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__label__wiki	0.697329	0.697329	Home > Catholic Encyclopedia > S > Scripture Sacred Scripture is one of the several names denoting the inspired writings which make up the Old and New Testament. Use of the word The corresponding Latin word scriptura occurs in some passages of the Vulgate in the general sense of "writing"; e.g., Exodus 32:16: "the writing also of God was graven in the tables"; again, 2 Chronicles 36:22: "who [Cyrus] commanded it to be proclaimed through all his kingdom, and by writing also". In other passages of the Vulgate the word denotes a private (Tobit 8:24) or public (Ezra 2:62; Nehemiah 7:64) written document, a catalogue or index (Psalm 86:6), or finally portions of Scripture, such as the canticle of Ezechias (Isaiah 38:5), and the sayings of the wise men (Sirach 44:5). The writer of 2 Chronicles 30:5, 18, refers to prescriptions of the Law by the formula "as it is written", which is rendered by the Septuagint translators kata ten graphen; para ten graphen, "according to Scripture". The same expression is found in Ezra 3:4 and Nehemiah 8:15; here we have the beginning of the later form of appeal to the authority of the inspired books gegraptai (Matthew 4:4, 6, 10; 21:13; etc.), or kathos gegraptai (Romans 1:11; 2:24, etc.), "it is written", "as it is written". As the verb graphein was thus employed to denote passages of the sacred writings, so the corresponding noun he graphe gradually came to signify what is pre-eminently the writing, or the inspired writing. This use of the word may be seen in John 7:38 and 10:35; Acts 8:32; Romans 4:3 and 9:17; Galatians 3:8 and 4:30; 2 Timothy 3:16; James 2:8; 1 Peter 2:6; 2 Peter 1:20; the plural form of the noun, ai graphai, is used in the same sense in Matthew 21:42; 22:29; 26:54; Mark 12:24; 14:49; Luke 24:27, 45; John 5:39; Acts 17:2, 17 and 18:24-28; 1 Corinthians 15:3-4. In a similar sense are employed the expressions graphai hagiai (Romans 1:2), ai graphai ton propheton (Matthew 26:56), graphai prophetikai (Romans 16:26). The word has a somewhat modified sense in Christ's question, "and have you not read this scripture" (Mark 12:10). In the language of Christ and the Apostles the expression "scripture" or "scriptures" denotes the sacred books of the Jews. The New Testament uses the expressions in this sense about fifty times; but they occur more frequently in the Fourth Gospel and the Epistles than in the synoptic Gospels. At times, the contents of Scripture are indicated more accurately as comprising the Law and the Prophets (Romans 3:21; Acts 28:23), or the Law of Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms (Luke 24:44). The Apostle St. Peter extends the designation Scripture also to tas loipas graphas (2 Peter 3:16), denoting the Pauline Epistles; St. Paul (1 Timothy 5:18) seems to refer by the same expression to both Deuteronomy 25:4 and Luke 10:7. It is disputed whether the word graphe in the singular is ever used of the Old Testament as a whole. Lightfoot (Galatians 3:22) expresses the opinion that the singular graphe in the New Testament always means a particular passage of Scripture. But in Romans 4:3, he modifies his view, appealing to Dr. Vaughan's statement of the case. He believes that the usage of St. John may admit a doubt, though he does not think so, personally; but St. Paul's practice is absolute and uniform. Mr. Hort says (1 Peter 2:6) that in St. John and St. Paul he graphe is capable of being understood as approximating to the collective sense (cf. Westcott, "Hebr.", pp. 474 sqq.; Deissmann, "Bibelstudien", pp. 108 sqq., Eng. tr., pp. 112 sqq., Warfield, "Pres. and Reform. Review", X, July, 1899, pp. 472 sqq.). Here arises the question whether the expression of St. Peter (2 Peter 3:16) tas loipas graphas refers to a collection of St. Paul's Epistles. Spitta contends that the term graphai is used in a general non-technical meaning, denoting only writings of St. Paul's associates (Spitta, "Der zweite Brief des Petrus und der Brief des Judas", 1885, p. 294). Zahn refers the term to writings of a religious character which could claim respect in Christian circles either on account of their authors or on account of their use in public worship (Einleitung, pp. 98 sqq., 108). But Mr. F.H. Chase adheres to the principle that the phrase ai graphai used absolutely points to a definite and recognized collection of writings, i.e., Scriptures. The accompanying words, kai, tas loipas, and the verb streblousin in the context confirm Mr. Chase in his conviction (cf. Dict. of the Bible, III, p. 810b). Nature of Scripture According to the Jews Whether the terms graphe, graphai, and their synonymous expressions to biblion (Nehemiah 8:8), ta biblia (Daniel 9:2), kephalis bibliou (Psalm 39:8), he iera biblos (2 Maccabees 8:23), ta biblia ta hagia (1 Maccabees 12:9), ta iera grammata (2 Timothy 3:15) refer to particular writings or to a collection of books, they at least show the existence of a number of written documents the authority of which was generally accepted as supreme. The nature of this authority may be inferred from a number of other passages. According to Deuteronomy 31:9-13, Moses wrote the Book of the Law (of the Lord), and delivered it to the priests that they might keep it and read it to the people; see also Exodus 17:14; Deuteronomy 17:18-19; 27:1; 28:1; 58-61; 29:20; 30:10; 31:26; 1 Samuel 10:25; 1 Kings 2:3; 2 Kings 22:8. It is clear from 2 Kings 23:1-3, that towards the end of the Jewish kingdom the Book of the Law of the Lord was held in the highest honour as containing the precepts of the Lord Himself. That this was also the case after the Captivity, may be inferred from II Esdr., viii, 1-9, 13,14, 18; the book here mentioned contained the injunctions concerning the Feast of Tabernacles found in Lev., xxiii, 34 sq.; Deuteronomy 16:13 sq., and is therefore identical with the pre-Exilic Sacred Books. According to I Mach., i, 57-59, Antiochus commanded the Books of the Law of the Lord to be burned and their retainers to slain. We learn from II Mach., ii, 13, that at the time of Nehemias there existed a collection of books containing historical, prophetical, and psalmodic writings; since the collection is represented as uniform, and since the portions were considered as certainly of Divine authority, we may infer that this characteristic was ascribed to all, at least in some degree. Coming down to the time of Christ, we find that Flavius Josephus attributes to the twenty-two protocanonical books of the Old Testament Divine authority, maintaining that they had been written under Divine inspiration and that they contain God's teachings (Contra Appion., I, vi-viii). The Hellenist Philo too is acquainted with the three parts of the sacred Jewish books to which he ascribes an irrefragable authority, because they contain God's oracles expressed through the instrumentality of the sacred writers ("De vit. Mosis", pp. 469, 658 sq.; "De monarchia", p. 564). According to Christian living This concept of Scripture is fully upheld by the Christian teaching. Jesus Christ Himself appeals to the authority of Scripture, "Search the scriptures" (John 5:39); He maintains that "one jot, or one tittle shall not pass of the law, till all be fulfilled" (Matthew 5:18); He regards it as a principle that "the Scripture cannot be broken" (John 10:35); He presents the word of Scripture as the word of the eternal Father (John 5:33-41), as the word of a writer inspired by the Holy Ghost (Matthew 22:43), as the word of God (Matthew 19:4-5; 22:31); He declares that "all things must needs be fulfilled which are written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me (Luke 24:44). The Apostles knew that "prophecy came not by the will of man at any time: but the holy men of God spoke, inspired by the Holy Ghost" (2 Peter 1:21); they regarded "all scripture, inspired of God" as "profitable to teach, to reprove, to correct, to instruct in justice" (2 Timothy 3:16). They considered the words of Scripture as the words of God speaking in the inspired writer or by the mouth of the inspired writer (Hebrews 4:7; Acts 1:15-16; 4:25). Finally, they appealed to Scripture as to an irresistible authority (Romans, passim), they supposed that parts of Scripture have a typical sense such as only God can employ (John 19:36; Hebrews 1:5; 7:3 sqq.), and they derived most important conclusions even from a few words or certain grammatical forms of Scripture (Galatians 3:16; Hebrews 12:26-27). It is not surprising, then, that the earliest Christian writers speak in the same strain of the Scriptures. St. Clement of Rome (I Corinthians 45) tells his readers to search the Scriptures for the truthful expressions of the Holy Ghost. St. Irenæus (Against Heresies II.38.2) considers the Scriptures as uttered by the Word of God and His Spirit. Origen testifies that it is granted by both Jews and Christians that the Bible was written under (the influence of) the Holy Ghost (Against Celsus V.10); again, he considers it as proven by Christ's dwelling in the flesh that the Law and the Prophets were written by a heavenly charisma, and that the writings believed to be the words of God are not men's work (De princ., iv, vi). St. Clement of Alexandria receives the voice of God who has given the Scriptures, as a reliable proof (Stromata I.2). According to ecclesiastical documents Not to multiply patristic testimony for the Divine authority of Scripture, we may add the official doctrine of the Church on the nature of Sacred Scripture. The fifth ecumenical council condemned Theodore of Mopsuestia for his opposition against the Divine authority of the books of Solomon, the Book of Job, and the Canticle of Canticles. Since the fourth century the teaching of the Church concerning the nature of the Bible is practically summed up in the dogmatic formula that God is the author of Sacred Scripture. According to the first chapter of the Council of Carthage (A.D. 398), bishops before being consecrated must express their belief in this formula, and this profession of faith is exacted of them even today. In the thirteenth century, Innocent III imposed this formula on the Waldensians; Clement IV exacted its acceptance from Michael Palaeologus, and the emperor actually accepted it in his letter to the Second Council of Lyons (1272). The same formula was repeated in the fifteenth century by Eugenius IV in his Decree for the Jacobites, in the sixteenth century by the Council of Trent (Sess. IV, decr. de can. Script.), and in the nineteenth century by the Vatican Council. What is implied in this Divine authorship of Sacred Scripture, and how it is to be explained, has been set forth in the article INSPIRATION. Collection of Sacred Books What has been said implies that Scripture does not refer to any single book, but comprises a number of books written at different times and by different writers working under the inspiration of the Holy Ghost. Hence the question, how could such a collection be made, and how was it made in point of fact? Question of right The main difficulty as to the first question (quoestio juris) arises from the fact that a book must be Divinely inspired in order to lay claim to the dignity of being regarded as Scripture. Various methods have been suggested for ascertaining the fact of inspiration. It has been claimed that so-called internal criteria are sufficient to lead us to the knowledge of this fact. But on closer investigation they prove inadequate. Miracles and prophecies require a Divine intervention in order that they may happen, not in order that they may be recorded; hence a work relating miracles or prophecies is not necessarily inspired. The so-called ethico-aesthetic criterium is inadequate. It fails to establish that certain portions of Scripture are inspired writings, e.g., the genealogical tables, and the summary accounts of the kings of Juda, while it favours the inspiration of several post-Apostolic works, e.g., of the "Imitation of Christ", and of the "Epistles" of St. Ignatius Martyr. The same must be said of the psychological criterium, or the effect which the perusal of Scripture produces in the heart of the reader. Such emotions are subjective, and vary in different readers. The Epistle of St. James appeared strawlike to Luther, divine to Calvin. These internal criteria are inadequate even if they be taken collectively. Wrong keys are unable to open a lock whether they be used singly or collectively. Other students of this subject have endeavored to establish Apostolic authorship as a criterium of inspiration. But this answer does not give us a criterium for the inspiration of the Old Testament books, nor does it touch the inspiration of the Gospels of St. Mark and St. Luke, neither of whom was an Apostle. Besides, the Apostles were endowed with the gift of infallibility in their teaching, and in their writing as far as it formed part of their teaching; but infallibility in writing does not imply inspiration. Certain writings of the Roman pontiff may be infallible, but they are not inspired; God is not their author. Nor can the criterium of inspiration be placed in the testimony of history. For inspiration is a supernatural fact, known only to God and probably to the inspired writer. Hence human testimony concerning inspiration is based, at best, on the testimony of one person who is, naturally speaking, an interested party in the matter concerning which he testifies. The history of the false prophets of former times as well as of our own day teaches us the futility of such testimony. It is true that miracles and prophecy may, at times, confirm such human testimony as to the inspiration of a work. But, in the first place, not all inspired writers have been prophets or workers of miracles; in the second place, in order that prophecies or miracles may serve as proof of inspiration, it must be clear that the miracles were performed, and the prophecies were uttered, to establish the fact in question; in the third place, if this condition be verified, the testimony for inspiration is no longer merely human, but it has become Divine. No one will doubt the sufficiency of Divine testimony to establish the fact of inspiration; on the other hand, no one can deny the need of such testimony in order that we may distinguish with certainty between an inspired and a non-inspired book. Question of fact It is a rather difficult problem to state with certainty, how and when the several books of the Old and the New Testament were received as sacred by the religious community. Deuteronomy 31:9, 24 sqq., informs us that Moses delivered the Book of the Law to the Levites and the ancients of Israel to be deposited "in the side of the ark of the covenant"; according to Deuteronomy 17:18, the king had to procure for himself a copy of at least a part of the book, so as to "read it all the days of his life". Josue (24:26) added his portion to the law-book of Israel, and this may be regarded as the second step in the collection of the Old Testament writings. According to Isaiah 34:16 and Jeremiah 36:4, the prophets Isaias and Jeremias collected their respective prophetic utterances. The words of 2 Chronicles 29:30, lead us to suppose that in the days of King Ezechias there either existed or originated a collection of the Psalms of David and of Asaph. From Proverbs 25:1, one may infer that about the same time there was made a collection of the Solomonic writings, which may have been added to the collection of psalms. In the second century B.C. the Minor Prophets had been collected into one work (Ecclus., xlix, 12) which is cited in Acts 7:42, as "the books of the prophets". The expressions found in Daniel 9:2, and I Mach., xii, 9, suggest that even these smaller collections had been gathered into a larger body of sacred books. Such a larger collection is certainly implied in the words II Mach., ii, 13, and the prologue of Ecclesiasticus. Since these two passages mention the main divisions of the Old-Testament canon, this latter must have been completed, at least with regard to the earlier books, during the course of the second century B.C. It is generally granted that the Jews in the time of Jesus Christ acknowledged as canonical or included in their collection of sacred writings all the so-called protocanonical books of the Old Testament. Christ and the Apostles endorsed this faith of the Jews, so that we have Divine authority for their Scriptural character. As there are solid reasons for maintaining that some of the New-Testament writers made use of the Septuagint version which contained the deuterocanonical books of the Old Testament, these latter too are in so far attested as part of Sacred Scripture. Again, II Pet., iii, 15-16, ranks all the Epistles of St. Paul with the "other scriptures", and 1 Timothy 5:18, seems to quote Luke 10:7, and to place it on a level with Deuteronomy 25:4. But these arguments for the canonicity of the deuterocanonical books of the Old Testament, of the Pauline Epistles, and of the Gospel of St. Luke do not exclude all reasonable doubt. Only the Church, the infallible bearer of tradition, can furnish us invincible certainty as to the number of the Divinely inspired books of both the Old and the New Testament. See CANON OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURES. Division of Scripture Old and New Testaments As the two dispensations of grace separated from each other by the advent of Jesus are called the Old and the New Testament (Matthew 26:28; 2 Corinthians 3:14), so were the inspired writings belonging to either economy of grace from the earliest times called books of the Old or of the New Testament, or simply the Old or the New Testament. This name of the two great divisions of the inspired writings has been practically common among Latin Christians from the time of Tertullian, though Tertullian himself frequently employs the name "Instrumentum" or legally authentic document; Cassiodorus uses the title "Sacred Pandects", or sacred digest of law. Protocanonical and deuterocanonical The word "canon" denoted at first the material rule, or instrument, employed in various trades; in a metaphorical sense it signified the form of perfection that had to be attained in the various arts or trades. In this metaphorical sense some of the early Fathers urged the canon of truth, the canon of tradition, the canon of faith, the canon of the Church against the erroneous tenets of the early heretics (St. Clem., I Corinthians 7; Clement of Alexandria, Stromata I.16; Origen, De Principiis IV.9; etc.). St. Irenæus employed another metaphor, calling the Fourth Gospel the canon of truth (Against Heresies III.11); St. Isidore of Pelusium applies the name to all the inspired writings (Epist., iv, 14). About the time of St. Augustine (Contra Crescent., II, xxxix) and St. Jerome (Prolog. gal.), the word "canon" began to denote the collection of Sacred Scriptures; among later writers it is used practically in the sense of catalogue of inspired books. In the sixteenth century, Sixtus Senensis, O.P., distinguished between protocanonical and deuterocanonical books. This distinction does not indicate a difference of authority, but only a difference of time at which the books were recognized by the whole Church as Divinely inspired. Deuterocanonical, therefore, are those books concerning the inspiration of which some Churches doubted more or less seriously for a time, but which were accepted by the whole Church as really inspired, after the question had been thoroughly investigated. As to the Old Testament, the Books of Tobias, Judith, Wisdom, Ecclesiasticus, Baruch, I, II, Machabees, and also Esther, x, 4- xvi, 24, Daniel, iii, 24-90, xiii, 1-xiv, 42, are in this sense deuterocanonical; the same must be said of the following New- Testament books and portions: Hebrews, James, II Peter, II, III John, Jude, Apocalypse, Mark 13:9-20, Luke 22:43-44, John 7:53-8:11. Protestant writers often call the deuterocanonical Books of the Old Testament the Apocrypha. Tripartite division of Testaments The prologue of Ecclesiasticus shows that the Old-Testament books were divided into three parts, the Law, the Prophets, and the Writings (the Hagiographa). The same division is mentioned in Luke 24:44, and has been kept by the later Jews. The Law or the Torah comprises only the Pentateuch. The second part contains two sections: the former Prophets (Josue, Judges, Samuel, and Kings), and the latter Prophets (Isaias, Jeremias, Ezechiel, and the Minor Prophets, called the Twelve, and counted as one book). The third division embraces three kinds of books: first poetical books (Psalms, Proverbs, Job); secondly, the five Megilloth or Rolls (Canticle of Canticles, Ruth, Lamentations, Ecclesiastes, Esther); thirdly, the three remaining books (Daniel, Esdras, Paralipomenon). Hence, adding the five books of the first division to the eight of the second, and the eleven of the third, the entire Canon of the Jewish Scriptures embraces twenty-four books. Another arrangement connects Ruth with the Book of Judges, and Lamentations with Jeremias, and thus reduces the number of the books in the Canon to twenty-two. The division of the New-Testament books into the Gospel and the Apostle (Evangelium et Apostolus, Evangelia et Apostoli, Evangelica et Apostolica) began in the writings of the Apostolic Fathers (St. Ignatius, "Ad Philad.", v; "Epist. ad Diogn., xi) and was commonly adopted about the end of the second century (St. Irenaeus, Against Heresies I.3; Tertullian, "De praescr.", xxxiv; St. Clement of Alexandria, Stromata VII.3, etc.); but the more recent Fathers did not adhere to it. It has been found more convenient to divide both the Old Testament and the New into four, or still better into three parts. The four parts distinguish between legal, historical, didactic or doctrinal, and prophetic books, while the tripartite division adds the legal books (the Pentateuch and the Gospels) to the historical, and retains the other two classes, i.e., the didactic and the prophetic books. Arrangement of books The catalogue of the Council of Trent arranges the inspired books partly in a topological, partly in a chronological order. In the Old Testament, we have first all the historical books, excepting the two books of the Machabees which were supposed to have been written last of all. These historical books are arranged according to the order of time of which they treat; the books of Tobias, Judith, and Ester, however, occupy the last place because they relate personal history. The body of didactic works occupies the second place in the Canon, being arranged in the order of time at which the writers are supposed to have lived. The third place is assigned to the Prophets, first the four Major and then the twelve Minor Prophets, according to their respective chronological order. The Council follows a similar method in the arrangement of the New- Testament books. The first place is given to the historical books, i.e., the Gospels and the Book of Acts; the Gospels follow the order of their reputed composition. The second place is occupied by the didactic books, the Pauline Epistles preceding the Catholic. The former are enumerated according to the order of dignity of the addresses and according to the importance of the matter treated. Hence results the series: Romans; I, II Corinthians; Galatians; Ephesians; Philippians; Colossians; I, II Thessalonians; I, II Timothy; Titus; Philemon; the Epistle to the Hebrews occupies the last place on account of its late reception into the canon. In its disposition of the Catholic Epistles the Council follows the so- called western order: I, II Peter; I, II, III John; James; Jude; our Vulgate edition follows the oriental order (James; I, II, III, John; Jude) which seems to be based on Galatians 2:9. The Apocalypse occupies in the New Testament the place corresponding to that of the Prophets in the Old Testament. Liturgical division The needs of liturgy occasioned a division of the inspired books into smaller parts. At the time of the Apostles it was a received custom to read in the synagogue service of the sabbath-day a portion of the Pentateuch (Acts 15:21) and a part of the Prophets (Luke 4:16; Acts 13:15, 27). Hence the Pentateuch has been divided into fifty-four "parashas" according to the number of sabbaths in the intercalary lunar year. To each parasha corresponds a division of the prophetic writings, called haphtara. The Talmud speaks of more minute divisions, pesukim, which almost resemble our verses. The Church transferred to the Christian Sunday the Jewish custom of reading part of the Scriptures in the assemblies of the faithful, but soon added to, or replaced, the Jewish lessons by parts of the New Testament (St. Just., "I Apol.", lxvii; Tert., "De praescr.", xxxvi, etc.). Since the particular churches differed in the selection of the Sunday readings, this custom did not occasion any generally received division in the books of the New Testament. Besides, from the end of the fifth century, these Sunday lessons were no longer taken in order, but the sections were chosen as they fitted in with the ecclesiastical feasts and seasons. Divisions to facilitate reference For the convenience of readers and students the text had to be divided more uniformly than we have hitherto seen. Such divisions are traced back to Tatian, in the second century. Ammonius, in the third, divided the Gospel text into 1162 kephalaia in order to facilitate a Gospel harmony. Eusebius, Euthalius, and others carried on this work of division in the following centuries, so that in the fifth or sixth the Gospels were divided into 318 parts (tituli), the Epistles into 254 (capitula), and the Apocalypse into 96 (24 sermones, 72 capitula). Cassiodorus relates that the Old Testament text was divided into various parts (De inst. div. lit., I, ii). But all these various partitions were too imperfect and too uneven for practical use, especially when in the thirteenth century concordances (see CONCORDANCES) began to be constructed. About this time, Card. Stephen Langton, Archbishop of Canterbury, who died 1228, divided all the books of Scripture uniformly into chapters, a division which found its way almost immediately into the codices of the Vulgate version and even into some codices of the original texts, and passed into all the printed editions after the invention of printing. As the chapters were too long for ready reference, Cardinal Hugh of St. Cher divided them into smaller sections which he indicated by the capital letters A, B, etc. Robert Stephens, probably imitating R. Nathan (1437) divided the chapters into verses, and published his complete division into chapters and verses first in the Vulgate text (1548), and later on also in the Greek original of the New Testament (1551). Since Scripture is the written word of God, its contents are Divinely guaranteed truths, revealed either in the strict or the wider sense of the word. Again, since the inspiration of a writing cannot be known without Divine testimony, God must have revealed which are the books that constitute Sacred Scripture. Moreover, theologians teach that Christian Revelation was complete in the Apostles, and that its deposit was entrusted to the Apostles to guard and to promulgate. Hence the apostolic deposit of Revelation contained no merely Sacred Scripture in the abstract, but also the knowledge as to its constituent books. Scripture, then, is an Apostolic deposit entrusted to the Church, and to the Church belongs its lawful administration. This position of Sacred Scripture in the Church implies the following consequences: (1) The Apostles promulgated both the Old and New Testament as a document received from God. It is antecedently probable that God should not cast his written Word upon men as a mere windfall, coming from no known authority, but that he should entrust its publication to the care of those whom he was sending to preach the Gospel to all nations, and with whom he had promised to be for all days, even to the consummation of the world. In conformity with this principle, St. Jerome (De script. eccl.) says of the Gospel of St. Mark: "When Peter had heard it, he both approved of it and ordered it to be read in the churches". The Fathers testify to the promulgation of Scripture by the Apostles where they treat of the transmission of the inspired writings. (2) The transmission of the inspired writings consists in the delivery of Scripture by the Apostles to their successors with the right, the duty, and the power to continue its promulgation, to preserve its integrity and identity, to explain its meaning, to use it in proving and illustrating Catholic teaching, to oppose and condemn any attack upon its doctrine, or any abuse of its meaning. We may infer all this from the character of the inspired writings and the nature of the Apostolate; but it is also attested by some of the weightiest writers of the early Church. St. Irenæus insists upon these points against the Gnostics, who appealed to Scripture as to private historical documents. He excludes this Gnostic view, first by insisting on the mission of the Apostles and upon the succession in the Apostolate, especially as seen in the Church of Rome (Haer., III, 3-4); secondly, by showing that the preaching of the Apostles continued by their successors contains a supernatural guarantee of infallibility through the indwelling of the Holy Ghost (Haer., III, 24); thirdly, by combining the Apostolic succession and the supernatural guarantee of the Holy Ghost (Haer., IV, 26). It seems plain that, if Scripture cannot be regarded as a private historical document on account of the official mission of the Apostles, on account of the official succession in the Apostolate of their successors, on account of the assistance of the Holy Ghost promised to the Apostles and their successors, the promulgation of Scripture, the preservation of its integrity and identity, and the explanation of its meaning must belong to the Apostles and their legitimate successors. The same principles are advocated by the great Alexandrian doctor, Origen (De princ., Praef.). "That alone", he says, "is to be believed to be the truth which in nothing differs from the ecclesiastical and Apostolical tradition". In another passage (in Matth. tr. XXIX, n. 46-47), he rejects the contention urged by the heretics "as often as they bring forward canonical Scriptures in which every Christian agrees and believes", that "in the houses is the word of truth"; "for from it (the Church) alone the sound hath gone forth into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world". That the African Church agrees with the Alexandrian, is clear from the words of Tertullian (De praescript., nn, 15, 19). He protests against the admission of heretics "to any discussion whatever touching the Scriptures". "This question should be first proposed, which is now the only one to be discussed, 'To whom belongs the faith itself: whose are the Scriptures'?. . .For the true Scriptures and the true expositions and all the true Christian traditions will be wherever both the true Christian rule and faith shall be shown to be". St. Augustine endorses the same position when he says: "I should not believe the Gospel except on the authority of the Catholic Church" (Con. epist. Manichaei, fundam., n. 6). (3) By virtue of its official and permanent promulgation, Scripture is a public document, the Divine authority of which is evident to all the members of the Church. (4) The Church necessarily possesses a text of Scripture, which is internally authentic, or substantially identical with the original. Any form or version of the text, the internal authenticity of which the Church has approved either by its universal and constant use, or by a formal declaration, enjoys the character of external or public authenticity, i.e., its conformity with the original must not merely be presumed juridically, but must be admitted as certain on account of the infallibility of the Church. (5) The authentic text, legitimately promulgated, is a source and rule of faith, though it remains only a means or instrument in the hands of the teaching body of the Church, which alone has the right of authoritatively interpreting Scripture. (6) The administration and custody of Scripture is not entrusted directly to the whole Church, but to its teaching body, though Scripture itself is the common property of the members of the whole Church. While the private handling of Scripture is opposed to the fact that it is common property, its administrators are bound to communicate its contents to all the members of the Church. (7) Though Scripture is the property of the Church alone, those outside her pale may use it as a means of discovering or entering the Church. But Tertullian shows that they have no right to apply Scripture to their own purposes or to turn it against the Church. He also teaches Catholics how to contest the right of heretics to appeal to Scripture at all (by a kind of demurrer), before arguing with them on single points of Scriptural doctrine. (8) The rights of the teaching body of the Church include also that of issuing and enforcing decrees for promoting the right use, or preventing the abuse of Scripture. Not to mention the definition of the Canon (see CANON), the Council of Trent issued two decrees concerning the Vulgate, and a decree concerning the interpretation of Scripture (see EXEGESIS, HERMENEUTICS), and this last enactment was repeated in a more stringent form by the Vatican Council (sess. III, Conc. Trid., sess. IV). The various decisions of the Biblical Commission derive their binding force from this same right of the teaching body of the Church. (Cf. Stapleton, Princ. Fid. Demonstr., X-XI; Wilhelm and Scannell, "Manual of Catholic Theology", London, 1890, I, 61 sqq.; Scheeben, "Handbuch der katholischen Dogmatik", Freiburg, 1873, I, 126 sqq.). Attitude of the Church towards the reading of the Bible in the vernacular The attitude of the Church as to the reading of the Bible in the vernacular may be inferred from the Church's practice and legislation. It has been the practice of the Church to provide newly-converted nations, as soon as possible, with vernacular versions of the Scriptures; hence the early Latin and oriental translations, the versions existing among the Armenians, the Slavonians, the Goths, the Italians, the French, and the partial renderings into English. As to the legislation of the Church on this subject, we may divide its history into three large periods: (1) During the course of the first millennium of her existence, the Church did not promulgate any law concerning the reading of Scripture in the vernacular. The faithful were rather encouraged to read the Sacred Books according to their spiritual needs (cf. St. Irenæus, Against Heresies III.4). (2) The next five hundred years show only local regulations concerning the use of the Bible in the vernacular. On 2 January, 1080, Gregory VII wrote to the Duke of Bohemia that he could not allow the publication of the Scriptures in the language of the country. The letter was written chiefly to refuse the petition of the Bohemians for permission to conduct Divine service in the Slavic language. The pontiff feared that the reading of the Bible in the vernacular would lead to irreverence and wrong interpretation of the inspired text (St. Gregory VII, "Epist.", vii, xi). The second document belongs to the time of the Waldensian and Albigensian heresies. The Bishop of Metz had written to Innocent III that there existed in his diocese a perfect frenzy for the Bible in the vernacular. In 1199 the pope replied that in general the desire to read the Scriptures was praiseworthy, but that the practice was dangerous for the simple and unlearned ("Epist., II, cxli; Hurter, "Gesch. des. Papstes Innocent III", Hamburg, 1842, IV, 501 sqq.). After the death of Innocent III, the Synod of Toulouse directed in 1229 its fourteenth canon against the misuse of Sacred Scripture on the part of the Cathari: "prohibemus, ne libros Veteris et Novi Testamenti laicis permittatur habere" (Hefele, "Concilgesch", Freiburg, 1863, V, 875). In 1233 the Synod of Tarragona issued a similar prohibition in its second canon, but both these laws are intended only for the countries subject to the jurisdiction of the respective synods (Hefele, ibid., 918). The Third Synod of Oxford, in 1408, owing to the disorders of the Lollards, who in addition to their crimes of violence and anarchy had introduced virulent interpolations into the vernacular sacred text, issued a law in virtue of which only the versions approved by the local ordinary or the provincial council were allowed to be read by the laity (Hefele, op. cit., VI, 817). (3) It is only in the beginning of the last five hundred years that we meet with a general law of the Church concerning the reading of the Bible in the vernacular. On 24 March, 1564, Pius IV promulgated in his Constitution, "Dominici gregis", the Index of Prohibited Books. According to the third rule, the Old Testament may be read in the vernacular by pious and learned men, according to the judgment of the bishop, as a help to the better understanding of the Vulgate. The fourth rule places in the hands of the bishop or the inquisitor the power of allowing the reading of the New Testament in the vernacular to laymen who according to the judgment of their confessor or their pastor can profit by this practice. Sixtus V reserved this power to himself or the Sacred Congregation of the Index, and Clement VIII added this restriction to the fourth rule of the Index, by way of appendix. Benedict XIV required that the vernacular version read by laymen should be either approved by the Holy See or provided with notes taken from the writings of the Fathers or of learned and pious authors. It then became an open question whether this order of Benedict XIV was intended to supersede the former legislation or to further restrict it. This doubt was not removed by the next three documents: the condemnation of certain errors of the Jansenist Quesnel as to the necessity of reading the Bible, by the Bull "Unigenitus" issued by Clement XI on 8 Sept., 1713 (cf. Denzinger, "Enchir.", nn. 1294-1300); the condemnation of the same teaching maintained in the Synod of Pistoia, by the Bull "Auctorem fidei" issued on 28 Aug., 1794, by Pius VI; the warning against allowing the laity indiscriminately to read the Scriptures in the vernacular, addressed to the Bishop of Mohileff by Pius VII, on 3 Sept., 1816. But the Decree issued by the Sacred Congregation of the Index on 7 Jan., 1836, seems to render it clear that henceforth the laity may read vernacular versions of the Scriptures, if they be either approved by the Holy See, or provided with notes taken from the writings of the Fathers or of learned Catholic authors. The same regulation was repeated by Gregory XVI in his Encyclical of 8 May, 1844. In general, the Church has always allowed the reading of the Bible in the vernacular, if it was desirable for the spiritual needs of her children; she has forbidden it only when it was almost certain to cause serious spiritual harm. Other scriptural questions The history of the preservation and the propagation of the Scripture-text is told in the articles MANUSCRIPTS OF THE BIBLE; CODEX ALEXANDRINUS (etc.); VERSIONS OF THE BIBLE; EDITIONS OF THE BIBLE; CRITICISM (TEXTUAL); the interpretation of Scripture is dealt with in the articles HERMENEUTICS; EXEGESIS; COMMENTARIES ON THE BIBLE; and CRITICISM (BIBLICAL). Additional information on the foregoing questions is contained in the articles INTRODUCTION; OLD TESTAMENT; NEW TESTAMENT. The history of our English Version is treated in the article VERSIONS OF THE BIBLE. A list of Catholic literature on Scriptural subjects has been published in the American Ecclesiastical Review, xxxi (August, 1904), 194-201; this list is fairly complete up to the date of its publication. See also the works cited throughout the course of this article. Most of the questions connected with Scripture are treated in special articles throughout the course of the ENCYCLOPEDIA, for instance, in addition to those mentioned above, JEROME; CANON OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURES; CONCORDANCES OF THE BIBLE; INSPIRATION OF THE BIBLE; TESTAMENT, etc. Each of these articles has an abundant literary guide to its own special aspect of the Scriptures. APA citation. Maas, A. (1912). Scripture. In The Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company. http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/13635b.htm MLA citation. Maas, Anthony. "Scripture." The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 13. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1912. <http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/13635b.htm>. Transcription. This article was transcribed for New Advent by Robert B. Olson. Offered to Almighty God for Timothy and Kris Gray, and for a holy love and understanding of Sacred Scripture for all members of Our Blessed Lord's Church. Ecclesiastical approbation. Nihil Obstat. February 1, 1912. Remy Lafort, D.D., Censor. Imprimatur. +John Cardinal Farley, Archbishop of New York.	cc/2020-05/en_head_0058.json.gz/line0
__label__wiki	0.63285	0.63285	About AEBA Future Speakers Origins and Aims The late Sir David Nicolson MEP, founded the American European Business Association (AEBA) in London and New York in 1980 in consultation with the late Lord Roy Jenkins OM, PC, then President of the European Commission. AEBA is a dynamic forum, of fewer than 30 select transatlantic corporate members, which promotes and facilitates lively and informed debate on key business, economic and political topics over lunch. The association’s chief goals are to improve and increase understanding and cooperation between the business community and governments in Europe and North America, so as to advance opportunities in the globalised world. AEBA does this by bringing together senior international business, political, diplomatic, and academic representatives to engage in productive dialogue through the open exchange of views in an atmosphere of trust, which adds valuable insight behind today’s headlines. A major factor in the success of these debates is the diversity of the participants’ backgrounds, industries, and their shared interest in many of the issues under the spotlight. Limiting the number of participants to 22-25 people at each boardroom lunch guarantees added value for all concerned, resulting in dialogue of greater intensity and depth, yielding more tangible results. Meetings are governed by the Chatham House Rule. AEBA is a non-partisan association. Women Executive Forum (WEF) The purpose of WEF is to create opportunities that help propel women in their careers by bringing together up and coming as well as established female executives to meet, network, and become inspired by the professional journey of a top female executive. These unique stories are shared strictly under Chatham House Rule. WEF is a special luncheon series for the membership of AEBA. Charlotte Laycock, Chief Executive Officer Charlotte Laycock comes to the American European Business Association after having worked at a senior level for high profile American media companies, including Time Warner and Dow Jones, in London, Paris and New York. She thoroughly enjoys bringing together international business leaders and creating the environment for unique, confidential and insightful discussions to take place. Charlotte received her B.A in European Studies with a concentration in French from Loughborough University and studied abroad at L’Institut d’Etudes Politiques in Lyon, France. © 2020 American European Business Association	cc/2020-05/en_head_0058.json.gz/line4
__label__cc	0.524887	0.475113	Allergy Services Recurrent Allergies Our team is ready to help you on your journey Along with an educated and caring staff we offer the most up-to-date diagnoses and personalized treatments. What can I expect at my visit? David B.K. Golden, M.D. Jonathan Matz, M.D Jonathan Matz is Board Certified in Internal Medicine as well as Allergy & Immunology. He attended the George Washington University School of Medicine in Washington, DC, and completed his Residency in Internal Medicine and Primary Care in the Department of Health Care Sciences at George Washington University Medical Center. He then completed a Fellowship in Allergy and Clinical Immunology at the National Jewish Center for Immunology and Respiratory Medicine and University of Colorado in Denver, Co. Dr. Matz is the Director of Chesapeake Clinical Research, Inc which was founded in 1992 and is the instructor in the Department of Medicine at the John Hopkins School of Medicine in addition to working as a clinical physician. Dr. Matz is a fellow of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, and the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. Dr. Matz was born and raised in Baltimore. He is an avid skier and golfer, although his handicap hovers around 12- he keeps trying. He spends most of his free time with his wife and four children. He has been selected a Top Doc in Baltimore Magazine numerous times. Dr. Golden graduated from McGill University School of Medicine in 1976, where he also completed his residency in Internal Medicine. He entered a fellowship training program in Allergy-Clinical Immunology at Johns Hopkins University, where he then directed a program of research studies on anaphylaxis and insect sting allergy for 30 years. In 1984, he founded what grew to Golden & Matz, LLC. Dr. Golden has published dozens of research papers, and is invited to give lectures at national and international scientific meetings. He is now an Associate Professor of Medicine and a teaching clinician at the Johns Hopkins Asthma and Allergy Center. In addition to developing educational programs for the American Academy of Allergy Asthma and Immunology, Dr. Golden presents an allergy-immunology curriculum for medical residents in teaching community hospitals in Baltimore. Dr. Golden is the Chief of the Allergy Division of Internal Medicine at Franklin Square Hospital, and is the Director of Allergy in the Department of Medicine, Sinai Hospital of Baltimore. He is also the father of 2 grown and successful children and the proud new grandfather of baby Jack. Dr. Golden has been voted TOP DOC in Baltimore Magazine numerous times. Alireza Sadegh Nejad, MD, PhD Dr. Nejad is a graduate of the clinical and research fellowship program at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. He has done years of research and patient care in allergy, immunology and respiratory diseases and has widely published in peer reviewed journals. Before his training at Johns Hopkins he was an assistant professor at the Center for Human Genomics and Personalized Medicine at Wake Forest University School of Medicine. His interests include concepts in individualized medicine and the necessity to personalize patient care and treatment. Gitika Dhillon, M.D. Dr. Dhillon is Board Certified in Allergy and Immunology as well as Internal Medicine. She is a Baltimore native and has completed her Allergy and Immunology training at the University of Rochester. Prior to that she was a research associate in the Department of Pediatric Allergy and Immunology at the Johns Hopkins Children’s Center for two years. There she worked with Dr. Bob Wood, an internationally recognized expert in food allergy. Dr. Dhillon completed her internal medicine residency at Good Samaritan Hospital after graduating from Loyola College in Baltimore and Ross University College of Medicine. Dr. Dhillon has received awards for her research at the national level. In her free time she enjoys biking, travel and cooking. Jessica M. Nguyen, M.D. Dr. Jessica M. Nguyen is a board-certified Allergist & Immunologist. As a Philadelphia native, Dr. Nguyen graduated with High Honors and was elected into the Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society from Haverford College, and then went on to earn her medical degree from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine during which time she was selected to complete a Doris Duke Clinical Research Fellowship at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Nguyen completed a Residency in Internal Medicine at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, followed by a fellowship in Allergy & Clinical Immunology at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine during which time she was involved in asthma clinical trials research through the American Lung Association and was selected to receive a Fellow-In-Training Award for Health Outcomes, Education, Delivery and Quality from the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. She is a member of the Maryland Asthma & Allergy Society; the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology; and the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. Dr. Nguyen delivers humanistic & compassionate care to both her pediatric and adult patients, and has experience in treating a wide span of allergy conditions including asthma, allergic rhinitis (hay fever), eczema, food allergies, urticaria & angioedema (hives & swelling), drug allergies, insect allergies, & immunodeficiencies. In her free time, Dr. Nguyen enjoys spending time with her husband & family traveling, cooking & being active outdoors. Sudhir Sekhsaria, M.D., FAAAAI, FACAAI Dr. Sekhsaria has been practicing since founding the Asthma, Allergy & Sinus Center in 1992. He is board certified in Allergy & Immunology, and has been certified in Diagnostic and Clinical Immunology. Dr. Sekhsaria completed his fellowship in Allergy & Immunology at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland, after completing a pediatric residency at Howard University Hospital. He has published many scientific articles in asthma, allergy and immunology. He is actively involved in teaching physicians-in-training about asthma, allergic disease and immune problems. Dr. Sekhsaria has been elected a Fellow of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, the specialty’s premier organization. He has been voted a TOP DOC in Baltimore Magazine multiple times. Manav Singla, M.D., FAAP, FAAAI, FACAAI Dr. Singla is board certified in Allergy & Immunology. He completed his Allergy & Immunology fellowship at the Wake Forest University School of Medicine in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, where he also spent a year on the medical school’s faculty. He is a graduate of the Northeast Ohio Medical University’s combined BS/MD program. He has published articles in allergy and immunology. He is actively involved in teaching physicians-in-training about asthma, allergic disease and immune problems. Dr. Singla holds the rank of Adjunct Assistant Professor at the University of Maryland School of Medicine and Assistant Professor of Clinical Pediatrics at Georgetown University School of Medicine. Dr. Singla has been elected a Fellow of both the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology and the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, the specialty’s premier organizations, as well as the American Academy of Pediatrics. Dr. Singla has been voted as TOP DOC by Baltimore Magazine multiple years. Amber Viel, FNP-C Amber Viel. FNP-C, earned her Bachelor of Science and Nursing degree from Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing. She also completed her Masters of Science and Family Nurse Practitioner training at Johns Hopkins University. She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts and a Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communication from Point Lorna Nazarene University in San Diego, CA. Amber is certified by the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners. She joined the Asthma, Allergy & Sinus Center in November 2012. Previously she worked for an allergy asthma group in Los Angeles. Her past nursing experiences include running a community health clinic in East Baltimore where she specialized in chronic disease management for both children and adults. Amber is a member of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners and Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing. Before becoming a nurse practitioner, Amber spent two and a half years in Madagascar as a U.S. Peace Corps community health volunteer. Amber is also a certified yoga instructor and teaches yoga in her free time.	cc/2020-05/en_head_0058.json.gz/line6
__label__cc	0.502264	0.497736	Andes Gazette The Community Newspaper for the Town of Andes, New York Subscribe to the Gazette History of Andes, New York Archive Feature Mel Bellar Dr Robert Chakar Phyllis Galowitz Jack McShane Barbara Mellon Jane Tompkins Garden Therapy Just Phyllisophy Library Notes Browse: Home » 2018 » September » 30 » BOOK REVIEW: Asymmetry by Lisa Halliday — September 2018 BOOK REVIEW: Asymmetry by Lisa Halliday — September 2018 Reviewed by Jane Tompkins The book’s title tells you what it’s about: asymmetry, which refers here to an imbalance in the power relations between the novel’s main characters, a young woman who works for a publisher in Manhattan and aspires to be a writer and her older lover, a highly acclaimed author, winner of important prizes, whose name is practically a household word. The novel’s mid-section concerns a young Iraqi man, raised in the United States (he has dual citizenship), who is on his way to Kurdistan to be with his family – his brother has disappeared. He’s being detained by airport security in Heathrow because of his ethnic background. In this case, the unequal power relation is not only between the young man and airport security, but between the two geopolitical units he represents, Iraq and the Middle Eastern Islamic nations on the one hand, and the predominantly Christian United States and Western Europe on the other. The book’s third section consists of a radio interview with the famous novelist conducted some years later by an NPR type. Almost a parody of the genre, its relation to the theme of power imbalance is initially unclear. The concept of asymmetry is achingly portrayed in the first two-thirds of the book – the young woman is compliant to the point of self-effacement; Iraq is completely at the mercy of America’s giant military machine. But the situations are not exactly analogous. The young woman has a choice whether or not to remain in the relationship with the older man and, we’re never sure quite what she thinks of her renowned lover. There are periods of time in which she stays away from him with no explanation. The young Iraqi-American, on the other hand, cannot choose to leave Heathrow and, from several conversations about the war he remembers having been present at, we know that both he and the author view the war as a horrible mistake. In part three, things become more complex. We learn that the young editorial assistant has become a published novelist herself, a hint that she’s written the book we’re now reading, which means she may be having the last laugh at her former lover’s expense, for while the older man in part one is depicted as thoughtful and kind in many respects—he pays off her large student loan, for example—he’s also narcissistic, quietly demanding, and self-important. Sometimes it seems as if we’re supposed to accept the relationship uncritically, at others to take her side against his. Are the two situations—young woman vs. famous author, and Iraq vs. the U.S.—supposed to illuminate one another? comment on one another? mirror one another? Are we supposed to have sympathy only for the individual or country that is being imposed upon? Or are we to find a way to understand and have compassion for the dominant figure as well? I finally decided that these open questions are a good thing, not a flaw. This novel makes us think: think about power imbalances (asymmetry) between the sexes, about power asymmetry between cultures and nations, about our own experience of these situations, about our own values, our own behavior, our own mistakes. Beyond all this, the sheer virtuosity of the writing deserves attention. It’s hard to believe that this is a first novel, the writing is so assured, fluid, and well-paced. Lisa Halliday can command our interest in any incident or topic, whether or not it affects the plot or relates to the theme; her gift for keeping us absorbed in the moment is remarkable. There’s a wonderful passage where the young Iraqi holds forth on the subject of free will and predestination, and an incredibly life-like episode in which the young woman plays with the older man’s grandchildren, passages which, when I first read them, seemed unrelated to anything else. Later on, though, I realized that each subtly develops the subject of power and agency; you just have to look more closely. The book’s third act–the radio interview–remains a mystery. The cat and mouse game that goes on between interviewer and interviewee represents a power struggle, but there’s more than one way to interpret it: for one thing, it’s not absolutely clear who has the upper hand. In any case, it seems like an anticlimax after the highly charged situations we’ve been involved in up until then. But maybe that’s the point: most situations we’re in contain a balance of power, whether it’s an interchange between heads of state at a world summit, or the interaction between you and the man who’s come to fix your TV. In the second instance the power relations for the most part remain unconscious, while in the first they’re front and center, but that doesn’t mean they’re not equally present in both cases. After reading this novel, you become more conscious of how much of your life is enmeshed in power relationships. A friend who’d spent his life working in Washington once told me it’s a good idea to ask yourself, in any situation, exactly how much power you do or don’t have. My guess is Lisa Halliday would have agreed with him. I’m not sure I do.~ September 30, 2018 Book Reviews, Jane Tompkins, ANDES HOLIDAY TREE LIGHTING-January 2020 FIELD NOTES: REBIRTH — December 2019 THE LION KING, JR. ENTHRALLS AT ANDES SCHOOL – December 2019 GARDEN THERAPY: CHARMING OR CHEATING WITH CHARTREUSE – December 2019 MOUNTAINEER TRACKS — December 2019 ACS ANNOUNCES CLASS OF 2018 TOP STUDENTS – June 2018 Andes Public Library Archives-2000 to 2002 FIRE DEPARTMENT KEEPS ON TRUCKING – February 2017 FLOOD COMMISSION “NO SILVER BULLET” REPORT ADOPTED BY TOWN BOARD – June 2018 HEY, HAY! – June 2018 JUST PHYLLISOPHY: BUSY TIMES – June 2018 JUST PHYLLISOPHY: SNOWBOUND – March 2017 MOUNTAINEER TRACKS – February 2017 MOUNTAINEER TRACKS – June 2018 Andes Central School Andes First Community Andes Society for History & Culture Town of Andes Copyright © 2020 Andes Gazette. CMS Internet Solutions, Inc, Bovina New York	cc/2020-05/en_head_0058.json.gz/line8
__label__cc	0.637869	0.362131	Bucharest Stock Exchange mirrors global markets to reach all-time highs as BET-TR index which also includes the dividends spikes 35 percent in the first 7 months The BET-TR index, which includes the dividends paid by the companies from the BET index, spiked 35 percent in the first 7 months of the year to reach an all-time high of 14,732 points. The BET index, including the most-traded 16 companies except for the Financial Investment Companies, closed at 9,204 points at the end of July. It is the highest level from the past 10 and a half years. Adrian Tanase, BVB CEO: The paradox of the Romanian market is that too few investors were in the market at a time when we are talking about all-time highs for BET-TR and the climax of the last decade for the BET index. Our efforts will be focused on attracting a greater number of people to the capital market so that the savings of as many Romanians as possible benefit from the favorable developments that the capital market offers in the long run. Broader participation of the population in the capital market will significantly impact the Romanian economy and the size of the stock market, which is now one of the smallest in the European Union as it accounts for only 10 percent of GDP. Lucian Anghel, BVB President: The capital market has proven to be the most generous producer of welfare. It is difficult to find today a better, regulated and transparent environment that can generate over 35% profit in just seven months, as was the case with the BET-TR index, which also includes the dividends offered by the largest companies listed on the stock exchange in Romania. The Bucharest Stock Exchange (BVB) reached new all-time highs for the BET-TR index, which also includes the dividend paid by the companies included in the BET index. The trading session from July 31st saw the BET-TR index closing at 14,732 points or some 35 percent over the end of last year. The extensive growth rate was also fueled internationally. A strong positive boost of the investor sentiment sent US’s Dow Jones and S&P 500 to new record highs. The international rally was a hop-on for the BET index, mirroring the evolution of the most-traded 16 companies except for the Financial Investment Companies. The last trading session from July propelled the BET index to 9,204 points, a level which was last witnessed 10 and a half years ago. From the beginning of the year, BET has spiked 25 percent. The high tide did not flood all the areas of the capital market, as the trading zone was left dry. The up and down swings from the beginning of the year had their say when it came to the average daily trading value. Seven months into the year, it stood at the same level as in the same period last year, accounting for some EUR 9 million. "The paradox of the Romanian market is that too few investors were in the market at a time when we are talking about all-time highs for BET-TR and the climax of the last decade for the BET index. Our efforts will be focused on attracting a greater number of people to the capital market so that the savings of as many Romanians as possible benefit from the favorable developments that the capital market offers in the long run. Broader participation of the population in the capital market will significantly impact the Romanian economy and the size of the stock market, which is now one of the smallest in the European Union as it accounts for only 10 percent of GDP", said Adrian Tanase, CEO of BVB. "The capital market has proven to be the most generous producer of welfare. It is difficult to find today a better, regulated and transparent environment that can generate over 35% profit in just seven months, as was the case with the BET-TR index, which also includes the dividends offered by the largest companies listed on the stock exchange in Romania", said Lucian Anghel, President of the Board of Governors of BVB. The market value of the Romanian companies listed on BVB topped RON 103 billion at the end of July. It was the seventh-highest value recorded by the locally listed companies, while record-high capitalization was witnessed in April 2018, at a peak of RON 103.7 billion posted on April 24, 2018. MONTHLY_REPORT_JULY 2019.pdf	cc/2020-05/en_head_0058.json.gz/line13
__label__cc	0.585384	0.414616	Ian Dawe Ian Dawe is a writer, teacher, and pop culture observer based in Vancouver, Canada. He earned an MSc from Simon Fraser University and an MA in film from the University of Exeter in the UK. He spent a decade teaching at the college level, delivering courses in genetics, biochemistry, cell biology, biological anthropology, and film history. His academic work includes peer-reviewed papers on the work of Alan Moore, Harvey Pekar for Studies in Comics, and a dissertation on Terry Gilliam for the University of Exeter. He has contributed to several books, including a chapter about the TV show Archer in James Bond and Popular Culture and two chapters on Breaking Bad for Breaking Bad and Masculinity. He is also a Supervising Editor for Sequart, where he has authored a chapter for New Life and New Civiliations: Exploring Star Trek Comics, as well as upcoming books about Star Wars, Alan Moore, and 1970s horror comics. sequart.org @iandawe42 Back to Contributors	cc/2020-05/en_head_0058.json.gz/line16
__label__cc	0.597709	0.402291	Call for Proposals: MUTEK-AVATAR Production Residency Apply before February 9, 2020 Credit: Joni Void & Sonya Stefan, MUTEK Édition 20 by Ashutosh Gupta MUTEK and the artist-run centre AVATAR are joining forces for the initial MUTEK-AVATAR Production and Presentation Residency. This call for proposals is for women and non-binary artists of all origins, residing in Canada. The successful candidate will be hosted by AVATAR in Quebec City for a 4-week production residency to create a performance piece using any form of technology (audiovisual works, experimental practices, modular synthesis, artificial intelligence, audio art, DIY practices, mapping, etc.). Artists can choose to develop a new original work or pursue a work already in progress. This residency includes the presentation of the finished work during the 21st edition of the MUTEK festival, which will take place from August 25 to 30 in Montreal. Deadline to apply: February 9, 2020 Residency conditions offered by Avatar: - Production fees: $3,000 - Accommodation(up to 4 weeks) and per diem ($50/day) for artists from outside Quebec City - Travel (up to $1,000) - Technical support: 30 hours (pre-residency + residency) - Access to Avatar studios and equipment The 4-week residency takes place between March and June 2020, with specific dates to be determined jointly between the artist and Avatar. The artist will have access to Avatar’s satellite studios at the Conservatoire de musique de Québec and Université Laval’s School of Visual Arts. Presentation conditions offered by MUTEK: MUTEK offers optimal presentation conditions for artists. The exact venue and date of the performance will be determined by the programming team based on the work created. MUTEK will take place in Montreal from August 25 to 30, 2020. The artist will receive a fee respecting the festival’s fee schedule. Transportation, accommodation and per diem are covered for artists from outside Montreal (duration depending on the date of the performance). Each artist will receive a festival passport and a passport for the IMG Forum (August 25-27, 2020). Artists must send a proposal including - a bio or CV, - a project description - examples of previous works (images, links, attached files) by February 9, 2020 at 11:59 p.m. to residence-avatar@mutek.org. About Avatar Avatar is dedicated to the research, creation, circulation, and dissemination of audio and electronic artworks and artists. To support artistic practice, Avatar produces projects, invites artists, reflects on practices, and fosters new collaborations via a local and international network. Located in the heart of Québec City, Avatar offers a venue for interactions and initiatives, explores new artistic territories, and facilitates access to equipment and specialized skills. In North America, Avatar is a pioneer in research on audio and electronic arts. At Avatar, sound creation covers a broad field of activities, ranging from the creation of listening devices, and the invention of musical instruments, to audio installation, including performance, radio art, and sound sculpture. Audio art crosses over the fields of music, visual arts, and poetry, opening itself to hybrid forms of audible performance, acoustic excavations, and environments. Avatar also takes part in the development of the programming of custom-made software and electronic interfaces, as well as interactive and kinetic installation systems, and telematic performances. MUTEK is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to the dissemination and development of digital creativity in sound, music, and audio-visual art. Its mandate is to provide a platform for the most original and visionary artists currently working in their fields, with the intent of providing an outlet of initiation and discovery for the audiences we seek to develop. MUTEK’s principal activity is the annual presentation of its namesake festival, which has taken place in Montreal since 2000. Since its first edition, the MUTEK festival has distinguished itself as an international rendezvous for original and avant-garde programming. In terms of content, the festival’s range strives to be diverse, with interests in both the experimental and the playful sides of digital creativity. MUTEK’s programming intends to create a sonic space that can support innovation in new electronic music and digital art. This is a world of constant evolution and incessant refinement – the “MU” in MUTEK refers consciously to the notion of “mutation”. Over the years, the MUTEK festival has presented a considerable number of renowned artists while simultaneously providing an important showcase for up-and-coming talent. Each edition offers a notable array of Canadian, North American, and even international premieres. The festival provides an open, inviting environment that encourages rewarding exchanges between artists, professionals, and the public; MUTEK is a point of convergence, drawing participants from all over the world to profit from a context of active discovery. Many of the festival’s participants have gained concrete and positive opportunities from their involvement with MUTEK. A MUTEK network exists today, with ramifications in North America, South America, Asia and Europe, which provides an essential platform to promote and explore wide-ranging artistic content, all the while reflecting a cultural effervescence that is both local and global. MUTEKLIVE203 - Matmos	cc/2020-05/en_head_0058.json.gz/line18
__label__wiki	0.817358	0.817358	Behind the Visor Garrick Hagon At conventions and in letters I'm often asked, 'How did you get on the film?' Well, the road to Star Wars must have begun when my parents sent me to acting class when I was six, then came radio acting on a Saturday show out of CBC, Toronto, then my own disc jockey show for kids on Saturdays which I inherited from Peter Jennings, as good as a kid presenter as he later was as ABC news anchorman. I acted as a kid at the Stratford Festival of Canada, playing the Prince of Wales opposite Alec Guinness as Richard III. And the acting bug stuck through high school and into university at UofT where I spent 4 years getting my Honours BA. After that, I came to England on a scholarship to study, did my acting apprenticeship in theatres all round the UK and finally got my first big film with Charlton Heston, "Antony and Cleopatra", playing Eros, Antony's faithful servant who kills himself rather than see his master suffer. My first starring role, in a film called "Some Kind of Hero" playing a Vietnam draft dodger, bombed, but I stayed in London, was known by Irene Lamb, the Star Wars casting director, and was called in to audition for one of the guys in "A New Hope". Irene Lamb told all of us before we went in to meet George that he might be shy and not talk too much. But somehow George and I started talking about Morocco , shooting in the desert (where I had just done "The Message"with Anthony Quinn) and Moroccan cloaks. Somebody later told me that George had a marking system for auditions. I must have been lucky and scored high. I was offered Biggs, one of the best roles that were cast out of London. So what happened to Biggs and how did I feel when he wasn't around as much in the final cut as he was in the script? Sure, I felt bad. Who wouldn't? But George and the editors had hard decisions to make to get the film in under 2 hours and the scene lasts about 5 minutes. Later, at a convention in Holland, Gary Kurtz told me the editorial reasons for cutting the Anchorhead scenes and I think they make sense. To include the group of Luke's friends at the station took the film in a different direction as well as slowing down the impetus into the main action of the film led by the two robots. Still, now that we don't care so much about a film's length and kids can sit for hours at Harry Potter or The Lord of the Rings, I'd like to see more of Luke's old friend Biggs and the gang around him. It would make more of Luke's reaction to Biggs' death in the dogfight. Anyway, it was a great kick finally seeing the Anchorhead scene on the CD-Rom "Behind the Magic". And who knows? We may see it again on the DVD of Episode IV. What's happened since on the Star Wars scene? Nothing but good-lots of travelling round the world on various conventions, meeting hundreds of fans, good laughs and a great time with the Star Wars Alumni. Roll on Celebration 2!	cc/2020-05/en_head_0058.json.gz/line19
__label__cc	0.534283	0.465717	Toussaint, Tennie. (x) › Sparrow, Bradford. (x) › Sprague, George. (x) › Barton, Lyman, 1839-1936. (x) › Recruiting and enlistment. (x) › Lyman Barton to Hiram Barton Lyman Barton describes a turntable built for a Confederate railway gun which was captured before it was operational. He also writes of an attack of the 11th Pennsylvania Cavalry led by Colonel Spear near Hanover Court House, during which General William Henry Fitzhugh Lee was captured. Lyman Barton mentions an attack on his Brigade at Deep Creek, Virginia and the death of two men from the 9th New Jersey Regiment who had just returned from a furlough. He also writes of men returning to the 8th Connecticut Regiment after their reenlistment furlough, who had second thoughts about... Show moreLyman Barton mentions an attack on his Brigade at Deep Creek, Virginia and the death of two men from the 9th New Jersey Regiment who had just returned from a furlough. He also writes of men returning to the 8th Connecticut Regiment after their reenlistment furlough, who had second thoughts about reenlisting. Also he writes of how many got married while on leave. At the end of the letter he gives news of his brothers Henry, James and Theodore and their addresses. Lyman Barton writes of the events surrounding the Battle of Port Waltham Junction on May 6 and 7. He also lists some of the wounded and killed, including his brother, James Barton, who died of wounds received at the Battle of the Wilderness. Lyman Barton writes a detailed description of the capture of the Confederate battery at Hill’s Point on May 19, 1863, when his company and six others from the 8th Connecticut Infantry Regiment and eight companies of the 89th New York Infantry Regiment boarded the U.S.S. Stepping Stones and... Show moreLyman Barton writes a detailed description of the capture of the Confederate battery at Hill’s Point on May 19, 1863, when his company and six others from the 8th Connecticut Infantry Regiment and eight companies of the 89th New York Infantry Regiment boarded the U.S.S. Stepping Stones and traveled up the Nansemond River to assault the rifle pits and fort. Lyman Barton writes of his Regiment’s march from White House to near Hanover Junction and back, and then on to a camp near Portsmouth, Virginia. He then writes of his military unit being renumbered (from 9 A C to the 7 A C now 2nd Brigade 2nd Division 7 A C), of news from home, that his two other... Show moreLyman Barton writes of his Regiment’s march from White House to near Hanover Junction and back, and then on to a camp near Portsmouth, Virginia. He then writes of his military unit being renumbered (from 9 A C to the 7 A C now 2nd Brigade 2nd Division 7 A C), of news from home, that his two other brothers, James and Henry were drafted, and continues with his views on how the war is progressing. Lyman Barton to Melissa Barton Lyman Barton writes of his return to his regiment after spending time at home on sick leave. He also writes of two men being shot for desertion from his regiment, one from his own company. Both men were drafted and he tells the story of the wife of one man coming to camp after his execution, of... Show moreLyman Barton writes of his return to his regiment after spending time at home on sick leave. He also writes of two men being shot for desertion from his regiment, one from his own company. Both men were drafted and he tells the story of the wife of one man coming to camp after his execution, of her being told the news of his death by the company cook, of Portsmouth newspaper reports on Gen Grant and Gen Meade's capture of Rebel prisoners, of comfortable tent to live in with stove. Lyman Barton comments on the Second Battle of Petersburg on June 15 to 18, writing that though they were almost successful in taking Petersburg, the arrival of General Hancock slowed the assault until the defenses were fortified. He also writes of his sister mistaking shoulder scales, worn by... Show moreLyman Barton comments on the Second Battle of Petersburg on June 15 to 18, writing that though they were almost successful in taking Petersburg, the arrival of General Hancock slowed the assault until the defenses were fortified. He also writes of his sister mistaking shoulder scales, worn by privates, for an officer’s badge in a photograph she received, mentioning that the Colored Troops wore these shoulder scales but discarded them when in the field. He gives only a passing mention to the Battle of Cold Harbor. Lyman Barton writes of his travels from Fredericksburg to Newport News via a steamer, and then on to Suffolk. While at Newport News he saw a monitor and the U.S.S. Galena, as well as the wrecks of the U.S.S. Merrimack (C.S.S. Virginia) and the U.S.S. Cumberland and U.S.S. Congress. He also... Show moreLyman Barton writes of his travels from Fredericksburg to Newport News via a steamer, and then on to Suffolk. While at Newport News he saw a monitor and the U.S.S. Galena, as well as the wrecks of the U.S.S. Merrimack (C.S.S. Virginia) and the U.S.S. Cumberland and U.S.S. Congress. He also comments on the lack of alcohol available to the troops and that while he is not a drinker, he is “as bad can be” and that it is “hard spoiling a rotten egg.” Lyman Barton writes of the movements of his Brigade and mentions that the Regiment has received 166 conscripts and that all but one are substitutes. He also mentions that he is unwell. Lyman writes about wishing to receive more letters from his sister, as he is lonely in camp, even though it sounds like he is enjoying himself. He points out the battles printed on the bottom of the writing paper he is using, saying that he was in the last four of them. The letter continues with... Show moreLyman writes about wishing to receive more letters from his sister, as he is lonely in camp, even though it sounds like he is enjoying himself. He points out the battles printed on the bottom of the writing paper he is using, saying that he was in the last four of them. The letter continues with a detailed description of the movements of his Brigade. He also mentions “confiscating” a beef, writing that soldiers don’t steal, only confiscate and the only difficulty was getting the beef into the camp. Lyman Barton writes of how disgusted he is with the outcome of the Battle of the Crater (i.e. Battle of Petersburg Cater, Va.) ,and how he feels it was the “shamefullest thing that I have seen or herd of since I have been out” blaming generals of jealousy of one another resulting in great loss of... Show moreLyman Barton writes of how disgusted he is with the outcome of the Battle of the Crater (i.e. Battle of Petersburg Cater, Va.) ,and how he feels it was the “shamefullest thing that I have seen or herd of since I have been out” blaming generals of jealousy of one another resulting in great loss of men. He also writes of having been in 12 or 13 battles and not gotten hurt yet plus gives news of two of his brothers, Henry and Hiram, who are both in the hospital. Barton, Melissa. (8) + - Families of military personnel. (4) + - Draft -- United States. (3) + - Marching. (3) + - Military camps -- Virginia. (3) + - Battle casualties. (2) + - Confederate States of America Army. (2) + - Petersburg (Va.) -- History -- Siege, 1864-1865. (2) + - Picketing. (2) + - Suffolk (Va.). (2) + - United States Army -- Military life. (2) + - African American soldiers. (1) + - Armed Forces -- Officers. (1) + - Desertion, Military. (1) + - Draftees. (1) + - Executions and executioners. (1) + - Food. (1) + - Grant Ulysses S. (Ulysses Simpson) 1822-1885. (1) + - Gunboats. (1) + - Hancock Winfield Scott 1824-1886. (1) + - Horses. (1) + - Lee William Henry Fitzhugh 1837-1891. (1) + - Meade George Gordon 1815-1872. (1) + - Merrimack (Frigate). (1) + - Military leaves and furloughs. (1) + - Monitor (Ironclad). (1) + - Newport (N.C.). (1) + - Newspapers. (1) + - Pillage. (1) + - Portsmouth (Va.). (1) + - Prisoners of war. (1) + - Reporters and reporting. (1) + - Rivers. (1) + - Skirmishing. (1) + - Soldiers -- Alcohol use. (1) + - Steamboats. (1) + - Tents. (1) + - United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865 -- Destruction and pillage. (1) + - United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865 -- Military reconnaissance. (1) + - Wilderness, Battle of the, Va., 1864. (1) + - Suffolk (Va.) (1) + - Barton Family Correspondence (11) + - Vermonters in the Civil War (11) + -	cc/2020-05/en_head_0058.json.gz/line20
__label__cc	0.533621	0.466379	XCOM: Enemy Unknown will place you in control of a secret paramilitary organization called XCOM. As the XCOM commander, you will defend against a terrifying global alien invasion by managing resources, advancing technologies, and overseeing combat strategies and individual unit tactics. The original XCOM is widely regarded as one of the best games ever made and has now been re-imagined by the strategy experts at Firaxis Games. XCOM: Enemy Unknown will expand on that legacy with an entirely new invasion story, enemies and technologies to fight aliens and defend Earth. You will control the fate of the human race through researching alien technologies, creating and managing a fully operational base, planning combat missions and controlling soldier movement in battle. XCOM: Enemy Unknown release date for iOS June 20, 2013 6 Years Ago (US) XCOM: Enemy Unknown was released on iOS 2406d ago in the US and the UK. June 20, 2013Confirmed https://youtube.com/embed/fC6S2x4qNuQ	cc/2020-05/en_head_0058.json.gz/line21
__label__wiki	0.692618	0.692618	Topics - J. E. Lovelock J. E. Lovelock J. E. Lovelock was one of the early pioneers in gas chromatography. He graduated in chemistry from Manchester University, obtained his Ph. D. in medicine at the London School of Hygiene and was later awarded his D. Sc. in Biophysics at the University of London. He then joined the Medical Research Council with whom he remained for twenty years. In 1954 he was at Harvard Medical School and in the late 1950s became a visiting scientist at Yale University. He was professor at the University of Houston (1961-1964) and since 1964 has acted as a free lance scientist. J. E. Lovelock has published over 200 papers in medicine, biology, gas chromatography and atmospheric science. He was elected Fellow of the Royal Society in 1975 and has received many awards for his work, particularly in the field of chromatography. He invented three forms of the argon ionization detector and, in particular, the electron capture detector which is probably the most sensitive gas chromatography detector in use today.	cc/2020-05/en_head_0058.json.gz/line28
__label__cc	0.570741	0.429259	Luke Piper Boscastle Harbour 14.17 x 22.05 in / 76 x 56 cm > Enquire About this Work < Return to Artist Luke Piper (born 1966) is an English landscape painter. Luke Piper is the son of the painter Edward Piper. He is also the eldest grandson of another artist, John Piper. He grew up in Frome, Somerset. He studied at Frome College and then read geography at the University of Cambridge. Piper's first major show of artworks was at the CCA Galleries, Dover Street, London, in 1992, also used by his father. Since that time he has exhibited regularly in London and at venues such as the Henley Festival, the River and Rowing Museum, Stonor and elsewhere around southern England. He has travelled around the world to paint, including Nairobi via Western Sahara and Zaire in 1995, the Sahara dessert in 1999 and 2000, Nepal and the Himalayas in 1998 and 2000–01, and Australia, New Zealand and Fiji in 2002–03. His has also painted in France, Ireland and Spain as well as around the United Kingdom, including many paintings of the River Thames.	cc/2020-05/en_head_0058.json.gz/line30
__label__cc	0.637924	0.362076	Notification of Rights under FERPA The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) affords students certain rights with respect to their education records. These rights are: The right to inspect and review the student’s education records. The student should submit to the appropriate record custodian a written request that identifies the record(s) he or she wishes to inspect. The record custodian will make arrangements for access and notify the student of the time and place where the records may be inspected. Access shall be granted within a reasonable period of time, but no later than 45 calendar days following the request. If the records are not maintained by the university official to whom the request was submitted, that official shall advise the student of the correct record custodian to whom the request should be addressed. The right to request the amendment of a portion of a student’s education records that the student believes to be inaccurate or misleading. To request such an amendment, the student should write to the appropriate record custodian, clearly identify the part of the record that he or she wants to be changed, and specify why it is inaccurate or misleading. If the university decides not to amend the record as requested by the student, the university will notify the student of the decision and advise the student of his or her right to a hearing regarding the request for amendment. Additional information regarding the hearing procedures will be provided when the student is notified of the right to a hearing. The right to consent to disclosures of personally identifiable information contained in the student’s education records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent. One exception that permits disclosure without consent is disclosure to school officials with legitimate educational interests. A school official is defined as a person employed by the university in an administrative, supervisory, academic, or support staff position (including law enforcement unit and health staff); a person or company with whom the university has contracted (such as an attorney, auditor, or collection agent); a person serving on the Board of Trustees or assisting another school official in performing his or her tasks. A school official has a legitimate educational interest if the official needs to review an education record in order to fulfill his or her professional responsibility. The university may also disclose information protected under FERPA when other exceptions apply. Exceptions include, but are not limited to, the parents of a student who is claimed as a dependent for Federal income tax purposes, to the parents of a student under age 21 who commits a drug or alcohol violation, to the appropriate officials during a health or safety emergency, or to the appropriate parties if a residential student is reported as a missing person. The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failure by the university to comply with the requirements of FERPA. The name and address of the office that administers FERPA is: Notice regarding Directory Information The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) is a federal law that permits Shawnee State University to disclose appropriately designated “directory information” without a student’s written consent, unless you have advised the university to the contrary in accordance with university procedures. The primary purpose of directory information is to allow Shawnee State University to include this type of information from your education records in certain publications. Examples include: A playbill, showing your role in a drama production Dean’s List, President’s List or other recognition Graduation programs SSU Student Directory Directory information, which is information that is generally not considered harmful or an invasion of privacy if released, can also be disclosed to outside organizations without prior written consent. Outside organizations include, but are not limited to, companies that manufacture class rings or sell vacation trips. If you do not want Shawnee State University to disclose directory information from your education records without your prior written consent, you must notify the university in writing by completing the appropriate form in the Office of the Registrar. If you do not complete this form before September 18, 2019, your directory information will be included in the 2019-2020 Student Directory. Shawnee State has designated the following information as directory information: Address (local, home and university-assigned email) Telephone (local and home) Program of study (including college of enrollment, major and concentration) Enrollment status (e.g. full-time, part-time, withdrawn) Class rank (freshman, sophomore, etc.) Dates of attendance Degree(s) and honors awarded Previous educational agencies or institutions attended Participation in officially recognized activities and sports Weight and height of intercollegiate athletic teams For more information, please contact the Student Business Center at 740.351.4357.	cc/2020-05/en_head_0058.json.gz/line32
__label__wiki	0.934978	0.934978	Christchurch City Council owns and looks after some of the city’s heritage buildings and sites on behalf of Christchurch’s citizens. Addington Water Tower Located on Clarence Street, Addington, the tower is listed as an Historic Place Category 1. After the earthquakes A Detailed Engineering Evaluation (DEE) report concluded that the tower is not considered to be earthquake prone. As part of the DEE process further investigation of the tower’s structure will be undertaken. The purpose is to confirm the strength and capacity of the building in terms of a percentage of New Building Standard (% NBS). Investigations of structural elements of the building will include: Concrete wall investigation: removal of a section of concrete to determine if steel reinforcing bars are present Foundations investigation: removal and replacement of floorboards to gain access to foundations for inspection of the condition and size. There is more information about the Addington Water Tower on the Heritage New Zealand website.(external link) Find this and other heritage points of interest on our heritage map. The Canterbury Provincial Council Buildings (1858−1865) is a masterpiece of one of New Zealand’s most distinguished Victorian architects B.W. Mountfort. The buildings were the finest example of Gothic Revival architecture in New Zealand prior to their severe earthquake damage. They are also the only remaining purpose built provincial government buildings in the country. Sections in timber and stone were built around an internal courtyard and linked by flagstone corridors. There are two debating chambers, one in timber and one stone; the stone chamber which remains in part, collapsed in the February earthquake was considered the finest Gothic Revival interior outside England. A programme of careful deconstruction to secure the building along with weatherproofing and retrieval and storage of material has been undertaken. The buildings are currently closed to the public. Listed as Historic Place Category 1.(external link) Timber buildings The earliest timber buildings were relatively plain. The Council Chamber, where the councillors regularly met, was at the heart of the buildings as well as being the most impressive. You can still admire its arched ceiling of native timber and the galleries for the press and public at either end. Something to look out for particularly is the fine tracery on the bay window on the south side. In 1859, work began on the second group of buildings. The province was better off financially and could afford something more elaborate and spacious. The result was a building of strong Victorian Gothic Revival style. These first two timber buildings were connected by a long, low-ceilinged corridor, paved with flagstones and still has an atmosphere suggestive of the hushed cloisters of Medieval monks. Stone Chamber and Bellamys By 1861, the numbers on the Provinc ial Council had swelled to 35 making it a tight squeeze in the small Timber Chamber. Benjamin Mountfort drew up plans for a new chamber along with social and dining facilities (giving them the same name, Bellamy’s, as those in London’s Westminster), and accommodation for a housekeeper. With these buildings, Mountfort used a variety of local stone as the main building material. The Stone Chamber is in a High Victorian Gothic style and the stonework is magnificently elaborate. As Canterbury historian John Wilson said, 'the interior of the Council Chamber is the building’s greatest glory'. There is a double-faced clock, encaustic (inlaid) tiling, beautiful stained glass windows, and carvings done in Christchurch by William Brassington. Visitors can share Brassington’s sense of fun by searching for heads, birds, a cat, frog and other creatures. The timbers used in the interior of the Stone Chamber include native kauri and rimu. Council and provincial building history British colonisation of New Zealand occurred as a series of planned settlements. The Canterbury Association, a group with strong connections to the Anglican Church, brought their first group of migrants out in 1850. There were already five settler communities in other parts of the country but they were very scattered and means of communication and transport were slow. It was decided that each province would be largely self-governing. In effect, six miniature Parliaments were set up to govern a country of fewer than 50,000 settlers. The Provincial Councils took themselves very seriously, modelling their hierarchies on the British 'Mother of Parliaments' at Westminster. Three years after establishment, Christchurch was still a straggling village. In 1853, elections were held for the position of Superintendent and later, for the twelve-seat Council. Only men over the age of 21 who owned property were eligible to vote (it was a good 40 years before New Zealand became the first country in the world to give women the right to vote). There were no secret ballots and no restrictions on treating the voters, so elections were very festive occasions. Building a home for the new Council The Provincial Council first met in temporary accommodation but plans for a permanent building began almost immediately. Canterbury Provincial Council Buildings (1858 to 1865) were designed by Benjamin Mountfort, Canterbury's leading Gothic Revival architect. Although the style of the buildings looks back to Europe, they use local stone and timbers. They sit beside the meandering Avon River, telling the story of Christchurch's early European settlement. On the 6th of January 1858, the foundation stone was laid for the Provincial Council Buildings. The day was declared a public holiday with a procession through town and a nine-gun salute. The buildings were first used by the Council in September 1859. Because of the buildings' great architectural and historical significance, the Canterbury Provincial Council Buildings have been given Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga's highest classification. They are also identified as a significant heritage place for listing and protection through Christchurch City Council's District Plan. Interpretation centre Formerly there was an Interpretation Centre within the buildings. The buildings are currently closed as they suffered significant damage in the Canterbury earthquakes but there are a number of interpretation panels outside the building for your interest. There is more information about the history of these buildings on the Christchurch City Libraries website.(external link) Christchurch Hospital Nurses Memorial Chapel Completed in 1928, the Christchurch Hospital Nurse's Memorial Chapel is located on Riccarton Avenue by the Christchurch Hospital. The Nurses’ Memorial Chapel was dedicated as a memorial to New Zealand Nurses who died in WWI and the influenza pandemic which followed in 1918. It is significant as the only memorial chapel in NZ commemorating women who died in war or the pandemic, and is likely to be the only purpose-built memorial chapel in the world commemorating nurses who died in the Great War. It was also New Zealand’s first hospital chapel. As well as being a general memorial to nurses, the building holds a number of individual memorials to local, national and internationally known medical names. It also provided hospital patients and staff a place for spiritual contemplation as well as a place for baptisms, weddings, funerals and regular service. The idea of building a memorial chapel at Christchurch Hospital began soon after the Marquette disaster during WWI. The Marquette was a transport ship that was torpedoed while crossing the Aegean Sea on 19 October 1915. Among the 741 people on board were 36 nurses from the New Zealand Army Nursing Service and staff from the New Zealand medical corps. Of the 10 New Zealand nurses who perished, three had trained at Christchurch Hospital. At a local memorial service held for those lost in the disaster, a collection was taken with the intention of building a memorial chapel at Christchurch Hospital in honour of all 10 nurses. This idea was met with enthusiasm from the public and supported by the North Canterbury Hospital Board and members of the nursing community. The late Gothic Revival chapel was designed and supervised free of charge by prominent Christchurch architect John Goddard Collins in 1927. Construction was undertaken by Williamson Construction; William Williamson described it as the 'finest building he ever built'. The interior was very much inspired by the Arts and Crafts movement, incorporating significant sculptural elements and the vivid contrast of extensive timberwork and an Oamaru stone chancel arch. The oak carving in the sanctuary was mostly executed by Frederick Gurnsey and his apprentice Jake Vivian. An influential and gifted sculptor, many of Gurnsey's works can be found around Christchurch and feature in the Christchurch Cathedral and Bridge of Remembrance. There are nine stained glass windows - four by Veronica Whall, a prominent English stained glass artist, three thought to be by The Glass House in London, and three are from the former St Mary's Anglican Church in Merivale. A detailed publication listing the building's most significant architectural elements can be downloaded from the Christchurch City Libraries website(external link). Earthquake and rebuild The Canterbury earthquakes of 2010 and 2011 damaged the chapel and it was closed. Restoration work began in 2017 with internal brick sections being replaced with sturdier masonry block, the basement re-clad and the two gable ends and sanctuary arch deconstructed and repaired. Amazingly, all nine stained glass windows remained intact and have since been restored following the extensive building renovations. Originally the chapel was connected to the main hospital and accessed via the main corridor, but this changed when the old hospital buildings were replaced in the 1980s and 1990s. Threatened with demolition three times in the wake of hospital expansion, it now stands within a hemispherical garden between Riccarton Ave and the hospital access road. Maintained by Botanic Gardens' staff, the garden holds approximately 27 varieties of heritage rose as well as perennials and medicinal herbs. Each rose in the garden has been donated by friends and relatives in memory of someone associated with the hospital and nursing. Nearby in Hagley Park is the Bandsmen's Memorial Rotunda, also the first of its kind in New Zealand. This memorial to bandsmen who died in WW1 is often seen as a 'brother' site to the Nurses Memorial Chapel. For more information about the Nurses' Memorial Chapel, both the district plan(external link) and the Friends of the Chapel(external link) website are great resources. Cuningham House The largest and oldest of the Botanic Gardens display houses, Cuningham House, originally known as the Winter Garden, opened to the public in 1924. The building was funded by a bequest made to the Botanic Gardens by Mr C.A.C Cuningham, a Christchurch law clerk, on his death in 1915. Well stocked with an array of tropical plants, many were hand picked by Botanic Gardens Curator at the time, James Young, while on a dedicated plant sourcing trip to Australia. The jungle-like collection included orchids, breadfruit, guava, paw paw, date and sago palms and new kinds of bananas, some of which still survive today some 80 years later. With its symmetrical facade, Tuscan columns and Italianate balusters, Cuningham House firmly falls into the style of a Neo-Classical glasshouse. Local architectural firm Collins and Harman modelled the design of the building on the Reid Winter Gardens at Springburn Park in Glasglow. Cuningham House was considered an improvement because of its reinforced concrete structure and in this way differs from a number of glasshouses built at a similar time. Adding to the classical nature of the building, local resident George Scott donated four Italian marble statues from his Opawa estate to be displayed although the remaining statues have since been removed for preservation. Cuningham House is divided into two main sections, a lower house on the ground floor and an upstairs gallery for plants that have high light requirements. The central section on the ground floor allows for the growth of taller species. The Rosary, redeveloped in 1934, was specifically designed to suit the form of Cuningham House with the circular design creating an axis with the entrance and making it a focal point. Later, rose covered archways were constructed along the pathway, framing the conservatory and creating one of the most photographed views in the Gardens. Cuningham House is of significant cultural and heritage value to the Botanic Gardens. Not only does it offer a practical way to display indoor plants but it provides continuous interest throughout the seasons when other displays may not be at their best. The conservatory also gives us an interesting glimpse into post war society where a fascination with the exotic, other-worldliness of the jungle is tempered by a need for the stability and order provided by the Neo-Classical structure it is housed in. Godley House Godley House, Diamond Harbour’s iconic heritage building and destination was badly damaged by the Canterbury earthquakes and has since been demolished. Godley House was built in 1880 by Mr Harvey Hawkins on land purchased from Mark Stoddart, who lived in nearby Stoddart Cottage. As well as being a family home and pleasure ground, the property was famed for its lavish parties, where boatloads of people would arrive from Lyttelton on Hawkins' steam launch, Waiwera. After a bad financial run, Hawkins went bankrupt, the house was put up for sale and the contents auctioned off in 1896. With no buyers for the property, it reverted back to the Stoddart family, who were the secured creditors. Anna Stoddart and three of her daughters moved into Godley House in 1896. Here they helped to manage the farm and were known for hosting members of the art community, the house described as being "a mecca of many artists, botanists and sundry guests." When Anna died in 1911, the remaining members of the Stoddart family sold the Diamond Harbour estate to the Lyttelton Borough Council and Government and it was used as a hotel, restaurant and conference centre up until the September 2010 earthquake. Download a short history of Godley House [PDF, 3.8 MB]. Deconstruction and demolition The 4 September 2010 earthquake damaged Godley House significantly but the building was considered to be repairable. After the 22 February 2011 earthquake however, hopes of restoration were dashed as two independent reports from structural engineers concluded the building was unsalvageable and advised demolition. On 11 September 2011, a wake was held for Godley House and the Diamond Harbour community and visitors from around the region turned out to farewell the historic home. Through careful deconstruction recorded by an archaeologist, a lot of heritage fabric was saved. When the large concrete foundations on the southern side of the building were removed, a number of features were found beneath them including a fireplace foundation, concrete pathways and brick footing. This footing changes previous ideas about the layout and development of the south side of the house and it is now believed to have been extended in two parts. Two rain water tanks were also found, one dating back to the nineteenth century and the other likely to be its twentieth century replacement. These were constructed from concrete and brick and were left in-situ with a cover made of corrugated iron. The second tank was probably built in 1919 and contained reinforcing steel. The presence of these tanks shows us how a lack of water on the site was dealt with. Sixty artefacts were excavated from Godley House, all glass and metal. The glass artefacts were all alcohol bottles likely to have contained dark beers such as porters and stouts, or spirits. A number of different sizes were found ranging from pint (60 to 70 millimetres in base diameter) to the larger quart (75 to 88 millimetres in base diameter). All bottle sizes found correspond directly to quantities in which beer and spirits were sold both retail and wholesale. Quarts of beer would have sold for 6 to 9 pence per bottle (depending on the beer) and pint bottles would have cost about half that. Maker's marks were found on three black beer bottles although none could be identified to a manufacturer, one has however been found on other nineteenth-century sites in Christchurch. Other bottles included case gins and ring sealed wine and beer bottles. The one metal item found was a lead roofing nail. It has a rectangular cross section suggesting cut manufacture commonly used prior to the 1970s before the use of wire nails increased in popularity. It's possible the nail was used in construction of the house though the house was built in 1870. The artefact composition is unusual because of what is absent. Nineteenth century domestic excavations usually produce large numbers of ceramics, food remains (animal bones) and other glass items like food related jars and non-alcoholic bottles. Knowing the domestic history of Godley House, it is a reasonable assumption to assume the family deposited their waste elsewhere on or off the property. Why the particular assemblage was deposited close to the house and without any other waste is unknown but it is unlikely that it is an accurate representation of the occupants and their activities. Based on bottle manufacturing methods, the bottles found were likely to have been deposited after the 1860s. Future plans for the site The Godley House grounds are currently being used for community events. The Council will work closely with the local community and key stakeholders to look at all future options for the development of this historic site. New Regent Street The street is significant as the only commercial street in New Zealand to have been designed as a coherent whole and is one of the best examples of Spanish Mission style architecture in New Zealand. A plaque notes the role of Arthur Stacey(external link) in the street's development. New Regent Street's architectural style and continuous facade give it high public recognition and landmark significance(external link) and it was described at its 1932 opening by Mayor DG Sullivan as "the most beautiful street in New Zealand". The buildings are listed on the Christchurch City Plan as Group 2 heritage buildings and are registered as a historic area and a Category 1 building with Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga(external link). The Old Municipal Chambers was completed and opened in 1887 and was the first Queen Anne styled building in New Zealand and the first permanent, purpose-built building designed for the Municipal Council. Currently closed, the Municipal Chambers were severely damaged in the 2010/11 Canterbury earthquake sequence. The building was protected, weatherproofed and stabilised in 2014, and the Council is regularly inspecting, monitoring and maintaining the building until repair, strengthening, reconstruction and restoration work commences. The building was designed in 1885 by London born Samuel Hurst Seager, who was a young, newly qualified architect at the time. Seager emigrated to New Zealand with his parents and three sisters in 1870 and went on to became an important and major contributor to Christchurch’s architectural development in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Seager’s design was selected as the winning submission for a design competition for the proposed Christchurch Municipal Chambers. The building’s Queen Anne style was unlike any other building in a city, which was dominated by the conventional Gothic and Renaissance Revival styles. With its rich history and abundant interior and exterior decorative qualities, this beautiful heritage building within its picturesque setting along on the banks of the Avon River is an important contribution to the city’s identity and sense of place. Old Stone House The Old Stone House was built in 1870 by Sir John Cracroft Wilson to house the native Indian and Eurasian employees who travelled with him to New Zealand from India. Born in India himself, Wilson was educated in England and returned to India to work as a magistrate. In 1854, with his health in decline, Wilson had taken extended leave and travelled to Australia. Not finding Australia to his liking, he continued on to New Zealand where he took leases out on three Canterbury stations and purchased 108 hectares of swampy land he named Cashmere after his favourite Indian region of Kashmir. After undertaking work to drain the swamps and build his Cashmere estate, Cracroft, Wilson returned to India and left the running of the Cashmere estate to his son. In 1857, after seeing action in the Indian Mutiny, Wilson returned to New Zealand with his family and more native Indian and Eurasian employees. Initially, his employees lived in huts on what is now Shalamar Drive but many struggled with the cold Christchurch weather. To help, Wilson built them the large stone house to live in communally, making The Old Stone House the home of the first Indian community in Christchurch. Little is known about the construction of the Old Stone House, the stones were probably taken from a quarry on Marley's Hill and the architectural style is that of English vernacular. Although Wilson died in 1881, the family continued to run the Cashmere estate despite a period of requisition by the military during the Second World War when the building was used to house the Signals Section of the Combined Head Quarters Southern Command. Workers still lived in the Old Stone House until the 1950s, when subdivision of the section and better farming technology reduced the need for so many employees. The building was then often vacant or used for storage. In 1966, Sir John's descendant gave the Old Stone House to the Student Christian Movement, who had made use of the building in the years before. Members restored the building but the interior was gutted by fire in 1971 leaving only a shell. In 1972 the Cracroft Community Centre was founded and fundraising began to restore the building. Much of the work was done by volunteers, including sourcing roof materials from other local historic buildings, cutting decorative boards, pointing stonework and landscaping. By the late 1970s the Old Stone House was open to the public with a slightly altered layout that gave the main room a cathedral-style ceiling. Well used by the community, it was also a popular venue for weddings until the Canterbury Earthquakes of 2011 when it closed after sustaining damage. It re-opened in February 2018 and resumed its status as a community and event venue. Find out more or book the Old Stone House.(external link) Rose Historic Chapel Formerly St Mary's Convent Chapel, located on Colombo Street, the chapel is listed as a Historic Place Category 2. The Rose Historic Chapel in Colombo Street reopened in July 2018 after two years' careful restoration work. The collapsed gable walls were restored, the roof and foundations strengthened, and the stained glass windows were reconstructed and reinstalled. The heritage-listed Rose Historic Chapel, formerly known as the St Mary’s Convent Chapel, was built in Colombo St in 1910 and was the first of six church designs the Luttrell brothers, Alfred and Sydney, undertook as the unofficial Diocesan architects for the Roman Catholic Church. The chapel, which featured an outstanding collection of stained glass windows, was bought by Christchurch City Council in 1996 to ensure its retention. There is more information on the listing at Heritage New Zealand(external link). Book the Rose Historic Chapel for an event(external link) Sign of the Bellbird Radical conservationist and liberal MP Harry Ell envisioned a Summit Road that would link the scenic reserves and walking tracks in the Port Hills. To provide refreshments to weary walkers, 14 rest and tea houses were planned to be staged at regular intervals along the Summit Road. In the end, only four rest houses were ever built: The Sign of the Bellbird. The Sign of the Kiwi. The Sign of the Takahe (which also incorporated a tram terminus). The Sign of the Packhorse(external link). The first of these four rest houses, The Sign of the Bellbird, close to the summit crest of Kennedy's Bush, New Zealand's first established scenic reserve, started life in 1913 as a caretaker's cottage. Within a year a tearoom had be added and accommodation in huts and tents was on offer. The Bellbird also functioned as a post office and telephone bureau. The Sign of the Bellbird was designed by Samuel Hurst Seager, a prominent local exponent of the Arts and Crafts movement which advocated an authentic architecture of place. Consequently Seager sought to harmonise the Bellbird with its landscape by building it of locally quarried volcanic stone with a slate roof. The cottage was occupied between 1913 and 1942 by a number of caretakers including Harry and his wife Ada. By 1942 the effects of the Second World War had taken their toll on the Bellbird. Motoring restrictions in particular had resulted in all-time low sales and a temporary closure was agreed when the last caretaker left due to ill health. The isolated location of Sign of the Bellbird made it an easy target for vandals and over the years the building fell into disrepair. Eventually it was demolished and materials from the ruins were used to partially reconstruct the building as a shelter. This has proved popular with walkers, cyclists and picnickers in the area. In 2015 a fire gutted the shelter's roof(external link). This was replaced in 2017. Sign of the Kiwi Located on Dyers Pass Road and Summit Road, the building is listed as an Historic Place Category 1. The historic Sign of the Kiwi serves as a popular café for visitors and a beloved feature of the rugged Port Hills landscape. Sign of the Kiwi was one of four rest houses to be built around the Summit Road as part of Harry Ell's plan to provide access to those out walking the scenic reserves of the Port Hills. Designed by Samuel Hurst Seager, the building is a fine example of the arts and crafts style as it blends in seamlessly with the natural landscape, using local volcanic stone of varying colours. The other three rest houses were Sign of the Takahe, Sign of the Packhorse(external link) and Sign of the Bellbird. Opened in 1917, Sign of the Kiwi operated as a tea room, hostel and toll house. Between 1920 and 1926 Harry Ell and his wife Ada lived in the cottage with Ada running a successful tearoom and Harry working as the tollgate keeper. During the 1920s motorists began to complain that the tollgate meant they were paying road maintenance tax twice and the Heathcote County Council eventually removed it. During the Second World War the rest house was closed. In 1948 it was taken over by the Christchurch City Council and later used as a custodian's residence. Renovations began in 1986–1987 and eventually saw the building reopen as a tearoom in 1996. With the added visitor information centre, Sign of the Kiwi was popular with residents and tourists alike until the Canterbury earthquakes of 2010–2011 put it temporarily out of commission. Closed for nearly six years after the earthquakes, the Sign of the Kiwi was repaired and strengthened to 67 per cent of the New Building Standard during 2016. The building reopened as a cafe and visitor centre in January 2017 only to be immediately threatened by the Port Hills fires. Fortunately it survived unscathed and reopened again in March 2017. There is more information about the Sign of the Kiwi's heritage significance in the Statement of Significance for the Christchurch District Plan(external link) and in the Heritage New Zealand listing.(external link) The Sign of the Takahe on Hackthorne Road is a well-known landmark in Christchurch and is highly significant both architecturally and aesthetically as an example of 20th century Neo-Gothic romanticism. It is currently operating as a cafe, bar and function centre(external link). One of four historic rest houses constructed for those walking the scenic reserves of the Port Hills, the Sign of the Takahe is a part of Harry Ell's legacy to Christchurch. Designed to be the entrance to the Summit Road, this rest building was envisioned as a great Gothic-style teahouse. Construction began in 1918 and the partially completed Tram Terminus Rest House, as it was then known, opened for business in 1920, with the lower section operating as the tram terminus and tearoom to try and offset building costs. Argument, financial difficulty, depression and war were to delay its completion for almost three decades. Ell was able to hire a number of skilled craftsmen thanks to government-funded work schemes during the Great Depression. These men produced the fine detailed carving in both wood and stone that typify both the interior and exterior of the Sign of the Takahe. Working within a very tight budget, incredible ingenuity saw ornate friezes carved from packing cases, local Hillmorton stone quarried and hand-chiselled on site, tools made from scraps and huge kauri beams salvaged from an old bridge and used in the living area. The interior of the Sign of the Takahe is full of heraldic symbols: coats of arms of Canterbury settler families, governors-general and prime ministers grace the walls alongside English shields, while the dining room contains a fireplace that is an exact replica of one in historic Haddon Hall in Derbyshire. When Harry Ell died suddenly in 1934, his workers (known locally as Ell's Angels) continued construction, until the outbreak of the Second World War, under the direction of leading Christchurch architect J.G. Collins. In 1942 the Christchurch City Council purchased the building and it was finally completed in 1948, some 14 years after Ell's death. Collins was instrumental in shaping the final design and created an outstanding example of a neo-Gothic style building. Christchurch City Libraries website provides further information on Sign of the Takahe.(external link) The other three rest houses built by Harry Ell were Sign of the Kiwi, Sign of the Packhorse(external link) and Sign of the Bellbird. The building suffered moderate damage in the form of cracking to stone masonry walls and the loss of several parapet stones. The treasured facility at 200 Hackthorne Road, a restaurant and function centre, closed following the February 2011 earthquake and has now been repaired and strengthened to 67 per cent of New Building Standard. There is more information about the Sign of the Takahe's heritage significance in the Statement of Significance for the Christchurch District Plan(external link) and in the Heritage New Zealand listing(external link).	cc/2020-05/en_head_0058.json.gz/line34
__label__cc	0.633391	0.366609	The Need for 85.02 Yesterday the City Council voted unanimously to extend LA Municipal Code 85.02, the law that guides where people can live in their vehicles and prohibits doing so in a residential zone. This law had been in effect for the past few years, but it has to be extended every six months. Unfortunately, it had lapsed for a few weeks during the Council recess because it wasn’t scheduled for its extension vote prior to the recess. The law itself, 85.02, was a necessity given by a court ruling that vacated the City’s prohibition about dwelling anywhere in the city in one’s vehicle. A few years ago the courts ruled against the city in Desertain v. City of Los Angeles. In response, the Council was forced to draft an ordinance (85.02) to allow people living in vehicles some legal places to go. This was the only way to maintain a prohibition in residential areas. It was meant to be a temporary fix until either enough housing was available to legally allow the city to reinstall its citywide prohibition against vehicle living or until another solution could be found. According to the most recent LAHSA Homeless Count, there are over 16,000 people across LA County living in their vehicles, many of whom have jobs and are struggling to maintain a sliver of stability. 85.02 isn’t about criminalizing homelessness, it is about making sure that our communities have some basic health and safety protections. Living in one’s vehicle should never be normalized — people need housing and our streets shouldn't be campgrounds. Though the West Valley has fewer homeless people when compared to other communities in the City, my staff and I receive calls about encampments, RV dumped waste, and problematic issues related to people living in vehicles. We also see real people struggling without viable alternatives other than living in their vehicles. One humane alternative is Safe Parking. It is not a substitute for housing, nor an acceptable solution for someone experiencing homelessness. But, it is better than living in one’s vehicle on the street. I am a strong advocate of the Safe Parking LA program which offers safety, bathrooms, and services. A few weeks ago we opened up Safe Parking in my District Office/Library parking lot. I implore my colleagues, local business owners and anyone who owns a parking lot to learn more about how you can help by providing this minimal service that directly improves lives. We desperately need more spots throughout the city and it’s a simple, but crucial way to help the homelessness emergency. To see a video I made about safe parking, go to http://blumenfield.lacity.org/safe_parking_la. The most important ways we are going to really reduce homelessness involve supportive housing and mental health and addiction care. Measure HHH and other large funding initiatives are helping fuel the needed housing, but we must get creative to truly incentive all of the types of necessary housing and it’s vital for every community to participate. Locally, I have been pushing building Bridge Housing in Canoga Park, fighting for inclusionary housing in Warner Center, creating an innovating drug treatment program in conjunction with Providence Hospitals and the Tarzana Treatment Center, looking at the feasibility of housing on public properties and much more. Please go to my website to read about these and other initiatives (http://blumenfield.lacity.org/facing_homelessness). The renewal of 85.02 is a short term, but important, measure to protect our residential communities and constitutionally comply with court decisions — it is not a way to prevent homelessness.	cc/2020-05/en_head_0058.json.gz/line35
__label__cc	0.732389	0.267611	Mt Washington Real Estate: A Look at the Numbers For many years – decades, in fact – the LA district of Mount Washington was one of the hidden treasures of Los Angeles neighborhoods. All of that changed during the real estate boom of the mid-1990’s and since that time, the run on Mt. Washington homes for sale has been akin to the California Gold Rush. Homebuyers, investors, home flippers and creative types of have been snapping up Mt. Washington real estate as fast as they can. Let’s look at what the facts and the numbers tell us. Mount Washington is located in Northeast Los Angeles just south of Eagle Rock, west of Highland Park and Northeast of Cypress Park. This mountainous community is located in the San Rafael Hills. Every house is situated on unique and hilly terrain. This eclectic community is home to many styles of houses, which allows people to build on lots of all shapes, sizes and slopes. The various styles include: Cottages, Midcentury Moderns, Spanish, Hillside Midcenturies, Historic Craftsmen, Tree House Cabins, Bungalows and Craftsman Bungalows. According to the LA Times, the population of Mount Washington was 13,531 people in 2008. With its 1.85 square mile radius there were 6,878 people per square mile. This is about average for Los Angeles County. The average income in 2008 was $57,725 and 2.9 people per household size. Both of these numbers are average for the county. Even though the houses are on hills, Mount Washington is surprisingly accessible for walking, biking and public transportation. According to WalkScore Mount Washington is somewhat walkable with a score of 50. Some errands can be accomplished on foot. The transit score for Mount Washington is 59, meaning there are many convenient public transportation options – including the Gold Line Metro what deposits travelers at the Southwest Museum. Lastly, although this community is decorated with a slue of steep hills, there are some bike lanes on the main roads earning a bike score of 35. Zillow states that the Home Value Index of Mount Washington is $720,100. This is an increase of 5.1% since last year. Zillow predicts the value to increase 2.8% up to $740,000 by the end of the year. The average price per square foot is $612, which is higher than the Los Angeles average of $451 per square foot. The average rental price is $2,942 per month. Since Redfin named Mount Washington one of the hottest cities in the country, house flipping increased in like wildfire throughout the community. In effect Zillow has labeled the housing market as “Cold” because it has become ideal for the Buyer with so many fresh homes to choose from. Because of this increase in listings, approximately 11.5% of listings end up shaving their price down. Compared to other markets in the nation, Mount Washington has a market health of 2.2/10. This is part of the average real estate flux. People will continue to search for homes in Mount Washington, but eventually the majority of the homes will be house flipped and/or sold. Once the number of listings decrease the community will turn back to “Hot” – a Seller’s Market – with hoards of people trying to obtain property in this hidden oasis of Los Angeles. What Is Tort Law Exactly? Have you ever done something that was against the rules? Well, torts are something like that; but much more serious. Torts are civil wrong-doings; immoral behaviors and actions against civilians. The law identifies a tort as immoral, and approves it as grounds for a lawsuit. Most often, torts come with severe consequences, like serious injuries and death. These consequences establish a civilian’s right to file a personal injury claim against a wrongful party. Torts that result in serious injury or death can be punishable by imprisonment; however, the objective of tort law is to acquire compensation for damages incurred by victims and families of victims. In addition, and equally important, intent is to prevent similar wrongdoings from occurring in the future. In fact, victims of tort can take legal action for an injunction in order to inhibit further torturous conduct of the opposing party. Explaining Torts and Tort Law Victims of tort can pursue fair compensation for damages incurred as a result of the offence. Exemplary damages include everything from pain and suffering to loss of companionship, and much more; such as lost wages, hospital bills, medical expenses, scarring or disfigurement, funeral expenses, prolonged rehabilitation, permanent disabilities, and much more. Injured victims can also pursue compensation for damages like diminished quality of life and loss of benefits from loved one’s death. Tort law is established to protect injured victims that were wrongfully hurt by a negligent party. Negligent parties can include people, companies, individuals, organizations, products, and much more. Categories of Tort There are several individual capacities of tort law that all depend on the type of injury or accident that harms a person. Types of tort include motor vehicle accidents, product liability, assault and battery, sexual harassment, drunk driving accidents, wrongful death, slip and falls, head or brain injuries, dog bites, nursing home neglect, motorcycle accidents, and several other types of deliberate inflictions of emotional or physical trauma. Every type of tort can be grouped into three separate categories of tort law; these categories are Intentional Torts, Negligent Torts, and Strict Liability Torts. Intentional torts are deliberate, premeditated, and purposeful. Assault and battery, sexual misconducts, and nursing home neglect are some examples of intentional tort. Negligent tort occurs as a result of carelessness and disregard. Disobeying traffic signals and causing an accident that harms another person is an example of negligent tort. Other examples include pedestrian accidents, hit-and-run accidents, medical malpractice, legal malpractice, and slip and fall accidents. Strict liability torts, on the other hand, occur when a particular action causes harm or damage to another person; such as liability for making and selling defective products that are hazardous. If you are a victim of tort, or was recently injured in an accident caused by the negligence or misconduct of another party, you may be entitled to compensation for your damages. Contact a licensed personal injury law firm for professional guidance and counsel. It is important to take immediate action following a serious injury before the State’s statutes of limitation runs out. An experienced tort lawyer will substantially increase your chances and likelihood of winning your personal injury claim recovering compensation for your damages. Choosing A Houseboat In Alleppey For The Most Rewarding Trip Alleppey in Kerala, India is probably most popular because of the endless backwaters, lagoons and canals it has to its name. It is therefore not a wonder that the Nehru Trophy Alleppey Snake Boat Race is among the most attractive for travelers including myself. Considering that the race falls in August, I have always planned my travel to be around the same time to ensure that I get to enjoy all the fun. Don’t get me wrong, Alleppey does have lots of other attractions including religious places, stunning beaches, old temples and paddy fields but houseboat cruises make some of my favorites here. To complete my trip, I always make sure that I get myself a boathouse; there is really nothing as fulfilling like it. The well inter connected canal, lakes and rivers here make houseboat living simply amazing. Kerala may have lots of other places where house boat cruises can be enjoyed, but Kerala beats them all. The best thing is that I get to decide just how long I wish to enjoy the houseboat; it is possible for me to rent one for a few days to make my trip here nothing but rewarding. But for this to happen, I am always keen on the houseboat that I settle for and the process as well to get me the best. I start by inspecting the houseboat before I commit to anything. I do not believe in booking early unless it is during peak months. Booking early before getting to Alleppey increases chances of having to deal with agents which could increase the costs. I believe in seeing my boathouse beforehand so I can ensure it has everything that matters and that the decoration is just superb. The boats here are in good condition, but it does not hurt to be sure before paying anything for mine. Before paying for my houseboat in Alleppey, I also take time to compare the available options. By looking at a few of the available boats, it is easier for me to select the one I love most. The quality is not the same and hence sampling a few make it possible for me to end up with the best. Some of the things that matter when making the selection include bed, mattress, bathroom, mosquito net, air conditioning and meals. It is important to ensure that there is ample supply of bottled water, snacks and meal that I prefer so my needs are covered throughout the cruise. Just like looking at any other accommodation property, size does matter when I am going through the houseboat options. Of course it will depend on the number of people I am taking with me and the kind of cruise I wish to enjoy. I love houseboats with an upstairs deck and an eating area downstairs. This way, I get to enjoy lots of privacy upstairs and enjoy amazing views from here separated from the staff offering important services. Interesting Facts About Lamborghini 1. Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A. is an Italian automobile company that makes luxury, high end sports cars. Its has it headquarters in Sant’Agata Bolognese, near the city of Bologna, Italy. Lamborghini was founded by an Italian engineer Feruccio in 1963. 2. Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A. emerged as a result of competition between Feruccio Lamborghini and Enzo Ferrari (of Ferrari cars ) who at that time already had been known as a famous manufacturer of sports cars. Feruccio Lamborghini himself was an accomplished engineer; he was an owner and manager of a successful company, which produced agricultural machinery. Feruccio loved sports cars and owned a Ferrari 250 GT. A rumour has it, that two great constructors had a conflict after Lamborghini had turned personally to Enzo Ferrari because of the broken clutch on his Ferrari 250 GT. It is believed that quick-tempered Enzo recommended Feruccio to deal exclusively with tractors, and never even touch a sports car. Feruccio Lamborghini took it as a challenge resolving to use his assets, experience, and passion to found a company, capable of going toe-to-toe with Ferrari. 3. This may come up as a surprise to some of you, but Lamborghini never participated in any major motorsports competitions. According to the will of Feruccio Lamborghini, his company stayed away from racing, because the famous Italian engineer always believed the motorsports to be a big waste of time and resources. 4. One thing Lamborgini was always known for is its top-notch design. Some of the best professionals in the industry, including Franco Scaglione, Touring, Zagato, Mario Marazzi, Bertone, ItalDesign and Marcello Gandini, worked on its visual design. 5. People usually think of luxury and high-performance grand tourers, whenever someone mentions the name Lamborghini. Nevertheless, the Italian automaker has created few unusual models. Feruccio Lamborghini had an extensive experience in producing tractors, so it seemed natural for him to try his hand at designing an automobile with high off-road capabilities. Lamborghini LM002 was the first SUV, built by Italian vehicle manufacturer. Combining speed and luxuriousness with exceptional off-road capabilities, Lamborghini LM002 was in many respects far ahead of its time. When it comes to comfort and ability to cross the difficult terrain, only Land Rover could compete with LM002. Unfortunately, automobile market was not quite ready for the new luxury SUV. Therefore, despite the orders from armed forces of Saudi Arabia and Libya, Lamborghini sold only 301 vehicles. 6. The Italian automaker launched its first production model in 1963. With the top speed of 280 km / h, Lamborghini 350GTV was a leader among production cars of its time. 7. The Italian company uses very distinctive naming convention for its car models. Feruccio Lamborghini was quite a fan of Spanish bullfight. In 1963, he visited the cattle-bred farm Miura in Seville. It was owned by Don Eduardo Miura Fernandez, one of the most famous breeders of fighting bulls in Spain. This visit had a strong influence on the Italian industrialist. In fact, he was so impressed by the traditional art of bullfighting, that he made a decision to name all his new sports cars after famous fighting bulls. Traditionally in Spanish bullfight, bulls that manage to defeat a matador are given life, and their names are forever inscribed in the history of the sport. Ferruccio Lamborghini was convinced, that a name of a fighting bull will emphasize the untamed nature of sports cars created under Lamborghini marque. By the way, Ferruccio Lamborghini himself was also a bull in a sense, since his zodiac sign was Taurus. (He was born on April 28, 1916). 8. The first model to be introduced to the world under the “bullish” name was Lamborghini Miura. The sports car debuted at the Geneva Motor Show in 1966. The public warmly received it; however, spectators were somewhat confused, since they were not allowed to open the hood. This was not a coincidence: there was simply no engine under it! Since the engine was still being designed, the prototype was sent to the Geneva Motor Show with a ballast instead of an engine under the hood. Eventually, Miura proved to be a very good car. 9. Lamborghini Countach was produced by the Italian company for 16 years (from 1974 to 1990). Notably, this sports car is one of the a few Lamborghini models, with a name that has nothing to do with bulls and bullfighting. The word “countach” comes from the Piedmontese language, spoken in a region of Piedmont in North-West of Italy. It is an expression of excitement or astonishment and can be translated as “Heavens!” According to the legend, Nuccio Bertone himself made such an exclamation when he saw the first sketches of the future supercar. 10. The story of Lamborghini was not always a story of success. In 1987, the American automobile giant Chrysler, practically saved it from oblivion by acquiring it. The same year, the Italian vehicle manufacturer presented a peculiar concept car under the name of Portofino. It was a sedan with four doors of the guillotine type, powered by a 3.5-liter engine installed at the rear. Although it remained only a prototype, its image and design was subsequently embodied in many Chrysler cars. 11. In 1994, Lamborghini was acquired by an Indonesian investment group. It was a period of uncertainty for the Italian marque. The German automobile giant Volkswagen saved the famous vehicle manufacturer. Since 1998, Volkswagen has controlled Lamborghini through its subdivision Audi. Undoubtedly, this was a mutually beneficial union for both companies. 12. The design of modern Lamborghini is unusual even for supercars. The steel-cut body style, which became the signature of most Lamborghini models, makes it akin to fighter planes. The designer Filippo Perini admitted that he drew an inspiration from military aviation. He was particularly impressed by American B-2 and F-22 aircraft while working on Lamborghini Aventador. 13. It turned out that the powerful Lamborghini V12 engine is a perfect fit for speedboats as well as supercars. Such a technical symbiosis is not a common thing in automobile industry. The luxury boat Riva Aquarama became one of the leaders of the market thanks to high performance and versatility of the incredible Lamborghini V12 engine. 14. Interestingly, Lamborghini cars are used by the police of United Arab Emirates and Italy. It makes sense if you think about it; nothing can detract criminals and attract tourists like the world’s fastest police car! 15. As we have already mentioned, Feruccio Lamborghini neglected motorsports and tried to stay away from it. Nevertheless, the Italian vehicle manufacturer is revising this strict policy, since today it is a handicap for an automaker that specializes in supercars to ignore motorsports in its entirety. Currently, the company has some notable presence in the world of car racing. The Lamborghini Blancpain Super Trofeo is an example of a successful collaboration between the two legendary brands. Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A. and the Swiss watchmaker Blancpain teamed up to launch this prestigious international motor racing series. In 2009, the Swiss company even presented a special watch, dedicated to this mono-brand championship. 16. This surprises no one that Lamborghini brand has some of the most impressive achievements in the automobile world. The last one was 384 km / h speed record set by the Lamborghini Huracan during half a mile race. 17. Lamborghini has a very long and fruitful relationship with Italian wheel manufacturer PIRELLI. From the day one, PIRELLI tyres were used on all Lamborghini vehicles. The Italian automaker even created the special version of Lamborghini AVENTADOR, dedicated to PIRELLI. 18. Lamborghini AVENTADOR has a designation of LP 700-4 700 where “700” stands for 700 h/p engine and “4” for a four-wheel-drive. 