exceeds the 839 per 100,000 population national average. And within this group there are a dozen States, mainly in the Northeast and Great Plains regions, that are particularly well served by registered nurses with employment greater than 1,000 registered nurses per 100,000 population. But while some States are well served by RNs, there are 19 States, predominantly in the South and West, where registered nurse employment lags behind the national average. Some of these laggards, like California and Texas, actually have RN employment numbers among the highest in the nation in absolute terms. But even in these two big States, RN employment is proportionately weak given their size. With 719 RNs employed per 100,000 population, only 9 States are more under-served by registered nurses than Texas. And the situation in California is poorer still, where just 657 RNs employed per 100,000 population makes the State more under-served by registered nurses than all but three States. The State most under-served by registered nurses is Nevada, which has just 609 RNs employed per 100,000 people. Unfortunately, for Nevada and other States that lag behind the national average, the situation could easily get worse in coming years. The job outlook for RNs indicates a growing need for registered nurses due to a variety of demographic and technological factors. This trend will will only exert more pressure on States already struggling to attract RNs. Besides Nevada, California and Texas, here are the Ten States Most Under-Served by Registered Nurses based on current HRSA data: Posted by Health Guide USA Commentary at 9:26 PM Labels: Registered Nurses lajwantidevi January 16, 2020 at 11:46 PM The Top Ten States for Medicare Advantage Enrollme... The Top 5 Children's Hospitals on the West Coast US News and World Report recently released its Children's Hospital Rankings for 2014-2015 . The rankings are based on an evaluation of ... According to Area Health Resource Files (AHRF) data available from the Health Resources and Services Administration, there are 839 registe... New England's Top 5 Teaching Hospitals 137 hospitals in the U.S. earned national distinction in at least one of the 16 adult specialties studied in the most recent U.S. News &am... The 5 Best Teaching Hospitals in the Far West Extracted from the most recent U.S. News & World Report rankings of American hospitals, the 5 Best Teaching Hospitals in the Far West ... The Southwest's 5 Best Teaching Hospitals In the most recent U.S. News & World Report rankings of American hospitals, 137 hospitals earned national distinction in at least one... Kaiser Family Foundation M.D. Anderson Cancer Center Texas Children's Hospital	cc/2020-05/en_head_0057.json.gz/line40
__label__wiki	0.883536	0.883536	Rob Thomas Tour Dates & Concert Tickets This performer has been marked mature level 1 due to the following, "mick". Rob Thomas Tour Dates and Concert Tickets Robert Kelly Thomas (born February 14, 1972, in Landstuhl, West Germany on a US military base) is an American rock recording artist and songwriter. He is the primary songwriter and lead singer of the band Matchbox Twenty and formerly of the band Tabitha's Secret. Thomas also records and perfo... read more More About Rob Thomas Recommendations Similar to Rob Thomas Rob Thomas VIDEOS MORE INFO ABOUT Rob Thomas Robert Kelly Thomas (born February 14, 1972, in Landstuhl, West Germany on a US military base) is an American rock recording artist and songwriter. He is the primary songwriter and lead singer of the band Matchbox Twenty and formerly of the band Tabitha's Secret. Thomas also records and performs as a solo artist. Thomas earned three Grammy awards for co-writing and singing on the Carlos Santana triple-platinum hit "Smooth" on the album Supernatural in 1999. He has also lent his songwriting talents to such artists as Willie Nelson, Mick Jagger, Marc Anthony, Pat Green, Taylor Hicks, Travis Tritt and Daughtry. Since 1996, his band has released a string of hit singles to radio including "Push", "3 A.M.", "Real World", "Back 2 Good", "Bent", "If You're Gone", "Mad Season", "Disease", "Unwell", "Bright Lights", and "How Far We've Come". In 2004, the Songwriters Hall of Fame awarded Thomas its first Starlight Award, recognizing young songwriters who have already had a lasting influence in the music industry. (From Wikipedia) Categories: Music \| Jazz \| Pop Rob Thomas on MySpace \| Rob Thomas	cc/2020-05/en_head_0057.json.gz/line41
__label__wiki	0.665927	0.665927	Desideria Chinzari - Venetian Aerial Performer Actors, Actress, Events, Featured News, The Arts Realistic Pencil Drawings By Arinze Stanley Light-Painting: Travelling Around The World Creating Fantasy Portraits Featured News, Photography, The Arts Natalia Kapchuk - Gallery Actors, Actress, Female Models, Models Beauty, Featured News, news, Videos Cate Blanchett film Carol proves a hit with NY film critics. Film and TV, Gay Events, Featured News, The Arts ” Chinese methods and Western methods are different, and I was determined to return to Chinese methods. Chinese methods revere spontaneity, but also stress regularity. You must observe closely and imprint things in your memory, but when you start, you can’t be a stickler; you must simply let loose. I think that sculpture should be focused on people and the depiction of people, because people are social beings and creators of art. When we lose people and the human spirit, art loses its soul.” Central Academy of Fine Arts “Chinese Methods: A Liu Shiming Sculpture Exhibition” Global Traveling Exhibition To commemorate and promote Chinese sculptor Liu Shiming and his distinctive and important contributions to the development of modern Chinese sculpture, the Central Academy of Fine Arts established the Liu Shiming Sculpture Museum at the Central Academy of Fine Arts on December 24, 2018. As the first museum named after a sculptor in the hundred-year history of the Central Academy of Fine Arts, this museum will continue to research and investigate Liu’s artworks and their art historical meaning. An annual academic exhibition centered around one aspect of Liu’s sculpture will be planned, in addition to a global traveling exhibition. The Liu Shiming Sculpture Museum is a platform for studying, presenting, publishing, transmitting, and promoting Liu’s sculpture. This exhibition has become an important academic brand for the Liu Shiming Sculpture Museum, providing a model for the deep study of a specific artist within the context of the development of Chinese modern sculpture and the enrichment of research perspectives on this period in sculpture. Performer Backstage Liu Shiming was part of the first generation of sculptors in the People’s Republic of China. He was distinctive in his time for consciously choosing to root himself in Chinese traditional art and maintain a clear distance from the ideas and forms of Western sculpture, which held a commanding position at the time. Instead, he persistently grounded himself in a Chinese local context, uncovering various kinds of folk art within the Chinese tradition, and perpetuating ancient Chinese modeling methods. In particular, he advocated for drawing nourishment from the Han-dynasty folk clay sculpture tradition and Chinese painted pottery culture, making them contemporary. When Liu activated these resources, he used what he called “Chinese methods”—a love and respect for clay, a material that bears the wisdom and qualities of the Chinese and Eastern aesthetic, and a reverence for “kneading,” the modelling language that is intimately linked to Chinese folk art. He recorded and presented myriad facets of daily life among the average people of his times, and with nearly half a century of practice and research under his belt, he found a distinctively Chinese path that is markedly different from the concepts and forms of Western sculpture, one that is underpinned by Eastern aesthetic principles. His work enriched and broadened Chinese modern sculpture, continued the contemporary transformation in Chinese traditional folk culture, and provided the development of Chinese culture and art today with rich experiences and practical explorations from which to learn. Standing in the twenty-first century, when we look back on Liu Shiming’s half-century of sculptural explorations, we must marvel at his foresight and self-awareness. He was a rare intellectual of his time who always maintained clear understandings and preferences with regard to Eastern and Western culture. He was an intellectual who always retained pride and respect for his own culture. He was always faithful to his own cultural conscience and aesthetic tastes, and he set his own course, keeping his distance from trends and intellectual talking points. He persisted in his lonely, solitary exploration of Chinese sculpture using his own “Chinese methods.” Liu once said, “Perhaps after another two or three hundred years, people will think that my sculptures are pretty good.” On its hundredth anniversary, the Central Academy of Fine Arts has launched a global traveling exhibition for “Chinese Methods: A Liu Shiming Sculpture Exhibition.” This exhibition offers the world more of China’s unique wisdom and provides more possibilities for us to understand the world, ourselves, and human nature, thereby enriching both the depth and breadth of our knowledge. Boatman on the Yellow River “Chinese Methods: A Liu Shiming Sculpture Exhibition” Global Traveling Exhibition Plan 2019-2020 (1) The Liu Shiming Sculpture Museum at the Central Academy of Fine Arts in Beijing will open and hold its first exhibition in early October 2019. In the second half of October 2019, the touring exhibition will launch, with its first stop in New York and its second stop in Washington, DC. This exhibition at the second stop on the tour will likely close at the end of 2019, and beginning in 2020, the exhibition will make its third stop in Boston and its fourth stop in Los Angeles. The show in Los Angeles will be the opening exhibition for that institution. The planned traveling exhibition will feature approximately 150 works (adjusted based on the conditions at the exhibition site). The exhibition will last about one month at every stop, with installation and deinstallation periods in between stops. This part of the tour is scheduled to conclude at the end of March 2020. (2) 2020 will mark the tenth anniversary of Liu Shiming’s death. On this occasion the museum will launch a ten-stop global traveling exhibition entitled “Chinese Methods: A Liu Shiming Sculpture Exhibition,” with Sydney, Australia, as its first stop. This tour is immensely meaningful, and the Central Academy of Fine Arts and the Liu Shiming Sculpture Museum will hold a press conference in early September 2019 to announce the global tour schedule. About Liu Shiming Liu Shiming (1926-2010) was an important Chinese sculptor. He was a member of the China Artists Association and one of the first members of the Chinese Sculptors Society. He also received an Honorary Subsidy for Special Contributions from the State Council. Liu was born in Tianjin to a family of intellectuals. His father, Liu Baoshan, studied mechanics at the University of Detroit Mercy from 1926 to 1931. His mother, Guo Suyu, graduated from the Tianjin Women’s High School. Liu Shiming was educated in traditional culture from an early age. As a child, he studied Han seals with master seal carver Wang Kuizhang in Tianjin and the Northern School of landscape with Ji Guanzhi at the Xuelu Painting Society in Beijing. Liu enrolled in the Beiping Fine Arts School (now the Central Academy of Fine Arts), where he studied with Wang Linyi and Hua Tianyou. In 1950, he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in sculpture. His graduation work, Measuring Land, won first prize in the “Red May” exhibition at CAFA and attracted the attention of president Xu Beihong. The work was selected by the Central Academy of Fine Arts for an overseas exhibition and was later collected by the National Museum of Czechoslovakia (now the Czech National Museum). Measuring Land Liu enrolled in the graduate program for sculpture at CAFA. When he graduated that same year, he proposed staying at the academy to teach under the auspices of Xu Beihong. Liu participated in sculpting the reliefs on the Monument to the People’s Heroes in Tian’anmen Square, a major national project. He served as an assistant to Liu Kaiqu and Wang Bingzhao and participated in the creation of Jintian Uprising and other reliefs. Liu was transferred to the China Sculpture Factory (later the Central Academy of Fine Arts Sculpture Research Institute), and he participated in many national sculpture projects, including sculptures for the Chinese People’s Revolution Military Museum square, the main sculptures for the People’s Gymnasium in Beijing, and the Underwater Work sculpture group on the Hanyang Bridgehead of the Yangtze River Bridge in Wuhan. Liu created Cutting Through Mountains to Bring in Water, which became a classic of 1950s Chinese art and made him a household name. The work was very positively received and widely publicized. On July 1, 1958, a 7.1-meter-high version of the work was placed by the Safeguarding Peace Archway at Beijing’s Zhongshan Park. The People’s Daily and many other major domestic news outlets reported on the work. In 1959, he made a 2.26-meter-high version, which was sent to “The Plastic Arts from Socialist Nations” in Moscow. After the work returned to China, it was placed in front of the Baoding Train Station before being moved to Baoding’s Dongfeng Park. Workers from the China Sculpture Factory with Cutting Through Mountains to Bring in Water in front of the Safeguarding Peace Archway. Workers from the China Sculpture Factory with Cutting Through Mountains to Bring in Water in front of the Safeguarding Peace Archway Liu left the China Sculpture Factory and subsequently worked in Henan and Hebei. He experienced life for ordinary people in those areas, and he also investigated and studied cultural artifacts from those two places. He trained and developed talented sculptors in Henan and Hebei and participated in exhibitions and research at the Henan Museum. Liu spent nearly seven years working in artifact restoration at the National Museum of Chinese History (now the National Museum of China). Liu returned to the Central Academy of Fine Arts to teach, and he reached another creative peak. He created many important works during this time. His works were included annually in the Sixth through Ninth National Art Exhibitions. Liu was featured twice on the CCTV-1 program “Sons of the East.” 1998 “An Exhibition of Liu Shiming’s Sculpture,” Central Academy of Fine Arts Corridor Gallery, Beijing, China 2006 “Local: Liu Shiming’s Sculptures,” Central Academy of Fine Arts Sculpture Research Institute, Beijing, China 2006 “Free Daisies: An Exhibition of Liu Shiming’s Sculpture,” National Art Museum of China, Beijing, China 2008 “Returning Home in a Dream: A Liu Shiming Sculpture Retrospective,” Henan Art Museum, Zhengzhou, China “Free Daisies: An Exhibition of Liu Shiming’s Sculpture” 1950 “The First World Student Gathering Art Exhibition,” Prague, Czech Republic (then Czechoslovakia) 1959 “The Plastic Arts from Socialist Nations,” Central Exhibition Hall, Moscow, Russia (then Soviet Union) 1982 “Qian Shaowu, Liu Xiaocen, Wang Peng, and Liu Shiming: Calligraphy and Sculpture,” Central Academy of Fine Arts Gallery, Beijing, China 1984 “The Sixth National Art Exhibition,” National Art Museum of China, Beijing, China 1984 “National Sculpture Design Proposal Exhibition,” Beijing, China 1986 “July 1st Painting Exhibition,” Beijing, China “Works by Instructors at the Central Academy of Fine Arts,” Beijing, China 1988 “Gansu Provincial Urban Sculpture Planning Exhibition,” Lanzhou, China 1989 “The Seventh National Art Exhibition,” National Art Museum of China, Beijing, China 1990 “The Eleventh Asian Games Sports Art Exhibition,” Beijing, China. Eastward Flows the Yangtze 1992 “An Art Exhibition for the 50th Anniversary of Mao Zedong Publishing Talks at the Yan’an Forum on Literature and Art,” National Art Museum of China, Beijing, China 1993 “The Eighth National Art Exhibition,” National Art Museum of China, Beijing, China 1996 “A Nation of Ceramics: A European Touring Exhibition of Chinese Contemporary Ceramics,” various European countries 1997 “National and European Ceramics Traveling Exhibition,” Beijing, China 1999 “The Ninth National Art Exhibition,” National Art Museum of China, Beijing, China 2000 “Masters Celebrating Tsinghua: A Large-Scale Calligraphy Exhibition for the 90th Anniversary of Tsinghua University,” Beijing, China 2001 “A Selection of Contemporary Artists’ Works,” National Museum of Chinese History, Beijing, China 2001 “The Fifth National Sports Art Exhibition,” Beijing, China 2002 “2002 International Urban Sculpture Exhibition,” Beijing, China 2009 “Cornerstone: 60 Years of Oil Painting, Sculpture, and Prints,” Times Art Museum, Beijing, China 2014 “Painting the China Dream: Celebrating the 65th Anniversary of the People’s Republic of China,” National Art Museum of China, Beijing, China Looking at Each Other Through the Cage Sculptures in Major Collections 1950 Measuring Land, National Museum of Czechoslovakia (now the Czech National Museum) 1952 Leaving the Hospital, National Art Museum of China 1955 Bust of Zeng Yihang and Bust of Zu Chongzhi, National Museum of Chinese History 1959 Solidarity Between Officers and Soldiers and The Jiyuan People’s Militia Crossing the River, Chinese People’s Revolution Military Museum 1959 Cutting Through Mountains to Bring in Water, Baoding Municipal Government 1985 Archer, Shijingshan Sculpture Park 1997 Boatman on the Yellow River, Ministry of Culture of China 1999 Ansai Waist Drummer, Cutting Through Mountains to Bring in Water, and Tiger and Woman, National Museum of Chinese History (now the National Museum of China) 2008 Boatman on the Yellow River and Performer Backstage, Henan Art Museum 2012 Performer Backstage, National Center for the Performing Arts 2014 Cutting Through Mountains to Bring in Water, National Art Museum of China Small Shop by the Road. A Liu Shiming Sculpture MuseumCentral Academy of Fine ArtsLiu Shiming PLUSH Vodka – We didn’t reinvent vodka. We refined its spirit.	cc/2020-05/en_head_0057.json.gz/line44
__label__cc	0.732126	0.267874	Canadian Center of Science and Education Journals Important Canadian Center of Science and Education on the Importance of Science Education July 16th, 2013 by Canadian Center of Science and Education Steps of the Scientific Method Canadian Center of Science and Education on Proper Research July 9th, 2013 by Canadian Center of Science and Education Canadian Center of Science and Education: Facilitating Innovation Posted by Canadian Center of Science and Education on January 11th, 2013,No Comments Canadian Center of Science and Education is an organization that supports research efforts around the world. From donating funds to specific initiatives to contributing books to research-based libraries, the work that the CCSE does creates a lasting impression on those who benefit from it. This organization is bent on working to create a better world for future generations. To achieve this goal, it has enacted several programs that uphold scientific discovery and equity in the workplace. CCSE: A Quick History Canadian Center of Science and Education was founded in 2006. Located in Toronto, Ontario, it is an independent organization that provides its services and resources to researchers around the globe. The CCSE is founded on scientific integrity, excellence, and respect in the professional world. As such, it has created partnerships with many like-minded organizations to better achieve its goals. Through these partnerships, it has created numerous programs that support the work of students, researchers, international endeavors, and publications. In fact, Canadian Center of Science and Education produces many journals on its own. With over 40 of these publications to its credit, the organization certainly provides valuable information to people in multiple fields. These journals are highly regarded and respected indexes have integrated their articles into their databases. Ultimately, Canadian Center of Science and Education provides assistance to researchers, students, and teachers in many subject areas. Some of the most prevalent include: To support these academic areas, CCSE provides the development of networks for international educational and research initiatives. Additionally, it offers scholarships to both educational institutions and individual research endeavors. As such, the organization lends its support to initiatives of varying sizes. Research: Facilitating Innovative Discoveries The support of research projects is one of the most important activities that CCSE carries out. The research efforts that the organization contributes to vary in topic, but they are all dedicated to uncovering new information about their field. Some of the areas in which CCSE is particularly interested include: The impact of the Internet on educational efforts Asia-Pacific cooperation Economic globalization Educational system reformation International education cooperation Environmental development Through the support of these subject areas, CCSE has helped numerous researchers shed light on important new findings. The CCSE Fund, which is the official part of the organization that offers financial support to such initiatives, is currently assisting many new research and other endeavors. These include cancer research, library collection preservation, The Public Knowledge Project at Simon Fraser University, and multiple digital projects at the library of the University of Toronto. The work that is conducted in the field of research is integral to the forward motion of the human race. From the humanities to the sciences, virtually every academic field relies upon research efforts to discover more about the past and build upon the future. The great potential that the research efforts of today’s world hold is incalculable. CCSE is excited to play a role in the development and execution of such initiatives, as they will change the future of the world. Canadian Center of Science and Education Publishes Journals, Supports Sharing of Information Sharing information is the only way for academics to continue to grow in their work. From the textbooks that students tote to class to the cutting edge articles that are published by leading professionals, information is shared in numerous ways. The distribution of scholarly journals is the best way for many academics to announce their discoveries and allow others to understand their work. As such, they are a primary resource for many individuals who are working on new research projects or are looking to improve initiatives that are already under way. CCSE takes its mission of improving the future very seriously. Accordingly, the organization strives to provide researchers with the information they need to push their work to the next level. By publishing the most cutting-edge discoveries in scholarly journals, CCSE is able to contribute to the sharing of information that is necessary to help all academic areas grow. In addition to providing the latest discoveries to the academic community, these journals are recognized for their dedication to the peer-review process. By having experts from corresponding fields go over each article, the journals have achieved a high degree of credibility. In fact, many professionals have donated their time to assist in peer review procedures. The journals that CCSE has created number 43 and are all respected. In fact, they have all found themselves indexed by highly regarded databases. This is a wonderful accomplishment, as these databases serve as integral resources for researchers who are looking for new information. CrossRef, LOCKSS, EBSCOhost, ProQuest, Gale’s Academic Databases, DOAJ, Ulrich’s, Scopus, and MLA International Bibliography are just some of the reputable databases that have indexed CCSE journals. Memberships: Partnering with Like-Minded Organizations CCSE knows that making a major difference in the world is not easy. However, the organization recognizes the truth in the old adage that there is strength in numbers. As such, CCSE has joined the ranks of multiple highly-regarded associations. As a result, the organization has had the chance to contribute to the activities of these associations while also benefitting from the networking opportunities that they provide. Here are the four associations of which CCSE is a member: Institutional Member, Canadian Association of Learned Journals Affiliate Member, Canadian Association for University Continuing Education Member, Canadian Foundation for Economic Education Member, The Publishers International Linking Association By maintaining its membership in good standing with these organizations, CCSE is able to provide a higher degree of value to the academics and researchers that it supports. This is just one of the many ways in which it facilitates the success of research projects around the world. Canadian Center of Science and Education is an organization that thrives on helping researchers fund their initiatives. The individuals who lead this organization are dedicated to creating a stronger future by facilitating academic and scientific breakthroughs in the present. Canadian Center of Science and Education looks forward to continuing to uphold the values of scientific integrity, excellence, and respect and equity in the professional environment while supporting the efforts of today’s brightest minds. Awesome design Jun 25, 2013 by Martin canadiancenterofscienceandeducation.net (716) 945-8142 Sheppard Avenue East Rochester JI, 2235 USA Awesome design, congrats for the new site canadiancenterofscienceandeducation.net (716) 945-8142 Sheppard Avenue East Rochester JI, 2235 USA 5.0 5.0 1 1 Awesome design, congrats for the new site canadiancenterofscienceandeducation.net Sheppard Avenue East Rochester, JI, 2235 USA admin@canadiancenterofscienceandeducation.net • (716) 945-8142 Proper Research ©Copyright - Canadiancenterofscienceandeducation.net Copyright © 2020 - canadiancenterofscienceandeducation.net. All Rights Reserved \| Samaraka Theme by DynamicWP Team \| Powered by WordPress	cc/2020-05/en_head_0057.json.gz/line50
__label__cc	0.624027	0.375973	Institutional Oversight of Zen Time shift gears for a moment, and get back to the macro level issues. Brad Warner's blog often provides a lot of drama, which isn't so helpful. But the guy says some important stuff sometimes, even if it's perfectly useful material to disagree with. His most recent post has to do with another by Zen teacher James Ford, both of which address institutional structures in American Zen, spurred on by the recent resignation of Zen teacher Eido Shimano. There have been countless posts covering the details of the allegations against Shimano, so instead of getting into all of that, I'm going to focus in on the issue of oversight and large, national or even international institutional bodies. James Ford advocates that here in the U.S., we need a stronger national institutional body to oversee the various Zen institutions that have developed over the past century or so. Here I see the lack of larger institutions that oversee teachers and communities is a major problem. Not just about sex, but it is a good placeholder for all the complex issues of human relationships. Ford goes on to point out that many Zen Centers don't have well developed policies and regulations for dealing with breaches of power within the sangha. "At this point the only larger institutions to emerge that have ethical codes with teeth are the San Francisco Zen Center and the Kwan Um School of Zen, both institutions having experienced very rough times around sexual conduct of teachers pretty early on." I'm not sure where exactly Ford is getting his information from about all of this. He very well could be right. I will say, though, that my own center, Clouds in Water doesn't fall into the groups Ford mentions, but does have a pretty rigorous structure for dealing with ethical violations, both of the student-teacher variety, and between members regardless of status. The development of this began long ago, but the "teeth" if you will, was added after our own teacher scandal situation, which resulted in the departure of our former leader. I can't imagine that we are the only other example, besides SFZC and Kwan Um that has developed healthy oversight mechanisms to serve their communities. Back to the issue of a national oversight body, Brad Warner is totally against it. I have to completely disagree. Because the Holy Roman Catholic Church is a gigantic institution with a very toothy ethical code and still sexual abuses of all kinds continue. Sure, when ethical abuses occur there are consequences. But only when the code is properly enforced by ethical people. And I’ve seen too many instances where that has broken down to believe that the simple existence of a big institution with an ethical code with teeth will always prevent abuses, or even prevent most abuses, or even prevent the worst abuses. In the case of Zen, there is also something much more fundamental at stake, and that is the very existence of Zen itself. I don’t believe Zen can really be practiced at all unless its teachers are totally autonomous and not beholden to institutions. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, I feel that Zen teachers are more like artists than like religious instructors. If you bind artists to institutions, you kill their ability to create art. The interesting thing about all of this is that from what I have seen here locally, even the idea of getting Zen centers together nationally to work on these kinds of issues is kind of like herding cats. Here in the Twin Cities, we have nearly half a dozen heirs of Dainin Katagiri who lead Buddhist organizations. They all know each other well, having practiced together for years. And while they periodically meet to exchange ideas and support each other, working together on something like a co-operative oversight board for the Twin Cities just hasn't happened. There have been attempts at times to get something more collaborative to occur, but beyond the occasional dual sponsored visiting teacher event, it's really each organization for it's own. And James Ford points out that the national American Zen Teachers Association "isn’t even a professional organization. It is basically a listserv and an annual gathering of peers without bylaws or, codes of conduct." In addition to the AZTA, there is the North American office of the Sotoshu, which could be the kind of body that Ford is suggesting needs to have a stronger influence, but certainly doesn't act in the way the Roman Catholic Church hierarchy does. In some ways, Brad's comparison between the Catholic church and Zen institutions isn't very helpful. However, the issues of power and sex abuse cases make it hard to not make such a comparison. In fact, Ford himself makes a different comparison using the same two groups in this totally fascinating paragraph: My rough analogy for this deconstruction is that we’ve shifted our understanding of the Zen teacher in a manner somewhat similar to the shift from a Roman Catholic understanding of its priests to an Anglican understanding of its priests. The myth of apostolic succession has been seen through and replaced with the understanding that it is a good, if imperfect symbol. The Zen teacher is a construct of medieval China and has been adapted in our own times to stand as a person with many years of training and authorization by another such within a broad community of practice. Whatever the titles (and I’m living proof they’re inflated), the reality is that among the Zen teachers who are mostly meditation teachers, there may be some genuine masters. A large part of the kerfuffle going on over at the Treeleaf community seems be about this very issue. Is the teacher enlightened? Should we talk about enlightenment? If yes, how so? What level of authority should a teacher have, and how much does it depend on his/hers' level of understanding/attainment? The student that was tossed out of the Treeleaf community directly challenged his teacher's understanding and experience repeatedly. He also pointed to his own experiences, suggesting that even if he's a student, his view shouldn't be dismissed as mere attachment. We could have a long debate about whether Chet, the student at Treeleaf, is being arrogant and ridiculous, but that's not really the point. I think what James Ford is trying to get at in his post is that because of the causes and conditions present here in the U.S. and in other nations outside of the Asian nations where Buddhism originated, the Zen teacher and the Zen institution functions differently, and needs different kinds of structures to address what's occurring. At the same time, I can't help but thinking that Brad Warner's argument against national oversight bodies might have some validity to it. Also, institutions tend to reflect the lowest common denominator of what their members understand as acceptable behavior. They are bound to come up with the most conservative definition possible. People who don’t agree that democracy is best often speak of democracy as the “tyranny of the masses.” And this is what happens with Zen institutions. It becomes more about what the greatest number of members think they want than what’s actually necessary for Zen teaching to occur. This can never be decided democratically. Now, clearly Brad likes to be a "free agent" so to speak. He's got a bit of former Major League baseball player Curt Flood in him. That's not a bad thing, necessarily, but anyone looking at baseball these days would say that free agency has caused plenty of trouble, even if it has given players more freedom and much higher salaries. However, I do think that whenever large institutions get heavily involved in anything, creativity and uniqueness of expression get challenged. And if you look at famous Zen teachers and students throughout history, there's an awful lot of creativity and uniqueness to be found, and also plenty of examples of free agent types who were shunned by the majority of people, but who's stories have lived on and inspired people hundreds of years after those who shunned them have died and disappeared completely. Mediocrity might make for a certain kind of longevity, but it doesn't inspire people to awaken to their true nature. With that said, I still think a free for all isn't really helpful. The very forms of our practice - the chanting, bowing, zazen postures, etc. - provide a base to spring off of. They might not all be necessary for any given individual to awaken in this life, but they do seem akin to learning the scales in music. What this means in terms of providing leadership for Zen at a national level - I don't really know. For every James Ford advocating for strong national oversight, there are probably as many Brad Warners out there, even if they wish to deny any linkage with him. For those of you in the broader Zen community, what do you think needs to be done, if anything, about ethical issues occurring in sanghas? Is it the job of each sangha? A regional or national body? Both? Neither? And for those of you outside of the Zen community, what do you make of all of this? Posted by Nathan at 11:23 AM Labels: Brad Warner, institutional oversight, James Ford, Treeleaf Sangha, Zen Centers I am not a part of the zen community... and I'm new to the path of Buddhism altogether. It seems a very difficult situation. I know it's naive to think that we can all join hands and work together... but its a shame that people who are teachers (and masters) cannot meet in some way and discuss these issues. If it matters to us as laypeople, it should matter to them. I just wanted to add how much I enjoy your blog and its honest analysis of things. I really like reading it because sometimes when these things are not discussed, it becomes taboo to have a voice. Thankyou for having a voice! by the way, I just wanted to add, the whole thing is kind of heartbreaking. I'm thinking this http://www.tricycle.com/magazine/feature/talk-like-buddha?page=0,1&offer=dharma http://umquotes.blogspot.com/2010/07/about-intention.html Might be a more timely, possibly useful starting point for a post than the one you've chosen [anyway a plan B, C topic option] Glad you enjoy the blog Bookbird. I think there are things going on that are positive - like some centers having honest and open discussions about some of the issues I and others have brought up. And some have taken direct action about the same issues. I do think there are leaders out there who care about this stuff - it's just that there's also a lot of tussle when it comes to how to mesh Zen with social structures that are so different from the ones it originated in. And there's also a lot of confusion still about lay practice, monastic practice, and what it is that people are doing. The first zen teachers came to the U.S. a little over 100 years ago, just to give one example. And overall, Buddhism has only been in the U.S. for about 150 years. Everyone is still trying to figure out what works, and what doesn't, to some degree. Even those old West Coast temples started by Chinese and Japanese immigrants back in 19th century are having their issues. Sometimes, I wonder if it's just the crumbling of institutional religious structures in general that we're dealing with. Because you see a lot of trouble in Christian communities, for example, as well. Thanks for the Ken Mcleod article. I think I'll work with it during meditation tonight. Nathan, I think your t-shirt picture says it all, perfectly. There is no insitution of marriage, there are only individuals trying to work out how to live with each other in an ethical way. In the same way, sangas are really illusiary and really only collections of people who have to deal with each other in the same way that any group of individuals have to deal with each other. Why do we not know that people everywhere, in all organizations, are like all people everywhere who are not in organizations? Why do we think that just because, after a persons name, we add the word zen priest or buddhist or catholic or policeperson, or whatever, suddenly, that person isn't a human anymore but somehow holy, beyond all human experience and disaster? Why does everyone get so surprised, betrayed, that humans act like humans? It's buyer beware out there, equally for the buyer of religious institutions. The idea I'm probably trying to get across is that it is more important to try to act in ways that don't harm anyone and not at all important to elevated others in our regard. Only the individual can learn how to be aware and harmless and helpful. It's silly to think one can rely on another to give one progress by holding one's hand and walking one along the path. What? Suddenly you will be there without doing all of work yourself? Each one of us can strive to be perfectly ethical on our own. Teachers are there to help us along by suggesting things. But progress is up to each one of us. Progress along the way isn't going to come to us pecause we had this that or another teacher. It's because we do the work. My disclaimer. I don't belong to any official sanga, but I've got lots of teachers (some official and some not) and each one of them is imperfect and not to be blindly followed. When peoole get upset because their teacher/guru proves to be a jerk, I have no sympathy for them. What were they expecting? But I do have compassion for the poor jerk/guru given that jerkdom is an indication of extreme longterm suffering. Dealing with a screw up of a zen master, or of a long time student, should be no more traumatic than dealing with any screwed up individual who does the same thing. Dealing is just more of the hard work that is required by the first statement in the Boddhisatva vows. We only get off lightly when we feel it lightly. Chong Go Sunim said... I think Bookbird expressed it extremely well. Even here in Korea, inside the fairly strongly organized Jogye Order, getting different centers and practitioners to come together can be like hearding cats! I think that part of the problem is due to the newness of Buddhism in the west. There have been people claiming to be enlightened teachers in N. America who would never have been accepted in Korea or Japan. They would have been rejected/denounced by the official institutions as well as the serious practitioner communities. In those countries there is a much deeper pool of practitioners and teachers, some of whom would have stepped up and publicly stated what they thought was wrong with the situation. To me, the most disappointing thing about what's happened in New York is that very ethical people knew that something was wrong, and yet said nothing publically. I feel they had a duty to protect and warn those people who didn't have the experience or knowledge to protect themselves. (Or at least make an informed choice.) These sorts of problems aren't new. The only thing that changes is how the institutions can and do choose to deal with them, which runs the gamut from complete suppression (à la the Roman Catholic Church through most of its history) to airing out everything in public and making an honest effort to run a clean ship (like... uh, I can't think of an example right now, but I'm sure there's one somewhere). What do I think? Transparency. Light is a great disinfectant. I don't think we need some kind of oversight board as much as more ways to shine some light onto the seamy side of stuff, including Buddhist practice. I am not a part of the Zen community either. But my suggestion would be to learn about and discuss the psychological dynamics that are often involved in these types of situations. For example, I heard a really good talk once on how yoga students tend to engage in "idealization" and "transference" with their teachers - unconsciously projecting their desire for a loving, all powerful, perfect parent to this person. Then, if the teacher has unmet ego needs, they can subconsciously pick up on this and engage in "counter-transference," essentially boosting their own narcissistic desire to feel good about themselves by internalizing their student's views of them - "yes, I really am great, enlightened, etc." - to try to block out their own insecurities - which then can manifest in unhealthy ways. Nathan, I downloaded and listened to the Ken McCloud clip on manifesting intention. I liked it. Good and short. You have any take on it? Hey Anon, I just finished downloading the whole retreat McLeod did based on listening to that intention clip and the first section of the retreat, which I worked with last night. Thanks for the tip. This little section stood out for me from the intention clip: "That’s all of the different stories and associations and memories. I can’t do this because -- If I do this, this is going to happen -- etc. And when you are seduced or enchanted by the stories, then you fall out of attention, and you cannot do what you intended to do. So in the primary practice, you include all of that internal material, but you are in attention. You are not consumed by it." I think I'm going to sit with the whole retreat - I had forgotten how much McLeod's work speaks to me. Other Anonymous said "When peoole get upset because their teacher/guru proves to be a jerk, I have no sympathy for them. What were they expecting? But I do have compassion for the poor jerk/guru given that jerkdom is an indication of extreme longterm suffering. Dealing with a screw up of a zen master, or of a long time student, should be no more traumatic than dealing with any screwed up individual who does the same thing." I don't know. In some ways, yes, people invest in excessively inflated images of spiritual teachers, and then act naive and shocked when something goes wrong. It's very true we each need to stand on our own two feet, and do the work we need to do. However, at the same time, relationships with spiritual teachers and/or spiritual "brothers and sisters" can have an intimacy and vulnerability that isn't found anywhere else. Maybe with a romantic partner, parent, or close friend, but that's about it. And so it's important to recognize that violations in these areas are probably going to be more intense and challenging to deal with. Chong Go, Thanks for the comments about the situation in Korea. Brings the issue beyond just some North American thing. "To me, the most disappointing thing about what's happened in New York is that very ethical people knew that something was wrong, and yet said nothing publically. I feel they had a duty to protect and warn those people who didn't have the experience or knowledge to protect themselves." You know, people in my sangha stayed quiet about the issues going on there. People stayed quiet in San Francisco for years while Baker Roshi did what he did. It just seems like we all struggle with how best to deal with these situations. Fears of destroying the community, attachments to reputation, fears of getting punished, and hopes that things will blow over - I think all of this plays into the silence. I absolutely agree with you, although the "ethical people" I was thinking of were actually teachers who weren't part of that particular group, and who would have, (I hope,) known that some of the behaviors involved weren't "enlightened skillful means." That said, I think the things you mentioned such as community and belonging play a big role, and would have been even more influential back in the day, when sanghas were so few and far. Heart of Wisdom Zen Temple said... In my own Sangha, the Zen Community of Oregon and our monastery, Great Vow Zen Monastery, we emphasize two main areas - zazen and precepts. This helps foster an environment of responsibility and ethics. We also have a conflict resolution process were someone to have an issue with a teacher or even other member of the community. The process even includes bringing other teachers or lay leaders from other sanghas if necessary. All of this was developed internally but with the advice informal consultations with other sanghas through groups like the American Zen Teachers Association. What a broader institution could bring is an agreed upon code of conduct and potentially some kind of accreditation. This could give a base level indication that people have agreed to act in accord with a code of conduct. Down the road such a body might be able to indicate that a teacher has a certain level of training or is accepted by peers. I don't buy the idea that this kind of group would kill Zen or even stifle things all that much. Zen has a healthy iconoclastic strain (Brad Warner is an adept) that will make sure we are keepin' it real. Example: Social workers have a strict ethical code of conduct (don't sleep with your clients...ever) yet the wide many types of therapies offered don't seem to be stifled by it. Carol Spooner said... I tried to leave this comment before, but I don't think it was published. I don't think institutional oversight would be much help -- beyond providing perhaps "membership" status to zen centers, with some requirements such as a code of ethics and a written conflict resolution process. They might also serve as a resource to provide outside assistance/facilitation to zen centers that may have controversies they can't work out themselves. Beyond that, I don't think they should go into the style and substance of the teaching. Any zen center with a properly authorized/transmitted teacher should be eligible to join, regardless of how iconoclastic, innovative, or whatever, his/her teaching style might be. I disagree with Brad Warner that zen teachers need to be completely autonomous. I think they need to be answerable to their sanghas on ethics issues. I left our sangha when our head teacher & board refused to develop such policies after an ethical controversy arose. There was no process for resolution. While I, personally, did not believe there had been an ethical breach, I felt strongly that those who thought so needed a hearing and that the issues could have been resolved had they been openly discussed. Instead, a wall of silence was imposed and those who disagreed were isolated. So, while I didn't see an ethical breach, I did see a breach in respect and kindness towards fellow sangha members that was really, really creepy. What I saw happen was fear -- fear that the sangha would be destroyed by airing differences, fear that the teacher would be unjustifiably smeared by allegations of unethical conduct, a strong aversion to overt anger and a lot of covert and/or manipulative and/or domineering anger in response to it. I also saw the standard group dynamics that you see everywhere -- personality conflicts, rivalries & competition for status, undermining, backbiting, in-group/out-group nonsense, all that stuff that exists in all groups. That's the stuff of daily human life and interactions, and that's where the rubber meets the road with zen practice, I believe. It was sad to see that our teacher, board & leadership was so blind to it, and so unwilling to grapple with it open-heartedly. That open-heartedness can't be imposed by institutional oversight of zen, however. Fortunately, I've found another sangha. But I did and still do have to live with a sad heart about it. I love my former teacher and feel much gratitude for the guidance and insights he provided over several years. It's hard to see him stumble so badly and not get the help he needed to face the trouble and work it through. Teachers are isolated by the authority they wield. There aren't many people with the maturity and heart to tell them when they're full of shit. I tried. But it wasn't enough. Privileging Suffering - Anti-Mosque Sentiment in N... Zen, Rats, and Landmines Institutional Oversight of Zen Part Two Get Moving You Lazy Ass! Power and Balance Jaws of Clarity Putting on the Filth Developing Patience with Communal Samsara Banning Online Buddhist Practitioners? Blogs are Useless Living on Dogen Time Losing "Yourselves" Grasping to Let Go Blogging Retreat Violence, Control, and "Freedom Loving" People Responsibilty, Leadership, and their Narratives Poverty Dharma(s) "I Just Feel Startled to be Alive." Men Getting Angry and the Hook of Self-Righteousne...	cc/2020-05/en_head_0057.json.gz/line55
__label__wiki	0.974225	0.974225	Heather Conway-Liberman \| High School Player \| Inducted 2012 As a young girl, Heather Liberman was introduced to basketball through her father, who coached her recreation team. By the time she entered Amity High School in Woodbridge, she was clearly one of the most talented players on the court and she helped lead her team to many great winning moments. Heather set a school record of 723 rebounds in her two years as a varsity center for the Spartans. Heather was a dominating force in the Housatonic League and was truly unstoppable for most of her senior season. She tallied 862 career points on the varsity squad and in her senior year, she averaged 22 points and 17 rebounds a game. She set a school record with a Single Game High of 40 points and 29 rebounds versus Cheshire High School. In the Class LL State Championship, she scored the basket that sent the game into overtime and ended the game with 24 points, 15 rebounds, 5 blocked shots, and a state title. She was named MVP for the tournament. She was named to the All-Housatonic League, All-New Haven County Tap-Off Club, and the Class LL All-State Team in 1980. She participated and was one of the captains of the Connecticut Junior Olympic Team in New Orleans that year as well. By the time she graduated, she had earned a full scholarship to Duke University -- the first time such an offer had been made to a female athlete. Heather was also a standout volleyball player at Amity High School and she helped lead her team to a 16-0 record her senior year. Her volleyball teams also won the Housatonic League titles in 1978 and 1979 and she was named to the All-Housatonic League for volleyball in 1979. Heather attributes much of her success during her senior year to her coach, Ken Liberman, who later became her husband. They shared an appreciation for basketball as a true team sport involving athletic prowess, strategy, speed and endurance. Heather met some of her oldest and dearest friends while playing basketball. After a year at Duke University, Heather transferred to George Washington University where her career was cut short due to a ruptured Achilles tendon. She co-founded the Trumbull Recreation Girls’ Basketball League and the Trumbull Travel Basketball program and she has enjoyed staying involved in the game as much as possible. Heather was inducted into the Tap-Off Club Hall of Fame in 2003 and the Amity Athletic Hall of Fame in 2009. She is thrilled to be a new member of the Connecticut Basketball Hall of Fame. Heather’s children have had successful athletic careers as well. Her daughter Sarah is currently coaching her own freshman girls’ basketball team at Guilford High School. Her son Kyle played for Trumbull High School. Heather now works for Yale University as a Communications Coordinator at Yale Health. Aside from her job at Yale, Heather runs her own business as a photographer, called Heather Liberman Photography.	cc/2020-05/en_head_0057.json.gz/line59
__label__wiki	0.779629	0.779629	#13 Ozney Guillen - Profile - Team - WEST Gateway Joliet Normal River City Rockford Schaumburg Windy City EAST Evansville Florence Greys Lake Erie S Illinois Traverse City Washington Home \| Scoreboard \| Leaders \| Stats \| Schedule \| Roster \| Transactions Stats Spray Chart Birthday: Jan 3, 1992 Hometown: Aventura , Florida College: St. Thomas University 2nd pro season…drove in 45 runs with 5 homers while batting .255 in his inaugural season last year…finished 2013 with a team-best .415 BA and .483 OBP at St. Thomas University…drafted by White Sox in 22nd round of MLB Amateur Draft but did not sign…son of former White Sox player and manager Ozzie Guillen. Playoffs 2015 Normal CornBelters 2 6 0 2 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 .333 Summer 2015 Normal CornBelters 88 313 41 69 11 2 7 32 24 48 13 .220 Summer 2014 Normal CornBelters 78 255 36 65 14 0 5 45 21 32 8 .255 Total 168 574 77 136 26 2 12 78 46 80 21 .237 Batting Game Log Sep 12 Traverse City L 5-6 4 0 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.429 0.500 0.333 0.929 Sep 10 @Traverse City L 2-5 2 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0.667 0.500 0.500 1.167 Sep 6 Schaumburg W 3-1 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.286 0.335 0.220 0.621 Sep 5 Schaumburg L 2-5 4 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.289 0.339 0.223 0.628 Sep 3 Evansville W 4-3 1 2 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0.287 0.341 0.222 0.628 Aug 30 @Rockford W 10-1 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0.287 0.341 0.222 0.628 Aug 29 @Rockford W 7-5 4 1 2 0 0 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.292 0.347 0.226 0.639 Aug 27 @Gateway W 10-2 4 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 0 0.293 0.339 0.225 0.632 Aug 26 @Gateway L 5-8 4 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.294 0.344 0.228 0.638 Aug 23 Greys L 5-7 4 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 4 0 0 0 0 0.292 0.346 0.227 0.638 Aug 22 Greys W 10-1 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0.294 0.351 0.230 0.645 Aug 21 Greys W 6-5 3 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0.292 0.355 0.233 0.647 Aug 20 @Lake Erie W 6-0 4 1 3 1 0 1 3 0 0 0 0 1 0 0.295 0.359 0.236 0.654 Aug 18 @Lake Erie L 2-7 4 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0.291 0.341 0.230 0.632 Aug 16 Washington W 5-4 5 1 3 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.292 0.343 0.230 0.635 Aug 14 Washington W 13-2 4 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0.291 0.339 0.226 0.630 Aug 13 Florence W 3-2 4 0 2 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 2 0 0.288 0.340 0.226 0.628 Aug 9 Rockford W 8-5 3 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0.270 0.311 0.209 0.581 Aug 8 Rockford W 11-0 4 1 2 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.266 0.311 0.207 0.577 Aug 5 @Florence L 1-6 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0.268 0.315 0.207 0.583 Aug 5 @Florence W 1-0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.272 0.319 0.210 0.591 Aug 2 @Rockford W 24-10 6 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.273 0.321 0.211 0.594 Aug 1 @Rockford L 4-10 3 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0.280 0.330 0.217 0.610 Jul 31 @Rockford L 5-6 4 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0.281 0.335 0.220 0.616 Jul 30 @Traverse City W 9-7 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.281 0.337 0.219 0.618 Jul 29 @Traverse City L 5-6 2 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0.286 0.344 0.224 0.630 Jul 26 Gateway L 2-5 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0.280 0.332 0.214 0.612 Jul 25 Gateway W 4-2 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0.286 0.339 0.219 0.625 Jul 23 Joliet W 10-3 3 2 2 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 0.291 0.350 0.226 0.641 Jul 22 Joliet L 2-16 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0.277 0.345 0.218 0.622 Jul 21 Joliet W 5-0 4 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.282 0.351 0.222 0.633 Jul 9 Schaumburg L 0-3 3 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0.283 0.353 0.222 0.636 Jul 9 Schaumburg L 4-11 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 1 0 1 0 0 0.276 0.348 0.213 0.624 Jul 7 Schaumburg W 4-3 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 1 0.281 0.352 0.216 0.633 Jul 5 @S Illinois L 1-2 3 0 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0.282 0.358 0.220 0.640 Jul 4 @S Illinois W 4-3 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.276 0.353 0.218 0.629 Jul 2 River City W 7-3 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0.290 0.372 0.230 0.662 Jun 30 River City W 6-5 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0.297 0.387 0.239 0.684 Jun 28 @Joliet L 6-9 4 2 3 0 1 2 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.302 0.397 0.243 0.699 Jun 25 @Windy City W 4-3 4 1 4 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0.302 0.341 0.238 0.643 Jun 21 Lake Erie L 1-3 3 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.268 0.310 0.207 0.578 Jun 20 Lake Erie W 3-1 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.266 0.310 0.204 0.576 Jun 18 Traverse City L 3-6 5 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0.254 0.306 0.194 0.560 Jun 13 @River City L 7-8 5 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.238 0.284 0.168 0.522 Jun 12 @River City L 3-10 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.240 0.289 0.167 0.529 Jun 11 @Evansville W 7-2 5 1 2 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0.250 0.302 0.174 0.552 Jun 10 @Evansville L 0-4 2 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.242 0.284 0.160 0.526 Jun 7 S Illinois W 7-6 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0.233 0.273 0.156 0.506 Jun 6 S Illinois L 0-3 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0.241 0.284 0.162 0.525 Jun 5 S Illinois L 2-10 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0.241 0.296 0.169 0.537 Jun 4 Windy City W 3-2 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0.253 0.313 0.179 0.566 May 31 @Florence W 4-1 4 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.266 0.339 0.179 0.605 May 30 @Florence W 18-4 3 3 1 0 0 1 3 2 0 1 0 0 0 0.267 0.346 0.173 0.613 May 28 @Schaumburg W 4-1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 1 0 0 1 0.245 0.318 0.182 0.563 May 23 Washington W 4-3 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0.171 0.182 0.152 0.353 May 22 Washington W 12-1 5 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0.194 0.207 0.172 0.401 May 21 Gateway L 6-14 5 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 2 0 0 0 0 0.192 0.208 0.167 0.400 May 20 Gateway L 2-3 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0.238 0.263 0.211 0.501 May 19 Gateway W 9-2 4 3 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.294 0.333 0.267 0.627 May 17 @River City L 1-2 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0.231 0.182 0.182 0.413 May 16 @River City W 5-4 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.222 0.250 0.250 0.472 Sep 4 @Schaumburg L 8-9 4 0 1 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 0.312 0.369 0.255 0.681 Aug 28 Lake Erie W 6-3 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.311 0.365 0.254 0.676 Aug 24 Traverse City W 4-3 4 0 3 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.317 0.374 0.260 0.691 Aug 23 Traverse City W 10-4 4 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0.310 0.364 0.251 0.674 Aug 21 Schaumburg L 7-9 5 0 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.305 0.363 0.247 0.668 Aug 19 Schaumburg W 7-4 4 1 1 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.308 0.360 0.248 0.668 Aug 14 Gateway W 13-4 3 2 1 1 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0.296 0.340 0.239 0.636 Aug 12 Gateway W 8-4 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0.289 0.335 0.237 0.624 Aug 12 Gateway L 7-9 4 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0.293 0.340 0.241 0.633 Aug 10 @Florence L 0-2 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.294 0.342 0.241 0.636 Aug 10 @Florence W 3-2 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0.297 0.346 0.243 0.643 Aug 8 @Gateway L 3-4 2 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0.304 0.360 0.253 0.664 Aug 1 S Illinois L 4-8 4 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0.292 0.364 0.248 0.656 Jul 31 S Illinois W 2-0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.293 0.366 0.248 0.659 Jul 30 S Illinois L 11-20 4 2 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0.298 0.373 0.253 0.671 Jul 29 @River City L 6-7 5 0 2 0 0 0 1 2 2 0 0 0 0 0.295 0.377 0.253 0.672 Jul 28 @River City W 6-3 6 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0.283 0.376 0.248 0.659 Jul 27 @River City W 12-10 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0.288 0.385 0.252 0.673 Jul 26 Lake Erie L 6-8 4 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0.291 0.396 0.259 0.687 Jul 24 Lake Erie W 5-4 4 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0.302 0.415 0.269 0.717 Jul 23 Washington L 3-4 4 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0.304 0.421 0.270 0.725 Jul 22 Washington L 5-10 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0.297 0.420 0.261 0.717 Jul 20 Greys W 13-6 4 1 2 0 0 0 4 0 0 0 1 2 0 0.296 0.427 0.265 0.723 Jul 19 Greys L 6-8 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.292 0.425 0.257 0.717 Jul 9 Joliet L 4-5 4 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.300 0.442 0.274 0.742 Jul 8 Joliet W 3-2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.302 0.451 0.275 0.753 Jul 8 Joliet W 11-3 3 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.302 0.451 0.275 0.753 Jul 6 @Schaumburg L 3-9 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.312 0.466 0.284 0.778 Jul 3 @Windy City W 7-4 3 1 1 0 0 0 2 0 1 0 0 0 0 0.322 0.482 0.294 0.804 Jul 2 @Windy City W 10-2 4 1 2 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.322 0.488 0.293 0.810 Jun 28 Greys W 9-5 4 1 1 0 0 1 2 1 1 0 0 0 1 0.313 0.487 0.282 0.800 Jun 25 Windy City L 7-14 2 0 2 2 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.308 0.459 0.284 0.767 Jun 22 @Washington W 3-1 3 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.289 0.417 0.264 0.706 Jun 20 @Washington L 3-5 4 0 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.309 0.431 0.277 0.740 Jun 17 @Joliet W 14-6 5 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.300 0.379 0.276 0.679 Jun 12 @Lake Erie W 8-5 4 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.341 0.429 0.310 0.770 Jun 10 @Lake Erie L 1-7 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.333 0.412 0.294 0.745 Jun 8 Florence W 3-2 3 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.343 0.424 0.303 0.767 Jun 8 Florence L 3-6 3 1 1 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0.344 0.433 0.300 0.777 Jun 1 @S Illinois L 4-5 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0.346 0.333 0.292 0.679 May 31 @S Illinois L 4-5 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.360 0.348 0.304 0.708 May 29 Evansville L 2-6 3 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0.368 0.353 0.294 0.721 May 27 Evansville L 4-13 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.333 0.357 0.286 0.690 May 23 @Joliet L 6-7 3 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0.357 0.385 0.308 0.742 May 22 River City W 10-1 5 0 2 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.364 0.400 0.300 0.764 May 21 River City L 4-8 3 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.333 0.400 0.200 0.733	cc/2020-05/en_head_0057.json.gz/line61
__label__wiki	0.595889	0.595889	Blacksburg: 540-443-2850 — Roanoke: 540-777-3450 James K. Cowan Jr. David E. Perry Brian S. Wheeler Douglas W. Densmore Tara A. Branscom Eric D. Chapman Suzanne Y. Pierce Blair N.C. Wood Jennifer S. Friedel Business & Employment Litigation Corporate & Tax ERISA & Employee Benefits Labor & Employment Counsel Land Use & Commercial Real Estate Trusts & Estates, Business Succession Planning Brian S. Wheelergprobst2019-05-28T14:40:58+00:00 For over fifteen years, Brian has focused his practice in the areas of complex commercial litigation, construction law, labor and employment, antitrust, and serving as outside general counsel. Brian has experience representing business entities of all sizes in a wide range of litigation matters in both state and federal courts. He handles all aspects of litigation from the filing of the complaint or answer through judgement or settlement including court hearings, trials and settlement negotiations. Brian also has extensive experience in alternative dispute resolution (in both local, national, and international matters) and in the areas of intellectual property, energy, and mineral law. Prior to entering private practice, Brian worked as an attorney at the Federal Trade Commission. A sample of representative clients include: a Fortune 500 company in a sexual discrimination suit; a large manufacturer involving a whistleblower claim; a local company involved in a dilution dispute with another member of an LLC; a Fortune 500 company in a breach of contract and mechanics’ lien case for work performed at its facility in Salem, Virginia; a chemical company involved in a trademark dispute and international arbitration; and another local company in a breach of contract dispute for construction work performed at Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan. In July of 2017, Brian was selected to serve on the Virginia State Bar’s Board of Govenors, Litigation Section and also to be a Master of the Bench for the Ted Dalton American Inns of Court. He has been recognized by Virginia’s “Super Lawyers” magazine as a top rated Business Litigation attorney in Blacksburg and a Rising Star (2010-2011). He actively participates in the NRV Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM), Roanoke-Blacksburg Technology Council, and Blacksburg Rotary Club. Additionally, Brian has been a long time presenter for Lorman Education Services on various employment issues and a speaker for the NRV Homebuilders Association. 540.443.2856 Blacksburg Direct 540.777.3456 Roanoke Direct 540-808-8814 Mobile bwheeler@cowanperry.com Washington & Lee University School of Law, JD, 2001 University of Maine, BS, 1994, Magna Cum Laude Virginia, Tennessee, West Virginia, Massachusetts and Maine U.S. District Courts for the Western and Eastern Districts of Virginia U.S. District Courts for the Eastern, Western and Middle Districts of Tennessee U.S. District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit Deducting Post-Production Costs when Calculating Royalty: What Does the Law Provide, Appalachian Journal of Law 2008. Effective and Efficient Arbitration in Virginia, Appalachian Journal of Law, 2010. Print Bio 250 South Main Street - Suite 226 1328 3rd Street, SW Disclaimer: Attorney Advertising: Case results vary depending on a variety of factors unique to each case. Case results do not guarantee or predict a similar result in any future case. Copyright 2013 - 2016 Cowan Perry PC \| All Rights Reserved	cc/2020-05/en_head_0057.json.gz/line63
__label__wiki	0.749017	0.749017	Go to Constitution Party of Louisiana Home Page National Constitution Party Site Change Party Print Letter of Request Federalist Paper 70 – The Executive Department Further Considered Independent Journal [Alexander Hamilton] To the People of the State of New York: THERE is an idea, which is not without its advocates, that a vigorous Executive is inconsistent with the genius of republican government. The enlightened well-wishers to this species of government must at least hope that the supposition is destitute of foundation; since they can never admit its truth, without at the same time admitting the condemnation of their own principles. Energy in the Executive is a leading character in the definition of good government. It is essential to the protection of the community against foreign attacks; it is not less essential to the steady administration of the laws; to the protection of property against those irregular and high-handed combinations which sometimes interrupt the ordinary course of justice; to the security of liberty against the enterprises and assaults of ambition, of faction, and of anarchy. Every man the least conversant in Roman story, knows how often that republic was obliged to take refuge in the absolute power of a single man, under the formidable title of Dictator, as well against the intrigues of ambitious individuals who aspired to the tyranny, and the seditions of whole classes of the community whose conduct threatened the existence of all government, as against the invasions of external enemies who menaced the conquest and destruction of Rome. There can be no need, however, to multiply arguments or examples on this head. A feeble Executive implies a feeble execution of the government. A feeble execution is but another phrase for a bad execution; and a government ill executed, whatever it may be in theory, must be, in practice, a bad government. Taking it for granted, therefore, that all men of sense will agree in the necessity of an energetic Executive, it will only remain to inquire, what are the ingredients which constitute this energy? How far can they be combined with those other ingredients which constitute safety in the republican sense? And how far does this combination characterize the plan which has been reported by the convention? The ingredients which constitute energy in the Executive are, first, unity; secondly, duration; thirdly, an adequate provision for its support; fourthly, competent powers. The ingredients which constitute safety in the repub lican sense are, first, a due dependence on the people, secondly, a due responsibility. Those politicians and statesmen who have been the most celebrated for the soundness of their principles and for the justice of their views, have declared in favor of a single Executive and a numerous legislature. They have with great propriety, considered energy as the most necessary qualification of the former, and have regarded this as most applicable to power in a single hand, while they have, with equal propriety, considered the latter as best adapted to deliberation and wisdom, and best calculated to conciliate the confidence of the people and to secure their privileges and interests. That unity is conducive to energy will not be disputed. Decision, activity, secrecy, and despatch will generally characterize the proceedings of one man in a much more eminent degree than the proceedings of any greater number; and in proportion as the number is increased, these qualities will be diminished. This unity may be destroyed in two ways: either by vesting the power in two or more magistrates of equal dignity and authority; or by vesting it ostensibly in one man, subject, in whole or in part, to the control and co-operation of others, in the capacity of counsellors to him. Of the first, the two Consuls of Rome may serve as an example; of the last, we shall find examples in the constitutions of several of the States. New York and New Jersey, if I recollect right, are the only States which have intrusted the executive authority wholly to single men.1 Both these methods of destroying the unity of the Executive have their partisans; but the votaries of an executive council are the most numerous. They are both liable, if not to equal, to similar objections, and may in most lights be examined in conjunction. The experience of other nations will afford little instruction on this head. As far, however, as it teaches any thing, it teaches us not to be enamoured of plurality in the Executive. We have seen that the Achaeans, on an experiment of two Praetors, were induced to abolish one. The Roman history records many instances of mischiefs to the republic from the dissensions between the Consuls, and between the military Tribunes, who were at times substituted for the Consuls. But it gives us no specimens of any peculiar advantages derived to the state from the circumstance of the plurality of those magistrates. That the dissensions between them were not more frequent or more fatal, is a matter of astonishment, until we advert to the singular position in which the republic was almost continually placed, and to the prudent policy pointed out by the circumstances of the state, and pursued by the Consuls, of making a division of the government between them. The patricians engaged in a perpetual struggle with the plebeians for the preservation of their ancient authorities and dignities; the Consuls, who were generally chosen out of the former body, were commonly united by the personal interest they had in the defense of the privileges of their order. In addition to this motive of union, after the arms of the republic had considerably expanded the bounds of its empire, it became an established custom with the Consuls to divide the administration between themselves by lot — one of them remaining at Rome to govern the city and its environs, the other taking the command in the more distant provinces. This expedient must, no doubt, have had great influence in preventing those collisions and rivalships which might otherwise have embroiled the peace of the republic. But quitting the dim light of historical research, attaching ourselves purely to the dictates of reason and good sense, we shall discover much greater cause to reject than to approve the idea of plurality in the Executive, under any modification whatever. Wherever two or more persons are engaged in any common enterprise or pursuit, there is always danger of difference of opinion. If it be a public trust or office, in which they are clothed with equal dignity and authority, there is peculiar danger of personal emulation and even animosity. From either, and especially from all these causes, the most bitter dissensions are apt to spring. Whenever these happen, they lessen the respectability, weaken the authority, and distract the plans and operation of those whom they divide. If they should unfortunately assail the supreme executive magistracy of a country, consisting of a plurality of persons, they might impede or frustrate the most important measures of the government, in the most critical emergencies of the state. And what is still worse, they might split the community into the most violent and irreconcilable factions, adhering differently to the different individuals who composed the magistracy. Men often oppose a thing, merely because they have had no agency in planning it, or because it may have been planned by those whom they dislike. But if they have been consulted, and have happened to disapprove, opposition then becomes, in their estimation, an indispensable duty of self-love. They seem to think themselves bound in honor, and by all the motives of personal infallibility, to defeat the success of what has been resolved upon contrary to their sentiments. Men of upright, benevolent tempers have too many opportunities of remarking, with horror, to what desperate lengths this disposition is sometimes carried, and how often the great interests of society are sacrificed to the vanity, to the conceit, and to the obstinacy of individuals, who have credit enough to make their passions and their caprices interesting to mankind. Perhaps the question now before the public may, in its consequences, afford melancholy proofs of the effects of this despicable frailty, or rather detestable vice, in the human character. Upon the principles of a free government, inconveniences from the source just mentioned must necessarily be submitted to in the formation of the legislature; but it is unnecessary, and therefore unwise, to introduce them into the constitution of the Executive. It is here too that they may be most pernicious. In the legislature, promptitude of decision is oftener an evil than a benefit. The differences of opinion, and the jarrings of parties in that department of the government, though they may sometimes obstruct salutary plans, yet often promote deliberation and circumspection, and serve to check excesses in the majority. When a resolution too is once taken, the opposition must be at an end. That resolution is a law, and resistance to it punishable. But no favorable circumstances palliate or atone for the disadvantages of dissension in the executive department. Here, they are pure and unmixed. There is no point at which they cease to operate. They serve to embarrass and weaken the execution of the plan or measure to which they relate, from the first step to the final conclusion of it. They constantly counteract those qualities in the Executive which are the most necessary ingredients in its composition — vigor and expedition, and this without anycounterbalancing good. In the conduct of war, in which the energy of the Executive is the bulwark of the national security, every thing would be to be apprehended from its plurality. It must be confessed that these observations apply with principal weight to the first case supposed — that is, to a plurality of magistrates of equal dignity and authority a scheme, the advocates for which are not likely to form a numerous sect; but they apply, though not with equal, yet with considerable weight to the project of a council, whose concurrence is made constitutionally necessary to the operations of the ostensible Executive. An artful cabal in that council would be able to distract and to enervate the whole system of administration. If no such cabal should exist, the mere diversity of views and opinions would alone be sufficient to tincture the exercise of the executive authority with a spirit of habitual feebleness and dilatoriness. [But one of the weightiest objections to a plurality in the Executive, and which lies as much against the last as the first plan, is, that it tends to conceal faults and destroy responsibility. Responsibility is of two kinds -- to censure and to punishment. The first is the more important of the two, especially in an elective office. Man, in public trust, will much oftener act in such a manner as to render him unworthy of being any longer trusted, than in such a manner as to make him obnoxious to legal punishment. But the multiplication of the Executive adds to the difficulty of detection in either case. It often becomes impossible, amidst mutual accusations, to determine on whom the blame or the punishment of a pernicious measure, or series of pernicious measures, ought really to fall. It is shifted from one to another with so much dexterity, and under such plausible appearances, that the public opinion is left in suspense about the real author. The circumstances which may have led to any national miscarriage or misfortune are sometimes so complicated that, where there are a number of actors who may have had different degrees and kinds of agency, though we may clearly see upon the whole that there has been mismanagement, yet it may be impracticable to pronounce to whose account the evil which may have been incurred is truly chargeable.]E1 [But one of the weightiest objections to a plurality in the Executive, and which lies as much against the last as the first plan, is, that it tends to conceal faults and destroy responsibility. Responsibility is of two kinds -- to censure and to punishment. The first is the more important of the two, especially in an elective office. Man, in public trust, will much oftener act in such a manner as to render him unworthy of being any longer trusted, than in such a manner as to make him obnoxious to legal punishment. But the multiplication of the Executive adds to the difficulty of detection in either case. It often becomes impossible, amidst mutual accusations, to determine on whom the blame or the punishment of a pernicious measure, or series of pernicious measures, ought really to fall. It is shifted from one to another with so much dexterity, and under such plausible appearances, that the public opinion is left in suspense about the real author. The circumstances which may have led to any national miscarriage or misfortune are sometimes so complicated that, where there are a number of actors who may have had different degrees and kinds of agency, though we may clearly see upon the whole that there has been mismanagement, yet it may be impracticable to pronounce to whose account the evil which may have been incurred is truly chargeable.]E1 “I was overruled by my council. The council were so divided in their opinions that it was impossible to obtain any better resolution on the point.” These and similar pretexts are constantly at hand, whether true or false. And who is there that will either take the trouble or incur the odium, of a strict scrunity into the secret springs of the transaction? Should there be found a citizen zealous enough to undertake the unpromising task, if there happen to be collusion between the parties concerned, how easy it is to clothe the circumstances with so much ambiguity, as to render it uncertain what was the precise conduct of any of those parties? In the single instance in which the governor of this State is coupled with a council — that is, in the appointment to offices, we have seen the mischiefs of it in the view now under consideration. Scandalous appointments to important offices have been made. Some cases, indeed, have been so flagrant that ALL PARTIES have agreed in the impropriety of the thing. When inquiry has been made, the blame has been laid by the governor on the members of the council, who, on their part, have charged it upon his nomination; while the people remain altogether at a loss to determine, by whose influence their interests have been committed to hands so unqualified and so manifestly improper. In tenderness to individuals, I forbear to descend to particulars. It is evident from these considerations, that the plurality of the Executive tends to deprive the people of the two greatest securities they can have for the faithful exercise of any delegated power, first, the restraints of public opinion, which lose their efficacy, as well on account of the division of the censure attendant on bad measures among a number, as on account of the uncertainty on whom it ought to fall; and, second, the opportunity of discovering with facility and clearness the misconduct of the persons they trust, in order either to their removal from office or to their actual punishment in cases which admit of it. In England, the king is a perpetual magistrate; and it is a maxim which has obtained for the sake of the pub lic peace, that he is unaccountable for his administration, and his person sacred. Nothing, therefore, can be wiser in that kingdom, than to annex to the king a constitutional council, who may be responsible to the nation for the advice they give. Without this, there would be no responsibility whatever in the executive department — an idea inadmissible in a free government. But even there the king is not bound by the resolutions of his council, though they are answerable for the advice they give. He is the absolute master of his own conduct in the exercise of his office, and may observe or disregard the counsel given to him at his sole discretion. But in a republic, where every magistrate ought to be personally responsible for his behavior in office the reason which in the British Constitution dictates the propriety of a council, not only ceases to apply, but turns against the institution. In the monarchy of Great Britain, it furnishes a substitute for the prohibited responsibility of the chief magistrate, which serves in some degree as a hostage to the national justice for his good behavior. In the American republic, it would serve to destroy, or would greatly diminish, the intended and necessary responsibility of the Chief Magistrate himself. The idea of a council to the Executive, which has so generally obtained in the State constitutions, has been derived from that maxim of republican jealousy which considers power as safer in the hands of a number of men than of a single man. If the maxim should be admitted to be applicable to the case, I should contend that the advantage on that side would not counterbalance the numerous disadvantages on the opposite side. But I do not think the rule at all applicable to the executive power. I clearly concur in opinion, in this particular, with a writer whom the celebrated Junius pronounces to be “deep, solid, and ingenious,” that “the executive power is more easily confined when it is ONE“;[2] that it is far more safe there should be a single object for the jealousy and watchfulness of the people; and, in a word, that all multiplication of the Executive is rather dangerous than friendly to liberty. A little consideration will satisfy us, that the species of security sought for in the multiplication of the Executive, is nattainable. Numbers must be so great as to render combination difficult, or they are rather a source of danger than of security. The united credit and influence of several individuals must be more formidable to liberty, than the credit and influence of either of them separately. When power, therefore, is placed in the hands of so small a number of men, as to admit of their interests and views being easily combined in a common enterprise, by an artful leader, it becomes more liable to abuse, and more dangerous when abused, than if it be lodged in the hands of one man; who, from the very circumstance of his being alone, will be more narrowly watched and more readily suspected, and who cannot unite so great a mass of influence as when he is associated with others. The Decemvirs of Rome, whose name denotes their number,3 were more to be dreaded in their usurpation than any ONE of them would have been. No person would think of proposing an Executive much more numerous than that body; from six to a dozen have been suggested for the number of the council. The extreme of these numbers, is not too great for an easy combination; and from such a combination America would have more to fear, than from the ambition of any single individual. A council to a magistrate, who is himself responsible for what he does, are generally nothing better than a clog upon his good intentions, are often the instruments and accomplices of his bad and are almost always a cloak to his faults. I forbear to dwell upon the subject of expense; though it be evident that if the council should be numerous enough to answer the principal end aimed at by the institution, the salaries of the members, who must be drawn from their homes to reside at the seat of government, would form an item in the catalogue of public expenditures too serious to be incurred for an object of equivocal utility. I will only add that, prior to the appearance of the Constitution, I rarely met with an intelligent man from any of the States, who did not admit, as the result of experience, that the UNITY of the executive of this State was one of the best of the distinguishing features of our constitution. Of all tyrannies, a tyranny exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It may be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron's cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end for they do so with the approval of their own conscience. They may be more likely to go to Heaven yet at the same time likelier to make a Hell of earth. Their very kindness stings with intolerable insult. To be 'cured' against one's will and cured of states which we may not regard as disease is to be put on a level of those who have not yet reached the age of reason or those who never will; to be classed with infants, imbeciles, and domestic animals. -C. S. Lewis, God in the Dock National Consitution Party Website Change Party Affiliation The GOOD NEWS is that The Constitution Party of Louisiana is growing. Please stay tuned for more upcoming news. © 2014 Sirius Computer Services All Rights Reserved.	cc/2020-05/en_head_0057.json.gz/line64
__label__wiki	0.58436	0.58436	From earning six figures to hoping for $7 an hour 1,200 people hoping for a job applied at Colorado store hiring 150 Mortgage broker once earned six figures, hopes for $7- to $12-per-hour job Store openings are rare with retail sales down for six straight months A single mother of three is excited after getting a part-time job Next Article in Living » By Jim Spellman AURORA, Colorado (CNN) -- In her best year as a mortgage broker, Laura Glick says she made "six figures." This week she was one of more than 1,200 people attending a job fair and applying for one of 150 jobs paying between $7 and $12 an hour at a new Kohl's department store in a Denver, Colorado, suburb. Laura Glick says she has a good resume but even getting an interview is difficult. She has been out of work for seven months and never thought it would take her this long to find a job. It's not the kind of job she thought she would be applying for, but she has a case of the jitters just the same. "Your heart starts to race, and you get nervous even though it is not some big job like you used to have," she said. "I'll take anything at this point." Glick is not alone. Many other people have lost their jobs in this tough economy. A record number of jobless claims was set last month, when first-time claims hit a 26-year high of 589,000 claims in one week. Last week's claims also broke the half-million mark, 524,000, according to a new government report cited on CNNMoney.com. Glick, 29, has been living on about $1400 a month in unemployment benefits, barely enough to cover her rent and health insurance. To get by she has stopped eating out, given up cigarettes and has stopped taking her pets to the vet for regular checkups. "Its feels very degrading, some of the places I'm applying," Glick said. "It's really difficult, and its hard to stay positive, but that's the only way you're going to get something is staying positive. And I'm hoping everything happens for a reason and the doors that have been closed are going to be the ones that lead to open ones." Watch could you be an entrepreneur » Job seekers have been pouring into a hotel ballroom all week for one of the prized jobs. They fill out paperwork and then are taken up to a hotel room in groups of ten or so. The beds have been removed from the room, and they sit in a circle while store managers holding clipboards ask questions. Most are told they will hear back within three weeks. CNN/Money: Going to extremes to land a job Could your next boss be YOU? CNN/Money: Fireproof your job 13 companies hiring this year But some get word right away. "Hey guess what. I got the job," exclaimed Rebecca Erickson, speaking to her mother on her cell phone. When the other applicants filed out the managers asked her to stay behind and offered her a job. She was so excited she forgot to ask how much the job pays. "It's only part-time, but I'll take it. There's always room for advancement, and with it being a new store opening you never know, a full-time position may open up," she said. Erickson, a 31-year old single mother of three, has been unemployed for about two months and has been supporting her family on about $1400 a month in unemployment benefits and food stamps. "It's awesome; It's great; I love it," she said. "To know that I got a job and they have had over a thousand applications come in for this job, and to know that I am the one to get it is just awesome." A store opening such as this one is rare. With unemployment at 7.2 percent nationwide and retail sales down for six straight months, there are more going-out-of-business signs than grand-opening signs. Most of the applicants came alone, but a set of identical twins came here as a team. "Where ever he goes, I go," said Jeri Hines, here with his brother Jerell. The 23-year-olds seem to always have a smile on their faces and insist on working together. They have spent the past year doing odd jobs such as raking leaves and shoveling snow while working on a comic book. "Its about a girl running around looking for treasure," Jerell said. As the Hines twins make their way up to the interview room, their strategy is simple. "Be really energetic and be sure they know everything they can about you," Jerell Hines said On the way out their smiles are still in place, they flash a thumbs up sign and in unison call out, "Keep your fingers crossed." All About Jobs and Labor	cc/2020-05/en_head_0057.json.gz/line65
__label__cc	0.54189	0.45811	Wesil Wesil: See: Weasand.... West Nile encephalitis West Nile encephalitis: A febrile disease caused by the West Nile virus that is transmitted from birds to the common Culex mosquito and then to people. The virus is named after the area it was first found in Uganda. West Nile fever occurs in parts of Africa and Asia and, infrequently, in Southern E... West Nile fever West Nile fever: A febrile disease caused by the West Nile virus that is transmitted from birds to the common Culex mosquito and then to people. The virus is named after the area it was first found in Uganda. West Nile fever occurs in parts of Africa and Asia and, infrequently, in Southern Europe an... West Nile virus: The mosquito-borne virus that causes West Nile fever. One of the flaviviruses, a family of viruses also responsible for dengue, yellow fever, and tick-borne encephalitis virus. Like the other flaviviruses, the West Nile virus is a positive-strand RNA virus containing three structur... West syndrome West syndrome: Infantile spasms, a seizure disorder of infancy and early childhood with the onset predominantly in the first year of life of myoclonic seizures, hypsarrhythmia (abnormal, chaotic electroencephalogram), and mental retardation. The spasms are sudden, brief contractions of one or more m... Western blot: A technique in molecular biology, used to separate and identify proteins. Called a Western blot merely because it has some similarity to a Southern blot (which is named after its inventor, the British biologist M.E. Southern). There is also a Northern blot.... Western medicine: Conventional medicine, as distinct for instance from traditional Chinese medicine.... Wet brain Wet brain: See: Cerebral edema.... Wet lung Wet lung: See: ARDS.... Wet market: A live animal market, a common sight in many areas of the world and a source of influenza viruses and other infectious disease agents for human beings. SARS outbreaks have been traced to wet markets in southern China. Wet markets sell live poultry, fish, reptiles, and mammals of every ki... Wezand Wezand: See: Weasand.... WF: Abbreviation for "white female" used by doctors as shorthand when jotting down the results of their physical examination. For example, a WDWNWF = well developed, well nourished white female; WDWNBF = well developed, well nourished black female; WDWNWM = well developed, well nourished white ma... WFS1 WFS1: A gene on the short (p) arm of chromosome 4 in band 4p16 that encodes (provides the instructions for) a protein called wolframin. Mutations in WFS1 are associated with Wolfram syndrome and with nonsyndromic deafness (hearing loss without related signs and symptoms affecting other parts of the... Wharton's jelly Wharton's jelly: A gelatinous substance within the umbilical cord. Wharton's jelly is a rich source of stem cells. Named for the English physician and anatomist Thomas Wharton (1614 -1673) who first described it.... Wheal Wheal: A raised, itchy (pruritic) area of skin that is almost always an overt sign of allergy. Not all wheals are alike. They may be redder or paler than the skin around them. They may vary in configuration and may be rounded or flat-topped. Wheals typically have a reddish hue. They characteristical...	