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__label__cc	0.640536	0.359464	Diagnostic Fiberoptic Bronchoscopy and Protected Brush Culture: DISCUSSION In this prospective study, we tried to evaluate the usefulness of diagnostic FOB in patients with CAP A significant decline in arterial oxygen pressure (Pa02) is common following FOB, with a subsequent risk of cardiac arrhythmia in particular. This could be especially hazardous in patients with pneumonia, in whom fever, tachycardia, and an already lowered Pa02 are common. However, by adding supplemental oxygen to patients at risk, no cardiac complications were seen in any of our patients, nor were there any other complications, which supports the safety of the bronchoscopic procedure reported earlier. Injection of lidocaine through the inner channel of the bronchoscope has been claimed to introduce a larger amount of bacterial contaminants into the lower airways than if the anesthesia is performed by nebu- lization. However, Winterbauer et al found injection of lidocaine to be a minor problem if the volume was small (<=3 ml) and if there was no suction through the side channel until the PB culture was obtained. A transnasal approach has been advocated to minimize the risk of contamination. Although topical anesthesia with lidocaine jelly, 10 mg/ml, was administered, we found it difficult in several patients to pass the inflamed mucous membranes of the nasal cavity without causing pain and sometimes a slight nose bleed. However, no contaminating bacteria were found in any of the PB cultures despite that bronchoscopy was performed transorally, that local anesthetic was injected through the side channel, and in addition, that four patients, by sputum and throat cultures, were found colonized with Gram negative enteric bacteria or Candida at the time of bronchoscopy. We tried to minimize the amount of lidocaine, and we did not aspirate through the side channel before the PB culture was performed. However, the most important factor for avoiding contamination was probably the quantitative culture with a detection level of KPml. An etiologic diagnosis by noninvasive techniques was obtained in only 13 of the 24 (54 percent) patients, a figure similar to those in earlier studies of CAP. Results from bronchoscopy verified the diagnosis in seven of these, added a pathogen in one patient with a mixed infection, and revealed the diagnosis in a further six patients. Altogether, an etiologic diagnosis was obtained in 79 percent (19 of 24) of the patients undergoing bronchoscopy. viagra plus In accordance with earlier data, the diagnostic sensitivity of the PB culture was high (four of five) in patients who had not received antibiotics before the bronchoscopy was performed. In the fifth patient (No. 21), growth of S pneumoniae was detected in aspirated bronchial secretion only. Contamination of the bronchoscope tip, or a low-grade colonization with pneu- mococci could explain this finding, but since the clinical picture was in accordance with a pneumococcal pneumonia, the result of the PB examination was considered as possibly false negative. One patient who was found to have a bronchial tumor, had negative cultures. In contrast, the PB culture was positive in only two of the 17 patients undergoing bronchoscopy because of therapy failure (PB culture not performed in one patient). This figure agrees with earlier studies on patients with CAP However, when taking into account the fact that pneumococcal antigen could be demonstrated from the PB in one further patient and that positive findings were made from aspirated bronchial secretion in five patients (Legionella, 2, M pneumoniaey 1, M tuberculosis, 1, and S pneumoniae, 1, the diagnostic sensitivity with FOB after initiation of antibiotic therapy was as high as 41 percent (seven of 18; one patient had a mixed infection). Category: Disease Tags: Brush Culture, Fiberoptic Bronchoscopy, Pneumonia	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0030.json.gz/line780
__label__cc	0.702233	0.297767	The little program that foreshadowed the Web by david on 12 August 2012 Bill Atkinson Bill Atkinson talks about HyperCard A photo of Steve Jobs and Bill Atkinson from 1983 Bill Atkinson demonstrates his PhotoCard app The appreciative crowd at the Hillside Club On 10 August 1987—twenty-five years ago yesterday—Apple Computer unveiled a revolutionary new program called HyperCard. Tonight the Hillside Club in Berkeley hosted a 25th anniversary celebration of HyperCard, with BMUG co-founder Raines Cohen interviewing Bill Atkinson with a large crowd of grizzled computer geeks in attendance. Soon after HyperCard’s Boston debut, developer Bill Atkinson demonstrated his new program to the Berkeley Macintosh User’s Group. At its peak, BMUG was the largest user group in the country with over 13,000 members, and gave away book-sized “newsletters” each year stuffed with free software. I was in the BMUG audience that night, inside the Physical Sciences Lecture Hall (now Pimentel Hall) on the UC Berkeley campus—the same cavernous room where I had taken chemistry from Dr George Pimentel a decade before. The image that sticks in my head was Bill displaying a picture of a fish and clicking on the fish’s eye, which immediately jumped to other eyes on other pictures. Atkinson was already famous among Macintosh afficionados, as he had written both QuickDraw and MacPaint for the original Apple Macintosh in 1983. One might say that HyperCard version zero of the World Wide Web: a program whose raison d’etre was creating links between various elements in a database. Tim Berners-Lee drew upon this concept when he invented HTTP, and computing has never looked back. My personal favorite stepchild of HyperCard was the game Myst. I’m not a gamer, but I was captivated by the evocative landscapes, steampunk and spaceships, all with a fantastic soundtrack. Atkinson’s own favorite stepchild was his iOS app PhotoCard, an attempt to save the postcard from extinction by offering a postcard delivery service. Bill is a talented nature photographer and edits many of PhotoCard’s images himself. Previous post: And the winner of the gold medal is: Curiosity! Next post: Where the Girls Aren’t	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0030.json.gz/line783
__label__wiki	0.86624	0.86624	TheArmchairExplorer - South Carolina Federal Sites National Rivers Wildlife Refuges BLM Sites NOAA Sites National Scenic Byways National Forest Byways Native American Byways BLM Byways State Byways Northeast States Mid-Atlantic States Gulf Coast States Midwest States Great Plains States The Cenozoic Era The Neogene Period The Paleogene Period The Mesozoic Era The Cretaceous Period The Jurassic Period The Triassic Period The Paleozoic Era Permian-Triassic Extinction Event The Permian Period The Carboniferous Period The Devonian Period The Silurian Period The Ordovician Period The Cambrian Period The Proterozoic Eon Pannotia The Archean Eon Kenorland Vaalbara The Hadean Eon Charles Pinckney National Historic Site The Charles Pinckney Home The Charles Pinckney National Historic Site is a 28.45-acre property that encloses part of Snee Farm, a country retreat and plantation founded in 1754 by a man who was later one of the authors and signers of the United States Constitution. Pinckney was a member of a prominent South Carolina political family. He fought in the Revolutionary War, then served as Governor of South Carolina. He later served in the United States Senate and in the House of Representatives. President Thomas Jefferson appointed him to be Ambassador to Spain as a reward for helping Jefferson to be elected President. The site today is a mix of wooded and swampy areas on the eastern and western sides of the property with a manicured grassy area around the main house. Snee Farm passed from Charles Pinckney to his son, also Charles Pinckney, in 1782. The younger Charles also used the farm as a retreat and plantation until he put it into a trust in 1816. The main house we see today wasn't erected until the 1820's, well after it had passed out of the family estate. The Snee Farm estate remained largely intact until development pressures in the 20th century caused its breakup. Today's National Historic Site is a parcel that was purchased by private preservationists in 1988. They turned around and sold it almost immediately to the National Park Service. The site was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1973 and became a National Historic Site in 1988. Charles Pinckney National Historic Site is open daily from 9 am to 5 pm, except for Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Days. The park is day-use only with no fees. The park offers a picnic area but no charcoal grills or cook fires are allowed. Marker #1: Historic Road Trace:A red-cedar-lined route that formerly connected Snee Farm with the public road to the north. Beyond park property the route today crosses through the Snee Farm subdivision to US Highway 17. Marker #2: The Slave Community: Archaeological findings in the area indicate there was once a one-room, 16' by 20' house here where one family of African-American slaves lived. Property records say a father and mother with one daughter and five sons lived in the house. Evidence was also found indicating the presence of two other buildings nearby, both pole-barn constructions. Marker #3: Nature Trail: The Nature Trail is a mulched path beside a tidal wetland. Magnolias, live oaks, holly and wax myrtle line the path. The swampy area offers cabbage palms and dwarf palms, draped with Spanish moss. Sea lavender lines the marsh where the black needlerush grows. Beware of poison ivy! Marker #4: The Boardwalk: Using boards made of recycled plastic, volunteers built a boardwalk leading to a branch of Wampacheone Creek, a tidal estuary connected to the Wando and Cooper Rivers. In Pinckney's time there was a boat landing on Wampacheone Creek proper that allowed the transport of rice and other table crops to the restaurants and homes of Charleston. Marker #5: Model Rice Trunk: Trunks were installed in embankments to control the flow of water to rice fields. This trunk was built as a model of that. Farther upstream on the Cooper River the river banks were lined with rice plantations taking advantage of the twice-daily tidal flooding to irrigate the rice fields. Rice was South Carolina's main cash crop until cotton took over just prior to the Civil War. 1254 Long Point Road, Mt. Pleasant, SC 29464 Latitude: 32.846981°N Longitude: 79.82336°W National Park Service:Charles Pinckney National Historic Site Upper photo courtesy of Don O'Brien, CCA 2.0 License Portrait is in the public domain, map is courtesy of the National Park Service Federal Links National Park Service Sites National Wilderness Areas National Forest Scenic Byways Native American Scenic Byways BLM Backcountry Byways State Scenic Byways Photo Copyrights Unless otherwise indicated All text Copyright © 1998-2019 by The House of ChaRuut	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0030.json.gz/line786
__label__wiki	0.815148	0.815148	The Indian Queen @ The Coliseum As with many of Purcell’s works, The Indian Queen is an awkward beast. His final work before his death, it remains incomplete at just forty-five minutes long and its performance history is more chequered than its patchwork of scenes (debuting sometime in 1695). Of course, it’s not really an opera at all but a masque, comprising songs, dances and monologues in the English tradition of semi-opera. The plot is based upon a play by Sir Robert Howard (in collaboration with John Dryden) which tells of the Spanish invasion of Peru and Mexico and was performed some thirty years earlier. Except in this production at ENO, directed by Peter Sellars, the whole piece has been heavily amended. Retaining the Central American setting, Sellars has taken inspiration from the Nicaraguan writer Rosario Aguillar’s novel The Lost Chronicles of Terra Firma that, based on true events, explores the Conquistador invasion. The focus is Teculihuatzin, the daughter of an Indian chieftain who marries Don Pedro de Alvarado – she is meant to be a double agent but soon falls in love with him. The story is thus told from the feminine viewpoint: the titular ‘queen’ and her plight, torn between love for her foreign husband and duty to her people. This is put under further strain when Don Pedro commits massacre (in the Main Temple of Tenochtitlan - a key episode of the Spanish Conquest). Much of the story is narrated in monologue by Maritxell Carrero, with set backdrops courtesy of Chicano artist Gronk that blend modern graffiti with colourful Mayan design. There is also dancing from a quartet of dancers representing mythological beings creating the world and meddling in its affairs, their stunning interpretive choreography mimicking Mayan poses. The costumes of the lead protagonists, meanwhile, are modern dress, drawing a parallel with modern conquerors. All this alongside Purcell’s music – not only from his original The Indian Queen but with additions from both his sacred and secular output. The orchestra is suitably raised from the pit, proving as much a pleasure to watch as to listen. It may seem like a hodgepodge of styles, but under Sellars’ direction it works seamlessly. The stately beauty of Purcell’s music with a somewhat savage plot is an odd juxtaposition that’s exaggerated in this production, but if anything it brings out new qualities in the score, becoming something primal, erotic and modern. Having Teculihuatzin’s sexually charged wedding night accompanied by the fluttering counterternor of Vince Yi is a daring choice, but mostly the plight of the Mayans finds new poignancy in the yearning melodies and aching beauty of Purcell’s music. The performances, too, are beautiful. Lucy Crowe’s Doña Isabel is a figure of restraint, with a pure and perfectly controlled tone (particularly in her rendition of “O Solitude”); by contrast American soprano Julia Bullock’s Teculihuatzin (making her ENO debut in a role written for her) is an impassioned performer. Noah Stewart’s Don Pedro is the image of masculinity with a wonderful tenor voice – his duet with Thomas Walker’s Don Pedrarias Dávila is a real highlight. At three and a half hours long (with interval), Purcell’s original has been vastly extended – Sellar’s production is perhaps too long and at times self-indulgent. It’s also a monumental feat, incorporating multiple artistic disciplines into a grand and cohesive whole. Watch: The Indian Queen runs at the Coliseum until 14th March. Labels: ENO, Henry Purcell, The Coliseum, The Indian Queen, Theatre Yarico @ The London Theatre Workshop You may not think model Jodie Kidd and her father John to be typical theatre producers, but with family ties to Barbados they have chosen to bring the anti-slavery narrative of Yarico to the London stage. The story is a compelling one: a British merchant, Thomas Inkle, is shipwrecked on an island where he is saved by an Amerindian woman, Yarico – the only member of her tribe to speak English thanks to her interest in Shakespeare. The two fall in love, but fate draws them apart as Yarico is sold into slavery in Barbados. Loosely based on a factual account from the seventeenth century, this musical adaptation has been ten years in the making, but suffers from an inconsistent tone. It is a show of two halves. The first is overly pacey, cramming in far too much plot for what is, essentially, exposition for the events of the second half. For a story on slavery, there is a light-hearted feel to the events that feels a little jarring. Some comedy is welcome, but this feels like a swashbuckler pitched somewhere between Pirates of the Carribean and Pocahontas. It certainly has an epic, cinematic feel but it’s too big for the limited space of the London Theatre Workshop, most of which is taken up by the extensive percussion of the band. Alex Spinney stands out early on for his performance as Inkle, offering a beautifully lyrical tenor, and Tori Allen-Martin is hilarious as Yarico’s tribe friend Nono. Yet the girl meets boy forbidden love story feels too familiar and the often comical plot is presented with a Hollywood-esque sheen. What’s needed is a greater grasp of the local ethnicity in both the music and the acting; the varying languages of the characters are cleverly depicted despite the whole cast speaking English, but it lacks authenticity. Thankfully that comes in the second half. Here the narrative is altogether more intimate, with the focus on Yarico and her plight to free her fellow slaves. There is some spirited music, such as “Give Me My Name” and “Spirit Eternal” that allow for some wonderfully rousing ensemble harmonies and choreography to match the percussive music. This also allows the performers to settle further into their roles. Liberty Buckland eventually stands strong as the tragic Yarico, whilst Keisha Amponsa Banson provides plenty of tension as her rival Jessica, and Suzanne Ahmet proves vocally solid in a variety of roles. There remain some missteps, however. For every authentic musical number there’s a Disney-esque ballad that undermines the raw grit of the central love story, whilst the slightly racial connotations of the song “Chocolate” (in which the characters sing of their love for the drink) are a little uncomfortable to watch. And whilst there remains some comedy, the second half tries too hard to educate its (entirely white) audience: “The Same And Not The Same” is accompanied by a public whipping of a black and a white character that’s heavy-handed. In trying to ensure the central message isn’t lost amongst romantic slush, the show becomes somewhat preoccupied with preaching - to an extent this is a black story dumbed down for a white audience, just as Yarico is presented reciting Shakespeare for her British owners. Yarico is far from a finished product – the producers have admitted as such. There is clearly some work to be done, but even in its current state this is a promising production with some glorious ensemble singing, a talented cast and a raw love story at its core. Watch: Yarico runs at the London Theatre Workshop until 14th March. Labels: London Theatre Workshop, Theatre, Yarico La Traviata @ The Coliseum Usually, we attend the theatre to see what goes on behind the curtain. Yet in this revival of Peter Konwitschny's production of La Traviata, the action takes place in front of a series of red curtains, the significance of which is unclear. Despite a sharp colour scheme, there is little visual stimulation - at the start especially (before the curtains open to reveal a larger, empty space) it feels more like a semi-staged performance. This does throw the performances into sharp relief, which are something of a mixed bag. Soprano Elizabeth Zharoff makes her UK debut as Violetta, though at first she's a little shrill and struggles with the angular coloratura of Act I. Her lumberjack costume in Act II is also wildly misjudged. Later, though, she exudes passion and sings with sumptuous control, becoming a tragic heroine who is easy to empathise with. Ben Johnson returns as Alfredo and offers a beautiful lyrical tenor, though the relationship between the two singers lacks chemistry. This is in part due to a stilted libretto translation and equally direction that often leaves the characters separated, with Johnson frequently singing from the audience. It is merely distracting. Though there is some lovely singing from the secondary characters, there are too few ensemble opportunities for them to really excel. That is, except Anthony Michaels-Moore as Alfredo's father Giorgio who gives a solid powerhouse of a performance. Then there's the chorus, who's laughable overacting negates any emotional resonance from the lead characters. There are simply too many of them: they overcrowd the limited stage space and conductor Roland Böer struggles to keep them singing together in time. The Brindisi at the start of the opera is one of its most famous tunes, but here it's incredibly wooden. Thankfully it's not the only tune in what is Verdi's most popular opera and Böer conducts the glorious orchestra with aplomb. Cutting out the intervals and stripping the opera to the bare minimum (with a straight runtime of 1 hour 50) ensures this is a swift and concise production - not to mention requiring substantial vocal stamina from the singers - but visually it all feels a bit lacking. The music is wonderful but the drama is missing some emotional truth to really set off the tragic narrative. Watch: La Traviata runs at the Coliseum until 13th March. Labels: ENO, La Traviata, The Coliseum, Theatre FKA Twigs @ The Roundhouse FKA Twigs is something of an enigma. She’s a woman who speaks solely through her art. And at this one-off gig at the Roundhouse, she gave everyone a glimpse of her ritualistic world. For an hour and half time stood still and nothing else mattered. Twigs is an artist known as much for her visuals as her music. Yet this wasn’t a gig full of screens, backdrops, props and elaborate costumes. The focus was on her as she sang and danced her way through the setlist in a contemporary and balletic display, accompanied by a group of male backing dancers and contortionists. Each song was its own narrative with its own effect or routine: the jerking movements and lustful connotations of Papi Pacify performed on a rotating stage; a cage of red lasers used for Video Girl; vogueing during Give Up; recreating the floating cloth performance for Two Weeks. Together they created an over-arching narrative she entitled ‘Congregata’, representing the coming together of her multiple artistic ideas within her career. Visually her performance paralleled the music: stark and minimalist yet laden with meaning. The whole evening was an intensely sensual and erotic experience: the percussive production, the sweet fragility of her breathless voice, the dark sexuality at the heart of each track. Her slinky dance moves, highlighted in silhouette, accented every beat of the music as she stared intently over the audience who stood silently transfixed. Not once did her performance drop (until the very end when she introduced the band and dancers). The whole effect was utterly hypnotising. What was perhaps most erotic about her performance was that this was the single vision of one woman. Despite all the provocative, boundary-pushing imagery of domination and sexual power play, it was Twigs herself who dominated every element of the show, the only woman on stage taking total control of her artistry. She laid her soul and her sexuality bare. And being a one-off performance, it was a real privilege to watch. Really, it’s an impossible feat trying to capture this unique performance in words, a performance that left many members of the audience speechless. Ultimately Twigs is neither singer nor dancer, but a performance artist. She is in a class of her own. Outstanding. Labels: Congregata, FKA Twigs, Music, Roundhouse Elliphant @ XOYO Elliphant bounds onto the stage, a ball of aggressive, masculine energy. She snarls, she spits out her lyrics, she eyeballs the audience, she grabs her crotch. In one of her videos she pisses in the street. It’s the sort of behaviour you’d expect from a young American male rapper. But Elliphant, real name Ellinor Olovsdotter, is a white female rapper from Sweden. She’s rude, crude and provocative, but that’s all part of her, frankly terrifying, charm. She chews up and spits out the stage; resistance is futile. Even when she makes a mistake, she rewinds and starts again because she "wasn't feeling it" - she's Elliphant, she can do what she goddamn likes. What’s somewhat jarring is hearing this white Swedish rapper with a Jamaican accent. That, alongside the constant barrage of crass language, almost feels like she’s a parody of Jamaican rap artists. Yet living in LA and frequently visiting Jamaica, she’s clearly surrounded herself with that culture. It comes naturally to her, making her far more authentic than Iggy Azalea. Musically she’s heavily inspired by dancehall and reggae. Sharing the stage with her DJ, she raps over heavy beats and shuddering bass lines in thick Patois. If anything, she’s akin to a Swedish M.I.A or Santigold in her mix of electronic and world music influences, as well as her half-sung half-rapped vocal delivery. Alongside dirty, grinding tracks like Booty Killah and Look Like You Love It (both taken from her most recent EP, pictured), there are tracks like Down On Life and Live Till I Die that have a greater electronic slant and sing (shout) along choruses. She’s Swedish after all and isn’t afraid of a good hook. Then there’s All Or Nothing with production from Diplo and Only Getting Younger with Skrillex, which give an idea as to the hard, raw edge of her music. Occasionally her political views get in the way of her music. In one break between songs she raps about Save The Grey – nothing to do with that recent film, but her activism project. It’s a little intrusive and preachy when fans just want to see and hear her perform, but equally it’s refreshing to see an artist connecting with politics through their music. Elliphant represents the outsider and difference – her music is a loud, brash celebration of that, crotch grabs and all. The best track of the night, though, is One More featuring Danish singer MØ (sadly not in attendance). The two artists share a punk attitude and pair together in total unison, but MØ’s inclusion brings more creative and interesting production than the usual dancehall beats. It makes you wish Elliphant would embrace her Scandi roots a little more (musically at least) rather than the faux-Jamaican style she’s adopted. Still, she’s a powerhouse performer who deserves to be globally recognised beyond the usual token rap feature on most records these days. Labels: Elliphant, Music, XOYO Susanne Sundfør - Ten Love Songs Memorial, at the half way mark of ‘Ten Love Songs’, is a ten minute ode to heartbreak that exemplifies Sundfør’s bizarre concoction of styles. What begins as a sombre curio turns into a stomping power ballad and then a Rachmaninov meets Mozart orchestral piano concerto with an expansive melody that Matt Bellamy would be proud of. It illustrates not only the change of styles between songs but within them too: the preceding Kamikaze turns an electronic disco track into a haunting harpsichord solo; the early folk sounds of Trust Me morph into widescreen moodiness. This schizophrenic approach to musical style is perhaps indicative of the heartbreak at the core of the album. It might be called ‘Ten Love Songs’ but in Sundfør’s world, romance isn’t easy. Opening track Darlings laments the end of a relationship (“it’s written in the stars…everything must come to an end”), whilst the rest of the album lyrically descends into Fade Away, Silencer, Kamikaze, Memorial and Delirious. There’s plenty of anger here, from Accelerate’s “wars erupting like volcanoes” to “I told you not to come, my victim number one” on Delirious, both accompanied by angular, industrial synths. Equally there is futility in the lyrics of Darlings and Kamikaze, whilst the tragedy of Slowly is summed up in the lyric “we have different heartbeats but all the same heartbreak”. She covers all aspects of her subject: noir-ish brooding, hopeless pining and pure ecstasy. Heartbreak breeds creativity, though, and ‘Ten Love Songs’ is incredibly inventive. Sundfør’s voice lilts with raw energy through each soaring pop melody, the production shifting beneath her from weeping chamber music to industrial disco. There are magnificent juxtapositions aplenty: the archaic organ and bubbling synth bass in Fade Away; the cosmic Silencer fading into the pulsing melancholy of Kamikaze; the sumptuously crystalline Slowly pairing steel drums with space-age synths and gradually modulating chords. It all amounts to an album of glorious synthy art pop with a flair for the cinematic and a heart-wrenching, relatable core. Sundfør is already huge in her native Norway and she deserves to be over here too. Gizzle’s Choice: * Fade Away * Kamikaze * Slowly Listen: 'Ten Love Songs' is available now. Labels: Music, Susanne Sundfor, Ten Love Songs 50 Shades Of Grey (2015) - Sam Taylor-Johnson It was a typical Saturday. I'd buried my head in Thomas Hardy novels, finished my shift at the hardware store and was off to the cinema with friends. I wouldn't be drinking of course, I'm boring like that. I'm not even sure why my friends put up with me. And so, decades old flip-phone in hand, I headed down the street to the cinema, running in my weirdly pointy Aladdin-style flat shoes, my poorly cut fringe plastered to my forehead. We were about to watch a film called 50 Shades Of Grey. I'd never heard of it, because I'm really boring and far removed from popular culture. I still have a MySpace page you know. My friends were eager to see it so I tagged along. It's because I'm a really passive personality, incapable of making any sort of decision for myself. If only I had a partner to control me and tell me what to do 24 hours a day... Anyway, we settled into our seats and the film began. It was pretty dull to begin with. Quite literally actually: the film director had taken the title to heart with the visuals. Being an average girl with average looks, average intelligence and zero personality, I really identified with the character of Ana. For instance, my friends are far more bubbly than I am and I too am incapable of walking through doorways without falling over. She even had my shitty flip phone and penchant for frumpy hand-me-down fashion! But then there he was: Christian Grey. My eyes widened as I stared at the screen, my teeth involuntarily biting my lip. The crisp white shirt, the lightly curled hair, the grey eyes as grey and lifeless as everything else on the screen. My inner goddess was doing somersaults. It was if this Adonis of a man was staring right at me, no other person in the cinema existed. But why would this impossibly rich and handsome man who apparently does no work whatsoever but has somehow amassed a fortune and the most amazing flat I've ever seen be looking at me? I gnawed on my lip and gurned like a starving junkie. Not that I've done drugs. Did I tell you I'm boring? And then there were the sex scenes. My friends told me there were less than in the book and some scene with a tampon had been removed. But it didn't matter to me. The mere sight of Christian removing his top was enough for me to feel the love balls between my thighs stirring in my panties. My inner goddess, meanwhile, was doing unspeakable things. Christian leered into the screen with those dark eyes, seemingly whispering straight in to my ear, and bit into a piece of toast with a ravenous hunger that reminded me of my own. I chewed my lip for good measure, the blood dribbling down my chin. Being a virgin (boring), the idea of being dominated and spanked seemed new yet apparently perfectly normal to me and the sex scenes were nowhere near as erotic as the media has apparently made out (my friends are journalists, I'm too boring to read a newspaper). As Beyoncé purred the words to a song called Crazy In Love (I'd never heard it), Christian's whip cracked, there was a flash of glorious pubic hair and then he was thrusting. I felt myself flowering in my seat. I didn't care that Christian had no personality and the central couple made no sense. I didn't care that he was buying affection through improbable gifts (oh look a car!), even though a new phone would've been ideal. I didn't care that Christian had no issue touching up girls in front of his family (with one apparently famous girl in a silly wig and an incomprehensible accent). I didn't care that this was a highly unbelievable adult fairytale that my inner goddess would be wet dreaming about later. Pass me the contract, and I'd sign before you can say "red room of pain", preferably with a Grey-branded pencil I can suck on suggestively. It'd give my lip a break. Towards the end it all got a bit dark. Christian confessed he was "fifty shades of fucked up" (my inner goddess suddenly realising what the title meant, the stupid cow) and his vulnerability finally revealed an ounce of personality. The film was a power play that, far from glorifying a BDSM relationship, was about an average girl changing a very troubled man for the better. The English literature student in me found this intensely deep and moving, whilst my inner goddess wanted Christian to move in deeply. The slut. And then, in a dramatic climax it all ended as it began in a lift, leaving me gasping for more as I gave my bruised lips a final nibble like tasteless chewing gum. From now on I won't do romance. I've been enlightened. My tastes are very singular: Christian Grey. Labels: 50 Shades of Grey, Christian Grey, Film, Jamie Dornan Miss Saigon @ Prince Edward Theatre As a child, visiting the theatre in London was a big deal. The bustling city, the magnificent theatres, the epic stories to be told. It was special. Now, as an adult, Miss Saigon brings back those feelings. It is a true piece of event theatre. In part that's due to the name (and that of the composers, Schönberg & Boublil of Les Mis fame), but also it's the grandeur of the Prince Edward theatre, the electric buzz of the audience, and the sheer amount of money and polish that's gone into the production. In short, Miss Saigon has everything a musical should have. Its plot, a retelling of Puccini's Madame Butterfly set in the Vietnam war, is an intense love story that teeters into melodrama yet somehow remains credible. Its lead characters are richly drawn and easy to root for. Its historical setting is detailed and believable in its tragic mix of East-meets-West. Its only flaw is that it's somewhat long-winded, but the lengthy running time whips by quickly enough. The score, meanwhile, is Schönberg and Boublil's best - yes, it's better than Les Mis. It's got all the big tunes you'd expect: "The Movie In My Mind", "Why God Why?", "Last Night Of The World", "Bui Doi". The first half especially is just a string of hits, merging American showtunes, Asian romance and military marches. Yet for all its emotional bombast, it's the smaller touches that bring it to life: the mournful sound of a flute, the gentle plucking of a zither, the sumptuous vocal harmonies of the wedding scene. Gorgeous doesn't begin to cover it. With music like this, simply performing the notes would be enough. But the cast go above and beyond. As the Engineer, Jon Jon Briones brings humour with a showstopping delivery of "The American Dream", whilst understudy Dale Evans has a richly lyrical tenor as Chris, silkily manoeuvring through difficult and consistently high melodies with ease. Tamsin Carroll also brings touching emotion to Ellen, the other woman. Eva Noblezada, though, is an absolute revelation as Kim. She balances the innocence and strength of the role, with an angelic voice of vulnerability and power. It is as if she is singing straight to your soul - no wonder her songs are frequently accompanied by sniffles in the audience. Spectacle is just the icing on the cake. And it's not just the famous helicopter, impressive as that is. Its the size of the sets, the precision of militaristic choreography, the stunningly designed backdrops, and even the simplicity of a song performed in spotlight. The amount of detail is astonishing, presented with cinematic flair (though screen imagery during "Bui Doi" feels a little heavy-handed). It's no wonder there's a film adaptation in the works. And so it's clear: Miss Saigon is the best production currently on the West End. Yes, it's blockbuster entertainment, but it puts every other show into perspective. This is how musicals should be done. Watch: Miss Saigon is booking until December 2015. Labels: Boublil, Eva Noblezada, Miss Saigon, Prince Edward Theatre, Schonberg, Theatre Florence + The Machine – What Kind Of Man Florence + The Machine: The Hype Strikes Back. How do you follow up a majestic Brit-winning, Mercury nominated debut? With an overblown, bombastic sequel. And, after a four year hiatus, how do you follow that? So far that remains to be seen. What Kind Of Man appears to be a slight change of sound: what begins as a haunting ballad with heavy vocal processing soon turns into a bitter and twisted rock track full of stabbing guitars. It’s the sort of track that harks back to the likes of Kiss With A Fist from ‘Lungs’, though it lacks the memorable, soaring melodies of her earlier work. Then there’s the contrasting introductory video for forthcoming album ‘How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful’ that’s mostly a pretentious orchestral instrumental. What these both have in common, though, is a great flair for the cinematic: the former a traumatic love story, the latter a dance with a mirror-self. So far, though, it seems more effort has been put into the visuals than the music. Listen: What Kind Of Man is available now. ‘How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful’ is released on 1st June. Madeon – Pay No Mind (feat. Passion Pit) French boy-producer wonder Madeon wowed us all in 2012 with his track Icarus, blending colourful Daft Punk funk with neon whizzing synths and rhythmic sample manipulation. Three years on and his debut album has finally been announced, including this summery house-pop collaboration with Passion Pit. Released at the end of March, it should be an absolute joy. Listen: Pay No Mind will feature on debut album ‘Adventure’ released on 30th March. MKS – Back In The Day Look, there are too many jokes to be made about this absolute shambles of a comeback. Flatline was brilliant but since then the girls’ return has, well, flatlined. Now another track has surfaced, Back In The Day, and as the name suggests it’s a retro 90s gospel ballad that features a sample of Ahmad’s 1994 track of the same name. Though it features some nice vocal harmonies, it’s too mellow to make much of an impact. Hopefully now, though, they’re back for good. Listen: here. Emile Haynie – Come Find Me (feat. Lykke Li, Romy) Haynie is probably best known for his work producing Lana Del Rey’s ‘Born To Die’ album and this track, taken from his own forthcoming debut, has a similarly downbeat and evocative feel with its lush strings and synths. Add in a wistful vocal from Lykke Li plus some gentle guitar from the xx’s Romy Madley Croft and the result is a meditative wonder. Listen: Come Find Me will be included on Haynie’s debut album ‘We Fall’ released on 24th February. Incubus – Absolution Calling 16 year old me was very excited to hear this. That said, Incubus’ career has slowly declined with each recent album and Absolution Calling is unlikely to prove their relevance, even if the title sounds more like a Muse track. It might be far removed from their funk-metal early days, but it’s a thumping and melodic alt-rock track that’s stadium and festival ready. Don’t dismiss them yet. Listen: Absolution Calling is available now and will feature on a forthcoming EP, ‘Trust Fall (Side A)’, on 24th March. Kwabs – Perfect Ruin Kwabs has outdone Sam Smith with this new track, a raw and soulful ballad. His voice is beautiful as the melody soars in the chorus, accompanied by sombre piano, strings and a subtly pulsing beat. This is an artist full of surprises, even before his debut album is released in May, but Perfect Ruin is his strongest track to date. Gorgeous. Listen: Debut album ‘Love + War’ is released in May. Say Lou Lou – Nothing But A Heartbeat AT LONG LAST Swedish-Australian sister duo Say Lou Lou are releasing their debut album in April. Since they first came to attention with the beautifully dreamy Maybe You back in 2012, the girls have gone through a name change and a string of moody electronic tracks. Nothing But A Heartbeat veers more towards the electro-pop end of the spectrum, which should only ensure the album doesn’t get bogged down in a dirge of melancholy feeling. Listen: Debut album ‘Lucid Dreaming’ is released on 6th April. Marina And The Diamonds – I’m A Ruin Another month, another new Marina track in the run up to ‘Froot’. I’m A Ruin is the strongest yet: a tantalising glimpse at the darker, electronic direction of the new album. Fittingly, the video features strong Madonna Frozen vibes. My hunger for some ‘Froot’ is growing every day. Listen: ‘Froot’ is released on 6th April. Prides – Higher Love Prides make an obvious comparison to Chvrches. Both bands are from Glasgow and both deliver synth-pop full of sing-along hooks and strong rhythms. Prides, though, are altogether more joyful and Higher Love is no exception. Synths fizz and beats clatter beneath a chorus ripe for live shows. The band are currently on tour and are likely to be a major draw at this year’s crop of summer festivals. Listen: Higher Love is available now. Charli XCX – Boom Clap Just for lolz, and to prove what a legend she is, here’s Charli XCX singing Boom Clap in Japanese. Labels: Charli XCX, Emile Haynie, Florence + The Machine, Florence Welch, Incubus, Kwabs, Lykke Li, Madeon, Marina & The Diamonds, MKS, Music, Prides, Say Lou Lou, Sugababes Jekyll & Hyde @ Greenwich Theatre It takes a lot to bring something new to the Jekyll and Hyde story, but that’s exactly what Sell A Door have done with this new adaptation from Jo Clifford. Set in a dystopian vision of 2022, this is a modern and relevant retelling that sees the doctor as a cancer specialist struggling under the weight of his scientific research and his inner demons. As a trans woman, Clifford has a keen engagement with the themes of duality and transformation that permeate the narrative. There is a sense of Shakespearean grandeur to her script, that pairs Victoria language with modern influences, creating a heightened futuristic vision to match the poetry of Stephenson's novel. It is dense and thematically rich, but doesn’t always offer a lucid plotline. What eventually emerges is a parable for sexuality and accepting oneself, demons and all, though this only comes to the fore in the final moments. It is perhaps too sudden an ending, Clifford having trouble tying up each thematic thread. There’s a great sense of theatricality to it all too, with plenty of asides to the audience and self-knowing humour – the actors seem acutely aware they’re performing, even if their initial introduction feels clunky. This allows for a meta-character in the form of Rowena Lennon playing a number of nameless female roles. It’s a clever way of injecting further multiple personalities into the production, though its implementation as a metaphor for the role of women in society feels a little overblown, especially in the final monologue. Just as Jekyll must learn to accept his darker counterpart, this is a production that truly embraces the darker side of life. There’s an industrial, steampunk aesthetic to the set that’s complemented by a clattering, abstract, synthy soundtrack. As it rotates on the stage (perhaps symbolic of different sides of the same character), the cast slither, crawl and writhe in the darkness and the light, with stunningly stark lighting design from Charlie Morgan Jones. In the midst of it all is an outstanding performance from Nathan Ives-Moiba as Jekyll and Hyde. This is a visceral, physical performance as he transforms from one character to the next – Jekyll a well-spoken intellectual, Hyde a gruff beast of a man. Ives-Moiba is the star attraction in this deliciously sinister and often frightening production that brings gothic horror into the 21st century. Watch: Jekyll & Hyde runs at the Greenwich Theatre until 14th February, before touring across the country. Labels: Jekyll & Hyde, Sell A Door Theatre, Theatre Women On The Verge Of A Nervous Breakdown @ The Playhouse Theatre It’s no wonder that, in 1988, Women On The Verge Of A Nervous Breakdown became the international breakthrough hit for famed Spanish film director Pedro Almodóvar. It is quite possibly the most Almodóvar of Almodóvar films, establishing much of his cinematic style: the Spanish setting, the farcical humour, the bright colour scheme and, most of all, the focus on female characters. This musical production based on the film is no different. A farcical melodrama involving a voiceover actress who is left by her married lover, it plays out on a stark white set filled with luminous block colours – like a Mondrian painting in theatrical form. Equally, much like the production itself, it feels a little sterile and lacks that typical Latin fire. Indeed, Women feels about as Spanish as Mamma Mia is Greek. Aside from the opening number introducing us to 1987 Madrid, only the odd Spanish accent gives away the setting. There’s a lack of passionate chemistry between protagonist Pepa (Tamsin Greig) and her lover Ivan (Jérôme Pradon); instead the focus is the titular women including Ivan’s mad wife Lucia (here understudy Rebecca McKinnis) and Pepa’s ditsy model friend Candela (another understudy, Marianne Benedict). The plot jumps between narrative strands without much development, as Pepa meets Ivan’s son and his fiancée, Lucia attempts to take Ivan to court, Candela sleeps with a known terrorist, and Ivan moves on to Lucia’s lawyer. Eventually, this disparate madness reaches a head by which point we still haven’t really got to grips with each character. Mostly, Ivan – the main source of each nervous breakdown – is rarely seen on stage and is ultimately a shallow, womanising Lothario. As such, we never really understand what is driving Pepa to the edge besides misplaced love. The primary issue, though, is the score. As is often the case with film-to-musical adaptations, the music comes second to plot. Here it is perfunctory at best, lacking any sense of melody and simply cramming each musical line with text. Stylistically, it’s beige jazz-lite Latin lift Musak. Imagine listening to “The Girl from Ipanema” on repeat for two hours, a slowly shuffling concoction of light percussion and fluttering guitars. It’s only in the final a capella number, sung by the female characters in glorious harmony, that the music makes any impact at all. As a singing taxi driver, Ricardo Alfonso does offer some Spanish guitar and a wonderful tenor, but for the most part the score lacks any flamenco flair. It’s down to Greig to hold the show together – and she does a brilliant job. Vocally she is not the strongest singer, but her comic timing is exceptional with a performance that delves into the emotional truth of the character in a cast otherwise filled with one-dimensional, if entertaining, caricatures. This farce amuses, but it’s more Costa del Thames than Costa del Sol. Watch: Women runs at the Playhouse Theatre until May 2015. Labels: Pedro Almodovar, Playhouse Theatre, Tamsin Greig, Theatre, Women On The Verge Of A Nervous Breakdown Gods and Monsters @ Southwark Playhouse Sex sells. It’s an age old promise that’s been taken to heart in the promotional material for Gods and Monsters that has centered on the impossibly muscular physique of actor Will Austin. If the sight of some man flesh is enough to get you in the theatre then so be it, but any hopes this play may offer some gothic horror in the vein of its subject are quickly dissipated. Stripped back, this is an interesting portrayal of a very troubled man. Based on the 1998 film of the same name (starring Ian McKellen) and set in the 1950s, it focuses on the later life of James Whale, director of the 1931 horror film Frankenstein. Yet where the film includes scenes of the man at work on set, this play takes place solely in his home, minimising any links to his work. Instead, it explores his inner-conflict with his homosexuality and the trauma of serving in WWI. Sexual thoughts result in a strange psychosis and inexplicable headaches as he reminisces on the past. This is shown through some tender flashbacks performed with wonderful conviction by Joey Phillips and Will Rastall that add depth to the drama, breaking up what is otherwise a lot of long, drawn out exposition. Yet the storytelling is hidden under layers of nudity, homoeroticism and cliché. Suffering from his illness, Whale is mostly bound to his study where he leers at the young buff gardener outside before inviting him in to act as his life-drawing muse – it’s an incredibly hackneyed plotline. Austin, as gardener Clayton Boone, is a wooden structure of masculinity who parades around the stage as if competing in a body building contest. Ian Gelder’s Whale, meanwhile, is a randy old man who speaks only in eye-rolling sexual innuendo, refusing to answer a young male student’s questions unless he takes off his clothes, and forever asking Boone to take his shirt off ‘for his art’. Yet there seems to be little artistic value in the amount of nudity in the show, it’s just awkward to watch. Gelder is unable to bring warmth to the role and Whale's relationship with Boone never develops. He is literally a monstrosity of homosexuality with few likeable factors to redeem the character. This is somewhat the point. In a subtle parallel to the Frankenstein story, Boone is not quite the hard-edged man we expect from his physique; likewise Whale is far from a helpless old man, he is an evil and masterful manipulator and sexual predator. And is there any wonder this is the case when homosexuality was illegal at the time, gay men privately trapped in the closet? Equally is this not an antiquated, grim stereotype that need not be perpetuated? Should we merely consider the play within its historical context, or is it counterproductive to today’s efforts for equality and acceptance? Lachele Carl does at least bring some humour to her role as Whale’s housekeeper and Jason Denvir’s set design is well constructed, though it feels too spacious and lacks intimacy. Yet if Gods and Monsters is meant to be an in-depth assessment of the gay male gaze, it just comes off as shallow and sleazy. Watch: Gods and Monsters runs at the Southwark Playhouse until 7th March. Labels: Gods and Monsters, Southwark Playhouse, Theatre She Loves Me @ The Landor Theatre There’s only one piece of entertainment that most people are gearing up for this Valentine’s day and that’s the spank-tastic Fifty Shades of Grey. But for anyone wanting a little more old-fashioned classic romance this February, you could do a lot worse than She Loves Me. The musical (with music from Jerry Bock and lyrics from Sheldon Harnick) premiered on Broadway in 1963 – the third adaptation of the Hungarian play Parfumerie by Miklos Laszlo following successful films featuring James Stewart (The Shop Around The Corner) and Judy Garland (In The Good Old Summertime). That’s not to say this musical doesn’t have a modern relevance. It concerns a sales clerk in a perfumery, Georg (John Sandberg), who falls in love with a girl he’s never met but regularly writes letters to. In today’s internet age, we’re no strangers to blind dates, social apps and ‘catfishing’, but this is an old-fashioned tale of slushy goodness. When Amalia (Charlotte Jaconelli) joins the perfumery and reveals she also has a lover by letter, it’s clear how the rest of the musical will pan out. With that predictable plot in mind, it’s a shame the show suffers from some pacing issues. She Loves Me is long, stuffed with extraneous, underdeveloped peripheral characters and rapidly dropped plot points. When one clerk leaves to open up a rival store, we never hear of the competition. When another clerk (the lovably ditsy Ilona played by Emily Lynne) falls for a rich optometrist, we never hear the outcome of their romance. The only character to undergo a transition is Joshua LeClair’s Arpad, who goes from delivery boy to clerk with a permanently fixed grin that epitomises the happy-go-lucky tone of the show. We all know the ending from the start, but it’s a slog to get there. This isn’t helped by a score that relies too heavily on slushy Disney-esque ballads (and an irritatingly repeated barbershop number whenever a character leaves the store). The sweet-voiced Charlotte Jaconelli (of Britain’s Got Talent fame) certainly excels in these numbers with a light operatic vibrato, but her counterpart Sandberg is far from the typical male lead – his crooning sounds a little rough by comparison. Mostly, it’s a shame that the ensemble are so underused, besides one jarringly sexual dance number that features a hilariously camp and eccentric turn from Ian Dring as a café waiter. Instead, the focus is very much the central couple who form a charming partnership that’s easy to root for, amidst a cast of colourful and endearing characters and a well-designed set that makes great use of limited space. And then, just as expected, it all just…ends. Watch: She Loves Me runs at the Landor Theatre until 7th March. Labels: Charlotte Jaconelli, She Loves Me, The Landor Theatre, Theatre Little Light @ Orange Tree Theatre As much as it's nice to have a little break in the middle of a show, sometimes a lack of interval is a real blessing. In the case of Little Light, it allows the tension to ramp up without distraction as events unfold in realtime, the drama crescendoing towards a shocking climax. However, it takes time to tune into Alice Birch's quirky dialogue. There is a distinct rhythm to her script that sometimes feels disjointed, with amusing repetition, witty remarks and sudden shifts. This works to throw us off the scent and keep us guessing in what begins as a typical dinner party drama. Alison (Lorna Brown) and Teddy (Paul Rattray) are hosting, inviting her pregnant sister Clarissa (Yolanda Kettle) to the table in a long-standing tradition. What that is we're initially unsure of, but when Clarissa's new partner Simon (Paul Hickey) arrives unexpectedly it throws tradition into disarray. The script cements these offbeat characters, their family values seeming foreign and strange: their conversation, their choice of food, their repeated mannerisms. Simon, then, is our conduit into the drama. Kind and gentle, he is far too polite to make a scene but is as confused as we are at the behaviour of the others. There is much comedy in the situation, the early scenes perfectly encapsulating the awkwardness of the outsider at a family meal, the bristling tension between characters tangible in the air. Soon, the play takes a darker turn as the reasoning behind these almost psychotic characters is revealed: grief. After a terrible tragedy, the embittered Alison has become consumed by jealousy at her sister's pregnancy; Teddy is helpless to assist her; and the charmingly quirky Clarissa falters under the weight of guilt. Perhaps too often the plot is presented through monologue, but each is delivered poetically and profoundly by the outstanding cast as their world crumbles around them - literally in the case of the simple yet effective set design. Kettle, in particular, offers a heart-wrenching performance as Clarissa. Little Light ultimately is a rich exploration of the fear of childbirth, the typical 'family with a dark secret' narrative given fresh individuality in this production. After the success of Pomona last year, it's clear that the Orange Tree Theatre is intent on offering new and exciting drama. Long may it continue. Watch: Little Light runs at the Orange Tree Theatre until 7th March. Labels: Alice Birch, Little Light, Orange Tree Theatre, Theatre Molly Wobbly @ The Leicester Square Theatre “The bar is over in the corner there, get yourself a drink – you’ll need it”. It’s not often you’re given such advice by an usher on the way in, but it’s advice I should’ve heeded. Molly Wobbly is a very silly new musical that revolves around an extended breast gag – it concerns the inhabitants of Mammary Lane, a mysterious potion that causes an inflamed rack, and a tit factory that isn’t really a tit factory at all. Somewhere there’s a confused message about plastic surgery and owning our bodies, but it’s buried beneath a flimsy plot that hangs between each set-piece song like gossamer. This is a musical comedy that fails on both levels. The crude humour is juvenile at best and vile at worst, with a script that throws in references to clits, bukkake and the odd fuck purely to induce shock laughter. If a man in drag singing about a one night stand that left him with an anal prolapse is your idea of a fun night out, there’s plenty to enjoy. I’m all for a bit of camp fun, but camp is not a substitute for intelligent comedy. There is nothing clever here, only worsened by a distinct lack of comic timing. The music, meanwhile, is pedestrian, lacks originality and fails to advance the plot in any notable way. What’s worse, it’s performed with all the finesse of a low-budget pantomime. The grotesque characterisation certainly fits with the oddball macabre style, but it just comes off as a poor man’s Tim Burton, the central role of Ithanku (Russell Morton) splicing together Edward Scissorhands with the Metz Judderman. And the usher from earlier? He’s part of a bizarre cinematic introduction that unnecessarily breaks the fourth wall, confusing what is already a convoluted plot. Frustratingly, there is clearly some talent on stage, particularly from the three female leads. Cassie Compton and Stephanie Fearon both offer sweet vocals as Jemma and Ruth, but it’s Jane Milligan who most impresses as Margaret - the only character to provoke a laugh. The performers are so much better than this dire material. Call me a prude. Say I’m lacking a sense of humour. Most likely, I just wasn’t drunk enough. Watch: Molly Wobbly runs at the Leicester Square Theatre until the 14th March. Photos: Darren Bell Labels: Leicester Square Theatre, Molly Wobbly, Theatre, Tit Factory Big Hero 6 (2015) - Don Hall, Chris Williams Back in 2009 when Disney bought out Marvel, it threw up a number of possibilities for crossover appeal between the two companies. So far, their output has been kept fairly separate, but Big Hero 6 - produced by Disney and based on a lesser-known comic from Marvel - is their first major collaboration. It represents the best and the worst of the merger. As with most of Marvel's work, Big Hero 6 is a geek fantasy with a serious inner message, here: grief. Set in the futuristic (and clunkily titled) San Fran Tokyo, our hero is (the imaginatively named) Hiro - a 14 year old robotics genius with a seemingly limitless imagination and pot of cash with which to develop his ideas. After the death of his parents he lives with his aunt and his older brother Tadashi, who also happens to be a robotics expert in the local science university. Yet when Tadashi dies in an unfortunate accident involving Hiro's self-developed microbots (which are subsequently stolen), Hiro befriends Tadashi's legacy Baymax, a walking marshmallow healthcare robot who becomes a surrogate brother. Together with Tadashi's student friends (who apparently have no issue hanging around with a child and following his lead without question), the gang form a band of technological superheroes to discover who stole the microbots and uncover the identity of a mysterious man in a kabuki mask. All of this allows for some exciting Avengers-esque set-pieces involving various powers, ranging from the cool (freely suspended wheels allowing for super velocity and laser cutting swords), to the lame (exploding goo from a handbag) to the downright weird (a Godzilla-like monster suit). The main focus, though, is the loveable Baymax, who is eventually transformed into a flying, karate-chopping robot with a heart of gold - the ultimate protector and a preferable big brother compared to the boring Tadashi. He's hardly Wall-E though. If much of this sounds familiar, it's because it's full of issues that have plagued Marvel films since the dawn of time. The narrative beats follow an all too familiar and predictable pattern; the lead is a troubled and not particularly likeable teen; the peripheral characters are sorely underdeveloped; and the story is rife with plot holes. This might be a fantasy film, but it asks us to suspend our disbelief too far - for a film built around science, little of it actually feels plausible. Most of all, the metaphor of dealing with grief is utterly forced and trite, resulting in a film that is eye-rollingly corny. So what of the Disney influence? The House of Mickey has always been known for its top notch animation, whether hand-drawn or computerised, and Big Hero 6 is no exception. The metropolis of San Fran Tokyo is beautifully realised and detailed, bringing together American and Japanese influences like trams, the Golden Gate Bridge, neon signage, oriental temples and a futuristic, chiptune soundtrack. Realistic lighting and stunning particle effects ensure this is one of the best looking animation films of recent years. Another Disney tradition is the inclusion of a short film before the main feature. Feast is the story of a very hungry little dog who finds love for his owner, told through gorgeous cel-shaded animation. It's exactly the sort of thing Disney does best. Yet when a five minute short is better than the film you've actually gone to see, you know something is wrong. Watch: Big Hero 6 is out now. Labels: Big Hero 6, Disney, Film, Marvel Women On The Verge Of A Nervous Breakdown @ The Pl...	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0030.json.gz/line788
__label__cc	0.586526	0.413474	44. Adenauer ADAC Simfy Trophy Tags: Nürburgring, Racing On Saturday June 22nd 2013 ARed Motorsport started at the 44. Adenauer ADAC Simfy Trophy within the VLN Endurance championship. Traditionally the race after the 24 hours race at the Nürburgring is a quiet one, with less participants than usual, as many teams are still rebuilding their cars. Not so this time: With 189 cars registered it was a well filled starter field. In the GT4/SP10 class there were 8 cars participating. For the race service ARed Motorsport used the backup crew of Mathol Racing. ARed Motorsport regular drivers Andy Sammers and Ronny Tobler took on the 4 hour long challenge. The weather gods meant well for qualifying on Saturday morning. The sun was shining which meant ideal conditions for ARed Motorsport’s two drivers. Andy set a new personal best for the ARed Motorsport team with a 9:21 and qualified #177 on position 69 for the race. Andy drove the start for the first time and could improve position lap by lap. “The time that we put into the setup and testing of the car was well invested”, said Andy Sammers after his stint.” “The car now gives me the trust necessary to drive closer to the limit.” After a good first stint Andy handed the car over to Ronny Tobler. Ronny’s stint was accompanied by constantly changing conditions. At the beginning there was just a bit of drizzling rain on different parts of the track. There was enough grip for the slick tires but caution was advised. This was also the beginning of many yellow and double yellow situations because of accidents that took place. “Based on what I observed I’d say that a few accidents happened because of circulation problems because of the high temperature in the cars.” said Ronny after his stint. In Ronny’s second to last lap the rain intensified and the track was wet from the GP track up to kilometre mark 14 on the track. At this point the slick tires were a risk and it was difficult to keep the car on track. Ronny gave the signal for Andy to prepare one lap earlier as planned for the driver change. But the driver change was not meant to happen as the marshals waived red flags due to a tragic incident on track. Andy and Ronny drove their best race yet on their ARED Aston Martin and reached overall position 33 and third place in class.	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0030.json.gz/line789
__label__cc	0.610105	0.389895	The Yorkshire Fatigue Clinic Invest in ME (Research) Jobs For The Disabled At Even Break ME Video Vault Mike’s EU Marathons For ME The York ME TGA Shield – Inter-Company Fantasy Football ME Poetry Corner ME, I’ve Never Looked Better Holidays And ME Millions Missing The Bank of ME LIVING LIFE ‘LIGHT’ WITH ME HELLO, IS IT ME YOU’RE LOOKING FOR ? A Blue Badge & Invisible ME TALK TO ME….BUT SLOWLY ME And My List A REFLECTION OF ME MY M.E. STORM ME MOT ME and My ‘Friend’ M.E. – JUST CUT AND PASTE….. ME ISN’T REAL YOU KNOW…… M.E. and ME Fatigue And ME ME.rry Christmas ! The Guilt Of ME My ME Puzzle SHOPPING WITH ME GoRaise Shopping What’s On In York Scandic Hotels Introduces Standard For Fragrance-Free Allergy-Friendly Rooms Business Related Stories, Disability, General Interest, Invisible / Chronic Illness, ME Support and Awareness in York - The York ME Community, ME Symptoms, ME World Perspective, Medical General, Myalgic Encephalomyelitis From Fragrance Sensitivity Australia. Scandic Hotels, which has hotels in Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Norway, Germany, Poland, is the first hotel chain in the world to introduce a standard for allergy-friendly rooms. This means that guests booking allergy-friendly rooms can expect rooms prepared according to strict cleaning procedures and fragrance-free, hypoallergenic toiletries approved by the Swedish […] Links To Our Supporters Websites Just A Few ME Events For Your Diary If you have an ME related event you would like advertised here, just let me know. The first Monday of each month at 11 am - The York ME Community Coffee Club at Bar Convent, 17 Blossom Street, York. There is parking available just around the corner at Nunnery Lane Car Park. Blue Badge holders can park for free. The third Wednesday of each month - at 2 pm - The York ME Community Coffee Club at The Novotel, York. Parking is free at the hotel. Weekly - Every Wed, 8 pm - 9 pm on Twitter, ME Awareness Hour using the #MEAwarenesshour hashtag. IIMEC15 The 15th Invest in ME Research International ME Conference 2020 - IIMEC15 - will take place on 30th May 2020 in London. 15 years of researchers, clinicians and patients interacting. More details of the conference day will be announced in the coming months. It will be preceded by the 10th Invest in ME Research International Biomedical Research into ME Colloquium - BRMEC10 - a two day closed researchers' meeting with researchers from around the word, and the third year of a full day Thinking the Future - Young/ECR Conference for young and early career investigators. Calling On All York Businesses ! Would you like to help your local community ? By current research, there are around 800 people in the York area suffering from Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME). This might include the work colleagues you haven't seen in some time, or your friends and family, maybe one of the lads who hasn't turned up for five-a-side for a while. There's information at the top of this site to explain how it affects people and ruins lives. These are your neighbours; would you like to help ? To read the rest of this request, click on the link below: Link to Business Request The Nomadic Knights Reach Everest Base Camp For ME Awareness ! After a pretty tough time, the guys riding as part of The Nomadic Knights group, made it to Everest Base Camp. I hope we can use this story to gain interest from media sources to help raise awareness for us all. It's the least the guys deserve for all their efforts. 19 May 2017. “Very pleased to report that we reached Mt Qomolangma (Everest) Base Camp with the ME Awareness Flag at 1528hrs on Thursday 18th May. Three and a half hours after we had planned but time in Tibet can sometimes be very fluid. The base camp is located at 5200m, walking to the final destination was challenging in itself due to low oxygen levels. Conditions at base camp were extremely windy (good for flag flying) with intermittent clouds with no particular destination in mind and the sun was not ideal for photos." The York ME Community has linked up with Disability Action Yorkshire The aim is to share ideas in promoting various disability services, whilst continuing to raise Awareness of ME through both organisations. Through their #Think Access group and our own group, The York Access and Mobility Club, we will be looking at accessibility issues in the York & Harrogate areas, with the aim of advising on suggestions for change. Disability Action Yorkshire aim to find solutions for disabled people whatever their aspirations. Whether you are a disabled person or support someone who is, they are here to support you. They provide a range of services, from training to accommodation and help with independence, among others. To find out more about Disability Action Yorkshire, click on the link below: Disability Action Yorkshire Reporting Pavement Parking In York As we all know, especially those who need Wheelchairs or Mobility Scooters to get around, vehicles parking on pavements and blocking our way can have a major effect on our lives. It can mean that we are likely to put ourselves in danger by going onto busy roads because of inconsiderate parking. If you live in Fulford York, the details of your local PCSO are below, and he should be contacted in the first instance. If he is not on duty, you may be dealt with by whoever is on duty. If you live in other areas of York, ring 101 and ask for the PCSO covering your area. In all cases, you will be required to give as much information about the vehicle and location as possible. You will NOT need to stay by the vehicle till the police arrive. PCSO 5648 North NPT Dial 101, press option 2 and ask for him by his full name or collar number If using his collar number please state each number individually Remembrance Isn’t Just For November – It’s For Every Day Of The Year – We Will Remember Them By The Way, The York ME Community Can Also Be Found On Facebook ! The social element of this site is via a Facebook Group called The York ME Community. This is available to people in the York area looking for help, advice and support, whether those diagnosed, family or friends. We are a close knit group who discuss more than just ME, as we like to think that we are not defined by this illness. We discuss every day things, have a laugh, and try to meet via our Coffee Club if the beast that is ME allows us ! If you apply to join, please check your Facebook messages, as there are a couple of automated questions to be answered before being welcomed to the group. Please don't apply to join if you are promoting your preferred remedy. I'm happy to mention your company within the group, but it's for individuals to choose what they wish to try in their battle to seek an improvement in their health. Money Saving Tips And Discounts For Disabled People Some companies and organisations offer discounts for disabled people and their carers – click on the link below to find out what you could save. Link to Saving Tips Access Your Life Access Your Life is a site run by Felix and Lauren, with a little input from Fliss, the dog! “Sharing real life impartial reviews, so together we can help people living with a disability improve their quality of life.” The site is full of great information that I feel will benefit many within The York ME Community and beyond. To go to Access Your Life, click on the link below: Link to Access Your Life MP Speaks Of Need For Government Funding For ME Research Carol Monaghan SNP spoke in Westminster Hall about the need for support and funds for ME Research. Many other MP's spoke passionately on the subject as it affects their constituents UK wide. Click on the link below to watch the full debate. Link To Parliament Debate Symptoms Of ME – (Myalgic Encephalomyelitis) What’s Meant By ‘Invisible Illness’ ? Wheelchair Friendly Walks In The Outdoor Guide Debbie North, our TOG wheelchair walk designer uses an off-road mobility scooter, also called an all terrain hopper to access the countryside and wants to inspire other wheelchair users to do the same through her wheel friendly walks. Wheelchair friendly walks are a selection of walks that the TOG team have carefully selected for families using pushchairs, wheelchairs or bicycles. Link to Debbie's Walks The Jen Brea ME Film ‘Unrest’ Now Available On Amazon And iTunes ! The Jen Brea ME film 'Unrest', about her story and struggle with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME) was shown to a sellout audience at City Screen York on 1st November, prompting a second showing on 16 November. This film has won awards at The Sundance Film Festival and is a must see for all wishing and needing to know more about an illness affecting over 800 people in the York area alone. Although still showing around the UK and worldwide, it's now also available on Amazon and iTunes and through the Unrest UK Store on DVD and Blu-Ray by clicking on this link: Unrest site to save having to undertake a journey to the cinema., Please spread the word through your GP, MP, Company HR Teams and any other people of influence you may know. Thank you. CFS and ME Comparison Chart One of the major questions raised is the blending of ME with CFS. This chart on the Hummingbirds site illustrates the many differences between Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) and Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME). Link to Chart at Hummingbirds Citizens Advice York For confidential and independent advice for everyone on welfare benefits, debt, housing, employment, consumer rights and much more. Click Here For Citizens Advice In York The Broken Puppet Theatre Company Welcome to Broken Puppet Theatre Company. We are a small team of creative professionals who live with chronic illness and invisible disabilities. We work with theatre, film and puppetry to support children, families, schools and communities who are learning to share their world with chronic illness and invisible disabilities too. Our aim is to provide creative expression and escapism wherever they are needed. "Everything Broken has a Story..." To visit the site, just click here #MEAction CBT CFS/ME chronic fatigue syndrome Chronic Illness Cognitive Behavioural Therapy Cort Johnson David Tuller disability Disability Benefits Disability News Service Dr David Tuller DWP Fibromyalgia GET Graded Exercise Therapy Health Rising Invest in ME Research Invisible Illness John Pring ME/CFS ME awareness ME Awareness and Support in York MEAwarenessHour ME Blogs ME Poetry ME Research ME Support and Awareness in York ME Support in York ME Symptoms ME Treatments myalgic encephalomyelitis PACE Trial PIP Raising ME Awareness Saga Magazine The Conversation The Mighty The PACE Trial The York ME Community The Yorkshire Times Things To Do In York What's On In York York Amenities YorkMix Sally Duffin FEATURED ARTICLE By Sally Duffin Hello to all the members of York ME Community. I’m Sally, a Naturopathic Nutritional Therapist at ‘Nutrition in York’ and Bill has asked me to share some nutritional therapy approaches for managing ME. Many nutritional therapists – myself included – are trained in the Functional Medicine approach to healthcare which […] Posts By Topics Select Category Business Related Stories (872) Carers (115) Charity (224) Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (724) Coffee Club (16) Disability (1,968) Disability Benefits (179) Everest (4) Fibromyalgia (288) Food and Supplements (233) General Interest (1,203) Invisible / Chronic Illness (2,268) Karina Hansen (12) ME Ability Scales (2) ME Blogs (638) ME Conferences & Seminars (68) ME PACE Trial (145) ME Research And Researchers (871) ME Support and Awareness in York – The York ME Community (3,290) ME Symptoms (1,154) ME Treatments And Therapies (913) ME World Perspective (935) ME/CFS Information (760) Medical General (953) Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (1,364) Personal Stories (1,072) Politics (312) Raising Funds For ME Research (197) Safety (191) Social (872) Things to do (562) Uncategorised (109) York Amenities (561) York Floods (25) York Stories of Interest (878) Archived Posts Select Month January 2020 (18) December 2019 (28) November 2019 (59) October 2019 (64) September 2019 (60) August 2019 (58) July 2019 (60) June 2019 (62) May 2019 (69) April 2019 (69) March 2019 (76) February 2019 (69) January 2019 (74) December 2018 (70) November 2018 (62) October 2018 (66) September 2018 (67) August 2018 (108) July 2018 (81) June 2018 (50) May 2018 (68) April 2018 (81) March 2018 (102) February 2018 (96) January 2018 (106) December 2017 (93) November 2017 (97) October 2017 (101) September 2017 (109) August 2017 (104) July 2017 (73) June 2017 (93) May 2017 (103) April 2017 (120) March 2017 (108) February 2017 (95) January 2017 (85) December 2016 (88) November 2016 (100) October 2016 (96) September 2016 (57) August 2016 (43) July 2016 (20) June 2016 (51) May 2016 (32) April 2016 (70) March 2016 (82) February 2016 (65) January 2016 (77) December 2015 (72) November 2015 (90) October 2015 (91) September 2015 (35) August 2015 (3) June 2015 (2) York, United Kingdom 3°C clear sky Tweets by YorkMEAwareness Some Useful Phone Numbers Dial & Ride: 01904 551441 Shopmobility: 01904 679222 York Wheels: 01904 630080 NHS Health Enquiries (non emergency): 111 Samaritans: 01904 655888 York Hospital: 01904 631313 Patient Transport Service: 01904 630080 Benefits Service: 01904 551556 Local MP's York Central Rachel Maskell: 01904 784847 York Outer Julian Sturdy: 01904 784847 Thirsk & Malton Kevin Hollinrake: 01347 666880 Featured Article On The ME Story By Nathalie Wright Of The Independent Time For Unrest: Why Patients With ME Are Demanding Justice. If you want the full story on ME and will read just one article about it this year, please make it this one, Link to Nathalie Wright's Article Calling All York Sports And Fitness Clubs, We Need Your Help ! Are you a member of a York based Sports or Fitness Club ? Looking for a local cause to run or do an activity for ? The York ME Community are looking to be 'adopted' by anyone willing to maybe run for us and help raise our profile. There are around 800 people of all ages in the York area who would be so very grateful for your help. The York Access and Mobility Club The York Access and Mobility Club is a Facebook group which is aimed at improving Accessibility in York for those trying to get around with a Disability. Feedback on bad, and good Accessibility of shops, streets, cafes, restaurants and any other facilities are welcomed. It's also the place to discuss mobility aids from walking sticks to scooters. If this sounds like a group for you, you're most welcome ! The York ME TGA Shield – Inter Company Fantasy Football League Calling all Organisations wishing to enter teams into the league in time for the 2020/21 season, it's not too early to let me know ! This is open to any business, club, pub, or organisation looking to have a bit of fun whilst supporting your local community. Our 4th season is well under way and going great guns ! Although the aim is spreading ME Awareness, as a bonus we have also raised over £920.00 for Invest in ME Research, so why not join us ? Let's see if Bransby Wilson can hold onto the trophy having won the league for season 2018/19. As an added incentive, the team top at Christmas receives a box of goodies kindly donated by Nestle of York. This year, as it's been won by The York ME Community team, it'll be on its way to a local food bank. To join in for next season, click on the tab at the top of the site for more information, or just to register your interest through the email address supplied. ME Research Summary 2019 To read the ME Research Summary 2019 by ME Action covering the last ten years, click on the link below: ME Research Summary UK Government Funding Into Myalgic Encephalomyelitis Research By Year Written Question to the Department of Health and Social Care on 22 May 2018 by Carol Monaghan SNP, answered by Caroline Dinenage Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care) Financial Year £ 2014-15 280,442 Link to Written Question In Full E-Learning Courses For Businesses With A Duty Of Care For Those With ME And CFS There is a great need for the training of those with a Duty of Care to those with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME) or Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS). For those in Healthcare, Education or Business with this Duty of Care, this E-Learning Course is the one for you. To learn more, click on the link below: Link to Stripey Lightbulb CIC AccessAble In York AccessAble in York provides information on Shopmobility, Talking Signs, Dial & Ride, York Wheels and accessible Hotels, Restaurants, Public Toilets and a whole lot more in our city. To find out more before setting off for York, click on the link below: Link to AccessAble The York Inset Scooter Club Ride Out To Support The York ME Community The York Inset Scooter Club is based in York (UK) and has a membership of around 250. They are a thriving, active club and look to support local charities when they can. They have an annual Mods and Rockers charity ride out, and for 2019 supported The York ME Community. They headed off from The York Eye (Clifford’s Tower) on Sun 28 Apr on a run out to the coast, set off by the Mayor of York and the York Normandy Veterans. All money raised will be used to raise the profile of ME in York through posters being produced and put up in local business premises, clubs, schools, GP Surgeries and venues. Euan’s Guide – The Disabled Access Review Website Euan’s Guide is the disabled access review website used by disabled people to review, share and discover accessible places to visit. The charity was founded in 2013 by Euan MacDonald, who is a powerchair user, and his sister Kiki. As Euan’s access requirements changed, both went in search of recommendations for accessible places to go, but a platform for this kind of information didn’t exist. Built as a friendly and honest alternative to hours of web searching and phone calls before visiting somewhere new, Euan’s Guide now has thousands of disabled access reviews and listings for places all over the UK and beyond. To go to Euan's Website, click on the link below: Link to Euan's Guide Raising Money For Invest In ME Research…At No Cost To You ! Help us raise money for The York ME Community to pass onto Invest in ME Research every time you shop online, and it doesn't cost you a penny ! By using the link below, when you shop online with a huge number of shops, they will pass a percentage of your purchase cost to our fund. THIS MONEY IS DONATED BY THE RETAILERS, NOT YOU ! Link to Go Raise A Girl Behind Dark Glasses A TRUE STORY BY JESSICA TAYLOR-BEARMAN Book Description: From a darkened world, bound by four walls, a young woman called Jessica tells the tale of her battle against the M.E Monster. The severest form of a neuro immune disease called Myalgic Encephalomyelitis went to war with her at just 15 years old. From beneath her dark glasses, Jessica glimpses a world far different from the one she remembers as a teenage school girl. This true story follows her path as she ends up living in hospital for years with tubes keeping her alive. This harrowing story follows the highs and lows of the disease and being hospitalised, captured through her voice activated technology diary called `Bug' that enables her to fulfil her dream of one day becoming an author. It provides a raw, real-time honesty to the story that would be impossible to capture in hindsight. To order the book through Jessica's site, click on the link below: Link to Jessica's site This book is also now available at York Library City Of York Council Backs The York ME Community In Raising ME Awareness ! I had a very productive meeting with Cllr Aspden and Cllr Runciman of City of York Council where they have stated they will back efforts to raise awareness of ME, understanding that much more is needed to increase understanding of this debilitating disorder, in York and across the UK. I will be aiming to keep up the pressure to ensure future support. The motion put before Council with regard to support in raising ME Awareness in York was passed unanimously ! The City of York Council followed through on their promise by lighting up the city walls and Clifford's Tower in blue over ME Awareness Week. We’ve Been Raising ME Awareness At York Explore Library ! We had a brilliant day at York Explore Library raising ME Awareness. Lots of interest in what we're doing from local health groups, charities, the council and most heart warmingly, from those dealing with ME themselves who now know we're here for them. If you'd like to hear more about ME, get in touch. #MEAwarenesshour Are you on Twitter? Learn more about ME every Wednesday, 8 pm - 9 pm (UK) using #MEAwarenesshour Mike Harley’s EU Marathons For ME Mike Harley is a very special guy who's running a marathon in each EU country to raise awareness and funds for Invest in ME Research. Please visit his site to learn more. Link To Mike Harley's Site What Does Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME) Actually Mean Anyway ? Carers And Disability Benefits Guide To go to the Government's Disability Benefits Advice Guide, click on the link below: Link to Disability Benefits Guide Fire Safety In The Home Upon request, North Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service can carry out a home fire safety visit to your home, completely free of charge. This visit involves fire service staff coming to your home to give you advice on fire safety in the home, actions you can take to reduce the risk of fire, and discuss escape routes should fire occur. If you don't aim to take up this offer, please at least check the batteries on your smoke alarms on a regular basis. If you want to read more, click on the link below: Link to North Yorkshire Fire Brigade Site Helpfulpeeps….People Looking To Help You….Or Looking For Help… Helpfulpeeps is a platform that allows people in any given area to ask for and offer help to one another. Although this is a nationwide facility, by adding your street name, the system automatically drops a pin on that location and you only see posts from a 20 mile radius. You have the option to narrow or widen this radius. I hope this is a useful facility for members of our Community. Click Here For The Helpfulpeeps Site The York ME Community © 2015 Powered by Live Score & Live Score App	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0030.json.gz/line792
__label__wiki	0.818121	0.818121	DOWNLOAD ISSUE About WCMG Publications News Index Entertainment Features Bars & Clubs Calendar Videos Advertisers OUT! Guide Marriage Pride at Montrose event abruptly cancelled by the CPD by Gretchen Rachel Hammond As the 47th annual Pride Parade was winding down in Lakeview June 26, Pride at Montrose was just getting started. Hundreds were walking towards Uptown's Cricket Hill for what is advertised as "Chicago's most vibrant Pride event." There, they found relief from the sun underneath lines of trees and basked in the aroma from an array of family barbeques set up in the shadow of a massive stage while waiting for performances by DJ Gemini Jones, Audio Jack, DJ Tess, GUCCIROXX, Derrick Carter, Ruff N Stuff, Kaycee Ortiz, Darling Sheer, Kiara Lanier, Otis Mack and Terry D'Mor. Alongside a message of unity, the Health Village manned by organizations including The Ruth M. Rothstein CORE Center, the Chicago Department of Public Health, Chicago House, AIDS Foundation of Chicago (AFC) and their #PrEP4Love campaign and Affinity Community Services among others demonstrated that personal wellness was just as essential. Then, shortly after 1 p.m., the Chicago Police Department (CPD) showed up. According to Chicago Gay Black Men's Caucus Executive Director Erik Glenn, they told organizers to turn off the music—essentially closing down what has historically been the event's principal draw. "The music was turned off," Glenn told Windy City Times. "Then, after 3 [p.m.], they returned." A prominent Black actor, writer and creative activist who has been given the anonymous name "John" described what happened next. "There was a high-ranking CPD officer who was engaging staff members from the AIDS Foundation of Chicago," he told Windy City Times. "The permit for the event was only until 6 p.m. So they pushed it until the eleventh hour and then it was 'no'." He added that they essentially ran out the event's clock and so shut it down to the devastation of event organizers and the disappointment of those in attendance who wanted nothing but to enjoy the final Pride event of the day. "These were people who pulled together despite all that we're going through even with the [state] budget impasse," he said. The "high-ranking CPD" representative was soon joined by a large number of other police officers. In a Facebook video posted by Glenn, the police can be seen taking shelter under one of the tents and using the port-a-potties as the Health Village and Cricket Hill were cleared of people. "Tomorrow is National HIV testing day so we are missing a pretty good opportunity," Glenn said in the video. "But, speaking of things we are paying for, extra time for our police officers to hang out." "I really wanted to scream and holler," John added, "But it was one of those moments when you have to hold up people. When did racism end? When did lynching end? There is always someone being groomed to hate you. If we don't teach them to survive and show what the fuck is up, they're going to fall into the abyss and we with them as we age." His response was measured in comparison to some of the justifiable frustration on Facebook as an event that has been consistently targeted by the CPD including when it was known as Montrose Rocks was shut down with no plausible explanation provided. For some, the closure was nothing more and nothing less than a direct attack on the Black LGBT community. "I have a source that said that the police in the city already pre-planned this—to cancel the event about three days ago," Marquise Wiley posted in a video. "Why would you wait until the last minute to cancel this event? There were folks that put their heart and soul, they had invested in this. They had sponsors. They had HIV awareness. This is so crazy. Why are you attacking the Black gay community? You all are racist individuals. You let these white folks have their parade. Now that Black folks want to have their own event, you had pre-planned this shit? Folks it was about racism." He said that there were no reports of violence at the event, The reasons why the CPD cancelled it are murky at best, with organizers telling Windy City Times that it was due to the insufficient height of the security fences. This was confirmed by a statement released June 27 by the AFC. "The AIDS Foundation of Chicago is extremely disappointed that Pride at Montrose was required by the Chicago Police Department to end entertainment early on Sunday, June 26," it read. "This historic Black LGBTQ event was an opportunity to celebrate pride and provide healthcare resources in honor of National HIV Testing Day. Though we acknowledge the event did not have the six-foot fence as described in the security plan, throughout the day, we made changes in an attempt to address the concern." "These changes, unfortunately, were viewed as an unacceptable alternative by the Chicago Police Department," the statement continued. "We wish they would have provided more flexibility so that we could have worked together to find a plausible and immediate solution." The metal barricades used were exactly the same height as those at the Pride Parade. Glenn could not understand the purpose of the six-foot fence requirement. "A lot of us are still hard-pressed to find a rationale for this request," he said. "I'm a six-foot-tall man and to think there would be a fence as tall as me in a modestly sized area; if there were any safety concerns, how would people be able to get away? I could imagine people getting trampled." There is historical precedent for Glenn's concerns. In an infamous incident in the United Kingdom in 1989, 96 people died and 700 were injured due to overcrowding at the Hillsborough soccer stadium in Sheffield. They were crushed against the tall fences in use by the stadium, while others were trampled to death. The request of a high fence at the Pride at Montrose event remains a mystery. 