19. Lamborghini is partly responsible for the emerging of the well-known automobile marque Pagani. The founder of the Pagani Automobili S.p.A, Horacio Pagani, had worked as an engineer at Lamborghini until he quit due to inability to employ his own ideas. In 1988, the famous Argentinian constructor, eager to put in use his designer talent and make his own product, created a new company Pagani Automobili S.p.A. 20. Nowadays, Lamborghini supercars are powered by either V8 or V12 engines. The ratio between those two engine types is approximately 3:1. Bengal Handloom Sarees Collection India is country that has a splendid heritage of various cultures and heritages that have resulted in innumerable traditional crafts and art forms in every nook and corner of this massive country. Over the years however the artforms responsible for many of the most resplendent of Indian traditional dresses have faded away because of the lack of proper preservation and government aid. Many of the artisans and craftsmen have been forced to give up these art forms that have been passed on through the generations in the families, in order to earn a decent livelihood. The Bengali handloom industry like many other handloom industries from around the country have been ignored for far too long. The traditional sarees of Bengal are known for their intricate and unique craftsmanship. The broad range and palette of colors that these exotic sarees employ are a testament to their spell-binding power and allure. The sheer appeal of these traditional size yard wonders is what makes them all so sought after in the Indian ethnic fashion scene today. Like most other traditional handloom saree styles, these sarees are outmatch the magnificence of any western trend. These sarees are perfect to flaunt on any festive, wedding or traditional celebratory occasion. One way to spruce up these other traditional styles is to perhaps try new and trendy methods of draping your saree or even amplify your style with voguish accessories. The best part about Bengali sarees is the fact that you can store them for long periods without letting them wither away by just having them dry-cleaned or even subjecting them to fabric treatments. All one has to do to make the sarees suitable for wearing them again after long periods of storage is to rise the fabric delicately in cold water. These sarees have quite a strong fan following among Bollywood celebrities. They are also a favorite of youngsters. A lot of celebrities such as Priyanka Chopra, Dia Mirza, Vidya Balan and Konkana Sen Sharma are major fans of Bengali handloom sarees and can be seen sporting them regularly at red carpet events, award shows and even promotional events for their movies. Another way to really spice up these traditional styles is to pair them with suitable crop tops that will amplify the look to incredible extents. Pairing them with full sleeved polo neck t-shirts as well as statement necklaces for a more Indowestern style is also a good option. Sporting a pair of leggings instead of the traditional petticoat and wearing some fancy headgear or a scarf are all ways to go about sprucing up your look. You could also try giving your traditional Bengali sarees style a bohemian touch by accessorising with chokers and large danglers or hoops. If you are someone who doesn’t quite like completely traditional styles and would like to spruce things up then there are endless options for you to go about doing so. Buy Bengal Handloom Sarees After reading this article on the sheer grandeur of Bengal Handloom Jamdani sarees, if you have made up your mind on getting yourself some sensational Tantuja saree Bengal or Bengali heavy dresses online, then the best place to so from is a well-reputed ethnic fashion website which is known for its collections of all the latest Bengal handloom sarees as well as all other varieties of traditional silk saree, linen sarees and handloom cotton saree styles from all over the country, all available at unbelievably affordable prices that you can get with everyday discounts, sales, offers and more. 5 Benefits of Raising Pets With Children Pets Are Constant Companion Your child is bound to get bored and lonely. This happens most when you are raising a single child. However, having a pet around helps your child to have a constant companion in the house. Pets also can match the energy and excitement level of a child. A human adult can never match the energy and enthusiasm a pet, in the form of a dog, has. The pet can keep your child busy and engaged. It can be your child’s constant playmate without getting bored. Increase Your Child’s Activity Level In the era of smart-phones and tabloids there are chances that your child might become less active. However, a recent study has shown that the kids, who own a dog, exercise eleven minutes more on average, than non-dog owning kids. Eleven minutes might sound quite less but also when you add up the figure in terms of weeks and month you realize the benefits. A pet in the form of a dog really helps your child to walk the extra mile and keep him/her active. Grows Responsibility Children with pets become more responsible than the others. It keeps them alert whether the dog or the cat got their share of food or water. They also tend to share more than the other kids. The kids learn to be accountable of someone else. In that way they grow up to be more responsible adults. They learn fast that how the pets are dependent on the human beings and from that understanding, the attachment develops. Makes them Empathetic Pets also teach your children to become empathetic and kind towards others. Kids without any kind of pets tend to become cruel or repulsive towards other animals. However, kids having pets like dogs or cats tend to care more for others. The responsibilities of owning a pet makes them accountable and their self-esteem also increases. They grow-up to be dependable adults than kids who don’t own a pet. By keeping in mind their pet’s feeding and grooming routines, they also learn to keep track of their own routines. Makes them Healthier Studies have shown that there are also certain health benefits of having pets. Babies who are being raised near pets tend to fall less sick than the babies who are not. Pets, especially dogs, carry certain microbes from outside into your home. These microbes tend to help your baby by improving their immunity. Interaction with pets also helps in releasing the dopamine hormone in your child. This makes them more cheerful than the others. Food Specialities Of Different States Of India That Everyone Must Have The variety of food India has to offer is simply unbelievable. Every state of it has an array of food and different cooking style. From the spiciest to the most ordinary preparations, they have something different to offer. To know more, we bring to you some authentic, must have, local dishes native to the various Indian states. DAAB CHINGRI- West Bengal Filled with green coconut, it is a traditional Bengali dish of soupy mustard prawn curry. The aroma of the coconut water and kernel gets mixed up with the prawn, giving it a most fabulous taste. This special delicacy is best served with a plate of boiled rice. BAL MITHAI- Uttarakhand This exquisite dish comes from the state of Uttarakhand which is made by roasting the evaporated milk cream with cane sugar and later coated with white sugar balls. It is one of a true delight for all the dessert lover. KAMBU KOOZH- Tamil Nadu It is cool refreshing and healthy dish from the state of Tamil Nadu. The dish is prepared from millet and is stored in the earthen pots to create a perfect taste. MALAAI GHEWAR- Rajasthan This round shaped food delicacy is a traditional dish of Rajasthan. It is made from flour, milk and pure ghee. There is a possibility that you might find it in the other parts of India also, but the one you get in Rajasthan is simply incomparable. CHHENA PODA- Odisha This is an Oriya desert prepared from the baked ricotta cheese. This sweet delight could also be taken as an Indian version of Cheesecake. Do explore when you plan your visit to the state. THALIPEETH- Maharashtra It could be taken as the multigrain pancake, prepared from roasted chana daal, wheat, sorghum, millet, rice and mildly spiced with coriander seeds, onion fresh coriander and cumin seeds. The delicacy is very nutritious and is best served with buffalo milk cream. BHUTTE KA KEES- Madhya Pradesh It is a dish made with spicy grated sweet corn. The tangy taste of this authentic delicacy is must to try when you plan to visit the state. IRACHI ISHTU- Kerala This is a traditional food item from Kerala which is made with Chicken, beef or lamb. This tasty stew is best served with appam or plain bread. RUGDA- Jharkhand When you planning to visit Jharkhand, do not forget to try Rugda. It is a variety of mushroom indigenous to the forests of Jharkhand. The dish is very healthy and is best eaten with rice or poori. KALAADI CHEESE- Jammu and Kashmir Prepared from cow’s milk, Kalaadi is a traditional local hill cheese which comes from the state of Jammu and Kashmir. You simply cannot forget to miss out on its divine taste when you are there. MADRA- Himachal Pradesh Coming from the state of Himachal Pradesh, Madra is a traditional pahadi gravy. The dish is prepared with yoghurt, coconut, almonds, peas and raisins. This special food item offers a very aromatic flavour and delicious taste. BAJRA KHICHDI- Haryana This amazing khichdi is made with coarsely crushed pearl millet and is served with pure ghee or sesame oil. The dish becomes all the more tasty with lassi, pickles, papad, gur or curd. KHANDVI- Gujarat This delectable snack is made from gram flour and yoghurt, tempered with sesame, mustard seeds and decorated with green chillies, coconut and coriander leaves for its amazing look. BEBINCA- Goa Famous for its seafood cuisine, Goa is also known for its authentic and exquisite pudding dessert. The traditional Bebinca in Goa is made up of 16 layers and is rightly served warm with cold ice cream. DEHRORI- Chhattisgarh It is a delicious dessert from the state of Chhattisgarh which consists of fried rice dumplings dipped in sugar syrup and garnished with nuts. The dish is usually prepared on Diwali eve to make the celebrations more joyful. LITTI CHOKHA- Bihar This crunchy dish from Bihar is prepared with wheat balls stuffed with Pitthi – roasted and spiced gram flour) and Chokha (mashed potatoes). The dish becomes all the more delicious with pure desi ghee on its side. India – Jewellery Destination and Jewellery Shops in India India and Jewellery, Jewellery and Indian women are interlinked with each other from decades. In almost every occasion starting from marriage to any event the fashion of a woman is incomplete without teaming up with proper jewellery. Some traditional and some modern styles of jewellery caters to the need of jewellery selection. Not only the affluent class can afford jewellery but there are also low cost jewellery items that cater the wide demand of jewellery in India. While picking up or choosing jewellery in India has lot to do with fashion trends heritage and culture. Different regions and culture follow their unique designs that go at par with their tradition. Kundan jewellery is a renowned art that we can see in Indian jewellery which usually comes from the state of Rajasthan. Almost every small and renowned jewellery shops in India showcases unique styles of Kundan art. Apart from Kundan jewellery Meenakari, the art of coloring the surface of metal to give a gorgeous look to the jewellery is quiet famous in India. Traditional temple style of Jewellery depicting the style of south India is quiet famous. A married woman in India has to flaunt variety of Jewellery pieces as a part of culture that actually gives the lady a gorgeous look. A pair of toe rings is a symbol of a married lady these toe rings can be of silver or any other material. Apart from toe rings nose ring is also a part in Indian marriages. These nose rings are generally called nath that depicts prosperity of husband. Necklaces are an untouchable part of traditional bridal attire. Necklace can be of different designs. It can be of traditional temple design or it can be of curved design. This piece of jewellery actually is an essential part of bridal or non bridal attire. In any occasion women can flaunt a necklace simple or heavy as per their occasions. Bangles usually worn in the hands to decorate the hands of a woman are also a part of bridal attire. In India there are a variety of jewellery shops catering to the wide demand of jewelleries. These shops provides almost every type and form of jewellery. Some of the important and renowned jewellery shops in India are P.C Chandra Jewellers, Malabar Gold & Diamond Jewellers, Kalyan Jewellers, etc. Apart from visiting a jewellery showroom nowadays online shopping from portals like Caratlane has become quiet famous among women who hardly gets time after their office hours. To brief out India and its craze for jewellery is inseparable. Searching for a Personal Loan Just Got Simplified Figuring where to get a loan with the best rates isn’t easy, but it’s still possible even after the credit crunch the United States has experienced in recent years. With a bit of research and persistence, it’s still possible to get a great personal loan. Many loans are still ridiculously high in spite of the Federal Reserve’s influence on rates which they’d hoped would trickle down to each and every loan type product. It’s smart to know what determines interest rates in order to strike a better deal when wondering where to get a personal loan. A bit of research will help a person learn how to get the best rates on the following: 1. Mortgages 2. Lines of credit 3. Home equity loans 4. Auto loans 6. Student and personal loans About Mortgages There’s a lot that affects mortgage rates, and of course there are several different types of rates from fixed-rate to adjustable. Fixed-rate are always in relation to the current state of the economy. They are also subject to the expectations of the investor. They usually have long-term interest rates via treasury note as opposed to short-term personal loans that are regulated by The Fed. ARMs or adjustable rate mortgages are affected by short-term rates. For those looking to find where to get personal loans at the best rates, they should prepare a portfolio that shows stable income, and a great credit score. A score of 740 or more is best. If they have a down payment that will also help, and cash reserves on top of that makes them a prime borrower. Of course, that doesn’t mean there aren’t great rates for those who aren’t considered “perfect” borrowers. Making a larger down payment or borrowing less money will help get a personal loan, be it for a mortgage or other purpose, that’s a much lower rate. Another way to reduce rates when searching for where to get personal loans is to pay an origination free up front, or even what are called discount points. This is simply a percentage of the loan amount that helps decrease the interest rate. Of course, this means one will pay more at closing if mortgage related. How much these points lower the mortgage or rate of the loan depends on the market at the time of the loan. It’s smart to pay points because it reduces not only the interest for the total life of the loan but also lowers the monthly payment. Take into account how long the home will be owned to figure out if it’s a smart move. Most homeowners sell or refinance within 5 years of ownership, to give an idea. Many prefer to take advantage of a home equity loan in lieu of trying to get a loan elsewhere. In this case, borrowers get money right away and in a lump sum. The loan is set at a fixed interest rate, which allows them to make the same payment every month for the entire loan term. These type of personal loans are lines of credit that let the borrower take out money periodically when necessary. The interest rate can be different, depending on what is called the prime rate. The borrower may have the choice of making interest-only payments over a set period of time. In any case, to get the best rate when looking for where to find personal loans, it’s best to be aware of one’s credit profile and secure a loan whenever interest rates are at their lowest. Competitive rates and flexible terms are a click away, and you’ll have money from trusted lenders deposited directly into an account of your choosing. Applications are free, then fees and loans are up to the individual and the provider. Three Ways to Increase Property Values Real estate investors live and die by their ability to add value. With no added value, there are no profits. This is true with any business, but what makes real estate such a great business and a great investment, is the number of ways you can add value and cash in on big profits. Here are three ways you can add value to your properties. Upgrades and Repairs: OK, this is the obvious one and is the reason fix and flippers can make money. Some repairs add a lot more value than it costs to do. The more creative you are with the improvements, the more value you can add. For example, I have a client that adds square footage to every house he buys. He really likes the inner city properties because they are the hardest to add square footage. You either need to finish an unfinished basement, or add a second story. There is not typically enough land on the lot to add an addition by increasing the foot print of the property. This client does a lot of basement finishes and “pop tops,” but where he has made the most money is the basement that is only 5 or 6 feet deep. He will go in and dig out the basement to a full 8 or 9 foot height and then finish it. Something most investors would not think of, so he is able to get the deal most other investors pass on. I have also seen some investors find houses that don’t really fit into a neighborhood and they make them fit. This could be limited bedrooms or bathrooms or funky floor plans. All of that can be changed. Obviously many cosmetic fixes like kitchens and bathrooms add a lot of value too. There is a lot more to it than this, but the idea is to buy a property at its true ‘as is’ value, (don’t over pay), and then add value with the repairs and upgrades. Owner Finance: I love this one because it is so easy to add value with very little to no work. You will need to wait to cash in on your profits, but it is a way to increase a sell price significantly. You can also use this strategy to defer tax gains over a few years, instead of taking a big hit all in one year. When you have a property for sale there are a limited number of buyers for the house, although right now that pool of buyers seems pretty big. If you can increase the pool of buyers, the demand for that one house increases, which forces the price to go up. Someone that cannot qualify for an ordinary loan, limiting the supply of houses to choose from for that buyer, will likely buy your property. That also increases the price. You are adding value by giving them the chance to own a home that they normally would not be able to own. For this value, you should be compensated with a higher price and a decent interest rate on the profits, while you wait for the buyer to refinance and pay you off in full. Shared Units: This is one area of real estate that I have not dabbled in, but it is extremely inviting. The idea here is to sell your property to multiple buyers. You are seeing this a lot in resort towns. It is always a vacation or second home. Have you ever been to a time share presentation? They are pretty enticing aren’t they? About 13 years ago my ex wife and I were in Florida and got sucked into a time share sales pitch. We decided to go because they offered us free tickets to Disney. We sat there for about an hour and a half and then the hard sale came. They were very good at selling the “idea” of the time share and had my ex wife sold. She asked me to move forward with the deal, but I could not bring myself to do it. I told her that I was not comfortable with an emotional purchase and that we needed time to think it through. “Can I please have our Disney tickets?” was my response. As we rode back to the hotel that afternoon, I started thinking about the math. Each unit can be sold to 52 different people because your purchase only gets you 1 week a year. Add that to the annual maintenance fees and the numbers are staggering. I know people who have flipped time shares successfully, because you can get them for free or near free on Craigslist, but it is not an investment I was interested in. With that said, I have considered doing a half or quarter share on a house in a ski town in Colorado. In this scenario, you are sharing a house with 1 to 3 other people so there is a ton more flexibility. You can use or rent out your weeks and you can be guaranteed valuable high demand weeks every year. It is a way to get a second home without the full expense. From the seller’s point of view, it is a way to get more for the house. ½ a share of a house is going to cost the buyer more than ½ of the fair market value. I have seen business plans from investors that would buy a house and quarter share it out. The idea was that after they improved the property and sold ¾ of the house to 3 different buyers, they would own the last ¼ free and clear. Obviously this strategy will work best in areas where people want second homes. The downside is if there are any improvements or major issues. I can see there being disagreements, so this is something you would want, as a buyer, to work out with all the other owners in writing before you buy.	cc/2020-05/en_head_0058.json.gz/line38
__label__wiki	0.691718	0.691718	Tensions Remain around Georgia's Breakaway Regions Nine Years After Five-Day War By Natalia Konarzewska October 26, 2017, the CACI Analyst In August, Georgia commemorated the ninth anniversary of its five-day war with Russia over the breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia and the 25th anniversary of the war in Abkhazia. Although years have passed since the hostilities, the conflicts remain unresolved while the political situation around the two de facto entities as well as Russia-Georgia relations remain tense. Russia’s President Vladimir Putin visited Abkhazia and reiterated Russia’s military support for the region. In the preceding months, Russia increased its military pressure on Georgia by conducting large-scale military exercises in South Ossetia and Abkhazia. In parallel, Russia continues the illegal demarcation of the so-called frontier between Georgian-controlled territory and the separatist regions, moving the occupation line further into Georgian territory. BACKGROUND: Since the beginning of the conflict in Ukraine in 2014, Russia’s creeping annexation of Georgia’s breakaway regions has accelerated considerably. This process has also coincided with the conclusion of an Association Agreement between Georgia and the EU, which Russia perceives as a threat. In 2014, Abkhazia signed an alliance and partnership treaty with the Russian Federation, envisaging far-reaching harmonization of their legal systems in crucial areas such as defense and security, as well as in the economic and social spheres. South Ossetia signed a similar act of alliance and integration a year later. In reality, these agreements serve as a vehicle for the gradual incorporation of Georgia’s breakaway regions into Russia’s political and economic system without any formal act of annexation. Moscow has periodically leveraged the independent status of Abkhazia and South Ossetia against Tbilisi. Yet in the foreseeable future, Moscow will likely refrain from officially absorbing Georgia’s breakaway territories. This is especially the case after the annexation of Crimea, after which the West introduced sanctions on Russia. Over the past several years, Georgians inhabiting the separatists regions have seen a gradual restriction of their human and civil rights, which continues to this day. Moreover, Russian military personnel continue the illegal demarcation, also called “borderization,” of the administrative boundary lines between the occupied territories and the rest of Georgia. Russia has also sought to increase its influence and soft power in Georgia through information operations. Russian propaganda utilizes various channels, such as NGOs and internet media outlets to play on Georgian cultural and national sensitivities in an effort to raise anti-Western and pro-Russian sympathies in Georgian society. Consequently, rapprochement between Georgia and Russia, which broke diplomatic relations in 2008, remains stalled although Tbilisi has over the past several years made several conciliatory moves towards Moscow and the de facto authorities of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. IMPLICATIONS: Several years after the war, Russo-Georgian relations remain tense and Moscow continuously exerts political and military pressure on its southern neighbor. Two recent high-profile visits to Abkhazia by Russian officials served to reiterate Moscow’s support for the breakaway region. On April 18-19, Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov paid a two-day visit to Abkhazia, during which he opened a Russian embassy. Aside from Russia, the major part of the international community does not recognize Abkhazia as independent and this step was widely seen as an attempt to legitimize the separatist entity and highlight its growing ties with Moscow. Some observers noted that Lavrov’s visit to Abkhazia coincided with the anniversary of the mass protests in Georgia’s capital, Tbilisi, on April 14, 1978, against a proposed constitutional change aiming to diminish the status of Georgian as a state language. Likewise, Vladimir Putin visited Abkhazia while Georgia commemorated the anniversary of the Abkhazia and South Ossetia conflicts. During his meeting with de facto president Raul Khajimba, Putin reiterated that Russia guarantees Abkhazia’s security and independence. Moreover, he announced that Abkhazia’s economy will integrate further with Russian’s economic system by relaxing custom procedures and border controls to boost the local trade and travel sector. Putin’s trip Abkhazia also followed the visit of U.S. Vice President Mike Pence to Tbilisi, where he reaffirmed U.S. support for Georgia and attended NATO’s large-scale joint military drills Noble Partner, which started on July 31 in the Vaziani and Camp Norio military training areas. The timing of these Russian officials’ visits to Abkhazia suggest that they were deliberate moves to exert political pressure on the Georgian leadership and highlight geopolitical competition between the U.S. and Russia in the region. Russia has also intensified pressure on Georgia through illegal borderization. As a result, not only has the property of many Georgian citizens ended up inside the occupation zone; so has a section of the Baku-Supsa oil pipeline. The latest adjustment of the demarcation line took place in June this year, near the Bershueti and Sobisi villages, when the administrative boundary was moved 700 meters into Georgian-controlled territory. Some observers have noted that border markings were installed in close proximity of the Baku–Tbilisi–Poti–Batumi highway, and anticipate that part of this crucial route could also be captured in the future. If this would happen, it would definitely disrupt regional trade and tourism activities involving Georgia and Azerbaijan. It could also endanger Georgia’s and Azerbaijan’s ambitious plans to reinvigorate the transport and logistics sector in the region, since the Baku-Batumi highway is a major land route connecting Baku’s planned international sea trade port Alyat with the Black Sea. Simultaneously, units of Russia’s 58th Combined-Arms Army, permanently stationed in a military base near South Ossetia’s capital Tskhinvali, carried out exercises involving 3,000 troops and 500 units of military hardware. In late June, Russian forces conducted military drills in Abkhazia. In the meantime, the human rights situation for the ethnic Georgian population in South Ossetia and Abkhazia is deteriorating. Following in Abkhazia’s footsteps, in late July South Ossetia’s de facto Ministry of Education announced that Georgian language schools located in the region will close in order to strengthen the Russian and South Ossetian component in the local schooling process, starting from the 2017/18 academic year. The Annual Human Rights and Democracy report prepared by the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office, which was released in July, cites increased pressure on the local Georgian population inhabiting the occupied territories. According to the report, the de facto authorities severely limit the residency and property rights of ethnic Georgians. Georgians in the occupied regions are also subjected to restriction of movement, including limited access to documentation, closure of crossing points and frequent detentions across the administrative boundary lines. CONCLUSIONS: The most recent frictions in Georgia-Russia relations can be attributed to several factors. During a meeting in early June between Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Grigory Karasin and Ambassador Zurab Abashidze, the special envoy of the Prime Minister of Georgia, the parties failed to agree on the establishment of trade corridors from Armenia to Russia through Georgian territory, including the occupied regions. Russia has repeatedly expressed a keen interest in establishing such transit links, because it lacks a land connection with its regional ally Armenia, and demands the inclusion of Georgia’s breakaway regions in the deal. However, Tbilisi refuses to include representatives of Abkhazia and South Ossetia in the negotiations, arguing that the agreement on trade administration, which is the legal basis for establishing such overland routes, was exclusively signed by Georgia and Russia. In the wider context, recent developments in U.S. – Georgia relations is likely an additional reason for the renewed pressure from Moscow. Despite initial insecurity regarding bilateral relations under the Trump administration, several prominent U.S. officials have in recent months emphasized their country’s commitment to maintaining close relations with Georgia. Moreover, Georgia and the U.S. signed an important General Security of Information Agreement in May, which will facilitate bilateral intelligence sharing and the interoperability of Georgia’s military with NATO forces. AUTHOR’S BIO: Natalia Konarzewska is a graduate of University of Warsaw and a freelance expert and analyst with a focus on political and economic developments in the post-Soviet space. Image source: By kremlin.ru accessed on 10.26. 2017 Read 5312 times Last modified on Wednesday, 25 October 2017 AbkhazGeorgian conflict RussoGeorgian relations New Wave of Anti-Government Protests in Georgia More in this category: « Uzbekistan Works to Reshape Central Asia Kadyrov, Moscow and Rohingya »	cc/2020-05/en_head_0058.json.gz/line40
__label__cc	0.56992	0.43008	Title: Approving real property tax abatement for improvements on a portion of real property located at 120 W. 12th Street within Enhanced Enterprise Zone 1, Kansas City, Missouri, and directing the City Clerk to provide a copy of this Ordinance to the Director of the Missouri Department of Economic Development. 6/15/2017 Referred to Planning, Zoning & Economic Development Committee 170459 Plan.pdf Plan 78K EEZ Resolution 170459 Fact Sheet.pdf Fact Sheet 392K Fact Sheet EEZ ordinance (Spring Venture Group).docx Request for Ordinance 22K Spring Venture Group EEZ Ordinance Request Approving real property tax abatement for improvements on a portion of real property located at 120 W. 12th Street within Enhanced Enterprise Zone 1, Kansas City, Missouri, and directing the City Clerk to provide a copy of this Ordinance to the Director of the Missouri Department of Economic Development. WHEREAS, Section 135.963, RSMo, authorizes, upon governing body approval, up to twenty-five years of tax abatement for improvements made to real property within an Enhanced Enterprise Zone after the date of enterprise zone designation by the Missouri Department of Economic Development; and WHEREAS, on August 25, 2005, by Resolution No. 051066, the City Council designated pursuant to Section 135.960, RSMo, an enhanced enterprise zone program area known as Enhanced Enterprise Zone 1; and WHEREAS, the City Council directed that improvements to real property within Enhanced Enterprise Zone 1 shall be exempt from assessment and payment of at least 50% of the ad valorem taxes on such improvements for a period of ten years, and shall be eligible for abatement of ad valorem taxes for rates and periods exceeding the 50% for 10 year abatement by passage of an ordinance or resolution by the City Council authorizing the abatement and establishing the terms of such abatement; and WHEREAS, on November 22, 2005, by Ordinance No. 051411, the City Council identified the types of business by NAICS sector names which would qualify for state and local incentives within Enhanced Enterprise Zone 1; and WHEREAS, Spring Venture Group is an eligible enhanced business enterprise and has requested tax abatement for certain improvements to be made to real property located within Enhanced Enterprise Zone 1 at 120 W. 12th Street for use by the company; and WHEREAS, Spring Venture Group, once it has selected its preferred site, will lease and improve only a portion of the real property for its business operations such that the tax abatement will take into account the portion of the property allocable to Spring Venture Group in relation to the whole; and WHEREAS, Spring Venture Group, application complies with the requirements of Section 135.963, RSMo, and the City’s ordinances and resolutions governing enhanced enterprise zones; and WHEREAS, pursuant to Section 135.963.3, RSMo, the requisite public notices were timely and properly mailed and published, and the requisite public hearing was timely and properly held; NOW, THEREFORE, Section 1. That pursuant to Section 135.963, RSMo, the City Council hereby approves the application for tax abatement by Spring Venture Group for improvements made after the date of Enhanced Enterprise Zone designation to the portion of the real property to be leased by Spring Venture Group and located in the Enhanced Enterprise Zone 1 at 120 W. 12th Street, Kansas City, Missouri (the “Spring Venture Site”). Section 2. That the tax abatement granted herein shall, except as provided in Section 3 hereof, be 100 percent of the value of the improvements made to the Spring Venture Site, and the resulting tax obligation shall be calculated pursuant to Exhibit A, attached hereto and incorporated herein. The tax abatement shall continue for a period of 12 calendar years beginning in 2018, provided however, the tax abatement shall terminate no later than 25 years from August 19, 2005, the date the Enhanced Enterprise Zones were designated by the Missouri Department of Economic Development. Further, the abatement granted herein shall apply to all ad valorem taxes, imposed by all political subdivisions with the power to tax, on improvements made on the Spring Venture Site after August 19, 2005, subject to continued compliance with Section 135.963, RSMo, and the City’s ordinances and resolutions governing enhanced enterprise zones. The affected political subdivisions are: City - Kansas City Kansas City Missouri School District Board of Disabled Services Metropolitan Community College Kansas City Public Library State Blind Pension Section 3. That the tax abatement granted herein shall not extend to any property categorized by the Jackson County Assessor as residential real property for ad valorem taxation purposes. Furthermore, and notwithstanding anything to the contrary in Section 2 hereof, in the event that Spring Venture Group shall not have reached a total employee headcount of at least five hundred fifty (550) jobs at the Spring Venture Site within five (5) years from the date the tax abatement shall have commenced, the tax abatement granted herein shall be reduced to 75 percent of the value of the improvements made to the Spring Venture Site for the duration of the remaining term of abatement, and the allocation methodology as provided in Exhibit A shall be supplanted with the allocation methodology as provided in Exhibit B, attached hereto and incorporated herein. Section 4. That the City Clerk is hereby directed to deliver a copy of this ordinance to the State Director of Economic Development within thirty days following passage of this ordinance. Brian T. Rabineau o The total square footage of the building occupied, in part, by Spring Venture Group will be as determined pursuant to Jackson County records (the “Total Square Footage”). o Spring Venture Group is proposing to lease a portion of the building commencing on January 1, 2018 and may periodically increase the square footage of its leasehold during the abatement term. o The 2017 appraised value of the building will be divided by the total square footage to establish the valuation per square foot. This square foot value shall control with respect to the square footage occupied by Spring Venture Group for the entirety of the tax abatement (the “Spring Venture Group Valuation”). o To calculate taxable value for the building during the term of the abatement: § Step #1: Square footage occupied by Spring Venture Group as of September 15 of each year shall be multiplied by the Spring Venture Group Valuation to determine the value attributable to the total portion of the building occupied by Spring Venture Group. § Step #2: The appraised value of the building in years 2018 and forward, as established by Jackson County, shall be divided by the Total Square Footage to determine the per square foot value of the building without abatement. § Step #3: The per square foot value determined in Step #2 will be multiplied by the square footage of the building not occupied by Spring Venture Group to determine total value applicable to the portion of the building not occupied by Spring Venture Group. § Step #4: The values determined in Step #1 and Step #3 will be added together to determine the total appraised value of the building. § Step #5: No later than September 15, the total appraised value for EEZ purposes as determined in Step #4 will be reported by Spring Venture Group to Jackson County. § Step #6: Jackson County will apply the applicable assessment rate and mill levy rate to the appraised value generated in Step #5 and issue its tax bill to the property owner. o The 2017 appraised value of the building will be divided by the total square footage to establish the valuation per square foot. This square foot value shall control with respect to seventy-five percent of the square footage occupied by Spring Venture Group for the remainder of the tax abatement (the “Spring Venture Group Valuation”). § Step #2: Seventy-five percent of the square footage occupied by Spring Venture Group as of September 15 of each year shall be multiplied by the Spring Venture Group Valuation to determine the value attributable to the seventy-five percent of the portion of the building occupied by Spring Venture Group. The remaining twenty-five percent of the square footage occupied by Spring Venture Group as of September 15 of each year shall be multiplied by the per square foot value determined in Step #1 to determine the value attributable to the twenty-five percent of the portion of the building occupied by Spring Venture Group. The two sums shall thereafter be added to determine the value attributable to the total portion of the building occupied by Spring Venture Group.	cc/2020-05/en_head_0058.json.gz/line43
__label__wiki	0.702436	0.702436	Joanna Marie: June 2010 Joanna Marie Skillett is the latest soprano to be launched in the UK with an impressive recording contract; it's worth £1 million! Classical-Crossover.co.uk finds out just who Joanna Marie is, how she entered the classical world, how she was discovered and most importantly, how she feels about it all! We're ecstatic to discover a lively, happy and excited young star that can hardly believe her luck. And she laughs a lot! You've been signed to a record label (congratulations!) How did it happen and how did it feel? I'm signed to IMA productions and it's so exciting! I was finishing at the Royal Academy of Music in London and one of my teachers called me into a classroom and said: 'there are some guys here; they're looking for a new boy band.' I didn't think I really fitted the criteria! [laughs] But they really wanted to meet me, so we met in a corridor in the Academy, said hello, and I just sang for them and it just grew from there, really! I've known them for a couple of years now. We're working on some new material, as well as classical and operatic arias and creating a lovely sound. It's just been so much fun working with new people and new music; it's great! Can you tell us about your musical journey that has brought you up to this point? How much time have you got?! [laughs] I started music with my next door neighbour actually. I went next door when I was about four to have piano lessons and as I got older, I started playing every musical instrument that I could get my hands on and trying them out! As a teenager I became really interested in performing; really loved being on stage and sharing music with others. So a music competition in London came up, and to enter you have to have three disciplines to perform and I really wanted to do the competition. I thought it would be great to be part of this music business with all of these fantastic musicians! I primarily played the piano and flute, and I thought maybe I could sing a little bit. The singing literally happened like that. I got a piece of music that my friend was singing at school, who I always accompanied on the piano and I thought "well, I'll give it a go!" She helped me, and I performed it. I can't tell you how red I was! But it was so much fun and I really caught the buzz! It must have went well because I won it! [laughs] The singing was just a different avenue; it gave me the spirit of music that I never had before, it was so intimate with the audience, so I started having singing lessons when I was sixteen. I was really fortunate to get to sing in school as well in the choir; singing with others was a great thing to do and a way of giving more back with more people which was just fab! Then I went to the Royal Academy when I was seventeen and learned so much more. I just caught the bug of opera; about areas of music that I had never experienced before. But it allowed my passion for performing on stage, my love for music and its colours, and for the imagination to come together. To bring in my passion for performing and acting through the dramatic side of the music to the stage. It was just a whirlwind, I'm still riding it! You are about to get a whirlwind of attention - are you ready?! [Instantly] Oh yeah! I'm just over the moon to be honest! I went to the Royal Academy because of their amazing background and their ability to draw in young musicians; to coach them and teach them and really nurture them in this world of music that we love and listen to. It's just a fantastic atmosphere and I learned a lot. When I first started there, my way of getting into the more classical and opera world was by listening to Lesley Garrett and Katherine Jenkins and both of them are alumni of the Royal Academy. I was listening to their albums at seventeen/eighteen and I still listen to them very much. They really helped me to find out what I wanted. I'd listen to their music and think that if one day I could sing this kind of stuff and have so much fun like they're doing and reach their audience, if I could do that for one girl or the next generation of young singers alike that were at my age of seventeen/eighteen then... job done! And now I get the chance to and it's just phenomenal! It's an absolute privilege and I'm very, very proud, especially flying the flag for Essex of England! [laughs] As a young soprano, I'm only twenty-two, it's a great opportunity to bring the music of opera to the wider audience. It's just really exciting - you can probably tell! [laughs] I'm a little bit excited! How would you best describe your voice? It's weird; describing a voice... the thing about the voice is that it's internal. Kiri Te Kanawa recently said "The voice is an instrument but it happens to be inside you" and I think that's poignant because it's so individual to the person. Yamaha doesn't make them yet! Every single voice is a different colour and timbre. I'm still growing; I'm still finding out about mine and it's wonderful. I think the roles for me in the future will be the rich and the exuberant ones that are warm in tone. I love the European and English repertoire of opera. The warm tone can also be matched with the playfulness in my voice. I have great fun with it, on performing and dramatising bits, bringing out characters and colours. So if I were to describe it I think I would say that if you get to know me, you can hear it in my voice! It's very much my personality: bubbly, warm, friendly, colourful, exciting and... quite big! [laughs] Are you going to train further in opera? I'd like to. I'd like to study all areas of classical music, from the classical crossover right the way through to the wider opera, but I'm still very young. If I could make an opera album on this deal then it would just be fantastic because I'm all about the wider audience. I most definitely listen to it and I am very influenced by Anna Netrebko, Jonas Kaufmann, and all the artists in the field; although I am young it would be lovely to perform some of the opera arias on an album, it would be fantastic! What can we expect from your debut album? Oh! It's going to be so fun! I can't wait! [laughs] It's going to be... am I allowed to say this? I'm sure I am... oh well! We've done about three tracks and that was really fun in the studio with Jake and Jason [from IMA Productions]; they're really nice, it's great because they're also singers as well. It's lovely being on board from the very beginning - you get so much input and you can have fun, experiment, try things out. Sometimes they don't work but most of the time there are magical moments in the studio! I have my Britney moments when I really sing into the microphone! [laughs] There will be a lovely selection of wedding songs; the ones where people have asked me 'can you sing that lovely one at my wedding?', so I think that would be nice to put on the album so then they can always listen to them! There's classical crossover, opera arias... it's just going to be lovely. I'd love to explore the way that classical music can spread to all different genres. As long as you stay true to your voice and yourself, rely on the good technique of training, then your voice, can, no doubt, sing all kinds of things. When can we expect to see it on the shelves? I think, I hope, it's the last quarter of the year! That's what I've been told! It would be lovely to be as soon as possible, but I really want to get it right. We are just so passionate about this project and so excited about the musicians that we found and the team we're getting together; it's going to be really something special and we really want to get it right. So the more we build the scaffolding on it, the higher we can reach, the higher we can climb. So we're going to make a good one for you guys! Is there a tour or any big live events in the pipeline? Yeah! Actually, that's a good point; I need to check that my passport is still valid! [laughs] I'm going to Italy next week to do a tour out there, a concert tour in Florence in the Northern parts of Italy. I'll be doing a concert tour of La Boheme and I'll be playing Mimi with the Royal Academy. We're also doing some outside events whilst we are over there, just filling our time! Which will be lovely! When I get back to the UK I'm doing a couple of concerts and recitals for the Royal Society of St George in November which is in honour of Winston Churchill; I've been told there's a very special guest coming to that event, in the form of the patron, Dame Vera Lynn! I've been told that, but I don't know for sure! If she's there it will be wonderful! I'm also doing a lot of concerts around the London and Essex area and at the same time I'll be working on the album over the summer. I do a lot of outreach programmes as well; workshops in and around Essex and Greater London to do with music and the voice. It's really exciting; I'm going to be quite busy! Is there anyone in particular you want to perform or work with? Oh... good question... I don't know if she's still singing, but, oh, Doris Day! [laughs] Does that count? Am I allowed to say that? [laughs] She was my, she still is, my absolute idol, my favourite, and Dame Vera Lynn. As for people in the industry at the moment, I listen to Katherine and Lesley. Anna Netrebko is just the most wonderful exuberant performer and voice; I think she's an absolute diamond. Jonas Kaufmann is possibly one of the greatest tenors that I've ever heard. But I love listening to all sorts of artists. I love to listen to upcoming artists; what people are bringing to music and anyone that just really enjoys and has a passion for music. I'd love to work with people that are like minded; that just want to experience, explore and try. Who knows, maybe we can have a massive collaboration, it would be fantastic! Are there any crossover artists that inspire you? Definitely Lesley Garrett, Katherine Jenkins and Josh Groban just because they've achieved so much, bringing their music to a wider audience, to people like me when I was seventeen. I owe them a lot of "thank yous" in a way because they really opened me up to this music. I loved music before, have always loved music, but it was this kind of music and this avenue that just fitted me. I guess it's the way people see sport, I suppose? People enjoy sport and they have their favourite events; football, rugby, cricket or netball. I love music but for me I get the most out of classical music. It's wonderful when you find a singer that you can just relate to, just guiding you through and this opportunity to me is a way of giving it back and bringing it forward, I'm a strong believer of that, and if I could do that for the next generation it would be wonderful; I'd be very humbled. What effect do you think classical crossover music has on pure classical and opera? I think it has a wonderful effect, I really do! I've only been studying the classical side of music since being at the Royal Academy. Being in an environment like that where you have hundreds of musicians passing through the doors everyday, where you're seeing this vibrant world and you know people all around the world won't see this experience and this world that I get to go in and be part of everyday. The more that the classical side becomes a crossover, it's no longer crossover so much, it's just the merge, developing. When people say classical crossover it suggests that they are leaving, but I think it's a two way street - it shows that music can fit all lives and it can touch everybody. I think it's wonderful that they are popularizing classical music, and if I can help in any way, shape or form then I'm all for that. It's great to reach a wider audience because I was certainly touched by this music and you only have to look at the Three Tenors and their 'Nessun Dorma' to know that it touches others. Only recently I put on an opera gala for charity in my home town which was great fun! The whole repertoire was really crossover stuff right the way through; ones that people would know but not necessarily have on their iPod and it was wonderful because I'm still receiving cards and lovely notes saying 'I really like that song and I really miss that'. And that's exactly what we want. We want to bring this repertoire out to the world. It's the most wonderful stuff, and it can be up there with Muse, and Britney, I'm sure it can! To find more information on Joanna Marie Skillet, check her out her official website at www.joannamarieofficial.com Interview by Nicola Jarvis: 22nd June, 2010	cc/2020-05/en_head_0058.json.gz/line44
__label__cc	0.660738	0.339262	A History of the Coffee Creek Quilters Program Theresa Eggleston, one of the original instructors at Coffee Creek Quilters, provided the following history of the program. It began just as the doors to Coffee Creek Correctional Facility, Oregon’s only correctional facility for women, were opened in April 2002. A presentation was made at St. Francis of Assisi Episcopal Church in Wilsonville asking for volunteers to teach a hobby to the incarcerated women. According to Theresa, Koko Sutton “bit right away.” Koko, an active member of the church and an avid quilter, came up with the idea of the quilting program. The church agreed it was a good idea and became the program’s first supporter, giving Koko the money to buy “six of everything she needed.” In Koko’s search for sewing machines, she met Ray Landis who owned the Sewing Center West in Beaverton. He also “bit right away,” selling Koko six machines and equipment at cost and telling her she could pay when she could. Theresa recalled Koko and Ray’s generosity. “At one point we owed Koko over $300 and then she owed Ray for machines as she took him up on the offer to buy all that she needed.” Over the years, he also gave the program fabric and serviced older machines that he donated to CCQ to give to students when they were released. Theresa recalls going into the shop and being handed a bolt of fabric for the program. Ray made a simple flyer about CCQ that he gave to customers that resulted in a lot of donated machines and volunteers for the program. At first Koko kept all the equipment, fabric, and supplies in her garage; her car no longer fit. So, she began poking around for a place to store everything. Again, St. Francis Church came through with space in Wisdom House, an old building on church property. One of the instructor’s husbands made two large closets that still store our fabric and supplies. Theresa wasn’t sure who paid for the closets, but recalled Koko was busy giving talks to anyone who would listen to raise money for the program. In the early days, all classroom supplies were put on a big cart that was stored in a locked closet between classes. Six of everything (machines, scissors, rotary cutters, seam rippers, project boxes, etc) fit on the cart along with two small ironing boards Koko made and some irons. Eventually, Don Herr a math teacher at Tualaity Junior High School heard about the program and made an equipment cabinet. Next, Koko designed a cabinet to hold the project boxes, which are large pizza boxes each woman uses to store their quilts. That cabinet was made at the prison workshop by CCCF women. Initially, Koko and another volunteer were the only instructors for the first six students. They quickly discovered their students knew little, if anything, about sewing and many also experienced learning challenges. So, Koko made a presentation to NW Quilters asking for help and three women, including Theresa, volunteered to teach. Initially, there were bowls of safety pins and straight pins set out for students to use during class. The number of safety pins and straight pins were not counted. That is, until someone discovered straight pins taped under the tables. Safety pins were out and a system of keeping straight pins in a sheet that was checked out to students, and counted, was instituted. At first, the instructors did not have their own students, but roamed the classroom helping as needed. Students began requesting to work with certain instructors and it was decided that each instructor would work with the same students each week. Theresa recalls how initially students seemed wary of the class and made up all kinds of excuses not to come. Koko instituted the policy that after three unexcused absences, students were removed from the program. However, once instructors began working with the same students and “showed up” every week for them, the students’ attitudes began to change and they became more cooperative and happy. Now, Koko was hearing from prison staff about the change in the students’ attitudes. Theresa remembered a student asking her if she was ever scared being in the prison, to which she replied, “No, I haven’t even thought about it.” From the outset, the program was based on students making three quilts. The first two would be donated to charity and the third could be kept or given to a loved one. Koko realized the importance of students being able to “give back” with the first two quilts and the significance of creating the special third quilt. With the same instructor working with a student over time, it was easier to assess student’s skills, incorporate skill building over the three quilts, and maximize the opportunities for success. The program flourished. Soon there were 10, then 15 in the class and women were asking to be put on the waiting list. Over time, the program expanded to four different classes of 20 women each and for a long time, Koko attended every class as the only instructor “trained” to hold the keys to the doors and cabinets. Eventually, each class had a “lead” instructor who, with training, had access to keys. Early on, each instructor found most of the fabric for her students, usually from her own personal stash or purchased, and used their own patterns. The instructors were very generous. Realizing the need for fabric and financial donations, Koko found someone to write proposals to fabric companies and individuals, and slowly donated fabric and money started coming in. The donated fabric, some good and some not so good, all went to Koko’s garage until the closets were installed at Wisdom House. Theresa retired from teaching at CCQ with mixed emotions after ten years in the classroom. “It was rewarding from day ONE and just got better when we had our own students.” Among her highlights was being able to work with students over time and working on their beloved third quilts. She couldn’t recall a bad experience with any of her own students and was always disappointed if a student transferred or left her class. She wanted to make sure that St. Francis Church was given credit for their pivotal role in supporting the program. In recognition of her contributions, Theresa was made an Honorary Member of the Board of Directors of Coffee Creek Quilters in 2012.	cc/2020-05/en_head_0058.json.gz/line46
__label__cc	0.535785	0.464215	Caricom worried about impact of CFATF advisory Posted by: GxMedia in News November 27, 2013 0 The Guyana-based Caricom Headquarters The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) is urging an early resolution of the issues surrounding the implementation of recommendations to address deficiencies in the anti-money laundering regime of Guyana. A statement issued by the Bureau of the Conference of Heads of Government of CARICOM after its meeting in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago on Tuesday 26 November, said that CARICOM was “deeply concerned about the impact that any adverse action” by Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF) Member States could have on “the Guyanese economy, and by extension the CARICOM Region as a whole, particularly in the areas of trade and financial services.” In a statement issuedat the end of its XXXVIII Plenary Meeting held from November 20-21, 2013, in Freeport, Bahamas, CFATF said “members are therefore called upon to consider implementing counter measures to protect their financial systems from the ongoing money laundering and terrorist financing risks emanating from Guyana.” Statement on CFATF and Guyana CARICOM has taken note of CFATF’s consideration of Guyana’s progress in implementing recommendations to address deficiencies in its anti-money laundering regime. CARICOM has also taken note of the efforts made by the Government of Guyana to implement the said recommendations, including by tabling in the National Assembly a Bill to amend the legislative framework, which Bill has since been rejected by the National Assembly, given the Parliamentary and political configuration that obtains in Guyana. CARICOM is deeply concerned about the impact that any adverse action by CFATF Member States could have on the Guyanese economy, and by extension the CARICOM Region as a whole, particularly in the areas of trade and financial services. Any action that reduces the ease or increases the cost of processing international financial or trade transactions will adversely affect trade and financial flows in the Region, retard the regional integration enterprise and reverse the gains made by Guyana and the region. CARICOM notes that this could also directly and severely, hinder the functioning of the CARICOM Secretariat which is based in Guyana. Mindful that this action could result in hardship for the people of Guyana and having regard to the extenuating circumstances that obtain in Guyana particularly as it relates to the Government securing legislative approval, and the deleterious consequences that are likely to arise from adverse action against Guyana, CARICOM hopes that this matter could be resolved at the earliest opportunity. GxMedia Previous: GPL on high alert for faults due to bad weather Next: Five suspects in car theft arrested, one shot	cc/2020-05/en_head_0058.json.gz/line47
__label__wiki	0.657956	0.657956	The First Feature Length VR Movie Insta360 Pro Creators - The Deep Dive in B Roll on December 5, 2018 Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email The VR Movie is becoming a brand new form of media consumption, presenting new opportunities to totally immerse viewers in a designed environment, creating a movie this way has never been done to full feature length, until now. On November 2nd, the world’s first feature-length VR movie “Calling” held a screening at Beijing Film Academy with Director Charles Zhang. The VR movie tells the story of a middle-aged real estate CEO who suffers from mental illness due to emotional and work pressure, all shot on Insta360 Pro. VR Movie – “Calling” In Beijing Film Academy, the audience wore VR headsets to immerse them into the movie. Director Charles Zhang attended the screening and described the process of creating a VR movie using Insta360 Pro. We talked with Charles to dig into the details of shooting a VR movie: What made you want to use VR to shoot a full feature-length film? There are almost no VR movies on the market that are over 60 minutes in length. I hope to try to produce such long-form VR movies, which will promote the development of the entire industry of VR films. I am currently studying at the Griffith Film Academy in Australia, studying VR film language, and I aim to put it into practice. Why did you choose the Insta360 Pro to create a VR movie? I have always paid attention to the development of technology. Compared with similar products, the Insta360 Pro has much better performance, it can shoot 8K high-definition 360 video, and it’s cost-effective. In addition, the Pro is easy to carry and set up. This was very convenient when shooting “Calling”. In the future, I aim to shoot documentaries, VR entertainment films, concerts and online dramas with the Pro. Insta360 Pro in Action How long was the entire production process of Calling? How was the workflow different from creating traditional movies? The whole film took a year and a half from preliminary prep to shooting and post-production. The script of “Calling” was based on audio-visual language and emphasizes the concept of space: where in the space, how the focus of the space was arranged, lighting control, and so on to maximize immersion in a VR environment. VR movies and traditional film shooting are also different. In order to hide the set, it is necessary to minimize the number of people. When shooting, the film crew only had two people, me and the assistant director. Due to its panoramic nature, the shooting process is faster than traditional movies, and it took only two weeks (usually traditional films shooting cycle may have 4-6 weeks). What is special about VR in the presentation of the story and the advancement of the plot? The lens language of traditional movies is based on the “frame”, the director can use the “frame” to constrain the visual range of the audience. Whereas in a VR movie, it’s 360 and there is no picture frame, there are many traditional shooting methods and visual language that are no longer applicable, the focus of the audience depends on the location of the camera and other factors. Especially in large spaces, such as outdoor scenes, it is necessary to guide the audience’s attention through actors and environmental cues. What was your biggest challenge when creating a VR movie? The biggest difficulty is hiding the director and the device. In addition, it is very difficult to monitor the picture during the shooting process. However, as you guys at Insta360 have developed Farsight, the long-distance image transmission system, real-time monitoring is going to be great. I hope that I will have a chance to try it later. Great help. What channels do you expect will be used to watch VR movies? Traditional movies require a lot of people to gather together to watch the same screen, whereas, with VR movies, everyone uses a VR headset to watch. Traditional movies are linear, while in VR the film encourages viewers to look back and find clues in the environment. This means that VR movies are suitable for viewers to watch alone from anywhere, so I expect that VR theatres will proliferate on the Internet, such as YouTube, rather than physically as was the case with traditional movies. Viewing a VR Movie After the premiere at the Beijing Film Academy, we will participate in the Guangzhou Golden Koala International Film Festival at the end of this month and will continue to showcase “Calling” in the United States, Australia and other countries. After the end of next year’s screening, we aim to launch it online. About Director Charles Zhang Charles Zhang graduated from the Beijing Film Academy and is currently a Ph.D candidate at Griffith University Film school. In 2018, he served as the director of Calling and the assistant director of the “Liquefazione”, an art short film. Charles Zhang He graduated from the Beijing Film Academy and is currently studying at the Griffith Film Academy in Australia. He published “Animation Principles and Laws”, “3D Animation Foundation” and other animation creation works and will launch “VR Film Language and Practice Research” in 2019, detailing how to develop VR film production practice through the development of this new film language. Be sure to keep an eye on our blog to find out interesting ways 360 cameras are being utilized. Keep up with the latest in 360 photos and video by joining Insta360’s user group on Facebook and signing up for the Insta360 community mailing list. 360 camera techniques 360 cameras best 360 camera Written By Kris Haagensen Richard Browning Captures Jet Suit Flights With a 360 Camera How Virtual Reality Therapy Is Helping One Paraplegic Man to Remap His Brain 5G VR: How 5G Is Already Transforming Virtual Reality	cc/2020-05/en_head_0058.json.gz/line52
__label__wiki	0.989691	0.989691	Donald Trump rejects climate 'prophets of doom' as Thunberg warns Davos Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella warns leaders: Support immigration or risk missing global tech boom Business News›News›Sports›Women's T20 cricket included in the 2022 Commonwealth Games Women's T20 cricket included in the 2022 Commonwealth Games The inclusion of Women's T20 within the Commonwealth Games continues the ICC's commitment to support the global growth of the women's game. ANI\| Aug 13, 2019, 02.31 PM IST Women's T20 Cricket has been confirmed for inclusion at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, following a joint bid by the International Cricket Council (ICC) and the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) announced on Tuesday. "This is a truly historic moment for women's cricket and for the global cricket community, who were united in their support of this bid," said Manu Sawhney, Chief Executive of the International Cricket Council. "Women's cricket continues to go from strength to strength, and we are delighted and honoured the Commonwealth Games Associations voted to include Women's T20 cricket at Birmingham 2022," Sawney added. The inclusion of Women's T20 within the Commonwealth Games continues the ICC's commitment to support the global growth of the women's game and reach new markets whilst getting more girls and women watching, playing and enjoying cricket. "Fast and exciting, the T20 format is the perfect fit for the Commonwealth Games and offers another chance to showcase women's cricket on the global stage as part of our ambitious plans to accelerate the growth of the game, whilst inspiring the next generation of cricketers. All the players who are lucky enough to compete at Birmingham 2022 will be part of a truly memorable experience," Sawney said. Eight teams will compete across eight match days, as cricket returns to the Commonwealth Games for the first time since 1998 when South Africa won Gold in a men's 50-over format competition in Kuala Lumpur. Tom Harrison, ECB Chief Executive Officer, commented: "We are delighted that Women's T20 Cricket will be part of Birmingham 2022, an event that represents the biggest female and para-sports programme in Commonwealth Games history. Today's landmark announcement is another indication of the extremely bright future for women's cricket. "Cricket's inclusion in an event with such a large global reach aligns perfectly with our plan to enable more women and girls to be inspired to get involved in cricket. We would like to thank the teams at Birmingham 2022, the Commonwealth Games Foundation and the International Cricket Council for their support in sharing this vision for one of the world's biggest team sports," Harrison added. The ICC will be responsible for the competition terms and the conduct of cricket, by way of providing match officials and ensuring matches are played as per the laws of the game. The CGF and Birmingham 2022 will be responsible for delivery of the Commonwealth Games 2022. "Today is a historic day and we are delighted to welcome the sport of cricket back to the Commonwealth Games," said CGF President Dame Louise Martin DBE. "Cricket was last played in the Games at Kuala Lumpur in 1998 when the men's 50-overs-a-side competition was won by South Africa and featured icons of the sport including Jacques Kallis, Ricky Ponting and Sachin Tendulkar. We believe the Commonwealth Games will be a fantastic platform to showcase the exciting sport of Women's T20 Cricket and continue to help grow the game globally," Martin added. All eight matchdays will be held at Edgbaston cricket ground, which played host to a number of memorable matches at the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup this summer, including England's semi-final victory over Australia. The Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games will take place in England from July 27 to August 7, 2022, and will see 4,500 athletes competing at across 18 sports. ricky ponting Australia national cricket team South Africa national cricket team Nirbhaya Case News When is Delhi Election Chennai News Sukhoi 30 fighter jets Odd Even Rule in Delhi Nita Ambani AQI Delhi Palm Oil Ban What is Revenue and Expenditure budget Surat Fire Today Delhi Smog Delhi Fog Delhi Winters WhatsApp Down Facebook Down Snapchat Down Twitter Down Under new coach, Barcelona show signs of their old magic in a 1-0 victory over Granada Cricket: Team India needs to define KL Rahul's role in the team Rohit slams century, Kohli 89 to help India claim series 2-1 Steve Smith makes hundred as Australia set India 287-run target to win series There is no doubt Dhoni will be retained by CSK in 2021: N Srinivasan Prithvi Shaw's 100-ball 150 in India A's practice game excites selectors ahead of NZ Tests New selectors: BCCI invites applications for MSK Prasad and Gagan Khoda's replacements Former India all-rounder Bapu Nadkarni dies at 86 Boria Majumdar, Nalin Mehta narrate tales of India’s Olympic stars in new book Why Mohun Bagan’s new ‘corporate’ ownership can’t be a bad thing for its fans	cc/2020-05/en_head_0058.json.gz/line59
__label__wiki	0.563308	0.563308	Who's Jumping the shark on foreign policy in the United States? “The embargo's not a litmus test. Support human rights in Cuba.” – Christopher Sabatini, over twitter. Who is jumping the shark? The embargo is not a litmus test. People of good will have debated the efficacy of economic sanctions in Cuba. However, that said there should be a litmus test which would be respect for human rights and the dignity of persons. This is where, I believe, I share common ground with Mr. Sabatini. Oswaldo Payá who opposed the embargo on Cuba made the implicit case for the above "litmus test" while downplaying the importance of the sanctions debate: "It is not up to the U.S. to bring about changes in Cuba. Nor is it up to the U.S. businessmen who say that by doing business here they will bring change. Nor is it up to U.S. tourists. And I say this to those who say that U.S. tourists will bring changes to Cuba. The Spaniards and Canadians haven't done so. Moreover, that's an insult to the Cuban people. Changes will not be made by tourists drinking daiquiris and mojitos, strolling through our beaches and staying in hotels that Cubans can't stay in.” Nevertheless in reading Chris Sabatini’s June 12, 2014 piece in Foreign Policy and Mauricio Claver-Carone’s response in Capitol Hill Cubans three objections arise to the analysis presented by Sabatini that are not found in Claver-Carone’s response that I’d like to address: 1) That the embargo is not monolithic 2) There are more than two sides to the debate 3) The Letter appealing to openness should have been addressed to Raul Castro not the President of the United States. Changing sanctions policy in Cuba The claim that the 52 year old embargo on Cuba is “monolithic” gives an impression that economic sanctions on Cuba have been static and unchanging over that period. American Administrations over the decades have not only “tinkered” with the embargo loosening or tightening it but also made radical changes. First and foremost was that the original objective of the Embargo was not to overthrow the Castro regime but limit its ability to expand into the rest of the hemisphere while forcing the Soviet Union to expend large sums to keep their client regime in Cuba afloat. The embargo was designed to limit Cuban infiltration into the Western hemisphere and with the exception of Nicaragua under the Sandinista regime it was a success until the rise of Hugo Chavez in 1999. When the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991 there was a public debate over the embargo. The Bush Administration considered loosening or maintaining the Embargo as it was. However, it was an election year and the Cuban Democracy Act otherwise known as the Torricelli Bill sought to change the objectives of the embargo from one of containing the Castro regime to one seeking a nonviolent and democratic transition. Initially it was opposed by the Bush Administration but candidate Bill Clinton backed it, making inroads into the Cuban American vote in South Florida, and President Bush losing votes in Florida flip flopped and signed the Torricelli Bill into law. Candidate Bill Clinton also engaged in the same practice with regards to U.S. policy in China blasting the Bush Administration’s betrayal of human rights concerns in the events surrounding the June 3-4, 1989 Beijing massacre. In the 1992 campaign Clinton advocated sanctions on China and won a lot of votes in the Chinese American community. Unfortunately, President Clinton completely de-linked human rights and national security considerations from trade with China. During the Clinton Administration there were efforts to normalize relations with the Castro regime through back channel diplomacy and as he did with China, sought to normalize relations while talking about human rights but completely de-linking it from economic considerations. Following the February 24, 1996 Brothers to the Rescue shoot down which at the time was considered an act of war “the Embargo" was codified into law by the Helms-Burton Bill placing control over sanctions policy in the Congress and out of the Executive the alternative at the time being debated was a military response against the Castro regime. Nevertheless, President Clinton issued waivers on key provision of the new law that have continue to been waived until the present day. However, once the crisis passed President Bill Clinton opened cash and carry trade with the Castro dictatorship towards the end of his Administration in 2000 and shook hands with Fidel Castro. The anti-sanctions business lobby USA Engage described this shift in policy: In October 2000, President Clinton signed the Trade Sanctions Reform and Export Enhancement Act, which allowed sales of U.S. food and medicine to Cuba (and all other sanctioned countries), but required that commodities exported be paid for by cash in advance and financed by third country financial institutions. Exceptions to the travel ban were included for business travelers, subject to OFAC licenses, but not for tourists. At the time Fidel Castro said "his country would not buy 'even a grain of rice' under the current terms." To call U.S. Embargo policy an “inflexible half-century of failed policy” is at best an unfair characterization. The Business Lobby and the Cuban Embargo This leads to a second objection, Sabatini also makes the case in his article that, until now there have only been two factions in the embargo debate: “U.S. organizations more concerned with apologizing for the Cuban Revolution or advocating for the release of five (now three) Cuban spies than advocating for human rights of Cubans trapped inside the Castros' island jail.” He then goes on to argue that those “who've raised questions about the embargo in the past few weeks haven't been coming from that corner.” However, he fails to mention that since at least 2000 a new constituency (another corner) has emerged in the sanctions debate that also is not particularly interested in the human rights situation in Cuba. Between 2000 and 2013 American companies have sold $4.689 billion dollars in goods to the Castro regime on a cash and carry basis. Despite the 2003 crackdown on dissidents known as the Black Cuban Spring where the Bush Administration tightened sanctions on Cuban Americans being able to travel to Cuba and remittances sent to the island nothing was changed in the cash and carry sales directly to the Castro regime. (Interesting to note that the embargo was not being debated at the time of the worse crackdown seen since the 1960s in Cuba). The Cuban dictatorship's repression owes more to internal dynamics and power considerations rather than the U.S. sanctions debate despite Sabatini's and Hillary Clinton's claims that they are somehow related to the debate on the embargo in the United States. The Castro regime is more concerned with hanging onto power and is interested in economic engagement with the United States only in so far as it advances that agenda. The business lobby USA Engage on the other hand seeks economic opportunities and does not want human rights considerations to prevent countries being welcomed into "the global trade community." As was the case in China the business lobby has pushed for lifting sanctions and de-linking trade from human rights considerations in Cuba. A main objective is that the Castro regime be able to trade with U.S. companies using credits. What would this mean to U.S. taxpayers? While American companies have been paid in hard currency other countries that do not have sanctions on Cuba in place, which includes restrictions on granting credits, such as Russia, Venezuela, China, Japan, Spain, Argentina, France, Romania, Brazil, Italy, and Mexico are owed billions of dollars. Russia is forgiving $29 billion dollars of debt that the Castro regime owed it and Mexico is waiving 487 million dollars of debt owed by the regime in Havana. However, since credits are backed by government guarantees in those countries (as well as in the United States) the companies do not suffer losses because they are passed on to taxpayers. Bottom line if sanctions are completely lifted and trade with credits takes place the Castro regime wins, American corporations win and U.S. taxpayers are left holding the bag. In the meantime this change in embargo policy has created a lobby not interested in human rights in Cuba but in business with the Castro dictatorship, and unlike a scattering of ideological fellow travelers, they have deep pockets, access to corporate media and the ear of the White House and Congress. The shameful and failed policy in China is the future the business lobby has in mind for Cuba. A letter should have first been written to Raul Castro Until now in my response I have not addressed the letter of the Council of the Americas focusing on the overall sanctions debate. Mauricio Claver-Carone in his response mentions how the Obama Administration loosened restrictions on the sale of telecommunications equipment to Cuba in April of 2009 but it is also important to mention that President George W. Bush also loosened sanctions that encouraged accessibility to cell phones for Cubans on the island. Over the past half century various Administrations have tinkered with and changed policies with regards to Cuba. The current Administration, despite provocations by the dictatorship, has further loosened sanctions and despite the murder of high ranking Cuban dissidents, such as Oswaldo Payá and Harold Cepero and an American held hostage since December 2009 in Cuba the president of the United States shook hands with Raul Castro in South Africa during the funeral of Nelson Mandela on December 10, 2013 in the midst of a human rights crackdown on the island. That this has produced a backlash is no surprise. Rosa Maria Payá Acevedo, whose father is quoted at the top of this essay responded to the handshake asking: “Why did Barack Obama shake the hand of my father's killer, Raul Castro?” Death threats have forced the family to become political refugees. Chris Sabatini cites Yoani Sanchez as someone who wants to liberalize the embargo, who is an independent journalist but many others within Cuba such as Jorge Luis Garcia Perez Antúnez support maintaining economic sanctions. However, one of the more interesting responses to the letter comes from Cuesta Morua, a social democrat and left wing critic of the Castro regime, who has long opposed the embargo on Cuba, who has written a long piece in reaction to the letter sent by the Council of the Americas that while praising the noble intentions of the letter went on to provide a critique: "But I perceive an error in who it is addressed to. The first receiver of a letter of this nature should have been the designated president Raúl Castro, not the elected president Barack Obama. And for a reason that emerges in the letter: the government of the United States has already taken steps in the direction called for and desired by broad sectors. The durations of these changes (six years), its magnitude ( a broad range of resources, sectors, and segments) and its profoundness ( a spectrum of persons that exceed the traditional family ties) would have been more than sufficient for civil society to have emerged from the economic zone in which assistance of the United States is referred to that would have taken off where flight gains force and stability. If civil society, in what touches on the economy – in a typically Hegelian concept that can also be civil society – does not count on a more or less solid web, it is due to the restrictive idea the Cuban government has of a civilian economy. The precariousness of this economy is not explained by the insufficiency of resources provided by diverse sources in the exterior but by the deliberate construction of a model of development of civil society in which the middle class, entrepreneurs and investment do not have spaces. One cannot think that the incipient independent economic sectors in Cuba are weak of due to the lack of resources. They are weak because of the conceptual limitation of the reforms. Which means that what is necessary in Cuba is for the government to do a profound reform of what is prohibited for there to be light in the economy." Let me conclude with some observations that do not pertain to Chris Sabitini or the Council but looking at things in a broader perspective. It is a frustrating reality for many in Washington D.C. that the path to change in places like Cuba, China and North Korea does not run through the policy decisions of the United States but in the desire of the peoples of these countries to be free. However, at the very least policy makers could avoid going into business with the oppressors or legitimizing their rule and when the people in those countries rise up to be free not side with their oppressors. Sadly in the case of China in 1989 and Cuba in 1994 the United States shored up dictatorships in the name of stability. On August 5, 1994 there was a social explosion in Cuba called the Maleconazo that threatened the dictatorship, but the opposition both inside and outside of the island was not ready to seize the moment. Instead the Cuban dictatorship cracked down internally and opened the ports turning a political crisis for the dictatorship into an immigration problem for the United States that led to a negotiated immigration agreement and a new lease on life for the dictatorship. Yoani Sanchez compared this uprising with the events in Beijing in June of 1989: "Apart from the distances: in China they tried to erase what happened in Tiananmen Square and in Cuba the Maleconazo." In both cases the government of the United States backed up the regimes in power at the expense of the people in the streets. Unfortunately, other parts of the world are also following this regrettable path and turning their backs on the example set by a previous generation of leaders who brought their country out of totalitarian darkness into the community of free nations. The end result, in my opinion, explains the steady decline in human rights around the world over the past eight years. Unfortunately, it seems that it has been overall U.S. foreign policy since June of 1989 that has "jumped the shark" with China policy leading the way. Thankfully, Vaclav Havel and his ideas on the power of the powerless and living in truth still give me some hope for the future even if they are falling out of fashion in the Czech Foreign Ministry today. Labels: Christopher Sabatini, Cuba, economic sanctions, Embargo, human rights, Rosa Maria Payá Acevedo The Castro Regime at the United Nations voted twic... Milada Horakova: A profile of courage in the face ... Jorge Luis García Pérez "Antúnez" still needs your... A Cruel and Brutal Crime Witnessed at the Guantana... Today Multitudes of Venezuelans took to the street... Amnesty International Urgent Action - Cuban Journa... All Eyes on Venezuela: Students Call National Marc... Month of Remembrance for Harold and Oswaldo What Chamber of Commerce won't tell taxpayers abou... Remembering Neda Agha Soltan 5 years later A Call for Help: Cuban dissident Antúnez's week of... UN Summit of Venezuelan Dissidents Human Rights in Cuba - And What Really Happened to... No Justice for Neda in Iran or for Génesis in Vene... People in Need make international appeal for jaile... Today: UN to Hear from Venezuelan Protest Leaders,... Two civic opposition leaders re-arrested face pros... Who's Jumping the shark on foreign policy in the U... Human Rights Defender arbitrarily detained and tor... Opposition leaders remain jailed and independent j... Is there a nationwide crackdown underway in Cuba? An open letter to Carlos Saladrigas SOS Venezuela: Free Leopoldo Lopez and the Student... The Clintons and their Kissinger connection Tiananmen Square Crackdown & June 4, 1989 Beijing ... 25th anniversary of the Tiananmen crackdown: Beari... China, Cuba, Sanctions and Hypocrisy Christian Liberation Movement Statement: "Support ... Tiananmen Square at 25: Remembering the Democracy ...	cc/2020-05/en_head_0058.json.gz/line60
__label__wiki	0.793357	0.793357	The Lion of Judah Luncheon LIONS TO ROAR WITH CAMPBELL BROWN AT ANNUAL LUNCHEON The �pride� of the Jewish Federation of South Palm Beach County is about to turn up their power, recommit to their purpose and fuel their passion at their annual ingathering, the Lion of Judah Luncheon. The roar from Boca West Country Club on Thursday, February 16 at 10:30 a.m. will resound louder than ever throughout the community and across the globe, as local Lions celebrate the 40th Anniversary of the Lion of Judah program. They�ll also hear from Campbell Brown, one of the most respected and recognizable faces in American news. �It�s always remarkably powerful when hundreds of women who care and do so much come together each year,� said Carol Rifkin, who is co-chairing the luncheon with Eydie Holz. �Our 800 Lions stand strong among 17,000 worldwide.� �We�re thrilled to be featuring Campbell Brown, a speaker of great substance and renown,� added Holz. �We know we�ll leave inspired and energized to meet the challenge of raising funds that make such a difference in our local Jewish community as well as around the world.� The Lion of Judah Luncheon speaker has been generously underwritten by the Marleen Forkas Chair of Contemporary Jewish Issues. Marleen�s great generosity has ensured that the Federation will always provide its loyal and committed women donors with the highest caliber keynote presenters. Award-winning journalist and veteran broadcaster Campbell Brown has won an Emmy for reporting during Hurricane Katrina, followed presidential campaign trails and reported from Iraq. Prior to hosting her popular evening news show on CNN, she was co-anchor and primary correspondent for the Today show on NBC. �Committed to Tikkun Olam (repairing the world), our Lions make a connection to care for those in need, build Jewish community, and develop continuity for the next generation,� said Barbara Feingold, Vice Chair, Lion of Judah. �Join us for this season�s new programs to recognize the Lions� 40th anniversary and bring women together. Be part of the Lion�s den.� The luncheon couvert is $100, with a Lion level gift of $5,000 or above to the 2012 UJA/Jewish Federation of South Palm Beach County Annual Campaign required to attend. Dietary laws will be observed. For more information, contact Dina Burg at 561-852-5015 or dinab@bocafed.org . http://www.jewishboca.org/lionluncheon The Dorothy Seaman Department of Women�s Philanthropy 2012 campaign is generously sponsored by Wells Fargo. Boca Raton Regional Hospital and Ivan & Co. are the Luncheon�s generous sponsors; Boca Raton Observer is Exclusive Magazine Sponsor. Veteran broadcaster Campbell Brown is one of the most respected and recognizable faces in American news. She won an Emmy for her reporting during Hurricane Katrina; was on the trail during the last two presidential elections; and has made numerous trips to Iraq to report on the Iraqi elections, abuses at Abu Graib prison and the trial of Saddam Hussein. Prior to joining CNN, where Brown became the only non-partisan cable news anchor at 8 pm, she was with NBC News for eleven years. There, Brown served as co-anchor of NBC�s TODAY Weekend Edition, the nation�s top rated weekend news program. She also served as the main substitute anchor for Brian Williams and a primary correspondent for NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams and the weekday TODAY show. For the network, she reported from Rome on the death of Pope John Paul II; and has traveled to Gaza and the West Bank to report on violence in the Middle East. Brown served as NBC News White House correspondent during George W. Bush�s first term. She also covered then-Governor Bush�s presidential campaign, and spent over a month reporting from Austin, Texas, on the post-Election day Florida recount story. Prior to covering the Bush campaign, Brown had been a Washington, D.C. based NBC News correspondent. Joining the network in 1998, Brown was first assigned to cover President Clinton�s impeachment trial. After that, she was assigned to the Pentagon, reporting on the war in Kosovo. During her time in the Washington bureau, Brown also traveled extensively with President Clinton. Brown was raised Roman Catholic and converted to Judaism. While on assignment in Iraq, she met her husband Dan Senor. Senor is co-author of the book Start-up Nation: The Story of Israel's Economic Miracle, who was chief spokesperson for the Coalition Provisional Authority in Iraq.	cc/2020-05/en_head_0058.json.gz/line63
__label__wiki	0.702764	0.702764	Kentucky attorney suspended for derogatory comments Karl Price's history of "disturbing" behavior comes to light after "greedy foreigners" remark. Well. Not long after Kentucky lawyer Karl Price received a teeny slap on the wrist for making racist, derogatory remarks in a letter to an attorney representing Asian American business owners, calling them "greedy foreigners," a little digging into his past has revealed a checkered history of shitty, racist -- and publicly documented -- behavior. And it has come back to bite him in the ass. Attorney Doubles Down on Racist, Offensive Comments In light of new evidence brought to light by The Courier-Journal, the Jefferson County Attorney's Office has reportedly suspended Price without pay pending an investigation. The internet does not forget, Mr. Price! Hwang's Martial Arts Assistant County Attorney Karl Price, while working a civil case in his private practice, sent a letter to the attorney representing the owners of Hwang's Martial Arts Academy, calling the Hwang family, among other things, "greedy foreigners who simply did not understand simple contract relations." Price's client is in the middle of litigation with the Hwangs over a dispute about martial arts lessons. The letter, as well as subsequent questionable comments Price made in an interview with Insider Louisville, were brought to the attention of the Jefferson County Attorney's Office, which was compelled to issue Price a formal reprimand and ordered him to undergo sensitivity training. And it looked like that was going to be it... Suspended. But then The Courier-Journal published an article unearthing a string of racist, sexist, ableist and generally shitty disparaging public comments that Price has made over the last two months. - When a black defendant appeared who was caught running away from police, Price, who himself is African-American, said: "I thought you black guys could run, but you never get away from police." - When a defendant, an immigrant, said she wouldn't pay her bail, Price warned her she would stay in jail "or just go back to — what country are you from?" District Judge David Holton told him "that's enough of that." - When an alleged domestic violence victim urged that her boyfriend be released on his own recognizance — and called it "RR," rather than "ROR," as it is known in the courthouse — Price mocked her for using the wrong term. She apologized but Holton said: "You're doing fine ma'am. I'm sorry Mr. Price was being disrespectful of you. You shouldn't be disrespectful to prosecuting witnesses, Mr. Price." In an interview, the witness said the experience was "humiliating." - When a defendant wanted on charges in Elizabethtown appeared for his arraignment using a walker, Price told him to "push that thing down to Hardin." Over a public defender's objections, Price also repeatedly made comments that assumed defendants were guilty. He told one woman charged with shoplifting in several cities, for example, that she was "stealing all over the state." It is confirmed that Karl Price is a professional asshole. And it's all on public record. It only took a mountain of evidence, in addition to his conduct towards the Hwangs, to finally get his ass suspended. In his initial disciplinary letter, Jefferson County Attorney Mike O'Connell told Price that he had "served admirably and with integrity" in his role as Assistant County Attorney, and was confident that would "never again make such inappropriate statements." In light of this new evidence, I'm guessing O'Connell was compelled to take a few steps back and revisit his assessment of Price. As of Thursday, Karl Price is suspended without pay pending a review of the matter: Props to Mimi Hwang and Hwang's Martial Arts Academy for bringing attention to this issue and demanding justice. Clearly, this has become more than just a slight against one Asian American family. Louisville, do you really want someon who blatantly discriminates and mistreats people in his capacity as a public servant? More here: Prosecutor suspended after report on remarks FILE UNDER: ancient asian principle, greedy foreigners, illegal aliens, karl price, kentucky, law, lawsuit, letter, martial arts, racist bullshit, sensitivity training, shitty attorney, that's racist	cc/2020-05/en_head_0058.json.gz/line64
__label__wiki	0.620005	0.620005	fabric \| rblg Our subjective but related collection of thematic articles and projects. The Yoda of Silicon Valley \| #NewYorkTimes #Algorithms Note: Yet another dive into history of computer programming and algorithms, used for visual outputs ... Via The New York Times (on Medium) By Siobhan Roberts Donald Knuth at his home in Stanford, Calif. He is a notorious perfectionist and has offered to pay a reward to anyone who finds a mistake in any of his books. Photo: Brian Flaherty For half a century, the Stanford computer scientist Donald Knuth, who bears a slight resemblance to Yoda — albeit standing 6-foot-4 and wearing glasses — has reigned as the spirit-guide of the algorithmic realm. He is the author of “The Art of Computer Programming,” a continuing four-volume opus that is his life’s work. The first volume debuted in 1968, and the collected volumes (sold as a boxed set for about $250) were included by American Scientist in 2013 on its list of books that shaped the last century of science — alongside a special edition of “The Autobiography of Charles Darwin,” Tom Wolfe’s “The Right Stuff,” Rachel Carson’s “Silent Spring” and monographs by Albert Einstein, John von Neumann and Richard Feynman. With more than one million copies in print, “The Art of Computer Programming” is the Bible of its field. “Like an actual bible, it is long and comprehensive; no other book is as comprehensive,” said Peter Norvig, a director of research at Google. After 652 pages, volume one closes with a blurb on the back cover from Bill Gates: “You should definitely send me a résumé if you can read the whole thing.” The volume opens with an excerpt from “McCall’s Cookbook”: Here is your book, the one your thousands of letters have asked us to publish. It has taken us years to do, checking and rechecking countless recipes to bring you only the best, only the interesting, only the perfect. Inside are algorithms, the recipes that feed the digital age — although, as Dr.Knuth likes to point out, algorithms can also be found on Babylonian tablets from 3,800 years ago. He is an esteemed algorithmist; his name is attached to some of the field’s most important specimens, such as the Knuth-Morris-Pratt string-searching algorithm. Devised in 1970, it finds all occurrences of a given word or pattern of letters in a text — for instance, when you hit Command+F to search for a keyword in a document. Now 80, Dr. Knuth usually dresses like the youthful geek he was when he embarked on this odyssey: long-sleeved T-shirt under a short-sleeved T-shirt, with jeans, at least at this time of year. In those early days, he worked close to the machine, writing “in the raw,” tinkering with the zeros and ones. “Knuth made it clear that the system could actually be understood all the way down to the machine code level,” said Dr. Norvig. Nowadays, of course, with algorithms masterminding (and undermining) our very existence, the average programmer no longer has time to manipulate the binary muck, and works instead with hierarchies of abstraction, layers upon layers of code — and often with chains of code borrowed from code libraries. But an elite class of engineers occasionally still does the deep dive. “Here at Google, sometimes we just throw stuff together,” Dr. Norvig said, during a meeting of the Google Trips team, in Mountain View, Calif. “But other times, if you’re serving billions of users, it’s important to do that efficiently. A 10-per-cent improvement in efficiency can work out to billions of dollars, and in order to get that last level of efficiency, you have to understand what’s going on all the way down.” Dr. Knuth at the California Institute of Technology, where he received his Ph.D. in 1963. Photo: Jill Knuth Or, as Andrei Broder, a distinguished scientist at Google and one of Dr. Knuth’s former graduate students, explained during the meeting: “We want to have some theoretical basis for what we’re doing. We don’t want a frivolous or sloppy or second-rate algorithm. We don’t want some other algorithmist to say, ‘You guys are morons.’” The Google Trips app, created in 2016, is an “orienteering algorithm” that maps out a day’s worth of recommended touristy activities. The team was working on “maximizing the quality of the worst day” — for instance, avoiding sending the user back to the same neighborhood to see different sites. They drew inspiration from a 300-year-old algorithm by the Swiss mathematician Leonhard Euler, who wanted to map a route through the Prussian city of Königsberg that would cross each of its seven bridges only once. Dr. Knuth addresses Euler’s classic problem in the first volume of his treatise. (He once applied Euler’s method in coding a computer-controlled sewing machine.) Following Dr. Knuth’s doctrine helps to ward off moronry. He is known for introducing the notion of “literate programming,” emphasizing the importance of writing code that is readable by humans as well as computers — a notion that nowadays seems almost twee. Dr. Knuth has gone so far as to argue that some computer programs are, like Elizabeth Bishop’s poems and Philip Roth’s “American Pastoral,” works of literature worthy of a Pulitzer. He is also a notorious perfectionist. Randall Munroe, the xkcd cartoonist and author of “Thing Explainer,” first learned about Dr. Knuth from computer-science people who mentioned the reward money Dr. Knuth pays to anyone who finds a mistake in any of his books. As Mr. Munroe recalled, “People talked about getting one of those checks as if it was computer science’s Nobel Prize.” Dr. Knuth’s exacting standards, literary and otherwise, may explain why his life’s work is nowhere near done. He has a wager with Sergey Brin, the co-founder of Google and a former student (to use the term loosely), over whether Mr. Brin will finish his Ph.D. before Dr. Knuth concludes his opus. The dawn of the algorithm At age 19, Dr. Knuth published his first technical paper, “The Potrzebie System of Weights and Measures,” in Mad magazine. He became a computer scientist before the discipline existed, studying mathematics at what is now Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland. He looked at sample programs for the school’s IBM 650 mainframe, a decimal computer, and, noticing some inadequacies, rewrote the software as well as the textbook used in class. As a side project, he ran stats for the basketball team, writing a computer program that helped them win their league — and earned a segment by Walter Cronkite called “The Electronic Coach.” During summer vacations, Dr. Knuth made more money than professors earned in a year by writing compilers. A compiler is like a translator, converting a high-level programming language (resembling algebra) to a lower-level one (sometimes arcane binary) and, ideally, improving it in the process. In computer science, “optimization” is truly an art, and this is articulated in another Knuthian proverb: “Premature optimization is the root of all evil.” Eventually Dr. Knuth became a compiler himself, inadvertently founding a new field that he came to call the “analysis of algorithms.” A publisher hired him to write a book about compilers, but it evolved into a book collecting everything he knew about how to write for computers — a book about algorithms. Left: Dr. Knuth in 1981, looking at the 1957 Mad magazine issue that contained his first technical article. He was 19 when it was published. Photo: Jill Knuth. Right: “The Art of Computer Programming,” volumes 1–4. “Send me a résumé if you can read the whole thing,” Bill Gates wrote in a blurb. Photo: Brian Flaherty “By the time of the Renaissance, the origin of this word was in doubt,” it began. “And early linguists attempted to guess at its derivation by making combinations like algiros [painful] + arithmos [number].’” In fact, Dr. Knuth continued, the namesake is the 9th-century Persian textbook author Abū ‘Abd Allāh Muhammad ibn Mūsā al-Khwārizmī, Latinized as Algorithmi. Never one for half measures, Dr. Knuth went on a pilgrimage in 1979 to al-Khwārizmī’s ancestral homeland in Uzbekistan. When Dr. Knuth started out, he intended to write a single work. Soon after, computer science underwent its Big Bang, so he reimagined and recast the project in seven volumes. Now he metes out sub-volumes, called fascicles. The next installation, “Volume 4, Fascicle 5,” covering, among other things, “backtracking” and “dancing links,” was meant to be published in time for Christmas. It is delayed until next April because he keeps finding more and more irresistible problems that he wants to present. In order to optimize his chances of getting to the end, Dr. Knuth has long guarded his time. He retired at 55, restricted his public engagements and quit email (officially, at least). Andrei Broder recalled that time management was his professor’s defining characteristic even in the early 1980s. Dr. Knuth typically held student appointments on Friday mornings, until he started spending his nights in the lab of John McCarthy, a founder of artificial intelligence, to get access to the computers when they were free. Horrified by what his beloved book looked like on the page with the advent of digital publishing, Dr. Knuth had gone on a mission to create the TeX computer typesetting system, which remains the gold standard for all forms of scientific communication and publication. Some consider it Dr. Knuth’s greatest contribution to the world, and the greatest contribution to typography since Gutenberg. This decade-long detour took place back in the age when computers were shared among users and ran faster at night while most humans slept. So Dr. Knuth switched day into night, shifted his schedule by 12 hours and mapped his student appointments to Fridays from 8 p.m. to midnight. Dr. Broder recalled, “When I told my girlfriend that we can’t do anything Friday night because Friday night at 10 I have to meet with my adviser, she thought, ‘This is something that is so stupid it must be true.’” When Knuth chooses to be physically present, however, he is 100-per-cent there in the moment. “It just makes you happy to be around him,” said Jennifer Chayes, a managing director of Microsoft Research. “He’s a maximum in the community. If you had an optimization function that was in some way a combination of warmth and depth, Don would be it.” Dr. Knuth discussing typefaces with Hermann Zapf, the type designer. Many consider Dr. Knuth’s work on the TeX computer typesetting system to be the greatest contribution to typography since Gutenberg. Photo: Bettmann/Getty Images Sunday with the algorithmist Dr. Knuth lives in Stanford, and allowed for a Sunday visitor. That he spared an entire day was exceptional — usually his availability is “modulo nap time,” a sacred daily ritual from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. He started early, at Palo Alto’s First Lutheran Church, where he delivered a Sunday school lesson to a standing-room-only crowd. Driving home, he got philosophical about mathematics. “I’ll never know everything,” he said. “My life would be a lot worse if there was nothing I knew the answers about, and if there was nothing I didn’t know the answers about.” Then he offered a tour of his “California modern” house, which he and his wife, Jill, built in 1970. His office is littered with piles of U.S.B. sticks and adorned with Valentine’s Day heart art from Jill, a graphic designer. Most impressive is the music room, built around his custom-made, 812-pipe pipe organ. The day ended over beer at a puzzle party. Puzzles and games — and penning a novella about surreal numbers, and composing a 90-minute multimedia musical pipe-dream, “Fantasia Apocalyptica” — are the sorts of things that really tickle him. One section of his book is titled, “Puzzles Versus the Real World.” He emailed an excerpt to the father-son team of Martin Demaine, an artist, and Erik Demaine, a computer scientist, both at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, because Dr. Knuth had included their “algorithmic puzzle fonts.” “I was thrilled,” said Erik Demaine. “It’s an honor to be in the book.” He mentioned another Knuth quotation, which serves as the inspirational motto for the biannual “FUN with Algorithms” conference: “Pleasure has probably been the main goal all along.” But then, Dr. Demaine said, the field went and got practical. Engineers and scientists and artists are teaming up to solve real-world problems — protein folding, robotics, airbags — using the Demaines’s mathematical origami designs for how to fold paper and linkages into different shapes. Of course, all the algorithmic rigmarole is also causing real-world problems. Algorithms written by humans — tackling harder and harder problems, but producing code embedded with bugs and biases — are troubling enough. More worrisome, perhaps, are the algorithms that are not written by humans, algorithms written by the machine, as it learns. Programmers still train the machine, and, crucially, feed it data. (Data is the new domain of biases and bugs, and here the bugs and biases are harder to find and fix). However, as Kevin Slavin, a research affiliate at M.I.T.’s Media Lab said, “We are now writing algorithms we cannot read. That makes this a unique moment in history, in that we are subject to ideas and actions and efforts by a set of physics that have human origins without human comprehension.” As Slavin has often noted, “It’s a bright future, if you’re an algorithm.” Dr. Knuth at his desk at home in 1999. Photo: Jill Knuth A few notes. Photo: Brian Flaherty All the more so if you’re an algorithm versed in Knuth. “Today, programmers use stuff that Knuth, and others, have done as components of their algorithms, and then they combine that together with all the other stuff they need,” said Google’s Dr. Norvig. “With A.I., we have the same thing. It’s just that the combining-together part will be done automatically, based on the data, rather than based on a programmer’s work. You want A.I. to be able to combine components to get a good answer based on the data. But you have to decide what those components are. It could happen that each component is a page or chapter out of Knuth, because that’s the best possible way to do some task.” Lucky, then, Dr. Knuth keeps at it. He figures it will take another 25 years to finish “The Art of Computer Programming,” although that time frame has been a constant since about 1980. Might the algorithm-writing algorithms get their own chapter, or maybe a page in the epilogue? “Definitely not,” said Dr. Knuth. “I am worried that algorithms are getting too prominent in the world,” he added. “It started out that computer scientists were worried nobody was listening to us. Now I’m worried that too many people are listening.” Posted by Patrick Keller in Culture & society, Interaction design, Science & technology at 08:55 Defined tags for this entry: code, computing, culture & society, digital, history, interaction design, science & technology, scientists Monday, December 17. 2018 In 1968, computers got personal \| #demo #newdemo? Note: we went a bit historical recently on \| rblg, digging into history of computing in relation to design/architecture/art. And the following one is certainly far from being the less know... History of computing, or rather personal computing. Yet the article by Maraget O'Mara bring new insights about Engelbart's "mother of all demos", asking in particular for a new "demo". It is also interesting to consider how some topics that we'd believe are very contemporary, were in fact already popping up pretty early in the history of the media. Questiond about the status of the machine in relation to us, humans, or about the collection of data, etc. If you go back to the early texts by Wiener and Turing (vulgarization texts... for my part), you might see that the questions we still have were already present. Via The Conversation By Margaret O'Mara On a crisp California afternoon in early December 1968, a square-jawed, mild-mannered Stanford researcher named Douglas Engelbart took the stage at San Francisco’s Civic Auditorium and proceeded to blow everyone’s mind about what computers could do. Sitting down at a keyboard, this computer-age Clark Kent calmly showed a rapt audience of computer engineers how the devices they built could be utterly different kinds of machines – ones that were “alive for you all day,” as he put it, immediately responsive to your input, and which didn’t require users to know programming languages in order to operate. The prototype computer mouse Doug Engelbart used in his demo. Michael Hicks, CC BY Engelbart typed simple commands. He edited a grocery list. As he worked, he skipped the computer cursor across the screen using a strange wooden box that fit snugly under his palm. With small wheels underneath and a cord dangling from its rear, Engelbart dubbed it a “mouse.” The 90-minute presentation went down in Silicon Valley history as the “mother of all demos,” for it previewed a world of personal and online computing utterly different from 1968’s status quo. It wasn’t just the technology that was revelatory; it was the notion that a computer could be something a non-specialist individual user could control from their own desk. The first part of the "mother of all demos." Shrinking the massive machines In the America of 1968, computers weren’t at all personal. They were refrigerator-sized behemoths that hummed and blinked, calculating everything from consumer habits to missile trajectories, cloistered deep within corporate offices, government agencies and university labs. Their secrets were accessible only via punch card and teletype terminals. The Vietnam-era counterculture already had made mainframe computers into ominous symbols of a soul-crushing Establishment. Four years before, the student protesters of Berkeley’s Free Speech Movement had pinned signs to their chests that bore a riff on the prim warning that appeared on every IBM punch card: “I am a UC student. Please don’t bend, fold, spindle or mutilate me.” Hear Prof. O'Mara discuss this topic on our Heat and Light podcast. Earlier in 1968, Stanley Kubrick’s trippy “2001: A Space Odyssey” mined moviegoers’ anxieties about computers run amok with the tale of a malevolent mainframe that seized control of a spaceship from its human astronauts. Voices rang out on Capitol Hill about the uses and abuses of electronic data-gathering, too. Missouri Senator Ed Long regularly delivered floor speeches he called “Big Brother updates.” North Carolina Senator Sam Ervin declared that mainframe power posed a threat to the freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution. “The computer,” Ervin warned darkly, “never forgets.” As the Johnson administration unveiled plans to centralize government data in a single, centralized national database, New Jersey Congressman Cornelius Gallagher declared that it was just another grim step toward scientific thinking taking over modern life, “leaving as an end result a stack of computer cards where once were human beings.” The zeitgeist of 1968 helps explain why Engelbart’s demo so quickly became a touchstone and inspiration for a new, enduring definition of technological empowerment. Here was a computer that didn’t override human intelligence or stomp out individuality, but instead could, as Engelbart put it, “augment human intellect.” While Engelbart’s vision of how these tools might be used was rather conventionally corporate – a computer on every office desk and a mouse in every worker’s palm – his overarching notion of an individualized computer environment hit exactly the right note for the anti-Establishment technologists coming of age in 1968, who wanted to make technology personal and information free. The second part of the "mother of all demos." Over the next decade, technologists from this new generation would turn what Engelbart called his “wild dream” into a mass-market reality – and profoundly transform Americans’ relationship to computer technology. Government involvement In the decade after the demo, the crisis of Watergate and revelations of CIA and FBI snooping further seeded distrust in America’s political leadership and in the ability of large government bureaucracies to be responsible stewards of personal information. Economic uncertainty and an antiwar mood slashed public spending on high-tech research and development – the same money that once had paid for so many of those mainframe computers and for training engineers to program them. Enabled by the miniaturizing technology of the microprocessor, the size and price of computers plummeted, turning them into affordable and soon indispensable tools for work and play. By the 1980s and 1990s, instead of being seen as machines made and controlled by government, computers had become ultimate expressions of free-market capitalism, hailed by business and political leaders alike as examples of what was possible when government got out of the way and let innovation bloom. There lies the great irony in this pivotal turn in American high-tech history. For even though “the mother of all demos” provided inspiration for a personal, entrepreneurial, government-is-dangerous-and-small-is-beautiful computing era, Doug Engelbart’s audacious vision would never have made it to keyboard and mouse without government research funding in the first place. Engelbart was keenly aware of this, flashing credits up on the screen at the presentation’s start listing those who funded his research team: the Defense Department’s Advanced Projects Research Agency, later known as DARPA; the National Aeronautics and Space Administration; the U.S. Air Force. Only the public sector had the deep pockets, the patience and the tolerance for blue-sky ideas without any immediate commercial application. Although government funding played a less visible role in the high-tech story after 1968, it continued to function as critical seed capital for next-generation ideas. Marc Andreessen and his fellow graduate students developed their groundbreaking web browser in a government-funded university laboratory. DARPA and NASA money helped fund the graduate research project that Sergey Brin and Larry Page would later commercialize as Google. Driverless car technology got a jump-start after a government-sponsored competition; so has nanotechnology, green tech and more. Government hasn’t gotten out of Silicon Valley’s way; it remained there all along, quietly funding the next generation of boundary-pushing technology. The third part of the "mother of all demos." Today, public debate rages once again on Capitol Hill about computer-aided invasions of privacy. Hollywood spins apocalyptic tales of technology run amok. Americans spend days staring into screens, tracked by the smartphones in our pockets, hooked on social media. Technology companies are among the biggest and richest in the world. It’s a long way from Engelbart’s humble grocery list. But perhaps the current moment of high-tech angst can once again gain inspiration from the mother of all demos. Later in life, Engelbart described his life’s work as a quest to “help humanity cope better with complexity and urgency.” His solution was a computer that was remarkably different from the others of that era, one that was humane and personal, that augmented human capability rather than boxing it in. And he was able to bring this vision to life because government agencies funded his work. Now it’s time for another mind-blowing demo of the possible future, one that moves beyond the current adversarial moment between big government and Big Tech. It could inspire people to enlist public and private resources and minds in crafting the next audacious vision for our digital future. Our new podcast “Heat and Light” features Prof. O'Mara discussing this story in depth. Douglas Engelbart on Wikipedia Thursday, November 22. 2018 Programmed: Rules, Codes, and Choreographies in Art, 1965–2018 \| #algorithms #creation Note: open since last September and seen here and there, this exhibition at the Withney about the uses of rules and code in art. It follows a similar exhibition - and historical as well - this year at the MOMA, Thinking Machines. This certainly demonstrates an increasing desire and interest in the historization of six decades - five in the context of this show - of "art & technologies" (not yet "design & technologies", while "architecture and digital" was done at the CCA). Those six decades remained almost under the radar for long and there will be obviously a lot of work to do to write this epic! Interesting in the context of the Whitney exhibition are the many sub-topics developed: - Rule, Instruction, Algorithm: Ideas as Form / - Rule, Instruction, Algorithm: Generative Measures / - Rule, Instruction, Algorithm: Collapsing Instruction and Form / - Signal, Sequence, Resolution: Image Resequenced / - Signal, Sequence, Resolution: Liberating the Signal / - Signal, Sequence, Resolution: Realities Encoded / - Augmented Reality: Tamiko Thiel Via Whitney Museum of American Art Programmed: Rules, Codes, and Choreographies in Art, 1965–2018 establishes connections between works of art based on instructions, spanning over fifty years of conceptual, video, and computational art. The pieces in the exhibition are all “programmed” using instructions, sets of rules, and code, but they also address the use of programming in their creation. The exhibition links two strands of artistic exploration: the first examines the program as instructions, rules, and algorithms with a focus on conceptual art practices and their emphasis on ideas as the driving force behind the art; the second strand engages with the use of instructions and algorithms to manipulate the TV program, its apparatus, and signals or image sequences. Featuring works drawn from the Whitney’s collection, Programmed looks back at predecessors of computational art and shows how the ideas addressed in those earlier works have evolved in contemporary artistic practices. At a time when our world is increasingly driven by automated systems, Programmed traces how rules and instructions in art have both responded to and been shaped by technologies, resulting in profound changes to our image culture. The exhibition is organized by Christiane Paul, Adjunct Curator of Digital Art, and Carol Mancusi-Ungaro, Melva Bucksbaum Associate Director for Conservation and Research, with Clémence White, curatorial assistant. Posted by Patrick Keller in Art, Science & technology at 09:55 Defined tags for this entry: art, artists, design (interactions), digital, experimentation, history, media, mediated, science & technology Thursday, October 04. 2018 Après 68, une autre architecture est possible \| #inhabitable #utopia Note: As a direct follow-up to the May 1968 celebrations, Makery published (in French) an article retracing a history of "inhabitable utopias", or different architectures that have since been experimented with or thought about. The short article is mainly illustrated with an interactive timeline presenting these experiments carried out over the past 50 years. Via Makery Depuis l’urbanisme utopique issu de Mai 68 jusqu’aux «Lieux infinis» mis en avant par le collectif Encore Heureux à la Biennale de Venise 2018, Makery balaie cinquante ans d’alternatives architecturales. La webographie suit le déroulé de la chronologie ci-dessus. L’image qui ouvre cette chronologie est le Makrolab de Marko Peljhan, à Rottnest Island, en Australie, 2000. Instant City, Peter Cook, Archigram, Royaume-Uni, 1968. « Structures gonflables », exposition au musée d’Art moderne de la ville de Paris, du 1er au 28 mars 1968. Whole Earth Catalog, édité par Stewart Brand, de 1968 à 1971 aux Etats-Unis. L’église gonflable de Montigny-lès-Cormeilles, par Hans-Walter Müller, France, 1969. Inflatocookbook, du collectif Ant Farm, Etats-Unis, 1970. Le laboratoire urbain d’Arcosanti, Paolo Soleri, Arizona, Etats-Unis, 1970. La « ville libre » de Christiania, Copenhague, Danemark, 1971. Le restaurant FOOD de Gordon Matta-Clark, New York, 1971, exposition Gordon Matta-Clark, anarchitecte, musée du Jeu de Paume, du 5 juin au 23 septembre 2018. Superstudio, agence d’architecture, Italie, 1966-1978. Shelter, Lloyd Kahn, Etats-Unis, 1973. Lutte du Larzac, France, 1973-1982. Sunspots, Steve Baer, Zomeworks, Etats-Unis, 1975. Comment habiter la terre, Yona Friedman, 1976. Casa Bola, Eduardo Longo, São Paulo, Brésil, 1979. Les cabanes de Josep Pujiula à Argelaguer, province de Gérone, Catalogne, Espagne, 1980-2016. Bolo’Bolo, P.M., 1983. Le Jardin en mouvement de Gilles Clément, 1985. Le Magasin à Grenoble, Patrick Bouchain, 1986. Future Shack, Sean Godsell, Australie, 1985. Brevétisation du container en habitat par Philip C. Clark, Etats-Unis, 1987. Black Rock City, la ville éphémère du festival Burning Man, Nevada, Etats-Unis, 1990- . Le projet A.G. Gleisdreieck, Berlin, Allemagne, 1990- . Reclaim The Streets, Londres, 1991- . Castlemorton Common Festival, Royaume-Uni, 1992. Les maisons en carton de Shigeru Ban, Kobe, Japon, 1995. Muf (Londres), Stalker (Italie), Coloco (Paris), Bruit du Frigo (Bordeaux), créés en 1996. Makrolab, Marko Peljhan, Projekt Atol, Slovénie, 1997-2007. Manifestations de Seattle contre l’Organisation mondiale du commerce, Etats-Unis, 1999. Ecobox, Atelier d’architecture autogérée, Paris, 2002. L’architecture du RAB, Exyzt, Paris, France, 2003. Parking Day, Rebar, San Francisco, Etats-Unis, 2006. Zone à Défendre, Notre-Dame-des-Landes, France, 2008- . Tactical Urbanism, Mike Lydon et Anthony Garcia, Island Press, 2015. Cloud City, Tomás Saraceno, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Etats-Unis, 2012. Fab City Global, création en 2014 et Fab City Summit, à Paris du 11 au 13 juillet 2018. Assemble Studio (Royaume-Uni), Turner Prize 2015. Elemental, Pritzker Prize 2016. Accueil des migrants porte de la Chapelle, Julien Beller, Paris, 2016-2018. Mai 68. L’architecture aussi !, Cité de l’architecture et du patrimoine, Paris, du 16 mai au 17 septembre 2018. Lieux infinis, agence Encore Heureux, Pavillon français de la Biennale internationale d’architecture de Venise 2018. Direct translation with DeepL (no links): To know more about it The webography follows the chronology above. The image that opens this chronology is Marko Peljhan's Makrolab, Rottnest Island, Australia, 2000. Instant City, Peter Cook, Archigram, United Kingdom, 1968. "Inflatable structures", exhibition at the Musée d'Art moderne de la ville de Paris, from 1 to 28 March 1968. Whole Earth Catalog, published by Stewart Brand, from 1968 to 1971 in the United States. The inflatable church of Montigny-lès-Cormeilles, by Hans-Walter Müller, France, 1969. Inflatocookbook, by the Ant Farm collective, United States, 1970. The Arcosanti Urban Laboratory, Paolo Soleri, Arizona, USA, 1970. The "Free City" of Christiania, Copenhagen, Denmark, 1971. The FOOD restaurant of Gordon Matta-Clark, New York, 1971, Gordon Matta-Clark exhibition, an architect, Jeu de Paume museum, from June 5 to September 23, 2018. Superstudio, architectural firm, Italy, 1966-1978. Shelter, Lloyd Kahn, United States, 1973. Larzac struggle, France, 1973-1982. Sunspots, Steve Baer, Zomeworks, USA, 1975. How to Live on the Earth, Yona Friedman, 1976. Casa Bola, Eduardo Longo, São Paulo, Brazil, 1979. Josep Pujiula's huts in Argelaguer, province of Girona, Catalonia, Spain, 1980-2016. Bolo'Bolo, P.M., 1983. Le Jardin en mouvement by Gilles Clément, 1985. Future Shack, Sean Godsell, Australia, 1985. Patenting of the container in housing by Philip C. Clark, United States, 1987. Black Rock City, the ephemeral city of the Burning Man festival, Nevada, USA, 1990- . The A.G. Gleisdreieck project, Berlin, Germany, 1990- . Reclaim The Streets, London, 1991- . Castlemorton Common Festival, United Kingdom, 1992. The cardboard houses of Shigeru Ban, Kobe, Japan, 1995. Muf (London), Stalker (Italy), Coloco (Paris), Bruit du Frigo (Bordeaux), created in 1996. Makrolab, Marko Peljhan, Projekt Atol, Slovenia, 1997-2007. Seattle demonstrations against the World Trade Organization, United States, 1999. Ecobox, Atelier d'architecture autogérée, Paris, 2002. L'architecture du RAB, Exyzt, Paris, France, 2003. Parking Day, Rebar, San Francisco, USA, 2006. Tactical Urbanism, Mike Lydon and Anthony Garcia, Island Press, 2015. Cloud City, Tomás Saraceno, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, United States, 2012. Fab City Global, created in 2014 and Fab City Summit, in Paris from 11 to 13 July 2018. Assemble Studio (United Kingdom), Turner Prize 2015. Reception of migrants at Porte de la Chapelle, Julien Beller, Paris, 2016-2018. May 68. Architecture too, Cité de l'architecture et du patrimoine, Paris, from 16 May to 17 September 2018. Lieux infinis, Encore Heureux agency, French Pavilion at the 2018 Venice International Architecture Biennale. More about it HERE. Posted by Patrick Keller in Architecture, Territory at 08:15 Defined tags for this entry: architects, architecture, artists, design (environments), experimentation, history, research, territory 1973, AMG at MIT \| #Urban5 #conditional #architecture Note: just after archiving the MOMA exhibition on \| rblg, here comes a small post by Eliza Pertigkiozoglou about the Architecture Machine Group at MIT, same period somehow. This groundbreaking architecture teaching unit and research experience that then led to the MIT Media Lab (Beatriz Colomina spoke about it in its research about design teaching and "Radical Pedagogies" - we spoke about it already on \| rblg in the context of a book about the Black Mountain College). The post details Urban 5, one of the first project the group developed that was supposed to help (anybody) develop an architecture project, in an interactive way. This story is also very well explained and detailed by Orit Halpern in the recent book by CCA: When is the Digital in Architecture? Also some intersting posts about Max Bense, Christopher Alexander, Cedric Price and Gordon Pask on the same Medium account. Via Medium By Eliza Pertigkiozoglou URBAN 5’s overlay and the IBM 2250 model 1 cathode ray-tube used for URBAN 5 (source: openarchitectures.com) Nicholas Negroponte (1943) founded in 1967, together with Leon Groisser, the Architecture Machine Group (Arch Mac) at MIT, which later in 1985 transformed to MIT Media Lab. Negroponte’s vision was an architecture machine that would turn the design process into a dialogue, altering the traditional human-machine dynamics. His approach was significantly influenced by recent discussion on artificial intelligence, cybernetics, conversation theory, technologies for learning, sketch recognition and representation. Arch Mac laboratory combined architecture, engineering and computing to develop architectural applications and artificially intelligent interfaces that question the design process and the role of its actors. The Architecture Machine’s computer and interface installation (source:radical-pedagogies.com) Urban 5 was the first research project of the lab developed in 1973, as an improved version of Urban 2. Interestingly, in his book “Architecture Machine” Negroponte explains, evaluate and criticize Urban5, contemplating on the successes and insufficiencies of the program that aimed to serve as a “toy” for experimentation rather than a tool to handle real design problems. It was “a system that could monitor design procedures” and not design tool by itself. As explained in the book, Urban’s 5 original goal was to “study the desirability and feasibility of conversing with a machine about environmental design project… using the computer as an objective mirror of the user’s own design criteria and form decisions; reflecting formed from a larger information base than the user’s personal experience”. Urban 5 communicated with the architect-user first by giving him instructions, then by learning from him and eventually by dialoguing with him. Two languages were employed for that communication: graphic language and English language. The graphic language was using the abstract representation of cubes (nouns). The English language was text appearing on the screen (verbs). The cubes could be added incrementally and had qualities, such as sunlight, visual and acoustical privacy, which could be explicitly assigned by the user or implicitly by the machine. When the user was first introduced to the software, the software was providing instructions. Then the user could could explicitly assign criteria or generate forms graphically in different contexts. What Negroponte called context was defined by mode, which referred to different display modes that allow the designer different kinds of operations. For example, in the TOPO mode the architect can manipulate topography in plan, while in the DRAW mode he/she can manipulate the viewing mode and the physical elements. In the final stage of this human-machine relationship there was a dialogue between designer and the computer :when there was an inconsistency between the assigned criteria and the generated form, the computer informed the architect and he/she could choose the next step: ignore, postpone, and alter the criterion or the form. Source: The Architecture Machine, Negroponte Negreponte’s criticism give an insight of Arch Mac’s explorations, goals and self-reflection on the research project. To Negroponte, Urban 5 insufficiency was summarized in four main points. First, it was based on assumptions of the design process that can be denuded: architecture is additive(accumulation of cubes), labels are symbols and design is non-deterministic. Also, it offered specific and predetermined design services. Although different combinations could produce numerous results, they were still finite. The designer has always to decide what should be the next step in the cross-reference between the contexts/modes, without any suggestion or feedback from the computer. Last point of his criticism was that Urban 5 interacts with only one designer and the interaction is strictly mediated through “a meager selection of communication artifacts”, meaning the keyboard and the screen. The medium and the language itself. Although Urban 5 is a simple program with limited options, the points that are addressed are basically the constraints of current CAD programs. This is, up to an extent, expected, given the medium and the language frames the interaction between man and the machine.“The world view of culture is limited by the structure of the language which that culture uses.”(Whorf, 1956) The world view of a machine is similarly marked by linguistic structure”(1). Nevertheless, it seems that Negroponte’s and Arch Mac explorations were ahead of their time, offered an insight in human-machine design interactions, suggesting “true dialogue”. “Urban 5 suggests an evolutionary system, an intelligent system — but, in itself , is none of them”(2). (1),(2): Quotes of Negroponte from “The Architecture Machine” book -see below -Negroponte Nicholas, The Architecture Machine: Towards a more human environment, MIT Press, 1970 - Wright Steenson Molly, Architectures of Information:Christofer Alexander, Cedric Price and Nicholas Negroponte & MIT’s Architecture Machine Group, Phd Thesis, Princeton, April 2014 https://openarchitectures.com/2011/10/27/an-interview-with-nicholas-negroponte/ Posted by Patrick Keller in Architecture, Interaction design at 09:42 Defined tags for this entry: architects, architecture, artificial reality, design (environments), design (interactions), history, information, interaction design, research (Page 1 of 393, totaling 1962 entries) » next page This blog is the survey website of fabric \| ch - studio for architecture, interaction and research. We curate and reblog articles, researches, writings, exhibitions and projects that we notice and find interesting during our everyday practice and readings. Most articles concern the intertwined fields of architecture, territory, art, interaction design, thinking and science. From time to time, we also publish documentation about our own work and research, immersed among these related resources and inspirations. This website is used by fabric \| ch as archive, references and resources. It is shared with all those interested in the same topics as we are, in the hope that they will also find valuable references and content in it. fabric \| ch (63) Culture & society (425) Interaction design (415) Territory (471) \| rblg on Twitter	cc/2020-05/en_head_0058.json.gz/line66
__label__wiki	0.842409	0.842409	Week in Reston An Evening with Classical Ballet Theatre Classical Ballet Theatre’s contemporary gala will be held in Reston on Saturday, May 14, at 7:30 p.m with complimentary pre-performance cocktails at 6:30 p.m. at CenterStage at Reston Community Center Hunters Woods, 2310 Colts Neck Road, Reston. Tickets and Information: http://www.cbtnva.org/evening The dancers of Classical Ballet Theatre bring the innovative works of internationally acclaimed choreographers like Roni Koresh, founder and artistic director of Koresh Dance. Unitarian Universalist Church in Reston Appoints New Minister Rev. Dr. Debra W. Haffner accepted the congregation’s call to be the new settled minister of the Unitarian Universalist Church in Reston (UUCR). Currently, a minister at the Unitarian Universalist Church in Westport, Conn., Rev. Haffner and her husband look forward to becoming part of the Reston community this summer. Rev. Haffner entered ministry following a career in public health that included earning a Master’s of Public Health from Yale University, several years with the U.S. Public Health Service, and serving as director of Community Services and Public Relations at Planned Parenthood of Metropolitan Washington, D.C. “UUCR is excited to have Rev. Haffner as our minister,” said Barbara LaRock, president of the UUCR governing board. “Founded in 1970, UUCR, originally called the Reston Community Church, has a rich heritage as a progressive, vibrant, and active congregation that serves the spiritual and intellectual needs of the community. Our church supports each member in his or her personal religious journey. We strive to be a spiritual community where both hearts and minds are encouraged to grow, question, discover, and learn and invite newcomers to share their religious journey with us.” Worship services are Sundays at 10 a.m., at 1625 Wiehle Ave. in Reston. To learn more about UUCR, its programs, events and activities, please visit http://www.uureston.org/. Reston Zoo is now Roer’s Zoofari Reston Zoo is now Roer’s Zoofari. Its new owners are Vanellsa Stoffel and Jacob Roer. "Caring for animals has been an important part of our lives," said Roer, a third generation Arizona rancher, "Being able to share that experience with this community is a dream come true." The zoo will continue to offer hands-on, educational encounters for those of all ages. "We are very excited to join the greater Reston community as a venue for learning about animals through discovery," said Stoffel, who previously helped open and operate Bearizona Wildlife Park in Williams, Arizona. Zoo opens at 9 a.m. daily and offers its last safari wagon ride at 5 p.m. It is located at the corner of Hunter's Mill Road and Baron Cameron Drive in Vienna. For more information call 607-757-6222 or go online to www.roerszoofari.com. Roer's Zoofari wishes to thank everyone that visited in 2016 Reston’s First Pride Festival June 2 Rainbow Flag Flies at Reston Church Herndon, Reston Business Update	cc/2020-05/en_head_0058.json.gz/line67
__label__cc	0.515673	0.484327	Bobby Portis NBA Draft Scouting Report and Video Breakdown Josh Riddell @Joshua_Riddell @Mike_Schmitz Scouting Report by Josh Riddell, Video Analysis by Mike Schmitz Opting to return to Arkansas for his junior season, Bobby Portis became one of the best players in the SEC en route to being named the SEC Player of the Year. He wasn't able to lead the Razorbacks past the first weekend of the NCAA Tournament, as they fell to North Carolina in the second round, but he ended the season averaging 21.5 points and 11.0 rebounds per 40 minutes pace adjusted and became the first sophomore in school history with 1,000 points and 500 rebounds. The 6'10.5, 235-pound forward has some intriguing physical tools, centered around his seeming never-ending motor. He competes with tenacity and while he isn't the most explosive player, he zips around the floor with constant energy to affect play on both ends with his mobility. To round out his physical attributes, he sports a long wingspan, measured at 7'1.5, and excellent strength to help play physically on the interior. Portis will get many baskets at the next level solely from his energy, as he runs the floor in transition well to get ahead of the defense, rolls aggressively to the rim, and establishes deep post position. He's also a relentless offensive rebounder, as his 4.5 offensive rebounds ranks 4th among all players in our top 100. He crashes the glass hard with a great nose for the ball, chases down rebounds outside his area, and proves adept at converting put backs. He's an improved finisher around the rim in the half court from his freshman year, raising his average from 60% to 64.2% according to Synergy Sports Technology. His lack of explosiveness hurts his ability to finish against rim protectors, so he counters with a quick second jump pursuing offensive rebounds and a quick release to avoid being blocked. He'll need to continue to get stronger or refine his finesse game to find success at the rim at the next level as he is mainly a below the rim player Portis is a great jump shooter for a big man and has range to the mid-range and beyond. He shot 41.2% on all jump shots according to Synergy Sports Technology which includes 43.5% on jump shot measured from 17 feet to the three point line. He has an unconventional release and follow through but he is consistent with it and it seems to work for him. He hasn't yet looked to extend his shot out to the three point, as he took just 1.0 three's per 40 minutes pace adjusted. He was effective in that small sample connecting on 46.7% of such attempts and increasing his range would make him a more dangerous, versatile offensive player. Portis has a solid, but not spectacular back to the basket game, as he doesn't have the array of moves needed to consistently beat defenders. He is quick enough to beat defenders to the spot or strong enough to back them down, which does help him create easy looks at times. He has also demonstrated a useable face-up game, along with a drop-step and hook shot that he could use to score on NBA defenders. He's a fairly patient scorer on the block, doing a nice job looking for cutters and turning the ball over at a low rate. However, he doesn't have the counter moves necessary to score consistently on the block and often relies on a tough turnaround, fadeaway jump shot when he can't get past his defender. Defensively, Portis is constantly active and has the potential to guard either interior or perimeter players. He can leverage his size and strength to slow down big men in the paint and showed the ability to move his feet well enough to stay in front of guards on the perimeter when Arkansas switched on the pick and roll. With the intensity he brings to the court combined with his physical tools, he could help a team in multiple ways defensively and has the potential to be a nice asset for a NBA team on this end of the floor. One area he will have to improve upon is his defensive rebounding. While he has posted great offensive rebounding numbers, he hasn't had this success translate to the defensive side, where he averages just 6.4 defensive rebounds per 40 minutes pace adjusted. He doesn't always focus on boxing out his opponent and then doesn't have the leaping ability necessary to grab the rebound in traffic. He has the lower body strength to hold his opponents and will need to concentrate on this aspect to contribute as a defensive rebounder for a NBA team. He doesn't project to be a great rim protector at the next level, as his 1.7 blocks per 40 minutes pace adjusted is an average mark for power forwards in our top 100. He'll surprise people at times with his closing speed but he didn't display the explosiveness and length to be a dominant rim protector at the college level. Overall, Portis may not project to have a high ceiling but his skill set suggests he should be able to find a spot in the league as a high-impact role player. He has enough offensive weapons to find ways to contribute offensive and his motor and physical tools should help him compete on the defensive side. If he continues to play with high energy, he'll be able to impact on both ends of the floor and find a home in a NBA rotation. Bobby Portis PF	cc/2020-05/en_head_0058.json.gz/line69
__label__wiki	0.657108	0.657108	Learn from others... Life Stories List Bible Quote Categories Random Bible Quotes / Verses 100 Inspirational Bible Quotes Charles Darwin's illness helped him to achieve success On 10 December 1831, as Charles Darwin waited for the voyage on HMS Beagle to begin, he suffered from chest pain and heart palpitations, but told no one at the time in case it stopped him from going on the survey expedition. During the voyage, he suffered badly from sea-sickness during the eighteen months he was at sea, but he spent much of the three years and three months he was on land in strenuous exploration. In Argentina at the start of October 1833, he collapsed with a fever. He spent two days in bed, and then memories of a young shipmate who had died of the fever persuaded him to take a boat down river to Buenos Aires, lying ill in his cabin until the fever passed. On 20 September 1834, while returning from a horseback expedition in the Andes mountains, he fell ill and spent the month of October in bed in Valparaiso, Chile. The voyage ended on 2 October 1836. On 20 September 1837, he suffered "an uncomfortable palpitation of the heart" and as "strongly" advised by his doctors, left for a month of recuperation in the countryside. In the spring of 1838 he was overworked, worried and suffering stomach upsets and headaches which caused him to be unable to work for days on end.He married Emma Wedgwood on 29 January 1839, and in December of that year as Emma's first pregnancy progressed, he fell ill and accomplished little during the following year. As detailed above, for over forty years Darwin suffered intermittently from various combinations of symptoms such as: malaise, vertigo, dizziness, muscle spasms and tremors, vomiting, cramps and colics, bloating and nocturnal intestinal gas, headaches, alterations of vision, severe tiredness, nervous exhaustion, dyspnea, skin problems such as blisters all over the scalp and eczema, crying, anxiety, sensation of impending death and loss of consciousness, fainting, tachycardia, insomnia, tinnitus, and depression. These symptoms displayed by Darwin may have been diagnosed today as a form of dysautonomia. Charles Darwin (1809 –1882) was an English naturalist, geologist and biologist, best known for his contributions to the science of evolution. He established that all species of life have descended over time from common ancestors and introduced his scientific theory that this branching pattern of evolution resulted from a process that he called natural selection, in which the struggle for existence has a similar effect to the artificial selection involved in selective breeding. By the 1870s, the scientific community and a majority of the educated public had accepted evolution as a fact. Darwin has been described as one of the most influential figures in human history. Darwin desperately tried many different therapies, within the limitations of medical science of his time. He took all kinds of medicines, including bismuth compounds and laudanum, and even tried quack therapies, such as electrical stimulation of the abdomen with a shocking belt. In his autobiography of 1876, Darwin wrote of his illness, emphasising that it had been brought on by "the excitement" of socialising: Few persons can have lived a more retired life than we have done. Besides short visits to the houses of relations, and occasionally to the seaside or elsewhere, we have gone nowhere. During the first part of our residence we went a little into society, and received a few friends here; but my health almost always suffered from the excitement, violent shivering and vomiting attacks being thus brought on. I have therefore been compelled for many years to give up all dinner-parties; and this has been somewhat of a deprivation to me, as such parties always put me into high spirits. From the same cause I have been able to invite here very few scientific acquaintances. My chief enjoyment and sole employment throughout life has been scientific work; and the excitement from such work makes me for the time forget, or drives quite away, my daily discomfort. I have therefore nothing to record during the rest of my life, except the publication of my several books. .. Contribution of Darwin's illness to his work It is sure that Darwin's illness have contributed to his long and fruitful career in science. Darwin himself wrote about this, in his autobiographical "Recollections of the Development of my Mind and Character" (1876): Lastly, I have had ample leisure from not having to earn my own bread. Even ill-health, though it has annihilated several years of my life, has saved me from the distractions of society and amusement. View Count: 1769. Other stories from the life of Charles_Darwin Advantages and disadvantages of Marriage - Charles Darwin Illness and Success Suffering in Life © 2019 datatorch.com \| Home \| Login	cc/2020-05/en_head_0058.json.gz/line71
__label__cc	0.711923	0.288077	By James Pimes on Tuesday, January 7, 2020 Whether about legality, side effects, or employers’ ability to test for it in employee drug screens, questions about marijuana are plentiful. We’ve answered some of the most frequently asked questions to help you sift through the noise and get a true sense of the current status of marijuana. What is marijuana? Marijuana is the product of the hemp plant, Cannabis sativa, containing the psychoactive chemical delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and other related compounds. Popular names, or slang, for the drug include weed, pot, or cannabis. How is marijuana used? The ways in which people consume marijuana vary greatly and have increased as more states allow its use for medicinal or recreational purposes. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), marijuana can be smoked like tobacco in a cigarette or pipe to inhale oils, concentrates and extracts; or ingested in food, referred to as marijuana edibles. Additionally, recent findings from the Monitoring the Future survey reveal a sharp rise in teenagers vaping marijuana. Read the most common questions about marijuana. What does marijuana do to you? There are many myths about marijuana and its impacts on health. Although public attitudes about the drug continue to change, marijuana users may experience both short- and long-term side effects. Short-term effects may include altered senses, changes in mood, impaired body movement, difficulty with problem-solving, impaired memory, hallucinations, delusions, and possible psychosis when taken in high doses. Long-term effects may include brain development issues; breathing problems and higher risk of lung infections when smoked; increased heart rate, of concern to those predisposed to heart conditions; and worsening symptoms in those with schizophrenia. How many people use marijuana? Marijuana remains the most-used illicit drug globally with upwards of 188 million users in the past year, according to the most recent World Drug Report. In the United States, the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) estimates that 22.2 million people have used marijuana in the past month. Can my company still drug test for marijuana? Yes. There are currently no restrictions (other than New York City, which is expected to implement restrictions beginning in May 2020) limiting an employer’s ability to drug test for marijuana, although there may be limitations on permissible disciplinary action that an employer may take if an employee is using marijuana in accordance with that state’s marijuana laws. In general, state medical and recreational use statutes impact only a very small number of employees in most workplaces. Today, more than 97.6% of all non-regulated drug tests performed by Quest include marijuana in their panel. What is the marijuana positivity rate for workplace drug tests? Data from the latest Quest Diagnostics Drug Testing Index™ gives insights into marijuana use in the American workforce. In the general U.S. workforce, marijuana positivity increased nearly 8% in urine drug testing (2.6% in 2017 versus 2.8% in 2018) and almost 17% since 2014. For the federally mandated, safety-sensitive workforce, marijuana positivity grew nearly 5% between 2017 and 2018 and nearly 24% since 2014. Watch a webinar to hear scientific and legal experts discuss topics related to marijuana. How is marijuana classified under Federal law? States continue to pass legislation that permits medical and recreational marijuana use. To date, 33 states and Washington, D.C. have medical marijuana laws and 11 of those states also passed recreational use laws. But in spite of state law, marijuana–and its components, like CBD—is still illegal under Federal law, and categorized as a Schedule I controlled substance under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA). View our infographic to see marijuana laws by state. How can states continue to pass medical and recreational marijuana legislation if marijuana is illegal under federal law? Even though marijuana is illegal for any purpose under the CSA, the enforcement of the CSA is within the discretion of the Federal government. During the Obama administration, Federal agencies, including specifically the U.S. Department of Justice, deprioritized marijuana enforcement in states with medical marijuana laws through policy guidance. Congress has also previously passed statutory budget amendments to limit Federal agency enforcement initiatives that interfere with state medical marijuana laws. Download our Guide for Drug Testing Laws Is medical marijuana safe? Marijuana advocates, especially those in states where marijuana has been legalized, openly broadcast claims that he drug is “safe” and benign. But there are many misconceptions surrounding the drug and its safety. For example, the drug’s current classification under Federal law means the substance has no accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse like heroin or ecstasy. Additionally, substance use disorders related to marijuana are becoming more common. A study conducted by the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions found that nearly 3 out of 10 marijuana users described having what can be categorized as a marijuana use disorder. Additionally, marijuana use disorders more than doubled from 2001 to 2013. Research from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) also shows that marijuana use disorders often go untreated, are about twice as common in men than women, and are more frequently seen in people under the age of 45. Download our marijuana white paper about the “new age of marijuana” and the importance of maintaining marijuana testing in a drug-free workplace program. Does cannabidiol (CBD) show up on a drug test? Maybe. CBD itself would not report positive on a drug test for marijuana or marijuana metabolite. In some states, CBD may (add legally) contain up to 5% THC. While some states permit the sale of CBD, many of those states only permit relatively low levels of THC in CBD products. But if a CBD product contains THC at a sufficiently high concentration, it is possible that the use of these products could cause a positive urine drug test result. It is also important to remember that for federally-mandated drug tests, the use of CBD or “medical marijuana” would not be considered an alternative medical explanation for the positive test result. Moreover, as a Schedule I substance, CBD is illegal at the Federal level. While there are some states that permit the sale of CBD, many of those states only permit relatively low levels of THC in CBD products. Learn more about CBD and drug tests here. Can secondhand marijuana smoke render a positive drug test? We asked Dr. Barry Sample, Senior Director of Science & Technology at Quest Diagnostics, to share his expertise to clear the air about the question. He said, “There are no published, peer-reviewed studies to date that indicate, even with today’s increased concentrations of THC in marijuana, that someone would test positive due to ‘passive’ or ‘incidental’ exposure at events such as parties or concerts.” Lean more about if you can fail a drug test from secondhand smoke. The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), after examining research that measured factors such as drug potency, hours of exposure, and room ventilation, concurs, reporting that it is unlikely secondhand smoke could give someone a “contact high” that would trigger a positive test result. Quest Diagnostics offers workplace drug testing for marijuana using urine, oral fluid, and hair. Oral fluid testing technology has proven very effective in detecting recent marijuana use. It’s important to select a test type and drug cut-offs for your workplace program that will effectively screen for the drug. For more information about drug testing connect with Quest Diagnostics online This blog is not intended for the purposes of legal advice and shall in no way constitute legal advice. You should consult with an attorney to determine legal obligations or course of action. The post Marijuana frequently asked questions appeared first on Quest Diagnostics Employer Solutions Blog.	cc/2020-05/en_head_0058.json.gz/line77
__label__cc	0.513946	0.486054	So what if you just took the money and ran? The federal buyout of homes and property in the valley of the East Fork did not come without some strings attached, though being displaced typically meant being forced to find other lodging. In the case of most in the valley, that meant ... not too far away since it wasn't the job that was being flooded. The Army Corps of Engineers, during a long period of organizing the drill that would empty the valley, clarified the homeowners' tax liability rights and responsibilities. The Indiana Department of Revenue would not require collection of gross sales tax at the time of property sale for the reservoir and gave landowners two years to reinvest funds "in the same type of property." If you lived in a school bus, one could assume another such dwelling was nearby. After two years, the sales tax bill came due. As for cost, as late as the spring of 1965, the overall cost of constructing the dam was still variable. According to the Richmond newspaper: "Nobody knows how much the reservoir will cost. The original estimate was $17.7 million. By 1962 the best guessers said $22.6 million. Now they are saying $27.2 million. It may go higher as the years slip by." In the end, nobody who lived in the valley of the East Fork much cared what it cost. Meanwhile, the cumbersome process of dismantling the town and its people sprawled out over a number of years, aggravating a plan to actually relocating the town on the Huber-Klein farm overlooking the valley. The first homeowners to sell out were scattered here and there, all having diverse reasons for needing a home. Plat of New Fairfield from 1966 The downfall of the relocation to New Fairfield was the slowness in which the town site was developed. By the time roads were cut in the blueprinted area and a causeway constructed, most who lived in Fairfield were already located somewhere else. It wasn't likely that many were inclined to come back "home" to a town site that had graded dirt roads, no school, no store, no church, not much of anything except a gravel road to a highway that was about to be flooded. Land had been set aside for the establishment of Methodist and Nazarene churches in the new town. Neither church ever located there, though the Methodists eventually merged with Old Franklin. As well, a plot had been set aside for a community center that was also never realized. It would be well past 1970 before the valley was cleared and leveled. New Fairfield was still mostly a soybean field. Services to be rendered were services yet to be identified. The first houses built in the new town were isolated. New Fairfield was cold and forbidding, a far cry from the vague promises that the Corps of Engineers had promised and delivered in Somerset, which had provided the relocation model. New Fairfield appeared to be doomed. The long tedious process of buying the land and moving the residents had all but done. Folks didn't just "up and agree to move" as a group. They went away, one family at a time. After the school closed, there was no reason to stay in Fairfield. Willie T. and Nannie Davis Perhaps one of the most gut-wrenching items to be published at the time came from Willie T. and Nannie Davis, who owned the grocery in town. In an ad in the Brookville newspapers dated July 9, 1964, the couple announced they planned to sell the store and its assets. "We are the only store in the valley which the dam will affect but you may have many years before it would be completed. We are a good business and if you are interested come in and see us. We can give quick possession to home and store." The asking price was $5,500 for stock and fixtures. If you wanted to rent, the price was $65 a month. There were no takers. A couple of years later, lots were offered for sale in New Fairfield. Such a deal ... depending on location, "the price of lots will range from $1,700 to $4,000.” The town was laid out by the engineering firm of Sieco Inc. of Columbus, Ind. CASA LADERAS? The alternate New Fairfield on the Naylor-Butcher-Luke property never gained any support, and only three houses were ever moved there. According to a Richmond newspaper article: “A new community is being established along Ind. 101 as three residents of Fairfield evacuate the lowland town that will soon be inundated by the Brookville Reservoir.” “Mr. and Mrs. Leroy Stevens, Mrs. Marie Poe and Mr. and Mrs. Bob Chapman from Fairfield and Mr. and Mrs. Dale Ross from Richmond joined together to purchase 34 acres of land, one-half mile northeast of Fairfield. They are calling the establishment Casa Laderas, meaning in Spanish, Hillside Homes.” “The Chapman and Stevens homes already have been moved to the new location while the Poe home is to be moved later. Ross, a Richmond builder, has not announced his plans. A central water system has been installed and the hillside area leveled for plats.” “It is hoped others will join in the venture, thereby establishing a future small town on the bank of the new reservoir. It will be 1,000 feet from the Chapman home to the water's edge when the reservoir is filled.” The area is denoted by a sign "PRIVATE DRIVE" a few feet from where the James M. Thompson memorial rock was placed. Posted by John C. Updike at 9:15 AM	cc/2020-05/en_head_0058.json.gz/line80
__label__wiki	0.605807	0.605807	You are here: Home » news section » Inner Line Permit ILP Demand Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB) 2019: The Construction of Great Constitutional Blunder Dr. Aniruddha Babar * Citizenship Amendment Bill 2016 : Protest at Khwairamband Keithel on 18th November 2019 :: Pix - Shankar Khangembam "....The ruling side knows why this legislation is being brought, we also know why they have come up with this legislation, the people also know… I just want to warn the government that… itihaas ki aankhon ne wo falak bhi dekhe hain, lamhon ne galti ki aur sadiyon ne saza payi hain.... (History has been witness to episodes where eons had to pay for a momentary mistake…) Today, you are going to commit a big mistake….. ~ Shri. Manish Tiwari, Hon'ble Member of Parliament, 9th December, 2019, Debate in Loksabha on Citizenship Amendment Bill, 2019. The citizenship Act 1955 was the first provision of the Indian government that informed about how the citizenship of India can be acquired and what could be the grounds for acquiring citizenship. According to this Act, an individual could gain the Indian citizenship if they were born in India, have resided in India for a long period or have Indian parentage. The main aim of this legislation was to prohibit the illegal migrants from acquiring Indian citizenship. According to this Act, any individual who enters India with forged documents and invalid passport was considered as illegal migrant. In the year 2014, the Citizenship Rule was proposed to be amended by introducing a Legislative Bill, under which religion was to be considered as the explicit ground for awarding citizenship. This step was taken 'evaluating' the situation specifically of the Hindus as "vulnerable" especially in Pakistan and therefore, the Citizenship Act of 1955 was proposed to be amended specifically to accommodate Hindu migrants. In the year 2016, Citizenship (Amendment) Bill was presented in the parliament in order to bring some significant changes in the existing legislation. This bill was mainly to consider the problems that the refugee population is facing and that such population is deprived of many facilities and rights in India because of their illegal immigrant status. The existing law did not allow the immigrants to obtain the citizenship of India provided they must have resided in India or have been in the central government service for the last 12 months and at least 11 years of the preceding 14 years, and other qualifications as specified in Section 6 (1) of the Citizen Act, 1955. However, the latest amendment "in question" can bring significant changes and can increase the movement of immigrants from Bangladesh to North-East India, which is a major reason of concern for Northeastern states. The Bill provides that, illegal migrants belonging to specified minority communities from Afghanistan, Bangladesh or Pakistan will not be treated as illegal migrants under the Act, making them all eligible for Indian citizenship. These minority communities are Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians. This implies that illegal migrants from these countries who are Muslims, other minorities who do not belong to the above groups e.g. Jews or Atheists who do not identify with a religious group will not be eligible for citizenship. The question is whether this provision violates the right to equality guaranteed under Article 14 of the Constitution because it provides differential treatment to illegal migrants on the basis of their religion. Article 14 guarantees equality to all persons, citizens and foreigners. It only permits laws to differentiate between groups of people if the rationale for doing so serves a reasonable purpose. The Statement of Objects and Reasons of the Bill does not explain the rationale behind differentiating between illegal migrants on the basis of the religion they belong to. However, according to Government the increasing vulnerability of the population of the Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Christians and Parsis in the neighbouring countries like Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh resulted in increasing the illegal migration of these people to India, which led to the development and formulation of Citizenship Amendment Bill 2016. This Bill had resulted in relaxing the eligibility criteria for the selection of the immigrants and included six minority communities or people, who came to India before 2014. The minimum requirement of the residency period was 11 years in the earlier Act, which is now reduced to 5 years (In 2016 Bill, it was 6 years). The proposed amendment in the Bill has also raised some significant concerns and oppositions. The first reason of opposition is that religion has never been used as the ground for making the difference between citizen and non-citizens. Therefore, the Civil Society groups have called this bill as the "communally motivated humanitarianism". This bill is also considered to be increasing inequality, as it does not include the Shias or Ahmadiyya's or Mohajirs in Pakistan, who are also the oppressed, discriminated and persecuted minorities. Article 14 of the Indian constitution provides equality to everyone, however differentiating on the grounds of religion can be a significant violation of the Indian constitution. Some even believe that this bill will also stamp the countries like Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan as the institutions that perpetuate religious oppression and will also negatively affect the bilateral relations. Since the introduction of the Citizenship Amendment Bill in the Lower House of Parliament in 2016, there has been a significant unrest among the people from the North-East states of India. People from North-East and mainly from Assam have significantly protested against the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill. There are various social political and economic implications of the Bill that could affect the Northeast Indian states. The people from Northeast states are significantly concerned about their status in their states. They fear that this bill will increase the number of immigrants in their states that would affect the social and economic benefits that they receive. For example, the indigenous people living in Mizoram fear that the entry of the Buddhists Chakmas from Bangladesh will take the advantage of the bill and will migrate in significant number. The tribal communities from Meghalaya and Nagaland are worried about the Bengali migrants. The tribal people living in the Northeast state have developed their own social, political and economic environment. They have their own traditional and cultural system of living that could be significantly affected by the entry of migrants from Bangladesh or other countries. The government of Manipur want to implement the Inner Line Permit System in order to stop the immigrants from entering into the state. The Indigenous National party and the Indigenous People's Front of Tripura are also against the bill as they fear that their tribal status will be affected by this bill. However, as per the latest version of Citizenship Amendment Bill, 2019 which has been introduced and passed in Lok Sabha on 9th of December, 2019 have made certain changes in the original draft of 2016 Bill. As per 2019 CAB Bill, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland and Mizoram, where Inner Line Permit (ILP) regime is applicable, will be kept out of the purview of the proposed Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB). The ILP regime is under Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation, 1873. In terms of Section 2 of the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulations, 1873, the Inner Line Permit system is prevalent in Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram and Nagaland. Moreover, Under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, autonomous councils and districts were created in tribal areas in Assam, Meghalaya and Tripura. The autonomous councils and districts enjoy certain executive and legislative powers. They will also be exempted from the purview of Citizenship Amendment Bill 2019. However, the question arises as to whether these so called 'protected' regions would also be able to escape by taking a shelter of 'Inner Line Permit System' from the 'indirect' impact of the influx of large number population in the neighbouring regions? Demographic change is the first social, political and an economic issue that have raised the concern of the Northeast people. The decades of illegal migration have been ongoing in Tripura and Assam, but through this bill such immigration would become legal and the already existing communities will likely to lose their demographic status. People from Assam fear that their language will become secondary, their culture would be distorted and their political rights would be lost. Another reason of the significant opposition of the Bill in Assam is that this Bill is against the Assam Accord which was signed on 15th of August 1985 between representatives of Government of India and the leaders of Assam Movement in New Delhi declared "March 24, 1971" as the cut-off date for illegal immigrants; however, the proposed Bill moves the cut-off date for illegal immigrants – for only six religions - by more than 43 years to December 31, 2014. A six years long agitation followed against illegal migrants from the then East Pakistan (now Bangladesh), which then culminated with the signing of an agreement called the Assam Accord. The citizenship Amendment Bill also contradicts with the National Register of Citizens (NRC) which is a roster of all those who settled in Assam up to the midnight of March 24, 1971. It may be noted that, Bengali Hindus (from Bangladesh) who were declared illegal immigrants by the NRC are now legal by the current clauses of the bill. This nullifies the process of NRC and seriously affects the demographic character of the region. The Assam Accord and the NRC set the cut off of the citizen irrespective of their religious status. For becoming the citizen of Assam, the tribal people and other population of the state have to prove that their ancestors were the residents of the state before March 25, 1971. However, due to the Bill, the illegal immigrants from Bangladesh, who came before 1971 would become the citizen of the state affecting the existing population and their social status. States like Manipur and Tripura have a significant number of the Hindu population, but the Bill may result in implementing the communally driven agenda, which can result in creating a political void. The economy of the states includes the employment and job opportunities for the resident population and the existing laws provide priority to them to participate in the economic system. However, the Bill would result in making the immigrants and refugees the citizen of the states and the opportunities for employment and job would be divided between the existing citizens and new immigrant citizens. However, on the other hand, a fact needs to be taken into consideration that, India is located in a rough neighbourhood surrounded by strategically hostile nations and fragile democracies from where influx of people due to persecution is always a possibility. Given our ethos, traditions, and practices it is surprising that India have not yet evolved a refugee policy. India do not have a national refugee law and is not a signatory to the 1951 UN Convention on the Status of Refugees and its related 1967 Protocol - which set the basic standards of treatment to be meted out to refugees of which the most fundamental is non-refoulment. However, our not signing the aforesaid Convention and Protocol does not absolve us from observing the basic humanitarian law relating to refugees including the principle of non-refoulment as we are signatories to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), 1948, the International Convention on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR-1966) and the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman and Degrading Treatment or Punishment (Torture Convention-1984). Also, Article 14 of the UDHR, Article 13 of the ICCPR-1966, and Article 3 of the Torture Convention-1984, each expresses a commitment to protect refugees. Additionally, the right to refoulment is internationally recognized today as a part of customary international law. Article 51(c) of the Indian Constitution directs the State to respect international law and treaty obligations. Customary international law has been held by the Supreme Court to be part of international law. Moreover, it needs to be reiterated that the intention and motivation regarding the Bill which the central government have been reflecting can best be resolved by India ratifying the UNHCR Refugee Convention. Surprisingly India is one of the only democracies in the world not to have signed the Convention. This has led to inconsistent approaches in dealing with refugees and economic migrants. The Refugee Convention provides clear guidance on all refugees, including repatriating them voluntarily to home countries once conditions for such repatriation become feasible. The Lok Sabha passed the controversial Citizenship (Amendment) Bill on 9th December, 2019 which is the big blow to the Constitutional fabric of India as it is in straight and direct violation of Art. 14, Art.15, Art. 21 and also the Basic Structure of Constitution as given by the Supreme Court of India in Keshavananda Bharthi Vs State of Kerala wherein Chief Justice Sarv Mittra Sikri, writing for the majority, indicated that the basic structure consists of the supremacy of constitution, A republican and democratic form of government, The secular character of the Constitution, Maintenance of the separation of powers, The federal character of the Constitution. Moreover in S.R. Bommai Vs Union of India hon'ble Supreme Court observed that…. "Notwithstanding the fact that the words 'Socialist' and 'Secular' were added in the Preamble of the Constitution in 1976 by the 42nd Amendment, the concept of Secularism was very much embedded in our constitutional philosophy…..". The observations that the Supreme Court of India made support us to reflect upon the true character of the constitution. Secularism is not simply a dead word, but rather it is a spirit that should form a part of every action that government takes in the name of 'The People of India'. Secularism must be understood as a basic feature of our Constitution. The words and the clauses of Citizenship Amendment Bill, 2019 does not reflect the secular spirit that the Constitution of India had born with. Moreover, this Bill does not stand Constitutional with the defence of the doctrine of 'Reasonable Classification'. At the outset, it should be made clear that the Article 14 of the Constitution of India does not forbid reasonable classification of the target population (for the purpose of legislation) which must not be "arbitrary, artificial or evasive" but must be based on some real and substantial bearing a just and reasonable relation to the object sought to be achieved by the legislation. In the light of CAB 2019 being violative of Art. 14 it may further be noted that the Article 14 applies where equals are treated differently without any reasonable basis. But where equals and unequals are treated differently, Article 14 does not apply. Which simply mean that 'EQUALS CANNOT BE TREATED UNEQUALLY' This position of law has been well settled in different cases like D.S. Nakara V. Union of India, Madhu Limye V. Supdt. Tihar Jail Delhi, Sanaboina Satyanarayana V. Govt of Andhra Pradesh, Tamiladu Electricity Board V. Veeraswamy. It needs to be understood that Citizenship Law defines a country's political and constitutional identity and character. Laying down rules that determines membership in our political community only on the basis of one's religious beliefs completely violates this principle. The bill is not "religion and country neutral". Linking religion with citizenship issue is against the spirit of our history, civilisation, culture and of our Constitution. A great nation like India that has welcomed everyone with open arms throughout its history of thousands of years can't afford have a very narrow version of 'Universal Brotherhood'. Citizenship can't be linked with state, religion, caste, creed and be country specific. It should be universal. A compact association of South Asian nations, with free movement of people, ideas, cultures and commodities can be founded only on the basis of respecting and protecting the diversity of the region. As people from Assam and other CAB affected regions believe, that while on the one hand the present Indian government seeks to divide refugees on the basis of religion, on the other hand, it has turned the clause 6 of Assam Accord (originally designed to protect the Assamese and other indigenous communities) into a complete non-operational mode. The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2019 may have far reaching consequences in the entire Eastern India which seeks to erode the very basis of unity centering on language of different nations and nationalities and replace it by so called cultural unity based on religion. In the present form, despite the fact that the Bill has been passed in the Lok Sabha it is not yet ready to become an Act. Many people from the affected areas including that of Assam believe that the Bill is rushed, ill-conceived, politically motivated, anti-constitutional and ambiguous and in its present form it would do more harm than good. Moreover, any Law or a Policy that threatens the identity of people needs to be widely debated on every possible public platform. The Constitution of India upholds the Principle of Equality. When the Constitution of India which has been drafted by Dr. B.R. Ambedkar that exists on the pillars of the eternal principles of Justice, Equality, Liberty and Fraternity, does not permit any sort of discrimination among the citizens of India, then on what ground-legal or moral, can the discrimination be made by the government while granting citizenship? (The Author expresses his humble gratitude to Madam Asela Rothrong for taking out time from her busy schedule to review this article) * Dr. Aniruddha Babar wrote this article for The Sangai Express and Imphal Times The writer is a Former Advocate and is presently serving as Asst. Professor of Political Science, Tetso College, Dimapur. He can be reached at aniruddha(DOT)v(DOT)babar(AT)gmail(DOT)com This article was webcasted on December 12, 2019.	cc/2020-05/en_head_0058.json.gz/line81
__label__wiki	0.871152	0.871152	Cliches. Why o why not? posted by NoctusLynx Some people hate 'em, some people amor 'em. Others simply don't give a damn. But what makes the cliche have such a mixed review? Why are there people who like it and amor it? Let's find out. First, we might want to find out what a cliche IS. A cliche is comparable to a stereotype to an extent. A cliche is something that is commonly repeated over and over and over and over and over and over and over and... tu get the idea. Here, I will address two cliches. Character stereotypes are something we can't get around. Most stories are alegories, which are stories which the characters represent a part of human society, whether tu can see it easily o not. There's the good guy, the bad guy, the sidekick, the goon/henchman, the hotshot o pretty boy, the sassy/bossy girl, and the underdog, just to name a few. The lista could go on, but my intention is not to crash your computer. I'm guilty of having character stereotype, and most of us won't be able to get past it either. However, I'm a realist and a firm believer of science, and according to science, tu can never ever say "never" o "always" when talking about anything whatsoever. That being said, there may be that one person who's managed to make a non-stereotypical character, and apoyar to whoever has made one already. ...and over and over and over and over and over and over and over... ...and over and over and over... Here's a cliche no one can get over most of the time: the happy ending. Good character and Bad character fight, good character wins in the end, and everyone (mostly everyone) is happy, the end. In a nutshell, that summarizes about at least 90% of all stories ever created, including those written and roleplayed here. Why do people like this cliche so much? Perhaps either to send a kind of message o moral, o just to say "hey, F*** you, my character's awesome, suck it". Why, why why? Why not have a not-happy ending? Sure, a lot of people like the happy ending, but when tu want to keep the reader reading, all the reader really has to do in the average story is identify who the good main character is, who the main bad character is, say the good character wins, and they have just summarized your entire story in three lines, and no longer have the need to read the story. Sure, tu may throw in a couple not-happy endings, but which is a más interesting ratio: 99:1, o 1:1 when talking about happy endings to not-happy endings? 9/10 of tu most probably chose the 50/50 chance of the 1;1 ratio. Otherwise, I just made myself look like an idiot. ... and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and pover and over and over and over and over rand over and over and over and over and oover and over and over and over and over pand over and over and over and over and sover and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over tand over and over and over and over and over oand over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and yover and over and over and over and over oand over and over and over and over and uover and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over fand over and over and over and over and over oand over and over and over and over and rover and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over rand over and over and over and over and eover and over and over and over and over dand over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and iover and over and over and over and over and nover and over and over and over and over gand over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and tover and over and over and over and over and hover and over and over and over and over iand over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over sand over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and cover and over and over and over and over oand over and over and over and over and dover and over and over and over and over eand over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and fover and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and iover and over and over and over and over and rover and over and over and over and over sand over and over and over and over and tover and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and... NoctusLynx Let's see who finds it first... DaylightBeauty I SAW THE WORD ROVER IN THERE ON FIRST GLANCE! :D oover, dand, tover, cover, nover, hover.... NoctusLynx Congrats, but there's a bit more complexity that just one word, but also a bit more simplicity than just a word. I know, I'm a bastard. DaylightBeauty I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THAT MEANS. MY BRAIN JUST WENT LIKE THIS: KABOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM. NoctusLynx Also, in order to find it all, you're going to have to look for it all throughout the HUGE block of writing at the bottom of the article. ^-^ "Having fun yet!?" -Spiderman DaylightBeauty oki eand, gand.... MY EYES THEY BURN! (O_O I forgot how to spell burn for a moment.) NoctusLynx Then it doesn't matter if it's the same voice actor because it'd be the same audio file, no? Trust me, there's something hidden in that block of writing. ^-^ NoctusLynx Congrats. ^-^ DaylightBeauty WAIT IT WAS A MESSAGE :U I am stunned by such info. DaylightBeauty No, Meph wait. WHERE DID IT SAY IT WAS A MESSAGE :U DaylightBeauty Daaaaaaaaaaaaaang gurl :U You smart. I DON'T DESERVE THIS CAKE!....eats cake Meh. DaylightBeauty Yeah, but you noticed it was a message :U I thought noctus was just retyping it all and someone was yellin' ar em so he made lotsa typos. DaylightBeauty (sorry for the agh. I have to type something because fanpop gliches and I can't read what you said.) DaylightBeauty You smartie ^3^ NoctusLynx Well said. I wouldn't consider myself smart either. Educated, yes, but not necessarily smart. NoctusLynx Science just clicks with me quite nicely. The only problems I seem to be having is wit Leadership Skills... Go figure... NoctusLynx At my high school it is. And it's mandatory to pass that course: Leadership Skills. It's usually that I forget I have to forget that assignments are due and I get easily sidetracked like mad. Then assignments sneak up on me, and I just have to suck it up... (sad face...) NoctusLynx No need. It's not your fault. Moreover, it's mine. NoctusLynx Nah, it's fine, really. It was my choice to go into that school, have hour and a half classes, have four periods per semester, have a year's worth of work compressed into a single semester, and get more credits faster. I loathe the work, but love the rewards. Also, you can get expelled from the school for lack of work. (technical Highschool) NoctusLynx Then you must have some very intelligent parents. I honestly wish that I had parents who more educated and more rich of knowledge than with religious principles. I mean, don't get me wrong, religious principles (such as don't steal, don't kill, etc etc) are necessary in the real world so I don't mind those. But principles such as "put nothing first in your life if it is not Jesus Christ our savior in blood" is just... I couldn't do that because that's just not something that we could ever do. Which do you put first: breathing or prayer; eating or fasting; learning (which by the way slows down the effects of aging) or reading the bible which is one huge, never-changing document? I know I'm going to get some Christians high strung about this, but this is honestly my opinion, and why I feel this way. NoctusLynx I don't blame you. NoctusLynx So... A lot of off topic comments... I honestly just want some feedback so I know whether or not to keep writing at all. Even if it's just one person, I just want to get my message across, really. And know that my voice was heard (and understood) by at least just one other person. NoctusLynx Oh... Well, that's fine. Thank you. But I honestly think that Take hit the sack early tonight. Either that, or he'll be back soon. NoctusLynx Wheresoever you believe to be best. el the bat added by blazeandarose Myzak in Cave Rynk and the Train of Randomness! Source: Myself and TakTheFox... and a bumch of other people for the sprites! Sick... added by viliot added by Caloria Amy and crystal -Fake screenshot..again xD;- added by amy_rose12 Diamond the Hedgehog (request) added by pikachu444 Source: diamond the hedgehog TaeYang 'Blackrose' The Albino Raccoon~ added by seuris Source: (c) Seuris .:Yo, sailor!:. ~ Tokyo The Kitsune (SummerMoon) Sonic fan Characters (recolors are allowed) Sonic fan Character Couples fan character sonic girls Echidna Girls MARY SUE THE MOST SEXIEST perra IN DA WHOLE FRINKKIN WORLD!!!!! added by Solar_Soul Source: ME NOT THAT perra SOLAR_SOUL!!!!!! Izzy the Artic lobo added by Spoonerism Source: Art & Character (c) Me Sundance .:me in sonic form:. added by Danniwolf09 Source: Danniwolf09 A misceláneo meme added by tailslover9 Source: http://pokemoneg.deviantart.com/art/Grab-My-Meme-Blank-197866784(diamond belongs to DiamondShadow) i <3 música ! breeze the cat added by breezethecat Stop gummy oso, oso de time ~Crystal Source: me'ness :3 Krisha made in paint! Jayden The Hedgehog perfil added by JaydenDude Danny's job is a baloncesto player added by CookieMonster32 amor couple: umbreonXariel	cc/2020-05/en_head_0058.json.gz/line87
__label__wiki	0.716336	0.716336	· October 5, 2009 Palestinian authority criticized for not endorsing UN report; Following clashes, Israel sends police to guard Jerusalem holy site Peace groups demonstrate outside White House against Afghanistan war US Supreme Court begins a potentially monumental year ACLU report says American Indians are subject to voter discrimination Streetbeat: Thousands mourn Argentine folk singer Mercedes Sosa Mumia Abu Jamal: Between Acorns and Blackwater Micheletti says civil liberties will be restored tomorrow Honduran de facto President Roberto Micheletti said that Ministers will repeal a Presidential decree that suspended constitutional rights last week — the action will take effect tomorrow. Ousted President Manuel Zelaya, who remains locked in the Brazilian Embassy, said that the restoration of rights is a pre-requisite to any negotiations. Tim Russo is in Tegucigalpa. Micheletti once again promised to restore rights saying quote “we have peace in the country” hence the decree is no longer necessary. The Presidential decree suspending some civil liberties in Honduras has been in full affect for over a week. Olga Osiris, a 35 year old mother of four, died this weekend due to respiratory complications caused by exposure to tear gas. Olga was one of many protesters who were aggressively dispersed by police last Tuesday while demanding that Radio Globo and Channel 36 be put back on the air. The two stations, critical of the de facto government, were shut down by police who applied the presidential decree. Zelaya told supporters via telephone at Sunday’s general assembly of the resistance movement that there would be no negotiations until constitutional rights are restored. “As long as the decree, that offends the dignity of Honduras, is not lifted and as long as the frequencies of Radio Globo and Channel 36 are not restored this dialogue is incomplete and is merely a farce offered by the dictators.” 38 campesino men launched a hunger strike over the weekend demanding their release from prison. The men were arrested in the National Agrarian Institute last week and charged with sedition for occupying the facility since the June 28th coup. The Organization of American States has scheduled a high-profile mission to Honduras this Wednesday to support efforts for peace negotiations. Tim Russo, FSRN, Tegucigalpa. Socialists sweep Greek elections Greek Prime Minister-elect Giorgos Papandreou began cobbling together a new cabinet today, after his socialist party – PASOK — swept elections yesterday. Aris Oikonomou reports. Late last night, Kostantinos Karamanlis Prime Minister and President of the Right wing party New Democracy accepted defeat and welcomed Giorgos Papandreou the President of the Socialist Party, PASOK, to the PM position. Karamanlis also resigned as president of the New Democracy party. These elections brought historic results for both parties. On one hand, the socialist party – or PASOK—won in a landslide with an unprecedented nearly 44 percent score. On the other hand, the New Democracy Party saw its lowest score since 1974. The PASOK sees this as proof of popular support for its economic policies of budget constraint and benefit cuts. The victory of the PASOK, coupled with the Socialists’ victory in Portugal, is seen as a left turn European politics and hint of hope for European Socialists after the important defeats in Italy, Germany, France and most probably in the UK. For FSRN this is Aris Oikonomou in Athens. Widespread strikes in Romania protesting public sector pay cuts Hundreds of thousands of public sector workers in Romania are on strike today protesting pay cuts and a mandatory 10 day furlough — Dana Lepadat reports from Bucharest. More than three quarters of a million workers in schools, hospitals, town halls, and municipal offices are taking part in the one-day strike. Hospitals dealt only with emergencies and teachers provided care for children – but no lessons. The strikes are the result of salary cuts as part of financial reforms taken in exchange for aid from the international monetary fund. The IMF aid comes as unemployment in Romania has increased by 70 percent in the past year — some 600,000 Romanians are without work. The strikes put pressure on the Romanian Government, already working with a skeleton staff after the social democrat ministers resigned a few days ago, just two months before the presidential elections. Another strike is planed by budgetary employees on Wednesday. Dana Lepadat, Free Speech Radio News, Bucharest. UN World Food Programme office bombed in Islamabad – 5 dead The United Nations temporarily closed all of its offices in Pakistan after a suicide bomber attacked the offices of the World Food Program in Islamabad, killing five UN employees – UN Radio’s Patrick Maigua reports. Speaking in Geneva, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said the attack was unjustifiable adding that it will not deter the United Nations from delivering much needed humanitarian assistance to over two million displaced people in Pakistan. “This is a terrible tragedy for the United Nations and the whole humanitarian community in Pakistan. This is a heinous crime committed against those who have been working tirelessly to assist the poor and the vulnerable on the frontlines of hunger and other human suffering in Pakistan.” World Food Programme Executive Director, Josette Sheeran said the victims were humanitarian heroes working on the frontlines of hunger in a country where WFP food assistance is providing a lifeline to millions. She said the attack was a tragedy not just for WFP – but also for the entire humanitarian community and for the hungry. Patrick Maigua, UN Radio Geneva. Rescue and relief efforts ongoing in Indonesia and India At least three Indonesian villages swallowed by landslides in Indonesia will be left as mass graves as relief workers continue to find survivors in remote inland regions without food, water or shelter. In Padang, some markets reopened and children began to return to school today five days after a 7.5 magnitude earthquake hit Sumatra. According to Indonesian officials, the death toll could be as high as 3,000 and concerns are rising about disease – particularly in Padang – where decomposing bodies still litter the city. And in India, days of torrential downpour have left 750,000 displaced – at least 200 are dead. Entire villages are underwater and emergency rations are being dropped from helicopters to hundreds more. Israel sent thousands of police to Jerusalem´s old city, following clashes this weekend with Palestinians. The violence happened near one of the city´s holiest sites, the Temple Mount, a place sacred to both Jews and Muslims. Meanwhile, there is growing criticism of the Palestinian Authority for failure to endorse a UN report on abuse during Israel´s war on Gaza. FSRN´s Ghassan Banoura has the latest. In Washington DC, Monday, about 300 activists gathered in front of the White House to oppose eight years of war in Afghanistan. Organized by a combination of groups including World Can’t Wait, the National Campaign for Non Violent resistance, Veterans for Peace and Code Pink, among others, the protest drew a wide variety of people. Suzette Abbott says she´s been opposed to the US Military occupation of both Iraq and Afghanistan. “I think it has actually made things far more dangerous in the world in that it has galvanized the Taliban and Al-Qaeda and also there is the incredible harm that it has done to people living there and all the death and destruction and all the unnecessary deaths of soldiers.” Two Afghan security forces and eight US soldiers were killed over the weekend in the mountainous Nuristan province of Afghanistan in the worst loss for US troops since a battle last year in which nine soldiers were killed. The US forces were ambushed by 300 Taliban militants. On top of the heavy US losses and civilian casualties in recent air raids, Afghanistan’s future remains uncertain as the validity of the August 20th elections is on hold, pending a recount of the votes. Despite the uncertainties, President Obama is due to host a bipartisan meeting Tuesday on Afghanistan. However, some protesters are questioning the US strategy and instead of an increase of current US forces, they are asking for a shift in focus. Peace Action´s Paul Kawika Martin returned from Kabul Monday morning. He was part of a seven-day delegation organized by Code Pink to assess the situation there and to figure out ways to help the Afghan people in the long term. “There needs to be more money specifically put into the Afghan economy and more funds for the Afghan-led NGOs, businesses, etc. As it stands, approximately only 20 percent of billions of dollars that have been sent there by the international community has actually stayed in Afghanistan. Most of that money has gone to contractors, outside vendors etc. And right now it is probably the biggest economic footprint that country is going to have in any time. So, more money needs to stay in the country.” Meanwhile NATO reports that two soldiers from the International Security Assistance Force were killed in separate incidents on Sunday, following the attack that killed eight US soldiers. One of those soldiers was an American who died from wounds after being attacked by insurgents on October 4th. The nationality of the second NATO casualty has not been revealed. The Supreme Court began their year today. With a new Justice on the bench and some controversial cases on the docket, this could be a monumental year for the high court. FSRN’s Leigh Ann Caldwell gives us a preview of what is to come. In a new report, civil rights advocates say systemic voter discrimination continues to take place in Indian Country, disenfranchising thousands of voters. The ACLU has documented violations of the Voting Rights Act in Colorado, Montana, Nebraska, South Dakota and Wyoming. FSRN spoke to co-author of the report, Laughlin McDonald, director of the ACLU´s Voting Rights Project. To see the full report go here. Legendary folk singer Mercedes Sosa died on Sunday at the age of 74. Argentina mourned “La Negra” as the folk icon was called in her home country, at the national congress where thousands came to say goodbye. The folk singer shaped the consciousness of many Argentines as a voice for the voiceless, criticizing Latin America´s military regimes and speaking on behalf of the poor. In today´s edition of Streetbeat, FSRN’S Marie Trigona joined the residents of Buenos Aires as they mourned and remembered this Latin American icon. A commentary by Mumia Abu Jamal. Next story October 6, 2009 Previous story October 2, 2009	cc/2020-05/en_head_0058.json.gz/line94
__label__wiki	0.525048	0.525048	Times Square Mall Conveniently located on Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai, the Times Square Centre is a community oriented shopping centre that's home to the city's largest electronics superstore, Sharaf DG, as well as every outdoor person's one stop shop in Adventure HQ. The Solar facility installed in Q1 2018 as a first phase of roll-out, saves the facility over AED 65,000 annually. Sharaf Group is one of UAE’s largest and most respected business conglomerates. It comprises of over 60 operating companies in more than 6 business sectors: Information Technology; Shipping; Retail; Real Estate; Financial services; Consumer Products; Travel and Tourism; and Construction. Since its inception in 2005, SharafDG has come a long way and achieved many milestones to become one of the leading powerhouse retailers in the region. UAE’s first ever Big-Box concept started its journey as a 15,000 sq ft electronics store in Dubai. The brand’s perseverance and hard work has paid off with 38 stores in United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Qatar & Oman today and more in the offing. ENACT SYSTEMS has partnered with SharafDG, to support its solar deployment efforts leveraging ENACT’s solar design, financing, installation and asset management software.	cc/2020-05/en_head_0058.json.gz/line100
__label__cc	0.574134	0.425866	Close relations between prevention and fight against corruption and prevention and fight against the so-called “self-evolution and self-transformation” 12/3/2016 10:19' Send Print The documents of the 11th Party Congress pointed out: “Manifestations of the so-called self-evolution, self-transformation and aloofness from socialism have been more complicated.” It is necessary to attach importance to coping this threat, and to take effective measures to analyze and overcome it. Corruption is a breach of State Law and Party’s disciplines. It is an act of so-called “self-evolution” and “self-transformation.” It leads to ideological, ethical and political degradation. Prolonged and grave corruption results in widened rich and poor gap and increased social resentment. Thus, following key tasks and measures should be taken: - Enhancing the role and responsibilities of Party Committees, organizations, authorities, heads of offices, organizations and units in prevention of corruption and waste; - Continuing to build mechanism in socio-economic management to prevent and fight against corruption and waste; - Continuing to complete and strictly implement mechanisms and policies on organization and cadres to serve the fight against corruption and waste; - Continuing to complete mechanisms and enhance control, supervision, audit, investigation, prosecution and trial of cases of corruption and waste; - Improving the supervising role of people-elected offices and people in prevention and fight against corruption; - Renovating and enhancing the capacity of leading organizations, permanent and advising offices in prevention and fight against corruption and waste./. Nguyen Dinh PhachMember of the Central Committee, Permanent member, Chief of Office, The Central Steering Committee for Corruption Prevention Consensus on the socialist-oriented market economy of Vietnam (2016/12/26) Bringing to full play high sense of responsibility, studying and discussing to finalize reports, scheme, draft resolutions and conclusions of the Party Central Committee* (2017/1/20) Promoting the role of Vietnamese farmers-the subject of agriculture, and new-type rural area development (2017/1/26) Continue to build and perfect the rule of law socialist State of the people, by the people and for the people (2017/2/23) Ensuring the rights of ethnic minorities and combating the exploitation of ethnic issues in our country (2017/8/23) Continue public administration reform, create foundation for rapid and sustainable development and international integration in the coming period (2015/6/26) Theoretical achievements of the Party in its leadership of the 85 year revolution of Viet Nam (2015/6/3) IPU 132 adopts Hanoi Declaration (2015/4/9) Judicial independence in the socialist rule-of-law State to ensure courts duly exercise judicial power (2014/12/29) Reform policy of the Communist Party of Vietnam after nearly 30 years of renewal (2014/12/26)	cc/2020-05/en_head_0058.json.gz/line102
__label__cc	0.69266	0.30734	Darwin Among the Transhumanists Image: Wikimedia / Patche99z (CC) Today is “Darwin Day” — the anniversary of the great naturalist Charles Darwin’s birth in 1809 — which is as good a time as any to reflect on the complicated ways in which Darwinian thinking influences the transhumanists. This is discussed at several points in Eclipse of Man, the new book by our Futurisms colleague Charles Rubin, which you should go out and buy today. Professor Rubin lays out some of the ways, both obvious and subtle, that the Darwinian idea of evolution via competition was picked up by the predecessors of today’s transhumanists. This fundamental idea is in tension with the ideas of other major thinkers, like the philosopher Condorcet’s sunny belief in human improvement and the economist Thomas Malthus’s worries about scarcity and limited resources. “Through to our own day,” Rubin writes, “much of the debate about progress has arisen from tensions among these three men’s ideas: Condorcet’s optimism about human perfectibility, the Malthusian problem of resource scarcity, and the Darwinian conception of natural competition as a force for change over time. The transhumanists, as we shall see, reconcile and assimilate these ideas by advocating the end of humanity.” Transhumanism, Professor Rubin writes, is an effort to maintain some concept of progress that appears normatively meaningful in response to Malthusian and Darwinian premises that challenge the idea of progress. Malthusianism has come to be defined by thinking that the things that appear to be progress — growing populations and economies — put us on a self-destructive course, as we accelerate toward inevitable limits. But it almost seems as if, in the spirit of Malthus’s original argument, there is something inevitable also about that acceleration, that we are driven by some force of nature beyond our control to grow until we reach beyond the capacities of the resources that support that growth. Meanwhile, mainstream Darwinian thinking has done everything it can to remove any taint of progress from the concept of evolution; evolution is simply change, and randomly instigated change at that. Transhumanism rebels against the randomness of evolution and the mindlessness of a natural tendency to overshoot resources and collapse. It rejects ... the “assumption of mediocrity” in favor of arguing that man has a special place in the scheme of things. But its rebellion is not half as radical as it assumes, for transhumanism builds on the very same underlying conception of nature that the Malthusians and Darwinians build on, vociferously rejecting the thought that nature has any inherent normative goals or purposes. While it rejects blind evolution as a future fate for man, it accepts it as the origins of man. While it rejects a Malthusian future, it does so with threatening the same old apocalypse if we do not transcend ourselves, and, in the form of Kurzweil’s law of accelerating returns, it adopts a Malthusian sense that mankind is in the grip of forces beyond its control. Because transhumanism accepts this account of nature, it is driven to reject nature. Rejecting also any religious foundations for values, then, it is left with nothing but socially constructed norms developed in response to human power over nature, which, given the unpredictable transformative expectations they have for that power as it becomes not-human, ultimately amounts to nothing at all. Transhumanism is a nihilistic response to the nihilism of the Malthusians and Darwinians. You can see why Peter Lawler says Eclipse of Man is a “hugely significant accomplishment”: you simply won’t find as insightful, thoughtful, and trenchant a critique of transhumanism anywhere else. Posted by Adam Keiper at 6:09 PM Labels: assumption of mediocrity, Charles Darwin, Eclipse of Man, Thomas Malthus Mark Avrum Gubrud March 16, 2015 at 9:30 PM I think transhumanism has actually made evolution into a mother-goddess and the source of a moral order given from outside the human community. I've called this a pre-Copernican worldview (in which the universe itself is structured as a moral order) although it is also like that of any religion in which The Law is supposedly handed down from a deity. Thus, I disagree with the view of transhumanism as "vociferously rejecting the thought that nature has any inherent normative goals or purposes", and instead embracing "socially constructed norms." Rather, I see the transhumanists as dissatisfied with socially-constructed norms centered on humanity, and appealing to (their conception of) nature as the source of inherent normative goals and purposes - Evolve! Grow! Get smarter! Or at least "more intelligent." I agree that transhumanism assigns us a special position among the world's creatures, but this position is special only in that it is a link to the next link in the great story of evolution; thus, from the long view of history, humanity's role will appear rather small, not much greater than that of any of our ancestor species. I don't see transhumanism as nihilistic so much as a desperate flight from the nihilism that results from viewing the truths uncovered by science, which nullify the claimed sources of meaning, as a nullification of meaning itself. I think we have to accept that the universe is a moral void. But we are our own source of meaning - collectively, not individually, as the lonely discover. We have managed to create, collectively, the foundations (at least) of a moral order that we should protect for our own sake and for our children, and not because God or Goddess told us to, not because there is some mathematical proof of its correctness, not because it is part of some great story, nor for any other reason given from outside, but simply as an act of affirmative will - and because we have seen the alternatives. Charles T. Rubin March 18, 2015 at 11:30 AM Mark: Thanks for a typically thought-provoking response. To the extent we disagree it may be because I am less certain than you that “we have to accept that the universe is a moral void,” and that our collective meanings are best understood as “an act of affirmative will.” As these are matters upon which whole treatises could be written — and not by me in any case — I will rest content with merely stating what I take to be the disagreement. In practice, I don’t know whether in fact any transhumanists would agree with you, but I am not sure why they couldn’t — but for a possible reservation about collective versus individual meaning. And even that reservation might be overcome by the following formulation: As a species we can choose to maximize our abilities through following diverse paths of development. We therefore affirm, in the absence of all natural constraints, that our collective purpose is to use modern science and technology to evolve, each as best he can by his own lights, with the expectation that the best of these experiments will triumph. Who Speaks for Earth? Listen up forefathers	cc/2020-05/en_head_0058.json.gz/line103
__label__wiki	0.554717	0.554717	ecadmin 22nd August 2019 All News, Upper School News Students at Elizabeth College have achieved a very pleasing set of results in their GCSE examinations, with 94% graded at 9 to 4 (equivalent to the old A* to C) and 41% graded 9 to 7 (A* to A equivalent). At the top end 16 (21%) of our Year 11 students gained 9 or more passes at grades 9 to 7 (A/A equivalent) and two students achieved an impressive clean sweep of 11 passes at grade 9, something achieved by only 800 students in the whole of the UK last year or 0.1%. 96% secured the key measure of 5 or more passes at grades 9 to 4 (A to C equivalent) including English and Maths. Principal Jenny Palmer says “This set of results reflects the hard work and commitment that our Year 11 students have invested and the support they have received from our dedicated staff. I am really pleased that almost all students have achieved results which will enable them to move on to the next stage of their education. While the vast majority will now move on to study A levels here, others will undertake a variety of pathways including sporting scholarships, apprenticeships and other vocational training.” “This Year 11 cohort reflects the broad ability range of our students, many of whom have excelled both academically and in their extra-curricular pursuits, be it playing in the orchestra, debating and public speaking, excelling on the sports field, contributing to community and charitable projects, performing in College productions or making the most of the many other activities available at Elizabeth College. We place a strong emphasis on breadth, commitment and excellence, encouraging students to develop as well balanced and purposeful individuals, ready to flourish in their own areas of interest.” “I look forward to welcoming into Sixth Form those students who are returning, and wish those moving on to other opportunities the very best in their future education and careers.” Oxbridge Successes Directors of Tomorrow Elizabeth College to become fully Co-Educational From September 2021 Annual Contingent Commander’s Parade 2019 ECJS Guernsey Week 2019	cc/2020-05/en_head_0058.json.gz/line108
__label__wiki	0.58403	0.58403	Sasaki v. Inch TERENCE SASAKI, Plaintiff, MARK S. INCH, et al., Defendants. ORDER DISMISSING THIRD AMENDED COMPLAINT WITH PREJUDICE [1] DERRICK K. WATSON, UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE On May 13, 2019, this Court entered an Order (“the May 13 Order”) dismissing Plaintiff Terence Sasaki's Second Amended Complaint (SAC), but granting Sasaki leave to file one further amended complaint. The Court forewarned Sasaki, though, that he would receive no further opportunities to amend should his third amended complaint contain the same deficiencies as its predecessors. In the May 13 Order, the principal deficiency identified was Sasaki's failure to file a complaint containing allegations of fact or statements of claims in a short or plain fashion pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 8(a). On July 1, 2019, Sasaki filed a third amended complaint (TAC). The TAC is 514 pages long. That number does not include six charts and four appendices attached to the TAC. A week later, Sasaki filed a motion to clarify the TAC (“the motion to clarify”). Attached to the motion to clarify appears to be a table of contents for the TAC and three additional charts. Put simply, the foregoing filings are not a short or plain allegation of the facts or statement of the claims Sasaki is attempting to bring in this case. They are not even close. Moreover, the Court cannot ignore that Sasaki's complaints, which began with a 27-page complaint, have gotten less short and less plain. As a result, the Court is compelled to dismiss the TAC due to Sasaki's failure to follow Rule 8(a) and the Court's prior orders. In addition, because Sasaki has been provided with more than enough time and opportunity to file a short and plain complaint, because the Court has provided guidance on how to do so on more than one occasion, and for the other reasons discussed below, the Court DISMISSES this case with prejudice. RELEVANT LEGAL PRINCIPLES The Court subjects each civil action commenced pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1915(a) to mandatory screening and can order the dismissal of any claims it finds “frivolous, malicious, failing to state a claim upon which relief may be granted, or seeking monetary relief from a defendant immune from such relief.” 28 U.S.C. § 1915(e)(2)(B). In doing so, the Court liberally construes a pro se complaint. Eldridge v. Block, 832 F.2d 1132, 1137 (9th Cir. 1987). However, the Court cannot act as counsel for a pro se litigant or supply the essential elements of a claim. Pliler v. Ford, 542 U.S. 225, 231 (2004); Ivey v. Bd. of Regents of Univ. of Alaska, 673 F.2d 266, 268 (9th Cir. 1982). In relevant part, Rule 8(a) provides that “[a] pleading that states a claim for relief must contain…a short and plain statement of the claim showing that the pleader is entitled to relief….” Fed.R.Civ.P. 8(a)(2). In addition, Rule 8(d) provides that “[e]ach allegation must be simple, concise, and direct.” Fed.R.Civ.P. 8(d)(1). Courts have the authority to dismiss actions for failure to comply with court orders or with Rule 8(a). Ferdik v. Bonzelet, 963 F.2d 1258, 1260-61 (9th Cir. 1992); Nevijel v. N. Coast Life Ins. Co., 651 F.2d 671, 673 (9th Cir. 1981). Before dismissing such an action, a court should weigh: “(1) the public's interest in expeditious resolution of litigation; (2) the court's need to manage its docket; (3) the risk of prejudice to the defendants; (4) the public policy favoring disposition of cases on their merits; and (5) the availability of less drastic alternatives.” Ferdik, 963 F.2d at 1260-61. As an initial matter, the Court notes that various background matters, such as relevant procedural events, have been set forth in the Court's prior orders. See, e.g., Dkt. No. 45 at 2-9. In addition, numerous deficiencies with the complaints filed in this case have been identified in those prior orders. See, e.g., id. While the Court does not intend to repeat everything that has already been laid out, as far as the Court is concerned, none of the deficiencies identified in the Order entered on February 25, 2019 (“the February 25 Order”) or the May 13 Order have been corrected by Sasaki. For purposes of reviewing the TAC, the Court only mentions the background or deficiencies that are reasonably necessary.[2] On July 9, 2018, this case began with Sasaki filing, among other things, a 27-page complaint. Dkt. No. 1. Soon thereafter, Sasaki filed a motion describing his 27-page complaint as “less than well-organized” and asking for leave to revise it. Dkt. No. 10. The Court granted Sasaki the foregoing leave, while also notifying him of various issues that appeared from the face of the complaint. Dkt. No. 11. After some time, Sasaki then filed a first amended complaint (FAC). Dkt. No. 23. The deficiencies with the FAC were multiple and are set forth, in detail, in the February 25 Order. See generally Dkt. No. 37. One of the deficiencies was the failure of Sasaki to do that which he had indicated was his goal-to make his complaint more organized. Instead, as the Court described, the FAC, totaling at least 113 pages in length, turned deciphering the claims into a matter of guesswork. As a result, the Court found that the FAC violated Rule 8(a). Nonetheless, the Court allowed Sasaki leave to amend in order for him to correct this and the other deficiencies identified. On April 30, 2019, Sasaki filed the SAC. Dkt. No. 43. In the SAC, Sasaki's factual allegations and claims spread across 225 pages. Perhaps cognizant of the SAC's shortcomings, at the same time, Sasaki also filed a motion for “[a]nother [c]hance, ” stating that the SAC was “not as clear as it could be…because he ran out of time [and] not because he cannot (or does not want to) adequately plead [his claims] if given another chance to amend.” Dkt. No. 44 at 3. In the May 13 Order, the Court dismissed the SAC for an obvious reason-it again violated Rule 8(a). See generally Dkt. No. 45. Nonetheless, the Court, again, allowed Sasaki leave to amend, giving him until July 1, 2019 to do so. The Court was explicit, however, that no further opportunities or complaints in “draft form” would be tolerated should Sasaki fail to comply with Rule 8(a) and the Court's orders. On July 1, 2019, Sasaki filed the TAC. Dkt. No. 47. The TAC is 514 pages long. There are also six charts and four appendices attached to the TAC. Dkt. Nos. 47-5, 47-6. Sasaki's factual statements appear to span the course of at least 225 pages (pages 25 to 250 of the TAC). Sasaki's causes of action then cover the next 253 pages (from pages 251 to 503 of the TAC). By Sasaki's count, the number of claims reaches 54.[3] In large (but not complete) part, the pages containing Sasaki's causes of action are consumed by two principal categories of claims-claims brought under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) and claims brought pursuant to Bivens v. Six Unknown Fed. Narcotics Agents, 403 U.S. 388 (1971). Sasaki's RICO claims take up roughly 56 pages of the TAC, while his Bivens claims somehow spread across roughly 135 pages. These claims also appear to incorporate the charts and appendices attached to the TAC. The documents containing the 6 charts and 4 appendices are each 18 pages long and, impressively, manage to consume almost every empty space on each page. Consistent with his past practices, after filing the TAC, Sasaki also filed a motion to “clarify” the same. See Dkt. No. 48. Therein, Sasaki appears to provide explanations for various choices he did or did not make in drafting the TAC. In addition, like the motion for “another chance” filed in connection with the SAC, in the motion to clarify, Sasaki again appears to comprehend that the TAC does not comply with the Court's prior orders or Rule 8(a). Finally, attached to the motion to clarify are a 21-page table of contents for the TAC, as well as 3 further charts. The Court has, once again, spent a considerable amount of time reviewing Sasaki's allegations and claims. Having done so, it is beyond the Court's grasp how the TAC could be used in any meaningful way to manage this litigation or to provide defendants with the notice to which they are entitled. Nor, upon examination, does Sasaki even appear to contend that the TAC is meant to be such a tool. Near the beginning of the TAC (but still on page 34), Sasaki “respectfully requests (& hereby consents) that anything beyond that which the Court feels is relevant, sufficient, & proper to support each count, such as the Appendices, be stricken (ie, striking surplusage).” In other words, the TAC is designed to be a vehicle from which the Court is meant to weed out the bad from the good on a complaint-wide scale. As the Court has explained to Sasaki before, though, the Court is not Sasaki's lawyer, and the Court will not allow him to proceed with a complaint that places the Court in such a ...	cc/2020-05/en_head_0058.json.gz/line111
__label__wiki	0.551981	0.551981	True Grit (1969) vs True Grit (2010) Commentary Add comments I realize that I am probably in the minority but I prefer Henry Hathaway’s version of True Grit (1969) to the Coen Brothers’ version. What is especially odd is that I am a big fan of the Coen Brothers and I have never really been that impressed by Hathaway. The key factor is undoubtedly John Wayne’s performance. Wayne had done Rio Bravo (1959) and El Dorado (1966), which were basically two versions of the same story, with Howard Hawks, and the best role in each movie was the drunk. Despite Wayne’s lobbying for that role in each movie, Hawks had decided to play it safe and go with renowned drunkards Dean Martin and Robert Mitchum, leaving Wayne to be the straight man. After reading Charles Portis’ novel, Wayne jumped at the chance to star in True Grit and show off his acting range. Wayne has a well-deserved reputation for playing John Wayne, rather than actually acting, and many of his movies towards the end of his career were meant to please his fans, not challenge his acting ability. However, Wayne could act when he wanted to, and he is a delight in True Grit, drunkenly shooting rats and falling off his horse. Unfortunately, he quickly went back to two-dimensional lame mediocrity like The Undefeated (1970) until ending his career with an excellent performance in The Shootist (1976). Since Wayne was a heavy drinker, it is not so surprising that he gave a good portrayal of a drunk. Having played the Dude in the Big Lebowski, the drunkard side of Cogburn’s character was less of a challenge for Jeff Bridges, but the hard-ass part was a bit of a stretch, although his roles as Obadiah Stane in Iron Man (2008) and Wild Bill Hickok in Wild Bill (1995) had been good preparation. Wayne was trying to be a humorous, almost clownish, drunk but Bridges captures the harsh mixture of sadness and menace of real drunks. It is probably not common knowledge that Judge Isaac Parker was a real judge and was known as the Hanging Judge. Aside from his appearance in the two versions of True Grit, he was also the model for Pat Hingle’s character in Hang’em High. The atmosphere in the 2010 version is grimmer due to the cinematography and the choice of character actors. The decision to set film in in Oklahoma during the early winter definitely increased the grimness factor. Given the harsh landscape, I can see why Hathaway chose Colorado. Hailee Steinfield gives an astonishing performance as Mattie Ross. Admittedly, Kim Darby was 21 years-old but she looked younger and a real 14-year-old would have been impossible in 1969. More important, she is likeable, if astonishingly persistent. The negotiation between Ross and the stable owner is pretty much the same for both movies but the 1969 version is much more humorous. The look of frustration on the horse dealer’s face as he is repeatedly out-bargained by Mattie Ross is brilliant. Apparently, Wayne was not especially fond of Darby, but the bond between them is much more believable than that between Bridges and Steinfield. In the end, each version fits its time. Hathaway’s True Grit was impressive for its period, and the changes in the story were necessary, since the novel was too grim for 1969. The Coen Brothers were more faithful to the novel and made a better but bleaker film. No disrespect to the Coens, but few westerns are made today (roughly one a year) so audiences are more easily impressed. As part of my research for the site, I watch quite a few westerns, so I am harder to please. However, I am happy that the Coen Brothers are getting the attention that they deserve. Hopefully, the success of True Grit will spark more interest in movies with a grimmer, more realistic portrayal of the west. The Texan Revolution (1835-1836) Chisum Posted by HoF at 8:30 pm Tagged with: Henry Hathaway, Jeff Bridges, Joel & Ethan Coen, John Wayne, Matt Damon Rome vs The Tudors Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter ▼Commentary (15) "Why is Cinco de Mayo a holiday?" Or how has Hollywood treated the Franco-Mexican War? How has Hollywood treated Abraham Lincoln? How has Hollywood treated Franklin Delano Roosevelt (FDR)? How has Hollywood treated the Korean War? How has Hollywood treated the War of 1812? Nine Reasons to Watch Peaky Blinders O Canada Blogathon: Passchendaele (2008) Poll: Johnny Depp as Tonto in The Lone Ranger-misunderstood artist or racist superstar? Rome vs The Tudors Six historical fiction series that should be adapted as television shows. The British Empire Blogathon: The Charge of the Light Brigade (1936) WWI in Classic Film: Dishonored (1931)	cc/2020-05/en_head_0058.json.gz/line114
__label__wiki	0.710486	0.710486	The Search for the Criminal HERE were two negro women who lived in Hannibal at one time, but left and went to St. Louis. They worked for their living, but did not bear good reputations, although they worked in good families. One was named Bertha Miller and the other Esther Dick. Bertha Miller lived in a dingy little house and Esther visited her frequently. They occupied a front room. The room back of them was rented to an old colored woman who took in washing. The old colored woman was sitting in her room one night, resting after a hard day’s work, and through the partition which separated her room from the front room, she heard Bertha Miller and Esther Dick discussing the Stillwell murder. The old woman put her ear to the crack and listened to the horrible story of the murder. Next morning she went to the house of a lady for whom she had worked and told what she had heard. A negro man by the name of Stanley Kendricks at that time lived in Hannibal and worked as a servant or at anything he could get to do. He fell sick and had no money. Dr. Hearne gave him medical treatment, supplied food, lodging, in fact he supported him during his illness. Stanley Kendricks recovered slowly, and when he got well he came to see Esther Dick and offered her inducements to assist him in committing a crime. Kendricks knew this woman well. He did not tell her exactly what he intended to do. Securing her, he persuaded a negro who had been employed by Stillwell to join him and through him he secured the assistance of Bertha Miller. Kendricks finally told them that he intended to kill Mr. Stillwell. They asked him what Mrs. [sic] Stillwell had done to him. He replied nothing, but said that he had been asked to do it and was going to do it for the man who had asked him. They discussed their plans. Kendricks told them that they would have no trouble in entering the house, as that would all be arranged. They met about midnight and sought the Stillwell neighborhood. Kendricks stationed one of the women in the alley near Broadway, the other in the alley near Church street. They were to remain as guards to give warning in case any one approached. Kendricks and Rhodes entered the yard and they saw no more of them for some time. Then they heard their steps; they were running; they called the women away. Kendricks carried the bloody ax and was covered himself with blood. He carried the ax down the alley and tore a board from the shed and threw the ax in. They all hurried on to a certain house and there they found spots of blood on Kendricks’ coat, which were impossible to remove, so the women helped to destroy it. Esther Dick says that Kendricks gave her a ten dollar bill and also gave Bertha Miller the same amount. Esther Dick kept her money, but Bertha Miller became frightened and tore hers into fragments. Afterwards Esther Dick became frightened and thinking she would be discovered she bought a railroad ticket and went to St. Louis. Kendricks fled. The Hunt for Kendricks Stanley Kendricks has been up and down the Mississippi river and has friends in all of the cities. When a detective started on his track he was said to be in St. Louis, but when the detective arrived, he had just gone. Some one said that he had gone to Memphis. When the detective arrived at Memphis he had returned to St. Louis. Later it was discovered that he was at Cairo, but he had just left there and gone to Memphis. He then left Memphis and went to New Orleans, and then to Keokuk, Iowa. Finally he was heard of at Peoria. November 22nd Kendricks was located in a colored saloon, where he was preparing a coon supper for the negroes of Coon Hollow. The detectives entered the saloon and requested one of the proprietors to let them see the coon they were cooking. He consented and led the way to the kitchen. A negro woman ran to the kitchen as soon as they asked permission to enter it. A detective hurried past one of the men just in time to receive the fleeing Kendricks in his arms. The detective asked the woman if she was Kendricks’ wife; Kendricks replied that she was. The proprietor and the woman said that she was not. Kendricks was placed in a cell in the city jail, and was asked who his associates were in the murder at Hannibal. He pretended not to know where Hannibal was, said that he never was in Hannibal, also denied having been in St. Louis. He denied knowing Bertha Miller and Esther Dick. A woman claiming to be Kendricks’ wife called to see him about an hour after his arrest. In an interview she gave an account of Kendricks from July, 1888, to the present time, except a few weeks. She did not know just where he was, but said that he was in the west and not in Missouri. Stanley Kendricks, who has been followed from one part of the country to another, is a light-complexioned, freckled-faced, colored man, who dresses well. During the time he was pursued, he followed the profession of a gambler. He is not known in Hannibal by the name of Kendricks. Two Stanleys Stanley Kendricks, who is under arrest, lives in Keokuk, Iowa, but has been in Hannibal several times. Stanley Christopher is a freckled-faced colored boy. He has at different times been employed as a roustabout on steamboats. The question is, did the colored woman in St. Louis mean Christopher or did she mean Kendricks? Sam Rhodes Sam Rhodes has been in the employ of Stillwell & Co. for over ten years and bears an excellent reputation. Rhodes is a married colored man and was not accustomed to associate with such characters as Bertha Miller and Esther Dick. Rhodes was interviewed by a reporter. Rhodes was not averse to talking on the subject. He stated that he knew Bertha Miller and Esther Dick, but had never associated with them. He said that he knew Stanley Christopher. Rhodes said that he would not have any trouble to establish an alibi, as he could prove that he was at his home on North street after 7 o’clock on the night of the Stillwell murder and did not leave the house, excepting when he went for a bucket of beer. Esther Dick Arrested Esther Dick was arrested in St. Louis. She denied all knowledge of the murder. She said she had not even heard of the Stillwell murder, until she was arrested. She left Hannibal about three years ago and went to St. Louis and has not been here since. Strong Proof of Innocence Bertha Miller was sentenced December 3rd, 1888, by a justice of the peace at Canton, Mo., to thirty days in the county jail and a fine of $15 and costs for stealing shoes. This proves that she was in jail at Monticello December 30th. She says she was told about the Stillwell murder by the jailor’s daughter. The jailor’s wife brought her a paper containing an account of the murder. She afterwards went to St. Louis and boarded with the old colored woman and left owing her a dollar and a half board bill, but left her trunk as security. Dr. Hearne Interviewed Dr. J. C. Hearne was indignant that his name should be used in such a manner, and stated that he had placed the matter in the hands of an attorney, with the expectation of bringing suit for damages. Some people had an idea that the toughs of the levee knew something of this horrible crime, but the good people of the town do not think for a moment that any one as poor as those people living in squalid shanties along the river bank would be so cold-hearted as to murder a man for his money, and then have so little regard for values as to overlook them, and especially to throw $40 to the winds, as they could easily have gotten away with their ill-gotten spoils, as no outcry came from that neighborhood. Strange that a burglar would depend on finding a weapon in the wood shed and would then take the precaution to carry it out and hide it. The Stillwell Mansion	cc/2020-05/en_head_0058.json.gz/line119
__label__wiki	0.870197	0.870197	Sep 25: 40th Anniversary Meeting: "Littlecote: Before and what came after" – Bryn Walters The 40th Anniversary of Hungerford Historical Association was celebrated on Wednesday evening with a wonderfully interesting talk by Archaeologist Bryn Walters who gave the inaugural talk in 1979. Bryn returned to his original theme recounting his excavation of the Roman Villa at Littlecote. This time, however, he also discussed his earlier archaeological work and revealed his investigations and findings following the uncovering of the Littlecote Villa. To a full house of 147 members and guests, Bryn regaled his audience with tales of rescuing artefacts from the appalling destruction of major Roman Sites and a Saxon settlement during construction of the M4 motorway around Swindon in the 1970s. He also discovered the giant hill figures at Foxhill. It was in 1977, whilst still a student, that Bryn and colleague Bernard Phillips located the site of the Roman Villa at Littlecote. In 1978 work was initiated to excavate the site with the patronage of the owner of Littlecote, Sir Seton Wills. They discovered evidence for Saxon activity as well as early agricultural activity on the Roman site. Among the buildings an early 2nd century bakery, brewery, large fish tank and smokehouse were also discovered. During the 4th century agricultural activity was phased out and the buildings converted to more mysterious purpose. The villa had five towers, an impressive gatehouse and a tri-conch chamber housing the now famous Orpheus mosaic with pagan iconography. Bryn subsequently compared the villa with many others from the Roman Empire in Britain and abroad. He believed the structural evidence revealed that sometimes the buildings were more likely to be small water sanctuaries or health spas. This challenged earlier identifications of ‘farming villas’. The villa at Littlecote, Bryn theorised, had undergone a religious transformation possibly inspired by the success of the great Roman spa at Bath and was in effect a place of ritual rather than a domestic building. [Dr Caroline Ness] Oct 23: "The Building of the Globe Theatre, London" – Peter McCurdy Hungerford Historical Association enjoyed a riveting talk by architect Peter McCurdy on the reconstruction of the 16th century Globe Theatre, London. Peter’s company specialises in the repair, conservation and reconstruction of historic timber framed buildings and structures including some at both the Weald and Downland and Chiltern Open Air museums. His most prestigious and famous projects have been the historic re-creations of the Globe Theatre and the Jacobean Sam Wanamaker Playhouse. American actor Sam Wannamaker spearheaded the campaign to re-construct the Globe. His vision was for both an open air and a closed theatre on the site as Shakespeare wrote plays for both types. Sam formed the Shakespeare Globe Trust in 1969, the site was acquired in 1989 and work began in 1992. He spent the remainder of his life devoted to the building of the theatre but sadly died before it was finished in 1997. Peter described with great clarity the extensive recording and research methods required to reconstruct timber framed buildings accurately. His experiences recording, analysing and conserving a 15th century barn at Harmondsworth informed his approach to the reconstruction of the Globe. Conserving 14th century Barley Hall, York helped him understand how a three storey medieval building was constructed. The Staple Inn, Holborn (1580) was a source of reference for the Globe, as was the Queen’s House at the Tower of London, the Middle Temple Hall, Wymondham’s octagonal Market Cross and the galleried George Inn, Southwark. A single existing contemporary drawing of the Swan (1595) remains the only reference for the interior of a Shakespearean theatre. After extensive research to ensure historical accuracy of all joints and details, English oak trees were felled and fabrication of the timber frames using traditional carpentry skills, historic working methods and techniques ensued. Peter’s images of the building coming together frame by frame on site were enthralling. His lively talk concluded by taking us briefly through his subsequent project to reconstruct the Jacobean theatre on the same site as the Globe. It is another immensely beautiful building using early 17th century carpentry and construction techniques and is lit by candles. Both theatres are a visiting must. Nov 27: “The History and Restoration of GWR locomotive 7903 Foremarke Hall” – John Cruxon Project engineer John Cruxon became Restoration Manager for the GWR locomotive ‘7903 Foremarke Hall’ engine in 1986 and has been engineer in charge ever since. He led a team of experts and volunteers who returned the scrapyard wreck to a fully operational steam engine. Built in 1949, the engine is one of 259 ‘Hall Class’ locomotives built at Swindon railway works from 1928-71. It has two cylinders and was built to carry 4,000 gallons of water and 6 tonnes of coal. By 1963 the engine was looking tired and unloved as the steam era came to an end. In 1964 it was sent to Barry Dock scrapyard in South Wales where it decayed extensively. John purchased the engine and transported it back to Swindon in 1981, still displaying its original number and name plate. The restoration began with a dedicated team of volunteers and engineers working long hours in difficult conditions. Slides showed the restoration team hard at work cleaning stripping down, polishing and replacing old parts as 30% of the engine was missing. All copper piping and tubing in the engine cab were replaced with new versions to the original specifications, ensuring the restoration was as authentic as possible. With its new boiler and cladding, the engine travelled to Blundesden where it was loaded with coal, ready for use, finally getting its insurance certificate 18 September 2003 before being painted in its original livery colours. The engine was put back into service in 2004, taking day trippers to the races from Toddington to Cheltenham Racecourse. It has proved popular with steam enthusiasts and celebrities, such as the actor Martin Clunes who was even allowed to drive it. Steam engines need to be serviced every 10 years involving a complete overhaul. This was done in 2014 at a cost of £220,000 for repair and renewal of almost every part to meet stringent insurance requirements. Finally, the 7093 Foremarke Hall arrived at the GWR Didcot Gala in May 2016 in all her glory, newly repainted and returned to service. John’s fascinating and knowledgeable lecture was accompanied by photographs of the 7903 Foremarke Hall and similar engines, taken by renowned steam rail photographers, such as Kenneth Leach and Dick Blenkinsop. - PDF presentation of a summary of the talk with pictures (kindly prepared by Tony Bartlett) Jan 22: "When William of Orange came to Hungerford" – Dr Hugh Pihlens Feb 26: "Coaches and Coach Horns – their history from the golden age to the present day” – Colin Pawson Mar 25: "Lady Craven and Benham Park” – Helen Lockhart, MA Apr 22: "Yanks in the Kennet Valley" – Neil Stevens May: Spring outing (to be arranged) May 27: “London 1851 and the Great Exhibition” – Mick Gilbert Jun 26: AGM and Social	cc/2020-05/en_head_0058.json.gz/line123
__label__wiki	0.642395	0.642395	Sindhudesh - G. M. Syed - All Rights Reserved to G. M. Syed Academy Karachi Sindh © EVOLUTION OF SINDH'S RELIGIOUS THOUGHT From the very beginning, religion has influenced mankind in one form or another. It is related to the following questions: The research and knowledge of Supernatural Power. What are spirit and matter and their relations with each other? The pleasure of Supernatural Power. The concept of life after death. Formulation of certain codes and rules for the betterment of society. The concept of the reward and punishment for certain deeds. Cause or causes of the differences among the religions. Some information about various religions. The superiority complex among religions. Islam's main purpose and its later interpretations by vested interests. Prayers for improvement of character and salvation of the soul (consciousness) by autosuggestion. Organized religions and their interpretations, and after change of society, necessity of change in their codes and rules. Knowledge of unity behind diversity of all religions. Sufism - its aims and objects. ARIAN NATION, ITS CIVILIZATION AND CITIZENSHIP About the origin of the Arian nation, their first creation and their coming to Sindh have different versions. One group of scholars says that originally they came from Caucasus, from where they migrated to Persia, Central Asia, then to Sindh and India. Some of them went to Europe via Romania. There is a second version which holds that they originally belonged to the area of the Ural Mountains from where, through Central Asia, they came to Sindh, India, Persia and Europe. There is a third version also, that originally they belonged to north Siberia's Maru mountains, from where they migrated by different routes to Sindh, India, Europe and Persia. Leaving alone these probabilities I will only deal with their coming to Sindh. Though several Indian historians are of the option that about ten thousand years ago, they came to Sindh from where they went to Persia, Iraq, Syria, Egypt and Arabia. Here they established their own habitats. Some of the historians go to the extent to say that even Ka'aba, of Mecca, was originally Shiv's temple. In its corner 'Hajre-Aswad' (Black Stone) was Shiv's Lingum. Going round the Ka'aba had also originated in those ancient times. Ahram was also originated from the Hindu Saniasies. Even the very name of Arabia has come from tile Sanskrit name "Horse", which meant that Arabia was the country of horses. It is written in "Manusumart" that one Brahman Shanker Jatishake was the first person who went to Arabia and was called by the name of Shaikh. As in Bharat, there is an honor to be a Brahman, so in Arabia the word "Shaikh" acquired social prestige. It is said that about 500 years ago, before the Prophet, Zahin-bin-Tai, a poet lived in Arabia. Whose poetry has been found in Constantinople's Museum. He has praised Krishna Maharaj. It is said that during the days of Vikramajit, Arian Brahmans, used to go to Arabia for the preaching of the (religion) Vedic Dharam. One Arab poet, Noman-Bin-Adam, has written the poem in praise of Raja Vikramajit, which is said to be lying in Hamida Library, in Jerusalem. At present the Arabs do not believe in the theory of transmigration of the soul, but in the book named "Al-Minal Wal-Nahal, it is written that in ancient times the Arabs believed in the theory of Trans-migration, which was originally an Arian theory. In those days amongst the Arabs, Shiv's worship was prevalent. Umer Bin-Hasham-Bin-Haris, it is said, was originally a worshipper of Shiv. In Jamia Azhar, Cairo, there is a professor who in his magazine, "Al-Hilal", composed a poem that contains the name of Umer-Bin-Hasham. It is said that this poem was previously called Abul-Hakam that meant "Father of Intelligence". Though in his time he was an important and learned poet of Mecca, the poetry composed by him mentions that the praise of Mahadev greatly promote human status, and Bharat is a center of religion, where man gets salvation. The poetry can be seen in Cairo's Al-Hilal magazine, in its March 1932 issue. Some Indian historians say that during the days of Hajj (Pilgrimage) wearing of Ahram (the two un-sewn pieces of cloth), and during Hajj even killing of lice was not allowed. This was a custom of the Aryans. Jews used to speak in the Tamil language. For verification see the book "Aria Varti" by Ganga Ram Samrat. From the recent archeological findings it has been proved that Darvadians, and Aryans inhabited Sindh, before Aryans, came afterwards. Though there is difference of opinion about their original time of coming to Sindh. From archeological findings it is said that Darvadians had their own civilization and citizenship. From Mohan-jo-Daro and other such findings this was the center of their civilization, which was about 1700 years before Christ. When the Aryans drove them out, the Darvadians became weak and served as untouchables and slaves and some of them were killed or driven out to South India. The Aryans, in tile beginning were less civilized and nomads and were fighting people. But when they found the cities of the Darvadians and came in contact with their civilization then, with mixture of the older civilization, they established their own civilization. Thus the Arian civilization was a mixture of both civilizations. The Dravadian civilization was similar to Egypt, Summair, and Babul in its age as that of Sindh, with the difference in time. Several similarities are found. After research, it can be established as to which civilization was earlier. Mohan-Jo-Daro's findings are not yet complete, so it is possible that that the future may give such clues which may provide further and authentic information on the subject. Spirits dominated animist and un-animist things. The belief was common between Darvadians and Aryans. A research of ancient Egypt's Summair's, Babul's and Sindh's beliefs and religious ideas shows that trees, animals, stars and zodiacs and spirits were common to both. The sky, sun, moon, planets, zodiacs, mountains, rivers, earth, fire and air had their spirits with different names. These are found from a study of their mythology. In view of that, if I narrate tile story of Trinity, it will not be out of place. We will narrate the Story on the basis of Puran-Shaster. It is said that Trinity existed in different form in Greece, Rome, Egypt, Summair, Fragia and Babylon. As Trinity is more or less the expression of different powers, therefore, I will narrate here the theory of Trinity as it was in India, which is the cradle of one of the ancient religions of the world. On the basis of that theory, the story can be narrated as Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiv were the original gods of Indian religion: 1) Brahma was considered the creator of the universe and administrator. Brahmanism, its original name came from the belief in the name of Brahma. In the beginning human knowledge had not progressed much, therefore, God was considered equivalent to man's concept and God was supposed to be with a wife, whose name was Saraswati. in the beginning, Brahma worshippers performed certain rites and recitation of certain names and made sacrifices. In comparison to the above-mentioned customs, ethical questions and social principles then had no importance. Tile followers of Brahma were mostly limited to scholars who considered the religion pure and gave it importance. But it was incapable of being understood by the common man. Its influence spread over Sindhi and influenced India's beliefs to a great extent. Knowledge of that belief required understanding arid performance of certain religious rites and recitation of certain names, mantras (incantations) and understanding of tile meaning and purpose of sacrifices. By these methods, Devtas (Gods) were to be pleased and peace of this world and tile other securities could only be found by these methods. It was believed that in this way man reached the stage of being a Devta and by acquiring these qualities lie reached the ability by which not only the present life but life after death could also be in his control. In things of this world man automatically became that complete being who could acquire anything he desire. Through such spiritual attainments he could control things according to his wishes. Through these he could acquire knowledge of the universe and control its powers. If once he could control these he could get anything according to his wishes. And if he could not get these by his recitations or religious performances, then it was his defeat or shortcomings and not the defeat of above-mentioned things. It was believed that through these performances, even God could be molded according to man's wishes. During the Rigved period, Vedic Dharm is said to have had such powers in it. If these were properly performed, God's concept could have remained very high. But strict observation to certain formulas, incarnations, recitations and sacrifices reduce religious belief. So God's honor and knowledge was not increased but prayers were prominence. Shah Latif present poem seems to be under the influence of that idea: "Worship the ocean, where there is unlimited water where. Hundreds of previous pearls and rubies in abundance are flowing in the deep waters. Oh worshipper! If you can attain a fraction from that wealth. You will become content for the rest of your life". (Shah Latif) 2) Vishnu Maharaj: This God was the second of tile Trinity. His followers as an administrator, a proper guide and a master of great power considered Vishnu. He was bestowed a companion as his wife, whose name was Lakshimi, who had the power to bring happiness in the world. In Vishnu Devta's symbolic photo is shown a man of peace and tranquility, from which it could be understood that lie was the God who could increase man's character and spiritual peace. Therefore, it was said that man can please Vishnu only by having a good character and by doing useful deeds. He could not be pleased like Brahma with performance of certain formulas, recitation of certain Muntars (incantations) or by sacrifice. There was this belief about him that when the world was involved in worries and turmoil, he used to come and perform the functions of a reformer. The number of his worshippers increased towards righteousness and morality. They could not eat flesh, fish or any living thing. They used to live on vegetables, grains and fruits. They thought on account of such vegetarian diet their minds could not be purified and their knowledge increased. About this Shah Latif said: Read the first letter of the alphabet and forget the rest of it. When you have understood the reality, you need not care for the diversity."[1] (Shah Latif) 'Those persons who did not understand the real purpose and meaning of creation, cannot know the real purpose of the Secret. But only those who cared for knowledge of reality, reached the purpose. (Shah Latif) In Hindu history, Sri Ramchandar and Sri Krishna Chandar were incarnation of those who had connections with Surajvansi and Chandar Vansi (Rajput) families. Sri Ram Chandar was considered a great symbol of righteousness, which in order to carry on the command of his father, accepted exile for fourteen years. And he was considered to be beloved of his followers and a lover of his wife Sita. Therefore his days of rule were considered Ram Raj or Kingdom of Heaven. The second person, Krishna Chandar was a symbol of the virtues of devotion, faithfulness and love, having knowledge of philosophy and a performer of the right deeds in life. His book 'Sin Gita' is considered in Vedantic philosophy the best book. According to the belief of this Hindu sect, God, in difficult conditions comes in the form of man and performs good deeds for the salvation of those in difficulties "When the Lord of Hazara Kingdom could not hide love in his heart, he wore the robe of a yogi and voluntarily lost his heart to the beloved". (Sufi Khair Muhammad) Devotion, which is one of tile principles of Sri Krishna Maharaj, has greatly influenced one of his followers, Miran Bai. Krishan's teachings in the form of love and monism seem to have had great influence over Sindhi minds. Sindhi poets and saints seem to have acquired much from these two teachings. Even if you read Shah Latif poetry you will find that Krishan's teachings had their influence on the following teachings of Shah Latif: Kalyan, Asa, Leela Chanesar and Kamod. Shah Latif Sur Kalyan: From one it became many, from many it became one. Reality is in unity, you should not forget this That there is unity behind diversity. (Shah Latif) "He sees Himself, He is the beloved Himself, He is the Creator, He is searching and longing for His own creation." (Shah Latif) 'He is this and He is that and He is death and He is also God. He is the lover and the beloved. He is the enemy and he is the helper." (Shah Latif) "There ore lacs of your forms, you are one with them, but having different forms. Oh my beloved! How many signs of your beauty am I going to count." SUR ASA: (Shah Latif) "I am searching (wandering) in the spaceless world. Oh my guide! I cannot see the limit the beauty of my beloved is Immeasurable. Here I am longing ceaselessly, but the attitude of the beloved is indifferent." (Shah Latif) "There is no beginning to the servant of God nor is there an end. Those who identified the beloved, they reached the destination". (Shah Latif) "Existence or not existence, these are the Conceptions of a worldly man. The beloved's beauty is beyond concept." (Shah Latif) "In astonishment, the intellect and courage are powerless. The beauty of reality cannot be fathomed by the blind." (Shah Latif) "if you really try to see (with your inner eye) then you wilt call every thing the Truth. Oh! Blind do not entertain doubts about the Truth." (Shah Latif) "Your 'self' or ego is the screen between your real self And the beloved. Pull out the screen and you will attain union." (Shah Latif) In Shah Latif's poetry, Leela Chanesar's and Kamod's devotion, obedience and self annihilation are properly explained, whose glimpse he seems to have acquired from Miran Bai's poetry. SUR LEELA CHANESAR: "Perhaps my sisters and girl friends, have come to know my defects. Therefore, they are laughing at me." (Shah Latif) "I was wise in the country, knowledgeable amongst my friends. Since I committed a mistake, therefore I cannot raise my head in front of them. (Shah Latif) "I wish I had not been wise, because the wise get into trouble. My beloved was pleased with me on account of my simplicity." (Shah Latif) "I was head of the house in the Kingdom of Chanesar. I had all the dignity of queens, and everywhere I was the center of attraction. When my beloved neglected me, I was treated like a widow everywhere." (Shah Latif) "Of what use is good fortune which makes one self-centered. Search for the bad fortune through which You may attain the beloved. " (Shah Latif) "Leela, give up your wiles if you wish to live a happy life. When you submit yourself with humility to your husband, he will happily forgive you." (Shah Latif) "If you do not get your beloved through beseeching, Continue to beseech because the beloved is most mercy full. " (Shah Latif) "Do not give yourself airs. Chanesar does not like pride and selfishness. If he is displeased over a small thing, he will not spare his dear ones too." (Shah Latif) "All are the fortunate ladies of the house. All are wearing necklaces around their necks. They are adorning themselves so as to win over the beloved. But the beloved only accepts those who are selfless and humble." (Shah Latif) "All are the fortunate ladies and they are all trying to beautify themselves to please the King. But he went to those who were humble and selfless." (Shah Latif) "My beloved, after doing great misdeeds I come to you. If you have decided to be angry with me I have no other place to go my beloved. In the name of God please forgive my defects." ('Shah Latif) "If I have gone out of my mind, you should honor yourself. Because you always overlook the faults of others. You are the one who covers the deficiencies of Sinners." (Shah Latif) "Do not look for my good deeds for I have none. It is only you who can overlook my faults." SUR KAMOD: ABOUT RADHA (Shah Latif) "In the heart of the fish-woman there is neither pride nor a trick. With her beautiful eyes, she pleased the king, So among all the queens she became the favorite one of the king." (Shah Latif) "She had a magnetic power in her eyes, that she attracted Tamachi to her. It is only love, which compelled Jam to carry fishing net over his shoulder and go for fishing." (Shah Latif) Maharaj Krishan in the forest of Bindera Ban, had played several parts. The lovers called the forest of Bindera Ban the country of love. Shah Latif has also, mentioned the forest of love. Bindera Ban is originally the forest of love as Shah Latif says: "The path of love can be known from the trees." (Shah Latif) Radha was one of tile main paramours of Krishna. Just as Nun was the selected girl of Jam Tamachi, Miran Bai was a devotee of Krishna's cult. About her saying of the beauty of the devotion of Krishna Maharaj. "One who travel fled carrying 'nothing' with herself, she reached the beloved. The one who cared for the outward beauties And possessions, she lost the favor of the beloved." (Shah Latif) Vishnu Devta takes incarnation in animals like lion, pig crocodile on one side and takes the incarnation in Sri Ram Chandar and Krishna to reform and guide human beings. Outwardly seems awkward but if you look deeper from the point of unity behind diversity, then you will understand the proper perspective of this subject. Sindhi Dervishes have tried to solve this question like Khair Muhammad Fakir, who says: "The Lord of the Kingdom came for this purpose as a vagrant Fakir." These Sufis have spoken about the eternal beauty, which changes its forms in such a way that wherever they turn their head, they have found the expression of God. They saw that eternal object can be seen in a small insect, so it can also take the form of Alexander The Great. From that point of view the Sindhi Dervishes had to deal with various kinds of people. On tile one hand they had to deal with the learned and the civilized men, and on the other hand they had to deal with tile dwellers of forests and worshippers of animals and trees. In order to enhance unity behind diversity, Prophets spoke of unity or monism on the one hand and the worship of animals on the other. It showed how the origin and progress of religion began. In this manner the religious reformers dealt with the subject instead of rejecting the old and replacing it with the new, as in the Qura'an it is said that wherever you look you will find the secret of God. Islam on the one hand, speaks about unity behind diverse beliefs. And on the other hand ordains the people to round the old Temple, Ka'aba, and of running between the two mountains of 'Safa' and 'Marwa'. Sacrificing animals and kissing the black stone which is fixed in the corner of Ka'aba. asking the followers to wear the Sanyasi dress and shave their heads and throw stones at certain idols. and go to the shrines of certain Saints and considering the spirits of those saints as inhabiting graves and asking their help in cases of difficulties and allowing the recitation of certain "Wazifas", incantations of verses and apologizing before them for certain things. There is a custom among the Muslims, and followers of other religions, that the dead may be buried and Qur'anic verses be recited, and after three, seven, eleven, twenty-one and forty days or twelve months, people are to be fed. All this is practiced due to the belief that the dead relative or friend will be pleased by these things which are given in their names. These old traditional customs and rites were retained, though these had originated from primitive beliefs. Prophet Mohammed, who brought the message of universal peace and unity behind diversity and love of humanity, could have easily abolished the old customs, but lie did not do so. He did not want to displease the people by innovations only. Therefore both things continued. That is why even in the present age, when man has reached the moon. The followers of that great religion continue to spend lacs of rupees for performance certain customs and going to Mecca, Madina and other Shrines. Perform Hajj and visit the Shrines thinking that they will get salvation from their sins, and on the day of Judgement they will be benefited and go to Heaven. Our Sindhi Dervishes, from long ago, realized the real (inner) philosophical meaning behind all these customs, ceremonies and rites and said: 'How can Yogis (lovers) go to Ka'aba, who have freed themselves From the ordinary practices (from both worlds). Those who understood the secret of Truth, Ka'aba will come to them." (Pir Asghar Pagara) Prayer is the work of women folk, and fasting is an act To save bread. Only those will go to Mecca and Madina who are a burden on the family folk." (Shah Bahu) 3) Shiv Maharaj: It was the duty of Vishnu to maintain living things and lead the spirits in the right direction and maintain the spiritual customs, in existence, and the organization and safety of the society. The works were assigned to Vishnu. Shiv Maharaj in contradiction to Vishnu did away with old and useless customs; nearly annihilate things like trees, animals, men or nations to destroy and then to create new things in its place. In his hand the entire change of animist things was assigned. According to which he removed every old tiling in a new form. Shiv's greatness and respect was not to come like Vishnu in different incarnations, and improve the things of the world. Rather his work was distinct. He could have created various diseases and destroyed the things on the one side, and on the other lie like spring, can bring new life. He was the God of Nature, who could create a thousand forms and destroy thousand forms, and in their place bring new things. He was considered the Creator of the skies and earth. All the things contained in the sky and earth were in his charge; thus Nature was symbolized in Shiv. He had a wife who also performed duties along with him. His followers, or worshippers, had belief in his wonderful powers. They always tried to please and pacify him and get advantages. His worshippers put dust on their heads and some of them did very strange things and committed harmful prayers. In that way they thought that they could please or control the power of Shiv and thus perform miracles. Sindh's and India's Yogis and Fakirs under their influence created a group of people through those methods, and solved the problems of the world. Shiv's Temple or his wife Durga (Kale Devi) were to be pleased by thousands of animals belief, was the conception that super-natural power of Gods or prevalent in every corner of the world in most of the nations, and all this was part of primitive religions. Behind this belief, the conception that super-natural power (of Gods or Devtas) was blood thirsty, vindictive and cruel, whom blood or flesh and the smell of burning fats could only please. All the misfortune and calamities, sorrows, troubles which fell upon human beings, were the result of Shiv's displeasure. Therefore, in order to please him, sacrifice was necessary. In the beginning every family or tribe or nation. in order to free themselves from the difficulties, used to go 142 Page missing 140,141 God took two promises from Ibrahim, that lie himself along with his descendants will continue the custom of circumcision and that the second, of sacrificing of animals. In view of that his descendants will have prophets from time to time and the kingdom also will remain in their family. After that Ibrahim performed both ceremonies and ordered that both the ceremonies were necessary as the part of religion. If you analyze this statement of the Torah, you will find that Abraham's conception of God was that of personal one which had the qualities of man. In Torah, in the chapter of creation, m paragraphs twenty-six and twenty-seven, it is said that God created man in His form (in His own image). Shiv Maharaj, it is said in the books, He used to ride on an ox. From this the ox became sacred and worthy of worship among the Darvadians. in Egypt, Summair, Babul and Sindh, the archeological findings show such beliefs were also common here. in Dravadian civilization findings it is found that Sehwan (Shiv wahan) had Shiv's monuments. It is said the Munchher Lake was originally named the Mansurwar Lake, which continues to remain in the Himalayas. Round about Sehwan there are several places where Shiv's fairs were held. Gaji Shah, Luki, Ameer Pir and Jhimpir are some of the names of places of worship shrines. At Qalandar Shahbaz Mausoleum, there are bells equivalent to the bells of Shiv's temples; at Qalandar Fakir's tomb shaving of the heads and beards, in the mornings and evenings, are performed; fairs, dhamal and dances all these show the signs of Shiv customs. Inside the mausoleum of Qalandar Shahbaz, there is a stone that is called by the name of honey and butter. Originally it was lingum and Uni. Smoking of charus (Hashish, marijuana) and drinking of hashish is carried on as a religious ritual and most of. the Fakirs remain bachelors. All these ceremonial customs point to Shiv's religions remnants. In Sindh there are several places where lingum used to be kept and worshipped. I have pointed the above customs of the Aryans and their predecessor's religion. Below I will point out the progressive religious ideas. The Vedanta is a theory based on the teachings of Vedas and it was used to interpret the meanings of the UPANESHADS. The Brahmans, who were the authorized interpreters of religious books, categorized the following six interpretations of Vedic Dharam: (1) SANKHIA (2) YOGO (3) MUMASA (4) VEDANTA (5) VASIKA (6) NIATA In Vedanta, the monist theory of the universe has been evolved and kept on the philosophical level of interpretation. The first interpreter of the Vedantic philosophy, who placed it in proper order, was "Pundit Badnyana". As his book was full of science and mystical meanings, therefore like other Sutra books, several interpretations of it were written. Among these Pundit Sankara's interpretation is considered of great importance. Pundit Badnyana lived in 800 A.D. Shankar's; Brimsutra's interpretation contains a lot of things, wherein he has supported Pundit Badnyana 'S main principles. Modern Bharat's learned Pundits, except those who were influenced by European thought, were mostly supporters of Vedanta's interpretation. Out of these three parts believes in Sankara and Sutra's interpretation. The remaining are the followers of other interpretations. The philosophy of Vedanta is based on ancient Upunshad's principles. According to this man's Atima (soul) has similarity with God, who keeps the position of universal spirit, which is eternal, unlimited and permanent. Its power is in control of tile entire universe. God (universal spirit) cannot be divided into parts, changed or finished. God (Brahma) was whole and in distributable. Without the existence of God, there was no other existence. He was one and there was no other but Him. (La Ilaha Illallah). According to Sankara's interpretation Vedanta was without duality. From the basic concept of this philosophy, those in this world there are different conceptions in various things of separate spirits. But in the Vedas, there were certain things in existence, in which the theory of transmigration (Awa Gawan) of the soul was accepted; and tile reward and punishment principles were acceptable as well as the separate personal spirit 5 existence was also accepted. These things were contradictory and different things. These were the result of ignorance and unconsciousness of tile material reality as dynamics of life on which existed the life of every man. On account of such hypothetical assumptions the spirit is considered to be separate from the body. Psychological and outward influences were against this. The existing universe was thought to be only Maya (Illusion) and all the expression of the creation was a fraud or an illusion. It was thought that as you go near to illusion, it will disappear. Therefore, you can only know it after proper knowledge. Its other example is like a dream, where you can see things as if they are near, hut after awakening these disappear that in universe there is only one thing which is above misconception, that is Atima (Rooh, soul). Its proof was not necessary. Its existence was its own proof. Therefore you cannot deny it. Its denial is reason for its existence. A thing that does not exist, you cannot deny. Rooh is spirit, which is beyond time, space and causation. Therefore its existence cannot be separated from God. The existence of God is its existence. Our existence cannot be separate from God. We have simply to peep in and know ourselves. 'You can look within yourself and see Him." Shah Latif says: "When I looked within and conversed with myself, I discovered that mountains were no hindrance in my path. Neither I cared for Kaichies any more. As long as I was Sassi I suffered a great deal, since I became Punhu (the Beloved) myself, there was no sorrows any more." All these things have emanated from Vedanta. Through self-realization alone you can know the secret of diversity. Maya's ignorance, how that appears, from where it came. That remains a secret. Vedanta philosophy does not look on it. According to it, when ignorance disappeared then know-ledge appeared and the secret will ~e known and that illusion, misconception, will disappear and Rooh (spirit) will be known to the universal spirit. World's diversity and its attribute conception will disappear, as Sankara believes in the Upanishad's authority, therefore he was compelled to follow the point of view of prayers and recitations. At the same time the proposes to place Vehdaniat in two forms: Secret knowledge: According to which he looks on every point from supernatural point of view. He comes out from Duality and then interprets Vehdaniat. Wisdom of universal knowledge: According to which he preaches the religious point of view and persuades the work with the common people. According to secret knowledge, God is above all attributes and qualities. It is without attribute and action. But when you look at it from the outward wisdom, then God will be considered a higher attribute and possessor of higher qualities, in that condition the religious formalities will be necessary. Because, according to them, the majority of people, on account of ignorance, valued God according to qualities and attributes of man. Therefore, these people who have not acquired secret knowledge, for them prayers and recitation are needed. From the ordinary point of view of knowledge, God's conception becomes personal and apparent, who creates the universe and administers it, and people get reward and punishment according to their deeds. From that point of view, universe is to be considered a reality and its existence is to be accepted. According to Upanishads, the existence of different spirit with different forms and lives is accepted. From lesser knowledge it is explained that spirits, while remaining in the bodies, become sub-servant to body influences and instincts and environments and slowly progress from the lower stage to know: God's on a higher stage, the knowledge of self realization is necessary. Lesser knowledge will become useless after reaching the stage of higher know-ledge. Because lower knowledge in God's conception is the result of ignorance, which attributes God with qualities and higher attributes. But after acquirement of higher knowledge, man will come to know that conception and prayers were the products of illusion. Shah Latif says: "Illusion misled me, otherwise 1 myself was Punhu (God)." "We are from God and to Him we have to return".' I am not thinking of explaining that minutely Vedanta's several interpretations. But it is sufficient to say that in Hindu religion, Vedanta is the higher explanation, customs, recitations and idol worship became prominent. So in order to renew and reform Vedanta, Mahatma Buddha on the scene. MAHATMA BUDDHA'S RELIGION OR BUDDHISM This religion, though it is based on Veda's interpretation, its foundation has been built on intellectual progress and performance of good deeds. That is, on human morality in which prayers and customs have not been given importance, but more emphasis was given on clear thinking. He freed the people from Jati System (Caste higher and lower) and persuaded people to train themselves on the basis of good conduct. "He does not enquire about anyone's caste (Grade). Whoever comes is accepted by Him." According to this belief, nothing is permanent in this world. Everything passes its time and then takes on another form. If everything has had a beginning, it also has all ends. If some insects live for a few hours only then, on the contrary, there are mountains, which live on for hundreds or thousands of years. But everything comes and goes. There is no permanency to worldly things: '4A II these things are evanescent, nobody is permanent. Oh! sister, all these beautiful buildings will remain behind useless. The persons who had great kingdoms, have also left and are gone forever. Death attends to everything. These are the signals worth considering." (Shah Latif) According to this knowledge, everybody, whether individual or a group, has its attributes and forms. From higher class of animals or men, possess attributes of reason. Everybody during his lifetime, acquires some qualities from time to time. After death of the body, these qualities remain in the world; cause of sorrow is a personal conception of existence and the desire for fulfillment of ambition. Separation from universal existence is the real cause of sorrow. Separation leaves its impression upon the spirit to whatever extent man has given a place to his self, to that extent disease and weakness and death comes near to him. The conception of personal existence makes man limited. WHERE THERE ARE LIMITS, THERE IS IGNORANCE: WHERE THERE IS IGNORANCE THE RESULT BRINGS SLAVERY. WHERE THERE ARE MISTAKES, THERE THE RESULT IS SORROW. So long as the spirit is separated from its origin, up to that time one becomes the victim of desires. Desires are products of senses. All desires cannot be fulfilled. Nothing can change the death or changebility; origin is dependent on the result of deeds. Every deed is followed by its results. One who knows the real teachings of Buddhism will not care about his or her personal salvation. Rather such persons would work for universal salvation. Buddhism has fixed certain principles for the proper conduct of life. According to that, he preaches to men to perform good needs. They say that by the performance of good deeds man readies NIRVAN, and that means salvation from desires and the essence of attachments. Its teaching is that man's salvation lies in 'NIRVAN PAD'. He has fixed eight points as basis for good deeds: 1. RIGHT THINKING: Right thinking is that which is free from ignorance and illusion, that is, A CONSCIOUS ACCEPTANCE OF REALITY. Its intuitive urge can be love. Love is an unlimited desire, which can lead a person in the right direction. 2. HIGHER PURPOSE: Right thinking can be fixed on the basis of love. An upright life can be a guide for a higher purpose in life. 3. RIGHT DISCUSSION: Right discussion can only be based on truth, which should be open and sincere. Its basis should be kept on toleration, according to which, along with one's own view, the views of an opponent should be given respect. You cannot solve the problems of one sided discussion or views. 4. RIGHT DEEDS: Right deed is the other name of good deed, and good deed is that which brings peace and unity among mankind. Does not lead to hatred. It depends on the principle of good to others and in it there is no selfishness. These deeds which are performed for the interest of the common people, and in which personal and selfish deeds are not given any place, are deeds which become the cause of one's country and community and in turn become the cause of human salvation. 5. RIGHT LIVING: Right living can be called that kind of living which is free from the exploitation of others for selfish interest. In this kind of living no pressure or force is used. This life should not be by theft or violence. This should not be based on flesh and fish. That living should be based on grain or fruit got from earth, or milk or butter from the cattle. That living should not be through fraud or anti-social methods, or any act which is un-social. 6. RIGHT STRUGGLE: Life is dependent on struggle and movement, but one has to see the purposes of the struggle. Work for the good of others, service of human beings, common benefit, and country's welfare and common man's welfare can be called a right struggle. But selfishness, personal benefit and class interest and work for the limited interest of one's tribe or group cannot be called a right struggle. 7 RIGHT-MINDEDNESS: Right-mindedness is that which leads one to coexistence and co-operation and which leads one's life in the right direction. Every moment is to be considered precious. and it is to be kept free from selfish desires and is to be utilized for the benefit of mankind. One must consider oneself part of one's country, nation and humanity. One has to keep aloof from selfishness and vanity. One has to merge into the whole. 8. RIGHT SACRIFICE: Right sacrifice can be reached only when one has killed selfish desires. One who becomes a slave of slaves of humanity, should crush with tolerance all bad desires. Shah Latif seems to have narrated this poem under this influence: "If you want to become a Yogi then leave all the selfishness; those who are servants, become their servant. With the sword of tolerance kill your vindictiveness. Then only you will be considered LAHUTI" Bedil Sam has explained the same idea as under: "Learn the secret of self annihilation, then there will not be any necessity of reading and teaching." It is said by the learners of Buddhism that Buddhists have considered the above mentioned eight principles as main pillars of their teachings. For their preaching, life is to be lived for the teachings and training of those principles. The essence of their teaching is shown in the following things, which are to be explained to their followers: What is body? if it has a beginning it also has an end. Therefore it is necessary that man should have know-ledge of the beginning and end of the human body. One must think over the desires of the senses and their objects. A blind following of the senses leads one to unlimited desires. Control of the senses requires the reformation of ideas. To save one's life from wrong doings, it is necessary to have the sense of discrimination. To discriminate wrong from right, wisdom is necessary. The followers of this religion who think over the problems of this world, have created the idea of abandoning the world selflessly, sincerely; and right thinking group of people have devoted their lives towards the improvement of character, good deeds, love and message of peace. Preachers of this group took this message from door to door and Shah Latif being impressed by their deeds, had interpreted them as follows: SUR RAM KALI: "While sitting with vagrant mendicants on the second day, I heard their account. They were wearing dirty clothes and were in a pitiable condition. Do not talk to anyone of their condition The naked fakirs disguised themselves among common people. "On' the sixth day I found that Adesi (foreigner) had nothing on their mind except God. They have covered themselves with ashes, begging few things for their food. They have concealed themselve among the ordinary' people." "The thought of annihilation must be your dress. Do not be like those who adorn themselves. In reality the learned one is he who has given up everything." Buddhists on one side tried to improve morality and good deeds of man and preached the message of love and peace. On the other hand, they tried to give right education and purpose of Vedanta. Afterwards, this religion produced the following two big sects: I) HINAYAUM: Hinayanum means smaller method for expression. Buddhism preaches men the message of NIRVAN PAD, the source of salvation. They say that the Atima (spirit) of men is involved in the circle of deeds; on account of which sorrows, diseases, hunger and such other troubles have surrounded the people. Therefore the ultimate object of the life should be directed towards salvation of the soul, from the circle of reward and punishment. and salvation should be the ultimate object of life; and that salvation can be achieved through right 'thinking, right doing and after that alone the Atima (spirit) will merge with' its Origin (God and thus acquire the stage of permanent pleasure. II) MAHAYAUM: Mahayaum is the greater method for expression. The followers of this group or sect, interpreted their teachings 'on the following three principles: a) Acquirement of real knowledge. b) Performance of good deeds. c) Observance of simplicity and prayers (or mental devotion to morality). According to this second group man must follow the teachings and traditions of Mahatma Buddha, which in essence, for example can be interpreted as following the 'SUNNAT-E-NABVI' - (the traditions of Prophet Mohammed). Buddhism at one time, spread all over India, Central Asia, China, Indo China, Japan, Mongolia, Tibet, Burma, Sri-Lanka and other countries, and from it several smaller sects and their interpretations came into existence like Jain nath. In Sindh its teachings left a greater influence. At present the centers of Buddhist teachings were found in the archeological findings in the following places: Kaho-Jo-Daro stupa: Besides Mirpurkhas, Kaho-Jo-Daro is Mahatma Buddha's stupa, where his dust and bones are found. The stupa's present condition is, in spite of its dilapidation, in its original dignity and importance. Even now people give importance to his center. Mohan-jo-Daro: From Mohan-jo-Daro, Buddha dharma's stupa's buildings have been found. From which it appears that in every big city, Buddhists had their great centers, for education and training of people.[2] BARHMANABAD: Near Shahadad Pur. From the antiquities of Barhmanabad Buddha's temples and educational centers have been found. Though the Persian Emperor's Captain Bahaman constructed the city, after whom it was named Barhmanabad. It is possible that there may have been temples for fire worship. But people were so much under the influence of Buddha, that Buddhists were able to construct their learning centers. Sudharan-Jo-Daro: This is near to Tando Muhammad Khan, near Saeed Pur village on the top of a hill. One of these temples' findings show that on the other side Buddhists resided in great numbers and for their training and guidance, the center was constructed. Budda-Ka-Takar: Is opposite Jherik, on the other side of the river near Ganjo Takar. A temple and educational center are found, which also served the purpose of lower Sindh Buddha's center. Mir Rukhan-Jo-Thul: This is in Moro Taluka, near Bandhi station, where there is a very big mount of Buddha's temple. Chinese travelers have also spoken about the importance of this center. This mount is 87 feet in height. Philosophical Degeneration: After sometime when Buddhism started idol worship and celibacy as one of their creeds, they created vested interest with reaction. So, in reaction people went back to Brahmanism. And Brahmans with their new interpretation to the Vedic Dharm in India, most of the Buddhist centers came under the control of Brahmans. Raja Dahir came from a Brahman center, but in his days every corner of Sindh was filled with the followers of Buddhism. His own brother turned to Buddhism and became Bikshu (Buddhist monk). Right up to the immigration of Muslims, Buddhists continued to remain in Sindh. Difference between Brahmanism and Buddhism was like Judaism and Christianity. The first group emphasized on physical purity and prayers and recitation of certain words, and the other put emphasis on purity of senses and character - or personal morality in word and deed. At the time of the immigration of Muslims into Sindh, the following remnants of Buddhist influence, in degenerated form, were found among the lower strata of the people. A group of persons who mostly depended upon begging, roamed as mendicants from place to place, and took consolation from intoxication. Some such Muslim devotees started their Ashrams or centers, to reform the morals of the people and give spiritual training. But later, after their demise, their descendants turned these to their monitory advantage, as vested interest, using their graves as Shrines where people gave offerings in cash and kind as it was said that by such offerings their desires would be fulfilled. Thus these Shrines became sources of income. Buddha's Bikshus spread the belief in evanescence of material things and as such every minute of life to be devoted in doing good deeds, so that in the next life (to come) lie would acquire a better incarnation. As Muslims did not believe in the concept of incarnation, treated this world like the shade of' a tree and a future life's promise, passed this life without doing anything. Therefore the good deeds and passage of life lost its glamour. Prayers and recitation on certain words took importance over right thinking and right deeds, so the latter lost importance and people fell in the trap of Mullahs and Pirs. They thought that prayers and recitations would mold God's. As my purpose has not been to give a detail of Buddha Dharm teachings, but only to show that this universal religion also had left its influence on the people of Sindh, though in their turn they had become Muslims. If you make a psycho-social or socio-philosophical research on the lives and teachings of Muslim Dervishes of Sindh, like Shah Inayat, shah Latif, Sachal Sarmast and other Sufis of Sindh, you will find that they acquired a lot from the early teachings of Buddhism. For instance in Shah Latif's poetry "Sur Rip" "Khahori" "Brawo Sindhi" "Ramkali" and "Pirbhati", you can find philosophical influences of the teachings of Buddhism. SUR RIP: (The Purpose and the Remembrance or Recalling the Memories of the beloved). 'Due to sorrows of my beloved (purpose) I have lost my health. Mother! forgetfulness of my beloved have killed me." "Sorrows of my beloved have agonized me. How can I extinguish that fire (of love) which my beloved is kindling himself" "Whenever I try to forget my beloved, his memories cause even more distress. The pain of separation hurt me like a broken bone." "Oh! my friend, learn the lesson about burning from the kiln. She burns whole day, but she does not give vent to her feelings." SUR KHAHORI "The vagrant companions are in search of that place which none have heard or seen before. While in search, the Khahoris lie down on the stones, during nights. They try to find out wisdom from the place that have no end to it." "They were far, far away out of the space. They are not heard nor can they hear anyone. I have just come from their company." "After wandering over the far off lands the vagrant fakirs had returned. Oh Mother! I do not know what lands their feet had traversed and become dusty." "Those who went in the wilderness they did not lose their way. But who went on the path, they were deceived. They can never be misled, who gave up both the worlds." SUR BRAWO SINDHI: (In memory of the beloved) "If you meet me while remembering, I should have pleasure of your company, even among the mountains." "Even today they called me and killed me with the glimpse of their eyes. They took away the flesh and left the skeleton back. Then they ordered me to take strength from Truth and have patience. Although I was already dead, but they hurt me with their laughter." "People ask for possessions and wealth, but I only long for the beloved. I will sacrifice the whole world for my beloved. My happiness depends upon his name only." "I was never acquainted with love before. It was the beloved who taught me what love was. It is only after that I became acquainted with my beloved." "When the beloved heard about my short comings. He never became angry, nor complained. On the contrary he forgave me my short-comings through his blessings." SUR RAMKALI: (The conditions of Yogis) "There are enlightened and false Yogis in the world, those who kindled the fired of love in my heart. I cannot live without them." "The slogans of Yogis is great wealth for me. They were beyond speech and there was no saying with whom I passed my time, I live without them." "They are selfless people. They do not care for the self, these are the signs of those Yogis. I cannot live without them." "Come out after leaving everything, do not have things with you (their possession have misled you, you have thrown out possessions). Real Yogi is he who has given up everything." "Latif says, Lahuti are those who have given up desires. This is the sign of Adesis, who have thrown away all attachments and possessions." "They carried hunger in their bags. They are going to celebrate hunger. They do not care for food, they are accustomed to thirst. Latif says that Lahuties have killed their desires of heart.' The Samis after passing through desert and are near habitation." SUR POORAB: (Love of the East) "They started on the road of beloved and they went towards East. They sacrificed their homes, and took a road for travel" "1 searched the east and looked around for them. My beloved did not send me message of any kind. They were strangers but they did their best." "I have been imbibed with. the spirit of the East. To whom shall I complain. I used to give advice to the people, but alas! I myself lost my senses. Although I was not equal to them, but I fell in love with them. SUR PIRBHATI: "You are a philosopher's stone and lam an iron. When you will touch me I will become gold." "The morning blessings are acquired by minstrels as they prayed to God early in the morning. Nothing is in my hand, everything is in the power of my beloved. I am praying humbly that may my beloved own me. The religions, which had influenced Sindh, among those, as I have mentioned before, were animist and inanimist religions, which had considerable influence. Among these, Trinity, Vedic Dharm, Buddha Dharm, were mentioned before. Now I will give a few facts about the third religion, Jainism, which also had great influence on the Sindhi people. The founder of this religion was Mahatma Mahavir, who was said to be the last prophet of Jainism. About 23 prophets had passed before him. Mahatma Mahavir's time of preaching was more or less the same, that is Mahatma Buddha's period of 500 B.C. Prophet Mahatma Mahavir was born in Kum-gram (village) at a distance of 37 miles on the north of Patna. Like Mahatma Buddha, he was also the son of a Raja. When he became 30 years old both of his parents died. He passed 11 years in prayers and became a recluse. Began walking naked. After he got illumination he remained alive for 42 years. He died at the age of 72 years. He got the Nirvanpad (salvation), at the village of Para. He died before Gotham Buddha. It was 480 B.C. His followers were divided into two sects: 1. SWEMBRAS 2. DEGAMBRAS His followers lay more emphasis on renegation. Therefore, many of the books were lost. But those that remained were written in Mugadi language, which were afterwards translated in Jain Maharashtri language. At present a sufficient number of these books are available in Jainism. Their principles were divided into two sects: i) One was dedicated to the understanding in the main philosophy of life, and ii) Second one gave attention towards the life which was lived in good deeds. The Jain philosophy was based on findings of reality of life and supernatural powers and psychology. Their deeds were on the basis of Buddha Dharm, improvement of character and life of preparation for the renegated workers. The second group treated the methods for good conduct of life. For instance when one was in practical. life, in order to free himself from mistakes, for him a certain code of life is necessary. The third group was concerned in finding how best a perfect life could be lived, that was its code of life. The fourth group tried to live with the best conduct of life. This religion rejects the control of supernatural powers and directs them to try to improve their life and not depend upon the guidance of others, though the other may he a very learned person. Followers of this religion taught the principle of self-realization and self-control. This religion was against the theory of salvation and thought the guidance of God or training of great ones useless. They mostly depended upon right thinking and right deeds. Mahatma Mahavir said he had not come to reject the sayings, instructions and principles of past religions. His teaching was that such education be given to persons, in accordance with changes in education based on the constant change of circumstances. Mahatma Mahavir and Gothum Buddha were contemporaries. Their teachings were similar. As Mahatma Buddha says: He had come with a message of love for the unity of mankind. He considered non-violence as the key for love and unity. He considered the various classification Jatties (castes) as a useless thing for the salvation of mankind. He considered love, peace, and service of making which can be achieved through the improvement of personal character. For the teachings and training of mankind on right lines, he organized groups of selfless workers who started the preaching at centers for the training of their followers. This religion, though based on the lines of Vedas and Upurishides, due to reformed information, was against the blind following of the Vedas. Jams would think on every question mentioned in the Vedas, according to personal knowledge. It had no faith in absolute truth of the interpretation of Vedas, for conduct of human life. Unlike Muslims, who consider Qura'an as the final code for human beings for all times, the Jains rejected preconceived quotations. JAINDHARM In their swembras, Sadhu used to wear white dress and discussed the principles of Sankhia, Yoga and considered their own opinions f~ be right. They thought the spirit of man after passing through many incarnation, in right direction, will get salvation through incarnations. They, however, had some different methods for salvation. They were of the same opinion about the philosophical knowledge of mankind. According to which they had accepted the different forms and spirits of men changed into different forms as was the case of physical body. In the same manner the spirits also went on changing their form and knowledge. As nothing was permanent on this earth, so the spirits (Atimas), or God's conception, was also not always the same. They were also capable of changing and did not believe in permanency of anything. As both of them, Buddha and Jain, had created groups of selfless workers, therefore to the Western intellectuals teachings of Buddha and Jain were considered the same, which was not a fact. Jain Dharam was eternal and without beginning and without an end. Upanishads said that universe existence was without a beginning and end and change. As against this Buddhist said that existence itself was not permanent or unchangeable. But the Atima (spirit) itself after passing through various stages and incarnations, would ultimately be annihilated. Shah Latif, on account of the influence of this thought said: 'Every thing has to pass away, nobody will remain here permanently." They considered the existence theory not fixed. Their meaning from the existence of things was permanent in the so-called method of knowledge, but their qualifications and conditions were changeable and capable of disappearance. As the earth is durable, but its qualities and forms are changeable. The earth can remain for a longer period but things created from earth like bricks, dishes, color and forms were changeable and perishable. From the Brahman point of view, the existence of any being was part of universal existence. But according to Jain belief, all these were changeable. Jain's second sect was Degambras who used to live and walk naked and were later known as Naga Sadhus". Their main principles were as under: They were the believers of Ahinsa (non-violence) so they would not kill any life. Everything of the world was considered as evanescent, therefore there should be no attachment to those things. They, like birds, did not have permanent abodes and went on changing from place to place. They thought living on one place creates attachments and liking for those things. They used to go permanently visiting various shrines and learning and training from different sources. They had no business with worldly affairs as they thought such matters would create attachments and liking for those things, which were not permanent. When Buddhist influence was on the decrease, Jam influence did not decrease. The reasons are as under: The Jain religion was fixed within certain limits and its followers had not created vested interests. Therefore, they were saved from the competition with other religions. The followers of this religious sect have no permanent residence in villages and towns. Their dwellings and temples were mostly on the mountains,[5] forests and wilderness, therefore they did not come in conflict with people of other religions. They, like Buddhism and Brahmanism, did not create vested interests. These persons like Christian Sisters passed their lives outside the cities and towns in caves or grottos. At the immigration of Arabs in Sindh the Hindu Brahmans and Buddhists lost their influence, but as this religion was not an organized sect, they were saved from the war of competition. And during the days of Shah Inayat, Shah Latif, Rohal Fakir their influence was still prevalent. This religion, though it started from SAYA (Bihar), yet had several of its centers in Sindh. Their big shrine, like that of Hinglaj, was on the Lasbella State side. They used to pass through Sindh. Their other centers were Girnar in Kush, Ganjo Takar, and Makli all these were situated in Sindh. Travelers used to pass Sindh centers for visiting Hinglaj. It seems the greater portion of Shah Latif's life had been spent with such people as he has narrated in his poetry, the different nomenclatures of that religion such as Yogi, Sanyasi, Godiria, Nanga, Kankut, Kapiri, Kilahori, Adhuti, Sami, Bekhari, Langotia, Kaput, etc. In Shah Latif's poetry Sur Khahori, Poorab, Ram Kali, give information of the teachings of this religion. There is a chain of mountains between Mardan and Malakand Port. In between these there are two places on high altitude known as Takht-e-Bai and Fort Facing these two spots goes a path along the chain of mountains called "BUDDHIST PATH". The Buddhist monks went on foot on this path-crossing Swat and to Dir, over the River Swat. Local folklore among the regional Pathans, had it (during 1953.55) that a ferocious (savage) tribe lived in that area, which attacked any passing stranger. These Buddhist monks, principled in non-violence (AHINSA) kept no weapons. But when attacked on this high mountain path, by those savages, some were killed. Later the monks defended themselves with their bare hands, having acquired the noble art of self-defense: JUDO-KARATE. Informed opinion has it that this was the origin of the art of Judo-Karate, begun by the Buddhist monks out of necessity of self-defense, without weapons. SUR KHAHORI: "Khahories in their secrecy found out the praiseworthy God. Thus the lovers crossed the limitations of space and time. The Yogis who once existed lost themselves into nothingness. It is then they saw the praiseworthy God everywhere." 