cc/2020-05/en_head_0057.json.gz/line70
__label__wiki	0.985097	0.985097	:: News & Events FMS FEATURE... Oscar in Concert Motion Picture Academy joins L.A. Phil in tribute to film music past, present and future by Jon Burlingame Michael Giacchino with conductor Thomas Wilkins and the Los Angeles Philharmonic. Photo by Paul Hebert/©A.M.P.A.S. LOS ANGELES—Wednesday night's Oscar concert must qualify as one of the most unusual nights of music ever presented by the Los Angeles Philharmonic at Walt Disney Concert Hall. Imagine film music by 22 different composers, spanning 79 years of movie history, played by this world-class orchestra with four different conductors – augmented by such offbeat instruments as accordion, mandolin, sitar, erhu and synthesizers – and performed while imagery from many films was projected on a screen above. The content ranged from classically symphonic to jazz to hybrid orchestra-with-electronics, and each piece was introduced by a major actor or director. This was the second Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences-sponsored concert of Oscar-nominated music prior to the annual ceremony (the other was in 2014) but the first to be performed by the Philharmonic at Disney Hall. It consisted not only of excerpts from all five of this year's nominated scores but also suites from great movie music of the past. (From left) Benjamin Wallfisch, Hans Zimmer, Alexandre Desplat, Charles Bernstein, John Williams, Michael Abels, Laura Karpman, Michael Giacchino, Carter Burwell, A.R. Rahman, and Thomas Wilkins. Academy music-branch governor Michael Giacchino opened the event by play-acting as a director who couldn't make up his mind about the right musical approach for a scene. In this case it happened to be Giacchino's Oscar-winning music for Disney-Pixar's 2009 Up, and conductor Thomas Wilkins played the part of the frustrated composer who modified his score twice – thus demonstrating three different ways that the scene (in which Carl's house becomes airborne) could be enhanced by music. At 13 minutes, this segment was a little long but helped the audience understand the challenges that a film composer faces on a regular basis. The remainder of the concert's first half consisted of five suites, each featuring music from three or four films, and each built around a different literary theme. Indian composer A.R. Rahman introduced the first, "The Sound of Home," which had music by Rachel Portman (Nicholas Nickleby, 2002), Nino Rota (Amarcord, 1973) and Rahman (Slumdog Millionaire, 2008). "Home is often not a place, but a state of mind," Rahman said, and the variety of clips (from The Color Purple and Dances With Wolves to The Sound of Music) illustrated this nicely. Throughout the concert, both the music and the clips emphasized inclusiveness, especially of women and people of color. As another Academy music-branch governor, Laura Karpman, noted later in the concert, their vision is one of "a future of increasing diversity and equality of opportunity." Chilean actress Daniela Vega (A Fantastic Woman) introduced the second suite, "The Sound of Love," including Oscar-winning music by Erich Wolfgang Korngold (The Adventures of Robin Hood, 1938), Luis Bacalov (Il Postino, 1994) and Tan Dun (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, 2000). Clips ranged from West Side Story and Casablanca to The English Patient and An American in Paris. A third Academy governor, Charles Bernstein, introduced Get Out composer Michael Abels, an appropriate choice for "The Sound of Fear," including music by Mica Levi (Jackie, 2016), Quincy Jones (In Cold Blood, 1967), John Carpenter (Halloween, 1978) and John Williams (The Witches of Eastwick, 1987). This clip montage was especially fun, and it was extraordinary to hear eight percussionists banging out Jones' Oscar-nominated, jazz-meets-classical score – believed to be its live-performance debut – against clips that ranged from Jaws and Psycho to Rebecca and The Shining. "The Sound of the Chase" was introduced by actress Michelle Rodriguez (The Fast and the Furious), who in turn introduced composer Lalo Schifrin, whose music from the 1968 classic Bullitt was the centerpiece of the suite; Dave Grusin (The Firm, 1993) and Jerry Goldsmith (The Great Train Robbery, 1978) were also featured. Clips showcased several classics of the genre including The French Connection, North by Northwest and Raiders of the Lost Ark. Terence Blanchard solos from Malcolm X. Director Ava DuVernay (Selma) introduced the final suite, "The Sound of Courage," which was bookended by composer Terence Blanchard soloing on trumpet in his own jazzy, soulful music from the 1992 film Malcolm X; music by Joe Hisaishi (Spirited Away, 2001) and Alex North (Spartacus, 1960) was also included. This clip package may have been the most impressive of all, reminding us how often the theme of courage has played out in memorable movies, from To Kill a Mockingbird, Gandhi and Patton to Milk, Gladiator and Apollo 13. The second half consisted entirely of excerpts from this year's score nominees. Directors Martin McDonagh (Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri) and Christopher Nolan (Dunkirk) introduced their composers via video, while Guillermo Del Toro (The Shape of Water), Paul Thomas Anderson (Phantom Thread) and Rian Johnson (Star Wars: The Last Jedi) appeared in person. Carter Burwell conducts music from Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri Alexandre Desplat conducts his music from The Shape of Water. Burwell conducted his melancholy, guitar-and-mandolin flavored music for Three Billboards, with the last-minute addition of soprano soloist Liv Redpath performing the 19th-century Irish song "The Last Rose of Summer," which figures into the music of the film. Alexandre Desplat not only conducted but whistled the key melody in The Shape of Water, with Nick Ariondo adding colorful accordion accompaniment. Del Toro, in his introduction, noted that Desplat's music provided the voice for the film's two primary characters, both mute. Wilkins conducted the string-rich, romantic-piano piece "House of Woodcock" from Phantom Thread (composer Jonny Greenwood was the only absentee among the nominees). Director Anderson said he asked Greenwood to "write some music like Nelson Riddle" even though he knew Greenwood would prefer to write something "atonal and depressing." The evening's biggest cheers were saved for 86-year-old John Williams, who conducted a spirited "The Rebellion Is Reborn" from Star Wars: The Last Jedi. Director Johnson, trying hard not to overpraise the legendary composer, said "he works like a little kid sprinting toward the playground, because that's where the toys are." John Williams receives standing ovation. Nolan's introduction to Hans Zimmer's Dunkirk was important for the audience to hear, as he explained how vital was to have "music and sound effects all together in perfect harmony." With Zimmer and his collaborator Benjamin Wallfisch playing electronic keyboards at the back of the orchestra, Wilkins conducted their dark and grinding sounds, building and ever-rising until finally integrating an excerpt from Edward Elgar's "Enigma Variations." ©2018 Jon Burlingame Help preserve the legacy of film and television music by supporting The Film Music Society! Match ALL words Match ANY word Feature Archives Error: DISTINCT YEAR query failed	cc/2020-05/en_head_0057.json.gz/line74
__label__wiki	0.822914	0.822914	ISAMU NOGUSHI AWARD 2017 : Hiroshi Senju Hiroshi Senju Museum, Nagano / Ryue Nishizawa. Image © Daici Ano. The Noguchi Museum has selected architect John Pawson and painter Hiroshi Senju as the recipients of the 2017 Isamu Noguchi Award. Now in its fourth year, the annual award was established to honor individuals who “share Noguchi’s spirit of innovation, global consciousness, and commitment to East/West cultural exchange.” The award is presented each year to one architect and one artist or designer, honoring the multi-faceted career of artist/architect Isamu Noguchi. Previous winners of the award have included Tadao Ando and Elyn Zimmerman in 2016; architect Yoshio Taniguchi and industrial designer Jasper Morrison(2015); and winners of the inaugural award, Norman Foster and artist Hiroshi Sugimoto (2014). Japanese-born painter Hiroshi Senju was selected as a recipient for his “sublime, frequently monumental images of waterfalls and cliffs that combine a minimalist visual language that is rooted in Abstract Expressionism with ancient Japanese painting techniques.” “He is one of a handful of contemporary masters of the 1,000-year-old nihonga style of painting, using pigments made of minerals, ground stone, shell, and corals suspended in glue made of animal hide,” the museum explains. “Senju creates his waterfalls by pouring paint onto mulberry paper on board, conjuring not only the appearance of rushing water, but also its sound, smell, and feel. Senju was the first Asian artist to receive an Honorable Mention Award at the Venice Biennale (1995).” The Award will be presented to Pawson and Senju at the museum’s annual benefit on May 16. Born in Tokyo in 1958, painter Hiroshi Senju is noted worldwide for his sublime waterfall and cliff images, which are often monumental in scale. He combines a minimalist visual language rooted in Abstract Expressionism with ancient painting techniques unique to Japan. Senju is widely recognized as one of the few contemporary masters of the thousand-year-old nihonga style of painting, using pigments made from minerals, ground stone, shell and corals suspended in animal-hide glue. Evoking a deep sense of calm, his waterfalls, which he creates with incredible delicacy by pouring paint onto mulberry paper on board, conjure not only the appearance of rushing water, but its sound, smell and feel. Public installations include seventy-seven murals at Jukoin, a Zen Buddhist temple in Kyoto, and a large waterfall at Haneda Airport in Tokyo. The Benesse Art Site of Naoshima Island also houses two large-scale installations. His work is in numerous collections, including the Brooklyn Museum; Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles; San Francisco Museum of Modern Art; The Museum of Modern Art, Toyama, Japan; and Yamatane Museum of Art, Tokyo. The Hiroshi Senju Museum Karuizawa opened in 2011 in Japan. Belgian Art Prize 2017 : OTOBONG NKANGA ARTE CREATIVE : L'atelier A : Eva Nielsen Raúl Illarramendi : Visite d’atelier	cc/2020-05/en_head_0057.json.gz/line79
__label__cc	0.554472	0.445528	Diaspora Dilemmas Tiffany Widjaja Veera Ramayah I’ve started asking my relatives at family dinners a particular question each meal to provoke discussion around the table and punctuate Nani’s buffet of dishes. My latest question: “What crime would you commit if you could get away with it, one hundred percent?” There are always some interesting answers, from breaking and entering to stealing supercars. However, my answer has more or less remained the same. I’d break into every museum around the world, the Tower of London included, and take back all the stolen artefacts from India. I’d target every heavily decorated museum shelf around the world, especially in places like Europe. I’m aware that this makes me sound like some kind of desi-vigilante-cat-burglar, but if you look at the shelves of any museum, especially in their “antiquities” section, it makes you wonder why we glorify theft. We often pay ungodly entrance fees just to gawk at it, yet severely punish those who steal if they lack the cocktail of institutional and governmental alibis. The underlying idea behind the continued possession of blatantly stolen historical items is a sense of entitlement to them by the institutions these artefacts reside in. This sense of entitlement can be traced back to colonial times, where that same sense motivated the British Empire to forcefully occupy almost 24% of the world. That, because of their relentless imposition on indigenous communities worldwide, in addition to the facades of progression set up, that they have somehow ‘earned’ the artefacts that are so boldly on display. In an age where we can barely last the year without buying a new smartphone and throw ageing possessions before they have a chance to decay, it’s puzzling why we still refuse to throw away the remnants of the toxic colonial mindset. And in the world of academic history especially, due to this sense of entitlement, European standards of achievement are forced upon non-white countries with regularity. Conveniently, these standards fail to take into account the trail of death and devastation that the Empire left behind, and how most modern independent countries have been rebuilt again from the ground up. These European standards of ‘success’ are forced into almost everything. We see it in politics, in beauty standards, and especially in the field of fine art. Why do most children learn about Michelangelo and Botticelli as the default? Where is the celebration of our global diversity, of great artists that match the colour of the earth, as opposed to the colour of the Coles milk section? It’s not as if non-white countries don’t have our fair share of great artists, my great-grandfather, Sukumar Bose, among them. His work hangs in the Vatican, has donned the walls of the Indian Presidential Residence, Rashtrapati Bhavan and is part of the Obamas’ private collection. It is a privilege to walk past his artwork that dons the walls of my grand- parents home and to see the beauty of his works up close. The kind of talent he was gifted with, the ethereal beauty that emanates from his work is a phenomenon that needs to be shared, for the benefit of the world. It pains me that, without family stories and a niche community of mostly Indian artists, his talent and stories are lost to the art world. Imagine, like that, how many Sukumar Bose’s are out there, revered in ethnic halls of history around the world. The craftsmanship, expertise and beauty of art all around the world, no matter the form, should not be shelved and conveniently mushed together to “spice up” a reference or reading list. The process of reclamation starts with shifting the emphasis back on indigenous art forms, and by extension, indigenous culture. We need to let go of the learned behaviours we have internalised and consciously replace them with elements of our culture. Recently, the move by French President Macron to expatriate 26 artefacts to Benin represents a landmark decision in this process, and one that I hope heralds change across Europe. To no one’s surprise, the British Museum of Natural History has said that they have no plans to expatriate any items in their collection. Until that day arrives, you can find me making preparations for a flight to London, wearing an all-black outfit. And, to be honest, how can I steal something that was never theirs in the first place?	cc/2020-05/en_head_0057.json.gz/line84
__label__cc	0.650156	0.349844	Skeptic Magazine: Michael Shermer Interviewing Amy Alkon- 'Unfuckology: A Field Guide To Living With Guts and Confidence' Source: Skeptic Magazine- Amy Alkon, talking to Skeptic Magazine I'm with Michael Shermer on this starting out in this interview where he says he doesn't know why publishers bleep cuss words in titles of books and or bleep one letter in the title of the book. Excuse my language ( if you want to ) but if you're going to say fuck or shit or whatever it might be, you should just say fuck or shit and not be a chickenshit about it, because you're worried it might offend overly sensitive people or deeply religious and culturally conservative people. If you don't want to say fuck or shit, but communicate anger with people, use a proper substitute like damn or hell, but don't say blankin which doesn't mean anything. Either use curse words or not. You gotta say shit or fuck, go for the gold and take a stand and say shit or fuck instead of saying you don't give an f or s. Words have meaning so if you're going to use them make you sure you what you're saying before you use them. Source: Amazon- Amy Alkon's Unfuckology Amy Alkon, gets into self-help in her book ( to say the least ) her whole book is about self-help, but does it in a different way and isn't nice about it. She says one of the ways people can improve themselves is to do things that make them uncomfortable in order to conquer your fears. I think the common human reaction is to avoid people and situations that intimidate you and make you uncomfortable. Very common in school which is why good teachers will notice when one of their students is afraid of something and doesn't want to do it and tries to stay away from doing those things or being with those people. And what they'll do instead is try to get their students to deal with those situations and parts of their schoolwork where they are lacking do they can be better at it at and overcome those fears. The only way you can overcome fear is to no longer to be fearful of whatever you're afraid of. Should sound simple enough but if that isn't then maybe you should go look for your brain, perhaps rent one or get a new one, but the point is the way to conquer fear is to realize your fear first and then take it on. Why are you afraid to speak in public or meet new people, be in crowded places where the only people you know there are the people you're meeting at the restaurant or public place that you're at. Whatever the situation is that you're afraid of and take it on. Practice being in the situation that you're afraid of and try to develop a comfort level there. Like when you're meeting new people relax and perhaps imagine that the people you're meeting you've known a while. And talk to them like you would talk to your friends, would be one example of how you can overcome a fear of new people. Fear is not an excuse, to paraphrase Amy Alkon here. That just because you're afraid of something or someone is not good enough reason to do what you're afraid of or be with people who intimidate you. Because the reason why you might fear doing certain things or being around certain people, is your problem and your fault. That you lack the self-confidence that self-confident intelligent people have in order to be strong and feel that you can handle any situation and communicate with anyone that you need to do to be successful at life and win the game of life. ( To paraphrase Newt Gingrich ) Instead of saying life sucks and you suck at life and therefore you're just going to be a loser, because losing is so easy and you're so experienced at it and being successful and accomplishing things requires educated risks and taking real chances. There's that old praise the highway of life and that might sound corny to some people, but it's so true and at this point is at risk of becoming cliche because it's been around for a long time and it's so true. But the point is that life isn't easy or hard. Life is not a picnic or a life sentence at a work camp. It's somewhere in between where things and times in life can be great for people like a great vacation. And there times where life can be a real struggle like when you're out-of-work or get in trouble with the law, lose a close relative or friend. The way you be good at life his though intelligence and with that knowing that you're smart and you're always learning and using those skills to be successful at life. To make the good times last and always be around, as well as get though the deep valleys in life as well. To paraphrase President Richard Nixon and his farewell speech and he retired from the presidency in 1974 for well-known reasons, "only if you've been in the deepest valley can you know what it's like to be on the highest mountain." Meaning in order be where you want to be in life and be successful at it, you'll go though some struggles that you have to work through which will only make you better by the way if you play them right and perhaps even look back at those times at positive experiences, because it made what you accomplished worth it and feel like you earned your success. Posted by Erik Schneider at 12:43 PM Labels: Skeptic Skeptic Magazine: Michael Shermer Interviewing Amy...	cc/2020-05/en_head_0057.json.gz/line91
__label__cc	0.599889	0.400111	Home » Uncategorized » Disciplinary Case Studies and Grand Challenges By Bryan Penprase in Uncategorized on May 24, 2015 . During the semester, students will each take two of our 5-week disciplinary case studies. These case studies are grouped into two groups of four. One group of students, enrolled in "Evolution" will choose between the disciplinary case studies listed below. Evolution Disciplinary Case Studies Description: We share this planet with life forms that are wonderfully diverse and display a variety of novel traits. How do these traits originate at the developmental level? How does the environment control trait development? And how will environmental change impact trait development and trait evolution? Description: Introduction to patterns of species distributions & diversity, and factors influencing such patterns. Course will introduce students to the field of biogeography so that they understand why organisms exist in the places they do, and what contributes to species distribution and diversity patterns. Additionally, students should be able to apply this knowledge to predict how these will change in the face of anthropogenic factors. Description: Life! From a chemist's perspective. The fundamental building blocks of everything that surrounds us will be discussed, from simple gases, liquids and solids, through man-made dyes, drugs and plastics, all the way to the chemistry of living things. We will explore the interactions between matter and energy that constitute our everyday experiences and attempt to make sense of them all through just a few general concepts. Mischief. Mayhem. Soap. Description: From the billions of years of cosmic history our Earth has emerged as a lively habitat for a diverse range of creatures. We will explore some of the cosmic history that produced our Earth, and the natural forces that shape the formation of stars and solar systems. We will also explore how new solar systems are discovered, and how astronomers determine whether they are habitable. Within this exploration will be a consideration of the factors that make planets, including the earth, habitable and how changes to those parameters through distortions of the atmosphere, oceans, and reflectivity from cloud cover change the temperatures of the Earth and other planets. The other group of students, enrolled in "Revolution" will choose between the disciplinary case studies listed below. Revolution Disciplinary Case Studies Description: At the end of the 19th century, scientists believed that they had a good understanding of how the universe worked. The fundamental physical laws developed by Isaac Newton were able to accurately describe the motion of objects as large as planets and Maxwell’s pioneering work in unifying electricity and magnetism enabled us to a describe wave nature of light. These theories were to forever change the way in which we see and understand nature and the universe. They laid down the theoretical foundations that have led to the development of almost all of the modern technology that we use today. In this unit, we will begin by studying quantum theory by exploring the new revolutionary ideas that were developed in the early part of the 20th century. In addition we will explore the key experiments that verified these ideas. We will then discuss how these theories have led to many of the technologies that we use today. In particular we will look at the development of semiconductors that ultimately led to the development of the computer. Finally we will see how another scientific revolution will be necessary in order for us to continue to develop our modern technology. Description: Miniaturization has allowed computers to go from the size of a large main frame to a personal computer and then laptop. While laptops changed computer usage by allowing (limited) mobile usage of computers, the real revolution was when PDAs and smartphones hit the market, coupled with affordable wireless data transfer. The upcoming wearable computers will also propose new features and capabilities leading to seamless interaction, as these devices are embedded directly on their users and can thus access to a large quantity of private data (conversations, health information, etc...). In this unit, we will focus on mobile and wearable computers and how these devices changed the way we interact with each other and also with machines in general. Students will get a clear overview of the different sensors that are either found or can easily be added to mobile devices and how they operate. The unique new usages of wearable computers will be demonstrated as well as applications for mobile health and large scale data gathering. Students will also have an opportunity to build simple prototypes using Arduino and make them communicate together. Finally, the drawbacks of these devices particularly in terms of privacy will be discussed. Description: This unit will introduce the latest exciting development of nanotechnology through elaborating the making of smart phones and how nanotechnology will transform various industries including aerospace, construction, automotive, electronics, energy, medicine, environment & water and much more. The unit will explore multifunctional nanomaterials and nanomanufacturing technologies which will impact the future smartphone and wearable devices, and will address the role of nanotechnology in our efforts of building a social, environmental and economic sustainable future through the concept of use less for more. Students will also gain training in soft skills through business plan practice on holistic design of real world solutions utilizing technological innovation addressing sustainability. Description: What is an earthquake? Where, when, and how often do they occur? How do we know the record of past earthquakes in a given region? How is energy transferred over vast distances efficiently enough to level a building? And what is it about earthquakes that, despite our best efforts, still trigger such tremendous losses? We begin with the geophysical fundamentals of plate tectonics, then explore the nature of seismic wave propagation and how it leads to buildings falling down and killing people. To do this, we are going to use Tokyo, Los Angeles, Istanbul and Sumatra as case studies, and work to ‘predict’ when the next disaster will hit. Grand Challenge Project After completing two of these disciplinary case studies, students will be brought together to help address a "Grand Challenge" question in interdisciplinary teams. Each of the two sections have chosen a Grand Challenge question, which teams of students will answer with projects that synthesize their learning in the two case studies, and bring together the expertise of students in diverse teams. The two questions to address are these: EVOLUTION: What are some likely future adaptations of organisms and communities to the anthropocene? REVOLUTION: How can new technologies help reduce the impacts and help people survive disasters? Each of the two courses will divide into teams of four students to provide an array of answers to these urgent questions during the last three weeks of the semester. Students will conduct their own research, which may include library and database analysis, as well as field visits and interviews with leading experts in their area of choice. The instructor teams will provide a menu of possible experimental and field efforts, and also will solicit students to invent their own investigations to help answer these questions. The teams of students will present their results to their peers and their instructors in a poster fair. Copies of these posters will be placed on a web site, and used to help solve some of the most pressing environmental, technical and scientific problems of the day. ← Revolution	cc/2020-05/en_head_0057.json.gz/line94
__label__wiki	0.848195	0.848195	The carioca designer Gilson Martins was born in the Port Zone in the Center of Rio de Janeiro and had his childhood punctuated by the most representative images of the Carioca landscape. Graduated in Scenography at the School of Fine Arts of the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, he presented the use of non-conventional materials in the creation of bags, proposing a new concept and look at recycling and a new aesthetic for fashion and design. He was the first designer to use the Brazilian flag in fashion, promoting a moment of self-esteem and pride in Brazilian society. This work was supported by the Federal Government, which recognized in its work the "Brazil brand", promoting it in the international scenario. The ‘Brazil bags’ were exhibited in several cities that hosted the World Cup, such as Paris, Berlin, New York and Tokyo. The designer also develops a work of sustainability, using leftovers from the manufacture of the bags through upcycling, creating new products and generating income for his former seamstresses, who form small groups of artisans in the communities near his factory. His work had a strong impact during the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro in 2016,. The designer created products for the International Olympic Committee, Coca-Cola, L'Oréal, for the Japanese Olympic Committee and other multinational companies. His three shops in Ipanema and Copacabana receive customers from all over the world, and are references of Brazilian design with humor and quality. French, Italian, Germans, Japanese and American people are among those who are great lovers of Gilson Martins products and are his main potential shoppers. FIRST BACKPACK The first backpack was produced with beach chair canvas, a leftover material from his father's work upholsterer. From the model that insisted on tearing, the then student recreated the piece with a more resistant fabric and a more functional design. The first clients were his classmates and teachers at the university. THE UNCONVENTIONAL MATERIALS The designer began a research of materials with other functions, inserting them in the creation of the bags. Decoration, automotive and clothing materials propose a new reading in the segment of this product. THE SCULPTURE BAGS A new conceptual work, where art prevails functionally. The sculpture bags were created from a research of materials observed in the artist´s daily life. Industrial springs, hoses, drawer pulls, pipes help build these new parts. THE BRAZIL BAGS First designer ever to use the Brazilian flag in bags and accessories, Gilson launched the Brazil line at the Rio de Janeiro´s Fashion Week and became internationally acclaimed. He had the support of the federal government in the creation of his new Brazil brand, that happened to be the reference of its work worldwide. THE RIO BAGS They represent Rio de Janeiro´s culture bags with images of the Sugar Loaf, the Christ on the mountain, and iconic neighborhoods such as Copacabana and Lapa. Transmitting the colors, humor and lightness of the city. BEFORE THE BAG He presented himself as an artist and proposes screens and installations observed in his factory, reinterpreting raw materials and production processes as works of art. NOBLE TRASH The designer discovered in the flaps of his production a new craft technique, taking advantage of cutting leftovers from the bags to create mosaics with scenes from the city of Rio de Janeiro. Through the upcycling technique, trash is transformed into new high-quality bags and, as social responsibility, generates work to its former seamstresses of the poor communities of Rio. Gilson Martins From Rio to the world	cc/2020-05/en_head_0057.json.gz/line98
__label__wiki	0.984513	0.984513	ISyE’s Yao Xie Appointed as Harold R. and Mary Anne Nash Early Career Professor Atlanta, GA \| Posted: September 13, 2017 Shelley Wunder-Smith Xie’s new appointment will allow her to further pursue her research in sequential statistical methods, statistical signal processing, big data analysis, compressed sensing, and optimization. Yao Xie Georgia Tech’s Stewart School for Industrial & Systems Engineering (ISyE) announced that Assistant Professor Yao Xie has been appointed to the Harold R. and Mary Anne Nash Early Career Professorship. “Since Yao joined the Stewart School four years ago, she has made significant contributions to ISyE and her field,” said Edwin Romeijn, H. Milton and Carolyn J. Stewart School Chair and Professor in ISyE. “Her appointment as the Harold R. and Mary Anne Nash Early Career Professor recognizes her impressive research in big data analytics, signal/information processing, and machine learning, and will enable her to continue advancing in her career.” Xie’s new appointment will allow her to further pursue her research in sequential statistical methods, statistical signal processing, big data analysis, compressed sensing, and optimization. Her work has applications to wireless communications, sensor networks, as well as medical and astronomical imaging. "I am incredibly excited and honored to receive the Harold R. and Mary Anne Nash Early Career Professorship and extremely grateful for the generous gift from the Nash family,” Xie said. “The award not only provides support to further my research in building useful statistical methods and machine-learning algorithms, but it also comes as a welcome recognition from ISyE.” Before coming to ISyE in 2013, Xie served as a research scientist in the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department at Duke University after receiving her Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from Stanford University in 2011. H. Milton Stewart School of Industrial and Systems Engineering (ISYE), The Supply Chain and Logistics Institute (SCL) Created By: Shelley Wunder-Smith Created On: Sep 13, 2017 - 10:38am	cc/2020-05/en_head_0057.json.gz/line104
__label__cc	0.534433	0.465567	Products tagged “Cinnamon Powder” Cinanamon Powder Cinnamon powder comes from the bark of tropical, evergreen trees. In order to harvest cinnamon, it’s peeled off of the inside of the bark of the tree. There are two main types of cinnamon: Ceylon and Cassia. The majority of the cinnamon you’ll find at the grocery store is Cassia. Ceylon grows primarily in Sri Lanka and isn’t as common. Ceylon cinnamon may sometimes be referred to as “true” cinnamon. But there’s some debate about whether or not that’s the case. Ceylon and Cassia are both cinnamon, but from different parts of the world and from slightly different types of trees. You’ve probably sprinkled cinnamon on foods like toast, rolls, and desserts. But cinnamon has uses other than for topping sweets, including improving your health. Cinnamon Ground Although available throughout the year, the fragrant, sweet and warm taste of cinnamon is a perfect spice to use during the winter months.Cinnamon has a long history both as a spice and as a medicine. It is the brown bark of the cinnamon tree, which is available in its dried tubular form known as a quill or as ground powder. The two varieties of cinnamon, Chinese and Ceylon, have similar flavor, however the cinnamon from Ceylon is slightly sweeter, more refined and more difficult to find in local markets.	cc/2020-05/en_head_0057.json.gz/line105
__label__wiki	0.641612	0.641612	Gustav Spiller Gustav Spiller was a member of the Ethical Societies that preceded the modern Humanist movement. He wrote a number of secular hymns and books including a history of these Societies, and on psychology. Spiller was a Jew born in Budapest, Hungary but later naturalised as English. By the late 1880’s Spiller worked for the Labour Office of the League of Nations at Geneva. In 1889 he was part of a meeting (along with F. J. Gould) in Hackney, London to plan an Ethical Society. In 1908 he organised the First International Moral Education Congress in held in London. Anti-racist In 1911 Spiller was lead organiser of the First Universal Races Congress which met in London at the University of London. This was an early effort of anti-racism, at which distinguished speakers from over 50 countries for four days discussed race problems and ways to counter the work of the budding eugenics movement and improve interracial relations. Among the prominent scientists and scholars in attendance are Americans W.E.B. DuBois and anthropologist Franz Boas. Spiller summed up the group’s findings: We are then under the necessity of concluding that an impartial investigator would be inclined to look upon the various important peoples of the world as, to all intents and purposes, essentially equal in intellect, enterprise, morality and physique. However, their work fell on deaf ears and had little impact. Spiller edited the papers from the proceedings of these two symposia. He also wrote numerous books including: The Mind of Man (1902); Faith in Man: the religion of the twentieth century (1908); Hymns of Love and Duty for the Young (1910); The Training of the Child: A Parent’s Manual (1912); A New System of Scientific Procedure (1921); The Ethical Movement in Great Britain (1934); The Origin and Nature of Man (1935). He was author alternative words to Beethoven’s Ode to Joy. Selected works available online Categories: activist, People, writer, novelist, poet « Lucretius Joseph McCabe »	cc/2020-05/en_head_0057.json.gz/line107
__label__wiki	0.700783	0.700783	10 Minutes With Joel Peralta J. Meric/Getty Images by Jonah Keri Joel Peralta is a real-life Eddie Harris. The 37-year-old Dominican might have more pitching tricks than anyone this side of the Major League character, most of them legal, one of them illegal. Peralta didn’t make his minor league debut until he was 24. He appeared in 300 minor league games over the next decade, spending parts of seven different seasons at Triple-A. Peralta bounced around from the Angels’ system to the Royals, then to the Rockies, finding only fleeting success. Playing for the Nationals in 2010, he posted some of the best numbers of his career, with a strikeout-to-walk rate of better than 5-to-1 and career bests in ERA (2.02) and FIP (3.02). Signed by the Rays the following offseason, he’s found a more lasting home in Tampa Bay, emerging as the team’s go-to eighth-inning guy and one of the most effective setup men in the league. Though his bag of tricks might rival ol’ Eddie’s, Peralta’s a uniter and not a divider in the clubhouse, described by teammates as a bridge between different cliques rather than an antagonizer of Jobu worshippers. I sat down with Peralta before a recent game at Coors Field to ask about his evolution as a pitcher, his old-school techniques for fooling hitters, and how confidence has played a role in his success. It took you a long time to get here. Tell us about your journey to this point, starting with you growing up playing in the Dominican. Growing up there as a kid in those [days] was pretty tough. We didn’t have a lot of help the way kids do now. There are more people involved there now, more people to help out, more [academies]. We might have one guy who’d help you learn and get better. But not like it is now, where you have a bunch of guys who are able to teach you. When you have to go through a lot of things and a lot of years to get to the big leagues, it makes you appreciate what you have even more. You’re 37 years old and pitching better in the past couple of years than you ever did before. How does that happen? To me, it was experience. Experience and getting the right pitching coaches. When I was young, throwing hard, I was just trying to challenge guys. I wasn’t pitching, I was just throwing the ball. I learned the hard way how to pitch, when I’d try to challenge guys and it wouldn’t work. I just got smarter, figuring out how to pitch. Keith Comstock helped me out when I was in the minor leagues with the Angels. But the main guy before I got here was Bob McClure with the Kansas City Royals. He really helped me out; he was probably the guy that taught me the most about being smart, control, commanding pitches. I want to ask you about some of the things you do to keep hitters off balance. One of the things you’ll do is quick-pitch hitters, throw before they’re ready. How did you pick that up and how do you think it helps you? I started doing it back in 2010 when I was with the Nationals. It just came to my mind that not many guys were doing it, so if I could get at it, hitters might not expect it. I just started practicing it myself. The first time I did it, Pudge Rodriguez was the catcher. He told me it was a good move to do it. And it just went from there. I started doing it more often, started getting guys off balance. It’s really helped me since I started doing it. Another thing you do is throw a splitter up in the zone. Usually a splitter will dive out of the strike zone and get hitters to swing over top of it. When a pitcher throws one up in the zone, you’ll hear announcers say, “Oh, he hung that pitch.” But you’re doing it on purpose, almost like a changeup. What made you decide to start doing that? The split-finger — that’s the pitch that got me here and kept me here in the bigs. I’m able to get lefties out with it. When the split is going good, they see the ball up in the zone, even if it’s up, it’s moving, and they’ll swing at it. And that’s what I want: for them to swing at that pitch. It’s not always a pitch you can control for a strike but it can be hard for hitters to make good contact on it, too. You also pitch backward. How did that come about? I tried that when I got up to the bigs. But I got better at it when I lost a little bit of velocity. I started doing it more, and I found I was able to throw the breaking pitch early in the count with some success. You were suspended last year for having pine tar in your glove. There’s a fine line in baseball on what you’re allowed to do and not allowed to do as a pitcher. For example, you can go to the rosin bag and if it’s wet and feels tacky, you can do all kinds of things with it. But there are other substances you can’t use that might help you less than something like that. Do the rules strike you as weird, or inconsistent? I don’t think pine tar is an advantage because it doesn’t make the ball move. It’s more about having a grip on the ball. But like you said, I throw a split — pine tar doesn’t help you get more movement on a split, doesn’t help you throw it better. If you scuff the ball, or use the Vaseline, the ball’s going to drop or move side to side. With pine tar, it’s not going to do that. But I said at the time that 85 percent of pitchers in the big leagues are doing something. Anyway, it’s over with. I talked to one of your teammates, and he was saying you’re a good clubhouse guy. Not just that, but that you’re a kind of bridge between the Latin players and the Caucasian players. Is that something you consciously try to do, to get more people in the mix? Well, I’m not trying to be a bridge. Especially with this team, I like everybody here; everybody gets along really good. Since everybody already likes each other, it makes it easier. I just try to have as good a relationship with all my teammates. I mean, we’re together for eight months; you have to. Someone also suggested to me that you had a good influence on Fernando Rodney when he came to the team. He was a talented pitcher when he came to the Rays, but not someone who’d had great results. He made mechanical adjustments and did some other shifts, of course. But people have talked about you helping him get more comfortable on a new team. What’s your relationship with him now? We’ve become good friends outside of baseball. We knew each other before, but not like this, not the same way. He feels comfortable here. I think he was the same guy with Detroit and the Angels. He just didn’t have the confidence in himself to show what he’s got. We help each other during the games, too. We talk about pitching, about the tendencies of the hitters; that helps, too. Sam Fuld told me to ask why you think he used to dive for balls when Wade Davis was pitching, but not when you were pitching? [Laughs.] Yeah, I gave him a hard time about that. One time last year, he did dive for a ball when Davis was pitching, and he wasn’t able to make a catch on a ball when I was pitching — it was in Boston, actually. Then after the game, I told him, “If I was a white guy, you would have dived for it!” [Laughs.] Since that day, we’ve been just messing around with that. But of course I know he would dive for anybody, we just have some fun with it. You guys have a reputation for having one of the loosest clubhouses in the game. How do you find it different here, compared to Kansas City or the Rockies or the Angels or the Nationals? And how much of that is Joe Maddon? You know, that guy gets the best out of you all the time. He treats you like a professional ballplayer. Even guys the first time they get called up — he treats them like they’ve been up for 10 years. And that gives you confidence. I’d never been on a team before where a rookie comes up and is treated that way. That’s the main thing: He brings the best out of you, just with his personality. I knew him before; when I came up with the Angels, he was the bench coach. I met him over there and knew the kind of person he was. But I’d never played for him. Then I got here. And one of the reasons I’ve done so well since I got here is because of him. Just to go out there and know that if I do bad, nobody’s going to talk down to me or talk behind my back. I know he’s got my back 100 percent. That gives you confidence to go out there and fight. Is it something active like him coming to talk to you or a pat on the back, or is it more a feeling with Maddon? He’ll go up to you sometimes. He did that with me last year when I had a really rough start to the season. One day after a really bad game in Boston, he came up to me and said I’m still going to be his setup guy, that he’s going to put me right back in the next game in the same situation. That really helped me out. [Note: Peralta gave up four runs without recording an out in Boston on April 13 of last season, raising his season ERA to 37.80. Though regression toward the mean surely played a role in his improvement thereafter, Peralta did indeed pitch much better after his talk with Maddon, posting a 2.85 ERA for the rest of the year, with 82 strikeouts and 13 walks in 66⅓ innings pitched.] I can’t let you go without asking about the postgame clubhouse parties. For about 15 minutes after every win, you guys crank the music and there’s a big, crazy party. No matter where you’re playing, or if you’re coming off a losing streak, it’s always like that. What was your reaction the first time you saw that? Definitely, I found that really crazy the first time. [Laughs.] It’s what we are. Joe likes fun. He wants us to have fun out there. Every time we do that, we feel like, OK, it’s one step closer to the World Series. We try to enjoy every minute of it. I think that’s part of why we’ve been pretty successful the past couple of years. Filed Under: MLB, Tampa Bay Rays Jonah Keri is a staff writer for Grantland. His book The Extra 2%: How Wall Street Strategies Took a Major League Baseball Team From Worst to First is a New York Times best seller. The paperback edition of his new book, Up, Up, and Away, on the history of the Montreal Expos, is now available. Archive @ jonahkeri More From Jonah Keri More MLB More The Triangle World Series Wrap: Cueto’s Game 2 Gem October 29, 2015 World Series Wrap: Something for Everyone in Game 1 October 28, 2015 ‘The Jonah Keri Podcast’: Jeff Passan on the World Series October 26, 2015 Three Things the Blue Jays Need to Do to Win the ALCS October 23, 2015 The Loud Arrival of Ben Zobrist October 21, 2015 See all from Jonah Keri World Series Weekend: Five Questions for Three (or Two) Royals-Mets Games October 30, 2015 Citi Field Psyops: How the Mets Can Beat Yordano Ventura October 29, 2015 The 15 Biggest Plays in Baseball History October 27, 2015 World Series Rooting Guide: Picking a Team Based on What You Value in Life October 27, 2015 See all MLB We Went There: Clippers-Mavs and DeAndre Jordan Night in Los Angeles October 30, 2015 No Messi, No Problem: Neymar Becomes a Superstar October 30, 2015 NBA Overnight: Where Was the Spark? October 30, 2015 NHL Grab Bag: Let’s Get Spooky October 30, 2015 See all The Triangle About Last Night: Cy Young Showdown The Jalen Rose Report With David Jacoby (Plus Video!) Jeff Van Gundy Katie Nolan shares her thoughts on celebrations, paternity leave & Fortnite	cc/2020-05/en_head_0057.json.gz/line111
__label__cc	0.566314	0.433686	GIVING ROOTS TO LOVE by Michael Farris, HSLDA \| Sep 2, 2016 \| Homeschool Encouragement \| 0 comments As I write this—bleary-eyed in a sweatshirt and pajamas at my home computer—my wife, Vickie is upstairs trying to get our newborn son, Peter James, to go back to sleep. Vickie is even more tired than I am because only she can get up during the watches of the night to nurse Peter. Newborns are a lot of hard work. You’d think that I’d remember that since this is our tenth child, but I tend to forget the details as the months and years pass. There is always more work and sacrifice required than I remember. About ten days before Peter was born, I spoke at the World Congress on Families in Prague, Czech Republic. On the panel with me was a pediatrician from Venezuela who said something very interesting. “It’s in the middle of the night when moms are so tired and must sacrifice so greatly for their babies that they first fall deeply in love with their child,” she said. “People who see your child during the daytime hours may admire your baby and think many kindly thoughts, but those that really love that child most deeply are the ones who have worked the hardest to care for and meet the needs of that baby.” We have all heard of the children in orphanages who suffer “detachment syndrome” because they are not held and cuddled. In short, these children suffer because no one loved them enough to care for them when it wasn’t convenient. The comment from the Venezuelan doctor caused me to think about homeschooling. Homeschooling also requires a lot of hard work. It is not convenient to prepare lesson plans when you’d rather be reading “Drama in Real Life” in Reader’s Digest. It is not easy to sit with your eight-year-old and try to drill math facts when you’d rather be working in your garden. Like a newborn, a homeschool student requires a lot of hard work that is not convenient and comes at a great sacrifice on the part of moms and dads. I have spoken at a number of homeschool graduations. Invariably one or more of the parents or students who speak on these occasions share that because of homeschooling they feel far closer to each other than they ever could have imagined. Call it bonding. Call it love. Call it what you will. But the formula for closeness between a parent and a child doesn’t really change as your child grows older. Time. Sacrifice. Hard work. Inconvenient hours. The world about us thinks that love blossoms only when things are pleasant. If you only want a love that blossoms, maybe there is some truth in this. But if you want a love that grows deep roots in your heart that cannot be swayed by the winds of change or trouble, then the old formula is the best. Time. Sacrifice. Hard work. Inconvenient hours. Homeschooling gives us all a uniquely intense opportunity to fall deeply in love with our children and they with us. Michael Farris is the chancellor of Patrick Henry College and chairman of the Home School Legal Defense Association. He was the founding president of each organization. Farris is a constitutional appellate litigator who has served as lead counsel in the United States Supreme Court, eight federal circuit courts, and the appellate courts of 13 states. He has been a leader on Capitol Hill for over 30 years and is widely known for his leadership on homeschooling, religious freedom, and the preservation of American sovereignty. At Patrick Henry College, Farris teaches constitutional law, public international law, and coaches PHC’s Moot Court team, which has won six national championships. A prolific author, Farris has been recognized with a number of awards including the Salvatori Prize for American Citizenship by the Heritage Foundation and as one of the “Top 100 Faces in Education for the 20th Century” by Education Week magazine. Mike and Vickie Farris have 10 children and 14 grandchildren. WWW.HSLDA.ORG, WWW.PHC.EDU This article originally appeared in the May/June 1997 Home School Court Report published by HSLDA. Used with permission. Permission to reprint granted. Please notify Michele Musto, Executive Assistant to the Chairman, michele@hslda.org when reprinting this article in your publication.	cc/2020-05/en_head_0057.json.gz/line120
__label__cc	0.588431	0.411569	S.Sudan • Sudan Various activities by nationals in Diaspora Asmara, 29 August 2019 – Nationals residing in the Republic of Sudan and the Republic of South Sudan conducted various activities depicting their attachment with their homeland on 22 and 25 August, report indicated. At a seminar conducted to nationals residing in Juba, the Republic of South Sudan, Ambassador of Eritrea to that country Mr. Yohannes Teklemicael gave extensive briefing on the heroic feat the Eritrean people demonstrated during the struggle for independence and safeguarding the national sovereignty and on the challenges encountered. Indicating that the struggle of the people of Eritrea is the struggle of successive generations, Ambassador Yohannes stated that the Eritrean people were compelled to pay heavy human and material sacrifice to restore the Eritrean national pride and identity as well as developing a prosperous nation and ensuring regional peace and integration. The Ambassador went on to say that the prevailing era of peace is the result of the strong resilience and perseverance of the Eritrean people. The participants called for the sustainable organization of similar seminars and expressed readiness to strengthen organizational capacity and play due role and contribution in the realization of the national development drives in the new era of peace and cooperation. In related news, the Charge d’Affairs at the Embassy of Eritrea in Sudan, Mr. Ibrahim Idris conducted a seminar to nationals in Khartoum and its environs on the objective situation in the homeland and regional developments. In the extensive briefing he gave, Mr. Ibrahim pointing out that the Eritrean people inside the country and abroad and the Government have foiled all external conspiracies aimed at hampering the national development programs, stated that huge investment is being made to enhance the capacity of the human power which is the driving force of the development programs. Mr. Ibrahim further briefed participants on the development and progress registered after the signing of the peace and cooperation agreement between Eritrea and Ethiopia, and called for strengthened organizational capacity and unity in the realization of the vision and development drives. Statement by Ms. Sophia Tesfamariam, Ambassador... Joint Communiqué on the Visit of the President of... Gulf of Aden • red sea Senior Eritrean delegation participates at Red Sea... Eritreans welcome New Year 2020 with... President Isaias Afwerki’s New Year Message	cc/2020-05/en_head_0057.json.gz/line122
__label__wiki	0.961496	0.961496	Home \| Bio \| Shows \| Photos \| Actor \| Interests \| Store \| Blog \| Fan Club \| EPK \| Contact Jim Byrnes was born in St. Louis, Missouri – that’s blues country. He grew up on the city’s north side. One of the neighbourhood bars had Ike and Tina Turner as the house band. As a teenager going to music clubs, he and his buddy were often the only white people in the place. “We never had any problems. We were too naïve, and had too much respect for the music and culture – they knew it, they could tell.” By age thirteen, Jim was singing and playing blues guitar. His first professional gig was in 1964. Over the years, he has had the great good fortune to appear with a virtual who’s who of the blues. From Muddy Waters and John Lee Hooker to Taj Mahal and Robert Cray, Jim has been on the blues highway for 45 years. Byrnes moved to Vancouver, BC in the mid-70s after years of drifting, working odd jobs and playing music. In 1981 he put together a band that became a staple of the local music scene. In 1986 the Jim Byrnes Band played 300 nights. Jim Byrnes’ fame as an actor has grown immeasurably from his too-numerous-to-mention TV and movie roles, highlights including television’s Wiseguy and Highlander series, and his national variety show The Jim Byrnes Show. Jim has proven that a serious car accident in 1972 has done anything but hinder him. Despite two swipes with death and some pretty hard knocks, Byrnes has still managed to rack up an enviable string of credits, both on and off-screen. Jim’s first love, however, is the blues. His evocative, smoky vocals are found in a truth that doesn’t come overnight. In 1981 he released Burnin’, followed in 1987 with I’ve Turned My Nights into Days and 1995’s Juno-Award winning That River. Jim’s has produced five outstanding albums in six years since he hooked up with Steve Dawson, one of North America’s most critically acclaimed roots music producers. 2004’s Fresh Horses and 2006’s gospel tinged Juno Award winning House Of Refuge set standards that aren’t often equalled. My Walking Stick was the 2009 release ... a blood and guts, behind your knees, love, life, death, and after life release from the multi award winning Mr. Byrnes. Jim and Steve continued to explore the gospel, blues, rockabilly, and country genres, and once again pull it all together in an original and unique bluesy way. A little more than a year later, the same team got together and produced Everywhere West. A salute to Jim’s origins and influences, the CD sprinkled three exciting new originals in amongst tracks by seminal blues artists. In 2012, Jim decided to record I Hear The Wind in the Wires, an album of songs from the golden age of country music – many of which he’s been listening to for all his life. This time around, he turns back the hands of time to take his listeners into the world of country music, but it’s not the kind of country we’ve heard on the radio any time this century. This is surely the most natural, satisfying and downright joyous album of Byrnes’ lengthy career. Steve Dawson is back in the saddle again as producer and multi-instrumentalist (electric, acoustic, slide, pedal steel and baritone guitar, banjo, ukelele). To hear these two men celebrate the music of Buck Owens, Ray Price, Hank Williams, Marty Robbins and other country music legends is a rare and exhilarating experience. Jim and Steve were back again in 2014 to celebrate a decade of great musical collaborations and the 250th anniversary of St. Louis Missouri. St. Louis Times is Byrnes' most personal record to date. Reminiscences of his childhood home of St. Louis are expressed through his original compositions as well as versions of songs he grew up with that were recorded by St. Louis musicians. The sheer joy you can hear in the music Jim Byrnes and company create is the real reason to celebrate. Jim Byrnes is a living musical treasure and this is his best record yet. And, that's saying something! Jim Byrnes plays 150 dates a year in North America and Europe. He will continue to bring his music to stages all over the world. Who could ask for more than that? 2014 Maple Blues Awards (Best Male Vocalist — I Hear The Wind in the Wires) 2011 Juno winner (Blues Album of the Year — Everywhere West) 2011 Western Canadian Music Awards nominee (Blues Album of the Year - Everywhere West) 2010 Western Canadian Music Awards Winner (Blues Album of the Year — My Walking Stick) 2006 Juno Award winner (Blues Album of the Year — House of Refuge) 2006 Canadian Folk Music Award winner (Best Contemporary Singer — House of Refuge) 2006 Canadian Folk Music Award winner (Producer / Steve Dawson — House of Refuge) 2006 Maple Blues Awards 2-time winner (Recording of the Year — House of Refuge) 2006 Maple Blues Awards 2-time winner (Best Male Vocalist — House of Refuge) 2006 Leo Award nominee for music video (Just a Pilgrim) 2006 Champion for Kids Award — St. Louis Variety Club 2005 Maple Blues Awards 3-time nominee for Fresh Horses 2004 Juno Award nominee (for Fresh Horses) 2004 Western Canadian Music Awards 2-time nominee for Fresh Horses 2003 Heart Award — Variety Club of BC 1995 Inducted BC Entertainment Hall of Fame 1995 Juno Award winner (Blues/Gospel Album of the Year — That River) 1982 Juno Award nominee (Best New Artist)	cc/2020-05/en_head_0057.json.gz/line127
__label__wiki	0.676689	0.676689	p r e s e n t s B R O T H E R P A U L B R O W N [Image: Courtesy Brother Paul Brown] This week my guest on The JazzBites Show is an award-winning keyboardist, songwriter, producer, and GRAMMY-nominated musician based in Nashville, Tennessee whose vision and abilities encompass every genre, and he's worked on some of the biggest stages in the world with some of the biggest names in the business. His passion and his positive energy both onstage and off is legendary along with his distinctive style of playing, producing, and co-writing heralded albums such as those by Bobby Rush and Ann Peebles, and also his performances and contributions to music with Al Green, Eric Clapton, and Rufus Thomas to name but a few. On the show we talk and about touring with fabulous Irish rock icons The Waterboys, the confusion over royalty checks with chart-topping smooth Jazz guitarist Paul Brown, the excitement about his new album scheduled for release in 2019, and living in the penthouse suite aka Ann Peeble's barn. This is a laugh-out-loud show with one of the best entertainers in music. Anthea Redmond, The JazzBites Show, October 2nd, 2018 Read more about BRO PAUL BROWN on his WIKIPEDIA page. Connect with Paul on INSTAGRAM BRO Paul's FACEBOOK page The BRO Paul Brown experience on Video below at foot of page. 1. Bro Paul Brown with The Waterboys on LETTERMAN 2. Bro Paul Brown with Brad Whitford at the Fillmore 3. Bro Paul Brown with Brothers Brown (Official Video) Posted by ANTHEA REDMOND AKA @Jazzigator at 11:22 AM THE ORIGINAL JAZZBITES SHOW Listen to laid back conversation and original music with international artists from the world of Jazz on The JazzBites Show on JazzBites Radio (United States & Canada) PREVIOUS GUESTS ON THE SHOW Smooth Jazz sensation PAUL TAYLOR is a composer, songwriter, and one of the most innovative Jazz saxophonists on the international smooth Jazz scene today. With an outstanding 13 albums to his credit, and a career spanning more than two decades, he's collaborated with and performed alongside some of the greatest Jazz artists; and has earned a formidable reputation of excellence from fellow musicians and appreciative fans all over the world. MARCELLA DETROIT talks about her outstanding career on both sides of the Atlantic, co-writing and touring over the years with ERIC CLAPTON, her record-breaking and chart-topping achievements in the UK with SHAKESPEARE'S SISTER, and (of course) her sizzling new album. A unique insight into the life and work of contemporary British Jazz saxophonist, GILAD ATZMON who talks of his passion for music, his reaction to being called a genius, and what it's like working and touring with SINEAD O'CONNOR, PINK FLOYD, and PAUL McCARTNEY. The beautiful SELINA ALBRIGHT talks about the success of her recent album CONVERSATIONS, the prospect of touring again with her Father, the sensational Smooth Jazz Saxophonist GERALD ALBRIGHT, why BONEY JAMES, PETER WHITE, DAVE KOZ, and BRIAN CULBERTSON are like family to her, and being on the road this Christmas with DAVE KOZ and other top Jazz artists performing in 24 cities right across the United States. Established British Jazz genius, saxophonist, and composer JULIAN COSTELLO talks to The JazzBites Show about his sensational new album TRANSITIONS that has reviewers on both sides of the Atlantic brimming with enthusiasm, how on earth he keeps up with writing and playing for the revered Julian Costello Quartet, other big Jazz bands, and Trios, and still manages to fulfill a hectic Gig schedule that would leave any artist breathless. BIOGRAPHY \| ANTHEA REDMOND Co-Founder of JazzBites Radio and Guardian of The Jazz Repository, Anthea Redmond is a Writer and Lecturer with over 25 years experience as a Publicist, Broadcaster, Public Relations Professional, and long-established mentor of the Arts. Her extensive career in media since the early 90s incorporates promotion of the Arts in all its forms; specialising in co-ordinating events in the United Kingdom, Europe, and the United States. CONTACT her at JazzBitesRadio.com & TheJazzRepository.org JazzBitesRadio.com	cc/2020-05/en_head_0057.json.gz/line129
__label__wiki	0.785523	0.785523	Pak trade fire along LoC in Tandhgar \| Jeudi, Février 22, 2018 According to ground reports, two other terrorists received life-threatening injuries in the heavy exchange of fire on the LoC and were seen returning towards nearest Pakistan Army post. Another official said India was blaming Pakistan for the tension. The sources indicated that the matter will be taken up with the Pakistani side. [Full Article...] Walmart eyes 40% stake in Flipkart of India \| Mercredi, Février 21, 2018 Commenting on the development, an investment banker in the know said on condition of anonymity, " Flipkart has been trying to foray into offline stores for a long time and has been looking for the right partner". In the last one year, Amazon .in has expanded its network of third-party affiliates and service providers to ensure that sellers from non-metros and smaller towns get easy access and ... [Full Article...] Netanyahu's Associates Named In Telecom Corruption Probe Also held was Shaul Elovitch, the main shareholder in Israel's largest telecoms company, who is suspected of providing the Netanyahu family with favourable coverage on his website in return for preferential government regulation worth hundreds of millions of dollars. [Full Article...] After 600 days of being banned, former CS:GO streamer sues Twitch As reported by Polygon , Varga claims Twitch broke its contract with him by never issuing an explanation as to why his channel was removed. This is notable, as Twitch has become a platform where developers can receive promotion for their games through streamers. [Full Article...] Jackson Local Schools to reopen Wednesday; counselors available at all schools The elementary schools will remain closed. Students are in the process of being released to their parents. According to the Jackson Local School District's website , the middle school and the high school were placed on lockdown and all four elementary schools in the district are closed. [Full Article...] Snapchat gets GIF stickers and some changes to app redesign Snapchat said the feature will be rolling out "soon" on iOS, and coming to Android "in the coming weeks". Just press and hold on the sticker to pin it to something. This is great if you want to place a sticker over someone's face as they move around in the frame, for instance. Here's how to use the new stickers. [Full Article...] Le président de l'Autorité palestinienne réclame un mécanisme multilatéral — Proche-Orient Cette conférence réunirait Israéliens et Palestiniens, les cinq membres permanents du Conseil de sécurité, le Quartette (Etats-Unis, Russie , Union européenne et ONU) et des pays de la région. L'allocution de Mahmoud Abbas n'apporte "rien de neuf", a réagi le Premier ministre israélien Benjamin Netanyahu. "Danny Danon a, lui, rejeté en bloc le discours du président palestinien". [Full Article...] Avalanches, inondations: cinq départements en vigilance orange Par ailleurs, les Pyrénées-Atlantiques, et les Hautes-Pyrénées, mais aussi les Landes et le Gers, sont en vigilance orange aux inondations. Plus d'un mètre de neige fraîche est attendu mardi sur l'ouest de la chaîne au-dessus de 2000 mètres, plusieurs dizaines de centimètres du Luchonnais à l'Ariège. [Full Article...] Dallas official wants NRA to hold convention elsewhere He specifically mentioned the ambush murder of five Dallas police officers in July 2016, the murder of Dollar General clerk Gabrielle Simmons and even invoked the 1963 John F. " I have five guns , one in my auto, one in every room of my house", Caraway said. The suspected shooter, a former student, opened fire using an AR-15 rifle. [Full Article...] Nigeria has 11th highest newborn deaths globally Every year, one million babies die the day they are born. UNICEF Pacific Representative Sheldon Yett said, " UNICEF is working with governments around the region to improve the quality of care for newborn babies and to ensure that all babies, no matter where they are born, receive the vital care they need in those first few days to survive". [Full Article...] Trois individus arrêtés dans le sud de la France — Attentats de Catalogne L'opération a été menée conjointement avec la police française et a également débouché sur des perquisitions, précise le ministère dans un communiqué . Le conducteur, Younes Abouyaaqoub, avait été tué le 21 août par la police . Quelques heures plus tard, cinq personnes à bord d'une voiture foncent sur des passants à Cambrils, avant d'en sortir pour les poignarder, une femme est décédée lors de ce... [Full Article...] Les déclarations de Wauquiez déclenchent un gros malaise à droite Le goupe socialiste et démocrate à la Région Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes s'engage à son tour dans la polémique en se disant atterré par les propos de Laurent Wauquiez: "L. Wauquiez. " Moi, je travaille, j'ai autre chose à faire ", s'est borné à répondre le chef de l'Etat. Car leur prof occasionnel était Laurent Wauquiez , et la leçon s'est transformée en tribune à punchlines pour le président du par... [Full Article...] "Israel shut the door on the two-state solution", Abbas tells UN He said Abbas has refused to meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for 7 1/2 years "to negotiate peace ", and he told council members that instead, the Palestinian president has been coming to the United Nations . She noted that Trump negotiators Kushner and Greenblatt were sitting behind her "ready to talk". "The choice, Mister President, is yours". Earlier this month, Trump also de... [Full Article...] Student threatens South Lyon High School on Snapchat Joseph student posted on Facebook that her daughter had received messages via social media that "someone is planning on shooting up the school". Threats in Roxbury were made online during an internet video game and the threats were also chose to be not credible, according to The Reporter. [Full Article...] Weird twist in Jennifer Aniston split The site furthermore said it had checked with "numerous divorce lawyers", none of whom so far has been contacted by either Aniston or Theroux. The couple married in 2015, after dating each other for several years. After several years of courtship and constant tabloid attention, Theroux and Aniston Wednesday in 2015. 'The engagement ring pre-dates the marriage, and therefore is Jennifer's sep... [Full Article...] Samsung Galaxy S9: Colours and specs revealed in new picture leak Even if that's accurate, that would still make the Galaxy S9 more affordable than the iPhone X. But, at $850, it's quite expensive. Samsung says we'll get our first glimpse of the Galaxy S9 at CES 2018 in JanuarySamsung Galaxy S9 vs iPhone X - who will win? The European variant of the phones will come with 64GB of storage option, which can be expanded up to 400GB via micro SD card slot. [Full Article...] Student Apprehended After Threat Against Camden High \| Mardi, Février 20, 2018 The safety of our students and staff are second to none, and as a district we will do whatever we can to protect them at any cost. Hampton City Schools has a Safe School Hotline, created to receive calls 24 hours a day from students, parents, or concerned citizens who have information about potentially risky activity on school grounds or school-related activities. [Full Article...] UK Oxfam boss faces grilling over Haiti sex scandal Oxfam said that it was releasing the redacted version of the investigation report saying that it wanted to be as "transparent as possible" and recognised its previous failures. With the spotlight now also falling on other aid organisations, Haitian President Jovenel Moise has said sexual misconduct by Oxfam staff was just the tip of an "iceberg". [Full Article...] Kremlin Denies Meddling In 2016 Election After Russians' Indictments Mr Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that while the indictment focuses on "Russian nationals" it gives "no indication that the Russian government was involved in this in any way". President Donald Trump has repeatedly denied that his campaign colluded with Russian Federation to sway the election. The U.S. Treasury Department imposed sanctions on Prigozhin in 2016 for allegedly provi... [Full Article...] 'Strengthening the deep connection': PM Trudeau lands in India for weeklong visit The first engagement of the Trudeau family was a visit to the Sabarmati Ashram . This has apparently not gone down well with the Canadian public and public figures, who have questioned why New Delhi has snubbed their Prime Minister. In April a year ago, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh refused to meet with Canada's Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan, alleging that Sajjan was a "Khalistani symp... 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__label__cc	0.629867	0.370133	Search results: "louisa may alcott" (page 1 of 2) Little Women – Louisa May Alcott January 8, 2019 / ShereeKUWTP / 13 Comments Listen up, folks, because I’m about to drop some knowledge: If you’re going to read Little Women for the very first time, you need to find an edition – like this one, from Penguin Classics – with a decent introduction to the text. I know not everyone reads the introduction first, but I do, and if I hadn’t in this case, I would have completely missed the point. I was already pretty familiar with the story, because I loved the Winona Ryder film adaptation as a kid, but as far as literary critique goes I would have been completely adrift without a better understanding of Louisa May Alcott’s background and her motivations behind writing Little Women. (Of course, if an edition with a decent introduction isn’t forthcoming, you could always just read this review before you get started…) Buy Little Women here. Little Women was first published in 1868, and has historically been dismissed as moralising, sentimental guff. It’s “for girls”, you know? It’s only recently that Alcott’s magnum opus has been considered a valued component of the American literary canon. To fully appreciate the genius of this book, you really need to understand Alcott’s politics and the context in which the book was published. And, in addition to finding a copy with an introduction that breaks it down for you, I would strongly recommend finding a copy of the original text; there was a later edition, published in 1880, that smoothed out a lot of the sharp edges and, in so doing, refined a lot of the language and character descriptions to make them seem more “genteel”. Virtually all readers nowadays pick up the 1880 edition without realising what they’re missing out on – don’t be one of them! So, onto all this background knowledge I keep telling you that you need: Alcott wrote Little Women at the request of her publisher, who wanted a “moral” book for young girls, with “wide appeal”. The story she came up with follows the lives of the four March sisters – Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy – as they transition into womanhood. Alcott herself was the second of four daughters, and – believe it or not – the similarities between her and Jo March don’t end there, so it’s pretty clear where she drew her inspiration. In fact, the story was so autobiographical that fans would write letters addressed to “Miss March”, and Alcott – being the good sport she was – would respond without correcting them. The first book was such a huge commercial success that readers (and Alcott’s publishers) immediately began clamouring for a sequel, so Alcott pumped out the follow-up “Good Wives” (though, it must be said, she was not a fan of that title, it was chosen by the publishers and she had no say at all). The two volumes are now sold together as a single edition, bearing the name Little Women. Now, even though she seems like a good little woman herself, giving the publishers exactly what they wanted, Alcott is on record as having said that she would have much preferred to keep working on her own collection of short stories, which was very different in nature to the book for which she is most famous. So, why didn’t she? Well… she was hard up for cash. She wrote Little Women “in record time, for money” she said, but she hated writing it and referred to the process as “plodding away”. She sought to address three major themes – domesticity, work, and true love – through this story of a family living in genteel poverty during the American Civil War. Alcott also effectively created the archetype of the “all-American girl”, embodying its different aspects in each of the March sisters: there’s Meg the beauty, Jo the career woman, Beth the dutiful wallflower, and Amy the romantic. The publishers wanted a story about good girls being good, but Alcott’s true message underlying the story is a little different: she’s clearly saying that virtue should be valued over wealth, and that women can overcome the constraints upon their gender through hard work and piety. Yep, that’s right: Alcott was a feminist, and Little Women – despite its prima facie old-school values, and its controversial ending – is a deeply feminist novel. At the time of its publication, there were almost no models of non-traditional womanhood in popular media for young girls. So, Alcott took it upon herself to pitch many ideas of social change and progressive politics against the familiar backdrop of domestic life. Little Women paints a very familiar picture of the lives of girls in 19th century America, but it also legitimises their aspirations to grow beyond what is “expected” of them. So, three cheers for Alcott – way the fuck ahead of her time! She gave the March sisters adventurous plots and storylines that had traditionally been coded as male. She wanted to normalise the ambition of women, and showcase alternatives to existing gender roles (which, at the time, were more restrictive than a damn corset). In particular, she addressed the idea that spinsters were “fringe” members of society, without power or influence. If you look closely, you’ll see that the spinsters and unmarried women are actually strong, multi-dimensional characters, the true power brokers of the New England world that she created. Alcott shat all over the idea that you needed a husband and a family to be a “good” woman, and she did so from a great fucking height. Now, everyone who’s read the book is currently screaming at me: “But Alcott ‘saved’ Jo in the end by marrying her off! That’s not feminist!”. To that, I say that the way in which Alcott did it was so clever and subversive, I don’t blame you for missing it on the first take. Alcott did, indeed, “marry off” her heroine… but not to the dashing, Prince Charming (Laurie), who had begged for her hand time and time again. Nope! Jo instead marries the much older (and poorer!) Professor Friederich Bhaer, a far less romantic ending and one that subverted the expectations of all the young readers who had, until then, never read a love story that didn’t involve a fairytale ending. Fuck yes, Alcott – fuck yes! People who criticise this ending don’t seem to understand the precarious position in which the author found herself. She was straddling the demands of her moneybags publishers – not to mention her very pious and conservative father – as well as her own determination to write a story that upheld her own feminist values. You can’t put a 20th century feminist head on a 19th century working woman’s shoulders, and I say she did a damn good job with what she had. “For some feminist critics, Alcott’s lifelong effort to tailor her turbulent imagination to suit the moralism of her father, the commercialism of her publishers, and the puritanism of “gray Concord”, kept her from fulfilling her literary promise. For others, Little Women itself stands as one of the best studies we have of the literary daughter’s dilemma: the tension between female obligation and artistic freedom.” The book is full of sneaky little feminist asides. Of course, there are plenty of characters that represent the social status-quo, in keeping with the morals of the time, but the fact that Alcott managed to include her own agenda at all feels rebellious and awesome. In real life, Alcott was an active participant in the women’s suffrage movement (yay!), and also the temperance movement (boo!), so she practiced what she preached, no matter what her Daddy said. If you need any more proof that she was fighting the good fight, the wonderful introduction to my Penguin Classics edition cites her influence on some of the founding mothers of feminism as we know it today: Simone de Beauvoir, Gertrude Stein, Joyce Carol Oates, and others. So, all told, I’m really glad I read the introduction and learned all of this before I started reading the book – otherwise, I could well have fallen into the trap of disregarding Little Women as fluff. As it was, I knew exactly what to look for in the story, and I found it really interesting and enjoyable. Little Women is basically the original YA novel – sure, it can be a bit saccharine and trite at times, but no more so than any other work published around the same time, and when you look closely there are some really valuable lessons hidden away there. That said, even though I’m calling this a Recommended read(!), I wouldn’t recommend it to teenagers. It’s much better suited to older readers, who have more developed critical thinking skills and can truly appreciate the masterful way that this simple story, about a very loving tight-knit group of sisters, makes some very important points about the role of women in society… points that we could do well to re-visit often. Tl;dr? Make sure you look beneath the surface of Little Women, because that’s where you’ll find Alcott’s fighting feminist spirit. Onwards, ladies! Note: in the end, I enjoyed Little Women so much that I put it on my shortlist of Classic Books Worth Reading here. My favourite Amazon reviews of Little Women: “PLEASE NOTE THAT I DID NOT ORDER THIS ITEM” – SUE “I would have given it five stars if the last few chapters hadn’t been some what disappointing. The majority of the book brought me immense pleasure and pain. Enjoy. It is worthwhile. Especially if you love Jesus.” – Blodwyn “It was dumb. The women acted like 5 year olds more than half of the time and the mother who stressed the importance of resources, decided to give away food. Genius.” – Matthew “If you are looking for a 400+ page children’s book narrated bu an unenthusiastic female robot… LOOK NO FURTHER… YOU HAVE FOUND IT!!!!” – Amazon Customer January 10, 2020 / ShereeKUWTP / 8 Comments Are you still searching for a bookish new year’s resolution? “Start reading the classics” might be a good one, but I wouldn’t blame you if you were feeling a bit intimidated. Classic books have a reputation for being long, dense, and difficult to understand. If you were forced to read a few in high school, that was probably enough to put you off them for life. The trick is to find a few that will ease you in. That’s why I’ve put together this list of classic books for people who don’t read classic books. I tried to pick classics that are easy to read, in terms of both language and content (no trigger warnings required, though there will always be some darker themes, can’t avoid those). These reads will get you into the rhythm, and hopefully help you develop a taste for classic books. Charlotte Brontë has been called the “first historian of private consciousness”, which means she was one of the first writers to do first-person narration really, really well. Jane Eyre is the story of a young woman (named Jane Eyre, duh) coming of age in Victorian England. She’s a bit down on her luck, with dead parents and mean stepsisters and everything, but a position as a governess for a strange and alluring man could turn things all around for her… It’s the perfect classic to start with if you’ve got feminist leanings but you’re still a sucker for a good romance. Read my full review here. The Adventures Of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle You might think you’re already familiar with Sherlock Holmes – he is, after all, the world’s most famous fictional detective, and one of the most commonly used and adapted characters in English literature. All that familiarity and context will make Doyle’s original short story collection, The Adventures Of Sherlock Holmes, a fun and easy read. Even if you’ve been living under the world’s largest rock and know nothing about Holmes and his trusty sidekick Dr Watson, you’ll still find these stories are quick, clever, and rollicking good fun. Read my full review here. The Age Of Innocence by Edith Wharton In addition to a classic book with an intricate love triangle, when you pick up The Age Of Innocence you’ll also get a piece of history. It’s written in remembrance of a long-lost time, that of Gilded Age New York, and it’s also the first book written by a woman to win the Pulitzer Prize. That makes Wharton a trailblazer, as well as a teller of cracking yarns. You do need to keep your wits about you as you read this one, because she weaves all kinds of interesting comments and observations into passages as simple as the description of a house facade. If you want a classic book you can sink your teeth into, on a long flight perhaps, this is the one for you! Read my full review here. I know I promised you some short and snappy classic reads, so I understand if you’re looking at a copy of David Copperfield right now and thinking I’ve led you up the garden path. The thing is, even though this is a long book in terms of page count, I was so enthralled by it and the pages flew by so fast that it felt like a regular-length novel. It’s written in the style of an autobiography, telling the life story of (you guessed it) a man called David Copperfield. Dickens was the master of writing something for everyone; he knew that his books were used for family entertainment, so he weaved in politics, romance, adventure, and intrigue, and seasoned it with humour and horror, to make sure readers of all ages and inclinations would enjoy his books. Read my full review here. Little Women wasn’t even considered to be a “real” classic until very recently. It has historically been written off as sentimental fluff, and many critical readers have turned their noses up at it. Luckily, I’m here to testify the truth of the matter, just for you Keeper-Upperers: this book is brilliant. Yes, it’s easy to read, and yes, at face value it can come across a little earnest, but lurking below the surface are all manner of feminist principles and class commentary and Alcott’s trademark subversion of expectations. I’m glad to see it has claimed its rightful place in the American literary canon! This is the classic book to read when you want a cozy family story with an edge. Read my full review here. Emma by Jane Austen It took me a while, but I’m finally coming around to Austen, and to Emma in particular. I know most readers would probably recommend Pride And Prejudice for first-timers, but I actually found Emma to be a better introduction. It’s a gentle book, in the sense that most of the action takes place around bored wealthy white people visiting each other’s houses, but it’s also incredibly clever and witty and wise. Emma is a book that will marinate in your mind long after you’ve finished it. Pick it up if for no other reason than to find out what all the fuss is about. Read my full review here. Mary Shelley put pen to paper and created Frankenstein in order to win a bet, and with that the whole genre of science fiction was born. If you’re a sci-fi reader, you should read this one to see the origins of your preferred genre brought to life (much like the monster, ha!). It’s written in an epistolary style – in letters, and diary entries, and so forth – which means it’s easy enough to pick up and put down, great for reading when you’re likely to experience distractions. That said, you’ll never want to put it down, because it’s just so gripping! Read my full review here. What classic books would you recommend to people who don’t normally read classic books? Add to this reading list in the comments below! January 3, 2020 / ShereeKUWTP / 2 Comments It’s a new year, and that means it’s reading resolution time. I’ve written before about how to read more, how to read more classic books, and how to read more diversely, so you can check out those posts if that’s what you’re after. But if you’re setting a more general goal this year, or looking for a fun reading challenge, this is the list for you. I’ve pulled together this list of fifty books to read before you die. Now, these aren’t necessarily the “best” books, they’re not even the books I enjoyed the most – heck, I haven’t even read a few of them myself (yet). I certainly wouldn’t say these are the only books you should read, or that reading this list will make you definitively “well read” somehow. These are simply fifty of the books I think are well worth reading, listed here (in no particular order) alongside the reason I think you should give them a go… 1. Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White Let’s ease into it with a children’s book, something swift and sweet. Even if you already read Charlotte’s Web as a child, it’s wonderful to revisit it as an adult. This book has much to teach us about friendship, diversity, and determination. 2. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë I know Jane Eyre isn’t without it’s problems (there’s the Creole wife locked in the attic by the romantic lead, for starters), but it’s a classic for a reason. It’s compulsively readable, beautifully rendered, and this Brontë sister has been called the “first historian of private consciousness”. Reading this book will show you where masterful first-person narration truly began. Read my full review here. 3. How To Win Friends And Influence People by Dale Carnegie Oi! If you’re scrolling past this one, thinking “I don’t read self-help books” with a smug smile, you stop right now! How To Win Friends And Influence People isn’t so much a self-help book as it is a guide to being more polite and nice to others in your day-to-day life. I think the world could do with a bit more politeness and niceness, don’t you? 4. In Cold Blood by Truman Capote In Cold Blood wasn’t the first true crime book, but it can (probably) claim the title of the first “non-fiction novel” without much contest. In Capote’s account of a mass murder in Kansas, we can see the origins of all contemporary true crime and investigative journalism. Set aside your qualms about his liberal creative license – it’s a cracking yarn! Read my full review here. 5. Diary Of A Young Girl by Anne Frank The first, and most obvious, reason to read Diary Of A Young Girl is an act of remembrance: the story of Anne Frank, and the countless others who perished and suffered alongside her, should be remembered by all who continue to populate this planet. I’d like to add a second, literary reason: I have yet to read a WWII historical fiction novel that comes even close to capturing the hope, horror, and heart-wrenching honesty of this young woman’s record of her experiences. 6. A Game Of Thrones by George R.R. Martin Even if you’re not normally a fantasy reader – I’m certainly not! – A Game Of Thrones is a good one to start with, mostly due to the enduring popularity of the HBO series. If you’ve seen it (and probably even if you haven’t) you’ll find the plot and characters at least somewhat familiar. That makes the whole thing easier to follow. And, let’s be honest, the main reason to read this book before you die is so that you can look down your nose at the know-it-alls who claim they never watched the series because they read the books. Who are they kidding? Read my full review here. 7. A Short History Of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson Even if you don’t necessarily need to know, in your day-to-day life, the origins of our universe and everything in it… it can’t hurt to have some idea, can it? A Short History Of Nearly Everything will give you the beginner’s guide to answering some of the big scientific questions of our time. Bonus: it’s all written in a highly accessible, folksy style that lets the mind-boggling facts speak for themselves without bogging you down in academic jargon. Read my full review here. 8. Mrs Dalloway by Virginia Woolf You could probably read Mrs Dalloway fifty times over before you die, to the exclusion of all else, and still not understand quite everything Woolf was trying to say. I found it tough to persist with it when I knew that so much was flying over my head, but I still think it was a book worth reading. Mrs Dalloway has much to teach us about gender, perspective, human relationships – and even if we finish it having understood only a little, we still come out ahead, right? Read my full review here. 9. Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie If you’ve seen her TED talk, you already know that Adichie is amazing, and her best known book – Americanah – will certainly give you a lot of food for thought. I realise that many of the books on this list are from the American literary tradition, so consider this book a kind of counterpoint to that. In it, Adichie examines the symbolism of America as a concept, and the ramifications of cultural imperialism across the world. 10. The Catcher In The Rye by J.D. Salinger Almost everyone was forced to read The Catcher In The Rye in high school, but it’s worth re-visiting (and definitely worth reading for the first time, if you managed to escape that particular rite of passage as I did). It’s a gritty coming-of-age novel, without the sparkle we’ve come to associate with hopeful young adult offerings of the 21st century. Plus, Holden Caulfield isn’t half as unlikeable as everyone makes out. Read my full review here. 11. The Adventures Of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle This is the original collection of short stories that birthed a huge body of work around the world’s most famous fictional detective, and you should read it before you die on that basis alone. But if that’s not enough to lure you in, trust me when I say The Adventures Of Sherlock Holmes is a fun read! The stories aren’t particularly scary or spooky, but they’re always delightful and clever. It’s also a great example of how we can say a lot with a few words: Doyle was the master of economical use of language. Read my full review here. 12. My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante Elena Ferrante, whomever she might be, is (in my humble opinion) one of the greatest writers of literary fiction in our time. Sure, it’s fun to venture down the rabbit-hole of sussing out her true identity, but the real reason to read My Brilliant Friend is bigger than that. These English editions are beautifully translated by Ann Goldstein (#namethetranslator), in a way that retains the rolling lyricism of the original Italian. They paint vivid pictures of life in mid-20th century Naples for two young girls growing into adulthood from poverty. A must-read before you die! Read my full review here. 13. The Satanic Verses by Salman Rushdie This is the book that saw a fatwa issued against Salman Rushdie, forcing him into hiding for many years. And with a title like The Satanic Verses… come on, don’t you want to see what all the fuss was about? 14. Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell This is the book that “activated” me as a teenager, the one that opened my eyes to the way my world could be manipulated and distorted by power structures beyond my young imagining. Nineteen Eighty-Four remains the pinnacle of dystopian fiction because it takes on startling new resonance every single year, with every crazy event of our increasingly mixed-up world. 15. The Fault In Our Stars by John Green Look, The Fault In Our Stars isn’t a great work of literature. I’m not sure it’s even a good work of contemporary young adult literature. But it is beloved by an entire generation of teens that are growing up fast. I think we should all read it now so that we’ll have something in common to discuss with the doctors who care for us in our nursing homes. Read my full review here. 16. Strange Case Of Dr Jekyll And Mr Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson I know – I know – that even if you’ve never read this classic novella, you’ve used the phrase “Jekyll and Hyde”, or heard it somewhere and (thought you) understood what it meant. I say you owe it to the English idiom to read its story of origin, Strange Case Of Dr Jekyll And Mr Hyde. For bonus points, you can check out Catch-22 as well! Read my full review here. 17. Lady Chatterley’s Lover by D.H. Lawrence The trial(s) regarding the prohibition of Lady Chatterley’s Lover were world-changing, in the sense that they provided a legal basis upon which we get to access ground-breaking and subversive literature today, even when governments and school boards would prefer that we didn’t. However, when you actually read this supposedly-erotic tome, it really serves as a good reminder that controversy sometimes amounts to no more than a storm in a tea cup. Read my full review here. 18. Moby Dick by Herman Melville I can feel you rolling your eyes! And, believe me, I understand. Moby Dick is a six-hundred page book about whales. The size of whales. The smell of whales. The slew of artworks featuring whales. The stories of whales in religion. There’s only so many whales a reader can take! But I would suggest you give it a go, and stick with it for as long as you can. Melville experimented with form and style throughout, so some chapters and passages read completely differently to the last – there’s surely something for everyone (even if they’re not that big on whales). Read my full review here. 19. The Year Of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion It’s a sad fact that at some point in life, each and every one of us will experience loss, grief, and mourning. The Year Of Magical Thinking is widely considered to be the epitome of memoirs on that experience, Joan Didion’s account of the year following the death of her husband. It’s a must-read before you die, so that you might be a little better prepared for another’s death (or better understand a long-ago passing). 20. Pride And Prejudice by Jane Austen If you ask a random stranger on the street to name a “classic book”, with no other prompting, most of them will probably say Pride And Prejudice. It’s another one of those books that we all think we “should” read, and sometimes that kind of pressure is too much. I know I tried many times, and failed, until I finally picked it up at the right moment. Austen penned a brilliant and timeless tale of a man who changes his manners and a woman who changes her mind – stick with it until it sticks with you! Read my full review here. 21. To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee Maybe it’s a cliche, but it’s a cliche for a reason: To Kill A Mockingbird is the poster-child of books you should read before you die. It was Harper Lee’s only true novel, and what a novel it was! It has shaped politics, legal thinking, and morality debates in America and around the world for decades now. Not to mention the legion of kids named Atticus, after the eternal patriarch and impassioned lawyer… Read my full review here. 22. We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves by Karen Joy Fowler This is a selfish inclusion on this reading list, I grant you, but I stand by it: I think everyone should read We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves, if for no other reason than I want them to. There’s a huge plot twist about 70 pages in, and – desperate as I am to talk about this book – I live in constant fear of spoiling it for someone. I won’t stop recommending this book until every reader has read it, and I can have spoiler-y discussions to my heart’s content! Read my full review here. 23. Love In The Time Of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia Marquez Most other lists of books to read before you die include Marquez’s One Hundred Years Of Solitude. It’s a great book, no contest here, but I think that Love In The Time of Cholera is a better one to start with, especially if you’re new to the literature of South America and the tradition of magical realism. 24. I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings is a miraculously poetic autobiography (well, perhaps not so miraculous, given that Angelou was, in fact, a poet). You will want to clutch this book to your chest and give it a great big hug. It’s tells the (true!) story of a young woman transformed, how she overcame indignity and prejudice to reach a place of self-possession and determination. 25. Harry Potter (series) by J.K. Rowling OK, this is technically seven books (making this a list of 56 books to read before you die, if you want to be a rule ninny), but who could pick just one from the series that changed the world? And, come to that, who hasn’t read at least one of the Harry Potter books yet? Come on! Get caught up with the rest of the world, if you haven’t already. This one’s a gimme. 26. Cold Comfort Farm by Stella Gibbons It’s a crying shame that more readers haven’t yet encountered Cold Comfort Farm. It lurks in the shadows of early 20th century classic literature, mostly because Stella Gibbons thumbed her nose at the “literati” (D.H. Lawrence and Virginia Woolf in particular). She refused to play by the rules of networking and deference, and her sales and reputation suffered for it. You should read this book before you die, just to make sure Gibbons’s comedic brilliance won’t be forgotten, no matter how much the literary giants wanted it to be. Read my full review here. 27. Waiting For Godot by Samuel Beckett A couple of blokes stand around, chatting, waiting for their mate – don’t you want to know if he ever shows up? It’s a tragi-comedy, sure to tickle the funny bone of all readers with a darker sense of humour. Plus, Waiting For Godot is a play, and that was definitely Beckett’s natural talent, the best way to experience his (at-times very esoteric) writing. 28. Call Me By Your Name by Andre Aciman If you could use a little romance in your life (without all the naff cliches that are normally found in the pages of Harlequins, or Fabio clutching a buxom blonde on the cover), Call Me By Your Name is the salve for what ails you. Your heart will wrench, your toes will tingle, as you read this beautiful account of a clandestine love affair in 1980s Italy. 29. Little Women by Louisa May Alcott For too many years, Little Women was written off as foolish, simplistic, fluff “for girls”, and excluded from the literary canon. My challenge to all of you is this: find an edition with a decent introduction that describes Alcott’s life and politics, and then read this subtle but subversive story. You’ll see it in a whole new light, as I did! Read my full review here. 30. Zen And The Art Of Motorcycle Maintenance by Robert M. Pirsig Zen And The Art Of Motorcycle Maintenance holds the world record (literally, it’s in the Guiness book) for being – get this – the most-often rejected book that went on to be a best-seller. I can only imagine the strength of will and self-belief it took for Pirsig to persist after receiving his 121st rejection letter… all that zen thinking must have done wonders! 31. How Proust Can Change Your Life by Alain de Botton Look, if we’re being honest (which, of course, we always are), the main reason to read this book before you die is to work out whether it’s worth giving Proust himself a go. In Search Of Lost Time is the longest book in circulation, too long to bind in a single edition, so let de Botton decide for you whether or not to pick it up. Hopefully, reading How Proust Can Change Your Life, you’ll get an idea of whether it’s worth it. It probably is, but even if not, it’s nice to know that Proust could change your life, at least. 32. We Wish To Inform You That Tomorrow We Will Be Killed With Our Families by Philip Gourevitch The literary world has dedicated millions and millions of pages to accounts of the world wars, but there are other conflicts just as worthy of our attention. We Wish To Inform You That Tomorrow We Will Be Killed With Our Families is one such crucial account of the 1994 Rwandan genocide, in which over one million people met their untimely violent deaths. 33. Alice’s Adventures In Wonderland by Lewis Carroll Yes, I’m including yet another children’s book, because sometimes they have more to teach us than anything written for grown-ups. In this case, read Alice’s Adventures In Wonderland to experience and marvel at Carroll’s masterful word play – it just doesn’t quite translate in its full glory to the Disney screen adaptation (or any other!). Read my full review here. 34. The Grapes Of Wrath by John Steinbeck It’s rare that a book is so good that it makes me angry: The Grapes Of Wrath is one on that short list. I was so gripped by the story of the Joads, a family attempting to escape the economic desolation of the Dust Bowl, that I found myself furious that no one had ever told me how damn good it was! Plus, this book will (sadly) have a recurring timeliness as we inch closer to a climate change doomsday… Read my full review here. 35. The Feminine Mystique by Betty Friedan Second-wave feminism has long been superseded, and it’s easy for us now to decry it for all its problems, but I think it still behoves us to examine its origins as we continue to beat a path towards gender equality. The Feminine Mystique is the book widely credited with kicking things off for the second wave, and it holds up surprisingly well compared to some other feminist texts of the time. 36. The Trial by Franz Kafka If you can’t quite bring yourself to pick up Crime And Punishment (though you shouldn’t be afraid, it’s actually really good!), here’s a more accessible alternative. The Trial tells the story of a man who is arrested and put on (you guessed it) trial, answerable to a remote authority that we don’t quite understand, for supposed crimes that are never quite revealed to us. 37. Leaves Of Grass by Walt Whitman Picking up a copy of Leaves Of Grass is kind of like opening a choose-your-own-adventure novel. Whitman first published it as a collection of twelve poems in 1855, but then spent many years re-writing and adding to it, so that the final compilation included well over four hundred pieces. Whichever edition you choose, you’ll find it to be a wonderfully sensual collection that straddles philosophies, movements and themes. 