46th Ward Ald. James Cappleman issued the following statement: "Per the Commanding Officer overseeing this event the agreed upon plan for the fencing was not followed, and he assessed that proceeding with the music portion of this event could affect the safety of the attendees. Nevertheless, I'm extremely disappointed that the issues could not have been worked out, especially given how important it is to provide HIV testing to those who may not ever seek testing on their own with a medical provider. "Pride at Montrose is also especially important because it brings together many members of the African-American community to celebrate together what it means to be a member of the LGBTQ community, especially given the many barriers they often face I want to make sure we get to the bottom of this communication breakdown so that we can move forward and have many more Pride at Montrose events for years to come. Uptown is a very open and welcoming community and it's especially important that attendees of Pride at Montrose feel welcomed to Uptown." Response from the CPD was limited to the statement "There were permit issues with the event at Montrose Beach and CPD asked organizers to discontinue the live music portion of the event. CPD did not shut down events at Montrose Beach." "That's really a semantic word play," Glenn said. "We know and we would expect that the CPD, which has had a relationship with this event for years would know, that if you were to remove the music it effectively guts the heart of the event rendering it essentially impossible to facilitate the crowd going through the health services that were there." Even before the CPD showed up, organizers of those health services had been faced with challenges. As politicians marched along the Pride Parade route in search of applause for their embracement of diversity, the devastating effects of Springfield's refusal to agree upon a state budget were felt even at a celebratory event like Pride at Montrose. As they did last year, The Ruth M. Rostein CORE Center was there to offer free HIV testing but, for 2016, there was a marked difference. "Last year was a collaboration with several agencies who came out to do testing and we served about 200 people," Ruth M. Rothstein Community HIV Coordinator Juan Ortega said. "This year, because of funding cuts, we don't have that. We've done the most with what we have and the AIDS Foundation has been super supportive." AIDS Foundation of Chicago President and CEO John Peller agreed. "There's no question that the state budget is really having a disastrous impact on services," he said. "A million people across the state have lost services. We've heard the Center on Halsted this week saying that the future of their testing program is not clear without state funding. Downstate, providers haven't been paid all year and health departments, which are the mainstay of HIV testing, are laying off staff, reducing their hours and closing sites." "The consequences of that are going to be more people who are [HIV] positive who don't know their status and more HIV infections and ultimately more costs for the state," he added. "So we're really calling on the governor and the state legislature to pass a responsible budget immediately." Events like Pride at Montrose are at least a way for organizations like AIDS Foundation of Chicago to keep their front lines in the battle against HIV intact. "The strategy that we've always followed is 'go where people already are' and so many people come to Montrose after Pride, that we're working to make sure that there is testing and awareness," Peller said. Chief among the goals this year was spreading awareness of the benefits of Pre-exposure prophylaxis ( PrEP ). Peller was optimistic. "I think there will be a lot more awareness," he said. "We're building on the social marketing campaign we did over the winter and the city just released a series of grants to expand the capacity of people to provide PrEP and we think the groundswell is building." So were the crowds at Pride at Montrose with every passing minute until the CPD arrived. It made Ortega happy despite the challenges his organization faced. "I love this event," he said. "It's one of the best. I feel like it has so much potential to be one of the hall mark events during Pride month." In the aftermath of the event's shutdown, questions remain unanswered. "When we look at the size of Pride parade, we literally had a million people, "Glenn said. "Attendance at Pride at Montrose really pales in comparison. So if the fences they used were good enough for the Pride parade, how were they not good enough for Pride at Montrose which is much more modestly sized?" "It is at the very least a question mark as to why this event is being targeted the way it is," Glenn added, "It is fueled by the fact of that Pride at Montrose doesn't have the cover of safety by being a revenue generator for the city. On the heels of the Laquan McDonald case, people are rightly so left with questions about why there is this level of scrutiny given to this modestly-sized event. Chicago Black Gay Men's Caucus would hope that we're able to create a stronger and better relationship with the Chicago Police Department, not just for our agency but the community as a whole. That type of work is hard and really necessitates a strong political will to see that change happens." Erik Glenn's video was originally linked here, but Facebook has removed the video. Windy City Media Group does not approve or necessarily agree with the views posted below. Please do not post letters to the editor here. Please also be civil in your dialogue. If you need to be mean, just know that the longer you stay on this page, the more you help us. Chicago Bulls hold Pride Night 2020-01-06 - The Chicago Bulls hosted the organization's second annual Pride Night in partnership with BMO Harris Bank on Jan. 4, when the team took ... Center on Halsted lays off employees 2020-01-03 - Center on Halsted has cut two positions for financial reasons, according to organization officials. 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__label__cc	0.657387	0.342613	Home Seychelles Travel Guide Travel Information Email this guide \| Print the full guide Travel Guide Seychelles Seychelles Map Praslin Island Seychelles Travel Information Local time is GMT +4. Electrical current is 220-240 volts, 50Hz. Plugs are of the British type, with three flat pins. Creole, English and French are all spoken in the Seychelles. Health regulations in the Seychelles require that travellers from areas infected by yellow fever have a vaccination certificate. Immunisation against hepatitis A, hepatitis B and typhoid are recommended. Visitors are advised to bring their own medication to avert the risk of travellers' diarrhoea, as well as sun block and insect repellent, as local supplies can be erratic and costly. During the rainy season in particular, visitors should take precautions against mosquito bites due to the risk of dengue fever and the chikungunya virus (although these diseases are rare in Seychelles). Tap water meets WHO standards, but most visitors prefer to drink bottled water, which is widely available. Medical facilities on the more remote islands are limited or non-existent, but visitors will find a government hospital and several private clinics in Victoria. Medical insurance with full evacuation cover is necessary. Charges for most services include a service charge of between five and 10 percent, therefore tipping is not obligatory. If service has been exceptional, a small tip on top of this is warmly welcomed. Safety is not generally an issue in the Seychelles; violent crime is unlikely and most visits are trouble-free. There have been some incidents of theft and assault, but these are targeted mainly at residents. Visitors should be vigilant, particularly after dark in Victoria and in isolated areas. Avoid taking valuables to the beach, where they could be pilfered by petty thieves. Women should avoid walking alone on isolated beaches. Local Customs Nudism is unacceptable, and topless bathing is not tolerated on many, but not all, beaches. Punishments for drug offences can be severe. In the Seychelles, business is conducted relatively informally. Men and women are not required to wear formal suits, although a smart appearance is advised. Business is usually conducted in English or French. Business hours are generally 8am to 4pm Monday to Friday. The international dialling code for Seychelles is +248. The outgoing code is 00 followed by the relevant country code (e.g. 0044 for the United Kingdom). Direct lines to most countries are available at major hotels. Most hotels offer a postal service, email and internet connection, and free international calls can be made over wifi. Travellers to the Seychelles over 18 years do not have to pay duty on 200 cigarettes, 50 cigars or 250g of tobacco; two litres of spirits and two litres of wine; 200ml of perfume or eau de toilette. Prohibited items include drugs, narcotics, firearms, spear-fishing equipment, and camouflage clothing. It is forbidden to export unprocessed coco de mer, shells, fish and live tortoises. A permit is required for processed coco de mer. Our Travel Expert Ralf zur Linde is joint-CEO and co-founder of Seyvillas, a European-based specialist Seychelles tour operator. Since visiting the Seychelles for the first time in 2003, he's been hooked on the unique culture and beauty of the country, and makes sure to visit whenever he can. >Read Ralf's tips on Seychelles >Ask Ralf a question Become our Seychelles Travel Expert We are looking for contributors for our Seychelles travel guide. If you are a local, a regular traveller to Seychelles or a travel professional with time to contribute and answer occasional forum questions, please contact us. MORE ABOUT Seychelles Climate and when to go to Seychelles Practical travel information What to see in Seychelles Visa and Passport requirements Word Travels Word Travels Pro Ski Resort Guides Expat City Guides Become a fan on Twitter Copyright © 2020 Globe Media Ltd. All rights reserved. By its very nature much of the information in this travel guide is subject to change at short notice and travellers are urged to verify information on which they're relying with the relevant authorities. Globe Media cannot accept any responsibility for any loss or inconvenience to any person as a result of information contained above.	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0030.json.gz/line802
__label__cc	0.632074	0.367926	Open Rights Group “EPIC SUCCESS” at eG8: La Quadrature Lawrence Lessig and other heroes make “Civil Society Hack” counter statement, Video here: Vimeo: Unbekannter Video-Titel PK video at Soup.io - permalink oAnth Is this correct to speak about a success? - The question would be easier to answer if you/I were at Paris to observe the international reactions of all the representants and by the press. Following the live stream and the eG8 panel discussing principles of the internet for the #G8 - it was, I have to admit, just frustrating. Btw, Lessig said explicitely in the alternative PK, that all the discussions which went on for years seemed to be in vain. - At least, the necessity of an alternative eG8 / G8 proved to be obvious, and I guess, the whole eG8 event sparked more or less such an initiative for a parallel e-civil-society Gn; Successfull, yes, if you understand the alternative PK as an founding act, but - once again - very fustrating taking in account all the dicussions & engagements for years through countless online activities, which were relentlessly ignored by the eG8. The eG8 considers the e-civil society as a kind of online playstation - quite easily to switch on and off. — oAnth - via diaspora \| 2011-05-26 Tags: post_oanth comm_oanth tag_vids tag_confs talk panel discussion Podiumsdiskussion tag_itec tag_acti netfreedom tag_gov 20110526 compil_eG8 “ "La société civile organise sa propre session" \|\| owni.fr has an #eG8 site in FR/EN with comments & intvw vids \|\| v.gd/eG8_civilSoc ” — oAnth \| via diaspora 2011-05-25 Tags: post_oanth twitter tag_vids tag_PK tag_itec tag_acti netfreedom tag_confs tag_gov 20110526 compil_eG8 Reaction to 02mydafsoup-01 G-8 Leaders to Call for Tighter Internet Regulation \| nytimes.com 2011-05-24 Tags: tag_press tag_vids tag_PK tag_itec tag_acti netfreedom tag_confs tag_gov 20110526 compil_eG8 G8 taking over the Internet For the first time and on the occasion of the Summit of Heads of State and Government or as known for Group of Eight (G8) (a “ritual” created by France in 1975 for the governments of 8 major economies (France, Germany, Italy, Japan, UK, USA, Canada and Russia) –that will be held in Deauville, France on 26th -27th May 2011; an internet summit or referred to “e-G8 Forum” is wrapping up today in Paris. At least 600 people attended. The e-G8 taking place 24th -25th May brought together CEOs and the leaders of the Internet’s most leading companies and organizations whom over these two days, worked together before sharing their proposals with the Heads of State and Government in Deauville. (Below you may find agenda of the forum). Video overview of the forum: Debates, meetings, talks, check out the film illustrating the highlights of the first day at the e-G8 forum. It’s reported that Eric Schmidt of Google, Jeff Bezos of Amazon, Mark Zuckerberg of Facebook and Jimmy Wales of Wikipedia are among the key speakers today. Surprisingly, until today I came by very little press coverage for an event of this magnitude, and that’s the reason why I’m compiling my findings in this humble post. What is crucial here is that this year, and for the first time ever, the Internet’s role in society and the economy will be formally on the G8 Summit agenda. The program of the summit included discussions on economic growth, social issues such as human rights, intellectual property protection and privacy, and the Internet of the future. The Internet is the place where we meet, communicate, create, learn, share and organize. Yet, such event (e-G8) tells us that we came by a turning point in early web history. Governments and top web companies are now discussing if internet to become a primarily tool for improving our societies, knowledge and culture, or a totalitarian tool of surveillance and control. What bugs here is knowing that President Nicolas Sarkozy, along with the other G8 leaders, have generally supported policies which are not always in the best-interests of Internet users certainly around issues of privacy, freedom of speech, taxation, and net neutrality. To this effect, a collective of associations defending internet rights and networks neutrality has issued a call against French president “e-G8 forum”. Among the organizations calls the FCForum, the website BoingBoing, the Free Art and Technology Lab, Telecomix and the French “la quadrature du Net” Nova Spivack , one of the attendee of the e-G8 raised a number of concerns around this unprecedented summit saying: “Will this event result in helping Big Corporations and Big Governments be even Bigger, or will it also provide a voice to the people, the citizens of the Web? Will the delegates be thinking about themselves and their companies, or will they try to bring larger issues to the table?” Fabrice Epelboin former editor of ReadWriteWeb France says: “Sarkozy actually has a very bad track record in terms of internet freedom. The Hadopi law (three strike and you're out) was initially supposed to fight against copyright infringements by monitoring P2P sharing and looking at IPs, it turns out to move toward putting a monitoring device in citizen's DSL modem. The Hadopi law, also passed under his legislation, basically gives the right for the interior minister to censor whatever he wants, without any warrant of any kind, using a state secret blacklist, without any sort of control or authority monitoring the process. In Iran, this is called censorship, in France, it’s about fighting pedophiles, but the list of content to fight is getting larger and more secret. Last summer, the sec. of state for the internet issued a report about net neutrality who was basically a cut and paste exercise aggregating most of the lobbies anti net neutrality arguments. Today, the government is looking to install a ‘civilized internet', e.g. heavily filtered and monitored internet. In September, Reporter Without Border issued its latest report on internet freedom, and for the first time, France entered the ‘under surveillance' list, a very severe warning for a democracy.” There have been several calls for creative actions to take place on Friday May 13th. (Images used in this post are from the said campaign). Video: Call for creative action - Friday, 13 May 2011 Addressing concerns that flooded the event, President Sarkozy said that states were subject to the will of their citizens who were currently engaged in a revolution, empowered by the internet. “The global revolution that you incarnate is a peaceful one. It did not emerge on battlefields but on university campuses,” he said. “However, Iain Mackenzie- Technology reporter, BBC News, Paris reported that President Sarkozy claimed that countries could not remain neutral and allow completely unchecked internet use.” “The world you represent is not a parallel universe where legal and moral rules and more generally all the basic rules that govern society in democratic countries do not apply.” According to Reporters Without Borders “Civil society representatives gave an unofficial news conference this morning (May 25th) in one of the conference rooms of the “e-G8” forum on Internet issues in Paris, voicing their opposition to attempts to regulate the Internet and criticizing the lack of representativeness of most of those who were invited by the French government to take part in the forum.” Jarvis said he was “scared by those who are scared of the Internet.” Julliard said he was “extremely disappointed” by the course taken by discussions during the e-G8 forum, including the lack of a strongly-worded message to governments that target journalists, bloggers and cyber-dissidents. Unknown says “As a host of the G8, France’s president Nicolas Sarkozy wants to step up centralized control over the Internet. He has convened world leaders to a summit aimed at working towards a “civilized Internet”, a concept he borrowed from the Chinese government. By creating fears such as “cyber-terrorism”, their objective is to generalize rules of exception in order to establish censorship and control, thereby undermining free speech and other civil liberties.” AGENDA OF THE EVENT (Credit: Nova Spivack) e-G8 Forum The Internet: Accelerating Growth Pre-program MONDAY 23 MAY 17h00 – 21h00: Welcome and Registration -Tuileries Gardens TUESDAY 24 MAY 08h30 – 10h00: Registration, coffee and networking 10h00 – 10h10: Welcome & Introduction, Maurice Lévy, Chairman & CEO, Publicis Groupe, Chairman of the e-G8 Forum 10h10 – 10h45: Opening Keynote Monsieur Nicolas Sarkozy, President of France, current President of the G8 10h45 – 11h00: Q&A with President Sarkozy 11h00 – 12h00: Plenary I “Silicon Power: The Internet & Economic Growth” Information Technology and the entire digital ecosystem have been a powerful creator of jobs and wealth around the world. How to ensure this continues? 12h00 – 13h00: Plenary II “Rewiring Societies” The Internet has empowered people around the world, most recently and most spectacularly in the Middle East, but also in many other instances. Are we seeing the emergence of a new society: more open, transparent and free? 13h00 – 14h30: Lunch 14h30 – 15h30: Plenary III “Future of the Net: What Next?” Broadband, booming data, video, the explosion of cloud computing, storage: the financing of infrastructures, how value is created and shared 15h30 – 16h00: Coffee break and networking 16h00 – 17h00: Content and intellectual property 17h00 – 18h00: Conversations with legendary figures of the Internet 20h00 – 22h30: e-G8 Dinner at the Louvre Museum and private visits of the museum WEDNESDAY 25 MAY 08h00 – 09h00: Continental breakfast and networking 09h00 – 10:00: Plenary I “Innovation and Financing” The impact of new technologies on strategies for innovation and R&D What are the best strategies for creating innovative ecosystems and clusters? 10h30 – 12h00: Parallel Workshops I 1. Fostering Innovation and Education 2. The impact of the digital revolution on small and medium-sized businesses 3. Entertainment and Culture in the Digital Age 12h00 – 13h00: Parallel Workshops II 1. Mobile Internet: how mobile is transforming commerce 2. Protection of privacy and the youth 3. The Net and the Media: the future of media in a digital society 14h30 – 15h30: Parallel Workshops III 1. In the Social Media Age: the impact on society 2. Creativity and entrepreneurship on the Net 3. Trust: Creating and maintaining trust in a world of booming data 15h30 – 16h00: Coffee break “Start-up Nations: the best and the brightest start-ups” 17h30 – 18h30: Closing Plenary of the e-G8 Forum Written by Kacem Jlidi · comments (1) Share: facebook · twitter · reddit · StumbleUpon · delicious · Instapaper Tags: Advocacy News \| tag_blog tag_confs talk Vortrag panel discussion Podiumsdiskussion tag_itec tag_advoc tag_acti netfreedom tag_gov 20110526 compil_eG8	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0030.json.gz/line804
__label__wiki	0.87627	0.87627	Welcome to 103.9 The Breeze Breeze VIPs 103.9 The Breeze103.9 The Breeze ‘Beverly Hillbillies’ Mansion Sells for $150 Million [Pictures] Billy Dukes Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage; Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California; Hilton & Hyland A Los Angeles mansion made famous in the credits of the long-running CBS sitcom The Beverly Hillbillies has sold for the very un-hillbilly-like price of $150 million. Owners of the 11-bedroom, 18-bathroom Bel-Air home were originally seeking $245 million. Per the L.A. Times, the sale price marks the highest in California history. Lachlan Murdoch — son of news mogul Rupert Murdoch — bought the 25,000-square-foot house on 10 acres in Bel-Air. Former president Ronald Reagan and his wife Nancy used to live just behind the main estate, and the sale includes that home as well. A 75-foot pool, tennis courts, parking garage for over three dozen vehicles and underground tunnel help make the mansion unique. The buyer also gets a 12,000 bottle wine cellar and meticulously manicured landscaping that allows few passersby to gaze through. The house on Nimes Rd. was built in 1936 (per Zillow) and was once referred to as the "house with golden doorknobs." The late A. Jerrold Perenchio owned the house until his death. He'd purchased it in 1986 for $14 million, but later added many nearby parcels and the Reagan home. The fictional Clampett family that starred in The Beverly Hillbillies from 1962-71 were never filmed at the house. It was only shown during the credits, as one was to believe it was here they relocated after striking oil. The estate was listed for sale in a shared listing between Jade Mills at Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage, Drew Gitlin and Susan Gitlin at Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California and Drew Fenton, Gary Gold and Jeff Hyland of Hilton & Hyland. Look Inside George Strait's Unique Mansion: Source: ‘Beverly Hillbillies’ Mansion Sells for $150 Million [Pictures] How to Make Your Resolution Stick: Take it One Goal at a Time Meal Prep Products You'll Love NBC’s Peacock Streaming Service: What You Need to Know 2020 103.9 The Breeze, Townsquare Media, Inc. All rights reserved.	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0030.json.gz/line805
__label__wiki	0.587411	0.587411	Home // Training // Sports Skills Antonio Brown is the Best Route Runner in the NFL—Here's What You Can Learn From Him STACK examines Antonio Brown's route-running, one set of skills that make him the best wide receiver in the NFL. Antonio Brown is the best receiver in the NFL. This is not up for debate. Since his breakout season in 2013, he has thoroughly dominated the leagueâand he keeps getting better. Brown isn't the biggest guy (he's listed at 5-foot-10, 181 pounds), but his other attributes more than make up for any lack of size. One thing in particular that makes him a defensive back's nightmare? His elite route-running ability. Route running is an art form, a chaotic cat-and-mouse game in which a single well-placed step can be the difference between suffocating coverage or getting wide open. Thanks to years of honing his craft, Brown knows all the little tricks that are the key to successful route running. Watching him play can give young players great tips on what makes a good route, so let's dive in and check out some of Brown's skills. Antonio Brown is the best receiver in the NFL. This is not up for debate. Since his breakout season in 2013, he has thoroughly dominated the league—and he keeps getting better. Brown isn't the biggest guy (he's listed at 5-foot-10, 181 pounds), but his other attributes more than make up for any lack of size. One thing in particular that makes him a defensive back's nightmare? His elite route-running ability. 1. Brown's Out Route It looks like Brown is running a simple Out route here. On paper, it has him running 3 to 5 yards straight downfield before cutting at a 90-degree angle toward the sideline. But good route running almost never looks exactly like the lines in the playbook. RELATED: These 3 Route-Running Drills Will Help You Get Open Watch how the defender moves over Brown's outside shoulder right before the snap. This affects how Brown decides to attack him at the line of scrimmage. Brown knows that if he releases inside and tries to run his route, the defender will be underneath him when he cuts toward the sideline, taking away the throwing lane. So Brown decides to attack the defender's outside shoulder. Notice how he uses a basic "dip and rip" move to fight through contact. Once he gets that outside release, he pushes hard downfield and leans into the defender, forcing him to backpedal in an attempt to stay in front of Brown. As soon as he reaches his landmark, Brown sticks his inside foot in the ground and cuts sharply toward the sideline. The defender tries to react, but since he is now firmly on Brown's inside shoulder, he really has no chance. The Takeaway: Think about the route you're planning to run and how the defender's initial position can affect it. It's all about having a plan. Brown knew that an inside release would make it tough for him to get open on this particular route, so he went for an outside release and was physical enough with his hands and body to make it work. 2. Brown's Streak Route Brown is facing press coverage and running a Streak route. It looks like the defender is either head-up or slightly inside of him. This leads Brown to conclude that he should take an outside release, which he does. Brown first steps inside with his right leg, causing the defender to freeze before he bursts outside. Brown again uses his hands to cut through contact and get the defender off him. Notice the way Brown refuses to get pushed toward the sideline. Once he has a step on the defender, he works to get on top of him. This is known as "stacking" the defender. It not only makes it more difficult for the defender to make a play on the ball, it also gives the receiver room on either side to make a catch. Brown easily burns the cornerback before the safety comes over to provide help. The safety commits too early, allowing Brown to make the catch even though the pass from QB Ben Roethlisberger is underthrown. The Takeaway: Stacking the defender is a great way to get into good position on a vertical route. It prevents the defender from staying on either your inside or outside hip and allows you to use your body to shield him. Even if you're running a corner or post route, stacking the defender before you make your cut makes it much more difficult for him to stay with you. 3. Brown's Curl Route It looks like this is a basic 12-yard Curl route. Brown does nothing dramatic, but the little things he does make a big difference. When he lines up, he notices that the cornerback (No. 28, Greg Toler) is slightly outside of him. If Brown runs straight downfield, the defender will easily stay on his hip. So instead of running straight downfield, Brown runs right at Toler. This is known as "stemming"—you run the initial part of your route in a certain direction to make the defender move that way. Toler widens slightly and then slows his feet until he sees which way Brown will cut. Look how close Brown gets to Toler before he cuts. This technique is sometimes known as "stepping on the defender's toes"—you run right at him to freeze him before you make a last-second cut. You get so close, you nearly step on his toes. RELATED: 15 Things You Don't Know About Antonio Brown When Brown cuts inside, notice how he uses his hands to perform a club and swim move. This prevents Toler from getting his hands on him and slowing him down. Now Brown has a step on Toler, which makes his next move especially effective. Brown suddenly sticks his foot into the ground and comes back toward the football, while Toler's momentum forces him to drift downfield and away from the play. The Takeaway: Stemming is a huge part of good route running. By slightly angling the initial part of your route in one direction or another, you force the defender to react that way before you cut in the other direction. "Stepping on the defender's toes" is another great technique to use on various routes. It forces the defender to stay in front of you and wait on you to make a move. The key is to use your hands to fight through contact, as Brown did here with his swim move. 4. Brown's Corner Route It's tough to say exactly what this route is, but it looks like either a Corner route or a Slant-Corner route. It probably has a different name in the Steelers' playbook, but that's not important here. What is important is the way Brown uses both his eyes and his pace to get open. First things first. Brown takes an inside release because he notices the corner over him (No. 20, Kenneth Acker) is on his outside shoulder. Since Brown knows the initial portion of his route requires him to run inside, he takes an easy inside release. Once Brown approaches the goal line, things get interesting. RELATED: The Football Route Tree, Explained Brown begins to slow down and turns his eyes toward the QB—movements you would expect from a receiver who's about to receive a pass. This freezes both defenders before Brown suddenly bursts toward the corner of the end zone. A good pass makes for an easy touchdown. Acker actually had the right idea at first, as he seemed to be dropping back toward the corner of the end zone. However, once he sees Brown slow down and look back toward the QB, he quickly stops dropping and tries to react. By the time his reaction step hits the ground, Brown is on his way to the back corner of the end zone, and Acker is burnt toast. The Takeaway: Not every single portion of every single route has to be run at 100 percent full speed. Changing your pace at the right time can toy with defenders and help you get open. Your eyes are another tool—defensive backs normally look at the receiver rather than the QB. If you look back toward the QB, the defender will assume that you're expecting the ball. 5. Brown's In Route When your routes are this nice, even Joe Haden can't keep up with you. The play starts with Haden in press coverage directly over Brown. Brown uses a quick fake to get an inside release. He then begins running straight downfield, but notice how he sort of leans into Haden as he runs. This is intentional. RELATED: Bodyweight Training with Antonio Brown One, it ensures he can run the route vertically and not let Haden push him off course. Two, It allows him to perform a mini push-off when he cuts inside. It's not enough to warrant a penalty, but you can clearly see Brown extend his right arm to get Haden off him. Another reason for Brown's success is the sharpness of his cuts. Many receivers fade upfield when they cut in, rounding off the route and giving defensive backs an area to intercept the pass. Watch how Haden's momentum carries him back as he tries to cut in to follow Brown. That's similar to the issue many receivers encounter. The Takeaway: Don't be afraid to use your hands at the top of a route. Offensive pass interference is obviously illegal, but you're allowed to remove a defender's hands from your body. Also, making a sharp, flat cut on any type of In or Dig route is crucial. It should almost feel like you're running back toward the line of scrimmage. It takes a lot of practice, but it pays off. 6. Brown's Improvisation A major part of football is improvisation. Things often don't go according to plan, and the ability to think on your feet and make a play is important. It looks like Brown was initially going to run a Corner route here. But Roethlisberger gets flushed out of the pocket and has to scramble. As soon as Brown sees this, he adjusts the course of his route to give his QB an area to throw to. When he puts his hand up, you can see that he's expecting the ball on the Corner route. But an instant later, he notices there's no way his QB can make that throw under the circumstances. So he sticks his foot in the ground and cuts to an area where his QB can find him. The Takeaway: When your QB is in trouble, you've got to improvise. You can't keep running your route like you would if he had a perfect pocket. The basic rule is that if you see your QB scrambling right, bend your route to the right. If you see him scrambling left, bend your route left. The worst thing you can do is just stand there and watch your QB run for his life (unless you're wide open, of course). Topics: FOOTBALL \| RUNNING \| DEFENDER \| RECEIVER Brandon Hall - Brandon Hall is the Director of Content for STACK. He is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist by the NSCA. He graduated from Lafayette College with a Bachelor's degree in English. He was a four-year letter winner at tight end on Lafayette's FCS football team. 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Spiller, Adrian Peterson and Ronnie Hillman Defined Speed in NFL Week 4	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0030.json.gz/line819
__label__cc	0.714801	0.285199	December 16, 2019 Aamaa, America, Dali (Serena), Didi and Bishnu, Family kaskifriendsAamaa in America, Children, culture, customs, Life and Death, travel 2 Comments Aamaa and I landed in San Francisco in mid-afternoon, and Youba came to get us at the airport. It’s hard to imagine that exactly two short years since Aamaa’s first visit to the US, Bishnu has gotten married and had a baby. Little Serena Dali is still just a month old and she doesn’t yet weigh six pounds. Aamaa and Youba, of course, had never met in person before we arrived. Bedraggled, we emerged from the airport, and Aamaa and her son-in-law looked past each other and shuffled their weight, unsure how to introduce themselves without the normal directives of a proper setting or the customary procedure that goes with such a meeting. Nepali mothers don’t meet their son-in-laws for the first time with nobody else around, at Door #4 of airport arrivals. “So, um…hi,” Youba offered. He had gallantly driven through Bay Area traffic at rush hour to retrieve us, and now we had to get through rush hour Bay Area traffic in order to get home and take a nap. I was tired and grumpy wanted to sit alone being antisocial in the back seat. “Aamaa, you sit in front.” “No way, you sit in front.” “Come on, you and Youba can—“ “Nope,” Aamaa replied, and annexed the back seat of Youba’s Honda before any further negotiations could be held. When we arrived at Bishnu’s apartment, of course, baby Dali was all bundled up waiting for us. We immediately took our first US-side family photo. I am staying in San Francisco for a week before leaving Aamaa and Bishnu and Dali and Youba to head back to Connecticut for the fall. So we’ve got about eight days together to hover over the baby and deploy a non-unified strategy of obsessing over competing certainties about what to do with a baby. Even though it’s obvious, we’ll state right off the bat that I am on the lowest rung of qualifications in this debate by many orders of magnitude. The baby did not come out of me and I have never raised one. Bishnu comes in at a solid second place since she’s the one who made the human. But in the lead, Aamaa is Aamaa. She raised Bishnu and Didi and two grandsons and she runs shit. The issue is that the shit she runs is usually in Nepal and we are in America and I come in first place at being American, thus resulting in a rare case of circular cross-continent baby-doting logic that cannot be solved. Let’s take the matter of baby massages. It is traditional for Nepali mothers to massage their babies with mustard oil a few times a day, usually in front of a fire where they can warm the oil and warm their hands. I watched Aamaa drip oil in to Aidan and Pascal’s eyes and ears until they were well past toddlerhood. This is thought to be good for the baby’s development. As we were unloading our suitcases, I extracted a few 2-liter sprite bottles that Aamaa had filled with ghee. I admit I knew these illicit items were stowed in my luggage and I consented to the, um—smuggling—for the sake of the baby. But then—Lo!—a two-liter bottle of mustard oil was discovered next to my shirts. “You can’t get good mustard oil here,” Bishnu explained. Yes, these two were in cahoots. “The oil massage is fine, but no oil in the eyes and ears,” Bishnu told Aamaa. “Oh god, definitely no oil in the ears,” I squirmed. “And the eyes are out of the question.” “La, la,” Aamaa murmured. Aamaa set happily to her oil massages. However: we were missing fire. She would sit in a patch of sun in the living room, but it wasn’t the same thing as having fire, and fire was needed. Are you worried about where this is going? Be worried. September in San Francisco is temperate to hot. Bishnu’s apartment consists of a small living room attached to the kitchen, and there is one south-facing glass door that collects heat all afternoon. When the door is slid open, it lets through a nice breeze. For fully developed human mammals like me, this nice breeze is refreshing and has other benefits such as abundant availability of breathable oxygen. But for Nepali babies, moving air is considered cold. ANY MOVING AIR. There is a general understanding in Nepali culture that babies should be kept warm, so much so that they are ensconced in multiple layers of clothing and hats even in the middle of the summer. I have tried to free many sweaty babies from their multiple baby hats when I’ve had occasion to visit with said babies in said season in Nepal. It’s futile; the babies are going to be re-swaddled and re-sweated immediately. But I’m intolerably hot and uncomfortable just looking at them in their hot clothes, so I try to free them anyway. Seeing Dali bundled in layer upon layer of clothes and blankets in San Francisco raised my sense of temperature regulation distress to a previously unattained level. Clearly, American territory calls for American swaddling to American body temperatures. Plus, the nurse who came by to check on Dali our second morning told Bishnu that the baby didn’t need to be put under so many layers and that the breeze was good for her. See, that’s what I said too. So what this means is that each morning, I get up and crack the glass door – or sometimes just throw it open – and Aamaa runs to Dali in the opposite corner of the room to shelter her from the evil hypothermia-inducing fall breeze. Henceforth, we alternately, each when the other isn’t looking, adjust the glass door and Dali’s armor of clothing to our respective levels of comfort. This is of course an implicit pact. I know Aamaa’s going to undo my adjustments, and she knows the same, and the deal is that you have to respect the other person’s catastrophic approach to baby temperature maintenance by executing your improvements on the sly. Advocating for your method, on the other hand, happens in the open and frequently. This is a lot of where Bishnu comes in. (Remember Bishnu?) Throughout the day, each of us loudly comments to Bishnu on why her baby should be kept hot or breezy. Bishnu tolerates this expertly. Both of our contradictory opinions are correct at all times. Bishnu is both too happy and too tired to care. We have nothing better to perseverate about. Everyone’s fine. Now, the so-called absence of heat for Dali is particularly problematic during Mustard Oil Massage Time every few hours, due the aforementioned missing open-fire pit. On Wednesday, I go for a run. I breathe a great deal of healthy unimprisoned oxygen wafting off San Francisco Bay. Hot and refreshed I enter the apartment to find the glass door sealed shut…and Aamaa puttering in front of the floor-to-ceiling central heating unit, which is going at full blast, and where I realize she has just given Dali an oil massage. The apartment is about 10 million degrees. I stand in the door, probably with a friendly look on my face. “What?” Aamaa asks. “Are you serious, you turned on the central heat in the middle of summer and closed the door and we’re all gonna cook and die in here!” “Oh, it’s warm for the baby,” Aamaa says innocently. “Oh my God, Aamaa, ok…Listen!” I throw open the glass door. “In a week, I’m gonna be in Connecticut and you guys are going to do whatever you want. But for the love of God, while I’m here, can we have air for the grown ups to breathe?” “La, la,” Aamaa says, satisfied. I do have to hand it to her for that round. The next day a package shows up from Amazon. Youba, bless his cotton socks, has ordered it. Space heater. For the rest of the week, and indeed as she will do for the next six months, every few hours Aamaa sits in front of the space heater in Bishnu’s room, which rises to five thousand degrees, happily massaging her squishy granddaughter. She warms her hand in front of the space heater and dips it in the mustard oil we brought from Nepal and presses it in to Dali’s tiny belly, cooing and giggling over her. Bishnu dotes around the two of them, delighted in their overheating together, and I pop in and out of the room reminding everyone that it’s much too hot for any normal person, and Aamaa answers, “La, la,” but I also have to take some pictures—they are so beautiful together and that space heater is so ridiculous and fantastic—and Youba sits in the living room letting us girls do what we do, and we are utterly content in our Dali’s world. September 5, 2019 Aamaa, Aidan and Pascal, America, Didi and Bishnu, Family, Kaskikot, Nepal Life, Reflections kaskifriendsAamaa in America, Children, culture, customs, environment, Festivals, Housework, nature, Neighbors, survival, Teej, Time, travel 6 Comments Bishnu had baby Dali six weeks early, on August 2nd. We got the news while we were all finishing dinner at Didi and Prem’s. On the English calendar, Pascal’s birthday is a day earlier, on August 1st, but by a twist of the planets, on the lunar Nepali calendar Pascal and his cousin share a birthday of Saun 17. This convention-defying-cross-cultural-intercontinental-astrologically-phenomenal-birthday-coincidence —a shared birthday in Nepal, but not in America—has us thrilled. We texted Bishnu and Youba and Dali a Welcome to the World picture, marveling over a coincidence, fourteen years plus eternity in the making, that has initiated our Dali’s life. Dali’s name is actually: Serena Subedi Bhatta. Aamaa is coming back with me to the US to meet her granddaughter, an American citizen. We’ll fly directly to San Francisco, but we can’t leave Nepal until after summer professional development the last week of August. So we’ve passed the weeks talking with Bishnu on the phone, and each Friday I download new photos and ferry them to Kaski where Aamaa and Hadjur Aamaa and the neighbors pore over them. Aamaa’s favorite is the one with Youba holding Serena just minutes after her entrance in to the world, shiny and swaddled. Aamaa likes to pull this one up on my iPad and zoom in and stare at it for ten, fifteen minutes at a time. “It’s like, the longer you look at it,” she says, “the more you want to look at it. You can just look at it and look at it.” Bishnu had a difficult and sometimes unnerving pregnancy. Serena was born six weeks early, at 3.9 lbs, less than 2 kilograms of sugar, I told Aamaa. She spent a month in the NICU. Bishnu wouldn’t bring any baby shower gifts home until it was almost time for the baby to leave the NICU and join her there. I’ve found myself thinking back to the day fifteen years ago when I stood outside Gandaki Hospital with Didi, right after she wasn’t able to see a doctor at what was supposed to be her last prenatal checkup, when we ate cel roi at a roadside stand. A week later Didi’s first child was stillborn at full term. For a long time after I moved to Kaskikot, I didn’t know that Aamaa had little a sister. One day Aamaa was reclined on the bed, lying sideways with her head on her arm and an elbow pointed out at me, when she mentioned that her sister had died in childbirth, along with the child. “Wait,” Didi said the other day, her eyes widening when I told her about Bishnu’s baby shower. “People her gave her baby presents before the baby was born?” The day of our departure for America gets closer. We are scheduled to fly out on Teej, the festival of women. In the strange way that our lives here seem to cycle back like knitting stitches, it was Teej when I arrived in Kaskikot in August, 2003. I had stayed in Kaski for two months, gone back to New York, worked as a waitress, and then called six months later to say I was coming back to Kaskikot. I arrived under the hot gaze of summer and found Didi and Bishnu dancing in Maula, where the whole village was gathered for the festival of women. Didi was newly married to Prem, and I realized she was pregnant. And that is how our year together began, with dancing. Our summer is a theater of rains, curtain after curtain, a production that will eventually deliver the harvest. By then we will be in America. Teej begins from Sept 1, when Aamaa and I will leave Kaskikot, and goes to September 2, when we’ll fly out of Kathmandu. It’s funny how people attempt to impose order over the unknown when they are about to embark on a long journey. I like to leave my living space robotically clean and organized, and I will compulsively sift through 5-month old stacks of mail and fix wobbled stools that have been committedly ignored for months. Aamaa’s strategy appears to be getting fixated on the cucumbers. They are ripe and fat on the the vines around the house. “Laura,” Aamaa says, “we’ll bring cucumbers to Tulo Mama in Kathmandu.” The breed of cucumbers Aamaa grows in Nepal isn’t like little American cucumbers. They can grow to a foot or two long, and the circumference of a coffee can. “We’re going to bring cucumbers to Kathmandu with our luggage for America?” I ask. Tulo mama is our Aamaa’s eldest brother, our ‘big uncle.’ “…Is it allowed?” Aamaa asks a bit sheepishly. “Sure, cucumbers are allowed.” I realize this is happening no matter what. “Let’s definitely bring cucumbers to Kathamandu.” Aamaa has just a few outfits to take to America, but food items are another story. Provisions are sorted over the entire month of August. We pick all the ripe cobs off the corn stalks, roast some in the fire for snacks, give some away, and hang the rest all over the house to dry by winter. Last time we left for America, we also cut down the empty corn stalks, leaving only the millet to ripen by late fall. But this time Aamaa skipped planting millet altogether, and she said we’re not going to cut the empty corn stalks down because they will dry out on their own. I keep surveying the gardens and feeling that the tall scraggly corn stalks are going to look a bit like an army of tuxedos at a beach party by October, when everyone else’s fields are left only with slender waist-high millet and rice plants. But that’s her plan and she’s Aamaa, so we leave them be. The house remains hemmed in by walls of stripped corn stalks. A sack of rice is sent to Didi in Pokhara. Periodically we revisit the cucumber question. “We’ll take a large stash of cucumbers to Didi, and a smaller bag for Tulo Mama in Kathmandu,” Aamaa revises. “It’s allowed right? To take cucumbers to Kathmandu?” “This will be my first go at taking a bag of cucumbers to Kathmandu, but I think it’s allowed.” “Just a small bag.” “Ok,” I assure her. One evening Aamaa ponders: “How will we get to Pokhara when we leave here on Teej? Because, see we’ll have luggage and we need to bring the big sack of cucumbers to Didi.” “We’ll call Hari Bhaai in Caragaun and go in his taxi.” “Will it fit all the cucumbers?” “Um….” I search for the right answer. How many cucumbers are we talking about? I decide to gamble. “Yes. Hari bhai’s taxi will definitely fit the cucumbers.” In addition to a little baby outfit, I want to bring something special to San Francisco for Bishnu’s little Dali, who’s acquired about twenty times her bodyweight in baby clothes during her short life so far. I make a plan. Pascal comes with me on the expedition. We spend Saturday afternoon hiking up the Kalika Hill, and I film him leading the way, finding berries and hidden water springs, waving a stick of bamboo around at the skyline and narrating our journey until we reach the Kalika Temple. We ring the large bells at Kali’s door; the clanging and echoes out over the trees, the familiar houses below, over the valley. I pan my camera over sheets of rain that have blanketed the foothills, and frozen into a bruised mist on the north and south horizons. We search over the laid stones of the Temple ground and choose a rock that Pascal holds in front of my camera, little chips of flint gleaming under a stormy and imminent sky. I will bring it to a silversmith and have it made in to a necklace. Our descent is fast under gathering clouds, sandals pounding and tapping over the brambles. As the summer draws to a close, relatives stop by to bid Aamaa a safe journey. Aamaa sends them off with cucumbers or ears of corn. A few days before the buffalo calf is due, some men from Parapani come to purchase pregnant Isabella, who nobody calls Isabella except for weirdo foreigners like me and Ann. Aamaa has cared for Bella during her whole pregnancy, cutting her grass and watering her and keeping her living quarters clean. I am grumpy that Bella will be taken just before having her baby and providing us a week of delicious milk. But four days later, we find out that Bella’s calf was born dead. The buyers withhold $40 of the remaining amount they still owe to Aamaa. Aamaa is sad about Bella. All that work for nothing. “What’s wrong with her?” she asks nobody. We won’t know now. We are quiet over Bella’s loss for a few mornings. “We don’t need to bring any cucumbers to Kathmandu,” Aamaa updates me later. “Tulo Mama has to leave for Nepalgang before we get there.” I’m disappointed; I was excited to see Tulo Mama. He is the oldest of Aamaa’s three younger brothers and the one who dotes on her. But he lives in the far West and even though he always asks to talk with me on the phone when he calls, in seventeen years I’ve only met him in person twice. The last two weeks of August I don’t get up to Kaskikot, because we are completely consumed with our summer professional development training. I take Dali’s rock to a jeweler and search through gems before finally pairing it with a fiery pink ruby. The week ends on a breathless and exhausted August 30th, Friday afternoon. Bethy helps me pack up my room all in one go, throwing things in to bags over just a couple hours, cleaning the kitchen, ferrying items between the office and my apartment. By the time we get in to a taxi to go up to Kaski it is 8:30 at night, and we arrive at 9:30 to find Aamaa sitting in the house surrounded by friends. Swirled up in their saris and shawls, Saano didi and Parbati Bouju and Mahendra’s older sister are there, and an aunt has come to visit – Aamaa’s sister in law, who would have grown up right here with these women and her brother, Aamaa’s husband. The old friends are sitting on stools in the old main room of our house, by the kitchen, where I have fallen asleep to the chatter of so many women. As we organize our things in the outer room, a wave of gratitude rolls over me, carried on the familiar soothing sound of their muffled voices on the other side of the wall. “Tulo Mama delayed his travel so he could meet us in Kathmandu,” Aamaa revises when Bethy and I take up seats on a bed. “So, we can bring him cucumbers.” “Tomorrow we have to pack the cucumbers in a sack.” “Right.” I reply. “I am ready for cucumber packing.” Night brings brings a steady rain that clangs on the roof long in to a lazy Saturday morning. It bathes everything, washes away the work week, the summer, the soil around curling roots that are retreating beneath our feet as we prepare to walk away from this village and into another world. It rains as we get up for our last day in Kaski, as we have our black tea, as a man and woman I don’t know arrive and sit on the porch and begin talking with Aamaa. Bethy and I are ready to spend Saturday helping Aamaa pack up the house—but it is unclear what this involves. Before I can identify a plan of action, Aamaa has disappeared with one of the morning’s visitors and they’ve returned with armfuls of voluptuous cucumbers. The cucumbers, each a foot or two long, are dumped in a pile in the middle of the yard, slick with rain, and the two women disappear again. Then neighbors start showing up – Saraswoti, Saano didi, BAA! – all with more rainy cucumbers. It turns out the visitors are vendors from Pokhara, come to purchase cucumber stock. Aamaa’s yard is transformed into a cucumber staging area. It takes an hour to pick the rest of our cucumbers and combine them with cucumbers from contributing neighbors. The female vendor sorts them in to excellent and sub-excellent status cucumber piles while the male vendor chats with Bethy about countries he’s traveled to. When the yard is fully covered in piles of cucumbers, an amazing ghetto-fabulous hand scale is brought out, made of two plastic tubs hanging on a hand-held balance. Aamaa produces a collection of rocks. “Wait a second,” the vendor says cautiously. “This rock is one kilogram,” Aamaa announces, picking up a black, smooth river stone. “And this one is a half kilograms if you combine it with this other little one.” The vendor tries out the rocks in different combinations, weighing them against each other. “Huh,” she says. “Well there you have it.” Weighing and calculating against river stones commences on the ghetto fabulous plastic tub scale. Some 100 kg of cucumbers are weighed and sold. Aamaa makes about $15. “Now,” Aamaa says to me shortly thereafter, “we still have to pack up the cucumbers for Didi and Tulo Mama.” “The big sack of cucumbers is for—“ “I think I’ve got it.” The afternoon passes. The evening arrives. The cucumbers are packed in to a large sack for Didi and a handbag for Tulo Mama. Dinner comes and goes. We have taken the cases off all the blankets and put them in the only dresser in the house. The floor has been repainted with a smooth layer of clay. Aamaa’s single bag sits in the window. Our last night falls. I slip out of the house to brush my teeth, and there is Kali rising above the empty uncut corn stalks, a wide triangle of hillside, holding the village in her lap. The damp summer air has cloaked away all but her gray glow in the night sky, revealing only a broad a density etched into meager starlight. I stand facing her familiar outlines, and feel suddenly, like a darkening storm, the women who have come through this house and have sat by this fire and grieved by its ashes and made nourishment over its flames. The inexplicable, inevitable certainty of the four of us draped over the blankets after sunset, while she presides over us, immutable divine feminine, creating again and again from dust. Watch over us, I find myself asking. I see us in my mind, walking out to the road. I see our hands holding Serena in San Francisco. I see us moving from place to place, but with a sudden and forceful clarity understand we are tied together here, under her gaze, where we have always been. Stay with us. It is time to go to bed. The next morning neighbors trickle in to see us off to America. BAA! arrives, and then goes home again to retrieve tikka powder to put on our foreheads. Aamaa still can’t stop talking about the cucumbers. After Saano didi’s husband has taken the large sack of the cucumbers out to Deurali where Hari Bhai will pick us up in his taxi, there are still cucumbers lying about and we’re not sure who they are for. I end up with three of them in my bag and we eventually remember these were gifts for my office. Today is the beginning of Teej. In a few hours when we are in Pokhara, we’ll see off Prem’s cousins who will come to take his porcelain, wrinkled mother back to Piodi, her snow white hair tilted forward as she is carried away piggy-back down to the road, so she can celebrate the Festival of Women at home in her village. But now we are waving through the taxi window, and driving down, down, down the switchbacks while our house disappears behind us. The driver and Aamaa make small talk over the weather. “All this dry hot summer, and the last two days, nothing but rain,” Aamaa remarks. “Didi bahini rhuera hola,” the driver replies, talking about Teej. “Maybe it’s the tears of our sisters.” “Maybe,” Aamaa answers offhandedly. The hills roll by. “It could be.”’ June 23, 2019 America, Didi and Bishnu, Family, Kaskikot, Kaskikot, Nepal Life kaskifriendsbaby, Children, daughter, Family, Life and Death, Time, travel 4 Comments We are having a family get together in Asheville, North Carolina. My dad is turning 80 this summer, and it’s Father’s Day, and Bishnu is pregnant with a baby girl. She and Youba arrive on a red-eye from San Francisco, Bethy and I fly in from Connecticut, and my parents drive over from Chapel Hill with Ricky and Julie and the kids. We plop our bags in a cluster of wood-paneled cabins shaded by rustling trees. It is the first time we have all been together since Bishnu got married last year. Now she is Bishnu Subedi Bhatta. Bishnu and Youba have made the questionable decision of asking for name suggestions. We bat around ideas as we eat ice cream and go to the playground and climb Chimney Rock, where, even though there is an elevator, Bishnu takes the stone staircase up to the top, plodding along step by step while Youba fawns hopelessly over her. At the summit we take a family photo, the North Carolina hills yawning green in to the distance, an endless rustle that is too far off to hear from the top of Chimney Rock, giving way to blue. In the six years after I first showed up in Kaskikot and before Bishnu came to the US, we would talk on the phone from time to time. It was always morning on one continent, and evening on the other, and in the decade since then I can’t say the phone connection has improved much. Through the static I’d hear about how Saano didi and Mahendra’s families were doing, and whether the millet or corn stalks with their stacked Groucho Marx mustaches had recently been planted or cut down. I’d tell her about New York City, where I was living, and say that Mom and Dad and Ricky were fine. We ended most of our conversations the same way. “Ok then, well let’s meet in a dream.” “Where should we go this time?” And then we’d plan a meeting at the Kalika Temple, or in the kitchen with Aamaa, or on a mat in the yard to paint our nails, or at the festival of Teej. And then we’d say goodbye, and go to sleep to meet in a dream. And always in Nepal. It has always seemed to me that Bishnu and I were born in to this world with a thread between us, translucent, like the kind used in mobiles or dental floss or to catch carp, because it is unassuming, tensile, and indestructible. The kind that seems as if it can be spooled out forever without reaching the other end that’s buried somewhere in its bottomless coils. I decide to print the Chimney Rock photo for Father’s Day, which requires sneaking away in to Asheville. We need three copies of the photo for Dad, Ricky and Youba. While I’m out in Asheville I send a text to the family chat to ask if I need to pick up any ingredients for dinner. My mom replies. Bishnu is cooking dal Bhatta. I giggle at auto-correct, which has apparently learned Youba’s last name already. My mom means “dal bhaat,” traditional Nepali food–but the more I look at this, the funnier I find it anyway. My fingers tap over the keys. Does this mean they picked a name for the baby? It is Youba who replies. Dal sounds like a boy. Shouldn’t it be Dali? My mother and I become ecstatic over this. Bishnu’s kid is immediately christened Dali Bhatta. Mostly it is only my mom and me who think this is brilliant. It could be worse, though. My mom called me Loolie-tabooli-tabootznicky…and by “called” I mean “calls.” This is a true story. I was named for my grandfather Louis, and my family turned it turned into Tabootznicky. We spend the rest of the weekend fishing in the pond, making s’mores on the porch, and turning the kids upside down. Bethy and I are staying in a cabin with Youba and Bishnu, and my mom has brought Bishnu an old notebook along with a pile of belongings from her now-“old” room in Bethesda. We flip through its pages, mystified and awed, like the Dead Sea Scrolls. It contains, in Bishnu’s handwriting: a list of instruments needed for the prehistoric version of the Kaskikot Dental Clinic; draft text for a sticker about fluoride toothpaste to be printed and posted in Kaskikot shops for vendor outreach; and practice answers to questions Bishnu expected to be asked at her visa interview with the US Embassy in 2008. She does a dramatic reading in the living room. I remember when we bought Bishnu’s first pair of jeans. She looked as out of condition in jeans then as I did in my floppy kurta salwaars, each of us yet to learn to fit our bodies to these foreign garments that we irrevocably longed to inhabit. The more time Bishnu spent attending different trainings and programs that year, the more time I spent at the house with Aamaa alone, learning to move the goats about and cook and plant and cut. When Bishnu was away, Aamaa and I developed a quiet and comfortable flow together. Then Bishnu would come back for a day, arriving on the last bus at 7:30 at night, and I would feel a pang of sadness. The loss of the illusion that I was useful. I would fall back in to following Bishnu around and learning from her for the next twenty four hours. The spool would turn inward, we were drawn together, arguing, sitting in the kitchen, going to the temple, teaching each other about our worlds. Bishnu always left to go back to her training programs early in the morning. They got progressively further away- Sarangkot, Pokhara, Damauli. America. (I didn’t know it then, but there would be a time when Bishnu was to wake me early in the morning in Bethesda, before going to work in Virginia.) On these mornings I could never motivate myself to wake up any earlier than necessary. Instead I would close my eyes to stave off departure, and then in the dawning bloom of morning, Bishnu would come take my shoulder to say goodbye, and slip out the door to catch the 7am bus. It always seemed, once she had been here, that she was going terribly far away; suddenly, I would be at a lose end. For a few hours, everything seemed empty. And inevitably, after some period of months, I would spool away to America, and we would meet in a dream. It is 2019. In my parents’ cabin, I assign my nephew Jonah, Ricky’s eldest and and a lanky eight, to instruct his three and four year old sisters as to how we are going to surprise three fathers with their family photographs. Jonah orders his sisters about for fifteen minutes, placing them behind the curtain, behind a couch, and practicing a chaotic toddler chorus of “Happy Father’s Day!” It is decided that I am to cue the surprise with a casual unsuspicious phrase, for which Jonah has selected “Wasn’t it nice weather today!” With this, my nephew and nieces are to spring from their hiding places and proclaim the happiness of Father’s Day. The plan goes remarkably well. Youba’s features spread momentarily in to an arrangement of euphoric surprise: he is going to be a dad. And then, a collage of moments fluttering around us. We coo over Dali Bhatta. Jonah and Eli and Nell swing elatedly in the hammock, laughing hysterically over each other, until my dad and Ricky and Youba take their places. The trees around the cabin fall in to a still sheltering, rustling blessings over us, and the sun drops slowly over the hammock, delayed like a water droplet on velvet. We are gorgeously suspended in time. Bishnu and Youba have booked a 6am flight. So it is still dark when Bishnu comes in to wake me the next morning. I roll over and can almost feel the straw mat under arm as Bishnu whispers, “Bye Laura, we have to go to the airport.” I wrap my arms around her and Dali Bhatta, suddenly both at peace and without coordinates; it is an old feeling, ancient as the notebook and the Dead Sea Scrolls, bottomless as a whole new human being. The enormous future seems unimaginable in this pre-dawn, where we stretch away in to a miraculous dream, until we are real again. January 16, 2019 Oral Health Care Project, Work Gaurab the Bear kaskifriendsbear, Children, education, Gaurab, rural dentistry, travel 5 Comments Recently, Bethy was in Thailand and discovered that someone there has been making teddy bears with a full set of teeth. In my life, this is a very interesting and exciting finding. Bethy decided to order some teddy bears with teeth for health centers in Cambodia that are running an early childhood hood oral health program, and I figured I would bring a teddy bear over to Nepal. It was fairly simple. In brainstorming the idea, we got to thinking about the enormous contribution that Jevaia’s Education Field Officer Gaurab has made in our organization, beginning long before we had a name. Gaurab was our first Clinic Assistant in our first clinic in Kaskikot. He volunteered for years as a teenager in school seminars, teaching kids about about oral health. He became one of our field officers in 2015 and has walked literally countless miles, up and down hills, in the rain, after dark, and in just about every crazy situation possible to promote oral health in schools in Nepal. We decided our first teddy bear with teeth should obviously be named Gaurab. When I arrived recently in Cambodia, Gaurab the Bear had completed the first leg of his journey, from Thailand to Cambodia. He came with frens. We were so excited to meet him! We hung out in Cambodia for a while, and then Gaurab’s frens said goodbye And we left for the airport. We took a tuk tuk. Gaurab seemed to like the airport and he really blended in with all the other travelers. Especially while waiting for his flight. He settled in, clutching his ticket to Kathmandu And we enjoyed perusing very expensive jewelry that isn’t really less expensive even though it’s Duty Free, in Kuala Lumpur. Honestly we were pretty tired by the time we finally arrived in Kathmandu and Gaurab tried to be patient with the visa process but he was ready for a nap. The next day, refreshed for our flight to Pokhara, we made some NEW Frens in the airport! You can imagine Gaurab’s anticipation on the flight west… And finally, upon arrival we were greeted by some real big fans. Finally, after meeting the rest of the team, Muna and Rajendra, Gaurab was united in the office with Gaurab! Welcome to Nepal Gaurab!! January 14, 2019 Reflections, Uncategorized Worry For My Sons kaskifriendsCambodia, ECCC, Extraordinary Chambers of the Courts of Cambodia, human rights, Khmer Rouge, Life and Death, Phnom Penh, travel, tuk-tuk, Win-Win Monument 1 Comment I’ve just come back from my third visit to Cambodia, and each time I expect to write about it. I’m no qualified scholar of Cambodian history, but I spent a short time working with Cambodian refugees in Hartford and two months researching the Extraordinary Chambers, or ECCC, the war crimes tribunal created to adjudicate the crimes of the Khmer Rouge. In August 2017, I visited the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum in Phnom Penh, where I filled in the mental scaffolding I’d established by standing outside of empty torture rooms and running my eyes over thousands and thousands and thousands of names, knowing they would vanish from my memory. 15,000 people were imprisoned and killed at Tuol Sleng, which had once been a high school. I lit incense in a somber memorial room at the end that is filled with skulls. Sometimes it seems that the cruelties of history are mostly remembered through their persistent pain, despite our best efforts to know them through redemption. “What do you think of Cambodian politics?” asked my tuk tuk driver today, on the way to the airport. “…What do you think?” I replied carefully. “No good,” said the driver. “Not much has changed.” Motorbikes and trucks and cars and luxury sedans jockeyed for space on the highway, pressing in on the open sides of our tuk-tuk, where I had my leg through the strap of my bag after twice having items snatched off of me by passing motorists. It seems hard to argue that not much has changed. When Phnom Penh was reclaimed from the Khmer Rouge in 1979 after four years of destruction and enslavement, the rubbled city no longer had electricity or plumbing or safe water or schools or working telephones; the use of money had been abolished. Nearly a quarter of the Cambodian population and most of the educated class had been slaughtered. There were at total of seven lawyers left in the whole country to rebuild the government. Working off my not-particularly-relevant experience of what it’s like trying to develop infrastructure in Nepal, I find it absolutely astounding what Cambodia has rebuilt in just four decades, albeit under an authoritarian regime. I guessed my tuk-tuk driver to be in his early fifties, old enough to have been alive during the genocide. I wondered what he wanted to tell me about. “Where were you during the war?” I asked. “In the province,” he said. “We planted rice, you know? Planting all day. All the kids slept together in a large area, on a rough surface. My skin got very irritated on my whole body. We had no rice to eat. We only ate porridge.” “How long did you do that for?” “Two years,” he said. “I was eight.” I learned that the driver had one sister and five brothers, and I wanted to ask how they had fared, but didn’t know if I should. Many children whose stories started this way lost their entire families under the Khmer Rouge, sometimes before their eyes. “What do you think is the biggest problem for Cambodia now?” I asked instead. “Education,” the driver stated firmly. I learned that he had been able to pick up his studies again in 1982. That Cambodia has struggled to rebuild its education system is no wonder. In 1979, there were so few intellectuals left alive that a former math teacher, Chan Ven, was put in charge of rebuilding the Ministry of Education. The three-decade old United Nations, with its dominant American, British and Chinese powers, opposed the new Cambodian government because it was backed by the Vietnamese. So after receiving more American bombs on its soil during the Vietnam war than Japan received during World War II–an act that won Henry Kissinger the Nobel Peace Prize–a traumatized Cambodian populace was left to prosecute war crimes, reconstruct the government, and reestablish basic institutions without the help of international human rights bodies. During the Cold War, the Hun Sen military regime that liberated Cambodia from the Khmer Rouge was systematically and repeatedly denied U.N. support, which was deferred instead to the Khmer Rouge in exile. To this day, the regime continues to run the government and suppress opposition. My tuk tuk driver took his gaze off the road and turned his head toward the side, maybe only because I was seated behind him, but it made it seem like he was looking out at the tall buildings around the highway. “My sons are studying law and engineering,” he said. “I worry about them.” Last Saturday, a bunch of us took a long ride out to see the new Win-Win monument. The tower was recently built to commemorate the end of civil war in Cambodia in 1998, when outlying factions of the Khmer Rouge finally entered in to an agreement with the Hun Sen government, bringing about the end of decades of violence. The monument is built of intricately carved sandstone and polished granite, and in many places is still under construction even while throngs of mostly Cambodian visitors visit each day. What most caught our attention, though, was a lengthy retelling of Cambodian history carved in to stone panels around the base of the monument. It starts before the genocide and continues for probably a quarter mile or more. The story is portrayed with a nationalistic fervor that is not subtle, and the monument also sits across the way from a large athletic complex being built for the 2020 ASEAN Games. It is clearly a display of political pride and might. One might say unvarnished propaganda. On the ride home, we found ourselves talking about the importance of uniting narratives in national identity. But before we left, we trod through the entire narrative display panel by panel by panel, slowly watching sun change its shadows on the carved faces. One, near the beginning, captivated me for some time. It’s intimate brutalities are historically accurate. “During the war,” said my tuk tuk driver as we reached the airport, “it was just me and my sister. We were separated from our parents. Then my mom had five more children after it was over.” I expelled a sigh of relief. “So your family survived?” “Yes,” said the driver. “Five more children!” he chuckled. “And I’m the eldest.” He stared at the road ahead, thinking a swirl of thoughts I couldn’t intuit. He seemed to want to discuss it with me during the thirty minutes we would know one another. “You have freedom in America,” he said, shaking his head. “I just…worry for my sons. And their education.” “They sound very smart,” I replied. At the time, I assumed he was worried about affording his sons’ education, or about whether they would be successful in their pursuits, and maybe that is he that is what he meant. But it occurred to me later that, maybe not. We arrived at the airport, and the driver dropped me off, and rode back in to the traffic. kaskifriendsIADR, Neighbors, Thailand, travel, Vietnam, visas 5 Comments August 20, 2018 Kaskikot, Nepal Life Farmer vs. Medic: Mountain Carry kaskifriendsBethy Turton, carrying, Fieldwork, friends, Neighbors, travel 6 Comments I consider myself something of a carrying specialist. I have carried water, I have carried wood, I have carried grass, I have carried stinky buffalo-poop fertilizer in a basket and I have carried straw. I have dropped sacks of rice and recovered and soldiered on with other sacks of rice. I know carrying, and I know the hills of Nepal. Relatedly, Bethy is here doing summer-session professional development with our clinical staff, and it just so happens that she spent 10 years as a medic in the New Zealand army. Recently, we got to talking about the topic of carrying. It turns out a core skill of army medics is the “fireman’s carry,” and also that this skill may be used either in an emergency with an unconscious or wounded individual or in situations such as on a dance floor, at a bar with friends, or in the middle of the road in Pokhara. Now Bethy and I are both what you might call competitive individuals–in an entirely healthy and reasonable way, of course. Out of pure scientific curiosity and in pursuit of expanding human knowledge generally, we got to discussing who could carry whom from the house to the water tap in Kaski. As Bethy is a scientist and published researcher, and I am a self-made live-in-Nepal-and-start-dental-projects-and-write-stories-er, it became imperative to deploy a proper study on the matter. Our publication follows herewith. It is my deep hope that this work will contribute to a deeper understanding of the world and serve as a basis for future investigation. August 12, 2018 Around Town, Nepal Life It’s Not a Problem to Deliver Your Underwear kaskifriendsBus, culture, help, Neighbors, travel, visitors 6 Comments My friend Ann is here in Pokhara for the summer. She is an IMT therapist and has begun volunteering at the Kaskikot health post, working with the Health Assistant to treat patients using integrative manual therapy. Whenever somebody comes to visit me in Nepal for the first time, I briefly have a renewed sense of chaos, of how from a western sensibility, there is an unnerving feeling of inefficiency and an opacity around how problems get solved. For the most part you don’t rely here on public services, or even private businesses, to pop up with specialized solutions or knowledge in a pinch. You rely on someone’s cousin. To the uninitiated, it’s unclear what people do when things need fixing, and this leaves one with a sinister feeling that small irresolvable inconveniences will accumulate until everything is a hopeless mess and all is lost forever. Therefore, in the presence of first-time visitors I can’t help feeling as though I need to account for a mild but pervasive sense of anarchy that they cannot describe but which, I know, they feel. I don’t know how to explain that there is a different kind of intuitive coherence with other rules. As for Ann’s visit, everything is basically going great, but one hitch happened early on when she left the bag that contained all her underwear at a hotel in Kathmandu. Also, Ann said it was perfectly fine if I wrote a blog post about her lost underwear. The underwear, while inconvenient but replaceable, was not as much of an issue as the bras that were in the forgotten bag: Ann said her bra size is not that easy to find, and she also said that it’s fine if I write about her bra size too. Replacement of the odd size bras in this environment is one of those opaque things that appears to have no viable solution. The bag needed to be retrieved. We called Ann’s hotel in Boudanath and determined that they had located the bag of underwear and put it in storage. This was a positive start, however, the next opacity was how the bag would get moved to our district when the mail system exists but doesn’t work according to any particularly obvious or accessible processes. Happily, I was scheduled to go to Kathmandu about a week later. So we rang up Ann’s hotel again and I asked Dorje, the proprietor, if he could hire a taxi to send the underwear to the hotel where I would be staying in Kathmandu. Regarding my hotel, I had previously stayed at the Tibet Peace Guest House only once, but last week after I had called a few times in the process of reserving a room, the hotel clerk and I were officially pals, and when I would call he would answer, “Hello, didi.” I asked the Tibet Peace hotel clerk if he would mind fronting the taxi fare for Ann’s underwear, so that I wouldn’t have to coordinate an exact meeting time with the driver. He said, “Sure didi, no problem.” “Ann, I have hired a chauffeur for your underwear and the clerk will receive it at my hotel,” I told Ann. She was so excited. Especially for the bras. I got to Kathmandu and had my meetings and Dr. Bethy arrived and the next day we boarded the plane to Pokhara. “AH, SHOOT!!” I cried, bonking my forehead against the inside of the double-paned window. A French tourist sitting behind us, who was playing her ukulele in the airplane, became alarmed. She stopped playing her ukulele and leaned forward with her eyes wide. “Is everything okay?” She asked luxuriously, concerned. “I forgot Ann’s underwear!” I cried. “Shoot shoot shoot!” Now how would we get it? The French tourist leaned back and resumed her ukulele playing, and also some singing. The plane was very small, and luckily she was quite a good singer. Once we’d landed, I called up Ann’s hotel again. Had they forgotten to transport the underwear, I needed to know, or had I left it orphaned for a second time, now at the Tibet Peace Guest House? “Hello Dorje sir, do you still have my friend’s underwear?” I asked. Dorje revealed that he had planned to send it a day later, today, because the hotel was located in Bouda, a bit of a hike from downtown Thamel where my hotel was, and today they had a driver making an outing anyway. “Oh, I am back in Pokhara now,” I said. “Now what?” Dorje sir and I pondered the problem for a moment. “If you know anyone who can bring it to Pokhara, I’ll get your friend’s things to them,” Dorje sir promised. “I will deliver it myself!” “Ok, I have an idea,” I said. I hung up and walked over to Adam Travel in Lakeside, where we are friends with the owner. Prem often hangs out here in his free time and they book all my tickets. Once, I got to attend a travel agency exhibition in the U.S. with the owner Basu sir. “Hello Laura didi,” the Adam Travel guys said when Bethy and I walked in. “Ah! Bethy! Hello!” They naturally always know who is traveling with me; the same guys had booked Bethy’s tickets a day earlier, too. “Hi guys, I was wondering if your Kathmandu office could arrange to have my friend’s underwear sent over. She left all of her underwear at her hotel in Bouda.” The Adam Travel guys told me that their Kathmandu office is now closed, but the people who used to work at there now work at the Sacred Peace Hotel. Those guys would arrange it. Adam travel proceeded to call Surjet at the Sacred Peace hotel. Surjet said he had some friends at a bus company. “So,” Adam Travel told me, “They need to bring the items to the Sacred Peace hotel, and you’ll pick it up here. It’s going to be $5 for the cab to the hotel and $5 for the bus to Pokhara. You pay $10.” Where would this be paid? I asked. We’d pay Adam Travel, they said; other people would pay other people in the middle and the debt would accumulate and then we’d pay it off here. No problem. Sold! I put Adam travel on the phone with Dorje and they discussed all the intermediary checkpoints where someone knows someone who will help reunite the lost underwear bag from Bouda with Ann in Pokhara by Wednesday. We’ve solved the matter within 8 minutes. I wondered why I hadn’t just done this before. “So there’s bad news, and there’s good news,” I announced that evening to Ann. “The good news is that your underwear will be at Adam Travel in 48 hours. The bad news is I forgot it in Kathmandu.” “How’s it going to get here?” Ann asked. “…FedEx.” July 23, 2018 Aamaa, Family Dad Explains It kaskifriendsAamaa in America, environment, Great Falls, housing, Mom & Dad, nature, Time, travel 4 Comments Let’s start with background info: my father is both an engineering physicist and a tech entrepreneur. Add to that Olympic athlete and type A+ personality, and you have a world-class Explainer. My dad is so good at Explaining Things nobody even knew existed, much less needed explaining, that some time ago I started a Dad Explains It video collection. In this collection you can find such explanations as the anti-slip rubberbander (see below); how to separate an egg using a plastic bottle (a favorite – highly recommend); why an empty wine glass will, albeit unsatisfactorily, substitute for spectacles in a pinch; how to fix your fire truck ladder with glue, and how glue works; how to make a one-flip pancake; advanced paper-lantern lighting in a five-pointed star from Nepal; why it is easy to rip saran wrap in one direction but not the other; and a best-hit, the benefits of curtain velcro. My mom typically plays a key supporting role in these videos, as herself: On the Explaining front, Dad and Aamaa turn out to be a match made in heaven. Because Aamaa requires explanations of everything from traffic lights to faucets, and Dad has a limitless endurance – some might even say compulsion – to leave no beautiful creation of the universe Unexplained. This is extremely handy for all of us. We girls (Bishnu and Mom and I) just aim them at each other and go about our business. Over the weekend, we’ve made a family visit to a high rise apartment being constructed in downtown Bethesda. Aamaa is curious about all forms of construction. Like my nephew Jonah, she presses her nose to the window every time we drive past something being built. I decide this comes in the same vein as knowing the origins of food and other things that in Aamaa’s world travel very short distances from creation to use. There are comparatively few things in her life that just appear with no traceable origins–I mean, back in the day, Aamaa and Hadjur Aamaa used to walk to the border of Tibet with baskets to trade for salt. Even modern concrete houses in Kaski are constructed without machinery using materials readily available in the local environment. So a suburban high rise presents a mystery on many levels. How is it all put together? Where does it come from? First we stop at the building company, where we are provided hard hats. We all agree that Aamaa kills in the hard hat. (She has to sign a visitor agreement, and since Aamaa can’t write her name, she uses a kind of plus sign – it is always strange to see Aamaa’s incredibly dextrous hands fumble unfamiliarly with a pen.) Then we head across the street to a service elevator that is in place just for purpose of constructing the high-rise. When Aamaa and I were in Kathmandu a few weeks ago, we visited the third-floor rooftop of a mall. “Holy crap this is high up,” Aamaa proclaimed. “All the buildings in Kathmandu are enormous.” “Push the button for floor seventeen!” Mom cries as we enter the service elevator. Aamaa grasps Mom with both hands and the elevator lifts us off the ground with a jolt. We wander the half-built highrise apartment, whose main walls are still open to the sky. Aamaa and Dad are transformed in to a superhero team patrolling Gotham City: there are things that need explaining EVERYWHERE. The space is divided by empty wall frames which have mammoth-size pallets of insulation stacked up between them. Dad and Aamaa commence an epic geek-out over insulation and plaster, and then shift their nerdfest to the feat of having transported the insulation – and the rest of this stuff – seventeen floors above the ground. Where will the plumbing go? And electricity? The construction company employee treats us to a view of the roof. Aamaa has surprised us all with an ominously keen sense of direction in this unfamiliar world. The first few days after she arrived, we were driving around in Connecticut when we approached the drug store on the corner of my street. “This is your street, right?” Aamaa asked, before I had made the turn. I was absolutely baffled that she could get oriented so quickly when most of the visual landmarks are foreign objects with no inherent meaning, like a drug store. Now, on the roof of the high-rise apartment, Aamaa surveys the city below, which she has spent some time touring with Bishnu and me. She extends one finger toward the top of some buildings. “The subway is in that direction, right?” she asks, correctly. My Dad becomes ecstatic over Aamaa’s engineer-like spacial acuity. My Mom responds by scanning the horizon herself. “And over there I see…Machhapuchhre!” she announces. A few days later we went to go visit Great Falls and the Tow Path and along the Potomac River, where my parents used to take us for hikes on the weekends. Back then we had a special rock bench that my brother and I “discovered,” and which was, for purposes of eating a picnic of peanut butter sandwiches, the target of every summer expedition we made to Great Falls. My dad and I have both rowed many miles on the Potomac River, and on the fourth of July our family would come to the boat house and put on smelly life jackets and watch the fireworks from canoes on the water. This area is part of the circulatory system of our family. We pulled in to the parking lot at Great Falls with Aamaa. For some reason that now I can’t completely put together, one of the first things to occur was that Aamaa and Dad got to trading their shade-producing accessories. I’ll just leave that there. The only major bodies of water near Kaskikot are the Gandaki River and Phewa Lake. The first, we can cross through the riverbed in our flip flops unless a flood or unusually extreme rain has come through. The second can be crossed by paddle boat in about half an hour. So Great Falls was…great. And now another confession. For all the years that my family has spent at Great Falls, for all the rowing and firework-watching and picnicking…my brother and I somehow both grew up thinking this was the “Toe Path.” I know. It’s bad. Because of the Explaining that is required with Aamaa there, this comes up in conversation. “What?” my dad says, with the displeasure of a Master Explainer who has realized, at a time when his offspring are grown-ass adults raising children and trying to survive in the world on their own, that something so basic, and so explainable, and so important to the family history as the tow path, NEVER. GOT. EXPLAINED. Dad explains the history of the C & O Canal as a trade route, complete with a detailed explanation of the the locking mechanisms that allowed canal boats to move upriver. And, swept up in all this Explaining, Dad finally breaks out in to song. This is a thing that happens sometimes. And so on. Lead the way, Dad!! Bonus reel (true undoctored historical evidence): ▲ Older posts	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0030.json.gz/line848
__label__wiki	0.906139	0.906139	Lorde Takes Out Sweet Handwritten Newspaper Ad To Thank Fans For Support Just hours after the GRAMMY Awards, Lorde took out an ad in the New Zealand Herald to thank fans for their dedication and support. GRAMMY Awards: Portugal. The Man Talk Wearing a Tux for the First Time Before Scoring First GRAMMY Win At this year’s 60th Annual GRAMMY Awards, breakout act Portugal. The Man won its first-ever GRAMMY for the massive 2017 hit “Feel It Still,” beating out huge names like The Chainsmokers and Coldplay (“Something Just Like This”), Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee ft. Justin Bieber (“Despacito”), Imagine... GRAMMY Awards: 2018 Winners List See who won what at this year's GRAMMY Awards! GALLERY: Rockers of the 60th Annual Grammy Awards The 60th Annual Grammy Awards are here, and everyone from Mick Fleetwood to Jack Antonoff and Mastodon walked the red carpet for Music's Biggest Night. GRAMMY Awards: Remember That Time We Predicted Twenty One Pilots' Underwear Acceptance Speech? Days before the 59th Annual GRAMMY Awards, we wrote about Twenty One Pilots . Specifically, we wrote about Twenty One Pilots in their underwear. List of Presenters for Sunday's GRAMMY Awards Announced The list of presenters for Sunday's GRAMMY awards includes Trevor Noah, Katie Holmes, and Jim Gaffigan. GRAMMY Awards: Vote Now for Best Alternative Music Album Now’s your chance to voice your choice. Tell us who YOU think deserves to take home the GRAMMY for Best Alternative Music Album! GRAMMY Awards: Incredible GRAMMY Moments of Rockers We've Lost It’s no secret that the rock world has faced its share of loss, especially over the past several years. Since 2016 alone, we said goodbye to tons of legends, notably Tom Petty , Chester Bennington ( Linkin Park ), Chuck Berry , Chris Cornell ( Audioslave , Soundgarden ), and David Bowie , among... GRAMMY Awards: Gary Clark Jr. & Jon Batiste to Perform Chuck Berry & Fats Domino Tribute With just a few days to go before Music’s Biggest Night, The Recording Academy has announced that Gary Clark Jr., along with multi-talented musician Jon Batiste, will pay tribute to the late rock pioneers Chuck Berry and Fats Domino. GRAMMY Awards: Vote Now for Best Rock Performance Now’s your chance to voice your choice. Tell us who YOU think deserves to take home the GRAMMY for Best Rock Performance!	