'Mother, I saw those who had seen the Beloved. I cannot narrate their story because it is beyond my power to do so." "1 saw those who had seen the Beloved. One should spend a night in the company of those great ones. Their knowledge can serve as a raft in the deep ocean. "I have seen the groups (companies) of Khahories who had been going towards the mountain Pub. I had been inquiring the whereabouts of those wanderers who spent their nights in the wilderness." "The Khahories who were wandering over long distances had no horse or any vehicle. They depended upon herbs and leaves of trees and they were roaming in the mountain. The main sign of Khahories is that they wear tattered clothes on their bodies." "They were those whose faces were serene and calm. On their feet they had torn slippers. They came from a far off place where even those acquainted with the paths were misled. In spite of this, they had found out the secrets from the secret places. " "Where even the birds cannot be found, on top of hills, fire was burning. Who else can kindle the fire except the Khahories." "Who smelled the dwellings of saniastis in Ganja hills, they left all their possessions and went in search of such dwellings. "While wandering on the mountains, they lost their path. Those who have found out the secret of journey do not care for the roads. After leaving both the sides, habitations and wilderness, They go about without caring for their destination. They do not care about dust, which has fallen upon them during the journey. In spite of that they go on in the same direction because intuitively they had found out the way to their destination." SUR RAMKALI: "I am searching and longing for those wanderers who have gone away. Since lam missing their company, I cannot live without them." "The footprints of Yogis (Fakirs) are traced beyond the space. They are very valuable, I cannot live without them." "The Yogis who have cut their ears are sitting in the cold in front of the open northerly wind. By doing penance they are punishing their bodies. These fakirs who have annihilated themselves, let us go to visit their place." ,,Swamis 'possession is sorrow; their baggages are full of difficulties: they carried along with them messages and hardships. Those Adesies left early in the morning towards an unknown destination.' '41f you want to become a yogi then break all relationships. Attach oneself to those who are non-existing. It is only then you will reach your destiny, which shall be the arena of love." "If you want to become a Yogi then wear stud on your mouth (lips). It is useless to have many cuts on your ears. Give up your dress, tie a piece of leather to your body and slippers do not suite you. Oh Swami! It is only after you give up everything worldly, you will not be blamed by your honorable guide." "That which is a pleasure for the Yogis is a source of trouble for common men. Oh! traveler of East, it is for you to ponder over that which is a cause of pain to common men is health and happiness to the selected." "Yogis are not attached to anything. lam acquainted with those who all the time talks about the East. For all the 24 hours they look towards their beloved. They have left within me an enormous urge for the beloved. Oh! God give me their company." "Throw away these donkey like ears of yours and buy a new pair for yourself and listen to what your beloved tells you with this new pair of ears. "The knees of Saniasis are always upright like mount Sinah. The Bairagis who went to the East did not care for self'. The dress of secrets is the only possession of Adesis, love has surrounded the entire body of these travelers." 'Oh Yogi! you must cut your head, cutting the ears is a hobby. Then only will you be allowed to sit in the company of swamis. God only directs those whom He likes. This is their place who have given up both the worlds." "Those who went on searching could not find, but others found Him justs by sitting. With difficulty they found out the clue from within. Their chains were withdrawn says Latif. Although they had not visited Kabul and Kashmir, but due to their sincerity the beloved met them in their own house." "Hopelessness is their possession, that Is the cover of Adesis. They are always happy because they are content with what fate has stored for them." "The naked Fakirs did not please the supernatural power (God) But it was their devotion, which pleased God. When God was pleased the mini temple of Yogis were bestowed with blessings of rain." "They do not roam about with begging bowl in their hands and beg from door to door. The followers of Shiva remain at a distance from the common men. Why should they care for religious laws when they are judges of their own." "Throw away the dress and go to Veragies. Out of love take sorrow as your dress. To them clothing is equivalent to nakedness. "They barely wear and dress and wash themselves. They heard that calls to God, which was present before Islam. Swamis have given up all the religious rites and have reached the great Guru." "Today there were no Yogis left in the houses. I have wept the whole night thinking about the Saniasis. For whom lam yearning, they have left the place. "Neither they have dress, nor bags nor underwear. Wherever they go they find the Beloved." "Seeing various Fakirs in various forms, do not think them separate. All are one on the same route." "Where there is no heaven nor sky, neither there is any earth, moon, nor sun. That is the meeting place of Adesis. From the faraway they saw a glimpse of their Beloved Nath i.e. Maha Guru. SUR POORAB: "They left on the path of the East and found out the earliest teachings of the Beloved. They sacrificed their homes and proceeded further away." "I have been killed by the East, now where shall I go and complain about it. I used to give wise advises to people, but alas! I myself lost my senses. I was not equal to them, but fell in love with them." "I went to the East and searched a great deal for them. They did not send me any message. They were strangers, but left to an unknown place." BEDIL FAKIR of Sindh also said: "They have given up all the attachments. What will they do with prayers. Where the people are searching for the Beloved. They do not care for that. Neither they recite the Kalma, neither they listen to the Azan. Lahuti had lived before eternity." "In reality faith and disbelief are, the same. Hindu and Muslim both are God's manifestation. When the real truth was found, the smaller teachings lost their height." "In reality, light and darkness are the same. Faith and disbelief are the branches of one truth. There is a great wisdom enclosed in this secret. This religion is a branch of Arian Dharam, whom Mahatma Zarthusht, on the basis of Vedas and Aresta, placed before the people of Iran. Sindh and Iran had long-standing connection with each other. After Darvadians, Arian influence came to both the countries. Persians, for a long time, had control over Sindh. From that time the Zarthushti beliefs left their influence in Sindh. There were several places where fire (worship) temples were constructed. Sun worship was the main belief of Zoroastrianism. Signs of these can be found from various places of Sindh. Bhambhore, Bhimpura was the city constructed in honor of the Sun God. A foundation of this religion was based on the supremacy of the Sun. rent and secret things were kept in view. Each thing was seen from two points of view. On one side there was light and on the other there was darkness, On one side there was truth and on the second disbelief, there was matter and on other side there was spirit. From these points of view they looked upon the supernatural power from two attributes. One named Aharmaz and the other Aharmun. One was considered leading towards righteousness and the other towards disbelief. In this philosophy, the contradictions were shown in such a manner that several other religions took lessons from this teaching. Hindu Sankhia teachings interpretation are on the same basis. Muslims tried to place the "Wahadat-ul-Shahood" on these lines. Vehdaniat, Wahdat-ul-Wajood philosophy was not only prayers, recitation of certain verses for reward and punishment, paradise and hell, appearance and secret, there were created such contradictions that this ideology tried to remove tile belief in deeds. Aristotle tried to get benefit from the teachings of Zoroastrianism. But Arabs also tried to get benefit from these teachings. This philosophy took the shape of duality, under which some things in the world are considered higher and some lower. Love was placed opposite to hatred. Light separated from darkness. Sindh, before the spread of this philosophy of Duality was dominated by the philosophy of Wahdaniat or monism. But during these days of Khwaja Ghulam Ahmed Sarhindi, in the name of Shariat-Islami, Muslim supremacy was shown, which became the cause of hatred between Hindus and Muslims. It left its influence, during the days of Mullah Hashim Thatvi in which, under the leadership of Pir Sarhindi, in outward appearance Muslim laws and show of simplicity and religiosity increased. On account of which, during the days of Kalhoras, Sufis of Sindh were compelled to say: "On one side there were Hindus and on the other side there are Muslims, in between they created hatred and difference. They are blind; who is going to tell them the truth, Rohal says that when I looked around and saw different paths of the Beloved, I found out that God among them was one and the same. Where can I keep my feet when lam sleeping in the center of Ka'aba" (Rohal Fakir) Shah Latif, Sachal, Rohal Fakir, Bedil, Misri Shah and several other Fakirs tried to remove the duality created in the name of religion. Then they said: "This and that, life and death, beloved and lover, enemy and friend are all one." (Shah) "Echo and sound were both the same, You could only find out the secret of both. Originally it's too one, but they became two when hearing was concerned." In various religions the outward law speakers of religions could not understand; and hatred and duality replaced religions based on love and unity. Thus religion was divided into three sects - Mazdahic, Muthra and Manni. The interpretation of their teachings, the contradictions will be explained below: MAZDAHIC: The founder of this sect was Mazdahic, the son of Bamirah from Somania province. He was born in 500 A.C. He took power in the days of Sassani Emperor, Kuwad, who came into power in 488 A.C. He was the supporter of this sect. But as from the past centuries, Zoroastrianism was the religion of the Government of Iran, religious mobids of Zoroastrianism. had created vested interests in their religion. Therefore, in spite of the support of the Emperor, bureaucracy and religious heads created opposition against this sect, because their (Mazdahic') beliefs were against the interests of these upper classes, with the result that they removed the emperor, Kuwad, and brought in his place 'jainshib' and placed the reigns of. government in his hands, and thus a quarrel started between these two groups. In that Mazdahic himself was killed and Prince Khusro came to the throne. The basic principles of this sect were as under: When in the country various tribes were dwelling and in every area the land and other things belonged to that particular tribe, which was dominated and exploited by certain powerful men. So it was suggested, by this sect, that land was the common property of all. Therefore only few persons were not to be allowed to utilize it for their personal interest. All the persons, without the distinction of caste and creed, were the creatures of one God, therefore it was the will of God, that the entire property be utilized for the benefit of all the people. The earth belonged to God. It is to be used for the best servants of God. Therefore, the followers of this sect forcibly confiscated all the property and distributed it among the common people. It was identical to present day Communism. Subsequently Arabs also followed the same principle. They confiscated the property of other nations and appropriated it for themselves. Difference between Mazdahic ideology and Muslims was that Arabs appropriated the property of other nations, or tribes, for their own benefit but this sect confiscated and appropriated the property of their own country and tribes. MUTHRAISM: This sect was also a branch of Zarthushti (Zoroastrian) religion. The word "Muthra" is derived from Mahar, which means Sun. In many of the ancient religions, sun was considered a great God and a powerful Devta. In Egypt, Ossirus was considered God of Sun, which was the first God of their trinity. In Bablian, (Babylonian) Bail was the representative of Sun. Therefore, the Babylonian civilization's entire basis was on the Solar System and Astronomy. Iran was near to Babul and for some time was under its influence. Therefore there also Shams or Mahar were considered main God and worshipped. On our side of Sindh and Hind, the Sun was presented in the form of Birma. The sun creates light and heat. Light represents wisdom, righteousness and truth. Against it darkness stands for ignorance and untruth. These are Ahramani attributes, which are called Satanic. Heat is an incentive to life. if there was no heat, then no man, animal or vegetable could be created. Therefore the entire creation and continuation of it depends upon the sun. The Parsi religion's first prophet, Mahatma Zarthushtra, in his book Zindavista, Muthra and Aharmaz had been given the same status. Ancient Iranian Emperors, Darius, son of Histapur 485 B.C. and Astagurgus 358 B.C., on their tombs Aharmaz and Muthra are both shown. In ancient days the lion was considered a representative animal of the Sun. Even in our times the Iranian flag shows Lion and Sun's emblem as sign of Aharmaz and Muthra, which represent the old tradition. From archeological findings, one picture has been found in which a lion is killing an ox, symbolizing the Lion as the Sun and Ox as the Earth. This means that the sun is dominant over the earth, and when sun sets, its rays over tile earth enables animals and vegetables to be created. These views originally were taken from Egypt and Babul. The Iranians and Sindhis subsequently adopted these. Muthra sect slowly went to Greece and Rome where it became the part of their religion and Christianity adopted these several things. Christianity from Muthraism adopted God, Sun and Sheep as symbols. Most of the religions have taken several things from each other. With the evolutionary changes of society and advance of their civilization and religion, later generations took over such things from each other. From research on the subject it will be found that Sindhi civilization and religion had adopted many things from Muthraism. MONISM: In Iran's main religion of Zarthushtra, the fourth sect was Monism. This represented the mystic aspect of the Iranian religion. It started during the third century A.C. The name of its founder was "Methanuse", which was changed to the name of "Moni". It is said that lie was born by 216 A.C. in the city of Babul. From the beginning he held the concept that he used to get intuitions from God. After reaching maturity, he went to Egypt and there he acquired the mystic aspect of the Egyptian religion. After that he came to Palestine and also acquired some secrets of Christianity. Later he returned to Iran where Emperor Shah Pur, son of Ardeshir's brother, on account of this royal patronage, lie came to middle Asia, Sindh and Middle India and then went on to China. Here he learnt the spiritual secrets of the religion prevailing there. On account of his experiences and acquirements, he came to the conclusion that beyond all the religions there was the basic unity of all the religions. His religion, like other religions, was based on the philosophy and principles of "Unity behind Diversity". His religion insisted on the mystic side of the religions and philosophical interpretation of the entire creation. He gave less importance to prayers, recitation of certain formulas and religious customs. His teachings were based on the Zarthusht, religion of duality, where right and wrong, light and darkness played an important role. He tried to explain all religious formulas on the basis of reason. But he was of the opinion that certain things which could not be solved through wisdom, these could get through intuition, on account of which he used to solve the problems. He used to say originally light and dark-ness were one, but were not mixed up. Light's influence was unlimited and darkness was limited. The ruler of the kingdom of light was God, whose control was on all the things. The ruler of darkness was Satan who was not permanent, but had some powers through which he could control certain things. In the beginning, he spread darkness in the world and began to interfere in the domain of the God of light. But when he came face to face with the God of light, he could not stand the refulgence of the sun. So he started hatred against righteousness. God created prophets and reformers who used to curb his teachings. Prophet Moni, after his knowledge to explain the unity behind the religions of Zarthusht, Gothum Buddha and Jesus Christ used to say that not only among the men but also among animals, trees, and inanimate things, God's spirit prevailed and through that the world was maintained. So the world was going on with the combination of both. He used to say that when heavenly light would go to the 'sky for over thousand years and half the struggle between right and wrong will continue. Ultimately the right will prevail. He used to say in the beginning that man, on account of animal influence, was under the domain of Satan. Satan had misled the ancestors of mankind "Adam and Eve". After that, from time to time, God sent prophets for the improvement of mankind. His sayings were not liked by Zarthushti vested interests. On their instigation the Emperor Bahram got him killed. His teachings had influence in the East and the West for a long time, but on account of fear of outside religious influence, it was kept secret. His books could not be saved from onslaughts of other religious heads. It is said that his workers were divided into various groups, who tried to separate their secrets from outward teachings of religions. The leader of all secrets was he himself. He did not propagate the idea of prayers or recitation of certain words or facts or customs. The special quality of his method was that his followers should free themselves from certain things. So they tried to put emphasis on right thinking and eating and freed themselves from wrong doings and did good deeds for the good of humanity. The thing, which he emphasized most, was that his followers should keep free from wrong thinking and desires. They mostly kept free from the flesh food and wrong sexual indulgence. Their main workers did not eat fish or flesh. Some of them did not even pick fruits and vegetables from the trees, but depended upon the fruits and vegetables acquired by others. Among them, the advanced men used to take food once a day and dress once a year and keep free from idol worship and remained celibates. Those persons used to fast on Monday. Their prayers did not ask God for forgiveness of sins or asked for benefit. According to their belief, sins could not be forgiven, except by keeping them away from things, which were sinful. The original idea was not the committing of sin or to bring your mind to that extent, rather you would not even wish for things, which were prohibited. They classified persons in three categories: According to their belief the Selected ones would go to heaven after death and the common man would continue to roam in the world and after purification get salvation and go to heaven; and the third sinful persons would go to hell. Their religion was based on the selected teachings of Zoroastrianism, Buddhism and Christianity. Originally their teachings were inherited from the teachings of Bablian, mostly based on the purity of the body and mind. They did not care for the success over personal enemies but for a happy life. They tried for the unity, peace and spiritual salvation of mankind. Zarthushti teachings were that, how the ills of the world should be removed, and they tried to acquire righteousness. They were against the acquirement of pleasure of God through sacrifices. They said the performance of sacrifice was against the mercy and love of God. He could not be pleased either by sacrifice and letting of blood, which practice they considered to be of the savage period. Hazrat Moni was a prophet who considered unity behind all the diversity of religions. He tried to bring one side selected good things from Iran's Hujji, Muzdahic, Muthraism, on the other side he brought the secret information from the Egypt, Summair and Babul; on third side he brought the philosophy and unity as the essence of religion; on the fourth side he placed teachings of India and Sindh's main religions, Vehdaniat, Buddhism and Jainism to his followers the. Unfortunately mankind's majority had not reached such a stage on account of which they could understand the philosophy of his teachings, with the result that he was killed. It seems that his teachings left influences for Islamic Tusawuf (theosophy), Vehdaniat, and Sankara's teachings. In modern Iran the Bahaism sect derived inspiration from his teachings. Some say that Rumi, Attar, Sanai and other Muslim Sufis had acquired much from his teachings. As such Sindh's dervishes directly and indirectly were under the spell of his teachings. This religion is based on the principles issued by the great grand father of all Semitic prophets i.e. Hazrat Ibrahim. It is said that Ibrahim had two sons, one was Hazrat Ismail and the other Hazrat Ishaque. From Ismail Prophet Mohammed brought Islamic teachings, and from Ishaque's progeny was one son named Jacob, whose second name was Israel, and all the prophets who came after him were called Banu Israel. Among them the main Prophets were Moses, David and Jesus. They are called master of books. Moses was the founder of Torah book, and on which the Jews based their religion. Hazrat Dawood spread his teachings through the book "Zaboor", and the third was Jesus Christ who spread his message through "Injeel" (New Testament). Moses was the founder of Judaism. The name of this religion was based on the name of God, whom they called 'Jahwa'. He (Moses) preached his message through "Torah" whose interpretation was done through "Talmud". The Jews called themselves "the selected nation". They left the worship of other Gods and followed 'Jahwa' (God). Like Muslims, they said there was no other God excepting Jahwa. Their grand father, Ibrahim, was born in Babylonia, which was in Chaldia country.* It is possible that their ancestors came from the Mediterranean area. The main points of Judaism are as To pray to one Jahwa and not to believe in other gods. For the guidance of Banu Israel, he left teachings through "Torah" and interpreted by the Talmud, which was the creation of Mosaic Laws. Circumcision. Not to eat pig (or Swine). Please God by animal sacrifices. Which eating of some animals declared lawful and others unlawful fixed Law. Laws were fixed by which distribution of property and marriage was fixed. Hazrat Moses was from the Nan family of Israel tribe. After Hazrat Joseph, Israel tribes were brought under unfavorable conditions. It is said that during the days of Pharaoh who ordered the children of Banu Israel should be killed. On account of this Moses was put in a box to float in the river Nile. Pharaoh's daughter, who came to the Nile, saw the box and opened it and saw the living child crying. She took it to her palace and kept one woman to look after the baby boy and named him Moses. Thus Moses was nourished and matured in the palace of Pharaoh. He grew up there. Then he took leave of Pharaoh's daughter whom he called mother, to go and stay with Banu Israel. When he lived there, he found Government men misbehaving with Israel, on which he killed the officer of Pharaoh and fled from the country and stayed in the country of Modyan. There one person who was supposed to be a religious man, called by the name of "Reveal" (Sheesh) [3] married Moses with his daughter named "Safoora" and Moses got a son from' her. Once while tending his father-in-law's goats he reached [4] the hilly mountains of "Hoorb". There he heard the voice saying: "I am God of Jacob, Ishaq and Ibrahim. I have come to know that the people of Banu Israel are in great difficulties in Egypt. They are passing their life in slavery. I have been pleased to get them out of this trouble. I have heard their con)plaint and I am aware of the difficulties in which they are passing. I entrust this mission to you, so that you get them out of Egypt and take them to the new country where they can have their own kingdom". On this Moses replied that he was nobody to free Israel from the slavery of Egypt. On this God said: "I am God of Israel. I am going to help Israel". He came to Egypt and took out Israel from Egypt to the desert of Sinah. During that period Moses used to reach the top of the hill of Sinah and get information and teachings from time to time. Ultimately he brought Torah as his book. After that his people were called "Jews", followers of God 'Jahwa'. After some time the Jews acquired control of Syria and established their kingdom, where later Dawood and Solomon ruled. After that they were conquered by Babylonians and remained there for nearly a century, as the slaves of Babylonian rulers. After some time they were freed by Persian kings and then returned to their country Syria. After getting the, Torah, the Jews followed the interpretation of the Talmud. Their religion now became a mixture of Egyptian, Summair, Babul and Israeli civilization. Moses, during their stay in the desert of Sinah, used to go to the top of Mount Sinah. There he used to pray and think over religious matters. He said that on the top of the hill he used to speak with 'Jahwa' (God), and the Torah was written under his directions. He used to impress upon the people through miracles. After him came David, Jesus and Prophet Mohammed, who provided -the basic material for the religions of Christians and Muslims. If Christianity and Islam can be called branches of Judaism, then it would not be wrong because the Law of Moses provides the material for both these religions. After that the Torah and other books of Israeli prophets put together, were called by the name of "Old Testament". After that Christ's and other prophet's letters were collected and were given the name of "New Testament". Both books put together were called by the name of 'Bible' if you read the books of Moses and Christ (New Testament), you will draw the following conclusions: Jahwa was not an all-powerful and omniscient God. He was not to be present everywhere, but was a God with greater power who was the supporter of Israel. He used to hear the prayers of Israel and came to their assistance. If anybody talked with the superior knowledge then he was considered to be possessed by God. Sometimes madness was also considered spiritual. Jahwa, when he came before his worshippers, he used to come in man's form, and to his enemies he came in the shape of death sometimes. He appeared in the form of "typhoon" or black cloud or lightening.[6] Jahwa used to bring troubles and death to the enemies of Israel. Behind the clouds he used to appear in the form of an angel. and lightening as if the 'Cobra' snake was showing his wrath. The desert people had faith in spirits. Friendly spirits were considered God or his angels. They used to give sacrifices to obtain his pleasure. Some times Jahwa appeared in the form of wrath (earthquakes, volcano lava or floods). Israelis had the belief that God showed them Himself in dreams during the night and disappeared in the day, and many things for the future were told by Him in dreams. [ Israel had the belief that God stayed on the mount of "Sinah". Therefore they had constructed their religious prayer house on the top of that hill. And after the conquest of Kinyan (Canaan) they constructed their prayer houses on the earth and considered God to stay there. Jerusalem was considered God's house, as Muslims at present call the old building of Ka'aba "House of God". Now-a-days Muslims call their mosques 'House of God'. The Jews considered certain wells and lakes as pure. From which it was considered that God had blessed these places. Israelis considered the well of Thahim pure. Muslims also, following them (Jews) considered the well (spring).of Zum Zum to be pure and its water is considered beneficial. Israelis considered some stones pure and sacred. For instance inglade, bethol, Zoin and ophera stones were considered sacred. Muslims also, in the same manner, considered Hajre-Aswad sacred and kiss it to become free of sins. Israelis considered some pieces of land, like Palestine and Jerusalem sacred; in the same manner Muslims considered Mecca- and Madina and Arab countries as sacred. Banu Israel used to believe in the curse of efficacy of prayers. They used to go to Jerusalem and prayer houses and mausoleums of their prophets and' saints. Muslims in the same manner go to Ka'aba, Madina, mausoleums of Imams or their saints for the fulfillment of their wishes or for begging for their help, to be rid of troubles and women pray at such tombs to get a baby. Israel's religion was considered to do good for their community and salvation of Banu Israel only. Because they considered themselves a selected nation (a chosen people of God) and rest of the people as "gentiles In their footsteps Muslims also started saying that a Muslim is a brother of another Muslim. One Muslim should not harm the other Muslim. Muslims were alone entitled for salvation. No animal killed by a non-Muslim will be good for eating. Muslims were pure people and the rest were Kafirs, impure and most of the books of other prophets have been cancelled. There was a time when Muslims used to eat food prepared by Muslims and took water only from a Muslim's hand. Food prepared or water brought by a non-Muslim is prohibited even today. There are some persons who still cling to such belief. Israelis annually meet at Jerusalem and perform prayers and some customs by which their purpose was to show that they belong to the same nation; and by meeting annually they will increase their unity and their sins will be forgiven, and their sacrifice will be accepted. At such sacred places nobody could meet except the people of Banu Israel. Muslims also, on the same basis, meet at Mecca for performance of Hajj and perform some customs and ask for prayers, which they consider would give their salvation. For that purpose, Muslims from all over the world meet at Mecca, perform prayers and certain customs, give sacrifice's and go round the building of Ka'aba and run between the two hills, throwing stones at two pillars. These are the customs, which Muslims perform. No non-Muslim was allowed to perform Hajj. The ancient Israeli belief about God was not that of a God of the universe, nor a creator of earth and sky. Their belief was' 'Jahwa', God of their nations; and in the same manner other nations and their own Gods, like "Chemash" was God of Moab, "'Malkan" was God of Amman.' These Gods were assigned to particular countries and to other nations and they used to protect them. Jahwa, like the God of other nations; was a separate God with separate existence. Slowly Jews began to believe that Jahwa was superior to other Gods. He could bring wrath and trouble to the people, and also benefit them. Therefore it was necessary that sacrifice be annually performed for His pleasure; and Jahwa expected Israel to be faithful to 'Him. He used to assist Israelis in wars and thus they considered Him their "Warlord". He used to appear before the Israelis at times of troubles, and His dwelling on the top of hills. Israelis were the custodians of those Shrines, who afterwards called themselves descendants of Moses. After some time, for the protection of their shrines, they kept Castries slaves as their custodians. So that they should be away from any sex indulgence. In the same manner Muslims also at Ka'aba and mausoleum of Prophet, started keeping Khwaja Saras at those places. Israelis preferred to die in Palestine to get salvation. Muslims also in the same manner preferred to die or be buried in Mecca or Madina. Ancient Israelis considered the course of spirit having great force, and in order to get their wishes fulfilled they used to offer prayers or make certain sacrifices for the fulfillment of their desires. For the pleasure of that God they used to give food to beggars. Israelis also believed that certain persons had the power of intercession with God, by 'which they could get their prayers accepted. Israelis' purpose in life, was to serve their own nation. Similarly Muslims also consider the support and service of their community and do not think or support people of other nations or community. Just as human beings have been progressing in the same manner their religion was also gradually evolved. Jews go on reforming their religion. For a long time Jews kept religion and politics together. In the days of David or Solomon, they established their own kingdoms, based on their religion, on the basis of superiority of their nation and superiority of their religion they ruled over the 'people. They ruled for 342, years. During the period they faced great troubles. First, in a war with Babylonia they were defeated, and lacs of their people were made captives and kept as slaves of the Babylonians for 140 years. There they remained in slavery till the Emperor of Persia, "Cyrus", released them from slavery, and they went back to Palestine and brought certain of the laws of reformation to their religion. Afterward they were conquered by Greeks and remained slaves under their dominance for some time. Then they came under the dominance of the Roman Empire. In their days they got some internal freedom. But the conservative policy of their "Rabbian" brought them into conflict with the people. Jesus Christ was born 60' years after the Israelis had been under Roman dominance. Israelis used to believe certain persons had the power to pray to God and intercede on their behalf to forgive their misdeeds and bring relief to them. But during the Roman days, Jesus Christ tried to reform them, but those Judaic Rabbis martyred him on the cross. Afterwards when one of the Roman Emperors (Constantine) became Christian, they were in difficulties and many of them migrated to Europe, Iran, North Africa and left politics and adopted a life of trade and other professions. That period was called by the name of dispersion. In that condition, they remained for nearly 1500 years, but during all that period they strictly 'adhered to their religion. But in view of remaining in different countries in different conditions, they brought several reforms in their religion. During the last 3 or 4 centuries, they produced well-known philosophers and doctors. One of them was Spenoza who gave the religious ideology, a new conception from which Christians as well as Muslims took advantage. Karl Marx - On the basis of materialism,' advanced the theory of communism and brought a new conceptional revolution in' the economic field. Sigmond Freud -, Threw new light on psychological on a scientific basis which brought a new outlook on psychological research. Einstein gave birth to the theory of "Relativity", which gave the world to understand the conflicting points of view. Thus this nation produced' several persons who benefited the world. From Jews the Zionist movement started. Who thought that in order to get their country and Government, it was necessary that religion and politics should again be joined together. The Jewish Industrialists and Capitalists had supported this movement. Ultimately on account of their influence the Britishers and Americans created a country named Israel, in one portion of Palestine. Its area was about 8050 sq. miles, but on account of their money and influence, in modern Europe and America, they slowly defeated the Arabs and conquered several parts of Palestine. Even today, in spite of world opposition, they occupy Arab territory and nobody can remove them. Their population in that area is about 30 lacs, and on the other side, Arabs are nearly 5 crores. What may happen in the future is not yet clear. Today there are two countries in the world, Pakistan and Israel, which call themselves religious states or nations. They have mixed religion with politics. Modern Zionist movement was supported by new theory of Moosio Meldson, who changed the policy of separation from other nations and gave a few touch to the religious outlook of the Jews, from which they had actually not come out from tile very beginning. He translated the Bible from Hebrew into German and established a university in Berlin in which several Christians were allowed to be educated. He introduced the system of coeducation on account of which bigotry gave place to tolerance. So the wall of separation, which had remained between Christians and Jews, was broken. In Spain one Emperor gave religion a new shape and created a "Crans" sect, which brought the Muslims and Christians near to each other and Hebrew and Arabic language books were translated into Spanish. "Jehood Bin Tuban" of Granada produced a great philosopher who played a great part in bringing the knowledge of the Christians, Muslims and Jews near to each other. Afterwards when Prince Ferdinand of Granada started a war with the Muslims and removed them from Spain, at that time Jews also suffered a lot and left Spain and went to Algeria which was a Muslim country. In the recent two world wars, many of the Jews who were residing in Russia, Poland, Barbury, Morocco and Romania were passing their lives in great difficulties, up to the middle of 18th century. From religious point of view Jews of England remained orthodox, with Mosaic laws and had their separate Synagogues. At present Jews all over the world have left their orthodox principles and the former blind following of the old conception of Jewish religion. At present they have reformed their religious concepts for the salvation of Jews in the world. Now they have started thinking of the salvation of mankind by realizing that by following the footsteps of certain religions will not solve the problem's of the world, and especially by following the belief of getting salvation through a particular religion, has brought great difficulties in the world. Today Jews are against their old religious concepts and have started tolerating criticism against their religious beliefs. They have removed their bigoted ideas, and beliefs in the old traditions and in their religious books. Today they have honestly started to criticize their old religious ideas and have introduced new interpretations of their gospel. They have introduced in their old beliefs, on the basis of universal character, reasoning and have made new amendments in their religion. Today they have begun to say that every man of character can be entitled to salvation and get the pleasure of God. On the mount of Sinah, God had ordered the Jews, wherever the name of God will be taken, people will have faith in it. Their God's blessings will appear. Now they have started saying that' every good man, of whatever nation or religion was entitled to salvation. Today all Jews are not of the same opinion. There are many who still believe that Jews alone are entitled to salvation, and they are a selected nation of God. Several of their philosophers are of the opinion that everywhere God's blessings will be apparent. From that point of view they are not of the opinion that the division of nations should be made on the basis of religion. They say that bigotry in Canaan was not performed on account of their religious bigotry, but that there was political divisions behind their rivalry. Previously there was a belief among the Jews, that their religion was complete and the best and so propagation for conversion into it (Judaism) was necessary. But after translation, of their books in other languages, they consider it not necessary that they should utilize force in religion or prohibit people from going out from their religion. Now they have come to the conclusion that right education, right propaganda, good deeds 'and 'a good character is the right course for the teaching of their 'religion. At present they consider the ultimate object' of their religion is to reform their right education and performance of good deeds. At present the pivotal point of their belief is written in pathetic book in which God says: "You have to be pure because I, your God, am pure". It is equivalent to Muslim belief that: "You should bring yourself according to attributes of God." Now-days the learned group of Jews are of the opinion that it is better to perform good deeds, adopt a good character rather than perform prayers and follow the laws of religion. In the 18th chapter of the "Yahweh" book, it is written that "while reading My book and My orders, you should think more on the performance of good deeds". At one place it is said that forgiveness can only be achieved with returning of a theft, and .no sacrifice can be accepted without forgiveness of sins. These persons also believe that asking for the forgiveness of sins from God, it is better not to commit sins. It is said by those Jews that in their golden age they used to prefer truth and sincerity more than prayers. Safety of mankind and following of the right persons and love of human beings were main principle of their teachings and traditions, and according to Prophet Jeremiah, acquiring the knowledge of God, meant the acquirement of truth and love was the key to religion. And the same Prophet says in another place, anybody who is exaggerating things, will not be entitled to God's blessings'. The real Jew held the belief that God is merciful and just and wants peace and safety. It is written in Talmud, that humility is better than sacrifices, and any man who does not learn from religion the lesson of love and mercy should not be considered a religious man.' He has not known the secret of the knowledge 'of God. Modern Jews say that the thinking is better provided it leads to the performance of good deeds. The 'purpose of reason and knowledge should be performed by doing good deeds and working for peace. God's right knowledge and pleasure can only be achieved through the performance of good deeds'. The true Jews say that acquirement of peace of mind and performance of good deeds,' is better than right faith. Religious laws should be utilized for the performance of good deeds and right character. According to them that man alone will be entitled to the blessings of God, who speaks the truth and does not malign anybody. They say that others will not like a thing, which you do not like. That is the fundamental point in their ethics. Rest of the things follows it. They say you should love your neighbor just as you love yourself. Your ethical ,duty is that you should consider all the human beings as creatures of God and treat them equally. It is said in Talmud that a Kafir (infidel) having a good character is better than a great-learned man among the Jews. They say that everybody who does good deeds and has a good character though he may belong to any religion, is entitled to salvation and be in paradise. It is said by the learned among the Jews that for contradictions of belief, let the bigots fight among themselves, but this thing should be borne in mind that the man who performed good deeds and had a right character will not be wronged. It is written in Talmud that in the interpretation of truth without right feeling, religion cannot have any meaning. It is also said in the Talmud that God's path and pleasure is hidden in the saying that people should love each other and remains in peace. Good deeds are those, which were not good in appearance, good deeds, can be those which can reform character and benefit human beings. It is said in the Talmud that sitting in seclusion with peace and performance of prayers do not bring so much blessings of God as the performance of good deeds. During the performance of duty any trouble or harm suffered brings more nearer to perfection. Duty is an achievement and God loves performance of duty. fear of God is less' beneficial than performance of duty for tile good of humanity'. It is said in "Zaboor" that the humble man will be the master of the land. It is also written in the Talmud that it is better to be humble rather than cruel. Anybody who is blamed should not reply and who is right and blamed unjustly will shine like the Sun. It "will be better to forgive rather, than take revenge. It is written that to keep good feelings it is better to love one's opponent. 'To have mercy on animals does not mean that you should save them from trouble, but that should be a, sign of man's being merciful, better character and perfectness. 'It is also written that without difference" of religion, tribe and nation, one should be helpful to others, during' illness or death. It is in the tradition's that when the Egyptian's were being drowned in the sea, when following Israelis, angels were feeling happy. Then God warned them that "My creatures are suffering and you are feeling happy?" It is said that one true "Rabbi" employed God not' to make anybody his enemy, neither to put enmity against anybody in his mind,. Just faithfulness and charity should be done to all men without distinction of caste and creed. Good deeds are pearls and fear of God is its thread. If the thread is broken, then pearls will scatter. Religious performance without character is a lifeless thing. Good deeds are the spirit of religion. That person will not be a true Muslim who does not know that Judaism is like the trunk of religion, Islam and Christianity are its, branches. The founder of this religion was Jesus Christ, whom Muslims call Hazrat Issa. He was born in the province of "Gulail" from the body of "Mary", wife of "Joseph". They used to remain in the fishermen's .village near the seacoast. Jesus had a brother (John the Just) and two sisters. It was a custom in those days that important person was considered Cod's incarnation, therefore it was believed among the followers of Jesus, that Jesus was not the' son of Joseph, hut of God, in the shape of Rooh-ul-Qudus" (Holy Spirit) which was the source of his birth. Bibi Mariam was a virgin. Joseph was he betrothal. When Bibi Mariam became pregnant, in order to save her honor, Joseph proclaimed that he was married to Mary. In a similar manner the King of Macedonia, Philip, got Alexander the Great. In order to raise his prestige, it was proclaimed that Alexander was not the son of his father, but God was his real father. In the same manner the traditions among Hindus is that Sri-Krishna and Ram Chander were incarnation of God Vishnu, who were born of their mothers. These are the old traditions 'of ancient folklore. Hazrat Issa (Jesus) was from the Israeli Jewish tribe and 42nd descendant of Hazrat Ibrahim, the fourteenth descendant was Moses and the 28th descendant was David (Father of Solomon). After him (David) the Jews were conquered by the Babylonians, and kept in their slavery for fourteen generations. When the Persian Emperor Cyrus conquered Babul, he freed the Israelis and sent them back to their country where, in the village of Bait-ul-Hukum, in the Yahudia village, he was born. At that time the king of the Roman Empire was "Herodatus". After the birth of Jesus his parents migrated for some time to Egypt. After the death of Harodatus, who was against the Jews, they came back and stayed in the area of "Gulail" (Galilee). At that time Yuhuna Prophet John the Baptist) used to live in the desert and baptize people. Yuhuna used to wear the cloth spun from camel hair. Hazrat Jesus went to Yuhuna for baptism, when he (Yuhina) told him (Jesus) that "your status is greater than mine I am going to baptize you because you have come to me" After that Jesus remained in the wilderness for 40 days. There 'he passed through various stages of deep thought, prayers and experience. In those days Pales-tine was under the rule of the Roman Emperor, whose Governor used to remain in charge of that country, but for the local administration, the rule was entrusted to the hands of Jewish leaders. Jews, like the Brahmans, were staunch followers of the Mosaic laws. At that time Jerusalem was the center of the people of Banu-Israel. They used to run the government according to Mosaic laws. Their annual function was performed when Jews from all over the country came for visiting and sacrificing. Jesus, who had obtained spiritual powers visited Jerusalem twice. There he came to know that in the Mosaic laws, several unwanted innovations had been added, and without their reformation it was difficult to reform these people. Therefore he put all his emphasis on good deeds and greatness of God and His grace. In order to prove to the people that he was a Prophet, he performed certain miracles. After the performance of miracles, thousands of people from various corners of the country came for relief. Moses had said to his people that when Mosaic laws will become weak, then a prophet, Messih, will be born, who will then guide them and get them their lost glory. Therefore they started thinking to get their glory through him. They thought that he could turn their miserable condition and bring them their former glory. But they had not clearly understood when he used to tell them that if they followed him, they would be entitled to the Kingdom of Heaven. They thought that Kingdom of Heaven would be the same as the Kingdom of David and Solomon, but Jesus preached to them the need for Purity and self-control and not to crave for worldly powers. When be moved ~r preaching in the villages, thousands of people gathered round him. Then the 'spiritual leaders (Rabbis) told him' that if he was really the Promised Prophet, then he should get them the kingdom of the country as in the days of David and Solomon. While he moved about villages, his popularity increased day by day. During his tour he expressed certain views which were against the law of Moses and Jewish traditions. For instance among the traditions, Saturday was considered good for prayer, when one had to remain at peace and free from the worldly affairs. Some people who were ill came to him for being cured. Some times he helped them and they got cured, and he worked on Saturdays also, which was considered by the Jews to be a day of rest, Then the religious leaders of Israel talked to him about strictly following the laws. He replied that the laws were not everything as those were made for the benefit and reformation 'of the people, so people were not to be bound down to follow the laws as these are meant for people, and not the people were created to follow them. These things were against the minority interests of the "Rabbis" and "Kahins". He told the people that human salvation did not depend on strictly following of the shariat (laws) but that grace of God was something also on account of such expression, they turned against him. Because that decreased the influence of custodians of Israeli laws, therefore their antagonism increased. He refused to believe in the efficacy of sacrifice and salvation through prayers. Jesus said that God was not pleased on account of blood sacrifices. But he being merciful God, was pleased by good deeds and by giving relief or help to suffering humanity. Freesin and custodian of Israeli hierarchy did not like this view. Among the Jews it was an old belief that during the downfall of the Jews, Prophet Jesus would come, who would get them a kingdom and bring to them their lost glory. But he knew that he couldn't get them any kingdom through miracles. Because he knew that the real persons entitled to rule were the true men of character who were servants of God, and who on account of their good deeds would benefit their nation. Therefore, it was necessary that the character of people should be improved through good deeds and by service of humanity rather than by prayers and sacrifices, which God does not want or get, but men eat. There was a belief of Jews, from ancient times, that after sometime a prophet would come to improve their conditions [5] and get them back the (independent) kingdom of the country and old glory. When, therefore, Israelis asked him who he was, he replied that he was the "Son of God" and the promised Prophet. But from this one misunderstanding grew; Israelis thought that if he was really a Prophet he would get them the kingdom through his miracles. But Jesus knew that for the government of the country those were only entitled who were men of character and did good deeds. But the Israelis had not acquired these qualities so the first need was that they should be prepared intellectually, morally, spiritually, and be of good characters. After that alone they would be entitled to rule. "But as they had lost their efficiency by putting emphasis on sacrifices and prayers and religious customs, therefore they had to be prepped first for the Kingdom of Heaven spiritually. When through that, they became men of' character and good deeds then, automatically they would be entrusted with power. But Jews, Freesin and Rabbis who occupied the local posts in the government and decided questions, in accordance with the Mosaic laws, could not understand these questions and they thought that by following Jesus; they would lose their power. So long as Jesus was touring the villages and preaching for spiritual progress to the common people, up to that time they tolerated him because he did not come in clash with their vested interests. But when in the annual gatherings in Jerusalem lacs of people met and he started preaching to the gathering and on account of his miracles men's belief in him was increasing, the custodians of synagogues got frightened and considered his teachings against their traditions. Jesus used to come into town during the day and sleep in the forests, on the mountain during the nights. Once he entered the town riding on a donkey, thousands of people came in his procession. It looked as if a king was, passing through the streets. This popularity of Jesus displeased Israeli custodians. Especially when they knew that this boy, came from the village of 'the fishermen, on the back of the sea, and he was the son of the Carpenter (Joseph) and he dared to work against their beliefs and- called himself the promised -prophet. Then they began -to conspire' against him in order to bring about a conflict between him and the Roman Government, in order to punish him. So they started asking him such questions so that he may come in conflict with the Roman Empire. Once they asked him as to whom they should give taxes. He asked them to bring him a coin on which the Roman Emperor's portrait was embossed. He replied to them "This coin belongs to the Roman Emperor. Therefore it should go back to him". Several times they tried to involve him in trouble with' the Government. Every time he got himself out of their intrigue. At last they called a conference of the Israeli leaders and raised the questions, where they decided that anyhow they should get him killed But by that' time his followers had increased to such an extent that it was practically impossible to arrest him during the daytime. And during the night he used to disappear in the wilderness. Where few of his followers were near about,' one' his followers named Yahudia, was bribed to show them his hiding place to enable them to get him arrested. One night when Jesus was sleeping alone in the forest, Yahudia, along with the Jewish police, went and got him arrested. When he was brought before the court of the Jewish leaders, they immediately proceeded with the case and sentenced him to death. But in those days the death sentence could not be executed without the permission of the Roman Governor. Therefore they, after convicting him, took him directly to the Governor. Jesus already knew what was going to happen and he was ready for it. Because he had reached the conclusion that salvation of the nation and the human being could only be achieved through his own sacrifice, whereas the Jews believed that the real 'prophet could only be he who may obtain for them the worldly kingdom. But he Jesus was of the opinion that nobody, no nation or people could achieve power without good deeds and moral character. Therefore he had preached to the people to train them on the spiritual basis to be good. But on account of centuries of wrong belief they could not understand. Further more, he considered the right deeds and good conduct were better than following of Jewish 'laws. On the other hand, the Jews had put all the emphasis on mere outward purity and following of Mosaic laws and the attainment of ruling power. Christ was a saintly person and the Jewish leaders were imbibed with the idea of sacrifice. Christ wanted to bring the people directly in contact with God, while the Jewish leaders wanted their own intercession necessary for salvation. The night on which they wanted to get Jesus arrested in that night's supper there were twelve (Havarians) present. Jesus told them that "One of you will spy and get me arrested, the rest will run away". So it happened that Yahudia got Jesus arrested and the council of the' Jews' sentenced him to the cross. Then they immediately brought him to the Roman Governor. The Governor saw that the judgement passed by the leaders was not correct, but due to political reasons he did not want to displease the Jewish leaders. He ordered the punishment of whip lashes and a crown of thorns to be worn by him as punishment Thinking by that punishment the Jews will give up the idea of punishment of Christ on the cross, But the Jew leaders were cruel, so they insisted that Christ should be crucified. Ultimately the Governor, in order to please the leaders, on their request ordered him to be hung on the cross: On one side there was the question of one man's preaching of new ideas and reforms, on the other, the Governor' considering the question, supported the Jewish leader's: After hearing the Judgement, the leaders immediately dragged Christ towards the cross' and there,' along with two other" thieves, he was, killed by nailing his hands and feet. He was buried.' Next day when the 'Jews went to the grave they found that his body had disappeared. Then many Stories were told about his disappearance. Some said they had seen his body being carried away by angels towards the sky and he was alive. He will be sent again for salvation of humanity. On this question they were divided in to two groups; one said that angels took his spirit to the skies and the other said that his body and spirit both had gone to the sky. Abraham's followers adopted several things from each other. First it is said that Ibrahim saw God and invited Him to his tent; after feeding Him, spoke with Him and God entered covenant with him, and he gave a sacrifice to please God. After that when the period of Moses came in Palestine, he on mount Sinah, spoke with God. Here he erected a sacrificial place and gave sacrifices. Similarly, in his time, Jesus sacrificed himself for the good of humanity and he became alive and went to Heaven. The same belief is held among, Muslims. Then he rose from the dead. God sent for Prophet Mohammed on the sky and spoke to him and showed him the skies. About this there are two versions. One group is the opinion the Prophet Mohammed was sent spiritually to Mairaj (Ascension), and the second group holds that he went to the sky bodily as well as with his spirit. Thus it will be seen that the following answers of Ibrahim believe that they believe in God, though they were named different but all of them believed in the personal conception and personal attributes of one God. If Ibrahim sent for God, in the tent and fed Him, that also is a concept of a personal God. Covenant of God, sacrifices and circumcision show the personal conception of God.' Hazrat Moses meeting with God in mount Sinah, and speaking to Him and ordering to fight and sometimes showed his displeasure and sometimes offering "Mano and Salwa" were also signs of a personal concept of God. It is said, in Torah that God said: "1 have created man after my own Image". This (Torah) saying shows the personal concept of God. Hazrat Jesus was created by God through incarnation of God inside his mother's womb and, called Jesus His son. After his physical death, he, came to life and was lifted above and after death, through, miracles, he brought certain dead persons to life (like Lazarus) and thereafter, some time they returned back to their own to: lead their usual life. It is said he also killed Dajjal (anti-Christ). All such things, were beyond human conception. Prophet Mohammed's conception 9f going to Mairaj and speaking to God on seventh sky. About Jesus's life it is said that once in Galilee he, went on preaching and giving good news to the people and curing them from illnesses and difficulties. Several persons gathered behind him and he, in order to preach to them, mounted the hill and delivered a sermon. This sermon is called the "Sermon on the Mount". The main portions of his teachings are that God's blessings fail on the poor and pure hearted. They will get spiritual kingdom: "Blessed are those who are unhappy here". God will bless them in the future. Those who are blessed are going to be the custodian of earth. Blessed are those who on the path of righteousness remain hungry and thirsty. Ultimately they are going to be happy. God will bless those who are merciful. Blessed are those whose heart is pure. Because are those who bring peace to the people. Because, like children, they are doing God's work. Blessed are those who, on account of going on the right path, are made to suffer. So pleasures of the future will be a heritage of those who are travelling on the right path. "People malign you after hearing my views. They trouble you and malign you. Do not care for them. Because through that alone you are going to gain happiness. In future those will get a reward, who have suffered in the past. You are salt of the land. If you lose your selfishness, you will not be considered of any use. You can duly be thrown on the earth to be trod upon by the foot. You are the' light of the world. The city which is constructed on the hill cannot be hidden. A lamp after burning cannot be kept under shelter. Rather it is to be kept on a higher place so that the whole house should be illuminated. In the same manner your light should shine before them, so that after seeing your good deeds, people should praise your 'Father in the sky'. Do not consider that I have come to reject the writings of the Torah or of other prophets. I have come to reform and guide them. I am telling you the truth, so long the earth and sky are in existence up to that time the sayings of prophet will not be without fulfillment. Whoever follows righteousness will be considered great before God. You have "Freesin and Saduqeen" otherwise you will not get real happiness. You have been told - Do not kill anybody because you will be punished from the court. But I tell you that you should not show anger to any human being. Because that is also punishable. Whoever calls another mad is entitled to punishment. Whoever calls others ignorant will be entitled to punishment. When you go for sacrifice on the sacrificial ground and you remember that you have displeased some persons then you first go to get pardon from that person and then offer sacrifice. Then it will be accepted. You have to give an account of every paisa (money) which you owe others. You have been forbidden to commit rape on other men's wives, But I tell you that even to look other's wives with a sexual motive is equal to rape If your eye misleads you, take it out and throw it away so that your body may be saved from hell. You have been told that if you are displeased with your wife, divorce her. But my advice is to anybody who divorces his wife who has not committed any sin, will be like the person who had permitted his wife for rape. You have been told not to take a false oath, but my advice to you is no.. take an oath at all. Your saying should have such value that it should be equal to an oath. You have been told that in retaliation if somebody has broken your teeth or taken out an eye, you do the same. But my advice to you is that do not contest with your enemy. If somebody slaps you on the right cheek you give him you left cheek to slap. If anybody disgraces you by taking out your coat. Then you should hand over your shirt to him. If anybody takes you by force one mile, you go with him willingly on another mile also. If anybody borrows from you something do not deny. You have been told that you should love your neighbor. And whoever harms you ask for his forgiveness. Your Father is in the skies. You should be his true descendants. Because he raises the sun for good and also for bad. He sends rain from the skies for the benefit as well as for loss. If you love those who love you, what benefit will you get. If you salute your brothers, what good do you do? People of different countries do the same. Your Father who is in the sky, He is complete, you have to be complete like Him" Shah Latif inspired by his spirit says: "Good people do good things to others, and bad do bad things to others; every man does what he is worth ". (Shah Latif) Be aware, do not do good things to show to others as then you will not get any reward from God. If you want to give charity give in such a way that if your right hand gives, your left should not have any know-ledge of it. Charity should be hidden. God sees and gives you reward. When you want to pray go to the inner portion of your house and after shutting the door you should pray. God is not seen, but He sees everything, and He accepts your prayers. Do not give heed to the collection of worldly things, because that ran be eaten away by rust or insects or a thief can take these away Collect things for the future, which neither a thief will take away nor it can be damaged. Wherever you have possessions, your mind will be there. At one place you cannot please two masters. God and the world's love cannot be kept in one place. "God and self cannot be placed in same mind as two swords cannot occupy one self." (Shah Latif) Do not think too much of your desires. See the birds they do not sow nor collect the grains and keep in the room. God also gives them. Do riot think of tomorrow, tomorrow will take care of itself. Today's thinking is sufficient for you. Do not pick out misdeeds of others, so that others may not point out your misdeeds. Do not throw pure things before a dog; to throw pearls before swine is not useful. Seek and you will get. Find out and you will get. Knock at the door and it will open. If you wish others to behave well with you, then you should also behave in the right manner with them. The tree is known from its fruit. A good tree will give sweet fruit and a bad one will give bad fruit. Any tree, which does not give good fruit, is to be cut and thrown into the fire. All those who try to please me will not go to heaven. But those who work for the pleasure of God will be benefited. This is in a nutshell; the gist of Christ's Sermon on the Mount. He once said, anybody who believes in me, I will support before God. The men, who care for others, are not my true followers. My true follower can only be one who carries a cross on his shoulders. Shah Latif says: "Sister, my path is full with wilderness, do not accompany me; neither is there water, road is lengthy nor all the way is desert. So feeling thirsty, she may not curse my Beloved". Christ says, whoever wants to save his body will lose it. For the sake of principles whoever sacrifices his life will live forever. Anyone who is hot with Tile is against me. Forgive the misdeeds and sins of people, but that thing, which is against my principles, will not be forgiven. Sonic people hear through their ears but do not understand some people see the things with their eyes but do not know it. This Nation's mind is full of fat. Christ said at one place that prophets and reformers are mostly belied in their country, though they may show many miracles and do good deeds for the people. If you want that you should have heavenly pleasure, you should be pure like children. When Freesin and Saduqeen told him that you should have respect for Saturday, lie replied that "Days were made for men and not men for days". Once he said whoever is not against me he is with me. Christ left his sayings in four "Injeels" (Gospels): those are Mutta, Murraques, Luck and Uhina. John). All these Injeels along with certain letters from Havaries books are called the New Testament. It is said that Christ was uneducated. Once he was reading, then the Jews got confused and said, "You are illiterate, then how do you read?". He replied "I am reading through the Grace of my Father". He said that only those persons who loved me are the persons who followed my advice". He once said that "I have come from God and will go back to Him". In the same manner Muslims say they came from God and will return to Him. Christ said that he has not brought a new religion, but he has come to reform previous religions because of the change in social conditions. All prophets, doctors, reeshis and Munnis have come from God, for the guidance and advice of human beings. But when afterwards their followers considered their messages and education, they finally discarded these due to material requirements of the time and tried to safeguard the vested interests, and then new prophets used to come. But followers of previous prophets, finding their monopoly breaking, opposed the new prophets. This process has persisted throughout human history. Power and monopoly have been man's weakness from savagery to civilization. When the learned men of the Jews did not consider the changed conditions and tried to blindly follow the old customs and laws of Mosaic teachings. According to the requirements of time, Christ came to reform the religion, but the new leaders opposed him and got him crucified. From a research one will find that the laws of Moses and of Christ are branches of Abraham's religion. So I have come to the conclusion that the following questions were the main cause of differences: 1) The followers of Hazrat Moses were divided into two groups, Saduqeen and Fareseen. In spite of the difference in religious interpretation, both were of the view that following the Shariat Mosavi was necessary, as it was final and not to be changed. Hazrat Jesus was of the opinion that on account of the change in the time and conditions, religious codes and laws needed suitable modifications. But the persons who were authorized interpreters of Mosaic laws considered change in these against their vested interest, so they opposed it. They insisted on strict adherence to those laws. Hazrat Jesus said that emphasis should not be on the laws but there was grace also which was to be counted. Shah Latif has translated that idea as: Law and justice benefit me not but it is grace which is going to save me". (Shah Latif) 2) The followers of Hazrat Moses considered Saturday as fixed for prayers. On that day they did not do any work as they called it SABBATH. But Jesus said that days were created for men, not men of days. There fore all days were God's' days and every good work could be done on any day. That was the second cause of difference. 3)The Jews, like Zoroastrians, considered God having two attributes. One of punishment and other of mercy. In order to pacify the attribute of punishment sacrifice of blood and fat was considered necessary. Bu Jesus was full of mercy and love. He like his Father, used to love all his creatures. All the troubles which fall on the, people are the result of their bad deeds and not on account of the wrath of God. Shah Latif has interpreted it. It is due to misdeeds committed by me that this misfortune Fall upon me, otherwise God is merciful." (Shah Latif) Anger is the quality of an animal or a human being. God was far above these. According to Mosaic law, like Zarthusht theory of duality, every trouble was due to God's displeasure, but Jesus, like the Eastern religion, especially Buddhism, considered troubles and calamities due to one's own misdeeds, which is called the result of Karma. Therefore Christ did not consider the giving of sacrifice necessary. That was the third cause of differences between Christ and the orthodox followers of Moses. 4) The Jews were told that the main purpose of religion was reformation of character and peace and prosperity. For that reason they were told to follow the laws of Moses. But the followers for the performance of these laws considered violence necessary. For its fulfillment they considered mixing religion with politics. Therefore they considered the formation of a government for spreading of religion necessary. Israel was a small nation which lived in a limited area, and around it there were big empires and in order to fulfil their religious laws, conflict with the neighboring countries became un-avoidable. Christ taking a lesson from history was of the opinion. That violence and force should be given up and love, giving of peace to the minds should take their place Jews Saduqeen and Fareseen were trained and accustomed to use violence for their fulfillment of religious laws Moreover they had acquired vested interest and so had lost the sense of tolerance. When Jesus instructed them that instead of punishing the sinner, the path of forgiveness should be adopted; instead of taking vengeance from the enemy, he should be treated with love and affection. The orthodox rigid and formalistic Jewish Clergy (Rabbi) considered these things against their laws and traditions, therefore they opposed every effort of Jesus to reform the Jews. 5) From centuries the Jews had the belief that in case of their downfall, the promised Christ will come and get them back their kingdom. But when Christ actually came and said that he was the promised prophet, they then expected that he would free them from the slavery of Romans and get them back their kingdom. But Christ, considering the conditions concluded that committing of violence would not benefit the Jews. Therefore the first thing was for them to devote their time and efforts in reformation of their character and adopting right deeds. Therefore he told them that the best government was the Kingdom of Heaven, for which force and violence was not necessary but the path of love and winning of hearts will have to be taken. But the Jews could not understand these spiritual and valuable methods. So they insisted on getting of political power and government for which they had thought for all the past centuries. At present Christ, instead of getting them worldly power, preached for the acquirement of spiritual happiness. The Jews did not like this and they went against him. 6) After Moses, Israelis seem to have been divided into groups: The first group was called Saduqui, who were Sardars (leaders) and learned persons of the tribe. Second group, Faresin, was the lawgivers. Under the supervision of Saduqeens they used to run the administration, the Judiciary and Executive. The third group was of the poor masses, who were subordinate to the first two groups. They were in trouble and difficulties, Therefore, Jesus turned his attention towards their improvement and reform. He performed such miracles that this group got the benefit. His preaching and instructions were mostly directed towards these people. Therefore his followers were mostly from this group. This did not suit the Saduqeen and Faresin, who had vested interests. Therefore, they did not like the teachings of Christ and opposed him. In essence it was an economic issue which alienated the Jews from the Rabbis. 7) Like Brahmans, Israeli Sardars and learned people considered themselves as a selected nation and above other nations. The Israelis practical circumcision was a compulsory rite (Khatna). Therefore they considered those persons who had not performed circumcision alien to their religion and nation. Their conception of God "Jahwa" was the God of Israelis, and they considered salvation also as their own right. But the conception of God, before Christ was that He was Father of humanity and the creator one. Shah Latif said that: '"I have received the new message from the beloved at night. In which it is said, who had the grace of God, he was entitled to salvation." Latif says that grace of God has been bestowed on us. For He (God) does not enquire about the caste or creed, Whoever approaches Him sincerely is accepted. That theory was against the traditions and superiority of Israeli nation. Therefore, they opposed Christ, that was their seventh difference with Christ. 8) Israeli Sardars and Rabbis held the belief that salvation of their nation depended o~ purity and strict adherence the Mosaic laws. But Jesus did not give it importance. His attention was more on the purification of the heart, love of humanity, good character and good deeds. This teachings and preaching he gave importance to these things, which were considered by the vested interests against their belief and interest. Therefore, they opposed him. They said these things were an innovation and against the law of Torah (Talmud) and Israeli traditions. 9) Israelis considered themselves superior and a selected nation and thus entitled to God's blessings. They considered their religion complete and their law the best code of life, and thought themselves the real followers of Moses. Against their teachings Christ considered the whole of humanity as creatures of God and entitled to salvation. He considered Mosaic Law as a base but in spite of that he believed in the evolution of religion. He considered Mosaic Law the base of many good things, but owing to changed condition and new requirements of the time an advanced period of national and local needs considered reform of religion necessary. Hazrat Musa was a great prophet but the new age of Christ had come and considering himself the prophet of the period, he did not hesitate to express his views with the result he was sent to the cross on account of their enmity. 10) Approximately, Jesus came fourteen hundred years after Moses. In between these two prophets had appeared in the world. Apart from Israelis in the East several prophets had appeared like Gothum Buddha, Mahatma Mahavir and Zarthushta, who had brought the new messages, new hopes, new thinking. It is likely that Christ may not have been informed about their teachings. Most of the prophets came from God, and they came on account of historical requirements and necessity of time, and on account of spiritual continuity they were necessary. But the Jews could not understand their meaning and purpose on account of their narrow mindedness and conservation. They started opposing him but Christianity, in spite of difficulties, went on spreading. For some time this went on underground then afterwards openly, with the result that the Roman Emperor himself became a Christian. Today among the entire humanity, 40% or 50% are Christians, due to their right methods and beliefs they have reached this stage. RELIGION OF ISLAM The founder of this religion was Prophet Mohammed He was the descendant of Hazrat Ibrahim, from his Egyptian slave girl Bibi Hajira's son Ismail. Prophet Mohammed was over twenty eighth descendant of Ismail. His father's name was Abdullah. His mother's name was Amina. His father and mother died when he was young. After that, in the beginning he remained under supervision of his grandfather Abul Muttalib, and after that his uncle Abu-Talib. His great grandfather's name was Hashim. Therefore, lie was called of the Hashmi family. They were the custodians of Ka'aba Prophet Mohammed was born in Mecca on 12th Rabi-ul-Awal on Wednesday. From childhood he was considered to be of an exemplary character and good deeds. One rich lady, who had lost her husband, named Khadeeja-tul-Kubra, married him at tile age of 24 and entrusted him with her entire trade management. She was at that time 40 years old. Mohammed, on account of the trade of his wife, used to go to Mesopotamia and Syria, where he met several persons belonging to other religions and some ascetic persons of Syria and Mesopotamia: He used to remain there for sometime, as these were the centers of civilization and citizenship, where Babul and Summair civilizations had been. At that time in those countries, many of the learned persons belonging to Christianity, Judaism and Zoroastrianism used to be there. Sindh and India's prophets and religions had direct or indirect influence over those countries. In the neighborhood there was Egypt, which was the center of one of the oldest civilization and citizenship and religious beliefs. At the age of 40, Prophet Mohammed in the cave of Hira saw a vision, which frightened him. When lie narrated the story to his wife she consulted an old man (Warqa Bin Naufil), who told her that it was the angel Gabriel who had met Mohammed. That was the beginning of the meetings of the angel with the Prophet. Then such meetings continued. It is said that after every visit of the angel, he became senseless and spoke certain words, which were remembered by his companions and were written down. Fifteen years after his demise, one of his companions, Usman, collected all the material and prepared the book, which was called by the name of "Furqan". His wife and Cousin Ali, son of his uncle Abu-Talib, and his adopted son, Zaid, accepted the belief in his prophethood. Among the Prophet's companions, it is said, first to believe was Abdullah-Bin-Kaifa, who afterwards became known by the name of Abu-Bakar Siddiq. From Hazrat Ismail's descendant only Hazrat Mohammed (peace be upon him) became Prophet. Whereas from Hazrat Ishaq, his son Hazrat Yaqoob, who later was named Israel. His descendants got famous as Banu Israel. From them were born many prophets. Hazrat Moosa, Hazrat Dawood, and Hazrat Issa were of great repute amongst them. They came with divine books. Other prophets after them left small contributions. Hazrat Moosa's book was Torah, Hazrat Dawood's book was Zaboor and Hazrat Issa's book was Injeel, and all combined was named Bible. On Hazrat Mohammed (peace be upon him) revealed verses were called Qura'an and whatever he preached were treated as AHADIS. The Ka'aba in Mecca was the old prayer house. Here (according to lunar year there are 360 days) about 360 idols were kept. Every tribe had its own idol. Therefore it served as the temple of Pantheon. Prophet Mohammed, in view of being from the family of Ibrahim, and Bani Israel also preached the belief in one God (Monotheism), and he made several followers. In Ka'aba all the tribes who had their idols, on account of his preaching the worship of one God, turned against him. His teachings were also not in accordance with Judaism and Christianity, so the majority of the people turned against him. His followers were put to various difficulties and tortures. In order to save themselves some of them migrated to Ethiopia and took refuge under the Ethiopians Christian King, Najashi, who gave them protection. In Mecca, which was the center of Arab people, there were many followers, so the Prophet decided to migrate to Madina. When the people of Mecca came to know about their migration, they tried to assassinate the Prophet, but he left Ali, his cousin, on his bed and himself left for Madina with Hazrat Abu- Bakar. Thereupon the people of Mecca pursued to capture him. But he managed to allude them with the grace of Allah, and reached Madina safely. When the residents of Madina came to know about this, they welcomed him and gave him half of their property. The outsiders who came from Mecca were called Muhajirs and residents of Madina who welcomed them, were called Ansars. After migrating to Madina he propagated his religion openly, with the result that the number of followers increased. Hearing this news the people of Mecca increased their opposition. In Mecca, they were on defense, but in Madina, after increasing in numbers, they adopted an aggressive attitude. Slowly, after breaking the opposition in the vicinity of Madina, they wanted to go for pilgrimage to Mecca. But at the first time they were not allowed to perform pilgrimage and were forced to turn back. Next year, they came with great preparation to Mecca for performance of pilgrimage. Mecca was conquered and all the idols were taken from Ka'aba. After the conquest of Mecca the tables turned and the whole of Arabia started hiding them. Previously preaching of religion was done through teaching and persuasion. Now, after coming into power they considered that taking the oath of allegiance to Muslims was necessary. Afterwards, people-had to take oath, allegiance on converting into Muslims or were made slaves or to accept the confiscation of their property by Muslims. Arabs were fighting people. They were divided among themselves. They were ignorant and followers of tradition. He brought them together on one platform and after the conquest of Mecca, they followed him. In accordance with an Aayat (verse) of Qura'an "Today, your mission has been completed and We completed Our Blessings to you and shown you the path of Islam". Arabs, from that day, started to come on to one platform and started conquering different parts of Arabia, Middle East, Egypt and Persia and thus the Arabs created their imperialism. Arabia was near to Mesopotamia, Persia, Sindh, Syria and Egypt. They had their own civilization, citizenship and a great kingdom. Iran and Mesopotamia were under the Sasanic Empire. Sindh was under the Brahman rule, which was smaller than the present Pakistan. Syria, Egypt and Asia Minor were under the Roman Empire. Several books have been written on the Arab rise and fall. Our purpose here is concerned with their religious beliefs and policy. Old Arabs, idol worshippers, beliefs were based on the beliefs of Summair, Egypt, Babul, Persia, India and Bani Israel; Prophet Mohammed came from the Bani Israel group of Prophets. One group of the followers of this religion was of this opinion that: Prophet Mohammed was the last Prophet of the Israeli's group of Prophets and his religious interpretation was last and complete. Prophet Mohammed was sinless and had knowledge of the future and a living prophet. His religious explanations were given through the Qura'an, which was the word of God, and contained all true things which were taken from the previous religions; and it contained the complete code of life for the entire humanity. Prophet Mohammed's law (shariat) was the code of his life for entire humanity. It was the last and best code of life for the salvation of human difficulties. Below I will elucidate each of the above mentioned points: (i & ii) Prophet Mohammed was the last prophet, sinless and having knowledge of the future. The leaders have already told about the teachings of following religions: Vedic Dharam: which came to be known as Hindu Dharam. Buddhism: It has come to reform the mistakes committed by the Hindu Dharam. Jainism: Also came to reform the Vedic religion with special interpretation. Zoroastrianism: This religion also was from the Aryans Vedic Dharam, it had its own interpretations Judaism: This was the religion, which was given by Moses. On the basis of Torah, and contained its own interpretation of religion Christianity: Came through Christ to give a new orientation to Judaism and to reform it. All the prophets mentioned above were considered by their followers sinless, final and knowing the future, just as Muslims consider, Mohammed. Though all prophets had clearly said that they had not brought any new religion, but they did cache to reform the ancient religions. On account of the change in material conditions of life, they had given new interoperation. The followers of the above mentioned religions said that as their prophets were late comers, they had brought the reforms, according to the changed circumstances was not only the belief of the followers of Prophet Mohammed. But the follower of other religions had also sit that their prophets had brought the final and complete message. Most of the prophets' followers said that their prophets were not educated and acquainted with knowledge and teachings. But on account of supernatural knowledge, and guidance of God, they knew everything. If the learned people of those times did not give sufficient importance to prophets and opposed them?. The reason was that those learned people had no supernatural knowledge, and it is a common customs that the orthodox and vested interests carried people were often not prepared to accept a new interpretation or explanation. Because on account of that, there was a possibility of the breaking their monopoly. They were not prepared, due to their orthodoxy. To come out from the teaching of old religions and traditions as, from ancient times, they were accustomed to hear that their prophets were sinless and complete and the custodians of supernatural powers, and that their religion was the best religion 6f the world. Therefore, they did not think with the change of circumstances and conditions, the prophets could come for reformation and give new messages, just as in the market every shop-keeper in order to propagate his material will say that his wares are the best. In the same manner the Custodians of religions used to say the same thing. In view of the above case, one learned man had said that nobody was prepared to say that a thing is rotten. Keeping the general customs in view, if the Muslims also say that their Prophet was the last and had the knowledge of everything, that would not be a new thing. The Qura'an, itself says that every age has a new message and Islam is the law of Nature. At it believes that evolution is like a river constantly moving. Therefore the unlimited sources and knowledge of Nature will not be closed like a watertight compartment. That is a thing against the teachings of Prophet Mohammed. Muslims believe that Prophet Mohammed was the last of the prophets. This can be interpreted in the ways: a) After this, the coming of prophets has been closed. If the meaning is that, then in the world, new messages, knowledge, science, and meanings of wisdom, new invention was closed and every wisdom, science, new information and inventions after Prophet Mohammed are stopped. This meaning would be wrong and against the meaning of the religion of Nature. Nature contained unlimited knowledge and information. From it every day, new message and information could be acquired. Shah Latif says: "New message had come from my beloved. Latif says that unlimited information had been achieved on account of the new message... "May I search and search, and may not meet the beloved. Because the restlessness within my heart may subside at one meeting. (Shah Latif) At another place Shah Latif says: "If you reached the destination on the day of Judgement, even then consider yourself lucky..." Corroborated, the Prophet of Islam was the person who the previous religions and believed in the law of evolution. So who can close that unlimited mine of God's knowledge and wisdom. This conception was against the spirit of the law of Nature. b) It is said about the Prophet that he had the knowledge of the supernatural and he knew everything. Therefore lie had placed before the people such laws and religion that it could be applicable in every age, conditions and requirements. From a social analysis this claim is nullified. You will find this claim against the spirit of his teachings. Two instances are given here: Once he was passing through a grove of date palm, where he saw the gardeners throwing the male seeds over the flowers of the female palms. On asking the reason of this method he was told that this method will give more and better produce. He told them to stop doing this and see what would happen. The gardener obeyed and did not throw any more seeds on the flowers, so there was less produce that year. The gardener informed the Prophet of the results, so he said "We have been sent to give religious knowledge to the people. We do not have agricultural knowledge about botany. Therefore, in future, you should carry on your work according to your experience. One day some people came to the Prophet and asked him about the Day of Judgement. He replied that he did not know more than you did. From these -two Instances one can understand that he had knowledge of certain thin s and not of all things. This information is also worth remembering that if the Day of judgement's meaning and knowledge can be understood from the engraving on the Egyptian pyramids, where a big ground is painted and millions of people are gathered. On one side of it is a river of fire over, which is the bridge, which will have to be crossed. God is shown sitting on a chair and before him there is a big pair of scales, in which good and bad deeds of every person will be weighed. The person, whose bad deeds will weigh more, will be sent to hell, and if good deeds are more then that person will be sent to heaven. This information, in comparison to modern knowledge and due to correct interpreters of Islam, like Mohiuddin-ibn-Arabi, is considered, wrong and can not be given more importance, than "Qayamat" (Doomsday) or the last day of judgement that had been taken from the Egyptian concept of religion. In the Eastern world religions had not the same concept as that of Egyptian or of the Israelis. Therefore if the Prophet replied that he did not know about the Day of judgement, then he was right, because there were several conjectures about the last day. There are several stories current among Muslims about the Miracle and Mairaj (ascension) which they place before the people to show the greatness of the Prophet and his righteousness. Similarly the followers of Moses and Christ have also narrated stories about their respective prophets. a) About Prophet Mohammed, Muslims say that once his opponents asked him to show them some miracle. So he pointed his finger towards the moon and the moon was divided into two parts and the distance between these two parts was such a great like a mountain could be seen between them. Such stories are often told in folklore and in ancient times people used to believe them. About Nature and world phenomenon, it is said in the Qura'an "Do not talk ill of phenomenon, because He (God) Himself is phenomenon." Phenomenon is His creation and no one had the power to change it. The solar system was also his creation. It was not easy to change it. To satisfy a few persons nobody had the power to break the moon. To believe in such things was weakness of reason. If one believes in such things, then the narratives or folklore, about Apollo, Brahma, Shiv, the Greek God and Arian gods and the prophets of the Jews, Hazrat Moses, and other prophets will also have to be believed. In that case, supposedly a few persons could change natural phenomenon, and then the settled laws of nature will also change or disappear. Prophet Mohammed is considered the last prophet because he had rejected such things and had upheld the supremacy of the law of Nature. He had told people that they should follow reason and not such folklore, which had no logical foundation. One Sindhi poet says: 'God's law is determined and cannot be changed, Whatever one may try to do this or that. " (Poet Gul) Earlier prophets used to convince people about their righteousness by showing miracles. But Prophet Mohammed rejected this modus operand and said, "My followers will be equivalent to prophets of Banu-Israel. "Meaning thereby that by then humanity would have reached a stage of wisdom, through advanced knowledge, to such an extent that there would be no need left for such methods. b) The second thing, which has been given currency by the Muslims about Prophet Mohammed, is that on 27th of Rajab, during the night he rode on the horse (Buraq) and reached the seventh sky and talked to God. And at the time of their meeting the distance between God and the Prophet was very limited, as if it was between the colors of the rainbow, At that time he spoke on various matters to God. On the third sky he met certain prophets and on the fourth he met other prophets, where he was shown hell and heaven. The rivers of paradise were Jehun, Sehun, Nile, etc. It is said that he went and returned from Mairaj in so short a time that the door chain was- still swinging as when he had gone. These things are given so much importance that these have become a disputed question, whether he acquired ascension (Mairaj) in his dream or bodily. A majority of Muslims believe in physical ascension (Mairaj). Such a story is also told about Prophet Moses, that he used to go on Mount Sinah and used to converse with God, and God used to show him in cloud and lightening. It is said about Jesus, that after being crucified and buried in a grave, he was taken up to the sky by angels and he is alive and will come back to the world. If we are to believe such absurdities then by the very logic of it we have to believe in the Greek, Hindu and other mythologies. Then all the information received by us through reason and science will be proved redundant. There are no seven skies like this world, the existence of men and rivers, meeting with God and speaking with Him. Such a belief will drag down God to material and put Him in man's condition: "The Eye cannot see Him " as express in the Qura'an, will become wrong. Shaikh Saadi says about God: Oh! Supreme Being from the conception and all thinking, Whatever has been said, or I have heard or seen, he whole life has passed; but I have not reached even the attribute Of yours, leave aside actuality. Shah Abdul Karim of Bulri has said: "I have read Kartz, Kuduri, Kafia, and all the books. I have realized that as if I know nothing about that unlimited Supernatural Power. And I am like a crippled ant and trying to measure the sky. To think about the unlimited and unseen (and unfathomable) power to compare it with the human attributes, is impossible. Majority of the Muslims holds the belief that Prophet Mohammed had complete knowledge of unknown things. His knowledge surrounded the entire world. He knew things from the beginning to the end. But these things after comparing with Islamic history, and later experiences, will not come out as truths. Amir Hamza was the Prophet's uncle and used to love the Prophet. In the battle of Uhad he was killed in fighting behalf of the Muslims. Prophet Mohammed also loved him. Amir Muavia's mother, Hind, wife of Abu-Sufyan, went, after the battle, and cut out his liver, she chewed and ate the same. That was the height of savagery and disrespect. Among those who had shown the enmity, whether in Mecca or in Madina to the Prophet's family and his cause, was -Abu-Sufyan's family. Prophet's cousin and son-in-law and the first person, who had accepted the faith in the prophethood of Mohammed, was Ali. Muavia fought him and ultimately got him killed. Prophet-Mohammed's grandson and Ali's son, Hussain, was killed by the son of Muavia, Yazeed, and his head was carried on a spear and displayed throughout the journey from Kufa to Damascus, in the cities of Mossal and Damascus. The ladies of his family were also surrounded in the city, and during the days of Banu-Umaia dynasty, the descendants of Prophet Mohammed were' abused from the pulpit of the mosques. During that period most of the Islamic laws were broken and the religion of peace was turned into a religion of bloodshed, and characterlessness was at its worst. If it is said that the Prophet had prior knowledge of the future, then how can one justify his action that after the conquest of Mecca, Abu Sufian's family was forgiven. Not only that but a general proclamation was issued that anybody who took shelter under the roof of Abu-Sufian, should not be touched. What was the meaning of this? Either he had no knowledge of the future or, if he had, what was the reason behind these things? Among Muslims, the belief is in "Khatumul-Nabeen". That is, he was the last Prophet. This belief is so strong that Bhutto's government was compelled to surrender before public opinion. So his government declared the Qadianies to be non-Muslims. This was only because the Qadianies treated their head, Mirza Ghulam Muhammad Qadiani as a prophet. Though Qadianies used to recite the Qura'an and said prayers and believed in Prophet Mohammed and called themselves Muslims, and they were staunch Muslims, more than Bhutto and many other Muslims. Against that, there were many persons among the Muslims who used to call themselves God; and there were certain persons who disbelieved in the existence of God and in Islam. They have not been declared non-Muslims. Now let us see how Prophet Mohammed could be considered the last prophet. This question could be discussed from three points of view: i) The followers of all the religions, like Muslims, for the monopoly and supremacy of their religion called their prophets the last prophet. ii) From the beginning of humanity, people of different ages, like the age of savagery, nomadic, agriculture trade, industrial and the scientific era has passed and every age had its intellectual and social civilization. Therefore, according to requirements of the time, philosophers, prophets and reformers emerged amongst them and preached to the people, according to their understanding and knowledge, After the advent of Prophet Mohammed, humanity had progressed so much that there was no further necessity of any prophet. Previously what was called "Ilhaam" or Vahi is now called progressive reasoning. Therefore, there was no necessity of a prophet. iii) He had placed certain things before the people for the guidance and salvation of humanity. On account of which practical questions could be solved-. It will be better than I should try to explain the Above mentioned three points on certain reasons: 1) Supremacy of Prophet: If the supremacy of Prophet Mohammed was shown with a view to call him the last prophet, then it will be against the orders of Prophet Mohammed himself and instructions of the Qura'an. Every Muslim in every prayer, after reciting Aayat (verses), is told that the prophet was' a messenger and servant of God. In another place, Muslims were instructed: "I believe in God, Angel, Books and Prophets, And do not make any difference between them. When the Prophet expired, some of the Arabs were found to change, on which Umer came out With drawn sword and said Prophet Mohammed had- come, preached and has remained forever. Beware "do not turn away from it". It is clear that respect for the Prophet 'was held on account Of his ethical supremacy and fine social message. But due to his passage of-death, the world was not going to stop. 2) That, with the passage of time, after Prophet Mohammed, there was no need of a prophecy. The question is indescribable. I have explained from the beginning that from the creation of humanity, the concept of a supernatural power had passed through various intellectual evolutions. In the beginning there was the concept of diversity of God, which slowly turned into unity of God, and in unity itself, ultimately the concept of unity behind diversity' came into existence. Prophet Mohammed's concept of God was the evolution, which could take in the future. The unity of God was in the form of Monism. When one builds a house, it requires to be furnished and decorated after its completion. It will not be necessary to rebuild it. - Unless with the passage of time, the building deteriorates to such an extent that it has to be rebuilt. The theory of- unity behind diversity, which was placed before the people, was only with that object, there can be modifications and reforms, but it is made of such material, so it does not require to be re-constructed. But it should not be considered that God's creative and reformative power has stopped. 3) The Prophet's teachings, basic principles were not to be changed. They were new and revolutionary and just. From the beginning of creation of human beings, evolution of the different 'ages had taken place due to change of society, requirements of new conditions and intellectual evolutions bringing forth new norms and forms for the needs of new civilization and citizenship. As life is interdependent and religion is a part thereof, it takes new forms, interpretations, beliefs and different codes of life. All prophets, philosophers, doctors, scientists, rishies and Munies for this purpose, contributed a lot of information for the good of human beings. They fulfilled their purpose for the unity of human beings, universal peace and evolved mutual understanding. All these things were sent and meant for the common good of humanity. Some people wanted to reform either on the basis of theories or on the basis of territory, climate, racial and with the requirements of time. But essentially, the basic principles were the same. Interpretations and methods of achievement were however different. The second point, which Prophet Mohammed had explained, was great according to-his interpretation, the evolution of all the religions and books were to be believed without any difference. Learned Muslims- ' because of their vested interests had turned the interpretation in a manner that the earlier prophets of God had the books but, with the change of time these had become obsolete and so only Prophet Mohammed's book and his code were to be accepted and practiced. If you carefully ponder over the interpretation of mullahs you will find that this view was against the injunctions of the Qura'an and the spirit of Mohammed's message-, and depended only on ignorance.' its dual meanings will be from the time of creation of the world. According to evolution of nature the religious theories and codes are evolving for the purpose of unity, peace and perfection of humanity. These are changing from time to time, like the stages of the university education, which starts from primary then, to secondary and High School, then the college stages or just like a big building of several floors, which you will have to reach 'by several flights of stairs. These are the historical and 'natural processes. They cannot be rejected or forgotten. They have got their own place. It can be given the period of evolution of different stages, as working of nature is dependent on unlimited stages. It cannot be limited within the confines of certain principles, religious codes and considered final and a unique code of life. This view will be ignorance of law of evolution. Therefore to limit it and call it complete will be against the spirit of nature itself, which is limitless and timeless. All the persons who have in the past talked about belief on the basis of books have to be interpreted in two ways: These books of various prophets are blessed on different times as explanation of their religions for the reformation of men. And the second kind of books were those which were the result of historical experience, different types of learning and the human genius of scientific inventions, have covered various stages of life. Now the question arises that when we talk about the belief in books, are we talk about the books produced by prophets or the knowledge acquired by human brain from historical -experiences in day to day life culminating in scientific knowledge? For this I have got the following arguments- a) If prophets produced the books only then the world of Prophets would have come earlier. But here the purpose is to produce books of all kinds. b) From dictionaries the meaning of a Book can be found. The dictionary describes the meaning of a book, to be a written story or some experience, whether it is of history or mundane experience, the judgement comes from Nature. According to it every historical event and scientifically prove d reality in any country and nation creates some base on which certain codes can be incorporated in the meaning of a book. In view of this all the historically proven realities, philosophies, sciences and theories can all be counted in the world of books. The meaning of a Messenger means prophet who brings new information, guide and reformer or spiritual leader of a nation. The ultimate meaning of this will be that the message in the belief of Prophet Mohammed will not be confined only to belief in various prophets' books, and their sayings, but a belief in everything. Produced through historical experience and every practically proven formula or conception through philosophy, science and experience will become necessary. Everything which science, reason, experience and philosophy has rejected will have to be considered, useless, whether it appears in Vedas and books of Buddhism, Jainism, Zoroastrianism, Bible or Qura'an. In accordance with the above-mentioned analysis, it will be wrong notwithstanding hundreds of learned persons holding these to be right. Everything which is roved wrong by the law of evolution, every code and written document Of the past will have to be rejected in the present, if it is proved wrong on the basis of historical judgement of law of Nature. c) Prophet Mohammed had said that any person or nation was entitled to salvation only if he believes in three things: i) Belief in the existence of God (ultimate supernatural power which controls the entire universe). ii) The belief in life after death which means the existence and continuity of spiritual life. iii) Doing good deeds this means belief in the works, which are meant, for the unity, peace and prosperity of mankind, which must be free from individual selfishness. As witness to these instructions-, the following version of Qura'an may be cited: "Means "Also the persons, whether they are Muslims by religion Or Jews or Christians and followers of other religions. If they believe in the existence of God, life after death, Do good deeds they will be entitled from God for salvation. This one instruction debunks all the theories invented or later adopted by the Vested interests of religions, and particularly the vested interests of Muslims, whose believe was persons entitled for salvation are Muslims and followers of Prophet Mohammed and all the followers of other religions are to be consigned to hell or that they are ignorant or faithless. The Muslim vested interests say that, on the basis of their theory, all the other religions and their codes have been rejected. Therefore they have to believe that in one time they were right, but now, after the advent of Prophet Mohammed, they were rejected. If that theory can be accepted then their mention belief in them could not have been referred in the Qura'an. Certain Muslims do not know the very existence of all the prophets. Some say that prophets of Banu Israel were the prophets and others were not. Even if you say that God's blessings be on the prophets of the Hindu, Buddha, Zarthusht and others, then the Muslims will become angry. In accordance with the instructions laid down in the Qura'an, even the present Muslims cannot be termed as Muslims, who have made the working of Islam (religion of Nature) their monopoly. The creator of universe (God)' considered belief in Him necessary. If they consider Him merciful and a lover more than one's father, ultimate truth and just, then how can they believe the followers of other religions or persons to be faithless. How can they consider them doomed to permanent hell for not believing in the particular interpretation of the Muslims sect and not even fit for salvation. From the above mentioned Aayat, it is clearly proved that for progress, peace and salvation, only persons believing in God and life after death and performance of good deeds will be entitled. But other ignorant Mullahs will not accept this interpretation. I will, therefore, try to analyze more on the subject: WHAT IS THE MEANING OF BELIEF IN GOD? In short, as narrated above, I have tried to show that from the beginning, people believed each supernatural power and other things fit for benefiting and harming people. And I have also narrated that how people have tried to understand the supernatural power and please it. First of all the Animist and non-Animist things considered to be Possessors of spirits. As such they started worshipping them to get their blessings. Further, they called the supernatural power by the name of Ishwar Brahma, Jahwa, God, Khuda, Allah, etc. In the world first came' the conception of plurality of God; afterwards came trinity, the duality and trinity of God. Along with the evolution of mankind the concept of intellectual evolution, God's concept also went on passing through various stages. At one time every supernatural thing was considered as God. This has reached the present concept about Allah among the Muslims. God has said in the Qura'an: ."Do not call the universe bad because I myself am universe". According to that concept God and Nature can not be two separate things. But according to Monist point of view, there can be no other existence excepting God. The meaning of La-Illaha-Ilallah, according to certain dervishes, it means that there is only one existence of God. Everything else is non-existent. At present, the philosophy of understanding the knowledge is divided in two branches. Idealism and Materialism, that is to say: That means nothing is created without a plan and purpose; the second group. says that entire creation is the result of an accident. The first group, after belief in a planned purpose, is compelled to believe in the central authority and gave it a name. Therefore, for the salvation of problems, they believe in one authority. Ana the believers of the second philosophy do not believe in God. To understand the secret of creation and live a life, believing in the central authority i-, considered positive. Sindhi Sufis, in order to understand the secret, have become believers in Wahdat-ul-Wajood or Monism. Shah Latif says: "From unity came diversity and diversity is nothing else but unity. All this creation and its different meanings is all manifestation of one Being..' On Beloved: 'He is who, who is-He. Death and life is He. He is beloved and life. He is enemy and defender. "When I dived deep within myself, I did not see either mountains of Kaitchies (beloved) so long I was thinking of myself as Sasi I had sorrows. When i became Panhu myself the pain disappeared. (Sachal) BELIEF IN FUTURE As about the existence of God, there are different ideas of conception in the, same manner the ideas about the future has also been narrated at different times and countries, with many explanations. Muslims' 'have called it by the name of "Qayamat" of "Day of judgement" or unknown future (Ghaib). Now the question arises that the future of whom? Whether it is the future of creation or is it the future of the physical world or future of spirit (rooh) whether future of an individual man or humanity. If you think about it, you will come to know that the future of all the things narrated above are mixed with each other. In the world there are two powers working simultaneously. One towards, the progress and the other towards annihilation, one towards, good and other towards bad one towards light and other darkness. The first leads to evolution righteousness and right knowledge. The second leads to death and wrong. The Muslim Mullahs had interpreted the meaning of future Qayamat (Akhirat), as under:. At one time there will be a terrible roar from Angel Israfeel, whereby the mountains will be smashed, earth will become flat and the solar system will be finished and the entire creation will come to an end. After that life will again be created, man will come out from the earth like mushrooms, the dead of millions of years, from the dust all the creation will rise in their original form and will meet on the plain of HASHER (Day of Resurrection). The sun will come very near and, on other side God will be seen sitting on the throne. Between God and the earth there will be a river of hell and a bridge over it. All the persons gathered there will be called by God from the other side and ordered to cross this bridge which will be thinner than a hair and sharper than a sword (Pulsarat). Those persons who have sacrificed animals will be. able to cross the bridge Before God there will be one weighing instrument, hanging for the weighing of works and deeds performed by people, and everybody will go to hell or heaven according to his/her weight of good of bad deeds. Also of various kinds have been narrated, prayers of God, fasting, giving Zakat and performance of Hajj and various other things are narrated in -the list of good deeds. Of one of the bad deed it is narrated that after urinating all the stones used for the cleaning of urine and various other things will be considered among good deeds. I have narrated above that the concept of Qayamat (Future) was originally taken from the writings of the Pyramids of Egypt, which came through Summair and Babul teachings to Israel and Muslims. Along with this concept the punishment and reward of the body and soul has been connected. The Simitics gave this concept. On the other side, in the concept of Arian religions about the future, it is said that every in man, in accordance with his/her deeds will depend upon the good or bad deeds committed by the persons. According to which the creature will have to pass through various phases of life. If he/she has performed good deeds he will pass on into a new life after death, to a better condition of life. But if he had performed bad, deeds then in his next life he will be degraded to live a bad life. On this the Sindhi Sufis consider the first concept of the future, whether paradise or hell, as wrong. They say: "Conception of Paradise is a consolation and conception of hell frightening., The Sami is false and all this turmoil is nothing." (Shah Naseer) On the other side Ghalib says: "I know the truth about heaven. But it is a good consolation for the heart. " According to Sufi concept about Spirit, it is said that the spirit came from the ocean of God and will return to it. The result of serious thought on it will be as under: Of individual spirits the idea of salvation is not right. True salvation depends upon the salvation of mankind, which means individual will have to merge for salvation in all oceans of spirits, which will be one big whole. Future of universe is unknown and unlimited. Forms alone will change before spirit comes into existence. That means attributes came from reality and will return again to it. Therefore accepting the idea of salvation of individual soul will not be correct and it is not necessary to accept that meaning. What is the meaning of good deeds? Followers of various religions have given separate meanings and explanations. About the meaning of good deeds, several followers of various religions have explained the outward deeds have good and bad in it. The others have considered the evolution of spirit or collective interest in the category of good deeds. it will be better to throw light on the various sides of this issue because this question has been the cause of differences. PERSONAL SALVATION Good deeds from which outward benefit appears is concerned mostly with transitory on a personal basis. From the beginning many of the people, tribes and religious groups have concerned themselves with personal or group benefit. Therefore many of the religions have given man a separate spirit in this world and future paths of salvation have been found out. In Egyptian and Simitic religions, personal spirit and their punishment and questions of reward have been given prominence. Their religious basis is oiling this material. The questions of punishment and reward have been given prominence in their religious beliefs. Day of judgement, the bridge over hell, the principle of punishment and reward have been kept in view, in which the individual soul and its deeds have been given importance. On the other side, Arian religious have also kept individual spirits on the basis of deeds. There also personal progress or derogation has been given prominence. On the basis of Kerma (Fate) reward after death, good or sinful acts have been considered as the measure for the progress or deterioration of the soul. From those religions only followers of Buddha Dharm have risen above the average level and thought about a collective salvation for humanity. But the followers of this religion also have not freed themselves from the concept of individual "Junne" (Sin) and thought only of Nirvan Padd as the means of salvation of the (soul) spirit. What was the difference between individual and collective spirits? Many religions have given less importance to this. Many religions, believing in the variety of spirits, have given such importance to the personal salvation of spirit. On the basis of these principles the idea of good deeds was invented. in this they have kept the following considerations: Spirits were separately created from the beginning and their progress depended upon individual workings. For the personal evolution and progress, prayers, fasting and purification of the body and soul, and not committing murder, rape, theft, but the performance of pilgrimage and visiting shrines, were considered good deeds. With these thoughts the Muslims fixed five principles of religion, namely: Belief in the unity of God, offering prayers, fasting, giving Zakat and performance of Hajj were considered the main points. But with a deeper thought you will find that in these principles, the individual physical and spiritual progress and salvation was kept prominent. Experts in various philosophies have discriminated between the spirit and the body as under: They are of the opinion that the spirit is that which cannot be known by the five human senses, as it is above the limitation of time, space and causation. They opine that matter or body was a thing, which could be known by the five senses, and it can be within the sphere of time, space and causation. if we accept this interpretation of the philosophers we will have to accept that the spirit is beyond the confines of time, space and causation; it cannot be divided and as such the view of the spirit being a separate entity will be wrong. Muslim Sufis have said that in the Qura'an, there is no word to express many exponents of spirits. Wahdaniat (Unity) and Wahdat-ul-Wajud have also believed in this concept, of the unity or individuality of the spirit. A reconsideration of this question will lead one to conclude that there can be only one spirit. That is the spirit of God. But the concept of many spirits will be an illusion, or Maya, by keeping that concept in mind, the idea of many spirits having separate existence, their deeds and workings, punishment and reward, heaven and hell, all these will become redundant. on this there is a further explanation of the Qura'an that' "Oh Prophet, people ask you what is spirit?' Tell them that the spirit is a secret of God and very little is known to the people". just as God is limitless in the same manner spirit is also beyond description, therefore spirit and God are one and the same thing. It is said in the Qura'an "We are from God and return to Him". Spirits are living in graves or on the skies, progressing or deteriorating and adopting different shapes (Joons) and having enmity or friendship, become the cause of benefit or harm, so the idea of separate existence of spirits, all these are old concepts from the primitive savage age, based on old superstitions and blind beliefs. Hence the living of spirit in trees, graveyards and skies in different conditions will become wrong and misleading. Spirit is one, which is not separate from God. Accordingly Shah Latif saying: "Therefore question of the spirit's personal progress and salvation creates such confusion that solution becomes a difficult one. COLLECTIVE SALVATION According to the philosophy of Wahdaniat, Wahdat-ul-Wajud and Monism, the spirit is one, within which all creation lives. Its example can be given from the sea. Its drops of water which, on account of heat, turn into vapor and change form, ultimately go into the sea again and become one with it. Sachal Sarmast says:' "The magnificent beauty has come to see his own manifestation". Buddha's Nirvan Padd's meaning is also similar that, the part after visiting several places. ultimately will merge with the whole. "Meaning also is the same. Keeping those things -in view Buddhists have fixed the following principles for 'the completion and salvation of the individual spirit: Right thinking is a method of thinking, which is above ignorance and conjectures and has started from love and in search of the unknown and unlimited knowledge whether physical or spiritual, which leads man in the right direction. Great objects - Those aims and objects, which have been created with the intuition of love to the highest objects, from where man has come to the direction where lie has to go. Right speech - Right speech is that, which after thinking on the path of right and sincerity, one has acquired and on that basis it is open, sincere and free from formality and, where along with one's own view, other's views should also have respect. Because a one-sided view and expression will not solve problems. Right deeds - The meaning of right deeds is that from which society obtains peace and unity, and by which hatred and disunity disappear. People can live with love and unity and which discards selfishness. Every deed is done for the common benefit, instead of individual benefit,, and by which human benefit is aimed at. Right living - That living which has not been acquired through, exploitation, by force or by wrong methods, likes theft or cheating. That which is not based on 'flesh and fish'. It should be the produce of the earth, whether in the shape of grains or fruit, milk and butter. But fraud and wrong means should not attain it. Right struggle - Life depends upon struggle and continues also through struggle. We have to see if the struggle is for good or for bad ends. The struggle should be for common good and for the service of humanity and people's welfare. ' Such a struggle will be considered right. But a struggle for selfishness, personal interest, class interests or for the benefit of a limited number of people, cannot be considered a right struggle. Right thinking - A thinking that brings people to co-existence and cooperation and leads life in the right direction. That thinking which brings unity, peace and progress of the people, and man by which can think himself as a part of humanity and everything for the collective, good of Mankind, will be considered right thinking. Right sacrifice - It can be achieved through sacrificing, personal selfishness and desires, one has to leave greed and adopt humanity and crush passions, selfishness and vanity. In view of these principles, searching for the right deeds, I have come to the following points: Doing good to others Passing one's life in nonviolence Service of humanity. should be considered the basic guide for life Work for human equality, social equality, economic equality and social goodness. Basic principle in life should be to decide matters on the basis of coexistence. Co-operation should be the basis for deciding matters of life: 3. Third point is whether the religion of Islam is complete. The third thing, which is said about Islam is that it is a complete religion and all other religions have been rejected. The salvation of humanity will be through it alone. In it solution of every problem is indicated. Right up to the Day of judgement no other religion, or truth will come after it. Followers of almost all other older religions have made this assertion. But this assertion also of the Muslims, is based on praising one's own religion and inducing people, to accept it. The Prophet of Islam came with two missions. One mission was that as the Arab were fighting with each other they were backward and bad characters, he brought, them into one nation. That purpose was achieved after the conquest of Mecca. Immediately after that, one Aayat of the Qura'an came: "From this day your mission has been completed." Muslim Mullahs interpreted it, as Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him) was the list prophet who had brought the complete code of life for humanity. After him no problem will remain to be solved and nothing new will come. This interpretation is based on ignorance and wrong interpretation. The second mission of the Prophet was that he was a blessing for the world, according to which the entire humanity, intellectually and physically, will reach completeness. But as the Arab people were, backward and the life of Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him) was reaching its end, therefore he left the future generations to solve the problems. Islam being a religion of nature, was a religion of evolution. So it had not come to limit the working of nature. Therefore to call it "complete" and the last religion and a complete code of life was against the law of evolution. So long as the world remains new messages and institutions will continue to come, which will be required on account of time requirements of ever-new conditions, and for the good of human evolution, will be invented. As all life is dynamic day after day, there is continuous flow new scientific inventions are able to invent new things for human use. New points for the reformation and progress of human being will keep on coming. Therefore, to say that the thirteen hundred years ago all the ideas expressed were to be guide forever was not right at all. 4. Whether the Qura'an was a final code of Life. That concept is also wrong. Qura'an, consists of four kinds of saying: One Aayats Banta Muhukimat means the orders containing the fundamental principles. Two - Aayats Mohtashabihat means allegorical explanation. Third - Instructions for particular happenings, which were rejected by the change of circumstances. These were called Mansukhat. Fourth concerning the ordinary and temporary problems. In accordance with the vision of these instructions, the first kind of instructions were to remain permanent the rest were considered to be useless. Therefore blindly sticking to the other three kinds of instructions was wrong. Just as followers of other prophets considered their books final and complete, in the same manner the Muslims vested interests also said the same thing, which was not new. The Qura'an, was not a complete code, as nothing in this material world can be called last and complete. That position will continue right up to the end of the world. Moulana Rumi says about the Qura'an: "I have taken out the essence from the body of Qura'an and left the b ones for dogs to fight on. " 5. Whether Shariat-e-Islam or Nizam-e-Mustafa was a complete code of life for entire humanity? Among Muslims, like the other religions, this belief has remained. That Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him) prepared a code of law which was a complete cod of life of humanity and for ever. That is also wrong. But I would rather say that the greater portion of that Shariat has been discarded and proved useless, and it will never be useful again. Such things can be said either by fools or by persons who, in order to keep their vested interests in existence, continue to talk about a shariat (code) which time has made obsolete. Presently I will enunciate the Islamic code of life and point out that on account of the change in society, many Shariat rules have proved untenable or open to changes in the constantly changing social conditions. Here are a few examples of these: Interest are taking or giving it, was forbidden by the Qura'an. But for a century or more this is common practice in business and banking. At present there is no Muslim country in the world without banks as the need of the time and for the requirement of modern society. Banks are an economic necessity in trade (exports and imports) industries and day to day workings of its financial administration, banks are necessary, and the banks cannot do business without the taking and giving of interest without the taking and giving of interest Games of chance are also forbidden by the Islamic code. But due to change in society, these are being played in every Muslim country in one form or the other. Betting on horse -races, trade speculation, etc., are all various forms of the game of chance. Playing cards and chess serves the same purpose. in clubs, many of the rich pass their time in such games. These clubs have become centers of the games of chance. Alcoholic drinks and other smoking habits have become common in society, though Islamic laws prohibit these. in several Muslim countries drinking is not prohibited. Even Muslim rulers are accustomed to drink. Charas (Hashish), Ganja and opium are not prohibited in many Muslim countries. In Pakistan there was no prohibition on drinking of intoxicants. But at present the Government has prohibited it. But liquor and many other intoxicating drugs are freely produced and manufactured. Because society has become accustomed to it. Therefore, 'in spite of being illegal, it has been freely used for more than 35 years or so. According to shariat law for theft, hands were cut, and in case of fornication the people were stoned, and in case of killing men were executed. But society has reached a stage where such punishments are considered barbaric punishments. Therefore as time passes, such inhuman punishments are, being abolished. Among Muslims the custom of veil (Prudish) was corning. Women were ordered to live within their- four walls, and ladies were not given equal human rights with men. But society has so changed that nearly over 50% (per cent) ladies do not wear the veil, neither observe any pardah. Such customs were a part of the Muslim social traditions of the past. These have slowly disappeared. In so many places women go to clubs, colleges, meetings and social gatherings. Therefore these traditions are also going to disappear. Keeping of men and women slaves were prevalent in the savage society. Strong tribes and nations used to enslave' people of the weak tribes and nations. After the advent of Islam the old customs were continued. Several inducements were offered to reduce or finish these. But after coming -into power the Muslims, especially after the revision of the Khilafat, this system increased day by day. Muslims were told that they could keep only, four wives. Just in order to placate the Arab people, they were allowed to keep any number of slave girls to use as wives. The Arabs were extremely fond of sexual indulgence. With women as well as with boys (sodomy). Therefore they were induced to keep up to four wives and several slave girls. On account of this inducement, the Muslim soldiers started attacking other nations, under the convenient cover (excuse) of spreading Islam, but actually, to get material wealth, (booty) and girls and women as - conquered slave girls (Kaneez). They were told that, if they were killed in battle with kafirs (infidels), they would become Shaheed and in would be in Paradise. They would get seventy Hoors and ten Ghilmans (boy-wives), and thus they got the inducement also for conquering, killing, looting and raping, in other countries with a (so-called) moral justification. In spite of the Prophet's inducement to decrease the number of wives and slaves, their number went on increasing. The Muslim rulers, some of whom were called Khalifas, induced people to practice this custom and that is how in later years Muslim HARAMS had 80 to 100 women each, who were-kept under constant guard of Khwaja Saras (castrated men slaves). Such cruel and inhuman practices and customs continued for centuries, which were responsible for defaming the Islamic code of life, .as a fare, because it was declared as a complete code of live forever. So the other nations of the world considered this as the worst kind of code; Therefore, on account of adverse public opinion of the world, Muslim's were forced to discard making slaves of other persons' daughters, sisters and wives and using them as their wives. The Arab were bankrupt and were of a nomad society, so to become rich and in the name of increasing the number of Muslims they started wars Jehad on other free peoples, to subjugate other nations, and bring them under their imperialist control. With such an object in view aggressive conquests were justified and the use of -force was made a part of the Muslim religion. Though it was clearly laid down in the Qura'an, that there will be no violence in religion and everybody was free to adopt any religion. These Arabs were misled with the false propaganda for the conquest of other countries. And taking possessions of the property and assets of the vanquished as booty of war and to make slaves to girls and males were justified, and such ideas were spread around that as if paradise will be made. A place like a brothel, where all kinds of sexual indulgence will be allowed. Shariat-e-Islam was the code of life which has explained by its exponents, brought great derogating influence on the morals of the Muslims as their acts were clearly against the order that there should be no force in religion, and forcibly taking away the property of others as Maal-e-Ghanimat (booty). Therefore this practice brought great degrading influence on the morals of Muslims. The result has that several ascetics and dervishes also began to think that to die in the struggle for Jehad, was martyrdom. Even Dervishes began to pray that, they should die in the battlefield and acquire the title of a Martyr. With the result, that Islam, the religion of peace, unity and progress, became in practice the religion of improved attacks by which, several countries were conquered and so many nations subjugated, and by which respectable women were made slaves and kept and used as concubines without marriage. This did not only effect non-Muslim countries, but Muslim countries were also conquered and looted. Hundreds of male and females were made slaves, and "Jehad" was considered the best way of life. Let alone the later Khalifas among whom were men worst than Satan, even the first Khalifas who were called "Rashideen" whose period is considered the golden era, were not spotless. In their days other countries were conquered in the name of Jehad for the sake of Arab imperialism and thousands of people were killed and several countries were subjugated. And after the conquest people of other countries were told that they should accept the religion of Islam and remain under the sovereignty of Muslim rulers or they would be attacked. Thus, such are the pretexts on which other countries were conquered and brought under the Arab imperialism. In that manner several thousands were killed, several independent countries were looted and men and women of those countries were made slaves.* These conquered people were made slaves and converted to, so called, Islam of Arab nationalism, and people were induced to change their names and their tribal names. is this the religion of nature? Several such other things were done. A study of history shows how these custodians of Islam started their Arab imperialism. The Muslim historians have painted such foul and immoral deeds in cunning manners that these appeared to be the best. Even now the Muslims of these days are not ashamed to call that period the "Glorious days of Islam" and so they feel proud of it. Afterwards in the days of so-called "Khilafat-e-Rashida" Islam lost its glory and now there is such a deplorable condition that even the Jews of Palestine, whose population is hardly 30 lacs, have subjugated crores (millions) of Arab Muslims who are not able to win against the Jews. So many things, which were not in Islam, were dubbed as Islamic. Just as in these days the communists consider spreading their ideology through revolutions, in the same manner the Mullahs justified their conquest, loot and rape in the name of religion. The Islamic code of life on account of changes in society has lost its force. So to follow it blindly is wrong. To continue to believe in the Islamic code of life as the best means for the reformation and progress of humanity is absurd, but to place it before the in modern world is all the more absurd. Are the Muslims in a position to give notice to Russia, America, France, England, Bharat and China, with the thought that either they should become Muslims or they would be conquered as they did in the middle ages? So this principle of Jehad has automatically disappeared and now it is impossible to accept it. * The Muslims of this era, though aware of the facts, cannot come out openly to say that the concept of Jehad is wrong? The Qadianies knowing these realities declared Jehad to be a wrong principle. As a result of their declaration they were ousted from Islam. 