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China's Official Press Agency Calls For New Reserve Currency, And New World Order
We assume it is a coincidence that on the day in which we demonstrate China's relentless appetite for gold, driven by what we and many others believe is the country's desire to have a call option on a gold-backed reserve currency when the time comes, just posted in China's official press agency, Xinhua, is an op-ed by writer Liu Chang in which he decries the "US fiscal failure which warrants a de-Americanized world" and flatly states that the world should consider a new reserve currency "that is to be created to replace the dominant U.S. dollar, so that the international community could permanently stay away from the spillover of the intensifying domestic political turmoil in the United States."
Of course, if China were serious, and if the world were to voluntarily engage in such a (r)evolutionary reserve currency transition, then all Magic Money Tree theories that the only thing better than near infinite debt is beyond infinite debt, would promptly be relegated to the historic dust heap of idiotic theories where they belong.
Some of China's (which as a reminder is the single largest offshore holder of US Treasury paper, and the second largest of all only second naturally to the Federal Reserve whose $85 billion in monthly monetizing "flow" is what is keeping rates from exploding higher) thoughts as captured in the Xinhua Op-ed:
Reform of the world’s financial system should include the introduction of a new internatonal reserve currency to replace the U.S. dollar
The international community could thus permanently stay away from the spillover of intensifying domestic political turmoil in the U.S.
Fiscal impasse in the U.S. is a good time for “befuddled world” to start considering building a “de-Americanized world”
Impasse has left many nations’ dollar assets in jeopardy and the international community agonized
Other cornerstones should be laid to underpin a de-Americanized world, including respect for sovereignty, recognizing authority of UN in handling global hotspot issues and giving developing and emerging market economies more say in major international financial institutions
Purpose of such changes is not to “completely toss the United States aside,” rather to encourage Washington to play a much more constructive role in addressing global affairs
Of course, if and when the day comes that the USD is no longer the reserve currency, kiss America's superpower, or any power, status, which is now based purely on the USD's reserve currency status, and the ability to fund half the US budget deficit with debt promptly monetized by the Fed, goodbye.
Finally, as a reminder...
From Xinhua:
U.S. fiscal failure warrants a de-Americanized world
As U.S. politicians of both political parties are still shuffling back and forth between the White House and the Capitol Hill without striking a viable deal to bring normality to the body politic they brag about, it is perhaps a good time for the befuddled world to start considering building a de-Americanized world.
Emerging from the bloodshed of the Second World War as the world's most powerful nation, the United States has since then been trying to build a global empire by imposing a postwar world order, fueling recovery in Europe, and encouraging regime-change in nations that it deems hardly Washington-friendly.
With its seemingly unrivaled economic and military might, the United States has declared that it has vital national interests to protect in nearly every corner of the globe, and been habituated to meddling in the business of other countries and regions far away from its shores.
Meanwhile, the U.S. government has gone to all lengths to appear before the world as the one that claims the moral high ground, yet covertly doing things that are as audacious as torturing prisoners of war, slaying civilians in drone attacks, and spying on world leaders.
Under what is known as the Pax-Americana, we fail to see a world where the United States is helping to defuse violence and conflicts, reduce poor and displaced population, and bring about real, lasting peace.
Moreover, instead of honoring its duties as a responsible leading power, a self-serving Washington has abused its superpower status and introduced even more chaos into the world by shifting financial risks overseas, instigating regional tensions amid territorial disputes, and fighting unwarranted wars under the cover of outright lies.
As a result, the world is still crawling its way out of an economic disaster thanks to the voracious Wall Street elites, while bombings and killings have become virtually daily routines in Iraq years after Washington claimed it has liberated its people from tyrannical rule.
Most recently, the cyclical stagnation in Washington for a viable bipartisan solution over a federal budget and an approval for raising debt ceiling has again left many nations' tremendous dollar assets in jeopardy and the international community highly agonized.
Such alarming days when the destinies of others are in the hands of a hypocritical nation have to be terminated, and a new world order should be put in place, according to which all nations, big or small, poor or rich, can have their key interests respected and protected on an equal footing.
To that end, several corner stones should be laid to underpin a de-Americanized world.
For starters, all nations need to hew to the basic principles of the international law, including respect for sovereignty, and keeping hands off domestic affairs of others.
Furthermore, the authority of the United Nations in handling global hotspot issues has to be recognized. That means no one has the right to wage any form of military action against others without a UN mandate.
Apart from that, the world's financial system also has to embrace some substantial reforms.
The developing and emerging market economies need to have more say in major international financial institutions including the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, so that they could better reflect the transformations of the global economic and political landscape.
What may also be included as a key part of an effective reform is the introduction of a new international reserve currency that is to be created to replace the dominant U.S. dollar, so that the international community could permanently stay away from the spillover of the intensifying domestic political turmoil in the United States.
Of course, the purpose of promoting these changes is not to completely toss the United States aside, which is also impossible. Rather, it is to encourage Washington to play a much more constructive role in addressing global affairs.
And among all options, it is suggested that the beltway politicians first begin with ending the pernicious impasse.
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CHILDREN’S HEALTH INSURANCE PROGRAM (CHIP) NEEDS TO BE REAUTHORIZED NOW!
Action Alert - NAACP
The Children’s Health Insurance Program, (CHIP), currently provides health insurance coverage to over 9 million American children and pregnant women from low-income working families. Since it was first created in 1997, the program has enjoyed broad bi-partisan support in Congress and in the public....
Faith in Worcester Day of Prayer
Patricia Yancey, President Worcester Branch NAACP
Please join the Worcester NAACP, City of Worcester and Faith-based Leaders as we come together as a community, united in our humanity and compassion for one another, to pray for those who live and work in our community.
All are welcomed
Local blacks, Jews seek to rebuild old bond
Amanda Roberge, Correspondent, Telegram & Gazette
The history of connection and understanding between Jewish people and the black community is deep and rich, according to local founders of the Worcester Black-Jewish Alliance, a recently formed group devoted to using their shared experience as a way to resist the current political climate.
That relat...
Songs of Hope - September 10, 2017 @ 4:00pm, Belmont A.M.E. Zion Church, Worcester
Songs of Hope is presented by the Worcester Black-Jewish Alliance. The Worcester Black-Jewish Alliance is a new initiative in our community supported by the Jewish Federation of Central Massachusetts, the Worcester Black Clergy Alliance, and the Worcester Branch NAACP. Our first community event, “...
NAACP STATEMENT ON PRESIDENT TRUMP’S DECISION TO ALLOW MILITARY SURPLUS WEAPONS ON LOCAL STREETS
Press Release - NAACP
BALTIMORE (August 28, 2017)– The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), the country’s oldest and largest civil rights organization, released the following statement in response to President Trump’s decision to lift an Obama Administration-era ban and allow state and loca...
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Margaret of Anjou love
French-born queen consort of Henry VI of England. She led the Lancastrians in the Wars of the Roses and was captured (1471) and ransomed to France (1476).
We next see Henry IV. and Henry V. successively installed on the Stone of Scone; and then comes Henry VI., a child of nine, "beholding all the people about sadly and wisely;" his queen, Margaret of Anjou, was crowned here fourteen years afterwards.
Little Folks A Magazine for the Young (Date of issue unknown)
The one vigorous element in his life was his wife, Margaret of Anjou, who diligently exerted herself to keep her husband on his throne.
Charles the Bold Last Duke of Burgundy, 1433-1477
Six years afterwards Louis XI. sent him across the channel again to fight on the side of Margaret of Anjou.
The Story of Rouen
The earl then immediately put to sea, taking with him Margaret of Anjou and her son, the Prince of
Richard III Makers of History
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from the November 2005 issue
A Meal in This World
Poetry by Hwang Ji-woo
Translated from Korean by Won-Chung Kim and by Christopher Merrill
Although Mother survived a crisis and is home from the hospital
she's not the same-her mind is hazy.
How can I express my sorrow
when she insists our guests in black suits
are detectives from the KCIA or another branch of intelligence come to arrest my brother,
or when she strikes matches in the living room to start a fire in the kitchen?
Now she even forgets to call to God,
the very God
before whom she knelt at dawn and prayed on the cold floor of the church
when I was imprisoned and suffered a little
and my brother was chased day and night by the police.
To end this blackout of her soul
I was ready to convert again
calling to the head of the shrine I escaped from,
so I took her to the Hallelujah prayer house,
where she broke my heart with her blank expression.
A few days ago, when she collected her mind,
she gave my wife her cross-shaped golden necklace
saying, "All this is utterly useless."
Whether she was bequeathing gold or a cross,
I felt she was cleaning out her life
and got angry at her for no reason.
I shuddered at her disposing even of her cross.
Mother, how can you cross the river alone without this?
After visiting Jeonju Jesus Hospital, we prepared her favorite meal
of fish but she did not eat much.
A meal with an old sick mother is like a meal prepared for a memorial service.
I took a boneless morsel and placed it on her rice
but she only said, "Help yourself while you have an appetite."
Something besides a fish bone was stuck in my throat
and I snuck into the living room.
The Verona World Cup ball was bouncing wildly on the TV screen.
For the next poem in this sequence, click here.
Read more from the November 2005 issue
“exactly the forehead, exactly the mouth, exactly the hands”
Six Variations on Love
Halls of the National Museum
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Hwang Ji-woo
Hwang Ji-woo was born in 1952, during the Korean War, in the southern port town Haenam, and studied aesthetics and philosophy at college in the early 1970s, during which he was arrested and tortured for his anti-government activities. He began to publish his poems in 1980 and has since written seven books of poetry including Even Birds Leave the World (1983), From Winter Tree to Spring Tree (1985), and I'll Sit in a Cloudy Tavern Some Day (1990). For his work, Hwang has received many of Korea's most prestigious literary awards, among them the Kim Sooyoung Literary Award, the Hyundae Literary Award, the Sowol Poetry Award, and the Daesan Literary Award. He teaches Drama at the Korean Academy of Theater.
» More about Hwang Ji-woo
Won-Chung Kim is a professor of English literature at Sungkyunkwan University in Seoul, Korea, where he teaches contemporary American poetry, ecological literature, and translation. He earned his Ph.D. in English at the University of Iowa in 1993. He has translated Kim Chiha's Heart's Agony and Choi Seungho's Flowers in the Toilet Bowl. He will soon publish translations of Chong Hyonjong's Trees of the World and an anthology of Korean ecological poets. He has also translated E. T. Seton's The Gospel of the Redman and Bernd Heinrich's In a Patch of Fireweed into Korean.
» More about Won-Chung Kim
Christopher Merrill has published four collections of poetry, including Watch Fire, for which he received the Peter I. B. Lavan Younger Poets Award from the Academy of American Poets; several edited volumes, among them The Forgotten Language: Contemporary Poets and Nature; and four books of nonfiction, The Grass of Another Country: A Journey Through the World of Soccer, The Old Bridge: The Third Balkan War and the Age of the Refugee, Only the Nails Remain: Scenes from the Balkan Wars, and Things of the Hidden God: Journey to the Holy Mountain. He directs the International Writing Program at The University of Iowa.
» More about Christopher Merrill
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Three New Members Join WWB Board of Directors
By Words Without Borders
Left to Right: Abe Hsuan, Jennifer Moross, Rebecca Servadio
Words Without Borders is pleased to announce the election of three new members to its Board of Directors: Abe Hsuan, Jennifer Moross, and Rebecca Servadio.
“With their diverse international backgrounds and years of experience in the fields of international literature, law, technology, and nonprofits, Abe, Jennifer, and Rebecca will bring valued expertise and diversity to WWB’s leadership,” said Samantha Schnee, Chair. “We are delighted to welcome them to the Words Without Borders Board of Directors.”
Abe Hsuan is a general corporate lawyer with a specialty in advising SMB and start-up clients on business formation and operations, Internet, technology, data management, and privacy laws. Abe has held senior legal and business positions at major online and traditional media companies as well as a multinational early-stage venture funds. He began his legal career at the international law firm Debevoise & Plimpton, where he was a senior corporate associate focusing on intellectual property/technology, leveraged finance, cross-border, and LBO transactions. Abe is also an advisor for various European Union-funded projects in the fields of artificial intelligence, data-mining, and text-mining, such as the xLike Project, an EU-funded scientific research project on cross-lingual media monitoring and machine translation. He has been a member of the Association of Corporate Counsel, the International Trademark Association, and the American Intellectual Property Law Association. During 2006-2009, Mr. Hsuan served as Treasurer and then became Chair of the Board of Trustees of The Rudolf Steiner School in New York City. In 2005, he was honored by the New York County Lawyers Association in 2005 as a celebrated lawyer of color. Abe received an A. B. degree from Princeton University and a J. D. from New York University School of Law.
Jennifer Moross hails from Austin, Texas, and divides her time between Austin, Greenwich, CT, and London. She is a member of the Texas Bar Association and was an associate for Hays, McConn, Rice and Pickering, a firm specializing in civil litigation in Houston, Texas. In Greenwich she volunteered her time as a trustee and advisory board member of the Greenwich Historical Society, supporting and developing exhibitions for the Bush-Holley Museum. As an advisory board member of the Belle Haven Land Corporation, she advocates for appropriate land use and development to maintain the historic nature of a belle epoque New England neighborhood. Jennifer has played an active development role for several educational institutions, most recently on the committee for the American Friends of Eton College Gala and the production of the annual dinner for the Princeton Comparative Literature Department. In England she is an avid supporter of Modern Art Oxford and the Ashmolean Museum.
Rebecca Servadio was born in Nairobi, Kenya in 1970. She qualified as a lawyer and has a postgraduate qualification from the prestigious College of Europe. She practiced law in Italy, Belgium, and the UK before moving into publishing and a career as a literary scout, where she has focused on reading widely and supporting publishers, agents and writers, and finding stories that build bridges between readers, cultures, and languages. She is currently the head of the international scouting agency London Literary Scouting.
Published Jan 22, 2018 Copyright 2018 Words Without Borders
Return to WWB Daily
Founded in 2003, Words Without Borders promotes cultural understanding through the translation, publication, and promotion of the finest contemporary international literature. Our publications and programs open doors for readers of English around the world to the multiplicity of viewpoints, richness of experience, and literary perspective on world events offered by writers in other languages. We seek to connect international writers to the general public, to students and educators, and to print and other media and to serve as a primary online location for a global literary conversation. Learn more about WWB
More about Words Without Borders
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Population And Distribution Of Chimpanzees: Important Facts And Figures
Chimpanzees have already become extinct in four countries of Africa and are threatened in all other places of their existence.
An adult chimpanzee.
What is a Chimpanzee?
The chimpanzee is a great ape species that is native to sub-Saharan Africa, where it prefers forests and jungles. This species is divided into two subspecies: the bonobo and the common chimpanzee. The bonobo inhabits areas south of the Congo river and the common chimpanzee can be found to the north of the Congo river. These two chimpanzee species can be differentiated by their size and social structure; the common chimpanzee is larger and has a patriarchal society, while the bonobo is smaller and has a matriarchal society. Both have the largest brains of all primates, are the most intelligent, use tools, and are the closest relatives to humans. Chimpanzees are social animals that live in communities of between 15 and 80 individuals. This article takes a closer look at the conservation status, threats, and global population of the chimpanzee.
Chimpanzees could once be found across the central area of Africa, within the equatorial region. At the beginning of the 20th century, this area extended from the western regions of Tanzania and Uganda to the southern region of Senegal and chimpanzees inhabited the heavily forested areas. The chimpanzee population was believed to be approximately 1 million. Today, however, its range and population size have significantly declined. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has listed this species as endangered. The common chimpanzee has a wild population size of between 150,000 and 250,000 and the bonobo is estimated to have a wild population of between 29,500 and 50,000. Its status as an endangered species has been caused by a number of factors which are discussed below.
The primary threats facing chimpanzees today include: poaching, illegal pet trade, habitat loss, and sickness.
Poaching is a serious problem for chimpanzee conservation. These animals are valued as a food source for humans. Chimpanzee meat makes up between 1 and 3% of bushmeat in Ivory Coast markets. In other areas, this species is killed for use as folk medicine. Additionally, these animals are highly sought to be sold and traded in the illegal pet market. Many times, the mother is killed and sold in the urban markets as bushmeat and her baby is then sold off as a pet.
Chimpanzee habitat loss is also a significant contributor to the population decline as infrastructure expansion, deforestation, and increasing urbanization are infringing upon historical chimpanzee territories. Infrastructure expansion, in particular, has also provided poachers with easier access to chimpanzee habitats. As these habitats become more fragmented, chimpanzee populations are forced to live in greater isolation, which results in a less diverse gene pool. Even those chimpanzees which live in protected areas, like national parks and reserves, are subject to illegal mining, logging, and agricultural activities.
This species is also threatened by disease. Because of the similarities between chimpanzees and humans, these animals are able to contract human diseases. Both Ebola and HIV are able to infect chimpanzees. As urban areas come into closer contact with chimpanzee habitats, the likelihood of contracting these diseases increases.
Chimpanzees in the Wild
As previously mentioned, the wild chimpanzee population is estimated at between 150,000 and 200,000. This species can still be found within its original range, however, its habitats are smaller and more fragmented than previously. The largest population, around 115,000, is found in the central region of Africa, which includes: the Democratic Republic of Congo, Cameroon, and Gabon. Within these countries, chimpanzees can only be found in large tracts of virgin forests. Within this central area, smaller populations can also be found in: southeast Nigeria, Equatorial Guinea, the Central African Republic, and Angola.
Other chimpanzees can also be found in the western and eastern regions of Africa. In the west, population estimates range between 21,000 and 55,000. The chimpanzees here are found in extremely scattered and very small sections of remaining forests. Of the 13 western countries where chimpanzees can be found, Cote d’Ivoire has the largest population, however, this once large number has actually decreased by 90% over the last two decades. This is followed by larger chimpanzee populations in Guinea-Bissau, Sierra Leone, Guinea, Liberia, and Nigeria. Much smaller populations inhabit Ghana, Senegal, and Mali. Today, chimpanzees are listed as extinct in Burkina Faso, Benin, and Gambia. Statistics suggest that this species may also be extinct in Togo.
In the east, chimpanzees inhabit the western areas of Tanzania and Uganda, Rwanda, the Central African Republic, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Much smaller concentrations of this species can be found in southeastern Sudan and Burundi.
Of particular concern is the Nigeria-Cameroon chimpanzee, which has the smallest wild population at only around 6,500. These individuals inhabit the area north of the Sanaga river and approximately 1,500 of them, the only ones considered protected, can be found in the Gashaka-Gumti National Park.
Chimpanzees in Captivity
Around the world, additional chimpanzee populations are being kept in captivity. Many of these individuals are living in zoos and research centers, although some are used as part of circus acts or kept as pets.
Current statistics indicate that 119 bonobos are living in zoos throughout Europe. The majority of these can be found in Germany, where 65 bonobos are distributed among 6 zoos. In the US, for example, around 2,000 chimpanzees are currently living in captivity. Of these, around 300 are in zoos and around 1,700 have been bred for use as medical research subjects. The chimpanzees found in medical research laboratories are the descendants of wild chimpanzees that were trapped prior to 1973, when the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) was enacted.
CITES signatory countries are prevented from capturing, trading, or otherwise killing plant and animal species on the list. This means that in non-signatory countries, chimpanzees are still being caught and used in circuses. These circus chimpanzees are caught as babies so they can be trained from a young age and the poachers also kill the adults in the group to gain easier access to the targeted babies. The number of chimpanzees held as circus acts or as household pets in non-CITES countries is unknown.
How Many Chimpanzees Live in the Wild?
As previously mentioned, the wild chimpanzee population is estimated at between 150,000 and 200,000. This species can still be found within its original range, however, its habitats are smaller and more fragmented than previously. The largest population, around 115,000, is found in the central region of Africa, which includes: the Democratic Republic of Congo, Cameroon, and Gabon.
Amber Pariona
Amber is a freelance writer, English as a foreign language teacher, and Spanish-English translator. She lives with her husband and 3 cats.
By Amber Pariona
Distribution And Population Of Gorillas: Important Facts And Figures
The Population of Red Pandas: Important Facts and Figures
Cheetah Population Worldwide: Important Facts And Figures
The Population Of Giant Pandas - Important Facts And Figures
How Many Types Of Chimpanzees Are There?
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What Is The Difference Between Fog And Mist?
Fog and mist are closely related weather phenomena.
Reduced visibility on a path through the autumn forest due to mist.
Fog and mist are weather phenomena that are similar, and more often than not people refer to one when they are talking about the other. While both are formed under similar conditions, they do have many key differences which are based on visibility, density, and altitude. These are the main differences between fog and mist.
Mist is a form of dispersion that occurs as a result of droplets of water being suspended in the air. It is seen when warm air is suddenly cooled, and this means that mist can be created artificially if the conditions are favorable. One way of creating mist is when one breathes on a glass surface on a cold morning, the warm air we exhale is subjected to cooler conditions and therefore mist is formed.
Fog is considered a type of cloud since it bears the characteristics of clouds such as the influence of weather in the formation of fog. Fog is formed when water vapor in the atmosphere condenses to form water droplets that are suspended in the air.
Both fog and mist obscure visibility and this is where their first difference is and the level of visibility differs. Fog is significantly denser than mist, and therefore, it affects visibility to a greater degree than mist. In mist, it is possible to see out to at least 1.2 miles, while fog reduces this distance to around 0.6 miles. In some cases, fog resulting from changes in humidity or merged with smoke is even denser which has been reported to reduce visibility to just below 60 yards. Some scientists describe fog as obscurity in the surface of the atmosphere. If visibility is less than 0.6 miles it is referred to as fog; if visibility is above 0.6 miles, it is called mist.
The conditions that influence the formation of mist are subject to warm air encountering a cooling effect and as such mist is not divided into categories.
On the other hand, the conditions that cause the formation of fog are varied, and this leads to the further classification of fog. Types of fog include upslope fog formed when air ascends the slope of a mountain. Freezing fog is comprised of supercooled droplets of water which freezes on contact with surfaces. Hail fog forms near places that have experienced hail which may cause an increase in moisture and lower temperature.
Fog can be classified as a cloud, however, sometimes cloud cover can also be called mist. Cloud cover is known as mist when it forms above mountain regions. In the same way, fog is moisture or water droplets suspended above a water body or wet region such as a marsh. Fog cover tends to dissipate as the sun gets stronger at around midday since fog is primarily composed of moisture suspended low above the atmosphere. The heat from the sun causes the water droplets to evaporate, and this is why fog is usually seen early in the morning or late in the evening. Some places in the world are more prone to fog than others.
The main differences between fog and mist are due to visibility, density, and altitude. If visibility is less than 0.6 miles it is referred to as fog; if visibility is above 0.6 miles, it is called mist.
This page was last updated on December 21, 2018.
By Joseph Kiprop
What is the Difference Between Grasshoppers and Locusts?
What Is the Difference Between an Ocean and a Sea?
How Is Fog Formed?
What Is The Difference Between A Tortoise And A Turtle?
What is the Difference Between a Raven and a Crow?
10 Famous Circus Performers of the 20th Century
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Congress Home Page
Agenda & Speakers
Speaker Faculty
Sponsorship Inquiry
2017 Speaking Faculty
John H. Brooks, JD, MBA
Senior Advisor to the Secretary for Drug Pricing Reform
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
Anna Chorniy, PhD
Research Assistant Professor, Department of Medical Social Sciences, Buehler Center for Health Policy & Economics, Feinberg School of Medicine
Saiza Elayda, JD
Director, State Policy
PHRMA
Mark Erwin
Vice President, Market Access
Amanda Forys
Senior Director, Policy, Pricing, and Reimbursement
United Therapeutics Corporation
Rick Fry
Trial Card
Bill Goodson
Director, Patient Access and Reimbursement Services
Timothy E. Hermes
Vice President Market Access
Aurinia Pharamceuticals
Analise Johnian
Thomas Luu
Manager, Data Forensics
Vice President, Lilly Diabetes, Senior Vice President, Connected Care and Insulins
Jeff Myers
Former President and CEO, Medicaid Health Plans of America; Former EVP, strategy and External Relations
Mallory O'Connor
Director, Public Policy
Rob Philo
Veloxis Pharmaceuticals
Kelly Pitt
Director, Legal and Compliance
Sobi North America
Robert Popovian
Vice President, US Government Relations
Matt Portch
Vice President, Sales and Market Access
Sunovion
Stella K. Vnook
Diverse Biotech
Debbie Walters
Assistant Vice President, General Counsel
Jason Zemcik
Director, Product Management
John H. Brooks
John Brooks is the Senior Advisor to the Secretary for Drug Pricing Reform at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Principal Deputy Director for the Center for Medicare at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). At HHS, Mr. Brooks coordinates the Department’s efforts on reducing prescription drug prices, focusing on improving competition, lowering list prices, addressing foreign free-riding, and reducing out-of-pocket costs for all Americans as described in the Administration’s Blueprint for drug pricing reform. Additionally, at CMS, Mr. Brooks is the Principal Deputy of the Center for Medicare, which oversees the Medicare Fee-For-Service, Medicare Advantage, and Medicare Part D Programs.
Previously, Mr. Brooks has served as the health policy advisor for the White House Domestic Policy Council for CMS issues, and as the Counselor for Health Policy to the HHS Secretary at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Prior to that, he was the Department Head for Health Policy at the MITRE Corporation, overseeing a team that worked with federal agencies across the federal government to develop and implement health policy. John has a JD from the University Of Virginia School Of Law, an MBA from Virginia Tech, and a BS from Franciscan University.
Anna Chorniy
Anna Chorniy is a Research Assistant Professor at Northwestern University. Her research focuses on health economics and encompasses elements of labor economics and industrial organization. Anna’s interests include the impact of public health insurance programs, Medicare and Medicaid, on individuals’ health and wellbeing. She is particularly interested in children’s mental health. In the most recent work, she looks at the effects of ADHD treatment on children health, behavioral, and educational outcomes. Anna also has worked on the Medicare Part D plan pricing and coverage and effects of FDA policies on drug R&D. Anna earned her Ph.D. in Economics from Clemson University and completed her postdoctoral training at Princeton University.
Saiza Elayda
Amanda Forys, MSPH, is the Senior Director of Policy, Pricing, and Reimbursement at United Therapeutics. Her experience includes reimbursement policy analytics, with emphases on Medicare and commercial coverage and payment policy. Her work has covered a wide range of topics, including chronic disease management, post-acute care, long-term care, mental health, and specialty services.
Ms. Forys has focused on policy analysis through claims data and cost reports, as well as payment system modeling, budget scoring, and chronic disease studies. Prior to joining United Therapeutics in 2018, she worked at Xcenda, The Moran Company, The National Association for Home Care & Hospice, and The Lewin Group. Ms. Forys serves as a national speaker on healthcare, and has presented at numerous health and policy conferences. Ms. Forys has also presented findings of research to members of Congress, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Federal budget offices, and the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC).
Ms. Forys received her Master of Science in Public Health from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, with a concentration in health policy and administration. During this time, she completed an internship with the Government Accountability Office's healthcare team. She received a Bachelor's of Science Degree in Biopsychology and Cognitive Sciences and a Bachelor’s of Arts in Voice Performance from the University of Michigan.
Rick Fry, who joined TrialCard in 2013, leads TrialCard’s Client Services team. He partners with a cross-functional team of IT, analytics, marketing, and business development professionals to deliver best-in-class patient support programs for TrialCard’s biopharmaceutical clients. Prior to this role, Rick led several operations teams supporting TrialCard’s claims processing, operations management, and production and fulfillment. Rick is an active participant in the National Council for Prescription Drug Programs (NCPDP), where he represents the interests of TrialCard and its customers.
Rick also served for eight years in the United States Air Force as a Financial Management Officer. In this role, Rick managed multimillion-dollar operational programs and supported multi-year procurement programs valued at over $80 billion.
Rick holds a BS in Management from the United States Air Force Academy and a Master of Science in Cost Analysis from the Air Force Institute of Technology.
Dec 2015-Present: Director Patient Access and Reimbursement Services – Eisai
Dec 2013-Dec 2015: Deputy Director Patient Access Services - Bayer
Nov 2011-Nov 2013: Deputy Director Pricing and Reimbursement and Patient Assistance -Bayer
Jun 2009-Oct 2011: Manager Pricing and Reimbursement and Patient Assistance-Bayer
Jan 2008-May 2009: Brand Manager Oncology Marketing Leukine-Berlex/Bayer
Nov 2004-Dec 2007: Senior Oncology Specialty Representative-Berlex
April 2003-Oct 2004: Hospital Sales Consultant –Pfizer
Sept 1998-March 2003: Primary Care Representative G.D. Searle/Pharmacia
August 1972-Aug 1998: United States Army Special Forces (Green Beret) Sergeant Major(retired)
Current job description: Currently the Director of Patient Access and Reimbursement Services at Eisai. Currently responsible for 7 Patient Support Programs to include Patient Assistance Programs Eisai’s portfolio. He provides research analysis and intelligence to the Oncology, Neurology and Metabolic Business Units on public policy, reimbursement and coverage issues, develops strategies, minimizes impact of competitors, mitigates adverse effects and identified opportunities to favorably position Eisai Inc. and their products.
Education: Undergrad- Business Administration from Mary Baldwin College
Speaking at these upcoming events:
Copay Summit
April 6 - 7, 2020 • Philadelphia, PA
8th Annual Patient Adherence and Engagement Summit
Analise provides regulatory law and strategic business guidance to Sanofi’s internal stakeholders in the Primary Care business unit specifically relating to advertising and promotion of marketed diabetes products. She also acts as the legal “center of excellence” for Sanofi’s patient support and assistance programs and advises on topics such as program creation, savings offer terms and restrictions, enrollment form consent language, HIPAA, marketing opt-in, TCPA, as well as marketing of promotional programs.
Analise is a graduate of Suffolk University Law School in Boston, MA and currently resides in Jersey City, NJ.
Thomas has a BS in Biology from UC Riverside (Magna Cum Laude) and a MS in Business of Bioscience from Keck Graduate Institute. He has worked across Managed Markets at Gilead Sciences in Commercial Rebates, Strategy, and Analytics. Prior to Gilead, he was a management consultant with top pharma clients in the SF Bay Area. Projects included new product launches, process optimization, and market strategy. He is currently leading forensic analytics and investigations for the Data Forensics team at Gilead.
Jeff Myers has been involved in the creation of health care policy for nearly 30 years, starting his career as a Capital Hill staffer during the consideration of President Clinton’s Health Security Act. During his tenure, he wrote amendments addressing DSH payments, Part B coverage, and significant changes to FDA approval rules for products exported from the United States.
In the last 20 years, Jeff has worked the “trifecta” of health care – life sciences, providers, and payors. The constant in this experience with drug and biotech companies, skilled nursing facilities and public payor insurers is that reimbursement drives changes in our health care environment. With more than 50% of the American population now covered by taxpayer funded healthcare, this reimbursement issue will only become even more important.
Stephen E. Perkins, MD, serves as the Chief Medical Officer, Commercial & Medicare Services for UPMC Health Plan. As a member of Health Plan’s senior management team, Dr. Perkins provides clinical leadership for all Quality Improvement, Medical Management , and Provider Network Development activities. In addition, he oversees UPMC Health Plan Community Health Initiatives with UPMC as an integrated finance and delivery system.
Previously Dr. Perkins serviced as Vice President of Medical Affairs and Senior Medical Director for UPMC Health Plan. In that position, he provided strategic and clinical leadership and medical oversight for the Health Plan’s commercial products and served as senior medical director for UPMC WorkPartners’ suite of workers’ compensation, employee assistance, health promotion, and health management products.
Prior to joining the Health Plan in 2010, Dr. Perkins served for 12 years as corporate medical director for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Vermont, the largest Vermont-based health coverage carrier. His 30 years in the health care field also included 13 years as a family physician in South Charleston, W.Va.
Dr. Perkins received his undergraduate degree in biology from West Virginia University and his M.D. from the WVU School of Medicine in Morgantown. He completed his residency in Family Practice at Kanawha Valley Family Practice Center in South Charleston, W. Va.
4th Annual Manufacturers’ 340B Summit
April 30 - May 1, 2020 • Philadelphia, PA
Dr. Robert Popovian is Vice-President, US Government Relations at Pfizer Inc. For the past 2 decades, Dr. Popovian has published and presented extensively on the impact of biopharmaceuticals and health policies on health care costs and clinical outcomes, including authorship in clinical and healthcare delivery journals and published expert source in Los Angeles Times, USA Today, The Hill, Pink Sheet and Bloomberg News amongst many others. He also writes a regularly published column in Morning Consult regarding health policy and economic issues relevant to the biopharmaceutical industry. He currently serves as a board member for the Global Healthy Living Foundation.
Dr. Popovian completed his Doctorate in Pharmacy and Masters of Science in Pharmaceutical Economics and Policy degrees at the University of Southern California with honors.
Matt is currently the Senior Vice President of Sales and Market Access for Sunovion Pharmaceuticals Inc. Matt is responsible for leading the Account Management, Trade, Contracting and MM Marketing Teams at Sunovion. In addition to his Market Access responsibilities Matt leads Sunovion’s Respiratory, Psychiatry, Neurology and Institutional Sales Teams.
Prior to this position Matt was Vice President of Commercial Model Innovation at Pfizer. He and his team were responsible for evolving Pfizer’s Business Model to meet the rapidly evolving needs of Health Care Providers and Organizations in the US.
Debbie Walters-Francique is Vice President, Assistant General Counsel at Pfizer Inc. and is the Legal lead for the Commercial Solutions Platform Legal team who support: Organized Customers, Government Pricing and Government Contracting functions, Patient, Health & Impact which includes HEOR functions, Account Management and Sales functions, Global Trade Controls and various Strategy, Commercial and Medical Operations groups as well as advisory and counseling related to drug pricing transparency.
In addition to supporting day-to-day activities related to the above functions Mrs. Walters-Francique also provides expertise and counsel to a broad range of clients across the entire organization related to the federal and state Anti-Kickback laws, as well as provide key strategic support into the development and evolution of field commercial and medical roles and interactions. She has been with Pfizer since 2000.
Prior to joining Pfizer, Mrs. Walters-Francique was in private practice with the law firm of Shearman & Sterling in their Mergers & Acquisition Group.
Jason Zemcik is the Product Director for TrialCard’s TC Synapse suite of compliance and risk management solutions, which encompasses co-pay program fraud monitoring and detection, co-pay accumulator mitigation strategies, and government exclusion and anti-kickback safeguards.
Jason joined TrialCard in 2011 and has held roles in Program Management, Data Analytics, Marketing, and Operations. He holds a Project Management Professional (PMP) certification and is a member of the National Health Care Anti-Fraud Association.
Prior to joining TrialCard, Jason served seven years as a United States Army officer, deploying to both Iraq and Afghanistan.
Jason is a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point where he earned a BS in Legal Studies with a minor in Systems Engineering.
Pharmaceutical Drug Pricing Strategies Summit
December 11 - 12, 2019 | Alexandria, VA | Westin Alexandria Old Town
Develop Strategic Drug Pricing Models To Meet Federal And State Pricing Requirements And Ensure Transparency
World Congress Customer Relations
Email: wcreg@worldcongress.com
Priscilla Colon
Email: Priscilla.Colon@worldcongress.com
Jackie Stansbury
Email: Jackie.Stansbury@worldcongress.com
Sponsorship and Exhibiting:
Steven Legendre
Email: Steven.Legendre@worldcongress.com
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Patterson Belknap Webb & Tyler LLP
David W. Dykhouse
New York, U.S.A.
David Dykhouse combines extensive experience (in counseling, transactions and litigation) with the avoidance, treatment and exploitation of economic distress. Mr. Dykhouse has a knowledge of many major industries, including pharmaceuticals, media and publishing, petroleum refining and marketing, retailing, derivatives and other complex financial products, real estate development and technology, as well as the non-profit sector. For many years he has advised and represented industrial companies, financial institutions and charitable organizations in connection with the present or possible future financial distress of business counterparties, as well as representing them in bankruptcy and other trial and appellate courts throughout the United States. Mr. Dykhouse chaired the Firm’s creditors’ rights practice group for over thirty years, and lectures, writes and serves on advisory committees regarding the Bankruptcy Code and the Uniform Commercial Code.
Mr. Dykhouse was a partner of the Firm from November 1, 1982 to December 31, 2016.
Prior to joining Patterson Belknap, Mr. Dykhouse served as Law Clerk to the Hon. Samuel J. Roberts, Supreme Court of Pennsylvania.
U.S. Court of Appeals, First Circuit; Second Circuit; Third Circuit
U.S. District Court, Southern, Eastern and Northern Districts of New York; Northern District of Illinois
University of Pennsylvania Law School (J.D., magna cum laude, 1974)
Calvin University (A.B., 1971)
Alternative Dispute Resolution | Business Reorganization and Creditors' Rights | Class Action Litigation | Complex Commercial Actions | Corporate | Cross-Border Transactions | Financial Services | Life Sciences / Health Care | Litigation | Manufacturing | Securities and Derivatives Litigation | Structured Finance Litigation
HONORS: Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® and Super Lawyers in the areas of Bankruptcy and Creditor-Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law and Litigation-Bankruptcy.
MEMBERSHIPS: Association of the Bar of the City of New York (Chair, Commercial Law and Uniform State Laws Committee, 2006-2009, Member, 2002-2009, 2018-; Committee on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse, 2003-2006; Committee on Bankruptcy and Corporate Reorganization, 1980-1985); New York State Bar Association (Committee on Multinational Reorganizations and Insolvencies, 1987-2001); American Bar Association (Committee on Legal Opinions; UCC Subcommittee on Secured Transactions; Business Bankruptcy Subcommittees on Avoiding Powers and Executory Contracts); American Bankruptcy Institute (various committees)
Puerto Rico Files for Bankruptcy: New York Judge to Hear Case
Patterson Belknap Webb & Tyler LLP, May 2017
The Financial Oversight and Management Board for Puerto Rico recently filed a voluntary petition for relief on behalf of Puerto Rico in federal court there. The filing required the Chief Justice of the United States to designate a district court judge to conduct the case. In recent months Chief Justice Roberts appointed District Judge Laura Taylor Swain of the Southern District of New York...
© Patterson Belknap Webb & Tyler LLP, 2020
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Trump receives Saudi Arabia's highest civilian honor during ceremony
The king placed the Collar of Abdulaziz Al Saud around Trump’s neck at a ceremony at the Royal Court in Riyadh
President Donald Trump is receiving the nation’s highest civilian honor from Saudi King Salman. The king placed the Collar of Abdulaziz Al Saud around Trump’s neck at a ceremony at the Royal Court in Riyadh. The host of the event declared that Trump was being honored for “his quest to enhance security and stability in the region and around the world.” The honor has also been bestowed to Russian President Vladimir Putin, British Prime Minister Theresa May and Trump’s predecessor, Barack Obama. Trump was joined by first lady Melania Trump and several senior White House aides who were interspersed with Saudi officials throughout a grand ballroom.
President Donald Trump is receiving the nation’s highest civilian honor from Saudi King Salman.
The king placed the Collar of Abdulaziz Al Saud around Trump’s neck at a ceremony at the Royal Court in Riyadh.
Trump meeting with Arab leaders ahead of major speech
The host of the event declared that Trump was being honored for “his quest to enhance security and stability in the region and around the world.”
The honor has also been bestowed to Russian President Vladimir Putin, British Prime Minister Theresa May and Trump’s predecessor, Barack Obama.
Trump was joined by first lady Melania Trump and several senior White House aides who were interspersed with Saudi officials throughout a grand ballroom.
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Photo by: WUSA
Saliqa A. Khan | Digital Executive Editor WUSA9.com
Saliqa A. Khan | Digital Executive Editor
Saliqa A. Khan joins WUSA9 as the Digital Executive Editor for WUSA9.com
Published: 4:55 PM EDT March 29, 2019
Updated: 12:04 PM EDT June 10, 2019
WASHINGTON — Saliqa A. Khan joins WUSA9 as the Digital Executive Editor for WUSA9.com and its social platforms.
Along with pioneering many digital news firsts, Saliqa has been credited with breaking many national and international news stories during her professional award-winning career spanning more than a decade.
Her past includes work with CBS in Philadelphia, NBC in Sacramento and Baltimore, Hearst-TV, AOL and Huffington Post Media Group – digital reporting and writing, video production, editing, management and work on various social media platforms.
During her most recent tenure as the senior editor at the NBC affiliate in Baltimore, she covered the 2015 Baltimore Uprising and in the courtroom, she was often the first to break national/international news of the officers on trial in the death of Freddie Gray. She also reported on police reform and led the coverage of the fateful standoff with Korryn Gaines in Baltimore County as the first and only reporter on the ground to break the news as it was happening -- a story that captured national/international headlines during a time of heighten racial tension in the country.
Saliqa also contributed her essay to the book I Speak for Myself: American Women on Being Muslim and spoke on her experiences during events at Georgetown University, the Asian American Journalists Association convention in Detroit, and on several occasions at the U.S. State Department with then-Secretary Hillary Clinton.
Saliqa also took personal pride in her stories behind slain domestic violence victim Amber Schinault and what would become Amber's Law in Maryland in 2017 -- a domestic violence law allowing victims to have their offenders monitored through active GPS tracking. Schinault's loved ones, and especially her mother, along with many state lawmakers credited her work for helping to bring awareness to the bill and aiding in its passage. Authorities as far as Australia and New Zealand have also reached out to Saliqa to ask about her research and work on domestic violence.
A HUGE Eagles fan, Saliqa braved the freezing temperatures with her best friend and kid during the very first Superbowl parade in her hometown of Philly in 2018. She even rocked green eye shadow for the occasion.
On the music side, Saliqa has interviewed, and written liner notes and bios for many Grammy-nominated and winning producers, artists and songwriters. She is an old school hip-hop aficionado and has a love of Kangol hats and old school Pumas alike. She can also hold her own as a battle emcee and poet.
Speaking of poetry, Saliqa was invited to perform her poetry at Howard University in February 2019 and is featured in several poetry readings for Great Day Washington. She continues to perform in and around Washington, D.C. area. Be on the lookout for her on an open mic near you!
For more information on Saliqa and her work, follow her @Saliqa on Twitter and Instagram.
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Channel: Community & Culture
Péter Korniss: 'Continuing Memories', Hungarian National Gallery
Shown until 11 February. Péter Korniss is one of the greatest masters of contemporary Hungarian photography, a recipient of the “Artist of the Nation” award, the Kossuth Prize and the Joseph Pulitzer Memorial Prize. His work centres on documenting the disappearing lifestyle of peasants in Hungary and Transylvania. The series of images that are featured in this exhibition at the Hungarian National Gallery, titled Continuous Memory, concentrate on the most important aspects of his entire career.
Born in Cluj-Napoca (Romania) in 1937, Péter Korniss worked for Nők Lapja, a weekly women’s magazine, from 1961 to 1991, and then as a freelance photographer. His reputation rests on his many decades as a documentarist. His images have been exhibited in museums and galleries in 16 different countries.
For three years from 1977 he was a member of the World Press Photo jury and in 1983 he joined the International Advisory Committee of the W. Eugene Smith Memorial Fund. In 1999 he became the first photographer to be awarded the Kossuth Prize.
This exhibition, spans the 50-year career of this photographer, whose unerringly observant and analytical approach to social changes has constantly shaped and reshaped his own realm of imagery. His attention gradually shifted from traditional peasant culture towards the globalised world and the trials and tribulations of itinerant workers.
The first section of the exhibition features images from the 1960s and 1970s that depict the traditional world of peasants. The artist’s growing interest in “commuting labourers”, kindled in the 1970s, is reflected in part two, titled Guest Workers. Section Three examines the phenomena of globalisation, while. Part Four presents the images Korniss produced in the 2000s, when the photographer was exploring the complex relation between tradition and the present.
This led to a new series, Nativity Players, in which he used – for the first time – the technique of staged photography. Genuine actors from traditional Nativity plays, who are still active in many Hungarian communities, were asked to pose in settings typifying the modern, urban lifestyle. The final section of the exhibition concentrates on photos of the Transylvanian women who come to Budapest in search of work. These images, produced in the last three years, have never been exhibited before.
The exhibition is accompanied by a catalogue in Hungarian and English. The three essays in the volume were written by experts who are intimately familiar with the œuvre of Péter Korniss: Colin Ford, founding director of the UK’s National Museum of Photography, Film and Television (now National Science + Media Museum), Daniela Mrázková, director of Czech Press Photo, and Péter Baki, director of the Hungarian Museum of Photography in Kecskemét.
Location: Building C, groundfloor
More: Hungarian National Gallery
Address: Buda Palace Building A-B-C-D
1014 Budapest, Szent György tér 2.
Péter Korniss Continuing Memories Hungarian National Gallery
Explore More Reports
On view from 31 January, until 6 March. Kolta Galeria proudly presents a master exhibition – Kondor Laszlo; a Leica on the Frontline (Chicago 1968 –Vietnam 1969-70)
Two Portraits By Philip De László Return To Budapest With Britain’s Help
Two portraits by world renowned Hungarian – British artist Philip de László have returned to Budapest thanks to the British Government Art Collection that successfully bid for the paintings at the spring 2019 auction at Christie’s New York.
Philip de László Exhibition: "I Am An Artist Of The World", Hungarian National Gallery
Seen until 5 January 2020. This exhibition of 16 masterpieces will be the first in the country of his birth in nearly 100 years. It will mark the turning point in restoring de László's reputation in Hungary as one of the greatest portrait painters of the 20th Century.
’Every Past Is My Past’ Photo Exhibition @ Hungarian National Gallery
3 Jul 2019 8:10 AM
Seen until 25 August. Every Past Is My Past displays a selection of more than three hundred pictures from the popular Fortepan digital photo-archives, which is now ten years old.
community & culture CHANNEL SPONSOR
LATEST NEWS IN community & culture
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Your Path to Enlightenment
The Machinery
Much of this site is devoted to an individuals quest for enlightenment. However, there are billions of humans on this planet with whom we interact with. What about humanity as a whole?
Is there such a thing as the collective unconsciousness?
Where we are heading as a species? Do we ever consider the evolution and spiritual growth of the plant and animal kingdom and the planet as a whole, like the Theosophical society teachers did? They believed that mankind had a role to play in accelerating the evolutionary progress of other creatures on this planet. They considered radioactive rock as being the most evolved amongst the mineral kingdom. What about the evolution of plants and trees? Are humans playing a part in the evolution of souls of the domesticated animals, like pets and farm livestock?
Personally, I think most of us have our work cut out for us looking after our own spiritual growth without having to worry about everything else on the planet as well.
Considering the larger picture, we could begin with:
the History of the Universe
then on to how life originated on earth
and the Evolution of Mankind leading up to the present time.
There are a number of theories about evolution – check out the Spectrum of evolutionary theories, and also the Hindu texts on Yugas which may have a part to play in the evolution of consciousness across mankind.
Religions and Governments play a large part in managing the social structure of the human race. Rather than using the term “rulers”, I like to think of their role as enablers and regulators. There is general agreement on a set of fundamental Human Rights applicable to all mankind.
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A Finish Line That Must Be Crossed
, an inspiring short documentary about a group of dedicated workers who are going door-to-door to give polio vaccines to children in the poorest areas of India:
Since polio no longer exists in the developed world, many assume that the crippling disease has been eradicated. Sadly, this isn't true. Polio is still a reality in the world’s poorest countries. Created by our friends at Google.org and Vermillion Films, this captivating 38-minute film brings to light the global challenge of polio eradication and tells the story of those who are on the front lines helping the most vulnerable -- children under five living in some of the world's most destitute regions.
We hope that the film will raise awareness about the existence of polio and encourage you to support the public health workers who are working so hard to bring an end to the disease. You can click here to learn more about polio eradication efforts or to contribute to the cause.
Ramya Raghavan
YouTube Nonprofits & Activism
Today on the homepage, we're featuring a hot Oscar-nominated film set in the slums of India. No, not that one -- this film tells a real story. In honor of World Health Day, we're highlighting The Final Inch, an inspiring short documentary about a group of dedicated workers who are going door-to-door to give polio vaccines to children in the poorest areas of India:
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Wittenberg Alarmed Over Felon Seeking to Open Charter in FSD
Would-be school operator pleaded guilty to fleeing police in 2007
LANSING — State Representative Robert Wittenberg (D-Oak Park) has registered his concerns about a Saginaw Valley State University plan to grant a charter school authorization to Michael Bartley, who pleaded guilty to fleeing from police in 2007, and whose Metro Educational Concepts corporation has been given only an overall D+ rating by the Michigan Department of Education. Under the plan, SVSU would give its backing to Bartley to open The Victory Academy of Science and Technology (V.A.S.T.) in the Ferndale School District.
“I urge the SVSU president and board of control to not authorize the V.A.S.T. school in the Ferndale School District,” Wittenberg said. “With all that is happening with Detroit Public Schools, we do not need to open another school without any oversight or accountability measures.”
Wittenberg said he is particularly troubled at the partnership between Bartley and SVSU because SVSU already has a poor track record as a charter authorizer. According to a report from The Education Trust Midwest, charter schools authorized by SVSU ranked among the worst performing 10 percent of schools statewide, according to the 2013-14 accountability rankings. Sending taxpayer resources to a charter school operated by a poor role model and overseen by a university with a poor track record of charter school authorizations is a recipe for disaster and will weaken schools in the area that are performing well. Wittenberg is asking Gov. Rick Snyder to put pressure on his appointees at the SVSU board, as well as asking State Superintendent Brian Whiston to investigate the whole situation.
“Students at Oakland County school districts have access to the Oakland County Technical Center, where they can get a full career and technical education up to an associate degree through Oakland Community College or Baker College,” Wittenberg said. “There is no need to open a for-profit, non-union technical charter high school in the 27th House District.”
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The Aventura Mall
If you don't mind negotiating Aventura Mall traffic and its often-dicey parking situation, Grill on the Alley is one of the city's finest restaurants. (Photo courtesy of Amy Richards/ABM).
Grill on the Alley, The
Cuisine: Steakhouse
Valet Parking: Yes
Forms of Payment: Cash, all major credit cards
Dinner Entrées: $12.75 - $44.50
Sunday: 11:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Monday: 11:30 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Tuesday: 11:30 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Wednesday: 11:30 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Thursday: 11:30 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Friday: 11:30 a.m. - 11:00 p.m.
Saturday: 11:30 a.m. - 11:00 p.m.
Alcohol Service: Full bar
Quite simply put, The Grill on the Alley is one of Aventura's very best restaurants. Classically appointed with superior service delivered from a staff of true professionals. Always great fun to socialize at the bar, especially during weekday Happy Hours (4pm until 8pm) when an upbeat and raucous white-collar crowd often fills up most seats at the mahogany. Smart patrons make a point to greet GM Jeff Martin, who will return the courtesy in spades. Lighter fare in the way of seafood and chicken is available and it's quite good, but the real draw here is the selection of steaks. (I must confess to absolutely adoring the pan-seared Dover sole, which by no coincidence is also The Grill's priciest offering). The Grill deserves all the praise it receives for its Prime New York pepper steak, flavored impeccably with cracked pepper, onions, and bacon. A one-of-a-kind dish. The Grill is perfect for special occasions, as there's a private dining room that seats up to 28. It doesn't get a whole lot better for fine dining in Aventura, or for that matter, South Florida. If not for the pesky Aventura Mall traffic and parking, I'd be more of a regular here.
- Written by Alex Grayson
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The notoriously exclusive Pirelli Calendar, featuring glamorous shots of beautiful women, was first published in 1964.
Reserved for important clients and VIPs, the calendar has since grown into a legend of its own, showcasing the beauty of models such as Alessandra Ambrosio, Gisele Bündchen, Naomi Campbell, Laetitia Casta, Cindy Crawford, Penélope Cruz, Milla Jovovich, Heidi Klum, Angela Lindvall, Sophia Loren, and Kate Moss.
In celebration of the 50th anniversary of the now-legendary institution that is the Pirelli Calendar, TASCHEN brings you a retrospective volume reproducing the complete calendars, photographed by Richard Avedon, Peter Beard, Patrick Demarchelier, Nick Knight, Karl Lagerfeld, Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin, Annie Leibovitz, Peter Lindbergh, Sarah Moon, Uwe Ommer, Terry Richardson, Herb Ritts, Mario Sorrenti, Bert Stern, Mario Testino, Bruce Weber, and many more.
Bonus features include rarely and never-before-seen behind-thescenes images of the shoots, the unpublished 1963 calendar, and a selection of "censored" images deemed too risqué by the editors of the time. With an introduction by Philippe Daverio and an interview with art directors Derek Forsyth and Martyn Walsh.
Fashion photographer Peter Lindbergh can claim a few weighty titles; the first to photograph the original supermodels, the first to shoot a Pirelli Calendar three times, and the first ever to get behind a camera for the cover of Anna Wintour’s US Vogue. It is these extraordinary achievements that keep him at the very top of the international fashion and celebrity world. But beyond this dazzling list of firsts, Lindbergh crafts compelling narratives of enduring beauty. In trademark monochrome, his penetrating portraits celebrate beauty in myriad guises, and, particularly, over time and age. Born in Duisburg, Germany, Lindbergh began his career as a window dresser for the Karstadt and Horten department stores. After traveling and studying at the Berlin Academy of Fine Arts he joined the Stern magazine family along with photographers Helmut Newton, Guy Bourdin and Hans Feurer. Lindbergh’s work is characterized by a dark cinematic quality and gritty realism and is influenced by street photographers and photojournalists like Dorothea Lange, Henri Cartier-Bresson and Garry Winogrand. His refusal to subscribe to beauty standards, including the excessive retouching and obsessive perfection enforced in the fashion industry, has set him apart from his peers. TASCHEN’s books on Peter Lindbergh survey his vast body of work and provide a unique window to his biography. The books include editorials, covers, and portraits from magazines like The New Yorker, Rolling Stone, Vanity Fair, Harper’s Bazaar US, Wall Street Journal Magazine, The Face, Visionaire, Interview and W. Naturally, any publication on Lindbergh, is not complete without his images of Linda Evangelista, Naomi Campbell, Tatjana Patitz, Cindy Crawford, and Christy Turlington, that heralded a new age of beauty, fashion, and womanhood.
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Ellen DeGeneres: We Must Change the Message
Filed By Michael Crawford | March 01, 2008 11:21 AM | comments
Filed in: Media, The Movement
Tags: coming out of the closet, Ellen DeGeneres, gay rights, Lawrence King
I posted Ellen DeGeneres commentary on Lawrence King, the openly gay 15 year old who was murdered by a 14 year old classmate, under the You Gotta See This section in the middle column. But, I want to make sure that you see it because Ellen hit the nail on the head when she says "We have to change the message."
By making this statement, Ellen is definitely helping to "change the message" and she is doing so in a far more eloquent way than anything I have seen coming from GLBT advocacy groups. I say that not to denigrate the incredible folks who work tirelessly to advance our civil rights. There are some brilliant people pushing the message of GLBT equality like David Smith at HRC, Steve Ralls who has just made the jump from SLDN to PFLAG and the amazing Cathy Renna. But, nothing changes the message and persuades non-gay people of our humanity and the moral rightness of our movement for equality more than GLBT people living their lives openly and honestly.
We owe it to ourselves and each other to come and to do so in a way that is empowering and safe. That's the way we began to change the message that being gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender is something unworthy of respect and dignity.
Coming out resources:
Resource Guide to Coming Out
Resource Guide to Coming Out for African-Americans
Guía de Recursos Para Salir Del Clóset
A Straight Guide to GLBT Americans
Resources for Straight Allies
Recent Entries Filed under Media:
Powerful Hallmark Mother's Day Ad Features Trans Man
Right Blames Everyone But Police for Baltimore Unrest
PBS on Today's Kentucky Marriage Equality Case
Kim Kardashian Speaks About Bruce Jenner's Transition
CBS Host Calls Out Tony Perkins for Leading a Hate Group
Kathy | March 1, 2008 12:31 PM
You had me at hello - but lost me at David Smith. He can buid an entire vaction home out of pink brinks.
diddlygrl | March 1, 2008 1:12 PM
As a transwoman, I have to live my life openly and honestly. Unlike many, the transexual community has little choice in the matter. Unless they have the money and time to make the old you 'disappear' and go stealth, it is very hard for male to female trans people to hide.
Even then, there is always the possibility of discovery, no matter how well you may pass. The paper trail of your prior self can be discovered, or someone who knew you back when may come into your life at an inoppertune moment.
This is one of the reasons we have been at the forefront of advocacy for LGBT rights. It is not a matter of being able to stay in the closet if you want to be true to yourself.
The message does have to change about the LGBT community, and we have to be proactive in pointing out the hate and prejudice we face from some groups in this country. As long as the negative message is spewed out by the pulpit and stump speech, as long as people are not taken to task on their slander and misinformation, we will always face the very real possibility that someone will take the negative messages to heart, and act on their fear and prejudice.
Rebecca Juro | March 1, 2008 1:16 PM
I fully agree with Kathy. There are many great examples of helping to change the message, Ellen, Steve Ralls, and Cathy Renna certainly among them, but the message of GLBT "equality" David Smith and others like him are promoting is exactly the message we should be changing FROM, not to.
We're better than the kind of elitist and exclusive "GLBT" politics Smith and HRC promote, the kind of message that says that the rights of gender-variant Americans like Lawrence King aren't as important or as urgent as those Americans who look and act just like straight people. David Smith's brand of politics is not the kind that will help protect the next Lawrence King, but the kind that will help ensure that he and his life continue to be seen as less valuable and less worthy of protection than those of other Americans.
Personally, I think we all deserve far better than that.
Jerame Davis | March 1, 2008 3:04 PM
Ellen is fabulous. I only hope she decides to speak out more after this. I'm sure she feels burned by her previous show's failure when she came out.
Regardless, she's exactly right. We need to change the message - as a country. It can no longer be acceptable to inflict violence on someone for their sexual orientation or gender identity. These differences can no longer be used to dehumanize us.
I look forward to the day that message rings loud and clear.
Michael Bedwell | March 1, 2008 3:26 PM
Poor Rebecca One Note....
And the saddest thing is that the note was written on a fantasy.
Oh, I forgot—David Smith had Vince Foster killed.
Steve Ralls | March 1, 2008 4:03 PM
I do believe this is the first time I've been put on a list with Ellen! :-)
I agree with Michael Crawford completely: Having Ellen speak out about this case - and so eloquently - is important. Ellen has the power to reach a huge segment of the American public, via her show, and to get people thinking about the consequences of prejudice against LGBT people. I'm so glad to hear her talking about this. The case has not received nearly enough attention, in my view.
And, of course, I'm always at the ready to give a shout-out to Cathy Renna, who deserves the "brilliant" tag much more than I do . . .
Kathy | March 1, 2008 4:21 PM
I don't know - the dissonant contrapuntal to a one note symphony seems a sadder, rather lower aspiration to these eyes.
Bil Browning | March 2, 2008 12:20 AM
Ellen, Steve and Cathy Renna. Not a bad list to be on, actually. :) (And I could care less about whether or not Mr. Smith is included - it's not really the point.)
I'm looking forward to seeing Dustin Kight here in Indianapolis when he leads an OUTSpoken session to help people learn how to talk about their families for the most impact. If you're in the area, sign up for the free session.
shakay | March 2, 2008 9:43 AM
Diddlygrl: I am on the same page as you. It is we who don't pass quite so well who have to be fully involved to help all of us.
I am one of those optimists with some hope left that if we show up at political headquarters with
a desire to work for a candidate, those efforts will be recognized. When we support someone, that person will be more inclined to support us when the time comes.
You are making another point here, and I'd like to put it another way: Refuse to be marginalized. No, it's not easy, but when people see that we are leading productive, useful lives and contributing to society, they are less likely to dismiss us as weird or nutso.
Each of us not only have the ability to educate, we almost have a responsibility to educate those who don't understand us. If we only preach to the choir, while avoiding those who will never get it, there is a large segment of the population who simply don't understand, but are willing to learn. It's this group that we can and should reach out to. It will mean getting out of our comfort zones sometimes, but we can do it. And, we don't have to get on the Jerry Springer show to do it.
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From Black power to green power
By James Clingman
George Curry Media
Have you ever wondered what happened to Black Power? Remember the days of the clinched fist, the afro, the dashiki, and black berets? Remember Stokely Carmichael, Angela Davis, Huey P. Newton and Bobby Seale, Eldridge Cleaver, H. Rap Brown, and the Black Panthers? How about Shaft and Foxy Brown? Black was beautiful and “powerful” back then, right?
If you were around in those days, and even if you were not, you will also recall J. Edgar Hoover’s Counter Intelligence Program, otherwise known as COINTELPRO. It kept watch on MLK, Malcolm, and any Black person who stood up and spoke out against injustice and had the temerity to actually fight for Black Power. Those were the days, right? Wrong. Ask Tommie Smith and John Carlos.
Years before Hoover began his COINTELPRO tactics against those mentioned above, he set up a scheme to destroy the man many believe to be the progenitor of real Black Power: Marcus Mosiah Garvey. Hoover called Garvey a “notorious negro agitator,” and did everything he could to dig up dirt on him. Historian, Theodore Kornweibel, said, “Hoover and the Justice Department were clearly hooked on a fixation on Garvey which would before long become a vendetta.”
Hoover had relied on part-time Black informants to track Garvey’s movements and U.N.I.A. activities. Ironically, in December 1919, his determination to go after Garvey led Hoover to hire the first Black agent in the Bureau’s history, James Wormley Jones. “His job,” says Kornweibel, “was to go into Harlem and infiltrate the Garvey movement and find evidence that could be used to build the legal case for ultimately getting rid of Garvey.” We know what happened to Garvey when Hoover and his gang found that Garvey would not buckle and was not about to sell his people out.
Notwithstanding Garvey’s refusal to sell out, many of our “leaders” in the glorious 1960s, those who chanted “Black Power,” were conquered by green power. Hoover was doing his thing on an even larger scale, from character assassination to murder, and in a relatively short period of time, we looked around and saw former militant Black folks writing proposals to get funding for social service agencies and all of a sudden going from hardcore freedom fighters to CEO’s and presidents of those organizations.
Green power worked the best among all of Hoover’s tactics. A few “guvment” dollars here and there and voila! No more Black Power. Don’t get me wrong, there were those who remained faithful to the principle of Black Power, but their numbers slowly dwindled due to lack of funds and certainly the murders on George Jackson and Fred Hampton. Hoover wasn’t playing, but the “guvment” was paying. “Party over here!”
Some of the problems for Black Power advocates back then can be attributed to several things. An article on PBS, American Experience, explained it this way: “Originally motivated by goals of quick reforms, 1960s activists were ill-prepared for the long-term struggles in which they found themselves. Overly dependent on media-oriented superstars and one-shot dramatic actions, they failed to develop stable organizations, accountable leadership, and strategic perspective. Creatures of the culture they so despised, they often lacked the patience to sustain tedious grassroots work and painstaking analysis of actual social conditions. They found it hard to accept the slow, uneven pace of personal and political change.”
“What proved most devastating in all of this was the effective manipulation of the victims of COINTELPRO into blaming themselves. Since the FBI and police operated covertly, the horrors they engineered appeared to emanate from within the movements. Activists’ trust in one another and in their collective power was subverted, and the hopes of a generation died, leaving a legacy of cynicism and despair which continues to haunt us today.” (Source: How COINTELPRO Helped Destroy the Movements of the 1960s)
Hoover’s 48 years as FBI Director taught him, and influenced even presidents, that Black Power could be diffused, first through the use of force, trumped up criminal charges, and clandestine subterfuge, but later through the use of green power. Pay off a few Black folks and eliminate or at least minimize the positive effects of Black Power as we know it.
A great example of this truth is “Little” Al Sharpton, now his alter-ego to “Big Bad” Al Sharpton. He didn’t have a lot of money, but he had a lot of bluster. He called someone out on Morton Downey’s TV, referred to him as a “punk-faggot,” while he fought for Black folks (at least that’s what we thought). He went from Black Power to green power, to the tune of $750,000 on MSNBC. “Sharp” move, wasn’t it?
Let’s use our own green power to fund and support the Black Power we seek.
Jim Clingman, founder of the Greater Cincinnati African American Chamber of Commerce, is the nation’s most prolific writer on economic empowerment for Black people. He can be reached through his website, blackonomics.com. He is the author of Black Dollars Matter: Teach Your Dollars How to Make More Sense, which is available through his website; professional publishinghouse.com and Amazon Kindle eBooks.
Category Opinions
Hillary makes history breaking through the glass ceiling
“Optimist or Pessimist? You decide!"
Seed sowing for a beloved nation
My patriotic, flag-waving jury service speech
Has America lost it’s soul?
Where are the African American and Latina Mark Zuckerbergs and Sheryl Sandbergs?
Clinton and GOP ignore Florida Black Press
Donald J. Trump is NOT crazy
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Contact: Chanda Temple
E-mail: ctemple@bham.lib.al.us
JCPLA Honors Community Champions at B&A Warehouse Luncheon
The Jefferson County Public Library Association recently honored nine community "champions'' during its annual holiday luncheon at B&A Warehouse in Birmingham, Ala. The purpose of the luncheon was to recognize the outstanding achievements of volunteers and community partners. The honorees were:
*John Montgomery, founder and president of Big Communications, helped implement the Birmingham Public Library's rebranding and awareness campaign in the summer of 2012. With very limited resources, Montgomery and his company developed the system's "Champions of Learning'' educational initiative by recruiting Olympic gold medalist Vonetta Flowers to become the face of the campaign. The campaign showed the importance of having libraries in the community and the value of lifelong reading.
*John Paul Taylor, artistic director of Real Life Poets, has conducted poetry workshops at the Birmingham Public Library since 2010. He helps give students the basic literary skills they need to write engaging poetry. What first started out as three workshops in 2010 to help prepare high school students for a countywide poetry slam competition for 2011, has grown to monthly classes that are now offered for students and adults at the library.
Recently, Taylor partnered with the library and the Birmingham Education Foundation to offer workshops for families as part of Parent University programs. Taylor's organization also helps present the annual Word Up! competition in the spring.
*Elinor and Winfield Burks host math and science programs at the Five Points West Library every year and visit several Birmingham Public Library branches in January and February to teach students about George Washington Carver and his peanut research. In 2011, they received a Kresge Foundation grant that helped them develop after-school science programs for the Birmingham Public Library system. They reached 1,395 participants during the school year. Their efforts have helped erase the stigma that science is too hard or that a science career is not a realistic possibility.
*The Redmont Neighborhood Association has donated $30,500 to The Library at Birmingham Botanical Gardens over the last 10 years. The money has been used to buy materials for the library. The association strives to make its community better through libraries.
*Jackie Hambrick joined the city of Clay's library committee in 2006, working to establish a library for Clay. She worked tirelessly to research funding options in order to transform a 1905 farmhouse into a modern public library. The committee faced many obstacles, but Jackie never retreated. In October 2009, her persistence paid off when the city's library opened in the renovated farmhouse. Today, she remains committed to helping the library.
*Daphine Munson has volunteered in the Homewood Public Library's Friends' Bookstore two days a week, for the last eight years. When someone can't make it to work, she volunteers to work their shift when she can. The bookstore and the library benefit greatly from her efficiency and dependability. She is always there to lend a helping hand and a smile. She's been a member of the Friends of the Homewood Public Library since 1987.
*Michael Krawcheck, a member of the Hoover Library Board of Trustees since 1996, is an advocate for the library and its employees. He knows all 100 employees by name, has attended more than 200 monthly meetings and special events at the library and he's been known to buy lunch for employees standing behind him in line at the library's coffee cafe. Employees and library patrons appreciate his presence and dedication.
*Mary B. Undeutsch has volunteered at the Leeds Jane Culbreath Library since 2005. She works in the cataloging and circulation departments, where she stamps, tags and repairs materials; checks in books from van deliveries; and straightens shelves with ease and enthusiasm.
* Vestavia Hills Public Library's People Affecting Library Success (P.A.L.S.) is made up of young mothers, who volunteer to secure thousands of dollars to help fund programming and materials in the library's children's department. For the last four years, their funding has helped make the library's summer reading program a success. Without P.A.L.S., the children's department would not be what it is today.
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Edinburgh, Scotland: the capital of the state, which supposedly does not
Needles Isle of Wight
Great Britain Attractions
Castles of England. History in Architecture
Skyscraper Mary Ex. London cucumber
The Mary Eix skyscraper, better known as the London Cucumber, is one of the most attractive buildings in London and stands out against the backdrop of the city skyline. Mary…
In this compilation, I decided to summarize all of our most popular materials on England. Here I will tell about the most famous sights of this country, naturally, with reference…
« Scotland’s Culture. Scotland Traditions. Scottish Cuisine
Welsh Culture. The Traditions Of Wales. Welsh Cuisine »
A four-day tour of London. Blitz tour!
Tour to London: four days in London! British visa allows you to stay in the country for six months, but nothing can be done — in the schedule of my tour of Europe for a tour to London is allocated only 4 days. A lot or a little to this extraordinary island? Of course, little, but enough, to feel mysterious charm of this strict and beautiful countries.
London tour: On the way to England
Since England is not part of the Schengen countries, a visa to the UK will have to be obtained separately. Make it quite real, but be prepared that the Embassy will want to make sure that you are just a tourist and do not dream to settle on the island. If you do not fly from Ukraine to England at once, but first to another European country, you will have to think about how you will get to Foggy Albion. You can take the train through the tunnel dug under The English channel. You can ship. Swimming in the North sea is romantic and interesting. But, according to our calculations, the cheapest was… the plane! The flight is tireless, takes only 1.5 hours. When the chassis touched the British ground, I expected violent shouts and applause — after all, it was so when they flew from Kiev to Amsterdam. But all were silent… As I explained to friends, the British people are calm, and such a violent expression of emotions is more typical of Americans…
When you fly to Heathrow airport from Ukraine, the plane flies over London, and in good weather directly below you can see the entire British capital. But they say it is a sight frightening: huge, seemingly endless city that can not fail to obey…
London tour: Past the tower to the Thames
I thought the London fogs were just a beautiful metaphor. But when we went for a walk in the evening along the Thames, drizzling rain. And all at once became somehow in London. There is something magical and attractive about this big city. Endless turns of streets, red buses, old mansions and modern skyscrapers, fine misty rain and wide cold Thames.
We go to the Tower bridge — and this is not just a familiar picture, but a real bridge-a castle of sand-blue flowers. Next, just in the valley, hid the tower — famous prison-fortress. I never got there, and who knows, maybe it’s for the best — after all, to buy a ticket to prison — it’s strange…
Go to the other side of the Thames can now be a thin pedestrian bridge — the Millennium bridge. It seems that the shiny metal from the rain is about to slip and fall into the river.
Cross the Thames and get into the mysterious darkness and the lights of the other shore. Go home from work in suits employees, but it is not only a modern business city and the medieval heart of London’s “globe” theatre of Shakespeare.
In the evening, when it was dark, nice to take the London bus and ride around the city. It doesn’t matter where he takes you. If you have a map with you, you will not get lost, but you can see the city as it is: the lights of shops, streets with many cars, attractions, past which you will pass every now and then: Trafalgar square, London Bank, tower of London, St. Paul’s Cathedral.
London tour: Treasures of Britain
When I learned that there are many free museums in London, and these are huge museums with a world name, I wanted to visit them all. But because of long walking may be downright wrong to do, had to be weighed against the possibility with reality.
I decided to start with the British Museum and the famous Bloomsbury art district, where many famous writers, musicians and artists lived. I saw beautiful old houses. And what struck me was the many chimneys on the roofs. These white thick pipes, which do not even decorate the house, have become for me a symbol of something English and homely, although, of course, such pipes are found not only in England.
Find the British Museum was not difficult. This is a huge building built in the style of classicism: a portico, columns — something like a Museum of Fine arts. Pushkin in Moscow, only the British several times more. The people on the background of such buildings seem small and defenseless. If you go inside, you also find yourself vulnerable to an incredible number of beautiful works of art. There are smart and prepared travelers who before entering the British Museum, read something about its exhibits. But I’m not that kind of tourist. To be honest, this “home preparation” seems to me too boring, the effect of surprise and a moment of enthusiasm disappears.
First I went to the Library of the British Museum. Any person who likes to read would be unwell — so many books! The vaults of the library’s spacious round hall went up, up, and there were shelves of books everywhere. With computers and just at the tables people were sitting and reading, looking for some information, and recorded. Grabbing the first booklet I came across, I ran out of this book universe. Now only I felt the size of the Museum and remembered that it is not the only thing worth seeing in London.
The booklet was very useful, turning it this way and that, I found “Thor kids” — a description of the 8 main London attractions for children, that’s good luck! We immediately went to look for them. Quickly found the Rosetta stone. This impressive mineral is written in small characters, surrounded Chinese, English. All clicked cameras, crowded, and therefore to see the cherished word “Cleopatra”, which deciphered the Egyptian hieroglyphs, it was not so easy.
The next item was the mummies of people, crocodiles, fish, cats… also from Egypt. Masks from Africa and turtle from green stone, the next on list, we missed, and, given many-many halls, found Greek and Roman absent. The incredible number of Greek amphorae with paintings on the subjects of myths is fascinating! Majestic Roman statues, too, abound, but everywhere run fussy Japanese and take pictures of them on digital cameras. So, if you are in London, take a look at the British Museum: the entrance is free for everyone, and all ancient civilizations are “available”.
Tour in London: the Museum fever
I was also struck by the Victoria and albert Museum (V&A), which is located next to the Historical Museum and the Museum of Science (The Science Museum). V & A and science Museums are also free. However, I did not manage to get to the Museum of Science, but they say that it is very interesting: you can touch everything with your hands and check on yourself all sorts of scientific achievements — really and virtually.
Unlike the British Museum, the V & A Museum is more for those who are interested in art, not antiquity. Royal Museum “collected” all the best from different eras — from the middle ages to the present day. Here and sets, and jewelry, and an incredible number of fabric samples (you can, for example, feel the fabric of the XIII century!), and paintings, and sculptures, and columns from the temples (somehow they moved and installed…), and furniture, and Royal dresses. In the design Department I came across a very interesting exhibits: it was a puzzle on intelligence. For example, lie on chains two wooden box, and you need to determine which one is made by the master, and which in the factory. And then there’s a long list of tips with the correct answer at the end. It’s funny, of course, and it’s a pity that we do not have such “Museum entertainment”, albeit quite elementary.
At huge museums work the same huge shops with Souvenirs and not only. I think if you want to take away something as a souvenir, you should look into the Museum stores. There you can find everything your heart desires — I do not know, however, whether the purse wishes…
In General, the list of free London attractions is not small: there are 224. You can visit the national Archive (well, it’s for fans of England), the Museum of Childhood (dolls, toys), the Maritime Museum, the London Bank (the building, by which now and then you pass, being in the City, is a Museum, and robberies are not welcome there). It is worth noting that paid museums (Salvador Dali, for example), on the contrary, evaluate themselves twice as expensive than similar museums are not free in Europe.
Tour to London: On English roads
Traffic on the roads of London “wrong”. Of course, everyone knows about it, but when you notice that in the subway trains leave the tunnels on the wrong side — it becomes funny. The movement “on the contrary” is supplemented by inscriptions on pedestrian crossings: on asphalt it is printed “look to the left” or “look to the right”. Involuntarily you think, and whether it was simpler to start up cars as it is necessary?
“Highlight” of London — red double-Decker buses, which I, for example, since childhood dreamed of riding. You can’t stand on the second floor. This I learned when the bus was Packed with a huge number of people, and many stood on the second floor in the aisle. The driver, whose cab has a camera, began to knock at the ceiling and pounded until, until all who stood, not down.
There are also special tour buses in the city, where you can buy tickets at the ticket offices and ticket machines. These are the same red buses, only with an open second floor. Usually it looks like this: the bus rides, and on its roof — a cheerful crowd of tourists who, at the risk of falling on the road, all photographed. The tour bus goes along the route, which includes all the main attractions of the city. At any time, you can go out, see the Museum or go to the store, and then take the next bus (the ticket is valid all day).
The fact that the streets of London taxi ride in the style of 40-50-ies I did not know, and I was also amazed. Of course, the machines themselves are modern, but such is the styling, designed to probably attract tourists.
London tour: To the West!
Ever since the school mercilessly bullied us, forcing to teach topics about London and England, I had a dream: to see what is the East End and West End. That is, East and West London. Since my hotel was located in the City, the “heart” of London, I have already looked, but look like a mysterious East and West I just had to find out. Although discouraged me, cried to my mind that, well, there are no attractions on the outskirts of the city — I was adamant. After all, if we were forced to learn these names, then at least something interesting should be there!
As is customary in many cities, the West of London is rich and the East is poor and dysfunctional. First I saw the Western part, where many museums were located. I got to the area with good, old, big houses. And again I saw on the roofs of the rows of tubes. And these luxury homes Nestle closely to one another: still Europe, still saving the earth.
West London is a prestigious area with the best theatres, the most expensive shops and magnificent parks. Therefore, if you want to please the soul and the eye with the view of comfort and luxury, instead of Jogging in the noisy center spend time walking around the West End. You can look at the London parks, they are very beautiful, especially in warm weather. Bright patterns of flowers, a lot of greenery, fountains, monuments of marble and gold, the artistic disorder of the “English Park” — when the plants are planted like anything, but in fact with strict calculation.
In the center
But here I leave the West End, the red bus again brings me to the center and goes on a familiar route: Oxford Circus, Piccadilly Circus, Covent Garden. Central London: shops, an endless crowd of people, cars, traffic jams, cheap restaurants and jewelry stores. I walk around the center… Chinatown: restaurants, shops with toys and Souvenirs. The very strong smell of the kitchen makes me leave this exotic area as soon as possible. The gay quarter: not immediately know, anywhere, all the bars and cafes Packed to overflowing, laughing, talking, strolling through the streets of same-sex couples, on homes see long rainbow flags.
Westminster Abbey, Parliament — and then a modest, unpopular demonstration against the war in Iraq. Gothic lace houses of Parliament and big Ben — a tiny clock tower, which from the opposite Bank of the Thames seems so majestic. And how beautiful the clock on big Ben glows at night — yellow-green. Second-hand shops selling portraits of Stalin and Soviet postcards at inflated prices, health food stores, boutiques, striking variety of clothes, accessories and shoes — is the center of London. Simply, the business city, where modern buildings have been built next to the medieval castles — they are also Central London. I am sure that everyone will see the center of the capital of England in their own way. Because such a large city with a long history can not be unambiguous.
Tour to London: And East…
We take the subway to East London, and I think: is there any semblance of a poor quarter in this rich city? Four-storey houses, dilapidated by time and poverty, signs of strange shops, dirt on the sidewalks, piercing wind — somehow immediately realize that was not in the most innocuous area. But my curiosity still does not subside: “And let’s go deep into the quarter, see how it is!”
And now, past the cheap hairdressers and cafes in which the locals while away the evening, past the company of young Africans, we go to a deserted place where stands a gray panel fourteen-story building. In the distance, open tunnel, riding the subway, cold and scary. Return back. Two-storey houses with already familiar protruding pipes, garbage at the door, and a strong smell of garbage — that’s what, it would seem, do not expect to meet in London. We go to the grocery store, and I immediately remember Ukraine. Cabbage, watermelons, cucumbers — all this is lying on the floor, there are even rows of muesli on the shelves and the familiar smell of a vegetable store. A little more walk: and again the house of dark brick in the Victorian style, lit the Windows, everything is clean, tidy, like everything is good, everything should be.
When we get on the one-story red bus that goes to the city, to our hotel, we notice that the driver is not even interested in whether you have a ticket or not. We pass a few stops, the controller comes in, just one and begins to check the tickets. We hear a serious quarrel behind us, which is clear and without translation: “Yes, I will not pay what you want and do it, I will not pay!..»
Posted in British capital, columns, North sea, portico, tower of London, wide cold Thames
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The Rock of Gibraltar – Pillar of Hercules
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Education in Europe: great Britain, Ireland, Malta
If you talk about what is good island of Jersey, it is best to start not with what it is, and with what is not here. There is no unemployment,…
A creaking door, the fading candle and mystical shadows in the hallway. All this is included in the set of additional services in some hotels in England on Halloween. A…
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Founding Mothers establish school
Students pose in front of the Jackson Street Campus situated on the corner of Jackson and Scott streets in the 1920s or 1930s. The Jackson Street school was the third campus adopted by the RSCJs.
Schools of the Sacred Heart San Francisco Archives
Charlotte Ehrlich, Web Editor
Scattered between the caramel-colored benches, vibrant stained glass and religious iconography of the Mary Mardel, RSCJ, Chapel, a number of inscribed wooden plaques serve as records of the women who founded Schools of the Sacred Heart San Francisco.
Reverend Mother Mary Keating, accompanied by Sisters Verde and Atkinson who both served as the first Masters of Religious Education, and Sister Moehler, arrived in San Francisco in July of 1887 to establish the first Sacred Heart school west of the Rocky Mountains.
Upon their arrival, Keating and other religious rented twin houses on Bush Street between Octavia and Gough streets for the primary location for the school. The house, otherwise known as ‘Little Bush Street,’ was chosen because of its proximity to St. Mary’s Cathedral which was a little less than a mile away and then located at Van Ness and O’Farrell streets.
“There was no home waiting for them in the foothills of the Pacific Slope so they had to seek one,” Helen McHugh, RSCJ wrote in a 1942 history of the school entitled “From Bush to Broadway.” “They found two houses — a couple of high, narrow and not at all extraordinary dwellings touching each other.”
Keating assumed the title of superior at the new Sacred Heart school, a title of the highest order in the institution. The first Mass in the Convent took place on Aug. 5 and class began 11 days later.
Mother Guerin had a deep and supernatural influence on the students.”
— 1984 Informational Packet
Sixty students were enrolled as of 1888 and 13 RSCJ joined the San Francisco community. The school operated with the principle that while the school was religiously diverse with Catholics and non-Catholics, students were expected to “the general regulation of the RSCJs.”
When Keating transferred to the Sacred Heart school in Chicago, Reverend Mother Mary O’Meara replaced her as superior. Under O’Meara’s leadership, the school moved to the new location at 715 Franklin St. at the corner of Ellis Street, with the first Mass taking place on Dec. 30.
Young boys enrolled in the preschool, foreshadowing Stuart Hall for Boys that would be founded almost 70 years later in 1956. The entire school totaled to 90 students and 22 RSCJs, including those who taught the congregation’s new novices and postulants.
O’Meara soon transferred from the San Francisco school to the school in St. Joseph, Missouri, and Reverend Mother Mary Gorman replaced her as superior. Gorman oversaw both the foundation of the boarding school at Menlo Park that became the current Sacred Heart Schools in Atherton and the increase of faculty at the Franklin Street campus to 18 RSCJs.
Due to the destruction caused by the 1906 earthquake, Gorman decided to rent out the Franklin Street campus to the United Gas and Electric Company because the neighborhood had become undesirable. The school and convent temporarily relocated to 2020 Washington St. at the corner of Octavia Street.
“Life in San Francisco after April 18, 1906 was a bit disturbed and bordered on the haphazard,” McHugh wrote in an account of the schools, “From Bush to Broadway.” “Strangely enough, life managed to go on undisturbed and according to routine even though the school was uprooted near the end of the school year in 1906.”
Gorman joined O’Meara in St. Joseph and Reverend Mother Delphine McMenamy replaced her as superior at the revitalized Franklin Street campus in late 1906. McMenamy purchased the property at 2700 Jackson St. at the corner of Scott Street and moved the school permanently, establishing an enrollment of 71 students in 1914.
McMenamy transferred to the Sacred Heart school in Seattle and Reverend Mother Mary Guerin replaced her as Superior in the fall of 1914. Guerin went on to establish and dedicate the new school chapel at the same time as James & Maud Lee Flood were building their new mansion at 2222 Broadway.
“Reverend Mother Guerin had a deep and supernatural influence on the students who understood that her reserve and apparent coldness hid her gentleness and devotion,” according to an informational packet on Guerin compiled in 1984.
Reverend Mother Mary McMenamy took over the role of Superior from Guerin, who was relocated to the Menlo Park (Atherton) school. The school’s enrollment reached a total of 115 students as Madeleine Sophie Barat, the founder of the Religious of the Sacred Heart was canonized in 1925.
On the verge of the Great Depression, the school had 24 RSCJ in its community with a student population of 136 students. As the stock market crashed, Reverend Mother Blythe was established as superior in San Francisco, replacing McMenamy. Under her supervision, the Menlo Park school was incorporated as a senior college.
Gorman returned to San Francisco and took over superior from Blythe, who was sent to Menlo Park as their superior as the college grew. In 1937, the school celebrated its 50-year anniversary and reconnected with the newly-appointed San Francisco Archbishop J.J. Mitty.
Reverend Mother Eleanor Deming assumed the position of superior in at the Jackson Street campus, while Gorman moved to Menlo Park. Soon after, Maud Flood, widow of silver baron James Flood Sr., donated her mansion at 2222 Broadway between Fillmore and Webster streets to the Society of the Sacred Heart. Reverend Mother Rosalie Hill, the vicar and superior at the nearby Lone Mountain campus — now part of the University of San Francisco — oversaw the process.
Reverend Mother Hill was quite a remarkable woman.”
— Mary Mardel, RSCJ
“Reverend Mother Hill was quite a remarkable woman,” Mary Mardel, RSCJ, said in a 2016 Convent & Stuart Hall video on Founding Mothers. “It was she who did all the renovating and planning for this house, converting it from a private home into a school. It was no wonder that when Mrs. Flood came back to visit the house for the first time, she said ‘It’s more beautiful than it was when I lived there,’ which was a great tribute to us.”
Holy Saturday of 1940 transformed the school, as an open house and reception for the Flood family advertised the new owner of the “Palace Beautiful,” the newly appointed campus on 2222 Broadway. Soon after, Deming took over as Superior, Master of Religious Education Eleanor Jenkins became Mistress General and the first Mass was celebrated on April 2, 1940.
Eleanor Deming
Eleanor Jenkins
Leonor Meija
Mary Guerin
Adele Bonomi
Sports Editor
Senior Adele Bonomi is the sports editor for The Broadview. When not writing for the publication, Adele is an equestrian as well as track and cross-country runner.
Caroline Thompson
Caroline Thompson is a senior and the copy editor for The Broadview. Outside of school, she volunteers at a hospital and enjoys spending time with friends and family.
Nina Gutierrez
Sophmore Nina Gutierrez is a first-year reporter for the Broadview. Outside of school, she tutors elementary students and is a member of Convent's Eco Club.
Community honors saint, service
School adds buildings, creates 4th division
All politics are local
Honoring the oppressed
Driving in business
Prize Day ceremony marks end of school year
Alumna interns at U.N.
Juniors received Sacred Heart class rings
‘Be’-ing Sister Mardel
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Let’s talk about fairness, access to opportunity, and justice: Why creating a transit system that works for its people is vitally important
View facing north on 35W at the Lake St. bus stop.
by Sen. Scott Dibble
The reason I care so deeply about the subject is because I care about the people it serves. Transportation is how we get to our lives. Compared to other major metropolitan areas, the Minneapolis/St. Paul transit system is fairly small. I’m glad that so many committed organizations and people, including Metro Transit, are dedicated to creating a better future where more people of all kinds are served equitably, and our transit systems will be safer and easier to use. That is good for everyone, even those who don’t use transit as their major form of mobility.
Today, I had the pleasure of joining the Senate Bonding Committee Tour which made more than a dozen stops in Minneapolis. One of our mid-morning stops highlighted a gravely unsafe area alongside Interstate 35W and Lake Street. To get to this bus stop, commuters must climb a steep set of decaying stairs to get to a woefully ugly and barely sheltered bus stop that sits right next to the freeway, with cars and buses racing past at high speeds. It is noisy, polluted, receives water and salt spray, is hard to access, and is a generally unpleasant, hostile experience. This area is the heart of three of this region’s most heavily traveled transit and transportation corridors: Lake Street, I-35W (and the Orange Line Bus Rapid Transit), and the 29th Street Midtown Greenway “bicycle highway.”
Sen. Scott Dibble visits the existing transit stop on 35W at Lake St. The current stop is only accessible by climbing stairs and then walking along the busy 35W.
Hennepin County is requesting $25 million in bonding to help build a new high quality, attractive, safe, usable transit hub at this critical Lake Street/I-35W corridor. This new station will completely change the ridership experience and make access to this high-traffic transit point much better for Minnesotans travelling through the region. Two other adjacent projects on the freeway are moving ahead starting in 2017 and this needs to happen at the same time as those.
We also heard about two exciting new transit lines; the Bottineau LRT (light rail train) and the Orange Line BRT (bus rapid transit). The Bottineau line is an extension of the Blue Line (Hiawatha LRT) and begins in downtown Minneapolis and runs north adjacent to North Minneapolis and through Golden Valley, Robbinsdale and up to Brooklyn Park and the future Target Corporation campus. It will vastly improve access to jobs in the region for many residents of north Minneapolis who are isolated by a lack of adequate transportation and simply cannot get to major employment destinations. Conversely, residents in the northern suburbs will have better access to downtown and other regional opportunities.
The Orange Line is a proposed bus rapid transit route that runs south from downtown Minneapolis and will run in a designated center corridor along I-35W all the way to Burnsville. The Orange line is the most heavily-traveled express bus corridor, in the busiest corridor in the state, and the ridership by 2040 is expected to hit more than 26,000 rides per day. The corridor provides access to over 200,000 jobs. The ridership levels would be the equivalent to almost two full freeway lanes of single occupant vehicles during the peak hours.
If we can continue to build on our existing transit system, thousands more people will be served, we will create more access and a cleaner environment, and we will help grow our economy, attract and retain the workforce of the future, and improve the safety and traffic congestion we experience in our daily commutes.
2015 Tour, 2016, Minneapolis, Sen. Dibble, Transportation
Meet Senator Dibble
Senator Scott Dibble represents District 61, which includes portions of the city of Minneapolis in Hennepin County.
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Eric Sprott appointed to Order of Canada
Date: Wednesday, January 8, 2014
Author: Investment Executive
Sprott chairman honoured for philanthropy
Eric Sprott, founder and chairman of Toronto-based Sprott Inc.. is among the new appointments to the Order of Canada recently announced by the Governor General of Canada.
Sprott was appointed as a Member of the Order of Canada for his contributions as a philanthropist, notably in the areas of health care, education and international development.
"Eric and his family are committed philanthropists who give back to the community through their generous support of a number of worthy causes," said Peter Grosskopf, CEO of Sprott, in a release.
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Creekside Church
Sermon of December 8, 2019
"Left Behind"
Rosanna McFadden
Good morning! We are continuing our Advent series Ready this morning, by reading Matthew’s account of John the Baptist -- everybody’s second favorite New Testament prophet -- John is preparing for Jesus’ arrival by appearing in the Judean wilderness with unkempt hair, wild man clothes and a locally sourced diet of insects and honey. And he has a confrontational message for the crowds who come to see him. He says, “The kingdom of God is like a nudist colony. Before you can get in, you have to leave everything behind.” Those are not actually the words of Matthew chapter 3, but you have to admit, it’s a pretty evocative image, and not that far off of John’s intent. John was a colorful character who certainly knew how to galvanize a crowd.
Before we look at what John actually said, it’s good to have a bit more context for who he is. He’s Jesus’ cousin, and he’s older than Jesus by maybe six months or so. We’re told in Luke’s gospel that when Mary was pregnant with Jesus she went to visit her cousin, Elizabeth in the Judean hill country, and the child in Elizabeth’s womb leapt with recognition of the unborn Messiah. That was John. John’s conception and birth was its own wonder in the neighborhood: Elizabeth was way passed childbearing age and her husband Zechariah was speechless -- literally struck dumb -- throughout the entire pregnancy, and named John by writing on a tablet what an angel had told him to say: His name is John. What a story! The folks in the Judean hill country couldn’t stop talking about it.
But Luke chapter 1 verse 80 (it’s a looong chapter) gives a very interesting finale to John’s childhood. It says, “The child [that is, the child John] grew and became strong in spirit, and he was in the wilderness until the day he appeared publically to Israel.” That is, until the beginning of Jesus’ ministry, when John would have been about 30 years old. He was in the wilderness all that time? What were Elizabeth and Zechariah thinking -- sending their miracle child away to spend his life in the desert?
The biblical record -- and John the Baptist appears in every gospel -- does not say directly, but leaves plenty of clues about John’s pedigree and preparation to be a prophet. The Essenes were a monastic group which lived and studied the holy writings in desert isolation -- these were the folks who created the Dead Sea scrolls. There was another Jewish sect called Nazarites who were holy warriors who consecrated themselves to the work of God by abstaining from many kinds of food, alcohol and sexual relations. They believed that uncut hair and beard was a sign of God’s power: if you remember Samson from the Old Testament, he was a Nazarite. Samson’s power from God was physical strength in battle; we’re told that John became strong in spirit.
All of this -- the uncut hair and the wild clothing and the restricted diet -- all of this would have registered immediately with a Jewish audience before John ever said a word: this man is a prophet. There hadn’t been a prophet in Israel for a couple generations, so it was certainly worth the trip to the wildness to take a look. But John is not the main event; he’s the warm-up act for the Messiah. John’s message is about how we are supposed to prepare for the kingdom of God and be ready for the Messiah -- and it could be a rough ride.
Some of you may be familiar with the title Left Behind -- either as the book series by Tim La Haye and Jerry Jenkins about the apocalypse and the end of time, or in my case growing up in the church in the 1970s as a movie series designed to scare the hell out of youth so they would accept Jesus Christ. I still remember the theme song from that movie; it haunted my middle school years (ask me after the service) But that phrase and the idea of being left behind come directly out of Matthew’s gospel, especially chapter 24. Our theme for Advent and being Ready is rooted in the parable Jesus told in Matthew 25 about bridesmaids being ready to welcome a bridegroom and his new wife. But let’s circle back to Matthew 3 and the message of John the Baptist. If you accept my kind of tongue in cheek characterization of the kingdom of God as a nudist colony, then it might be worth our time to consider what we might need to leave behind in order to prepare for Jesus’ coming. What we need to leave behind may not be primarily stuff: such as clothing and other things which we own. I believe that most of our stuff is value-neutral -- neither good nor bad -- but our attitude toward our stuff is another thing entirely. In fact, John the Baptist’s message of preparation has everything to do with our attitude about ourselves, other people, and God. What do we think we’re entitled to, and what are we willing to give up?
John’s message, like that of the Old Testament prophets before him, is a call to change our ways, to head in a different direction, to repent. I don’t think repentance has ever been a popular message, but repentance is particularly out-of-style this Christmas season. Whatever side you are on in the current political climate -- and you almost certainly have a side, because nobody seems to be neutral -- whatever side you are on, the one thing we can all agree on is that the other side is wrong. There’s a lot of trash-talking and mud-slinging, but I haven’t heard anyone confess that they are wrong; that they need to change what they’re doing and head in a different direction. If you are a person who is never wrong, who has nothing to confess, and doesn’t need to change anything, God bless you. I think you’re kidding yourself, but God bless you. For the rest of us, there’s a need for confession and repentance. This was John’s mission for preparing the people of Israel for the coming of their Messiah; repentance is woven into our preparation for the coming of Jesus into our world and into our lives.
It’s a tough sell, frankly. I can sense some mental eye-rolling. Repentance is not an activity where you put on your favorite Christmas CD and your fluffy slippers and get a cup of hot cocoa, “Honey I need to get that repentance done this afternoon!” It’s much more pervasive and much more difficult than that. Repentance means making an honest assessment of ourselves: not just where we excel, but where we fall short; repentance means making an honest assessment of how we relate to other people: do we treat them the way we’d like to be treated? Or do they have to just get over it, because that’s how I am? And finally, and most importantly, repentance means making an honest assessment of our relationship to God. Are we doing what God wants us to do? Do we even know what that is? How could we figure it out? These are questions we need to be asking ourselves not just during Advent, but throughout the year. You may be wondering, what does this have to do with Christmas? What I really need is a couple more hours in the day -- how is repentance going to help me get the house decorated or the cookies baked or the presents purchased? And you know what? Repentance isn’t going to help you with those things, because that’s no why Jesus Christ came. Those are all fine things, but they’re not the reason God sent his Son to be our Messiah and Savior.
I hope you have been reading the Advent devotionals by Frank Ramirez. There are still a couple of copies if you haven’t gotten one yet. The reflection from this past Thursday, December 5, was so good that I want to share a part of it with you. Frank is talking about nativity sets, and that if we had only Matthew’s version of Jesus’ birth, they’d be pretty simple: there would be no shepherds, sheep, angels, or a manager. Hardly anything about Mary, Joseph in the shadows, the wisemen arrive later. Just Jesus. Matthew’s nativity is pretty much a bare stage with nothing else to distract us from Jesus. Those ancient roads on which the prophets traveled led to Jesus. John the Baptist quoted the prophet Isaiah about the way of the Lord and the need to repent and get on the path which leads to Jesus. Those are the roads on which we still travel today, trying to find paths which are straight enough that we can see where we’re going; trying to clear away the obstacles which obscure our vision and block our way. I talked last week about the work of Advent as changing from one state to another -- going from being asleep to being awake, or from not pregnant to pregnant. John the Baptist calls us to go from self-focused to God-focused. Repentance is about taking ourselves out of the middle of the nativity scene. It’s an awareness that although our needs and our agendas may be valid and important to us, they are not the point of Christmas. Our most important preparation for Christmas is to point ourselves toward Jesus; to leave behind the things and the attitudes and the grievances which rattle and clank around us along the way. The path to Bethlehem may not be an easy one -- it can be hard to leave things behind -- but we need to be able to and travel the way of the Lord, we will find Emmanuel, God-With-Us, because what we are looking for and what God wants for us will be the same thing.