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0030.json.gz/line849
__label__wiki	0.611599	0.611599	The Lower Mississippi River Basin is used extensively for transportation, made possible by a natural supply of abundant water from upstream and the comprehensive Mississippi River and Tributaries Project. This two-way transportation system—with its levees, floodways, channel improvements and tributary basin improvements—links the cities, factories and farms of the American heartland to world markets. The facilities along this stretch of river comprise the largest port system in the world in terms of tonnage moved. The coastal wetlands here support recreational activities, agriculture and a seafood industry valued at billions of dollars per year. Photo: US Army Corps of Engineers Photo: Erika Nortemann Photo: Ark. Parks & Tourism The Lower Mississippi River Basin received an average score of D+ in the report card for the six goals. The basin had high marks for recreation from hunting and fishing license sales and relatively good streamside habitat. The low overall score is driven by poor condition of the communities of fish and organisms living in the river and stream bottoms, substantially lower median income, lock delays approaching the worst-performing year, poor infrastructure condition and maintenance, an increase in the number of people moving into the floodplain relative to overall population change, poor levee condition, low numbers of communities with building elevation requirements, and nearly 5 percent of water supply systems reporting treatment violations. The Lower Mississippi River receives all of the water that flows down from the other basins as well as the riverine transportation of imports and exports that make up a large component of the national economy. The poor performance in lock delays and inland infrastructure condition and maintenance paints a challenging picture for future transportation system failures, with potentially devastating national economic consequences. As the bottom of the “funnel,” the basin also feels the effects of flooding that occur anywhere in the Mississippi River Watershed. The flood control and risk reduction issues that are reported in the scores represent relative risk; however, despite the low scores, the flood control system performed exceedingly well during the record floods of 2011 as no lives were lost and there was minimal property damages. The coastal wetlands in the Lower Mississippi River continue to decline although increasing efforts to slow the loss–including water diversions and beneficial use of materials dredged from the shipping channel to restore wetlands–are having a positive impact. Coastal waters in the Gulf of Mexico are threatened by a large hypoxic zone that depletes oxygen from the water that forms annually as the result of excess nutrient runoff from the river. The Technical Report Grades Explained by Goal The Lower Mississippi River Basin received a grade of C for Ecosystems. The Living Resources indicator received a D and the Streamside Habitat indicator received a B grade, one of 2 basins with this highest grade. The Water Quality indicator received a C and the wetland area change indicator received a C-. The Lower Mississippi Basin received a grade of D for Flood Control & Risk Reduction. The Floodplain Population Change indicator in the Lower Mississippi received a D grade. The Levee Condition indicator received a D grade and the Building Elevation indicator received a D- grade. The Lower Mississippi Basin received a Failing grade for Transportation. The Infrastructure Condition indicator received an F. The Infrastructure Maintenance indicator received an F for the entire watershed. The Lock Delays indicator received a D grade. The Lower Mississippi Basin received a grade of D for Water Supply. The Treatment Violations indicator in the Lower Mississippi received an F grade, one of two basins with failing grades. The Water Depletion indicator received a C+ grade. The Lower Mississippi Basin received an overall grade of C- for Economy. The River Dependent Employment indicator in the Lower Mississippi received a C grade while the Median Income indicator received a D grade. The GDP by sector indicator received a C grade. The Lower Mississippi Basin received a grade of B for Recreation, receiving the highest score in the watershed for this goal. The Outdoor Participation indicator received a C while the Hunting and Fishing Licenses indicator received a B, which was the highest of all basin scores for this indicator.	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0030.json.gz/line854
__label__cc	0.518313	0.481687	Each spring the garden club fills the historic round horse trough with colorful annuals and places containers of flowers on the Town Hall front steps. Behind the building is a pretty little shade garden planted by the club in 2005. The club also edges and maintains the front beds to keep them looking tidy. Members of the garden club pose in front to the historic horse trough (June 2017) Beautifying Town Hall was one of the garden club’s first projects. The stately front lawn is a relatively new addition. Before the Town Hall was renovated in 2004, there was only a narrow strip of land between the building and the road. Granite coping was installed for foundation beds, and the garden club planted shrubs and a climbing hydrangea. The hydrangea vine was pretty but problematic. It clung to the bricks and threatened to take over the façade. In 2012 the Amherst Historical Society restored the round horse trough. Although the trough is capable of holding water, keeping it full was not practical, so the garden club has permission to plant it each spring. In the 90’s, patches of ‘Ice Follies’ daffodils were planted in front of Town Hall and re-bloomed for many years without assistance. These bulbs were lost when the building was renovated, but by coincidence the same variety of daffodil was planted again in 2017. The “pocket garden” in back was planted around 2005. There is always something blooming in this little shade garden, and it has a beautiful view of the cemetery. Frint Steps Ice Follies Daffodils Horse Trough Artie the Artichoke: A lOve Story Fetish may be too strong a word, but one garden club member formed a very strong attachment to an artichoke planted in the horse trough in the spring of 2019. She named him “Artie” and closely tracked his development — from his initial emergence, through his juvenile period, and into adulthood. When Artie ultimately crossed over to that garden in the sky, she had his remains gilded. He lives on as a Christmas ornament. ‘Artie’ eruptus ‘Artie’ juventus ‘Artie’ adultus ‘Artie’ splendidus	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0030.json.gz/line856
__label__wiki	0.809468	0.809468	A Radio Voice Brings Men into the Gender Equality Endeavor Date: Tuesday, May 21, 2019 Yousef Nassar tells his story about gender equality during a community event. Photo Credit: PCCSharek youth Forum. Radio waves and theatre stages are now spreading messages of gender equality across Palestine. West Bank organizations Al-Ofoq Organization, Future Youth Arms Forum (SAED), and Fena Al-Kheer Youth group have been cooperating with UN Women to promote gender equality. In concert with the efforts of a team of Palestinian male role models (positive deviants) including Yousef Nassar, an actor and a radio presenter of an evening talk show, progressive ideas challenging restrictive gender roles in the Palestinian community are spreading and taking root. As a role model of a man who resists gender stereotypes, Yousef shares his own ideas and experiences and the awareness he gained through participating in the UN Women-supported project. On his radio show Mashwar (Journey) he explains his own participation in cooking and other household work, and how he is helping his children with their homework. He invites ordinary Palestinians—from the West Bank to the Negev Desert to Gaza—onto his radio talk show to discuss gender norms and men and women’s work on air, to provide an accessible public forum on the topic. “I’m a strong believer of recognizing women’s due rights, and in equality between men and women,” Yousef said. Because of his influential role on the radio and as an actor, and his progressive ideas on gender equality, SAED nominated Yousef to be part of its programme to combat harmful gender stereotypes. “On the radio, I was often speaking my mind on the need for equality between men and women [in our community]. SAED spoke with me and said, ‘It’s clear you believe in this issue. Come and work with us so we can spread the messages.’” SAED’s backing and training brought Yousef’s activism to a higher level. “This encouraged me immensely. I used to fear speaking out too directly about gender equality, but with 13 other people [from Future Youth Arms Forum] behind me, and the tremendous knowledge they offered about women’s rights and equality, I became much bolder. My talks also became more organized.” Yousef not only gained knowledge on gender equality and greater confidence in his advocacy but also fought to keep men engaged in the training because of the value he knew such awareness would hold for them. On Mashwar, Yousef’s frequent description of sharing the responsibilities of domestic work with his wife— which is often viewed incorrectly as women’s work—brought him some criticism. But it also opened an unexpected conversation. “I used to speak on the radio, saying that I helped my wife with dishes. Men were calling in [to the show] saying what I was doing was harām (forbidden) and ‘aib (shameful).” Yousef said that he began to publicly challenge his callers on air to give him clear reasons why they thought sharing domestic work with their wives was shameful. “At first, men were shy. [But after I spoke about my own experiences], they started to say, ‘Yes we do housework too, we cook,’” showing that there were men in the Palestinian community who quietly deviated from the prescribed gender roles but may have been too concerned about their reputation to speak out.” Yousef has continued to stand out as an example of positive change by sharing his personal convictions on gender equality, on housework and child-rearing, and what he’s learned by being an active participant in a gender equality campaign, during in-person presentations across the West Bank. “UN Women helped us bring our personal stories to the public in a more direct way. They set up talks for us at the University of Bethlehem, the University of Jerusalem, Najah University in Nablus, and the Chamber of Commerce in Toul Karam,” Yousef said. He added that UN Women, in cooperation with the local organizations Sharek Youth Forum and QADER for Community Development, gave training on storytelling to Yousef and other men for their presentations. By being part of a team of other role models and sharing their experiences in meeting halls and universities across Palestine, their message is reaching audiences in several cities. And by combining their voices and demonstrating their similar experiences, they give legitimacy to their message. And it’s not just radio and lecture halls where Yousef is putting to use his ideas on gender equality and gender roles. The local cultural heritage organization he founded, Sons of Kan’aan, has a small theatre troupe which performs around the West Bank. Yousef noted that since his joining Future Youth Arms Forum, his theatre troupe, which includes four female actors, has performed two shows in his home town of Dura, as well as in the town of Toul Karam. The dramas they performed focused directly on unequal gender roles in the community, and the problems these caused. In their plays, Yousef said, his troupe tries to convey the benefits to the entire community when men’s wives, sisters and daughters perform equal work, in equal roles. Through speaking against harmful gender norms and for more progressive gender roles on a popular radio show—a primary means of communication in Palestine’s public conversations—magnified Yousef’s progressive gender message tremendously. And because of his outspoken role, and his support for domestic duties, even his children’s views on gender roles in the home began to shift. Press release: National Launch of the Progress of the World's Women report in Morocco In lead up to Generation Equality Forum, Action Coalition themes announced Press release: Support for violence against women and radicalization go hand in hand in Libya, a new major UN Women study finds Arab States’ experts provide recommendations to address human trafficking of women and girls in the region Standing by Roaa to Obtain Justice for her Daughter News archive ►	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0030.json.gz/line860
__label__wiki	0.841692	0.841692	Junior Aspirin Records's contribution to Nought to Sixty If counter-cultural icon Don Van Vliet – aka Captain Beefheart – were ever to abandon painting and come out of musical retirement, then he truly couldn't find a more appropriate recording home than Junior Aspirin Records (formed in 2002, based in London). For one, the label is highly sympathetic to visual artists: Skill 7 Stamina 12, one of Junior Aspirin's bands, includes artists Maaike Schoorel and Nathaniel Mellors, along with writer Dan Fox; while both Polly Braden and David Noonan have contributed artwork to the label. Moreover, The Captain would need look no further than Junior Aspirin musicians for recruits for a re-formed Magic Band: Skill 7 Stamina 12's Ashley Marlowe is one of the few living drummers who can rightfully claim rhythmic lineage from the Magic Band's John French. Even if Junior Aspirin don't manage to sign Beefheart, they needn't worry. The label works with London's own genius avant-garde redneck bluesman, The Rebel – BR Waller of the Country Teasers. The music of Skill 7 Stamina 12 is in part a continuation of 1970s experimentalism, the elliptical groove on tracks such as '80 Metres' from the album Skill 7 Stamina Dead (2007), for instance, revisiting German rock innovators CAN in 1969. Meanwhile, Maaike Schoorel's vocals, positioned somewhere between Ari Up of The Slits and Stereolab's Laetitia Sadler, link the band's music to New York's downtown scene of the early 1980s. Similarly, Spritza Boy (2005), by Junior Aspirin stalwarts Socrates That Practices Music (Andy Cooke, Alex Ellerington, Jared Fisher and Grigoris Leontiades), sounds like the ethnic punk-funk of Eric Random & the Bedlamites, obscure early 1980s Cabaret Voltaire associates for all we know, the record could be a dance-floor bomb in the small clubs of hipster Williamsburg, where such African hi-life inspired no wave is all the rage again). But Junior Aspirin is not mired in replicating music of past eras. Emphasising the artful eclecticism of the label, Junior Aspirin's first compilation, Remove Celebrity Centre (2006), featured such diverse sounds as the visceral hardcore of Charlottefield; the toy-town Krautrock of Imitation Electric Piano; DJ Scotch Egg's frenetic Game-boy techno; and contributions from moonlighting artists Jack Too Jack (Mark Leckey, Steven Claydon, Ed Liq and Kieron Livingstone), Emily Wardill and Sue Tompkins. As a loose identity for a network of bands and performers, and with a spasmodic series of releases, Junior Aspirin Records exists in an ambiguous and shifting territory between the art world and the music industry. Just as the influence of experimental bands from the 1970s and 1980s is visible in the counter-cultural sensibility and look of contemporary visual art, so too has recording and playing live become integral to many artists' practices; the playfulness of performance and musical abstraction providing critical tools for considering the 'avant' instincts of experimentalism. Junior Aspirin epitomises this approach: fusing the artistic and the extrovert their next release is The R&B Feeling, an album of raw psychedelic gospel, lo-fi hip-hop and soul from Bob Parks, a maverick artist operating on the fringes of the 1970's art scene in Los Angeles. In a similar manner to Remove Celebrity Centre , Junior Aspirin's Nought to Sixty event draws together live performances that highlight their output, building on the tangents and associations that make up the social fabric of the label. Tony F Wilson	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0030.json.gz/line863
__label__cc	0.704375	0.295625	House Unanimously Passes Blue Water Navy Bill Capitol Hill Report House Unanimously Passes Blue Water… The House of Representatives voted unanimously Tuesday evening to pass HR 299, the Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act of 2019. The bill would provide benefits to “Blue Water” Navy veterans who were exposed to the herbicide Agent Orange while on ship despite never setting foot on the ground. At 410-0, it was an even larger margin of victory than last year’s unanimous vote on a identical bill, which passed 382-0. That bill ultimately failed to pass despite overwhelming support in the Senate because two Senators — Lee (Utah) and Enzi (Wyo.) — blocked it from getting out of committee. The Senate version of the bill — S 1195 — was introduced on April 11 and awaits action by the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs. “Passage of our bill today reinforces the January ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals, and is a major milestone towards codifying once and for all the benefits we owe to Blue Water Navy Vietnam veterans,” Rep. Joe Courtney (Conn.) said in a statement Tuesday evening. “The House has passed this bill once before, in the previous 115th Congress. The Senate’s failure to concurrently pass the bill at that time was one of the most disappointing aspects of the last session of Congress. Today, I’m encouraged by the overwhelming bipartisan support our bill received upon passage here in the House of Representatives, and I again call on the Senate to follow our lead, and to pass this bill without delay so that our Blue Water Navy veterans can finally be assured the care and recognition they deserve.” AUSN is concerned that the current language of the bill unnecessarily limits its effects to sailors who were within 12 miles from shore, rather than 12 miles from the baseline as defined by the Procopio court decision earlier this year, which in many cases is beyond the shore and would include potentially thousands more veterans. However, we support any bill that provides benefits to our Blue Water Navy veterans, and we are optimistic that the Senate version of the bill will correct this issue. Category: Capitol Hill ReportBy D. Taylor May 15, 2019 3 Comments Author: D. Taylor https://ausn.org I have been involved in politics, the government and the U.S. Navy for years. I serve as AUSN’s Director of Communications and Government Relations. I am a regular on Capitol Hill and at the Pentagon, constantly monitoring the movement and developments of key legislation affecting our membership. I am also Editor-in-Chief of AUSN’s Navy magazine and the weekly Legislative SITREP email, keeping members apprised of AUSN’s activities. PreviousPrevious post:AUSN Joins Other VSOs In Meeting With Pelosi, Takano … Blue Water Navy UpdateNextNext post:Speaker Pelosi Thanks AUSN For Support Of Gold Star Family Bill Sign Up Now for Thursday’s AUSN Navy Now Webinar: Transitioning to Civilian Life Russian Warship ‘Aggressively Approached’ Navy Destroyer: Report Navy Needs $380 Billion Over 30 Years for Aviation Fleet: Report USS Bataan Deployed to Middle East: Report VA Begins Processing Claims for Blue Water Navy Veterans AUSN Weekly SITREP for Monday, Jan. 6, 2020 David William Sunkle says: YES; I AM ANOTHER RETIRED U.S.NAVY “VETERAN. 1958 to 1979. I WAS SHIPBOARD IN VIETNAM. 1967 to 1971. U.S.S. TRUXTUN DLG (N )35 and THE U.S.S. CHICAGO CG=11. I HAVE BEEN EXPOSED TO” “AGENT” ORANGE”, and OTHER SYMPTION,S. I AM NOW ((70%)) DIS=ABLED. bUT NOT BEING PAID. I AM NOW (79)YEAR,s… WHAT CAN BE DONE TO EXPIDITE MY DIS ABILITY CLAIM. IN CONJUNCTION WITH MY ; NAVY RETIREMENT. My. V.A. REPRESENTATIVE HAS FILED THESE CLAIM. THROUGH THE SYSTEM. THANK YOU. DAVID WILLIAM SUNKLE. U.S.NAVY RETIRED. MMC’S (E-8) THANK YOU. 928-684-1929 H. OR 929-231-9378 C. THANK YOU. D. Taylor says: Hi David, the benefits won’t be available until this bill passes, but we are hopeful that that will finally happen this year. We will keep everyone posted on the bill’s progress. frank sharon says: The ruling is a paradox —–I can not figure out where or how far from shore a ship and its crew are qualified for the compensation and benefits—one article says this another says that —so do you have to be inside a 12 mile line from shore or are you qualified if futher then 12 miles	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0030.json.gz/line868
__label__cc	0.586596	0.413404	HomeProfessionalsProfessional ResourcesEnd of Life LibraryAdvisory Council The Library Advisory Council is appointed by the Chief Quality and Education Officer and the Librarian and is composed of faculty and professionals from area universities and hospitals, and library professionals in the community. The role of the Library Advisory Council is to offer advice to the Librarian on issues of importance in the policies and development of the Library and its contribution to the mission of Hospice of the Western Reserve. The purpose of the Library Advisory Council, in detail, is to further foster community support, create a network of friends and advocates, serve as an ongoing focus group for continual self-evaluation, provide feedback about Hospice of the Western Reserve Library services and programs, and to be a source of recommendations and creative ideas for Library development. Library Advisory Council members serve a two-year term and meet at least two times per year. Current members include: Mike McGraw, Health Center Library; Anne Kolenic, RN, BSN, OCN, University Hospitals Seidman Cancer; Karen Ishler, MSASS; Martin Smith, Director of Clinical Ethics, Cleveland Clinic; Cathy Murch, MLIS, AHIP, Lake Hospital System Library; Marjorie Placek, CSU School of Nursing; Deborah Rorick, LCC School of Nursing. To learn more about the Library Advisory Council, contat librarian Tom Hayes at thayes@hospicewr.org. Advisory CouncilCurrently selected	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0030.json.gz/line870
__label__cc	0.697457	0.302543	Author: Naveen Arul 3M Opens Fourth Global Design Studio, In Bangalore Global technology and innovation company 3M today opened its first Design Centre in India housed at its R&D Centre in Bangalore. This design studio is the fourth for the company globally, following others in the St Paul, US; Milan, Italy; and Tokyo, Japan, and is aimed at accelerating growth of design across global enterprise. 3M said this design centre has been aligned with the company’s mission around collaborative creativity, and will house a team of designers with diverse backgrounds. These designers will engage with 3M’s partners in business, academia and customers, the company noted. The design centre is said to be inspired by local and global culture influencing the design experience of the space using various 3M technologies. Eric Quint, Vice-President and Chief Design Officer, 3M, said momentum for design and design-thinking in India is developing with increased attention and interest, built on great professionalism and focus on customer value. The new 3M Design India Studio will spark cross-functional collaboration in order to imagine how the company’s technology platforms can generate continued value for customers and partners in business, he added. The company has been innovating in India, for India for 30 years, and it is important to constantly develop and grow, with design and creativity playing an integral part, noted Debarati Sen, Managing Director, India Region, 3M. She said 3M believes that design is pivotal to create a positive impact and have a competitive edge in a growing market environment. As a Principal Correspondent based out of Bengaluru, Naveen has been covering the southern and western regions of the country for development of editorial content for the magazine, as well as website. Passionate about automobiles (two- and four-wheelers) from a very young age, Naveen has had the opportunity to learn and write about technologies in this sphere ever since he joined ATR in 2013. His personal interests predominantly revolve around learning mechanical aspects of any system and trying to work on them himself. He tweets @naveenarul Previous Article New 2018 Hyundai Creta Receives 14,366 Bookings Next Article Sonalika Investing In Setting Up Global Innovation Centre In NCR Nikon India Opens Instruments Business Technical Centre in Bangalore Naveen Arul IAC Opens New India Engineering Centre At Pune Michelin India Opens R&D Laboratory in Manesar	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0030.json.gz/line871
__label__cc	0.53557	0.46443	Modern Statism as Western Gnosticism – Part 2 Series: Modern Statism as Western Gnosticism 1.Modern Statism as Western Gnosticism – Part 1 The Western gnostic rejection of natural order underpins legal positivism, the abandonment of Christianity, and the rise of the totalitarian states of the 20th (and increasingly the 21st) century. From Calvinism to Communism According to van Dun, orthodox Christianity, which sanctified human free will and the natural order of the human world with respect to it, historically conflicted with gnostic beliefs regarding the nature or, rather, the essence of man and of the natural world; these conflicting beliefs, in turn, gave rise to modern positivism and, more specifically, what he calls the ‘ideology’ of legal positivism, as a competing school of Western jurisprudence. More recently, Prof. John Gray, in his treatise on the subject of free will, unknowingly agrees with van Dun; yet, no one can accuse him of having a Catholic axe to grind, Gray being an atheist. Throughout much of the world, and particularly in western countries [sic.], the Gnostic faith that knowledge can give humans a freedom no other creature can possess has become the predominant religion. … Believing that human beings can be fully understood in terms of scientific materialism, they reject any idea of free will. But they cannot give up hope of being masters of their destiny. So they have come to believe that science will somehow enable the human mind to escape the limitations that shape its natural condition. … To be free, humans must revolt against the laws that govern earthly things. … The dream of finding freedom by rebelling against cosmic law has reappeared as the belief that humans can somehow make themselves masters of nature.1 Of course, the suggestion that modernism is essentially gnostic is not new; the political philosopher, Eric Voegelin, outlined as much in his best-known works. He even identified a historical continuity and experiential equivalence between the ancient movements, discussed above, and modern positivism, including Marxism, Freudianism, progressivism and its other ideological subcategories. For Voegelin, modern positivism was typified by two characteristics: 1. a particular group’s feeling of alienation from the supposedly disorderly, or even evil, world or society at large, which then evokes a belief in the elitism of that group due to their ability to transcend the disorder through their ‘gnostic speculation’, extraordinary insight and learning – i.e. gnosis; and 2. their desire or attempts to impose or implement the alienated group’s solutions, even coercively, to establish their heaven on earth – to ‘immanentize the eschaton’. These characteristics cement not just ‘far’ left or right political regimes as gnostic, but all modern statism, built as it is on legal positivism; an elite, political class is proposed, one which can act with impunity in the establishment of an idealized, necessary, artificial order – the modern, Leviathan state apparatus. Indeed, Voegelin’s criteria seem but a politicized version of Stuckrad’s criteria of Western gnosticism as claims to ‘real’ knowledge and the means of making this knowledge available. This is the political meaning of progress, according to Voegelin. All gnostic movements are involved in the project of abolishing the constitution of being, with its origin in divine, transcendent being, and replacing it with a world-immanent order of being, the perfection of which lies in the realm of human action. This is a matter of so altering the structure of the world, which is perceived as inadequate, that a new, satisfying world arises.2 A great exponent of Voegelin’s philosophy, Prof. Michael Henry, has summarized it similarly: ‘positivism is another variety of Gnosticism through its reduction of reality to the immanent, with legal positivism contracting the truth of order to convention or statute.’ Henry builds on Voegelin to advance a dichotomy in the Western psyche – the transcendence-oriented amor Dei and its antithesis, the egoistic amor sui; the latter comports with Gray’s view of gnostic modernism, as it defines goodness primarily in terms of what we can control within the bounds of an inherently meaningless, material universe. Gnosticism emerged and emerges as a reaction to Christianity’s denial of human fulfilment in material satisfaction; it thus makes humanity the locus of the divine and seeks an immanent salvation, through human action, ‘which can be attained only by pretending to satisfy the soul’s innate hunger for immortality and transcendence with an endless stream of ephemeral gratifications.’ As far as positivism is concerned, an artificial order is not simply needed but welcomed in the gnostic mindset. Voegelin describes modern statism quite graphically, perhaps hinting at the French Revolution: In order, therefore, that the attempt to create a new world may seem to make sense, the givenness of the order of being must be obliterated; the order of being must be interpreted, rather, as essentially under man’s control. And taking control of being further requires that the transcendent origin of being be obliterated: it requires the decapitation of being – the murder of God.3 Henry’s valuable contribution is found in his cogent presentation of this dichotomy in Western civilisation, in terms of the psychology at work: The meaning of Voegelin’s succinct formulation becomes clearer if we note that it is the reverse of the Christian discernment that the death of the ego is the ‘price’ of spiritual growth in faith. … The origin of the fall into Gnosticism he found in Christianity’s realization that the soul must be ordered through humble openness to transcendence in the tension and uncertainty of faith rather than masterfully grasping it with the security of knowledge. The spiritually impotent ego pursuing worldly dominance and the illusory power of certainty while rejecting the genuine substance of order is what Voegelin meant by ‘the revolt of Western society against God.’4 But, where and how did this revolt begin? Voegelin diagnosed ‘the Gnostic nature of modernity’ as the classical liberal secularisation of ‘the seventeenth-century Puritan … un-Christian libido dominandi for achieving existential security by drawing transcendence into immanence to transform all experience into proofs of divine election.’ Hobbes likewise saw the destructive wars, which followed the Reformation, as driven by the Puritan drive to possess certainty of God’s favour, but the classical liberals merely posited a secular, artificial order to achieve a different ideal. For this reason, Voegelin struck at the source of these modern movements, labelling the Protestant Reformation as the ‘Gnostic Revolution’, for its rejection of the spiritual authority of Catholicism and the objective, lex rationis, natural law proposed by it, in favour of definite, quasi-secular states – territorial monopolists of judicial and legislative power. ‘Voegelin asserts that the entire Reformation movement and the whole of modernity must be “understood as the successful invasion of Western institutions by Gnostic movements.”’5 We find the gnostic denial of free will at the heart of Calvinism: Calvinism posits an elect, predestined by God to receive inner enlightenment and be brought to salvation through deterministic means, rather than through the exercise of free will. Ultimately, we find the gnostic denial of free will at the heart of Calvinism. For both Luther, an Augustinian friar, and Calvin, St. Augustine was a strong influence; they seemed in this way to reach back to a solid figure – one who represented an earlier time of broadly defined doctrines, but far back enough to substitute the authority of the Pope with Roman, statist public law – thus, preventing doctrinal anarchy, especially where the Trinity, baptism and a few other crucial doctrines were concerned. Calvin taught that Augustine was ‘the best and most faithful witness of all antiquity.’6 However, Augustine downplayed free will and contemporaries, such as St. Vincent of Lerins, recognized that this was not in keeping with the universal tradition of the Church, but was rather a result of Augustine’s Manichaean and Platonist background. The great theological historian, Henry Chadwick, notes that the first instances of this denial indeed came from Gnosticism: ‘The influence of fatalistic ideas drawn from popular astrology and magic became fused with notions derived from Pauline language about predestination to produce a rigidly deterministic scheme.’7 Similarities to Cabalism and Neoplatonism are apparent: Calvinism posits an elect, predestined by God to receive inner enlightenment and be brought to salvation through deterministic means, rather than through the exercise of free will. As well as Bibles being produced in the common tongues, developments of the Gutenberg press and of paper a century before allowed Calvin to write a quality, standard, Augustinian commentary – simple enough for the layman to understand, and providing national uniformity without recourse to popes or councils. It is hardly surprising that Voegelin refers to Calvin’s Institutes of the Christian Religion as ‘the first deliberately created Gnostic koran.’8 Moreover, emerging from this background, it is less surprising that hard determinism dominates modern academe, asserting as it does ‘the unbreakable sequence of cause and effect … the inevitable outcome of events … going back to the Big Bang’. This denial of free will is arguably the secularisation of the Calvinist belief in the predestination of believers, in which free will is effectively denied and humans considered as slaves to their nature – the heathen, to his totally depraved nature, the Christian, to the irresistible grace of God which draws him closer. Barzun makes the same argument: ‘Modern criminology is rooted in this conviction and public opinion in the main agrees: the criminal is not responsible for his acts; he is “conditioned.” Grace (the right heredity or environment) has been denied him.’ Further highlighting the deterministic zeitgeist shared by the secular elites of the early modern period and popular Calvinism, Barzun conveys the changing temperament regarding free will with the example of the late 18th century Prussian king, Frederick the Great, ‘who outgrew his Calvinist upbringing but remained a fierce determinist.’ Barzun describes the common ‘sense of being driven by a power not ourselves … among great doers and creators’ – the tide in the affairs of men of Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar. This is, of course, the Gnostic temperament of a destined elite present among the Machiavellian opportunists as well as in ‘the most widely held Protestant dogma.’9 In this way, we might rather describe the libido dominandi as the politicized Western gnostic doctrine of a guiding, knowledgable elite, present across the spectrum of the bourgeoisie. It is tempting to retrospectively apply today’s sociological data which concludes that ‘politicians are more likely than people in the general population to be sociopaths’ or, indeed, the desire among many to have these personality types exercise power.10 It is sufficient to note that this adds weight to my hypothesis – that modern statism is the manifest rejection of free will, by those who prey on and take on the decision-making ability of others, and those who willingly relinquish this responsibility to the former. But, to solidify my argument, we must answer the question: how did the Calvinist, monarchical nation states evolve into the much more secular modern liberal democracy? We arrive at the modern state with the shift of jurisprudence from a focus on natural law to natural rights, that is, from the rationally identified justice and natural order, achieved by the respect of other’s free will, to an artificial order sustained by Hobbes’ Leviathan state, which at least initially proposed to grant rights to its citizens in accordance with the rational principles of natural law. The ‘immanently salvific Gnostic civil theology’, proposed by Hobbes, rejected transcendence and permitted all citizens to have a relationship with the divine only through obedience to the terrifying Absolute Sovereign, the intracosmic ‘mortal god’, who dictated the form of ‘Christian’ worship compulsory for the whole society and prophylactically sealed off the ‘Christian Commonwealth’ against intrusions by transcendence. Through obedience to and the favour of the king, one could attain this desired certainty, whilst avoiding any nihilistic, ‘imminent fall into non-being through death’ – the logical conclusion to Hobbes’ brutal view of man’s state of nature. In this way, the ‘spiritually ordering power of amor Dei’ and anything resembling the abstract, transcendence-oriented, lex rationis school of natural law was supplanted by the enjoyment of the mere natural right ‘to physical self-preservation in a cosmos devoid of divine presence’.11 In this modern context, established largely by Hobbes and Locke, politics is simply the managing of warring passions and ever-more contractual ‘rights’, and the medieval mindset, which views no division between ‘Church’ and ‘secular state’ but, rather, a fraternity and common aim between members of a community, becomes totally alien.12 Being based on the Western gnostic rejection of natural order, we can thus distinguish between a modern libertarianism, built on gnostic modernist conceptions of freedom within an artificial, man-made order, and a Thomistic or medieval libertarianism, built on free will and the adherence to the rational, given, natural order. Given the radical changes to the definition of liberal, terms such as ‘classical liberalism’ are confusing and do not address differences between the two major schools of jurisprudence which have characterized Western civilisation – natural law and legal positivism; certainly not when our aim is to identify legal positivism as the jurisprudential manifestation of a Western gnostic worldview. Seeing as van Dun’s critique of legal positivism, as the gnostic base of modernism which has come to dominate jurisprudence since the 20th century, follows Voegelin’s, it is worth applying Henry’s clarification (above) and Hannah Arendt’s notable critique of Voegelin to van Dun also. The criticism of Voegelin offered by Prof. Eugene Webb in his article, ‘Voegelin’s Gnosticism Reconsidered’, is somewhat redundant; Webb explains that gnosticism, as a term, ‘has become so problematic and complex in recent years’ that its use ‘must at the very least undercut Voegelin’s effort to trace a historical line of descent from ancient sources to the modern phenomena he tried to use them to illuminate.’13 In the first instance, I do not think that a genealogy of gnosticism is necessitated by Voegelin’s theory, nor does this have any relevance to van Dun’s tracing legal positivism back to Western gnosticism. Secondly, as we have seen, the scholarship of Western esotericism/gnosticism has developed considerably and we have a sound framework in which to study the general movement as a whole. Let us begin, therefore, with the major and far more pertinent debate between Voegelin and Arendt. Arendt’s assessment of the causal factors for the rise of totalitarianism in the 20th century comports in many ways with Voegelin’s: she states, ‘the tribal nationalism of the pan-movements [following the Protestant Reformation] offered a new religious theory and a new concept of holiness’. Contrary to Voegelin’s view of the general libido dominandi of European modernism as the manifestation of positivistic Western gnosticism, however, Arendt understood it as a ‘precise perversion’ of the Jewish doctrine of chosenness. Arendt frames much of nation statism as undergirded by the ‘fear that it actually might be Jews … to whom success was granted by divine providence.’ A ‘feeble-minded resentment against a people who [were guaranteed to] emerge eventually, and in spite of appearances, as the final victors in world history.’ This being the ‘Jewish mission in history to achieve the establishment of mankind’ – to unite humanity under the true God. Thus, the various national and religious wars of the past 500 years can be viewed as a competition, especially with the Jews, for worldly success as a manifestation of God’s favour and, thus, confirmation of their chosenness. ‘Chosenness was no longer the myth for an ultimate realization of the [Jewish] ideal of a common humanity’, but had been co-opted for destructive ends, according to Arendt. It seems unlikely one could find a better example of Voegelin’s two characteristics of the gnostic than modern Judaism – an alienated, spiritual elite who believe they have a divine mission to model the ideal, as laid out by a positivistic deity. It is important to note that, as a Jewess, Arendt noticeably plays up the claim of the Jews, affirming that they already possessed, from beyond recorded history, the very qualities violently striven for by the nation states of Europe, leading of course to such ‘pseudo-mystical’ movements as British Israelism or aryanism’s paleontological assumptions etc. Arendt’s own underlying positivism becomes most visible, however, in her view of European totalitarianisms as merely ‘experiments’, the only ‘limitation’ of which being the requirement of ‘global control in order to show conclusive results’ regarding their ability to manipulate the nature of man. At this, Voegelin rightly identified Arendt as stuck in exactly the same immanentist/gnostic paradigm he had outlined.14 This is hardly surprising given the gnosticising of Judaism which occurred during its modernisation; not to mention the correlation between the broadly ‘Semitic’ view of God and Western gnosticism, discussed above. Let us digress briefly into the modern, Jewish mission for the unity of mankind and develop upon the distinction between this ‘Semitic’ view of God and the traditional Catholic one as this will highlight the gnostic tendencies in modern Judaism and help explain Arendt’s unwitting display of these same tendencies. Rabbi Lord Immanuel Jakobovits, former Chief Rabbi of the United Synagogue of Great Britain, is understandably the most frequently quoted authority when it comes to the modern Jewish understanding of their chosenness: Maybe the Greeks were chosen for their unique contributions to art and philosophy, the Romans for their pioneering services in law and government, the British for bringing parliamentary rule into the world, and the Americans for piloting democracy in a pluralistic society. The Jews were chosen by God to be ‘peculiar unto Me’ as the pioneers of religion and morality; that was and is their national purpose. But the context of this quote is not so well known. The peculiarly Semitic nature of Jakobovits’ God, so alike Ockham’s nominalist view, is outlined in clear contradistinction to, for instance, the traditional Catholic view: If ethical laws were good, immutable, and divine because their virtue is manifest to reason, intuition, conscience, or any other human faculty … the whole structure of Judaism as a revealed religion would collapse. … Judaism stands or falls by the heteronomy of the law.15 The above views are also shared by conservative and reformed Judaism. Notice, this is very much in line with denials of an eternal law and natural order of the world, as identified by Voegelin as typical of Western gnosticism. Pertinent to our discussion is Oakley’s analysis of Ockham, which agrees that legal positivism is a logical conclusion of the nominalist view of God: Now the lesson to be drawn … is that in a coherent philosophical system, given any one of the following elements, we should expect to find in conjunction with it the rest – a nominalist epistemology; an empiricist approach to natural science; and, if a conception of God is admitted, a voluntarist or imposed version of the natural law (both scientific and juridical) and a Semitic view of God which stresses above all his utter freedom and omnipotence. But … the voluntarist interpretation of the natural law tends to carry over into a positivist interpretation of law in general.16 The reason for this distinction of a ‘Semitic’ view of God is that, in Christianity, there was a baptism of the Platonic doctrine of Eternal Forms or Ideas by means of the location of these Ideas in the divine mind as exemplars according to which God created the world. The intellectualism, sometimes referred to as rationalism, of Aquinas stood against the voluntarism of Ockham and other notable scholars of the time, such as Duns Scotus. As occurred also in medieval Judaism and Islam, there was a fearful reaction against this, in which the bishop of Paris and the archbishop of Canterbury condemned several Thomistic propositions in the 13th century. They were following the same thinking as the Arab and Jewish theologians, who were grappling with Aristotle and the compatibility of free will and human reason with the omnipotence and omniscience of God. The Islamic Mu’tazilites, for instance, believed God is reason and that God’s laws are laws of nature – thus the similarities of Sharia to natural law. Prominent Muslim scholars of the period, such as Averroes and Avicenna, owe much to Aquinas. During the ‘golden age of Islam’ under the liberal Abbasid Caliphate, Persian philosophers were able to pick up where the Greeks left off, coming as close to developing the scientific method as any other civilisation has ever come, and writing critically of the Qur’an. This was ended, however, by Grand Visier Nizam al-Mulk, who imposed systems of education based on a Qur’anic understanding of the natural world. In this environment, the 11th century voluntarist scholar, Hamid al-Ghazali, would become arguably the most influential Muslim since Muhammad by rejecting Greek philosophy outright. God was not bound by what we perceive as the rational order – ‘things do not act according to their own natures but only according to God’s will at the moment.’17 Al-Ghazali’s The Incoherence of Philosophers was deemed to lay all opposition to rest. The influence of al-Ghazali on medieval Jewish thought is evident in Judah ha-Levi: ‘I consider him to have attained the highest degree of perfection who is convinced of religious truths without having scrutinized them and reasoned over them.’18 It is quite true that, ‘until the wider spread of Kabbalistic ideas in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries’, Judaism was more intellectualist and ‘accepting [a] strict conception of the natural order’ of the world, from around the 10th century, as evidenced by Saadia Gaon’s division of the commandments of the Torah into those discoverable through reason and those positively imposed by God, as detailed by Prof. Jacob-Joshua Ross.19 But the primary sources contributed nothing as significant as Aquinas and are confusing; academic sources differ as to when and how voluntarism emerged in Judaism. Ross sees it as emerging with the modernisation of Judaism, through the influence of Cabalism, the door having been opened by the ‘semi-voluntarism’ of the Maharal of Prague; whereas Prof. Lenn Evan Goodman would describe the highly influential, 12th century Maimonides as a voluntarist. For our purposes, the link between Oakley’s broad description of the Semitic view of God, as opposed to the more Hellenistic, Christian view is very much linked with the rise of voluntarism in general, and was kept at bay in the Christian world by intellectualism. The Thomist philosopher, Jacques Maritain, summarizes the Thomistic position in such a way as to distinguish it from the voluntarism of Islam on the one hand and the necessitarian views of Aristotle – precisely what the medieval voluntarists were trying to do: The most essential and the dearest aim of Thomism is to make sure that the personal contact of all intellectual creatures with God, as well as their personal subordination to God, be in no way interrupted. Everything else – the whole universe and every social institution – must ultimately minister to this purpose; everything must foster and strengthen and protect the conversation of the soul, every soul, with God. It is characteristically Greek and pagan to interpose the universe between God and intellectual creatures.20 Providence asserts that intellectual creatures, made in the image of God, who is intellect, are alone willed for their own sake, quite aside from the existence of the rest of the physical universe. So, we might assert that gnostic tendencies in the political, as well as the theological, share their roots with Jewish voluntarism. Further cementing the Jewish doctrine of chosenness as exemplary of Western gnostic traits, another leader of Modern Orthodox Judaism, Rabbi Norman Lamm breaks down its tenets thus: This spiritual vocation consists of two complementary functions, described as ‘Goy Kadosh’, that of a holy nation, and ‘Mamlekhet Kohanim’, that of a kingdom of priests. The first term denotes the development of communal separateness or differences in order to achieve a collective self-transcendence. … The second term implies the obligation of this brotherhood of the spiritual elite toward the rest of mankind.21 Despite the Hellenistic influence on classical Judaism, resulting in a firm belief in free will from at least the 1st century on,22 it seems unlikely one could find a better example of Voegelin’s two characteristics of the gnostic than modern Judaism – an alienated, spiritual elite who believe they have a divine mission to model the ideal, as laid out by a positivistic deity. This is far from a spurious observation on my part; as a pertinent, contemporary example, Count Richard von Coudenhove-Kalergi, whose own Paneuropean Union and various other ideas were primary precursors to the EU, fetishized a future of demographic replacement in Europe and the development of a brown slave-race, with the Jews leading as a spiritual aristocracy. Notice also the typical deterministic language of Western gnosticism in his writing: The man of the future will be of mixed race. Today’s races and classes will gradually disappear owing to the vanishing of space, time, and prejudice. The Eurasian-Negroid race of the future, similar in its appearance to the Ancient Egyptians, will replace the diversity of peoples with a diversity of individuals. Instead of destroying European Jewry, Europe, against its own will, refined and educated this people into a future leader-nation through this artificial selection process. No wonder that this people, that escaped Ghetto-Prison, developed into a spiritual nobility of Europe. Therefore a gracious Providence provided Europe with a new race of nobility by the Grace of Spirit. This happened at the moment when Europe’s feudal aristocracy became dilapidated, and thanks to Jewish emancipation.23 Likewise, certain modern Jews have taken up this peculiarly gnostic interpretation of their chosenness, such as Barbara Lerner Spectre in her Europe: Education of Adult Jewish Leaders in a Pan-European Perspective. To conclude this point: having fled 1930s Germany, it is improbable that Arendt’s somewhat myopic reaction would not have been coloured by this, her ethno-cultural background. By suggesting these influences on Arendt’s perception, as Veogelin himself did, my intention is not to argue ad hominem, but to avoid simply labelling her a hypocrite – for one could equally reverse her argument and cherry-pick historical data to suggest that the Jewish mission to unite mankind was a fearful reaction or ‘feeble-minded resentment’ of Christ and the Church, who have, in fact, led the various nations of the world to accept the one, true God. Such an argument would be just as unhelpful, unscholarly and, more to the point, elitist. We must simply state that Voegelin’s assessment of Arendt was most likely accurate and his counter-criticism should be commended for remaining objective despite being, most likely, Jewish himself and facing similar circumstances to Arendt. That aside, Arendt’s analysis of totalitarianism as being built on a religious quest for manifestations of chosenness does not square with the historical data, as concisely laid out by Barzun here: With the metamorphosis of king into monarch and of realm into nation, religion also shifted its position in culture. Laymen, as we saw, replaced clerics in government, while the longing for a strong central power came out of weariness with sectarian fighting. Religious faith as such did not weaken, but many saw its ideologies as interfering with governance. What weight, if any, should they have in the conduct of state affairs? A striking event gave one answer. In 1593, Henry, king of Navarre and a Protestant, was at war to make good his claim to the throne of France; he needed to win over the Parisians, who were staunch Catholics. He gave up his Huguenot faith, saying: ‘Paris is well worth a Mass.’ Similarly, and about the same time, the future James I of England, a Protestant king of Scotland, was promising to turn Catholic if the leaders of that party would help him to secure the English throne. And during the Thirty Years’ War … Cardinal Richelieu, believing the national interest to lie on the Protestants side, allied himself to Lutheran Sweden.’24 The facts are that movements such as British Israelism were always minority movements; the majority of the masses and the political class simply wanted political and economic stability, and religious freedom in the drive toward nation states, mercantilism and national economic success. Whilst it is true that a more local sense of kinship was expanded to the national scale for statist purposes, this does not detract from the fact that kinship, including clan extensions to tribalism, have always surpassed or transcended the more abstract elements of governance; as we have already seen, this has been the case since antiquity and is just as prevalent, if not more so, among Jews as among other ethnic groups.25 It is not necessary to outline the obvious, biological reasons for this. We can, therefore, dismiss Arendt’s criticism and move on to apply Henry’s refinement of Voegelin’s theory to van Dun’s focus on legal positivism as gnostic. Where natural rights, i.e. subjective desires, trump universal, objective truth, there is a tendency toward the secular, artificial order. We have already presented Henry’s dichotomy of Western thought: amor Dei – that of the Christian death of the ego and a humble openness to transcendence as the price of spiritual growth; and amor sui – the illusory security of knowledge through the spiritually impotent ego’s pursuit of worldly dominance. Hobbes, in reaction to the turmoil he associated in the amor Dei, proposed the civic theology of the Leviathan state; his theory took the torch from Calvinism in his hard deterministic denial of free will and the positing of a necessary state as an artificial lawgiver to combat the irrepressibly violent nature of man. Hobbes denied the existence of all forms of power beyond ordinary causation, the power of one motion in matter to determine another. So he denied the very existence both of freedom and of any form of motivating power beyond the ordinary causal power of desires as materially based psychological states to produce actions.26 The gnosticism of Hobbes is apparent when we consider that his proposed state is simply the immanentized One of Neoplatonism, the sages of which are those wise statesmen able to exercise the raison d’etat and devise an order – salvation from the disorderly state of nature, red in tooth and claw. To paraphrase Voegelin, the uncertain truth of Christianity is exchanged for a false uncertainty of positivistic modernism; the natural order for the artificial. But, Hobbes had opened a Pandora’s box. In his own day, the employment of his theory was recognized as having greater scope than simply justifying monarchs: At first sight, Hobbes looks like a partisan of the monarchs’ revolution and one wonders why the Royalists did not embrace him. But the absolute that he argues for is a sovereign; he does not say a king, much less the king-in-waiting, Prince Charles Stuart. The members of the Commons could therefore find in The Leviathan the justification for an absolute Parliament. As pointed out earlier, that is exactly what England is ruled by now. It is an elective Leviathan with royalty like a dab of whipped cream on top.27 This justification of state offices would see the expansion of the state, climaxing in the three competing polities of the 20th century which Voegelin, among so many others, was writing against – fascism, liberal democracy and communism. The scholar, David Gordon, identified independent support to Voegelin’s argument in the Murray Rothbard’s analysis of Marxism. Albeit, this was limited to Marxism, not expanded to modernism and positivism, despite Rothbard being a brilliant critic of statism: Behind the economics of Marxism, [Rothbard] finds a heretical religious myth, the goal of which is the ‘obliteration of the individual through “reunion” with God, the One, and the ending of cosmic “alienation”, at least on the level of each individual.’ … Rothbard’s analysis of Marx’s philosophy reinforces the pioneering investigations of Eric Voegelin; this parallel between the conclusions of these two great scholars is all the more remarkable in that Rothbard, though familiar with Voegelin, was not deeply influenced by him.28 The Origins of the Western Libido Dominandi Following Voegelin’s thesis that modern statism is essentially a gnostic civil theology which has replaced the former role of the Church in Christendom, Henry enlists the help of Prof. Robert Kraynak’s Christian Faith and Modern Democracy: God and Politics in the Fallen World. Focussing on democracy, Henry asserts that, where natural rights, i.e. subjective desires, trump universal, objective truth, there is a tendency toward the secular, artificial order: In modern democracy the good life is one of material success and enjoyment rather than of virtue. Having no substantial truth in itself it worships freedom, which means that it appeals to relativism and the related skepticism – since among human beings there are disagreements and uncertainty about the highest good, the greatest human dignity is through determining truth and one’s own identity and destiny autonomously for oneself … Therefore, Christianity cannot mandate democracy, although democracy has sought legitimacy from Christianity, and it is questionable whether democratic institutions can represent the truth of the soul. Part of Kraynak’s thesis is that there is, in fact, an enormous gulf between democracy’s understanding of human existence and Christianity’s. In his analysis, modern liberal democracy, rooted in the meaningless materialist universe of the modern Zeitgeist, envisages human dignity as a defiance of cosmic indifference to us by an assertion of autonomous will through which we become masters of our own destiny. Here we find broad agreement between the independent and disparate works of Voegelin and Gray – the philosophy and religion of the modern West catechizes us to understand that, by keeping the faith in scientific materialism, trusting in the artificial order of the Leviathan state and revolting against natural law, we will reach the promised land of a socialist utopia. Following Hobbes, this assumes the absence of God and any convivial order of Christianity. It was for this reason that Tolkien’s 20th century masterpiece, The Lord of the Rings, so emphasized natural law, depicting the Leviathan state as the dark lord Sauron and his Orcs. Having witnessed the horrors of the First World War, he portrayed all creatures as corruptible and power as a prime source of corruption, in the vein of Lord Acton’s maxim: Power tends to corrupt. Echoing Cicero, the hero, Aragorn, affirms that ‘Good and ill have not changed since yesteryear; nor are they one thing among Elves and Dwarves and another among Men.’ Seeing the offence to ancient freedoms wrought by the modern state, Tolkien wrote that he ‘would arrest anybody who uses the word State’ and that it should even be an offence to write government ‘with a capital G.’ Like the gnostic civil theology of modern statism, ‘Sauron sought to create heaven on earth as a substitute for the real heaven.’29 Tolkien’s Catholic beliefs, particularly regarding natural and eternal law, set him against the statist ideologies of the 20th century, the rejection of free will and gnostic dreams of mastering nature and destiny, to paraphrase Gray. Modern libertarianism, however, for all its criticism of statism, falls under the same gamut of secular thinking, criticized by Henry above; the focus of modern libertarianism on natural rights, as opposed to natural law, lends itself to positivism, and explains, for instance, the necessity of contractarianism in Rothbard’s anarcho-capitalist legal theory. In short, modern libertarianism is based on the amor sui of Hobbes. In contrast to this political school of thought, van Dun proposes a convivial libertarianism which is essentially the amor Dei of the intellectualist natural law of medieval thinkers, such as Aquinas – thus, it has sometimes been referred to as medieval libertarianism.30 Criticising modern libertarianism, van Dun has indirectly suggested that the social theories proposed by Rothbard and others assume their private-property-centred jurisprudence could outcompete others, as if in a vacuum. But these theories do not seem to ‘take into account the relevant traditions, customs, conventions, standards, and the like’ of any particular region.31 Coming from a Western background and the almost inescapable, natural law tradition of Western jurisprudence, these theories seem to assume an adherence to the cardinal virtues and neglect to address the historical, extant and potential market for vice and irresponsibility in human affairs, in much the same way as the statist assumes, in gnostic fashion, that statesmen will be guided by forces, materialist or otherwise, to realize the good of all. This assumption of virtue in the proposed, hyper-individualistic societies of modern libertarianism presents us with the same problem Kraynak identifies in democracy – the simple assertion of private interests allows subjective desire to trump objective truth, which tends toward a secular, artificial order. It is only by embracing the amor Dei that we can have a uniform, given definition of justice, in the lex rationis sense of natural law, and avoid the modern Western tendency to reject a reasoned, natural order in favour of an artificially imposed one. But what factor of the Western psyche drives this tendency in the first place? Why is it that Kraynak seeks to restore ‘the true understanding of human nature and dignity’ in order to restore ‘natural law with its immediacy of participation in divine Reason’?32 Following the work of Prof. Ricardo Duchesne, I wrote about the origins of the ‘Faustian’ spirit of European civilisations in my upcoming book, The Uniqueness of Western Law: A Reactionary Manifesto. The source of Western uniqueness is evidently the psychopathic, aristocratic, Indo-European, warrior-nomads from whom modern, ethnic Europeans are descended; these warriors would flout their own safety in competition to attain immortal fame and glory, even battling naked in berserker warfare. In depicting heroic deeds of the pre-Homeric age, the Indo-European spirit was internalized by the intellectual class of priests. This produced a highly competitive philosophical environment – ‘the miracle of Greece’ – which drove the aristos to greater feats of rational self-mastery. So, the Western concept of virtue (from virtus, the Roman, aristocratic concept of manliness) evolved from attributes associated with martial valour to those of the rational and civil man. In contrast to the violent hubris of Achilles, a new virtue emerged – ‘Sophrosyne, referring to moderation or self-restraint.’ Basically, the Greeks internalized the restless, conquering Indo-European spirit; philosophy and poetry began to depict their inner battles as well as outer. High competition in understanding the complexity of human reason, the psyche and society had begun. Rather than simply overpowering the world around them, even the gods, man turned inward to conquer himself, producing the self-civilizing, trustworthy proto-gentleman who pursued Plato’s four cardinal virtues – prudence, justice, temperance and courage.33 Christianity took the torch from the Hellenistic world in developing natural law and notions of the lawfully responsible individual; these, in large part, produced the advanced, stateless societies of medieval Europe which formed the foundation of Western civilization and law. However, declaring legal positivism to be a kind of Gnostic humanism, which views humanity as the true creative power in an ‘evil’ world, Prof. van Dun elaborated on why the Christian tradition ‘always laid great stress on law and justice, leaving the discovery of the material world to those who are especially qualified to study nature’ and thus further developed the concept of the natural order of the human world: ‘Because no man (that is, only God) is in a position to know everything, order in the human world can exist only if every person has the opportunity to take responsibility for and assume the risk of his own life – and leaves others free to do the same.’34 The political elite are drawn to the exclusive power of legislation because they can wield it with impunity, and the masses happily relinquish the exercise of reason in socio-political matters due to the ‘tendency in most men to avoid responsibility’. For Nietzsche, the development of this self-mastery, including the rational pursuit of temperance, by Christianity was a transvaluation of Roman, martial, more selfish values, creating a slave ethic which effectively collapsed the Roman Empire.35 Of course, this transvaluation had begun before Christ and was far from destructive; it arguably built Western civilisation and the glory of Christendom, and transcended the Roman Empire in its influence. The problem at the heart of Nietzsche’s antisocial anger toward Christianity, whilst he recognized the nihilism of the West’s having ‘killed’ God, is his extreme voluntarism – extending this to a spirited, irrational will to power. But simply ignoring the classical virtues doesn’t make them any less intuitive, of utility etc. Nietzsche correctly predicted the increasingly open wilfulness to ignore the virtues, let alone natural law and any engagement with Divine Reason, so characteristic of modernism and postmodernism. But how could this occur among the European civilisations, to the extent that, as Frank van Dun asserts, a competing, gnostic jurisprudence could outcompete that of Christendom? To briefly address the psychological motivations which ultimately produced this change, here is a quote from John Maxcy Zane on the tendency for modern states to expand: Government may superficially appear to make law as Hobbes and Austin mistakenly supposed, but it is the acceptance of the rules by society that makes laws and government. … [Nevertheless,] this so-called power of legislation which is in fact the delegated representative power of acceptance, tends to become exclusive. History uniformly shows that a legislative body invariably tends to magnify its own importance, because personal responsibility in such a body can usually be avoided. The tendency is to insist that all changes in the law must be authorized by the legislative body. In other words, the political elite are drawn to the exclusive power of legislation because they can wield it with impunity, and the masses happily relinquish the exercise of reason in socio-political matters due to the ‘tendency in most men to avoid responsibility’, as Zane aptly puts it.36 The Whiggish belief that modernism oversaw the democratisation of liberties is false; the modern liberal democracy is the result of a democratized irresponsibility. In the clash between system and reality, reality must give way. The intellectual swindle is justified by referring to the demands of the historical future, which the gnostic thinker has speculatively projected in his system.37 Here, van Dun assumes the attractiveness of positivism and Nietzschean wilfulness over the acceptance of the responsibilities of reality, the limits of rationality and the requirements of faith. Voegelin essentially agreed that most ‘do not have the spiritual stamina for the heroic adventure of the soul that is Christianity’. This is, perhaps, self-evident, as the noble, heroic and virtuous aristocracy is, by definition, extraordinary. In any case, Voegelin also predicted the ‘likeliness of a fall from faith will increase when civilizational progress of education, literacy, and intellectual debate will bring the full seriousness of Christianity to the understanding of ever more individuals.’38 Voegelin describes this transition from the Middle Ages to modernism as a time when great masses of Christianized men who were not strong enough for the heroic adventure of faith became susceptible to ideas that could give them a greater degree of certainty about the meaning of their existence than faith. The reality of being as it is known in its truth by Christianity is difficult to bear, and the flight from clearly seen reality to gnostic constructs will probably always be a phenomenon of wide extent in civilizations that Christianity has permeated.39 Carl Schmitt of course coined the terms regarding the state as a secularized theology, particularly in his 1922 book, Politische Theologie. For Schmitt, the immanence of some political system requires a person or group to work outside of the rule of law to define the Weltanschauung, namely religion or accepted beliefs. For this reason, Schmitt could be more optimistic than and even contra Voegelin about the role of Catholicism in the future of the West, and saw the requirement of metaphysics to make a political system in which certain concepts were publicly accepted without need of justification, as advantageous to the Church. Indeed, he viewed Catholicism as the ultimate political system.40 What the future holds for the West – whether some resurgence of Christendom, at least in part, or perhaps some sort of gnostic technocracy – is unsure and almost pure speculation. What is sure is the necessity for reflection on the current course of the West, the gnosticism directing it, and whether reorientation is possible and desirable. The responsibilities acquired through free will and the mere assurances of Christian faith are less attractive to most than the self-affirmation of an immanent state, which posits right and wrong on one’s behalf and promises to fulfil one’s earthly appetites – ‘the imagination of the enlightened few (the intellectuals who know) and their power to impose … on the unenlightened many (the ordinary mortals who get by on belief)’ as van Dun puts it.41 In this article, we have shown this to certainly be the case and only added the hypothesis that the so-called unenlightened are wilfully so or have, rather, relinquished their free will and consequent recognition of lex rationis natural law. So, abandonment of the assumption (in multiple senses of the word) of the free will of human persons in Western jurisprudence, essential to lex rationis, undergirds the supposed necessity of secularism and the positivist, modern state. What constitutes order in the human world has been radically altered by the currents of Western gnostic thought; the full extent of this transition from Christendom to gnostic modernism is realized in the acceptance of the latter’s doctrines by the majority of the Church. 1Gray, J. (2016) The Soul of the Marionette: A Short Enquiry into Human Freedom, Penguin Books, pp. 9 & 13. 2Voegelin, E. (1968) Science, Politics, and Gnosticism, Regnery Publishing Inc., p. 75. 3Ibid. 4Henry, M. (2005) ‘Civil Theology in the Gnostic Age: Progress and Regress’, Modern Age, 47: 1 – https://isistatic.org/journal-archive/ma/47_01/henry.pdf (10/07/2018). 5Versluis, having a personal fondness for esotericism, takes exception to the ‘rhetorical inversion’ presented by the claim that Calvinism was simultaneously opposed to mysticism and yet gnostic. Of course this is an equivocation on the professor’s part; Voegelin’s definition of gnosticism is little more than Stuckrad’s framework of Western gnosticism but with the recognition of political activism among those groups, which we have seen was certainly ongoing. What Voegelin means is that Calvinism bore the traits of gnosticism, and also developed the environment – political and cultural – in which such activism could gain traction and implement revolutionary movements in the West. Calvinism hadn’t gripped elites and the influential classes as it had the masses of Northern Europe ( Dickens, A. G., 1966; Reformation and Society in Sixteenth-Century Europe [London: Thames and Hudson], pp. 178–80); nevertheless, the gnostic elements in Calvinism comported politically with the esoteric views in vogue among those touched by secret societies. Versluis accepts that the phenomena identified by Voegelin are at work in modernity – ‘that much is true.’ Whilst Versluis refuses to recognize their origins in gnosticism, attempting to blame modernity on Christianity’s eschatological focus (Versluis, A., 2006; The New Inquisitions: Heretic-Hunting and the Intellectual Origins of Modern Totalitarianism [Oxford University Press], p. 72–4), this would seem unsophisticated even without evidence for the involvement of gnostic groups in the development of the modern state. 6Calvin, Institutes, IV:xiv, 26. 7Chadwick, H. (1967) The Early Church, Penguin, pp. 228–33. 8Voegelin, E. (1987 ed.) The New Science of Politics, Univeristy of Chicago Press, p. 139. 9Barzun, J. (2000) From Dawn to Decadence: 500 Years of Western Cultural Life, 1500 to the Present, Harper Perennial, pp. 29–30. 10Martha Stout as quoted in Freeman, D. (2012) ‘Are Politicians Psychopaths?’, The Huffington Post – https://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-freeman/are-politicians-psychopaths_b_1818648.html (05/08/2018); and Sonne, J.W.H. & Gash, D.M. (2018) ‘Psychopathy to Altruism: Neurobiology of the Selfish-Selfless Spectrum’, Frontiers in Psychology, 9 – https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.00575 (05/08/2018). 11Henry, M. (2005) ‘Civil Theology in the Gnostic Age: Progress and Regress’, Modern Age, 47: 1 – https://isistatic.org/journal-archive/ma/47_01/henry.pdf (10/07/2018). 12Many scholars have laid the blame for the modern, positivist conception of natural rights at the feet of the 16th–17th century Protestant jurist, Hugo Grotius. However, Grotius’ intention was not to replace natural law and the theistic, medieval foundations of lex rationis with natural rights and a positivistic jurisprudence when he said that natural law ‘would have a degree of validity even if we should concede … that there is no God’. Prof. Francis Oakley rightly corrects this misconception by identifying similar statements and ideas from the Middle Ages. The idea that the natural law was normative and emerged from man’s reason was not novel. Grotius was, rather, trying to ‘distance himself from the more voluntaristic approach with which he had appeared to sympathize in his earlier’ work, and affirm intellectualist ideas, e.g. that ‘[God] “cannot cause that two times two should not make four”’, nor to reverse good and evil. Oakley agrees that it was rather Hobbes and Locke who had ‘firmly enunciated’ the positivist position. See Oakley, F. (2005) Natural Law, Laws of Nature, Natural Rights: Continuity and Discontinuity in the History of Ideas, Bloomsbury Academic, pp. 64–67. 13Webb, E. (2005) ‘Voegelin’s “Gnosticism” Reconsidered’, Political Science Reviewer, 34: 1 – http://faculty.washington.edu/ewebb/EVgnost.pdf (10/07/2018). 14Excerpt (2010) from Voegelin, E. The Collected Works of Eric Voegelin – https://voegelinview.com/hannah-arendt-and-the-constants-of-human-nature/ (15/07/2018). 15Eleff, Z. (2016) Modern Orthodox Judaism: A Documentary History, University of Nebraska Press, pp. 262–3. 16Oakley, F. (1961) ‘Medieval Theories of Natural Law: William of Ockham and the Significance of the Voluntarist Tradition’, Natural Law Forum, Paper 60., pp. 82–3. 17Reilly, R. R. (2014) The Closing of the Muslim Mind: How Intellectual Suicide Created the Modern Islamist Crisis, Open Road Media, pp. 114–6. 18Ibid. pp. 115–116. 19Ross, J-J. (1992) ‘Divine Command Theory in Modern Jewish Thought’, Interpretation in Religion, BRILL, pp. 189–90 & 199. 20Maritain, J. (1994) The Person and the Common Good, University of Notre Dame Press, p. 3. 21Lamm, N. (2002) Seventy Faces: Articles of Faith, Volume 1, KTAV Publishing House Inc., p. 94. 22Jacobs, J. & Broydé, I. (n.d.) ‘Free Will’ – http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/6337-free-will (15/08/2018). 23Kalergi R. N. C. (1925) Praktischer Idealismus – https://archive.org/stream/PracticalIdealism-EnglishTranslation/Practical%20Idealism%20%E2%80%93%20English%20Translation_djvu.txt (21/10/2018). 24Barzun, J. (2000) From Dawn to Decadence: 500 Years of Western Cultural Life, 1500 to the Present, Harper Perennial, pp. 247–8. 25See MacDonald, K.B. (2002) A People That Shall Dwell Alone: Judaism as a Group Evolutionary Strategy, with Diaspora Peoples, iUniverse. 26Pink, T. (2018) ‘Agents, objects, and their powers in Suarez and Hobbes’, Philosophical Explorations, 21:1, 3–24, DOI: 10.1080/13869795.2017.1421688. 27Barzun, J. (2000) From Dawn to Decadence: 500 Years of Western Cultural Life, 1500 to the Present, Harper Perennial, p. 267. 28Gordon, D. (2007) The Essential Rothbard, The Ludwig von Mises Institute, pp. 120–121. 29West, J. G. (2002) Celebrating Middle-earth: The Lord of the Rings as a Defense of Western Civilization, Inkling Books, pp.17, 19 & 23. 30See here for one of the first uses of this term; an article titled, ‘Medieval Libertarianism’ by the blogger, bionic mosquito: http://bionicmosquito.blogspot.com/2018/07/medieval-libertarianism.html (02/08/2018). 31Van Dun, Frank. ‘Natural Law and the Jurisprudence of Freedom.’ Journal of Libertarian Studies 18, No. 2 (2004): 31–54; see also my article titled ‘The “Reactionary” Libertarianism of Frank van Dun’ – https://misesuk.org/2017/08/31/the-reactionary-libertarianism-of-frank-van-dun/ (11/08/2018). 32Henry, M. ‘Civil Theology in the Gnostic Age: Progress and Regress’ – https://isistatic.org/journal-archive/ma/47_01/henry.pdf (10/07/2018). 33Storey, R. (2017) ‘The Uniqueness of Western Law’ – https://misesuk.org/2017/12/08/the-uniqueness-of-western-law/ (01/07/2018). 34Van Dun, F. (2004) ‘The Science of Law and Legal Studies: Concepts, Methods and Values’ – http://users.ugent.be/~frvandun/Texts/Articles/ScienceOfLaw.pdf (10/07/2018). 35See Nietzsche’s The Antichrist. 36Zane, J. M. (1998 ed.) The Story of Law, Liberty Fund Inc., pp. 174–5. 37Voegelin, E. (1968) Science, Politics, and Gnosticism, Regnery Publishing Inc., p. 32. 38Voegelin, E. (1987 ed.) The New Science of Politics, Univeristy of Chicago Press, p. 123. 39Voegelin, E. (1968) Science, Politics, and Gnosticism, Regnery Publishing Inc., p. 109. 