8) Institution of Khilafat: The institution of Khilafat, the Muslims have made part of their religion. There is not an iota of evidence to prove that there is any definite instruction in the Qura'an or among sayings of the Prophet about Khilafat. The second ruler "Umer" brought this innovation (Jidat). He had two purposes in view: a) On account of the teachings of Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him) and due to his moral influence, Arabs had united on one platform. Hazrat Umer was a wise politician. He utilized that force for spreading Arab imperialism first in other parts of the Middle East and later to other countries. The controlling and guiding force was the government of Khilafat. b) Greater portion of Arabia was desert and hilly with few towns or villages. Most of the people were spread in tribes and used to pass a nomadic life, moving in their tribal caravans and pitching their tents near grazing grounds. There was no agriculture worth the name. There was little rainfall in the country and as such there was hardly agricultural produce from the Country. The people of this area had few date palm groves. They were most depended on flesh and goatskins. In search of new pastoral ground they used to move from place to 'Place. So, they had become nomadic and had acquired a savage and militant nature due to tribal customs and tribal enmities generation after generation. So, internecine warfare went on among those tribes. Some of them considered themselves descendants of Ibrahim and Ismail. Though supposedly a selected nation, yet neither they had any religion nor belief. Mostly on account of different tribal traditions, they used to believe in certain tribal gods. Some of them were idol worshippers; some were Jews and some Christians. But Most of them had pride of their ancestry. Due to the declaration of the Prophethood, Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him), they got a capable leader who brought them but from tribal prejudices, family feuds and personal' enmities and knitted them in one socio-political body and brought them on one platform. When the Prophet's last days were near, most of the converted Arabs cunningly thought of the future after the Prophet's demise. The common custom among those Arabs was that someone from the family of the leader would be entrusted to carry on with the mission. But the Prophet's family was small and poor. The bigger tribal Shaikhs, who had big properties and large followers, were not willing to accept and follow Ali. Though Ali was a man of strong character and simple habits, yet other Arabs were not prepared to follow his leadership and Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him) knew this. He had two missions yet to be performed. One was to unite the divided Arab families and tribes into one nation, and the second was that in the face of several religious beliefs and traditions, to unite the masses under one spiritual teaching. He succeeded in his first mission. But he bad no resource to fulfil the second one. His life had also reached its last days. Therefore he left the work of has second mission in the hands of a few of his followers. But in the completion of his first mission he knew that for getting power, there was a likelihood of conflict, so he left the question unsettled because of those conflicts religion would be affected. There was one such instance in history. After conquests Alexander the Great, left his Empire when he was still young. Someone asked him as to whom was he entrusting the reins of Government. As he knew from the Generals that several of them were anxious to come into power, so if he nominated one the others would oppose. Therefore he left this question undecided and, thought that in the future things will take their own course. As, whoever will be powerful in whichever area, he will form the government. After that his government was divided among three of his stalwarts. In the same manner the Prophet also left the question of political power to be decided by the people in future. Umer was clever in political affairs. Therefore the joined religion with politics, and on the basis of the tradition of Christianity, created the institution of Khilafat on the pattern of the popes. Through his influence he got installed Abu-Bakar's first Khalifa, because he (Abu-Bakar) was very old and Umer thought that after the demise of Abu-Bakar the reins of Government would come to him. He knew that the Arabs had united in the name of religion, but behind the scene power of politics had also been used. Therefore he based the policy of his politics on four pillars: Unite the Arabs in politics and religion and bring them under one authority, under the political institution of the Khilafat. For spreading Arab Imperialism conquests were necessary. On the social pattern of Judaism in which the Semitic race considered Arab superior and a selected, nation, so Arab and Ajam (non-Arab) division of races must be continued in thought and practice. He discarded the second mission of the Prophet - unity behind all the diversity of religion, and on the basis of Arab language and dress he considered Islam as a separate religion. On this question an Egyptian professor, Ali Abdul Razak, wrote the book captioned "Al-Islam-Wa-Usool-iiH-kim", which was Published in 1925 in Cairo. In this he has clearly stated that the Khilafat was a purely secular institution, which did not include religion. As, proof of this he has given the following arguments: In the religion of Islam there was no definite instruction given for the conduct of political affairs. The Qura'an, and traditions of Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him), had left Muslims free to establish their government on any base. When there was no definite instruction about the institution of Khilafat, therefore this institution was not based on tile principles of Islam. Later on, the conservative Mullahs, on the basis of their own beliefs, gave the Khilafat a religious color. Professor Abdul Razak said, that the "Khilafat was not a creation of God's instruction in the Qura'an, or under the instruction of Prophet Mohammed (peace be up on him) not by the common (unanimous) consent of the people, because first Khalifa was appointed through force and had no authority or consent of the people. The Prophet entrusted with the mission of Prophethood and was not like the pope with the mission of Government. The Khilafat on tile contrary had no religious authority behind it. The idea of Islamic Government was wrong and was created later. But instead of Khalifa, those Muslim rulers should be called secular rulers. This professor, in order to prove this point of view, narrates a Story from the history of Islam and says that in the beginning there was no constitute Judge, finance, police or administration. From that he concludes that if Prophet had the desire to establish a government, then he would have fixed basic principles, or instructions, for such a government. The writer of this book rejects the idea that Prophet Mohammed was the ruler of Muslim and that he was purely a prophet. His social power was vested on moral strength of his spiritual missions. This could not b& entrusted to any other person. According to his opinion, Prophet's mission was concerned with the beliefs and for doing morally correct deeds. This had no connection with political administration or political power. According to him Arab unity was due to the prophet's spiritual influence and superior character and not on the basis of his political power. After the demise of Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon be up on him), his prophethood came to an end. Then his socio-moral authority, which was part of his prophethood, could not be transferred to others. Therefore the writer rejects the succession of Abu-Bakar after Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him). According to him Abu-Bakar might be called the first ruler of Arabian Imperialism. But neither Khalifa nor any other successor of Prophet could be a spiritual leader of the Muslims. According to him, any Arab tribe, which came for the sake of Government stability and expansion, had no authority. Therefore, Muslims violated the Islamic code. After Abu-Bakar came Umer and after him Usman succeeded. In the days of Usman, for administration of the newly conquered countries, persons were appointed from the Banu Umayya tribe. During that period they consolidated the power in the hands of Banu Umayya. So when Ali's time came, the power was in the hands of the Governors who rebelled against his rule. Ultimately Muavia, who was in charge of Syria, became so powerful that he started open rebellion against Ali. Later he got him assassinated and appointed his own son, Yazid, as his successor. In the days of Yazid, those who did not accept his rule were forcibly removed from the area. First lmam Hussain was killed and afterwards Abdullah-Bin-Zubair and others, so the field became clear for the Bani-Ummaya tribe to rule. Look into history, and you will find the following two theories were adopted from the Jewish and Christian traditions: The Muslims were a separate and a selected nation, like the Jews being a chosen people of God. Islam actually came to break the idea of a selected nationhood. But because it suited the Arab Shaikhs to take advantage of religion and call themselves a separate nation, this theory was adopted. The concept of Khilafat (religious state)'was borrowed from Christianity, in which the Popes had tried to unite religion with politics to keep their control. Thus they named this Arab Imperialist rule as "Khilafat". Both these things had nothing to do with the teachings of Islam. A research on the Khilafat will definitely reveal that it had nothing to do with Islam or Muslim Government. But in the name of Islam, power was acquired by Bani-Umayya or Bank-Abbas, and later by the Turk Khalifas. They were all secular kings and in the same manner other Muslim kings throughout the world, all exploited the name of religion and their governments used to be in the hands of a particular tribe or family. In order to get support of the common people, civil judicial cases were given to the Mullahs, and other works like performance of prayers and marriage ceremony and bathing the dead were also performed by them. But they were not allowed to deal with the internal administrative affairs, foreign affairs, defense, or the administrative affairs, foreign affairs, defense, or the administration of the country. Later Christians, after experience, reduced the power of the Popes, (excepting the Catholic sect). But Muslims continued this institution till the young Turks under Mustafa Kamal after experience considering this institution harmful, liquidated the Khilafat in 1920, and formed the modem Republic of Turkey. ix) Photography and making of sculptural statues, seems to have been banned on account of a fear of a revival of idol worship. In Emperor Constantine's footsteps, they prohibited making of statues and taking of pictures in the beginning. But in their ignorance they did not know that idol worship and fine arts were quite different things. So, in the beginning they destroyed all the fine arts and even to a certain extent, books of other religions, and of non-Muslim origin. But as time marched on changing ideas, they too had to change their outmoded thinking, and now photography and making of statues are becoming common among the Muslims. For instance, Saudi Arabia's Wahabi rulers and Mullahs, at their height of fanaticism, had destroyed Mausoleums and graveyards. But now things have changed to such an extent that the very same Mullahs keep photo albums in their houses, and in the city of Cairo, Muhammad Ali Pasha's statue, on horse back, is kept in the middle of the road. Mustafa Kamal Pasha's statue is on a high stand in Ankara at a prominent place. Pakistan currency notes carry Jinnah's photo, and all coins and buildings have photos of Jinnah and other persons, the result is that this traditions of the Muslims has also been abolished. Marrying up to four women and keeping numberless salve girls, was allowed in the Islamic code for some time. Muslims were to marry up to four women and keep an unlimited number of slave girls who were utilized by them for sex. But due to change in society, now-a-days, in many Muslim countries Marrying of four wives and keeping slave girls are not in practice, with the result that in many Muslim countries marrying more than one wife is forbidden. Therefore this code of life seems also to have lost its force and changes in society consider it wrong and harmful, and has practically rejected it. Judicial and civil law in Arab countries were a very old, and because of Arab tradition of ancient ignorant customs, or by following in the footsteps of the Jews, certain judiciary and civil laws were formed, which were corroborated in Qura'an, nor sayings of Prophet and Arab later traditions on Sunnat-e-Nabi. These were given the shape of Fiqih laws. So these were considered as part of Islamic laws and were entrusted to Muslim Qazis or judges. But as time passed, those laws were considered savage and barbaric and based on ignorance. So slowly these were discarded from several Muslim countries and in their place Roman or other laws were introduced. Due to which in Pakistan, and several other Muslim countries, the punishment for rape and fornication has practically changed, whereas before the accused was stone to death, or the thief's hands and feet were amputated. All these laws have been discarded as uncivilized. Now a day instead of Qazis, magistrates and judges give judgement. Except for a few countries in the rest of the Muslim world, the system of Qazis and Mullahs' jurisprudence is disappearing. Here in Pakistan, certain Pakistani Mullahs, in order to increase their power and influence, are trying to re-introduce that system of judiciary again. But I do not think this old system of the so-called Islamic code can be revived. Certain selfish and demagogic politicians and the bureaucracy are trying to reintroduce those old moth eaten customs and antiquated laws. But international public opinion is discarding them and this seems that the so-called Islamic laws are not fit to be revived. The concept about skies. Among the Muslims, according to the Qur'anic teachings and saying of the Prophet, there was a belief that there are seven skies, which were like roofs, above one another, and all the stars are like lamps connected with them. In several skies, the spirits of different prophets and of their followers were staying, on the seventh sky. There was a chair on which God was sitting, and during the night the starlight was considered to be missiles thrown on Satan who was spying near a particular sky to hear secrets of the angels. MI this folklore, like fairy tales, has been proved by modern science to be false and concocted stories. Early age marriage: According to Muslim laws early age marriage was allowed. So much so that it is said that Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him) married Bibi Aisha when she was eight years old. During the British days the educated Hindus got certain acts passed one of, which was called Sharah Act, according to which marriage of minor girls was forbidden. The Muslims at that time cried hoarse that this Act was against the Islamic laws. Therefore it should only be applied to Hindus and not to Muslims. The Britishers saw the ignorance and short sightedness of the Muslims and in order not to displease them; this law did not apply to the Muslims. During the rule General Ayub's, a ban was put on marriage of minor girls, as the Islamic code was not God's code, which could not be changed. X) CONQUEST OF OTHER COUNTRIES IN THE NAME OF RELIGION: I have already narrated that the Arabs, for their livelihood and exploitation, made Jehad a part of the Islamic code of life, and brought other countries and people under their sovereignty. Under this policy in the name of Islam, which was a religion of peace, they conquered other free peoples. For the sake of Arabian imperialism thousands of people were killed. Every person is born free and freedom is a human birth right. In the same manner the different countries and nations had their right of freedom. Islam considered but for the sake of Arabian Imperialism, conquest of other countries and peoples the conquest. Had this not been done with a clear material motive it would have been called ignorance. But it was a deliberate plan of loot, rape and arson under the name of Islam. Arab Conquest of other Countries and their people: There was an imperialist desire. These conquests of the other countries was nothing but imperialism. All these things were the product of forced usurpation and bad character. To consider these as part of the Islamic code of life is wrong. Just as in our times, the communists consider bloody revolution necessary, in the same manner Mullahs consider the spreading of their religion through wars or fanatical propaganda a right thing. At present the world has progressed and Islamic code of life, on account of change of society, has also greatly changed. Therefore, to consider Islam as a complete religion and the last word in the religious field is wrong. These beliefs have no substance. Under these conditions to believe in such ideas is not for the service of Islam, but only serves to tarnish religion in the eyes of the modern world. Now the time has come when we should have the moral courage to reject such ideas, which time has proved to be out of date. To keep a beard was according to the code of Shariat, but that belief gradually faded out of fashion with social education. At present the majority of Muslims a-re shaving their beards. If Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him) kept a beard like his grandfather Ibrahim, it was as an Arab tradition. This did not become a part of religion. in those days it was a social custom to have a beard. The Jews and Christians all had beards. Islam, if it was the religion of nature, then every day a new message and new order should have been received. Every old thing or tradition was put 'in practice in the name of religion. This was wrong. To keep such beliefs as part of Islam has lessened its importance. Monarchy or Kingship: The Arab Muslims on the one hand declared the institution of Khilafat as part of Islam, and on the other side was a certain Aayat of Qura'an, like: "God, Prophet and Ruler of the time should be followed. On the other hand the Mullahs honored tyrant kings as "Shadow of Allah" and life giver of Islam and "Sahib-e-Kiran (the leader of the age Jalalatul Mulk). All this was wrong and against the very spirit of Islam. If God was just and a supporter of freedom and Rab-ul-Almeen (maintainer of the universe), then how could He allow a few persons to exploit the resources of' the country in the name of religion and utilize it for personal interest. Therefore to make all this, a part of Islam is not justified. To consider such beliefs as part of the Islamic code is to malign the name of Islam. Now-a-days democracy is the best political principle. Therefore many people have discarded monarchy. it is clear that -,ill this happened due to change of society. This old institution also has disappeared. So to say the judgements of mullahs, Qur'anic Aayats or Prophet's sayings cannot put life in a dead horse. That is, it is a lesson of world history that when old issues have lost their force, new issues rule the day. xvii) Qura'an, is complete and final order of God: Many Muslims are of the opinion that Qura'an, is the saying of God and whatever is written in it is right and final. But our mind should be clear on this as many books of other religions are considered "ILHAMI". The followers of those religions consider that God through Angels sent those books. Therefore, whatever is written in them are correct and final and free from mistake. On this point many Muslims have different views. One group said that the Qura'an, had come through superior intelligence of Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him). Therefore it was created. The other group said that Qura'an, was the word of God and Angel Gabriel used to tell these to the-Prophet from time to time. Those sayings, afterwards were brought in book form during the days of Usman. Some persons have declared that one-fourth of the material had been taken away from the book. That is open to argument. Therefore, that question should not be raised at this time. But, after looking clearly in the Qura'an, one can finds these mentioned. Ayatul Banyat Muhikimat (Fundamental). These Aayats are basic principles and important. a) Beyond all religions, there was unity behind apparent diversity. b) All religions had common principles, unity of mankind, peace of the world and progress of humanity. c) For all prophets, scientists and great reformers, it was essential that their teachings should be treated as right and form the basic material for religions. d) The codes of all religions, on account of change of circumstances, have charged according to the requirements of time. The Islamic religion was "Law of Nature" which, on the basis of evolution, was opened to new interpretations and meanings. All the things in the world were not complete and final. Therefore they were capable of change for the better. There was one God. But He was above thinking, reason and concept. Existence of God was one. All other things were His attributes or illusion. 2. There were allegorical Aayats (verses). These Aayats were given for interpretation and with certain meanings only as examples and as symbolism. These had many meanings to them. just as: (a) "There are seven skies like roofs over each other." (b) "Water comes from the sky." (c) "Like Ababil birds threw stones over them." 3 Aayat-ul-Mansukhat: About them even Qura'an gives instructions that certain Aayat rejects the others. Its meaning is that according to the change of time and requirements, new orders will come and reject the old ones just as it is said at one place in the Qura'an, that wherever you find disbeliever's kill them. But in another place it is said that there is no force in religion. instructions like these were contradictory to each other. First instructions seem to have been given at the time of war. Later instructions were delivered during peace, as the war period was temporary and the period of peace was durable. Therefore the second meaning was correct. 4) Aayat-Furuat: These Aayats were for a transitory purpose and could not be considered as of permanent value. Retaliation of any crime, only some time, becomes necessary. Therefore it should not be considered an all time necessity. At one time the Qibla Baitul-Maqadas and afterwards it was changed to Mecca (Ka'aba). Permission was given for having four wives, but with such conditions that its fulfillment becomes practically impossible. Punishment for theft and fornication was first prescribed in the Jewish code (Talmud). But afterwards with the change of circumstances, this punishment also changed. Therefore one must consider orders and instructions mentioned in Qura'an in the same manner. To consider these unchangeable is wrong. These were changed on account of changed circumstances. On all such issues the idea of IJTEHAD should be applied with common sense to make things flexible to suit the changed times and needs. Every order is to be considered according to changed circumstances. Keeping these things in view, Moulana Rumi said: "I have taken the essence from the Qura'an and left the bones for dogs." Keeping these facts of ever changing circumstances, things must be seen from a different angle. The well-known Western Philosopher, Dr. Bernard Shaw, had said that the books of all religions should be read like the morning papers and good information be acquired from them, then kept in the cupboard. The whole universe is tile book of God. One has to take lessons from that as Shaikh Saadi said: "Green leaves of trees contain such material in the eyes of the wise man by which every leaf is considered the book of God." What the Qura'an says in this direction is as under: "Variety in the creation of skies and earth and in the change of night and day and boats which sail on the sea for the good of people, and water coming from the clouds, which creates life on earth. Which had gone out on account of absence of water and in the earth, several animals spread and changing of breeze floating of the clouds between earth and sky for these things there are signs for persons who thinks on the matter." Qura'an guides that you should learn a lesson from everything. But most of the Muslims are stuck to Qur'an's unnecessary parts and refuse to read the book of Nature. How it is reasonable that one should refuse to obey the instructions of Qura'an for reading the book of Nature. But reading the unnecessary words of the Qura'an everything of nature is in the Qura'an. They require eyes, which can see them. Christ in his Sermon on the Mount had said that "some people hear through ears but do not understand, some see with the eyes but do not realize. This nation is called with fat on its heart." Muslims also have become the same. Keeping these things in view Shah Latif said: "They read various books, but do not try to understand them, The more pages they read, they fall in deeper darkness." Hafiz Sheerazi says: "Ha ft', be happy, drink from love. Do not spread your net for misguiding others." xviii) In the view of Qura'an, about the creation of human being is: Creation of Humanity: Qura'an, in the footsteps of Torah, has declared them to be descendants of Adam, whose time of creation has also been narrated by the scholars of Torah and Injeel, and certainly by the learned Muslims. According to which Adam's time was 7000 years ago. But the archeological findings, even the antiquities of the Pyramids of Egypt, are 7500 years old. According to which the time mentioned by the Qura'an and Torah is not correct. In the opinion of Geologists, mankind was in existence 20 lacs (2 millions) years ago, according to which the period mentioned about Adam in the Qura'an and Torah is wrong. Torah and Qura'an contain very nice guidance and instructions, but there are several things in them, which have been proved wrong by historical and scientific research. Therefore to accept Qura'an and Torah, instead of in-creasing the value of Qura'an, will reduce it, Therefore we will have to reject them. xix) Muslims are a separate Nation: This ideology is not according to the Islamic teachings i.e. the religion of Nature, but it is borrowed from the Jews who called themselves "the chosen people of God". According to that ideology Israelis used to say that they were a selected nation, on account of their race and religion. Christ broke this idea and allowed non-Israelis and gentile persons to be the members of Christianity. On account of which the Israelis turned against Christ, with the consent of the Roman rulers, and crucified him. Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him) being a descendant of Ibrahim, and from a branch of his religion. Introduced several things which were part of Judaism, just like circumcision or not eating swine and going round Ka'aba seven times, sacrificing of animals on the day of performance of Hajj and running between Safa and Marwa. Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him) according to 'he teachings of Christ, left the door for Islam open for all mankind. But when Umer wanted to establish Arab Imperialism, he created the theory of Arab and Ajam. Arabic dress, Arabic language and Arabic customs were made part of Islam. The Arabs were considered a superior nation. Therefore, every non-Arab was told that the Arabs were a superior nation. So the followers who came under the rule of the Arabs, considered several Arabic things as superior, with the result that Arab tribal names and Arab names were considered to be better. Therefore, people were induced to declare themselves Arabs. The prayer house like Ka'aba and other buildings as sacred and visiting them and saying prayers at those places were made into reasons for the salvation of man. According to which all the persons who came under the domination of Arab Imperialism and adopted their customs and religious beliefs, were given special concession and Jazia tax was not taken and slave girls and slaves were not made from them. They were instructed to perform circumcision and to go to Hajj, fast in the month of Ramdan, offer prayers and learn the Arabic language and perform religious prayers in the Arabic language. Prophet Mohammed, while preaching Islam, had declared that all human beings were equal and free. But after the establishment of Arab Imperialism, the people of other countries were called Ajami (Dumb). They began to consider themselves as Jews, Romans and like that of Germans, the Britishers of the present era, as (selected nation) superior nation. The result was that later several countries and other nations refused to recognize the Arab's superior position and considered Arab Imperialism as slavery. They threw off the yoke of Arab Imperialism. Several countries of Eastern Europe are an example. The creation of Shia and Sunni sects were political. Those who accepted Arab Imperialism call themselves Sunnis and those who had the intellect rebelled against Arab Imperialism or Khilafat and created their own Government, several of them called themselves Shias. Shia and Sunni were sociopolitical groups. Shias were nationalists and Sunnis were the followers of Arab Imperialism. At present there are over forty Muslim Governments who are independent and sovereign. They do not believe in Khilafat. They are members of the United Nations. But among Muslim countries, there is only one country, Pakistan, where upper class group vested interest is served, so they consider Pakistan beneficial for them. They call themselves a Muslim nation. Such as Punjabis who are benefiting from this theory, Sindhis, Baluchis and Pakhtoons, who claim a separate nationhood, are rejecting this idea which simply creates justification for the Punjabi Imperialism. They are usurping the rights of the nation in the name of Islam. They call the Pakistanis a Muslim nation and in the name of democracy they keep them under their dominance. Against the condition of tyranny the Bengalis fought and separated themselves as an independent state. At present only Sindhis, Baluchis and Pakhtoon nations are being refused recognition as separate nation. In the name of Islam they are kept under the Punjabi dominance. In modern times Nationhood is accepted on the basis of territory, language, culture, historical traditions and political and economic interests. With these universally recognized basic conditions, most of members of United Nations have been accepted. I have shown in the list of free countries that out of a hundred and sixty members of the United Nations, Sindh is better fitted for independence and membership of the United Nations. Under those recognized conditions, what sin has been committed by the smaller Nations comprising the so-called Pakistan. That because of the Punjabi interpretation we should be deprived of the natural Sindhi right ~f nationhood which it had enjoyed for the last five thousand years. Why cannot Sindh be a nation, when many tiny places like Kuwait, Bahrain, Jordan and Yemen are recognized separate nations. In spite of speaking the same Arabic language, having the same religion, culture and as such are allowed to be members of the United Nations. Why in the name of religion should our freedom be kept under Punjabi bondage? Most of the other Muslim nations have achieved freedom. Then why have those Muslim nations achieved freedom? If several Russian countries, on account of their political and economic freedom, have done away with religion, why should we be forced to adopt the same attitude? The theory that the Muslims are a separate nation has lost all its meaning. We refuse to accept such a counterfeit coin. To Achieve Looted Booty: In olden days people used to fight among themselves. The groups stronger looted tile resources of poor and weaker people and brought them under its dominance. But all that was done under the savage law of the jungle "might is right". But these so-called Muslims on the contrary, and in the name of Allah, Prophet Mohammed and Islam, which was a religion of peace and love, should justify such inhuman practices and consider these honorable? This was a gross and deliberate misuse of the name of Islam. Even now taxes from Sindh are being taken in the name of Islam, and conveniently used for the benefit of the Punjabis. Such an action is morally wrong and against Islamic spirit, and will have to be abolished sooner or later. The Custom of Sacrifice: The study of religion shows how in the beginning the custom of sacrifice began. As far as I have learnt, the following may be the main objectives: Supernatural power, whether God or anything else, was dreadful, merciless and bloodthirsty. In order to appease His terrible wrath and to please Him, in the beginning, in order to save their families or tribes, they used to sacrifice one among them and its blood, feet and flesh were burnt at sacrificial places. Thinking that God could be pleased thereby, gradually this custom of sacrifice of human beings changed to the sacrifice of animals instead of human. Moses, on getting guidance from his elder brother, Haroon (Aaron), continued this custom and constructed sacrificial houses. Earlier ill Greece, Egypt and Rome such sacrificial customs were practiced. In India this was done for the pleasure of Shiv Maharaj. Dravadian first performed this custom. So it is a custom of tile barbaric or savage. Arabs had got out of the savage age and had entered tile nomadic period. Therefore they continued this custom. It is mentioned in ancient scriptural writings that Ka'aba was originally the temple of Shiv Maharaj. Therefore Lingum (phallus) worship, as the source of life, and sacrifices were already in existence in Mecca. The great, Grandfather of Prophet Mohammed was Ibrahim. He saw this custom prevalent in Mecca. Prophets and reformers were great psychologists. So Prophet Mohammed also continued the respect of Hajre-Aswad (lingum) and sacrifice as a custom of old cultural tradition. Therefore he thought it unwise to abolish it as this would have been against the psychology of the people. The Arabs used to meet every year at Mecca on their annual Hajj. So they continued this old custom. When most religions, or nations after progress, rejected these customs, Muslims continued to follow it, considering these as Ibrahamic traditions. On various pretexts as on the Day of Judgement, these sacrificial animals would perform the work of vehicle for crossing the bridge, or by sacrificing animal give the flesh as food in the name of God. Muslims have continued this savage concept up to the present time. With the result that crores of animals are slaughtered every year as a part of Islamic traditions, though its origin had nothing to do with Islam's sociological ideas. The followers of other religions have discarded this savage custom. Yet Muslims continue it as though it was a sacred custom, though the followers of certain other religions now consider it a sin to kill animals. The Muslims paint the sacrificial animals, hang bells around their necks and take them in a procession for sacrificial places, with beat of drums as a show of ceremonial performance. From all this tommyrot you can find out how much the religion of peace (Islam) has degenerated. The ignorance of Muslims has reached such an extent that if anybody raises a voice against it, they will not hesitate to kill that person. Though they call themselves the followers of Islam, yet Muslims have made violence the main plank of their religion. From the following instances one can see how much sincerity is in their arguments: For the pleasure of a "Merciful" God, crores of animals are sacrificed every year. At the time of killing the animal, "Allah-ho-Akbar" name is recited. In their imperialist days of conquests, the Arabs raised the slogan of "Allah-ho-Akbar" which is continued up to this time. From it one can find out that their concept of God was not of a merciful and loving one. Therefore, ~n account of these deeds their religion of Peace and Love turned into a religion of greed, hatred, enmity, prejudice, ignorance and disunity. xxii) Advent of MEHDI: When once the progress and success of the people are checkmated, the idea that a certain reformer or Prophet will come to better their condition, in order to raise the moral of people. It is often said that in future some AUTAR, or MEHDI, will come and improve their condition. Hindus have this belief in times of difficulty 'Vishnu Maharaj' will come in the form of Ram Chander or Sri Krishin and improve their condition. Bani Israel had also the same belief that after the death of Moses, some one will come, who will get them back their Old Glory. In the same mariner Muslims have also been thinking, that first Prophet gave them glory and was to come again in the form of a Mehdi and to unite all the human beings and bring peace and prosperity all over the world.* Thus in the past several people, among the Muslims have claimed to be that Mehdi but all failed. THE ADVENT OF CHRIST: The Christians hope that Christ will get them hack their old glory and kingdom of the world. But Christ had told them that the kingdom of world is temporary and "Kingdom of Heaven" is permanent. Therefore the entire national socio-cultural buildup was to be based on a spiritual and ethical foundation. But the Jews did not understand his teachings and considered moral and spiritual reform as harmful to their material interest. Therefore: they got him crucified. In the same manner several reforms came in the Vedic Dharam, but the common people being ignorant of their own malady, could not understand their teachings. Gothum Buddha was a reformer of Vedic religion hut Hindu Pundits (Brahmans) did not tolerate him in the beginning, as his great teachings of the equality and oneness of humanity went against their social setup of higher and lower classes which gave them free slave labor. So from Buddhist thought vested interest was in danger. But after some time his followers were thrown out from India and his mission did not become successful. Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him) came from the desert of Arabia for the mission of reforming the Arab people. In the beginning the Arabs did not understand the real purpose of his mission. Instead his cousin, Hazrat Ali, and his son Imam Hussain were martyred though they lit the candle for the mission of Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him). As degeneration and degradation continued, Arabs and Muslims of other countries became disgusted and hoped that some Mehdi would come and fulfil the mission of re-generation. So several imposters came in various parts of the world, declaring that they had come to fulfill that mission of them several persons managed to acquire world power. Several of them were killed while there were also some God-fearing men among them, who came to improve the moral and spiritual condition of the Muslims. But, Muslim Mullahs and rulers opposed them. During their lifetime few persons paid attention to them. But after their demise, big Kubbas (tombs) were constructed over their graves and they were respected and sanctified as "Saints". But the purpose for which they had come to reform has not given any heed. Their graves were owned for fulfilling of the worldly prayers and incantations. Some people go to their graves for getting their wishes fulfilled, and some gone there to get themselves rid of diseases and other difficulties. Some go their to recite wazifas for purification of their mind, and some for miracles to happen, without ever realizing that when these reformers were alive they could not get anything from them. After their death what could they get from them. Muslims continue to this day to remain in the same retarded mental condition. They ought to know that reformers came to reform the social conditions of a particular period. By the change of time and circumstances new things had come about for which new remedies were required. Reformation and guidance of nations could not be performed by individuals, either through miracle or by spiritual force, but by creating public consciousness for improvement of their condition. Through this particular method things could be changed. Now-days to keep up hopes of a Mehdi to perform miracles for reformation and awakening of people, is idiotic. XXiii) SUPERNATURAL POWER (GOD): Not only Muslims, but also all the founders of religions have passed their lives for getting knowledge of God and to be benefited by that power. But they were notable to know God or get any benefit. They are still mentally wandering in its pursuit. Shah Latif says: "If that purpose can be achieved, even till the Day of Judgement, then it is also earlier." Or incantation of certain verses cannot achieve that unknown supernatural power, and knowledge. Deep studies may reveal the truth. The religions of the world, with their essence and philosophies and sciences, can give certain information. If the chemist passes his life in a research of chemistry or a doctor devotes his life to find out remedies of diseases, then he too can be considered a benefactor of humanity. For the improvement of material life practical steps are needed for the research. A life spent for the good of humanity is equal to saintly life. xxiv) CONCEPTION ABOUT MATTER AND SPIRIT: All the religions and philosophers and learned men passed their lives in finding the truth and secret of matter and spirit. Thousands of prophets, saints, rahibs (monks), rishies and Munies passed their lives in search of the secret knowledge of matter and mind. Some considered spirit as individual and separate and some considered it collective; some considered spirit a part of God; some have considered it beyond understanding and some have thought over its various evolutionary stages. Some say that the spirits evolve through various stages of matter vegetables and animal kingdom and ultimately reach human beings, from where they have to evolve and merge in the ocean of life. Some have tried to show that spirit and matter are separate things. But some have also tried to show two sides of the same picture. Some thought it in thesis form and some with anti-thesis. When they were unable to find through these methods, then they tried to find out through synthesis. Some religious hypothesis and philosophies have tried to express that there is unity behind diversity. Sufism, Humanism, Wahdat-ul-Wajud (Wahdaniat) have tried to search into this question from their point of view. According to Mahatma Mahavir as expressed by Shah Latif in the following words: "A dead elephant was entrusted to the blind men out what it was. The blind, having no eyes, could not tell anything about it. This job was handed down to those men with eyes, who ultimately gave the full report about the elephant. It is about these men it is said: "The burden which could not be borne by skies, has fallen on me." Qura'an explained in the following words: "The secret of this knowledge, which cannot be borne by skies, earth and mountains and they could not bear it, but that was taken by the men in haste. He has shown the variety of the sign of ignorance." Iqbal has expressed the same idea as under: "Why did you drive me out from the garden of Heaven. The task of the world is a long one, now you have to wait for me." Badil says: "Do not take ego with you, you should understand yourself. God is with you, you know yourself. Do not look beyond you." Sachal says: "I am God myself, but on account of love, I have called myself the creature (servant of God). For the reformation of society, customs and laws become necessary: Man is an evolved animal and species. He has got the same instinct as animals have. Therefore he becomes violent, selfish, unlimited sexual tendencies, desire for theft and hatred, with the result that he commits bloodshed, fights and quarrels. Slowly man, after long experience and wise men's instructions and old men's advises, religious leaders and rulers of the countries, lie acquires a certain code of life, customs, tradition and through them reforms the society. But afterwards, he came to know that the things which were invented for unity, peace and justice, everything was twisted by cunning and selfish people for their vested interests, who crushed the freedom of the people and made their own laws and customs. The Brahman class brought the common man under his laws for its interest. Bani Israel considered the laws superior to everything. In order to challenge the supremacy of the Brahman class, Mahatma Buddha tried to reform the society through moral and good deeds. On the other side Christ, in order to break the supremacy of priesthood's laws and customs, exploitation of Saduqeen and Freesin of the Jews. Saying that the Grace of God is superior to laws of religion in the third instance, among the Muslims, Sufis tried to free the people from the traditions and laws of Shariat. But mostly the ruling class of Pundits, Rabbis of the Jews and Mullahs gave trouble to these reformers, to keep their selfish vested interests intact, when they were custodians of law and dominated the people in the name of orthodoxy. On the other hand the moralists wanted to reform the morals and introduce good deeds and purify the mind. Shah Latif says: "I cannot get salvation by law, but I pray for Your Grace." Laws, customs, reform of society and individual discipline is necessary. But man's position is greater than these things, men make Laws. They have to remain under their control. But they are not to follow them blindly. Man has passed through various stages and ages. Every stage and age has got its own requirements. Therefore, with the change of society, the change of codes, laws and rules become necessary. The purpose reformers has been with the change of circumstances and new requirements of the time and conditions of the world society, new instructions and guidance have to become the rule of the time. Shah Latif says: "A new message has come from the Beloved last night, that I have received, says Latif, the blessings from the Sire. They do not inquiry about the caste or creed, who ever goes there is accepted." Under the circumstances, reformers and thinkers looked at the change. in society and gave new directions just as the time changed. So the rules and regulations, for the guidance of society, will have to be changed to suit changed conditions of life. 'This was the act of the divers who searched deep down in to the ocean and brought some previous pearl ,and handed down these stone. (Shah Latif) If one looks at the poets and saints of recent times, he will find that they had put more stress on the essence of moral teachings rather than a dogmatic adherence to rigid laws. "They have given up all (religions) rites. What are they going to do with prayers. When the ordinary people are roaming about, they do not go to that side. They neither recite Qualm nor hear the Azan. Lahutis are free man. They were there before eternity. (Bedil) "In reality light and darkness are one. Religion and Kafir are branches of the same tree. A wise man should know the secrets-of this knowledge. PLEASURE OF SUPERNATURAL POWER: When people came to know that there was some superior power hidden behind the world. Which created the trees, animals and maintains them and afterwards brought death upon them; heaven brought wrath and accidents on account of them, then they searched to know what was that power and how to influence it. In the beginning they wanted to control the power according to their wishes. But in this pursuit they could not achieve much. After long experience they came to the conclusion that the unknown and unlimited power could not come under their influence. After that, when they came to know their helplessness, they began to appease that power. In the first instance, when they wanted to bring it in their, control, it was called magic. The second phase of pleasing the supernatural power was called religion. They tried to adopt the following methods for its pleasure: Several -kinds-of worship and prayers were invented. They came to the conclusion that certain words and wazifas and sacred, words had their influence, for the Pleasure of supernatural powers. Burning of scented and sweet smelling incense brought about a homogeneous atmosphere pleasing to the supernatural power. Sacrifice of men and animals and distribution of food also was considered necessary for pleasing the spirit of supernatural power. Fast for the purification of the mind was also considered necessary. For the pleasure of the supernatural power it was considered necessary to weep and be a humble supplicant before it. Idols, trees, animals, spirits of the dead, Gins and Dewtas for their pleasure scent and flavored food and charities, all these methods were utilized. From the ancient times, -some novel, beliefs were held about the existence of spirits. They were inhabiting graveyards or graves where, by offering prayers and charities and reciting some formulas, people could get their help or support. The spirits had such power -as to change the working of nature at their sweet will. They could provide facilities for influencing men. They could give relief from disease. They could give help in bringing out progeny to men. They could harm their enemies. They gave secret information to the people either in dreams or by the Istikhara (by intuition). The spiritual help or knowledge. In view of these beliefs people began worshipping the trees, animals and Dewtas. They had -the belief that Gin and spirits resided in trees and in forests. They considered that certain animals were incarnation's of God. Therefore they began worshipping and respecting them. Some animals were called Totem and others Taboo. Stars, Zudecs and planets were considered having influence over men, and gave them help by freeing them from diseases. Up to now such beliefs continue. In the ancient age of savagery, the first known influence was on the Egyptians. After that came the belief in the reward and the concept of punishment. The concept of Paradise and hell were created. Man started prayers and recitation of formulas to achieve those objects. Various religions considered such ideas reliable and started worshipping for that reason. They started belief in the existence of separate spirits and belief in the good and bad deeds and their workings. one group believed in Wahdaniat or existence of Wahdat-ul-Wajud and the other group believed in the diversity of spirits. Some believed in duality, which gave every spirit two qualities. xxvii) BELIEF IN LIFE AFTER DEATH: Whether life remains after death or not? This question has remained a debatable argument from a long time. Followers of most of the religions had the belief that 'the spirits were eternal.' Some believed that they were created under the order of God - on the day of creation. They were destined to remain in the world of spirits. From there they came at the appointed time and passed into life then, according to their deeds, went to heaven or below the earth or to the ether. On the day of judgement,, they will acquire some forms and meet on the plane of "HASHER", from where they will cross the river of hell across a bridge and after the result of their good or bad deeds go respectively to hell or heaven. Certain religions hold the opinion that the animals originally, through the 'survival of -the fittest', evolved from amoebae, and rose up to the status of man. In the same manner the spirit also evolved from matter, vegetables and animal stages and finally reached mankind. They take separate forms, according to the result of Karma (Fate) and ultimately get salvation, departs from the circle of life and reach Nirvan Padd. Certain groups say that God is origin and all others are attributes. When God wanted to show Himself to the world, He appeared in his attributes. "When Love enfolded in His heart, He wore the robe of a fakir. Thus he attracted me and he took the attire of a wanderer. " (Fakir Khair Mohammed Sufi) "The creator of form, came to see his own drama. " (Sachal) There are certain persons who do not believe in the separate existence of spirit after death. They say that matter, on account of working of elements, comes to life and after working it out, the spirit's separate existence disappears. These questions have not been satisfactorily answered. It appears, that for a, long time, they will continue to remain unresolved. Shah Latif has expressed that this question will not be solved even up to the Day of judgement, that you have found a solution earlier from God. "No news nor dreams, neither any messenger has brought any news, None has returned from there to convey the message here. Nobody knows what became of those who departed. RELIGIOUS CODES: When Governments were formed on the basis of religious codes, then they are called theocratic governments. For conducting the cases on religious basis, the Kazis, Pundits, Kahan and Clergy are entrusted with cases of authorities. But when governments grow - in their territories, different religions and sects begin to live under those circumstances. The code of life of different religions and their sects increase. Under those circumstances the judiciary and administrative s stems become very complicated. Under these circumstances it appoints magistrates with knowledge of different religions. And magistrates and their training and knowledge become difficult. In a joint society or cases in which the different religion are. involved, then the matter will be disputable. Whether the case is to be conducted by one magistrate or many magistrates haying knowledge of those religions. Moreover., because of the change of society, can the centuries old laws', fixed by the founders of different religions, be suitable. This is also an obviously disputable matter. Under such conditions and requirements of greatly changed times, great states fixed new and more suitable laws for the conduct of cases, and Governments are get up on secular basis. At present in the modern world, excepting a few countries, most of the countries elect their representatives through a democratic procedure to -conduct the administration and do justice in the countries. But in- Pakistan alone people have been told that the law will be based in accordance with the Islamic code. Yet every successive Government, on account of changed circumstances, has been forced to continue to change laws and conduct these through the people's elected representatives, but with no change of Governments. It did not realized by well-educated lawyers and jurists of Pakistan. That the religious codes and traditions are of a centuries old society and, due to changes in the social pattern of life. These have become obsolete and do not at all suit the needs of such an advanced age as the supersonic and, nuclear age. Whereas the Islamic laws belong to a small Arab society of the medieval age, which draws its ethical genesis from the Torah. Therefore, on Account of changed circumstances, to conduct cases and administration under the authority of such an old social order is absurd and injurious to present-day social life. Moreover, there are such a lot of confusion in interpretations which have made the matter worse, so that it is practically impossible to work on those lines. In Pakistan the Islamic Administration and applying its medieval code of life is being talked about for the last (40) forty years, but nothing has been decided intelligently to face the reality of the situation. I have explained the things earlier, which are connected with the code of Islam as either they have been rejected or arc unworkable under the changed social order of our times. Many questions have cropped up, Which were not in existence thousand years ago. Just as railways, airplanes, road traffic rules, so many taxes, industries, democratic method of Government, trade with foreign countries, political and the modern diplomatic relations with pattern of protocol in foreign countries, modern method of warfare in defense, medicine and knowledge of different science have created such stupendous problems, which cannot be solved by working on the out-model social thinking of thousand years old traditions. Therefore the business of modern governments is conducted on secular and democratic forms. Theocratic form of administration and law has already disappeared from the world, except in Israeli and Saudi Arabia. In Pakistan, on account of theocratic government, the religious heads keep so much control over people's life and mind that it becomes stultified. The social order of democracy, coexistence and cooperation are the basis on which ,people can get some freedom of thought and action. Therefore, now days, theocracy in socio-political life has practically disappeared and there is no possibility of its revival, as the world has never been static or has over gone in the reverse. The world has always marched forward. Progress is the pivot of life. xxix Change of Religion and Freedom of Views: Most of the religions have forbidden changing one's religion and will be converted to another one. In some cases for such a change, capital punishment is prescribed. Just as when one shows allegiance to another is considered a social crime and is given capital punishment. But in a democratic government of modern times, every person has got the right to freely express his or her opinion.* There cannot be restrictions on the. change of religion or change of opinion. It is strictly matter of personal conscious. However, to form an-organization in opposition to government is not prohibited. In democratic countries no man, woman, or group or party is entitled to thrust its political opinion or religious opinion on others. In the same manner, 'no nation is entitled to interfere in the affairs of other nations. One country does not have -the right to restrict or control another. These things are considered against the traditional rules that a state becomes dictatorial in the conduct of its government. Under the democratic rule, every person is considered to have born free, independent and has got the right to express his or her political, religious and social views publicly. But when it is known that most of the religions have created vested interests. Therefore, they refuse to accept the change of belief in books and prophets of their religions. And under the theocratic type rule of government, the religious code and its interpretations are made so sanctimonious that to follow these ones will lose his/her freedom, which is bestowed in individuals or nations by nature. The Mullahs and Pundits propound the codes of various religions, with such authority as if they got the authority from God to dictate -their views on people. Though pope-ism is dead in the major portion of the world, but it continues in Pakistan so their vested interests in religion forms their Empires. The same thing takes place under that dictatorial Government, where the religious individual authority is the last word. Now-a-days religion and democracy are -contradictory to each other. Democracy is not only the supporter of individual freedom, rather it is also the supporter of the freedom of every nation. just as imperialism is the enemy of national freedom, similarly the different orthodox, rigid ideas and religious codes 'of medieval religions are against an individual's intellectual freedom. Therefore it seems that religious code and imperialist Governments and fascicle international ideologies support a dictatorial form of Government. On the other hand neo-nationalism or selfish nationalism democracy of nations, and freedom of opinion, are against each other. Therefore, people have, to be clear in mind that these-contradictory things cannot work together. They can only work with broad-minded toleration and on the theory of co-existence. xxx) Violence: just as man has developed intellectually from animal, so several animals instincts are 'still in men. Therefore people, sometimes without cooperation and toleration, consider their own views right and thrust those forcibly on others. Thus from the beginning, the powerful have usurped -the property and resources of weaker people for their own use. Some even killed their opponents. Thus with the sword or whip they have dominated others in every age the dominant or ruling class, with the help of the clergy (mullah, priests or pundit), have invented their own beliefs and ideas, and justifies their authority and rule. Some had made use of reason and created the theory of survival of the fittest. So they say that in accordance with that rule of life, the strong and powerful must rule over the weaker people. Just as the wolf kills the goat, the falcon kills the doves and the cat kills the mouse and the tall trees do not allow the smaller trees to grow under them, so every powerful thing controls the weaker. But this unmoral code of behavior is not limited only to trees and animals, but is applied against weaker nations and tribes by stronger nations and tribes. As male dominated the weak female.* Gradually as social conscious developed it was realized that physical superiority was not the criterion for righteousness and that the intellect must also be considered. In the same manner men have not given sufficient importance to co-existence and toleration. Therefore, they have killed each other. Ultimately on account of - experience, they came to the conclusion that the law of violence is not good. Therefore they spread the idea of unity and toleration and believed the theory of non-violence, which created unity and collective power. Shah Latif says: They fly in-groups and never break their friendship. Look and learn that birds have more love then human beings. Several religions taught and trained persons in nonviolence. Buddhism, Jainism, Christianity and Islam adopted non-violence as a creed. Later on their followers degenerated and adopted animal instincts, became violent in their creed. History proves that power acquired with physical force, or intellectual power, moral or spiritual qualifications give power to its followers. But when they do not remain contended with non-violence, they, on account of economic competition, break each other's power. The Arian in the beginning followed the path of violence and conquered their predecessors, the Dravadian and Aborigine. But after some time they fought among themselves as Rajput Rajas and weakened their own power. After this experience they produced reformers who preached non-violence, Mahatma Buddha and Mahatma Mahavir gave that message to Indians and in the west, Moses gave Israelis the teaching of violence for their freedom from the Egyptians. But after experience they discarded that theory and Christ taught morality, love and non-violence. He said: "Anyone who hates you, you should love him. When anybody snatches your coat, you should give him your shirt also. If anybody slaps you on one cheek, give, another cheek for slapping. In the beginning, the Israelis neglected his teachings, because they thought him against their vested interest and got him crucified. But gradually non-violence gave much influence to Christians that today there are a greater number of Christians in the world. [* footnote in spite of all the corrosiveness and tyrannical methods of the ill-informed mullahs, the latest report is that more than a lacs of people have converted to Christianity in several districts of Punjab. Draconian laws and intellectual guttersnipes are victimizing the people of Sindh including Karachi. Those who talk of democracy and freedom must also do justice to the cruelty treated women in our society ]* Similarly, among the Arabs of Mecca, Prophet Mohammed was born. He preached unity to the Arabs. But the conservative Arab Shaikhs with their vested interests adopted a hostile attitude towards him and wanted to get him killed. But he remained non-violent and united them on one platform. He adopted violence only in self-defense. But later his followers, taking undue advantage of their unity the name of religion, attacked other countries and established Arab Imperialism. Instead of keeping peace and unity, they used religion for conquering other countries and looting their treasures, and by force brought them under their domination. But this was a wrong method, which created jealousy among them for getting power, and in reaction, they became a target of the jealousy of other nations. Though the Arabs swiftly conquered Syria, Mesopotamia, Egypt, Iran, West Africa, Central Asia and Sindh and established their own Government, yet these conquests made them so weak that the conquered countries later rebelled against them and established their own 'governments. On account of their jealousy, they did not only become weak but were divided and their original principles of love) non-violence, peace and toleration were all forgotten. Instead, the Arabs adopted hatred, violence and interrelation. So, unfortunately, the g' followers of Islam hungering for power and vested interests, forgot the universal message of Islam and converted it into an imperialist type of religion. Under the present circumstances people have been compelled under the doctrine of co-existence to return to the basic principles of the Qura'an. 'that everyone should believe in existence." But on that path the interpretation of Pakistani Islam of Muslims being a separate nation and present day "Communism" have established a great stumbling block. I have mentioned in short the basic teachings of other religions. I have also mentioned how religion, from the beginning, on account of change of circumstances and other evolution of society., have guided humanity. And how they have learned the lesson from each other. Sindhis have learned lessons from the following religions: 1) Animist power, supernatural influence. 2) Inanimist power, supernatural influence. 3) Vedic religion. 4) Buddhism 5) Zoroastrianism and its branches. 6) Judaism. 7) Christianity. 8) Jainism. 9) Islam. Sindhi people have been under the influence of the above mentioned religions and its messages. I have also explained how Sufis of Sindh have learnt lessons from them and prepared a message for mankind. Here, I will explain the international message of peace and goodwill for humanity. In the first chapter of my book I have written in short that in the long period of history, how foreign imperialist nations invaded, controlled and influenced and, from time to time, people of Sindh, for self-defense, struggled for freedom. In the same manner, the vested interests of religion like other imperialism, tried to keep control over the local people. Ultimately some reformers found out that behind all religions there was unity of purpose. Therefore on the basis of coexistence, they selected good points from every religion and presented them to the people in what is known by the name of Sufism. Though before it or after it, several reformers took. out the essence from all religions and presented to the people to bring unity of thought among them and save them from the exploitation of certain vested interests of religions. I will point out the following few instances which have worked so as to influence the people: Iran, the reformer Mani, took out the best thing from Judaism, Zoroastrianism, Christianity and Buddhism and taking these presented their essence to the people. In Bharat, Guru Nanik (born in tile year 1469 and died by the year 1538) selected good points from Vedic Dharm, Buddhism and Islam and presented these to tile people for their unity. He took great lessons from Shaikh Fariduddin Shakar Ganj's teachings. Kabir Bhagat took out the essence from Hinduism and Islam and presented it to the people in his poetry, for unity and understanding. Iran's and Bharat's saints: Certain learned people from Iran and Bharat, after learning from various religions, found out the unity behind diversity and presented this philosophy of Sufism. Raja Ram Mohan Roy and his friends formed the Brahmo Somaj movement as they had taken the essence from Hinduism, Christianity and Islam, and named it Brahmo Samaj and tried to bring unity and understanding. Theirs was a great social reform in Bengal. In Sindh where, as mentioned above, during five thousand years, nine religions and five movements, had left their influence. Under the leadership of the Sufis like Shah Inayat Shaheed of Jhook, Shah Latif of Bhit, Sachal Sarmast of Daraza, Rohal Fakir of Kandri, Kadir Bux Bedil of Rohri, Khush Khair Muhammad Fakir of Moro, Misri Shah of Nasarpur, Sami Dilpat of Rohri, and Swami of Shikarpur, finding the unity behind diversity, tried to spread the message of love in Sindh. The essence of their teachings is as under: a) Religion was one, which from time, under the requirements of the people, had evolved and progressed. The purpose was unity o in kind) peace fan of the world and progress of Humanity. b) Wahdat-ul-Wajud or Wahdaniat philosophy pointed out that there was one existence and the rest were all attributes. Therefore the knowledge of the one (existence) was necessary and one need not be misled in ignorance and be attached to its attribute. c) The essence of all religions was love. Misri Shah says: Islam is love and this religion of love was best of all. d) One has to be free from the influence of many spirits and their reward and punishment and from the result of their works. Thus be free from the circle of attributes. Ultimately to merge in, the whole. c) Ahinsa (nonviolence) was essence of love and violence was the basis of animal instinct. f) For the unity of mankind, toleration, co-existence and co-operation were necessary. g) The codes of religion were less beneficial than the philosophy of religion. The essence whose base was good morals and good deeds, after a long time their influence came to be known by different names like Tassawof, Humanism, theosophy and Sikhism. in this chapter I have placed the material as proposed by Sufis. Readers may have come to know, that the following things have been narrated: 1) Belief in supernatural power and fear of their harmful influence and faith in their appeasement on the basis of devotion. 2) Animist things like Sun, Moon, Planets, Zodiacs, Mountains, Air, Water, Fire and Land had also spirits, which influence the people for good or for bad. 3) Behind the idea of plurality of Gods, there came the basis of idol worship. 4) Trinity, Duality and Monism were historical evolutions of supernatural power of religion. Animist and Inanimist beliefs can be found from Mohan-jo-Daro. After the coming of Arians, the idea of Trinity, Duality and Unity were innovated. In Sindh one can find that Sun-worship cities were founded and through Krishin Maharaj, teaching of Geeta and teaching of the Vedic influenced. Sindhi Sufis had Buddhist and Jainism influenced Shah Latif and Shah Inayat. Judaism also had left its influence-on Sindh. During the days of the Babylonians, the Empire came under Iranian influence, and Sindh, for some time, was under the influence of the Persians. Then, after the spread of Islam, the First Islamic teachings, which came, to Sindh was a branch of Judaism. if you see the traditions and laws of Judaism, you will find that Islam was most influenced by the teachings of Judaism. Christ was the founder of Christianity and reformer of Judaism. His teachings had great influence on Islam. From there Christian missionaries came to Sindh. In view of that, Christ's teachings had great influence over Sindhi saints just as Shah Latif says: "When they tell you bad things do not retaliate. Whoever retaliates will receive harm. Those who keep enmity will never prosper. Shaikh Akbar Mohiuddin ibn Arabi, who belonged to Spain, learnt from Plato, new-Platonism and Spenoza from Europe, and Mansur, Rumi, Attar from the East. Their teachings had influenced over Shah Waliullah of Delhi, from whom Makhdoom Moeen of Thatta benefited. Makhdoom was a great friend of Shah Latif. All the religions had several hundred sects, which were the creations of the teachers of those religions. But the vested interests of various religions gave them different meanings, which therefore became the cause of misunderstandings. If we keep all other religions aside and only study the history of the evolution of Islam, it will be found that the Arab's Islamic interpretation was different by which Islam took a different form; and the interpretation in Iran and the European preachers presented Islam in different forms; and so also in Sindh, on account of the variety of religions, which had influenced Sindhi saints and philosophers. Sindh's interpretation became different. Below, I narrate the different interpretations of Arabia, Iran, Europe and Sindh. ARAB'S INTERPRETATION OF ISLAM: Their ancient traditions and social customs, old religious beliefs and teachings of their temperaments, climate, racial and tribal influence to every count's people. Arabia, which is at present dominated by Saudis, mostly consisted of desert land and hilly track dwellers. Residents of that country, excepting a few small towns were mostly nomads who passed a wandering life, and camel's milk, dates and certain Glorees, Ghohoon were their food stuffs. They were divided into tribes, fighting each other in petty matters. Their feuds continued for generations. Shiv fire worshippers of Iran, local idol worship influenced them, and influenced by Shiv, Hindus, Jews and Christians also had their influence over them. But ultimately, they reverted back to their old tradition of belief. Arabs were simple 'people and kind hearted. And then God had mercy on them, Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him) appeared and preached his ideas to them. Prophet Mohammed's (peace be upon him) teachings consisted of two missions: 1) That frees the Arabs of their nomadic feuds and internal differences. Give them a new code of life and bring them on one platform. 2) To teach them the richness of universal peace, unity of mankind, good deeds and certain information about the rules of good society. Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him). - His first mission was completed during his lifetime. Be brought them on one platform and under a centralized command. But his second mission required time and training, for which he could not get time and left that mission incomplete, except for some persons who were initiated to secret teachings, whereas the majority of the Arabs was intellectually and spiritually not fit for his second mission. Therefore, it began through persons, who were acquainted with previous civilizations and religious teachings. On account of the first group of followers, numerically the Muslims and their political influence increased. But the real religion of Islam and its universal mission could not be completed. The first group gave emphasis on violence, conquest of countries to be kept under Arab Imperialism, maintaining Arab superiority. The result was that conquests, slaughter, selfishness, formal religion, family and tribal enmities increased. In view of this policy, the three first rulers were killed and the Prophet's descendants were driven out from Arabia and killed. If you look at that Islam which was practiced by Arabs, you will find that they were uprooted from Mecca and Madina arid were taken to central administration places like Baghdad in Iraq, Damascus in Syria, Cairo in Egypt. Enmity with the family of Prophet increased so much that none of his descendants could be buried beside him. At present the Arabs are the most backward Muslims in the world, committing of theft, amputation of their hand and for committing the crime of killing they are taken to be killed before the common people, in front of Ka'aba. The majority of Arabs are ignorant of even the basic principles of the Islamic religion. When Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him) came, then the Arabs were divided in various families, fighting each other and divided in fighting groups and were drunkards, idol worshippers, omen worshippers, nomads and weak. The Prophet's moral religious and spiritual influence so changed the people that they came on one platform, freed them from bad habits and united them into one Nation. Arabs came, under one administration. Ultimately, they accepted one religion, one Government and got out from poverty and conquered the neighboring countries and brought them under Arab imperialism. But it cannot be denied that most of the countries, which were conquered by them, were more civilized with ancient civilization and their own Empires. They had their own literary material and centers. As explained, with the advent of Islam, Arabs conquered the other countries and confiscated treasures and resources of other countries and became rich. But they committed certain follies, which are as under: They called the non-Arab countries Ajamis (dumb). In order to prove their superiority over the others in the name of Islam, Arabic language, traditions, and customs were thrust upon them. They tried to convert them from their original religions, change their language and alphabet. They changed their original names and kept Arabic names. With the result that the persons, thus conquered, were compelled to change their names and family names, and they started calling themselves Arab descendants. The looted treasures got from other countries were considered a property handed over to them by God. They brought free persons of those countries under their slavery and sold them to outsiders and used them as their slaves. They forcibly tried to destroy their religions and declared, against the clear order of Qura'an all-previous religions were rejected and were not fit for the world. There was instruction in the Qura'an that "they will use no force in religion". But these persons used force, neglecting the instructions that all had the right to their own religion. According to the instructions of the Qura'an, all persons were born free and equal. But they made them slave and slave girls and confiscated their property. They brought other nations as a part of their Empire. Islam had preached personal freedom and national freedom, but they brought them under their, domination. Islam forbade fornication, but they used the women of other people without marrying. Arabs conquered those countries, which were more civilized, cultured, progressed and advanced in languages and literature. They possessed great libraries, which were set on fire by the Arabs', and all instruments of music, statues; things of fine art like paintings were destroyed. The Arabs also rejected everything not within the scope of Qura'an and Hadith, though the Qura'an and Prophet had proclaimed" Go to every corner of the world and learn, even if you have to go as far as China". Every man with eyes has to learn a lesson from the things of the world. Even the knowledge of God was to be acquired through men. All books, knowledge, pictures, statues and languages are the product of Nature and historical experience. There are the pages and signs of creation of the world. Who were those Arabs who, on account of their own limited and narrow point of view called these natural signs of God, wrong and themselves right. God Himself had declared that Islam was not a separate religion, but had come to reform and improves the old ones. And Islam had come to prove that there was unity behind all diversity, But' Arabs slowly changed Islam in such a way that the Arab nation, Arabic language, Arabic kinds of prayers, Arabic religious beliefs were Islam itself. Therefore they considered every mail non-Arab, a non-Muslim and an innovation. It was considered salvation of the soul to die in Arab countries. Without meaning and understanding, prayers were performed In the Arabic language, in different countries, on the occasions of marriages and deaths, the customs of different countries, which used to be performed before, were removed and in their place Arabic customs were introduced. To be a Muslim, an Arabic dress and Arabic names were considered necessary. Instead of giving preference to spiritual and rational things, like Jews and pundits, they preferred outside prayers and recitation of certain things, to be Islam. God's greatness, moral principles, good deeds were all thrown out. It is said in the Qura'an, that in the matter of religion, force was not necessary. People were to be invited to the right path through preaching, teachings and proper advice. In the case of religion, the principle of coexistence was to be kept in view. But they had their imperialist mentality, and habits of the persons who drank camel's milk and other things by which they were to utilize religion for their imperial purpose. In everything they considered violence necessary, and tried to change people according to Arab made Islam. They, instead of purifying the heart, considered religion as a formal recitation of verses as prayers. "Allah-ho-Akbar, was the slogan of God's greatness. But these Arabs made it a slogan for killing cattle or people. These Arabs turned Islam, which was a religion of peace and unity, into a religion of hatred, rebellion and wars. They combined religion with politics and used their religion as instrument for their imperial purposes. Islam had come to the world as a blessing and Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him) made himself a boon for the universe. But these Arabs turned that religion as a means for their selfish motives. The result was that slowly the conquered countries, in their reaction, turned against Arab imperialism. On the other side even among the Arabs competition arose for getting power. Bani-Abbasis utilized religion for their political purposes, and prolonging Arab Imperialism. The result was that the interpretation of Islam took several forms. Those persons, who believed in the supremacy of Arab imperialism, called themselves Sunnis, and those who were against it called themselves Shias. Arabs at one time were mercenary soldiers in the Government of Iran, but when Arab conquered Iran and established their Government the reaction was that the Iranians turned so much against Arab b domination, that their national poet Firdousi was compelled to say: "Drinkers of camel's milk and snakes, the Arabs have become so proud that they have usurped the kingdom of Kayanies Empire. Oh! the changes of destiny, woe be to you. These enmities among Sunnis and Shias created so much trouble that one Shia Prime Minister of Abbasi Empire invited Halaku Khan Mongol to Baghdad and destroyed Arab Imperialism. IRANIAN INTERPRETATION OF RELIGION: The Persian's had their ancient civilization and citizenship. They were in charge of a great empire. For some time Sindh, Turkistan, Mesopotamia, Syria, Asia Minor and even Egypt remained within their empire. Arabs used to serve as an auxiliary force under them. They have had their prophets who expounded their own religion. Zardusstra, Mathra, Mazdahic and Mani were among them, whose brief introduction ',as been given above. They introduced the world, philosophy of Duality. According to which each thing had two sides, so much so that supernatural power (God) also was divided into two. Aharmaz and Aharman. The power of good and bad. On one side was light and on the other side was darkness, which were said to be the important factors. Right and wrong, spirit and matter were said to be two powers, which discriminated the world forces. They considered the sun as . a symbol of light and therefore believed the sun to be center of all power, and Darkness as a sign of ignorance. Angels and Satan were the product of that concept when Arabic Islam's interpretation of religion was thrust upon Iranian. They discarded the Sunni sect of Islam and adopted the Shia-interpretation of Islam. According to the Shias, Ali was the custodian of Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him), as he had said: "I am the city of knowledge and Ali is the Gate. In this way they got a justification to be free from the slavery of Arabian Imperialism. Ahl-e-Sunnat-Wal-jamat was considered the religious agency of the Arab Khalifas. Therefore they gave preference to nationalism. After some time they advanced their language and culture and freed -them from the Arab language and culture. Iranians were descendants of the Arian race and Arabs were Dravadian (simitics). In future the Iranian culture, progressed so much that when the Mongols conquered Iran, then Mongols adopted Iranian culture. Islam was preached by Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him) but Arabs, on account of their imperial interests and a militant and savage mentality, changed it to gain materially, but Islam after coming to Iran, due to Manist influence, was presented to the world with the refinement of their previous civilization, so that its influence spread to a great part of Muslim world. Mansur Hilaj and Khwaja Fariduddin Attar, Moulana Rumi, Shams Tabrezi and Hakim Sanai were the founders of the Iranian interpretation of Islam, whose foundation was based on love, and Arabic Islam preached separation, strife and hatred. The above-mentioned reforms, on account of the earlier influence of the Vedic Dharm, Buddhism, Christianity and Islam, established the foundation of Islamic Sufism. in the days of Mughals and Samas, the Iranian intellectuals came to Sindh in large numbers. The great Sufis, Mansur and Sarmad, laid come to Sindh. Shah Inayat, Badil Sain came under the Iranian interpretation of Islam i.e. Sufism. The Persian language was the national language of Sindh. They interpreted morals and Sufism better than the Arab's interpretation. EUROPEAN INTERPRETATION OF ISLAM: When Islam's voice came from Arabia, then Europe's greater portion, Asia Minor and Syria, were under the dominance of Roman (Catholic) imperialism. The Muslims conquered greater portion of' the Roman (Christian) Empire. On the west Constantinople, and in the north, Africa, came under the Muslim rule. From that time Islam (under the influence of narrow-minded and prejudiced point of view) came under the influence of Greek philosophy and Christian influence of love, non-violence, Asetic and spiritual teachings. on the one side Iranian Sufism and Christian piety and on the other side Greek philosophy together prepared the ground for a new synthesized interpretation of Islam. its best form was presented by the teachings of ibn-Arabi, he was born from an Arab family in Spain. On him the influence of Plato, new Plutonian thought, Mansur Halaj, Vehdaniat, Rumi and Attar's influence were predominant. Though in Europe for a long time Christian influence was dominant. Yet it could not remain free from the influence of Greek philosophy, and of Islamic Sufism and other influences. After that the European thinker, under the influence of Masnavi of .Moulana Rumi, Haditlis of Hakim Sanai and Mantakultair of Khwaja Fariduddin Attar and sayings -and teachings of Mansur influenced the West. At the time the European Government dominated a greater portion of the world, which presented Iranian Sufism, Greek philosophy and Ibn Arabi's Monism to the thinkers of the civilized world. That was the European interpretation of Islam, which was a wider and matured interpretation. The Muslims from the Roman Catholic Christian, Pope-ism, borrowed the institution of Khilafat. But after the European Renaissance, when European nations found out that the mixture of politics and religion harmed those countries, then the greater portion of Europe discarded it and separated religion from politics, through the reformation of Martin Luther's Protestantism. But Muslims were still following the Khilafat, which even after the sad experience from the Turks, it was found that it was harmful. Then as late as 1920, under the dynamic leadership of Mustafa Kamal (Kamal Ata Turk), they discarded the Khilafat and established the democratic Republic of Turkey. The Muslims learned several lessons from the West, on one hand, the Arabs borrowed the institutions of Khilafat from Christian Popeist on the other hand. The Muslims, in order to save tile Turkish Empire from disintegration, followed the theory of Pan Islamism. On the third side the theory of Nationalism was borrowed from Europe. Thus all this turned the Arabs against the Turkish Khilafat. Now when Arab, and other Muslim countries, saw the influence of nationalism and socialism spreading, then in the name of unity of Muslim nations they have started misguiding the Muslims. The Greek philosophy and European scientific inventions have to a greater extent, broken the beliefs and misguiding interpretation of Arab Islam, and by nationalism they have Oven a new interpretation to Islamic teachings. SINDH ISLAMIC INTERPRETATION: Arabs conquered Sindh during the days of Bani Umayya dynasty. The Sindhi people, and their upper class, due to the fear of religious sects and the temptation to please the conquerors, and to some extent due to the influence of Sufism accepted Islam as a religion. In the beginning they were dominated by the foreign conquerors, but slowly they came to know that real Islam was separate to that of the Arabic interpretation of Islam. Therefore they overthrew the rule of the Arabs and started their own independent rule. As I have stated above, the Sindhi people had imbibed the influence of nine religions of the world. Therefore the majority of Sindhis came to the conclusion that Sindhi Interpretation of Islam was better than its Arab interpretation, on the following basis: Arab Islam supported violence and Sindhi were supporters of non-violence, due to Sufi influence. In accordance with the Arab interpretation of Islam, the usurpation of other countries and enslaving the men and women of other nations was allowed. But the Sindhis did not believe that such a wrong concept and its practice can be called Islam. The Arabs called the followers of other religions "Kafirs" (infidels) and as such, did not tolerate them, but tried to keep them under their domination. Walking bare feet, and bare head, and riding on donkeys and keeping dogs, was considered a sign of being non-Arabs. The Sindhis by the Arabs, had seen that in the pre-Arab period of Vedic Dharm, Buddhism, Jainism and the followers of Zarthusht, were given the same rights. During that earlier period, prior to the Arab period, they had their own house of worship with no restriction from the Government of the day. But under certain conditions were patronized by the Government and given the monetary help, though were of different religions, yet there was no religious (narrow minded) prejudice. 4) In Sindh there was no tradition of changing religious ideas by force, but Arabs adopted this policy against that refined cultural tradition of Sindh, or that local people should remain like untouchables or be prepared to be killed or to change their religion and follow the Arab interpretation of Islam. The common people had less power of resistance and tribal system had created inferiority complex so they had become weak. Therefore, there was. a common saying, that 'Sindh was right but its trees were not straight', the people were not matured and everyone who had power could influence and mould them accordingly. 5) The Arabs had created a psychology in the name of their Arab national and linguistic superiority. Therefore the learning of Arabic language and Arabic ways of prayers and belonging to Arabic descendants and keeping Arabic names had become fashionable among the tribal upper class. Every outsider was considered superior. The Sindhis, from the days of Arian invasion, had not experienced this kind of narrow attitude and coercive behavior. Therefore they were afraid, that if they did not follow blindly, they would be treated in the same manner as the Dravadian were treated by the Arians. 6) According to the Qur'anic concept, the belief in the various religions, prophets and their books, was necessary for being a true Muslim. But these Arabs openly rejected authority of previous religions and rejected all previous religions and instead Arab traditions, customs and wrongly interpreted beliefs to be real Islam. They treated non-Muslims in such a manner, which was never seen before. 7) The Arabs declared necessary as a part of Islam, to visit the annual fair of Hajj every year. Thus they declared the superiority of their Arab country over the rest of the people. I have said how the Sindhis had learnt rich lessons from various religions, which were: i) From Bharat's Vedic Dharm, Sindhis got the influence of Wahdaniat. Miran Bai's poetry of love and devotion influence them to a great extent. Mahatma Buddha's teachings of love, non-violence and secret of annihilation and Buddha's eight basic principles had influenced them. Jainism's Yogis, Saniasies, Adhutis and Nangas lessons influenced to Ahinsa and internal purity, and to leave, break the worldly desires. On the basis of Mani's religion, Sufism influenced them. Thus on account of above mentioned influence of various religions, Sindhis discarded violence, selfishness, worldly ambitions and the outward perceptions were discarded and they adopted the principles of nonviolence and the common good, purification of self love and toleration. Therefore, the reader will find that from historical influences, Sindhis had imbibed spirits and messages which had a new message for the world, which can be summarized as under: a) Monism b) Religion was only one and religions had unity behind diversity. c) Non-violence was good for the existence of life and was a key of progress and welfare. d) Toleration was the best way for deciding the conflicting questions. e) The principles of co-existence was to a greater extent, a deciding factor of various problems. f) Love was the basic principle for unity, peace and prosperity of mankind. g) Religion's ultimate object was acquirement of highest morals. Thus it made a complete man, and without good deeds man's life was no better than the animals. The Sindhi Sufis had taken out the essence of the teachings of East and West and had presented a new. message for the guidance of humanity. At present the Punjabi interpretation of imperial Islam is more or less the same as the interpretation of the Arab Islam: Punjabis said that the Muslims were a separate nation in accordance with the Jewish religions. That was against the interpretation of the Sufis, to consider the entire humanity as one, and best among them was one who had morals and character. They talked about Islamic constitution and Islamic administration. These were not acceptable to Sindhis. According to them, the greater portion of Islamic Shariat had, on account of change of society, lost its values and viability. There is no separate Muslim administration. But the real purpose was that unity of mankind was to be achieved through the union of the nations of the world. They talk about the unity of Muslims, Sindhis consider it a fraud and misleading. Sindhis consider that the universal unity can only be achieved through the unity of the accepted nations of the world. Sindhis do not consider, Islam as a separate religion and separate Organization, as this concept is wrong and unworkable. According to their interpretation, anybody, who believes in central spiritual authority and continuance of life and good deeds as prescribed in the eight principles of Buddha, according to them everybody had a right to salvation with good deeds. in future the entire society will have to be built on the basis of good character, co-operation and love. in order to understand the spirit of Sindhi thought, the following theories should be studied: i) Monism ii) Sophism iii) Sikhism iv) Theosophy v) Humanism. Foornotes: Here one also finds an echo of the Indonesian sage of yore, Impoo Tutanyar's saying: "BHINEKA TUNGALIKKI" ("There is unity in diversity"). This was said 5000 years ago. As the saying goes: "Great men think alike". Buddha's center of teaching, by his devoted disciples were still found deep in the Neelam Valley of Azad Kashmir, near Kharigam post office. It is said that Sheesh or Raved was a master of mass hypnotism and taught Moses this psychic art. Banu Israel had become captive slaves of the Babylonians and the descendents of Ibrahim slaved for several generations under the Babylonian rulers; and learnt all the laws, rules and codes of the first great law giver: Emperor Hamurabi. See Ancient Judaism World Religions (Page 54) If the modern age social status depends on economic status, In. the capitalist ridden society wealth is restricted in a few hands by tricks of international "monopoly" trade. Therefore, after much experience, in thought aria action, RADICAL HUMANIST Philosophers have advanced. "Cooperative Economy" in place of capitalist and socialist (state.) economy, to achieve economic and social equality on a world basis. In 1740, Ahmad Shah Abdali was invited by Walliullah Mohadis Dehlavi, on the pretext of fighting the Marhattas in the 3rd battle of Panipat, but the real purpose was to attack the kingdom of Awadh. Having lost it, near Faizabad, Ahmed Shah's wild Afghan boards looted Delhi, raped innocent girls night and day, their (girls) terrorized shrieks were heard whole night. and carried away loot and 20 thousands girls. Six thousand (6000) Muslim gentry committed suicide in Delhi as a result of their wives, sisters and daughters being raped. But the Muslims of this sub-continent present Abdali as a Muslim hero. The modern Neo-Muslim exponents of Islam, realizing that the old worn-out concept of Jehad. Meaning declaration of war on non-Muslim has become a laughing stock before the scientific method of warfare under the control of all non-Muslim powers have given a twist to the original concept of Jehad and now call it Jehad-e-Akbar) - to conquer one's own conscience and become pious! Sindhudesh - Main Page \| Previous Chapter \| Next Chapter \| Acknowledgment Saeen G. M. Syed Home Page \| World Sindhi Congress \| Feedback	cc/2020-05/en_head_0058.json.gz/line124
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__label__cc	0.701635	0.298365	Best Famous Hostels in Singapore \| What you can see in Singapore Atlantis Pods @ Bugis, HOSTEL in Singapore Singapore. Atlantis Pods @ Bugis. 2 Tan Quee Lan Street, Singapore, Singapore Located near: Atlantis Pods @ Bugis is located on the bustling street of Tan Quee Lan. It is conveniently situated beside the food street of Liang Seah Street and Purvis Street. Bugis MRT station is within a 2 minutes walk away. We are within walking distance of 2 major shopping malls, Bugis Junction and Bugis+. We are within a 2km radius of all the major attractions such as, The Singapore Flyer, Marina Bay Sands, Garden By The Bay, Clarke Quay, Boat Quay, Chinatown and Orchard Road. Atlantis Pods @ Bugis is conveniently situated beside the food street of Liang Seah Street and Purvis Street. With Bugis MRT station within a 2 minutes walk away, guests are connected around Singapore via the East West and Downtown line. We are within walking distance of 2 major shopping malls, 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 2020 2021 2022 2023 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Book Hostel in	cc/2020-05/en_head_0058.json.gz/line135
__label__cc	0.50525	0.49475	Summit on Religious Liberty Slated for January 30 Central Florida’s Third Annual Summit on Religious Freedom is scheduled for Tuesday, January 30, from 7:00 to 9:00 pm, at Faith Hall, First Baptist Orlando (3000 South John Young Parkway, Orlando, FL 32805). Featured speakers for the event are Brett Scharffs of Brigham Young University, who will explain why religious freedom is important to everyone, whether they’re religious or not; Jennifer Hawks of the Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty, who will share details of current and upcoming legislative and judicial issues that impact religious freedom; and the Rev. Katrina Jenkins, Dean of Religious Life at Rollins College, who will describe the efforts of Rollins College to be respectful toward and inclusive of the wide range of faith and non-faith on the college’s campus. Get more information and register at Eventbrite. The event is free and open to the public. Attorney Lists Top 5 Religious-Liberty Stories of 2017 Attorney Ryan Snow has an article posted at ReligiousLiberty.TV outlining his suggestions of what are the top five religious-liberty stories of 2017. His selections are: (1) Oral argument in Masterpiece Cakeshop. On December 4, 2017, the U.S. Supreme Court heard oral argument in Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado Civil Rights Division, the case in which a baker declined to create and design a custom wedding cake for a same-sex couple. A decision on this case will likely come at the end of June 2018. (2) Supreme Court approves government funding of church projects. On June 26, 2017, the Supreme Court ruled in Trinity Lutheran Church v. Comer, 137 S.Ct. 2012 (2017), that Churches (and religious organizations) may not be excluded from competing for government grants. (3) President Trump’s immigration order challenged under the Establishment Clause. Litigation ensued immediately after President Trump issued his Executive Orders relating to immigration—popularly referred to as Trump’s “Muslim Ban.” Various advocates filed suit against President Trump arguing that his Executive Order violated the First Amendment as it “exhibits hostility to a specific religious faith, Islam, and gives preference to other religious faiths, principally Christianity.” Various Federal District Courts agreed that the Executive Order was unconstitutional. Trump’s “Travel Bans” have been revised and reissued. To date, the Supreme Court has not issued any opinion on the merits of any these Executive Orders. (4) The Johnson Amendment remains intact. The Johnson Amendment became a point of contention in Congress when the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 was debated. Because the Senate could not get to 60 votes to repeal the Johnson Amendment, it was dropped from the bill. (5) Supreme Court agrees to hear compelled-speech case. In 2015 California enacted the “FACT act” which required certain medical facilities to post notices with statutorily prescribed language. The Court granted certiorari in National Institute of Family and Life Advocates v. Becerra, which is brought by pro-life pregnancy service organizations opposed to providing pregnant women with information about abortion facilities. Interfaith Council of Osceola Organization Meeting Jan 31 Baha’is, Buddhists, Christians, Hindus, Jews, Muslims, Sikhs, Unitarian Universalists—in other words, leaders in all faith traditions—are invited to a luncheon on Wednesday, January 31, from 12:00 noon to 1:30 pm, at Training Rooms A, B and C of the Osceola County Sheriffs Office (2601 East Irlo Bronson Hwy., Kissimmee, FL 34744) to organize an Interfaith Council of Osceola County. The goal is to create loose-knit organization in which faith leaders from diverse backgrounds can become acquainted, learn more about each other’s faith tradition and work together for community betterment in areas where there’s consensus. It makes a powerful statement to onlookers when faith leaders of diverse background can work together in practical ways for the good of the larger community. If you’re a faith leader in Osceola County, please mark your calendars and spread the word to others who you think might be interested in being part of such an organization. Please RSVP by email or by phone (321-228-4599) by 5:00 pm Tuesday, January 30. Atheist Gives Invocation in Florida’s House of Reps On January 12, Tee Rogers, Humanist Chaplain at the University of Central Florida, became the first atheist to present a secular invocation/reflection in the Florida Legislature. She said: “It is an honor to represent your Humanist, Atheist, and other non-religious constituents and colleagues with a secular invocation. Those you serve, and those around us today, include people of different cultures and races, gender identities, levels of financial stability and backgrounds. They vary in physical and cognitive abilities. They speak many languages. They include people of many faiths and non-faith perspectives. The deliberations in this chamber are of the highest consequence to the people of Florida. As you work together toward solutions that address challenges facing our state, may you have the fortitude to make difficult choices while holding the needs of the diverse public at the forefront of your decisions. While we are diverse, we are united by our common humanity. As we seek to honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. this month, I am reminded of his words: “The time is always right to do what its right.” May your leadership be guided by integrity and compassion to uplift all people today and every day of this legislative session. Thank you for your service and your work today to make a positive, meaningful difference for all.” Interfaith Yoga to Provide Bilingual Yoga Experience For the past year-plus, a loosely knit group calling itself the Interfaith Yoga Project has been making the rounds of various houses of worship helping women and girls of all backgrounds enjoy the positive experience of yoga. At 1:00 pm on Sunday, February 4, Interfaith Yoga invites women and girls to a bilingual yoga experience at the “heartful, empowering, spiritual, activated and aligned” Hope CommUNITY Center (1016 North Park Avenue, Apopka, FL 32712). The program is titled “Aliento de Corazón.” For more information and to register, go to Eventbrite. Other upcoming sessions will rotate through various venues in Central Florida’s faith community. For more information about the Interfaith Yoga program in general, go to Interfaith Yoga’s website, Facebook, Instagram, the Huffington Post, the Orlando Sentinel, and the Three Wise Guys website. Suicide-Affected Support Groups Being Organized On Wednesday evening, February 7, from 6:00 to 7:00 pm (at 320 North Ferncreek Avenue, Orlando, FL 2803), the Mental Health Association of Central Florida will conduct the first meeting of a new support group for those in the Central Florida community who are suicide-affected—be they family member, friend or coworker of the deceased. This support group will be facilitated by the MHACF program director Maria Iddings and assistant director Kyle Welling. On February 21, Dr. David Cavalleri will facilitate a second support group for those currently working through their own suicidal thoughts, feelings and/or behaviors. Attendance at either group is free. However, participants must complete a brief screening process. Please contact Kyle Welling by email to begin the screening and/or address further questions regarding the groups. Doomsday Clock Now Just Two Minutes to ‘Midnight’ From The Washington Post: “The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists announced that the symbolic Doomsday Clock is moving a notch closer to the end of humanity. It is now set at two minutes to midnight. . . . The clock is the closest to the ‘midnight’ hour it has been since 1953, after the United States tested its first thermonuclear device, followed months later by the Soviet Union’s hydrogen bomb test. . . . The doomsday prediction reflects recent geopolitical events, including North Korea’s intercontinental ballistic missile test, the war of words between President Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and an accidental inbound-missile alert that terrified Hawaii. . . . The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists wrote in an accompanying opinion piece in The Washington Post that: ‘The world is not only more dangerous now than it was a year ago; it is as threatening as it has been since World War II.’” Friends Talking Faith with The Three Wise Guys Hear the varied perspectives of the Rev. Bryan Fulwider, Rabbi Steve Engel and Imam Muhammad Musri as each week they discuss how faith impacts both the simple and the complex aspects of life. These three clergy come together as friends to discuss topics from the perspective of the different religions they represent. They contend that “good religion works for peace, respects and values others regardless of their religious perspective, and works through acts of compassion to make the world a better place for everyone.” Friends Talking Faith with The Three Wise Guys airs on Tuesdays at 6:30 pm on 90.7 WMFE FM in Orlando. Tune in on your radio or listen online. You can also listen to any show already aired. During February, Friends Talking Faith will feature the following: February 6: Faith and Society: The Legalized Marijuana Fight February 13: Faith and Religion: What’s Love Got to Do with It? February 20: Faith and Politics: A Conversation with a Congresswoman February 27: Faith and Society: Predatory Lending, Living Wage, Healthcare 6th Annual ‘Walk a Mile in Her Shoes’ Slated for Feb 8 Men, strap on your stilettos or blingy flip-flops on February 8 to join in the 6th Annual ‘Walk a Mile in Her Shoes’ fundraiser for Harbor House. Whatever your footwear, you’ll raise awareness of domestic abuse and the resources available to survivors through Harbor House of Central Florida. This fun-filled event will begin at 6:00 pm at the Orange County Courthouse (425 North Orange Avenue, Orlando, FL 32801). Your destination will be the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts (445 South Magnolia Avenue, Orlando, FL 32801). If you can’t participate, consider sponsoring some other walker, simply making a donation or helping to promote the event. Click here for more information on how to participate. Interfaith Discussion: Your Faith’s Teaching about Gender What does your faith teach about gender roles and gender status? Is one gender subservient to the other? Are there some spiritual roles from which one gender is barred? Are gender roles highly nuanced—equality in some; definite hierarchy in others? These are just some of the questions about gender roles and gender status that will be addressed when the Interfaith discussion group meets on Wednesday, February 14. Interfaith Discussions are held from 7:00 to 8:30 pm on the second Wednesday of each month at Adventist University of Health Sciences (671 Winyah Drive, Orlando, FL 32803) on Florida Hospital’s main campus. The exchanges are respectful, open and candid, and the participants represent a variety of faith traditions as well as those who question the validity of faith altogether. For directions to the meeting, click here. Admission is free. Everyone is invited. Survey: 57 Percent of Americans Support Legal Abortion From the Pew Research Center: “More than four decades after Roe v. Wade legalized abortion nationwide, most Americans (57%) are supportive of legal abortion, according to a 2017 Pew Research Center survey. But a substantial minority (40%) says abortion should be illegal in all or most cases, and within some U.S. denominations and religious groups, this figure is much higher. . . . For instance, most Jehovah’s Witnesses (75%) and Mormons (70%) say abortion should be illegal in all or most cases, according to the 2014 Religious Landscape Study, a survey of more than 35,000 Americans in all 50 states. The same holds true for members of some evangelical churches, including the Pentecostal denominations Church of God (Cleveland, Tennessee) (77%) and Assemblies of God (71%), as well as America’s largest evangelical denomination, the Southern Baptist Convention (66%). Indeed, among all those who are part of the evangelical tradition, nearly twice as many say they oppose legal abortion as support it (63% to 33%).” History Exhibit: 100 Years of Judaism in Central Florida The Orange County Regional History Center (65 East Central Blvd., Orlando FL 32801) will feature an exhibit until February 20 highlighting 100 years of Judaism in Central Florida. The exhibit is titled “Kehillah,” a word that means community. And to tell the history of Orlando’s Jewish community is to tell the history of Orlando itself. From the days of Orlando’s infancy, Jewish settlers, migrants and immigrants became pioneers of business and industry. Through photographs and artifacts, learn how Central Florida’s Jewish community played a major role in the region’s development while keeping Jewish ties and traditions alive. Click here for more information about times, entry cost, parking and other details about the History Center. This month is your last opportunity to see the exhibit. Have Your Questions about Islam Answered by Muslims Here are two options to learn more about Islam: (1) The Islamic Center of Orlando sponsorsan open house at 6:30 pm every Wednesday night to answer the public’s questions about the Islamic faith. And it’s being done in a relaxed and casual setting “over a cup of coffee.” They’re even providing the coffee! The question-and-answer events are held in the dining room of the Muslim Academy of Orlando (MAGO), situated at 11551 Ruby Lake Road, Orlando, FL 32836 (just off Apopka-Vineland Road, near Lake Buena Vista). For more detail or to make a reservation, phone 407-495-6139. (2) On the fourth Saturday of every month (February 24 will be the next), the Islamic Society of Central Florida hosts an “Open House Invitational” at which you can learn about Islam and the Muslim community—again, from Muslims themselves. The event Includes a presentation, a question-and-answer time, an international dinner, a tour of the mosque, and more. The event is conducted at the Center for Peace at the headquarters of the Islamic Society of Central Florida (1021 North Goldenrod Road, Orlando, Florida 32807). A tour of the mosque will be conducted at 5:30 pm, followed by the rest of the program. Register at Eventbrite. JCC to Feature Four Authors at Jewish Book Festival On Sunday, February 25, from 11:15 am to 3:00 pm, the Roth Family Jewish Community Center (851 North Maitland Avenue, Maitland, FL 32751) will host four distinguished authors for the Central Florida Jewish Book Festival, which is part of a national network of programming sponsored by the Jewish Book Council. The lineup of authors for this year’s festival includes Michelle Edwards, artist and author of the children’s book A Hat For Mrs. Goldman; Pam Jenoff, author of the #1 New York Times bestselling novel of historical fiction, The Orphan’s Tale; Paul Goldberg, noted author of the newly released Florida-themed fiction novel The Chateau; and Justin Loeber, communications expert and author of the irreverent, Millennial-approved Get Out Of Your Own Way Guide To Life. Click here for more information, event times and ticket details. Author to Speak at Inclusive Excellence Speaker Series Beverly Daniel Tatum, Ph.D., scholar and author, will speak at the Winter Park Community Center (721 West New England Avenue, Winter Park FL 32789) on Tuesday, February 27. The event is sponsored by the Valencia College Peace and Justice Institute in conjunction with Valencia’s Teaching/Learning Academy, Human Resources and Organizational Development, Black Advisory Committee, Student Development and African Heritage Committee. It will begin at 6:00 pm with a reception, followed at 7:00 pm by a moderated conversation. There will be a book signing at 8:30 pm. Copies of Tatum’s books are available as e-books for those with a Valencia ID. Tatum’s books include: Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria? And Can We Talk About Race? And Other Conversations in an Era of School Resegregation. For more information, call the Peace and Justice Office (407-582-6524) or email Ann Persaud at or Michele Lima. For more information and to register, go to Eventbrite. The event is free and open to all. Second Chances Florida Promoting Amendment Nearly 1.5 million people in Florida are permanently excluded from voting because of a prior felony conviction. Florida is one of only four states with a lifetime ban on voting for those convicted of a felony. Many Floridians believe a change is long overdue for us to return voting rights to Floridians who have done their time and paid their debt to society. Those affected by the current lifetime ban are our family members, friends and neighbors who have earned the opportunity to participate in and give back to their communities. It’s simply the right thing to do. This amendment would return the ability to vote to people with prior felony convictions. The provisions of the proposed amendment include that felons must fully complete their entire sentences – including any probation, parole and restitution – before earning back the ability to vote. And the Amendment specifically excludes those people who have committed murder or a felony sexual offense. Click here for more information. Christians to Host Annual Better Man Event at Calvary Orl. The 2018 Better Man Event will be held at Calvary Orlando (1199 Clay Street, Winter Park, FL) from 5:30 to 8:30 pm on Saturday, March 3. And just what is the Better Man Event? The organizers describe it as a Christian non-profit organization that invites men to a higher calling. For some 13 years, the high-energy events and powerful messages of the Better Man Event have become a movement in the Central Florida community. This year’s theme is “Extra-ordinary” speakers include Mark Batterson, Emitt Smith, Nick Vujicic and Brian Head Welch. They will be speaking to some 4,000 men. Click here for details about the March 3 event and to book tickets. Click here to view a brief promo video about the event. Bach Festival to Present ‘The Magnificats: Bach and Beyond‘ On Saturday, March 3, at 7:30 pm at Knowles Memorial Chapel on the campus of Rollins College (1000 Holt Avenue, Winter Park, FL 32789), the Bach Festival Choir and Orchestra, under the direction of John V. Sinclair, will perform J.S. Bach’s Magnificat in D,BWV 243, and John Rutter’s Magnificat. The joyful text, which is Mary’s song of praise—“My soul doth magnify the Lord”—is presented in two diverse and powerful settings. Both Magnificats feature cheerful melodies, colorfully exuberant and festive fanfares, and peaceful and reflective moments. Featured in the performance are: Sherezade Panthaki, soprano; Laura Pudwell, mezzo-soprano; Robert Bracey, tenor: and Michael Dean, bass. Click here for seating options and ticket prices. Tickets may also be purchased by phoning 407-646-2182 Atlantic Institute to Host Awards Banquet March 6 The Atlantic Institute will hold its annual Peace and Dialogue Awards on Tuesday, March 6, at the Sheraton Orlando North Hotel (600 North Lake Destiny Drive, Maitland, FL 32751). The ceremony will honor five individuals who actively promote diversity and intercultural exchange in Central Florida. The Atlantic Peace and Dialogue Awards is held annually, allowing people of different cultures, backgrounds and faiths to come together to celebrate those who work for harmony within the community. This year`s topic is “Looking Past Stereotypes: Accepting Others in Today`s World.” Those being honored this year are: Lifetime Achievement Award: Dr. John Hitt, University of Central Florida, President. Global Vision and Education Award: Dr. Sandy Shugart,Valencia College, President. Public and Community Service Award: Mark Brewer, Central Florida Foundation, President/CEO. Peace and Dialogue Award: Dr. Marc Levy, Pediatric Surgeon,Orlando. Media and Communications Award: Maria Padilla, Editor, Orlando Latino. Click here for ticket and sponsorship information. ‘Rethinking Conflict and Peacebuilding’ Set for March 13 Mark your calendars for a half-day seminar (8:30 am to 12:00 noon) of “Difficult But Necessary Conversations” featuring as presenters: the Rev. Dr. Gary Mason, a Methodist pastor from Belfast Ireland, and the founder and director of the Belfast-based Rethinking Conflict; and the Rev. Dr. James Morris, senior pastor of Carter Tabernacle Christian Methodist Episcopal Church in Orlando and a long-time champion of social justice and interfaith relations. The venue for the event, which will be held March 13, is the Bush Auditorium at Rollins College (1000 Holt Avenue, Winter Park, FL 32789). And the main focus of the Difficult But Necessary Conversation will be America’s “Cultural Racism.” More details will be included in the March issue of the Interfaith Council newsletter. If you would like to be put on a communication list to receive updates before the March newsletter, send an email to Peacebuilding Seminar. In the meantime, learn more about Dr. Mason (and more here), and learn more about Dr. Morris. Your Tax-Deductible Contributions Greatly Appreciated If you appreciate what’s being achieved by the Interfaith Council of Central Florida and Friends Talking Faith With the Three Wise Guys radio program, we invite you to contribute on a regular basis to these community-based, community-benefitting activities. It may be every month, once a quarter or annually. And it may be a large contribution or small. But whatever it is, you’ll have the satisfaction of knowing that you played a part in helping to make our community more harmonious and peaceful. All contributions are tax-deductible and may be sent to: PO Box 3310, Winter Park, FL 32790-3310. Or you can click here to contribute online. Thank you for your help. Buddhist Reflection Believe nothing on the faith of traditions, even though they have been held in honor for many generations and in diverse places. Do not believe a thing because many people speak of it. Do not believe on the faith of the sages of the past. Do not believe what you yourself have imagined, persuading yourself that a God inspires you. Believe nothing on the sole authority of your masters and priests. After examination, believe what you yourself have tested and found to be reasonable, and conform your conduct thereto.—Buddha James Coffin, Executive Director PO Box 3310, Winter Park, FL 32790-3310 \|T 321-228-4599 \| E jim@interfaithfl.org \| W http://interfaithfl.org/ Please forward this email to any you feel would be interested. To be placed on the Interfaith Council’s email newsletter list, send your request to contact@interfaithfl.org.	cc/2020-05/en_head_0058.json.gz/line137
__label__wiki	0.850884	0.850884	Molten Salt Nuclear Reactors SUBHEAD: A revolution in nuclear power could slash costs of energy below coal... Suuuure. By Ambrose Evans-Pritchard on 24 September 2014 for the Telegraph - (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/energy/11120003/Technology-revolution-in-nuclear-power-could-slash-costs-below-coal.html) Image above: Image from Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) Molten Salt Reactor Experiment (MSRE) began in 1960 and was still going through unexpected problems in decommissioning through 2009. [After shutdown the salt was believed to be in long-term safe storage. At low temperatures, radiolysis can free fluorine from the salt. As a countermeasure the salt was annually reheated to about 150°C, until 1989. But beginning in the mid-1980s, there was concern that radioactivity was migrating through the system. Sampling in 1994 revealed concentrations of uranium that created a potential for a nuclear criticality accident, as well as a potentially dangerous build-up of fluorine gas — the environment above the solidified salt was approximately one atmosphere of fluorine. The ensuing decontamination and decommissioning project (through 2008) was called "the most technically challenging" activity assigned to Bechtel Jacobs under its environmental management contract with the U.S. Department of Energy's Oak Ridge Operations organization. ]. From (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Molten-Salt_Reactor_Experiment). The cost of conventional nuclear power has spiralled to levels that can no longer be justified. All the reactors being built across the world are variants of mid-20th century technology, inherently dirty and dangerous, requiring exorbitant safety controls. This is a failure of wit and will. Scientists in Britain, France, Canada, the US, China and Japan have already designed better reactors based on molten salt technology that promise to slash costs by half or more, and may even undercut coal. They are much safer, and consume nuclear waste rather than creating more. What stands in the way is a fortress of vested interests. The World Nuclear Industry Status Report for 2014 found that 49 of the 66 reactors under construction - mostly in Asia - are plagued with delays, and are blowing through their budgets. Average costs have risen from $1,000 per installed kilowatt to around $8,000/kW over the past decade for new nuclear, which is why Britain could not persuade anybody to build its two reactors at Hinkley Point without fat subsidies and a "strike price" for electricity that is double current levels. All five new reactors in the US are behind schedule. Finland's giant EPR reactor at Olkiluoto has been delayed again. It will not be up and running until 2018, nine years late. It was supposed to cost €3.2bn. Analysts now think it will be €8.5bn. It is the same story with France's Flamanville reactor. We have reached the end of the road for pressurised water reactors of any kind, whatever new features they boast. The business is not viable - even leaving aside the clean-up costs - and it makes little sense to persist in building them. A report by UBS said the latest reactors will be obsolete by within 10 to 20 years, yet Britain is locking in prices until 2060. The Alvin Weinberg Foundation in London is tracking seven proposals across the world for molten salt reactors (MSRs) rather than relying on solid uranium fuel. Unlike conventional reactors, these operate at atmospheric pressure. They do not need vast reinforced domes. There is no risk of blowing off the top. The reactors are more efficient. They burn up 30 times as much of the nuclear fuel and can run off spent fuel. The molten salt is inert so that even if there is a leak, it cools and solidifies. The fission process stops automatically in an accident. There can be no chain-reaction, and therefore no possible disaster along the lines of Chernobyl or Fukushima. That at least is the claim. The most revolutionary design is by British scientists at Moltex. "I started this three years ago because I was so shocked that EDF was being paid 9.25p per kWh for electricity," said Ian Scott, the chief inventor. "We believe we can achieve parity with gas (in the UK) at 5.5p, and our real goal is to reach 3.5p and drive coal of out of business," he said. The Moltex project can feed off low-grade spent uranium, cleaning up toxic waste in the process. "There are 120 tonnes of purified plutonium from nuclear weapons in Britain. We could burn that up in 10 to 15 years," he said. What remained would be greatly purified, with a shorter half-life, and could be left safely in salt mines. It does not have to be buried in steel tanks deep underground for 240,000 years. Thereafter the plant could be redesigned to use thorium, a cleaner fuel. The reactor can be built in factories at low cost. It uses tubes that rest in molten salt, working through a convection process rather than by pumping the material around the reactor. This cuts corrosion. There is minimal risk of leaking deadly cesium or iodine for hundreds of miles around. Transatomic Power, in Boston, says it can build a "waste-burning reactor" using molten salts in three years, after regulatory approval. The design is based on models built by US physicist Alvin Weinberg at Oak Ridge National Laboratory in the 1960s, but never pursued - some say because the Pentagon wanted the plutonium residue for nuclear warheads. It would cost $2bn (overnight cost) for a 550-megawatt plant, less than half the Hinkley Point project on a pro-rata basis. Transatomic says it can generate 75 times as much electricity per tonne of uranium as a conventional light-water reactor. The waste would be cut by 95pc, and the worst would be eliminated. It operates in a sub-critical state. If the system overheats, a plug melts at the bottom and salts drain into a cooling basin. Again, these are the claims. The most advanced project is another Oak Ridge variant designed by Terrestrial's David LeBlanc, who worked on the original models with Weinberg. It aims to produce power by the early 2020s from small molten salt reactors of up to 300MW, for remote regions and industrial plants. "We think we can take on fossil fuel power on a pure commercial basis. This is a revolution for global energy," said Simon Irish, the company's chief executive. Toronto-based Terrestrial prefers the "dry tinder" of uranium rather than the "wet wood" of thorium, which needs a blowtorch to get started and keep going, typically plutonium 239. But it could use either fuel. A global race is under way, with the Chinese trying everything at the Shanghai Institute of Nuclear and Applied Physics, reportedly working under “warlike” pressure. They have brought forward their target date for a fully-functioning molten salt reactor - using thorium - from 25 to 10 years. Ian Scott, at Moltex, originally planned to sell his technology to China, having given up on the West as a lost cause. He was persuaded to stay in Britain, and is talking to ministers. "The first stage will cost around £1bn, to get through the regulatory process and build a prototype. Realistically, only the government can do this," he said. A state-venture of such a kind should not be ruled out. The travails of Hinkley Point show that the market cannot or will not deliver nuclear power on tolerable terms. The project has degenerated into a bung for ailing foreign companies. We have had to go along with it as an insurance, because years of drift in energy policy have left us at an acute risk of black-outs in the 2020s. There is no reason why Britain cannot seize the prize of molten salt reactors, if necessary funded entirely by the government - now able to borrow for 10 years at 2.5pc - and run like a military undertaking. A new Brabazon Committee might not go amiss. The nation still has world-class physicists. The death of Britain's own nuclear industry has a silver lining: there are fewer vested interests in the way. We start from scratch. The UK's "principles-based" philosophy of regulation means that a sudden pivot in technology of this kind could be approved very fast, in contrast to the America's "rules-based" system. "I would never even think of doing it in the US," said Dr Scott. It would be hard to argue that any one of the molten salt technologies would be more expensive than arrays of wind turbines in the Atlantic. Indeed, there is a high likelihood that the best will prove massively cheaply on a kW/hour basis. Such a project would kickstart Britain's floundering efforts to rebuild industry. It would offer some hope of plugging a chronic and dangerously high current account deficit, already 5pc of GDP even before North Sea oil and gas fizzles out. It is fracking on steroids for import substitution. Britain split the atom at the Cavendish Laboratory in Cambridge in 1911. It opened the world's first commercial reactor at Calder Hall in 1956. Surely it can rise to the challenge once again. If not, let us cheer on the Chinese. Ea O Ka Aina: WIPP radiation release timeline Mar 3, 2014 - Our calculations show that the existing data released by the authorities points to the conclusion that the DOE WIPP site spewed out Plutonium ... Ea O Ka Aina: Krugman's Growthism May 4, 2014 - WIPP was America's only nuclear waste repository that recently experienced a collapsed ceiling that crushed caskets of plutonium that has ... Ea O Ka Aina: Worse than you think May 21, 2014 - For those on the continental United States read up on meltdown at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) in Carlsbad NM on last Valentine's ... Ea O Ka Aina: The false science of science Sep 2, 2014 - One recent serious attempt in the last two decades is the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) in Carlsbad, New Mexico. Originally WIPP was ... INDEX: Green Smoke , Growth , Industrialization , Nuclear Power , Self Delusion , Techno-Optimists The Wilderness Paradox Why should you love trucks Capitalism vs the Climate UNmasking climate smart agriculture Only agroecology can feed world The Senility of the Elites Power to the People... Not Barbarism Versus Stupidism Ebola may be airborne in cold Disquiet over CAFU in Mahaulepu The Rules of the River Secret law is not law Public school gets armored vehicle The Era of Bad Feeling Japan to restart nukes The hidden value of gardens Petrolify - Are you on it? State of Hawaiian sovereignty Judge proclaims climate emergency Care of Cast Iron Pans Mapping what you can't see Lihue loss of vision The false science of science First step to becoming a farmer Small organic farms to feed world Clowns are dragging us into war Busybody Nation	cc/2020-05/en_head_0058.json.gz/line139
__label__wiki	0.934011	0.934011	In 1941 Ladner was established as an air training field under the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan. At war's end the RCAF had no further use for the facility so it was stood down in 1945. The land remained unused until it was transferred to The Royal Canadian Corps of Signals in 1949 at which time it began operations as a signals intelligence station under the name Vancouver Wireless Station callsign WVS. When the Armed Forces were unified in 1968, the station's name changed to CFS Ladner. The approach of urban growth and new technology forced the station to close its doors in 1971. In the text which follows, the station will be referred to as VWS or Ladner depending on the time period. (Badge photo by Joe Costello) Ladner's position with respect to Vancouver. The former station is represented by the green dot. (Map courtesy Mapquest.com) An edited passage from Wikipedia provides an excellent summary of the station's history. "After the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan came into effect in 1939, the Royal Canadian Air Force began looking for locations at which to train pilots for World War II. Boundary Bay was selected, and in 1940, land from three farms was appropriated for an airport. Initial construction proceeded slowly as boggy areas had to be filled with hay and gravel, but roads and runways were in place for the base's opening on April 10, 1941. The 18 Elementary Flight Training School (EFTS) was the first unit established at the newly created Royal Canadian Air Force Station Boundary Bay. Flying De Havilland Tiger Moth biplanes, the 18 EFTS's training arrangements were unique in that air force pilots were trained by private civilian instructors. Pilots would train in conjunction with the 8 EFTS stationed at Sea Island (current site of Vancouver International Airport) and would also use facilities at the nearby Langley Airport. On May 25, 1942, the 18 EFTS was disbanded and its personnel and equipment were transferred to the 5 Operational Training which also ran flight operations at Abbotsford. Boundary Bay's first operational squadron arrived from Lethbridge, Alberta on October 5, 1943. The 133 squadron flew Hawker Hurricanes and was tasked with intercepting Japanese fire balloons. The 133 was moved to Tofino, on July 1, 1943. As the war in the Pacific escalated, Boundary Bay would also host B-24 Liberators and Handley Page Hampden torpedo bombers. After World War II, the airport was no longer needed. The 5 Operational Training unit left the base on October 31, 1945 and the RCAF finally closed it down in 1946. The site was left unused until it was transferred to Royal Canadian Corps of Signals in 1949. Re-established as the Vancouver Wireless Station, it was tasked with the duties of a signals intelligence (SIGINT) station. When the Canadian Forces were unified in 1968, the site was renamed Canadian Forces Station Ladner." At its peak, VWS employed approximately 200 military personnel as well as numerous civilian personnel for both Operational and Support roles. John Roy who served at Ladner just prior to Unification sums it up neatly. "It was a great Duty Station - just do your job and behave and you were in. There was great food in the Mess Hall and comfortable barracks with one person per room that was probably meant for either two or four. The only draw back was a cramp in your social activities if you lacked a car. It was fun to drive on the abandoned runways even though the speed limit was 20 or 25 mph." RADIO OPERATIONS The station's main area of interest were radio transmissions from the Soviet Arctic, the Soviet mainland and Soviet naval traffic in the Pacific, to name just a few. It was an intercept only station thus lacking a DF component. Ladner's "output" was sent out via encrypted landline from the Comcentre. Because of that , there was no need to send anything over the air. Consequentially, to the best of anyone's recollection, the station did not have an assigned radio call sign. In the period prior to Unification, the station employed Teletype Equipment Corporation Models 15, 19 and a couple of 28's. In 1966, a Signals Intelligence collection trial was conducted between VWS and Masset. During the two-month trial period, approximately 80% more useable material was collected from Masset than VWS thus sealing the fate of the latter. Jack Rhodes, who worked at the station in the 1950's, remembers that there were 27 rhombics arranged around all points of the compass. This likely means that there were three rhomic arrays with 9 antennas each. If arranged like the rhombics at Churchill, that would provision one rhombic for each 10 degrees of the compass rose. He remembers. " There were banks of RCA AR-88 receivers (DR-89) being used in triple diversity configuration. Back then, the Americans called the shots on everything we did." DR-89 Triple Diversity Receiver: The DR-89 consisted of a 7 foot tall rack which contained three AR-88 receivers, a Tone Keyer with combined output meter, a Speaker Panel, a Meter Panel with meters for all three receivers, an antenna patch panel and a power supply. When used in a diversity installation, the AR88's did not have S-meters installed because the S-meters for all three receivers were actually installed outboard on the Meter Panel of the DR-89 rack. Click on photo for more info. (Photo courtesy US Govt War Dept, 1945) [Looking for more information on radio operations and the type of equipment used at the station. If you can contribute, contact: Jerry.Proc@sympatico.ca] Paul Peters VE7BZ, whose father served at Ladner, remembers some details about the ham station at the base. "An amateur radio station was established at VWS by the late Don Vaughan-Smith. Operations lasted from 1949 to 1971. Equipped with Collins gear for a number of years, its main purpose was to provide phone patches and personal messages to and from Alert Wireless Station. Since the beam antenna spent most of its time pointing north, it was not fitted with a rotor. In case the antenna had to be repositioned, this was accomplished by pulling it to a new bearing using a rope. This rope is in evidence in the photo below. The station was located next to Hanger #3 behind the firehall". The Summer 1963 call book indicates VE7GG was registered to the Tower Radio Amateur Club, Vancouver Wireless Station, Ladner, B.C. VE7GG, circa 1956. (Photo by Don Vaughan-Smith via Jim Troyanek's VWS web site ) The 1966 white paper Supplementary Radio Activities Consolidation Plan indicated some concerns that VWS has frequently been the subject of complaint from local interests and it can only be a matter of time until urban growth with its attendant electrical noise and political pressures will make it prudent to vacate the property. Also recommended was an immediate reduction in the number of positions at VWS to save money. When CFS Ladner closed on July 15 1971, personnel and equipment were redeployed to Masset. The closure of the station was expected to save the Treasury approximately $1,100,000 per annum. Ladner's area of responsibility was taken over by Masset. Following the closure of the station, the site was used by the community of Ladner for a variety of uses - model aircraft flying, driver training, picnics, public fairs and auto racing. When it became apparent that Vancouver International Airport could no longer sustain general aviation and commercial traffic, Transport Canada proposed reactivating Boundary Bay for general aviation. The airport underwent restoration, and on July 11, 1983 two of the three runways were reopened as Boundary Bay Airport. The other runway and some ramp space was made available for driver training and other events. The old Operations Building adjoins this unused runway. Since 1983, the airport has changed hands several times. Most recently, Alpha Aviation acquired the airport on December 1, 2004 and assumed management. They completed the extension of runway 07/25 which has greatly improved the usability of the runway for corporate jets. As of 2007, a new maintenance hangar is in the end stages of completion and the old maintenance hangar has been declared a heritage site. Plans are in the works to convert the old hangar into an aviation museum. From 1998-2005, the Boundary Bay Driving Centre used the abandoned third runway for driving training and drag racing. This runway is now scheduled to re-open to flying activities. Today, besides the airfield, all that remains from the airport's military days are RCAF "arch-style" hangar, the abandoned roadways and the Operations building used for SIGINT operations. Current tenants at the airport include the Canadian Flight Centre, Flightec, Macleod Aviation, Montair Aviation, the Professional Flight Centre and the Pacific Flying Club. A new industrial park currently occupies part of the property. On 6 May 2005, 828 the Royal Canadian Air Cadet Squadron dedicated a monument honouring the men and women who served at RCAF Station Boundary Bay. LADNER TODAY To sum it up, all the buildings and the living quarters are all gone except for the gatehouse. This is all that remains of the gatehouse. (Photo by BD Tyre) The front of the gatehouse as seen in July 2007. (Photo by Jim Troyanek) The community included homes and such amenities as a grocery store, gymnasium and a sports field. Later on, as the community grew to over 100 buildings, other additions included a school and chapel. Click to enlarge. (Image courtesy Google Earth) Even though the camp has been abandoned since 1971, some streets are still noted on today's maps. (Image courtesy Mapquest) Ladner - aerial and satellite photos after closure. Click to enlarge. 1990's: This low level easterly view shows the former Operations Building circled in red. In the centre bottom right, nothing remains of the camp and the Permanent Married Quarters (PMQ's). At the top is Boundary Bay. Within the boundary of the runways was the antenna field. The runways used to have huge X's painted at the ends to remind pilots that they were not in use. (Photo by Waite Air Photos Inc. Submitted by John Roy) 2007: This satellite image shows a close-up of the former Operations Building. It is a large, 3 story concrete building centered at coordinates 49° 4' 19.81"N 123° 0' 10.73"W. (Photo courtesy Google Earth) July 2007: This is the last remaining hanger from the original airfield and has been deemed a "Heritage Hanger", according to the sign out front. (Photo by Jim Troyanek) 2008: A complete satellite view of the airport. (Photo courtesy Google Earth) Low Level Aerial Photos For additional information and photos, please visit Jim Troyanek's Vancouver Wireless Station web page. In early February 2009, the Delta council approved a recommendation by its heritage advisory committee to designate the 40-hecatre, former VWS community site, a heritage property. A few remnants of the site remain, including fire hydrants and the original paved streets, which are laid out in a grid system with cul-de-sacs. The only way people can access the site now is to park on 72nd Street and walk through an entrance north of the train tracks. Credits and References: 1) John Roy <john.roy3(at)sympatico.ca> 2) Spud Roscoe <spudroscoe(at)eastlink.ca> 3) VWS badge photo by Joe Costello. The original hangs on a wall at Leitrim. 4) Paul Peters <ve7bz(at)rac.ca> 5) Bruce Forsyth's Canadian Military History Page http://www.geocities.com/Pentagon/Quarters/2529/ 6) SUPPLEMENTARY RADIO ACTIVITIES CONSOLIDATION PLAN. A presentation given by DIO to Defence Council on 30 May 66. 