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Fight Mental Health Stereotypes for a Happier Halloween
Halloween is coming! Children and adults alike are carving pumpkins, dressing in costumes, and getting ready for an exciting evening of trick-or-treating. For those suffering with mental health issues, however, this can be an especially difficult time of year as they are reminded of the heavy stigma associated with their illness. A drive through your city or a stroll down the aisles of your local department store is all it takes to confirm that offensive stereotypes are alive and well when it comes to the mentally ill. Billboards and advertisements depicting “Haunted Asylum” or “Psychopath Sanctuary” attractions are hard to miss. “Mental Patient” costumes, complete with straightjackets, perpetuate the stereotypes further.
The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) is an advocacy group that is fighting these stereotypes and pressuring businesses to remove offensive attractions and costumes. “NAMI loves Halloween as much as anyone else,” says Bob Corolla, NAMI Director of Media Relations, in a recent blog. “But would anyone sponsor a haunted attraction based on a cancer ward? How about a veterans’ hospital with ghosts who died from suicide while being treated for posttraumatic stress disorder?”
NAMI encourages its members to help raise awareness about the problem in their own communities. Corolla says that the first step is to personally contact sponsors of “insane asylum” attractions or stores that carry offensive costumes. In some cases, small changes to the attraction or its marketing can make a big difference. Further steps include enlisting others to make calls and write emails of protest. Local television stations and newspapers can be educated about the problem—and many are willing to cover a protest as a news event.
Will it make any difference? In response to protests from mental health advocates, the U.K. superstore Asda (a Wal-Mart company) and major grocery chain Tesco were persuaded to remove offensive costumes from their shelves. Both stores apologized for their insensitivity; Asda called it “a completely unacceptable error” and has donated £25,000 to the U.K. mental health charity Mind.
Corolla cautions that you should be prepared for a backlash when people feel that you are criticizing their fun. But even then, you may be more effective than you know. “Even if it seems that too many people disagree with your position,” he says, “you win simply by raising awareness.”
Visit the NAMI Web site to learn more about what you can do to fight the stigma against mental illness.
mental health, mental illness stigma, NAMI
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« Protection Money Staves Off Balance Billing
Free Market Lesson – Former Hedge Fund Manager Faces Competition »
Puerto Rico Looks To Organ Transplant Business To Cure Ailing Economy
“Puerto Rico’s potential as a transplant center is partly based on a macabre statistic – the Caribbean island had a murder and non-negligent manslaughter rate of 19.2 per 100,000 people in 2014 compared to 4.5 per 100,000 in the United States………….”
By Jessica DiNapoli
NEW YORK (Reuters) – Fearing her husband would die waiting for a heart transplant in Miami, Carmen Concepcion started looking for a faster way to save his life, and found the answer in her native Puerto Rico.
Pablo, 59, could barely walk from the family room to the bathroom without growing short of breath, Carmen said.
She looked across the states for hospitals with shorter wait times until a friend recommended she consider her homeland. Carmen was hesitant but “gave it a chance.”
In December, Pablo received his heart transplant, becoming the first person to travel from the mainland to the U.S. commonwealth for the procedure, said Dr. Ivan Gonzalez-Cancel, his surgeon and the director of the heart transplant center at the Cardiovascular Center of Puerto Rico and the Caribbean. Pablo is now able to bike about a mile and climb four to five flights of steps.
Puerto Rico is trying to build its medical tourism industry, from a current level of about $80 million a year to $300 million by 2017, as part of efforts to heal its chronically sick economy. A component of that is to encourage more patients to travel for organ transplants.
Patients who visit for transplants, and for more common medical procedures such as orthopedics, dentistry and weight-loss surgery, spend thousands on hotels, transportation and food.
Puerto Rico’s potential as a transplant center is partly based on a macabre statistic – the Caribbean island had a murder and non-negligent manslaughter rate of 19.2 per 100,000 people in 2014 compared to 4.5 per 100,000 in the United States, according to Federal Bureau of Investigation data.
That translates into a pool of donors in the 18-30 age range unmatched in the mainland, Gonzalez-Cancel said. “The donors (are) victims of car accidents or gunshot wounds to the head, because Puerto Rico, sadly, we have a very high crime rate.”
High-crime areas certainly exist among the U.S. states, but Puerto Rico has recently also had organ donation rates higher than expected by the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients (SRTR), which analyses data on donated organs.
The cost of care is another attraction, at as much as 60 percent lower than on the mainland, according to the island government. Because Puerto Rico’s transplant centers are part of the national organ sharing network, U.S. patients can transfer there as long as doctors admit them, with few other hurdles.
The hospital Auxilio Mutuo, that houses liver and kidney transplant centers, is seen in San Juan, Oc …
Pablo and Carmen Concepcion moved temporarily to Puerto Rico, and paid out-of-pocket for Pablo’s transplant and extended hospital stay beforehand. While that cost about $350,000, it was far less than it would have been on the mainland.
“I’d rather have a debt and he’s alive,” said Carmen, a teacher. Pablo, who is now disabled, was a truck driver.
SHORT WAIT
Finding a heart donor match depends on a number of factors, including blood type, but Puerto Rico’s geographically isolated location within the national organ sharing network can give some patients shorter wait times.
The United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) allocates hearts based on medical urgency and location of the patients. Because there are no U.S. transplant centers within 500 miles (800 km) of Puerto Rico, candidates on the island’s waiting list have the first opportunity at an organ, according to Roger Brown, director of the organ center at the network.
Patients on the island from 2009 to mid-2014 waited a median of 1.3 months for a heart transplant, versus 8.1 months nationally, according to the SRTR. For livers, the island had the shortest median wait time in the country at about three weeks, compared to over a year nationally, according to the SRTR.
Dr. Juan Del Rio is one surgeon eager to attract more patients. He completed Puerto Rico’s first liver transplant in 2012, after moving to the island from New York because of the greater availability of organs.
He originally projected completing around 100 liver transplants a year, but is now doing a little less than half that and he sees attracting people from the mainland United States as one way to achieve full capacity.
Surgeons prefer to transplant organs from nearby, but since the late 1980s, more than 60 percent of the approximately 4,000 organs donated in Puerto Rico have been shared off-island, according to UNOS data. Those are organs surgeons would like to use in Puerto Rico.
Liver transplant candidates should consider Puerto Rico, Del Rio said, “instead of waiting in New York and (waiting) to be really, really sick with a high risk of dying before transplant.”
SOME PATIENTS WOULD DRAW LINE
Representatives from Auxilio Mutuo, the hospital that houses the liver and kidney transplant centers, also suggest mainland patients enlist in their kidney program, though the waiting time for a transplant is far longer than for hearts and livers.
The island’s government will have spent about $3.3 million on developing the medical tourism industry by mid 2016. Still, some people would be reluctant to travel to the island for such serious surgeries.
“People draw the line at cardiology, (saying) ‘I can’t see myself on an operating table in a strange land,” said Josef Woodman, the CEO of Patients Beyond Borders, a medical travel information publisher.
Puerto Rico has to show it can offer quality care to compete for heart transplant patients, he said.
Surgeon Juan Del Rio poses for a photograph at the hospital Auxilio Mutuo, that houses liver and kid …
Island officials say Puerto Rico’s status as a U.S. jurisdiction is an indication of quality. Survival rates for heart transplants match the national figures, while for kidneys, the numbers are slightly higher than nationwide statistics, and for livers, the rates are slightly lower, according to SRTR data.
“Over there, it might be super clean, super sanitized, a little bit older, maybe things not as renovated as we have over here,” Carmen Concepcion said of her husband’s care.
Gonzalez-Cancel, the heart surgeon, said the island should show it can excel in complicated surgeries like heart transplants to stoke interest in simpler procedures that are the bread and butter of medical tourism.
“If you do what is big, then you can do what is small,” he said.
(Reporting by Jessica DiNapoli; Editing by Frances Kerry)
This entry was posted on Friday, October 23rd, 2015 at 3:45 pm and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.
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Obama: Kanye’s Music ‘Outstanding’
OH YEEZUS
John Parra / Getty Images Entertainment
From “jackass” to “outstanding” in just four years. That sounds about right. President Obama told People magazine that he thinks Kanye West’s music is “outstanding.” “I’ve got a lot of his stuff on my iPad,” Obama said. “If it was a concert, I wouldn’t mind listening to him.” Pretty high praise considering Obama called West a “jackass” in 2009 after West interrupted Taylor Swift onstage at the VMAs. Obama was asked to choose between the Kardashian family and the Duck Dynasty crew, which is how he got to talking about West. Diplomatically, Obama called the Robertsons a “fun bunch” and said “I can see how that would be pretty fun,” but ultimately choosing West (not an option, but okay). At least the Robertsons have that in this difficult time.
Read it at Guardian
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Templeton Chairman Tells Des Moines Register, "The Whiskey Is Not the Most Important Thing"
Vern Underwood is Chairman of the Board and CEO of Templeton Rye
Spirits and also Chairman of the Board for Young's Market Company.
In discussions about widespread violations of TTB rule 5.36(d), and about Potemkin distilleries in general, Templeton Rye has been Exhibit A. Since its founding in 2005, the company has carefully obscured the fact that its whiskey is made in Lawrenceburg, Indiana, from a standard recipe shared by dozens of other brands, and not in Templeton, Iowa from a unique, Prohibition-era moonshine recipe.
Templeton's many lies and obfuscations have been widely reported within the whiskey community, but recently Iowa's largest newspaper, the Des Moines Register, has joined the fray with a series of articles. Today, the company's owner stepped out of the shadows and spoke to Register reporter Josh Hafner. The whole story is here.
In addition to having a lot of money at stake in Templeton, Underwood is Chairman of Young's Market Company, a major wine and spirits distributor in California, Arizona, Oregon, Washington, and six other Western states. Presumably, he knows the industry and the rules by which it is regulated, and the antics of company president Scott Bush had become an embarrassment.
In the article, Underwood says that Templeton will bring its labels into compliance within 60 days. He also admitted that the Prohibition-era recipe claims are false and promised to build a distillery in Templeton to make the product.
Then this: "The whiskey is not the most important thing," Underwood said. "The town of Templeton is the most important thing, and the state of Iowa. The whiskey almost is the afterthought. It helps. It brings this to life."
Speaking about the label change and other misinformation disseminated by the company, Underwood said, "Currently there is some confusion. So all that confusion is going to be cleared up. If it implies that the rye whiskey is made in Templeton, then that should be changed. Anything that is misleading should be changed."
Underwood's role in the company has not so much been hidden as not widely known, although Tasting Panel reported his involvement more than a year ago in one of the fluffiest pieces of so-called journalism that you will ever read. The Des Moines Register article is the first time he has taken a lead role in speaking for the company, which currently sells about 60,000 cases of premium-priced Templeton Rye a year.
Underwood's other business, Young’s Market Company, was founded in 1888 and is one of the oldest continuously operating companies in the United States. In the 68 years since Young’s decided to engage exclusively in the sale and distribution of wine and spirits, it has grown from a relatively small local distributor servicing Southern California to the fourth largest wine and spirits distributor in the United States.
Underwood clearly knows the law and how best to manipulate it. Although federal and state laws specifically prohibit cross-ownership across tiers of the three-tier alcoholic beverage distribution system, clever owners such as Underwood have learned how to circumvent those laws. Underwood is both a producer (Templeton) and a distributor (Young's). Clearly, everything has been done legally, but it violates the law in spirit.
He is hardly alone. The Goldring family, which owns Sazerac, used to own a distribution company too, in Texas and Louisiana. The Philips (producer) and Johnson (distributor) families, a single family with two branches, do it in the upper Midwest. Again, nothing illegal about it, but it's one more example of how the way alcoholic beverages are regulated in the country is a sick joke.
NOTE: I revised the last paragraph to put the Goldring tie-up in the past tense. The Goldring family sold its interest in Republic (RNDC) about four years ago.
Kindle Is Updating, Print Copy Is Coming Soon, Tour Deadline Is Here
If you tried to buy the Kindle version of Bourbon, Strange today (and God bless you if you did) you probably couldn't. Proofreading corrections to the print edition were incorporated into the Kindle edition and uploaded earlier today. It should clear Kindle's processing and be available tomorrow.
If you have already bought and downloaded the Kindle version (and God bless you too) you might want to download it again to get the corrections. I'm pretty sure Kindle will let you do that at no cost. Other electronic formats will be dealt with down the road. Although Kindle has apps for every e-reader except Nook (which returns the favor), some people have asked for the ePub format used by Apple's devices, so they can keep all of their books in one place and not have to bother with additional apps. I'll do what I can.
We're still a few weeks away from print edition availability. Amazon is accepting pre-orders and when they have books in stock, they will tell you. If you'd like to buy it directly from the source, just watch for it here. It will be where Bourbon, Straight is now, in the top, right corner, under 'Buy The Book.' Bourbon, Straight will continue to be available under 'The Other Books.' In fact, it's there now.
One advantage to buying it here is that you can get a personalized and signed copy at no extra charge. There is an 'inscription' field on the PayPal order form, where you should write exactly how you would like the inscription to appear. You can also use the 'special instruction' field for that purpose.
In other news, this Monday, September 1, is the deadline for joining the "Chuck Cowdery VIP Bourbon & History Tour Experience," on October 15-17. Details are here.
Part two of Mark Gillespie's WhiskyCast interview with me is here. If you missed it, part one is here.
Finally, the question 'What Is Craft?' when applied to whiskey will probably never be answered conclusively, but I take another stab at it here, on the Whisky Advocate Blog.
Diageo to Resume Bottling at Stitzel-Weller
Shanken reported this morning that Diageo will begin construction soon on a new bottling line at Stitzel-Weller. It is expected to be operational later this year. Bottling was done at the distillery in the Louisville suburb of Shively from its founding in 1934 until shortly after it stopped distilling in 1992. As usual, Diageo is vague about the details, saying only that Stitzel-Weller will “bottle a range of American whiskies, and will have the capabilities to handle a range of new whiskey innovations in the years to come.”
Diageo performs maturation and blending at Stitzel-Weller according to John Lunn, master distiller at Diageo's George Dickel Distillery in Tullahoma, Tennessee, who is also in charge of production at Stitzel-Weller. Diageo does not disclose what products it matures and blends at Stitzel-Weller, but it is believed that Bulleit Bourbon is matured there.
Whiskey producers typically like to bottle at the site where the whiskey ages, to avoid the cost and risk of transferring the product from barrels into totes or other containers and transporting it. Diageo does most of its bottling at a facility dedicated to that purpose in Plainfield, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago. It installed a small hand-bottling line at George Dickel last year.
This announcement comes on top of Diageo's decision to build a new Kentucky distillery in Shelby County, due to open in 2016. For several years Diageo has been developing a visitors center at Stitzel-Weller. The first phase of that project is due to open to the public this fall.
Posted by Chuck Cowdery at 10:42 AM No comments: Links to this post
It's Time for Jim Beam to Drop the Number One Bourbon Claim
I like the Beam Suntory company very much. I like the people and most of their products.They are an outstanding operation. They do things the right way and they are very successful. They are truthful and reasonably open. They have been a leader and innovator and respectful participant in the bourbon business, and you know how much I love bourbon.
It is because I have so much respect and affection for them that I am making this suggestion.
Please stop claiming that Jim Beam is the world's #1 bourbon. It's not. You are bragging about a technicality. It's embarrassing.
As most readers can guess, I'm saying this because Jack Daniel's Tennessee Whiskey is bourbon in all but name. It is made like bourbon and tastes like bourbon. Even their acclaimed charcoal mellowing really just jump-starts the barrel aging process. It is a point of difference but not a very big one, objectively. It has more to do with marketing than with the product itself.
Jack Daniel's is the world #1 bourbon and trending toward becoming the world's #1 whiskey, spilling Johnnie Walker from that throne.
Although they were fairly close in sales for many years, Jack Daniel's has pulled away from Jim Beam decisively. Daniel's sells about 60 percent more whiskey than Beam. They're not even close. Beam is doing fine. It has grown and is growing, and is an equally dominant #2. Evan Williams is third.
As people around the world discover American whiskey they will drink Jack and Jim and find them very similar. They will ask, "what's the difference between bourbon and Tennessee whiskey?" We will sound silly when we try to explain. The least silly explanation is the truest one. It's a marketing thing. Tennessee whiskey is bourbon that's made in Tennessee. They don't call it bourbon because bourbon is so closely associated with Kentucky.
This matters because bourbon is competing for share-of-mouth against a wide variety of beverages, alcoholic and not, but it competes most directly against other whiskeys. Classifying whiskeys by their place of origin works because each country, for the most part, produces a different style of whiskey. Among whiskeys, bourbon is the most distinctive because most other nations make whiskey from malted barley in a style that inevitably resembles scotch. The other exception would be Canada, which takes elements from both the Scottish and American styles. Japanese whiskey has emerged as a distinctive style, although it is still very close to scotch. Irish whiskey still struggles to distinguish itself from scotch, which is not to say the Irish don't make fabulous whiskey.
I don't expect Jim Beam to suddenly start crowing "We're Number Two." Nor do I expect Jack Daniel's to claim its primacy, except perhaps to say it is the world's most popular American-made whiskey, which doesn't have the same zip. I just want Beam Suntory to think about it, and maybe look for something else to hang their hat on, realizing that the cat is out of the bag.
Posted by Chuck Cowdery at 9:00 AM 27 comments: Links to this post
Diageo's New Distillery to Bear Bulleit Name
Diageo held a groundbreaking ceremony today for its new Kentucky distillery in Shelby County and announced that it will make Bulleit Bourbon there. What's interesting is that the day this distillery opens, its namesake product will be selling more than its distillery can produce, based on estimates announced by Diageo.
One-hundred-fifteen million dollars just doesn't buy what it used to.
Diageo appears to be following the lead of rival Brown-Forman. Brown-Forman's Woodford Reserve has a beautiful, showcase distillery for the tourists, which makes some of the product. The rest is made in an unseen factory somewhere else.
At Brown-Forman's Jack Daniel's, tourists never see 90 percent of the warehouses. The bottling house and other functions are also hidden. They're not underground or anything, just several miles from the distillery and town proper.
Okay, it's also the Heineken model. The old brewery in Amsterdam that the tourists see produces little or nothing. The real brewery is several miles away.
The approach must work, as Woodford, Jack Daniel's and Heineken are extremely popular tourist destinations. But so is Buffalo Trace, where everything is visible and everything is made there.
There is one hitch in this theory. Diageo says the new distillery won't be open to the public. A visitors center might be built in the future, hinted Diageo North America President Larry Schwartz, but only if Shelby County voters vote the county wet. They have two years. The new distillery is supposed to open late in 2016.
In the meantime, Diageo is building a Bulleit Bourbon visitors center 40 miles away at the Stitzel-Weller Distillery in Louisville, where they make nothing. It is believed they age Bulleit Bourbon there that was made somewhere else, but they won't confirm it.
And that, dear friends, is Diageo.
Our friend Fred Minnick has a detailed report of the groundbreaking here.
Is Your Name Jim Beam? Let's Party!
If your name is James Beam, you may have heard that another guy named James 'Jim' Beam rather famously made whiskey a century or so ago, and one of the most popular whiskeys in the world still bears his name.
That's the premise for a party in honor of legendary bourbon distiller Jim Beam's 150th birthday. Jim Beam Bourbon is inviting anyone named Jim Beam (who is of legal drinking age) to join a once-in-a-lifetime birthday party at the historic distillery in Clermont, Kentucky on September 18, 2014 at 11AM EDT. Anyone named James 'Jim' Beam who makes the journey will be an honored guest and play a special role in the day-long festivities.
"If your name is Jim Beam, then you better get down here," said Fred Noe, Jim Beam's great-grandson and 7th Generation Master Distiller. "We want to meet you and we want to treat you to a special day in honor of a special man."
(The party is free but guests are responsible for all travel and expenses associated with the event.)
Fittingly held during National Bourbon Heritage Month and the annual Kentucky Bourbon Festival, this milestone birthday celebration will take place at the Jim Beam American Stillhouse
According to Noe, the "Jim Beams" will be treated to a VIP distillery tour, including a private BBQ lunch and the honor of helping to unveil a life-size bronze statue of Jim Beam created to commemorate his birthday.
"They're going to get VIP treatment," said Noe. "Because if they have the same name as my great-granddad, they deserve it."
Born in Bardstown, Kentucky in 1864, Beam was the fourth generation family distiller. His great-grandfather, Jacob Beam, founded the family business in the foothills of Kentucky in 1795. After learning the business from his father, David M., Jim Beam established Jim Beam Bourbon as a national brand after Prohibition.
Bourbon enthusiasts unable to make it to Kentucky need not worry. They can still raise a glass and share the Beam family legacy on Facebook at www.facebook.com/jimbeam or @JimBeam on Twitter.
Fans must be 21 years old or older to participate. For more information or to RSVP to the event, email BeamBirthday@jsha.com by Monday, September 15, 2014. Space is limited and restricted to a first-come basis. Guests not bearing the namesake are also invited to join the birthday celebration, with complimentary cake and ice cream served at the Jim Beam American Stillhouse from 11AM to 5PM EDT.
The name 'Beam' is an Americanization of the German name 'Boehm,' which was itself a shortened form of 'Bohemian,' meaning a Czech from that historical country of Central Europe. Because Bohemia was a common place of origin, Boehm and Beam are relatively common names and persons having that name aren't necessarily related, their ancestors simply all hailed from that region. All of which means there should be quite a few takers for this unusual event.
Buffalo Trace Addresses Rampant Rumors About Portfolio Changes
This may come under the heading of 'no good deed goes unpunished,' for them and for me, but here goes. Buffalo Trace has issued a press release to address some of the rumors that are going around. It follows but, first, a brief commentary.
Buffalo Trace makes more different bourbon and rye brands than anyone else in the business. All of those brands have increased in popularity in recent years That is mostly good -- for them and us -- but a little bit bad, because Buffalo Trace has had a worse shortage problem than anyone else in the business. They also rely on the serious bourbon enthusiast market more than anyone else in the business. And they do a better job than anyone else of showing love to that audience. That's why they take chances and put out announcements like this:
After providing a recent update to its fans about the bourbon shortage the Distillery currently faces, the rumor mill spun into overdrive as a few folks speculated on why it was difficult to find their favorite Buffalo Trace bourbons on liquor store shelves.
"Many people dismissed the warning about our bourbon shortage, speculating that this was a publicity stunt we conceived to sell more bourbon. That's simply not true. We only provided the update to consumers, retailers, and bartenders in an honest and forthright attempt to explain why bottles seem so scarce these days. Many liquor stores across the country may have empty shelves, and we felt an obligation to explain why," said Kris Comstock, bourbon marketing director. "While we cannot speak for the bourbon industry as a whole, our bourbon shortages are a very real problem, driven by increased demand for the brands. Every single one of our bourbon brands is currently on strict allocation. While we are, and have been, making more over the last several years, bourbon takes a long time to age in oak barrels. As we wait for barrels to mature, there will be temporary periods in which bottles are hard to find."
Once people started to see empty shelves at the local store, rumors started flying. Here are some of the most popular rumors:
Rumor #1: Weller 12 Year-Old-Bourbon will be being discontinued. False. There are no plans to discontinue Weller 12 Year. In fact, we have increased production by a considerable amount for future sales.
Rumor #2: All of the Weller Bourbon is now being shipped to Japan. False. None of the Weller Bourbons (Special Reserve, Old Weller Antique, 12 Year-Old, and William Larue Weller) are shipped to Japan.
Rumor #3: Buffalo Trace is shipping most of its bourbon to China and Japan. False. While a modest amount of bourbon is sent to those markets, the quantity is very small as we ensure the overwhelming majority is made available here in the United States.
Rumor #4: Eagle Rare Bourbon is now aged only six or seven years. False. Eagle Rare Bourbon is still aged for 10 years and there are no plans to change this. The age statement remains on the back of the bottle.
Rumor #5: Elmer T. Lee is being discontinued. False. We have been making Elmer T. Lee Single Barrel for nearly three decades and have no plans to stop.
Rumor #6: Elmer took the recipe for his bourbon to his grave, so it will never be made again. False. Fortunately and thankfully, we have the recipe for Elmer T. Lee Bourbon and are continuing to make more. Additionally, we have a very full archive library of samples of his favorite picks to ensure consistency for the future.
Rumor #7: Elmer T. Lee is becoming part of the Antique Collection. False. We are very happy with our current lineup of the Antique Collection (George T. Stagg, Sazerac 18 Year, Eagle Rare 17 Year, William Larue Weller and Thomas H. Handy Sazerac) and have no plans to change this lineup or discontinue any of the offerings. Furthermore, our Antique Collection whiskies are only released once annually and we want to offer Elmer T. Lee Single Barrel more regularly throughout the year.
Rumor #8: Buffalo Trace is taking advantage of this bourbon shortage to raise prices. False. Our prices to our customers have and will remain relatively unchanged. We strive to offer consumers award-winning whiskey at a great value. Although a minority of stores may now be charging a premium for these limited brands, we are not asking them to do so. Our commitment to quality and pricing will remain consistent now and in the future
Confused About American Whiskey? The Answers Are Here
A lot has been written in the last week or so about deceptive packaging and deceptive marketing of American whiskey. It started with Eric Felten in the Daily Beast with, "Your ‘Craft’ Rye Whiskey Is Probably From a Factory Distillery in Indiana." That article has been widely re-posted and commented upon. It also brought some new attention to the piece Wayne Curtis wrote for The Atlantic back in May, "Has Craft Distilling Lost Its Spirit?"
The media isn't just writing about the Potemkin Distilleries and other fakers. Just today, Bruce Schreiner has a good story going out on AP that you'll probably see in your hometown newspaper or your favorite online aggregator tomorrow, "Bourbon Production Reaches High Point Since Seventies."
I'm a fan of all three writers and they all did a good job with their articles, but if you're interested in the real facts about bourbon, rye, Tennessee, and other American whiskey, I have two extremely self-serving suggestions for you. (Some commenters have accused me of being self-serving like that's a bad thing.)
First, what is depicted above, a group of devoted whiskey enthusiasts having the time of their lives (just ask them) on the inaugural "Chuck Cowdery VIP Bourbon & History Tour Experience" in March. My tour specializes in the truth because I don't work for any of the distilleries, I work for you. I'll even tell you what the tour guides got wrong during our 'official' distillery tours. (I won't tell you during the tour because that wouldn't be polite.)
Specifically, the picture above is of our visit to the grave of Dr. James C. Crow, the Father of Modern Bourbon.
Book now. The tour is October 15-17 but the deadline to sign up is September 1, or when we fill the bus, whichever comes first! To start the ball rolling, call Mint Julep Tours at 502-583-1433 or email chasta@mintjuleptours.com. I think Chasta is out West rock climbing at the moment, but I'm sure somebody at Mint Julep will be able to help you. I suggest you call them first thing Monday morning.
Second, you can read my new book, Bourbon, Strange; Surprising Stories of American Whiskey. I guarantee there is truth on every page. The producers have their multi-million dollar advertising campaigns to tell their stories and a lot of them are just that, stories, i.e., fiction. Most of it is just a bit of fun, but some is deliberately deceptive. In Bourbon, Strange, I've done the best job I can of giving you the true stories. Best of all, they are in most cases a lot more fun than the fiction.
Mark Gillespie was nice enough to interview me about the book for WhiskeyCast. Part one of that interview is available now. At least it started out being about the book. We mostly talked about all of the other crazy stuff that's going on. Thanks for the practice, Mark. I'll try to do a better job selling my product next time. Part two will be in the next program, but that's already recorded and I think I got even crazier.
You can read the Kindle edition of Bourbon, Strange right now. Or you can wait a couple weeks and get the print version right here (well, a little bit to the right and toward the top). If you order it here on the blog, I'll sign it for you if you want. (Write the inscription you want on the order form where it says 'inscription.')
Or you can pre-order it from Amazon. And since we're telling the truth here, Amazon will usually sell it to you for less than I will.
Is Montana About to Become the Whiskey Center of the West?
Headframe Spirits of Butte, Montana, announced today it plans to open a third distillery in Butte with enough capacity to rival the large distilleries in Kentucky and Indiana.
Headframe already operates two small distilleries in Butte. Headframe's owners, John and Courtney McKee, opened Headframe Spirits in 2012 and were named Montana’s Entrepreneurs of the Year for 2013. Even though they've only been in business for two years, they swear they distilled their Neversweat Straight Bourbon Whiskey, which is only just barely possible.
Last summer, Headframe entered into a year long project with Butte Silver Bow Community Development, the Community Development Block Program, and SMA Architects to evaluate three potential sites in Butte suitable for "producing a full size barrel of whiskey every seven minutes."
Assuming a 40-hour work week and a 48-week work year, that's about 16,500 barrels a year. The smallest major distilleries produce about 20,000 barrels a year, so their math is a little off, but for micro-distilleries, who are doing well if they fill a barrel a day, that's huge.
Headframe says that although it will be a value-added agricultural manufacturing facility, the goal of site selection included the need to create ties between agriculture, history, manufacturing, and tourism.
With preliminary engineering and architectural work complete and a suitable site selected, Headframe intends to enter into negotiations with property owners Butte Silver Bow County and Atlantic Richfield Company with the goal to take over 20 acres of a former industrial site, The Kelley Mine Yard, to redevelop it into the largest distillery west of the Mississippi.
This project will incorporate Headframe's proprietary continuous flow distillation technology to produce beverage alcohol both for their own brands and for bulk sale. Not a lot of explanation of this 'proprietary technology' has been provided, but it apparently has to do with adapting for beverage production something owner John McKee and Manufacturing Director Mark Chadek worked on at Nova Biosource Fuels, which developed a commercial-scale biodiesel distillation facility with a rated capacity of 10 to 60 million gallons per year.
Headframe says they will maintain the history of the site, with production and restaurant space located in the historic hoist house. Barrel storage, packaging, shipping and receiving will be located in the 54,000 square foot Kelley garage building.
They also envision the site built out to act as an eastern anchor to Historic Uptown Butte, America, with a strong emphasis on tourism, outdoor event space, and economic development. Onsite overnight bungalows and a restaurant were incorporated into the master plan in order to promote a more fully integrated experience onsite and in the Uptown neighborhood.
Headframe anticipates that this project will create approximately 50 new long-term jobs and they intend to keep the ownership in Butte.
Whiskey Cocktails by Warren Bobrow
Whiskey drinkers tend not to be cocktail enthusiasts, and yet cocktail creators are usually very knowledgeable about their ingredients and often as enthusiastic and knowledgeable about great whiskeys and other straight spirits as the straight sippers. That's why Warren Bobrow deserves your attention even if cocktail concoctions aren't really your thing.
Bobrow, author of last year's Apothecary Cocktails, now gives us Whiskey Cocktails; Rediscovered Classics and Contemporary Craft Drinks Using the World's Most Popular Spirit. It won't be out until the end of September but it's available for preorder now.
Whiskey Cocktails incorporates some of the best whiskeys into hand-crafted cocktails that bring out their subtle notes and flavors. It features 75 traditional, newly-created, and original recipes for whiskey-based cocktails. This wonderfully crafted book also features recipes from noted whiskey experts and bartenders.
To sample a little Bobrow if you're unfamiliar, check out The Cocktail Whisperer blog. Bobrow also writes for the Williams-Sonoma blog, Foodista.com, Voda magazine, Saveur, Serious Eats, The Beverage Journal and Beverage News, and Edible New Jersey. He has taught social media and food writing at the New School in NY as well as the Institute for Culinary Education. He is a Ministry of Rum judge and was the only journalist from the USA asked to participate in Fete de la Gastronomie 2012 in Paris.
Posted by Chuck Cowdery at 5:02 PM 1 comment: Links to this post
One of my Favorite Life Experiences
A small, personal memory, provided for your amusement.
I was covering the 1972 elections as a young reporter, on the scene at the local Board of Elections. I knew some of the other people there, including a friend of mine from one of the major newspapers. He was a grizzled veteran reporter, much older than me, an ink-stained wretch, always in his classic rumpled trenchcoat.
At one point in the festivities, he looked over and signaled for me to follow him. I did and we walked silently through the darkened hallways of a building he obviously knew much better than I did. We arrived at an office. He opened the door, turned on the light, and sat down.
"As you know," he announced, more grandly than his audience of one required, "it is against the law to consume alcohol in the Board of Elections on election day. This, however, is the Board of Education."
He reached into the pockets of his trenchcoat and produced two bottles of beer, handing one to me. He also smoked a cigarette.
Diageo Invests $120M in Three New Bottling Lines
Packaging certainly is not the most glamorous part of whiskey-making, but it's essential. It's also costly, requiring both a lot of labor and a lot of equipment.
Diageo is the only whiskey producer in North America to do its packaging at a facility devoted to nothing else. It is done in a massive but otherwise non-descript facility in an industrial park on the outskirts of Plainfield, Illinois, a Chicago suburb. Roads and rails provide access and the tank farm is the only clue to the plant's purpose. Except for a small hand-bottling line in Tullahoma, used for some Orphan Barrel and George Dickel products, most of Diageo's American whiskeys (Dickel, Bulleit) are bottled here.
This is the sort of thing Diageo rarely talks about. Requests to tour Plainfield are routinely and curtly refused. Diageo did, however, allow the magazine Packaging World to report on its recent addition of three new high-speed bottling lines at Plainfield, including a 300-bpm (bottles per minute) glass bottle line and a 260-bpm filling line for PET (i.e., plastic) flasks.
Since 2010, Packaging World reports, the company has invested more than $250 million in its North American production network to put in place a mix of high-speed, high-volume lines for established brands and lines with greater flexibility for new product innovations.
"Diageo's ambition is to be the best performing, most trusted and respected consumer products company in the world. Our supply chain operations will play a critical role in delivering that goal," said Diageo North America President Larry Schwartz at the unveiling of the company's most recent plant expansion. "The investment we have made in our manufacturing network demonstrates our commitment to developing this important part of our business."
In August 2013, Diageo completed a 90,000-sq-ft expansion at Plainfield, making it the company's largest bottling facility at 531,000-sq-ft The company also added a new cold-filtration system in the processing area, capable of preparing 250,000 gal of liquid per day.
Since it opened in 1966, the Plainfield facility (then owned by Diageo predecessor company Schenley) has been the focus of a number of investments. Diageo added a Brand Technical Center in 2001 to turn new liquid and packaging ideas into commercial products, and in 2009 it created a high-speed bottling area for malt drinks such as Smirnoff Ice. Also in 2009, Diageo partnered with rigid plastic packaging supplier Logoplaste to add a 40,000-sq-ft blow-molding facility adjacent to the plant to supply the majority of its PET bottles. In 2012, Diageo created a flexible production area with two packaging lines geared toward lower-volume, complex production and innovation requirements.
With the latest expansion, Diageo added a pouch filling line for Diageo's frozen cocktail products. That brings the number of packaging lines at Plainfield to 10, with the addition of Line 8 for glass and PET, Line 9 for glass, and Line 10 for PET.
In 2013, Plainfield bottled approximately 31 million cases of product, which is equivalent to 372 million 750-mL bottles. According to Diageo, "if those bottles were laid end-to-end, they would circle the globe nearly three times."
Wild Turkey Diamond Anniversary Should be in Stores Now
Officially, Wild Turkey Diamond Anniversary dropped last week, July 28. It's a specially-made, limited edition bourbon to celebrate Master Distiller Jimmy Russell's 60 years at the distillery. If you're interested, contact your whiskey monger now.
How limited is it? All they'll say is it's "available nationally, but in small quantities." If history is any guide, it will be gone fast, even at the MSRP of $124.99. It is 91° proof (45.5% ABV). Having every proof statement end in '1' is a reference and tribute to the brand's 101° proof flagship.
The product, made by Jimmy Russell's son, Eddie, who has 33 years of tenure, is a mingling of 13- and 16-year-old whiskeys. It was unveiled in mid-April at an event in Jimmy Russell's honor at the new visitors center. It went on sale at the distillery that day, so there are many bottles out there. This is the general retail release.
At the April event, Eddie joked that Jimmy rather famously doesn't like anything older than 12-years-old. "I figured I could get away with 13," said Eddie. He used the 16-year-old to give the whiskey extra spice notes. The result tastes like a 13-year-old but with a little something extra.
Coppersea Makes First and Only All-New York Whiskeys
"I know it when I see it" is how many people define craft distilling. See if this one passes that test for you.
Last Wednesday Coppersea Distilling, in New York's Hudson River Valley, announced that it had filled two whiskey barrels made from New York State-grown white oak and constructed by a New York cooperage, U.S. Barrel Company, a first since Prohibition.
One barrel was filled with rye whiskey, the other with bourbon.
The words "mis en bouteille au chateau" have been an important legend on French wine labels for centuries. They signify a producer who does everything on-site, from growing the grapes to corking the bottles. Founded in 2011, Coppersea is one of the few distilleries in the world capable of doing that sort of thing with whiskey. They use only Hudson Valley-grown corn, rye, and barley. They also use open wooden fermenters, direct-fired copper-pot stills, sour-mashing and floor-malting.
“From the outset, Coppersea has gone to great lengths to source all of the ingredients in our whiskeys from New York State,” remarks Coppersea master distiller Angus MacDonald. “There is a tendency to place the barrel outside of those considerations, but when you reflect on how much of the flavor of an oak-matured whiskey comes from the wood it is aged in, it becomes clear that a truly local whiskey must be aged in locally sourced oak.”
U.S. Barrel Company owner and head cooper Bob Hockert agrees. “We feel that making a high-quality whiskey barrel is just as much a craft as making the whiskey that goes into it. Our team has been creating slack barrels [which are not designed to hold fluids] for ten years, so we began this project with a good amount of expertise. Tight-barrel cooperage has its own challenges, though. We've had to build our own equipment, develop an understanding of whiskey distilling, and forge relationships with New York State loggers in order to build barrels that meet the highest standards.”
U.S. Barrel sources premium New York oak and air-seasons it for at least a year.
Unfortunately, as good as all this sounds, tasting notes will have to wait. That rule is the same for all whiskey-makers, craft or not, and may be the hardest part.
P.S., I hope their whiskey turns out as well as their video did.
Bourbon Boom as Beer; the Goose Island Bourbon County Series.
Bourbon makers empty more than a million barrels a year, and can't use them again for bourbon, so they sell them. The market is very good right now. The big bourbon producers can sell a used barrel for almost as much as they pay for a new one. That's a pretty sweet deal.
Most of them go to Scotland. Rumor has it they make a kind of whiskey there too and prefer to age it in used bourbon barrels. A lot of them go to breweries and Chicago's Goose Island (owned by Anheuser-Busch InBev) probably buys more than anyone else. Their Bourbon County Stout, aged in used bourbon barrels, is so popular it has morphed into a series.
It is an annual release program, with the new batch appearing each year on Black Friday, which this year is November 28. See the Goose Island web site for more information.
Beergraphs.com lists seven of the world's top 20 beers as being from the Goose Island Bourbon County Stout series. In addition to Bourbon County Brand Stout, the new releases will include:
Proprietors - It will feature panela sugar made into a syrup with coconut water, Cassia bark (i.e., cinnamon) and cocoa nibs.
Vanilla Rye - A hit from 2010 making a return. It has been aged in rye whiskey barrels from four different distilleries. Into each barrel go two pounds of vanilla beans from Mexico and Madagascar.
Coffee - An annual release, except with a different coffee each year. 2014 will be Rwandan coffee from Intelligentsia.
Barleywine - A return from last year, it's aged in 'third use' barrels that previously held standard Bourbon County Stout.
Used bourbon barrels have a real effect on beer or brewers wouldn't use them, but part of what is driving the popularity of bourbon barrel beers is the appeal of bourbon itself. It has become a name to conjure with. If beer drinkers who like bourbon barrel-aged products are inspired to try bourbon too there's nothing wrong with that.
This whole thing just keeps getting better and better, for people who like bourbon that is.
Kentucky's Distilleries Are Running Full Throttle
I hate that this must be said, but there is nothing in this post about the Full Throttle Saloon, Distillery, or imbecilic TV show. Before all of that idiocy began, 'full throttle' was a perfectly good expression meaning something that was running as hard and fast as it could be run; 'maximum warp,' to use another cultural reference.
I learned earlier this week that the Brown-Forman Distillery in Shively is now running full throttle, meaning at full capacity, more-or-less. They run their two stills 24-hours-a-day for three days, shut them down briefly for cleaning, then do it all again.
This is about the time of year when distilleries go on shutdown. A distillery is like your furnace at home. It doesn't have speeds, it is either on or off, so how much you produce is strictly a function of how long you have the switch turned to 'on.' One way they do this is by shutting down in August and again in December, the shutdown's duration determines total production volume for the year. 'Full throttle' means they take two weeks off for essential maintenance, but that's all.
The news about Brown-Forman was a surprise because it is the first time in living memory that particular distillery has been ridden so hard. It primarily makes Old Forester and Early Times. Old Forester reached its high water mark in 1978. For Early Times, it was even earlier.
For years, Brown-Forman was the contract distillery of choice for the other big producers. I also learned that as of the end of this year, Brown-Forman is out of the contract distilling business, news some of their contract customers were not happy to receive. Everything they make from now on will be for their own products.
What's happening is that there is a corporate mandate to revive the founding brand, Old Forester. Why haven't you heard about it? Because they have to make the whiskey before they can sell it. Ballin' the jack now is an act of faith that their revival campaign will be successful. I'll have more shortly on one of their first initiatives.
Brown-Forman's other two distilleries, Woodford Reserve in Kentucky and Jack Daniel's in Tennessee, are both running balls out with major expansions underway.
Buffalo Trace, probably the second-largest distillery in the state after Jim Beam's Booker Noe plant, is going all out too. That's another distillery that hasn't been close to operating at capacity in decades. Their smaller Barton 1792 Distillery, which like Brown-Forman was running way below capacity just a few years ago, is also going full tilt. Maximum warp has been the rule at Maker's Mark, Heaven Hill, George Dickel, and Four Roses for years. Wild Turkey is ramping up its new distillery and will be at full bore soon. Same with MGP of Indiana.
Jim Beam's two week summer shutdown ends Monday. "While our distilleries are producing extremely high volumes, we are certainly not at max capacity," said a Beam spokesperson.
Still, this is unprecedented, and it is no wonder other parts of the industry, from coopers to truckers to bottle and label makers, are having a hard time keeping up.
If we get a warm, wet August and September, a bumper corn crop is still possible. We're going to need it.
This is all simply remarkable. No one in the industry has ever experienced anything like it. There appears to be no end in sight. Nobody predicted this, so everybody is flying blind and hoping for the best. Bad news from China, as Diageo and Pernod have experienced recently, makes everyone nervous. Because of the aging cycle, whiskey is always made on the if-come, but the bets being laid down now are the biggest in history.
Come on, baby. Daddy needs a new pair of shoes.
Posted by Chuck Cowdery at 9:00 AM 1 comment: Links to this post
The Deadline to Join the Chuck Cowdery Fall Tour is September 1
The photograph above was taken during our visit to the grave of Dr. James C. Crow on the "Chuck Cowdery VIP Bourbon & History Tour Experience" in March. That stop is on the itinerary again for the October 15-17 tour, but about half of the itinerary is new. Some folks in the March group had so much fun they're thinking about doing it again.
This being August 1st, October seems a long way off, but there's an important date coming up much sooner, September 1st. That's the deadline for signing up.
Why do we have a deadline? And why is it so early? These tours are a big commitment for everyone: me, the Mint Julep folks, the places that have agreed to give us special access, and you our guests. These special tours are tough to pull off because they are budgeted based on a full bus (i.e., 20 guests). If we don't sell every seat, we can't do it. Hence the deadline.
We understand that it's hard for prospective guests to commit because of the planning and cost involved. By making the deadline 45-days before the event, guests still have plenty of time to make their travel and lodging arrangements if we go, or make other plans if we don't.
If this trip sounds like fun to you, I urge you to contact Mint Julep Tours now, get the details, and join us. We'd like to do a couple of these every year, but it's hard to pull them off for the reasons explained above. If you think you'd like to do it, now is the time. There is no certainty we'll ever do it again.
So what is it like? Because the group is so small, it's very friendly. After all, we already have a lot in common. We spend a good amount of time on the bus, traveling from place to place. That's when we get to know each other and I can answer your questions. A drink or two along the way doesn't hurt either. It's a total bourbon and Kentucky experience, a real immersion. Even if you've been to Kentucky before and visited distilleries, you've never done anything like this.
To start the bus rolling, call Mint Julep Tours at 502-583-1433 or email chasta@mintjuleptours.com.
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Cherry Picked - Ancient peoples of Latin America fashioned status objects from gold, jade, shell
LAWRENCE — Ancient indigenous peoples of Latin America fashioned gold and other materials like jade, shell and feathers into flashy, breathtaking jewelry and other pieces of adornment to signify importance.
"These were the status objects, the Rolex watches and the Hermès ties, things that you would buy at Tiffany's or Fifth Avenue stores of today," said John Hoopes, University of Kansas professor of anthropology. "They were the high-end brand items that are desired objects that represent wealth and status and power."
Hoopes served as a consultant on a landmark exhibition, "Golden Kingdoms: Luxury and Legacy in the Ancient Americas," currently on view at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. It brings together hundreds of luxury craft goods of the Incas, Aztecs and their predecessors, some nearly 3,000 years old.
"It's one of the largest exhibitions of Pre-Columbian art assembled in recent years," Hoopes said. "It brings together all of these really amazing objects into one place."
The Metropolitan Museum of Art, the J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles and the Getty Research Institute co-organized the exhibition that includes more than 300 objects from 52 institutions among 12 countries across the world. The New York exhibition runs through May 28.
The exhibit's curators, Joanne Pillsbury, Timothy Potts and Kim Richter, first contacted Hoopes, who specializes in the archaeology of southern Central America and northern South America, in 2014. He traveled with them to Costa Rica and Panama to visit several museums and archaeological sites, review collections for material to include and talk with other archaeologists and curators.
In 2015, Hoopes also participated in international workshops in Lima, Peru, and Mexico City to present ideas, review collections and help the curators to conceptualize the exhibition.
"My particular focus, on which I also contributed a chapter to the catalog, was the 'luxury arts' in jadeite and gold from Costa Rica, Panama and Colombia," he said.
Hoopes also assisted with other themes. He said much of the exhibition focuses on exploring how people from ancient civilizations selected the materials and transformed them, gave them meaning and then used them as part of the most important rituals of their time.
"These objects were worn by warriors, shamans and probably by chiefs," Hoopes said. "The reason we call them luxury objects is because they were made and used by the elite and people in positions of power. We still put much of our wealth into the military, so it's not surprising that ancient peoples did the same."
The exhibition likely has gained significance and much attention as many people with Latin American family origins and heritage have immigrated to the United States in recent decades, he said.
"The ancient history of Latin America is now the ancient history of the United States of America," Hoopes said. "It is every bit as relevant as the ancient material of the ancient Greeks and Romans. It represents a very significant homage to the ancient artists of Latin America. The objects were made by the indigenous population, people who were not immigrants. The art of the ancient indigenous peoples of the Americas is as valid and important as the art of any other ancient peoples, and it is directly relevant to our own culture."
Top photo: Part of ear ornaments with winged runners from A.D. 400-700, from the Peru Moche civilization, and made of gold, turquoise and shell.
Second photo: Serpent Labret with articulated tongue, of Aztec culture, dated A.D. 1300-1521, Mexico.
Third photo: Nose ornament with spiders, dated 100 B.C. to A.D. 200, from Salinar culture in Peru.
Fourth photo: Scepter with profile figures, sculpted out of stone and from the 7th-8th century Mayan culture in Guatemala.
Credit: Images courtesy the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
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Study: Huge Health Disparities Among APIA Immigrant Populations
in Disparities · Health · National
— 19 Mar, 2010
Critical Avenues to Prevent Cancer Overlooked; Immigrant Women at High Risk of Death from Breast Cancer
WASHINGTON, DC (March 18, 2010) – Although Asian Americans have long been portrayed as a “model minority” with few major problems, data released online today in the American Journal of Public Health (AJPH) reveal that distinct groups of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders (AA and NHPI) differ widely in death and disease rates, including from breast cancer and other conditions such as heart disease, and stand to benefit strongly from culturally appropriate care.In the first issue of a major health journal devoted to AA and NHPI populations, data show striking disparities. For instance, some Asian-born women in the United States suffer death rates from breast cancer up to four times as high as U.S.-born Asian Americans. Other studies show that culturally appropriate care would dramatically lower rates of lung, colorectal, cervical and liver cancers among distinct populations. The special issue was supported by Health Through Action, a partnership between APIAHF and the W.K. Kellogg Foundation.
“Information, not ignorance, must shape the health care agenda for our populations,” said Kathy Lim Ko, President and CEO of the Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum (APIAHF). “Aggregated data across ethnic groups masks serious health problems. Cancer often goes unrecognized and undertreated. We must move beyond generalities to address the real health needs in diverse communities,” she said.
The problem has taken a serious toll on groups such as Native Hawaiians. As author Stephen Stafford at the Montefiore Medical Center in New York points out, while Asian American adults as a group are 50 percent less likely to die from heart disease than non-Hispanic White adults, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders are about 40 percent more likely to be diagnosed with heart disease than Whites.
Obesity is as another health risk facing Native Hawaiians. Compared to whites in the state, Native Hawaiians are twice as likely to be obese (44.1 percent vs. 21.3 percent). But, culturally appropriate care can decrease such disparities. A new study by Shannon Kapuaola Gellert at Na Pu`uwai, a Native Hawaiian Health Care System, documented success in reducing obesity and high blood pressure among Native Hawaiians in Moloka`i, 73 percent of whom are overweight or obese. The program incorporated Hawaiian values and concepts of healthy lifestyle, and stressed community involvement.
“Large minority groups in the United States have benefited from in-depth health surveys, but such data are largely unavailable for Native Hawaiians, Pacific Islanders and the numerous, widely varying ethnic groups that are collectively termed Asian Americans,” said U.S. Representative Judy Chu (D-CA). “It’s time for health data regarding our populations to enter the 21st Century.”
Since 2000, the Asian American population has grown by more than 23 percent, making it the fastest growing racial group in the country. In the same time period, the Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander community, which is almost a million strong, has grown by more than 13 percent. If these rapid growth trends continue, AA and NHPIs are expected to number well over 35 million by 2050. Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders trace their heritage to more than 50 countries and to dozens of distinct ethnic groups, speaking a multitude of languages.
“We know that income, education, access to health care, and language barriers all influence health,” said Dr. Gail C. Christopher, vice president for programs at the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. “Raising awareness of these issues and the lack of data, particularly for Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders, is instrumental to the W.K. Kellogg Foundation’s focus on increasing health equity for vulnerable children and families across the country.”
Cancer Disparities Affect Death Rates; Prevention Efforts Lag
A number of studies illustrate that different populations suffer disproportionately from a range of cancers, and that culturally appropriate prevention measures would have a major impact in reducing rates of breast, lung, colorectal, cervical, and liver cancer among different Asian American groups.
· Breast Cancer: Findings from a study of the Cancer Prevention Institute of California (formerly the Northern California Cancer Center) reveal that Asian-born women in the United States—particularly women from Vietnam, China, and the Philippines—have a much higher risk of dying from breast cancer than U.S.-born Asian Americans. For example, the highest risk group, women born in Vietnam, had a four times greater risk of dying of breast cancer than U.S.-born Vietnamese. Previously, studies of breast cancer survival among Asian Americans did not consider differences in Asian ethnicity or immigrant status, and therefore overlooked important factors that could lead to better cancer control, according to study author Scarlett Lin Gomez.
Asian American women are the only ethnic group for which cancer far outweighs heart disease as the leading cause of death. Breast cancer has the highest incidence and is the second leading cause of cancer death in these women, Lin Gomez reports. These findings contradict the popular perception that the burden of breast cancer is universally low among Asian women.
Lung Cancer: Among Asian American men, lung and bronchial cancer are the leading causes of death. But study author Youlian Liao at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found large reductions in smoking among Vietnamese, Cambodian, and several other Asian ethnicities in four U.S. communities that used a culturally sensitive approach to community health. At the study’s outset in 2002, one half the Cambodian men and nearly one third of the Vietnamese men were smokers, compared to one fourth of men in the general U.S. population. Over the next four years, the numbers of Asian American smokers declined, falling 2.58 percent per year among Vietnamese men, and 5.73 percent per year among Cambodian men—outpacing the 0.91 annual declines in smoking for the general U.S. population of men.
A second study showed that Asian-language smokers in California were just as likely to use quitline services as English-speaking Caucasians. Every state has a quitline, but only California offers counseling in Asian languages. “We hope this study will encourage other quitlines to offer Asian language counseling to help reduce disparities in access to smoking cessation services,” notes study author Shu-Hong Zhu from the University of California, San Diego.
Colorectal Cancer: All Americans over age 50 should be screened for colorectal cancer (CRC), the fourth most common cancer in the country and the third most common among Vietnamese adults in California. Yet Vietnamese Americans have low rates of screening for CRC compared to other Asian Americans and Whites.
Now, a study by Bang H. Nguyen at the Cancer Prevention Institute of California (formerly the Northern California Cancer Center) shows that the use of Vietnamese language media for a public health education campaign on CRC can save lives. Those who were reached by the campaign were 1.4 times more likely to get screened than Vietnamese who were not. The campaign used Vietnamese language booklets, a hotline, and newspaper, radio, and television advertisements.
· Cervical and Liver Cancer: The Hmong in California (refugees who came to the United States from Laos after the Vietnam War) face rates of liver and cervical cancer three to four times higher than those of other AA and NHPI groups. Yet up to 60 percent of liver and 70 percent of cervical cancer can be prevented by immunization. A study by Dian Baker of California State University, Sacramento is the first to examine barriers to immunization among the Hmong. It found that low socioeconomic status and use of traditional health care were associated with lower immunization rates.
“We are failing to adequately address cancer in our communities,” said Marguerite Ro, Deputy Director of APIAHF. “Simple measures, such as cancer screening and immunization, along with the delivery of culturally appropriate care in languages understandable to the people who need care, would reduce costly, serious illnesses and lower death rates.”
The Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum (APIAHF) influences policy, mobilizes communities, and strengthens programs and organizations to improve the health of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders. For more information go to: www.apiahf.org
The American Journal of Public Health is published by the American Public Health Association, www.apha.org, and is available at www.ajph.org. For copies of articles, call Patricia Warin, 202-777-2511 or email [email protected].
The W.K. Kellogg Foundation, established in 1930, supports children, families and communities as they strengthen and create conditions that propel vulnerable children to achieve success as individuals and as contributors to the larger community and society. Grants are concentrated in the United States, southern Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean. For more information, visit www.wkkf.org.
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Once again, another review I wrote during the 2011 calendar year while attending Lock Haven University. The review revolves around La Dispute's second full-length LP, Wildlife. It was an exceptional album and like their other works, took multiple listens to fully understand the complexity and diversity of the art.
Here is a link to the original article.
La Dispute’s Jordan Dreyer and company release their first full length album, “Wildlife,” three years after their critically acclaimed “Somewhere at the Bottom of the River Between Vega and Altair” and it is just as powerful.
Though the aforementioned album dealt with themes such as love, religion, loss, death, and many more of the crucial ideas in life, it had a fantastical feel to it. It was based off of an old Chinese myth about a shepherd boy seeing a king’s daughter nude at a river and how the two instantly fell in love; but once the princess’ work slowed, the king got angry with the young lovers and flooded the rivers, banning the two lovers to the heavens.
The king allowed the lovers to see each other once a year, on the seventh day of the seventh month. Vega and Altair were the stars they were banished to and on July seventh, if you look up, you can see them together.
Now, back to “Wildlife.” Jordan Dreyer can be noted as one of the best lyricist of this generation. Each tune has such an amazing amount of emotion and insight that each one will leave your jaw dropped on the floor. The angst, pride, confusion and anger demonstrated isn’t as prominent as previous releases, but you can tell he has grown up as a musician and especially a man, carefully crafting his ideas into tighter, more realistic settings.
Dealing with issues such as love lost, questioning one’s faith and the confusion of the world, Dreyer brilliantly fuses them in with the different rhythms of the music. Each song conveys a different feel.
Some tracks have a straight up punk feel, while others sound like nothing more than background to his unique spoken word delivery. The rest of the songs are post-hardcore royalty.
The musicians in La Dispute are some of the most talented musicians you will ever hear in your life, especially through headphones. That’s where the beauty of this release shines; when you’re up close and personal with it.
The diversity shown throughout also shows the maturity the band has developed as well, going back as far as their very popular EP, “Vancouver.”
Another thing to point out with Dreyer and his lyrics are how almost in every song, there is such an amount of alliteration that your jaw hurts afterward from trying to keep up all of the time. Lines like, “Last snowfall left splinters and some winters never end; neither wane nor wear/And sunshine is like lovers and some summers just pretend; only warm the air.”
The album is really tough to decipher which is the central message. As mentioned, many tracks can be presumed that he is talking about a lover that left him. Songs like, “Safer In The Forest/Love Song For Poor Michigan” and “The Most Beautiful Bitter Fruit.”
Others can be related to him questioning the existence of God. Tunes like, “A Departure,” “A Poem,” and “Edward Benz, 27 Times.” Others are just stories that he crafts so beautifully, especially “King Park.”
Regardless of your preference of La Dispute, whether you like the “Here, Hear” series or the harder “Vancouver” EP, you will get a beautiful mix of the two.
If you are expecting a better album than the “Somewhere” masterpiece, you may have to wait for the next one. This CD is absolutely incredible, but not jaw-dropping or one to leave you breathless. It takes a lot to beat such a concept album as “Somewhere…Vega and Altair,” but this real life concept album is only one step away.
Phenomenal release from even more phenomenal musicians and human beings.
Bands Similar: The Saddest Landscape, Pianos Become The Teeth, Touche Amore, I Would Set Myself On Fire For You, Pg. 99, Saetia, mewithoutYOU, and Suis La Lune.
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Home / compendium decisions / Constitutional Court, Second Chamber, Pe...
Constitutional Court, Second Chamber, Peruvian Chamber of Construction (Cámara Peruana de la Construcción-CAPECO) re. extraordinary appeal, 26 March 2003
Constitution of Peru
The list of rights set out in this chapter does not exclude any others guaranteed by the Constitution, those of an analogous nature or based on the dignity of man, the principles of the sovereignty of the people, the democratic State of law and the republican form of government.
Treaties ratified by Peru and in force form part of domestic law.
Treaties must be adopted by Congress before their ratification by the President of the Republic, whenever they deal with the following subjects: 1. Human rights; 2. The nation’s sovereignty, dominion or territorial integrity; 3. National defence; 4. Financial obligations of the Government.
Article 57, paragraph 2
Whenever a treaty affects constitutional provisions, it must be approved through the same procedure governing constitutional reform before being ratified by the President of the Republic.
Final transitional provision No. 4
Provisions concerning the rights and freedoms recognized by the Constitution are interpreted in accordance with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and with treaties and international agreements dealing with the same issues and ratified by Peru.
Labour Procedure Law (No. 29497 of 2010)
Supplementary provision n°10
In accordance with the provisions of the fourth final and transitional provision of the Political Constitution of Peru, individual and collective labour rights shall be interpreted in accordance with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the relevant international treaties and agreements ratified by Peru, in addition to the consultation of the pronouncements of the supervisory bodies of the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the opinions or decisions adopted by international courts constituted according to treaties to which Peru is party.
Establishment of a jurisprudential principle based on international law
Ratified treaty1
Amparo/ Collective bargaining/ National constitution/ Establishment of a jurisprudential principle based on international law
The Peruvian Chamber of Construction (Cámera Peruana de la Construcción, CAPECO) initiated constitutional “amparo” proceedings (a request for court protection of fundamental rights) against the Labour Ministry with the aim of achieving the declaration of inapplicability of the administrative rules that imposed collective bargaining on this employer on the level of branch of activity in the sector of civil construction, while the party filing the amparo proceedings aimed to negotiate at the level of enterprise or undertaking.
The Labour Ministry duly summoned, it responded to the claim by arguing that collective bargaining in the sector of civil construction should be regulated taking into account the particular characteristics of the sector, including the following: a) workers specialising in construction do not transfer from one branch to another; and b) construction work is seasonal, and therefore is subject to a high level of rotation between different companies and construction jobs, a factor that impedes the existence of a union organization on the level of enterprise or undertaking.
Entering into an in-depth analysis of the matter, the Constitutional Court began by referring to the framework of standards applicable in the resolution of the dispute, highlighting the Peruvian Constitution and ILO Convention No. 98. With regard to the latter, the Court stated that:
“…Article 4 of ILO Convention No. 98 constitutes a fundamental precept for interpreting this issue, and should be referred to as a guide to the essential nature of collective bargaining, taking into account at all times that one of its main purposes is to improve the living and working conditions of its target groups.”2
It also pointed out that the Constitution adopts the mandate of ILO Convention No. 98 in that it declares that the State is obliged to encourage and promote collective bargaining.
Taking into account that collective bargaining is desired and promoted by the State, the point to be decided was the kind of collective bargaining that would be preferable in the case in hand, given that each party was aiming for different bargaining types: the enterprise aimed to negotiate on the level of enterprise or undertaking, while the union aimed to negotiate on the level of branch of activity. In this respect, there is a legal contradiction in the Collective Labour Relations Act No. 25563.
The Court analysed the problem in the following terms: the second paragraph of article 45 of Act 25563 establishes that, where there is an agreement on one level, all parties must reach a consensus in order to negotiate a substitute or complementary agreement on another level. The change of level cannot be established by administrative act or arbitration award. Thus, since the collective parties in the sector of civil construction had previously negotiated on the level of branch of activity, this level of collective bargaining must be maintained unless both parties could agree otherwise. Nevertheless, the third transitional provision of Act 25563 states that in the case of those negotiations that were in progress at the level of branch of activity, parties should expressly confirm the mutual agreement to continue negotiating on that level or, on the contrary, if no agreement could be reached, then collective bargaining should take place on the enterprise level.
Given the necessity of unblocking this interpretative conflict, the Court analysed two possible solutions: favouring collective bargaining either on the level of branch of activity or on the level of enterprise or undertaking. The Court took into account the special situation of the economic sector involved – civil construction – and firmly indicated that in certain circumstances the act of making such a distinction is in itself an act of justice in that it recognizes a situation that requires the distinction to be made. In the case of civil construction, and given its characteristics, collective bargaining can only be taken forward in an effective manner when negotiations take place on the level of the branch of activity. Since the State has an obligation to encourage and promote collective bargaining through the application of the Constitution and ILO Convention No. 98, the Court therefore decided that the solution in this case was to validate the action taken by the Labour Ministry, imposing collective bargaining on the level of the branch of activity in the sector of civil construction.
1 ILO Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining Convention, 1949 (No. 98).
2 Article 4 of ILO Convention No. 98 establishes the following: “Measures appropriate to national conditions shall be taken, where necessary, to encourage and promote the full development and utilisation of machinery for voluntary negotiation between employers or employers’ organisations and workers’ organisations, with a view to the regulation of terms and conditions of employment by means of collective agreements.”
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I hadn't heard too much of Brady Rymer prior to hearing a preview song ("Road Trip") from his newest album, but once I heard that, I knew I had to hear more. I was about to request a copy of Here Comes Brady Rymer and the Little Band That Could when it showed up in my mailbox. I like when that happens... I've listened to the whole album a few times now and each time it's put a really big smile on my face and always inspired me to want to sing and dance along. Of course, my dancing is dangerous enough, but especially dangerous when I'm driving, which is usually when I'm listening to music... so I've just opted for the singing along part, and reduced the dancing along to some head bobbing and such.
Here Comes... is nothing but gems. Of all 13 tracks, there's only one that I don't really love ("Get Back Home"), and even that one I still kind of like alright. The album starts with a self-referential "here we are, kids" kind of track plugging Brady's Little Band That Could. There are a lot of tracks of this type that I've heard on kids' albums over the years where the band or artist introduces themselves with the first song (the Hipwaders' first album leadoff track comes quickly to mind as one of my favorites), but sometimes they can wear out their welcome if they're any longer than the average TV theme song. This is one of the few ones I can think of that works very well as a full three and a half minute song, with a catchy hook and some nice chord changes in the bridge that keep it all chugging along nicely.
The aforementioned "Road Trip" is next and it's just a flat out showstopper. In my interview with Ralph Covert, he talked about the "vocabulary of rock and roll", and this whole album and the "Road Trip" song in particular shows that Brady is obviously very fluent in that language. He may not be charting any new territory... you can hear him going where Bruce Springsteen and Bob Seger and others have gone before... but he's not merely retreading it, either. It all sounds very fresh and he definitely embodies the music completely.
The third track is "Jump Up (It's a Good Day)" and it's the catchiest tune of the set (which is saying a lot, as there are many good hooks throughout the album). If you're ever feeling grumpy, just put on this album, and if you're not feeling bouncier than a Tigger after the first two songs, you will be once this track hits. In Brady's previous life, he fronted the jam rock band, From Good Homes, who opened for Bob Dylan and Dave Mathews and other big name acts (I saw them open for Bob Weir's Ratdog band in Buffalo back in the mid-90's), and that kind of infectious rhythm and blues jam rock thing really shines through on this one.
Other standouts for me include "It Was a Saturday Night", which combines several different 70's rock styles into yet another great song; "One True You", a pretty anthem about why kids look and act the way they do in relation to their family (I really like how the song starts with "I see your Mom in you, I see your Dad in you, etc." and then goes to "I see faith in you, I see joy in you, etc."); "Again", another very catchy and upbeat tune that uses a false ending to great effect; and "Good Night, Daisy", as beautiful a lullaby as I've ever heard, and a song I've played several times in a row just to get lost in its magnificent elegance.
Brady's vocals are a little twangy and he sounds sort of like Lyle Lovett at times. It's a unique voice for the kids' music genre, and he certainly has the chops for pulling off these songs with the right phrasing and attitude. His "little band" is really great, too... always serving the song and coloring everything vibrantly throughout.
I'm going to have to remain noncommital about Brady Rymer's previous albums until I hear more of them, but there's no doubt that Here Comes Brady Rymer and the Little Band That Could is a real treat and worth hearing again and again. Just be careful dancing while you're driving, please.
Brady Rymer's website
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Throughout the 70's the Italian factory workers at Moto Guzzi hand-pinstriped their original sheet metal, and so do we. Staying true to the original Guzzi lines, our pinstripers pull thick strokes of paint that accentuate the shape of Guzzi tanks and fenders. It's a skill that takes years of practice and a certain gift to acquire, and Cycle Garden has found some of very best artisans in Southern California to work with.
Our stripers begin by laying a strip of masking tape down approximately a quarter inch from where they want the finished line to be, then use the tape as a visual guide for the stripes. It's a remarkable skill to watch, and that's why we've included a video clip here in this section to enable you to watch the action as our pinstripers do their thing.
The lines of these pinstripes are part of what make Moto Guzzis unique from other motorcycles. And we think you'll agree that hand pinstriping evokes a certain classic feel, and serves as a great finish to any restoration project.
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7 Important Things To Know About Spousal Support
If you are divorcing and have not considered the issue of spousal support, it's in your best interest to make it a part of your divorce. This form of financial assistance is available to spouses that show a need, and leaving it out of your divorce agreement could be a big mistake. Read on for 7 important things to know about spousal support.
1. Spousal support (originally known as alimony) came about in England around 1857, but it was originally used as a means to help support the wife when the couple separated. Since divorce was not legal then, the spouses separated and alimony was paid to the wife.
2. After divorce became legal, alimony became part of the divorce and was ordered to be paid to the wife who had no other means of support after caring for the children and the husband her entire life. Now, of course, spousal support is equally available to either spouse and is based on many different facets of need.
3. You don't necessarily have to be divorced to get spousal support; it can be ordered during the separation period, just like child support.
4. At several points in history, spousal support was connected to allegations of wrong-doing by one spouse, but nearly every state has some version of no-fault divorce available to divorcing couples. That is not to say that the issue does not play a part in the awarding of support, but it's not necessary to prove fault to get spousal support.
5. There are several different iterations of spousal support:
Temporary support may be ordered during the separation and expire with the final divorce decree.
Rehabilitative support is meant to be used to allow the spouse time to return to school or receive job training that leads toward financial independence. It usually expires on a certain milestone, such as graduation, but the end date can also be flexible.
Permanent support is rare and often you will find it awarded to spouses that are older, incapacitated or in poor health.
6. It may come as somewhat of a surprise that spousal support may not automatically end when the provider passes away; it really depends on how it was ordered. In some cases, the spouse continues to receive funds monthly through a trust that was set up prior to the provider's death.
7. Unfortunately, spousal support is considered income by the IRS, and taxes must be paid on it. It is interesting to note that taxes are not due on any child support you may receive for minor children, however. Be sure not to get on the wrong side of the IRS by taking an extra large child support payment in exchange for low or no spousal support to save on taxes.
Speak to an attorney like McKone & Unruh to learn more.
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Williams appointments
Appointed today by Intermediate manager Geraint Williams are new Under 17 and Under 19 coaches.
READ MORE ....
2014 World Cup: Wales v Belgium
Chris Coleman will name the Wales squad for the World Cup qualifiers against Belgium on Wednesday 29th August at around 12:30pm.
Under 16: Wales v Poland
Wales Under 16s take on Poland at Eirias Park in Colwyn Bay.
Result: Wales 0 Poland 2.
Joel Lynch savours first goal and win after Burnley game - but promises more.
Brendan Rodgers stopped me being an ordinary Joe - Allen.
James Collins will not require an operation to fix a minor groin problem.
Joe Allen pleased with home debut.
Andy King is the man who can turn on goal power.
Reputation for giving youngsters a chance key for Kieron.
Ryan Shawcross and Ben Turner reject offer to play for Wales.
Ipswich Town are the latest club to be linked with a move for Simon Church.
Huddersfield look to have won the race to sign Simon Church on a season-long loan deal.
Crawley have signed Young Gun left-back Joe Walsh.
Coleman shock
Chris Coleman aims to shock Belgium and set World Cup tone.
Blake move
Darcy Blake could be set for a move to Crystal Palace.
Thursday 23rd August 2012
Download Wales' World cup poster for the matches in September and October against Belgium and Scotland.
Wednesday 22nd August 2012
Freeman Derby move
Derby County have completed the signing of Under 21 defender Kieron Freeman from Nottingham Forest.
Under 17 October matches
UEFA Under 17 Men's Championship 2012/2013.
UEFA Under 19 Men's Championship 2012/2013
Tuesday 21st August 2012
Wayne Hennessey has buried the hatchet.
Chamberlain Exeter deal
Exeter have completed the signing of Under 21 forward Elliott Chamberlain after a successful trial.
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Gift Share
Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina on May 18th, 1987. At the age of 5 years old, she participated on commercial and ever since, acting became a form of expression that allowed her to deploy a whole range of interests and aptitudes. Hand in hand with Cris Morena, she became a multi-faceted celebrity in television, cinema and music and over time, she has been able to explore others genres of entertainment, taking on, new professional challenges making her at present time, one of the most prestigious and popular actresses of her generation. In her personal life, family takes center stage by being married to singer Michael Bublé and mom of Noah, Elías and Vida.
She known for her close and loving relationship with her audience while at the same time time, being able to balance both her professional and private life, all maybe due to her popularity coming at a very young age. Fresh and spontaneous, Luisana Lopilato is a symbol of style and authenticity .
Perdida Official Trailer
(2018) Fourteen years ago, during a school trip, a teenager called Cornelia Villalba runs away with her peers to go clubbing, but ends up…
Vitamina Fall Winter 18
(2018) Vitamina - Fall Winter Campaign
Vitamina Spring Summer 17
(2017) Vitamina - Summer Season Campaign
Policy and Privacy
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Egypt's army commemorates 16 soldiers killed in Sinai 2012
An honourary ceremony is held by the armed forces for families of soldiers killed on Egyptian-Israeli border
Ahram Online, Tuesday 6 Aug 2013
Egyptian army tanks roll into North Sinai in 2012 after 16 soldiers killed (Photo: Reuters)
Sinai, Egypt's unsolved problem
Another attack in Sinai's Rafah wounds 6
16 Egyptian soldiers killed at Israel border
Egypt's armed forces commemorate on Tuesday the 16 Egyptian soldiers killed in 2012 near the border with Israel.
"What these soldiers of the armed forces gave ... to protect Egypt's security will remain a true reflection of heroism and redemption," said Military Spokesman Ahmed Ali in a press statement.
According to Ali, the armed forces also honoured the families of the martyrs in a ceremony attended by several leading members of the armed forces.
On 5 August 2012, unidentified militants attacked a security checkpoint by iftar (the hour when people have their meal that breaks the fast during Ramadan) leaving 16 Egyptian soldiers dead.
The attack, which took place a month after Mohamed Morsi was sworn in as president, led to the sacking of Mubarak-appointed intelligence chief Mourad Mouwafi, the North Sinai governor and various interior ministry officials.
Morsi also issued a decree effectively forcing the top two military positions in the country - the head of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) and defence minister Mohamed Hussein Tantawi and, secondly, army chief of staff Sami Anan - into retirement.
Tantawi was replaced by military intelligence head Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi.
Sinai has been restively suffering from a security vacuum since the ouster of autocratic president Hosni Mubarak in 2011.
After the popularly-backed army removal of former president Mohamed Morsi on 3 July, hardline Islamist militants in the deserted province have intensified attacks on security checkpoints, and it is suspected that they are responsible for the murder of 23 security personnel in North Sinai.
Sinai is largely inhabited by Egyptian Bedouins, who have often been at odds with the central government in Cairo over a lack of social and political rights.
According to security sources, the army has killed tens of alleged jihadist fighters since launching its latest crackdown in the Sinai.
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Bob Dylan Song #20: Don't Think Twice, It's All Right
About 7 or 8 years ago, when I was a young lad attending school in Ann Arbor, I was going through something of a rough patch with somebody that I cared very deeply about. That rough patch weighed very deeply on me; away from my Virginia home and something of a shy kid, I leaned on my friends in VA for support and uplift in mood, and my mood had been severely affected by the problems I was having with this friend (a female, for the record). Pained by what I felt was a raw deal I was getting, I had what can only be considered a brief loss of mental faculties and began devising ways of gaining revenge on this person that was hurting me emotionally. Not having quite matured in a way I'd have liked, I didn't bother to consider why things had taken such a turn; after all, it was MY feelings being hurt, and she had to pay for my grievances.
Then I hit upon an answer - the sort of answer that you only see in bad Hollywood films (and, occasionally, even a good one). The next time I was home, I would invite her to one of the open mics I occasionally played, since I knew that she enjoyed my singing and guitar playing. Then, once she was there, I would SLAM her on stage with a song that let her know that not only had she broken my sad bastard heart, but I had gathered up and reassembled the pieces, and I was ready to move on, so take a hike, sister! I deliberated long and hard on the song; finally, I settled on a tried and true classic: yes, I decided I'd play "Don't Think Twice, It's All Right". My Dylan fandom had reached its peak in this time, and (like so many others before) I'd had the experience of Dylan putting my feelings into a song and expressing them far better than I could ever hope or dream to do. So "Don't Think Twice" seemed like the logical choice.
I never did this, thank God; my sense of propriety reaffirmed itself, and eventually the friendship righted itself. I'm being as vague as possible here to protect both of us, so suffice it to say that influences beyond anyone's control had caused things to go south (sadly, those influences would recur over and over again, but that's another story). At any rate, I'm glad I didn't embarrass myself in this fashion, because I would have felt quite the idiot afterwards. The funny thing, if you can call it funny, is that I'm sure that I'm not the only person that has had that idea before, and surely that idea has actually been carried out in full. In fact, Elliott Smith wrote an entire song about it ("Waltz #2 (XO)", where the narrator sings a karaoke song laced with meaning in the presence of his ex), and you can feel the hurt in his voice as he sings it, like he's a few beer bottles away from heading to his local bar and doing that very thing.
There's something about the dramatic gesture that speaks to all of us; after all, why else would Hollywood bother to stick them into films unless we didn't see them and go "my God, how great was that?" Even though most of us would never have the temerity to hold up a boom box like John Cusack in Say Anything..., we all wish that we've had the idea and we all believe that, were we to pull that on somebody, it might actually work. After all, what woman or man wouldn't be just a little touched by something so grand, so insane, so obviously impossible to succeed that they wouldn't just melt like butter? It works the other way, too - there have certainly been days where we've wanted to cold-cock our boss, or heave a computer out the window, or take a baseball bat to the machine you're working on. We all have impulses to do crazy things in our lives, because we are conditioned to want to do crazy things.
We don't do them, of course, for many reasons, not least of which is the fact that they simply never work. Real life is not Hollywood, of course, and people just are not willing or able to overstep the bounds of cultural decorum and do something insane, no matter how much the impulse is there. And that's a good thing, too - let's face it, our real lives are not lives built for craziness. Most of us follow the same path as everyone else; birth, school, work, retirement, death, and maybe if we're lucky we make a little money, find a partner that loves us, or fulfill childhood/adult dreams we have. The grandest gesture I have ever seen, in my own real life, was when my best friend said "I do" at the altar, willfully hitching his own life to somebody else's. In this world of ours, that is grand enough, isn't it?
"Don't Think Twice", in its way, is the grand gesture many of us have wanted to make at some point; the ultimate kiss-off, the best way to say goodbye to a relationship that has run its course. That Dylan managed to do it at the age of 21 is most amazing of all; most of us at age 21 probably haven't managed to expel the "song/poem/artwork of agony" phase to describe romantic-driven torment, and here's this guy that did it better than 99% of us ever could in the very first year of legal alcohol consumption age. We may never know who he wrote that song for, but I don't think it's a stretch to say that as much that song must've hurt that woman when she first heard it, in a small way she had to have been just a little flattered. And, thankfully, Dylan didn't feel the need to sing it through a megaphone outside the building that woman worked at while a crowd gathered around him and cheered at the end.
It's interesting, with the benefit of hindsight and a few years of maturation, to realize that "Don't Think Twice" isn't quite the nasty kiss-off we've all thought it is for so many years. The prevailing sentiment could be best summed up by Tim Riley's description of the song as "the last word in a long, embittered argument, a paper-thin consolation sung with spite." And that does sound right, doesn't it? Those wicked punchlines at the end of every verse, the verbal equivalent to a nasty smirk, tend to hammer that point home. It's hard to imagine "we never did too much talking anyway" as any sort of consoling phrase, right?
The thing about that sentiment is that it makes the song entirely one-dimensional; viewed through this prism, "Don't Think Twice" is a constant middle finger waved in the face of a former loved one, a stark affirmation of a relationship not worth the paper the song's lyrics were written on. And, as the young man full of young man anger and young man immaturity I was, it was easy to hear the lyrics and go "yes, this is how I will smite my own ex-beloved!" I'm not ashamed to admit this (well, a little); youth has a funny way of missing out on perspective.
And perspective, to be sure, is what this song is all about. Looking at the song now, what I see is the words of a man whose pride has been wounded, and uses those barbed words to mask a deep and painful hurt. After all, why else would he "wish there was something you would do or say/To try and make me change my mind and stay", unless he wanted the unknown woman to give him a reason to come back? Sure, the jabs and insults are still there, but they come across to the present me as bitter lashing out, the kind of lashing out you do when a relationship has reached the end of the road and both parties involved know that there's no turning back. And even that anger manages to be tempered in places; with the assertion that things weren't so bad and that, at some point, he really did love her, and in that final line of every verse: "don't think twice, it's all right". When all is said and done, no matter what's gone on, there's no reason for hard feelings; it's all right, after all.
Look, the majority of relationships tend to fail; that's just who we are as a human race. The hardest thing in the world is to maintain a romantic partnership, especially one that actually is based entirely on love and not just for economic/citizenship/child-related reasons. Staying with anybody for 2 months, let alone for 2 years, can be a Herculean task. That being said, how many of those failed relationships end so badly that both sides end up with nothing but toxic hatred of the other? Unless somebody murders their partner's relative or blows up their house or something, the odds are pretty good that the relationship's demise comes from something innocuous and entirely common. And, after a period of cooling off, most people realize that things weren't so bad; after all, the downfall of the relationship aside, there had to be some good times, right? Most people know how to move on, and to understand that, in the end, they had a good thing going for a while there.
Perhaps I'm reading too far between the lines with this song and ascribing meaning that isn't there, but I honestly think that there has to be something deeper than "it's been fun, now piss off" with this song. I have no doubt that the bitterness is real; I also have no doubt that there had to be something very deeply ingrained in that relationship to cause that level of bitterness. Casual flings don't elicit that kind of venom; there's a reason one-night stands are so popular. You don't get your feelings hurt from one night stands. You do get your feelings hurt when you're in love. "Don't Think Twice" shows a young man who once had love, lost it, and is doing a very good job of pretending it doesn't matter. I think, if you look hard enough, it's rather obvious that it does.
What makes "Don't Think Twice" so special, then, is that it appeals to both the younger, angrier side of us and the older, more measured side, which is something that isn't always true of music, even great music. How many of us get older and find ourselves not as enamored of the mope-rock that The Smiths and The Cure built their reputations upon? And how many of us listened to, say, Steely Dan or other "cerebral" bands as youngsters? "Don't Think Twice" has something for both of those groups - just take a look at a line like "you could've done better, but I don't mind". The younger group would say "she must've treated him so shabbily - just look at that smartass kissoff! I totally understand what he means!" The older group would smile and say "well, of course - how many of us couldn't have done better at some point in our lives? I totally understand what he means!" And therein lies one of Dylan's greatest skills; the ability to speak to all of us, no matter our age or experience, in one way or another. No wonder this is one of Dylan's most enduring songs; it speaks directly to people of all walks of life, and it always says the right things.
Posted by Tony at 10:10 AM
Labels: Freewheelin'
andrew! said...
Another of Bob Dylan's strengths as a songwriter is that it usually hits on all sides of a subject, even if sometimes it's weighted more towards one side. The song does a great job of saying he's trying to show he's over this relationship, but he shows us that he isn't quite there. If this song had a sequel, it would have to be Most of the Time, which is weighted more towards the side that says I'm not quite over this yet, despite the words he says.
I'm going to have to remember to delete this a few years from now when I get to Most of the Time. :D
You're spot on with that assessment. Whoever had the idea to put that song where it was in High Fidelity had him/herself a Genius Moment.
When I broke up with my girlfriend in college, we were on our way to dinner in the car. The fight that ended it all meant that dinner was off and I drove her home. I did feel rather hard done by. It happened that I had the Best of Bob Dylan in the car cassette player, and I played Don't Think Twice over and over again at high volume - for 30 minutes! Other than that I didn't say a word more. I think she got the message.
Oh, and the other thing was that she hated Bob Dylan (a slight bone of contention while we were going out). So it was a bit of revenge on that front as well. I know, immature. But I was only 19.
Anonymous - that story put a smile on my face. And hey, she hated Dylan, so even more reason to break things off.
The nerdy Dylan fan in me figures you could've caused even more torment if you'd had the Before the Flood version of Don't Think Twice. Not only is it faster and louder than the original (as you could say of any Tour '74 performance), but there's like 45 seconds of applause before the song even starts on the album, so she'd have had to sit through that and wait in anguish for the performance to start again.
And THAT is why my Dylan nerdiness can be such a pain in the ass.
I have somewhere an mp3 of Don't Think Twice that I found on the the internet back in 2000 or 2001. I'm not even sure what show or what year it's from (probably 99-'01). The way his voice simultaneously drops & opens up at the end of each line really got to me, then the killer harp solo to end it. It sounds more melancholy than mean spirited. I've been hooked on Dylan bootlegs ever since. I don't think I really want to know what show it's from, I just like to know that a little moment of magic such as this can occur during any show you ever listen to.
I also love the scene in Don't Look Back where he's in the train & his harmonica playing during this song plays in the background mimicking the sound of a train.
I know what you mean about little moments in Dylan shows, andrew. Usually, it's what makes the great ones stand out in any tour; even more so than rare songs, moments where Dylan just blows you away are what separates the Red Bluff 02s and the Madison 91s from the other shows on their respective tours.
And what's great about Dylan shows is that, since most of the tours are so wide-ranging and different, the special moments are also wide-ranging and different. Even the Dead tour had some good moments; the Slow Train that's on the unofficial live album almost makes the whole thing worth it. But you get things like 66 Dylan stretching out syllables, or 74 Dylan's "even the President" applause moment, or 88 Dylan sneering out "Subterranean Homesick Blues" as GE Smith abuses his six-string behind him. Those sort of things are why Dylan shows are like Lay's potato chips. I dare you to listen to just one.
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Jacek Bełc said...
Absolutely. I think you're just completely spot-on with your description of this song, echoing my own thoughts exactly, and that last paragraph is especially excellent. You write it all much better than I could, though. Thank you!
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David George Freeman said...
Thanks for posting this article which adds to the lexicon of Bob Dylan related material. When you have read enough go to the source... The music which is inside his Music Box http://thebobdylanproject.com/Song/id/161/Don't-Think-Twice,-It's-All-Right and listen to what has made all this possible. Join us inside and listen.
Bob Dylan Song #28: Ballad of Hollis Brown
Bob Dylan Song #27: The Times They Are a-Changin'
Bob Dylan Song #26: I Shall Be Free
Bob Dylan Song #25: Honey, Just Allow Me One More ...
Bob Dylan Song #24: Corrina, Corrina
Bob Dylan Song #23: Talkin' World War III Blues
Bob Dylan Song #22: Oxford Town
Bob Dylan Song #21: Bob Dylan's Dream
Bob Dylan Song #20: Don't Think Twice, It's All Ri...
Bob Dylan Song #19: A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall
Bob Dylan Song #18: Bob Dylan's Blues
Special Guest Post: Justin Shapiro
Bob Dylan Song #17: Down The Highway
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As RTD FasTracks develops light rail, commuter rail and bus rapid transit service, we'll offer a snapshot of some things you might see along the way. We hope you enjoy the ride.
Before you board: North Metro Rail about to break ground
Area where the future 124th-Eastlake station will be located on the North Metro Rail Line
FasTracks will break ground March 20 on the North Metro Rail Line, one of four electric commuter rail lines that will debut in Denver over the next four years.
The lines are part of RTD's ambitious plan to expand transit across the Denver region. Slated to open in 2018, the first segment of the North Metro Rail will depart from Denver Union Station and run through Denver, Commerce City, Thornton, and Northglenn.
RTD FasTracks partnered with prime contractor Regional Rail Partners (RRP) to build out the line's first phase to 124th Avenue, with options to extend it to 162nd Avenue-State Highway 7 in North Adams County as funding becomes available.
The first phase will feature six stations, including the National Western Stock Show Station.
Next stop: Stock Show and Rodeo
The Stock Show Station will be built near the Denver Stockyards for the new North Metro Rail Line.
After North Metro Rail trains depart Union Station, the first stop will be the National Western Stock Show Station. Passengers disembarking from trains will be able to walk about one block to reach the National Western Stock Show Complex beginning in 2019.
It will be kind of like the way it was 110 years earlier. When the stock show Stadium Arena was completed in 1909 a streetcar line
brought visitors from central Denver to the front door.
The stock show is one of Denver's signature cultural events dating back to 1906.
Today, the show attracts hundreds of thousands of tourists, cowboys and locals eager to tap into Colorado's Western heritage.
More to see...
North Metro's National Western Stock Show Station will be located just a few yards from the site of the historic Denver Union Stockyards. In the past, ranchers transported hundreds of thousands of livestock for sale and auction via trains running on the very track RTD North Metro commuter rail trains will share with Union Pacific Railroad.
The Livestock Exchange Building surrounded by pens at the National Western Stock Show in Denver around 1900. Photo credit: Denver Public Library Western History Department
Built in 1886, the stockyards covered 105 acres and handled 239,500 cattle, 115,700 hogs, 306,109 sheep and 22,700 horses and mules a year by the turn of the 20th century.
Today, more than 15,000 head of horses, cattle, sheep, swine, goats, llamas, alpacas, bison, yak, poultry and rabbits step foot on the grounds of the National Western Stock Show. It hosts the world's only carload and pen cattle show, held in the stockyards.
Most of the buying and selling of livestock still transpires at the site. Many of the pens retain antique wrought-iron gates and hinges and original cobblestone.
Little known facts ... and an urban legend
Steers are driven to the Stock Show through downtown Denver. Union Station is in the back left of this photo. January 9, 2014.
Steers are part of the annual Stock Show parade which originates at Union Station, the same place where the North Metro Rail Line's route begins.
"Stock Show weather" appears to be an urban legend, according to a 2009 Denver Post story, but many longtime locals will argue to the contrary. They will tell you it's almost always extremely cold when the Stock Show is in town.
Each year, the event's champion steer is led down a red carpet and put on display in the Brown Palace Hotel's lobby during afternoon tea. The Grand Champion Steer sold for $106,000 in 2013.
It takes a region...
RTD FasTracks and its regional partners will continue to work together to serve the Colorado public. RTD is committed to building out FasTracks, including the I-225 Rail Line, sooner rather than later so people in the region will have more transit options as they choose where to live, work and play.
LINK: 2014 National Western Stock Show, Jan. 11-26
LINK: History of the National Western Stock Show
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Learning through games at Finnish School of Kosovo
The Finnish School in Kosovo has reached an agreement with the 5MoreMinutes Ltd from Finland, which develops one of the world’s most important gaming platforms. The online gaming platform TeacherGaming utilized by the most innovative and renowned schools in the world offers games for almost every subject and learning unit.
To date, TeacherGaming’s products and services are offered to more than 16,000 schools around the world, serving more than 1,000 other teachers who use this platform individually for their students and is ranked as one of the 100 world-changing innovations today in world from web-Disrupt100.
The Finnish School of Kosovo has already reached a cooperation agreement with TeacherGaming and the pupils of this school have full access to the use of these learning games. TeacherGaming Desk is a one-click game based learning solution and is designed to make video games a sustainable teaching tool for any classroom.
TeacherGaming Desk combines an ever-growing portfolio of playable games and powerful learning analyzes. Educators can choose games for the needs of their students, learn a variety of subjects, and track their students’ progress in terms of real life skills. This platform also offers parents online access to follow the progress of their children all the time.
Children are eager to learn new things, curious about the world around them, and experimenting with what they learn. The Finnish education system is based on these facts, and in the heart of the Finnish system is curiosity, learning through games and using technology in learning. In Finland, the program is based on games, for children to have an attractive lesson, and at the same time students achieve results that cannot be achieved by the classical method. The use of more coherent technology enables students to invent and propose ideas for collective reflection, encouraging them to analyze and explore the past, present and future of processes occurring in the real world in real time.
For more detailed information about the Finnish School in Kosovo, please contact through the phone number 045-235650 or send an e-mail to info@shkollafinlandeze.com.
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World War I Libraries Research Guide: Journals & Newspaper Articles
Journal and Newspaper Articles
Newspaper and scholarly journal articles are excellent sources for conducting research on World War I. They can give information about battlefield developments as well as topics such as public opinion, economic trends and developments, political debates and controversies, and the social impact of war on everyday life.
Examples of newspaper articles and journal databases Purdue faculty, staff, and students have access to include:
African-American Periodicals 1825-1995 (Provides perspectives on this community's views on this conflict.
America: History and Life (Scholarly articles from U.S. and Canadian History journals.)
Dissertations and Theses (Doctoral disserations and theses from U.S. and foreign universities.)
Early American Newspapers Series 6 and 7 (Contains articles from U.S. newspapers between 1741-1922)
Economist Historical Archive (1843-2003) Articles from prominent British news magazine.
Historical Abstracts (Scholarly articles from history journals covering areas outside the U.S. and Canada)
Humanities and Social Science Retrospective Index (1907-1984)(Articles from news magazines during this time frame.)
JSTOR (Provides access to scholarly journal articles in a variety of disciplines.)
LexisNexis Academic (Legal section of this database provides access to federal and state court case opinions during World War I)
Military and Government Collections (Provides access to military related journal articles)
New York Times Historical (Provides articles from this newspaper from 1851-2009)
ProQuest Historical Annual Reports (Provides major business company annual financial reports)
Sabin Americana (1500-1926) Features the full text of most books published in the Americas during this time period.
Times Digital Archive 1785-1985 (Features articles from the Times of London during this time period.)
Wall Street Journal Historical 1889-1995 (Features articles from this key business newspaper during this time period.)
Selected Journals
Australian Army Journal
Canadian Military Journal
Historical Journal (Purdue Users Only)
Journal of Contemporary History (Purdue Users Only)
Journal of Military History (Purdue Users Only)
Military Review (Published since 1922 by U.S. Army's Command & General Staff College)
Naval Review (British Royal Navy Journal published since 1913-Most recent 10 years not available)
Parameters: Journal of the U.S. Army War College
Nongovernmental Archive
Hoover Institution Library and Archive (Contains strong 20th century Russian and Eastern European collections.)
<< Previous: World War I Libraries
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New Chronic Fatigue Syndrome research points to Natural Killer Cell issues as biomarkers
http://repository.urosario.edu.co/handle/10336/18945?show=full
Follow @HHV6_University
On April 16, 1996, Congressman Jerrold Nadler spoke on the floor of Congress about his request for a General Accounting investigation into how the CDC had handled the Chronic Fatigue Syndrome epidemic. Nadler did that at the urging of Charles Ortleb, the publisher and the New York Native and his reporter Neenyah Ostrom. Ortleb and Ostrom had made the case to Nadler that Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and the virus it had been linked to, HHV-6, were serious public health issues.
In an interview in New York Native with Neenyah Ostrom,Congressman Nadler said, "Congress can mandate research into CFS as a viral disease. Maybe it will turn out that HHV-6A is the cause of CFS; maybe it will turn out that other viruses are involved. But Congress can mandate research into CFS as a contagious, viral disease. I will certainly try to get Congress to do that as soon as possible."
Unfortunately, back in 1996, Nadler's warning to Congress and the medical establishment fell on deaf ears. But now that the Democrats have regained power in the House of Representatives, the newly prominent Congressman Nadler may finally be able to bring the Chronic Fatigue Syndrome epidemic and HHV-6 to the public's attention.
This book by Charles Ortleb, which details Neenyah Ostrom's diligent reporting on Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, is necessary reading for anyone who wants to know the whole history of an epidemic which has been hidden in plain sight. For a decade, starting in 1988, Ostrom reported on Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and the damage that the virus HHV-6 does to patients. What her reporting uncovered about the true nature of the Chronic Fatigue Syndrome epidemic will shock you.
In The Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Epidemic Cover-up, Charles Ortleb recounts his newspaper's fascinating struggle to get the medical and political establishment to pay attention to Ostrom's pioneering investigative reporting on Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.
By the time you finish Ortleb's stunning memoir, you will understand why the CDC has been unwilling to tell the public the truth about Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. The CDC does not want the public to know that Chronic Fatigue Syndrome is a transmissible illness linked to a virus that affects every system in the body. They have covered up the illness for so many decades that the neglected virus is totally out of control. Now it is causing a long list of other illnesses and many cancers. The CDC has put us all in danger.
Ostrom's decade of reporting on HHV-6 was recently vindicated by this statement from scientists at the University of Wurzburg:"While HHV-6 was long believed to have no negative impact on human health, scientists today increasingly suspect the virus of causing various diseases such as multiple sclerosis or chronic fatigue syndrome. Recent studies evensuggest that HHV-6 might play a role in the pathogenesis of several diseases of the central nervous system such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression or Alzheimer's."
The big question about Neenyah Ostrom and New York Native is this: How many lives would have been saved if the scientific establishment and the mainstream media had paid more attention to Neenyah Ostrom's reporting on HHV-6 and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome in New York Native?
One day, if there is any justice in the world, the CDC and the medical establishment will apologize for not paying attention to Neenyah Ostrom's groundbreaking work on Chronic Fatigue Syndrome that Charles Ortleb published in New York Native. That would be a fitting end to one of journalism's greatest David and Goliath stories.
Anyone who wants to help Congressman Nadler and the other members of Congress who are trying to end the suffering of millions of people with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, needs to read The Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Epidemic Cover-up.
Click here to begin reading
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Spotify podcasts about the HHV-6 and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome cover-up
The HHV-6 University Report by on Scribd
Is Chronic Fatigue Syndrome the other AIDS epidemic in the gay community?
https://www.gscene.com/news/new-doctors-guidelines-for-severe-me/
All ten books are available today in one Kindle edition for $9.99. Apocalypse Then and Now will undermine all your assumptions about both Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and AIDS.