40See Schmitt, C. (1923) Roman Catholicism and Political Form. Faustian Man in a Multicultural Age The Uniqueness of Western Law ChristianityCoudenhove-KalergignosticismHobbesstatism coinherence says: Remarkable on many levels. I congratulate the author and look forward to reading his larger work. Thanks for the excellent analysis of the Arendt-Voegelin debate in particular. Richard Storey says: Many thanks. I am glad to have been of some help. Lane says: This was superb. I will be buying your book and will be following up on the treasure trove of new leads and insights you have opened for me here. I don’t even know how I can begin to explain this to people around me— enlightening and extremely alienating at the same time. That’s very kind of you. Re feeling alienated, imagine how I feel! It is difficult to find conversations so deep and those where I can find the right (most concise) words are even rarer. Trellehulla says: The whole “the Calvinists did it” routine just comes off as a poor apology for Catholicism. Calvinists or not, we have seen gnostic and gnostic-like movements appear within Christian societies since late antiquity. We can condemn these heresies all we want, but must also acknowledge that they seem to be an inherent feature when Christianity is adopted, a part of the package deal. “It wasn’t real Christianity” doesn’t hold up as an argument. Gnosticism is a part of the “actually existing Christianity” – possibly as a consequence of people adopting a linear view of history and a radical dualism via the creatio ex nihilo theology. Far from blaming Calvinists for everything, I have clearly identified them as part of a broader movement; see how I devote much more ink to Judaism and even there I do not blame all Jews or all of Judaism for that broader movement. As for declaring gnosticism as ‘inherent’ to Christianity, I have also clearly distinguished gnosticism as being the opposite psychology to traditional Christianity; if you want to provide a counter-argument, I am of course open to one. Alexander Thomson says: 3rd January 2019 at 11:19 am An outstanding article. Where can one read more by Mr Storey? John Bruce Leonard says: Mr. Storey has a forthcoming book, The Uniqueness of Western Law: A Reactionary Manifesto, which will be available for purchase from Arktos within the next few weeks, and which I highly recommend. Alexander, you can now buy my book at the Arktos shop. https://arktos.com/product/the-uniqueness-of-western-law/ Andreas Skovbo says: A good series although I do not quite think that you have understood Luther’s thought about the bondage of the will. It is not the same as determinism, but rather it is God’s divine act in time, where He executes His power as the master of time and space. If you haven’t read it, I would suggest you to read “Bondage of the Will”. Luther talked a lot about the Godgiven order of society and human relations, of which even pagans knew. Read his book on civil government. I would also recommend you read Kierkegaard. He stressed the faith was not the same as knowledge. We are predestined to faith, not to knowledge. Knowledge about God is accessible to everyone (through His revelation in Scripture) but faith is not. So although I do not think that you understand protestantism, it was a good article (oh Yeah, and I bought your book). Andreas, I quite agree with you that there is a distinction to be made between Calvinism and secular hard determinism. Whilst I do think that the latter found more grounds for development in Protestant countries (sharing some gnostic traits, as I sought to explain), I would see secular hard determinism as a secularisation and further ‘gnosticisation’ of Calvinism. I used to be a Calvinist and so I promise I have tremendous respect for Protestants and believe many of them, not least of all Calvinists, to be very sincere lovers of Christ. Marcus Walter says: 2nd March 2019 at 1:39 pm Hi, dear R.Storey, In my view, from many perspectives, Gnosticism has common points with Modern Theosophy How do you think about that? Leave a Reply to Lane Cancel reply Another Babble A critique of The Economist’s ‘Manifesto for Renewing Liberalism’. Sir Roger Scruton’s legacy entitles him to his place in eternity. Cultural Mythos & the Return of the Ethnikos Myth today is badly understood as tales for children and the simple-minded. In truth, it is one of the deepest, oldest, and most important elements of ethnicity itself. previous post: Modern Statism as Western Gnosticism – Part 1	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0030.json.gz/line872
__label__wiki	0.509129	0.509129	Why Extraordinary Goals Matter Published by Arthur Coddington on 24 August, 2014 24 August, 2014 American swimmer Katie Ledecky is rewriting the record books of women’s distance swimming. This week, she set two world records at the Pan Pacific Swimming Championships. The Olympic gold medalist is not just winning races, she is making people rethink what is possible. This summer, she has set five world records. In the last year, taken 16 seconds off the world record in the 1500m freestyle. Extraordinary Goals Redefine What’s Possible Ledecky is a phenomenon, a spectacular talent, and we can learn about goal setting by watching her performances. Her world records are check-ins on her training. She’s building toward these mindboggling times. They are intentional. Unlike most athletes, she is not aiming at incremental improvement. At some point, she and her coach realized how much upside was available and set extraordinary, revolutionary goals. In my sport, I’m known for doing tumbling moves. I’ll spin the disc on my finger, pop it up, spin around, do a somersault and get the disc spinning back on my finger. I learned that move – and the double spinning tumble – from watching another top player, Dave Murphy. Once I got used to that move, I imagined an entire family of moves beyond my existing skill level. How about a triple spinning tumble? What if I did more difficult tricks after the somersault, like a very technical trick called The Juice. What about doing the tumbles directly from restricted moves like a behind the back set or a pass we call the Yogi? What about a quadruple spinning tumble? Thinking of these moves created extraordinary goals. Once I imagined them, they became possible. From that moment on, freestyle was not just about getting better at the expected. It was about claiming new territory. I began to figure out the training and skills needed to make these ideas real. The training plan emerged from the idea, and the training plan was more ambitious than before. All those ideas became real moves, and I trained many of them well enough to try in competition. Here’s a triple spinning tumble from a beach session a few years ago: The Goal Creates The Plan Back to Katie Ledecky. She’s training toward the 2013 season. The six-year old world record is 15:42.54 by Kate Ziegler. She realizes not only that she can break it but that she can reset the standard. She doesn’t train for 15:42.53. That’s not worthy of her vision. She trains to destroy the record and does just that. She takes 9 seconds off Ziegler’s time. Cool. Now what? The best time to consolidate your greatness is after a big victory, when most people would be resting on their laurels. She reimagines reality. The new record is 15:36.53. She sets her sights way beyond that for 2014 and gets to work. People are amazed when she takes another two seconds off the world record at meet in June, but it’s just a glimpse of what she’s been training toward. Two months later, we see the next payoff of her training at the Pan Pacific Championships with this new world record: 15:28.36. No man had swum that fast until 1975. It would have placed 18th in the men’s 1500m race at this year’s US Championships. Extraordinary goal for 2014 completed! I don’t know whether Ledecky is scheduled to swim any more races this year, but I can’t wait to see how she redefines her own potential. Whether or not she hits her goal, the goal will be huge and confident and courageous. Applying Extraordinary Goals Outside Sports As sports fans we cheer for achievements like Ledecky’s. What we don’t do often enough is apply sports lessons to our everyday lives. But if we look to community and business leaders, we can see extraordinary goals in action. Elon Musk imagined a world where electric vehicles are the standard, and we’re seeing him pursue that vision. The success of Tesla vehicles was only one chapter of his plan. We’re beginning to see that they are part of a complete reimagining of transportation infrastructure. The fight for marriage equality shows us how extraordinary goals become reality in society. For most people, same sex marriage was an alien concept until very recently. But for the leaders of the marriage equality movement, it was an idea. A seemingly impossible idea, but one that they as leaders could not betray. By imagining marriage equality, however improbable, they set the wheels in motion. And here’s the important part: it didn’t succeed at first. Just having an extraordinary idea does not guarantee its success. I can imagine swimming faster than Katie Ledecky, but all it guarantees is that my personal likelihood of achieving that goal just increased by some unmeasurable amount. It became possible, not guaranteed or even probable until I create the right plan and execute on it. Progress toward marriage equality included setbacks, and the action plan toward this extraordinary goal evolves with each piece of new data. Think about your skills, your projects, your aspirations. What are you aiming for now, and what ridiculously bigger result could you imagine. What new territory are you willing to claim? Now, what would it take to get there? Remember, you already made a good portion of the journey just by imagining a bigger goal. How would it feel to experience that huge result? How would it change things to embrace the ridiculous and go after it? Categories: Peak PerformanceVision Tags: couragefreestylegoal settinggoalskatie ledeckyswimming Using data is a key to improvement. To separate ourselves from others, we should embrace chaos. Your consciousness constructs the expansion of facts I’m a dreamer and a skeptic. As a teenager, I remember being fascinated by the Amway promotional materials given to my parents, dreaming (like so many MLM victims) Read more… What’s the one thing people fail at around mindset training? PRACTICE A software engineer doesn’t take on an innovative challenge without having learned and practiced the coding techniques she will use. She studies and becomes Read more…	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0030.json.gz/line875
__label__wiki	0.671757	0.671757	BREAKING NEWS: One dead after 200 bullets are fired into Danish cafe One person is dead after 200 bullets were fired into a cafe in Copenhagen in what some are claiming is an attack on the life of a controversial Swedish cartoonist who drew the Prophet Mohammed as a dog. A man, aged 40 and described as 'a civilian', was killed after the Krudttoenden cafe was sprayed with bullets as it held an event to discuss freedom of speech. 2015 Presidential Election Ballot Papers Found In London From Sahara Reporters Ballots meant for the Nigerian presidential election were found yesterday at the premises of a local printer in the Essex area of London. Nigerian police Woman commits suicide after being caught on national TV shoplifting A woman in the United Kingdom, was very embarrassed when she was caught shoplifting on a reality TV show. Elizabeth Outram of London, committed suicide on her 30th birthday after being caught shoplifting by the “Caught On Camera” television program, a court has heard. Parents find nude photos of teacher on 14-year-old son’s phone A teacher was arrested for having an inappropriate relationship with a young boy. Whitney Fetters, 28, was a middle school teacher in Oklahoma, before she was arrested. Prostitute steals gun from police officer after sleeping with him A police officer in California, was allowed to walk free after he admitted to using a prostitute who robbed him. BREAKING NEWS: One dead after 200 bullets are fire... 2015 Presidential Election Ballot Papers Found In ... Woman commits suicide after being caught on nation... Parents find nude photos of teacher on 14-year-old... Prostitute steals gun from police officer after sl...	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0030.json.gz/line877
__label__cc	0.639336	0.360664	Starfighter Assault Thread Rook008 I think one reason players want that "Revenge" marker removed is so that they can rack up bigger kill streaks with Hero ships and not have to worry about being a bigger target. Which is exactly why it should remain in the game. Personally, the only time I care about the "Revenge" marker is when I'm killed by a Hero ship and know that that ship is going to be a problem with winning the game, like when Boba Fett is dropping a Seismic Charge around Objectives. Other than that, I'm playing the Objective and not worrying about getting revenge. Better album: Achtung Baby or The Joshua Tree? Billkwando February 11, 2018 3:35PM edited February 2018 Rook008 wrote: » Slave 1 is as big as a house, and can be seen from across the map (like the Falcon), but I get what you're saying. LOL I've only been playing this game for a month, and I remember it took a while to even figure out how to play the objective(s). While I was figuring it out, I had dogfighting. I'm not saying that I always chase the Revenge marker to the exclusion of all else, I'm just saying that it's important to have the option. If I happen to see the person who killed me on my way back to the objective, then yeah, I might engage them, but not always. However, when the same person kills me 2 or 3 times, it's definitely on. I think it's important that players be given the chance to challenge the "ace" who took them down, especially since it shows you what cards they have when you die. I have 3 epics on my fighter, and as everyone can relate to, I've been shot down many times by players with zero cards. I'm sure those players were stoked, if I had taken them down previously, as they should be. It's easy for players with no cards to believe that they don't have a chance because they are at a disadvantage (started late, didn't understand card system, etc) so giving the ability to re-engage the player who downed them (if they choose) is an important learning opportunity, and a confidence booster if they win the fight. Even if they don't, they still learn something, and are likely to be less frustrated because at least they had a chance to try. ^Maximum the Hormone - Alien^ (Sorta like an insane Japanese SOAD, but w/ 3 vocalists and slap bass) Gamertag: Billkwando PSN: Billkwando YouTube: Billkwando Find me in HvV, pushing people off of stuff and watching them fall, like a cat. DaxStorm I would like- .More top speed .More base health for the big hero ships .More maps .Different game modes (not just variations of the 3 faze games) .Offline content (how about the Kessel run? A race through space avoiding objects etc) Darkaid Not like bogies can get my Black One anyway. “Until we reach the last edge, the last opening, the last star, and can go no higher.” Rest in peace, Carrie Fisher. hsf_ No, I just want it to be more difficult. Nearly every game I'm hitting 45-60 eliminations and around 14k score. Very rarely am I out of the top 5 in SA and it's becoming stale. The Orange and Red arrows just make it far too easy for me, they're not even needed in all honesty. Because you can still see the enemy at distance(they have a white box and a white dot on them), so I don't see the issue of "needing" the markers. I would not be opposed to having a temporary marker, that appears when you get shot then disappears after 5 seconds or something. Same too with giving things like Inferno Squad, Black Leader, Blue Leader and so on, the ability to put up temporary markers for players near by(similar to Rey's wallhack in GA). The fact that they are there 100% of the time is just making it too easy. There needs to be a degree of difficulty, otherwise it goes stale, which is it starting to become. Obviously you need to cater to the casual gamer, otherwise the game will become more exclusive, but SA is literally baby sitting the new players, which is not a good thing. I generally have to fight my way back to an Objective after a death, and I usually engage any opponents along the way. If I happen to see a Revenge marker on the way, I'll try to take them out for the bonus BP. I die a lot around Objectives, the tunnel vision sets in and I start taking damage and don't even try to evade. It's something I need to work on. One thing I like about Starfighter Assault is that while the amount of upgraded ships is limited, they're balanced well enough that they don't last too long, and are available to pretty much everyone. Also, the Kessel Run sounds like fun. hsf_ wrote: » Nearly every game I'm hitting 45-60 eliminations and around 14k score. Congratulations? I like the markers, they give me more information (and some extra BP) on the battlefield, whether I decide to use it or not. If anything, they could add an option for players to turn them off so the game isn't "too easy" for the pro players. I think you misunderstood the reason I put that in there. It's not to gloat about how good I am, there are many better players than me in SA I'm just saying it's too easy to find someone and kill them. Judging by the amount of people who have also suggested or demanded it be removed, I'd say it's a fairly popular concept. I don't think it would cause a population drop in all honesty, I think it would take a couple of games to get used to and then the large majority would be fine. Okay, so why did you put that in there? Now I'm curious. Also, why are you looking for a specific player to kill? A lot of people wanted the Super-Charged Sentry nerfed, look how that turned out. I'd prefer they not make changes to a system that works, especially if you don't have to use it. Also, killing Hero ships is fun. It's to highlight a point that kills are too easy to go and get, once you've got used to how the game feels. Look at any other team vs team game, do they consistently have indicators showing you where they are? No... Do they have buffs that allow for this to happen in a small time period? A lot of them do... I would not be against this idea in SA if it was a hero ability. I perhaps worded the second bit wrong and should have put "anyone" instead of "someone". I don't intentionally seek out a single player, unless they are turning the game around by themselves. Yes, a lot of people did want the SCS nerfed and rightly so! The problem is, they completely nerfed the life out of it, instead of tweaking it slightly. But that isn't even the same thing... We're talking about removing a visual marker, that indicates where an enemy is at all times, not reducing how long a weapon can fire for. Let's be honest here, if they keep the markers in SA, then they should add them to GA too. I mean I'd love to have a little orange box around a player that killed me previously, or maybe a a load of markers around my screen to indicate where the enemies are. Apparently I deleted my post by accident, so I'll rewrite it xD I put the numbers in there to show that kills are far too easy to get. It's too easy to go and seek out any old enemy because the game it telling you where they are. In any other game that's called cheating, no? I mean you don't see other team vs team games doing this... I worded the second part wrong, I should have put "anyone" instead of "someone". I don't intentionally seek one player out, unless I can see them turning the game around by themselves. Yes, rightly so... The SCS was horrifically overpowered and needed to be nerfed, but they over did it and are fixing it in the next patch. But regardless, that has nothing to do with what we're talking about. We are comparing that to a visual marker that indicates where the enemy is. It's nothing at all like the SCS nerf. Let's be honest here, if we have the markers in SA, then I want a little orange box and indicator to show up in GA when someone kills me. I want to be able to have little red markers around my screen telling me where the enemy is, because I find it harder to see people in GA than I do in SA. Soul_Phoenix_42 Does anyone else feel Tuned Lasers are a little too good? It subtly messes with the flow of the mode by having a big effect on the TTK and causes a noticeable imbalance when you're facing an enemy team of several players with fully upgraded laser damage. It gives too much of a distinct advantage for my liking compared to any of the other star cards, considering lasers are the primary way of getting kills and how combat actually works. When you start shooting at someone from behind they should have some chance to evade - upgraded tuned lasers usually mean they are dead by the time they actually realise they're being shot at. I found the flow of SA matches felt a little better at launch before people had upgraded lasers. It's also getting rougher on hero ships these days because virtually everyone is running with tuned laser at blue/purple. Would love to see the damage boost toned down, just a little bit. 8% at purple instead of 10% maybe (then 6% at blue instead of 7%). Soul_Phoenix_42 wrote: » I'm not sure if it's too good, but I'l admit that I run Tuned Lasers on all of my ships. Also Advanced Capacitors and Fire Control Cycler when available (Interceptor). There have been plenty of times when I start firing on a target, miss a few shots, and then get the kill just before my weapon overheats. That's probably the Tuned Lasers' extra damage working. On Fighters I also run Reinforced Hull, which I think saves me a lot. Under most circumstances if I start taking damage I still have time to break off and try to evade. I have them all at Blue level and they still seem to work pretty well. I can't imagine how well they work at Purple level. The only problem I have with changes like this are that Dice seem to go a bit overboard with balance changes. I don't know if Criterion would do much better. I agree though that players should have some chance of evading/responding. About Hero ships going down too quickly, I think that's a good thing. It gives more people a chance to use them. I hate when that happens. You have your thoughts all lined up and written down and then poof... One thing I like about these forums is the "Save Draft" button. I don't intentionally seek one player out, unless I can see them turning the game around by themselves. That's why the "Revenge" Marker is so helpful. It's not necessary for the Falcons and bigger ships, but the smaller Hero ships can turn a win into a loss in a close match. And from where I usually spawn, finding a particular ship across the map with debris, other players and other ships in the way would be too tedious. Plus, the "Revenge" marker, for me anyway, tends to keep Hero ship turnaround relatively high, which I like. Players should not, in my opinion, be able to monopolize stronger ships just because they can get lost in the clutter of the map. If I remember correctly, Heroes in GA are always on the mini-map? That seems like a good way to try and balance what is obviously a much stronger character with Troopers who are at a one-on-one disadvantage. For Trooper on Trooper Absolutely not. It just means everyone either diverts or refuses to go in to the objective. I see this more often than not in GA, it's so annoying seeing this, that I don't bother playing GA very often now, unless it's because of a timed challenge, or because I feel like running around as a trooper and getting killed repeatedly. This is all OT, but: I said it seemed like a good way to try and balance... not that it gets the job done. Troopers are not really equipped to go one-on-one with a Hero. And Heroes being able to lie in wait and surprise other players is worse than what happens now. So they stay on the mini-map. Players have a chance to get some teamwork to take them down. Refusing to play the Objective is a recipe for losing. TonysWarrior Billkwando wrote: » TonysWarrior wrote: » Remove avenge/revenge target Can anybody give a logical reason for why people keep asking for this? If your goal is to see a lot more players quitting in frustration, never to return, then carry on. Recently, I ended up shooting the same guy down like 5 times in the course of half a match. I felt so bad I ended up sending him a message, the very next time I died, saying "Sorry man, I wasn't intentionally chasing you around". He never did end up "returning the favor", and was gone the next round/match. However, because of the revenge marker, at least he had a chance to. It's way too hard to see player names from across the map (or any distance) to expect players, especially newer ones, to be able to track down who shot them. The Avenge marker, sure whatever. The Revenge marker though, no way. Still, if you can present a valid argument about how removing the Revenge marker will improve everyone's player experience (not just yours) I would love to hear it. Easy, with the revenge target it's very difficult to make a good killstreak. If you kill 10 different players, they all come to you for revenge and it become impossible to play for you. You're practically doomed to die. February 12, 2018 9:15AM edited February 2018 I often wonder if everyone you kill sees you in orange or just the last person you killed. quenaelin You are trying to do whole different game. This is Star Wars game and not a simulator. Don't remove circles and arrows, otherwise you need to add TrackIR support and all simulator tweaks, which is too complicated for this kind of arcade style game. Only thing what I have noticed is that cockpit view and seat position should be fully adjustable to be more usefull. And definetly no revenge markers, only make name tags more visible, it is hard to see who you are chasing. ConjugalVisit That's your opinion friend, this is a thread for those of us that do play and do enjoy it. Each to his own and all that jazz. This is the Seinfeld of replies, a comment about nothing. Can't beat 'em? Join 'em. Still can't beat 'em? Login to the forums and cry about it. Rogue_Theologian My issue with the revenge marker is, and admittedly it’s my own initiative, is that I end up prioritizing them when available for the extra points and that often turns into tic-for-tac play. Personally I’d prefer an option where I can even turn off gamer tags so I can be less distracted by who is doing what. Once you’re killed three times by the same person it’s hard not to see that revenge marker and be compelled to go for the challenge/revenge/bonus points. But it’s a vicious cycle, especially if one or both players are very good. A nice compromise would be if either 1) the revenge marker only appeared once they’d been in game 30 seconds to prevent spawn camping or 2) only having the revenge marker light up once you engaged with them, say by landing a hit, locking on, or just keeping them in your sights a for a brief window. Then it restores the chaos of battle but still alerts you when you come across your nemesis. But you should have to come across them honestly, not get a golden ticket to their location. Or maybe 3) it only shows up after the same player has killed you 5 times, like a Nemesis marker instead of straight revenge. Anyway that’s just me. Admittedly a lot of my thoughts on this come from gaming getting rather personal these days it seems. I have to imagine playing and not knowing who killed you would make for more enjoyable games because it’s so easy to get incensed when the same person kills you over and over or think it personal. I’m a regular top 5 as I main SA and have played flight sims my whole life. And with maxes purple cards. But even I feel bad when I notice that’s the fifth time I’ve killed somebody. Because I’m sure it feels like targeting. Yet I imagine if you didn’t know who killed you it would all even out since you can’t distinguish ships from any other (in that class). ConjugalVisit wrote: » I don't see the issue. Your statement was about how you'd rather pull your toenails out than play SA, you don't give any information about why you don't like it, which is fair enough... So how can I possibly give you advice on how to enjoy it, when you don't give any indication about what you don't like? DaxStorm wrote: » If you killed 4 people really quickly, then they all respawned in a group then yes, you'd be orange for all of them. But if someone else shoots them in the mean time, they will get a different target. The revenge indicator is the last person who attacked/killed you. No, I just want it to be more difficult. Nearly every game I'm hitting 45-60 eliminations and around 14k score. Very rarely am I out of the top 5 in SA and it's becoming stale. The Orange and Red arrows just make it far too easy for me "Ooooh, my gold watch is sooo heavy it makes my arm tired!" Sounds like a nice problem to have. The solution isn't inconveniencing everyone else, in order to prevent the top 5% from getting bored. How about asking for better matchmaking, so that you're paired with players who're as 733t as you? Or remove all your star cards? Challenge yourself. (or maybe just don't chase the revenge marker) ...tell me how I might be able to enjoy it (I'm serious). As it is, I'd rather pull my toenails out than play that endless circular nonsense. That is dogfighting, my friend. The key is to break the cycle in a way that will allow you to turn on them or escape and find another fight. Use obstacles, use braking (I have my fighter engines upgraded to purple for just this reason). Slow down until they end up in front of you, or loop a bunch of times and then fly off in a straight line. A lot of the time, by the time they figure out you're not looping anymore, you have time to turn and fire. For the ships that have rear cannons, upgrade them. I've gotten so many tailgunner kills just because the guy behind me refused to break off. Sometimes I'll intentionally start flying in a straight line, right before I trigger it, so they fly right into the shots. When you have free time at work, try watching some old pilot training videos to see if you pick anything up. Learn about Split S and such, lol. (I watched a little of the 2nd one and none of the first, but I plan to at some point) Psybernaut wrote: » I'm not sure how anyone ever gets shot down flying The Scimitar, the cloak makes it very easy to escape any situation and it melts bombers in one quick burst. The Silencer has insanely powerful main guns, the coolest torpedo sound effect and can out-turn most other ships with the right card. I knowwwwwww! I've gotten some of my best kill streaks with that ship. It's rare that you find someone that can actually follow the blue blur enough to shoot you down, so I usually only die when I'm trying to get away with too much before cloaking, and make an error...........or the match ends. LOL Bawwwwww, if you kill 10 players, they SHOULD come looking for you. Rise to the occasion, welcome the challenge, and take your lumps when they come. (I think the marker may disappear if they die before they find you, or if you die before they find you. I don't think it spans multiple spawns) Everyone on the enemy team sees you in red with "Avenge". The person you killed sees you in orange, with "Revenge". Rogue_Theologian wrote: » I have to imagine playing and not knowing who killed you would make for more enjoyable games because it’s so easy to get incensed when the same person kills you over and over or think it personal. I've played a lot of flying games too, and I see it as the opposite. When you don't know who killed you, you might automatically assume it's the same person killing you and be incredibly frustrated because you have no hopes at finding them, when they always seem to find you. rollind24 Eljeffez wrote: » I'm not keen on removing the missile lock warnings, but the missiles need to go A LOT faster and be way more accurate. The only time they hit now is if the other person completely ignores them. They should make maps with fleet vs fleet, I dont know why they all have to be attack/defense. Should have both sides have a capital ship they have to protect, and an enemy one they have to destroy. Support ships could be in between doing damage to the objectives and make them worth taking out or protecting. If there is a buff to missiles in this game it should also come with an increased cool down. The missiles are poo right now I agree but if they become more viable I can see myself spending most of a match just going into missile evasive maneuvers. #infantrylivesmatter Admittedly, my quote was almost as worthless as yours but I did give you an indication by calling it "circular nonsense." I didn't think I'd have to spell it out but for you, anything. The whole event seems like one rinse and repeat loop after loop of circular flying and trying to avoid lock-ons with some shoot the objective in between. Maybe I'm playing it incorrectly, friend? I tried to be helpful, just in case you missed my post. RustyBarnacles The only reason I can think of to remove the revenge or avenge tags would simply be to stop teammates from focusing on them and target the objective. Oh, I sure did. Thank you good sir, will go back and read. (I had forgotten about my original comment but then this thread was on the top today). Have a like! I think it's also important to remember that we're playing the (ostensibly) least popular mode of a huge game with a massive playerbase that are 95% noobs. Look at the "achievements/trophies/PC People did stuff thingies", and notice how few people have reached level 25, or have gotten many of the other achievements that many of us would take for granted. Before we start asking for things to make the game harder, or complain about it being too easy, maybe we should give the rest of the community time to catch up and learn how to play the game well. This mode is always going to have noobs wandering in "off the street" and going "Oooh, what's going on in here?" but right now the vast majority are those people. What we don't want is for people to come in, get crushed, and feel so turned off by it that they write it off as "hardcore mode" and never return. ...or loop a bunch of times and then fly off in a straight line. A lot of the time, by the time they figure out you're not looping anymore, you have time to turn and fire. This is so simple I'm surprised is works as well as it does. Loop once or twice, check out any nearby obstacles or concentrations of friendlies, and then break the loop and speed off behind something or towards friendlies. As long as you're not in completely open space and alone, it usually works. I should mention that torpedoes aren't smart at all, as far as tracking. Say you're flying along, someone launches a torpedo, and you duck behind a rock....the torpedo WILL hit the rock. It's not gonna steer even a little. Oh and in case you don't know how to evade them in open space, when the circle with the triangle pops up, steer into the triangle. If you're in a TIE or something with an afterburner, that should break the lock (usually?). kjmotz Seastorm wrote: » You could always use the N-1 Starfighter from Naboo as the rebel enforcer class B-wings all the way, man! Yupp. B-Wings FTW. duvelsuper Voidwalker_98 wrote: » Huntsman572 wrote: » Maul is garbo Hey! I'll have you executed for blasphemy if you spread lies like that. The Scimitar is my second favourite after the TIE Silencer mainly because of that insane rate of fire. Get a heat buildup reduction star card and you have a ship that can cloak, lock-on for extra damage and has a main weapon that can destroy ships faster than the Death Star destroyed Alderaan. There's only two things that kill me when I'm flying the Scimitar or the Silencer: 1) Being disabled and left vulnerable by Yoda's Ion Pulse or a Y-Wing's Ion Cannon 2) My fancy flying backfiring on me and directing me right into debris or asteroids Neither of which happen too often... Maul is easy to kill once you learn how to lead the shot manually (practice on an enemy tie/droid bomber with the defense ability active). Cloak doesn't do anything. Unless maul has a copilot backing him up I can easily kill him in cloak. duvelsuper wrote: » In the blackness of space, sure, but how do you do over blue sky and crashing waves? My first Maul streak was at Kamino (yay! I finally memorized one of the map names!), so I got away with murder. Now I'm a closet Maulrat. Once I have him in my sights I never lose him unless someone engages me and I have to break off. I never shoot right away against maul. I wait until I am behind him so any turn he does I can follow. I never shoot when im to his sides or front. Even when he does cloak I dont shoot. He eventually starts to straighten out and thats when I unload. Works everytime. Just when you think you waiting enough, wait a bit more and then they drop their guard. I wonder if Yoda's ion thinger would knock him out of cloak? It's omnidirectional, like the seismic charge, right? Clone201 It doesn't knock him out of cloak once he's already in it, though the electrical circuits / damage sparks emitted from Maul's ship makes him a lot easier to see. Man! Could this game get any more broken? Clone201 wrote: » Oh ok! So it will still hit him? I'd imagine that would help LOL I'd just like to point out, this thread wasn't made for us to argue over who's ideas are best, it's to get a gauge of what the majority of the community want to see changed/added/reworked in Starfighter Assault. Yeah, it will still hit him, and the damage sparks on his ship will appear that make Maul a lot easier to see. grimmace2 Make the Falcons a bit faster so it doesn't feel like you're flying a brick. I can handle the brickyness of the bomber because it's a front line fighter but there should be a little more of an advantage when you're flying a giant target. Oak_Beard One thing that needs to be changed ASAP is a way to help teamplay for friends on comms. How many times I've found myself flying the Falcon and needing some help with enemy tails, only to be completely unable to communicate my whereabouts! A green arrow for party members should be present on the borders, at all times. A name as well, and distance might be nice, too. And they shouldn't just dissappear if they're far off. A similar change needs to happen for GA as well. Don't touch this mode its the best mode. The only thing I want from it is the opportunity to earn more score since i seem to end the match at 6000-8000, which isn't a lot compared to heroes and GA. But SA is amazing, don't see a reason to change anything. Palpa wrote: » I agree, except they can add more content and put a Starfighter Assault mode in Arcade so people can practice. Also, maybe some way for parties to find their party members. That would probably help them coordinate a lot. Voidwalker_98 Ok, I believe I've finally realised what the two sides are in this thread: You have on one side players who are fine with the way SFA plays because they want a more casual game. The other side wants to see a more realistic game with less "handholding", more akin to a simulator but not quite. While I respect that people do see removing the assists to be an attempt to further distance the 'casuals' from the 'pros', I don't think that's intentional. I personally would like a more realistic style of gameplay simply because old games managed it (no lead indicator, aim assist etc) and people didn't complain then. Modern games keep implementing more and more assists to make gameplay easier and people are getting used to it. I was playing the Rogue Squadron series on my GameCube when I was 6 and I was easily hitting TIEs despite their grey blending in with space. I'm no pro and I do consider myself a 'casual' because I play for fun, but if a 6 year old me with coordination issues could consistently hit targets without any assists, then why can't average players these days do the same? It's like what Thatcher from R6 says: "The more crutches you have, the more it hurts when they're kicked out from under ya." In an ideal world, I'd want a Star Wars simulator where there's no battlepoints rubbish, no annoying assists and to be honest no hero spam... but that's my personal preference and I doubt that will happen while EA have the rights. I know people reference the original BF2 a lot, and I know it wasn't perfect, but it was more fun and DICE are trying so hard to make this game different from the original, heck even Battlefield, but I do believe that's what many players actually want. P.S I'm in no way intending to insult anyone, not everyone shares opinions. I just wanted to pitch my own opinion out there. 'Mors est tantum impedimentum' - Death is only an obstacle RyanWindsor - Wider speed range (higher top speed and lower slow speed) - Remove revenge, I just don’t think it’s necessary to feel obligated after the person that killed you... just leads to someone being frustrated at the end of a game. - Naboo starfighter on ryloth because it’s pertyy - hit detection on obstacles is a little off. There are times I’m pulling it tight and I can see the space between my craft and an obstacle but I still explode. - Add a fighter squadron mode and give us some land maps please. If any of these happened I would just about lose it. Starfighter Assault has a great foundation and I think it the strength of Battlefront 2. Let’s make it better! AaronM1978 wrote: » I agree with decluttering the HUD. The lead indicator needs to remain, however. What I would like to see is range to the target reducing the effectiveness of the directed energy weapons. Although the weapons do have a range limit, it seems the damage they inflict is constant throughout their range. I have two suggestions. 1: The hitting power of the main armament decreases as the distance the energy bolt travels increases... maybe on a non-linear scale. (The power loss is more significant the last third of the weapon range) 2. Increase the amount of dispersion for the weapons as the range increases. I think this would make conventional evasive maneuvering (jinking...etc) more effective. Drop off damage already exists. Lasers dont work like guns. There is no recoil to lasers which means no dispersion. There is only travel distance. Lasers will always go in a straight line which is why the white circle forces you to lead the shot in front of the fighter instead of directly on the fighter. The farther you are the easier it is to dodge. They aren't lasers though, a laser is made of light, therefore by its very nature travels at the speed of light, which would mean you absolutely wouldn't lead a target with a laser. StarWars blasters fire something much closer to plasma than lasers. This is how blaster fire is explained on Wikipedia: "The inner workings of blasters essentially create particle beams to inflict damage. When the trigger is pulled, the blaster chambers a small volume of the fictional Tibanna gas into a gas conversion enabler (or XCiter). The XCiter excites the gas particles with energy from a power-pack, which attaches to the weapon much like a magazine does to real world weapons. Afterwards, the excited gas is compressed into a beam in the actuating blaster module before being focused by first a prismatic crystal and then the galven circuitry in the barrel of the weapon." Octavious_Wrex wrote: » My thoughts anyone tries to argue that the guns shouldn’t have recoil.. UrbanGlitch You explained that perfectly. I’ve tried to say that, but you made it make sense. Good job	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0030.json.gz/line883
__label__cc	0.510746	0.489254	Why Nuclear Weapons Are So Important to North Korea NEW YORK, June 13, 2019 — Anna Fifield, author of a new book on Kim Jong Un, explains why the mercurial leader is so intent on maintaining North Korea's nuclear weapons program in spite of immense international pressure to relinquish it. (4 min., 25 sec.) Watch the complete video of Fifield's conversation with Daniel Russel. The Taiwan Elections: What's Next? (Complete) Susan Thornton and Vincent Wei-chang Wang discuss the implications of Tsai Ing-wen's recent re-election with Asia Society's Tom Nagorski. / Southern California Webinar: Asia’s Future Is Now Jeongmin Seong, partner at the McKinsey Global Institute (MGI), shares his insights from McKinsey’s research series "On the Future of Asia." In Service of the Republic (Complete) A discussion on the art and science of policy-making in India. The Science Is Clear: How the Environment Affects Public Health in India (Complete) A discussion on the impact of environmental degradation on public health in India Competing Visions for the Future of Asia — Keynote by Danny Russel (Complete) Russel provides insights and analysis on the rivalry between China’s BRI and the West’s FOIP. The Economics of BRC and FOIP: Substitutes or Complements? (Complete) Experts explore two competing visions for the future of Asia: China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and the West’s Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP). In a conversation with Asia Society President and CEO Josette Sheeran, Mohammad Javad Zarif criticized President Donald Trump's approach to Iran. Ravi Agrawal, Nicholas Consenery, and Somini Sengupta participate in Asia Society New York's annual look at the year ahead. Shubigi Rao disucsses her her curatorial premise for Kochi-Muziris Biennale 2020 and how her artistic practice feeds into her curatorial work with Tasneem Mehta and Jitish Kallat. The Life of a Professional Glutton New York Magazine food critic Adam Platt discusses his new memoir 'The Book of Eating' with his father, Ambassador Nicholas Platt, president emeritus of Asia Society. A Student Debate at Hong Yan’s Third Grade Chinese Immersion Class — Should We Wear School Uniforms or Not? A TEQ series video filmed at Colorado's Global Village Academy — Fort Collins, a member of Asia Society's nationwide school network Armen Orujyan, Nighat Dad, Nikhil Pahwa, and Megha Rajagopalan discuss the issues surrounding regulating big tech and artificial intelligence global governance at the 2019 Asia 21 Young Leaders summit.	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0030.json.gz/line897
__label__wiki	0.572132	0.572132	Review ArticleOpen Access Clear Cell Odontogenic Carcinoma-A Review of the Literature Volume 1 - Issue 3 Manoj Kumar KP1 , Shermil Sayd2*, Suresh Vyloppilli3 and Sarfras Raseel2 1Department of oral and maxillofacial surgery, KMCT Dental College, India 2Department of MDS, Kannur Dental College, India 3Department of MDS, Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church Hospital and Medical College, India Corresponding author: Shermil Sayd, MDS Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Kannur Dental College, India Clear cell odontogenic carcinoma is a rare jaw lesion with predominantly clear cell characteristics. Although touted as a benign lesion in the initial stages, once the aggressive nature of the lesion became evident, it was reclassified as a malignant tumor by the World Health Organization. Etiology of this lesion remains elusive, and association with any precursory lesion is yet to be proved. It may have their origins from odontogenic epithelium, salivary gland pathologies or even as metastasis from distant locations like kidneys. That the ideal treatment plan should be composite resection along with elective neck dissection, followed by reconstruction of the defect. If clinical and radiological examination of the patient reveals, extensive soft tissue invasion, perineural spread, lymph node metastasis with an extra - nodal involvement or in those where tumor-free margins are not possible, then, the use of adjuvant radiation therapy should be considered and employed at the surgeon’s discretion. Even though initial tumor free margins are attained, it is emphasized that the patient should be kept under the long-term follow-up to identify recurrences Keywords: Clear Cell Dontogenic Carcinoma; Clear Cell Odontogenic Tumor; Metastatic Clear Cell Odontogenic Carcinoma; Clear Cell Maxillary Carcinoma; Clear Cell Mandibular Carcinoma Hansen et al. [1] coined the term “clear cell odontogenic tumor” in 1985 when they described an odontogenic epithelialtumor with predominantly clear cell characteristics. Since all their cases were located centrally in the jaws, they contended upon the odontogenic origin of the lesion. Although previously excluded from the World Health Organization (WHO) classifications of odontogenic tumors, its tendency to recur and metastasis is, since then, well documented [2,3]. Therefore, it was agreed upon that “clear cell odontogenic carcinoma” (CCOC) is a more appropriate nomenclature, and Reichart and Philipsen, later, adopted the same in their latest classification of odontogenic tumors approved by the WHO [4]. In 1992 WHO defined CCOC as “A benign but locally invasive neoplasm originating from odontogenic epithelium and characterized by sheets and islands of uniform, vacuolated and clear cells.” Odontogenic tumors, salivary gland tumors (primary or secondary) and metastatic renal carcinomas are considered as differential diagnoses of CCOC. Based on the morphological, immunohistochemical and clinical grounds the latter two were subsequently eliminated from the list. Waldron et al. [5] first observed the resemblance of clear cell odontogenic carcinoma to ameloblastoma due to the presence of focal palisading. In spite of their presence, no other areas exhibited typical ameloblastoma characteristics. The focal palisading later went on to justify the odontogenic origin of this lesion, more so when accompanied by inductive hyalinization of the adjacent fibrous tissue. Normal presentations of CCOC include mild pain or tenderness, or loosening of teeth. The ragged radiolucent area with the expansion of the jaw is concomitantly seen. The first case ever was reported in Maxilla. Local recurrence, evidence of distant, metastasis, and distinct histological features accompanies the aggressive behavior of CCOC. Hence, they are currently considered as malignant [6]. Due to the rareness of the lesion, identification of risk factors is still in their nascent stages. Tumors containing the clear cell component in the head and neck region may have their origins from odontogenic epithelium, salivary gland pathologies or even as metastasis from distant locations like kidneys. Hence, it is prudent to recommend additional specimen staining of mucin be performed, to rule out mucoepidermoid carcinoma. Lack of calcification and amyloid deposits are the markers, which, when employed, can distinguish CCOC from the clear cell variant of the calcifying epithelial odontogenic tumor [6]. Reports of lymph node-metastasis were frequent in recurrence while the same was infrequent in the initial stages age predilection between fifth to seventh decades, with a female preponderance (Male/Female ratio, 10:17). Bang G et al. [7] reported a case, which was an exception with older age at diagnosis, more than the normal range found. Literature report that there is aprevalence in the anterior jaw regions and mandible more commonly than in the maxilla. Radiological manifestations included radiolucent lesions with irregular margins, associated with root resorption in most cases. CCOC exhibits three distinct patterns, the most common being the biphasic pattern characterized by nests of clear cells intermixed with smaller islands of polygonal cells with eosinophilic cytoplasm. The second variant consists of epithelial islands exclusively composed of clear cells, while the least common, the third variant, is characterized by clear cell nests with an ameloblastomatous pattern. Most of the reported cases exhibited predominant clear cells arranged in smaller clusters or large islands without ameloblastic differentiation. The morphological peculiarity of these cells and their arrangement in duct-like structures further supports their odontogenic origin [8]. The exact etiology for this neoplastic occurrence remains elusive. No previous reports have indicated any association with precursory lesions [9,10]. Resection with a wide margin is the mainstay treatment for the management of CCOC. Other reported modalities include curettage or enucleation, surgical resection with or without lymph node dissection, postoperative radiotherapy, and/or chemotherapy. Most of the local recurrences reported are in the form of multiple regional node involvements, and distant metastases reported are frequent [11]. Swain N et al. [12] reported cases with long-term follow-ups and observed that the overall recurrence rate was 38.35% (28/73). The author, then, went on for a breakdown of the data and noted that out of the 15 patients treated with enucleation or curettage, 86.7% had local and/or regional recurrences, four patients died with developing distant metastatic disease. By contrast, local and/or regional recurrence occurred in 26.4% of patients who underwent surgical resection. From these data, he concluded that recurrence rate after initial treatment by resection was lower than conservative therapy (26.4 vs. 86.7%). Adjuvant radiation therapy is beneficial to patients with extensive soft tissue and perineural involvement, and in patients with extracapsular spread and/or positive nodes cases in which tumor-free margins are not possible [13]. Krishnamurthy A et al. [14], reported a case of CCOC where he performed composite resection with modified radical neck dissection and reconstruction of the defect with pectoralis major myocutaneous flap. From the above examples, and from the extensive study of the literature available, most of the authors, including the authors of this article advocate that the ideal treatment plan should be composite resection along with elective neck dissection, followed by reconstruction of the defect [15]. Although elective neck dissection is questioned by multiple, reports by Werle H et al. [16] & Ebert CS [17] endorse its use. They report that following neck dissection with long-term follow-up, there were no signs of recurrence. If clinical and radiological examination of the patient reveals, extensive soft tissue invasion, perineural spread, lymph node metastasis with an extra - nodal involvement or in those where tumor-free margins are not possible, then, the use of adjuvant radiation therapy should be considered and employed at the surgeon’s discretion. With all the treatment modalities, even though initial tumor free margins are attained, it is emphasized that the patient should be kept under the long-term follow-up to identify recurrences in early stages and institute appropriate treatments as necessary. CCOC, although rare, should be considered in the differential diagnosis of jaw tumors with prominent clear cell component. Factors such as the size, soft tissue involvement, lymph node metastasis, and the presence or absence of positive surgical margins should be considered during treatment planning. Currently, treatment aim is to achieve wide surgical resection with tumor-free margins and loco-regional control by lymph node resection and local radiation. Long-term follow-up is imperative considering the aggressive biological potential, as these tumors may recur locally or systemically. Hansen LS, Eversole LR, Green TL, Powell NB (1985) Clear cell odontogenic tumor-a new histologic variant with aggressive potential. Head Neck Surg 8: 115-123. Eversole LR, Duffey DC, Powell NB (1995) Clear cell odontogenic carcinoma-a clinicopathologic analysis. Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 121: 685-689. Eversole LR, Belton CM, Hansen LS (1985) Clear cell odontogenic tumor: histochemical and ultrastructural features. J Oral Pathol 14: 603-614. Reichart PA, Philipsen HP (2004) Classification of odontogenic tumors and allied lesions. In: Odontogenic tumors and allied lesions. London, UK. p. 21-23. RA Cawson, JD Langdon, JW Eveson. Surgical Pathology of the Mouth and jaws p. 7-8. K Adebiyi , V Ugboko (2005) Clear Cell Odontogenic Carcinoma Of The Maxilla: A Case Report. The Internet Journal of Dental Science 2: 2. Bang G, Koppang HS, Hansen LS, Gilhuus-Moe O, Aksdal E, et al. (1989) Clear cell odontogenic carcinoma: report of three cases with pulmonary and lymph node metastases. J Oral Pathol Med 18: 113-118. Eversole LR (1999) Malignant epithelial odontogenic tumors. Semin Diagn Pathol 16: 317-324. Dahiya S, Kumar R, Sarkar C, Ralte M, Sharma MC (2002) Clear cell odontogenic carcinoma: a diagnostic dilemma. Pathology Oncology Research 8(4): 283-285. Werle H, Blake Fa, Reichelt U, Schmelzle R, Heiland M (2009) Clear-cell odontogenic carcinoma: a new case and long-term follow-up of an old case, and review of the literature. Journal of Oral Maxillofacial Surgery 67(6): 1342-1348. Barnes L, Eveson JW, Reichart PA, Sidransky D (2005) WHO Classification of Tumors, Pathology, and Genetics of Head and Neck Tumours. Lyon, France: IARC Press; WHO histological classification of odontogenictumors pp. 284 Swain N, Dhariwal R, Ray JG (2013) Clear cell odontogenic carcinoma of maxilla: A case report and mini review. Journal of oral and maxillofacial pathology 17(1): 89-94. Brandwein M, Said-Al-NaiefN, Gordon R, Urken M (2002) Clear cell odontogenic carcinoma: Report of a case and analysis of the literature. Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 128: 1089-1095. Krishnamurthy A, Ramshankar V, Majhi U (2014) Clear cell odontogenic carcinoma of the mandible and temporomandibular joint with cervical lymph nodal metastasis. Natl J Maxillofac Surg 5: 221-223. Zhang J, Liu L, Pan J, Tian X, Tan J, et al. (2011) Clear cell odontogenic carcinoma: Report of 6 cases and review of the literature. Med Oncol 28(1): S626-633. Werle H, Blake FA, Reichelt U, Schmelzle R, Heiland M (2009) Clear-cell odontogenic carcinoma: A new case and long-term follow-up of an old case, and review of the literature. J Oral Maxillofac Surg 67: 1342-1348. Ebert CS, Dubin MG, Hart CF, Chalian AA, Shockley WW (2005) Clear cell odontogenic carcinoma: A comprehensive analysis of treatment strategies. Head Neck 27: 536-542.	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0030.json.gz/line902
__label__cc	0.687111	0.312889	Post Tagged 'fidel castro' Intellectuals vs Freedom [Review of From Benito Mussolini to Hugo Chavez: Intellectuals and a Century of Political Hero Worship by Paul Hollander, Cambridge University Press, 2016, 325 pp.] My former boss and current president of the Foundation for Economic Education, Lawrence Reed, used to begin seminars by asking members of the audience when they “caught the liberty bug.” Continue Reading... Cuba’s pioneers of capitalism: Marcus Lemonis goes to Havana Although the Cuban people continue to suffer and struggle under the weight of communist rule, many have been encouraged by even the slightest of Raul Castro’s incremental changes toward private businesses. Continue Reading... Video: Jay Nordlinger On The Children Of Monsters On October 29th, the Acton Institute was pleased to welcome author and National Review Senior Editor Jay Nordlinger to the Mark Murray Auditorium as part of the 2015 Acton Lecture Series. Continue Reading... Rev. Sirico: The End of Cuba’s Double Despotism At RealClearReligion, Rev. Robert A. Sirico offers an analysis of President Obama’s move to thaw relations with Cuba, a diplomatic opening that was supported by the Vatican. Citing Pope Francis’ appeals for “an economy of inclusion,” Rev. Continue Reading... Explainer: What Just Happened With Cuba? What just happened with Cuba? Yesterday, President Obama announced that, “the United States of America is changing its relationship with the people of Cuba.” He instructed Secretary Kerry to immediately begin discussions with Cuba to reestablish diplomatic relations that have been severed since 1961. Continue Reading... First Catholic Church In Decades To Be Built In Cuba When Fidel Castro took over the island nation of Cuba, it officially become a nation of atheists. However, the Catholic community in Cuba continued to worship – privately, where necessary – and attempted to maintain existing churches. Continue Reading... Cuba: Out Of The Shadows Of Communism Comes Commerce In 1956, Fidel Castro, along with Che Guevara, led a guerrilla war on the island nation of Cuba. By 1959, Castro was sworn in as prime minister, and began leading the country down the destructive path of Communistic ideation. Continue Reading... Re: Embracing the Tormentors Time to set the record straight. Some of the comments on my original posting of Faith McDonnell’s article Embracing the Tormentors are representative of the sort of egregious moral relativism, spin doctoring, and outright falsification, that have for so long characterized the “social justice” programs of lefty ecumenical groups like the WCC and NCC. Continue Reading... Free Cubans by Dropping Trade Restrictions In today’s Detroit News, Rev. Robert Sirico, president of the Acton Institute, argues for the end of the trade restrictions against Cuba. Fidel Castro, recently retired from the position of el lider maximo, held the small island nation in the tight grip of his totalitarian regime, effectively stagnating all economic development for the past 50 years. Continue Reading... Cuba after Fidel: Sirico on Fox Business Channel Rev. Robert A. Sirico (unfortunately misidentified by host David Asman as “Father John Sirico”) made an appearance on America’s Nightly Scoreboard on Fox Business Channel to discuss the announcement that 81 year old Fidel Castro is stepping down as dictator of Cuba, officially handing power to his sprightly, 76 year old brother Raoul. Continue Reading...	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0030.json.gz/line905
__label__wiki	0.805616	0.805616	KUHT-TV (Television station)75 You searched for: Date 1993 Remove constraint Date: 1993 Language English Remove constraint Language: English 1. Almanac, Episode 614 (26:47) Patricia Gras and three new city councilmembers of Houston, Ray Driscoll, Felix Fraga, and Martha Wong discuss what they see as major issues facing Houston and their own districts. Patricia Gras discusses local initiatives to bring Houston's Black and Asian communities together, especially in light of the shooting in Fort Bend County, with Glenda Joe, co-founder of Peace in t... Patricia Gras discusses advances and failures of the Israeli-Palestinian peace process with Tarif Abboushi, a Palestinian-American, Carol Brownstein, whose daughter lives in Israel, Randy Czarlinsk... Pat Ryan interviews four candidates running for Houston City Council: Cynthia Canales Gorczynski and Lloyd Kelley, the candidates for City Council At-Large Position 3; and Jim Kennedy and Eleanor T... 5. The Capitol Report, Episode 402: Statewide campaign to combat crime (26:01) Doris Childress interviews Representative Patricia Gray, Representative Debra Danburg, and Representative Peggy Hamric about the statewide campaign to combat crime. The episode includes a segment c... Patricia Gras discusses public pressures on the criminal justice system with Judge Mary Bacon, Andy Kahan, Crime Victims Liaison for the Mayor's Office, Keryl Smith, Executive Director of the NAACP... 7. Ryan's Roundtable, Episode 306 (26:47) Pat Ryan moderates discussion about races for county judge. Guests include St. Thomas political science professor Tom Bass, political activist Elizabeth Ghrist, Editor of the Houston Insider Tim F... Patricia Gras discusses the European Community, and its ability to navigate trade issues with regard to U. S. questions about NAFTA, with Gijs de Vries, member of the European Parliament representi... Pat Ryan moderates discussion about the results of the recent local elections. Guests include campaign consultant Edna Campos, Houston Community Newspapers columnist Garvin Berry, University of Hou... 10. The Capitol Report, Episode 401: Most talked-about propositions on the ballot (26:25) Doris Childress interviews State Senator Kenneth Armbrister and Representative Mark Stiles about certain propositions on the ballot for the upcoming voting season, particularly Propositions 1, 2, 4... 11. Ryan's Roundtable, Episode 304 (26:47) Pat Ryan moderates discussion about money issues in politics. Guests include University of Houston Economics professor Barton Smith, President of the Tax Research Association of Houston and Harris ... 12. Almanac, Episode 606 (26:48) Patricia Gras discusses the potential for zoning in Houston with Co-chairs of Citizens for Zoning, Alan Rudy, a developer and member of the Mayoral Committee for Land-Use Strategies, and State Repr... Pat Ryan moderates discussion about proposed amendments to the Texas Constitution. Guests include Republican State Representative Robert Eckels, Republican State Senator Jerry Patterson, and Democr... Pat Ryan moderates discussion about the politics of zoning. Guests include Rice University professor of Political Science Bob Stein, professor of Political Science at Texas Southern University Sand... Patricia Gras discusses the Israeli-Palestinian Peace Accord with four Palestinian individuals currently living in Houston: Tarif Abboushi, Palestinian refugee living in Houston for 10 years; Heith... Pat Ryan moderates discussion about the upcoming election. Guests include publisher of the Houston Defender Newspaper Sonny Messiah, political consultant Edna Campos, University of Houston professo... Patricia Gras discusses housing cooperatives, and other new housing concepts, in Houston with Efraim Garcia, a housing consultant and former Planning Director for the City of Houston. Includes repo... Patricia Gras discusses NAFTA, and the signing of the Side Agreements, as it comes before Congress with Marc Campos, lobbyist and head of Campos Communications, George Farenthold, an environmental ... Patricia Gras discusses proposed peace plan between Israel and Palestine with Meir Romem, Consul General from Israel, and Ahmed Gomaa, Consul General from Egypt. Second segment focuses on increased... Patricia Gras discusses racism, especially internalized racism, in light of the 30th anniversary of the March on Washington with Hitaji Aziz, Consultant for Managing Diversity at A New Way, Alfredo... Patricia Gras discusses racism, especially unaware racism, with participants in the Center for the Healing of Racism's "Dialogue: Racism," Barbara Hacker, a Montessori school teacher, Mark Hays, a ... Patricia Gras discusses Harris Co. Judge Jon Lindsay's decision not to seek re-election in order to fight charges of bribery with Tom Bass, Chair of the Political Science Department at St. Thomas U... Patricia Gras discusses the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)'s new voluntary guidelines on secondhand smoke with Eleanor Tinsley Houston City Councilmember, Darrin Straughan, Director of marke... Patricia Gras discusses capital punishment, as new execution date is set for Gary Graham, with Dr. Stephen Klineberg, Professor of Sociology at Rice University, J. Harvey Hudson, Assistant District... Patricia Gras discusses economic developments and investment opportunities in Vietnam with Tom Gautier, president of Pacific Investment News, C. H. Harvey, President of The Hoya Group, and Philoan ... Sue Davis reports on human rights from Vienna as the UN meets to debate at the World Conference on Human Rights. First segment focuses primarily on the conference itself, addressing high number of ... Sue Davis discusses public education funding issues with Cathy Mincberg, member of the Houston School District Board. Second segment addresses recent rise in cases of tuberculosis in the U. S. and... Sue Davis discusses the oil business with Daniel Yergin, President of Cambridge Energy Research Associates, and author of the book "The Prize: The Epic Quest for Oil, Money, and Power." Second segm... Patricia Gras discusses 73rd Texas legislative session with Representative Garnet Coleman, Representative John Culberson, Representative Mario Gallegos, and Representative Peggy Hamric. Pat Ryan moderates discussion about the Texas Senate runoff. Guests include political consultant Lee A. Woods, political consultant Edna Campos, publisher of the Houston Defender Newspaper Sonny Me... Pat Ryan moderates discussion about city finances. Guests include political consultant Margaret Menger Wilson, Democrat campaign consultant George Strong, columnist for the Houston Post Tom Kennedy... 32. Almanac, Episode [534] (26:48) Sue Davis discusses the state of Houston's fiscal health with Richard Lewis, director of Mayor Bob Lanier's Finance and Administration Department, George Greanias, City Controller, George Scott, pr... Pat Ryan moderates discussion about race and politics. Guests include University of Houston African American History professor Morris Graves, columnist for the Houston Post Tom Kennedy, Houston Com... Pat Ryan moderates discussion about the school finance crisis. Guests include Alan Bernstein, political writer for the Houston Chronicle, Republican political activist Rob Mosbacher, Jr., and Polit... 35. The Capitol Report, Episode 313: The Never-Ending Story: Texas School Finance (26:45) Pat Ryan interviews Alan Bernstein of the Houston Chronicle, Republican Party Activist Rob Mosbacher, Jr., and Professor Kent Tedin, Chairman of the University of Houston Political Science Departme... Patricia Gras discusses issues facing Houston's Latino communities with regard to cultural assimilation and cultural retention with Dr. Angela Valenzuela, a sociologist at Rice University, and Leon... Pat Ryan moderates discussion about proposed legislation to establish a state income tax in the future. Guests include St. Thomas political science professor Tom Bass, political activist and former... Patricia Gras discusses race in America in light of the one-year anniversary of the L. A. Riots and first Rodney King verdict with Ana Eigler, president of Diversity Management, Carolyn Forche, a B... Patricia Gras discusses proposed amendments to the Texas Constitution regarding public school funding with State Senator Bill Ratliff, Tom Pauken, Co-chair of Texans Against Robin Hood Taxes, Athal... 40. The Capitol Report, Episode 311: Financing the State (26:44) Margaret Ford interviews State Senator John Montford and Representative Robert Junell about financing state government. 41. The Capitol Report, Episode 312: Women in the Legislature (26:26) Margaret Ford interviews Representative Yolanda Navarro Flores, Representative Senfronia Thompson, and Representative Dianne White Delisi about gender dynamics in the House, and various bills that ... Pat Ryan moderates discussion about judicial selection. Guests include 127th District Court Judge Sharolyn Wood, Southwest Voter Registration Education Project Executive Director Lisa Hernandez, an... Patricia Gras discusses gun ownership with Sue King, member of the board of directors of National Rifle Association (NRA), Mike Howard, president of Houston Police Patrolmen's Union, and Doug Brigg... Patricia Gras discusses using Metropolitan Transit Authority funds for non-transit projects with Billy Burge, METRO board chairman, and Representative Fred Bosse. Includes report on what exactly ME... 45. The Capitol Report, Episode 309: The Attorney General (26:43) Laura Calfee interviews the Attorney General of Texas, Dan Morales. They discuss the ongoing judicial selection lawsuit, crime, and campaigning door-to-door. 46. The Capitol Report, Episode 310: The View from the Gallery: the Lobbyists' Perspective (26:43) Laura Calfee interviews Attorney Ron Kirk, Independent Consultant Mignon McGarry, and VP for Legislative Affairs with Texas Automobile Dealers Association Tom Blanton about the passing of a new eth... Pat Ryan moderates discussion about the Supreme Court. Guests include South Texas College of Law professor Teresa Collett, University of Houston Law Center professor Irene Rosenberg, Texas Southern... Sue Davis discusses the media's handling of, and role in, the Waco standoff with Tommy Miller, Assistant Managing Editor of the Houston Chronicle, Ted Stanton, head of the Journalism Program at the... Pat Ryan moderates discussion about collective bargaining. Guests include University of Houston Downtown Director of Continuing Education Bob Kendrick, columnist for the Houston Post Tom Kennedy, a... 50. The Capitol Report, Episode 307: Energy and Environment (25:54) Margaret Ford interviews Representative Steve Holzheauser, Representative Robert Earley, and Representative Robert Eckels about energy and the environment, and the Clean Air Act.	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0030.json.gz/line906
__label__wiki	0.722489	0.722489	Babylon 5: Point of No Return (Season by Season Guides) Jane Killick Del Rey Books Babylon 5: The Coming of Shadows Babylon 5: No Surrender, No Retreat 'Babylon 5: Point of No Return (Season by Season Guides)' is a guide for the third season of Babylon 5. It contains a synopsis of every episode of the 22 episodes of the third season and background information on what went right, what went wrong and memories of how the creators approached storylines and how it fits into the big story arc. The information comes directly from the cast, the directors and the series creator J. Michael Straczynski, who comments on every episode. Blurb Edit Now in its fifth hit season, Babylon 5--TV's hottest interstellar science fiction phenomenon--has spawned its own series of definitive episode guides! Catch up on all the action, show by show, from the very beginning with the Babylon 5: Season by Season guidebooks. Babylon 5: Point of No Return begins with a fascinating look at another innovation for the already groundbreaking series--its pioneering use of computer generated special effects. Jane Killick's behind-the-scenes chronicle reveals how effects master Ron Thornton and his Foundation Imaging team made B5 the first TV show to create all of its breathtaking special effects exclusively through computer graphics, from spaceships and planets to galactic battles. In addition, Babylon 5's third season guide presents a thrilling summation of the series major turning point: the chain of events that would culminate in the devastating Shadow War. And of course, episode-by-episode summaries--with Killick's comprehensive analysis--cover all of the third season's twenty-two shows, including "Matters of Honor," "Point of No Return," "Ship of Tears," and the stunning finale, "Z'ha'dum." Veteran viewers or first-time fans, relive the adventure--or find out what you've been missing--with the complete companions to Babylon 5! By Any Means Necessary - Making Babylon 5 on a Budget Babylon 5's Third Season Point of No Return Episode Guide 1 Matters of Honor 2 Convictions 3 A Day in the Strife 4 Passing Through Gethsemane 5 Voices of Authority 6 Dust to Dust 7 Exogenesis 8 Messages from Earth 9 Point of No Return 10 Severed Dreams 11 Ceremonies of Light and Dark 12 Sic Transit Vir 13 A Late Delivery from Avalon 14 Ship of Tears 15 Interludes and Examinations 16 War Without End, Part I 17 War Without End, Part II 18 Walkabout 19 Grey 17 is Missing 20 And the Rock Cried Out, No Hiding Place 21 Shadow Dancing 22 Z'ha'dum Babylon 5 Reference Books "Babylon 5 Security Manual" • "Dining on Babylon 5" • "Creating Babylon 5" • "The A to Z Guide of Babylon 5" "Signs and Portents" • "The Coming of Shadows" • "Point of No Return" • "No Surrender, No Retreat" • "The Wheel of Fire" B5scripts.com "Babylon 5 Scripts: Vol 1-15 & Other Voices: Vol 1-3" • "Across Time and Space: The Chronologies of Babylon 5" • "Asked & Answered: Vol 1-5" • "In Purple...I'm Stunning!:Quotations from Babylon 5" • "Crusade: Behind the Scenes" • "Crusade: What the Hell Happened? Vol 1-4" Babylon 5 franchise Babylon 5 & Crusade Episodes by Season Signs and Portents • The Coming of Shadows • Point of No Return • No Surrender, No Retreat • Wheel of Fire • Crusade: Season 1 • Unfilmed Episodes The Gathering • In the Beginning • Thirdspace • River of Souls • A Call to Arms • The Legend of the Rangers • Voices in the Dark Novels • Comic Books • Short Stories • Reference books • Magazines DVD Releases • VHS Home Video • The Official Guide to Babylon 5 • Babylon 5: Into the Fire Retrieved from "https://babylon5.fandom.com/wiki/Babylon_5:_Point_of_No_Return_(Season_by_Season_Guides)?oldid=47079"	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0030.json.gz/line912
__label__cc	0.607547	0.392453	Chinese (Simplified) / 简体中文 (zh-CN) Spanish / Español (es) French / Français (fr) German / Deutsch (de) Japanese / 日本語 (ja) Russian / Русский (ru) Expand panels Hide met & N/A Projects that follow the best practices below can voluntarily self-certify and show that they've achieved a Core Infrastructure Initiative (CII) badge. There is no set of practices that can guarantee that software will never have defects or vulnerabilities; even formal methods can fail if the specifications or assumptions are wrong. Nor is there any set of practices that can guarantee that a project will sustain a healthy and well-functioning development community. However, following best practices can help improve the results of projects. For example, some practices enable multi-person review before release, which can both help find otherwise hard-to-find technical vulnerabilities and help build trust and a desire for repeated interaction among developers from different companies. To earn a badge, all MUST and MUST NOT criteria must be met, all SHOULD criteria must be met OR be unmet with justification, and all SUGGESTED criteria must be met OR unmet (we want them considered at least). If you want to enter justification text as a generic comment, instead of being a rationale that the situation is acceptable, start the text block with '//' followed by a space. Feedback is welcome via the GitHub site as issues or pull requests There is also a mailing list for general discussion. We gladly provide the information in several locales, however, if there is any conflict or inconsistency between the translations, the English version is the authoritative version. If this is your project, please show your badge status on your project page! The badge status looks like this: Here is how to embed it: You can show your badge status by embedding this in your markdown file: or by embedding this in your HTML: These are the level criteria. You can also view the or level criteria. Basics 12/12 ● What is the human-readable name of the project? Note that other projects may use the same name. What is a brief description of the project? The most popular HTML, CSS, and JavaScript framework for developing responsive, mobile first projects on the web. What is the URL for the project (as a whole)? https://getbootstrap.com What is the URL for the version control repository (it may be the same as the project URL)? https://github.com/twbs/bootstrap What programming language(s) are used to implement the project? If there is more than one language, list them as comma-separated values (spaces optional) and sort them from most to least used. If there is a long list, please list at least the first three most common ones. If there is no language (e.g., this is a documentation-only or test-only project), use the single character "-". Please use a conventional capitalization for each language, e.g., "JavaScript". What is the Common Platform Enumeration (CPE) name for the project (if it has one)? The Common Platform Enumeration (CPE) is a structured naming scheme for information technology systems, software, and packages. It is used in a number of systems and databases when reporting vulnerabilities. Basic project website content Unmet The project website MUST succinctly describe what the software does (what problem does it solve?). [description_good] This MUST be in language that potential users can understand (e.g., it uses minimal jargon). https://getbootstrap.com/ The project website MUST provide information on how to: obtain, provide feedback (as bug reports or enhancements), and contribute to the software. [interact] https://getbootstrap.com/docs/4.3/about/overview/ The information on how to contribute MUST explain the contribution process (e.g., are pull requests used?) (URL required) [contribution] We presume that projects on GitHub use issues and pull requests unless otherwise noted. This information can be short, e.g., stating that the project uses pull requests, an issue tracker, or posts to a mailing list (which one?) The information on how to contribute SHOULD include the requirements for acceptable contributions (e.g., a reference to any required coding standard). (URL required) [contribution_requirements] https://github.com/twbs/bootstrap/blob/master/.github/CONTRIBUTING.md FLOSS license What license(s) is the project released under? Please use SPDX license expression format; examples include "Apache-2.0", "BSD-2-Clause", "BSD-3-Clause", "GPL-2.0+", "LGPL-3.0+", "MIT", and "(BSD-2-Clause OR Ruby)". Do not include single quotes or double quotes. The software produced by the project MUST be released as FLOSS. [floss_license] FLOSS is software released in a way that meets the Open Source Definition or Free Software Definition. Examples of such licenses include the CC0, MIT, BSD 2-clause, BSD 3-clause revised, Apache 2.0, Lesser GNU General Public License (LGPL), and the GNU General Public License (GPL). For our purposes, this means that the license MUST be: an approved license by the Open Source Initiative (OSI), or a free license as approved by the Free Software Foundation (FSF), or a free license acceptable to Debian main, or a "good" license according to Fedora. The software MAY also be licensed other ways (e.g., "GPLv2 or proprietary" is acceptable). It is SUGGESTED that any required license(s) for the software produced by the project be approved by the Open Source Initiative (OSI). [floss_license_osi] The OSI uses a rigorous approval process to determine which licenses are OSS. The project MUST post the license(s) of its results in a standard location in their source repository. (URL required) [license_location] E.g., as a top-level file named LICENSE or COPYING. License filenames MAY be followed by an extension such as ".txt" or ".md". Note that this criterion is only a requirement on the source repository. You do NOT need to include the license file when generating something from the source code (such as an executable, package, or container). For example, when generating an R package for the Comprehensive R Archive Network (CRAN), follow standard CRAN practice: if the license is a standard license, use the standard short license specification (to avoid installing yet another copy of the text) and list the LICENSE file in an exclusion file such as .Rbuildignore. Similarly, when creating a Debian package, you may put a link in the copyright file to the license text in /usr/share/common-licenses, and exclude the license file from the created package (e.g., by deleting the file after calling dh_auto_install). We do encourage including machine-readable license information in generated formats where practical. https://github.com/twbs/bootstrap/blob/master/LICENSE The project MUST provide basic documentation for the software produced by the project. [documentation_basics] This documentation must be in some media (such as text or video) that includes: how to install it, how to start it, how to use it (possibly with a tutorial using examples), and how to use it securely (e.g., what to do and what not to do) if that is an appropriate topic for the software. The security documentation need not be long. The project MAY use hypertext links to non-project material as documentation. If the project does not produce software, choose "not applicable" (N/A). https://getbootstrap.com/docs/ The project MUST provide reference documentation that describes the external interface (both input and output) of the software produced by the project. [documentation_interface] The documentation of an external interface explains to an end-user or developer how to use it. This would include its application program interface (API) if the software has one. If it is a library, document the major classes/types and methods/functions that can be called. If it is a web application, define its URL interface (often its REST interface). If it is a command-line interface, document the parameters and options it supports. In many cases it's best if most of this documentation is automatically generated, so that this documentation stays synchronized with the software as it changes, but this isn't required. The project MAY use hypertext links to non-project material as documentation. Documentation MAY be automatically generated (where practical this is often the best way to do so). Documentation of a REST interface may be generated using Swagger/OpenAPI. Code interface documentation MAY be generated using tools such as JSDoc (JavaScript), ESDoc (JavaScript), pydoc (Python), devtools (R), pkgdown (R), and Doxygen (many). Merely having comments in implementation code is not sufficient to satisfy this criterion; there needs to be an easy way to see the information without reading through all the source code. If the project does not produce software, choose "not applicable" (N/A). The project sites (website, repository, and download URLs) MUST support HTTPS using TLS. [sites_https] This requires that the project home page URL and the version control repository URL begin with "https:", not "http:". You can get free certificates from Let's Encrypt. Projects MAY implement this criterion using (for example) GitHub pages, GitLab pages, or SourceForge project pages. If you support HTTP, we urge you to redirect the HTTP traffic to HTTPS. The project MUST have one or more mechanisms for discussion (including proposed changes and issues) that are searchable, allow messages and topics to be addressed by URL, enable new people to participate in some of the discussions, and do not require client-side installation of proprietary software. [discussion] Examples of acceptable mechanisms include archived mailing list(s), GitHub issue and pull request discussions, Bugzilla, Mantis, and Trac. Asynchronous discussion mechanisms (like IRC) are acceptable if they meet these criteria; make sure there is a URL-addressable archiving mechanism. Proprietary JavaScript, while discouraged, is permitted. The project SHOULD provide documentation in English and be able to accept bug reports and comments about code in English. [english] English is currently the lingua franca of computer technology; supporting English increases the number of different potential developers and reviewers worldwide. A project can meet this criterion even if its core developers' primary language is not English. (Advanced) Disable inactivity reminder (we recommend you leave this unchecked; note that project entries must be edited to change whether or not reminders are sent) (Advanced) What other users have additional rights to edit this badge entry? Currently: [] Most projects should ignore this field. Project badge entries can always be edited by the badge entry owner (creator), BadgeApp administrators, and anyone who can commit to the GitHub repository (if it's on GitHub). If you want someone else to be able to edit this badge entry, and you already have edit rights to this project badge entry, you can additional users with edit rights. Just enter "+" followed by a comma-separated list of integer user ids. Those users will then also be allowed to edit this project entry. If you're the owner of the badge entry or a BadgeApp administrator, you can remove users from this list by entering "-" followed by a comma-separated list of integer user ids. We expect that normally only one person will edit a particular badge entry at a time. This application uses optimistic locking to prevent saving stale data if multiple users try to edit a badge entry simultaneously. If you have multiple editors, we recommend saving badge entry data incrementally and often (that is a wise practice anyway). Other general comments about the project: Change Control 7/9 ● Public version-controlled source repository The project MUST have a version-controlled source repository that is publicly readable and has a URL. [repo_public] The URL MAY be the same as the project URL. The project MAY use private (non-public) branches in specific cases while the change is not publicly released (e.g., for fixing a vulnerability before it is revealed to the public). The project's source repository MUST track what changes were made, who made the changes, and when the changes were made. [repo_track] To enable collaborative review, the project's source repository MUST include interim versions for review between releases; it MUST NOT include only final releases. [repo_interim] Projects MAY choose to omit specific interim versions from their public source repositories (e.g., ones that fix specific non-public security vulnerabilities, may never be publicly released, or include material that cannot be legally posted and are not in the final release). It is SUGGESTED that common distributed version control software be used (e.g., git) for the project's source repository. [repo_distributed] Git is not specifically required and projects can use centralized version control software (such as subversion) with justification. Unique version numbering The project results MUST have a unique version identifier for each release intended to be used by users. [version_unique] This MAY be met in a variety of ways including a commit IDs (such as git commit id or mercurial changeset id) or a version number (including version numbers that use semantic versioning or date-based schemes like YYYYMMDD). https://github.com/twbs/release It is SUGGESTED that the Semantic Versioning (SemVer) format be used for releases. [version_semver] Other version numbering schemes, such as commit IDs (such as git commit id or mercurial changeset id) or date-based schemes like YYYYMMDD, MAY be used as version numbers, since they are unique. Some alternatives can cause problems, because users may not be able to easily determine if they are up-to-date. SemVer may be less helpful for identifying software releases if all recipients only run the latest version (e.g., it is the code for a single website or internet service that is constantly updated via continuous delivery). It is SUGGESTED that projects identify each release within their version control system. For example, it is SUGGESTED that those using git identify each release using git tags. [version_tags] https://github.com/twbs/bootstrap/tags The project MUST provide, in each release, release notes that are a human-readable summary of major changes in that release to help users determine if they should upgrade and what the upgrade impact will be. The release notes MUST NOT be the raw output of a version control log (e.g., the "git log" command results are not release notes). Projects whose results are not intended for reuse in multiple locations (such as the software for a single website or service) AND employ continuous delivery MAY select "N/A". (URL required) [release_notes] The release notes MAY be implemented in a variety of ways. Many projects provide them in a file named "NEWS", "CHANGELOG", or "ChangeLog", optionally with extensions such as ".txt", ".md", or ".html". Historically the term "change log" meant a log of every change, but to meet these criteria what is needed is a human-readable summary. The release notes MAY instead be provided by version control system mechanisms such as the GitHub Releases workflow. The release notes MUST identify every publicly known vulnerability with a CVE assignment or similar that is fixed in each new release, unless users typically cannot practically update the software themselves. If there are no release notes or there have been no publicly known vulnerabilities, choose "not applicable" (N/A). [release_notes_vulns] If users typically cannot practically update the software themselves on their computers, but must instead depend on a middleman to perform the upgrade (as is often the case for a kernel and low-level software that is intertwined with a kernel), the project may choose "not applicable" (N/A). Reporting 4/8 ● Bug-reporting process The project MUST provide a process for users to submit bug reports (e.g., using an issue tracker or a mailing list). (URL required) [report_process] https://github.com/twbs/bootstrap/issues The project SHOULD use an issue tracker for tracking individual issues. [report_tracker] The project MUST acknowledge a majority of bug reports submitted in the last 2-12 months (inclusive); the response need not include a fix. [report_responses] The project SHOULD respond to a majority (>50%) of enhancement requests in the last 2-12 months (inclusive). [enhancement_responses] The response MAY be 'no' or a discussion about its merits. The goal is simply that there be some response to some requests, which indicates that the project is still alive. For purposes of this criterion, projects need not count fake requests (e.g., from spammers or automated systems). If a project is no longer making enhancements, please select "unmet" and include the URL that makes this situation clear to users. If a project tends to be overwhelmed by the number of enhancement requests, please select "unmet" and explain. The project MUST have a publicly available archive for reports and responses for later searching. (URL required) [report_archive] Vulnerability report process The project MUST publish the process for reporting vulnerabilities on the project site. (URL required) [vulnerability_report_process] E.g., a clearly designated mailing address on https://PROJECTSITE/security, often in the form security@example.org. This MAY be the same as its bug reporting process. Vulnerability reports MAY always be public, but many projects have a private vulnerability reporting mechanism. https://github.com/twbs/bootstrap/blob/master/SECURITY.md If private vulnerability reports are supported, the project MUST include how to send the information in a way that is kept private. (URL required) [vulnerability_report_private] Examples include a private defect report submitted on the web using HTTPS (TLS) or an email encrypted using OpenPGP. If vulnerability reports are always public (so there are never private vulnerability reports), choose "not applicable" (N/A). The project's initial response time for any vulnerability report received in the last 6 months MUST be less than or equal to 14 days. [vulnerability_report_response] If there have been no vulnerabilities reported in the last 6 months, choose "not applicable" (N/A). Quality 12/13 ● Working build system If the software produced by the project requires building for use, the project MUST provide a working build system that can automatically rebuild the software from source code. [build] A build system determines what actions need to occur to rebuild the software (and in what order), and then performs those steps. For example, it can invoke a compiler to compile the source code. If an executable is created from source code, it must be possible to modify the project's source code and then generate an updated executable with those modifications. If the software produced by the project depends on external libraries, the build system does not need to build those external libraries. If there is no need to build anything to use the software after its source code is modified, select "not applicable" (N/A). https://github.com/twbs/bootstrap/blob/master/package.json It is SUGGESTED that common tools be used for building the software. [build_common_tools] For example, Maven, Ant, cmake, the autotools, make, rake (Ruby), or devtools (R). The project SHOULD be buildable using only FLOSS tools. [build_floss_tools] Automated test suite The project MUST use at least one automated test suite that is publicly released as FLOSS (this test suite may be maintained as a separate FLOSS project). [test] The project MAY use multiple automated test suites (e.g., one that runs quickly, vs. another that is more thorough but requires special equipment). There are many test frameworks and test support systems available, including Selenium (web browser automation), Junit (JVM, Java), RUnit (R), testthat (R). https://github.com/twbs/bootstrap/tree/master/js/tests A test suite SHOULD be invocable in a standard way for that language. [test_invocation] For example, "make check", "mvn test", or "rake test" (Ruby). It is SUGGESTED that the test suite cover most (or ideally all) the code branches, input fields, and functionality. [test_most] https://coveralls.io/github/twbs/bootstrap?branch=master It is SUGGESTED that the project implement continuous integration (where new or changed code is frequently integrated into a central code repository and automated tests are run on the result). [test_continuous_integration] https://travis-ci.org/twbs/bootstrap New functionality testing The project MUST have a general policy (formal or not) that as major new functionality is added to the software produced by the project, tests of that functionality should be added to an automated test suite. [test_policy] As long as a policy is in place, even by word of mouth, that says developers should add tests to the automated test suite for major new functionality, select "Met." The project MUST have evidence that the test_policy for adding tests has been adhered to in the most recent major changes to the software produced by the project. [tests_are_added] Major functionality would typically be mentioned in the release notes. Perfection is not required, merely evidence that tests are typically being added in practice to the automated test suite when new major functionality is added to the software produced by the project. It is SUGGESTED that this policy on adding tests (see test_policy) be documented in the instructions for change proposals. [tests_documented_added] However, even an informal rule is acceptable as long as the tests are being added in practice. The project MUST enable one or more compiler warning flags, a "safe" language mode, or use a separate "linter" tool to look for code quality errors or common simple mistakes, if there is at least one FLOSS tool that can implement this criterion in the selected language. [warnings] Examples of compiler warning flags include gcc/clang "-Wall". Examples of a "safe" language mode include JavaScript "use strict" and perl5's "use warnings". A separate "linter" tool is simply a tool that examines the source code to look for code quality errors or common simple mistakes. These are typically enabled within the source code or build instructions. The project MUST address warnings. [warnings_fixed] These are the warnings identified by the implementation of the warnings criterion. The project should fix warnings or mark them in the source code as false positives. Ideally there would be no warnings, but a project MAY accept some warnings (typically less than 1 warning per 100 lines or less than 10 warnings). It is SUGGESTED that projects be maximally strict with warnings in the software produced by the project, where practical. [warnings_strict] Some warnings cannot be effectively enabled on some projects. What is needed is evidence that the project is striving to enable warning flags where it can, so that errors are detected early. Security 16/16 ● Secure development knowledge The project MUST have at least one primary developer who knows how to design secure software. (See ‘details’ for the exact requirements.) [know_secure_design] This requires understanding the following design principles, including the 8 principles from Saltzer and Schroeder: economy of mechanism (keep the design as simple and small as practical, e.g., by adopting sweeping simplifications) fail-safe defaults (access decisions should deny by default, and projects' installation should be secure by default) complete mediation (every access that might be limited must be checked for authority and be non-bypassable) open design (security mechanisms should not depend on attacker ignorance of its design, but instead on more easily protected and changed information like keys and passwords) separation of privilege (ideally, access to important objects should depend on more than one condition, so that defeating one protection system won't enable complete access. E.G., multi-factor authentication, such as requiring both a password and a hardware token, is stronger than single-factor authentication) least privilege (processes should operate with the least privilege necessary) least common mechanism (the design should minimize the mechanisms common to more than one user and depended on by all users, e.g., directories for temporary files) psychological acceptability (the human interface must be designed for ease of use - designing for "least astonishment" can help) limited attack surface (the attack surface - the set of the different points where an attacker can try to enter or extract data - should be limited) input validation with whitelists (inputs should typically be checked to determine if they are valid before they are accepted; this validation should use whitelists (which only accept known-good values), not blacklists (which attempt to list known-bad values)). A "primary developer" in a project is anyone who is familiar with the project's code base, is comfortable making changes to it, and is acknowledged as such by most other participants in the project. A primary developer would typically make a number of contributions over the past year (via code, documentation, or answering questions). Developers would typically be considered primary developers if they initiated the project (and have not left the project more than three years ago), have the option of receiving information on a private vulnerability reporting channel (if there is one), can accept commits on behalf of the project, or perform final releases of the project software. If there is only one developer, that individual is the primary developer. At least one of the project's primary developers MUST know of common kinds of errors that lead to vulnerabilities in this kind of software, as well as at least one method to counter or mitigate each of them. [know_common_errors] Examples (depending on the type of software) include SQL injection, OS injection, classic buffer overflow, cross-site scripting, missing authentication, and missing authorization. See the CWE/SANS top 25 or OWASP Top 10 for commonly used lists. Use basic good cryptographic practices Note that some software does not need to use cryptographic mechanisms. The software produced by the project MUST use, by default, only cryptographic protocols and algorithms that are publicly published and reviewed by experts (if cryptographic protocols and algorithms are used). [crypto_published] These cryptographic criteria do not always apply because some software has no need to directly use cryptographic capabilities. If the software produced by the project is an application or library, and its primary purpose is not to implement cryptography, then it SHOULD only call on software specifically designed to implement cryptographic functions; it SHOULD NOT re-implement its own. [crypto_call] All functionality in the software produced by the project that depends on cryptography MUST be implementable using FLOSS. [crypto_floss] See the Open Standards Requirement for Software by the Open Source Initiative. The security mechanisms within the software produced by the project MUST use default keylengths that at least meet the NIST minimum requirements through the year 2030 (as stated in 2012). It MUST be possible to configure the software so that smaller keylengths are completely disabled. [crypto_keylength] These minimum bitlengths are: symmetric key 112, factoring modulus 2048, discrete logarithm key 224, discrete logarithmic group 2048, elliptic curve 224, and hash 224 (password hashing is not covered by this bitlength, more information on password hashing can be found in the crypto_password_storage criterion). See https://www.keylength.com for a comparison of keylength recommendations from various organizations. The software MAY allow smaller keylengths in some configurations (ideally it would not, since this allows downgrade attacks, but shorter keylengths are sometimes necessary for interoperability). The default security mechanisms within the software produced by the project MUST NOT depend on broken cryptographic algorithms (e.g., MD4, MD5, single DES, RC4, Dual_EC_DRBG), or use cipher modes that are inappropriate to the context, unless they are necessary to implement an interoperable protocol (where the protocol implemented is the most recent version of that standard broadly supported by the network ecosystem, that ecosystem requires the use of such an algorithm or mode, and that ecosystem does not offer any more secure alternative). The documentation MUST describe any relevant security risks and any known mitigations if these broken algorithms or modes are necessary for an interoperable protocol. [crypto_working] ECB mode is almost never appropriate because it reveals identical blocks within the ciphertext as demonstrated by the ECB penguin, and CTR mode is often inappropriate because it does not perform authentication and causes duplicates if the input state is repeated. In many cases it's best to choose a block cipher algorithm mode designed to combine secrecy and authentication, e.g., Galois/Counter Mode (GCM) and EAX. Projects MAY allow users to enable broken mechanisms (e.g., during configuration) where necessary for compatibility, but then users know they're doing it. The default security mechanisms within the software produced by the project SHOULD NOT depend on cryptographic algorithms or modes with known serious weaknesses (e.g., the SHA-1 cryptographic hash algorithm or the CBC mode in SSH). [crypto_weaknesses] Concerns about CBC mode in SSH are discussed in CERT: SSH CBC vulnerability. The security mechanisms within the software produced by the project SHOULD implement perfect forward secrecy for key agreement protocols so a session key derived from a set of long-term keys cannot be compromised if one of the long-term keys is compromised in the future. [crypto_pfs] If the software produced by the project causes the storing of passwords for authentication of external users, the passwords MUST be stored as iterated hashes with a per-user salt by using a key stretching (iterated) algorithm (e.g., PBKDF2, Bcrypt or Scrypt). [crypto_password_storage] This criterion applies only when the software is enforcing authentication of users using passwords, such as server-side web applications. It does not apply in cases where the software stores passwords for authenticating into other systems (e.g., the software implements a client for some other system), since at least parts of that software must have often access to the unhashed password. The security mechanisms within the software produced by the project MUST generate all cryptographic keys and nonces using a cryptographically secure random number generator, and MUST NOT do so using generators that are cryptographically insecure. [crypto_random] A cryptographically secure random number generator may be a hardware random number generator, or it may be a cryptographically secure pseudo-random number generator (CSPRNG) using an algorithm such as Hash_DRBG, HMAC_DRBG, CTR_DRBG, Yarrow, or Fortuna. Examples of calls to secure random number generators include Java's java.security.SecureRandom and JavaScript's window.crypto.getRandomValues. Examples of calls to insecure random number generators include Java's java.util.Random and JavaScript's Math.random. Secured delivery against man-in-the-middle (MITM) attacks The project MUST use a delivery mechanism that counters MITM attacks. Using https or ssh+scp is acceptable. [delivery_mitm] An even stronger mechanism is releasing the software with digitally signed packages, since that mitigates attacks on the distribution system, but this only works if the users can be confident that the public keys for signatures are correct and if the users will actually check the signature. A cryptographic hash (e.g., a sha1sum) MUST NOT be retrieved over http and used without checking for a cryptographic signature. [delivery_unsigned] These hashes can be modified in transit. Publicly known vulnerabilities fixed There MUST be no unpatched vulnerabilities of medium or higher severity that have been publicly known for more than 60 days. [vulnerabilities_fixed_60_days] The vulnerability must be patched and released by the project itself (patches may be developed elsewhere). A vulnerability becomes publicly known (for this purpose) once it has a CVE with publicly released non-paywalled information (reported, for example, in the National Vulnerability Database) or when the project has been informed and the information has been released to the public (possibly by the project). A vulnerability is considered medium or higher severity if its Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS) base qualitative score is medium or higher. In CVSS versions 2.0 through 3.1, this is equivalent to a CVSS score of 4.0 or higher. Projects may use the CVSS score as published in a widely-used vulnerability database (such as the National Vulnerability Database) using the most-recent version of CVSS reported in that database. Projects may instead calculate the severity themselves using the latest version of CVSS at the time of the vulnerability disclosure, if the calculation inputs are publicly revealed once the vulnerability is publicly known. Note: this means that users might be left vulnerable to all attackers worldwide for up to 60 days. This criterion is often much easier to meet than what Google recommends in Rebooting responsible disclosure, because Google recommends that the 60-day period start when the project is notified even if the report is not public. Also note that this badge criterion, like other criteria, applies to the individual project. Some projects are part of larger umbrella organizations or larger projects, possibly in multiple layers, and many projects feed their results to other organizations and projects as part of a potentially-complex supply chain. An individual project often cannot control the rest, but an individual project can work to release a vulnerability patch in a timely way. Therefore, we focus solely on the individual project's response time. Once a patch is available from the individual project, others can determine how to deal with the patch (e.g., they can update to the newer version or they can apply just the patch as a cherry-picked solution). Projects SHOULD fix all critical vulnerabilities rapidly after they are reported. [vulnerabilities_critical_fixed] Other security issues The public repositories MUST NOT leak a valid private credential (e.g., a working password or private key) that is intended to limit public access. [no_leaked_credentials] A project MAY leak "sample" credentials for testing and unimportant databases, as long as they are not intended to limit public access. Analysis 4/8 ● At least one static code analysis tool (beyond compiler warnings and "safe" language modes) MUST be applied to any proposed major production release of the software before its release, if there is at least one FLOSS tool that implements this criterion in the selected language. [static_analysis] A static code analysis tool examines the software code (as source code, intermediate code, or executable) without executing it with specific inputs. For purposes of this criterion, compiler warnings and "safe" language modes do not count as static code analysis tools (these typically avoid deep analysis because speed is vital). Some static analysis tools focus on detecting generic defects, others focus on finding specific kinds of defects (such as vulnerabilities), and some do a combination. Examples of such static code analysis tools include cppcheck (C, C++), clang static analyzer (C, C++), SpotBugs (Java), FindBugs (Java) (including FindSecurityBugs), PMD (Java), Brakeman (Ruby on Rails), lintr (R), goodpractice (R), Coverity Quality Analyzer, SonarQube, Codacy, and HP Enterprise Fortify Static Code Analyzer. Larger lists of tools can be found in places such as the Wikipedia list of tools for static code analysis, OWASP information on static code analysis, NIST list of source code security analyzers, and Wheeler's list of static analysis tools. The SWAMP is a no-cost platform for assessing vulnerabilities in software using a variety of tools. If there are no FLOSS static analysis tools available for the implementation language(s) used, select 'N/A'. It is SUGGESTED that at least one of the static analysis tools used for the static_analysis criterion include rules or approaches to look for common vulnerabilities in the analyzed language or environment. [static_analysis_common_vulnerabilities] Static analysis tools that are specifically designed to look for common vulnerabilities are more likely to find them. That said, using any static tools will typically help find some problems, so we are suggesting but not requiring this for the 'passing' level badge. All medium and higher severity exploitable vulnerabilities discovered with static code analysis MUST be fixed in a timely way after they are confirmed. [static_analysis_fixed] A vulnerability is considered medium or higher severity if its Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS) base qualitative score is medium or higher. In CVSS versions 2.0 through 3.1, this is equivalent to a CVSS score of 4.0 or higher. Projects may use the CVSS score as published in a widely-used vulnerability database (such as the National Vulnerability Database) using the most-recent version of CVSS reported in that database. Projects may instead calculate the severity themselves using the latest version of CVSS at the time of the vulnerability disclosure, if the calculation inputs are publicly revealed once the vulnerability is publicly known. Note that criterion vulnerabilities_fixed_60_days requires that all such vulnerabilities be fixed within 60 days of being made public. It is SUGGESTED that static source code analysis occur on every commit or at least daily. [static_analysis_often] Dynamic code analysis It is SUGGESTED that at least one dynamic analysis tool be applied to any proposed major production release of the software before its release. [dynamic_analysis] A dynamic analysis tool examines the software by executing it with specific inputs. For example, the project MAY use a fuzzing tool (e.g., American Fuzzy Lop) or a web application scanner (e.g., OWASP ZAP or w3af). In some cases the OSS-Fuzz project may be willing to apply fuzz testing to your project. For purposes of this criterion the dynamic analysis tool needs to vary the inputs in some way to look for various kinds of problems or be an automated test suite with at least 80% branch coverage. The Wikipedia page on dynamic analysis and the OWASP page on fuzzing identify some dynamic analysis tools. The analysis tool(s) MAY be focused on looking for security vulnerabilities, but this is not required. It is SUGGESTED that if the software produced by the project includes software written using a memory-unsafe language (e.g., C or C++), then at least one dynamic tool (e.g., a fuzzer or web application scanner) be routinely used in combination with a mechanism to detect memory safety problems such as buffer overwrites. If the project does not produce software written in a memory-unsafe language, choose "not applicable" (N/A). [dynamic_analysis_unsafe] Examples of mechanisms to detect memory safety problems include Address Sanitizer (ASAN) (available in GCC and LLVM), Memory Sanitizer, and valgrind. Other potentially-used tools include thread sanitizer and undefined behavior sanitizer. Widespread assertions would also work. It is SUGGESTED that the software produced by the project include many run-time assertions that are checked during dynamic analysis. [dynamic_analysis_enable_assertions] All medium and higher severity exploitable vulnerabilities discovered with dynamic code analysis MUST be fixed in a timely way after they are confirmed. [dynamic_analysis_fixed] If you are not running dynamic code analysis and thus have not found any vulnerabilities in this way, choose "not applicable" (N/A). A vulnerability is considered medium or higher severity if its Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS) base qualitative score is medium or higher. In CVSS versions 2.0 through 3.1, this is equivalent to a CVSS score of 4.0 or higher. Projects may use the CVSS score as published in a widely-used vulnerability database (such as the National Vulnerability Database) using the most-recent version of CVSS reported in that database. Projects may instead calculate the severity themselves using the latest version of CVSS at the time of the vulnerability disclosure, if the calculation inputs are publicly revealed once the vulnerability is publicly known. This data is available under the Creative Commons Attribution version 3.0 or later license (CC-BY-3.0+). All are free to share and adapt the data, but must give appropriate credit. Please credit Bardi Harborow and the CII Best Practices badge contributors. Project badge entry owned by: Bardi Harborow. Entry created on 2019-06-26 10:00:26 UTC, last updated on 2019-06-26 10:26:11 UTC. Need help? Have a question? See a problem? Please send an email or file an issue. © 2015-2018 Core Infrastructure Initiative, a Linux Foundation Collaborative Project. All Rights Reserved. Please see our privacy policy and terms of use.	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0030.json.gz/line915
__label__cc	0.67598	0.32402	By Emily Pinard Entertainment, Main MOA Blog Category August 29, 2017 Get Me Outta Here: The Escape Game at Mall of America® Don't be clueless! Minneapolis' hottest immersive escape experience is just around the corner at MOA®. Did you hear the news? America’s #1 escape room experience has arrived in Minneapolis. The Escape Game is now open on Level 3, East in Mall of America. Here’s what all the hype is about. The Escape Game is a completely immersive, interactive experience. From finely detailed set design to a wide range of puzzles, the experience is consistently surprising. They welcome gamers + enthusiasts, family + friends, coworkers, tourists + travelers and anyone just looking for a challenge. No matter why you’re in the arena, The Escape Game is the perfect puzzle-solving, bonding experience for people of all ages. After all, nothing beats the thrill of overcoming a challenge and achieving your goal as a team! Small groups of 2 – 8 people must work together, think strategically and test their skills to escape from a locked room in 60 minutes or less. Pro tip: Reserve a time online in advance to beat the crowds and escape the game! That’s it? Not quite! “While the goal is simple, the game is challenging.” Remember, you only have one hour! Participants must find clues and solve puzzles together to unlock the door to the outside. Pro tip: Anything—literally anything—can be a clue! 😉 Game on! Tell me more… Check out the descriptions of their four unique game themes below. Choose wisely, then visit again until you’ve mastered them all! Mission: Mars: You’ve made it to Mars, but that was the easy part. Your spacecraft has experienced some major damage and fatal radiation is headed your way. You have exactly 60 minutes to repair your ship and launch. Gold Rush: You are on the hunt…for gold! Recently, a greedy gold prospector who loved to gamble has gone missing. You’ve been tipped off to where he stashed his gold… But so has the mob. Time’s ticking, start digging! Prison Break: You’ve been wrongfully accused of a crime and sentenced to life in prison. Your cell once belonged to an inmate who disappeared without a trace. Can you follow in his footsteps and find a way out? The Heist: Can you beat an art thief at his own game? Your mission is to infiltrate the thief’s private office and steal back a famous piece of art. I’ve tried Prison Break and The Heist so far, and I can’t believe how creative these games are. It’s like living your own thrilling movie for an hour with your friends. Our best advice: View The Escape Game’s FAQ here. Then, click here to book now or call 952.856.3374 for more information. Monday - Saturday 10:00 a.m. - 9:30 p.m. Sunday 11:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. AttractionsEntertainmentEscape GameThe Escape Game Minneapolis Did you find this article enjoyable or useful? Share it with your friends! Email the Link	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0030.json.gz/line932
__label__wiki	0.596964	0.596964	Category: academicaction Great Academia Action By Dan Meyer • August 29, 2013 • 5 Comments Justin Reich pours a little water on Carnegie Learning’s claims that their Cognitive Tutor program “doubles” a year’s worth of Algebra learning: But where I’m flummoxed is how we are supposed to provide practicing educators with the tools to evaluate these kinds of findings. I know you can’t sell a curriculum product or a newsletter with headlines like “HUGE STUDY PARTIALLY VALIDATES ALGEBRA PROGRAM, PARTIALLY DOESN’T.” I don’t expect Carnegie Learning to build a web site that says “Major study shows no significant impact of Cognitive Tutor in middle schools!” But it also isn’t clear to me who in the system is incentivized to provide disinterested, broadly-accessible, readable summaries of important studies that help educators make careful decisions with scarce resources based on careful interpretation of existing evidence. Raymond Johnson writes a fascinating six-part series outlining the politicking and deliberation that led to NCTM’s 1989 standards: Despite the risk of bearing the responsibility for the Standards total estimated cost of $258,000 former Executive Director James Gates claimed “the proposal [to fund the Standards] was not submitted to either NSF or the U.S. Department of Education, so that no claims could be made that the federal government had funded the development of curriculum and evaluation standards.” In addition, the self-funding of the Standards and the decision to not write textbooks, as had been the case during the new math era, afforded the working groups relative independence from textbook publishers. academicaction	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0030.json.gz/line933
__label__cc	0.642553	0.357447	Conversation in Strange Horizons 29th October 2016 21st December 2015 by Polenth Bogi Takács and I have a non-fiction piece in Strange Horizons. It’s called Gender, Sex, and Sexuality in SF: A Conversation. We talk about various stuff, from things we think are handled badly to recommendations. This also marks my first non-fiction sale. While we were talking, I did have a tangent that I didn’t include. It’s something I think would interest my fiction readers more than people who don’t know who I am. Namely about the issue of times when it’s hard to show in a short story that humans do something too / it’s not an alien-only thing. I had a story where it was an issue: “The Dragonfly People” in Rainbow Lights. The viewpoint character is a giant scorpion-like alien, who comes from a strict trinary gender system. She assumes, based on what she sees, that humans have a strict binary gender system. Without concepts like being trans existing in her own culture, or a fluent shared language to discuss the issues, she remains thinking her initial assumption is correct. It was something I considered at the time I wrote it, though I felt overall it’d be clear it wasn’t my view from my body of work, and there was a sequel in progress about the alien/human relations in the next generation that tackled those issues. But the thing that struck me, and where this tangent is going, is those sorts of stories are rarely the ones where people are saying they couldn’t see how to mention it. They tend to be stories with human viewpoint characters, very human-like aliens, and/or characters who speak each other’s languages fluently. Which is why I often feel like replying to those statements with, “Is your viewpoint character a giant scorpion who thinks humans are weird squishy things that make funny sounds? No? Then someone can tell them androgynes exist, okay.” Now, I’m off to eat solstice chocolates. I hope you enjoy the conversation! Categories My Writing News, Writing Tags bogi takács, gender, lgbt, non-fiction, quiltbag, sexuality, speculative fiction, strange horizons 1 Comment	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0030.json.gz/line936
__label__cc	0.591717	0.408283	Backstreet Boys are back... in Winnipeg Abigail Turner GlobalNews.ca Backstreet Boys are set to take the Bell MTS stage on July 22, 2019. C Flanigan / Getty Images Hey ’90s kids, get excited — Bell MTS Place has announced the Backstreet Boys will be making a stop in Winnipeg. The boy band will be bringing their DNA World Tour to the Bell MTS stage on July 22, 2019. Tickets for the concert go on sale Nov. 14, while presale starts Nov. 10. Here’s a preview of what you can enjoy July 22.	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0030.json.gz/line941
__label__cc	0.57514	0.42486	One killed, one injured when van falls into creek WILLIS, TX It happened around 8:30pm Saturday on County Line Rd. outside Willis in Montgomery County. Authorities said a man and woman were inside a mini van headed west on County Line Rd. toward Caney Creek when they lost control on a curve. The driver overcorrected and hit a guardrail, then the van left the road. The vehicle flew about eight feet off the roadway, then fell about 30 feet into the creek. Emergency personnel had difficulty getting to the victims, officials said. A North Montgomery Country Fire Department ladder truck was used to get them out of the submerged van. Officials said the male driver was taken to an area hospital in critical condition. The female passenger died at the scene. According to investigators, it appeared the man was wearing a seatbelt, but the woman was not.	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0030.json.gz/line946
__label__wiki	0.969093	0.969093	Why Taylor Swift presenting with Amy Poehler at the Golden Globes was kind of a big deal Pop culture aficionados (and diehard Swifties) may have raised an eyebrow upon seeing Taylor Swift presenting with Amy Poehler at the Golden Globes Sunday night. That’s because the pair have a bit of Globes history. Seven years ago Poehler and her BFF Tina Fey co-hosted the Globes and poked some fun at Swift’s love life. Sam Michael Fox, son of actor Michael J. Fox, was serving as a Golden Globes Ambassador that year and Fey jokingly waved Swift away from the younger Fox. “You know what, Taylor Swift?” Fey said. “You stay away from Michael J. Fox’s son.” “Or go for it,” Poehler deadpanned, to which Fey responded, “No, she needs some me-time to learn about herself.” Swift was not amused. In an April 2013 cover story for Vanity Fair she shot back. “You know, Katie Couric is one of my favorite people,” Swift said. “Because she said to me she had heard a quote that she loved that said, ‘There’s a special place in hell for women who don’t help other women.'” Swift refused to be “date shamed.” “For a female to write about her feelings, and then be portrayed as some clingy, insane, desperate girlfriend in need of making you marry her and have kids with her, I think that’s taking something that potentially should be celebrated — a woman writing about her feelings in a confessional way — that’s taking it and turning it and twisting it into something that is frankly a little sexist,” she said. Fast forward to 2020 and Swift is in a better place. Not only has she squashed her beef with Katy Perry, but it appeared to be all love Sunday night with Poehler as well. Poehler and Swift presented the award for best animated movie, which ultimately went to “Missing Link.” “Amy and I are excited about this next category because we both love animation,” the “Cats” star said. “Speak for yourself, Taylor,” Poehler said. “I like movies about people, by people.” Screen Actors Guild Awards make history as ‘Parasite’ claims its top prize ‘Parasite’ opens important door for foreign language films with SAG win Let’s not project our feelings onto Jennifer Aniston and Brad Pitt	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0030.json.gz/line947
__label__wiki	0.519326	0.519326	Boston Sports Media Watch Joining The Forum Patriots Links Red Sox Links Celtics Links Bruins Links August 29, 2014 Bruce Allen Morning Links Patriots Wrap Preseason Slate, Cuts Tomorrow The Patriots wrapped up their preseason schedule with a 16-13 loss to the New York Giants. Jimmy Garoppolo went wire-to-wire in this one and had his moments, both good and bad. While some are ready to just hand him the backup QB job and get rid of Ryan Mallett, we likely won’t know for at least a few days what the team plans to do. Final cuts are tomorrow, but we can expect the roster to be in flux through at least Tuesday. I thought the broadcasts on WBZ improved throughout the preseason, and while last night was still silly at times, it was much better than the first effort of the season. Fauria has moments where he can actually give pretty good analysis, he got into detail at one point last night about footwork on a catch, making the right plant when turning which was information, but then he also has moments like “everyone loves bubbles!” which just makes you roll your eyes. Matt Chatham as usual, is the best part of the broadcast. While some may object and say that he is too deep and technical in his analysis, there is a segment of the viewership that really wants that next level dissection of plays. Last night’s game will only get one replay on NFL Network, that being tomorrow, Saturday August 30th at 1:00pm ET. The Giants broadcast crew of Bob Papa and Carl Banks with Howard Cross & Bruce Beck on the sidelines will call the game. What we learned: Patriots put wraps on preseason with 16-13 loss to Giants – Chris Price breaks down the takeaways from last night. On the media side: CBS’s all-female studio show is intriguing – Chad Finn looks at the CBS Sports Network’s new studio show, featuring Lesley Visser, Amy Trask, and Tracy Wolfson, as well as contributions from Andrea Kremer, Laila Ali, Dara Torres, and Swin Cash. Finn sort of buried the lede though later in the column by noting that Gerry Callahan has already re-signed with WEEI while John Dennis has not. It seems unlikely that Dennis will not eventually re-sign with the station, but it could be an interesting few days. (Update 1:10PM – Finn Tweets that Dennis has agreed to a new deal as well.) The New England sports survey conducted by Channel Media & Market Research and mentioned in the Inside Track this week had some curious picks in the media section. According to the Track, “The survey was conducted from Aug. 12-24 and 40 percent of the respondents were from Massachusetts with the other New England states making up the rest. Seventy-five percent of those polled were male, and the majority were between 25 and 44 years old.” Also, the polls were completely “write in” meaning choices were not given to the respondents. They picked these. Felger and Mazz read off this list on Wednesday at the end of the show. I don’t remember all exactly, except for the winners. These are what I remember: Top Team Play by Play or Analyst – Don Orsillo was the winner. Others in the top five included Dave O’Brien, Bob Beers, Tommy Heinsohn and Jack Edwards. No Mike Gorman which is an absolute travesty. Favorite Sportswriter – Mike Reiss won this one. Other favorites in the top five were Gerry Callahan, Dan Shaughnessy, Tony Massarotti and Gordon Edes. Tony Mazz has written about five times in the last year. Favorite Sports Radio Host – Tony Massarotti. I’ve lost all faith in humanity with this pick. I’m truly aghast. Other favorites were Dale Arnold, Scott Zolak, and tied for fifth were Mike Felger and Marc Bertrand. Favorite TV Sports Host – Tom Caron. Others on the list included Jerry Remy, Bob Neumeier and Felger. Published by Bruce Allen Automattician. View all posts by Bruce Allen 27 thoughts on “Patriots Wrap Preseason Slate, Cuts Tomorrow” Andy Dursin says: Mazz AND Tom Caron? Something is definitely wrong with that survey. I’d rank them as 1A and 1B of “Worst”. bsmfan says: As for the survey, a user, showaboutnothing, had access to the PDF results. If interested, he/she was kind enough to transcribe and paste the results in the comments section from 2 posts ago: http://www.bostonsportsmedia.com/2014/08/red-sox-continue-dismal-season-third-preseason-game-for-patriots latetodinner says: I will be playing the role of misogynist today because there is no other way to say what I am about to say without either being accused of being a misogynist at worst or insensitive at best. I would like to know why a “female” perspective is missing or needed in my enjoyment of sports analysis. If the show is going to concentrate on female sports (Tennis, Golf, Soccer, WNBA), then it is not targeted at men because men do not watch these events in enough numbers to warrant its own boutique show. There are not enough women viewers to make a sports driven “VIEW” style show work. So that means they have to also be discussing the popular news in mens sports of the day. This is the problem with network programming. There is a perception that there is an undiscovered niche that needs filling. The answer to the anonymous CBS exec who asked “why didn’t anyone think of this before?” is “Because all prior execs wanted to keep their jobs. Putting shows on the air that no one watches is not conducive to keeping one’s job”. I could be wrong people might come out of the woodwork to hear Leslie Vicar opine on whether Brian Hoyer or Johnny Manziel should start the 3rd preseason game for the Cleveland Browns. They might tune-in in record numbers to hear the latest breakdown of the 1-3-1 zone the Mohegan Sun rolled out last night in their WNBA game. Heck, the hard hitting segment on pressures of high school girl athletes to take PED’s both to increase performance and loose weight, might draw Duck Dynasty ratings. I just don’t see it. SaveBostonRadio says: This opinion while I agree with portions of would be destroyed by Richard Deitsch from SI. Women like Tracy Wolfson and Leslie Visser are true pros and could be on panels with men. This seems like a wannabe female PTI I don’t think it will rate, but McManus will blow his own horn for how progressive his idea in the sports media caused. daniel mateus says: I don’t care if you’re male or female,i just want people on who know what the hell they’re talking about. And the men they usually have on are just as clueless. As you said, it’s basically “The View meets First Take”. CBS wants to try and more power to them. Not my network or money. The problem is, like you said, the numbers. From attempts in the past and when people have studied this, unless you’re addressing ‘female issues’ during a time when many would be watching, like the View, most women, when it comes to sports, admit that they care little about gender and want that to come from someone credible (which we could debate the credibility of, as well). As a reference, when I’ve seen WNBA ratings broken down before, it’s something like 75-80% male. And, guess who the advertisers pay for? Much more for men than women. CBS has to know this. I can laugh at these networks all day for stupidity but at least people lose their jobs when bad decisions are made. It is a good time, with the sports bubble, to try something that’s been done in the past, but I’m in the same boat where I don’t see it lasting in the current form. Massarotti is the main reason I gave up all sports radio. I would love to see Sean McAdam with Felger. Just for the chance to hear Sean make Felger cry again. Bruce, that poll BLOWS, I mean it BLOWS, C’mon I mean I am worried TSH is going to cheap and won’t spend money. Anytime a decision is made based on money I find it to be straight CRAP.. “You’re absolutely right Bruce, this poll SUCKS. It BLOWS. Bruce is it possible to have online reader polls on this site grading, 3 shows on WEEI and TSB and individual hosts. I would love to see where to see the grades and rank them without naming anyone particularly, but that survey I bet would turn out different results than that “poll” Brian Shea says: This was done several years ago for various media personalities. I’d love to see something similar again. I’ve finally realized what Fauria’s role is at WEEI. He is their answer to Scott Zolak. Informed player who acts like a bozo half the time. Oswee Larvey Hald says: I dunno. @firemazz only has 40 followers on Twitter. Maybe people do like him. DryHeave says: graphic at the bottom of the screen on the “Early Edition” show (I think that’s what it’s called) “Future QB controversy?”…. Ryan,Tanguay and Flynn discussing. The media gasbags can’t wait for a REAL QB controversy so they have to talk about the possibility of a future one…. dawiz says: I’d like to give an IQ test to the morons who voted any of those stiffs to anything but the Worst List. Really? Tony you’re right Mike Mazz, Zolack the Hillbilly with that horrendous Western Pa. Accent, and on and on it goes. The next time you hear these gas bags tell you how smart Boston fans are, have them committed. Blow it up? I would have to think that the majority of these people don’t care for media/media gossip (us). Mazz is on TV a bit. Credibility is assumed with “well, if person is on TV, they must be credible.” Not agreeing or disagreeing but only stating the point that the average person taking these surveys is not someone who pays attention, or cares, to what we discuss here and on other media boards. showaboutnothing says: I emailed Bruce the survey by Channel Media & Market Research. Hopefully he has a way to post the entire results for all of you to read. I did my best the other day to give you the media results. Tony time says: Let’s see how this cut down to 53 by cutting your long snapper as the last cut. Isn’t a ploy to buy some time to work out the details and what draft pick the pats receive back for games played by mallet. To either the rams or Texans. Of course after bb press conference set for ten am tomorrow Bob Ryan’s Sunday column headline: “Are Fans Really Happy With The Patriots?”…. Ryan doesn’t seem to catch as much flack as Shaughnessy, but from my view he’s just as bad when it comes to the Patriots. Maybe worse, because he’s still obsessed with “SpyGate” and he loves to tell “the fans” how WE feel. When Mallett made the 53 man roster, I read a lot of comments saying, “Why didn’t they just cut him? What a waste of a roster spot!” When Mallett got traded, I read a lot of comments saying, “They wasted a 3rd round pick on this guy, and all they got was a 6th round pick for him?” How often does a team trade a backup quarterback and get SOMETHING in return? Seriously. The fact that they got ANYTHING for the guy is a testament to BB’s acumen as a GM. Said before but worth repeating: Fans and media won’t appreciate what we have with BB here until he’s gone. Media will always have agendas, in some capacity to fill, but I wonder how some of the callers like this get through, if there is nobody else calling or it is by design of the show to serve their agenda. Just wait for the fans, who used to scream about bad moves, call up when he’s not around with a line like, “This wouldn’t have happened if BB was still coach..”. Switch that to the media who love to trash the team, who wind up talking about how things were so good when BB was the coach (yeah while you were writing about how bad it was). daver says: Matt Schaub ruined it for everyone. If you tuned in to anything local sports related, there was no-doubt talk about Rondo and the Celtics. Sounds odd considering we’re more than a month from the start of NBA, the Celtics won’t be very good. If you missed the, “why” it stemmed from a video that ESPN.com had posted up until a day ago of the “between the commercials” when JackieMac was on ATH. http://deadsp.in/6SFeHjv She’s not dumb and knows ESPN posts each break. It was interesting how it took so long for it to become bigger, but I’m wondering motivation to ‘leak’ this. Isn’t Jackie one of the people that has, over the last 3 years, repeatedly pushed the idea that Rondo wants a max contract. I’m having a hard time computing this. She says Rondo wants a max contract, but that he want to be traded out of Boston. Boston can give him more money than any other team. Oh and she whines that “nobody believes her.” And Rondo’s camp instantly denied the report. Yeah I think Jackie is full of crappy. Mediots being Mediots. There’s nothing inconsistent there. Boston can give him more money RIGHT NOW, because he’s under contract to them. If he were a free agent, he couldn’t get as much as Boston could give to extend him. But if he’s traded BEFORE his existing contract expires, then THAT team becomes the one who can give him more money than anyone else. So if he wants a max contract AND does not want it to be with the Celtics, he needs to push for a trade to the team he wants to be with BEFORE becoming a free agent. Which is basically what JMM is saying he’s doing. Babyatskiy says: Excellent point about Rondo’s “Bird rights.” Oh and she whines that “nobody believes her.” When the Rondo trade/contract thing has come up over the past year, always from your usual gamut of the nationals who are fed it and break that stuff, local media, who are either too “Green” or are being fed info from Danny deny it. That’s why she said it. no doubt….I find him annoying as hell…Don’t try and tell fans” how “we” feel…you don’t have a clue. The way the mediots look at sports and the way fans look at sports couldn’t be different (for the most part) not counting the “moron fans” Pats Bollix It Up Again Meet The New New England Patriots WBZ Lays off Tom Cuddy Shots: Bradford Leaving Herald for WEEI.com A Reminder About John "Rollo" Tomase... Can Pro Football Focus Stats Be Blindly Trusted? Approval Ratings - Joe Castiglione Bledsoe Traded As stated here Thoughts on John Dennis/Ryen Russillo Is There A Tipping Point To Sports Media Trolling? 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__label__wiki	0.6645	0.6645	Tag: cinema review Star Wars VII: The Force Awakens A film that’s such an event can’t be this unremarkable. The seventh episode of Star Wars was supposed to be either a rejuvination or a complete disaster. It either proves the franchise has another lifetime in it or destroy its Death Star for good. For all the references, new faces, re-hashed concepts it’s just okay. The most interesting about it is how it updates the series to 21st century worldviews. Aside from Kylo Ren, who’s a more flawed and humane villain the update does mostly damage. In fact, the movie doesn’t stay true to the spirit of the old films at all. Millenium Falcon, cute droids and Cloak-and-Mask villains are props. They are not the spirit of the series. The original series was a pulp adventure. It was silly, overblown and never meant to be serious. Everything in it was insane, but it was never cruel. When the Death Star destroyed planets, all we saw was the explosion. The camera didn’t linger on the suffering because it didn’t matter. Darkness was not important. It was only important to establish that the Empire is so evil they’ll destroy planets for the fuck of it because they’re evil. This cartoonish approach doesn’t mean you can have emotionally effective or shocking moments. It’s because of the contrast that Vader’s cruelty was frightening. He was a heartless leader backed by an Army of Nonsense. That madness imbued characters with humanity and made Luke a generic moral hero with charisma. It takes about half an hour until something light-hearted comes in. The opening scene has the massacre of a village which is depressing in its cruelty. It’s a scene more at home for a film about the horrors of war. The presentation doesn’t add any depth but just removes joy. Compare Jakku to Tatooine. Tatooine was an insane planet. Everyone was weird. Jabba was menacing partly because everything around him was so bizarre. We had aliens with oversized heads playing music and walking cloaks who collected droids. Jakku is a gloomy post-apocalyptic landscape where nothing happens. Everyone struggles to get by. Life is harsh and that’s it. There are no odd moments, moments of madness and absurdity. Rei is a scavenger who has a hard time making ends meet and the guy shells stuff to is just an unpleasant asshole. There are enough Fallout games to draw inspiration from to make a convincing Post-Apoc landscape. There’s no reason to settle for this boring gloom. Junktown or Megaton are more lively and realistic places than Jakku. It’s not that the film fails to capture the magic of the previous chapters. It doesn’t even try. Gone is the wide-eyed approach. Instead, it’s replaced with more serious grimdarkness. Perhaps they know their target audience, which are fanboys who take the films as serious mythologies rather than great adventures. Rey is also more of a joke than a character. She walks around looking tough and screams at Finn to stop holding her hand. This is a not-so-subtle way to tell you it’s feminist and doesn’t put women into traditional gender roles. It just puts them in new roles, but Rey is just as one-dimensional if she were a damsel in distress. The makers forgot. Furiosa was a boring character whose purpose was to hold a shotgun. It was Max’s shaking and paranoia that made him real and charismatic. Finn is much better, and alongside Kylo he provides some grey morality that was missing from the original trilogy. In most stories, the heroes struggle against a powerful villain. No matter what ideas the character holds, it boils down to who’s a better swordfighter. Kylo Ren isn’t a powerful villain. He simply desires power. He’s not just similar to Darth Vader to evoke nostalgia. He wants to be him and Vader is a shadow that looms over him and affects him. Kylo is dangerous because of his personality. He’s not in control but impulsive. It’s actually that impulsiveness, that desire for power that makes him so weak. As an expansion of the Dark Side, it’s brilliant. He’s also aesthetically fun. His mask and voice are different enough than Vader, but similar enough to make him a worthy successor. As for BB-8 who is going to be the mascot of the new trilogy, he’s more needed than it looks. The original droids were brilliant, but BB-8 injects a sense of fun that’s missing from the film. In many scenes, he’s the only relic of Star Wars’ energy and silliness. He’s a great addition to the droid trio. He’s not a copycat of R2D2 even though he’s another attempt at taking an inanimate object and making him cute. He has a childish, jumpy personality that makes him different than C-3PO’s nervousness or R2D2’s heroism. R2D2 is perhaps Star Wars’ weirdest achievement, creating a vivid character out of a machine. BB-8 is a great successor, but hopefully we’ll see the two interact. The story itself re-hashes A New Hope, sometimes too much. Some ideas are turned on their heads in an amusing way that expands upon them. They failed in replicating the Death Star’s menace. It’s transformed into a huge gun that’s a hole in a planet. The first Death Star was menacing because it nonsenscial (why’d you go out of your day to wreck a whole planet?) but symbolizing ultimate destruction. The second was frightening because of its wrecked look, which shows how it leaves other planets. The 3rd one is bigger, but that’s it. There’s no unique features to it and we don’t even a cool shoot that makes us admire it. Speaking of visuals, the old style isn’t back. The effects are technically better, but they visual ideas aren’t as interesting. I kept looking for some background detail that will catch my eye, a random alien or a ship. The best shots are those that show old Empire vehicles wrecked. All the details don’t necessarily make for great visual details. Now we can film in darkness, but darkness still obscures the view. That’s the problem with working without limits. With nothing to limit you, you have no obstacles to overcome. You can throw everything in and you don’t think of ways to make it catch the eye. It’s a good film. It’s not the disaster it should’ve been and it often points that there’s still life to this. It can move the franchise towards a more psychological and morally grey area, but it also points to a worse angle. Grimdarkness and Hollywood Feminism also have a strong presence, suffocating creativity for the sake of looking cool. It’s just a stepping stone. The sequels will tell us more whether this was a good idea. 3 Death Stars out of 5 Author The Brain in the JarPosted on December 19, 2015 December 19, 2015 Categories cinema, reviewTags a new hope, action, animation, battle, BB-8, cartoon, chewbacca, cinema, cinema review, classics, darth vader, disney, droid, empire, fantasy, fiction, film review, first order, force, han solo, hunger games, jedi, lord of the rings, marvel, marvel cinematic universe, millenium falcon, movie, movie review, new film, new movies, order, outer space, republic, robot, robotics, romance, sci fi, science, science fiction, sith, space, space odyssey, space opera, space travel, spaceship, star wars, the empire strikes back, the force awakens, violenceLeave a comment on Star Wars VII: The Force Awakens	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0030.json.gz/line958
__label__cc	0.529424	0.470576	The Warrior Poet in Action: Poet and MMA Fighter Cameron Conaway, Part 2 Valerie Worthington Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Sport Psychology In part one of my talks with Cameron Conaway, we learned how he earned the moniker of Warrior Poet. Nowadays, Cameron is retired from fighting so he can travel and focus on writing. However, he still trains when possible, and all the training he does, from the six months of muay Thai he has done while in Thailand to yoga, swimming, and weightlifting, is adjusted to support his martial arts goals. “Knowing I can scrap to protect others or myself brings a confidence into my life that, I believe, provides me the courage to tackle writing projects and other missions with more fervor.” Cameron has also learned to channel the anger, “rage, even,” he felt as a child because of his relationship with his father toward more productive ends. While that rage initially sustained him, driving him to prove his father wrong about him, he was eventually able to transform it and come to a place of forgiveness through the writing of his book Caged: Memoirs of a Cage-Fighting Poet. “I no longer felt angry at his words or his actions because I began to understand where they came from.” Cameron’s father had also been mistreated. “He was part of the cycle.” While this didn’t excuse his behavior, it helped Cameron see him more objectively. He also recognizes how important his circle was - his mother, his grandparents, and some trusted friends - and how the self-made man myth is just that, a myth. “It may seem like it’s only Georges St. Pierre in the cage, but it’s really his entire team, from his coaches and family to even the country he was raised in.” Cameron recognized that while he worked hard, he had numerous assets. “It all matters.” From here, it wasn’t a great conceptual leap for Cameron to recognize, as he wrote in Caged, that to an extent, we can control how happy we are, no matter the outside circumstances. “In our everyday lives I think it’s easy for us humans to think we control everything.” We make decisions about our lives - where to go, when to wake up, what to have for dinner - that contribute to the illusion. “But the reality is that much of life is totally outside of our control. Shit happens,” and not necessarily for some higher reason. Once we accept this, we can stop trying to control what’s happening and instead focus on controlling how we respond. “This also ties into the Dalai Lama’s message about using empathy. No matter what is happening in our lives, there is someone, somewhere in a situation just as bad or worse.” We must remember this; remember that we are never alone. Cameron also fights to spread the word about how our differences as people make us beautiful, that “different is okay.” His travels in the Far East have driven home this concept, as he has had the opportunity to visit Vietnam, the Philippines, Bangladesh, Singapore, Malaysia, Myanmar, and Cambodia from his home base of Thailand. “There are so many different cultures and religious and environments, and it’s all beautiful because it is at once fully connected to everything else and entirely unique.” He votes, uses social media, speaks out, and lives in a manner reflective of this ideal. “There’d be less hatred and wars in the world if we saw each other’s differences not merely as differences but as beautiful and something to learn about and from.” Cameron has several books forthcoming, all of them poetry. Until You Make the Shore will be released in March 2013 by Salmon Poetry and is about his experiences teaching creative writing to female residents of a Tucson, Arizona juvenile detention center. Chittagong: Poems chronicles his experiences in Bangladesh. And Malaria: Poems is his “quest to make the disease matter,” chronicling his travel to regions suffering from malaria and to meet with experts on the disease. If you missed it, read part one to learn how Cameron became the Warrior Poet and how MMA saved his life. For more information about Cameron and his projects, visit cameronconaway.com. See more about: interviews, martial arts, poetry, MMA, UFC, mixed martial arts Add New Disciplines to Your Training, Part 1: How Do I Choose? Learning to Fight Endorphins Feel Acutely Euphoric, Just Like Opioids Empty Your Cup, You're Not That Good Yet Fight Strength NSFW: Treating Athletes with Platelet-Rich Plasma Therapy Fight Strength NSFW: Functional Range Release and Conditioning Mobility Systems	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0030.json.gz/line960
__label__cc	0.60443	0.39557	The Library of Congress > Blogs > Law Library > An Interview with Peter Roudik, Director of the Global Legal Research Center All Formats Audio Recordings Books Films, Videos Legislation Manuscripts/Mixed Materials Maps Notated Music Newspapers Periodicals Personal Narratives Photos, Prints, Drawings Software, E-Resources Archived Web Sites Web Pages 3-D Objects { subscribe_url: '/share/sites/library-of-congress-blogs/law.php' } An Interview with Peter Roudik, Director of the Global Legal Research Center September 7, 2011 by Hanibal Goitom This week’s interview is with Peter Roudik, Director of the Global Legal Research Center. Describe your background. I was born in Moscow, Russia into a typical Russian intelligentsia family. My parents taught me to appreciate books, art, and classical music. For 30 years I lived two blocks from the Red Square in this building. What is your academic/professional history? I received my education in Moscow and Budapest, Hungary. I earned a JSD from the Institute of State and Law of the Russian Academy of Sciences, then the premiere Russian legal research institution. While there, I met leading legal scholars from Russia and around the world, and established my professional network. We were often called on to help Russian legislators draft bills and answer their questions. Working at the institution, I got an inside knowledge of parliamentary affairs. At the same time, I taught legal history and comparative law at the Russian State Classics Academy Law School. My first encounter with the U.S. legal system occurred at the Central European University in Budapest, where faculty from the United States taught American law to East European students. Then thanks to the John W. Palmer scholarship, I was able to compare my theoretical knowledge with real life at the Capital University Law School in Columbus, Ohio. In 1994 I moved to the United States to work for the Center for East European Constitutionalism at the University of Chicago Law School. The Center conducted comparative constitutional studies and published the East-European Constitutional Review, the first law journal dedicated to analysis of constitutional reforms in the former Soviet block. In Chicago, I cooperated with the law firm McBreen, McBreen & Kopko where I learned more about American legal practice. In 1996, I was hired by the Law Library of Congress to work as a legal specialist covering the former Soviet countries and moved to D.C. I have to say that my old office at the University of Chicago was apparently a good starting point for those who wanted to relocate to Washington. The faculty member who moved into the office after me soon moved to DC also: first to the Senate, and then to The White House. How would you describe your job to other people? I think that I have the best legal job in the world because it is a wonderful combination of academic research and legal practice. I am the first Director of Legal Research who continues to work as a legal specialist providing research on jurisdictions originally assigned to me, which are the republics of the former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe. That gives me a unique opportunity to work very closely with all other members of the Law Library’s research team on major assignments and be ready to respond to questions regarding the laws of my jurisdictions at any time. As a legal specialist, I’ve testified twice at congressional hearings and have participated in court trials. Research is probably the most attractive element of my work. Almost daily, while reviewing the reports of my colleagues, I learn something new about different legal cultures. I regularly discuss with my colleagues how to improve the quality of our work, what new research products to introduce, and what to do in order to move our products to the forefront of modern comparative legal studies. My goal is to keep the research part of the Law Library in line with the vision of the Law Librarian of Congress. Another equally enjoyable part of my work is spending time with people from outside of the Library to help them learn more how our great institution can help them in their work. Why did you want to work at the Law Library of Congress? The Law Library is a unique research institution with a world renowned collection of almost unlimited resources. If there is a place for a legal scholar to work, it is here. Every morning when I go up Capitol Hill I feel that my dreams came true and I see the opportunity to be here and share my knowledge with the Library’s patrons as a privilege. As an immigrant and U.S. citizen, I am happy that by working at the Library I can do my best in serving this country and its people. What is the most interesting fact you’ve learned about the Law Library? Many people who were interviewed for this blog mentioned the richness of the collection. I would like to bring attention to the fact that the Library’s treasures are open to all. There are few restrictions on the use of materials from the Library’s collection, and all of our staff work diligently on implementing new programs that will make our collection even more accessible to readers. Many visitors are amazed by the fact that anyone from every corner of our planet regardless of citizenship, education, or profession can come to the Law Library, make a phone call, or send an email, and the Law Library’s specialists will provide this person with a comprehensive, and authoritative solution to the question. We will help to locate the applicable law of a jurisdiction, explain how it works, recommend literature, and even make a few copies if necessary. Needless to say, assistance is provided free of charge, and no inquiry is lost or left unanswered. What’s something most of your co-workers do not know about you? When I started to work at the Library fifteen years ago, then-Director of Legal Research, Dan Zafren, who was a big fan of Yorkshire terriers, introduced me to this breed of dogs. Not long ago, I got my own yorkie. Maybe there is something about this position? Posted in: Global Law, Interview 2 Comments \| Add a Comment » Dominique Sprumont Dear Peter Roudik, I have read with great interest your paper on “FALQs: Soviet Investigation of Nazi War Crimes” from 2015. You mention the «Decree of the USSR Supreme Council Presidium of April 19, 1943». Are you aware that the Japanese “scientists who were condemned during the Kabharovsk trial were conficted under the same decree? I do not read Russian but I understand from your paper that the decree is targetting ” German and Fascist Villains”. Does it include the Japanese? It would seem important to clarify this element as the Kabharovsk trials are mostly ignored in comparison with the Nuremberg Trials even though the atrocities they are addreessing are of the same nature and intensity. Hanibal Goitom Response from Peter: That is a great question, Mr. Sprumont. Thank you. You are correct in saying that the 12 Japanese military officers who were tried in December 1949 by the military tribunal in Khabarovsk for developing and using bacteriological weapons were accused of committing crimes identified under paragraph 1 of the USSR Supreme Soviet Decree of April 19, 1943. The Decree prescribed the death penalty (by hanging) for “German, Italian, Romanian, Hungarian, and Finnish fascist villains who have committed murders and tortures of Soviet civil population and Red Army soldiers.” The Decree did not mention Japanese villains, and the Japanese military was not involved in murdering or torturing Soviet people. It appears that the Decree was used by analogy, and all of the accused persons confessed to committing crimes identified by the Decree. Because the death penalty had been abolished in the Soviet Union at this time, all of them were given prison terms ranging from 2 to 25 years. Materials from the trial were published in 1950 by the Soviet government and later republished in Japan. You can find them in the Library of Congress collections. This blog is governed by the general rules of respectful civil discourse. You are fully responsible for everything that you post. 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__label__cc	0.715019	0.284981	← “The NFL has always been a dream of mine.” A good time is had by all. → Mark Richt has lost control over losing control. So, I finished drinking the Kool-Aid last night – quite tasty, thank you for asking – and finally stopped pinching myself before I went to bed. And in the cold light of day, I’m still stunned. The speed at which this came together continues to amaze me. A week ago, we’re arguing with each other about how Richt’s wish for defensive continuity is going to play out this season. Grantham flees Athens last Sunday, leaving us to fret about the process for finding his successor, as well as who that successor will be. But we barely had time to fret! (Schlabach told 680 The Fan yesterday that Richt learned of Grantham’s move at four o’clock that day and had settled on Pruitt as the guy to go after by five.) Mark Richt snatched victory from the jaws of malaise. He is receiving deserved acclaim for acting so decisively. In fact, I’d call it near-universal acclaim. Outside of the FSU fan base, I honestly can’t find any criticism of the move, not from the media, other coaches, even that part of the fan base that has been steadily critical of Richt (when’s the last time that happened, eh?). I mean, consider where things have wound up now that the dust has settled. Georgia has swapped Todd Grantham for Jeremy Pruitt, literally, for the same contract terms, and gotten a defensive coordinator with a better recent track record on the field and who is a better recruiter. And in the bargain, has gotten all that without having to make a major disruption to its defensive scheme. That’s about as good as it gets. It’s so good that it’s making me a little nervous, honestly. Since when does Georgia get this golden? This is the home of funky karma and playing it safe and slow. But I’ll put that aside for now. Let’s look at a few specifics that are worth getting excited about. Hey, maybe Georgia isn’t such a bad place to be after all. Louisville isn’t toxic, but Bobby Petrino obviously has a tough sell to make when he hires staff. That’s why it took the most ridiculous contract in college athletics to get Todd Grantham to jump ship. Pruitt decided to leave FSU a week after winning a national title for a contract worth half of Grantham’s. Whatever you think about Richt as a head coach, you’d have to say he’s still got the ability to attract quality coaching talent. Hopefully that’s a meme we can dispose of for a while. Recharging the program’s batteries. That being said, this had all the makings of a somewhat sober offseason. The 2013 season was a bummer, from the final record to all the injuries. There’s no question that for much of the fan base the bloom had worn off the Grantham rose. I’m not saying that Richt’s decision to keep on keeping on with the defensive staff was a fatal call – there would have been no way to know that for sure until the 2014 season got underway – but it sure wasn’t lighting much of a fire under anyone. Today, we’re in a very different place. The fan base is pumped up and united for the most part. More importantly, from what I gather, you can say the same thing about the players. Music to my ears. Georgia’s got plenty of talent on the defensive side of the ball. And Grantham, whatever faults you want to lay at his feet, wasn’t a dummy. But when you’ve got players having as much trouble getting in position in the bowl game as they did in the season opener, things clearly weren’t working right. So let me say that I flat-out love hearing stuff like this about Pruitt: “He was as good as anybody I’ve been with in the press box in the National Football League and in college ball,” said Sal Sunseri, an assistant on that 2009 Alabama team who now works as Florida State’s defensive ends coach. “He knows exactly how to put the guys in place and knew how to make adjustments. & That’s how we won.” That is some first class Dawg porn for this blogger, ladies and gentlemen. Excuse me while I wipe up this drool… More music. Tell me, when’s the last time you heard a Georgia defender talk about his coordinator like this: “He taught us the ins and outs of everything,” Florida State safety Terrence Brooks said recently. “Just the way to pursue to the ball, the way to go get the ball, everything you can think about in football he’s taught us. He really broke the game down to us as to why we’re running this type of defense. “He makes you understand it so much better and I feel like everyone bought into it and that’s why we’re so successful.” Damn it, where did I put that towel? If you act now, we’ll include this as a special bonus! I’m thrilled with Pruitt the teacher and schemer. Finding out that he’s one of the top recruiters in the country is icing on the cake. Is this Richt’s best staff ever from a recruiting standpoint? Time will tell, but it sure seems like you can make that argument. Given this – “Pruitt already has impressed the Georgia staff with his knowledge of the Bulldogs’ recruiting prospects.” – it may not take that much time, either. Kirby Smart. Who cares? Greg McGarity. A better DC, an energized fan base, all without having to spend a penny more in a market like this? Wipe that shit eating grin off your face, man. And don’t forget to take care of Bobo now that you’ve gotten to keep a few extra bucks in your pocket. Mark Richt, winner. He made it happen and he deserves the credit he’s getting. If Ivan Maisel’s perception (“that Georgia gave him a three-year deal is a good indication that head coach Mark Richt plans to stay at least that long, a good sign for the Dawgs”) is common – and I don’t buy it, by the way – then this is as good a way to dispel the doubters as I can think of. More importantly, he proved himself to be decisive in a crisis, and by that I don’t just mean finding a new DC. I don’t believe in the conspiracy theories floating around that this whole deal was engineered by Richt from the get go, because there’s no way he could count on the good fortune of a desperate Petrino to put the wheels in motion, but I am convinced that he intended to hold Grantham’s feet to the fire this season, and that Grantham was fully aware of it. There was obviously plenty going on behind the scenes that we’re never going to be made fully aware of, but that’s water under the bridge now. The program is in a better place today and that’s something to celebrate. At least until we want to start complaining about what’s being done to fix the problems on special teams, that is. But that can wait. Let’s savor the moment for a little while, okay? Tagged as Mark Richt 148 responses to “Mark Richt has lost control over losing control.” It’s been a while since I felt much excitement about Georgia football. Feels good, man… Summed up neatly. Thanks Senator. Question: It appears that everyone in our athletic department from ADGM to CMR was unhappy with Grantham and the direction of the defense. That being said, why didn’t our head coach make things happen by firing Grantham? Why does he have such a hard time of firing people? Why is it such a big deal to a certain part of the fan base that Richt “make things happen”? Especially after a day when he clearly did? Richt most definitely saved the day. And for that he deserves all the kudos in the world. With that said, if we had the ability to get Jeremy Pruitt, who is clearly an upgrade, I think the question, which is a fair one, is why wouldn’t Richt make that happen without waiting for Grantham to leave? It’s as if Richt was content with the mediocrity, but when he had no choice, then he was able to make magic happen. I think it’s more than a fair question to wonder why a coach who wants to win would not make that magic happen on his own volition. This gets to the heart of his hunger and his management style. And let’s not talk about money – the reality is that if Richt wants a coach gone badly enough, McGarity would surely make it happen regardless of the financial impact. Unless you know what was going on behind the scenes, you have no idea whether the question was fair or otherwise. Do you? Or is this just how you prefer to think things operate? Bingo. What we don’t know is how the conversation with Grantham and ADGM went when Richt met with both. My guess is the Senator is right and Grantham started shopping for a sweeter deal. I think Richt probably made it clear he wasn’t going to make it a fun year on the D and D staff and “You know, Todd, if you get a better offer, you might want to consider it.” I don’t mind that. I don’t think he wanted Todd to have the stigma of being fired because it hadn’t gotten THAT bad yet in his mind. My Lord, I’m so excited about watching an exciting and attacking defense. Your statement backs my point. Why not just fire the incompetent boob rather than hoping he gets a sweeter deal upon being suggested to look for one? IndyDawg So, you think our AD would have been willing to payout TG’s contract to fire him AND sign up for another 3 year $850K contract for a new DC? I suspect the answer is “No”. In this scenario, CMR was playing the hand he was dealt and TG fortunately folded. Then CMR played a new winning hand. See, there are lots of ways to interpret these events. So you’re telling me that if Richt is insistent that he has an incompetent assistant who must be canned, then McGarity won’t listen because of dollars? I don’t buy that for a second, and I don’t think the Senator will either. If an assistant needs to go, $$$ won’t stand in the way. I agree that if Richt wanted Grantham to be gone, he’d have been fired. Which means that Richt didn’t want Grantham gone, right? BTW, weren’t you one of the two arguing a week ago that if Richt was okay with Grantham staying, Georgia should have matched Louisville’s offer? No, that’s not what I was saying, but in rereading what I wrote, I understand why you read it that way. You are the kind of guy who would get upset if someone gave you a fifty, griping that you wanted a hundred., Not so. It just strikes me as concerning that the same silliness goes in to watching the same mistakes made over and over again and not wanting to do anything about it. Thank God for Bobby Petrino, and thank God Richt landed Pruitt, but we need to be more aggressive in correcting our flaws. Because you don’t know if you’re gonna land Pruitt. You can put out feelers but that doesn’t mean much if someone currently has the job. Think about it in your own world, talk is talk until something is visible. Without the opening being visible maybe Pruitt doesn’t take us seriously. I disagree. Richt could have used a sock puppet on SeminoleVent to publish an authoritative job opening for DC and that Pruitt should apply. When Pruitt read that inside information, everything would have fallen into place. Maybe that’s exactly what happened. Hope? Which offseason did he not shop himself? It was a solid bet (if that was their approach). Because it’s fair to assume this given that we have seen this pattern with other coaches. Willie M, Van Halanger, and now Grantham. You act as if our supposition is so outlandish even though the history shows it to be the case. And yet here we sit with an excellent hire made at record speed, which indicates to me that the man had a very specific plan in mind. How does that fit into your pattern? It fits in the pattern because he didn’t fire an incompetent assistant; the assistant left on his own. If we didn’t have Bobby Petrino so stupid to want to overpay for Grantham, how exactly would that “specific plan” have played out? Moreover, in this case, it is especially shocking given what was waiting in the wings. Perhaps Richt doesn’t agree with your assessment of Grantham. Shocking, I know. And if you’re suggesting that Richt knew Pruitt was available before Grantham left, please share with the class how you know that. hailtogeorgia But how do you not know that Richt didn’t tell Grantham to look for another job? Fire him or not, why are you so darned worried about it? lamontsanford This. Some clowns will bitch about the bumpy flight on their free trip to Hawaii. Perhaps “what was waiting in the wings” only existed because Richt is a fair-minded person who doesn’t reflexively fire coordinators? BUT HE’S AN INCOMPETENT BOOB RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE I know, right. It’s relentless. roterhalsdawg Not sure how many coaches truly know who is “waiting in the wings” until there is an opening. I think it is safe to say that CMR, unlike Petrino, isn’t gonna interview candidates for a coaching vacancy until it’s actually vacant. Interview, no…but Friend could have been in Richt’s ear about his friend before the Petrino gig happened. Would you have fired Bobo a couple of years back? Studawg One might also say BOOM! No we don’t know what is going on by the scenes. Isn’t that why we have journalists who are paid to ask these types of questions? If you were a great coach, would you rather work for someone who has a reputation for firing people or someone who gives people great chances to succeed. Not to mention that Richt is not a total dick. He’s a fair man, and any fair minded person would take all the youth and injuries on the defense into account. Georgia’s defense sucked, no doubt, but from what I could see it was mostly on the secondary. Richt was willing to give Grantham a chance to fix that. It’s more curiousity to me Senator. The “we weren’t firing him, but he was free to leave” idea. If you didn’t want the man around, why keep him around? That’s what I don’t get. If Grantham was free to pursue other opportunities, why don’t you fire him so he truly can pursue them? (with the fearful answering being, well then we’d have had to pay his buyout and reduce our reserve fund). That aside, I agree with every word you wrote above. I’m curious about what Richt said to Grantham. But if you’ll recall, Grantham was free to pursue other opportunities after the 2012 season, too. That’s hardly news. Does anybody really think Mark Richt would make a coach stay in Athens against his wishes? Bingo. If you don’t want him around, then fire the loser. Don’t bank on him getting a sweeter opportunity from a greater fool. How do you know Richt didn’t want Grantham around this season? I don’t, but again, that’s my point. If he did, then clearly he was content with mediocrity. If he didn’t, then why not fire him? With that said, the idea that he may have encouraged Grantham to take a sweeter deal would seem to indicate that he did not want him around. … the idea that he may have encouraged Grantham to take a sweeter deal… Again, pure speculation on your part that anything like that was communicated to Grantham. I didn’t say that it was, someone else did. I don’t know that to be the case, but honestly, I don’t care. What I do care about is that if nothing was said to Grantham, then Richt clearly was content to stick with an incompetent boob. I don’t know why this is so hard. Either Richt didn’t want Grantham gone, in which case he was content to stick with an incompetent boob, or he did want Grantham gone, in which case it’s ludicrous that Grantham wasn’t fired. To not fire him but rather prefer he would leave on his own is unacceptable, as is holding onto such an incompetent clown. The only valid course of action was to recognize the disaster on hand, and act decisively (which, as mentioned earlier, we have seen this pattern in the past with Willie M and Van Halanger). The fact that he saved the day when Grantham bolted on his own doesn’t explain why Grantham was in charge of the departure in the first place. Maybe not everyone thinks he’s an incompetent boob? Perhaps some people are okay with the idea that he had a defense full of youngsters who could improve? This is a legitimate question – have you ever had to fire someone? That excuse is bunk given that in 2012 he had 9 NFL players and still massively underperformed. Yes, I have had to fire someone. It is not easy, admittedly. But it was the right thing to do for the organization. That doesn’t mean it’s not hard, but when it has to be done, you do it. He had the same defense in 2011 and performed extremely well. You were willing to fire him this year. Richt, it seems, wasn’t there yet. Considering Richt works with the man on a daily basis, perhaps he has a different idea as to what constitutes an incompetent boob. Who knows. Either way, you’re taking this way too seriously when it doesn’t matter in the slightest at this point. He didn’t fire Bobo when people wanted him to and that worked out alright, didn’t it? Darrron Rovelll Todd Gurley just called the Senator to ask that you remove his name because it implies his tacit endorsement of your stupidity. Your argument here about something which you obviously have no inside knowledge is ridiculous. Unlike your handle, who on the field doesn’t over-analyze the play-calling, scheme or situation – Gurley simply takes the ball and goes full bore each and every time, – you appear to want to find 18 reasons why something is wrong instead of supporting why something is right. Meanwhile, in Snelling Hall… Random guy: “Hey, Todd.” Gurley: “Uh. Hey. What’s up?” Random guy: “There’s some dingus using your name and making dumb posts on the Internet.” Gurley: “To the Gurleycopter!” Now THAT is funny. Well done. The most mediocre part of our defense was our secondary, which was the victim of youth, suspensions, attrition from earlier years, and (apparent) poor coaching. The rest of our defense was solid, and at times, really good. Allowing a coach the chance to improve things is not the same thing as being “content with mediocrity.” CCRider Richt didn’t want him but Richt was too weak to fire him…..again that is where your Boy and his Dirty Mexican stepped in and pushed this deal along. Again….I don’t want to brag….but……You are all mighty welcome! I said C., C. C. Rider Oh see, what you have done (Yea yea yea) Oh girl, you made me love you Now, now, now, now your loving man has gone (C. C. Rider) Girl what’d I say (C. C. Rider) +1 🙂 Ahhhh Thank you… Thank you very much. 