38. The Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy by Douglas Adams Here’s another slim tome that we should all read for the pure fun of it: The Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy. It’s ridiculous, satirical, and comforting all at once – not to mention hilarious! Plus, you’ll finally get to understand all those hip references to taking towels on holiday, and the number forty-two, and that constant refrain “don’t panic”… Read my full review here. 39. Hidden Figures by Margot Lee Shetterley Shetterley spent six years working on this biographical story, an account of the lives and works of three NASA mathematicians that history might otherwise have forgotten (thus, the title: Hidden Figures). If you’re asking yourself why their figures may have been hidden from view: well, they were women, for one thing, and women of colour at that, working in a field heavily dominated by men. Their contributions to the space race were invaluable, and this book seeks to set the record straight. 40. Atonement by Ian McEwan McEwan is pretty damn prolific, and yet somehow the premises of his stories are always jaw-droppers. If you’re unfamiliar with his work, I would recommend starting with this one, his best-known book, Atonement. In it, one young girl’s mistake has spiralling ramifications. Lives are ruined, including her own, and she has to contend with how to (you guessed it) atone for her role in the whole mess. 41. The God Of Small Things by Arundhati Roy The God Of Small Things was Roy’s debut novel, and it made one heck of a splash – can you imagine winning the Booker Prize your first time out? Not only that, she did a Harper Lee, and stepped back from writing and publishing for twenty years! Her follow-up wasn’t published until 2017 (sophomore slump be damned!). But for a fine examination of how small things affect our lives in big ways, you’ve got to go back to the start with this one. 42. Inferno by Dante Alighieri It seemed only right to include at least one foundational text, a story that has influenced literature in such a way that we still hear its echoes today, in this list of books to read before you die. I chose Inferno, the first of Dante’s Divine Comedy trilogy. It’s a narrative poem, depicting Dante’s descent through the circles of Hell. Reading it as a contemporary reader, you’ll appreciate how it illuminates the endurance of human nature. We really haven’t changed all that much since Dante dreamed up fitting punishments for our sins in the 14th century… 43. The Color Purple by Alice Walker It never ceases to amaze me how the wowsers can completely miss the point when it comes to literature. The Color Purple has been consistently censored and banned in various ways ever since it was first published in 1982, usually on the grounds of its “explicit” depictions of violence. And yet, the whole point of the story was to reveal to an indifferent audience the violence wrought upon black women in the American South in the 1930s. Read this book before you die, and show the nay-sayers where they can stick their “concern” for your delicate sensibilities! 44. Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides Eugenides reportedly sat down to write Middlesex, an intersectional bildungsroman and family saga, after finding that other accounts of intersex lives and anatomies were insufficient in promoting understanding. In so doing, he’s woven together two intricate experiences: that of intersex people, and that of Greek immigrants, in 20th century America. It’s a lot to tackle all at once, but Eugenides got a Pulitzer Prize for his efforts, and that ain’t no small thing. 45. I Am Malala by Malala Yousafzai Remember the fifteen-year-old girl who was shot by the Taliban for standing her ground when it came to her right to an education? This is her story, I Am Malala. It plays out against the horrifying backdrop of the rise (and fall) of the Tehrik-i-Taliban in Pakistan. This book is so detailed, so earnest and fierce, that it is still banned in many schools of that region – making it, in my eye, all the more essential reading. 46. The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood The Handmaid’s Tale was originally published in 1985, but boy-howdy did it come into its own these past few years! I felt like I couldn’t take a step in any direction without running into Gilead-themed protests, the HBO adaptation, the sequel, or some other homage to Atwood’s dystopian story of ideology and control. 47. This House Of Grief by Helen Garner Helen Garner is an unimpeachable darling of the Australian literary community, and it’s tough to narrow down down this selection to just one book from her incredibly varied back-catalogue… but in the end, I went with This House Of Grief. It’s her account of the murder conviction of a man who drove his three children into a dam, killing them, in 2005. It is haunting in the extreme; you won’t be the same after reading it (just as Garner has said she was never the same after writing it). 48. Beloved by Toni Morrison Did you know that Beloved is actually based on the real-life story of an African-American slave? Her name was Margaret Garner, and she escaped Kentucky in 1856. She fled to Ohio, by then a free state. Morrison, who by then was already regarded in some circles as America’s greatest novelist, came across Margaret’s story, and she was driven to write this imagined account of a former slave living in Ohio. She dedicated it to “sixty million and more” – the number of Africans, and their descendants, who died as a result of the slave trade. 49. Gentlemen Prefer Blondes by Anita Loos I will never, never, stop being bitter about the fact that The Great Gatsby is held up as the definitive Jazz Age novel, when Gentlemen Prefer Blondes is so much better! Why would you want to read about a miserable rich stalker throwing fancy parties, when you could instead read the fictional diaries of a woman willing to exploit the gender roles of 1920s America for all they’re worth? It’s hilarious, it’s brilliant, and it’s taught me more about that period than anything Fitzgerald ever scribbled down. Read my full review here. 50. Ulysses by James Joyce Yes. It’s here. On this list. If I have to read Ulysses (and the Keeping Up With The Penguins reading list dictates I must), then you have to read it. At least give it a go! I’m a firm believer that we should all read the books that intimidate us, like trying new foods or travelling someplace unfamiliar, and hey – it might not be as bad as we all think! And there we have it! How many of these books have you already read? What books do you think everyone should read before they die? Add your recommendations in the comments below! The Best Books I Read In 2019: Year In Review December 20, 2019 / ShereeKUWTP / 8 Comments Another year is drawing to a close, which means it’s time for another obligatory year-in-review post, a round-up of all the best books I read in 2019. This year, I reviewed 51 books (though a 52nd will squeeze in just after Christmas, before the new year ticks over), and once again they spanned centuries and categories like you wouldn’t believe. That’s one of my favourite things about the Keeping Up With The Penguins project: the variety! I’ve covered everything from Pulitzer Prize winners (old and new) to little-known autobiographies, from Great American Novels to books in translation from Sweden, from hilarious Jazz Age social commentary to re-imaginings of Australian folklore. Here’s the best of what I’ve read this year, from start to finish… Like almost everyone, I think, I sat down with my copy of Little Women carrying a heavy burden of skepticism. I assumed it was going to be fluffy, saccharine, a relic of the days before feminism taught the world that women were powerful. How lucky I was to pick up this edition, with its incredible introduction that detailed for me the life and politics of Louisa May Alcott. It really opened my eyes to what she was trying to do with this book, and how she cleverly – but subtly – subverted the weight of expectation that was thrust upon her. Read my full review here. Portnoy’s Complaint – Philip Roth Here’s another one I never thought I’d be including in a list of my best reads of the year. Portnoy’s Complaint, by all accounts, was a self-indulgent romp through the mind of an upper-middle-class Jewish American man, obsessed with sex and his mother (naturally). There was no way, I thought, I could possibly relate to, let alone laugh at, his neurotic monologue. Once again, the Keeping Up With The Penguins project has me eating my words: this book was hilarious! I cackled over poor Portnoy’s complaints, his childhood anecdotes, and his unbelievable knack for getting in his own way. Read my full review here. The Bell Jar – Sylvia Plath Alright, here’s one I knew I’d love: I just had no idea how much. I saved up reading The Bell Jar for the moment I thought I needed it, and I’m so glad I did. It was searing, it was heart-breaking, it was gut-churning, it was tear-jerking, it was breath-taking. It’s a modern classic for a reason, Keeper Upperers, and it was so good I almost gave up reading and writing altogether when I finished it. Why bother, when something so beautiful already exists in the world? Trigger warnings aplenty, however – you’ve been warned. Read my full review here. The Age Of Innocence – Edith Wharton The Age Of Innocence is a lot like one of those boggy marshes with hidden patches of quicksand (I know, it’s not an elegant metaphor, but bear with me): it looks plain, maybe a little boring, but if you don’t keep your wits about you as you wander through, you could find yourself sinking and struggling to get free. Wharton’s prose is deceptively simple. What appears to be a description of a carriage or a house actually contains crucial commentary about the world her characters lived in and the way it worked. If you let your mind drift, you’ll miss it, and have to track back through the pages to pick it up again. Wharton was a trailblazer for 20th century female authors in America, and The Age Of Innocence totally holds up. Read my full review here. Cold Comfort Farm – Stella Gibbons Poor Stella Gibbons. I’d never heard of her, nor Cold Comfort Farm (her best-known work, which isn’t saying much) before I put together my Keeping Up With The Penguins reading list. In fact, it would seem that most people – outside of the very well-read English Literature elite – have never heard of her. She wrote dozens of books, and yet it took me a year to track down any of them. Why is she so underappreciated? Well, it would seem she had the audacity to parody D.H. Lawrence, the beloved grand-daddy of horny male writers in her time (and now, come to that), and she pissed off Virginia Woolf into the bargain. Essentially, Gibbons refused to play by the rules, and as a result, those in the powerful literary cliques sought to pull her from our shelves. I’d say that makes reading Cold Comfort Farm a political act. Read my full review here. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn – Mark Twain Mark Twain’s books are divisive, I won’t deny it. I can certainly see the problems in his treatment of race in America, problems that have seen his books banned from many school libraries and removed from many a syllabus. But I really enjoyed The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, in spite of myself. I loved the way he used dialect, the way he crafted his characters’ speech to tell the reader as much about them as what they were saying. The writing was brilliant, masterful, immersive, and compelling. I wasn’t as sold on Tom Sawyer, but they can’t all be winners. Read my full review – of both! – here. An Artist Of The Floating World – Kazuo Ishiguro Are you tired of me explaining all the ways in which my preconceived ideas have been kicked in the bum this year? I hope not, because here comes another one. Kazuo Ishiguro is a Nobel laureate, getting the gong for literature back in 2017. I assumed, coming to his work knowing that, that it would be Very Literary(TM). To put it bluntly, I thought it would be dense, bleak, boring, and written for people far smarter than me. I was surprised, when I finally came across a copy of An Artist Of The Floating World, to see how slim it was, and even more surprised by how quickly I powered through it. I’ve talked before about how I’ve largely gone off WWII historical fiction, but this is one I can get behind. It’s set in Japan shortly after the conflict ended, and it follows a few days in the life of an artist who is not only “of the floating world”, but also created propaganda posters for the government. Read my full review here. The One-Hundred-Year Old Man Who Climbed Out The Window And Disappeared – Jonas Jonasson When I finished reading The One-Hundred-Year Old Man Who Climbed Out The Window And Disappeared, I knew I’d found my go-to cheer-up read for many years to come. It does exactly what it says on the tin: it tells the story of an old bloke who jumped out of his nursing home window to avoid a birthday party, and the role his life’s adventures play in what unfolds after that. It stretches far past the bounds of believability, but it’s so fun and so funny that all is forgiven. This is the book I thrust into a friend’s hands if they’re having a down day. Read my full review here. Pride And Prejudice – Jane Austen I must admit, even if I hadn’t enjoyed Pride And Prejudice, it would be getting a spot on this round-up of the best books I read this year, purely for the fact that I finished it! Long-time Keeper Upperers will know that I’ve been engaged in a brutal stand-off with this book for many years. I’ve picked it up no fewer than six times, only to quickly abandon it and move on to something else shortly thereafter. But now, I can proudly declare that I have read Jane Austen’s beloved prototypical romance, and I finally understand what all the fuss is about. My experience(s) with Pride And Prejudice just go to prove, once again, that it is crucial – crucial! – that a book comes to you at the right time in your reading life. Read my full review of the book here, and the movie adaptation here. Gentlemen Prefer Blondes – Anita Loos Gentlemen Prefer Blondes is, by a long way, the book I have recommended most often and most vehemently this year, to anyone who’ll listen (and even to those who won’t). I was completely knocked off my feet by this charming little tome, stylised as a series of diary entries chronicling the adventures of society darling Lorelei Lee. If you’ve seen the movie and figured that you didn’t need to read the book (or if you didn’t even know there was a book, no judgement!), you’re dead wrong. This is the most astute, insightful, and witty take on gender roles in the Jazz Age (and all subsequent ages) that I have ever read. Forget about Gatsby (ugh): leave your copy at a local Little Library, and curl up instead with this absolute gem. Read my review of the book here, and the movie adaptation here. The Grapes Of Wrath – John Steinbeck Have you ever read a book that was so good it made you angry? That’s what happened to me when I read The Grapes Of Wrath. I was nonsensically angry with every single person in my life who had read it and hadn’t (a) recommended it to me immediately, and (b) warned me about how gut-punchingly good it was. I didn’t want to like it. Steinbeck shamelessly ripped off years of work, that of a woman who history has all but forgotten. But the story of the Joads, their migration across America to seek their fortunes (i.e., survive), moved me in ways I can barely describe. It’s all the more incredible, too, for its startling relevance in a climate that is rapidly changing… Read my full review here. True History Of The Kelly Gang – Peter Carey Upon reflection, this might be my year of reading (and loving!) dialect, because – like with Huck Finn, and a few others on this list – what drew me in most to Carey’s reimagining of an Australian folk “hero” was the way he represented an early Irish-Australian accent on the page. True History Of The Kelly Gang is the first book I’ve ever read that has, in my expert-by-virtue-of-living-here opinion, accurately and beautifully represented Australian speech in a way that doesn’t make the reader want to claw their own eyeballs out. And if that doesn’t sell you on it, consider this: Carey imagines an internal world for Kelly that few have considered before reading this work, but simultaneously allows the reader room to make up their own mind about his morality or lack thereof. A must-read Australian novel! Read my full review here. And there we have it, Keeper Upperers – an even dozen! What do you think of the best books I read this year? What were the best books YOU read this year? Add your recommendations to the comments below, or tell me on the thread over at Keeping Up With The Penguins on Facebook! If you want to check out more of my best-of recommended reads, try this list of the best books I’ve read so far, earlier in the year. Amongst Women – John McGahern November 19, 2019 / ShereeKUWTP / 2 Comments This slim, unassuming volume actually marks a very important discovery in my reading life: I purchased it on my first trip to a local charity shop’s book section. Before that fateful day, I’d almost exclusively haunted secondhand bookstores and book fairs. Discovering that charity shops also had amazing book selections – and so cheap! – was a revelation! I’d been looking for a copy of Amongst Women since I began the Keeping Up With The Penguins project a year and a half ago, so I was more than happy to hand over $3 for this pristine Faber edition. Buy Amongst Women here. Right, enough personal stories – this isn’t a recipe blog! Let’s get down to business. Amongst Women is the best-known novel of Irish writer John McGahern. It is widely considered to be his masterpiece, and it was shortlisted for the Booker Prize in the year of its release (1990). That was pretty much all I knew about it going in. From the blurb, I thought it might be similar to An Artist Of The Floating World, in that they’re both stories of aging men trying to outrun the fallout from their role in a war in the mid-20th Century. On the face of it, that assumption was technically correct, but the protagonists are very different, and as such their stories go in very different directions… Michael Moran is an IRA veteran, a former officer and guerrilla fighter in the War Of Independence and the Irish Civil War of the 1920s. He’s known to his community as a respectable and devout Catholic, but behind closed doors it’s a different story. He’s super bitter about the “small minded gangsters” that now run his country, and he refuses to accept the government’s solider pension, because he feels they have betrayed the ideals he fought for (yeah, let ’em keep their money, that’ll show ’em!). Lacking any other outlet for his frustration, he exorcises his demons on those closest to him. He’s positively tyrannical in his personal life, cruel and brutal with his wife and children, and controlling in the extreme. So, consider this a trigger warning if those kinds of family dynamics don’t sit well with you: you’re going to want to give Amongst Women a miss. Amongst Women begins in the Moran family home, in the rural midlands of Ireland. Moran is elderly, weakened by illness and age, and suffering a bout of depression his family fears will kill him. His adult daughters have decided to re-create an annual event of their childhood, Monaghan Day, in an effort to lift the old man’s spirits. From there, the family’s history is told through flashbacks as the Moran women remember their shared past, but it’s not a jumpy timeline (thank goodness!). It’s more like a chronological story that circles back around on itself. In fact, I’d say the opening scene really just serves as an unofficial prologue, setting up the story. These grown daughters are: Maggie, who moves to London to become a nurse and marries a fashionable drunk; Mona, the family beauty who returns home most often, holds a civil service job in Dublin; and Shelia, who wanted to go to university but ol’ Daddy Moran talked her out of it (boo!). Shelia is the most defiant of the three, and a lot of her motivation comes from wanting to keep her own children away from the poisonous Moran patriarch. He’s a real bastard, no doubt about that. He lacks any sense of self-awareness, he has an explosive temper, he’s frustrated by his own obsolescence… it’s a deadly combination, one that makes him very unpredictable. So, the flashback takes us back to when Moran – then a widower – re-married a local woman called Rose. His children were already teenagers, but she still became a mother figure to them, and she was often called upon to mediate disputes. She’s disturbingly tolerant of Moran’s mood swings and abuse. In fact, all of the Moran women are. Like many victims of such cruelty, they become extremely grateful for any expression of tenderness or goodwill, and they wind up willing to overlook his behaviour and his unapologetic attitude. This is, really, the crux of the story; there’s not a lot of plot, just the normal highs and lows of family life, and trying to work out why on earth all these women are so gentle with such an arsehole. As the children leave home, one by one, Moran grows increasingly panicked. He can’t handle no longer being the center of their worlds, so what does he do? He devolves into a clingy, needy, hot mess, demanding their attention (and thus drawing them back to him), even when it disturbs the lives they’re trying to build for themselves. He finds his sons particularly threatening, as they “need” him the least (i.e., they’re less inclined to indulge his every whim). Ah, yes, the sons! There’s two of them: Luke, the eldest, who escapes to London early on, unable to cope with his father’s overbearing authority; and Michael, the youngest, who hides in Rose’s skirts until he’s old enough to escape, too. It’s a dynamic that plays out with every single one of the Moran children, boys and girls alike: the only power they can exert in their relationship with their father is to leave him. Moran talks a lot of smack about how blood-is-thicker-than-water and family solidarity is the most important value and all of that, so the act of leaving him for the Big Smoke is the ultimate kick in the guts. And, yet, they all find themselves suckered back in to his vortex of manipulation and cruelty – all except Luke, who returns to Ireland only once, to attend Sheila’s wedding. Moran dies in the end, of course. He’s buried under a yew tree and everyone grieves, but McGahern goes out of his way to make it abundantly clear that this is not the end of that bastard’s influence in their lives: “… now, as they left him under the yew, it was as if each of them in their different ways had become Daddy.” Amongst Women, pg. 183 I kept waiting for the “clang” that never really came. Perhaps McGahern intended for Moran’s death to be that moment, but it seemed a foregone conclusion: what other ending could he give such a terrible person? Amongst Women was, in short, the story of a traumatised veteran abusing and manipulating his whole family until the day he died. All the women he was amongst just made excuses for him and cleaned up after him, keeping the peace instead of calling him out on his bullshit. It’s a heart-breakingly familiar and relatable narrative, but in that sense it’s also really frustrating. What good is mirroring these unhealthy family relationships back at us through fiction, if the story doesn’t teach us anything other than… these families exist? I mean, we knew that. Arseholes die but people remember their arseholery? We knew that, too. Trauma is passed down through generations? Yep, we’re all across it. Amongst Women is not a satisfactory story, it’s just a depressing window into a dysfunctional family in a small Irish town. Perhaps McGahern was trying to make some greater point about why the women in Moran’s life remained so devoted to him, even after they established independent lives of their own, but I couldn’t see it. I read later, in other reviews, that McGahern “asks whether exile offers the only hope for freedom and individuality” in post-colonial Catholic rural Ireland, and “exposes the insecurities and inexpressiveness of Irish masculinity”. I guess I can kind-of see both of those elements, but only after they were pointed out for me in a For-Dummies kind of way, so I don’t blame you if you missed them too. I do like the title, though, and it has a clever dual meaning. Firstly, the Moran household is mostly female, so Moran is literally “amongst women”. Secondly, it refers to a line from the Hail Mary prayer (which I only learned reading this book, I’m a big ol’ heathen) – “blessed art thou amongst women”. The Moran family says a lot of Hail Marys, it’s a daily ritual for them, so it’s repeated often enough that you get the point. Given the level of detail McGahern gave about the emotional brutality of these relationships, it came as no surprise to me that Amongst Women is (at least somewhat) autobiographical. These pages were clearly written by someone with inside knowledge of what a Moran-type household is like. McGahern’s beloved mother, Susan, died when he was a child, leaving he and his siblings in the care of his authoritarian IRA-veteran father. My heart breaks for McGahern; it must have been a deeply traumatic childhood (and adulthood, if his relationship with his real-life father bore out the way the fictional ones did), but I found myself frustrated on that point, too. When Louisa May Alcott mined her own childhood and family life for a novel, it was called “sentimental” and “schmaltzy” and excluded from the canon for years. When McGahern did it, it was heralded as a literary triumph, and the Booker Prize came a’knocking. Hardly seems fair, eh? But I can see how I’m perhaps being a little hard on McGahern here, so I’ll let him have the last word of this review. He said of his novel: “The whole country is made up of families, each family a kind of independent republic. In Amongst Women, the family is a kind of half-way house between the individual and society.” And I think he’s spot on, there. My favourite Amazon reviews of Amongst Women: “I didn’t care about anyone in this family.” – Jayfred “For some reason I expected the book. Instead I rec the literary review which was actually better tha the actual book.” – Lisa L Smith The A-Z of Classic Books: A Classic Read For Every Letter of the Alphabet November 1, 2019 / ShereeKUWTP / 6 Comments I recently bought two huge bookshelves, and I’ve spent the last couple weeks mired in the task of stocking them (bye-bye, random-piles-of-books-in-every-corner-of-my-house!). I had a stab at a few different organisational systems; I salivate over the gorgeous rainbow arrangements I see on bookstagram, but ultimately I had to stick with alphabetical by author surname. The ways of a library-lover never really leave us! Still, the process got me wondering, in my organisational fugue state, whether I could pull together a list of classic books for every letter of the alphabet, by title. It was a fun little challenge that niggled at the back of my mind until I sat down and gave it a go. I couldn’t even cheat by searching the gorgeous Penguin Drop Caps editions, because they’re all coded by author. I found the first fifteen or so quite easy, but it got harder and harder after I locked in all the “easy” letters. Finding the last three were absolute torture! But I got there in the end, and that’s what matters. Here’s the final result, an A-Z list of classic books: a classic read for every letter of the alphabet! A: Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll Why not start off with some lighthearted fun? Most people my age are familiar with the Disney cartoon version, but I highly recommend checking out the original book. Alice’s Adventures In Wonderland is full of really clever wordplay that you can only truly appreciate when you see it on the page. Plus, the nostalgic kick you’ll get out of it is second to none! B: Brave New World by Aldous Huxley Now, let’s plunge into some classic dystopian fiction. Brave New World depicts Huxley’s imagined future, where the world population is separated into castes, controlled with drugs and sex, and one man tries to break free… with tragic results. Dystopian fiction is really having A Moment, so it’s a great time to revisit this one! C: Clarissa by Samuel Richardson In its full form, Clarissa: Or the History of a Young Lady is literally one of the longest novels in the English language (going by estimated word-count). Luckily, I managed to pick up an abridged edition to read for Keeping Up With The Penguins (my review coming soon!). Phew! From what I know so far, it’s an epistolary novel about a young heroine and her rotten family. D: Dracula by Bram Stoker This letter is another epistolary novel, but one significantly more spooky! Stoker didn’t write the first vampire novel, but Dracula is definitely the most enduring of the genre. In it, a young doctor finds himself the house-guest-slash-prisoner of a creepy count, and he has to gather a band of friends to save his wife from falling into the guy’s evil clutches… E: Emma by Jane Austen Austen referred to Emma as her heroine that no one but her would like very much, but she didn’t count on the subsequent generations of fans who love and adore this subtle social satire. Emma was rich, beautiful, and a touch self-absorbed, but she also loved her friends and family, and she didn’t succumb to the social pressure to marry until she was sure she found the right bloke. Sounds like an admirable heroine to me! F: Frankenstein by Mary Shelley Frankenstein is the grand-daddy of science fiction, the first novel where the “monster” was not born of fantasy but of man’s own scientific experiments. And, of course, the story behind the story is perhaps the best part: Mary Shelley was on holiday with her husband and Lord Byron, and she wanted to win a bet by coming up with the scariest story. She was just a teenager at the time! G: Gulliver’s Travels by Jonathan Swift Don’t let the movie adaptations fool you, Gulliver’s Travels is hardly for kids! It’s actually a searing social commentary, and a deeply complex and layered one at that. Swift covers everything from religion to politics to economics to philosophy, and it was very controversial in its time for the bleak conclusion he reached about the nature of humanity. H: Heidi by Johanna Spyri Heidi’s original subtitle described it as a book “for children, and those who love children” – turns out there are plenty of those! It has gone on to become one of the best-selling books ever written. It’s certainly one of the best-known works of Swiss literature. It’s the heart-warming story of a young girl who lives with her grandfather in the Swiss Alps. I: In Search Of Lost Time by Marcel Proust You could probably spend a lifetime studying In Search Of Lost Time (sometimes translated as Remembrance Of Things Past, which is a prettier title, but I already had a book for “R”), and still struggle to summarise its seven volumes into just a sentence or two… so I won’t even try. Rest assured, Proust can be a bummer, but this magnum opus is comprehensive and life-changing and at least worth a look. J: Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë For a while, Charlotte was the shining jewel in the Brontë family crown. She was described as the “first historian of personal consciousness” for her incredible talent in depicting a character’s internal world, particularly that of Jane Eyre. While poor Charlotte has fallen a little out of favour, now often overlooked for her also-wildly-talented sisters, I still count this classic book among my all-time favourite reads. K: Kim by Rudyard Kipling While Kipling is probably better known for his poetry and his children’s stories (like The Jungle Book), he also painted an incredible portrait of India in Kim. Against that stunning backdrop, he tells the story of a young orphan boy who follows a spiritual master, but somehow finds himself swept up in a world of military espionage, and has to extricate himself to pursue his spiritual life. L: Little Women by Louisa May Alcott “A moral book for girls”, Alcott’s publishers demanded of her, and she delivered… but not without her own cleverly-veiled barbs and controversial life lessons contained therein. Little Women, for too long, was excluded from the American literary canon, written off as schmaltzy crap, but it’s finally getting its moment in the sun and the recognition it deserves. A brilliant book! M: Moby Dick by Herman Melville This book is, ironically, many a reader’s white whale. Like its titular leviathan, it is huge, it is unwieldy, and you must follow it to places you’d never expect or imagine. While I completely understand it’s a slog to get through, there’s also a certain magical quality about Moby Dick for me. Being as long and as complex as it is, you’ll find something new and different inside every time you pick it up. Be brave, give it a go, and maybe it won’t be as bad as you think (or, at least, the slog will be worth it!). N: Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave by Frederick Douglass Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave is an incredible mid-19th century memoir by former slave Frederick Douglass, generally held to be the most famous such work of that period. It serves as an incredible treatise on abolition as well as a beautiful account of an enslaved man’s ambitions for freedom. O: Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens A typically-cheerful Dickens novel, Oliver Twist is about the life of a young boy, born in a workhouse and sold into an apprenticeship with an undertaker. When he reaches London, he falls in with a gang of juvenile delinquents, and that’s where his adventures really begin… It was Dickens’s second novel, and it’s wonderful to see his signature style emerge through these pages. P: Pride And Prejudice by Jane Austen Yes, Austen features twice in this list, because if there’s a book that’s synonymous with the words “classic English literature” in the minds of most readers, it’s this one: Pride And Prejudice. The romance of Elizabeth Bennet and Mr Darcy has become so pervasive in pop-culture that it’s now considered archetypal, and even those who haven’t (yet!) read this book can recognise its features. Q: Queen Victoria by Lytton Strachey This is the original and definitive biography of one of Britain’s longest-serving monarchs. Queen Victoria probably had more influence on our lives today than you and I would know, were it not for classic portraits of her life and rule, like this one. She’s been an object of fascination for a long time (since her birth, really, in 1819), and many books have been written about her, but almost all of them inevitably refer back to this one as a source text. R: Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe Have you ever dreamed of sailing away to a desert island, and living out the rest of your life alone with the beach views? Well, try living vicariously through Robinson Crusoe and you’ll soon think twice: that castaway life ain’t all beer and skittles! This is widely considered to be one of the first – if not the first – novels of the English language, and it’s still in heavy circulation today. S: Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson Yes, Stevenson deliberately omitted the preposition (“The”) from the original book title, which means technically this one counts for S! Strange Case Of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde was the prototype for the niche-sub-genre of “doppelgänger lit”, and while it’s short, it packs one hell of a punch. It’s worth picking this one up if only to find out where the idiom of being a “Jekyll and Hyde character” comes from… (and you can read about more literary origins of idioms here, too!). Fine, if you’re going to insist that it doesn’t count, because most contemporary editions include the preposition, how about Sandition by Jane Austen? T: Tess of the D’urbervilles by Thomas Hardy Here’s another classic that was underappreciated in its time (I swear, they all were, almost!). Tess of the D’urbervilles wasn’t published in full for many years; the first editions that appeared in the late 1800s were highly sanitised and censored. Luckily, today we get to enjoy it in its full filthy glory, the story of a young woman forced (by poverty) to seek out her rich relatives and try to stake a claim on part of their fortune. U: Uncle Tom’s Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe President Abraham Lincoln once met Harriet Beecher Stowe, and asked her if she was the “little lady” who had “caused so much trouble”. He was referring, of course, to this incredible book, Uncle Tom’s Cabin, which fanned the fires of the abolitionist movement in American, and (ultimately) the Civil War that ended legally-sanctioned slavery in the South. V: Vanity Fair by William Makepeace Thackeray “A novel without a hero” proclaims the cover page, and indeed, there are very few likeable characters in Thackeray’s Vanity Fair. While rambling and meandering at times, it mostly follows the lives of two dichotomous young women, the saintly martyr-slash-doormat Amelia Sedley, and the mischievous calculating Becky Sharp. Guess whose side I’m on…! W: Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë If all you know of the love story of Cathy and Heathcliff has been drawn from the Kate Bush song, you’re missing out! Wuthering Heights is dark, weird, gothic, and confronting, but also incredibly layered and scarily realistic at times. Come for the “great romance” of the love song, stay for the stark Brontë vision of the darkness that stirs within us all… X: Xantippe and Other Verse by Amy Levy They said it couldn’t be done, but I did it! I found a classic book for “X”! It’s perhaps not as well known as the others on this list, it’s barely in circulation, and technically Xantippe is a poetry collection, but it counts! The title poem, Xantippe, is an imagined monologue from Socrates’ wife as she lay on her death bed. It’s the star of the show, and well worth checking out for that reason alone… Y: Yeşil Gece by Reşat Nuri Güntekin Yeşil Gece is a story told against the backdrop of the Turkish War of Independence, and the formation of the Turkish Republic, a beautifully evocative setting. A devoutly Muslim man sends his son, Şahin (the protagonist), to a nearby Islamic school, where he starts causing trouble and openly rebelling, spouting secularist ideals. It’s a startlingly relevant read, nearly a hundred years after its initial publication. Z: Zaynab by Muhammad Husayn Haykal Zaynab was first published in 1913, and is now widely considered to be the first modern Egyptian novel. A beautiful young peasant girl, Zaynab, is the object of three different men’s affections: a plantation owner’s son, a peasant foreman, and the man destined to become her groom in an arranged marriage. As I’m sure you can imagine, romantic misadventures abound… Are there any you’d like to add? Let’s see if we can get up to two per letter! Drop your suggestions in the comments below (or share them over at KUWTP on Facebook!). Are you a chronic alphabetiser, too? Find out what that says about you in my post on bookshelves as personality types. 9 Classic Books Worth Reading September 27, 2019 / ShereeKUWTP / 12 Comments Reading the classics can be tough, there’s no doubt about that. Many of them are written with old and unfamiliar language conventions, there’s all kinds of cultural references that have since fallen from collective memory, and the content isn’t always that relatable. I think, though, that most people are scared of classic books for a different reason. They worry that they’re not “smart enough” or “well read enough” to understand or enjoy them. I know that’s how I felt before I started the Keeping Up With The Penguins project. I was sure any classic book I tried to read would go right over my head. Now, having read a lot of the classics on my original reading list, I’ve changed my mind. I can guarantee that reading the classics won’t always be as difficult or as scary as you think. I posted earlier this year about how to read more classic books, but if you’re struggling to figure out where to start, here’s a list of nine classic books worth reading. Jane Eyre – Charlotte Brontë Charlotte might have been the most duplicitous and judge-y of the Brontë sisters, but in my view she also wrote the most accessible books. Wuthering Heights, from her equally-revered sister Emily, was really quite complicated and dark and I struggled with it, but Jane Eyre was fantastic! There are no real language barriers to overcome, the characterisation was superb (in fact, Charlotte was once called “the first historian of the private consciousness”), and the story was quite straightforward. Of course, the leading man, Mr Rochester, is problematic AF and you do have to take off your feminist-ideals hat to enjoy the romance properly, but if you can manage that, you’ll find a lot to love in this classic book. Read my full review here. The Adventures Of Sherlock Holmes – Arthur Conan Doyle Arthur Conan Doyle is probably the only doctor in the history of the world who had to use writing as a side-hustle to earn some extra cash. That’s how he came to write The Adventures Of Sherlock Holmes, a series of extremely popular mysteries featuring the character now considered to be the world’s most famous fictional detective. I love recommending this collection to people who are a bit time-poor or find themselves easily distracted while reading; the stories are short, Doyle’s economy of language was masterful, and they’re non-chronological, meaning they can be read in any order. Most of all, they’re extremely enjoyable and highly satisfying. If you like the BBC’s Sherlock series, you must give the original a go. Read my full review here. Long time Keeper-Upperers are probably shocked to see Pride And Prejudice on this list. I don’t blame them: I dragged my feet for so long on this book. But when I finally sat myself down, and rolled up my sleeves, and dove in to Austen’s best-loved work, I found myself pleasantly surprised. It’s a great Austen for beginners, because the dialogue and language don’t feel too stilted, and the romance will be familiar to anyone who has ever read a book or seen a movie. Lizzie and Darcy’s relationship has been adapted, interpreted, satirised, and re-written so many times, it’s basically an archetype at this point. Read my full review here. David Copperfield – Charles Dickens I think a lot of people are put off David Copperfield by its sheer size; most editions run to 1000+ pages, and my own copy had to be published in two volumes because it was too long to hold together as a single book. It’s probably not a good one to pick up if you’re not in the mood to commit to one story for a good long while. That said, Dickens called David Copperfield his “favourite child”, and I can see why. It’s a beautiful, clever, epic tale of a Victorian man’s life, styled as an autobiography, with something for everyone: action, adventure, mystery, romance, politics, and more. I said in my review that I “devoured the thing like a drunk woman eating a kebab”, and I think that sums up pretty well why I think it’s one of the best classic books worth reading. Read my full review here. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: it is crucial – CRUCIAL! – that when you pick up a copy of Little Women for the very first time, you find an edition with a really good introduction that explains Louisa May Alcott’s life and politics for you before you begin. Her story of the four March sisters in Civil War-era New England is often written off as sentimental fluff, a “book for girls”, which is a damn shame. I think it’s largely because people don’t take the time to understand Alcott’s motivations for writing the book, the position she held in society and in her family, and the subtle ways in which she subverted the tropes of a “moral story for young women”. If an edition with a great introduction isn’t forthcoming, you can always start with my review, where I detail a lot of the aspects I found interesting. I highly recommend giving this one a go around Christmas time; the iconic opening scene will get you in the holiday spirit. Read my full review here. I think most non-academic readers groan when they encounter a book written in dialect. When it’s done poorly, it makes reading the book a real chore. Luckily, Mark Twain’s The Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn flows so naturally you won’t even notice the clever ways he manipulated language to depict the Southern drawl. Huck Finn is a confronting novel, at times, and certainly controversial, for many reasons: violence, racial epithets, white-saviour storylines, all of which have led to it being challenged and banned at various points in time. But it’s still a classic book worth reading! The characters of Huck and Jim jump off the page, and you won’t be able to pull yourself away from their adventures down the Mississippi River. Read my full review here. Fine, I’ll concede: if you struggle with subtle stories, The Age Of Innocence might not be the one for you, but maybe you should give it a go anyway. I was constantly surprised reading Wharton’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel; it seemed to move so slowly, and yet she could find a way to make an important point or a pithy social critique while describing a house or a garden bed. Her female characters in particular are beautifully complex and flawed, and I fell in love with the way that Wharton used them to make ever-relevant comments about the role of women in society. Plus, it’s the story of a social scandal on the scale of Brangelina; you’ll come out of this book on either Team Countess Olenska, or Team May Welland, I guarantee it. Read my full review here. Speaking of social critiques, The Grapes Of Wrath is eerily current. Save for a few technological advances, I would completely have believed (had I not seen the date on the inside cover) that this was a contemporary novel set pretty much in the present day. Its perspectives on capitalism, automation, climate change, class warfare, and workers’ rights are scarily relevant in a post-Trump and post-Brexit world. Plus, the story – especially its end (which I won’t spoil here, but I do in my review, be warned!) – is hauntingly beautiful, and the matriarch Ma Joad is now my favourite character in all of American literature. Read my full review here. Crime And Punishment – Fyodor Dostoyevsky To say I approached Crime And Punishment with trepidation would be a gross understatement. I was fully convinced (with no true factual basis, mind you) that the Russian classics were dense and dull, and I would be in for a rough time with Dostoyevsky’s tale of a young man who tries to commit a moral murder. I was – I’ll say it loud and proud – absolutely wrong. This book had me cackling with laughter the whole way through, and finding myself (worryingly) relating to the anxious axe-murderer. Make sure you pick up the David McDuff translation, as I did – I can’t attest to any of the others, but he did a bang-up job! Read my full review here. Of course, all books are worth reading in some measure, but I think these classic books have something special to offer, especially if you’re just wading into that part of the literary world for the first time. Have I skipped over your favourite classic? Got any other classic books worth reading to suggest? Drop them in the comments below (or over at KUWTP on Facebook!). My Reading List Page Count: 109 Classic and Best Seller Books From Shortest to Longest September 13, 2019 / ShereeKUWTP / 8 Comments I’m becoming a bit obsessed with looking at my reading list for this project from different angles. I’ve created a bookish timeline to see what period I’m covering, and a world map to look at all the different places I’m travelling, through the magic of the written word. And here’s a peek behind the book blogger curtain for you: I can actually see what searches people use to find Keeping Up With The Penguins, and it would seem that a lot of you are curious about the page counts of classic and best seller books. So today, I’m going to arrange my entire TBR from longest to shortest by page count. (Note: these are the page lengths of the actual editions I own, so it might differ from what Wikipedia says or the copy you have at home.) The Thirty-Nine Steps by John Buchan: 138 pages The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie by Muriel Spark: 150 pages A Single Man by Christopher Isherwood: 152 pages Murphy by Samuel Beckett: 158 pages A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess: 160 pages Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson: 161 pages The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho: 167 pages Mrs Dalloway by Virginia Woolf: 172 pages The Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy by Dougals Adams: 180 pages The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald: 184 pages Amongst Women by John MaGahern: 184 pages The Wind In The Willows by Kenneth Grahame: 192 pages The End Of The Affair by Graham Greene: 192 pages Party Going by Henry Green: 192 pages The Maltese Falcon by Dashiell Hammet: 201 pages Brave New World by Aldous Huxley: 201 pages An Artist Of The Floating World by Kazuo Ishiguro: 206 pages As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner: 208 pages Lolly Willowes by Sylvia Townsend Warner: 222 pages Scoop by Evelyn Waugh: 222 pages If I Stay by Gayle Forman: 224 pages The Picture Of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde: 224 pages The White Mouse by Nancy Wake: 224 pages We Were Liars by E. Lockhart: 227 pages Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury: 227 pages The Catcher In The Rye by J.D. Salinger: 230 pages The Happiest Refugee by Anh Do: 232 pages My Brilliant Career by Miles Franklin: 232 pages Cold Comfort Farm by Stella Gibbons: 233 pages The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath: 234 pages A Brief History Of Time by Stephen Hawking: 241 pages Gentlemen Prefer Blondes by Anita Loos: 243 pages (also contains But Gentlemen Marry Brunettes, which I also read.) The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway: 247 pages Little Women by Louisa May Alcott: 248 pages The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne: 250 pages The Turn Of The Screw by Henry James: 272 pages (also contains The Aspen Papers, which I definitely did not read. I’ve had my fill of Henry James.) Portnoy’s Complaint by Philip Roth: 274 pages Lord Of The Flies by William Golding: 285 pages Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe: 286 pages Frankenstein by Mary Shelley: 288 pages The Call Of The Wild by Jack London: 288 pages (also includes White Fang, which I didn’t read. Too much puppy torture!) Gulliver’s Travels by Jonathan Swift: 292 pages Still Alice by Lisa Genova: 293 pages The Dressmaker by Rosalie Ham: 296 pages The Age Of Innocence by Edith Wharton: 301 pages To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee: 309 pages On The Road by Jack Kerouac: 310 pages A Passage To India by E.M. Forster: 312 pages Lady Chatterley’s Lover by D.H. Lawrence: 314 pages Wild by Cheryl Strayed: 315 pages The Girl On The Train by Paula Hawkins: 316 pages Kim by Rudyard Kipling: 322 page We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves by Karen Joy Fowler: 323 pages Yes Please by Amy Poehler: 329 pages My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante: 331 pages The Adventures Of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle: 334 pages Paper Towns by John Green: 336 pages Tropic Of Cancer by Henry Miller: 336 pages The Heat Of The Day by Elizabeth Bowen: 336 pages The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion: 336 pages Alice’s Adventures In Wonderland by Lewis Carroll: 336 pages In Cold Blood by Truman Capote: 343 pages Girl Online by Zoe Sugg: 344 pages The Fault In Our Stars by John Green: 352 pages Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë: 354 pages The Martian by Andy Weir: 369 pages The Maze Runner by James Dashner: 371 pages The Pilgrim’s Progress by John Bunyan: 373 pages The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins: 374 pages The One-Hundred-Year Old Man Who Climbed Out The Window And Disappeared by Jonas Jonasson: 384 pages Money: A Suicide Note by Martin Amis: 394 pages Pride And Prejudice by Jane Austen: 398 pages Dracula by Bram Stoker: 400 pages The Husband’s Secret by Liane Moriarty: 406 pages Sybil by Benjamin Disraeli: 412 pages The Grapes Of Wrath by John Steinbeck: 416 pages She Came To Stay by Simone de Beauvoir: 416 pages The Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain: 416 pages (also includes The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, which I did read, too) The Brain That Changes Itself by Norman Doidge: 432 pages American Sniper by Chris Kyle: 448 pages Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell: 459 pages The Narrow Road To The Deep North by Richard Flanagan: 467 pages Nineteen Nineteen by John Dos Passos: 469 pages Emma by Jane Austen: 474 pages True History Of The Kelly Gang by Peter Carey: 478 pages Divergent by Veronica Roth: 489 pages Clarissa by Samuel Richardson: 516 pages (but this is an abridged edition, the full version is literally one of the longest books ever written.) Catch-22 by Joseph Heller: 519 pages All The Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr: 531 pages The Adventures Of Augie March by Saul Bellow: 536 pages The Golden Bowl by Henry James: 547 pages The Colour Of Magic by Terry Pratchett: 569 pages The Book Thief by Markus Zusak: 584 pages The Life And Opinions Of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman by Laurence Sterne: 588 pages Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë: 590 pages The Golden Notebook by Doris Lessing: 596 pages The Lake House by Kate Morton: 608 pages Life After Life by Kate Atkinson: 622 pages The Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri: 656 pages Crime And Punishment by Fyodor Dostoyevsky: 656 pages The Big Sleep by Raymond Chandler: 672 pages (note: also contains other stories) All The King’s Men by Robert Penn Warren: 672 pages A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson: 687 pages Ulysses by James Joyce: 719 pages Moby Dick by Herman Melville: 720 pages A Game Of Thrones by George R.R. Martin: 864 pages Vanity Fair by William Makepeace Thackeray: 883 pages Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra: 1056 pages David Copperfield by Charles Dickens: 1057 pages The strangest thing I noticed: page length has very little to do with how long a book feels. Mrs Dalloway felt like a much longer read than My Brilliant Friend, and yet the latter is nearly twice as long in page count. It also felt like a much longer read than The Prime Of Miss Jean Brodie, but in reality they’re about the same length. Weird, eh? Really, you can’t tell much from a book’s page count at all. Some of the classic books, which we all assume will be long and meaty, have the fewest pages, while some of the most-recent best-sellers are doorstops. So, here’s my total (I know you’re all dying to know): accounting for a few pages of notes skipped here and there and a couple of combination editions where I didn’t read the second book, the Keeping Up With The Penguins project has me reading 40,700 pages. Not bad! And, of course, you can find links to every single review here (I update the list with the new one published each week). If you’re curious about how many pages are in your TBR, you can find page counts for most editions of most books on Goodreads (and you can friend me while you’re there!). How many pages is your current read? Add to the list in the comments below (or join the thread over at KUWTP on Facebook!). 7 Most Heartbreaking Deaths In Literature July 26, 2019 / ShereeKUWTP / 6 Comments I’m not going to sugar-coat it (when do I ever?): authors are sadists. They get their jollies crafting wonderful characters that we adore and cherish, only to kill them in the most brutal and gut-wrenching ways. Every booklover has at least one or two character deaths that have left them scarred and reaching for the tissues. If you’ve read any of these books, I’m very sorry for your loss and for triggering those traumatic memories. If you’ve not picked them up yet, consider this an impassioned warning of what lies ahead. Here are the seven most heartbreaking deaths in literature. Ted (The Dressmaker – Rosalie Ham) I’ll confess, I didn’t love everything about The Dressmaker, but the death of Ted is one of the cruellest I’ve ever read (and that’s coming from a book littered with corpses and all manner of cruelty). Tilly, the protagonist, overcomes her trauma and opens herself up to love, only to have her leading man, the kind-hearted and dreamy Ted, meet a very sudden and unfortunate end. As a joke, he jumps into a silo, as he used to do when he was a kid, believing it to be filled with wheat… only it was actually filled with light sorghum that couldn’t support his weight. He suffocated as he sunk down, never to be seen again, as Tilly watched helpless from the top. Gahhhh! Lady (A Game Of Thrones – George R.R. Martin) George R.R. Martin is famous (or infamous) for his fictional death toll, and A Game Of Thrones has more dead bodies than you can poke a stick at, but the one that truly broke me was that of Lady. Each of the Stark children has been given a direwolf of their own, to keep as a pet, and it’s a wonderful arrangement until Arya’s direwolf attacks the prince. Arya is clever enough to send her beloved pet off into the woods to hide, but Queen Cersei’s vengeful wrath demands satisfaction. She insists that Sansa’s direwolf, Lady, be killed in its place. And Ned Stark offers to be the one to do it, saving the gorgeous animal any unnecessary pain. The death of an innocent at the hands of a loving father! sobs Sirius Black (Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix – J.K. Rowling) “Good one, James!” Sirius shouts, mistaking his beloved godson for his departed friend, right as Bellatrix Lestrange fires off a curse that sends him into that good night. His body falls through a strange portal, never to be seen again. J.K. Rowling is a cruel, cruel woman! You know what, pretty much every death in the Harry Potter series is heartbreaking: Dumbledore, Lupin and Tonks, Fred, Hedwig, Dobby… I’ll accept any answer except for Snape. That guy caused so much trouble just because he was butt-hurt that Lily didn’t love him back, I have no sympathy. Anyway, at least Rowling is kind enough to apologise for one death per year on Twitter. Tom Robinson (To Kill A Mockingbird – Harper Lee) To Kill A Mockingbird is all about the loss of innocence, and Tom Robinson’s death is just that: the literal death of an innocent man, wrongly convicted of a heinous crime. So disheartened by his guilty verdict, and its racial overtones (Tom being a black man, accused of raping a white woman), he tries to escape prison, only to be shot by the guards. It’s the one time we see Atticus Finch truly shaken, so heartbroken is he that Tom didn’t live to see out the appeals process and his exoneration. Tom’s death had to happen, so that readers could fully understand the consequences of injustice, but that doesn’t make it any less sad. The “Goldens” Prince Philip and Fatima (We Were Liars – E. Lockhart) There are five beautiful golden retrievers in E. Lockhart’s We Were Liars, and I am emotionally traumatised by the needless death of two of them, Prince Philip and Fatima. They were lovable goofballs, treasured pets of the Sinclair grandparents. They ate starfish from the beach, only to vomit them up on the fancy carpet later, and adored tennis balls. Yes, they’re a metaphor for the pretty-but-vapid Sinclair sisters, but I was truly heartbroken by their deaths. They were sacrificed in the Liars’ foolish and futile attempt to destroy family privilege with an act of petty vandalism. What terrible waste! Beth March (Little Women – Louisa May Alcott) You’d be hard-pressed to find a booklover who doesn’t list Beth’s death in Little Women as one of the most heartbreaking deaths in literature. Beth was the sweet one, the innocent one, the one who sought only to spread joy and care for others… so, of course, she had to bite the dust. In fact, her kindness is the very reason she died; she contracted scarlet fever while caring for a neighbour’s sick child. She died curled up next to Jo, satisfied that for once she would be the first of her sisters to do something. If you don’t want to take my word for it, consider Joey in that episode of Friends, who was so distressed he had to hide the book in the freezer… John Thornton and All. Of. The. Dogs. (The Call Of The Wild – Jack London) In just 84 pages, Jack London managed to cram in more heartbreaking deaths than the rest of this list put together. So many dogs died in The Call Of The Wild – some killed by humans, some killed by their fellows, some killed by the sheer exhaustion of their work i n the gold rush. What’s more, the only nice human in the whole book, John Thornton, the only damn one who shows these animals the kindness and respect they deserve, goes and gets himself killed by a Native American tribe. He is avenged, of course, but still! I can’t fathom the depths of London’s cruelty. As you can see, I’m of the firm belief that dog deaths are the most heartbreaking deaths in literature, and I’m not even sorry for crowding this list with them. Humans, at least, usually deserve what’s coming to them, and can defend themselves; our best friends with four legs, on the other hand… reaches for tissues. Which do you think are the most heartbreaking deaths in literature? If you can work through the pain, tell me in the comments (or share your grief over at KUWTP on Facebook!). The Best Mothers In Literature May 10, 2019 / ShereeKUWTP / 14 Comments Last year, I did a post on the best fathers in literature, and I think it’s high time the ladies got a look in. That’s just, like, the rules of feminism! William Ross Wallace, U.S. lawyer and poet, said back in the 19th century that “the hand that rocks the cradle is the hand that rules the world”, and it’s just as true today, but don’t be fooled! The best mothers in literature aren’t all gentle, maternal wallflowers. Here’s a list of my favourites… Marmee (Little Women – Louisa May Alcott) I figured we’d get the obvious pick out of the way straight up: you’ll be hard-pressed to find a list of the best mothers in literature that doesn’t feature Marmee, from Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women. Everyone comes for the all-American-girl archetypes of the March sisters, but Marmee is the real star of the show. She runs a huge household on the smell of an oily rag, with her husband off at war, all the while still prioritising generosity and charity, and yet she doesn’t seem to be a martyr. Marmee has an incredible sense for exactly what each of her daughters need, be it tough love or gentle comfort, and she dishes it out accordingly. Imagine if she and Atticus Finch got together, they’d probably fix the world… Read my full review of Little Women here. Úrsula Iguarán (One Hundred Years of Solitude – Gabriel García Márquez) If life-span were the criterion by which we judged the best mothers in literature, Úrsula from One Hundred Years Of Solitude would surely get the gong. She lives to be over 150 years old, all the while caring for three subsequent generations of her family. And that’s not all! She rolls up her sleeves and renovates her whole house herself (more than once!), runs a business, and keeps all the plates spinning with enviable aplomb. She keeps the whole family in check, and acts as a touchstone for rationality and practicality in Márquez’s whirlwind multi-generational epic. Catelyn Stark (A Game Of Thrones – George R.R. Martin) I know the direwolf is the sigil of House Stark in George R. R. Martin’s A Game of Thrones, but Catelyn Stark, in my mind, is a damn lioness. She’s fiercely protective: just try looking at one of her kids a bit funny, and you’ll find yourself on the receiving end of some serious wrath! Catelyn shows us that being a good mother doesn’t always mean being warm and gentle – or even present. Sometimes, the best thing you can do for your kids is storm off across the country and raise hell on their behalf. And before you say it, I can forgive her for being a bit rough on Jon Snow; it can’t have been easy raising the kid you believe is the living, breathing evidence of your otherwise-wonderful husband’s infidelity… Read my full review of A Game Of Thrones here. Sunyan Woo (The Joy Luck Club – Amy Tan) The Joy Luck Club‘s founder, Sunyan Woo, isn’t one to wallow. Instead of getting rightfully depressed about her very shitty life circumstances, she cops on with it, basically manifesting the happiness she so desperately wishes for her family. She makes some heartbreaking sacrifices, even knowing all the while that her daughters will never truly understand the choices she makes, but believing firmly in what is best for them. We usually think of “good” mothers as giving their kids everything they want, and the kids smiling and thanking them endlessly, but there’s another side to it in real life. Sunyan Woo is a wonderful example of that type of good motherhood. Addie Bundren (As I Lay Dying – William Faulkner) OK, I’m well aware that this is a controversial inclusion in a list of the best mothers in literature, but I stand by it. Addie dies pretty early on in As I Lay Dying – hope I didn’t spoil that for you, but heck, the title is a pretty big clue – and there’s really only one chapter written from her perspective. And yet, Faulkner still manages to tell us so much about her! I feel like I know her personally. Through her reflections, and those of her family, we know that Addie did pretty well to plan the hand she was dealt in life… but she reveals to us that she didn’t lose touch with who she truly was, someone who didn’t wish to be a mother, and didn’t relish the job, despite all the social pressure to feel differently. She cared deeply for her family, but she was also movingly honest about not quite fitting the mould her life had cut for her. I found it refreshing and incredibly endearing. Read my full review of As I Lay Dying here. Molly Weasley (Harry Potter – J.K. Rowling) Molly Weasley from the Harry Potter series is the Marmee for this generation. Sure, everyone goes ga-ga over Lily Potter’s big “sacrifice”, but in our heart of hearts we all know we’d rather be mothered by the hard-arse matriarch of the Weasley family. She cares deeply and tenderly for all of her children, taking in Harry and Hermione as her own as well, but she’s never a soft touch and she doesn’t hesitate to dole out the discipline as required (which, given that she raised two identical-twin pranksters, is pretty often). I challenge you to read her immortal line – “Not my daughter, you bitch!” – and tell me to my face you don’t get chills. Ma Joad (The Grapes of Wrath – John Steinbeck) Another American classic, another incredible matriarch – what is it in the water on that side of the world that helps them write the best mothers in literature? Ma Joad is the true hero of Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath, and that’s a hill I’m happy to die on if you want to argue the point. She whips up meals out of thin air, miraculously keeping starvation at bay for the whole family. She shields the still-warm corpse of her own mother from the rest of them to ensure they reach California safely. She calms the nerves of her pregnant daughter, and delivers the baby herself when the time comes. I could give a hundred other examples, but I’m sure by now you’re as convinced as I am that she is the backbone of the Joad family. Read my full review of The Grapes Of Wrath here. Miss Honey (Matilda – Roald Dahl) Miss Honey is proof that motherhood is not to be found only in blood or biology. Matilda‘s birth parents are all kinds of awful (Dahl did have a real knack for writing shitty guardians), but in Miss Honey this young girl finds the love and support she needs. Like any other mother, Miss Honey sees Matilda’s special talents and incredible intelligence, and goes above and beyond to protect and nurture her. In each other, Matilda and Miss Honey find their real family, and it’s so touching – far more than you’d expect from a children’s book! Helen Graham (The Tenant of Wildfell Hall – Anne Brontë) The best mothers in literature haven’t always been recognised as such. In fact, Helen Graham – the titular Tenant of Wildfell Hall – was so shocking, so controversial, so blatantly feminist that Charlotte Brontë forbid the book’s republication after Anne’s death. The notion that a woman(!) would think for herself, and escape her philandering drunk of a husband to start a new life with her adored son instead of just, y’know, putting up with it, was not only confronting to rigid Victorian sensibilities – it was literally illegal. Thankfully, we can now recognise Helen Graham as the brave feminist icon she is, and admire her incredible commitment to taking care of her child, flying in the face of all social expectations. Who do you think are the best mothers in literature? I would love some more examples of wonderful WOC and LGBTIQ+ mothers – they’ve historically been so underrepresented in books, and we need to redress that balance! Drop some suggestions in the comments (or tell everyone over at KUWTP on Facebook!).	cc/2020-05/en_head_0057.json.gz/line134
__label__cc	0.682962	0.317038	Press Release: Lt. Governor Folsom (2007-11) "Big Jim" Folsom Inducted into Road Builders Hall of Fame Former Governor James E. "Big Jim" Folsom, father of Lt. Governor Jim Folsom, Jr. was inducted into the Alabama Road Builders Hall of Fame April 14th at a ceremony in Montgomery. The Alabama Road Builders Hall of Fame was formed in 2002 to properly recognize the many individuals and companies who have contributed so greatly to the transportation construction industry in the state of Alabama. The mission of the Alabama Road Builders is to honor, preserve and perpetuate the outstanding contributions of individuals and companies that have brought and continue to bring significant recognition to Alabama. Folsom was honored for the implementation of Alabama’s “Farm to Market” Road program. Folsom rightly understood that the entire economy of the state would be stimulated if we facilitated getting products to market in a cost effective manner. Beginning with the vision of paving 100 miles of road in each of the 67 counties in Alabama, Folsom eventually spearheaded the construction of over 18,000 miles of paved roads in the state. Folsom’s infrastructure program also constructed 217 miles of bridges statewide. Approximately $650 million of federal, state and county funds were invested in the program. Historians have judged Folsom’s “Farm to Market” program as one of the most efficient and effective uses of combined state and federal funding in our nation’s history. The legacy of Folsom’s vision is that Alabama entered the mid-century poised to attract new industry that would restructure the Alabama economy and lead us down a pathway that continues to bear economic fruit today. For more information, visit http://ltgov.alabama.gov	cc/2020-05/en_head_0057.json.gz/line148
__label__wiki	0.873757	0.873757	By University Alliance on December 03, 2007 Students Across the Globe Receive Unprecedented Access to Traditional Higher Education Tampa, FL – Adult learners all over the world now have the opportunity to attend one of America’s premier universities without leaving home. Through enhanced Internet technology, Florida Institute of Technology (Florida Tech) is offering the same unparalleled education online that was previously available exclusively to on-campus students. “With the launch of Florida Tech University Online, we’re able to deliver a world class university experience with courses taught by internationally recognized faculty to students almost anywhere in the world,” said Dr. Anthony Catanese, president of Florida Tech. “We’re excited about providing the next generation of leaders in business, engineering, and technology with a Florida Tech education they can fit around their busy schedules.” Florida Tech is extending its already successful online initiatives to include 11 new undergraduate and graduate degrees; Four MBAs will be added January 1, 2008. All courses are taught by Florida Tech’s internationally recognized faculty and include dynamic features such as online chat rooms, professor-led streaming video, message boards, email and downloadable MP3 lectures – all available 24/7. The combination of these technological components culminates in a unique, one-on-one experience no other Internet program can match. Academic Excellence. Online Convenience. “We’re proud to offer a comprehensive array of undergraduate and graduate degree programs from a nationally ranked university widely recognized for its emphasis on academics and research, specifically in the fields of business, engineering and technology,” said Nathan M. Bisk, founder and chairman of the University Alliance which provides the technology and a host of student services. “By working with Florida Tech, the University Alliance continues to ensure adult learners have the opportunity to advance their career with a degree from an accredited, traditional university.” Students can choose from the following programs: AA Liberal Arts AA Business Administration BA Criminal Justice BA Accounting BA Business Administration/Management BA Business Administration/Marketing BA Business Administration/Accounting BA Business Administration/Computer Information Systems BA Business Administration/Healthcare Management BS Computer Information Systems HR Administration Minor with any Bachelor’s MS Information Technology MBA/Management* MBA/Marketing* MBA/Accounting & Finance* MBA/Health Care Management* “In today’s competitive marketplace, employers are demanding a higher level of education from employees than ever before,” Mr. Bisk added. “Our partnership with Florida Tech is particularly significant because regardless of location, people can attend one of the most respected and visionary research universities of the 21st century. This is a remarkable opportunity for students to get a world-class education – historically only available on campus – and for Florida Tech to expand its progressive reputation in the academic community.” In addition to offering the technology that makes these degrees possible, University Alliance provides a complete level of personal attention and service. From answering questions about financial aid to offering technical support, University Alliance extends a broad range of benefits maximizing each individual’s learning experience. About Florida Tech Part of a unique family of the nation’s top forward-thinking universities like MIT, Georgia Tech, Caltech and others – Florida Tech is world renowned for its distinguished faculty, comprehensive curriculum and unyielding innovation. Florida Tech continues to be ranked a best national university by U.S. News & World Report. It’s rated by the Fiske Guide to Colleges and named a best buy in Barron’s Best Buys in College Education. Among its more than 50,000 alumni include several astronauts, many CEOs of major corporations, Senior Executive Service (SES) members and nearly two dozen generals including two four-star generals, four three-star generals, nine two-star major generals and three one-star brigadier generals. Florida Tech’s main campus is located in Melbourne, Florida. About University Alliance Online University Alliance Online, with more than 300,000 enrollments to date, is America’s largest exclusive provider of online certificate and degree programs from the nation’s leading universities including Villanova University, the University of Notre Dame’s Mendoza College of Business, Tulane University’s Freeman School of Business, Thunderbird School of Global Management, the University of San Francisco, the University of South Florida, Florida Institute of Technology, Regis University, The University of Scranton, Dominican University and Jacksonville University. Program offerings include a broad range of professional certificates, as well as associate’s, bachelor’s and master’s degrees. Available January 1, 2008 *Coming in 2008 Category: 2007 Headlines	cc/2020-05/en_head_0057.json.gz/line149
__label__wiki	0.79398	0.79398	Giant Rock, Space People and the Integratron READ THIS DISPATCH By Kim Stringfellow On the morning of February 21, 2000 at 8:20 a.m., an extraordinary event occurred. In outlying Landers, California, an immense boulder of igneous quartz monzonite, formed some 65 to 136 million years ago, cleaved. A huge section of the boulder came crashing down, revealing a gleaming white granite core.[1] This erratic, aptly-named Giant Rock towers some seven stories high, weighs in at 25,000 tons or more, and covered 5,800 square feet in its original form. Years before Giant Rock mysteriously split, this apartment-sized monolith achieved widespread notoriety. According to unsubstantiated internet accounts, ancestral Serrano and Chemehuevi conducted spiritual ceremonies at Giant Rock, during which only the chief was allowed to touch or be near it.[2] By the start of the Great Depression, an eccentric prospector would tunnel underneath it to build his home. The boulder’s next tenant would claim that a friendly extraterrestrial visitor had provided the design for the nearby domed time-travel machine known as the Integratron. New Agers have described Giant Rock’s location as a spiritual vortex where the Earth’s ley lines intersect, thus channeling mystical and psychic energy. Perhaps there is some validity to this assertion…? After all, Landers, located about twenty miles north of Joshua Tree National Park, was the epicenter of a severely destructive 7.3 magnitude earthquake that occurred on June 28, 1992. Take into account this online report involving Shri Naath Devi, founder of Eagle Wings of Enlightenment in South Central Los Angeles. On February 19 and 20, 2000, after fasting, she and a group of devotees began a “long dance” ceremony because Shri had divined that the boulder was being spiritually neglected. In response, the earth was expected to undergo a “violent upheaval” unless they intervened. The story goes on to detail how the “Mother” would crack the boulder at its side if their prayers were answered. Alternatively, if it split through the middle, this action expressed the Mother’s displeasure with humankind. The group began the ceremony at Giant Rock and moved to the nearby Integratron property that afternoon. Here, from sunset until 3:30 a.m. the following morning, eight to ten participants danced around a fire until “the last person fell from exhaustion,” thus concluding the rite as a light rain began to fall.[3] Not only did the boulder crack the next day, but a huge one-eighth section broke off. Shri Naath Devi and the others are said to have interpreted this as Mother Earth “opening her arms to us, cracking open her heart for the world to see.”[4] This episode adds yet another cryptic layer to the strange and colorful folk history of Giant Rock, what some considered the largest freestanding boulder in the world. Illustration from a November 8, 1942 American Weekly story titled, “How the Hermit of Giant Rock Sealed his Strange Secret.” Courtesy of the Morongo Basin Historical Society. Our story begins nearly 90 years ago, when Frank M. Critzer first stumbled upon this exceptional boulder.[5] The itinerant Critzer was born in 1886 in Waynesboro, Virginia.[6] A former member of the Merchant Marine, it is not known how Critzer first learned about Giant Rock, but he evidently arrived there in 1931.[7] Critzer proceeded to set up camp as a squatter and then filed a mining claim shortly thereafter.[8] A self-reliant soul, Critzer began to blast out a 24 x 36 foot, two-room home underneath the immense boulder’s north side. The underground dwelling featured hand-hewn stone stairs leading to a ventilated living room, kitchen area and bedroom. A bank window positioned under the boulder’s overhang passively lit the chamber during the daytime, and a water catchment system collected occasional desert rainfall off the rock’s face. The interior of his subterranean home remained a temperate 55 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit year round. By most accounts, Critzer was described as an odd but sociable host. He served up German pancakes while he and his visitors conversed, propping up their legs on boxes of dynamite, which their host used for his various prospecting and construction projects. Locally, Critzer was known for community service, grading 33 miles of level dirt roads in the future Landers area, earning the nickname “Straight Road Frank” for his efforts. He additionally graded an emergency landing field on the dry lake just east of boulder, complete with an unauthorized windsock. The Giant Rock Airport remained operational from 1940 to 1975. One of Critzer’s strangest boasts was how he was “so full of electricity” that he could charge flashlight batteries by placing them under his pillow while he slept.[9] Publicly, Critzer was described as an agreeable character. An illustrated article from the May 9, 1937 edition of the Los Angeles Times featured his unique home and the public airstrip. A few years later, however, a July 26, 1942 Times article presented Critzer in a completely different light: Three Riverside deputy sheriffs raided his subterranean home on July 25, 1942, seeking information on recent thefts of dynamite, gasoline and mining equipment in area towns.[10] Apparently the encounter had gone sour. To add fuel to the fire, Critzer had been under FBI investigation sometime during the late 1930s, for suspicious activities spurred by pre-WWII paranoia and his fraudulently assumed German heritage. It hadn’t helped that he had installed a short wave radio antenna and receiver on a nearby rock formation, adding to the speculation that he was a Nazi spy. Although Critzer was formally cleared of these charges, law enforcement and some locals remained apprehensive of this eccentric desert character. “You’re not taking me out of here alive. I’m going, but another way, and you’re going with me!” –Los Angeles Times, July 26, 1942 Regarding the actual chain of events that occurred on July 25, 1942, several versions of began to circulate. The Times states that shortly after arriving, deputies Claude McCraken, Harold Simpson and Fred Pratt were severely injured when 70 pounds of Critzer’s dynamite mysteriously exploded. McCraken, being the first to enter the cave, was the most seriously injured of the three. The blast was said to be so forceful that it shredded his clothing as he was violently thrown about the room. McCraken sustained up to 100 bloody gashes and had to be hospitalized. The explosion occurred as the other two deputies were descending the stairs, allowing them to escape with concussions and some less serious injuries. Varying accounts suggest that the either Critzer or the deputies somehow accidently or purposely set off the stash during the confrontation. One thing is known: Critzer, 56, died immediately. Details are murky as to how or why the blast occurred, since the explosion and subsequent fire destroyed any evidence that could determine Critzer’s guilt or innocence. As it turned out, the missing dynamite was later discovered in Joshua Tree National Monument.[11] Before Critzer’s questionable demise, one of his regular visitors was George W. Van Tassel, an Ohio native who had moved to Southern California in 1930 at age twenty to work in the booming aviation industries. Van Tassel worked with Douglas Aircraft until 1941, then moved on to Howard Hughes’ operation and finally ended his aviation career at Lockheed’s Skunk Works in Burbank. Van Tassel claims to have worked as a flight safety inspector and even as Howard Hughes’ personal test pilot, although some researchers assert that he most likely embellished his career history.[12] Van Tassel additionally claimed that he had first met Critzer in 1930 at his uncle Glenn Paine’s Santa Monica auto repair shop, just before the aspiring prospector made his way out to the Morongo Basin. According to Van Tassel’s story, Critzer had found himself broke and in desperate need of car repairs when he stumbled into Paine’s shop. The three struck up an immediate friendship to the extent that Glenn and George repaired Critzer’s car for free and let him bunk in the garage overnight. By the next day, Glenn and George had grubstaked Critzer $30 plus foodstuffs, so he could prospect in the desert. Critzer planned to repay them once he struck it rich. Keep in mind that $30 was a hefty sum in 1930 dollars—around $430 today—which is a rather generous wad of cash to hand over to a complete stranger. The trio agreed that once Critzer was settled he would drop them a line notifying them of his general whereabouts. George maintained that he visited Critzer’s home regularly beginning in 1931, occasionally with his family in tow. During these visits, Van Tassel claimed that Critzer shared breakthrough formulas for plastics not in use at the time, and other visionary inventions that were lost in the unfortunate explosion. Even after Critzer’s untimely death, Van Tassel continued to visit Giant Rock. He eventually applied for a permit from the Bureau of Land Management to operate the airport on 2,600 acres of public land in 1945. By 1947, George, his wife Eva and their three daughters moved to Giant Rock, where they began their new life running the airport and a café called Come On Inn, popular with the locals for Eva’s tasty hamburgers and spiced apple pies. During the early 1950s, Van Tassel began hosting Friday night “meditation” sessions in Critzer’s former subterranean digs. During these channeling meet-ups, Van Tassel claimed to have received telepathic communications, which he referred to as “thought transference,” originating from a group of compassionate Venusian extraterrestrials. The first of these psychic transmissions began on January 6, 1952, when “Lutbunn, senior in command first wave, planet patrol, realms of Schare” initially contacted him.[13] These psychic visitations became so numerous that by the end of 1952, Van Tassel had enough to publish a collection of missives, titled I Rode a Flying Saucer. His volume included salutatory telepathic messages from bizarrely-named benevolent aliens, such as Ashtar, Clatu, Locktopar, Singba and Totalmon. Van Tassel recounted in his 1956 book, Into This World and Out Again, his first physical encounter with the aliens. He was awakened by Solgonda, a member of the Council of the Seven Lights, around 2 a.m. on August 24, 1953, and taken onto a spacecraft that had landed at Giant Rock’s adjacent airstrip.[14] Van Tassel described the spaceship as “about 36 feet in diameter and about 19 feet high,” with an interior space that appeared somewhat smaller. Once teleported aboard, Solganda and three other male humanoid aliens showed Van Tassel the craft’s celestial navigational instrumentation and other features, including retractable seating—all described to Van Tassel via telepathy. The entire incident was estimated to have lasted about 20 minutes. During a 1964 televised interview, Van Tassel described the extraterrestrials as youthful “white people with a good healthy tan,” and of average human height. He estimated their ages at 700 years old. Many of the telepathic missives warned George and his fellow humans about the dangers of testing atomic and thermonuclear armaments. For instance, on April 19, 1952, Kerrull, 64th projection, 2nd wave, 4th sector patrol, realms of Schare proclaims, “due to inaccurate calculations, many of your fellow beings will suffer prolonged illness from an experiment to be conducted next week. This folly in the use of atomic power for destruction will rebound upon the users. Discontinue.” Indeed, the U.S. Government detonated eight “free air drop” atomic weapons between April 1 and June 5, 1952 at the Nevada Proving Ground as part of Operation Tumbler-Snapper, which caused “dramatically higher civilian radiation exposures” of radioiodine 131 in downwind regions.[15] As a UFO “contactee” Van Tassel was not unique. It is not coincidental that nearly all of his peers hailed from Southern California, or that many of their alien encounters took place in the Mojave Desert. Consider George Adamski, author of the 1953 book, Flying Saucers Have Landed (co-written with Desmond Leslie), who had his first encounter with a friendly Venusian called “Orthon” near Desert Center, California, on November 20, 1952—around the same time of Van Tassel’s initial contact.[16] Adamski described Orthon as a fashionably attired extraterrestrial sporting a belted jumpsuit with tanned Nordic features and shoulder-length blonde hair, who could also communicate telepathically. In 1949, several years before this particular encounter, Adamski began giving public lectures throughout Southern California about his numerous UFO sightings in the Palomar Gardens area of North San Diego County. As with Van Tassel’s benign and compassionate aliens, Orthon warned Adamski about the perils of atomic testing, with the explanation that radiation emanating from earth would spread and contaminate the entire solar system. Adamski also claimed that the Venusians subscribed to universal law, stressing a “Creator of All” that conveniently reflected Judeo/Christian religious beliefs and doctrines. The idea that Christianity and even Christ himself came from outer space seems to be the prevailing ethos communicated by these alien mentors to their 1950s contactees. Van Tassel went so far as to postulate that Mary, mother of Christ, was herself an extraterrestrial “who volunteered through assignment” to birth Jesus on Earth, or Shan, as the space people were said to call our planet. It seems that Jesus Christ, too, was an alien selected for duty. Both were part of Van Tassel’s “Adamic Race” of “space people of God’s pure creation.”[17] He goes on to mention that the three wise men present at Christ’s birth were extraterrestrials who followed the spacecraft, better known as the Star of Bethlehem, “until it hovered where Jesus was being born.” This is just one of Van Tassel’s numerous and complicated revisionist interpretations of both the New and Old Testaments, in which he posits “angel” as a misspelling and misinterpretation for “alien,” or that a select group of individuals with the correct “vibratory body aura” will be snatched up to the heavens by godly extraterrestrials during the Rapture.[18] In his 1976 collection of writings, When Stars Look Down: “Whether one believes in Christ, or not, is not the point…The point is that the conditions of earth require outside intervention, and the time conforms to the requirements of prophecy.” Van Tassel, along with the other 1950s “Christian ufologists,” including Adamski and Orfeo Angelucci, would help usher in the 1970s “New Age of Earth” movement that brought together esoteric traditions, occultism, 1960s counterculture, and environmentalism into an eclectic, holistic spiritual institution. Another notable mid-century contactee with Mojave Desert connections was Truman Bethurum, a day laborer who also moonlighted as a fortuneteller and spiritual advisor. Bethurum detailed his own experience in his 1954 book, Aboard a Flying Saucer, claiming he had been singularly invited aboard a spacecraft that landed in the desert near a worksite where he and a construction crew were laying asphalt. The captain of the vessel turned out to be a petite, extremely striking humanoid female named Aura Rhanes, who was visiting from the planet Clarion. Bethurum explained how this unknown planet could not be directly viewed by humans because it remained behind the sun, seemingly unfettered by the laws of planetary motion. During their ten recorded meetings, notably at public lunch counters, Aura communicated to Bethurum that Clarion was a utopian society free of “war, divorce and taxes.” She went on to share how Clarionites lived to be nearly 1000 years old and were good Christians to boot. Captain Rhanes offered Bethurum a ride on her spacecraft but she apparently flaked out. Bethurum claims he never saw or heard from her again, although he remained obsessed with the illusory Aura throughout his life, leading to the failure of his second marriage. On January 21, 2004, the Hi-Desert Star reported that an unidentified woman spray painted the boulder's exposed surfaces bright red as an "artistic" intervention "expressing the rock’s pain." Bethurum relocated to Landers shortly after attending one of Van Tassel’s seventeen annual Giant Rock Interplanetary Spacecraft Conventions. The events attracted droves of the UFO-obsessed, who spent two days in the desert camping in tents and travel trailers. The core 1950s contactees, including Adamski, Angelucci, Bethurum and others guests, lectured to a festive and enthusiastic crowd from a wooden platform located at the southern side of Giant Rock. In the evening, as they waited patiently for extraterrestrial visitors, attendees gathered around campfires swapping personal sightings of UFOs, alien abductions and other unexplained phenomena. At its height of popularity during the mid- to late-1950s, the convention reportedly attracted 1,200 to 11,000 attendees, depending on what year and the source cited. Van Tassel announced that he planned to run for president in 1960, using the UFO convention as his campaign launch, certain that his alien friends would help him win. Interest in the conventions began to fizzle during the early 1970s, due, in Van Tassel’s view, to the fact that UFO sightings had become commonplace. In conjunction with his annual convention, Van Tassel launched the non-profit, non-sectarian Ministry of Universal Wisdom in 1958, along with an associated college dedicated to “religious and scientific research.” He also began publishing and distributing The Proceedings of the College of Universal Wisdom and authored several more books.[19] In these sprawling treatises, Van Tassel jumps recklessly from one pseudo-scientific theory to another, suggesting that he was an intelligent, active thinker with far too much time on his hands. Sprinkled throughout his essays are references to esoteric philosophies, including Theosophy and Spiritualism along with hints of Scientology, Mormonism and his own form of Christian revisionist ufology. Over time, Van Tassel would boast that he appeared on 409 radio and television shows and had given 297 lectures.[20] Listening and watching the few archived lectures available online, it is easy to comprehend why his many followers found his demeanor so convincing—Van Tassel’s reassuring voice and his fair, conservative Anglo appearance projected an effortless image of professionalism, sincerity and authority. THE INTEGRATRON A “TIME MACHINE” FOR BASIC RESEARCH ON ANTI-GRAVITY Beginning in 1953, Van Tassel began to conceive, plan and construct the Integratron, located three miles south of Giant Rock off Linn Road in Landers. This sixteen-sided domed wooden structure is 38 feet high and 55 feet in diameter, joined together without nails or metal fasteners so as not to interfere with its conductive qualities. The building is constructed with glue, laminated old-growth Douglas fir beam “spines,” and plywood. The exterior is painted brilliant white and, from a distance, gives the impression that a flying saucer has just landed. A central one-ton concrete core holds the structure’s curvilinear wooden skeleton in place. Copper wire emanating from the core spirals outward to enfold the entire circumference of the structure. The rotating “floating” armature, mounted with 64 aluminum collectors, was designed to act as a huge capacitor to collect “up to 50,000 volts of static electricity from the air in order to charge the human body,” but it never became operational.[21] The actual architectural plans were drafted by Los Angeles architect Howard Peyton Hess, who was later asked in an interview whether he had received his design directives from aliens. He replied: “No little space people stood at my elbow and whispered in my ear. But when I finished the job, Van Tassel told me, ‘They surely must have been guiding you on this. It’s exactly what we want.’” But Hess went on to mention that he personally heard “voices purporting to be those of space people giving messages through Van Tassel’s vocal cords.”[22] Over the twenty-five years that Van Tassel worked on the Integratron, over $200,000 in worldwide donations from his devotees funded its construction—one could imagine the endeavor as an early crowdfunding project. Van Tassel long maintained that Solganda provided him with the formula for the Integratron during their purported exchange at Giant at Giant Rock in August 1953. Over time, Van Tassel would interchangeably assert that this formula was a seventeen-page equation tested secretly in Chicago, or that Solganda had verbally stated this far simpler version: f=1/t with (f) for frequency and (t) for time.[23] In truth, the Integratron’s design and ultimate function were distilled from numerous sources, arising from Van Tassel’s obsession with fringe science. Conceptually, the Integratron is an amalgam of arcane interests, including Mesmerism, also known as animal magnetism, which posits an invisible natural force, possibly a vital bodily fluid, possessed by all living animate beings that responds to magnetism. The word “mesmerize” originated from Franz Anton Mesmer, the 18th century founder of Mesmerism, which was discounted by his peers as pseudo-science.[24] More central to the concept behind the Integratron is the work of Russian scientist Georges Lakhovsky, whose first iteration of his Multiple Wave Oscillator appeared in 1923. Lakhovsky authored The Secret of Life: Electricity, Radiation and Your Body in 1929, positing that, “cells from living organisms behave as tiny radio transmitters and receivers” sensitive to oscillations or frequencies that could be positively manipulated by his restorative electromagnetic device to cure cancer and other maladies.