Click book to purchase.
The ten books can be purchased individually. But for $9.99 you can own all of them in the Kindle edition of Apocalypse Then and Now.
The Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Epidemic Cover-up: How a Little Newspaper Solved the Biggest Scientific and Political Mystery of Our Time
The Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Epidemic Cover-up Volume Two: The Origins of Totalitarianism in Science and Medicine
Iatrogenocide: Notes for a Political Philosophy of Epidemiology and Science.
The Closing Argument: A shocking courtroom novella about AIDS, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, racial injustice and HHV-6, the virus that threatens us all
The Stonewall Massacre
The African Swine Fever Novel
The Black Party: A Dramatic Comedy in Two Acts
The Last Lovers on Earth: Stories from Dark Times
Iron Peter: A Year in the Mythopoetic Life of New York City
Butterfly Ghosts and The New Hippocratic Oath: Earlier and Later Poems
Click book below to preview or purchase
New Chronic Fatigue Syndrome research points to Na...
Is Chronic Fatigue Syndrome the other AIDS epidemi...
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Dublin Chauffeur, Chauffeur Dublin, Kildare Chauffeur, Chauffeur Kildare
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In-house round-up: autumn 2016
This round-up summarises the developments that generated the most interest from in-house lawyers in the past three months, including government proposals on corporate governance, preparing for the GDPR, the EU-US Privacy Shield, Brexit and several interesting High Court decisions.
Government proposals on corporate governance
Since becoming Prime Minister, Theresa May has made several statements about cracking down on executive pay and poor corporate governance, and including consumers and workers represented on company boards. All these issues were addressed in the Business, Innovation and Skills Committee inquiry on corporate governance, which came to a close on 26 October 2016.
Action items: Companies should consider responding to the government’s recently published Green Paper on corporate governance reform. The deadline for responses is 17 February 2017.
ICSA guidance on minute taking
The Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators (ICSA) published new guidance on minute taking in September. The guidance discusses how quorum and conflicts of interest should be covered in board minutes, the style of writing, the level of detail and how to deal with dissent in the minutes.
The guidance has a role in establishing best practice for minute taking and includes several useful practical tips, such as:
Minutes should summarise key points and focus on the decision. The reason for the decision should be documented and include sufficient background information for future reference.
Minutes should allocate actions as they provide evidence of discharging duties, ensure accountability and that agreed actions are not overlooked.
Action points: Companies should review their approach to minute taking in the light of the guidance.
Revised GC100 and Investor Group directors’ remuneration reporting guidance published
The GC100 and Investor Group published revised guidance on directors’ remuneration reporting guidance in August. Key changes to the guidance included clarifying the remuneration committee’s use of discretion in determining remuneration outcomes, including the situations in which investors generally expect the committee to consider exercising discretion to moderate formulaic remuneration outcomes.
Action items: In-house lawyers may use the guidance to benchmark and update remuneration committees on their duties, in preparing or reviewing draft directors’ remuneration reports for shareholder approval or reviewing remuneration policies in advance of their financial year ends.
Risk of enforcement action for organisations still relying on invalid Safe Harbor framework
In August, the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) summarised the current position on EU-US data transfers. The ICO reminded organisations who continue to rely on the Safe Harbor framework, which has been replaced by the EU-US Privacy Shield, that they are in breach of the Data Protection Act 1998 and potentially at risk of enforcement action.
That same month, the European Commission published a guide for citizens on the EU-US Privacy Shield. The guide explains how individuals’ rights are protected under the Privacy Shield framework and provides information on how to complain and seek redress against a Privacy Shield company or a US public authority, where an individual considers that their data protection rights may have been violated.
Action items: These development signal that the ICO (and privacy regulators around the EU) are unlikely to look sympathetically on any failure by an organisation to establish compliant arrangements for EU-US transfers, now the replacement of Safe Harbor is in place. Organisations still relying on the Safe Harbor should take action to make alternative arrangements.
Support in preparing for the General Data Protection Regulation
In her first speech since becoming the new Information Commissioner, Elizabeth Denham acknowledged that it was extremely likely that the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) would apply before the UK leaves the EU. The Secretary of State, Karen Bradley MP subsequently confirmed to the Culture, Media and Sports Select Committee that the UK will be implementing the GDPR in May 2018.
The ICO will support businesses and public bodies in preparing for compliance with the GDPR’s requirements before May 2018, and has already started with the 12-step checklist and the updated privacy notices code of practice. During November, the ICO will publish a revised timetable setting out its priorities for the publication of guidance over the next six months.
Practical Law has published a toolkit of key resources designed to assist organisations with preparing for and complying with the GDPR.
Record fine for data protection breach
The ICO issued a record £400,000 monetary penalty notice to TalkTalk Telecom Group plc (TalkTalk) in October for failing to keep personal data secure. The ICO’s investigation found that TalkTalk had failed to have appropriate security measures in place, which could have prevented the cyberattack.
The record fine sends a strong message to businesses of the importance of keeping personal data secure, especially financial information. The Information Commissioner’s comment that cybersecurity should not be seen as an IT issue but a boardroom issue is particularly telling.
Action points: Ensure that cybersecurity is given suitable prominence at boardroom-level. Well-resourced businesses will find a failure to implement adequate security measures particularly hard to explain in the event of a significant data breach. This toolkit highlights all Practical Law’s content on cybersecurity.
Law Society note on electronic signatures published
The use of electronic signatures (e-signatures) is becoming increasingly common in a range of commercial transactions. In the summer, the Law Society and the City of London Law Society published a practice note on the execution of documents using an e-signature. The note was developed by a joint working party of the Law Society Company Law Committee and the City of London Law Society Company Law and Financial Law Committees and has been approved by leading counsel.
It sets out principles for determining whether certain types of documents (including contracts, deeds and minutes and resolutions) that have been signed with an electronic signature have been validly executed under English law. Practical Law’s note provides an overview of the law and practice relating to the execution of simple contracts and deeds under the laws of England and Wales.
Brexit: key developments since August
In October, the Prime Minister Theresa May announced at the Conservative Party conference that Article 50 of the Treaty on European Union (TEU) would be triggered before the end of March 2017, and that the next Queen’s Speech (expected in April or May 2017) would include a Great Repeal Bill, to repeal the European Communities Act 1972.
However, the High Court’s decision that the Royal prerogative did not empower the government to give notice pursuant to Article 50 of the TEU may affect this projected timeframe. The immediate practical effect of the judgment is that, unless the decision is overturned, the government will need to pass an Act of Parliament authorising it to notify the European Council under Article 50, contrary to its earlier intention.
The Supreme Court has granted the government’s application to appeal and it has been listed for 5 to 8 December 2016, with judgment expected in early 2017.
Track Brexit developments on our homepage, which highlights resources from across Practical Law on the legal implications of Brexit.
Cases round-up
Standard term choosing supplier’s law unfair for consumer
Companies trading cross-border with EU consumers on terms that do not apply the local law of the consumer will need to consider updating their standard choice of law clauses after the ECJ held that a standard term under which a contract concluded with a consumer is to be governed by the law of the member state in which the supplier is established was unfair.
This was because the standard term gave the consumer the impression that only the law of that member state applied, without informing him that he also enjoyed the protection of the mandatory provisions of the law that would otherwise be applicable.
Action points: Companies should ensure that their standard choice of law clauses in consumer contracts do not create the impression that the consumer is not entitled to any mandatory consumer protections applicable in the country where they live, for example by explaining that such protections apply.
Warranties are not representations
Buyers are likely to face some difficulty in successfully arguing that the warranties in a share purchase agreement (SPA) are also actionable in misrepresentation if the SPA does not expressly provide (in so many words or in effect) that the warranties are also to take effect, or be treated as representations after the High Court granted summary judgment in a case in August.
The court held that where a contractual provision states only that a party is giving a warranty, that party does not, by concluding the contract, make any statement to the counterparty that is actionable as a misrepresentation.
From the seller’s perspective, one of the best defences to the risk of any inaccuracies in its warranties giving rise to parallel claims in contract and the tort of misrepresentation lies in ensuring that the SPA contains a comprehensive entire agreement clause, which is drafted to exclude any liability for misrepresentation (to the fullest extent permitted by law), whether arising from pre-contractual statements or the terms of the SPA itself.
Restrictive covenants and boilerplate provisions in SPAs considered
In September, the High Court considered the meaning and effect of several provisions that are commonplace in SPAs, including restrictive covenants given by sellers, a further assurance provision, a clause prohibiting assignment save in certain specified circumstances, a provision relating to the rights of third parties and a choice of jurisdiction clause.
The case is of interest partly for the review of these common terms but also for the practical insight it gives to the way in which a straightforward commercial deal on commonplace terms (in this instance the sale of the Karen Millen fashion business) can complicate and unravel over time.
Bolam test abandoned in negligent financial advice claim
Also in September, the High Court held that the Bolam test did not apply to the issue of whether a defendant bank had breached its duty of care when advising claimants about investments. In doing so, the judge focused on what the claimant, an informed investor, would expect to be told and not on whether the defendant had advised in accordance with a practice accepted as proper by a reasonable body of persons skilled in the giving of financial advice (that is, in accordance with the Bolam test).
The decision suggests that the giving of investment advice is not simply an exercise of professional skill; an informed investor, like a medical patient, is entitled to decide the risks that he is willing to take and has to take responsibility for his own mistakes.
Practical Law In-house Robert Clay
Related topics: Brexit, Corporate governance, Cyber security, Data protection, Directors
http://in-houseblog.practicallaw.com/in-house-round-up-autumn-2016">
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Billy Eckstine: The Evolution of The First Bebop Big Band
“BILLY ECKSTINE, ..., had a modern, swinging band during the mid-forties. He had been singing with Earl Hines for a number of years when one of his fellow bandsmen, Dizzy Gillespie, suggested to Billy that he ought to go out with his own crew.
It was a sensible suggestion, because Billy, an outstandingly handsome man with a great deal of charm, had built up quite a following not merely among musicians, who admired him as a person and as a singer, but also among a segment of the public that followed the jazz-oriented bands.
In the spring of 1944 Billy left the Earl. He took with him the band's chief arranger and tenor saxist, Budd Johnson, who, along with Gillespie, became one of the two musical directors of the new group. So great was the emphasis upon instrumental music and what was then considered to be progressive jazz that Billy's strong, masculine but highly stylized vocals were often subjugated to the playing of some young, budding jazz stars like Charlie and Leo Parker, Miles Davis, Art Blakey, Fats Navarro, Howard McGhee, Kenny Dorham, Lucky Thompson, Gene Ammons and Dexter Gordon. And for a while Eckstine also featured a timid young girl vocalist with a marvelously clear, vibrant voice. To this day Sarah Vaughan still looks back fondly on her association with the band and credits it for much of her musical development.”
- George T. Simon, The Big Bands, 4th Ed.
Within the mere three years of its existence, Billy Eckstine's band at one time or another featured just about every "modernist" on the scene. A tentative listing of the alumni reads like a real "Who's Who of Bebop!” It is forever to be regretted that this band had so little opportunity to record [in part due to the Musicians’ Union recording ban then in effect] and that Eckstine was rarely able to convince producers (and audiences) that the real quality of his band was its musical potential. More so, of course, than his own vocals, although these are often of the highest quality.
As the story goes, before Gillespie was to really settle in on 52nd Street in the mid-1940’s, he became an important part of the newly formed Billy Eckstine orchestra. Gillespie and bassist Oscar Pettiford had had a falling out, and while Oscar remained at the Onyx (with Joe Guy on trumpet and Johnny Hartzfield on tenor), Dizzy moved across the street to the Yacht Club with Budd Johnson in tow. On the same show with them was their old colleague from the Earl Hines band, Billy Eckstine, billed as X-tine, thanks to his booking agent Billy Shaw.
Eckstine's, or X-tine's, career was not exactly roaring along. It was decided that he head a big band but, at first, he and Shaw argued about the basic philosophy.
Eckstine was committed to the new sounds and convinced Shaw he wanted Gillespie as his musical director and Charlie Parker, working at the time with Carroll Dickerson at the Rhumboogie in Chicago, as the leader of his reeds. In June 1944 the Billy Eckstine band was born.
“It was a whole evolvement of something new, aside from the trite ways of doing things. When I started my band we got bad, bad reports on it. Even the William Morris office, they said, "Why don't you just get a band like in the vein of the Basic band and with good vocals of yourself, and you just sell the band on your vocals and things like that." But they didn't stop to realize that I was already hooked into this thing. If you look at some of the early downbeat write-ups,' Christ, they used to pan hell out of me. They said I kept singing, I was running all over the place and wouldn't sing the melodies, which was just a way of seeking at that particular point—you're hearing things also. Now when we all got together, when the different guys got together, I saw the reason why I wanted to sing—well, now we call it "changes" and because it was new usage.
When we recorded "Cottage for Sale" I ended it on major seventh. We had a guy in the control room named Emile Cote, who was a head of the Pet Milk Singers, as the A&R [laughs] man. When I hit that, he came out and said, "Well, I think we got a good balance on that. Now shall we go back in and do the thing?" I said, "Hey, that was it." "Oh, you're not going to end that on that note." I said, "Well, why not, it's a major seventh." Then he gave me the old cliche about Beethoven or somebody giving a lesson and a kid hit the major seventh and then left, walked off, and he had to run downstairs and resolve it. Well, I said, "I ain't gonna resolve it." Those kind of things during that era, and getting to what you've seen, it was a feeling among a nucleus at that time of younger people, of hearing something else. We didn't knock. You see that's the other thing that was so funny about the guys then. You couldn't find one guy, you take Dizzy, Bird, any of the guys that were in my original band, we never knocked nobody else's music.
My God, my band, when I started, the guy that gave me my music to get started was Basie. I went over here to the Hotel Lincoln and walked in there with Basie, and he said, "I understand you're gonna start a band," and I said, "Yeah, man, I ain't got no music." So he turns around to Henry Snodgrass and told him, "Give him the key." I went back in the back in the music trunk and just took scores of Basie's music to help me be able to play a dance. We didn't have any music. The only things that we had in our vein of things was "A Night in Tunisia" that Diz had written. As we kept doing these one-nighters, we were constantly writing. "Blue 'n Boogie" was a head arrangement. We were constantly just sitting down everywhere we'd go and have a rehearsal and putting things together on these kind of things. Little head arrangements and riffs that Diz started or Bird started. "Good Jelly Blues" and "I Stay In The Mood For You"—Budd Johnson wrote that on the same type of a thing. And the little things I wrote—"I Love The Rhythm In A Riff" and "Blowing The Blues Away," they were just more or less—we were gradually getting our music together, but when we started out we didn't knock anybody's music like that. My God, I don't think there was a time that we ever were anywhere where another band was that all our band, if we were off, was not right there listening to them. It wasn't a knock, of putting their music down in preference for ours. It was just another step, it was another step beyond. I guess, possibly the same thing happened back when Louie took his step past King Oliver, maybe, who knows. I wasn't around to pay any attention to music then, but possibly the same type of thing happened then.
Then another very important thing, too. Our music was more studied. Up until that point, you didn't have the musicianship, other than Ellington, Lunceford, like that, where you had some great schooled musicians up there on that stand. But a lot of the other bands, there were a lot of guys who couldn't read a note, even some of the first Basic band that came East. It was a head-arrangement band. When here we came on, in my band and in Earl's band, all musicians, seasoned musicians. But when we came along these were all new usages of chords, new voicings, the arrangers were hearing things, began to write. And another thing that happened, my band ruined a whole lot of musicians who had been bullshitting before. But everywhere we would go with my band, after it was together about two months, we'd look out into the audience, and the young, the real young, was out there going, "Yeah, man." It was hitting that young; it was the music of the young really, and because the young, a lot of them, were in the war in Europe, the widespread popularity never was acquired, never was achieved.
I'll never forget, though, we used to have more problems with the powers that be, the agents. Christ, that's where I had the problem. They wanted me to sing, and play "One O'Clock Jump"; the things that were famous or something of Glenn Miller's or something of Tommy Dorsey's; in other words, let the band copy other successful things and you sing. That wasn't my idea of what I wanted to do. Shit, if 1 wanted to do that I could have gone with—'cause after I left Earl and went back to 52nd Street, I started getting calls from certain bands, different bands like Kenton. They wanted me to come in the band as a vocalist, but I wouldn't go because I said, "Hell, if I'm gonna break up my own band, what am I gonna go with somebody else for when I couldn't make my own successful? And here's some guys who are gonna try more or less to copy what we're starting, and I'm gonna go with them? No way!"
So it was always a fight, a fight, man. Christ almighty, I'll never forget, they came down to the Riviera in St. Louis. And I was working in there with my band, and the William Morris office sent some schmuck down there to do a report on the band. He came back and said, "There's no love vein in the band." Imagine this guy gonna go dig a swinging band: "there's no love vein in the band." So when Billy Shaw, God rest his soul, whom I loved, when Billy called me—Billy believed in me— and he said, "Hey B, we're getting rapped, and this guy come back here sayin' 'There's no love vein in the band.' " I said, "Well, shit, he didn't check into it. Now me and Dizzy been goin' together for years. There's the love vein" [laughter].
Well you know what he told me to do: "Well, why don't you get a real pretty girl, with a big ass, to sing?" Didn't listen to Sass [Sarah VaughanJ. He's gonna tell me about some chick with a big ass, and here's a girl with the greatest voice that I've ever heard. He never even heard that. Well, that's the kinda shit you went through in those days and on. Man, it just got to the point—I think it discouraged a lot of people. It even carried on over into Diz's band, so Diz's band wasn't successful.
It was musically successful. So was mine. Now it's the "legendary Billy Eckstine band," and some of these same guys that are now calling it a legend rapped the shit out of me. Leonard Feather, he rapped the shit out of me. Every time we'd come in, "the band was out of tune," and the this and the that, and now it's the "legendary Billy Eckstine band."
I don't want this to appear racist, but nevertheless, it's factual. Anything that the black man originates that cannot be copied right away by his white contemporaries is stepped on. It was copied. Shit, Woody Herman, get a load of his things — "Northwest Passage." All those things were nothing but a little bit of the music that we were trying to play. All of those things. All they did was that. Shit, but they got the down beat number one band, yap, yap, yap, all of this kind of shit, but Woody better not have Jit nowhere near where my band was. Nowhere. And I can say it now because it's all over and I don't have to appear egotistical, but he better not have lit anywhere where we were. And that goes for any of them, because let me show you, we would play, and the guys that were in that band will tell you one thing; we played against Jimmie Lunceford at the Brooklyn Armory. Jimmie Lunceford, big star of the thing, and we were the second band. We ate his ass up like it was something good to eat, so much to the point — I'll never forget this, Freddie Webster, God rest his soul, was with Lunceford at the time, and Freddie wrote a letter to a buddy of ours in California, and all he wrote on the letter was, "Did you hear about the battle of jazz?" He says, "Billy Eckstine," no, "B and his band, life; Jimmie Lunceford," in very small letters, "Jimmie Lunceford and us, death" [Laughter]. That's what he wrote on this thing.
Musicians—that's the other thing—young musicians would be around us like this all the time listening, and they knew what we were trying to do. Arrangers started hearing. The technical aspect of the music was grasped first. People who knew something about music right away said, "Hey, this is something else." It's the moldy guys that relied so much on their ear. They didn't have the ear to follow this—it's the same as this Emile Cote that heard this major seventh, he didn't hear that thing resolved where he was waiting for it to resolve. And when I said, "Here's a cottage for sale," and he didn't hear that [sings]. He didn't hear that. All he heard was "da" and he was waiting for "daa."* [*The conventional ending would be the tonic. Eckstine, like many instrumentalists of the time, ended a half step below the tonic.]
That's what he's waiting for. His ear had been indoctrinated into that type of listening. But arrangers jumped on this. You'd be surprised, you know how many free arrangements I used to get? Every town I'd go into, some little young musician who's studying would bring me up an arrangement to play. He is voicing it off of the new voicings, the new thing; nine out of ten of them you couldn't use, but you could see the seeking, trying to, hearing this kind of music which used to inspire us.
And again to get back to the love thing, Diz and Sonny [Stitt], all the different guys will tell you this, that was in the band. We used to get in a town and, man, it was like the bus getting in at twelve o'clock— I wouldn't call rehearsal. The guys would go on to the hall, set up, jam, or Bird would take the reed section, sit and run through things. Just at night, the Booker Washington Hotel, there in St. Louis for Christ sake, when we was working the Riviera, the people used to move out, we'd rehearse four o'clock in the morning. Sit right in the room; the reed section would be there blowing all night. It was a love where everybody was seeking things like that, trying and learning. Sass and myself used to learn things on the piano.
I'll never forget, Diz wrote an arrangement of "East of the Sun" for Sass. We worked out the ending of it [sings]. We'd work out things vocally, because every aspect of music could fit into this. There was a way to do it vocally; there was a way we heard it vocally; a way it was done instrumentally; the way it was done rhythmically: everything had a new concept to it. It wasn't just one trumpet player playing his style which was an innovative thing. Or one saxophone. There was a collective unit of the whole concept. It was the camaraderie in that band. Me and Diz, the other night at the concert,*[*Newport Festival Tribute to Charlie Parker in 1974], we were breaking up laughing at different little things that we used to do in the band.
We still have big laughs, any time we get together—like the other night, Sonny and all of us were up there, and I swear to Christ that you would have thought that some great comic was in. We were breaking up in there laughing, remembering incidents that happened, which then were morbid. Riding these Goddamn Jim Crow cars through the South were these dirty cracker conductors, we all sitting in the aisles and all of this bullshit, in a little car that's got eight seats, and here we getting on there with twenty guys and no room. And now we just sit laughing about it. The different incidents where a guy would say, "Hey, ain't no more room. You all sleep, stay in the baggage car," and we get back in the baggage car and open all the doors, get undressed and lay back there in the baggage car, smelling the hay and shit, traveling. But we can sit back and laugh about these kind of things now. You had to then. You'd have never gotten through it. We said the same statement the other night, Diz and I. You had to make your own fun. You had to make it, 'cause, Christ almighty, this was during the war. We couldn't get a bus because you couldn't get priority then for gasoline.
So the only way, Billy Shaw worked some strings—this was '44—where if I would play for the troops, whenever I would get into the town—if there was an Army camp there—go right out and do a free show for the troops, then they would give me a priority for a bus. But I had to do a certain amount of them every week. Now, if I happened to be booked in such a place where there ain't no Army camps where we are, they look and see that I don't play no Army, they snatched the bus without even telling me. We go out one morning to get the bus, there ain't no bus. Now we got to run and grab all of this crap, look at the train schedule—and there was always an hour, and hour and one-half late, these trains in those days. You know, the troops and things. Jumping on you is the guys with their bass and amplifiers, for the book, and valets getting on these trains with this and what are you gonna do. If you can survive through that, man, you gotta make your own humor. I'm telling you, boy. And arguments, fights with soldiers and these crackers down South, and man you'd get in fights with them all the time. It drove me crazy.
And the guys still stuck it out, 'cause we'd get on the stand at night, regardless of what problem we had during the day, there's our chance to let it out. And, baby, some of the times when we've had the worst problems during the day, we'd get on the stand at night and, man, you never heard a band play like that in your life. We'd be wailing, because now's our chance to relax and do what we want to do. We were just waiting to get to that stand.”
[Sources, Ira Gitler’s Jazz Masters of the 40’s, Bill Kirchner, ed. The Oxford Companion to Jazz, Downbeat, Esquire, Jazz Review, Jazz Monthly and Metronome magazine archives, Gunther Schuller, The Swing Era, George T Simon, The Big Bands, 4th Ed., Richard Cook and Brian Morton, The Penguin Guide to Jazz on CD, 6th. Ed, Barry Kernfeld, ed., The New Grove Dictionary of Jazz, and Leonard Feather and Ira Gitler, The Encyclopedia of Jazz.]
Labels: billy eckstine
An Interview with Alan Broadbent by Gordon Jack
As many of you know, Gordon Jack is a frequent contributor to the Jazz Journal and a very generous friend to these pages in his allowance of JazzProfiles re-publishings of his excellent writings. He is the author of Fifties Jazz Talk An Oral Retrospective and he developed the Gerry Mulligan discography in Raymond Horricks’ book Gerry Mulligan’s Ark.
The following article was first published in Jazz Journal November 2013.
For more information and subscriptions please visit www.jazzjournal.co.uk
© - Gordon Jack/JazzJournal; copyright protected, all rights reserved., used with permission.
“Two time Grammy Award winner Alan Broadbent is a sophisticated interpreter of the Great American Songbook. The Los Angeles Times has called him, ‘One of the greatest living jazz pianists’ and if his Live At Giannelli Square (Volume 1) had been reviewed in Jazz Journal I would have voted for it as one of the CDs of the year. His imaginative approach to Solar from the album received a Grammy nomination for Best Improvised Solo and among other gems there is a dramatic re-examination of Embraceable You which he calls You and You Alone
We met in April 2012 after his performance at that fine venue the Watermill Jazz Club in Dorking, Surrey which included an informative question and answer session with a large and appreciative audience.
“I studied classical piano at the Royal Trinity College of Music in Auckland, New Zealand and the first jazz concert I attended was in 1961 when I was fourteen. Dave Brubeck’s quartet was in town and I remember being really impressed with Paul Desmond on Tangerine. Of course I bought Time Out and I also went to see the film All Night Long because Dave was in it. He played It’s A Raggy Waltz and in one of the scenes he wore a trench-coat, so I went out and bought one too and wore it to all my gigs. I started to explore some serious stuff- not that Dave isn’t serious – but I discovered Bud Powell, Wynton Kelly, Red Garland, Bird and all the horn players. Then I heard Lennie’s solo album (The New Tristano) which just blew me away – I loved that music and really studied it which is why I wanted to have lessons with him a few years later.
“I sent an acetate of my recording of Speak Low to Downbeat magazine which is how I won a scholarship to Berklee School of Music for one semester in 1966. I was there until 1969 paying my way after that first semester by working six nights a week in a local club. Charlie Mariano was at the school and he was one of my favourite teachers - he was a great guy. At the time he was into that raga thing and he would sit on the carpet playing his soprano in a small group we had together. Other faculty members were Herb Pomeroy and Ray Santisi.” (A good example of Pomeroy and Santisi’s work as performers can be found on Serge Chaloff’s Boston Blow-Up which also features Boots Mussulli – GJ.)
“The local club in Boston was the Jazz Workshop and being students we could get in for a couple of dollars. I heard all kinds of people there like Bill Evans and Miles and one night Lenny Popkin, a young tenor player sat in with Lee Konitz. I approached Lenny and asked him if I could study with him because Lee had introduced him as a Tristano student. We hit it off and started playing together and it came to a point where he said I should call Tristano. He didn’t seem particularly interested because I was not available for lessons on the days that were convenient to him. Lenny Popkin then contacted Tristano on my behalf and arranged for me to have an audition on a Monday at his home in Flushing, Long Island. He had a little grand piano in his kitchen and he walked around while I played. He was a lovely man and he became a father-figure to me but I was never one of the Tristano-ites – I was more interested in finding my own way.
“I was 19 when I started with him, fresh off the boat and I used to talk to him about the difficulties I was having and he was very sympathetic to me. Some of his students would come up to Boston to see me at my hotel gig which was around the corner from the Jazz Workshop. I was going to Berklee during the day and I worked there every night with George Mraz and Jeff Brillinger. The Tristano-ites wanted to sit in but I was expected to do the ‘hotel’ thing of playing bossa novas and stuff like that so they were pretty disdainful of the material. I remember telling Lennie about how inadequate I felt about their reaction and he said, ‘What the fuck do you care about what they think.’
“Lennie liked his students to practice all the scales with different fingers on the keyboard because when you are improvising, you don’t always know what finger is needed at what time. He also wanted his students to learn famous recorded solos like Lady be Good by Lester Young with Basie in 1936. Initially you had to sing it, paying attention to the vibrato and articulation he used and the way Lester bent a phrase. Then you had to reproduce it on the piano. Somehow it became internalised because that type of concentration opened up your ears and your heart in a linear fashion, whereas pianists tend to think mostly in chords. That was something Nat Cole achieved and Bud too, on his good days.
“One of the best times I had with him was just before I went with Woody Herman although Lennie wasn’t happy about that at all. He took me up to his attic where he had a recording studio with a beautiful Steinway and laying on his couch he said, ‘Play for me’. That was my last lesson playing for an hour while he chuckled and applauded – he was right with me all the time.
“Woody Herman must have been looking for a pianist because Jake Hanna and Nat Pierce had been to Berklee asking around and Herb Pomeroy told them to go and listen to me. School was finishing and I needed a gig so I joined the band. Lennie tried to talk me out of it but I didn’t really have a choice because I would have been thrown out of the country. Woody and his manager Hermie Dressel who had taken over from Abe Turchen sponsored me in getting a Green Card.
“I immediately went out and bought the latest Herman album (Light My Fire) which was very appealing to me but we didn’t play that sort of material on gigs.” (The band played officer’s clubs, country clubs and Elks clubs and as Alan told Gene Lees, ‘My first gig was at an army base in Greensboro, North Carolina… and I was appalled. The drummer was turning the time around and some of the soloists were very weak. Steve Lederer who played second tenor with Woody said, ‘You’ve heard of the Thundering Herd? Well this is the worst you ever heard’ – GJ).
“Sal Nistico wasn’t in the band initially but he came in and out from time to time - he was a great guy and we got along really well. Woody always pigeon-holed him into the extreme up tempo things but every once and a while he would throw him a ballad which Sal loved to play.
“After about six months Tony Klatka, Bill Stapleton and I decided to arrange some Blood Sweat & Tears material which was easily adaptable for the band. One BST chart I did was Smiling Phases and the kids went crazy when we played it because it was the popular music of the time.” (Klatka also did a chart on Proud Mary which had been a big hit for Creedence Clearwater Revival - GJ).
“In 1971 the band recorded an album almost totally devoted to my charts (Brand New Woody) and soon after that I was voted The Talent Deserving of Wider Recognition in Downbeat magazine, which of course didn’t make any difference to my career at all.” (Summing up his time with Herman, Alan told writer Scott Yanow, ‘I loved being part of his band although everything I had learned at Berklee went down the drain because it just didn’t work with Woody’ – GJ).
“I left the band in 1972. I just got off the bus in L.A. because it seemed to be an easy thing to do. I had friends there and I had some fantasy about getting into the film industry. I met Don Ferrara around that time who was teaching at Gary Foster’s studio and also Putter Smith who was introduced to me by Nick Ceroli. I’ve been going out to Putter’s place every week-end for about 30 years to play. He now divides his time between New York and Los Angeles and I will be seeing him in a couple of weeks.
“One of the people who was very kind to me when I first arrived in L.A. was JJ Johnson and I perform his Lament on my ‘Round Midnight CD as a tribute to his memory.
Around 1974 I got together with Irene Kral and we worked together until she died in 1978.
“In 1976 I recorded with Don Menza and Frank Rosolino who was a wonderful guy and we really hit it off. He was one of the greatest trombone players who ever lived but he was playing third trombone in the pit in Las Vegas. Supersax sometimes used him but Conte Candoli got most of their work and anyway you’re talking about $35.00 at Donte’s playing your heart out all night. It’s been that way and always will - even in New York City there’s no money. Somehow we all have to figure out how to make sense of the jazz life.
“I worked quite a bit with Jack Sheldon who was hilarious. He could tell the same joke every night and I would just fall apart.” (One of his regular opening lines on a club booking was, ‘It’s so long since I had sex, I can’t remember who gets tied up!’ He also just happened to be one of the all-time greats as a trumpet and vocal soloist - GJ.)
“I worked a lot with Charlie Haden’s Quartet West over the years and one of our CDs has my string arrangement of Tristano’s Requiem which turned out very well. We were on the soundtrack for Clint Eastwood’s movie Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil accompanying Alison Krauss who is a real darling.” (She is also a superlative singer and fiddle player in the Bluegrass and Country field with Union Station – GJ). “Clint of course was a friend of Jack Sheldon’s and I remember he once flew Jack and I in his private plane from a golf tournament because Jack had a gig in L.A.
“Charlie, Billy Higgins and I did a one-nighter with Chet Baker at a club called Hop Singh’s in the late ‘80s and it was very special. There were only four people in the audience and one of them was my wife. He was the real thing - playing and singing beautifully. I remember that I was feeling good and each phrase I played I could hear Chet sitting behind listening intently saying, ‘Yeah, man’ and being very encouraging. I was in heaven but he disappeared into the bathroom after the first set and never came out again.
“In 1992 I recorded with Scott Hamilton and strings which is a favourite album of mine. He doesn’t read but we just had to play the arrangement through once for him and he got it - he can go directly to his heart because the notes aren’t in the way.” (In 1998 Alan was part of the small group along with Pete Christlieb and Larry Bunker accompanying Diana Krall on her fifth album – When I Look Into Your Eyes which Billboard nominated as one of the top ten jazz albums of that decade – GJ). “I saw Pete recently and he is thinking of packing everything up and moving to Portland. All the studio work he used to do doesn’t exist anymore and there are just no gigs.
“I’ve already mentioned some influences but I must include Nat Cole who was the bridge between the ornamental approach of Teddy Wilson and Art Tatum to the horn-like, single line bebop style that Bud Powell introduced. The rhythm is in the line itself and not in the left hand. Arrangers who are important to me would include Johnny Mandel, Gil Evans, Bob Brookmeyer and Bill Holman.
“As far as free jazz is concerned it can be fine if it is handled by musicians who are aware of form and musical development. I don’t like meandering music but when Tristano did it with Warne and Lee it was something pretty special. I’m not familiar with much of Ornette Coleman’s music but he is a real composer. His tunes are not just off the cuff dilettante stuff – they’re really musical so I have to respect that.” (At the Watermill Alan performed a well received version of Coleman’s Lonely Woman – GJ). “I listen to a lot of contemporary orchestral composers like John Adams and Elliott Carter - I would rather listen to them because I know there’s an intelligent structure.
“My wife and I had been living in Santa Monica for the past 30 years but we decided to move to New York last year. We have a twelve year old son and he is at that point where he is either going to become a boy-surfer or we can give him some New York culture. When I get back to the States I have one gig booked out in Pennsylvania with Putter Smith but I do have some writing work on hold. I get a joy out of the sound of an orchestra as long as I am given reasonable leeway for how I want to do it”.
Jazz Times has called Alan Broadbent, ‘One of the major keyboard figures today’ but despite being nominated for seven Grammy Awards since 1975 he once told writer Graham Reid, “This is the only profession I know where you can be internationally famous and broke!”
As Leader
Another Time (Trend TRCD-546)
Away From You (Trend TRCD-558)
Live At Maybeck Recital Hall Vol.14 (Concord Jazz CCD4488)
‘Round Midnight (Artistry Art 7005)
Every Time I Think Of You (Artistry Art 7011)
Live At Giannelli Square Vol. 1 (Chilly Bin Records 35231 82422)
As Sideman
Woody Herman: Brand New (OJCCD 1044-2)
Irene Kral: Where Is Love (Choice CHCD 71012)
Bob Brookmeyer: Olso (Concord Jazz CCD 4312)
Charlie Haden: Quartet West (Verve 831673-2)
Scott Hamilton: With Strings (Concord Jazz CCD-4538-2)
Diana Krall: When I Look Into Your Eyes (GRP 304)
Labels: Alan Broadbent, gordon jack
Gretsch Drum Night At Birdland
Anyone who has been a casual visitor to these pages know that I have a bias toward Jazz drumming, what I think of as the heartbeat of Jazz.
Among the current crop of Jazz drummers, Kenny Washington has long been among my favorites principally because he plays a style of drumming that I also favor - the Philly Joe Jones approach to drumming.
Kenny is a student of the music so much so that he refers to himself as The Jazz Maniac.
Whatever he chooses to call himself, Kenny knows what he talking about, particularly when it comes to Jazz drumming as his following notes to the Roulette LP Gretsch Drum Night At Birdland will attest.
Since he wrote these insert notes to the EMI/Blue Note CD reissue of this LP in 1991, many of the musicians referenced in them have passed away. Oh, and Gretsch is once again making Jazz drum kits.
Kenny’s respect and enthusiasm for the drummers featured on this album are infectious, but considering the iconic status that each of them have assumed in Jazz lore, he’s certainly in good company.
“Imagine being able in see four master drummers at the lop of their games all an one great stage! This all took place April 25. I960, it was billed "Gretsch Night" at the "Jazz: Corner of the World", Birdland. The CD that you are now holding is the only time these percussion personalities ever recorded together. Of course the idea of percussionists playing together is not new: It goes back to the motherland Africa where people played drums for entertainment as well as different kinds of communication. In more modern times, it's interesting to note that throughout the history of Jazz there are not that many recordings of drummers playing together on record. The first recordings that made the public take notice were the 1946 Jazz at the Philharmonic drum battles between Gene Krupa and Buddy Rich. There were a few studio recordings that came out in the 50s which included such greats as Mel Lewis, Osie Johnson. Charlie Persip, Louis Hayes. Don Lamond and a few others. Although these recordings are good, they didn't do justice to these masters. In fact, they were a bit over arranged, and the record company seemed to boast more about hi-fi sound rather than music. The man really responsible for seeing the possibilities for recording drum ensembles was An Blakey, fusing Latin jazz percussionists with jazz multi-percussionists. These were ideas that were no doubt inspired by Dizzy Gillespie's fascination with Afro-Cuban sounds in the 40s. Art recorded with legendary conga drummer Chano Pozo on a James Moody record date for Blue Note in I948. He also recorded a drum duet with Sabu Martine: on a Horace Silver record date. Blakey recorded no less than six albums with different drum ensembles. It is indeed Art who is the ringleader of the "Gretsch Drum Night" session here.
Without gelling too deep into drum equipment, Gretsch was a drum company who endorsed these percussionists. Owned by Fred Gretsch, this company was the drum set for Jazz drummers. There were other companies to be sure, but none of them had that sound like Gretsch. A lot of top drummers of the day used them. When I was a child of seven. I would read publications such as Downbeat and I would see pictures of Gretsch endorsee's like: Max Roach. Tony Williams. Philly Joe. Elvin and Art. I remember my father getting mad at me because before lie could read the magazine I'd cut out the pictures of my idols and hang them on my wall! Gretsch still exists nowadays but. they have next to no interest in Jazz drummers. They have very few Jazz endorsees if any. Even more of a pity is that they don't make their drums like they used to (it was so good while it lasted).
Putting four drummers on stage together can he a horrific experience. There's always the tendency for drummers to want to outplay each other. Also, it can do a number on your eardrums. On this CD. you'll hear friendly competition done in a musical way.
Art Blakey [1919-1990] was horn in Pittsburgh. Pennsylvania. He was basically self-taught on the drums, but took a few informal lessons from his idol Chick Webb (if if you listen to early Blakey big band recordings you can hear how he imitated Webb right down to the tuning of the snare drum). He played with one of the pioneers of big band jazz, Fletcher Henderson for about a year. Art then joined the legendary Billy Eckstine band from 1944 until the band’s demise in 1947. Blakey became associated with the bebop movement, recording and performing with such greats as Charlie Parker. Fats Navarro and Dexter Gordon. Blakey organised the Seventeen Messengers, which were scaled down to a octet for a Blue Note record date in 1947. In 1955. Blakey and pianist Horace Silver formed a cooperative as the Jazz Messengers. Front that point until his death, Blakey had many classic Messenger groups and helped to groom musicians for the future of Jazz. I should also point out that An took the Bebop innovations of drummers like Kenny Clarke and Max Roach to another level. With his raw gutsy solos and his hard-driving swing. Blakey changed the role of modern Jazz drummers.
Joseph Rudolph Jones (1923-I985) was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He started playing drums and piano at an early age. He got serious about the drums in his late teens, About thai time. Joe became one of the first black streetcar conductors in Philadelphia. He commuted to New York to study with swing drummer Cozy Cole. In 1947, he came to New York permanently working as the house drummer at Cafe Society. He gained experience working with Dizzy Gillespie, Tadd Dameron and many others. Around this time he got the name Philly Joe so as not to be confused with veteran Count Basie drummer Jo Jones. A year later, he made his first recordings with the Joe Morris band playing rhythm and blues. Later on he worked with guitarist Tiny Grimes and his Rocking Highlanders, wearing a kilt no less. His best known association was with the classic Miles Davis Quintet from 1955 to 1958. After leaving Davis, he became the most sought after session man, recording for Prestige, Riverside, Blue Note and a host of other labels from the late 50s into the 60s. He lived in Europe from 1969 to 1972. When he returned to Philadelphia, he formed his group Le Grand Prix. In 1981, he formed Dameronia a group put together for the sole purpose of playing the music of pianist-composer, Tadd Dameron. Philly Joe took the best from masters like Max Roach. Sid Catlett, Jo Jones. Kenny Clarke, Art Blakey and made it his own. His playing had everything; technical virtuosity, slickness, humour and most of all he could swing you into bad health.
Charlie Persip (1929) was born in Morristown, New Jersey. He's a master of both big and small band playing. He's best known for his work with Dizzy Gillespie (1953-58), Persip along with a few others helped to dispel the myth among white contractors and producers at that time that black drummers couldn't read music. Charlie has always been a fantastic musician who didn't put up with a lot of nonsense. Punctuality is usually the rule with Persip, but he once overslept for an early morning recording session. When he finally got to the session, the rest of the musicians were rehearsing. The minute he finished setting up. they put the music in front of him and rolled lite tape. He sight-read the music as if he hail been playing it for a year. The producer couldn't believe what he had just witnessed and later wrote Charlie a letter Mating stating that he had never seen that kind of musicianship in his life, Incidentally, that session was a Bill Potts' The Jazz Soul of Porgy and Bess. Persip was much in demand for studio work recording with everyone from Jackie and Roy to Eric Dolphy. These days Charlie is the principal drum instructor for JazzMobile. has his own big band which he calls Persipitation and has even written a very good hook titled "How Not To Play The Drums".
Elvin Ray Jones (1927-) was born in Pontiac. Michigan, the youngest of the illustrious Jones brothers. Elvin began his professional career as the house drummer in saxophonist Billy Mitchell's band at the famed Bluebird Club in Detroit. This engagement gave him a chance to play with all the great jazzmen who came through town. Elvin’s style of drumming met with some resistance from musicians and critics alike. The innovations of Kenny Clarke and Max Roach in the 40s seemed like the logical step from what drummers before them like Jo Jones and Sid Cutlet! were doing. When Elvin came on the scene, he was outrageously different from anything that came before him. His time feel and use of complex polyrhythms were something that had never been done before. I might also point out that he completely revolutionized 3/4 time playing. Elvin would plav over the bar lines putting accents on the (and) of two rather than playing on the downbeat of one. This made his time much smoother and sort of made it float along. Philly Joe wax actually one of Elvin's earliest fans. He knew right from the beginning thai Elvin had something special. He used to send Elvin in on jobs and recordings he couldn't make. The two of them even recorded an album together for Atlantic. The world caught on. and he toured and also recorded with J J Johnson, Barry Harris, Donald Byrd. Harry Edison among others. Elvin joined the Joint Coltrane Quartet in 1960. He was a perfect match for Trane's journey into modality and his open form style of this period. After leaving Coltrane in 1966. he spent a brief time with the Duke Ellington Orchestra. Since that time Elvin lias been leading his own groups.
The other musicians on this dale contribute short but strong solos. Tlte frontline consists of an interesting instrumentation of aim trombone.
Sylvester Kyner better known as Sonny Red, hailed from Detroit. At the time of this live session, he had already recorded one album for Blue Note as a leader. Seven months after this recording he was signed to Riverside Records where he made four dales as a leader. He is best known for his recordings as a sideman on Blue Note with his junior high school buddy Donald Byrd. Red was a player who could cover all the bases. He could play gut bucket blues, but had a strong harmonic conception, played lyrical ballads and was a 'from scratch' improviser. You never knew where he would go next. Red died in 1981.
Charies Greenlea toured and recorded with Dizzy Gillespie's Bebop Band of the 40s. He went on to record with Archie Shepp and played off and on with Philly Joe Jones in the 60s. I first met him in the seventies when he was playing with the C.B.A. (Collective Black Artists) big hand.
Ron Carter was twenty-three at the lime of this recording made and was commuting back and forth from New York in Eastman School of Music in Rochester, where he was in the process of getting his Masters Degree. It's interesting to hear him playing with these drummers. There are very few recordings of Ron playing with Blakey or Philly Joe. It's too had because listening to this CD, you'll hear that they play well together. Persip was instrumental in getting Ron on a lot of studio dates when he first came to the Big Apple. He was also part of Persip's group The Jazz Statesmen. Then as now. Ron is still taking care of serious bass business.
Tommy Flanagan, also a product of Detroit, can fit into any situation. A year before this date, he had recorded the now classic John Coltrane "Giant Steps" session. During this period, he was working and recording with Coleman Hawkins. Art Farmer. Clark Terry and many others. I had the opportunity to work with Tommy's trio for two years. He is truly a joy to play with,
I've sketched out some notes to help the listener to identify the drummers. On Wee Dot and Now's The Time there are only two drummers - Philly Joe Jones and Art Blakey. The way to tell them apart is Philly Joe's drums are tuned higher than Blakey's (incidentally Joe is using Persip's drums and cymbals).
Wee Dot is a JJ Johnson composition that Blakey recorded for Blue Note six years earlier live at the same club. It is he who starts with a 8 bar intro and plays through the melody. Philly Joe steps right in accompanying Red for seven choruses. Dig how Joe uses his left hand behind him. Art plays behind Creenlea's short trombone solo and Flanagan's piano choruses . Philly Joe plays the four bar exchanges with the horn as well as the extended drum solo. Art is keeping time on the ride cymbal. The roles then reverse, Joe plays time and Art solos. Check out how Art goes from a whisper to a roar on his solo.
Charlie Parker's Now's The Time starts with a four-bar intro from Philly Joe. You can hear at the ninth bar of the melody how they both punctuate the melody together. Check out how Art plays one of his dynamic press rolls to begin Greenlea's solo. At the third chorus of the solo. Philly Joe steps in with a typical conga beat that he plays between his two toms for almost two choruses. Philly Joe lakes charge during Red's solo. I'm sorry, but there's no one that could swing harder than Philly Joe at that tempo. There's a tape splice right after the fourth chorus of Red's solo that switches us back to Blakey's accompaniment. During Flanagan's solo, you can hear Philly Joe trying in step in musically as if he's saying "May I cut in on this dance?" There's another sudden splice, and there's Philly Joe again showing us how slick he was. Philly Joe plays a full chorus drum solo with backing from Blakey’s ride cymbal. Art's solo reminds us of the Chick Webb influence. Art sure had a big drum sound.
Another drum set is brought out on the stage of Birdland and we hear Art, Elvin and Charlie for the next tune El Sino. Art and Elvin play the theme together. Sonny Red has the first solo backed by Art. Persip accompanies Creenlea's solo. Talking to Persip, he told me that he and Elvin were roommates at the time. He felt that listening and talking to Elvin was a big inspiration for him. It helped to free up his whole rhythmic conception. It's Elvin that plays brushes behind Tommy and Ron's solos. Few people know that Elvin is a master of brushes. The four-bar exchanges start off with Art, Charlie and Elvin in that order. There's a drum interlude right after the last exchange which is a Blakey rhythm phrase played by the three before each of the drum solos. Elvin has the first solo. Persip is next, playing everything sharp and clean. He always had chops io spare. His bass drum work sounds as if he's using two bass drums, although he's only using one. They repeat the interlude once more, and the hums lake it out.
Tune Up is actually the next number but because of time considerations on the conventional LP Roulette decided tn start from the 8-bar drum exchanges. Reissue producer Michael Cuscuna and I were disappointed that there were no extra session reels. We had hoped thai we would be able fix the edlts and restore the music to its original form. What you hear is all that appeared on the original LP. The 8-bar exchanges start with Philly Joe, Charlie and Elvin in that order. The first extended solo is by Philly Joe. Persip takes over with a 6/8 time feeling. Later he shows off his independence by actually playing four different rhythms with each limb. Elvin is the next soloist playing a quasi-free solo. Next the percussionists pull out their brushes starring with Philly Joe. As he's playing you can hear Art egging him on. Philly Joe was a master showman, and you can hear that he had the audience in the palm of his hands. It's too bad there's no film of this performance. Charlie and Elvin both tell their stories with the brushes before the ensemble comes in with the melody of Tune Up.
The session reels say that the last piece is titled A Night In Tunisia. Again because of time considerations they cut all the horn solos. The three percussionists start with intricate Afro-Cuban rhythms. The first soloist is Persip. After the ensemble playing Persip is heard again. Elvin takes another extended solo. The Afro-Cuban rhythms come back before they switch to a 6/8 time feel and then the big finale.
Like saxophones or trumpets, drummers can also play together and he just as musical. The proof is here to hear.”
Labels: Art Blakey, Charlie Persip, Elvin Jones, Gretsch Drums, philly joe jones
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Jo Baker Online
Rights and Development
Advocacy & commentary
Rights defenders
Design & culture
Category: Front Page
Jo is a writer and human rights consultant with expertise in the fields of gender equality and violence against women, and a background in civil and political rights advocacy. She has worked as grant manager for women’s rights at the Sigrid Rausing Trust, a research, training and evaluation consultant, and an advocacy coordinator for the Asian Human Rights Commission. She has worked in over 20 countries, many in Asia, but also Central America, the Middle East, Africa and the former Soviet Union, and began her career as a journalist and editor. Her clients include UN Women in New York and Bangkok, the OSCE’s Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, Plan, the International Planned Parenthood Federation, Plan, the European Union, the UK’s Department for International Development (DFID), the Thailand Institute of Justice, and the Cairo Institute on Human Rights Studies (CIHRS), among others. She conducts impact assessments for EU funded projects led and produced a series of multi-country research studies on conditions for women in detention for DIGNITY, the Danish Institute Against Torture. Jo has been published widely in journals and the press, from The Oxford Human Rights Hub to TIME Magazine, and has presented at various international symposiums and workshops. She still writes about culture, design and travel in her spare time. Find her on Twitter @JoB4ker or see About for a full biography and a list of publications.
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250-309-1171 joel@joelellams.com
Does construction certification measure the right stuff?
by Joel Ellams | Sep 7, 2010 | 0 comments
If affordable and neighbourly residency is excluded from the count, probably not, a ‘performance matters’ gathering hears
When the Canada Green Building Council held its third annual National Green Building Conference last month, it chose as its title: Performance Matters: the next generation of buildings and communities.
“Performance is a key concern for building-owners, operators, tenants, appraisers and policy-makers,” wrote council president and CEO Thomas Mueller in his conference message. “We all need to better understand if (and how) we are making a difference.”
The individuals Mueller was referring to would generally agree that this “performance” involves the measurement, verification and reporting of such things as energy consumption, water conservation, and percentages of recycled-content materials.
This is also how it would be defined by a majority of the green building rating systems, including LEED.
Yet nearly everyone would also agree that architecture, and the quality of our experience of buildings, is so much more.
Jim Taggart, editor of Sustainable Architecture and Building magazine, or SABMag, wrote in his editor’s note in the May/June 2010 issue: “The influence of the built form on human actions and interactions is critical.” Technical virtuosity alone has little value, he argued, and “more than ever, architects must stay faithful to the primary social agenda of their work.”
One of several presenters who challenged LEED’s definition of performance during the conference, Taggart pointed out in an interview that you can have a LEED-Platinum cottage in the Fraser Valley, and it can be hugely energy-efficient.
But if the people who live in it drive their SUV to Vancouver several times a week for work or shopping, then many of the benefits of LEED are negated by this lifestyle choice of the owners.
Referencing architect William McDonough, Taggart said: “It is strategic decisions that make the difference between what is sustainable and what is not — we need to focus on doing things well, not just on doing them less badly. The Richmond oval could not be considered sustainable if it was located five kilometres from the nearest train station.”
It is not that Taggart doesn’t appreciate LEED or the technical merits of green buildings. He began our conversation by pointing out that LEED has, and continues to be, an invaluable tool.
He also noted that it is beginning to incrementally address larger issues, such as location and infrastructure. However, he feels it cannot begin to tackle issues such as those we face in Vancouver, including affordability and dwindling demographic diversity.
“Affordability is at a crisis point,” he said, adding we are increasingly relying on workers coming into the city for low-paying jobs.
“Performance as measured in human terms,” he wrote in SABMag, “includes encouragement of social interaction; the support of demographic diversity; the empowerment of the disenfranchised; the creation of meaningful connections to time and place; and the repositioning of nature as a central element in our daily lives.”
The notion of sustainability as reflected in these social benchmarks is of particular importance, and a major challenge, to Vancouver’s bid to become the greenest city in the world by 2020.
“My question,” said Taggart, “is what geographic area do we use to define social sustainability?
“If Vancouver has the ambition to become the world’s most sustainable city by 2020, must we not provide accommodation and work opportunities for all the different levels within our own city limits? No amount of individual high performance, green buildings can, by themselves, create the strong societal structures that the city of Vancouver, the region, the province, and so on will need to deal with and resist the issues and pressures that are and will be put upon us.
“Whether the building next door to you is LEED Platinum or not, what is really important going forward is how you relate to the person occupying that building, the strength of bonds, the sense of collective purpose, and the idea of collective problem-solving.”
The integrated process that has crept into design, which LEED has helped to nourish, is critical and of the greatest value, said Taggart.
Crisp and gleaming, the technical merits of Millennium Water have already made the development an international celebrity in green-building circles.
However, as Taggart pointed out, there is also something unsettling and almost movie-set-like about it, as well. Aside from its notable achievement of including a waterfront community centre accessible to all, the development is, at its core, a finely orchestrated production in which only a select and privileged few can participate.
“British Columbia is ahead of any other jurisdiction in Canada in terms of its approach to green design,” said Taggart.
Traditions of cultural sensitivity and social responsibility are internationally recognized strengths of Canadian architecture.
These “should not be forgotten, in our haste to ramp up building performance,” he wrote in SABMag.
“Indeed they may well represent our most valuable asset in creating the next generation of sustainable buildings and communities.”
Find SABMag or it sister publication on residential design, SABHomes, at sabmagazine. com.
By Kim Davis, Special To The Sun
Follow this link to Find out How much your home is worth
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1979.08.19 Minneapolis Auditorium Minneapolis, MN
Mitchell's jazz style in full bloom: Minneapolis Star, August 20, 1979
ajcoles on 2013-Jun-17 at 15:03:33 GMT-5 :
I had been following Joni's music since I was in high school. By 1979 I had been through my first marriage, had my first son & was in the midst of my first divorce. Needless to say there were few good memories of that year. I was so happy that I could afford a ticket to the concert & it was a night that my ex had our son.
What transpired by listening to the music was nothing short of magical for me. I was delighted that Pat Metheny had joined Joni because I love his work too, although my mind relates more closely with Joni's work.
I was taken from the difficulties in my life to a place of peace & contentment. I wished I could personally thank Joni & the other musicians. If you read this Joni. Please accept my gratitude not only for that night but for all the times before & since that I have turned to your music to help me get though life.
BrinaMary on 2011-Jan-07 at 11:32:34 GMT-5 :
I remember the thrill of the sound and mood of this Joni concert. Pat Metheny was just emerging as the jazz guitarist I most loved, and Jaco was on bass, and Joni seemed so in sync with them all. Her voice blended and played with their instrumental voices. A change from early Joni days. Pat Metheny was so young at this time. I have since seen him dozens of times, and I always remember him in his sneakers and striped top and jeans. Eternally young. My sister and I were at this concert together with other girlfriends and I remember that, too, an all-girls' night. I am excited to see Jon Bream's review as back then in Minneapolis, he and Michael Anthony were the two music reviewers whom I read and whom I knew well. I can also remember the Minneapolis Auditorium, not there anymore. "The Last Time I Saw Richard" as an encore....sublime.
jshih on 2010-Aug-31 at 19:14:21 GMT-5 :
My partner Mike and I went to this amazing concert. "We were newly lovers then." At that point I had loved Joni's music for more than a decade, and I wanted Mike to understand why I thought she was an artistic genius. It was so exciting to see and hear Joni branching out and growing as an artist and musician. I loved her work with the Persuasions and the jazz musicians she played with. I was astonished by the diversity of her music, and how she could take an earlier folk composition and perform it beautifully in a different musical genre. I loved hearing the older songs, like "Woodstock," as well as the newer songs from The Hissing of Summer Lawns, Hejira, Don Juan's Reckless Daughter and Shadows and Light. I remember reading a positive review after the concert; the title of the article was "Woodstock's Jazzy Daughter."
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2016 JVA All-National Teams
This has been a historical year for the JVA. Surpassing 800 clubs and 2,000 members, the growth is not only evident in the number of clubs, but also the level of talent among JVA teams. ‘Championship Day’ during JVA hosted events has featured epic battles among every division, which increases anticipation of what’s to come at the 2016 AAU National Championships in less than 2 weeks. Among those clubs who supported JVA events this season, we’ve selected the 2016 JVA All-National Teams, comprised of the top 75 players in the country graduating in 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019. See who was named the best in the nation below.
The 2016 class was by far the most difficult to narrow down. Teams like Munciana Samurai, Sports Performance 18 Elite, and Milwaukee Sting 18 Gold ranked in the top 7 by PrepVolleyball.com , each have a roster full of exceptional junior volleyball talent. The 2016 JVA World Challenge Presented by Rox Volleyball included 10 of the top 25 teams in the country. This led to some of the most exciting gold bracket matches we’ve ever seen at the midyear championship, which is known as one of the toughest events in the country.
“We are very proud of all the athletes that compete for our member clubs. Our JVA World Challenge in Kansas City and our recent SummerFest in Columbus are evidence of the high level of competition. The field of athletes presented is a testament to the quality of programs offered by our member clubs. The selection process was grueling. Congratulations to the 75 young women who will represent the JVA All National Team” adds Jenny Hahn, Executive Director of the JVA.
One of the main goals of the JVA is to share knowledge and information that will better our members, and in turn, better junior volleyball. It’s fair to assume we can all agree, as our competition becomes stronger, so do we. This is more than true of the talent we witnessed at JVA events this season. We are proud of the achievements of our member clubs and players, and look forward to more to come. As our organization continues to grow and have incredible support from our partners and clubs, we will continue to give back and honor those who are going above and beyond in junior volleyball.
Class of 2016 – click here to view
The JVA All-National Team honorees will be presented with a medal at the JVA Midyear meeting on June 23rd during the AAU National Championships in Orlando, Florida. Club Directors of the All-National Team honorees will receive an email with details of the awards presentation.
Click here to learn more about The JVA All-National Team. For related articles on JVA awards, click here.
Briana Schunzel2016-06-05T20:15:59+00:00June 5th, 2016|Categories: Awards, Blog, News|
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Upenn Interview Dress
Please note, there are certain dates that will be closed once room capacity is reached. Overview GoinGlobal Career Exploration Career Tests Fairs Graduate School Internship Search Job Search Major Exploration Major Discovery Series Salary and Benefits Career Connect Newsletter About Us. July 31, 2007. Math Practice Tool — Brush up on your case interview math with my interactive case interview math practice tool; Partner Matching Service – Find other candidates around the world to practice case interviews with live for free. Even though, theoretically, you won’t be seen from the waist down, fully dress from head-to-toe anyway. One last thing about dress code for interview. It was the first use of anti-Semitism as a tool for mass political mobilization and was, moreover, in some ways a turning point in European history. All of Google. At the Tepper School, the Admissions team conducts behavioral interviews. Our distinguished faculty and unique programs combine for a transformational educational experience built on a foundation of principled leadership, global awareness and a spirit of innovation and entrepreneurship. It was not until years later that an official coalition was actually formed by the universities. The Online Writing Lab (OWL) at Purdue University houses writing resources and instructional material, and we provide these as a free service of the Writing Lab at Purdue. You can search for jobs on the Student Employment website. I laugh at unfunny jokes and nod my head at stories to which I'm barely listening. That isn't the problem. 15 GB of storage, less spam, and mobile access. The percentage of minority employees at IBM has increased substantially in the past thirty years. Please continue to check your email, CSUSM Twitter and the campus website for more information as updates are available. r/UPenn: The subreddit for the University of Pennsylvania, located in Philadelphia, PA. ANTH 342 Dress and Fashion in Africa. Dress as you would for an in-person audition or interview. ] Situation: At the graveyard where we gathered making, digging rather, a grave for a young man who died suddenly after having sex with a certain girl who aborted. Provided by the U. One of New York City’s premier public institutions, FIT is an internationally recognized college for design, fashion, art, communications, and business. Find UVA Health doctors & services for conditions treated at UVA Hospital and clinics throughout Central Virginia. What should you wear at a legal job interview? Learn how to dress for interviews with legal employers at BCGSearch. Breaking news from the premier Jamaican newspaper, the Jamaica Observer. That isn't the problem. 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Reiterate your interest in the position and reference some specific aspect of your interview or conversation to maintain a good connection with the interviewer. Followers 23. She has provided answers to common questions regarding our EMBA admissions interviews. If you decide to work off-campus, you may only be employed by a nonprofit organization or government agency that advertises a position on the Student Employment website. Furthermore, the interview gives the school an opportunity to learn more about you, your interests, and how you'll be able to contribute to the school. How We Conduct Admissions Interviews. You can chip away at it over time, but we have a long, long way to go. Wear a formal dress in a subtle shades: A formal dress for women has many options like a full piece suit, a top and A lined skirt, or any kind of formal dresses which is common in your country like Salwar or a Saree. 11/29/2018 3 University of Pennsylvania Career Services Screening interviews –general advice •You may only have 30 minutes for your interview Answers must be concise, and relevant to search committee and. If that is the case, follow that dress code. Look under the rugs. University of Arkansas at Little Rock UA Little Rock is a Central Arkansas university that offers students traditional and online classes with diplomas in over 100 degree programs. a tough acting role, mastering a new piece, an obstacle in research). Leave home with the address, a contact phone number and a good set of directions to the Office of Undergraduate Admission. A high percentage of second interviews lead to job offers, so it's no time to mess it up. We can promise that if you pepper your interview responses with "ummms," "likes," and "uhhhs," then your chances of getting hired plummet. ) Keep in mind that while it is important to dress appropriately for an interview, it is also important to act appropriately. Make an Appointment. Johnson, "A few yards of denim and five copper rivets," Forbes 157:4, Feb 26, 1996, 82-88; See "The blue jeans story, or how waist overalls for gold diggers, gun slingers and rebels without a cause got smart, clothed the American dream and conquered the world," New Internationalist, June 1998, Iss. Stevens was recently ranked fifth highest in the nation for median earnings and sixth highest for expected earnings in a recent study. Press J to jump to the feed. Conventional wisdom dictates that job-seekers submit their materials for review to faceless hiring managers and wait. At King’s, students learn how to make a living and how to live through professional preparation, personalized instruction and a caring community. Getting to the second interview is a very good sign. INTRODUCTION TO THE HIRING OFFICER HANDBOOK This handbook is intended to assist hiring officers throughout the recruitment and hiring process. Dress the part. Campus Tours New York City. Leader in legal education is named University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School in recognition of transformative commitment—the largest ever to a law school. Drawing on almost two decades of experience as in-house and outside counsel in both the United States and Europe, Mr. Virtual interviews are conducted using Skype, Google Hangout, other similar chat software, or by phone. , a women's clothing chain that employs 7,000 people and is pushing toward the $500 million mark in sales. Share photos and videos, send messages and get updates. IELTS is the high stakes English test for international study, migration and work. The PSA interview is one of the most important aspects in our hiring process. Please note that our admissions committee prefers an on-campus interview, if possible. Talk to us, just like you would in a conversation with a teacher. One of New York City’s premier public institutions, FIT is an internationally recognized college for design, fashion, art, communications, and business. This interview has been edited for space and clarity. Learn more. Colorectal cancer is a potentially fatal disease that is mostly preventable. International applicant interviews. A clearinghouse for independent thinking. Heinz History Center. Focus On School, Not Paying For It. Please note that we will reach out to you if we would like to schedule an interview. You've fine-tuned your resume. From your head to your toes, never step into an interview unprepared again. Among his first discussions of Tiffany, in a radio interview with Howard Stern back in the 1990s, Trump told Stern that he had once praised Maples, who met Trump when she was 20 years old, for. Strengths of character in education. A group of Penn State Abington students examined rare materials and discussed research with renowned scholars recently at the Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington, D. Some agencies are agreeable to phone or Skype interviews for students who are unable to interview in person due to geographical distance. The leading platform for enterprise achievement. Had an interview recently? Please submit your MBA admissions interview report!. On-site restaurant company offering full food-service management to corporations, universities, and museums in 32 states. In those situations when a first impression is built on appearance, the challenge of self-promotion can be daunting. The PSA interview is one of the most important aspects in our hiring process. Check out new themes, send GIFs, find every photo you’ve ever sent or received, and search your account faster than ever. Please note that in the fall, the ASC schedules Single-Choice Early Action interviews before Regular Decision interviews. Dad, husband, President, citizen. How To Dress For An Interview. Abby Huntsman: Career. It was the first use of anti-Semitism as a tool for mass political mobilization and was, moreover, in some ways a turning point in European history. 5731 undergrad. Move your educational career forward with Weill Cornell Graduate School of Medical Sciences. I will tell you about my interview in detail (if you just want to read about what the interviewer asked skip to "Interview Starts") so here it goes. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. This guide contains information on exploring careers and majors, polishing your resume, implementing job search strategies, planning for graduate school, and much more. 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We are the Perelman School of Medicine -- the Nation's First -- and the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania -- the nation's first hospital built by a medical school. Abby Huntsman: Career. Interview slots are scheduled on a first-come, first-served basis. It is usually one-on-one; some schools use two interviewers at once. Language Variation and Change in Hawaiʻi English: KIT, DRESS, and TRAP Katie Drager, M. ) slippers are now acceptable office wear in some New York companies and 2) Nordstrom, a retail chain, has requeste. Dress nicely - but not too nicely. Read the rest of this entry ». In addition to premium storage solutions, we partner with a number of well-trusted companies to help with organization, transportation, and the overall moving process. Once logged into your Common Application you can opt in for a video portfolio or alumni interview. Was it because of my interview?. I laugh at unfunny jokes and nod my head at stories to which I'm barely listening. "OK! All right, let's do it. Describe your Preceptorial's focus andstructure. Please enter the name of your school to start your ordering process. Update your profile today! Student Career Connection Log-in It only take a few minutes to update your profile and then you will have access to Career Connection's array of useful career tools and resources. 60% of the interview applicants applied online. Harvard Law School is one of the preeminent centers of legal education in the world. International applicant interviews. The CCPD provides comprehensive career preparation, enabling you to take charge of your future. Penn Medicine is a world-renowned academic medical center in Philadelphia, with hospitals ranked among the nation's top hospitals and #1 in Philadelphia by US News & World Report. This is an opportunity to meet and make an impression on an employer. Our mission is to conduct in-depth research that leads to new ideas for solving problems facing society. In many cases, you can dress much more casually on the job than you should for an interview or job fair. ) 4 Days After Posting Deadline: Call top applicants to schedule phone interviews. Please note that our admissions committee prefers an on-campus interview, if possible. Get a Summer Internship in an Exciting City! Join a Dream Careers Internship Program and Secure an Internship, Housing, and More. Apply today, and work on campus to pay zero cash for tuition, graduate debt-free, learn from professors through a Christian world view, and engage your faith as you grow in our Christian community. Yale has a network of volunteer alumni in Washtenaw County and all over the country who speak to candidates interested in attending the school but who can't make it to New Haven, Conn. Mental health is as important as physical health, and sometimes acceptance can bring a measure of relief to the whole self that 20 pounds and a lot of compliments on the new dress cannot. 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The University of Delaware is a diverse institution of higher learning, fostering excellence in research. Tomorrow (2/12) is my Upenn interview. It was the first use of anti-Semitism as a tool for mass political mobilization and was, moreover, in some ways a turning point in European history. Hiter Harris III Faculty Rising Star Award. Your sorority recruitment, no matter what time of year, over what period of time, or in what dress code, is in one way just like the sorority recruitment on every college campus: it is mainly based off of the conversations between active chapter members and Potential New Members (PNMs). District Office 317 North Morris Street Shippensburg, PA 17257 (717) 530-2700. Student information about the Engineering Career Fair. Welcome to Pepperdine University, a Christian university in beautiful Malibu, California. “Ironically enough, the first dress I tried on was the one. Tips and Suggestions for Alumni Interviews Posted by Mark Montgomery November 7, 2012 November 6, 2012 1 Comment on Tips and Suggestions for Alumni Interviews As you submit applications to colleges, it is worth noting whether or not they offer the opportunity to interview with an alumni representative. During the last academic year (1996 - 1997), IBM hosted some 600 students who were to graduate between August 1996 and August 1997. Describe your Preceptorial's focus andstructure. Interviews and Visits Interviews and Visits. ) Was I upset about that? Not really — I think I kind of saw it coming. Arcadia is a top-ranked private university offering bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees. Sign in and start exploring all the free, organizational tools for your email. 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WE MUST STOP BEING IN PERPETUAL REACTION MODE!
This Forum is Closed > Forum > General > General Discussion > Activism > Topic: WE MUST STOP BEING IN PERPETUAL REACTION MODE!
Author Topic: WE MUST STOP BEING IN PERPETUAL REACTION MODE! (Read 7465 times)
Over 18 months after Obama took office, what "change" have we seen?
Has the occupation of Iraq finally come to an end? No, that has continued unabated, while U.S. interventionism in Afghanistan and Pakistan has not only continued, but escalated.
Has Wall Street's war on Main Street been haulted or at least curtailed? No, it's been intensified.
Have any of Bush's police state expansion measures been repealed? Not only have none of those measures been repealed, not even the attempt has been made!
What's the reason for all this?
The reason is that power-drunk Washington Democrats -- now that they control the White House and both houses of Congress -- have been too busy falling all over themselves in a treasonous rush to impose even MORE ****-style laws and policies on the people whom they laughingly profess to "serve."
Let's go down the list, shall we?
S.510 / HR 2751 - a bill designed both to virtually criminalize organic/non-GMO foods and to "regulate" family farms out of existence -- all under the laughably false pretense of "food safety":
http://globalgulag.freesmfhosting.com/index.php/topic,375.0.html
HR 2454 - a carbon tax scheme designed to utterly destroy what's left of our already-depressed economy, and transfer that much more of our wealth into the hands of criminal, parasitic oligarchs:
http://globalgulag.freesmfhosting.com/index.php/topic,333.msg984.html#msg984
HR 3200 - a ****-style eugenics program in "health care" clothing:
HR 45 - a victim disarmament bill on steroids:
http://www.infowars.com/hr-45-may-be-more-troubling-than-the-average-anti-gun-bill/
S.1261 - a privacy-destroying slave ID act:
http://www.infowars.com/video-emergency-alert-%E2%80%93-stop-the-new-real-id-%E2%80%93-s1261-%E2%80%93-the-pass-act/
HR 1966 - a Thought Crime bill in "anti-hate" clothing:
http://www.infowars.com/thought-crime-bills-threaten-talk-radio/
HR 4061 - a Cyber "Security" bill designed to allow for Chinese-style censorship and control of the Internet:
http://www.infowars.com/house-overwhelmingly-passes-cyber-security-bill/
HR 4173 -- the Orwellian-entitled Wall Street "Reform" and Consumer "Protection" Act, which gives the "Federal" Reserve even more power than it already has:
http://www.prisonplanet.com/wall-street-reform-and-consumer-protection-act-passes-in-the-house.html
And last but certainly not least, a Bush-style dictatorial power grab euphemistically called "Establishment of the Council of Governors":
http://www.prisonplanet.com/pdd-51-new-executive-order-give-obama-dictator-power.html
Does everyone now see how utterly spot on Harry Browne was when (during a speech he gave at the 1998 National Libertarian Party Convention) he said the following?
"The Republicans and Democrats lie awake nights trying to think up new proposals to expand big government. They are continually flooding us with all kinds of threats and proposals and programs that they're going to pass, and we can feel that we must jump up and fight against these things....But as long as we do that, we will be doing it for the rest of our lives -- fighting brush fires wherever we go; whatever they want to do we have to fight back and they will be calling the shots. WE must be making the proposals for change."
If there's one thing I'm absolutely convinced of, it is this: we have zero chance of ever reclaiming our rightful control over our own government -- and hence our very lives -- as long as we stay in perpetual reaction mode, because as long as we do that, we'll always be on the defensive; and as long as we're on the defensive, the banker-owned political establishment will keep right on manipulating the terms of our ongoing struggle against it to its continual advantage.
That's why I so often make the point that We the People must agree to disagree on the diversionary wedge issues (e.g., gay marriage) that partisan hacks in the corporate **** "news" media soooo love to obsess over, and -- following the example set in September 2008 by three of the 3rd party presidential candidates when they united behind four points of agreement -- join forces in a non-partisan, cross-ideological coalition to exert AGGRESSIVE, NON-STOP, ROUND-THE-CLOCK PRESSURE on Congress (and, when applicable, our state legislators) to implement public policy reforms on which the vast majority of us agree.
Now, if I had my way, we'd all unite behind the following reform measures:
* Institute fair and equal ballot access criteria.
* Enact both Congressman Ron Paul's Freedom Debate Act and Senator Herb Kohl's Weekend Voting Act.
* Repeal both the Federal Election Campaign Act and Bipartisan Campaign "Reform" Act.
* Institute instant runoff voting for Presidential, U.S. Senate, and gubernatorial elections.
* Institute proportional representation for both U.S. House and state house elections.
* Mandate the use of hand-counted paper ballots for all elections. (See this, this and this.)
* Require all election ballots to include a binding NOTA option.
* Enact the Internet Freedom Preservation Act.
* Repeal the Telecommunications "Reform" Act.
* Repeal the "Patriot" Act, Homeland "Security" Act, Military Commissions Act, Presidential Directive 51, and any and all other post-9/11 police state expansion measures.
* Abolish corporate personhood.
* Abolish corporate welfare. (See this and this.)
* Abolish the CIA. (See this, this, this and this).
* Abolish FEMA. (See this, this and this.)
* Put all derivatives-infected mega-banks through Chapter 11 bankruptcy and, in the reorganization proceedings, legally void all of their derivatives contracts.
* Liquidate all of the ill-gotten assets of criminal scam artists such as Henry Paulson and Bernard Madoff, and use the resultant proceeds to help replenish whatever retirement funds they raided.
* Replace our current debt-based money system with a debt-free "Greenback" money system, whereby all new money -- instead of being loaned into circulation at interest -- is spent into circulation at no interest. (More on this here.)
* Institute a new round of international agreements modeled on the Bretton Woods Accords, with an aim towards replacing the current “floating” exchange rates for national currencies with a fixed rate that, as such, is pegged to the value of either an agreed-upon standardized price index or an agreed-upon “basket” of diverse, widely available, everyday commodities. (More on this here.)
* Bring an immediate end to our imperialist, terroristic, hornets' nest-stirring wars of aggression, and pass the hundreds of billions in resultant tax savings onto the bottom 90% of income earners.
* Eliminate federal involvement in so-called "education" and pass the tens of billions in savings onto the bottom 90%.
* Shift the tax burden to the greatest extent possible off the privately created values of labor and capital goods and onto the publicly created value of land. (More on this here and here.)
* Use antitrust action to break up the oil cartel, while simultaneously educating the masses about the manufactured myth of "peak oil."
* Withdraw the U.S. from both NAFTA and the WTO.
* Enact the American Sovereignty Restoration Act.
* Reverse the occupational licensing-caused cartelization of the American economy.
* Relegalize alternative medicine.
* Outlaw both tainted vaccines and the fluoridation of our water supplies.
* End the insane drug war.
* Repeal all federal gun control laws.
But if there were only two things most of us could agree on, I would hope it would be election reform and monetary reform.
"Would the essence of slavery change if the rules at a slave auction permitted a slave to choose between the two highest bidders for himself? Could the fact that he made such a choice be interpreted as his sanction for his chains? How can it be argued that the citizen is free in a democracy when he has the choice of two candidates if neither candidate is willing to recognize his right to freedom?"
-- James Bovard, Freedom In Chains, p. 132
"Voting symbolizes the equality of people, premised on the fact that no person has an inherent right to exercise coercive power over other people. But voting is not enough. The more that voting is glorified as a panacea, the more lackadaisical people are about knowing or defending their rights as citizens. The point is not to abolish elections, but to recognize that elections are a dubious means to safeguard people's rights, liberties, and vital interests."
"In politics a person is not a citizen if the person's only function is to vote. Voters choose people who, in turn, act like citizens. They argue. They establish the forms within which people live their lives. They make politics. The people who merely vote for them merely make politicians. People who argue for their positions in a town meeting are acting like citizens. People who simply drop scraps of paper in a box or pull a lever are not acting like citizens; they are acting like consumers picking between prepackaged items. They had nothing to do with the items. All they can do is pick what is. They cannot actively participate in making what should be."
-- Karl Hess, Community Technology, p. 10
"Social reform is not to be secured by noise and shouting; by complaints and denunciation; by the formation of parties, or the making of revolutions; but by the awakening of thought and the progress of ideas. Until there be correct thought, there cannot be right action; and when there is correct thought, right action will follow. Power is always in the hands of the masses of men. What oppresses the masses is their own ignorance, their own short-sighted selfishness."
-- Henry George, Social Problems, p. 242
« Last Edit: September 10, 2011, 09:14:27 am by Geolibertarian » Report Spam Logged
Re: WE MUST STOP BEING IN PERPETUAL REACTION MODE!
HR 3200 - a Nazi-style eugenics program in "health care" clothing
Since the Nazi-style "eugenics" agenda of the NWO is rooted in the Malthusian philosophy, I thought I'd repost here what I've posted elsewhere concerning the moral and intellectual bankruptcy of that philosophy.
Today's global elite routinely suggest or imply that the world is "overpopulated," and that this, in turn, is the primary cause of world poverty and environmental degradation.
Yet that is exactly what Malthusian propagandists were waxing alarmist about over two centuries ago. It was bullshit then, and it's bullshit now.
"Here is a difference between the animal and the man. Both the jayhawk and the man eat chickens, but the more jayhawks the fewer chickens, while the more men the more chickens. Both the seal and the man eat salmon, but when a seal takes a salmon there is a salmon the less, and were seals to increase past a certain point salmon must diminish; while by placing the spawn of the salmon under favorable conditions man can so increase the number of salmon as more than to make up for all he may take, and thus, no matter how much men may increase, their increase need never outrun the supply of salmon.
"In short, while all through the vegetable and animal kingdoms the limit of subsistence is independent of the thing subsisted, with man the limit of subsistence is, within the final limits of earth, air, water, and sunshine, dependent upon man himself."
-- Henry George, Progress and Poverty, pp. 131-2
Even worse, however, is the fact that modern-day Malthusians tend to be either members or lapdog servants of the very parasitic ruling class that -- by engineering acute poverty in Third World nations -- actually CAUSED the population explosions they incessantly whine about.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographic_transition
Demographic transition
The Demographic transition model (DTM) is a model used to represent the process of explaining the transformation of countries from high birth rates and high death rates to low birth rates and low death rates as part of the economic development of a country from a pre-industrial to an industrialized economy. It is based on an interpretation begun in 1929 by the American demographer Warren Thompson of prior observed changes, or transitions, in birth and death rates in industrialized societies over the past two hundred years.
Most developed countries are beyond stage three of the model; the majority of developing countries are in stage 2 or stage 3. The model was based on the changes seen in Europe so these countries follow the DTM relatively well. Many developing countries have moved into stage 3. The major (relative) exceptions are some poor countries, mainly in sub-Saharan Africa and some Middle Eastern countries, which are poor or affected by government policy or civil strife, notably Pakistan, Palestinian Territories, Yemen and Afghanistan.
Summary of the theory
The transition involves four stages, or possibly five.
* In stage one, pre-industrial society, death rates and birth rates are high and roughly in balance.
* In stage two, that of a developing country, the death rates drop rapidly due to improvements in food supply and sanitation, which increase life spans and reduce disease. These changes usually come about due to improvements in farming techniques, access to technology, basic healthcare, and education. Without a corresponding fall in birth rates this produces an imbalance, and the countries in this stage experience a large increase in population.
* In stage three, birth rates fall due to access to contraception, increases in wages, urbanization, a reduction in subsistence agriculture, an increase in the status and education of women, a reduction in the value of children's work, an increase in parental investment in the education of children and other social changes. Population growth begins to level off.
* During stage four there are both low birth rates and low death rates. Birth rates may drop to well below replacement level as has happened in countries like Germany, Italy, and Japan, leading to a shrinking population, a threat to many industries that rely on population growth. As the large group born during stage two ages, it creates an economic burden on the shrinking working population. Death rates may remain consistently low or increase slightly due to increases in lifestyle diseases due to low exercise levels and high obesity and an aging population in developed countries.
http://www.globalissues.org/article/206/poverty-and-population-growth-lessons-from-our-own-past
Poverty and population growth: lessons from our own past
Let's try to understand why, by looking at our own demographic history. As recently as two or three generations ago, mortality rates in the United States were as high as they are now in most third world countries. Opportunities for our grandmothers to work outside the home were limited. And ours was largely an agrarian society in which every family member was needed to work on the farm. Coauthor Frances Lappé's own grandmother, for example, gave birth to nine children, raised them alone on a small farm, and saw only six survive to adulthood. Her story would not be unusual in a still fast-growing third world country today.
Faced with scarcity, poor families needed many children to help with work on the farm, and because of high infant-mortality rates, they needed many more pregnancies and births to achieve the necessary family size.
In the United States, the move to two-children families took place only after a society-wide transition that lowered infant death rates, opened opportunities to women outside the home, and transformed ours into an industrial rather than agrarian economy, so that families no longer relied on their children's labor. If we contrast Lappé's grandmother's story to a latter-day urban middle-class family, we can see that children who were once a source of needed labor are now a source of major costs, including tuition, an extra room in the house, the latest model basketball shoes, and forgone earnings for every year that a professional mom stays home with the kids.
The United States advanced through the falling-birth-rate phase of the demographic transition in response to these societal changes, well before the advent of sophisticated contraceptive technologies, even while the government remained actively hostile to birth control. (As late as 1965, selling contraceptives was still illegal in some states.)
Using our own country's experience to understand rapid population growth in the third world, where poverty is more extreme and widespread, we can now extend our hypothesis concerning the link between hunger and high fertility rates: both persist where societies deny security and opportunity to the majority of their citizens-where infant-mortality rates are high and adequate land, jobs, education, health care, and old-age security are beyond the reach of most people, and where there are few opportunities for women to work outside the home.
Without resources to secure their future, people can rely only on their own families. Thus, when poor parents have lots of children, they are making a rational calculus for survival. High birth rates reflect people's defensive reaction against enforced poverty. For those living at the margin of survival, children provide labor to augment meager family income. In Bangladesh, one study showed that even by the age of six a boy provides labor and/or income for the family. By the age of twelve, at the latest, he contributes more than he consumes.
Population investigators tell us that the benefit children provide to their parents in most third world countries cannot be measured just by hours of labor or extra income. The intangibles are just as important. Bigger families carry more weight in community affairs. With no reliable channels for advancement in sight, parents may hope that the next child will be the one clever or lucky enough to get an education and land a city job despite the odds. In many countries, income from one such job in the city can support a whole family in the countryside.
And impoverished parents know that without children to care for them in old age, they will have nothing. They also realize that none of these possible benefits will be theirs unless they have many children, since hunger and lack of health care will kill many of their offspring before they reach adulthood.
So, if "overpopulation" is not the real cause of world poverty and environmental degradation, then what is?
One of the primary causes is the horribly corrupt and parasitic process whereby international bankers extract countless billions in usurious interest from developing economies each year in exchange for the nothing out of which they create the so-called "money" they loan:
“The Third World War has already started -- a silent war, not for that reason any less sinister. This war is tearing down Brazil, Latin America and practically all the Third World. Instead of soldiers dying there are children, instead of millions of wounded there are millions of unemployed; instead of destruction of bridges there is the tearing down of factories, schools, hospitals, and entire economies….It is a war over the foreign debt, one which has as its main weapon interest, a weapon more deadly than the atom bomb, more shattering than a laser beam.”
-- Luis Ignacio Silva, as quoted on page 238 of A Fate Worse Than Debt by Susan George
http://globalgulag.freesmfhosting.com/index.php/topic,379.msg1266.html#msg1266 (When Money Eats The World)
But outlawing fractional reserve banking and allowing countries to issue their own paper money debt-free and interest-free to fund the production and repair of public goods everyone can see and benefit from (e.g., roads & bridges) would be to put the criminals who head the IMF and World Bank out of business, and we all know NWO minions aren't about to call for that.
Another primary cause is the anti-labor/pro-land speculation tax system that nearly all governments impose on their respective populations:
-- Albert Jay Nock, Free Speech and Plain Language, pp. 320-1
"It is incontrovertible, I think, that the rapidly-increasing destruction of the Amazon rain forest...is directly attributable to the fact that the Amazon basin is the only part of Brazil where free or cheap land is available, and this, in turn, is attributable to the fact that nearly four-fifths of Brazil's arable acreage is covered by sprawling latifundios, half of which are held by speculators who produce nothing. Were the artificial scarcity of available land in the rest of Brazil corrected, as the Georgist remedy would unquestionably do, pressure on the Amazon basin would obviously cease."
-- Robert V. Andelson, Commons Without Tragedy, p. 32
http://globalgulag.freesmfhosting.com/index.php/topic,333.0.html (Answers to common objections)
But you'll never hear NWO minions call for a reversal of that trend, either, because that would mean eliminating economic free-riding by overprivileged, politically-connected absentee landlords and slumlords.
All we'll get are the usual top-down, Nazi-style control measures that merely concentrate that much more political and economic power into the parasitic hands of the very criminal, psychopathic plutocrats who caused this mess in the first place.
On issue after issue after issue, these plutocrats create a problem -- e.g., "terrorism" (via false flag ops), a financial collapse (via derivatives), widespread disease (via bioterrorism and contaminated food supplies), mass stupidity (via compulsory schooling, chemical lobotomization and TV-based mind control, etc., etc., -- then add insult to injury by posing as our saviors from the very problem they themselves created!
« Last Edit: March 12, 2011, 09:42:56 am by Geolibertarian » Report Spam Logged
* Mandate the use of hand-counted paper ballots for all elections.
The reason I put those election reforms at the top of my list of proposed reform measures is that -- thanks to an utterly rigged "election" system -- the government is not "our" government anymore (if indeed it ever was to begin with), but a government of, by and for a tiny group of criminal, parasitic, ruling-class oligarchs:
http://www.infowars.com/rothschilds-rockefellers-trillionaires-of-the-world/
Rothschilds & Rockefellers: Trillionaires Of The World
“Money is Power”, or shall we say, “The Monopoly to Create Credit Money and charge interest is Absolute Power”. (Alex James)
Amsel (Amschel) Bauer Mayer Rothschild, 1838:
“Let me issue and control a Nation’s money and I care not who makes its laws”.
Letter written from London by the Rothschilds to their New York agents introducing their banking method into America: “The few who can understand the system will be either so interested in its profits, or so dependent on its favours, that there will be no opposition from that class, while, on the other hand, that great body of people, mentally incapable of comprehending the tremendous advantage that Capital derives from the system, will bear its burden without complaint and, perhaps, without even suspecting that the system is inimical to their interests.”
Nathan Rothschild said to the Commons Secret Committee on the question early in 1819: “In what line of business are you? – Mostly in the foreign banking line. “Have the goodness to state to the Committee in detail, what you conceive would be the consequence of an obligation imposed upon the Bank [of England, which he owned] to resume cash payments at the expiration of a year from the present time? – I do not think it can be done without very great distress to this country; it would do a great deal of mischief; we may not actually know ourselves what mischief it might cause. “Have the goodness to explain the nature of the mischief, and in what way it would be produced? – Money will be so very scarce, every article in this country will fall to such an enormous extent, that many persons will be ruined.”
The director of the Prussian Treasury wrote on a visit to London that Nathan Rothschild had as early as 1817: “.., incredible influence upon all financial affairs here in London. It is widely stated.., that he entirely regulates the rate of exchange in the City. His power as a banker is enormous”.
Austrian Prince Mettemich’s secretary wrote of the Rothschilds, as early as 1818, that: “… they are the richest people in Europe.”
Referring to James Rothschild, the poet Heinrich Heine said: “Money is the god of our times, and Rothschild is his prophet.”
James Rothschild built his fabulous mansion, called Ferrilres, 19 miles north-east of Paris. Wilhelm I, on first seeing it, exclaimed: “Kings couldn’t afford this. It could only belong to a Rothschild!”
Author Frederic Morton wrote that the Rothschilds had: “conquered the World more thoroughly, more cunningly, and much more lastingly than all the Caesars before…”
As Napoleon pointed out: “Terrorism, War & Bankruptcy are caused by the privatization of money, issued as a debt and compounded by interest “- he cancelled debt and interest in France – hence the Battle of Waterloo.
Some writers have claimed that Nathan Rothschild “warned that the United States would find itself involved in a most disastrous war if the bank’s charter were not renewed.” (do you see the similarities here? If you don’t play the game an economic disaster will fall on you and you will be destroyed.)
“There is but one power in Europe and that is Rothschild.” 19th century French commentator.
Lord Rothschild (Rockefellers and Rothschilds’ relatives) in his book The Shadow of a Great Man quotes a letter sent from Davidson on June 24, 1814 to Nathan Rothschild, “As long as a house is like yours, and as long as you work together with your brothers, not a house in the world will be able to compete with you, to cause you harm or to take advantage of you, for together you can undertake and perform more than any house in the world.” The closeness of the Rothschild brothers is seen in a letter from Soloman (Salmon) Rothschild to his brother Nathan on Feb. 28, 1815, “We are like the mechanism of a watch: each part is essential.” (2) This closeness is further seen in that of the 18 marriages made by Mayer Amschel Rothschild’s grandchildren – 16 were contracted between first cousins.
“Centralisation of credit in the hands of the state, by means of a national bank with state capital and an exclusive monopoly.” The Communist Manifesto. In the case of the Bolshevik revolution, Rothschilds/ Rockefellers’ Chase Bank owned the state. In the US, the FED owners “own” the state.
Rothschilds’ favorite saying who along with the Rockefellers are the major Illuminati Banking Dynasties: “Who controls the issuance of money controls the government!”
Nathan Rothschild said (1777-1836): “I care not what puppet is placed on the throne of England to rule the Empire. The man who controls Britain’s money supply controls the British Empire and I control the British money supply.”
Rockefeller is reported to have said: “Competition is a sin”. “Own nothing. Control everything”. Because he wants to centralize control of everything and enslave us all, i.e. the modern Nimrod or Pharaoh.
"The True Story of the Bilderberg Group" and What They May Be Planning Now
A Review of Daniel Estulin's book
by Stephen Lendman
For over 14 years, Daniel Estulin has investigated and researched the Bilderberg Group's far-reaching influence on business and finance, global politics, war and peace, and control of the world's resources and its money.
His book, "The True Story of the Bilderberg Group," was published in 2005 and is now updated in a new 2009 edition. He states that in 1954, "the most powerful men in the world met for the first time" in Oosterbeek, Netherlands, "debated the future of the world," and decided to meet annually in secret. They called themselves the Bilderberg Group with a membership representing a who's who of world power elites, mostly from America, Canada, and Western Europe with familiar names like David Rockefeller, Henry Kissinger, Bill Clinton, Gordon Brown, Angela Merkel, Alan Greenspan, Ben Bernanke, Larry Summers, Tim Geithner, Lloyd Blankfein, George Soros, Donald Rumsfeld, Rupert Murdoch, other heads of state, influential senators, congressmen and parliamentarians, Pentagon and NATO brass, members of European royalty, selected media figures, and invited others - some quietly by some accounts like Barack Obama and many of his top officials.
Always well represented are top figures from the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR), IMF, World Bank, Trilateral Commission, EU, and powerful central bankers from the Federal Reserve, the ECB's Jean-Claude Trichet, and Bank of England's Mervyn King.
For over half a century, no agenda or discussion topics became public nor is any press coverage allowed. The few invited fourth estate attendees and their bosses are sworn to secrecy. Nonetheless, Estulin undertook "an investigative journey" that became his life's work. He states:
"Slowly, one by one, I have penetrated the layers of secrecy surrounding the Bilderberg Group, but I could not have done this withot help of 'conscientious objectors' from inside, as well as outside, the Group's membership." As a result, he keeps their names confidential.
Whatever its early mission, the Group is now "a shadow world government....threaten(ing) to take away our right to direct our own destinies (by creating) a disturbing reality" very much harming the public's welfare. In short, Bilderbergers want to supplant individual nation-state sovereignty with an all-powerful global government, corporate controlled, and check-mated by militarized enforcement.
"Imagine a private club where presidents, prime ministers, international bankers and generals rub shoulders, where gracious royal chaperones ensure everyone gets along, and where the people running the wars, markets, and Europe (and America) say what they never dare say in public."
Early in its history, Bilderbergers decided "to create an 'Aristocracy of purpose' between Europe and the United States (to reach consensus to rule the world on matters of) policy, economics, and (overall) strategy." NATO was essential for their plans - to ensure "perpetual war (and) nuclear blackmail" to be used as necessary. Then proceed to loot the planet, achieve fabulous wealth and power, and crush all challengers to keep it.
Along with military dominance, controlling the world's money is crucial for with it comes absolute control as the powerful 19th century Rothschild family understood. As the patriarch Amschel Rothschild once said: "Give me control of a nation's money and I care not who makes its laws."
Bilderbergers comprise the world's most exclusive club. No one buys their way in. Only the Group's Steering Committee decides whom to invite, and in all cases participants are adherents to One World Order governance run by top power elites.
According to Steering Committee rules:
"the invited guests must come alone; no wives, girlfriends, husbands or boyfriends. Personal assistants (meaning security, bodyguards, CIA or other secret service protectors) cannot attend the conference and must eat in a separate hall. (Also) The guests are explicitly forbidden from giving interviews to journalists" or divulge anything that goes on in meetings.
Host governments provide overall security to keep away outsiders. One-third of attendees are political figures. The others are from industry, finance, academia, labor and communications.
Meeting procedure is by Chatham House Rules letting attendees freely express their views in a relaxed atmosphere knowing nothing said will be quoted or revealed to the public. Meetings "are always frank, but do not always conclude with consensus."
Membership consists of annual attendees (around 80 of the world's most powerful) and others only invited occasionally because of their knowledge or involvement in relevant topics. Those most valued are asked back, and some first-timers are chosen for their possible later usefulness.
Arkansas governor Bill Clinton, for example, who attended in 1991. "There, David Rockefeller told (him) why the North American Free Trade Agreement....was a Bilderberg priority and that the group needed him to support it. The next year, Clinton was elected president," and on January 1, 1994 NAFTA took effect. Numerous other examples are similar, including who gets chosen for powerful government, military and other key positions.
Bilderberg Objectives
The Group's grand design is for "a One World Government (World Company) with a single, global marketplace, policed by one world army, and financially regulated by one 'World (Central) Bank' using one global currency." Their "wish list" includes:
-- "one international identify (observing) one set of universal values;"
-- centralized control of world populations by "mind control;" in other words, controlling world public opinion;
-- a New World Order with no middle class, only "rulers and servants (serfs)," and, of course, no democracy;
-- "a zero-growth society" without prosperity or progress, only greater wealth and power for the rulers;
-- manufactured crises and perpetual wars;
-- absolute control of education to program the public mind and train those chosen for various roles;
-- "centralized control of all foreign and domestic policies;" one size fits all globally;
-- using the UN as a de facto world government imposing a UN tax on "world citizens;"
-- expanding NAFTA and WTO globally;
-- making NATO a world military;
-- imposing a universal legal system; and
-- a global "welfare state where obedient slaves will be rewarded and non-conformists targeted for extermination."
It's time that We the People stop allowing ourselves to be distracted every election season by the same old pointless debate over which puppet of the global elite will screw us least, and start reclaiming from these "elite" our rightful control over our own government via the aggressive, non-partisan, issue-oriented political activism described in my initial post.
“Centralisation of credit in the hands of the state, by means of a national bank with state capital and an exclusive monopoly.” The Communist Manifesto.
To any relative newcomers who may be reading this: please understand that, despite what some may regard as Greenback-sounding phraseology in the 5th plank of Karl Marx's "Manifesto," the elite banking families who've repeatedly financed Marxist uprisings have always been vehemently opposed to debt-free Greenbacks, because they've always known that the institution of such a money system would put them out of business, and hence out of power (since money issued free of debt never has to paid back -- plus compound interest -- to private bankers).
For details, see the following:
“Banking was conceived in iniquity and was born in sin. The bankers own the earth. Take it away from them, but leave them the power to create money, and with the flick of the pen they will create enough deposits to buy it back again. However, take it away from them, and all the great fortunes like mine will disappear and they ought to disappear, for this would be a happier and better world to live in. But, if you wish to remain the slaves of bankers and pay the cost of your own slavery, let them continue to create money.”