7) BDtyre photo http://www.flickr.com/photos/bdt/sets/72157594541221570/ 8) Jim Troyanek's VWS web page. http://troywoodintarsia.com/vws/vws.htm 9) Tom Brent <tgb(at)telus.net> 10) The Optmist , Fri Feb 6/09 article. "Post-war community gets heritage designation" Back to Table of Contents	cc/2020-05/en_head_0058.json.gz/line140
__label__cc	0.621535	0.378465	General Public Article History Tree Map Encyclopedia of Keywords > Professionals > General Public Michael Charnine MEDIAN VOTER SEVERAL LANGUAGES FO GUANG SHAN MOTOR RACING EVENTS INDOOR SWIMMING POOLS HMS COURAGEOUS RELIABLE AIR SAMPLING POPULAR TRADITIONAL KOREAN LIQUOR SCIENCEWORLD MODERN COOPERATIVE WORKSHOP GENERAL PUBLIC EDUCATION CPU BUSINESS PERRINS WORCESTERSHIRE SAUCE COMBAT IGNORANCE SCIENTIFIC COMMUNITY SPACE FRONT FREE SOFTWARE GNU GENERAL PUBLIC LICENSE GNU GENERAL PUBLIC LICENSE V2 AFFERO GENERAL PUBLIC LICENSE DARK GREEN BANDS GNU AFFERO GENERAL PUBLIC LICENSE LESSER GENERAL PUBLIC LICENSE ORDINARY GENERAL PUBLIC LICENSE GNU LIBRARY GENERAL PUBLIC LICENSE GNU GENERAL PUBLIC LICENSE VERSION GNU LESSER GENERAL PUBLIC LICENSE GENERAL PUBLIC LICENSE This Review contains major "General Public"- related terms, short phrases and links grouped together in the form of Encyclopedia article. The general public was first introduced to Obie on D12's Devil's Night album on a skit. The general public was again satisfied with Uthman. (Web site) The general public are nice people but their government needs sorting out. (Web site) The general public is invited to tour the new train at Santa Fe's La Grande Station on May 11 and 12. The general public is not allowed to list their own property in the REALTORS® Multiple Listing Service. The Platform aims to connect people and institutes engaged in developing Buddhist economic theory and practice and to spread ideas and working models of Buddhist economics to the general public. (Web site) The name Easycard was chosen in a public contest, where the general public was asked to propose names, in the end a name chosen by the management. Simply put, the median Republican voter is much further to the right on this issue than the median voter in the general public. (Web site) Support is provided for several languages and currencies, and it is freely available under the GNU General Public License. (Web site) Several languages of Wikipedia also maintain a reference desk, where volunteers answer questions from the general public. (Web site) In May 1997, Master Hsing Yun announced that he would close the mountain gate of Fo Guang Shan to the general public, causing a media frenzy in Taiwan. For the general public the FIA is mostly known as the governing body for certain major motor racing events. Peterborough has a 13-screen Showcase Cinema, an ice rink and two indoor swimming pools open to the general public. (Web site) It houses the HMS Courageous, a nuclear powered submarine used in the Falklands War and open to the general public[5]. (Web site) A non-profit organization whose purpose is to educate students and the general public as to the values and benefits of the space program. (Web site) But I suspect that the general public will not support the space program unless they have live astronauts to cheer for. (Web site) The films attracted the attention of not only the general public, but also the Soviet space program. Reliable air sampling for mold can be expensive and requires expertise and equipment that is not available to the general public. Comparable to vodka but less potent, soju is the most popular traditional Korean liquor among the general public. ScienceWorld, or Eric Weisstein's World of Science as it may be known, was unveiled to the general public in January 2002. He aspired to running a modern cooperative workshop which created a catalogue of handmade pottery for the general public. (Web site) It has a distinctive history as the first country since Sparta in classical Greece to implement a system of general public education. While less visible to the general public than its CPU business, AMD is also a global leader in flash memory. In 1838 the first bottles of "Lea & Perrins Worcestershire Sauce" were released to the general public. (Web site) They are not the same as the IATA codes encountered by the general public, which are used for airline timetables, reservations, and baggage handling. The Get Safe Online campaign is a national initiative aimed at the general public that will try to combat ignorance about basic computer security. Bell began a series of public demonstrations and lectures in order to introduce the new invention to the scientific community as well as the general public. (Web site) Glenn doesn't believe the general public realizes what's happening on the space front. It is written using Mac OS X's Cocoa API, and it is released under the free software GNU General Public License. Redmine is open source and released under the terms of the GNU General Public License v2 (GPL). (Web site) It is important to stress that there is no risk to the general public from this patient. (Web site) The NHLBI Web site has information for health professionals as well as patients and the general public. Provides accurate, up-to-date information on cancer to patients and their families, health professionals, and the general public. (Web site) An older license, called the Affero General Public License and published by Affero, was designed to accomplish similar goals. The Affero General Public License (GNU AGPL) is a similar licence with a focus on networking server software. The light and dark green bands are so distinctive that malachite maybe one of the most easily recognized minerals by the general public. The light and dark green bands are so distinctive that Malachite maybe one of the mineral most easily recognized by the general public. (Web site) You should have received a copy of the GNU Affero General Public License along with this program. The GNU Affero General Public License, version 3 (AGPL), is a variant of GPLv3 published by the FSF in late 2007. (Web site) Knoppix is Free Software and open source under the terms of the GNU General Public Licence (GPL). Kaffeine is free software distributed under the terms of the GNU General Public Licence. The programs in omniORB2 are distributed under the GNU General Public Licence as published by the Free Software Foundation. In this case, there is little to gain by limiting the free library to free software only, so we use the Lesser General Public License. Our main objective is to design and publish core designs under a license for hardware modelled on the Lesser General Public License (LGPL) for software. (Web site) Seeks to design and publish core designs under a license for hardware modelled on the Lesser General Public License (LGPL) for software. We call this license the "Lesser" General Public License because it does Less to protect the user's freedom than the ordinary General Public License. You can do so by permitting redistribution under these terms (or, alternatively, under the terms of the ordinary General Public License). (Web site) Note that it is possible for a library to be covered by the ordinary General Public License rather than by this special one. (Web site) The package is distributed under the terms of the GNU Library General Public License. (Web site) Restriction: The compiler and associated tools fall under the GNU CopyLeft, and the library under the GNU library general public license. This report is now being published as a series for the general public, and the latest entry is Apollo 11. The GNU Library General Public License (as the LGPL was originally named) was published in 1991, and was the version number 2 for parity with GPL version 2. Never before has information about African American fraternities and sororities been published for the general public, until now. Any user can download, use, and modify XEmacs as free software available under the GNU General Public License version 2 or any later version. Mantis Bug Tracker is a free and open source web-based bug tracking system released under the terms of the GNU General Public License version 2. (Web site) This software is released under the GNU General Public License version 2. (Web site) ZNF is free software, distributed under the terms of the GNU Lesser General Public License. It was coded from scratch in C++ and is released under the terms of the GNU Lesser General Public License. Additionally, this release includes the first draft of the GNU Lesser General Public License (LGPL) version 3. (Web site) The GNU GPL (General Public License) is one specific set of distribution terms for copylefting a program. General Public License This document describes the terms under which gawk and its source code may be distributed. (Web site) OpenGroupware.org is free software and uses a single license per subproject, either the General Public License or the Lesser General Public License. (Web site) NiL runs on Linux and Windows and is released under the terms of the GNU General Public License. Thanks to all who have assigned copyrights to the Free Software Foundation or who distributed their source code under the GNU General Public License. (Web site) The system is released as free software under the GNU General Public License. Precancels cannot normally be purchased by the general public, although they are often seen in one's daily mail. It was issued until 1969, and after 1971, like Britain, the general public often used a shilling to pay 5p to shops, etc. For most of the 80s, each GNU package had its own license - the Emacs General Public License, the GCC General Public License, etc. (Web site) I'm a fan of those great operas that for whatever reason aren't immediately thought of by the general public when asked to name an opera. Ceredigion County Council is opening the doors of its new building at Parc y Llyn, just outside Aberystwyth to the general public next Monday 21st September. (Web site) While arguing that she was an elitist who ignored the masses, he time and time again has to acknowledge that Emma brought her ideas to the general public. II. IDEAS AND TENDENCIES More important to the general public is the question of ideas which now prevail among Unitarians. (Web site) The best known to the general public today is probably the empire from Star Wars, which was formed in turn from the Galactic Republic. To the general public, however, the AMS is best known for its "Seal of Approval" to television and radio meteorologists. (Web site) Dr Laurence J. Peter (1919 - 1990) was an educator and " hierarchiologist ", best known to the general public for the formulation of the Peter Principle. How would customers, other companies, the general public, etc. (Web site) For historical reasons all these companies use the GNU General Public License (GPL), but most if not all open-source licenses would work for this model. (Web site) The SFLC has filed suit against 14 companies, alleging that each of the companies violates the GNU General Public License version 2 (GPLv2). The island is closed to the general public; the lighthouse is best seen by boat. (Web site) The test sessions are closed to the general public until further notice due to repairs on the Speedway grandstands following Hurricane Wilma. Most of Tsavo East is closed for the general public and is also inaccessible. Information > Structure > Types > Public Thought > Belief > Religion > Religion And Economics * Access * Anyone * Architects * Art Critics * Attention * Benefit * Building Design * Collectors * Community * Company * Copying * Copyright * Copyright Law * Cosmology * Country Fans * Critics * Dance * Economists * Educators * Employers * Explaining * Fact * Family Members * First * Founding Member * Free * Freedom * Free Software * Government * Group * Historians * Information * Infringement * Interest * Jazz * Jazz Musicians * Jewelers * Lawyers * Libraries * Library * Licensed * Linux * Media * Media Coverage * Members * Museums * Permission * Pesticides * Physicians * Policy Makers * Popular * Precious Metals * Professionals * Program * Psychologists * Public * Read-Only * Recognizable * Reporters * Rockefeller Center * Sale * Scholars * Scientists * Scouts * Service * Site * Smallpox Vaccine * Software * Source * Students * Subscribers * Term * Terms * Tickets * Time * Travancore * Ufos * Union Flag * Unknown * Users * Version * Virtually Unknown * Volunteers * Webcomics * Widespread * Work * Workers * World * Written * Years Books about "General Public" in Amazon.com Short phrases about "General Public" Originally created: July 30, 2008. Links checked: July 14, 2013. 0.025 sec. a=1	cc/2020-05/en_head_0058.json.gz/line142
__label__wiki	0.65013	0.65013	Coming soon to KSC The college introduces new optics courses Kelly Regan Olivia Cattabriga / Art Director Keene State College is introducing two new optics courses this spring semester: introduction to optics and laser optics. Associate Professor of Physics Sarah McGregor is teaching the four-credit course entitled intro to optics. The course focuses on the fundamentals of optical systems and the optical industry. Students investigate everyday optical phenomena and learn about mirrors, ray optics and color theory. Steven Harfenist has been a professor at Keene State for 11 years. During his graduate work at Georgia Tech, he worked in their electrical engineering program and received an M.S. in electrical engineering with concentrations in optics and optoelectronics. In addition to that, Harfenist has a Ph.D. in physics, in which optics is a major sub-field. “Optics is fiber optics-launching optical signals into a fiber optic cable. Optics are associated with using lasers to read barcodes. Something has to create the laser light and something has to read the reflected light and make sense of it. There are optics in lasers for etching or for patterning surfaces for communications,” Harfenist said. “What is unclear to some people is how all-encompassing it is.” Harfenist is teaching laser optics, the two-credit course which will explore the use and application of lasers in optics and photonics. The course will teach students about the properties of optical handling, laser safety and applications. “I think the term ‘optics’ is a catch-all; it makes you think of optical, as in visual, but the colors we can see are only a small sliver of the other wavelengths of light that are of interest in science and technology. For example, in thermal imaging infrared wavelengths are longer than the visible spectrum or ultraviolet which are shorter wavelengths than the visible spectrum,” Harfenis said. Astronomers rely on many different techniques using many different wavelengths in the infrared, optical, ultraviolet and X-ray wavelengths. Astronomers have only the light from celestial bodies to analyze, so the field of optics and optical wavelengths is especially important for their work. “These companies, defense or not defense-related, are thinking about how to be out of the optical range and in the infrared. These courses we’re offering will eventually jump from the optical to the infra-red or the ultra-violet,” Harfenist said. Dr. James Kraly is the Associate Dean of Sciences, Sustainability and Health and an Associate Professor of Chemistry. One of his tasks as associate dean is to bring forward new offerings in optics. “What I’ve been excited to learn is how there is a history of those businesses and all the related companies that make components for that industry in our region. There are companies in our state where students can get jobs,” Kraly said. These new optics courses are introductory courses that meet Keene State requirements for an IN or natural science course. All Keene State students need to complete three perspectives courses in the sciences. Laser optics and intro to optics have no prerequisites and are open to students of any major. “To get a job in these optics companies, you don’t need a degree in optics,” Kraly said. Lydia Mardin is a sophomore at Keene State and is majoring in history and political science. She is taking intro to optics in the spring as a requirement for her science elective. “I remember in high school taking general science courses and being interested in the science of color,” Mardin said. “I’m not really a science person. I’m just interested in this course because this is something I’ve always wanted to know more about.” KSC senior Michael Godzik, is majoring in physics. Godzik plans to attend graduate school next year and hopes to earn a Ph.D. in astronomy. “They’re designed for people who want to know a little more about this field rather than for people who already have a base knowledge going into it,” Godzik said. “I recently took a course that touched the basics of optics. It was really fascinating because there’s more than just a telescope; optics can also be related to things like your eyes.” “One of the courses that they’re offering is a laser course. I like lasers; who doesn’t like lasers?” Godzik said. Some students are uncomfortable with the idea of working on optics applications that are used for military or defense applications. “We get some students that say, ‘Wow, this is exciting, but I don’t want to build what’s on the front of a warhead or build the helmet of a fighter pilot.’ They’d rather do other work. Chroma Technology in Bellows Falls has a mission where military applications aren’t part of their goal. It gives different opportunities for people,” Kraly said. Some optics companies in the Monadnock region use optics for applications outside of the military field. “An interesting piece of this is the relatively larger companies like BAE that have military and defense applications and there are companies like Omega Optics and Chroma Technology which both have applications in astronomy explorations and biomedical imaging and cancer diagnostics,” Kraly said. Keene State hopes that there is enough student interest in these two optics courses and that additional optics courses are needed. “We hope that this leads to a place where we need to invite new optics faculty who connect to other areas,” Kraly said. The new optics courses and the new optics hub, which is still to be built, is a response from Keene State to the job market in the Monadnock region. Conversations between President Treadwell and local business leaders led to roundtable discussions and eventually to the development of an optics focus. “One of the comments from these optics companies that stood out to me was, ‘Students need to know how to use a computer and they need to be curious.’ They meant that in a very concise way, but that speaks to where the optics workforce stands in our region. That industry has been growing for decades so there are opportunities for our graduates to have good, paying jobs locally,” Kraly said. Kelly Regan can be contacted at kregan@kscequinox.com. Ceramics Workshop at Keene State College Previous House fire off campus Next	cc/2020-05/en_head_0058.json.gz/line143
__label__cc	0.668247	0.331753	PDF2 PDF \|Add To My Favorites \| Version: 09/20/13 - Enrolled 09/11/13 - Amended Senate 09/06/13 - Amended Senate 09/03/13 - Amended Senate 07/09/13 - Amended Senate 07/02/13 - Amended Senate 06/15/13 - Amended Senate 05/24/13 - Amended Assembly 04/15/13 - Amended Assembly 04/02/13 - Amended Assembly 02/20/13 - Introduced AB-566 Courts: personal services contracting.(2013-2014) Amended IN Senate June 15, 2013 Introduced by Assembly Member Wieckowski (Coauthors: Assembly Members Alejo, Bocanegra, Chau, Dickinson, Garcia, Gomez, Jones-Sawyer, Muratsuchi, Perea, Rendon, Skinner, Stone, and Williams) An act to add and repeal Section 71621 of the Government Code, relating to courts. AB 566, Wieckowski. Courts: personal services contracting. The Trial Court Employment Protection and Governance Act establishes a trial court employee personnel system that provides authority to hire trial court personnel, regulates the classification and compensation of trial court employees, labor relations, and personnel files, and requires each trial court to establish a system of employment selection and advancement and an employment protection system. Existing law authorizes state agencies to use personal services contracts to achieve cost savings if specified standards are satisfied, including, among other things, the contract does not cause the displacement of civil service employees and the contract is awarded through a publicized, competitive bidding process. The State Personnel Board is required to review a proposed contract upon the request of an employee organization for compliance with those standards. This bill, until January 1, 2020, would establish specified standards if a trial court intends to enter into a new contract, or renew or extend an existing contract, for any services that are currently or customarily performed by that trial court’s employees. Among other things, the bill would require the trial court to clearly demonstrate that the contract will result in actual overall cost savings to the trial court for the duration of the entire contract as compared with the trial court’s actual costs of providing the same services. The bill would require a contract for services in excess of $100,000 annually to include specific, measurable performance standards and provisions for audits on performance and cost savings, as specified. This bill would provide that these standards apply to any contract entered into, renewed, or extended after the effective date of this measure. The bill would provide that its provisions do not apply to a contract under specified circumstances, including when services are incidental to a contract for the purchase or lease of real or personal property. This bill would require each trial court to provide a report by February 1, 2014, to the Chairperson of the Joint Legislative Budget Committee and the chairpersons of the Senate Judiciary Committee and the Assembly Judiciary Committee if the trial court entered into a contract between July 1, 2013, and the effective date of this measure for services that were provided or are customarily provided by its trial court employees if the contract has a term extending beyond March 31, 2014. This report would be required to include specified information relating to these contracts, including an analysis of whether the contract resulted in the displacement of trial court employees. The bill would provide that its provisions are severable. Section 71621 is added to the Government Code, to read: (a) If a trial court intends to enter into a new contract, or renew or extend an existing contract, for any services that are currently or customarily performed by that trial court’s employees, all of the following requirements shall apply: (1) The trial court shall clearly demonstrate that the contract will result in actual overall cost savings to the trial court for the duration of the entire contract as compared with the trial court’s actual costs of providing the same services. In comparing costs, all of the following shall occur: (A) The trial court’s additional cost of providing the same services as proposed by the contract shall be included. These additional costs shall include the salaries and benefits of additional staff that would be needed and the cost of additional space, equipment, and materials needed to perform the services. (B) The trial court’s indirect overhead costs shall not be included unless those costs can be attributed solely to the function in question and would not exist if that function was not performed by the trial court. For the purposes of this subparagraph, “indirect overhead costs” means the pro rata share of existing administrative salaries and benefits, rent, equipment costs, utilities, and materials. (C) The cost of a contractor providing a service for any continuing trial court costs that would be directly associated with the contracted function shall be included. Continuing trial court costs shall include, but not be limited to, costs for inspection, supervision, and monitoring. (2) The contract shall not be approved solely on the basis that savings will result from lower contractor pay rates or benefits. Contracts shall be eligible for approval if the contractor’s wages are at the industry’s level and do not materially undercut trial court pay rates. (3) The contract shall not cause an existing trial court employee to incur a loss of his or her employment or employment seniority, a reduction in wages, benefits, or hours, or an involuntary transfer to a new location requiring a change in residence. (4) The contract shall not be approved if, in light of the services provided by trial courts and the special nature of the judicial function, it would be inconsistent with the public interest to have the services covered by the contract performed by a private entity. (5) The contract shall be awarded through a publicized, competitive bidding process. (6) The contract shall include specific provisions pertaining to the qualifications of the staff that will perform the work under the contract, as well as assurances that the contractor’s hiring practices meet applicable nondiscrimination standards. (7) The contract shall provide that it may be terminated at any time by the trial court without penalty if there is a material breach of the contract and notice is provided within 30 days of termination. (8) If the contract is for services in excess of one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) annually, all of the following shall occur: (A) The trial court shall require the contractor to disclose all of the following information as part of its bid, application, or answer to a request for proposal: (i) A description of all charges, claims, or complaints filed against the contractor with a federal, state, or local administrative agency during the prior 10 years. (ii) A description of all civil complaints filed against the contractor in a state or federal court during the prior 10 years. (iii) A description of all state or federal criminal complaints or indictments filed against the contractor, or any of its officers, directors, or managers, at any time. (iv) A description of any debarments of the contractor by a public agency or licensing body at any time. (B) The trial court shall include in the contract specific, measurable performance standards and provisions for a performance audit by the trial court, or an independent auditor approved by the trial court, to determine whether the performance standards are being met and whether the contractor is in compliance with applicable laws and regulations. The trial court shall not renew or extend the contract prior to receiving and considering the audit report. (C) The contract shall include provisions for an audit by the trial court, or an independent auditor approved by the trial court, to determine whether and to what extent the anticipated cost savings have actually been realized. The trial court shall not renew or extend the contract before receiving and considering the audit report. (9) The contract shall be awarded only if the amount of savings clearly justifies the size and duration of the contracting agreement. (b) For purposes of subdivision (a), “services that are customarily performed” includes services that have been historically performed by that trial court’s employees. (c) This section does not preclude a trial court or the Judicial Council from adopting more restrictive rules regarding the contracting of court services. (d) This section does not apply to a contract in any of the following circumstances: (1) The contract is between a trial court and another trial court or a government entity for services to be performed by employees of the other trial court or employees of the government entity. (2) The contract is for a new trial court function and the Legislature has specifically mandated or authorized the performance of the services by independent contractors. (3) The services contracted for are of such a highly specialized or technical nature that the necessary expert knowledge, experience, and ability are not available from the court’s trial court employees. (4) The services are incidental to a contract for the purchase or lease of real or personal property. Contracts described in this paragraph, known as “service agreements,” shall include, but not be limited to, agreements to service or maintain office equipment or computers that are leased or rented. Contracts described in this paragraph shall not include agreements to operate equipment or computers, except as necessary to service or maintain that equipment. (5) The legislative, administrative, or legal goals and purposes cannot be accomplished through the utilization of trial court employees because of the need to protect against a conflict of interest or to ensure independent and unbiased findings in situations where there is a clear need for an independent, outside perspective. (6) Due to an emergency, a contract is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public health, welfare, or safety. (7) The contractor will conduct training courses for which appropriately qualified trial court employee instructors are not available from the court, provided that permanent instructor positions shall be filled through the process for hiring trial court employees. (8) The services are of such an urgent, temporary, or occasional nature that the delay incumbent in their implementation through the process for hiring trial court employees would frustrate their very purpose. This paragraph shall not apply to the services of official court reporters, but individual official reporters pro tempore may be used by a trial court when the criteria of this paragraph are satisfied. (9) The contract is a personal services contract developed pursuant to rehabilitation programs in accordance with Sections 19403 and 19404 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, pursuant to habilitation programs in accordance with Chapter 13 (commencing with Section 4850) of Division 4.5 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, or pursuant to a program vendored or contracted through a regional center or the State Department of Developmental Services in accordance with the Lanterman Developmental Disabilities Services Act (Division 4.5 (commencing with Section 4500) of the Welfare and Institutions Code), and the contract will not cause an existing trial court employee to incur a loss of his or her employment or employment seniority; a reduction in wages, benefits, or hours; or an involuntary transfer to a new location requiring a change in residence. (10) The contract is for the services of any court interpreter. Contracts for the services of any court interpreter, and restrictions on contracting out interpreter services, shall be governed by the Trial Court Interpreter Employment and Labor Relations Act (Chapter 7.5 (commencing with Section 71800)) and any memorandum of understanding or agreement entered into pursuant to that act, or by the other provisions of this chapter, the Trial Court Employment Protection and Governance Act, and any memorandum of understanding or agreement entered into pursuant to that act, as applicable. (e) This section shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2020, and as of that date is repealed, unless a later enacted statute, that is enacted before January 1, 2020, deletes or extends that date. Section 71621 of the Government Code, as added by Section 1 of this act, shall apply to any contract entered into, renewed, or extended after the effective date of this act. (a) Each trial court shall provide a report by no later than February 1, 2014, to the chairperson of the Joint Legislative Budget Committee and the chairpersons of the Senate Judiciary Committee and Assembly Judiciary Committee if the trial court entered into a contract between July 1, 2013, and the effective date of this act, for services that were provided or are customarily provided by its trial court employees and that contract has a term extending beyond March 31, 2014. The report shall provide the following information for each of these contracts: (1) A copy of the contract. (2) An analysis of whether the contract would have been permissible under the standards set forth in Section 71621 of the Government Code, as added by Section 1 of this act. (3) An analysis of whether the contract resulted in the displacement of trial court employees. (4) An analysis of whether the contract involves the use of contractors to perform the type of services that were customarily performed by trial court employees. (b) It is the intent of the Legislature to consider the reduction of future budget appropriations to each trial court by the amount of any contract analyzed pursuant to subdivision (a) if the Legislature concludes that the contract would not have been permissible under the standards provided in Section 71621 of the Government Code, as added by Section 1 of this act.	cc/2020-05/en_head_0058.json.gz/line153
__label__cc	0.681418	0.318582	The Fourth Quarter Japan's Aluminum Premium Negotiated At $ 115 / Ton 1. Mexican President Pena Nieto: A trade agreement with the United States will reduce recent economic uncertainty. It will be important for Canada to stay in the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). Mexico will participate in the tripartite talks on NAFTA issues. In the agreement with the United States, Mexico did not accept quotas and restrictions. 2. Japanese producers reported that Japan's aluminum premium in the fourth quarter was US$115/ton, down 13% from the previous quarter. According to foreign news on September 3, Japanese buyers said on Monday that an aluminum producer offered a fourth-quarter shipping aluminum offer to Japanese buyers at a spot price of $115 per ton higher than the London Metal Exchange (LME) spot price, CIF Japan Compared with the third quarter, the premium of 132 US dollars fell by 13%. It has not been confirmed by the manufacturer. The buyer said that a 13% drop in quarterly premiums reflects a mitigation of concerns that the US sanctions against Russian producer RUSAL will curb global aluminum ingot supply. According to the buyer, the above-mentioned producers said that the United States continues to attract aluminum supplies from around the world, and the Japanese market has maintained support at $115 per ton. The buyer said that they have not made a counter-offer and are waiting for quotes from other manufacturers. They also pointed out that Japan's main port inventory is at a high level of 300,000 tons, and the price of 115 US dollars per ton of premium may be rejected. According to sources, Japan's fourth-quarter aluminum premium negotiations are expected to finalize the results at the end of September. Previous: Global Aluminum Products Continue To Be In Short Supply Next: China's Alumina Export Growth Reached A New High	cc/2020-05/en_head_0058.json.gz/line156
__label__wiki	0.896468	0.896468	More info on Inspector Clouseau Inspector Clouseau: Map Categories: Comedy film characters > Fictional French people > Fictional police detectives > The Pink Panther Chief Inspector Jacques Clouseau (formerly inspector) is a fictional detective in Blake Edwards's Pink Panther series. In most of the films, he was played by Peter Sellers, with one film in which he was played by Alan Arkin and one in which he was played by an uncredited Roger Moore. In the 2006 Pink Panther revival and its 2009 sequel, he is played by Steve Martin. Sellers is widely regarded as the definitive Chief Inspector Clouseau of pop culture by fans and critics alike. He is also the inspiration of the main character in a series of short animated cartoon inspired by the titles of the feature films. Though the character in the animated late 1960s series was never given a name, he is clearly based on Clouseau. However, more recent animated depictions of Chief Inspector Clouseau since the 1970s on were redesigned to resemble Sellers, and later Martin, more closely. The Pink Panther (1963) Jacques Clouseau makes his first appearance as the Inspector in the film The Pink Panther, which was released in the United States in . Clouseau is a bumbling and incompetent police inspector of the French Sûreté, whose investigations are marked with chaos and destruction that he himself largely causes. His clumsy attempts at solving the case frequently lead to misfortune for himself and others; in the 1976 film The Pink Panther Strikes Again, he cannot even interview witnesses to a crime without falling down stairs, getting his hand caught in first a medieval knight's glove and then a vase, knocking a witness senseless, destroying a priceless piano or accidentally shooting another officer in the backside. Clouseau is also not particularly intelligent, and will frequently follow a completely idiotic theory of the crime, solving the case only by accident. His incompetence, clumsiness and stupidity, with the fact that he is usually right, are enough to eventually transform his direct superior (former Chief Inspector Dreyfus) into a homicidal psychopath – to such a degree that Dreyfus even goes so far as to construct a doomsday device and threatens to destroy the world in a desperate attempt to kill Clouseau. Regardless of his rather limited ability, he successfully solves his cases and finds the correct culprits, even if this success is achieved entirely by accident. As such, he is even promoted to Chief Inspector over the course of the series, and is regarded by many other characters who presumably have not met him as France 's greatest detective; those characters he actually encounters, nevertheless, are quick to realise his incompetence and limitations. He is immensely egocentric and pompous; despite his many failings, he is seemingly convinced that he is a brilliant police officer destined to succeed and rise through the ranks of the Sûreté. Despite this, Clouseau does appear to show some awareness that he is not the most competent or intelligent person, as he is notably embarrassed by and quick to brush aside his more extreme acts of clumsiness with phrases such as "I know that," and attempts to appear elegant and refined regardless of what calamity he has just caused. Chief Inspector Clouseau is a patriotic Frenchman; his country is professedly his highest priority. He has been prone to infatuation (which is often reciprocated) ever since being cuckolded by Sir Charles Lytton. He is repeatedly perplexed by transvestites, to the extent that he addresses them as "Sir or Madam". Sellers said in several interviews that the secret of Clouseau's character was his tremendous ego. His favourite example of Clouseau's ego was whenever someone said, "Phone call for Inspector Clouseau," Clouseau would reply, "Ah yes, that would be for ME." Sellers maintained that Clouseau's ego is what made the character's klutziness funnier because of his quest to remain elegant and refined while causing chaos everywhere he turned. As portrayed by Sellers, Clouseau's French accent became steadily more exaggerated in successive films (for example, pronouncing "room" as "reum"; "Pope" as "Peup"; "bomb" as "beumb"; and "bumps" as "beumps"), and a frequent running gag in the movies was that even French characters would have difficulty understanding what he was saying. The accent may originally have been inspired by a comment by a French film director, in which he pronounced "house" as "'arse," to Sellers's fellow Goon, Michael Bentine, at a dinner party. Much of that humor was of course lost in the French dubbing: in order to keep some of Seller's characterization, the French post-synchronization gave Clouseau an odd-sounding, nasal voice. In his earliest appearances, Clouseau is actually less inept and exaggerated; many of the above character elements were not added until the 1970s. Sellers stepped away from playing the character following 1964's A Shot in the Dark (a film based upon a stage play into which the Clouseau character was inserted). A Shot in the Dark marked the first appearance of Clouseau's Chinese house servant, Cato, played by Burt Kwouk. Clouseau has given Cato instructions to attack him without warning when it is least expected, so that Clouseau may sharpen his senses and martial arts skills. Unfortunately, Cato takes these instructions far too seriously, repeatedly ambushing Clouseau in his own house, with hilarious results. Inspector Clouseau (1968) When the character returned for the 1968 film Inspector Clouseau, he was portrayed by American actor Alan Arkin; Edwards was not involved in this production. The film's title credits, animated by DePatie-Freleng Enterprises, feature their Inspector character from the series of short cartoons under that name. The Return of the Pink Panther (1975) The 1968 film does appear to have had an impact on the character when Sellers returned to the role in 1975's The Return of the Pink Panther, particularly in the character's mode of dress. The opening credits were animated by Richard Williams, featuring Clouseau once again seeking to retrieve the Pink Panther diamond after it is stolen by the Phantom. The Pink Panther Strikes Again (1976) The Pink Panther Strikes Again continues the story from the end of The Return of the Pink Panther, featuring the now-insane Dreyfus creating a crime syndicate and constructing a doomsday machine with the intention of using it to blackmail the world to kill Clouseau. Footage shot for this film was used to include Sellers in Trail of the Pink Panther. The opening credits were again animated by Richard Williams. Revenge of the Pink Panther (1978) According to DVD liner notes for Return of the Pink Panther, Sellers and Edwards originally planned to produce a British television series centered on Clouseau, but a film was made instead, Revenge of the Pink Panther, which 'undid' Dreyfus's death and saw Clouseau investigating a plot to kill him after a transvestite criminal is killed in his place. The movie was a box office success and led to several more films before Sellers died in 1980; biographies of Sellers such as Peter Sellers—A Celebration reveal that he was involved in the pre-production of another Clouseau film, The Romance Of The Pink Panther at the time of his death. Trail of The Pink Panther (1982) Blake Edwards attempted to continue telling Clouseau's story despite losing his lead actor. The 1982 film Trail of the Pink Panther utilized outtakes and alternate footage of Sellers as Clouseau in a new storyline in which a reporter (played by Joanna Lumley) investigates Clouseau's disappearance. In the process, she interviews characters from past Clouseau films, and also meets Clouseau's equally inept father (played by Richard Mulligan). Curse of the Pink Panther (1983) The immediate sequel to Trail, Curse of the Pink Panther reveals that Clouseau underwent plastic surgery to change his appearance; the character appears on screen briefly in the form of a joke cameo appearance by Roger Moore, billed as "Turk Thrust II". Neither film was a box office success, and the series (and the character) were retired. Son of the Pink Panther (1993) Despite the failure of Curse, Edwards attempted to revive the series a decade later with Son of the Pink Panther, in which it is revealed that Clouseau had illegitimate children by Maria Gambrelli (a character who first appeared in A Shot in the Dark). Clouseau's son, Jacques Jr., was portrayed by Roberto Benigni, and has a twin sister, Jacqueline, played by Nicoletta Braschi. Jacques Jr. attempts to follow in his father's police footsteps, but is revealed to have inherited the same ineptness as his father. Steve Martin's rendition of Clouseau in the 2006 film is considered to be a rebooting of the character. The film gives an origin to his role as an inspector: originally an inept police officer, he is hired by Chief Inspector Dreyfus to look bad and give Dreyfus the glory of solving the case himself. However, the new film is set in a different continuity: Martin's Clouseau is considerably older than Sellers', and although the 2006 film was promoted as taking place prior to the events of the first Pink Panther film, the time frame has been advanced to the present day. Also, in this film, although clueless, Martin's Clouseau does not seem entirely incompetent, being able to locate the Pink Panther diamond and solve the case on his own through his knowledge of such obscure facts as a Russian army rule that all members must know the location of a specific part of the brain or a clear knowledge of Chinese. He has limited detecting skills, but is good deal more street smart than Sellers's Clouseau. The Pink Panther 2 (2009) When a series of rare and historical artifacts are stolen by the mysterious El Tornado, Clouseau is assigned to a "dream team" of international investigators to recover the artifacts and the Pink Panther; the film culminates in his marriage to Nicole, Dreyfus's secretary. Filmography (and actors playing Clouseau) The Pink Panther ( ) A Shot in the Dark ( ) The Return of the Pink Panther ( ) The Pink Panther Strikes Again ( ) Revenge of the Pink Panther ( ) Trail of the Pink Panther ( ) - utilized unused footage from previous films Inspector Clouseau ( ) - the third film chronologically Curse of the Pink Panther ( ) The Pink Panther 2 ( ) Romance of the Pink Panther - only two script drafts; scrapped after Sellers's death Son of the Pink Panther ( ) - centered on Clouseau's son French National Police Inspector Clouseau character at the Internet Movie Database.	cc/2020-05/en_head_0058.json.gz/line157
__label__wiki	0.681462	0.681462	Governments should fund birth control, as they do HIV prevention (with Niko Bell) Sixty-one per cent of Canadian women have had an unintended pregnancy, notes a study by Canada’s Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists. Government policy is to blame. Modern Love is All-Consuming In Past Events How Technology will give us Relationships that Don’t Completely Suck Why Targeted Funding for Female Scholars Must Continue Many people question the need for special scholarships and bursaries specifically targeted at certain demographic groups, but the need for these scholarships goes beyond levelling the playing field for all students. The costs of discrimination are not just shouldered by those on the receiving end; discrimination imposes costs to us all when it prevents some of our most productive members from playing an active role in society. Your Mother is NOT a Whore A few weeks ago I had the huge privilege of giving a TEDx talk in front of 3,200 people at the Roger’s Arena. I thought I would take the opportunity to talk about something that I have wondered about for a while: Why do we, as a society, continue to think that women are less sexual than men? You can see that talk here. Teenage boys, not young women, need sexual-assault programs Resistance is not futile, according to research published Thursday in the New England Journal of Medicine, and young women need to be taught how to do just that if there is any hope of ending sexual violence against women. That claim alone is bound to stir controversy, but while we are having that debate perhaps we should consider why we are so fixated with the safety of female university students when other young women are at even greater risk of sexual violence. New Trend: Men don’t want babies either Jezebel, the women-focused website with a penchant for feminism and cute animals, recently declared the beginning of a new era with the eye-catching headline: “New Trend: Men Wanting Babies, Women Wanting Freedom”. The article, and a similar one in New York Magazine, proclaims an end to supposedly long-standing paradigm in which maternally driven women have been forcing men into reluctant fatherhood. Men, apparently, are now the ones pushing for children. Men, elections, porn, the Super Bowl: The lasting effects of testosterone (with David Berri) With 26 seconds left on the clock, the Seattle Seahawks were one yard from a touchdown that could have made them the Super Bowl champions for the second year in a row. But when Malcolm Butler intercepted Russell Wilson’s pass at the goal line, near-certain victory turned into certain defeat; Seahawks fans were left feeling crushed and, at that moment, each and every Patriots fan felt like a champion. It’s Better to Be Single on Valentine’s Day (with Neil McArthur) “I really love Valentine’s Day!” said no unattached person, ever. And why shouldn’t the holiday be depressing for singles, when everyone else is basking in the glory that is romantic love. While this feeling is understandable, it’s not exactly rational; being in love is no more wonderful, and probably quite a bit less so, on Valentine’s Day than it is on any other day of the year. No love for retail workers; American Apparel prohibits workplace romance Amid complaints that American Apparel management has perpetuated a highly sexualized work environment, the clothing retailer has moved to prohibit romantic relationships between personnel. That move should satisfy concerned shareholders, who have recently witnessed the ousting of CEO Dov Charney for alleged sexual misconduct, but it might also limit the firm’s access to the young, attractive workers that are such a big part of the American Apparel brand.	cc/2020-05/en_head_0058.json.gz/line159
__label__wiki	0.848065	0.848065	Home » History » 1940-2016 The following is the text from the new History of the Chapel written by Kathleen Scott and Herbert Moorhouse in 2016 to mark the chapel's bicentennary. Copies are available on request. Reminiscences of Martin Top Chapel by Herbert K Moorhouse. Martin Top in the 1940s Mr Edgar T West became minister at Martin Top in 1933. In those days there was no electricity, no water, even in the Manse the water was carried by bucket across the road from the now New Copley Cottage (Margaret Kenyon’s house). There was no telephone, very few cars (most people walked to Sunday Services). The chapel was heated by a coke stove which was sited under the pews and the upper room was heated by an open coal fire. The building was lit by acetylene gas produced in a building at the back, now one of the outside toilets, and the organ was pumped by hand. Sunday School was at 1.00 p.m. There were over 30 children on the register with around 25 attending regularly and most walked to get there. There were two families, one with nine children and another with six children, which boosted the numbers. Chapel services were at 2.00 p.m. and 7.00 p.m. There were no cups of tea and biscuits afterwards. On a fine Sunday afternoon people talked together in the chapel yard before wending their way home. Ladies’ Bright Hour During Mr West’s time the ladies held a ‘Bright Hour’ on a Wednesday afternoon when they would gather together to make items of clothing from material Mr West acquired from the cotton mill. (Mr West was involved in the cotton industry before coming into the ministry). The items the ladies made were sold at the annual ‘Sale of Work’, the forerunner of today’s ‘Spring Effort’. There used to be a concert in the evening following these events. (What stamina they must have had in those days – but sadly these events were more social than spiritual.) A party for Sunday School children was held on Boxing Day evening with ‘Father Christmas’ attending giving a small present to each child. Sunday School Prize Giving The Sunday School Prize Giving was on a Sunday in January, but the books given were of a secular nature. I don’t recall any kind of outreach or mission meetings during that period. Yorkshire Congregational Union Martin Top Chapel came under the umbrella of the Yorkshire Congregational Union until 1972. In the 1950s the Yorkshire Congregational Union devised the ‘Yorkshire Dales Ministry’ scheme. The idea was to employ a resident minister to provide oversight ministry to the chapels in the dales who were without a minister. The first minister of the scheme was the Rev George Curry who resided at Hawes some forty miles from Martin Top. When Mr West retired in 1957 we benefited from the scheme. Electricity and Water Electricity came into the area in 1953 and the chapel premises were connected at that time. Water was brought across the road in 1960 and the Manse was brought up to date with hot water and a bathroom being formed. In October 1963 the Methodist Chapel in Stopper Lane was recommended for closure and the building was converted into two houses. Rev George Curry Under Rev George Curry’s oversight many services would be taken by lay preachers. On the 8 October 1961 the Harvest Festival Service was televised and the programme went out ‘live’ on TV. Rev George Curry led the service with a reading being taken by Mr George Parker, a gentleman with a strong faith who had served as secretary for around 50 years. When it came to the time for Mr Parker to go to the front of the chapel to read the passage of scripture he was so engrossed in the worship that he had forgotten and he had to be nudged by his wife to go forward. As this was a live programme the incident came over on the broadcast. A second reading was taken by Sunday School scholar Christine Carr (now Mrs Earl). Rev George Curry retired in 1965 and his post was followed by Rev R H Jones. Sadly the following year he suffered two heart attacks and died from his second attack. However, under Mr Jones’s oversight in 1966 a joint ministry was formed with Martin Top, Newton-in-Bowland and Horton-in-Craven under Rev John K Gardiner a newly qualified student from training college. Rev Gardiner lived in the Manse at Newton-in-Bowland. Manse Tenants Following Mr West’s retirement in 1957 the Manse at Martin Top was let to Mr and Mrs Bryon Lingard. Bryon at that time was a shoe salesman following local markets. They lived there until they converted the stable across the road into a house in 1966 (where Margaret Kenyon lives now). The next tenants were Mr Thomas and Mrs Ruth Moorhouse, my parents, who also took up the chapel caretaking duties at that time. Rev John K Gardiner During the Rev John K Gardiner’s ministry a joint chapel magazine began, known as ‘The Courier’, covering Rev Gardiner’s three chapels at Martin Top, Newton-in-Bowland and Horton-in-Craven and the Clitheroe and Barrow Congregational Churches. Rev John K Gardiner moved to another church in 1971 and over the next four years Martin Top Chapel relied on lay preachers. Mr John W Johnson A shoe manufacturer from Bacup, Mr John W Johnson, moved to live in the area around about 1960. He was a Godly person who knew his workers (over 100) on a personal level and allowed them a five minute break every hour. He would take services often over this period. We owe much gratitude to Mr Johnson. In 1972 when Martin Top had to decide whether to join the United Reformed Church or to remain independent, thanks to Mr Johnson enough members voted to keep out. The United Reformed Church required a 75% vote in favour. The vote at Martin Top was 19 in favour and 7 against, which failed the 75% threshold. Praise the Lord that we remained independent (at that time I did not appreciate what was at stake). I believe that the Lord’s hand was upon that meeting and today we look back with praise and thanksgiving that we are not under the control of the United Reformed Church. Mr Leonard Oldfield In the late 1960s a retired Congregational minister and his wife came to live in Stopper Lane in a house that had been part of the former Methodist Chapel. Mr Oldfield took the occasional service and gave us unofficial oversight before Mr and Mrs Don Cullingford came in 1976. Mr Bryon Lingard In the period leading up to 1976 Mr Bryon Lingard was much involved at Martin Top Chapel but he was being called of the Lord to move to Barnoldswick and begin what was formerly ‘Briercliffe Fellowship’ later to become the ‘Majestic Church Centre’. Rev J Don Cullingford Before moving Bryon had been to a conference where he had met Rev and Mrs Don Cullingford, missionaries who had returned from Papua New Guinea. They were seeking a part-time pastoral post. The outcome was that Rev Don Cullingford and his family moved to live at Martin Top. Rev Cullingford was a teacher at a school in Burnley during the years he was with us. Rev and Mrs Cullingford had three adopted children from other parts of the world. Together with children of church families there were quite a number of young people coming into their teenage years. Starting in 1979, Martin Top Chapel was the host chapel for the “Fun Fellowship Friendship” weekends when young people from other churches came. The boys slept in the Sunday School room (the Upper Room) and the girls in caravans or homes. These weekend get togethers continued for seven years. Here is the report from the first one. Fun Fellowship Friendship Weekend “We were blessed with good weather for the Fun Fellowship Friendship Weekend held at Martin Top on 24-26 August 1979. A total of 36 young people stayed with us for the weekend from Knowle Green, Harden (near Bingley), Kipping (Thornton, near Bradford) Congregational Churches and Nelson United Reformed Church plus friends from Clitheroe, Hellifield, Widdale, Hawes, Holden, Harrop and Dale Head. Also joining with us were a few local young people making about 50 taking part in the weekend. On the Friday evening we were joined by 55 members from the Pendle Christian Fellowship and met at Great Todber Farm. The youngsters enjoyed themselves trying their skills at various side shows set up in the shippon. Later they assembled themselves in the barn where they sat on a grand stand made from bales of straw for a meeting led by Mr Bert Chambers from Morecambe. He accompanied the choruses with his accordion and gave his own testimony during the meeting. The meeting ended with a hot barbecue supper of chips and sausages. The young people met in the Sunday School room on Saturday morning. They were split into groups to work on the theme of “What is a Christian?” Later in the morning Mr Keith Wills from Burnley gave them a challenging message. “If you were on trial for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you?” A few made a deeper commitment to faith on the Saturday morning. In the afternoon they walked up to Great Todber for an “It’s a Knockout” competition. Four teams were arranged and competed in a variety of games using barrels, planks, tyres, barrows, ladders, watering cans, buckets, etc, and of course, water! A while after tucking into a delicious tea they re-assembled in the Sunday School room again to mime out various parables. It was during the preparation of these mimes that the Rev Robin Brookes from Radio Blackburn came for the interviews for “Church News”. Later in the evening party fun was enjoyed by all. The evening ended with an epilogue by Rev Richards Cleaves of Harden. “Christian Living” was the theme for the Sunday morning session, with Rev J D Cullingford taking the first part and he stressed the need for spiritual food which he illustrated by a coloured slide. After the break Mr Howell Jones from Clitheroe continued the theme by showing a house and the things inside we need to discard. At the afternoon service his theme was “Making Excuses” which fitted into the overall theme for the weekend. Afterwards a short closing meeting was held in the school room and a final challenge was given. Ten young people committed their lives to Jesus after the meeting”. Events that began in Rev Cullingford’s time were entering floats from Martin Top Sunday School into the Gisburn Gala. The title of the first float was “The Sound of Music” which had over 20 participants. (See Plates 1-3) An amusing incident at the time was how a local farmer was flabbergasted when he saw a car load of nuns going through Howgill on their way to the Gala. (Plate 4 shows the Sunday School children and the young people in 1981 during Rev Cullingford’s ministry). Whilst Rev Cullingford was at Martin Top his first wife, Molly, died with cancer. He remarried a lady from New Zealand he had met in Papua New Guinea. Rev Cullingford and his new wife moved to New Zealand in 1981. Mr Owen James and Mr Robert Pickles The following May, the members of the chapel unanimously gave a call to Mr Owen James and Mr Robert Pickles, two young men we had come to know through contact with the Briercliffe Fellowship (Bryon Lingard’s house church) which was later to become the ‘Majestic Centre’. They had both been through a Birmingham Bible Institute course. At the time they both lived in Barnoldswick. Our Manse was redecorated and let as a holiday cottage over the following Summer. Later Mr and Mrs Young became tenants. Owen and Robert were inducted at the Chapel Anniversary service in 1982. They both ministered to us for eighteen months when Robert left in December 1983 for the Barnoldswick Gospel Mission, whilst Owen continued to minister to us for a further three years, leaving in December 1986. During the early part of their ministry there had been quite a number of teenage young people around but later some left to go to University. Graveyard Extension During 1985 an area of land was purchased to extend the graveyard as there was no more room for new burials in the old graveyard. Joint Sunday School During the early 1980s Rev Hugh Clark had become the Vicar of Gisburn Church. He had a wife and a family of three. Over the years a close relationship had developed between Gisburn Church and the chapel at Martin Top, with the Rev Hugh Clark taking a number of services at that time. Rev Hugh Clark preached in June of 1988 at the afternoon service of our Sunday School Anniversary. At that time I discussed with him our concern at the lack of children coming to the chapel. Mr Clark had a similar concern for the children of Gisburn, and even though he thought that there was a need for a Sunday School at Gisburn Church there were no suitable premises for Sunday School work. He suggested that it would be possible for both Gisburn Church and Martin Top Chapel to work together using the premises at Martin Top. Those concerned for both churches met together and made plans to start Sunday School classes. Because of the various services of both churches it did not seem possible to arrange to meet on Sunday. After much deliberation it was decided that the children’s meetings should be on a Saturday afternoon between 3.00 p.m. and 4.00 p.m. Four classes were planned to commence on Saturday 5 November 1988. Fifty three children received prize books after the first year of attendance. Two years after Mr Owen James left us we were few in numbers and it was no longer possible to consider a part-time ministry for Martin Top Chapel. However, God had laid a concern for our situation on the hearts of four Congregational ministers from other churches in Lancashire. They were Rev Ron Witts from Bretherton, Rev David Ruddick from Settle, Rev Alan Camp from Inglewhite and Pastor Jeff Jones from Knowle Green. Mr Peter Thomas Also in the Autumn of 1989 Mr Peter Thomas a student from the Northern Congregational College began leading fortnightly mid-week meetings called “Learning Together”. He also took a service for us once a month. From September 1989 the Sunday School met on Sunday mornings – once a month at Gisburn Church for their Family Service and the other Sundays at Martin Top Chapel. A Sunday evening 10+ Group developed and met at Martin Top at 7.00 p.m. beginning around December 1989. In January 1990 a party of 39 children, parents and teachers travelled to Clitheroe by coach to see a pantomime at Trinity Methodist Church. On the 15 May 1990 Rev Jonathan Lumby became the new vicar of Gisburn and in the Autumn of 1990 he decided to form their own Sunday School at Gisburn Church. This divided the children, with parents having to decide which place of worship to go to. It was a sad time for all, splitting something that had worked well. In April or May 1991 Martin Top Chapel had been approved by the Northern College, Manchester, for Mr Peter Thomas to come for the final two years of his course for practical experience. By this time he had married and had planned to live in the Manse. Unfortunately there was a delay with the tenants moving out, resulting in the Manse not being available in time and the college not allowing them to come. In 1991 a wooden Noah’s Ark was built by one of the Sunday School children’s father for a float in the Gisburn Gala May procession. In August of that year it was re-assembled at the back of the chapel for the Sunday School Anniversary. On 8 September 1991 the Sunday Service times moved from afternoon at 2.00 p.m. (except once a month at 10.45 a.m.) to all morning services at 10.45 a.m. During the Autumn of 1991 Miss Sarah Hacking, one of the young people in the Sunday School, wrote a pantomime called “The Poisoned Apple” and helped with its production. This involved many of the young people. The event was staged at Rimington Memorial Institute. Later in the month the young people went to Radio Lancashire to present a cheque from the proceeds for ‘Children in Need’. Pastor Jeff Jones Pastor Jeff Jones, a part-time minister living at Knowle Green left his part-time work with the Mission to Deep Sea Fishermen to take up full-time ministry. He came to minister at Martin Top in September 1992, alongside his responsibilities at Knowle Green. The Manse In 1994 the Manse had major renovation work, including having a damp course fitted and re-plastering work done. Whilst the work was ongoing a theft of items from the chapel occurred – a William and Mary chair, a piano stool, two communion table chairs, etc. The current communion table chairs are copies of the original ones. The Northern Evangelical Trust The Northern Evangelical Trust, or NET, as it is more commonly known, was born in the mid 1980s out of the Mission England work which was undertaken by the churches in Lancashire in conjunction with Dr Billy Graham’s visit to Anfield, Liverpool. Such joint church initiatives proved to be effective in reaching the ‘unchurched’ and those on the fringe of the church, that leaders felt a need to continue to work together in both evangelism and mission with the vision of ‘making a difference’. NET’s main resource were the young men and women who felt God’s call to give at least one year of their lives to help ‘make a difference’ in this nation of ours, as they used NET’s resources to share the Good News of Jesus. These young people were initially given a few weeks of training and then put into teams of two or three and sent out to work in a church or a group of churches for almost a year. In 1996 there were five teams going out, but there were ten churches who applied for a team. Martin Top together with Holden and Harrop had the vision of reaching people in the Bowland area and applied for a team to help them. We are very happy and thankful to report that a team came to the Bowland area in late September. As part of their work they hoped to visit all the schools in the area on a regular basis, taking assemblies and religious education lessons, etc. There were five primary schools and Bowland High School and Clitheroe Royal Grammar School and Sixth Form who had shown an interest. Towards the end of 1996 Martin Top Chapel, Holden Chapel and Harrop Chapel worked together in conjunction with NET from Oswaldtwistle to host two young people who aimed to reach young people in the Bowland area. The young people involved were Alan Leese and Liesel Whylie who went into local primary schools leading school assemblies and helping with the Whizz Kids Children’s Club at Bolton-by-Bowland and the Youth Work at Harrop. A Youth Service was held every Sunday evening moving around the chapels on a monthly basis (Horton-in-Craven Chapel being included as a family from there had come to the Joint Sunday School previously). Martin Top’s slot was the fourth Sunday. In April 1997 the work of the NET team was featured in a “Songs of Praise” programme from St Mary’s Parish Church in Clitheroe. In July 1997 NET supported the area with a nine day tent mission held on Chatburn playing fields. There were meetings each night and a children’s Jungle Holiday Camp every morning during the week. Following this mission an Alpha Group began at Chatburn. In Autumn 1997 the Bowland area was supported again by NET and the two young people who stayed were Matthew Parker and Naomi Chidgey. Another venture by the team was to start the YPHG (Young People’s Home Group) for the 11+ age group, also a Children’s Club in Chatburn and an October Half Term Club at the Memorial Institute in Rimington. In January 1998 a weekly Chatburn Chatterbox Club began in Chatburn. During May to June there were three village mission weekends, one each at Rimington, Slaidburn and Bolton-by-Bowland. Matthew Parker continued as a Youth Worker for Martin Top, Holden and Harrop in the Autumn of 1998. There was now no team from NET helping us. In August of 1999 one young person from Tosside went to join the NET team for a year to work in another team helping other churches. A millennium torchlight procession was held in Clitheroe on 11 September 1999 and the Sunday School parents and children entered a Noah’s Ark float on a local wagon driven by John Lund. The ark attracted the attention of many people with five different photographs of it appearing in the Clitheroe Advertiser and Times (see Plates 7 to 10). Pastor Jeff Jones became unwell in June 2005 taking his last service at Martin Top on Sunday 24 July. He passed to his rest on 10 September. On 1 October a wedding had been planned at Martin Top Chapel by Jeff Jones. A close friend of Jeff, Pastor David G Isaacs was willing to conduct the marriage. At the beginning of 2006 with the help of David and Susan Tattersall of Worston an Alpha course was planned. The response to the course was amazing with over twenty people attending. This needed two groups to operate effectively. Pastor David G Isaacs (who had been a friend of Jeff Jones) was approached to see if he could help. Together with his wife Edith they agreed to come along and help. The course was fruitful with many responding to the call. Working together as a team brought the leaders into a closer relationship. Pastor David G Isaacs A chapel meeting held in January 2006 extended a call to Pastor David G Isaacs to part-time ministry at Martin Top. We were pleased that he accepted the call and gradually took up responsibilities and was formally welcomed into ministry at the 190th Chapel Anniversary in August 2006. David and Susan Tattersall also came into membership at Martin Top Chapel around that time. During David Isaac’s ministry several Alpha courses and Christianity Explored courses were run. There was one Youth Alpha Course run with the help of students from Capernwray Bible College. We also had several visits of students from the College being involved in services at Martin Top Chapel on Sunday evenings. Disabled Christian Fellowship Rev David and Edith Isaacs were instrumental in forming a branch of the ‘Disabled Christian Fellowship’ in September 2010. This still continues to the current time, meeting on a monthly basis on a Saturday afternoon in the Sunday School room. The current meetings are not restricted to people with disabilities and the meetings are no longer run under the umbrella of ‘Through the Roof Ministries’. Mr Alan Marsden In June and July 2014 Rev David and Edith Isaacs took a sabbatical rest. During that period Mr Alan Marsden took up the oversight of Martin Top Chapel. In early Autumn 2014 Rev David G Isaacs announced that he would be retiring from his ministry at Martin Top Chapel on the first Sunday in April 2015. At a chapel meeting in October 2014 a unanimous call was given to Mr Alan Marsden to the ministry at Martin Top Chapel. We are blessed that Alan accepted the call. Alan had previously worked alongside David and Susan Tattersall, who are now deacons at Martin Top Chapel, when they were members of Elim Pentecostal Church at Blackburn. As Alan already had his own house in Barnoldswick, and our Manse at the chapel was becoming vacant, we were pleased when David and Susan Tattersall were willing to take up the occupancy, being part of the church family. In the Summer of 1996 the following article was in the chapel magazine: Why the Christian Faith is Different “Recently my wife was in Gisburn school when she noticed a wall display depicting other religions. Schools are now obliged by law to teach other religions alongside the Christian faith. As Christians it is important to know the difference between our faith and that of others. In different cultures across the world mankind appears to recognise shortcomings in this life which are not acceptable to God. In all religions except the Christian faith mankind attempts to reach God by self effort, that is, by following a set of rules or commands, observing various rituals and religious days dutifully making sacrifices and worshipping. We recognise that scripture says God already loves every body, whoever they are and whatever they may have done – no one is too bad for God. (Romans 5:8) We are saved through God’s grace; we cannot reach God by our own efforts. (Ephesians 2: 8-9) To realise that punishment for sin (our unworthiness) is death. (Romans 6: 23) It was God’s purpose to allow His Son to die on the cross and that Jesus died in our place, out of love for us, taking our punishment upon Him. (1 John 4: 9-10) As Christians we realise what God has done for us through Jesus – we receive forgiveness if we can believe. If we can grasp the truth of what God has done for us through Jesus Christ to rescue us – then we will give Him thanks and worship Him and seek to live our lives in ways that please Him. Worship is something we offer joyfully to please the Lord – not a sense of duty. (Galatians 1: 3-4 and Ephesians 1: 7-14)” In the article it states that schools were obliged to include teaching in other faiths. In the Spring magazine this year the following extract from an item printed from the ‘British Churches Newspaper’ was included: Threadbare Religion “One in four of all English parish churches now has a weekly attendance of fewer than 16 people, and for rural churches the figure is less than 10, according to a new report. And even those congregations are ageing. 40% of Britons identified as Anglicans in 1983. In 2014 the number was down to 17%.” Over recent decades our country as moved away from holding Christianity as the foundation of our lives and has accepted a multi-faith agenda which began over twenty years ago. We are now reaping the consequences with four chapels closing over the last four years within a twelve mile radius of Martin Top and others have closed over the years. As we come to celebrate our Bicentenary, we thank God for His faithfulness to us over the years, and as we look to the future we need to remember, like Peter and John (Acts 4: 12) there is no other name than Jesus by which we can be saved. Whilst in the process of assembling the material for this book we were contacted by Mr John Tyson. His wife Mary is the last surviving daughter of Mr George Parker. Mr George Parker came to our chapel over one hundred years ago and was the chapel secretary for over fifty years. They had found in their attic the original “Annals of the Dissenting Church and Congregations called Independents Assembling in Salem Chapel Newby Hills” which contains original minutes and various lists of members. Now living at Brookhouse they came to Martin Top to present it to the chapel. In the book were plans for a chapel extension, but there is no reference to an extension in any of the documentation. We presume these were drawn around 1898. Summer, 2016.	cc/2020-05/en_head_0058.json.gz/line164
__label__wiki	0.608825	0.608825	The Myall Creek Cultural and Education Centre The path to Australia’s future passes through its past. Come with us on this, our incredible, shared journey …. Imagine … … a strikingly beautiful, iconic Indigenous Cultural and Educational Centre in the landscaped 'cultural precinct' setting as a visible demonstration of reconciliation adjacent to the memorial site of the massacre of Aboriginal people at Myall Creek in 1838. … learning of the hundreds of massacres in the frontier wars across Australia. … being inspired by those from Governor to convict who just this once in our history courageously ensured justice was done. … being in a place of healing, and so becoming a place of vibrant cultural expression that brings all Australians together as one. In 2008 in his apology to the Stolen Generations then Prime Minister Kevin Rudd spoke of “the real possibility of reconciliation writ large: … reconciliation across the entire history of the often bloody encounter between those who emerged from the Dreamtime a thousand generations ago and those who … came across the seas only yesterday.”To have true reconciliation all Australians should be aware of the past massacres that occurred. This had led to the formation of a Joint Select Committee to work on constitutional recognition of the First Australians. Respected elder, Patrick Dodson, points out that, “Recognition of the First Peoples in the Constitution of a country starts to send a message that you are valued, are important, that we want to respect you, and we want to deal with the things that have caused us division and discord in the past.” The Myall Creek Cultural and Education Centre will provide information not only about the massacres of the past but also about the people, Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal, who stood up against the perpetrators and sought justice. Work on the wording for constitutional recognition is now in progress and has bipartisan support. In regard to constitutional recognition Deputy Leader of the Nationals Barnaby Joyce has stated, “I think that we have a duty to do the right thing. So I’m encouraging you, as a person, who you know is pretty conservative, to try and move yourself to the position where we move this nation forward as one nation...’Cause if we get to a referendum as a nation as one people we can do something that is good and do something that is decent and so something that is right.” The Myall Creek Cultural and Education Centre will have as its goal the reconciliation that is needed to ‘move this nation forward as one nation’, and which provides the setting for a shared cultural expression and development. From a shared dream to a shared reality – a world first Despite the systemic nature of colonial conflict, violence and dispossession of first nation peoples globally, there is as yet no facility commemorating this history and providing year-round reconciliation, education and cultural programs. It seems that building the bridge to close the gap between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal peoples and cultures is as new for Australians as it is for the rest of the world. Yet programs similar to these do exist to respect, remember and learn from – War (memorials), Apartheid (museums), Holocaust (centres) and Genocide (universities). This Centre will be the first of its kind. Not only in Australia but in the world, a unique facility of national significance and international importance as a recognised example of reconciliation and healing and the explosion of cultural expression that has been occuring. On the 10th June, 1838, armed stockmen rode onto Myall Creek Station outside Bingara in north-west New South Wales and massacred 28 Wirrayaraay men, women and children of the Gamilaroi nation. Such massacres were widespread and continued, often unreported, into the twentieth century. However, the trial that followed on from the Myall Creek massacre resulted in an extraordinary outcome. For the first time in Australian history white men were brought to justice for the murder of Aboriginal people. A precedent had been set – that was never repeated. On the 10th June, 2000, the Myall Creek Memorial Committee dedicated a memorial commemorating the massacre of 162 years before. On that day, descendants of both the perpetrators and victims met and embraced in a poignant and meaningful act of reconciliation.The Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people, who erected the memorial, were motivated by a sense of justice and a conviction that we must acknowledge the truth of our shared history, if we are to achieve reconciliation between our peoples in Australia. Thousands of people have visited the memorial since that time, with many writing about their gratitude and the profound effect, which the memorial has had on their understanding and attitudes. The memorial site has achieved both national and state heritage listings. It is a testimony to the true history of Australia. Our vision … To obtain funding to build a unique cultural and educational centre, where those who come will: Learn the truth of the Myall Creek massacre and the court trials that followed. They will learn about those so outraged by the massacre that they reported it, investigated the facts and brought to justice some of the perpetrators, actions that affirmed the recognition of race equality under British law at the time (an equality continually flouted in practice thereafter). Understand that massacres of Indigenous people continued across Australia for a further century Gain an appreciation of the impact of this shared history on Aboriginal people and their culture and on life in Australia over the last 226 years of our shared history until now. A commitment to reconciliation: understanding and acknowledging the past and present injustices between Aboriginal and other Australians and to strive for a just reconciliation between all Australians. Witness Aboriginal culture in the now, drawing on the past, and offering the opportunity for sharing of cultures together. This vision involves three stages: The Myall Creek Cultural Precinct The Myall Creek Cultural Precinct is Stage 2 of a 3 stage plan culminating in the construction of a Cultural Centre associated with the national and state heritage listed Myall Creek Memorial in close proximity to the massacre site of 1838. Stage 1 - the Memorial - already exists and is testimony to both a tragic past and a place of astonishing healing. Stages 2 & 3 will enable Aboriginal people to reclaim and transform a place of genocide into a place celebrating Aboriginal culture, both traditional and contemporary. Stage 2 will:· Provide a culturally appropriate outdoor performance space and meeting place for dance, drama and storytelling, introducing the many school groups and general public visiting the precinct to Aboriginal culture, and enable Aboriginal students and local performers to learn and create performances with their elders. Replant Indigenous vegetation, including a ‘bush food’ garden, preserving traditional foods and medicines informing the connection between culture, land and farming practice.· Commission public artworks representative of the cultural explosion generated by the healing that has taken place at Myall Creek. Outdoor artwork will demonstrate how art can generate a spirit of reconciliation. Provide supporting infrastructure of bus/car park bays and amenities for visitors to the site Myall Creek can be seen as the spiritual heart of the Australian nation. The meaning of colonisation: the scarification of trust, the mortification of innocence and the violence of greed - the Cultural and Education Centre this reality will sit side by side with the continuing miracle of the oldest living culture on earth, its survival and its ongoing resilience. How it will work … The Friends of Myall Creek Memorial (FMCM), which is made up of an equal number of Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people, plans to erect a building of exemplary and striking design, comprised of a number of functional spaces under a very large copper roof shaped in the form of a Rainbow Serpent –the Aboriginal Creator Spirit. The building has been designed by Sydney architect Tim Shellshear and local artist Colin Isaacs, with input from members of the Committee and the wider community. The Centre’s content will guide you through four themes: Myall Creek – the story of Myall Creek and its significance in Australia’s history. Contact – the story of the impact of white contact history throughout Australia resulting in breakdown of traditional culture. Culture – the story of the local Aboriginal people, including traditional and contemporary culture and stories. Reconciliation – the story of the Reconciliation movement and what it means to wider Australian society. Visitors will be able to experience these insights through all of their senses, their emotions, as well as their intellects …. Being informed and engaged by interactive technologies, oral histories, photographs, amazing displays and custodial artefacts. The Centre will also have strong public cultural programs engaging visitors and school groups with local Aboriginal communities. Local support … In planning the Education and Cultural centre, the FMCM has received very strong affirmation, encouragement and assurances of cooperation from local government, educators, and regional business and industry development groups in Northern NSW. The Centre will advance four of the six Regional Development Australia Northern Inland (RDANI) priorities - namely outcomes in Aboriginal reconciliation and health through its emphasis on profoundly socially inclusive practices, as well as increased community regeneration and economic diversification. Strategically situated, the Centre, like the adjacent memorial, is central to major regional hubs such as Tamworth, Armidale, Inverell, Moree and Narrabri. It is located on Fossickers’ Way, a route frequented by tourists travelling north from Victoria, Albury, Wagga and Dubbo, as well as being approximately halfway between Sydney and Brisbane. Busloads of students throughout the region already visit the memorial. Many hundreds of tourists sign the visitors’ book each year. Hundreds come each year to the Massacre commemoration held on the second Sunday in June. With the erection of the Education and Cultural Centre, the FMCM is assured by education planners and tourism promoters that there will be a marked increase in the numbers of students and other visitors. Myall Creek is a part of the NSW Board of Studies curriculum and as such will contribute to the increased number of visitors. Creation of the Centre and year-round reconciliation programs are conservatively projected to triple annual visitation to 10 – 15,000 people. This will create an economic impact for the district of $10-20m during the first five years of operations. International tourism interest in Aboriginal history and culture represents a significant 13% of all visitors. This segment on average stays longer (20% of visitor nights) and spends more (19% of expenditure) than general tourists (Tourism Research Australia 2011). Culture-based tourists are significantly more likely to travel and stay in regional areas (31%). Education and tourism markets will be most significant for the centre. A $10million Foundation is being established to develop and deliver the year-round programs for these markets. Increased visitor spending will also encourage economic diversification. From the outset increased visitation in the area will have synergy with the two other new and nationally significant facilities in Bingara – The Living Classroom regenerative farming education facility; and the Roxy Theatre & Café Complex, a fully-restored tribute to the influence of Greek migrants throughout rural Australia. The FMCM enjoys and is promised the full cooperation of the Gwydir Shire Council in the development and administration of the Centre. The Centre will provide local employment, requiring full and/or part-time indigenous staff, including On-site management. A curator. An educator. A retail manager. Additional employment will be offered within the Centre’s reconciliation and education programs, as well as through increased tourism and economic diversification. How you can help … Edmund Burke once said that “Evil prevails when good men do nothing.” In the case of the Myall Creek massacre, good people suffered ridicule and retribution to make the truth known and in so doing changed the way we know our history. You too can be part of changing history and help us to create an amazing space that will inform and educate future generations of the atrocities of the past and the promise of unity. The FMCM is seeking financial support from all levels of Government, community organisations, private corporations and interested philanthropists for the construction and equipping of the Education and Cultural Centre. The challenge is significant but exciting with capital works estimated at $7.4million and the establishment of a Capital Preservation Fund of $10million to cover recurrent expenditure into perpetuity. Detailed estimates are included in the Business Plan available at : Bottom line …we need you …and your support! The contributions of all major donors will be publicly and visually acknowledged. Promotion video https://vimeo.com/220926163/0089f5754c Please address all your enquiries to: Ivan Roberts Co-chair of the Myall Creek Memorial Committee 0475 838 144 / (02) 9446 5715 For any additional information on Myall Creek, please visit our website: www.myallcreek.org We look forward to your joining us. Ngiyani winangay ganunga We remember them.	cc/2020-05/en_head_0058.json.gz/line171
__label__wiki	0.886205	0.886205	Forums Sunny Side Books & Inkpot Book Review Chimamanda: Tougher than she looks! Discussion in 'Books & Inkpot' started by anwulika, Jan 30, 2011. anwulika New Member Chimamanda: Tougher than she looks! By Smriti Daniel Dressed in bright red pants, a flowing white top and pretty sandals, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie lounges luxuriously on the cushions under the shade of a large tree in the GLF cafe. Despite her laid back air, it would be a mistake to underestimate Adichie she's tougher than she looks. In her first session, a panel discussion that kick-started the Galle Literary Festival, the award winning Nigerian author put up an eloquent defence of a fellow panellist and won a prolonged round of applause from the crowd. She's still irate though; the object of her annoyance is an opinionated audience member who opted to go with a personal attack instead of debating the issue at hand...and then followed her out only to challenge her again. "I just had to say something or I would have been furious the rest of the day," adding that she would have spent an equally restless night, she laughs and shrugs the incident off. With a length of colourful cloth wound around her braided hair, Adichie makes for a striking figure. Now that she has had her say, the author is cheerful again and quite willing to discuss another man who incurred her wrath. If you've read The Thing Around Your Neck' you will remember Edward in the story Jumping Monkey Hill' the old man with the two front teeth the colour of mildew'. In Africa to conduct a writing workshop for authors, Edward is as lecherous as he is arrogant. He presumes to know what constitutes a real' African story ignorantly dismissing one submission as pass' and another as not a real story of real people.' For anyone who would make a similar call on Adichie's story, consider yourself forewarned not only does Edward have a real life counterpart, Adichie herself sat through a workshop with him. The collection was published last year to critical acclaim, but now the author says she feels guilty. "The thing is that that story got so much attention I actually began to feel sorry for the guy. It's an unequal fight. He's not a writer and so he can't strike back at me that way...But I was furious at that workshop. You go to this workshop that is organised by an English person, because he's the guy who can, he has the access, he has the money and that's fine, but to tell you what your own story is...I think it's the worst thing you can do to someone." It's clear that for her, a story can be a sacred thing she's described herself as being compelled' to write them, and she believes they are an essential part of understanding history, a way to fill in the gaps left by official histories. Basking in the Galle sunlight: Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. Pic by Sanka Vidanagama Half of a Yellow Sun' is perhaps her most ambitious attempt to put fiction to work in the service of her philosophy. The novel followed her successful 2003 debut, Purple Hibiscus' and went on to win the 2007 Orange Prize. It introduced Olanna and Kainene. The twin daughters of a wealthy businessman, they are nothing alike in either looks or temperament, but are united in their struggle to survive the Nigerian-Biafran war of the late 1960s. Negotiating riots, separation, starvation, loss and ultimately all out war, the novel tells the story from multiple view points. One of them is the voice of a young houseboy named Ugwu. Adichie endows him with intelligence and innocence even as she explores his darker impulses. In the end, Ugwu emerges as the conscience of the book and finds his way into the author's favourites. Adichie tells me that Ugwu was inspired in part by Mellitus, a houseboy who served her parents during the war, and Fide, another houseboy who lived with them while she was growing up. Her mother would often say, Thank God for Mellitus', or I don't know what I would have done without Mellitus' but Chimamanda harboured the suspicion that Mellitus had to have been less than perfect. "He could not possibly have been the saint my mother painted... I imagined he must have been very resentful of my mother sometimes, I wondered how he felt about being away from his own family...he must have been flawed and human." With Fide and Mellitus as his literary ancestors, in the end "Ugwu is also me," confesses Adichie, adding "I like all my characters but Ugwu is the character I feel closest to." Critics have noted that Adichie, an ethnic Igbo by birth, hails from the very same south-eastern corner of Nigeria that attempted to secede as Biafra. The narrative is also inescapably coloured by the personal loss experienced by Adichie's family both her grandfathers were among an estimated 3 million who died in the war but the author takes pains to show that both sides were guilty of senseless crimes. The result is a textured, complicated portrayal but also one that has its detractors in her homeland. In a country where "Biafra is a topic that we enjoy avoiding," Adichie is outnumbered. Still, the author isn't quite ready to bury Biafra along with those who would rather pretend it didn't happen. "I like to tell my friends that I feel very strongly about sleeping very well at night, waking up in the morning, looking in the mirror and liking the me inside and I can only do that by speaking my truth. If I'm false, if I'm silent and I just imagine what I could have said and I don't say it, then I won't sleep well." For more than one reason, this was clearly a hard book to write and Adichie has often claimed it threatened her sanity. "It's so hard to talk about the process of that book, because it took so much rewriting." Her extensive research included numerous interviews and reading everything she could find about the war much of which proved rather heavy going. "I think the first draft was about me showing how much I had learnt. Did you know that the French government did that? Oh my goodness, did you know what the Americans did? And I had all these things in the book and it wasn't a novel." A ruthless rewrite made it the character centric novel it is today. "I often joke and I tell my friends, that I should write another book called, This is What I Found Out About Biafra." In some ways, Biafra has been the consuming passion of Adichie's writing career. (At 16, she wrote "an awfully melodramatic play" called For Love of Biafra' which she followed with a short story That Harmattan Morning'). Ghosts' in her new collection revisits the subject, telling the story of a professor at Nsukka (loosely modelled on her father) who meets a former colleague after the Biafran War. Many fans would not object if she had chosen instead to follow Kainene's story past the closing chapters of Half of a Yellow Sun' instead. "I can't tell you how many angry emails I get from my fellow Nigerians who want to know what happened to Kainene and who want to bring her back." Unfortunately Kainene, like so many others, vanished into Biafra. Perhaps somewhere in Adichie's archives of half finished stories, there's a fragment with a clue to her fate. But since it took her four years to complete her short story Cell One,' incidentally exactly as long as it took her to write Half of a Yellow Sun' there's no knowing if it will ever turn up. "I have a story that I started in 2002 and it's not finished yet," she says ruefully. Still, she's not as comfortable with that as you'd imagine. "There are times when I think the world is coming to an end, that I can't write a good sentence and my poor husband has to deal with all my crap and there are times when I feel this onward urge...you know, to conquer it...I just wish that I had less of those debilitating moments," she says. Her deep voice, with its pleasant cadence, is very distinctive. It's a reminder that though she lives part of the year in America, Nigeria is home. Even in the U.S, Adichie follows Nigerian politics closely and cooks endless pots of jollof rice. Basking in the sun, the author says she's enjoying Sri Lanka that it reminds her of Nigeria and that she's going to go shopping later and find herself a saree to wear the next day. She's also going back with the inspiration for a few stories, and we're still talking about her fascination with a woman who is rumoured to eat only roses when we realise that a small crowd is waiting for her, books in hand. As soon as we wrap up, she is besieged. Still, if she manages to get through this day having always spoken her mind, at least there's one thing she can look forward to - a good night's sleep. #1 anwulika, Jan 30, 2011 You go to this workshop that is organised by an English person, because he's the guy who can, he has the access, he has the money and that's fine, but to tell you what your own story is...I think it's the worst thing you can do to someone." What a remarkable woman! She stands up for what she believes in and speaks up for herself. I have seen some interviewers trying to get fresh with her and i'm in awe of how she uses her intelligence to shut them up. Your story is your story and should be told your own way. You go girl! Anioma777 likes this. First-lady Well-Known Member Great write up Anwuli I hear you We teach people how to treat us Silence they say is golden but sometimes spoken words are required and sometimes it may not even be for us but for those coming behind us. #3 First-lady, Jan 30, 2011 Anioma777 and anwulika like this. Oceantide24 New Member Wow! people have got some gifts of writing #4 Oceantide24, Apr 30, 2011	cc/2020-05/en_head_0058.json.gz/line183
__label__cc	0.742757	0.257243	After last weeks big budget bomb Spiderman 3, I thought it was time to take in something a little different. Something less commercial with a little more grit and edge, a film that not only feeds the brain but feeds on my brain. And nothing chows down on grey matter quite like a good zombie movie! 28 Weeks later is the highly anticipated (at least by fans of the walking dead) follow up to one of the smartest and coolest horror movies of the last ten years. 28 Days Later delivered on almost every level with memorable visuals, smarts, story and more than its share of thrills. The sequel is cut from the same cloth and offers more of the same, which in this case, is a very good thing. Part two picks up approximately where the first film left off. With the RAGE virus spread throughout England, pockets of uninfected humans are still in hiding. Don (Robert Carlyle) and his wife have found refuge in an old farmhouse, grateful that their two children are safely out of the country. Their relative safety is sacrificed when a pack of “the infected” come upon the farm. I don’t want to give too much away, but this chilling opening scene is the stuff of nightmares! I was white knuckled, slack jawed, on the edge of my seat, and any other clichéd horror reaction you can think of! Fast forward 28 weeks and the infected have died out due to starvation. The US military has taken control and special operations units have been sent in to clean up and supervise the delicate process of repopulation. Don has managed to make it to one of the heavily guarded London Safe Zones. He is finally able to welcome his children home but has to find some way of explaining what’s happened to their mother. What he tells them sets in motion a chain of events that ultimately leads to a re-infestation of RAGE and an hour-long adrenaline rush for the audience. One of the great things about 28 Weeks Later is that hidden amidst all the carnage is a fair bit of political subtext. With the daily bloodbath we are exposed to on the news each day war, disease and military occupation are subjects that hit close to home. What makes these movies great is that they examine how people might truly react in extreme, albeit fictional, situations. After all, playing on people’s real life fear is what true horror is all about. The film style remains much the same as the original despite a new director at the helm. Co-creator Danny Boyle passed the gauntlet to Spanish director Juan Carlos Fresnadillo. Many impressive shots of an abandoned London add to the atmosphere, but a few too many frantic strobe-light effects make it a little confusing at times. I like to call these moments the “Zombie Cam”. These speedy flesh eaters aren’t your regular run-of-the-mill shuffling undead. 28 Weeks Later is one hell of a thrill ride and not for the queasy with the amount of blood and flesh that flies! This is one sequel that lives up to expectation. I predict it will be one of the best surprises we’ll get all summer. For full-on savage fun, I give 28 Weeks Later 8 out of 10 stars.	cc/2020-05/en_head_0058.json.gz/line187
__label__wiki	0.866798	0.866798	James Rolph Get James Rolph essential facts below. View Videos or join the James Rolph discussion. Add James Rolph to your PopFlock.com topic list for future reference or share this resource on social media. Chair of the National Governors Association John Garland Pollard Paul V. McNutt 27th Governor of California January 6, 1931 - June 2, 1934 Frank Merriam C. C. Young 30th Mayor of San Francisco January 8, 1912 - January 6, 1931 P. H. McCarthy Angelo Rossi James Rolph Jr. June 2, 1934(1934-06-02) (aged 64) Annie Marshall Reid James "Sunny Jim" Rolph Jr. (August 23, 1869 - June 2, 1934) was an American politician and a member of the Republican Party. He was elected to a single term as the 27th governor of California from January 6, 1931 until his death on June 2, 1934 at the height of the Great Depression. Previously, Rolph had been the 30th mayor of San Francisco from January 8, 1912 until his resignation to become governor. Rolph remains the longest-serving mayor in San Francisco history. Annie M. Rolph at dock Rolph was born in San Francisco, the son of Margaret (Nicol) and James Rolph.[1][2][3] He had four brothers and two sisters.[4] After attending school in the Mission District, he went to work as an office boy in a commission house. He married Annie Marshall Reid (1872–1956) and had at least one son: James Rolph, III (1904-1980). Rolph entered the shipping business in 1900, by forming a partnership with George Hind. Over the next decade, he served as president of two banks, one of which he helped establish. Although he was asked to run for mayor in 1909, he chose to wait until 1911 to run for mayor--a position that he would hold for nineteen years. As mayor, he was known as "Sunny Jim" and his theme song was "There Are Smiles That Make You Happy". In 1915 he appeared as himself in an early documentary film titled Mabel and Fatty Viewing the World's Fair at San Francisco, which was directed by and starred Fatty Arbuckle. In 1924, Rolph appeared as himself in a Slim Summerville comedy short film, Hello, Frisco. Rolph knew of the power in San Francisco of the Roman Catholic Church. Italians, Irish, French and Germans made up the majority of the population of the City. He established a deep friendship with Archbishop Edward Joseph Hanna. In turn, Hanna would support Rolph in his 1930 election as governor of California.[] In addition to his mayoral duties and overseeing his shipping interests, he directed the Ship Owners and Merchants Tugboat Company and the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce. He also was vice-president of the Panama-Pacific International Exposition and president of the Merchants' Exchange. He resigned in 1931 to assume the office of governor of California. Rolph received considerable criticism for publicly praising the citizens of San Jose following the November 1933 lynching of the confessed kidnapper-murderers of Brooke Hart, a local department store heir, while promising to pardon anyone involved, thereby earning the nickname, "Governor Lynch."[5]:98 Four days before the lynching he had announced he would not call on the National Guard to prevent the lynching, which was already being discussed locally.[5]:149 After violence erupted during the San Joaquin cotton strike in October 1933, Governor Rolph appointed a fact-finding committee to investigate the deaths of several strikers. When the committee met in Visalia on October 19, 1933, Caroline Decker, a labor activist who had taken part in other California agricultural actions, took testimony from the strikers who testified about the growers' assaults on striking workers. After suffering several heart attacks, he died in Santa Clara County on June 2, 1934, aged 64, three years into his term. Rolph was the second governor to die in office, the first being Washington Bartlett in 1887, who, like Rolph, had also been elected while mayor of San Francisco but died during his only gubernatorial term. He is buried at Greenlawn Memorial Park in Colma, California. He was succeeded by Lieutenant Governor Frank Merriam in the Governor's Office. One of the unofficial names of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge is the James "Sunny Jim" Rolph Bridge.[6] ^ http://www.onlinebiographies.info/ca/sf/rolph-j-jr.htm ^ "FamilySearch". www.familysearch.org. Retrieved 2019. ^ a b Kevin Starr (1996). Endangered Dreams: The Great Depression in California. New York: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0195100808. ^ Business, Transportation and Housing Agency; Department of Transportation (January 2009). "2008 Named Freeways, Highways, Structures and Other Appurtenances in California" (PDF). State of California. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 14, 2012. Retrieved 2012. Cite journal requires \|journal= (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) San Francisco Bay Area portal Biography from the State of California James Rolph, Jr. at The Political Graveyard Biography from the Virtual Museum of the City of San Francisco James Rolph on IMDb P. H. McCarthy Mayor of San Francisco C. C. Young Governor of California John Garland Pollard Chair of the National Governors Association Party political offices C. C. Young Republican nominee for Governor of California Talking Classics - Keith Courage (NEW EPISODE) United States Mega-structures (Extreme Engineering) - San FranciscoOakland Bay Bridge United States Megastructures (Extreme Engineering) The San Francisco Bay Bridge Behind the Scenes of Talking Classics James_Rolph	cc/2020-05/en_head_0058.json.gz/line188
__label__wiki	0.858862	0.858862	Home News Japanese-American Citizens League to Vote on Donation Fro... Japanese-American Citizens League to Vote on Donation From Philip Morris The board of the San Francisco-based Japanese American Citizens League will soon vote on whether the organization should accept donations from tobacco companies, the Associated Press reports. Anti-tobacco activists who argue that Philip Morris is specifically targeting Asian Americans as a new market are urging the 72-year-old civil rights group to reject a possible donation from the company. "It's a very moral question that's being put to the board," said JACL executive director John Tateishi. "The tobacco industry has targeted Asian youth and minority youth, which a lot of people find objectionable for obvious reasons." The vote has added fuel to a long-simmering debate about the true intent of corporate philanthropy. In recent years, many nonprofits have taken a stand against donations from corporations whose business practices conflict with the overall mission of the organization. For this reason, organizations such as the California branch of the American Lung Association worry that if the JACL accepts donations from Philip Morris, smaller organizations may follow suit. "JACL is one of the largest and oldest organizations. If they take the money, others will be more comfortable with it," said Trisha Murakawa, a member of the California American Lung Association board. For nonprofits like the Organization of Chinese Americans, which has accepted money from Philip Morris in the past, the issue is more complicated, however. "For organizations such as ours, funding just doesn't come naturally," explained OCA program director Christine Chen. "Civil rights isn't as tangible as a cultural center that is easier to raise funds for." Jennifer Coleman. "Japanese Organization to Vote on Philip Morris Donation" Associated Press 05/18/2001. Subjects: civil / human rights; philanthropy / voluntarism November 3, 2018 Reading League Receives $9 Million for Literacy Efforts September 16, 2018 Houston Baptist University Receives $10 Million for Law Center October 28, 2017 Community Foundation Update (10/28/17) September 14, 2017 Philip Morris Pledges Nearly $1 Billion to Anti-Smoking Foundation August 4, 2015 Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders Turning to Giving Circles March 17, 2015 Met, Minneapolis Institute of Arts Receive Endowments, Gifts of Art	cc/2020-05/en_head_0058.json.gz/line190
__label__wiki	0.75761	0.75761	Home News Koret Foundation Awards $10 Million for Bioinformatics, S... Koret Foundation Awards $10 Million for Bioinformatics, Smart Cities Tel Aviv University (TAU) has announced a five-year, $10 million grant from the Koret Foundation in support of joint initiatives with the University of California, Berkeley and Stanford University. The grant will bring together leading scholars and scientists from TAU, Berkeley, and Stanford to conduct multidisciplinary research in the fields of bioinformatics/computational biology and smart cities and digital living. The Koret Program for Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, which will be run jointly by the Edmond J. Safra Center for Bioinformatics at TAU and the Center of Computational Biology at Berkeley, will support the development of computational tools that integrate genetic, genomic, and other patient data for medical purposes. To that end, the program will award joint research grants at both institutions, hold annual workshops and seminars, and support a visiting scientist program and a joint summer research program. The Koret Program for Smart Cities and Digital Living will fund a joint effort at TAU and Stanford aimed at advancing basic and applied research in data science with the potential to enhance safety, efficiency, and quality of life in cities while supporting communication across people and organizations. To be housed at the Stanford School of Engineering's Department of Management Science & Engineering, the program will award initial and bridging grants to help advance promising big data projects to the prototype and proof-of-concept stage and will host an annual conference to help match industry needs and academic research. "We are tremendously excited to support research collaboration between leading faculty that will have practical implications for all of us around the world," said Koret Foundation president Anita Friedman. "We look forward to seeing what the pioneers of these fields from Israel and the United States can do together." (Photo credit: Tel Aviv University) "Koret Foundation Funds $10 Million Collaborative Initiative between TAU, Stanford University, and UC Berkeley." Tel Aviv University Press Release 03/15/2018. Subjects: education; higher education; medical research; public affairs; science / technology People: anita friedman Organization: koret foundation; stanford university; tel aviv university; university of california, berkeley Location: berkeley; california; israel; palo alto; tel aviv December 28, 2017 Koret Foundation Launches New Arts and Culture Initiative January 19, 2017 Museum of the Jewish People Receives $10 Million From Koret Foundation November 15, 2016 UC Santa Cruz Receives $1 Million for Research Scholarships October 30, 2016 Weill Cornell Medicine Receives $2 Million for Immunotherapy Research June 17, 2016 Koret Foundation Launches $50 Million Higher Education Initiative June 15, 2015 UT Southwestern Receives $25 Million for Bioinformatics Department	cc/2020-05/en_head_0058.json.gz/line191
__label__wiki	0.883909	0.883909	Pioneers Palace V. Komarov Palace of Children's Creativity In the USSR the amount of identical buildings named Pioneers Palace was at least ten (Novomoskovsk, Ryazan, Kazan, Tyumen, Bryansk, Ufa etc), but it turns out that there is an uncertainty about the architect's name: in Bashkortostan capital the authorship of the wonderful project is given to V. Kondrashov and A. Khromov; in Ryazan the project is believed to be made by I. Antipov. In Ufa the building was constructed according to the project prepared by Ryazan architects. Thus, it may be assumed... 69 Mustaia Karima Street Mon-Fri 9.00a.m.-6.00p.m. http://www.ugddt.ru Aviatekhnikum, Bank Uralsib, Karla Marksa, Revolyutsionnaya In the USSR the amount of identical buildings named Pioneers Palace was at least ten (Novomoskovsk, Ryazan, Kazan, Tyumen, Bryansk, Ufa etc), but it turns out that there is an uncertainty about the architect's name: in Bashkortostan capital the authorship of the wonderful project is given to V. Kondrashov and A. Khromov; in Ryazan the project is believed to be made by I. Antipov. In Ufa the building was constructed according to the project prepared by Ryazan architects. Thus, it may be assumed that it is I. Antipov who is the author of the project. It is interesting that the earlier buildings in Ryazan and Kazan are different from the other Palaces in that they have only a tall rotunda tower above the central part, whereas the building in Novomoskovsk was, obviously, constructed even earlier: it features arched windows of the second floor. The Pioneers Houses were intended to be the centers of recreation and creativity of school children. They were opened in many cities. Leningrad was the first to open a Pioneers House in former Anichkov Palace. In Ufa in 1930s Pioneers House was located in the building of the former Commercial School, which was constructed in 1910-12. The same building was used by the Youth Theater and a Radio Committee. In October 1941 the building was given to the Executive Committee of Communist International evacuated from Moscow. After the dissolution of Communist International in 1943 the building was given to the aviation institute from Rybinsk. On July 3, 1954 the Minister of Education of RSFSR academician I. Kairov signed an order "On confirming the project specification for the construction of Pioneers House in Ufa". In May 1956 the Republican government finally decided to build a Pioneers House on the site of the John the Forerunner Church, which was demolished in 1930s. Before the construction was finished the Executive Committee of Ufa City Council suggested renaming Ufa City Pioneers House into the Pioneers Palace. The respective application was sent by the chairman of the Executive Committee of Ufa City Council P. Popkov to the Minister of Education of RSFSR. The building with the usable floor area of almost 5 thousand square meters was designed to have an audience hall for 500 persons and a lecture hall for 100 persons, as well as sports, dancing and reading halls. Besides, it was designed to incorporate a methodological room, fairy-tales rooms, winter garden, shooting range, 23 working rooms, three workshops and other auxiliary facilities. On August 30, 1958 the Pioneers Palace was opened. The building was erected near the I. Yakutov Children's Park. The major façade of the Ufa Pioneers Palace addresses Revolyutsionnaya Street. In a way the building ends M. Karima Street (previously Sotsialisticheskaya Street). Even now when the city center is so developed, the building retains its individuality and expressiveness. Multi-storey residential buildings and the major office of UralSib Bank have been constructed near the Pioneers Palace. Nevertheless, the elongated façade of the Palace is still the compositional basis of the whole quarter. The building looks solemn because of its central avant-corps, which is extended from the façade. It is decorated with six columns featuring Corinthian capitals. Side columns come in couples. Behind the columns one may see three large arched windows of the second floor; the windows are arranged as an additional emphasis over the entrance doors. The clear rhythm of alternating windows represents a prominent decoration element. Every second window is decorated with a dripstone. Avant-corpses of both sides are topped with frontispieces. Little has changed in the functional purpose of the building. It has enough rooms to accommodate clubs and studios for school children, a sports hall and audience hall used for concerts and plays of children's amateur groups. The institution changed its name, though. Now it is an Ufa Palace of Children's Creativity named after pilot-cosmonaut Vladimir Komarov.	cc/2020-05/en_head_0058.json.gz/line197
__label__wiki	0.557391	0.557391	More info on List of Australian poets List of Australian poets: Quiz Categories: Lists of Australian people by occupation > Lists of poets by nationality > Australian poets Question 1: Adeeb Kamal Ad-Deen (born 1953) Award winning ________ poet of Iraqi origin Ancient North Arabian Arabic language Egyptian Arabic Modern Standard Arabic Question 2: ________ (1833–1870) Melbourne Richard Henry Horne Australia Adam Lindsay Gordon Question 3: Andrew Barton "Banjo" Paterson (1864–1941) Archetypal bush poet, "________", "The Man from Snowy River" and "Clancy of the Overflow". Waltzing Matilda Sydney Brisbane Australia Question 4: The poets listed below were either citizens or residents of Australia or published the bulk of their ________ whilst living there. Novel Lyric poetry Literature Poetry Question 5: ________ (Kath Walker) (1920–1993) Queensland Australia Brisbane Oodgeroo Noonuccal	cc/2020-05/en_head_0058.json.gz/line198
__label__wiki	0.931759	0.931759	Global Citizen Festival 2020 Gets Metallica, Billie Eilish, RHCP for 10-Hour, 5-Continent Event The livestreamed fest will also feature Lizzo, Eddie Vedder, Miley Cyrus, Ozzy Osbourne, Coldplay, Muse and more Global Citizen Festival has roped in some high-profile acts in the past, but the 2020 event is going far beyond what's been done in years past. Next year, the event will boast the likes of Metallica, Billie Eilish, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Lizzo, Eddie Vedder and Ozzy Osbourne, among many others. The 2020 Global Citizen Festival will follow the year-long initiative Global Goal Live: The Possible Dream, and the upcoming event on September 26, 2020, will be livestreamed across the globe. "Our goal, to put it simply, is to engage every single person on the planet in this mission [to end global poverty]," Global Citizen CEO Hugh Evans said in a statement. "To do so we must boldly and creatively reach global citizens where they are: in person, on television, on their phones and online." With the help of Teneo, Global Citizen's year-long campaign aims to bring people together to put an end to extreme poverty, climate change and reduce inequality by 2030. The campaign will be topped by the Global Citizen Festival, which will span five continents and 10 hours. In addition to all the aforementioned artists, the 2020 Global Citizen Festival will feature Alicia Keys, Coldplay, Cyndi Lauper, H.E.R., Janelle Monáe, Miley Cyrus, Muse, Pharrell Williams, Shawn Mendes, Usher, Deborra-Lee Furness, Hugh Jackman, Idris Elba, Katie Holmes, Trevor Noah and more. The concert will be broadcast live from various cities in North America, Africa, Europe, Asia and Latin America. The 2019 Global Citizen Festival, meanwhile, takes place in New York City's famed Central Park on Saturday (September 28). It will feature performances from the likes of Queen, Adam Lambert, Pharrell Williams and Alicia Keys. More Metallica More Red Hot Chili Peppers More Ozzy Osbourne More Eddie Vedder Jun 16 @ 6:30PM - Ozzy Osbourne – 'No More Tours 2' Montreal @ Bell Centre Marilyn Manson \| Ozzy Osbourne Jun 18 @ 6:30PM - Ozzy Osbourne – 'No More Tours 2' Hamilton @ FirstOntario Centre Jul 07 @ 6:30PM - Ozzy Osbourne – 'No More Tours 2' Edmonton @ Rogers Place Jul 09 @ 6:30PM - Ozzy Osbourne – 'No More Tours 2' Vancouver @ Rogers Arena Apr 11 @ 7:30PM - Billie Eilish – 'Where Do We Go' World Tour Vancouver @ Rogers Arena Metallica's Lars Ulrich Shares Update on James Hetfield's Return to Rehab Last month, Metallica decided to postpone several upcoming tour dates so that frontman James Hetfield could enter a treatment facility to wo... Here's What Metallica Were Counting Down To This week, Metallica launched a countdown clock, and now the mystery has been revealed. The band will be headlining a series of U.S. festiva... Metallica Are Counting Down to Something Metallica are being mysterious about some upcoming news. Today the band launched a website at MetallicaXX.com, which features one thing o... Metallica Postpone Tour Dates as James Hetfield Checks into Addiction Treatment Facility Metallica have made the decision to postpone their several upcoming tour dates so that frontman James Hetfield may enter treatment facility... The Woman Who Shooed a Cougar with Metallica Thanked James Hetfield for Saving Her Life Metallica's music was discovered to be suitable predator repellent last week when a Vancouver Island woman went viral for recounting how she... Red Hot Chili Peppers Are Working on a New Album with John Frusciante To the delight of Red Hot Chili Peppers fans everywhere, classic-era guitarist John Frusciante recently rejoined the band. Now, less than a... John Frusciante Rejoins Red Hot Chili Peppers Red Hot Chili Peppers have parted ways with guitarist Josh Klinghoffer and have reunited with longtime axeman John Frusciante. "Josh is a... Red Hot Chili Peppers Prep New Documentary Film Red Hot Chili Peppers have been hinting at a new album for a while now, and while there's still no concrete announcement regarding their nex... Flea Acid for the Children Flea has long been the merry jokester of Red Hot Chilli Peppers — a loveable weirdo known for cartoonish bass slapping, manic onstage energy... John Frusciante Treats 'Curtains' to Vinyl Reissue After giving The Empyrean an anniversary vinyl reissue earlier this year, former Red Hot Chili Peppers guitar hero John Frusciante has annou... Ozzy Osbourne Duets with Elton John on "Ordinary Man" Ozzy Osbourne just revealed the album cover for his Ordinary Man, and now we're getting its title track, which features none other than Elto... Here's the Album Cover to Ozzy Osbourne's 'Ordinary Man' Ozzy Osbourne is getting one step closer to releasing his upcoming record Ordinary Man by now revealing its album cover. Yes, that's it u... Ozzy Osbourne Descends into Chaos in His "Straight to Hell" Video Ozzy Osbourne is once again giving us a new video in support of his upcoming album Ordinary Man. This time, the Black Sabbath icon has unloa... Ozzy Osbourne Explores "the Darkest Times in My Life" in His New Video Ozzy Osbourne is slowly working his way towards his new album Ordinary Man, now the Black Sabbath icon has treated the record's "Under the G... In 2019, Metal Learned to Share and Play Well With Others Metal bands and fans have historically isolated themselves within their own inner circle, unlike other genres who frequently collaborate wit... Watch Eddie Vedder Join the Who Onstage in Vancouver While the Who's special guests at the Vancouver stop of their "Moving On! Tour" included Liam Gallagher and Reignwolf, the rock icons also w... Eddie Vedder's Reunion with a Dutch Pearl Jam Fan Was 27 Years in the Making Following a 1992 gig with Pearl Jam in Utrecht, Eddie Vedder met a Dutch woman named Valeska Custers, who ended up giving him a lift back to... Watch Eddie Vedder Cover "Maybe It's Time" from 'A Star Is Born' Pearl Jam frontman Eddie Vedder got his Jackson Maine on last night in Arizona. Performing at the Innings Festival in Tempe, AZ, Vedder deli... Pearl Jam Cancel London Show After Eddie Vedder Completely Loses His Voice After performing at London's O2 Arena last night (June 18), Pearl Jam have been forced to cancel tonight's second show at the venue in the w... Stevie Wonder, Pharrell Williams, Roger Waters, Eddie Vedder Take a Knee NFL player Colin Kaepernick refused to stand during the American national anthem last year as an act of protest against racial oppression in...	cc/2020-05/en_head_0058.json.gz/line199
__label__cc	0.66934	0.33066	UPDATE: Assault With a Weapon/Attempt Murder UPDATE: Assault With a Weapon/Attempt… One person has been charged and police are continuing their investigation into an incident on Saturday night (September 1st) in which two persons were taken to hospital with apparent stab wounds. Police were dispatched at approximately 9:15 p.m. on Saturday, September 1, 2018, to a residence in the 700 block of Garnet Street, for a report of two injured persons at that location. Police and EMS arrived and located a 36 year-old male victim and a 52 year-old female victim, both of whom had sustained injuries consistent with an assault with a bladed weapon. Both were taken to hospital by EMS, with injuries described as serious. Investigation into this incident indicates an argument turned into an altercation between persons visiting the residence. The female victim is believed to have intervened in the struggle, which occurred in the alley behind the house. The suspect and two other individuals left the scene before police arrived, but the male suspect was later located and charged. A knife, believed to have been used in the assault, was found at the scene. Investigation into this matter is ongoing. A 15 year-old male youth, who cannot be named in accordance with the provisions of the Youth Criminal Justice Act, has been charged with: 2 x Attempt Murder [239 CC]; and Breach of Undertaking [145(3) CC] The accused youth made his first court appearance on these charges in Youth Court at 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday, September 4, 2018. Investigation is continuing. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Regina Police Service at 306-777-6500 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS). Categories: Assault, Breach, Firearms and Weapons related September 4, 2018 PreviousPrevious post:Male Facing Numerous Firearms Charges/Stolen AutoNextNext post:SECOND UPDATE: Assault With a Weapon/Attempt Murder UPDATE: Robbery – Financial Institution; Male Charged	cc/2020-05/en_head_0058.json.gz/line200
__label__cc	0.514135	0.485865	The Secular Franciscan News and Views of the Catholic Church Islamist Invasion: The visions of John Paul II The Islamist Invasion: The visions of Pope John Paul II Source:http://www.catholicherald.co.uk/news/2017/11/24/st-john-paul-ii-had-vision-of-an-islamist-invasion-of-europe/ (Mgr Mauro Longhi, who often accompanied the former Pope on hiking trips while still a student, said St John Paul was a mystic who “dialogued” with Our Lady [His Blessed Mother] and had prophetic visions.) Mgr Mauro Longhi said… [Pope John Paul II] foresaw a ‘mortal wound’ to the Church in the third millennium [2000 – 2999] He had a prophetic vision of an “Islamist invasion” of Europe, a former confidant has claimed. He made the remarks during a lecture at the Hermitage of Saints Peter and Paul in Bienno, northern Italy, which has been posted on YouTube. During one meeting in 1992, Mgr Longhi says, John Paul II told of a disturbing vision he had had about the future of Europe. “The Pope told me: ‘Tell this to those whom you will meet in the Church of the third millennium. I see the Church afflicted by a mortal wound. More profound, more painful than those of this millennium,’ referring to Communism and Nazi totalitarianism. ‘It is called Islamism. They will invade Europe. I have seen the hordes come from the West to the East,’ and then told to me each country one by one: from Morocco to Libya to Egypt, and so on till the East. “The Holy Father added: ‘They will invade Europe, Europe will be like a basement, old relics, shadows, cobwebs. Family heirlooms. You, the Church of the third millennium, must contain the invasion. Not with armies, armies will not be enough, but with your faith, lived with integrity.” Mgr Longhi accompanied Pope John Paul II on hiking and skiing trips from 1985 until he was ordained 10 years later. He said the Pope would leave Rome in a modest car, so as not to attract attention, and stay at an Opus Dei home in the mountains in Abruzzo. At night, the Pope would often kneel before the Tabernacle in the chapel of the building, conversing “at times even animatedly” with the Lord. Mgr Longhi also said that Cardinal Andrzej Deskur, one of John Paul II’s closest friends, told him the pontiff had the “gift of visions”. “He speaks to God Incarnate, Jesus; he sees His face and he sees also the face of Our Lady, His [Blessed Mother],” the cardinal said. Pope John Paul II is well-known for promoting inter-faith dialogue between Catholics and Muslims, most famously becoming the first Pope to set foot inside a mosque in 2001. However, in his 2003 encyclical Ecclesia in Europa, the former pontiff wrote that dialogue with Islam “needs to be conducted prudently, with clear ideas about possibilities and limits, and with confidence in God’s saving plan for all his children.” “It is also necessary to take into account the notable gap between European culture, with its profound Christian roots, and Muslim thought,” he added. Posted in Church History, Popes on July 16, 2018 by Dennis Mallon. ← Pope on Saving Earth Mass migration waters down Europe’s Christian identity: → DISCLAIMER: This website is the work and apostolate of a lay Catholic, Order Franciscan Secular (O.F.S.). These pages reflect the strict followings of the Holy See in Rome and the teachings of the Holy Father and do not represent any variants of Catholic teachings. If you think there are any errors or links on this site that are not completely faithful to the teaching of the Roman Catholic Church contact the website coordinator who will immediately correct anything contrary to Church teaching. This website is a non-profit entity of the Order of Franciscan Seculars. Please check with other Franciscan resources for more information. Dennis Mallon, O.F.S. - Website coordinator and Owner.rev 6-22-2015	cc/2020-05/en_head_0058.json.gz/line203
__label__cc	0.618727	0.381273	MPs & MLAs Session Track Parliament Diary Parliament Committees Bills Parliament Acts Parliament Acts State Analytical Reports Annual Policy Reviews Monthly Policy Reviews President Address About the LAMP Fellowship Life at LAMP Governance and Strategic Affairs The Whistle Blowers Protection (Amendment) Bill, 2015 Personnel, Grievances and Pensions Highlights of the Bill The Bill amends the Whistleblowers Protection Act, 2014. The Act provides a mechanism for receiving and inquiring into public interest disclosures against acts of corruption, wilful misuse of power or discretion, or criminal offences by public servants. The Bill prohibits the reporting of a corruption related disclosure if it falls under any 10 categories of information. These categories include information related to: (i) economic, scientific interests and the security of India; (ii) Cabinet proceedings, (iii) intellectual property; (iv) that received in a fiduciary capacity, etc. The Act permits disclosures that are prohibited under the Official Secrets Act (OSA), 1923. The Bill reverses this to disallow disclosures that are covered by the OSA. Any public interest disclosure received by a Competent Authority will be referred to a government authorised authority if it falls under any of the above 10 prohibited categories. This authority will take a decision on the matter, which will be binding. Key Issues and Analysis The Statement of Objects and Reasons of the Bill states that the 10 prohibited categories are modelled on those under the RTI Act, 2005. However, this comparison may not be appropriate. Unlike the RTI Act, disclosures under the Bill are not made public but in confidence to a high level constitutional or statutory authority. With regard to the 10 prohibited categories, the RTI Act allows (i) the public authority to disclose information if he considers it to be in public interest; and (ii) a two stage appeal process if information is not made available. The Bill does not contain such provisions. A Competent Authority is required to refer a prohibited disclosure to a government authority for a final decision. However, the Bill does not specify the minimum qualifications required or the process of appointment of this authority. Whistleblower laws in other countries also prohibit the disclosure of certain types of information. These include information related to national security and intelligence, received in a fiduciary capacity, and any disclosure specifically prohibited by a law. PART A: HIGHLIGHTS OF THE BILL The Whistleblowers Protection Act, 2014 enables any person (i.e. a whistleblower) to report an act of corruption, willful misuse of power or discretion, or criminal offence by a public servant. This includes all public servants, including Ministers, Members of Parliament, the lower judiciary, regulatory authorities, central and state government employees, etc.[1] Such disclosures are made to a specified Competent Authority who must conduct a discreet inquiry and conceal the identity of the complainant and public servant. After the 2014 Act was passed as a Bill by Lok Sabha, the government circulated amendments in Rajya Sabha to prohibit two categories of information from being disclosed. This included information related to: (i) sovereignty, strategic, scientific or economic interests of India, foreign relations, or the incitement of an offence; and (ii) proceedings of the Council of Ministers. However, when the Bill was passed by Rajya Sabha, these amendments were not moved as the discussion took place on the last day of the 15thLok Sabha.[2] The Whistleblowers Protection (Amendment) Bill, 2015 was introduced in Lok Sabha on May 11, 2015 and passed in that House on May 13, 2015. The Bill amends the Whistleblowers Protection Act, 2014. Under the Whistleblowers Protection Act, 2014, any person may make a public interest disclosure against a public servant. Such disclosures are made before a Competent Authority. The Act specifies the Competent Authority for each category of public servant. For example, it would be the Prime Minister for a Union Minister; Speaker/ Chairman for Members of Parliament; the Chief Justice of the High Court for district court judges, the Central or State Vigilance Commission for government servants. The Bill amends the Act to prohibit the disclosure of 10 categories of information to a Competent Authority. The table below compares the provisions of the Bill with the Act. Table 1: Comparison Whistleblowers Protection Act, 2014 with the Amendment Bill, 2015 Whistleblowers Protection Act, 2014 Whistleblowers Protection (Amendment) Bill, 2015 Disclosures may be made on any act of corruption, abuse of power or discretion, or criminal offence by a public servant. A disclosure is prohibited if it contains information related to: i) The sovereignty, strategic, scientific or economic interests of India, or the incitement of an offence; ii) Records of deliberations of the Council of Ministers; iii) That which is forbidden to be published by a court or if it may result in contempt of court; iv) A breach of privilege of legislatures; v) Commercial confidence, trade secrets, intellectual property (if it harms a third party); vi) That relayed in a fiduciary capacity; vii) That received from a foreign government; viii) That which could endanger a person’s safety etc.; ix) That which would impede an investigation etc.; x) Personal matters or invasion of privacy. However, if information related to (ii), (v), (vi), and (x) is available under the Right to Information Act, 2005, then it can be disclosed under the Bill. Applicability of the Official Secrets Act (OSA), 1923 Disclosures can be made under the Act even if they are prohibited under the OSA. [The OSA prevents documenting or communicating any information, etc., if it violates national security.] Disclosures cannot be made under the Bill, if it is prohibited under the OSA. Procedure to determine prohibited disclosures Not applicable, as the Act does not prohibit any type of information from being disclosed. Once a disclosure is made, the competent authority will refer it to a government authorised authority. This government authority will take the final decision on whether the disclosure is prohibited. Issues that may not be revealed during an inquiry into a whistle blowing complaint Once a whistleblowing complaint is admitted, and is being inquired into, no person is required to provide any information if it falls under five categories. These categories include: i) security of India, ii) foreign relations; iii) public order and morality; iv) contempt of court; defamation, incitement to an offence; and v) Cabinet proceedings. The five categories are replaced with the above 10 categories of information. Sources: The Whistleblowers Protection Act, 2014; The Whistleblowers Protection (Amendment) Bill, 2015; PRS. PART B: KEY ISSUES AND ANALYSIS Prohibition of 10 categories from public interest disclosure The Whistleblower Protection Act, 2014 was enacted to enable any person to disclose to a Competent Authority, acts of corruption or wilful misuse of power or discretion, or criminal offences by a public servant. The Competent Authority is the Prime Minister or Chief Minister in the case of Ministers, the Speaker or Chairman for Members of Parliament or state legislatures, the Chief Justice of the High Court for district court judges, and the Central or State Vigilance Commission for government servants. The Bill amends this provision to prohibit a person from disclosing information related to corruption by public servants if it falls under 10 categories. These categories include information related to sovereignty, scientific, economic interests and security of India, proceedings of the Council of Ministers, breach of privilege of legislatures, intellectual property, an investigation process, etc. Purpose of the RTI Act differs from the Whistleblowers Act The Statement of Objects and Reasons of the 2015 Bill states that the prohibited categories have been modelled on the 10 categories of information that cannot be revealed under the Right to Information (RTI) Act, 2005.[3] However, this comparison may not be appropriate. The purpose of the RTI Act is to make information with public authorities accessible to all citizens in order to promote transparency and accountability.[4] There may be circumstances where it may not be desirable for public institutions to reveal all types of information to citizens. In contrast, the Whistleblowers Act provides for corruption related information to be given by an individual to a Competent Authority. The Competent Authority, in all cases, is a high level Constitutional or statutory authority. This information is not made public and the inquiry into the allegation is required to be discreet, with the identity of the complainant, public servant, and related documents being kept secret. Certain enabling provisions in the RTI Act have not been replicated in the Bill It may be noted that the RTI Act permits the relevant public authority to disclose information: (i) that falls under the 10 categories of prohibited information in the Act, and (ii) information prohibited under the Official Secrets Act 1923, if the public interest in revealing information outweighs the harm done to protected interests. Further, while the Act excludes 22 security and intelligence organisations from its purview, any information related to allegations of corruption must be provided. Also, the Act allows a two stage process to appeal against a decision to withhold requested information. The Whistleblower (Amendment) Bill 2015 does not have such provisions. Prohibited categories in the Bill exceed those in the 2013 proposed amendments The Statement of Objects and Reasons of the Bill states that at the time of the passage of the Whistleblowers Protection Act 2014, the government had circulated certain amendments.[5] However, as the Bill was taken up for discussion on the last day of the 15thLok Sabha, the amendments were not moved. The 2015 Bill now seeks to carry forward those amendments. The 2013 proposed amendments prohibited only two categories of information from being disclosed under the Act: (i) that related to sovereignty, strategic, scientific or economic interests of India, foreign relations, or the incitement of an offence; and (ii) proceedings of the Council of Ministers. However, the 2015 Bill prohibits the disclosure of 10 categories of information. Features of government authorised authority not specified The Bill states that if the Competent Authority receives a public interest disclosure that falls under any of the 10 prohibited categories of information, he will refer it to a government authorised authority. This authority will decide whether the disclosure contains any information that is prohibited under the Bill. This decision will be binding on the Competent Authority. However, the Bill is silent on the minimum qualifications or designation of the government authority. The independence of this authority may be at risk if the authority is junior in rank to the public servant against whom the disclosure is made. International comparison of whistleblower laws Different countries have enacted laws to protect whistleblowers and provide some exemptions. Table 2 compares the exemptions under whistleblower laws of different countries. Table 2: Comparison of exemptions in federal whistle-blower laws across various jurisdictions National Security [including three intelligence agencies]; If a person making the disclosure commits an offence by making it; If it results in breach of legal professional privilege (between a lawyer and client). National defence or foreign affairs exempted only if there is a specific Executive Order to keep the information secret; If a disclosure is specifically prohibited by law. Intelligence information; Information that risks damage to national defence or security; Cabinet papers not publicly disclosed; Information received in confidence from foreign government; Courts and tribunals. Special operational information, including those from confidential sources, intelligence, military operations, a foreign entity or terrorist group; A confidence of the Queen’s Privy Council for Canada.* No exemptions. Sources: UK: Public Interest Disclosure Act, 1998; Employment Rights Act, 1986; USA: Whistleblower Protection Act, 1989; Australia: Public Interest Disclosure Act, 2013; Canada: Public Servants Disclosure Protection Act, 2005; South Africa: Protected Disclosures Act, 2000; PRS. Note: *Information may be disclosed to a supervisor but not to the Public Sector Integrity Commissioner. [1]. Section 3 (i), Whistleblowers Protection Act, 2014. [2]. Rajya Sabha Official Debates, February 21, 2014. Any amendments made by Rajya Sabha would have necessitated sending the Bill back to Lok Sabha. Given that Lok Sabha was holding its last sitting that day, the Bill would have lapsed. [3]. Section 8 (1), Right to Information Act, 2005. [4]. Long Title, Right to Information Act, 2005. [5]. The Whistleblowers Protection Bill, 2011, Notice of Amendments, Rajya Sabha, August 5, 2013, http://www.prsindia.org/uploads/media/Public%20Disclosure/Notice%20of%20Amendments%20-Whistle%20blower.pdf. DISCLAIMER: This document is being furnished to you for your information. You may choose to reproduce or redistribute this report for non-commercial purposes in part or in full to any other person with due acknowledgement of PRS Legislative Research (“PRS”). The opinions expressed herein are entirely those of the author(s). PRS makes every effort to use reliable and comprehensive information, but PRS does not represent that the contents of the report are accurate or complete. PRS is an independent, not-for-profit group. This document has been prepared without regard to the objectives or opinions of those who may receive it. PRS Products बिल के मुख्य मुद्दे PRS Legislative Brief बिल का सारांश Comparison of 2015 Bill with the 2013 proposed amendments PRS Bill Summary बिल कॉपी Bill Text as passed by LS Reward the right Whistle blowers by Dr.Pandula Ravindra Babu, MP, Amalapuram. Saugata Roy speaks on the Whistle Blowers Protection (Amendment) Bill, 2015 Sh. Madhusudan Mistry’s comments on the Whistle Blowers Protection (Amendment) Bill, 2015 Sh. Mani Shankar Aiyar’s comments on the Whistle Blowers Protection (Amendment) Bill, 2015 Sh. Tapan Kumar Sen’s comments on the Whistle Blowers Protection (Amendment) Bill, 2015 Sh. Bhupender Yadav’s comments on the Whistle Blowers Protection (Amendment) Bill, 2015 Sh. Dilipbhai Pandya’s comments on the Whistle Blowers Protection (Amendment) Bill, 2015 Sh. Husain Dalwai’s comments on the Whistle Blowers Protection (Amendment) Bill, 2015 Opportunities at PRS Copyright © 2020 prsindia.org All Rights Reserved.	cc/2020-05/en_head_0058.json.gz/line207
__label__wiki	0.815393	0.815393	The Simms Review (Vol 5: No 2) >> The Simms Review (Vol 5: No 2) >> Simms Looks at Poe Simms Looks at Poe Secondary Scholarship \| 1997 Launched in 1993 in conjunction with the foundation of the William Gilmore Simms Society, The Simms Review touted itself as the official place of record for the Society. In addition, the Review was the first and only academic periodical dedicated to the life and writings of the famous author. As such, it served as a gathering place for scholars, Simms family members, and readers interested in Simms’s work. With its 2012 issue, The Simms Review celebrated its twentieth anniversary, making it among the longest running continually-published single-author journals in the country. In that time, the journal evolved into the premier venue for the study of Simms, his work, and his world. Over the course of its first twenty volumes, the journal published over three hundred essays and other pieces, from over one hundred scholars and writers, including bringing to light dozens of newly-discovered pieces by the author himself. The Simms Review now serves on the vanguard of the ever-expanding study of one of the most important literary figures of the antebellum South. In its original form, and throughout its first sixteen volumes, the Review was published out of the English department at the University of Georgia and edited by James Everett Kibler. During this time, the journal appeared twice a year, with the two issues forming a single annual volume. From issue seventeen forward, the Review was produced out of the South Caroliniana Library at the University of South Carolina, with the editor voted in by the Simms Society Executive Council. In the latter iteration, the journal appeared once a year in a double-issue format, still with a single annual volume. During Kibler’s time as editor, the Review served as an omnibus publication of the Simms Society, effectively joining the functions of an academic journal and a Society newsletter. Scholarly pieces were set alongside membership news, notes, and announcements. Modern volumes of the journal, though, are more single-mindedly academic in concentration. Submissions are blind peer-reviewed, elements of non-scholarly focus are relegated to the newly-devised Simms Society News newsletter, and the publication of the journal is effected by professional printing houses. In both its original and modern formats, The Simms Review has been the primary venue for making newly-discovered or otherwise little-known works by the author available to the larger academic community. Because the journal has as its primary audience the members of the Simms Society, its circulation has traditionally been somewhat limited. Scholars wanting to access its contents either needed to be within reach of one of the handful of libraries that owned a subscription or be members of the Society. While information about the contents of the modern editions is discoverable through popular databases like the Modern Language Association Bibliography, overall the materials have not been as widely accessible as they should be, given the journal’s position as the largest major repository of academic writing on Simms. With the Simms Initiatives digitization of the full run of the journal, the study of Simms can now be more robustly informed by the full range of investigation into the author’s thought. All academic work to follow can be more fully representative of the current state of scholarship on Simms and his canon. Gothic Literary Criticism Literary Culture Literary Influence	cc/2020-05/en_head_0058.json.gz/line208
__label__wiki	0.89562	0.89562	You are here: Home › geology › Abraham Werner and the School of Neptunism Abraham Werner and the School of Neptunism geology 25. September 2014 0 Harald Sack Abraham Gottlob Werner (1749-1817) On September 25, 1749, German geologist Abraham Gottlob Werner was born. He is best known for his early theory about the stratification of the Earth’s crust. Moreover, he propounded an earth history that others labeled Neptunism that states that holding that all rocks have aqueous origins. While most tenets of Neptunism were eventually set aside, science is indebted to Werner for clearly demonstrating the chronological succession of rocks, for the zeal which he infused into his pupils, and for the impulse which he thereby gave to the study of geology. Thus, he has been called the “father of German geology.” Abraham Gottlob Werner was born in Wehrau (now Osiecznica, Lower Silesian Voivodeship), a village in Prussian Silesia, as second child, and only son. His family had been involved in the mining industry for many years, where his father, Abraham David Werner, was an inspector at the Duke of Solm’s ironworks. Wernerwas educated at Freiberg and Leipzig, where he studied law and mining after working with his father for five years in the ironworks at Wehrau and Lorzendorf. While in Leipzig, Werner became interested in the systematic identification and classification of minerals. Within a year he published the first modern textbook on descriptive mineralogy, Von den äusserlichen Kennzeichen der Fossilien (On the External Characters of Fossils, or of Minerals; 1774). During his career, he discovered eight minerals and named 26. In 1775 he was then appointed as Inspector and Teacher of Mining and Mineralogy at the small, but influential, Freiberg Mining Academy. During his 40-year tenure, the school grew from a local academy into a world-renowned centre of scientific learning. Werner was a brilliant lecturer and a man of great charm, and his genius attracted students who, inspired by him, became the foremost geologists of Europe.[1] A distinguishing feature of Werner’s teaching was the care with which he taught the study of rocks and minerals and the orderly succession of geological formations, a subject that he called geognosy. Influenced by the works of Johann Gottlob Lehmann and Georg Christian Füchsel, Werner demonstrated that the rocks of the Earth are deposited in a definite order. Although he had never travelled, he assumed that the sequence of the rocks he observed in Saxony was the same for the rest of the world.