[25] This device, whose main components were two large copper coils infused with high voltage, in turn borrowed heavily from Nikola Tesla’s invention, the Tesla coil. Van Tassel extensively cites both Lakhovsky and Telsa’s concepts in his own texts describing the inner workings of the Integratron. Coincidentally, Tesla publicly shared that he, too, had received extraterrestrial communiqués. “Like batteries, cells run down, bodies run down, and the energy loss is manifested as aging.” —George Van Tassel, When Stars Look Down George Van Tassel pictured with his Integratron in Landers, CA. Photo: Daniel Hennessy for LIFE Magazine 1962. The Integratron website describes the structure as “a resonant tabernacle and energy machine sited on a powerful geomagnetic vortex in the magical Mojave Desert.” Indeed, the Integratron was designed as an electrostatic generator to rejuvenate human cells and tissue. Its designation as a “time machine” has been misconstrued: The Integratron was not designed for literal time travel but as a way to transcend the effects of time by defying the laws of gravity and reversing the ravages of age on the body. Once the structure was operational, Van Tassel intended for participants to don white suits, enter and pass through the lower floor in a precise 270-degree arc, during which each individual would be exposed to rejuvenating “electromagnetic vibrations” before exiting through the rear door. The “energy” was to be generated through the revolution of an external ring located between the two floors of the structure, which transferred and focused the “electrostatic forces” within the concrete-housed stator, positioned in the center of the lower floor. Instead of sitting between the two copper coils of Lakhovsky’s design, Van Tassel’s participants were to be immersed in a giant copper generating spiral that encircled the entire building. Although the building itself had been fully constructed by 1959, when Van Tassel rather mysteriously died of a heart attack on February 9, 1978, the Integratron’s electrostatic mechanism was said to be ninety percent complete, and no plans or instructions could be found to make it operational. Disciples close to Van Tassel claimed that his blueprints were stolen, attributing the theft to a conspiratorial cover-up. Van Tassel was buried with an epitaph reading, “Birth through Induction, Death by Short Circuit.” After Van Tassels’ death, his second wife, Dorris, leased the building to several tenants, including one who had plans to make the dome into a disco. Over the next few years the structure began to fall into disrepair, until a New Age couple from the Bay area, interested in preserving the Integratron’s unique history, decided to purchase it in 1987 for $50,000. The dome’s latest owners are three sisters from the east coast, Joanne, Nancy and Patty Karl, who bought the property in 2000. Over time they have lovingly restored both the grounds and the building, which requires constant structural maintenance. In 2018, the Integratron was nominated for the National Registry of Historic Places. Although the Integratron is not being used as Van Tassel had originally intended, it has become an outrageously trendy tourist destination with 20,000 to 30,000 visitors each year. For a fee, immersive sound bath sessions are performed with specialized white quartz bowls of varying sizes to produce transformative “harmonic sound frequencies” within the acoustically perfect upstairs space. A 2014 New York Times feature described the experience as similar to being “inside of a musical instrument.” Indeed, to participate in a sound bath at the Integratron is to encounter sound both purely and physically. The spatial qualities of the structure generate audio tones and vibrations that aurally envelop your body and mind in a profoundly pleasant meditative state. Whether or not one believes in Van Tassel’s alleged alien encounters or the Integratron’s extraterrestrial provenance, one must acknowledge his devoted affection for the landscape surrounding Giant Rock. Here, the Mojave Desert plays a starring role in Van Tassel’s out-of-this-world vision that is both a site for the wildly popular UFO conventions he hosted and his magnum opus, the Integratron. One can surmise from Van Tassel’s writings and interviews that, as an embedded desert dweller who slept with his family semi-outdoors most evenings, he remained attuned throughout his life to the desert’s many nuances and hidden secrets. It should be noted, too, that public fascination with Van Tassel’s UFO-tinged form of Christianity was not coincidental; his claims were uncannily similar to those of his peers. More importantly, however, they tapped into the looming Cold War anxiety of the time. Of course, these claims were bolstered by a heavy dose of showmanship and Van Tassel’s obsession with fringe science and esoteric spiritual practices.[26] His vision may have even indirectly inspired darker manifestations of these UFO-based myths, such as the infamous 1997 Heaven’s Gates mass suicide. Still, without Van Tassel’s moonstruck extraterrestrial-infused visions, mid-twentieth century popular culture would just not be the same. Shortly after Giant Rock cleaved in 2000, theories began to circulate on the cause of the split, including the previously mentioned “long dance” ceremony. The local Hi-Desert Star initially offered natural causes as the likely culprit, suggesting that an existing fracture in the rock had been exacerbated by continuous weather-induced expansion and contraction along with intermittent seismic events—including a 4.4 earthquake centered in Loma Linda just two hours before break occurred. One of the more rationale explanations was the extreme heat generated by numerous bonfires set at all sides of the boulder throughout the years—some large and hot enough to do lasting damage. Indeed, Giant Rock continues to be a popular local meet-up spot for partying teenagers, ravers, campers and off-roaders, who have regularly set fires around the monolith using large timbers, tires, car engines and other combustible items. The resulting black soot shrouds the boulder’s lower northern face, where the Bureau of Land Management filled in Critzer’s bunker during the early 1980s. One gentleman wrote to the Hi-Desert Star, suggesting that the 1942 blast contributed to the split. Whatever the actual cause, most folks were not particularly surprised when crude graffiti appeared instantaneously, marring the pristine white surface. On February 21, 2004, the Hi-Desert Star reported that a woman painted the exposed inner surface of Giant Rock a bright magenta, using a generator-powered airless sprayer. Two dirt bike riders stumbling upon this January 11, 2000 “artistic” intervention were aghast. When they asked the woman what she was doing, she explained, “This is my way of expressing the rock’s pain. The rock is bleeding from the split.” To this day the woman has not been identified. The red paint is no longer visible but has been replaced by layers of new tagging. Lacking any reverence for what this boulder may have witnessed throughout its unfathomable history, these individuals return time and time again to deface it without forethought. Throughout the years, a number of local groups including the Friends of Giant Rock have organized clean up efforts and graffiti abatement in their attempt to rid the area of trash, debris and unsightly markings on the boulder’s surface. Artist Karyl Newman, who created a detailed online interactive timeline of Giant Rock’s history, partnered with the Bureau of Land Management, the Morongo Basin Historical Society and several community groups for three trash collection efforts she initiated in 2016. In all, they removed over seven tons of trash from the surrounding site. Newman is currently partnering with the Yucca Valley’s Hi-Desert Nature Museum to develop Our Giant Rock: A Community Touchstone in the Mojave, a multimedia project and programming series funded by California Humanities, scheduled for public launch in 2019. Newman will bring together an archaeologist, explosives specialist and other research experts in an attempt to resolve some of the many mysteries of Giant Rock. Was the site truly a locus for regional tribal occupation and spiritual activities? To what extent did federal authorities investigate Critzer and Van Tassel, and if so, what did they find? And finally, what really caused Giant Rock to split in 2000? No doubt as time passes, Giant Rock and Van Tassel’s mythical legacies will continue to evolve. Over deep time, the incessant graffiti will have long faded and the boulder’s secrets and lore will be lost. One thing is certain: Giant Rock will persist as it always has—stoically and with fortitude—well into the next millennium. Be sure to check out Calling All Earthlings, a new feature film by Jonathan Berman about George Van Tassel and the Integratron. This article is co-published with KCET Artbound. Visit Artbound’s Mojave Project page here. Did you enjoy reading this dispatch? Consider supporting us with your tax-deductible donation. NOTES (click to open/close) [1] The Morongo Basin’s Hi-Desert Star reported on February 23, 2000 that Leslie and Larry Blunden of Palmdale, among others, had been camping at Giant Rock the morning of the split, thus recording the time of the actual event. [2] These anecdotal accounts fail to provide any anthropological evidence for such claims, but it seems they originate from a single document authored by George Van Tassel, a copy of which is in the possession of the current Integratron owners. The authenticated handwritten letter details Giant Rock’s early Native American history as told to Van Tassel by area Indians and also Charlie Reche, a well-known rancher who sold the property on which the Integratron is located to Van Tassel. [3] Joanne Karl, one of the Integratron’s current owners, was present for the long dance ceremony headed by Shri Naath Devi and described the event. Joanne Karl, email correspondence with the author, April 27, 2018. [4] The author was not able to contact Shri Naath Devi to comment on or confirm this story. [5] Critzer is a variant of Kritzer. Both spellings were used interchangeably in various historical newspaper accounts. The 1940 U.S. Census for Twentynine Palms, San Bernardino County, California, lists his name as “Critzer.” However, his death certificate on file at findagrave.com spells his last name as “Kritzer”—a misspelling. [6] Critzer’s February 25, 1928 notarized Merchant Marine application states that he is a Native U.S. citizen and not a German national as some previous accounts have stated. [7] “His Roof is a Rock,” Popular Science Monthly Vol. 136, no. 2, February 1940, 136. This feature on Critzer’s unique home states that he arrived at Giant Rock in 1931. [8] Giant Rock sits on public land managed by the Bureau of Land Management. [9] Ed Ainsworth, “Plans for ‘Out of This World’ Laboratory in Desert Disclosed,” Los Angeles Times, June 17, 1954. [10] Technically, the Riverside County deputies were out of jurisdiction as Giant Rock lies within San Bernardino County. [11] Ainsworth, Out of This World. [12] Sasha Archibald,“Mass Effect,” Cabinet Magazine Issue 53, Spring 2014. Archibald states that Van Tassel most likely exaggerated his career resume: “He [Van Tassel] told the 1940 census-takers he was a tradesman, a tool and die maker.” [13] George Van Tassel, I Rode A Flying Saucer (Los Angeles: New Age Publishing Co., 1952), 18. [14] G. W.Van Tassel, Into This World and Out Again, (Self-published, 1956), 80. This story is recounted in Van Tassel’s other books as well as the June 18, 1964 KVOS Webster television interview, “The Extraordinary Equation of George Van Tassel,” KVOS Channel 12 Films archive, Center for Pacific Northwest Studies, Western Washington University. [15] “Operation Tumbler-Snapper,” The Nuclear Weapon Archive, accessed May 2018, http://nuclearweaponarchive.org/Usa/Tests/Tumblers.html. Tumbler-Snapper released about 15,500 kilocuries of radioiodine (I-131) into the atmosphere (for comparison, Trinity released about 3,200 kilocuries of radioiodine). Although this was only some 40 percent more than that released by Buster-Jangle, unfavorable weather patterns caused dramatically higher civilian radiation exposures (about 15-fold). The total thyroid tissue exposure amounted to 110 million person-rads, about 29 percent of all exposure due to continental nuclear tests. This can be expected to eventually cause about 34,000 cases of thyroid cancer, leading to some 1,750 deaths. [16] Desert Center is technically in the Colorado Desert but near the ecological transition zone where these two deserts meet. [17] George Van Tassel, When Stars Look Down (Los Angeles: The Kruckeberg Press, 1976), 140. [18] There are many other colorful Biblical reinterpretations described in When Stars Look Down, including this gem on page 37: “This mass pickup of people will take place very soon, prior to the planet’s rebalancing on new poles. This cataclysm will wipe out the destructive mammon lovers who will be left on the surface.” Continuing on page 141 Van Tassel states: “The time is short. You are either an instrument of God, or a pawn of the devil. Jesus is about to land amidst you. Are you ready to be “taken up” or are you one who “be left.”” [19] In addition to the books previously mentioned, Van Tassel authored Into This World and Out Again (1956), The Council of Seven Lights (1958) and Religion and Science Merged (1958). [20] These numbers can’t be confirmed and are based solely on Van Tassel’s own accounts. [21] Jennifer McCartney, “A Time Machine in the Mojave Desert,” The Atlantic, February 20, 2015. [23] During the 1964 KVOS TV interview Van Tassel states the shorter version of the “formula” at 15:30. [24] Westernized hypnosis has its roots in Mesmerism. Asian healing practices such as reiki and qigong share similarities with Mesmerism. [25] Archibald,“Mass Effect.” Lakhosvsky’s research and the Multiple Wave Oscillator are described in detail by Archibald. [26] An example of Van Tassel’s considerable ego is apparent in this passage in When Stars Look Down on page 177: “It’s a strange thing that George is involved in so many firsts. Maybe this is where the expression evolved of ‘1et George do it.’ Here we have George Crile’s research tied in with George Lakhovsky’s principles, being extended by George Van Tassel. After all, George Washington was our first President, and Nikola Tesla was financed by George Westinghouse. Nikola Tesla’s discoveries made Westinghouse what it is today. Then there is the contrast of opposites because Ge-or-ge is ge twice with an “or” in between, and Westinghouse’s largest competitor is General Electric or G.E., and further in the letter expression of meanings, G.E. means generate energy.”	cc/2020-05/en_head_0057.json.gz/line158
__label__cc	0.725037	0.274963	United States v. Ojimba UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, Plaintiff, NNAMDI FRANKLIN OJIMBA, Defendant. TIMOTHY D. DeGIUSTI UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE. Before the Court are Defendant's motions in limine to exclude (1) summary testimony [Doc. No. 23]; (2) certain statements from Ken Ezeah or Akunna Ejiofor [Doc. No. 24]; and (3) text messages between Defendant and Ken Ezeah using the “WhatsApp” application [Doc. No. 27]. The government has responded to the motions. The matter is fully briefed and at issue. This matter stems from a prior criminal case whereby the government alleged Ken Ezeah and Akunna Ejiofor created a scheme to commit identity theft and wire fraud. In sum, the defendants were alleged to have set up various online dating profiles using false information, formed online relationships with several women, and then persuaded those women to wire money by promising to manage their money and investments. Ezeah subsequently pled guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Ejiofor opted to go to trial, where a jury found her guilty on all counts. Here, Defendant has been similarly indicted for conspiracy to commit wire fraud (Count 1), aggravated identity theft (Count 2), and wire fraud (Counts 3-4). Addressed in this Order are three motions in limine filed by Defendant. First, Defendant objects to the introduction of summary testimony and/or charts by the government's case agent or other witness to explain the overall charged conspiracy and Defendant's alleged role in the scheme. Second, Defendant moves that the government be precluded from presenting evidence regarding (1) Ezeah's statements made to the FBI at the time his home was searched, before or after his guilty plea, or his testimony at Ejiofor's trial, and (2) Ejiofor's statements made to the FBI at the time her apartment was searched, statements made when she was transported to the federal courthouse or FBI's office after said search, and at her trial. Lastly, Defendant moves to preclude the government from offering into evidence chats or messages purportedly between Ezeah and Defendant on the application “WhatsApp” that were extracted from Ezeah's cell phones. STANDARD OF DECISION Although motions in limine are not formally recognized under the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, courts have long recognized their utility under the courts' inherent power to manage the course of trial proceedings. Luce v. United States, 469 U.S. 38, 41 n. 4 (1984); Jones v. Stotts, 59 F.3d 143, 146 (10th Cir. 1995). “A motion in limine presents the trial court with the opportunity ‘to rule in advance of trial on the relevance of certain forecasted evidence, as to issues that are definitely set for trial, without lengthy argument at, or interruption of, the trial.'” Wilkins v. Kmart Corp., 487 F.Supp.2d 1216, 1218 (D. Kan. 2007) (quoting Palmieri v. Defaria, 88 F.3d 136, 141 (2d Cir. 1996)). Although such pretrial rulings can save time and avoid interruptions at trial, “a court is almost always better situated during the actual trial to assess the value and utility of evidence. Consequently, a court should reserve its rulings for those instances when the evidence plainly is ‘inadmissible on all potential grounds' ... and it should typically defer rulings on relevancy and unfair prejudice objections until trial when the factual context is developed[.]” Id. (citations omitted); see also Hawthorne Partners v. AT & T Tech., Inc., 831 F.Supp. 1398, 1400 (N.D. Ill. 1993) (“Unless evidence meets this high standard, evidentiary rulings should be deferred until trial so that questions of foundation, relevancy and potential prejudice may be resolved in proper context.”). Lastly, “the district court may change its ruling at any time for whatever reason it deems appropriate.” Jones, 59 F.3d at 146 (citations omitted); see also Luce, 469 U.S. at 41 (“The ruling is subject to change when the case unfolds, particularly if the actual testimony differs from what was contained in the defendant's proffer. … [E]ven if nothing unexpected happens at trial, the district judge is free, in the exercise of sound judicial discretion, to alter a previous in limine ruling.”). I. Summary Evidence The decision of whether to permit summary evidence is within the Court's discretion. United States v. Channon, 881 F.3d 806, 810 (10th Cir. 2018). Federal Rule of Evidence 1006 permits summary exhibits “to prove the content of voluminous writings [or] recordings ... that cannot be conveniently examined in court.” Id. Although the information upon which a Rule 1006 summary is created need not itself be admitted into evidence, it must still be admissible. Channon, 881 F.3d at 810. Rule 611 allows for summary evidence otherwise inadmissible under Rule 1006; it provides: “[t]he court should exercise reasonable control over the mode and order of examining witnesses and presenting evidence so as to: (1) make those procedures effective for determining the truth; (2) avoid wasting time; and (3) protect witnesses from harassment or undue embarrassment.” Fed.R.Evid. 611(a). In United States v. Ray, [1] the Tenth Circuit adopted a two-part test to determine whether summarized exhibits relying on previous testimony are admissible under Rule 611(a): first, the court considers “whether the summary chart ... aids the jury in ascertaining the truth.” Id. at 1046. Relevant factors include the length of trial, the complexity of case, and the possible confusion generated by a large number of exhibits. Id. at 1047. Second, the court considers any resulting prejudice, looking at whether, for example, the preparer was available for cross examination and whether the court gave any limiting instructions. Id. The Court is familiar with the extensive underlying facts of this case and finds admission of summary evidence is warranted. The Court has previously declared this case to be a complex case requiring extended litigation under the Speedy Trial Act, 18 U.S.C. §§ 3161(h)(7)(A), 3161(h)(B)(ii) [Doc. No. 16]. The present case consists of an alleged conspiracy spanning two years involving multiple communications, transactions, and locations. Moreover, in Ms. Ejiofor's trial, the Court permitted the use of a summary witness-Agent Schmitz-who was subjected to extensive cross examination and will likewise be subject to cross examination here. Lastly, the Court can issue limiting instructions to the jury regarding their consideration of such evidence. See, e.g., Pattern Jury Instructions for the Tenth Circuit, Criminal Instruction No. 1.41. Defendant's motion on this issue is DENIED.          II. ...	cc/2020-05/en_head_0057.json.gz/line161
__label__wiki	0.596094	0.596094	Metcalfe World Family Tree Documents Select CategoryUncategorisedFamilyFamily AlbumsFamily CollectionsFamily TreeGenealogyMetcalfe WorldPrevious Websites Genuki.co.uk Family Tree Genealogy Previous Websites Paul Metcalfe UK and Ireland Genealogy Useful guide for anyone interested in UK and Ireland genealogy. Well worth a look. The aim of GENUKI is to serve as a "virtual reference library" of genealogical information that is of particular relevance to the UK & Ireland. It is a noncommercial service, provided by an ever-growing group of volunteers in cooperation with the Federation of Family History Societies and a number of its member societies. In the main, the information that is provided in GENUKI relates to primary historical material, rather than material resulting from genealogists' ongoing research, such as GEDCOM files. THE UNITED KINGDOM AND IRELAND The UK and Ireland are regarded, for the purposes of this Genealogical Information Service, as being made up of England, Ireland (i.e. Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland), Wales, and Scotland, together with the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man. Together, these constitute the British Isles - which is a geographical term for a group of islands lying off the north-west coast of mainland Europe. (Legally, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man are largely self governing, and are not part of the United Kingdom.) The Administrative Regions into which the UK and Ireland are divided have changed frequently in recent years. However, in line with normal genealogical practice, this Information Service is structured according to the counties as shown in these maps of England, Scotland and Wales, and of Ireland, i.e., as they were prior to the re-organisation that took place in 1974 (1975 for Scotland). FamilyTree Genealogy PreviousWebsites The Metcalfe Society Wirksworth Parish Records	cc/2020-05/en_head_0057.json.gz/line162
__label__wiki	0.787519	0.787519	MT-Headed Blog Musical thoughts and ramblings by Michael Teager Tag Archives: ecm records New Listen: Jack DeJohnette’s ‘In Movement’ Jack DeJohnette’s In Movement is a powerful addition to an already consequential discography as a bandleader. Among other ventures, the bands and recordings under DeJohnette’s Special Edition moniker are formidable. Unfortunately, this still seems to be a surprise for some, as the drummer, composer, and pianist is often considered “just a sideman.” (Which is laughable — even if he’d never functioned as a bandleader, the fact that he’s played with just about everybody since the 1960s, while remaining one of music’s best drummers at 73, nearly negates the connotation of “sideman.”) In Movement features: Jack DeJohnette — drums, piano, electronic percussion Ravi Coltrane — tenor, soprano, and sopranino saxophones Matthew Garrison — electric bass, electronics Much has been made of the historical nature of In Movement‘s lineup. (Coltrane and Garrison’s fathers, John Coltrane and Jimmy Garrison, formed half of arguably the greatest quartet in jazz history. Furthermore, DeJohnette sat in with the elder Coltrane in the early 60s, years before joining Miles Davis — also Trane’s former employer — later that decade.) However, don’t be fooled by any sense of nostalgia: the playing and sounds are fresh. It’s an album of today, informed by yesterday, and looking to tomorrow. One of DeJohnette’s main strengths as a bandleader and composers is his command of orchestration in small ensembles. His Special Edition bands, for example, sound like groups of Mingus-y proportions instead of the quartets and quintets they are. Similarly, In Movement often sounds much bigger than a trio. That’s not to say that it’s busy and cluttered. There’s a lot of space on this record. But, between the three of them, they bring the forces and possible textures of a quintet. Garrison’s electronic work often provides a sonic bed or wash to envelop the group, with DeJohnette’s piano providing a nice acoustic counterpoint to the electric sounds. And it’s worth noting Coltrane’s strong presence, not only on his standard-issue tenor and soprano, but also on sopranino. I believe this album is his recording debut on the instrument, and what a strong one it is. Sopranino is a difficult horn to manage, even (unfortunately) for those who play it regularly, but Coltrane doesn’t falter here. I’ll be honest: when I first read that he played it on this album, I rolled my eyes, and my ears waited for it to stick out like a sore thumb. However, I instead realized partway through “Rashied” that I was hearing masterful sopranino work. In Movement includes three covers which emphasize the album’s lineage: a weighty, solemn rendition of John Coltrane’s “Alabama” (with the composer’s son on tenor, channeling his father) opens the album; a sparse, soprano- and piano-driven rendition of Miles Davis and Bill Evans’s “Blue in Green”; and a plodding, deeply grooving account of “Serpentine Fire” by Earth, Wind & Fire that sounds wholly different from the original. Other allusions appear elsewhere, with “Rashied” (for drummer Rashied Ali) featuring a fiery sax and drum duet reminiscent of Interstellar Space, and “Two Jimmys” (for Jimmy Garrison and Jimi Hendrix) allowing Garrison plenty of room to paint an abstract sonic canvas rife with effects, distortion, and wandering lines. It’s better to almost ignore the titles, though, as the other originals blend right in. “Lydia” is a mid-tempo stroll which tastefully blends Coltrane’s melodic soprano playing with DeJohnette’s trademark (at least to me) cymbal work and Garrison’s pocket bass lines and electronic textures. “In Movement” is a fitting title track, capturing not only the highlight talents from “Lydia,” but also exploring quicker, more intertwined lines and grooves. It’s also an apt title — while DeJohnette and Coltrane forge ahead, Garrison both follows on bass and stretches time with his electronic textures. And though “Alabama” served as a somber opening, “Soulful Ballad” is more optimistic, with DeJohnette and Coltrane trading drums and tenor for piano and soprano, respectively. This is an encouraging sign of where DeJohnette’s bandleader duties may be headed in this stage of his career, particularly on ECM. I’m already waiting for the follow-up. In Movement was released on May 6 by ECM Records and is available now. Album links: This entry was posted in New Listen and tagged ecm records, jack dejohnette, matthew garrison, ravi coltrane on May 9, 2016 by Mike. New Listen: Mette Henriette Artist: Mette Henriette Album: Mette Henriette (2015, ECM Records) ECM has done it again: introduced me to a new artist and new sounds. Saxophonist and composer Mette Henriette Martedatter Rølvåg’s double-album ECM debut Mette Henriette is a triumph, presenting a fresh sound from an original voice. I’ve been listening to this album for several weeks now, and one thing remains constant: this is a soundworld in which I want to inhabit and further explore. It’s enchanting. Mette Henriette includes 35 pieces that flow seamlessly over 100+ minutes. The two discs, while complementary, each showcase a different ensemble: a trio on the first and a 13-piece “sinfonietta” on the second. Although Mette is the leader, she doesn’t often place the saxophone front and center, opting instead to blend into the overall texture. Similarly, while Mette subtly demonstrates that she’s a virtuoso tenor saxophonist, she doesn’t make her technique an end itself — it’s always a tasteful means and used appropriately. The album is billed as jazz, but that’s selling it a little short. It’s as much chamber music as it is jazz. The Nordic- and free-jazz elements may serve as a foundation, but this album transcends many singular stylistic labels. In fact, the first time I listened to it — straight through and without regard for track names and numbers — it wasn’t until about an hour in when I thought that it sounded like a “jazz record” (“wildheart,” specifically). Also, the quantity of tracks can be some misleading, as I find it best to just listen to the album straight through — either a disc at a time or all together. It flows nicely, and the only real noticeable change is the transition from the trio to the larger ensemble, which itself is gradual. The first disc features the trio of Mette, pianist Johan Lindvall (who composed three of the pieces: “.oOo.,” “3 – 4 – 5,” and “O”), and cellist Katrine Schiøtt. The three perform a quiet, intimate series of 15 pieces that together sonically paint a stark landscape upon which they wander. While the album isn’t explicitly constructed as a suite or other similar large work, there are motifs that recur throughout in different permutations, be they short melodic phrases or textures (e.g., the low piano ostinato in “all ears” and “beneath you”). A number of the pieces are melancholic and mournful though not without hope. In fact, light breaks through towards the end with “I Do” and “O.” This trio of tenor sax, cello, and piano is wonderfully flexible, showcasing an uncanny knack for orchestration. The tasteful use of extended techniques — such as the sax and cello’s parallel lines both in standard ranges and in altissimo/harmonics in “the taboo” — help to break up the texture, and you rarely get the aural impression that it’s a static ensemble. Also, regarding the aforementioned stylistic transcendence, it’s rarely clear if the music is composed or improvised. I know that both are occurring, but I don’t always hear the delineation, which is a compliment to the composer and the performers. In fact, the first time one hears a semblance of a “jazz lick” is in the first disc’s penultimate track, “I do,” and even then it’s fleeting. The second disc features a large ensemble of the aforementioned trio plus trombonist Henrik Nørstebø, trumpeter Eivind Lønnig, violinists Sara Övinge, Karin Hellqvist, and Odd Hannisdal violist Bendik Bjørnstad Foss, cellist Ingvild Nesdal Sandnes, bandoneonist Andreas Rokseth, bassist Per Zanussi, and drummer Per Oddvar Johansen (also on saw). It’s not an abrupt change of ensemble, however, and rarely does the full group play in concert. The immediate use of bandoneon on “passé” is of course obvious, but much of the ensemble gradually enters over the next several tracks (including the strings-only “pearl rafter” and winds-only “unfold”), culminating in “wildheart,” the whole album’s first raucous romp and the first time in which Mette’s free jazz roots enter the spotlight, with her guttural cries on tenor rising from the band’s primordial bed. Given that, the second disc isn’t as uniformly quiet as the first. While the more cacophonous moments can break up the pieces more than on the first disc, everything is still rather seamless. As evidenced by “wildheart,” the second disc, though often complementary to the first (e.g., “behold” sounds like something originally for the initial trio but re-orchestrated for a different instrumentation), explores different sonic terrain. Another example is “late à la carte,” which drunkenly plods along like some Lynchian (and Badalamentian) burlesque. Several pieces later, “I” begs the question of what is improvised and what’s composed, only in a far more aggressive context. There appear to be motifs and structure, yet it also sounds rather free. Perhaps it’s both? I can’t know without the score, and that’s an asset. The music simply flows — composed and improvised, quiet and loud, dissonant and consonant, free jazz and chamber music, trio and sinfonietta. I know it’s a word thrown around too often, but Mette Henriette is a unique album, particularly as an ECM debut. The only other ECM albums I sort of immediately liken it to are the Evan Parker and Roscoe Mitchell pairing of Boustrophedon and Composition/Improvisation Nos. 1, 2, & 3, but only really because of the structure — a large mixed ensemble of classical and jazz musicians performing notated and improvised music. As for sound, though, Mette is an original voice, and one I’m anxious to hear a lot more from going forward. Mette Henriette is available in the US this Friday, November 20. Pre-order via: This entry was posted in New Listen and tagged ecm records, mette henriette on November 16, 2015 by Mike. New Listen: Manu Katché’s ‘Touchstone for Manu’ [NOTE: I also talk a bit about this album and review on today’s episode of Matt Borghi’s The Sound Traveler Podcast, which you can find here. Also, as expected, I gush over Tore Brunborg‘s playing.] Artist: Manu Katché Album: Touchstone for Manu (2015, US; 2014, EU) This is a bit of a different review, as it’s technically not a new listen for me, though it is a new release. Touchstone for Manu is part of ECM’s retrospective series the label has initiated for its more notable, frequent, and/or core artists. The retrospectives have included various forms: the :rarum series (Keith Jarrett, Jan Garbarek), box sets (e.g., Jack DeJohnette, Eberhard Weber), or non-:rarum compilations (e.g., Manu Katché, Anouar Brahem). Katché’s addition — along with Brahem’s — to that lineup helps to usher in a younger generation. It shouldn’t surprise longtime readers of this blog that I’m a fan of Manu Katché. 2010’s Third Round not only led to my writing this site’s first album review, but it also quickly led me into the Katché catalogue. It was also through Third Round that I came to know the playing and library of Tore Brunborg, who I now consider one of my favorite living saxophonists. Touchstone for Manu draws pretty equally from Katché’s four albums as a leader on ECM: 2005’s Neighbourhood, 2007’s Playground, 2010’s Third Round, and 2012’s Manu Katché. (1992’s It’s About Time [on BMG] and 2014’s Live in Concert [on ACT] aren’t included.) Chronologically, these albums go from an acoustic aesthetic rooted in more straight-ahead jazz to involving some electric and electronic elements as well as more pop grooves and/or devices. You can certainly hear this in the compilation’s selections. And this should be no surprise, as Katché has one foot each firmly planted in jazz and pop. Aside from the aforementioned Jan Garbarek, he’s also extensively played behind the likes of Peter Gabriel, Sting, and Joni Mitchell. His upcoming studio debut on ACT looks to get funky with a full horn section, which I can’t wait to hear. As a composer, one thing I appreciate most about Katché work is the way he structures a piece. It’s a constant throughout his oeuvre. Instead of heavily relying on the typical head-solo-head[-outro] format that permeates so many jazz albums, Katché often includes segues, countermelodies, and other devices to maintain interest. (Of course, he’ll sometimes use the head-solo-head format as well, but it’s great that it’s not a crutch for him.) Sometimes it’s not clear if the lead line is improvising or playing a defined part — if it’s the melody or a solo. Briefly, the lineup for each album (as represented on Touchstone, as some personnel don’t make it) is: • Neighbourhood includes the rhythm section of Katché (drums, percussion), Marcin Wasilewski (piano), and Sławomir Kurkiewicz (double bass) with the frontline of elder heavies Jan Garbarek (sax) and Tomasz Stańko (trumpet). • Playground keeps the same rhythm section but features a younger frontline of Mathias Eick (trumpet) and Trygve Seim (sax). Another acoustic quintet. • Third Round has the rhythm section of Katché, Pino Palladino (electric bass), Jason Rebello (piano), and Jacob Young (guitar), with Tore Brunborg (sax) as the solo horn. • Manu Katché is a pared-down quartet of Katché, Jim Watson (piano, Hammond B-3), Brunborg (sax), and Nils Petter Molvær (trumpet & effects). Touchstone includes some nice variety. The first half features the acoustic bands with the electric ones in the latter half, allowing the listener to hear the stylistic evolution over his first decade as a leader on ECM. Another thing worth noting is that, for a drummer to be leading an instrumental band, it’s remarkable how restrained Katché’s playing is in the studio. While there are some active and/or funky tunes (e.g., “So Groovy,” “Keep on Tripping,” “Running After Years”), the drums never really let loose. Katché’s happy to lay down a groove and to let the band play with and off each other as opposed to bathe in the spotlight. Over the course of the album’s eleven tracks, you hear Katché’s sound (through his band and compositions) really come into its own. From the straight-ahead numbers (“Take Offs and Land,” “Song For Her”) to the more pop-oriented (“Swing Piece”) and a synthesis of both (“Running After Years,” “Slowing the Tides”). Touchstone for Manu is a great place to start for the uninitiated. With an even mix of albums and styles, it’s a nice primer and reference point for his output as a leader on ECM. Highly recommended. ECM link here Amazon link here iTunes link here [If you’d like to see a more fiery performance, I can’t recommend this video enough. The lineup is largely a transition band between Playground and Third Round, featuring some personnel from both albums. Similar gusto is also present on Live in Concert.] This entry was posted in New Listen and tagged ecm records, manu katche, new listen, tore brunborg, touchstone for manu on October 13, 2015 by Mike. New Listen: David Torn’s ‘only sky’ [NOTE: I also talk a bit about this album and review on today’s episode of Matt Borghi’s The Sound Traveler Podcast, which you can find here.] Artist: David Torn Album: only sky (2015) David Torn’s only sky is a wonderful addition to, and a unique artifact within, the ECM Records catalogue. While I don’t necessarily agree with the “New Age” genre classification that automatically appeared in my iTunes window when loading it to my library, Torn’s music certainly and quickly transcends jazz and classical labels and notions – however broad – within the album’s first few minutes. only sky is my first foray into David Torn’s work, at least as a solo artist. Aside from being peripherally aware of his past ECM releases, I was keen on this release because of the cross-promotion he’d been doing with saxophonist Tim Berne, a longtime associate of his and someone whose own playing I’ve come to know and admire these last couple years. (Berne also released a new album on ECM this year – You’ve Been Watching Me, produced by Torn, which is quite good. Relatedly, Berne is credited with some of the photography in the Torn liner notes.) And, to put an oddly selfish point on it, before purchasing the album I was struck to learn that Torn performed at Baltimore’s The Windup Space on only sky‘s release tour, which is a small, hip arts venue where Matt Borghi and I performed during last year’s east coast tour. As much as I love ECM and not-so-secretly aspire (in vain, admittedly) to one day join its ranks myself, part of me just wanted to know why such an artist would play a venue suitable for the likes of me (i.e., someone of much lower status). However, having absorbed Torn’s solo work on only sky, I can say that his intimate approach must’ve been a perfect fit for that room in Baltimore. only sky is a solo album, featuring Torn on guitar and electric oud along with myriad real-time effects and processing. So, even though it’s just one performer and his instrument, Torn creates a sonically expansive universe riddled with nine unique, engaging soundworlds. Improvisation is key, with each piece being heavily if not fully realized on the spot. The first track, “at least there was nothing,” is perfectly emblematic of this. The desolate, calm beginning includes multiple layers of sound. Without the liner notes, one wouldn’t even immediately know that a guitar is the source. This textural – almost ambient – approach continues for a while, with an electric oud eventually entering with the album’s first monodic statements after over five minutes. Lest you think the whole album is one meditatively ambient work, each tune explores different sonic territory. “spoke with folks,” the next track, changes course and heads in an almost Americana direction. Beginning with a diatonic, folk-like melody, Torn speaks through various iterations that gradually add distortion and head into psychedelic territory, which opens the door for the more rock-based explorations in “ok, shorty.” “was a cave, there…” returns to the ambient-friendly aesthetic of the album’s opening. But where “at least there was nothing” is like sinking into a warm bath, “was a cave, there…” is like exploring the cold, unpredictable realms of space, featuring dissonance, processing, and effects. Torn then turns your attention from cosmic considerations to those of the Delta blues in “reaching barely, sparely fraught.” Over the rhythmic ostinato of open harmonies, Torn plays a blues that often borders on the swampy. Just as with the previous selections, he’s venturing into new sonic and stylistic grounds. The near devolution into distortion and processing at the very end of the track foreshadows what’s to come in “i could almost see the room.” Here, Torn uses what I’ll call aggressive “harmonic processing” that sound more akin saxophone multiphonics than solo guitar. (I’m not a guitarist, so that’s all I’ve got. Sorry, gunslingers.) This piece features a rough ABA’ form, with with some soloing over self-accompaniment falling in between the multiphonic-like sections. The title track is a contemplative ballad of sorts, cleansing the palette of the more dissonant and tense playing immediately before. In fact, one could consider this the beginning of the album’s descent, as only sky‘s golden section occurs within the aggressive “i could almost see the room,” suggesting a gradual coming down through the rest of the selections. The peaceful “so much what” features a lot of washy, strummed chords that eventually give way to almost whale-like calls. This fades into an angelic sound bed, which decrescendos to make room for one of the few instances of “pure” (in tone) guitar soloing to close out the track. It’s a rare glimpse into what Torn may sound like before being fully plugged in. Finally, “a goddamned specific unbalance” picks up where its predecessor left off, with some more soloing, though this time with a more affected tone and starting out in a monodic fashion. This is one of the few instances of arguably jazzy riffing throughout the album. Almost as an inverse of the first track, the soloing eventually transitions to more robust textures after several minutes, eventually moving along and fading into the ether as skies often do. As I mentioned at the outset, Torn transcends stylistic labels here. Furthermore, there are only a couple instances in which his playing reminds me of others, be it explicitly (though I doubt intentionally) or otherwise. For example, there are a couple brief seconds in the jazz-like soloing of the final track in which I hear shades of John Abercromie (specifically when playing with Charles Lloyd, though his work with Gateway could also be considered sonically related), and a couple of the quasi-ambient passages remind me of Matt Borghi‘s guitar work. No doubt allusions are made to Robert Fripp in various reviews, but, to me, Borghi’s more “orchestral” and arguably un-guitar-like approach to the instrument sticks out as more sonically related. Matt often refers to parts of his guitar work as “contemplative microsymphonies,” a term that, along with an extra dash or two of rock, safely applies to much of only sky. If you’re looking for something different, thought-provoking, and intimate, I highly recommend this album. I’m glad I took the plunge; you will be, too. [Hear me discuss the album on today’s episode of The Sound Traveler Podcast here.] This entry was posted in New Listen and tagged david torn, ecm records, only sky, the sound traveler podcast on September 15, 2015 by Mike. Pat Metheny’s ‘Hommage à Eberhard Weber’ Live at Detroit Jazz Festival Pat Metheny‘s Hommage à Eberhard Weber received its North American debut Monday evening in the Motor City. The new work, a mixed-media tribute to the German bassist featuring big band and sampled video, closed out the 2015 Detroit Jazz Festival on the main stage. Hommage was premiered in Stuttgart, Germany in January 2015 at a concert honoring Weber, which he attended, and also serves as the title track of the upcoming ECM release due out this Friday 09.11.15. Pat Metheny, particularly over the last decade or so, has been treating listeners to new sonic adventures, be it with his symphony-length The Way Up for the Pat Metheny Group, his orchestrion project (both solo or incorporated into the Unity Group), and now this inventive big band composition. Weber, who’s been unable to perform since a 2007 stroke, sounds and feels musically alive and well in this new work. On a selfish note, I was happy to have Metheny bring the name, image, and sounds of Weber to the Detroit Jazz Festival, which is often North American-centric (understandably so, to a degree) and doesn’t often feature the Northern European jazz aesthetic. I made the trek with friend, collaborator, and fellow ECM fan Matt Borghi. (We recorded some pre- and post-show comments and discussion for a forthcoming episode of his Sound Traveler Podcast due out this week. Link here.) The piece is unique and its performance was unlike anything I’ve seen in a jazz setting. Analogous attempts have been made in other styles, particularly in Zappa Plays Zappa, which has featured Dweezil Zappa playing transcriptions of his father’s guitar solos visually accompanied by projections of his father executing the original. But that’s in more of a reproductive, canonical context. In Hommage, Metheny uses samples of Weber’s unaccompanied improvised solos as launching pads for both composition and improvisation, resulting in an entirely new work. (Rather than an orchestration of Weber’s ideas or something else similarly derivative.) Metheny writes in the album’s liner notes: It came to me that it would be interesting to take the idea of sampling one step further; to find video elements of Eberhard improvising and then reorganize, chop, mix and orchestrate elements of those performances together into a new composition with a large projection of the Eberhard moments that I chose filling a screen behind us as we performed. It seemed like a new way to compose for me that would almost take the form of visual sampling. Reading about it and seeing footage – my photograph above or the official video trailer below – don’t quite do it justice, as this is a composition that is meant to be seen as well as heard. Reading the descriptions, I was intrigued going into the performance, but what I saw was much greater than the sum of its already impressive parts. Metheny was backed by the Detroit Jazz Festival Big Band (featuring regional heavies) and shared the spotlight with vibraphonist Gary Burton, drummer Danny Gottlieb, bassist Scott Colley, conductor Alan Broadbent, and of course the footage, spirit, and sound of bassist Eberhard Weber. The work is largely in four sections: I. Emerging from silence, winds, cymbals, guitar, and Weber build thick sonic textures and dense harmonies, giving way to Weber’s plucked solo ostinato. The big band is then off at a healthy moderato, with guitar and vibes taking the melodic and soloistic reins. Even when quicker and rhythmic, the winds offer more textural than melodic support here. II. Some building arco passages then transition to a more burning section, led again by a plucked ostinato from Weber. Here Metheny takes us into more “big band-friendly” territory, offering ample room for Metheny to shred with his trademark affected tone — it’s almost Pat Metheny Group Big Band featuring Eberhard Weber. The band transitions out of this part with the instrumental sections rhythmically punctuating against one another, eventually blending into the more textural elements from the beginning. III. Weber & co. then lead us into a folk-like romp, with Metheny quickly strumming on the hollow body a la 80/81‘s “Two Folk Songs.” Here, Scott Colley shines in the spotlight dueling in call-and-response fashion with a digital Weber. And, amazingly, like the rest of this piece, it works. It doesn’t feel forced or like the band is “playing to a track.” It all melds together into one cohesive unit. A frenetic drum solo by Gottlieb then leads us to the final chapter. IV. Much like the beginning, the big band is more textural here, while Weber melodically solos atop. The digital Weber has acted more as musical director and bassist until this point, but he’s the featured soloist to close, which makes this Hommage a very fitting and tasteful tribute. Metheny mentions in the liner notes that he hadn’t scored for big band in decades. Well, could’ve fooled me. It’s a very well-written work. Furthermore, I can’t express enough just how well all the parts come together. Seeing and hearing Weber within the piece really made him feel like a genuine part of the performance. Bravo to Pat Metheny on a job well done. The soloists and ensemble gave a commanding and cohesive performance. I could be wrong, but it appeared as if there was a quick skip/glitch in the video feed near the transition from the first to the second sections, but everyone quickly adjusted and got back on the same page. Perhaps it wasn’t a glitch and there was just a natural hiccup to overcome in the Weber track; hard to tell. (Speaking from my own experiences performing the music of Jakob ter Veldhuis, I can attest to the difficulty of performing composed works with tape, particularly when the samples aren’t always “exact” in certain sections.) The mix itself was mediocre at best, but that had nothing to do with the performers nor the composition.* I’m very glad I saw this piece live, the performance of which I’m sure will be a rarity going forward. I really hope ECM considers releasing a video of the Eberhard Weber tribute concert from Stuttgart in January so that more people will have an opportunity to see this work as well as hear it. But until then, check out the audio, and the rest of the concert (featuring a host of other musicians including Jan Garbarek) when it hits the shelves this Friday. *Having seen many DJF concerts on that same stage, I’m surprised that the mix wasn’t MUCH better. Quest, a quartet, was much louder than this full ensemble, for instance. [Photo by yours truly] This entry was posted in Misc, Performance and tagged alan broadbent, danny gottlieb, detroit jazz festival, eberhard weber, ecm records, gary burton, hommage a eberhard weber, pat metheny, scott colley, the sound traveler podcast on September 8, 2015 by Mike. mike@michaelteager.com Click to subscribe via RSS michaelteager.com Regular & Notable Topics Dave Liebman EL: (SCENE) Metrospace River of Fundament MT-Headed Series MTH-V New Listen Earnestness or Artifice? My Ambient Canon Audience Highlights Over the Decade Fandom: Here, There, and Back Again Matthew Barney’s ‘Redoubt’ at Yale University Art Gallery ‘Siegfried’ at Lyric Opera of Chicago Archives Select Month January 2020 November 2019 June 2019 March 2019 November 2018 August 2018 February 2018 November 2017 September 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 July 2016 May 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 April 2010 February 2010 October 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009	cc/2020-05/en_head_0057.json.gz/line163
__label__cc	0.533496	0.466504	Featured / Graphic Design No fluff for fluff’s sake. Posted On 6th February 2018 Great web design is not about full-screen backgrounds and advanced animations. This post discusses why the Chinese artist Ai Weiwei’s “bare-bone” website represents one of the most progressive web-designs published in a decade. Ai Weiwei (1957) is an artist, designer and activist. While he in the west often is praised in superlatives and referenced to as “the most important artist alive today” (Sooke, 2017; Higgins, 2017); in China, the government-controlled press often speak about him in less amicable terms and often addresses him as “the most dangerous man in China (Smithsonian, 2017). Through his words, art- and design Weiwei is an unrelenting critique of the totalitarian regime of his country which has cost him time in jail and a to become a target for state-sponsored harassment. Even so; he continues to fight for a just society and to bring injustices and abuse of his government into the light. One example is his publication of the names of all the 5.000 pupils who died during the Sichuan earthquake 2009 as of collapsing school buildings; a consequence of state officials whom instead of following engineering standards had used insufficient building materials and put the money saved in their own pockets (Artasiapacific.com, 2017; TIME.com, 2017). Weiwei is not the only member of his family who has challenged the Chinese leadership. His father, Ai Qing (1910); one of Chinas’ most renowned poets in 1959 was forced to move the family from Beijing to the northeastern province of Heilongjiang (Ai and Ambrozy, 2011, p.245) after being accused as a rightist, and the family was not allowed to return until 1976 and the end of the Cultural Revolution (M. Cunningham, 2017). In 1978 Weiwei enrolled in the Beijing Film Academy but soon found his call in the art. To escape the repressing barriers preventing Chinese artists to express their voice; in 1981 he “escaped” to New York and enrolling at the ‘Parsons School of Design’ soon becoming a visible figure in the fertile subculture of the city’s artists and bohemians (The Culturist, 2016). After making a living from photography and street portraits, Weiwei returned to Beijing in 1993 where he became deeply influenced by the legacies of Duchamp and Beuys and his early work from this period is dominated by conceptual pieces and ‘ready-mades.’ FIG 1: CocaCola Vase (Weiwei, 1994) Much of his art also is devised in the vein of Warhol maybe most recognized in Weiwei’s ‘Coca-Cola Vase’ (Fig 1, above); a two-thousand-year-old vase festooned with maybe the most recognized emblem of American capitalism. The year after making this provocative statement Weiwei also created his maybe most iconoclastic and provocative work; ‘Dropping a Han Dynasty Urn’ (Fig 2, below); a photographic triptych where he smashes a 2000-year-old Han Dynasty Urn creating an outrage among historians and the Chinese regime (Jones, 2017). Ai countered by rationalizing this art-work with saying that “Chairman Mao used to tell us that we can only build a new world if we destroy the old one;” referring to the atrocities and widespread destructions of antiquities during China’s Cultural Revolution (1966–76). FIG 2: Dropping a Han Dynasty Urn (Weiwei, 1994) His maybe most powerful expression, though, can be seen in ‘Straight, 2008–12’ (Fig 2, below) which is a statement about the governmental negligence and corruption leading to the 5.000 children killed when poorly constructed schools collapsed during the 2008 Sichuan earthquake which was discussed at the beginning of this text. This 200 tons piece of art; almost 40 feet long and 200 feet wide, is constructed by broken steel reinforcement bars from some of the badly built schools that collapsed during the earthquake and marked the beginning of an adversarial relationship to the Chinese leadership which have come to shape much of Weiwei’s expression (The Art Story, 2017). FIG 2: Straight (Weiwei, 1994) A brilliant example of truly progressive web-design FIG 5: Weiwei’s personal website (Weiwei, 2017) Figure 5; above, is a screen dump of Ai Weiwei’s personal website (Aiweiwei.com, 2017c). With the homepage composed of only a white centred box on a grey background with his name at the top; his most current work published as a vertical list, and with content sections represented by a simple headline, a short introduction paragraph and an image; the design can best be described as an “anti-design.” At first glance; Weiwei’s website denotes incompetence, design-illiteracy and a poor understanding of the web-design vernacular. This design is an antithesis to almost all contemporary web design, and with it, Weiwei give the finger too much of the design idioms taught at leading design schools and the axiom which dominate much of today’s web design with full-screen background images, fancy image galleries and smooth animations. This design is a statement, and it is as brilliant as it is simple. By desquamating the design to its core, the viewer is forced to fully concentrate on Weiwei’s art and message, and with a neutral design the site also does not suffer many of the common problems that come with design being miss-interpreted in cross-cultural communication channels and environments as asserted in cultural communication frameworks such as Hofstede’s theory of cultural dimensions (2017), Trompenaars Seven Dimensions of Culture (2017) and The Five-factor Model of Personality. Interpretative factors of this design aside, though; it also is a brilliant design strategic move which all designer can learn much from. On the web, great designs get copied at lightning speed which is clearly visible on web template marketplaces such as ThemeForest (2017) where bleach copies of prize-winning web-design can be bought for a handful euros literally hours after being awarded a Webbyawards (2017). What is contemporary on the web today, will be ancient tomorrow (or at least in a few months) and if you as a designer want to make a statement with your digital portfolio and/or website by creating a design which is truly contemporary, you need to look at your website, not as a one-shot which you design, publish and forget about; but as an ongoing design project continuously re-invented. Presenting your work with an ambitious and contemporary design, however, is not a straight ticket to fame, glory and a fat bank account. With no two persons having the same taste of design; what looks great and contemporary in your eyes might in your next prospective client eyes be plain ugly; and seen from this vantage point, the design of Weiwei’s website is simply brilliant. As the progressive artist he is; if creating a website which through the design would truly represent his progressive art; Weiwei would need not only to constantly re-invent the design, but he would also put himself in a position where visitors connotation of the art presented on the site would be unconsciously influenced by the design of the website presenting it. Designers and artists have a lot to learn from Weiwei. If you truly want to make a mark with your personal website or portfolio design and believe that doing so will be the right thing for you from a personal, creative and/or professional perspective; then, of course, you should not hesitate to spend as much time and effort that you feel necessary to accomplish your creative goals and vision for your website. If you, on the other hand, have a lack of time or interest in spending a few days per month redesigning your website to always being in the forefront; then instead of using your valuable time trying to create a ground-breaking design which in a few months if truly avant-garde, most certainly, will end up plagiarized and turned into a commercial template sold to possibly thousands of designers who will use your design to present their personal work; and consequently, will make you, the original author, to look like an illiterate designer without any own ideas – which is what any designer using design templates look like. In its simplicity, Weiwei’s web design is as brilliant as it is progressive. By peeling off all fluff, Weiwei have put his art in focus and gives the viewer a blank slate to contemplate on his message without getting distracted by personal views on the design of the channel conveying it. With this design, Weiwei have created one of the most efficient web designs published in recent years and he shows us that the constructivist idiom still matters: Ai, W. and Ambrozy, L. (2011). Ai Weiwei’s blog. Cambridge, Mass: MIT Press. Aiweiwei.com. (2017). Ai Weiwei. [online] Available at: http://aiweiwei.com/index.html [Accessed 10 Dec. 2017]. Artasiapacific.com. (2017). ArtAsiaPacific: Ai Weiwei Challenges Chinas Government Over Earthquake. [online] Available at: http://artasiapacific.com/Magazine/64/AiWeiweiChallengesChinasGovernmentOverEarthquake [Accessed 10 Dec. 2017]. G. Scott Acton, P. (2017). Five-Factor Model. [online] The five-factor model of personality. Available at: http://www.personalityresearch.org/bigfive.html [Accessed 11 Dec. 2017]. Higgins, C. (2017). Chinese artist Ai Weiwei announced as art world’s most powerful figure. [online] the Guardian. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2011/oct/13/ai-weiwei-art-worlds-most-powerful [Accessed 10 Dec. 2017]. Hofstede’s theory of cultural dimensions. (2017). Geert Hofstede. [online] Available at: http://geerthofstede.com/ [Accessed 11 Dec. 2017]. Jones, J. (2017). Who’s the vandal: Ai Weiwei or the man who smashed his Han urn?. [online] the Guardian. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/jonathanjonesblog/2014/feb/18/ai-weiwei-han-urn-smash-miami-art [Accessed 10 Dec. 2017]. M. Cunningham, J. (2017). Ai Weiwei \| Chinese activist and artist. [online] Encyclopedia Britannica. Available at: https://www.britannica.com/biography/Ai-Weiwei [Accessed 10 Dec. 2017]. Smithsonian. (2017). Is Ai Weiwei China’s Most Dangerous Man?. [online] Available at: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/is-ai-weiwei-chinas-most-dangerous-man-17989316/ [Accessed 10 Dec. 2017]. Sooke, A. (2017). Ai Weiwei: The most important artist alive?. [online] Bbc.com. Available at: http://www.bbc.com/culture/story/20140401-the-most-important-artist-alive [Accessed 10 Dec. 2017]. The Art Story. (2017). Ai Weiwei Biography, Art, and Analysis of Works. [online] Available at: http://www.theartstory.org/artist-ai-weiwei-artworks.htm [Accessed 10 Dec. 2017]. The Culturist. (2016). Ai Weiwei: Artist and Activist. [online] Available at: https://theculturist.uk/2016/02/11/ai-weiwei-artist-and-activist/ [Accessed 10 Dec. 2017]. The Seven Dimensions of Culture. (2017). The Seven Dimensions of Culture: Understanding and Managing Cultural Differences. [online] Available at: https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/seven-dimensions.htm [Accessed 11 Dec. 2017]. ThemeForest. (2017). WordPress Themes & Website Templates from ThemeForest. [online] Available at: https://themeforest.net/ [Accessed 11 Dec. 2017]. TIME.com. (2017). A Year After Sichuan Quake, Citizens Press for Answers. [online] Available at: http://content.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1897567,00.html [Accessed 10 Dec. 2017]. Webbyawards. (2017). Webbyawards.com. [online] Available at: https://www.webbyawards.com/ [Accessed 11 Dec. 2017]. Weiwei, A. (1994). COCA COLA VASE. [acrylic on Han dynasty vase] Beijing: Galerie Urs Meile. Weiwei, A. (1995a). DROPPING A HAN DYNASTY URN. [gelatin silver print on Alu Dibond, in three parts] Zurich: Galerie Urs Meile. Weiwei, A. (1995b). Study of Perspective – Tiananmen Square. [Gelatin silver print] New York: MoMa. Weiwei, A. (2008). Straight, 2008	cc/2020-05/en_head_0057.json.gz/line164
__label__wiki	0.7676	0.7676	Waiting for the Barbarians A once-great empire, Rome fell into catastrophic cultural and economic decline. Morris Berman on chilling parallels with modern America Morris Berman Saturday October 6, 2001 When I wrote my recent book, The Twilight of American Culture, my focus was on what might be called "inner" barbarism, the structural factors endemic to American society that were, I believed, bringing about its disintegration. The contemporary American situation could be compared to that of Rome in the Late Empire period, and the factors involved in the process of decline in each case are pretty much the same: a steadily widening gap between rich and poor; declining marginal returns with regard to investment in organisational solutions to socioeconomic problems (in the US, dwindling funds for social security and medicare); rapidly dropping levels of literacy, critical understanding, and general intellectual awareness; and what might be called "spiritual death": apathy, cynicism, political corruption, loss of public spirit, and the repackaging of cultural content (eg "democracy") as slogans and formulas. What I overlooked, however, was perhaps the most obvious point of comparison; obvious, at least, with the benefit of hindsight. This is the factor of external barbarism, destruction from without. The events of September 11 brought that possibility home, in stark relief. In the case of Rome, the historical outline is clear enough. The Goths began pressing against the border of the Roman empire from the late third century, and scored a decisive victory in AD 378, when Roman legions were resoundingly defeated at Adrianople. "The battle", wrote historian Solomon Katz, "did more than expose the weakness of Rome to the barbarians and encourage them to return to the attack again and again, for never afterward did they leave Roman soil". From that time on, siege and potential invasion became facts of Roman life. The Visigoth leader Alaric invaded Italy in 401, and finally captured and sacked Rome in 410. The city was further sacked by the Vandals in 455, and in 476 barbarian mercenaries deposed the last Roman emperor and put the Germanic chieftain Odoacer on the throne, making him king of the western empire. America, too, now has barbarians at the gates, and also, it would seem, within them. It, too, is committed to a war to the finish, "total victory", defined by President Bush as the point at which there are no longer any terrorist organisations capable of international reach - which some would say is a formula for permanent war. One photograph of the shell of the World Trade Centre eerily resembles pictures of the Roman Coliseum. But there are many more concrete similarities between the invasion of Rome and the attack on America. As American military personnel have recently suggested, September 11 is not likely to be the end of it. The US can expect further terrorist attacks on its soil. More poignant, the destruction of the WTC showed that America is not invincible. In the case of Adrianople, things were never the same thereafter. The sharks smelled blood, and they kept coming back. America can expect something similar. (Note also that just as the barbarians used Rome's excellent network of roads to mount their invasions, so did the terrorists of September 11 use America's aviation schools, banking systems, internet accessibility and the like to mount theirs.) The response of the empire is to regard the attackers as the ultimate Other. ("Barbarian", comes from an ancient Greek anecdote, that those who couldn't speak Greek just uttered strange sounds - "bar bar" - that didn't amount to a real language.) In the main, the Romans had no understanding of non civilisation: of different values, nomadic ways of life. Similarly, America views Islamic terrorism as completely irrational; there is no understanding of the political context of this activity, a context of American military attack on, or crippling economic sanctions against, a host of Arab nations - with unilateral support for Israel constituting the central, running sore. Instead, the enemy is characterised as "jealous of our way of life", "hateful of freedom", and so on. Hence President Bush, no less than the Islamic terrorists, uses the language of religious war: we are on a "crusade"; the military operation was initially called "Infinite Justice"; and the enemy is "evil itself". Along with this is the belief that the pax Romana/Americana is the only "reasonable" way to live. In the American case, we have a military and economic empire that views the world as one big happy market, and believes that everybody needs to come on board. We - that is, global corporate consumerism - are the future, "progress". If the "barbarians" fail to share this vision, they are "medieval"; if they resist, "evil". Most historians see a relationship, in the case of Rome, between its internal decay and its susceptibility to invasion. By the fourth century, if not much before, Rome had lost its central value, the legacy of Greek culture, and was effectively existing for the sake of military and administrative purposes. As it overextended itself, creating a huge standing army and a bloated military budget, the middle class began to disappear, and there was a reciprocal, reinforcing interaction between internal decadence and instability on the one hand, and external vulnerability on the other. I n the case of the United States, the nation no longer stands for the enlightenment tradition, but rather for military-political hegemony and the total commodification of life. It is hardly an accident that the terrorists' targets were the WTC, symbol of American global finance, and the Pentagon (although the White House was apparently the original target in this case). Consider how remarkable, even bizarre, it would have been if the terrorists had selected instead the Jefferson memorial and Columbia University. But the latter no longer represent the United States; Wall Street does. What is likely to happen, as obtained in the case of Rome, is increasing budgetary appropriations for military expenditures, leaving (in the American case) fewer and fewer funds for education, the rebuilding of cities, health care and social welfare. As in the case of American involvement in Vietnam, this could eventually bleed the country morally and financially. In addition, military action versus Iraq, Afghanistan, and other Arab nations will sow the seeds of more intifadas. By the third century, nearly every Roman denarius collected in taxes was going into military and administrative maintenance, to the point that the state was drifting towards bankruptcy. The denarius, which had a silver content of 92% in Nero's reign (AD 54-68) was down to 43% silver by the early third century. The third century saw even greater increases in the size of the army and the government bureaucracy, followed by further debasement of the coinage and enormous inflation. The standing army rose from 300,000 troops in AD 235 to about 600,000 a mere 70 years later. By the time the fifth century rolled around, Rome was an empire in name only. Spiritual and intellectual collapse were unavoidable in such a demoralised context, expecially because the economic life of the cities was virtually destroyed. For centuries, the aim had been to hellenise or romanise the rest of the population - to pass on the learning and ideals of Greco-Roman civilisation. But as the economic crisis deepened, a new mentality arose among the masses, one based on religion, which was hostile to the achievements of higher culture. In addition, as in contemporary America, the new "intellectual" efforts were designed to cater to the masses, until intellectual life was brought down to the lowest common denominator. This, according to the great historian of Rome, MI Rostovtzeff, was the most conspicuous feature in the development of the ancient world during the imperial age: primitive forms of life finally drowning out the higher ones. For civilisation is impossible without a hierarchy of quality, and as soon as that gets flattened into a mass phenomenon, its days are numbered. "The main phenomenon which underlies the process of decline," wrote Rostovtzeff, "is the gradual absorption of the educated classes by the masses and the consequent simplification of all the functions of political, social, economic, and intellectual life, which we call the barbarisation of the ancient world." Religion played a critical role in these developments. By the third century, if not before, there was an attitude among many Christians that education was not relevant to salvation, and that ignorance had a positive spiritual value (an early version of Forrest Gump, one might say). The third century saw a sharp increase in mysticism and a belief in knowledge by revelation. Charles Radding, in A World Made By Men, argues that the cognitive ability of comparing different viewpoints or perspectives (quite evident in Augustine's Confessions, for example) had disappeared by the sixth century. Even by the fourth century, he says, what little that had survived from Greek and Roman philosophy was confused with magic and superstition (much as we see in today's new age beliefs or in the so-called philosophy section of many bookstores). Only a warped version of the classical culture of antiquity remained. "Short of the mass destruction of the libraries", writes Radding, "a more complete collapse of a classical civilisation is hard to imagine." And so the proverbial lights went out in western Europe. The parallels with contemporary America are not identical, but they do seem disturbing. The factors of hype, ignorance, potential bankruptcy and extreme social inequality are overwhelming, and they make a kind of spiritual death - apathy and classicist formalism - ultimately unavoidable. The phrase "Twilight of American Culture", however, implies an eventual dawn, and at some point we are going to emerge from our contemporary twilight and future darkness, if only because no historical configuration is the end of history. After centuries of stagnation, the culture of the Latin west became a viable option once more, thanks to the medieval monasteries, especially Irish ones, which began to stow away nuggets of intellectual achievement from Roman civilisation. That, however, is a whole other story. In terms of the current American situation, recovery at the external level probably depends on a reconsideration of American foreign policy but also a reconsideration of internal purposes. The United States does not seem to grasp the impact of its current foreign policy on the have-nots of this world. Without such an understanding, an Israeli-style scenario would seem to be inevitable: a garrison state, and a condition of endless siege. It is a chilling thought, the possibility that for the remainder of the new century, America will be waiting for the barbarians. -- Guardian Unlimited © Guardian Newspapers Limited 2002 posted by Morris Berman at 10:09 PM 2 comments	cc/2020-05/en_head_0057.json.gz/line166
__label__wiki	0.625736	0.625736	MOXsonic Tech and Space Information Travel/Hotel Directors/Contact MOXsonic Proposal Portal MOXsonic Records UCM Music Tech Archived Events/Galleries 2019 Featured Artists: Miller Puckette and Shiau-uen Ding Miller Puckette and Shiau-uen Ding: Featured Artists at MOXsonic 2019 Friday, March 8, 7pm Hart Recital Hall, UCM Miller Puckette is known as the creator of the Max and Pure Data real-time computer music software environments. As an MIT student he won the Putnam mathematics competition in 1979. He received a PhD from Harvard University in 1986. He was a researcher at the MIT Media lab from its inception until 1986, then at IRCAM (Paris, France), and is now professor of music at the University of California, San Diego. He has been a visiting professor at Columbia University and the Technical University of Berlin, and has received two honorary degrees and the SEAMUS award. Puckette has performed widely in venues including Centre Acanthes, Carnegie Hall, the Pulitzer Arts Foundation, the Ojai Music festival, and a cistern beneath Guanajuato, Mexico. His installation, Four Sound Portraits, was shown at the 2016 Kochi-Muziris Biennale. A native of Taiwan, pianist Shiau-uen Ding is an energetic performer of traditional and contemporary repertoire. She studied piano with Eugene Pridonoff, Elizabeth Pridonoff, and Lina Yeh, computer music with Mara Helmuth and Christopher Bailey, and contemporary improvisation with Alan Bern at National Taiwan Normal University and University of Cincinnati, where she received her doctoral degree. She lives in New York City. She has performed in Europe, Asia, and the US. Most recently, she premiered Christopher Bailey's Empty Theatre, a quasi-concerto for piano and orchestra, at SinusTon Festival in Germany. She was called a daredevil by The New York Times for her performance at Bang on a Can Marathon and a powerful force on the new music scene by Array for her performance at Spark Festival in Minneapolis. She directed and co-founded NeXT Ens, the first chamber ensemble in the US performing solely electroacoustic music with national recognition. She has recorded for Capstone, Centaur, Innova, New Focus, and Electric Music Collective. Pluton (1988; revised 1989), by Philippe Manoury, is the second piece of a cycle entitled Sonus ex Machina that came out of a long collaboration between Manoury and researcher Miller Puckette at IRCAM in Paris, France. Pluton is the first piece to be realized in the Max software environment which Puckette originally developed in support of Manoury's music. Over the past thirty years, and along with its open-source sibling Pure Data, Max has become the leading environment for realizing live electronic music in the world. To watch Pluton is to see reenacted the birth of live electronic music as it is practiced today. The piece requires a high level of technical mastery on the part of the pianist and rewards it with an intimately connected electronic part that is controlled in real-time by the pianist's performance. Performing Pluton is difficult enough, both pianistically and technologically, that it is rarely heard live. The piece is now performed using a Pure Data patch that was ported directly from the original Max patch, thereby giving as faithful a representation as is now possible of the original piece. We are thrilled to announce that this event is being sponsored by the Missouri Arts Council! https://www.missouriartscouncil.org/ © 2016-2019 University of Central Missouri Music Technology Program Web services provided by pfMENTUM	cc/2020-05/en_head_0057.json.gz/line167
__label__wiki	0.965105	0.965105	The NAHL Junior Hockey in the U.S. NAHL Footprint [.pdf] NAHL History Robertson Cup FHL VIDEO: NAHL Character Play in the NAHL Combine - Chicago, IL Combine - Attleboro, MA Combine - Detroit, MI Combine - Anaheim, CA Combine - Middletown, NJ May 1 - 3, 2020 Combine - Blaine, MN NAHL Prospect Form 18U Top Prospects Tournament NAHL Draft Play in the NA3HL Top Goalies Players of the Month College Bound Guide Apex Learning Virtual School Sirius Junior World Cup Top Prospects Tournament HockeyTV NAHL TV Corpus Christi defenseman Lichtenvoort makes NCAA commitment Prior to playing in the NAHL, Corpus Christi IceRays defenseman Cody Lichtenvoort spent the 2012-13 season with the Peoria Mustangs in the NA3HL. By Collin Schuck, Corpus Christi IceRays The Corpus Christi IceRays of the North American Hockey League (NAHL) are proud to announce the commitment of defenseman Cody Lichtenvoort to Buffalo State College, a NCAA Division III program in the State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC), for the 2016-17 season. “I’m excited to go in there as a freshman and hopefully make the team better,” said Lichtenvoort on his commitment. “They had a pretty good season last year, but I hope coming in and being a younger guy and skilled defenseman will help on the back end.” Lichtenvoort, 20, joined the IceRays on Dec. 18, 2015 in a trade with the Springfield Jr. Blues for the IceRays 2016 4th Round Pick and played 28 games for the organization, recording four goals and nine assists for 13 points with 94 penalty minutes and a plus-five rating including two power play goals. The 6-foot, 190-pound defenseman made an immediate impact upon joining the team, helping the IceRays to an overtime-winner in his first game on December 29 against the Odessa Jackalopes. Two of his four goals with the team were game-winning goals, including his first on January 15 against the Lone Star Brahmas and March 5 in a road win over Odessa. He earned two three-game point streaks in the span of eight games and finished his junior career with a goal on April 8. All the while, he became an example of devotion playing through multiple injuries in his short time with the team. The Algonquin, Illinois, native is a journeyman in the NAHL, recording 136 games among five teams in his three-year NAHL career, earning 15 goals and 30 assists for 45 points with 282 penalty minutes and five power play goals after spending his first junior season with the Peoria Mustangs of the North American 3 Hockey League (NA3HL) in 2012-13. He played his 100th NAHL game on Oct. 31, 2015 with the Springfield Jr. Blues and his 100th junior hockey game exactly one year prior on Oct. 31, 2015 as a member of the Michigan Warriors. Lichtenvoort does remember the jump to juniors and even up to the NAHL as a steep transition, but coaching helped with his early development. “It was a little tough at first, but I had a great coach that year [in Peoria]. I had a great group of older teammates that really helped me develop my game. They taught me a lot about the game, how to take care of my defensive responsibilities before jumping up in the play, and making sure I was a solid two-day defender instead of just an offensive defenseman. “[The NAHL] was a big jump. It was just playing with a lot of stronger guys and who knew what to do with the puck a lot more. They were a lot smarter, and it look them less time to figure out what they were going to do. Midway through my first year I started to get more comfortable, and in my second year I felt really comfortable with my team as a veteran, so the coaches leaned on me a bit more. I used what I learned and helped the new guys out, so it was a good experience.” After two seasons with the Warriors, the team folded, which forced Lichtenvoort to look at other options. He initially joined the Janesville Jets knowing it would be a tough team to make the roster, and after only seeing two games at the NAHL Showcase, he made the move to Springfield to begin his final junior season full-time. He did gain more ice time, but the system didn’t fit his playing style, so after asking the team for other options, the IceRays stepped in. It was a move he wishes he made sooner. “The system really fit well, and I feel like I jumped in really easily with the guys. I felt like I helped the team become a little stronger on the defensive end and also at the defensive end. By far, the best venue and best fans. I really enjoyed my time there. I wish I could have played my entire junior career there if I had to go back and do it over again. I just really enjoyed being there for the last second half of the season.” “We are all very happy for Cody and it’s certainly well deserved,” said IceRays general manager Pat Dunn. “Although his tenure with the team was a short one, he certainly left his mark. When we made his acquisition in late December, that’s when our team started winning. Cody is a fierce competitor that battled through injuries throughout his career and always gave it his best night in and night out. He played hurt and never complained. He will soon become a leader on that Buffalo State team.” Lichtenvoort joins a Buffalo State Bengals program that is on the rise in the SUNYAC, falling to third-ranked SUNY Geneseo in the SUNYAC Semifinals in their sixth-straight SUNYAC Tournament appearance. The SUNYAC is home to four former IceRays: Brandon Adams (SUNY Oswego), Ryan Chiasson and Chris Taff (SUNY Plattsburgh), and Tommy Telesca (SUNY Potsdam), all of whom will be playing in the conference next season. SUNY Geneseo finished in the semifinals of the NCAA Division III tournament, and they along with SUNY Plattsburgh finished the season in the top-10 of the last USCHO.com poll. The Bengals just saw senior forward Ryan Salkeld sign with the Norfolk Admirals of the ECHL this season. Professional advancement is the goal for Lichtenvoort, but for right now the focus is learning from his teammates, applying himself in the classroom, and continuing his development both on and off the ice while enjoying the proximity to Buffalo. “I want to be a good student in class and be at the top of my class eventually,” said Lichtenvoort. “I hope with the team I can learn from the older guys with a lot of experience who have been there and done hockey and studying at the same time. They know what it takes to be at the top of the game for both and be the complete student-athlete.” Lichtenvoort is the seventh member of this year’s IceRays squad to earn a NCAA commitment, joining Michael Bevilacqua (Canisius College), Nathan Bryer (Mercyhurst University), Adam Canepa (University of New England), Carter Johnson (Miami University), and Jimmy O’Brien (Colorado College). Canepa, Lichtenvoort, Johnson, and O’Brien all committed during the 2015-16 season. In total, 65 players have moved on to NCAA programs in the last six seasons with 25 joining NCAA Division I programs and 40 on NCAA Division III teams. Lichtenvoort is the second player in as many days to commit to a NCAA program. At the end of his junior career, the people he met will resonate heading into his next chapter. “I met a lot of good people. The billet families have been great along the way and got friendships that I’ll keep forever. I developed really tight bonds with some of the guys, and they’ll be guys I talk to forever. Hopefully, 30 years down the road I can still catch up with them and let them know what’s going on. Just the friendships and meeting everyone along the way has been great.” Click here for an updated NAHL to NCAA commitment list	cc/2020-05/en_head_0057.json.gz/line172
__label__wiki	0.738324	0.738324	K risten Cole's new charge is a heady one: Expand both brands into new markets (Forty Five Ten Aspen and a gargantuan flagship in New York's Hudson Yards are on the way); evolve the stores' creative visions; and lead Headington Companies' retail strategy. Yet Kristen and her husband- collaborator, Joe Cole, are no strangers to Headington Companies. Kristen brought Tenoversix to Dallas as part of Headington's Joule hotel lobby expansion, while her husband came on board as a creative consultant, advising Headington Companies' hospitality, restaurant, interior design, retail, branding, and programming concepts. Shortly after opening Tenoversix here, the couple left L.A. — they shuttered the L.A. Tenoversix in 2017 — and moved to Austin, where Kristen was creative director of luxury retailer ByGeorge. Since taking the Headington helm, Kristen has kept a relatively low-profile, as she quietly made changes corporately and cosmetically to both Forty Five Ten and Tenoversix. But on this balmy August afternoon, six months after her career shift and a week before she moved into her new Preston Hollow home, Kristen Cole is finally ready to chat. We take a seat in a quiet corner of the bar at Mirador — Kristen, casual-cool in a Rosetta Getty skirt, Céline pumps, and a Balenciaga blouse — for what evolved into an hour- long conversation about everything from feminism to the nitty-gritty of running a bourgeoning retail empire. One thing is certain: Kristen is far more than a creative mind. She is direct and savvy, with an uncompromising vision. And she is ready to get down to business. Let's start at the beginning. Nutshell: I grew up on the East Coast in suburban New Jersey, spent summers on Cape Cod. I'm an East Coast girl. NYU for undergrad and Parsons School of Design for graduate school in fashion design. Lived in New York for my 20s. Lived in L.A. for most of my 30s. I've been in Austin for the last three and a half years. Those are two big transitions. And I'm about to do it again, moving from Austin to Dallas. I kept an apartment in New York forever. I still have roots there. It was very formative — all of my early fashion, design, and styling jobs were there. My fashion community, by and large, is there. You'll be here full-time? Yes. We just bought a house here. And we're getting an apartment in New York this fall. You'll be spending a lot of time in New York with Forty Five Ten opening in Hudson Yards. Well, I always go a lot. I'm basically there every other month — and with the store opening, I'll probably be there once a month. Your new Dallas home. Preston Hollow. I'm really excited about the move to Dallas. It's going to be nice to sink my teeth into everything here. The decorating process. Is that a big thing for you? I'm equally interested in fashion and design. Part of my forming Tenoversix was wanting to put fashion and design and everything that speaks the same language — that's part of the same community — under one roof. The house we're moving into is gallery-like. It's very white-box simple, so it will be mostly about our art and our furniture. What art are you collecting? My husband and I have a collection of mostly contemporary art and a little bit modern. Some '60s and '70s modern like Laddie John Dill and Julian Stanczak, which is all very cubist and very modern. Contemporary art … we have Katherine Bradford, Katherine Bernhardt, Tony Matelli (which we absolutely love), John Riepenhoff … a lot of younger cool contemporary artists. You and your husband live, work, create together. How does that all work? We met in New York when we were in our early 20s and have been working and collaborating and doing different things together — and apart — ever since. Your engagement ring is gorgeous. It's vintage Art Deco from the '30s. My husband and I got it in Los Angeles, where we got engaged. We got married in Palm Springs. It's onyx and diamonds. I wear a lot of contemporary designs, for sure — but I do love vintage, and we are going to have a bigger component of vintage jewelry at Forty Five Ten and Tenoversix. Tell me about the beginning of Tenoversix. It was the result of moving to Los Angeles and being in a void landscape of good retail. No one can even imagine that now because L.A. has become such a Mecca, but when we moved to Silver Lake in 2008, there were no Kristen Cole photographed at Forty Five Ten 103	cc/2020-05/en_head_0057.json.gz/line174
__label__cc	0.506602	0.493398	NJ Jets fans sue Patriots for videotaping scandal Sunday, September 30, 2007 1:57 PM EDT Two Princeton lawyers are taking on the New England Patriots for videotaping the Jets? defense signals during the home opener in September. Carl Mayer and Bruce Afran, both Jets fans, said they were deceived by the Patriots. They are seeking more than $184 million on behalf of all Jets ticket holders in a class-action lawsuit. "When a consumer pays hard earned money sometimes, it is a couple of thousands per family. This is serious, and when a team violates their rights to an honest game, it is stealing from those fans,? Afran said. The pair believes Jets ticket holders should be paid for games the Patriots played against Jets since coach Bill Bilichick took over the Patriots in 2000. They are suing under the Corrupt Organization Act and the New Jersey Consumer Fraud Act. The Patriots and Billichick have 30 days to respond to the lawsuit. The team is not commenting on suit.	cc/2020-05/en_head_0057.json.gz/line180
__label__wiki	0.772224	0.772224	Home Tags Posts tagged with "student success" Owl Pride Owl pride is running sky high thanks to a growing list of accomplishments that position Southern among the best. Here are some of the university’s many exciting achievements and initiatives. • Southern’s student-faculty ratio is 14:1. • The website RN Careers is among those lauding the nursing program: “Congratulations to @SouthernCT for being one of the best ranked nursing programs in the country and the #1 best ranked nursing program in Connecticut for 2019 with an impressive overall ranking of 99.26%.” • The Princeton Review has consistently included Southern in its annual guide to America’s “green colleges.” The Sierra Club also previously recognized the university for environmental responsibility. • Gold LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification was awarded to two campus buildings: the Academic Science and Laboratory Building and the home for the School of Business. The certification recognizes construction and design meeting exceptional ecological standards. • Southern is home to the CSCU Center for Nanotechnology, the only system-wide center for the field in the state. • Also housed at Southern, the Werth Center for Coastal and Marine Studies is the only CSCU center dedicated to faculty-mentored student research that addresses environmental issues along the Connecticut shoreline and Long Island Sound. • Southern is one of only 22 colleges/universities in the United States with graduate programs accredited by the International Dyslexia Association for providing exceptional teacher training. • Beginning with the Class of 2020, all first-year students accepted into the Honors College receive a merit-based scholarship covering one-half to full in-state tuition. • A partnership with the City of New Haven and its school system, the Barack H. Obama Magnet University School is expected to open on campus in spring 2020 — and will be the city’s first early education school located on a university campus. Serving almost 500 elementary school students, the school will provide exceptional experiential learning opportunities for Southern education majors. • Southern received a federal grant of $3.68 million from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to help improve the health of vulnerable populations in New Haven. The project is being coordinated by the Community Alliance for Research and Engagement (CARE), which is co-housed at Southern’s College of Health and Human Services and the Yale School of Public Health (YSPH). It is the largest grant ever received by Southern. • Southern is an NCAA Division II powerhouse, holding 80 individual titles and 10 team championships. • In November 2019, Southern will celebrate its third annual Social Justice Month with almost 100 events expected, all designed to further social justice education and awareness on campus. • Southern is the first breast-feeding friendly campus in the state and the nation. — Connecticut Breastfeeding Coalition • An innovative trans-Atlantic partnership between Southern and Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU) offers research internships, study abroad opportunities, and faculty exchanges. • Jacob Santos, ’19, (B.A. in theatre and B.S. in business administration with a concentration in accounting) is one of only 14 in the country named a 2019 Newman’s Own Foundation Fellow, a program designed to provide young leaders with experience in the nonprofit sector. About 150 apply for the award annually. • Rigoberto Escalera, ’19, received one of two Legacy Awards from New Haven Promise. The award recognizes recent graduates who have demonstrated a deep commitment to their studies, fellow scholars, and the city of New Haven. Escalera graduated cum laude with a degree in business administration. • Southern is historically recognized for its exceptional teacher preparation programs and education graduates. These include alumnus Jahana Hayes, ’05, the 2016 National Teacher of the Year who was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. • In 2019, Southern alumnus and West Haven High School Teacher Liam Leapley, ’00, was awarded the George Olmsted Jr. Class of 1924 Prize for Excellence in Secondary Education from Williams College. The award recipients are nominated annually by graduating seniors at Williams. • Jefferine Jean-Jacques, ’18, was one of two national finalists in the “feature photography” category of the Society of Professional Journalists’ Mark of Excellence Awards, recognizing the best of student journalism. • Southern students won six awards at the annual conference of the Society of Professional Journalists for Region 1, which represents universities throughout New England, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania. They were honored for their work on Crescent Magazine and the Southern News student newspaper. • Karen Reyes Benzi, a student in Southern’s RN to BSN online program, is Yale New Haven Hospital’s 2019 Magnet Nurse of the Year. • In 2019, a group of 12 journalism students earned first place in the Connecticut Society of Professional Journalists’ Excellence in Journalism Awards in the “health” category for a group project. The project was awarded the highest honor above all the major news outlets in the state in the Regional A division. • Just seven years after graduation, Jeffrey Nowak, ’12, has reached one of the pinnacles of journalism success — membership on a news team honored with a Pulitzer Prize in 2019, the nation’s most prestigious journalism award. • Computer science majors Michael Solati and Robert Crowdis, ’19, won first place at the 2017 College Tech Challenge — standing out among many of the state’s top engineering and programming students. The duo won a $5,000 prize. • A Southern team was a semi-finalist in the 2017 American Marketing Association’s Collegiate Case Competition. Southern was the only institution of higher learning in Connecticut to score among the semi-finalists and finalists — and joined Providence College as the only two in New England. • Sandra Gomez-Aceves, ’17, beat out nearly 500 applicants to win one of twelve coveted spots at the 2017 ProPublica Data Institute, a seminar for journalist and journalism students. Gomez-Aceves was one of only three of the latter chosen by the Pulitzer Prize-winning organization to participate. • There are 11,000 student members in the American Marketing Association (AMA), and recent graduate Julia Rotella, ’17, was one of the best, finishing second in the organization’s “Student Marketer of the Year” competition. • A Southern student team was one of only three from Connecticut to medal at the 2016 IGEM (International Genetically Engineered Machine competition. Southern, the University of Connecticut, and Yale University each won bronze at the competition. • Two Southern graduates were among a total of only 10 librarians chosen form throughout the U.S. to receive the 2016 “I Love My Librarian Award,” sponsored by the American Library Association. ** Connecticut State Colleges and Universities The Secret to Her Success She did what she loved and success followed. Julia Rotella, ’17, graduated summa cum laude after being spotlighted as one of the country’s top student marketers. School of Business and Honors College graduate Julia Rotella, '17 Among the 11,000 students who are members of the American Marketing Association (AMA), graduating business administration major Julia Rotella is a standout, finishing second in the organization’s 2017 Student Marketer of the Year competition. “It was really amazing to see my name up on the screen,” says Rotella of the honor, which was sponsored by Northwestern Mutual and announced at the AMA’s International Collegiate Conference in New Orleans in March. The Monroe, Conn., native has always been drawn to the world of business. “I knew I wanted to be a marketing major since I was very young. As a kid, I actually had an eBay account and would sell things,” says Rotella. She also assisted her mother at craft fairs — learning about trade shows and how to best display products. “I enjoyed the satisfaction of selling things — being able to see the results of marketing. . . . Of course, I didn’t know that it was called marketing at the time,” she says with a smile. That changed in Rotella’s sophomore year at Masuk High School in Monroe, Conn., when she enrolled in a marketing class. “I remember thinking, ‘Yes! This is what I want to do,’” she says. A gifted high school student, she took Honors level and Advanced Placement courses — and was an ideal candidate for very selective colleges and universities. After considering tuition costs, she chose Southern where she was accepted in the Honors College and received a Presidential Scholarship, a merit-based award that covered her full in-state tuition and fees for four years. Choosing to commute to campus, Rotella made the most of her Southern experience, joining Southern’s collegiate chapter of the AMA, now known as SUMA — SCSU Undergraduate Marketing Association. As a sophomore she became president of the organization, a post she held until graduation. “SUMA has really helped me to become rooted here, to feel like I am part of a community,” she says. It’s a community marked by achievement. In 2017, SUMA was a semifinalist in the AMA’s prestigious Collegiate Case Competition, finishing among the top 17 colleges and universities. (Semifinalists and finalists were listed in alphabetical order within each category without a specific ranking.) Southern was the only institution of higher learning in Connecticut to reach this level — and joined Providence College as one of only two in all of New England. The competition — open to AMA’s 370 collegiate chapters — challenged teams to develop a comprehensive marketing plan for e-commerce giant eBay. Southern’s chapter tackled the assignment admirably. “The students were thrilled. They deserve a lot of credit for finishing in a group that included representatives from some very prestigious schools,” says Randye Spina, assistant professor of marketing and SUMA’s faculty adviser. SUMA also received the AMA’s award for outstanding chapter planning. Looking forward, the group hopes to build on its success under the leadership of Jennifer Bucci, incoming SUMA president. Among the organization’s greatest challenges — obtaining funding to attend the AMA’s international conference. “They are going to make finals,” says Rotella, who is seeking a position with a marketing agency. “I am not going to be a part of it. But I will be watching from the outside. It’s going to be amazing.” Passing the Torch More from recent graduate Julia Rotella, ’17, including a few of her tips for current and future Owls. Self-Motivated: As a sophomore, Rotella launched her own company, JR Marketing. She’s created websites, logos, brochures, social media posts, and more for numerous clients, including the Monroe Youth Commission, the Monroe Economic Development Commission, Alcohol and Drug Awareness of Monroe (ADAM), and others. Scholarship support: In addition to the Presidential Scholarship, Rotella received the Eleanor Jensen Endowed Scholarship and the Anthony Verlezza Endowed Scholarship. Advice to Honors College students: “Push through it. At times, the work load is very strenuous. But if you are in the Honors College, it’s because you can handle it.” One recent honor: Southern’s Scholastic Achievement and Leadership Award in Marketing in May 2017 Real-world experience: Rotella had marketing internships with TeamDigital Promotions; GoECart, a provider of on-demand ecommerce solutions; Talking Finger, a social media marketing agency; and ASSA Abloy, an international company offering a complete range of door-opening products, solutions, and services. On building relationships: “Talk to your professors. If I had a question about a paper or an assignment, I’d meet during their office hours. . . . Having those conversations helped me a lot.” Get involved: “College is what you make it. If you are motivated . . . a go-getter who is going to make things happen, then you are going to enjoy your experience. I enjoyed my years at Southern because of SUMA Marketing.” When Miguel Diaz was 7 years old, he moved with his family from Puerto Rico to the U.S. He spoke only Spanish and was taught in a bilingual classroom for two years. But by fourth grade, his lessons were entirely in English — and, in 2016, he delivered the valedictory speech at the graduation ceremony for Bullard-Havens Technical High School in Bridgeport, Conn. Today, Diaz is a talented, hard-working member of Southern’s Class of 2020 — on track to become the first in his family to earn a four-year college degree. A fellow member of the Class of 2020, Kyley Fiondella — the valedictorian of H. C. Wilcox Technical High School in Meriden, Conn. — shares his commitment. “I’m also a first-generation college student,” she says. “My parents have always been very driven. ‘Do your best in school. Go to college. Make your life better,’ they told me. It was a big motivation.” Fiondella — a student in Southern’s Honors College — has wanted to be a nurse since childhood. She enrolled in her high school’s Health Technology Program and, at the age of 15, became a certified nursing assistant. Today, she works at Montowese Health and Rehabilitation in North Haven, in addition to answering phones at a pizzeria and attending school full time. With her pre-acceptance into Southern’s Nursing Program, she moves one step closer to realizing her dream. “I almost cried when I received the letter,” says Fiondella, who hopes to work in pediatrics. Diaz also plans to work with youth — as a high school Spanish teacher. It’s an aspirational shift for the polite young man who, until recently, envisioned a career in automotive technology. “My parents are my mentors,” he says of his father, a janitor at another nearby university, and his mother, who cares for children for a living. “They left Puerto Rico in search of more opportunities,” Diaz explains. “They inspired me to get an education.” In high school, Diaz interned at BMW. Today, the full-time student helps finance his education by working 30 hours a week at Pep Boys, an auto parts and services retailer. Automobile technology remains a strong interest, and he speaks with pride of his brother who attended Gateway Community College and works at Nissan. But for Diaz, the promise of a teaching career has taken hold. “I grew up in a low-income community. Some of my friends weren’t focusing on their studies, especially in middle school. They would get in a lot of trouble, surrounded by violence and negative influences,” says Diaz. “As a teacher, you support students — give advice and help them to keep moving forward. Education is the key to success.” Kyley Fiondella, Class of 2020 On her High School Valedictory Speech “It went well. I’ve always been super-nervous when speaking in front of people — but I’ve also been pretty good at hiding it. . . . My main message was about the importance of finding your passion, and then, if possible, following through and turning it into a career.” The Road to Southern “During my application process, I decided that Southern was my first choice, primarily because I am extremely close with my family and wanted to study close to home. I also have a job and volunteer with my church, which I didn’t want to give up. I was able to keep doing all the things I loved and still go to a great school.” Best Part of Being an Owl “I like all of the activities. It’s so easy to get involved. Southern really focuses on student involvement.” Well Rounded On campus, she’s joined the Intervarsity Southern Christian Fellowship and the Program Council, which organizes entertainment and educational activities for students and the community. She also is active at her church, serving as a teen leader and a lead singer. Advice to Students “Find the reason behind what you’re doing . . . something that motivates you. Then all of the hard work — the studying, the note taking, the homework — becomes easier.” Miguel Diaz, Class of 2020 On his High School Valedictory Speech “In the beginning of the speech, I was really nervous. But as I went on, I felt more comfortable. It was basically inspirational . . . to keep moving forward. You never know what you’ll be able to accomplish in life.” “I wanted to major in Spanish secondary education, and I heard that Southern was a great school for teachers. It also was close to me, and I wanted to commute.” He’s looking forward to ____________: “Joining a club or organization at Southern . . . perhaps, OLAS [Organization of Latin American Students].” He also is active at his church, serving as a teen leader, and playing guitar and piano. “I would say to really focus on school. In the end it will definitely pay off — and always remember that you can do more than you think can.” New School Year — Plan to Succeed Starting a new school year brings both challenges (expected and unexpected) and opportunities. It gives students a chance for a fresh start — a way to right some of the wrongs from the previous year and to exceed expectations. But to do so, it is important to have a plan of action. Students wishing to improve their chances for a successful year should begin with a plan before the first day of classes. Today, Wise Words offers the last half of a 2-part series on how to start the year off right and lay the groundwork for a successful year. Kelly McNamara, assistant professor of counseling and school psychology at Southern and a former school psychologist in both Connecticut and Massachusetts, shares her suggestions: Develop a schedule…Using the previous tips as a guideline, create a plan to get everything done (including fun). “If you tend to be a more detail-oriented person, or an overachiever, a schedule can help reduce feelings of anxiousness that may arise when contemplating how all of the tasks you have taken on will actually get done,” McNamara says. “If you tend to have more of a laid back, go-with-the-flow type of personality, a schedule can help provide an anchor to keep you grounded so that you are less likely to get caught up in the here-and-now, running out of time for completing assignments and having fun.” …But be flexible… “Life has a way of throwing us curveballs, so make sure there is room in any schedule to move things around,” she says. “On any given day, you may need to spend more time completing assignments; a fun activity may run later than expected; a project may take longer than you thought it would; your club meeting or sporting event may run late; or you may need to pick up am extra shift at work.” …And find some balance. “Certainly, there will be times when you are spending more time studying, working and completing assignments than you might like,” she says. “But it is important to remember that spending all of your time studying and completing assignments, working or even going to meetings or practice can start to feel routine. Try to balance your time so that you are (fulfilling your obligations), but also spending time with your friends, family and having some fun. “This balance is often hard to achieve, but if we plan for it, and consciously try to achieve it, we have a better chance of realizing it.” Establish priorities. Since balance can be difficult to achieve, know what really matters so that you can be sure to put what matters first when time runs short. “It can be really challenging to figure out what you want to do with the rest of your life, and you may even change your mind a few times along the way,” McNamara says. “But at any given time, it’s important to have an idea of where you want to go, and have a plan to get there. So, decide what is important to you, and make sure that this priority, or those priorities, show up prominently in your schedule and in your life.” Good luck to all the students — and their parents — for a successful 2014-15 school year!	cc/2020-05/en_head_0057.json.gz/line181
__label__cc	0.727431	0.272569	TCF to Host Conference Call to Discuss Second Quarter 2015 Earnings on Thursday, July 23 at 9:00 A.M. CDT Company Release - 7/8/2015 1:09 PM ET WAYZATA, Minn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- The Board of Directors of TCF Financial Corporation (“TCF”) (NYSE: TCB) is hosting a conference call to discuss its second quarter 2015 financial results on Thursday, July 23, 2015 at 9:00 a.m. Central Daylight Time. TCF chairman and chief executive officer, William A. Cooper, is hosting the conference call and will be joined by other TCF executives. If you would like to listen to TCF’s live conference call, please dial (877) 362-7819. A slide presentation for the conference call will be available on the Investor Relations section of TCF’s website, http://ir.tcfbank.com, prior to the call. TCF’s conference call will also be webcast live on the Investor Relations section of the website and archived for replay. To listen to the replay, please dial (877) 344-7529 and enter conference ID # 10067236. The replay begins one hour after the call is completed on Thursday, July 23rd and will be available through Thursday, July 30th. About TCF TCF is a Wayzata, Minnesota-based national bank holding company. As of March 31, 2015, TCF had $20.0 billion in total assets and 379 branches in Illinois, Minnesota, Michigan, Colorado, Wisconsin, Arizona, South Dakota and Indiana, providing retail and commercial banking services. TCF, through its subsidiaries, also conducts commercial leasing, equipment finance, and auto finance business in all 50 states and commercial inventory finance business in all 50 states and Canada. For more information about TCF, please visit http://ir.tcfbank.com. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20150708006163/en/ TCF Financial Corporation Mark Goldman, 952-475-7050 Jason Korstange, 952-745-2755 Source: TCF Financial Corporation The information that is on or available through this site speaks only as of the particular date or dates of that information. We do not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of information on or available through this site, and we are not responsible for inaccuracies or omissions in that information or for actions taken in reliance on that information. TCF Financial Corporation does not undertake an obligation, and disclaims any duty, to update any of the information on or available through this site. 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The Site does not represent an offer or solicitation with respect to the purchase or sale of any security. These Terms of Use are the entire agreement between the parties with respect to its subject matter, and it can be amended only via written agreement by S&P. These terms and conditions shall be governed by the law of New York, without regard to principals of conflicts or choice of laws. © 1999-2020 TCF Financial Corporation. All Rights Reserved. You're leaving our site You are leaving TCF's website and entering a third-party website that TCF does not control. TCF is providing this link as a convenience and does not endorse and is not responsible for the products, services, links, content, privacy or security policies, or system availability of this website. TCF's link to Facebook is also being provided as a convenience. TCF does not endorse and is not responsible for any and all content not posted by TCF.	cc/2020-05/en_head_0057.json.gz/line182
__label__wiki	0.730202	0.730202	HomeInterviewsErica Campbell Talks Solo Album: 'It was all from my heart' Erica Campbell Talks Solo Album: 'It was all from my heart' Sarah Hearn March 24, 2014 No comment posted on Mar. 24, 2014 at 5:43 pm We’ve known her for many years as part of a Grammy-winning duo. But on Tuesday, March 25, Erica Campbell will shed her Mary Mary persona and unleash her first solo album, Help. The album has already gotten amazing buzz and birthed two hits, the Grammy-nominated “A Little More Jesus” and the Billboard Hot Gospel Songs Top Ten title track that features hip hop impresario Lecrae. In this candid interview Erica Campbell talks about her debut album, Erica believes fans will pleased with her album: “I think they’ll hear my heart my confidence in God’s ability to be everything that I need, whether it is “A Little More Jesus or Looking Like”, I’m very proud of it , songs like “I’m a Fan,” “Changes” and the song I did for my dad (“Eddie”). It’s where I was; it was all from my heart. I hope that’s what people feel, as long as you use your heart.” With this first venture as a solo artist, Campbell had a chance to express her individuality. “I think it’s different from Mary Mary, because it’s just me. We’ve always had both of our voices mixing. Now it’s all me and my heart, my feelings, the way I see the world. I’m very optimistic, so that kind of made its way into the music. Even beyond my faith I try to see the best in people. I think that finds its way into the music and I’m hoping it kind of rubs off, because the world that we live in is pretty cynical, and for justifiable reasons but sometimes you can change it with how you feel and how you view the world. Everybody won’t change but there are a lot who will so I’m just trying to touch people and direct them to God as much as I can and hopefully, my album can do that.” “Help” is a family affair. Of course, husband Warryn Campbell produced the album, but she also got a lyrical assist from Tina on “I Need A Little More Jesus ” and there are a host of other family members who made their contributions, including daughter Krista and mom, Honey. Campbell readily admits she had fun making the album. “I absolutely did. It was great having that energy. There are a lot of songs that are very choir-esque with big background parts like ‘Power of God’ and ‘Help’ so we’ve got large groups of people. It’s good to have them there. It’s always been a constant in our careers to have family around so it had to be Tina, my sisters and brothers in laws, cousins. They all came to the studio and helped.” Although it was exciting to go solo, Erica admits there were also some adjustments. “It’s a little scary, a little because I’m always used to somebody being there. If I just need to go grab some water I know she (Tina) can sing until I finish, but now it’s just all me. I think it forces me to kind of grow up in some areas as an artist being responsible for everything and I’m liking how it feels. It’s allowing me to look at myself in a different way, grow up and be a bit more of a woman and do what God has gifted me to do.” Mary Mary continue to play concert dates and Erica has noticed how her solo career has impacted her when she and Tina hit the stage. In a good way. “I think it’s a different confidence, but also such a respect for what we’ve done. A respect for her and her voice and what it is that we do together. I mean after all these years, we’re on auto-pilot. We just come together and we don’t even miss a beat. The past year has not been without controversy. When Erica revealed the cover for her single “Help” some were a little concerned and voiced those concerns about her white dress. The singer shared her feelings and amazement at the attention the dress received. “I was a little surprised by it actually. I thought the most tasteful , felt comfortable in the dress I’m a black woman so I’m a curvy woman. I have three children and so you know I’ve been working out and trying to shrink and I did a little bit not a whole lot. I felt fine in the dress. I really can’t explain why they thought or how they thought, but I know that there were more people that liked the dress than didn’t like it. In our country and in our culture, the negative gets more attention; more press than the positive so people pay more attention to it than they did the fact that a lot of people really enjoyed the dress. Four episodes in and the reality show “Mary Mary” is filled with fireworks and drama. Although some of the more uncomfortable moments of their lives are being played out on TV screens, Erica feels she and Tina made the right choice with their reality show. “A lot of Christians, we don’t mind showing everybody when things are great and that’s the only picture we want to paint but most of the world the regular world are going through and if they don’t ever see how we go through then they’ll never have an example. Did I want my family to be an example I would have preferred to have a different kind of year. I wouldn’t have wanted to see my sister go through this. I didn’t want this with my father. I didn’t want to have changes in my management. I didn’t want to have to go through that, but since we are committed to living our lives out loud we believe beyond a shadow of a doubt that God was going to work it out for our good. That’s what His word says and I believe so even 5though things got ugly god will turn it around and it will work out for my good so we kept filming. If you keep watching the show you’ll see that he absolutely did. It’s not an easy journey but whose journey is easy. So yes we decided to live bit out loud and I’m hoping that it can in addition to our music being inspirational, hopefully our lives can be.” They’ve already experienced the impact of their show on others. “I heard some really great testimonies from people who were well into their 60’s and they said they hadn’t spoken for 4 years and so they saw the show the episode where Tina and I went to therapy and how certain things don’t work for us, not that we tried to change. They started talking as a result of watching the show. That’s like one of the best things I’ve ever heard. So people seeing us, being a part of our lives, understanding that in the body of Christ there can be examples even on how to go through certain things. And what about the revelations of infidelity by Tina’s husband? “I think the best part of Tina exposing what happened was the fact that she says that I’m going to try and forgive. That’s not usually what we hear, ‘yeah we’re going to get a divorce so pray for me and pray for him, let’s go our separate ways.’ But she didn’t that she was going to forgive, forgive us our debts lord as we forgive our debtors both. Most of us pray every night, but we don’t exercise that often. So I think the show has allowed us to be an example of what it looks like to live out your Christian walk one day at a time. Other than just seeing people on Sunday and everybody’s dressed so pretty and their hair is all nice you don’t know that they’re broken, bitter or hurt. So you see us cry, you see us go through some pretty hard stuff, but you see us keep going.” With the release of Help on Tuesday, March 25, Erica Campbell has officially realized her dream. And she has some advice for others contemplating stepping out and realizing their dream. “I would say don’t be afraid of what people will think. Don’t be afraid of what people will say. If it’s a God-given dream and it’s something that you know that you’ve been called to do, then do it. As long as you’re prepared and skilled and have the right team, go for it. Don’t let nobody tell you nothing different. You cam make it, you can win, you can succeed, you can turn the page to a whole new chapter and still be excellent.” Click here to purchase Help. Tags:Erica CampbellErica Campbell albumgospel musicLecraeMary MaryTina CampbellWarryn Campbell Mali Music Tells Queen Latifah: 'I Didn't Switch' Keith Williams Lands on Gospel Chart with Chicago-Styled Stepper's Tune Rev. Al Sharpton says Radio One “showed us in our excellence and our magnificence” Clarence Avant, ‘The Black Godfather’ felt it was his duty to help others Award ShowsNews Erica Campbell recognized with two NAACP Image Award nominations Gospel Music Heritage Month Celebration makes historic debut on Capitol Hill Sarah Hearn September 27, 2019 Robert E. Person does stirring remake of Stevie Wonder’s ‘Love’s In Need Of Love Today’ Joshua Jenkins, Anthony Brown create new Christmas classic with 'The Uncut Coming of Christ' Chrystal Rucker to appear in FBCG’s hit play, ‘The Uncut Coming Of Christ’ Phillip Carter and SOV thank fans, supporters with free concert (Photos)	cc/2020-05/en_head_0057.json.gz/line188
__label__wiki	0.85745	0.85745	P&G, National Geographic and Global Citizen Launch Groundbreaking Series, ACTIVATE: THE GLOBAL CITIZEN MOVEMENT To Drive Action Around Poverty, Inequality and Sustainability Six-Part Docuseries Draws Attention to Critical World Issues With Activists Including Hugh Jackman, Pharrell Williams, Common, Usher, Rachel Brosnahan, Gayle King, Bonang Matheba, Darren Criss, Uzo Aduba, Becky G and Priyanka Chopra Jonas Series Premieres in the U.S. September 5 at 10/9c on National Geographic CINCINNATI--(뉴스와이어) 2019년 09월 06일 -- Procter & Gamble and National Geographic’s six-part docuseries ACTIVATE, co-produced by Global Citizen and RadicalMedia, premieres tonight, Thursday, September 5, in the U.S. on National Geographic. Each episode of the six-part series delves into a different issue connected to the root causes of poverty, including sustainable sourcing, criminalization of poverty, disaster relief, girls’ education, plastic waste and the global water crisis. The P&G ACTIVATE overview video can be viewed here (http://bit.ly/30YCis5). The hour-long episodes begin tonight and will air weekly through October 10 in the U.S. and also on National Geographic in 172 countries and 43 languages. Episodes will highlight the work P&G and its brands - Tide, Always, Charmin and Head & Shoulders - are doing with many of its long-time partners, including Save the Children, World Vision, World Wildlife Fund, WEConnect International, and Matthew 25: Ministries, among many others. “P&G and our brands are committed to using our voice to address critical issues facing our world today,” said Marc Pritchard, Chief Brand Officer of P&G. “We’ve been working on these issues for decades and through ACTIVATE we intend to leverage our broad, global reach of nearly five billion consumers to educate and inspire global citizens.” P&G has a rich history of leveraging its brands and its people to make the world a better place by helping to solve critical issues related to girls’ education, clean drinking water, disaster relief, sustainability and inequality. Whether it’s the non-profit P&G Children's Safe Drinking Water (CSDW) Program, which has provided more than 15 billion liters of clean water to people in need around the world, or Always’ mission to #EndPeriodPoverty, P&G is using its voice and reach to drive meaningful change. “We’re proud to work with National Geographic and Global Citizen, as well as their talented artist ambassadors and many longstanding partners who enable people all over the world to use their collective voices to inspire change,” said Allison Tummon Kamphuis, P&G Global Program Leader for Gender Equality and CSDW. In addition to P&G brands and close partners, ACTIVATE will feature Global Citizen ambassadors and advocates including Hugh Jackman, Common, Usher, Rachel Brosnahan, Gayle King, Bonang Matheba, Darren Criss, Pharrell Williams, Uzo Aduba, Becky G and Priyanka Chopra Jonas. As one of the world’s largest advertisers, P&G is diversifying how it reaches consumers by using original content paired with influential partners to shed light on some of our world’s most pressing topics. The partnership will also include National Geographic and Global Citizen digital headquarters for viewers who would like to dive deeper into the six critical issues highlighted in the series. Viewers will be able to take action on Global Citizen campaigns and learn more about corporate and brand efforts led by Tide, Always, Head & Shoulders and Charmin. ACTIVATE will premiere in the U.S. on National Geographic on Thursday, September 5 at 10/9c; check your local listings. More about Each Episode: ACTIVATE: Eradicating Extreme Poverty Premieres: Thursday, Sept. 5, 2019 Hugh Jackman, Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Becky G join Global Citizen in campaigns to push world leaders into enacting policy changes that would end extreme poverty around the globe. As Jackman prepares for the organization‘s massive Central Park festival, Becky G travels to Mexico to amplify Global Citizen’s campaign to push companies to support women-owned businesses. Experts describe the state of extreme poverty around the world, the enormous progress that‘s been made in the past 20 years and innovative solutions being implemented across the globe, including P&G and its Charmin brand’s responsible sourcing efforts. ACTIVATE: Ending Cash Bail Premieres: Thursday, Sept. 12, 2019 Artists and activists Common and Usher team up with Global Citizen and grassroots organizers as they attempt to achieve historic criminal justice reform by ending the use of cash bail in New York state. P&G’s commitment to addressing racial bias via the 2017 film, The Talk, and new film, The Look, is explored through the filmmakers who’ve recreated how bias is still encountered in the everyday experiences of African Americans. ACTIVATE: Education Cannot Wait Emmy Award-winning actor Rachel Brosnahan teams up with Global Citizen and travels to the border of Peru to see what happens to children's education during conflicts and natural disasters. After an emotional experience with displaced families, Brosnahan and Global Citizen return to the U.S., where they urge Ireland, the U.K. and the U.S. to pledge millions to Education Cannot Wait, a global fund for education during crises. Experts describe the disproportionate impact that natural disasters and conflict have on developing countries and ways people and brands around the world, like Tide, are providing effective relief during emergencies. ACTIVATE: Keeping Girls in School Priyanka Chopra Jonas joins Global Citizen and activists around the globe as they campaign to break down barriers to girls‘ education. Meanwhile, Gayle King and Bonang Matheba rally tens of thousands of people to call on the South African government to commit $58 million toward ending “period poverty” and providing girls with the menstrual education and resources they need to stay in school and stay confident. Experts describe the broad range of issues that keep girls from getting an education in developing countries, and the enormous progress that’s being made around the world, like the work by feminine care product brand Always to provide free educational resources. ACTIVATE: Ending Plastic Pollution Premieres: Thursday, Oct. 3, 2019 Pharrell Williams joins Global Citizen‘s push to get governments, companies and individuals to solve the ocean plastic pollution crisis. Meanwhile, Darren Criss travels to the Philippines to witness plastic’s impact on people living in extreme poverty and calls on global citizens to urge their mayors to commit their cities to zero-waste futures. Experts describe the disproportionate impact of plastic pollution on people in developing countries and the ways people and brands, like Head & Shoulders, are working to solve the problem around the world. ACTIVATE: Clean Water Premieres: Thursday, Oct. 10, 2019 “Orange Is the New Black” star Uzo Aduba joins Global Citizen as they rally millions around the world to push for clean drinking water and proper sanitation for the world‘s most vulnerable people. They travel to Aduba’s parents‘ homeland of Nigeria, where they urge governors to commit state funds to eradicate the contaminated water and open defecation crises. Experts describe the effects of contaminated drinking water on people in developing countries and solutions being implemented around the world, including the P&G Children’s Safe Drinking Water Program. About Procter & Gamble P&G serves consumers around the world with one of the strongest portfolios of trusted, quality, leadership brands, including Always®, Ambi Pur®, Ariel®, Bounty®, Charmin®, Crest®, Dawn®, Downy®, Fairy®, Febreze®, Gain®, Gillette®, Head & Shoulders®, Lenor®, Olay®, Oral-B®, Pampers®, Pantene®, SK-II®, Tide®, Vicks® and Whisper®. The P&G community includes operations in approximately 70 countries worldwide. Please visit http://www.pg.com for the latest news and information about P&G and its brands. National Geographic Partners LLC (NGP), a joint venture between the National Geographic Society and Disney, is committed to bringing the world premium science, adventure and exploration content across an unrivaled portfolio of media assets. NGP combines the global National Geographic television channels (National Geographic Channel, Nat Geo WILD, Nat Geo MUNDO, Nat Geo PEOPLE) with National Geographic’s media and consumer-oriented assets, including National Geographic magazines; National Geographic studios; related digital and social media platforms; books; maps; children’s media; and ancillary activities that include travel, global experiences and events, archival sales, licensing and e-commerce businesses. Furthering knowledge and understanding of our world has been the core purpose of National Geographic for 131 years, and now we are committed to going deeper, pushing boundaries, going further for our consumers … and reaching millions of people around the world in 172 countries and 43 languages every month as we do it. NGP returns 27 percent of our proceeds to the nonprofit National Geographic Society to fund work in the areas of science, exploration, conservation and education. For more information visit natgeotv.com or nationalgeographic.com, or find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn and Pinterest. About Global Citizen Since the first Global Citizen Festival in New York in 2012, Global Citizen has grown into one of the largest, most visible platforms for young people around the world calling on world leaders to honor their responsibilities in achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and ending extreme poverty by 2030. Global Citizens have generated commitments and policy announcements from leaders valued at over $37.9 billion that are set to affect the lives of more than 2.25 billion people. The organization has taken its action-based model to South Africa, Australia, India, the United Kingdom, Germany, Belgium and Canada, and created a platform for activists to learn about the issues they care most about, take action and earn rewards for doing so.	cc/2020-05/en_head_0057.json.gz/line189
__label__cc	0.669839	0.330161	The Grindstone But with this change in condition comes inevitably adaptations to the change. What, unless biological science is a mass of errors, is the cause of human intelligence and vigour? Hardship and freedom: conditions under which the active, strong, and subtle survive and the weaker go to the wall; conditions that put a premium upon the loyal alliance of capable men, upon self-restraint, patience, and decision. We are kept keen on the grindstone of pain and necessity, and, it seemed to me, that here was that hateful grindstone broken at last! H.G. Wells, The Time Machine, (Public Domain Books, 2006), Kindle Locations (400-403) & (409-20). The Victorian Era for the United Kingdom uniquely coincides with the Gilded Age of the United States. Both periods, for their respective countries, were marked by their increase in prosperity as well as technological advances making life "easier" in a lot of regards. Of course, rapid urbanization lead to pockets of high poverty and horrible slum conditions, but overall the period is well known for its descent into decadence for those at the "top" of society. It was during this era that H.G. Wells' masterpiece, The Time Machine, was written and published. Like many of the great 'classics' of English literature, The Time Machine combines solid writing, good story telling and intriguing social commentary into one nifty package. As a result, while reading it you not only are entertained but you get the real sense of life in that society. I can recall seeing the 1960 film version of the The Time Machine when I was a kid, but until this week I had never read the novel. Needless to say, I was quite impressed with it and look forward to reading more H.G. Wells. Without going into the story line too deeply, the 'Time Traveler' is the protagonist who communicates the story throughout the book. He had built a time machine to travel through the fourth dimension which he explained was time. In traveling forward to the year 802,701 he comes in contact with an advanced age society of which most of the book discusses. In his first attempt at explaining one portion of that future society (the Eloi) he observes the laziness and lack of hard-work by the 'people'. It is from this observation he made the quotes as I posted above. Hardship & freedom. Pain & necessity. I am blown away by Wells' keen observation of how critical these things are for humanity. In particular, the ideals of hardship & pain stand out as critical factors that are often overlooked. Much like the Victorian Era or Gilded Age, modern society has pushed the envelope of technology further and further while increasing the luxury and comforts for the high end social classes. Life has, in many ways, never been easier. And yet much like the Time Traveler's initial views of the Eloi, this should not immediately give us comfort. What is the cause of human intelligence and vigour? It is hardship. Pain. Self-restraint. Patience. Solid decision making. Doing things only out of necessity. The results of the 'active, strong, and subtle' pushing forward. And yet, it is hard to see these characteristics anymore. More and more they are thought of as archaic as modern conveniences and luxuries have made us loathe the difficult and embrace the easy. In many ways, the idea of effort has dissolved. This is especially seen in the younger generations which I am very much a part of. So is all hope lost? That becomes the question. The picture we have seen and continue to see is certainly bleak. However, that being said, I still believe that anything is possible. Change will take time and the push-back on hard work will always exist. But human intelligence and vigour are needed as much today as they were in 1895. And if we believe in them still then we must fight forward with the very same weapons of hardship, pain, self-restraint, patience and solid decision making. The future is ours to make - what it will actually look like depends on the here and now. Failure of Purpose The Power of the Xymbouli	cc/2020-05/en_head_0057.json.gz/line194
__label__wiki	0.551572	0.551572	GHOST TOWN ADVENTURE PARK GHOST TOWN IN THE SKY Maggie Valley, NC Park News - (12/23/19) If you are curious about just what things look like atop the Ghost Town in the Sky theme park, a fantastic bit of footage shot at the park by a drone (with permission by the owner) was just posted to YouTube less than two weeks ago, so check that out below. Also I’ve got one more possibly more related item… a small batch of pictures taken at Ghost Town in the Sky just posted to Facebook just two days ago that are said to be recent. So add these into the rumors of yet another plan pushing ahead to try to reopen the park. (11/12/19) Ok, something odd has been found near the former Ghost Town in the Sky closed theme park. In a video from The Carpetbagger, who visited the site this week, it looks like he pulled up to some kind of back access road which is closed with a gate and a no trespassing sign. The interesting thing is that this gate and connected fencing looks almost brand new, and overlooking this gate in the treeline is a group of three fairly clean looking cowboy figures with fake rifles standing guard over the access road to the park. I’m hearing that these figures may have previously been in the jail and saloon area of the park and someone has placed them on purpose for some reason. Given that there were rumors of another party that was potentially grabbing the property, it looks like something is definitely happening at this point. (10/3/19) You are not going to believe it… because I don’t even believe it myself yet, but according to the local news the former Ghost Town in the Sky theme park property is once again under contract to be sold to a new owner. Currently the identify of the new developer has not been released, nor their final intentions, as they are currently performing their due diligence to go over all the park materials and records to make sure they want to go through with the purchase. According to the report they entered into this period of the contract backin mid-August and they have 120 days to do their research before making up their mind, so we should know more by the end of December. (7/9/19) We’ve got a quick update on the status of the former Ghost Town In The Sky theme park site this week. Various local news reports confirm that the latest attempt to reopen the park has failed, as they were unable to come up with the financing to purchase and reopen the park. Meanwhile the owner of the property is said to have put it back on the market again with an asking price of about $6 million. (12/18/18) Bad news for the plans to revive the former Ghost Town in the Sky amusement park site. According to local news reports one of the main figures involved in the effort has now left the project “amid accusation of fraud and failure to pay.” Yep… it seems Lamar Berry was supposed to be the money-man for the project lining up the major investors, and when the time came to put up the funds to get the ball rolling… he just stopped coming into the office and has since vanished along with the other principal players from Louisiana. According to Allen Alsbrooks, a local businessman who was brought on to act as a new financing director and even invested his own money into the project, the plans to reopen the park likely over unless Berry magically returns with the funds. (8/21/18) The former Ghost Town In The Sky will get yet another chance at life. New owners have control of the park and have rebranded it as "GhostTown Adventure Park" and even launched a new website, though there is no information there other than to say it is "under construction". According to another banner going around social media they plan to reopen the Maggie Valley, NC theme park in Late Spring 2019. Hopefully more details will follow soon. (5/15/18) Would you believe that there is yet another plan to try and bring Ghost Town in the Sky back to life again? According to the local news a new company was formed called Ghost Town Adventures with the intent to reopen the Ghost Town Village area in time for Spring 2019. The new CEO of Ghost Town Adventures is said to have been negotiating the purchase of the site from the previous owner, Alaska Presley, who is actually said to be joining up with the new team to help revive the park again. Maggie Valley, North Carolina http://www.ghosttownvillage.com/ 2015-2019 - CLOSED 2012 - Lower section of park opens with new ZipLine and Chairlift. 2011 - Park Closed 2009 - Cliffhanger 2007 - Park Reopens with new attractions like Geronimo Drop	cc/2020-05/en_head_0057.json.gz/line200
__label__wiki	0.798252	0.798252	Shocker -- feds now say Scott Rothstein was lying Shocker -- Feds now say Scott Rothstein was lying! You don't say! From the Herald: Convicted South Florida Ponzi schemer Scott Rothstein, a disbarred attorney who ran a $1.2 billion investment scheme out of his Fort Lauderdale law firm, will not be receiving a reduction in his 50-year prison sentence because he lied to federal prosecutors, authorities said Tuesday. Prosecutors withdrew their pending motion to reduce Rothstein's sentence based on his cooperation in the sprawling racketeering investigation because he was “untruthful in an affidavit” filed with the federal court. Rothstein, who helped the U.S. attorney's office gain convictions of almost 30 defendants, was hoping to see many years cut from his sentence for his assistance. That reward won't happen. “In the judgment of the United States, the defendant provided false material information to the government and violated the terms of his plea agreement,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Lawrence LaVecchio wrote in a motion to withdraw an earlier request for a sentence reduction with U.S. District Judge James Cohn. “Therefore, in the exercise of its sole discretion, the government moves to withdraw the previously filed motion.” Now, did any of that false material information result in the convictions of other defendants, and if so, are the Feds going to do anything about that? Rothstein was on the run, and out of the country, with a bag of money. His mistake was to return home to face justice. A day, however long, is worth more than all the false promises of the DOJ. Rothstein will die in prison, or be so old when released he can go right to the old-age home. Yes, Rothstein was a total criminal. One of the worst white-collar crooks ever. But still, Live Free or Die. the old bait and switch Rothstein was from New Hampshire? Say it ain't so Joe, I mean Scott. What about Kimmie? Anyone see her lately? David Tucker said... I represented Kim. I imagine this was a difficult decision but this was the right call. Anything else would have greatly damaged the credibility of the USAO. Re 1:05 PM, Rothstein was not from New Hampshire. Wikipedia says, "Rothstein was born in the Bronx and moved with his parents to Lauderhill, Florida as a teenager." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scott_W._Rothstein "Live Free or Die" is the official motto New Hampshire, and Vivre Libre ou Mourir ("Live free or die") was a popular motto of the French Revolution. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Live_Free_or_Die Wikipedia has a concise summation of the "$1.2 billion Ponzi scheme". https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scott_W._Rothstein#.241.2_billion_Ponzi_scheme I found this reference to TFB interesting: "Rothstein, Rosenfeldt, and Adler's trust account was part of the Interest on Lawyer Trust Accounts (IOLTA) program that was paying hundreds of thousands of dollars a month to the Florida Bar Foundation." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scott_W._Rothstein#Trust_account And another reference to TFB: "The interest on the funded IOLTA accounts went to the Florida Bar monthly, which was many millions, based on the Banyon contributions." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scott_W._Rothstein#Partners.27_income_strategy_and_Rothstein.27s_returns Re: David Tucker 1:14 PM, as Anonymous 9:47 AM noted, "...did any of that false material information result in the convictions of other defendants, and if so, are the Feds going to do anything about that?" The Herald reported Rothstein helped the U.S. attorney's office gain convictions of almost 30 defendants. So how would "Anything else would have greatly damaged the credibility of the USAO."? Seems to me the credibility of the USAO was damaged by reneging on its deal with Rothstein, and getting convictions of almost 30 defendants on the Rothstein deal and Rothstein’s lies "because he was "untruthful in an affidavit" filed with the federal court". (Herald) The Wikipedia article also notes Rothstein had a "teen-aged daughter" at the time. Did the USAO consider her in its decision to renege on its deal with Rothstein? You all sound like a bunch of robots. He made a deal and lied. No reduction. Horseshoes and hand grenades. U.S. Attorney's office moves to dismiss Emoluments... Kevin Newsom's first published opinion JNC accepting applications for federal judge Ariana Fajardo Orshan is new front runner for U.S.... 11th Circuit asks for help from Texas Irma update Southern District courthouses to reopen Monday Update on SDFLA courts Downtown Miami update Good luck during the storm All rise! Legal Awards Season	cc/2020-05/en_head_0057.json.gz/line201
__label__wiki	0.719802	0.719802	Con artist scams men out of 7 million yuan with ‘libido-boosting’ magnetic underwear by Kenneth Tan A 47-year-old man who had been suffering from a lowered sex drive thought he had finally discovered the solution to all his problems after spotting an online advertisement for a special kind of magnetic underwear that promised to boost his libido. According to the ad, the underpants came with 18 magnets, strategically embedded around a man’s package, which would emit remote rays that resulted in stronger erections, ending premature ejaculation and impotence in the wearer. Convinced, the man, surnamed Yang, purchased three pairs of the magnetic undies for 268 yuan, believing that he had got a great deal, according to Jiemian News report from earlier this month which was relayed yesterday by the Global Times. They arrived with a lengthy message stating that results may vary and that if the customer did not experience any change then he should contact a company “coach” for further consultation. After wearing the underpants for a while and finding no improvement to his sex drive, Yang called the toll-free helpline and spoke with a 26-year-old woman surnamed Dai who told him that his genitals were clogged with toxins that must be flushed out. After being persuaded by Dai, Yang agreed to purchase a “specialized treatment package” for 3,680 yuan. He was sent some various ingredients including mugwort leaves and slices of ginger which he was instructed to boil into a soup before soaking his magnetic underwear in the liquid for 15 to 20 minutes. Also, he was instructed to spray the concoction on his private parts before engaging in sex. Yang carefully followed these instructions to the letter. But again, found his libido as low as ever. 50,000 men just like Wang were taken in by this same scam, cheated out of a total of 7.68 million yuan ($1.16 million). Eventually, nearly 700 of them complained about being swindled and demanded their money back, leading to a police investigation and prosecution. The mastermind of this con was a man named Xie Qinrui who has now been sentenced by a Guangzhou court to 12 years in prison for fraud. Xie had purchased around 100,000 pairs of these magnetic undies from a distributor, costing him only 17 to 30 yuan each. However, his real money came when men called the helpline to say that the underpants weren’t working. Xie hired a team of more than a hundred women to answer phone calls. They were told to always refer to themselves as “coaches,” not “doctors” or “experts,” and were given a script that they should follow in order to coax men into investing in a “specialized treatment package.” As incentive, after selling more than 10,000 yuan of merchandise, they could earn a commission off further sales. The script instructed the coaches to tell men that most members of their gender had sex two or three times a week, lasting for at least 15 to 20 minutes each time, anything less than that was considered abnormal. Meanwhile, if a man said that his lovemaking sessions lasted only a few minutes, he was told that he suffers from premature ejaculation. The concept of “Magnetic Therapy Pants” appears to come from a British company called Vince Pants which claims that its underwear will increase the size of your penis, cure erectile dysfunction, flush away waste products, moderate your calcium flow, alter your cell chromosome alignment, etc, etc. These sort of undies (英国卫裤) remain on sale on Taobao with prices ranging from 69 to 300 yuan per pair. A favorite brand appears to be one called Vince Klein.	cc/2020-05/en_head_0057.json.gz/line207
__label__wiki	0.799868	0.799868	These two Fire Emblem interviews offer a good look at the early games in the series (particularly the original 1990 Famicom game and its 1994 Super Famicom remake). The first interview is a fun “Final Fantasy vs. Fire Emblem” chat between Hironobu Sakaguchi and Shouzou Kaga, in which both creators share their love for each other’s work. The second interview with Kaga focuses purely on the original Famicom game and its conception and design. Fire Emblem @serenesforest Fire Emblem – Developer Interviews with Shouzou Kaga and Hironobu Sakaguchi Fire Emblem vs. Final Fantasy originally featured in the 4/94 issue of Famicom Tsuushin —To begin, please introduce yourselves. Sakaguchi: Pleased to meet you, I’m Hironobu Sakaguchi. I’ve been really looking forward to this meeting today! Kaga: Likewise! I’ve heard so much about you. —Sakaguchi, I understand you’ve just concluded the development of Final Fantasy 6. Have you played Fire Emblem: Mystery of the Emblem yet? Sakaguchi: Not enough! (laughs) I’ve been knee-deep in the FF6 development until just now, and the new Fire Emblem was released during the height of our work. I bought it on the day it came out, but I knew that if I opened it up, I wouldn’t do any work, so it was sitting on my desk there like a decoration. During the most intense parts of the FF6 development, I comforted myself by saying, “As soon as this is done, I can play Fire Emblem as much as I want…” Kaga: Thank you. (laughs) Sakaguchi: Anyway, now that my work is done, I’ve started a new game. I made it to about Chapter 8 before realizing the way I was building my characters was all wrong. Leveling everyone equally isn’t the right way to go in Fire Emblem, I now know. I also missed some hidden items from Chapter 2 to Chapter 3, and I didn’t get Navarre… I accidentally killed him. Shouzou Kaga. Profile reads: “Game Designer. Planning/script/direction for the Fire Emblem series. He got his start in the game industry about 10 years ago, after winning one of Login magazine’s coding contests. His hobby is researching military history. Lives in Kyoto.” —You killed Navarre? That’s pretty impressive. (laughs) Sakaguchi: Yeah, so last night I restarted my game over from the beginning. I think this is my 3rd time starting over? Of course, now I’m moving through it a lot faster… last night I played almost the entire night, I barely slept at all, and got to Chapter 10. It’s tough, but really satisfying. Kaga: While we were balancing it, I definitely thought it was maybe a little too difficult. But if you keep your wits about you and play well, you can make progress. Sakaguchi: When I die, I always reset. Kaga: Even if you reset, the Loss Counter still goes up. Sakaguchi: Really? Maybe I should have just started over again. (laughs) —And what do you think about the Final Fantasy series, Kaga? Kaga: The one I really got sucked into was Final Fantasy III. The height of my obsession with FFIII coincided with the development of the first Fire Emblem on the Famicom, so I feel like I may have taken a lot of influence from it. —Yeah, and a number of the character names in Fire Emblem and Final Fantasy are the same. Many of our readers pointed that out in letters they sent to us. Kaga: Those probably weren’t intentional, I don’t think, but when you’re caught up in the same struggle—the same genre, the same material, the same kind of development—there’s bound to be some coincidences like that. Sakaguchi: Yeah, game development… it’s not easy. (laughs) We’ve had the same problem internally at Square. The Square Osaka team making Mystic Quest created a thief character named Locke, but we also have a character in FF6 named Locke, who is a thief… err, treasure hunter. (laughs) Neither team knew what the other was doing, and when we popped the lid off and saw each other’s work for the first time, it was like, “What?! You guys made Locke too?!” Hironobu Sakaguchi. Profile reads: “Joined Square while he was a student at Yokohama National College. After that he became the director of software development and worked on Final Fantasy I. Currently, he works as a game director and Representative Director Vice President. His hobby is film. He lives in Tokyo.” —You mentioned FFIII, but I found the ending of that game to be incredibly hard. Kaga: Yeah, the final dungeon is a beast. You have to keep fighting for almost 2 hours without a save point. Sakaguchi: You guys at Famitsu really took us to task for that one. Yoshida Sensha made fun of it in his manga, I remember. (laughs) Kaga: Yeah, but after restarting who-knows-how-many times, and finally beating it and seeing the ending… it was extremely satsifying. That’s why I don’t think easy games are so great. Isn’t the important thing how you feel after it’s all over? —What are your thoughts on the Final Fantasy series as a whole? Kaga: I’m extremely jealous of the gameplay system, the graphics, and the music… Square is at the top level of this industry. Their games are easy to understand, and anyone can pick up and play them. In the beginning, the Final Fantasy series had a bit of a “hardcore” reputation in some ways, but those elements have been progressively refined. On that point, I think I have a lot to learn myself from studying them. Sakaguchi: I’m very happy to hear you say that. The famous Fire Emblem opera commercial. According to the Fire Emblem strategy guide, the filming was a real challenge: the armor for the opera singers was so heavy that they needed those staffs just to stay standing. The horse was a “famous” actor horse used in previous operas like Aida; however, the flashes of lightning and the size of the chorus made the horse skittish, and they had to restart over 20 times to get a good take. Kaga: Two years ago, when I was making Fire Emblem Gaiden, I had an interview with Nakaji for Famitsu (in his “Fire Emblem Priest” column). We talked a bit then, about Dragon Quest and Final Fantasy. I remember telling him that, between the two, I really preferred Final Fantasy, which felt fresh and new compared to Dragon Quest. When Fire Emblem first came out on the Famicom, the early reviews were really harsh. Every game magazine gave it pretty bad scores. There weren’t really many games back then that combined the RPG and strategy/simulation genres, you see. It stung to see it get so much criticism for being “hard to understand”, or for not looking that impressive graphically… for those reasons, the reviews said it felt like some old game from yesteryear. A half year later, though, Nakaji praised Fire Emblem in that column of his for Famitsu… that was really when things started turning around, and the sales gradually picked up. Sakaguchi: When Fire Emblem came out for the Famicom, it made a big impression on us at Square. Sakaguchi: Everyone wanted to know what kind of game it was. Back then there was nothing like it, and I would say its closer to an RPG than a simulation game. So at Square, when it came out, we bought it right away, and everyone gathered together to play and study it. I can’t say it was the easiest game to pick up and play, but I felt something very special and addicting in it. And of course I’ve been playing it ever since! Kaga: Yeah, that was something many people remarked on—that it was hard to learn, and wasn’t easy to get into. On the flipside though, once you did figure it out, it was impossible to put down! Sakaguchi: Exactly! —Like getting trapped in quicksand. (laughs) Sakaguchi: When someone walks by and sees me playing Fire Emblem and says something like, “man, I could never play a game that hard, I’d throw the controller against the wall!”… I get annoyed. (laughs) What can I say, I’m a convert. (laughs) —The Super Famicom re-release of Fire Emblem has a lot of changes. Some of the strategies don’t work anymore either—Bantu can’t tank like he could before. Sakaguchi: I used to have a trick where I’d use Warp magic to send a character I wanted to level near a fort that released archers. I’d surround the fort with guys, so that the archer couldn’t move, and level up as much as I wanted! —A bold move. Kaga: There’s strategies for every map, to be sure, but there’s no single “correct” strategy, even what you read in the guidebooks. I think finding your own tactics is the right way to play. —Finally, please offer a final word about your own work. Kaga: It’s not a big problem if some of your characters die in Fire Emblem; I want each player to create their own unique story. Don’t get caught up trying to get a “perfect ending.” Have fun! Sakaguchi: Final Fantasy 6 is a game you can replay many times: there’s lots of character combinations, and you can teach anyone any magic. Anyway, for all those who bought it, I can’t wait for you to see the ending! —Thank you for your time today! The joy/embarrassment of posing with Mog and Chocobo plushies. Fire Emblem – 1990 Developer Interview from the APE Encyclopedia Fire Emblem —How long did Fire Emblem: Ankoku Ryū to Hikari no Tsurugi take to complete? Kaga: From its initial conception, about 3 years. —What do you think the genre of Fire Emblem is? Kaga: I call it “roleplaying simulation.” It’s a new genre. Basically, it’s a strategy game. But strategy games typically are kind of “hardcore” and dry. (laughs) You only care about winning or losing the battle, and there’s no space for the player to empathize with the characters or story. I love strategy games like that too, but I also love RPGs. By adding RPG elements, I wanted to create a game where the player could get more emotionally invested in what’s happening. Conversely, one of the drawbacks of RPGs is that there’s always just a single protagonist. Thus, to a certain extent, you can only experience the linear story that the game creator has prepared for you. I wanted to create a game where the story and game will develop differently for each player depending on the units they use. Thus I added the strategy elements and arrived at this hybrid system. —And do you feel like you accomplished what you set out to do? Kaga: I think I made an RPG that borrows the frame of a strategy game. The battlefield is like a strategy game, but each character is a protagonist in their own right, and you can actually get attached to them, making it closer to an RPG, I think. —There’s many ways to finish the game too, since each person will have a different mix of strategies and units they like to use. Kaga: I think this is something people understand once they play the game, but most of the characters are usable. And characters who at first seem like crappy, throwaway characters–if you take the time to build them up and nurture them, they can become incredibly powerful. We made a lot of characters like that. It allows friends to brag to each other, “Hey, I did it this way. Here, let me show you!” I think that’s a key difference between Fire Emblem and Dragon Quest. When people share their experiences in a game like Dragon Quest, it’s more like “I got here, how far did you get?”… but in Fire Emblem, it’s all about “I did it this way.” There hasn’t beeen a lot of room for the player’s originality in previous RPGs, because if you gave the player too much control, it would break the structure of the game. That’s the advantage of including strategy mechanics: there’s a million different ways to accomplish the same goal, and there’s actually room for the player to make choices. And the accumulation of all those choices made leads to a very different experience for each player. I don’t consider Marth to be the protagonist either, except in the sense that if he dies, it’s game over. It’s totally fine to see the story as revolving around the particular characters that you’re partial to. According to magazine surveys taken at the time, Lena and Hardin were the Japanese fan-favorites. —I’ve heard some people complain, though, that Fire Emblem is actually too light on the strategy. What do you say to that? Kaga: Well, that is an understandable response from the perspective of hardcore strategy buffs and those who design games with them primarily in mind. I think there’s a similar thing going on right now in game centers, too, and hardcore arcade fans. But for Nintendo-made products, the baseline for the development is always that it be easy to play to the end, something “anyone can pick up and enjoy.” And I think that is a perfectly fine approach in its own right. Even if the strategy mechanics are lacking some depth, the important thing is its overall balance as a game, after all. Actually, the first person to beat the game was a graphic designer at Nintendo, someone completely unrelated to the development. I think the selling point of Fire Emblem is that anyone, even non-gamers, can enjoy the strategy, so that made me really happy. —So Fire Emblem was made so that even children would be able to pick it right up?! Kaga: Yeah, as much as possible, we tried to remove “stats” and numerical data. We tried to make it so that even without relying on stats, players could still get a sense of an enemy being really powerful by how much damage they dealt. —What things did you really want to express with Fire Emblem? Kaga: I wanted to make a strategy game that was more dramatic, something where you would really be able to feel the pain and struggle of the characters. That’s why characters can’t be revived once they’re killed, to impart a sense of gravity and seriousness. In turn, I think the result is that the more love you have for your characters, the more rewarding the game is. —Was there anything you wanted to include this game, but were unable to? Kaga: I wanted to add some kind of multiplayer feature.1 With Fire Emblem I’ve made a “role playing simulation” game, but at the same time, it’s very linear. And I think players who spend so much time building and developing their units will probably feel like, for all that work, they didn’t get to use the units very much. So for the next game, I’m thinking of some kind of simultaneous, multi-scenario setup, where there’s a number of different paths to explore. Comic taken from the Fire Emblem strategy guide, poking fun at character perma-deaths and Jeigan. It reads: “Lord Marth! If I die, I beg of you, reset the game…“ Kaga says “multiplayer” here in katakana, but based on the context, I suspect he means multiple protagonist/multiscenario structure, as elaborated on below.	cc/2020-05/en_head_0057.json.gz/line208
__label__cc	0.579502	0.420498	You are here: Home › 2014 › September Muslims Take Christian Family, Force The Son Into Slavery, Brutally Beat The Wife In Front Of The Husband, And Horrifically Torture The Husband And The Entire Family By Ted on September 30, 2014 in Featured, General SHOEBAT EXCLUSIVE By Theodore Shoebat Muslims in Pakistan took an entire Christian family and enforced them into slavery, laboring in a brick kiln. They took the son in order to send him into another brick kiln, and when his parents resisted the captors, they brutally beat the mother in front of the husband, and then […] Obama’s Chief of Staff Caught Shaking Hands with Muslim Terrorist By Ben Barrack on September 30, 2014 in Featured, General, IkhwanLeaks SHOEBAT EXCLUSIVE In 2012, Denis McDonough, the man who would later be promoted to Chief of Staff to President Barack Obama was photographed in Doha, Qatar shaking hands and consorting with a known terrorist. The man McDonough was seen pressing flesh with is Sheikh Abdullah bin Bayyah, a deputy to Muslim Brotherhood’s spiritual leader Yusuf […] Continue Reading 15 The World Is Getting Scary When We See Muslim Beheadings And Ebola Is Already In The U.S. By Shoebat Foundation on September 30, 2014 in Featured, General By Walid Shoebat (Shoebat Exclusive) The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has confirmed the first case of Ebola in a critically ill patient diagnosed in a U.S. hospital, officials announced Tuesday. The patient — who has been isolated since his symptoms were recognized — is an unnamed man in intensive care at Texas Health […] Antichrist Nation Of Turkey Is Getting Closer To Invading Syria And Iraq Theodore Shoebat As I have said before, Turkey will enter into Syria under the pretext of bringing stability to the nation. Now Turkey is moving closer to entering Syria and Iraq under the title of intervention. As we read from one report: BAGHDAD—Turkey’s government edged closer Tuesday to direct intervention in the conflicts in Syria […] Shooting Range In Arkansas Bans Muslims From Entering In Its Premises By Theodore Shoebat A shooting a range in Arkansas has banned Muslims from entering its premises. As we read from a report: Jan Morgan, who owns The Gun Cave Indoor Shooting Range in Hot Springs Arkansas, announced the ban by posting her 10 reasons on her official website. The conservative blogger and NRA-certified Firearms Instructor […] The Vatican Again Calls For Military Attack Against Islamic Jihadists By Theodore Shoebat The Vatican has again called for military attack against Islamic jihadists, as we read in a report: A high-ranking Vatican official is calling on the United Nations to use force to protect religious minorities in Iraq and Syria from the onslaught of the Islamic State. Vatican Secretary of State Pietro Parolin addressed […] Professors Claim Rise of ISIS caused by Fall in ICE By Ben Barrack on September 30, 2014 in General The pseudo-intellectuals are at it again. In this case, two geniuses smarter than you or I claim that the reason ISIS was created and began beheading innocent people is because that darned drought just made them so cranky. You see, pseudo-intellectuals are in a perpetual conundrum. They want to be taken seriously and they want […] Boston Marathon Bombing Suspect’s Sister Says: “I Know People That Can Put A Bomb Where You Live.” Ailina Tsarnaeva, the 24-year-old sister of alleged Boston Marathon bombers Tamerlan and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev. And, according to police, she allegedly threatened the other woman by telling her, “I have people. I know people that can put a bomb where you live.” Tsarnaeva appeared in New York Criminal Court on Tuesday. She entered a not guilty […] Muslim Soccer Fans Cheering for ISIS In Morocco, Raja Casablanca is still regarded as the club of the people. Now the “Ultras”, or hard-core supporters of Raja Club Athletic were giving a very vocal tribute of support to ISIS. Chants ranged from simply Daish Daish (ISIS, ISIS) to “Allahu Akbar haya a’l Jihad” (Allahu Akbar, let’s go on jihad!) which gets […] U.S. State Department Infiltrated by Muslim Brotherhood says Muslim Brotherhood doesn’t want a Caliphate By Ben Barrack on September 30, 2014 in Featured, General If you can’t believe the guys hiding inside the Trojan horse, who can you trust? While speaking at the United Nations, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that the common goal of all Islamic militants is a global caliphate. In response, a U.S. State Department that has undoubtedly been influenced by the Muslim Brotherhood, scoffed: […] ISIS Advancing At The Tomb of The Grandfather of The Founder of The Ottoman Empire By Walid Shoebat (Shoebat Exclusive) Last week we reported that “the key to unlock everything ISIS wants as well as what the Turks want is hidden deep in a Turkish vault which we will reveal in one word: Dabiq and now we see this already unfolding when this news just came in from Arabic media source […] The Only True Baptism Is Done Under The Holy Trinity, Anything Else Is Satanic And Antichrist By Theodore Shoebat The only true Baptism is done under the Holy Trinity, anything else is satanic And antichrist. I did an entire video of this exposing the heresies people are preaching to cause spiritual and theological anarchy: AFTER WATCHING, PLEASE CLICK HERE TO MAKE A DONATION THAT WILL SAVE CHRISTIAN LIVES Netanyahu Defends The Islamic Religion, And Says This About The Jihadist Terrorism Problem: “It’s not Islam.” By Theodore Shoebat Benjamin Netanyahu defended Islam today in his speech at the United Nations General Assembly, in which he said, in regards to the terrorism problem, that “It’s not Islam.” Netanyahu said: The people of Israel pray for peace. But our hopes and the world’s hope for peace are in danger. Because everywhere we […] Ex-Imam of Mosque Attended by Muslim who DECAPITATED Oklahoma Woman placed at Event with Ex-CIA Director In February of 2009, Suhaib Webb – the former Imam of the mosque attended by the Alton Nolen (the man who beheaded an Oklahoma woman last week) – was in attendance at the U.S.-Islamic World Forum (US-IWF), an annual event held in Doha, Qatar that’s co-sponsored by the Qatari government and the Brookings Institute, a […] Prophecy Unfolding on future Turkish Invasion of Egypt By Shoebat Foundation on September 29, 2014 in General Report today from Israel Nationals News Daniel 11: 43 – 45 43 He shall have power over the treasures of gold and silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt; also the Libyans and Ethiopians shall follow at his heels. 44 But news from the east and the north shall trouble him; therefore he […] (VIDEO) Shiites Take ISIS Fighters, Execute Them, And Light Their Bodies On Fire By Walid Shoebat and Theodore Shoebat A video recently leaked shows Shiite burning the bodies of ISIS fighters after executing them: AFTER WATCHING, PLEASE CLICK HERE TO MAKE A DONATION THAT WILL SAVE CHRISTIAN LIVES	cc/2020-05/en_head_0057.json.gz/line210
__label__cc	0.684738	0.315262	What Does the World Call Better? An Interview with Nancy Evans Doede Nancy was like a road. She was long and far-sighted, and had passed through many terrains. It was not only her story that was configured like a road, but her movement as well. “Let’s see,” she said to herself before she began to dance. And then she commenced, as seamlessly as if there was never any question where she was heading. How long have you been dancing and what have been some highlights along the journey? I started dancing when I was quite young. In fact, I had some foot issues and the podiatrist recommended I take ballet classes. It was great because I was able to get out of my restrictive saddle Oxford shoes and put on ballet slippers. I took ballet classes regularly until I was about 13, and then my family moved. I was a theater major in college. One night, I went to a dance concert where I saw modern dance for the first time. I didn’t understand it, so I decided to take some classes and find out more. I got hooked. I graduated with a theater degree, but dance became very important to me. After college, I pursued theater full-force. I went to Chicago and was one of the original members of Steppenwolf Theatre Company. I went to see a dance concert a friend of mine was in, and the piece was by Hanya Holm. I was blown away. On the back of the program it announced a Hanya Holm summer intensive at Colorado College. I decided I had to go. I took a leave of absence from Steppenwolf, packed my car and drove to Colorado Springs. I studied with Hanya for eight weeks. Hanya was Mary Wigman’s protégée. She brought Mary’s school of dance to the United States in the 1920s. After studying with Hanya, it was suggested I go to Minneapolis and work with Nancy Hauser. Nancy was a protégée of Hanya. I ended up working with Nancy for seven years. After I met my husband, we moved to California. My kids got into dance and started studying at a studio. I didn’t even tell them I had been a professional dancer until they got really involved. They kind of brought me back into it. I started teaching at the studio, and in the summers I taught composition classes. Soon I started choreographing again. I taught in both the dance and theater departments at the Los Angeles High School for the Arts. And then my nest emptied. My son went to Europe to dance at the Hamburg Ballet School, and my daughter went to Milwaukee Ballet II. I suppose I needed to nurture something, so I started a company. In 2010, we had our first performance season, and we’ve been going strong ever since. My daughter is now back, and she dances with the company and serves as the associate artistic director. I’m in the studio every day. I work with my company twice a week, and I teach the other days, either at a studio in Pasadena or at the high school. How have the reasons for why you dance changed over time? They’re the same but different, if that makes sense. I came to dance because I was completely moved by what I saw Hanya do choreographically. I knew I wasn’t going to be the greatest technical dancer in the room. But Hanya was about being committed to an idea and not being easily satisfied, which really resonated with me. She said, in her German accent, “You have to start at the beginning. You have to deconstruct first. You have to uncover before you discover.” The thing I loved about her and what still resonates for me is that no matter how good you are, you’re only ever an advanced beginner. There’s always room. What you thought you learned before, you learn again, and every time you learn it you know more. If you’re committed to something, you do get better, but the question is: What does the world call better? My leg won’t get higher anymore, but my ability to express gets deeper. How does the idea of success resonate with you? Do you feel you’ve achieved success? Success when I was younger was feeling I had arrived somewhere, achieved something, and had some reputation for it. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized I’m a grassroots person. I like being connected with the people with whom I’m working. And yeah, I would love to support my dancers. I would love for them not to have to do anything else but dance. But in this country that’s nearly unrealistic. So success for me is feeling that the process is vibrant and collaborative. I love to see dancers bloom and become artists. If one sticks with their art throughout their life, they create a legacy, but they also have a responsibility to that legacy. My legacy goes back to Mary Wigman. I never met her and never saw her dance. But she moved Hanya, and Hanya moved me. It’s a legacy I’m constantly rediscovering. There are times in the middle of a class when the lightbulb goes on, I remember what she said, and now I get it. And that’s the beauty of a legacy: it can be rediscovered constantly. There’s a truth to it. Do you see yourself dancing for the foreseeable future? In order to want to dance, I have to see the big picture and if I fit into that picture. When I don’t think I fit into the picture, I won’t dance. That’s why I have an associate and executive director who will tell me “I don’t think so.” We’ll be honest with each other. What advice would you give to a younger generation of dance artists? Explore. Don’t settle for what you think is the answer. Embrace the unknown. Have confidence in yourself that you can’t be compared to anybody else. You either resonate with someone or you don’t. It’s a relationship. If the relationship clicks, you work with that person. If it doesn’t, move on. Ultimately, it’s all about the relationship, whether it’s the relationship of a painter to a canvas or a dancer to another dancer. If that relationship isn’t healthy, the art isn’t going to be there. Nancy Evans Doede studied under modern dance pioneer Hanya Holm, and danced with Nancy Hauser. She was also an original member of Chicago’s Steppenwolf Theatre, and the company’s first female director. In Los Angeles, Nancy has continued to work in the theater and dance communities as both a teacher and director. She was a producer of the Children of the World Project, which received a Grammy nomination in 1985. She launched Nancy Evans Dance Theatre in June of 2010.	cc/2020-05/en_head_0057.json.gz/line214
__label__cc	0.589669	0.410331	Estudos Feministas Print version ISSN 0104-026X Estud. fem. vol.5 no.se Florianópolis 2010 The construction of an agenda concerning gender, socio-environmental disasters, and development Rosana de Carvalho Martinelli Freitas Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina Translated by Nina Adelman Translation from Revista Estudos Feministas, Florianópolis, v.18, n.3, p. 889-899, Sept./Dec. 2010. The purpose of this essay is to discuss issues related to development, socio-environmental disasters, and gender, which, for being important elements of the public debate in Brazil today, should be addressed in research and public policy strategies. The relationship between gender, class, race/ethnicity and socio-environmental disasters is presented, and key concepts about development, the environment and equality are examined in the context or recent economic policies. This essay reflects on the condition of women found in a subaltern condition in capitalist society who suffer the consequences of socio-environmental disasters. It concludes with suggestions for including a focus on gender in the preparation of research and action strategies. Keywords: Nature, Society, Development, Disasters, Women. Este artigo tem como objetivo discutir questões relacionadas a desenvolvimento, desastres socioambientais e gênero, as quais, por estarem inscritas no debate contemporâneo brasileiro, constituem elementos que devem pautar pesquisas e estratégias de ação. Apresenta a relação entre gênero, classe, raça/etnia e desastres socioambientais, examinando conceito-schave sobre desenvolvimento, meio ambiente e igualdade no contexto das políticas econômicas recentes. Reflete sobre a situação das mulheres inseridas em uma situação de subalternidade na sociedade capitalista, que sofrem as consequências dos desastres socioambientais. Conclui com sugestões para a inclusão nesses processos do enfoque de gênero na elaboração de agendas de pesquisas e de ação. Palavras-chave: natureza; sociedade; desenvolvimento; desastres; mulheres. Floods, fires, earthquakes, mud slides, volcanic eruptions, hurricanes, tornados, tsunamis, tropical storms, droughts, among other natural disasters point out to situations to which human beings are exposed to. They may constitute catastrophes, the unraveling of the social process precipitated by environmental events, but they are, nonetheless, based on social and economic relationships and in patterns of historical development. The interest about the environment has intensified in the last three decades due to the gradual exhaustion of natural resources, both renewable and non renewable. The rise and concentration of population, the super-exploitation and the inadequate management of natural resources lead to the environmental degradation of eco systems, which, in turn, is leading to the increase and frequency of catastrophes. These situations are worrisome because they surpass the proposals for solutions in course, pointing out to a process which implies the elaboration and implementation of research agendas and actions consistent with the theme. This recent increase in attention toward the effects of social-environmental disasters, due by in large to the superimposed relationship between society and nature, is expressed through the emergency of environmental movements, in conferences and in international agreements, which, in turn, have generated theoretical perspectives and political actions. It is also expressed in international research in the fields of social sciences and applied sciences, which direct to aspects related to gender and social-environmental disasters.1 However, this has not been a reoccurring theme in the theory produced in Brazil. The roots of this subject justifies the interest in introducing elements such as class, race/ethnicity and gender, which affect women involved in the preventing and dealing with situations of socio-environmental disasters. The goal is to elaborate an agenda for research and action strategies which will, in turn, enable this subject to be incorporated in society in practical terms and to move beyond the periphery of either well articulated speeches or the good intentions registered in official documents. Initially, I present the relationship between gender and the situations of socio-environmental disasters and the ways by which women are affected. In the second section, I reclaim the key concepts within the analysis about development, environment and equality. Finally, I present some suggestions for the inclusion and focus on gender in future research agenda and action strategies aiming at getting to know and learning about the multiple and multilayered aspects relating to the inclusion of women in this process. Disasters, the situation of women and the ways to construct an agenda for research and action In 1992, in Rio de Janeiro, due to socio-environmental issues the governments came together for the first time to talk about climate change. During that meeting the leaders created the United Nations Fourth Convention about Climate Change (UNFCCC). The third article establishes the following: The parties in this contract should protect the climatic system for the benefit of the present as well as future generations based on equity and in agreement with common responsibilities, but differentiated and with its respective capacities. Therefore, the developed countries should take the lead in combating climate change and its adverse effects.2 At the same time, it was during the International Decade for the Reduction of Natural Disasters (1990) that women and children were identified as being "the key to prevention". In the years after that, women got organized and came together in gatherings and conferences about this subject, in many cities and countries3. The results of these initiatives raised new questions to planners because it analyzed catastrophes through "women's lenses" thus identifying gaps. It presented a critique of the juridical and institutional systems and it brought gender issues to the fore front as an important component for the prevention and intervention in situations of socio-environmental disasters. Nevertheless, according to Sue Armstrong,4women were not represented neither in the UNFCCC nor in the Kyoto Protocol5. It does not take even a simple search through the Convention-Board of the United Nations about Climate Change and in the Kyoto Protocol, two important treaties about the efforts in combating climate change on a global scale, to realize that the words "gender" and "women" are not mentioned in neither of them.6 Therefore, considering that the impact caused by the relationship between society and nature do not affect men and women in the same way because the interests and needs of women have not been significantly included in the government agenda nor in the agenda of different institutions, I will present in this section, elements which justify the creation of a research agenda and action strategy with an alternative approach, which combines justice (social, environmental, economic), gender and development, all of which aimed at preserving the environment as well as preventing socio-environmental disasters. Gender relations and socio-environmental disasters are socially constructed under the influence of economic, political, cultural and social factors and under complex geographic conditions that reflect particular conditions that impact men and women and are also influenced by class, race/ethnicity and gender. In December of 2007, four international institutions gathered with environmental ministers and leaders, during the United Nations Conference on Climate Change in Bali7 to affirm, for the first time in its history, that a world coalition of women wrote manifestos about the perspectives regarding women and gender issues regarding the most urgent matters negotiated during the Convention.8 Because the women got united and organized themselves, the countries who signed the accord and the United Nations Committee for Climate Change were challenged to acknowledge that women are powerful agents of change and that their participation in policy making and in the initiatives of adaptation and mitigation of climate is crucial. Therefore, it is also a must to guarantee that women and gender specialists take part, in a critical and qualified manner, in all the decisions relating to climate change issues, taking into consideration the predominance of the theoretical production, which have emphasized the insertion of women in the process of minimizing socio-environmental disasters. Kellie Tranter9 demonstrated that more women than men die as a direct or indirect result of socio-environmental disasters. For instance, 90% of the 140,000 victims of the cyclone that devastated Bangladesh in 1991 were women; likewise, more women than men perished during the heat wave that afflicted Europe in 2003; the tsunami that hit Sri Lanka in 2006 killed three to four women per each man. What would be the reasons? Why are women more prone to suffer the consequences of disasters than men? Based on these questions and on the concept that the "the human being is nature,"10 I will propose some elements that should be taken into consideration when approaching this subject. The economic, social and cultural conditions of each person can increase the effect of socio-environmental disasters, exposing them to new losses and damages, for example, in relationship to work. Therefore, it is not simply a "technical" issue, but also social as it exposes the ability of the person, the neighborhood, the municipality, and the country to anticipate, plan for it, survive and recover from the devastating effects of these events. The current economic globalization, for instance, makes women more vulnerable, especially women who are head of the households, in regards to employment and wages. In addition, they suffer with the cuts deriving from structural adjustment which impact the quantity and quality of social services available to them. The process or urban migration11 is also reflected in the insecure living conditions in large urban centers because women and their families are more exposed to pollution, to floods and landslides. Furthermore, still in the scope of environmental degradation, drought brings innumerous effects to women who are farm workers and/or deforestation to those who depend on wood. However, situations of socio-environmental disasters also affect men. In the sexual division of labor, they are the ones who take upon themselves activities such as rescue, dealing with adverse situations and feeling limited in their ability to ask for the help needed due to strict norms regarding masculinity. The relationships between men and women are powerful forces in each culture. The manner by which these relationships are defined creates different roles and responsibilities for men and women, which in turn, translates into unequal access and control of resources (to inherit land or to obtain credit from a bank, for example) and decision making power ( occupying a seat in community counsel and/or rights and commissions). The combined effect of these differences and inequalities mean that women and girls, men and boys face different types and levels of exposure to the impacts and consequences of socio-environmental disasters. The adoption of behaviors and stereotypes about men and women may contribute to the increase of differences between the genders and sometimes it can lead to devastating consequences. One example of this cultural influence during a disaster can be seen in Sri Lanka. In that country, swimming a tree climbing are activities taught mostly to boys. Social prejudice prevents girls and women to develop these abilities decreasing their chances of surviving a flood. Another example is what happened in Blumenau in 2008, a town in the south of Brazil, during the floods followed by mudslides in which women were found dead with their children in their arms. Some accounts from survivors describe women clutching to their babies inside houses that were buried and other people hanging off trunks of trees to resist the torrent of water. These women, filled with their responsibility as mothers and caretakers, took a long time aiding their children which delayed their evacuation from their houses leaving insufficient time for them to find shelter. In addition to cultural aspects, there is class inequality, which manifests itself in the difference of income and maximizes the impact of socio-environmental disasters on women and their families. Furthermore, socio-environmental disasters increase the work load for women from the moment when the disaster is anticipated, during it and afterward. A higher number of women suffer from post traumatic stress symptoms. Furthermore, there is an increase in domestic violence and violence against women and girls in the context of disasters. Women carry the main responsibility for the domestic affairs, performing activities such as cooking, taking care of children, the elderly and the disabled. They are the care givers and as such they are not free to migrate to find work after a disaster. Men migrate in large numbers, more frequently leaving a large number of women as heads of the household. During a catastrophe, the home is usually destroyed. Therefore, many families are forced to seek shelter or temporary homes. Although they may be referred to as "temporary residences," many families end up spending considerable amount of time there, according to Rosana Freitas and Cristiane Marques.12 In the case of the floods in the Itajai Valley, in 2008, until the present moment there are still 250 families living in shelters. Those shelters are inadequate places with shared kitchens and bathrooms, which increases the domestic work load and limits their freedom of movement and action. It also makes it harder for them to find alternative sources of income, jeopardizing their role as providers for the family. The women who are mothers living in these temporary residences also notice such living conditions increase the chances that their children may experience sexual violence. The image of suffering women and children is very popular in the media. But what the media does not show is that women play a vital role in the rescue efforts, acting either within socially prescribed roles or transcending it. Freitas and Marques also point out that public legislature, attitudes and behaviors of technicians and professionals also reveal prejudice; they reinforce an essentialist view of women and reiterate the sexual division of labor in the process of addressing situations of socio-environmental disasters. In this decade, there are new approaches presenting the need to work together to prevent events that may be tragic and destructive. Such focus, based on gender analysis, indicate the importance of valuing the knowledge and abilities of women, which have been neglected up to this point, in contexts considered threatening or high risk. An approach to socio-environmental situations from the gender perspective does not restrict itself to women's participation pos-disaster, celebrating their compensatory activities together with the losses and damages that occurred. This type of approach is only justifiable when issues of class and the social relationship between men and women are acknowledged as a force present in people's lives, in each culture that produces and reproduces differences and inequalities. This type of insertion, of perception, of economic and social interests of men and women reinforce, implicitly or not, a "development" model and also it influences the relationship society/environment and its consequences, which manifests itself through the danger of socio-environmental disasters. The majority of the problems do not come from cultural or religious norms and it can be transformed through the kind of political intervention that promotes critical thinking and contributes to changing the "roles" and behaviors attributed to women, which are, as mentioned before, social constructions. This educational process is complex because it is not to expect that it will come from countries considered developed for they are actually part of the problem by exacerbating their decisions and actions in favor of a developmental model guided by a destructive rationality. Development, socio-environmental disasters and the gender equality challenge In order to understand the relationship between development, the environment and the gender equality challenge one needs to quote Karl Marx to make the relationship between human beings and nature explicit: [ human beings live off nature, that is, nature is their body, and they need tomaintain a continuous dialogue with it in order not to die. To say that the physical and mental lives of humans are linked to nature simply means that nature is linked to itself since humans are a parte of nature.13 Although Marx expressed this relationship including the "conditions imposed by nature" as well as the ability of human beings to affect this process, he yet still demonstrated a profound preoccupation with production, with the ecological limitations and with a "flaw in the metabolism."14 The relationship between humans and nature and their relationship with development issues did not constitute in a central element of the Marxist perspective until the 70's. The emphasis on the environmental questions and its relationship with the economic development came to surface in the context of the 80's, when the long expansive cycle of capitalism on an international scale gave in to a recessive cycle, development became conditioned to the fight against inflation, to state induction and to the distribution of wealth. This position was embraced by the neo-liberalism as it submitted all the demands from the subaltern classes to the filter of monetary stability and "development." In the decades that followed, the mercantilization of the economic, political and social was consolidated. Therefore, there was a need for a counter hegemonic movement of de-mercantilization , in other words, to prioritize the public sphere, an open process, the object of political and ideological dispute. The outcome, even nowadays, depends on social organization and, therefore, on women. It was also in the 80's that the concept of sustainable15 development emerged with a reoccurring emphasis on local autonomy and self-determination, regional and national, which have unfolded into approaches ideological and political of both progressive and conservative nature in terms of the ways by which to conceive development as well as different approaches about the management and the quality of life. The term "sustainability" refers to a category that, for being imprecise, makes it possible for different appropriations: it can serve to learn about the need for a new model of development, but it can also enable the neo-liberal discourse about sustainability based on the valorization of business efficiency and on environmental education without engendering the contradictions of the capitalist system. As István Mészáros points out,16 during a long time there was the belief that all human problems would be solved through "development" and "modernization" and that they were socially neutral and that technology would surpass all obstacles. Even today, there is still hope for corrections that are strictly technological, even though they collide directly with the interests for survival of the species. The quest for economic growth without any restriction to financial capital and to production reiterates the accumulation of problems for the future generations. There is a relationship of interdependence between growth and development and both deserve to be the focus of a critical analysis that the discussions about gender cannot ignore and/or abort tangentially. Mészáros proposes "[] the need to qualify all future development and sustainable development as a way to create a concept with a content that is at once factual and socially desirable."17 According to him, sustainability means: "[] to be really in charge of cultural, economic and social processes that are vital and through which humans not only survive, but also can find satisfaction according to the goals established by themselves instead of being at the mercy of natural forces that are unpredictable and quasi-natural economic determinations. The current social order is based on the structural antagonism between capital and labor, therefore requiring the exercise of an external control of non-submissive forces. Adversity is the necessary companion of such system, regardless of the economic and human waste it may cause for its maintenance."18 The adverse nature of the capitalist system of production and reproduction for the subaltern classes e for nature, especially in the case of Brazil, has to be dealt with and that is why the question of substantive equality cannot be avoided today as it was in the past. The considerations made by this author are important because they sustain the nexus between the determination of the social condition in Brazil, the material inequality and the way in which they are reinforced by men and women who internalize their "role in society," more or less consensually, becoming subjected to those who make decision in their names. This culture was created in parallel with the formation of unequal structures of capital and on the unequal foundations of the past. There was a reciprocal interaction between the reproductive structures and the cultural dimension, creating a convergence that reduces each individual to his/her domain of action. In recovering the recent analysis of the so-called environmental issues, I realize that Ronaldo Coutinho19 has a critical approach to the "environmental crisis" based on concepts that defend the possibility of creating economic practices and alternative ways of operating transformations expressed in the relationship between society and the environment, under the light of the "sustainable development" paradigm, with the internalization of a new ethic inspired by an "ecological awareness." Likewise, for Coutinho, an examination that pays the most attention to sustainable development would reveal that the development of a country (or region) based on its own potential, that is, endogenous, would be compatible with an ecologically balanced mandate. Besides that, this new development "model" would take into consideration a new ethic, in which the economic goals would be subordinated to the workings of the ecosystems and within the parameters of quality of life for the people. According to the author, therefore, there are at least two aspects worth noting: the first is about the inherent contraction in proposing an endogenous model of development exactly in a historical moment marked by the internationalization of the financial markets and by globalization; the second concerns the need to formulate a concept capable of solving the challenge of yearned subordination of the economic interests and actions of the market to the management of natural resources regarding people's quality of life. In Coutinho's understanding, these approaches, regardless of its multi-sectorial character, adopted by the environmental movement since the 1980's and the development of studies and actions aimed at protecting the environment heading toward an ideological and economic formulation that is geared to the construction of a true utopian and liberal version of socio-environmental justice, which ultimately will take place within the mercantilist logic of the capitalistic modes of production. This, according to the author, suggests an apparently naïve form of reformism. François Chesnais and Claude Servati ,20 on the other hand, argue that the strategy of financial capital based on the oligarchy, which transfers industrial activities from multinational groups to countries where the cost of labor is low and the workforce is skilled, and if possible, an international demand would add an important dimension. In other countries, the exploitation of natural resources remains the goal of capital. Michel Lowy21 points out that the environmental question is the main factor stimulating renovation in the tradition of Marxist theory. The author advocates an economy in transition to socialism, incorporating the natural and social environments; a transition based on democratic choice of priorities and investments by its own population rather than the market forces. Mary Garcia Castro and Miriam Abramovay emphasize that in the discourse about conservation "[] the purely biological perspective has prevailed, without considering the relationship between men and women and the distinct forms of organization that surrounds them."22 According to the authors, "[] we refer to the relations that the human beings establish among themselves and with other beings in nature, through creations that are simpler or more elaborate, or even contradictory, like in the context of society at large."23 In their study, the authors emphasize the conservationist approach in the environmental science. But they also affirm that this line of thought limits itself to propose alternative solutions to the environmental problem without taking into consideration, in many cases, that the environmental problem is a symptom of a larger problem that is usually not addressed and that includes economic, social and political problems. One aspect worth paying attention is the fact that by addressing the subject, one needs to ask who should conserve or not, how and why; on the contrary, one may presuppose and make generalizations that add little value to the comprehension and intervention in reality. Regarding the environment, the intention is to comprehend and to establish a relationship between nature and human action. In last instance, I agree with Abramovay,24 it is not only about learning about natural and social processes in a isolated form, but it is to know in which ways different social groups make use of existing resources and how they interfere with the natural processes that affect the quality of life for men and women; to know in which ways alternative uses are possible, so negative impact may avoided or minimized. Therefore, this paper reiterates the importance of including gender issues as transversal questions in this discussion. The situation of women has made important strides in the last two decades, but these changes were not homogenous in time and space. There are still significant inequalities that constitute an obstacle to substantive equality. However, the struggle of women against prejudices of class, gender, race and ethnicity has been devising new outlines for feminist political action, also enriching the discussion on the gender issue as well as the issues women face in disaster situations. An agenda for research and action strategy: final considerations There is a need for establishing goals and a commitment to a societary project in order to grasp questions involving development, socio-environmental disasters and gender. An agenda for research and action strategy should include the following aspects: social, economic, political and cultural leading to the search to answers to multiple questions, some of which stand out. Can countries considered "developing," dependent" or "peripheral" alter the misery chart, the spatial lack of organization, the problems in education, health, ,and safety without damaging the environment? Should they, in the quest for development, demand the right to consume, to pollute and to destroy following the model created by the countries considered central? How and in which way gender relations, development patterns, and changes in the environment affect women and men and expose them to the impact of socio-environmental disasters? Considering the losses and the damages, how do women, in specific contexts, organize themselves politically in order to contribute to the preservation of the environment and to the prevention of socio-environmental disasters and in the recovery efforts once they happen? In order to overcome these questions, it is necessary to develop a gender strategy, to invest in specific research about its relation with development, with the preservation of nature and with the socio-environmental disasters. It is also important to establish a system of indicators and criteria sensitive to gender, so the governments can utilize them in the planning stages, during its execution and evaluation of social policies in a transversal perspective. In addition, it is also necessary to analyze and to identify the specific impacts on gender and the measures of protection in the case of floods, droughts, heat waves, disease and other changes and socio-environmental disasters. Since it is a given that millions of poor women affected by the climate change live and work outside the boundaries of the formal labor market, there is a need to create and to implement mechanisms for providing for and for making financial help available to them to alleviate their need. In addition, it is necessary to include the interaction "development, nature and gender" in a counter-hegemonic agenda in relation to the "society and nature," because any policy designed to repair or reduce the effects of this relation - including during socio-environmental disasters - will hardly help women in a subaltern position. However, it is worth noting the importance of the proposals being sent to and grasped by national as well as international organizations. Considering the lack of perspectives in terms of gender as far as prevention and recovery efforts in situations of eco-environmental disasters, as well as the lack of dialogue between managers and professionals about the ways in which the socio-environmental question overlaps with gender issues, I suggest another "look" at the participation of women or about the goal of enabling women to have access to the centers of decision making. This new perspective and political positioning should depart from concrete experiences, derived from the experience with the disaster not aiming at the insertion of women as mere "objects" of the programs, but also as its managers. This way, there will be less vulnerable to practices that reinforce inequalities, discriminations and violence contained in localized actions, programs of intervention in cases of an emergency that do not contemplate a knowledge that is profound, prospective, innovative and interdisciplinary. Currently, there are different approaches to gender and to the participation of women in the process of prevention and recovery in situations of disasters. However, there are two tendencies that come to the fore front. One indicates the participation from the standpoint of a "municipality-ecologist," that privileges attitudinal changes on the part of a certain community and underscores the importance of municipalities in attending to socio-environmental disasters. The second tendency is focused on "participation-social development;" it is sustained by social participation and it emanates from an emancipatory perspective. Furthermore, it questions the relation between society and nature, the foundations of the capitalist system and, as a consequence, the causes and answers to socio-environmental disasters. There is a need to indicate the importance of elaborating an agenda of research and action strategy that is transversal between gender, development and socio-environmental disasters, aimed at the production of a knowledge that will enable the implementation of action that necessary and possible. ARMSTRONG, Sue. "Climate Change: Ask the Experts" ("Cambio climático: preguntarles a los expertos"). NewScientist.com. 2001. Disponível em: <http://www.newscientist.com/hottopics/climate/climate.jsp?id=23154500>. Acesso em: 8 maio 2010. [ Links ] CASTRO, Mary Garcia; ABRAMOVAY, Miriam. Gênero e meio ambiente. São Paulo: Cortez Editora, UNESCO, UNICEF, 1997. [ Links ] CHESNAIS, Francois; SERFATI, Claude. "Ecologia e condições físicas da reprodução social: alguns fios condutores marxistas." Crítica Marxista, n. 16, p. 39-75, mar. 2003. [ Links ] COUTINHO, Ronaldo. "'Crise ambiental' e desenvolvimento insustentável: a mitologia da sustentabilidade e a utopia da humanização do capitalismo 'selvagem'". Revista Praia Vermelha, Rio de Janeiro, v. 19, n. 2, p. 21-36, jul/dez., 2009. [ Links ] FOSTER, John Bellamy. A ecologia de Marx - materialimo e natureza. 