-- attributed to Sir Josiah Stamp, Director of the Bank of England (appointed 1928)
When I and others say that ruling-class oligarchs are literally waging economic “war” against us, that’s not hyperbole, but a mere acknowledgement of cold, harsh reality.
To fully understand what I mean, consider the following six-part report by David DeGraw:
Part I: "Economic Terrorism": The Consequences are Poverty and Mass Unemployment
by David DeGraw
Global Research, February 16, 2010
Amped Status - 2010-02-15
“The American oligarchy spares no pains in promoting the belief that it does not exist, but the success of its disappearing act depends on equally strenuous efforts on the part of an American public anxious to believe in egalitarian fictions and unwilling to see what is hidden in plain sight.”
-- Michael Lind, To Have and to Have Not
Yes, of course, we all have very strong differences of opinion on many issues.
However, like our Founding Fathers before us, we must put aside our differences and unite to fight a common enemy. It has now become evident to a critical mass that the Republican and Democratic parties, along with all three branches of our government, have been bought off by a well-organized Economic Elite who are tactically destroying our way of life. The harsh truth is that 99% of the US population no longer has political representation. The US economy, government and tax system is now blatantly rigged against us.
Current statistical societal indicators clearly demonstrate that a strategic attack has been launched and an analysis of current governmental policies prove that conditions for a large majority of Americans will continue to deteriorate. The Economic Elite have engineered a financial coup and have brought war to our doorstep. . . and make no mistake, they have launched a war to eliminate the US middle class.
Unless we all unite and organize on common ground, our very way of life and the ideals that our country was founded upon will continue to unravel.
Before exposing exactly who the Economic Elite are, and discussing common sense ways in which we can defeat them, let’s take a look at how much damage they have already caused.
I: "Economic Terrorism": Surveying the Damage
America is the richest nation in history, yet we now have the highest poverty rate in the industrialized world with an unprecedented amount of Americans living in dire straights and over 50 million citizens already living in poverty.
The government has come up with clever ways to down play all of these numbers, but we have over 50 million people who need to use food stamps to eat, and a stunning 50% of US children will use a food stamp to eat at some point in their childhood. Approximately 20,000 people are added to this total every day. In 2009, one out of five US households didn’t have enough money to buy food. In households with children, this number rose to 24%, as the hunger rate among US citizens has now reached an all time high.
We also currently have over 50 million US citizens without healthcare. 1.4 million Americans filed for bankruptcy in 2009, a 32% increase from 2008. As bankruptcies continue to skyrocket, medical bankruptcies are responsible for over 60% of them, and over 75% of the medical bankruptcies filed are from people who have healthcare insurance. We have the most expensive healthcare system in the world, we are forced to pay twice as much as other countries [.pdf] and the overall care we get in return ranks 37th in the world.
In total, Americans have lost $5 trillion from their pensions and savings since the economic crisis began and $13 trillion in the value of their homes. During the first full year of the crisis, workers between the age of 55 - 60, who have worked for 20 - 29 years, have lost an average of 25% off their 401k. “Personal debt has risen from 65% of income in 1980 to 125% today.” Over five million US families have already lost their homes, in total 13 million US families are expected to lose their home by 2014, with 25% of current mortgages underwater. Deutsche Bank has an even grimmer prediction: “The percentage of ‘underwater’ loans may rise to 48 percent, or 25 million homes.” Every day 10,000 US homes enter foreclosure. Statistics show that an increasing number of these people are not finding shelter elsewhere, there are now over 3 million homeless Americans, the fastest growing segment of the homeless population is single parents with children.
One place more and more Americans are finding a home is in prison. With a prison population of 2.3 million people, we now have more people incarcerated than any other nation in the world - the per capita statistics are 700 per 100,000 citizens. In comparison, China has 110 per 100,000, France has 80 per 100,000, Saudi Arabia has 45 per 100,000. The prison industry is thriving and expecting major growth over the next few years. A recent report from the Hartford Advocate titled “Incarceration Nation” revealed that “a new prison opens every week somewhere in America.”
Mass Unemployment
The government unemployment rate is deceptive on several levels. It doesn’t count people who are “involuntary part-time workers,” meaning workers who are working part-time but want to find full-time work. It also doesn’t count “discouraged workers,” meaning long-term unemployed people who lost hope and don’t consistently look for work. As time goes by, more and more people stop consistently looking for work and are discounted from the unemployment figure. For instance, in January, 1.1 million workers were eliminated from the unemployment total because they were “officially” labeled “discouraged workers.” So instead of the number rising, we will hear deceptive reports about unemployment leveling off.
On top of this, the Bureau of Labor Statistics recently discovered that 824,000 job losses were never accounted for due to a “modeling error” in their data. Even in their initial January data there appears to be a huge understating, with the newest report saying the economy lost 20,000 jobs. TrimTabs employment analysis, which has consistently provided more accurate data, “estimated that the U.S. economy shed 104,000 jobs in January.”
When you factor in all these uncounted workers — “involuntary part-time” and “discouraged workers” — the unemployment rate rises from 9.7% to over 20%. In total, we now have over 30 million US citizens who are unemployed or underemployed. The rarely cited “employment-participation” rate, which reveals the percentage of the population that is currently in the workforce, has now
fallen to 64%.
Even based on the “official” unemployment rate, just to get back to the unemployment level of 4.6% that we had in 2007, we need to create over 10 million new jobs, and most every serious economist will tell you that these jobs are not coming back. In fact, we are still consistently shedding jobs, on just one day, January 27th, several companies announced new cuts of more than 60,000 jobs.
Due to the length of this crisis already, millions of Americans are reaching a point where the unemployment benefits that they have been surviving off of are coming to an end. More workers have already been out of work longer than at any point since statistics have been recorded, with over six million now unemployed for over six months. A record 20 million Americans qualified for unemployment insurance benefits last year, causing 27 states to run out of funds, with seven more also expected to go into the red within the next few months. In total, 40 state programs are expected to go broke.
Most economists believe that the unemployment rate will remain high for the foreseeable future. What will happen when we have millions of laid-off workers without any unemployment benefits to save them?
Working More for Less
The millions struggling to find work are just part of the story. Due to the fact that we now have a record high six people for every one job opening, companies have been able to further increase the workload on their remaining employees. They have been able to increase the amount of hours Americans are working, reduce wages and drastically cut back on benefits. Even though Americans were already the most productive workers in the world before the economic crisis, in the third quarter of 2009, average worker productivity increased by an annualized rate of 9.5%, at the same time unit labor cost decreased by 5.2%. This has led to record profits for many companies. Of the 220 companies in the S&P 500 who have reported fourth-quarter results thus far, 78% of them had “better-than-expected profits” with earnings 17% above expectations, “the highest for any quarter since Thomson Reuters began tracking data.”
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the national median wage was only $32,390 per year in 2008, and median household income fell by 3.6% while the unemployment rate was 5.8%. With the unemployment rate now at 10%, median income has been falling at a 5% rate and is expected to continue its decline. Not surprisingly, Americans’ job satisfaction level is now at an all time low.
There are also a growing number of employed people who, despite having a job, are still living in poverty. There are at least 15 million workers who now fall into this rapidly growing category. $32,390 a year is not going to get you far in today’s economy, and half of the country is making less than that. This is why many Americans are now forced to work two jobs to provide for their family to hopefully make ends meet.
The mainstream news media will numb us to this horrifying reality by endlessly talking about the latest numbers, but they never piece them together to show you the whole devastating picture, and they rarely show you all the immense individual suffering behind them. This is how they “normalize the unthinkable” and make us become passive in the face of such a high causality count.
Behind each of these numbers, is a tremendous amount of misery, the physical toll is only outdone by the severe psychological toll. Anyone who has had to put off medical care, or who couldn’t get medical care for one of their family members due to financial circumstances, can tell you about the psychological toll that is on top of the physical suffering. Anyone who has felt the stress of wondering how they were going to get their child’s next meal or their own, or the stress of not knowing how you are going to pay the mortgage, rent, electricity or heat bill, let alone the car payment, gas, phone, cable or internet bill.
There are now well over 150 million Americans who feel stress over these things on a consistent basis. Over 60% of Americans now live paycheck to paycheck.
These are all basic things that every person should be able to easily afford in a technologically advanced society such as ours. The reason why we struggle with these things is because the Economic Elite have robbed us all. This amount of suffering in the United States of America is literally a crime against humanity.
© Copyright David DeGraw, Amped Status, 2010
Part II: The American Nightmare: US Economic Elite Wages War on the American People
“The war against working people should be understood to be a real war…. Specifically in the U.S., which happens to have a highly class-conscious business class…. And they have long seen themselves as fighting a bitter class war, except they don’t want anybody else to know about it.”
-- Noam Chomsky
As a record number of US citizens are struggling to get by, many of the largest corporations are experiencing record-breaking profits, and CEOs are receiving record-breaking bonuses. How could this be happening; how did we get to this point?
The Economic Elite have escalated their attack on US workers over the past few years; however, this attack began to build intensity in the 1970s. In 1970, CEOs made $25 for every $1 the average worker made. Due to technological advancements, production and profit levels exploded from 1970 - 2000. With the lion’s share of increased profits going to the CEOs, this pay ratio dramatically rose to $90 for CEOs to $1 for the average worker.
As ridiculous as that seems, an in-depth study in 2004 on the explosion of CEO pay revealed that, including stock options and other benefits, CEO pay is more accurately $500 to $1.
Paul Buchheit, from DePaul University, revealed, “From 1980 to 2006 the richest 1% of America tripled their after-tax percentage of our nation’s total income, while the bottom 90% have seen their share drop over 20%.” Robert Freeman added, “Between 2002 and 2006, it was even worse: an astounding three quarters of all the economy’s growth was captured by the top 1%.”
Due to this, the United States already had the highest inequality of wealth in the industrialized world prior to the financial crisis. Since the crisis, which has hit the average worker much harder than CEOs, the gap between the top one percent and the remaining 99% of the US population has grown to a record high. The economic top one percent of the population now owns over 70% of all financial assets, an all-time record.
As mentioned before, just look at the first full year of the crisis when workers lost an average of 25 percent off their 401k. During the same time period, the wealth of the 400 richest Americans increased by $30 billion, bringing their total combined wealth to $1.57 trillion, which is more than the combined net worth of 50% of the US population. Just to make this point clear, 400 people have more wealth than 155 million people combined.
Meanwhile, 2009 was a record-breaking year for Wall Street bonuses, as firms issued $150 billion to their executives. 100% of these bonuses are a direct result of our tax dollars, so if we used this money to create jobs, instead of giving it to a handful of top executives, we could have paid an annual salary of $30,000 to 5 million people.
So while US workers are now working more hours and have become dramatically more productive and profitable, our pay is actually declining and all the dramatic increases in wealth are going straight into the pockets of the Economic Elite.
If our income had kept pace with compensation distribution rates established in the early 1970s, we would all be making at least three times as much as we are currently making. How different would your life be if you were making $120,000 a year, instead of $40,000?
So it should come as no surprise to see that we now have the highest inequality of wealth in the industrialized world and the highest inequality of wealth in our nation’s history. The backbone of America, a hard-working middle class that has made our country a world leader, has been devastated.
Now that we have a better understanding of how our income has been suppressed over the past forty years, let’s take a look at how the economy has been designed to take the limited money we receive and put it into the hands of the Economic Elite as well.
Costs of Living
Outside of the workplace, in almost all our costs of living the system is now blatantly rigged against us. Let’s take a look at it, starting with our tax system.
In total, the average US citizen is forced to give up approximately 30% of our income in taxes. This tax system is now strategically designed to flow straight into the hands of the Economic Elite. A huge percentage of our tax dollars ultimately ends up in their pockets. The past decade proves that — whether it’s the Republicans or the Democrats running the government — our tax money is not going into our community; it is going into the pockets of the billionaires who have bought off both parties - it is obscene.
For an example of how this system flows to the Economic Elite, just look at the Wall Street “bailout.” The real size of the bailout is estimated to be $14 trillion - and could end up costing trillions more than that. By now you are probably also sick of hearing about the bailout, but stop and think about this for a moment… Do you comprehend how much $14 trillion is?
What could be accomplished with this money is almost beyond common comprehension.
And this is just the tip of the iceberg that has hit us. On top of the trillions given to the Wall Street elite, we already have a record $12.3 trillion in national debt - and we now have to pay $500 billion in interest to the Economic Elite on this debt every year, yet another way they are milking us dry. When you add in unfunded liabilities owed, like social security payments, we actually owe a stunning $74 trillion. That adds up to a debt of $242,000 for every man, woman and child in America.
Trillions more, 25% of taxpayer dollars allocated to military spending goes unaccounted for every year, not to mention the billions spent on overcharging and outright fraud. During the War on Terror, the Economic Elite have used our tax money to build a private army that has more soldiers deployed than the US military - a congressional study revealed that 69% of the “US” fighting forces deployed throughout the world in our name are in fact private mercenaries, 80% of them are foreign nationals. Private contractors regularly get paid three to five times more than our soldiers, and have been repeatedly caught overcharging and committing fraud on a massive scale. A congressional investigation revealed this and strongly recommended that we seize wasting tax dollars on these private military contractors. However, under Obama, there has actually been a drastic increase in total tax dollars spent on them.
In 2009, just over $1 trillion tax dollars were spent on the military. It’s safe to say that at least $350 billion of that was needlessly wasted.
When you research our tax system you see an unprecedented level of waste and fraud rampant throughout most expenditures. Our tax system is a national disaster of epic proportions. It is literally an organized criminal operation that continues to rob us in broad daylight, with zero accountability.
Politicians and mainstream “news” outlets will not tell you this, but most every serious economist knows that due to so much theft and debt created in the tax system, the only way to fix things, other than stopping the theft and seizing the trillions that have been stolen, will be for the government to cut important social funding and drastically raise our taxes. Other than the record national debt, many states are running record deficits and “barreling toward economic disaster, raising the likelihood of higher taxes, more government layoffs and deep cuts in services.” Our nation’s biggest state economies, like California and New York, are the ones in most trouble.
To merely say that things will not be improving economically is to be a delusional optimist. The truth that you will not hear: we have been hit by an economic deathblow and the United States lays in ruins.
It’s not just this criminal tax system; the theft is now built into all our costs of living.
Trillions more in our spending on food and fuel have been stolen due to fraudulent stock transactions and overcharging. Just ten years ago, in 2000, American families paid 7% of our income on food and fuel. We now pay 20%. This drastic increase is primarily driven by fraudulent market manipulation that drives up stock prices. Congress uncovered this in 2006, as part of the Enron investigation. They found that companies manipulated the oil market to create major spikes in stock values, but then Congress didn’t do anything about it. Nothing to see here, just move on.
As mentioned before, we have the most expensive health care system in the world and we are forced to pay twice as much as other countries [.pdf], and the overall care we get in return ranks 37th in the world. On average, US citizens are now paying a record high 8% of their income on medical care.
One of the reasons why foreclosure rates are so high is because the percentage of income Americans pay on their housing has risen to 34%.
So for these basic necessities - taxes, food, fuel, shelter and medical bills - we have already lost 92% of our limited income. Then factor in ever-increasing interest rates on credit cards, student loans, rising prices for cable, internet, phone, bank fees, etc., etc., etc…. We are being robbed and gouged in all costs of living, in every aspect of our life. No wonder bankruptcies are skyrocketing and the number of people suffering from psychological depression has reached an epidemic level.
The American worker is screwed over every step of the way, and it all starts with the explosion in the cost of a college education. This is one of the Economic Elite’s most devastating weapons. To have any chance of succeeding in this economy, it is commonly believed that you must attend the best college possible. With the rising costs involved, today’s students are graduating with record levels of debt from student loans. At the same time, the unemployment rate among recent college graduates has risen higher than the national average, and those who do find work are making significantly less than they expected to make. This combination of extreme debt and reduced pay has crippled an entire generation right from the start and has put them in a vicious cycle of spiraling debt that they will struggle with for the rest of their lives. The most recent college graduates are now known as a “lost generation.”
The American dream has turned into a nightmare. The economic system is a sophisticated prison cell; the indentured servant is now an indebted wage slave; whips and chains have evolved into debts.
“There are two ways to conquer and enslave a nation. One is by sword. The other is by debt.”
-- John Adams
Concealing National Wealth
“Liberty in the concrete signifies release from the impact of particular oppressive forces; emancipation from something once taken as a normal part of human life but now experienced as bondage…. Today, it signifies liberation from material insecurity and from the coercions and repressions that prevent multitudes from participation in the vast cultural resources that are at hand.”
-- John Dewey
When you take the time to research and analyze the wealth that has gone to the economic top one percent, you begin to realize just how much we have been robbed. Trillions upon trillions of dollars that could make the lives of all hard-working Americans much easier have been strategically funneled into the coffers of the Economic Elite. The denial of wealth is the key to the Economic Elite’s power. An entire generation of massive wealth creation has been strategically withheld from 99% of the US population.
The US public doesn’t have any understanding of how much wealth has been generated and concentrated into the hands of the Economic Elite over the past 40 years; there is no historical frame of reference. This withholding of wealth is truly the greatest crime against humanity in the history of civilization.
What could be done with all the money that has been hoarded by the Economic Elite is extraordinary!
Let’s consider what we could do with the money that has been stolen from us. On top of what should be our average six-figure yearly income, we could have:
* Free health care for every American,
* A free 4 bedroom home for every American family,
* 5% tax rate for 99% of Americans,
* Drastically improved public education and free college for all,
* Significantly improved public transportation and infrastructure,
This is not some far-fetched fantasy. These are all things that Franklin D. Roosevelt talked about doing in the 1940s, long before the explosion of wealth creation in our technologically advanced global economy. The money for all this is already there, stashed into the claws of the Economic Elite. The denial of wealth to the masses is the key to the Economic Elite’s power. Outside of outdated and obsolete economic models and theories — and incredibly short-sighted greed — there is no reason why all this money should be kept in the hands of a few, at the immense suffering and expense of the many.
If Americans could just understand how much wealth is being withheld from us, we would have a massive uprising and the Economic Elite would be swept away, into the history books alongside the evil despots of the past.
“For if leisure and security were enjoyed by all alike, the great mass of human beings who are normally stupefied by poverty would become literate and would learn to think for themselves; and when once they had done this, they would sooner or later realize that the privileged minority had no function, and they would sweep it away. In the long run, a hierarchical society was only possible on a basis of poverty and ignorance.”
-- George Orwell
Now that we have a better understanding of how the Economic Elite dominate our lives, let’s take a look at exactly who they are….
Part III: The Axis of Greed: The Nature and Structure of the Economic Elite
“The money powers prey upon the nation in times of peace and conspire against it in times of adversity. It is more despotic than a monarchy, more insolent than autocracy, and more selfish than bureaucracy. It denounces as public enemies, all who question its methods or throw light upon its crimes… As a result of the war, corporations have been enthroned and an era of corruption in high places will follow, and the money powers of the country will endeavor to prolong it’s reign by working upon the prejudices of the people until all wealth is aggregated in a few hands and the Republic is destroyed.”
-- Abraham Lincoln
U.S. Elite
Institutions:
Conference Board
Advertising Council
Business Round Table
American Bankers Association
Pharm Research & Manufacturers
Public Relations Society of America
Project for a New American Century
Committee for Economic Development
National Association of Manufacturers
Carnegie / Ford / Rockefeller foundations
Military / Media / Prison Industrial Complex
I don’t view the Economic Elite as a small group of men who meet in secrecy to control the world. They do feature elements of conspiracy and are clearly composed of secretive organizations like the Bilderberg Group - this is not a conspiracy theory, this is a conspiracy fact - but as a whole the Economic Elite are primarily united by ideology. They’re made up of thousands of individuals who subscribe to an ideology of exploitation and the belief that wealth and resources need to be concentrated into the fewest hands possible (theirs), at the expense of the many.
That being said, there are some definite lead players in this group and it is important that we are not too vague and expose the individuals who publicly lead them. Focusing on the fundamental structure of the US economy, we have people like Hank Paulson, Tim Geithner, Ben Bernanke, Robert Rubin, Larry Summers, Alan Greenspan, Lloyd Blankfein, Jamie Dimon, John Mack, Vikram Pandit, John Thain, Hank Greenberg, Ken Lewis, John J. Castellani, Edward Yingling and Tom Donohue.
In total, the Economic Elite are made up of about 0.5% of the US population. At the center of this group is the Business Roundtable, an organization representing Fortune 500 CEOs that is also interlocked with several lead elite organizations. Most Americans have never heard of the Business Roundtable. However, in my analysis, it is the most influential and powerful Economic Elite organization.
“The Business Roundtable joined the Business Council at the heart of both the corporate community and the policy-formation network and now has the most powerful role…. The Roundtable’s interlocks with other policy groups and with think tanks are presented (below).”
-- G. William Domhoff, Who Rules America?
The Roundtable’s first year of operation was 1972, which coincided with the beginning of the CEO salary explosion, and has been the driving force behind the unprecedented concentration of wealth since their inception. Their dominance over the US economy and government is unparalleled. Their members are a Who’s Who of everything that is wrong with our economy. Here is a partial list of some of their lead members:
Lloyd C. Blankfein, Goldman Sachs
James Dimon, JPMorgan Chase & Co.
James P. Gorman, Morgan Stanley
Vikram S. Pandit, Citigroup, Inc.
Brian T. Moynihan, Bank of America
Brendan McDonagh, HSBC
Robert W. Selander, MasterCard Incorporated
Kenneth I. Chenault, American Express Company
Rupert Murdoch, News Corporation
Glenn A. Britt, Time Warner Cable Inc.
Philippe Dauman, Viacom, Inc.
Jeffrey R. Immelt, General Electric Company
Brian L. Roberts, Comcast Corporation
Steven A. Ballmer, Microsoft Corporation
John T. Chambers, Cisco Systems, Inc.
Randall L. Stephenson, AT&T Inc.
Ivan G. Seidenberg, Verizon Communications
David G. DeWalt, McAfee, Inc.
Steven R. Loranger, ITT Corporation
Paul T. Hanrahan, AES Corporation, The
Riley P. Bechtel, Bechtel Group, Inc.
W. James McNerney , Boeing Company, The
Rex W. Tillerson, Exxon Mobil Corporation
Marvin E. Odum, Shell Oil Company
John S. Watson, Chevron Corporation
James J. Mulva, ConocoPhillips
John B. Hess, Hess Corporation
James E. Rogers Duke Energy Corporation
J. Larry Nichols, Devon Energy Corporation
Ronald A. Williams, Aetna Inc.
David Cordani, CIGNA
Jeffrey B. Kindler , Pfizer Inc.
Angela F. Braly, WellPoint, Inc.
John C. Lechleiter, Eli Lilly and Company
Edward B. Rust, Jr., State Farm
Andrew N. Liveris, Dow Chemical
James W. Owens, Caterpillar Inc.
Ellen J. Kullman, DuPont
Edward E. Whitacre Jr., General Motors Company
Michael T. Duke, Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
The Business Roundtable is the most powerful activist organization in the United States. Their leaders regularly lobby members of Congress behind closed doors and often meet privately with the President and his administration. Any legislation that affects Roundtable members has almost zero possibility of passing without their support.
For three major examples, look at healthcare and financial reform, along with the military budget. The healthcare reform bill devolved into what amounts to an insurance industry bailout and was drastically altered by Roundtable lobbyists representing interests like WellPoint, Aetna, Cigna, Pfizer, Eli Lilly and Johnson & Johnson. Obama and Congress are trying to please the Roundtable with a bill that supports their interests. This led to the dropping of the public-option put forth in the House bill. However, when it came to finishing the bill, Roundtable members began to walk away from the process. That’s the real reason why the reform bill has stalled. Obama will be meeting with the Roundtable on February 24th, in hopes of getting healthcare reform back on track. After that meeting, he will then hold a bipartisan healthcare meeting with members of congress.
Also being addressed in Obama’s upcoming meeting with the Roundtable are issues concerning financial reform. Almost every aspect of financial reform has been D.O.A. thanks to Roundtable lobbyists representing the interests of Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan, Morgan Stanley, Citigroup, Bank of America, HSBC, Master Card and American Express. They even pushed to make sure Ben Bernanke was reconfirmed as the head of the Federal Reserve and they have also guided Obama into focusing on deficit reduction, now that their member companies are healthy again and making record profits after receiving trillions in government subsidies. The Roundtable played a pivotal role in the appointment of Hank Paulson, formerly the CEO of Roundtable member Goldman Sachs, who replaced Roundtable member John Snow as US Treasury Secretary. The Roundtable also strongly lobbied on behalf of current Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner [.pdf] and White House National Economic Council Director Larry Summers [.pdf]. Although there has been recent talk of Geithner being replaced at the Treasury, the lead choice to replace him is Jamie Dimon, Roundtable member and CEO of JP Morgan Chase.
The drastic rise in military spending is also a result of Roundtable lobbyists pushing the interests of large military companies like Boeing and Bechtel, along with the largest oil companies like ExxonMobil, Shell, Hess and Chevron.
The Roundtable tells politicians what they want done, and the politicians do it. At times, Roundtable members even write the laws themselves. On financial reform alone, those representing Wall Street firms gave “$42 million to lawmakers, mostly to members of the House and Senate banking committees and House and Senate leaders.” During the 2008 election cycle, they gave $155 million: $88 million to Democrats and $67 million to Republicans. Keep in mind, this is the spending on just their financial reform initiative. When it came to health reform, they gave even more.
When it comes to getting elected, over 90% of the time the candidate who simply spends more money on their campaign wins the election. The Roundtable and politicians recognize this fact, so the overwhelming majority of current elected officials relied heavily on campaign funding from Roundtable members, including President Obama.
Shortly after Obama’s inauguration he held a meeting with Roundtable members at the St. Regis Hotel. The president of the Business Roundtable is John J. Castellani. Throughout the first nine months of Obama’s presidency, Castellani met with him at the White House more than any other person, with the exception of Chamber of Commerce CEO Tom Donohue. If you look at the records of people who have spent the most time with Obama in the White House, other than these two, another frequent visitor is Edward Yingling, the president of the American Bankers Association.
These organizations - the Business Roundtable, Chamber of Commerce and the American Bankers Association - along with the Federal Reserve, a secretive quasi-government private institution, form the center of the Economic Elite’s power structure. Since the bailout, the Federal Reserve has been working closely with private firm BlackRock. Due to this relationship, BlackRock has emerged as the world’s largest money manager and now manages more assets than the Federal Reserve. They also “manage many of the Treasury Department’s big investments.”
On a global level, you have economic institutions like the World Trade Organization (WTO), the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank, and international treaties like NAFTA. These organizations already form a de facto world government that has rights beyond our constitutional rights and national sovereignty. If the WTO makes a ruling that goes against US law, the WTO ruling supersedes US law and wins out.
Here is how Global Exchange explains these global institutions:
“The World Trade Organization is the most powerful legislative and judicial body in the world. By promoting the ‘free trade’ agenda of multinational corporations above the interests of local communities, working families, and the environment, the WTO has systematically undermined democracy around the world…. Unlike United Nations treaties, the International Labor Organization conventions, or multilateral environmental agreements, WTO rules can be enforced through sanctions. This gives the WTO more power than any other international body. The WTO’s authority even eclipses national governments.”
[World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF)]
“When the Bank and the Fund lend money to debtor countries, the money comes with strings attached. These strings come in the form of policy prescriptions called ’structural adjustment policies.’ These policies—or SAPs, as they are sometimes called—require debtor governments to open their economies to penetration by foreign corporations, allowing access to the country’s workers and environment at bargain basement prices. Structural adjustment policies mean across-the-board privatization of public utilities and publicly owned industries. They mean the slashing of government budgets, leading to cutbacks in spending on health care and education…. And, as their imposition in country after country in Latin America, Africa, and Asia has shown, they lead to deeper inequality and environmental destruction.”
In addition to dominating our political and economic system, the Economic Elite have already created their own private military. Their private military is now more powerful than the US military. As mentioned earlier, private mercenaries now outnumber US soldiers and receive the lion’s share of military spending.
Corporations like SAIC, Blackwater, Bechtel, Raytheon and Halliburton are composed of the most elite worldwide intelligence and military officers. These are the highly profitable and powerful entities that the Economic Elite turn to when national militaries and intelligence agencies - like the CIA, FBI or other government run entities - can’t get the job done.
For instance, SAIC, a “stealth company” that most people have never heard of, is considered to be the brains of the entire US intelligence apparatus, more powerful than the much more popularly known CIA, NSA and FBI - all agencies that SAIC is deeply intertwined with. I urge you to research SAIC to get a crash course in how the true power structure functions. You can start by reading an excellent investigative report by Donald L. Barlett and James B. Steele titled, “Washington’s $8 billion shadow.”
The Economic Elite dominate US intelligence and military operations. Other than the obvious geo-strategic reasons, the never-ending and ever-expanding War on Terror’s objective is to drain the US population of more resources and further rob US taxpayers, while using our tax money to create a private military that is more powerful than the US military.
I think any logical person can see the ominous implications of having such a vast and powerful private military and intelligence complex, created for and used, in secrecy, by the Economic Elite. Outside of the blatant economic policy attacks, heavily armed and sophisticated covert powers led by small groups of Economic Elite are now a serious risk and present danger.
In conclusion, these economic and government policy forming organizations, along with their private military and intelligence corporations, form the core of the Economic Elite power structure.
“I think one has to say it’s not just simply a matter of capturing people and holding them accountable, but removing the sanctuaries, removing the support systems.”
-- Paul Wolfowitz
Part IV: The Financial Coup d’Etat: Consolidation of America's Economic Elite
Global Research, March 4, 2010
Although most of the Economic Elite live and operate inside the US, they are not concerned for our future. To them, the entire world is theirs and they work intimately with other elites throughout the world against the interests of the US public. Ever since the days of Henry Ford, the Economic Elite have needed a thriving US middle class to increase growth and profits, but now, in the global economy, they view the US middle class as obsolete. They increasingly look globally for profits and they would rather pay cheap labor in countries like China and India. On top of the millions of jobs they have already shipped overseas to increase profits at our expense, they are planning to ship an additional 25% of current US jobs overseas as well.
They now see us as the biggest obstacle to their continued consolidation of wealth and resources. This is why they have stepped up their attack on us.
If you want further proof of this, all one needs to do is study the Wall Street bailout. The entire bailout is strategically designed to eliminate the US middle class. Every time you hear the word “bailout,” you should think “coup d’état.” Here is the definition of coup d’état:
“A coup d’état or coup for short, is the sudden unconstitutional deposition of a government, usually by a small group of the existing state establishment… to replace the deposed government with another…. A coup d’état succeeds when the usurpers establish their legitimacy if the attacked government fail to thwart them, by allowing their (strategic, tactical, political) consolidation and then receiving the deposed government’s surrender; or the acquiescence of the populace and the non-participant military forces.
"Typically, a coup d’état uses the extant government’s power to assume political control of the country. In Coup d’État: A Practical Handbook, military historian Edward Luttwak says: ‘A coup consists of the infiltration of a small, but critical, segment of the state apparatus, which is then used to displace the government from its control of the remainder’, thus, armed force (either military or paramilitary) is not a defining feature of a coup d’état.”
The bailout was a financial coup, an intelligence operation to seize control of the US economy and tax system. It is similar to what the Economic Elite have done through the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in many other countries throughout the world. It is clearly a case of economic imperialism. When financial coups are carried out in other countries, they call it a Structural Adjustment Program (SAP). The end result is the theft of working class wealth, the privatization of public functions and resources, rising unemployment, the elimination of the middle class and increasing taxation and debt that turns the overwhelming majority of the nation into a peasant class. This is exactly the track we are on now.
Just look at how they have already done this in many other countries, and then look at the “bailout.”
The success of the coup is clear by the control of the US Treasury by Goldman Sachs criminal masterminds Hank Paulson and Tim Geithner, and the continued control of the Federal Reserve by Ben Bernanke.
In 1970, Hank Paulson began his career in the Pentagon working for Secretary of Defense Melvin Laird. In 1972, he then moved to the White House, where he worked for the Nixon Administration. He was “the assistant to John Ehrlichman during the events of the Watergate scandal for which Ehrlichman was convicted, and sentenced to prison.” After Paulson’s disgraced exit from the political world, he joined Goldman Sachs in 1974, eventually becoming CEO in 1999 when he led an effort to force out Goldman’s previous CEO John Corzine. While leading Goldman, Paulson developed very intimate relations with members of the Chinese elite, visiting the country over 70 times.
In 2004, during his time as Chairman and CEO of Goldman Sachs, Paulson personally led a successful effort to get the SEC to remove the “net capital rule,” which was a “requirement that their brokerages hold reserve capital that limited their leverage and risk exposure.” This was the biggest reason why the economic crisis happened. With the “net capital rule” out of the way, Goldman Sachs and other major Wall Street firms with over $5 billion in assets were free to engage in high risk/high reward behavior. This led to the housing bubble with the creation of high risk speculation, essentially rigged Ponzi-style scams like “mortgage-backed securities, credit derivatives, and credit default swaps… and other exotic structured finance instruments that only highly-trained mathematicians understand, based on models that are beyond the comprehension of most traders.”
After making over $700 million on these shady high risk activities that created a ticking time bomb in our economy, Paulson left Goldman Sachs to run the US Treasury. Shortly after that, the speculative trading scams blew up, and there was the man who played the most pivotal role in causing the economy to crash now running the US Treasury and in charge of “maneuvering” trillions of dollars in national wealth to “fix” the economy. It was time for Paulson, along with his close confidant Tim Geithner, then heading the NY Federal Reserve Bank, and Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke, to engineer the greatest theft of wealth in history with the “bailout.”
Paulson quickly brought in several former Goldman Sachs partners to help him engineer the coup. A pivotal Paulson asset was former Goldman executive Dan Jester, who Paulson quickly hired as a “contractor.” As Robert E. Prasch recently reported, “Jester was never appointed by Congress or otherwise vetted before taking up his role as the Treasury’s de facto central player in the crucial decisions that marked that fall’s bailout of Wall Street.” Paulson’s most publicized move was the $700 billion Troubled Assets Relief Program (TARP). This was a blatant no-strings attached giveaway of taxpayer money, handed directly to Wall Street’s biggest players. To oversee the TARP operation, Paulson brought in Goldman Sachs Vice President Neel Kashkari.
Another egregious unilateral move by Paulson was installing Edward Liddy, one of his former board members at Goldman Sachs, as CEO of AIG. Liddy was the Chairman of Goldman’s Audit Committee, making him the most knowledgeable person regarding Goldman’s collateralized debt obligations (CDOs). Paulson knew these CDOs would go bust because they were based on fraudulent activities, essentially a massive Ponzi scheme. So Paulson and Goldman Sachs covered their risk by insuring them through AIG, making it pivotal to save AIG and have one of his most trusted allies run the company. With Liddy in place, billions of taxpayer dollars were secretly funneled by the Geithner-led NY Federal Reserve through AIG to Goldman Sachs and several other Wall Street elite counterparties. Without the AIG bailout, Goldman Sachs would have collapsed as a result of their own Ponzi scheme.
The assassinations of Goldman rivals Bear Stearns and Lehman Brothers, and the forced Bank of America acquisition of Merrill Lynch were all equally scandalous actions as well. The hidden hand of the Bernanke-led Federal Reserve’s secret “black magic” tactics — which created and distributed trillions of dollars — turned Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs into bank holding companies overnight, which gave them access to trillions of dollars to further manipulate the market and create record setting profits.
Every step of the way, the economic terrorist organization led by Paulon, Geithner and Bernanke held our economy hostage by declaring that all their demands must be met or the entire economy would be destroyed, as a result of the very actions the players being rewarded had taken. (I don’t use the words “economic terrorists” as hyperbole. The threat posed by them and the amount of death, destruction and misery they have already caused the United States is much greater than that [allegedly] caused by Bin Laden and Al-Qaeda - it’s not even close.)
Through the crisis, the fundamental structure of the stock market has been proven to be a scam. The Ponzi scheme activities, outright market manipulation and massive worldwide fraud perpetrated by Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan, Morgan Stanley, Citigroup, AIG, the three major ratings agencies and several other Wall Street elite firms are blatant. Just in the housing and oil futures markets alone, the criminal activity and economic theft is in the multi-trillions.
By looking the other way, the SEC, Congress and Presidents Bush and Obama are complicit. An analysis of actions taken, or most often not taken, by the leaders of both the Republican and Democratic parties prove that they are now accomplices. They have not only let it happen; they continue to look the other way and have been stonewalling laws, investigations and prosecutions in what is cearly criminal activity.
If we had a nation of law, none of these things would have happened. This proves to anyone who cares to look that we now live in a Banana Republic. Our democracy has clearly become a farce.
The overwhelming majority of our politicians are now on the Economic Elite payroll. This financial coup started under Hank Paulson in the Bush Administration and has been carried through, without even the slightest hitch, under Geithner in the Obama Administration, and all along Ben Bernanke has been leading the Federal Reserve. Bernanke’s reconfirmation shows you who the co-conspirators are - just look at the members of Congress who voted for it.
All three branches of our government are now complicit in what is literally the greatest theft of wealth in history, along with a mainstream “news” media that keeps going about their “reporting,” as if this wasn’t a crime, business as usual. Nothing to see here…
Obama’s Role
As hard as it is for many Americans to admit, after a year in office it is now obvious, to those who study policy decisions, that Obama’s rhetoric is very far from the reality of his actions. Outside of the tough talk Obama gives concerning “Wall Street Bankers,” all evidence clearly demonstrates that he is their puppet. The list of decisions that he has made to support the Economic Elite at our expense is already extensive.
As mentioned before, the fact that the bailout started under Bush and went straight through without a hitch under Obama is proof enough. On top of this, Obama’s campaign was heavily financed by Goldman Sachs, and prior to the election Obama often spoke with Paulson. An analysis of phone records shows that Obama and Paulson engaged in 26 direct calls prior to the election. “Paulson placed more than twice as many individual outgoing calls to [candidate] Obama (14) as to President Bush (6).”
As soon as Obama was elected, he got rid of all the economic advisors he had during his campaign and replaced them with Wall Street insiders who were committed to “turning the bailout into an all-out giveaway.” He took the main players that caused the economic crisis to begin with, and put them in charge of economic policy.
Right from the start he appointed Tim Geithner, Paulson’s right-hand man, to run the US Treasury. Mark Patterson, a former Goldman Sachs lobbyist, then became Geithner’s Chief of Staff with the direct approval of Obama. Geithner has surrounded himself with many aides that formerly worked for Goldman Sachs, “none of whom faced Senate confirmation.” Obama also allowed Adam Storch, a Goldman Sachs VP, to become “the first chief operating officer of the Securities and Exchange Commission’s enforcement division.” Obama even “nominated Goldman Sachs executive Gary Gensler to head the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, which regulates futures markets.” Gensler was “a high-level Treasury official in a 2000,” when he helped create a “law that exempted the $58 trillion credit default swap market from oversight.” Another major player in the economic collapse was Larry Summers, who Obama quickly appointed as White House National Economic Council Director.
All of this is, in essence, the final stage of a coup d’état, with Obama now serving as their puppet.
Obama clearly has not held the thieves accountable. He has emboldened them in ways that led to record setting profits and bonuses - bonuses that are 100% a direct result of our tax money. He let them take the money, keep the money, and now he lets them continue to makeeven more money.
Even now, with all his new anti-Wall Street talk, his proposals are extremely misguided and weak.
Obama always deceptively frames the bailout discussion in relation to the $700 billion TARP program. He, along with the mainstream media, always seems to gloss over the fact that the bailout is much more than just the TARP program. TARP is a mere 2% of this multifaceted scam.
His proposal of a tax on Wall Street firms to get some of our tax money back is estimated to bring in $90 billion over the next ten years. That works out to $9 billion a year, compare that to the $150 billion in bonuses handed out by these same firms… just in the past year! The top Wall Street firms would no longer even exist if we didn’t bail them out. Their profits are a direct result of our tax money. If Obama is serious about getting our money back, 100% of the record-breaking bonus money that these thieves gave themselves should be going back into the tax system that it came from to pay down our national debt, lower our tax rates and create jobs.
The $150 billion in bonuses handed out this year cost you $500 of your hard-earned money. For a family of four, that’s $2000 that was taken from you and your family just this year and given directly to Wall Street bonuses. Think about that… Your personal money was taken from you and your family, and given directly to Goldman Sachs CEO Llyod Blankfein. In fact, your direct gift to Wall Street is much more than that; the $2000 your family lost was just for this year’s bonuses, much more of your money was given away in the bailout. The real size of the bailout is estimated to be $14 trillion, which works out to be $46,662 for every man, woman and child in America.
On top of being bailed out with our tax money, Goldman Sachs, which just had its most profitable quarter in its 140-year history, only paid 1% in taxes in 2008!
And now that Obama has given trillions of our dollars to Wall Street, he is all of a sudden concerned about our national deficit. That is disgraceful! When it came to the Economic Elite he could give away trillions, but when it comes to the social infrastructure of the American public and creating job programs, we all of a sudden have to be tight with our tax money and make “painful choices.” When looking at Obama’s latest $100 billion jobs program, again, compare that to the $150 billion in bonuses. If you want to know if Obama is serious about creating jobs, just look at where he gave his big “Jobs Speech” - at the Business Roundtable affiliated Brookings Institution. Thus again, confirming where his true loyalties lie.
Obama’s sudden change of heart after the Massachusetts Senate election defeat is still more empty rhetoric. His new found support for Paul Volcker, and his proposals to bring back Glass-Steagall type laws to prevent another economic catastrophe sound great on the surface, but then you find out that Wall Street firms have already figured out ways around these proposed laws. While it would be great to have Volcker creating the rules over the Goldman Sachs-led team at the Treasury now, he is himself a former Federal Reserve Chairman who represents JP Morgan Chase interests. Jamie Dimon, current JP Morgan Chase CEO and Business Roundtable member, is considered by Obama to be a possible replacement for Geithner at the Treasury. Replacing Goldman Sachs interests with JP Morgan interests is hardly change for the 99% of Americans who have seen their interests ignored thus far. JP Morgan and Goldman Sachs are two heads of the same monster.
An analysis of the “Volcker Rules” shows you the essence of what Obama is all about. The “Volcker Rules” are just more propaganda. First off, the rules do not go far enough. Simon Johnson testified before the Senate Banking Committee and summed them up by saying: “while the principles behind these proposed rules are exactly on target… the specific rule changes would need to be much tougher if they are to have any effect.” Johnson earlier exposed the “Volcker Rules” to merely be a “marketing slogan.”
Jeff Madrick, writing for the Roosevelt Institute, rightly questioned if Obama’s economists even did their homework when putting together the rule. “What is disturbing is how poorly the Volcker rule has been thought through. When first announced, it sounded like a worthy and needed step in the right direction, and a suggestion the Obama team was waking up to reality. But I also expected more sophisticated details to come. So far, there are none… it looks like they didn’t give it much thought before announcing the plan. This is a critical error in judgment.” Even if the flawed laws make it to the Senate floor, the Banking Committee has come out strongly against them as being too little, too late. To sum this all up, this is another case of Obama trying to make it look like he’s doing something, when in reality, he isn’t doing anything.
This is similar to Obama’s $75 billion taxpayer funded foreclosure-prevention program that has been a spectacular failure in stemming the foreclosure crisis. The Obama Administration knew the program wasn’t working from the start, but they just sat back and let it continue to fail, wasting billions of taxpayer dollars in the process.
Even Neil Barofsky, the special inspector general for the TARP program, said the following in his January 30th report to Congress: “It is hard to see how any of the fundamental problems in the [financial] system have been addressed to date…. Even if TARP saved our financial system from driving off a cliff back in 2008, absent meaningful reform, we are still driving on the same winding mountain road, but this time in a faster car.” Now that the “Too Big to Fail” Wall Street elite know that the government will come in to bail them out, they are engaging in even riskier behavior than before.
As President Theodore Roosevelt once declared in a situation much like our current crisis, “Corporation cunning has developed faster than the law of nation or state. Corporations have found ways to steal long before we have found that they were susceptible to punishment for theft. But sooner or later, unless there is a season of readjustment, there will come a riotous, wicked, murderous day of atonement…. These fools on Wall Street think that they can go on forever! They can’t!”
It is hard to face the fact that we have been so taken advantage of and abandoned by the very people we supported and had put our hope and faith into. Americans need to understand that Obama, along with most of the Democrats and Republicans, are not looking out for our best interests.
http://ampedstatus.com/part-v-overcoming-the-divide-and-conquer-strategy-the-economic-elite-vs-the-people-of-the-usa
Part V: Overcoming the Divide and Conquer Strategy — The Economic Elite Vs. The People of the USA
AmpedStatus Report
“The conflicting propaganda of opposing parties is essentially what leads to political abstention. But this is not the abstention of the free spirit which asserts itself; it is the result of resignation, the external symptom of a series of inhibitions. Such a man has not decided to abstain; under diverse pressures, subjected to shocks and distortions, he can no longer (even if he wanted to) perform a political act. What is even more serious is that this inhibition not only is political, but also progressively takes over the whole of his being and leads to a general attitude of surrender.”
-- Jacques Ellul, Propaganda: The Formation of Men’s Attitudes
The primary reason why the Economic Elite have gained such dominance is their commitment to psychological operations that divide-and-conquer the US public. They use their overwhelming influence over mainstream media outlets and political candidates in very clever ways to divide us.
It is known among political scientists that powerful forces always seek to gain control of pre-existing social and political institutions so they can usurp their powers. The Economic Elite gained control of both the Democratic and Republican political parties because they knew that hardworking Americans loyally followed these parties, and we believed these parties were looking out for our best interests. We have, for the most part, been lifelong Republicans or lifelong Democrats, but until we see that our favored party has been seized by power and greed addicted interests, we will all continue to lose. These are extremely hard truths to face, but until we face them, we will continue our decline.
With half the US population loyal to Democrats and the other half loyal to Republicans, gaining control of both these parties meant total control for them. The past decade is testament to their total control of both parties.
In manufactured public opinion, Obama represented a far left swing in US politics, and Bush represented a far right swing, and these two supposed polar opposites also had a Congress overwhelmingly run by members of their own party. Did we get drastically different policies? In what matters most, in both cases, the results were the same: more money and power for the Economic Elite and the continued decline of the US middle class. This fact is now undeniable.
Yes, there are definite differences in their rhetoric and on some social issues, but this is the key to the psychological operations, to the divide-and-conquer strategy that they use so effectively.
To distract and divide us, they use rhetoric on social issues like religion, gay marriage, abortion, etc., all serious and significant issues that we bitterly disagree on, but in the overall picture, these issues are secondary to the larger, more fundamental political and economic issues that lead to our wealth being stolen from us, and ultimately, our lives being increasingly dominated by a small few.
Bush appealed to conservative Republicans and then ran up the deficit to record levels. Obama appealed to liberal Democrats, but increased war spending and support for Wall Street billionaires. In both cases, the candidates severely divided the US middle class, but in the policy decisions that mattered most, they both sided with the economic top one percent at the expense of hardworking Americans.
Just look at the last few election cycles. In 2006 and 2008 US citizens rose up in record-breaking numbers to kick out the Republicans in power, whom they felt had betrayed them. Now, with the Democrats in power, the consensus seems to be that in the 2010 mid-term elections we will vote for Republicans and kick out the Democrats who have failed to deliver on the much needed and promised changes.
Do you not see the ridiculous nature of this divide-and-conquer strategy? This is a vicious cycle that will continue to lead to our destruction.
Psychological Operations 101: Obama Vs. Fox News
For those of us who are strong enough to see beyond our propaganda-induced preconceptions and prejudices, the insidious nature of the Economic Elite’s divide-and-conquer strategy is on full display in the feud between Obama and Fox News. About half of the country loves Obama and hates Fox News, and the other half loves Fox News but hates Obama. They both use very effective propaganda to seduce their followers. However, as hard as it is for people who love one of them to admit, they both serve the same masters.
Once again, let’s look at Goldman Sachs. They financed Obama’s campaign and he has rewarded them with policies that have led to them making record-breaking profits, instead of investigating them for the many illegal activities they participated in and continue to take part in.
On the other side of this psychological operation, you have Fox News. When was the last time you saw Fox News doing an investigation into the illegal practices of Goldman Sachs? Even the Obama-appointed Tim Geithner, the Economic Elite’s main man on the economy, escapes the significant focus of Fox News’ powerful attack force.
Looking at the Business Roundtable, a significant majority of Obama’s campaign funding came from Roundtable members and, as mentioned earlier, he frequently meets with Roundtable members. On the other hand, Fox News is owned by Roundtable member Rupert Murdoch, and Fox relies heavily on advertising money from Roundtable members. Rupert Murdoch even supported Obama over McCain. As someone who monitors Fox News, I can’t recall the last time I heard Fox reporting on the activities of the Business Roundtable, not that any mainstream “news” companies do.
The list of similarities between the two, when it comes to exposing and holding the Economic Elite accountable, is extensive. So here you have an excellent divide-and-conquer psychological operation. Fox News declares Obama the enemy, and Obama declares Fox the enemy, yet the Economic Elite remain in the shadows, behind the scenes, untouched and continuing their plunder.
Just think of all the misplaced outraged spent on these two puppets. Sure, people have many reasons to like and dislike both, but imagine if all the diehard Obama-haters focused their rage on the people who put Obama in power, and if the diehard Fox-haters stopped criticizing everything Fox says and focused on the Economic Elite who control the media environment in which Fox News operates.
If the Fox-haters and the Obama-haters united and focused their combined outrage on the common forces behind the both of them, we would all be much better off.
The most significant bias in the mainstream media is not the liberal or conservative views propagated to divide, distract, confuse and create apathy among the populace; the ultimate bias is in what is missing from the coverage. The investigative reporting on the most powerful forces within our society is left out of the discussion.
McClatchy, one of the few real journalism news organizations, has repeatedly reported on the illegal activities of Goldman Sachs and the crime syndicate they operate in. Yet, an overwhelming majority of mainstream news outlets ignore these reports and nothing is done to hold Goldman Sachs accountable. In fact, two of the leading figures in the outright theft of our money have recently been lauded in their propaganda press. When you see Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke become the Person of the Year in Time Magazine and Goldman Sachs CEO Llyod Blankfein become the Financial Times Man of the Year, you begin to see where the real media bias lies.
The main bias is in favor of the thieves who stole our country and economy, and own the mainstream media companies. The omni-present mainstream media is the greatest weapon of oppression humanity has ever known.
Although the Internet has had an impact, television news is still by far the most influential news medium. Despite all the new information platforms, this year we have set a new record by watching an average of four hours and 49 minutes of TV per day. We have been subjected to heavy doses of propaganda on a daily basis, for hours a day, every day of our lives.
The mainstream media creates what is known in mass psychology as the “spectrum of thinkable thought.” By constantly discussing and debating surface issues, they limit the range of debate. Having the Republican vs. Democrat paradigm leads us to never debating the underlying Economic Elite who control both of the parties, not to mention their ownership of the media platform on which this debate is taking shape. The more important underlying issues are never discussed, and therefore never enter public consciousness.
The censorship that is most prevalent today is the most dangerous form. Not the censorship of explicit words, sex, or violence, but the censorship of any thoughts outside of elite corporate ideology. Any debate that leads to critical thought on prevailing elite economic dominance is not allowed to enter into the mass media or mainstream public consciousness.
“We must conclude that a changeover is imminent and ineluctable in the co-opted caste who serve the interests of domination, and above all manage the protection of that domination. In such an affair, innovation will surely not be displayed (in the mainstream media). It appears instead like lightning, which we know only when it strikes.”
-- Guy Debord, Comments on the Society of the Spectacle
Part VI: The Economic Elite Versus The People of the USA: In our Nation’s History, the Stakes have Never been Higher
Throughout this report, I have presented statistical and fact-based evidence to demonstrate that a strategic attack has been launched against 99% of Americans. Despite the efforts of the mainstream media and most current politicians, awareness of this reality is spreading throughout the United States.A recent Rasmussen poll found that only 21% of Americans think that the government has the consent of the governed. An Opinion Research Corp. survey revealed that 86% believe “the system of government is broken.”
An overwhelming majority of the population has come to the realization that our government doesn’t effectively represent us anymore. It is just a matter of time before people start taking it upon themselves to begin organizing on a mass scale. Our survival instinct will soon overwhelm our conditioned passivity and erupt into a powerful countervailing force. However, the longer we hesitate and delay action, the harder it will be to obtain economic and political justice.
We cannot continue to stand by and watch our nation be raped and pillaged like this. We can no longer remain idle and passive while our families’ futures are destroyed as we are sentenced to a slow death.
It’s time for 99% of Americans to mobilize and move on common sense political reforms.
We will obviously have many differences on how our country should be run, but we can all come together to dismantle the Economic Elite by making several pivotal political reforms. As long as the game is rigged in favor of the Economic Elite, we will all lose. So let’s find common ground and focus on several obvious battles that we need to win, and can win:
“The right of voting for representatives is the primary right by which all other rights are protected. To take away this right is to reduce a man to slavery.”
-- Thomas Paine, Dissertation on the First Principles of Government
* Electronic Voting: First and foremost, no private corporation should be able to tell us who has won an election without providing an auditable paper trail. Many Democrats felt that Bush stole the 2000 and 2004 elections, and many Republicans felt Obama stole the 2008 election. Of course people are going to feel that elections are stolen when you have a private corporation secretly counting the votes; it is the inevitable result when you can’t verify the election results. In the past few years companies that count the votes have been consolidating, and one company, ES&S, now secretly controls the majority of all our votes. As voting watchdog Brad Friedman stated, “With the ES&S takeover of Diebold/Premier, their nearest competitor, the privately-run election Goliath now has an un-overseeable lock on virtually every election in the United States of America.” It is common sense to say that this is way too much power to be put into one private corporation.
* Campaign Finance: The stunning ruling by the Supreme Court to allow unlimited political spending by the Economic Elite has made a bad situation even worse. We must level the playing field by enacting laws to prevent the overwhelming influence of big money interests in controlling politicians who are forced to pander to them for the ever-increasing need to raise more and more money to have any shot at winning public office. Statistics show how much the Economic Elite already dominate this process: over 90% of the time the candidate who simply spends more money on their campaign wins the election.
* The Two-Party Oligarchy: We must end the two-party system by funding and voting for alternative parties. It is absurd and completely outdated to only have two dominant political parties in a technologically advanced nation of 309 million people. The two-party paradigm is obsolete and creates a system easily manipulated, as the past decade proves with the co-option of the Democratic and Republican parties. We can give our money and support to whomever we like - Libertarians, Tea Party, Progressives, Greens, Independents and the many soon-to-be-created political groups. However, it is pivotal that we immediately cease support for both the Republican and Democratic parties. We understand that there are representatives from both parties who are fighting for our interests, but they are very few and easily marginalized by paid-off party leaders.
* Getting on the Ballot: Republicans and Democrats have created rules to make it increasingly difficult for opposing political parties to even get on the voting ballot. We must make this process easier and invite new parties onto the ticket.
* Debate Commission: The Democratic and Republican control over who is allowed to participate in the nationally televised debates gives the two parties an insurmountable advantage over any other parties. If you are not even allowed to participate in them, you have no shot at winning. Along with this, all candidates should be given a fair share of television coverage.
* Voter Registration: If you are a citizen, you should be automatically registered to vote.
Governmental Policy Formation
* Secrecy, Transparency and Accountability: Government secrecy is at the root of most of our current societal and economic problems. When decisions are made in secrecy, corruption will most often be the result. By throwing light and investigation on the government policy process, we can easily expose the Economic Elite’s agenda and limit their influence. As part of this, all legislation and conference reports must be posted online prior to Congressional debate and vote.
* Lobbying: Along with campaign finance, political lobbying is another way the Economic Elite can easily manipulate our political process financially, in what amounts to legalized bribery. In 2009, a record amount of money was spent lobbying Congress, and now with the new Supreme Court ruling, lobbyists will have even more power to manipulate the political process with what amounts to buying the laws of our nation. Lobbying activities behind closed doors must cease entirely and equal time must be given, transparently, to all the parties directly affected by the law being written.
* Shutting the Revolving Door: No politician should be allowed to profit from government laws or policies which they have written or supported. The practice of leaving a major company to become a politician who then creates and/or supports laws that directly benefit the corporation he or she used to work for, or, conversely, politicians who leave public office to take a high-paying job for a company they have benefited, is a grotesque abuse and manipulation of the democratic process. The revolving door between politics and big business is worse than it has ever been and has corrupted the government like never before.
Information Platforms
* Media Concentration: Having a few large multinational corporations dominating the overwhelming majority of our news and information system will never lead to an informed citizenry. Only ten multinational corporations dominate our mainstream media system. These companies are run by 118 individuals who actively work to propagate Economic Elite rule. The people who run these media companies also sit on other corporate boards that often represent a major conflict of interest. Having only 118 people in ten companies dominating a system that creates public opinion for 309 million people is absurd. We must break up this information cartel and support a more diverse and vibrant independent press that fosters real investigative journalism.
* Net Neutrality: The free and open architecture of the Internet is vital to our success. Without an open Internet our most powerful medium for research and communication, and key organizing tool, will be lost. The Internet must be protected from growing forces that seek to control it by limiting our access to information and our ability to communicate on a mass scale.
* Medical Costs: We have disagreements on how to best provide healthcare, but we all agree that whatever the method, the result needs to be lower costs. We have the most expensive healthcare system in the world and we now pay twice as much as other nations. Other than creating huge salaries for health industry-related executives, there isn’t any reason why we should be forced to pay such outrageous sums of money for second-rate care. No American should die due to lack of money, or have to face bankruptcy in order to get life-sustaining treatments.
* Food and Water Supply: Our food and water supply systems have become a major health hazard. The amount of harmful chemicals found in both our food and water have reached record levels and is causing alarming levels of sickness in a growing number of people.
Real Economic Competition
* Most Americans Believe in Competition: If a person works hard, is productive and good at what they do, most everyone believes that they should make more than a person who sits around looking for handouts. However, just as in sports, to maintain a competitive environment you have to have rules in place that prevent people from having an unfair advantage. For those who believe in competition, in capitalism and free markets, you have to acknowledge that what we have now is not a free market based on fair competition. It is a rigged market, where larger institutions like Goldman Sachs and JP Morgan have an unfair advantage. We cannot allow them to be beyond the law, manipulate the market and then receive taxpayer funds to increase profits and risk-taking while smaller companies, outside of Economic Elite circles, have to play by a much stricter set of rules.
You can’t have free market capitalism when you have government policies favoring companies that have more political clout than others. What we have is socialism for the rich and trickle down economics for the rest of us. We have a market systemically designed to funnel money into the pockets of the richest. If the past few years have proved anything, they have proved that our economy is much more like a pyramid scheme than a free market, where the more money you have, the more money you make. So whatever your economic beliefs and theories might be, let’s all come together to admit that our “free market” is an illusion. We need to make the economic playing field fair so we that can have real competition.
* Redistribution of Wealth: Due to the rigging of our economic and political system, vast sums of wealth have been hoarded by the Economic Elite over the past 40 years. This money must be redistributed to the 99% of Americans who have been robbed and exploited. There will be much heated debate over how this money should be distributed, but we all need to agree that we must first hold the Economic Elite accountable and our wealth must be seized from them.
* Investigations and Prosecutions: The Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission has the power to reveal the inner workings of the financial coup. We must apply intense public pressure and scrutiny to force the Commission into conducting a real investigation. Another urgent priority needs to be a much wider-ranging look at war profiteering. There has been some investigation, but not nearly enough and hardly any prosecution. These are just two of the many investigations that need to be launched. As long as we keep letting the Economic Elite get away with outright theft in broad daylight, we will never be able to restore a nation of law.
There are obviously other vital issues that need to be addressed, but these are the core common-ground issues that we must urgently rally around and support. Unless we organize and take decisive action on all these issues, we will all suffer the consequences of our collective inaction. Any politician who does not urgently move on these issues must be voted out of office and replaced by people who will aggressively fight on these fronts.
These are the core issues that keep the Economic Elite in power. As famed military strategist Carl von Clauswitz wrote in his study “On War,” it is pivotal to strike at this core structure, at “the hub of all power and movement, on which everything depends.”
To those Americans who feel powerless to change things, I say that your feelings are only a result of your induced delusion. You have become so propagandized that you do not even understand the significant position that you are in. We are not peasants trapped in a Third World existence. We are still a mass of people who have the power to change the course of history. The Economic Elite realize this, which is why they are attacking us with an increased intensity.
Why We Must Take Mass Organized Action Now:
The Devastation Ahead
Market Watch recently ran an article entitled, “Death of American Capitalism: The 10 final scenes.” The article references Charlie Munger, Warren Buffett’s long-time investment partner, stating: “Munger is warning us ‘It’s Over’ for America. Yes, ‘o-v-e-r,’ America’s in decline, at the end-of-days, coming to ‘financial ruin,’ says Munger.”
As a result of the Economic Elite’s attack on us, the inequality of wealth between the economic top one percent and the remaining 99% of the population is the highest it has ever been in our nation’s history. The Robber Barons of the Gilded Age have now been overtaken as America’s most depraved and despotic class.
As this attack continues, social safety nets and important public functions that are already reaching a breaking point will collapse under the weight of prolonged decline. With the national deficit now at an all-time high, economists are expecting major cutbacks in vital government programs and tax increases “that aren’t even imaginable.” President Obama has recently put together a “Deficit Commission” and is prepared to make “painful choices.” Many state economies are already running high deficits and preparing for deep cuts in Medicaid and retirement pensions. Major cuts in Social Security payments are also a real possibility.
On top of the 160 banks that have already failed in the past year, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) has listed another 702 banks as being in danger of failing. These banks “collectively hold more than $400 billion in assets” and the FDIC is already operating at “a deficit of nearly $21 billion as of Dec. 31, or more than double the previous quarter.”
With 30 million Americans now unemployed and underemployed, over the next few months five million people will lose the unemployment benefits which they have been surviving off of. Unemployment benefits in 27 states have already gone into the red. In total 40 state programs are expected to go broke. Even the most optimistic economists believe high unemployment rates will continue for the foreseeable future.
Millions more will be added to the five million families who have already been kicked out of their homes, as the number of foreclosures is expected to reach 13 million within the next few years. Food and homeless shelters are already overwhelmed, and there will be millions more in need of these life-sustaining services. 50 million Americans are currently in need of food stamps for survival and approximately 20,000 new people are added to this total every day.
Despite all the healthcare reform talk, the bill still being discussed will do little to reduce costs and extend coverage to those who urgently need it, as insurance rates continue to rise. The number of Americans without health insurance continues to skyrocket to now well over 50 million, with 45,000 preventable US citizen deaths occurring per year. Due to economic hardship, the number of people suffering from psychological depression has hit an all-time high, as suicide rates keep rising.
With a prison population of 2.3 million people, we now have more people incarcerated than any other nation in the world. Our per capita rate of 700 people imprisoned per 100,000 citizens is higher than the darkest days of the Soviet Union. On top of this, the prison industry is expecting major growth over the next few years, as a “new prison opens every week somewhere in America” and Obama commits more tax dollars for the federal Bureau of Prisons.
All told, the death and destruction wrought by this economic crisis is equivalent to a 9/11 attack every single week! And the attacks continue unabated, with no significant measures taken to defend against them and hold those responsible accountable.
With almost 200 million Americans now living paycheck to paycheck, and over 50 million already living in poverty, people are quickly running out of options. The clock is ticking loudly for them, and time delayed is time closer to death.
At the same time, Americans are arming themselves at an alarming rate. The demand for guns and ammunition has hit a record high, and the gun industry cannot produce enough bullets to keep up with orders. In the past year, 100 new armed militia groups have been formed, as militia members have doubled in numbers. Federal authorities are gravely concerned about the “uptick in militia activities.” One federal authority recently said, “All it’s lacking is a spark. I think it’s only a matter of time before you see threats and violence.”
The recent suicide-bomber who hit the IRS building in Texas will be the first of many violent acts if we don’t demonstrate that justice and the rule of law can be restored in a non-violent manner. Suicide-bombers have already reeked havoc in many countries across the globe. As the last act of revenge and desperation, people throughout the world have increasingly resorted to this method of violence and terror.
Fate has placed us in our nation’s most pivotal moment. If we do not take it upon ourselves to lead in decisive non-violent mass action, our country will soon be torn apart by violence and destruction.
In our nation’s history, the stakes have never been higher. It is vital that we recognize the urgent gravity of the situation. What happens over the next few years will determine the fate of our very way of life, of our families’ very existence. We have been attacked, and we are now at war. This is the unfortunate reality of our current crisis.
Our enemy is extraordinarily powerful. However, we are 99% of the US population, and they are only 1%. If we fight, we win!
“Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never has, and it never will.”
-- Frederick Douglass
“All men recognize the right of revolution; that is, the right to refuse allegiance to, and to resist, the government, when its tyranny or its inefficiency is great and unendurable. And oppression and robbery are organized, I say; let us not have such a machine any longer. I think that it is not too soon for honest men to rebel and revolutionize.”
-- Henry David Thoreau, On the Duty of Civil Disobedience
Some will probably disagree with this, but I feel compelled to mention that conservative candidates such as Rand Paul are being targeted by the neocon attack machine in spite of both their Bush-lite foreign policy views and Austrian School economic views, not because of them. It is apparently said candidates' anti-neocon views on civil liberties that has so enraged -- and so evoked the political wrath of -- the Bill of Rights-hating establishment Right.
Austrian School ideologues and commentators routinely suggest or imply that we must sheepishly let the banker-engineered depression simply "run its course," and that to politically interfere in any way with the so-called "corrections" that this orchestrated collapse is imposing on our economy -- an example of such interference being Webster Tarpley’s proposal to “stop all foreclosures on primary residences, businesses, and farms for five years or the duration of the depression” -- would be to offend the almighty god of "market forces." After reading that six-part report by David DeGraw, I can only hope that the **** “conservatives” and right-leaning “libertarians” in this forum understand now (if you didn't beforehand) why I regard this as nothing more than a euphemistic way of saying that we must -- in the name of “liberty” and of “living within our means” -- let the ruling elite's economic WAR against us run its course.
I realize that not everyone online who has adopted this insane view as his or her own necessarily has bad intentions. Most, in fact, seem to have good intentions. But as I'm sure all readers will agree, good intentions do not justify a bad approach -- or what, in the case of the let-everything-collapse-and-we’ll-call-it-a-mere-“correction” Austrian School, is a ridiculously foolish and utterly self-defeating approach.
Bottom line: beware of anyone who insists that the only way to “roast” the “pig” (metaphorically speaking) is to let the “house” we call America be “burned down” by an otherwise solvable economic crisis. Whether that person realizes it or not, he is parroting a false belief that the very plutocrats he professes to oppose want us to accept as divine gospel.
In 2003, hundreds of thousands in the U.S. alone protested against the Iraq war before it had even started, yet the war was launched anyway.
Upon reading the following excerpt, most readers will likely have a much better understanding as to the reason why:
J. Hunter O'Dell, one of [Martin Luther] King's early lieutenants in the movement, recognized the fixation with media developing among civil rights activists and lamented the consequences.
"We all recognize that technologically this is a media age," O'Dell wrote. "But it was disastrous for us to rely primarily upon these corporate forms of mass communication to get our message and analysis out to the public....In the end, it means a new kind of addiction to media rather than being in charge of our own agenda and relying on mass support as our guarantee that ultimately the news-covering apparatus must give recognition to our authority."
O'Dell's point is that the civil rights movement acquired its "authority" to articulate large political aspirations, not because network television came to Selma or Birmingham, but from the hundreds and even thousands of meetings in black churches, week after week, across the South over many years. The dramatic spectacles that appeared on TV were the product of those mobilizing sermons and dialogues, not the other way around.
The movement's organizing processes, O'Dell noted, contained all of the functional elements of a responsible political organization -- mass education and communication as well as continuing accountability between the leaders and the supporting throngs. "The power of any movement for democracy," O'Dell emphasized, "is always dependent on such reciprocal relations between the mass of people and their leadership."
These elements are missing, it seems, from much of the irregular citizens' politics that tries to emulate King's heroic model. Activists hold press conferences or arrange dramatic events to prod the political system. But patiently built reciprocal relationships between leaders and followers, the laborious tasks of education and communication, are often not even attempted. To be blunt, there is a hollowness behind many of the placards and politicians know it.
Succeeding generations of political activists, it often seems, copied the glamorous surfaces of the civil rights legacy -- the hot moments of national celebrity so well remembered -- while skipping over the hard part, the organizational sinew that was underneath.
-- William Greider, Who Will Tell the People, p. 206
It has long been fashionable among partisan hacks in the corporate **** “news” media to suggest or imply that, no matter how unpopular the law or policy in question is, political protesters are wrong to impugn the motives of the U.S. politicians responsible for that law or policy, since they (the politicians) were democratically “elected,” and are hence merely exercising the will of “the people.”
Whenever an establishment shill or media talking head resorts to this twisted line of reasoning, readers would be well advised to remember the following quote:
“The ‘people = government’ doctrine is equivalent to political infantilism—an agreement to pretend that the citizen’s wishes animate each restriction or exaction inflicted upon him. This doctrine essentially makes masochism the driving force of political life—assuming that if government is beating the citizens, they must want to be beaten, and thus they have no right to complain.
“The notion that ‘the people are the government’ is one of the biggest slanders that the average citizen will endure in his lifetime. To presume that any specific private citizen must be held responsible for all the cabals and conspiracies engaged in by all the bureaucrats and politicians is absurd. This is the political version of the doctrine of original sin; it assumes that a person is born politically damned with the weight of all of the past and future sins of his government upon his head. The notion that ‘you are the government’ is simply a way to shift the guilt for every crime by the government onto every victim of government. This makes as little sense as holding each ‘widow and orphan’ owner of a single share of a company’s stock fully liable for crimes secretly committed by the corporate management and holding the actual corporate directors blameless, since they merely followed the unspoken will of individual shareholders.”
Mr. Bovard is, of course, correct in saying we must not blame “the people” for crimes committed by a corrupt government. At the same time, however, we must recognize that it’s not actually government itself that is waging literal “war” against us, but rather the criminal, parasitic, ruling-class oligarchs who’ve hijacked that government; and that the solution, therefore, is not to mindlessly throw the baby out with the bathwater (as anarcho-capitalists from the Austrian School would have us do under the false guise of “liberty”), but to reclaim from these oligarchs our rightful control over our own government.
And, as I explained earlier in this thread, the only way to do that is to unite across both party and ideological lines at the grassroots level for the purpose of exerting AGGRESSIVE, NON-STOP, ROUND-THE-CLOCK PRESSURE on Congress (and, when applicable, our state legislators) to implement urgently-needed and long-overdue public policy reforms.
But this will never -- I repeat, never -- happen until and unless those of us who are already awake inspire a critical mass of our fellow countrymen to
* break out of the television/cell phone-induced state of “parallel play” they’ve long been in; and
* break free from their conditioned state of “learned helplessness” by simply realizing that there are FAR more of “us” than there are of “them,” and that the real power thus lies not with the tiny handful of filthy-rich, power-obsessed plutocrats attempting to enslave us all, but with We the People.
If we fail to do this, then “IMF riots” are almost certain to erupt in the not-too-distant future. And that, of course, is the last thing we need, since all that will amount to is scores of rightfully enraged citizens painting bullseyes on themselves and saying (in effect) to NorthCom and to Homeland “Security” goons: "Hey guys! You know those 'crowd control' weapons you've been just itching to play with? Well, here's a nice big target for ya!"
http://www.wanttoknow.info/050708nonlethalweapons
http://www.infowars.net/articles/february2008/270208sound.htm
http://www.infowars.net/articles/october2008/081008TASER.htm
We also don’t need a bloody civil war -- particularly since this would, at minimum, give the ruling elite the excuse they so desperately want to officially suspend our Constitution and declare all-out martial law (goodbye America, hello Nazi Germany!), and perhaps even the excuse they need to employ the use of neutron bombs and/or bio-weapons. (The mid-20th century is long gone, and firearms are simply no match for the sort of anti-personnel weaponry that the Dr. Strangeloves of the world now have at their disposal.)
What we do need are (a) a mass awakening both to who our real enemies are and to how and why they’re waging war on us, and (b) a peaceful yet aggressive political counteroffensive by an informed, united and “mad as hell" citizenry against our would-be slavemasters.
With the way things are going, anything short of that will inevitably result in a hellish new Dark Ages.
The people of Iceland proved just how effective going on the political counteroffensive can be, if done correctly. It is therefore up to us to not only follow their lead, but to take what they did to the next level by insisting not merely on the repeal or repudiation of what we don’t want, but on the immediate implementation of what we do want. (Hence the urgently-needed “reform measures” I listed at the start of this thread.)
“These are the times that try men’s souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly: it is dearness only that gives every thing its value. Heaven knows how to put a proper price upon its goods; and it would be strange indeed if so celestial an article as FREEDOM should not be highly rated.”
-- Thomas Paine
« Last Edit: September 29, 2010, 03:13:31 pm by Geolibertarian » Report Spam Logged
The Universal Ethic
In addition to uniting across both "party" and "ideological" lines, it's imperative that we unite -- to the greatest extent possible -- across religious lines as well, particularly since differences over religion so often keep people who agree on virtually all political issues needlessly divided into opposing factions.
The question is: when thorny questions about morality and ethics come up, how do we prevent the usual counterproductive flame war between religious fundamentalists, on the one hand, and atheists, agnostics and/or religious moderates, on the other, from erupting as it usually does?
IMHO, there's only one answer to that question, and that is to achieve mass awareness of, and general agreement with, the Universal Ethic (UE).
With that purpose in mind, I'd like to repost here what I've posted elsewhere concerning the UE:
If an "ethic" is a system of arbitrary moral standards by which certain people subjectively measure the rightness or wrongness of human conduct, is there such a thing as a "univeral" ethic by which all of us can objectively measure such conduct?
To understand what I mean, consider the following scenario.
Imagine that a mother and her 4-year-old daughter are walking in the woods, and that a masked bandit jumps from behind a tree, grabs the child, holds a knife to her throat and exclaims to the mother, "Prove to me your child has the right to physical life! And don't lie to me, because I can read your mind, so I'll know if you're saying something you don't think is true!"
The mother (whom I'll call Jane) asks, "Why should I have to prove this?"
To this the bandit (whom I'll call Amschel) responds, "Because if you cannot prove she has the right to physical life, then it does not matter if I cut her throat, does it?"
Jane: "She has the right to physical life because both she and I believe she does."
Amschel: "But I believe she doesn't have this right. So prove to me that what you two believe is right and that what I believe is wrong, and I'll leave you in peace."
Now, if Jane were one or the other of two types of people I've known over the years, her daughter would probably be dead within five minutes -- not because of an unwillingness to save her daughter, but because of (a) her unwillingness to accept (or inability to understand) Amschel's premise that either of them could be "right" or "wrong" about anything in the first place, or (b) her unwillingness or inability to "prove" her case with anything other than empty appeals to authority (e.g., "because the Bible says so").
On the other hand, if she had read Fred Folvary's The Soul of Liberty, then she'd likely succeed in proving Amschel wrong by defining and explaining the "Universal Ethic."
If my hunch is correct, a reader is now thinking: "Huh? The Soul of Liberty? The Universal Ethic? What are you talking about?"
Allow me to answer with the following excerpts from said book (some of which are lifted from a fictional dialogue, similar to the one above, between a "bandit" and a philosopher):
"It is morality that gives us the right to exist, by forbidding murder. But as you stated, the right to live cannot stem from just the ethics of social custom, law, or religion, which can be arbitrary and changing. If it is absolutely wrong for you to kill this man, it can stem only from an absolute standard of right and wrong, a permanent and universal standard for all men, from which custom, law and religion derive whatever justice they may profess."
"And what is this absolute and universal standard?" asked the bandit.
"Good and evil are not abstractions existing by themselves. If no living beings exist, there would be no good or evil. Something can only be good or bad to someone or for somebody. 'Good' is a person's reaction and feeling that something is beneficial or agreeable to him, and 'bad' is the reaction that something is harmful or disagreeable.
"So far we have only shifted our terms from 'good' to 'beneficial and agreeable' and from 'bad' to 'harmful and disagreeable', but by doing so we have identified what good and evil are. We have already begun to crystallize the blurry abstractions of good and evil into the benefits and harms that affect our lives....
"Now the question arises, that if good and evil are whatever a person feels pleases or displeases himself, how do we resolve the cases in which something that pleases one person displeases another? And how can the subjective determination of good and evil be an objective, universal ethic?
"Surely our individual pleasures alone cannot determine an absolute right and wrong. But the recognition that good and evil consist of individual reactions to the conduct and existence of others is the beginning point of the Universal Ethic, or U.E. It is not the conclusion, or the ethic itself. It is the springboard from which we will dive headfirst into the waters of the Universal Ethic. For what else can there be except what each of us feels harms or benefits himself?"
"...we can now state the first principle of the Universal Ethic: only acts that affect others are designated as good or evil. Those actions of a person which affect himself or herself alone cannot be called good or evil by the U.E., since each person determines individually whether such actions are good or bad."
Pages 10-11:
"How can our individual perceptions of good and evil, our reactions to whatever pleases or displeases us, determine an objective, universal standard of good and evil? Not all conduct that displeases us may be called morally wrong, even if it does touch us, for the Universal Ethic must transcend our individual values. How can this bridge be crossed?
"Let us consider injury, harm and disagreeableness. We will define 'injury' in a broad sense as any act that makes us feel worse off than we were before. I am not attempting to linguistically define this and other commonly used words, but simply to give them specific meaning so that we can use them with precision.
"Now, let us define 'harm' in the more specific sense as any injury that does not depend on our personal prejudices, opinions, attitudes, or values for its effect. We define harm as an injury independent of such personal ethical views. Those injuries that do depend on our personal views we will call 'offenses.'
"To illustrate this, suppose you shoot me with your gun, and the wound injures me. Has it also harmed me? The agony does not depend on my religion, my politics, or my personal convictions. It depends on the physical pain that I feel, and therefore it is harm.
"Now contrast this with the action of someone who walks down an alley and sees a gambling casino. He detests gambling, and this place offends him. The sight of all those people throwing their lives into the wheels of fate nauseates him, and he is irritated, shocked, and upset.
"He is emotionally injured, but why? Because of his prejudice or personal views. Someone else may **** frequently and like it. The anti-gambler's injury is due solely to his personal views. Since harm is, by our definition, independent of such views, the gambling has not harmed him."
"It is evident that we are morally prohibited from doing anything wrong or evil to others, or from inflicting our notion of good on others. Are we then morally obligated to do good unto others?
"If the Universal Ethic were to compel us to do good, then it would be wrong for us not to do good deeds. Thus, it would not only be wrong to harm another, but also wrong to refrain from doing good! But we concluded previously that only those acts which harm others are morally wrong. Therefore, no other acts can be wrong, including the avoidance of doing things that benefit others. If I donate my time and money to help a museum or provide toys for poor children, it is morally good, but doing good must be voluntary, rather than mandatory obligation. If we were compelled to do good to others, then we would become their slaves. The Universal Ethic is the ethic of freedom, not of slavery."
We have traced the basic outlines of the Universal Ethic. We have spoken of injuries, harms, and benefits. Now we can bring all these concepts, these components, together and present a summary, a concise formulation of the standard we have derived. For this is the Universal Ethic:
1. Harm is an injury independent of personal ethical views (an injury being any act that makes someone feel worse off than he was before).
2. A benefit is what increases another's well-being, by his values.
3. All acts, and only those acts, that coercively harm others are wrong.
4. Acts that benefit others are morally right, but not an obligation.
"Ethics comes from the nature of man...in whom we can designate three levels of existence.
"The first is the physical level, that of matter and energy. It is the level of man as a collection of chemicals. Inherent in material substance are laws of physics and chemistry that describe and govern its behavior: the laws of conservation, attraction, and motion that are the basis for the physical existence of living beings.
"The second is that of life, made of matter yet possessing features so distinct from raw physical substance that some people have postulated some kind of 'quickening' agent in life apart from matter. Life contains self-generating materials and processes acting under self-oriented internal forces. It is programmed, designed and directed by genetic codes that make it behave much more 'purposefully' than the random thrashing about of non-living matter directed by external or non-programmed forces. And when a living being becomes so aware that it can direct its own life self-consciously, then a third level of existence becomes possible.
"The third level is that of intelligence and sentience beyond a certain threshold. It is the level of awareness and consciousness that enables a living being such as man to control and direct its own actions and responses beyond the calls of automatic instinct (unlearned genetic programming); the predominance of learned, changeable and flexible behavior over automatic, genetically controlled reactions to stimuli; and the highly developed capacity to reason, which man is endowed with as a species. 'Intelligence' alone seems too lean a word, too cold and too narrow for this level of existence, and yet also too loose. Coyotes are said to be intelligent animals, and intelligent humans are contrasted to those who are not, yet humans as a whole exist on this third level of existence and coyotes do not....
"Very well...let us do as we did with 'harm'; let us appropriate a word a give it a special meaning. Let us use the word sentience with a meaning beyond its purely sensory definition. Webster's Third New International Dictionary gives 'consciously perceiving; aware' as one definition of sentient. Let us expand this into feeling, perceiving, and thinking with a conscious, intelligent, and self-controllable awareness. Sentience! The third and human level of existence! It may exist in beings other than human, but we are concerned here with man.
"Sentience is a matter of degree, but then so is life, and there is a threshold beyond which sentience gives rise to an existence that has its own distinct behavior, governed and described by natural laws that do not exist in other forms of life, just as biology has no counterpart in raw matter. Among the laws of sentience or intelligence is ethics.
"If life is 'quickened matter', then sentience is 'conscious life.' Good and evil are inherent in sentience or intelligence, just as good and ill health are in life, and positive and negative charges are in matter. Sentience has benevolence and malevolence just as life has pain and pleasure, and physical substance its matter and anti-matter.
"Some people have pointed to animals chewing and clawing one another and have sneered, 'There is no morality in nature, and therefore none in man, who is but part of the natural scheme.'
"That is like saying there is no pain and pleasure in physical matter, in the atoms, and thus none in life. Moral right and wrong do not exist on the levels of matter or life, but on that of sentience."
...just as the existence of gravity does not depend on whether we believe in it or not, neither does the existence of a permanent, objective ethic.
The U.E. is like the law of gravity, which is fixed by nature; but our measurements of weight depend on the scales we use and on our observations. How much things appear to weigh depends on our measurement system, the accuracy of measurement, and our location and altitude. We can disagree about exactly how much things weigh, even though philosophically we agree that gravity exists equally for all. Just as physical weighing depends on gravity rather than our personal views, ethical weighing depends on the amount of harm to be measured.
« Last Edit: January 22, 2011, 09:39:29 am by Geolibertarian » Report Spam Logged
The Decision: Freedom or Slavery?
http://www.prisonplanet.com/the-decision-freedom-or-slavery.html
The Excavator
It is obvious to every human being in the world that something is wrong in America, where the fate of a sports star is given prime-time attention on national television, while the fate of criminal bankers on Wall Street goes unreported, unmentioned, undecided. If John F. Kennedy was alive he would probably tell Americans: Ask not what Lebron James can do for your city’s basketball team; ask what Wall Street has done to your city’s dreams and hopes.
Instead of a Kennedy, or an Andrew Jackson in the White House, who called the private banking establishment a “den of vipers,” there is a callous, fake, and devious politician that does not have any loyalty to his country, or any inkling of patriotism. He golfs with big banksters, and delivers speeches written by top elitists. The man is so emotionally shallow that he can’t articulate the nation’s anger and distress about the state of the economy without the use of a teleprompter. He isn’t just missing a beat; he’s missing the entire song. And even when he is able to stir some emotions by appealing to people’s distrust of Wall Street, his words are no more authentic than those that are written for a Hollywood film actor. What’s even more scandalous is that he is manipulating the little public support that he has for a corrupt globalist political agenda that he was groomed early on in his political career to carry out.
What else can be said about such a despicable liar as the current President of the United States? Is he aware of the magnitude of the fraud that he is perpetuating on the American people, and on mankind? Does he perceive what penalties lie ahead for him by continuing to insult the American people’s intelligence and sovereignty? Do the American people fully understand the implications of his lies about the wars in the Middle East, 9/11, Wall Street, and the new corporate order agenda? If they did, they should impeach him now. Right now.
Writer and historian Thomas Carlyle warned in his 1850 essay, “Stump-orator,” about men like Barack Obama, and other deceptive politicians, saying that they must not be followed, but exposed, and forever shamed. Carlyle:
“Alas, the palpable liar with his tongue does at least know that he is lying, and has or might have some faint vestige of remorse and chance of amendment; but the impalpable liar, whose tongue articulates mere accepted commonplaces, cants and babblement, which means only “Admire me, call me an excellent stump-orator!” –of him what hope is there? His thought, what thought he had, lies dormant, inspired only to invent vocables and plausibilities; while the tongue goes glib, the thought is absent, gone a-wool-gathering; getting itself drugged with the applausive ‘Hear, hear!” –what will become of such a man? His idle thought has run all to seed, and grown false and the giver of falsities; the inner light of his mind is gone out; all his light is mere putridity and phosphorescence henceforth. Whosoever is in quest of ruin, let him with assurance follow that man,” (Carlyle, Latter-Day Pamphlets, pg. 181).
How long will the world listen to anything that Obama says, or any other puppet lined up behind him who will continue the same agenda of permanent war, permanent spying by the sate, and permanent ownership of society by private banks and corporations? How long will you go along? How long will I?
Why aren’t there more individuals in the U.S. government like Thomas A. Drake and Sibel Edmonds? More talk show hosts on radio like Alex Jones? More journalists in the media like Russ Baker? More news anchors like Amy Goodman? More writers like Arthur Silber and Chris Floyd? More soldiers like Hugh Thompson, Jr.? The world needs bravery, and courage above everything else. Truth-tellers are the peacemakers. They are loyal to a higher authority, to human rights, to the rule of law. Obama, and the U.S. government have zero authority. Dissent against such a criminal state, and the corrupt politicians who serve it is not an act of unlawful rebellion, but an act of true citizenship; a reminder to petty tyrants that draconian laws will not be tolerated by free men and women.
In the book, “Crimes of Obedience: Toward A Social Psychology of Authority and Responsibility,” authors Herbert C. Kelman and V. Lee Hamilton emphasize the power to say no to state sanctioned criminality that every human being is born with. Following orders is not a valid excuse. Avoiding individual responsibility is cowardice. They write; “Crimes of obedience are a consequence of authority run amok. They become possible when individuals abandon personal responsibility for actions taken under superior orders, continuing to obey when they ought to be disobeying,” (Kelman & Hamilton, 1989, pg. 20).
For much of the book, Kelman and Hamilton focus on the breakdown of morality, and the human fear of state authority that had allowed the My Lai Massacre to take place, but at the very end they recount the hopeful story of a French village called Le Chambon that housed German and Eastern European Jews under Nazi rule:
“A deeply moving demonstration of the power of social norms against dehumanization was provided by the small Protestant village of Le Chambon in southern France in the years 1940 to 1944, during the period of the Vichy government and the Nazi occupation (Hallie, 1979). Under the leadership of their pastor, the villagers organized themselves into a place of refuge for victims of persecution, most of whom were Jews–and not even French Jews, but refugees from Germany and Eastern Europe. At great cost and in the face of enormous dangers, the people of Le Chambon established houses of refuge for children, sheltered refugees in their own homes, provided them with identity and ration cards, took care of their needs, and helped them escape when the necessity or opportunity arose. Through their efforts, thousands of children and adults were saved from arrest, deportation, and certain death. Many factors combined to launch and sustain this project of organized resistance to government authority: the history of the Protestants in France; the Chambonnais’ sense of obligation to a higher, religious, authority; the character of Andre Trocme, the pastor, and the villagers’ relationship to him; the solidarity of the community. But the motive force behind the resistance, according to Philip Hallie, was the concern for individual human beings shared by the community’s leaders and members–a concern marked by an attitude of caring, a responsiveness to others’ pain, and a sense of duty to help human beings in need. The Chambonnais refused to go along with attempts to dehumanize the victims. When Andre Trocme was informed by a high official about the need to deport the Jews, he replied: “We do not know what a Jew is. We know only men” (Hallie, 1979, p. 103). This response contrasts tellingly with Lieutenant Calley’s statement, cited earlier: “I did not sit down and think in terms of men, women, and children. They were all classified the same . . . just as enemy soldiers” (Hammer, 1971, p. 257).
We began this book with the story of a village in which a crime of obedience was committed during the Vietnam War. It is appropriate that we end the book with the recollection of another village, at another time and place, whose occupants individually and collectively resisted destructive authorities and refused complicity in an officially sanctioned crime. Despite the continuing prevalence of crimes of obedience and the widespread readiness to submit to authority without question, we draw some optimism from the knowledge that the world of modern bureaucracies provides the setting not only for My Lais but also for Le Chambons,” (Kelman & Hamilton, 1989, pg. 337 – 338).
It is a sad reflection of our times that the citizen is not the center of the political universe in America, or almost anywhere in the world, and when he is given some attention during a special occasion like an election, the central aim is to transfer his fanatical impulses that are usually dedicated to his favorite sports team, or television show to a particular political party, or political puppet. But as Herbert C. Kelman and V. Lee Hamilton illustrate in their book, the citizen has the power to place himself in the center of the moral universe, and from there, take a stand for human justice, and the rule of law.
If we collectively and peacefully resist the U.S. military, NATO, and Israel, then the war crimes in the Middle East will be stopped, and future crimes can be prevented. I can’t see why this is so difficult. What is stopping us from taking a bold stand for justice, and the rule of law? Most of us know how great a hoax the war on terrorism is, so why are we not taking a more assertive position against government authority in the West? Can we not see that what was once the shadow of tyranny is now in full-view, with its dark sun shining darkly over us? Are we too distracted by the latest celebrity gossip to decide between freedom and slavery, not only for ourselves, but for future generations, and not only in the West, but for all Mankind? How shameful it is that media propaganda has conquered the fighting spirits of men in our age, blunted our sense of right and wrong, and convinced us to live every day like the last; to tolerate gross human injustices, and the liars who help cover them up.
Professor William McNeile Dixon advised us in the middle of the last century to never lose sight of the treasures of human freedom, and never accept slavery in whatever rag it wraps itself. Dixon:
“Men are to accept serfdom for the sake of peace and quiet, the content of the dungeon, where you have regular meals, and are in no danger from robbers. It is an agreeable prospect. For my part I should be much surprised and disappointed in my fellow creatures where they so poor in spirit as to prefer plenty in servitude to freedom with a diet of herbs, were they prepared to accept the ‘base, dishonorable, vile submission’, to lose all dignity and stateliness in their outlook upon both life and death. Time will tell,” (The Human Situation, pg. 292).
Oath Breakers and the Age of Treason
http://www.infowars.com/oath-breakers-and-the-age-of-treason/
“Patriotism,” said George Orwell, “has nothing to do with conservatism.” Love for one’s country is not right or left; it is not the sole province of the poor, or the rich; and it can be expressed in different ways. Benjamin Franklin gave voice to the spirit of patriotism when he said; “We must all hang together or we shall most assuredly all hang separately.” Today, patriotism is in need of greater allegiance than ever before. Almost all countries in the world, but especially America because it is the largest military power, are under the threat of a global dictatorial “new world order” that is being deceptively established as the coming together of nations in the interests of saving the planet, but in reality serves the interests of a private international banking cartel, and the global corporate elite. It is a war between two classes more than it is a war between two philosophies. Both sides, the nationalist patriots, and the globalist oligarchs, have much to gain, and lose.
“Patriotism,” said George Orwell, “has nothing to do
with conservatism.”
How did we get to this point in history? Telling the facts is complicated because they are not gossip material, and they are hidden from public discussion by the mainstream media, but once they are grasped, it is really quite simple to understand. Powerful elites have always dominated nations, from the Greeks to the modern world, and America is not an exception, but never have the top one percent of oligarchs acted so aggressively against the interests of the people.
Since the end of WWII, America has been misdirected by its government controllers in the biggest way, and for the most evil designs. John F. Kennedy tried to change course, but he got shot in the head for it. It wasn’t pretty. Forty-seven years after his death, and there still isn’t any sense of national closure because his true murderers have not faced justice. In fact, they still rule America through the usual tricks of the trade: deception, secrecy, and fear. Largely unknown to them until now, the American people have suffered under a tyrannical and traitorous shadow corporate-state that killed their President, and which operates secretly behind a cowardly, and self-serving political class, in the name of “National Security.” High treason, war crimes, and state terror are the defining features of this “National Security State.” And it was created for purposes that are not much different from those of the Nazi regime; power, greed, and world domination for elite profits.
In short, America was covertly overthrown by a tight-knit group of criminal insiders. The coup happened in stages, and achieved through deception, assassination, and terrorism. The seminal dates are 1913, when the private Federal Reserve Bank was established; 1963, which saw the assassination of a real and independent president; and 2000, the beginning of the Bush Administration and the reign of the neoconservatives, who got into power by stealing the election.
From the fifties onward, with the honorable exception of John F. Kennedy’s brief reign as President, the American people have been treated as slaves, and held hostage by their much despised government, public representatives, and shadow rulers. No more a constitutional republic, America became a totalitarian “top secret” empire that is guilty of the invasion and occupation of two innocent countries in the Middle East, and is waging the largest illegal war in history, a “war on freedom” disguised as a “war on terrorism.”
Outlandish language like the “war on terrorism” is the norm in Orwellian America, where everything is the reverse of what government leaders say. The “Patriot Act” of 2001 is actually the “Traitor Act.” The war on terrorism is the war on freedom; the 9/11 investigation is the 9/11 cover up; Israel’s acts of self-defense are in reality acts of criminal aggression; the financial collapse is the financial heist and con; hope and change is more of the same; national security is national tyranny; a new world order is the last vestiges of an old world’s chaos. But the truth matters little, and instead, lies are cherished. Like sheep, the people are deceived into loving the traitors, and fearing the patriots.
Mass propaganda, secrecy, and deception are the linchpins of the NSS. The American people are denied the full knowledge of the shadow government’s crimes and lies, and since they lack foresight, knowledge of the past, and historical imagination, many of them can’t anticipate future deceptions, and future acts of state terror by their two-faced criminal leaders. But that is changing, as more people in America and around the world are waking up, and starting to see the great political crisis that hangs over America, and indeed, all of mankind.
The times we’re living in are so tense that I can hardly sleep at night. Civilization is threatened by the presence of lunatic criminals in the highest positions of power in America, England, Israel, and Iran. For Iranians, resisting the crazy Mullahs isn’t easy. And for Americans, resisting the Transnational Tyrannical State also won’t be easy. It has many resources, and lots of faithful idiots who don’t mind following orders.
It will require mass civil disobedience in America, and the threat of nation-wide citizen revolt, to get rid of the tyrants and traitors that are in the highest levels of the country’s government, banks, media, and corporations. To organize such a resistance not just in America, but in all Western nations, means dropping the labels of “conservative” and “liberal,” ignoring petty ideological differences, and sacrificing our individual egos for the greater good – a free country, and a free world. So far, very few groups have emerged with this view in mind. Oath Keepers is one of them. It is a bipartisan and patriotic organization that includes active-duty soldiers, veterans, National Guard, police officers, fire fighters, and regular citizens who are determined to take back America from the tyrants and traitors, and reestablish the republic on the ruins of a collapsing empire.
On April 19, 2009, members of the Oath Keepers commemorated the first revolutionary war by reciting their oath to support, and defend the Constitution, and promising to never obey unlawful orders. The video of them raising their hands, and declaring that they will follow their conscience, and protect the Constitution is very inspiring, and moving, which is why I was so angry when Mother Jones magazine sought to discredit, and tarnish the image of the Oath Keepers in an article written by Justine Sharrock called, “Oath Keepers and the Age of Treason.” In response to that article, I wrote “10 Reasons Why Progressives Should Support Oath Keepers.” Due to government brainwashing, some people actually need to be reminded that those who break their oaths are the traitors, and those who keep them are the patriots. You think it would be obvious. But it’s not. A lot of Americans are still in deep denial about the dangerous state of the country, and the criminality of their leaders who have betrayed them, and forsaken the grand experiment that is America.
In his classic book, “The **** of the Mind” Dutch-American psychoanalyst Joost A.M. Meerloo wrote about the denial of **** facts in totalitarian societies:
“Modern psychology has taught us how strongly the mental mechanism of denial of reality works. The eye bypasses external occurrences when the mind does not want them to happen. Secondary justifications and fantasies are formed to support and explain these denials. In Totalitaria we find the same despising of reality facts as we do in schizophrenia. How else are we to explain the fact that Hitler was still moving his armies on paper after they were already defeated?”