😉 I heard that in audio….. Beautiful! It am an Elvis person.. You know as in , either you are an Elvis person or A Beatles person. That was the very best Elvis concert I have ever seen, by far. If someone watches that Hawaii concert and doesn’t get what separates The King from others, they won’t ever like him. That was the best because, he sounded great, looked great, and had the best selection of music to showcase his voice. Have had that on DVD since it was first out and upgraded when they improved it (had it on Laser Disc first). Calling Grantham a loser speaks directly to your character, IMHO. Your entitled to your ignorant opinion. That reminds me of an awesome t-shirt that read, “Your retarded.” My apolgies. YOU’RE entitled to your ignorant opinion. Because there is a broad spectrum of options between Fire him and give him a raise. How is that difficult to understand? Plenty of times I have gotten the letter of resignation and said “I wish you the best of luck and please let me know if I can be of any assistance or if you need a future reference.” Sometimes I say “what can we do to keep you”, and then other times I am proactively making sure that a key employee is satisfied, engaged, and happy with compensation, projects, and work life balance. And sometimes I am just thankful that the person saved me the trouble of going through the firing process. This isnt rocket science. Plenty of times I have gotten the letter of resignation and said “I wish you the best of luck and please let me know if I can be of any assistance or if you need a future reference.” Was this from incompentent people whom you let hang around, or was it from a competent guy whom you would have preferred to keep and had no interest in jettisonning? I am assuming the latter, of course. Your management experience is limited and it’s showing. You’re using the logical fallacy of false dilemma. You’re suggesting that the only two options for Richt were to fire Grantham for incompetence, or wholeheartedly endorse him. There are other possibilities. The idea that Richt had a Tom Hagen-Franky Five Angels conversation with Grantham is just humerous to me. I don’t see Richt operating that way. However things happened though, I am grateful. No snark intended, Kevin and GurleyMan, but you might be falling into the hindsjght trap of “why didn’t he think of this before?” Last week Mark Richt was planning to see if Todd Grantham could rejuvenate his career, and Richt was judging that the search for an improvement was a chancy thing, and we could get worse in 2014. Please remember, that’s how it was a short few days ago. Some fans can’t appreciate the class that MR represents for our University. Anyone with thoughts towards the lives of others like Richt has can understand what you are doing to families and others when the word “fired” is used. It reflects the failure of both parties and should never be used except when forced with your back to the wall. Firing people is a last resort situation that should never be used insensitively. It smacks of FU redneck fans. This has nothing to do with Richt’s class. We all think Richt is classy. But you’re telling me not firing an incompetent assistant is what makes up class and that is “unclassy” to fire incompetent underlings? Absurd. The buyout price most certainly outweighed the need to dismiss especially in this bean counting program. To your point on the hindsight trap, I’ve heard “If Belichick knew Tom Brady was going to be such a good player why did he wait until the 6th round to draft him”. This type of Monday morning quarterbacking has become such an crutch to sports talk radio, it has seeped into the mainstream GurleyMan (you really should change your name, it’s insulting to our best player) what is your deal? It baffles me that someone can find anything to bitch about after this hire. I have heard from a few folks that I know who said that Grantham was told to look around and that he is the one who initiated contact with UL not the other way around (and this is from someone on the UL end not our end). How he convinced them that he was worth $1 mil is beyond me but good on him for it. If you know anything about CMR it is that he has class and is a genuine person, he was allowing Grantham to keep his dignity while making a change that is excellent for the program at the same time. Why is this so hard to understand?? Why is it so hard to understand that it is ridiculous to want to keep a guy while at the same time encouraging him to look around? If you want your assistant to look around, then why would you want to keep him in the case that he doesn’t find a fool like Bobby Petrino to take such incompetent assistant off your hands? The way this happened, benefited both parties…what is wrong with that? I say nothing. I don’t remember the exact wording after the season, but it was something more like “we aren’t going to prevent anyone from exploring other opportunities” rather than “we are going to encourage some guys to look elsewhere.” You may not think that is a huge difference, but it is. The first is pretty much the unspoken rule at the end of every season of coaches who aren’t dicks. In this case, it was spoken because a reporter brought it up. Richt at no time said he wanted Grantham gone, so there is NO reason to believe that he wanted Grantham gone. What he did want is better results, and he was willing to give Grantham one more season to get those better results. This is not weakness. This is being an encouraging boss. This is not accepting mediocrity. This is weighing all of the factors of a shitty season and deciding that a guy deserves one more chance. To put it simply, this is Mark Richt, and this is the way he works. Some of us see it as a feature rather than a bug. Would you rather your manager at McDonalds fire you or would you rather him encourage you to go over to Arby’s and see if they are hiring? Of course I am being facetious but you get the idea. I don’t see why everything that CMR does you have to be so critical of. What would make you happy?? A public lynching? Tar and feathering him and running him out of town on a rail? Grantham may not have been what we needed as a DC but he is still a human being that deserves to be treated with a certain level of class and respect. If you truly do manage people then I pity the people who have to work for you. Lakatos Intolerant Give it up, brotherman. Do you want the collective blogosphere to give you a “that’s a valid point, IAmAGurleyMan”? Do you want something to hang onto if there is a management/coaching mistake down the road so that you can say “I told you so”? What’s your schtick exactly? There are 3 people who know precisely how the events transpired. Everything else is speculation and conjecture. So who gives a flying fuck at this point? BMacDawg87 If he fires Grantham we also don’t get his 400K buyout ;). The writing was on the wall for CTG and he knew it IMO. There’s a mention in this Weiszer article about Pruitt being ST coordinator at his HS program: http://dogbytesonline.com/with-pruitt-comes-you-get-what-you-earn-mentality-80399/ Obviously that won’t be his first (or second, or third) priority, but maybe he has something helpful to add to the conversation. This article just took everything I was saving up for my wife tonight. TMI friend. Positive momentum FTW! Now just close on some guys and flip 1 or 2 and everyone will be foaming at the mouth. Dawgaholic First major post-Adams move. Thank you Jere. Yes, don’t forget Bobo, along with a few other keeper assts. I feel as uplifted as any fan, but talk of NC should stop now. It should not be carved as an expectation, but rather as an “If” everything we know of our program coming together without the big injury bug deciding our fate. Pruitt fits everything we need when it comes to expertise and experience with the D-backfield, returns, ball turnover and other ST necessities. Let’s enjoy watching them work toward that and support what’s necessary to get our best players on the field. His experience with the prolific O at FSU’s practices is the best practice scenario that we could expect. He and Bobo should feed off one another. Here’s to us, the fans, for maturing in a semicrisis atmosphere and arriving where many thought we should be over 7 yrs ago. Are you ready?: GO DAWGS! SIC”EM! By the by, the pressure on So Ga recruiting just subsided a bit. Perhaps we can at least talk of a return to the ATL? Seriously, South GA is great, but it’s not going to mean much if Alabama and Tennessee wipe out ATL. See the 1990s. Who exactly are UT and Bama getting from Atlanta that we wanted? How are they “wiping out” Atlanta? I don’t think we have done a good job in ATL the last 20 years. Richt has done better, but there is still ground to be made up. To be fair, there are a lot of kids in ATL and a lot of them don’t have ties to UGA. This. ATL has become a city of transplants where a lot of the kids growing up have no allegiance to UGA and didn’t have parents or grandparents that attended there. I am not worried about our recruiting at all, our class last year was stellar and this year while small will be a great year too. Cojones, do you use “by the by” in regular conversation? I’ m reading “albion’s seed” by David Hackett fisher & he singles this out as a very unique regional phrase. I had never heard it, though. Used in place of by the way? I must be honest last time I heard it used was in Robin Hood: Men in Tights. Certainly not Albion’s Seed but both involve Brits. 😉 If you like American regional history and haven’t read Albion’s Seed, I highly recommend it. “He makes you understand it so much better and I feel like everyone bought into it and that’s why we’re so successful.” This, more than anything else that has been said about Pruitt. Did any of us have the feeling the defensive players at Georgia…especially behind the line of scrimmage felt this way? Even against Coach Beelzebub, the FSU defense seemed to be headed toward the football. Teach me, coach, that’s your job. I’m happy. I really don’t understand all the angst about Richt not FIRING CTG. Seriously. It got done to the betterment of the program. I think Richt has shown us “how to do it right!” Got Goosies. I think Richt new Grantham would leave this time at the first offer and had in the back of his mind who he wanted once Grantham made the first move. That is how it happened so fast. A good manager plans ahead for all possibilities. But like you said we (I) really don’t know what was going on behind the scenes. I don’t care how it happened……just damn excited that it did. Guess my threat to withhold GSEF is over! Yep. Opportune time for that comment. I just can’t believe how long it’s taking to find a new LB coach. The rev with a zinga… Georgia – the home of funky karma. That belongs in the lexicon. And when was the last time you could type “Kirby Smart. Who cares?” and have everyone agree? I’m going outside to see if there are boulders falling from the sky or large cracks appearing in the face of the earth. I’ve been called critical of Richt, but nothing to dislike about this. Absolute tape-measure, Mickey Mantle size grand slam. As for Grantham, best of luck. If he succeeds at Louisville, I’ll be genuinely happy for him. But I have my doubts. Grantham knows football, I am sure. He strikes me as the type of person that knows everything there is to know about an engine, but can’t actually turn a wrench. I have no doubt that he can turn the wrench. I just don’t think he’s very good at teaching others to turn it or, even more importantly, making others WANT to turn it. Absolute tape-measure, Mickey Mantle size grand slam. Can’t believe I’m saying it, still pinching myself. But after watching that presser, I think you’ve come up with the perfect description. I was in Yankee Stadium before the renovation, in 1968, and saw the spot where the Mantle monster shot hit the light pole on the way out of the stadium. Nobody has ever, before or since, hit a baseball that high or that far. Not even on steroids. Does not surprise me now re CMR’s schedule and etc. Remember, retains strong connections to FSU. Would he have casual conversations with Mickey Andrews and Bobby? Plus, if he watched the BCS game, I’m sure he saw what some of us saw in that game…not so much Jameis Winston, but FSU’s D. Pruitt was also an excellent Special Teams coach at one point as well. Also, possibly he had more of the “sense” of where his staff was than many of us thought. But CMR was coaching more than the current play, but future plays in the game is catch the meaning. Factor in Will Friend’s association and relationship. No doubt Pruitt wanted back into the SEC, that is who he is. Senator, when you say you don’t buy it (re: Maisel), what don’t you buy? …that Richt won’t stay for another three years, or that the three year contract is necessary to prove that he will be? I don’t get the idea he’s looking to retire any time soon, but maybe that’s just me. Also, as an aside, is ADGM really a thing now? The acronyms we’re getting to make me want to pull my hair out – is McGarity that hard to type? (this isn’t at you, senator, just a rant). The perception that Richt wasn’t planning on staying in the job too much longer. Thanks for clearing it up. We’re in agreement. You’re not lying. It requires easily as many brain cells to figure out “ADGM” as it does to just type “McGarity.” Agree, its over the top. I use “McG”. Is that OK? 🙂 I’ll allow it. 😉 So…you are the Judge? It’s a dirty job, but… Tre Mason had almost 200 rushing yards against Pruitt’s D. But he shut down Marshall and Marshall’s passing. 2014 Dawgs D will face Clemson, Auburn, and Tech between the hedges. Pruitt game planned all 3 in 2013. Throw in Florida. UF with Roper and Driskell will be a very tough team. Think not. Well, get out of the box. Make that 5 teams. He saw Duke and Roper. fatman48 He said, she said, what if this, what if that, its over its a done deal. Its time to sit back and let CJP go to work, NSD is three weeks away, then in September we arm chair quarterbacks can NIT-PICK everything he’s done, good,bad or indifferent. “GO DAWGS” GATA I want more. Let’s get Sal Sunseri to fill the LB coach position. TEXAS DAWG It is WONDERFUL to have someone who can TEACH. I realize last years defense was very young and inexperienced. The problem I had, was that they looked just as bad at the end the season as they did at the first of the season. Ghost of Dawgs Past Thank you Mark Richt, ADGM, and The University of Georgia. I NOW HAVE HOPE! Go Dawgs! GATA! Pass the kool aid. I want a big gulp! Great to be a Georgia Bulldog. Let’s also hope they can teach defenders to actually CATCH interceptions instead of having numerous sure pick 6s bounce off of guys’ gloves. How many dropped INTs did we have this year? 5? 6? I don’t believe that this all came together in a matter of days. I think that agents were working back doors since Petrino was hired, maybe even before that. CMR allowed CTG and the db coach to leave on their own terms, or at least appear to. You gotta admit – he has class – maybe not enough killer instinct – but class. I heard it went down a little something like this I think you nailed it. The fire-eaters want drastic action because it satisfies an emotional need. Richt doesn’t want to wreck anyone’s career or do needless harm to others. I’d say the honor in that outweighs a random fan’s need for blood. Of course, to the fire-eater, that’s a sign of weakness and that we’ll never win jack because ______. Tell me, when’s the last time you heard a Georgia defender talk about his coordinator like this…. When I heard Pollack talking about VanGorder in 2004. The Nole Book of Lamentations First they came for Hugh Durham and I didn’t say anything because I was stunned. Joe Williams? Who is Joe Williams? Next they came for Mark Richt and I didn’t say anything except adios because he couldn’t score a TD against BGB in the Mythical BCSCG. Besides, we got Jeff Bowden and even I could have gone undefeated against mythical ACC competition Then they came for Jeremy Pruitt and I didn’t say anything except to ask Jimbo how come the Dogs have so much more money than we do and Jimbo blinked, talked fast and said, “It turns out that nobody let the dogs out. They let them in and they made some music, some house music, some dog house music.” Sometimes I don’t get your stuff, DiF, but this was right in my wheelhouse. Very funny. “Sometimes I don’t get your stuff,” I have trouble getting stuff, especially in Columbus. In his press conference, Pruitt is talking about fundamentals. That’s what we need! This guy is a Godsend! No more missed tackles and bonehead plays. This guy is amazing. very, very good read there Senator. None of us know exactly what when down, nor what was said to CTG in his meeting with Richt, and that certainly includes me. While I don’t know, I feel CMR knew that Pruitt was unhappy at FSU, probably from Friend. It is common knowledge that Jimbo can be difficult to work with, has a large ego, and is doing his “Little Nicky Junior” act. So that was a hole card that Richt held going into his meeting with Grantham, imo. I believe Richt told CTG that his time at UGA was short, if not immediately, after the contract expired. Doesn’t take a genius to see the differences in the way CTG handles himself versus that of CMR. Grantham knowing it would be more advantageous for his future to get hired away from Georgia versus being booted put out feelers and found a sucker in Petrino. Just my opinion, but it supports my contention that this whole 2-3 act play didn’t occur over a 41 hour span. Just too smooth for something so ragged. These 2 recent posts about the Pruitt hire were both excellent and maybe the funniest laugh out loud material I have read on this blog, over the past 5 years. It’s tough to make optimism funny. Go Blutarsky and Go Dawgs!!! Devil Dog We get Pruitt and Petrino gets Grantham. Actually, as long as he’s not in Athens any longer, I really don’t care where Grantham ends up. But there is something humorous about him joining the ole motorcycle-in-the-gravel guy. Better score a bunch, BP. And welcome aboard, Jeremy Pruitt! I have four words about the remaining opening for an LB/ST assistant: Get. Warren. Belin. back. He’s available. http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/01/08/panthers-keep-finding-scapegoats-bigger-problem-remains/ We are all Beliners now! Wait, this just in…bad news – he’s part of the Clawfense operation in Deaconville. The good news is that they’re usually asleep in the front pew http://www.journalnow.com/sports/wfu/football/article_5d427d5d-0aa3-5c1d-95aa-5d773422f2d4.html well damn… We get Pruitt as DC in near record time and instead of being happy people are carping that it didn’t happen through Richt firing Grantham. This pathology tht afflicts a slice of our fanbase is both stupifyingly annoying and totally fascinating. Senator we have to come up with a name for what plagues these people and add it to the lexicon. Billy Bennett Mike, we already have the perfect phrase: “Dawgraders”. Har har! Also everyone, CMR was in Indianapolis Sunday at a coaches convention and flew back Monday, in case anyone needed some extra meat in their conspiracy stew. Of course the Dawgraders will “interpret” this to mean he was actually secretly interviewing his top DC choice, one Manny Diaz! Billy… contary to your comment that the title “Dawgraders” describes these negative nellies…I believe “Dawgraders” refers to people who are not Georgia fans at all…people in the sports media…that put a ho-hum spin on everything UGA. For instance..if Georgia beat the #1 team in the country, some ahole on ESPN would say, “Well, (#!) was without it’s third string safety so the win isn’t really impressive as it looks”, etc. What these peope are (and are called out on this blog to be) is E-Orr Dawgs….(I’m sure I spelled it incorrectly, but it’s the whiney donkey from Winnie the Pooh if my mind is working right…which would be unusual). Not to be contrary, but I believe these points are more accurate. Feel free to correct me if I’m wrong (being a married man, I’m used to it). Jealousy rears it’s ugly head with those media guys. Georgia is the most upstanding program in College Football and we have the most class. True words.	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0030.json.gz/line969
__label__wiki	0.713092	0.713092	Canadian penny stock Flyht Aerospace Solutions Ltd soars after disappearance of Malaysian flight The disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 gave Flyht Aerospace Solutions Ltd.'s stock a boost early this week Rahman Roslan/Getty Images John Shmuel It is rare for a penny stock in Canada that isn’t a miner to garner much attention, but shares in Flyht Aerospace Solutions Ltd. jumped 25% on Monday on the TSX Venture Exchange before dipping a bit Tuesday. The reason for the gain: The disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370. Calgary-based Flyht manufactures a system similar to the black boxes found on modern aircraft, albeit with the ability to stream flight data in real-time using a satellite network. Current black boxes have to be retrieved in order to examine onboard flight data. Our system analyses all the data on the aircraft continuously “Black boxes are passive, they basically record data and they require someone to go to the aircraft and get the data ,” said Richard Hayden, director of Flyht. “Our system analyses all the data on the aircraft continuously and has a set of rules that causes it to transmit data wirelessly when specific situations occur, such as position reports or if they plane takes a sudden nose dive.” Flyht is one of only two aerospace companies on the junior exchange, the other being Star Navigation Systems Group Ltd., while 84% of the listed stocks listed are oil and gas or mining companies. The company was founded in 1998 as AeroMechanical Services Ltd. and listed on the Toronto Venture Exchange in 2003. The board decided to change its name in 2012, with shareholders voting to approve the new brand in May of that year. Flyht’s stock has gained 43.5% this year following a couple of new order announcements, but the disappearance of the Malaysia Airlines plane over the South China Sea on Saturday has really raised the company’s profile. It closed Tuesday at 66¢, down 5.7%. Naser Iqbal, analyst with Salman Partners, said on Monday he was initiating coverage of Flyht, bringing the total number of analysts covering the stock to three. “The addressable market and opportunity for Flyht is tremendous,” Mr. Iqbal said. “The company has a small market penetration in each of the aircraft market segments that it serves, ranging in market share (based on our analysis) from 0.5% to 2.4%. Thus, we believe that Flyht is underpenetrated and there exists a significant potential for further sales growth of the company’s products.” The three analysts who cover the company rate the stock as a buy, but they range from Mr. Iqbal’s speculative buy to a strong buy by Dev Bhangui of Byron Capital Markets in Toronto. Mr. Iqbal currently has a 12-month price target on the company of 85¢ a share. Of course, while Flyht is currently seeing a lot of attention (and certainly capitalizing on it with its executives making a couple of television appearances this week), there remain many challenges to having its technology be adopted. William McCabe, president of aviation safety consultancy The McCabe Group, told CNBC on Monday that such technology is expensive and that planes losing contact the way the Malaysia Airlines plane did is rare. “What is the likelihood that whatever data is there would be needed on all those airplanes flying?” he told CNBC. “It turns out, one of the thousands of airplanes in the sky that day needed it.” But Mr. Hayden of Flyht said the systems end up paying for themselves, as opposed to black boxes, which are mandated to be carried onboard because of regulations. “Black boxes contributed nothing to the operation, it’s really there as a mandated piece of equipment,” he said. “Our system basically makes a positive contribution to on-time performance, dispatch availability of aircraft, fuel savings, maintenance cost and so forth.” While the recent bout of media attention of the company has heightened focus on Flyht’s products, Mr. Hayden said there hasn’t necessarily been a rush of new interest in the company following the disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370. Regardless, he said that the past year has seen steady growth of new orders and he expects that to continue. This content was provided by Market One for commercial purposes. Advertised by Market One Investors are flocking to psychedelics offerings, the new hope for combatting the opioid epidemic Can copper be the metal of the future with large deficits? GABY Inc. is prepared to educate the mainstream market on CBD options for health and wellness Zinc is a crucial component for all infrastructure projects, but is it taken for granted? 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Larry Ellison’s $1-billion Tesla bet is finally paying off after a wild ride WatchTesla's riding on 'ludicrous mode,' fuelling more target hikes and burning shorts in dizzying stock increase Why investors should watch the Bank of Canada and ignore the noise in 2020 David Rosenberg says energy shares are 'downright cheap' right now Tesla surges above $500, leaving analyst targets in the dust	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0030.json.gz/line972
__label__wiki	0.515688	0.515688	Modern nitrogen fertilisers shown to destroy butterfly populations A study published in 2018 (cited as Kurze, S., Heinken, T. & Fartmann, T. Oecologia (2018) 188: 1227. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00442-018-4266-4) has found that nitrogen enrichment in caterpillar host plants increases the mortality of common Lepidoptera species. The study involved testing the response of larvae of five common butterfly and moth species to host-plant fertilization using fertilizer quantities usually applied in agriculture. The species involved are Small Heath, Speckled Wood, Small Copper, Sooty Copper (not found in Ireland or Britain) and two moths, Straw Dot and Blood Vein. Nitrogen fertiliser was applied to two host plant species, Annual Meadow Grass used by Small Heath, Speckled Wood and Straw Dot and Sheep’s Sorrell used by the Small Copper, Sooty Copper and Blood Vein. Nitrogen fertiliser kills caterpillars The researchers found that the addition of nitrogen decreased the survival of all six species by at least one-third. Richard Fox of Butterfly Conservation UK commented that increases in larval mortality range from 33%-80%. This study presents the first evidence that current fertilization quantities in agriculture exceed the physiological tolerance of common Lepidoptera species. The results suggest that (1) the negative effect of plant fertilization on Lepidoptera has previously been underestimated and (2) that it contributes to the range-wide decline of Lepidoptera. There are further issues that arise from the study. The situation may be considerably worse than the study found. Applying 90 kg of nitrogen per hectare per year as was done for the study would be likely to remove Sheep’s Sorrel and Annual Meadow Grass from agricultural grassland altogether. The reason for this is that these caterpillar host plants will be out-competed by coarser, aggressive plants that respond to increased nitrogen by growing at a fast rate. Even if this is not the case the increased fertility produces a greener, lusher sward where temperatures are lower, delaying or even preventing larval development. In addition, nectar resources for adults are usually lower than required as grasses out-compete nectar-rich flora. Furthermore, while application rates of nitrogen on grazing land in Ireland varies, 120 kg of nitrogen per hectare is often applied. It is highly unlikely that the Small Heath or Small Copper can survive on these grasslands. Teagasc, the state agency providing research, advisory and education in agriculture, horticulture, food and rural development in Ireland advises farmers on nitrogen application rates. For dairy grazing, these can rise to 210 kg of nitrogen per hectare per year. Under such an application regime it is no surprise that butterfly and moth species are being eliminated from the landscape, or why such formerly widespread and abundant species like the Small Heath and Wall Brown are now in serious trouble. Research needed to save farmland butterflies Research should be carried out to determine the rate of nitrogen application that grassland Lepidoptera species can tolerate. The Sooty Copper was able to cope with 30 kg of nitrogen but the other species studied were not assessed for nitrogen tolerance. A study of biodiversity richness under the full range of nitrogen inputs it advises (including nitrogen added by slurry applications) should also be undertaken by Teagasc. Nitrogen application should be reduced or prohibited on farmland adjoining land designated as Special Areas of Conservation and National Heritage Areas to ensure these areas are not contaminated. This issue can be addressed. Forcing land to produce more food by pouring chemicals into the soil cannot continue at the expense of biodiversity, water quality and possibly animal and human health and our world in general. Butterfly Conservation Ireland will take up the issue with Teagasc and urge the organisation to undertake the research needed to assess the impacts of nitrogen application on biodiversity on Irish farmland and alleviation and amelioration strategies. Good farming and good wildlife conservation must be the outcome if wildlife is to survive in today’s farmed landscape. This female Small Copper was photographed basking near Common Sorrel plants on which it laid some eggs. This butterfly was breeding on grazing land in County Meath that has never been re-seeded and has not had fertiliser applied for many years. Photo © J. Harding.	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0030.json.gz/line974
__label__cc	0.592042	0.407958	White Town Synthlover Bzangy Groink Jyoti Mishra's website A Local Venue For Local People Locally August 23, 2006 August 23, 2006 Jyoti Some metal, earlier today. First, read this article by Robin Laboratory. I think Rob makes some good points. I hate to hark back to forgotten times but The Dial? The Wherehouse? Where are the replacements for these venues? If you google Derby Wherehouse, it comes up with a who’s who of nineties indie bands that played there. (Source: ROFL) The above is certainly true. The Dial particularly is sorely missed in Derby because it was an adventurous, bold venue run by someone who was passionate about music as an art form, not just aural wallpaper to sell drinks over. And he paid local bands like mine real, actual money for playing. None of this “free gig” shite: I also remember seeing fantastic bands at The Wherehouse. The BMX Bandits, Even As We Speak, Bikini Kill, The Boo Radleys, Huggy Bear. At the time, I even got a bit blasé about it all and didn’t go to some gigs through sheer laziness. Truly, you don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone. Nowadays you have to trog across to Nottingham and get shot in the face by a crackhead if you want to catch bands of that level. The only local venue that’s had bands I’ve wanted to see since I moved back to Derby has been The Vic. If it wasn’t for The Vic, I wouldn’t have seen stunning gigs by Red Animal War, Throwdown, The Mystery Jets, Jetplane Landing, Good Shoes and loads of others. But as good as it is, The Vic is only a small venue. It’d be lovely to have a Rescue Rooms-sized venue back in Derby, with that kind of vibe about it too. Although it was a lot smaller, this is essentially what The Dial used to be. It was an alternative bar and venue. By which I mean average blokey bloke pissheads wouldn’t go in there because they’d heard it was a gay bar. You know the kind of blokes I mean – the ones who’re spilling out of Revolution and Walkabout every weekend. They have a zero interest in music coupled with a high interest in kicking your head in for no reason. So The Dial, like The Blue Note back then, was a home for freaks and their excellent music tastes. It even became a beacon for non-Derby freaks: when my band supported Primal Scream there in 1989, I looked out into a packed venue. Every indie kid in the Midlands seemed to have turned up. They were practically hanging off the rafters. So, yeah, The Dial is missed. Which brings me neatly to… On the other hand, I have NEVER heard anyone complaining about the lack of a 12000 seat arena. Can you see what’s going on here? I’ve never heard anyone moan about the lack of a 12,000 seater venue either. But I have heard an immense amount of moaning about the lack of bigger bands coming through Derby. Yeah, it’d be great to have a local venue bigger than The Dial used to be, bigger than The Vic is now which has, say, around 1,800 capacity and a good central location… hold on – haven’t we got that? What the hell is The Assembly Rooms doing? Nowt. Yep, thanks to outside promoters like Bloodstock and Micky Sheehan, they occasionally have something on for people under 80. But ask any band that’s ever had dealings with the venue and they’ll tell you that their conditions and charges are so high, it’s basically not worth playing there. Wouldn’t it be nice if that great, hulking building was as full of pop music and bigger bands as it used to be in the ’80s? Between now and Christmas, they’ve got exactly two contemporary pop/rock acts on: The Ordinary Boys and Embrace. In the ’80s, there would have been one or more a week. And if you think I’m exaggerating, check this out. I’m not as against the idea of a 12,000-seater venue as Robbie is. It’s just that I know that the bands that can fill that size venue are bands I have no interest in seeing. Think of bands bigger than The Ordinary Boys but smaller than the Chilli Peppers. Yep. Pretty grim. On the other hand, I think Robbie’s wrong here: The only bands it gets will be stereophonics and Rod Stewart (essentially the bands that would have played Pride Park but are scared they wont sell it out). If it was someone else planning this, I’d agree. But since it’s the Bloodstock peeps, I think they’ve got plans to use it for some future mega-metal events they’re planning. Think about it: if it’s built somewhere around Pride Park (plenty of space opposite the train station still), there are hotels nearby and good roads in and out. They might even be able to do some kind of metal All Tomorrows Parties. And with a 12,000 capacity, they could get in bigger metal acts and rely on the dedication of metal kids internationally to fill that space. After all, they already travel here to the Assembly Rooms, why wouldn’t they want to go and see bigger metal acts in a better venue? So, if this gets built, it may be very good news if you’re into metal. But when it’s not being used for those acts, it may indeed end up being home to Stereophonics-style turgidity. It’ll be ideal for the people who only buy one album a year. From Tescos. Before going to Walkabout to get pissed and harangue passing girls. Metal! Vid Shits flicking through profiles on OKC is now just an esoteric form of self-harm I Miss My Dad Top Albums Of The Decade Or Something Annual Archive Albums Of The Year (14) Clubbing (21) DJing (181) Doodles (25) Films Of The Year (1) Flying Ant Day (4) Gig (50) Musical Moments (5) Straight Edge (22) Why Is Your Band Called White Town? (6)	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0030.json.gz/line976
__label__cc	0.532092	0.467908	Instagram has eliminated a step in buying products on its app for select brands. The social platform is introducing checkout on Instagram. When customers tap to view a product from a select brand’s shopping post, they will see a “Checkout on Instagram” button on the product page. Shoppers can tap the button to select various options such as size or color. Once finished, customers can proceed to payment without leaving Instagram. After entering their name, email, billing information and shipping address for their first order, customers will have their information securely stored for future in-app purchases. Notifications about shipment and delivery will be sent inside Instagram, as well. Checkout on Instagram is currently in closed beta for businesses and offered to all U.S. users. The 23 brands participating in the closed beta test include Adidas, Burberry, Dior, H&M, Michael Kors, Prada, Uniqlo, Warby Parker, and Zara. Instagram plans to add more companies to the beta in the near future. Instagram has been expanding its capabilities as an e-commerce platform since the fall. In September 2018, Instagram launched two new social shopping updates. Users can shop on Instagram Stories, a feature that reveals images and video content in a slideshow format. As brands post items in their Stories feed, users can tap on the product to learn more. Social platform jumps into Amazon commerce Instagram tests opt-in reminder feature	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0030.json.gz/line982
__label__wiki	0.761168	0.761168	210,000 litre-capacity water tanks managed by CAFOMI in Bubukwanga are a game changer in the WASH Sector Care and Assistance for forced Migrants (CAFOMI) is an indigenous Ugandan Non-Governmental humanitarian assistance service provider operating in the Bubukwanga transit Centre and other refugee centers in the country, CAFOMI is committed to providing access to safe water, adequate sanitation and improved hygiene to POCs (Persons Of Concerns’) and the host community, therefore the organization’s Programmes in WASH sector focus on increasing access to clean water, adequate sanitation and hygiene services. It is important to note that water and sanitation are essential for life and health, but more so essential for dignity and prosperity. Access to water and sanitation is a human’s right and it is universally fundamental to every child and adult. But due to poor sanitation and hygiene, limited access to safe drinking water, thousands of children have been exposed to diseases and risk of death. According to Child Health Epidemiology reference group of WHO and UNICEF, 2012, diarhoea kills 2,195 children every day. And this is mainly caused by drinking unsafe water, inadequate sanitation and insufficient hygiene. Following the prolonged instability in the neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Congolese nationals (332,506, 26.8% of the total number of refugees, UNHCR figures, 2019), have continued moving to Uganda. CAFOMI has been deliberately maintaining the water facility in Bubukwanga in preparedness for possibility of an influx of new refugees in the country. According to the National and International Humanitarian service provider press statement published on Friday, May 3, 2019, on the OXFAM website https://uganda.oxfam.org/press_release/eastern-drc-tens-thousands-forcibly-displaced-surge-violence over 60,000 people in DRC have been displaced, seven thousand are sheltering in a primary school just 1 km from the border crossing to Uganda, due to attacks which began on March 30 and have continued for a month, around the locality of Kamango, Beni territory of North Kivu. These people are living in make-shift facilities, cramped and unsanitary conditions, there are concerns about reports that Congolese border officials at at least sixteen official crossings are preventing people from getting into Uganda, but in the event that they are allowed to cross the border, they will become the direct beneficiaries of this water facility. However the locals (Host Communities) in Bubukwanga have been benefiting from the water facility. Bubukwanga Sub county has 6 parishes, 45 villages (Land Conflict Mapping Tool figures), and a population of 23,107, 11,093 male and 12,014 female (UBOS figures, 2016). The water source is called Kirumya which is located in Kyamukube village in Bukonzo sub county Bundibugyo district. CAFOMI manages the three tanks which were donated by UNICEF and handed over to CAFOMI/ HIJRA in 2014 when the two organizations took over the management of Bubukwanga transit centre. The organisation working closely with the district officials, has been managing the water tanks, doing all the maintenance and ensuring continuous functionality of the water facility in preparedness of the anticipated POCs new arrivals and also for the host community domestic consumption, from 2014 to date. The three 70 T reservoir water tanks have a capacity of 70,000 litres each. One tank is in Kyamukube village and the two are in the Bubukwanga transit centre. In Bukonzo Sub County there are two tap stands in Kyamukube village. Three tap stands are in kirumya village, one in Bundimulangya village, one in Bundikeki and one in Bundimulombi village. There are four tap stands in the transit centre and each tap stand has six head taps which makes a total of 24 head taps in the centre. The water source is in the Rwenzori Mountains and water is supplied to the reservoir water tanks then to the population through the Gravity Flow System (GFS). This has improved access to safe water, adequate sanitation and improved hygiene within the transit centre and the host community, since tap stands are distributed within the different villages of Bubukwanga and beyond, therefore preventing the spread of diseases related to use of unclean water, poor hygiene and inadequate sanitation. According to the Monitoring and Evaluation Programme Coordinator, Morris Ayikanying, CAFOMI continues to register challenges of vandalism, the locals from the communities not connected to the GFS line, continue to dig and rudimentary connect their pipes on the main supplying pipelines running to the reservoir water tanks, this results into leakages leading to constant repairs that come with a cost implication. However, the organization is working closely with the district water officials to ensure that the communities not yet connected to the GFS line, are sensitized to create community-water-user-groups to mobilize resources for acquiring the basic materials for CAFOMI WASH team to train community water technicians on ground who can properly connect these villages on the GFS water system already established. “CAFOMI keeps on lobbying for good will ambassadors to come on board and fund the provision of materials, so that water can be extended to villages that have not yet accessed the water. The identified community-water-user-groups will be trained and skilled on how to manage and mobilize funds for future management of the water facility within the communities without necessarily depending on external funds.” Ayikanying said. CAFOMI alongside the UN and other aid agencies, are looking forward to increasing access to safe and sufficient water, promotion of good sanitation and hygiene practices, all aimed at maintaining good and healthy life for affected population to live in dignity. CAFOMI leads environmental health and sanitation advocacy campaign along the Lake Albert border line Prev post Previous post: CAFOMI wash team embark on repairing water transmission pipeline in Bubukwanga to boost water supply	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0030.json.gz/line987
__label__cc	0.621705	0.378295	Hamilton International Film Festival SBE’s Hamilton (New York) International Film Festival July 24th- July 28th, 2019 Feature, Comedy Short, Horror Short, Dramatic/Thriller Short, Documentary Short and Canadian Short Categories Global Cinema in the Heart of New York State "...such a great town and a wonderful festival, so welcoming. It was so inspiring to be around so many young and talented film makers. -Finn Taylor, Director Unleashed & 3 Time Director Sundance Film Festival "Can't say enough about how wonderful SBE's Hamilton International Film Festival has been. Truly honored to have our film "My Hero" included and I want to thank Grant & Todd Slater and everyone else involved for such a great experience. Just amazing. Hope you'll have us back next year!" - Loring Murtha, Actor/Director My Hero "SBE’s Hamilton International Film Festival presents an incredible opportunity to network with other ambitious filmmakers, exchange ideas and fundraising strategies while experiencing the charm of Hamilton, New York. The Hamilton Theater is a gorgeous venue and Grant Slater has put together a 5 star festival with a great selection of film, food and local beers. This is a must-attend festival that offers more than just frivolous laurels to it’s filmmakers… one could say that you leave Hamilton with a new group of friends that offer a different perspective on making and watching movies!" -D.J. Higgins Director, Writer/Producer Meet Mario "The charm and intimacy of the Hamilton International Film Festival makes it a MUST for all filmmakers. Grant and Todd Slater and the entire Hamilton community couldn't be more hospitable. I can't wait to make another film just so I can come back!!" -Doug Dearth, Producer/Director Underdogs "It was an absolute honour to be part of such a well respected film festival. Thanks to the help, hard work and commitment from SBE my career in the UK has gone from strength to strength. My Single, Worry hit the iTunes Download chart and peaked at Number 6. The follow up track I've recently released has hit the viral UK Top 50 on Spotify and we have now put a European Tour together. Its thanks to people such as Grant believing in me from an early stage of my development that has helped me get to where I am now." -Sebastian Tree United Kingdom Recording Artist “Had a great time this past weekend in Hamilton, NY at the Hamilton International Film Festival with Tika Simone. "Five Dollars" was received with nothing but positive reviews from a beautifully sold out theater! Huge thanks goes out to Grant Slater and the Slater Brothers for being great hosts once again!" - Rez Ota, Producer/Director FIve Dollars We have safely arrived in Austria and I just wanted to thank you once again for the invitation, as well as the chance to present Noriko at your festival. I had a really great time, for it was one of the most intimate and passionate festivals I’ve ever been to. It was a great experience to be part of the HIFF. Thank you for the support. -Christian Jilka (Austria) Writer/Director Noriko SBE's Hamilton International Film Festival is located in the beautiful Chenango Valley region of Central New York. Long known as weekend retreat for city dwellers from New York, Boston, Ottawa, and Toronto, the Chenango Valley boasts some of the most beautiful vistas in North America and has gained an international reputation for its cultural events, outdoor activities and academic institutions. SBE's Hamilton International Film Festival is advertised in major industry magazines and newspapers, including the Syracuse Post-Standard, the Hollywood Reporter, Yahoo Entertainment, the Utica Observer, a variety of radio stations, and over 25 publications and online venues. The following corporate partners have made major contributions to the Slater Brothers' Hamilton International Festival: Purina's Fancy Feast, Nestle, Global Craft, The Colgate Inn, Good Nature Brewing, Stella Artois, Shapna Coffee and Tea Company, Anheuser Busch, Vitamin Water, Chobani Greek Yogurt, The Wendt Inn, NBT Bank, Saranac, Oneida Saving Bank, French Design Group, J.H. Crowe Apothecary and Veev Acai Spirits. https://filmfreeway.com/sbehiff grant@sbehiff.com	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0030.json.gz/line989
__label__cc	0.666251	0.333749	Captain Univac Working for a Life, not a Living! Sleep? Who Needs Sleep!, Sunday, August 20, 2018 When last we spoke it was Wednesday, and I was in Utah waiting for Kerry Ward and his intrepid band of canyoneers–Sam Edwards, Sam’s 13 year old son Max, and Kerry Sherman–to make the most challenging slot canyon descent in Zion Canyon National Park. At Lava Point–Kerry Sherman, Max and Sam Edwards, and Kerry Ward The target was Heaps Canyon. Heaps feeds the Emerald Pools, one of the most accessible and popular features of the canyon. It is so challenging that the first descent of the canyon was not even made until 1982. It is a full-featured canyoneering expedition requiring serious gear–wetsuits, long ropes, harnesses, slings, and rappelling hardware–and features numerous rappels, deep potholes that turn into keepers when not full of water, and culminates in a 280 foot free rappel to the upper Emerald Pool. The approach to Heaps Canyon I had dropped off the canyon crew at Lava Point at about 8 am. Sam told me that I could expect them to finish between 4 and 6 pm, which was more than a little bit optimistic given that the CanyoneeringUSA.com guide to Heaps says that the descent can take from 12-20 hours. The expedition began with an 8 mile hike just to get into the canyon, and I had heard from Kerry Ward about 10:30 that they had reached the mouth of the canyon in very good time. Later that afternoon I explored the park a bit and found that the trail up to Emerald Pools was closed, so around 5 I headed down to the Visitor Center where I would wait for them. As the day wore on I noticed some serious cloud buildup north of the canyon. This was a cause for great concern as one of the dangers of any slot canyon trip is the possibility of flash flooding. Sure enough, by around 6 the skies had darkened, thunder and lightning had commenced, and light rain was falling at the Visitor Center. Final rappel sequence for Heaps Canyon. The second rappel is 280 feet. Image from Flickr www78. As 8 pm and darkness approached I began to worry in earnest. There are a lot of things that can go wrong in a descent like this, and I had visions of them dropping their long rope and not being able to make the final descent. That would not be a huge problem under normal circumstances as there would be a lot of visitors to the Emerald Pools who could be notified and seek help. The trail closure nixed that possibility! I was waiting at the shuttle stop as shuttle after shuttle appeared with no canyoneers. I noticed a very worried looking gentleman who was also anxiously watching shuttles. I found out that he and his wife and daughter had been hiking in the Narrows, had become separated, and they had been unable to locate the daughter. The gathering storms were also feeding his anxiety. Entering the canyon. Most folks rappel down, but that’s too slow for Sam. Finally, just before 8 I received a text from Kerry W. They had successfully exited the canyon, were hiking down the closed trail, and would soon be on a shuttle heading down to the VC! About 5 minutes later my co-worrier got a call from the rangers that his daughter had been located at the last shuttle stop before the Narrows (the Temple of Sinawava) and was on a shuttle down to the VC. In the narrows. When she arrived she was very angry with her parents, and I wondered why. After becoming separated the parents had come out of the Narrows. They didn’t find the daughter at the shuttle stop, assumed that the daughter (who had been behind them in the Narrows) had gotten on a shuttle and gone back to their prearranged rendezvous at their car at the VC. My fears of them losing a rope proved unfounded. They actually returned with about 600 feet of rope that had been lost/abandoned by other groups. They took the shuttle down, didn’t find her, and made a fatal mistake–they got in the car and went looking for her, moving the car to a different location. My guess is that the daughter had come down after they moved the car, didn’t find it, and took the shuttle back up to where she had last seen her parents and where she had been waiting anxiously for them until the rangers canvassed the location. Kind of a comedy of errors!! Sam setting up the last rappel. Getting late, but still light out! The shuttle with the canyon crew finally arrived about 9, and we all headed to Springdale for a well-earned dinner. Then it was back to St. George, where we arrived at Sam’s at 10:30. No rest, however, when hanging with Ward, as Kerry and I were headed back to LA! I drove the first leg to Primm, Nevada, Kerry took over until Barstow, and then I drove the last leg to the Morgan Castle in the Hollywood Hills. I dropped Kerry there, headed back to Long Beach, and got home at 5 am, which is when I usually get up! Me in costume at Versailles with a couple of new friends. I had a lot to do, so after I slept for a couple of hours I got up, went to my 11 am Pilates class at Pilates X, and then it was off to my costume fitting at Bianca’s Historic Costuming! I had been invited to a costume party Friday at the Morgan Castle. The theme was “Let them Eat Cake Party at Versailles”. The Morgan’s are serious costume partiers, and I am costume challenged so had decided to seek professional help. Bianca and her husband Peter expeditiously fitted me with a great period costume. I had a decent nights sleep, was up at 5 as usual, worked out, took a Pilates class, had a nap, and then drove up to the Morgan Castle in the Hollywood Hills for the epic costume party. A little after 1 am I managed to extricate Kerry Ward from the party–not a trivial task as he is traditionally the life of any party he goes to–and I drove him up to Big Bear where he planned to rendezvous with his friend Dax Orion Hock. Dancers at the party–photo by Baxter Zappa Dax, along with his wife Sarah, is a world champion swing dancer, and they are the owners of the Lindy Loft in downtown Los Angeles. About a year ago he expressed an interest in doing an ultra marathon. Since then Kerry has been mentoring him in that endeavor, and he finally felt that he was ready for his first 100 miler. Dax had started the Kodiak Big Bear 100 ultra at 8 am on Friday, and Kerry wanted to meet him at the Sugarloaf aid station to pace him through the last 30 miles. Dax was faster than expected, and we left the party a little later than planned, so we missed Dax on his first pass through Sugarloaf. Kerry grabbed a bit of sleep in my car while I watched for Dax. When Dax arrived just about at dawn they were off for the last 20 miles of the race. Dax finished at about 11 am for a total time of 27 hours and was first among all male non-professional runners, a pretty spectacular result for a first timer! Then it was the long slow drive home. Mid day traffic on I-10 was a whole lot worse than middle of the night traffic, but eventually I dropped off Kerry at the Morgan Castle and made it back to Long Beach just after 5 pm. Between Tuesday morning at 5 am when I got up and Saturday at 5 pm, a span of 108 hours, I had gotten a total of 13 hours of sleep. I will be getting some needed rest over the next few day. No rest for Ward, though. He was off today for a job Monday in Charlotte, NC, then back to Vancouver where he will gear up for the long drive to Burning Man! Hanging with Ward, Wednesday, August 15, 2018 It is now 10:38 am on Wednesday, and I am sitting in one of my favorite coffeeshops, River Rock Roasting Company, in Hurricane, UT. At about 8 am I dropped off my buddy Kerry Winston Ward and three confederates–Sam Edwards, Sam’s son Max, and Kerry Sherman–at Lava Point in the high country north of Zion Canyon. Kerry Ward in Sam Edward’s well-stocked garage at 5 am Their mission? To make a descent of Heap’s Canyon. According to Canyoneering USA, Heap’s is … The Big Kahuna. Heaps is a truly wonderful canyon, but it is also BIG. Deep inside the mountain, it is dark, wet, sinuous and moody. When really wet, it is fast and cold, and such a blast! When the water levels go down, keeper potholes start appearing, and as the level continues descending, more and more potholes require effort to get out of. Sam had planned to do this expedition last week, but was unable to get it together. Kerry W. had to scramble a bit to get in this rescheduled excursion. He flew into Los Angeles on Tuesday morning for a meeting, and then after the meeting I picked him up at the Morgan Castle in the Hollywood Hills and drove to the St. George area. We didn’t leave until about 6:30, and it was just after 2 am when we got to Sam’s house in Santa Clara, and then we were up before 5 am to prepare for the expedition du jour. As if that were not enough of a challenge, we will be driving back to the Los Angeles area tonight so we can take care of business tomorrow. Potholes in the upper reaches of Heap’s Canyon. Photo by Dave Buckingham on CBS This is a very challenging canyon experience, and requires a great deal of expertise and preparation. In fact, the first descent of the canyon was not even made until 1982. Starting from Lava Point, wannabe canyoneers must hike on the order of 9 miles just to enter the canyon. Once in the canyon there are a number of rappels required, with the last one a 280 foot rappel down to the upper Emerald Pools. That last rappel is actually more on the order of 500 feet, but is broken into first a 200 foot drop to a very small ledge (just large enough for two) and then the final approach. At the Lava Point trailhead–Kerry Sherman, Max and Sam Edwards, and Kerry Ward Another challenge is water, and sometimes a lack of water. This canyon has a large number of potholes, deep depressions that fill with water, and when they are full canyoneers need to swim them. When they are not full they can also be problematic–a keeper pothole is one that is deep and difficult to climb out of when it is not full. The upper reaches of the canyon require wet or dry suits, which must be packed in along with ropes, harness, and hardware for the rappels. View from the top of the final rappel. Photo from T-Dawg Speaks The guide for the trip indicates a 12-20 hour time commitment required, but this crew is planning on more like 8-10 hours. I just got a text message from Kerry W. (coverage is spotty and unreliable) indicating that they had reached the canyon in just about 2-1/2 hours, well under the 4 hours predicted in the guide, so they appear to be well on schedule. Keep your fingers crossed! I think I am going to find someplace where I can get in a bit of a nap before tonight’s driving. Status Update, Saturday, August 11, 2018 It is Saturday morning, and I am here at Steelhead Coffee working on dealing with the latest injury/insult to my body:-(. My friend Kerry Ward flew in to LAX on Thursday morning, and one of his prime objectives was to go for a long run with World Champion swing dancer and proprietor of downtown LA’s Lindy Loft Dax Orion Hock . Kerry is mentoring Dax, who is preparing for his inaugural 100 mile ultramarathon next weekend in Big Bear. I picked up Kerry at the airport, we met up with Dax in Santa Monica, and then proceeded up the coast to the La Jolla Canyon trailhead in Point Mugu State Park. That trailhead is the western terminus of the Backbone Trail, a 67.9 mile long trail that extends from Point Mugu to Will Rogers State Park off Sunset Blvd in Los Angeles. Kerry and Dax were planning on running about the first 30 miles of the trail. My plans were more modest. I was planning on doing an up-and-back hike of about 10 miles, after which I would pick up the lads at some road crossing to be determined later. Kerry and Dax at the Ray Miller Trailhead All went as planned for the first five miles. I even got ambitious and ran a couple of miles, but stopped running because the tendons in my right heel were starting to tighten up and bother me. At my turnaround point I saw that there was a trail that went down La Jolla Canyon to the trailhead. It was only 2.4 miles long, so I decided I would cut back on my expectations and take that shortcut. The trail was very narrow, overgrown, and looked like it got very little traffic, especially considering that it was the shortest route from the trailhead to the La Jolla Canyon walk-in campsite. About a mile from the trailhead I found the reason for the light traffic–the trail was closed! It would have been great to have had that information at the start of the trail, and my only choice at this point was to turn around and go back the way I had come, meaning that my 10 mile trip, that had been reduced to a 7.5 mile trip, was now going to be on the order of 14 miles! I had another problem to deal with. It was a very hot day, and the temperatures as I moved away from the beach had climbed to 100+. I had brought along 1.5 liters of water, and as I had descended the canyon trail I was thirsty and was drinking a lot as I thought I only had a couple of miles to go. By the time I reached my new turnaround point I probably had less than a half-liter of water left, and that had to get me through a very hot seven miles! View from the Ray Miller Trail. You can see just the tip of the rock at Point Mugu. They say when it rains, it pours, and that was the case here. At about the 11 mile mark I took a bad step and my right foot began to hurt in earnest. Not such a happy occurrence as I still had about three miles and 1200 feet of descent ahead of me. By rationing my water I managed to make it last until I had about 1.5 miles left, and when I got to the bottom I rather quickly consumed 3/4 of a liter and was still thirsty! About a mile from the end of my hike I got a text message from Kerry that they were approaching Yerba Buena Road, so I drove up to that trail crossing where I found Kerry waiting for me. He was suffering a bit from the heat and had only covered 16.3 miles at that point. Dax had continued on by himself to cover another 4.6 miles to the next intersection with Yerba Buena road, so we headed over there and waited for him to arrive. He arrived safely, and we headed for home. Bedlam Lullaby at Viento y Agua In the immediate aftermath I was having great difficulty even walking, and that state persisted through yesterday. I laid pretty low, but did get out to see a steamy performance by my favorite girl group, Bedlam Lullaby, at Viento y Agua coffeshop. Even that was a problem as my parking spot was a painful two blocks from the event. Today is better, but I am still restricting my activity to just a Gyrotonic session today, and trying to stay off my feet as much as I can. Old Band, New Music! Boxing Gandhis, Saturday, August 4, 2018 From 1983 to 1993 I was living in Venice, sharing a house on Rose Avenue east of Lincoln with my friends Gene and Davida, and eventually, their daughter Frazier. Gene is a musician and had a band named Big Fun. A large part of my entertainment at that time consisted of going out to Big Fun gigs. I was their biggest fan, and worked hard to bring others out to their shows. One memorable show was in 1993 at the late, lamented Palomino club in North Hollywood. As I recall, Big Fun was up early enough that I was able to hang out for the next band. I was happy that I did! That band was an incredibly good funk/soul band named the Boxing Gandhis, and they instantly converted me into a major fan. The Gandhis were the creation of and fronted by the Darlings. David (aka, Dave) Darling is a successful record producer who has worked with artists like Brian Setzer, the Stray Cats, Def Leppard, and other acts. He is also a talented musician and singer in his own right. Brie Howard Darling, his wife at that time, is a dynamic vocalist/percussionist who was a founding member of the all female rock band Fanny. There was no shortage of vocal talent in the Boxing Gandhis! Ernie Perez and David Kitay provided additional lead and backup vocals, while Ernie also did yeoman duty on the saxophone. One of the distinguishing features of the Gandhis was a brass section, with Alfredo Ballesteros joining Ernie on flute and saxophone. Percussion was another strength for the band with both Davids (Darling and Kitay) and Brie adding rhythmic complexity to the drumming of Steve Samuel. The Gandhis were a rather large band–I see eight members listed on their eponymous album Boxing Gandhis, but if my memory serves me well there may have been on the order of 10 players at times in their live gigs. I recall seeing them perform at Genghis Cohen one time, and it was quite a challenge to accommodate the full band on the tiny stage at that venue. Fanny Walked the Earth I was very happy several months ago when I saw that Brie has resurfaced and joined forces with sisters June Millington and Jane Millington Adamian, her former bandmates from the 60’s. Back in their teen years they were known as Fanny, and the mature version is going by Fanny Walked the Earth. The new Boxing Gandhis Even more exciting was the news that the Boxing Gandhi’s have reformed! They have not done any live gigs yet, but every day brings more news from the studio where they are working on a new album, titled “Old Band, New Music”. I am eagerly awaiting both the release of their new album and look forward to shaking my bones when they finally do start playing out! June Entertainment Update, Sunday, July 1, 2018 Gee, it’s already July, and I forgot to talk about any of the cool entertainment I managed to see last month. Time now to correct that oversight! The Secret Bowl from last year The month got off to an awesome start with the inaugural incarnation of the Secret Bowl. Friend Staci Valentine has a property in Beachwood Canyon up near the Hollywood sign, and friend James Combs for several years has been putting together some really fine outdoor concerts there. Saturday, June 2, was the first one of the current season. The featured artist this time was one of my favorites from last season, Abby & The Myth. Abby & The Myth — Left to right: Cara, Ellisse, David, David’s friend, and Abby Abby is Abby Posner, and she is a dynamic performer who I profiled in a blog post over a year ago. At that time she had a minimal band with her and still put on a wonderful show. This time she brought along the reconfigured Myth. Stand-up bass player Donnie has been ably replaced by Ellise, and their performance was greatly enhanced by the presence of drummer David and the accordion of Cara. Also on the bill was a performance by Manda Mosher, who also is part of the country-rock band Calico, and this round of the Secret Bowl concluded with a performance by James Combs and Erin Hawkins performing songs from James’s award-winning band Great Willow. Nils and band at Spaghettini — Clydene is on keyboards On Saturday, June 16, I went to Spaghettini in Seal Beach to see a show by Nils (Jiptner, not Lofgren as advertised by Spaghettini on their calendar), a very talented jazz guitarist. My friend from Pilates X, Clydene Jackson, plays keyboards for the band and also does backup vocals. I was transported by the music, and spent the entire show dancing with Clydene’s sister Toni (30 years a professional dancer), even making several pilgrimages through the entire club in an effort to get others on their feet. My mojo was working overtime for this gig:-)! Tuesday, June 19, was a banner night. I have been trying for a year to get James Combs to book another of my long-time favorites, Cindy Alexander, into the Secret Bowl, but was handicapped by the fact that James didn’t know Cindy. Lo and behold, both Cindy and James’s band Great Willow had received LA Music Critic Awards, and both would be performing on the same stage for a showcase performance at The Mint! I did get a chance to introduce them to each other early in the evening, but unfortunately James had an very early flight to catch the next morning and couldn’t stick around for Cindy’s wonderful performance later that evening accompanied by another of my long time favorites, Ali Handal. Cindy Alexander and Ali Handal at the LA Music Critic Award Showcase I did stick around for her performance, but the real highlight was when both Cindy and Ali joined me on the dance floor during Rusty Young’s (formerly of Poco and NOT Neil Young’s brother) set and I had the pleasure of slow dancing with both of them :-))! Rusty’s comment from the stage was “that guy is having the time of his life right now!” I agree. Other memorable performances were those by Pi Jacobs, by James’s band Great Willow, a very dynamic pair of sisters named The Khourys, and Rusty Young. On the next night, Wednesday, I finally took my swing dancing practice live in a trip to Rusty’s Rhythm Club in Playa Del Rey. I took an introductory Lindy Hop class, and spent an hour on the dance floor before I finally ran out of gas. In my defense it had been a busy day: a Power Pilates class that morning, a 12 mile bike ride, and a six mile run/walk in the afternoon prior to heading out in the evening. This month-long lineup of entertainment conclude the following Wednesday, 6/27, with a showcase performance by the artist formerly known as Deja Nichole, and now rebranded as Mia Sera. I first met Mia when she was a featured artist at one of the lost and greatly lamented Saturday night open mics at the Fox Coffee House. I was very impressed by her at that time, and she was the subject of one of my first blog posts featuring music. Mia has continued to grow as an artist, and she came through with a dynamic and powerful performance in the Foundation Room at the Anaheim House of Blues. She was second up for the evening, and I was a bit concerned at the beginning of her set. The room was populated at that point by family and fans of the first performer, a very young (12 years old!) singer/songwriter named Ava August, who played an impressive array of covers and original songs. As I had feared, there was considerable early chatter during her first song by the remaining Ava fans, but that was soon quelled as Mia Sera displayed the power of her vocals on the second song. The rest of the night belonged to her. That about wraps it up for the month of June. Despite my silence through the month, it was a very good month indeed! Status Update, Monday, June 25, 2018 Well, it has been way, way too long since my last blog post. I do have a couple of what I would consider major pieces in the works, but have found myself pretty much completely stalled in the effort to make them really major. Time to just regroup a bit and just get something out. My last big adventure was my trip to New Mexico to hang with the Ward’s (Kerry and Indigo) back in the middle of May. That trip is the subject of the upcoming “A Full-Tilt Week” post, one of those stalled projects. Since then I have been continuing to do the slow work of strengthening and refining the progress I have made in rebuilding my right ankle/leg. Walking in White Sands So, in addition to hanging out in coffeeshops and talking to people, how do I spend my days? A couple of yoga classes per week at LA Fitness, 3-4 Pilates classes/week at Pilates X, one to three ballet classes at Elevation Studios and EnPointe Dance and Fitness, a weekly swing dance lesson with Mary-Morgan Childs, a weekly Gyrotonics session at Orange County Gyrotonics with Veeseuth, and semimonthly visits to my body mechanic, Donna Place, at Long Beach Gyrotonic. All that, plus an average of about 8 miles of walking/running, and 30-50 miles on the bike. I have been feeling a bit lazy, though, about doing any excursions where I need to get in the car and drive somewhere for my walking/running. That has led to late starts and short distances on those occasions when I did finally overcome the inertia. I found some much-needed inspiration on Sunday in the form of Anna Isabel Godinez, who proved to be a tireless hiking companion on a 13 mile hike up Temescal Canyon from Sunset to The Hub and back. After our hike we made a visit to the Original Muscle Beach in Santa Monica where Anna received her initiation into the community of acrobats. Anna and Ernie Thrash at OMB While this entry is dated on Monday, it is now Wednesday. I had another fortuitous meeting on Tuesday at LA Fitness where I met three young ladies who are training for the Ray Miller 50K Ultra that will be run in the Santa Monica mountains on December 1 of this year. That provides me with both a target for a future ultra as well as some more potential training partners. Ray Miller 50K Course Map and Elevation Profile My rehabilitation program is proceeding apace. I was in a ballet class last week, and as I was warming up at the barre waiting for class to begin I became conscious of the fact that I actually felt confident that my right ankle could support me on pirouettes! My right leg is now capable of proper alignment for walking and running. Capable, but still not the default and I am still working on locating, waking, and strengthening the muscles necessary for proper positioning and stability of my ankles, knees, and hips. They don’t like to fire up at the start of my walks, but once they do fire up they have shown some staying power! My swing dance lessons have been invaluable in that pursuit. East Coast Swing requires a tremendous amount of side-to-side triple-stepping, and it doesn’t take very long for those muscles to feel a significant burn when I do that work. Those muscles are still on the lazy side and require some time to waken when I walk, but when they do the results are very positive! Last Wednesday I even made a trip to Rusty’s Rhythm Club, a weekly swing dance meet-up in Playa Del Rey where I was introduced to Lindy Hop technique and had the opportunity to practice my skills. I took the introductory lesson, and got in about an hour of real dancing before my feet and knees got too sore. Still need to work on that endurance, but this was a start! Zion Ultra 50K, Saturday, April 21, 2018 May 1, 2018 June 27, 2018 1 Comment The Leadup On Wednesday, 4/18/2018, I got up early, loaded up my car, and set out for Hurricane, Utah. I arrived and checked in to the Clarion Inn & Suites, which would be my staging ground for my my graduation exercise–the Zion Ultra 50K, a 50 kilometer (31 mile) romp through the deserts and mesas near Virgin, Ut. When I retired in July, 2015, I began a process of restoring functionality to my body. My motto was “65 going on 45”. I had kept myself in pretty good shape until my early 50’s, having run the LA Marathon in 2003. The last 8 years of my working life, however, had confined me to sit for 10-12 hours a day, and that, together with a bone spur that had developed in my right ankle, played havoc with my conditioning. When I was in my late 40’s I had a practice of doing a hike of at least 20 miles on a monthly basis, but by the time I retired that kind of endurance was a distant memory. I have worked hard over the last several years to remediate the bone spur and build up the muscles that had atrophied. I have completely revamped my gait, am feeling a lot more strong and stable, and was ready for a test. What better test could I ask for than an ultra-marathon? The Ecstasy I checked into the hotel about 2:30, and then headed down Utah route 9 towards Sheep Bridge Road, just outside of Virgin. This was where the 50K course would rejoin the road at the end of the race on Saturday, and I wanted to see what I was getting into. The end of the course runs along the Virgin River west of the town of Virgin I drove down the road a half mile to mile 28 where the last trail portion joined it, and headed back down that trail until I got to mile 25 where the last aid station would be. This portion started by hugging the rim of the Virgin River wash, following the rim of a feeder wash until it reached a crossing point, and then across the desert to the road junction where the aid station would be set up. I then reversed course, covering 6.2 miles and maintaining an 18 minutes/mile pace, more than sufficient for completing the course in 11 hours. I was stoked and feeling confident! The Agony The next day, however, was a bit different. On Thursday morning I got up early and drove just past Virgin to the next river crossing point at Camino del Rio, where the race would leave the road after Saturday’s 6 am start. I was particularly concerned about this portion because it included a climb of over 1000 feet to the top of Gooseberry Mesa in just three-quarters of a mile. I am pretty good at going uphill as I am a grinder by nature–I just keep on chugging–but steep downhills fill me with terror and I wanted to see what I was in for. Going to the top My plan was to hike from route mile 2 to the top of the mesa and explore the routes up there a bit. The route for the race would reach the top at mile 5, follow the north rim of the mesa all the way to its tip, and then return via the south rim to the launch point at mile 17 for the way too steep descent. That steep stretch was, quite frankly, terrifying to me. Sure enough, that steep bit posed a serious problem. My time from route mile 4 to the top at route mile 5 was 35 minutes, and coming down 37 minutes. Plus, I had a couple of nasty slips and wrenched my right knee enough so it was giving me grief. A 7.9 mile roundtrip had an average pace approaching 24 min/mile, and that was a pace that would not get the job done:-(! My spirits going into Thursday evening were not high, and were further dampened by dark clouds on the horizon and a prediction of rain for Friday. After a very nice dinner at the Stagecoach Grille I returned to my hotel room to ice my body, stretch, and relax a bit. My only regret was not getting a picture of the giant platter of raw meat that the servers use to build their own muscles while enticing customers with those 52 oz steaks. Friday was a rest day, and was miserable in the morning. I did my morning stretch and strengthening exercises but wasn’t able to pull myself out of my room until almost 11 when I headed down the road to the River Rock Roasting Company for caffeine and sustenance. The RRRC, like other similar establishments in the area, was quite busy. If one is camping in a tent, then when the weather turns bad the shelter of a warm, dry, and hospitable inn becomes quite attractive! The River Rock Roasting Company is a gem. It is set on top of a bluff that overlooks the confluence of the Virgin River and a couple of feeder creeks, and there are picture postcard worthy views from their outdoor patios. That, combined with good coffee, good food, a great staff, and a very cool clientele made it a very pleasant place to be. By the afternoon the clouds had cleared, and my spirits lifted accordingly. I was pretty confident that I could keep up a good pace on the 17 miles that were on flat sections. If I could also keep a decent pace on the 12 mile loop on the mesa then I figured it shouldn’t be hard to offset the time losses on the ascent/descent. I spent a rather sleepless and short night, arising at 3:45 to get ready to roll. I was at the start just before 5:30, had a chance to use the composting toilets before the crush, and positioned myself at the very back of the pack at the start. The temperature was 47 degrees, and I was wearing four layers: a compression tee-shirt, an athletic tee, a lightweight merino wool long-sleeved shirt, and a light fleece. At the start everyone but me took off running. As I traveled the first mile, which was on the road and in town I was passed by the occasional runner who had missed the start. About the first mile I fell in with another walker, a gentleman named Rob who was an accountant from Nashville and an ultra regular. Together we talked and walked a good pace; we managed to keep up a 3.6 mph average pace for the first 4 miles. I wound up dropping Rob on the climb and made it to the Goosebump Aid station at mile with a cushion of 25 minutes. I was feeling pretty strong and confident at that time, and after replenishing my calories and liquids I was off on the North Rim portion. The first couple of miles were easy, with a proper trail winding its way along the rim of the mesa. I fell in with another walker, Jon, an IT professional from Florida, and we kept up some good conversation until the Gooseberry Point aid station at mile 9.5. The Hard Part That is the good news; the bad news was that the proper trail had disappeared a couple of miles in and the last four miles had mostly involved navigating across slickrock, something that I am not at all fond of. I did the half-mile to the turnaround at the Point, and then back to the aid station again at mile 10.5. I hadn’t stocked up when I came through the first time, so I filled my reservoirs (a 1.5L Osprey HydraPak and two 500ml squeeze bottles), ate some fruit, and emptied the grit out of my shoes. By the time I hit the trail again everyone else had vanished. I think that at this point I was officially last, a state that would persist through the next 20 miles. The next four miles turned out to be my most difficult challenge as I had to navigate myself over a seemingly endless expanse of slickrock. Traveling over slickrock presents an array of physical, emotional, and mental problems. There is no such thing as flat footing, and there is no such thing as a clear sight line or a clear trail. Navigation involved sighting the occasional pink ribbons and the white dots on the rock, and my progress was dismayingly slow! I do owe big thanks to my mentor, Kerry Ward, for getting me out on a slickrock excursion to Reflection Canyon two weeks before with Tom and Mauri Seletos. The eight miles of slickrock travel on that jaunt, combined with the night of thunderstorms on the slickrock with four of us crammed into a two-person tent, provided some toughening that I had to draw on through this part of the race. False color image of Reflection Canyon. Enhanced by my brother Robert Novak, but should have white rock rather than red rock. Finally the slickrock came to an end and I was on a trail where I could make up some time. About a mile from the Goosebump Aid Station (mile 17 this time around) I met up with Frances, a young lady who had lost the trail, gotten side-tracked, and then managed to find it again. I walked with Frances until we reached the Aid Station. Too Close for Comfort! I veered off trail to the tent to see what nourishment was available, but the staff rather frantically told me that I needed to go through the timing chute “Right now!” The cutoff time for this penultimate aid station was 12:20, and it was now 12:19. If I didn’t make that cut time my race would be over! I did make it through the chute in time, and then the staff marshaled me back to the tent where they treated me royally, replenishing my fluids and making me a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Then it was off to face the task I had been dreading for the past several days–the descent from the mesa. I was now officially behind pace, but I figured that if I could make it down to the bottom in good shape I would be able to make up time on the relatively flat desert portion. Frances had not stopped at the station and was long gone by this time. I was again alone on the course. Rocky chute at the top of the mesa There was a very rocky and steep chute near the top that I negotiated successfully, but then a couple of dozens yards down a steep dirt slope my feet slipped out from under me and I went down on my back. “It’s going to be a real long way down,” I thought to myself, and my spirits were at their nadir. Saved by an Angel! As I struggled to regain my feet I heard a voice behind me ask “Are you okay?” I looked back, and up the trail was a vertitable angel in a baseball cap and trail running gear. “Are you the sweeper?,” I asked. She told me that she was, and said that if I like she would just hang back. Or she could keep up with me as she went along with her task of picking up all the trail markers. Morgan (call me Mo) Sjogren, aka The Running Bum, @running_bum_ on IG I opted for the latter course, and what would have otherwise been a stoic and lonely eight miles to the next aid station became a much more interesting and enjoyable experience. I had not met up with just any pacer, but was now in the company of Morgan Sjogren, aka @running_bum_ on Instagram, who is not only an avid explorer but also a published author. In her own words she is “…a free range raconteur focused on the outdoors, human powered adventure and public lands. My first book, The Best Bears Ears National Monument Hikes is now available! When I’m not writing I’m usually exploring the world on a two-footed quest for new trails, hidden treasure and the next adventure.” Morgan is currently exploring the Grand Staircase/Escalante National Monument and compiling information for her next guide, titled something like, oh, The Best Grand Staircase/Escalante National Monument Hikes. The Final Stretch Time passed quickly as I trucked along, keeping up a good pace, conversing with Morgan when she wasn’t pausing to pick up markers. Morgan, or Mo, was also in cell phone communication with her boyfriend, Mike Versteeg, who was sweeping the last segments of the 100 mile course. Mike, by the way, is a man of distinction himself, being the world record holder for the off-road beer half-marathon. We met up with Mike at the last aid station at mile 25, and he took over sweeping duties. About a mile and a half from the finish he pointed out two individuals walking several hundred meters ahead. “See the guy in the white shirt?,” he said. “He’s the last finisher for the 100 mile race. We are going to catch up with him.” That we did, and at 4:36 pm, 10 hours and 35 minutes after my start we crossed the finish line together. I did run the last 50 yards, which was the only running I did all day. Then it was over! I felt great as I crossed the line, and could easily have continued on indefinitely. I sat down and ate half a pizza, and by the time I stood up again I had stiffened up a bit but still felt good. I drove the 9 miles back to my hotel, got some ice and chilled my knees and ankles, drank some Gatorade to replenish fluids and electrolytes, took a shower, and then a short nap. Within a couple of hours I was moving normally. Works like a charm!! In the longer run there was virtually no period of recovery required. I drove back to Long Beach on Sunday, stopping to meet Kerry and Danielle Ward for lunch at the Palazzo in Las Vegas. The drive back was pretty miserable–Sunday is the worst time to drive back from Vegas–but I did make it without incident. I resumed my normal activities on Monday, going to a Power Pilates class at Pilates X in the morning followed by my swing dance lesson with Mary-Morgan Childs. I did trim my dance class from 90 to 60 minutes as my right ankle was a bit tender, but that had cleared up by the next morning. That week I did four ballet classes, three Power Pilates classes, two yoga classes, my swing dance class, two Gyrotonic sessions, and a couple of bicycle rides. My body has responded not as if I punished it in some way, but more like I just had a really good workout. I am now thinking that a 100K is in the works, and my goal for next time is to be able to run enough so that I am not left behind. I most enjoyed the times when I had the company of other people. I particularly love getting to know people, and the people who one encounters in an ultra are a rare and special breed. Next time I plan on making yet more friends. The End…. Or is it? Postscript–I have been telling everyone that I was the DLF, or Dead Last Finisher. I have been informed by those in the know that the proper abbreviation is DFL, which stands for Dead F@%king Last, a moniker that I still wear with pride! Status and Hanging with Ward, Thursday, April 5, 2018 Right now it is Saturday, March 31, 2018, and my test approaches! Three weeks from today I will be wending my way across the deserts and mesas of Western Utah as a participant in the Zion Ultras 50K event. When I retired just under three years ago my goal was to restore functionality to my body. My motto was “65 going on 45”. Still is, with only slight modifications. Zion Ultra 50K Course One of those functionalities is the ability of my body to carry me across the earth under my own power quickly and as long as I need to go. I did a pretty good job of maintaining that functionality until my early 50’s. When I lived up on Mulholland Drive from 1993-2002 I would regularly make trips to places like Mount Wilson or Sycamore Canyon where the objective was a 20 mile hike, and in 2003 I got in pretty good shape and ran the LA Marathon. That event, however, may have sown seeds for later problems. I was running great until about mile 11 when I