2. ed. Rio de Janeiro: Civilização Brasileira, 2010. [ Links ] FREITAS, Rosana C. M.; MARQUES, Cristiane C. "Serviço Social: fios condutores para a prevenção e atendimento de ocorrência de eventos extremos". In: CONGRESSO BRASILEIRO DE ASSISTENTES SOCIAIS, 12, 2010, Brasilia. Anais... Brasília, 2010. p. 1-14. [ Links ] LOWY, Michel. "De Marx ao ecossocialismo". In: SADER, Emir; GENTILLI, Pablo (Orgs.). Pós-neoliberalismo II - que Estado para que democracia? Vozes. Petrópolis, 1999. [ Links ] LOWY, Michel. "A dialética marxista do progresso". In: LOWY, Michel; BENSAÏD, Daniel. Marxismo, modernidade e utopia. São Paulo: Xamã, 2000. [ Links ] MARX, Karl. Erly Writings. New York: Vintage, 1974. [ Links ] ______ . "Manuscritos econômicos e filosóficos e outros textos escolhidos". In: Os Pensadores Marx I. 4. ed., São Paulo: Nova Cultural, 1987. v.1. [ Links ] MÉSZÁROS, István. O desafio do desenvolvimento sustentável e a cultura da igualdade substantiva. Caracas: Cúpula dos Parlamentos Latino-Americanos, 2001. [ Links ] ONU, Convenção-Quadro das Nações Unidas sobre a Mudança do Clima. Brasil, 1992. [ Links ] SCOTT, Russell Parry. "Ruralidade e mulheres responsáveis por domicílios no Norte e no Nordeste". Revista Estudos Feministas, v. 15, n. 2, 2007. Disponível em: <http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0104-026X2007000200009&lng=pt&nrm=iso>. Acesso em: 10 jun. 2010. [ Links ] TRANTER, Kellie. Mulher e mudanças climáticas. 2008. Disponível em: <http://miradaglobal.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=837:mujer-y-cambio-climatico&catid=32:ecologia&Itemid=36&lang=pt> Acesso em: 12 maio 2010. [ Links ] 1 Among the researchers, these are the one worth noting: Alicia H. Puleo; Cristina Segura e María Luisa Cavana; Elaine Enarson; e Carmen Díaz de Rivera. 2 UN, Convention-Board of the United Nations about climate change, Brazil, 1992. 3 Countries such as Australia (1995); Pakistan - Duryog Nivaran (1996); Brussels (1996); Washington DC (InterAction, 1998); British Columbia (1998); Miami (2000); and Bangladesh (2000). 4 Sue ARMSTRONG, 2001. 5 The Kyoto Protocol was rectified by 120 nations committed to reducing the emissions of carbon, mainly greenhouse gases to 5,2% below of the 1990 levels, until 2007. 6 ARMSTRONG, 2001, P. 1. 7 The gathering in Bali was the 13th annual meeting of the United Nations group called the Convention of Parts (COP). This group had the decision making power in the "United Nations Conference about Climate Change," name given to the treaty that originated after "Rio 92," the UN Conference that brought together leaders from all over the world to Rio de Janeiro in 1992 to discuss climate change. 8 For more information please consult the World's Boletim on Tropical Forests, available at: http://www.wrm.org.uy. It was accessed on May 22, 2010. 9 TRANTER, 2008, p.1. 10 For more information on this topic, I suggest reading The Philosophical and Economic Manuscripts by Karl Marx, written in 1844 (MARX, 1987, p.11). 11 Russel SCOTT, 2007. 12 FREITAS e MARQUES, 2010. 13 MARX, 1974, p. 328. 14 Expression used by John Bellamy Foster in The ecology of Marx - materialism and nature (FOSTER, 2010). 15 Sustainable development is a term inspired by the concept eco-development coined by Ignacy Sachs during the World Conference on the Environment in Stockholm. The term was created in 1987 by the World Commission on the Environment and Development (Brundtland Report), which means to tend to the necessities of the present without jeopardizing future generations. 16 MÉSZAROS, 2001, p. 6. 19 COUTINHO, 2009, p. 21. 20 CHESNAIS and SERVATI, 2003. 21 LOWY, 1999 and 2000. 22 CASTRO and ABRAMOVAY, 1997, p. 36. 24 ABRAMOVAY, 1993 apud CASTRO and ABRAMOVAY, 1997. © 2020 Revista Estudos Feministas Campus Universitário - Trindade 88040-970 Florianópolis SC - Brasil Tel. (55 48) 3331-8211 ref@cfh.ufsc.br	cc/2020-05/en_head_0057.json.gz/line217
__label__cc	0.578796	0.421204	POST-GAZETTE - Res Publica Cassandra Candidates by David Trumbull Two recent news items. On December 14, 2007 President George W. Bush signed the U.S.-Peru Trade Promotion Agreement. According to published reports, earlier in the day, Peru's President Alan Garcia told a business audience that he hoped the agreement could be implemented by July at the latest. Currently, the U.S. and Peru enjoy a two-way trade relationship of nearly $8.8 billion dollars. Preliminary U.S. Dept. of Labor data show 23 thousand textile jobs lost in 11 months of 2007. And more job losses are coming. Charbert division of Narrow Fabrics of America will close in early 2008, affecting about 100 workers in Alton, R.I. Charbert does knitting, dyeing, and finishing of wide elastic fabrics for apparel and medical applications. That follows the loss of nearly 1,000 jobs in Fall River, Mass., when upholstery fabric maker Quaker Fabric Corporation closed--another victim of America’s failed trade policies. Some weeks ago in this space I wrote “Now both parties in Washington are totally in the grip of free-trade ideologues who believe that we should get all our goods and services from workers in other nations (or from illegal aliens within our borders); rely on an intrusive and abusive system of direct taxation; and pay for the whole thing through personal and public indebtedness. Common sense tells us that we cannot borrow our way to prosperity. Sadly for our future, none of the leading presidential candidates in either party seems to have common sense.” I owe you a correction. Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul says: “So called free trade deals and world governmental organizations like the International Criminal Court (ICC), NAFTA, GATT, WTO, and CAFTA are a threat to our independence as a nation. They transfer power from our government to unelected foreign elites. “ And Republican candidate Duncan Hunter says: “American workers are the most productive and innovative labor force in the world. Unfortunately, they are asked to compete in an unfair environment against other workers who make only a fraction of a living wage and are employed by companies that face few, if any, responsibilities to the environment or the long-term prospects of their employees. Our domestic manufacturers are forced to compete against foreign companies that benefit from their country’s currency and regulatory regimes. Ominously, China is cheating on trade and using billions of American trade dollars to build ships, planes and missiles at an alarming rate while, at the same time, taking millions of American jobs. I will reverse this “one-way street” with a new policy of fair trade for the American worker.” Hear much about these candidates in “main stream media? Of course not. It’s not that there aren’t politicians who will stand up and state the obvious. It’s just that to do so immediate brands one as a “long-shot” or “marginal” candidate. --30--	cc/2020-05/en_head_0057.json.gz/line222
__label__wiki	0.725119	0.725119	Unite Eye Join Unite Your news. Your issues. Live. Would you like to keep up to date with UNITElive? Enter your email address to stay in touch Public cash for future energy works NAO report on Hinkley Point reinforces call Shaun Noble, Friday, June 23rd, 2017 The report on the financing of the new nuclear power station at Hinkley Point reinforces the case for public money to be committed to future large-scale energy projects, Unite, the country’s largest union, said today (Friday June 23). Unite, which has about 45,000 members in the energy sector, has repeatedly called on the government to take a financial stake in big infrastructure projects and not rely on the uncertainties of the private sector. In April, Unite called for business secretary Greg Clark to provide an injection of public cash for the Moorside nuclear power station in Cumbria, after French company ENGIE, earmarked to operate the site, pulled out of the NuGen consortium. Unite national officer for energy Kevin Coyne said, “The report by the National Audit Office (NAO) on the financing of Hinkley Point in Somerset and its future economic benefits underlines once again the need for the government to take up ‘a golden share’ in future energy projects. “The commitment of government money would iron out the uncertainty of relying on the private sector for financing and would in the long-run be a better deal in the national interest in terms of energy security, the taxpayers’ pocket and the price the hard-pressed consumer has to pay for their energy. “We welcomed French company EDF taking up the cudgels in pushing ahead with the development and providing the finance for the construction of the £18bn Hinkley Point plant. “However, it is not a financial model we would wish to see for infrastructure projects, including nuclear new build, going forward. “The aversion of the government in recent years in taking a financial stake in new future infrastructure projects, such as Moorside, has now been exposed by the NAO report.” Hinkley Point is being built by EDF, with a stake from Chinese state-owned investor CGN. When Theresa May became prime minister last July she pressed the ‘pause’ button on the project, but the go-ahead was eventually given in September. Hinkley Point costs soar Energy policy lights out ‘On the brink’ ← M&S ‘equal pay for equal work’ row The food we eat → © Unite the union, all rights reserved. Site designed and built by MASS1	cc/2020-05/en_head_0057.json.gz/line224
__label__wiki	0.926644	0.926644	Living in a fantasy world Written by Tribune Editorial Wednesday, 25 July 2012 00:00 Living in a fantasy world Written by Tribune Editorial Noynoy’s State of the Nation Address (Sona) was, for the third time running, a rehash of his inaugural speech, using his usual meaningless “you are my boss” claim; his usual no wang-wang spiel, his Gloria and her allies corruption bashing and his mantra of change, which he now claims has already come about. As usual, his biggest claimed achievement was his fight against corruption, which hasn’t succeeded at all. His list of “achievements” is a big joke, considering the fact that these are expected of any administration which are no achievements to speak of, as these are what governments, locla and national are supposed to do, such as “roads are straight and level, and properly paved”; relief goods are ready even before a storm arrives, rescue services are always on stand-by; people are no longer left to fend for themselves, and all that blather that can’t be categorized as any form of presidential achievement as these are all micro projects in the scheme of governmental things. Repairing roads is an achievement for Noynoy? People are no longer left to fend for themselves? Crime is down? Corruption is over? Truth is, despite the figures presented by him, there was no road map presented. Where are we as a nation going? In the absence of a road map, obviously, the nation is still in the dark. Noynoy did give specific details on certain social programs, with a spin . How is he to achieve it, funding wise?.... MORE URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/index.php/commentary/editorial/item/1983-living-in-a-fantasy-world Nothing is possible under Noy Written by Ninez Cacho-Olivares Nothing is possible under Noy Nothing — especially unity among Filipinos — is possible under a Noynoy presidency, despite his State of the Nation Address (Sona) claim that nothing is impossible if “Filipinos see that they are the only ‘bosses’ of their government; they will carry you; they will guide you; they themselves will lead you to meaningful change.” While he speaks of united Filipinos, he continues with his way of constantly dividing the people into “them” and “us,” “us” being his allies that can do no wrong, even when they clearly have been committing too many wrongs; and “them” being his political foes, whom he blames tp hide all his failures. How does he expect to unite the people, when he keeps harping on the past, and gauges his so-called accomplishments and achievements on charging and jailing his political foes, while quickly absolving his friends and political allies, which too many see as a contradiction of his overrated daang matuwid that has gone wayward? His Sona harked back to ancient history, when he spoke of the martial law years that he and his family suffered under the Marcos dictatorship, even mentioning that he was a 12-year-old when martial law was imposed. He made it sound as if it was only he and his family who suffered under martial law, when many more Filipinos did — under even more tragic circumstances..... MORE URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/index.php/commentary/item/1982-nothing-is-possible-under-noy Iran threatens to ‘strike out’ at any intervention in Syria President Bashar al-Assad’s regime has friends in the region poised “to strike out” in the event of an intervention into Syria, says a commander of Iran's Revolutionary Guards. The warning was particularly sent to “hated” Arab countries. “None of Syria's friends or the great front of resistance has yet entered the scene, and in the event that this happens, decisive blows will be struck at the enemy, especially the hated Arab rulers,” Gen. Masoud Jazayeri, a spokesman of the country's Joint Chiefs of Staff, told Fars news agency. No country in particular was mentioned. Iran remains a key ally of official Damascus, while leaders of such Gulf countries as Saudi Arabia, Jordan or Qatar openly support Syrian rebels.... MORE URL: http://www.rt.com/news/iran-strike-intervention-syria-960/ Increasing traffic in the waters of Sri Lanka threatens blue whales Pravda photo Large numbers of animals have been killed by collisions with boats and propellers. Scientists fear that cetacean watching tourism is the cause... In early April, whale watchers off the southern coast of Sri Lanka had a disturbing vision: the lifeless body of a blue whale 60 feet long floating in the water about 20 miles offshore. The body was quickly becoming swollen and there were fish-louse sucking all the animal's skin. Even more disturbing was the condition of the tail which had been almost completely severed from the body. "It was very clear it was caused by the propeller of a boat," said Mazdak Radjainia, structural biologist and underwater photographer, University of Auckland, New Zealand, who found the whale by chance. "It must have been a very cruel death, because the damage was enormous."..... MORE Source: Pravda.ru URL: http://english.pravda.ru/science/earth/24-07-2012/121715-whales_alert-0/ Exclusionary economics: How Aquino and Arroyos economics are the same By IBON Features In his upcoming third State of the Nation Address (SONA), President Benigno Aquino III will surely attempt to highlight how the Philippine economy has improved under his watch to show how his administration is an improvement over its predecessor. Pres. Aquino will bring to the fore supposed economic successes such as the 6.4% first quarter growth in gross domestic product (GDP), increased budgets for social services, expanded coverage of the conditional cash transfers, and progress under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) program. The president may also highlight the country’s so-called creditor nation status with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The SONA may also be an occasion to boast about more Filipinos being lifted from poverty, more lands distributed to farmers, and additional living allowances for workers. The reality behind the so-called gains must however be assessed before concluding that the Aquino administration has indeed been the much-sought change following former Pres. Arroyo’s legacy of corruption and erosion of the people’s general welfare. Nearly ten years of the Arroyo regime saw an unprecedented rise in joblessness and poverty, growing inequality, eroding domestic production and fiscal troubles all anchored on a chain of policies that catered to local and foreign business interests. Do current indicators show a reversal of trends? More importantly, have government policies done an about-face in favor of the Filipino people? Economic direction Like the Arroyo administration, the Aquino government has refused to reverse any of the neoliberal policies that have caused such damage to the economy. These policies have kept the Philippine economy underdeveloped and are designed to suit the needs of the domestic elite and foreign business rather than of the Filipino people. The entrenchment of globalization policies that have made the Philippine economy up for grabs by local and transnational firms cannot be downplayed. The removal of trade barriers has resulted in the unabated importation of cheap goods including those which the country can produce. The Philippines now has among the lowest tariffs in Asia. Under Aquino’s term, quantitative restrictions on the importation of rice are set to be lifted in accordance with commitments under the World Trade Organization (WTO). The government has also become even more liberal towards investments in agriculture, industries and services..... MORE URL: http://bulatlat.com/main/2012/07/23/exclusionary-economics-how-aquino-and-arroyos-economics-are-the-same/ Groups hit Senate’s ratification of military pact with Australia MANILA — Solidarity Groups in Australia were quick to denounce the Philippine Senate as the latter ratified the Australia-RP Status of Visiting Forces Agreement (SOVFA) on July 24, 2012.The groups represent Filipino migrants in Australia, overseas Filipino workers and students, Australians of Filipino descent and citizens and residents of Australia. “Let us not embroil peace-loving Australians in internal conflicts in the Philippines. Filipinos and Australians have never been involved in any form of hostilities. The presence of Australian troops is a potential to a shooting war. A shooting war will raise animosities between our two peoples. Ten of thousands of Filipinos in Australia, migrants and citizens, will only fall victims to indiscriminate hate that may result from any escalation of armed hostilities in the Philippines,” they said. The Senate adopted the resolution concurring with President Benigno Aquino III’s ratification of the SOVFA through a vote of 17-1. The Senate adopted Senate Resolution 788 despite the protest of Senator Joker Arroyo. Arroyo’s position is that the SOVFA would not benefit the Philippines. “The Senate cannot simply not concur in treaties if other contracting parties have no consideration of the country’s interests. The Aquino administration only wants this ratified because of the country’s dispute with China over the West Philippine Sea,” he was quoted as saying in earlier reports. Arroyo questioned the Aquino’s support for the SOVFA and said that it was questionable why the Philippine government was enlisting the help of Australia when it is so far away and already an ally of the United States. “Although the agreement is not a defense pact, its symbolism cannot be lost on China. Let us not grab at straws. We must persevere,” he said on reports in GMA-7 news. Another senator who previously took a stand against the SOVFA is Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago, but she was absent during the voting. Santiago based her opposition on her reading that the SOVFA was “vague” in its provisions and that it risks putting the Philippines at a disadvantage..... MORE URL: http://bulatlat.com/main/2012/07/24/groups-hit-senates-ratification-of-military-pact-with-australia/ SENATE SIGNS NEW MILITARY TREATY WITH U.S. ALLY China’s presence build-up in the South China Sea has raised alarms in government, prompting the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to summon yesterday the Chinese ambassador to protest against China’s plans to establish a military garrison on the disputed Paracel Islands in the South China Sea. The DFA said it summoned Ma Keqing to lodge the complaint, and also to object to the arrival of a military-escorted Chinese fishing fleet near the contested Spratly Islands. As tension with China was again seen escalating, the Senate sealed the Palace’s ratification of another mutual partnership for the military, which some senators noting its urgency as a result of developments in the South China Sea. Voting 17-1, senators concurred with Malacañang’s ratification of the Status of Visiting Forces Agreement (SOVFA) with Australia, which was signed some two years ago or during the Arroyo administration. The Chinese defense ministry announced plans to operate troops from Chinese-held Sansha or Woody Island in the Paracels on Monday, a month after Beijing designated the island as China’s administrative centre for both the Paracel and Spratly groups..... MORE URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/index.php/headlines/item/2006-gov%E2%80%99t-summons-envoy-over-china-build-up Written by Pat C. Santos President Aquino’s ambiguous one-liner to refer to the controversial bill on population control in his State of the Nation Address (Sona) the other day earned criticisms rather than approval from the Church which he is trying to appease but it failed to impress the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) which expressed regret over it. In an official statement posted in the CBCP website, Fr. Melvin Castro said it was clear that the proposed reproductive health (RH) bill or Aquino’s version of it called responsible parenthood is not about health but about birth control. “We are ending the backlogs in the education sector, but the potential for shortages remains as our student population continues to increase. Perhaps Responsible Parenthood can help address this,” was the only part in the Sona where Aquino referred to the bill. Deputy presidential spokesman Abigail Valte said the President particularly wanted a consolidated House Bill 4244 to be passed by Congress even before the electoral climate steps in. Valte described HB 4244 as the consolidated version of six other legislative bills on the controversial reproductive health. The consolidated version has a new title too — Act Providing for a Comprehensive Policy on Responsible Parenthood, Reproductive Health, and Population and Development, and for other purposes..... MORE URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/index.php/headlines/item/2004-noy-playing-safe-on-rh-earned-mostly-rebuffs The Moro Islamic Liberation Front has asked the Malaysian-led International Monitoring Team (IMT) to investigate the July 16 raid launched by the Philippine National Police (PNP) elite Special Action Force (SAF) at an MILF base in Lanao del Sur where they allegedly looted civilian properties. Muhammad Ameen, chairman of the MILF secretariat, said elements of the SAF, supposedly from Region X, conducted a raid at an MILF base in Lanao del Sur purportedly in pursuit of the members of the al-Qaeda-linked Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) and the terrorist Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG). The MILF claimed that the SAF operatives raided the vicinity of the MILF’s Camp Darussalam in Butig, Lanao del Sur without prior coordination with the secessionist group...... MORE URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/index.php/nation/item/2000-milf-slams-police-raid-on-lanao-del-sur-base Supreme Court upholds JBC authority to process applicants for CJ The Supreme Court (SC) has dismissed a petition questioning the proceedings before the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) to screen the next chief justice. In a two-page resolution released by the high court yesterday, the SC en banc citing precedents upheld the JBC’s action in accepting applications and nominations for the position of chief justice as well as the President’s power to appoint one as the member of the SC. Petitioners in the case are Homobono Adaza, Alan Paguia, Herman Tiu Laurel and Uriel Borja..... MORE URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/index.php/metro-section/item/1995-supreme-court-upholds-jbc-authority-to-process-applicants-for-cj Malacañang must have realized that the charter creating the National Bureau of Investigation specifically requires a lawyer for one to qualify as the agency’s director, compelling President Aquino to junk Deputy Customs Commissioner Danny Lim and instead appoint a government prosecutor as the permanent NBI director. Appointed to the top government detective bureau is Nonnatus Caesar Rojas who, incidentally, has been the NBI officer-in-charge replacing Magtanggol Gatdula who was fired in January after he was linked to the kidnap and extortion of an over-staying Japanese sometime last year..... MORE URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/index.php/metro-section/item/1993-malaca%C3%B1ang-announces-new-nbi-director VP Binay eggs PNP, NBI to step up hunt for Delfin Lee Saying fugitive property developer Delfin Lee “is no Ping Lacson,” Vice President Jejomar Binay yesterday appealed to the Philippine National Police (PNP) and National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to redouble their efforts to capture Lee who faces arrest for syndicated estafa. The Vice President issued the appeal after lawyer Willie Rivera, Lee’s counsel, said in a television program that his client is still in the Philippines but is in hiding. Lee’s lawyer also likened the case of his client to Sen. Ping Lacson who went into hiding during the Arroyo administration. “Delfin Lee is no Ping Lacson. Senator Lacson was a critic of the Arroyo regime while Lee defrauded Pag-Ibig Fund of almost P6 billion by using fake borrowers and fake documents and destroyed the dreams of thousand of working Filipinos,” he said..... MORE URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/index.php/metro-section/item/1994-vp-binay-eggs-pnp-nbi-to-step-up-hunt-for-delfin-lee	cc/2020-05/en_head_0057.json.gz/line229
__label__cc	0.555912	0.444088	Voices Inside Inspirational inmate writing and theater program Documentary/Book Inmate comments NYC Program VOICES INSIDE is an inspirational inmate writing and theater program at Northpoint Training Center, a medium security prison near Danville, KY that uses theater arts and creative thinking to increase communication skills, build self-esteem and humanize and enrich the lives of those closed off behind bars. “I believe this class is art. With art in our lives it allows us to be creative, which opens doors to see what is going on inside of us.” — Nicklaus, inmate 134419 Voices Inside is supported by generous grants from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Nathan Cummings Foundation Theater arts have been proven to enhance reintegration into society and reduce recidivism. So point-in-fact, this program serves us all. VOICES INSIDE encourages the incarcerated… To develop empathy, compassion and trust, and to nurture a desire to help others. To develop self-esteem and develop a positive self image. To take responsibility for life choices, for the crimes committed, for mistakes made. To relate universal themes in drama and comedy to the lives of those served, including bringing past experiences, choices and future possibilities into the act of expression. To speak the truth. To develop literacy and communication skills, and to develop an appreciation for creative self-expression, including reaching out to include those participant who have disabilities or come from an environment that did not promote positive self-expression. TAKING THE ARTS TO NORTHPOINT Each summer Pioneer Playhouse brings professional actors into the prison yard to stage a classic play for the general inmate population at Northpoint. Past productions include Moliere’s Tartuffe, Shakespeare’s Taming of the Shrew and Mark Twain’s Is he Dead. “Tartuffe took me away from being here for two hours, –Comment from inmate in the talk back. Playwriting workshops are held year-round for inmates drawn to self-expression through the creative writing. The emphasis of these one-on-one workshops is to focus on the process of turning each inmate’s personal journey into a scripted, communicated narrative. At the end of each summer, the playwriting class work concludes with a performance presentation of rehearsed plays and scenes staged by participating inmates for the general prison population and an invited guest public. Participants in this program, many of who never graduated high school, experience the exhilaration and self-esteem building of “putting on a show.” Emphasis is placed on exploring the creative process, not necessarily the final result. Voices Inside incarcerated writers have won the Pen Award for Best Inmate Drama in America, and have had their work performed on New York stages and at Actor’s Theatre of Louisville. VOICES INSIDE is an outreach program of Pioneer Playhouse a summer repertory theater now in its 68rd season that strives to be a leading regional arts complex, school of drama and theater, dedicated to fostering creativity and self-expression in actor, student and audience alike, in order to expand the human spirit. In the summer of 2010, Curt L. Tofteland, Shakespeare Behind Bars Producing Director, partnered with producer/playwright Robby Henson, Robby’s sister Holly Henson, (Artistic Director, Pioneer Playhouse), and playwright Elizabeth Orndorff to begin a new 10-minute playwriting program funded in part by the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) at the Northpoint Training Center in Burgin, Kentucky. “This program represents what the whole penitentiary system should emulate: individuals who interact with inmates as adults and sincerely seek to encourage inmates to find within themselves that which will not only produce beautiful creativity but positive benefits for all of society – inside and out.” –Steven Bond, inmate c/o Pioneer Playhouse 840 Stanford Road icomeFrom.net Pioneerplayhouse.com Shakespearebehindbars.org Theme: Twenty Seventeen Developer: Tim Ungs	cc/2020-05/en_head_0057.json.gz/line234
__label__cc	0.712115	0.287885	Barrett, Sarah Imagination and repetitive behaviours in autism spectrum disorders Prof Susan Leekam and Dr Catherine Jones School of Psychology, Cardiff University I am interested in imagination in autism spectrum disorders (ASD), and its relationship with restricted and repetitive behaviours (RRB). Imagination was once considered a central feature of autism (e.g. Wing and Gould, 1979) however its role was greatly reduced in the international diagnostic manuals. Furthermore, much of the imagination literature has centred on pretend play in children, and there has been little research on the theoretical relationship between imagination and RRB. I aim to address these limitations in the research by researching imagination in adults with ASD using other measures such as imagining the future. I am also developing an adult self-report measure of RRB, currently for use with neurotypical individuals. Finally, I will explore the relationship between imagination and RRB in ASD. BarrettSL2@cardiff.ac.uk http://psych.cf.ac.uk/contactsandpeople/pgs/barrett.php http://www.linkedin.com/pub/sarah-barrett/76/773/713	cc/2020-05/en_head_0057.json.gz/line236
__label__wiki	0.571812	0.571812	The Director Of IT Will Be Directing The Live Action Attack On Titan Film Kat Bloodgood October 29, 2018 Season 3 of Attack On Titan is in full swing and an American adaptation will be coming to movie theaters in the not too distant future. Variety has reported that Andy Muschietti, the director of last years IT will be directing the film for Warner Brothers finalized a deal with Kodansha, a Japanese-based publishing company, on Monday. Attack on Titan is going to be produced by David Heyman, Masi Oka, and Barbara Muschietti, there is no information yet on who will be scripting the film or what events from the series will be included in the big screen adaptation. This version will be the second time the series has been adapted into a movie. The first, released in 2015, was a 2 part film released in Japan which grossed over $46 million at the box office. an impressive feat for a considering TV series had only been on the air for about 2 years. I’m really excited for the film, with Warner Brothers developing it, it should (hopefully) live up to the hype. Kat Bloodgood Nerd, Geek, Disney Fan, Loves Lots Of Films And TV Series, D&D Nerd, And Watches Way Too Much Critical Role Attack on Titan fans, rejoice! Koei Tecmo and Omega Force … Features Trailer Revealed For Attack On Titan 2: Final Battle	cc/2020-05/en_head_0057.json.gz/line252
__label__cc	0.726516	0.273484	Changing Interpretations by JWs The Case for the Human Jesus in Luke Theological Conference 2020 Date set! Published by Xavier at January 7, 2016 By Pierre-Keefa You will notice in these quotations how much Jehovah’s Witnesses’ Christology changed over the years and the absurdity of some of their claims. They often engage in eisegesis and inference including fallacies of vagueness to purport a doctrine that the Apostles and the writer of Hebrews would shy away from! *Zion’s Watch Tower, 1879, Nov p.4* Hence it is said, “Let all the angels of God worship him;” [that must include Michael, the chief angel, hence Michael is not the Son of God] and the reason is, because He has “by inheritance obtained a more excellent Name than they.” *w1917 The Bible Students published The Finished Mystery (p.188)* “…that Michael the Archangel is the pope of Rome.” * w50 11/1 p. 417 par. 14; Beginning the New World Society * And when we consider this term prince, translated from the Hebrew word Săr (feminine, Sarah), we see that it is not always nor necessarily applied to the son of a king, to a prince of royal birth who is made a state official or governmental officer. It means the first, foremost or chief in any class, the head of any company or group. So in the Bible this Hebrew term Săr, sometimes translated prince, is even applied to Jesus himself, to the archangel Michael. * w54 5/1 p. 277 par. 15; The Miracle of Resurrection * Paul foretold it in these words: “Because the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a commanding call, with an archangel’s voice and with God’s trumpet, and those who are dead in union with Christ will rise first.” Christ Jesus, who also bears the title “Michael the archangel,” after casting Satan and his angels out of heaven, turns his attention to these dead ones and, during the time of the great trumpet like announcement of the established Kingdom, raises them up. (Jude 9; Rev. 12:7, 10) * w55 10/1 p. 597 par. 14 Part 3—What Do the Scriptures Say About “Survival After Death”? * 14 First on the occasion when the prophet Moses died on top of Mount Nebo. Then, when the Son of God “had a difference with the Devil and was disputing about Moses’ body, he did not dare to bring a judgment against him in abusive terms, but said: ‘May Jehovah rebuke you.’” The spirit Son of God, as the archangel Michael, kept control of Moses’ body and buried it for Jehovah God at a place in a valley in Moab that no man has discovered and no spirit medium is able to reveal. [(Jude 9, NW; Deut. 34:1-6) The other occasion is disclosed to us by the prophecy of Zechariah 3:1, 2 (AS).] * w61 1/15 p. 57; Angels—God’s Spirit Messengers * Since Jehovah God is a God of order, it is reasonable to conclude that his myriads of heavenly angels are organized, even as was his nation of Israel, the latter not only into twelve tribes but with chiefs over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens. (Deut. 1:15) The Chief One over all the angels is Jesus Christ, the Word, the lone archangel, Michael. (Dan. 12:1; John 1:1; Jude 9; Rev. 12:7) He is also termed the angel or the messenger of the covenant at Malachi 3:1 and is the angel referred to at Revelation 20:1, 2 that binds Satan and his demons and casts them into the abyss of death for a thousand years. [This is where Dave Barron extracted his interpretation of Malachi 3.] * w64 7/1 p. 415; Questions From Readers * He issued from his throne a “commanding call, with an archangel’s voice,” to his followers on earth. Christ Jesus is Michael the archangel, in charge of the holy angels at his presence. (Matt. 25:31; Rev. 12:7) As foretold at Daniel 12:1, 2, he was to stand up, and at that time many asleep in the dust of the earth were to wake up. At Revelation 11:7, 8, 12. * w65 12/1 p. 708; Is Your Life Affected by Angels? * First in position is Michael the archangel, whom the Scriptures show is none other than the Word, or Chief Spokesman for God, who became the man Jesus Christ. (Dan. 12:1; John 1:1; Rev. 12:7) Then there are seraphs, whom the prophet Isaiah saw attending Jehovah in a vision of His temple. (Isa. 6:2, 6) Also described in the Scriptures are the cherubs, representations of whom were placed on the ark of the covenant housed in the Most Holy compartment of the wilderness tabernacle and later in the temple built by Solomon. (Ex. 25:18-22; 1 Ki. 8:6, 7; Ps. 99:1) And, finally, there is the great body of angelic messengers. * w65 10/1 p. 593 par. 8; Execution of Divine Judgment upon the Ungodly * Jude next contrasts the attitude of these disrespectful dreamers with the mental attitude of Jesus Christ, in his pre-human existence as Michael. “But when Michael the archangel had a difference with the Devil and was disputing about Moses’ body, he did not dare to bring a judgment against him in abusive terms, but said: ‘May Jehovah rebuke you.’ * w67 4/15 p. 244; The Most Urgent Warning Ever Given * As the archangel of God, his name in heaven is Michael, which means “Who Is like God?” This points him out as the vindicator of God’s name, the one to remove the reproach that has been brought by this great false religious empire upon God and upon true worship and those practicing true worship. “The earth was lighted up from his glory.” (Rev. 18:1) * w68 3/15 p. 169 par. 2; True Worship Under Challenge * 2 The prophecy of Daniel, quoted above, tells us that this “time of distress” gets started when the archangel Michael stands up for the salvation of his people. And Revelation chapter 12, verses 7 to 9, describes this same Michael standing up, the enthroned King, Jesus Christ, hurling the archenemy, Satan, down from heaven to the vicinity of the earth. Thus Satan takes on the role of Gog, the enraged prince of demons, who storms forth from the limited spirit realm still left to him, the land of Magog, for a final assault upon the realm of true worship that God’s people now occupy on earth. * w69 12/1 p. 735; Questions From Readers * Nonetheless, Jesus after his resurrection is still called Michael the archangel. (Jude 9; Rev. 12:7) And it appears that the exalted Jesus is referred to as an angel in Revelation 20:1 for, as God’s king, he is the logical one to bind Satan and the demons. So evidently, the term “angel” as designating an office may be used in a general sense to refer to all heavenly spirit creatures. * w69 5/15 p. 307 par. 21; Crushing All Nations in Our Day by God’s Kingdom * In the only other scripture besides Jude 9 where reference is made to an archangel it is definitely speaking about the resurrected Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Thess. 4:16) So after a period of waiting Michael or the Lord Jesus Christ stands up, Daniel explaining that this expression “stand up” means to take up power and begin reigning as king. (Dan. 8:22, 23; 11:2, 3, 7, 20, 21; compare Hebrews 1:13; 10:12, 13.) In 1914, Jesus Christ was glorified in heaven at God’s right hand, and as the “Son of man” he was brought to the throne of the Ancient of Days and was given dominion, glory and a kingdom. * w98 6/15 p. 25; Jesus—The Ruler “Whose Origin Is From Early Times” * Jehovah transferred the life force of his beloved Son from heaven into the womb of Mary. Nine months later she gave birth to a baby boy, Jesus. (Luke 2:1-7, 21) 21stcr.org/multimedia/carlos_jimenez_interview/carlos_jimenez.html For John the Father is “the only true God.” Useful resources to make the jw’s think. Thank you Anatole Mokalenko says: I am no follower of any Christian Church, though I am A Unitarian Christian. However, it would seem you are criticizing the Watchtower for making necessary changes to their beliefs as things got clearer for them on the various subject matters. I would think this is a good thing rather than a bad thing. I believe that in their early days, they were trinitarians, but after a time they saw that such belief was flawed and changed. So, though I agree that many of their beliefs are skewed as are those of most of Christendom, at least they change/improve “as the light gets clearer…” Didn’t I read an article in a Focus On The Kingdom mag that some of late were not practicing baptism by water, and then apologized and changed? What about all those who followed that belief and then changed? It seems in these last days, Christendom is fraught with false paradigms promoted by men and their “organizations” who claim to be a, “channel of God”. Agree, we should change beliefs that are proven to be wrong by scripture. But this article is about the evolution of their angel-Jesus Christology, which is obviously unscriptural. See Hebrews 1-2. Leave a Reply to Tia Cancel reply © 2019 The Human Messiah Jesus. All Rights Reserved. Grupo W © 2020 The Human Messiah Jesus. All Rights Reserved. Muffin group	cc/2020-05/en_head_0057.json.gz/line253
__label__wiki	0.556807	0.556807	Weaponize your Hate - MR. AND MRS. MASSACRE terrorize San Bernardino "Weaponize your Hate!" - a Heavy Metal lyric The NEW YORK TIMES has described them as "one of the most perplexing pairs in the recent history of mass homicide". "They were living the American Dream." So claimed an acquaintance of the Muslim couple, quickly identified as Syed Rizwan Farook and Tashfeen Malik. Really? He was born in California, but clearly was not coping. She was a new arrival, and never intended to assimilate. But before I go any further, let's be very clear about the U.S.A. in 2015. There is no longer an "American Dream". Since 9/11 that comforting myth has morphed into an American Nightmare, and there is no evidence that the dreamers will ever awake. I have written before in this Blog, and I confidently repeat, "Americans are Crazy". Some will find that remark offensive, but it is an obvious conclusion. Syed Rizwan Farook - Mr. Massacre. His California State University ID card. TELEVISED MAYHEM - Audio recording on the periphery of the kill zone - a Medical Centre in San Bernardino: "Oh, that is scary!" ... "They're all geared up! Rifles and everything!" On December 2, 2015 the news channels locked into the most recent American "mass shooting" and the video stream began hypnotizing millions of television viewers. I watched about ten minutes of Live Coverage on Al Jazeera, caught the gist of the story, and turned off the noise. I have observed "saturation" event coverage hundreds of times, with events stretching back to the 1970s, and I have learned to ignore the first day of the cycle. (The exception was 9/11 itself. Those images and that pain simply had to be shared and endured.) I could write the script on a typical A.M.S. (American Mass Shooting) and hand out pages to the participants. I don't have to because there are already hundreds of thousands of copy writers worldwide who perform that function. The morning after, I woke refreshed and learned that the American news media (and the Obama White House) had classified this one as a Non-Terrorist massacre. President Obama was hopeful the event was just a typical A.M.S. He said: "It is possible that this was terrorist related, but we don't know. It is also possible that this was workplace related." Now Barack Obama is no body's fool. He was just talking lawyer trash, stalling for time. For three days the news media cooperated with the White House, downplaying the attack to a garden variety "Mass Shooting". The Americans have a definition for it... I kid you not. A mass shooting is "any shooting of four or more people at one time". The F.B.I. is a little fussier with their definition. It's still four or more, but the F.B.I. doesn't include mass killings by ghetto thugs or biker gangs. Those folks are outlaws, and their slaughter is just a little extra-judicial house cleaning. Semantics also come into play when deciding when a gunman gets to be labelled a "Terrorist". When is it safe for the media to label an A.M.S. a "Terrorist Attack"? A) When the killers are proven members or self-confessed affiliates of a Terrorist Organizations on the U.S. State Department's Official List. or B) When the shooter is identified as a "Right Wing, Christian Fundamentalist, Gun Lovin' whack job". Those losers don't have to have an ideological affiliation. They are assumed to be Republican, and at large. Big Government and its handmaiden Big Media, are the official arbiters of the Terror Lexicon. Tashfeen Malik - Mrs. Massacre. One of her Pakistani ID cards. "THE LATEST MASSACRE" The morning after - a screen grab documents the confusion and the deception. "Could be Terrorism" Obama says. "Attack Doesn't Fit Our Familiar Scripts". Whose scripts? "ACTIVE SHOOTER DRILLS" the new norm Mr. and Mrs. Massacre - Syed Farook and Tashfeen Malik, were killed in a shootout with SWAT before they could upload their political manifesto or any of their attack video. (Like the recent Muslim monsters in Paris, the San Bernardino terrorists were wearing GoPro video cameras. This is standard ISIS methodology. Record and upload your gore to the Internet because only Coroner's juries will get to see images of the carnage left in the kill zone. Video of an assault on the American "Homeland" would be a gift to Muslim fanatics worldwide, and their attack would be celebrated. In fact it's not another San Bernardino-style attack the White House fears, it's the video of that next attack being enjoyed by millions of Muslim fanatics. The really shocking fact about the carnage in California was that many in San Bernardino were not that terrorized. Most bystanders were trying to be citizen reporters for a day, recording the action. Many of those evacuees who filed off buses were not hysterical or even reaching out to be hugged. I don't say they all took events in their stride, but this wasn't Columbine. In fact most of them were prepared for an attack. Everyone in America who assembles each day in a large public building to work or study is being trained to respond, like Israelis, to sudden attacks. Just as the American Public was trained to "Duck and Cover" during the first two decades of the Cold War, modern Americans are trained to "Shelter in Place", or if licensed to carry a weapon, to defend themselves. As the concussion of rifle fire shook the walls of the INLAND REGIONAL CENTER, many of the trapped were taking cellphone videos. One nurse who recorded video, and shared it, pointed out that staff "have active shooter drills every month or so". How nuts is that? A medical outreach facility holding anti-terror drills every other month! Not to be outdone a College just up the street from the massacre site had its own "Active Shooter Drill" less than a week before (Nov. 30th). Hundreds of college students lay down and pretended to be be shooting victims, while SWAT teams moved about the simulated carnage and rooted out fake shooters. Jesus Christ, how insane is that? Students play-acting their own deaths, doctors and nurses learning to "shelter in place", and then as if on cue, the neighbourhood terror cell springs from cover and gives them all a damned good workout. In fact the San Bernardino SWAT were running a training exercise nearby - suited up, fully armed and mobile - when the terrorists stormed a Christmas party at the Center. Mr. Massacre, possibly having participated in "Active Shooter Drills", new better than to hole up, and so he and Mrs. Massacre got out so fast that SWAT missed them. BLACK FRIDAY GUN SALES - Off the Chart! How crazy are Americans? You can't judge an entire nation by their leading actors - politicians, the pantheon of celebrities and the editorial writers who hog the stage of public performance, but there is much hard evidence to ponder. A case in point: Remember those "Black Friday" feeding frenzies the Network News made so much of? It turns out that Black Friday set an all-time record for gun sales in a single day. The F.B.I. processed 185,345 gun sale background checks on that single day! [ref. TIME magazine website] Even nuttier, the Bureau processed 2,243,030 gun buyer records checks in the month of November 2015. Here is the kicker. There are now several million assault rifles in private hands in the U.S.A. - each and every one of them of sufficient lethality to produce its own "mass shooting". Now that's a statistic to scare the hell out of anyone down there who is still sane! You can't make this shit up. In America brutal gun violence is so routine that it doesn't really scare the hell out of anyone. Terrorism just pisses them and makes them buy more guns. "Terrorism" is actually any act of extreme violence that satisfies the need of the TWO political factions to score points on each other. When the President responds each month to the "latest massacre" he has to measure his words very carefully, because bleeding bodies at the curb is not the issue. The issue is whether that "latest massacre" hurts the chances of his party winning the upcoming election. And the Republicans are no better. If they win the election they will let Homeland Security put mini-guns in every Precinct House in America. Welcome to their Nightmare! Hillary Clinton - She plans to become the Head Keeper of the American Bedlam When news of Mr. and Mrs. Massacre hit Social Media, the Presidential hopefuls on each side of the American Divide took a deep breath, and chose their words with care. Hillary Clinton tweeted "I refuse to accept this as normal. We must take action to stop gun violence now." Well Hillary, as Queen of National Dysfunction must know that "Mass Shootings" are now a staple of American middle-class political expression. (Assault weapons, ammo and tactical gear cost thousands of dollars.) They are certainly the new norm. Obama know it, because one of his very first actions when elected, was to draft and pass a law requiring the Secret Service to protect his wife and their children for the rest of their lives. His family is the only American Family, protected by Federal Agents, forever. Even the Clinton's don't have that. If the Democrats grab guns, the Democrats lose power. He'll tinker and toy, but he won't confiscate. Hillary, if victorious, will only further militarize American cities, and double the Orwellian surveillance. None of the totalitarian surveillance and domestic firepower stopped Mr. Farook and Ms. Malik, nor could it have. A HATE UPDATE, on DECEMBER 8 - This photo is priceless! It shows Muslim Terrorist Tashfeen Malik arriving in the U.S. from Saudi Arabia on July 27, 2014. (Saudi Arabia was also the origin of almost all of the "radicalized" 9/11 Terrorists.) She is entering the MOST heavily defended and most surveilled nation on earth, and she has already defeated her enemy. Cool as a cucumber! THE SAN BERNARDINO MASSACRE VICTIMS HAD PRACTICED AN "ACTIVE SHOOTER DRILL" in the very room they were all murdered. It's astounding! We now know why Mr. and Mrs. Massacre chose as their terror target a center for the developmentally disabled. THE ROOM was the target, NOT the health facility. The room in Building Three was the venue for their "annual training and Christmas potluck party". What training? Well last year it included an "Active Shooter Drill". So picture this... one year ago Farook attends an Active Shooter Drill. He goes home and the couple discusses what he learned. They look at each other and share a laugh. "They think they can protect themselves from the justice of Allah! Hah, those American fools." They begin stockpiling weapons in earnest, and we now know, a week before their attack they went twice to a nearby gun range to practice shooting weapons. On December 2nd Mr. Farook was the first to arrive at the "party", and when the conference room was full he left to collect his wife. She was waiting. They had already given their baby into the care of the grandmother. Every planning detail was already covered - the black SUV, the black clothing and black masks, the pipe bombs, and their arsenal. The only thing missing was a black I.S.I.S. flag. "They considered Farook a friend." When he and his wife stormed the room, the party goers did exactly as they had been trained to do in the Active Shooter Drill. They scattered and sheltered behind overturned trestle tables and other upended furniture. Some feigned death, pretending they had already been shot. But there was insufficient cover for so many people. The survivors recognized their co-worker and his wife, and using cellphones they immediately began calling in precise details to local law enforcement. Mr. and Mrs. Massacre fled the scene and the chase was on. SWAT wa already deployed. ALL ABOARD THE LUNATIC EXPRESS: Even if...if, the Americans ever won the "War on Terror", they now have a worse problem on their doorstep. A frightened political class protecting itself with "Homeland Security" and a suspicious civil population arming itself against oppressive government. There is no possibility of this turning out well. UPDATE: Bitter Humour Department Dec. 12, 2015 - there is this from the N.Y. TIMES this morning: The Americans record everything on the Internet. EVERYTHING. But they don't read it. Look at that face. She makes me think of think of Kipling... "When you're wounded and left on Afghanistan's plains, And the women come out to cut up what remains, Jest roll to your rifle and blow out your brains An' go to your Gawd like a soldier." Labels: Black Friday Gun Sales Record, Hillary Clinton and San Bernardino Attack, ISIS in San Bernardino, San Bernardino Massacre, Syed Rizwan Farook, Tashfeen Malik, The American Dream Beauty and the Beasts - the Tragic Murder of a Young Russian Politician The crime scene - Novosibirsk, Siberia, Nov. 26, 2015. Imagine having your face punched in by thumb-sized hand grenade fragments. The air outside was a frigid -6 Celsius, but you were bathed in the flow of heat forced through the dashboard louvres. You were also being carelessly intimate with your husband, just a few steps from the entrance to a massive apartment block. Now you are dead. In the seven seconds it took for the ugly little weapon to detonate, did you even know it threatened to your life? Within minutes police filled the parking lot, their heavy boots crunching on the hard-packed snow. They huddle in thick coats and fur caps, hands thrust into deep pockets. They pull your body, and that of your husband from the Toyota sedan, and do a careful search for additional explosives. In minutes your husband's body is bagged and whisked away. Later a flat-bed truck arrives and loads your white RAV- 4, and then it too is trundled out of sight. All the while you lay there on the packed snow, naked and needlessly exposed to dozens of pairs of greedy eyes. All of them have made you their trophy, taking countless photos of the kill, and at least to full-length videos. For over an hour you are humiliated, until finally someone throws a cloth over your smashed head. Just your head. They continue to leave your trim torso and your sexuality on display. You have never been photographed naked before. This is your screen debut. Within hours one video is uploaded to the Internet, and the foreign press begins to crow. Caw, caw. Haw, haw. She was Oksana Bobrovskaya, a neophyte Russian politician. Young and beautiful, she was in love with life and doted on her 4yr. old daughter. The pretty child was a fixture of the proud mother's social media pages. Though she was an M.P.in Putin's government (I know all the current connotations) there was no stain on her public record. In fact Mrs. Bobrovskaya had committed no crime, and she was certainly deserving of respect and a little common decency. Her death was a vicious atrocity, but the world's reaction was uglier. An Ugly, Disturbing Trend in "Journalism" Old-style journalism is dead. Investigative reporting is now very rare, because the consuming public has no patience with in-depth coverage of a story that has already completed its "cycle". Most newspapers don't even employ photographers any more, because they can easily strip all the visuals they need from Social Media, or harvest the flood of "leaked" imagery that always accompanies any notorious event. In fact Social Media "channels" are now leading news coverage, and we all know it. As the news media struggles to survive, it adopts the sloppy habits of our instant culture, and in the process is virtually shredding its credibility and reputation. Consider this: Within hours of the recent Paris Terror Attacks, a group of suspects was cornered and all were killed in the shootout and explosions. It was immediately claimed that one Muslim female had detonated a suicide vest (she was blown into large chunks by one powerful blast) and she was dubbed "Europe's first female suicide bomber". The London DAILY MAIL purchased a set of private photographs of that woman and published the "scoop" above the banner "BOMBER IN THE BATH", coyly blacking out her exposed nipple. Within hours most major news organizations were featuring the photos, and several used the nude in the bathtub image as a lead graphic. The New York Post dubbed the lady "THUG IN A TUB", and the general public, taking their cue from the news media, called her worse names. Much, much worse. Of course the whole point of the photo-splash was to develop an aggressive narrative widely shared in news circles. The way to interdict the steady flow to the Islamic State of "radicalized" Muslim youth, is to discredit individuals. Relishing a "gotcha" moment, they pounced on the Paris woman, describing her as a "party animal" who drank and smoked and used make up. More she was photographed in an American cowboy hat, and posed nude in a bathtub. She was not only a "fake" Muslim, but a "scuzz" and as such, she was poster-girl for a bastardized brand of Islam and richly deserving of our collective contempt. (I emphasize CONTEMPT.) Left unsaid of course, was that the woman in all the photos was behaving exactly the way a majority of young women now conduct themselves. Better zipper up some of that contempt Mr. Journalist, Sir. It wasn't long before we found out that there was no female suicide bomber on November 17th. The woman shredded in Paris was not wearing a suicide vest after all. That was hasty reporting. In the seconds before death, she actually cried out that she wasn't a militant. ... All over the world news staff began deleting headlines and whole articles, to cover their journalistic tracks. Winston Smith couldn't have orchestrated a more thorough sweep. And then it got worse. It has since been revealed that all of the salacious photos the DAILY MAIL had peddled were not even of the dead "terrorist". The Lady in the bathtub still lives, and she has taken the matter of her stolen privacy to court. And of course the many, many News sites that published the story and pictures engaged in the same Orwellian cover-up - they deleted all evidence, or at least the digital caches. You can't recall and burn a printed edition. "Suicide Blonde" British tabloid journalism at its worst. The wrong woman and, an insult to half of the female population. UNREPENTANT SCRIBBLERS It might seem unfair to single out the DAILY MAIL, but they earned my contempt with their "Bomber in the Bath" nonsense. Consider this: "Glamorous Russian M.P. is blown up while having sex with her husband in the back of their car 'after he detonated explosives in a fit of jealousy' " That's rather a mouthful, and given that the Daily Mail has a reporter in Siberia, how do they manage to put a story together? And why bother? After all, a Russian woman totally unknown to MAIL readers, was having sex with her husband in their own car, when he (allegedly) committed an act of murder-suicide. The powerful motive (journalistic motive, not the husband's) is delivered in a sub-headline: "Oksana Bobrovskaya, 30, was in Vladimir Putin's United Russia Party". Once again we see a coherent strategy at play, and one that is shared by papers throughout Europe and North America. Denigrating an individual who exists within a group you despise, is a guaranteed method to diminish the group itself. Putin is despised by every squishy Liberal from Paris to Pittsburgh, and in fact we are collectively waging undeclared economic and political warfare against the Russian Federation. Our media will pounce on any figure or story that could discredit the Mr. Putin's "regime". If there is sex in the story, all the better. The Prols will drool over it. "Glamorous"? Really? Mrs. Bobrovskaya had two photo-packages taken by a Novosibirsk studio that specializes in family portraits. One set to promote her candidacy, and the other set Christmas portraits. She looks great, but not "glamorous". Most of the shots were scraped by media from her Instagram account. A beautiful, caring mother. Keep this charming image in mind when you remember her - not the beastly ugliness that follows. SO WHAT REALLY HAPPENED? Novosibirsk is Russia's third largest city. Mrs. Bobrovskaya's political party, United Russia, has not faired well of late. In 2014 they lost the mayoralty, and Moscow had sent in "political technologists" to train and support local candidates. Bobrovskaya was a federal M.P., representing United Russia and had not been associated with scandal. Her husband, a former member of the Security Services, was reported to be unemployed and brooding. If you believe the husband's alleged motive for killing her, the lady was having an affair with her boss at DISCUS, a major construction company, a man who is also Deputy of the Novosibirsk City Council. The businessman is said to have been her political mentor, and the supplier of the RAV-4 she had been driving since March. The husband, lurid news report insist, was insanely jealous and decided to have one last go at his wife, and detonate a grenade while they were in the throws of passion. Their bodies were found in the back seat of the Toyota, naked from the waist down. The crime scene was the parking area of a five-storey apartment building located handy to the DISCUS Construction Company. Try to believe this story line... because I cannot. The husband, who has guns at home, has decided to kill her and himself in the bargain, with a fragmentation grenade. And he will do it in a public setting. In sub-zero temperatures she has consented to sex, so they pull into a decidedly unromantic setting - a residential complex. Though it is night, the lot is well illuminated, and they don't even bother to park the car. The leave the engine to idle, and with headlights on they feed each others passion. Now I drive a Toyota RAV-4 and I can tell you that about the only possibility up front is mutual masturbation, as a console divides the two seats. Near the building entrance, and overlooked by dozens of apartment windows, they would have had to get out and re-enter the RAV by the passenger doors - a suspicious act in itself. You cannot climb over the seats. Now remember that the lady is a sitting member of the Russian Parliament and has everything to lose if bystanders recognize her and take photos. (Since she was found naked we know she was acting recklessly.) We already know the two local TV stations will broadcast ANYTHING sordid, because we have ample evidence. Now remember that she stands accused of having an affair, and if her husband was angry enough to kill her, he would not easily have concealed his suspicions. With his military training he was capable of killing her with his bare hands, but we are told, he chose to mutilate the woman he loved. If I were that young man, I would be fragging the boss, and not my wife, but perhaps I do not understand Russian men. If he did murder her, and this was not a professional frame-up, he might also have tipped off the local news media. They were on site and filming even before the crime scene was secured. Closeup pictures of the couple show that he was disembowelled by the blast and she had her face caved in. About what you might expect from a hand grenade. No attempt was made to conceal the gore from the media or from the tenants of the apartment block. In fact the crime scene was left entirely open, and the display of her body was so obvious, as to constitute a crime in itself. I have watched two lengthy videos made at the crime scene, as well as edited footage broadcast in Russia, and I can come to only one conclusion. Mrs. Bobrovskaya's body was callously left on display for news media and passers by to photograph with impunity. Nobody cared enough about her to intervene or even cover her up. The husband mutilated her, the media denigrated her, and the police humiliated her. A very thorough job. The final act was to share Novosibirsk's disgrace with the wide world. The final indignity to the victim was recorded by LIFE NEWS, which broadcast the removal of Mrs. Bobrovskaya with her body pixelated. At first the morgue attendant crossed her ankles, the very first man to acknowledge that this was a woman he was grabbing hold of. Then with a shrug, he spread her legs and had a good look. CHANNEL 8 had the footage and someone from the station uploaded it to the Internet. These images are graphic of course, but I have spared you the worst of it. I invite you now to go back to the scraped article from the London DAILY MAIL, and understand that hundreds of newspapers and websites (including Canadian) published the same smarmy account of what happened to her. More important, be on guard for more stories like this one - moments in which a woman's sexuality is used to humiliate her, and where her dignity is far less important than the opportunity for news writers or propagandists to score cheap political points. Beauty and the Beasts. Posted by Ronald J. Jack at 12:32 PM 1 comment: Labels: Novosibirsk - Siberia, Oksana Bobrovskaya M.P., Russian Parliament, The Daily Mail, UNITED RUSSIA PARTY, Vladimir Putin EVERY GUN TELLS A STORY - Even Mr. Zehah-Bibeau's Model 1894 Winchester THE GUN (that killed J.F.K.) by Henry Bloomgarden - was a Bantam paperback, 1976. An example of pre-Internet gun prose. When I was a junior-high school student I shared the enthusiasms of Canadian boys my own age. Many of us developed an interest in the history of weaponry and warfare, and we could rattle off the names and specifications of almost any model that could fire a projectile. I couldn't afford to buy a gun of my own, but we had a shop teacher who was also a gunsmith. If we brought scrap lead to class he would let us melt it down in a crucible and pour the molten metal into bullet moulds for .45 and .38 slugs. He also let us watch as he cut down the barrels of .12 Gauge and .410 Gauge shotguns and re-bedded them with pistol grips, sans any butt-stock. He was breaking the law, but we didn't know any better. He was our teacher. At about that time I read a book that opened my eyes to much bigger issues. George Thayer's, THE WAR BUSINESS: The International Trade in Armaments (AVON 1970) alerted me to the fact that Canadians companies also sold weapons illicitly, and they didn't particularly care if they were enabling foreign dictators or mercenary armies. More interesting were a few pages on the importation of cheap war surplus firearms, typified by the Italian carbine (a Mannlicher-Carcano Serial No. C2766) that Lee Harvey Oswald used to assassinate President John F. Kennedy. A few years later, Henry S. Bloomgarden had an original idea, or so I thought at the time. Why not write a biography of the rifle used to kill Kennedy? Bantam Books published THE GUN in 1976 and I pounced on a copy. The story satisfied because the book described not only the life story of the infamous rifle, but something of of Terni, the company town that produced it, and the lives of the Italian craftsmen who designed and built firearms. More, Bloomgarden detailed the U.S. laws and the lawmakers who aided the importation of surplus weaponry. During high school I became aware of the fact that many thousands of collectors were researching the 'biographiies' of individual firearms, and I read many fascinating articles in the gun press which were in effect 'dual biographies' of interesting weapons and the men who once owned them. Some firearms historians spare no effort or expense when sleuthing out the life story of a gun, and many maintain private reference libraries that have cost tens of thousands of dollars to assemble. With the advent of the Internet came the added ability to swap data with collector-researchers worldwide, and for modest fees acquire personal records that were once impossible to acquire. I haven't fired a weapon since completing my service in the Canadian Militia in 1981 (Military Police and Infantry) but I have maintained a research/writing interest in modern warfare and weapons design. Mr. Zehaf-Bibeau at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier - Ottawa. He killed a sentry, but fired few shots. The Winchester Model 1894 holds only a few cartridges in its spring-loaded tube magazine. "Dead End" on tracing Zehaf-Bibeau's Winchester And so when I read reporter Jim Bronskill's claim (November 10, 2015) of a "Dead End" in the Michael Zehaf-Bibeau investigation, I could smell the fish rotting. Zehaf-Bibeau, most will recall, was the disturbed man who terrorized Parliament Hill in 2014, brandishing a very old Winchester lever-action rifle, and fatally shooting a reservist in the back at the National War Memorial. Under intense pressure, the R.C.M.P. released a photo of the damaged weapon, but not a single detail about its history. Had they shared even basic information with the public, I feel certain that gun historians would have done their part, and in combination with investigative journalists who could canvass appropriate neighbourhoods and gun enthusiasts, would have done the R.C.M.P.s job for it. And that, the federal troopers will never allow. Mr. Bronskill, of the Canadian Press news agency, is one of our most reliable journalists specializing in matters of National Defence, Canada's Intelligence gathering agencies, and Official Secrecy. He wrote that an inside source had tipped him of the R.C.M.P.s inability to solve the mystery of how and where the gunman acquired his Winchester .30-.30. "The RCMP devoted more than 130 full-time investigators and staff to the case, interviewing several hundred people across the country." Just as interesting was a CBC News report, on the same day, that described an internal dispute among the current and former members of the House of Commons security detail. "RCMP accused of rewriting history of Parliament Hill attack" Only days after the attack on Canada's Parliament, the House of Commons security force was disbanded (without ceremony) and the R.C.M.P. immediately took over the assignment. In order to keep the Ottawa media out of the government's laundry basket, Kevin Vickers was declared a 'Hero' (or National distraction) for his firing a 9 mm. bullet into the back of the gunman's head, and quickly shipped off to an Ambassadorship in Ireland. (Refer to my previous Runagates Club article.) Clearly the whole matter has become completely politicized, and the biography of the Zehaf-Bibeau Winchester 94, is not a book that anyone in Ottawa ever plans to write. Inquiring minds just don't want to know. FIREARMS SLEUTHING 101 In truth, Federal authorities would have known quite quickly the genesis or "birth date" of the rifle and when it was shipped into Canada. The early records of the factory are in the custody of the Cody Firearms Museum in Wyoming, which has (like Colt) made millions of dollars selling authentication letters to Winchester collectors over the years. I have R.L. Wilson's history of Winchester, but there are a host of expensive "collector-grade" reference works, including one just on the Model 1894 rifle. Basic information on serial numbers (never released by the RCMP) are available all over the Internet, as are archived discussions between serious collectors. Even pamphlets distributed by Winchester (below) give basic historical information, just to whet the appetite for owning a piece of firearms history. Collectors maintain files of vintage Canadian sales catalogs and advertising for individual communities, and it is often possible to determine which retailer (usually a hardware store) was stocking particular makes in a given community. SADDLE GUN :"Since the world was powered by horse flesh at the time of its introduction, the 1894 just begs to be slipped into a horse scabbard with a string of rawhide or braided suede tied around the saddle ring to hold her in place on a rough ride." - Kevin Gibson Mr. Zehaf-Bibeau's rifle appears to be of pre-WW1 manufacture, with an octagonal barrel and a crescent shaped steel butt-plate. It was officially an "antique" (100+ years) when he used it to murder a sentry in Ottawa. Such weapons are noticed, and valued. One identical to it, and with no history, sold recently at auction for $ U.S. 1,175. If you owned one, or had one stolen from you, it would matter. Zehaf-Bibeau did not transport it from British Columbia back to Ontario or Quebec. He acquired it there, and quite possibly it came to him through the family. They deny it, and this is Canada, so there will be no nail-pulling. Of course the R.C.M.P. are only interested in establishing if there is another person tied to the rifle, who is chargeable with a crime. Should you think that the registration of rifles and shotguns is a very modern phenomenon in Canada, think again. Handgun registration started very early, but in 1940 our government decreed that all rifles and shotguns had to be registered. (See the clipping below.) Of course many rural Canadians ignored the law, but that is beside the point. The salient point is that taxpayers have forked over more than a Billion Dollars for the funding of a registration system for so-called "long arms", ostensibly in an attempt to eliminate gun crime, and the very moment in our history that a nut dashes onto Parliament Hill with a hunting rifle, the entire program is shown to be a mirage. A year has passed and we are told "the probe has come to a dead end". My gawd! Even more exasperating, very few newspapers bothered to print Bronskill's story, and NONE have attempted a followup. In 1940 War Measures allowed the government to require that all rifles and shotguns be registered. Handguns were already tightly controlled in Canada. So how could this happen? The Canadian Firearms Registry cost Canadian taxpayers somewhere between $1 Billion - $2 Billion dollars. The exact dollar figure is lost in the fog of political warfare. The project was a Chretien-Liberal boondoggle and was cancelled in 2012, although federal law enforcement still requires individual gun owners be licensed. The first mass-registration of ALL guns in Canada took place during World War II, and might then have picked up the Winchester Model 94. But it didn't. Surely the Chretien Era registration, with its dire threats of jail time for non-compliance, would have detected it? Well, NO. According to the Bronskill report, the Mounties are at a "Dead End". So gun registration was one of the more costly job creation schemes run by Ottawa, but it didn't make a bit of difference in preventing gun crimes like the Zehaf-Bibeau shooting. Canadian - U.S. Cooperation on Tracing Guns We Canadians are very aware of the American obsession with the right to own unlimited numbers of guns, and the resulting carnage that ensues. For a look at how the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms handles illicit gun tracing, I turned to YOUTUBE. The ATF National Tracing Center is located in Martinsburg, West Virginia, and it employs approximately 400 full-time staff. The video is only a few minutes long, and I provide a hot link below. "A Rare Look Inside the A.T.F. National Tracing Center", published on YOUTUBE, in early February 2013. Despite claims of overwork by staff and the complaint of somehow being handicapped by U.S. Federal privacy laws (somewhat of a hollow joke from an employee of the world's leading surveillance-state) the vaunted A.T.F. racks up an impressive success rate. So is it fair to make a direct comparison between American and Canadian capabilities? It would be IF we Canadians had a little more to go on. With respect to current operations and programs, the level of information control in Ottawa is now so routine and pervasive, that it is virtually equivalent to wartime conditions. I daresay, for example, that Canadians during World War II were able to follow the campaigns in Europe more easily than we were able to do with units deployed to Somalia, Bosnia, Afghanistan, or currently bombing Syria. Could you even secure a list of the names of R.C.M.P. officers serving in your community, much less specific details on why investigators were skunked by Mr. Zehaf-Bibeau? Not a chance. It's interesting to note that when the Windsor Star did a five-part investigative series (2013) on smuggled guns and Canadian victims, they consulted staff at the ATF in West Virginia, and not our own specialists. Eight Bandido bikers murdered in Shedden, Ontario in 2006 with one Hi-Point .380 pistol. The ATF traced its biography. Did you know that Canada has a "Commissioner of Firearms"? Did you know that each year the Canadian Firearms Program (CFP) publishes a glossy report summarizing annual achievements? The CFP is "Canada's Authority on Firearms", and so the Commissioner's next report may include a paragraph or two on the Zehaf-Bibeau case - arguably the most important attempt to trace a firearm that the CFP have yet attempted. It depends on your P.O.V., I guess. It seems to me that the program has too many chiefs, and not enough Indians. If you read the most recent annual report, you will find a "Program Overview". (Provided below) You will see listed: - the Chief Firearms Officer Operations and Firearms Safety Training Directorate - the Firearms Service Delivery Directorate - the Firearms investigative and Enforcement Services Directorate - the Firearms Management and Strategic Services Directorate - the Information Technology Integration and Business Improvement Section And these CFP "Directorates" have "components," and are further supported by Department of Justice lawyers in regional offices. And if that were not enough, consider this recent refinement in Canada's federal gun tracing efforts: "The Canadian Integrated Ballistics Information Network - CIBIN" Based in Ottawa this program seeks to instantly link criminal occurrences anywhere in Canada (and by extension the U.S.) by matching digital records of fired bullets, marks left on cartridge casings, etc. The really sneaky component of the service to "frontline" law enforcement is the "Suspicious Firearms Index" which is a growing compilation of evidence taken from "firearms of interest not known to be associated with a criminal charge but that may generate intelligence for investigators". In other words, the goal is to surreptitiously collect firearms evidence from citizens you don't trust, and hold it for a future match when the weapon is illegally used. "It's 2015" On the R.C.M.P.s wish list is "Pursuit of the establishment of a live connection between NIBIN and CIBIN". NIBIN is the U.S.A.'s National Integrated Ballistic Information Network. And yet none of this technology and bureaucracy would have stopped an attack like that perpetrated in Ottawa by one angry and disturbed man who had access to an antique Winchester found somewhere in a closet. What it does do, is employ a large number R.C.M.P. officers at six-figure salaries, who are counting on pension cycles guaranteed to far exceed their actual years of service. And bureaucratic waste is a whole different category of crime best left for another time. Ironically, many American crime labs are abandoning the technology the RCMP are boasting of acquiring. The consensus among lab staff is that massive centralized databases are not resulting in local arrests and prosecutions, so they don't feel particularly obligated to waste precious hours feeding information to the insatiable Intelligence dragon. ...But I digress. The killer was himself killed, so if the R.C.M.P. would just share what they do know about the Model 1894 in discussion, then citizen sleuths might get to work and contribute something helpful to the investigation. Labels: ATF Tracing Center, Canadian Firearms Program, Canadian Firearms Registry, Canadian Integrated Ballistics Information Network, George Thayer, Henry S. Bloomgarden, Jim Bronskill, Kevin Vickers Kevin Vickers - the Mountie and the Head Shot Ambassador Kevin Michael Vickers is receiving visitors in Dublin. This week it was the dubious duo from CTV - Craig Oliver and Lloyd Robertson - checking out the lush back pasture Mr. Vickers is grazing. Vickers' wall is covered with plastic plaques, Maritime universities now invite him to give inspirational speeches, and many feckless Canadians even call him a "hero". (He's the Mountie who performed the coup-de-grace on that well-riddled mental defective on Parliament Hill.) You can check out the list of his honours and ribbon bars here, but I think Mr. Vickers is richly deserving of at least one more distinction - the Flying Fickle Finger of Fate. This was a trophy first awarded to the U.S. Congress for failing to pass much needed Gun Control Legislation - That golden moment, a clip from Rowan and Martin's Laugh-in, is on Youtube - FICKLE FINGER OF FATE. By now you may not even remember Michael Zehaf-Bibeau. He was an angry Canadian drifter who used to "crash" at night in a mosque just a few blocks from my home. It was an anger fuelled by his twisted perception of an alleged Muslim cultural marginalization. His story can be instructive, if told with calm and a pinch of honesty. But we don't get that much these days. Here is why I'm tossing in my two cents: AN EVIL DAY IN OTTAWA There were two men shot to death in Ottawa on October 22, 2014. One death was a tragedy, and the other death a complete farce. We were all outraged when an unarmed Canadian soldier was shot in the back at the National War Memorial. But Canadians should have been apoplectic with outrage by the ensuing events. Video surveillance, and bystander cell-video documented the breakneck dash by car to Parliament Hill, where the murderer... a totally untrained man, penetrated the RCMP defensive perimeter - and then (armed with an antique saddle gun) burst past the House of Commons Security Detail... and came within killing distance of our National Leader. But there was no outrage at all - not on the Hill, nor anywhere across this "Fair Land". We were fed a shovel full of murky disinformation and then witnessed "Sergeant at Arms" Vickers (who was just one of six trained men who threw lead at Zehaf-Bibeau) - anointed a national "Hero" for doing the job he was very well paid to perform these past 30 years. More odious still, he was elevated to an ambassadorship! This to provide a smokescreen for the fact that Parliament Hill Security was a slack-ass joke, and in fact so bad that the government had just quietly disbanded the whole outfit. And what about those bozos in the LPC and NDP... they who want to govern this country? Did they demand an inquiry into how and why Parliament Hill has been successfully penetrated, again and again? No. There is a very lengthy and detailed wiki page on the shooting incident, if you have time to read it. The Winchester Model 94 rifle (M1894), was popularly known as a "saddle gun" because cowboys and ranchers carried it in a leather scabbard strapped to the saddle. Almost a year later, the RCMP have not discovered where the shooter acquired the antique rifle. (An "antique" is any artifact over 100 years old.) The official report does not say how the fore-stock came to be shattered. There were 56 spent 9mm cartridge casings collected from the scene, and we should trust that nobody pocketed any casings. The target was hit 31 times, with 8 pistol slugs remaining lodged in his body. These gory details may impress the casual reader, but the report neglects to offer us a tally of bullet strikes - on walls, pillars and the floor around and underneath the deceased. There is no doubt in my mind that such evidence was collected. But in whose interest is it to bury that evidence? There is no Wiki-page for Constable Samearn Son. The Laotion-Canadian had ten years of service on the Hill on the day that Mr. Zehaf-Bibeau burst through the entrance doors. Son grabbed at the Winchester rifle and alerted his colleagues: "Gun, gun, gun!" He took a .30-30 bullet in the foot. I don't know if he was awarded a medal, but he did receive a round of applause from M.P.s in the Federal Parliament on December 14, 2014. And what was the Mountie packing in Parliament? At the time of the shooting inside the Center Block on Parliament, both sides were lacking crucial information. Hill Security did not know that a serious shooting incident was underway at the National War Memorial, and the shooter himself was equally confused. He was now INSIDE, but he didn't know the layout of the building. All that was left to him was death. It has always been alleged that Chief Superintendent Vickers fired the fatal shot that finished off the intruder, but the official report makes no such claim. What it does say, under "Fatal Wounds" : "The penetrating wound to the back of the neck that perforated the brain would have been immediately incapacitating and rapidly fatal." Media accounts make the claim that Vickers, using a stone pillar as a barrier, stretched around and fired two shots upward into his target. Kevin Vickers collected all the rewards and public acclaim for making the kill shot. The fatal shot was to the back of the head. Two men were fatally shot in the back on that black day. One unlawfully, and the other quite lawfully. Mr. Vickers has now had plenty of time to sort out his thoughts. I would like to see him make a definitive statement under oath, and stick to it. The most ridiculous of his statements that I have read is an extract from a speech he gave in May of 2015, when his birthplace honoured him with a dinner. "I was on one side of the wall and the gunman was on the other side of the wall and I remember thinking, and this is the truth, about being with my friend from Eel Ground Hubert Barnaby, hiding on the bank of the river as the [game] warden was coming and his feet were so close to us we could almost reach out and touch them." ??? No, I'm not naive. I know that Vickers' claim, "This is the truth" is a sure tip off that he was bullshitting. The legal issue at stake here, is that Vickers has never been required to swear to what actually transpired. The Wikipedia page reports that Vickers told members of the federal cabinet, "I put him down." Notice how quickly the Tories whisked him out of town? Notice how fast they threw the Canadian public a hero-bone to chew on? Arf Arf! The irony of course is that many, many more Canadians will hate me for pricking their hero-balloon, than would ever turn on those who constantly manipulate their feelings and make a habit of deceiving them. This is nothing short of obnoxious: Kevin Vickers chosen Poster Boy for the Salvation Army ?! For shooting a man in the back of the head? Vickers will speak at a "Leadership Breakfast" at the Saint John Trade And Convention Center on Nov. 12, 2015. No mention that he was a career Mountie. Michael Zihaf-Bibeau (though a criminal) was exactly the type of troubled misfit, (a drifter with probable mental deficits) who was living in an Ottawa homeless shelter at the time he snapped. The very profile of indigents the Sally Ann has a history of helping. How confused was Zehaf-Bibeau's mind? After spewing hate in a recorded video, he ended with "Thank you." Vickers was not in ceremonial Sarge-At-Arms getup, when he joined in pursuit of the suspect, with his service pistol drawn. PTSD - Pass it Around If we are to believe news report, virtually ever Canadian soldier who served in Afghanistan is suffering, or will eventually suffer, from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. If we add to their ranks the hundreds of mounties and municipal cops who volunteered as Afghan police trainers, (to goose their pension portfolios?), and who will also be claiming PTSD, then appreciative Canadian taxpayers are saddled with a billion dollar problem over the next 50-60 years. Call it a - Post-Taxation Stress Disorder. Now we learn that a band of brothers have "Declared War" on the Harper Tories this election season - all in the name of getting "veterans" the treatment and compensation they deserve. The subject of "Veteran's Rights" is just as frightening to the average Canadian politician as an honest chat about abortion, religion, worker productivity - or anything else that gets folks on their feet punching and screaming. It's never a fair fight. So just pay up Stevie. It's only money. The alternative to letting men with mental health issues go untreated or ignored, is to risk having a trained man storm Parliament. A man well-armed and experienced in battle tactics and simple countermeasures. And did I mention, ANGRY. Don't say it can't happen, because it certainly will happen. If not in Ottawa, in one of the provincial legislatures, which are also equipped for live television broadcast. I'm old enough to remember Corporal Lortie, the disturbed serviceman from C.F.S. Carp, (Ottawa) who murdered three people when he stormed the Quebec Legislature back in 1984. If there is another Lortie lurking out there, the boys-in-black-balaclavas will certainly be in for some traumatic stress. Our world gets nuttier by the minute. Major Jalbert vs. Corporal Lortie - May 8, 1984 It is interesting to recall that earlier, and far more interesting assault on a Canadian legislative chamber, because heroism doesn't have to trigger a deceitful response from government. Major Jalbert was a veteran of WW2 and Korea. He was a modest man possessed of an iron nerve. He could hear Cpl. Lortie ranting and firing indiscriminately inside the chamber of government, yet he stepped inside (unarmed) and faced the gunman. Even as Lortie continued to fire rounds 3-4 feet in front of his chest, Jalbert stood his ground. After four hours of reasoning and pleading with him, the deranged soldier surrendered. Major Jalbert was a awarded a medal, and he had a street named after him. Mr. Vickers was coasting toward retirement when fate chose to cast him for a National television broadcast. Television networks cut into their scheduled broadcasts to give the Ottawa incident saturation coverage. It went on for the better part of the week, when the show was moved inside the House of Commons, so that Canadian M.P.s could share the spotlight. A Big Show requires a kick-ass finish. Hello Mr. Ambassador! THE LAST WORD GOES TO... THE CBC Because the "Official Opposition" was out to lunch. UPDATE - May 27, 2016 This was the lead National story yesterday. Kevin Vickers at it again, this time in Dublin. I don't really mind our "Ambassador" to Ireland acting like a bar-room bouncer, but what I do mind is absent-minded news reporting and myth-making. He didn't"take dow the terrorist". He finished him off after he was already riddled by the Parliament Hill security detail. Labels: HOPE IN THE CITY BREAKFAST - Saint John, Independent Investigation - Death of Michael Zehaf-Bibeau, Kevin M. Vickers - RCMP, Parliament Hill Shootings 2014, Rowan and Martin's Laugh-in Weaponize your Hate - MR. AND MRS. MASSACRE terro... Beauty and the Beasts - the Tragic Murder of a You... EVERY GUN TELLS A STORY - Even Mr. Zehah-Bibeau'...	cc/2020-05/en_head_0057.json.gz/line255
__label__cc	0.575558	0.424442	OH, PUHLEAZE. Nobody, I mean, nobody is believing that old trick card from a very old playbook. for real. President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad accused Barack Obama of behaving like his White House predecessor and called on him to apologize for what he called U.S. interference following Iran's elections. Obama has ramped up his previously muted criticism, saying he was "appalled and outraged" by a crackdown on protests which followed Ahmadinejad's disputed re-election. "Mr. Obama made a mistake to say those things ... our question is why he fell into this trap and said things that previously (former U.S. President George W.) Bush used to say," the semi-official Fars News Agency quoted Ahmadinejad as saying. Before the election, the Obama administration had indicated that it was interested in reaching out to Iran, after years of a diplomatic freeze following the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Iran has given no clear signal that it is interested in Obama's overture, and in the wake of the election, the U.S. leader has slowly ratcheted up his criticism of Iran. Meanwhile, 70 university professors were detained in Iran in a widening government crackdown on protesters, according to a Web site affiliated with opposition politician Mir Hossein Mousavi, who says he was robbed of victory in a rigged presidential election. The professors were detained on Wednesday, immediately after meeting with Mousavi, the Kalemeh site said. The report said it is not clear where the detainees were taken. Mousavi said for the first time Thursday that he is being isolated by authorities and pressured to drop his presidential election challenge. read more here.... Labels: Ahmadinejad, barack obama, iran, protest Ahmadinejad\|barack obama\|iran\|protest\|	cc/2020-05/en_head_0057.json.gz/line258
__label__cc	0.528953	0.471047	Tribes of Hawaiian and Thaqeef. After the fall of Makkah the neighboring tribes of Hawazin and Thaqeef had to choose between Islam and war against the Muslims. They chose the war path, and the two tribes along with their allies mustered in considerable strength at Autas to the east of Makkah. The coalition was led by Malik bin Auf a fiery commander of considerable skill. The Muslim Force. When the Holy Prophet came to know of the hostile intention of the tribes, he decided to take action against them. On a cold day in January 63 C.E. the Muslim force set out from Makkah. The force comprised 12,000 persons fully armed. Of these 10,000 were from Madina who had attacked Makkah, and 2,000 were the newly converted Muslims from Makkah. It was a large army, and as Abu Bakr saw it, he is reported to have said in some unguarded moment "It is a splendid army; who can defeat it." Battle of Hunain. This boast was not liked by God, and later things happened which made Abu Bakr regret such a boast. As on the way to Autas the Muslim army passed through the valley of Hunain some eleven miles north east of Makkah, a rain of arrows fell on it let loose by a group of archers of the hostile tribes that lay hid in the mountain pass. Taken unaware the advance guard of the Muslim army fled in panic. There was considerable confusion, and camels, horses and men ran into one another to seek cover. The Holy Prophet stood firm. There were only nine companions around him including Abu Bakr. All the rest had fled. Under the instructions of the Holy Prophet, Abbas shouted at the top of his voice, "O Muslims come to the Prophet of Allah." The call was heard by the Muslim soldiers and they gathered by the side of the Holy Prophet. When the Muslims had gathered in sufficient number, the Holy Prophet ordered a charge against the enemy. In the hand to hand fight that followed, the tribes were routed and they fled to Autas. Confrontation at Autas. The Holy Prophet posted a contingent to guard the Hunain pass, and led the main army to Autas. In the confrontation at Autas the tribes could not with stand the Muslim onslaught. Finding the resistance useless the tribes broke the camp and retired to Taif. Abu Bakr thanked God for the victory, but he was in a chastened mood. He humbly prayed before God, and asked for forgiveness for having boasted about the invincibility of the Muslim army. Battle of Taif. Abu Bakr was commissioned by the Holy Prophet to lead the attack against Taif. From Autas the Muslim force marched to Taif. The tribes shut themselves in the fort and refused to come out in the open. The Muslims employed catapults to throw stones in the town, but this did not lead to any tangible results. The Muslims tried the testudo device whereunder a group of soldiers shielded by a cover of cowhide advanced to set fire to the gate The enemy threw red hot scraps of iron on the testudo which made it ineffective. The siege dragged on for two weeks and still here was no sign of the fall of the fort. The Holy Prophet held a council of war. Abu Bakr advised that the siege might be raised and that God would Himself make arrangements for the fall of the fort. The advice was accepted, and in February 630 C.E. the siege of Taif was raised and the Muslim army withdrew to Makkah. A few days later, Malik bin Auf the chief of Taif came to Makkah and became a Muslim. Thereafter all the people of Taif accepted Islam. Thus the forecast of Abu Bakr came to be fulfilled, and God Himself arranged for the surrender of Taif to Islam.	