The left-leaning individuals that fear, and hate the Oath Keepers because they are “conspiratorial,” and “intellectually backward” are either fools, or cowards. They view the Oath Keepers as “right-wing” who only want Obama out of the White House. But that’s not true. They are interested in fixing larger issues, and ending illegal spying, torture, and other government abuses which reflect the breakdown of the rule of law in Washington D.C. And they understand that both parties are responsible for the mess that America is in. Oath Keepers put the country and the constitution above any party or person. The group’s success is a strong indication that the traditional left-right identities are now meaningless. A significant number of Americans have acquired a new political consciousness that is surfacing in groups like Oath Keepers. They shun both the Democrats, and Republicans, and make room for small political disagreements because they care about reestablishing the rule of law, and saving the country. What matters to them is the truth, freedom, and justice; not petty partisan issues.
Bailouts Went To Foreign Banks
http://www.prisonplanet.com/bailouts-went-to-foreign-banks-congressional-report-confirms-what-we-already-knew.html
Bailouts Went To Foreign Banks: Congressional Report Confirms What We Already Knew
Is the offshore banking takeover still a conspiracy theory?
Thursday, Aug 12th, 2010
A Congressional Oversight Panel issued today highlights the fact that large portions of the Treasury’s $700 billion bailout fund have gone straight into the coffers of foreign banks, a fact that we knew months ago, but is only now being officially recognised.
The AP reports:
“Billions of dollars in U.S. rescue funds wound up in big banks in France, Germany and other nations. That was probably inevitable because of the structure of the Treasury Department’s program, the Congressional Oversight Panel says in a new report issued Thursday.”
The report notes that French bank Societe Generale received $11.9 billion, BNP Paribas got $4.9 billion, and Germany’s Deutsche Bank received $11.8 billion. This was a result of the fact that the majority of the $182 billion in bailout funds for AIG was spent on meeting the bank’s obligations to its Wall Street trading partners on credit default swaps.
43 out of 87 of those banks and financial institutions were foreign, according to the report. In addition to French and German banks, money was received by banks in Canada, Britain and Switzerland.
Taxpayers will never get this money back, a fact alluded to in the Congressional report, with the Congressional Budget Office estimating that taxpayers will lose $36 billion – an official figure that is blatantly way off the real cost to taxpayers when you take into account the full exposure of the federal government’s bailout programs since 2007, which stretches beyond $24 trillion.
“The point we make forcefully in this report is that there were no data about where this money was going, no information about where this money was going,” said panel chair Elizabeth Warren, a Harvard law professor. “Without that information, no one could make a deliberate policy choice” about whether to ask foreign governments to contribute to the financial rescues.
Relatively little is known still about the destination of trillions in bailout funds, following consistent and determined efforts on behalf of the Treasury and the Federal Reserve to keep the information secret.
“The panel strongly urges Treasury to start now to report more data about how TARP and other rescue funds flowed internationally and to document the impact that the U.S. rescue had overseas,” the report says.
“The American people have a right to know where the money went and they have a right to that information quickly,” Warren added during a telephone media press conference.
The report concludes that the losses sustained during the financial crisis has revealed the need for an international plan “to handle the collapse of major, globally significant financial institutions.”
The information in the Congressional report has been widely available for over a year. It has become common knowledge that over $40 billion in bailout money given to AIG went to foreign banks. Indeed, even AIG’s former chief said that the government used AIG “to funnel money to other Institutions, including foreign banks”.
Related reading: Americans Have Been Bailing Out Foreign Banks for Years … And We’re Getting Ready To Do It Again
Watch Alex Jones’ recent SOS call regarding the aggressive foreign banking cartel takeover of America and the wider world:
10 Signs The U.S. is Becoming a Third World Country
http://www.infowars.com/10-signs-the-u-s-is-becoming-a-third-world-country/
The United States by every measure is hanging on by a thread to its First World status. Saddled by debt, engaged in wars on multiple fronts with a rising police state at home, declining economic productivity, and wild currency fluctuations all threaten America’s future.
The general designations of the ranking system for world status date back to the 1950s, and have included countries at various stages of economic development. Since the Cold War, the definition has come to be synonymous with repressive countries where a wealthy class of ruling elites segment society into the haves and have-nots, many times capitalizing on the conditions that follow an economic crisis or war.
While much of the world is still mired in poverty, the reduced cost of innovative tools such as computing and connectivity ironically puts traditional Third World countries at the forefront of a new lean-and-mean economy that is based on ideas of empowerment for the disenfranchised. For better or worse, the world is leveling due to Globalism. However, America and other over-leveraged countries face this re-balancing of the globe at a time when they have dwindling resources. We can speculate about who and what is to blame for America’s fantastic fall, but for the purposes of this article we shall focus on the obvious signs that the United States is beginning to resemble a Third World country.
1. Rising unemployment and poverty: Unemployment numbers, food stamps, and home foreclosures continue to reach new record highs. The ugly reality of those numbers was recently on display when 30,000 people showed up to apply for public housing in East Point, GA for 455 available vouchers. Fights broke out, people were fainting from the heat while in line, and riot police showed up to handle the angry poor.
2. Economic dependence: The United States finished 2009 with a debt-to-GDP ratio of 85%, according to the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The current trend projects the United States to finish 2010 at 94% and 2011 at 98%. The 90% level has become the IMF’s make-or-break point for countries hoping to grow their way out of debt. If the government debt load climbs above 90% of GDP [.pdf], economic growth slows so much that growth is no longer a viable solution for reducing that debt, and the IMF insists on austerity measures. Surpassing this debt threshold has also caused China’s lead credit rating agency to cut America’s credit rating.
3. Declining civil rights: Everyday freedoms are often a casualty of a society in collapse. As the anger of the populace mounts in response to declining economic conditions and political corruption, the government counters by increasing draconian measures that restrict the political rights and civil liberties of its citizens.
America is becoming a country like China, which has one of the lowest scores according to Freedom House. In America, private discussions and movements are monitored, free speech is corralled, the freedom to assemble for protest is by government decree, and independent thought that questions the political system is increasingly looked upon with suspicion. A final indicator is when the government insists upon secrecy for its own actions, while new laws and systems are created to put the individual under nearly constant surveillance.
4. Increasing political corruption: When political corruption becomes the accepted norm, as opposed to the exception, then there’s a good bet your country resembles the Third World. Congress and all major institutions face a growing crisis in confidence, where a record-low 11% of the population believe Congress is doing a good job. It now seems obvious to all observers that big corporations directly control the agenda in Washington — much like typically corrupt Third World countries.
5. Military patrolling the streets: The rise of a militarized police state is a hallmark of most Third World countries, particularly in times of rapid economic collapse. America’s declaration of the War on Terror has created a constant threat to National Security that has allowed for the military to be deployed on American soil. Building upon the War on Drugs, this has created a fusion between the military and local police, where military-grade weapons and tactics are being used against American citizens in a cascade of violent confrontations over non-violent offenses. Military checkpoints are moving farther inland, away from meaningful border control functions, and a full-blown military presence in American cities has been planned by the U.S. Army War College.
6. Failing infrastructure: As 46 of 50 states are on the verge of bankruptcy, cities are going dark, asphalt roads are returning to the stone age, and nationwide budget cuts are leaving students without teachers, supplies, or a full-time education. These are common features one will see as they travel through the poorest of Third World countries.
7. Disappearing middle class: During the last presidential debate season, they argued that a family income of $250K was solidly middle-class. Well, Census data shows less than 15% of families make over $100K, and only 1.5% of families make over $250K. The income gap between the rich and poor has increased at a staggering pace, while many more middle-class folks join the ranks of the poor every day. Cavernous income gaps may be what Third-World nations are best known for.
8. Devalued currency: The value of the Federal Reserve Note (U.S. dollar) has declined 96% since the inception of the Federal Reserve in 1913. The value of the dollar is based on its supply in circulation and, to a lesser extent, the demand for those dollars. For the last three years, the money supply has spiked literally off the charts. It can be argued that the dollar has become America’s top export as the world’s reserve currency, and if the volatile dollar is scrapped, which the U.N. and IMF now suggest, then demand will plummet, killing the currency.
9. Controlling the media: A government-influenced media that censors information is a key component of Third World countries. In some countries it is openly owned by the State. In America, privately-owned major media is not as balanced or as diverse as it seems; the concentration of ownership has led to censorship when national and corporate interests have sometimes overlapped. The persecution of high-profile investigative journalists such as WikiLeaks is set amid a backdrop of the proposed Internet censorship of bloggers who wish to remain anonymous. The end of net neutrality creates a pay-to-play system that can lead to further corporate and government control of information and opinion. Cybersecurity initiatives are the final nail in the coffin, as the entire free flow of information can be vetted in a China-style system of “identity management.” On the street, the police state and media control have converged in the recent rise of arrests for those who videotape the police. This is a huge blow to First Amendment rights and the role of photojournalists who wish to document public police behavior.
10. Capital Controls: Many nations have enforced capital controls as their economies collapse. It most recently happened in Argentina and Venezuela [.pdf] as they sought to keep the remaining wealth within their borders. The SEC already has adopted policies to allow money market funds to suspend withdrawals during a financial crisis, while the recent HIRE bill (HR 2487) puts restrictions on Americans moving capital to foreign countries. Some economists suggest that the national debt has gotten so high that the government must now force investment of private capital into U.S. Treasury debt.
Key economic indicators point to a situation potentially worse than the Great Depression. The land of opportunity for so many is devolving into a system of government corruption, corporate looting, and military rule that threatens to sink the American Dream. The capital flight from America has left a dwindling middle class holding an empty bag. This style of underinvestment in the foundation of society is similar to what already has led to the exodus from the rural Midwest. Now, there are ominous signs of a silent exodus of young, intelligent professionals seeking opportunities to realize their dreams outside of America; they are becoming known as Generation Xpat. Lastly, many skilled immigrants have returned to their home countries to seek a better quality of life, which might be the scariest indicator of all.
Re: 10 Signs The U.S. is Becoming a Third World Country
Quote from: Geolibertarian on August 25, 2010, 12:16:13 pm
8. Devalued currency: The value of the Federal Reserve Note (U.S. dollar) has declined 96% since the inception of the Federal Reserve in 1913. The value of the dollar is based on its supply in circulation and, to a lesser extent, the demand for those dollars. For the last three years, the money supply has spiked literally off the charts.
Lest anyone falsely conclude from this that imposing a freeze on money creation is even a partial solution, please see the following:
http://www.wealthmoney.org/articles/Budget.html
Has The Balanced Budget Been Misunderstood?
This graph shows the U.S. budget surpluses and deficits from 1954 to 1989. The recessions are numbered and plotted on the graph.
Has The Balanced Budget Been Understood?
We are told we must balance the budget. Look at the record and find out what happens when we do. Shortly after each balanced budget we had a recession. Check the record. Notice the many years between numbers two and four. No surpluses and no recessions until the surplus in 1969. By December, 1969 number three started. No one has dared to balance the budget since.
The large deficit in 71 and 72 got the economy going again. The deficit was reduced in 73 but before the budget could be balanced , number four started November 1, 1973. The pattern was repeated with numbers five and six.
We had number four when the deficit was reduced to about $5 billion, number five at about $40 billion, and number six at about $70 billion. Recessions five and six were so close, because the deficit in 81 was too small to keep the recovery going. Just look at the huge deficits required to end number six.
Since 1985, many items have been taken 'Off Budget' to hide the true size of the deficit.
Note the large reduction from 86 to 87. Could this be the reason for the October 1987 market crash? Economists predicted a depression within six months. Why were they wrong? The 88 and 89 debt increase figures tell us the answer.
The government borrowed enough to stimulate the economy out of the predicted depression.
Since 1792, our monetary system has been switched from a wealth based monetary system to a monetized debt-based monetary system. Under constitutional principles, our money was to be a representation of wealth and spent or traded into circulation.
Now our monetary system is based on debt. Every form of money now in circulation was put into circulation as a loan or as a debt to someone. When interest is charged on the loans it means that the debt is always greater than the money supply. In order for the economy to function there must be an ever expanding debt. Is this fiscal responsibility?
If the debt is not continually growing there is a money shortage. That is the reason that each time there is a reduction in the deficit a recession follows. A money shortage is what causes recessions. The media doesn’t tell you this. Why not?
For the real solution to our debt-caused monetary crisis, see:
http://www.prisonplanet.com/introduction-to-the-road-through-2012-revolution-or-world-war-iii.html
Introduction To The Road Through 2012: Revolution or World War III
The following is Part I to David DeGraw’s new book, “The Road Through 2012: Revolution or World War III.” This is the second installment to a new seven-part series that we will be posting throughout the next few weeks. You can read the introduction to the book here. To be notified via email of new postings from this series, subscribe here.
1: Economic Imperial Operations
When we analyze our current crisis, focusing on the past few years of economic activity blinds us to the history and context that are vital to understanding the root cause. What we have been experiencing is not the result of an unforeseen economic crash that appeared out of the blue with the collapse of the housing market. It was certainly not brought on by people who bought homes they couldn’t afford. To frame this crisis around a debate on economic theory misses the point entirely. To even blame it on greedy bankers, while essentially accurate, also misses the most vital point.
This crisis is the direct result of a strategic economic attack on the existence of a middle class and democracy worldwide. The stock market and economy have become weapons of mass oppression manipulated by an imperial banking cartel to impose order and exploit the masses. This crisis boldly represents the manifest evolution of the fascist spirit reasserting itself as the dominant ideology.
Any fairytale notions of the United States being a democratic republic built on the rule of law have been utterly dispelled. As a nation we have been bred and conditioned to be dangerously naïve to the darker forces which operate beyond the spotlight of the mainstream media. We have been blinded to what has been developing throughout the world.
The economic imperialism that has now blown-back to the United States and Europe has been evolving for decades and can be directly traced back to the end of World War II, to the birth of the CIA, International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank.
For those of us who have been paying attention to economic imperial operations that have been carried out against countries throughout the world, this looks all too familiar. The IMF and global bankers have conquered the second and third world, and they have now moved on to countries within the first world. Western European and American working classes are in the cross-hairs now.
Economic and societal indicators, along with recent G-20 policy decisions, clearly demonstrate that they are carrying out and escalating systemic economic attacks throughout Europe and the US.
To put it in technical terms, the United States government has been taken over by a financial terrorism network. They have bought off leaders of both the Republican and Democratic parties, and have established a dominant role in all three branches of government and throughout the mainstream media. They have complete control of the economy, stock market, US Treasury, Federal Reserve, World Bank, IMF and global banking system. Free market capitalism has collapsed; it’s now a rigged global market. This is an organized criminal operation, an imperial fascist movement that is determined to destroy our very way of life.
What it Will Take to Restore America: Identify the Enemy
http://www.prisonplanet.com/what-it-will-take-to-restore-america-identify-the-enemy.html
Jacques Ex Deos Libertas
Never in the history of our nation have we faced so great a danger to our liberties, to our way of life, to our Republic. We now face a fifth column, an enemy so evil and so desperate, that no lie, no form of trickery, no deception is too great for them; to them the ends justify the means. Many conservatives have labeled these enemies of the Republic as communists. Although one of their own did invent the concept of communism, they are not communists. Many conservatives have labeled these traitors to America as socialists; this too is a fallacy, and though these people utilize socialism as a weapon as they have with communism, they are not really socialists either. Socialism was invented by them, promoted by them, and tweaked to its current form by them; but it too is only a means to an end.
There is no doubt that the enemy I am referring to is totalitarian in the extreme. They are the quintessential enemies of the Republic, of the Constitution, of liberty and freedom as defined in the Constitution of these United States of America. In fact, these people are the enemies of all of mankind. Their aim is to destroy liberty, to destroy freedom, to destroy this Republic and the principles of its Bill of Rights and the Constitution that guards our liberty and freedoms. These people are the most tyrannical, the most evil humans that have ever set foot on this planet to date.
Who then am I referring too? What is their political identity? What are their goals and their ambitions? I am referring to the GLOBALISTS, a breed of human animal so vicious, so evil, so tyrannical they make Adolf Hitler look like a school boy. As a matter of fact, they funded, supported, aided and abetted Hitler’s rise to power, just as they did with Mao, Pol Pot, the Russian Bolsheviks, Kim Il Sung, Kim Jung Il, Yasser Arafat, The Muslim Brotherhood, The Shah of Iran Reza Palavi, and a host of other tin horn dictators all over Africa, the Middle East, Asia, and South America. They are in fact fascists, but a very different form of fascism than we have been taught to recognize.
Who then are these villans? They are the Global Elite, the stockholders of the largest international banks in the world, and the largest corporations in the world. They are also the stockholders and board members of the Federal Reserve Board, and the Federal Reserve Bank. They are both the well known and those not so well known: the Rothschilds family, the Rockefellers (specifically David Rockefeller), The Royal Family of England, The Royal Family of Spain, The Royal Family of The Netherlands, most of the surviving Royals of Europe are in this Cabal of Evil. Also the oldest Banking Families of Europe, America, and Asia.
The Groups that do the bidding of these Global Elites are the Committee of 300, The Club of Rome, The Bilderberg Group, the Council on Foreign Relations, The Trilateral Commission, The Rockefeller Foundation, The United Nations, as well as other groups both political and social. The world leaders, businessmen, intelligentsia, government organizations and their bureaucrats are their lackeys. The unions are their lackeys, The Fortune 500 and Fortune 1000 corporations are their lackeys. The mainline universities and most of the mainline think-tanks are their lackeys. Examples would be the Rand Corporation, The CIA, and most every International Intelligence Agency, in America, Europe, and the West, to include Israel.
If we are to restore America to a place of individual rights, civil liberties, and the freedom to pursue our happiness, the identities of the criminal cabal must continue to be revealed. We should continue to a shine the light of truth into their shadowy corners.
Sources for this article:
http://pakalert.wordpress.com/2009/11/10/house-of-rothschild-no-one...
http://www.whale.to/b/300.html
http://benjaminfulford.com/300.html – a listing of the committee of 300
http://www.fourwinds10.com/siterun_data/government/new_world_order/... list of the committee of 300 past and present. And the organizations directly under their influence.
http://www.educate-yourself.org/nwo/brotherhoodpart2.shtml
http://www.educate-yourself.org/nwo/illuminatiagendabestoverviewyet8jun02.shtml
http://www.educate-yourself.org/nwo/illuminatiagenda2bestoverviewyet8jun02.shtml
What is their agenda?
Plain and simple – World Domination in every arena of human existence.
http://educate-yourself.org/cn/johncolemangoalsofIlluminati.shtml http://pakalert.wordpress.com/2009/08/16/the-illuminati-agenda-for-...
http://pakalert.wordpress.com/2009/06/18/the-dajjal-war-on-humankind/
http://www.educate-yourself.org/nwo/nwopopcontrol.shtml
http://pakalert.wordpress.com/2009/01/05/a-military-dictatorship-co..
http://pakalert.wordpress.com/2009/04/19/video-population-reduction...
"U.S." military preparing to commit HIGH TREASON against the American people!
http://www.prisonplanet.com/u-s-troops-to-deal-with-rioting-americans.html
U.S. Troops To Deal With Rioting Americans
Globalists Collapsing Society To Bring In Martial Law
U.S. troops now being trained to boss communities and run local governments are being readied to oversee a post-collapse America in which riots and civil unrest similar to that now exploding in Europe over austerity measures and pension cuts ravage the United States and are met with the iron fist of a militarized police state.
Reaction to our earlier story about the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division being prepared for a situation where “in essence they will become the local government” by working with local officials has been strong, with some refusing to believe that the program is geared towards anything other than operations overseas.
However, as we outlined in our article, similar deployments by Northcom are admittedly focused around “homeland patrols” and training troops to deal with “civil unrest” and “crowd control”.
We have documented numerous incidents over the past several years where active duty troops or national guard have been used in domestic law enforcement operations.
The military are now being called upon to undertake roles normally designated to police as Americans are incrementally acclimated to accept the presence of troops on the streets as an everyday occurrence, in preparation for them to be used should the United States enter a post-collapse period of turmoil and unrest.
We covered a case in Kingman Arizona last September, where National Guardsmen were filmed “providing security” and directing traffic.
Another example occurred in Newport Kentucky, when military checkpoints suddenly appeared downtown on September 6 last year. Military Police from the U.S. Army National as well as Marines were purportedly conducting “traffic control” because the city was strapped for funds and did not have enough police to do the job.
The excuse that troops are stepping in to help because there is a lack of police doesn’t wash. Crime is down over the last 20 years, there are around three times more police and the state is not calling out the National Guard, they are being put on the streets as a result of the harmonization of police and military, a process that has been ongoing for decades, long before the economic recession hit. Troops also have guns and their primary function is to search people and vehicles, not direct traffic.
Members of the WeAreChange Ohio group interviewed some of the troops, who when asked if they would be prepared to “confiscate guns, shoot resisters in the back of the head, or throw people into ovens to incinerate bodies,” refused to categorically deny that they would follow such orders.
However, this was by no means the first time that troops have been used to fulfill roles normally ascribed to police in Kentucky.
During the Kentucky Derby on May 2 last year, Military Police were on patrol to deal with crowd control. An Associated Press photograph shows armed MP’s detaining a man who ran onto the track following the 135th Kentucky Derby horse race at Churchill Downs.
“The military has NO BUSINESS policing the citizens except during extraordinarily exceptional times of national emergency by an executive order. This is very disturbing and completely un-American. Maybe even more disturbing is that no one seems to care how quietly and easily we have accepted the burgeoning police state,” one respondent to the photo stated.
As we reported in 2008, U.S. troops returning from Iraq are now occupying America, running checkpoints and training to deal with “civil unrest and crowd control” under the auspices of a Northcom program that by 2011 will have no less than 20,000 active duty troops deployed inside America to “help” state and local officials during times of emergency.
Over the course of the last few of years, we have reported on numerous instances of military involvement with local law enforcement in violation of Posse Comitatus.
In January 2009, soldiers from the Virginia National Guard. Soldiers from the Lynchburg-based 1st Battalion, 116th Brigade Combat Team, were used to conduct personal searches at checkpoints in Washington DC for the inauguration of Barack Obama.
In February, no less than 2,200 U.S. Marines were also involved in urban operations training in Richmond, VIrginia, throughout January, drills that involved landing troops in populated areas, allowing military pilots to “familiarize themselves with the area.”
In March of that year, we reported on U.S. Army troops dispatched to patrol the streets of Samson, Alabama, after a murder spree.
On April 6, we reported on a DHS, federal, state, Air Force, and local law enforcement checkpoint in Tennessee. On April 3, Infowars was instrumental in the cancellation of a seatbelt checkpoint that was to be conducted in conjunction with the Department of Homeland Security and the 251st Military Police in Bolivar, Tennessee.
In December 2008, we reported on the Marine Corps Air and Ground Combat Center dispatching troops to work with police on checkpoints in in San Bernardino County, California.
On April 22, we reported the deployment of 400 National Guard Combat Support Battalion troops to “maintain public order” at the Boston Marathon.
In June, Infowars posted an article by D. H. Williams of the Daily Newscaster reporting the deployment of 2,300 Marines in the city of Indianapolis under the direction of FBI and the Department of Homeland Security.
We also reported a story on April 22 covering the assault of a local television news team by an irate police officer in El Paso, Texas. A video taken by the news videographer shows uniformed soldiers working with police officers at the scene of a car accident.
The presence of uniformed and armed military police is part of an ongoing campaign to acclimate the populace to the presence of soldiers at public events.
Northcom was only relatively recently assigned its own fighting unit – the Army’s 3rd Infantry Division’s 1st Brigade Combat Team, which had been fighting in Iraq for five years before that. As we have previously reported, the Armed Forces Press Service initiated a propaganda campaign designed to convince the American people that deploying the 3rd Infantry Division in the United States in violation of the Posse Comitatus Act is a good thing, with images of soldiers from the brigade helping in “humanitarian” rescue missions, such as car wrecks. This is all designed to condition Americans to accept troops on the streets and highways as a part of everyday life.
The assignment of the 1st Brigade Combat Team to Northcom alarmed the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). “This is a radical departure from separation of civilian law enforcement and military authority and could, quite possibly, represent a violation of law,” said Mike German, ACLU national security policy counsel.
The last time the the national guard and military worked with FEMA and local law enforcement on a large scale in the United States was during Hurricane Katrina, when they aided in the confiscation of privately owned firearms of citizens, even those who lived in the high and dry areas and were unaffected by the hurricane.
In August last year it was reported that the Pentagon was attempting to “grant the Secretary of Defense the authority to post almost 400,000 military personnel throughout the United States in times of emergency or a major disaster,” wrote Matthew Rothschild for The Progressive.
“In June, the U.S. Northern Command distributed a “Congressional Fact Sheet” entitled “Legislative Proposal for Activation of Federal Reserve Forces for Disasters.” That proposal would amend current law, thereby “authorizing the Secretary of Defense to order any unit or member of the Army Reserve, Air Force Reserve, Navy Reserve, and the Marine Corps Reserve, to active duty for a major disaster or emergency.”
Collating all the evidence of how the military has been seamlessly ingrained into the daily lives of Americans by way of uniformed troops undertaking law enforcement duties, there can be no doubt that the U.S. is already under a condition of undeclared martial law.
This has nothing to do with Afghanistan or Iraq – this is about turning America into a militarized police state in anticipation of widespread rioting.
Only by becoming aware of how far America has sunk into a militarized police state can we begin to reverse the incremental conditioning that has led Americans to accept the sight of troops on the streets demanding their papers.
It is important to understand that we are witnessing a deliberate collapse of society where the shrinking middle class is left with no other option but to riot in a last ditch effort to salvage their rapidly evaporating wealth.
We are already seeing tensions build in France and other areas of Europe as part of the growing backlash against austerity measures and government seizure of pensions. Now the government is preparing to openly loot all private 401(k) pension funds, which could be the straw that breaks the camel’s back and turns once passive Americans into angry mobs.
Numerous forecasters, governments, spy agencies, and international bodies are predicting mass riots and unrest in response to a worsening economic picture.
In November 2008, right as the economic implosion was unraveling, the U.S. Army War College released a white paper called Known Unknowns: Unconventional ‘Strategic Shocks’ in Defense Strategy Development. The report warned that the military must be prepared for a “violent, strategic dislocation inside the United States,” which could be provoked by “unforeseen economic collapse,” “purposeful domestic resistance,” “pervasive public health emergencies” or “loss of functioning political and legal order.” The “widespread civil violence,” the document said, “would force the defense establishment to reorient priorities in extremis to defend basic domestic order and human security.”
Authorities have also made preparations for deploying troops to round up Americans in the aftermath of an immigration influx should Mexico completely collapse, which is a very real prospect.
During the Iran Contra hearings in the 80’s, previously classified information came to light about Continuity of Government (CoG) procedures in times of national crisis. The masterminds behind these programs were Oliver North, Donald Rumsfeld and Dick Cheney. The Rex-84 ‘readiness exercise’ discussed the plan to round up immigrants and detain them in internment camps in response to uncontrolled population movements across the Mexican border.
The real agenda was to use the cover of rounding up immigrants and illegal aliens as a smokescreen for targeting political dissidents and American citizens. From 1967 to 1971 the FBI kept a list of persons to be rounded up as subversive, dubbed the “ADEX” list.
Since 9/11, shadow government and CoG programs that were outlined in Rex-84 have been activated, including mass warrantless wiretapping of American citizens.
According to respected author Peter Dale Scott, “Both the contract and the budget allocation are in partial fulfillment of an ambitious 10-year Homeland Security strategic plan, code-named ENDGAME, authorized in 2003. According to a 49-page Homeland Security document on the plan, ENDGAME expands “a mission first articulated in the Alien and Sedition Acts of 1798.” Its goal is the capability to “remove all removable aliens,” including “illegal economic migrants, aliens who have committed criminal acts, asylum-seekers (required to be retained by law) or potential terrorists.”
Let us be under no illusion that U.S. troops are being trained to target the American people, and when similar scenes to those currently unfolding in Europe hit U.S. streets, the response is going to be a whole lot more brutal, which is why active duty soldiers who have been occupying Iraqi and Afghan cities for the past several years are now being brought home to deal with Americans whose anger over foreclosures, seized pensions, a collapsing dollar and mass unemployment will ultimately reach boiling point as the descent into depression becomes overwhelming.
The Midterm Election Further Demonstrates The Need for Revolution
Global Research, November 4, 2010
AmpedStatus - 2010-11-03
The Obama referendum came in and he got what he deserved. When you run on change and leave the same criminals in positions of power and don’t hold anyone accountable for obvious crimes, and allow them to continue to commit those crimes, you deserve to lose your power. This is what happens when you put Tim Geithner and Larry Summers in charge of the economy, and support Ben Bernanke for reconfirmation as Chairman of the Federal Reserve. This is what happens when you keep Robert Gates as your Secretary of Defense and General Petraeus in charge of your wars. This is what happens when you lie to protect the interests of BP over the American people. This is what happens when you bailout Wall Street and the health care industry and sell out everyone else. This is what happens when your rhetoric is the opposite of your actions. The past two years have clearly exposed Obama as a spineless corporate puppet and he deserves to be voted out in 2012.
Now, don’t get me wrong, most of the people who were just voted into office are just as bad, if not worse, as hard as that is to believe. This election marks the third straight time that the American public dramatically voted out the people who were in power. The fact of the matter is that these people are not voting for politicians that they like as much as they are voting against politicians they hate. Hopefully by 2012 the American public will finally understand that they must support Independent candidates and alternative political structures, and cannot vote for Democrats or Republicans, if they ever want to achieve the needed change. Both parties serve the same corporate masters. Yes, there are some differences between the two. The Democrats serve half of the top economic one percent, and the Republicans serve the other half. We have Neo-liberals to the left and Neo-cons to the right, leaving 99% of us without representation.
And the saddest part of all, the system is now so rigged via campaign finance, lobbying and the revolving door that it is almost impossible for people who represent us to even get into office, let alone stay in office and enact policies that will bring change. Two politicians in Congress who actually fought for us against the Economic Elite just lost their reelection bids. Alan Grayson and Russ Feingold lost because record amounts of cash went to funding the candidates who ran against them. Even their own party’s leadership didn’t support their reelection efforts. The bottom line in this money rigged system is that you cannot run against the most powerful corporations and win. They will just pour unlimited funds into defeating you, and your own party will desert you.
The truth that many so called “Independent” news outlets will not tell you is that this government is now beyond repair. You won’t hear many calls for Revolution because even the more “Independent” news outlets are dependent on the two-party system. It is absurd that these outlets still play into the obsolete Republican versus Democrat dynamic. The only reason why they do it is because they are dependent on grants from foundations and political organizations that will not fund them unless they bow to Democrats and bash Republicans, or vice versa.
I can speak from personal experience. I’ve lost a vital grant to fund my work because I wasn’t willing to focus my attention on blaming Republicans for our problems. Our problems are a result of the two-party system. When you engage in bashing one party in favor of the other, you become a pivotal cog in the machine that is killing our country. I will not be part of the disease. The stakes are too high now. America is burning and both parties are pouring gasoline all over it.
We Can Fix America If We Focus on What ALL Americans Want
http://www.prisonplanet.com/we-can-fix-america-if-we-focus-on-what-all-americans-liberals-and-conservatives-want.html
We Can Fix America If We Focus on What ALL Americans – Liberals AND Conservatives – Want
While there are some things that liberals and conservatives will never agree about, there are many things that we already all agree on.
Knowing the many things we agree to empowers us, because it helps get us away from the distractions so that we can realize that there is much common ground among all Americans, and that if we work together, we hold a very strong position. If we shelve our irreconcilable differences for a little while and join our voices together on the issues we agree on, the sound will be so loud that it will shake down the walls which are holding us back.
While the mainstream political parties try to sell us on their brand, the truth is that “poll after poll shows that both national parties are deeply unpopular with an electorate looking for something new and different”. This essay focuses on what people want.
Break Up the Unholy Alliance Between Big Government and Big Banks
Conservatives tend to view big government with suspicion, and think that government should be held accountable and reined in.
Liberals tend to view big corporations with suspicion, and think that they should be held accountable and reined in.
Irreconcilable difference?
Specifically, a Rassmussen poll conducted in February found:
70% [of all voters] believe that the government and big business typically work together in ways that hurt consumers and investors.
(and see this).
Remember that the government helped and encouraged the giant banks to get even bigger, and then has hidden their insolvency and shielded them from the free market, and helped them grow even during the severe downturn.
In return, the big banks and giant corporations have literally bought and paid for the politicians.
Conservatives might call it “socialism” and liberals might call it “fascism” – they are the same thing economically.
But all Americans – conservatives and liberals alike – can agree that it is not capitalism, and it is not American.
As just one example, the list of prominent economists and financial experts calling for the too big to fails to be broken up is wholly bipartisan:
America is Held Hostage By Global Private Bankers
http://www.infowars.com/america-is-held-hostage-by-global-private-bankers/
Saman Mohammadi
Washington is owned by the private global banking cartel that owns Wall Street. International law does not apply to this criminal cartel. They stole trillions of dollars from the American people with help from corrupt politicians over a stretch of many decades, culminating in the government bailout in 2008, and they have not been held accountable.
These bandits and looters could care less if America crashes and burns. In fact, they want America to die because they want to institute a private world government upon its ruins. And they’re doing a fantastic job at it because they’ve had decades of practice in nations in Latin America, Africa, and Asia where they bought off greedy politicians, and robbed their people through the IMF/World Bank/WTO.
The entire business model of the private global banking tricksters is based on stealing the wealth of nations, and destroying national independence in order to allow lawless multinational corporations to completely take over. Read this article about how they do it.
Once nations are put into needless debt by these private global bankers, they put the squeeze on them by forcing them to pay back usurious loans that make them go bankrupt. After the inevitable mayhem that follows national collapse, they impose a military dictatorship so that the people can’t resist. Damon Vrabel calls it the “death of nations.” He writes:
The fact is that most countries are not sovereign (the few that are are being attacked by CIA/MI6/Mossad or the military). Instead they are administrative districts or customers of the global banking establishment whose power has grown steadily over time based on the math of the bond market, currently ruled by the US dollar, and the expansionary nature of fractional lending. Their cult of economists from places like Harvard, Chicago, and the London School have steadily eroded national sovereignty by forcing debt-based, floating currencies on countries.
Civilized nations stand up for themselves, they don’t bow down to private bankers. America can prove to the world that it is civilized, honest, and free by showing the global banking overlords the door.
The way to fight back against the global robbers at the privately owned Federal Reserve Bank/IMF/World Bank and the big banks is entirely peaceful. It is a matter of exposing their deviance and deception to the public, and then hitting the streets. An enemy can’t be defeated unless it remains in the shadows, striking at will. Directing public light at the private global banking cartel’s evil influence over nations that are thought to be free and independent by the people is the only way to bring an end to their crimes, and treachery against Mankind.
A new civilization based on the divine values of freedom, justice, truth, and mutual respect among nations, and private institutions, can’t be born unless we all come together as global citizens and fight back against the unlawful rule of the private global banking cartel. Our countries are suffering because of their greed and ruthless control.
The austerity measures that are being called for by the banks and the elite is bringing chaos onto the streets of Europe on a scale never before seen, and it won’t be long before America enters the stage. We are nearing the moment when the globalist conspirators behind the plans for a new world order will openly declare the end of America. When they do, we shall declare the end of them, and fight for the rebirth of America, and all of Mankind.
Journalism of Appeasement. Corruption, Smoke and Mirrors
Here’s a brief summation of my recent reporting:
If we continue to let our politicians and wealthy members of society live in comfort, free from the consequences of their actions, we are complicit in our own demise.
Our country is so overrun with corruption, we cannot remain passive and expect things to get any better.
The economy is propped up by smoke and mirrors and will inevitably collapse. Without immediately breaking up the banks and holding the thieves accountable, we will continue on our downward spiral with increasingly severe and devastating consequences.
These are extremely unpleasant truths that we are now forced to confront. We have to act now. If you are not calling for revolution or organizing, you are either unaware of what’s happening around you, horribly naïve or a fascist sympathizer.
In response to statements like those above, I’ve been exchanging emails with colleagues (journalists and news editors) who have become “uncomfortable” with my reporting style and been saying some variation of the following: “You’re being too radical. This is too extreme for us to publish.”
While I appreciate their opinions, I want to make something 100% clear. I am fully aware that these words are harsh, and may turn off some people. However, in extreme times, telling the truth will make you sound extreme. Ultimately, I don’t mind if you think I sound “too extreme,” I don’t care if I make people “uncomfortable,” or if, in your opinion, I’ve become “too radical.” Try telling that to the 52 million Americans who are now living in poverty. Tell that to the millions of American families who have lost their homes and jobs. Tell that to the 59 million people who can’t afford health insurance. Tell that to the overwhelming majority of the population who are stressed out, living paycheck to paycheck, buried in debt they will never get out of and desperately struggling to make ends meet.
Try telling that to all the people who have emailed me explaining their dire situations due to this economic crisis. Tell that to all the people I personally know who have taken major pay cuts.
I will not participate in the journalism of appeasement.
What has to happen for you to stop being a status quo supporting naïve journalist and realize that we are in the middle of a war? More accurately, it is a slaughter. An all-time record-breaking slaughter.
I refuse to “normalize the unthinkable.”
Here’s a list of stats that I am sure you are already extremely sick of hearing, what we have already passively accepted as “the new normal,” some new ALL-TIME RECORDS for you:
3 million families foreclosed upon;
30 million people in need of employment;
43 million people on food stamps;
52 million people in poverty;
59 million people without healthcare;
239 million living paycheck to paycheck;
$144 billion in Wall Street bonuses;
$13 Trillion in investible wealth within 1% of US population.
Ask yourself this question: How sick and depraved of a society do you have to live in to get an outcome like this?
We now have the highest and most severe inequality of wealth in the history of the United States. We have witnessed an economic shock and awe campaign, acts of financial terrorism have impoverished tens of millions of people and put our future prospects in an urgently dire situation. We know who is responsible for it, yet nothing is done to hold them accountable, and most astounding of all, the people responsible for this (a financial terrorism network) are still in power!
This is the largest criminal racket in world history. We need prosecutions under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act, right now!
Another important point in response to emails that I get: when I write that Obama is a puppet, some people still get upset with me. Are you kidding me? What kind of president allows this to happen without holding people accountable? What kind of president allows our tax dollars to be taken and handed out as all-time record-breaking bonuses while we have an all-time record-breaking number of people living in poverty? What kind of president puts career-long preeminent economic imperialists Tim Geithner and Larry Summers in charge of our economy, and supports Ben Bernanke’s reconfirmation as Fed Chairman? This is all absurd and inexcusable! These three people would be in prison if we lived in a nation ruled by law. Obama is a bullshit artist - Period, Full Stop.
This is a quintessential banana republic ruled by a puppet president. If that truth is too much for you to handle, stop reading this right now and go retreat into your “reality TV” world while you still can.
Let me defer to Senator Bernie Sanders. He recently said what I’ve been screaming about and gave us one of those very rare moments when truth was actually spoken on the Senate floor:
“There is a war going on in this county and I’m not referring to the war in Iraq or the war in Afghanistan. I’m talking about a war being waged by some of the wealthiest and most powerful people in this country against the working families of the United States of America, against the disappearing and shrinking middle class of our country.
The reality is that many of the nation’s billionaires are on the war path. They want more, more, more. Their greed has no end, and apparently there is very little concern for our country or for the people of this country if it gets in the way of the accumulation of more and more wealth, and more and more power….
Today… the crooks on Wall Street… the people whose actions, illegal actions, reckless actions, have resulted in millions of Americans losing their jobs, their homes, their savings… After we bailed them out, the CEOs today are now earning more money than they did before the bailout…. While the middle class of this country collapses and the rich become much richer… the United States now has, by far, the most unequal distribution of income and wealth of any major country on earth.
When we were in school, we used to read the text books which talked about the banana republics in Latin America… about countries in which a handful of people owned and controlled most of the wealth in those countries. Well, guess what? That is exactly what is happening in the United States today.”
What will it take to make you understand this? Don’t you get it? This is a war! This is a mass slaughter carried out by economic policy. This is the elimination of the existence of a middle class. These are financial terrorists committing crimes against humanity. Our country is being attacked! My family is under attack! My child is under attack! I am under attack!
We are under attack!
I know that TV news propaganda confuses people, but on a basic and profound level, whether people want to admit it or not, the overwhelming majority of the population knows that our nation has been taken over by a global banking cartel. We know that our future has gone up in flames. We know that both political parties have been paid off and don’t represent us. If the politicians don’t drastically change course and start representing the people, we have a duty, a Constitutional commitment and obligation to launch a revolution.
If you are not calling for revolution or organizing, you are either unaware of what’s happening around you, horribly naïve or a fascist sympathizer. If we continue to let our politicians and wealthy members of society live in comfort, free from the consequences of their actions, we are complicit in our own demise.
Our country is so overrun with corruption, we cannot remain passive and expect things to get any better. The economy is now propped up by smoke and mirrors and will inevitably collapse. Without immediately breaking up the banks and holding the thieves accountable, we will continue on our downward spiral with increasingly severe and devastating consequences. These are extremely unpleasant truths that we are now forced to confront. We have to act now.
Let’s Reclaim History As We Go Into 2011, And The Unknown Future
http://www.infowars.com/lets-reclaim-history-as-we-go-into-2011-and-the-unknown-future/
Truth Excavator
We’re led to believe that the United States government is a positive force in the world but this is not true. I’m not saying it couldn’t be in the future, in fact, once there is a regime change in Washington, America will become the greatest country in the world again, but as it is now, the deceitful and manipulative leaders in the CIA, the Federal Reserve, the White House, the State Department, and the Pentagon are the most destructive force in the world, and pose the greatest existential threat to human civilization, and world peace.
This is not an American government that the American people elected. It is not a government at all. It is a gang. And this gang which runs Washington is bipartisan, unethical, and treasonous. They are engaged in a grand conspiracy against freedom, peace, America, and the world. No doubt, if the true defenders of freedom and peace emerge victorious against this criminal gang, there will be public executions on Pennsylvania Avenue in the decade ahead.
This is not the American government that the
American people elected.
All this is overwhelming, and scary. Nevertheless, it is true. The historical reality that the world must learn to accept, especially the American people, is that the American government was hijacked from the inside by right-wing fascists and oligarchs over the course of many decades, starting in 1913 with the creation of the private Federal Reserve Bank that has the monopoly of credit, followed by the establishment of the National Security State in 1947, the history-changing assassination of President John F. Kennedy in 1963, and finally, the government-engineered attacks on September 11, 2001. These four events stand out in my mind as the major turning points in the last hundred years of American history. What was once a great and mighty constitutional republic was transformed into a dictatorship, a global killing machine, the bully of the world, all the while posing as the white-hat defender of democracy and freedom.
This new history is not all that hard to come to terms with after we take some essential first steps into topics like the JFK assassination and the 9/11 truth movement. Learning about new spheres of knowledge, history, and reality is similar to discovering new lands. Both are journeys into the unknown. Pioneers of thought and discoverers of previously uninhabited places share a lot of qualities with each other. Both take a great risk with their whole being, not just their reputation, and once they’re successful in their exploration of new ideas and new lands they give something new to humanity.
As a culture we have lost knowledge about the substance of history, who shapes history, who tells it, and why they tell it a certain way. Winston Churchill said “History is written by the victors.” Victors can be whole nations, or they can be certain factions within a particular nation like oligarchs, industrialists, and financiers, or the people at large. When America won WWII, American soldiers received new homes and new loans to go to school, but American oligarchs got an empire. Who was the true victor, then? Obviously, it was not the American people. They were lied to a generation later by their highest ranking leaders about a new war in Vietnam that didn’t need to be fought. Such grand deceit and government lies about war has been part of American politics from World War II up to now.
If we want to recapture the history of the last century we must realize that history is not a sequence of events that proceed unrelated and unconnected. History is cause and effect. The murder of John F. Kennedy meant the war in Vietnam could be expanded, and the CIA would remain intact and powerful enough to influence world events. That is how history flows. What matters is not popular vote, but the perception of any given event, and the understanding of history.
History is full of visionaries like JFK, Martin Luther King Jr, and Robert F. Kennedy who are killed by the status quo of their era. Understanding why these three men were killed is not rocket science. They were the true voices of freedom and peace, and because of their influence in society and capability to sway public opinion they were assassinated. History is filled with the dreams of oligarchs, populists, radicals, psychopaths, revolutionaries, visionaries, and peacemakers. Sometimes men of good will triumph, and sometimes they don’t. In one era people witness the birth of a new nation, and in another era people witness revolutions, coups, and other kinds of national transformations.
Once more in history the American people must throw off tyranny’s chains. Unlike before, tyranny is coming in the form of a transnational police state, and its chains are spread out across the Atlantic, binding both Europe and North America in slavery. The main justification behind this police state is that all Western nations face the threat of terrorism. But this is a false justification. The War on Terror is in reality a War on Citizens. 9/11 was not done by Al-Qaeda, but by leaders in the United States government, and the Israeli government.
The Bush administration simplistically portrayed the new global fight against terrorism that was sparked by the government staged 9/11 attacks as “Us vs. Them” – us representing the forces of civilization, and them, identified as stateless terrorists and states that sponsor terrorism, representing the forces of barbarism and savagery. But people knew this picture of reality wasn’t true even in the immediate moments after the attacks happened. Critics of the new War on Terror paradigm pointed to U.S. militarism abroad, and the CIA’s legacy of overthrowing democratically elected leaders as evidence that the United States government is not innocent. But the truth abut the origins of the War on Terror, and the 9/11 attacks go much deeper.
The truth about 9/11 shows that the psychopathic individuals who control U.S. foreign policy, and their equally criminal partners in Israel and England, are the greatest source of terror and conflict in the world. The hardliners in Iran come after the Washington-Tel Aviv-London Axis on the list of the biggest existential threats to humanity and civilization, but there’s a big gap in between them. The only hope for peace in the world is regime change in Washington, London, and Tel Aviv, not Tehran. Of course, regime change in all four countries would be the best outcome.
Make no mistake, we are all in the fight for human civilization and the destiny of humanity, but the biggest forces of barbarism that we must oppose are not in Afghanistan, Pakistan, or Iran, but in Washington, Tel Aviv, London, Ottawa, and Melbourne. The War on Terrorism that is being waged by Western governments is a criminal war and anybody who continues to defend it will become spiritually and morally bankrupt.
Bad Penny
GeoLib:
Good analysis!
Just a few more points:
In the march from a republic to a fascist dictatorship, the US underwent an extremely slow takeover by the bankster class, initially at the hands of the Anglo-American Fabian Socialist (gradualist) wing of that class, but there was an important change of direction which resulted in the Fabian Gradualists being pushed aside in favor of the Fascist Militarists (I'm still trying to work out nomenclature here, as Italian Fascism was really a rather traditional tyranny of the establishment over the poor (i.e., a reactionary traditionalist regime) with a radical and populist face, whereas German National Socialism (which is really what were talking about with the Bush family) was a full-blown radical totalitarian regime. Indeed, I'll have to reread Hanna Arendt at some point, but she mentions a young Nazi who asked Heinrich Himmler what the similarity was between German National Socialism and Italian Fascism, and what the difference was between German National Socialism ans Soviet Communism, to which the Reichsfuehrer der SS responded with pamphlet that basically said "Beats me!!". I would have answered that question by saying that German National Socialism distinguishes itself from Soviet Communism principally by virtue of the former's heavy emphasis on eugenics, whereas the study and teaching of Mendelian Genetics (not Darwinism, but very solid science thunk up by a Roman Catholic monk) were banned in the USSR until at least the Khrushchev era.) (Sorry for the lengthy aside, but I'm attempting a degree of precision here.)
Anyways, the bankster declaration of war upon the US was, obviously, the famous London Times "Hazard Circular" issued during the US Civil War. (Long live the 3rd Brigade, I Corps, Army of the Potomac (aka "Iron Brigade of the West")!). An early step was the fomenting of the Spanish-American War of 1898 at the hands of the so-called "Yellow Press" (the sensationalist newspapers owned by the likes of William Randolf Hearst and Joseph Pulitzer), which war President McKinley actually opposed, to the extent that he considered using his Constitutional authority as Commander-in-Chief of the Army and Navy of the United States of America by refusing to wage the war which Congress had declared, but ultimately decided that the Constitution required him to surrender to the will of Congress and wage the war which Congress had declared, which war made an extra-continental imperialist power of the American Republic (already an imperial-scale state within her own borders, considering the Indian Tribes, German Wisconsin, Mormon Utah and the aberrant Anglo-Saxon culture of the Southeastern US. (Once again, Long live the 3rd Brigade, I Corps, Army of the Potomac (aka "Iron Brigade of the West")!) I would seriously like to know who funded the "Yellow Press" during this period. Nevertheless, President McKinley was a true Conservative (truly to a fault, as he could always be counted upon to enforce the will of capital upon labor, which policy continued extreme oppression and exploitation of industrial workers (at that time, largely foreign-born and non-citizen or Black and disenfranchised (in either case, non-voting))), who rejected the idea of a central bank. Although Leon Czolgosz is n
(More later: 'puter pooping out.)
Are you taking over?
Or are you taking orders?
I ain't going backwards!
We're going only forwards!
The Clash, White Riot
Although Leon Czolgocz is painted in the establishment media as yet another "lone nut" presidential assassin, the Tri-State Troopers' Fund at http://troopersfund.org/blog/?tag=lt-guiseppe-joseph-petrosino states, in reference to the legendary anti-organized crime investigator Lt. Joseph Petrosino: "...[D]etecting the eventually successful plot to assassinate President McKinley. Sadly, Vice President Theodore Roosevelt’s firm protests of McKinley’s dismissal of Petrosino’s warnings were futile." Czolgocz was known to have had some sort of attachment to anarchist celebrity Emma Goldman, who, in turn, was an FBI informant and an operative of the House of Morgan.
The infamous Jeckyl Island meeting of 1910 set the stage for the triple whammy of 1913: the passage of the Federal Reserve Act, the Income Tax Amendment (XVI), and the US Senate Popular Election Amendment (XVII, which greatly reduced the power of the state governments versus the Federal Government). Within a few months, the First World War broke out in Europe, with the banks that had taken over the US money supply famously financing both sides. The war had the overall effect of breaking down powerful and ancient European states which were proving an impediment to the operation of multinational corporations, which had recently became glaringly public as the result of the litigation in the wake of the RMS Titanic disaster, with its attendant choice-of-party issues being severely complicated in the case of the UK-incorporated, but US-owned, White Star Line.
Until the election of FDR in 1932, there seems to have been no internal dispute within the US rulership between the "Gradualists" and the "Militarists", but by 1933 former US Marine Corps Commandant was being approached by persons representing powerful financial interests (since revealed to have been organized by Prescott Sheldon Bush, father of former US President George H. W. Bush and grandfather of former US President George W. Bush) who were interested in overthrowing what was left of the Constitutional Republic (then fully under the control of the Fabian-Socialist Gradualists) in favor of a Fascist-inspired dictatorship. Although that plot was suppressed, the Second World War saw the formation of the Office of Strategic Services and other clandestine organizations which seemed to provide a home for the defeated US militarists. The National Defense Establishment Act of 1947 turned the OSS into the CIA, subordinated the Departments of War and of the Navy under the Department of Defense, and created the US Air Force, which seems to be a hotbed of clandestine activity in its own right (as evidenced by the presence of Minot Air Force Base as a nexus between the Manson Family and the Untermeyer Park (Yonkers, New York) satanic cult responsible for the "Son of Sam" murders. After that comes the formation of the North American Aerospace Defense Command as the consumer of very expensive military gadgetry of dubious operability and no enemy equipment capable of reaching most of the Continental US.
Then comes the Bay of Pigs, an apparent attempt to start a permanent war close enough to US shores (actually, the Conch Republic!) to make the US people feel genuinely threatened by it (as opposed to far-away Vietnam). (George H. W. Bush appears to have supplied some of the ships (such as the "Houston", named after the city of Bush's residence at the time, and the Barbara J (the same first name and middle initial as Bush's wife), with the operation being code named "Zapata" (the name of Bush's oil company).) President Kennedy refused to "go overt" with US air strikes in support of the operation, and also threatened to destroy the CIA in the wake of the operation. During the subsequent Cuban Missile Crisis, President Kennedy's famous television address revealed the strategic necessity for the removal of Soviet missiles from Cuba with reference to the lack of range of Soviet weapons to reach the US but for their presence in Cuba, a revelation which clearly revealed the falsehood of NORAD's raison d'etre. The President's invocation of the Lincoln-era Act of Congress which authorized the printing of greenback fiat currency (United States Notes), as well as $2 and $5 silver certificates, greatly undermined the Federal Reserve, and sealed President Kennedy's fate.
The attempted permanent war in Vietnam resulted in massive profits for defense establishment vendors and the bankers back of them, as well as helping to establish a climate of permanent political repression in the name of enforcing public support for the war effort. This might have worked in the case of a permanent war in Cuba, but the same plan applied to the war in far-off Vietnam resulted, not in a political straitjacket, but in massive public mobilization and political awakening (albeit within the intellectual straitjacket of the fake left-right paradigm), which mobilization gave the people of the US (and many other countries) an experience in self-organization and political resistance which continues to bear fruit down to the present day in the popular resistance against Bankster tyranny.
(In other words, the Vietnam War was probably the biggest mistake the Bankster Class ever made, and will, in my opinion, eventually be recorded in history as the Banksters' critical and decisive error.) Eventually, the Bankster class realized the mistake they'd made, and relented on the war issue, simultaneously going overt with US cooperation with Maoist China and laying the groundwork for the transfer of the US industrial establishment to the Chinese slave state. That accomplished, the only task remaining was the conversion of the US into a police state. This began under the superempowered vice presidency of George H. W. Bush with the "Rex 84" plan, and continued with the string of false-flag terrorist attacks including World Trade Center '93, Oklahoma City '95, and, finally, the television spectacular of 9/11, which turned out to be what was needed to misdirect the people's political energy and imagination against a phantom enemy, which they realized, almost too late, was actually themselves. And, then, thank God for the TSA, whose obvious oppression directed against the American people and equally obvious ineffectiveness against "terrorism" finally brought the American people back to square one circa 1967.
Let's make sure that the popular awakening and self-mobilization currently underway succeeds, not only in forcing the evil confronting us to back down, but in eliminating the evil entirely, by the application of the rule of law throughout society generally, bringing the Banskters and their minions before the bar.
« Last Edit: January 01, 2011, 06:02:24 am by Bad Penny » Report Spam Logged
Here's a piece which I wrote for another forum which might serve as something of an epilogue to the above on the subject of repression producing rebellion among a people accustomed to freedom, albeit within an unusual (yet American) context:
The demise of the Patriarca Family, announced as fact at the end of the Hartford Courant article, appears, to me, to have been far less than permanent; indeed, there appears to me to have been a resurgence within the Family under the regime of Louis Manocchio to an extent which made Mr. Manocchio's (apparently) forcible retirement from the leadership position necessary in someone's eyes, be that someone the Commission or his own Family's Capi. The final straw appears to me to have been the contract let by "The Saint" versus fellow Capo Bobby DeLuca. I stand by my original analysis according to which this projected hit was never sanctioned by Mr. Manocchio (despite "The Saint" declarations to the contrary), but argue that this projected hit nevertheless represented a degree of disorder within the Family to an extent that SOMEONE with an interest in the Family saw Mr. Manocchio's leadership as being intolerably lenient. One other aspect of clearly excessive leniency on the part of Mr. Manocchio is the incredible information leakage to the local Providence news media (which information leakage I trust I've documented to the satisfaction of everyone on this forum). I've further indicated on many occasions my belief that the (apparently) far less lenient leadership of Mr. Peter Limone has effectively squelched this information leakage. Furthermore, the fact of projected hit-target Bobby DeLuca's elevation to the dignity of Underboss of the Patriarca Family seems to support my claim that "The Saint's" contract was a rogue act undertaken of his own accord, while "The Saint's" own continued survival can, in my opinion, easily be attributed to his current sate of Federal incarceration as well as to his current state of ill health.
My overall view is that the Patriarca Family is, perhaps, an anomaly amongst documented American Mafia organizations, in that the individual clubhouses (known as "crews" within the rest of the US Mafia) seem, to me, to be particularly powerful. This appears, to me, to have either been revealed by the late Mr. Patriarca's 1966 assassination of Federal Hill fixture Willie Marfeo (for which hit Mr. Patriarca was convicted) or congealed as a result of that hit. (My guess is that it was a combination of the two factors.) In any event, Willie Marfeo's popularity on the Hill led many who would never have "ratted out" the Office suddenly to begin singing, to the extent that Mr. Patriarca spent few unindicted minutes through the rest of his life.
It's my idea that running the Patriarca Family is less a science than an art, in that balancing Family unity against the independence of the various clubhouses represents walking a tightrope to an extent which would challenge any would-be Family boss, no matter how talented. I believe I've made clear my reasons for believing that Mr. Manocchio veered too far towards the side of leniency during his term as Boss. It remains to be seen whether Mr. Limone will unify the Family under a stricter, more centralist regime, or will simply foster yet another rebellion amongst the Family's clubhouses, accustomed as they've been since the mid-1980's (with the evidence I've shown you concerning this trend's origin at least as far back as 1966), to a very high degree of independence. (Furthermore, it's my understanding that the consumers of the Patriarca Family's illicit services were also a major factor behind the "Patriarca Family Mid-1960's Rebellion", which rebellion required a massive series of hits ordered from the Office to counteract, which hits, in turn, only stoked the fires of further rebellion.)
Just one additional paragraph (sequentially, this belongs between "White Star Line" and "Until the election of FDR":
The First World War had yet further impact within the US: first, as the largely immigrant Northeastern Working Class gave local industrialists the problem of having workforces which consisted of subjects of crowns, many of whom the US suddenly found herself at war with .as a result of Congress’ April 1917 declaration. It was no bid deal to convince these industrialists to assist in government surveillance of enemy aliens, particularly seeing as many of these employers had surveillance systems already in place to ward off union organizing. The period of wartime sacrifice and austerity also aided the Ruling Class in their manipulation of the population, to an extent that they sought to extend it into the postwar period through Prohibition, just as the propaganda to watch out for Axis spies during the Second World War was extended into the postwar period by virtue of the civil-liberties-destroying McCarthy Period. (And, once again, the Establishment got rid of McCarthy as soon as his investigation into Communism led him into the Department of the Army.)
Divide and Conquer Strategies in America
The global bankers, who caused our economic crisis, are attempting to deflect blame and divide the American public by escalating attacks on public-sector workers. The battle in Wisconsin, which is spreading across the entire nation, should be viewed in a global economic context. Do not let the obsolete Republican vs. Democrat charade confuse you. Even if you believe Unions have been corrupted, in this case you have to go with the strategy: “The enemy of my enemy is my friend.”
The Global Economic Elite have launched a war on 99.9% of the US public, we must unite and rally together. Unions have played a key role in uprisings from Europe to the Middle East. We must seize this opportunity and let Wisconsin be a spark to light the fires of non-violent rebellion throughout the United States.
There is a rule of war that many people are failing to understand: “Do not fight the last war.” In The 33 Strategies of War, Robert Greene calls this “The Guerrilla-War-Of-The-Mind Strategy:”
“What most often weighs you down and brings you misery is the past, in the form of unnecessary attachments, repetitions of tired formulas, and the memory of old victories and defeats. You must consciously wage war against the past and force yourself to react to the present moment. Be ruthless on yourself; do not repeat the same tired methods.”
The sad truth is that most people are still fighting yesterday’s war. The Republican vs. Democrat charade — good cop, bad cop nonsense — is a mere smokescreen. Don’t be confused by obsolete preconceptions and propaganda. There is one war being fought, The Global Economic Elite Vs. The People.
A global banking cartel has looted nation after nation, the world over, the United States is no exception. They’ve looted trillions from the US public and now they are trying to cut the throat of the public unions. While in the process of attacking private-sector workers and small businesses throughout the country, they are also cracking down on the last layer of worker protections within the public-sector.
The same economic central planners that have systematically exploited workers in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Australia and Asia, have exploited American workers as well. One-tenth of one percent of the population got luxurious life boats, while 99.9% of us are being left behind to drown in a sea of debt and social upheaval.
We are all on the same sinking ship – me, you, teachers, construction workers, fire fighters, police, Egyptians, Europeans. We are all under attack by the same people. The sooner you understand this, the better off we will be.
The Story of Your Enslavement
Rebelitarian
Big membership Drive on FACEBOOK
http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/home.php?sk=group_193359317343131
Already on the ballots in many states.
The TEA Parties can't say that !!!
http://www.believeinamerica.com/index.php
http://www.constitutionparty.org
Constitution Party Promotional Video
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Pau Ribas is a Spanish professional basketball player who currently plays for FC Barcelona Lassa.
He played in all youth teams of Joventut Badalona. He played his first senior year in the CB Prat, a youth team linked to Joventut Badalona. He played there for 4 years, where was in the best years of the club, having teammates such as Rudy Fernández and Ricky Rubio and being coached by Aito Garcia Reneses and Sito Alonso.
Then Pau Ribas decided to sign 3 years for Saski Baskonia in 2009. Afterwards, he played with Valencia Basket two seasons. In July 2015, he signed a three-year deal with FC Barcelona Lassa. Ribas won the 2015 Supercopa in which he was the MVP.
Unfortunately, he was injured last year. But with patience, effort and perseverance Pau got to play at high level again.
As a national player, Pau has won the gold medal at the Eurobasket in 2015. He’s in the last national team list of selected players for Mundial Championship 2019.
Out of his basketball career, last year Pau Ribas obtained a Master’s degree in Sports Management.
We had a short talk with him and he’s so happy to enjoy again with us.
Why have you decided to repeat as Globasket ambassador?
I renew as Globasket Ambassador because I always like to give support to children who start from youth teams, and they have a passion for basketball. In fact, I was one of the first players to get play in the first team of Club Joventut de Badalona from the U12 category.
These tournaments and the effort of volunteers and Globasket make the player compete further. I really enjoyed the experience of last year and that’s why I want to repeat it.
What message would you transmit to the children?
Basketball is just a game to have fun, to learn and to share values. Globasket has the capacity to make learn children while they have fun playing basketball.
Also, it’s important to inculcate young players that in competition they should never lose respect and maintain hard work, dedication and teamwork.
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Go back<
LitCity
Carolyn Kizer
Iowa Writers' Workshop
TIME IN IOWA CITY
#carolyn-kizer-reads-at-the-university-of-iowa
#carolyn-kizers-work-in-the-iowa-review
#carolyn-kizer-at-the-iowa-writers-workshop
Take This Tour
Carolyn Kizer at the Iowa Writers’ Workshop
Iowa Writers' Workshop (Dey House)
507 North Clinton Street, Iowa City, Iowa
Kizer taught at the Iowa Writers Workshop in 1976. During that year, she participated in several events on the University of Iowa campus, including readings with visiting writers and poets.
She has been Poet-in-Residence, Distinguished Visiting Poet or Professor at many universities, including the Iowa Writer’s Workshop, Chapel Hill, Washington University, Columbia, Bucknell, SUNY at Albany, and the Indiana University School of Letters.
“News Notes.” Poetry, vol. 147, no. 1, 1985, pp. 51–52. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/20600489
Carolyn Kizer reads at the University of Iowa
Van Allen Hall
30 North Dubuque Street
From the Daily Iowan, March 23rd, 1979: “Carolyn Kizer and Henry Carlile will present a reading of their poetry at 8 p.m. today in Lecture Room 2, Physics Building.”
“Poetry Reading.” Daily Iowan, 23 Mar. 1976, pp. 6–6.
Carolyn Kizer’s work in the Iowa Review
English-Philosophy Building (EPB)
251 W. Iowa Ave
Carolyn Kizer’s translation of Bogomil Gjuzel’s poem Professional Poet appeared in the Iowa Review, Vol 7 Issue 2, in 1976. Kizer was a faculty member at the Iowa Writers’ Workshop at the time, and Gjuzel was a resident at the International Writing Program in 1972.
The translation can be found in the Iowa Review archives online.
Kizer, Carolyn and Bogomil Gjuzel. “Professional Poet.” The Iowa Review 7.2 (1976): 56-56. Web.
Carolyn Kizer was the author of eight books of poetry, including Yin, which won the Pulitzer Prize. She taught at the Iowa Writer’s Workshop and served as the first Director of the Literature Program at the National Endowment for the Arts. She received an American Academy of Arts and Letters award, the John Masefield Memorial Award, the Frost Medal, and the Theodore Roethke Memorial Poetry Award. In 1995, she was appointed as Chancellor of the Academy of American Poets, but later resigned to protest the lack of minorities and women on the board. She passed away on October 9th, 2014.
Library of Congress URI
Our work here is never done!
We update this website regularly with new information and writers.
If you would like to suggest an addition, please contact us at the Writing University!
The LitCity project is created and curated by
The Writing University + The Studio @ The University of Iowa
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Research has always been an integral part of both the Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry and Lawson Health Research Institute. Each year, both institutions held individual research days to showcase the outstanding work of their students, trainees, clinical fellows, residents and postdoctoral scholars; the Margaret Moffat poster competition at Schulich Medicine & Dentistry, and the Lawson Health Research Day, held at Lawson.
In 2012, Schulich Medicine & Dentistry and Lawson decided to bring their two research showcases together, resulting in more opportunities for collaboration, presentation, and recognition. On Tuesday, March 19, 2012, the inaugural “London Health Research Day” was presented.
The first year saw more than 600 people attend, including 350 students and trainees, and 130 judges. Research presentations spanned 13 different categories, from children’s health and aging to biomedical imaging and surgical innovation. Now in its ninth year, London Health Research Day has seen continual growth with participation from Western University's Faculty of Health Sciences. The event continues to establish itself as the premier research showcase for graduate students, trainees, clinical fellows and postdoctoral scholars.
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[Previous] Aubrey de Grey Discussion, 14 | Home | [Next] Aubrey de Grey Discussion, 15
Tim Cook vs Freedom
Tim Cook is gay. He decided to tell the world and use it as an opportunity to campaign against freedom – while invoking the names of Dr. Martin Luther King and Robert F. Kennedy. Cook writes:
The world has changed so much since I was a kid. America is moving toward marriage equality, and the public figures who have bravely come out have helped change perceptions and made our culture more tolerant. Still, there are laws on the books in a majority of states that allow employers to fire people based solely on their sexual orientation. There are many places where landlords can evict tenants for being gay, or where we can be barred from visiting sick partners and sharing in their legacies. Countless people, particularly kids, face fear and abuse every day because of their sexual orientation.
In context, it's clear he's saying it's bad that people can be fired or evicted for being gay.
Cook opposes free trade. He opposes freedom of association. If I don't want to hire someone, with my money, isn't that an issue of freedom of association? Isn't it an issue of freedom not to spend my money on things I don't want? (And isn't it the same issue if I have hiring authority as a proxy for someone else?)
An employer should be able to fire people for no reason at all. Cook wants to make a list of government-approved and governemnt-disapproved reasons for firing, so that we can live in a totalitarian country.
Cook doesn't want a free market where landlords use whatever criteria they deem best for deciding who to rent to. He wants the government to step in and control privately owned buildings. I advocate people interacting only for freely chosen mutual benefit, when they voluntarily want to. Cook advocates that I not be allowed to think for myself about homosexuality issues (is homosexuality so simple there's no room for diversity of opinion?). Cook wants his intolerance of some opinions to be enforced by the government, using guns if necessary.
Cook doesn't want free choice and free thought. He doesn't want freedom. He wants the government to decide how people should act, and make them. He's an authoritarian who wants to force his vision of utopia on everyone else, even though we don't want it.
And Cook is so blind to issues like freedom that it doesn't occur to him to comment on them. He doesn't bother trying to tell us how he isn't destroying freedom. He's so immersed in authoritarian thinking that he doesn't see any legitimate concerns about freedom. He hasn't noticed the issue of freedom and figured out a way to get what he wants while preserving freedom. Freedom isn't on his mind. Diversity of thought isn't on his mind. He's busy demanding "tolerance" of what's already tolerated (tolerance doesn't require liking something or trading with someone), but doesn't consider his own intolerance.
And all this is being said in a tone of moral righteousness. By attacking the American value of freedom, he thinks he's a moral crusader, standing up for justice. Cook values his privacy, but he thought trying to destroy the future of civilization was just so important he had to sacrifice his privacy for the cause.
And Cook is an altruist.
At the same time, I believe deeply in the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, who said: “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?’ ” I often challenge myself with that question, and I’ve come to realize that my desire for personal privacy has been holding me back from doing something more important. That’s what has led me to today.
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More info on Rohrbrunn
Rohrbrunn: Map
Rohrbrunn ( ) is a village in Burgenland , Austria . It belongs to Deutsch Kaltenbrunn in the district of Jennersdorf . Rohrbrunn is located near the border of Styria by the river Lafnitz .
Rohrbrunn was part of the Kingdom of Hungary until the Treaty of Trianon in 1920. It belonged to Vas county . The small village has been inhabited by ethnic Germans since its establishment in the Middle Ages. According to the Roman Catholic ecclesiastic administration Rohrbrunn always belonged to the nearby parish of Deutsch Kaltenbrunn .
"Nádkuth" was given to Ferenc Batthyány in 1524. The ownership of the noble Batthyány family lasted about 350 years. In 1605 the army of Stephen Bocskai destroyed almost the whole village.
In 1851 Elek Fényes recorded that Rohrbrunn was populated by 428 people (almost exclusively Roman Catholic Germans). There was a toll-house in the village due to its proximity to the border of Styria . The Batthyánys remained the main landowners. The peasants earned their livelihood from growing wheat, tobacco, hemp and fruits or making a small amount of wine.[703380]
Alois Brunner, one of the most infamous Austrian Nazi war criminals, was born in Nádkút in 1912. In World War I a total of 31 men perished.
In 18th and 19th century sources both the traditional German and Hungarian names of the village are mentioned. Rohrbrunn and Nádkút have the same meaning: "reed-well" which refers to the marshes of the Lafnitz valley. The German name was recorded in 1427 as Rohrprunn. [703381] The Hungarian name was recorded as Nádkuth in 1524. The German version became the sole official name of the village after 1920.
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An HIV Med Is Tied to Too-Small Heads in Newborns
FRIDAY, Nov. 22, 2019 (HealthDay News) -- Children born to women who take the HIV drug efavirenz during pregnancy have a higher risk of small head size -- a birth defect known as microcephaly -- compared to babies exposed to other HIV drugs in the womb, new research shows.
Prenatal exposure to the drug was also linked to developmental delays in children.
But one U.S. expert said the new data shouldn't alarm most HIV-positive women.
"Efavirenz has not been widely used in the U.S. during pregnancy for many years due to its association with neural tube defects in studies conducted in monkeys," said Dr. Joseph McGowan, medical director of the Northwell Health HIV Service Line Program in Manhasset, N.Y.
"Antiretroviral usage patterns have shifted away from efavirenz as recommended therapy, so the impact of these findings in the U.S. and developed countries may be limited," said McGowan, who wasn't involved in the new study.
"The major take-home from this study for me was that use of antiretrovirals during pregnancy was found to be safe for the exposed, uninfected infant with the one exception of efavirenz," he added. "This should be reassuring to clinicians and mothers."
The new research was led by Dr. Rohan Hazra, chief of the maternal and pediatric infectious disease branch at the U.S. National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.
Hazra's team tracked data from more than 3,000 children born to U.S. women who took HIV drugs during pregnancy. The children's head circumferences were measured from age 6 months through 5 to 7 years of age.
The children's head growth was assessed using two classification systems: one developed by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for children under 3 years of age, and Nellhaus charts, which are used for children older than 3 years.
The study couldn't prove cause and effect. But based on Nellhaus charts, children whose mothers took the HIV drug efavirenz were more than twice as likely to have microcephaly than those whose mothers took other HIV drugs.
Based on the combined Nellhaus-CDC standards, children exposed to efavirenz in the womb were around 2.5 times more likely to have microcephaly than those exposed to other HIV drugs in the womb.
Children with microcephaly based on Nellhaus charts also scored lower on standardized tests of development at ages 1 and 5 years.
Of the 141 children exposed to efavirenz in the womb, 14 (9.9%) had microcephaly, compared to 142 of 2,842 who were not exposed to efavirenz (5%), according to the U.S. National Institutes of Health-funded study published online recently in The Lancet HIV.
"Our findings underlie the importance of having alternatives to combination therapy with efavirenz for pregnant women with HIV," Hazra said in an NIH news release.
The U.S. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke has more on microcephaly.
SOURCES: Joseph McGowan, M.D., medical director, Northwell Health HIV Service Line Program, Manhasset, N.Y.; U.S. National Institutes of Health, news release, Nov. 18, 2019
Ob Certified Nurse Midwife
Hospitalist, OBGYN
Hospital Based Medical Staff
Birth & Baby
Women's and Children's Services
In-House Physicians
Adapting to Pregnancy: Second Trimester
Anatomy of the Brain
Chickenpox (Varicella) and Pregnancy
Computed Tomography (CT) Scan of the Brain
Is It Time for Toilet Training?
Reading to Kids Helps Their Development
Abacavir; Lamivudine, 3TC tablets
Darunavir oral suspension
Child Development Quiz
Healthy Pregnancy Quiz
Cold and Flu Season: Boost Your Immune System
Energy Balance for Children: Don't Hold Them Back
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This Site: Who We Serve All Sites People
MCIC Vermont: Home >About Us >Who We Serve >University of Rochester Medical Center
Columbia University College of Physicians & Surgeons
Yale New Haven Health
Subscribers Advisory Committee
One of the nation's top academic medical centers, the University of Rochester Medical Center forms the centerpiece of the University's health research, teaching, patient care, and community outreach missions. With more than $145 million in federal research funding, UR School of Medicine research funding ranks in the top one-quarter of U.S. medical centers, while the School of Nursing ranks 12th highest in funding. The University's health care delivery network is anchored by Strong Memorial Hospital—a 739-bed, University-owned teaching hospital—which boasts programs that consistently rank among "America's Best Hospitals," according to U.S. News & World Report. Our patients benefit from the Medical Center's robust teaching and biomedical research programs.
Our mission is to use education, science, and technology to improve health—transforming the patient experience with fresh ideas and approaches steeped in disciplined science, and delivered by health care professionals who innovate, take intelligent risks, and care about the lives they touch.
Did You Know...?
The University of Rochester Medical Center was one of the first 12 to receive a $40 million Clinical Translational Science Award from the National Institutes of Health.
Strong Memorial Hospital's Liver Transplant program conducts more than 200 surgeries per year, making it one of the nation's top three largest liver transplant services.
The University is among the top ten institutions in the country in royalty revenues from our licensed technologies.
In the past 10 years, more than 20 new companies have been formed with URMC technologies.
(University of Rochester Medical Center, http://www.urmc.rochester.edu/about-us/, 2010, About URMC)
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Promo Schedule
Family Sundays
Mets Not Having New Manager Yet Is Simply Incompetent
How can it be the New York Mets still have not named a replacement for Carlos Beltran?
Keep in mind, the Mets are in a completely different situation here than than the Houston Astros and the Boston Red Sox.
The Astros knew the hammer was going to come down from Major League Baseball, but they presumably did not know or could be quite sure they’d lose AJ Hinch for the year.
Seeing the rulings, the Astros moved quickly, and they fired Hinch to not just attempt to turn the page on the scandal, but to also figure out who was going to be their manager in 2020 and beyond.
The Red Sox seeing Alex Cora‘s level of involvement and knowing he was likely going to face harsher penalties than Hinch fired Cora the day after the report, and they immediately began their search for a new manager.
The Mets waited a few days, and they yielded to what was really a vocal demand from a minority to fire Beltran. Keep in mind, the Mets fired Beltran despite his not being suspended for the 2020 season.
The Astros and Red Sox knew they were going to be without their managers, and they acted accordingly. The Mets did something they did not have to do, and worse yet, they didn’t have a replacement immediately in mind.
That’s stupefying.
Consider, unlike the Astros and Red Sox, the Mets had undertaken a search this offseason to hire a new manager to replace Mickey Callaway.
The Mets know or should know who can be a manager of the Mets. They also know or should know who could handle this situation. And yes, with this being New York and the Mets, this is something which should have been contemplated.
Herein lies the problem.
According to reports, the New York Mets have not contacted Dusty Baker, John Gibbons, Buck Showalter, or really another established veteran like Bruce Bochy.
They’re also not going back into their candidate pool. Eduardo Perez was one of the finalists, and he has not been contacted again. The Milwaukee Brewers see their bench coach Pat Murphy as an ideal fit, but the Mets aren’t repursuing him.
After reading Mike Puma’s report in the New York Post, the Mets are essentially paralyzed “as team executives try to deduce the best way to please the prospective new boss.”
While the Mets are scared about what Cohen will think about a new hire, they’ve failed to realize he’s watching them fumbling through this process.
Like all of us, Cohen sees the Mets being completely reactionary and not remotely proactive in their handling of Beltran. We all see the Mets fire Beltran without a plan in place.
They’re afraid to interview someone else or conduct a new search. They were ill prepared and not willing to make Tony DeFrancesco, Hensley Meulens, or Luis Rojas their new manager.
The Mets could’ve fired Beltran, and they could’ve held up Rojas as their new manager showing us all their complete faith in him. We could’ve heard why DeFrancesco has the skills to lead the Mets starting in 2020. We could’ve heard about Meulen’s championship pedigree, and why they knew in the short time he’s been with the organization why he was the man for the job.
Of course, that’s not happening because the Mets fired Beltran without a plan. In fact, they fired him without having a clue what direction they’d like to go. The only thing they knew was Cohen was lurking on the horizon, and he was judging them.
When you break it all down, Brodie Van Wagenen’s and Jeff Wilpon’s entire handling of this situation has been inept, and with each passing day, they’re showing Cohen and the whole baseball world, they should not be entrusted with running a baseball organization.
Alex Cora , Bruce Bochy , Carlos Beltran , Hensley Meulens , John Gibbons , Luis Rojas , Mickey Callaway , Tony DeFrancesco
Brodie Van Wagenen Should Have Been Fired With Carlos Beltran
On Thursday, the New York Mets took the nearly unprecedented decision of firing Carlos Beltran before he met with his roster let alone managed one game. It was not only an embarrassing day for the organization, but It also overshadowed Mike Piazza being honored with 31 Piazza Drive in St. Lucie.
Somehow, Mets General Manager Brodie Van Wagenen would make things worse, much worse.
During the ensuing conference call confirming the firing of Beltran, and yes, he clarified it was a firing discrediting the “mutually agreed” press releases, he showed how haphazardly he has handled the entire process of hiring a manager.
First and foremost, Van Wagenen claimed no previous knowledge of widespread information about the allegations about the Houston Astros cheating.
There were reports about the Astros getting caught during the 2018 ALCS. There were rumors throughout the game long before that. However, Van Wagenen who represented players like Nori Aoki, who was on that Astros team says he knew nothing.
Taking him at face value, he eventually knew about it because of Mike Fiers statements confirming the sign stealing. Subsequently, there was a report in The Athletic specifically implicating Beltran. Knowing that, Van Wagenen said he still did not inquire further with Beltran.
More than that, after Fiers public statements, the MLB investigation, and various reports, Van Wagenen traded for Beltran’s former teammate Jake Marisnick.
Van Wagenen said in the conference call he did not speak with Beltran or Marisnick about the investigation, and he did nothing to brace the organization for the potential situation where he may have to fire his manager.
Taking Van Wagenen at face value, he ignored prevalent information, and he purposefully left the organization ill prepared for what they eventually did in firing Beltran.
Of course, much of this does not pass the smell test. That goes double when you consider he is good friends with former Astros manager AJ Hinch.
As an aside, during the conference call, Van Wagenen admitted to speaking with Hinch, which based on when it happened, may have been in violation of Major League Baseball’s rulings.
Van Wagenen has painted himself as someone who either didn’t know or didn’t want to know. That is something entirely unacceptable from a team’s general manager. That goes double when it happens in the course of the hiring of your manager who is a team’s most public representative.
Simply put, what happened with the Mets can’t happen.
They can’t have a GM unaware of widely held information. They can’t have a GM who does nothing to be proactive. It’s even worse when he has the means and connections to do it.
Thursday was as bad a day as it got for the Mets. In addition to the embarrassment of firing Beltran and overshadowing the team honoring Piazza, their employee, Jessica Mendoza, attacked Fiers for being a whistleblower. It should be noted Mendoza was hired by Van Wagenen.
Keep in mind, this was the latest embarrassing day under Van Wagenen’s tenure, and it was another day when Van Wagenen seemed incapable of handling bad situations.
When Mickey Callaway screamed at a reporter and Jason Vargas threatened the reporter, no team suspensions were issued. It took multiple times to get Callaway to apologize, and Vargas’ apology was never forthcoming.
We have also seen the reports of Van Wagenen throwing chairs in meetings with his coaching staff. Worse yet, Van Wagenen has broken MLB rules by texting in-game decisions to the clubhouse.
While some have tried to paint the picture as it was an isolated incident with Jacob deGrom, it wasn’t. It happened on multiple occasions. When you look at Van Wagenen’s tenure, he’s already broken MLB rules, and he hired a manager who had broken rules.
Even putting aside what suspicion could arise from that, he has shown he’s not up to the job of being the general manager of the Mets.
In his short tenure, he got the Mets wrapped up into a scandal where his team was not being investigated or implicated in any wrongdoing. He has been ill prepared to handle problems which have arisen with his team, has broken MLB rules, and behind closed doors, he is throwing chairs.
Before you even address his poor player decisions, Van Wagenen has shown himself to be unaware of what has been happening in baseball and has made the Mets ill equipped and ill prepared to handle situations which the team should have seen coming.
Remember, Beltran was purportedly Van Wagenen’s hire, and his failure to conduct the NEEDED vetting before, during, and after embarrassed the organization and led to Beltran’s firing. Seeing Van Wagenen’s tenure and conduct, he should have followed Beltran out the door.
Carlos Beltran , Jacob deGrom , Jake Marisnick , Jason Vargas , Mickey Callaway , MIke Piazza , Nori Aoki
Mets Should Immediately Name Luis Rojas Interim Manager
For better or worse, the Mets felt compelled to fire Carlos Beltran before he even managed a game. Accepting the Mets at face value, they were blindsided by this, and they believed this was the best thing to do for the organization.
Hanging over the organization right now is who is going to be the next manager? The longer that question lingers, the worse the Mets look, so it would behoove them to act quickly.
On the one hand, the Mets already did their homework. Beltran was one of several candidates they interviewed, and in the case of Eduardo Perez, some of the very good candidates considered are still available.
However, with all due respect to those candidates, including Perez who could be a good manager, the Mets put their vetting of external candidates for the position when they said in their conference call they were unaware of the widely reported sign stealing reports and rumors, and they did not investigate it nor ask candidates like Beltran about it.
Regardless of the quality of their vetting, the Mets went out and built an entire MLB staff under the presumption Beltran was going to be the manager. More than that, this is a group who has already been working together and formulating plans for Spring Training and the regular season.
It would at least seem an external hire would be counter-productive. This late in the game you would not want anyone reinventing the wheel. Furthermore, a new hire would like some say about a staff which has already been completely filled.
To that end, the Mets best course of action is to hire someone already on the staff. Looking at the staff as it is assembled, the best candidate by far is Luis Rojas.
First and foremost, Rojas has already managed the Mets core. In his time in the minors, he served as a minor league manager for Pete Alonso, Michael Conforto, Jeff McNeil, Brandon Nimmo, Amed Rosario, and others.
Rojas has had a hand in their development and success. Moreover, they respect him.
Looking at the complete roster, Rojas was one of the holdovers from Mickey Callaway‘s staff. In his role as quality control coach, he was a liaison between the front office and the clubhouse handling strategy, preparation, and utilization of analytics.
Rojas is already aware of the front office expectations are, has dealt with them on a daily basis, and he’s developed relationships with the Mets players.
On the latter point, Tim Healey of Newsday reports, “The Mets promoting Luis Rojas to manager would go over very well in the clubhouse.”
Overall, when looking at Rojas, it’s the smoothest possible transition. He’s respected by the front office and clubhouse, and he’s seen my many to be someone who could be a very good manager one day. Looking at it from that perspective, he’s the natural choice.
That said we should all be keenly aware the Mets didn’t hire him. In fact, he wasn’t even a finalist for the managerial position.
Presumably, whatever issues led the Mets to believe Rojas was not the best candidate for the job still exist. To that extent, it would not be the best decision to name Rojas the manager when the team had some reservations about his being the manager in 2020.
Taking that and everything into consideration, the Mets should name Rojas as the interim manager.
After all, anyone who is named now should be named as an interim. As noted, the Mets vetting had its issues, and they’re going to hire someone to lead a staff they had no input in its choosing.
Moreover, this is late in the game. In many ways, this is not much different than Beltran having been fired mid-season. In those circumstances, teams routinely name an interim manager so they can conduct a full scale search for a manager in the offseason.
Perhaps, the Mets should be doing that anyway as they will have a new majority owner at some point during the 2020 season.
As it pertains to Rojas, the decision has its benefits. It allows him to prove himself with some of the heat taken off. There will be fewer articles about the Mets rushing the process to hire someone who might not have been ready, and instead, there will be more of a focus on how he improves. Ideally, at some point, there will be articles about how the Mets should remove the interim tag.
Ultimately, the Mets firing Beltran has had them lose who they thought was the best man for the job. Other candidates like Derek Shelton have accepted positions elsewhere. This is a bad situation which can be made worse by rushing the process and hiring the wrong guy.
Accordingly, the best course of action is the smoothest transition possible with Rojas at the helm with an opportunity to prove he’s truly the man for the job.
Amed Rosario , Brandon Nimmo , Carlos Beltran , Jeff McNeil , Luis Rojas , Mickey Callaway , Peter Alonso
Mets Won’t Stand By Carlos Beltran Like They Have With Abusers
There is going to be a lot to be said here and other places about the New York Mets and Carlos Beltran “mutually agreeing to part ways,” but one thing remains clear – the Mets were unwilling to weather the storm and stand by their manager.
Despite the Mets profiting from a Ponzi Scheme and selling the team to a person who has paid the largest ever insider trading fine, this is apparently where they draw the line.
Perhaps, it shouldn’t come as a surprise with Jeff Wilpon having been alleged to fire a pregnant employee because he was not married, but the Mets have stood by their people who have committed violent acts against women.
In 2004, the Arizona Diamondbacks fired Wally Backman before he managed one game after discovering his previous arrests for drunk driving and for a fight with his wife.
He’d be unemployable for Major League teams for years, and he’d have to resort to managing in the independent leagues. Eventually, the Mets brought him back to the organization and gave him a job for six years.
The Mets found a way to give him a second chance and stand by him. That applied even as he pushed Jack Leathersich‘s physical limits and might’ve had a significant role in Leathersich’s career altering injuries.
In 2015, Jose Reyes was arrested for a violent altercation in their Hawaii hotel room which led to her being taken to the hospital for treatment. For this altercation, he was suspended for 51 games and released by the Colorado Rockies.
Later in that 2016 season, the Mets signed him. They then picked up his option for 2017, and despite his being among the worst players in baseball that year, they signed him to return to the Mets in 2018.
Despite Reyes’ involvement in his wife being treated in a hospital, his poor play, and his publicly pushing for more playing time, the Mets not only kept him, but we also saw Reyes nominated for the Marvin Miller Award.
Backman and Reyes are not the only two individuals who the Mets have stuck by through the years when it comes to improper and violent acts against women. There’s other players, and Steve Phillips survived sexual harassment allegations.
Through it all, one thing is clear – if the Mets employee harmed a woman, the team would unquestionably have that person’s back even when no one else would.
For anything else, they’ll just see which way the wind is blowing. That’s why Beltran was fired before getting an opportunity to manage the team, and it’s why Reyes was celebrated by this organization.
Carlos Beltran , Jack Leathersich , Jose Reyes , Wally Backman
Jessica Mendoza Silent On Carlos Beltran But Not Mike Fiers
ESPN baseball analyst Jessica Mendoza appeared on Golic and Wingo to discuss the Astros sign stealing scandal, and during that interview she made clear she had an issue with Mike Fiers going public with the information.
“To go public with it and call them out and start all of this, it’s hard to swallow.”
–@jessmendoza on former Astros pitcher Mike Fiers revealing the Astros sign-stealing scheme. pic.twitter.com/LSQY6B0dSC
— Golic and Wingo (@GolicAndWingo) January 16, 2020
The part of her interview which is getting the most attention is her saying, “To go public with it and call them out and start all of this, it’s hard to swallow.”
While it should be clear Mendoza was not advocating or defending the Astros sign stealing, what she was doing was explicitly saying you do not go public with information about cheating.
Keep in mind, this was the first public statements by a Mets official since punishment was handed down by the commissioner’s office. While ESPN, the Mets, and Mendoza may want to couch this as her appearing on ESPN in her capacity as an ESPN employee only, it’s not that simple.
Mendoza is a Mets employee, and she is discussing what is a very hot button topic with the Mets right now vis-a-vis what the Mets should do with Carlos Beltran. On that note, it’s quite telling she wasn’t asked a question about Beltran’s job status.
The failure to address that issue puts ESPN’s journalistic integrity into question, and if the question was off limits, it speaks all the more to Mendoza wearing two hats in the same interview.
Overall, we are left with ESPN not asking a Mets employee about the biggest issue facing this franchise today, and we have a Mets employee, the only one who has spoken publicly on this topic, attacking a whistleblower.
This was just a bad look for everyone involved.
Mets Trust In Carlos Beltran Based On Seven Years, Not One Interview
There has been this prevailing notion the fate of Carlos Beltran should be determined by how honest he was with the Mets during his interviews for the managerial position.
The premise is if he lied they can’t trust him, and he should be fired. If he was honest, they really have no basis to fire him.
For a typical managerial hire, this would be true. After all, many managers are hired from outside the organization. As we saw with Mickey Callaway, you only really speak to a candidate once or twice, and then you vet that candidate.
But that’s not Beltran.
Carlos Beltran spent seven years with the Mets. During that time, Beltran and the team had a tumultuous relationship.
Fred Wilpon based Beltran in an interview with the New Yorker. The Mets fought with Beltran over his opting for knee surgery. Overall, Beltran was there for good times and bad times. In fact, with two collapses, the Madoff scandal, firing Willie Randolph one game into a west coast trip, and Francisco Rodriguez attacking his children’s grandfather in the family room, he was there for some of the worst times in team history.
Beltran is close with Omar Minaya and Allard Baird, both of whom are assistant general managers. He played for Terry Collins, who is a special assistant. He also played for AJ Hinch, who is a close personal friend of Mets General Manager Brodie Van Wagenen.
When you throw in Beltran’s personal relationships with other members of the front office like David Wright, and his playing for the Wilpons in all the seven years he played in Flushing, you realize the Mets know Beltran extremely well.
Based on that relationship, the Mets believed Beltran was the best person to lead the franchise in 2020 and into the future. A report where he was not explicitly found of any wrongdoing should do nothing at all to change that.
What happened with the Astros is a red herring as it pertains to the Mets. They know exactly the person who Beltran is, and they thought so highly of that person, they made him their manager. Right now, Beltran is the same person who interviewed for the job, was hired, and has been preparing for his first Spring Training as manager.
Don’t be fooled by moving narratives. Beltran is exactly the person they know him to be, and he’s not facing any punishment from baseball. As such, short of being instructed to do so by the commissioner, the Mets have zero basis to fire him for a supposed inability to trust a person with whom they have a long standing relationship.
Carlos Beltran , David Wright , Francisco Rodriguez , Mickey Callaway , Terry Collins , Willie Randolph
MLB Won’t Allow Carlos Beltran To “Tell The Truth”
With Alex Cora and the Boston Red Sox now agreeing to part ways, that leaves Carlos Beltran as the only individual named in the Astros investigation who is still employed in baseball. This means the heat is going to be ratcheted up on him.
Already, we have heard calls for Beltran to be fired by the Mets. We’re also seeing the media call for Beltran to come clean and tell the truth.
John Harper of SNY, who once advocated the Mets sign Jose Reyes, called Beltran’s involvement a bad look for the Mets, and he called for Beltran to correct his lies.
Ken Davidoff of the New York Post wrote an article saying Beltran should tell the truth and “it’s in everyone’s best interests to watch Beltran face the music before rendering final judgment.”
This is a sampling of the swirling opinions about Beltran’s involvement and his prior statements to reporters disavowing knowledge of the Astros sign stealing measures.
Specifically, Beltran texted Joel Sherman of the New York Post, “I’m not aware of that camera. We were studying the opposite team every day.” With all due respect to Andy Martino of SNY, it is hard to believe he wasn’t lying when he said this.
That said, it is possible he didn’t lie, but at the end of the day, it doesn’t matter. The media believes Beltran lied to them and their brethren, and they are owed a correction.
To be fair, the reporters have a very valid point, especially since it is their job to seek and report the truth. However, the problem is it appears Beltran isn’t permitted to say anything at all.
pic.twitter.com/4ypjhBUfHy
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) January 14, 2020
As we see with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Major League Baseball has requested the Dodgers and all of baseball “not to comment on any wrongdoings during the 2017 World Series.”
As reported by Jeff Passan of ESPN, “Multiple ownership-level sources told ESPN that dissatisfaction with the penalties had emerged following a conference call with Manfred, in which he explained how the Astros would be disciplined, then told teams to keep their thoughts to themselves.”
Effectively speaking, for better or worse, Major League Baseball has placed a gag order on everyone. If that is truly the case, it is eminently possible, how could Beltrán possibly speak to the press about his involvement?
More to the point, why would Beltrán potentially incur Major League Baseball’s wrath by speaking at a time when Baseball very clearly wants no one talking about the scandal?
At this moment, Beltran is really awaiting direction from Major League Baseball, and more importantly, direction from the New York Mets. Keep in mind, if the Mets wanted Beltran to speak, he would’ve already spoken.
In the end, the calls for Beltran are all well and good, but at the end of the day, the Mets manager cannot speak unless otherwise directed by Mets ownership and permitted by Major League Baseball. Until such time, we have to sit and wait until he is permitted to say what apparently needs to be said. When that’ll happen is anyone’s guess.
Alex Cora , Carlos Beltran , Jose Reyes
Mets Are The Last Organization Which Should Fire Carlos Beltran
Major League Baseball had concluded its investigation, and they have levied their penalties against the Houston Astros. This has led to the firing of AJ Hinch, and based upon what was contained in Major League Baseball’s report, it is safe to assume that not only is Alex Cora is eventually going to be handed his own severe punishment, but his days as the manager of the Boston Red Sox are likely over.
That leaves Carlos Beltran as the only current Major League manager named in the report who has not faced nor will face any discipline.
The reason behind Beltran not facing any discipline was Major League Baseball going out of its way to not suspend any of the players caught in the sign stealing scandal. In 2017, Beltran was a player, which means he is not subject to discipline.
Despite that, there has been a push for the Mets to fire their new manager. Chris Carlin attempted to conjure up Beltran being part of both a conspiracy and cover-up on his ESPN Radio program. It is also being discussed all over WFAN with Boomer and Gio as well as Moose and Maggie making it topics for discussion. On that point, like Carlin, Boomer said the Mets should fire Beltran.
While the topic certainly is going to drive ratings and discussions, at the end of the day, you really have to wonder why exactly the Mets should fire Beltran.
Right off the bat, you could say it is going to be a distraction. It’s a fair point as it is going to be a topic for discussion during Spring Training when Beltran meets with the press. However, that’s really only going to be it.
Remember, one of the purported reasons not to sign Jose Reyes was his domestic violence was going to be a distraction. It was for maybe a week or two. Beyond that, Citi Field was alive with Jose chants, reporters wrote articles advocating for him to be signed and to receive more playing time, and at the end of the day, he was nominated for the Marvin Miller Award.
Keep in mind this story will die quickly. In terms of Mets Spring Training, this scandal is going to die very quickly as the Mets have Yoenis Cespedes return and Jed Lowrie‘s health to cover amongst the myriad of issues which always arise in St. Lucie during February and March.
Of course, there’s an ethical issue to discuss. After all, cheating in sports (and life) has always been viewed distasteful, and an organization should not be led by an individual who is so willing to skirt the rules to their own benefit.
On that higher moral note, Jeff Wilpon has his own history of distasteful conduct including firing an unwed pregnant woman. The Mets eventual new owner, Steve Cohen, paid a $1.2 billion fine, the largest fine ever levied, for insider trading.
Like it or not, the Mets have not shown any had any sort of an ethical litmus test for their ownership, front office, or players. It would now be bizarre to hold their manager up to some standard not present anywhere else in the organization.
Beyond that, no one is quite sure what Beltran even did. Major League Baseball‘s report stated, “a group of players, including Carlos Beltrán, discussed that the team could improve on decoding opposing teams’ signs and communicating the signs to the batter.” It then said Cora devised the system and had the players execute it.
Be careful of what it did and did not say. It said Beltran discussed better decoding and communication. It did not say he was responsible for the illegal technological set-up, nor did it specifically name him as one of the players relaying messages. It’s possible he had a hand in all of it, but he was not specifically named for anything other than wanting a better system.
When it was the New York Giants with Bobby Thompson, it was the “Shot Heard Round the World.” With the Astros, it’s now being treated as the biggest scandal in Major League history this side of the Black Sox.