[1] In the 18th century, rocks were explained in terms of the biblical flood, and were classified into three categories that most people associated with the biblical flood: “primary” for ancient rocks without fossils (believed to precede the flood), “secondary” for rocks containing fossils (often attributed to the flood itself) and “tertiary” for sediments believed to have been deposited after the flood. Werner didn’t overturn the commonly held belief in the biblical flood, but he did recognize a different group of rocks that didn’t fit this classification: rocks with a few fossils that were younger than primary rocks but older than secondary rocks. He called these “transition” rocks.[4] During his career, Werner published very little, but his fame as a teacher spread throughout Europe, attracting students, who became virtual disciples, and spread his interpretations throughout their homelands. Socratic in his lecturing style, Werner developed an appreciation for the broader implications and interrelations of geology within his students, who provided an enthusiastic and attentive audience. Werner theorized that at one time the Earth had been completely covered with oceans and that as sediments and chemicals in the water fell to the ocean floor, they formed layers of rock, which eventually became the land. Over time, water from the ocean evaporated, exposing the land and leaving pockets of water in low-lying areas. Werner’s ideas had many followers and they came to be known as Neptunists, after Neptune, the Roman god of the water. But Werner’s theory was not without opposition. Scottish geologist James Hutton had a much different theory. Hutton led a group known as the Plutonists, named for Pluto, the Roman god of the underworld. The Plutonists held that rock formed with the aid of heat instead of water. During the late 1700’s, there was a great deal of debate in the scientific community as to which group was correct. Although some of Hutton’s ideas were later modified, scientists in the early 1800’s were able to prove that his theory was more accurate, and Werner’s Neptunism was discredited.[2] One criticism of this hypothesis was that Werner hadn’t traveled enough to verify it. However, Neptunism certainly had its attractions, with Werner’s disciples distributed all over Europe. The advantages of the theory were that it was theologically acceptable, it was simple, and it showed how the Earth could be formed in the short time available.[3] Werner was also a mineralogist and he constructed a new classification of minerals. There was a major split among 18th-century mineralogists as to whether minerals should be classified according to their external form (the natural method) or by their chemical composition (the chemical method). Werner finally adopted, in 1817, a mixed set of criteria by which he divided minerals into four main classes – earthy, saline, combustible, and metallic.[3] He was elected a foreign member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences in 1810. Werner was plagued by frail health his entire life, and passed a quiet existence in the immediate environs of Freiberg. He died at Dresden as a bachelor in 1817, from internal complications said to have been caused by his consternation over the misfortunes that had befallen Saxony during the Napoleonic Wars. At yovisto you can learn more about basic geology in the lecture of Aida Awan ‘Introduction to Geology 01‘. [1] Abraham Gottlob Werner at the Encyclopedia Britannica [2] Abraham Gottlob Werner at HofStuffWorks.com [3] Abraham Gottlob Werner at the Oxford Dictionary of Scientists [4] Abraham Gottlob Werner at StrangeScience.com Related Articles in the Blog: Charles Lyell and the Principles of Geology Deodat de Dolomieu and the Love for Rocks The Hayden Geological Survey and the Yellowstone National Park Georg Forster – Naturalist and Revolutionary Charles Walcott and the Cambrian Explosion Louis Agassiz and the Ice Ages Alfred Wegener and the Continental Drift Abraham Werner, enlightenment, Germany, James Hutton, Neptunism, Plutonism William F. Friedman and the Art of Cryptology Joseph Proust and the Law of Constant Composition The World according to Sebastian Münster Johannes Schöner and his Famous Globes Nicolas Steno and the Principles of Modern Geology	cc/2020-05/en_head_0058.json.gz/line212
__label__cc	0.697349	0.302651	About Scintilla.info Contact Scintilla.info Scintilla.info Table of Contents & Sitemap Authors found on scintilla.info Book Review: Haywire, Thaddeus Rutkowski January 12, 2020 By scintilla.admin Fiction Fiction: Haywire, Thaddeus Rutkowski I read an interview with author Thaddeus Rutkowski in which he described his work as “autobiographical fiction.” He also mentions the term “autofiction” in that same interview. His novel Haywire, originally published in 2011 and rereleased in 2019, strides the line between autobiography and fiction. Told in a series of vignettes, each a standalone story in its own right, it covers the life of a Polish-Chinese-American boy growing up in central Pennsylvania, attending college away from home, and finally moving to the big city (New York). It tells of a challenging childhood with troubled family dynamics, racial discrimination from both whites and Asians, and a deep desire to belong. And it refuses to sugarcoat or flinch away from difficult passages of adulthood: fetishism, drug use, group therapy. It also includes some dream sequences which may (or may not) reveal even more about the protagonist. The wrong question to ask is “what is fiction and what is fact?” Rutkowski blends them seamlessly and effortlessly. Whether it is all fact, all fiction, or all a woven tapestry of the two is irrelevant. What is important is recognizing the willingness of the author to plumb the depths of his own life and character in a humorous and touching way. Rutkowski is the son of a Polish-American father and a Chinese-immigrant mother. He did grow up in central PA. He went to school away from home, and eventually settled in New York where he and his wife have a daughter. These facts about his life all parallel the main character in Haywire. What makes this novel so powerful is not that it is autobiographical in nature. What makes it powerful is the earnestness and longing it expresses. The character is a product of multiple worlds yet fully embraced by none of them. He is the weird kid at school, the non-white boy in a mostly white community, the non-Asian cousin among his Chinese relatives. His relationship with his father is difficult. He experiments with drugs, sex, and finds that nothing seems to gain him access to the family or community he is seeking. Then, finally, he finds a partner who accepts him for what he is, they have a daughter who (like all daughters) loves him and thinks he is embarrassing, and finds in those relationships an anchor for his desires. I don’t need to know all of the particulars of the author’s life to know that his character is deep, reflective, and bold. His protagonist reveals his strength through what he has endured, overcome, and used to forge his mettle. Any writer willing to take us on that journey with grace and whimsy is one worth reading. Rutkowski also describes his work with the word “fractals.” There is not a traditional plot to this novel. It could be read as a collection of short stories surrounding the same life. That is why I am not afraid that “spoilers” will ruin the book for you. Nothing I could say would spoil the book in that way, nor would it prepare you for the power and grace of Rutkowski’s prose. He may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but it is a strong and sweet tea that can be savored or gulped as the reader chooses. For more on Thaddeus Rutkowski see: Book Review: Border Crossings, Thaddeus Rutkowski Book Review: Violent Outbursts, Thaddeus Rutkowski http://thaddeusrutkowski.com/ Haywire was a finalist in the fiction category of the Asian American Literary Awards, and it won the Members’ Choice Award. #fiction, #Haywire, #ThaddeusRutkowski Book Review: Steel Crow Saga, Paul Krueger Book Review: Girl, Woman, Other, Bernardine Evaristo © scintilla.info 2020 • ThemeCountry Powered by WordPress	cc/2020-05/en_head_0058.json.gz/line213
__label__wiki	0.693372	0.693372	Tag: senh duong With Rotten Tomatoes‘ 20th anniversary rapidly approaching, I’ve decided to do a retrospective on my memories from our early days of Rotten Tomatoes. As a Rotten Tomatoes founder along with my partners Patrick Lee and Senh Duong, I’ve never really had a chance to document some of the stories from our early days. I ask for forgiveness in advance if there are errors as I’m trying to recall details from 20 or more years ago, really a lifetime in internet years (and yet I still feel like it was all so recent). Watching Star Wars: Episode I: The Phantom Menace, released in the summer of 1999, was a life-changing moment for me. No, the movie was an utter letdown for a life-long Star Wars fan like me, but I thank George Lucas for making such a mediocre movie as the online reaction to the movie helped change my mindset about what I wanted to do in life. In May 1999, the week before Episode I came out, I got to see the film at an early, private radio promotion screening that also had a few film critics in attendance. When Rotten Tomatoes co-founder Senh asked me earlier in the week whether I wanted to catch a sneak preview of the most anticipated movie of my life (and probably in all of history), of course I replied ‘yes’ and I made the 90 minute drive alone from the San Francisco Bay Area up to Sacramento. Senh had launched Rotten Tomatoes nearly a year earlier as a hobby project while working at our web agency at the time. Design Reactor, which our third Rotten Tomatoes co-founder and I had started right after my graduation from Cal in 1997, was making rapid headway as the lead web development agency for Disney Channel and at the time I was making a weekly trip back and forth between the Bay Area and Burbank happy and proud to be working for such a prominent client in the field that I loved. Senh and I at Big Game in November 2005, right before leaving Rotten Tomatoes and continuing my entrepreneurial dreams in China Nonetheless, the many sleepless nights of hard work with little outside recognition must had worn down Senh early on. In August 1998 (now 20 years ago!), he had come up with the idea for Rotten Tomatoes. Really, it was quite a genius, thinking out-side-the-box idea at the time and I’m quite envious that I hadn’t thought about it before. Both Senh and I are super movie afficianados. Senh is ethnically Chinese but from Vietnam with a short interlude in Hong Kong before arriving in the relatively rural Sacramento in the 1980’s. For Senh, 80s action stars like Schwarzenegger and Stallone play such a pivotal part of not just his childhood, but also his general perception of Hollywood and America overall. In the same vein, I was equally a movie fan, but my tastes were much more diverse. Senh and I could talk endlessly about our favorite films and directors, but I was also obsessive about small films from mini-majors and indie productions. I was born in Ohio, but raised in suburban Maryland. When summers rolled around, my brothers and I would live Los Angeles in the increasingly immigrant Chinese community of Alhambra to see my father. As all my school friends were in Maryland rather than LA, with the lack of friends nearby, my brother and I basically spent every summer going to the movie theater and watching tons of summer movies of every sort. For him, it turned in to a profession as he chased his moviemaking dreams in Hollywood after college. For me, it meant that movies were always a major part of my life, even after I began chasing my dotcom dreams in college. It was a point of pride for me to have Disney as my major client so soon after graduating college that, unlike Senh, I didn’t really think much of building something “even greater”. For Senh, however, he had more of an “artist” mentality (very similar to a “founder” mentality) and wasn’t content with essentially working as “affordable labor” for Disney. We couldn’t even publicly claim our hard efforts building such breakthrough projects as Zoog Disney, ToonDisney.com, DisneyChannel.com, and eventually much of ABC.com. When Jackie Chan, his Hong Kong film idol, was about to star in Rush Hour, his first major Hollywood movie, Senh devoted his time to building his version of a “fan page”. He collected all of the news articles and film reviews in the weeks preceding the movie’s release and put them on a single page. In reality, while he meant to build a site for Rush Hour, since the film’s release got delayed, he actually continued the process of aggregating different review quotations and news headlines for other movies about to release. The first film page to launch was Neil Labute’s Your Friends & Neighbors, and by the time it had launched on August 13, 1998, he had already come up with some of Rotten Tomatoes’ key elements: The Tomatometer, Fresh and Rotten icons for reviews, review quotations and links, and the “Rotten Tomatoes” name. Senh had even registered the domain name rotten-tomatoes.com for his new web site. He began posting links to the aggregated Rotten Tomatoes movie review pages to the rec.arts.movies newsgroup and getting decent response from other newsgroup participants. Early on, I had concerns about the legality of “aggregating quotations and links”. In those early days, the closest comparison would be the Drudge Report, but the quotation aggregation that Senh was doing was even riskier. It’s a commonplace practice now and commonly considered as covered legally under “Fair Use”, but back then it was still indeterminate. I think Senh’s “immigrant outsider” background and his artist mentality were important — they allowed him to think “outside-of-the-box” and make the important leap to come up something wholly new and innovative by aggregating this quotations, links, and ratings into the Tomatometer where as someone like me born and raised in the U.S. would have considered it too legally risky. In the subsequent months, Senh’s “Jackie Chan fan project” blossomed in to his passion. He dedicated more and more of his time to updating and expanding Rotten Tomatoes including spending daytime going to the Berkeley Public Library to manually cull quotes from print newspapers and magazines (many of which hadn’t gone online yet in 1998) and all-nighters on the critical Thursday nights before movie openings on Fridays. At the same time, though, our little web design firm Design Reactor, had finally landed on the rollercoaster growth path as our initially small business with Disney Channel blossomed into becoming the primary web agency for the whole of Disney Cable Television. In the several months following the launch of Rotten Tomatoes, our company grew from 6 or 7 employees to 20-plus employees and interns and landed a seven-figure, yearlong deal with Disney to maintain and expand the whole of Disney Channel and affiliated web sites. During all of this, Senh became less and less interested in “working for Disney” and more and more obsessed with Rotten Tomatoes. Being a fan of movies and a fan of the web site, I helped initially by helping to do some minor programming, hosting the web site on our Design Reactor servers, and making the process easier for Senh by changing his manual HTML pages to more maintainable and reuseable templates. Nonetheless, both Patrick and I could clear see that Senh’s interest in Design Reactor was waning so we asked him to leave the company and so he could work full-time pursuing his Rotten Tomaotes passion and so that we could bring in a replacement as Creative Director (Joe Huang) who could dedicate his time to our growing web design company. Instead of hanging around the Bay Area and helping us grow Design Reactor, Senh decided to move back to Sacramento and teamed up with his high school classmates Binh Ngo and Bobby Lee to continue running Rotten Tomatoes from Senh’s garage. In the first couple of months after departing Design Reactor, I don’t think Senh was even 100% certain about using his time to make Rotten Tomatoes a business. There was a short period of time during those early months where the three of them decided to shoot a movie together rather than continue updating Rotten Tomatoes and, as a consequence, there were no updates to the site for several weeks, though they resumed after deciding to not film the indie movie. At the same time that Senh, Binh, and Bobby were updating Rotten Tomatoes from Sacramento, I was getting run down by my weekly trips between the Bay Area and Burbank simultaneously growing our Disney business to cover Disney Channel, Zoog Disney, and Toon Disney and producing two new Flash/Shockwave games for them every week. All of the newfound business from Disney allowed us to move to professional high rise offices in Emeryville and hire a professional CFO for the company. Despite our success with Design Reactor, I was begining to get run down by the constant client-handling and envious of being able to build and own our own property like Rotten Tomatoes. This was the situation as I drove up to Sacramento to go watch the early critics screening of Star Wars: Episode I with Senh, Binh, and Bobby that fateful May night. Senh and I had always had a great relationship chatting about movies and, on the car drive over from Senh’s house to the theater, our movie geek conversation about Star Wars continued without missing a beat. After the movie ended, I clearly remember walking out of the theater and noticing other people’s reactions. Before the screening, the local radio station had also given tickets to fans. One of the super fans dressed in a Darth Maul costume replete with a homemade, dual-blade light saber and face paint. He walked out of the theater with such a dejected look on his face as if he had just realized that his entire childhood was a lie. Leaving the theater, Senh and I talked about what we had just saw. I think we both realized at the same time that this huge build up to the release of Episode I was a huge opportunity for Rotten Tomatoes. The fact that the movie was just “so-so” was even better for the web site — there was going to be some really split opinions about the movie over the subsequent days. During the car ride home, I told Senh that I really wanted to work on Rotten Tomatoes rather than just doing Disney work day-in-and-day-out. I’d talk to Patrick about having Design Reactor dedicate more time and resources towards helping Rotten Tomatoes. Watching Star Wars: Episode I and talking with Senh on that car ride back was a pivotal moment for me. It made me come to realize that, despite how proud I was of the product and relationship we had built with Disney, that what I really wanted out of life was to build something I could claim for my own. I really wanted to work in earnest on Rotten Tomatoes. Senh, Binh, and Bobby, while hard-working, didn’t really have much technical knowledge. As a consequence, I sought out at first to help them on the technical end. Firstly, Rotten Tomatoes was still using the “rotten-tomatoes.com” domain name so after getting back home I immediately went about registering “rottentomatoes.com” (no dash) which, luckily, had still not been registered. Secondly, we hosted the site on a web server sitting in our Design Reactor offices which helped accomodate the server load in subsequent months. Ironically, by this point in time, becoming Disney’s web agency of choice meant that we were the only agency to have a dual T1 line guaranteeing top-of-the-line network speeds that connected directly to Disney’s private network so that we could develop and test code for all of Disney Channel before deploying to Disney’s production servers. Thanks to Disney paying for our exorbitant (at the time) network line, Rotten Tomatoes was able to share the network access and web server resources in those important summer months in 1999 as site traffic took off. True to form, in the several days following that Star Wars: Episode I screening as early reviews began pouring in, the traffic to the site exploded. The day the movie released, the Tomatometer score hovered around 58%-61% and constantly flipped back and forth multiple times between FRESH and ROTTEN as we added newly published reviews (I see now that it’s settled on a more permanent rotten rating of 55%). More and more movie fan sites and message boards began linking and referring to Rotten Tomatoes’ Episode I web page and traffic continued to pour in. For the first time, the Tomatometer rating became an actual point of conversation amongst critics and tons of Star Wars fans and the reaction to Rotten Tomatoes set us on the path to make this a real project. In the subsequent summer weeks, several important things happened to further push us towards making Rotten Tomatoes a full-time business pursuit: Around April 1999, my brother, working as an aspiring producer at Sony by this point, sent me a video tape of The Blair Witch Project, which had become the buzz hit of Sundance in January but hadn’t released in theaters yet. I had heard so much of this indie horror movie and was even more enthusiastic since it was filmed not too far away from my hometown of Columbia, Maryland. I popped it into the VHS player at the office one weekend and we all watched it together with Senh, who had I believe had also come down from Sacramento to watch with us that weekend. It scared the crap out of some of our teammates, but more importantly, it was pretty obvious after watching the movie that it was pretty special because opinions on the movie were so divided. Patrick, who also grew up in suburban Maryland even closer to where Blair Witch was shot, absolutely hated the movie, and particularly hated how illogically and childish the characters in the movie acted. I loved the movie and Senh was in the middle with his opinion. We knew that online opinion would also be similarly vociferous. Following on Star Wars: Episode I in May, the release of The Blair Witch Project and all of the film fan discussion in July further confirmed our feeling that Rotten Tomatoes was on to something. People were constantly returning to Rotten Tomatoes to read all of the film reviews, commentary, and debate on such a controversial movie. Because of Episode I and Blair Witch, Rotten Tomatoes was becoming more and more known — Leslie Miller from USA Today featured Rotten Tomatoes and Netscape selected the site as a “Pick of the Day”. Most gratifyingly, Roger Ebert highlighted Rotten Tomatoes in “Yahoo! Internet Life” magazine, a short-lived publication that educated users on the best sites to surf. Roger was an early hero of both Senh and me; consequently, it’s hard to understate how much it meant to us to have his personal validation during our early days. Our web design business Design Reactor was growing by leaps and bounds. By this point, our business had expanded from just being 90% Disney work, to having a more diverse portfolio of clients adding on Artisan Entertainment (who, in a touch of fate, had grown to success with the release of The Blair Witch Project) and Warner Bros.. Despite this success, we were increasingly casting an eye towards building our own project that we could claim for ourselves. At the same time that we moved out of our Berkeley office (a little before the release of Episode I), our office mates Lyle and Dennis Fong from the original Berkeley office had created Gamers.com, the world’s first gaming online portal, and in October 1999 raised $11M, an eye-poppingly big investment back then. I think both Patrick and I were envious of their success and wanted to build something that could surpass our friends’ at Gamers. In this light, it was relatively easy to agree to bring Rotten Tomatoes back into Design Reactor as a full-time project. Seeing as how our web design business was already growing quickly, our original idea was for Senh to move back to the Bay Area and for Design Reactor to incubate Rotten Tomatoes. Patrick talked to some of our potential angel investors, and based off of our success with Design Reactor, they were willing to invest in Design Reactor as an “IdeaLab“-style incubator with Rotten Tomatoes as the first incubated project. However, as we began putting the business plan together for Rotten Tomatoes, we quickly came to the realization that our incubator idea was stupid. Life was too short and the three of us were more passionate about building Rotten Tomatoes full-time rather than working across a bunch of projects for others. Luckily, our investors believed in us as a team and most of them willingly put money in on the basis of Rotten Tomatoes rather than our former “Design Reactor incubator” plan. In early 2000, I already began transitioning our Disney work (which had expanded to include ABC.com) over to a sister company. We were already sub-contracting some work to this company and they took over our Design Reactor name and portfolio and we took an equity stake and the decent cash and receivables we had built in the Design Reactor ledger. My final project for Design Reactor was in late March 2000 — I flew down to Hollywood to attend the Academy Awards where Design Reactor ran and updated the official Oscars.com web site during the awards. Subsequent to my work for the ceremony, I flew back to the Bay Area and, in the following week, our one and only round of investment in Rotten Tomatoes arrived in our bank account and I began working on Rotten Tomatoes full-time. Then, the very next week, the dotcom bubble burst and things began crashing down around us. That, however, is a story for another post… Rotten Tomatoes leaders circa April 26, 2000: Paul Lee (business development), Patrick Lee (CEO), Lily Chi (CFO), Senh Duong (COO and creator), and me (CTO) The rest of the Rotten Tomatoes team from our office in Emeryville in a San Francisco Chronicle article published right after we officially started Rotten Tomatoes as an independent company Postscript: Like I said, I haven’t really had the opportunity to document our early days at Rotten Tomatoes and there were plenty of people who I’ve neglected to publicly thank. First, of course I want to thank my co-founders Patrick Lee and Senh Duong and the rest of the Rotten Tomatoes crew who stayed with us through the whole roller-coaster ride: Lily Chi, Binh Ngo, Paul Lee, and Susan Nakasora. Also, thanks to the many other friends who lent a hand during our startup years. Thanks to Larry Barber, one of our first Design Reactor clients and an early business advisor. Larry took a look at Patrick and I when we were young, eager 21/22 year old entrepreneurs and unfailingly believed in our potential. Thanks to Larry’s daughter, the late Cara Barber Hamm, who staked her early career at both Disney Channel and Warner Bros. to bring us in to the fold and giving us the first opportunity to shine. Thanks to Brian Bowman, who later came in later to head both DisneyChannel.com and ABC.com and helped us grow Design Reactor from a startup into a real business. Without Brian, I wouldn’t have spent New Year’s countdown of 2000 hard at work programming the “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire” Online Game for launch the following week. The extra-large invoice from that special overtime probably eventually extended Rotten Tomatoes’ runway by a year or two later on when cash was running short. Finally, I want to give a repeated thanks to both Senh, who came up with the idea for Rotten Tomatoes, and also Lyle Fong, founder of Gamers.com which eventually turned in to Lithium. Both are immigrant entrepreneurs who had the innate drive to build something great that they could claim for themselves. Without the two of them, I might not have been inspired to take the big step of walking away from Design Reactor and Disney to also pursue my dreams of building something of long-lasting impact and value like Rotten Tomatoes Posted on July 11, 2018 July 31, 2018 Categories Internet, Rotten Tomatoes, Startup, Stephen WangTags design reactor, disney channel, entrepreneurship, patrick lee, rotten tomatoes, RottenTomatoesTurns20, senh duong, startup Note: This post is part of an extended auto-biography which is collected in my About page. In late 1999, despite having considerable success with our web design firm, Design Reactor, Patrick Lee and I were interested in pursuing a new venture that could have exponential growth like many of the new web start-ups that our friends had started rather than the linear growth of our current company. In addition, we wanted to be able to dedicate our hard effort towards creating a product that we could claim as our own rather than designing web sites for other clients. We were incubating a new project by Design Reactor’s former Creative Director, Senh Duong, who had previously created a web site that aggregated film reviews from across the web and in-print and presented a film percentile rating in an easy-to-read page, Rotten Tomatoes. Senh had spent a brief amount of time developing the initial web site from home and I was helping in free time with setting up the site on the servers and providing technical assistance when needed. Unexpectedly, Senh’s novel garage project rapidly grew in popularity, especially during the critical summer of 1999 when viral hit The Blair Witch Project and Star Wars: Episode I were released. Site traffic and media exposure grew to the point where we invited Senh to return to Design Reactor where we could incubate the project and find a way for the project to run as a business. Eventually, we decided to form a company around Rotten Tomatoes and we raised a round of funding that allowed us to transition Design Reactor to a sister company while we moved our existing team to work on growing Rotten Tomatoes as an independent company. This allowed Design Reactor to continue growing and the current management team have added large tech clients such as Apple, Cisco, and AMD. Very shortly after we transitioned to doing Rotten Tomatoes in April 2000, the dot-com bubble burst and formerly powerful internet companies around us began falling apart. Immediately, online advertising, Rotten Tomatoes‘ primary revenue source, began plummeting with effective CPMs dropping to as little as 1-2% of their former values. Like many other companies, we had to drastically cut back on our staff in order to stay in business, eventually ending up with as few as seven team members. On the flip side, however, we had raised our funding right before the bubble burst which meant that we were able to rapidly cut back on our expenses unlike our competitors and partners who were bound by many long-term, expensive contracts. It also challenged us to engineer novel solutions towards expanding the site more efficiently and finding alternative revenue streams. As Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of the company, I managed the transition of the web site away from resource-intensive static HTML to a database-driven, LAMP-platform based web site. We developed our own, novel content management system named “Web Farm” that allowed us to rapidly expand our content to eventually comprehensively cover over 100,000 titles and hundreds of thousands of actors, directors, and other celebrities. Early on, Rotten Tomatoes editors had to read thousands of film reviews each week and extract a summary quotation and fresh/rotten rating from each one.. However, through a partnership with the the Movie Review Query Engine, we were able to comprehensively include millions of film reviews and ratings covering over a thousand sources automatically. Additionally, we developed our own system where film critics could register and login to our web site and assign their own quotations ratings and establish their own critics’ profile. In conjunction with our partnership with the Online Film Critics’ Society, an association of over a hundred of the Internet’s top film critics, we were able to greatly reduce the burden on our editors of comprehensively collecting film reviews by over half as well as play a vital role in promoting online film criticism. With our ability to comprehensively and efficiently collect entertainment data, we began a data licensing program. We licensed our film data to numerous clients including Netflix and Microsoft. Because of Rotten Tomatoes‘ growing popularity, online partners such as Apple (integrated into the iTunes Store), Google (integrated into the first Google Desktop release), and Ask.com (previously integrated into all movie keyword searches) have included our ratings system into their products. We also worked with both Hollywood trade industry magazines, Variety and The Hollywood Reporter to include Rotten Tomatoes ratings as part of their regular film coverage which helped bolster the Tomatometer as a respected brand in the film industry. Data licensing became an important revenue stream as well as a means for expanding Rotten Tomatoes across other media sources. Our traffic rapidly expanded to 6.2 million unique visitors a month (ComScore, January 2006 when I departed Rotten Tomatoes), largely in part to the intensive search engine optimization we performed on Rotten Tomatoes early on. While search engine optimization was still in it’s infancy in the early 2000’s, we worked hard to get Rotten Tomatoes film pages linked across various directories and link exchanges as well as optimizing on-page HTML code to rank highly on search engines. As a result of this work, Rotten Tomatoes pages have become reliably ranked within the first ten results amongst most Google-based film keyword searches. This increasing traffic helped monetize our online ad revenues to rebuild our primary revenue stream. Another major revenue component was from partner affiliate sales. Movie fans coming upon our site were able to buy online movie tickets (via MovieTickets.com), posters (via AllPosters.com) and merchandise (via Sideshow Toy and others) from the films easily from the film pages. Additionally, we included comparison prices powered by PriceGrabber.com so users could find the most affordable DVD prices. Finally, we partnered with The New York Times and presented their film reviews in a highlighted position on our film review pages (although their ratings remained of equal value with all other reviews on the page as usual). These companies paid us every time a user clicked on a link or purchased and item and, with these partnerships, our affiliate sales grew to comprise a large fraction of our revenue, further stabilizing the declining revenue from online ads due to the dot-com bust. In conjunction with our rapidly growing search engine-derived traffic, we also created the web’s first dedicated entertainment social network, The Vine. The Vine, launched on Rotten Tomatoes in October 2003, was modeled after a mix of Friendster and Xanga, and allowed people to easily share their reviews and ratings for all films, music, and video games. Other features which were ahead-of-their-time included structured ranking lists and customizable “groups” which allowed fans to create shared group blogs and profiles. We also leveraged this system and worked with all of the major and minor film studios and distributors to create mini-sites, sweepstakes contests, and more as part of rebuilding our online advertising revenue stream. In addition to this early social networking system, we hosted a large film message board system. The Rotten Tomatoes forums eventually became the most active film forums online and developed it’s own unique community of film fans that went on to hold annual Las Vegas Rotten Tomatoes fans meetup events in Las Vegas (which I unfortunately never had the chance to attend). Fun fact: As far as I know, three weddings occurred from fans who met each other online in our formerly rabidly popular Rotten Tomatoes forums. While the early years of Rotten Tomatoes and the dot-com bust felt like the online world was collapsing on top of us, eventually we were able to grow the traffic and our revenue to the point where Rotten Tomatoes was a stable and profitable company with multiple, growing revenue streams. By 2003, we were one of the few players in our niche who was able to claim profitability and the largest of the unacquired, independent film web sites. We were beginning to receive unsolicited acquisition offers from other companies, but turned them all down because we felt we had further work and expansion ahead of us. In 2004, we received a suitably large offer from IGN Entertainment, the largest video games web network (IGN.com, GameSpy.com), and Rotten Tomatoes was acquired in August 2004. In early 2010, Rotten Tomatoes was sold by News Corporation and is now a part of Flixster, the leading movies social network. Posted on February 13, 2011 August 28, 2018 Categories Rotten Tomatoes, Startup, Stephen Wang, Stephen Wang's companiesTags affiliate revenue, data licensing, design reactor, dotcom bust, ign, ofcs, patrick lee, senh duong, seo, social networking1 Comment on Rotten Tomatoes (2000-2005)	cc/2020-05/en_head_0058.json.gz/line221
__label__wiki	0.870332	0.870332	To Recognize Or Not to Recognize Israel: That is the Question by Gabriel Wilensky When it comes to the issue of Vatican non-recognition for the State of Israel, apologists for the actions—or lack thereof—of Pope Pius XII during the Second World War period often focus on the following things: •The Vatican’s non-recognition for the right of the Jewish people to establish a homeland in their ancient land of Israel may have been influenced by concern with the safety of Christians in Arab lands •Political and diplomatic issues •Cardinal Secretary of State Pacelli’s (later Pius XII) excitement at the prospect of establishing a Jewish homeland in Palestine •Pope Pius’ refusal to recognize the State of Israel because he would have a preferred a state of religious Jews •Pope Pius’ 1945 prediction to an audience of 80 Jewish survivors that “soon you will have a Jewish homeland.” •Pope Pius pressured other Catholic countries to recognize the State of Israel Let’s look at these explanations or justifications in more detail: the Vatican’s non-recognition for the right of the Jewish people to establish a homeland in their ancient land of Israel may have been influenced by concern with the safety of Christians in Arab lands, but given the small number of Christians in Arab lands one must wonder if this was sufficient for the Vatican to delay recognition until 1993. This theory doesn’t hold water. Perhaps the Vatican was concerned with realpolitik issues. Maybe there were political or diplomatic issues, and maybe the Vatican, who always thinks of consequences to its actions in the long term, thought it imprudent to recognize the Jewish state right after its founding in 1948. But did the Vatican continue to feel it imprudent to refuse recognition for decades after most other countries ceased to have any qualms to do so? This theory does not hold water either. It is possible that the Secretary of State under Pope Pius XI, Cardinal Pacelli, had been excited at the prospect of establishing a Jewish homeland in Palestine during his tenure in the 1930s. If so, that would have been a jarring contradiction with the track record of previous Vatican officials who had opposed just that in the most callous ways. In any case, regardless of what Cardinal Pacelli may have thought about the prospect of establishing a homeland for the Jewish people, the Vatican refused to recognize Israel when the state was founded in 1948 and Pope Pius was in command of the secretariat of state and in a position to do this. I find the assertion that Pope Pius refused to recognize the secular State of Israel because he would have a preferred a state of religious Jews sadly pathetic. Even if this was true, who did Pope Pius think he was to pretend to dictate to Jews the nature of their own state? If this had been the true reason for the refusal to recognize the state, this would be more proof of Christian contempt for Jews and, if anything, betrays the pope’s true feelings for Jews and Judaism. Papal apologists sometimes claim that Pope Pius XII made a prediction to an audience of 80 Jewish survivors in 1945 that “soon you will have a Jewish homeland.” Can they be serious? What do they think that proves? What else do they think the Pope would have said in 1945, when the League of Nations mandated Britain in 1917 to establish a Jewish homeland in Palestine? Do they find that statement particularly prophetic 28 years later in 1945? They say that the pope didn’t oppose the partition plan of 1947. Again, so what? Is this proof the pope supported the establishment of a Jewish homeland, or was he just accepting reality? Moreover, I find it particularly callous of Pius XII to have prodded Spain to recognize Israel in 1950, when he himself refused to do so at that time and the Vatican would continue to do so for another 43 years! No, none of these things hold water or ring true. I will tell you the actual reason. It began long before Pope Pius XII. In 1904 Theodor Herzl, who was spearheading the Zionist dream of establishing a Jewish homeland in Palestine, met with Pope Pius X with the intent of securing Vatican support for that effort. But Pope Pius X did not recognize the right of the Jews to exist as Jews: “The Jews have not recognized our Lord, therefore we cannot recognize the Jewish people . . . The Jewish religion was the foundation of our own; but it was superseded by the teachings of Christ, and we cannot concede it any further validity.” And so he denied support. So did the Cardinal Secretary of State, who earlier had also denied support by saying, among other things, “But in order for us to come out for the Jewish people in the way you desire, they would first have to be converted.” Almost 40 years later, during the Nazi period, Undersecretary of State Tardini (under Pius XII) also opposed Jewish emigration to Palestine, the only place where Jews could have been saved from the Nazi onslaught: “The Holy See has never approved of the project of making Palestine a Jewish home . . . [because] Palestine is by now holier for Catholics than for Jews.” Pius’ Secretary of State Maglione also opposed the possibility of establishing a Jewish homeland there, because according to him Catholics had a right to the holy places, and their “religious feelings would be injured and they would justly feel for their rights if Palestine belonged exclusively to the Jews.” When we read these statements we must remember the historical context of when they were uttered. At that time, Jews were harassed, deprived of citizenship and their livelihood, physically attacked, economically disenfranchised, thrown into ghettos, and worse. Just in case anyone wants to exculpate these individuals because perhaps they didn’t really know what was going on (they knew very well, but anyway…), after the horrors of the Holocaust became widely known and the State of Israel had been declared in 1948, the Vatican newspaper L’Osservatore Romano, which was the closest publication to the pope in the Vatican, felt necessary to declare, “Modern Israel is not the true heir of Biblical Israel, but a secular state . . . Therefore the Holy Land and its sacred sites belong to Christianity, the True Israel.” So, I think it’s important to call a spade a spade and recognize the real reasons why the Church and the Vatican acted the way they did vis-à-vis the Jews before, during and after the war. Ultimately, the Vatican would shamefully continue in its refusal to recognize the State of Israel until 1993, 45 years after its founding and 14 years after its greatest foe, Egypt, had recognized its right to exist in 1979. The Vatican was one of the last states in the world to do so. Home About the Book Articles FAQ Media Author Contact	cc/2020-05/en_head_0058.json.gz/line225
__label__cc	0.724753	0.275247	21.05.2019 \| President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov receives OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of the Slovak Republic, Miroslav Lajčák President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov received OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of the Slovak Republic, Miroslav Lajčák. 21.05.2019 \| Turkmenistan hosts X International Gas congress X Turkmenistan International Gas Congress (TGC 2019) has started work in Avaza National tourist zone. Big specialized forum, which is to give new impulse to international cooperation in energy sphere, was organized by the State Concern Türkmengaz. 21.05.2019 \| The President of Turkmenistan addresses greetings to the participants of International Gas Congress President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov addressed greeting message to the participants of X International Gas Congress, which opens in Avaza National tourist zone. Having congratulated on the start of the forum, Turkmen leader expressed the confidence that traditional gas congress would open wide perspectives for establishment and strengthening of fruitful cooperation and development of friendly relations. 20.05.2019 \| Interdepartmental Council for seismic risk reduction in earthquake regions of the country In order to ensure safe social, economic, and environmental conditions for the population living in earthquake-prone areas of the country, determine and record the level of seismic risk, reduce the impact of potential earthquakes, as well as successfully implement the tasks envisaged in the Seismic Risk Reduction Programme of Turkmenistan, the President of Turkmenistan signed the Decree on the establishment of the Interdepartmental Council for seismic risk reduction in earthquake regions of the country. 20.05.2019 \| Meeting with the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Hungary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan In frames of the working visit to Turkmenistan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Hungary Péter Szijjártó was received at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan. The meeting agenda included the issues of the multilateral and regional partnership of the two countries in frames of the authoritative international organisations. The meeting participants exchanged views on a number of key areas of development of the Turkmen-Hungarian relations in the political, trade, economic, cultural and humanitarian spheres. 20.05.2019 \| President of Turkmenistan receives the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Hungary President of Turkmenistan receives Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Hungary Péter Szijjártó, who arrived in our country. 19.05.2019 \| Celebration concert is a bright final of the events in honour of the Day of Constitution and State Flag Celebration concert dedicated to the Day of Constitution and State Flag of the country was held at the square between Garashsyzlyk Avenue and Kypchak Street in Turkmen capital. 19.05.2019 \| Conference dedicated to the Day of Constitution and State Flag of Turkmenistan The Mejlis of Turkmenistan jointly with the Democratic Party of Turkmenistan, public organizations and the Ministry of Education held a scientific-practical conference that brought together the members of the parliament, party and public figures, scientists and political analysts, the representatives of labor groups, mass media, teachers and students of higher educational institutions. 19.05.2019 \| Ashgabat hosts a meeting of the CIS Intergovernmental Coordination Council on Seed Production 22nd meeting of the CIS Intergovernmental Coordination Council on Seed Production took place in the conference hall of the Archabil Hotel in Ashgabat. The meeting brought together the representatives of relevant ministries and departments, research and production centers of the Russian Federation, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan among other countries, as well as the CIS Executive Committee. 18.05.2019 \| The President of Turkmenistan takes part in the flower laying ceremony to the Monument of Constitution and the Main Flag of the country Independent neutral Turkmenistan marked the Day of Constitution and State Flag. The main events on occasion of remarkable date were held in the capital where flower laying ceremony to the Monument of Independence and the Main Flag of the country took place with the participation of President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov.	cc/2020-05/en_head_0058.json.gz/line231
__label__cc	0.714647	0.285353	25 September, 2017 29 March, 2019 Revisiting the developmental state 1: Introduction It’s time to open up a new debate about the potential gains offered by this longstanding and core concept in the study of the political economy of development The bleak and grinding years of crisis and austerity in the West – symptoms of the decaying neoliberalism that may finally be reaching its endgame – have contrasted markedly with the spectacular rise of China and the advance of other so-called ‘emerging’ powers over the same time-frame. These twin processes have reignited interest in a range of questions – covered frequently on this blog – relating to the state’s appropriate role in development and the nature of a modern industrial strategy. These debates all crystallise around the notion of a ‘developmental state’. This concept emerged in the early 1980s in the writings of Chalmers Johnson and Alice Amsden and was quickly picked up and developed further by many other academic political economists, such as Robert Wade, Peter Evans and Meredith Woo-Cummings. Several drew self-consciously on the classical statist political economy of US ‘founding father’ Alexander Hamilton and the German Friedrich List to emphasise how, contrary to prevailing free-market explanations, the ‘catch-up’ development of much of East Asia owed much more to a high level of state intervention. To be clear, this approach to development was never about rejecting markets, but rather recognising that, left to their own devices, they can have pernicious effects, including never coming properly into being in the first place! The goal of a developmental state was in fact conceived as building markets but then deliberately distorting them to serve specific national development objectives through the judicious use of incentives, tariffs, subsidies and especially control of finance. Where liberals believe countries should accept and exploit their ‘comparative advantage’ almost as if it is naturally determined and therefore static, theorists of the developmental state see comparative advantage as dynamic and changeable, and something to be manipulated in a relentless process of industrial upgrading. Such a way of thinking has retained many adherents in contemporary political economy. There is a simple reason for this: developmental states appear to work. Mariana Mazzucato (winner of the 2014 New Statesman/SPERI Prize) has shown how the Entrepreneurial State has actually been responsible for underwriting the major risks required for the kinds of technological innovations – such as the iPhone – that are often wrongly assumed to be the result of the genius and risk-taking of private firms like Apple. Perhaps most strikingly, China’s recent industrial transformation has shown how dramatic levels of growth require massive amounts of state-direction. This carries crucial lessons for other countries searching for a new development dynamic, as Chinese economist and former World Bank Senior Vice President Justin Yifu Lin pointed out so effectively in The Quest for Prosperity. Moreover, this is just the tip of the iceberg: numerous other excellent academic books have been written on the developmental state in recent years (see here, here and here). What explains this resurgence of interest? Partly it relates to the way that the growing number of cases of apparently successful developmental statism has continued to provide fertile ground for analysis. Again, even on this blog, many of us have sought to apply this idea to countries as diverse as Rwanda (which is growing rapidly) and even supposedly ‘developed’ countries like the UK, which look increasingly to be in need of a substantial dose of developmentalism. Perhaps most important is the United States itself: the bastion of free-market rhetoric has actually always intervened substantially more than is widely realised precisely because, as Linda Weiss has put it, ‘it has a state whose risk appetite is enormous, extraordinary and enduring’ (emphasis added). Yet, if the concept of the developmental state has been so well covered, why are we seeking to revisit it in this blog series? There are at least four broad reasons why it is worth thinking about developmental states afresh. First, it is not clear that the idea travels as easily as we might think across time and space. The original developmental states of East Asia (Japan and the ‘Tigers’ of Korea, Hong Kong, Singapore and Taiwan) were in many ways unique, and they all developed rapidly together in a particular geopolitical climate, and often with huge amounts of US aid. They were different to the early developers, and also different to those that have come since. That the label is now applied – whether loosely or tightly – to a vast array of countries as diverse as Indonesia, Brazil, Mozambique, Mauritius and Botswana (amongst many others) suggests that it may have lost a degree of comparative analytical purchase. Moreover, it is not clear whether any country, let alone all countries, can replicate the kinds of transformations that occurred in East Asia in the 1970s in the contemporary era of global-value-chain-driven globalisation. Second, and consequently, we wonder whether there may be an excessive degree of conceptual stretching occurring today. In a wonderful review article in 1991 Ziya Öniş outlined clearly the key elements of a developmental state. These included, but were not limited to: a singular focus on productivity growth and industrial upgrading; a highly penetrating central state apparatus (and even potentially intrinsic authoritarianism); market-distorting interventions to protect strategic industries; export-led growth; and an insulated and developmentally-minded bureaucracy. This latter point, especially, is crucial: as Öniş noted at the time, the whims of politicians were necessarily to be subordinated to highly capable technocrats: ‘politicians “reign” while the bureaucrats “rule” [and] the objective of the political elite is to legitimize the actions of the elite bureaucratic agencies’. It is not, therefore, sufficient just to identify the combination of high levels of growth and state intervention: these two things do not, of themselves, render a state truly ‘developmental’. Third, these states are actually not that novel, and they have always been with us. As Ha-Joon Chang reminded us a few years ago in Kicking Away the Ladder (probably the most-read contemporary book on university political economy of development courses), even the Western countries that claimed to have developed via open markets did precisely the opposite. Britain, the United States, Germany, France and others were highly developmental – and arguably remain so in certain respects and to differing extents – suggesting that the process of development always embodies in practice, even if not in theory or ideology, a complex mix of state-market interactions. It may be implausible in reality to draw a simple binary distinction between ‘neoliberalism’ and ‘developmentalism’ as so many have done, for example, in contrasting the West with China. Neoliberal deepening was itself a state-led process, just as developmentalism relies on market mechanisms. Countries can and do exhibit characteristics of both simultaneously. Fourth, a whole host of other thorny questions still haunt the developmental state landscape. Does globalisation inherently make economically nationalist policy more difficult? Are strong states always desirable or developmental, and where does one find a developmentally-minded bureaucracy that is able to operate at arms-length from political actors? Can very poor countries really build the necessary institutions to transcend a historically-constituted dependence on, say, extractive industries? Is it plausible to allow countries great leeway to engage simultaneously in mercantilist policy while trying at the same time to maintain a relatively open global economy? Can we tolerate the fact that developmentalism seems to require, at best, repression and, at worst, outright authoritarianism? Is everything still rosy in the first-generation developmental states or do we now gloss over the developmental challenges facing them? What actually distinguishes a genuinely developmental state and do the many countries to which such a label is assigned really fit the bill? Who, if anyone, is responsible for driving developmental plans forward today, and do they all have to operate at the national state level? Successive contributors to this blog series will pick up some at least of these many themes in the posts that will follow at weekly intervals over the next few weeks. This article is the first in a new SPERI Comment series on revisiting the developmental state. Read all of the articles in the series so far here. Matt Bishop Research Fellow, SPERI & Senior Lecturer in International Politics, University of Sheffield Tony Payne Professorial Fellow, SPERI, University of Sheffield Tagged as Development Developmental State Matt Bishop Political Economy Revisiting the developmental state tony payne	cc/2020-05/en_head_0058.json.gz/line235
__label__cc	0.605911	0.394089	PARSHAS HA’AZINU 5776 YOM KIPPUR 5776 PARSHAS VAYELECH SHABBOS “SHUVA YISROEL” 5776 PARSHAS NETZOVIM 5775 PARSHAS KI SAVO 5775 Rabbi Doniel Staum, LMSW A troubled man once approached the great tzaddik Rabbi Mordechai of Nashchiz. “Rebbe, please help me! I have a fatal disease and the doctors say they can do nothing for me. You are my last ray of hope! There must be something I can do to save my life.” The Rebbe thought for a moment, “Have you been to the Professor of Annipoli?” The man replied that he never heard of the Professor of Annipoli. “In that case”, replied the Rebbe, “you must travel to Annipoli and find the Professor immediately.” The man left the Rebbe’s home revitalized. He was sure that the great Professor would be able to help him. He rented a horse and wagon and undertook the difficult journey to Annipoli. When he finally reached the city he excitedly asked the first passerby where the great Professor lived. The man shrugged and said he had never heard of him. The troubled man figured that the man was new in town and that’s why he was unfamiliar with the famous Professor. But when the next five people he stopped were no better, he began to feel very dejected. He reasoned that perhaps they use a different title for the great Professor. He approached a distinguished looking man and asked him where he could find the great expert in medicine in Annipoli. The man laughed, “A specialist? My friend, we don’t even have a doctor in our little hamlet.” The troubled man couldn’t believe his ears, “If you have no doctors in this city, what do you do when someone becomes ill?” The man replied, “We pray to Hashem in Heaven and beg Him to heal us.” The troubled man realized that it was the truth. With a heavy heart, he headed back to Nashchiz. He returned to the Rebbe and related what had occurred. With tears in his eyes he told the Rebbe that his last vestige of hope had been destroyed. The Rebbe listened quietly and then asked, “So when they take ill in Annipoli they pray” The man nodded. “Don’t you see?” continued the Rebbe, “I was not mistaken to direct you to the professor of Annipoli. In Annipoli they place their trust in G-d alone; they seek no mediums. G-d Himself is the professor and healer of Annipoli! Your situation is indeed serious. Your only hope is to place your trust in the professor of Annipoli and to pray to Him with your heart and soul!” As his final speech to his beloved Klal Yisroel, Moshe related, “Shiras Ha’azinu- the song of Ha’azinu”. In it, he summons the heavens and earth, to bear witness to the veracity of his words. The song interweaves an accounting of the past with a foreshadowing of the future. Although it bears a trace of melancholy, relating the tragedies and struggles the nation would endure, at the same time it expresses the sanguinity, immortality, and eternity of the Jewish Nation. “When Hashem will have judged His People, He shall relent regarding His servants, when He sees that enemy power progresses, and none is saved or assisted.”[1] Rashi explains that the pasuk is stating that when the power of Israel’s enemies grows unceasingly and exponentially, G-d will see that the Jews have no avenue of salvation through any government or other means of assistance, and He will save them. The Gemara[2] deduces from this pasuk that the final redemption will not occur, “עד שנתייאשו מן הגאולה - until they give up on the redemption.” Prima facie, the Gemara’s statement seems completely outlandish. In fact, it seems to counter one of the thirteen principle beliefs of a Jew. “I believe with complete faith in the coming of Moshiach; and even though he may delay, still-in-all, I wait for him every day that he will arrive.” Rambam writes that one who does not firmly believe in any of the thirteen principles is deemed an “apikores”[3]. How can the Gemarah write that Moshiach will not come until everyone becomes despondent? It is illogical that the final redemption will only occur when everyone becomes heretics and non-believers? Rabbi Yaakov Kamenetsky zt’l explains that the Gemarah surely does not mean that we must lose hope in the advent of Moshiach. Rather, we must be so discouraged by the severity of our situation and all of our challenges that we realize our ultimate salvation can absolutely not occur in a natural manner. As long as we place our confidence in the nations of the world and believe that they will sympathize with our cause, or that somehow we can overcome our adversaries through natural means, the redemption will not occur. This is what the Gemara is saying. The final redemption will not occur until they give up on the redemption, i.e. until they give up on the redemption occurring naturally, through warfare, military prowess, world-conferences, or peace plans. Our firm belief in G-d alone, as the only means for salvation, is the prerequisite for the final redemption. Rabbi Kamenetsky continues that it was for this reason that Hashem sent Moshe to appear before Pharaoh and request that he free the Jews from the Egyptian oppression and servitude. The Torah relates that, not only did Moshe’s plea not improve the situation, but Pharaoh was so enraged with Moshe that he increased their already unbearable workload. In fact, it was so severe that when Moshe approached the Jews to convey G-d’s message that the exodus was imminent, the pasuk[4] says that they did not listen to Moshe, “because of shortness of breath and hard work.” The exile worsened at that point so the Jews would realize that there was no hope for diplomacy or a peaceful settlement. Their situation had deteriorated so severely that their only hope was to turn to G-d and pray for a supernatural redemption. Only when Klal Yisroel realized that, “אין לנו על מי לסמוך אלא על אבינו שבשמים - We have no one to rely on except for our Father in Heaven,” did G-d bring about the exodus with Divine revelation and miracles. But as long as they believed their were alternate avenues for salavation the redemption could not begin. Despite the pain we suffer at the behest of the wicked Arabs, in our hearts we still feel secure behind the might of the Israeli Army and its superior intelligence systems. We feel protected by the American government and we feel confident of our security because we live in a progressive society which demands democracy and freedom for all[5]. But until we realize that only in G-d will we find true security and salvation, Moshiach cannot come. On Shabbos morning, when the Torah is removed from the Aron (Ark) we state, “Our Merciful Father, do goodly - in Your Will - to Zion; build the walls of Yerushalayim, for in You alone we trust.” What does our trust in G-d have to do with rebuilding the destroyed walls of Yerushalayim? It would seem more appropriate that we beg G-d to rebuild the walls because we have suffered in exile for almost two millennia!? According to Rabbi Kamenetsky’s idea we can explain that we are beseeching G-d to rebuild Yerushalayim because we understand that He is our only hope! Our mere cognizance of the fact that the final redemption can only occur when it is orchestrated by G-d is the forerunner for the redemption itself. Now that, “We believe in You alone,” we beg, “Build the walls of Yerushalayim!” The great “Days of Awe”, beginning with Rosh Hashanah and concluding with Yom Kippur, are a time of reflection, introspection, and ultimately, repentance. In the Selichos prayers recited during this time-period we state, “Not with kindness or with deeds do we appear before You; (rather) like impoverished and poor people do we knock at Your door. At your doors we knock, O Merciful and Gracious One, please do not send us away empty-handed…for You are the One who hearkens to prayer.” In the first section of Sha’arei Teshuvah, Rabbeinu Yonah records the “roots” of repentance. “The seventh root is wholehearted submission and lowliness, for one who recognizes his Creator, knows how one who transgresses His Word is meek and lowly and detracts from his internal value…and with submission one finds favor in the eyes of G-d.” Rabbeinu Yonah continues by discussing the evils of arrogance and explains that it is the root for many of our sins, for our ego blocks us from recognizing how much we need G-d in every facet of our lives. Repentance is inextricably bound with trust in G-d. The whole concept of repentance and the ability to “return to G-d” despite one’s sins, is a complete gift. The more one realizes that fact and the more one submits himself to G-d’s Will, the greater his repentance will be. This is part of the reason why repentance is bound to redemption. When we are able to submit ourselves to G-d and recognize that our entire lives are completely in His Hands, then we will realize that redemption and salvation only come from Him as well. After immersing ourselves in that faith through the Ten Days of Repentance and on Yom Kippur, we then celebrate that faith during the joyous holiday of Succos, a holiday which reminds us that our only true security is when we feel secure in the Hands of Hashem. “Like impoverished and poor people do we knock at Your door” “Build the walls of Yerushalayim, for in You alone we trust” [1] Devorim 32:36-37 [3] a derogatory title reserved for those who disrespect the Torah or Torah Scholars- see Mishnah Torah l’Rambam, Sanhedrin 10:1 [4] Shemos 6:9 [5] Although undoubtedly the current administration has helped heal us of this ‘faith’ somewhat Posted by stamtorah at 5:46 PM 0 comments “TRUE DESIRE” INMATE SUES HIMSELF FOR $5 MILLION Published: Sunday, April 9, 1995 12:00 a.m. MDT An inmate who claimed he violated his own civil rights by getting arrested filed a $5 million lawsuit against himself - then asked the state to pay because he has no income in jail. Robert Lee Brock, a prisoner at the Indian Creek Correctional Center in Chesapeake, filed a handwritten, seven-page lawsuit last month in federal court."I partook of alcoholic beverages in 1993, July 1st; as a result I caused myself to violate my religious beliefs. This was done by my going out and getting arrested," wrote Brock, who is serving 23 years for breaking and entering and grand larceny. "I want to pay myself 5 million dollars," he continued, "but ask the state to pay it in my behalf since I can't work and am a ward of the state." Judge Rebecca Beach Smith was unimpressed by Brock's ingenuity. She dismissed the lawsuit Thursday as frivolous. "Plaintiff has presented an innovative approach to civil rights litigation," Smith wrote. "However, his claim and especially the relief sought, are totally ludicrous." © 2009 Deseret News Publishing Company \| All rights reserved The Chachmei Hakabbalah[1] explain that man has two levels of consciousness, hisרצון העליון (‘upper will) and his רצון התחתון (‘lower will). Although there are deeper, more mystical understandings of this concept, we will analyze them from a psychological perspective[2]: The רצון התחתון represents man’s pragmatic logic. It is the aspect of a person’s thoughts that are only interested in survival and gratification, and views the world from a very practical perspective. Theרצון העליון however, represents man’s cognitive, decision-making abilities. One’s ‘upper will’ seeks spirituality and a higher focus and is not limited by utilitarian and momentary concerns. It is more interested in right and wrong than it is on what is comfortable or convenient. One’s ‘upper will’ may decide to act in a way contrary to his pragmatic interests if it feels that delaying gratification or suffering physically may yield spiritual growth. A person is often unaware of the decisions of his ‘upper will’, because he is more in touch with his physical body. He inclines himself to his utilitarian ‘lower will’ which seeks gratification before he seeks the spiritual demands of his ‘upper will’.[3] In the Shemoneh Esrei prayers we beseech G-d, “Us’filasam sikabel b’ratzon – And their prayers accept with favor.” We do not simply request that G-d accept all our prayers, but that He does so with favor. We often pray for things which we are confident are necessary and beneficial for us. However, only G-d can know if granting those requests will ultimately be detrimental on a physical, spiritual, or psychological level. Our ‘lower will’ may be praying for something which may be financially rewarding, but can be spiritually devastating. Therefore, we pray that G-d accept our prayers with favor, for only He can truly know which of our prayers He should fulfill[4]. The Rambam[5] rules that if a man refuses to offer his wife a divorce document the court must physically compel him until he agrees to give it.[6] The Rambam explains that the rationale for coercing someone to comply with Torah law is that, although the sinner’s ‘lower will’ is unwilling to comply with the Torah law, his ‘upper will’ wants to do what’s right. Unfortunately, the sinner himself is not in touch with his true desires and thinks that he wants to be recalcitrant. However, when we literally ‘beat it out of him’ his ‘upper will’ emerges and he himself realizes that this is truly what he wants. This is analogous to an addict who emphatically demands that his addiction be nurtured. His true inner desire is to rid himself of the addiction which is dominating his life and destroying him. But because he is so enmeshed in the addiction and so badly craves the momentary gratification, he is unable to realize what he truly wants. Another example where this concept emerges is in regards to the annulment of vows. A Jewish court has the right to annul a vow which was assumed voluntarily, if the court has legitimate grounds on which to absolve it. The rationale is that we assume that although the person’s ‘lower will’ accepted the vow, his ‘upper will’ never agreed to accept the vow. Torah law recognizes that, in respect to vows, the human personality also takes into account one’s ‘upper will’. It is based on that assumption, that the court can (at times) annul a vow. With this idea in mind, we can understand why the holy day of Yom Kippur commences with the recitation of ‘Kol Nidrei’, a prayer which is nothing more than the annulment of vows. A vow is susceptible to rescission because it was not representative of the person’s true inner self, in that his ‘upper will’ was not in agreement with the vow. So too, on Yom Kippur (and whenever one seeks repentance), G-d acknowledges that whenever a mortal sins it is because he has acceded to his base ‘lower will’, and ignored his own higher calling, i.e. his ‘upper will’. The process of repentance entails our connecting ourselves with our ‘upper will’ which was never involved or tainted by sin. This is why immediately after Kol Nidrei we read the verse in which G-d says[7], “ונסלח לכל עדת בני ישראל... כי לכל העם בשגגה - I will forgive the entire assembly of the Children of Israel… because the entire nation’s (sins were committed) inadvertently.” Even sins which a person commits willfully are in a sense inadvertent, because such actions counter one’s own pristine ‘upper will’. Essentially, on Yom Kippur we commit to realign ourselves and be more cognizant of our ‘upper will’. Once we have made that commitment, the sins which we committed by pursuing our ‘lower will’ can be pardoned and forgiven. At the commencement of each of the seven hakafos celebrated and danced on Simchas Torah, a prayer is recited beseeching G-d for salvation. The prayer for the fourth hakafah states, “יודע מחשבות הושיעה נא - He Who knows our thoughts, please save us.” One year, someone asked me why we refer to G-d as the One, “Who knows our thoughts”? If anything, it would seem that we would want to stay far away from mentioning our thoughts. Do our fantasies, daydreams, and reveries make us worthy of salvation? I replied that we are not referring to the superficial fleeting thoughts which dominate our minds much of the time. Rather, we are referring to our innermost thoughts, the lofty thoughts which stem from the deepest recesses of our souls, and which we often forget that we feel, the thoughts of our ‘upper will’. It is those thoughts that render us perpetually worthy of salvation. One of the core beliefs and responsibilities of every Jew is to serve G-d with mesiras nefesh (giving over his “nefesh”). This concept is generally understood to refer to giving up one’s life for the sanctification of G-d’s Name. It is associated with mental images of martyrs marching to their deaths, their heads aloft, as they proclaimed “Shema Yisroel” in their final heroic moments. We think of those who were persecuted with gas chambers, inquisitions, pogroms, crusades, and marauding Cossacks. Therefore, we believe that those of us who are blessed to live in a democracy and are not persecuted for Torah observance do not have the opportunity to fulfill this fundamental responsibility. But that is a fallacy. The word nefesh refers to one’s desires. When the children of Efron negotiated with Avrohom Avinu about the sale of the Cave of Machpelah they said[8], “אם יש את נפשכם – If it is your desire.” The greatest level of mesiras nefesh is giving up one’s life, because our ultimate desire is to live. However, any time one suppresses or overcomes a desire or a craving for the sake of G-d’s Name, he has been moser nesfeh – i.e. he has given up some of his nefesh. Therefore, we indeed have the opportunity to be moser nefesh constantly. Every time we challenge our base desires and overcome our whims we have demonstrated mastery over our animalistic self. One who averts his senses, alters his behaviors, or invests added resources and efforts into his spiritual pursuits, allows his upper will to dominate his lower will. On Yom Kippur we completely absolve ourselves from many of our most basic physical comforts and needs. On that one day a year we go to the extreme, giving ourselves a momentary hiatus from the dominance of our lower will. In the waning moments of Neilah as the sun begins to set and our physical strength is almost completely sapped, we continue in our service unabated, with almost superhuman drive. At that point our upper will has complete reign and, for a few moments, we connect with our true selves. Shortly thereafter, the day and all of its arduous service and august opulence concludes. Within a few hours life resumes its course and we are again busy with life[9]. If only we were able to capture a small measure of the deep emotions we feel in those waning majestic moments of Yom Kippur! What a different live we would live! Throughout the rest of the year we must maintain a taste of the beauty of living a life dominated by one’s upper will. This will ensure that even when we stumble, we will remember that within us is a divine spark that we can always reconnect with. “He Who knows our thoughts, please save us” “I will forgive because their sins were inadvertent” [1] Scholars of kabbalah, the esoteric portions of the Torah [2] The explanation of ‘upper will’ and ‘lower will’ and its connection to the Rambam (hil. Gittin) and to the concept of annulling vows, was adapted from a lecture by Rabbi Yosef Dov Soloveitchik zt’l, (Nora’os Harav, volume 16), in an essay entitled “Teshuva and Bechira”. The concept of ‘upper will’ and ‘lower will’ is found in the writings of the Ba’al Hatanya, Rabbi Shemur Zalman of Liadi. [3] When boys in yeshiva put on tefilin for the first time shortly prior to their bar mitzvah they often celebrate by bringing in donuts for their entire class. When I am asked if I want a donut I often reply that I do and I don’t, and I will decline. I spare them the speech that my ratzon tachton definitely wants to indlulge, while my ratzon elyon is trying to convince me to desist. [4] As the saying goes, “Be careful what you wish for; you might just get it.” [5] Hilchos gayrushin 2:20 [6] “They beat him until he says ‘I want’”. This is done despite the fact that a divorce document given out of coercion is invalid. [7] Bamidbar 15:26 [8] Bereishis 23:8 [9] hopefully with the needs of the upcoming holiday of Succos Posted by stamtorah at 9:04 AM 0 comments PARSHAS VAYELECH SHABBOS “SHUVA YISROEL” 5776 “THE ONLY TRUE BAROMETER” On January 23, 1996, Pastor Joe Wright was invited to open the new session of the Kansas House of Representatives. It was expected that he would recite a moving prayer and then step down. However, according to an article in the Kansas City Star from January 24, 1996, his prayer stirred tremendous controversy. Many criticized the prayer; one member of the legislative body even walked out. The following is the text of the witty and acerbic prayer that Pastor Wright related in front of the House: “We come before You today to ask Your Forgiveness and seek Your direction and guidance. We know Your Word says, ''Woe to those who call evil good,'' but that's exactly what we have done. “We have lost our Spiritual equilibrium and inverted our values. We confess that; we have ridiculed the absolute truth of Your Word and called it pluralism; We have worshipped other gods and called it multiculturalism; We have endorsed perversion and called it an alternative lifestyle; We have exploited the poor and called it the lottery; We have neglected the needy and called it self preservation; We have rewarded laziness and called it welfare; We have killed our unborn and called it choice; We have shot abortionists and called it justifiable; We have neglected to discipline our children and called it building self-esteem; We have abused power and called it political savvy; We have coveted our neighbor's possessions and called it ambition; We have polluted the air with profanity and pornography and called it freedom of expression; We have ridiculed the time-honored values of our forefathers and called it enlightenment. “Search us, O G-d, and know our hearts today; try us and see if there be some wicked way in us; cleanse us from every sin and set us free. Guide and bless these men and women who have been sent here by the people of this state and who have been ordained by You, to govern this great state of Kansas. Grant them your wisdom to rule and may their decisions direct us to the center of Your Will.” “Moshe then gave orders to the Levites who carried the Ark of G-d’s covenant, saying, ‘Take this Torah scroll… that it may be there as a witness…”[1] Rambam[2] states: “One who sits before a Torah scroll should do so with a serious demeanor, in awe and fear, because it is the faithful witness for all mankind; as it is written, ‘That it may be there as a witness for you.” What does it mean that the Torah will be a witness? What kind of testimony can an inanimate object testify? How does the Torah bear witness for anything? Also, who does the Torah repeat its testimony to? It can’t be to G-d because G-d knows everything anyway. Harav Avigdor Nebenzhal, Rabbi of the old city of Yerushalayim, explains as follows: Shlomo Hamelech wrote, “G-d has made man upright, but they have sought many intrigues.”[3] G-d created man in His image and invested within him an innate sense of right and wrong. Based on one’s own unadulterated intuition he can sense what G-d expects of him. It was imprinted onto his conscience and soul. Our patriarch Avrohom bore proof to this, for he was able to sense G-d’s Will through his own logic. “G-d made Avrohom’s two kidneys serve as two teachers for him, and these welled forth and taught him Torah and wisdom.” The idea that the Sages were conveying is that Avrohom was able to understand and subsequently observe the entire Torah, even the Oral Law, based on his own ponderings and contemplations. If man was able to achieve such greatness prior to the giving of the Torah, his potential for greatness increased exponentially after the Torah was given. The Torah is G-d’s gift to us as the guidebook and manual for life. The Torah teaches man what is expected of him, and what is moral and just. The Torah also serves as the resource that helps a person evaluate his own spiritual standing to surmise whether he has been fulfilling his obligations or not. When one reads the words of the Torah, (together with the timeless explanations of its classic commentaries) he can evaluate his own adherence or lack thereof to its demands. When the Torahs says that it itself, “shall bear witness to you” it should be understood to mean that, “the Torah will testify through you”. The Torah will help one know himself. Thus, it serves as a witness for each individual. This faithful witness will reveal with incredible accuracy whether one’s own deeds are fueling the divine spark implanted within him, or if his actions leave something to be desired. The Torah is the ultimate self-help guide to help us bear witness about ourselves. The gemara[4] has a detailed discussion about the dangers of ignoramuses, the deleterious effect they can have on others. The gemara concludes that one must maintain a safe distance from them. As part of that discussion Rabbi Eliezer stated: “Were it not that they needed us for business ventures, they would murder us.” It is one thing to say that an ignoramus is liable for not learning more and that he is worthy of censure for his indolence and lackadaisical attitude toward Torah and mitzvos. But it is another thing to assert that they are suspect of murdering Torah scholars. How can Rabbi Eliezer accuse them of being suspect of such heinous sin? Rabbi Shimshon Pinkus zt’l explained that an ignoramus does not exercise his own cognition and therefore he is deeply affected by his surroundings. He does whatever everyone else is doing because he wants to ‘go with the flow’ and not stand out. If murder were to become the norm in society the ignoramus would commit murder too. Rabbi Pinkus continued by relating a painful story involving Rabbi Michoel Ber Weismandel zt’l, a heroic G-d fearing Torah scholar who was heavily involved in trying to save Jews during the Holocaust. During the war, Rabbi Weismandel was desperately trying to raise funds in order to bribe high ranking Nazi officers so that he could smuggle Jews out of the Nazi inferno and into safe havens. On one occasion he met with distinguished and influential Professor, a nonobservant Jew, to ask for his assistance in putting together the badly needed funds. The professor replied that he could not contribute any money because it was illegal for an American to send resources to benefit the German government. The professor then added, “Besides, I am a chemist and I know for a fact that the gas the Nazis use to kill their prisoners kills them painlessly.” Rabbi Weissmandel later commented that if someone would voice a similar sentiment today he would be censured and condemned for saying something so heartless and disgusting. That is because in our time killing and persecuting Jews is not in vogue. At that time however, when the blood of Jews flowed like water, he was able to make such a ludicrous comment without fear. Rav Pinkus himself continued that he understood the wisdom of the gemara based on a personal incident. During a doctor strike in Eretz Yisroel, Rav Pinkus’s son fell and cut open his knee and had to be rushed to the Emergency Room. The nurse who examined him realized that the situation was serious but she had no idea how to proceed. She asked a passing doctor to examine him. The doctor glanced at the knee briefly and concluded that he needs surgery. Then the doctor smiled and abruptly walked out. In his own words, “I thought to myself that if my son was, G-d forbid, dying, the doctor would not have left so quickly. He would have spent the time saving his life. But that is only because the organizers of the strike did not intend for doctors to allow patients to die. However, if the organizers were so angry that they had demanded that no doctors perform any medical procedures whatsoever, a doctor devoid of personal morals would even allow the patient to die, because that is what was in vogue at the time.” Rav Pinkus continues that although we have three patriarchs, we have a special affinity for Avrohom Avinu. This can be seen by the fact that the opening blessing in Shemoneh Esrei concludes by blessing G-d who is the ‘shield of Avrohom’. Although we mention all three patriarchs in the blessing, the conclusion mentions only Avrohom. Why? Avrohom was unabashed and would not be intimidated; he was willing to challenge the views and morality of the entire world. Avrohom demonstrated that his service to G-d was genuine and touched his inner core. The authenticity and realness of Avrohom’s relationship with G-d is the lodestar which we strive to reach. Therefore, Rav Pinkus concludes, one must know himself very intimately to decide if he is truly a G-d fearing person or merely going through the motions like everybody else. The only way one can truly ascertain whether he is meeting that goal is by studying the Torah and knowing what it demands and expects. Our connection to Torah has to be genuine and penetrate within us. It isn’t sufficient just to be observant because everyone else is doing so. “Take this Torah scroll… …that it may be there as a witness” [2] conclusion of Hilchos sefer Torah [3] Koheles 7:29 [4] Pesachim 49b “TO BE A BEE OR NOT TO BE A BEE” “Dip the apple in the honey; Make a b’racha (blessing) loud and clear Shana Tova Umesuka; Have a happy, sweet new year” An elderly carpenter was eagerly preparing for retirement. When he informed his employer/contractor of his plans, the employer asked him if he could do him a personal favor and build one more house before he left. After so many years of working together the carpenter felt he could not refuse, and so he begrudgingly agreed. It quickly became apparent that the carpenter’s heart was not in his work. He resorted to shoddy workmanship and he used inferior quality materials. It was an unfortunate way to end a dedicated career. When the carpenter finished the house he informed his employer that the job was done. The employer smiled and handed the key to the front door to the carpenter. "This is your house," the employer said, "It is my personal gift to you, with gratitude for your dedication and work for so many years." The carpenter was crestfallen! If he had only known he was building his own house, he would have built it so differently. Now he would be living in a subpar home with no one to blame but himself. We are the carpenters constructing our own lives. "Life is a do-it-yourself project.” The attitudes and choices we make throughout our lives are the nails, boards, and walls that compose the "house" we live in tomorrow. We would be wise to build carefully and adroitly! One of the most famous aspects of Rosh Hashana is the universally accepted custom to eat symbolic foods on the eve of the holiday, and to recite prayers which incorporate a play on words with the Hebrew name of the food, to ask G-d for various blessings during the coming year. Arguably, the most beloved is dipping challa and an apple into honey and petitioning G-d for a sweet new year. In fact, along with the shofar, honey is a symbol of Rosh Hashana and of our deepest hopes for a happy and healthy new year. Perhaps there is a deeper connection and meaning in the custom to ‘dip in honey’ on Rosh Hashana than the mere fact that honey is sweet. The very manner in which bee-honey[1] is produced serves as a powerful lesson for our main objective and focus on Rosh Hashana. Honeybees use nectar from flowers to make honey. Nectar is almost 80% water with some complex sugars. In North America, bees get nectar from flowers like clovers, dandelions, berry bushes, and fruit tree blossoms. [Different colors and flavors of honey are primarily based on what kind of flowers the bees use to produce their honey.] The bees use their long, tube like tongues as straws to suck the nectar out of the flowers. Then they store it in their "honey stomachs". [Bees actually have two stomachs, their honey stomach which they use like a nectar backpack and their regular stomach.] When the honey stomach is full it weighs almost as much as the bee does. Honeybees must visit between 100 and 1500 flowers in order to fill their honey stomachs. The honeybees return to the hive and pass the nectar onto other worker bees. These bees suck the nectar from the honeybee's stomach through their mouths. These "house bees" "chew" the nectar for about half an hour. During this time, enzymes are breaking the complex sugars in the nectar into simple sugars so that it is both more digestible for the bees and less likely to be attacked by bacteria while it is stored within the hive. The bees then spread the nectar throughout the honeycombs where water evaporates from it, making it a thicker syrup. The bees help the nectar dry faster by fanning it with their wings. Once the honey is gooey enough, the bees seal off the cell of the honeycomb with a plug of wax. The honey is stored until it is eaten. In one year, a colony of bees eats between 120 and 200 pounds of honey. Honey is created from a transformation that occurs within the bee. The bee gathers the raw materials and then works intensely to abet the process and ensure that it is completed. The process of teshuva – repentance, which begins on Rosh Hashana, is not simply about going through the motions. Rather, it is a deeply internal and personal process. It is primarily a transformation that occurs within a person’s heart and mind, and includes a commitment to growth and improvement. Truthfully, it seems enigmatic that the two days of Rosh Hashana serve as the first two days of the Ten days of Repentance. The prayers of the day are primarily focused on accepting and declaring the Majesty and Grandeur of the Eternal Monarchy of G-d, In fact, there is nary a mention of sin, repentance, or regret in all of the prayers of the day.[2] It is obvious that the service of Rosh Hashana is not only integral to the process of repentance but it is also the vital starting point. How does the theme of recognizing and focusing on G-d’s Kingship relate to the repentance and forgiveness that we so desperately seek? In order for a person to properly repent he must have an understanding of the severity of sin and the deleterious effect that it has upon his soul. He must also understand that G-d truly cares about his actions because He loves him and seeks to maintain a connection with him. Without that realization, the process of repentance is futile. One will not repent and return to something vague and emotionless. It is for this reason that the Ten days of Repentance must begin with Rosh Hashana. The theme of Rosh Hashana, which traverses all its prayers and customs, is the realization of the greatness of G-d as the Supreme Omnipotent King of the world. At the same time we also relate the special closeness and boundless love that G-d maintains for His elite Nation. We mention that G-d’s kingship was only consummated when Klal Yisroel unyieldingly accepted the yoke of His monarchy upon ourselves, which is in effect saying that we are the progenitors of G-d’s Monarchy, as it were.[3] When a person has an appreciation of the greatness of G-d and of the meticulous precision of the judgment, and at the same time understands that G-d loves him deeply, then he can foster a desire to reconnect himself with that Supreme Being through repentance. Thus, Yom Kippur has no meaning unless it is preceded by Rosh Hashana. Unlike Yom Kippur which is full of external symbols, laws, and customs regarding repentance, on Rosh Hashana our ‘repentance’ is completely internal. The deep introspection of Rosh Hashana even surpasses that of Yom Kippur, for it is the service of Rosh Hashana that sets the trajectory of repentance in motion which culminates with Yom Kippur. The more one appreciates the message of Rosh Hashana the more he will be able to take advantage of the awesome opportunity granted on Yom Kippur. Another message to be gleaned from the creation of honey is the bee’s persistence and incredible work ethic to produce every drop of honey. To gather a pound of honey, a bee flies a distance equal to more than three times around the world. Also, it takes two million flowers to make one pound of honey. Those numbers seem inconceivable to us but for the bee it is merely part of its job. It was created to perform those tasks and it has the innate capacity to do so. The Torah states regarding repentance[4], “For the matter is very near to you, in your mouth and in your heart, to do it.”[5] Sometimes we feel that we have sinned so much and have drifted so far that we can never repent. The Torah tells us otherwise. The ability to repent was built into creation and our very being, and therefore no matter how far one has strayed he can always repent. It will unquestionably require great commitment, but it is within our purview to do it. Rabbi Dovid Orlofsky often repeats a classic thought: “Most people live the life that happens instead of the life they truly want.” Many of us have dreams and aspirations but we often never overcome the initial hurdles and impediments. Time drags on and we sigh as we watch our dreams fall by the wayside. When we dip our challah/apple into honey we should remember how much commitment, exertion and dedication it entailed for the bee to produce that honey. It was created from an inner transformation that transpired inside a diminutive insect fulfilling its nature. We are constantly building our own lives! Rosh Hashana affords us the opportunity to take a moment to look back at the blueprints and decide if our building is developing as planned. At the same time, we dip our challa/apple into honey and remind ourselves that the building is only as good as its blueprints. Those blueprints are composed with forethought and insight that stem from deep within one’s psyche. Of course honey is also sticky (just ask my children), but the lesson to be learned from that I leave to you… “Most people live the life that happens instead of the life they want” “For the matter is very near to you” [1] It must be noted that one may certainly use honey from dates or other types of honey. The thoughts recorded here relate to bee-honey as that is the most prevalent and widely used honey generally and on Rosh Hashana. [2] The one exception is the opening stanza in the “Avinu Malkeinu- Our Father, Our King” prayer which states, “Our Father, Our King, we have sinned before you.” Indeed, there are halachic opinions which state that one should omit this sentence on Rosh Hashana. [3] Surely an Infallible G-d does not need us. However, “There is no king without subjects” and so, although G-d did not change one iota when He created the world and man, it is only when we accepted His kingship that He could be called King. [4] See Ramban on that verse [5] Devorim 30:14 “WHAT A LIFE” The horrific events involving the Mumbai massacre in November 2008 were shocking. Along with the other kedoshim[1] who were killed in the Chabad house, the hosts, Rabbi Gavriel and Rivkie Holtzberg, were murdered by Islamic fascist terrorists, for no reason other than the fact that they were Jews. Gavriel and Rivkie Holtzberg moved to Mumbai in 2003 as Chabad emissaries, to ensure that there was a warm and welcoming Torah home for all those passing through Mumbai. Some people stayed for a night, or a Shabbos, others for a month. But everyone who stayed in their home described the Holtzberg’s warmth and devotion to all their guests. During the week of shiva mourning after the massacre, a woman entered the home of Mrs. Yehudis Rosenberg, Rivkie Holtzberg’s mother, and handed her a package. When Mrs. Rosenberg opened the package she was shocked to find that it contained one of Rivkie’s nicest Shabbos dresses, as well as her diamond ring. The visitor explained that while she was vacationing in India some months before, she had been apprehended for illegal activities and was imprisoned. As soon as she was let out she hurried to the Chabad house in Mumbai where Rivkie welcomed her in. Rivkie urged her to escape the country as soon as possible. When the woman expressed her concern that if she was noticed by airport security she might be detained, Rivkie gave her one of her Shabbos dresses as well as her diamond ring, so the woman would look respectable and not appear like a fugitive. The strategy worked and the woman was able to leave the country without further issue. Now she had come to return the borrowed items. Mrs. Rosenberg told the woman that a few months before she had asked Rivkie where her ring was. Rivkie curtly replied that the ring (like her) was on ‘shlichus[2]’! The final parshios of the Torah contain Moshe’s last will and testament. “See – I have placed before you today the life and the good, and the death and the evil… and you shall choose life, in order that you shall live, you and your children.”[3] It is obvious that the Torah is not referring to “life” in the classical sense, because any rational person would choose life over death. Even a young child does not need to be told to choose honey over ammonia. Moshe was obviously speaking about a higher mission of life; to choose a life of meaning and purpose. The commentators offer many explanations, each with a poignant and integral message apropos for the days preceding the Days of Awe. The following is one such approach[4]: During the Ten days of Penitence from Rosh Hashana through Yom Kippur we add a few insertions into our prayers. In the opening blessing of Shemoneh Esrei we pray, “Remember us for life, King who desires life, and record us in the Book of Life, for Your sake, the Living G-d!” In the second blessing we insert, “Who is like you Father of Compassion, Who remembers His Creations for life in His compassion!” The Sages explain that Shemoneh Esrei was composed to reflect the manner in which a servant would approach a king to beseech his needs. He opens by praising the king, and speaking of the king’s greatness. Then he proceeds to mention his own personal requests and needs. After he concludes his own needs, he thanks the king and speaks about the king’s kindness and beneficence. So too, the first three blessings of Shemoneh Esrei are devoted to praising G-d and proclaiming His inimitable greatness. The middle thirteen blessings detail our petitions and requests from G-d, and the concluding three blessings are dedicated to thanksgiving and gratitude. If so, how/why do we breach that format by inserting a personal request during the Ten days of Penitence? Why do we have the right to request life in the opening blessings which are dedicated to praising G-d? In addition, we must understand the meaning of the prayer, “For Your sake, the Living G-d”. What is the meaning behind our request that G-d grants us life for His sake because He is the Living Eternal G-d? Ibn Ezra[5] writes an incredible idea: כי החיים הם לאהבה" – Because life is for love!” It is understood that true love connotes giving selflessly and altruistically. Thus, in other words, the Torah defines life as a means to perform acts of kindness, to assist others, and to promote unity and goodness. When Moshe exhorted the nation to choose life, he was not referring to mundane life. Rather, on his final day, he was encouraging the nation to pursue a life of giving and altruism, for that would ensure the continuity of the nation and its ability to endure. In a similar vein, when we request life in the opening blessing of Shemoneh Esrei during the Ten days of Penitence, we are begging G-d to grant us life as the Torah defines it, a life of higher purpose and Imitatio Dei. Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzato explains that G-d is titled the Living G-d because He is completely selfless and giving! G-d needs nothing and therefore cannot be a recipient. By the virtue of the fact that He is “All Giving”, He is a being of pristine and complete life! We ask G-d to grant us life for His sake, because He is the Living G-d. In other words, we desire to live a life as G-d lives, devoted to giving and helping others. Asking for that type of life is wholly appropriate, even in the opening blessings of Shemoneh Esrei, because the desire to live such a life is of the greatest praise we can offer G-d. A woman once approached noted lecturer Rabbi Leib Kellerman and told him that she was imminently traveling to the United States to undergo a procedure that would ensure she would never be able to bear children. She explained that she felt that anyone who would bring a child into our selfish and morally depraved world was themselves immoral and selfish. Before heading off, she wanted to know his opinion about the matter. Rabbi Kellerman replied by relating to her the following parable: An aspiring young woman decided that she wanted to become the Chief Surgeon in a prominent hospital. She worked diligently throughout High School, College, Premed, Med school, and through her internship, and residency. While her friends partied and lived it up, she was busy studying and applying herself relentlessly to her dream. She eventually began her work as a surgeon and was extremely successful. Her prestige continued to grow as did her success, and she rapidly climbed the ranks. Finally the day arrived when she was promoted to the position she always dreamed of. After the ceremony, she was preparing to enter the Operating Room for the first time as Chief Surgeon when a young man burst out, white as a ghost. He looked at her with terror in his eyes and cried out, “Don’t go in there! It’s terrible! There’s blood and guts all over the place. The room is full of disease and the patient is so sick. For your own sanity, run the other way!” The Chief Surgeon looked at him and calmly replied, “I know exactly what awaits me in that room. But this is what I always wanted to do. I lived my life so that I could help others in the most profound way possible. True, it is not a pretty sight. But to be able to give someone a second lease on life is the greatest gift possible.” With that, she proceeded through the double doors and disappeared. Rabbi Kellerman explained, “If you’re purpose on this world is for pleasure, enjoyment, and self-gratification then this world is indeed a cruel and vicious place, and you indeed have no business bringing new life into such a selfish world. However, if you view life as an opportunity to give and to provide, and if you see life as a chance to love, cherish, and comfort, then this world is replete with opportunity. If you see life in this vein then what greater world is there in which to raise children and a new generation?!” One who lives life for his own enjoyment is truly hard-pressed to ask for life during the opening blessings of Shemoneh Esrei. But one who understands that his temporal life is a place of opportunity where he must grab every chance to assist and love others, has the right to ask for life at the beginning of his prayers! “And you shall choose life” “Because life is for love!” [1] “Holy ones” [2] Shlichus is the term used in Chabad circles for being sent out with the mission of helping others come closer to G-d. [4] The following thought was adapted from the lecture delivered by my friend and mentor, Rabbi Yehoshua Kohl in Kehillat New Hempstead, on the first day of Rosh Hashana 5769. [5] On the aforementioned verse 30:19. The students of Rabbi Shlomo Wolbe zt’l relate that Rabbi Wolbe would repeat these immortal words of the Ibn Ezra constantly. Posted by stamtorah at 12:30 PM 0 comments	cc/2020-05/en_head_0058.json.gz/line237
__label__wiki	0.915405	0.915405	68Chapter Four / SPONSORSHIP"Since 1932, the Olympic Games have provided us with a uniqueplatform to convey our message of precision, quality and innovation in a prestigious and fitting environment."Stephen Urquhart, President of OMEGAOMEGA first served as the Official Timekeeper at the Los Angeles Olympic Games in 1932. Neverbefore had a single company been chosen to provide all the timing devices and technology for theOlympic Games. At those Games, OMEGA delivered 30 handheld stopwatches, which were used totime every event. In Vancouver and Whistler in 2010, 235 professional timekeepers and data handlers, along with hundreds of carefully selected and trained local volunteers, used more than 220 tons of equipment to ensure that the timing, scoring, display and distribution of the results were flawlessly executed.OMEGA's unparalleled reputation as an innovator in sports timing and measurement technologies hasled to a long, rewarding relationship with the IOC. In Vancouver, OMEGA assumed its OfficialTimekeeper role for the 24th time and the company recently announced that it had extended itsagreement with the IOC through 2020. OMEGA's partnership with the Olympic Movement wasreflected in some of its products and in the advertising and publicity campaigns that were activatedespecially for the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.The Countdown Clock and the OMEGA BobsleighAmong the symbols that best represented OMEGA's Olympic role was the Countdown Clock indowntown Vancouver, which was unveiled on 12 February 2007, exactly three years before thefestivities were scheduled to begin. The clock, which is three metres wide and more than six metreshigh, weighs a staggering 1,170 kilograms. During the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games it wasone of the most popular locations for photo opportunities among the hundreds of thousands ofvisitors to Vancouver.In Vancouver and Whistler, OMEGA placed sleek red bobsleighs which also became popularphotographic subjects as visitors posed in and around the sleighs. The bobsleighs were ideal locationsfor presentations of OMEGA watches to selected Olympic and Paralympic gold medallists throughout the Games.	cc/2020-05/en_head_0058.json.gz/line241
__label__cc	0.525451	0.474549	Report on Concepcion (Nicaragua) — September 2000 Bulletin of the Global Volcanism Network, vol. 25, no. 9 (September 2000) Managing Editor: Richard Wunderman. Concepcion (Nicaragua) No activity through April following December 1999 eruption Global Volcanism Program, 2000. Report on Concepcion (Nicaragua) (Wunderman, R., ed.). Bulletin of the Global Volcanism Network, 25:9. Smithsonian Institution. https://doi.org/10.5479/si.GVP.BGVN200009-344120. 11.538°N, 85.622°W; summit elev. 1700 m After the eruptive activity of December 1999 (BGVN 25:02), seismicity dropped to low levels and the volcano remained quiet. During January only 24 seismic events were registered, followed by nine events in February, nine in March, and 20 in April. Seismic tremor levels also stayed low. Geologic Background. Volcán Concepción is one of Nicaragua's highest and most active volcanoes. The symmetrical basaltic-to-dacitic stratovolcano forms the NW half of the dumbbell-shaped island of Ometepe in Lake Nicaragua and is connected to neighboring Madera volcano by a narrow isthmus. A steep-walled summit crater is 250 m deep and has a higher western rim. N-S-trending fractures on the flanks have produced chains of spatter cones, cinder cones, lava domes, and maars located on the NW, NE, SE, and southern sides extending in some cases down to Lake Nicaragua. Concepción was constructed above a basement of lake sediments, and the modern cone grew above a largely buried caldera, a small remnant of which forms a break in slope about halfway up the N flank. Frequent explosive eruptions during the past half century have increased the height of the summit significantly above that shown on current topographic maps and have kept the upper part of the volcano unvegetated. Information Contacts: Wilfried Strauch and Virginia Tenorio, Dirección General de Geofísica, Instituto Nicaragüense de Estudios Territoriales (INETER), Apartado 1761, Managua, Nicaragua (URL: http://www.ineter.gob.ni/).	cc/2020-05/en_head_0058.json.gz/line243
__label__wiki	0.723947	0.723947	Trilogy Heading Deputy Director Search for EdSource Burlingame, CA (October 31, 2014) — The executive search firm Trilogy Search Non+Profit is leading a Deputy Director search on behalf of EdSource, a nonprofit research, policy, and communications organization established more than three decades ago. Reporting to the Executive Director, the Deputy Director will assume a key management role in building and strengthening EdSource’s focus on shaping a more effective public education system. Responsibilities will include strategic leadership, organizational and financial management, and external partnership development. EdSource is based in Oakland, Calif. “This position is important to our commitment to innovation and excellence as we continue to deliver the latest information on public education to Californians, and expand our role in informing policies and public discussion on strategies to improve student outcomes,” said Louis Freedberg, EdSource’s Executive Director. “We’ve worked with Trilogy previously, and are confident the firm will identify extraordinary candidates to support and advance our mission of ensuring that all children receive a high quality education.” Chuck Pappalardo is handling the assignment on behalf of Trilogy. Trilogy has advised numerous nonprofit and education-focused organizations on talent acquisition and related needs. These organizations including Book Trust, Education Sector, Santa Clara University, Stupski Foundation, and The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation. EdSource Mission & Goals: Founded in 1977, EdSource believes that access to a quality education is a fundamental right of all children. The organization further believes that an informed, involved public is necessary to strengthen the nation’s schools for the benefit of its children. To achieve its goals, it provides essential, timely information to policymakers and the larger public, and highlights effective models and strategies intended to improve student outcomes by using the digital space in new and creative ways. About Trilogy Search Non+Profit: Trilogy Search Non+Profit is a retained executive recruitment firm headquartered in the San Francisco Bay Area. Trilogy specializes in placing executives who are multi- dimensional, integrated, and equipped to effectively lead for-profit and nonprofit institutions. The company conducts C-level searches and builds executive management teams for high technology, clean technology, life sciences, non-profit, and philanthropy clients.	cc/2020-05/en_head_0058.json.gz/line246
__label__wiki	0.722019	0.722019	Home Happenings Tualatin Boys Take 3rd in Lakeside Tournament Henry Kaus The former football player Malik Ross (#11) completes a layup when up against Oregon City High School. He shot 16 of the 50 total points. Photo: Henry Kaus. TuHS students may have relaxed on their winter break, but there’s no rest for a basketball player. Starting on Dec. 20 in a three-day event, eight high schools (Beaverton, Evergreen, Lakeridge, Lincoln, North Medford, Oregon City, Southridge and Tualatin) competed in the annual Lakeside Holiday Classic Tournament hosted by Lakeridge High School with a three-round bracket system to determine a victor. In the early 4 p.m. match, Tualatin was set against Lincoln, where the Timberwolves began the tournament with a bit of flash. Early on, with the game tied 9-9, and Sam Noland (#12) inside the arc, he was able to run through Lincoln’s defenders for a layup, but to no avail. Lincoln obtained the rebound but in their clutches, they stumbled, letting the ball drop. When the ball rolled to Noah Ogoli (#3), who was conveniently sitting on the ground underneath the hoop, he grabbed it and passed it up to Noland for a second chance; this time with success. They’d end the quarter 14-13, after which they would hold the lead for the remainder of the game. John Miller (#20) takes his chance and dunks the ball for a third time. Photo: Henry Kaus. Not only was the team able to pick up mistakes, but John Miller (#20) also stole the show every chance he could get at. By the end of the half, and after his only 3-pointer of the tournament, he was able to snag a rebound with a wide-open court. Turning and sprinting, he outran the competition, banking on his vertical leap and dunked hard. A crowd-pleaser to say the least, and he did it twice more. With Miller’s dunk shots, they won the round 62-41. Game 2 against Oregon City in the semifinals didn’t pan out quite as well for the Timberwolves. With a Q1 score of 5-18 and a halftime score of 19-33, the team couldn’t manage to sink any shots. But, after taking a much-needed halftime break, they were able to improve from their previous 9/31 (29%) shot accuracy. Still, they weren’t able to ever fully recover from their deficit, especially with Miller and Noland both fouling out and facing a final score of 50-64. Oregon City would even go on to place first in the tournament with a victory against Evergreen (from Washington). Sam Noland (#12) was 10 for 13 attempted shots in the semifinals against Oregon City. Photo by Henry Kaus. Nonetheless, Noland had an impressive game on his own, accounting for 20 of the 50 points scored including sinking all four of his attempted 3-pointers and four for four of his free-throws. “[Shooting 3’s] is something I’ve been doing for as long as I can remember. That’s my best shot. Pretty much anywhere inside half-court as well,” Noland said. Throughout the tournament, he averaged 15 points a game. Even if out of the championship bracket, the team still had a chance for third place against the home team: Lakeridge High. In short, Tualatin came back from their previous loss when they nearly doubled their opponent’s score, 92-47. Noah Ogoli (#3) runs through Lakeridge after a rebound. Ogoli sunk all shots except from half-court adding to 13 points. Photo by Henry Kaus. Tualatin’s Jackson Passaglia (#10) held the spotlight of the game with the most scored at 15 points. Additionally, at five minutes remaining in the 4th quarter, Blake Howarth (#25), Bret Robert (#30) and Jeremy Lund (#40) were able to come off the bench. All of whom were able to add to the running total and Howarth taking the final points of the game. The team did end up taking third in the tournament, but some of the players thought that they could’ve improved. “I feel like we should’ve done better, we should’ve competed harder. Third place isn’t enough,” Ogoli said. “We got a lot of young kids, so we just have to be patient and keep working hard,” Noland added. Currently, the team sits at a 4 – 3 season record with Three Rivers League matches on the horizon. “I think we can be really good towards the end of the season. We’ll peak at the right time and hopefully, we can make the playoff games,” Noland said. The wolves continue their season at Beaverton High (Friday, Dec. 27) and on Saturday at Mountainside High (Dec. 28). Lakeside Tournament Tualatin High Basketball TuHS Previous articleLee Farms Celebrates 150 Years In Tualatin Next articleTualatin ROCKS! Henry Kaus is a writer, designer and photographer living in Tigard. He is a graduate from Tigard High School and spends time photographing the city-life while drinking a few more than a couple cups of coffee. He can be reached at henry@tigardlife.com. Tualatin Salutes Veterans Feeling Stoppers and Feeling Encouragers Mayor’s Corner Mayor’s Corner: Introducing Mayor Frank Bubenik Splash pad renovation selected for grant Emily Barry: Homegrown Hero Dirt time at the Refuge ‘Tis the Season of Cold and Flu Oktoberfest with a Twist Rotary Joins the Campaign to do the Impossible	cc/2020-05/en_head_0058.json.gz/line248
__label__cc	0.601393	0.398607	Rodgers & Hammerstein Collection, Norma Rae: 35th, Harry Potter: Hogwarts, box Endless Love & more! We’ve got some very fun announcement news for you guys today... First up, 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment has set an 8-disc The Rodgers & Hammerstein Collection for Blu-ray release on 4/29! It will include State Fair, both the Todd-AO and Cinemascope versions of Oklahoma, Carousel, and The King and I, all of which are new to Blu-ray. In addition, the set will include The Sound of Music and both the theatrical and Extended Roadshow versions of South Pacific. SRP is $199.99, but Amazon has it available for pre-order for just $73.99 or 63% off. You’ll find the cover art and the Amazon pre-order link below. [Read on here…] The Rogers & Hammerstein Collection Oklahoma ToddA) Oklahoma Cinemascope Notes on a Scandal Norma Rae: 35th Anniversary Edition Still Mine Harry Potter: The Hogwarts Collection Endless Love (2013) McCanick Mama's Family: The Complete Fourth Season	cc/2020-05/en_head_0058.json.gz/line251
__label__wiki	0.615289	0.615289	Lady Antebellum Scores 10th No. 1 Single With “What If I Never Get Over You” Lady Antebellum scored their 10th No. 1 single as “What If I Never Get Over You” ascended to the top of both the Billboard Country Airplay chart and Mediabase chart this week. The tune, which is the lead single from Lady A’s 2019 album, Ocean, is the trio’s first No. 1 single since 2014’s “Bartender.” Penned by Laura Veltz, Sam Ellis, Jon Green and Ryan Hurd, “What If I Never Get Over You” finds Lady A’s Hillary Scott and Charles Kelley trading heavy-hearted vocals over a failed relationship. “The moment we heard ‘What If I Never Get Over You’ we knew it was going to be an integral piece of Ocean,” said Lady A’s Dave Haywood. “It has been a long time since we released a mid-temp longing duet like this which is so much of who we are and how we started. It sort of felt like coming home and we are grateful to the team behind us and country radio for believing in the song as much as we did from the start.” photo by Curtis Hilbun, AFF-USA.com Filed Under: NCD News	cc/2020-05/en_head_0058.json.gz/line262
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July 2006) Stans Puzzle‏‎ (14:23, 27 July 2006) The Hustle‏‎ (14:26, 27 July 2006) Dance Marathon‏‎ (14:26, 27 July 2006) Hokey Pokey‏‎ (15:09, 27 July 2006) Lotties Puzzle‏‎ (17:29, 27 July 2006) Harolds Puzzle‏‎ (23:42, 27 July 2006) Rogers Puzzle‏‎ (23:45, 27 July 2006) Moogs Puzzle‏‎ (06:27, 28 July 2006) Nates Puzzle‏‎ (08:27, 28 July 2006) The Twist‏‎ (09:09, 28 July 2006) Ring Around the Rosie‏‎ (12:18, 28 July 2006) Foxtrot Tango‏‎ (12:34, 28 July 2006) Dance Party‏‎ (12:59, 28 July 2006) Opies Puzzle‏‎ (13:59, 28 July 2006) MiniAudicle/Dev‏‎ (15:24, 29 July 2006) Plork paper done‏‎ (17:17, 29 July 2006) Logistic.ck‏‎ (17:45, 29 July 2006) Sophias Puzzle‏‎ (19:39, 29 July 2006) Ophelias Puzzle‏‎ (15:02, 30 July 2006) Lizzies Puzzle‏‎ (08:25, 2 August 2006) Cut and Save‏‎ (09:07, 3 August 2006) Letters From Hormel‏‎ (15:19, 3 August 2006) Taps Release‏‎ (00:06, 4 August 2006) ChucK/Bugs/Known‏‎ (19:39, 5 August 2006) Milts Puzzle‏‎ (00:54, 7 August 2006) Helenas Puzzle‏‎ (11:06, 7 August 2006) Trivia Garden‏‎ (18:38, 8 August 2006) The Orrery‏‎ (19:30, 8 August 2006) Stretching Exercise‏‎ (00:07, 9 August 2006) Whos Your Daddy‏‎ (08:55, 9 August 2006) Acts of Congress‏‎ (14:45, 9 August 2006) Billie Sings the Blues‏‎ (02:52, 10 August 2006) Shiny Diamonds‏‎ (03:02, 10 August 2006) Nothing But Net‏‎ (14:04, 10 August 2006) Dressed to the Nines‏‎ (08:06, 11 August 2006) Credit Card Fraud‏‎ (08:18, 11 August 2006) Bon Appetit‏‎ (09:09, 11 August 2006) ChucK/keyboard‏‎ (21:36, 12 August 2006) TACL Seminar Spring 06‏‎ (13:44, 15 August 2006) TACL Seminar Spring'06‏‎ (13:46, 15 August 2006) Speakerboxxx‏‎ (11:03, 16 August 2006) Monster‏‎ (11:50, 16 August 2006) Air Supply‏‎ (11:52, 16 August 2006) Jagged Little Pill‏‎ (23:09, 17 August 2006) Timepieces‏‎ (13:21, 18 August 2006) Faith‏‎ (17:45, 19 August 2006) Whats Going On‏‎ (07:42, 20 August 2006) Foolish Game‏‎ (17:37, 20 August 2006) The Pointy Haired Boss‏‎ (18:44, 20 August 2006) Bob the Dinosaur‏‎ (18:46, 20 August 2006) Born To Run‏‎ (18:55, 20 August 2006) Yorgi the Elbonian‏‎ (11:03, 21 August 2006) Wally‏‎ (15:36, 21 August 2006) Catbert‏‎ (15:50, 21 August 2006) Domino‏‎ (20:39, 21 August 2006) Alice‏‎ (07:01, 23 August 2006) Dilberts Mom‏‎ (08:09, 23 August 2006) The Ship of Theseus‏‎ (08:12, 23 August 2006) Dogbert‏‎ (11:36, 23 August 2006) On the Road Again‏‎ (12:35, 23 August 2006) Stranger In a Strange Land‏‎ (16:47, 23 August 2006) Seven Men and Seven Women‏‎ (18:28, 23 August 2006) King Minos Workhorse‏‎ (21:35, 23 August 2006) String Theory‏‎ (04:15, 24 August 2006) All Cretans Are Statisticians‏‎ (05:18, 24 August 2006) The Worlds Smartest Garbage Man‏‎ (06:08, 24 August 2006) Lost in the Maze‏‎ (06:43, 24 August 2006) Bull‏‎ (09:11, 24 August 2006) Elephant‏‎ (16:15, 24 August 2006) Passionate Lovers‏‎ (18:51, 24 August 2006) Acrobats‏‎ (04:01, 25 August 2006) Concessions‏‎ (06:35, 25 August 2006) High Wire Act‏‎ (07:30, 25 August 2006) The Clowns‏‎ (08:37, 25 August 2006) The Trapeze Artist‏‎ (10:37, 25 August 2006) Three Ring Circus‏‎ (11:04, 25 August 2006) Tina the Technical Writer‏‎ (13:07, 25 August 2006) Ratbert‏‎ (15:15, 25 August 2006) Mordac the Preventer‏‎ (08:15, 26 August 2006) TACL Seminar Spring '06‏‎ (15:54, 27 August 2006) TACL Seminar Fall '02‏‎ (16:07, 27 August 2006) Fun in the Mud‏‎ (09:18, 28 August 2006) Chain Link Fence‏‎ (16:54, 28 August 2006) Library‏‎ (07:04, 30 August 2006) Area 50‏‎ (07:38, 30 August 2006) Candy Store‏‎ (08:28, 30 August 2006) Boardroom‏‎ (08:52, 30 August 2006) The Movie Theater‏‎ (13:10, 30 August 2006) The Public Commons‏‎ (11:49, 31 August 2006) News Stand‏‎ (12:18, 31 August 2006) Putbeli Isle‏‎ (12:22, 31 August 2006) Good Times Arcade‏‎ (12:23, 31 August 2006) Diagramless‏‎ (17:19, 31 August 2006) Oyster Shells‏‎ (10:24, 1 September 2006) AboutTurn Is‏‎ (17:26, 9 September 2006) Whats On The Radio‏‎ (12:57, 10 September 2006) Fourteen‏‎ (11:07, 11 September 2006) Whats Mine Is Yours‏‎ (09:35, 16 September 2006) Stingy‏‎ (19:55, 16 September 2006) Bullseye‏‎ (00:13, 19 September 2006) Axel Hoppers Lament‏‎ (11:02, 21 September 2006) TACL Seminar‏‎ (10:52, 26 September 2006) PLOrk fall2006/Rehearsal Sep27‏‎ (17:05, 27 September 2006) PLOrk fall2006/hoffman1‏‎ (12:29, 28 September 2006) PLOrk fall2006/AssignmentOne‏‎ (19:19, 28 September 2006) PLOrk fall2006/Works/Teh Example‏‎ (20:29, 28 September 2006) Code Infrastructure‏‎ (12:38, 29 September 2006) Qtmeshview‏‎ (13:10, 29 September 2006) PLOrk fall2006/Works/Second File‏‎ (14:02, 29 September 2006) PLOrk fall2006/checkin schedule‏‎ (14:16, 29 September 2006) PLOrk fall2006/Works/Smacking Music‏‎ (15:17, 29 September 2006) PLOrk fall2006/Works/Self Deterioration‏‎ (10:42, 1 October 2006) Final‏‎ (15:37, 2 October 2006) PLOrk fall2006/Works/Cows Out To Pasture/combfilter.ck‏‎ (22:10, 2 October 2006) PLOrk fall2006/Works/Laptop Quintet‏‎ (14:05, 3 October 2006) PLOrk fall2006/Works/Wind Chimes‏‎ (22:02, 4 October 2006) PLOrk fall2006/Works/Nod‏‎ (08:08, 5 October 2006) PLOrk fall2006/Works/Breathalyzer?‏‎ (12:22, 5 October 2006) PLOrk fall2006/‏‎ (13:41, 5 October 2006) PLOrk fall2006/smallSoundsSketches‏‎ (13:42, 5 October 2006) PLOrk fall2006/Works/Pusher‏‎ (22:16, 5 October 2006) PLOrk fall2006/Works/Grey and Spectral‏‎ (22:19, 5 October 2006) PLOrk fall2006/Genomics‏‎ (20:30, 19 October 2006) PLOrk fall2006/NYC‏‎ (21:02, 24 November 2006) ChucK/Bad VOSIM.ck‏‎ (21:03, 24 November 2006) SimilarityEM‏‎ (21:03, 24 November 2006) PLOrk fall2006/Works/Cows Out To Pasture‏‎ (21:03, 24 November 2006) Puzzle Boat‏‎ (07:35, 27 November 2006) PLOrk fall2006/AssignmentTwo‏‎ (07:35, 27 November 2006) MiniAudicle/FAQ‏‎ (07:35, 27 November 2006) PLOrk fall2006/Rehearsal Oct4‏‎ (07:35, 27 November 2006) CS Staff‏‎ (07:35, 27 November 2006) PLOrk fall2006/Rehearsal Nov13‏‎ (07:36, 27 November 2006) PLOrk fall2006/AssignmentThree‏‎ (07:36, 27 November 2006) Evocation‏‎ (14:54, 29 November 2006) PLOrk fall2006/Session December‏‎ (16:37, 12 December 2006) LDAWN‏‎ (22:30, 12 December 2006) Up N ChucKin‏‎ (03:39, 23 December 2006) PLOrk fall2006‏‎ (00:11, 8 January 2007) PLOrk fall2006/Session January‏‎ (22:07, 8 January 2007) KruhftPatience‏‎ (12:11, 12 January 2007) KruhftAbandon‏‎ (12:13, 12 January 2007) ChucK/Dev/Shell‏‎ (16:55, 14 January 2007) PLOrk performances‏‎ (04:45, 30 January 2007) PLOrk spring2007/Ensemble‏‎ (17:32, 24 February 2007) PLOrk spring2007/AssignmentOne‏‎ (00:34, 27 February 2007) Verb video brainstorm‏‎ (10:26, 27 March 2007) PLOrk spring2007/preClassDuty‏‎ (11:38, 5 April 2007) Topic wsd‏‎ (15:38, 15 April 2007) ChucK/FAQ‏‎ (03:06, 7 May 2007) RT LPC‏‎ (17:59, 8 May 2007) PLOrk spring2007‏‎ (22:27, 14 May 2007) PLOrk spring2007/NIME07‏‎ (17:26, 15 May 2007) Syntop wsd‏‎ (22:41, 15 May 2007) PLOrk spring2007/ProgramNotes‏‎ (15:05, 17 May 2007) Jbg housing‏‎ (13:57, 12 July 2007) ChucK/CanonD.ck‏‎ (15:15, 16 July 2007) PLOrk fall2006/Works/OMGIPOMP‏‎ (03:45, 23 July 2007) Kick.ck‏‎ (21:51, 24 July 2007) Chord-o-matic.ck‏‎ (21:51, 24 July 2007) Sense Disambiguation‏‎ (21:53, 24 July 2007) IvyTree.ck‏‎ (21:53, 24 July 2007) ChucK/Facts‏‎ (21:54, 24 July 2007) JucK‏‎ (21:54, 24 July 2007) TACL Seminar Fall '04‏‎ (21:55, 24 July 2007) IT Policy/CPNI/4‏‎ (21:55, 24 July 2007) Faculty‏‎ (08:39, 2 August 2007) ChucK/Example/Lfo1‏‎ (12:59, 3 August 2007) ChucK/Examples/Lfo1‏‎ (13:00, 3 August 2007) SPE07 SRC‏‎ (16:50, 3 August 2007) ChucK/Bugs‏‎ (22:58, 7 August 2007) References for primitives.‏‎ (11:21, 8 August 2007) ChucK/Examples/Line1‏‎ (05:14, 10 August 2007) Password protected page?action=attr‏‎ (06:59, 18 August 2007) PLOrk Reader?action=attr‏‎ (07:08, 18 August 2007) EasyMIDI.ck‏‎ (03:44, 22 August 2007) PLOrk specs‏‎ (17:56, 24 August 2007) Son of ethereal.ck‏‎ (12:16, 27 September 2007) WNPCVSROOT/libs/corpora/bnc‏‎ (14:02, 4 October 2007) TOPICSROOT/corpora/bnc‏‎ (14:02, 4 October 2007) TOPICSROOT/corpora/facebook‏‎ (14:18, 4 October 2007) TOPICSROOT/corpora/semcor2.0‏‎ (14:21, 4 October 2007) TOPICSROOT/corpora/supernova‏‎ (14:22, 4 October 2007) TOPICSROOT/corpora/wikipedia‏‎ (14:29, 4 October 2007) TOPICSROOT/lib/boost 1 33 1‏‎ (14:40, 4 October 2007) TOPICSROOT/lib/lda-c-dist‏‎ (14:44, 4 October 2007) TOPICSROOT/lib/minipar‏‎ (14:46, 4 October 2007) TOPICSROOT/lib/WordNet-2.0‏‎ (14:48, 4 October 2007) TOPICSROOT/lib/pywordnet-2.0.1‏‎ (14:56, 4 October 2007) TOPICSROOT/lib/rlib-TARGET‏‎ (15:12, 4 October 2007) File Organization‏‎ (15:17, 4 October 2007) TOPICSROOT/corpora/esp‏‎ (15:18, 4 October 2007) TOPICSROOT/corpora/evocation‏‎ (15:27, 4 October 2007) WNPCVSROOT/lib/corpora/wikipedia‏‎ (16:55, 4 October 2007) Example 1‏‎ (22:49, 9 October 2007) Research‏‎ (12:43, 11 October 2007) Configuring Qt‏‎ (14:26, 11 October 2007) Graphics FAQ‏‎ (14:35, 11 October 2007) Example 5‏‎ (17:56, 11 October 2007) The band and what we might be able to play‏‎ (08:59, 14 October 2007) MiniAudicle‏‎ (14:07, 19 October 2007) MiniAudicle/Comments‏‎ (15:58, 19 October 2007) MiniAudicle/miniAudiclebuildInstructionsforwindows‏‎ (18:25, 19 October 2007) MiniAudicle/miniAudiclebuildInstructionsforwindows/buildinstructionswindowsvc71‏‎ (18:27, 19 October 2007) MiniAudicle/Features‏‎ (17:39, 20 October 2007) MiniAudicle/NewShredManagement‏‎ (18:44, 20 October 2007) MiniAudicle/miniAudiclebuildInstructionsforwindows/buildinstructionswindowsvc6‏‎ (11:52, 21 October 2007) Triangular Popcorn.ck‏‎ (15:30, 21 October 2007) LiSa munger1.ck‏‎ (22:41, 23 October 2007) LiSa Basic.ck‏‎ (22:49, 23 October 2007) LiSa Multi.ck‏‎ (22:51, 23 October 2007) LiSa track1.ck‏‎ (22:54, 23 October 2007) LiSa track4b.ck‏‎ (08:16, 24 October 2007) ChucK/sequencer.ck‏‎ (18:55, 24 October 2007) Array/genX issue‏‎ (08:50, 25 October 2007) Ck.vim‏‎ (09:56, 30 October 2007) Cutting the Rug‏‎ (17:58, 1 November 2007) Puzzle‏‎ (17:59, 1 November 2007) Centerfold‏‎ (18:00, 1 November 2007) Stock Exchange‏‎ (20:24, 1 November 2007) Metronome.ck‏‎ (11:33, 14 November 2007) Mauwii.ck‏‎ (11:27, 16 November 2007) ChucK/UserStudy‏‎ (08:09, 23 November 2007) ChucK/Features‏‎ (08:10, 23 November 2007) GccStyleErrorMessages‏‎ (08:20, 23 November 2007) ChucK/Patches/Clip‏‎ (08:22, 23 November 2007) Taps/FAQ‏‎ (18:40, 27 November 2007) ChucK/Patterns/ExternalDataLoader‏‎ (13:50, 3 December 2007) Computer vision‏‎ (15:16, 5 December 2007) Plork CMJ‏‎ (20:41, 27 December 2007) OSC multiple port bug‏‎ (14:43, 29 December 2007) MiniAudicle/Bugs/PLOrk‏‎ (12:24, 9 January 2008) PLOrk fall2007‏‎ (22:22, 1 February 2008) LiSa SndBuf.ck‏‎ (20:30, 23 February 2008) Poly demo.ck‏‎ (11:53, 26 February 2008) Taps‏‎ (16:21, 28 February 2008) ChucK/Dev/IO/NetIO‏‎ (23:16, 5 March 2008) ChucK/Dev/IO/PipeIO‏‎ (23:17, 5 March 2008) ChucK/kijjaz-utility-classes.ck‏‎ (15:01, 8 March 2008) ChucK/Projects‏‎ (23:45, 25 March 2008) ChucK/Features/Release‏‎ (23:55, 25 March 2008) ChucK/Examples‏‎ (01:38, 26 March 2008) ChucK/Examples/Pong2‏‎ (01:51, 26 March 2008) LinuxAppleSmc‏‎ (14:06, 30 March 2008) MooDi‏‎ (13:22, 2 April 2008) Wordnet plus‏‎ (17:22, 7 April 2008) Relational Topic Models‏‎ (18:08, 7 April 2008) PLOrk speaker building to do list‏‎ (20:25, 14 April 2008) PLOrk speaker building notes‏‎ (12:32, 20 April 2008) ChucK/Dev/IO/FileIO‏‎ (19:02, 21 April 2008) ChucK/Dev/IO‏‎ (11:14, 22 April 2008) RebeccaFiebrinkFinalProject‏‎ (10:50, 30 April 2008) ChucK/Patches‏‎ (06:26, 3 May 2008) Gcc43‏‎ (06:28, 3 May 2008) PLOrk projects‏‎ (06:30, 6 May 2008) Michael Hammond's JP‏‎ (17:26, 10 May 2008) AndrewSchranFinalProject‏‎ (19:51, 10 May 2008) ChipSnydersFinalProject‏‎ (00:19, 13 May 2008) KevinChouFinalProject‏‎ (07:52, 13 May 2008) StephanieTzengFinalProject‏‎ (10:07, 13 May 2008) BIMP‏‎ (13:42, 13 May 2008) RaymondWeitekampFinalProject‏‎ (14:22, 13 May 2008) LeadGuitarHero.ck‏‎ (15:26, 13 May 2008) AdamFoxFinalProject‏‎ (15:49, 13 May 2008) BenWassermanFinalProject‏‎ (20:48, 13 May 2008) KathleenSunFinalProject‏‎ (11:27, 14 May 2008) HarrisonFryeFinalProject‏‎ (21:28, 14 May 2008) JohnFonteinFinalProject‏‎ (01:20, 16 May 2008) RhythmGuitarHero.ck‏‎ (14:08, 16 May 2008) MichaelHammondFinalProject‏‎ (06:45, 17 May 2008) DavidZaslavskyFinalProject‏‎ (18:00, 17 May 2008) TomLieberFinalProject‏‎ (22:48, 17 May 2008) MaxMamonFinalProject‏‎ (01:22, 19 May 2008) PerryCookFinalProject‏‎ (12:42, 19 May 2008) KyleSuperFinalProject‏‎ (13:46, 19 May 2008) DrumPatterns.ck‏‎ (16:08, 18 June 2008) MiniAudicle/Bugs‏‎ (13:21, 27 June 2008) SL@P style‏‎ (16:30, 2 July 2008) ChucK/Manual‏‎ (04:53, 4 August 2008) ChucK/Dev/Shell/doc‏‎ (09:29, 5 August 2008) Modedular.ck‏‎ (09:30, 5 August 2008) Sandbox‏‎ (13:46, 4 September 2008) ChucK/foo.ck‏‎ (10:54, 5 September 2008) Buses‏‎ (12:15, 9 September 2008) MIDI‏‎ (09:09, 10 September 2008) Papers on economic Agent-Based simulation‏‎ (16:45, 30 September 2008) Keyin simple‏‎ (21:29, 1 October 2008) Keyarray‏‎ (21:30, 1 October 2008) Keyin topitch2‏‎ (21:30, 1 October 2008) Keyin multi‏‎ (21:32, 1 October 2008) Keyin multi2‏‎ (21:33, 1 October 2008) Keyin topitch‏‎ (21:37, 1 October 2008) ChucK/ISMIR2008‏‎ (13:33, 2 October 2008) ChucK/SmirK/Bugs‏‎ (13:18, 3 October 2008) ChucK/SmirK/Code‏‎ (13:21, 3 October 2008) ChucK/SmirK/Request‏‎ (13:25, 3 October 2008) Chuck/SmirK‏‎ (13:28, 3 October 2008) Using MinSim‏‎ (03:35, 8 October 2008) PLOrk fall2008/BasicControllerCode‏‎ (11:00, 9 October 2008) Jascha's project proposal‏‎ (13:40, 15 October 2008) Mike's project proposal‏‎ (13:46, 15 October 2008) Michelle's project proposal‏‎ (22:59, 15 October 2008) Chuck hid code i showed with the pendaphonics joystick pull thingy‏‎ (08:06, 18 October 2008) Springs processing file revised‏‎ (12:05, 20 October 2008) ChucK/Dev‏‎ (08:25, 31 October 2008) PLOrk station‏‎ (01:13, 11 November 2008) LiSa examples‏‎ (13:30, 15 November 2008) Papers on Economic Agent-Based simulation‏‎ (03:17, 1 December 2008) MinSim‏‎ (03:25, 1 December 2008) RebeccaHid1 HidDiscoverer code‏‎ (13:32, 11 December 2008) RebeccaHid2 Sample code to use the HidDiscoverer‏‎ (13:40, 11 December 2008) LiSa munger2.ck‏‎ (23:31, 11 December 2008) Work flow‏‎ (17:01, 31 December 2008) Checkout our codes‏‎ (20:56, 31 December 2008) Chirstophor Lampert's Efficient Sliding Window Codes‏‎ (21:27, 31 December 2008) Python tips‏‎ (21:28, 31 December 2008) Project work flow‏‎ (21:39, 31 December 2008) Linux problems‏‎ (22:16, 1 January 2009) SVM‏‎ (22:10, 2 January 2009) Video Data Processing‏‎ (22:53, 3 January 2009) Matlab tips‏‎ (22:58, 3 January 2009) Linux tips‏‎ (17:10, 4 January 2009) Paper‏‎ (03:05, 5 January 2009) Object3D‏‎ (03:07, 5 January 2009) Video capturing‏‎ (04:08, 5 January 2009) Data Annotation‏‎ (18:42, 5 January 2009) PLOrk inventory‏‎ (21:28, 5 January 2009) Minsim Meeting Agendas and Recaps‏‎ (15:01, 8 January 2009) ChucK/Dev/UGen Tutorial‏‎ (01:28, 13 January 2009) ChucK/Propaganda‏‎ (08:55, 17 January 2009) ChucK/Tutorials‏‎ (08:57, 17 January 2009) PLOrk fall2008‏‎ (10:43, 19 January 2009) PLOrk Software Repository.‏‎ (09:13, 28 January 2009) PrimitiveIterators‏‎ (14:46, 29 January 2009) ChucK/Wekinator/Request‏‎ (14:48, 30 January 2009) ChucK/Wekinator/Bugs‏‎ (14:51, 30 January 2009) The Network Cycler‏‎ (13:03, 31 January 2009) MLReadingGroup‏‎ (08:18, 3 February 2009) Sampler‏‎ (18:15, 7 February 2009) Alishas Puzzle‏‎ (18:44, 23 February 2009) PLOrk2009/RebeccaFiebrinkFinalProject‏‎ (14:17, 27 April 2009) AdrianKwok FinalProcessing‏‎ (23:40, 8 May 2009) Adrian's Chuck Code.ck‏‎ (23:43, 8 May 2009) PLOrk2009/JulianneGrassoFinalProject‏‎ (13:40, 11 May 2009) PLOrk2009/StevenKimFinalProject‏‎ (22:14, 11 May 2009) PLOrk2009/BrittanyHaasFinalProject‏‎ (22:30, 11 May 2009) PLOrk2009/TimKeelerFinalProject‏‎ (23:12, 11 May 2009) DDR EffectsPad.ck‏‎ (11:13, 12 May 2009) Golf Filter.ck‏‎ (11:14, 12 May 2009) PLOrk2009/AlexBourqueFinalProject‏‎ (13:30, 12 May 2009) PLOrk2009/TheodorPopovFinalProject‏‎ (13:35, 12 May 2009) PLOrk2009/KevinLaskeyFinalProject‏‎ (14:08, 12 May 2009) PLOrk2009/AdrianKwokFinalProject‏‎ (14:15, 12 May 2009) PLOrk2009/NiklasPetersFinalProject‏‎ (15:54, 12 May 2009) TETHERPLEX KB.ck‏‎ (14:50, 13 May 2009) TETHERPLEX.ck‏‎ (14:51, 13 May 2009) FOOTIME.ck‏‎ (15:38, 13 May 2009) PLOrk2009/ThomasAbendFinalProject‏‎ (14:12, 17 May 2009) PLOrk2009/RossSilvermanFinalProject‏‎ (14:16, 17 May 2009) PLOrk2009/MarkCerqueiraFinalProject‏‎ (21:32, 17 May 2009) PLOrk2009/JustinAlderisFinalProject‏‎ (23:36, 18 May 2009) PLOrk2009/AndrewGrossFinalProject‏‎ (12:51, 20 May 2009) PLOrk2009/SeanMurphyFinalProject‏‎ (14:44, 22 May 2009) Softball 2009 05 26‏‎ (22:46, 26 May 2009) PLOrk2009/AliceZhangFinalProject‏‎ (15:36, 1 June 2009) Softball 2009 06 08‏‎ (09:43, 9 June 2009) Softball 2009 06 17‏‎ (10:25, 17 June 2009) PLOrk hemis‏‎ (09:25, 30 June 2009) Softball 2009 07 02‏‎ (15:44, 2 July 2009) PLOrk subs‏‎ (07:57, 9 July 2009) Softball 2009 07 15‏‎ (10:54, 15 July 2009) Symmetry Analogies‏‎ (12:58, 25 July 2009) ChucK/Features/Main‏‎ (05:31, 27 July 2009) Retrieved from "http://wiki.cs.princeton.edu/index.php/Special:AncientPages"	cc/2020-05/en_head_0058.json.gz/line263