turned an ankle, badly. There have been many cases in the past when I have turned ankles and been able to essentially walk it off, and I opted for that course here, walking a half-mile and then running again. I wound up running until about mile 18, and then walking most of the rest. In retrospect that probably contributed to the ankle mobility problems that eventually made even walking difficult, let alone running. Had I been able to rehab that injury back then I would have been much better off, but rehab takes time, and in those years time was at a premium. I was paying the price for not even thinking about retirement until I reached my fifth Year of the Tiger. From 2002-2007 I was holding down two full-time jobs, and that left very little time for exercise. Me with 6 of my 8 siblings. Ordered by age. When I did exercise that took the form of biking mostly. I come from a family that tends to obesity. I have two brothers who average 400 lbs and a couple of sisters over 200 lbs. if I don’t maintain a high enough exercise threshold I would join them rather quickly, and in fact have had on several occasions to lose up to 60 lbs to reverse that course. My threshold is about 1000 calories per day, and I give myself credit for 100 cal/mile for running/walking, 50 cal for every 100 feet of elevation gain, and 40 cal/mile on the bicycle. Given that I couldn’t really run at that point it would take me over three hours of walking on flat ground (not very fast) to get my 1000 calories. I could, however, do 25 miles of biking in less than 2 hours, so that became my go to exercise regimen. The problem worsened in 2007 when I moved to Placentia, trading my three mile commute for a thirty mile commute in order to accommodate my then girlfriend. The additional driving was bad enough, but she had a lot of additional demands on what little time I had, with disastrous effect. Over the course of the next three years I gained over sixty pounds, turned into a gooey mess, and probably wouldn’t be here now if she hadn’t walked out on me in 2010. North Ridge Trail From 2010-2013, freed from one form of bondage but still commuting to work, I was able to lose most of the weight I had gained. I was biking over 200 miles/week, and I also had the benefit of close proximity to Chino Hills State Park. I have found that the absolute best exercise and therapy for me is a long walk up a steep hill, and I had that in Chino Hills. My favorite “proper trudge” was to hike 5K up the North Ridge trail. That would give me a total of 6+ miles and 1000 feet of elevation for a caloric expenditure of 1100 calories! I could also do it in less than 2 hours, making it as efficient as biking. In 2013 I moved back to Long Beach, gaining some time by losing my commute, but also losing the hills. It was back to a mono-exercise regimen of biking, and my rehab of my ankle problem was pretty much stalled. When I retired in July of 2015 I was ready to really get to work on that problem. Enter Ward… When one retires it is important that the work doesn’t go away. My motto is “Working for a life, not for a living”, and in looking at the friends I have one person stood out as having a lifestyle worth emulating. That person is Kerry Winston Ward. I had met Kerry through my travels to Original Muscle Beach and JJ’s Gym. He was a person who showed up infrequently, seemed to know everyone, and always displayed a tremendous amount of energy and skill. I had a chance to talk with him in September, 2014, when he was just two weeks removed from finishing the Tahoe 200 ultramarathon. I was amazed that he was showing absolutely no ill effects. He was a member of my entourage at the 2014 Circus Couture when I bought a table for 8, and as is pretty much always the case was the life of the party. Circus Couture 2014 Kerry is also quite the adventurer. My friends often comment on how adventurous my own life is, but almost all of my major adventures have come when I was hanging with Ward. Those adventures, in turn, are only a very small fraction of his adventures. Waldo (as in “Where’s Waldo”) has nothing on Ward! On any given day he might very literally be anywhere in the world. Wherever Kerry Ward travels, adventure beckons, and he has built up quite a coterie of close friends to share those adventures with. I retired on July 1, a Wednesday. I wanted to establish as much distance as possible from my job, so my plan was to get in my car the following Monday, head up the coast to Vancouver, and drive across Canada all the way to Newfoundland. Fate intervened that Friday when Kerry posted that he had a dilemma–one of his Vancouver ultra buds, Pat Malavi, was turning 40 and Kerry was part of a group that were going to Iceland to celebrate Pat’s birthday and also run the Laugavegur Ultra Marathon, a 33 mile trail through the highlands that hikers normally take 5 days to complete. Kerry and a buddy had put a deposit on a camper van with a plan to arrive 10 days early, drive all over Iceland, and run the race. The friend had gotten hurt. Was there anyone who could step in and take his place? My hand went up immediately, and thus commenced the first of many adventures with Kerry. On Tuesday I arrived in Iceland. Not only did Kerry finish the Laugavegur, he also changed the tire when the bus got a flat. When I went to Iceland I was not in the best of shape. My rotator cuff on my right arm was really messed up, my feet hurt all the time, and my stability was not so good. Still, I did my best to keep up with Kerry, albeit with some accommodations. So when we came to the Skogafoss waterfall, the gateway to the Eyjafjallajokull volcano that erupted in 2010, Kerry was able to run the dozen or so miles inland to see the volcano while I took a more modest excursion up the same valley. In some cases this worked to his advantage. When we visited the Selifoss waterfall in the interior Kerry was able to do a one-way run 20+ miles down the canyon to the north coast, and have me meet him on the other end as he emerged from a cold drizzle with a pocket full of Kroner for the hot shower in the campground. The Selifoss One of the advantages of hanging with Ward is meeting interesting and very exceptional people, and the ultra-running community is particularly impressive. It is great to have friends that one can count on when times get tough, and Kerry has a lot of those friends. Friends like Dylan Morgan, for example. When Kerry did the 238 mile Moab 240 run last year he had a hard time finding pacers, so Dylan stepped in and paced him for well over half of the race. Then there’s Wing Taylor who said “Run 93 miles around Mount Ranier over two days? Sounds like fun! I’m in!” Not to mention Dax Orion Hock, who was up for the 30 mile round trip from Palm Springs to San Jacinto Peak with its 12,000 feet of elevation gain, as well as a run around Mount Hood in a snowstorm. One of my my personal goals is to be able to step up and do some pacing myself, and my Zion run will be a test for me. So the time for my first test approaches. Today is Thursday, and I am planning on doing some yoga this morning and then some LSD in Telegraph Canyon this afternoon. Not that kind of LSD! Long Slow Distance, with a target of running for 4 hours and 15-16 miles. Tomorrow Kerry is due in LA, and then it will be off to Utah for a shakedown excursion down Reflection Canyon before tending to a job he has in Las Vegas. The adventures continue!! I am Down For Dance!, Monday, March 26, 2018 On Sunday, February 25, I braved the freeways and made my way to West Los Angeles. My destination was the Los Angeles Ballet. The event was a reception hosted by the Susanne Thom Physical Therapy center. I was there to see the featured performers for the evening, the spirited dancers from Down For Dance. Down for Dance (DFD) is a dance program for people with Down syndrome (DS). It began a mere six months ago and was started by Sari Anna Thomas and Annie Griffith, and in that time has already expanded from its humble origin in Orange County to classes at another Orange County location and at Elevation Studios in Signal Hill. Sari Anna Thomas I don’t know much about Annie, and have never formally met her, but I do have an acquaintance with Sari. Sari Anna Thomas is originally from Seattle and migrated to Los Angeles in 2000 on a scholarship to Edge Performing Arts Center. She danced professionally for several years and moved into teaching dance in 2005. Almost 5 years ago she began assisting with a noprofit program that provided movement and social opportunities for individuals with Down syndrome, and then last summer taught a class for an organiztion named PALS. According to their website, “Our mission is to create immersive experiences where individuals with Down syndrome and their peers have fun, grow as individuals, and build transformative friendships.” Tres Amigas — The original three Three years ago Sari began working on a private basis with several young ladies with Down syndrome, and that eventually led her to start her own program. Unfortunately, none of the existing DFD sites are geographically appropriate for her original trio as they are in El Segundo and points north, but that will likely change in the future given the current rate of growth and the apparent need. Currently there are over 30 dancers with Down syndrome participating in the program along with approximately a dozen volunteers who work with the dancers, often on a 1-1 basis. Current participants range in age from 7 to 36, and have a wide range of functional abilities. I got a pretty good idea about how the program works by watching their performance at the Susanne Thom Physical Therapy gala. The dancers involved were all taking hip-hop classes, and there were just under 20 dancers taking the floor for the opening number. The dancers participating in the DFD program have a wide range of functionality and experience, and that was apparent in this performance. The dancers in the front were the more independent, higher-function dancers who have mastered the routines. The dancers were first marshaled into their starting positions by the volunteers, Sari spent a few seconds warming them up, and then they were off. Interspersed among the dancers and trying to keep a low profile were a number of volunteers. Their role was to help in modeling the choreography for dancers who have not yet mastered it, and even to physically steer dancers who have become confused back on track. After the opening number there was a dance by Sari’s original three dancers, and then all dancers took solo turns on the dance floor, hip-hopping to Bruno Mars’ Uptown Funk. Here again I had a chance to see the different abilities of the participants. Some of them were fully independent, champing at the bit, and sometimes reluctant to yield the floor. Others were more diffident or confused, or some combination of the two, and needed to be led onto the floor and sometimes jump-started by a volunteer. Whichever category they fell into, once they were wound up they were all ready to dance! There were several dancers who showed some real creativity and talent, and Sari was quite excited when I informed her that plans are afoot to add Dance to the Special Olympics. Dance was included on a demonstration basis in the 2017 Winter Special Olympics, and I had read that 2020 was the target for full inclusion. We may have some future Olympians among us! On Thursday, 3/23 I went to one of the DFD classes at Elevation Studios, where in addition to teaching classes Sari works as the Assistant Director. This was the first meeting of the Thursday class; the Tuesday class has become so popular that they were having to turn students away. On this first day there were only three students, which gave me a great opportunity to focus in on the process without too many distractions. For this class Sari was assisted by volunteer Dani who was on just her second assignment, her first having come in the Tuesday class. The three students provided a very nice sampling of the spectrum of abilities that must be accommodated in the class. First, there was Robin, an adult male who was quick to invite me onto the dance floor. Robin is the class clown; he wants everyone to partipate, loves being center stage, and he loves to be in charge. Next was Emily, a young lady who loves to shake it, but tends to wander off and needs a lot of direction to keep her on task. Finally there was Diana. Diana is new to the program and needed some coaxing to get her to participate. She was not a fan of hip-hop, but after class she retired to a corner of the room to work on her ballet which is where her aspirations lie. Dani, Emily, Diana, Robin, and Sari tuning the choreography Quite a bit of the instruction for the students is on a one-on-one basis. According to Sari, “There are definitely a number of dancers in our program who don’t need that assistance, where I kind of like to push their independence more. … There’s definitely some dancers who would not be successful in class without a volunteer, and those people just get the one-on-one.” Diana was a perfect example of a student who needed a lot of support, and Dani was assigned to be her special friend for the class. You put your red foot in, you take your red foot out… Sari has a lot of experience working with this population, and it was very enlightening to watch her at work. One of the first tasks was the labeling of limbs; much like myself, keeping track of right and left is difficult for some students. Sari’s solution is to use red and blue duct tape on the right and left toes of the students’ shoes, and red and blue wristbands. I am kind of hoping that she would use that method for her classes that I take! I have also take Sari’s classes as a student and was very impressed to see the modifications she has incorporated to make sure that people of all abilities can participate. She pours an incredible amount of energy into her teaching, as do her volunteers! The energy and support of those volunteers is crucial to the success of the program. Speaking of those volunteers, Sari can always use more “dedicated and committed” ones. It is a difficult job and requires fitness and endurance, but it is also a very rewarding job pretty much guaranteed to result in life-long relationships. Both the performance and the class that I observed were permeated with a tremendous feeling of love and good will. The real concern I have is for Sari. The program is growing so fast that if she hasn’t already cloned herself she needs to do so soon. Maybe she can find a ballet teacher who is willing and able to work with dancers with Down syndrome so Diana can pursue her aspirations. Status Report, Monday, March 5, 2018 The other day Facebook reminded me of a post from exactly five years before, March 4, 2013: “Another good day. Yoga class this morning, and then an 11 mile hike in Chino Hills State Park. My reconditioned right ankle is making excellent progress. Back when I started yoga just over 18 months ago I noticed that, as my friend Jim Jones would have said, that I “have a little hitch in my git along”. My right foot refused to go over the toe, and instead my foot would automatically swivel, turning out so instead of rolling across the ball and over the toe I would be pushing off from a turned-out position. When doing paschimottanasana in classes I noticed that as soon as I began to hinge forward my right foot would flop over to the side. I have been working on correcting that and discovered that there was a lot of tightness on the inner side of my right leg, and have been working on loosening that up at the cost of much protest by tendons and ligaments that had not been used properly. Over the last few weeks I noticed that with a bit of effort and attention I could now walk properly, and today I managed to keep it up over the entire walk and that doing so is no longer effortful. Upon some reflection I realized that the genesis of the problem was the 2003 LA Marathon, where I managed to finish the race despite having badly turned my ankle at about mile 11. So now I am finally recovering from a 10 year old injury. Feels good!” Rambling in Portuguese Bend More perspective, and perfect timing too! It is now five years later, and I feel that I may have finally turned the corner on that “reconditioned right ankle”. The intervening years have seen a process of “two steps forward, one step back”. Or, maybe, sometimes “one step forward, two steps back” like when hubris got the best of me when I decided that kicking off my return to running by going 6 miles on concrete wearing Vibram 5 Fingers shoes. Tendinitis! Who would have thunk that? Or that a 50 yard sprint to beat a flashing WALK signal was a good idea in December, 2015. It felt really good to be up on the balls of my feet, but my left meniscus had a different perspective when I stopped! In retrospect, the silver lining was that the Physical Therapy for my knee (avoided surgery!) finally put me firmly on the path to addressing the deficiencies in my support systems. Now the task is to avoid making the same mistakes again! Nike radar installation on Mt. San Vicente I have used a combination of mindfulness, yoga, Pilates, Gyrotonics, and dance (ballet and swing) to finally get to a point where I can make the transition from reconditioning to maintaining that ankle. Just in the nick of time, as I am registered to do an ultramarathon in April and need to be able to cover 31 miles in 10 hours. The big problem in former rounds has been that the basic structural problems had never been resolved. I was also handicapped by my move to Long Beach. Five years ago I was living in Placentia, with the drawback of a 30 mile commute, but I also had easy access to Chino Hills State Park. It was nice bike ride or a ten minute drive. I could get home from work in the afternoon and still have time to get in a “proper trudge” (PT), indicating 10K distance and 1000 feet of elevation gain. I could even get one in after work on the shortest days of the year. I never replaced that in Long Beach (Signal Hill, yuck) and I think that was to my detriment. Now I think I finally have the structural problems resolved enough to proceed to real training. I did a month or so of running on the treadmill to try to dial in my gait. Three Sunday’s ago I did some running on hills in the Portuguese Bend area of Palos Verdes. I did a total of 6 miles with 1000 feet of gain, running only about a mile or so and only on the uphill sections and sticking to the vehicle grade roads. Two Sundays ago I did another 6 miles there and ran the foot trails. I ran about half of the uphill and virtually all of the downhill. My average speed going up was 3.2 mph, and down was 3.5 mph. Midweek I took a 1.5 mile run up Signal Hill and averaged 4.0 mph, and then averaged 4.4 mph on the downhill. I also did a 4 mile run on grass on Friday. Sunday I drove up to one of my old haunts, Westridge Rd above Mandeville Canyon. I went up the fire road all the way to the Nike Base and ran most of the mostly uphil 3.5 miles and averaged 3.7 mph. Started running down, and the first couple of miles were partially uphill and mostly on the Mandeville Canyon side of the ridge. After two miles the road was all downhill and always on the Sullivan Canyon side of the ridge. That was a concern because of my still sensitive right ankle. The very wide fire road has a very pronounced slope from outside to inside. Coming up that slope went down from left to right, and when running on it my right ankle was downhill and canted in the direction that it tends to do anyway. On the reverse trip, however, that cant was reversed, and now that ankle was taking a beating. If I had not received the omen that took me back to my earlier oversteps I might have decided to try to tough out that situation. Instead, I opted to walk the rest. Even that had its positive side–usually when I walk down I am one of the slower walkers, but this time nobody passed me and I passed several other hikers. Have I truly learned a lesson? Only time will tell! I Am a Spotter It's Always Ladies' Choice in my Universe Roger and Judy and I Beatnik Bandito, Monday, November 28, 2016 Roger and Judy Update, October 21, 2017 Goodbye, 2019! December 31, 2019 It’s Official! Sunday, March 10, 2019 Next Challenge, Monday, January 15, 2019 Scene of the Crime, Friday, January 4, 2019 It’s Coming Together, Sunday, December 30, 2018 Follow Captain Univac on WordPress.com	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0030.json.gz/line992
__label__wiki	0.808102	0.808102	26 August 2019 • 5 minute read The Story of Colours in Traffic Accidents Xia, Xiaoyu Research reveals yellow taxis cause fewer accidents than blue taxis in Singapore By Jaymee Ng, Principal Writer, China Business Knowledge @ CUHK Taxis are usually painted in highly visible colours, such as red, yellow or green. The bright colours make them easier to be spotted on the roads. However, a recent research by The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) Business School reveals that the colour of taxis do more than attention drawing, but is linked to road safety too. According to Prof. Xia Xiaoyu, Assistant Professor in the Department of Decision Science and Managerial Economics at CUHK Business School, yellow taxis in Singapore had 6.1 fewer accidents per 1,000 taxis per month than blue taxis, representing a 9% reduction in accident probability. Her study “Yellow taxis have fewer accidents than blue taxis because yellow is more visible than blue” was conducted in collaboration with Prof. Ho Teck-hua, Senior Deputy President and Provost in National University of Singapore (NUS) and Prof. Chong Juin-kuan Chong, Associate Professor from NUS Business School. “What could account for this notable difference in the accident rate? Could it be that yellow taxis are driven less frequently than blue taxis? Or that the drivers in the two fleets drive differently?” Prof. Xia asks. To find out the exact reasons behind this significant difference between the two taxis, the researchers analysed two datasets from the largest taxi company in Singapore, including a 36-month accident-record from 2012 to 2014 and a random sample of 3,341 taxi drivers on their daily driving records and their accident records. According to the study, drivers of both yellow and blue taxis did not seem to differ in driving behaviours. The drivers were all hired using the same recruitment system and received the same training. Most importantly, they did not choose the taxi colours themselves but were randomly assigned to one of the colours by the company. In addition, fares and monthly rent for both yellow and blue taxis were the same. In the sample, a total of 868 drivers out of the 3,341 sample drove both yellow and blue taxis. The researchers also found that when the driver switched from a blue taxi to a yellow taxi, the accident rate dropped by 6.2 accidents per 1,000 taxis. In other words, driving behaviour would not be the main cause for the difference in accident rates. If so, what could be the reason for the difference? “This higher visibility would make it easier for other drivers to notice a yellow taxi, which would increase the odds that other drivers would have sufficient response time to avoid a potential accident with a yellow taxi.” – Prof. Xia Xiaoyu The Differences in Colours “We hypothesized that the higher visibility of yellow was directly responsible for the lower accident rate,” says Prof. Xia. “This higher visibility would make it easier for other drivers to notice a yellow taxi, which would increase the odds that other drivers would have sufficient response time to avoid a potential accident with a yellow taxi,” she says. Yellow is a common colour for taxis, perhaps best known for the yellow cabs in New York City. According to the study, the Chicago Yellow Cab Company chose the colour yellow after a survey conducted at the University of Chicago. The survey revealed that yellow was the most noticeable colour for passengers to spot a taxi in the sea of black cars at the time. In this research, Prof. Xia and her collaborators examined whether it was the high noticeability of yellow colour that contributed to the relatively lower accident rate in Singapore. “As long as the higher visibility of yellow over blue was not neutralized (e.g., in total darkness), yellow would remain more noticeable than blue. Because yellow taxis are more noticeable than blue taxis—especially when in front of another vehicle and in street lighting — other drivers can better avoid hitting them, directly reducing the accident rate,” Prof. Xia explains. The team first tested whether the position of the taxi in relation to the other driver’s view would influence the difference in accident rate. The results showed that when the taxis were in front of the other vehicles, yellow taxis had 3.4 fewer accidents per 1,000 taxis per month than blue taxis comparing to 1.6 fewer accidents when the taxis were behind the other vehicles. Then, the team tested the visibility of the taxi colours in different light conditions: street lighting, daylight and no light, in relation to the accident rate. According to the results, the relative difference in accident rate was greater in street lighting condition, in which the yellow taxis had 4.5 fewer accidents per 1,000 taxis per month than in daylight condition when they had two fewer accidents than blue taxis. “In fact, yellow’s better visibility would be even more advantageous in street lighting because yellow would have a stronger contrast than blue against a dark background, including dawn and dusk,” Prof. Xia says. Implication for Policy Makers In summary, their research results suggest that changing the colours of taxis could reduce the number of accidents as well as save millions of dollars. “If the taxi company changed the colour of its entire fleet of taxis to yellow, 76.4 fewer accidents per month or 917 fewer accidents per year would occur. The lower accident rate would also significantly cut down the repair cost due to traffic accidents, which could help the company to save SGD 2 million per year,” she says. “Our research findings show that yellow taxis not only reduce the number of accidents on the street but also the associated loss related to traffic accidents,” she says. “This finding can play a significant role for policy makers when choosing colours for public transportation as it helps to save lives as well as millions of dollars,” she concludes. Yellow taxis have fewer accidents than blue taxis because yellow is more visible than blue	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0030.json.gz/line1005
__label__wiki	0.819628	0.819628	NOTICE (March 2018): This website provides access to the CDIAC archive data temporarily. It will be gradually transitioned into data packages in the new ESS-DIVE archive. This site will continue to operate in parallel during and after the transition, and will be retired at a future date. If you have any questions regarding the data or the transition, please contact ess-dive-support@lbl.gov. Navigate CDIAC About CDIAC Information on CDIAC data, data policies, and more Permission to Use Data Fossil-Fuel CO2 Emissions Trace Gas Emissions Atmospheric Trace Gases & Aerosols Oceanic Trace Gases Terrestrial Carbon Management Vegetation Response to CO2 & Climate Land-Use & Ecosystems Key resources related to carbon cycle and climate change research Recent Greenhouse Gas Concentrations Latest Global Carbon Budget Estimates Illustration of the Global Carbon Cycle Climate.gov U.S. Global Change Research Program Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Reports Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Center Atmospheric Trace Gases » Air Samples, Niwot Ridge, Colorado Mixing Ratios of CO, CO2, CH4, and Isotope Ratios of Associated 13C, 18O, and 2H in Air Samples from Niwot Ridge, Colorado, and Montaña de Oro, California, USA (January 2004) Abstract Graphics Data Stanley C. Tyler Department of Earth System Science DOI: 10.3334/CDIAC/atg.db1022 Description and Methods Air samples from Niwot Ridge, Colorado (41°N, 105°W) and Montaña de Oro, CA (35°N, 121°W) have been collected at approximately semi-monthly to monthly intervals since the mid 1990s. The beginning dates for each gas and isotope analyzed are as follows: GASLAB Flask Sampling Network Data Available (April 2003) Gas or isotope Montaña de Oro CO January 1995 January 1996 δ13C November 1999 June 2000 CO2 February 1996 January 1996 δ13C February 1996 January 1996 δ18O February 1996 January 1996 CH4 January 1995 January 1996 δ13C January 1995 January 1996 δ2H August 1998 February 2000 Such time series can provide information about: (1) seasonal cycling of CO, CO2, and CH4 sources and sinks in background air, (2) trends in atmospheric concentrations of CO2 and CH4 and their stable carbon, oxygen, and hydrogen isotopes, (3) the distribution of the hydroxyl (OH) radical in the atmosphere, and (4) the role of the terrestrial biosphere as a source or sink of atmospheric CO2. The data presented here are discussed in detail by Tyler et al., (1999). Samples at Niwot Ridge were collected before noon in order to increase the likelihood of sampling when the prevailing wind was from the west, so as to represent well-mixed background air from over the western United States without * interference from regional contamination. Samples from Montaña de Oro were collected in late afternoon or early evening during periods when prevailing winds were from the west or northwest (i.e., from the Pacific Ocean). Air from Niwot Ridge was collected into passivated aluminum high-pressure cylinders using a RIX model SA-3 compressor; air from Montaña de Oro was collected into electro-polished 32-liter stainless steel canisters using a portable battery- operated piston pump (Model 415CDC30/12B, Thomas Co., Sheboygan WI). Mixing ratios from canister and cylinder samples were measured at The University of California-Irvine, using a Hewlett Packard 5880A gas chromatograph with a flame ionization detector, for CO2 and CH4, and a Shimadzu Model 14A Gas Chromatograph with a Model RGD2 reduction gas analyzer detector (Trace Analytical, Menlo Park, California), for CO. Mixing-ratio working standards for CH4 and CO are based on the National Atmospheric and Oceanic Administration/Climate Monitoring and Diagnostics Laboratory (NOAA/CMDL) reference scale, and have been inter-compared with and calibrated to NOAA/CMDL reference standards (Lang et al., 1990, for CH4; Novelli et al., 1991, for CO; Thoning et al., 1987, for CO2). The precision level for measurements of CO2 is ~±3-4 ppm (1% uncertainty around 342 ppm); the precision level for measurements of CH4 is ~±5 to 10 ppb for values around a working-reference-gas value of 1903 ppb, and for measurements of CO, the precision level is ~±1.3 ppb for measurements around 133.5 ppb. Oxygen and carbon isotopes were measured on a Finnigan MAT Model 252 Isotope-Ratio Mass Spectrometer (IRMS). Precision of measurement on clean dry CO2 gas standards is ±0.01%. The reproducibility of δ13C measurements from ~200 liters each of replicate air samples, when all possible errors associated with differences in sample canisters, sample pumping, vacuum line processing, and isotope measurement are taken into account, is ±0.05% for δ13C of CH4, 0.20% for δ13C of CO and ±0.01% for δ13C of CO2. The δD-CH4 analyses were performed using a cf-Gas-Chromatography/IRMS coupled to a custom-designed CH4 gas preconcentrator (Rice et al., 2001). A pyrolysis oven converts CH4 to H2 after its separation from the air stream and before its detection by the mass spectrometer. Precision of measurement is ±1.3% for CH4 processed from ~63 ml of whole air. Additional information on instrumentation, calibration, analysis procedures, and reporting standards is given in the "readme.txt" file and references listed therein. In particular, Tyler et al. (1999) describe much of the experimental detail and sample collection. Lang, P.M., L.P. Steele, and R.C. Martin. 1990. Atmospheric methane data for the period 1986-1988 from the NOAA/CMDL global cooperative flask sampling network, in NOAA Technical Memorandum ERL CMDL-2, University of Colorado, Boulder CO, 1990. Novelli, P.C., J.W. Elkins and L.P. Steele. 1991. The development and evaluation of a gravimetric reference scale for measurements of atmospheric carbon monoxide. J. Geophys. Res. 96, 13109-13121. Rice, A.L. A.A. Gotoh, H.O. Ajie, and S.C. Tyler. 2001. High precision continuous flow measurement of δ13C and δD of Atmospheric CH4. Anal. Chem. 73, 4104-4110, 2001. Thoning, K.W., P. Tans, T.J., Conway, and L.S. Waterman. 1987. NOAA/GMCC calibrations of CO2-in-air reference gases: 1979-1985, NOAA Technical Memorandum ERL ARL-150, Environmental Research Laboratory, Boulder, CO, 63 pp. Tyler, S.C., H.O. Ajie, M.L. Gupta, R.J. Cicerone, D.R. Blake, and E.J. Dlugokencky. 1999. Carbon isotopic composition of atmospheric methane: A comparison of surface level and upper tropospheric air, J. Geophy. Res. 104. 13895-13910. Privacy & Security Notice · Berkeley Lab · ESS-DIVE · Contact Us · This page was last modified: 10/30/12.	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0030.json.gz/line1007
__label__wiki	0.917529	0.917529	Auction Technology Group are a company that provides specialist services to the auction industry, both in print and on the web. A global pioneer of live online auctions, it is the owner of Antiques Trade Gazette, and its principal websites include: antiquestradegazette.com, thesaleroom.com, ibidder.com, bidspotter.com, bidspotter.co.uk and globalauctionplatform.com Go to page: 1 2 3 4 It’s back: ATG Pub Quiz 2019 Returning after an interlude of seven years, the ATG Pub Quiz returned on Tuesday night with more than 20 teams taking part. ATG parent wins business accolade Auction Technology Group, owner of ATG, has been included in the London Stock Exchange Group’s '1000 Companies to Inspire Britain 2019' report. Comment by ATG's editor-at-large At times, the UK art market can feel London-centric – particularly in a week when the capital plays host to 'Asian Art in London' and the city stakes its place alongside Hong Kong and New York as a world hub for the Asian art market. ‘Online bidders’ expectations are rising’ We ask ATG’s Richard Lewis why thesaleroom.com is changing its commission fee. Simon Berti steps down after two decades at ATG Simon Berti, chairman of the Art & Antiques division at Antiques Trade Gazette parent Auction Technology Group, has announced that he is stepping down from his role after 20 years “to explore life beyond auctions”. Simon Berti steps down as ATG’s chairman of Art & Antiques Auction Technology Group hires chief technology officer Auction Technology Group (ATG) - parent company of Antiques Trade Gazette and thesaleroom.com – has hired a new chief technology officer. ATG's chief executive on purchasing Germany-based portal lot-tissimo: 'Bidders will have more choice' Auction Technology Group's chief sets out how online consolidation, such as the company's purchase in March of e-commerce portal lot-tissimo, will bring benefits to both buyers and auctioneers... Your Gazette: any time, any device Editor’s comment: ‘User-friendly’ is a term with varying definitions. For readers of Antiques Trade Gazette, whose work requires them to hit the road often, it should mean the content they want is accessible in as many ways as possible wherever they are. Building the best bidder experience – Auction Technology Group CEO John-Paul Savant on why the company has rebranded What’s in a name? Quite a lot, actually, if you’re John-Paul Savant, chief executive of the newly-rebranded Auction Technology Group, the company formerly known as ATG Media. ATG Media renames to reflect expansion across auction sectors ATG Media, corporate parent of ‘Antiques Trade Gazette’, has been rebranded as the Auction Technology Group. Here's to the next 45 years With ATG Media, publisher of Antiques Trade Gazette, celebrating its 45th anniversary at a party in central London, key industry figures attending the event gave their views on what ATG means to them and their businesses. ATG celebrates 45th anniversary The great and the good of the art and antiques world descended on The Royal College of Surgeons in central London last night for a party to celebrate ATG’s 45th anniversary. Flick through the image slideshow here to get a flavour of the event and see who you recognise. The event was sponsored by Auction Logistics from Mailboxes Etc. ATG Media appoint new chief executive ATG Media, parent company of the Antiques Trade Gazette, has appointed former PayPal senior executive John-Paul Savant as chief executive officer, succeeding Anne Somers who moves to become deputy chairman. All-time high for thesaleroom.com Thesaleroom.com, sister brand to ATG, has hit a milestone one million unique visitors in January, representing a 160% uplift on numbers for that period last year and an all-time high for the site. ATG gets a new deputy editor ATG MEDIA has just welcomed a new deputy editor to the recently expanded editorial team. New member of ATG editorial team The Antiques Trade Gazette has hired a new reporter as the 45-year-old title continues its evolution online and in print. Frances Allitt, a fine art underwriter and magazine columnist, starts on January 11. ATG Media and Mail Boxes form logistics partnership ATG Media, parent of the Antiques Trade Gazette, and Mail Boxes Etc have joined forces to provide a new delivery service for buyers on thesaleroom.com. The appliance of science – a discussion for Asian Art in London Leading specialists will debate the use of scientific testing in Asian art at an event to coincide with Asian Art in London (November 5-14). Come behind the scenes with us We are planning some exciting changes to the Antiques Trade Gazette website and would like to invite you to join our customer panel.	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0030.json.gz/line1008
__label__cc	0.746866	0.253134	10 Things I Would Be Doing as a Kid on a Saturday in 1973 By Brian Lageose on February 2, 2019 • ( 52 Comments ) 1. Watching all the crazed, clearly-drug-inspired cartoons on Saturday morning. I would leap out of bed at the earliest crack and race to turn the TV on and then sit there, glued, for hours. My favorite reefer madness was this thing called “Lidsville”, about a real boy and a special land where the hats were alive and they lived in colorful houses, also shaped like hats. (I am so not making this up, even though many people today think I’m insane and must have been dropped on my head at birth.) I even had a “Lidsville” lunchbox, the rectangle metal kind that had that little swing-out bracket thing to hold your thermos. I carried this treasure to school faithfully, until the tragic day when I dropped and broke said thermos, shattering it because the insides were made of glass back then and you couldn’t get all dumb-ass with your transportation skills. But jack it up I did, and I had to drag the rattling thermos home and explain myself to Mom concerning my disappointing behavior. 2. Wiring myself up on a candy-based breakfast. Whilst watching the stoner toons, it was a prerogative that you consume bowl after bowl of cereal as you sat cross-legged directly in front of the TV. And you weren’t doing it right unless you added tons of sugar to your already-sugared cereal. This made things heavenly, and after you crunched your way through the top portion, you would be rewarded with the leftovers at the bottom, a milky and creamy sugar pudding. You could mainline that manna and then go invade a small country. 3. Going outside and playing for hours without any electronic devices or Internet access. This is a true story. Once upon a time a child could simply walk out the front door, possibly gather other little friends although this was not necessary, and then come up with his own entertainment that would last the entire afternoon. And here’s the most startling aspect of this story: physical activity actually took place. Yep, games were invented on the fly that involved running, jumping and hurling each other from the tops of trees and storage sheds. One didn’t sit around and wait for a parental unit to purchase yet another toy. Couches were not involved. Unless the couch had been abandoned and was waiting patiently on the curb for disposal. Then the couch became the Starship Enterprise and everybody got to kill space aliens with their stick ponies, which secretly doubled as machine guns. 4. Avoiding toys that could kill. Not that we didn’t have any toys, mind you, of course we had those. But apparently the country as a whole didn’t have a lot of regulations when it came to the toys of that time. One especially brutal invention went by several names, but we knew them as Klick-Klacks. In short, you had two acrylic balls the size of, oh, large plums I guess, one at each end of a string, and the string had a little ring or stick in the middle. So far, so good. You held on to the ring and let the balls dangle (yes, they looked like day-glo testicles at first glance), then began to jiggle the balls in a manner that would make them bounce further and further apart. The end goal (although this proved elusive for many) was to get the balls to bounce against each other hard enough that they would rocket around a circumference, slam into each other at the top of said circle, and then hurtle downwards again, rinse and repeat, ad infinitum. If one did things right, it sounded like a woodpecker on crack. The deadly part? When you screwed up and one or both of the suddenly very-weighty balls would slam into your head or other delicate body parts. You only had to do that a couple of times before you threw the damn thing in the toy box, never to look at it again. (Oh, and the balls could also explode and blind you with the fragments. Suffice it to say that they eventually disappeared from the stores.) 5. Dancing with excitement as the ice cream truck rolled down the street. One minute, the entire block would be completely deserted, tumbleweeds blowing. Then the maniacal sounds of the jangly truck would break the silence, and suddenly you had 400 hyperventilating kids shoving each other out of the way and thrusting their grimy dimes at the probably-medicated vendor. Slurping would then ensue. 6. Hoping to enjoy some fine local cuisine, urchin-style. The absolute best restaurant in the entire world was McDonald’s, bar none. (Okay, Dairy Queen was a close second, but some of those places were really old and smelled like grandparents.) The McDonald’s were newer, sometimes came with playgrounds, and often offered cheap prizes that would infatuate young minds. It couldn’t get any better. And the French fries? Oh. My. God. This was back in the day, when nobody knew squat about healthy eating except for certain hippies and chaste librarians, so those fries would be dripping in grease and completely coated with enough salt that your tongue would actually burn if you ate too many. Good times. 7. Listening to Lobo sing his catchy, heartfelt tunes. Granted, I was still basically a kid, but I was also a very serious little munchkin at times, in that introspective, budding gay-boy way where you search for meaning wherever you can find it. So I was often perusing “adult” songs whilst my cohorts had a repertoire limited to Sesame Street ditties. And something about the way this man sang and what he said had me mesmerized. Now, some of you won’t care a hoot for this list, and others of you (“of a certain age”) will squeal and run try to download these titles: “Me and You and Dog Named Boo”, “I’d Love You to Want Me” and “Don’t Expect Me to Be Your Friend”. Put on the old-school, clunky headphones and reminisce. 8. Playing with my “G.I. Joe” doll. It was extremely not cool for boys to play with dolls, unless it was one of these. He was all manly and stuff, with his buzz-cut and plastic pectorals. (No penis, though. I checked this out immediately.) You could pull a string in his back, and then he would bark out orders, telling you to run sink a battleship with your bare hands or topple a Communist dictator. It was great fun until his string broke or his voice box got jacked and it sounded like he had emphysema. Then he was relegated to the bottom of the toy box with the Klick-Klacks. 9. Begging to go see The Exorcist. I had no idea what this movie was about, but there were whispered rumors that people were fainting and even dying at the screenings, and who wouldn’t want to go see something like that? (Mom even had a tattered paperback copy of the book that lived on her nightstand for a bit, so this would provoke me ever more, what with that odd, creepy image on the cover. What the hell was that thing?) But alas, it wasn’t to be. I wasn’t allowed to go see it, not at that time, anyway. I had to wait a few years for cable TV to become popular and then I got to watch it on a brand-new “pay channel” called HBO. At which point I remember thinking maybe that Regan girl wouldn’t have acted up so much if she’d just cut back on the sugar in her cereal. Or the McDonald’s fries. Something. 10. Watching “Emergency!” on TV. I really don’t remember exactly what the TV series was about, some mess involving folks that would go save other people who didn’t have enough sense to not get in car accidents or fall off buildings. But I do remember that I was smitten with Randolph Mantooth, the actor who played one of the paramedic heroes. It was quite nice when an episode involved fire, because he would get sweaty, and I was constantly fantasizing about getting myself into situations that required him to rescue me. Sadly, when these episodes would end on a Saturday night, it meant that I didn’t have much longer before my personal freedom was rudely curtailed, as my designated bedtime was on the horizon. I would often fight this injustice, of course, because I was firmly convinced that I was much smarter than all the stupid adults with all their rules and questionable movies that only they could attend. But it was a losing battle, naturally. And eventually I would be tucked in and bid night-night. I would then wait for my parents to go become distracted by whatever they did when offspring were presumably quarantined for the evening. Then I would reach over and turn on my little tiny-watt radio, real quiet, and wait for a Lobo song to play… Originally published in “The Sound and the Fury” and “Bonnywood Manor”, minimally revised and updated with extra flair for this post. Story behind the photo: A few years ago, we were in a vintage store christened “Mantiques”, a clever name identifying the inventory as old crap that old guys would like. I rounded a corner and there was the very same lunchbox I had cherished forty-odd years ago. I nearly wet myself. My partner did not, and he marched right past this altar and proceeded to peruse some Mid-Century Modern highball glasses. We all have our own unique fetishes. No Klick-Klacks were found on the premises, sadly. But life goes on… Tagged as: Books, Cartoons, Childhood, Equality, Humor, LGBT, Lidsville, Lobo, Music, Nostalgia, Photography, Sarcasm, Short Story, writing 10 Things I Should Have Done Today and Why I Didn’t Ah the memories. Most of those are true for me too. As for #5, a friend of mine convinced his young daughter that when the ice cream truck played music, it meant they were out of ice cream. Cruel in the extreme. Oh my, this friend of yours sounds very intimidating. He also sounds just like my father… 😉 I could have been your teenage babysitter, unless I had a good date offer, which I usually did, causing me to call in sick from scheduled babysitting jobs. If I actually did make it to babysit you (doubtful), all the things you did, would be cool by me, except for ‘The Exorcist,’ which created an existential-teenage-terror-crisis in my still undeveloped mind. Now, let’s think about this. If you HAD bothered to show up for our adventure in babysitting (yes, a movie reference, there’s always a movie reference around here), we could have combined our future blogging efforts and ruled the world. But no, you had to go on a date, thus altering the time-space continuum… 😉 I can relate! Except I was curtailed quite a bit. No Mcdonald’s or sugared cereals were allowed, no Barbies, cartoons were limited to one show. (No librarians or hippies in my house but my mother was a narcissist and my father was mostly disconnected.) But I availed myself of this stuff when I could. It was like finding treasure. Thanks for reminding me of those fond memories. 🙂 I was actually considerably curtailed during my early formative years, with a narcissist daddy who rarely allowed a bit of candy to breach our inquisitive lips. That changed dramatically with The Great Divorce when I was 7ish, and then the doors were thrown wide open as Mom experimented with other examples of the male species in her quest for a suitable mate… The Whitechapel Whelk says: I can’t identify with any of that. Mind you, I was run over and killed crossing the road in Stepney in ’72. It’s what my mum would have wanted Do you really want to compare who suffered more in ’72? Because I will take you down with the truth. But you do get bonus points for the exciting, action-adventure aspect of your demise. Mine was the boring result of neglect and parental malpractice, a rather ho-hum denouement… 😉 omg i did all of this, with the barbie version of dolls ) I’ve always known we are kindred souls…. 😉 DJill says: Thank you for the trip down memory lane! I usually don’t laugh out loud, but yeah, the GI Joe with emphysema got me! I was only 5 in 1973 but fast forward a few years and I remember spending my Saturdays much the same way as you. Just add Barbie and Ken and my amazing tree fort in the woods across the street. Mom worked nights as a nurse and slept during the day so we stayed outside most of the day. Good times! Interestingly enough, we have a lot similarities. We had a tree fort across the street (near a skanky-looking pond where someone had died, according to neighborhood folklore), my mom worked as a nurse’s assistant for a while, albeit during the early shift, and we young uns stayed outside most of the day, partly because my parents shoved us out and locked the door and partly because it was so much fun playing out our imaginative games near a pond where there might be a body…. 😉 Godwin T. Ihagh says: wow, entertaining; it’s like you’ve taken me in a time machine back into the the 1970’s I actually DO have a time machine. But don’t tell anybody, because I can’t afford the taxes on owning such a vehicle… 😉 hahaha, oh really, you have a time machine but can’t afford the taxes. What memories your post has brought back. Oh? Pray tell, what did YOU do with the G.I. Joe doll?… 😉 I had a ordinary doll! It survived for a long time and then disappeared “Emergency” was loosely based on the early ‘invention’ of EMTs as a ‘real’ thing. Apparently prior to the late 60s/early 70s, firemen did the EMT job, and because they weren’t medically trained (although the ones who did the EMTing did get some kind of basic first aid course)…this state pissed off the firemen, because the ones that would be EMTs got double duty. And a choice. Did you put out the fire OR save the old guy turning blue because he had such severe smoke inhalation? And your fellow fire fighters (fireMEN only in those days) sometimes were surly and thought the pre-EMTs were putting on airs and were entitled. A thing not really known about then. Ah. Good times. This is why the show’s producers had that incredibly hot Doctor and Nurse Julie with a sort of CB affair where they could advise and supervise the EMT in the field (or the fireman. They didn’t get the EMT title until a lot later I don’t think). Randolph Mantooth? Oh my. You weren’t the only one fantasizing about him rescuing them, followed by Dr. Bracket and then Kevin Tighe (sp?) who is still hot and on certain B list movies and TV series now and then. Kevin always plays a villain in them too, so maybe he was really bitter about being forced to play a pseudo EMT. He seemed a little testy back then too actually. Now a weird little thing I just thought of…Randolph’s teeth weren’t precisely straight nor all that white. The 70s had different standards and sometimes it’s a shame those were lost. I used to hit my annoying brother with my klick-klacks, which were purple and much more durable than theirs were. By accident on purpose. The third time I brained him, my mother threatened to throw ‘those go**amned’ things in the trash if I didn’t stop misusing them. And playing outside was far more interesting than sitting in the house watching the paint dry. I had discovered books too, which provided more entertainment than a dozen TV shows of the time (Emergency! excepted of course). Thanks for this walk down Memory Lane…my lunch box was the “Prom Queen” one, and I broke that thermos early on and then used it to house my Matchbox cars ™ which of course I had! I had brothers. Boys liked playing ‘cars’ in the day, and if I wanted to play too? I had to have my own garage. Wow, you have a plethora of information about EMTs and “Emergency!”. I’m not saying this is a bad thing, I’m just mentioning it as a concern that you might be more obsessive about trivia that I am, and I didn’t think such a thing was possible. I bow down before you, with pleasure and acceptance of your greatness. Long may be your reign. Now, in another example of our intertwined cosmic congruence, I also made note of Kevin’s “not quite ready for prime time” teeth. But I didn’t care. Once he had rescued me, I knew that I could wisely counsel him on the benefits of the brisk use of a quality toothbrush and the wonders of orthodontics. We would share the burden together. I must also admit to some questionable behavior when it came to sibling advice concerning the Klick-Klacks. I may or may not have fed some misinformation to my sister, hoping that she would be felled on the front lawn and I would rule the juvenile kingdom. (This was before the additional potential usurpers to my throne were born.) Finally, I love your last paragraph. “I had to have my own garage” is brilliant and expository about our shared childhoods… 😉 Well I must admit that I watched Emergency! on some classic TV (read old series like Dragnet and Leave it To Beaver (which always sounded vaguely obscene to me) show and saw the entire series from Episode one (where a lot of that trivia I shared was explained) to the last one they made. I saw ‘Dr. Brackett” on some Hallmark movie recently, where he played the old and incredibly wise grandfather of some clan or other. I admit to shedding a few tears because where did all the good old days GO?? I watched Emergency…loved to visit fire stations. I have a GI Joe doll…complete with dog tags. My favorite cartoons were Fractured Fairy Tales…particularly the ugly duckling, who all the other chickens made fun of…and it grew up to be a swan . 🦢 Related but possibly unimportant factoid: My sister stole the G.I. Joe dog tags and used them to accessorize her street-gurl Barbie. She will deny it to this day, if questioned, but I know she did it, despite the rulings against me in Family Court. As for the ugly duckling, we were all meant to be swans. We just had to figure out how to get there… My sisters were unmerciful to me. They both had raven hair and brown eyes. I was a blonde with green eyes. They used to call me a baboon with a purple bottom…and make me cry. I had a beauty mark on my right cheek. They used to call it a wart and call me dirty face…and make me cry. I spent years trying to hide it and not too long ago, my oldest sister said, “I was always so jealous of your beauty mark. You should highlight it.” TOLD you that despite all the ‘evidence’ to the contrary, you were gorgeous and your family? Jealous.. AH!!! Fractured Fairytales were the BOMB!!!! I used to love watching those more than the cartoons they were randomly interspersed with! Good days!! Remember Boris and Natasha? 🧛‍♂️🧛‍♀️ copd4real says: The only difference in our childhood habits is that I would finish the night listening to Dr Demento or Weird Al. Still love me some Lobo, though, and I’m very proud that 2 of my nephews grew up to be EMTs, just like Randy Mantooth on Emergency. I’d share my Tigerbeat or 16 magazine covers with you from that time, but, alas, wordpress is text only for comments. Thanks for the walk down memory lane… Oh, I listened to quite a few things in those long-ago years, happily falling down any rabbit hole that I could find. The more obscure, the more I loved it. As for the magazine covers, I would share snaps of “Dynamite” magazine, which I thought was the coolest thing on the planet at the time. But as you say, the WordPress gods actively subvert what we can do in the comments… I used to listen to Dr. Demento all the time! Of course he was only aired in Utah at midnight (or later) because he might ‘corrupt’ the young minds listening to him. So many good songs..and he played a LOT of Weird Al, didn’t he? What a fantastic post! Brian, you brought back so many great memories from childhood and your description of the Klick Klacks had me crying with laughter not least because I still have the scars ;O) xx Isn’t it amazing how little it took for us wee urchins to be entertained back in the day? Of course, we didn’t know any better, but still, the fact that we could find a discarded bit of nothing on the side of the road and manage to create a world of enchantment for at least a few days is a lost art that modern children don’t understand… Yes, sadly, I think you’re right Brian, it’s such a shame isn’t it 😕 xx This is pretty much my childhood too! The other day, Ken and I were actually talking about how Emergency! gave us the ability to know how bad an emergency was by the number of sirens that go off. And Klick Klacks? I had those too–crushed a couple of fingers before I got good at it! Oh, I forgot about the “number of sirens” angle. You’re right, we learned quite a bit, even though we didn’t know we were learning. It does make one wonder how much we have lost in this modern age where real-life experiences have been reduced to sound-bites on the Internet.. dcdear says: It’s amazing any of us survived…thanks BL – good work. It is amazing. And it’s also a little sad that current kids are so isolated from any potential dangers that they don’t really learn anything… Loved your description of the sugary milk pudding at the bottom of the cereal bowl, while watching TV. The stuff dreams are made of! Re: Klick Klacks – a family friend gave us a set of those when we were kids. They were orangey-yellow, and we used them exactly once before my mother confiscated them. Drat. I miss me some sugar pudding, sure do. My doctor would now advise against such, since my plumbing can no longer tolerate mainlining the sucrose. Still, those were the days, my friend… As for the Klick-Klacks, my parents eventually ripped the torture devices from my inquisitive hands as well, but not before I had managed to bruise myself in an alarming manner… The cultural references are on the wrong side of the Pond for me, but I do know Me And You And A Dog Named Boo! And I remember what we call ‘clackers’. We had some dark green ones, and many a knuckle was rapped. I’m remembering ours as being made out of solid glass, but that doesn’t sound right. The ice cream van was responsible for my first visit to hospital for stitches. Running back carrying 2 ice-cream cones, wearing a long dress, because it was the 70s, and I tripped. Not wanting to let go of the cones, I fell forward and used my knees on the concrete pavement as a means of stopping myself. I’m sure I was 7 and as it would’ve been summer, it must’ve been 1974 😉 Most of my Saturday mornings in the 70s were spent at dancing class 🙂 Wait, you were at dancing class in the 70s? I urgently wanted to do the same thing, but that was just not gonna happen for a boy in Oklahoma at the time. This is what I love about blogging, getting to know folks a little bit at a time. And the image of you maiming yourself in a long dress during a quest for ice cream has my mind churning about a possible post. Not that I would take any pleasure out of your childhood pain. Swear… 😉 I still bear the scar to this day, but if you find inspiration at the misfortune of others…….I totally get that ;). P.S. You may want to run and check my latest post entitled Shuffle Hop Step Tap Ball Change. It’s maybe a step too far. But hop to it whilst you have chance to serve me with a take-down notice before too many others see it 😉 Just ran, just checked, totally love it. In fact, I’m contemplating sharing it here at Bonnywood, should such a concept meet your approval… The concept most definitely meets my approval. Share away. With flourish 😉 tref says: It is no fun getting old but I wouldn’t change it if it meant no getting to experience the 1970s. RE-posted on twitter @trefology Right? There was something very formative about living through that crazy, jacked-up time… Okay, this one I TOTALLY remember! I said something about Lidsville, like “what the hell?” and you said, “yeah the hell” and I said “no man, H.R. Pufnstuf is where it’s at,” and you said, “Totally by the same people” and I said, “no way!” and you said, “way” and then we built a fort using my dining room chairs and your G.I. Joe sleeping bag. Good times… good times. Your memory is pristine and precise, one of the many reasons why I think you are just the bee’s knees… I’m enough older to have missed most of the toys (and I seem to remember when pre-sugared cereal was invented–or possibly when grain was invented). Where was I going with this? Yes. The ice cream truck. I grew up in Manhattan, so when it appeared those of use whose parents had money to throw down to us (which wasn’t all of us) and who lived in the front of the buildings (again, not all of us) would bellow up, begging our mothers for money. Mine used to wrap coins in a bit of white paper and throw it down. The exercise gave me a voice that can carry across entire counties. First, “when grain was invented” was a delicious and unexpected turn. Kudos. Second, I am extremely jealous of you having a childhood in Manhattan. I grew up in the sticks, and the dirt has never washed away. Third, I think I heard your voice last night, country-crossing, mixed in with a wisp of calliope music. Ships we are, passing… 😉 That must’ve been someone else’s voice, because mine’s kept its accent. I’m an unapologetically stubborn old thing, in many ways, including that. The music sounds good, though. Manhattan childhood. Hmm. I loved it, and still do, but I also believed that living in the country would be romantic and perfect and all that sort of thing. Wherever we’re not, that’s what we can idealize. And I might as well confess that when I was eleven we moved to Yonkers–one block north of the city line. Our lives still centered around the city, though. Leave a Reply to Brian Lageose Cancel reply	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0030.json.gz/line1009
__label__wiki	0.644789	0.644789	Britches and Hose This is not the website you are looking for B&H is coming to a library near you! The Measure of “Measure: Duke Vincentio The Measure of “Measure”: Mariana The Measure of “Measure”: Elbow (and more!) Meet The Cast of Bri… on CANCELLATION NOTICE Knights and Knaves i… on The Game is Afoot! Much Ado: Performance Retrospective Written by Daniel T. Rodriguez. Posted here with permission from the author. Got to go see Tashina Harris today in a local theater performance of Much Ado About Nothing. Snobbish expectations were a little dimmed for Shakespeare performed by community theater. Dimmed even more when we walked into the bright fluorescent lighting to see folding chairs set up on the cold linoleum of a community/senior center in suburban Virginia. We were really only there, however, to see our friend try out her acting chops as Shakespeare’s Margaret – a relatively minor character to the play – so our presence was there mostly to be supportive and see a group of local thespians at least try their best with a play filled with antiquated puns and word play That snobbery was very quickly shown to be obnoxiously misplaced. We were both legitimately blown away by the incredibly high caliber of the performances (for any theater, not just unpaid community theater). Where funds for exquisite costumes or for props of any kind (beyond a chair and a ficus) were lacking, the passion of the cast was on clear display. But passion without talent might warrant only a participation trophy. I am not exaggerating when I say that this might have been one of my favorite performances of Shakespeare I’d ever seen. In a sense, the frugal production value forced these actors to really embrace these roles and play up the comedy of this play. (The audience was honestly laughing throughout – probably the highest praise and proof of the cast’s success). At the intermission, Annelle and I discussed which were our favorite characters, and while Beatrice was probably our favorite (as it should be, really), every character – no matter how minor – vied for the top position in our discussion due to the clarity and talent of each performance. Shakespeare can be hard to get through, yes – but often times that’s due to the quality of the acting. These actors are all so good that they’re able to not just communicate the meaning of some of the arcane language, but also the humor of it. I’ve seen plenty of community theater. I’ve enjoyed almost all of it, but I wouldn’t actually recommend most of it to my friends. It might generally be fun, but I can see how some amateur elements of the production and performances just wouldn’t be for some people. For this production of Much Ado About Nothing, however, I really do offer a full recommendation. I would preface that recommendation with “for the price,” but that would seem to cheapen it and to warrant my mislaid snobbish expectations. I also won’t preface it with “if you like Shakespeare,” because you really don’t have to “like Shakespeare” to appreciate this play. It’s a fun and clever play, but it’s really only good if the actors can sell the wit and cleverness of the English language as it existed centuries ago. The only preface I’ll give to my recommendation is: If you enjoy fun things, don’t have an irrational fear of theater, and understand English, this play is worth your time and you should go see it. That the price is low only serves to remove from you any excuse you might have to stay home. As for distance, we drove all the way out from DC to see it, so unless you don’t have a car, you really have no other excuses to fall back on if you live in the DC area. Go have some fun. See a play. Support local theater. Also, our original purpose in seeing it was more than validated – Tashina was great as Margaret. Much to Note in “Much Ado” Written by Jen Lofquist. Posted with the permission of the author. “Much Ado About Nothing” supposedly is about Claudio and Hero, but we all go to watch it for the wit and barbs of Beatrice and Benedick. However, Britches and Hose’s production, directed by Arielle Seidman, highlights the full cast of the show and lets each character have their own time in the spotlight. It’s the strength of the entire cast that makes this play shine from beginning to end. Much Ado opens in the town of Messina, where Leonato (played by the talented Daniel Rinehart) welcomes the prince, Don Pedro (Joshua McCreary), back from the wars, along with his companions Benedick (Dave Joria) and Claudio (Stephanie Ramsey), and the prince’s no good brother, Don John (Betsy Ryan). Claudio quickly falls for the lovely Hero (Brianna Lau), while Benedick openly spars with the quick-witted Beatrice (Megan Fraedrich) under the approving eye of her father, Antonia (Spencer Pilcher). Rinehart’s Leonato is a fully drawn character. He is joyful at welcoming the prince, conniving at the marriage of his niece; he later displays anger and shame at his daughter’s fall, rage and revenge on her slander, and warm reconciliation when all comes right in the end. His emotions never strike a false note, even if he’s not the main focus of the production. McCreary is a warm prince who easily explains why he’s followed into battle simply on his charm. However, when he thinks Claudio has been wronged, the prince ably shows that edge of temper. Antonio is the perfect foil as the angry uncle itching for a fight—especially when his family is the victim. Claudio and Hero are the perfect lovers, falling for each other easily when Claudio finally has time for it. It also doesn’t hurt that Hero is the heiress of everything around him. Ramsey plays Claudio with a sweet earnestness that makes Claudio’s turn at the first ill-fated wedding strike even harsher. Lau’s Hero is all light and laughter, making her fall painful to watch. Meanwhile Joria and Fraedrich charm the paint from the walls and make the audience wish that each scene between the two could last just a wee bit longer. Joria’s affability shines while Fraedrich makes you wish Beatrice was your own “Get-a-Grip” friend and you could spend every weekend with her. Their chemistry is light-hearted and warm, so when the happy ending is found, you feel as comfy as reading a book by a fire. It just feels like it should be. The plot is aided by the evil machinations of Don John and his henchman, Borachio (John Moss) and Conrade (Margaret Carson), who are oddly discovered by the lawman Dogberry (Gabriel Komisar), Verges (Bob Rosenberg), and their watchmen (Tom Barylski, Michael Angeloni, Edmund Sparrow, and Allie Vignoli). Komisar steals the stage with physical humor matching the wit of his lines, and Rosenberg is charming as his long suffering assistant. His watchmen are so fun to watch as they try to figure out how to follow Dogberry’s instructions that you don’t want them to leave the stage. John Moss is well cast as the unethical, yet far too charming, Borachio, as he answers to Ryan’s dark and malicious Don John. Moss plays Borachio as a man used to getting out of trouble and ending up a winner, and it’s a fitting twist that the charismatic villain, Borachio, is brought down by the inept watchmen, Verges and Dogberry. Carsson plays Conrade as just caught up in the unfortunate moment and honestly annoyed that he’s even here. It’s really fun to watch. The main cast is supported by Mandi Ellis, Tashina Harris, Connie Ramsey and Elizabeth Weiss as Ursula, Margaret, Friar Francis/Sexton, and Balthazar. Especially notable is the lovely voice of Weiss singing “Hey Nonny Nonny.” Ellis and Harris are able supporters to the cast, always entertaining and fully realized, never venturing in the cardboard cutout realm. Ramsey plays the friar and sexton back to back but so differently, you have to remind yourself that they are played by the same person. The work on stage is expertly supported by the production team of Seidman, assistant director Leandra Lynn; stage manager Victoria Greek, technical director Dan Clark, music director Dave Joria, and media design/publicity Sarah Pfanz. Overall, this is an entertaining production, fun from beginning to end, and when the final bow is made you almost wish you could ask the cast to do it all over again. Impressions on “Much Ado About Nothing” Written by Diana Dzikiewicz. Posted here with permission from the author. While Shakespeare’s play may be titled “Much Ado About Nothing,” for the characters involved, the events are far from nothing. Through duplicity both humorous and grim, they fall in love, have their hearts broken, and eventually come together again. This play is one of Shakespeare’s most famous comedies, and the Britches and Hose Theatre Company gives a lively performance that stays true to the bard’s vision while delighting modern audiences. The play revolves around two couples. Beatrice and Benedick begin the story as the objects of each other’s most emphatic scorn, which rapidly dissolves after their friends decide it would be funny to trick the two into falling in love. Claudio begins the play emphatically in love with Hero, a love which wavers when an evil prince decides to try some tricks of his own. In a play that focuses so much on deception, the final message is of the importance of being willing to tell the truth about our feelings, and to listen to truth when we hear it. If you know the story of “Much Ado”, nothing in this play will surprise you. The director, Arielle Seidman, makes no attempt to make statements by setting the play in modern times or twisting out a new perspective on its plot. Instead, she has pursued and achieved a different goal: to create “Much Ado” done well. The play is filled with hilarious physical comedy, including everything from a character attempting to hide behind a much too small shrub to a re-enactment of offstage events that gives new significance to the line, “I tell this tale vilely.” As the play moves from pure comedy into drama, Seidman is careful to keep the grim moments balanced with levity, not detracting from the anguish but not letting the audience drown in it either. The play is also true to its origins in length, with a run time just short of three hours and including a 15-minute intermission. The sets, costumes, lighting, and music are minimal. Instead, this is a performance that relies entirely on actors. Britches and Hoes has opted to double-cast the show; the following comments are regarding actors performing from March 17-19. From the moment Beatrice steps on stage, all she can talk about is Benedick. Admittedly, everything she’s saying about him is negative, but Megan Fraedrich portrays her as taking such joy from speaking about him that it’s no surprise when she later falls in love with the object of her loudly proclaimed disdain. Brianna Lau makes for a sweet and innocent Hero, while Stephanie Ramsey is charming as the lovestruck Claudio. The most astonishing performance of the night came from Dave Joria as Benedick, speaking Shakespearean dialect as naturally as modern English. He is adept at expressing a range of emotions simultaneously, whether that’s the joy and embarrassment of falling in love as an avowed bachelor or the confusion, pain, and frustration that comes with watching his best friend’s wedding explode into scandal. The rest of the ensemble put in excellent performances that convince the audience that every character has their own inner lives. Tashina Harris manages to create a powerful moment for a very minor character simply through her expressions while watching Hero’s wedding dissolve. At another point in the play, nearly the full cast is onstage for a dance scene, and every character can be seen to be living out their own silent stories. “Much Ado About Nothing” is a play that stretches from comedy to tragedy and ends in comedy again. Although the actors may pause to wince and shake their heads at some of Shakespeare’s more cringe-worthy lines, this is a performance that shows why his works have been acted out for centuries. Britches and Hose Theatre Company proves that “Much Ado About Nothing” can still leave audiences laughing at 400-year-old jokes and caught up in a story from long ago. Much Ado About Nothing opens in less than two weeks! Join us for Shakespeare’s classic romantic comedy of mistaken identity, nefarious plots, overreaction, and a whole lot of witty repartee, directed by Arielle Seidman and Leandra Lynn. For this show, you can see not one, but TWO casts! The first cast will perform March 17-18 at 8:00 PM and March 19 at 4:00 PM. The second cast will perform March 26 at 4:00 PM. Want to see BOTH casts? (Yes, you do!) Save your playbill from the first weekend and receive $5 off your ticket for the 26th! All performances will take place at Green Acres Center, located at 4401 Sideburn Rd in Fairfax, VA. Tickets are available at the door for $15 general admission and $10 for students, seniors, and military personnel with ID.	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0030.json.gz/line1011
__label__cc	0.640659	0.359341	Allan Adkin, PhD Shawn Beaudette, PhD Stephen Sau-Shing Cheung, PhD Nicole Chimera, PhD Maureen Connolly, PhD Jarold L Cosby, PhD David Ditor, PhD Val Andrew Fajardo, PhD Bareket Falk, PhD Tim Fletcher, PhD Nancy R. Francis, EdD Gail Frost, PhD David A. Gabriel, PhD Kimberley L. Gammage, PhD Michael Holmes, PhD Andrea R Josse, PhD Panagiota (Nota) Klentrou, PhD Anna H. Lathrop, EdD Kelly L. Lockwood, PhD Ken Lodewyk, PhD Diane E. Mack, PhD Rob Millington, PhD Jae Patterson, PhD Sandra Peters, PhD Mike Plyley, PhD Ian Ritchie, PhD Danny Rosenberg, PhD Brian D. Roy, PhD Philip Sullivan, PhD Peter Tiidus, PhD Craig Tokuno, PhD Rene Vandenboom, PhD Cathy van Ingen, PhD Wendy E. Ward, Ph.D. Philip M. Wilson, PhD Brock University Kinesiology Faculty & Research Faculty directory Peter Tiidus, PhD Dean, Faculty of Applied Health Sciences Professor, Kinesiology Office: AS 433 peter.tiidus@brocku.ca I am currently the Dean of Applied Health Sciences and my involvement in research is limited to co-supervision of graduate students with other faculty. Prior to my appointment at Brock University in 2015, I was at Wilfrid Laurier University for 26 years as a professor, department chair and acting-Dean. In the first part of my career, I was also a faculty member at the University of Toronto for over 8 years. My teaching interests included, exercise physiology, muscle physiology and biochemistry as well as human nutrition. I have published approximately 90 scientific papers in peer reviewed academic journals and have given almost 30 invited scientific conference presentations as well as over 70 free communication conference presentations. I have also co-authored 2 books and numerous book chapters. Effects of hormones such as estrogen on muscle damage, repair, strength and hypertrophy mechanisms using both animal and human models. This type of research has particular application health and muscle function in post-menopausal women. I also have research interests in evaluation of the potential for various therapeutic modalities to influence muscle repair and recovery from unaccustomed exercise Professional affiliations and accreditation/certification Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology Tiidus, P.M. A.R. Tupling and M.E. Houston, Biochemistry Primer for Exercise Science 4th edition, Human Kinetics Publishers, Champaign Illinois (ISBN-13: 978-0-7360-9605-8) p.312, 2012 (also published as an eBook) Tiidus, P.M. (editor). Skeletal Muscle Damage and Repair Human Kinetics Publishers, Champaign Illinois, (ISBN-13: 978-0-7360-5867-4) p. 352, 2008 (also published as an eBook) (Korean translation ISBN 978-89-6154-196-1, 2015) Tiidus, P.M. Estrogen and menopause: Muscle damage, repair, and function in females. In A.C. Hackney, ed. Sex Hormones, Exercise and Women: Scientific and Clinical Aspects. Springer Science, New York, NY, 2017, pp. 71-86 (Invited Chapter) Brown, M.B. and P.M. Tiidus. Sex hormone influenced differences in skeletal muscle responses to aging and exercise. In N.G. Neigh and M.M. Metzenfeld, eds. Sex Differences in Physiology, Elsevier Science; Academic Press, London UK, 2016 pp.167-180 (Invited Chapter) Refereed Journals Fillion, M., P.M. Tiidus and R. Vandenboom. Lack of influence of estrogen on myosin phosphorylation and post-tetanic potentiation in muscles from young adult C57BL mice. Canadian Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology 97: 729-737, 2019 Tiidus, P.M. Oestrogen and a “Goldilocks Zone” for post-damage muscle inflammation and repair? Journal of Physiology (London) 596: 4563-4564, 2018 (Invited Perspectives Article) Antolini, M.R., Z.J. Weston and P.M. Tiidus, Physical fitness characteristics of a front-line firefighter population. Acta Kinesiologica Universitatis Tartuensis 21: 61-74, 2015 Mangan G, S. Iqbal, A. Hubbard, V. Hamilton, E. Bombardier and P.M. Tiidus, Delay in post-ovariectomy estrogen-replacement negates estrogen-induced augmentation of post-exercise satellite cell proliferation. Canadian Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology 93: 945-951, 2015 Tiidus, P.M. Alternative treatments for muscular injuries; massage, cryotherapy and hyperbaric oxygen, Current Reviews in Musculoskeletal Medicine 8: 162-167, 2015 (Invited Review) Mangan, G, E. Bombardier, A. Mitchell, J. Quadrilatero and P.M. Tiidus, Oestrogen-dependent satellite cell activation and proliferation following a running exercise occurs via the PI3K signalling pathway and not IGF-1. Acta Physiologica 212: 75-85, 2014 (Highlighted with Editorial) Tiidus, P.M. Is intramuscular pressure a valid diagnostic criterion for chronic exertional compartment syndrome? Clinical Journal of Sports Medicine 24: 87-88, 2014 (Invited Commentary) MacPhee, R, K. McFall, S. Perry, and P.M. Tiidus, Metabolic cost and mechanics of walking in women with fibromyalgia syndrome. BMC Research Notes 6: 420-425, 2013 Bombardier, E., C. Vigna. D. Bloemberg, J. Quadrilatero, P.M Tiidus, and A.R. Tupling, The role of estrogen receptor-α in estrogen-mediated regulation of basal and exercise-induced Hsp70 and Hsp27 expression in rat soleus. Canadian Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology 91: 823-829, 2013 Tiidus, P.M., D. A. Lowe and M .B. Brown, Estrogen replacement and skeletal muscle; Mechanisms and population health, Journal of Applied Physiology 115: 569-578, 2013 (Invited “Synthesis” Review) McKinnon, N., M. Graham and P.M. Tiidus, Effects of creatine supplementation on muscle damage and repair following eccentrically-induced damage to the elbow flexor muscles, Journal of Sport Science and Medicine 11: 653-659, 2012 Dawson K.A, D.L. Dawson, A. Thomas and P.M. Tiidus, Effectiveness of regular proactive massage therapy for novice recreational runners, Physical Therapy in Sport 12: 182-187, 2011 Tiidus, P.M. Influence of estrogen on muscle plasticity. Brazilian Journal of Biomotricity 5: 143-155, 2011 (Invited Review) Tiidus, P.M. Benefits of estrogen replacement for skeletal muscle mass and function in post-menopausal females: evidence from human and animal studies, Eurasian Journal of Medicine 43: 109-114, 2011 (Invited Review) Zehsaz, F., M.A. Azarbaijani, N. Farhangimaleki, and P.M. Tiidus. The effect of tapering period on plasma hormone levels, mood state and performance in elite male cyclists. European Journal of Sports Sciences 11: 183-190, 2011	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0030.json.gz/line1012
__label__cc	0.675611	0.324389	Home/Indigenous/Cultural/Maori Maoribronchiectasis2018-07-02T03:49:14+00:00 Māori are the indigenous people of New Zealand and make up 15% of the population. Māori experience worse health outcomes than non-Māori. These disparities persist even after accounting for socioeconomic status, education, and location, suggesting that culture is an independent determinant of health status and access to services (Marwick et al, 2000; Smedley et al, 2003). Many studies have demonstrated that Māori are treated differently than non-Māori due to cultural misunderstanding and unconscious bias (Tukuitonga & Bindman, 2002; McNaughton et al 2002; Sadler et al 2002; ,Carr et al, 2002; Ellison-Loschmann et al, 2002; Crengle, et al 2006; Arroll et al, 2002) . The Treaty of Waitangi, signed in 1840 by Māori and the Crown, underpins the relationship between the Government and Māori. The Treaty embodies the principles of partnership, participation and protection. Protection means that Māori should have at least the same level of health as non- Māori, and that Māori cultural concepts, values and practices are safeguarded (Ministry of Health, 2014). In order to enhance the delivery of health services to Māori and therefore help achieve positive health outcomes, it is imperative that health professionals: acknowledge their role in contributing to health disparities of Māori acknowledge their obligations to honour the principles of the Treaty as employees of the Crown ensure that their practice is culturally safe, in the Māori context Cultural safety is based on the “understanding of self as a cultural bearer; the historical, social and political influences on health; and the development of relationships that engender trust and respect” (Nursing Council of New Zealand, 2011, p. 5, Ramsden, 1992). In order to practice cultural safety within a Māori context, health professionals should be familiar with Māori beliefs, values and practices. Guidance on Māori beliefs, values and practices have been extracted from the Medical Council of New Zealand’s documents Statement on best practices when providing care to Māori patients and their whānau (Medical Council of New Zealand 2006) and Best health outcomes for Māori: Practice implications. (Medical Council of New Zealand 2008). It is recommended that health care professionals practising in New Zealand familiarise themselves with these documents. It is important to note that Māori are a diverse group; the following concepts and preferences are typical, however not all Māori feel the same way. Māori cultural support workers (Kaiatawhai) are employed by most hospitals to support the spiritual and cultural needs of Māori patients and their whānau. Māori hold holistic health views, which encompass the four cornerstones of health: Te taha wairua (the spiritual dimension) Te taha hinengaro (the mental dimension) Te taha tinana (the physical dimension) Te taha whānau (the family dimension) Should one of the four dimensions be missing or impaired, a person or collective may become ‘unbalanced’ and subsequently unwell (Durie, 1998). Whānau The whānau (family) is the basic unit of organisation of Māori society, with less attention on individualism. Whānau involvement in the care of the patient (unless the patient prefers otherwise) can be extremely beneficial, e.g. supporting the patient, providing additional background information, helping the patient to understand your instructions, and assisting the patient in carrying out your instructions. Māori are accustomed to making genealogical connections with others. Rapport can be established if health professional share their background and allowing the Māori patient to do the same. Concepts of tapu and noa Tapu is a state of sacredness, noa is the complementary state (the absence of tapu). Most objects or situations that are tapu indicate a likely risk to health. The head is tapu, food is noa, therefore patients will object to pillows used for purposes other than resting the head on, towels used on the body should never be used for food, facecloths used for the face should not be used for other parts of the body. Tables (where food is placed) should not be sat on. Death is also tapu e.g.in the presence of a dead body (Tūpāpaku), food not be brought into the room. Death and dying have deep cultural significance for Māori and whānau will gather together to perform the appropriate farewell customs. Māori believe that the wairua (spirit) of the person wanders to and from the body for three to five days after death. Following this, the wairua travels to the northern point of New Zealand then dives off to the Underworld to join their tupuna (ancestors). The Tūpāpaku therefore will be attended at all times. Kaitatawhai (Māori cultural support workers) are usually more than happy to provide cultural advice if needed. Traditional medicine/Rongoa Some Māori will ask for advice and treatment from a tohunga before, after, or instead of, seeing a doctor (Tipene-Leach, 1998). The tohunga is often an older relative who looks after the well-being of the whānau and have expertise in tapu and noa laws (Tipene-Leach, 1998). Some Māori believe that illness may be the result of a transgression or breaking of tapu therefore may develop symptoms consistent with illnesses called ‘mate Māori’ (Tipene-Leach, 1998) Some Māori may choose to treat their illness with rongoa, or Māori medicine produced from native New Zealand plants and/or herbs. Māori communication Māori tradition strongly prefers face to face communication. Māori place significant emphasis on the spoken word. Learning how to pronounce Māori names correctly is a sign of great respect. If you are not sure about how to pronounce a Māori name it is best to ask the Māori patient before attempting it in front of them. Direct eye contact can be viewed as a sign of disrespect therefore a Māori patient may seem disinterested, angry, and anxious or frightened. These may well be present, but may instead be a sign of respect. Māori often attempt to avoid discord, and choose to be ‘polite’ rather than ‘honest’ by telling you what they think you want to hear, not what really is the case (Tipene-Leach, 1981) so it is imperative that you fully explain what you are doing and why. You need to be active about soliciting feedback from Māori patients e.g. through indirect questioning, via whānau members or by using Māori health workers when available. Challenges of assessment and management Health literacy has emerged as an important social determinant of health (Australian Primary Health Care Research Insititute, 2011). On average, New Zealanders have poor health literacy scores – 4 out of 5 Māori males and 3 out of 4 Māori females had poor health literacy scores in a study done in 2006 (Ministry of Health, 2010). Previously viewed as the responsibility of the individual patient, health literacy has now emerged as a shared responsibility of the those providing and obtaining health information and services (Institute of Medicine, 2004). Difficulties with engagement/communication. Strategies for working in an Indigenous context Practice cultural safety in a Māori context understanding of self as a cultural bearer understanding of the historical, social and political influences on health understanding of the development of relationships that engender trust and respect. Use knowledge and skills regarding cultural awareness. Use Kaiawhina (Māori cultural support workers) to assist with supporting and managing patients and providing cultural guidance. Health literacy – take to time to ensure the patient and whānau sufficiently understand the health information you provide to enable them to make informed decisions about their health. Involve whānau in patient management. « RETURN TO INDIGENOUS	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0030.json.gz/line1014
__label__wiki	0.632854	0.632854	Phosphorus Administration With proper caution in its use, no serious danger need be apprehended. In the first place, it should never be given in the solid or undissolved form, not even in a state of mechanical division, however minute. It should be exhibited in solution; and, happily, its different menstrua take up so small a portion of it, that it is brought into contact with the stomach in an extremely diluted state, and the combustion of its particles, should this take place, could do little or no injury.