It is a slippery slope when you penalize and fire people for what you think they did. Honestly, many assume the worse with Beltran, but those assumptions are not present in the report. If you are going to take the position his even being a part of it is enough to want him gone from the team, the same is then true for J.D. Davis and Jake Marisnick, each of whom were members of the 2017 and 2018 Houston Astros teams.
Overall, Beltran was part of a team who cheated and won a World Series. After that, he was a member of the New York Yankees front office as an advisor to Brian Cashman. Knowing Major League Baseball was conducting this investigation and fully knowing Beltran may be implicated in that investigation, the New York Mets hired him to be their manager.
While some may want to trump up the report to be more than it was, fact is the Mets hired Beltran with their eyes fully opened. When they did hire him, Brodie Van Wagenen said, “Carlos has an extremely high baseball IQ. He has an appetite to collaborate and he’s a mentor, and he’s a communicator from the 25th man on the roster to the first. From our veteran players to our minor-league prospects, he cares about improving each player in that clubhouse.”
That is why he is the Mets manager, and even after the investigation all of this remains true. As a result, Carlos Beltran should remain as the Mets manager until he proves unfit for the job, or until he is further implicated as being anything other than a player who wanted to find a better way to steal signs.
Alex Cora , Carlos Beltran , J.D. Davis , Jake Marisnick , Jed Lowrie , Jose Reyes , Yoenis Cespedes
Astros Penalties And Suspensions Raise Many Questions
After Mike Fiers brought the Houston Astros sign stealing to light, it was a matter of when, not if, Major League Baseball would levy penalties. After an investigation, we would have our answer.
GM Jeffrey Luhnow and Manager AJ Hinch were not cited as ringleaders, but they were suspended for a year. After the suspension, they were fired by the Astros owner, Jim Crane, who was cleared of any wrongdoing.
While Crane was cleared of any wrongdoing, the team was fined $5 million, and we were told that’s the most they could be fined. They’re also losing their first and second round picks over the next two drafts.
Overall, Alex Cora was painted as the ringleader, and his comeuppance is coming. When that comes is not the only question this investigation and levying of penalties invoke.
Major League Baseball wants you to know that $5 million is the most any team can be fined by the Commissioner. That is partially true. According to Article II, Section 3 (e), the Commissioner is limited to fining a club $5 million for “each offense.”
The Astros did not cheat just once. As noted in the report, they cheated throughout 2017 and into 2018 (more on that in a moment). They cheated in at least 81 homes games plus the postseason. With reports Hinch smashed the televisions, they cheated each time they rebuilt the system.
This was not an isolated occurrence. The Astros cheated multiple times per game, and they reaped the benefit of tens of millions of dollars. Really, it was more than that, and in the end, they were hit with a rounding error due to a purposefully narrow view of the constitution.
On another note, Major League Baseball once stripped the Dodgers away from Frank McCourt due to how he operated his team, and George Steinbrenner was banned from baseball stemming from his attempts to get out from under the Dave Winfield contract. While it’s true this scandal may not have arisen to the level of stripping ownership away, it is also fair to point out there is far more than just taking away money that could be done to an owner.
JIM CRANE
The report goes out of its way to say he knew nothing. That’s possible, but it also says the Astros had a “failure by the leaders of the baseball operations department and the Field Manager to adequately manage the employees under their supervision, to establish a culture in which adherence to the rules is ingrained in the fabric of the organization, and to stop bad behavior as soon as it occurred”
That culture was one established directly or indirectly by Crane, and yet, he was at least personally exonerated.
Now, it is very well possible he didn’t know what was occurring. However, as we saw with the Brandon Taubman attacks of a reporter, he showed everyone he did not care about what his employees did as long as the team was winning.
AJ HINCH AND ASTROS’ COACHING STAFF
It is just interesting how Hinch smashed televisions on multiple occasions to show his players how he disapproved of what they were doing. However, baseball also punished him for one year for his failure to tell his players to stop. In terms of the coaching staff, we are being led to believe it was only him and Cora (who is going to be dealt with later by baseball) who knew or had the power.
Hitting Coach Dave Hudgens must’ve also known. The same can be said for the rest of that 2017 coaching staff including Gary Pettis, Brent Strom, and others.
Why is it they all got a pass? Don’t the coaches have a similar responsibility to tell their players not to do certain things?
On that front, the report does indicate the commissioner is going to leave it to the Astros to deal with other employees, but seeing how Crane has responded to the questions, he’s done. In essence, Crane and baseball have no issue with anyone other than the manager and GM, and they want you to believe with them gone, the people who could conceive, carry out, and/or continue this cheating, are also gone. That’s hard to believe.
First and foremost, why was Carlos Beltran the only player mentioned? It was made clear he wasn’t the only one involved, and yet he was the only one singled out. Either name them all or none.
Joel Sherman of the New York Post has floated the idea of this hurting Beltran’s Hall of Fame candidacy, which is possible, while Chris Carlin of ESPN Radio has created in his mind a massive coverup and has demanded Beltran’s firing.
On that note, how is it whenever something in MLB happens, the Mets find a way to look bad? I’d also note why is it now incumbent on the Mets to fire their new manager?
ALEX CORA SET UP TO BE A FALL GUY
Reading the report, it is very clear Cora is going to be the fall guy for all of this. Not only was he with the 2017 Astros, but he was also with the 2018 Red Sox. As the report is written, we see baseball wants to make him the mastermind behind all of this.
The problem is the Red Sox were fined for similar actions in 2017, and as Logan Morrison said, the Astros had been doing this since 2014. Morrison also implicated the Yankees and Dodgers, which is interesting considering they are purportedly two of the victims of the cheating.
It should be noted Crane purchased the Astros in 2011 while Cora was working for Baseball Tonight in 2014. How are we to believe Cora did all of this when other teams did it long before he got there?
BASEBALL DIDN’ T WANT TO KNOW
If you read the report, Major League Baseball wants you to know the Astros stopped cheating during the 2018 season. That coincides with Cora being the manager of the Red Sox and Beltran working for the Yankees front office. Put another way, they were gone, so this was a convenient point to say the Astros stopped everything.
There’s a problem with that. Part of the reason there was an investigation into the sign stealing was actions by the Astros during the 2019 ALCS. Instead of banging on trash cans, there was whistling to tip off pitches.
It’s clear there was something still going on during the 2019 postseason. In fact, we heard the Nationals team was very careful during the World Series. Despite that, Major League Baseball wants you to believe this was isolated to just a little more than one season for the Astros and just the 2018 season for the Red Sox.
Basically, baseball is burying its head in the sand, and they don’t want anyone to delve further into the matter. We see that with reports over their threatening teams if they speak about this publicly. Overall, baseball wants you to believe this matter has been completely handled, and it is going away.
If the steroids scandal is any indication, acting like this is not going to allow this to go away, and in the end, people who are somehow lauding Manfred for his handling of the matter will be justifiably criticizing him.
With the Astros being stripped of their first and second round draft picks for each of the next two years, there is a real issue over free agency. With the way the rules are written, teams have to forfeit a draft pick. Looking at the Astros, they already have. Does this mean they can pursue free agents with reckless abandon knowing they’ve already lost the draft pick, or does the loss of the draft pick effectively mean they cannot sign players who have received a qualifying offer.
On that point, George Springer is set to be a free agent. If the Astros extend him a qualifying offer and he signs elsewhere, does this now mean the Astros have a backdoor way to get draft picks?
So far, that has not been made clear, which in the end, speaks to how haphazardly the report was constructed. Really, it was not about discovering the truth or levying penalties. No, it was about finding a fall guy and trying to present the matter as isolated and closed.
The Astros sign stealing scandal created a huge problem for Major League Baseball. By and through the commissioner, Rob Manfred, baseball wants you to know it conducted a full investigation, and really the matter is closed. They even had a coordinated effort with the subsequent firings of Hinch and Luhnow by Crane.
And yet, baseball purposefully did not conduct an investigation into the full breadth of the Astros sign stealing, nor have they looked into it across the sport, at least not yet. They also really failed to punish the Astros financially in a way which will discourage them or another team from doing this or something similar ever again.
In the short term, it does seem baseball is controlling the message, and they have placated many. However, with the way this was all handled, it should not be a surprise to any if these problems re-emerge in the ensuing days, weeks, or months.
Alex Cora , Carlos Beltran
Lias Andersson Problem With Rangers Should Drive Better Player Development In All Sports
In 2017, in a somewhat surprising move, the New York Rangers made Lias Andersson the seventh overall selection in the draft. He was supposed to be the first big move in a Rangers rebuild, and to some he was touted as a future Captain of the Rangers who could led the team to their first Stanley Cup since 1995.
So far, it hasn’t panned out that way, and worse yet, things only seem to get worse and worse.
Andersson struggled in his first year, but he seemed to learn some lessons from it. During training camp, he seemed to prove himself and earned a spot on the roster to open the 2019-2020 season. The optimism quickly soured with him not producing and the ensuing debate/drama over his being on the fourth line.
This entire situation led to Andersson being demoted to the AHL, where he again struggled. Eventually, Andersson demanded a trade and all together up and left the Rangers. Since that time, there was an active debate over handling of him and other prospects as well as Andersson on how he handled the situation.
Recently, Andersson opened up about what has transpired. In an interview translated by Blueshirt Banter, Andersson talked about how he is struggling:
There has been many incidents, but I can’t divulge everything, I will do that at a later stage. There has been many incidents that has hurt me on a personal level, things that has made me struggle mentally. In regards to hockey this might be an idiotic decision but I have to think about my private life too.”, Lias falls silent, “I feel like I have lost the hunger and drive for [hockey] at the moment – and all these incidents has affected me. I feel like I have to get this under control first and foremost.
Since the interview, we have learned more about the situation. Andersson was apparently skating on two injured feet, and there have been unspoken incidents which have troubled him. Another important note here is Andersson’s father has been clear this is not some temper tantrum about his demotion to the AHL.
Andersson is struggling with something, is dealing with injuries, and he is not yet ready to talk about it.
With hockey uncovering some bullying issues, especially from coaches, there has been some speculation as to what happened with Andersson with some of it being irresponsible. Still without quite knowing what happened with Andersson, there is a lesson to be learned here about how teams handle prospects.
Before going further, there is an interesting baseball parallel here with Dominic Smith of the Mets.
Smith was drafted by the Mets with the 11th overall pick of the 2013 draft. Since that time, we saw Smith show the tools to be a good Major League player, but there was a narrative emerging about his being overweight and lazy. In terms of his being overweight, you could see it despite his spending much of his offseasons dedicated to getting into shape.
As for the lazy part, aside from it being a byproduct of how some view overweight people, Smith would oversleep and report late to the first Spring Training game of the 2018 season. That seemed to be the final nail in his coffin as the Mets first baseman of the future.
After that point, the Mets went forward with Adrian Gonzalez to start the 2018 season. After they moved on from Gonzalez, the Mets looked to Wilmer Flores, a player they would non-tender after the season, at first base. All-in-all, they never gave Smith a chance to succeed, and eventually without a real direct competition, Smith was passed on the depth chart by Pete Alonso.
After the 2018 season, we discovered Smith had been battling sleep apnea. With it finally being properly diagnosed and treated, we not only saw Smith stay in shape for the entirety of the 2019 season, but we would also see him become an impactful player with a 133 wRC+.
With Smith, you are really left wondering how things would have been different had the team handled his development differently. It is the same exact situation with Andersson.
In recent years, it is becoming increasingly clear teams are not devoting enough time and resources to the actual development of players. While we see teams increasingly looking towards analytics and conditioning to help develop and improve their players, we are not hearing enough about teams looking to help players develop mentally, and/or learn to better handle themselves as professionals.
Many times, we hear about how this manager, coach, or veteran is going to take a certain player under their wing and help them fulfill their full potential. Looking at the Mets, we actually heard Edwin Diaz speak about his problems handling New York, and he was looking forward to new manager Carlos Beltran helping him better handle the city in 2020.
While a manager is supposed to be there to help, players need more, especially when a manager has to handle a roster of 25 players, a full coaching staff, speak with the media, and deal with the front office. It’s too much for any manager to handle players like a Smith or Andersson who are clearly struggling and need the help the team is ill equipped to provide.
The help can come in the form of a mental skills or life coach for the team. Perhaps every team should have a form of a stipend to help players seek the personal help they need but really cannot afford as prospects. Perhaps leagues need to have an ombudsman of sorts to visit minor leaguers to investigate how teams are being run and why they aren’t meeting their goals.
Point is, the Rangers have effectively lost a very talented hockey player in Andersson to something which might have been avoidable. The Mets almost missed out on Smith having a productive career for trying to turn what was a physical ailment into a mental problem. Clearly, these organizations and others are very ill-equipped to handle the mental and life skills issues of players, and as a result, we are seeing players not even be allowed to be put in a good position to reach their full potential.
That is a very real and significant problem. What makes it worse is it is avoidable, and it is time someone starts focusing on how to help these players instead of trying to tell them and everyone else what is wrong with them because clearly, they have no idea.
Adrian Gonzalez , Carlos Beltran , Dominic Smith , Edwin Diaz , Peter Alonso , Wilmer Flores
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The Associate
Doubleday (Mass Market Paperback, $9.99, ISBN: 0-440-24382-3)
Description from the publisher:
If you thought Mitch McDeere was in trouble in The Firm, wait until you meet Kyle McAvoy, The Associate.
Kyle McAvoy grew up in his father’s small-town law office in York, Pennsylvania. He excelled in college, was elected editor-in-chief of The Yale Law Journal, and his future has limitless potential.
But Kyle has a secret, a dark one, an episode from college that he has tried to forget. The secret, though, falls into the hands of the wrong people, and Kyle is forced to take a job he doesn’t want—even though it’s a job most law students can only dream about.
Three months after leaving Yale, Kyle becomes an associate at the largest law firm in the world, where, in addition to practicing law, he is expected to lie, steal, and take part in a scheme that could send him to prison, if not get him killed.
With an unforgettable cast of characters and villains—from Baxter Tate, a drug-addled trust fund kid and possible rapist, to Dale, a pretty but seemingly quiet former math teacher who shares Kyle’s “cubicle” at the law firm, to two of the most powerful and fiercely competitive defense contractors in the country—and featuring all the twists and turns that have made John Grisham the most popular storyteller in the world, The Associate is vintage Grisham.
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The original story can be found at http://m.bpnews.net/40428/sbc-digest-new-sbts-dean-sebts-ethnic-relations-rainer-podcast
SBC DIGEST: New SBTS dean, SEBTS ethnic relations; Rainer podcast
by SBC DIGEST: New SBTS dean, SEBTS ethnic relations;, posted Friday, May 31, 2013 (6 years ago)
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (BP) -- Evangelism professor Adam Greenway has been named dean of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary's Billy Graham School of Missions, Evangelism and Ministry, effective June 1.
Greenway becomes the fourth dean of the Graham School, replacing Zane Pratt, who will continue teaching on faculty at the seminary even as he returns to overseas service.
"Adam Greenway brings a wealth of experience and a compelling vision to this newly-expanded school and its mission," said R. Albert Mohler Jr., the seminary's president. "He has served well as senior associate dean of the school and he has the eager confidence of his faculty colleagues. He is a proven leader, having served as president of the Kentucky Baptist Convention and in a host of similar roles.
"He is a passionate evangelist who deeply loves the local church. He is a recognized leader within the Southern Baptist Convention and he brings a solid track record of denominational cooperation to this strategic new role."
Greenway, 35, is associate professor of evangelism and applied apologetics at the seminary, a role he began in 2007 and plans to continue. Greenway also served, beginning in 2010, as senior associate dean under the leadership of the two previous deans of the Billy Graham School of Missions and Evangelism.
Greenway was president of the Kentucky Baptist Convention from 2011-12. As president, he was the youngest in KBC history, assuming the role as a 33-year-old. Previously, Greenway served as the KBC's first vice president from 2009-10, as a member of its Mission Board, as the chair of the Mission Board Size Study Committee in 2009 and as the convention's parliamentarian.
On the national level, Greenway is president of the Southern Baptist Professors of Evangelism Fellowship and has served as a trustee for LifeWay Christian Resources since 2005.
Thom Rainer, LifeWay's president and a former dean at the Billy Graham School, said, "Adam Greenway is one of the most gifted persons in our denomination. I marveled at his strategic mind years ago when he was my doctoral student. And I continue to do so today as he leads LifeWay's board of trustees as our chairman. I congratulate Southern Seminary and Dr. Mohler for making such an incredible choice."
Greenway will be the first dean of the school since it expanded as the Billy Graham School of Missions, Evangelism and Ministry, combining the Billy Graham School of Missions and Evangelism, established in 1994, and the School of Church Ministries, 2009.
A native Floridian, Greenway arrived in Kentucky in 2002 as pastor of The Baptist Church at Andover in Lexington. After joining the faculty of Southern Seminary, Greenway continued his pastoral ministry through interim roles in five churches across Kentucky, Indiana and Ohio. Prior to that, he served as a pastoral assistant in Alabama and in interim positions in Florida and Texas.
Greenway is co-editor of two books, "Evangelicals Engaging Emergent" and "The Great Commission Resurgence," and holds an undergraduate degree from Samford University, a master of divinity degree from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and a doctor of philosophy degree from Southern Seminary.
SOUTHEASTERN MOVES TOWARD IMPROVING ETHNIC RELATIONS -- Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary has hired a special adviser to the president for diversity and a director of Hispanic leadership development in order to make strides toward ethnic diversity.
Daniel Akin, president of Southeastern Seminary, said ethnic diversity is hardwired into the Great Commission.
"If we are to truly be a Great Commission seminary, moving in this direction is really an easy decision and one I wish we had made many years before now," Akin said.
Walter Strickland, an African American, will serve as special adviser to the president for diversity. As a two-time graduate of Southeastern, Strickland hopes to show that ethnic diversity is rooted in Scripture.
"This will lead to a school that is more populated with different ethnicities, but that is not the ultimate goal. It is a byproduct," Strickland said. "The ultimate goal is to fulfill Christ's Great Commission by equipping students to take the Gospel to all nations."
As special adviser to the president for diversity, Strickland will counsel the president and his cabinet on matters related to ethnic relations and institutional diversity. He also will help provide curriculum and course level strategies at Southeastern.
Edgar Aponte, named director of Hispanic leadership development at Southeastern, said, "My prayer is that we will bring glory to Christ by training and equipping current and future Christian leaders among the Hispanic community in the United States and throughout Latin America."
Serving under John Ewart, associate vice president for global theological initiatives, Aponte, who is Hispanic, will provide direction and administration for Hispanic leadership development initiatives, and he will build relationships with local and national Hispanic ministries for the expansion of a Hispanic student population at Southeastern.
"Southeastern is here to serve the Spanish-speaking church," Aponte said, "and we want pastors to see us as their ally in serving them as they work to fulfill the Great Commission."
Bruce Ashford, Southeastern's provost, said diversity is important because Scripture affirms it. God's purposes in history "culminate in Him winning for Himself worshippers from every tribe, tongue, people and nation, and we want our school to be a preview of that day," Ashford said.
Akin said Southern Baptists still have a long way to go in achieving greater ethnic diversity, but the new positions at Southeastern "are strategic in assisting us in better understanding and serving ethnic communities and the students sent our way."
"These newly appointed positions at Southeastern are only a first step, but ones I believe are in the right direction," Akin said. "It is never too late to start doing the right thing, and this is clearly the right thing to do."
RAINER LAUNCHES LEADERSHIP PODCAST -- Thom Rainer, president of LifeWay Christian Resources, has added a new dimension to his online presence with a weekly podcast.
Each week, "Rainer on Leadership" will provide advice for leaders in ministry and the marketplace through 25- to 30-minute podcasts.
"This podcast is something I've wanted to see happen for some time now," Rainer said.
Rainer, whose blog has more than 100,000 followers, said, "I'm limited in the detail I can include in a single blog post. So the podcast allows me to share more details and back stories about different subjects and events of value to leaders."
Initial episodes of the podcast have carried the titles Autopsy of a Deceased Church; Raising Godly Children; Why People Leave Church; and 10 Ways Ordinary People Became Good Leaders.
Listeners can send feedback, questions and suggestions to Rainer through a form available at ThomRainer.com/podcast.
"I'm looking forward to seeing what subjects we will cover and what the readers of ThomRainer.com want to hear," Rainer said.
To listen to Rainer on Leadership, visit ThomRainer.com/podcast or subscribe through iTunes. New episodes of the podcast will be posted on Fridays.
Compiled by Baptist Press assistant editor Erin Roach. Get Baptist Press headlines and breaking news on Twitter (@BaptistPress), Facebook (Facebook.com/BaptistPress ) and in your email ( baptistpress.com/SubscribeBP.asp).
Formed in 1946 by the Southern Baptist Convention, and supported with Cooperative Program funds, Baptist Press (BP) is a daily (Monday-Friday) international news service. Operating from a central bureau in Nashville, Tenn., BP works with a large network of contributing writers, photographers and editorial providers to produce BP News.
Copyright © 2020 Baptist Press, Southern Baptist Convention
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SOURCE: Darin Hayton's Blog
Darin Hayton: Edward Shorter Doubles Down on His Criticism of Historians of Science
Roundup: Talking About History
tags: history of science, history of medicine, Edward Shorter, Darin Hayton, Haverford College
Darin Hayton is a historian of early modern science at Haverford College.
After reading the interview with Edward Shorter, “How Depression Went Mainstream,” I posted some critical thoughts about his dismissal of contemporary history of science. His point seemed to be that present history of science was boring because most contemporary historians of science do not have the technical training to understand the science. As John Wilkins pointed out, Shorter seems to be reviving the internalist/externalist dichotomy in favor of the internalist approach. Reflecting further on the interview, I wondered about the context that produced the interview and how much of Edward Shorter was coming through and how much of the interviewer. So I reached out to Edward Shorter and asked him a few questions. Below I try to summarize our conversation and try to refrain from commentary.[1]...
Shorter was clear and unambiguous: He considers the questions many colleagues are asking to be marginal. The history of medicine, he said, continues to be informed by particular agendas inherited from the 1970s. He characterized them as, on the one hand, leftist studies that sought to blame capitalism for society’s ills and, on the other hand, a women’s studies agenda that sought to show how women had been oppressed. These agendas seem to shape scholarship on psychiatry. Too often, Shorter remarked, histories of psychiatry try to explain how psychiatry has oppressed women. The history of psychiatry risks becoming an appendage of women’s studies or a bland sociology.
I asked about how he would characterize his own work, which has dealt with both women and psychiatry. He said that he had written about women‘s bodies but indicated that his interests had moved on from his earlier book. In general, today he described his work as a blend of history of medicine and social history, as concerned with what he called “narratives of therapy and diagnosis.” The historian cannot understand those therapies and diagnoses without understanding the science that undergirds them. Here is where much contemporary history of medicine goes awry. “Faute de mieux,” historians who are unable to understand the science have no choice but to study the social contexts. Such studies are often driven by the 1970s agendas Shorter deplores....
Read entire article at Darin Hayton's Blog
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SOURCE: Anadolu Agency
Senegal historian decries long shadows of colonialism
Historians in the News
tags: colonialism, Senegal
It is shameful to see the largest streets of the West African country of Senegal bearing the names of colonial French soldiers, according to a prominent local historian.
"It is an embarrassment that the main streets of big cities carry the names of French army commanders who opposed Senegalese clerics and independence fighters,” said Iba Der Thiam, 81, a former education minister, in a press release on Tuesday.
“We know that Commander [Louis] Faidherbe, who gave the name to Dakar's biggest street today, killed 20,000 people in eight months.”
He added: "Since independence, we have been fighting for the removal of these colonial symbols and influence, but with little success. While I was at the Education Ministry, we tried to change the name of schools with colonial names but the orders from higher officials were not the same," he added.
Thiam said remnants of the colonial system can still be seen in schools, decrying the gap between the upper class and the community, adding that the education system is still in the hands of the French.
Read entire article at Anadolu Agency
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Film Annex Capital Partners
Roya Mahboob Meets David Coleman of Common Core
At a recent black tie event celebrating the Time 100, Roya Mahboob of WomensAnnex.com met David Coleman, one of the architects of the Common Core State Standards. Cupcake Digital, which creates Common Core apps, was one of the early supporters of Mahboob and the WomensAnnex.com movement to create Internet-connected classrooms for students in Afghanistan and Central Asia.
Brad Powers, Chairman of Cupcake Digital, said in arecent video interview, “Whether you’re introducing a new school once a week or once a month, the power to reach so many different children and affect so many different lives is staggering, and that’s all through creating that infrastructure.” “If there’s a separation between men and women, online education can provide, in a completely separate environment, a foundation for women to actually get an education.” He points out that connected classrooms, like the ones Mahboob is building in Afghanistan, give women a window to the world. He says, “It allows women to interact with each other and interact with the world.”
Mahboob, who is a pioneer in education in Afghanistan for women, met with David Coleman, a pioneer in education in the United States. As one of the architects of the Common Core State Standards, he’s helping define the next generation of education in America. As Susan Miller, co-founder of Cupcake Digital, said in a recent video, “The Common Core curriculum standards are not on the tips of everyone’s tongues now, but they will be.” Cupcake Digital designs educational apps that incorporate the standards to create Common Core apps.
Mahboob said of Cupcake Digital, “I am extremely grateful for the support the company has offered. Their support of education in Afghanistan is important, especially as the world becomes more connected through social media. By helping bring computers and technology to Afghanistan, Brad, Susan, and the rest of the Cupcake Digital team are helping build the future of this country.”
LEARN MORE ABOUT COMMON CORE APPS.
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« THESE ARE SOME 21 HEALTH FRAUDS TO KEEP AN EYE OPEN FOR
Why a weak handshake is bad news for your heart »
Human sperm grown in lab for first time, say scientists
Sperm created from embryonic stem cells at Newcastle University in Britain.
London: Human sperm cells have been grown in a laboratory for the first time, in a breakthrough that could lead to a treatment for male infertility, scientists claim.
A French firm said it had produced “fully formed” sperm from basic reproduction cells.
The research has not yet been published in a peer-reviewed journal, and experts greeted the news with caution. However, if proven, the technique could offer hope to people who cannot have children.
The Kallistem laboratory in Lyon said its finding paved the way for new methods of treating infertile men
“At the end of 2014, the company was able to produce fully formed human spermatozoa [sperm cells] in the laboratory setting, using patient testicular biopsies containing only immature germ cells, or spermatogonia,” the company said in a statement.
“This research paves the way for innovative therapies to preserve and restore male fertility, a major issue with global impact; numbers of spermatozoa have declined by 50 per cent over the last 50 years.”
Joyce Harper, professor of human genetics and embryology at University College London, said: “This is a great move forward – it is really exciting.”
However, she added: “They have said that this is still early stages and we’ve got a long way to go, and that is absolutely correct. There are a number of studies that need to be done.
“The only way you can check if a sperm is really viable is if it fertilises an egg and goes on and develops into a baby.”
Professor Harper said most infertile men did produce sperm that can be extracted from their reproductive system as part of specialised treatment.
Kallistem’s new treatment would be for those who do not produce any mature sperm at all, she added, although, in these cases, the resulting cells would have to be checked to ensure they are “genetically normal”.
Spermatogenesis, the process through which basic reproduction cells – the germ cells – develop into sperm cells, is an extremely complex one. It takes about 72 days in the human body. The scientists said their research could help tens of thousands of men.
Infertility affects at least 10 per cent of couples, and in at least a third of cases it relates to male fertility problems, which are often genetic.
The most common defect is missing regions of male Y chromosomes, which is associated with the production of few or no sperm.
Under the new process, experts would be able to extract reproductive cells from a man’s testes and then freeze them until he wishes to father a child, the firm said.
However, Professor Allan Pacey, of the University of Sheffield, urged couples to treat the announcement with caution.
He said: “This is a bold claim to make and we have had our fingers burnt before. Until I see a peer-reviewed scientific publication showing unequivocally that this has been done, I have to remain sceptical.
“Claims like this can often cause heartache for infertile couples who see them as hope only to have their hopes dashed later when it doesn’t translate into an available procedure.”
Kallistem, which is trying to raise funding for its research, will hold preclinical trials until next year and clinical trials in 2017.
“If it works, this procedure opens great prospects,” said Nathalie Rives, the manager of a fertility clinic.
However, like Professor Harper, she warned that adults suffering from a complete lack of sperm might have “genetic anomalies” that could exclude them from the process.
Professor Israel Nisand, co-founder of the European Bioethics Forum, said the procedure was preferable to reproductive cloning.
Previously, lab-created spermatogenesis had been successful only in mice.
Last year, American researchers announced that they had used skin from infertile men to create sperm after the samples were implanted into the testes of mice.
The samples were genetically engineered to assume the properties of embryonic stem cells beforehand.
Telegraph, London
Tags: lab grown male sperm, making male sperm in the lab, sperm made in tubes, tube grown male sperm
This entry was posted on Monday, May 11th, 2015 at 8:00 am and is filed under FERTILITY, MEN. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
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entire websitethis documentthis corpus
▼ About this page
Title: Among the Books: A Literary Page or Two (vol 9, issue 7)
Author: Shibli Bagarag
In: The New Zealand Railways Magazine, Volume 9, Issue 7 (October 1, 1934)
Publication details: New Zealand Government Railways Department, Wellington
Digital publication kindly authorised by:
Toll NZ
Part of: The Railways Magazine
Keywords: New Zealand History
The New Zealand Railways Magazine, Volume 9, Issue 7 (October 1, 1934)
Among the Books — A Literary Page or Two
Previous Section | Table of Contents | Up | Next Section
Among the Books
A Literary Page or Two
(By “Shibli Bagarag.”)
There is a much abused Latin expression, cacoethes scribendi—an itch for writing. When discreetly controlled and directed, this itch for writing might be encouraged; but an uncontrolled literary itch is apt to become a serious and very distressing malady. Unfortunately there is a severe literary itch epidemic in New Zealand just now. It is finding expression in distressing rash-like “literary journals” that are springing up all over the land. Many of these publications are badly typed cyclostyled sheets carrying the literary efforts of young and old aspiring writers. While I can sympathise with the keen ambitions of these enthusiasts to force their way, at all costs, “into print,” the trouble is that in some cases the sponsor or sponsors of the cyclostyled sheets are ill-fitted to judge whether such efforts should ever reach an even very limited public. Many such sheets have come my way lately and I can only feel sorry for those concerned that they have not kept to the legitimate well-established sources of publication. I am referring to no “literary organ” in particular (there is one at least, that apart from a few occasional paragraph absurdities, is doing excellent work) and do not wish to decry their well meant enthusiasm. I would suggest, though, that such a virulent epidemic of cacoethes scribendi should be grappled with intelligently by responsible members of the several literary organisations in existence, and directed into one sensible and well controlled fever ward. With liberal application of the antiseptic blue pencil, the patients should emerge completely cured.
There is a fine collaboration of New Zealand talent in a new serial which commenced publication in the “Australian Woman's Mirror” recently. Entitled “Magic Notes,” and set in New Zealand, the novel is the work of two New Zealand collaborators, Ena Eden and John Patrick. The illustrations are by G. K. Townshend, formerly of Auckland.
Kealy's Ltd., the well known Auckland booksellers, recently published Catalogue No. 7 of their secondhand department. There are books here to suit all tastes, collectors' requirements being well catered for. Modern first editions are well represented. In the New Zealand section are a number of interesting and valuable items. The whole catalogue is well annotated and the prices are reasonable. The catalogue is sent free on request to book-lovers.
That keen literary and musical enthusiast, James J. Stroud, who lives down Gore way, has written the music of a successful song number “A Blue Lagoon, A Silver Moon and You.” The song has been published by the Australian Publishing Service.
In course of preparation is a limited signed edition of the poems of R. A. K. Mason, the Auckland poet. The book, which is to be artistically produced, is to sell at half a guinea a copy.
Remarkable development in the art of lino cut is shown by G. S. McAuslan, of Dunedin. McAuslan has cut a number of striking book-plates, one of which is reproduced on this page. Occasionally he publishes a small three-penny
Lino cut by G. S. McAuslan, Dunedin.
sheet entitled “Cartoonist.” Some of the work in the latest issue is very clever, particularly the coloured Shavian cover.
The “Spilt Ink Anthology of Verse” has reached me. Some of it is verse and some of it is worse. I must confess though that I read each issue of ‘Spilt Ink” itself with interest. It is a bright little publication, full of news, but might be improved with an occasional use of that antiseptic blue pencil to which I have referred.
“The New Zealand Mercury,” the August number of which has just reached me, is doing useful work in encouraging the development of local verse. The latest number did not appeal to me as much as the previous one. R. B. Castle and Eileen Service deservedly won the prizes for the best poems of the issue. Peter Middleton pays a well meant though uninspiring tribute to Mary Webb; Douglas Stewart, that clever young Hawera poet, plays on well worn keys, but sufficiently interestingly to be heard; C. R. Allen confesses to weaving “wistful platitudes” but weaves them well; and several other poets contribute to the month's programme.
I have had a letter from Stuart Peterson, formerly cartoonist of the “Free Lance.” He tells me that he has more work than he can cope with, and is making more than twice the money he made in this country. Most of his drawing is being done for the Australian “Woman's Weekly.” Australia was always a happy hunting ground for the New Zealand black and white artist, though of late the reduced number of dailies and monthlies has made the field harder. Peterson's work, however, is of such a standard that he quickly found editors over there keen to avail themselves of his services.
Ettie A. Hornibrook (Ettie Rout) is a determined and courageous woman who has done much for physical and mental well being. At all times she has written with disarming candour and real sincerity. Her latest work (sixth page 36 edition enlarged and revised), with its rather snappy title, “Stand Up and Slim Down” (Restoration Exercises for Women) is a series of general instructional exercises for the preservation of health and restoration of the female body. It contains a valuable appendix on Food Selection, dealing with the proper diet in constipation, obesity, etc. The work has a foreword by Sir Arthur Keith and is published by Heinmann at 6/-.
“Lamb In His Bosom,” by Caroline Miller (Angus and Robertson, Sydney), was selected by the Pulitzer Prize Committee as the best novel published during the year by an American author. While I must confess that I have no great regard for American fiction I will say that Mrs. Miller's novel is an outstanding piece of work. She suffers though, from a prevailing complaint of modern novelists who appear to weigh up, smell and feel the human carcase as though they were in a butcher's shop with many varieties of humanity hung up for inspection. This description is rather harsh, but I hold that it is positively indecent the manner in which our writers “weigh up” the human form in this way. Mrs. Miller does her work with such a powerful and original realism though that the offence is not so serious. This story of a pioneer family in Georgia before the civil war, of their great love and devotion to themselves and their family, their fight with rugged Nature and more rugged passions, is a strangely thrilling one.
“Vulnerable,” by Dale Collins (The Macquarie Head Press, Sydney), has been published in an attractive Australian edition at 4/6. Dale Collins is one of Australia's greatest novelists. He always tells a fine story, and tells it well. He has that rare quality of holding his reader with the unbroken interest of his keen story-telling power.
With wonderful craftsmanship he plays a human drama with cards. He is like a master fortune-teller dealing his fateful pieces of pasteboard to the various players and finally like a conjurer he pieces together the vast intricate pattern and deals the winning hand that brings happiness to two only in that big table. A great story.
“Happy Dispatches,” by A. B. Paterson (Angus and Robertson, Sydney), contains a series of recollections of famous people met during the crowded life of the author of “The Man From Snowy River.” We all know “Banjo's” faci'ity as a bush balladist and now we have him as a writer of reminiscences. He knows how to pitch a tale, does “Banjo,” and so you will turn over the pages of this book with eager interest to hear new stories of such famous people as Rudyard Kipling, Winston Churchill, Phil May, Marie Lloyd, and many other notabilities. Because he was a war correspondent in the Boer campaign and also played his part in the Great War, the author was very close to several military notabilities.
“The Peacock Feather,” by Leslie Moore (Angus and Robertson, Sydney) is a clean, delightful love story. Aptly described as “a neglected classic,” it was published in book form overseas some years ago, and is now available to New Zealand and Australian readers in a neat and cheap 4/6 edition. And— the author does not go prying into butchers' shops.
“Green Grey Homestead,” by Steele Rudd, has been published in a cheap, attractive paper-back edition by the Macquarie Head Press, Sydney. The well known Australian author has remained faithful to his old literary patch, and his style seems to have improved with the years. It is another rare story of country life in Australia with a glimpse into the hearts and minds of many interesting people.
“The Manchurian Arena,” by F. M. Cutlack (Angus and Robertson, Sydney), is an Australian view of the Far Eastern conflict. The author was recently special correspondent of the A.P.A. in the Far East, and has written other military books of note. It is a most interesting document on a subject of world wide, particularly Australian and New Zealand interest.
“Shibli” Listens in.
Stan East, the well known journalist, formerly of New Zealand, is back in Australia after his triumphal tour following on the winning of his £20,000 art union.
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Oasis Midstream
Environment, Health and Safety Values
Land Owner Engagement
Owner Relations
NYSE: OMP
Oasis Petroleum
Oasis Petroleum Inc. Announces Quarter and Year Ending December 31, 2014 Earnings and Provides an Operational Update and its 2015 Outlook
HOUSTON, Feb. 25, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Oasis Petroleum Inc. (NYSE: OAS) ("Oasis" or the "Company") today announced financial and operational results for the quarter and year ended December 31, 2014 and provided its 2015 outlook.
Increased average daily production 35% year-over-year to 45,656 barrels of oil equivalent per day ("Boepd") in 2014, up from 33,904 Boepd in 2013. Fourth quarter 2014 average daily production of 50,143 Boepd exceeded guidance range of 47,000 to 49,000 Boepd.
Completed and placed on production 195 gross (147.4 net) operated wells during 2014, including 48 gross (33.6 net) operated wells in the fourth quarter of 2014. Waiting on completion backlog included 72 gross operated wells as of December 31, 2014.
Increased total estimated net proved oil and natural gas reserves by 24% to 272.1 million barrels of oil equivalent ("MMBoe") at December 31, 2014, compared to year-end 2013 total estimated net proved reserves, excluding the sale of certain non-operated properties in and around the Company's Sanish project area ("Sanish Sale").
Grew Adjusted EBITDA by 16% to $952.8 million in 2014, up from $821.9 million in the prior year. For a definition of Adjusted EBITDA and a reconciliation of Adjusted EBITDA to net income and net cash provided by operating activities, see "Non-GAAP Financial Measures" below.
Increased net income by 122% from $228.0 million in 2013 to $506.9 million in 2014, which included a $187.0 million gain on the Sanish Sale.
Ended the year with $45.8 million of cash and cash equivalents and had total liquidity of $1,040.6 million, including the unused borrowing base committed capacity available under the Company's revolving credit facility.
"Capitalizing on our premier position in the Williston Basin, we have grown volumes by over 35% in 2014, including production in the fourth quarter of 2014 of 50,143 Boepd," said Thomas B. Nusz, Oasis' Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. "While we are excited about the strong growth and the potential of our significant inventory position, we have turned our attention to managing the business in light of the current challenging market environment. Due to lower commodity prices, we are rolling out a capital plan for 2015 totaling $705 million, which is 12% lower than the plan we rolled out in early December 2014. Throughout the year, more and more of our capital will be focused in Indian Hills and South Cottonwood, which include our most highly productive inventory and represent over eight years of activity at our current completion pace. We also see the opportunity to further improve returns through enhanced completions, which we expect to represent approximately 60% of our program in 2015."
Expectations for 2015
Highlights for 2015 include:
$705 million total capital expenditure ("CapEx") budget, with approximately 80% allocated for drilling and completion ("D&C") CapEx.
Targeting average daily production to range between 45,000 to 49,000 Boepd, representing an approximate 3% increase at the midpoint of 2015 over 2014 average daily production.
Completing 79 gross (63.3 net) operated and 2.6 net non-operated wells.
The Company is exploring financing opportunities for Oasis Midstream Services ("OMS"). OMS assets have historically included primarily salt water disposal ("SWD") pipelines and wells. In 2015, the OMS CapEx budget totals $81.0 million for SWD projects on its legacy acreage and for the initial investment into a new SWD, crude oil gathering, and gas gathering and processing system in the Company's Wild Basin project area, which is the eastern acreage block of Indian Hills that Oasis acquired in 2013. OMS produced $7.9 million of Adjusted EBITDA in the fourth quarter of 2014, and the Company expects to continue to grow this business in 2015. For a definition of Adjusted EBITDA and a reconciliation of Adjusted EBITDA to income before income taxes, see "Non-GAAP Financial Measures--Segment Adjusted EBITDA Reconciliations--Midstream Services" below.
Fiscal Year 2014 and Fourth Quarter 2014 Results
The Company's average daily production by project area is listed in the following table:
Quarter Ended:
Year Ended:
Average daily production (Boepd)
West Williston
East Nesson
Sanish(1)
Percent Oil
Includes production from certain non-operated properties in the Company's Sanish project area and other non-operated leases adjacent to its Sanish position until the properties were sold in March 2014.
The Company's revenues are detailed in the following table:
Revenues ($ in thousands)
Bulk oil sale
Well services (OWS)
Midstream (OMS)
Total revenues for the fourth quarter of 2014 decreased by 19% compared to the third quarter of 2014, primarily due to lower oil and natural gas prices, offset by an increase in production as a result of the Company's well completions in the fourth quarter of 2014. In the fourth quarter of 2014, as NYMEX West Texas Intermediate ("WTI") crude oil prices declined, the Company's price differentials increased as a percentage of WTI but remained relatively flat in terms of the dollar per barrel discount to WTI in the range of $9.00 to $10.50 per barrel of oil, averaging $9.74 during the fourth quarter of 2014.
The Company's operating expenses are detailed in the following table:
Operating expenses ($ in thousands):
Lease operating expenses
Marketing, transportation and gathering expenses(1)
Bulk oil purchase
Non-cash valuation charges
Select operating expenses
Operating expenses ($ per Boe):
Excludes bulk oil purchase and non-cash valuation charges.
The sequential quarter-over-quarter decrease in lease operating expenses ("LOE") per barrel of oil equivalent ("Boe") was primarily due to higher oil and natural gas volumes produced as well as more salt water disposal volumes going to OMS disposal wells, partially offset by increased workover costs, which include certain costs to protect producing wells from wells that are being completed, and higher LOE on non-operated volumes in the fourth quarter of 2014.
Marketing, transportation and gathering expenses, excluding non-cash valuation charges, totaled $6.8 million in the fourth quarter of 2014. The 11% sequential quarter-over-quarter decrease per Boe was primarily related to a decrease in the gathering fee on certain oil volumes due to reaching a contractual volume threshold on the gathering system, partially offset by higher operated volumes flowing through third-party oil gathering pipelines in the fourth quarter of 2014. Currently, the Company is flowing 75% of its gross operated oil production through these gathering systems. While transporting volumes through third-party oil gathering pipelines increases marketing, transportation and gathering expenses, it improves oil price realizations by reducing transportation costs included in the Company's oil price differential for sales at the wellhead.
Production taxes for the fourth quarter of 2014 totaled $26.8 million, or 9.8% of oil and gas revenues, compared to 10.0% of oil and gas revenues for the third quarter of 2014.
Depreciation, depletion and amortization expenses ("DD&A") totaled $116.8 million in the fourth quarter of 2014 and $107.0 million in the third quarter of 2014. DD&A was $25.32 per Boe in the fourth quarter of 2014 and $25.35 per Boe in the third quarter of 2014.
Due to lower expected future oil prices, the Company reviewed its proved oil and natural gas properties as of December 31, 2014 and determined that the carrying value exceeded the expected undiscounted cash flows for certain legacy wells that have been producing from conventional reservoirs such as the Madison, Red River and other formations in the Williston Basin other than the Bakken and Three Forks ("TFS") formations. As a result, the Company recorded an impairment loss of $40.0 million in the fourth quarter of 2014 to adjust the carrying amount of these assets to fair value. No impairment of proved oil and natural gas properties was recorded during 2013. During the fourth quarters of 2014 and 2013, the Company recorded non-cash impairment charges of $5.0 million and $0.4 million, respectively, for unproved properties due to leases that expired during the period and periodic assessments of unproved properties not held-by-production. The impairment charge in the fourth quarter of 2014 included $2.9 million related to acreage expiring in 2015 and 2016 as a result of a periodic assessment because there were no plans to drill or extend these leases prior to their expiration. In 2013, the Company did not record any impairment charges as a result of periodic assessments based on its ability to actively manage and prioritize its CapEx to drill leases and to make payments to extend leases that would otherwise expire.
General and administrative ("G&A") expenses for the fourth quarter of 2014 totaled $24.1 million compared to $23.9 million in the third quarter of 2014. G&A expenses were $5.23 per Boe in the fourth quarter of 2014 and $5.67 per Boe in the third quarter of 2014.
As a result of its derivative activities and forward oil price changes, the Company incurred a $306.8 million net gain on derivative instruments, including net cash settlement receipts from derivatives, which are settled at the beginning of the month following the contract period, of $31.5 million, for the fourth quarter of 2014 and a $103.4 million net gain on derivative instruments, including net cash settlement payments of $11.1 million, for the third quarter of 2014. The Company's derivative instruments do not qualify for and were not designated as hedging instruments for accounting purposes.
Interest expense was $39.8 million for the fourth quarter of 2014 compared to $39.4 million for the third quarter of 2014. The $0.4 million increase from the third quarter of 2014 was primarily due to higher weighted average borrowings under the Company's revolving credit facility, partially offset by an increase in interest capitalized in the fourth quarter of 2014. Capitalized interest totaled $2.7 million for the fourth quarter of 2014 and $2.3 million for the third quarter of 2014.
Income tax expense was $106.3 million for the three months ended December 31, 2014, resulting in an effective tax rate of 37.6%. The Company's income tax expense for the three months ended September 30, 2014 was recorded at 38.6% of pre-tax net income. The Company's effective tax rate is expected to continue to closely approximate the statutory rate applicable to the U.S. and the blended rate for each of the states in which the Company conducts business.
Adjusted EBITDA for the fourth quarter of 2014 was $219.5 million, a decrease of $19.3 million, or 8%, compared to the third quarter of 2014 of $238.8 million. Adjusted EBITDA for the full year 2014 was $952.8 million, an increase of $130.9 million, or 16%, over the full year 2013 of $821.9 million.
The Company reported net income of $176.5 million in the fourth quarter of 2014 compared to $121.6 million in the third quarter of 2014. For the full year 2014, Oasis reported net income of $506.9 million compared to $228.0 million for the full year 2013. Excluding certain non-cash items and their tax effect in the fourth and third quarters of 2014, Adjusted Net Income (non-GAAP) was $35.1 million, or $0.35 per diluted share, and $52.3 million, or $0.52 per diluted share, respectively. Excluding certain non-cash items and their tax effect for the years ending December 31, 2014 and 2013, Adjusted Net Income (non-GAAP) was $222.6 million, or $2.22 per diluted share, and $247.0 million, or $2.64 per diluted share, respectively. For a definition of Adjusted Net Income and a reconciliation of net income to Adjusted Net Income, see "Non-GAAP Financial Measures" below.
The following table depicts the Company's exploration and production ("E&P") CapEx by project area and total CapEx for the periods presented:
CapEx ($ in thousands)
E&P CapEx by Project Area
Total E&P CapEx(1)
Other Non-E&P(2)
Total Company CapEx(3)
Total E&P CapEx includes $68.9 million for OMS and a reduction to capital related to Oasis Well Services ("OWS") of $56.6 million for the full year 2014.
Other non-E&P CapEx includes such items as administrative capital and capitalized interest.
CapEx reflected in the table above differs from the amounts shown in the statement of cash flows in the Company's condensed consolidated financial statements because amounts reflected in the table above include accrued liabilities for CapEx, while the amounts presented in the statement of cash flows are presented on a cash basis.
As of December 31, 2014, Oasis had liquidity of $1,040.6 million, including cash and cash equivalents of $45.8 million, and $500.0 million of borrowings and $5.2 million of outstanding letters of credit issued under its revolving credit facility, resulting in an unused borrowing base committed capacity of $994.8 million. On September 30, 2014, Oasis increased its borrowing base from $1,750.0 million to $2,000.0 million. However, the Company elected to limit the lenders' aggregate commitment to $1,500.0 million.
Operational Results for Bakken and TFS
The following table describes the Company's producing Bakken and TFS wells by project area in the Williston Basin as of December 31, 2014:
Bakken/Three Forks Producing Wells
Total Williston Basin
Production started in 2014:
Non-Operated
Production started in Q4 2014:
Total Producing Wells on 12/31/2014:
As of December 31, 2014, the Company had 72 gross operated wells awaiting completion.
Leasehold Position and Drilling Locations
As of December 31, 2014, Oasis had 505,503 net acres in the Williston Basin, including 433,794 net acres held-by-production.
As a result of prior downspacing and delineation tests across its acreage position, extensive subsurface modeling, project evaluation, and adjustments for 2014 well completions, Oasis has refined its inventory assumptions. The Company eliminated certain uneconomic lower bench TFS wells and certain TFS wells in North Cottonwood, South Cottonwood, and Foreman Butte that were previously included in its inventory. Oasis now assumes approximately seven wells per drilling spacing unit ("DSU") across its 216 DSUs in Montana, Foreman Butte, and North Cottonwood. Oasis now includes 72 DSUs in Indian Hills and South Cottonwood, and continues to expect to drill approximately 15 wells per DSU in these areas. In Indian Hills and South Cottonwood, the Company counts 825 remaining operated drilling locations, of which 701 locations are targeting the Bakken and the first bench of the TFS. Across the Company's 405 operated DSUs, Oasis believes that its remaining inventory includes 3,046 gross (2,069 net) operated drilling locations as of December 31, 2014.
Estimated Net Proved Reserves
Oasis' estimated net proved oil and natural gas reserves at December 31, 2014 were 272.1 MMBoe, a 19% increase over year-end 2013 estimated net proved reserves, and consisted of 235.4 barrels ("MMBbls") of oil and 220.1 billion cubic feet ("Bcf") of natural gas utilizing a 12-month index average price of $95.28 per barrel for oil and $4.35 per MMBtu for gas. These prices were adjusted by lease for quality, transportation fees, geographical differentials, marketing bonuses or deductions and other factors affecting the price received at the wellhead. At year-end 2014, 87% of the Company's total estimated net proved reserves were from oil.
The table below summarizes the Company's estimated net proved reserves and related PV-10 at December 31, 2014 and 2013 for each project area based on reports prepared by DeGolyer and MacNaughton, independent reserve engineers. In preparing its reports, DeGolyer and MacNaughton evaluated properties representing all of the Company's PV-10 at December 31, 2014 and 2013 in accordance with rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") applicable to companies involved in oil and natural gas producing activities. The information in the following table does not give any effect to or reflect Oasis' commodity hedges.
Proved reserves
(MMBoe)
PV-10(1)
Sanish
PV-10 is a non-GAAP financial measure and generally differs from Standardized Measure, the most directly comparable GAAP financial measure, because it does not include the effect of income taxes on discounted future net cash flows. Our estimated net proved reserves and PV-10 were determined using index prices for oil and natural gas, without giving effect to derivative transactions, and were held constant throughout the life of the properties. The unweighted arithmetic average first-day-of-the-month prices for the prior twelve months were $95.28/Bbl for oil and $4.35/MMBtu for natural gas and $96.96/Bbl for oil and $3.66/MMBtu for natural gas for the years ended December 31, 2014 and 2013, respectively. These prices were adjusted by lease for quality, transportation fees, geographical differentials, marketing bonuses or deductions and other factors affecting the price received at the wellhead. Future operating costs, production taxes and capital costs were based on current costs as of each year-end.
Estimated net proved developed reserves increased from 122.1 MMBoe at year-end 2013 to 146.3 MMBoe at year-end 2014. The PV-10 of the Company's estimated net proved developed reserves increased to $4,113 million at year-end 2014 from $3,706 million at year-end 2013.
At December 31, 2014, Oasis had approximately 125.7 MMBoe of estimated proved undeveloped reserves as compared to 105.8 MMBoe at December 31, 2013, primarily due to its 2014 drilling program and changes to align its proved undeveloped reserves with its anticipated five-year drilling plan. The Company expects to develop all of its proved undeveloped reserves as of December 31, 2014 within five years of their initial booking.
The following table summarizes the changes in Oasis' estimated net proved reserves during 2014:
MBoe
Beginning balance at December 31, 2013
Revisions of previous estimates
Extensions, discoveries and other additions
Sales of reserves in place
Purchases of reserves in place
Net proved reserves at December 31, 2014
% Proved developed
The Company's 2015 CapEx budget totals $705 million, which consists of $678 million for E&P CapEx and $27 million for non-E&P CapEx. The planned E&P CapEx includes $565 million of drilling and completion CapEx for operated and non-operated wells (including production-related equipment and expected savings from services provided by OWS and OMS) and $81 million for OMS. Non-E&P CapEx includes OWS capital for additional horsepower for high intensity completions and such items as administrative capital and capitalized interest.
The Company expects to complete 79 gross (63.3 net) operated wells and 2.6 net non-operated wells in 2015.
The following table provides Oasis' forward-looking guidance for 2015:
Production (Boepd)
Full Year 2015
Full Year Financial Metrics
LOE ($/BOE)
Marketing, transportation and gathering ($/BOE)(1)
G&A ($ in millions)(2)
Production taxes (% of oil and gas revenue)
9.0% - 10.0%
Excludes the effect of non-cash valuation charges.
Includes non-cash amortization of restricted stock of $27-$29 million.
Hedging Activity
As of February 25, 2015, the Company had the following outstanding commodity derivate contracts, all of which are priced off of WTI crude oil index prices and settle monthly:
Weighted Average Prices ($/Bbl)
Current Hedged Volumes
BOPD
Full Year
January - December
Two-way collars
January - June
Deferred premium puts(1)
Partial Year
October - December
Total 2015 hedges (weighted average)
Total 1H15 Hedges
Floor price is net of deferred premium of $2.55.
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. All statements, other than statements of historical facts, included in this press release that address activities, events or developments that the Company expects, believes or anticipates will or may occur in the future are forward-looking statements. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, forward-looking statements contained in this press release specifically include the expectations of plans, strategies, objectives and anticipated financial and operating results of the Company, including the Company's drilling program, production, derivatives activities, capital expenditure levels and other guidance included in this press release. These statements are based on certain assumptions made by the Company based on management's experience and perception of historical trends, current conditions, anticipated future developments and other factors believed to be appropriate. Such statements are subject to a number of assumptions, risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the control of the Company, which may cause actual results to differ materially from those implied or expressed by the forward-looking statements. These include changes in oil and natural gas prices, the timing of planned capital expenditures, availability of acquisitions, uncertainties in estimating proved reserves and forecasting production results, operational factors affecting the commencement or maintenance of producing wells, the condition of the capital markets generally, as well as the Company's ability to access them, the proximity to and capacity of transportation facilities, and uncertainties regarding environmental regulations or litigation and other legal or regulatory developments affecting the Company's business and other important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected as described in the Company's reports filed with the SEC.
Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which such statement is made and the Company undertakes no obligation to correct or update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable law.
About Oasis Petroleum Inc.
Oasis is an independent exploration and production company focused on the acquisition and development of unconventional oil and natural gas resources, primarily operating in the Williston Basin. For more information, please visit the Company's website at www.oasispetroleum.com.
Oasis Petroleum Inc. Financial Statements
OASIS PETROLEUM INC.
Accounts receivable — oil and gas revenues
Accounts receivable — joint interest partners
Prepaid expenses
Advances to joint interest partners
Oil and gas properties (successful efforts method)
Other property and equipment
Less: accumulated depreciation, depletion, amortization and impairment
Total property, plant and equipment, net
Deferred costs and other assets
Revenues and production taxes payable
Accrued interest payable
Advances from joint interest partners
Asset retirement obligations
Common stock, $0.01 par value: 300,000,000 shares authorized; 101,627,296 shares and 100,866,589 shares issued at December 31, 2014 and 2013, respectively
Treasury stock, at cost: 285,677 shares and 167,155 shares at December 31, 2014 and 2013, respectively
Additional paid-in-capital
Three Months Ended December 31,
Oil and gas revenues
Well services and midstream revenues
Well services and midstream operating expenses
Marketing, transportation and gathering expenses
Production taxes
Exploration expenses
Impairment of oil and gas properties
Gain on sale of properties
Net gain (loss) on derivative instruments
Interest expense, net of capitalized interest
Total other income (expense)
Earnings per share:
Weighted average shares outstanding:
SELECTED FINANCIAL AND OPERATIONAL STATS
Operating results ($ in thousands):
Well services and midstream
Production data:
Oil (MBbls)
Oil equivalents (MBoe)
Average daily production (Boe/d)
Average sales prices:
Oil, without derivative settlements (per Bbl)(1)
Oil, with derivative settlements (per Bbl)(1)(2)
Natural gas (per Mcf)(3)
Costs and expenses (per Boe of production):
For the year ended December 31, 2013, the average sales price for oil is calculated using total oil revenues, excluding bulk oil sales of $5.8 million, divided by oil production.
Realized prices include gains or losses on cash settlements for commodity derivatives, which do not qualify for and were not designated as hedging instruments for accounting purposes. Cash settlements represent the cumulative gains and losses on our derivative instruments for the periods presented and do not include a recovery of costs that were paid to acquire or modify the derivative instruments that were settled.
Natural gas prices include the value for natural gas and natural gas liquids.
Stock-based compensation expenses
Deferred financing costs amortization and other
Working capital and other changes:
Change in accounts receivable
Change in prepaid expenses
Change in other current assets
Change in other assets
Change in accounts payable and accrued liabilities
Change in other liabilities
Acquisition of oil and gas properties
Proceeds from sale of properties
Costs related to sale of properties
Derivative settlements
Redemptions of short-term investments
Proceeds from issuance of senior notes
Proceeds from revolving credit facility
Principal payments on revolving credit facility
Proceeds from sale of common stock
Purchases of treasury stock
Decrease in cash and cash equivalents
Cash and cash equivalents:
Beginning of period
End of period
Supplemental cash flow information:
Cash paid for interest, net of capitalized interest
Cash paid for taxes
Supplemental non-cash transactions:
Change in accrued capital expenditures
Change in asset retirement obligations
Adjusted EBITDA is a supplemental non-GAAP financial measure that is used by management and external users of the Company's consolidated financial statements, such as industry analysts, investors, lenders and rating agencies. The Company defines Adjusted EBITDA as earnings before interest expense, income taxes, depreciation, depletion, amortization, exploration expenses and other similar non-cash or non-recurring charges. Adjusted EBITDA is not a measure of net income or cash flows as determined by United States generally accepted accounting principles, or GAAP.
The following table presents reconciliations of the GAAP financial measures of net income and net cash provided by operating activities to the non-GAAP financial measure of Adjusted EBITDA for the periods presented:
Adjusted EBITDA Reconciliations
Year Ended
Loss (gain) on sale of properties
Net (gain) loss on derivative instruments
Derivative settlements(1)
Other non-cash adjustments
Current tax expense
Changes in working capital
Cash settlements represent the cumulative gains and losses on the Company's derivative instruments for the periods presented and do not include a recovery of costs that were paid to acquire or modify the derivative instruments that were settled.
The following tables present reconciliations of the GAAP financial measure of income before income taxes to the non-GAAP financial measure of Adjusted EBITDA for the Company's three reportable business segments for the periods presented:
Segment Adjusted EBITDA Reconciliations
Well Services
Midstream Services
Adjusted Net Income and Adjusted Diluted Earnings Per Share are supplemental non-GAAP financial measures that are used by management and external users of the Company's consolidated financial statements, such as industry analysts, investors, lenders and rating agencies. The Company defines Adjusted Net Income as net income after adjusting first for (1) the impact of certain non-cash and non-recurring items, including non-cash changes in the fair value of derivative instruments, impairment of oil and gas properties, and other similar non-cash and non-recurring charges, and then (2) the non-cash and non-recurring items' impact on taxes based on the Company's effective tax rate in the same period. Adjusted Net Income is not a measure of net income as determined by GAAP. The Company defines Adjusted Diluted Earnings Per Share as Adjusted Net Income divided by diluted weighted average shares outstanding.
The following table presents reconciliations of the GAAP financial measure of net income to the non-GAAP financial measure of Adjusted Net Income and the GAAP financial measure of diluted earnings per share to the non-GAAP financial measure of Adjusted Diluted Earnings Per Share for the periods presented:
Adjusted Net Income and Adjusted Diluted Earnings Per Share Reconciliations
Tax impact(2)
Adjusted Diluted Earnings Per Share
The tax impact is computed utilizing the Company's effective tax rate on the adjustments for certain non-cash and non-recurring items.
To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/oasis-petroleum-inc-announces-quarter-and-year-ending-december-31-2014-earnings-and-provides-an-operational-update-and-its-2015-outlook-300041532.html
SOURCE Oasis Petroleum Inc.
For further information: Oasis Petroleum Inc., Richard Robuck, (281) 404-9600, Vice President - Finance and Treasurer
About Oasis Petroleum
Oasis Petroleum (NYSE: OAS) is an independent exploration and production company focused on the acquisition and development of unconventional onshore oil and natural gas resources in the United States.
Williston Office
6205 16th Avenue W
Permian Office
© 2020 Oasis Petroleum | All rights reserved
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Brexit, This Way
The saucy figure of Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May was captured by an alert photographer, Toby Melville, for Reuters. Caught leaving 10 Downing Street, unaccompanied and apparently without even a handbag, Ms. May was photographed in mid-step, leaning left.
According to her press releases, the left-leaning Prime Minister is still headed toward the Brexit signs, even though she has said she doesn't want to start the withdrawal clock until the first quarter of 2017, otherwise known as next year.
Photos of Ms. May have not been seen in number ever since she was elected prime minister, leaving her significantly behind Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel in the balloting for world's most photographed woman with clothes on.
This is true even though Ms. Merkel herself seems to have dropped off the media pages as she tries to regain favor with the German people, favor greatly damaged by her refugee immigration policy. Ms. Merkel still holds a sizable lead.
Ladies, it is still a race.
http://www.onofframp.blogspot.com
Posted by John D. at 6:58 PM
West Virginia and the Penny
Pulling Ahead
The Hypothetical Premise
If You See Something...
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Dana Cherski
Dana Cherski credits Professional, Applied and Continuing Education (PACE) at The University of Winnipeg with helping her make the move from front-of-house to the head office at one of Winnipeg’s most popular restaurant enterprises.
Before pursuing the Human Resource Management Diploma program at PACE, Dana — who also has a BA (Hons) in psychology from The University of Winnipeg — was working full-time as a server at Stella’s Café & Bakery. A chance conversation about PACE with a guest inspired her to enrol.
“I felt that human resource management was a perfect link between psychology and business, and an area in which I could apply what I learned in the restaurant industry and at school into my future career,” she says.
After graduating from PACE in 2016, Dana was promoted to Director of Human Resources within Stella’s — a position that sees her recruiting, training, onboarding, and developing policies for the company’s seven Winnipeg locations. She says the skills she learned at PACE, such as the theory behind human resources in business and the qualities of a good manager, have been extremely relevant in her day-to-day responsibilities.
For Dana, one of the biggest benefits of the Human Resource Management program was the ability to study part-time. “I was able to work almost full-time serving at Stella’s on the main floor of the Buhler Centre, while going to school in the evenings upstairs at PACE. I don’t think I would’ve been able to further my career goals if the program wasn’t offered part-time.”
Human Resource Management Diploma (Part-time)
Year of Graduation:
Canadian Student Success Stories
Full Time Programs for International Students
Full Time Programs for Canadian Students
Part Time Programs for Canadian Students
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Home » MISCELLANEOUS » Razor
PNG images: Razor
A razor is a bladed tool primarily used in the removal of unwanted body hair through the act of shaving. Kinds of razors include straight razors, disposable razor, and electric razors.
While the razor has been in existence since before the Bronze Age (the oldest razor-like object has been dated to 18,000 BC, the most common types of razors in current usage are the safety razor and the electric razor, though other kinds are still in use.
Razors have been identified from many Bronze Age cultures. These were made of bronze or obsidian and were generally oval in shape, with a small tang protruding from one of the short ends.
Various forms of razors were used throughout history, which are different in appearance but similar in use to modern straight razors. In prehistoric times clam shells, shark teeth, and flint were sharpened and used to shave with. Drawings of such blades were found in prehistoric caves. Some tribes still use blades made of flint to this day. Excavations in Egypt have unearthed solid gold and copper razors in tombs dating back to the 4th millennium BC. Several razors as well as other personal hygiene artifacts were recovered from Bronze Age burials in northern Europe and are believed to belong to high status individuals. The Roman historian Livy reported that the razor was introduced in ancient Rome in the 6th century BC. by legendary king Lucius Tarquinius Priscus. Priscus was ahead of his time because razors did not come to general use until a century later.
The first modern straight razor complete with decorated handles and hollow ground blades was constructed in Sheffield, in England, the centre of the cutlery industry, in the 18th and 19th centuries. Benjamin Huntsman produced the first superior hard steel grade, through a special crucible process, suitable for use as blade material in 1740, though it was first rejected in England. Huntsman's process was adopted by the French sometime later; albeit reluctantly at first because of nationalist sentiments. The English manufacturers were even more reluctant than the French to adopt the process and only did so after they saw its success in France. Sheffield steel, a highly polished steel, also known as Sheffield silver steel and famous for its deep gloss finish, is considered a superior quality steel and is still used to this day in France by such manufacturers as Thiers Issard.
In the 18th and 19th centuries, the wealthy had servants to shave them or could frequent barbershops. Daily shaving was not a widespread practice in the 19th century so some people never shaved. The custom of shaving every day among American men is a 20th-century innovation which was started after World War I. Men were required to shave daily so their gas masks would fit properly and this became much easier with the advent of the safety razor, which was standard issue during the war. In the 19th century, cutlers in Sheffield, England and Solingen, Germany produced a variety of razors.
Straight razors were the most common form of shaving before the 20th century and remained common in many countries until the 1950s. Barbers were specially trained to give customers a thorough and quick shave, and a collection of straight razors ready for use was a common sight in most barbershops. Barbers still have them, but they use them less often.
Straight razors eventually fell out of fashion. Their first challenger was manufactured by King C. Gillette: a double-edged safety razor with replaceable blades. Gillette's idea was the use of the "loss leader" concept, in which the razors were sold at a loss, but the replacement blades earned a high margin and provided continuous sales. They were immensely successful because of advertising campaigns and slogans denigrating the straight razor's effectiveness and questioning its safety.
These new safety razors did not require any serious tutelage to use. The blades were extremely hard to sharpen, and were meant to be thrown away after one use, and rusted quickly if not discarded. They also required a smaller initial investment, though they cost more over time. Despite its long-term advantages, the straight razor lost significant market share. And as shaving became less intimidating and men began to shave themselves more, the demand for barbers providing straight razor shaves decreased.
In 1960, stainless steel blades which could be used more than once became available, reducing the cost of safety-razor shaving. The first such blades were made by the Wilkinson firm, famous maker of ceremonial swords, in Sheffield. Soon Gillette, Schick, and other manufacturers were making stainless-steel blades.
These were followed by multiple-blade cartridges and disposable razors. For each type of replaceable blade, there is generally a disposable razor.
In the 1930s, electric razors became available. These can rival the cost of a good straight razor, although the whole straight-razor shaving kit can exceed the cost of even an expensive electric razor.
In this page you can download free PNG images: razor PNG images free download
In this gallery "Razor" we have 100 free PNG images with transparent background.
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Get Thoughts and Prayers essential facts below. View Videos or join the Thoughts and Prayers discussion. Add Thoughts and Prayers to your PopFlock.com topic list for future reference or share this resource on social media.
Token support
Moral self-licensing[1]
The phrase "thoughts and prayers" is often used by public officials offering condolences after any publicly notable event, such as a deadly natural disaster.[2] The phrase has received criticism for its repeated usage in the context of gun violence or terrorism,[3][4][5][6][7] with critics claiming "thoughts and prayers" are offered as substitutes for action such as gun control or counter-terrorism.[8][9]
Usage history
White House spokesperson Sarah Huckabee Sanders using the term "thoughts and prayers" in reference to the 2017 Las Vegas shooting and the victims of Hurricane Maria
After the 2017 Congressional baseball shooting, Nancy Pelosi sends "thoughts and prayers" for Steve Scalise.
The phrase thoughts and prayers is frequently used as an expression of condolences for victims of natural disasters (e.g., Hurricane Katrina (2005),[10][11] the 2010 Canterbury earthquake[12]2011 Christchurch earthquake,[13][14][15] the 2017 Central Mexico earthquake, and Hurricane Maria [2017][2]). In addition, "thoughts and prayers" are also offered to victims of numerous mass shootings, including the Columbine High School massacre (1999),[16] the November 2015 Paris attacks,[17] the Orlando nightclub shooting,[18] and the 2017 Las Vegas shooting.[19]
President Donald Trump has been known to use the phrase. In 2016, he used it following the St. Joseph courthouse shooting,[20] the Great Smoky Mountains wildfires,[21] and the shooting of Nykea Aldridge, cousin of professional basketball player Dwyane Wade.[22] In 2017 he used it following the Congressional baseball shooting in June[23] and the Southern California wildfires in December.[24] In 2018, Trump used the phrase following the Marshall County High School shooting in January, the Carcassonne and Trèbes attack in March,[25] the YouTube headquarters shooting in April,[26] and the Capital Gazette shooting in June.[27]
Following the Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in February 2018, Slate noted that several Republican politicians who had previously used the idiom (including Trump and senators Marco Rubio and Pat Toomey) avoided using the specific phrase "thoughts and prayers" in response to the shooting.[28] Trump, for example, instead offered "prayers and condolences" via Twitter.[28][29]
Scott Morrison, the Prime Minister of Australia, offered his thoughts and prayers to the victims of the 2019 Australian bushfires in November 2019,[30] for which Morrison was criticized and compared to American politicians who repeated similar phrases in lieu of gun ownership reforms.[31]
After a natural or human-caused disaster, people may be urged to "go beyond thoughts and prayers", by donating blood or sending aid or money to help the victims. After the Las Vegas shooting, authorities said that although thoughts and prayers are appreciated, the most effective way to help was to give blood.[32] Academic studies have been performed on whether an act of token support leads to sustained contributions;[33] the concept of moral self-licensing, in which prior good deeds can empower individuals to subsequently behave badly,[34] or conversely, whether prior immoral actions can lead to compensatory moral actions[35] has also been cited as a factor in the use of "thoughts and prayers" in lieu of action.[1]
As "thoughts and prayers" became associated with post-tragedy condolences, many have criticized the phrase as a form of slacktivism.[36] Jonathan Foiles, writing in Psychology Today, compared the phrase to an infantile response and explained that "'Thoughts and prayers' is the linguistic equivalent of yelling for something to be different when you have the ability to effect that change yourself".[37]
After the 2007 Virginia Tech shooting, Katrina vanden Heuvel, editor of The Nation, called on politicians to "move beyond thoughts and prayers".[38] In her post, vanden Heuvel referred to a press release by Paul Helmke, then-president of the Brady Campaign, who offered his thoughts and prayers but also stated "it is long overdue for us to take some common-sense actions to prevent tragedies like this from continuing to occur."[39]
Video of President Obama delivering a statement on a 2015 shooting and criticizing "thoughts and prayers"[40]
In October 2015, following the Umpqua Community College shooting, President Obama said that "thoughts and prayers [do] not capture the heartache and grief and anger that we should feel, and it does nothing to prevent this carnage from being inflicted some place else in America next week or a couple months from now."[40] The White House subsequently announced that Obama would continue to take more executive action on the subject of gun control.[41]
On December 2, 2015, in the wake of the San Bernardino mass shooting, Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT) tweeted his frustration with the phrase "thoughts and prayers", a sentiment echoed by the December 3 cover of the New York Daily News, which included tweets from senators and representatives the newspaper characterized as "meaningless platitudes".[42][43]
After the Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in February 2018, demands for "policy and change" were used as a pithy rejoinder to the typical "thoughts and prayers" offered by politicians.[44] Student survivors of the shooting[45] were joined by religious leaders in calling for concrete legislative actions.[46]
[Prayers] are something we do when we feel our survival depends so much upon sheer luck that no one can help us but God.
These people, these congressmen and legislators who are praying, are not powerless. There is so much they could do, if only they chose to. When they offer their prayers, they attempt to make it seem as though they are in the same boat as us, their hands sadly tied.
-- Jennifer Wright, Harper's Bazaar, August 5, 2019[47]
By August 2019, as reported by the Gun Violence Archive, there were 251 mass shootings in the United States only 216 calendar days into the year. Robin Lloyd, managing director of the nonprofit Giffords, stated "The days when politicians can get away with offering thoughts and prayers are over. The public knows thoughts and prayers won't prevent the next tragedy." Lloyd called upon Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to take action on gun control legislation passed by the House but not heard in the Senate.[48]
Religious criticism
Some critics of the phrase "thoughts and prayers" point to the Epistle of James in the Christian New Testament to argue that action is needed in addition to expressions of faith. Verses commonly cited to back up this argument include:[49][50]
What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, "Go in peace, be warmed and filled," without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that?[51]
Pope Francis stated "Prayer that doesn't lead to concrete action toward our brothers is a fruitless and incomplete prayer. ... Prayer and action must always be profoundly united" in his Sunday Angelus message on July 21, 2013.[52]
In 2018, the Dalai Lama stated on Twitter that he was "skeptical that prayers alone will achieve world peace. We need instead to be enthusiastic and self-confident in taking action."[53]
And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.
Matthew 6:5[54]
Others have taken issue with the public declaration of prayer, calling it an "obligatory public lament" instead of an expression of genuine concern.[55][56]
Laura Coward, a writer for The Huffington Post, defended the use of the phrase "thoughts and prayers", acknowledging the inadequacy of not taking actions, but arguing that prayer "jolts us and disrupts us, removing us from our comfort zones [... it] takes us to uncomfortable places - spiritually, physically and emotionally - and asks us to do the hard work of accepting more than one perspective."[57] Kimberly Ross, a writer for RedState, asks that victims should "not [be] used as pawns in another political debate about guns" since "[w]e shouldn't blame anyone but the perpetrator for crimes committed, ... that means we can do nothing on our own - in that moment - apart from submitting thoughts and prayers."[58]
The criticism of the phrase "thoughts and prayers" has itself received criticism as insensitive to those who sincerely pray for victims.[59] Katelyn Beaty argued that prayer "is perhaps the most powerful form of action you can engage in during a crisis", citing studies which showed that regular meditation and prayer improved focus and reduced anxiety, touting the potential beneficial effects for "better policy solutions than would an urgent, fretful, ill-considered response",[60] akin to the "now is not the time" arguments favored by the NRA.
In 2019, following a weekend in which mass shootings occurred in El Paso, Texas, and Dayton, Ohio, former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee suggested that, of the continued occurrence of mass shootings, "the lack of thought and prayers is probably the single biggest factor in what is behind them".[61]
Distraction using "now is not the time"
But we are not the only country on Earth that has people with mental illnesses or want to do harm to other people. We are the only advanced country on Earth that sees these kinds of mass shootings every few months. You know, earlier this year I answered a question in an interview by saying "The United States of America is the one advanced nation on Earth in which we do not have sufficient common sense gun safety laws even in the face of repeated mass killings." ... It cannot be this easy for somebody who wants to inflict harm on other people to get his or her hands on a gun. And what's become routine of course is the response of those who propose any kind of common sense gun legislation. Right now I can imagine the press releases being pressed out. "We need more guns," they'll argue, "fewer gun safety laws."
-- Barack Obama, Speech, October 2015[62]
The ineffectiveness of "thoughts and prayers" can be a deliberate choice. President Obama stated in October 2015 that "to actively do nothing is a [political] decision as well."[63]
In many instances, the same people who offer "thoughts and prayers" also criticize proposed reforms as being too quick to politicize a tragedy.[64][65][66] Like the propaganda technique of whataboutism, criticizing potential reforms as being too political can distract politicians from taking direct action by effectively pointing towards unlikely or fringe reasons for the tragedy; for example, advocating for mental health reform or Islamic terrorism prevention in lieu of passing gun control laws.[67][68][69]
Gun politics in the United States
The momentum for gun control legislation in the United States has been blunted repeatedly by the use of the phrase "now is not the time", offered as a defense against what could potentially be hastily-drafted laws.[70]David Weigel pointed out that repeated calls to wait for an "appropriate time" to discuss gun control is the strategy used by the National Rifle Association (NRA) to avoid meaningful legislative action.[71] The BBC called "the enthusiasm gap" the "single biggest obstacle to new gun-control laws" in the United States: "Pro-gun politicians offer their thoughts and prayers, observe moments of silence and order flags flown half-staff. Then, in the quiet, legislative efforts are deferred and ultimately derailed."[72]
In retrospect Sandy Hook marked the end of the US gun control debate. Once America decided killing children was bearable, it was over.
-- Dan Hodges, Twitter, June 2015[73]
Following the December 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, several politicians used the phrase "thoughts and prayers" in place of taking immediate legislative action. President Barack Obama called for "meaningful action to prevent more tragedies like this regardless of the politics",[74] and New York mayor Michael Bloomberg challenged him to go further: "the country needs [Obama] to send a bill to Congress to fix this problem - and take immediate executive action. Calling for 'meaningful action' is not enough. We have heard that rhetoric before. What we have not seen is leadership - not from the President and not from Congress. That must end today. This is a national tragedy and it demands a national response."[75] The resulting proposed federal legislation to control guns, including universal background checks, failed to pass Congress; after the bipartisan Manchin-Toomey amendment failed on April 17, 2013, Obama called it "a pretty shameful day for Washington".[76]
Following the Orlando nightclub shooting in June 2016, astronomer and skeptic Phil Plait wrote that while it was "natural and very human" to "send their thoughts and express their grief ... it's cynically hypocritical when politicians do it and nothing else", later noting it was "particularly galling" to see "all the NRA-funded lawmakers tweeting their 'thoughts and prayers'".[77] An accompanying Slate post provided a selected list of members of Congress who had tweeted "thoughts and prayers" along with the amount of campaign contributions they had received from gun rights groups, based on research provided by Igor Volsky of the Center for American Progress.[78] NRA donations to politicians who expressed "thoughts and prayers" in lieu of meaningful gun control legislation were again publicized after the Las Vegas shootings in October 2017[79] and the Stoneman Douglas shooting in February 2018.[80]
Protestor's sign at March for Our Lives, Washington DC (2018)
After the Stoneman Douglas High School shooting, Florida state senators held a contentious debate on SB 7026, which included funding for mental health programs and authorized teachers and school officials to carry concealed firearms;[81] among the amendments that failed were a ban on assault weapons, large-capacity magazines, a gun registry, and requiring background checks for guns purchased out-of-state.[82] Opponents of the ban on assault weapons included Sen. David H. Simmons, who drew an analogy to Nazi Germany's ban on private ownership of firearms,[82] and Sen. Kelli Stargel, who questioned whether the ban would be extended to fertilizer (used in the Oklahoma City bombing) and pressure cookers (used in the Boston Marathon bombing).[83] Stargel added "When we say 'thoughts and prayers,' it's frowned upon. And I take real offense at that because thoughts and prayers are really the only thing that's gonna stop the evil from within the individual who is taking up their arms to do this kind of a massacre."[83]
Following the Saugus High School shooting in November 2019, Saugus alumnus and former Representative Katie Hill released a statement saying her "thoughts and prayers are with the victims and families in my community today". Her statement also singled out Senator Mitch McConnell, saying he believed "it is more important to protect the NRA and the money he receives than it is to protect our kids" as McConnell has refused to advance four separate gun control bills that had passed the House but were not taken up by the Senate.[84] Senator Chris Murphy moved to pass the universal background checks bill the same day the shootings had occurred, but the motion was blocked by Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith; both senators learned about the shooting after Hyde-Smith had blocked the bill.[85] Vice President Mike Pence, in California for a tour of NASA Ames, expressed support for the Saugus High School community, conveying the hearts and prayers "of every American", adding "This president and this administration will remain resolved to bring the scourge of mass shootings to an end. And we will not rest or relent until we end this evil in our time and make our schools and communities safe again",[86] which was received with skepticism on social media.[87] Earlier that year, Pence had promised that "Under this President and this Vice President, no one is taking your guns. Under this President and this administration, the right to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed" in an April speech before the NRA convention, held in Indianapolis.[88]
Gun control in other countries
This section may stray from the topic of the article. Please help improve this section or discuss this issue on the talk page. (September 2019)
After the Christchurch mosque shootings in 2019, prominent international figures offered their thoughts and prayers, including Queen Elizabeth II,[89] Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan,[90] Pope Francis, and Tsai Ing-wen.[91]New Zealand legislators responded by passed a law banning the ownership of most semi-automatic weapons[92] aside from pistols under limited circumstances.[93] The response in New Zealand was singled out as a counterexample to "the same old tired script: one politician after another condemning the attack and offering thoughts and prayers to the victims and families. But something different happened. Instead of offering thoughts and prayers, New Zealand's Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern promised action".[94] Prior to the legislation, New Zealand had less restrictive gun ownership than many other Western countries.[95] Social media posts were made mocking the effectiveness of "thoughts and prayers", comparing the rapid passage of gun control legislation in New Zealand with the repeated failure of United States gun control laws.[96]
In many other Western countries, stricter gun control laws have been passed in response to gun violence.[97] Besides New Zealand, new gun control laws have passed in the United Kingdom (after the Hungerford massacre in 1987, and again after the Dunblane massacre in 1996),[98] Australia (the National Firearms Agreement, following the Port Arthur massacre of April 1996),[99] Germany (after shootings in Erfurt in 2002 and Winnenden in 2009),[100] and Norway (a belated response to the 2011 Norway attacks).[101] The sustained grassroots campaign that resulted in a ban of all handguns in the UK following the Dunblane massacre of 1996 was contrasted with American inaction in 2018 by a Dunblane resident: "I wouldn't want thoughts and prayers, I would want policies and regulation and a grown-up discussion about changing the American gun culture."[102]
... this idea that every time we have a fire or a flood it proves that climate change is real is bizarre, 'cause since the earliest days of European settlement in Australia, we've had fires and floods, and we've had worse fires and worse floods in the past than the ones we are currently experiencing. ... [The link between climate change and bushfires] is complete hogwash.
-- Tony Abbott, 2013 Herald Sun interview with Andrew Bolt[103]
In the wake of the February 2009 Black Saturday bushfires, PM Kevin Rudd sent his "thoughts and prayers" to those affected;[104] a royal commission was set up to investigate the cause and response.[105] The Climate Institute of Australia and the United Firefighters Union of Australia concluded that climate change had caused the extreme forest fire danger index leading up to Black Saturday and may have contributed to earlier bushfires dating back to 2001.[106][107]
During the disastrous 2019-20 Australian bushfire season, PM Morrison and other government officials extended their "thoughts and prayers" to the victims; the phrase was criticized for how it was used to deflect attention away from how climate change and government policy may have affected the duration and intensity of the fire season.[31][108] Also, PM Morrison was singled out for failing to provide support to fire victims.[109] Earlier, in October 2019 PM Morrison had announced he would work to stymie protesters and activists from discouraging businesses from working with the coal mining industry.[110] After the fires prompted him to cut short a vacation to Hawaii in late December, PM Morrison stated he had "always acknowledged the connection between these weather events and these broader fire events and the impact globally of climate change" and defended the government's actions to mitigate climate change, saying "we'll do it without economy wrecking or job destroying. We'll do it with sensible targets that get the balance right."[111]
Deputy PM Michael McCormack dismissed the link between climate change and the bushfires as "ravings of some pure, enlightened and woke capital-city greenies",[112][113] despite the federal National Disaster Risk Reduction Framework report, published in 2018, explicitly tying climate change to natural disasters: "Many natural hazards are becoming more frequent and more intense, driven by Australia's changing climate. ... There is growing potential for cumulative or concurrent, large-scale natural hazards to occur."[114]:5 In addition, the State of the Climate 2018 report warned "There has been an associated increase in the length of the fire weather season. Climate change, including increasing temperatures, is contributing to these changes," and added "The drying in recent decades across southern Australia is the most sustained large-scale change in rainfall since national records began in 1900."[115]:5;7Adam Bandt called DPM McCormack "a dangerous fool" and added "[t]houghts and prayers are not enough, we need science and action too" in calling for a change in government policy.[116]David Littleproud, Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources, stated he did not "want to weaponise [climate change policy] in the middle of someone's misery", stating it was "not the time" to discuss the government's policy.[113]Deputy Premier of New South Wales John Barilaro called those who would link climate change to the bushfires a "bloody disgrace" for politicising the tragedy.[117]
Cumulatively, the comments brought forward theories that Australian Greens policies were partially responsible for the intensity of the bushfires by stopping hazard reduction efforts and shifted the debate from the effect of climate change to whether a debate about climate change was appropriate.[118] Although hazard reduction policies have been criticized after previous catastrophic bushfires,[119] the claims that Greens policies have prevented backburning were called "very tired and very old conspiracy theories ... an obvious attempt to deflect the conversation away from climate change" by Professor Ross Bradstock;[120] the hotter conditions leading to elevated forest fire danger indices for a longer time period instead were blamed for reduced preventative burning.[121]
After an estimated 20,000 marched in December 2019 through the smoky streets of Sydney to protest the government's inaction on climate change, DPM McCormack acknowledged that climate change was "a factor" in the bushfires but added "it is important to note that most of these fires have been caused by 'Little Lucifers'", alluding to the possibility of arson.[122] Arsonists have been responsible for bushfires in the past,[123][124] and it was estimated that up to half of all bushfires are the result of arson or suspected arson per year.[125] However, arson is suspected to have caused a small minority of the bushfires in the 2019-20 season.[126]
In his third stand up special "Thoughts and Prayers", comedian Anthony Jeselnik skewers people who tweet out "thoughts and prayers" on the day of a tragedy, calling it a way for those people to garner attention in the face of a tragedy and saying that tweeting thoughts and prayers is so useless that it achieves "less than nothing".[36]
In 2016, a web-based video game, Thoughts and Prayers: The Game, was published to argue that thoughts and prayers have had no effect on saving lives in the context of mass shootings.[127]
The fifth episode of the fourth season of animated series BoJack Horseman, titled "Thoughts and Prayers", presents a real-life shooting that delays the opening of a new movie featuring gun violence.[6]
In early August 2018, after court documents were made public showing the National Rifle Association was having financial issues, satirical tweets were made offering thoughts and prayers for the NRA's troubles.[128] Thoughts and prayers were again directed to the NRA in November 2018 after news broke that free coffee at the headquarters was being discontinued amid a sharp drop in revenue[129][130] and again in December 2018 after suspected spy Maria Butina pleaded guilty to using her connections with the NRA as a way to infiltrate American conservative groups.[131] After the state of New York announced it would investigate the tax-exempt status of the NRA in April 2019, Governor Andrew Cuomo announced he would remember the organization in his thoughts and prayers.[132] In June 2019, after the NRA discontinued live programming that had been carried on NRATV, "thoughts and prayers" were sent via social media.[133]
A song entitled "Thoughts and Prayers" appears on the 2018 album My American Dream by singer-songwriter Will Hoge, who wrote it after the Sutherland Springs church shooting. Hoge told Rolling Stone writer Jonathan Bernstein "I know that phrase can be a kind and thoughtful way to express sympathy when there is no other way to help, but after these shootings, using that stock response from these cowards on Capitol Hill is incredibly insulting. They have all the opportunities in the world to make a difference, but they do nothing. Then to just send out a phrase like 'thoughts and prayers,' as if we don't all know that there is something they could do? It's shameful."[134]
After the Stoneman Douglas shooting in Parkland, Florida, Canadian-American musician grandson wrote and released the song "thoughts & prayers" on March 23, 2018, which also criticizes politicians who resist "any attempt at meaningful gun reform".[135]
The heavy metal band Motionless in White released a song entitled "Thoughts & Prayers" on June 2, 2019, the first single from their album Disguise. According to Chris "Motionless" Cerulli, "It's my commentary on the very evil ways that [religion is] used".[136]
The Raconteurs also released their album Help Us Stranger in June 2019; the closing track is entitled "Thoughts and Prayers". When asked about that song, Jack White stated "That phrase has become meaningless. It's a thoughtless phrase. Basically an insult."[137]
The punk group Good Riddance released an album entitled Thoughts and Prayers in August 2019. According to Russ Rankin, "I'm sick of hearing that [phrase], especially when there's a mass shooting in New Zealand and the nation takes steps to outlaw semi-automatic weapons in the same week. Meanwhile, here in America, we're dealing with hundreds and hundreds of mass shootings and not doing anything about it."[138]
List of attacks related to secondary schools
List of rampage killers (school massacres)
Prayer and Faith healing--more general discussions on effectiveness or lack thereof
School shootings in the United States
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^ Khan, Mariam (14 November 2019). "'Don't stay silent': Democrats lash out as GOP blocks gun measure amid school shooting". ABC News. Retrieved 2019.
^ Forestieri, Kevin (14 November 2019). "Pence tours NASA Ames, talks space exploration and mass shootings". Palo Alto online. Retrieved 2019.
^ Moye, David (14 November 2019). "Mike Pence Vows To End School Shootings, But Twitter Users Seem Skeptical". Huffpost. Retrieved 2019.
^ Clark, Andrew (26 April 2019). "Read Mike Pence's speech from the NRA convention in Indianapolis". Indianapolis Star. Retrieved 2019.
^ Barraclough, Breanna (15 March 2019). "Queen Elizabeth 'deeply saddened' by horrific terror attacks in Christchurch". Newshub New Zealand. Retrieved 2019.
^ Khan, Imran (14 March 2019). "Tweet". Twitter. Retrieved 2019.
^ "The Latest: Iranian minister says bigotry led to attack". AP News. AP. 15 March 2019. Retrieved 2019.
^ Schwartz, Matthew S. (10 April 2019). "New Zealand Passes Law Banning Most Semi-Automatic Weapons". NPR. Retrieved 2019.
^ "Arms (Prohibited Firearms, Magazines, and Parts): Amendment Act 2019". Parliamentary Counsel Office, New Zealand. 11 April 2019. Retrieved 2019.
^ Editorial Board (18 March 2019). "Editorial: New Zealand response to massacre puts us to shame". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved 2019.
^ Kolirin, Lianne (19 March 2019). "New Zealand Prime Minister says, 'Our gun laws will change'". CNN World. Retrieved 2019.
^ Bostock, Bill (21 March 2019). "People are mocking 'thoughts and prayers' messages after New Zealand announced new gun laws within 6 days of a mass shooting". Business Insider Australia. Retrieved 2019.
^ Mervosh, Sarah (21 March 2019). "New Zealand Took 6 Days to Plan New Gun Laws. Here's How Other Countries Reacted to Shootings". The New York Times. Retrieved 2019.
^ Wilkinson, Peter (30 January 2013). "Dunblane: How UK school massacre led to tighter gun control". CNN. Retrieved 2019.
^ Beck, Katie (4 October 2017). "Would Australia's gun laws help the US?". BBC News. Retrieved 2019.
^ Kirschbaum, Erik (15 June 2016). "After its own mass shootings, Germany beefed up gun control laws. The number of shootings dropped". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2019.
^ "Norway set to ban semi-automatic guns from 2021, 10 years after Utoya shooting". The Guardian. AFP. 27 February 2018. Retrieved 2019.
^ Hunter, Rosemary (16 February 2018). "We banned the guns that killed school children in Dunblane. Here's how". New Statesman. Retrieved 2019.
^ Tony Abbott (25 October 2013). "Andrew Bolt tackles the PM on the big issues". Herald Sun (Interview). Interviewed by Andrew Bolt. Retrieved 2020.
^ "Bushfire deaths appalling, army on stand-by: Rudd". ABC News. 7 February 2009. Retrieved 2020.
^ "Australia bushfires report calls for response changes". BBC News. 31 July 2010. Retrieved 2020.
^ Dempster, Quentin (20 February 2009). "The fires of climate change". ABC News. Retrieved 2020.
^ Submission [to the 2009 Victorian Bushfires Royal Commission] (PDF) (Report). The Climate Institute of Australia. May 2009. Retrieved 2020.
^ Tyeson, Cam (11 November 2019). "While NSW Burns, The coalition Is Wasting Time Offering Prayers & Climate-Denying Bullshit". Pedestrian Daily. Retrieved 2020.
^ "Why Australia's PM is facing climate anger amid bushfires". BBC News. 20 December 2019. Retrieved 2020.
^ Scott, Jason (31 October 2019). "Australia's Pro-Coal Leader Signals War on Climate Activism". Bloomberg. Retrieved 2020.
^ Brockett, Matthew (21 December 2019). "Australian PM Downplays Climate Change as Cause of Deadly Fires". Bloomberg. Retrieved 2020.
^ Michael McCormack (11 November 2019). "Deputy PM slams 'raving inner city lunatics' for bushfire climate link". RN Breakfast (Interview). Interviewed by Cathy Van Extel. ABC. Retrieved 2020.
^ a b Crowe, David (11 November 2019). "Deputy PM slams people raising climate change in relation to NSW bushfires". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 2020.
^ National Disaster Risk Reduction Framework (PDF) (Report). Commonwealth of Australia. 2018. Retrieved 2020.
^ State of the Climate 2018 (PDF) (Report). Bureau of Meteorology, Commonwealth of Australia. 2018. Retrieved 2020.
^ Baker, Nick (11 November 2019). "NSW mayor slams deputy PM's 'insulting' climate change attack during bushfires". SBS News. Retrieved 2020.
^ Smith, Alexandra; Crowe, David (11 November 2019). "Deputy Premier says climate change talk amid fire crisis a 'disgrace'". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 2020.
^ Remeikis, Amy (16 November 2019). "Australia's bushfire politics: the parties prevaricate while the country burns". The Guardian. Retrieved 2020.
^ Devine, Miranda (13 January 2013). "Opinion: Let's tell the burning truth about bushfires and the ALP-Greens coalition". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 2020.
^ Readfearn, Graham (12 November 2019). "Factcheck: Is there really a green conspiracy to stop bushfire hazard reduction?". The Guardian. Retrieved 2020.
^ Mullins, Greg (11 November 2019). "Opinion: This is not normal: what's different about the NSW mega fires". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 2020.
^ "Australia climate change: Thousands rally in Sydney amid bushfires". BBC News. 11 December 2019. Retrieved 2020.
^ Foley, Meraiah (9 February 2009). "Australia Police Confirm Arson Role in Wildfires". The New York Times. Retrieved 2020.
^ Mann, Alex (19 November 2017). "Why do people light bushfires? A convicted arsonist explains". ABC News. Retrieved 2020.
^ Amos, Owen (14 November 2019). "Australian fires: Why do people start fires during fires?". BBC News. Retrieved 2020.
^ Irfan, Umair (9 January 2020). "The viral false claim that nearly 200 arsonists are behind the Australia fires, explained". Vox. Retrieved 2020.
^ Kircher, Madison Malone (17 June 2016). "This Is Not Your Average Shooting Game". New York. Retrieved 2017.
^ Pitofsky, Marina (4 August 2018). "Twitter users troll NRA for financial woes, calling for 'thoughts and prayers.'". USA Today. Retrieved 2018.
^ Mazza, Ed (16 November 2018). "Twitter Users Taunt NRA With 'Thoughts And Prayers' Amid Reports Of Financial Struggles". Huffpost. Retrieved 2019.
^ Woellert, Lorraine (27 November 2018). "NRA's fortunes fell as gun-control groups gained power". Politico. Retrieved 2019.
^ Phifer, Donica (13 December 2018). "David Hogg sends 'thoughts and prayers' to NRA after Maria Butina pleads guilty". Newsweek. Retrieved 2019.
^ Sameuls, Brett (29 April 2019). "Cuomo responds to Trump criticism: New York will remember NRA 'in our thoughts and prayers'". The Hill. Retrieved 2019.
^ Joyner, Alfred (26 June 2019). "People send 'thoughts and prayers' to Dana Loesch after NRATV cancelled". Newsweek. Retrieved 2019.
^ Bernstein, Jonathan (30 November 2017). "Hear Will Hoge Rip the NRA, Weak Politicians in New 'Thoughts & Prayers'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2019.
^ Newman, Melinda (4 April 2018). "Grandson Signs With Fueled By Ramen Following His Powerful Post-Parkland Theme, 'Thoughts & Prayers'". Billboard. Retrieved 2019.
^ Browny (7 June 2019). "Chris Motionless Says 'Thoughts And Prayers' Takes Aim At The Evil Ways Religion Is Used Globally". Wall of Sound. Retrieved 2019.
^ Pollard, Alexandra (22 June 2019). "The Raconteurs' Jack White and Brendan Benson: 'Shockingly, it's still seen as a novelty when a woman plays an instrument'". Independent. Retrieved 2019.
^ Russ Rankin (25 July 2019). "A Continuance Of Momentum: Good Riddance On new Album". New Noise (Interview). Interviewed by Gen Handley. Retrieved 2019.
Burton, Tara Isabella (3 October 2017). "10 faith leaders on 'thoughts and prayers' - and action - after tragedy". Vox. Retrieved 2017.