__label__wiki	0.74461	0.74461	Richard Shiffrin (1942-03-13) March 13, 1942 (age 77) Empirical, theoretical, and computational work in the modeling of human cognition Judith Mahy 1995 Fellow of the National Academy of Science 1996 Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences 1996 Fellow of the American Psychological Society 2002 Rumelhart Prize 2005 Fellow of the American Philosophical Society Search and retrieval processes in long-term memory (1968) Richard C. Atkinson Richard Shiffrin (born March 13, 1942) is professor of cognitive science in the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences at Indiana University, Bloomington. Shiffrin has contributed a number of theories of attention and memory to the field of psychology. He co-authored the Atkinson–Shiffrin model of memory in 1968 with Richard Atkinson,[1] who was his academic adviser at the time. In 1977, he published a theory of attention with Walter Schneider.[2] With Jeroen G.W. Raaijmakers in 1980, Shiffrin published the Search of Associative Memory (SAM) model,[3] which has served as the standard model of recall for cognitive psychologists well into the 2000s.[4] He extended the SAM model with the Retrieving Effectively From Memory (REM) model in 1997 with Mark Steyvers.[5] 1.1 Career Shiffrin proposed a mathematical model of memory with Richard C. Atkinson in 1968 while at Stanford University. This laid out components of short and long term memory and processes that control the operations of memory. The Atkinson-Shiffrin memory model showed the importance and possibility of modeling the control processes of cognition, and remains one of the most highly cited in the entire field of psychology[6] Shiffrin graduated with a Ph.D. in Mathematical Psychology from Stanford in 1968,[7] and joined Indiana University as faculty that same year, where he remains today as a distinguished Professor and Luther Dana Waterman Professor of Psychological and Brain Sciences in the College of Arts and Sciences. Shiffrin also directs the department's Memory and Perception Laboratory. In the 1980s, Shiffrin's formal theory of memory took a great leap forward with the Search of Associative Memory (SAM) model. This model quantified the nature of retrieval from long-term memory and characterized recall as a memory search with cycles of sampling and recovery.[8] In 1984, another quantum step forward occurred, when the theory was extended to recognition memory, in which a decision is based on summed activation of related memory traces.[9] It was a major accomplishment that the same retrieval activations that had been used in the recall model could be carried forward and used to predict a wide range of recognition phenomena. Another major step, In 1990, Shiffrin published two articles on the list-length effect which clearly established that experience leads to the differentiation, rather than the mere strengthening, of the representations of items in memory.[10][11] In 1997 Shiffrin extended the SAM model with the Retrieving Effectively From Memory (REM) model.[12][13] Shiffrin runs an Annual Summer Interdisciplinary Conference ( ASIC ) that features talks and posters in the broad frame of Cognitive Science and related areas. Days are free for activities, and talks/posters fall in late afternoon and evening sessions, followed by dinner. The settings are in scenic and dramatic mountain venues with access to summer adventure and mountain sports such as climbing, hiking, biking, canyoning, white water rafting, and via ferrata. Attendees are welcome to bring family and friends and the conference is open to all interested parties. Invitation is not needed to attend.[14] Awards[edit] Guggenheim Fellow, 1975–76 Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science James McKeen Cattell Sabbatical Fellowship, 1994–95 Elected to the National Academy of Science, 1995 Elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, 1996 Fellow of the American Psychological Society, 1996 Howard Crosby Warren Medal (Society of Experimental Psychologists), 1999 The David E. Rumelhart Prize for Contributions to the Formal Analysis of Human Cognition, 2002 Elected to the American Philosophical Society, 2005 William James Fellow Award (Association for Psychological Science), 2007 Awarded IU President's Medal for Excellence, 2014 Atkinson–Shiffrin memory model ^ Atkinson, R.C. & Shiffrin, R.M. (1968) Human memory: A proposed system and its control processes. In K.W. Spence and J.T. Spence (Eds.), The psychology of learning and motivation, vol. 8. London: Academic Press. ^ Shiffrin, R. M. & Schneider, W. (1977). Controlled and automatic human information processing: II. Perceptual learning, automatic attending, and a general theory. Psychological Review, 84, 127–190. ^ Raaijmakers, J. G. W. & Shiffrin, R. M. (1980). SAM: A theory of probabilistic search of associative memory. In Bower, G. H. (Ed.), The Psychology of Learning and Motivation, Vol. 14, 207–262. New York: Academic Press. ^ APS Observer - Models of Memory: Award Address by Richard M. Shiffrin ^ Shiffrin, R. M. & Steyvers, M. (1997). A model for recognition memory: REM: Retrieving effectively from memory. Psychonomic Bulletin and Review, 4(2), 145–166. ^ Atkinson, R. C., & Shiffrin, R. M. (1968). Human memory: A proposed system and its control processes. In K. W. Spence and J. T. Spence (Eds.), The Psychology of Learning and Motivation: Advances in Research and Theory (Vol. 2, pp. 89-195). New York: Aaademic Press. ^ Shiffrin, Richard Martin (1968). Search and retrieval processes in long-term memory (Ph.D.). Stanford University. OCLC 654761590 – via ProQuest. ^ Raaijmakers, J. G. W., & Shiffrin, R. M. (1980). SAM: A theory of probabilistic search of associative memory. In Bower, G. H. (Ed.), The Psychology of Learning and Motivation, Vol. 14, 207-262. New York: Academic Press. ^ Gillund, G., & Shiffrin, R. M. (1984). A retrieval model for both recognition and recall. Psychological Review, 91, 1-67. ^ Ratcliff, R., Clark, S., & Shiffrin, R. M. (1990). The list-strength effect: I. Data and discussion. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition, 16, 163-178. ^ Shiffrin, R. M., Ratcliff, R., & Clark, S. (1990). The list-strength effect: II. Theoretical mechanisms. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition, 16, 179-195. ^ Shiffrin, R. M., & Steyvers, M. (1997). A model for recognition memory: REM: Retrieving effectively from memory. Psychonomic Bulletin and Review, 4 (2), 145-166. ^ http://www.lrdc.pitt.edu/schunn/cogsci2002/plenary_shiffrin2.html ^ http://www.cogs.indiana.edu/asic/ Shiffrin, R.M,, Murnane, K., Gronlund, S. and Roth, M.P. On Units of Storage and Retrieval. Chizuko Izawa (Ed.), Current Issues in Cognitive Processes, 1988; Erlbaum. Shiffrin's Biography on Association for Psychological Science website Shiffrin's homepage on Indiana University website Shiffrin's personal homepage Echoic Eidetic "The Magical Number Seven, Plus or Minus Two" Active recall Declarative Hyperthymesia Meaningful learning Personal-event Rote learning Selective retention Tip of the tongue anterograde psychogenic transient global Decay theory Forgetting curve Interference theory Memory inhibition Motivated forgetting Repressed memory Retrieval-induced forgetting Selective amnesia Weapon focus Memory errors Confabulation False memory Imagination inflation List of memory biases Memory conformity Mere-exposure effect Misattribution of memory Misinformation effect Source-monitoring error Wernicke–Korsakoff syndrome Art of memory Deese–Roediger–McDermott paradigm Exceptional memory Indirect tests of memory Lost in the mall technique Memory implantation Methods used to study memory The Seven Sins of Memory Effects of exercise on memory Memory and social interactions Memory sport Politics of memory Shas Pollak World Memory Championships Absent-mindedness Context-dependent memory Cryptomnesia Effects of alcohol Emotion and memory Exosomatic memory Free recall Involuntary memory Levels-of-processing effect Memory and trauma Metamemory Intertrial Prospective memory Recovered-memory therapy Retrospective memory Sleep and memory State-dependent memory Transactive memory Robert A. Bjork Stephen J. Ceci Susan Clancy Hermann Ebbinghaus Patricia Goldman-Rakic Jonathan Hancock Judith Lewis Herman HM (patient) Ivan Izquierdo Marcia K. Johnson KC (patient) Geoffrey Loftus James McGaugh Paul R. McHugh Eleanor Maguire George Armitage Miller Brenda Milner Lynn Nadel Dominic O'Brien Ben Pridmore Henry L. Roediger III Steven Rose Cosmos Rossellius Arthur P. Shimamura Andriy Slyusarchuk Larry Squire Anne Treisman Endel Tulving Robert Stickgold Clive Wearing Psychology portal Philosophy portal Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Richard_Shiffrin&oldid=897040924" Memory researchers Cognitive scientists Fellows of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences Fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science Guggenheim Fellows Indiana University faculty Rumelhart Prize laureates Fellows of the Cognitive Science Society This page was last edited on 14 May 2019, at 12:06 (UTC).	cc/2020-05/en_head_0058.json.gz/line264
__label__cc	0.71328	0.28672	Tag Archives: Andrey Zvyagintsev Feb 1, 2015: Movies watched this week Posted on February 8, 2015 by shannifin Here are the movies I watched this past week: The Return (2003) Link: The Return Summary: After their father, who’s been absent for 12 years, returns home, he takes his two sons on a fishing trip. But he does little to form a positive relationship with his children, treating them horribly, leaving one to wonder what exactly is going on with him. Thoughts: A rather bizarre and sad film, with a touch of strange creepiness. Perhaps the father has PTSD? While the film shows him honestly trying to make a connection with his children, he’s far too easy to anger, and punishes too severely. He also seems to be on a mission having nothing to do with fishing that he doesn’t want to tell his children about. The tensions between the characters heat up and eventually lead to tragedy that just leave you bummed out. Depressing film. And there’s something really creepy about the way the camera moves at the very end. Monsieur Lazhar (2011) Link: Monsieur Lazhar Summary: After their teacher commits suicide, a class of young students get a new teacher to help them cope with the tragedy. Drama ensues. Thoughts: While the subject matter is certainly a tragic one, the direct and honest way the film faces the subject works very well. There’s not a lot of explosion of unrealistic melodrama, but the emotions are still palpable. It has the sort of subtle grace American films hardly ever seem to have. I thought it was a great movie. Certainly a sad film, but not depressing like The Return. There’s some hope in this one. The Retrieval (2013) Link: The Retrieval Summary: Bounty hunters are forced to retrieve a wanted man, but the young 13 year old bounty hunter begins to form a friendship with the man he’s leading to his death. Inner turmoil ensues. Thoughts: While the premise isn’t bad (though perhaps nothing new), I think the film had one big flaw that kind of made it boring: the emotional conflict is settled far too early. The main character (the 13 year old) clearly knows it’s wrong to lead the wanted man to his death. So watching him know this and struggle to confess for pretty much the entire film just doesn’t work, and the external conflicts are almost meaningless in the face of this problem. It would have been more interesting if the main character had definitively decided to turn in the wanted man from the beginning, and then correct his moral compass from their instead of having his heart in the right place from the very beginning. Also, parts of the story didn’t make sense. The bounty hunters trick the wanted man into following them by telling him that his brother is dying and wants to see him. You would think this would make them want to hurry their journey along. But they journey too slowly and even have time for a lost-love subplot, making it feel way too forced. Link: John Wick Summary: After his car is stolen and his dead wife’s dog is murdered, a man sets out for revenge. Thoughts: While the action is fun, there’s absolutely nothing at stake for John Wick, so the whole thing is emotionally bland. It’s like Taken except nothing worthwhile is actually taken. Wick is just angry and wants revenge. If he fails, who cares? No stakes. Perfume: The Story of a Murderer (2006) Link: Perfume: The Story of a Murderer Summary: A man who has the world’s best sense of scent sets out to learn the secrets of creating perfume, determined to capture the scent of beautiful women. Thoughts: Very bizarre movie. Pretty disturbing movie. I really didn’t need to see a lot of the images in this film. People are cooked into meat pies in Sweeney Todd, and in this film, women are murdered to be turned into perfume. Yeah, that’s gross. And the climax of the film is just pure ugliness. But… if one can get past the disturbing premises and images, this is actually a very beautifully made film. The slow and patient way the filmmakers try to create the emotions that various scents give the main character is masterful. So I ended up really enjoying this movie, despite its more disturbing aspects. Galavant: Season 1 (2015) Link: Galavant Season 1 Summary: I brave and noble knight sets out to rescue his girlfriend from the evil king who kidnapped her, though he slowly finds himself falling in love with someone else on the journey. On top of that, characters enjoy breaking out into Alan Menken songs now and then! Thoughts: It was very refreshing to see a live-action musical, especially one that featured actual original music and not just covers of already popular songs, and especially one that featured the music of Alan Menken, whom you’re already a fan of if you grew up enjoying Disney’s animated features of the 90’s. (He wrote the music for The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, Pocahontas, Hercules, and more.) That said, the show is almost completely ruined by the childish not-funny potty-humor-filled anything-goes writing. Though I admit some parts were funny, most of the attempted humor was just agonizing. (I did enjoy a number of the songs, though. Overall, the musical numbers are not on par with Menken’s film work, but some songs are quite good.) A fun idea, ruined. And what really stinks is that the season ends with big cliffhangers! But the writing was so bad, there’s a strong possibility there won’t be a season two! And even if there is, it will be torture to sit through another 8 episodes of agonizingly terrible humor just to get closure. Grrr! I hate when TV producers pull these kind of shenanigans. And for what? For a little bit of money. While we, the commoners, must grovel. The Man Who Would Be King (1975) Link: The Man Who Would Be King [Blu-ray Book] Summary: A man pretends to be a god so that he can steal a small foreign isolated community’s treasures. But of course being a god goes to his head, and drama ensues! Thoughts: The pacing was all messed up in this film; the setup was far too slow, the second act too rushed. I found myself really bored for much of it, until the tensions started to rise in the final act. Not bad, but not great. I think it’s snuggled in the “meh” area. Posted in Movies, TV shows \| Tagged Andrey Zvyagintsev, Chad Stahelski, Chris Eska, David Leitch, Galavant, John Huston, John Wick, Monsieur Lazhar, Perfume: The Story of a Murderer, Philippe Falardeau, The Man Who Would Be King, The Retrieval, The Return, Tom Tykwer \| Leave a reply	cc/2020-05/en_head_0058.json.gz/line265
__label__wiki	0.972329	0.972329	judicial activist sherman skolnick dies at chicago sherman skolnick 1930 - 2006 we are very saddened to learn of mr. skolnick's passing. we first learned of him several years ago probably through rense.com and became fans right away. skolnick had a straight forward, machine gun style of writing that we found mesmerizing. how can you not love a guy that coined such phrases as: "oil-soaked, spy-riddled monopoly press" "press whores" & "press fakers?" Sherman Skolnick, activist and political gadfly, dies at 75 By Josh Noel Tribune staff reporter Published May 22, 2006, 7:09 PM CDT Never one to trust an obvious explanation, Sherman Skolnick found hidden motive in many of Chicago's biggest events during the last 40 years-from Harold Washington's death (the mayor was murdered, he said) to the Chicago 7 trial (which he claimed was orchestrated by the CIA to justify increased government repression.) Sometimes proven right, often mocked for being so far out of the mainstream, Mr. Skolnick bristled at being called a conspiracy theorist. Especially when he had successes that included driving two members of the Illinois Supreme Court to resignations in 1969. "There's a stigma to being called a conspiracy theorist," Mr. Skolnick told the Tribune in 1988. "It's a polite way of calling someone a nut. These things I uncover aren't conspiracies. They're simply the way powerful people conduct business." The indefatigable Mr. Skolnick, 75, who chased scoops until the end, died Sunday of a likely heart attack at his South Side home, family said. Paralyzed below the waist by polio since the age of 6, Mr. Skolnick was close to a household name in Chicago in the late 1960s and early 1970s, when he was chairman of the Citizen's Committee to Clean Up the Courts, a public interest group he founded. Largely self-educated with used law books he bought for as cheaply as 50 cents each, Mr. Skolnick's allegations and activities were chronicled routinely by local media. During a second burst of fame, when Mr. Skolnick insisted that Washington had been murdered with an overdose of cocaine in the 1980s, a Tribune profile called him "something of a heroic figure in this town, albeit an eccentric and irritating champion, more odd than dashing." "He wore thick glasses, had buck teeth, dressed forgettably and showed absolutely no respect for authority," the 1988 story says. "Skolnick rode his rusting, squeaky wheelchair as if he were a brave knight on a fine steed, finding and avenging wrongdoing at the highest levels of government, jousting with the mighty on behalf of the weak." When he decided to cut out the middleman-the press-and bring his news straight to the people, Mr. Skolnick began with "Hotline News" in the early 1970s, a recorded news phone message he updated from his South Side home. He later worked in radio and cable television and then started an Internet site (www.skolnicksreport.com), where he opined endlessly. Among his recent posts are "The Overthrow of the American Republic, Part 81" and "Coca-Cola, the CIA, and the Courts, Part 16." "Sometimes, he was a real eccentric, and sometimes I didn't believe a lot of these things he said," said his brother, Seymour Skolnick. "But a lot of it was true. He had just found a calling." Mr. Skolnick was born in Chicago in 1930 to a homemaker mother and father who worked as a tailor, both Jewish European immigrants. The family lived in an apartment on the West Side until moving in 1950 to a South Side home, where Mr. Skolnick lived until his death. The youngest of three brothers, Mr. Skolnick contracted polio in 1936 during a family vacation to Benton Harbor, Mich. He had 16 operations, that, at best, allowed him as a young man to walk 100 feet with crutches. He took inspiration from President Franklin Roosevelt, who also had polio. In response to letters and poems he wrote to the president, First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt would write him back, he said in the Tribune story. Skolnick attended a school for physically disabled people, Spalding School, at Washington Street and Ashland Avenue, but his parents encouraged his independence. "I didn't associate with other disabled people," he once said. "They were usually very shy and quiet." In high school, he developed his taste for investigative work, looking into the past of a wood shop teacher with a quick temper. "He used to bug me," Mr. Skolnick recounted in 1988. "I found out he'd been transferred from another school for throwing a kid down some stairs and was in trouble with the school board. The next time he got mad at me, I told him I knew his secret, and he left me alone." Mr. Skolnick's most spectacular victory came in 1969, when he found that two judges on the state Supreme Court accepted a gift of stock in a Chicago bank from a defendant whose case they were to decide-and for whom they ruled favorably. Skolnick's findings led to a blue-ribbon investigative commission and finally to the resignations from the court of Chief Justice Roy J. Solfisburg Jr. and Justice Ray Klingbiel. The day they resigned, the crush of neighborhood traffic and people was so great, he said, that six police cars were stationed in front of his house. Inside, photographers rolled up his rugs and moved furniture to get photos of him from different perspectives. By the 1980s and 1990s, even as technology allowed him to reach more people, Mr. Skolnick was mostly a public and media afterthought. Of course, he said, that was a conspiracy, too. In 1971, he accused the Tribune of being a tool of military intelligence and the Chicago Sun-Times of being a conduit for the CIA. "I made some statements in 1971 that some members of the press had ties to espionage agencies, and I just became blotted out," he said in 1988. After falling down the stairs at his home about three years ago, he became a recluse, his brother said, never leaving his home again, except to go to the hospital for about a month earlier this years. He hired someone to live with and care for him. "He said, `I've got my computer and telephones, and I'm hooked up around the world and this is what I want to do,' " Mr. Skolnick's brother said. "I said OK. It wasn't my choice, but he lived a good, full life." Graveside services are scheduled for 1 p.m. Wednesday at Waldheim Cemetery in Forest Park. www.cloakanddagger.de sadly reports: For 48 years, a key focus of Sherman Skolnick’s investigative reporting was the rampant judicial corruption in the courts of law in U.S.A., specifically in Chicago and in the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington, D. C. Judges on the take, some of them termed "banksters” or "banker-judges”, drew the attention not only of Skolnick’s seasoned Jewish humor but also of his relentless and feared public exposure mechanisms. The robed mafiosi had him in jail eight times during his long life but could never stick anything of substance on him. Twenty judges and over forty attorneys went behind bars, from 1969 to 1993 alone, through America’s leading judge-buster who has now passed on. Skolnick started in his late twenties using his superb mental powers and writing skills as reflected in his reporting on judicial and political corruption. Since 1958 he was a court reformer. In 1963 he founded the Citizen’s Committee to Clean Up the Courts, a public interest group researching and disclosing certain instances of judicial bribery and political murders. Starting in 1971 his comments were on a recorded phone message that he called Hotline News. Since 1991 he was a regular participant and producer, and since 1995 he was producer/moderator of „BROADSIDES“, a one hour weekly taped public access Cable TV Show on in Chicago Monday evening, 9 p.m., Channel 21 Cable, reaching an audience of 400,000 viewers. Sherman H. Skolnick was elevated to national prominence when a mafia of corrupt Illinois judges swindled his parents out of their lifetime savings. Time Magazine reported on the scandal in August 1969 and depicted Skolnick in his wheelchair on the cover. Law school professor Kenneth A. Manaster reviews this judicial bribery scandal in his 2001 book "Illinois Justice, The Scandal of 1969 and the Rise of John Paul Stevens”, http://www.press.uchicago.edu/cgi-bin/hfs.cgi/00/14280.ctl Since 2003, the learned Sherman H. Skolnick found a home for the last years of his investigative reporting in the Toronto-based internet talk radio and magazine http://www.cloakanddagger.de (http://www.cloakanddagger.ca). He also contributed to http://www.rense.com and his reports appeared on many other sites. The great series of his last years was the ongoing "Overthrow of the American Republic” series. Together with Cloak and Dagger host Lenny Bloom, Sherman Skolnick further penned the "Middle Finger News” series. Some of the hot trails of his last years were the judicial corruption of five judges of the U.S. Supreme Court in Bush v. Gore in December 2000, election frauds, the 9-11 inside attacks, theft of trillions of $$ through the Bush-Clinton crime syndicate, the infiltration of the American government by gangsters and foreign agents (mainly British, Chinese, Israeli, Jesuit), and the overthrow of the Republic. Every one of his words was a considered appeal to avoid the temptation of the Big Lie. Now, the scrutinous eye of Sherman H. Skolnick no longer peers through the magnifying glass. That was his chosen symbol on his web site, www.skolnicksreport.com, like a Sherlock Holmes of American investigative journalism. A paraplegic since childhood, this militating dove passed on peacefully during sleep in his 75th year to a higher perch. He helped his students, readers and listeners to find clarity of perception in a world of confusion and deception. We will keep our deceased friend a loving memory. sherman skolnick memorial at find a grave tags: sherman skolnick skolnicks report cloakanddagger.de	cc/2020-05/en_head_0058.json.gz/line266
__label__cc	0.546795	0.453205	VB Class Bogie vans (steel underframe) The first VB class wagons built as such (as opposed to converted VAs) were turned out by Midland Workshops in 1938. They were originally painted white rather than the more usual Indian red. They had a steel rather than a composite underframe and 5'-6" wheelbase RB type bogies. More wagons to the same design were built after the war in 1946/7. VB3846 in less than pristine condition near the end of its life The fate of this groups is as follows: 3937, 3960, 3963, 3975, 4072, 4144, 4226, 4267, 4298, 4301, 4307, 4330 built Midland 3023, 3043, 3105, 3170, 3194, 3197 built Midland 3647, 3654, 3680, 3712, 3765, 3773, 3782, 3799, 3846, 3859, 3867, 3872, 3874, 3883 built Midland 4226 written off 4226 written back 3773, 3872 written off 3023, 3765, 3799, 3859, 3867, 3883, 3975, 4144, 4330 written off 3043, 3105, 3170, 3197, 3647, 3654, 3680, 3712, 3782, 3846, 3937, 3960, 3963, 4072, 4226, 4267, 4301, 4307 converted to QBC In 1950/1 a final batch of VB class vans was built. This time the new vans had RC type bogies and rather than taking the numbers of written off stock they were numbered in one sequence. None of these new built VBs lasted quite as long as the final composite framed examples but this is perhaps because the underframes were useful for other types. No picture available 13322-13338 built 13323 written off 13324, 13327, 13329, 13331, 13332, 13341, 13342, 13344, 13346, 13347, 13348, 13349 written off 13322, 13326, 13328, 13330, 13334, 13335, 13336, 13337, 13338, 13339, 13340, 13350, 13351 to QBC 13333 to QV	cc/2020-05/en_head_0058.json.gz/line267
__label__wiki	0.748483	0.748483	Tag: Richard of Saint-Vanne Symeon of Trier: a roaming recluse Professor Ora Limor Blog-post author Professor Ora Limor, The Open University of Israel Travel is part and parcel of hagiographic literature. Hermits and monks made journeys to holy places, to graves of martyrs and to holy men before settling down in a monastery or hermit’s cell. From the start, the merit of these travels was debated hotly among monastic thinkers. Many criticized mobility as a monastic practice and wondered about the importance of place as a conduit of sanctity. This debate notwithstanding, for many monks and hermits travel to holy places and to holy men served as kind of preparation for monastic life. Unfortunately, most of the vitae that recount these travels leave rather vague the protagonists’ itineraries and destinations. Adding to the opacity, the hagiographic literature can be careless with respect to time and space. Yet, bearing these difficulties in mind, we can extract much historical information from hagiographical literature, including information on travel before the age of the Crusades. The biography of Simon of Trier is a fine example. Simon was an avid traveler. The distance he covered is quite astonishing for an age in which travel was known to be hard and hazardous. Born in Byzantine Sicily, Simon ended up as a saint in Catholic Trier. His extensive trips, his knowledge of languages, and his acquaintance with different cultures, made him a mediator between East and West. It would seem that Simon’s journeys did not obstruct his long-life ascetic quest; on the contrary: travel and ascetic life were for him two means of religious perfection. Symeon being attacked by demons (Source: Wikiimedia Commons, Simeon_of_trier.JPG) Simon’s Vita was commissioned by Poppo, Archbishop of Trier, in order to promote Simon’s sanctity. It was written down by Eberwin, Abbot of Tholey, who met Simon on his way back from his pilgrimage to Jerusalem. Written shortly after Simon’s death, the work was based on conversations with him and with others who knew him. The Vita was published by Mabillon in 1701 (Acta Sanctorum, Junii 1:89-95). Around thirty manuscripts of the Vita are known today; most of them date to the 11th-13th centuries, attesting Simon’s popularity at the time. As far as I know, a more recent edition does not exist. The first part of the vita, describing Simon’s life until he became a hermit at Trier, was translated into German by Peter Thomsen in the ZDPV 62 (1939). I am not aware of a full translation or a translation to other languages. While the Vita is quite detailed, it does not tell us the dates of Simon’s travels, how long he spent in each place, nor any information about the places themselves. Yet, some of his meetings with known people enable us to reconstruct loosely the course of his life and travels. Church of the Nativity, Bethlehem (Source: Wikimedia Commons, BethlehemInsideCN.jpg) Simon was likely born in late tenth-century Sicily. His father was Greek, his mother Calabrian. At the age of seven Simon’s father brought him to Constantinople, where the child was subsequently educated. Later, he joined western pilgrims on their way to Jerusalem and got to know the holy places so well that he spent seven years guiding pilgrims (per septem annos ductor peregrinorum fuit). Simon then became a disciple of a hermit on the bank of the Jordan, lived for several years as a monk at Bethlehem, and then several years at the monastery of Saint Catherine in Sinai. From the latter, Simon left for a small cave on the bank of the Red Sea, where he lived for a few years as a hermit on bread supplied every Sunday by a monk from the monastery. Seeking respite from the many visitors to the cave, Simon returned to Saint Catherine. Monastery of St Catharine, Sinai (Source: Wikimedia Commons, Katharinenkloster Sinai BW 2.jpg) After living some time in the remote small cloister on top of Mount Sinai and as a hermit in the desert, he was asked by the abbot of St Catherine to go to Normandy to collect the yearly donation promised by Duke Richard II (963-1026), who was a great supporter of the holy places. En route, in Antioch, Simon met the large group of pilgrims led by Abbot Richard of Saint-Vanne, Verdun, on their way back from the Holy Land (1026). He became attached to Richard, whom he adopted as “father”. Traveling with the pilgrims through Rome and Aquitaine, Simon reached Normandy but found that the donation could not be collected, as Duke Richard had died. Simon then traveled to Angouleme, where he met Ademar of Chabbanes (a meeting that probably spurred in Ademar the decision to set out on pilgrimage to the holy places) and to Verdun, where he again encountered Abbot Richard. Porta Nigra, Trier (Source: Wikimedia Commons, Trier Porta Nigra BW 1.jpg) Simon then arrived at Trier, and, at the request of Poppo, Archbishop of Trier, joined him on his pilgrimage to the Holy Land. Returning at last to the East, although without the money he was supposed to collect, we would have expected that Simon would head back to St Catherine, from where he was sent. But Simon opted instead for the West, returning to Trier with the archbishop (1030). There, he asked to be enclosed in a small cell up the Porta Nigra, the old Roman tower gate of the city. Tomb of Symeon of Trier (Source: Wikimedia Commons, Simeon Trier 3.jpg) For five years, Simon lived there as a recluse, praying and fasting, a holy hermit in the noisiest part of the city, utterly detached from the hubbub of life pulsing beneath and around his cell. Renowned in the region for his extreme asceticism, he died in 1035 and was buried in the cell where he was enclosed. Simon was soon sanctified, after miracles took place near his tomb, which became a pilgrimage destination – pilgrimage to a life-long pilgrim. Brouria Bitton-Ashkelony, Encountering the Sacred: The Debate on Christian Pilgrimage in Late Antiquity, Berkeley: University of California Press, 2005. Alfred Haverkamp, “Der heilige Simeon (gest. 1035), Grieche im fatmidischen Orient und im lateinischen Okzident”, Historische Zeitschrift 290 (1), 2010, 1-51 Tuomas Heikkila, Vita S. Symeonis Treverensis: Ein hochmittelalterlicher Heiligenkult im Kontext, Helsinki: Buchhandlung Tiedekirja, 2002 Peter Thomsen. “Der heiliger Symeon von Trier”, ZDPV 62 (1939), pp. 144-161 Author ubapin002Posted on 2017-09-11 2017-09-11 Categories EssayTags Abbot of Tholey, Acta Sanctorum, Ademar of Chabbanes, Angouleme, Antioch, Archbishop of Trier, Constantinople, Eberwin, Mabillon, Mount Sinai, Ora Limor, Peter Thomsen, Poppo, Porta Nigra, Richard II, Richard of Saint-Vanne, Saint Catherine, Sicily, Simon of Trier, Sinai, Symeon of Trier, Trier, VerdunLeave a comment on Symeon of Trier: a roaming recluse	cc/2020-05/en_head_0058.json.gz/line277
__label__wiki	0.793044	0.793044	Ordinary Person (2017) by Kim Bong-han 0 0 Panos Kotzathanasis Sunday, July 2, 2017 Edit this post A look at the corruption of S. Korea through its consequences on the individual S. Korean films that criticize the connection among politicians, the press, and the police seem to have taken over from the crime thrillers and the war films that used to dominate the country's box office. Kim Bong-han, in his second attempt at a feature film, deals with this particular theme, in rather dramatic fashion. "Ordinary Person" will screen at the New York Asian Film Festival, that will be on June 30 to July 16 The story takes place in 1987, where detective Seong-jin lives a sad life, being poor and having a mute wife and a son with a handicapped leg. At that time, he arrests a man for a number of serial killings. Soon though, he realizes that the man is not the actual perpetrator, although not completely innocent. At that point, the National Security Planning chief, Choi Gyu-nam enters the scene, asking Seong-jin to fabricate elements in order to convict the man he has caught. As he introduces him to a circle of high officials, Seong-jin is offered money, that will help him move into a two-storey house, a lifelong dream of his and his wive's, and an operation that will help his son walk again normally. Chu jae-jin, a reporter and one of Seong-jin's best friends, manages to get information on the corruption of Choi and his friends, and Seong-jin is tasked with helping his higher-ups find him and shut him up. His choice on the matter is equally life changing with his previous one. Kim Bong-han directs another film that deals with the corruption in S. Korean authorities; however, his approach centers on the individual, rather than the corruption itself. In that fashion, Seong-jin is placed in the midst of all the events occurring, with him having to face a number of moral dilemmas that force him to choose between his family, his friends, and his integrity. The crashing impact these decision have on him is, actually, the main point of focus of the film. The concept of the movie follows the usual path of starting as funny and relaxed, but becoming more and more dramatic as the story progresses. Kim Bong-han builds this path elaborately, with the editing and the fitting music playing a major role in the general sense each scene emits. However, at some point, he seems to lose his sense of proportion in favor of the drama, both in terms of story and production values, with the film becoming melodramatic after a fashion. This fault (which is quite common in Korean cinema), however, does not have such a big impact in the general sense of entertainment the production emits. Considering the character-based nature of the film, Son Hyun-joo had a very difficult role as Seong-jin, a man who has to contradict himself a number of times in rather torturous (psychologically) fashion, and he delivers impressively, anchoring the film, for its most part. Jang Hyeok is also quite good as the "noble," creaseless villain, who will not stop in front of anything in order to achieve his goal. Kim Sang-ho as Jae-jin suits the aesthetics of the film to perfection, starting as a mischievous reporter with a purpose, but transforming into a very dramatic character as the story progresses, much like the film does. "Ordinary Person" is not a masterpiece and actually is a film that goes with the current flow of S. Korean cinema. However, through its direction, story and acting remains a very entertaining film that all fans of the country's cinema will enjoy. Kim Bong-han NYAFF Ordinary Person Panos Kotzathanasis Reviews S. Korea Asian Film Vault: Ordinary Person (2017) by Kim Bong-han https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-U0M1X8ZYb3w/WU-mbmrwwGI/AAAAAAAAMkw/Tcrn6E_vNJsQAyyBwM7T0eZiYwkM9efGwCLcBGAs/s320/photo824807.jpg https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-U0M1X8ZYb3w/WU-mbmrwwGI/AAAAAAAAMkw/Tcrn6E_vNJsQAyyBwM7T0eZiYwkM9efGwCLcBGAs/s72-c/photo824807.jpg http://www.asianfilmvault.com/2017/07/ordinary-person-2017-by-kim-bong-han.html	cc/2020-05/en_head_0058.json.gz/line279
__label__wiki	0.593025	0.593025	Another Opinion with Paul Hosse' A Non-partisan Political Commentary for Those Who Think for Themselves Sanctuary Cities and Crime: A Lethal Combination "Sanctuary Cities" tend to be a very controversial topic as you may well imagine. After all, it's topic which deals with human lives and our treatment of fellow human beings, the notion of "just" versus "unjust" laws, and economics, which of course, impact everybody in one fashion or another. Many will argue that use of "Sanctuary Cities" is little more than an attempt to usurp Federal authority over immigration laws; laws which some feel are unjust in that it denies individuals the freedom of movement and opportunity to seek self-betterment through economic means. In short, "Sanctuary Cities" revalidate the notion of being an American, such as the pursuit of happiness and individual sovereignty. Opponents , on the other hand, see sanctuary cities and other communities as nothing more than an attempt to circumvent Federal laws by aiding and abetting criminals. As proof, some point to the unspoken policy of the liberal media to downplay the seriousness of the crime and refer to these individuals as "undocumented" or "unauthorized" immigrants rather than as illegal immigrants, and certainly never as criminals even though technically, although that would be their correct designation. The media also attempts to portray these individuals as simply being hardworking individuals holding down regular jobs trapped by an unjust system and hounded by inbred uneducated genetic throwbacks (a characterization that opponents of illegal immigration would strongly object to). In addition, some would argue that the use of "Sanctuary Cities" is little more than an attempt to increase Federal aid money, which is based on population counts, as well as to fill low paying and hard to fill jobs. Just another attempt expand the "Nanny State" on the backs of taxpayers. At present, there are some 300 so-called sanctuary cities and towns in the United States with Louisville Kentucky, a mid-size city on the Ohio River, becoming the latest to join its ranks. Best estimated put the number of illegal immigrants currently living in the U.S. at 11.3 million. The majority of these individuals live in California, Nevada, New York, Florida, New Jersey, and Illinois, while other states, including Louisiana, Alabama, Kansas, Georgia, and South Carolina have seen a significant rise in population. Prior to 2015, the majority of illegal immigrants were from Latin America, with a majority of those being from Mexico. However, an April 2017 Pew Survey indicates that may be changing. Pew's report shows that the number of illegal Mexicans has dropped from a high of 6.4 million in 2009 to 5.6 million as of 2016. So, who is making of the difference? According to the poll, most of the new arrivals are from Asia, Haiti, and Central America. Nevertheless, there hasn't been a significant drop in the overall population of illegal immigration despite the drop of Mexicans crossing the border illegally. This is mainly due to efforts to bringing extended family members into the country to join those already here. As for employment, Pew's poll indicates that illegal immigrants account for 8 million individuals; mostly employed in low paying positions such as hotel/motel housekeeping, the construction industry, childcare and custodial. The poll also notes that, for the first time, the majority of illegals living in the U.S. have been here for at least a decade, which brings us back to "Sanctuary Cities". It should come as no surprise that the population of illegal immigrants entering "Sanctuary Cities" has increased, and continues to do so. Sanctuary cities and towns tend to provide a wide array of services which helps them find jobs, medical care, housing, educational for themselves or children, and perhaps most important of all, ways to evade law enforcement and circumvent government red tape. However, with the influx of illegal immigrants, also comes the criminal element. As with the turn of the 20th Century, immigrants arriving from mostly poor and patricidal countries such as Italy, Poland, and Russia eventually brought with them the criminal gangs from the Old World, which would adapt and reorganized for the same reasons as before----power, money, and prestige. Crime in Sanctuary cities usually go unreported. Most of the crimes are petty act of vandalism, panhandling, drunk and disorderly conduct, harassment, and general low level crimes. In most cases, the police let the individual off with a warning (assuming they can be found and identified), while other are briefly held and released. ICE (short for Immigration and Customs Enforcement), the federal agency charged with arresting and deporting those here illegally, are not notified as per the overarching policy of being a Sanctuary City. Take this case in point. San Francisco has long been a Sanctuary City, and with it a policy of not reporting the arrest or detention of illegal immigrants and of not cooperating with ICE agents. In July of 2015 Kathryn Steinle, a 32 years old, was walking along the city's famous Pier 39, near Fisherman's Wharf with her father, when she was attacked and murdered by Juan Francisco Lopez-Sanchez, an illegal immigrant with a long rap sheet of mostly petty crimes. However, of note, Mr. Lopez had been deported five times previously until finding "sanctuary" from authorities in San Francisco. Just a few months previous, Mr. Lopez was arrested on drug charges. The charges were (inexplicably) dropped, and despite ICE having learned of his arrest and making a formal request to be turned over to them, Mr. Lopez was released just prior to the arrival of ICE agents. The reason? San Francisco's policy of non-cooperation with federal authorities due to their "sanctuary" status. Had they cooperated, Ms. Steinle would likely still be alive. According to the Center for immigration Studies, of the estimated 8,100 illegal aliens arrest for a crime and subsequently released, 1900 were rearrested within a 9 month period on charges totaling 7500 charges according to a 2014 study. The U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Sentencing Commission reported that as of 2014, that illegal immigrants were convicted and sentenced for committing over 13% of all crime in the U.S. The Justice Department reports that for the same period, 19% or 12,000 criminal cases filed by prosecutors were for violent crimes committed by illegal aliens. 22% or 13,300 were for felony drug charges. The U.S. Sentencing Commission found that 75% of all criminal defendants who were convicted and sentenced for federal drug violations were illegal immigrants. Want more? How about this. The FBI reported that from 2005 to 2008 there were 67,642 murders committed in the U.S., and from 2003 until 2009 there were 115,717 murders. The General Accounting Office indicates that 25,064 of these were committed by an illegal immigrant. In California alone, which has a prison population of 130,000, 2400 of the inmates are illegal immigrates who had been convicted of murder. Additionally, for every 100,000 illegal immigrants, 92 are imprisoned for a violent crime. Does that sound like a low number to you? Compare it to this. For every 100,000 legal immigrant and citizen, only 74 are convicted for any crime. In Arizona, this number is 64 per 100,000 compared to 54 citizen and legal immigrant. In New York, the number is three times higher. For every 100,000, 169 illegal immigrants are imprisoned compared to 48 legal immigrant and citizen. The numbers are similar across the board and show that despite comprising just 3.8% of the overall population, illegal immigrants are responsible for the majority of violent and drug related crimes regardless of the "sanctuary" status where the crime was committed. But this isn't the worse it. Not by a long shot. As I stated above, illegal activity by gangs typically follows the migration patterns of their identifying group (ethnic, religious, tribal, etc). During the turn of the 20th Century, and especially during Prohibition, criminal gangs became headline news. Previously relegated to the back page local newspapers, the likes of Al Capone and "The Outfit", "Dutch" Schultz, the Purple Gang, Dion O'Banion and his North Side Gang, "Legs" Diamond. Owney Madden, the Harlem Gang, Murder Incorporated, "Bugsy" Siegel and Frank Costello captivated the public's imagination. The majority of these criminal groups were mostly ethnic, Sicilian/Italian, Jewish, Irish, Black, or German. The gangs today are no different. Some of Russian, Chinese, Japanese, Mexican, Columbian, black, or Bosnian. Today's gangs however, are far more ruthless. While the gangs of the past seem to have a moral compass, at least when it came to "civilians", today's gangs have little regard for human life, and even less of personal property. The top ranked gangs are often far above the capabilities of local law enforcement. In many cases, they nearly exceed government forces in places like Mexico or Latin America. Here in the U.S. it usually takes the training and resources of federal agencies to gain an handle on the situation, which presents a problem for sanctuary towns and cities who, on one hand, thumb their noses are federal laws, and on the other hand hold it wide open for federal money needed to equip or train police officers or pay for the formation of special units and any overtime. Quite the pickle should Washington opt to play the same game as cock-sure mayors or other local officials, not to mention the inevitable backlash from citizens. So, who are these gangs? According to federal law enforcement agencies, the most lethal is MS 13, which has about 10,000 members currently in the U.S.; possibly more. MS 13 was found in Salvadorian community in Los Angeles in the 1980s and operate out 40 cities (and yes, most of those are sanctuary cities). Barrio 18 (aka The 18th Street Gang or M 18) is another highly dangerous gang. According to the FBI, M 18 has "tens of thousands" members operating throughout the U.S. which, as with MS 13, includes sanctuary cities. They are active in prostitution, drug trafficking of all types, murder for hire, kidnapping, and extortion. Barrio Azteca has several thousand member who operate primarily in the South, but also is believed to have operations in Pennsylvania, Texas, Massachusetts, and along the Eastern Seaboard. This gang is affiliated with the powerful Juarez Drug Cartel out of Mexico. They are involved with trafficking cocaine in its various forms as well as murder for hire, especially within the federal prison system and so-called "high profile" killings. The Trinitarios originated in New York City back in the late 1980s. The gang is mostly make up of individuals from the Dominican Republic. In addition to NYC, they gang operates in New Jersey, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and North Carolina. In addition to specializing in murder for hire, the gang is highly involved in oxycodone, crack cocaine, marijuana, and cocaine. Chicago has its small mini-gangs (sometimes referred to "splinter" gangs which broke off larger, more powerful gangs like Gangster Disciples and the Hit Squad in the 1980s). These gangs do it all, from drug trafficking, petty crime, murder, prostitution, extortion; you name it. These gangs, which are made up mostly of juveniles (their average age is 14) are responsible for Chicago's massive murder count. An interesting aside, most of these gangs operate out of Al Capone's old South Side. Two other, more recognizable, gangs are the Crips and Bloods. The Crips were originally formed and operate out Los Angeles. This gang is a little different from the other mentioned. They are involved in bank robberies, armored car heists, store robberies, carjacking, armed assault, burglaries and rapes. Their arch rival, the Bloods, started back in the late 1960s and is one of the oldest gangs listed. The Bloods are involved in pretty every form of crime from drugs to murder and armed robbery. Like many of the other gangs, the Bloods and Crips have chapters scattered across the U.S. It should be pointed out that as much as the Crips and Blood dislike each other, they have something else in common besides their criminal activity. Both gangs are utterly despised by the Hispanic gangs already mentioned. So, this is another plus being a sanctuary city will bring its residents, increased crime and violence, along with turf wars which have no regard life. City governments find themselves constantly trying to play catch-up with the addition costs illegal immigration brings to so-called "sanctuary" cities, just in terms of basic services. The result, thanks to higher taxes, is often local residents moving out as illegal immigrants move in. Local police, no matter how tough they think they are, struggle daily in matching the firepower of these gangs which follow the migration of immigrants, both legal and especially illegal. Meanwhile crime of all sorts increase as the gangs move in. These same gangs have no qualms about shooting cops. We'll cover more of the "bonuses" of being a sanctuary city in later issue. Map Showing How Many 'Sanctuary Cities' Are Sheltering Illegal Immigrants in the US---And Where They Are The Truth About crime, illegal immigrants, and sanctuary cities USDJ: History of Street Gangs in the United States 10 Of The Most Lethal Gangs In America Posted by Paul Hosse at 11/04/2017 09:58:00 PM Labels: Chicago, city budgets, Crime, criminal gangs, drugs, federal government, ICE, illegal immigrants, Louisville Kentucky, Mayor Greg Fischer, Metro Council, Oligarchy, police, Race, sanctuary cities Tweaking Noses and Kicking Shins Since 2005 Ranked Among the Top 25 Centrist blog sites in America! --- Mark Satin's Radical Middle Newsletter Subscribe To Another Opinion! Another Opinion on Twitter Translate Another Opinion Into Your Language! Check Out Our Previous Post! The Killing of Qassem Soleimani: Making the World Safer or Lighting the Fuse for WWIII? I'll cut straight to the chase and right to the point. President Trump ordered the execution of a cold blooded terrorist. 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__label__wiki	0.556803	0.556803	van Persie Believes! "There is ambition. I have spoken to both the boss and [chief executive] Ivan [Gazidis] about it... I trust him and my message to everyone is: be patient, trust the team and the people above."- Robin van Persie, trusting the Club that I no longer canvan Persie stalled on his contract for six months, believing that the Arsenal were unambitious and unable to challenge for trophies. He said there was no issue with the money; he was perfectly happy to resign provided there were indications that the Arsenal were on the way up. He wanted to win trophies, and he didn't want to wait until the kids had grown up.He kept that stance for months on end, until just a couple of days ago when he signed a new contract with the Arsenal. And now, van Persie's a born-again Arsene Knows Best believer, and he's preaching the good news to a crowd of sceptical gooners. And I'm wondering, what made him come around?From my point of view, I can't see much to get excited about. Yes, Song improved quite a bit over the last half of the season. Yes, Arshavin proved to be an inspired buy. And yes, Vermaelen was signed promptly, without the protracted ennui we've grown accustomed to. I agree that the noises coming from the Club are encouraging. But is that reason enough to put on our happy faces and wear our "I ? The Arsenal Board" T-shirts?I say no.We've been down this road before, you and I. And quite simply, I don't trust myself to believe in a Club that's let me down before. Fool me once, shame on you. But fool me several times with gritty away wins and improving youngsters and title challenges that crumble at the first sign of resistance, shame on me. To believe that this Club will change is to open up, to be vulnerable, and we all know what happens when that happens.I'd like a bit of van Persie's optimism, to be honest. There must be something overwhelming to have persuaded him to sign over the best years of his career to the Arsenal. I could use some of that. My own optimism is like a plastic bag - it puffs out when caught in an updraft, but in moments of depressed air, it's just a deflated little husk of a thing.I'm kind of sick of words, and promises, and pretty speeches from our players vowing to try harder. We've heard it all before, and it's hard to take it at face value when you know they've disappointed in the past. Belief doesn't exist in a vacuum, after all - you need something of substance to prop it up.That said, this is something that restores my faith in agents somewhat - Dennis Lachter, holding onto his contract with Arshavin and telling the world that it's legally binding. This, from the man who treats player contracts like a lover's sweet nothings, who has no scruples when it comes to other people's obligations:"He sent me a letter, absolutely. Listen, it's like entering a contract with Arsenal or anybody else; there are obligations. If you think that you can just cancel this formal relationship between two parties only because of a newborn baby it'sâ€¦what can you sayâ€¦well you can't do it. That's it. I'm his agent."He's a funny man, Dennis Lachter. And he's brilliant at what he does. If Arsenal hires him, then I'll start to believe again in our ambitions. Posted by weg 3846 days ago (antipodean-gooner.blogspot.com) Reason for flagging this post: Really lame	cc/2020-05/en_head_0058.json.gz/line282
__label__wiki	0.781752	0.781752	New Music - VIOLOG Great Music - Progressive Metal (Part Two) While everyone is indeed entitled to their opinion, for anyone that questions why this blog (Part Two) is centered around Tool, well, allow me to educate you. After all, what's in a name? Everything, apparantly. Class is in session, so shut the fuck up, put on 'Ænima' and remember where you left your reading glasses because the subject matter of the matter is the flipside of the progressive music coin personified. Magazines like Rolling Stone would have had you known that when Tool were shat out of the womb into the world that they were alternative metal, nothing more, nothing less. Well, how does it feel, knowing that was all a ruse to get you to subscribe to their way of thinking? Tool, for me, show that growth is not just an important factor, but it's going to happen however you decide to perceive it. As people, we grow, we evolve, we learn, we fuck up, we try again and move forward. Taking that philosophy and put it into music and you've already learnt something new. You can call it a formula, I'm gonna call it a fact. From their 1st record (or EP, or whatever) 'Opiate', they certainly swam in the pool of alternative metal/hard rock and added a dash of (I wanna say) enlightenment to the sea of alternative bands that were out by that point. The 90's were a strange period for music in many ways, but in other, they were a true highlight, 'Opiate' started Tool off nicely and granted, it wasn't a progressive record, but the band themselves from then until now.....(pretend it's 2006) have certainly progressed from an alternative metal band into progressive metal skyscrapers. The two live tracks were a nice touch as it gave potential and thus new fans an insight as to what to expect live from a new band. You don't see this as much these days, more simple demos or an EP and if you like it, you might go and see the band live. They already gave you a taste of the live feel, smart bear style. 'Undertow' was the follow-up full length debut album and a solid debut full length record. I found out difficult to care for at various stages, but overall it's a solid alternative metal album. Intolerance, Flood, Prison Sex & Sober are great tracks for their time, even still to this day, but it was Tool's third album, 1996's 'Ænima' that stood out for me when I first heard it all the way through. I can honestly say at one point in time, this was definitely my favourite Tool record. It wasn't definitive of any one style, boasting elements of Metal, Alternative Rock, Prog and a peak through the looking glass into Art Rock (in particular) with tracks like Ænema & Eulogy. The band seemed to truly become a unit (pun intended) in this record. It's not like a typical rock or metal record where the drums are your backbone, the bass is the heart, the guitars are the limbs and the vocals are the driving force at the fore front of the whole scene. No, with Tool, like Dream Theater (In Part One), every instrument is it's own entity and plays their own part so fucking well that you think you've heard this all before, when you haven't. Originators all day long. Of course, 15 tracks is a lot to put into a record, trust me, my debut album was the same length and would have been a lot more if I was left entirely to my own devices, so 'Ænima' does have a few "filler" tracks that you could easily skip through if you felt like it to get to the good stuff. It eventually contributed to why it no longer remained my favourite Tool album after so many listens. Still a good album, some quality tracks on there, Stinkfist was the first video of Tool's I ever saw, but tracks like Pushit, Forty Six & 2 and Ænema are "classics" if I could use that term properly. Ah sod it, classics they shall be known as. I never got into Tool properly in the 90's though. It was when 'Lateralus' arrived in 2001 that I started to check out their previous records along with it and see just what a band that doesn't rely on epic guitar solos in every song really sounded like. Whether you like it, don't like it or are indifferent, 'Lateralus' is a Progressive Metal album and a very fucking good one at that. I guess one (be it you or I) might state that this album had a more focussed style, slightly industrial without compromising the bands sound. I remember vividly when MTV2 would play the Parabola video on loop when it came out. Was a pretty decent video, but the track(s) are very good themselves without the visual to captivate you and fuck with your inner being. Random side note, because the tracks are seperated into Parabol & Parabola, I wanted to have the track(s) like they are in the video, without the skip mid crescendo from part A to part B, I decided to mix both tracks together, making the one song and taking the tracklisting down from 13 to 12 tracks. This has no useful information other than if you wanted the tracks to be fluent, even a fucking monkey could do what I did with them. Aaaaanyway, whatabout Schism? Yeah, love Schism. Every time I'd walk into a guitar shop there'd usually be someone playing that riff while trying to sing "I know the pieces fit" before someone inevitably shouted at them to stop playing a song from "The List". I think you can guess for yourselves what comprised of said list. I don't know about you, but way back when listening to older (70'sish) prog I couldn't help but sometimes find myself becoming somewhat slightly bored by what I was listening to. I guess it would depend on the mood I was in (duh), but that's why Pop and basic Rock are more universally accepted on your TV & Radio, it's good but simple, whereas Prog is more food to digest, a greater process with deeper meaning enveloped, giving it that niche quality that makes it awesome when done well. Bands like Yes & Rush started out as many bands did from obscurity, but bands today have all the music and inspiration elsewhere in the world at their feet and fingertips, Yes & Rush (as examples) didn't have as much influence to garner musically as there wasn't as much music back then, they relied on what they knew, what they thought, art, literature, and out of this they had misses, but then had some great hits, Closer To The Edge & 2112 immediately come to mind. Both bands evolved from prog bands in the 70's and became radio rotated rock throughout the 80's and received not only success and critical aclaim, but gained new fans while losing some old ones in the process. Shit happens, but personally, I like both eras of both those bands as there's a lot of great music on some great albums to be heard at anytime. Meanwhile, back in the 90's & noughties.... Tool certainly fitted the mould of change, the world is not always a colorful and beautiful place, sometimes it's just plain black and white. A term I once heard about Tool's musical style and sound referred to them as "Thinking Man's Metal". Think about that for a second, because in a (slightly) pretentious way, it makes accurate sense. Most music in general requires no thought other than your basic attention. When you're nodding/shaking/banging your head or tapping your foot/hand/stick/stump, you feel the music and it consumes you from there. When you're actually sitting and thinking about what Maynard's singing, you may find yourself thinking about Danny Carey's drum patterns and how they mesh with Justin Chancellor's very distinctive bass playing, before Adam Jones' haunting clean swipes fused with crunching electric riffs put shift into overdrive and start to fuck with your eardrums in forgivable fashion. Like DT, Tool is a great band that is only so by all the members individual greatness. Fasting forward back in time by eight years and '10,000 Days' opened with my favourite Tool song, Vicarious. "THAT FUCKING RIFF THOUGH!". Needless to say, it was worth the long-ass wait, though again a good album, it depends on the day whether I could say definitively that this is their best album. As good as Lateralus is, because it is a great album, there's something about '10,000 Days' that truly cemented them as a great Prog Metal band. I truly believe that Tool are the only band in history that could legitimately get away with playing the same riff over and over again (mixed and mashed) and it will NEVER get old, boring or overplayed. I'm slightly exaggerating, but the proof in my statement could easily lie in Rosetta Stoned, which is more than just the one riff of course, but is one of their best too. While I'm writing this I've now got upto to this album as I'm typing along, taking slight time outs to write a tweet or two and it's fucking hilarious when you think, it's been eight years since this album arrived and now that they've announced tour dates in the US, the album rumour mill is writhe with speculation and unanswerable questions. If you think Tool are gonna give anything away in the form of information, fuck that, that's the beauty and brilliance of the dance. You'll get the record when it's done. It's not done until it's done. They haven't gone wrong before, so the odds that Vegas are offering probably won't be changing anytime soon. I don't think that '10,000 Days' should be taken literally, that's 27 years, it's been eight thus far.....actually, maybe your cynicism is understandable, but guess what, like the dragons in Game Of Thrones, Tool's new album is coming, just hold on damn you, impatient fuckers. You have hours of music to keep you at bay until that needle drops in addition to the many, many Prog & Metal bands out there, some I mentioned already, but others like Mastadon I will mention now. To appease the impetuousness within you, allow Adolf Hitler to summerise for you below (Pt 1 of 3). Click Here for the Metal Evolution documentary series on VH1 Classic - Progressive Metal is the final part in the series. If you've enjoyed this or any of my other blogs, leave a comment below, on social media, share it around & enjoy my music. Great Music - Progressive Metal (Part One) I've been thinking about writing this for a few weeks, but there's no other way to state this than Progressive Music in general is the coolest fucking music around. In the case of Progressive Metal, Dream Theater are considered the archetype, although they clearly had influential assistance along the way. I love many bands, lots of music, both old and new, going back to the 60's with Hendrix, The Who, Deep Purple & such, all the way up til' Dimensionaut by Sound Of Contact (read my review on them, trust me, I'm a doctor). My three favourite bands of all time, while I'm strongly thinking about it, are Rush, Iron Maiden & Dream Theater, all for different reasons but yet all for the same. Starting with they all do their own thing in their own way and they do it very, very well, very well indeed. When it comes to Dream Theater, what I particularly like about the band before the music even starts to play is that there are no egos to cast a cloud over what you're listening to. It is all about the music and the music is what DT are all about. DT have gone through various changes in line-up in their 28 year history, starting out with the line-up of Mike Portnoy, John Myung, John Petrucci, Kevin Moore & Charlie Dominici (who created the band's Majesty symbol, after all, his name is in it. Clever stuff). Their first record 'When Dream And Day Unite' honestly didn't get the credit it deserved. of course, if it had had the Remastered (2002) production values then, surely, it would have been received differently, but for the album as a whole and the tracks within, a good album. Ytse Jam is fucking brilliant. 'Images And Words' is probably my favourite album. I say probably because I am quite partial to their new eponymous album and 'Six Degrees' and even 'Systematic Chaos' (which I'm surrently listening to as of writing this), but yeah, fuck it, Images And Words is their 'classic' album, though they have great albums throughout their catalogue of quality music. Even with line-up changes of Dominici to James LaBrie & Moore to Derek Sherinian, followed by Jordan Rudess and yes, Portnoy for Mangini, I'll address my thoughts on that in a sec, but the music has a clearly defined evolution that cements the band as legends of a legendary genre that itself evolved from Prog Rock. With the current line-up (pictured left) the band did indeed feel like a rebirth, so their latest album being self-titled was indeed quite fitting of that notion, but for those that to this day still bith and moan about Portnoy being gone, believe me, I am a huge Portnoy fan, but seriously, move the fuck on. He has, the band have. Maybe the lanets will re-align one day down the road and the fan boy's will get their wish come true, but for now, be grateful that a) the spirit of the band carried on and b) that Mike Mangini is that fucking good a drummer that he can fill the incredibly gifted shoes of Mike Portnoy. For the time periods that the certain line-ups existed, they certainly fitted the mould and upon looking through their history, it's clearly understandable where certain things needed to change in order for the band to be where it's at today. Arguably, five of the best individually gifted musicians, in the same band. What are the odds. With reference to Mike Portnoy, if you are wondering whether he has disappeared into obscurity, obviously he hasn't, he's been with AX7, Adrenaline Mob and formed a brief band with Billy Sheehan, Tony MacAlpine & Derek Sherinian (PSMS) and their live dvd is awesome. Plus, The Winery Dogs (Portnoy, Sheehan & Kotzen) and finally Transatlantic (with Neal Morse & co, review of theirs to come). So, if you're missing Portnoy then don't threat no more, there's plenty of music for you to listen to. For the 'metalhead' in you, may I recommend a dose of Train Of Thought followed by a dash of Black Clouds, arguable Dream Theater's two heaviest records (though the new one is definitively in the same mix). Train Of Thought is what Metallica's St Anger coulda, shoulda and woulda been if someone held an axe to Kirk Hammett's surf board collection and gave him an ultimatum. Though as much as one can admire Hammett for his metal guitar status, he ain't no John Petrucci........fact! I can hear the "WTF's" through the minds of metal diehards daring my questioning of Metals "greatest guitarist". Bitches, please, he's good but he ain't even Dave Mustaine ffs. Here's the truth, Metallica evolved quickly, Kill 'Em All was a quality debut, Lightning would've been better with MOP's production. MOP was great, just should've had some better songs like on AJFA, which had the worst fucking production of the four albums mentioned. Then, they became a har rock band and became huge, you know the rest, but Hammett didn't evolve as much as Petrucci has and, to this day, you can hear it in the music. Compare Metallica's last full length album (not fucking Lulu, yes, Lou Reed RIP but, no, just no, ok?). Death Magnetic, Metallica's ninth album, released in 2008, match it side by side with DT's Systematic Chaos, their ninth album from a year earlier. Death Magnetic, despite the overall creativeness of the songs, had fucking horrible production. Not as bad as St Anger with a bucket lid for a snare drum, but the tracks, they distort through the speakers. There's no sound engineer on the album notes and I can't blame them for not wanting to be affiliated with it neither, because for a band of Metallica's stature, it's fucking terrible. The songs on the other hand....well, they're just as bad, especially when you compare it to Systematic Chaos, an album who's main singlewasn't reliant on ripping off their own song from seven albums before. Where's the creativeness? Dream Theater themselves have always claimed to be a mix of Yes with Metallica's sound. I can see why, but I'd swap Yes for Rush and then you're abit closer to the mark. The irony of DT "taking" a Metallica approach and ultimately bettering it without compromising the quality of their song writing and over produced sound is simply quite cool. I'm just greatful as a fan that they've done so in such a fashion that has meant that, unlike many Metallica fans, I don't need to sit around twiddling my thumb(s) waiting for Lars to do the press rounds and for my sense of impending excitement to catastrophically come crashing down like a fucking moonsault from the top of a ladder, minus a crowd of 15,000 people shouting "Holy Shit!" in unison. I've just had a flick through my musi collection and remembered a German Prog Metal band I came across back in the glory days of Myspace (oh, what fond memories one has of that now baron wasteland of spam and tears of Justin Timberlake) called Dreamscape (no, it's not that similar....ok it is). Despite the (similar) name, I can't deny, they do indeed bare a similar resemblance in sound....and style....and in general. But you know what, they actually do their own thing in the shadow of DT. I will post links and videos below of both the Theater & the Scape so that you may compare for yourselves, but take my word, Dreamscape are a decent band. I haven't much of them in the last few years, but there's always hope. In terms of progressive music, whe it comes to DT, there's always something to be said. The consistency of their songwriting is quite unique, especially when factoring in their musicianship. I mean, fuck, check out the Liquid Tension Experiment video I've posted below for proof of that. Prog has some brilliant bands to look back on, Yes, Genesis, King Crimson, Rush just to name a few, two of those I'm a huge fan of, though funnily enough, for me, Yes-West was more to my liking than some of their prog stuff. I said some, not all, prog has changed dramatically over the years, but different bands did it differently. Rush, in my humble opinion, are the greatest Prog Rock band, ever, period. The journey from 2112 to Hemispheres solidifies that, then going into Permanent Waves and into Moving Pictures. They evolved from a great Prog band into a great Rock band while maintaining their core balance and evolving. If they regressed back to 2112, it would've been a yawnfest. Subdivisions et al needed to happen, though with the seven albums Rush released in the 80's, with permanent Waves being the very 1st album released i the 80's (Fact) all the way up to 'Presto' (love that album), they were the backbone of the 80's sound and came out of it a better band just as bands like Dream Theater were getting ready to grab the passing torch and hold onto it tight. Click Here for the Metal Evolution documentary series on VH1 Classic - Progressive Metal is the final part in the series. For anyone wondering why this blog is only part one. Think about it, I haven't addressed that other prog band yet........Tool! Great Music - Thrash Metal For any true metalheads reading this, hear me out on what I'm about to say. Slayer's 'Seasons In The Abyss' is the best thrash metal album, ever. Reasons? Okay, let's be serious for a sec, when it comes to Thrash, metal fans usually go to the big four every time without considering other thrash bands such as Testament, Exodus or even Pantera (yes, Pantera are thrash too. Fucking Hostile anyone?). Fact is, while the "lesser" 4 can be debated upon like a 'That Metal Show' Top 4/5 Board and while I'm a fan of Testament & Pantera respectively, personally, I don't really care for Anthrax, so that leaves us with 3. Megadeth have arguably two contenders on the table in Peace Sells & Rust In Peace, both with great tracks, but even Mustaine himself said that Countdown is the best Megadeth album. And who am I to not take that opinion into consideration? A great thrash band, but Megadeth are a great all round metal band. And then there were two. There has been a debate between Metallica's Master of Puppets and Slayer's Reign In Blood for best Thrash album for many years. Both, of course, great albums, but you can remove Reign In Blood, because it doesn't have a full album of great tracks in my opinion. When I think of Reign In Blood, I think of 'Angel Of Death' and 'Raining Blood'. When I think of Puppets, yes, Puppets is Metallica's best song, but the album just lacks the balls that Slayer would eventually place on the table in the form of Seasons In The Abyss. The album from the very first riff to the climactic, genius ending that is the self-titled track deserves more recognition (in this categorial conversation) than it's received. Everything just sounds, fucking, heavy, but not so heavy that you're left feeling the urge to balance out your brain with something like.....Ratt..... No, Seasons is truly the pinnacle of Slayer's recording career. I have always said that Jeff Hanneman (may he rest in peace) was the greatest thrash metal guitarist to ever grace the thrash genre. Ok, Kerry King is good, but Hanneman was better. You only needed to see them two live together to truly understand where I'm coming from. Now, in terms of best thrash song? It really is down to Puppets vs Seasons, respectively, as those tracks are both fantastic. Puppets came first, yes, but in my opinion....I honestly think Seasons may just take the crown on this one, just slightly though. Depending on the day. That's what I think, what do you think? Leave a comment below, share on facebook & check out the rest of this site. : ) New EP - PRISM - Free To Download Now In the 2 years I decided to take to writing, recording & producing my debut album MindsEye, I had recorded so much material that I could have released a double album for a debut album. In the end, I decided against the idea and scaled it back to a 44 minute record, but I still had all this music to share and to be heard. With that said, I decided to place the remaining album tracks on their own ep's, the first of them being PRISM, which is part of a new (yet to be titled) series of ep's that I'll be releasing this year one-by-one through my label Room 106 Productions, all of which you will find online, mainly, from my homepage. The brief description of the PRISM E.P is thus, there are 6 tracks in total, the 1st track is the SUITE track, technically the 'single', which is then followed by all 5 parts of the Suite in their individual forms from Parts 1 to 5. The reason for the SUITE is because the tracks follow similar melodic patterns, but are not the same track each time, they are ever evolving pieces to their puzzle, alternating tempos and variations on their own structure, built around a basic pattern that takes you on a journey through sight & sound. The first three parts of the Suite have their own videos on YouTube, with parts one and two being computer graphic videos, while the third (3D) is a live recorded performance of the main guitar solo as the main track is playing. Parts four and five however do not have their own videos and, at this time, may not, but who knows, maybe soon. For now, here is the video commercial for the PRISM E.P and you can click the link here for the music section to download it now for free! (CLICK ME) About the PRISMSUITE; The entire is built around one melodic pattern, starting with PR1SM from 2009. Now being in 2014, I concluded the Suite with part five, PRISM 5IGHT, as the final evolution of the Suite from it's core beginning. Each part follows the same melodic structure, but varies chronologically as the Suite progresses, with certain additions to each part to give them their own unique flavour, be it a sample or the choice in guitar sound used, not one part is the same all the way through. In terms of 'concept', ever since the 'Supernova' EP from 2011 I've taken to writing more cosmic styled music, as astronomy is a passion of mine and has so much to offer in terms of inspirational content, from simple stargazing to the complexity of our universal existence. PRISM is more a focus on the sights of space, the stars and the colours that give us expression. Enough of me talking about it, head over to the music section and listen/download it for free. Hope you all enjoy it. VIOBLOG This is where I'll blog about the things I like and don't like from music to wrestling & thensome for everyone to read and enjoy. Benjamin Teacher Makemusicmatter #MakeMusicMatter Mindseye The Hunger Games Catching Fire	cc/2020-05/en_head_0058.json.gz/line285
__label__wiki	0.861478	0.861478	\| Данные для доступа партнера \| Передайте информацию \| Home Разумная политика Changing urban mobility patterns at low cost Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) - a modern transit system with the flexibility of buses, and the speed, comfort and reliability of rail - enjoys growing popularity of around the world. BRT provides faster, greener, safer and more efficient service than an ordinary bus. "These systems operate like a surface subway, say BRT advocates, but cost far less than building an actual metro." With its dedicated lanes, accommodating service areas, technologically advanced stations and GPS tracking systems, BRT offers a comprehensive mass transit service at a fraction of typical costs. In fact, for the amount of capital it takes to build a single rail line, localities can build multiple BRT lines. The Institute for Transportation and Development Policy (ITDP) executive director, Walter Hook, confirms BRT’s potential in cities where funding is scarce. “BRT will be an important option for transit systems in the future, especially in cities where transit demand is high and budgets are tight,” Hook says. Due to its flexible service and low capital investments, BRT has found success around the world. In addition to the global enthusiasm for BRT is growing popularity in the U.S. There are currently five cities in the U.S., including Los Angeles and Cleveland, which use BRT as a part of their public transit system and eight to ten new BRT systems under consideration. Read article in The Wall Street Journal Brazil prepares for the World Cup 2014 with BRT System The world’s most successful BRT, the “RIT” in Curitiba, Brazil, serves over 2 million passengers a day, transforming the city’s traffic. With an additional 2.98 million visitors expected to flock to Brazil for the 2014 World Cup, urban planners are grasping a golden opportunity to upgrade sustainable transport systems in the 12 host cities. In this nation of buses, that means special attention to state-of-the-art BRT systems, which provide fast, efficient, and affordable service. Federal, state and local governments in Brazil have already committed nearly $6.5 billion in urban transit investments for the purpose, a figure that is expected to increase with private investments. BRT systems provide optimised services with articulated or double-articulated buses that can carry around 15,000 passengers per hour, per lane, per direction. Brazil is planning nearly 300 miles of BRT corridors for the 12 World Cup cities. In Rio de Janeiro, a major World Cup venue, there will be at least 75 miles of BRT corridors and about 185 miles of improvements in bus routes, such as bus lanes, better signaling, better user information, rationalisation of bus lines and so on. These BRT projects are also a sustainable move, it will remain after the World Cup and after the Olympic Games in 2016. Similarly, the systems in Bogota and Teheran respectively serve 1.7 million and 1.4 million passengers daily by drawing commuters away from private vehicles and on to mass transit. Overall, last year saw the completion of 16 new BRT services, and now 49 new systems are also on the way. Read more on TheCityFix BRT in China satisfies 70% of Xiamen passengers and wins Sustainable Transport Award in Guangzhou An online survey conducted by Xiamen Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) in May 2011, shows nearly 70% of citizens in Xiamen, China, rated the BRT service as “excellent” and “good”. The survey which involved 3,000 people mainly focuses on four areas: station staff services, hardware facilities; amenities and rush hour congestion. The survey results showed that rapidity, punctuality and affordability are the main advantages of BRT transportation. Among the facilities provided by the BRT, E-card charge stations scored the highest, followed by BRT ticket machines. In relation to the rush hour congestion, measures such as the capacity to add departure frequency and vehicle are highly praised. In the meantime, the city of Guangzhou, China, won the 2011 Sustainable Transport Award for its new world-class Bus Rapid Transit system that integrates with bike lanes, bike share and metro stations into a collective transport system. This award, presented by the Institute for Transportation Development Policy (ITDP) on 24 January 2011, goes to a city that made the most progress over the year to increase mobility, while reducing transportation greenhouse and CO2 emissions, and improving road safety. ”Today the Guangzhou BRT services over 800,000 riders daily and was built for about one-tenth the cost of the metro, with an average of one bus passing every 10 seconds in peak hours, it carries more passengers in a single direction than just about every metro lines in all of China, and more than triple any other BRT system in Asia. The system has resulted in 30 percent higher bus speeds, and reduced congestion along the corridor at the same time as vehicle volumes have increased, primarily due to the solving of severe problems of congestion at bus stops, and intersection signal improvements.” explained ITDP director of marketing and communications, Dani Simons The Guangzhou BRT was able to eliminate 50,000 tons of carbon dioxide in its first year, mostly due in part to residents choosing BRT over private vehicles, in addition to help cut congestion and improve traffic flow. ITDP Senior Program Director, Jessica Morris, explains that Guangzhou surpassed expectations: the BRT system, which opened in February 2010, carries 800,000 people per day, making it one of the largest in the world. Its interconnectivity with rail and bikes significantly helps make the city more livable. Other award nominees have also made significant progress in creating an efficient and sustainable transport system, such as: Lima, Peru: its BRT is the first step towards creating an integrated citywide sustainable transport system Nantes, France: the integration of its bus light rapid transit with its tramway network presents a model of efficient coordination Tehran, Iran: the introduction of congestion charging complements the city’s expansion of its BRT and metro systems Read article on National Geographic Argentina made the Smart Move with its first Bus Rapid Transit Argentina’s first Bus Rapid Transit system was inaugurated by Mauricio Macri, the mayor of Buenos Aires, on 2nd June, marking its first day of operation. Government officials and the public speak of the tremendous impact this transit system will have in improving people’s lives. The new BRT system, called “Metrobús” has 21 stations and physically separated lanes that run in the middle of the street. As an extra safety measure, the Metrobús has elevated station platforms and features countdown clocks that notify riders of the next arriving bus on each platform to keep riders informed. The BRT will connect to two commuter rail stations on opposite sides of the city, forming a trip that takes 40% less time than before, ITDP reports. With the addition of the BRT to the city’s transport network, city officials expect the line to grow to an anticipated 100,000 daily riders, a 15 percent increase in ridership. City officials also expect the system to reduce fuel use by buses in the city by 30 percent, and therefore cut carbon emissions and improve air quality. “The implementation of Metrobus in Buenos Aires, the first BRT corridor in Argentina, represents significant progress in the development of urban transportation, allowing for an increased quality of life of more than 100,000 people,” said Macri. “Our main goal, as those responsible for urban planning, is to restore the quality of public transportation, for which the support of the W.J. Clinton Foundation and ITDP has been crucial in the process of development and implementation of a world-class BRT system. In the coming years, based on the success of this first phase, we plan to continue the expansion of the BRT network in the City of Buenos Aires.” “Road transportation accounts for 90% of all transportation emissions in Latin America, half of which are produced by passenger traffic,” said Stephen Crolius, director of the Transportation Program at the Clinton Climate Initiative. “Bus rapid transit systems play an important role in addressing those emissions as they create dedicated bus lanes across cities, providing millions of people with a more cost and time efficient solution to using cars—resulting in fewer emissions and improved air quality.” The system was built in just seven months, “showing the huge savings that BRT provides in construction time, cost and logistics when compared to a fixed rail system,” ITDP explains. The BRT comes as only one component of Buenos Aires’s efforts in creating a comprehensive transit network to its residents and visitors. “In a remarkably short amount of time the City has helped improve conditions for walking downtown, dramatically increased the availability of high quality bike lanes, and provided a public bicycle system,” said Andrés Fingeret, director of ITDP’s Argentina office. “And now Metrobús will add another high quality transportation option that will get residents where they need to go, quickly, with less pollution and without getting stuck in traffic.” Распечатка страницы Алфавитный индекс Карта сайта Поиск	cc/2020-05/en_head_0058.json.gz/line292
__label__cc	0.546939	0.453061	AHGP Canada New Brunswick, one of the four original provinces of Canada, entered the Canadian Confederation on July 1, 1867. The Charlottetown Conference of 1864, which ultimately led to the confederation movement, originally had been intended to discuss only a Maritime Union, but concerns over the American Civil War as well as Fenian activity along the border led to an interest in expanding the scope of the proposed union. This interest in an expanded union arose from the Province of Canada (formerly Upper and Lower Canada, later Ontario and Quebec), and a request was made by the Canadian political leaders to the organizers of the Maritime conference to have the meeting agenda altered. Although the Maritime leaders were swayed by the arguments of the Canadians, many ordinary residents of the Maritimes wanted no part of this larger confederation for fear that their interests and concerns would be ignored in a wider national union. Many politicians who supported confederation, such as Sir Samuel Leonard Tilley (New Brunswick's best-known Father of Confederation), found themselves without a seat after the next election; nevertheless, backers of the wider confederation eventually prevailed. Following confederation, the fears of the anti-confederates were proven correct as new national policies and trade barriers were soon adopted by the central government, thus disrupting the historic trading relationship between the Maritime Provinces and New England. The situation in New Brunswick was exacerbated by both the Great Fire of 1877 in Saint John and the decline of the wooden shipbuilding industry; skilled workers were thus forced to move to other parts of Canada or to the United States to seek employment. As the 20th century dawned, however, the province's economy again began to expand. Manufacturing gained strength with the construction of textile mills; and in the crucial forestry sector, the sawmills that had dotted inland sections of the province gave way to larger pulp and paper mills. The railway industry, meanwhile, provided for growth and prosperity in the Moncton region. Nevertheless, unemployment remained high throughout the province, and the Great Depression brought another setback. Two influential families, the Irvings and the McCains, emerged from the Depression to begin to modernise and vertically integrate the provincial economy—especially in the vital forestry, food processing, and energy sectors. The Acadians in northern New Brunswick had long been geographically and linguistically isolated from the more numerous English speakers, who lived in the south of the province. Government services were often not available in French, and the infrastructure in predominantly Francophone areas was noticeably less developed than in the rest of the province; this changed with the election of Premier Louis Robichaud in 1960. He embarked on the ambitious Equal Opportunity Plan, in which education, rural road maintenance, and health care fell under the sole jurisdiction of a provincial government that insisted on equal coverage throughout the province. County councils were abolished, and the rural areas came under direct provincial jurisdiction. The 1969 Official Languages Act made French an official language. Bathurst Campbellton Dieppe Edmundston Fredericton Miramichi Moncton Saint John New Brunswick Tourism New Brunswick Genealogical Society Indian Tribes The Great Fire of 1877 Birth, Marriage, Deaths Kings County Record Newspaper : Death Index, 1897-1936 Census - 1901 Passenger Lists Irish Portal The Old Burial Ground - St. John The Old Burial Ground - Fredericton Daniel F Johnson's New Brunswick Newspaper Vital Statistics ©Copyright 2005 - Present	cc/2020-05/en_head_0058.json.gz/line295
__label__wiki	0.766641	0.766641	Carrie-Ann Matheson, vocal coach Canadian pianist Carrie-Ann Matheson is an assistant conductor at the Metropolitan Opera and is a member of the MET’s select full time regular music staff, where she works as pianist, prompter and vocal coach. She has assisted such renowned conductors as James Levine, Fabio Luisi, Daniel Barenboim, Daniele Gatti, Yannick Nézet-Séguin, Gianandrea Noseda, James Conlon, Marco Armiliato, and Louis Langrée, among many others. Particularly interested in the development of emerging artists, she was Staff Coach of the Metropolitan Opera’s prestigious Lindemann Young Artist Development Program;; a position that was created for her upon the completion of two years as apprentice coach/pianist. An active performer, Ms. Matheson has collaborated in recital with some of the world’s most prominent artists, including Jonas Kaufmann, Piotr Beczala, Joyce di Donato, Susan Graham, Thomas Hampson, Luca Pisaroni, Eric Owens, Toby Spence, Barbara Bonney, Ruth Ann Swenson and Marilyn Horne. A long-standing Marilyn Horne Foundation artist, she has appeared numerous times at Carnegie Hall under their auspices. Her chamber music credits include performances with members of the New York Philharmonic, the Cleveland Orchestra, the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra and the Montreal Symphony Orchestra. She has served on the coaching staff of the Los Angeles Opera, the Cincinnati May Festival and on the faculty of the Aspen Music Festival. Through her association with the International Vocal Arts Institute, she coached and performed in programs held in Israel, Italy, France, Japan, Canada and Puerto Rico. She is a sought after clinician, giving master classes at universities and colleges across Canada and the United States, and has had a long association with the Music Academy of the West, as an alumna and a faculty member. Ms. Matheson is a featured pianist and vocal coach in the Metropolitan Opera’s film “The Audition”, which documents the 2007 Metropolitan Opera National Council Competition, and makes a cameo appearance, as herself, in the MET’s HD release of Bellini’s "La Sonnambula”. In 2011, she was the inaugural recipient of the “Inspiring Young Alumna” award from the University of Prince Edward Island, and received the 2012 Alumni Achievement Award from the Cleveland Institute of Music. The 2013-2014 season finds Ms. Matheson involved in Metropolitan Opera productions of Così Fan Tutte, Tosca, Falstaff, Der Rosenkavalier, L’Elisir d’Amore, Werther, La Sonnambula and La Cenerentola. In summer of 2014, she will be involved in projects at the Lyric Opera of Chicago Ryan Opera Center, The Saito Kinen Festival in Matsumoto, Japan, and in September 2014, will join the conducting and coaching staff of Opernhaus Zürich. Nathan Brock Resident Conductor of Orchestre Symphonique de Montreal Originally from Toronto, he began conducting in 2003 at the renowned Pierre Monteux School for Conductors in Maine. He also studied with David Zinman for two summers at the American Academy of Conducting at Aspen. Further masterclasses were undertaken with Finnish Maestro Jorma Panula in Vaasa, Gennady Rozhdestvensky in Moscow, Bernard Haitink in Lucerne and Michael Tilson Thomas in Miami. Brock completed his studies at the Hochschule der Künste in Zürich, Switzerland, where, prior to finishing, he also taught conducting. He has an Advanced Certificate in cello Performance from the University of Toronto and an honours degree in History/International Relations and French. In 2007 he created the Aaron Brock Foundation in memory of his brother, accomplished classical guitarist Aaron Brock. The foundation supports a number of educational initiatives and performances in Toronto. Soprano, Cynthia Lawrence Cynthia Lawrence has sung on five continents and is hailed as one of America’s most exciting singing actresses. She is a regular guest of leading opera companies around the world, including the Metropolitan Opera; The Royal Albert Hall, London; the Lyric Opera of Chicago; Deutsche Staatsoper, Berlin; New Israeli Opera; Opera Pacific; Opera Colorado; Deutsche Staatsoper; Royal Opera House, Covent Garden; Paris Opera, Prague’s National Theater; Grand Theatre de Geneva; Vlaamse Opera, Belgium; Castleward Opera, Belfast, Ireland; Opera Columbus; Dayton Opera; Minnesota Opera; Opera Ontario; Athens Festival, Theater Megaron; New York City Opera; Lake George Opera Festival; Opera Omaha; Central City Opera; Colorado Opera Festival; and Opera Memphis. Recently Cynthia performed Mimi in La Boheme with the National Symphony of Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic as part of their 40th Anniversary celebration. Last fall she sang one of her favorite roles as Madame Butterfly in Anthony Minghella’s production, to a sold out crowd at the Guangzhou Opera House in China. In previous years Ms. Lawrence appeared as Santuzza in Cavalleria Rusticana with the National Symphony of Santo Domingo under the baton of Maestro Antonio Molina as well as singing Tosca at Opera North Carolina and with Milwaukee’s Florentine Opera. She has appeared yearly in the Alltech Celebration of Song, and was a featured soloist in the World Equestrian Games which was held in Lexington, Kentucky and broadcast worldwide. Her Lady Macbeth at Palacio Das Artes, in Belo Horizonte, Brazil and was a smash sell-out and she was a featured performer in the 75th Anniversary Gala of Florentine Opera in Milwaukee. In the fall of 2008 she was honored to be a selected soloist and speaker in the just released DVD “A Tribute to Pavarotti: One Amazing Weekend in Petra”. The previous December Cynthia sang the Gala Concert with Opera Fort Collins and was also in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia where she sang four concerts at the “Journey Through Time” festival and exhibition and starred in a gala concert in Lima, Peru. During the past several seasons, she sang Madame Butterfly with the Lithuanian Nation Opera in Spain and Opera Carolina, Maddelena with Ben Heppner as Andrea Chenier with CulturArte de Puerto Rico, Lady Macbeth, with the Metropolitan Opera and the Florentine Opera. The year before she sang Tosca with The Royal Albert Hall, London as well as with The Vancouver Opera. In previous seasons at the Metropolitan Opera she sang as Madame Butterfly and Tosca. She also sang Elettra in Idomeneo at The Washington Opera, Cio-Cio-San for Connecticut Opera and Tosca for the Opera Theatre of St. Louis. She also appeared at the Lyric Opera of Chicago as Candace in A Wedding, and Opera Carolina, Atlanta Opera and Portland Opera as Tosca. She has appeared over 70 times in concert with Luciano Pavarotti; touring cities and countries such as Doha, Qatar; Italy; Chile; Venezuela, Argentina; Germany; Norway; Japan; China; Malaysia; England; Canada; SouthAfrica, and throughout the United States. Megan Marino, Mezzo-Soprano Hailed by the Washington Times for her “considerable range and confidence, navigating lower notes with impressive clarity yet also managing considerable leaps into the higher range as well, exhibiting a warm, plummy tone throughout,” Megan Marino makes her Metropolitan Opera debut as a Voice of an Unborn Child in Die Frau ohne Schatten in the 2013-14 season. She also joins the company for its productions of Rusalka, Werther, and Rigoletto. Upcoming engagement include Handel’s Messiah with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, and Angelina in La Cenerentola with Green Mountain Opera. In coming seasons, she will also be joining the roster or the Lyric Opera of Chicago. Last season, she sang Angelina for Palm Beach Opera in special family performances of La Cenerentola. While a young artist with the company, she also sang roles in mainstage performances including Ein Page der Herodias in Salome, Mrs. Grose in The Turn of Screw, and Shifrah Puah in the workshop of Ben Moore’s Enemies: A Love Story. Other credits include Mercédès in Carmen with Opera Coeur d'Alene and Bach’s St. John Passion with American University of Beirut, Lebanon where she also joined tenor Lawrence Brownlee and conductor Antony Walker for a concert program of bel canto arias and duets. Ms. Marino was also a member of Santa Fe Opera's prestigious Resident Artist Program whereshe sang excerpts of Isabella in L’italiana in Algeri and joined the company for its production of Le nozze di Figaro. Daniel Helfgot, director Daniel Helfgot's credits include well over 200 productions of a repertoire of over 100 operas, operettas and zarzuelas from the Baroque to the contemporary. His international credits include productions for the National Opera of Albania, the famed Teatro Colón as well as the Teatro Argentino in Argentina, National Opera of Costa Rica, Aaland in Finland, Dortmund in Germany, Opera Nacional de Bellas Artes in Mexico, with extended work in Austria, Canada, Sweden, Israel, France, and Italy. In the US he has directed productions for companies from Guam to Maine and from Montana to Florida including such opera companies as Baltimore, Festival Opera (California, Pennsylvania, and Utah), Chattanooga, Eugene, Virginia Opera, Knoxville, Memphis, Shreveport, Orlando, Sacramento, Spring Opera and Western Opera Theater of San Francisco, and Utah Opera, among many others. At age 23, Helfgot joined the resident staff at the Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires, Argentina where he went on to direct several major productions. He also held artistic and production positions for the Opera, Ballet and Symphony seasons at the Teatro Argentino in La Plata where he also directed a wide repertoire from Mozart to Puccini. He was also Producer and Director for the Pennsylvania Opera Theater in Pittsburgh, PA., and as Resident Director and Director of Production for Opera San José, he established all its technical departments, participated in the renovation of its performance venues and created 60 productions in an 18 years tenure. His work also includes writing, performing, and staging dance, and cabaret shows. Helfgot directed broadcasts of his own operatic productions for television in Argentina and an award winning production for PBS in the US and he also produced several opera series for Argentine radio networks. He is also the author of the libretto for the opera The Tale of the Nutcracker, based on a tale by E.T.A. Hoffmann, with music by Craig Bohmler, which premiered in 1999. He has received an Opera Director of the Year award from the Classical Singer Magazine, an Artist Laureate award from Arts Council Silicon Valley and has been honored with the Koret Israel Prize. Mr. Helfgot is the author of The Third Line: The Opera Performer as Interpreter followed by a revised edition titled The Third Line: The Singer as Interpreter, with a third edition in production, a book widely used by individuals, universities and conservatories. His teaching record includes a guest professorship at the Musikhochschule of the Vienna University, Austria and the leadership of the Vocal and Vocal Accompanying Programs at the Music Academy of the West in Santa Barbara, California. He is constantly in demand throughout US campuses, besides international appearances at the National Academy of the Arts in Taipei, Taiwan; the Instituto Superior de Arte, Teatro Colón, Argentina; the Academy of Music in Åland, Finland, etc. He has just celebrated the 200th birthdays of Verdi and Wagner with three consecutive productions of Otello, a revival of Rigoletto, and a new production of Tannhäuser. Upcoming projects include a production of Halevy’s La Juive for a Hungary-Israel co-venture and Barber’s Vanessa for the Utah Festival Opera. Katherine Olsen, Agent Encompass Artists Katherine Olsen is one of the most famous and sought-after opera coach/accompanists in the world today. Throughout her professional career she has been involved with every aspect of singer development and career counseling. With the creation of Encompass Arts, Ms. Olsen embarks upon the logical next step in her career path. Her opera credits include positions at many companies in both the United States and Europe including, but are not limited to: Knoxville Opera, Orlando Opera, Boston Lyric Opera, Tulsa Opera, Virginia Opera, Palm Beach Opera, The Opera of Macao, China and the Opern Air Festival in Gars, Austria. In 1998 she accepted the position of Artistic Administrator for Orlando Opera, a company with which she continues to work closely. In 2001 she was offered the position of Principle Coach and Artistic Administrator for Baz Luhrmann’s Tony Award-winning production of Puccini’s La Bohème. She worked closely with the company in both the pre-production phase and during the performance runs in San Francisco, New York and Los Angeles. Ms. Olsen was part of the casting team responsible for hiring both principle artists and chorus. Several of the young artists she selected for La Bohème have gone on to further operatic achievements including: Operalia-winner Joe Kaiser, who portrays Tamino in Kenneth Branaugh’s upcoming film The Magic Flute, conducted by James Conlon; Ben Davis who portrays Papageno in the same film; and David Miller, now a recording artist with the group Il Divo. Ms. Olsen has played for and adjudicated many prestigious vocal competitions including: The MacAllister Awards, The Puccini Competition, The George London Awards, The Richard Tucker Foundation, The Reyfuss Competition, The United Negro Spiritual Foundation, and Voci Verdiane-Busetto, Italy. As a pianist she has collaborated with such artists as: Ben Heppner, Leona Mitchell, Sherrill Milnes, Cheryl Studer, Gary Lakes, Barbara Daniels, Harolyn Blac Master Vocal Technician Founder of Boulder Classical Voice and Boulder Music Institute, Lauren has helped singers achieve their performance goals for over 15 years. Her students are equity singers in NY, are winning international competitions and singing at international opera houses. Opera houses: Washington National Opera , Central City Opera, Virginia Opera, New York Lyric Opera International Vocal Competitions: The Metropolitan Opera National, Classical Singer, Schmidt Youth Vocal Competition Music and Acting Schools: Berklee School of Music, NYU, Julliard, Eastman, Oberlin, The New School of Drama, American Musical and Dramatic Academy Marie Mannatt MA/Performance Therapist Marie is a psychotherapist at Calming the Heart, her private practice in Boulder, Colorado. Her approach is grounded in mindfullness, and assisting clients in welcoming all parts of themselves. Marie focuses on stress management and anxiety to help performers work more efficiently.	cc/2020-05/en_head_0058.json.gz/line296
__label__cc	0.615538	0.384462	Home > Topics > Bluetooth > Smartphone Reviews > Palm Pre Plus from Verizon Review Palm Pre Plus from Verizon Review March 13, 2010 by Jen Edwards Reads (41,572) Ratings Breakdown (1-10) Service, Warranty & Support Rating 1 to 10, top score 10 Twice the memory Exceptional calendar and contact features Good camera Keyboard is adequate Battery life is barely acceptable No memory card expansion slot An easy to use smartphone that's ideal for soccer moms. The Palm Pre Plus, only available from Verizon for now, is an updated version of the Palm Pre launched last year. It offers twice the memory and a new Mobile Hotspot feature in a svelte, slightly redesigned package. Like the original Pre, this smartphone runs the webOS, and has a 3.1-inch HVGA touchscreen and a small portrait-oriented keyboard. The Pre Plus also includes 3G, Wi-Fi, and a 3.0 megapixel camera with LED flash. The Palm Pre Plus is available now for $150 with a two-year contract. BUILD & DESIGN The Palm Pre Plus is eye-catching in its simplicity. Unlike most of the cookie-cutter phones on the market today, it is curvy and sleek, with almost no visible controls. The device feels wonderfully solid in the hand. At just under 5 ounces the Pre Plus is very light, but it doesn’t feel flimsy or cheap. The edges and corners are perfectly rounded, so you won’t feel any uncomfortable jabs or sharp pokes in your palm when holding the phone. The button that was in the gesture area on the original Palm Pre has been removed, making it even sleeker and easier to use. It’s a little thicker than some devices on the market right now, which is due mostly to the slider design that houses the keyboard behind the screen. It’s still eminently pocketable though, so you shouldn’t have any issues with unsightly bulges in your pockets. With its sleek design, you have to look closely to find the ringer/vibrate switch and headphone jack on the top, the volume up/down keys on the left side, and the covered charging port on the right side. The back of the phone is completely plain aside from the Palm logo, the camera lens and flash on the top left, and the speaker on the top right. The 3.1-inch display runs at a resolution of 480 x 320 and is absolutely gorgeous. Colors are rich and vibrant, text is sharp and easy to read, and I really enjoy everything from looking at photos to surfing the web — no squinting required. My only “complaint” is that the screen can be a bit too bright, especially in low light situations. Of course the good thing about that is that the display is perfectly readable in bright sunlight, which is a major plus. It’s ridiculous that the displays on many modern devices wash out so badly on sunny days that you can’t even place a call or take a photo without trying to shade the screen with your hand. The phone’s keyboard is hidden by the display; to access it, hold the bottom portion of the phone in your hand and use your thumb to push up at the bottom.. The sliding action is relatively tight, so steady pressure is required to get it started, but the phone quickly snaps into place. Once the display is extended to reveal the keyboard, it doesn’t wiggle or move at all. The keys fill all the available horizontal space and they are both backlit and clearly labeled for easy use. One improvement of the Pre Plus over the original Pre is the keyboard, as the keys on the new model have a slightly better feel when pressed. The Pre Plus’s keyboard is fairly good, but you have to adjust to it. . There isn’t much space between the keys, and they are rounded and only slightly curved on the top surface. At first I found myself using my thumbnails, which was both slow and frustrating because I often hit the wrong keys. When I made a concerted effort to relax and switched to the tips of my thumbs, it worked much better. I was able to type at a reasonable speed, and accuracy improved. Like many other phone keyboards, the one on the Pre Plus is adequate (though in the previous graf you said it was “pretty good” which is better than adequate… perhaps a new adjective for the first keyboard reference?), though I certainly won’t be using it to pen the next great American novel anytime soon. NEXT: Performance Palm Pre Plus: Performance	cc/2020-05/en_head_0058.json.gz/line297
__label__wiki	0.879965	0.879965	Biography – ROSS, ROBERT ALEXANDER – Volume XVI (1931-1940) – Dictionary of Canadian Biography ROSS, ROBERT ALEXANDER, electrical and civil engineer, office holder, and university lecturer; b. 29 Aug. 1865 in Woodstock, Upper Canada, son of Robert Ross and Annie McIntosh; m. 10 Oct. 1894 Margaret Beatrice Halliday in Peterborough, Ont., and they had two daughters; d. 23 Sept. 1936 in Montreal. Educated at the public and high schools of Woodstock, Ont., Robert Alexander Ross apprenticed there with engine builder Robert Whitelaw before entering the School of Practical Science in Toronto in 1887. He graduated in 1890 with a diploma in mechanical engineering and for the next three years headed the engineering department of the Canadian General Electric Company, first in Sherbrooke, Que., and later in Peterborough. In 1893 he became chief engineer of the Royal Electric Company in Montreal. The University of Toronto awarded Ross the professional degree of electrical engineer in 1896; that year he started a private consulting firm in Montreal, first acting independently and, after 1901, in partnership with civil engineer Henry Holgate until the First World War. His initial years in private practice took him to the Far East and to Russia, where he reportedly became a close associate of Emperor Nicholas II’s finance minister, Sergei Julievich Witte. On his return to Canada he became involved in hydroelectric development. Two of his early projects in particular illustrate the close ties between hydroelectricity and mineral exploitation. The first, begun in 1904 and completed in 1906, was the Huronian Company Limited’s power plant on the Spanish River in northern Ontario, which provided electricity for the burgeoning mining and smelting industry in Sudbury. The second, undertaken in June 1905 and finished in December 1906, was the construction of a station for the West Kootenay Power and Light Company at Upper Bonnington Falls on the Kootenay River near Nelson, B.C. This project differed from that built for the Huronian firm since it not only served local industry but also contributed to urban electrification. In 1907 the Canadian Society of Civil Engineers awarded Ross and Holgate the Gzowski Medal for technical papers describing these projects. During this time Ross also designed power plants in Copper Cliff (Sudbury), Ont., and Westmount, Que., and for the West India Electric Company in Jamaica [see Benjamin Franklin Pearson]. In addition to participating in the design of hydroelectric installations Ross provided technical advice that was critical to the formulation of policy on electricity. In 1903 seven Ontario municipalities appointed a commission of inquiry, headed by manufacturer Elias Weber Bingeman Snider, to investigate the feasibility of a facility at Niagara Falls that they could cooperatively manage. Although Reginald Aubrey Fessenden was the technical adviser to the commission, Ross and Holgate were retained “to investigate and report on the engineering aspects of the whole project.” On the basis of their findings, the commission recommended that the municipalities construct a 60,000-horsepower generating station above Horseshoe Falls. The report, tabled in March 1906, was described by the Globe as being “of incalculable benefit to the southwestern part of Ontario.” Meanwhile, in July 1905 the new government of James Pliny Whitney* had appointed a second commission of inquiry, chaired by a member of the Snider commission, Adam Beck, which ultimately led to the establishment of the Hydro-Electric Power Commission of Ontario, the largest publicly owned electrical utility in North America. Ross’s involvement with the Niagara hydroelectric project continued for some years thereafter. In 1908 the commission consulted him on specifications for the facility’s transmission lines, and the following year he chaired a conference in Toronto of the commission’s engineers. After his service with the Snider commission, Ross continued to concentrate on policy development. In 1916 he was among the nine founding members of the federal Honorary Advisory Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, the precursor to the National Research Council. At its first meeting, on 1 Dec. 1916, the council selected him as chairman of a committee to investigate alternative energy resources to remedy shortages resulting from the First World War. The interests of the committee soon shifted to the refining of poor-quality lignite and sub-bituminous coal for use in the prairie provinces. Ross’s report, based on existing research and published in 1918, recommended that the government immediately establish a lignite-refining facility in Saskatchewan. Although he argued in favour of government ownership, he also believed that a board of apolitical “technical and business men,” rather than a government department, should be responsible for managing the plant. Subsequently, between August 1918 and March 1922 he chaired the Lignite Utilization Board of Canada that he had envisaged and, from August 1921 to March 1922, the research council itself. He resigned both positions as well as his membership on the Peat Board, to which he had been appointed in March 1918, to protest an anticipated transfer of the lignite board to the federal Department of Mines, a move he feared would subject the organization to political jealousies and interference. Despite his contribution to the expanded role of the state Ross was no democrat. Indeed, it was in his involvement in the emerging profession of engineering that his commitment to the autonomy and authority of the expert was most pronounced. A member of the Canadian Society of Civil Engineers since 6 May 1897, he served eight mandates on its council and for three years, from 1914 until 1916, he held the post of vice-president. In 1920 he was elected to the presidency of its successor, the Engineering Institute of Canada. During his tenure, the institute achieved two of its long-term objectives: the introduction of professional-licensing legislation (in six provinces) and the publication of standardized payment schedules. These achievements marked the transformation of engineering in Canada from an open, poorly remunerated trade to an exclusive, self-governing profession. Part of the first generation of university-educated engineers, Ross lectured in engineering economics at McGill University between 1909 and 1911 and contributed to the development of the secret “Ritual of the calling of an engineer,” an esoteric ceremony which inculcated in students a sense of fraternity and an appreciation of the responsibilities that came with professional status. Ross foresaw a leadership role for his profession in Canada. In his presidential address to the Engineering Institute in 1921 he observed that while the engineer had once been concerned solely with technical subjects, “the signs of the time point to a wider conception of his function, covering a knowledge of human, social and business relations which in the past have not seemed to be within his purview.” Some of his colleagues were dismissive of both scientists and industrialists, but Ross believed in a new role for engineers as the nucleus of a broad, professional, scientific class. He also envisaged a new status for engineers within the population at large. Politicians and the electorate could not be trusted to make competent decisions, and engineers should therefore assume a greater role in public administration, particularly at the municipal level. Ross had had an opportunity to implement his ideas on municipal governance. When Montreal faced bankruptcy in 1918 the provincial government of Sir Lomer Gouin amended the city’s charter, transferring most of the powers previously held by the elected mayor and council to the appointed Administrative Commission of the City of Montreal, which consisted of Ernest-Rémi Décary as president and Ross as one of its four other commissioners. Free from democratic oversight, the commission raised taxes and embarked on an ambitious program of administrative modernization, including standardized salary schedules for civic employees. Ross put his experience to good use. In addition to developing an interest in the regulation of slaughterhouses, he was the proponent of resolutions to engage engineers as consultants, establish salaries for technical staff, and authorize actions of the new public works department. When Ross spoke in his presidential address of the engineer as an “emergency man” summoned “to replace the old incompetents who soon return when matters become normal,” he no doubt had his involvement with the commission in mind. Montreal’s return to democratic government in 1921 did not undermine his faith in the capability of experts to correct the mistakes of elected officials. Questions of policy occupied Ross until late in his career. Well into his sixties, he continued to advise governments, including that of Quebec City, on hydroelectricity rates. In 1922 he had been appointed to the Ontario government’s inquiry into the operations of the Hydro-Electric Power Commission [see Beck]. Chaired by lawyer Walter Dymond Gregory, it investigated cost overruns at the HEPC. Although Gregory’s report reaffirmed the principle of public ownership of the province’s hydroelectric resources, it was critical of the power commission’s financial decisions, cost overruns, and expansion into radial railways. Ross’s influence is perhaps evident in the report’s praise of the commission’s engineers for their competence, and in its comment that external engineers should have been engaged to scrutinize the estimates for the new developments at Queenston and Chippawa. Recognizing the importance of professional autonomy, a tenet Ross had advocated throughout his career, the report expressed the hope that the power commission might still enjoy “liberty of management” in spite of new measures to ensure its accountability to the provincial legislature. Robert Alexander Ross’s career is representative of the trend towards greater professionalism in Canadian engineering. For his services, the University of Toronto presented him with an honorary doctorate of science in 1922, and the Engineering Institute of Canada awarded him in 1934 the Sir John Kennedy Medal, the profession’s highest Canadian honour. “Dr. Ross early realized,” the Engineering Journal recalled on his death in 1936 at age 71, “that for an engineer worthy of the name, competence as a designer, knowledge of scientific principles and familiarity with technical detail must be joined with administrative capacity and the ability to deal with men and affairs.” Ross’s career epitomized his conception of the engineer as a proficient technical expert with a claim to authority in matters of policy. Forrest D. Pass Robert Alexander Ross, in collaboration with Henry Holgate, wrote “The Huronian Company’s power development” and “Power development on the Kootenay River for the West Kootenay Power & Light Company, Limited,” which appeared in Canadian Soc. of Civil Engineers, Trans. (Montreal), 21 (1907): 123–38, 149–57. He is also the author of The briquetting of lignites, published in 1918 as vol.1 of Can., Honorary Advisory Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, Report (29v., Ottawa, 1918–25) and “Retiring president’s address,” Engineering Instit. of Can., Journal (Montreal), 4 (1921): 198–202. AO, RG 18-83; RG 80-5-0-218, no.10099. VM-SA, VM18. Globe, 4 April 1906. Canadian men and women of the time (Morgan; 1912). McGill Univ., Annual calendar (Montreal), 1909–11. J. R. Millard, The master spirit of the age: Canadian engineers and the politics of professionalism, 1887–1922 (Toronto, 1988). Jeremy Mouat, The business of power: hydro-electricity in southeastern British Columbia, 1897–1997 (Victoria, 1997). “Obituaries: Robert Alexander Ross, m.e.i.c.,” Engineering Journal (Montreal), 19 (1936): 463–64. Mel Thistle, The inner ring: the early history of the National Research Council of Canada (Toronto, 1966). Authors – Educational and academic works Education – Educators Office Holders – Federal Government Office Holders – Provincial and territorial Office Holders – Municipal and local governments North America – Canada – Ontario – Southwest North America – Canada – British Columbia – Mainland North America – Canada – Ontario – Centre North America – Canada – Ontario – Niagara North America – Canada – Ontario – North North America – Canada – Quebec – Montréal/Outaouais North America – Canada – Quebec – Trois-Rivières/Eastern Townships North America – West Indies (Caribbean) DÉCARY, ERNEST-RÉMI (baptized Joseph-Rémi-Ernest) (Vol. 16)BECK, Sir ADAM (Vol. 15)GOUIN, Sir LOMER (Vol. 15)PEARSON, BENJAMIN FRANKLIN (Vol. 14)SNIDER, ELIAS WEBER BINGEMAN (Vol. 15)WHITNEY, Sir JAMES PLINY (Vol. 14) WHITNEY, Sir JAMES PLINY BECK, Sir ADAM GOUIN, Sir LOMER DÉCARY, ERNEST-RÉMI (baptized Joseph-Rémi-Ernest) Forrest D. Pass, “ROSS, ROBERT ALEXANDER,” in Dictionary of Canadian Biography, vol. 16, University of Toronto/Université Laval, 2003–, accessed January 21, 2020, http://www.biographi.ca/en/bio/ross_robert_alexander_16E.html. Permalink: http://www.biographi.ca/en/bio/ross_robert_alexander_16E.html Author of Article: Forrest D. Pass Title of Article: ROSS, ROBERT ALEXANDER	cc/2020-05/en_head_0058.json.gz/line301
__label__wiki	0.869195	0.869195	Thursday, May 21, 2015 Posted by Hari No comments Labels: Roundup Rip-off News round-up. Our pick of the last week's media (Thu 21st May) Posted by Hari on Thursday, May 21, 2015 with No comments \| Labels: Roundup Record $5.7bn (£3.6bn) fines for currency market fix: UBS, JPMorgan, Barclays, Citigroup and RBS US Attorney General Loretta Lynch said that "almost every day" for five years from 2007, currency traders used a private electronic chat room to manipulate exchange rates. Their actions harmed "countless consumers, investors and institutions around the world", she said. "They engaged in a brazen 'heads I win, tails you lose' scheme to rip off their clients," said New York State superintendent of financial services Benjamin Lawsky. The fines break a number of records. The criminal fines of more than $2.5bn are the largest set of anti-trust fines obtained by the Department of Justice. The £284m fine imposed on Barclays by Britain's Financial Conduct Authority was a record by the regulator. Meanwhile, the $925m fine imposed on Citigroup by the Department of Justice was the biggest penalty for breaking the Sherman Act, which covers competition law. The guilty pleas from the banks are seen as highly significant as banks have settled previous investigations without an admission of guilt. But the fines are "much lower than expected," said Chirantan Barua, an analyst at Bernstein Research in London. "No retroactive massive Libor fine for Barclays is a big positive, as is no reopening of the NPA (non-prosecution agreement). "The fine came in £270m better than we expected for RBS, £850m better in the case of Barclays," he said. Both US and UK regulators will continue to investigate other market manipulations that may see further massive fines imposed. BBC NEWS Schuh workers to share £25m bonus windfall The company, with a UK head office in Livingston in Scotland, confirmed the payouts after announcing annual profits of more than £11.5m. The bonus was agreed as part of a 2011 deal when Tennessee-based Genesco Inc. bought the company for £125m. The amount each of the company's 3,500 UK workers receives will depend on their length of service and salary. Typically, a full-time sales advisor on an annual salary of £14,000 and with five years' service will get a bonus of £3,000. A full-time store manager with a £34,000 salary and 10 years' service will receive £14,000. Schuh has 111 shops around the UK. Colin Temple, chief executive of schuh, said: "The success of our business is based on the hard work and dedication of our people and there is no better way to thank them than to let them know today that we are sharing £25m throughout the business." BBC NEWS Energy firm SSE powers to 40% rise in retail profits despite losing 500,000 customers SSE has reported a 40% increase in annual retail profits despite a drop in power demand and losing half a million customers. SSE became the first of the big six firms to hike its gas and electricity prices at the end of 2013, by 8.2%. At the time, despite falling wholesale oil and gas process, all the big energy firms said they had to keep prices high to counter Labour’s threat to freeze their prices if they won the election. Ann Robinson, director of consumer policy at uSwitch.com, said: “With the threat of a Labour price freeze now off the table, the big six have officially run out of excuses for not making proper, double-digit reductions to customers’ bills, following significant reductions in the cost of wholesale energy.” SSE has cut its gas prices by 4.1% from last month and promised to hold them until July 2016, but government figures show the wholesale price of gas has fallen by almost 17% over the past 12 months. GUARDIAN Why are wages stagnating? BofE boss Carney enters the immigration debate In an interview on the Radio 4 Today programme, Mark Carney, the governor of the Bank of England, appeared keen to play down the idea that migrants to the UK have depressed productivity – and wages. After the longest decline in living standards in a generation, the Bank’s latest quarterly inflation report conceded that higher than expected migration may have been one factor constraining productivity – and wages – over the past five years. But Carney stressed there were other factors at work, too. One is the growing prevalence of low-skilled jobs in the workforce. Another is the growing number of older workers, and employees’ willing to take on more hours, which seems to have increased the amount of slack (number of people seeking work) in the labour market – and therefore made it easier for firms to keep do business without having to offer higher wages. Carney played down immigration effects, pointing out that net migration has been only 50,000 a year higher than predictions. The Bank’s monetary policy committee (MPC) is also expecting the impact of migration to fade over time. But the MPC is deeply divided about how much slack there is in the labour market – and there’s a strand of thought that says relatively high inward migration may have structurally weakened British workers’ bargaining power. GUARDIAN Corporate caught dodging tax: Next is hit with £22.4m tax bill Fashion retailer Next has been caught diverting profits, made in the UK, offshore to avoid paying tax. The court ruled Next used a tax avoidance scheme called a rate-booster. HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) referred to it as "complex circular movements of money between companies in the same group, so they can claim there has been double taxation". Legal changes in 2005 and 2009 mean rate-booster schemes are no longer possible or attractive, HMRC added. The Next case is the second to reach court, following a 2013 ruling against P&O Ferries, although the firm appealed against the decision and an appeal judgement is outstanding. HMRC said about £130m in tax was at stake across 20 rate-booster cases, which were awaiting the P&O and Next decisions. About 70 rate-boosters have already been conceded by companies that wanted to avoid going to court. This has brought in more than £500m in tax. BBC NEWS Wonga relaunch targets 'hard-working people' but 1,509% APR to stay Following a year in which it was embroiled in scandal for sending out fake legal letters to struggling borrowers and cleared the overdue debts or charges for 375,000 people at a cost of £220m, Britain’s biggest payday loans firm is relaunching itself. Wonga said it was trying to “move away from” people with more serious black marks on their credit files, numbering up to 3m people in the UK. It now has its sights on the 13 million people one rung up the income ladder, that it describes as “cash and credit constrained”. The company said it was also attempting to reduce the risk of its adverts “inadvertently attracting the young or vulnerable.” One of chairman Andy Haste’s first announcements on taking up the reins in July 2014 was that the controversial grandparent puppets used in the company’s TV adverts would be dropped. Wonga will also stop running its ads during TV programmes and channels that are popular with young people, such as Channel 4 show The Big Bang Theory, Futurama on Sky, and the MTV and Animal Planet channels. The new TV advert features “real-world hard-working people”, including a dental nurse, art gallery attendant and what appears to be a middle-class mother of young children, plus a school dinner lady, farmer and tipper truck driver. GUARDIAN Southern Rail fixes least-punctual train route... by altering the timetable and skipping a stop The rail company operating Britain’s least-punctual train route has come up with a way of improving the service – altering the timetable. Statistics have shown that the Southern train company’s 7.29am service from Brighton never once reached London Victoria on time at 8.35am throughout 2014. Now Southern has said that from Sunday, the 7.29am will be scheduled to get in at Victoria three minutes later – at 8.38am – and it will also no longer stop at Wivelsfield in West Sussex. Passengers were not pleased by the timetable changes. One – called Bruce – tweeted: “Not stopping at stations would be an ingenious device for running a service on time.” One frustrated customer, Kelly Adams, tweeted: “Every single morning Southern Rail makes me want to break down and cry and scream and rage because their service is so appalling.” GUARDIAN Los Angeles follows Seattle in doubling hourly minimum wage to $15 "Today, Los Angeles becomes the latest and largest city to throw its support behind the legions of workers who ask for nothing less than to be paid a fair and decent wage," said Christine Owens, executive director of the National Employment Law Project, a lobby group for worker rights. The $15 minimum will be in place by July 2020. Seattle and San Francisco have already agreed to increase the minimum wage to $15 by 2017 and 2018 respectively. That compares with a $7.25 federal minimum wage which individual states can opt to beat or reduce. US retail giant Walmart - the nation's largest private employer - announced in February it plans to raise wages for employees at its US stores. By 1 February 2016, all current workers will earn at least $10 per hour, it said. BBC NEWS Global shift to more insecure jobs since the financial crisis is fuelling inequality, poverty Only a quarter of the world’s workers are on permanent contracts, reports the International Labour Organization (ILO). It said the remaining three quarters are employed on temporary or short-term contracts, working informally often without any contract, are self-employed or are in unpaid family jobs. A worldwide trend away from secure jobs risked “perpetuating a vicious circle of weak global demand and slow job creation” that has dogged many countries since the crisis, the UN agency said. The report found that although the number of people on wage and salaried work (as opposed to forms of work such as self-employment or without contracts) was growing worldwide, less than half, or 42%, of those were on a permanent contract. But since the crisis, in developing countries wage and salaried work was growing at a slower pace than before the crisis, while in advanced economies such jobs were not growing and were declining in some cases – such as in the UK. GUARDIAN	cc/2020-05/en_head_0058.json.gz/line302
__label__cc	0.617512	0.382488	Where to study in Australia The Ambassador March reunion "Now I'm able to help others in this important stage of their lives" Everything you need to know about your first day at csu study centres CSU graduates celebrate success: Mohib shares his story Graduate opportunities in Australia How to choose the right Australian university Things you need to know about our 12 unit masters programs and the post-study work visa 8 Top Tips for getting off to a great start at CSU Study Centres What to expect when you land in Australia Why study Accounting in Australia Why study Business in Australia Why study Information Technology in Australia Studying and living in Australia is something that many international students aspire to, with the Australian higher education system ranking in the top 10 around the world (U21 Ranking of National Higher Education Systems 2019). Over one million students enrol in Australian universities each year, and around a quarter of these arrive from overseas (Australian Department of Education 2018). Australia is home to some of the world’s most liveable cities. Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney are the largest, and all three offer a fantastic student lifestyle that balances culture and opportunities with outdoor activities. They also boast some of the best universities in Australia for international students. When you’re choosing the best place to study, find out about your study options, the local culture and the key attractions that make each city unique. To help you decide where to study in Australia, take a look at our guides to Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney. The capital of Queensland, Brisbane ranks 21st in the world for Best Student Cities (QS Best Student Cities 2018). With more than 280 days of sunshine each year, it’s known for its warm weather, long summers and friendly, multicultural communities. As Australia’s third largest city, Brisbane has a growing population of around 2.4 million, with over a quarter of residents born overseas, and is less crowded than Sydney and Melbourne. Brisbane is a centre of excellence for technology, innovation and environmental sustainability. The quality of student accommodation is world class, and affordable too, with one of the lowest costs of living compared to other Australian cities. Study opportunities are excellent and, at CSU Study Centre Brisbane, postgraduates can choose to study for a Master of Information Technology or a Master of Professional Accounting. Brisbane’s laid-back lifestyle makes it an appealing place to live. There’s lots going on but the pace is slower than the bigger cities. The independent stores, music venues and good value restaurants in Fortitude Valley are popular with students. You’ve also got the plazas and promenades by the river in South Bank, the famous Botanical Gardens, more than 2000 parks, and Australia’s largest gallery of modern art. To explore more of Queensland, the beaches and clear waters of Moreton Island and Stradbroke Island are a day trip away from the city. South of Brisbane, the Gold Coast is famous for surfing and nightlife, or the beautiful Sunshine Coast is north of the city. From Brisbane, you can easily experience other top Australian attractions, like Daintree Rainforest and the Great Barrier Reef. Find out more about living in Brisbane Brisbane has a sunny, sub-tropical climate. Average summer temperatures range from 22°C (72°F) to 30°C (86°F) Average winter temperatures range from 10°C (50°F) to 21°C (70°F) Buses, ferries and rail services can take you across the city and beyond. You could also hire a bike through the council bike hire scheme and travel around the city on dedicated cycle paths. Brisbane International Airport is the third busiest in Australia. It’s located 20 kilometres from the city centre. Study for your master’s at CSU Study Centre Brisbane and enjoy sunny weather, friendly communities and a laidback outdoor lifestyle. Melbourne is widely regarded as one of the world’s safest cities to live and study in. With a multicultural population of around 4.9 million, it ranks third in the world for Best Student Cities (QS Best Student Cities 2018) and was named the second most liveable city in the world for seven consecutive years (the Economist Intelligence Unit Limited 2017). As one of the best places to study in Australia, students are attracted by Melbourne’s diverse culture, great city lifestyle and easy access to the coast and countryside. CSU Study Centre Melbourne is located in the Central Business District, so you can make the most of this exciting city while studying one of 16 undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in accounting, commerce, business and IT. Known as Australia’s cultural capital, Melbourne is a stylish city with vintage markets, independent boutiques and more than 100 art galleries. It has a distinct European feel, with a vibrant café culture, arts and fashion scene, green parks and narrow streets called ‘laneways'. Melbourne also has a fantastic music scene and regular arts festivals. One of Australia’s most multicultural cities, you’ll be living alongside people from across the world. This diversity makes it a fantastic destination for food; head to Chinatown for dumpling bars, Fitzroy, Carlton and Collingwood for the best brunch spots, Lonsdale Street has delicious Greek food, and ‘Little Italy’ has the best pasta you'll find outside Europe. Other neighbourhoods are known for their unique culture and attractions; visit the independent boutiques and vintage stores in Fitzroy, watch a cricket match at Richmond’s MCG stadium, and relax on the beaches in St Kilda. To explore beyond the city, the state of Victoria has fantastic national parks for hiking and camping – Great Otway and the Grampians National Parks are particularly popular. On weekends, you could visit the Yarra Valley, Mornington Peninsula and Phillip Island, or take a road trip along the Great Ocean Road to the Twelve Apostles. Find out more about living in Melbourne Melbourne has a more temperate climate which can vary throughout the day. Average winter temperatures range from 7°C (45°F) to 14°C (57°F) Melbourne’s public transport network extends from the city in all directions, making it easy and affordable to get around and visit the surrounding areas. Trams, trains, buses and cycling are all good ways to travel, with the CSU Study Centre Melbourne situated in the free tram zone. Melbourne’s international airport is the second busiest in Australia. From here, you can fly to many Australian cities and worldwide destinations. Why choose Melbourne? Study at the largest CSU Study Centre and enjoy European culture, delicious food, cultural neighbourhoods and laneway cafes. Ranked in the top five most liveable cities in the world (the Economist Intelligence Unit Rankings 2018), Sydney is Australia’s largest city and economic hub, located in one of the worlds most beautiful natural harbours. With a population of around 5.1 million, it’s the busiest city in Australia. In this popular city for students, you’ll have access to Australia’s largest business hub for networking, internships and job opportunities. At CSU Study Centre Sydney, you can choose between 16 undergraduate and postgraduate study options that focus on business, accounting, commerce and IT. CSU’s central location also means you’ll have a fantastic choice of cafes, shops and restaurants on your doorstep. A great city for shopping, Sydney has lots of big brand name shops, independent boutiques and a popular coffee shop culture. Sydney has a cosmopolitan culture and beautiful scenery. There’s always something to do and see here, from museums, theatres and sports venues, to award-winning restaurants and world-class surfing. The city draws visitors from across the globe with its famous sights and attractions. The Harbour Bridge and Sydney Opera House are two of Australia’s most iconic sights, and you can see more famous landmarks by taking the Manly Ferry across the natural harbour. Manly and Bondi are two of the city’s best-known city beaches, and there’s a huge choice of other bays, parks and public gardens for more outdoor activities. After class, you could learn to surf, meet friends for a BBQ or enjoy safe swimming in an ocean pool, man-made swimming pools that are filled by the tide. For an easy day trip, you could take a train to the Blue Mountains,a World Heritage area of forests, waterfalls and canyons. Find out more about living in Sydney Typical weather in Sydney is warm and sunny, but not humid. Average winter temperatures range from and 9°C (49°F) to 17°C (63°F) Sydney has Australia’s largest public transport system. This includes trains, light rail, buses and ferries. It also has Australia’s largest airport, with direct flights to all the main Australian tourist destinations and international cities. Study in the heart of the business district at CSU Study Centre Sydney, and enjoy big city living, world-famous sights and stunning beaches. For more advice on choosing the best place for you to study in Australia, speak to one of our student advisors.	cc/2020-05/en_head_0058.json.gz/line308
__label__wiki	0.93678	0.93678	While many freelance operators abounded with the Age of Exploration, national interests were also paying attention and quickly organized their own expeditions. The individuals on these ships were also frequently also explorers, but their main mission was to deliver the Rule of Law -- for each's respective country -- on the High Seas. AllAlbaniaAustraliaBelgiumChinaCuraçaoCzech RepublicDenmarkEnglandFranceGermanyGreeceIndiaIrelandItalyNetherlandsNorwayOttoman EmpirePeruPortugalRussiaScotlandSpainSwitzerlandTurkeyUnited StatesWales Active Jean II d'Estrees aka: d'Estrées 1624, Nov 3 1707, May 19 a Marshal of France, and an important naval commander of Louis XIV. He was born to a noble family from Picardie. His aunt was Gabrielle d'Estrées, lover of King Henry IV<... a Marshal of France, and an important naval commander of Louis XIV. He was born to a noble family from Picardie. His aunt was Gabrielle d'Estrées, lover of King Henry IV of France. Like his father François Annibal d'Estrées, also Marshal of France, Jean pursued a military career from a very young age. He became a colonel at 23, a maréchal de camp at 25 and a lieutenant general at 33. In 1668 he joined the new French Navy at the request of his friend Colbert. There his patron was the Duke de Beaufort. He rose through the ranks very fast, thanks to the influence of his family name, becoming a Vice-Admiral, and then Marshal of France in 1681. Cross-listed in Writers • Cartographers Jean de Clamorgan aka: Lord of Saane born in the diocese of Coutances, a cartographer, navigator and military commander, considered to be one of the best French admirals of the Marine Royale. Having long served in the French Navy, Francis I of France made him captain of the Ponant being th... born in the diocese of Coutances, a cartographer, navigator and military commander, considered to be one of the best French admirals of the Marine Royale. Having long served in the French Navy, Francis I of France made him captain of the Ponant being the first to receive this title. After his defeat at the Battle of Muros Bay in 1543 he retired to his land. He wrote a famous treatise on wolf hunting (La chasse du loup), published in 1567. He was also the author of a world map that Francis put in his library. The exact date of his death is not known. Antonio de Oquendo 1577, Oct 1594-1639 1640, Jun 7 a Spanish admiral; in 1639 he was in command of the Spanish forces at the Battle of the Downs. In 1594 he entered naval service. He commanded a naval squadron made of his flagship, the Delfín de Escocia, and the Dobladilla, two 500 ton galleons. On 7 August 1604 he captured an English privateer at the Battle of the Gulf of Cádiz. In 1607 he was appointed c... a Spanish admiral; in 1639 he was in command of the Spanish forces at the Battle of the Downs. In 1594 he entered naval service. He commanded a naval squadron made of his flagship, the Delfín de Escocia, and the Dobladilla, two 500 ton galleons. On 7 August 1604 he captured an English privateer at the Battle of the Gulf of Cádiz. In 1607 he was appointed commander of the Biscay squadron, which was that year enlarged and renamed the squadron of the Bay of Biscay. From the same year he also functioned as the General of the Fleet of the Viceroyalty of New Spain. Michiel de Ruyter 1607, Mar 24 1676, Apr 29 a Dutch admiral. He is the most famous and one of the most skilled admirals in Dutch history, most famous for his role in the Anglo-Dutch Wars of the 17th century. He fought the English and French and scored several major victories against them, the best known probably being the Raid on the Medway. The pious De Ruyter was very much loved by his sailors and s... a Dutch admiral. He is the most famous and one of the most skilled admirals in Dutch history, most famous for his role in the Anglo-Dutch Wars of the 17th century. He fought the English and French and scored several major victories against them, the best known probably being the Raid on the Medway. The pious De Ruyter was very much loved by his sailors and soldiers; from them his most significant nickname derived: Bestevaêr (older Dutch for 'grandfather'.) Stephen Decatur Jr. 1779, Jan 5 1790s-1810s 1820, Mar 22 a United States naval officer and commodore notable for his naval victories in the early 19th century. Decatur supervised the construction of several U.S. naval vessels, one of which he would later command. He is the youngest man to reach the rank of captain in the history of the United States Navy. He served under three presidents, and played a major role ... a United States naval officer and commodore notable for his naval victories in the early 19th century. Decatur supervised the construction of several U.S. naval vessels, one of which he would later command. He is the youngest man to reach the rank of captain in the history of the United States Navy. He served under three presidents, and played a major role in the early development of the American navy. In almost every theater of operation, Decatur's service was characterized with acts of heroism and exceptional performance. His service in the Navy took him through both Barbary Wars in North Africa, the Quasi-War with France, and the War of 1812 with Britain. Stephen Decatur Sr. 1751, Jun 1770s-1800s 1808, Nov 11 an American naval captain in the Revolutionary War and later in the Quasi-War. He was the father of Stephen Decatur Jr. During the American Revolution he commanded the Royal Louis, the Comet, the Retaliation, the Rising Sun, and the Fair American. With the outbreak of the Quasi War with France, Decatur was commissioned as a captain in the United States Navy ... an American naval captain in the Revolutionary War and later in the Quasi-War. He was the father of Stephen Decatur Jr. During the American Revolution he commanded the Royal Louis, the Comet, the Retaliation, the Rising Sun, and the Fair American. With the outbreak of the Quasi War with France, Decatur was commissioned as a captain in the United States Navy on May 11, 1798. He was also a privateer, taking part in the war against the pirates in the early 19th century. Baron Bernard Desjean aka: Jean de Pointis, Baron de Pointis 1645, Oct 7 1690s 1707, Apr 24 a French admiral and privateer. In 1697, he undertook his greatest expedition: the Raid on Cartagena. This raid was so successful that it made him immensely rich and very appreciated by King Louis XIV. Giovanni Dionigi aka: Occhiali, Uluç Ali Reis an Italian born corsair (privateer) who later became an Ottoman admiral (Reis), Bey of the Regency of Algiers, and finally Grand Admiral (Kapudan Pasha) of the Ottoman Fleet in the 16th century. He was a very able mariner and soon rose in the ranks, gaining sufficient prize booty to buy a share in a corsair brigantine sailing out of Algiers. Further success ... an Italian born corsair (privateer) who later became an Ottoman admiral (Reis), Bey of the Regency of Algiers, and finally Grand Admiral (Kapudan Pasha) of the Ottoman Fleet in the 16th century. He was a very able mariner and soon rose in the ranks, gaining sufficient prize booty to buy a share in a corsair brigantine sailing out of Algiers. Further success soon enabled him to become the captain and owner of a galley, and he gained a reputation as one of the boldest corsair reis on the Barbary Coast. 1466, Nov 30 1560, Nov 25 an Italian condottiero and admiral of the Republic of Genoa. In 1503 he was fighting in Corsica in the service of Genoa, at that time under French vassalage, and he took part in the rising of Genoa against the French, whom he compelled to evacuate the city. From that time onwards, he became famous as a naval commander. For several years he scoured the Medite... an Italian condottiero and admiral of the Republic of Genoa. In 1503 he was fighting in Corsica in the service of Genoa, at that time under French vassalage, and he took part in the rising of Genoa against the French, whom he compelled to evacuate the city. From that time onwards, he became famous as a naval commander. For several years he scoured the Mediterranean in command of the Genoese fleet, waging war on the Turks and the Barbary pirates. Giovanni Andrea Doria aka: Gianandrea Doria an Italian admiral from Genoa. He was the son of Giannettino Doria. He became the Admiral of the Genoese Fleet in 1556 and commanded the combined Christian fleet of the Holy League at the Battle of Djerba in 1560, which was won by the Ottoman Turks under the command of Piyale Pasha. He also participated in the Battle of Lepanto in 1571, commanding the right ... an Italian admiral from Genoa. He was the son of Giannettino Doria. He became the Admiral of the Genoese Fleet in 1556 and commanded the combined Christian fleet of the Holy League at the Battle of Djerba in 1560, which was won by the Ottoman Turks under the command of Piyale Pasha. He also participated in the Battle of Lepanto in 1571, commanding the right wing; the battle was won by the Christian forces and signaled the first ever defeat of the Ottoman Turks at sea. Doria also led an expedition against the Barbary states in 1601. Cross-listed in Pirates • Explorers aka: el Draque (the Dragon) 1540 ca 1563-1596 1596, Jan 27/28 an English sea captain, privateer, navigator, slaver, and politician of the Elizabethan era. Drake carried out the second circumnavigation of the world in a single expedition, and was the first to complete it as captain and leader of the expedition throughout the entire circumnavigation. Elizabeth I awarded Drake a knighthood in 1581. He was second-in-comma... an English sea captain, privateer, navigator, slaver, and politician of the Elizabethan era. Drake carried out the second circumnavigation of the world in a single expedition, and was the first to complete it as captain and leader of the expedition throughout the entire circumnavigation. Elizabeth I awarded Drake a knighthood in 1581. He was second-in-command of the English fleet against the Spanish Armada in 1588. He died of dysentery in after unsuccessfully attacking San Juan, Puerto Rico. His exploits were legendary, making him a hero to the English but a pirate to the Spaniards to whom he was known as El Draque. King Philip II was said to have offered a reward of 20,000 ducats, about £4 million (US$6.5M) by modern standards, for his life. Timeline (11) Links (28) Notes (4) Sir John Duckworth aka: 1st Baronet 1748, Feb 9 1759-1817 1817, Aug 31 an officer of the Royal Navy, serving during the Seven Years' War, the American War of Independence, the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars, as the Governor of Newfoundland during the War of 1812, and a member of the British House of Commons during his semi-retirement. Duckworth, a vicar's son, achieved much in a naval career that began at the age of 1... an officer of the Royal Navy, serving during the Seven Years' War, the American War of Independence, the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars, as the Governor of Newfoundland during the War of 1812, and a member of the British House of Commons during his semi-retirement. Duckworth, a vicar's son, achieved much in a naval career that began at the age of 11. Serving with most of the great names of the Royal Navy during the later 18th and early 19th centuries, he fought almost all of Britain's enemies on the seas at one time or another, including a Dardanelles operation that would be remembered a century later during the First World War. Cross-listed in Military • Governance John Dudley [1] aka: 1st Duke of Northumberland, Viscount Lisle, Earl of Warwick 1504 1553, Aug 22 an English general, admiral, and politician, who led the government of the young King Edward VI from 1550 until 1553, and unsuccessfully tried to install Lady Jane Grey on the English throne after the King's death. The son of Edmund Dudley, a minister of Henry VII ... an English general, admiral, and politician, who led the government of the young King Edward VI from 1550 until 1553, and unsuccessfully tried to install Lady Jane Grey on the English throne after the King's death. The son of Edmund Dudley, a minister of Henry VII executed by Henry VIII, John Dudley became the ward of Sir Edward Guildford at the age of seven. He grew up in Guildford's household together with his future wife, Guildford's daughter Jane, with whom he was to have 13 children. Dudley served as Vice-Admiral and Lord Admiral from 1537 until 1547, during which time he set novel standards of navy organisation and was an innovative commander at sea. Cross-listed in Explorers • Scientists • Cartographers Jules Dumont d'Urville 1790, May 23 1842, May 8 a French explorer, naval officer and rear admiral, who explored the south and western Pacific, Australia, New Zealand and Antarctica. As a botanist and cartographer he left his mark, giving his name to several seaweeds, plants and shrubs, and places such as D'Urville Island. Jean-Marie Dutertre aka: Jean a French privateer. In September 1796, Dutertre set out for a campaign on the 20-gun Modeste, which had previously been captained by Robert Surcouf under the name Émilie. HMS Fox apparently captured her near Visakhapatnam in March 1797. Duterte commissioned the privateer Heureux at Île de France in July 1798. On 4 March 1799 Heureux captured Solimany, off ... a French privateer. In September 1796, Dutertre set out for a campaign on the 20-gun Modeste, which had previously been captained by Robert Surcouf under the name Émilie. HMS Fox apparently captured her near Visakhapatnam in March 1797. Duterte commissioned the privateer Heureux at Île de France in July 1798. On 4 March 1799 Heureux captured Solimany, off Nagore. On 19 March the East Indiaman Dublin recaptured Solimany, Captain Hamed Pelley, master, of eight guns. Dutertre eventually stopped commerce raiding and enlisted in the Navy. He achieved the rank of lieutenant and died in 1811 after the Invasion of Isle de France. Jump: D' De Di Do Dr Du	cc/2020-05/en_head_0058.json.gz/line309

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