cc/2020-05/en_head_0057.json.gz/line259
__label__cc	0.746013	0.253987	The Allan Wilson Centre has a proud history of research excellence in molecular ecology and evolution. Cutting-edge research from our members is highlighted here. Mapping the origin of the Indo-European language family This paper from the Computational Evolution group based at the University of Auckland is the culmination of over two years' work. The blog post below has links to some news articles about the research, and the second link is to the group's dedicated website on the subject, the controversy and their answer. Mapping the Origins and Expansion of the Indo-European Language Family Mapping the Origins of Indo-European The effects of historic climate change on high-latitude biodiversity Prof Jon Waters and Dr Ceridwen Fraser (Jon's former AWC postdoctoral fellow, now a lecturer at ANU) have been investigating the effects of historic climate change on high-latitude biodiversity.Their study, just published on the cover of Trends in Ecology and Evolution, demonstrates substantial contrasts in postglacial recolonisation patterns between between the Northern and Southern Hemispheres.	cc/2020-05/en_head_0057.json.gz/line260
__label__wiki	0.632676	0.632676	(Redirected from Phalli) The Eiffel Tower at the 1900 World's Fair: Exposition Universelle Sexual_symbolism#Phallic_symbolism The word phallus can refer to an erect penis, to a penis-shaped object such as a dildo, or to a mimetic image of an erect penis. Any object that symbolically resembles a penis may also be referred to as a phallus; however, such objects are more often referred to as being phallic (as in "phallic symbol"). Such symbols often represent the fertility, potency and cultural implications that are associated with the male sexual organ, as well as the male orgasm. The term 'yonic' is often used to describe the vaginal counterpart of the 'phallic'. 2.1 List of artworks 3 In literature 4 In religion 4.1 Ancient Greece 4.2 Ancient Rome 4.3 Research during the Enlightenment 5 In psychoanalysis 6 Modern use of the phallus 7 In gender studies 8 In the philosophy of sex 9 In fiction From Late Latin phallus, from Ancient Greek φαλλός (phallos). Its further etymology is uncertain. The meaning "penis" likely developed from a more concrete meaning, and has been compared to βαλλία (ballia, “private parts”) and the ethnonym Τριβαλλοί (Triballoi). Possible Indo-European cognates are Old Irish ball (“member, body part”) as well as dialectal Modern High German Bille (“penis”), all usually compared to words for "ball, sack, bull, testis" and similar, supposedly deriving from Proto-Indo-European *bʰel- (“to blow, swell”). Probably akin to φάλλαινα (phallaina, “whale”), because of the body shape of whale. Ancient and modern sculptures of phalloi have been found in many parts of the world, notably among the vestiges of ancient Greece and Rome. See Dionysia. Veiled phallic symbolism is visible in Jupiter and Io (c. 1530) by Correggio and Sensuality (1891) by Franz von Stuck. The image of the serpent as phallus in that last painting is left in little doubt, showing an enormous python-like creature passing between the legs of a nude woman. Unveiled phalli such as Le Dieu Priape are in the Figures Lascives by Jean-Jacques Lequeu. During the modern era, many sculptors have created some public phallic works of art, some more subtle, others more clear and evident. One of these examples may be the statue in honor to the Carnation Revolution on the top of one hill in Lisbon, Portugal from the sculptor João Cutileiro. Another example, more subtle, may be the statue named Crystal in the most famous central public square in Stockholm, the Sergel's square, from the sculptor Edvin Öhrström, which may be seen as a subtle phallic structure, like many other obelisks in the world. List of artworks The Triumph of the Phallus by Francesco de' Rossi Shakespeare often incorporated phallic symbols into his plays; swords and knives, for example, were phallic symbols representing the masculinity of their wielders. For example, in Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, Theseus says to his fiancé Hippolyta "I wooed thee with my sword" In religion In anthropology, phallicism or phallic worship refers to the ritual adoration of the human penis, or the phallus. Elements of phallicism have been found in many cultures, including Ancient Greece, India and Sumer. In traditional Greek mythology, Hermes, god of boundaries and exchange (popularly the messenger god) was considered to be a phallic deity by association with representations of him on herms (pillars) featuring a phallus. There is no scholarly consensus on this depiction and it would be speculation to consider Hermes a type of fertility god. Pan, son of Hermes, was often depicted as having an exaggerated erect phallus. Priapus was a Greek god of fertility whose symbol was an exaggerated phallus. The son of Aphrodite and either Dionysus or Adonis, according to different forms of the original myth, he was the protector of livestock, fruit plants, gardens, and male genitalia. His name is the origin of the medical term priapism. Ancient Romans wore phallic jewelry as talismans against the evil eye. Research during the Enlightenment The Worship of Priapus (1786) by Richard Payne Knight The Worship of the Generative Powers (1866) by Thomas Wright Aphrodisiacs and Anti-Aphrodisiacs (1869) by John Davenport In psychoanalysis The symbolic version of the phallus, a phallic symbol is meant to represent male generative powers. According to Sigmund Freud's theory of psychoanalysis, while males possess a penis, no one can possess the symbolic phallus. Jacques Lacan's Ecrits: A Selection includes an essay titled The Significance of the Phallus which articulates the difference between "being" and "having" the phallus. Men are positioned as men insofar as they are seen to have the phallus. Women, not having the phallus, are seen to "be" the phallus. The symbolic phallus is the concept of being the ultimate man, and having this is compared to having the divine gift of God. In Gender Trouble, Judith Butler explores Freud's and Lacan's discussions of the symbolic phallus by pointing out the connection between the phallus and the penis. She writes, "The law requires conformity to its own notion of 'nature'. It gains its legitimacy through the binary and asymmetrical naturalization of bodies in which the phallus, though clearly not identical to the penis, deploys the penis as its naturalized instrument and sign" (135). In Bodies that Matter, she further explores the possibilities for the phallus in her discussion of The Lesbian Phallus. If, as she notes, Freud enumerates a set of analogies and substitutions that rhetorically affirm the fundamental transferability of the phallus from the penis elsewhere, then any number of other things might come to stand in for the phallus (62). Modern use of the phallus The Phallus is often used to advertise pornography, as well as the sale of contraception. It has often been used in provocative practical jokes and has been the central focus of adult-audience performances. The phallus has a new set of art interpretations in the 20th Century with the rise of Sigmund Freud, the founder of the psychoanalytic school of psychology. One example is "Princess X" [1] by the Romanian modernist sculptor Constantin Brâncuşi. He created a scandal in the Salon in 1919 when he represented or caricatured Princess Marie Bonaparte as a large gleaming bronze phallus. This phallus likely symbolizes Bonaparte's obsession with the penis and her lifelong quest to achieve vaginal orgasm. In gender studies In cultural terms, phallocentrism is used to describe a male-centered doctrine or behavior, and sometimes refers to patriarchy, while gynocentrism is used to describe female-centered doctrine or behavior, and sometimes refers to matriarchy. Furthermore, the term yonic has often been used to describe something as vaginal and is considered the counterpart to the term phallic. In the philosophy of sex The phallus has sometimes been called the unruly member of man, having a will of its own. Plato stated that "the gods have given us one disobedient and unruly member" (4th century BC), and during the Renaissance Leonardo da Vinci notoriously wrote in "Della Verga" (on the penis) in his notebooks that: "[The phallus] confers with the human intelligence and sometimes has intelligence of itself, and although the will of the man desires to stimulate it, it remains obstinate and takes its own course, and moving sometimes of itself without license or thought by the man, whether he be sleeping or waking, it does what it desires; and often the man is asleep and it is awake, and many times the man is awake and it is asleep; many times the man wishes it to practice and it does not wish it; many times it wishes and the man forbids it. It seems therefore that this creature often has a life and intelligence separate from the man, and it would appear that the man is in the wrong in being ashamed to give it a name or exhibit it, seeking rather constantly to cover and conceal what he ought to adorn and display with ceremony as a ministrant." In the 19th century Schopenhauer equated his concept of the will to live with the sex drive, saying the genitals are the real focus of the will (19th century), saying that the will is a strong blind man, carrying a lame seeing man on his shoulders. Phallic symbolism can be perceived in a wide range of fiction and other popular culture works (in particular when analyzed in the context of psychoanalysis, although frequently that view is unconfirmed or unsanctioned by the creators). In the novel The Da Vinci Code, Dan Brown describes the Eiffel Tower as a thousand-foot phallus. Mentula loquens Phallic architecture Unless indicated otherwise, the text in this article is either based on Wikipedia article "Phallus" or another language Wikipedia page thereof used under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License; or on original research by Jahsonic and friends. See Art and Popular Culture's copyright notice. Retrieved from "http://www.artandpopularculture.com/Phallus" This page was last modified 18:05, 3 March 2017.	cc/2020-05/en_head_0057.json.gz/line261
__label__cc	0.671367	0.328633	December 31, 2018 By Andrew A Visioning Session at VanTap Studios Every year around this time I look back through my calendar to see what actually happened in the blur of activity that I usually find myself in. Most years are full and 2018 was no exception. It began with receiving the Spirit of Windrider Award at the Sundance Film Festival. Being presented the award by my friend and mentor Mako Fujimura was a special moment. My musical collaborations continued, with performances in Boise, ID as part of a residency at Surel’s Place, and in Miami, FL, as part of the classical musicians concert for YoungArts week MIAMI. HollerJake also dropped their first album!! The seeds were planted for some new projects with time well spent at Eric Berlow’s Swall Institute, and new projects came to life like this collaboration with fiddler Evie Andrus. Teaching has always been an important part of my work and 2018 was packed with it. Worldwide festivals included Stockholm, Barcelona, and the inaugural Show Me Tap Fest in St. Louis, where the Tap Legacy Exhibit also was displayed. I was excited to return to Betsy Daily School of the Performing Arts for a series of Studio Workshops, and continue my journey in the lindy hop world with stints at Stompology and Swing Out New Hampshire. Of course, the Tap Dance Freedom intensive ran in NYC, and was an absolute blast. I was also invited back to the newly branded REFLECT Conference (previously the Creative Church Conference, Boise, ID), where this amazing collaborations with fine artist Amandalynn Lovewell and composer Justin Nielsen came to life. But the biggest news came towards the end of the year. That’s when I sign up to become the Artistic Director of the Vancouver Tap Dance Society. I’ve since been spending the majority of my time in Vancouver, while continuing to travel to perform, speak, and teach. And before the year was out, I landed back at Carnegie Hall with Keith and Kristyn Getty, and got to perform at the newly opened Birdland Theater with the Tony Award nominee Tony Yazbeck. Indeed, 2018 was full, and 2019 looks to be shaping up to be as well. This journey has been a blast so far, I’m excited to see where it will lead. Wishing each of you the fullness that brings joy, growth, and peace in every day. As always, read my daily notes here, check out all the news here, all the upcoming events on my calendar, and find me on facebook, twitter, or instagram. Filed Under: What's New Today is #GivingTuesday November 27, 2018 By Andrew Every good endeavor needs the support of those to whom it speaks. We all have had the experience of a particular work resonating with us. During this season, when everyone is asking for support, we may be overwhelmed by the need we see. Instead of asking for the support of a particular artistic endeavor this season, I’m listing three organizations that I am a part of, or believe in, and asking you to support them if their work resonates with you. Check out the list below. It’s short 😉 Do you believe in preserving our stories? In the midst of the digital revolution that we all are experiencing, there is a need for communities to capture and own their own stories. Once captured they must be preserved in a way that makes sense for each community’s context and made accessible in a way that ensures their value. The Tap Legacy Foundation is building a platform to empower communities to do just that. Check out this TEDTalk I gave on the ideas behind the work or visit the website to learn more. How I’m involved: I co-founded this organization with Gregory Hines in 2002. // DONATE NOW Are you looking to support a Canadian organization? The Vancouver Tap Dance Society is a 22 year old organization that has been a steadfast member of the Vancouver dance community and a major proponent of tap dance internationally. The organization continues to provide accessible tap dance education through a year round Academy, community outreach programs, and an International Tap Dance Festival. The Society is also home to the youth performance ensemble TapCo. To learn about all the programming, visit the website here. How I’m involved: I was recently named the Artistic Director of the Vancouver Tap Dance Society. Interested in solving homelessness? No problem. Miracle Messages is a wonderful organization founded by TED Resident Kevin Adler (check out his TEDtalk here) to help neighbors experiencing homelessness reunite with family. There is really nothing I can say to express how beautiful and needed this work is. See their work for yourself by visiting the website. How I’m involved: Kevin and I were both TED Residents, and I’ve been a fan of his work since I first heard the story of Miracle Messages. I am not affiliated in any other way. I just believe in the work. Special Announcement! October 16, 2018 By Andrew Some of you may have already heard or seen this news, but I wanted to make sure that you also heard it directly from me. On October 29th I will be starting an exciting new role as the Artistic Director of the Vancouver Tap Dance Society. In that role I will be responsible for all current programming (tap dance academy, youth performance ensemble, annual tap dance festival), and shaping the vision for the future of the organization. Practically, this means that I will be relocating to the greater Vancouver area as my base, which I’m very excited about. Vancouver has a thriving arts and music/dance scene, and the landscape is beautiful. I will continue to travel throughout the year for performing, speaking, and teaching endeavors, and my commitments to the Tap Legacy Foundation, and artistic projects like Rising to the Tap, remain unchanged. So there it is. A whole new adventure is on the horizon as I step into this new role. I’ve deeply appreciated the opportunity to share my journey with you in the past, and look forward to continuing to share this new adventure. Andrew- P.S. Here’s a link to some press about the announcement from Broadway World Vancouver! New Live Performance Added August 14, 2018 By Andrew At this year’s Stompology I had the honor of presenting a new solo piece. All the Sounds is a piece of thematic improvisation that journeys the audience through a series of rhythms and traditional steps (including a quote from Gregory Hines), that have been foundational in my journey as a tap dancer. The piece begins with an invitation to the audience to close their eyes. Then the dancing is heard. West African rhythms, swing, and funk, all intertwine as traditional tap dance steps from the Shim Sham, Gregory Hines, Jimmy Slyde, and Savion Glover are reference and explored. Check out the whole piece here. Filed Under: Artist, What's New	cc/2020-05/en_head_0057.json.gz/line264
__label__cc	0.667815	0.332185	Polski \| En Español Contact / Questions Work visas (H-1B) are issued to immigrants who come to the United States to work in specialty occupations. Specialty occupation is a job that requires at least a Bachelor’s Degree or its equivalent. Only an employer can file an H-1B petition; therefore an immigrant cannot petition for himself or herself. Work visa H-1B can be issued for a maximum of three years and can be then renewed for 3 more years. After an immigrant spends 6 years in the US in H-1B status, he or she must leave the US for one year before being allowed to apply again. This 6 year limit does not apply to immigrants who have begun employment based green card sponsorship. If certain conditions are met, such an immigrant can remain in the US in H-1B status until his or her green card is granted. H-1B visa has many advantages; unfortunately Congress has set an annual limit of H-1B visas that can be issued during a fiscal year. Currently this limit is set at 65,000 visas per year. In addition, 20,000 visas are reserved for those immigrants who have completed their Master’s Degrees at US universities. Above limits do not apply to immigrants employed by certain nonprofit organizations, government organizations and universities. Limits also do not apply to those immigrants who wish to renew their visas or to change employers (provided that a 6 year limit is not exceeded). H-1B visas are issued from October 1, which is the first day of US fiscal year. Immigration regulations allow applying for H-1B six months before that date, i.e. on April 1. The above information is not legal advice. In order to obtain legal advice, please contact immigration attorney Marcin Muszynski. 112B Nassau Avenue; Brooklyn, NY 11222 150 Broadway, #1920; New York, NY 10038 2012 - 2020 © attorneymuszynski.com \| All rights reserved \| legal disclaimer Information contained on this website is intended to serve as general information about immigration law. The content of this website is not meant to be and is not a legal advice. By using this website, you understand and agree that without a specific agreement, there is no attorney-client relationship between Marcin Muszynski, Esq., his law office staff and you.	cc/2020-05/en_head_0057.json.gz/line266
__label__wiki	0.684234	0.684234	UB Summer Math Program aims to bridge gender gap BY CHARLES ANZALONE republished from UBNow The girls are laughing, smiling, jockeying for position along a line of masking tape on the floor, gently bumping up against the three teachers in their classroom at Enterprise Charter School in downtown Buffalo. It’s all part of the Human Number Line, a featured activity in UB’s Summer Math Program. The middle school-aged girls — each wearing a signature blue Summer Math Program T-shirt and personalized lanyard — place themselves along the line of tape in the proper order of decimals and fractions. It’s clear they’re having a ball. What is also clear: This is not their parents’ summer math class. It is, however, summer math according to Ji-Won Son. Son — the Graduate School of Education faculty member and nationally respected expert in math education whose command of current math education research matches her ability to connect with her young students — presented her second Summer Math Program Aug. 12-16. Once again, the mission was ambitious: Make math for girls “exciting, beautiful and useful,” as Son has promised. Anyone fortunate enough to be around to watch the program in action on its Wednesday Hump Day would agree: The Graduate School of Education’s Summer Math Program lives up to the hype. “We really strive to make sure the girls are not sedative, that they’re not just working on worksheets and doing algorithms or a process to get to an answer,” said Jeri Diletti, assistant program director of the Summer Math Program who teaches math at Akron High School, and is an adjunct math professor in the GSE. “We really want the girls up and moving, and really even just getting their bodies involved in the activities. We want them having fun, laughing, working with other girls. A lot of times the girls don’t know each other. They’re not all necessarily coming from the same location, so we’re also building relationships with them and between the girls as well.” Bridging the Gender Gap There is sound pedagogy behind the Summer Math Program, and a strong intention to fulfill a cultural and gender deficiency. It’s specifically aimed at girls entering grades five to eight looking to improve their math skills. This is when girls have traditionally lost ground to their male counterparts, Son explained. “From all distances, education looks pretty gender-equal,” said Son, associate professor of mathematics education in the Department of Learning and Instruction, who started the program in 2017. “But if you look closely, you can see boys and girls are treated differently from a very young age in terms of expectations that are directed at them. Research shows that there is no gender gap at kindergarten when they just started their school experiences, but some gender gap and gender differences in mathematic attitude and skill appear during elementary. “And it is at the middle school level that female students turn their attention away from mathematics. This gender gap and gender differences in mathematic attitude and skills continue to grow during high school.” Son said studies show that the way female students and male students learn mathematics is different. “Female students do better when they are collaborating and working together,” she said. “In contrast, male students are more competitive, and they do better by doing independent work. So our program emphasizes more collaborations and project-based learning, and group activity.” Clearly, the Summer Math Program had a mission to make math fun, active and engaging, as well as academically useful for the 47 girls enrolled this year. And clearly, based on the activities in these mid-week sessions, it was math delivered as promised. Solving Problems by Leaving their Seats The Human Number Line assigns a fraction or decimal to each of the five girls in a class run by Diletti. The students and teachers then try to arrange themselves in the proper order, based on their ability to convert and compare the numbers. That soon led to the scene described above, with the girls directing each other or their instructors with accompanying fractions in appropriate order, and then “schooching” each in the appropriate place on the Human Number Line. Anirhutha Senthil Kumar, with the assigned fraction 2/7, correctly took her place in the spot below Jessica Park, who had 7/21. “How did you know you were bigger than Ani?” Diletti asked Park. Because 7/21 is equal to one-third,” said Park, who will be entering fifth grade at Transit Middle School in East Amherst. “Awesome,” said Diletti. “I’m going to write that down.” “What did you do, Ani?” Diletti asked Kumar, also about to enter fifth grade at Transit Middle. “Common denominator,” Kumar answered quickly. She needed to convert her 2/7 fraction to one with 21 as denominator. “I multiplied both of the numbers by three, which equals 6/21,” she said. “So 6/21 is less than 7/21,” Diletti told the class, and that correctly determined where the girls would stand in the Human Number Line. Math Tied to the Real World Down the hallway is Window Shopping, this time for seventh-graders. It’s an activity led by Christina McCarthy, a graduate student in GSE’s adolescent mathematics program. Students were given paper money and then visited displays with various items — Disney World for a week, a jet ski, a puppy and a kitten — all with prices and a discount percentage. They needed to figure out the discounted price before they could spend their money. “We had to figure out the discounts and make sure we had enough money to pay for the items,” said Paige Kerr, who will be going into seventh grade at Heim Middle School in the Williamsville School District. “I bought a jet ski, a safari trip and a pool.” The activity was vintage UB Summer Math: hands-on, fun and clearly tied to the real world. “Math is everywhere,” Son said. “They do not realize where they use mathematics.” Son made it clear the Summer Math Program benefits the teachers as well as students. There is extensive teacher planning and preparation, including test runs on their Summer Math Program lessons with each other before the camp begins. “Our team of teachers has worked very hard to provide high-quality, creative and engaging activities,” she said. “Students work through real-world problems, games and activities to explore mathematics. “These methods bring life to the mathematics and help reveal the beauty and excitement of mathematics to kids. How do I know? I’ve witnessed it all week: the excitement in our students’ voices, the motivation to try solve math problems using various methods, and the hard work spent working on their final projects.” It's Mostly About the Fun As for the girls, they can’t say enough good things about their camp, both on and off camera In the end, for the girls, it’s mostly about the fun. “Teachers are kind and they make a lot of jokes, and they all make us laugh,” said Kumar. “I thought this would be like school. But it’s like home and like Mom and Dad teaching.” Park unabashedly brightened up when asked why she liked math. “Because it requires you to think outside the box,” she said. “Kind of think of different ways about how to solve problems and how it helps us.” Lauren Truman, who will enter sixth grade this fall at Amherst Middle School, said the program is “helping me understand you can use math in the real world.” “If I wanted to be a baker, I could use 2/3 cup of flour, or 4/5 cup of butter, and then I could make the right cake, so it can come out right.” 4. Quality education: Promoting inclusive, quality education 5. Gender equality: Empowering women and achieve gender equality	cc/2020-05/en_head_0057.json.gz/line268
__label__wiki	0.921	0.921	Maps \| Jobs \| News \| Events \| City Guide \| Hotels \| Tours \| Health \| City Life \| Shopping \| Restaurants \| Education \| Real Estate \| Directory Abu Dhabi Press News Abu Dhabi Welcomes One Of The First Flights From The New King Abdulaziz International Airport Abu Dhabi International Airport (AUH) welcomed the Saudi Arabian Airlines (Saudia) flight from the new King Abdulaziz International Airport (KAIA) in Jeddah on Saturday 10th August. As one of the first international flights from the new airport, it demonstrated the strong links between the UAE and Saudi Arabia. The flight from the new King Abdulaziz International Airport took flight on Saturday 10th August at 14:44 Local Time (LT). The flight, an Airbus A320 operated by Saudia, landed in Abu Dhabi International Airport at 18:17 LT, and was greeted by Abu Dhabi Airport officials, along with a customary water cannon salute. The new King Abdulaziz International Airport, which has been soft-launched in 2019, will be able to process 30 million passengers per year, with over 800,000 square meters of airport lounges, and the world’s largest aviation air traffic control tower, standing at 136 meters. Saudia will be operating a daily flight from Jeddah to Abu Dhabi and vice versa. Speaking of the flight’s arrival, Bryan Thompson, Chief Executive Officer of Abu Dhabi Airports, said: “It has been our pleasure to welcome this flight from the new King Abdulaziz International Airport. The new airport in Jeddah is both an impressive engineering feat and a breath-taking piece of architecture. I am delighted that Abu Dhabi International Airport was one of the first international destinations for flights from the new airport.” Thompson continued: “The UAE has enjoyed historically close relations with Saudi Arabia, and the city of Abu Dhabi is a top destination for tourists from across the Kingdom looking for a short break in the GCC. Those visiting us from Jeddah will be able to experience all that Abu Dhabi has to offer, whether that is the stunning Sheikh Zayed Mosque, the Louvre Abu Dhabi, or the recently opened Presidential palace, Qasr Al Watan. Saudi nationals who transfer through Abu Dhabi to destinations in the United State of America will also be able to make use of our US Immigration pre-clearance facility, allowing travellers to the US to clear the American border before they fly. “My congratulations to all those who have worked on the new King Abdulaziz International Airport and have made this impressive infrastructure project a reality. We at Abu Dhabi International Airport look forward to the continued growth of links between these two cities,” Thompson concluded. About Abu Dhabi Airports Abu Dhabi Airports is a public joint-stock company wholly owned by the Abu Dhabi Government. It was incorporated by Amiri Decree number 5, issued on 4 March 2006, to spearhead the development of the Emirate's aviation infrastructure. In September 2006, Abu Dhabi Airports assumed responsibility for the operation and management of Abu Dhabi and Al Ain International Airports. In 2008, Abu Dhabi Airports added Al Bateen Executive Airport (an exclusive business aviation airport), as well as Sir Bani Yas and Delma Island Airports to its portfolio. These airports are geared to serve the various segments of air travelers, the aviation marketplace, and will help contribute to Abu Dhabi’s development as a destination for both business and leisure tourism. Currently under way is the multi-billion dollar re-development and expansion of Abu Dhabi International Airport designed to increase the overall capacity of the airport. AbuDhabiCityInfo.com assumes no responsibility for any content from external sources. Other Latest Press Releases Al Masaood Automobiles - First Ever Car Dealer to be recognized by DIB Celebrate Chinese New Year at Jumeirah at Etihad Towers TikTok joins the #WeAreCommitted challenge The Technology and Innovators Pioneers Program (TIP) announces winners of the first edition of "TIP Healthcare Award 2018" Buddha-Bar Beach Abu Dhabi kicks off 2020 with remarkable line-up of International DJs Most Viewed Recent Press Releases Medal Revealed For 2020 Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon Second season of ‘Cinema Under the Stars’ to kick off Agoda Reveals Most Popular Places to Celebrate New Year’s Eve Qasr Al Watan welcomes cohort from the ‘Journey of the Union’ programme Iconic Abu Dhabi Architecture Inspires New Trophy For The Mubadala World Tennis Championship 2019 Abu Dhabi Desert Safari Abu Dhabi City Info Abu Dhabi Directory Abu Dhabi Map Abu Dhabi Guide Abu Dhabi Metro Abu Dhabi Visa Abu Dhabi Hotels & Tours Abu Dhabi Tours Ferrari World Park © 2020 Abu Dhabi City Info. All right reserved. Fantasy Cricket	cc/2020-05/en_head_0057.json.gz/line274
__label__cc	0.740438	0.259562	The Canon PowerShot SD900 Digital ELPH When people shop for digital cameras, they usually fall into one of two categories: those who want good picture quality at a low price, and those who want exceptional picture quality, period. The Canon PowerShot SD900 Digital ELPH, though not the least expensive digital camera out there, is still affordable for most digital photographers. It has been described as being worth every penny of its moderate price. It would make a wonderful gift for a budding photographer or new parents who want to document their child's early years in clear, vivid color. The Canon PowerShot SD900 Digital ELPH is a 10 megapixel digital camera. It has an optical zoom of 3x and a digital zoom of 4x. The camera's LCD is quite large, at 2.5 inches. The Canon PowerShot SD900 Digital ELPH uses the following recording methods: SDHC Memory Card, MultiMediaCard, and SD card. It even comes with frame movie mode and a self-timer for maximum fun. With a generous 32MB of internal flash memory, this camera is ready to point and shoot the moment you remove it from its wrappings and charge up the battery. It comes with A/V and USB cables, as well as a wrist strap to help keep the camera in hand. At a slender 5.8oz and 2.4 in x 3.6 in x 1.1 in (HxWxD), the Canon PowerShot SD900 Digital ELPH has been described as especially pocket-friendly. This is a camera you can take anywhere. Users praise its photo quality. Some use it for everyday picture-taking, while others bring it out for special events. Though this camera is the most highly rated on many Internet shopping sites, is has a few downfalls. For one thing, the Canon PowerShot SD900 Digital ELPH uses a proprietary battery. Some users complain that the battery life is too short. Others point out that the camera does not have a battery indicator, which can be problematic to say the least. Also, this is not a plug-and-play device. The camera must have its own software installed before Windows will communicate with it. With so many competitors churning out Windows-ready digital cameras, one has to wonder why Canon didn’t follow suit. The Canon PowerShot SD900 Digital ELPH comes with a time and date stamp feature, but, curiously, this seems to be available only at high resolutions. And, of course, the camera is not cheap. Those users who want a quick point-and-shoot digital camera with average quality photos could save a lot of money by going with another brand. But serious hobbyists will enjoy the high quality and many features that come with the Canon PowerShot SD900 Digital ELPH. The PowerShot SD900 retails for about $350-$400 US, and can be purchased wherever digital cameras are sold. Technology Home Laptops Digital Cameras Pda Digital Music Players Gps Office Chairs Data Recovery Network Monitoring It Support Remote Access Computer Forensics Online File Storage Flat Screens Netbooks © Copyright 2020 Diversified Technologies 508-760-3758 Cape Cod, MA 02664 Also visit www.capecodpetstore.com	cc/2020-05/en_head_0057.json.gz/line276
__label__wiki	0.75224	0.75224	Search Results \| Clear Search \| Previous (in doc) \| Next (in doc) \| Prev Doc \| Next Doc Copyright (c) Queen's Printer, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada License This Act is current to January 15, 2020 See the Tables of Legislative Changes for this Act’s legislative history, including any changes not in force. Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act [RSBC 1996] CHAPTER 165 (Note: see section 1) In this Act: "aboriginal government" means an aboriginal organization exercising governmental functions; "access" means, for the purposes of Part 3, disclosure of personal information by the provision of access to personal information; "adjudicator" means a person designated under section 60; "affiliate" means an affiliate within the meaning of the Business Corporations Act; "agency" means, for the purposes of sections 33.2 (d) and 36.1 (3) (b) (i) and the definitions of "common or integrated program or activity" and "data-linking initiative", (a) a government institution subject to the Privacy Act (Canada), (b) an organization (i) subject to the Personal Information Protection Act, or (ii) operating in British Columbia that is subject to the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (Canada), (c) a public body, a government institution or an institution as defined in applicable provincial legislation having the same effect as this Act, or (d) a prescribed entity; "associate" means, in relation to a service provider, (a) an officer, director or partner of the service provider, (b) an affiliate of the service provider, (c) a subcontractor, or further sub-subcontractor, of the service provider or an affiliate of the service provider, or (d) an employee, officer, director or partner of an affiliate referred to in paragraph (b) or of a subcontractor or further sub-subcontractor referred to in paragraph (c), to or through whom access is made available to personal information that is (e) subject to Division 2 (Use and Disclosure of Personal Information by Public Bodies) of Part 3, and (f) held because of the service provider's status as a service provider; "commissioner" means the commissioner appointed under section 37 (1) or 39 (1); "common or integrated program or activity" means a program or activity that (a) provides one or more services through (i) a public body and one or more other public bodies or agencies working collaboratively, or (ii) one public body working on behalf of one or more other public bodies or agencies, and (b) is confirmed by regulation as being a common or integrated program or activity; "contact information" means information to enable an individual at a place of business to be contacted and includes the name, position name or title, business telephone number, business address, business email or business fax number of the individual; "data linking" means the linking or combining of personal information in one database with personal information in one or more other databases if the purpose of the linking or combining is different from (a) the purpose for which the information in each database was originally obtained or compiled, and (b) every purpose that is consistent with each purpose referred to in paragraph (a); "data-linking initiative" means a new or newly revised enactment, system, project, program or activity that has, as a component, data linking between (a) two or more public bodies, or (b) one or more public bodies and one or more agencies; "day" does not include a holiday or a Saturday; "digital archives" has the same meaning as in the Information Management Act; "domestic violence" means physical or sexual abuse of (a) an individual, (b) a parent or child of the individual referred to in paragraph (a), or (c) any other individual who is in a prescribed relationship with the individual referred to in paragraph (a) by an intimate partner of the individual referred to in paragraph (a); "educational body" means (a) a university as defined in the University Act, (b) [Repealed 2003-5-19.] (c) Royal Roads University, (c.1) [Repealed 2002-35-8.] (d) an institution as defined in the College and Institute Act, (d.1) the Thompson Rivers University, (e) [Repealed 2004-33-18.] (f) [Repealed 2003-48-14.] (g) a board as defined in the School Act, or (h) a francophone education authority as defined in the School Act; "employee", in relation to a public body, includes (a) a volunteer, and (b) a service provider; "exercise of prosecutorial discretion" means the exercise by (a) Crown counsel, or a special prosecutor, of a duty or power under the Crown Counsel Act, including the duty or power (i) to approve or not to approve a prosecution, (ii) to stay a proceeding, (iii) to prepare for a hearing or trial, (iv) to conduct a hearing or trial, (v) to take a position on sentence, and (vi) to initiate an appeal, or (b) a federal prosecutor, or an individual retained as a federal prosecutor, of a duty or power under the Director of Public Prosecutions Act (Canada), including a duty or power (i) to initiate and conduct prosecutions, and (ii) to conduct any appeal related to such a prosecution or proceeding; "head", in relation to a public body, means (a) if the public body is a ministry or office of the government of British Columbia, the member of the Executive Council who presides over it, (b) if the public body is designated in, or added by regulation to, Schedule 2, the person designated as the head of that public body in that Schedule or by regulation, and (c) in any other case, the person or group of persons designated under section 77 as the head of the public body; "health care body" means (a) a hospital as defined in section 1 of the Hospital Act, (b) a Provincial auxiliary hospital established under the Hospital (Auxiliary) Act, (c) a regional hospital district and a regional hospital district board under the Hospital District Act, (d) and (e) [Repealed 2008-28-147.] (f) a Provincial mental health facility as defined in the Mental Health Act, (g) a regional health board designated under section 4 (1) of the Health Authorities Act, or (h) [Repealed 2002-61-17.] (i) British Columbia Emergency Health Services, as described in section 2 (1) of the Emergency Health Services Act; "intimate partner" includes, with respect to an individual, (a) a current or former spouse of the individual, by marriage or common law, (b) a current or former boyfriend or girlfriend of the individual, and (c) an individual referred to in paragraph (a) or (b) who is the same gender as the individual; "judicial administration record" means a record containing information relating to a judge, master or a justice of the peace, including (a) scheduling of judges and trials, (b) content of judicial training programs, (c) statistics of judicial activity prepared by or for a judge, and (d) a record of the judicial council of the Provincial Court; "law enforcement" means (a) policing, including criminal intelligence operations, (b) investigations that lead or could lead to a penalty or sanction being imposed, or (c) proceedings that lead or could lead to a penalty or sanction being imposed; "local government body" means (a) a municipality, (b) [Repealed 2003-52-79.] (c) a regional district, (d) an improvement district as defined in the Local Government Act, (e) a local area as defined in the Local Services Act, (f) a greater board as defined in the Community Charter or any incorporated board that provides similar services and is incorporated by letters patent, (g) a board of variance established under Division 15 of Part 14 of the Local Government Act or section 572 of the Vancouver Charter, (h) the trust council, the executive committee, a local trust committee and the Islands Trust Conservancy, as these are defined in the Islands Trust Act, (i) the Okanagan Basin Water Board, (j) a water users' community as defined in section 1 (1) of the Water Users' Communities Act, (k) the Okanagan-Kootenay Sterile Insect Release Board, (l) a municipal police board established under section 23 of the Police Act, (m) a library board as defined in the Library Act, (n) any board, committee, commission, panel, agency or corporation that is created or owned by a body referred to in paragraphs (a) to (m) and all the members or officers of which are appointed or chosen by or under the authority of that body, (o) a board of trustees established under section 37 of the Cremation, Interment and Funeral Services Act, (p) the South Coast British Columbia Transportation Authority, or (q) the Park Board referred to in section 485 of the Vancouver Charter; "local public body" means (a) a local government body, (b) a health care body, (b.1) a social services body, (c) an educational body, or (d) a governing body of a profession or occupation, if the governing body is designated in, or added by regulation to, Schedule 3; "minister responsible for this Act" means the member of the Executive Council charged by order of the Lieutenant Governor in Council with the administration of this Act; "museum archives of government" has the same meaning as in the Museum Act; "officer of the Legislature" means the Auditor General, the Commissioner appointed under the Members' Conflict of Interest Act, the police complaint commissioner appointed under Part 9 of the Police Act, the Information and Privacy Commissioner, the Human Rights Commissioner, the Chief Electoral Officer, the merit commissioner appointed under the Public Service Act, the Representative for Children and Youth or the Ombudsperson; "personal identity information" means any personal information of a type that is commonly used, alone or in combination with other information, to identify or purport to identify an individual; "personal information" means recorded information about an identifiable individual other than contact information; "program or activity" includes, when used in relation to a public body, a common or integrated program or activity respecting which the public body provides one or more services; "prosecution" means the prosecution of an offence under an enactment of British Columbia or Canada; "provincial identity information services provider" means a provincial identity information services provider designated under section 69.2 (1); "public body" means (a) a ministry of the government of British Columbia, (b) an agency, board, commission, corporation, office or other body designated in, or added by regulation to, Schedule 2, or (c) a local public body but does not include (d) the office of a person who is a member or officer of the Legislative Assembly, or (e) the Court of Appeal, Supreme Court or Provincial Court; "record" includes books, documents, maps, drawings, photographs, letters, vouchers, papers and any other thing on which information is recorded or stored by graphic, electronic, mechanical or other means, but does not include a computer program or any other mechanism that produces records; "service provider" means a person retained under a contract to perform services for a public body; "social media site" means the Internet site referred to as Facebook, YouTube, Twitter or MySpace or a prescribed social media site; "social services body" means Community Living British Columbia established under the Community Living Authority Act; "third party", in relation to a request for access to a record or for correction of personal information, means any person, group of persons or organization other than (a) the person who made the request, or (b) a public body; "trade secret" means information, including a formula, pattern, compilation, program, device, product, method, technique or process, that (a) is used, or may be used, in business or for any commercial advantage, (b) derives independent economic value, actual or potential, from not being generally known to the public or to other persons who can obtain economic value from its disclosure or use, (c) is the subject of reasonable efforts to prevent it from becoming generally known, and (d) the disclosure of which would result in harm or improper benefit. Contents \| Part 1 \| Part 2 \| Part 3 \| Part 4 \| Part 5 \| Part 6 \| Schedule 1 \| Schedule 2 \| Schedule 3 Copyright (c) Queen's Printer, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada	cc/2020-05/en_head_0057.json.gz/line278
__label__wiki	0.542657	0.542657	Asian Art in London 2019 TEFAF 2019 Chinese and Asian Art AAL 2018 Chinese Art Animals and Flowers In Scholar’s Taste TEFAF 2016 Japanese Art Jade Pendant huang China, Eastern Zhou dynasty Warring States period, 475 – 221 BC Length: 6 1/4 inches, 16 cm A jade pendant of arched form, huang, terminating in well-pronounced dragonheads at both ends. The dragonheads are carved with well-defined bulging eyes, prominent ears and nose, strong jaw, pointed teeth and a short beard. The huang has a narrow ridge and is covered with a raised spiral grain pattern on both sides. A small hole for suspension is drilled at the top of the arch. Two C-shaped apertures form the dragons’ mouths. The semi-translucent stone is of even, whitish tone with partially yellowish patches. Fig. 1 Jade pendant, huang National Palace Museum, Taipei, ..1017 This superbly carved jade huang pendant was originally a component part of a set of pendants, strung in rows with beads and together creating a tingling sound when worn. Various such sets of jade pendants, excavated from the tomb of the King of Nanyue, are now in the eponymous museum in Guangzhou.[1] Such jade pendants were considered emblems of virtue and were recognised as a sign of rank. As described in the Book of Rites (‘Li ji’), “when advancing, [the king or ruler] inclined forward a little; he held himself up straight; all in all these movements, the pieces of jade emitted their tinkling….and in this way evil and depraved thoughts found no entrance into his mind.”[2] Beginning around the eighth century BC, it was fashionable for noblemen to wear such pendant sets, sometimes made up of ten or more jades of different shapes.[3] The majority of later Eastern Zhou huang have two holes on the sides, but many have an additional hole at the top of the arc; meaning it could either be hung horizontally in an inverted U, or vertically.[4] A closely comparable, slightly smaller jade pendant, with identical spiral grain pattern, dragonhead ends and colour of the jade, also dated to the Warring States period, is in the collection of the National Palace Museum, Taipei (fig. 1).[5] Two slightly larger jade pendants with similar dragon head ends, comparable in proportion and in decoration were unearthed from a tomb dated to the Warring States period at Yanggong, Changfeng county, Anhui province in 1977, and are now in the collection of the Palace Museum, Beijing.[6] Lam, P.Y.K. ed. Jades from the Tomb of the King of Nanyue, Guangzhou, Hong Kong, 1991, pls. 143, 146, 149-151. Rawson, J. Chinese Jade from the Neolithic to the Qing, London, the British Museum press, 1995, p. 259 Wilson, M. Chinese Jades, V&A publications, London, 2004, p. 26 Rawson, J. op. cit. p. 266 The National Palace Museum, Taipei online collection archive, no. ..1017 Compendium of Collections in the Palace Museum, Jade, vol. 3- Spring and Autumn period and Warring States period, The Forbidden City Publishing House, Beijing, 2011, nos. 64, 65, pp. 67-8 Jade Disc bi →← Jade disc bi © Ben Janssens Oriental Art Site by Creative Wisdom Ltd	cc/2020-05/en_head_0057.json.gz/line279
__label__cc	0.701447	0.298553	December 5, 2016 by Westborough Library Local History “The Westboro Hotel” by Glenn R. Parker Westborough’s second meetinghouse was built in 1748 to replace the original meetinghouse on Powder Hill. It was situated in the geographical center of the community that was established by the separation of the north precinct (Northborough) in 1744, and it became the new center of religious and political affairs of the town. But it wasn’t	cc/2020-05/en_head_0057.json.gz/line284
__label__wiki	0.563658	0.563658	In Defence of Marxism A new convulsive stage opens up in Britain 20 January New phase of struggle opens in Lebanon 20 January Britain: 'Megxit' and the crisis of the Monarchy 16 January Interview with Russian school student activist: “the future belongs to us!” 15 January French strike passes 40th day as workers reject Macron's manoeuvre 14 January Britain: Labour leadership election – go on the offensive against the right wing! 14 January 20th Century Revolutions WWI and the German Revolution Chinese Revolution Revolutionary 1968 The Iranian Revolution Ireland and Republicanism British Labour History Women's Emancipation Workers' Control In defence of genuine Marxism The Ted Grant archive Articles about the IMT All other languages Varför marxister motsätter sig gränskontroller 21 January البلشفية طريق الثورة: الفصل السادس: سنة الثورة – كل السلطة للسوفييتات 21 January Declarația TMI: pentru o schimbare revoluționară, nu una climatică! 20 January فرنسا: العمال يرفضون مناورة ماكرون والإضراب العام يتجاوز يومه الأربعين 20 January Mais de 40 dias de greve na França e rejeição das manobras de Macron 20 January Το εργατικό κίνημα της Γαλλίας συνεχίζει τον αγώνα 20 January Frankrijk: staking gaat ook na 40 dagen door, manoeuvers Macron worden verworpen 20 January National Congresses International Schools and Congresses Solidarity activities World Perspectives Perspectives Danish perspectives 2019: great shifts will initiate a new period of class struggle Revolutionære Socialister The following is the perspectives document approved by the national congress of Revolutionære Socialister ("Revolutionary Socialists") in March 2019. It lays out the comrades’ analysis of the political situation in Denmark, and offers their predictions about where the class struggle in the country is heading. World perspectives: 2018 – a year of capitalist crisis We present the International Marxist Tendency's world perspectives for 2018: as debated, amended and agreed upon by delegates at our 2018 World Congress. The following is the IMT's analysis of the current situation in world politics, and predictions about where we are headed. [Video] 2018: crisis and class struggle In this talk from the 2018 IMT World Congress, Alan Woods (editor of In Defence of Marxism) discusses the perspectives for world revolution. Alan emphasises the volatility and turbulence seen on a world scale, with the situation – and consciousness – changing in a matter of days on the basis of events. British perspectives 2018: a country turned upside down Socialist Appeal (UK) We publish here an in-depth analysis of the political situation in Britain, which was discussed at the recent conference of Socialist Appeal supporters. Although originally drafted in December, the processes and contradictions that this document outlines still lie at the heart of British politics. In this first part, we look at the long-term crisis of British capitalism, the implications of Brexit, the movement on the industrial plane, and the ever-growing anger towards the elite. Canada: Fightback's 2018 perspectives – the need for a militant workers’ movement Fightback (Canada) In Canada, the revolutionary socialists of Fightback and the International Marxist Tendency are leading the way and giving a Marxist perspective on current politics. More and more youth and workers are adopting a Marxist analysis of the capitalist crisis. We present Fightback's 2018 Perspectives: the need for a militant workers’ movement as a discussion document for all those who aim to link revolutionary theory with the real life movement of workers, youth, and the oppressed. 2018: the world turned upside down Alan Woods Donald Trump welcomed the New Year in his own inimitable manner: surrounded by his social and political clan in the opulent surroundings of his exclusive Mar-a-Lago club in Florida, accompanied by a representative gathering of all segments of US society – from movie stars to billionaires. [Video] Perspectives for World Revolution - at the IMT World School 2017 Speaking at the recent World School of the International Marxist Tendency, held at the end of July 2017, Alan Woods - editor of In Defence of Marxism, www.marxist.com - discusses the current turbulence and volatility in the global economic, political, and social situation. From the crisis in the Middle East, to the election of Trump, and the rise of the Corbyn movement in Britain: everywhere the old order is crumbling and a process of polarisation and radicalisation is taking place. Crisis and Class Struggle: World Perspectives 2016 The following draft document was discussed at the World Congress of the International Marxist Tendency in July 2016. The main aim of the document is to define the main economic, social and political trends in the world today and to develop a perspective for the class struggle in the next period. The document was originally drafted in October 2015. [You can read the final version of the document, which was passed at the congress here as Perspectives for World Revolution 2014 Below we publish the IMT’s analysis of the world situation. This document was discussed and passed at the IMT World Congress 2014. The congress also passed a series of amendmends to clarify certain aspects of the situation - none of these however, altered the fundamental points of the document. The amendments have been inserted in the present version of the document. Egypt, Brazil, Turkey: Tremors of World Revolution “that tendency which is growing up together with the revolution, which is able to foresee its own tomorrow and the day after tomorrow, which is setting itself clear goals and knows how to achieve them.” (Trotsky, On the Policy of the KAPD, Speech Delivered at the Session of the ECCI, November 24, 1920) Perspectives for world capitalism 2012 (Draft discussion document) We begin today the publication of the IMT’s analysis of the world situation. This is a draft document that is the basis of discussion within the Tendency and will be voted on with possible amendments at this year’s world congress of the IMT. Part One deals with the general crisis of world capitalism, to be followed by an analysis of specific areas of the world. As 2012 dawns: once more on optimism and pessimism Exactly twelve months ago, in an article entitled: 2011: - Optimism or pessimism?I wrote the following: “The first effect of the crisis was one of shock, not only for the bourgeois but also for the workers. There was a tendency to cling to jobs and accept cuts in the short term, especially as the union leaders offer no alternative. But this will be replaced by a general mood of anger and bitterness, which will sooner or later begin to affect the mass organisations of the working class.” 2011: Optimism or pessimism? The year 2011 began with the customary toasts to health, happiness and success. As the bourgeois clinked their champagne glasses, it seemed as if their dreams were coming true. The collapse of financial markets that threatened to destroy the economic recovery in 2010 had failed to materialise. Global output has probably risen by almost 5%, a lot faster than forecasters were expecting 12 months ago. The Crisis of Capitalism and the tasks of the Marxists We are making available to our readers the final version of the 2010 World Perspectives document, which was amended and passed unanimously by the World Congress of the IMT in Marina di Massa on August 7, 2010. Part One analyses the world economic crisis, looking into the different factors that led to the most serious crisis of capitalism since the 1930s. The World Crisis of Capitalism and Perspectives for the Class Struggle The discussions on World Perspectives are the foundations from which everything else flows in terms of the perspectives and work in each country, our priorities, tasks, etc. The instability on a world scale has only deepened since the World Perspectives document was drafted, in the autumn of 2009. But the main lines of the perspectives have been entirely confirmed by the march of events. The following is a summary of the main points in the lead-off given by Alan Woods at the 2010 World Congress on the basis of notes taken by delegates. A new stage in the crisis of capitalism After talk of the so called "credit crunch" gave way to optimistic comments about the "green shoots" in the economy, events in Greece caught the bourgeois commentators unaware. Now the world economy has once again been plunged into chaos and uncertainty as the governments of Europe try to contain the fall-out from the near-default of Greece and it is the workers who will be presented with the bill. At this year’s World School of the International Marxist Tendency held at the end of July, Alan Woods delivered a speech on the nature of the present crisis of capitalism, in which he deals with the relationship between the economic cycle and the class struggle, and also looks into what kind of recovery we can expect, considering the enormous contradictions that have accumulated within the system. At the dawn of a new year The year 2009 is a year of many anniversaries. As they will soon be reminding us, this is also twenty years since the fall of the Berlin Wall. That was a time when the capitalists and their spokespersons felt triumphant. They announced the end of Communism, the end of Socialism, even the end of History. But now it is clear to all that their predictions were false. What collapsed 20 years ago was not socialism or communism but only a bureaucratic and totalitarian caricature of socialism. The collapse of Stalinism was a great historical drama, but in retrospect it will be seen by history as only the prelude to an even greater drama: the collapse of capitalism, which is already being World Perspectives 2008 This document on World Perspectives, first drafted in November 2007, was discussed, amended and approved at the World Congress of the International Marxist Tendency at the beginning of August. World revolution and the tasks of the Marxists Without correct perspectives it is impossible to conduct fruitful revolutionary work. This document makes the case that we have entered the most turbulent period in world history. One shock after another is shaking the system to its foundations. The world situation is characterised by extreme instability, which is a reflection of the impasse of the capitalist system on a world scale. Help build the forces of Marxism worldwide! This website uses cookies, you can find out more and set your preferences here. By continuing to use this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy	cc/2020-05/en_head_0057.json.gz/line286
__label__wiki	0.511778	0.511778	Community EventsEnergy CenterFair Daily ScheduleFairgrounds EventsFlea MarketImportant Dates Stage/Venue Bee BarnCBS Stage in the Beer GardenCow PalaceFloral BuildingGazeboGrandstandHome & Hobby BuildingHorse RingJunior Fair BuildingMidway StageOld Barn PavilionSheep BarnSouth MidwaySustainability Center CHOOSE A DIFFERENT DAY: MON \| TUES \| WED \| THURS \| FRI \| SAT \| SUN To view a schedule of 4-H Events, click here Glow Golf - Glow in the Dark Mini Golf Tue, August 6, 2019 (All day) The Glow Golf Experience includes a round of 12 holes of mini golf in a neon, glowing experience. Guests will experience uniquely-themed holes & obstacles, all in a highly-decorated setup. Time to complete this experience will vary based upon player speed, however, should take between 15-20 minutes to fully complete. Scorecards, clubs and neon golf balls are all provide, just bring your team! This experience is perfect for guests of ALL ages from young to old! A wonderful family activity for little ones, teens and adults. Wed, August 7, 2019 (All day) National Model Railroad Association Home & Hobby Building The National Model Railroad Association, a 501(c)(3) not for profit educational organization, was founded at the first National Convention over Labor Day Weekend, 1935. The initial goal was to develop standards for scale model railroad equipment to facilitate interchangeability and operation of equipment between modelers, clubs and others. Today, the NMRA is a world wide organization, with over 18,000 active members, associates, families and clubs dedicated to the hobby of scale model railroading in all it's facets, supporting a hobby of many diverse interests that all relate to the greater world of trains and railroads. Chainsaw Wood Carver Chris Pascoe South Midway After 34 years fabricating and carving natural stone, Chris is applying his experience to a new medium with new tools - logs and a big ole chainsaw. Metal Sculptor Michael Ensminger Michael Ensminger has been welding for the past decade and is certified in gas, metal, arc and mig welding. His welding capabilities range from three-dimensional sculptures to decorative functional and structural art. His work has an industrial appeal stemming from the environment he's worked in and the media he's worked on. Michael enjoys creating pieces out of media that others may consider scrap and also enjoys knowing that those pieces will be around long after he's gone. Each piece is marked on the bottom with his initials M.E., and they are one of a kind. Always up for the challenge of new projects, Michael loves the challenge of large-scale sculptures. Glow in the Dark Laser Tag The Laser Tag Arena features high-end laser blasters to allow guests to participate in an all out battle for points while avoiding being struck by their opponents. Players will navigate through an obstacle course maze complete with lasers, lights, special effects and more! The entire game features a sound track in which players will experience through their very own wireless headsets provided for use during the game. Games will last 12-15 minutes total from start to finish and can accommodate up to 14 players each. Seth Chwast "Energy in Art" Exhibit Seth was diagnosed at 21 months as autistic and at age 18 was evaluated resulting in a career recommendation of "dry mopping". At age 20 he took his first art class and by 23 was a featured artist on The Today Show. Now 33, Seth has exhibited at the Cleveland Clinic, The Natural History Museum, hospitals, museums and universities throughout America. In 2011, Seth came in first place in a world-wide United Nations competition and his art was placed on a postal stamp to promote autism awareness. Internationally he has exhibited in Galapagos, Cayman, Curacao, Kiev and The United Nations. In August Seth and his mother Debra will spend 30 days in France while his art is exhibited in several provinces across France. We will move into The Sustainability Center after the opening ceremony to cut the ribbon and open the art exhibit. Cake will be served in celebration of the exhibit. Seth and his mother Debra will be on site to meet and greet visitors. Debra will give a brief presentation on Seth's "journey into art" and the challenges and rewards of autism. As it turns out, two of Seth's favorite things are amusement parks and wind turbines. We got that! Milking Cow If your kids weren't raised on a farm, it's likely they've never had the experience of milking a cow. Well, the Cuyahoga County Fair has the answer. Bring your kids into the Commercial Building, where you'll find our Milking Cow. She's a very placid cow, largely because she's made of plastic, but she does produce milk, which is kind of miraculous when you think about it. Your kids will have an udderly fantastic time, so bring a bowl of dry cereal, and have at it. Sand Sculptor Carl Jara Floral Building Carl Jara is a lifetime resident of the greater Cleveland area. He attended high school knowing full well that he wanted to become an artist--taking and retaking every art class at school. In an act of desperation, his art teacher sent him to work with the stage crew. There he met Tom Morrison, then a firefighter and President For life of the International Association of Sand Castle Builders. Tom took Carl under his wing, teaching him the basics of both sandsculpting and business. Carl moved on to study Fine Arts at the Myers School of Art in Akron, Ohio, studying Illustration and Graphic Design, all the while working with Tom and being introduced to a community of professional sand sculptors he never knew existed. When it came time for his Bachelor of Fine Arts exhibition, he realized that illustration and graphic design were not his true calling. What he did have was a desire to sculpt. His fifteen foot sand sculpture in the school gallery graced the front pages of local newspapers and was broadcast across the region on the evening news. It was the defining moment that launched his career. He now holds nine World Championship medals, at least three dozen medals from other contests, and has been featured twice on Sand Blasters on the Travel Channel. He's worked and competed in eleven countries, more than two dozen states, and continues to carve out his living in sand. In addition to sculpting, he accepted the position of Exhibits Artisan/Technician at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, where he gets to use his creative akills in a completely different manner. He's helped install Sue, the largest T-Rex ever found, as well as articulated Lucy, one of the oldest hominid fossils yet discovered. So if you're ever at the Museum, give him a shout... you might just get a behind-the-scenes tour! Poultry Evaluations Wed, August 7, 2019, 9:00am to 12:00pm Cow Palace Cluck-cluck, gobble-gobble, cockadoodle-doo! Feathers will fly, as chickens, turkeys, geese and more will compete to establish a literal pecking order. Come see who wins the blue ribbon and emerges as the true cock of the walk. Stage/Location: Sheep Judging Wed, August 7, 2019, 12:00pm to 2:00pm Sheep Barn Feeling sheepish? Well, you'll be in good company, but bear in mind, if you wear a wool sweater, you may be judged. While their fleece may not be "white as snow," watching these ornery little lambs is shear fun. Just don't ask what they think of Christmas. Singing Angels Old Barn Pavilion Learn to Hula Hoop Midway Stage Various representatives from Hoopernova will be on hand all week, teaching Hula Hoop technique before their performances, including night glow hooping shows. Fortunately, two of the best hoopers in the world are from the Cleveland area: Stee Bax and Angelina Rose (performing in the video below). You will be amazed what each can do with a hula hoop. Stee Bax is based out of Solon, Ohio, she has performed at professional sporting events, live concerts, conventions, in music videos, photo shoots, and more. She performs single hoop dances with fire, LED, and day-taped hoops. Additionally, Stee Bax hosts fitness demonstrations on Hula Hooping, so if you're looking for a good way to work off those elephant ears, look no further. Angelina Rose has spread her own unique combination of dance and light painting throughout the Great Lakes region and beyond. In between her world travels, she teaches children of all ages Hoop Dance at a local Parma studio. Find out more at the Hula Hoop lessons that will be at the Cuyahoga County fair this year! Swifty Swine Pig Races Tue, August 6, 2019, 1:30pm to 2:00pm Zach Johnson ("Swine Master", and owner of "Swifty Swine Racing And Swimming Pigs") has been all over the United States, bringing his racing pigs to fans of all ages. The ultimate showman, he gives people what they want and need - true family entertainment. When you see a race at the "Pork Chop International Speedway" arena, you experience something you can't get anywhere else. If you've never been to a pig race, you're in for a real treat! Swifty and his friends don't do it for the money, what they really want is that Oreo cookie, waiting on a silver platter at the finish line! They run as fast as their little legs can take 'em, and then it's back to nap time to be ready for the next race! Swifty Swine travels all over the United States, bringing this unique form of family entertainment to their fans. Trivia Time - "Kids Trivia" Learn Magic Tricks Learn magic tricks from noted illusionist, Drew Murray. Hypnotist David Anthony Imagine the person that was sitting next to you just a few minutes ago is now up on stage and can’t remember their own name! Or better yet one of your friends is up on the stage claiming that their belly button was stolen. Then with a snap of David’s fingers they enter back into a hypnotic trance. Sounds entertaining huh? This is just the beginning of what to expect in the show. No one is forced to volunteer. David will invite anyone who wants to get hypnotized to join him and fill the 15-20 chairs that are on stage. In just a few moments your friends and the rest of the volunteers fall into a hypnotic trance. Then the fun begins! It is comedy like no other. Mainly because YOU and YOUR FRIENDS are the stars of the show! Trivia Time - "Animal Trivia" Jungle Bob Tuma Jason D'Vaude Variety Show Dangerous objects! Perilous stunts! Feats of strength and balance! Jason D’Vaude, self-taught one-man multiple-adjectived circus sensation, brings his comedic juggling, fire, and clowning shows to audiences around the world, delighting them with his charming humor and distinct but refined awkwardness. After seeing Jason juggle sharp objects, climb up precariously-balanced objects, ride an extra-tall unicycle, or manipulate fire like a master, audiences are left speechless except to say “that was AWESOME!” The Cuyahoga County Fair will have a professional balloon twister on the midway from 4-6pm and from 7-9pm daily. From balloon hats, to ballon swords, to balloon animals, your kids will love watching our twisters inflate and create! Roving, Strolling Honey Extraction Bee Barn So what's all the buzz about? Well, bees of course. The oft under-appreciated honey bee is responsible for pollinating much of the world's agriculture. They also produce honey... a favorite of both bears and people. Given their declining populations due to disease, lack of diet diversity, pesticides and other factors, honey bees have been in the news over the past decade, which makes it more important than ever for bee-keepers around the world to help reinvigorate the honey bee population. Needless to say, if there were no honey bees, we would all feel the sting. So come check out our hive and learn how honey is extracted from honey combs. You can even buy some of the honey produced on the fairgrounds--a sweet treat to help support our resident bee-keepers! Joe Sasina Web: https://www.facebook.com/joe.sasina/ Oldies Salute Stage Show with Brian Brenner While Brian has thrilled audiences nationwide with his electrifying salute to the King of Rock & Roll, he has also been called upon to reproduce the works of other notable celebrities, from Las Vegas crooners like Wayne Newton, to country stars. In this Oldies Salute, Brian Brenner will amaze you with his virtuosity while bringing back to life some of your favorite tunes from days gone by. Cleveland Metroparks Nature Talk Since 1917, Cleveland Metroparks has been committed to a mission of conservation, education and recreation. As Cleveland Metroparks looks ahead to the next 100 years of growth and beyond, it guides itself by Cleveland Metroparks 2020: The Emerald Necklace Centennial Plan. The plan is based on five strategic goals - Protection, Relevancy, Connections, Come Out and Play and Organizational Sustainability. Featuring 18 reservations spanning more than 23,000 acres with more than 300 miles of trails, eight golf courses, eight lakefront parks and a nationally-acclaimed zoo, The Cleveland Metroparks is a regional treasure like no other in NE Ohio. Representatives from the Metroparks will give a series of educational talks throughout Fair week on a range of subjects in keeping with their mission. Bubble Wonders Geoff Akins-Hannah has been entertaining, educating, and empowering children and adults alike worldwide for over 30 years with his gentle spirit, sense of humor and gift of rapport. Inspired by his life-altering experiences as a teacher in Waldorf and Special Education he created The Bubble Wonders Show to convey the message that “Anything is Possible!” This interactive performance is full of fun bubble tricks and positive messages about following your dreams. Bubble Wonders is fun, inspiring, and educational, and captivates both young and old alike. Enjoy lots of amazing bubble tricks, including the bubble caterpillar, bubble volcano, the dancing bubble, bubbles inside of bubbles, the bubble cube, kid inside a bubble, and more! Beef Cattle Show They aren't booing, they're saying "Moo!" Come watch these hefty heifers strut their stuff. Those who don't win, place or show will definitely have a beef with the judges, but that's to be expected. Gummy Worm Eating Contest Junior Fair Building Wednesday (youth) – 5:00 p.m. Age 5 to 7 years – First Place Trophy Age 8 to 13 years – First Place Trophy Age 14 to 19 years – First Place Trophy (Limited to 15 contestants in each age division) Wednesday (adult) - 5:30 p.m. Age 20 and up – First Place Trophy (Limited to 10 contestants per contest) Trivia Time - "Elvis Trivia" Magic Show with Drew Murray Drew Murray is a magician, creator, artist and more. He has been wowing audiences since he was just 6 years old. After seeing a magician at a summer festival, he has turned an after school hobby into a successful business. At 10 years old he began performing for small events at churches, libraries and family parties. During grade school he was known as the “magic guy” constantly amazing his peers with magic in talent shows and school functions. Fast forwarding to today, Drew’s career has skyrocketed and his talents have enabled him to acquire an impressive client list ranging from professional sports teams such as The Cleveland Indians and The Cleveland Browns to some of the nations most recognized corporations such as Progressive, L’OREAL and Macy’s. Now Drew performs non-stop with more than 250 performances each year ranging from private parties and festivals to large corporate functions, Drew is considered to be one of the busiest and most in demand magicians in his area. In his spare time, he enjoys creating art in other mediums such as photography and painting, as well as building large illusions for other magicians around the globe. He looks forward to each and every performance and hopes that the audience can not only enjoy the magic on an unimaginable level but to also be inspired to go after their own goals and aspirations just as he has done. Drew graduated from Ohio State in fall of 2014 and will continue to live his dream of being a professional magician. Brian Brenner Elvis Tribute Elvis Presley is more popular today than at any time in history. In the world of entertainment, Brian Brenner stands alone as the most authentic and exciting Elvis stylist in the business. For over 15 years, Brian has thrilled audiences nationwide with his electrifying salute to the King of Rock & Roll. Brian is careful to portray Elvis in a manner that is dignified, respectful and historically accurate, paying strict attention to every detail. The result is as amazing as the image and illusion of Elvis comes alive in the most genuine creation ever staged! Brian is an accomplished performer who has performed at venues across the country. From showrooms, corporate events, fairs, festivals, car shows and private events, Brian brings audiences a newfound sense of appreciation of Elvis' music. His carefully crafted tribute reminds us of why Elvis is America's best-loved icon. Kurt Freeman - Country Music Kurt Freeman is a 25 year old Cleveland native and up-and-coming country artist. Born and raised on sports and music, Kurt has steadily progressed from singing and playing guitar in high school with his church group to pursuing his dreams of writing and recording his own music. His soulful, smoky voice and a genuine passion for the genre make for a unique and authentic sound. Be sure to check out his debut single Texas. His debut performance at the Fair last year just happened to coincide with the release of his debut, self-titled EP, "Kurt Freeman," now available to the public on Spotify and iTunes, so be sure to check it out. KURT FREEMAN LINKS: DD & the Knockers Surf Rock, Blues This rock quartet pays homage to classic rock artists who paved the way with raw vocals, guitar finesse, deep bass, and crashing hard hitting percussion. Rock blocks within the sets celebrate Janis Joplin, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Fleetwood Mac, and Creedence Clearwater Revival. The sets are also laced with “music smash-ups” , tunes that you know and love from the 60’s, 70’s, 80’s, with a splash of current rock too! Kris DD Diehl – Vocals and Ryhthmn KB Spork – Guitar and Vocals Dave Kasl – Bass and Vocals Scotty V. - Percussion Drew Murray: Magic In The Midway Draft Horse Pull Cost: FREE! Info: Click here Modern Western Square Dancing Swing your partner... and promenade. Square dancing is as American as apple pie, so pull on your boots and get ready to do-si-do with our square dancing afficionados. Beginners are welcome, so don't be shy. Following are the callers by day: Tuesday: Gene Hammond Wednesday: David Heffron Thursday: Neil Harnar Friday: Tom Strickland Saturday: John Ramsey Backstreet Blues Band Wed, August 7, 2019, 8:00pm to 10:00pm Brantt KingBee Hamilton (Harmonica/Vocals) is a veteran of the Cleveland Blues Scene, having played Northeast Ohio clubs, festivals and events for 30 years. He started out at the age of 19 with Princess Ladia's Blue Knights from Chicago when they wanted an authentic amplified harmonica. He played every Sunday night in the Cleveland Flats as a featured special guest of Bill Dawg and the Extrordinaires, then fronted several of his own bands for several years. He co-founded the KingBees, bringing a blues element into a big band sound that has been part of Cleveland culture for 25 years. Now he is returning to his roots playing footstomping, juke joint, party-and-dance-all-night blues, swing, and rockabilly. Jimmy Lee (Guitar/Vocals) -- Has been fronting his own Jimmy Lee Experiment on the Cleveland scene for the last decade, while also performing solo and performing duo gigs with wife. He loves playing blues, rock, country, rockabilly, classics. His grooves are reminiscent of the great Vaughn brothers and deep blues like Jimmy Reed, with a touch of West Coast Swing and some down-home country. Adriane Bennett (Bass/Vocals) is a fresh face in the Cleveland music scene, but not a newcomer. Returning after some time off, She is a regular at many jams, playing nearly every night. Her love of rockin' blues and swing music led her to a place at the heart of the Backstreet Blues Band. Bubba Ruscin (Drums/Vocals) is the solid backbeat of the Backstreet Blues Band. He cut his teeth in the Travis Haddix band for two years, then on to 12 years with Frankie Starr and for the past six years has been with blues/rock outfit Mojo Honey. His ability to improvise and his bluesy, growly voice make him much more than a drummer... he makes every band better because he is part of it. The four met at local gigs and jams, particularly Cleveland Blues Society events. They decided to form the Backstreet Blues Band to bring their love of blues, swing, rockabilly, and country into a houserockin', foot-stompin', juke joint-thumpin' BLUES band from the backstreets of Cleveland. Jason D'Vaude Art of Fire Show Glow & Fire Hooping Tue, August 6, 2019, 9:30pm to 11:00pm Wed, August 7, 2019, 10:15pm to 10:45pm The Cuyahoga County Fair will be holding fireworks spectaculars Wed, Aug 7, Friday, Aug 9th, & Sat, Aug 10th 2019, so be sure to bring the kids out to catch one of the shows! The Wed shows should start around 10:15pm, while the Fri and Sat shows are expected to begin at around 10:30pm. Times are approximate, so get there a little early to make sure you don't miss anything. NOTE: Fair Gate Admission prices do not include Midway Rides, Games, Midway Ride Wristbands or Admission to Most Grandstand Shows and Events. While we make all provisions to provide accurate information at print deadline, performance features and attraction times are subject to change without notice or beyond our control. Fairgrounds Events	cc/2020-05/en_head_0057.json.gz/line289
__label__wiki	0.784768	0.784768	People to Know 2015: The mySugr Team By Adrian James September 2015 People, From left: mySugr founders Frank Westermann, Gerald Stangl, Fredrik Debong, and Michael Forisch It’s no wonder Fredrik Debong has always imagined his type 1 diabetes as a scary monster: He was diagnosed with the disease when he was just 4 years old. By age 21, Fredrik was so tired of fighting, he decided to give up and let the monster run free. What followed was a cycle of erratic testing, random insulin injections, and frequent hypoglycemia. “By the time I was 24, I realized just how badly diabetes could suck, and my thinking changed,” says Fredrik, who has a background in medical computer science. “I wanted to build something more meaningful, something that solved real problems for people with diabetes, that helped make sense of it.” He joined forces with Frank Westermann, Gerald Stangl, and Michael Forisch to form mySugr. Their goal: create an app that integrates gaming, data tracking, and diabetes while speaking to individuals in a relatable voice, not dry medical jargon. The result was mySugr Logbook, an FDA-registered digital journal that enables users to create their own animated diabetes monster, which they can tame by tracking a customized combination of data, including blood glucose readings, carb intake, medication, mood, and more. Since it formed in 2012, the company, which is headquartered in Vienna, Austria, and has an outpost in San Francisco, has expanded to offer four other apps—and counting. “We’re not pharmaceutical industry executives with 40 years of experience,” says Fredrik. “We’re people with diabetes building practical tools for ourselves and our peers.” Adrian James is the cofounder and president of Omada Health, a digital health company that helps people reduce their risk for obesity-related chronic conditions, such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease, by delivering behavior change therapies via laptop, tablet, or smartphone.	cc/2020-05/en_head_0057.json.gz/line290
__label__wiki	0.681452	0.681452	Difference Between Hip Hop and Rock • Categorized under Entertainment,Miscellaneous \| Difference Between Hip Hop and Rock Hip Hop vs Rock Can you imagine a world without music? Pretty disturbing, isn’t it? People use music to express emotions and sentiments through music’s rhythm and melodies. It also entertains, creates, and soothes people’s moods. Just like people, music is diverse and also varies in style ‘“ whether in rhythm, beat, type of instruments used, and melody. Two of the most popular genres of music in pop culture are Hip Hop and Rock. People are often divided with the genre they prefer and, in terms of music culture, nothing has divided humanity more than Hip Hop and Rock. Stereotypes have emerged based on these two music styles but fortunately, in these day and age, these two types are gradually merging, blurring the lines between subcultures. Hip Hop is a genre that was developed in the 70s particularly in the Bronx in New York. Just like in any kind of music, Hip Hop music started as a way to express emotions and in this case, more on social and political issues. In the infancy of the music genre, Hip Hop is primarily practiced by African Americans and soon influenced by and with Latino American and Jamaican immigrants. Hip Hop, in essence, is not just a type of music but also a culture. In fact, the genre is basically a by-product of the culture. People in this Hip Hop subculture were adept in musical practices such as rapping, DJing, beatboxing, freestyling, and looping. These basic elements of Hip Hop have gone to become a genre of their own but, technically speaking, they are all considered as genres from the Hip Hop culture. Early Hip Hop music initially consisted of man-made beats, turntables, and a mic (vocals). The words or lyrics are often in a rhythmic spoken format, which is considered as Rap. Dance is also an essential part of Hip Hop. It can be said that Hip Hop is a product of poverty — musical instruments are not really necessarily used back then because people in the subculture simply cannot afford it. In these times, however, that cannot be said of Hip Hop since it has emerged to become one of the most luxurious music genres. It has also embraced technology as crude instruments are replaced by computerized beat machines, synthesizers, and other digital beat and rhythm sources. Hip Hop has also implemented some elements of rock, at least in musical production. On the other hand, rock has different roots and there are a lot of elements in the genre that is simply its own. Rock is one of the oldest forms of music in mainstream today. The modern genre roots back to Rock n’ Roll in the 40s. Since then, it evolved in many directions and the rock music genre of today is one of them. Rock is instrument-oriented type of music. It often revolves around guitar’s beat and rhythm as supported by the bass guitar and drums. A keyboard accompaniment is also common. Actually, any kind of instrument applies but guitars are always necessary. In fact, guitar is the symbol of rock. Rock has many sub-genres ‘“ e.g. blues, jazz, funk, glam, alternative, and etc. Although an individual can represent the genre, rock music is often associated with groups. Today, rock music is often preferred by Caucasians, especially white Americans but it has been changing since fusion of genres is now becoming a trend. 1. Hip Hop is originated to express sentiments in politics, society, and poverty while Rock mainly started to develop with the creation of rhythm and melodies produced by instruments. 2. Rock started earlier than Hip Hop. 3. Hip Hop is a genre that started in poverty. It cannot really be said with Rock. 4. In its early form, Hip Hop is not instrument-oriented while Rock is definitely instrument-oriented. 5. Immigrants, especially African-Americans are the originators and principal practitioners of Hip Hop while Rock is preferred by many Caucasians. 6. Hip Hop is based on rhythmic sounds of speech while Rock revolves around guitar’s rhythms. Latest posts by Ian (see all) Difference Between CP and CPK - June 8, 2010 Difference Between PPTP and L2TP - June 7, 2010 Difference Between CEO and Chairman - June 6, 2010 Difference Between Rock and Pop Difference Between Alternative and Rock Difference Between Rock and Rap Difference Between Hip Hop and Punk Difference Between Rock and Blues Difference Between Rock and Disco Difference Between Beat and Rhythm Ian. "Difference Between Hip Hop and Rock." DifferenceBetween.net. July 28, 2011 < http://www.differencebetween.net/miscellaneous/difference-between-hip-hop-and-rock/ >. Ivan Poral January 2, 2010 • 12:44 pm Nice. Very informative. I am nodding in approval as I read! Woodoow Great article, but you’re a little bit wrong man, rock also started in poverty (check Elvis’ debuts and those of the first famous rockers) . It just wasn’t the same kind of poverty. Blues, jazz and funk are not sub-genres of rock they are each completely seperate genres. Why so much emphasis on Music, Immigrants, Native. They are not related to anyway. Check history, every kind of music form is created by immigrants of that land. Written by : Ian. and updated on July 28, 2011 See more about : hip hop, music, rock More in 'Entertainment' Difference Between Film and Movie Difference Between Omnisphere 1 and 2 Difference Between Interstellar and Gravity More in 'Miscellaneous' Difference Between Absolutism and Totalitarianism Difference Between Deep Learning and Surface Learning Difference Between Bark Beetle and Termite	cc/2020-05/en_head_0057.json.gz/line291
__label__cc	0.691298	0.308702	New EPA Report Shows We are Generating More E-waste But Also Recycling More by Barbara Kyle \| New figures just released by the EPA show that the U.S. generated 3.41 million tons of e-waste in 2011, up from 3.32 million tons in 2010. We recovered 850,000 tons, or almost 25% of that for recycling, up from 19.6% in 2010. But in the report, the EPA cautions that this apparent increase in the recycling rate is, “due primarily to better data, rather than a sudden growth in recycling.” The figures come from “Municipal Solid Waste in the United States, 2011 Facts and Figures,” a report the EPA publishes annually waste from residential, commercial and institutional sources. The report shows that the e-waste recycling rate is considerably smaller than for some other product categories, summarized in the chart below, including auto batteries (96.2% recycling rate), major appliances (64.2%), and tires, (44.6%). Significantly, these are all product categories where the retailers play a major role in taking back the products, often when replacements are purchased. The report does not represent all e-waste generation, but represents “selected consumer electronics” which include products such as TVs, VCRs, DVD players, video cameras, stereo systems, telephones, and computer equipment. E-Waste exporting Exporting e-waste Greener electronics Takeback Toxics in electronics	cc/2020-05/en_head_0057.json.gz/line292
__label__cc	0.589188	0.410812	Banks Collude to Gain By Deceit – Enabled By The Federal Reserve. Surely, this can’t be right?…this simply cannot be possible. Can it?. by www.zerohedge.com As if there was any doubt before which way the arrow of control, and particularly causality, points in America’s financial system, the following stunner [1]just released from Bloomberg confirms it once and for all. According to Rebecca Christie and Craig Torres, the New York Fed has issued a survey to Primary Dealers, which asks for suggestions on the size of QE2 as well as the time over which it would be completed. It also asks firms how often they anticipate the Fed will re-evaluate the program, and to estimate its ultimate size. This is nothing short of a stunning indication of three things: i) that the Fed is most likely completely paralyzed due to the escalating confrontation between the Hawks and the Doves, and that not even Bernanke believes has has sufficient clout to prevent what Time magazine has dubbed a potential opening salvo into a chain of events that could lead to civil war: in effect Bernanke will use the PD’s decision as a trump card to the Hawks and say the market will plunge unless at least this much money is printed, ii) that the Fed is effectively asking the Primary Dealers to act as underwriters on whatever announcement the Fed will come up with, and thus prop the market, and, most importantly, iii) that the PDs will most likely demand the highest possible amount, using Goldman’s $2-4 trillion as a benchmark, and not only frontrun the ultimate issuance knowing full well what the syndicate of 18 will decide in advance of what the final amount will be, but will also ramp stocks on November 3 to make the actual QE announcement seem like a surprise. This also means that the Primary Dealers of America, which include among them such hedge funds as Goldman Sachs, such mortgage frauds as Bank of America, such insolvent foreign banks as Deutsche, RBS, UBS and RBS, and such middle-market excuses for banks as Jefferies, are now in control of US monetary, and as we explain below fiscal, policy. It also means that the Fed has absolutely no confidence in its actions, and, more importantly, no confidence in how its actions will be perceived by the market which is why it is not only telegraphing its decision to the bankers, but is having its decision be dictated by them, an act so unconstitutional it would be seen as treason in any non-Banana republic! This is the last straw confirming that the only ones left trading the market are the Fed and the PDs, passing hot potatoes to each other, and the HFTs, churning the shit out of everything else to pretend someone is still trading. And the saddest conclusion is that this is the definitive end of US capital markets: not only is the Fed’s political subordination a moot point, but the Fed, and the middle class’ purchasing power via the imminent dollar destruction that is sure to follow as the PDs seek to obliterate their underwater assets by raging inflation, is now effectively confirmed to be a bitch of Lloyd Blankfein and his posse. The official explanation for this unprecedented incursion by the banking crime syndicate in US monetary policy is as follows: Avoiding Disruption Treasury officials say they want to avoid any disruption to the $8.5 trillion market in U.S. government debt, the world’s most liquid, as the Fed weighs restarting large-scale asset purchases. The Treasury also doesn’t want to give any impression to investors, particularly those based overseas, that it might be coordinating with the Fed to finance the national debt. “Treasury debt-management decisions are designed to deliver the lowest cost of borrowing over time and are entirely independent from monetary-policy decisions made by the Federal Reserve,” Mary Miller, assistant secretary for financial markets, said in an e-mail to Bloomberg News yesterday. Before joining the Treasury last year, Miller was head of global fixed- income portfolio management at T. Rowe Price Group Inc. in Baltimore. The Treasury is scheduled to hold its quarterly meetings with bond dealers tomorrow, ahead of the department’s Nov. 3 refunding announcement. Fill in the blank: the Fed has essentially given PDs the option of $250BN, $500BN or $1 trillion in monetization over six months. It is now absolutely clear that the PDs will pick the biggest number possible… which incidentally amounts to $2 trillion per year, and is precisely what Goldman’s downside case was, as we presented previously. The New York Fed surveyed primary dealers required to bid in U.S. debt auctions. It asked dealers to estimate changes in nominal and real 10-year Treasury yields “if the purchases were announced and completed over a six-month period.” The amounts dealers can choose from are zero, $250 billion, $500 billion and $1 trillion. Of course, since a $2 trillion purchase over 1 year means the Fed will have to monetize every single bond issued, the SOMA limit will have to be raised, another prediction we made months ago [2]: The Fed is unlikely to buy up the entire supply of new securities, although it may adjust its internal guidelines of how much it can hold of any given issue. The Fed limits itself to owning no more than 35 percent of any specific security it holds in its System Open Market Account, or SOMA. “Our Treasury strategists point out it could also cause pricing distortions along the curve, if, for example, the Fed continues to target a 40 percent purchase concentration in the 6-10 year maturity bucket, as it has in its recent purchases,” analysts at JPMorgan Chase & Co., including Alex Roever, wrote in an Oct. 22 research report. The report predicts the Fed will buy about $250 billion a quarter during the easing campaign. How about $500 billion? And, incidentally, since the “independent” Treasury will be forced to issue more debt [3]to fill all the demand for $2 trillion over the next 12 months, as there is not enough debt in the pipeline to fill $2TN worth of demand and prevent the entire curve pancaking at zero (i.e., the 30 year yielding precisely 0.001%) it also means that the government will be forced to come up with more deficit programs, which also means that primary dealers will now also determine US fiscal policy. Which begs the question, why is anyone pretending that the political vote on November 3 matters at all? Below are the 18 banks that [4], in a completely separate vote, will henceforth rule America, regardless of what particular puppets end up in the Congress and Senate: BNP Paribas Securities Corp. Banc of America Securities LLC Barclays Capital Inc. Cantor Fitzgerald & Co. Citigroup Global Markets Inc. Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC Daiwa Capital Markets America Inc. Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. Goldman, Sachs & Co. HSBC Securities (USA) Inc. Jefferies & Company, Inc. J.P. Morgan Securities LLC Mizuho Securities USA Inc. Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated Nomura Securities International, Inc. RBC Capital Markets Corporation RBS Securities Inc. UBS Securities LLC.	cc/2020-05/en_head_0057.json.gz/line293
__label__wiki	0.539705	0.539705	Title: Calling Big Star (Taiwanese Drama) Also Known As: 呼叫大明星 / Hu Jiao Da Ming Xing Mike He plays a reluctant big star who entered the entertainment industry to support his family. Now that he has earned enough money and his contract about to end, he happily starts planning for the next stage of his life. Around the same time, unfortunate financial downturn struck his agent, his sister and his best friend. Feeling obligated to help them he contemplates on renewing his contract. Totally depressed by this thought, he buys a lotto ticket hoping that he can win the big one and save him from this dilemma. As luck would have it, he wins the jackpot but loses the ticket before he can cash it. Now he is chasing after a taxi driver, played by Charlene Choi, all over town in order to get it back. Calling Big Star Episode 14 [parts]: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 [parts]: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 Calling Big Star Episode 9 [parts]: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 [parts]: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10	cc/2020-05/en_head_0057.json.gz/line297
__label__wiki	0.969959	0.969959	DC Preps NIU Huskies National Columnists DeKalb County Deals Access daily-chronicle.com and all Shaw Media Illinois content from all your digital devices and receive breaking news and updates from around the area. Local news, prep sports, Chicago sports, local and regional entertainment, business, home and lifestyle, food, classified and more! Choose your news! Select the text alerts you want to receive: breaking news, prep sports scores, school closings, weather, and more. Board Chairman Pietrowski will not seek re-election Pietrowski will leave board after eight years, including six as chair By MATTHEW N. WELLSEmailFollow Mark Busch - mbusch@shawmedia.com Mark Pietrowski Jr. is pictured in this file photo from November. He has said he will not seek reelection to the DeKalb County Board, and will leave the board after eight years in office, six as board chairman. SYCAMORE – DeKalb County Board Chairman Mark Pietrowski says he will follow through with a pledge to not seek reelection in 2020 because he wants to focus on his career in higher education. Pietrowski, a Cortland Democrat, first was elected to the board in 2012 and has been its chairman since 2014. He announced he wasn’t going to run for reelection as chairman or as a county board member when he was elected chairman for the third time as in December 2018. Pietrowski, 37, will leave the board after November 2020. “I’m passing on the baton to others in the community to continue the culture of respect and service that I feel we’ve done since I was elected in 2012,” Pietrowski said Thursday. Josh Orr, 40, of Cortland, is running as a Democrat for Pietrowski’s 3rd District seat. He has no Republican opponent. Orr said Pietrowski approached him about running for the seat and that Pietrowski already has endorsed him. Just as Pietrowski wants to see the bipartisanship and the open communication continue on the board once he leaves, Orr said that’s one of his goals, too. Pietrowski said at the time he knew he wasn’t running again, he and the board put in a rule of leadership term limits. “Someone can only serve as county board chair for a max of six years,” he said. They also can only serve as county leadership for 12 years. Pietrowski said this way allows new voices to sit on the board. He said he wanted to be in line with DeKalb County’s history. “Looking back, no one has served for more than six years as county chair,” Pietrowski said. “I wanted to adhere to that and make that a rule. I could have run again and served for two more years, but I didn’t want to deal with that. I felt like it was time.” Pietrowski said being a public servant to the county is a great honor. He likes the fact that his tenure on the board will end soon after his next educational advancement. Pietrowski expects to complete a Ph.D. in educational leadership with an emphasis in community college leadership in May 2020, six months before the end of his county board term. “We joked it’s like I’ve got two full-time jobs,” he said about teaching and serving as County Board chairman. “It’ll be a little bit of an adjustment for me with the free time.” Pietrowski said he wants to further pursue his work in education. He’s taught various communication classes at Northern Illinois University for 15 years, and he’s been involved in administrative work for more than 12 years. He is currently the faculty advisor for NIU’s Public Relations Student Society of America, which is for students interested in public relations and communication, according to NIU’s website. Pietrowski said he thought his time on the board was a success. “I accomplished much of what I wanted to do,” he said. “There’s still a lot we want to get done and I want to see through. I feel like we’ve built a culture of respect, open communication and bipartisanship.” Orr said with Pietrowski leaving in November 2020, it’ll be an unfortunate loss for the county. “He’s been a great chairman,” Orr said. “As a friend, I’m personally happy for him that he’s going to fulfill his educational ambition. I think the county board’s gonna miss a strong voice and I hope to fill his seat, his presence and his uniting personality as best I can.” County waiting on state police list for automatic marijuana expungements Warming centers available across DeKalb County as temperatures plummet to single digits Local park districts receive about $800K in grants Kishwaukee College closing early due to inclement weather Crash near Malta sends driver to hospital AboutContactSubscribe About Our AdsPlace a Classified AdCareers Copyright © 2020 Daily Chronicle. All rights reserved. Published in DeKalb, Illinois, USA, by Shaw Media.	cc/2020-05/en_head_0057.json.gz/line300
__label__cc	0.668481	0.331519	Everything album bio Be an Artist Program Songwriting Workshops SONGWRITINGWITH:SOLDIERS There are not any Events scheduled at this time. The Be An Artist Program “ARTISTIC THINKING COMES FROM ATTENTION, INTENTION, AND DOING WHAT YOU LOVE” – Darden Smith Since 2001, Darden has been presenting The Be An Artist Program to students of all ages. These workshops demonstrate how to successfully transform the students’ natural interests and into a life of passion, purpose, and creativity. Starting with the idea that we are all born artists, the workshop demonstrates how to build a creative life around what we love to do. Schools from California to Massachusetts and across the United Kingdom, France and Germany—have welcomed this dynamic and original program, giving their students a window into the power of combining creative thinking with action. “The students are still pondering how they got so creative so fast as they listen to the songs they wrote with you. They may present themselves as a tough audience but they were all taken in by your message and enthusiasm. You made a difference in their life because of your program.” Don Hale – 8th grade teacher – St. Francis School Austin, Texas How a typical Be An Artist Program session works: In the classroom, Darden begins by one of his original songs and gives the students a brief overview of his career as a musician and songwriter, describing how the creative passion of his youth became his job. Darden draws awareness to the three ingredients to artistic thinking: attention, intention and doing what you love. He focuses on the idea that everyone is an artist in some way and offers students simple tools for recognizing the artistry in their own lives — from studying for a math test, to playing the piano to driving a car. To show students how easily the artistic process can unfold, Darden leads the group in an innovative, fast-paced exercise — writing an original song based on something they love. Every student is encouraged to contribute, whether it is a word, a few lines or the title for the song. Darden guides the process, keeping the song on course, as the students themselves become the songwriters. With a guitar, laptop computer and a microphone, Darden and the students sing and record the song on the spot. Schools receive digital copies of the songs, which can be distributed to the students. Darden concludes each session by illustrating that what made him feel “different” when he was young, later became the building blocks of his professional life in music. The message is clear: students don’t need to be more like others, but more like themselves. They are encouraged to be proud of who they are and pursue their dreams, critical steps toward leading happier, more creative lives. INCLUSION (ANTI-BULLYING) THE POWER OF MUSIC AND ART • Sessions are designed for students ages 12 – 18, and customized for different grade levels, depending on the needs of the school. • Sessions can be in classroom or assembly-style formats. • Sessions last 50 – 60 minutes. Up to three sessions can be scheduled per day. • Teachers, parents and administrators are encouraged to observe the sessions. One teacher is required to be in the room at all times. For information on how to bring The Be An Artist Program to a school near you, contact Darden. All Rights Reserved. ©2013 Darden Smith. \| Website by Sean McKenna Design \| Photographs by Matt Sturtevant, Michael O’Brien, Bob Delevante and Stacy L. Pearsall Designed by Luke McDonald & Powered by WordPress	cc/2020-05/en_head_0057.json.gz/line303
__label__cc	0.741246	0.258754	Life on the Broadband Internet The role of technology, policy and education in online culture – by David Ellis The Broadband Internet (COMN 4520) Technological advances in telecommunications (COMN 3511) Introduction to telecomm (COMN 3510) Death in the classroom (3/5) Posted on September 23, 2019 by David Ellis THE PEN-AND-PAPER LAB (3) [1460 words] Too much tech, not enough literacy The vendors scooping up ed-tech money aren’t all that concerned about what students are watching in and out of class, if only because it’s none of their business. What they have done is take the mobile revolution as an opportunity to persuade college administrators to give the kids what they want. In practice, that means a lot more than just adding wireless bandwidth. It means taking student preferences as the definitive guide in determining how teachers should teach. Most courses, advise the vendors, should be re-designed to work on mobile so students can learn their course materials the way that makes them feel most comfortable. More mobile access allows them to study in short bursts at the campus coffee bar or anywhere with a signal, rather than slogging it out for hours on end in the library. Parents and educators should pay heed to the creeping implications of this widely praised model of teaching and learning. Once upon a time we believed that an experienced and dedicated instructor was in the best position to help undergraduates develop skills. But so-called “student-centered learning” stands that model on its head. If students prefer to watch a lecture on their phone when they feel the urge, why should they be forced into a classroom and subjected to a learning experience when they don’t feel the urge? Why be in a classroom poring over the printed word, when you can just look stuff up on Google while sipping a latte? Google is the operative word as co-conspirator. For millions of college students, Google was a dream come true. They’d been dragging their sorry butts to the library every day, forced to look up sources for assignments title by painful title, then wander through musty book stacks like misplaced monks. No more! Google’s platform wasn’t just free, fast and ubiquitous. It was cool. It was a verb. Don’t search it, google it! The happy dependence on Google for search is shared among 4.5 billion active monthly users in over 120 languages. For the college students among them, Google search has helped liberate them from classrooms and libraries, while relieving them of a great deal of what used to be called research — or paying attention for that matter. Hardly surprising that something this effortless became chief homework assistant on campus. The student-centered model, abetted by Google and other online resources, does away with the conventional wisdom that undergrads are apprentices in the halls of learning who need guidance. They’re treated instead like customers. Technical fields like science and engineering have built-in requirements that make it difficult to wriggle out of learning routines imposed from on high. Engineering grads can’t be allowed to let their bridges fall down. But no matter how much students in the liberal arts mangle Shakespeare or Marx, the world moves on unscathed. Dependence on technology has seeped into every activity in every corner of campus. The resulting demand on network resources has IT departments in a state of panic. Yet the IT guys can’t afford to indulge their feelings, they have traffic jams to unjam. Of course, they can always seek comfort in the fellow feeling that flows from the prevailing belief system about ed tech. Under that system, everyone — IT departments, students, administrators, instructors and certainly the vendors — sees technology as the solution to everything. Technology is the gift that gets students signed up, helps them learn and keeps them happy. The parties are in agreement on one key tenet: the only bad tech is no tech. They are also agreed on a misguided understanding of what it means to be “digitally literate.” This is where the prevailing belief system has taken a leap of faith into a technological twilight zone. No one even has to say it out loud. It’s simply taken for granted that the more students use digital technology, the more they’ll learn and the more digitally literate they’ll get. That happy formula is assumed to apply not just to ed tech, but to personal tech as well. The learning problem is compounded by conflicting views of what digital literacy means. For me digital literacy is knowing how the Internet and digital technologies like search engines work, along with an understanding of how Internet access is marketed and sold, and being familiar with contentious social issues like privacy and security. But that’s not how the students see it. They arrive on day one in my classes, which are designed to instill a little literacy, in an unusual state of mind. They casually assume they know things about the course material that, it turns out, they don’t. Sometime after launching my classroom ban on everything digital, I wanted to get a clearer idea of what students knew from their extensive daily encounters with the usual technologies. I put together a one-page benchmark exercise designed to measure what everyone knew at the start of each course, to be contrasted with what they’d learned by the end of it. I asked about two things, their personal computer configuration and their home Internet setup. The specifiers ranged from the processing speed of their computers to the speed of their broadband connection. The reactions to the test at the start of the course were as unsettling as the results. The quiz was set up so that everyone answered what they could, unaided, while still in class, and any blanks could be filled in at home using whatever prompts were needed — vendor homepages, ISP bills, parents, etc. Most students had no idea what most of the questions even meant, let alone what the right answers were. You may be nonplussed as a parent to hear that the young child who showed you how to use the apps on your phone has grown up to be digitally challenged. Quite apart from the shock of giving up their phones for three hours, the pushback against addressing the literacy problem happens in stages. At first they express dismay at having to learn something “new.” One sign of how skittish some students are about having to learn and retain unfamiliar material is the defensive reaction I’ve heard many times: “I can’t learn this Internet stuff, I have no background in technology.” My not entirely facetious response: “Neither do I.” In other scholastic circumstances, the discovery of an initial knowledge shortfall wouldn’t be much of an issue since nobody expects students to know the course material in advance. If you walked into a course on Hegel for beginners, or Arabic 101, with a thorough grasp of the subject-matter, there wouldn’t be much point in paying for all those classes. But for a 20-something who’s had a phone of some kind since they were 10, it’s disconcerting to walk into a class on digital technology and discover they’ve been kidding themselves. They live as tech enthusiasts, and that’s how everyone else treats them, but this enthusiasm doesn’t readily translate into curiosity. They pine for their phone in one breath then say they hate technology in the next — or at least they hate learning about it. The benchmark quiz also stirred up signs of a message I would hear regularly from students that the course work we do to get an armchair understanding of digital technology is simply too hard. This always bemuses me, since the way we study technology has well-defined limits. We don’t tackle software engineering or 3D printing, although we do spend some time on numbers, especially when studying the role of measurement in technology. But it’s just arithmetic, no calculus or regressions in sight. Mathematics, it ain’t. Nevertheless, complaints about the work go up sharply as soon as numbers appear on the screen or in a reading. Evidently numeracy skills have fallen victim to the liberal educational approaches of the last few decades. And in keeping with the cultural baggage created by trucks for boys and dolls for girls, women students are more likely to stumble over a question involving multiplying or dividing. I once asked a student to tell us how many megabits (a million bits) are in one gigabit (a billion bits) — in other words, divide a billion by a million. Even though this was ground we’d already covered, the student couldn’t bring herself to answer, explaining she’d failed her high school math courses. She also mentioned that in a fit of pique she’d once set fire to her parents’ dining room curtains while attempting to do math homework. In a subsequent class, another student saw a table of numbers go up on the screen, raised her hand and announced she was going to be sick. She was only half-kidding. Simple arithmetic makes some students denounce numeracy in a dramatic fashion, even if confirmed cases of arson and regurgitation are rare. This entry was posted in addiction, digital harms, digital literacy, digital natives, education, hyperconnectedness, Millennials, multitasking, smartphones, tech in the classroom by David Ellis. Bookmark the permalink. Life on the Broadband Internet by David Ellis is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.5 Canada License. david (at) davidellis (dot) ca	cc/2020-05/en_head_0057.json.gz/line304
__label__cc	0.598799	0.401201	November 3, 2010, - 3:13 pm GOP House Won’t Stop Muslim Terrorists @ the Border (VIDEO); John Amnesty Boehner Sadly, don’t look for the GOP-controlled House to stop the immigration and insecure borders problem. In fact, the election of John Boehner–part of the GOP establishment who brought us Obama–is significant in showing us this. As I told you, when Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents arrested and deported an illegal alien Muslim woman from his district (she”d been in our midst illegally for years), Boehner pounced on them and pressured them to repatriate her. He is also a big supporter of amnesty for illegal aliens and was mad that the House didn’t pass the Senate amnesty bill when Bush was Prez. John Boehner is the problem, NOT the solution. Alhamdillullah [Praise Allah]: Thanks, Clueless Infidels, for Giving Us John Boehner You’ve seen the videos I previously posted from WSB-TV about Islamic terrorists coming into the U.S. from our weak southern border. It’s not news, nor is WSB’s latest video below. Not news to me or you, anyway. We know about SIAs (Special Interest Aliens–from Muslim countries) and OTMs (Other Than Mexicans). But it’s a reminder–a reminder of an ongoing and growing national security problem, that John Boehner won’t fix. I’m sure my friend, former top INS agent Mike Cutler, a great expert who is in this video, would agree. Note his paraphrase of my fave line from “The Departed” (read my review): “My view of the feds is they’re like mushrooms. Feed ’em sh-t, and keep ’em in the dark.” Note the case of Ahmed Muhammed Dhakane, an Al-Shabaab/Al-Barakat/Al-Ittihad Al-Islami/Al-Qaeda terrrorist from Somalia, who ran a smuggling ring getting more than 200 illegal aliens from East Africa into the U.S., many of them with ties to these Islamic terrorist groups. His indictment was unsealed in March, but read the Superseding Indictment from May. You’ll note that among those he smuggled into the U.S. was an underaged Somalian woman whom he repeatedly raped. Yup, Religion of Peace, baby. A religion that most of the new U.S. House leaders won’t recognize for the threat that it is. Including John Boehner and Jihad Darrell Issa. (More on him, soon.) This goes to show that there are two types of “Republicans” in the RNC: DERPs (Democrat Enshrouded Republican Politicians) and DhERPs (Dhemmi Enshrouded Republican Politicians). To paraphrase the Joker from Tim Burton’s ‘Batman’: “What this party needs is an enema.” Pats on November 3, 2010 at 3:37 pm I’d like to look at the bright side of the GOP victory. I don’t think John Boehner will dash off to Syria in his first month as House Speaker to make kissyface with Bashar al-Assad. (Your readers might have forgotten that Nancy Pelosi made this one of her first points of business as Speaker of the House.) I’d also add that the President has acknowledged what we all pretty well knew today: Cap-and-Trade (i.e. “The House Energy Bill”) is DEAD. There is no piece of legislation that would have killed this country faster or harder than Cap-and-Trade. Thank Gd there were enough Democrats in the Senate who opposed it during the last Congress. Nobody likes immigration (legal or otherwise) during a recession. Who knows! Maybe some Democrats will team up with the Tea Party people and make Boehner’s life miserable enough to keep him from pursuing or endorsing an amnesty program. Lastly, I’m glad that in spite of all the shortcomings of many Republicans in Congress, the American people have put the brakes on the extreme leftist agenda of the O’Bama Administration. I realize I’m making an effort to look at the bright side of all this. I’m wondering if OVERALL, you think America is better for the election results. TINSC: That’s Okay. Darrell Issa will play kissy face in Syria, as he has several times–detailed on this site. Same difference. And John Boehner won’t object. Like I said, same difference. DS There is NO Santa Claus on November 3, 2010 at 4:07 pm Is there anyone who actually thinks Boehner will be good for Republicans? He’s the GOP version of Harry Reid. adam on November 3, 2010 at 4:56 pm You are absolutely right about Boehner. A real opportunist hack. In his minority address Saturday he went out of his way to avoid any discussion about foreign policy in general, which makes it clear that he essentially has no problem with Obama’s foreign policy (or Bush’s foreign policy). Unfortunately there is a consensus among the Republican leadership which is pro-open borders. A party like this cannot solve America’s problems. If we are lucky, there might be a brief delay or slowing down of our country’s decline, in spite of the election of a few new conservatives to the house. Little Al on November 3, 2010 at 5:04 pm Thank you for your comment, Debbie. I’m aware of Jihad Darrell and knew you might mention him. Looking at the OVERALL picture, do you (or any of your readers) think America is better for yesterday’s election results? Having made an effort to look at the bright side, I’ll go first. Summing it up, America has the best government Saudi petro-dollars can buy. This GOP victory changes nothing. We’ll have the same old GOP klutz leaders in charge of House committees. The only difference will be that they have fresh, young horses to pull their wagons. The only good news here is the death of cap-and-trade means that America’s coal reserves remain a viable future energy option. That is BAD for Saudi Arabia et al, but it’s only a delay in their effort which has already made critical forward progress. When they can tax the American people daily at the gas pump without our consent, life is still very good for the Jihad. Moreover, if you hadn’t noticed, the “Tea Party” doesn’t seem to have a problem with this form of taxation without representation. That is one BIG reason, I don’t see anything changing for the better. I said about as much yesterday morning on my own blog. Guys, to be honest with you, I believe Boehner might be a little worst than Pelosi, correct me if I’m wrong, I didn’t remember Pelosi doing any type of muslim pandering (as I’ve said, I’m no fan of Nancy Pelosi). If the conservative talk show host actually believes that John Boehner will be a good speaker, then there going to have a rude-awakening coming for them, when this guy more likely will agree with President Obama on illegal-immigration and soft on radical islam! As one poster said, Boehner is like the GOP’s version of Harry Reid. “A nation is identified by it’s borders, language & culture!” Sean R. on November 3, 2010 at 6:03 pm And also irritating is the tremendous affectation of these people. He is referred to as “Leader Boehner”. Can you imagine? Santa, there is a lot to your summations. I sorta feel the same way. Don’t know if it’s because of cynicism or that I think America is so lost. You know what I am sick of? After two years of that rancid turd Obamarxist at the helm, there are STILL peeps who are smarter than most (on some things…not so much on other things) who one “MAY” think are good Conservatives, but really, are so out of it (or too PC!!) to say that Obama is a Marxist. The latest I heard equivocating is Charles Gasparino. He can go shove it. I will NOT read his book if he is too afraid to state the obvious! Dennis Prager and Michael Medved do it too. It pisses me off. They may be smarter than me, but I know a Marxist when I see one! The do this with Islamic Jihad, too. I don’t have time for this HS anymore! Skunky on November 3, 2010 at 7:39 pm I agree, Skunky. Mike Church was already pointing out this a.m., that Boehner said we must raise the debt limit meet our obligations. They’re all cut from the same cloth, and will never change anything. This is what Thomas Jefferson said about an over reaching national government at his Inaugeration in 1801,”If there be any among us who wish to dissolve the Union or to change its republican form,let them stand undisturbed, as monuments of the safety with which error of opinion may be tolerated where reason is left free to combat it.” Jefferson and James Madison stated in the Virginia Resolutions of 1798, “where powers were assumed by the national government which had not been granted by the states, nullification is the rightful remedy,” and that every state has a right to “nullify of its own authority all assumptions of power by others. . .” If only we had the courage of the founders of this nation. texag57 on November 4, 2010 at 10:01 am Sean R: I’m in wait-and-see mode about Boehner. As I mentioned above, I expect business as usual to prevail. Your claim that he might be “a little worst than Pelosi” is unlikely because one of Pelosi’s first order of business as Speaker of the House was to visit Syria and make kissyface with Bashar al-Assad the dictator of Syria. Since John Boehner made a point to criticize Pelosi’s visit, I doubt he’ll run to make kissyface in public with ANY Muslim terrorist in his first weeks as Speaker of the House. If he were smart, he’d get on a plane to Israel tomorrow and meet with PM Netanyahu. What a pleasant surprise that would be! Don’t hold your breath in expectation. He might not be a fanatical Zionist, but I was at the AIPAC policy conference in 2008 and he gave a pretty good speech. I thought Mitch McConnell gave a better speech even though McConnell’s speech delivery is rather monotone and uninspiring. So Boehner might not be ideal, but I don’t see him screwing up like Pelosi. Other Republicans will surely screw up. There are some seriously anti-Semitic Republicans running around the House of Representatives. By and large, I think there are fewer Republican anti-Semites than Democratic anti-Semites but I really haven’t done a study on the matter. For all the John Dingell and Dennis Kucinic types the Democrats have, there are Ron Paul and Darrell Issa on the Republican side. In the mean time, the domestic agenda tends to dominate House business so I understand and share Debbie’s concern about immigration. Hopefully, some of those “Tea Party” types can erode Boehner’s enthusiasm about ILLEGAL immigration amnesty. One of the better things that will happen here is that Steny Hoyer will likely take the reigns as House Minority Leader. Hoyer has lots of LIB shortcomings, but both times I saw him speak at AIPAC policy conferences, I got the impression that the man is a fanatical Zionist. (I’m waiting for Debbie to burst my bubble on this with something I don’t know about Hoyer, but I’m sharing my observations as I’ve witnessed them.) A lot can change in two years, so sit back and watch the show. We can vote, but we can’t control the rest that happens. The voters shake the tree; the monkeys just end up on different branches. Santa, your right man, I forgot that photo-opt of Pelosi with the dictator of Syria, and your right, I to believe that Mr. Boehner should visit Israel and have a photo-opt with PM Netanyahou, but I’m going to give Boehner a chance and see what exactly he’s going to do and say. And do you folks think that Ms. Pelosi is going to find herself a regular job or start a business for herself or is she going to be minority leader in the house? And prior to yesterday, I was pretty cynical of the election, that it might be rigged, voter fraud and the Democrats will maintain power by stealing the elections, but thank god I was wrong about my thinking. Please call me TINSC. It’s a thing with me. I worked SO HARD to earn that title. Thank you. :+) TINSC (aka There is NO Santa Claus) P.S. I love pullin’ that schtick on people. No hard feelins! I’m not expecting the GOP leadership to do much to address our real problems. Boehner needs to be replaced but won’t be. And then you have Darrell Issa. Some things just won’t change in Washington, no matter who is in charge. NormanF on November 3, 2010 at 10:15 pm NormanF: There is NO Santa Claus on November 3, 2010 at 11:22 pm Hopefully Boehner will finish the fence from Texas to San Diego and the next time Mexican drug gangs kill someone on a border lake, the US Army will find the gangs and kill them, even if they have to enter Mexico to do it. Truth on November 4, 2010 at 9:48 am Remove the first letter “E” from his name: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rXTNhlmcRG0 Irving on November 4, 2010 at 9:53 am Great point Debbie. I would prefer either Rand or Ron Paul or the most hard line conservative in the House who would give Israel extremely favorable treatment. Definitely close the borders. Patrick on November 4, 2010 at 10:53 am Toss the bum out. I’m so disgusted with these rinos. Maybe with the spot light on him we can get him tossed from his job as well. The country is waking up and 11-2 was evidence. samurai on November 4, 2010 at 11:47 am We have the best politicians money can buy!! See's it as it is! on November 4, 2010 at 12:41 pm My guess is Issa prefers to play “pick up the soap” instead of “kissy face” based on his attraction to arafat. BTW we need to FLOOD Boehner with emails, faxs, phone calls and probably the threat of “horse whipping” in the public square to convince him to kill amnesty and secure the borders. How come we end up with all these effing RINO’s in leadership positions?? joesixpack31 on November 4, 2010 at 12:52 pm I take that you won’t be satisfied with Representative Lamar Smith of Texas taking up the chairmanship of the Judiciary Committee in January. He was told by Boehner to move up to it. http://radio.woai.com/cc-common/news/sections/newsarticle.html?feed=119078&article=7797170 Bobby'sBrain on November 4, 2010 at 3:06 pm John Boehner is a small businessman who was elected to Congress in 1990. He has in no way grown or changed since that time. Mr. Boehner as House Minority Leader was inarticulate, sluggish, and a poor tactical planner. He had little or nothing to do with the Republican takeover of the House of Representatives this year, and probably knows deep down in his gut that he is in over his head. Mr. Boehner probably wishes he was back in Ohio tending the store, since he would not be faced with dealing with people who are far sharper and capable than he is. This man needs to be put to bed, but I rather doubt that the Republican House Caucus has the guts to do that. Worry01 on November 4, 2010 at 10:46 pm The “news” coverage of this incident is beyond belief. I listened to NPR this morning (“Morning Edition”), and the incident was described as a French police stand-off with a generic “gunman.” He could have been a robber. He was never described as a Muslim or as Islamic — neither term was mentioned in several reports during the show — but as a “French serial killer” (as if he were the “Monsieur Hannibal Lecter”), who had “killed three children” (the fact that this occurred in the course of an attack on a Jewish School and that a rabbi was also killed — not just three JEWISH children — apparently was not important enough to explain). Terrorism was not mentioned, except to say that the generic “guman,” who was an Arab, Islamc, and boasted of his Al-Queda ties and of getting terrorism training in trips to Afghanistan and Pakistan, was reported to have “alleged ties to terrorism.” If we have gotten to the point where we cannot describe the terrorist background of a gunman (who boasts of it), except to reference vague “alleged ties to terrorism” as if the matter remains in doubt, then we are losing the supposed “War on Terrorism,” which should be no surprise to anyone paying attention. I suppose that Islam was also not worth mentioning, even in this case of an Islamic gunman who admitted that he killed for an overtly Muslim motive (to avenge killed Palestinian children). Are we suicidally “politically correct” or have we been intimidated by Islam,”The Relicion of Peace”(TM)? I also wonder on an aspect of the event that the news coverage mentioned, but did not explain. The police were said to have asked his mother to come to the scene and talk to him (obviously, in hopes that she could persuade him to surrender peacefully), Can you imagine ANY mother failing to at least try to talk her son, surrounded by hundred of armed police, into surrendering? But she refused. Why was never explained. Did she refuse because he was a Shahid carrying out a sacred mission and should not be distracted? Did she refuse because she knew that he would be honored as a “martyr” in the Muslim community if he died? Did she refuse because she had a policy of non-cooperation with infidel authorities? Did she refuse because she AGREED with his mission? The “news” media, which is supposed to be in the business of gathering facts, never made an attempt to tell us, only telling us that she refused. How can we withstand Islam’s attacks when we refuse to acknowledge that Islam is attacking us? JOSEPH MCNULTY on March 22, 2012 at 8:36 pm Leave a Reply for Little Al	cc/2020-05/en_head_0057.json.gz/line307
__label__wiki	0.593858	0.593858	CenterRight Common sense political analysis and commentary. INEQUALITY: POLITICS VS. REALITY “Inequality” is the most recent of the “social injustices” which politicians, pundits and academics have adopted as a movement. “Inequality”, meaning “economic” inequality, expressed as widely divergent access to wealth and income among individuals and groups is a fertile field for advocates of economic restructuring, usually based on broader ideological or philosophical beliefs. Thus, despite its objectively defined flaws as a national economic condition, it has become a subjective expression couched in terms of “fairness”, used by those individuals commonly associated with the political Left. This of course is not new in terms of social/political history. The socialist movements of the mid-Nineteenth Century were born in the nurseries of the Industrial Revolution and the resulting unfettered system of early capitalism. This of course was an era of significant social and economic inequality, stimulated by rapidly advancing technological changes and bolstered by the remnants of landed aristocracies and political oligarchies in Europe. But as capitalism matured, it became subject to the growth of organized labor and government regulation, and its benefits as an economic system have since been proven by the spread of wealth and the attendant widespread improvement in the more broadly measured standards of living. Industrial expansion, cleansed of its early exploitive characteristics such as child labor, unsafe working conditions and lack of any kind of associated economic security, now commonly included as health care and retirement benefits, did indeed “spread the wealth” through massive job expansion and the creation of a true “middle class”. In combination with the creation of widespread public education, American society became characterized by the opportunity for individual improvement or “upward mobility” and its expressions as the “American Dream” and the “self-made man”. The post-WWII years with their unprecedented industrial expansion in a world faced with the issues of rebuilding economic infrastructure, gave both American capitalism and the American labor movement enormous opportunities and thus the opportunity for American workers to achieve financial security. The “wealth” of the nation was more evenly divided in these post-war growth years because the large and growing industrial sector made it so. But the world doesn’t stand still. Developing nations found ways to utilize their built in economic assets, foremost among them being a large semi-skilled labor force, which for decades was concentrated in agricultural sectors, but now willing to work for wages that were largely unacceptable to workers in the industrialized economies of the West. Rapid advances in communication, information processing and transportation made the utilization of these workers for the labor intensive industries in the developed world, a profitable business model which was rapidly reinforced by world-wide competition. The effect on U.S. assembly line workers in low value-added jobs was inevitable. The transition in the economies of industrialized nations was supported by the spread of trade liberalization in the form of bi-lateral and multi-lateral trade agreements which allowed the re-importation of goods manufactured abroad by domestic companies. It became common for raw materials, components and points of sale for products owned by the same company to be located in different locations. The lost manufacturing jobs in the U.S. were replaced with high tech manufacturing jobs requiring a more educated work force, and with the rapidly expanding service economy jobs in the financial and information sectors. In both cases these jobs provided higher wages but by their nature were characterized by technology supported higher productivity with the use of automation and information technology which allowed for enormous market expansion. Job opportunities for high school graduates with minimal job skills became a smaller part of the economy and commanded a relatively low level of compensation. The financial sector which greatly benefited from the technological revolution by allowing instant transfers of money, mass marketing of world-wide investment opportunities and the creation of whole new categories of derivative investments, created more wealth for those who already had enough wealth to invest and for managers and executives who initiated and operated the enterprises in the this sector. Thus increased gaps in the distribution of wealth in the national economy was inevitable as the workers formerly employed in low end manufacturing jobs were left behind in the rapidly changing economy. Fortunes were made and lost in the so called “dot-com” global internet bubble of the ‘90s and new fortunes were made as lessons were learned and young entrepreneurs entered the information and new social media markets. Economists are virtually unanimous in their opinion that extreme concentrations of wealth in the hands of a very small segment of society are bad for the economy as a whole because it retards demand and thus slows economic expansion. A negative social dimension also results if the wealth concentration is seen to be a cause rather than a statistical result of income stagnation in the middle class and poverty in lower socio-economic groups. But the political Left continues to see the problem as a “fairness” issue and seeks to imply a conspiracy theory-like cause. The entire financial sector is collectively, and derisively labeled “Wall Street” and lumped together with “big corporations” as villains in a conspiracy to “buy” politicians to keep from paying their “fair share” of taxes. These unpaid taxes would supposedly deal with the problem of economic inequality by funding more social programs like free child care, government subsidized job training, and higher income supplements for the poor. But the conspiracy theory meme as a cause of inequality doesn’t hold up to even minimal scrutiny. The beneficiaries of wealth accumulation have achieved their wealth for a variety of reasons which do not include the exploitation of the poor or middle class. National wealth is not a zero sum based entity. Aggregate wealth does not transfer between groups in a democratic capitalist society. The new wealth was created by new opportunities, innovation, new technology, skill and of course plain luck. Young entrepreneurs like Bill Gates and Microsoft and Facebook founder Mark Zuckerburg offered new products to the world and were rewarded with the benefits of mass marketing. Handsomely paid hedge fund managers take no money from the poor and middle class. Executives of large corporations make commensurately large salaries and bonuses based on large profits which are derived from products and services that benefit consumers and millions of stockholders which include labor union pension funds, liberal university endowment funds and millions of ordinary citizens who invest savings in mutual funds for retirement and income. Corporate and individual income taxes may or may not be judged “fair” but while changing them may put more money into government coffers and will reduce income levels and wealth accumulation at the top, it will not significantly increase these two factors at the middle and bottom even while providing more financial comfort to individuals who may be the beneficiaries of government social services. Still, significant concentrations of wealth in an economy reflect lost opportunities at the lower end. They also reflect a level of social dysfunction at the very bottom of the socio-economic scale. Simple government mandated transfers treat only symptoms and ignore cures. The process needed to increase income and the related accumulation of wealth in the bottom half of the work force is a long term enterprise. It will require education, adaptation, and the support of government to promote economic expansion in the new economy. Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT), now a candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination, emphasizes the conditions of “inequality” more than offering practical solutions, a tactic that approaches simple political demagoguery exemplified by his pronouncement that “inequality is immoral”. His focus on higher taxes for “the rich” ignores some important facts. According to the Tax Foundation the “top 1 percent of taxpayers pay more in federal income taxes than the bottom 90 percent.” “Since the early 1980s, the share of taxes paid by the bottom 90 percent has steadily declined.” “In 1980, the bottom 90 percent of taxpayers paid 50.72 percent of income taxes. In 2011 (the most recent year the data is available), the bottom 90 percent paid 31.74 percent of taxes. On the flip side, the top 1 percent paid 19.05 percent of taxes in 1980 and now pay 35.06 percent of taxes. “ Stated a bit differently, the National Tax Foundation reports that in 2011 the top 10% of income earners paid 68.26% of income taxes although they made 45% of all income. The bottom 50% of earners paid just 2.78% of all taxes. According to the Tax Policy Center at Syracuse University (2013): “Because of the refundable tax credits, individual income tax burdens are actually negative for the lowest-income households, averaging minus 6.9% of income, meaning that the average household gets a refund in excess of taxes paid.” The very label of financial “inequality” is calculated to inflame, shame and rationalize the problem of the poor as simply a matter of greed on the part of the successful and victimization on the part of the poor. There of course, can never be “equality” in a free market economy. The variables which lead to economic security are numerous but like those mentioned above, they inevitably include such things beyond government control as intelligence, motivation, innate skill sets, and family stability and support during childhood. This of course is not a problem for Sanders who is a self-described “democratic socialist”; too far Left for even the current Democratic Party and hence an “Independent” in the Congress. The remedies which Sanders and other “progressives” offer are more of the types of existing income subsidies which have been in place for decades. These include, the Earned Income Tax benefit, food stamps, Aid to Dependent Children, school lunch and breakfast programs, Social Security, Medicaid, and direct welfare payments. Sanders would support paid leave for new parents and paid sick leave. But many of employed individuals working above entry level jobs already have these support benefits. Raising the aggregated wealth of the poorest groups is a long process in which the fundamental factor is employment in sectors with opportunities for advancement. Concentrations of high unemployment are most visible in urban districts of the nation’s larger cities. This fact has been identified as an underlying cause of racial unrest in recent confrontations with police. But the “race analysts” simply state the fact of low employment without citing the causes or the solutions, as if governments at the local, state, and federal level could simply wave a magic wand an create meaningful employment for the disaffected in these areas. But as stated above, the requirements for “good jobs” with advancement opportunities and benefits are increasing while the basic education standards in areas of high unemployment are either being ignored or lowered for purposes of “social promotion”. The unemployment rates in the racially segregated areas of like Ferguson, MO, Baltimore, MD, Cleveland, OH and Philadelphia, PA are reflective of large cities across the nation. The inescapable, but rarely mentioned fact is that the high school graduation rate among black males is only 59% nation-wide with even higher rates in inner city urban areas. The graduation rate for Hispanic males is only 65% with thousands more under educated Hispanic immigrants joining the potential work force each year. Together blacks and Hispanics represent 30% if the total U.S. population. While it is certainly true that not all members of these groups are statistically poor, the low average high school graduation rates which are not a new reality, obviously exacerbate the income/wealth distribution problem and will continue to do so as these populations continue to grow. So how would Sanders solution of increased tax revenue from higher rates on the “rich”, impact the larger problem? The fall-back recommendation of the Left seems to be increased federal spending for “infrastructure” i.e. bridges, roads, waterways, (but not oil or natural gas pipelines). Transportation infrastructure is of course important in any modern industrialized country and represents an on-going need for maintenance. But the labeling of basic construction needs as a cure for economic disparities among groups is simplistic. The semi-permanent underclass, the urban poor, are not construction workers and the supply of actual and potential construction workers keeps growing with the continued flow of legal and illegal immigrants from Mexico and Central America. The path out of concentrations of wealth is education and training for professions which offer upward mobility. Simple transfers of wealth through government sponsored temporary jobs and subsidies perpetuate the current socio-economic disparities. DEMOCRATS DIVIDED: OBAMA AND THE TRANSPACIFICPARTNERSHIP In spite of the sensationalist news media’s on going fascination with the chaos in Baltimore and Bruce Jenner’s new bra size, there are events of genuine importance which need more coverage and more detailed examination. One of these is the negotiation process, both external and domestic of the proposed TransPacificPartnership. The external process i.e. the actual negotiated terms of the agreement, are obviously important with respect to the functionality of the finished product. The domestic negotiating process in the U.S. between the Obama Administration and the Congress is vital to the success of the treaty itself and will cast a large shadow over the 2016 federal elections including not only the presidential race but the House and Senate components. Essentially, the TPP is multi-national trade agreement between twelve Pacific nations including the Western Hemisphere nations, United States, Mexico Canada, Chile and Peru. The other seven participants are Japan, Australia, Brunei, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, and Vietnam. Taiwan and South Korea are possible additions. These twelve nations currently represent 40 percent of the world economy and one third of global trade. The broad purpose of the TPP, like all trade agreements, is to lower or eliminate barriers to trade which come in many forms, the most obvious being tariffs (taxes) on imported goods, numerical quotas (limits) on the importation of specific good, and regulatory barriers i.e. licenses, administrative blocks, and domestic laws. The Obama Administration which represents the largest economy in the world is thus a key player without which the agreement would, if implemented, become a far less significant multi- regional treaty. However, without U.S. participation the treaty itself would be far less attractive to the other prospective members and might well fail. Much progress has been made among the parties but because of the importance of U.S. participation, the role of the Congress for U.S. approval must be settled for the negotiations to go forward. The President has asks Congress for Trade Promotion Authority, informally known as “fast track authority”. If granted by the Congress, this would allow the Obama Administration to negotiate the terms of the treaty without Congressional participation and then require a simple up or down vote in both the House and the Senate without any amendments or by either, or filibusters in the Senate. This is vital to the success of the international negotiations since the foreign participants don’t want to see a hard fought final version subjected numerous parochial changes that would inevitably be produced by the 535 members of Congress. Since the votes on granting “fast track approval” essentially reflect the subsequent votes on approval of the agreement itself, the political battle over this approval is currently being fought as a proxy to the up or down vote on the treaty, should it come. Members of the Republican Party in Congress have generally been In favor of “free trade, although this is a widely used misnomer since all trade is managed to a large degree. Democrats, as a group, but with important individual exceptions, have historically been mostly opposed to trade liberalization and the TPP is no exception. Republicans see trade liberalization as a stimulus for economic growth and lower consumer prices. This is in accord with the long standing general acceptance of the theory of comparative advantage (David Ricardo, 1817) which in its simplest formulation advocates that each nation produce those goods for export in which it has an advantage in terms of costs of production i.e. economic efficiency in terms of the imputation of value. This can be a reflection of low cost labor, highly trained labor, natural resources, transportation and manufacturing infrastructure, advanced research and technical capabilities and many other factors. We see this already in the concentration of labor intensive clothing manufacturing in less developed nations especially in Asia, and consumer electronics in China and Taiwan. Industrial job loss in these sectors has been replaced in the U.S. by emphasis on commercial and military aircraft, computer chips and software, pharmaceuticals and service industries. All of this falls under the rubric of “globalization” which depending on one’s political ideology is a positive evolution towards efficiency and cost benefits for consumers, or a social scourge involving corporate power and concentrations of wealth. U.S. Presidents of both parties have supported the pursuit of trade liberalization agreements. President Clinton successfully passed the North American Free Trade Association (NAFTA) agreement in 1993 and President George W. Bush initiated the TPP in 2008, but the acceptance of the value of such agreements has a long history, going back to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT, 1948) and its successor, the World Trade Organization, (1995) which has 161 members including all of the proposed members of the TPP. Trade agreements are very complicated and difficult to negotiate. While the basic issues have been tariffs, quotas and regulations, the prolonged WTO negotiations have struggled with issues such as intellectual property protection i.e. patents and copyrights, government purchases, environmental protection, labor laws, government subsidies, especially in the agricultural , and the issue of currency manipulation i.e. devaluation of a nation’s currency in order to make its products cheaper and thus more competitive in world markets while making imports more expensive. All of these issues are part of the agenda for the TPP which both enhances its importance but provide fodder for opponents who can allege worst case scenarios with respect to each. However, in spite of what is almost universal government support for trade regulation and liberalization in the world community, strong opposition has been a fact of life. In the U.S., opposition has historically come from the far Left and from organized labor. In the current debate over TPP “fast track authority”, this movement includes the recently announced presidential candidate, Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT). His opposition is no surprise as he is a self-described “democratic socialist” whose is mind locked on the alleged abuses of “corporate power”. But wider opposition comes from the Congressional Progressive Caucus of seventy members of the House of Representatives, who as its name implies, include the most liberal members of the House. There is of course overlap in the opposition of many of the liberal members of Congress and organized labor which supports their candidacies in each election. While organized labor has greatly diminished in the private sector, it still is a powerful tool in elections, providing millions of dollars, call centers and advertising for chosen candidates. The major talking points in the debate are these: Opponents of the agreement claim that the TPP, like all “free trade” agreements create job loss as industries move operations to low wage nations and then export their products back into the U.S. free of tariffs Environmental activists like the Sierra Club, the Natural Resources Defense Fun and Public Citizen, believe that trade agreements stimulate industrial production in nations with lax environmental standards which are thus an attraction for American industries anxious to behave irresponsibly to save money. This traditional Leftist anti-corporatist viewpoint is also used to claim that the combination of job loss and corporate growth will increase income inequality. Then there are the usual unsubstantiated array of claims of impending harm: the importation of “unsafe” food products; increased costs of medicines resulting from patent protection; the “rollback” of Wall Street reforms; and the prohibition of “buy American” policies needed for “green jobs”. Opponents also claim that all of these negative effects came about as a result of the 1993 NAFTA agreement with Canada and Mexico. Supporters believe that trade liberalization opens foreign markets to U.S. production and innovation, thus creating jobs and stimulating economic expansion. The U.S. has significant advantages with its educated work force, research and development capabilities and vast natural resource base and large modernized agricultural sector. The Peterson Institute for International Economics has estimated that the TPP agreement alone would bring about an increase in U.S. gross domestic product of .4 percent by 2015. This seemingly small percentage becomes a huge number when it is expressed as a percentage of the current (2015) U.S. GDP of $17.710 trillion. Supporters also point out that low tariffs already exist as a result of NAFTA and the WTO agreements so the TPP will stimulate little job loss in remaining labor intensive industries but will provide large gains in agricultural exports, high tech products and financial services. The Wall Street Journal reports that the impact of increased imports will be relatively small because currently over 70 percent of imports to the U.S. are already duty free and the average import tariff is less than 1.5 percent. The result is of course cheaper prices for an enormous amount of consumer products. Economic studies of the effects of NAFTA are essentially inconclusive with respect to job loss but the facts are that since 1994 Mexican exports to the U.S. have increased nearly 500 percent and U.S. exports to Mexico have increased nearly 400 percent, representing a benefit to both economies without significant harm. The politics of the TPP are interesting for several reasons. First, President Obama has taken a strong stand in support of the agreement. He is the head of Democratic Party and the fiercest opposition is from the Democratic Left, both in interest groups and in the Congress. Thus the Democrats in Congress find themselves in a dilemma of divided loyalties and the prospect of left wing activist groups withdrawing their support in future elections. There is also a certain irony in the political struggle as President Obama finds that his strongest allies in support of both the “fast track procedure” and the TPP agreement itself are the Republicans in Congress. The Republican leadership in both the House and Senate and most of the rank and file in both houses support the agreement. But a further irony has evolved by the fact that a group of conservatives in Congress mostly associated with the Tea Party, are opposed to the TPP and thus have split with the Republican leadership and majority and joined with the far Left of the Democratic Party. The motivation of these Republican dissidents does not match that of the anti-TPP activists. The issue for the conservatives is that they mistrust the President with regards to negotiating a sound trade agreement and they believe that granting him “fast track authority” gives him too much power and denies the power of Congress to participate in such an important economic initiative. The battle is approaching the full test as recently the two committees in the House and Senate respectively that have jurisdiction over “fast track authority” have passed legislation to grant it which now will go to the floors of both houses for consideration. The challenge for the Republican leadership is to gain the support of as many moderate Democrats and/or Obama loyalists while at the same time keeping Republican/Tea Party opposition to a minimum. The prospects are good but not assured as the main opposition interest groups on the Left apply fierce pressure on the Democratic law makers. An additional aspect of the whole debate is its implications for the 2016 presidential race. Hillary Clinton is the presumptive Democratic nominee and whether “fast track” is granted or not she will have to explain her support or opposition prior to the final vote on the agreement. As a member of the Obama Administration for four years as Secretary of State can she try to separate herself from his foreign policy? Also, one of the main arguments against the TPP is the alleged damage done to workers by the 1993 NAFTA trade agreement which was supported and signed into law by then President Bill Clinton. Is it realistic that Hillary can be expected to agree with this assessment to appease the far Left of her party? As is her habit, she has a mixed record on trade liberalization agreements depending on her job position and immediate political goals. In her 2014 book “Hard Choices”, referring to the TPP she said: “It would link markets throughout Asia and the Americas, lowering trade barriers while raising standards on labor, the environment and intellectual property.” It also would be “. . .a strategic initiative that would strengthen the position of the United States in Asia” With respect to NAFTA, she said it was “proving its worth.” However, when running for the Democratic nomination for president in 2007-08 and apparently sensitive to the far Left’s negative opinions of trade agreements, she opposed the trade pacts with Columbia, Panama and South Korea. But then after losing the nomination to Obama and assuming the role of Secretary of State in 2008 she changed her opinion to conform to that of President Obama and supported the pacts with Columbia and South Korea. With challenges from the Left in the nomination battle now coming from Senator Bernie Sanders and form Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley, she will be tempted to “evolve” her position once again, at least until she secures the nomination and state her opposition to the TPP, or more likely, try to be both “for it” and “against it” by claiming it is flawed as written but could be changed to be acceptable. This approach however would be unlikely to satisfy Richard Trumka, the President of the AFL-CIO, labor’s umbrella organization and fierce opponent who has minced no words with respect to Hillary’s inconsistency and labor’s support for her and sitting members of the Democratic Party in the upcoming 2016 election. “Candidates can’t hedge their bets any longer and expect workers to rush to the polls in excitement, to run and door knock and phone bank and leaflet, only to have their candidate of choice turn a back towards the policies.” President Obama has seemingly adopted the TransPacificPartnership as another “legacy” issue for his tenure as President and he is working hard to convince the Democratic opponents in Congress that their fears are unfounded. His position with both the Democrat Left and the Republican Right are however, complicated by the fact that for tactical reasons the current draft of the agreement which is still being negotiated, has been kept secret (with the inevitable exception of leaks), to avoid political pressure and input in all the participating nations which could delay the successful negotiation by national administrations, potentially killing the project. Once a final agreement is reached the Congress will have the opportunity to know and debate its contents, or as House Democratic Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi recommends (i.e. ObamaCare), they could just “pass it to find out what’s in it.” IRAN: LEGACY, POLICY AND PETULANCE As the nation limps into the final two years of the Obama experiment in the “style over substance” presidency, much is being made of the Obama “legacy”. While this means different things to different people, it basically reflects how presidential historians will judge the President’s achievements in the context of political events and challenges both domestic and world-wide. There will be the inevitable comparisons with previous presidents and “rankings” will be offered and revised over time. Unfortunately, Obama himself seems to be attempting to govern at this late date in an effort to enhance his list of accomplishments and thus establish a positive legacy. It is unfortunate because the challenges facing the nation need strong leadership that makes hard choices with the best hope of long term success, not public relations victories for the short term. His “signature” policy, the Affordable Healthcare Act (ObamaCare), had it been popular, actually “affordable”, and easily accessible, would have been a major part of his legacy. However, it has none of these attributes, a fact that has created the possibility of more of a Carter-like than Reaganesque legacy. Carter is most remembered for a period of prolonged stagflation and his weak response to both the capture and 444 day imprisonment of the American embassy staff in Iran, and the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. Reagan has done somewhat better with his policies of strength towards the Soviet Union and its subsequent collapse. With ObamaCare off the table as a candidate for part of a positive legacy, Obama has turned, almost with some desperation, towards “executive action” rather than the more difficult demands of leadership and negotiation with the new and recalcitrant Republican Congress. These initiatives have a definite liberal orientation which Obama is apparently betting will have the best chance of being evaluated as historically important and positive by presidential historians who ar mostly college professors. This has some risks however as his use of an Executive Order to create a major change to immigration policy without the inconvenience of Congress being involved in passing the necessary legislation may ultimately be seen as an unconstitutional abuse of presidential power. His veto of a bipartisan bill to allow the construction of the Canadian sponsored Keystone pipeline to deliver crude oil form Western Canada to refineries in Oklahoma and the Gulf Coast is an obvious pander to environmental extremists who oppose all fossil fuel development. While Obama may want to be remembered as the “environmental President”, this decision is also politically unpopular and largely symbolic since it will not have any impact on the production of oil in the regions in question. So a political position that is both unpopular and ineffective is highly problematic as a legacy factor. Obama however is also stubbornly hanging on to the hope that the prolonged negotiations with the Iranian government to prevent it from developing a nuclear weapons capability will be the kind of breakthrough that will do the legacy trick. It’s not going well. No one, officially or otherwise, including the UN’s nuclear watch dog agency, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) believes the Iranian government’s claim that they are only pursuing research for medical and energy reasons. Iran’s vast uranium enrichment infrastructure, much of which is conveniently buried in “hardened” sites, is not necessary for either of these peaceful enterprises. Iran is engaging in nuclear weapons research and development and has been for over a decade. The current negotiations with Iran are being conducted by the five permanent members of the UN Security Council, (U.S., UK, France, Russia, China) and Germany, known as the P5+1. These attempts at a diplomatic solution to removing the threat during the Obama Administration’s two terms has followed the same track as the prior negotiations. The Iranians consider talks and then stall. Then they agree to talks but not to anything substantive and stall, all the while refusing to allow full inspections of their facilities by the IAEA. Economic sanctions have been imposed by UN Security Council resolutions numerous times, as well as by individual nations including the U. S. Combined with the effects of the world recession which began in 2008, the Iranian economy suffered substantial negative effects. However, in January, 2014 the U.S. and the EU commenced a series of sanction relief measures pursuant to a prior agreement with Iran to suspend nuclear fuel enrichment processes and renew formal negotiations for a permanent solution to the enrichment question. This had the short term desired effect of bringing Iran back to the negotiating table. But the sanctions imposing states made substantial concessions just to get the Iranians to negotiate without requiring anything substantive with respect to the enrichment process or enhanced inspections. Now a so called “framework” for specific agreements is supposedly “close” to being approved, although the time frame keeps getting set back. Obama has threatened to “walk away” if the Iranians don’t agree to the proposed terms, a far cry from his earlier stance that Iran would not be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon, and his oft repeated, but not recent, statement that “all options are on the table”. This is diplomatic jargon which implies the threat of the use of military action as a last resort. However, Obama has not inspired much confidence with “red line” threats in the past, as his blunders over the Syrian government’s use of chemical weapons on its own civilian populace demonstrated, and it is doubtful that the Iranian leadership takes it seriously. But the quest for an Iranian component in this awkward legacy pursuit still dominates the process. Unfortunately the proposed agreement that the Iranians are considering is flawed in several respects and has become a domestic political football. The problems with the proposed agreement are the provisions that allow Iran to keep their vast enrichment infrastructure, even though they would agree to deactivate it. Inspections are included but details are lacking and Iran has a history of non-compliance with previous inspections agreements. Also, the entire agreement has a “sunset” clause that would make it inoperative in ten years. This may seem like a long time to Obama whose term of office ends in less than two years, but to the Israelis it represents a clicking clock similar to that of the of “Doomsday Clock” maintained by the “Bulletin of Atomic Scientists which measures the proximity of global nuclear catastrophe. Iran’s development of long range ballistic missiles, the delivery system for nuclear weapons, has been ignored and there are also no political requirements with respect to Iran’s support of international terrorism or their overt hostility to Israel. Sensing political opposition to the agreement and in line with his announced strategy of ignoring the Constitutional role of Congress in the creation of public policy, Obama has determined to make any agreement a matter of Executive fiat. The President has much authority in the conduct of foreign policy but it is not exclusive. The President’s treaty making authority is shared by the Senate which must approve by a two thirds majority and as a matter of political reality, significant agreements with foreign nations involving U.S. security interests need to have popular support as best defined by the people’s representatives in both houses of Congress. That is why Obama has asked the Congress for a joint authorization for the use of force against the terrorist Islamic State in Iraq and Syria. Obama could agree to the Iran proposal as a form of executive agreement and he has broad powers to impose and remove economic sanctions but he needs a similar Congressional Resolution of approval at least to put an end to what would be a continuing and debilitating political controversy. The Iranian negotiations and proposed agreement have serious opposition in the Republican controlled Congress and the issue was dramatically elevated by the recent address to the Congress by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel at the invitation of Speaker of the House John Boehner. The Speaker did not seek President Obama’s approval prior to the invitation, which Obama condemned as a breach of protocol and a sign of disrespect. In a fit of petulance Obama refused to meet with the Prime Minister on his trip to Washington and the Administration’s supporters asked the Democrats in the Congress to boycott the speech. This affront to the head of state of America’s only democratic ally in the Middle East is both personal and unprecedented. Cooperation with Israel is essential in many areas of U.S. interests in the region and a failed personal relationship between the leaders over “protocol” is inexcusable. The Prime Minister is not concerned with Obama’s “legacy” and has stated that “No deal is better than a bad deal” when it comes to Israel’s survival. Netanyahu, who is not a party to the negotiations with Iran, made the point that Israel has the most at stake in the international effort to deny Iran a nuclear weapons capability. He correctly pointed out that while the U.S. and the rest of the P5+1 nations which are conducting the negotiations have national security concerns with respect to nuclear weapons proliferation and regional instability in the Middle East, Israel’s concerns are the very survival of the Jewish state which Iran has vowed to “wipe from the map”. Unfortunately, Obama has demonstrated a marked disdain for the positions of the Israeli government with respect to its security policies involving the conflict with the Palestinian Authority, the terrorist government in Gaza and the on -going nuclear issues with Iran. Another complicating factor has been the unusual act of 47 Republican Senators in writing a letter to the Iranian government making it clear that any agreement signed by the President without the approval of the Congress would last only as long as the President remained in office. The implication was that a Republican President who might succeed Obama in 2017 would be free, and likely, to revoke U.S. participation and any obligations there in. This was an unfortunate and virtually unprecedented intrusion into the diplomatic process which is the proper domain of the Executive branch. The letter, if it was to be written, should have been addressed to President Obama as a reminder of the importance of gaining Congressional input and approval for what has become a matter of vital U.S. security interests. It remains to be seen what the final agreement will look like, or if there is a final agreement. Unfortunately, it appears that Obama and the other P+5 negotiators are more interested in getting an agreement than in getting an agreement that addresses all the major issues in an effective and permanent way. REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL RACE With twelve or more “potential” presidential candidates and counting, the Republican effort is taking on the aspect of Yogi’s famous quote, “It’s déjà vu all over again”. A dozen is plenty to form another circular firing squad to produce “The son of 2012”. Granted, the ratio of credible candidates in terms of background and qualifications to the status seeking fringe dwellers is better this time but attempts by the Republican National Committee to avoid the chaos of the ridiculous number of primary debates in 2012 will be undermined by the sheer number of candidates. “Debates”, which are really hyped group interviews and which are hijacked by publicity seeking moderators, simply can’t be organized around twelve or more candidates. A two hour format with breaks, would allow less than four two and a half minute questions and answers per candidate. Even avoiding the Gong Show nonsense perpetrated by moderators in the past, the expectation of any serious discussions on policy positions would be very low. The post-debate panels of “theater critics” focus on style over substance and alleged gaffes, to decide the “winners” and “losers”. But that’s just the stylistic issue with this crowded field. The more serious problem as exhibited in the 2012 primary election season was the fratricidal demonizing of the front runners even before the Democrats took their shots. The primary campaign is a competition and it should demonstrate the differences in approach to important national issues. The problem is that the inflated multi-candidate competition can become a desperate campaign of personal and hyper-ideological attacks to attract narrow interest group support which divide and disgust the broader conservative voting constituency and which provide fodder for the same kind of demonization by the Democratic candidate and “her” Greek chorus in the media and blogosphere. Some conservative columnists have lauded the fact that there are “fresh faces” in this season’s stable of candidates, and indeed there are. But fresh isn’t the same thing as credible or electable and “old” faces whose political shelf life is near their expiration dates clutter up the landscape. Among the newer possibilities, some do stand out in a positive way. However, it would be a mistake to take the response at Iowa’s recent “first in the nation” political event, the Iowa Freedom Summit, as a reliable measure of electibility on a national scale. That the Iowa caucuses to be held in January, 2016 are important because they are “first” is a media inflated assertion and they say little about competence. Iowa voters are not representative of the national electorate nor reflective of Republicans and conservative leaning Independents nation-wide. This is easily demonstrated by the winners and runner ups in previous Iowa caucuses. In 2008 the Iowa Republican Caucus winner in January, was Mike Huckabee who dropped out of the race in March after winning only 278 delegates in several primaries. The actual Republican nominee was John McCain who came in 4th in the Iowa caucuses. In 2012 the Republican Iowa Caucus winner was Rick Santorum who dropped out in April after accumulating only 250 delegates; the Republican nominee was Mitt Romney. Huckabee and Santorum are back. It remains to be seen if their messages are different this time around but the narrow, faith based political orientation of Iowa’s mostly evangelical Christian Republican voters is likely to remain the same. Huckabee, the former Baptist minister and Arkansas governor, already seems to be trying to repeat his caucus winning appeal to religious conservatives by criticizing gay marriage and sexuality of all sorts. These positions might get him some votes in socially conservative states as personal opinions but they don’t represent any viable legal or public policy positions and stand in opposition to majorities in public opinion polls. Santorum ran in 2012 as the anti-abortion, anti-birth control candidate which drowned out his other positions on economic and security matters. If he follows Huckabee’s lead and tries to repeat a social issues victory in the non-representative Iowa caucuses in 2016, he will split the religious conservative vote with Huckabee and both will become early second time historical footnotes. Rick Perry, quasi-“fresh face” former governor of Texas and brief Republican candidate in 2012 is looking like he’s giving it another try. If so, he can be expected to combine traditional southern conservatism with emphasis on the vibrant Texas economy in comparison with the slower and struggling economies of other states. It remains to be seen if the recent slump in oil prices and attendant lay-offs in the heavily energy dependent Texas economy will harm this message. He lasted only four months in 2012 and dropped out after saying in a televised debate that he would cut several federal cabinet departments if elected President but then couldn’t remember which ones. He is not an exciting speaker but if he can remember his positions this time he might last at least past the Iowa Caucuses in January but it is hard to see that he would have much appeal in the second primary in New Hampshire where Texas drawls and social issues don’t excite the voters as much as economic issues. Sarah Palin showed up at the Iowa Freedom Summit after saying she was “interested” in running for President. She isn’t. She is just trying to keep her name in the media discussion to support her dwindling speaking fees. She has no personal money raising ability, no competent staff, and no desire to do the hard work to become conversant with the important issues. That is a good thing since she would be embarrassing side show as she was when she gave a cringe inducing, head shaking and incredibly incoherent speech to the befuddled conservatives at the Summit. Since her similarly rambling speech while resigning from the governorship of Alaska in 2009, Palin has demonstrated the same remarkable empty headedness and lack of intellectual curiosity that contributed to the failed McCain/Palin campaign in 2008. She has has since limited her public political pronouncements to ideological platitudes, semi-comical attacks on the “lame stream media” and anti-liberal bumper sticker quality slogans. It is unlikely that she would again subject herself to a public test of thoughtfulness in a televised debate. But what about the “new faces” for 2016? At this point are there is much talk about Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker who made his reputation by taking on public employee unions, surviving a union inspired recall election, and then going on to win a second term in the next general election, all in the “blue” state of Wisconsin. That history certainly has appeal to Republicans and will keep Walker in the news, and the race unless he fails to formulate a broader vision and specific policies that recommend him to a wide segment of voters. As the current threat to Hillary by virtue of positive poll numbers, his lack of a four year college degree has been hyped by liberal foot soldiers in the media but is over stated. He finished three years and quit to go to work , and his lack of a diploma might not hurt him with the 74% of the population who also do not have college degrees. His success will depend on his intellectual acumen and grasp of public policy issues which will determine his fitness for office, but that is to come. Recently however, he has been tempted to try for an early win by emphasizing the positions on abortion and gay marriage that appear to be litmus tests for Republican voters in Iowa. Once stated those positions become embedded in a candidate’s public perception of him and will harden opposition among more centrist voters. Chris Christy, the Republican governor of “bright blue” New Jersey is indeed a “fresh face” with a fresh “say it like it is” personality which has a certain appeal to those who see most politicians as double talking and unassertive. His early popularity in polls vs. Hillary brought immediate attacks from the threatened liberal punditry but proved ineffective. He is not the rigid social conservative that Iowa voters like but he is emphasizing other issues and could be a surprise player. Rand Paul, the Republican Senator from Kentucky is an interesting candidate since as a libertarian he doesn’t represent the typical conservative politician who accepts certain levels of government as inevitable and/or necessary, as well as greater levels of foreign policy and military involvement. Paul has been trying to move to the middle some, as well as adopting some positions traditionally found on the Left such as criticizing the “security state” with regard to surveillance and privacy. But an isolationist foreign and trade policy is difficult to sell in a world immersed in globalization and beset by economic challenges, instability, and terrorist threats. Still, Paul offers an interesting counter point to international activism and appeals to voters who want the rest of the world to solve their own problems. Marko Rubio, Republican Senator from Florida comes across as intelligent, articulate and compatible with traditional conservative positions. He is also “Hispanic” in the Cuban immigrant sense of the word, and has a political base in Florida which is a very important electoral college state. He is also young (43) and may seem to some voters as still relatively inexperienced and untested. Ted Cruz is the junior senator from Texas. While a “new face” and an unrepentant social and ideological conservative, he often appears strident and unrealistically uncompromising, as his willingness to deny passing a continuing resolution to fund federal government operations and avoid another politically disastrous government shutdown has shown. His focus on repealing Obamacare has made him a popular figure among those who see this program as Obama’s biggest failure, but Cruz will have to broaden his appeal. He is a first term Senator and at 44 also relatively young. He sports an Hispanic name but while his father is Cuban born, his mother, a natural born American citizen, is not and he was born in Canada, thus his appeal to the mostly Mexican and Central American Hispanic voters based simply on ethnicity is questionable. That leaves the rest of the “fresh faces” with the exception of Jeb Bush, which as a group fall into a category best described as “clutter”. “Dark horses” have occasionally emerged in U.S. national politics but the reality of the need for huge financial support, experienced staff and the ability to capture a defining issue makes these candidates real underdogs. Ben Carson is a soft spoken values candidate. His background, and only expertise as a neurosurgeon detracts from his credibility as the potential “leader of the free world”. Following a President who entered office with little on his resume’ to recommend him as a competent candidate and then proving over and over that he wasn’t, will be a tough sell for the surgeon. He currently seems to be adopting the role as the “conscience of the conservative” movement and he will have to address the need for specific policies which he can explain and justify if he wants to attract financial support and progress past the social issue primaries in Iowa and mostly southern states, which seems highly unlikely. Carly Fiarino is this year’s “female Republican candidate”, maybe. In 2012 it was former Representative Michele Bachmann . Being female wasn’t enough for Bachmann and won’t be enough for Fiarino. While Bachmann suffered from terminal goofiness, Fiarino enters the race, if she does, suffering from a complete lack of political experience. Nonetheless, there is a quasi-strategy among some of the candidates who are governors or former governors which touts their “non-Washington” background. Whether Fiarino could use this to her advantage remains to be seen. What is known about her is that she made a successful career in technology, rising from an administrative trainee at AT&T in 1980 to CEO of tech giant Hewlett-Packard in 1997. Much was made of her being a “first female CEO”, “most powerful female in business” etc. which could be a slight asset in a presidential race but not a defining one. The downside of her background is the fact that she was fired from Hewlett-Packard in 2005 after a dispute with its Board of Directors. Since then she has herself made a career out of serving on numerous other corporate and non-profit boards. Her one foray into electoral politics was a failed 2010 attempt to unseat Democratic California Senator Barbara Boxer in an election which she lost badly. All in all, besides being female and having a strong private sector and executive background there is not much that separates her from most of the other potential candidates and it will be a difficult task to excite and inspire a political following sufficient for the job. That leaves Jeb Bush who is either the “elephant in the room” or the dark shadow of the former president, his brother George W. Bush. He is smart, articulate, and was a popular governor of Florida. He has been cast as a “moderate” by both his supporters and his adversaries. Hard core conservatives denounce his public stands on immigration and the “Common Core” education initiative. Independents and center Left voters might like him but dedicated liberals see him as the heir to George W.’s presidency which they condemn as incompetent and dominated by a “failed” war in Iraq. For some voters three Bush’s in the White House might just seem to be “too much”. However, compared to two Clintons it might not seem too bad. The Republican “establishment” i.e. big donors, seem to be coalescing around his candidacy but it is very early in the process and he will have to withstand the “too moderate” criticisms from the Republican Right and the “too Bush” criticisms from the Democratic punditry for the long haul. For Jeb, being a “moderate” isn’t good in the early Republican primaries of Iowa and South Carolina which pundits like to characterize as make or break contests. New Hampshire which follows Iowa is conservative but less dominated by social issues and that primary might be a launching pad or a “flame out” for Jeb. Mitt Romney was attacked for the same lack of ideological rigidity but overcame it by simply appearing to be the most electable, in no small part because voters outside the doctrinaire Right saw him as more moderate. So far Bush’s early poll numbers show him to be withstanding the “too moderate” narrative but the primary season hasn’t yet formally begun and all the candidates will eventually have to show that they have actual answers to the nation’s problems. Unfortunately, this effort will be clouded by exaggerated ideological and personal attacks as the candidates try to separate themselves from their opponents. Hopefully, this herd of candidates will dwindle to a number insufficient to form the circular firing squad and the target will switch to Hillary. GREECE: ADVANCED WELFARE STATE MEETS REALITY The recent election in Greece of a far Left government presents a challenge to decades of thinking in the halls of European Union and the 19 nation Eurozone group. Always oriented to the Left in spite of the usual “conservative/democratic socialist” pendulum swings among the governments in the member nations, the treaty based organizations now find themselves dealing with a revolt against fiscal discipline in a small nation that ironically is “too entrenched in the system to fail”. New Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras led his Syriza party to a parliamentary plurality with the appeal of his defiance of a punishing austerity program imposed on the Greek economy by its bail out saviors, the European Central Bank and the International Monetary Fund. Years of corruption, tax evasion and profligate government spending to support the never ending demands of a huge and highly unionized public labor force and the purchase of voters support through the unsupportable expenditures of an advanced welfare state, brought about the inevitable reality of economic crisis. The crisis is not new but the tipping point was the 2009 world-wide recession. In 2010, when Greece faced the possibility of not being able to pay its international debts the EU and IMF extended two “bailouts” in the form of $140 billion and $165 billion. Private sector investors (banks) wrote off three quarters of the value of their Greek government bond purchases and recast the remaining balances to longer maturity dates and lower interest rates. These actions did not represent “gifts”. Conditions were attached which included significant government spending cuts, tax increases and major “labor market and government pension reforms” (cuts). However, so dependent by the government on the injection of liquidity into the economy by its spending patterns that the “austerity” reforms had the effect of drastically reducing government tax revenue. The result was a kind of circular and self -reinforcing crisis. The crisis also led to potential bond purchasers to demand significantly higher rates of return which also heightened the burden of future repayment of interest and principle. In spite of the hardships and contradictory outcomes of the austerity conditions ECB officials, led by Germany and IMF officials held fast to their determination that any relief demanded that the Greek government bring about future financial stability and live up to their repayment obligations for the loans already paid out. That resolve remains today as tax payers (and voters) in financially stable Eurozone nations object to bailing out what they see as irresponsible excesses by former Greek governments. Eurozone finance ministers in 2012 gave Greece until 2016 to meet the required deficit reduction requirements. This is a huge problem as Greek debt and the interest payments it produces amounted to $407 billion or 175 % of GDP. With government tax revenue, already low because of rampant evasion, it was, and remains, grossly inadequate. The politics of the crisis represent a seemingly impossible conundrum. From the point of view of the ECB, private sector investors and the IMF, loan forgiveness, new loans and below market interest rate concessions without the necessary cuts in spending which demand cuts in public services, public employment, and tax reform, creates a permanent black hole of international support. However, without support in the short term the Greek government is in danger of default on its sovereign debt. This debt is issued in the Eurozone currency, the Euro. Default would result in the devaluation of the Euro across the zone and would probably require Greece to drop out of the Eurozone. That in itself would exacerbate the crisis since a return to the Greek drachma currency would immediately result in a major devaluation of that currency since Greek debt would no longer be propped up by the Euro. This would make it almost impossible for Greece to borrow in international financial markets as well as cause hyper-inflation in Greece as everything imported would be much more costly. The prospect of a nation essentially going bankrupt would loom on the horizon. EU leaders want to avoid such a scenario if at all possible. This would seem to point to tough negotiations to achieve some sort of compromise which afforded new bail out monies and a continuation of, if somewhat less stringent, austerity measures. Now the context of negotiations has changed with the new Greek government. The hardships of the situation on the Greek people have produced a reaction which focuses on relief from the austerity program without concern for the longer term prospects of a lack of reform. This should not be a surprise given the growing strength of the political Left in Greece and in other southern European nations hard hit by the recent financial crisis, especially Spain and Portugal. The victor in the January, 2015 Greek election, the Syriza party is led by Alex Tsipras. Syriza is actually an acronym for the group named the Radical Coalition of the Left, itself an umbrella group of leftist parties. Mr. Tsipras, a forty year old activist and now Prime Minister, came from the youth wing of the Greek Communist Party, and was a candidate for mayor of Athens in 2006. He campaigned on a vow to reject the austerity program required by the extenders of the billions of bail out money and to demand a renegotiation of all terms. That such a promise was politically popular is no surprise. What is a bit unusual and reflective of the widespread unhappiness with the conditions is the creation of the “strange bedfellow” of Right wing party New Democracy with which Tsipras formed a coalition government in order to create a parliamentary majority. It remains to be seen how long this “marriage of convenience” will last. What they have in common is a strong anti-austerity position. New Democracy leader Panos Kammenos has described the nation’s creditors as “foreign conquerors” but unlike the Sryiza Party’s current position which endorses continued membership in the Eurozone, New Democracy feels that Greek sovereignty has been diminished by the EU and IMF. The prospects for a workable negotiated compromise are daunting. Market factors which are not controlled by either side are having a dramatic impact on the problem. In response to the new Left wing government’s election, concerned investors drove Greek stock prices down and borrowing costs up. Bank shares lost 27% after the election. In simple terms the short term Greek situation is as follows: The bail out in progress by the ECB, the European Commission and the IMF is scheduled to end on February 28, 2015. Under prior agreement an additional 1.8 billion Euros could be provided in the form of loans if the new Greek government fulfilled the “austerity” conditions previously required. However estimates of the amount Greece will need to meet its obligations in the first quarter of 2015 run as high as 4.3 billion Euros leaving the Greek government little leverage in negotiations to renegotiate debt already outstanding. The Greek Prime Minister and Finance Minister are traveling the capitals of Europe (2-4-15) for meetings with top political and European Union officials in an attempt to negotiate the required terms to keep the Greek economy afloat. Early reports indicate that the Greek officials have “blinked” with regard to their domestic assertions that Eurozone held debt would have to be “written down” i.e. forgiven at least partially. Resistance by Germany and EU officials made this a non-starter in negotiations . However, there have also been some conciliatory remarks from the President Hollande of France with respect to the need to find some compromise. However the political situation which results from Prime Minister Tsipras victory has made his ability to negotiate much more difficult even if he wanted to, which is dubious given his background and ideological orientation. He promised to increase government spending, not reduce it. Included in this effort was to be forgiveness of electrical bills, expansion of food stamps and an apparent abandonment of a proposal to raise revenue by privatizing government owned entities, as well as the more general promise to seriously diminish the austerity program through renegotiation. Failure to live up to these election promises could create significant political problems for his government coalition. The political stakes are also significant for the Eurozone since major concessions to Greece will not be lost on Leftist and populist movements in other struggling countries such as Spain. Germany and the EU Commission which is executive branch of the entire European Union, are very concerned that such a turn of events could destroy the cohesiveness of the Union and drastically affect the value of the Euro. Nonetheless, a failure of Greece to take the necessary steps to stabilize its economy and default on its debt could bring about a voluntary or mandatory withdrawal from the Eurozone which Germany and the Commission also want to avoid. The multiple causes of the Greek crisis may offer lessons for other EU and Eurozone nations which are already known and may come too late to avoid . A fundamental flaw in the structure of the Eurozone contributed and remains. The European Central Bank, a rough equivalent of the U.S. Federal Reserve Bank was charged with managing monetary policy for the Eurozone nations. The difficulty of imposing a single policy on nineteen different political economies and political cultures was clearly underestimated. Inflation, employment, export vs. domestic industrial prospects and the ability of the central banks of the individual countries in the zone to issue debt denominated in the shared currency all represent a weakness in the system. Also in Greece as in most of the EU nations, the ideological orientation which informs the creation of advanced welfare states lays at the foundation of the crisis. A bloated public employee sector designed to provide political patronage and prop up employment produces nothing to contribute to economic growth and demands constant increases in expenditures in the form of wages, benefits and retirement. Tax evasion was tolerated and public services and ever growing entitlements expanded as deficits were funded by debt creation. The reality check imposed by the 2009 world recession brought an end to the cycle of debt creation, interest obligations and unchecked social program expansion. The debt service to revenue ratio simply became unsupportable. This is basic economics but the demands of domestic politics turned the heads of the political leadership and the crisis imploded. Now citizens of Greece and other southern European nations blame their governments for the harsh remedies imposed by international lenders without much concern about the failed underlying policies from which they benefitted. The so called array of “populist” movements will try to defy the dynamics of the self- correcting capitalist systems but will inevitably fail. The results of the Greek crisis do not apply equally to the U.S. but the symptoms are relevant. The U.S. economy is huge and diversified and it enjoys the benefits of the U.S. dollar being the foremost international reserve currency. But the constant expansion of advanced welfare state characteristics, especially uncontrolled federal debt to pay for associated excessive spending will have consequences. Higher interest rates to renew such debt and the growing diversion of national income to service the debt, at some point will put pressures for devaluation of the dollar against other currencies and will be inflationary by making foreign imports more expensive. The Federal Reserve’s response to inflationary pressures will be to reduce the money supply by selling government bonds and raising short term interest rates. It is a delicate balance and the current deficit/debt growth and the ideologically based expansion of government demands similar attention as that being applied to Greece. DEMOCRATS DIVIDED: OBAMA AND THE TRANSPACIFICPARTN... B.A. Political Science Brown University; M.A. Political Science University of Central Oklahoma; Ph.D. Political Science University of Oklahoma; Adj.Prof. Political Science,Ret.: Military: Naval Flight Officer; Business: Former Mortgage Banking Executive: E-mail: brucegordon@q.com	cc/2020-05/en_head_0057.json.gz/line312

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