"Thoughts and Prayers". Google Trends.
Anthony Jeselnik: Thoughts and Prayers | Official Trailer [HD] | Netflix
Hillary Clinton On Mass Shootings: 'Thoughts And Prayers Are Not Enough'
`Thoughts and Prayers:` Mass Shooting Art Exhibit on Display at Iowa State University
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Only 'thoughts and prayers' stop evil school shooters - Florida State Senator
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'Trump can't fire his way out of this': Bill's panel offers president 'thoughts and prayers' on Mueller probe
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Thoughts_and_prayers
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Grant Making
Access Online Application
About Theodore Presser
About The Presser Foundation
Advancement of Music
Assistance To Music Teachers
Capital Support
Graduate Music Award
Undergraduate Scholar Award
West Chester University Presser Scholar Ben Andrews Performing
Institution Re-Evaluation & New Application Deadline: September 1*
Decision Notification: November 15
*Please note that Institutions are invited to submit a Re-Evaluation Application every 5 years. New Institutions may apply. New Institutions will be considered depending upon availability of funds.
Introduction & Purpose
Undergraduate schools of music at accredited colleges, universities and independent institutions of higher education are invited to apply for the opportunity to present the Presser Undergraduate Scholar Award to an outstanding music major whom they select.
The Award is approximately $4,000 payable at the end of a student’s junior year. The exact amount of the award varies from year to year on the basis of the availability of funds and the number of awards that the Committee approves.
The student is to be selected by the music faculty guided solely by consideration of excellence and merit. This award is an honor award and the student, in his/her senior year, is to be known as a Presser Scholar.
Schools of Music selected for participation in the Undergraduate Scholar Award Program must maintain a minimum enrollment of 60 undergraduate music majors, offer a curriculum of study that includes at least one-third non-music academic subjects, and show evidence of meeting high professional standards for faculty, curriculum and facilities.
Terms of the Award
1. The Award is to be presented and paid in full to an outstanding undergraduate music major at the end of their junior year. The student is to be selected by the music faculty guided solely by consideration of merit.
2. The Award is to be paid in the form of a check or direct deposit to the student’s account and must be in addition to and NOT replace or offset existing financial aid or music scholarship support from the institution.
3. The use of funds is at the discretion of the Award recipient and may be applied towards expenses normally incurred in pursuit of a degree OR for additional enrichment and musical advancement opportunities which are not normally provided in a university or conservatory setting.
4. The Award is intended to be prestigious and publicly announced in an appropriate way. The student shall be known as a “Presser Scholar” and the institution is responsible for providing details about the Presser Scholar to The Foundation.
Online Grant Management
The Presser Foundation uses an online grant management system powered by Foundant. The system allows for all prospective and current grantees to submit proposals and reports online.
ACCESS ONLINE APPLICATION PROCESS
Theodore Presser
Theodore Presser (1848 – 1925) rose from humble beginnings to become a respected music teacher and publisher. Familiar with the many challenges facing musicians, he established The Presser Foundation which supports music performance and education through undergraduate and graduate scholar awards, operating and program support for music organizations, capital grants for music building projects, and assistance to retired music teachers.
The Presser Foundation
The Presser Foundation was established in 1939 under the Deeds of Trust and Will of the late Theodore Presser. It is one of the few private foundations in the United States dedicated solely to music education and music philanthropy. It is our hope that every institution, organization and individual funded by The Presser Foundation will read about the rich history of The Foundation and the inspiring biography of Theodore Presser.
1501 Cherry Street
(T) 267.519.5350
The Presser Foundation was established in 1939. It is one of the few private foundations in the United States dedicated solely to music education and music philanthropy.
News Release: The Presser Foundation Announces Special Projects Grants January 7, 2020
Remembering Michael Stairs July 3, 2019
News Release: The Presser Foundation Announces Capital Support Grants April 18, 2019
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Sahib Shihab / Herbie Mann – The Jazz We Heard Last Summer
The Jazz We Heard Last Summer is a split album featuring saxophonist Sahib Shihab and flautist Herbie Mann‘s groups recorded in 1957 for the Savoy label. AllMusic Review by Brandon Burke: This split LP pairs [More]
Herbie Mann & Phil Woods – Beyond Brooklyn (Full Album)
The music here is what veteran jazz fans call “real tasty.” There’s a lot to savor, from the romanticism of bossas to the frisson of up-tempo bop to the deep blue luminosity of Ellington’s “Azure,” [More]
Herbie Mann – Sultry Serenade (Full Album)
Sultry Serenade is an album by American jazz flautist Herbie Mann featuring tracks recorded in 1957 for the Riverside label. AllMusic Review by Michael G. Nastos: For five of the eight cuts here, Mann has [More]
Box Set, 7 CD (Original Release Date: November 1, 2019)
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That Time We Moved To Vermont
Occurred: 6/1/1958
Topics/Keywords: #Vermont #Victory #Autobiography
Milestone: #Residence Page Views: 5705
Rural life in the 1950s.
Change of Residence
1291 River Road, Victory, Vermont
My folks waited until school was out for the summer, then packed all our stuff into an open-framed trailer, and us into the Studebaker; turned the house over to the family who had rented it from us, and headed North to a century-old house in Victory, Vermont. At 7, I had no idea where Vermont was or even what it was, much less why we were going. All questions were answered with, "You'll see."
It was a long trip, and we'd gotten a late start and Dad had to nurse the car which slowed us further. We finally arrived in Vermont's Northeast Kingdom very early in the morning. I awoke after Dad had turned off Vermont's Route 2 onto the dirt road to the township of Victory. The road followed the Moose River, crossing it several times so that the river was sometimes on the right side of the car, and sometimes on the left; most times, obscured anyway by the thick pines that lined the road and continued, unbroken, up the mountain slopes.
What surprised me most, though—besides the fact that the road was unpaved—was a type of fog I'd never seen before, and haven't seen since. It consisted of rolls of fog, tubes of fog, draped out along the valleys and hillsides like giant pipes.
After some 25 miles of road, we arrived at our destination: An old, mustard yellow, two-storey house on the side of a hill, looking over the road with a kind of forlorn pride, like the elderly king of a small principality sitting on his front stoop waiting for petitioners who never come.
The driveway up the slope to the house was, if possible, in worse shape than the dirt road. The owners of the house seemed to be expecting us and showed us through the place. I don't remember much from that first visit, just the huge wood stove in the kitchen, kerosene oil lamps in each room, and an organ that Mom called a "melodeon" in the hallway. My littler sister, five-year-old Louise, found she could (barely) reach the pedals that pumped the thing and play a few notes.
The house had no electricity, because Victory had not yet been wired for it. It also wasn't connected to the national telephone lines. (Some houses had access to the "fire line" telephone, a single line shared by all homes that used it. But this was not one of them.)
Apparently the adults reached an agreement unknown to us kids, because Mom and Dad agreed to buy the place from the current owners, the Hoveys. The agreement included 65 acres of property, the house, the wood stove and the melodeon, and various pieces of furniture including tables and beds.
The Hoveys must have been anxious—and ready—to move. It was just a few weeks later that we towed a small, open trailer with all our portable stuff, like dishes and our television set and sheets and blankets. We did not bring furniture because the house we were moving into was already furnished, as was our old house, which we were renting.
The trip was made long before the creation of the Interstate Highway System; it was "side roads" all the way. Some of them were pretty steep. Dad had to stop the car at the crest of one hill to let it cool, and we got out to stretch our legs just in time to see the last dish fall from the open trailer and follow its fellows rolling on edge down the hill.
Good old Melmac dishes—unbreakable, you know.
When we arrived at the end of that washboard road, and entered our new house—Mom was not pleased. The Hoveys had stripped it. Not only were the tables and beds gone, so was the wood stove and the melodeon. All that was left in the place was a slightly wobbly three-legged stool and, on it, a chipped coffee cup with a quarter cup of cold coffee inside.
The air outside was swarming with tiny gnats we learned later are called "no-see-ums". Louise promptly got bit by one; her neck swelled to the size of a cantaloupe and Dad had to rush her into town to a doctor, thinking she'd got the mumps.
We had to retreat and spend that night in a motel.
The next day Mom and Dad bought furniture, paying extra to have at least some of it delivered that day. Dad never bought anything new. He usually haunted auctions and what today are called "garage sales" for usable cast-offs. But our mattresses were new, as was the sofa. There was no hope, however, of finding a new kitchen range that would run on wood or kerosene. He found a used model that would burn wood, kerosene, or bottled gas. Although decades old, it was still sturdy as an Egyptian monument, because that's how they used to build things.
The kitchen was the heart of the house. When we moved in, there were two rooms: A small eating room (too small to be called a dining room) and an adjacent cooking room. Dad and Tommy Westinberger, his son-in-law, took out the intervening wall within a few days of our arrival. They also removed a great barrel of flour that had been built under a cabinet and was hinged so that it could be swung out or in as needed. I hated to see that go, as it looked like a lot of potential fun.
We had the wood, kerosene or gas-burning "cook stove" where the original stove had been, so eight-inch exhaust pipes could be connected to the chimney. (The house had no fireplace, but it had two chimneys nevertheless for wood stove exhaust.) At first we cooked using the kerosene, until Dad could get a tank of bottled gas delivered and filled; then Mom cooked on the gas jets by preference. However, the oven only heated by kerosene or wood. I don't remember Mom ever using it.
There was a sink in the kitchen with no drain, resting beneath a hand-operated water pump. Usually such pumps are atop pipes that reach into a spring or well. But ours drew water up from a cistern in the basement. When you wanted to empty the sink, you simply lifted it out of its base, took it to an open window, and poured its contents outside.
The basement was dirt-floored with walls made of granite blocks. It was always cool, even on the hottest, most humid summer days. But we didn't play down there much, because there were lots of spider webs (and, presumably, spiders) and things that made little noises in the farthest, darkest corners. The stair that led to the basement came from the kitchen, and even at the top of the stairs it was cool. Some former owner had mounted a wooden box with a single shelf onto the wall inside the landing, to serve as a place for milk and other perishable foods. We used that as our "ice box" (sans ice) until Dad got a bargain on a gas-operated refrigerator.
Water poured into the basement cistern from a lead (!) pipe that emerged from the wall. We'd been told the pipe, nearly a century in use, was buried and led to a spring located somewhere in the pine forest that stopped just short of the back of the house.
The gas refrigerator was a wonder. It ran on the same bottled gas as the gas jets in the stove, yet in the refrigerator things got cold instead of hot. I spent years wondering how the thing worked.
One day Mom and Dad took my sisters into town and left me in Tommy's care. Tommy promptly fell asleep on the sofa, and I decided to make myself some pancakes. At seven, this was not something I had ever done and I was excited and frightened by the possibility. But there was leftover pancake batter in the refrigerator, and I could think of no reason why I shouldn't make myself a snack. I successfully struck a match and lit one of the gas jets, then set out to find a frying pan. I couldn't locate one, but I did find the pot of a pressure cooker whose lid had long been lost. Mom usually used it to make spaghetti, but I saw no reason not to make pancakes in it. I put it on the burner and poured a perfect pancake into its bottom, then tried to locate a spatula. I couldn't find that, either, and had to settle on a knife.
The ingredient I had missed, of course, was shortening. By the time I tried to peel the pancake off the bottom of the ungreased pan with the knife, it had burnt solid into the cookware. It wouldn't budge. Sadly, and a little guiltily, I turned off the burner and left the mess for Mom to find.
When they got home, of course, it was Tommy who got yelled at, not me. But the experience encouraged Mom to teach me to cook, with (as it turned out the next year) disastrous consequences.
Here's the layout of the house. It was built as a long, narrow box; and, even though the broad side of it presented to the road, the front door was actually on one of the narrow faces. That door led into a foyer, with a stairway leading upstairs on the right, and a hall leading to the rest of the first floor on the left. The melodeon, now gone, had rested against the outer wall at the foot of the stairway. There was a Harry Potter-style enclosed closet beneath the stairs.
The hallway led into the dining room, or at least that's what we called it. Mom put her nice dining room table and chairs there, anyway, pulled out of our house in New Jersey when the renters didn't work out. (They'd been there just a few weeks when my father went down unexpectedly and caught them selling our furniture.) We also had a gas space heater installed there.
The house, which must once have been quite a luxury place, was piped for gas lights. There were gas light fixtures in the walls, and a beautiful gas chandelier hanging in the dining room. However, these lamps wouldn't use bottled gas and were never connected. (We later found some kind of tank buried in back of the house containing some powdered chemicals that had, apparently, generated the gas for the lamps. But by then they'd been removed.)
The dining room had doors to three other rooms. As you stood in the door from the hallway, at the other end of the same wall to your right was the door to a first-floor bedroom that Dad eventually made into an inside bathroom. (I still remember how difficult it was for him and Tommy to get the iron bathtub he'd bought at auction down the hallway, which wasn't quite wide enough for it.) In the wall to the right was the door to the kitchen, and on the left was the door to the living room.
The living room also had a door into the hall, and a table on which sat our big, heavy, useless TV set.
There was a whole section to the house beyond the kitchen. This part, in today's terms, would be called "unfinished." On the first floor, this section had enough floor space and windows to create four or six rooms of the size of others in the house, but instead it was open and had been used as a workroom by the former owners. We called it the "woodshed," though we never stored any wood in there. We kids didn't go in there often.
If you took the front stairs to the second floor, on the way you'd notice the beautiful wood banister. It was unfinished and worn, but we later sanded and varnished it and it was quite lovely.
The banister continued past the top of the stairs, wrapping around back on itself to protect walkers on the extended second floor landing from falling. In the very front of the house, over the front door, was a very small room that Mom used as the "sick room." If one of us kids got sick, she would have us sleep there instead of in our own beds. I have no idea why.
Next was the largest bedroom, which Mom and Dad took. It actually had a small closet, which excited Mom because, she said, at the time the house had been built, few homes had closets at all. But that closet dovetailed with one that opened into the next room, in which my sisters slept. It was also large, and doubled as a playroom. Both Mom and Dad's bedroom and the girls' room had grates in the floor, through which heat from downstairs could rise in the winters. We kids quickly discovered that the entire unit could be removed, leaving a hole through which we could drop things to the first floor. To put an end to this, Mom passed on the cautionary tale of my father who, when he was young, was spying on his sisters from his bedroom grate. He quietly removed the grate, then dropped the family cat on the head of his sister, my Aunt Louise, which startled her so much she dropped an expensive platter she was holding. Dad, of course, was punished. So we must never drop things through grates.
That didn't stop us from spying through the grates, though. However, there was no one for us to spy on but the adults; and their conversations were stupifyingly boring. So we didn't actually do it much.
My room came next; it's door was in line with the stairs. Dad didn't want us to have to rely on the cistern in the basement and a hand pump; in order to get the bathtub to work, we would have to have running water. He calculated that the spring on the hill was higher in altitude than my bedroom, and eventually put a water tank in it. The tank would fill, however slowly, and then "gravity flow" would let the water come out the taps in the bathroom and fill the inside toilet. However, we apparently didn't have quite enough gravity, as the water dribbled out of the taps and took some 45 minutes to fill the toilet tank.
In addition to my bed and dresser, I also had a small cuckoo clock in my room. My window faced pine trees standing at attention in the back of the house, and with no electricity in our house or anywhere else in the township, nights were very dark. However, I wasn't afraid of the dark, so I didn't mind. And even today, I prefer sleeping where it's dark and the only light comes from ten thousand stars.
The house had been built in two sections. The older section had lower ceilings than the new section. The dining and living rooms, and the bedrooms I've just described, were in the "new" section; the kitchen and woodshed were in the "old" section. Through my bedroom was a door to another bedroom, which was down two steps from mine. It was a small room, and no one made a bed short enough to fit against any of the room's walls. However, in an outbuilding we found an ancient bed frame with one leg sawed short. I suggested we use that. Mom had her doubts, but it turned out the frame fit so perfectly in that room it was clear the leg had been sawed off for just that purpose, supported by one of the steps. The bed had no slats, just holes. We had to string rope through the holes to hold a mattress. Mom said that, once, all beds had ropes instead of slats.
I believe a large part of my awareness that time is a continuity comes from my exposure, at that young age, to how things had changed within my mother's lifetime. I knew that the differences between the house in Vermont and the house in New Jersey, like electricity and gas and rope slats, were differences of chronology, not location.
So the rope bed room was outfitted and declared a "guest room."
That room also had a door into another room, a slightly larger one that faced the broad front-side of the house, with a view of the road and the glimmer of water flickering through the trees from the Moose River. It was also made into a guest bedroom, though anyone who stayed in it would have to pass through the rope bed room to get to it.
The final door in the rope bed room opened onto a steep, narrow, New England "back stairway." Those stairs took you down into the kitchen. But if, instead of going downstairs, you stepped across the landing you'd find yourself in the second-floor expanse of the unfinished section. We called this room the "First Attic" because it had been used as one; there were still some ancient trunks there the Hoveys hadn't taken with them. We used this room as our primary playroom. My Dad got me a cabinet Victrola and a chest of 78-rpm records to play on it and we kept it there.
But, for awhile at least, there was a lot of traffic through the First Attic because, on the outer, "back" wall of the house (the official back, narrow end) was an innovation—an outhouse that wasn't truly outside. It was a lean-to tacked onto that side of the house, its foundation level with the cellar but continuing past the first floor and ending on the third with not one, not two, but three holes for people to poop in. There was a big hole, a middle-sized hole, and a little hole. Dad used the big hole; Mom and I fit the middle one, and the girls used the little one. So high above its base, there was no smell and while it did get rather close in the summer and was plagued by flies, still it added a certain familial camaraderie to the basic toilet function.
Above the First Attic, and accessible by a steep stairway in it, was the Second Attic. This space, under the roof, was a true attic. However the floor wasn't completed and it was dangerous without being any fun, so we didn't really use it. But if you followed it toward the narrow front of the house, and went up the two steps that led to the "new" section, you found yourself in the Third Attic, which also contained an old trunk and which had a nicely finished floor and a window that overlooked the yard and the fields and mountains beyond. I loved the Third Attic, and wanted to remodel it into a duplicate of Jor-El's laboratory from the comics. (Jor-El was Superman's Kryptonian father.) I had no resources to do such a thing, but I spent endless hours making plans on paper, most of which ignored realities of scale and would have crowded dozens of rooms into the tiny space.
The house's mustard yellow color, on close inspection, turned out to be the result of decades of paint and neglect revealing bits of color from each face-lift the place had received. Apparently it had never been painted the same color twice. And the interior walls were covered in faded, peeling wallpaper. Plans were made to repaper them.
But Dad couldn't spend the whole week with us. He still had his job at Bendix, in New Jersey, where he was an engineer. He was in his fifties but not yet ready to retire. In fact, it was just a few months ago I learned that it had been Mom's idea to move to Vermont, not his. He hadn't even wanted to go, since his four sisters and their families all lived in New Jersey, as well as his son and daughters from a previous marriage. But Mom's happiest childhood and teenaged days had been spent in Vermont, and she apparently did her passive-aggressive best to convince Dad to move us there.
So Dad would make the drive to New Jersey on Sunday night to make it to work on time Monday morning, and return home to Vermont very late Friday night (or early Saturday morning) where he was expected to continue renovating the house.
A parade of relatives came through. Aunt Al, Dad's oldest sister, showed up with her husband, Uncle Frank. Aunt Al was a fierce taskmaster who firmly believed the Devil resided in idle hands and that an idle child was up to no good. So, even though it was Summer, there was no playtime while Aunt Al was there. She also had some unusual nutritional opinions which she imposed on everyone else. My sisters still remember her forcing them to eat raw eggs, which was presented as a nutritional supplement, rather than a meal. I didn't eat them, because I wouldn't. No amount of force could make me open my mouth if I didn't want to, which Aunt Al eventually learned. Mom, always cowed by strong women, neither objected nor assisted; and so I won that round, at least.
Aunt Al had no children of her own.
Aunt Rose was the next sister down (Dad was the middle child of five) and she and Uncle Mike came to visit. They did have kids and so were much more fun to be around.
Aunt Lou was just a year younger than Dad, still single and the scandal of the family because she lived with a man who'd been unable to get a divorce from his wife, who'd been committed to a mental institution. I didn't like Uncle Wally's cigars, but I did like him; and I adored Aunt Lou. She had been Dad's favorite sister, too.
And finally came Aunt Gene, whose husband was also an Uncle Mike. They had one son, a little older than me but I don't remember his accompanying them in 1958.
Mom's best friend, whom we called Aunt Bernie, came with her husband Uncle Bob and his son, Robbie Junior. Robbie Junior was about 14, and afflicted with a degenerative spinal disorder that would someday confine him to bed for the rest of his life. But in 1958 he could still walk, if a bit unsteadily, and he and I roamed the area around the house.
Outdoors Cuisine
In addition to the house itself, there were four outbuildings. One was a chicken coop. Another was the size of a very generous two-car garage, and we called it the Garage. However, we never put a vehicle in there because it was full of stuff, most of it unidentifiable and all of it old. There was a small barn behind the house, the pines crowding it on two sides, and the remains of a larger barn that had collapsed some years earlier. Mom kept us away from the ruins by warning us that rats probably lived in them.
Near the small barn, on a pile of what we'd been told was "manure" (but no one defined) grew stalks of a reddish-green plant. When we brought them in to Mom, she declared them to be rhubarb and good to eat, like celery, with salt. It would be 15 years before I discovered that rhubarb is also used in pies. But I loved the tart, salty taste and munched on it almost every time I went outside.
The specialty of the house, however, was blueberries. They grew everywhere, but especially on the broad expanse between the house and the road that we called the "front lawn." Dad decided to name our property "Blueberry Hill," after the song which was popular then. I would lie down for hours, the sun shining on my face through the branches of a blueberry bush, reaching up and plucking berry after berry to eat.
The driveway degenerated from ruts in the ground to wagon tracks in the tall grass past our house, as it continued into the woods and up the hillside. We rarely ventured far along that road but along its sides were red and black raspberries and blackberries, as many as we could eat. When Aunt Al visited, she insisted that we pick berries (that was one of our "chores") and put them in a bucket to bring home, where she would pour milk and sugar on them, which was supposed to make them taste better. But my sisters and I preferred them straight from the bush, and surely ate far more than ever made it into our buckets, with giggled mutual promises to never tell that we'd eaten the produce.
Dad had bought the property with the idea that he would turn it into a lakeside hunting lodge. Now, that would seem difficult considering there was no lake. But the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers was planning to dam the Moose River and flood the Victory Bog (also known as the Victory Basin). Local environmentalists protested the plan, as Victory Basin is a unique ecological area containing Vermont’s largest boreal forest, and an enormous amount of wildlife. The hunters Dad wanted to lodge would have had little to hunt if the dam had gone through.
In 1967 the Victory Basin Wildlife Management Association purchased the Victory Basin from the New England Power Company, ending the dam plans. But in 1958, the possibility was still very much in the air. And in the meantime, Dad decided we may as well farm the land, starting with a few cows, a goat, and some barnyard pets.
First came the dogs. They must have been obtained over Mom's objections, because she'd always been terrified of dogs. Sniffy, who was such a perfect example of "mongrel" that in my dog book, the picture of a mongrel looked just like him, became mine. A fat little beagle was to be shared between my 6-year-old sister, Joan, and 5-year-old Louise. Joan was a little vague about the whole pet-naming ritual. When Dad said she could name the dog, she asked what he meant.
"You can call him whatever you want," he explained. "Like Fido or Rover."
She went with "Rover."
Dad shored up the weak spots of the chicken coop and made it the home of two rabbits. I named mine Whitey. Joan named hers Jumpy-Over-The-Mountains. Our younger sister, Louise, was considered at five to be too young to have pets, or at least that was the justification for buying two and "giving" them to the oldest two kids.
I'm not sure what Dad had in mind for those rabbits' ultimate fate, though I'm pretty sure it was not to eventually retire in some Old Pets Home. But whatever it was, the dogs had a different idea. They found the rabbits irresistible. And in spite of any common sense, the rabbits seemed to want to get out of the chicken coop as badly as the dogs wanted them to. We usually caught them first, and then would locate and patch the hole they'd escaped through.
One morning Louise looked out her bedroom window and noticed a couple of bits of white stuff on the driveway. Because we were so far out into the country that there was absolutely no litter anywhere, it stood out. "Mommy!" she yelled. "There's some Kleenex on the driveway!" Louise always had a very firm sense of where things should be.
But when Mom returned from her investigation, she was ashen and wouldn't let us go out to look. "It's the rabbits," she said. "The dogs got them."
I wanted to point out that this wasn't so much the dogs' fault as it was the rabbits', who clearly had no sense at all. But Mom seemed too upset. This only proved to her what evil creatures dogs were.
In any case, the chicken coop couldn't be wasted, and Dad promptly replaced the rabbits with three ducks.
The ducks also got out of the coop on occasion, but the dogs seemed quite disinterested in them. Mom would instruct me to run and gather them up; the biggest one was the size of a five-pound bag of sugar and it wasn't easy to pick up if it didn't want to be. But I managed to get them and put them back into the coop.
I also got to feed them. I loved this part. Mom would make them some kind of mush and put it in an aluminum pie plate. I would crawl through the little door in the coop and place the plate onto the ground. The ducks definitely knew what was going on; they would crowd me until I backed away, sticking their bills into the mush and making little quacks of pleasure as they inhaled their meal.
But the biggest additions to the family were the calves and goat.
Apparently it's cheaper to buy a baby calf and let it grow, than to buy a full-grown cow whose milk is immediately available. Dad bought two, Brownie and Blackie. At the same time, he brought home Nanny, the goat.
Nanny had a definite and distinct personality. Actually, she reminded me a lot of Aunt Al. Nanny immediately adopted the calves, who followed her everywhere. Now, calves eat grass and say "Moo" and goats eat leaves and say "Bah." But Brownie and Blackie ate leaves and said "Mah!" That's how into their adopted mother they were.
Nanny was very curious and was fascinated about the big building her humans went into. One day I came in and forgot to close the door. Suddenly I heard Mom screaming, "The goat's in the house! The goat's in the house!" She didn't seem to have any idea what to do about it. Little Louise didn't hesitate. She marched right up to the goat, stuck her index finger in Nanny's face, and barked, "Back, Nanny! Back!" Nanny backed right out of the house and into the yard. From then on, she would do anything Louise told her.
But Nanny couldn't abide weakness, and she had no mercy for Mom, who she could sense was afraid of her. One day Mom was in the yard, raking, when she put down her rake, tines up, to pick up a rock. Nanny saw how the rake was arranged and practically ran to it, jumping onto the tines with her front hooves so the handle went flying, smacking Mom in the butt.
Nanny had a special power. She gave milk. She had two great teats (we called them "handles") and when you grabbed one and squeezed, milk came out. I was occasionally given the task of milking her, half-filling a bucket each time. I was initially afraid it would hurt her, but she seemed to enjoy it, standing patiently until I had gotten all there was to get.
But there was no way I was going to drink that stuff!
I mean, it was all well and good to call the white stuff "milk" but, at seven, I was quite aware that milk came from the milkman or the grocery store, in glass or waxed cardboard cartons. There was no way I was going to drink anything that came out of a goat's handles.
Nanny liked to eat blueberries, just as I did. And when she ate a lot of them, there would be a blue streak in her milk. In raspberry season, there'd be a red streak; and in blackberry season a dark purple one. I've had people in years since tell me this doesn't happen, but I saw it with my own eyes.
And then came the day I caught Mom transferring milk I had drawn from the bucket to a used milk carton.
"What are you doing?" I demanded. I was furious that she would consider trying to trick me, and I told her so.
"But I've been doing it for weeks," she said, "and you never noticed."
Well. I was still annoyed, but I couldn't argue with the result. Raw goat's milk did taste like "real" milk. So Mom threw out the used carton and I drank goat's milk from a pitcher for the rest of the time we lived there. I suppose I could point out this incident as being the first time I realized that, what was on a label, didn't necessarily reflect the contents.
Because "the grid" had not yet come to our remote bit of wilderness, there were no street lights, or lights of any other kind. So the nights were dark as being in a blanket; not even the stars were brilliant enough to light the way on a moonless night.
I remember us pulling into the driveway one night. The cousin who drove us, and my mother, had seen a "funny light" near the house which they announced was the reflection of our car lights in the eyes of a wild animal. We sat quietly in the car for (it seemed like) an hour before my two younger sisters and I quietly got out of the car and filed into the house and went to bed. We were a rambunctious bunch; we never did anything quietly. But we did that night, and looking back it strikes me as odd behavior.
Nanny and the calves usually hung out around the house, where there was plenty of tall grass and bushes. But once in awhile Nanny would get a jones for exploring. Usually she would head north up the dirt road towards Gallup Mills, a small community at a crossroads about an eighth of a mile up, with the calves close behind her. Mom and Joan and Louise and I would walk there and, sure enough, there they'd be somewhere along the road, enjoying the taste of other bushes growing on the side.
One day my sister, Joan, six at the time, turned up missing. We looked everywhere for her, but she was nowhere to be found—certainly not in the house, and not in the usual play places around it, either. Mom and Louise and I got the idea she might have wandered to Gallup’s Mills. We walked there and back, my mother becoming more and more frantic as we failed to see any sign of her. Mom had always warned us that we might be kidnapped (I have no idea where that idea came from) and she was at a loss as to what to do. When we got back to the house, she sat at the dining room table, put her head down and started sobbing hysterically. Louise and I tried desperately to calm her down. Louise decided to get a cushion from the living room for Mom’s head—and found Joan, deep asleep on the sofa. It took several minutes to rouse her. She swore she’d been sleeping there all the time.
At The Window
One night I got out of bed and went to the top of the stairs. My mother and sisters were standing in silence at the foot of the stairs, staring out the window. I joined them and asked what they were looking at. "The Northern Lights," my mother replied, and I looked, but I couldn't see anything. Finally I went back to bed, leaving them standing fixed at the window in silence. They no longer have any memory of the incident at all.
The Lost Spring
Before Dad put the water tank in my room, every now and then the water from the hillside spring would inexplicably stop flowing into the basement cistern. Mom and I would then have to get it going again.
To do so, we'd have to find it, first. Looking back, I cannot believe that Mom left two little girls alone while we went spring-hunting, but she did. Unaware that they should be upset about this, they would simply continue playing with their dolls and dollhouses while Mom and I put on sturdy clothes, got our rifles, and headed into the woods.
Yes, Mom taught me to shoot when I was seven years old. I was pretty good at it, too. She would put one of the old, broken coffee cups the Hoveys had left on top of a fence post some fifty yards away, and before long I could reliably hit and shatter it, even though I had to hold the weapon with the barrel under my armpit, since my arm wasn't long enough for my finger to reach the trigger if I held the rifle properly.
So, knowing there were bears in the woods, Mom and I would set out with these .22 gauge rifles, confident in our belief that if we did encounter a bear along the way, we could safely dispatch it without danger to ourselves.
We would set out along the wagon road that continued up the mountain from our driveway, Mom keeping a sharp eye out for trails into the woods on our left. There were many of them, most or all of them animal trails, of course. But one would trigger some kind of memory and I would follow Mom from the sunlight into the cool, still pine forest.
That part of the woods was quite overgrown. Sniffy and Rover would also accompany us (and probably kept us far safer from bears than those rifles ever could), barking and dashing about. They would run off and we could here them crashing about through the underbrush; then, just when we'd suspected we'd los them, they would burst into view, check on us with their tails wagging and out of breath, then return to whatever scent had fascinated them so.
Eventually, inevitably, we would come upon the spring, leaves floating upon its surface, and blocking the ancient lead pipe sticking into its side. I would have to sit on a board that covered it, my boots in our drinking water, remove the leaves and then fasten the rubber hose of a remodeled bicycle pump we'd brought with us. A few pumps of the handle, and the gravity flow would be restored.
One time, Sniffy burst into the clearing when I was sitting on the board. He jumped joyfully onto my lap, which broke the board and sent us both into the cold water. (And now, a dog had been in our drinking water, but Mom never seemed to think this was significant and, of course, at seven I didn't know any better.)
It was the return back home that always seemed to take longer than the search for the spring. When I was grown, Mom always insisted that she knew where we were, that we were never lost. Maybe so, but I recall that at least two of these trips started in the morning, yet we didn't make it back home until dinner time.
On one of those occasions, we finally emerged from the woods into the farthest of a string of sand pits located on our property. So now we knew where we were, but had a long trudge before we finally got home. When we climbed the side of the last sand pit, putting us on the opposite side of the house from the driveway (along a steep, rutted way we called the "short driveway"), we spotted Joni and Louise talking to some stranger, who was standing outside his car.
Mom immediately fired her rifle into the air; the man flinched as if she'd hit him. She then began marching in his direction as he walked toward us. When he was within speaking distance, he said, "Do you greet all your visitors that way?" It turned out he was just an insurance agent, and had been asking the girls if he could speak to their parents. He may have changed professions after that.
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The Evolution Of Human Birth
org Page 1 of 7 Activity Student Handout Human Skin Color: Evidence for Selection INTRODUCTION Our closest primate relatives have pale skin under dark fur, but human skin comes in a variety of shades from. While the brains of both branches continue to grow, the last 2 million years of human evolution have led to an explosion in brain growth. Weavera,b,1 and Jean-Jacques Hublinb aDepartment of Anthropology, University of California, Davis, CA 95616 and bDepartment of Human Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary. It’s the cooperators, the team players who set aside selfish desires for the good of the group, that outcompete groups of non-cooperators and ensure their genes are passed on to future generations. But thanks to the Gibraltar skull, scientists had determined that these creatures were not simply unhealthy humans: They were something worth paying close attention to. There would have been little or nothing to eat or drink inland during the driest periods but the sea would have provided unlimited supplies of both if our ancestors could learn to exploit them. Aiken, and Chris Cassidy Most Darwinists would agree that modern Darwinian theory can shed light on cultural behavior, including the behaviors of composing and telling stories. While one might take Hume’s skepticism to imply that he is an outlier with respect to the Enlightenment, it is more convincing to see. Human infants come into the world ready to engage with others. The Evolution of the Human Life Cycle Author Jonathan Belanich Published on November 11, 2013 November 12, 2013 6 Comments on The Evolution of the Human Life Cycle Barry Bogin is an American physical anthropologist trained at Temple University that researches physical growth in Guatemalan Maya children, and is a theorist upon the evolutionary. Thanks to the fossil record (really, fossil record… I love you), we know a decent amount of information about early hominids- including the size and shape of their pelvises, which give us hints into the evolution of human birthing practices. His interests focused on childhood development, evolutionary theory, and their applications to education. Rosenberg and others published The Evolution of Human Birth We use cookies to make interactions with our website easy and meaningful, to better understand the use of. For example, human life begins with a single cell and then multiplies in complexity. Over the course of human evolution, seeking another person for companionship during labor would probably have improved birth outcome, providing the ultimate explanation that selection favored assistance by reducing morbidity and mortality for both mothers and infants. We organize ourselves into various kinds of social groupings, such as nomadic bands, villages, cities, and countries, in which we work, trade, play, reproduce, and interact in many other ways. Because the human race developed around a star that goes through life alone, we tend to think of most stars in isolation. One thing to note from the outset is that in Mother Nature Hrdy dismantles the idea that women are made of sugar and spice and. Scientific evidence shows that the physical and behavioral traits shared by all people originated from apelike ancestors and evolved over a period of approximately six million years. The Evolution of Human Birth. We reincarnate as human beings in order to evolve as souls. First month (4 weeks) after birth is the neonatal period of development. Join the network of satisfied members and try this Free service. This is a fact that cannot be denied. There, she is whisked away to the cave of the Monkey King, where she is ravished and eventually gives birth to ape-human hybrids. Goal of education. Once the eggs developed into juveniles, female frogs performed oral birth and regurgitated their young. At birth, this ratio aver- ages 0. mitted the evolution of the human nervous system and allowed the expres-sion of contemporary human sociality. Start studying Bio Human Evolution Quiz. With every new generation as human,our spiritual expectations from life should become more and more strong. PDF | On Dec 1, 2001, Karen R. Why should mechanisms to avoid incest be so widespread in nature and across human societies? The answer is simple. Humans communicate, cooperate, reason, coerce, &. Evolutionary theories have been used to answer questions about the origins of the universe, life, and man. Throughout this long period, humanity was, and continues to be, driven to search for a way to heal its Human Birth Defect. For example, human life begins with a single cell and then multiplies in complexity. The gene responsible for sperm in all sexual creatures dates to the beginning of animal evolution—and may be a key to the elusive male birth control pill, a new study says. Evolution was kinder to other animals. Birth - 12 mos. The Evolution of Social Work: Historical Milestones. An Evolutionary Genomic Approach to Identify Genes Involved in Human Birth Timing: Coordination of fetal maturation with birth timing is essential for mammalian reproduction. In startups, IPOs, and venture capital, it leads the world by any per-capita standard and in some ways by absolute metrics. It encoded a protein made only by cells in the placenta. 3 times larger from birth to adult, compared with 2. This complex new view of human evolution emerged from a sophisticated approach to research. Address correspondence to her at the Department of Sociology and Anthropology, New Mexico State University, Box 3BV, Las Cruces, NM 88003. So the founders of modern science were inheriting a great deal. Primate evolution dating Many studies addressing human evolution. }, author={Stephen C. With migration from rural to urban areas, the need arises for a welfare safety net in the event of sickness or unemployment. military's funding of a research network dubbed Arpanet in 1969. Mitteroecker's study is nothing more than a statistical analysis of the expected effect of life-saving medical care on the obstetrically relevant demographics of modern humans. The reasoning is simple, but we need an analogy to make it easier to understand. By Erica Tennenhouse Oct. Reptiles, for example, don’t even need to take care of their babies. The views about morality, purpose, self-worth, justice, and obligation are closely tied up to the views on human origin without confirming or. The Evolution of Human Birth and Transhumanist Proposals of Enhancement - Revised Research (PDF Available) · August 2015 with 91 Reads How we measure 'reads'. This could have evolutionary impacts on the human race. 6 million years ago found at Nariokotome on the west side of Lake Turkana, Kenya. A neutral genetic mutation—a fluke in the evolutionary process with no apparent biological purpose—that appeared over 700 million years ago in biological evolution could help explain the origin of complex organs and structures in human beings and other vertebrates, according to an article published in Nature Communications by a team led by Professor Jordi García-Fernàndez, from. This is known as the obstetric dilemma and the pelvis of modern humans is a compromise between these constraints. referenced at bottom. It suggests that for the first million and more years of Homo evolution, our ancestors had no flint-tipped spears, no arrows, nothing to enable them to drive away a leopard, let. The following list of selected publications is divided into three groups: (1) Publications relating to Darwin and evolution; (2) publications. One thing to note from the outset is that in Mother Nature Hrdy dismantles the idea that women are made of sugar and spice and. Human birth weight is a classic example of stabilizing selection. The Evolution of Technology rules of Technological evolution thus make a strong argument for accelerating evolution. The views about morality, purpose, self-worth, justice, and obligation are closely tied up to the views on human origin without confirming or. Zollikofer*† *Anthropological Institute and Museum, University of Zurich, CH-8057 Zu¨rich, Switzerland; ‡Laboratory of Prehistory, St. Bingham, Joanne Souza: Amazon. Thanks to the fossil record (really, fossil record… I love you), we know a decent amount of information about early hominids- including the size and shape of their pelvises, which give us hints into the evolution of human birthing practices. At Ancient Origins, we believe that one of the most important fields of knowledge we can pursue as human beings is our beginnings. ~Arthur Koestler Evolution: one small step for man, one giant leap backward for mankind. If not for a virus, none of us would ever be born. A later stage in human evolution, early Homo erectus, is known from a nearly complete skeleton from about 1. Scientists continue to learn more about the evolution of humans and our hominoid ancestors. Jung - The Three Births of the Human Spirit C. o Box 3900-30100, Eldoret, Kenya. University of Zurich Institute of Evolutionary Medicine News & Events News-Blog SAVE THE DATE: 05. If you go back 1000 years, you'll find that humans of today could reproduce with humans of that era. We hypothesize that higher primate-specific gene evolution may lead to these differences and target genes involved in human preterm birth, an area of global health significance. I would like to show in the present page how it can be logically possible that there was no First Human. when and how the modern pattern of birth evolved. Apes like gorillas and orangutans are also primates. so our understanding of reproduction was pretty limited for most of human history. Other government agencies and universities created internal networks based. "The greatest possibility of evil in self-medication is the use of too small doses so that instead of clearing up infection the microbes are educated to resist penicillin and a host of penicillin. But they could just as readily have been implanted in an attempt at bringing the embryo to birth. How Africa Became the Cradle of Humankind A fossil discovery in 1924 revolutionized the search for human ancestors, leading scientists to Africa The Taung Child was killed by an eagle about three. 3 This is an inevitable evolution which comes about because, as the billions of years roll by, the Sun is burning up the hydrogen in its core. The hominid fossil record. Chris Impey told NBC News MACH in an email. This video is in collaboration with Bill and Melinda Gates! You can check out the Gates Annual Letter. Populations from the later Middle Pleistocene exhibit mosaic evolution and diversity in anatomical details, and the modern human pelvic form (with narrower overall breadth and a birth canal requiring rotational birth) seems to appear between 200 and 100 kya, with the origin of H. @article{Cunnane2003SurvivalOT, title={Survival of the fattest: fat babies were the key to evolution of the large human brain. The exact nature of the evolutionary relationships between modern humans and their ancestors remains the subject of debate. Why should mechanisms to avoid incest be so widespread in nature and across human societies? The answer is simple. The birth canal, framed by the bones of the pelvis, is barely larger than the baby's head. The following list of selected publications is divided into three groups: (1) Publications relating to Darwin and evolution; (2) publications. Transhuman Cosmic Conscious Evolution. Survival of the fattest: fat babies were the key to evolution of the large human brain. Usually these derived features have been interpreted, explicitly or implicitly, as a suite of novel strategies that emphasize cognitive over athletic means of. Since then, the Internet has undergone more than just a name. Typically in such stories, the woman has committed some transgression that results in her being left on a desert island haunted by apes. Along with cognitive psychologists, evolutionary psychologists propose that much, if not all, of our behavior can be explained by appeal to internal psychological mechanisms. Such a late shift underscores the uniqueness of human childbirth and the divergent evolutionary trajectories of Neandertals and the lineage leading to present-day humans. Behavioral, Human Development, and Cognitive Sciences Extraordinary Variations of the Mind: Isabelle Peretz: What We Can Learn from Congenital Anomalies Extraordinary Variations of the Human Mind: Darold Treffert: The Incredible Savant Syndrome. If you throw out the Bible and accept evolution, then man is just an animal and there is no basis for human morality, other than cultural norms. MethodsWe performed a comparative genomics screen of highly conserved noncoding elements and. Hitler's link to evolution has already been documented. Rosenberg is a paleoanthropologist at the University of Delaware and specializes in pelvic morphology. performance; and (3) publications relating to Sigmund Freud. Practice: Why did human societies get more complex?. The History and Evolution of Digital Marketing By Avantika Monnappa Last updated on Oct 21, 2019 62012 In a world where over 170 million people use social media on a regular basis, every working professional is expected to be familiar with at least the core tenets of Digital Marketing. Everyone’s come across some article somewhere on-line that is thrilled to share how big human penises really are, for primates, and to explain why they evolved to be so big. This complex new view of human evolution emerged from a sophisticated approach to research. If not for a virus, none of us would ever be born. New discoveries about this fascinating process increasingly show the vital impact of fetal development on lifelong health. Darwin's Theory of Evolution - Natural Selection While Darwin's Theory of Evolution is a relatively young archetype, the evolutionary worldview itself is as old as antiquity. Without the Bible, there is no basis for affirming that humans are created in the image of God and that human life is thus sacred. MethodsWe performed a comparative genomics screen of highly conserved noncoding elements and. Unique actions of oxytocin, includ-ing the facilitation of birth, lactation, maternal behavior, genetic regulation of the growth of the neocortex, and the maintenance of the blood supply to. This video is in collaboration with Bill and Melinda Gates! You can check out the Gates Annual Letter. This promoted their evolution into new species. The Birth of the Microchip The electronics revolution was built on developments in three distinct fields: human-computer interface, which connected people to their machines; networking, which connected the machines together; and, most importantly, microchips – the machines themselves. In the course of this adventure, the reader will learn how the first true humans lived from the time the Human Genome emerged, about 150,000 years ago, through the genocide of Neanderthal, which ended around 30,000 years ago. The word “reborn” indicates a second birth, which in the context of this post, is the birth of our new heaven and earth. We're incredibly glad that there are artists out there willing to use their skills to bring art to life, because no matter how many peer-reviewed journal articles you read on human evolution, or fossils you look at, nothing hits home quite like seeing the human face change in front of your eyes. The symbols correspond to chromosomal rearrangements as indicated. The nature and meaning of the discovery—a new species perhaps, or a new variety of human—were still open. an interactive guide to the game theory of why & how we trust each other. Read on to learn more. The modern human pattern of birth evolved in a mosaic manner with some unique features appearing early in human evolution and others quite late. The Birth and Evolution of Judaism. A single diploid cell yields four haploid sperm cells through meiosis. Kendrick Mercer's Whole Self tells the story of the birth, evolution, and history of human consciousness and its impact on the human psyche. Bingham & Joanne Souza share the products of more than a decades research into our evolutionary history. The evolution of human rights. I believe we’re rapidly heading towards a human-scale transformation, the next evolutionary step into what I call a “ Meta-Intelligence ” a future in which we are all highly connected—brain to brain via the cloud—sharing thoughts, knowledge and. The rising use of C-sections around the world is altering the survival rates of mothers and fetuses who might not have survived vaginal births. Quoting from the book, Evolution and Human Destiny, by Kohler, "One of the most fundamental maxims of the physical sciences is the trend toward greater randomness - the fact that, on the average, things will get into disorder rather than into order if left to themselves. Jung – The Three Births of the Human Spirit C. The History and Evolution of Birth Control in America. This practice of seeking assistance may have been in place when the earliest members. The controversy surrounding evolution touches on our most central beliefs about ourselves and the world. Researchers at the University of Vienna found that in 36 of 1,000 pregnancies today, the baby is. The Newborn. Loading Unsubscribe from thebrainscoop? Human Origins - Duration: 10:06. The Evolution of Technology rules of Technological evolution thus make a strong argument for accelerating evolution. *The most significant modification in humans compared to other extant primates is altricial birth, which is the birth of helpless newborns. Probably the biggest and most common falsehood is that people always had rights and that all religions provided rights. Wenda Travathan of New Mexico University will give a talk titled Evolution of Human Birth as part of the Department of Anthropology Colloquium Series. military's funding of a research network dubbed Arpanet in 1969. A corollary issue that arises from discussion of the evolution of human birth is the question of when the modern human pattern of pelvic sexual dimorphism arose. Nothing about his model has anything to do with human evolution from ape-like ancestors or the evolution of bipedality. In nearly all of human history and, in particular, human culture, we have recognized and integrated at least two genders. The evolution of writing from tokens to pictography, syllabary and alphabet illustrates the development of information processing to deal with larger amounts of data in ever greater abstraction. pdf), Text File (. PDF | On Dec 1, 2001, Karen R. " It was a time when women didn't wear bras, Helen Reddy was singing. so our understanding of reproduction was pretty limited for most of human history. From Conception to Birth – shows the joining of sperm and egg and tracks the development of a fetus and shows birth of baby, focus in this video is on the changes to the mother’s body Life’s Greatest Miracle – This video focuses more on the changes of the embryo as it transforms from a single cell, to a blastocyst to an embryo. But during development, the nostrils migrate to their final place at the top of the head to form the blowhole (or blowholes). A human‐like entry of the fetal head into the birth canal was already present among australopithecines as a result of their wide pelvic apertures. Cow-slaughter and man-slaughter are in my opinion the two sides of the SAME coin. 12 for human neonates. First month (4 weeks) after birth is the neonatal period of development. Taking the story back even farther, the remarkable ability to see is the result of thousands of years of evolution. If this is the case, evolution would favor human birth at earlier stages of development than in other, nonbipedal primates, and mothers with wider hips would experience decreased motor efficiency. Biocultural evolution is an evolutionally process which arises as a result of interactions between different cultures and biological factors throughout the history of human evolution. Apes like gorillas and orangutans are also primates. At the time of the departure of the moon, physical birth commenced. Evolution suggests that all life is connected and can be traced back to one common ancestor. From the ancient Greeks to Google Earth, all human cultures have had an innate urge to map. It's authored by Peter and Rosemary Grant, a husband-and-wife team who have spent much of the last 36 years studying a group of bird species known collectively as Darwin's finches. This video is in collaboration with Bill and Melinda Gates! You can check out the Gates Annual Letter. Stanley Hall regarded as the founder of the child study movement 1846-1924. 09 for the great apes and 0. The Evolution of Man page has excerpts from this chart that clearly show the smooth development in time, morphology, brain size, and location from Ardipithecus ramidus to us. Hey! So, a few weeks ago Bill and Melinda Gates reached out to us about making a collaborative video based on a theme in their annual letter. These may be referred to as cosmological evolution, biological evolution, and human evolution. The Evolution of the Human Placenta External Fertilization and Live Birth A key adaptation to allow live birth is internal fertilization. Here's how. Whether this is literal self-improvement, via bionic organs for example, or through gene selection, which has prospective parents choose their child's traits before birth, this is the most likely avenue human evolution will take in the near future. A later stage in human evolution, early Homo erectus, is known from a nearly complete skeleton from about 1. The origins of the Internet date back nearly 40 years, with the U. Only three fossil female individuals preserve fairly complete birth canals, and they all date to earlier phases of human evolution. Humans are a type of hominid, and chimpanzees, gorillas, and orangutans are their closest living relatives. The scan was obviously terminated when the baby's head emerged so that the machine wouldn't interfere with removing the infant (see picture below). On the other hand, he added,. Human embryos have gill slits like those seen in fish embryos. Many fish and amphibians utilize external fertilization of the eggs. Evolutionary processes give rise to. It is at the pinnacle of human accomplishment in technology, innovation, culture and wealth. Format: Graphics. Human babies must turn around as they pass through the birth canal while other primates do not, which makes humans the only species where females usually require help from their conspecifics (other members of their own species) to reduce the risks of birthing. But during development, the nostrils migrate to their final place at the top of the head to form the blowhole (or blowholes). Full text of "Human Evolution - An Illustrated Introduction, 5th Edition" See other formats. This unique study points the way to further evolution of the human birth process. Parker discusses the life history variables in non-human primates, and then examines how life history events relate to large brain size, gestation period, maturity at birth, growth rates and milk consumption, weaning and birth intervals, age of puberty, and other events. Gregor Mendel complemented Darwin's theory by presenting in his corpuscular theory of inheritance solutions to both problems. }, author={Stephen C. Conclusion: Human evolution has made human babies susceptible to birth palsy and thus is the real cause of birth palsy. A human is a member of the species Homo sapiens, which means 'wise man' in Latin. First born Historically, first-borns have been less likely to die in infancy, are less susceptible to disease and, as adults, are more likely to reproduce. Without a knowledge of these stages it is impossible to assess the individual even superficially. Address correspondence to her at the Department of Sociology and Anthropology, New Mexico State University, Box 3BV, Las Cruces, NM 88003. Anyone who has given birth to a baby, or watched someone else doing it, knows that it's a tight squeeze. But what if we go back deeper in our evolutionary history, back to when all of humanity lived in Africa? At that time, all humans had darkly pigmented skin. The Story of Human Evolution This powerpoint presentation tells the story of who we are and where we came from - how humans evolved from ape-like ancestors in Africa to become a dominant, cultural species occupying almost every part of the globe. Without the Bible, there is no basis for affirming that humans are created in the image of God and that human life is thus sacred. The species three-letter code is given in Dutrillaux (1979). After arriving, they adapted over many generations in isolation from their mainland counterparts and in different conditions. Chris Impey told NBC News MACH in an email. Charles Darwin: 5 Facts About the Father of Evolution. Human resource is one of the crucial resources and regarded as assets of an organization in order to perform certain tasks, duties and responsibilities in a job entrusted by the management so as make an organisation productive. edu ) at 9:13 pm on 2/28/01. All content on this site is owned by Nathan Lents and may not be reproduced without permission. Alike but Not the Same (Grades 9-12) Comparison of Human and Chimp Chromosomes (Grades 9-12) Investigating Common Descent: Formulating Explanations and Models (Grades 9-12) It's All in Your Head: An Investigation of Human Ancestry (Grades 9-12) The Checks Lab (Grades 9-12). Until now, researchers believed that homo sapiens, the direct descendants of modern man, evolved in Africa about 200,000 years ago and gradually migrated north, through the Middle East, to Europe. It’s the cooperators, the team players who set aside selfish desires for the good of the group, that outcompete groups of non-cooperators and ensure their genes are passed on to future generations. The flesh comes like a gift of the mother Earth and the spirit of the father God. Human sexuality plays a major role in everyone's life. With every new generation as human,our spiritual expectations from life should become more and more strong. The Evolution of the Human Placenta External Fertilization and Live Birth A key adaptation to allow live birth is internal fertilization. A human-like entry of the fetal head into the birth canal was already present among australopithecines as a result of their wide pelvic apertures. Survival of the fattest: fat babies were the key to evolution of the large human brain. The standard book on human evolution is probably Klein’s The Human Career. Foreword by Frank A. Cow-slaughter and man-slaughter are in my opinion the two sides of the SAME coin. The hominid fossil record. Fundamental goal of possessing most evolved organism body is to realize the purpose of the universe. Speaking of which, human females have an unreasonably narrow birth canal, resulting in significantly increased risks to both mother and child during birth. Males compete for breeding rights, females select the best available male. B) Position in Hindu Jurisprudence. Charles Darwin, who formulated the theory of evolution, was born 200 years ago today. The evolution of human resource management as a distinct profession dates back to the industrial revolution when factories established personnel departments to look into wages and welfare of workers. Darwinian 'survival-of-the-fittest' laws continue to shape human evolution in the modern age, research has found. The Evolution of the Human Placenta External Fertilization and Live Birth A key adaptation to allow live birth is internal fertilization. The site was already known as the source of some of the earliest modern human remains ever uncovered, but the latest discovery pushes back the emergence of Homo sapiens by a full 100,000 years. A couple of years ago I read about an interesting experiment. Think of it as being something like Chinese whispers, with a very long message and only very few changes each time. Hey! So, a few weeks ago Bill and Melinda Gates reached out to us about making a. txt) or view presentation slides online. Children who had been gesturing in rudimentary ways to convey thoughts to parents were brought together. of the fully modern human mechanism of birth. Rather than Moskowitz’s story of death in birth, the proclamation of human rights became one of birth after death, especially Jewish death. The rising use of C-sections around the world is altering the survival rates of mothers and fetuses who might not have survived vaginal births. Mother cow is in many ways BETTER than the mother who gave us birth. “I think it’s a missing piece of human evolution,” said Evan Eichler, a geneticist at the University of Washington, in Seattle. Models of Human Population Growth 7 April 2011 jhj1 3 Comments The logistic equation is a model of population growth where the size of the population exerts negative feedback on its growth rate. Amid a global slump, it is still growing at an annual rate near 5%. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America (PNAS), 105(37):13764-13768. population choosing the creationist perspective as closest to their own view has fluctuated in a narrow range between 40% and 47% since the question's inception. Evolution concept of enlightenment, vector illustration with chimpanzee - human - human in lotus pose Future evolution of man change employee work labor to internet of things ai robot computer, technology transform to replace human. Birth Rate High Low Low High “A factor that causes higher mortality or reduced birth rates as a population becomes more dense” (Bolen & Robinson)-disease, food supply, -predation, and -territorial behavior Density-Dependence • Predation - involves a predator killing a prey organism to consume. An explanation as to how Homo sapiens complicated births have lead to our culture Article Mentioned: http://onlinelibrary. Now that which is of divine birth has a period which is contained in a perfect number, but the period of human birth is comprehended in a number in which first increments by involution and evolution (or squared and cubed) obtaining three intervals and four terms of like and unlike, waxing and waning numbers, make all the terms commensurable and agreeable to one another. Only 3 female individuals preserve fairly complete birth canals, and they all date to earlier phases of human evolution. CHAPTER-II EVOLUTION AND HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT OF HUMAN RIGHTS AND INDIAN CONSTITUTION A) Introduction The concept of Human Rights has evolved and developed gradually through ages in different parts and religions of the world so as to attain the present status. Chapter Seven: The Evolution of Living Things Section One: Change Over Time Vocabulary Adaptation- a characteristic that improves an individual's ability to survive and reproduce in a particular environment Species- a group of organisms that are closely related and can mate to produce fertile offspring. Males compete for breeding rights, females select the best available male. The gene responsible for sperm in all sexual creatures dates to the beginning of animal evolution—and may be a key to the elusive male birth control pill, a new study says. Chapter 7: HUMAN SOCIETY. Unformatted text preview: 37 The Evolution of Human Birth Karen R. All content on this site is owned by Nathan Lents and may not be reproduced without permission. See some examples of evolution to better understand the concept. http://bora. The Evolution of Human Birth thebrainscoop. So evolution violates the second law. The human eye is indeed a marvel, but if it were to be designed from scratch, it’s hard to imagine it would look anything like it does. Tracing the evolution of human childbirth is difficult, because the pelvic skeleton, which forms the margins of the birth canal, tends to survive poorly in the fossil record. The germ of the present human race must have preexisted in the parent of this race, as the seed, in which lies hidden the flower of next summer, was developed in the capsule of its parent flower; the parent may be but slightly different, but it still differs from its future progeny. Speaking of which, human females have an unreasonably narrow birth canal, resulting in significantly increased risks to both mother and child during birth. He has been PI or Co-I on grants worth over £43 million. A commonly accepted explanation for the origin of life is organic evolution - the hypothesis that man evolved from "lower animals," which in turn came from simpler life forms, all the way back to the first microscopic life, which sprang accidentally from non-living matter. The Sexual Revolution. Thanks to the fossil record (really, fossil record… I love you), we know a decent amount of information about early hominids- including the size and shape of their pelvises, which give us hints into the evolution of human birthing practices. Stanley Hall regarded as the founder of the child study movement 1846-1924. At birth, this ratio aver- ages 0. Microscopic study of the healthy human body has demonstrated that microbial cells outnumber human cells by about ten to one. Posted on September 15, 2019 by Roman Reigns. The concept of human rights is the result of the long evolution of philosophical, political, legal and social reflection, inseparably connected to the social-democratic traditions. For example, in 1997, the U. Similarly, neonates much larger than average posed serious problems for their mothers and themselves. Without the Bible, there is no basis for affirming that humans are created in the image of God and that human life is thus sacred. If someone were to tell you that roughly 100 million years ago, our ancestors were infected by parasitic DNA, which copied and pasted itself throughout their genomes—and that this was linked to the. The emergence of the genus Homo (H. All content on this site is owned by Nathan Lents and may not be reproduced without permission. Other government agencies and universities created internal networks based. Looking at ancient, medieval, Renaissance, and early modern thought, Stuart Elden examines the evolution of the concept of territory from ancient Greece to the seventeenth century to determine how we arrived at our contemporary understanding. companies, crisis, funding tools, arrears, employment. We each have only one twin, and generally after being split the two went their separate ways, incarnating over and over to gather human experience before coming back together. See our interactive timeline of human evolution for. Rosenberg and Wendel R. The Evolution of Human Birth. Robyn J It is a story that claims God became human in the form of one who is vulnerable, poor and displaced. When one considers these various types of evidence, it doesn’t seem possible to determine how a modern human baby was born solely from the appearance of the neonatal line. Human evolution, the process by which human beings developed on Earth from now-extinct primates. BioInteractive. The evolutionary surge that led to Homo habilis began during the transition between the Pliocene and Pleistocene Epoch s around 2. mother's birth canal—a situation more comparable with that of humans than that of chimps, whose birth canals are relatively spacious. This icon also has racist roots and is an extension of the once common,. But during human evolution, some humans experienced a mutation in the LTC gene, the lactase gene, these mutations allow us to process lactose as adults. Human Evolution: Gain Came With Pain. This supposed evidence of man’s evolution from animals has been resoundingly proven utterly false. ARTICLE Evolutionary Anthropology 157. You feel insulted and "dehumanized" when scientists say that people evolved from other life forms, but you have no problem with the Biblical claim that we were created from dirt. In startups, IPOs, and venture capital, it leads the world by any per-capita standard and in some ways by absolute metrics. Instead the evolution- years ago, when the advent of bipedalism ary modifications of the human pelvis Assisted Birth first constricted the size and shape of the that enabled hominids to walk upright OF COURSE, OUR ANCESTORS and even pelvis and birth canal. The History and Evolution of Digital Marketing By Avantika Monnappa Last updated on Oct 21, 2019 62012 In a world where over 170 million people use social media on a regular basis, every working professional is expected to be familiar with at least the core tenets of Digital Marketing. Human consciousness is the most powerful unfolding force on the Earth with the potential either to lead us to annihilate ourselves by generating conflict or to work together wisely and in common purpose. I think, that is the primary duty of being parent. Such a late shift underscores the uniqueness of human childbirth and the divergent evolutionary trajectories of Neandertals and the lineage leading to present-day humans. This could be an explanation. " (Evolution: Science Falsely So-Called, 16th Ed. The Evolution of Kinship and Gender. B) Position in Hindu Jurisprudence. At the same time, they call our attention to the flawed character of evolution and argue that there is a mismatch between adaptation to ancestral environments and contemporary life. Ever since Charles Darwin published On the Origin of Species in 1859, evolution has been the grand unifying theory of biology. The onset of birth in humans, like other apes, differs from non-primate mammals in its endocrine physiology. However, it is anything but concise. The evolution of the human body occurred partly through the soul's influence on the endocrine glands until the ape-man was a three-dimensional objectification of the soul hovering above it. In the Spring of 1838, Daguerre (remember him?) made a photograph of the bustling Boulevard du Temple in. If humans tried to guide their babies out the way monkey’s do, they risks bending its back awkwardly against the natural curve of its spine. From fertilization to birth and beyond, human development is dynamic, continuous, and complex. Stanley Hall regarded as the founder of the child study movement 1846-1924. Unique among mammals, humans are bipedal. approximately 7–9Mya is accepted for separation of gorilla (Gorilla) and human/chimpanzee clades. This article summarises how human beings evolved from earlier life forms, along with a diagram of the Tree of Life compressing 4. Determining when a fossil find is an early human. The concept of human rights is the result of the long evolution of philosophical, political, legal and social reflection, inseparably connected to the social-democratic traditions. A literal interpretation of biblical creation suggests that life was created by an all-powerful, supernatural being (God). After doing this, I will take a look at the. In contrast, the present work takes the position that birth mechanisms vary now and probably did so in the past.
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Jordan’s Kurds: Kurdish, Jordanian – and Proud
Date July 2 2014
Publication Rudaw
“They called me Kurdi,” says real estate tycoon Abdelwadoud al-Kurdi from behind his desk in Amman, lighting a cigarette and reminiscing about his university years in England.
“I was serious at university, focused on my studies. I helped students who were in trouble, I built my community.”
But even serious students take a break every now and then. Al-Kurdi takes a deep drag on his cigarette and grins as he recalls a sunny afternoon at a swimming pool in Middle England and a girl he still can’t forget.
“Ah, she was a beauty. She killed me!” he says with a cackle.
Al-Kurdi may be miles and years from Preston Polytech, where he completed a bachelor’s of engineering in 1984. But his mind is still going, still learning, thinking ahead to the next project, looking outwards to regional events and considering how they may affect his and his brother’s multinational Kurdi Group development company, or occasionally, looking back to those halcyon English days.
Kurdi Group is one of Jordan’s reliable economic drivers in uncertain times. Abdelwadoud and his brother Obaida built Kurdi Group real estate’s division out of hard work and less than $50,000 in savings in the mid-1990s.
But Kurdi Group itself, like Jordan’s al-Kurdis, has been around for more than 150 years. In 1860 Seydo al-Kurdi, the brothers’ great-grandfather and one of the first Kurds in what is now Jordan, started a company for commerce, trade and agriculture. He bought land, lots of it, and he held onto that land as the Ottoman Empire developed and fell and eventually, Jordan emerged.
Seydo al-Kurdi is a legendary figure in Jordanian lore, a clever businessman who was active in politics and engaged with his community at grassroots and national levels. “He was even briefly the second speaker of the Jordanian government during the reign of King Abdullah I,” says his great-grandson with a serious nod.
The reputation Seydo established so many years ago has acted as a guarantor, his descendants say, promising precision, execution, and diligence. And it’s not just in real estate that these qualities matter: Dama al-Kurdi, a Thursday morning news presenter for Jordan TV and a senior staff at the Jordanian Kurdish Cultural Center, says she too benefits from the al-Kurdi name.
“The Kurdish population is very influential here,” Dama says. “Kurdish culture in Jordan is rising and Kurds enjoy a good relationship with the Jordanian court: princesses have married Kurds!”
Dama estimates there are between 60,000 and 70,000 Kurds in Jordan, but not all are al-Kurdis. The family names Saadon, Zaza, Kurd and Bayazid and Mari are all also common. “We’re all part of the Diaspora, but we are not all relatives,” Dama explains.
“We don’t have part of Kurdistan here in Jordan to feel we are occupied,” she says. “We don’t feel we are estranged from our country, or that we are guests. We are Jordanian, and the best place to be a Kurd is Jordan. Better land, a long heritage here, and Jordan is like a picture, where everyone has their own space in the picture.”
But membership in the Diaspora has its challenges – like language. Like many Kurds born and raised in very integrated Diaspora communities, Dama doesn’t speak Kurdish fluently.
“When I first went to Kurdistan, I wanted to cry, I just couldn’t connect. I feel Kurdish here in Jordan and Jordanian there in Kurdistan – it was so sad.”
She and her son are now learning Kurdish.
Conversations with other Kurds in Jordan suggest that this population is one of the country’s most comfortable ethnic groups -- both financially and culturally. Kurds are doctors, lawyers, politicians, economists and media professionals. They run companies, own land – both Abdelwadoud and Dama insist this is a part of the Kurdish mentality – and tend to take an active role in their communities. Yet, they also have the space and freedom to celebrate their culture by wearing national dress and holding events and festivals.
Yet as integrated as they are, blood is thicker than water: Kurds here say they have a preference for hiring and helping their own, and that if equally qualified people were vying for the same opportunity in a Kurdish company, as a Kurd, they think it should go to them.
As the co-head of a multinational company whose biggest problem is not balancing the books – a “conservative financial strategy” got Kurdi Group through the financial crisis with few scrapes – but retaining staff, Abdelwadoud says he is less concerned with where a person came from and more concerned with whether they will stay.
Kurdi Group works hard to train staff, he says, investing time and money into development and then rewarding staff with generous salaries and frequent promotions. The company’s business approach, like its engineer co-founder, is built on testing, improving, listening, observing and testing again.
“This is what we do, every day in our lives,” says Abdelwadoud. But a strict set of principles prevent the al-Kurdi brothers from wielding the insight and influence they have gathered in the private sector in the public sphere: Adbelwadoud is not involved with Jordanian politics.
“This is one of our ethics: we do not approach anybody,” he says. If a minister or other public figure were to approach and ask for insights, he’d be happy to share.
But like so many other successful founders and builders of companies, Adbelwadoud is most comfortable sticking to what he does best: researching the market, finding out how things work, asking questions and using the information he gathers to build shopping malls and housing developments that have boosted economies and changed skylines in Amman and Aleppo. And if negotiations proceed as he hopes, that will happen soon in Erbil, too.
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The Scandinavian Wine Academy-family
The Scandinavian Wine Academy (SWA) was founded in 1996 by Britta and Dick Samuelsson. As early as in 1998 SWA started its first sommelier education. Britta and Dick now run the school together with their children Maya and Filip, as well as all of their colleagues. Together they form the Scandinavian Wine Academy-family.
Britta Samuelsson
Britta Samuelsson is the CEO of SWA. This means that she has the ultimate responsibility for the business and is head of finance, human resources and strategic development. When Britta is not in the office, she is at her and Dick’s apartment in Spain or dancing flamenco.
Dick Samuelsson
Dick is SWA’s principal. He has worked with wine for more than 35 years, primarily as a wine chemist at Vin & Sprit, Swedens former monopoly of import and distribution of alcohol. Dick is always in search of new knowledge, which means that he is unbeatable in Trivial Pursuit.
Maya Samuelsson
Maya is head of marketing at SWA. As a child she was trained by sniffing and tasting different sodas in black glasses. Nowadays she is an educator and competes in sommellerie. She is also frequently seen on swedish TV where she match food with wine. Maya has a background as an elite gymnast.
Filip Samuelsson
Strategy & Economy
Filip is working with strategic development and economy. With financial responsibility and business development as his main interest, he is involved in a lot that happens at the company. On his days out of the office, you will find him at the Royal Institute of Technology, where he doctorates in Physical engineering.
Erik Plöen Casterud
Erik is our Director of Education, a teacher and he also manages a lot of the economy. He started at the swedish alcohol monopoly in 2006 and has since worked as a wine director at Restaurant GQ, started a brewery, studied geology & climatology, oenology and business & economics. He have gained the WSET Level 4 Diploma in Wines & Spirits.
Love Åkerberg
Love is in charge of all the beverages during the courses and office management. He is also known as Scandinavian Wine Academys “mood manager”, ensuring that everyone feels at home. An educated Sommelier, who have been working with us since 2015. Before he joined the Scandinavian Wine Academy-family he worked behind a deli counter where his love for food and wine really blossomed.
Anette Zellén Söderström
Anette worked as a Key Account Manager for a long time before deciding to change her life towards food and wine, her number one passion in life. She became an educated sommelier which lead to her working at the swedish alcohol monopoly and later as a Marketing Manager at a wine retailer. She got to the semi finals at the Swedish sommelier championship 2015. She is the Key Account Manager at Scandinavian Wine Academy and is also teaching at our shorter courses.
Anneli Nicholson
After 20 years as CEO and leader within IT Anneli took a new step in the wine world to Scandinavian Wine Academy. Anneli is COO here at SWA, which means that she is working besides Britta and supports here to set new goals, set budgets and has staff responsibility. Anneli found her interest for wine 2005 when she moved to Australia and realized that the wine world is so much bigger (and better) and that is why Anelli and her husband bought an import business and manages it for 3 years. Anneli has a strong belief that all humans can and wants to develop themselves and has a passion for leadership.
Maria Buchmann
Maria discovered wine when her family bought a vineyard in Hungary about 15 years ago. Her focus is now turned towards her newly opened distillery where she’s making Gin, amongst other spirits. She’s been in the restaurant business since she was 17 and have also managed to run a design store, a café and a winebar. She has a background in economics and became a sommelier at Scandinavian Wine Academy in 2016. Maria is in charge of our Gothenburg classes.
Thomas Ilkjær
Educator and Marketing
Anders is a certified sommelier by Scandinavian Wine Academy and has also taken the WSET Diploma in London. He has been working with winetasting for over 10 years now and has also his own business where he lectures about wine & food. He owns La Casa Vola in Piemonte where he arranges group trips.
Mauro Nicastro
Marketing & administration
Mauro studied to become a Sommelier at Scandinavian Wine Academy 2016 while he worked at The Winery Hotel as a Sommelier and assisting Winemaker. He thinks that it is an amazing feeling to turn a grape into wine and has worked three harvests in 2017 in South Africa and Chianti, Italy. He has also worked in restaurants, Michelangelo which is owned by his uncles among others. Mauros passions are traveling and experience new areas, tastes and cultures. He is also a big fan of Sake.
Director of Education Denmark
Thomas is our director of education in Denmark. He’s an author and has written several books, he also writes about wine in various publications in Denmark. His main field is Italy.
Anna Pakka
Course administrator
Anna has her roots in the northern part of Sweden, specifically Luleå, but has for most of her childhood lived in Stockholm. Anna Lives with her husband and three children and on her spare time she hangs out with her friends and likes food and wine. She has previously worked in preschool but thought it was time to do something else. Anna became a Sommelier in 2018 at Scandinavian Wine Academy. She is now expanding her knowledge in France and reading French Wine scholar.
Mats Rosenlund
Mats has a big curiosity and passion for food, people and servive. His curiosity for wine started to grow and that is why he is now working with us within the economy department. Mats likes adventures and travels often to Åre and the archepelago in Stockholm.
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A Visit from John Dewey
On June 7, 2013, John Dewey (as portrayed by yours truly donning fake mustache and academic robe) visited our congregation and shared his views about religion and faith. I composed this using information from his life and his own words selected from his book A Common Faith, published in 1934. In the following "speech" I have not highlighted or differentiated words I've added for transitions, etc. Most of these are Dewey's words. Others that I've added for introductions or transitions will be pretty obvious! So with those disclosures, may I introduce philosopher, psychologist, and educator extraordinaire --- (and a personal hero) --- Professor John Dewey.
Good Morning and thank you for inviting me here to speak to you today concerning a topic that is significantly important. First of all, I need to disclose to those of you who may want to claim me as a Unitarian that I never joined your group, although many of my friends were Unitarians. I did tell my wife, however, to call the Reverend Donald Harrington, a Unitarian minister and a friend, when I died. She did and also requested that my friend, Max Otto, a Unitarian philosopher, be the speaker at my Memorial service which was held at a Unitarian church. So I guess you may be able to claim me in death if not in life.
Now just because I did not claim a particular religion at the time of my death does not mean that I was not a religious man. I was certainly raised to be religious. Oh, you may be interested in knowing that my father was raised as a Unitarian and my mother was raised as a Universalist. They became Congregationalists, though, and I was raised in a strict Congregationalist household.
As a faculty member at the Universities of Minnesota and Michigan, I led Bible Study groups and contributed articles to the Congregationalists’ magazine, the Andover Review. If you look at my early writings on ethics, psychology, and social psychology you will see references to Christ and Christianity. But in my early 30's I began moving from Christianity to a different kind of faith which I will discuss with you today. I still used religious language in my writings, however, and many believe that enabled me to communicate with a public that would have been turned off by a more aggressively secular or skeptical writer.
Although ideas about my faith were sprinkled or implied in other writings, I addressed these more directly in this little book. A Common Faith, published in 1934. I’m pleased to say that it is still in print! Now you will note in this book and in my remarks today that I do not use the gender neutral terminology that you all are careful to use today. However, I applaud your efforts in this regard.
If I could stay with you longer, I might be able to make that transition. For as you can see, I have already made the transition to talking with a southern accent.
In any case . . . When I wrote this book I saw mankind divided into two camps regarding religion.
You may say that it seems that way today as well. Religions have traditionally been allied with ideas of the supernatural, and often have been based upon explicit supernatural beliefs. There were many people then, as there are today, who hold that nothing worthy of being called religious is possible apart from the supernatural. They vary in their doctrines and creeds. But they agree in the necessity for a Supernatural Being and for an immortality that is beyond the power of nature.
The opposing group consists of those who think the advance of culture and science has completely discredited the supernatural and with is all religions that were allied with belief in it. But they go beyond this point. The extremists in this group believe that with elimination of the supernatural - not only must historic religions be dismissed but with them everything of a religious nature.
So you have these two groups who differ greatly. But, there is one idea held in common by these two opposite groups: identification of the religious with the supernatural. Now in my book and in our discussion today, I shall develop another conception of the nature of the religious phase of experience, one that separates it from the supernatural and the things that have grown up around the supernatural. The heart of this conception is that there is a difference between a religion and the religious; between anything that may be denoted by a noun and the quality of experience that is designated by an adjective.
I do not suppose for many minds the dislocation of the religious from a religion is easy to effect.
Tradition and custom, especially when emotionally charged, are part of the habits that have become one with our very being. For a moment, let’s drop the term religious and think about how we accommodate, adapt, and adjust to various life circumstances. We accommodate ourselves to various changes in the weather. Plays in a foreign language are “adapted” to meet the needs of an American audience. But there are also adjustments in ourselves in relation to the world in which we live that are much more inclusive and deep seated. It is the claim of religions that they effect this generic and enduring change in attitude. I should like to turn the statement around and say that whenever this change takes place there is a definitely religious attitude. It is not a religion that brings it about,but when it occurs, from whatever cause and by whatever means,there is a religious outlook and function.
Now most of you know how important education is to me. And I believe that understanding and knowledge also enter into a perspective that is religious in quality. You see, faith in the continued disclosing of truth through directed cooperative human endeavor is more religious in quality than is any faith in a completed revelation.
Of course most religions now hold that revelation is not completed in the sense of being ended.
But religions hold that the essential framework is settled in its significant moral features at least, and that new elements that are offered must be judged by conforming to this framework. Some fixed doctrinal apparatus is necessary for a religion. But faith in the possibilities of continued and rigorous inquiry does not limit access to truth to any channel or scheme of things. It does not first say that truth is universal and then add there is but one road to it. It trusts that the natural interactions between man and his environment will breed more intelligence and generate more knowledge provided the scientific methods that define intelligence in operation are pushed further into the mysteries of the world, being themselves promoted and improved in the operation.
There is such a thing as faith in intelligence becoming religious in quality – a fact that perhaps explains the efforts of some religionists to disparage the possibilities of intelligence as a force. They properly feel such faith to be a dangerous rival. Yes, the mind of man is being habituated to a new method and idea: What is the way to truth? It’s the road of patient, cooperative inquiry operating by means of observation, experiment, record and controlled reflection.
Now you might point to some aspect of our world that science has not explained and contend that this is evidence of the supernatural. The argument that because some province or aspect of experience
has not yet been “invaded” by scientific methods,it is not subject to them, is as old as it is dangerous. Time and time again, in some particular reserved field, it has been invalidated.
It is more to the present point, however, to consider the region that is claimed by religionists as a special reserve. It is mystical experience. What of mystical experience? There is no reason for denying the existence of experiences that are called mystical. On the contrary, there is every reason to suppose that, in some degree of intensity, they occur so frequently that they may be regarded as normal manifestations that take place at certain rhythmic points in the movement of experience. But there is no more reason for converting the experience itself into an immediate knowledge of its cause than is the case of an experience of lightning or any other natural occurrence.
It is sometimes held that beliefs about religious matters are symbolic, like rites and ceremonies. This view may be better than that which insists upon a literal understanding of all religious texts. But as usually put forward it suffers from an ambiguity. Of what are the beliefs symbols? For example, historic personages, such as Jesus or Mohammed, in their divine attributes may be said to be symbolic of the ideals that enlist devotion and inspire endeavor. But, the ideal values that are symbolized by them may also mark human experience in science and art and the various modes of human association: they mark almost everything in life that rises from manipulations of things as they currently exist.
Now many admit that the objects of religion are ideal in contrast with our present state. What would be lost if it were also admitted that the reason they have authoritative claim upon conduct is because they are ideal? The assumption that these objects of religion exist already in some realm of Being seems to add nothing to their force, while it weakens their claim over us as ideals, in so far as it bases that claim upon matters that are intellectually dubious.
What I’m trying to get to – is the need for God. We need God because we need the ideals. But do we need the Being?
So what do we mean by the word God? On one score, the word can mean only a particular Being.
On the other score, it denotes the unity of all ideal ends arousing us to desire and actions.
(I realize that sometimes my explanations can be a little dense.)
What I have been criticizing, though, is the identification of the ideal with a particular Being, especially when that identification makes necessary the conclusion that this Being is outside of nature, and what I have tried to show is that the idea itself has its roots in natural conditions;
it emerges when the imagination idealizes existence by laying hold of the possibilities offered to thought and action. The aims and ideals that move us are generated through imagination.
But they are not made out of imaginary stuff. They are made out of the hard stuff of the world of physical and social experience. The locomotive did not exist before Stevenson, nor the telegraph before the time of Morse. But the conditions for their existence were there in physical material and energies and in human capacity. Imagination seized hold upon the idea of a rearrangement of existing things that would evolve new objects.
Moreover, the process of creation is experimental and continuous. The artist, scientist, or good citizen depends upon what others have done before him and are doing around him. All of these considerations may be applied to the idea of God, or, to avoid misleading conceptions, to the idea of the divine. All of these ideals are further unified by the action that gives them coherence and solidity. It is this active relation between ideal and actual to which I would give the name “God.” I would not insist that the name must be given. However, in a distracted age, the need for such an idea is urgent. It can unify interests and energies now dispersed; it can direct action and generate the heat of emotion and the light of intelligence. Whether one give the name “God” to this union, operative in thought and action, is a matter for individual decision. But the function of such a working union of the ideal and actual seems to me to be identical with the force that has in fact been attached to the conception of God in all religions that have a spiritual content; and a clear idea of that function seems to me urgently needed at the present time.
This focus on God as defined in this manner, may also decentralize the focus on man. Both supernaturalism and militant atheism tend to downplay or denigrate nature and emphasize mankind.
A humanistic religion, if it excludes our relation to nature, is pale and thin, as it is presumptuous, when it takes mankind as an object of worship.
You may ask, why not just declare as our faith - “Agnosticism?” Agnosticism is a shadow cast by the eclipse of the supernatural. Of course, acknowledgment that we do not know what we do not know
is a necessity of all intellectual integrity. But generalized agnosticism is only a halfway elimination of the supernatural. Its meaning departs when the intellectual outlook is directed wholly to the natural world. When it is so directed, there are plenty of particular matters regarding which we must say we do not know; we only inquire and form hypotheses which future inquiry will confirm or reject. But such doubts are an incident of faith in the method of intelligence. They are signs of faith, not of a pale and impotent skepticism.
If you hear nothing else today, hear this:
We doubt in order that we may find out, not because some inaccessible supernatural lurks behind whatever we can know.
Ours is the responsibility of conserving, transmitting, rectifying and expanding the heritage of values we have received that those who come after us may receive it more solid and secure, more widely accessible and more generously shared than we have received it. These are all the elements for a religious faith that shall not be confined to sect, class, or race. This is a positive, practical, and dynamic faith, verified and supported by the intellect and evolving with the progress of social and scientific knowledge.
And, SUCH - A - FAITH has always been implicitly the common faith of mankind.
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The Mountaineer - Rocky Mountain House, Alberta, Canada
© 2007 The Mountaineer Publishing Company Limited.
Marvin Christian Peterson
March 16, 1933 – Dec. 17, 2019
It is with heavy hearts that the Peterson family announces Marvin’s passing into the arms of Jesus on Dec. 17, 2019, at the Rocky Mountain House Health Centre. Our beloved husband, father, uncle and “Pa” was 86.
Marvin leaves to mourn, Ruth, his loving wife of 59 years; five children, Kevin (Colleen), Warren (Lise), Paul, Rhonda (Monique) and Carla (Ian); eight grandchildren, Travis, Hannah (Lem), Colin, Abbey, Jaxson, Sadie, James and Alana; and one great-grandchild, Hudson.
Marvin was born March 16, 1933, to Oscar and Maggie, at the Peterson homestead in Alhambra. His sister, Doreen (Jessop) died in 2017, and while Marvin had no brothers, his cousin Leo Lund, was always considered one – the trio were inseparable.
His early days were surrounded by family; both the Petersons and the Kirbys lived in the Alhambra district and there was no shortage of aunts, uncles and cousins. The 1930s were hard, but Marvin only had good things to say about it often remarking that “he grew up in a playground.” Marvin started school at Little Horseguard and attended high school in Rocky Mountain House. He enjoyed learning and did well. Numerous A+ report cards and first-place ribbons were kept in his box of treasures.
The early working years included forestry, the sawmill, seismograph, the pulp mill, and surveying for the highways. He’ll be mostly remembered though for his 30-plus years at Westview Plumbing and Heating. With co-owners, brother-in-law Bill Jessop and friend Carl Haupt, Marvin was not only a plumber and a gasfitter, but also head of PR, chief financial officer and official joke-teller. In those days, Westview supplied much of the town’s plumbing and heating needs. Marv was well-known for his quick wit and deadpan delivery. People regularly called into the shop for a coffee and a chat whether they needed plumbing help or not.
Retiring from full-time plumbing, Marvin tackled leisurely pursuits. He had been carving things out of wood since he was a young boy, now he really came into his own. Many are the proud owners of various hand-carved chains, bears, moose, or ‘long-eared hoot owls’. He also carved accurate wooden replicas of tools such as pliers, pipe wrenches and crescent wrenches complete with moving parts. Someone once asked him how he could turn a piece of wood into a bird. Marv told him, “You just carve away the bits that don’t look like a bird!”
From a very early age, music was to play a significant role in Marvin’s life. He took great pride in telling people that he had played the piano for more than 80 years, and the accordion for 75. Marvin never learned to read sheet music, but he could play just about any instrument, in any key. And he made it look so easy. Over the course of eight decades he played with many bands and musicians, no matter the band though, Marv was always there, accordion at the ready.
Marvin loved sports, especially baseball. In his school days, he enjoyed track and field, curling, hockey and baseball. And as a young man, he and Ruth brought home a good selection of bowling trophies. In his later years, if the curling was on TV he’d be watching. If the Blue Jays were playing, the curling became a close second.
Sadly, in 2009, Marvin’s life took a significant detour which left him wheelchair-bound and no longer independent. Surgical complications left him in hospital for more than nine months. He never let it define him though; his disability wasn’t who he was, it was just something that happened to him. Thanks to Ruth, Marvin was finally able to come home. Her commitment and dedication to him and their life in the disability world was a challenge she met, head on. With her continued support, and the assistance provided by West Country Family Services Association, they continued to lead a full and happy life despite the challenges thrown their way.
Marvin continued volunteering on a weekly basis, playing his accordion or the piano at the Westview Lodge, the Good Samaritan or the Rocky Hospital. We often joked that Dad was “in his 80s and playing for the oldies.” With his physical activity now limited he finally took pen to paper, and we all enjoyed his stories, regularly published in the Western Star.
Our family gratefully thanks the nursing team and doctors of Rocky, especially the care and kindness shown to him while he was in palliative care. We also recognize and thank the wonderful staff of West Country Family Services Association for their years of dedication, care and service.
Private interment to take place the morning of Friday, Jan. 10, 2020. A celebration of Marvin’s life will be held at 2 p.m. in the sanctuary of Immanuel Lutheran Church.
In lieu of flowers, donations are welcome in Marvin’s name to the West Country Family Service Association. Condolences may be made to www.rockyfuneralhome.ca.
Rocky and Sylvan Lake Funeral Homes and Crematorium, your Golden Rule Funeral Homes, entrusted with the arrangements, 403-845-2626.
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Dr. Henry Bauer, Why We Shouldn’t Trust Science |362|
Dr. Henry Bauer explains how market forces have led to the corruption of science.
photo by: Skeptiko
Kyrie Irving, is an amazing basketball player, who made quite a stir earlier this year regarding the flat earth theory.
Ben Nichols, this is a shout out to you. He came to us [unclear 00:00:20], “The earth is flat.”
No, the earth is flat.
Oh here we go.
No the earth is flat.
Now, don’t get me wrong, there’s no way a bright, Duke University educated guy like Kyrie Irving should fall for something anyone can debunk with the United Airlines timetable and some common sense. But take a minute to understand how he formed his opinion.
Hopefully they’ll either back my belief or they’ll throw it in the water. I think it’s interesting for people to find out on their own.
You’ve seen pictures of the planet thought right? Like it’s a circle?
I’ve seen a lot of things that have been… and my educational system has said that was real and it turned out to be completely fake. I don’t mind, I don’t mind going against the grain in terms of my thoughts and what I believe.
And with that, you might begin to understand why today’s guest, Dr. Henry Bauer, might cut Kyrie some slack.
The popular view of science has not caught up with the present situation where people should be as skeptical about what official science says as they are about what the experts say about any other aspect of society.
Now, like I said, the Kyrie Irving flat earth thing caused quite a stir.
Did you know that the earth is flat?
Kyrie Irving is unfortunately helping to spread it, the conspiracy…
Here’s a meme that was played over and over again by the mainstream science media.
Middle school teacher, Nick Gurol, said that his students, thanks to Irving, staunchly believe that the world is flat. Gurol remarked, “And immediately I started to panic. How have I failed these kids so badly…?”
Yes, panic indeed. How else should a science teacher respond to students that don’t just, well, believe everything they’re told.
“It’s definitely hard for me because it feels like science isn’t real to them.” The educator said that he has tried to get the students to understand that the world is indeed round, to no avail. “The influence of Irving was just too strong.”
I did ask Henry about this:
Alex Tsakiris: Because that’s what I think happens, see, I think people have this growing sense that they’re being lied to, manipulated and bullshitted by science, right? And they don’t know quite how to articulate it. So something like ‘flat earth’ comes along and some guy sounds halfway like he knows what he’s talking about and people are like, “You know what, I’m open to hearing it.”
Henry Bauer: We have to be skeptical about what scientists say, because what scientists tell you is not necessarily the same as what science can tell you.
Stick around, my interview with Dr. Henry Bauer is up next on Skeptiko.
Likes: Vortex, The King in the North, Laura O and 1 other person
Laura O
Having been called a flat earther more times than I can count for my agnosticism/skepticism regarding climate change claims and my heretical views on HIV/AIDS, I was amused when I actually met an honest-to-god flat earth proponent at a party a while back. I have to say, I didn't bother trying to have an actual discussion with her, just smiled and nodded...
Likes: Psiclops, Hurmanetar, Andrew9 and 2 others
Laura O said:
Jim_Smith
"What do you make of this claim that science is corrupted? How bad it it?"
Yes, science is corrupted, it's pretty bad.... And if you look at the last link below you will see that the problem is not just faking results, the problem is also that they are suppressing the truth.
http://ncu9nc.blogspot.com/p/articl...ubject.html#articles_by_subject_bogus_science
Most published research findings are false:
http://www.economist.com/news/scien...w-institute-has-you-its-sights-metaphysicians
Bad Science Muckrakers Question the Big Science Status Quo: "... inherent biases and the flawed statistical analyses built into most 'hypothesis driven' research, resulting in publications that largely represent 'accurate measures of the prevailing bias.'"
http://www.forbes.com/sites/billfre...ckrakers-question-the-big-science-status-quo/
Linus Pauling: "Everyone should know that most cancer research is largely a fraud and that the major cancer research organizations are derelict in their duties to the people who support them." -Linus Pauling PhD (Two-time Nobel Prize winner)."
http://nationalpress.org/images/uploads/programs/CAN2009_Marshall.pdf
"The Lancet": The case against science is straightforward: much of the scientific literature, perhaps half, may simply be untrue. Afflicted by studies with small sample sizes, tiny effects, invalid exploratory analyses, and flagrant conflicts of interest, together with an obsession for pursuing fashionable trends of dubious importance, science has taken a turn towards darkness."
http://www.thelancet.com/pdfs/journals/lancet/PIIS0140-6736(15)60696-1.pdf
"Nature": "Ridding science of shoddy statistics will require scrutiny of every step, not merely the last one, say Jeffrey T. Leek and Roger D. Peng."
http://www.nature.com/news/statistics-p-values-are-just-the-tip-of-the-iceberg-1.17412
Publishers withdraw more than 120 gibberish papers: "The publishers Springer and IEEE are removing more than 120 papers from their subscription services after a French researcher discovered that the works were computer-generated nonsense."
http://www.nature.com/news/publishers-withdraw-more-than-120-gibberish-papers-1.14763
The New England Journal of Medicine: "In August 2015, the publisher Springer retracted 64 articles from 10 different subscription journals “after editorial checks spotted fake email addresses, and subsequent internal investigations uncovered fabricated peer review reports,” according to a statement on their website.1 The retractions came only months after BioMed Central, an open-access publisher also owned by Springer, retracted 43 articles for the same reason."
http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMp1512330
realclearscience.com: "A study that surveyed all the published cosmological literature between the years 1996 and 2008 showed that the statistics of the results were too good to be true. In fact, the statistical spread of the results was not consistent with what would be expected mathematically, which means cosmologists were in agreement with each other – but to a worrying degree. This meant that either results were being tuned somehow to reflect the status-quo, or that there may be some selection effect where only those papers that agreed with the status-quo were being accepted by journals."
http://www.realclearscience.com/articles/2016/01/11/why_cosmology_is_in_crisis_109504.html
University of Oxford: "Half the world's natural history specimens may have the wrong name."
http://www.ox.ac.uk/news/2015-11-17-half-worlds-natural-history-specimens-may-have-wrong-name
NYTimes.com: "Dr. Prasad and Dr. Cifu extrapolate from past reversals to conclude that about 40 percent of what we consider state-of-the-art health care is likely to turn out to be unhelpful or actually harmful."
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/03/s...g-medical-reversal-laments-flip-flopping.html
http://retractionwatch.com/
I Fooled Millions Into Thinking Chocolate Helps Weight Loss. Here's How.
http://io9.com/i-fooled-millions-into-thinking-chocolate-helps-weight-1707251800
"Der Spiegel protested all of this discussion with the statement, that what they hear is that 'journalists want to earn money, whereas scientists are only seeking the truth.' This brought loud guffaws from all three [professors]. 'Scientists,' answered Dr. Fischer, 'want success; they want a wife, a hotel room, an invitation, or perhaps a car!'"
http://www.uncommondescent.com/intelligent-design/der-spiegel-discovers-the-truth-from-science/
The History of Important Scientific Discoveries Initially Rejected and Ridiculed.
http://ncu9nc.blogspot.com/2013/04/a-history-of-scientific-discoveries.html
Likes: AryaS, Psiclops, The King in the North and 5 others
Damn, Alex, you have just stolen my interview - I was planning to interview Henry Bauer for Psience Quest!
Well, my congratulations for you for being faster than me.
Vortex said:
On a second thought - you have stolen nothing from me, Alex... Your interview is quite short an does not allow Bauer to express his views fully. Don't take it as a criticism - I just say that, if Bauer and Psience Quest communities would agree, I can make a much longer and much more detailed interview that will allow the interviewee to describe his position in its complexity.
agreed... much needed. there's a lot to Henry position(s)
I think it is unfortunate that this community split, but given that we did, it is best to collaborate as much as possible.
I think the HIV/AIDS issue probably (i.e. assuming Bauer is correct) represents a terrifying example of what corrupt science can do, and is also a lesson in the way science can become muddled and corrupted at the same time. By way of illustration, here is a bit of one version of this story:
1) There was a desperate rush to find the cause of AIDS which was killing a lot of men back in the early 80's. The rush resulted in an incorrect association between the HIV virus and AIDS.
2) AIDS may have been caused by a method used by homosexual men to clean themselves out prior to sex. This used high pressure water, which caused their guts to leak bacteria and fungi - which overwhelmed their immune systems.
3) The HIV test generates false positives just after flu vaccinations, while a woman is pregnant, and possibly when used on blacks!
4) The symptoms of AIDS have shifted over the years (for example an unusual cancer was a common symptom back then), and now resemble the side effects of the drugs used to treat AIDS.
5) The epidemiology of AIDS is wrong. At the crudest level this can be seen in that a fatal disease with no symptoms for 10 years, that is passed on by sex, would have decimated humanity by now.
6) Heterosexual couples who continue with unprotected sex, very rarely pass the disease on to their partner!
7) The drug companies make a fortune out of treating HIV patients, whether this is a real disease or not!
Clearly you do need a long interview just to present his ideas properly, never mind explore his wider views about science.
Mr. Curious About Things
I'm with David Bailey on this, specifically Mr. Bauer's take on HIV/AIDS. I'm a gay man who began researching this subject in depth back in the early 2000's and was stunned to find that there was incredibly good evidence against a retrovirus causing 'AIDS'. Believe me, 'HIV' is something that terrified me and I was like all the other gay men who was in having my regular 'HIV' antibody test done. I was never in a high risk group, I never had a lot of risky sex, I never did drugs, but the idea that one time having sex with the wrong man would kill me in 10 years was a pretty terrifying thing.
After all the research I did, I came to the conclusion that it 'HIV' was completely and utterly bogus. But the incredible thing is that the scientists who spoke up and wrote extensively about every convincing reason why a retrovirus couldn't possibly be a cause of a multitude of different diseases were skewered in every possible way. Dr. Peter Duesberg (who Alex should really interview) paid a steep price for publishing, in the scientific literature, why 'HIV' couldn't cause AIDS.
A group of Australian scientists (called The Perth Group) also have been called 'denialists' (and worse) for spending the better part of 25 years showing in extreme, rigorous detail every flaw of not only 'HIV' but of the very tests used to diagnose people. Most people don't realize that there is actually no test that can determine if you're supposedly infected with this putative retrovirus. The antibody tests react for a host of reasons that are well documented in the scientific literature.
The tests are arbitrary, they mean different things in different locations. Don't like your 'HIV' diagnosis? hop on a plane to a place in the world that has a higher, more stringent diagnostic criteria and you can loose your 'HIV'. It's that bad. What passes for 'HIV' diagnosis in Africa constitutes medical malpractice in the United States.
'HIV' is said to be rampant in Africa, but for some reason ignores affluent white heterosexuals in the United States.
What's most interesting is that the Perth Group showed that extreme oxidative stress was the hallmark of AIDS patients, and this accounted for the various illness they had. They published this back in the 1980s and early 90s. http://www.theperthgroup.com/SCIPAPERS/EPEOxstressHIVAIDS.pdf
But they were ignored and ridiculed as 'dianialists'. A few years later, Luc Montagnier, one of the researchers credited with finding 'HIV' published basically the same thing, and was essentially ignored. https://www.crcpress.com/Oxidative-...tagnier-Olivier-Pasquier/p/book/9780824798628
This is a deep subject, but once you go down into the rabbit hole looking into it like Henry Bauer has done, you come out the other end realizing that it's one of the biggest scientific misfires of all time.
Likes: AryaS, David Bailey and Laura O
David Bailey said:
Yeah, I agree on this. A short 45 minute interview is way too short to begin to fully grasp all aspects of this. I spent years studying it to fully understand the magnitude of this scientific mistake. 'HIV' like a religion in the broader gay community, you can't even question it publicly without being turned into a pariah. It's the craziest thing.
Mr. Curious About Things said:
Yeah, I agree on this. A short 45 minute interview is way too short to begin to fully grasp all aspects of this.
this interview doesn't mention the topic... except very briefly at the end. see Bauer's books.
That's correct, but there's another Skeptiko interview with Bauer that does deal specifically with HIV/AIDS (#273). I was really referring to that. It's only a bit longer at one hour and you'd really need a pretty lengthy show to be able to go in-depth. I'd love to see Alex do an interview with Dr. Peter Duesberg or a member of the Perth Group. In my mind they fit exactly into the premise of what Skeptiko is about, dealing with science and the kind of skepticism that is antithetical to finding the truth.
Likes: Reece
Western Science is in its infancy its laughable
"they don’t seem to be able or willing to sort through the scientific data, like we just said, like with global warming, it’s really not that hard. The best measure we have of temperature is these satellites and that’s what everyone relied on, including Al Gore, who stood there in front of us, he said, “Hey, here’s the best measure we have, it’s these satellites, and they’re telling us that the temperature is rising,” right? And then 20 years later those same satellites told us, “Well, the temperature has leveled off and carbon has continued to rise.” "
Does someone have a link explaining what Alex is saying here? It bothers me that the climate issue has become so politicized and whether you accept it or not seems to depend more on if you are liberal or conservative that the evidence itself. I am inclined to think the data shows quite conclusively that change is taking place, albeit though not necessarily in the curve promoted in the media. However, I'd like to think I have an open mind.
Likes: Judith
Ricochet said:
you can read Henry's book for more on this. there are also many threads on the Skeptiko-forum.
in very simple terms you can look at the 15 year pause in global warming and ask: how this can be explained within the carbon=warming model? similarly/alternatively you can ask why temperatures have increased in the last 3 years? i.e. if you accept they increased over the last 3 then why did they not for 15 years? again, this stuff is so, so simple that you can't really be expected to believe that there is a scientific fraud of these proportions going on, but that's what Henry is claiming.
also, for those highly invested in global warming it might be best to look at Herny's take on the HIV/AIDS connection... again, the #s scream out re the corruption of science.
Likes: David Bailey
http://ncu9nc.blogspot.com/p/articl...-by-subject.html#articles_by_subject_politics
"To The Horror Of Global Warming Alarmists, Global Cooling Is Here" by Peter Ferrara: "The CO2 greenhouse effect is weak and marginal compared to natural causes of global temperature changes." Natural causes such as ocean currents and solar cycles are a better explanation for the climate data than CO2 produced by human activity.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/peterf...obal-warming-alarmists-global-cooling-is-here
"The Global Warming Fraud, Explained" by John Hinderaker: "The climate alarmists assert that various positive feedbacks, principally an increase in the main greenhouse gas, water vapor, will amplify that scientifically-defensible one degree increase into something like six degrees. EVERY SINGLE THING you have ever read about the supposedly baleful effects of CO2 is based on that unproven assumption. Actually, the net feedbacks–clouds are the great unknown–may be negative rather than positive."
http://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2016/12/the-global-warming-fraud-explained.php
"Climate Change in 12 Minutes - The Skeptic's Case" by Stefan Molyneux
KindaGamey
Really great interview thanks. I reblogged it on FB hoping the "normals" would listen, but I'm worried the cold open about Flat Earth will scare them away. If they're defensive about science being challenged they might puff up and listen a bit to try and dismiss it, but give them any reason to debunk without listening to the whole thing and they'll hop at the chance every time. Ah well, it was great and needed to be said by someone who has been in the trenches and watched science as it transitioned to it's new financial/political masters and lose the integrity it had when it was an awe-filled celebration of wonder, exploration, and exultation of the mysteries of the universe. Well done both.
Likes: Alex and Reece
Kyrie Irving lied about flat earth by the way he admitted it 2-3 weeks after he made the claim
I think Judith Curry's blog is a really valuable resource on climate. I find her very sensible (she falls in the "lukewarmer" camp, which makes her a "denier" to many). She also does "week in review" lists of links to what's happening in science and policy, and the blog's denizens are a varied bunch, so following their debates gives you a good idea of the issues and points of disagreement.
The politicization of the climate issue drives me nuts. It's lonely being a liberal climate-scare skeptic... (See also Dr. Bauer's post, "A politically liberal global-warming skeptic?")
Likes: Alex, Reece, David Bailey and 3 others
It is also frustrating to see how this scare is focussing on one environmental issue. Other issues like deforestation, over population, food waste - things that are obvious dangers to the environment - get pushed aside by the focus on CO2. Ultimately, I think the 'science' behind this scare will unravel, and it will to enormous damage to the Green movement as a whole.
I find this data from the Magellan spacecraft really interesting, and I have never found a warmist explanation for it. There are two graphs of the data available here (not a NASA site, and possibly they like to bury this data, but I assume it is accurate):
http://www.datasync.com/~rsf1/vel/1918vpt.htm
The atmosphere there is mostly CO2 and the temperature at the surface is famously hot enough to melt lead. However, from the graphs it is easy to see that the temperature at the height where the pressure is 1 atmosphere, is about 66 C (be careful the graphs themselves use degrees Kelvin). Given that Venus gets almost 4 times as much energy from the sun, there doesn't seem to be much sign of a greenhouse gas effect!
The atmospheric pressure at the surface of Venus is 92 atmospheres!
I'd be really interested if you have ever seen a 'warmist' explanation for this!
Likes: Laura O
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StageCritic.com
Evans Donnell, a once and future critic
You are here: Home / Arts / Pictorial: ‘Bennett’s War’ Nashville Red Carpet Screening
Pictorial: ‘Bennett’s War’ Nashville Red Carpet Screening
August 6, 2019 by Rick Malkin and Evans Donnell Leave a Comment
Regal Green Hills Cinema 16 was the site of a Nashville red carpet screening for the new film “Bennett’s War” on Monday. The film features country music star Trace Adkins (“Deepwater Horizon”), Michael Roark (“Magic Mike,” “Beauty and the Beast”), Ali Afshar (“American Wrestler: The Wizard,” “Born to Race” and also the president and founder of Easy Street Motorsports/ESX Entertainment; he’s one of the film’s producers) Allison Paige (“The Flash,” “The Lizzie Bennet Diaries”), and Chattanooga native Hunter Clowdus (“All-American”).
Marshall Bennett (Roark) is a young soldier with the Army Motorcycle Unit who survives an IED explosion in combat overseas. He is medically discharged and told that one more accident could mean he might never walk again. When he returns to the family farm, he discovers that his dad, Cal Bennett (Adkins), is behind on his mortgage. He then decides to risk permanent paralysis or death on a dangerous comeback in motocross racing in order to save his family’s farm. Paige plays Sophie Bennett, Marshall’s loving wife, and Afshar is Cyrus, Marshall’s boss, mentor and friend.
The film tugs at the heartstrings, and also contains some very thrilling you-are-there footage from motocross races. It was made by filmmakers (including director/writer Alex Ranarivelo and cinematographer Reuben Steinberg) who are very familiar with the racing realm. Lucas Oil Founders Lucas Forrest and his wife, Charlotte Forrest, are releasing the film through their Forrest Films banner and make appearances in the movie.
“When I read this script, I knew I wanted to be part of this project,” Adkins told those assembled for the screening. “I spend a lot of time working with veterans’ organizations, and anything that brings more awareness to the struggles that those guys go through when they come home after being severely wounded in combat, I’m in. And this movie is about the struggle to overcome being told that you couldn’t do something…and I’m proud to be a part of it.”
Adkins and fellow country music star Tracy Lawrence were among those walking the red carpet along with Roark, Paige, Clowdus, Forrest Films Marketing and Distribution President Scott Kennedy and the Forrests. The motion picture releases nationwide on Aug. 30.
Here are photos by Rick Malkin from the event:
Filed Under: Arts, Film
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Italy's RISING MOON Sign With RISING REALM RECORDS
Italian death metallers RISING MOON have signed a two-album deal with Finland's Rising Realm Records.
The group will enter Outer Sound Studios (NOVEMBRE, STORMLORD, THY MAJESTIE) in June/July to record their as-yet-untitled fourth full-length album, tentatively due in the fall. RISING MOON are said to deliver "melodic form of death metal with touches of doom metal in the vein of MY DYING BRIDE and IN FLAMES."
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How to bring clean energy to informal settlements: Co-designing sustainable energy solutions in Kenya, Uganda and South Africa
Providing clean energy to urban informal settlements in Africa is a huge challenge. In this story, we follow the joint effort of scientists working across three African countries to produce the knowledge required to get households to adopt clean energy.
Photo by Amollo Ambole
Dieu-Donné Gameli and Amollo Ambole
Providing clean and efficient energy for households in informal settlements in African cities remains a huge challenge. A challenge that is compounded by a heavy reliance on fossil fuels such as charcoal, which often results in unintended health consequences as a result of prolonged exposure to air pollution. Despite a plethora of new technologies, adoption has been disappointing. We talk with three early career scientists – Amollo Ambole from the University of Nairobi in Kenya, Kareem Buyana from Makerere University in Uganda, and Josephine Musango from the University of Stellenbosch in South Africa – to learn about their work in Nairobi, Kampala and Stellenbosch to try to produce the knowledge required to get households to adopt these technologies.
Energy poverty in informal settlements in Africa
On the eastern side of Nairobi, Kenya’s capital city, lies Mathare Valley slums. The slum, recognized as one of the oldest informal settlements in Nairobi, is home to over 200,000 residents, all confined within a square kilometer of land. Just a stroll through the community reveals the complex nature of the challenges faced in Mathare: there is a lack of access to basic amenities like water, shelter and healthcare and a non-existent road infrastructure. Housing is in a poor state. Residents live in dense makeshift structures made of rusty iron sheets, red loam soil, or in some cases, polythene walls.
Cooking with cookstoves
Energy access is a big issue. According to a report by Slum Dwellers International et al, only 9% of residents have formal connection to electricity, with 68% of residents tapping into the grid illegally while 22% have no electricity at all. For cooking, charcoal and paraffin are the most common fuels for households in the settlements. The use of these inefficient energy sources increases indoor air pollution leading to poor health outcomes for households in Mathare. The problem of indoor air pollution is compounded by the nature of housing in the settlement, very tiny and improperly ventilated. As a result, the community is faced with an energy-health-housing nexus problem, a complex situation where the factors worsening the life of urban informal settlements enforce and reinforce each other.
This phenomenon is not unique to Mathare Valley slums and can be found across many urban informal settlements across Africa, and even in ‘new’ informal settlements like Enkanini in South Africa.
Despite the fact that many of the technologies needed to tackle the energy-health-housing nexus problem are available, success remains elusive. There tend to be three approaches to the problem. One is to change the source of pollution such as distributing improved cook stoves or supplying alternative energy sources such as low-smoke briquettes. A second approach is to improve the living environment such as through better kitchen design to improve ventilation. The third approach is to modify user behavior by changing cooking practices to reduce smoke inhalation.
Why have these approaches failed to significantly address energy-related indoor air pollution? Researchers believe that this is the case because they are often implemented in isolation, or with little understanding of the socio-cultural, behavioral and economic specificities of the targeted populations. In Mathare, a biogas digester meant to provide free communal cooking energy to the community became defunct after only a year, mainly because reactions to communal cooking and promoting co-ownership with the community was not considered. What became evident is that a solution requires going beyond a single approach.
Involving communities in co-designing solutions
Young career scientists in three African cities (Nairobi, Kampala, and Stellenbosch) have been pre-occupied with this challenge for a little over a year. The project is a comparative multi-country research led by Amollo Ambole from the University of Nairobi in Kenya, Kareem Buyana from Makerere University in Uganda, and Josephine Musango from the University of Stellenbosch in South Africa. This time, they are involving the communities and other relevant stakeholders throughout the research process.
“We are hoping that by interacting with stakeholders from all over the region, Kenya, Uganda and South Africa, we will be able to get good views from multiple layers” said Prof. Madara Ogot, the lead advisor for the project. These stakeholders include the research teams in each of these cities, selected community members from settlements, officials from local and national government, and experts.
Working together in urban settlements of Mathare, Kasubi-Kawaala, and Enkanini, the researchers are providing a platform for stakeholders to co-design and work together to integrate a comprehensive solution to the health consequences of energy poverty.
“We provide them with a space and facilitate the exercises, and then we start to see how the ideas grow. The most amazing thing is that we found that people are very happy to listen to the informal settlement dwellers. This informal settlement dwellers just rarely get the chance to voice their concerns, but when we provide them with the platform and they voice their concern, people listen. We hope that this type of interactions, if we are able to continue facilitating them, will lead to the needs of the communities being met, even beyond the results of this research”.
Stakeholders workshop
That is to say that it has become necessary for stakeholders to work together and integrate the different solutions that are already available and see how a policy framework can be used to enable this integrated solution.
One way that the involvement of stakeholders is helping find a solution to the problem is in helping shape the research itself. The stakeholders are not only there to provide information but they are helping to refine research questions and, in some cases, change them entirely.
“When we started, we only wanted to look at household energy and health. But then we found that housing is a very important issue, housing is actually at the center of this problem. If these people had better housing, then some of these problems would have already been solved. We are realizing that we need to look at urban planning and land tenure issues too”, says Amollo. She continues that “as researchers, we are very open to changing our approach, changing the questions and doing anything extra to get to the root of issues to enable us produce the knowledge needed to solve it”.
Doing this kind of research, that involves stakeholders and the communities, comes at a cost though – it slows things down considerably. Although this makes for a slow, arduous and costly process, it is a necessary step. “It is not enough to generate knowledge and write papers, scientific enquiry needs to be addressing the direct needs of society”, they said.
For an informal settlement like Mathare, this kind of knowledge production appears to hold the key to understanding and contributing to finding solutions to its complex problems. It is hoped that the involvement of the community and policy-makers would bring out a deeper understanding of the challenges and ultimately lead to a rapid uptake of solutions.
Announcing 2018's funded projects for the LIRA 2030 programme
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Monaco, Principauté de, Centre Scientifique de Monaco
The Centre Scientifique de Monaco is a member since 1931.
The Centre Scientifique de Monaco (C.S.M.) is a monegasc independent public institute founded in 1960 by Prince Rainier III. Even if scientific research has been a tradition in Monaco for more than a century following the Oceanic cruise of Prince Albert Ist, the wishes of Prince Rainier III in creating the C.S.M. was to provide the Principality of Monaco means to conduct its own biological research and support action of governmental organizations and international agencies to protect and conserve marine life. Since 1990, the C.S.M. is mainly studying coastal ecosystems and more particularly tropical and temperate corals in relation to global climate change. His research interests involve techniques ranging from genomics to ecology through biochemistry and physiology.
In 2010, the C.S.M. opened new themes: environmental economics and a funding agency of clinical research in partnership with health care institutions in the Principality. In 2012, in addition to the Marine Biology Department, two new research departments were created: a department of Polar Biology, mainly studying polar birds used as indicators of climate impacts on Subantarctic and Antarctic ecosystems and a department of Medical Biology involving four teams working in cancer biology, biotherapies applied to neuromuscular diseases and gut microbiota. In 2016, the Centre Scientifique de Monaco became a collaborating Center of the World Health Organization.
Website of the Centre:
http://www.centrescientifique.mc/
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Profiles in IT: Sally Jean Floyd
Random Early Detection for Internet Routing Explained
Apple is Serious about Privacy
Google Chrome Zero-Day Vulnerability
Chinese Hardware Sold to US Military – Supply Chain Corruption
Change is Exponential: A Response from Education
All Shows November 9, 2019
Email from Tung in Ohio: Dear Doc and Jim. I would like to hide some photos on my iPhone. Frequently, others use my phone and I do not want these pictures to show up. What are my options? Love the podcast. Tung in Ohio
Tech Talk Responds: To hide a photo or video, select it, and then use the share icon to bring up the share sheet. Scroll through the bottom row of activities until you see “Hide.” Tap that, then “Hide Photo” or “Hide Video” to get the job done. To view your hidden media, just open the new “Hidden” folder in the “Albums” But beware the hidden folder is not password protected.
If you want a password-protected option on the iPhone, you can download an app called: Secret Photo Vault – Keepsafe. It is password protected and even has private cloud backup. The app is free with in-app purchases.
Android phones have either Private Mode or Content Lock. You can set a password for this private area and then hide selected photos or documents. The good news is that these files are password protected. Android also has Secret Photo apps.
Email from Louis in Kansas: Dear Tech Talk. I recently upgraded to an iPhone 7 Plus. I like the iPhone, but I cannot use my favorite headphones with it because there is no place to plug them in. Do you know of any way that I can use those wired headphones with my iPhone? I really do not want to buy a set of wireless headphones unless I absolutely have to. Thanks. Louis in Kansas
Tech Talk Responds: When Apple decided to stop putting microphone jacks on their devices, many users were unhappy. I does help with water proofing of the iPhone. Luckily, you can buy a very inexpensive adapter that will allow you to connect your existing set of corded headphones to your iPhone 7. You can get an Apple Lightning to 3.5 mm Headphone Jack Adapter for $8.79 on Amazon. This does not have an option for power. You can add the power options a few dollars more. Just check on Amazon and make certain to get an Apple certified adaptor.
Email from Martha in Alexandria: Dear Doc and Jim. I have a large collection of movies on DVD. I have a DVD player in every room in my house but I also love watching them on my computer while taking short breaks from my work (I’m self-employed and I work from a home office). The problem is I could watch a DVD with Windows Media Player on my old computer but it won’t play DVDs on my new one. Is it not possible to watch DVDs with Windows 10? Surely you can, but how? This is very frustrating so I hope you can help me. Thanks in advance. Martha in Alexandria
Tech Talk Responds: You have discovered Microsoft has removed the ability to play DVDs from Windows Media Player in Windows 10. Microsoft now charges for the “Windows DVD Player” app they are selling in the Microsoft Store. You can buy that one or download a free DVD player. It is called VLC Media Player, and it works just as well than most of the commercial video player apps out there. Here is the download link: https://www.oldergeeks.com/downloads/file.php?id=1086. Go to the bottom of the page to find the Download link. By the way this download site, checks all the download files to ensure that they are not infected with malware or crapware.
Email from Roger in Arlington, VA: Dear Tech Talk. I think I might crashed my laptop. I ordered new RAM for my Dell Inspiron 14z laptop, and when it arrived I was so excited that I absent-mindedly tried to install it without shutting the system down. I removed the battery but forgot to shut the system down or unplug the charger. As soon as I inserted the first of new RAM stick, I saw a spark. Now the computer won’t turn on. No lights, no sound, and the screen stays black when I press the power button. I tried re-installing the original RAM and even tried a hard reset. Nothing works. I know the battery and charger are working because I tried them with my wife’s laptop (they are the same exact model). Is there something else I can try, or is my laptop toast?
Tech Talk Responds: I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but your laptop’s motherboard is almost certainly fried. Your accidental attempt to install RAM into a “hot” laptop most likely resulted in a short circuit/current surge, and computer circuitry does not fare all that well when subjected to those. If your computer was responding in any way at all, I would suggest trying new RAM modules, but since it appears to be completely unresponsive I really think you’d just be wasting your time and money. I am afraid it’s time to go shopping for a new laptop. The good news is they have never been cheaper or a better value for the money than they are right now.
Email from Angie in Springfield, MO: Dear Doc and Jim. I get too many phone calls from unknown numbers. Sometimes they wake me up in the middle of the night. How can I block anyone who is not on your smartphone’s Contacts List? Angie in Springfield, MO.
Tech Talk Responds: It is possible to block calls from anyone who isn’t on your Contacts list, and it’s very easy to do.
To block unknown callers with an iPhone if it’s running iOS 13:
Tap Phone.
Scroll down and toggle the Silence Unknown Callers setting to On.
Unfortunately, things are a little more complicated when it comes to blocking unknown callers with Android phones. Some phones don’t have that capability at all, and the ones that do have it don’t all do it the same way. I recommend that you check your phone’s user manual to see if it is capable of blocking unknown callers.
If your particular Android phone does not happen to have a feature for blocking unknown callers, you can still enjoy unknown caller blocking by installing a great free app called YouMail. YouMail actually replaces your phone’s built-in voicemail service and adds several nice features to boot. It is very easy to block incoming calls with YouMail. I have been using it years. In addition, it transcribes your voice mail messages and has some fun messages.
Email from Helen in Rockville, MD: Dear Tech Talk. I have heard that malware can attack your home router and redirect you to malicious websites. How can I find whether my router has been hacked? I am worried. Helen in Rockville, MD
Tech Talk Responds: Vulnerabilities in some routers’ firmware code allow hackers to change some of the router’s critical settings. For example, altering the Domain Name Server (DNS) settings enables them to instruct your router to send your Internet requests to malware-infested servers and fake websites. If that happens it could result in malware being downloaded onto your computer or mobile device and/or having your identity and online accounts compromised. Bad, bad stuff for sure.
F-Secure has created a handy tool for checking your router to make sure it hasn’t been hacked. The test could not be easier to use. Here’s all you have to do:
Visit this page on the F-Secure website (https://www.f-secure.com/us-en/home/free-tools/router-checker)
Click the blue Check your router button.
After you click the button, the tool will check your router’s settings to make sure they have not been changed to values that are known to be incorrect or malicious. The entire test takes mere seconds and the results will be displayed right on your screen.
If the test detects an issue, you will need to check with your Internet Service Provider to determine what the real settings should be. Your router’s manual should tell you how to change the settings back to their correct values. Do not forget to change your router’s password if it has indeed been hacked. Good luck.
Email from Alex in Fairfax, VA: Dear Doc and Jim. I have heard you talk about Python as a great first programming language. Is there a online course that I could take that would me started. I think I would like to program, but I would like to try it out. Love the show. Alex in Fairfax, VA
Tech Talk Responds: Python is a general-purpose, versatile and popular programming language. It is great as a first language because it is concise and easy to read, and it is also a good language to have in any programmer’s stack as it can be used for everything from web development to software development and scientific applications.
I would recommend the latest Codeacademy Course on Python. It only takes 25 hours. It includes three projects. It would be a great beginning. Link to course: https://www.codecademy.com/learn/learn-python-3.
This course is a great introduction to both fundamental programming concepts and the Python programming language. By the end, you will be comfortable programming in Python and taking your skills off the Codecademy platform and onto your own computer.
Sally Jean Floyd was an American computer scientist known best known for her work on Internet congestion control. Profile suggested by Susan in Alexandria.
Sally Floyd was born May 20, 1950, in Charlottesville, Virginia.
Her father, Edwin, was a mathematician at the University of Virginia.
She spent a year at the Univ. of Michigan before transferring to UC Berkeley in 1969.
In 1971 she received a BS in Sociology, with a minor in math, from UC Berkeley.
Seeking a way to support herself after college, Dr. Floyd took a two-year course in electronics at Merritt College, a community college in Oakland, Calif.
In 1975, she was hired as Computer Systems Engineer for Bay Area Rapid Transit, where she designed, maintained, and repaired BART’s real-time computer systems, including work on a BART-LBNL project to replace BART’s train control systems.
She was attracted to theoretical computer science while working on this project.
Floyd returned to Berkeley in 1984 and received an MS in Computer Science in 1987 and a PhD in 1989. Dr. Jacobson convinced her to study network congestions.
She joined the Network Research Group at Lawrence Berkeley National Lab in 1990.
Floyd is best known in the field of congestion control as the inventor of Random Early Detection (“RED”) active queue management scheme, thus founding the field of Active Queue Management (AQM) with Dr. Van Jacobson.
The work required a lot of careful mathematics and the development of simulations.
Almost all Internet routers use RED or something developed from it to manage network congestion. The 1993 paper describing RED has been cited in 9,100 articles.
She devised a method to add delay jitter to message timers to avoid synchronization.
Floyd is also a co-author on the standard for TCP Selective acknowledgement (SACK), Explicit Congestion Notification (ECN), the Datagram Congestion Control Protocol (DCCP) and TCP Friendly Rate Control (TFRC).
One byproduct of Dr. Floyd’s work reflected her passion for keeping things fair to all internet users. For people with both fast and slow connections.
Floyd was known for showing interest in the work of graduate students, whom she often met at technical conferences.
She received the IEEE Internet Award in 2005 and the ACM SIGCOMM Award in 2007 for her contributions to congestion control.
She has been involved in the Internet Architecture Board, and was in 2007 one of the top-ten most cited researchers in computer science.
Floyd met Ms. Leita, a reference librarian, in 1983. They married in 2013, soon after the US Supreme Court cleared the way for same-sex marriage in California.
Floyd retired in 2009 and died at the age of 69 on August 25, 2019 in Berkeley, California from gallbladder cancer.
Random Early Detection, or RED, an algorithm widely used in the internet. Though not readily visible to internet users, it helps traffic on the network flow smoothly during periods of overload.
The internet consists of a series of linked routers. When computers communicate with one another through the internet, they divide the information they intend to exchange into packets of data, which are sent to the network in a sequence. A router examines each packet it receives, then sends it on to its intended destination.
When routers receive more packets than they can handle immediately, they queue those packets in a holding area called a buffer, which can increase the delay in transmitting data.
If the router continually receives traffic at a higher rate than it can forward, at some point it will discard incoming traffic.
Well into the 1980s, the internet frequently experienced a period of huge degradation in performance known as a congestion collapse.
Here the network’s capacity was consumed by computers repeatedly transmitting packets, which routers were forced to discard because of overload.
Floyd’s Random Early Detection was an enhancement of work done in the 1980s by Van Jacobson, a computer scientist whose scheme for signaling computers to slow down is often credited with saving the internet from collapse in the ’80s and ’90s. Dr. Floyd and Dr. Jacobson developed RED together.
With RED, a router would generate a signal saying, ‘I’ve got enough backlog that I’m going to tell senders I’m backed up.
This meant that by discarding the occasional data packet earlier, routers could often avoid getting completely clogged
Apple is securing your data using Private Federated Learning.
The simple idea behind this is to not only obscure and scramble a user’s personal and private information to hide it from apps and services, but also to learn and analyze user data, locally and on the device.
The way Apple deploys this is that all of the processing happens on your iPhone,
, with no data ever being uploaded to a server or shared with Apple or any other app developer.
The Hey Siri personalization and the artificial intelligence-based features in the Photos app are two examples of that. The Apple Neural Engine in the A13 chip performs over 100 billion operations per photo to recognize faces and places without ever leaving your device.
Apple says that every single message that you send using iMessage to another iMessage user, is encrypted. And whatever contextual suggestions that iMessage offers during your conversations, those are generated on the device itself.
The Safari web browser has something known as Intelligent Tracking Protection. It works by separating the third-party content used to track you from other browsing data. This throws off all ad tracking software.
The AI and machine learning work is done on the device itself (which means no data is shared with any third-party services) and this feature is on by default on all Safari browsers
Data used to improve navigation, such as routes and search terms, is not associated with your identity. Instead, that information is based on random identifiers that are constantly changing.
Apple did make a significant change in iOS 13 with regards to how apps get access to your location and Bluetooth data. As a user, you now have the power to choose between Anytime, only when the app is in use or never options for every single app that you may have installed on your iPhone.
The blatant misuse of these settings is why Apple has brought this out in the open with iOS 13.
Apple has something called Sign in with Apple. Apple Sign in gives next to no data to the app or website developers and can mask your credentials if you wish.
If you’re using Google Chrome right now, you should make sure your browser is patched. If not, you could be subject to a serious zero-day vulnerability.
Security researchers at Kaspersky have discovered a zero-day vulnerability that leaves Chrome users open to a malicious attack that could see hackers take full control over the machine and download malware to the computer.
Worst of all, the exploit was in the wild before anyone knew about it, and millions could have been at risk.
Called Operation WizardOpium, the flaw was first injected into a Korean news website. When people visited the site, a script from a third-party site would load and see whether the machine was one worth attacking.
The attackers designed the code to only attack Windows machines running Chrome versions 65 or newer.
Zero-day exploits are the most concerning of flaws affecting software. They mean that a security problem is in the wild and the software maker has not yet released a fix. Now Google has already issued a fix.
To install the latest update, open Chrome. Click on the three dots in the upper right hand corner. Click on Help. Click on About Google Chrome. The page will check for updates and install them, if requested. I installed my update this morning.
In August 2018, an Air Force service member noticed something strange about a body camera being used by security personnel at an Air Force base: Chinese characters on the screen.
A subsequent investigation found numerous indications that the camera — and two dozen others in the same shipment — had been made in China.
Investigators found three telling logos in the camera’s firmware: an Air Force Logo, the logo of the Chinese company that made the camera, and the logo of China’s ministry of public security.
Forensic analysis indicated that all three images had been loaded on the camera at the same time by someone in a Chinese time zone.
This suggested that not only was the camera made in China, but the Chinese knew that the body camera would be shipped to an Air Force facility.
How did a Chinese-made digital camera wind up at a US Air Force base?
In a criminal complaint unsealed Thursday, federal prosecutors blamed Aventura, a New York-based company that has been fraudulently re-selling Chinese-made gear for more than a decade.
On Thursday, six of the company’s founders and senior officials were arrested and charged with fraud and other crimes.
Since 2006, the feds say, Aventura has been buying Chinese-made cameras, metal detectors, and other products, slapping “Made in America” logos on them, and re-selling them in the United States — to customers including U.S. government agencies who are legally prohibited from buying such items.
In his 1999 book The Age of Spiritual Machines, Ray Kurzweil proposed “The Law of Accelerating Returns”, according to which the rate of change in a wide variety of evolutionary systems (including but not limited to the growth of technologies) tends to increase exponentially.
Whenever a technology approaches some kind of a barrier, according to Kurzweil, a new technology will be invented to allow us to cross that barrier.
He cites numerous past examples of this to substantiate his assertions.
He predicts that such paradigm shifts have and will continue to become increasingly common, leading to “technological change so rapid and profound it represents a rupture in the fabric of human history.”
How can educational institutions prepare students for the future, when we don’t know what the future is actually bring?
There are five attributes that will ensure an successful life, even in a time of extreme change.
The Ability to Solve a Problem you Have Never Seen Before (Critical Thinking)
Communication Skills (Verbal and Written)
Mindful Leadership
Happiness and Goal Setting
This can be accomplished with project-centric, competency-based education.
Additional Tech Talk Information
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My First Gmail Account
My Favorite Toy –A Working Stirling Engine
Blackberry Network Outage
State Department Hacked Using Word Attachment
Service Academy Cyber Defense Exercise (CSX 2007)
Man Lives Underwater for 12 Days In Capsule
Dell Offering XP Again
Successful Military Outplacements
Getting a Job without Experience – The Chicken and the Egg (Continuing Story)
Home Project 3: Set Up a MySQL Database
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Sting Should Not Wrestle The Undertaker
John Pingel March 23, 2019
In a recent interview with Wrestling Travel, Sting states the only way he would come out of retirement is to wrestle The Undertaker.
I mean, everyone knows who it would be. Taker, he’s the only guy I’d come out of retirement for now. No one else. We could just never get it together to make it happen.”
Sting from an interview with Wrestling Travel
This has been the “dream match” that wrestling fans have been clamoring to see for the better half of twenty years. While it would have been fantastic to see these two go head to head in the earlier part of the 2000’s, seeing this match today could be a complete disaster.
Sting vs. Undertaker: Too Little Too Late
“LOL JK” – Undertaker, probably.
For me personally, I don’t understand everyone’s obsession with seeing The Undertaker continue to wrestle. We all watched his match against Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 33, right? It was a horrible match, in which Undertaker looked embarrassingly bad throughout. Roman had to carry him through that match. Even after leaving his signature jacket and hat in the ring, which basically signaled his retirement: HE WRESTLED FIVE TIMES AFTER THAT. Last year’s Mania win over John Cena was under three minutes. The other four matches have been tag team or multi-man matches. So he hasn’t had a legitimate one on one match in over three years.
Sting, on the other hand, had his chance at this match in WWE a couple of times earlier in his career. He ultimately decided to stay in WCW, and later sign with TNA. In 2011, WWE came calling again.
Very, Very Close For Sting
The Franchise of WCW in a WWE ring.
Yes, I was contacted by WWE people. The vignettes I can honestly tell you that I do not understand that one even now, unless it was some kind of deal where they were just trying to test the waters, I really don’t know, because so many people were saying, “I hope it’s Sting, I hope it’s Sting.” I thought, “Gosh, I wonder if they’re going to shoot themselves in the foot there by making this choice, because if things do not work out, why did they do it to begin with?” I had all kinds of things going through my head. But, yeah, I was very, very close to going up there, and I believe there probably would have been something with Undertaker. That was the word at least.
An Interview Sting conducted in 2011 with the Baltimore Sun
Obviously, this never happened. Although people still talk about the infamous “2.21.11” vignette mentioned above to this day.
Sting’s WWE Run
Sting states in the Wrestling Travel interview that he started talking to WWE again “he (Undertaker) was booked with Brock”. That would possibly put the timeline of Sting opening talks with WWE around early 2014. Sting didn’t make his WWE debut until Survivor Series of that same year. They also had their chance to do this match at WrestleMania 31. However Undertaker fought Bray Wyatt, and Sting fought Triple H. Sting unfortunately didn’t get the WWE run we all hoped he would, but he ended it on a WWE Championship match against Seth Rollins. That’s a hell of a match to go out on.
The Time Has Passed
Undertaker and Sting discussing what could have been.
I believe we, as a community, need to face the facts here: Sting is 60, and The Undertaker is 53. We will not get the “dream match” that most of us are hoping for. Both are very much past their primes, and we should just remember their careers fondly. We should all just cut our losses, and come to terms with the fact that it will never be the match we wanted it to be.
John Pingel
Undertaker has been announced to appear on next week’s Raw …
WWE: Undertaker Will Appear On This Week’s Raw
The Origin Of The Orton and Kingston Feud WWE Champion …
WWE: Kofi Kingston Longtime Rivalry Comes To A Head At SummerSlam
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Police fired live bullets during clash in Parañaque City’s Silverio compound
By JANESS ANN J. ELLAO
MANILA – Outside the emergency room of the Philippine General Hospital (PGH), Buddy Padil, 37, silently sat. He is the uncle of Iris Isaias, 18, who sustained a gunshot wound during the demolition at Silverio compound in Parañaque City on April 23.
A bullet pierced Iris’ calf. “The bullet went through it. The bulet shattered the area of the bone it hit and the doctor said that they need to put metal on it,” Padil said.
Iris was first brought to Ospital ng Muntinlupa but the hospital was not equipped to treat her wounds. She was transferred to the PGH.
“She was only standing outside the compound when she suddenly noticed that the people were already carrying her, shouting. It was only then that realized that she was hit,” Padil said, “These days we would always catch her staring at nothing. She might still be in a state of shock.”
On April 25, Iris went through an operation. Padil said that Isaias’ father, Danilo, a carpenter, is at a loss as to where they would get money to pay for the operation. Doctors told them that the metal that would be placed in Isaias’ left calf costs US$1,465.
The number of residents with gunshot wounds remains undetermined as documentation is still on going. Iris and the other injured residents belied earlier claims that the policemen used blank and/or rubber bullets.
Shooting at bystanders
Also at the PGH was Angelo Lipata, 21. Angelo could hardly hear the questions asked to him as a bullet is stuck in his left ear drum. He was told by his doctors to go home for the time being, citing that they could not operate and remove the bullet until the wound is healed.
During the demolition, Angelo was watching videos of the then ongoing conflict between the Silverio compound residents who were defending their homes and the police. The videos had been quickly uploaded on YouTube by alternative media group Tudla Productions. After watching them, he decided to go out and see for himself what was happening outside. He went and stood next to the barricade when the police began to fire indiscriminately at the residents, who ran for their lives..... MORE
URL: http://bulatlat.com/main/2012/04/28/police-fired-live-bullets-during-clash-in-paranaque-citys-silverio-compound/
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No progress will be made on asylum policy until the major parties move to a positive bipartisanship. shutterstock
On asylum seekers, our history keeps repeating itself
June 14, 2016 12.08am EDT
Jim Middleton, University of Melbourne
Jim Middleton
Vice Chancellor's Fellow, University of Melbourne
Jim Middleton does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
University of Melbourne provides funding as a founding partner of The Conversation AU.
Immediately after Papua New Guinea’s Supreme Court unexpectedly ruled in April that the Australian detention centre on Manus Island was in breach of human rights and ordered it closed, Bill Shorten met his leadership group.
Inside the room, the shadow immigration minister, Richard Marles, mused briefly about revisiting Labor’s policy on asylum seekers. He was forcefully shut down.
The question is why Shorten shies away from discussing asylum seekers like Dracula from a stake, while Malcolm Turnbull is only interested in using the issue as a stick with which to berate the opposition.
People have been travelling down the Malay Peninsula, across the Indonesian archipelago and into Australia for at least 60,000 years, according to the best available evidence. Fortunately for the First Australians, there was no Border Force, no patrol boats and no surveillance aircraft to stop them, and no people smugglers to exploit them. Nor were there any other human inhabitants to fret about their presence.
Many of the boats they used for the final stages of their journey were probably every bit as leaky as those employed by modern-day asylum seekers. Many are likely to have overturned, with many people dying along the way.
Did they come here to seek a better life or because they were chased out by waves of newcomers making the long trek out of Africa? Probably a bit of both.
Since white settlement in 1788, Australian attitudes to potential new arrivals have waxed and waned. In the initial days of the gold rushes in the mid-1800s, there was little opposition to the thousands of Chinese coming to Australia. This was partly because they provided essential services – notably food – for everyone else, and picked over tailings left behind by miners of other ethnic backgrounds.
It became a very different story when the easy gold started to dry up and economic growth slowed, coinciding with the rise of organised labour. Colonial authorities made it harder and harder for Chinese to land in Australia.
“Australia for the White Man” was the proud proclamation beneath the masthead of The Bulletin magazine at the turn of the 20th century, at the time Australia’s most influential political and cultural media outlet.
One of the anti-Chinese images published in The Bulletin magazine at the turn of the 20th century. Migration Heritage Centre New South Wales
Behind the protectionist barriers of Empire, with the Harvester case having entrenched both the minimum wage and the power of the trade unions, the Australian settlement flourished, buttressed by laws making non-white immigration all but impossible.
The second world war had two consequences for this cosy arrangement.
First, the peril of invasion made politicians worry about ruling such a large continent with such a sparse population.
Second, by 1945 Europe was awash with tens of millions of displaced people, a problem exacerbated by the erection of the Iron Curtain, making it harder for many of them to return home even if they wished.
“Populate or perish” became the bipartisan catchcry, but even then Australian politicians worried about the reception non-English-speaking arrivals would receive. Fair-haired, blue-eyed northern Europeans initially received preferential treatment. It was only as labour shortages emerged in the 1950s that arrivals from southern Europe started to be encouraged.
Bipartisanship ensured that the White Australia Policy remained intact until after Harold Holt became prime minister in 1966. Coincidently, full employment gave Labor the confidence to strip from its platform the insistence on keeping out people from Asia.
The big change came after the end of the Vietnam war when Malcolm Fraser shamed Bob Hawke, then president of the ACTU, into overcoming union opposition to permit the influx of tens of thousands of boat people and other escapees from the oppression and persecution of the Communist regime that had taken over the country’s south.
Multiculturalism moves in
Bipartisanship stepped up to another level with the official adoption of the policy of multiculturalism by both the Coalition and the ALP. This level of political harmony started to break down as Australia struggled out of the 1983 recession with its double-digit unemployment and the consequences of economic restructuring as Bob Hawke and Paul Keating wrestled to put the country on a firmer footing.
One of the first signs of the breakdown of bipartisanship were the remarks of John Howard in 1988, during his first stint as Liberal leader, when he declared that in the interests of social cohesion Asian immigration should be “slowed down a little, so the capacity of the community to absorb it was greater”.
In his bid to defeat Keating in 1996, Howard recanted, admitting the remark had done him great damage. But then along came Pauline Hanson and her maiden speech to parliament, in which she warned that Australia was in danger of being “swamped by Asians”.
Pauline Hanson delivers her maiden speech to parliament.
The rise of Hanson’s One Nation came close to turning Howard into a one-term prime minister after he had gone to the 1998 election advocating the introduction of the GST. “A near-death experience”, he later called it.
It is often forgotten, though, that it was Keating who introduced mandatory detention for asylum seekers in the early 1990s in response to a surge in boat people trying to escape the war in Cambodia.
When increasing numbers of undocumented refugees started turning up in Australia in the late 1990s seeking to escape oppression in the Middle East, Howard introduced temporary protection visas as an added deterrent. And then a boat called the Tampa turned up off Christmas Island.
The Tampa changes everything
So searing was this episode for Labor that the only bipartisanship since then has been a contest between the major parties to prove who is more hardline.
Over much internal opposition and with an election imminent, then Labor leader Kim Beazley supported the excision of much of Australia’s offshore territory as places where migration law could apply. However, he opposed a Howard plan to prevent people on ships like the Tampa from gaining access to the Australian legal system, placing military personnel above and beyond the law.
Any semblance of bipartisanship was at an end.
“We will decide who comes here and the circumstances in which they come,” Howard declared to the loudest of cheers at the Coalition’s 2001 campaign launch. Labor was slaughtered at the election.
Interestingly, at the same time as Howard was railing against asylum seekers he was quietly overseeing a record influx of migrants. They helped boost growth already being fuelled by the China minerals boom, while also keeping inflation in check by subduing wages growth.
Kevin Rudd’s 2007 policy of a “tough, but fair” asylum seeker policy foundered – the victim of so-called “pull” and “push” factors, as well as political mismanagement and the increasing sophistication of the people smugglers.
Julia Gillard’s plan to resettle asylum seekers in Malaysia was not only condemned by the then opposition leader, Tony Abbott, but also scuttled by the High Court.
Now, the major parties have settled on equally brutal policies and the polls suggest that most voters prefer it that way. Out of sight, out of mind. Shorten seems to think he has no alternative, while for Turnbull it is a powerful political weapon.
The deaths at sea may have stopped, but the suicides and self-harm persist in the detention centres. Nothing will change until and unless positive bipartisanship returns. It was ever thus.
White Australia policy
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The Story Behind the Story:
“Remorseless,” by Will Patching
(Editor’s note: In this 63rd installment of The Rap Sheet’s “Story Behind the Story” series, we give the stage over to British author (but current Thailand resident) Will Patching, the author of The Hack and Remorseless, the latter of which was released as an audiobook at the end of last year. Below, Patching writes about the psychopathic protagonist in Remorseless and what he learned about psychopaths as a result of his work to create that character.)
Psychopaths. We are bombarded with fictional versions of them. They fascinate us, as exotic creatures, and hence they regularly feature in crime novels, Hollywood movies, and TV series. As a result, we understand implicitly who and what constitutes a psychopath. Right?
Hannibal Lecter, Dexter Morgan, and Norman Bates of Psycho fame all help us understand the heinous nature of the beast. Don’t they?
Well, actually, no they don’t. Out of the three fictional characters mentioned above, only Lecter, in The Silence of the Lambs (1991), could accurately be described as a psychopath in the clinical sense. Even then, Hollywood created a rather ridiculous scene in the 2001 sequel Hannibal, demonstrating behavior that would be highly unlikely for a genuine psychopath: he cuts off his own hand to escape, rather than that of his FBI nemesis Clarice Starling. In fact, this is not just unlikely, but bordering on the impossible for a clinical psychopath such as Thomas Harris’ brilliant creation, the man-eater, Hannibal Lecter.
It was this Hollywood treatment of psychopathic behaviors that led me to create Peter Leech, the villain in my most recent novel, Remorseless: A British Crime Thriller. My own research into psychopathy began soon after I had the misfortune to invite such a person into my life, stupidly and naïvely, even sharing my home with him. His constant manipulation of others, his repeated lying, the superficial charm combined with surreptitious backstabbing, all applied with a complete absence of conscience, were hallmarks I would only later come to recognize as characteristics of a psychopath.
“Living with a psychopath is like having an egg beater turned loose on your brain.” — Dr. Robert Hare, the creator of the definitive test for psychopathy, generally acknowledged as the worldwide expert, from his excellent textbook, Without Conscience
In reality, most psychopaths are like the guy I met. Normal. At least, outwardly. Alfred Hitchcock’s Bates is not a psychopath, but a psychotic individual. He’s crazy, hallucinating to such a degree that his dead mother’s character “takes over” his physical being.
At least Dexter is not crazy … just ridiculous. Entertaining too, but, according to Dr. Hare, Dexter’s portrayal of a psychopath with a conscience is an impossibility. Hollywood-style mythology strikes again.
Hollywood vs. Reality
The problem has to do with audience empathy, and the desire to create characters with at least one redeeming feature so that we are not completely repelled. Hannibal, so infatuated with Starling that he chops off his own hand. Dexter, a psychopath with an oxymoronic conscience. Sure, we are talking entertainment, not education, but for Remorseless I wanted to create something that reflected reality, as I believe people need to understand these creatures. So I set out to write a novel that did both—entertain and aid understanding.
To do that, I had to break the rules as they usually apply to novels—that is, if the author wants to get a publishing house interested in a potential best-seller. My villain, Leech, has no redeeming features: he is a clinical psychopath through and through. That makes him difficult for readers to empathize with, which is bad enough given the amount of time we spend with him, but I also deliberately delved deeply into the workings of his mind by making him a significant point-of-view character. Not only is he a truly nasty piece of work, a serial-killing convict with a brutal disposition and a violent temper, but we share a lot of time with him and, understandably, some readers find this disturbing. For others, it’s rather like being strapped into a roller-coaster, scared and horrified while experiencing a perfectly safe, yet thrilling ride.
A Guilty Conscience
The theme of the novel is guilt. In contrast to Leech—our criminal psychopath who cannot, by definition, experience remorse—we have our protagonist, Dr Colin Powers, a forensic psychiatrist suffering hideously from guilt for his role in the death of his wife. Doc’s ability to perform his job is endangered by his state of mind, with hallucinations threatening to overwhelm him. He finds himself on the parole board assessing Leech’s fitness for release, and that scene is central to the story, with our protagonist, burdened by an overabundance of guilt, as a clear counterpoint to our villain, who experiences none.
All the major characters in the novel demonstrate how guilt, or lack thereof, affects behavior, and for me, this was the most interesting aspect of the tale. A guilty conscience is uncomfortable for the average person, and the prospect alone is enough to moderate our behavior toward others. It acts as a brake on our selfishness, while our empathy for others’ suffering also helps prevent us from undertaking anti-social behaviors. If you have no conscience, you suffer no guilt, and if you have little empathy, you can be as anti-social as you want—overtly or surreptitiously, just as a true psychopath would be.
Remorseless was described by one reviewer (for Goodreads) as being part psychological suspense, part murder mystery, and part out-and-out thriller. The psychological aspect really appeals to me, but I also love a good detective yarn and always demand some thrills, so I suppose the mix of genres was inevitable.
Real-World Psychopaths
My fascination with psychopaths does not stop at writing about fictional characters. My Web site Psychopaths—Fact & Fiction is designed as a resource to help people understand the true nature and extent to which these individuals damage society. Although Peter Leech is a violent criminal, most psychopaths exist in plain sight, mingling with the rest of us “normal beings” who do suffer guilt. Hare estimates that as many as 1 percent of the general population have psychopathic traits to a clinically significant level. So, who are they, these myriad psychos?
(Right) Author Will Patching
Well, in the words of my fictional expert, Doc, “they often have qualities that allow them to succeed in our competitive corporate society. In spades.” Politicians, judges, policemen, doctors, bankers, chief executives, hedge-fund managers, etc. Some respectable people, often with stellar careers, are undoubtedly highly intelligent psychopaths, sufficiently socialized to mask their anti-social inclinations, while their lack of conscience enables their success. Ruthlessness and greed are traits prized by many organizations, and psychopaths are highly motivated by status and the trappings of wealth. Ken Lanning, a retired member of the FBI’s Behavioral Science Unit, calls such people “pillar of the community psychopaths.”
It is estimated that as many as a quarter of all violent criminals are actually clinically identifiable as psychopaths. Like my character Leech, they are clearly dangerous individuals whose paths you would not want to cross, and as such they fascinate us all, generating billions of words in books and many hours of big- and small-screen portrayals. The reality is, they are minor players in a much bigger game, and their misdeeds deflect us from the true peril, the socialized psychos who march us to unnecessary wars for profit, or poison our water supplies through incompetence and corruption, or knowingly crash the world economy, bringing misery to millions, in return for the comfort of a private jet.
This facet of their existence is tangentially explored in Remorseless and will feature to a much greater degree in that novel’s sequel, Mutilated, due to be published later this year.
Multiple Personality Disorder and Going Psycho!
During a three-month period toward the end of 2015, I spent some time as a psychopath.
Not a real one, of course, just my own creation: Leech. Remorseless has just been launched as an audiobook with yours truly as narrator. My approach to that project was not standard, as I tried to voice the characters as they sound in my head. Some audiophiles prefer a straightforward narration; others won’t enjoy this disturbing tale, littered with profanity and strewn with violence, so you have been warned!
I had a great deal of fun bringing more than 30 fictitious people to life, ranging from my seen-it-all-before detective to a down-beaten prostitute. The character I found most enjoyable as an alter-ego, rather worryingly, was my rendition of Leech. It seems I have some deep psychological affinity with my own imaginary psychopath—I spent a lot of time “in character,” wandering around my house, yelling obscenities at inanimate objects, threatening to kill all and sundry. My wife was, understandably, a little perturbed. She began to wonder whether I was not only suffering from multiple-personality disorder, but might be a little psycho myself.
I’ll leave you, dear reader, to decide on that conundrum.
Labels: Story Behind the Story
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Visa joins RE100 committing to go 100% renewable by the end of 2019
Digital payments multinational Visa has joined RE100 today, committing to use 100% renewable electricity across its global operations by the end of 2019.
RE100 is led by The Climate Group in partnership with CDP, to scale-up corporate demand for renewables in the global energy market – showcasing the business case for action and overcoming barriers to accelerate a zero emissions economy.
“We congratulate Visa on joining RE100 with an ambitious 100% renewable electricity goal and for demonstrating leadership by working with key stakeholders to build local renewable electricity markets,” said Sam Kimmins, Head of RE100, The Climate Group.
Visa’s commitment was announced during the Climate Leadership Conference in Denver, Colorado, US, where the company also joined the Business Renewables Center and become a signatory to the Corporate Renewable Energy Buyers’ Principles.
“We are proud to play a role in driving the adoption of renewable energy,” said Al Kelly, Chief Executive Officer, Visa. “For Visa, this announcement is an example of our longstanding commitment to operate as a responsible, ethical and sustainable company, while fostering economic growth."
A clean roadmap
To date, about 35% of Visa’s global electricity consumption comes from a mix of renewable energy sources, with three quarters of its greenhouse gas emissions originating from the company’s data centers and office buildings.
Helping to make its bold 100% renewables target easier to reach, Visa has been implementing a range of smart solutions to reduce its energy consumption, from efficient lighting and controls to improvements to its data center infrastructure.
The company is also working with local utilities and electricity market providers to purchase renewables where possible.
RE100’s recent report “Approaching a tipping point” shows how power purchase agreements are becoming more and more popular among RE100 members, with the proportion of renewable electricity being sourced this way growing fourfold in 2016.
In particular, RE100 members in the US generated the greatest increase in PPAs that year, thanks to falling costs and a favorable legislative framework.
“Visa’s commitment to renewable electricity does not end at our front door,” said Douglas Sabo, vice president and head of Corporate Responsibility and Philanthropy, Visa. “We aim to support broader industry progress in this area by joining the Business Renewables Center as well as signing on to the Renewable Energy Buyers’ Principles.”
The company will invest in renewables particularly in the US and UK, where four facilities account for 80% of its global electricity use.
See the full list of RE100 companies here.
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US-based Fifth Third Bank makes history by powering up 100% renewable solar facility
Fifth Third Bank's Aulander Holloman Solar Facility in North Carolina is officially declared open – with 80 megawatts (MW) of capacity, it is one of the largest solar projects in the US.
It is the first time a member of the RE100 initiative, led by The Climate Group in partnership with CDP, has met its entire electricity need from solar power.
Built by solar developer SunEnergy1, the facility is expected to generate clean power that is more than or equal to the amount Fifth Third uses in a year, enough to eliminate 143,000 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions.
It means Fifth Third has reached its 100% renewable electricity goal three years ahead of its 2022 goal.
“Fifth Third is making history”
“Fifth Third was the first member company to contract for 100% solar power and is demonstrating that renewables make business sense,” said Amy Davidsen, North America Executive Direct, The Climate Group.
“By adding clean power to America’s electricity grid, they’re accelerating a cleaner future for us all – and leading the way for other companies to follow suit.”
Fifth Third’s power purchase agreement (PPA) facilitated the construction of the solar field by guaranteeing a fixed price for the electricity it generates, thereby enabling SunEnergy1 to secure funding and begin construction.
The electricity generated by the facility will be resold at market rates into the local electricity grid, and Fifth Third will retire the renewable energy certificates (RECs) from the project.
Banking on solar
The solar setup includes more than 350,000 solar panels generating approximately 202,000 MWh of electricity per year.
Greg D. Carmichael, Chairman, President & CEO, Fifth Third, said: “This is another example of our commitment to improving lives and doing what’s best for our communities and planet – today and into the future.
“This project enables us to contribute positively to the economy of one of our key market states in a way that strengthens Fifth Third Bank’s performance and reaffirms for our stakeholders that we ‘do well by doing good.’.”
The US$200,000 project employed 1,000 construction workers and added tens of millions of US dollars to the local tax base.
The last RE100 Progress and Insights Annual Report showed that PPAs are an increasingly popular way for member companies to source renewable electricity, with the total amount in 2017 reaching just under 9 TWh – almost double the amount reported for 2016. In 2017, PPAs accounted for 20% of all renewable electricity purchased by members in the US.
To find out more about RE100 members, click here.
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The Arc Vector One Of The Best Looking Futuristic Electric Bike We have ever seen
chandni
Third party image reference
The Arc Vector electric motorcycle, capable of hitting a top speed of over 200 kmph, has made its first public appearance at the Goodwood Festival of Speed alongside other super bikes and performance motorcycles. Arc founder and CEO Mark Truman will be the person who will ride the Vector on the famed hill climb. The Arc Vector has a top speed of over 200 kmph. Goodwood is the ideal place for us to show the Vector to the people for the first time. We've been testing behind the scenes and now the bike is emerging from the shadows. It is the most amazing thing both to ride and behold. Up to 1,50,000 are expected at the Festival of Speed, and I hope they all get a chance to see what we've been working on a unique, all-electric neo cafe racer with all sorts of kit never before seen. Said Mark Truman.
The final production model Vector will be powered by a 399V electric motor that churns out close to 140 bhp and 85 nm of peak torque. It will be a limited edition model and only 355 units will be made for sale.
Only 355 units of the Arc Vector will be made and will be available on sale from 2020. Range is claimed at over 270 km on a single charge within the city, and 190 km range for highway riding. The Vector comes with a carbon fiber swing arm, Ohlins suspension and Brembo brakes. Designed and built in England the Arc Vector is described as one of the world's most advanced electric motorcycle. It's built around a carbon fiber monocoque, and 0 to 100 kmph acceleration is estimated at 2.7 seconds.
The haptic alerts can warn the rider of a car approaching from either side, while the helmet displays all necessary infotainment information, and even provides a view from behind the rider. The Vector also comes with a Zenith helmet with built-in head-up display, and the helmet works in conjunction with an Origin riding jacket that features haptic feedback. The Arc Vector will be available commercially from the summer of 2020, but the limited edition model won't be affordable. Each bike is expected to be priced at around ₹ 80 lakh, under current exchange rates.
What do you think about this electric super-bike do portray your thoughts. If there is anything that needs to be corrected do comment and follow for more related contents.
Topic: #cafe racer #mark truman
fuddu look
Amazon-Flipkart discounts sale smartphones, tap to know Download to Read
Namrata Shirodkar left her superhit career and married South superstar Mahesh Babu
This actress yearns to meet her husband, meets 12 times a year
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Bistro and Functions
Victoria Hotel Dimboola
Where is Dimboola?
Dimboola is located in the western part of Victoria, about halfway between Nhill and Horsham.
Dimboola's town centre is set a couple of kilometres off the Western Highway with most of the town's shops located along the thoroughfare of Lloyd Street. Several historic buildings can be found around the town centre including the former Dimboola Court House (built in 1875), Old Shire Hall (1877), Victoria Hotel (1924) and several churches.
The Dimboola Recreation Reserve is located towards the southern end of Lloyd Street and fronts the Wimmera River. It is home to many of the town's sporting facilities including ovals, a stadium, tennis courts and the Dimboola Rowing Club. There are shelters and shady areas along the tree-lined river bank through the reserve. Apex Park, located at the junction of High Street and Lloyd Street, showcases an old steam locomotive and provides picnic and BBQ facilities.
The Wimmera River hugs the western and southern side of Dimboola, and is lined with red gums and walking tracks. Sections of the river are popular fishing and boating spots. Access the river by following Wimmera Street 500 metres south-west from the shops, where there is a bridge over the river. Less than a kilometre from the bridge, north-west along Golf Course Road, is the Dimboola Weir. A boat ramp is provided off the southern end of Lloyd Street.
Dimboola is surrounded by fields of wheat and cereal crops, as well as some sheep farms. These are industries which have been the lifeblood of the town back to the mid 1800s when the area was originally known as Nine Creeks.
Around 10 kilometres north-west of Dimboola on the Western Highway is Pink Lake. This salty expanse of wetland takes on a pink colour due to the microscopic algae found in the lake.
South-west of Dimboola is the Little Desert National Park. Follow Horseshoe Bend Road along the Wimmera River for about 6 kilometres to reach one of the eastern entrances to the park at the Horseshoe Bend camping ground. There's a network of walking tracks along the river and through the nearby woodlands.
Victoria Hotel Dimboola © 2020 Privacy policy
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32 Wimmera Street, Dimboola
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Voices of Hope, Inc.
CPRS Trainings
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Meet Aaron W. – Voices of Hope Peer Recovery Specialist
January 13, 2019 Jennifer Tuerke Leave a comment
All of our Peers have a story to share. Although most include a level of despair and struggle, each is unique in pathway of recovery and message of hope. Each story is important and hold lessons we all can learn from as individuals and systems that support change. Aaron is one of our Peer Recovery Specialist leaders. He uses his experience, strength and hope combined with training to provide recovery outreach and support to people in Cecil County, MD. Here is his personal story of change and the moments that led him to seek long term recovery.
Aaron’s active addiction led him to being homeless in Kensington, PA. While homeless, he was receiving methadone treatment for over 2 1/2 years. He had been on methadone before, it was helpful to keep his life as stable as it was. One day at the clinic, he was told that his girlfriend just overdosed and died that morning. His girlfriend was receiving methadone at the clinic, too, but had stopped about 2 weeks earlier. Soon after, she had returned to using heroin. Aaron recalls the morning that she died, “I just couldn’t feel. What I did feel was anger – anger that she died and I was still alive.” He made a decision that he must change. He went to his methadone provider and told them he wanted to come off of the medication. His counselor told him that he could be weaned off the methadone at 2 mg. increments a week. His current dose was 90 mg. – that would be 180 weeks! That was discouraging for Aaron. The counselor told him, “If you were to not show up for your dosing for 3 days, we would only be allowed to start you back at half dose – 45 mg. But I didn’t tell you that.” Aaron felt blessed to have someone who cared about what he wanted and was willing to look the other way to help him come off the medication.
In desperation, he reached out to his mother and begged her to take him in and help him detox off of the methadone. His mom lives in Rising Sun. She came to get him. He bought Xanax off of the street to help him with the withdrawal symptoms. Together, they made a plan for him to return to Pennsylvania to use his insurance to get into treatment. His mother dropped him off at a hospital in Kensington with their agreement that he would get treatment or stay in PA. “All I had was $40 and layers of all the clothes I owned on my body.” The intake nurse at the hospital told him that they could not admit him into detox for prescription drugs. The nurse told him, “If you left and came back with something else in your system, we could take you in. But I didn’t tell you that.” Here was another person going outside the lines to help him on his path to recovery. He took the last of his money and bought PCP and 2 bags of heroin. He went down an alleyway and prepared the drugs. “It was so cold, a day in January, every time I cooked the heroin up in the cooker, it froze before I got a chance to use it. I was so frustrated and desperate. I remember sitting there, taking off all my layers of clothing to get to a vein. Then I noticed a woman walking down the alley past me. She was holding hands with 2 young children. As they walked by, a girl, about 5 years old, looked at me, right into my eyes. In that moment, reflected in her eyes, I saw the piece of shit I really was. The junkie in an alleyway, an absent father to my children, half naked in the cold, the animal I truly was. It rocked my soul.”
After using once more, Aaron returned to the hospital and spent 3 days in a chair, detoxing in a large room with other people seeking treatment. Afterwards, his mother picked him back up. “I just wanted to sleep and take it easy but my mom refused. She placed a 12-step fellowship meeting list in front of me. She told me that I could stay there every day that I went to a meeting. I was willing when she put it that way.” Aaron said he was nervous to attend the meeting by himself, his anxiety was so intense. His mother agreed to go to the first meeting with him. He went to one in Elkton on Saturday night. “When I got there, a lady named Stephanie introduced herself and gave me a hug.” Remembering this, Aaron spoke with tears in his eyes, “She just hugged me. It was a real hug, one that said she understood and it was going to be all right. I have been going ever since.” Aaron recently celebrated 4 years in recovery, which means to him, not taking a drink or drug to get high or to treat the disease of addiction.
Aaron shares his feelings about working with Voices of Hope: “What I give back is so little compared to what I received. For 26 years, I lived in darkness. I prayed that Narcan would not work anymore. I don’t want anyone to feel that. People feel so alone with the fear and guilt, they feel like no one can understand.” For Aaron, his mom and Stephanie were a source of unconditional love, a beacon of hope. Now, he has become a source of hope for others. His personal experience allows him to connect with others when they are at their lowest.
Aaron has been a lead Peer Recovery Specialist on our Hope Street weekly outreach team, committed to Hollingsworth Manor, primarily. He talks with people about staying alive, accessing treatment and recovery supports. He is an advocate for many pathways of recovery, including MAT. He also performs Overdose Survivor Outreach for Voices of Hope in cooperation with the Alcohol & Drug Recovery Center at the Cecil County Health Department. He is actively involved in the recovery community in Cecil County. We are blessed to have him here.
Listen to Aaron’s interview on our YouTube Channel!
Do you need someone to talk to about you or your loved one’s addiction? Want to know the options? Call Voices of Hope at (443) 993-7055 today.
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Recovery Support in Maryland
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CWI International Executive Committee 2016
Theses on the Middle East
1) The Middle East offers a concentrated expression of all the ills of the world capitalist crisis. Sectarian violence, wars, dictatorships, mass displacements of the population and the break-up of entire states are on the agenda. Some bourgeois commentators use this as a warning against revolution; we adopt the opposite standpoint. The barbarism unleashed under multiple forms over the course of the last few years comes as a sort of counter-revolutionary blowback from the unfinished revolutions of 2011.
2) The situations in Iraq and Syria constitute at the moment the epicentre of the crisis engulfing the Middle East. The order inherited from the legacy of imperialism is exploding in the most brutal manner, under the effect of the power struggles for influence taking place between various reactionary forces and regimes.
3) However, the corrupt ruling elites and their imperialist allies are detested and distrusted even in the region’s seemingly most stable countries, as shown again recently by the mass protests which have erupted in Morocco. The subterranean anger which exists among large sections of workers, young people and the ever-compressed middle classes will inevitably boil through the surface again in the future. Organising these layers in the fight for a socialist alternative is the only possible way-out of the endless calamities that the future holds under capitalism.
4) Overall, the GDP growth rates for the Middle East and North Africa have been declining since 2011. Countries at war have seen their economic output plummet and their infrastructure devastated. Meanwhile, tourist numbers have dried up and the fall of oil prices has brought a new downward dynamic which has hit at the core of oil-exporting countries.
5) This has deprived the Gulf States’ ruling elites of a layer of fat they used to resort to, to buy social peace. The rare industrial actions in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait in recent months are signs of what could develop on a broader scale in the future.
6) There is a perceptible rise in hostility and criticism of Western imperialism’s support for the Saudi theocracy on both sides of the Atlantic. Strained relations have now developed between the US administration and the Saudi rulers.
7) Despite these tensions, US sales of weapons to Saudi Arabia and the Gulf States have continued to rise. Egypt, Iraq, Israel and Turkey have all stepped up their military capabilities. This escalating arms race is symptomatic of the climate of fiercer competition between the various powers, raising the spectre of new points of conflicts emerging.
8) Saudi-Iranian tensions in particular have increased. Both regimes are fuelling sectarian fires. The revolutionary uprisings of 2011 have revealed the profound weakness behind the fierce façade of the region’s states, and heightening sectarianism has been part of these States’ survival strategy. However, their foreign adventures will not be sustainable if the oil and gas prices remain low.
9) The war in Yemen has been an absolute fiasco for the Saudi elite, but above all, a calamity for millions of Yemenis. Millions are on the brink of starvation.
10) This conflict also exposes the gross duplicity of Western imperialist powers, who have ratcheted up their war of words against Russian bombings in Syria while covering up for the Saudi regime’s devastation of Yemen.
11) On Syria, some on the international left have wrongly adopted some variant of a “campist” attitude, either by prettifying the -mostly jihadist- armed rebels fighting Assad, or by their apologism for the latter.
12) Thanks in great part to the help of its foreign backers, above all by the Russian air force since September 2015, Assad’s regime was given a boost, and engaged in a major counter-offensive to reconquer lost territory. The fall of besieged East Aleppo would mean the end of one of the last urban strongholds of the opposition. The military balance could switch again if the outside Sunni powers decide to further grease the wheels of Assad’s enemies. Yet Assad is not going to be overthrown at this stage and has been strengthened.
13) Any truce that allows some respite to the besieged and bombarded populations can only be welcome. But any ceasefire will remain precarious at best.
14) While displeased with a settlement that would leave Assad in power, the US administration has come to terms with such a possibility. Although a race for influence is taking place between US and Russian imperialisms over the future of Syria, a full-scale military intervention for “regime change” has never been considered as a serious option by the US’ most influential strategists. The proposals for a no-fly zone, which would bring the Western powers into direct war with Russia, are idle threats. Even Hillary Clinton admitted this.
15) There is now widespread recognition among the ruling class that the military intervention in Libya was an utter disaster. The country has become a playground for militias, warlords and tribal infighting, with at least three competing governments claiming power and control over key institutions. In the eastern side of the country, we predicted last year the possibility of some form of military rule emerging, capitalising on the deteriorating security situation and on the people’s fatigue of the violence of extremist militias. In effect, this has already partially happened, with the Libyan Army Chief of Staff appointed military governor of the eastern region in June, and the removal of many local municipal councils to be replaced by military-appointed governors.
16) As a result of the deal struck between Turkey and the EU to prevent refugees coming to Europe, Libya has become again the main gateway for refugees attempting to make such a journey. But it is wishful thinking on the part of the US and European ruling classes that a stable Libyan government and cohesive state machine can be established.
17) Over 15 million people have been displaced by recent wars in the Middle East. The vast majority of these refugees have fled to neighbouring countries, such as Lebanon, Jordan, Turkey and Tunisia which has contributed to push down wages and conditions.
18) For the last two years especially, ISIS’s juggernaut and the issue of right-wing Islamist terror has reoccupied centre-stage. From a strictly military point of view, the campaign against ISIS has garnered some success. Growing strife is perceptible within ISIS ranks as a result of the military pressure it has been under, coupled with the alienation it has created among the residents of its so-called caliphate as a result of its sickening violence.
19) Composed largely of de-classed elements and able to win some tribal and religious support for a period, ISIS was also seen by sections of the Sunni population as a shield against sectarian attacks. But as we envisaged it was not able to consolidate its power in strong urban centres.
20) But all experiences indicate that the social forces and political motives behind the jihadist groups existence will not simply disappear by the persuasion of imperialist bombs. As long as the conditions of life generated by capitalism and imperialism are not radically challenged, such reactionary groups will remain a feature across the Middle East and globally. New similar outfits can bubble up, and the geographical displacement of jihadists to establish new bases of operations elsewhere will also continue, along with the likelihood of new terrorist attacks – towards which ISIS might shift more prominently.
21) In Iraq, the so-called “Popular Mobilisation Forces”, Iran-backed Shia militias with a record of abusing and killing Sunni civilians, have been promoted as a battering ram in many of the battles against ISIS, to make up for a wrecked and corrupt Iraqi army. The battle for the recapture of the predominantly Sunni urban centre of Mosul, the country’s second largest city, is setting the stage for a humanitarian catastrophe on a large scale.
22) The Turkish army has built military pressure to move into the Mosul battle from the North, by portraying itself as the defender of persecuted Sunni Muslims. Behind this is also the project to erect a military outpost against PKK bases in Iraqi Kurdistan. This might well bring the Turkish regime into conflict with Shia forces in Iraq and with the Iraqi military and heightening the risk of sectarian confrontations.
23) Talks of Iraq or of Syria’s “sovereignty” and “territorial integrity” sound increasingly like hollow rhetoric. In practice both States are increasingly punctured and fractured into sectarian mini-states. A return into the pre-war border arrangement is extremely unlikely.
24) This process will not be straight-forward nor linear for that matter. The reactionary centrifugal forces that are pulling these countries apart can be tempered by the desire for unity that still pervades among a layer of workers and poor. The process of sectarian disintegration has taken an advanced stage, but the potential for a united struggle from below cutting across the unfolding sectarian nightmare has been expressed many times.
25) Last May, thousands of protesters, mostly poor Shias influenced by Moqtada al –Sadhr, breached the US-installed fortified “Green Zone” at the heart of Baghdad and stormed the Iraqi parliament in what the New York Times reported as “scenes that hinted at revolution.” This example highlights that the emergence of struggles and the rebuilding of the left in the Middle East will not adopt from the start a “pure”, socialist form, and might in some cases take a religious colouration.
26) Rebuilding Marxist forces will depend on the capacity to engage with the progressive features of such movements and to provide a program that can build unity among all workers and the oppressed. Such unity can only be achieved by defending resolutely the rights of all minorities and oppressed groups, including their right to self-determination.
27) In Iraq’s northern region, the war seems to have crystallised Kurdish nationalist aspirations. At the same time, as a major financial crisis unfolds in that region, President Barzani’s clan has been agitating the national question as an outlet for the growing workers’ dissatisfaction. Public sector employees in particular have led a series of protests against cuts in salaries imposed by the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG). The economic disaster unfolding in the KRG, provides another example of why genuine self-determination cannot be achieved under capitalism.
28) This should serve as a warning for what is unfolding in Rojava, the arguably self-administered enclaves in Syrian Kurdistan. The attempt to build an alternative society in Rojava has attracted sympathy, especially among the Kurds whose basic democratic rights have been denied for decades, and women in Rojava have acquired a better status than in the rest of the region. However, the Social Contract of Rojava secures the right to enjoy private property, a provision that safeguards the privileges of landowners, and the PYD leaders’ collaboration with imperialist powers has proved a self-defeating strategy. The CWI’s critical approach, based on developing genuinely democratic grassroots structures, and on an independent policy from imperialism that can secure the support of workers internationally, retains its full pertinence.
29) In August, the Turkish army initiated a first direct military incursion into Syria. Its primary aim was to prevent the Syrian Kurds from moving westwards across the Euphrates river. Erdogan’s goal of curbing Kurdish influence in northern Syria has now taken precedence over his aim of toppling Assad, whose air force also bombed Kurdish positions in the north during the summer.
30) A shift in Turkey’s foreign policy is indicated by the warming up of relations between Putin and Erdogan. It is also indicated by the reinforcement of ties between Turkey and Iran. Although the two countries are on opposite sides of the Syrian war, neither of them is happy with the territorial gains made by the Kurds in Syria and the effects it can have on their own Kurdish populations.
31) This does not mean that such shifts in diplomatic alliances are established on firm ground, nor that Turkey will stop fuelling Sunni fighters in the Syrian war. Relations between the various regional powers are characterised by a high degree of volatility, and new shifts and turns are very likely.
32) One of the reasons behind this is the fact that the weakening of US imperialism has prevented it from playing the role of “gendarme of the region”, despite remaining the dominant power on the planet. This has given more leeway to regional powers to express more openly and more independently their own interests and agendas. The reassertion of Russian influence in Syria also fits into this tendency.
33) The wait-and-see attitude of most Western leaders during the unfolding of the attempted military coup in Turkey showed that their relations with Erdogan’s regime, which they used to praise in the past, have grown increasingly sour. Yet the lack, for now, of a viable alternative makes him a necessary evil that Western imperialist capitals have to accommodate.
34) The failed coup of July 15 against Erdogan’s rule allowed him to carry out a coup in its own right, with mass purges at all levels of the state machine, and to provisionally re-assert the AKP’s remaining social base. More than a political countercoup, it was also an economic one: a large amount of businesses and companies in various sectors suspected to be under the Gulenists’ influence have been seized by the government, to be sold off to people close to the ruling party.
35) The left-leaning People’s Democratic Party (HDP) had emerged strengthened in last year’s June elections by winning six million votes, including among a layer of the Turkish electorate, illustrating the potential to build a political voice for the workers, the marginalised Kurds and all the oppressed. Yet the nationalist drumbeat whipped by the regime in its renewed war against the Kurdish population in the South East has pushed back the party’s support among non-Kurdish voters. This has unfortunately been made easier by individual attacks of terrorism carried out by some factions of the Kurdish movement.
36) The immediate aftermath of the coup might have benefited Erdogan’s regime, but all the underlying problems it was facing before have not gone away. The regime will not be able to maintain a military presence in Syria, Northern Iraq and in the South East of Turkey with a weakened army without eventually provoking some serious blowback, possibly even a new coup. Furthermore, the Turkish economy has entered into more troubled territory.
37) Among the wider population fear predominates for now, as a result of the hardened state repression and insecurity. But a latent anger exists among important sections of workers and youth. The harnessing of this anger into the building of a united workers’ movement, that includes fighting for the self-determination of the Kurds, is the only strategy that prevent Turkey plunging into further chaos.
38) Many countries of the region still possess important and combative working classes, and these countries will be key to shape the future of the region. Braving a forceful repression, various sectors of workers in Iran have regularly staged protests. September and October also saw a wave of student protests against poor conditions at universities. The youthful population of Iran is thirsty for social change, against the background of divisions in the regime in the run up to the elections in 2017. The masses are also testing out through experience the illusions which exist in the so-called reformist wing of the Mullahs.
39) When it comes to the assertiveness of the labour movement, the case of Tunisia, which its rich traditions of trade union struggles, cannot be overlooked. Tunisia has continued to be praised by bourgeois commentators as the only success of the “Arab Spring”. But this is not the perception on the ground. Imposing neo-liberal reforms in a country which has undergone a revolution is like riding a raging bull. In August, the seventh government in five years has taken office. The austerity measures contained in the 2017 budget are leading the government and the UGTT on an outright collision course, despite the repeated attempts of the union bureaucracy to refrain from undertaking serious industrial action.
40) Egypt is on the brink of an economic storm. The 12 billion US-dollar loan deal concluded in August with the IMF is one of the biggest loans in the organisation’s history, and is conditioned to drastic austerity – involving subsidy cuts and further devaluation of the Egyptian pound, while inflation is already at its highest level it has been at for seven years. Already this year there have been over five hundred workers’ protests. Albeit still limited, a layer of the population is breaking the wall of fear and taking the road of collective action again. The new economic measures pushed by al Sisi’s regime will also affect harshly the middle classes, who provide the government’s bedrock of support.
41) The plunge in oil prices has also made it difficult for the Gulf countries to continue to keep their financial support for Egypt afloat. Moreover, the Saudi regime has frozen some investment projects in Egypt, and the Saudi oil company has suspended its oil shipments to the country due to each backing opposing sides in Syria. This also shows that lines of tensions between regional forces will not automatically take “neat”, sectarian lines.
42) Meanwhile in July a delegation went from Saudi Arabia to Israel with a reported sub-text being a mutual interest in countering Iran. Israel’s Netanyahu-led government has been collaborating closely with al Sisi in Egypt.
43) The blockade on the Gaza has been tightened by Israeli and Egyptian regimes, while residents have continued to endure the vast destruction left from the 2014 war. Regular protests by Palestinian youths on the border with Israel have been met with lethal IDF fire. Across the occupied territories the Israeli regime’s economic stranglehold continues to cause mass impoverishment accompanied by brutal repression and colonial Jewish settlement. Dozens of Palestinian protesters have been killed since the eruption of a wave of clashes in October 2015. With the lack of any way forward from the main Palestinian political parties – both in crisis – and little foreseeable prospect of any significant concessions by the Israeli regime, the situation has created an impasse. A manifestation of this has been the months-long outbreak of periodic individual attacks in East Jerusalem and beyond. The grim scenario of new rounds of bloodshed remains – including further war on Gaza – until these cycles can be broken by the building of mass movements to challenge the present regimes. The impressive mobilizations around the mass Palestinian teachers’ strike and social security protests in the West Bank earlier this year have indicated the potential for workers’ and youth to build independent struggles
44) Only small majorities on each side of the national divide now support a two-state solution, with most questioning if it is realisable while far fewer see a one-state solution as possible. This increasingly bears out the CWI’s argument that capitalism is incapable of solving the national question in the Middle East. Only through a socialist transformation can the Palestinians’ basic rights and aspirations be met, and likewise those of Israeli Jews.
45) Netanyahu’s right wing government has had a certain lease of life due to the counter-revolution across the region, the present weakness of left forces and also Israel’s limited economic growth. Fundamentally it remains a very weak and precarious coalition government. Its handling of the national conflict is under attack from numerous representatives of the ruling class, from army generals to politicians.
46) While widespread national chauvinism is a marked feature of the present period in Israel, at the same time anger and opposition from working class and middle class Israelis against so-called “piggish capitalism” remains significant, some layers are expressing opposition to nationalist religious-based reaction and protest is starting to re-emerge against the occupation.
47) Underreported by mainstream media, localised struggles of workers, the poor and young people are breaking out regularly across the Middle East and North Africa. Menacing trends of barbaric reaction are hanging over the region. But the objective conditions that pushed millions to rise up against tyranny and exploitation five years ago have also grown more acute than ever, preparing the ground for mass social upheavals in the future, and for new opportunities to build the forces of revolutionary Marxism in the coming period. What we are witnessing is only one phase of a protracted process of revolution and counter-revolution, whose future is yet to be written and to be prepared for by strengthening the sections of the CWI in that crucial region.
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Determine if the area is large enough to land a helicopter safely. The touchdown area should be 100 X 100 feet during the day and 100 X 100 feet at night.
The landing site should be clear of people, vehicles, obstructions such as trees, poles and wires. Keep in mind that wires cannot be seen from the air. The landing site must be free of stumps, brush, posts and large rocks. Generally speaking, recently plowed fields should not be a first choice as the stretcher wheels will bog down into the soft soil and require more personnel to move and load into the aircraft.
Consider wind direction as helicopters land and take off into the wind. The approach and departure path should be clear of obstructions, including ground personnel and apparatus. If there are obstructions in and around the landing zone, advise the crew on the radio when the LZ report is given.
Mark the four corners of the landing zone. Road flares are an intense source of ignition and must be closely managed. Other light sources are preferred if available. At night, assure that spotlights, floodlights, and hand lights used to define the area are not pointed toward the helicopter. Turn off non-essential lights. White light ruins the pilot's night vision and temporarily blinds him. Red lights are very helpful in finding accident locations and do not affect the pilot's night vision.
Keep spectators at least 200 feet from the touchdown area and keep emergency service personnel at least 100 feet away. Have fire equipment standing by. Assure that everyone who will be working near the helicopter wears eye protection. If helmets are worn, chin straps must be securely fastened. Have firefighters wet down the touchdown area if it is extremely dusty, as well as any dry areas where road flares are going to be utilized to mark the landing zone.
The Flight Crew will contact the LZ Controller within 5 to 10 minutes prior to their arrival and request LZ information. The LZ controller should be standing by on a mobile radio to give the LZ report.
As the aircraft approaches, the LZ Controller should be ready to direct the aircraft if requested or the aircraft appears as it's headed somewhere other than the LZ. Simple directions should be use, for example:
"Turn right." Then as the nose of the aircraft starts to line up with your location...
"Stop." Remember the turn will not stop suddenly. Repeat the process LEFT and RIGHT until the aircraft is aligned with the LZ area.
Once the helicopter has landed, do not approach the helicopter. The flight crew will signal you when it is safe to do so.
The LZ controller should have one crew member staged off the nose of the aircraft who will serve as the initial point of contact for the flight crew. This crew member should have a portable radio to enable him/her to talk directly to the LZ controller, should additional resources be requested by the flight crew, and be prepared to assist the flight crew by providing security for the helicopter. If asked to provide security, do not allow anyone but the flight crew to approach the helicopter.
Once the patient is packaged and ready to load, allow the crew to select two or three personnel to assist loading. When approaching or departing the helicopter, always be aware of the tail rotor and always follow the flight crew's direction for your safety.
When working around helicopters, never approach from the rear. Always approach and depart the aircraft towards the front so you can see the pilot and he can see you. When approaching the helicopter, remember to keep low to avoid the main rotor because winds can cause the rotor to flex down.
If the helicopter is landed on a slope, approach and depart from the down-slope side only.
When the helicopter is loaded and ready for takeoff, keep the departure path free of vehicles and spectators. If an emergency were to occur, we would need this area to execute a landing.
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Volume s1-10, Issue 5, 1930
The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene - Volume s1-10, Issue 5, 1930
The Identity of Yellow Fever Lesions in Africa and America 1
Oskar Klotz and T. H. Belt
https://doi.org/10.4269/ajtmh.1930.s1-10.299
There has been much discussion concerning the origin of yellow fever. Some would have it that the disease originated in Africa and was brought to America in the early days of the slave traffic; others have maintained that it existed in America prior to the advent of Columbus, and that with the coming of the European it was carried back and forth between America and the Eastern Hemisphere. At one time there was some doubt as to the identity of American and West African yellow fever; and this doubt was enhanced by the successful cultivation of the Leptospira icteroides by Noguchi from a number of American yellow fever cases, while from West African cases no such organisms could be recovered. In 1926 the Yellow Fever Commission of the Rockefeller Foundation reported completely negative results in bacteriological and serological studies made to determine the relationship of Leptospira to yellow fever cases of West Africa; and at the same time it was intimated that the pathology of the disease in Africa was the same as that found in the American cases.
Yellow Fever Endemicity in West Africa, with Special Reference to Protection Tests
Henry Beeuwkes, J. H. Bauer and A. F. Mahaffy
Summary and Discussion
The results of all tests described above are summarized in table 5. It will be noted that among 125 sera, collected at random from persons living in Ibadan and Ilorin, in the region considered endemic, thirty-eight, or 30.4 per cent, protected duplicate animals. In Ife, in the same area, but where an epidemic of yellow fever had recently occurred, the percentage of protection was even higher, as seventeen among twenty-five specimens tested, or 68 per cent, protected two animals. The results of similar tests carried out with sera from persons resident in Northern Nigeria stand out in sharp contrast, for among ninety specimens tested only one was found to be positive.
Twenty-four per cent of the sera of children between the ages of 4 and 5 years, taken at random in Ibadan, and a similar percentage of sera taken from children between the ages of 4 and 7 years at llorin protected duplicate animals against yellow fever virus. It appears, therefore, that at least one of every four young children in these cities has had an attack of yellow fever. Although, as will be explained below, the actual number of children who have had yellow fever is probably greater than these figures suggest, the results afford strong evidence of the existence of endemicity in Southwestern Nigeria.
It should be noted here that an effort is being made to correlate the evidence for endemicity, afforded through these tests, with the identification of actual cases of yellow fever among the native population. Children in government and mission schools have been kept under fairly close observation, febrile conditions among children and adults have been carefully investigated, and large numbers of natives have been questioned as to past illnesses. As mentioned above, an extensive epidemic was observed in Ife and strains of virus were isolated from two patients. The presence of infection was also demonstrated by the mosquito catch in that town. In Ibadan and Oshogbo in 1925 and 1926 several cases were observed among Europeans and one case was seen in a native. On the other hand, it is not yet possible to identify clinically the mild cases which are presumably occurring constantly and in considerable numbers among the natives. This study is complicated by the fact that the African, being suspicious and preferring native medicine to that of the white physician, has a tendency to hide his sick. Furthermore, almost 100 per cent of children harbor malaria parasites and over 50 per cent of those in Ibadan are infected with schistosomiasis. Under the circumstances, it is difficult to eliminate malaria in febrile cases, and albuminuria loses its significance when the patient is the victim of schistosomiasis.
Histories of earlier attacks of jaundice with suggestive symptomatology were obtained from a number of persons, but the percentage of these whose sera afforded protection was not materially higher than that found in persons of the same age groups taken at random. As recently reported, (4), a disease associated with jaundice and superficially resembling yellow fever is widespread in West Africa and adds greatly to the difficulty of diagnosis in individual cases and evaluation of histories of past illnesses.
During the extensive epidemics studied on the Gold Coast, a few babes-in-arms with scleral icterus were observed, but no child under 5 years of age presented a clinical picture justifying the diagnosis of yellow fever. It is accordingly believed that the manifestations of this disease in native children, especially in endemic areas, are rarely sufficiently marked to permit of clinical diagnosis even under the most favorable conditions.
As previously mentioned, duplicate monkeys were used in testing each specimen, and in the interpretation of the results sera were considered as positive only when both animals survived and negative when either or both died. In analyzing the findings, however, it will be noted that the percentage of cases in which only one animal died while the other survived is very much higher with specimens from Ibadan and Ilorin than with those secured from cities and towns in the north: 27 in 125 as compared with 6 in 90.
The fact that rhesus monkeys are not equally susceptible and that a certain number are entirely refractory even to the highly virulent strain of virus used in these tests affords an explanation for the survival of some animals even when the sera contained no protective bodies, and where the duplicate animals died. However, as all sera in both series mentioned were tested against approximately the same amount of virus, and under similar conditions, we fell certain that the large number of sera from the south coming within this category cannot be explained on the basis of relative resistance of the Macacus rhesus alone.
It is impossible to estimate with absolute accuracy the percentage of monkeys which is totally refractory or only moderately susceptible to a particular sample of yellow fever virus. But if, for purposes of comparison, the tests with the sera from Bauchi, Zaria, and Kano are taken as controls for the experiments carried out with specimens from other localities, and we accept one as protecting and the remainder as definitely negative, it appears that of the total of 178 monkeys with which the remaining eighty-nine sera were tested, only six, or slightly over 3 per cent, survived, and of these, five had definite febrile attacks from which they recovered.
It is probable that some variation in susceptibility occurs with different lots of animals and at different times; but, making allowance for such variations, we fell confident that not more than 6 per cent of normal rhesus monkeys survive the injection of 0.1 cc. of virulent blood taken at the onset of fever from an animal infected with the Asibi strain, and this is in accord with the results obtained in a large number of uncomplicated experiments in which animals were injected with this dose of virus.
Among a total of 125 sera from persons in Ibadan and Ilorin, 38 specimens protected both animals. The remaining 87 sera were tested with 174 monkeys, and of these, 27, or 15 per cent, survived. If 10, or roughly 6 per cent, are admitted to have been refractory, there still remains a balance of 17 animals representing an equal number of sera to be considered and, though it could not be demonstrated experimentally, it is believed that some of these sera contained protective elements which, for reasons not clearly understood, afforded a partial or complete protection in one animal and failed completely in the other. Definite evidence that this does occur is shown by the fact that the serum of J., an African who had a moderately severe attack of yellow fever in 1928 and from whom a strain of virus was secured, has repeatedly protected monkeys in 1 and 2 cc. amounts against large doses of virus. On one occasion, however, when this serum was tested in 2 cc. amounts in duplicate monkeys against a uniform dose of virus, one of the test animals was fully protected, while the other died of yellow fever. It seems likely, therefore, that the percentage of persons in the Ibadan-Ilorin area who have had an attack of yellow fever is higher than is indicated in the figures.
It should also be remembered that the amount of virus contained in the routine test dose of 0.1 cc. is very much greater than we originally supposed. Titrations have recently been carried out with the blood of numerous monkeys infected with three different strains of yellow fever virus and using a 10 to 25 per cent solution of normal rhesus serum as a diluent. In these experiments it was found that amounts of between 0.0000001 and 0.000000001 cc. of blood have frequently proved fatal. The amount of blood used in these protection tests, therefore, may safely be considered as representing approximately 1,000,000 lethal doses.
The amount of immune serum used in a protection test with yellow fever virus appears to be an important factor, as the potency of the serum can be measured quantitatively. In several experiments serum from persons who had recovered from yellow fever was tested in decreasing amounts against a uniform dose of virus. The results were always clear-cut and indicated that while large doses showed full protection small amounts gave negative results. Further experiments are being made to determine the optimum dosage of serum and virus in protection tests, and it is believed that when the test has been refined we may be able to detect the presence of protective bodies in the sera of a greater number of persons who have had yellow fever than is possible with present methods.
The results of tests carried out in Kano and Sierra Leone indicate that a certain number of cases of yellow fever have occurred in these cities during recent years. As the former is an important commercial town and the terminus of the railroad passing through the endemic area, and as Freetown is in close communication with places where large epidemics have occurred within the last few years, conditions have obviously been favorable for the frequent introduction of infection, and some secondary cases have apparently developed. The contrast, however, between the recent and past history of the disease in Freetown affords a striking demonstration of the value of piped water-supply and other sanitary measures in the control of yellow fever, and is a tribute to the energy and efficiency of the British West African Medical Service.
Pellagra
Alfred C. Reed
It is my purpose to record four cases of pellagra in San Francisco. (Three of the case reports were prepared by Dr. W. P. Goddard and one by Dr. H. H. Anderson, house officers in Mary's Help Hospital.) California is in the area of sporadic occurrence but many cases in this state are imported. The four cases reported here all developed in San Francisco.
Hein and Merrill (California and Western Medicine, May, 1919) give the following table showing the incidence of pellagra in the San Francisco County Hospital and in California as a whole from 1918 through 1927. Recurrences are excluded.
Hein and Merrill from 1924 to the spring of 1928 saw 29 cases of pellagra in the medical service of the University of California, covering one-half of the San Francisco County Hospital. They call attention to an increasing case incidence a definite predisposing influence of alcohol and gastro-intestinal disease, a predominant spring onset, and a majority of the Irish race.
The Production of a Typical Calabar Swelling in a Loa Patient by Injection of a Dirofilaria Antigen, and Some Comments on the Nature of Calabar Swellings 1
Asa C. Chandler, Gibbs Milliken and Victor T. Schuhardt
Although it is now almost universally accepted that Calabar swellings are in some way connected with infections with the filarial worm, Loa loa, the method by which the swellings are produced is still a matter of speculation. The idea has been advanced that the swellings may be caused by direct irritation of the subcutaneous tissues by the migrating worms; the rare occurrence of moving swellings gives some support to this view, but as a rule no swellings occur in places where the movements of the worm can be plainly seen. Another idea, suggested by Manson, is that the swellings result from the periodic deposition of embryos in the subcutaneous tissue by the adult females. In one instance he found large numbers of microfilariae in a Calabar swelling, but in another case he failed to find any. Furthermore, the swellings may occur within a few months after arrival in an endemic area before any microfilariae can be found and before it is likely that the worms have been able to become mature.
The Problem of Eradication of Strongylodies Intestinalis
A. L. Levin
Of all the intestinal parasites which have so far successfully eluded human efforts towards their eradication, Strongyloides intestinalis rightfully deserves special mention. It seems as if Mother Nature has invested this parasite with a cloak of manifold mysteries which parasitologists, the world over, have failed so far to penetrate.
The question of how to eradicate Strongyloides intestinalis attracted my attention during the World War in 1918, when I had the opportunity of treating several thousand cases of hookworm disease. At that time, a number of cases of infection with Strongyloides intestinalis came under my observation. My strong desire to find a specific killer for Miss Hookworm's closest relative was further intensified when, on my return home, I was charged with the duty of curing a chronic invalid who had been operated four times.
A brief outline of that interesting case is as follows:
Hookworm Infestation in an Indian (Guaimi) and Non-Indian Population of Panama 1
Louis Schapiro
In the course of the routine hookworm campaign in the district of San Lorenzo, Republic of Panama, advantage was taken of the opportunity to make a quantitative study to show the degree of infestation in a group of Guaimi Indians. This report is based upon these examinations compared with those of the non-Indian (mestizo and white) population of the same district.
The non-Indians inhabit the low lands close to the sea and its estuaries; while the Indians occupy the foothill or sierra country. The former have a definite community life in towns or villages and the latter live as isolated family groups, with the dwellings at some distance from each other. The customs and habits that influence helminth infestation, are decidedly different in one respect for the two races: the Indians, owing to religious belief, defecate only in running water; while the others pollute the soil everywhere.
Tropical Medicine in the United States
Chas. F. Craig
In his preface to this very useful manual upon tropical diseases as observed in the United States, the author states: “In the present volume, one object only is in view: to present a serviceable guide to the physician in the United States in his contacts with tropical medicine” and, in reviewing this work, it is necessary to keep this object in mind. One should not look here for exhaustive, documented descriptions of the various diseases usually included in a work upon tropical medicine, but instead should expect concise descriptions of the essential facts which all well informed physicians should know regarding the etiology, epidemiology, pathology, symptoms, prophylaxis and treatment of these diseases. It may be stated that the author has produced a very excellent work along these lines and one that should prove very useful to the physicians of this country.
Quinta Reunion de la Sociedad Argentina de Patologia regional del Norte. (Fifth meeting of the Argentine Society of regional pathology of the North.) First Volume, Buenos Aires, 1930
Edward B. Vedder
https://doi.org/10.4269/ajtmh.1930.s1-10.5.TMs1-100050375a
This volume of 706 pages contains sixty-eight papers on a great variety of subjects.
Part I, General Pathology and Experimental Medicine, pages 1 to 71, among others contains several articles on climatic bubo, and an article on the anemias in sprue by Colonel Ashford of Porto Rico.
Part II, Mycology and Bacteriology, pages 72 to 403, contains many interesting contributions to blastomycosis, mycetoma, piedra and other mycotic conditions of especial value to students of tropical diseases.
Part III, Dermatology and Syphilis, contains twelve papers dealing with the various phases of leprosy, including Argentine experience with chaulmoogra derivatives and potassium iodide, a description of a case of ainhum, and several papers on cutaneous leishmaniasis.
The papers are all splendidly illustrated. Unfortunately the volume has no index, and much excellent work will therefore remain buried for most foreign readers. Succeeding volumes should be provided with an index.
The Epidemiology and Control of Malaria in Palestine
To all who are interested in the control of malaria this record of the epidemiology and control of these fevers in Palestine will prove of great interest. While the work treats of the difficulties encountered in the control of malaria in Palestine, it will be of interest to all workers in malariology as similar difficulties are encountered by malariologists in many other localities, and the methods of prophylaxis adopted, with success, by the author, will be found equally effective in many other regions.
The author's results with the mass treatment of malaria by quinine under the supervision of native orderlies is significant, for the found that such treatment was ineffective and only became effective when the quinine was administered under the personal supervision of a physician. When thus administered, mass treatment brought about a decided reduction in the carrier rate.
Merck's Index . (Fourth Edition.) An Encyclopedia for the Chemist, Pharmacist and Physician
This, the fourth edition of the well-known Merck's Index, is the first that has appeared in English since 1907, although editions appeared in French in 1914, 1927 and 1929. This long interval since the appearance of an English edition has enabled the authors to thoroughly revise and enlarge the work and it now contains practically a complete list of all drugs and chemicals used in the chemical, pharmaceutical, medical and allied professions. Each drug, or chemical, is briefly described as regards its nature, uses and reactions, and, if used in medicine, its dosage and the conditions in which it has been found beneficial, as well as its incompatibilities. There is a useful Appendix containing tables of atomic weights, reactions of the more important alkaloids and glucosides, characteristic reactions of acids, bases, metals and salts, metric equivalents, thermometric equivalents, percentage solution tables, both apothecary and metric, and a list of abbreviations.
http://instance.metastore.ingenta.com/content/journals/14761645/s1-10/5
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