* In the second place, it should not be administered when the stomach is quite empty, unless accompanied with copious nutritive or enveloping material, which would secure the mucous surface against its concentrated effect. * M. Tavignot, however, who has used phosphorus very extensively, affirms that the pilular form is preferable for internal use; being perfectly safe, as he prepares the pills, and much more acceptable to the patient. He first dissolves one decigramme (1.5 grain) of phosphorus in eight grammes (about two drachms) of sweet almond oil, with the aid of a water-bath, and then with eight and a half grammes of butter of cacao, and eighteen grammes of marshmallow, forms a mass, which he divides into one hundred pills. To a child from three to seven years old he gives at first one, and then two pills daily. It will be noticed, however, that even in the pill of M. Tavignot, the phosphorus is really in solution, so that the direction in the text still holds good. M. Tavignot affirms that, in the quantity of four milligrammes (0.060 grain) daily, phosphorus may be given for months without the least danger. He also uses it externally in the form of a liniment, made by dissolving, with the aid of a water-bath, one part of phosphorus in four hundred parts of sweet almond oil, and one hundred parts of naphtha. This is applied by friction, and afterwards by means of flannels impregnated with it. He uses the pills and the liniment conjointly. (Ann. de Therap., l866, p. 100.) - Note to the third edition. Very different opinions have been advanced as to the suitable dose. A mean between the extremes would give one grain during the day, in divided doses, frequently repeated. The only suitable preparations are solutions in ether, chloroform, olive or almond oil, or some analogous menstruum. Ether and olive oil each dissolves about four grains to the fluidounce. Objections to the former menstruum are the length of maceration necessary, which renders extemporaneous preparation difficult, and the great liability to the loss of the ether, and the consequent precipitation of the phosphorus, when the solution is kept. The solution in oil is preferable, as it is made more speedily, and keeps better. It is prepared, according to the Prussian Pharmacopoeia, in which it is designated as Oleum Phosphoratum, or Phosphorated Oil, by putting twelve grains of phosphorus, minutely divided, into a fluidounce of almond oil, melting the phosphorus by means of a water-bath, and then agitating until solution seems to have been effected. As the oil really dissolves but four grains, the undissolved portion should be separated by decanta-tion or filtration. This oil should be phosphorescent when exposed to the air. The dose of it is from five to ten drops, which may be repeated. in cases of urgency, every half hour; in ordinary cases of debility, every hour or two through the day. It should be given in emulsion with one of the aromatic waters, so made that a tablespoonful may contain a dose of the phosphorus. Dr. R. M. Glover proposes chloroform as a solvent. This dissolves one-fourth of its weight of phosphorus, and has the advantage that the solution is not inflammable. {London Lancet. Jan. 8, 1853, p. 34.) The preparation should be made extemporaneously, in consequence of the great volatility of chloroform. One minim of a saturated solution, mixed with fifteen minims of ether and half a fluidounce of wine, might be given, in acute cases, every two or three hours. Dr. Glover also proposes a solution of phosphorus in cod-liver oil, containing half a grain to the ounce, for use in scrofula. (See U. S. Dispensatory). prev: Phosphorus Therapeutic Application next: Class II. Nervous Stimulants. Antispasmodics	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0030.json.gz/line1023
__label__wiki	0.933121	0.933121	1 Latin Dance Studios in London Yoga, Dance 5 Cavendish Place , London Salsa -Drop In - School I totally fell for Salsa after the class! The coach taught step by step so it's much easier to follow for beginners than taking a Zumba class which dance all the way non-stop. The coach is ao nice and patient too. Location can't be more convenient. No matter whether you are young or old, expert or beginner, you’re welcome at DAN… More activities in London Dance Studios in London Jazz Dance Studios in London Pole Dance Studios in London Hip Hop Dance Studios in London Ballet Dance Studios in London Zumba Dance Studios in London Tap Dance Studios in London Modern Dance Studios in London Bollywood Dance Studios in London Ballroom Dance Studios in London Contemporary Dance Studios in London Salsa Dance Studios in London Cardio Dance Studios in London Swing Dance Studios in London Latin Dance Studios in Charing Cross, London, UK Latin Dance Studios in Covent Garden, London, UK Latin Dance Studios in St. James's, London, UK Latin Dance Studios in Soho, London, UK Latin Dance Studios in Carnaby, London, UK Latin Dance Studios in Waterloo, London SE1, UK Latin Dance Studios in Temple, London, UK Latin Dance Studios in South Bank, London, UK Latin Dance Studios in Westminster, London, UK Latin Dance Studios in Holborn, London, UK	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0030.json.gz/line1026
__label__cc	0.540523	0.459477	Making healthcare accessible with AI Kelly Limonte Programme Manager Europe for Teams for Healthcare ‘Empowering every healthcare employee and patient to do more.’ I’m immensely proud to work for a company like Microsoft that takes this literally. Every person means every person regardless of their abilities. Inclusivity and accessibility are key features to the products we offer – and something we build in from the start. AI can have a huge impact on accessibility across the world and is transforming at speed the way our products can help everyone to achieve more. Microsoft takes accessibility seriously. As a result we’ve launched the AI for Accessibility accelerator programme which is designed to help organisations harness the power of AI to amplify human capability. The programme provides successful participants with grants, investments of technology, and expertise to help them bring their AI solution to life. With more than one billion people around the world living with disabilities, it’s important we use technology to help. AI for Accessibility AI powering accessibility in healthcare One of the use cases for AI is to aid accessibility in healthcare. In the NHS, the Accessibility Information Standard requires all organisations to ensure all patients can access and understand the information they’re given. Microsoft Azure Cognitive Services allow NHS Trusts to make their own data and patient information more accessible for everyone. These cognitive services can be used by someone with impaired sight to understand their environment. The Seeing AI app narrates the visual world for people who are visually impaired. With this intelligent camera app, you just hold up your phone and hear information about the world around you. “Seeing AI could read prescription data for a patient, recognise carers, and read barcodes to identify the correct medication. It can really have a big impact on the visually impaired and their self-care and independence.” -Hector Minto, Microsoft Accessibility Evangelist Another great example is Helpicto which helps children with autism communicate with their environment. Helpicto uses AI to translate speech to pictograms and vice versa. This means children with autism who struggle to communicate or verbalise can interact with their carers, doctors, and others easily. Using Cognitive Services, Bing Speech API, and Azure functions, Helpicto hope to eventually offer the app to others who find communicating verbally difficult, such as those suffering from Alzheimer’s disease. Hector goes on to explain: “All the individual channels used in these apps are simply bits of code that can be used by developers to deliver accessible experiences for people with disabilities in healthcare. This is an invitation for people to look at AI and how they would use it to improve the patient experience, including employees with disabilities within the NHS.” These same tools are used within Microsoft own product sets. Office 365 keyboard shortcuts and screen readers make Office apps accessible to users who are vision impaired. You can use MailTip in Outlook on the web to inform co-workers of your preference for accessible content. This prompt reminds them to run the inbuilt Accessibility Checker before sending an email to you and fix anything that isn’t accessible. We’re all responsible for improving accessibility Accessibility is everyone’s responsibility. I need to be responsible and thoughtful to my colleagues and customers to ensure that my work is as inclusive and accessible as possible. The same goes for every organisation. The NHS is the absolute best place to start. They already have incredible accessibility features in place for their patients but going digital can deliver extra benefits for accessibility of their services. Using video consultations in healthcare care is not new. At SW Georges Mental Health Trust, they’ve made their video consultations even more accessible for those who are hearing-impaired. Kevin Buckle is a community support worker. He highlights the benefit: “Deaf people do not normally have English as their first language, so video conferencing allow you to have a consultation directly using a visual medium, using sign language making it easier to connect.” However, AI has now taken this concept one step further. Presentation Translator, an add-in for PowerPoint breaks down the language barrier by allowing users to offer live, subtitled presentations. As you speak, subtitles can be displayed directly on your screen which can be used for audiences who are hearing impaired. Additionally, up to 100 audience members in the room can follow along with the presentation in their own language, including the speaker’s language, on their phone, tablet or computer. Thanks to Office 365, you have some great tools at hand to help you get started. Help create a better future together Kelly is the Healthcare Industry Manager at Microsoft UK, working with transformational digital partners and NHS customers to pilot solutions for collaborative working and empowering everyone to do more. She has 15 years’ experience working alongside the NHS, and is passionate about the power technology has to create positive change in healthcare. Accessibility AI Blogger Series Healthcare Office 365 AI in healthcare: re-skilling the workforce with digital skills With the pace of technologies such as AI, there’s no hiding from the urgent need...Read more AI in healthcare: HoloLens in surgery Microsoft HoloLens and Surface Go are being used with incredible impact in the NHS. From...Read more AI in healthcare: recognising symptom patterns in COPD patients COPD is an incredibly isolating condition. However a research project is exploring how AI and...Read more	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0030.json.gz/line1028
__label__wiki	0.763601	0.763601	214.451.0568 \| Mail Facebook Twitter Instagram Vimeo Menu Who We Are What We Do Data Get Involved Donate Our Blog Bipartisan Education Policy at the 2019 Texas Tribune Festival Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle praised this year's school finance overhaul, House Bill 3 Texas’ biggest public policy festival wrapped up last weekend. Thousands of engaged Texans flooded the streets for three days of panels covering federal, state and local issues. On the education front, several speakers lauded Texas’ passage of a major school finance overhaul. And regardless of political leanings, it was clear: House Bill 3, which strategically invested $6.5 billion into our state’s public schools, was an achievement worth celebrating. “We all came together to do the best by our students. It was a great process. I think this Legislature, on education, really shined,” said state Senator Larry Taylor, a Republican from Friendswood. As chair of the Senate Education Committee, he and his counterparts on the House Public Education Committee ensured passage of HB3. “The goal of HB3,” he continued “was to give every kid a great education that helps break the cycle of poverty,” “Talent is distributed equally, opportunity is not, and we’re trying to upend as much of that as we can,” said state Representative Diego Bernal, a Democrat from San Antonio and Vice Chair of the House Public Education Committee. “The nature of the system [under HB3] is a recognition of the difference that [equity] can make.” Support for the bill could also be heard from the educators who stand to benefit from it. “It’s important to point out how much funding went to rural Texas [from HB3],” said State Board of Education Chair Dr. Keven Ellis, who represents deep East Texas. Seemingly simple policy changes like a per-mile reimbursement for school bus routes and an increase to the state’s minimum salary schedule would especially benefit rural school districts like Alpine ISD, a low enrollment but geographically large rural district in far west Texas. Alpine Superintendent Becky McCrutchen described these changes as “absolutely a move in the right direction for schools.” Other aspects of HB3 were praised by educators from different parts of the state. Dr. LaTonya Goffney, superintendent of the suburban Aldine school district outside of Houston, expressed her support for an optional extended school year: “We know summer slide is real, so we’re already taking advantage of that.” And a panel consisting of urban Texas teachers featured each detailing an increase in pay, as well as other measures they felt would have an impact. “Funding for Pre-K is definitely something that’s going to make a difference," said Dallas ISD Teacher of the Year Josue Tamarez Torres. "If implemented correctly, we’re going to see some big changes in Texas.” Correct implementation will indeed be the key to making true change. That’s why legislators aren’t resting on their laurels. House Bill 3 contains many innovative provisions that require districts to rethink how they’re educating students. It may take some time before student achievement improves as a result of these policies. But it’s clear lawmakers will be closely tracking progress in the meantime and will guard against efforts to derail momentum in future legislative sessions. “We’re going to make sure we [sustain HB3 funding],” assured state Rep. Dustin Burrows, a Republican from Lubbock and chair of the tax-writing Ways & Means Committee. “I’m not concerned about [losing] it in the next session.” “We’ve got to get this done. One session, one bill is not going to do it,” continued Chairman Taylor, alluding to his dedication to preserving policy pieces in their entirety rather than allowing organizations to chip away at individual elements next session. “We need to make sure this package goes through with integrity, what we intended, follow through and do the best by our students.” Kelvin Walker Joins the Commit Board of Directors Read Post ➞ The Future of School Finance is Starting in Dallas "All Means All" - How Grand Prairie ISD Ensures Access to Literacy 3800 Maple Avenue, info@commitpartnership.org College Completion Educator Effectiveness Dashboard Gallery Dallas County Scorecard Join The Partnership	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0030.json.gz/line1046
__label__cc	0.681036	0.318964	New Media Lab Quick Link: http://cuny.is/group-new-media-lab CFP – Special Issue – Journal of Interactive Technology and Pedagogy (11/30/19) This topic contains 0 replies, has 1 voice, and was last updated by Inés Vañó García 3 months, 3 weeks ago. September 26, 2019 at 9:52 am #79155 Inés Vañó García The Journal of Interactive Technology and Pedagogy Special Issue: Extended Reality (XR) Pedagogies & Applications: Interactive & Immersive Educational Technologies Issue Editors: Amanda Licastro (Stevenson University) Angel David Nieves (San Diego State University) Victoria Szabo (Duke University) This special issue of The Journal of Interactive Technology and Pedagogy seeks to feature pedagogical approaches to integrating XR technology into the educational curriculum in a wide variety of institutions and settings. The intention is to highlight a wide range of inter-, multi-, and transdisciplinary approaches to both utilizing and creating Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality, and other immersive technologies (collectively referred to as Extended Reality, or XR) at any level of education. We are interested in the study, design, development, and critique of student-centered and interactive uses of XR applications, and particularly welcome consideration of uses that involve collaborations with community partners, and cases where the XR technology aims to facilitate social justice and equitable access. We are also interested in examples of STEM to STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics) collaboration, and in initiatives that include a wide range of students and disciplines in engagement with XR. Our concept of XR is inclusive of everything from mobile and cardboard applications, to 360 video and games, to CAVES and full-on immersive headsets and controller-based applications. Possible topics could include: – How are AR and VR technologies being used to evoke empathy? – What are some effective techniques for scaffolding XR creation in a non-specialist classroom setting? – How can XR technology be made accessible and inclusive to all students regardless of sensory, financial, or other potential limits? – How do we know what is good in the field? How do we assess the quality of the work as research? As a scholarly contribution? As a cultural intervention? – How do social and ethical considerations play out in the study and creation of XR curriculum? – What are the challenges and opportunities for working with commercial (or corporate) providers in this space? (considerations of hardware, software, and instruction) – How are university museums and galleries are using AR and VR technologies to immerse visitors and students, via cultural and historical reconstructions, experiences, and documentary applications? – How are theater and set-design departments using AR and VR technologies to teach students? – How is student work pointing to the artistic potential of the medium? – How does engagement with XR extend the conversations in film- and media-studies critique and practice? – What questions do innovations in medical and surgical applications, pedagogy, and training raise? – How do virtual labs and simulations enhance teaching and learning in the sciences, engineering, trades, etc.? – How are historians using XR and other immersive technologies to create opportunities for their students and other members of the public to experience the past? We invite multimedia elements in submissions along with interdisciplinary and creative approaches in the humanities, arts, sciences, and social sciences. This can include audio or visual presentations and interviews, dialogues, or conversations; creative/artistic works; manifestos; or other scholarly materials. All submissions are subject to an open peer-review process. Manuscripts should be under 5,000 words, original and unpublished, and, as a courtesy to our reviewers, not submitted elsewhere. For further information on style and formatting, accessibility requirements, and multimedia submissions, consult JITP‘s accessibility guidelines, style guide, and multimedia submission guidelines. Submissions received that do not fall under the specific theme of this issue, but do fall under JITP’s broader themes, may be considered for publication in a future issue. Furthermore, essays under 1,000 words demonstrating or reviewing available XR tools or applications, or showing step-by-step how to create an educational XR application, may be considered for a separate “Views from the Field” section. These shorter pieces will not be peer reviewed, but are subject to review from the Issue Editors. Please mark such submissions clearly as “Issues – Views from the Field.” Please contact the editors with further questions at admin@jitpedagogy.org or via Twitter @JITPedagogy. Submissions deadline for full manuscripts is November 30th, 2019. Please view our submission guidelines for information about submitting to the Journal. This topic was also posted in: CUNY Technology Group, Digital Humanities Initiative, Digital Media Studies Group - Forum, Digital Initiatives at the CUNY Graduate Center, GC Humanidades Digitales, CUNY GC ITP Program - Forum.	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0030.json.gz/line1047
__label__wiki	0.866739	0.866739	Don’t miss the latest drinks industry news and insights. Sign up for our award-winning Daily Dispatch newsletter—delivered to your inbox every week. 2019 Drinks Innovators Distributors and Importers Using SevenFifty User Case Studies 2018 Career & Salary Survey Roadmap to Diversity Supertasters Next-Wave Innovation in Sherry Bodegas revisit old techniques to help bring sherry into the future Chantal Martineau Photo courtesy of Ramiro Ibanez and Williams Humbert. “There is nothing new in sherry,” says Ramiro Ibáñez Espinar of Cota 45. “The past is so impressive that it is very difficult to do something that has not been done before.” He’s not the only one who feels this way; today’s most iconoclastic sherry makers and capataces (cellar masters) are taking cues from the early days. In doing so, they’re challenging conventional views on the identity of sherry, shining a light on the influence of soil compositions, resuscitating indigenous grape varieties, and reviving long-defunct winemaking practices, all in the name of reconnecting with the history and terroir of the Jerez wine region. Sherry has an amazingly long history. Jerez has been producing wine since Phoenician times, for more than 3,000 years, which means that many of today’s most common winemaking techniques are relatively new—only a few hundred years old—including the solera system, which was developed during the 18th century. But even the solera, designed to help the region keep up with foreign demand while maintaining consistency in the wines, is now being questioned. Has the solera eroded sherry’s connection to its terroir? And is the terroir of sherry, a fortified, often nonvintage wine, derived from the land or from the bodega? Among the first to initiate these sorts of discussions was Equipo Navazos, a project established in 2005 by Eduardo Ojeda, the former technical director of Grupo Estévez (which produces the Valdespino sherries), and Jésus Barquín, a professor of criminology. Without a bodega of their own, the two source rare casks from bodegas all around Andalusia and release some of the most groundbreaking wines in Jerez, including La Bota de Fino Macharnudo Alto, selected from the oldest fino soleras at Valdespino, and several editions of Palo Cortado Viejísimo, which contain sherries that are up to 80 years old. Equipo Navazos Florpower is a series of unfortified wines, which began to be released in 2013, aged under flor, the creamy layer of yeast that blooms on the surface of certain wines in Jerez, sealing the wine off from oxidation and imparting its own nutty, briny flavors. Before fortification was introduced, around the 17th century (to prevent spoilage when sherry traveled to distant export markets), the wines of Jerez were all unfortified. Florpower marks a return to that method and proposes that, left uncompromised, sherries will more clearly express the influence of the vineyard. One hiccup with these wines is that they defy regional regulations, which means that for now, Florpower cannot be legally labeled sherry. There’s an ongoing discussion about such experimental wines, however, with the Consejo Regulador (Regulatory Council) for sherry paying close attention to emerging doctrines in Jerez and revisiting its regulations accordingly. An updated framework is planned for next year. At the same time Equipo Navazos was beginning to get attention for its outside-the-box bottlings, a number of bodegas were trying their hands at making sherry in the en rama style. These “raw” sherries are bottled straight from the barrel and left unfiltered in all their rich, leesy splendor. Although most capataces carbon-filter their wines today, it hasn’t always been that way. In the last few years, en rama bottlings have become the darlings of the sherry world—especially Solear en Rama from Barbadillo, which was a pioneer of the style, in 1999. It’s bottled once each season to showcase the nuances imparted by climate and weather. In 2010, Tío Pepe debuted the first fino en rama, and many other producers have followed suit. All of Equipo Navazos’ sherries are made en rama. After such innovation was initiated, producers like Romero Ibáñez Espinar began delving even deeper into particulars of the past. Working as a consultant for various bodegas over the years, including Juan Piñero, Primitivo Collantes, and Viña Callejuela, Ibáñez started Cota 45 in 2012. One of his most discussed projects, Pitijopos, comprises six unfortified wines dedicated to albariza, Andalusia’s chalky white soil that’s composed of clay, calcium, and sea fossils. (Ibáñez named his bodega for the altitude at which the best albariza is found—45 meters above sea level.) He makes each of the wines from Palomino, the most common grape variety used to make sherry, sourced from six different pagos, or vineyard sites. The idea is to showcase the nuances of the region’s terroir by exploring the impression single, distinct plots could leave on a wine made from the same grape, in the same way—and then not covering up those nuances with added alcohol. The Carrascal bottling shows an elegant salinity; the Miraflores Alta is richer and chalkier. Another of Ibáñez’s wines, Encrucijado MMXII (the name, meaning “crossroads,” alludes to palo cortado, a style of sherry that starts its life aged under flor that begins to die off early, when the wine is set aside to age oxidatively), is made using indigenous grape varieties no longer recognized by the region’s regulatory body, including Mantúo Pilas, Mantúo Castellano, Beba, Perruno, and Cañocazo. The varietals weren’t chosen on a whim; Ibáñez found several references to their regional importance during the mid-19th century, when the palo cortado style emerged. Another bodega putting the pago first is Viña Callejuela, founded by Francisco Blanco, a viticulturalist who began trading grapes for barrels in the late 1980s with the aim of one day building his own solera. His two sons, Pepe and Paco, now run the business and bottled their first wine in 2015 with the help of Ibáñez. What sets their sherries apart is that they’re made solely from estate-grown grapes. A couple of months ago, Kerin Auth Bembry of La Luz Selections, a brokerage company in New York City, was searching for a groundbreaking bodega to take on as the first (and only) sherry producer in her portfolio. She was introduced to Callejuela through Ibáñez and is expecting her first pallet of their manzanilla and manzanilla en rama this month, along with an unfortified single-vineyard Palomino. By year’s end, she’ll be importing an unfiltered manzanilla, called Blanquito, aged over 10 years. Says Auth Bembry, “They’ve created a new category: 100-percent estate-bottled grower sherry.” She adds that Blanco increased his vineyard holdings to a total of 29 hectares spread across the pagos of Callejuela, Macharnudo, and Añina, where the oldest vines can be found. Añina is the most influenced by the sea because of its exposure to the levanter, the region’s easterly wind; Macharnudo has the least humidity. Having plots across different pagos allows the bodega to showcase the effects of terroir. “Almost no other producer in Jerez,” says Auth Bembry, “has a solera of wines made entirely from their own grapes.” And then there’s Paola Medina. At 39, she’s one of the youngest winemakers working in a major house in Jerez, Williams & Humbert, and the first woman in her family to hold such a position. Medina has embraced organic farming and will launch the first-ever certified organic fino from the bodega in 2018. She’s buying grapes for now, but soon a part of Williams & Humbert’s vineyard will be certified organic. And though sherry’s identity has long been tied to the solera, Medina has become a major proponent of añadas, vintage sherries from rare casks that were intentionally left out of the solera system to age unblended. Although Williams & Humbert has preserved vintage sherries for posterity since 1920, it was the first to launch a vintage fino, in 2006. More añada releases have followed, made from old vines in the Añina and Carrascal pagos. Medina has come to view them as tools for uncovering useful insights into the nature of sherry wines. Medina is careful not to pit vintage sherries against those aged in solera, however, giving credit to what she considers Jerez’s greatest contribution to world of winemaking. By better understanding each harvest individually and how it evolves in the barrel, she says, a winemaker is able to better understand the dynamic of a given solera and how its moving parts work together—“These wines are an invitation to reflection.” A Montreal native now based in New York, Chantal Martineau writes about wine, spirits, food, travel, and culture. Her writing (sometimes accompanied by her own photography) has been published in Vogue, Food & Wine, Departures, Saveur, and The Atlantic. She is the author, with Ron Cooper, of Finding Mezcal: A Journey Into the Liquid Soul of Mexico and the author of How the Gringos Stole Tequila. Exploring the Wines of Uruguay With Tannat and Albariño as lead stars, the country is making some of the most distinctive wines in South America Our Top Wine Stories of 2019 From the science of tannins to little-known Italian grapes, these are the wine stories that resonated most How Vintners in Sonoma County Are Tackling Succession Planning Multigenerational families are figuring out how to hold on to their most valuable asset—their vineyards How Labor Challenges Affected the 2019 Grape Harvest With drastic labor shortages up and down the West Coast, this year’s vintage may mark a dramatic shift in the way the wine industry views labor About SevenFifty SevenFifty is an online platform for the beverage alcohol trade; SevenFifty Daily is an online magazine published by SevenFifty for professionals in the industry. © 2020 SevenFifty	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0030.json.gz/line1059
__label__cc	0.571134	0.428866	HomeNewsBatman Media NewsGold Coast Supanova 2017: Supa-Star Sketch-Off Panel Recap /Tyler Harris /david finchdavid yardinesad ribicPoison Ivysketch offsupanova Gold Coast Supanova 2017: Supa-Star Sketch-Off Panel Recap Just as Supanova Sunday was coming to a close, there was one final panel to go and view: the Supa-Star Sketch-Off, featuring the talents of David Finch (Batman, Wonder Woman), David Yardin (Jean Grey, Extraordinary X-Men) and Esad Ribic (Thor: God of Thunder, Secret Wars). Just walking into the room and seeing these three legendary artists sitting together up on stage was an immensely satisfying moment. Having previously met and chatted with David (Yardin) last November, and having talked to David (Finch) and Esad earlier that day, it was absolutely insane to get the opportunity to see them all draw in a “professional” environment. I lucked out and managed to get a front row seat, so this experience for me was even more amazing. But once everyone had been seated, the three guests shared some backstory as to who they were and then the event kicked off. The rules were simple: the audience chooses a character from a comic book and a situation for that character to be in, and these three artists have half hour to sketch it. We narrowed it down slowly: DC, female, Poison Ivy, Mexican Day of the Dead. To add to the excitement of this, everyone who walked in was handed a raffle ticket; we were then told that each of the three artworks would be given away at random at the conclusion of the panel. After the explanation was finished, the timer started and the three artists began to draw. While this was happening, the audience had all of that time to ask any of the three questions, with the announcer telling us that we should ask questions of the artist/s we want to lose. Not many people could choose though, so most all of the questions were directed at all three of them, with Esad giving long and comedic answers, Yardin giving shorter answers, and Finch giving quick and sharp answers so as to focus on his work. There wasn’t any bad blood or negative vibes in the room though – these three artists gave us a very entertaining panel, with their drawing being showcased via camera onto the screen behind them. I managed to snap some shots of the works in progress, with this first one being from Esad, then Yardin, then Finch. Check them out below! Another interesting part of seeing these artists work was their styles; within two minutes, Finch had already completed a recognizable and rough outline in pencil, whereas Esad spent a lot of time prepping his canvas, as he chooses to work in a paint medium. Yardin found the middle ground, choosing to sketch quickly and ink finally before adding colors to his work. Esad managed to finish his drawing with about five minutes to spare, and it became a short little Q&A with him while he heckled the two Davids to hurry up. But we had to choose a winner, so each of the artists held up their drawings for the room to see, which was a great photo op too. Unfortunately, the camera operator positioned himself basically in front of me while photographing Finch (damn him for doing his job, how dare he) so I missed most of that one, but I got some pretty nice shots of the other two! Ultimately – via applause – it was determined that David Finch had won, which was a change; the announcer told us that Yardin had been an undefeated champion for some time now. Personally, I couldn’t choose a winner – each art style was so different and unique in their own respect, with a painting, pencil sketch and inked and colored piece up on display. With this panel being some of the final moments at Supanova, it’s safe to say that it closed out the weekend with a bang and left the day on a high note. I hope to see these three incredible artists work more in the future, especially in a sketch-off environment like this! Having never been to one, I think I can say for sure that I will be going out of my way to head to these as often as they appear in the future! Tags:david finchdavid yardinesad ribicPoison Ivysketch offsupanova Viktor Bogdanovic Signs onto DC Comics as an Exclusive Exclusive: DKN Speaks With Tom Taylor at Gold Coast Supanova 2017 Tyler Harris Tyler is an actor by day, hermit by night, and musician by requirement. An avid reader and collector, Tyler has had a love for comics since his first exposure to them in the form of Batman: Knightfall as a child. Since that day, most all of his time and money have been split between his three loves: acting, comic books, and lasagna. Gold Coast Supanova 2017: Nolan North Panel Recap	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0030.json.gz/line1060
__label__cc	0.631084	0.368916	by Adam The business card management app Eight was launched internationally in 2017, and its users number in the hundreds of thousands. Numbers are a big deal for us. The name Eight was not chosen lightly. This one digit represents the premise and mission of our app. A Silhouette of Hands Exchanging Business Cards Eight, after all, starts with the encounter and the exchange of business cards. The name Eight can be seen as a visual representation of this exchange. When we extend our hands to one another in the highly important act of exchanging business cards, our arms form an 8. The Eight logo captures this connection. A Service Growing to Infinity ∞ Turn 8 sideways and you get the ∞ (infinity) symbol, as you can see in the Eight logo. Infinity is a long way, but we have great expectations. Eight enables you to make infinite connections. How far can you expand your network? How about infinity? We also aim to grow the service infinitely, as the number of users goes up and up. You can help us get there. Sansan: Our Parent Company Sansan Inc., which dominates the business contact management market in Japan, got its name as a bit of a play on words. In Japanese, –san, as many will recognise, is added to names to show respect. Thus, a san is an honoured and respected person. Double it and it’s two people meeting. It can also be humorously translated to something like Mr Mister. What’s more, san is the Japanese number 3. Take two threes in a mirror image, bring them together, and you get an 8. This connection of two sans represents people’s encounters. Eight really is the perfect name for the app. We hope you’ll use it to connect, honour those connections, and join us in reaching for infinite ambitions. Start now by downloading it. It’s free! Eight Tips Using Eight Adam April 5, 2019 What’s the Difference between Eight and Eight Premium? FAQ on Basic Things to Know About Starting to Use Eight Exchange Business Cards via QR Code, Bluetooth [Video guide]	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0030.json.gz/line1066
__label__cc	0.688744	0.311256	Posts tagged ‘housing crisis’ Homes are Becoming More Affordable; Minorities, Poor Hardest Hit It is interesting that with home prices and gasoline prices going in opposite directions, the media can declare both trends to be disasters for Americans. Via Scrappleface: The U.S. housing crisis reached fever pitch this month, with potential foreclosures up 48 percent compared with May 2007. The devastation of receiving foreclosure notices has now swept through a full 2/10ths of one percent of American homes. About 1/10th of one percent of owners may lose their homes. For some of those people, it's actually their primary residence in jeopardy, rather than a second home, rental property or vacation condo. To add insult to misery, mortgage rates skyrocketed this month to 6.32 percent, a shocking figure a full third of what it was during the Carter administration. As a result of the flood of homes on the market, real estate agent commissions have dipped precariously, and home buyers increasingly wrestle with the guilt of paying bargain prices for excellent Market analysts say home prices could plummet as much as another 10 percent by the end of 2009, leaving first-time home buyers to face the specter of owning a more spacious residence. The additional square footage inequitably boosts the burden of cleaning, heating and air conditioning. Tags: foreclosures, homes, housing crisis, media, prices, Via Scrappleface Category: Economics \| 5 Comments Edward Glaeser on Urban Economics Check out this very nice NY Times article (I think it is outside the firewall) on Harvard economist Edward Glaeser and his takes on urban economics and housing markets. One study of his that resonates with me is his research about just how much modern regulation and zoning is contributing to the high cost of housing: Glaeser and several colleagues considered two explanations. First, the possibility that builders in the metro area were running out of land and that home prices reflected that scarcity. The second hypothesis was that building permits were scarce, not land. Had the 187 townships in the metro area created a web of regulations that hindered building to such a degree that demand far outstripped supply, driving prices up? Almost as a rule, Glaeser is skeptical of the lack-of-land argument. He has previously noted (with a collaborator, Matthew Kahn) that 95 percent of the United States remains undeveloped and that if every American were given a house on a quarter acre, so that every family of four had a full acre, that distribution would not use up half the land in Texas. Most of Boston's metro area, he concluded, wasn't particularly dense, and even in places where it was, like the centers of Boston and Cambridge, there was ample opportunity to construct higher buildings with more housing units. So, after sorting through a mountain of data, Glaeser decided that the housing crisis was man-made. The region's zoning regulations "” which were enacted by locales in the first half of the 20th century to separate residential land from commercial and industrial land and which generally promoted the orderly growth of suburbs "” had become so various and complex in the second half of the 20th century that they were limiting growth. Land-use rules of the 1920's were meant to assure homeowners that their neighbors wouldn't raise hogs in their backyards, throw up a shack on a sliver of land nearby or build a factory next door, but the zoning rules of the 1970's and 1980's were different in nature and effect. Regulations in Glaeser's new hometown of Weston, for instance, made extremely large lot sizes mandatory in some neighborhoods and placed high environmental hurdles (some reasonable, others not, in Glaeser's view) in front of developers. Other towns passed ordinances governing sidewalks, street widths, the shape of lots, septic lines and so on "” all with the result, in Glaeser's analysis, of curtailing the supply of housing. The same phenomenon, he says, has inflated prices in metro areas all along the East and West Coasts. One of his other areas of research was new to me. Glaeser argues that the long-lived nature of housing is part of what keeps cities like Detroit and St. Louis around long after the economic and demographic logic would have had them die. Glaeser and Gyourko determined that the durable nature of housing itself explains this phenomenon. People can flee, but houses can take a century or more to finally fall to pieces. "These places still exist," Glaeser says of Detroit and St. Louis, "because the housing is permanent. And if you want to understand why they're poor, it's actually also in part because the housing is permanent." For Glaeser, this is the story not only of these two places but also of Buffalo, Baltimore, Cleveland, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh "” the powerhouse cities of America in 1950 that consistently and inexorably lost population over the next 50 years. It is not just that there were poor people and the jobs left and the poor people were stuck there. "Thousands of poor come to Detroit each year and live in places that are cheaper than any other place to live in part because they've got durable housing still around," Glaeser says. The net population of Detroit usually decreases each year, in other words, but the city still attracts plenty of people drawn by its extreme affordability. As Gyourko points out, in the year 2000 the median house price in Philadelphia was $59,700; in Detroit, it was $63,600. Those prices are well below the actual construction costs of the homes. "To build them new, it would cost at least $80,000," Gyourko says, "so there's no builder who would build those today. And as long as those houses remain, the people remain." There's a lot more in the article, including a positive economic take on the role of roads and automobiles that he sets in counterpoint to the typical aesthetic arguments against sprawl. I found this next bit supremely ironic, though it matches my observations of these cities as well: Zoning and housing supply ultimately determine not only who lives in a city but also the very nature of these places. Boston, San Francisco and Manhattan are obviously becoming rarefied destinations, mostly for America's elites (Glaeser calls the cities "luxury goods"), with housing floating beyond the reach of the young and the middle class. These cities' economies are in the process of becoming boutique, too, accommodating only the most skilled and privileged. Their desire to limit construction and grow not in buildings and population but in prices has, in effect, begun to shape their destiny. Residents of these cities turn up their noses at the aesthetics and red-state politics of places like Houston and Phoenix, piously believing that all the while they are the true friends of the poor, while at the same time putting in place a government-enforced housing system that only the rich can afford, driving those of moderate incomes to, well, Houston and Phoenix. This last observation provides a fitting conclusion: And what surprises him is that the changes in how we have treated property rights for the last 40 years "” who gets permission to build, the size and location of what owners are permitted to build "” have been the subject of virtually no national dialogue, even as the effects on prices, in his view, have been extraordinary. Tags: Edward Glaeser, homes, housing crisis, Matthew Kahn, NY, NY Times, Phoenix, prices, rich, United States Category: Economics \| Comments Off on Edward Glaeser on Urban Economics	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0030.json.gz/line1070
__label__cc	0.748029	0.251971	Tag: John white In Louisiana Convicted Murderers Have More Civil Rights Than School Children with Disabilities When I saw this video and story recently it reminded me why I became an education activist 4 years ago and also why I have become a Libertarian more recently. We have allowed our government to become our punisher instead of our protector. The Louisiana government has given itself the right to treat your children worse than it treats convicted murderers. People need to realize it’s our job to reign in our government, not the other way around. In Georgia a woman was told she must grant the school district the right to “paddle” her 5 year old son or she would go to jail if they had to suspend him. He had missed 18 days of school for various dignostic tests for cancer. At least 19 States, including Louisiana, allow corporal punishment in schools. Louisiana is one of the only states, if not the only state, that grants school districts the right to strike children of all ages and any disabilities with a wooden paddle, but without parental consent (and even against parental wishes.) Using physical punishement against adults is considered cruel and unusual punishment by the US Supreme Court, and torture by the Geneva Convention (and most of the civilized world for that matter) however the same punishment when used against children, especially those with disabilities, is considered not only legal but necessary by many in our state – including many legislators and judges. Without getting into the argument as to whether it’s okay for you to spank your own kids or not (or for whatever reason varous public or private school officials decide) consider that what is meant by Corporal Punishment in Louisiana schools is a 2 foot long wooden paddle that is used on kindergarteners and highschoolers alike. According to data I reviewed while I worked at the Louisiana department of Education, some children in our state have been paddled more than a dozen times a year for very minor infractions. As a parent, if you spank your kids and cause them harm you could face criminal charges if they are seriously hurt or injured. However as a result of our legislature’s actions, strangers, school employees, cannot be held accountable in most cases, despite many children ending up emergency rooms each year as a result of school sponsored paddling. As a parent, you might be angry with your child, but you understand your own children’s limits, and hopefully love them even if you are mad at them or feel they need some form of physical discipline. School employees that paddle children have no such constraints or equivalent emotional bonding with the children they paddle. Years ago the state legislature passed a law that corporal punishment is allowed in our state, at a school district’s discretion, not a parent’s. Parents do not have a right to refuse on behalf of their children. In an opinion written by Judge Scofield in 2004 for our Third Circuit Court of Appeals in the Setlif versus Rapides Parish School Board To allow parents to unilaterally thwart the legally sanctioned decisions of school officials, could lead to troublesome, if not chaotic, results. There would be nothing to prevent ten, twenty or a hundred parents calling in to request that their child not be spanked. What if these same number of parents requested that no form of punishment whatsoever be administered to their children? The legislature, in its wisdom, chose not to leave the door open for such potentially dire consequences. Scofield conjures up a ridiculous scenario where all forms of punishment are abolished if parents are allowed to request their kids not be beaten by the state to defend his decision to legalize the rights of schools to use discipline methods that are considered too inhumane to be used against animals by the SPCA, and quite harmful psychologically and physically to use against children by the American Academy of Pediatrics guidelines. Moreover, our Supreme Court has deemed corporal punishemnt to be cruel and unusual and has banned the practice agaisnt even the most hardened criminals in our prisons. Even prisoners being put to death by the state via lethal injections are protected by our Constitution from unnecessary pain or suffering while their executions are carried out. Yet our children can be beaten until they are hospitalized and school employees are protected from prosecution by the laws enacted by our legislature and rationalized by our courts. Scofield further defends his decision in the Setlif V Rapides corporal punishment appeal by making the case that violating the basic civil and human rights of anyone in a minority can be justified so long as you have a subjective goal seeking the “best acadmic atmosphere achievable” for the majority, as deemed by government officials, who also get to define what “order” they are trying to preserve and who the “miscreants” are that need the punishing. By this definition, anyone who disagrees with a government defined “order” is a miscreant and can be stripped of their Constitutional protections. The rationale of the legislature and the school board in allowing corporal punishment is based squarely upon the goal to preserve for the majority of students and teachers the best academic atmosphere achievable, even at the expense of swatting the behinds of those few miscreants who choose to disrupt the order. That corporal punishement is necessary to maintain government defined “order” in our society, and without it the world would descend into chaos, is a warped idea that ignores the fact that the vast majority of civilized and orderly places do not use corporal punishment and that for the most part the only places that do are actually the least advanced and most chaotic. Scofield’s “logic” defends this practice by saying that the basic civil rights of minorities are irrelvant when considering the welfare of the majority, even if the objective is not to defend life or property, but just to improve the “academic atmosphere” a little. Furthermore judge Scofield argues that without the ability of public schools to use paddles on all children (including those with disabilities) whenever they wanted to, and regardless of parental wishes, (in the pursuit of “order”) schools would be uncontrollable. Most states in the United States do not permit Corporal Punishment on children, nor do most Western countries permit it on anyone. If this statement had any vestiage of accuracy we would see Corporal Punishment use increasing in the United States and across the “civilized” world. Contrary to the bizarre and unsubstantiated “belief” expressed by Scofield, the more rural or isolated the area the more likely this discipline method is used – probably because no significant media is around to report on it. Even the NFL, not known for the gentleness of its athletes, took a firm stand against corporal punishement when it suspended Adrian Petersen for a year after he injured his own son during a discipline session involving a “switch”. The Louisiana Department of Education was instructed by the Louisiana Legislature to start collecting Corporal Punishment statistics in 2010. For years I have requested the details of that information numerous times in public information requests that copied the State Superintendent of Education, John White. To date, none of my requests have been filled. I know the state collected this data because I was the one who designed the system to collect it, and the one responsible for collecting it through 2012, when I left the Louisiana Department of Education. I believe simply analyzing and reporting this data will lead to Louisiana in the direction of more rights for parents and children, and fewer opportunnities for citizens to be legally abused by their government. Last year Superintendent John White testified numerous times against a charter school in Lafayette that did not propose using corporal punishment in the charter submitted to the state. However the founders of the charter, Kingdom Collegiate Academy of Excellence, had appeared on a reality show called America’s Supernanny spanking their own kids. This outraged John White (publicly). Even though John White had sponsored this charter operator with state funds, JW declared he was not comfortable having these folks in charge of a charter school in his state because of their actions on the show If John White is really this fervently opposed to Corporal Punishment, why then have I been repeatedly met with illegal refusals to provide information collected by the Louisiana Department of Education, that was also supposed to be reported to the legislature annually? I discussed my earlier attempts to get this information out with some insiders who wrote White’s stonewalling off as politics. The majority of the State that still permits and freely uses and promotes corporal punishment is in the northern part of the state, which was Bobby Jindal’s stronghold of support. (Parishes shown in green ban corporal punishment, districts in red allow it.) from page 16 of CP study by Quentina Timoll Bobby Jindal and John White largely supported and protected each other until the end of Jindal’s second term so that reasoning might have been marginally plausible once. I doubt John White relayed my request to Jindal though. If John White really cared about the use of corporal punishment why wouldn’t he have followed through with the push by former Superintendent Paul Pastorek and interim Superintendent Ollie Tyler to collect and disseminate this information to the public, as they were directed to do by Louisiana House Resolution 167? Why withhold this information from me for 4 years? I was told Pastorek’s hope was that publicizing this was a first step towards putting pressure on school districts to put a stop to it. However, if politics did play a role, we now have a new governor named John Bel Edwards in the Governor’s mansion with support in the more southern and metropolitan areas of the state and teacher’s unions. I wonder if things will be any different with a Democrat versus a Republican? I’d like to think these policies would run contrary to the beliefs of the teacher’s unions and I hope that Edwards and his team will make some moves to put a stop to the practice. I would think even LABI and Stand for Children Louisiana would get behind an effort to put an end to a practice that has been shown to lower IQs and other test scores, increase violent crime, cause depression and psychological trauma, reduce earning potential – and which has not even been shown to actually prevent future discipline incidents, merely make the future ones more likely to be violent. I wonder if anyone has told John Bel Edwards that close to 1/4th of all students corporally punished in Louisiana have one or more disabilities and are classified as Special Education students according to the latest data I have available from the 2011-2012 school year through the Office of Civil Rights Office of Civil Rights? Student’s classified as Special Education under IDEA make up around 10-11% of the public school population. For those of you who are parents of a Special Education student let me break down what that means. Your child is more than twice as likely to be corporally punished as a child without disabilities. Are children with disabilities twice as disruptive as students in regular education? Perhaps some children with some exceptionalities are more disruptive due to their exceptionality, like children with some forms of autism or severe emotional disturbance. Perhaps hitting these types of children with wooden boards will “fix” their behavior problems? I kind of doubt it though. I also wonder how many of these meted corporal punishments are not evidence of misbehavior, but frustration on the part of the teacher or the student? Qualified and experienced Special Education teachers are often the hardest spots to fill, especially in rural districts. When communication with words breaks down, maybe the best way to resolve situations involving children with disabilities is a two foot long wooden board and some pain? Not all of these children may understand why they are being punished, or be able to control their actions consistently due to their disability, but many animal trainers believe fear and pain works well for training animals to obey, so why not kids the theory goes. Without properly trained professionals to handle the myriad conditions our students come to school with, maybe the best our school districts can do is to use pain to train obedience in the kids that are too hard to work with? The evidence seems to support that hypothsis if we look at this situation in the best light. Other conclusions we might draw are that students with disabilities are just more innately “bad”, and thus need more paddling, or that students with disabilities are easy targets and/or administrators administering corporal punishment derive some form of deviant satisfaction or pleasure from spanking children with disabilities. I can’t really think of any non-depressing reasons this is true. Can you? We can ask them though. LDOE also collects the names of the folks performing each paddling session. Punishing that list might put a stop to the practice too. Fortunately my earlier expose’s on this subject tipped off other researchers like Dr. Richard Fossey about the existence of LDOE’s corporal punishment data. I spoke with Dr. Fossey at a few public venues and engaged him in e-mail correspondence for a while. He told me he was working on a project with LDOE through some of his graduate students who were given access to some of this data. I was careful not to rock the boat while this project took place, although I admit I eventually lost track of it, until now. <== Study Link For the most part this thesis is a good resource on the history of Corporal Punishment in the United States and Louisiana, and includes some fascinating details about various court cases across the United States and where things stand now. I commend Quentina Timoll on producing this great reference source. I would caution readers to consider the actual numbers suspect as: the author notes the figures provided by LDOE are as much as 30% lower than what the school districts reported to the federal government directly pages 61 and 62 appear to have significant addition and subtraction errors the “percentages” on pages 63 and 64 and throughout the paper are off by a factor of 100 (unless it is customary to show percentages as decimals but still label them as percentages in tables.) some parishes are left off both the lists that permit corporal punishment and the lists that allow (like Red River) They did not report any data and LDOE apparently did not enforce compliance. the study lumps districts that permit corporal punishment (but rarely do it) in with districts with excessively high rates (but small populations). I believe this leads the author to draw incorrect generalizations about the whole and perhaps most importantly, because I had access to the preliminary data before I left LDOE. When the project to collect this data first started at LDOE I somehow found myself in charge of it. I reviewed the preliminary data which was not tied to SIS, the Student Information System, but was instead tied to lists of forms collected for each instance of corporal punishment which were tied to incident checklists our folks in charge of discipline data required the school districts to complete and retain on file. The data I reviewed showed some districts disciplined upwards of 40% of their student body with wooden paddles, and numerous students were “disiciplined” this way more than 12 times over a six month period. At first I thought I was being given duplicate records. I verified that some were. However for the most part the records I reviewed had different action dates and different reason codes. I had a few records with identical dates – indicating a student corporally punished more than once on the same day – which were confirmed by school district data coordinators. This preliminary data shocked me of course. I asked school districts to confirm my results and much to my surprise they were largely confirmed. Paul Pastorek was asked to resign by Bobby Jindal to make room for John White not long after my results started coming in. I had plans to publish this information on our department website once a full year’s worth of numbers came in. However John White came during the first full school year we started collecting this data through SIS. After White’s arrival we were informed his intent, which was realized not long after his arrival, was to drive off all data coordinators and shut down the department I was associated with. I left not long after his arrival. White and his minions successfully drove off or fired every one of my immediate co-workers within the first year. That led to a great loss of institutional knowledge about what LDOE collected and how to go about validating it. The belief relayed to me by one of his appointed overseers (just before I escaped the slaughter) was that the Department needed to “get out of the business of validating data and holding school districts hands”. School districts needed to “submit the data correctly the first time or live with the consequences.” While this may sound good at first blush, it’s all of Louisiana that has to live with the consequences of bad data in the form of: wasted funding for students that are not really present or improperly classified invalid rankings of schools teachers effectiveness calculations (ie VAM) inflated graduation rates Ultimately all this bad data leads to bad statistics which leads to incorrect conclusions and usually harmful and destructive actions. Currently a majority of the 70 Louisiana City/Parish school school systems authorize the use of corporal punishment and only 16 (including the Special School District) ban the use of it. School districts that reported using this the most from 2011 – 2014 with rates ranging from 5 – 10 % are: Caldwell, Franklin, Morehouse, Richland, and Sabine. Explained another way, your regular education child has a 1 in 10 to 1 in 20 chance of being paddled one or more times each year in these school districts (1 in 5 if your child is identified as a Special Education Student) – so your child is probably not graduating without a few licks during their K-12 education experience. By crazycrawfishin corporal punishment, Dr. Richard Fossey, John White, LDOE, louisiana, politics May 11, 2016 May 24, 2016 3,045 Words4 Comments John Bel Edwards has not Taken Office and Already his Team has Made Some Major Missteps I am not happy. I’m actually quite pissed off and had to take extra blood pressure medication today to prevent my head from exploding off my shoulders. I think I am like a lot of people that supported John Bel Edwards for Governor for his stands on education, who got the shaft after the election. Is John Bel making all the decisions on education committees and BESE picks? Whomever is doing it however is doing a piss poor job. I contacted Edward’s Facebook page, Onward Louisiana site, and a number of close contacts to inquire about his education agenda and to offer my help or input. I was ignored in some cases, and told to wait until after he takes office before brining my concerns or ideas so John Bel could tackle the budget crisis and his top priority, Medicare expansion. Doing so has proved to be a disastrous mistake on my part, compounded by horrible decisions by his education team. While I was waiting numerous education reformers secured a seat at the various tables and parents and regular teachers who fought so hard and for so long were left walled out and cut off. Leslie Jacobs, Queen Reformer of Louisiana and Architect of the Recovery School Disaster was given a seat on a 53 member committee that included many union reps, and other reformers, but none of the folks that crossed party lines to vote for John Bel and for education. The list did include these folks however: Ronnie Briggs Board Chairman of The Good Shepherd School (“School Choice Champion”) Gwendolyn Hamilton Community Affairs, New Schools for Baton Rouge/CEO EBR Redevelopment Authority (unelected and unaccountable private Charter School Authorizer) Leslie Jacobs Former BESE Member (Queen of the Recovery School Disaster, wealthy donor for education reformers across the state, owner of misleading pro-referom propaganda organization EducateNow!) Dr. Andre Perry Principal, A.M. Perry Consulting (infamous and outlandish eduction reformer and charter proponent from NOLA – I think he’ll like that title) Of course the presidents of the two unions were there. Debbie Meaux President, Louisiana Association of Educators Steve Monaghan LA Federation of Teachers President And one of the 3 people this panel decided to appoint to BESE on John Bel Edward’s behalf was also on this panel. School Doris Voitier Superintendent of St. Bernard Parish School System Wow. I wonder if she voted to appoint herself? (Well, technically I did that too but I was one of a 400 thousand people or so.) About half the panel was composed of current or former union reps and members. More than 10% of it consisted of notorious education reformers who had no doubt campaigned and donated hard against John Bel (and plan to shiv him in the shower at some point in the near future). These are Education Reformers who opposed John Bel and all the FlipBESE candidates and who raised obscene amounts of money from out of state billionaires and have been buying our BESE elections for more than a decade. They spent close to 10 million dollars with over 90% coming from out of state donors and PACs and won 7 BESE seats. I’m told Edwards wants to include everyone in his governing. However those folks were already more than fully represented. What I didn’t see was an anti-Common Core activist or activist parent that’s been fighting with me at BESE and the legislature. I didn’t see one of the candidates nominated that won close to 50% of the vote in their districts and even after being out raised/spent between 40 and 100 to one. Already this administration is making the same mistakes as the last one by wooing the wealthy and ignoring the regular folks who are just trying to be heard and thought John Bel would make that happen. In my opinion, John Bel owes his win to us, the FlipBESE candidates, as much as anyone else. We forced these organizations to spend all their time and money on us. That money would have been used against him and those organizations would have campaigned against him and his unions if they had not been so concerned about the threat we flipBESE candidates posed. That 10 million would have been about what John Bel spent for the governors race. I wonder if he could have done as well as a flipBESE candidate if he had the same monetary disadvantage we had. (For perspective, that would have been more than 1 billion dollars.) About half the state voted against Common Core and John White, and they have no champion on this panel or among the 3 recent BESE appointees. the LABI backed candidates actually ran for local control and against Common Core, and some people believed them, not knowing those were complete lies. Here’s some of the ads one of my opponents ran. (Most of the ads run by the LABI candidates were identical carbon copies with the same points, music and typeface. These were corporation sponsored and run campaigns. If you want to see what I mean check these 2 ads out that even ran back to back on the same channels. Empower/LABI Engen Commercial Taylor Generic Empower/LABI commercial I think a lot of people are going to pissed when they find out they voted against Common Core and thought they elected a candidate that was against it, only to find it was rebranded and actually made worse, as the review committee has reportedly done by the various folks who have resigned from it in protest. Do you think they are going to blame their BESE candidate (that they probably don’t remember now) or the Governor who ran against Common Core and John White? Education Reformers have been crowing for well over a month that John Bel cut a deal and John White is safe. I don’t hear one peep of complaint out of them either. Meanwhile many of the folks that brought John Bel to the Governor’s Ball are left out in the cold and we are not happy with what we have seen so far. In case you’re wondering what the story will be when John White stays, Leslie Jacob’s website, Educate Now! is already delivering for mass consumption. Governor-elect John Bel Edwards has chosen his three appointees to the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education: Doris Voitier, superintendent of St. Bernard Parish schools; Thomas Roque, superintendent of the Diocese of Alexandria; and Lurie Thomason, assistant professor in the Criminal Justice Department at Grambling State University. While Governor-elect Edwards may have wanted a new state superintendent, he does not have the votes to replace John White, and his three BESE appointees said in an interview they would be “open” to working with White. For those who make excuses to say John Bel can’t remove him because he doesn’t have 8 votes, here are my rebuttals and questions: If you can’t replace John White, why on earth would you make that promise after the BESE elections? If you can’t replace John White, why would you appoint three people open to working with him? If you can’t replace John White, why would you let John White’s allies choose who the appointees are!?!?!?!?! My understanding is the plan all along was to trade those appointments and to take it easy on John White, in exchange for cooperation on other projects like the Budget Crisis and Medicare. No doubt the budget and Medicare are noble causes, but I’m not a chess piece and neither are my kids. I’m told I should look to John Bel’s “history” of supporting Public Education and to trust that he will do right by us. This is what history tells me: Louisiana Governors, like JBE’s predecessor Bobby Jindal, promise anything to get elected and then once they get in office they are immediately corrupted by power and bound by reality and wall themselves off in their ivory towers and let their minions take the heat. Oh, I knows my Looziana history alright. I was asked to give Edwards time to get situated before lobbying him on education issues. I guess the education reformers that campaigned hard against him didn’t get that memo. Now John Bel has named 3 permanent appointees (for the next 4 years) to BESE that he cannot revoke, while I was waiting patiently. He was able to do that before he took office. Wanna know what I have to say about that? Total. Bull. Shit. John Bel, I was told if I wrote a blog about this, you would never ever see it and that I needed to go through the proper channels (like the ones that have already failed me to date). Let’s see if that’s true or another lie. It appears to many on the outside that you seem to have taken the side of education reformers, and taken great pains to include them in your Kumbaya moment while also excluding around 50% of the population that hates Common Core and John White and his policies. We were screwed over by corporations and billionaires from out of state and we looked to you to help make it right. That’s not what many of us see happening. I feel my trust has been abused, but to be fair I have not spoken to you and you may not be aware things aren’t being seen as going smoothly outside your circle. Gimmie a call and let’s rap sometime. . .when you’re not too busy. My number is 225-892-4410. Thanks and good luck getting rid of White! I, and a lot of others, are counting on you. By crazycrawfishin politics January 8, 2016 1,592 Words25 Comments John White’s final days or rabbit trick waiting to happen? Those who follow k-12 education in Louisiana closely know about state supt. John White and his illusionist tricks. There have been several times over the last few years I expected John to hightail it out of here, only to see him double down on his egregious and dishonest behavior and come out stronger than before each crisis. Amazing and mystifying, but he is a true magician. In the last BESE (BESE is the State School Board responsible for hiring and firing the state superintendent) election John White’s out-of-state billionaire supporters (led by education crime syndicate boss and chairman of LABI, Lane Grigsby) poured millions into the race to save his lying ass from getting canned for all the atrocious, dishonest, and antagonistic behavior he’s exhibited over his entire tenure as State Sup and local Sup of the New Orleans Recovery School District. White even received some national notoriety (and praise) for “standing up” to Governor Bobby Jindal over the issue of Common Core State Standards. While this dispute may have been staged for the benefit of Jindal’s National presidential ambitions from the outside it looked like Jindal was really giving White a hard time. (Fighting something controversial is a good way to stay in the media – see Donald Trump’s entire campaign – but actually resolving issues has a way of removing that spotlight so I don’t believe Jindal actually wanted to resolve the Common Core issue.) Jindal is now leaving office in disgrace, unable to become more than a sad footnote in this presidential race, unable to extricate the state from Common Core, leaving a mortgaged state in shambles with a budget held together by rusty screws and tattered, generic Scotch tape, and a gaping multi-billion dollar deficit for years to come for governor elect John Bel Edwards. Whatever the truth, Jindal looks like Tweedle-dum, and White looks like the Cheshire cat that ate that rat. John White has the effect on people. John White’s fortunes may be looking up. Grigsby and his corporate education cabal managed to snare 7 of 8 elected BESE seats through lies, trickery, false promises and outrageous SuperPAC spending. 4 very vocal critics of White will be gone from BESE by the January meeting and he will have 7 solidly purchased allies in his pocket (and in the pocket of the charter industry who purchased their seats.) John White was obviously feeling his oats at the December 1st BESE meeting where he routinely interrupted and spoke rudely and condescendingly to the outgoing members and only provided materials to members to review on the day of the meeting, prompting at least one citizen to publicly chastise the board for their lack of decorum and preparation. White was even rude and combative to citizens providing testimony at the meeting. (As usual, every one of John White’s recommendations was rubber-stamped by his accomplices on the board.) Not exactly the actions of someone who feels they may be at the end of their rope. Governor elect Edwards will appoint 3 members, and the 8th elected official, Kathy Edmonston, is an ally of mine, an NPE endorsed candidate, and a staunch opponent of all things John White, and John White himself. (As an interesting note, I learned John White and outgoing BESE district 6 representative Chas Roemer audaciously tried to butter Edmonston up right after the election, but she was having none of that foolishness. After their allies manipulated video of Kathy to accuse her of being an idiot who wants an illiterate America I predict it’s unlikely she will be coming around to their side anytime soon.) As Dr. Mercedes Schneider discovered and covered in her blog, John White’s contract ends with the new terms of BESE and the Governor. It also requires 8 votes to approve a contract. Governor elect John Bel Edwards has consistently insisted he wants John White gone, and will do anything in his power to see that happen. I do not believe John White can stay as Superintendent of Education while I am Governor. And to the extent that I can control that, that will not happen. Because I do not find him to be honest and credible when he deals with the legislature and other members of the public in Louisiana. I know, for example, from some of his dealings with me, and some of the things he has said about me. We know he went into a Senate Education Committee meeting with the intended purpose of muddying the water as opposed to telling the truth. He did it to promote a bill that was patently unconstitutional, that he had to have known was unconstitutional: funding vouchers through the Minimum Foundation Program. That is a problem for me. (From where I stand there is no way John White can reach the 8 vote threshold on an 11 member board. Other LDOE personnel under contract immediately cease to work there when their contract expires. I would have expected the same to happen here although it sounds like White will remain as a month to month employee under the terms of his original contract per Dr. Schneider’s blog.) Moreover I have been assured by another longtime source that not all of Grigsby/LABI’s backed 7 approve of John White and will vote to keep him. If that is true White is sitting at 6 or fewer votes of the required 8 he needs to keep his job. (I have discussed working with the new administration to target those staffers loyal John White’s lies and not to Louisiana’s children with members of John Bel’s campaign prior to the election. I hope they end up in a position to take me up on that offer.) However another longtime source has revealed John White is claiming to his staff that he has the required 8 votes he needs. OH- JW has told some staffers that he has 8 votes (that would mean Edmiston is in his pocket) AND – he will remain as superintendent.This may simply be another of John White’s lies meant to keep his staff from staging a mass exodus. I disagree that White has Edmonston in his pocket, however White is a wiley bastard and his allies have deep pockets and no fear of employing lies or deceit to get what they want. Another possibility is that Edwards has offered BESE positions already to some folks who are planning on betraying him and his wishes on keeping John White. I have not been contacted by the transitional Edwards administration despite offering my services on multiple occasions, although some 53 others have been contacted and appointed to a k-12 advisory committee. One of the members of this advisory committee is a former BESE member, a well connected and wealthy New Orleans Democrat, claims to be the RSD architect, and is a staunch John White supporter named Leslie Jacobs. This is a concern for me and I would hope her role remains limited as she is a proponent of everything John Bel has claimed he is against. Obviously this is making me a little nervous as the time approaches for Edwards to take office and make his appointments. I chose to back Edwards in the last election in large part for his history and stances on education issues and don’t wish to have to turn that support to withering scrutiny so early in his term, but I haven’t fought this long just to see a new administration support the same bad people and terrible ideas. I have a much longer history keeping an eye on White than just about anyone in this state and I know he’s slicker than WD40 smeared on an icy lake. The Edwards administration doesn’t have to contact me of course. (Who am I to them after all?) However I don’t see many of my allies on his list of 53 nor have many of my allies who have exposed White’s corruption been contacted. I’m not looking for a pat on the back, but to make sure they are equipped with enough info to pry White out of his dank DOE hole. They don’t have to contact me, but they damn well better be successful in getting rid of him if they don’t. I would like to offer a word of caution to Edwards’ transition team since they appear disinclined to contact me at this time. White is covering for a lot of demons and hiding a lot of skeletons at LDOE. Don’t expect his allies to give him up without a fight or for him to go quietly. Don’t squander this opportunity for real change and transparency. If you let him stay he will stab you in the ass, just like he did to Jindal, and he’ll enjoy it immensely. K-12 education may not be your top priority compared to the budget crisis and planned Medicare expansion, but it may be your downfall if you’re not careful. White always seems to have just the right rabbit to pull out of his hat at just the right moment. Fortunately I still a few tricks left up my sleeves as well. . . Beat that, Copperfield. By crazycrawfishin education, John White, louisiana, politics December 16, 2015 December 17, 2015 1,514 Words14 Comments What follows is an investigative story about the Special Education program run by the Louisiana Department of Education which reveals how numerous players have profited by funneling Federal IDEA funds to their own pet projects and personnel. This illegal misappropriation of public money has left many special education students, parents, and district staff without the support those federal funds were mandated to provide. My story has many twists, turns, and villains, but I will try to lay out the details as clearly as I can. This story exposes what appears to be criminal behavior and corruption at our highest levels of government. There is undoubtedly more to the story than I know or will be able to relay here, but I will present what I have and let the public, legislators and law enforcement agencies decide if this matter is worth investigating further using tools beyond my power. A few months ago I received a letter from a concerned Special Education activist in Louisiana. This source to whom I have given anonymity provided some internal documents prepared by the Louisiana Department of Education which were distributed to certain Louisiana legislators. Much of the information provided had been previously relayed to me over several years, but I have been unable to prove those assertions, until now. The first element that was revealed to me is that LDOE has destroyed the Special Education Department. Most of the staff who previously dealt with Special Education issues were reassigned or fired, but LDOE kept the money the federal government was providing specifically to support special education staff. To justify this, LDOE allocated these funds I to 129 different staff members across the department, many of whom had absolutely nothing to do with Special Education. I have provided a list of these allocations as attachments labeled “salary” and “salary 2”. I’m told this documentation was provided to Representative John Schroeder when the department was trying to make a case that they did not have the necessary staff to comply with Act 833. (Act 833 was signed into law in 2014 and requires LDOE to provide alternate graduation requirement guidelines for certain disabled students.) salary 2 According to guidance documents I have provided, it is acceptable for LDOE to allocate salaries on a pro-rata basis. However, this basis must be determined by the employee for the amount of time they actually spend solely on Special Education issues. Employees are required to sign off every week on “Time-and-Effort Certifications” like the one shown below: time-and-effort-reporting-a time-and-effort-reporting-b time-and-effort-reporting-c As you can see, employees are supposed to document how much time they spend on actual Special Education focused issues and to then sign this affidavit. Their supervisors then sign off on this form. However employees at LDOE do not enter the percentages. Their supervisors provide documents with these percentages already filled out, or they instruct their employees what numbers they must use based on how they have been allocated for budgeting purposes, not based on any actual work. Many of the LDOE employees allocated to Special Education couldn’t work on Special Education issues if they tried. Employees that have tried to refuse committing fraud have been threatened with immediate termination by their supervisors. One source I interviewed relayed a story I had been told several times before. “…when one LDOE employee said he/she did not want to sign the verification sheet – because it was untrue – the person was told the alternative was to be fired.” Some state employees are blackmailed into committing payroll fraud every week. They cannot reveal this because they cannot prove the supervisor told them they would be fired for not signing the sheet, and if they confess to committing the fraud, the supervisor can claim they were ignorant of the situation and the employee acted on his/her own. This would result in the employee being fired and then subject to criminal charges. (This is how many criminal organizations and gangs trap people in cycles of crime. Once you commit a crime, that crime can be held over you to keep you silent and to blackmail you into additional criminal activity.) Below is one of the relevant federal directives: Support for Salaries and Wages of an Employee Working on a Single Cost Objective The Appendix to 2 C.F.R. Part 225 (formerly OMB Circular A-87, Cost Principles for State, Local, and Indian Tribal Governments) requires an employee whose salary and wages are supported, in whole or in part, with Federal funds to document his/her time spent working on Federal programs in order to ensure that charges to each Federal program reflect an accurate account of the employee’s time and effort devoted to that program. The Appendix addresses two types of documentation: semiannual certifications and personnel activity reports. Personnel activity reports If an employee works on multiple activities or cost objectives, a distribution of the employee’s salary and wages must be supported by a personnel activity report (PAR) or equivalent documentation. The Appendix lists instances of multiple activities or cost objectives for which a PAR is required — that is, if an employee works on – • More than one Federal award. • A Federal award and a non-Federal award. • An indirect cost activity and a direct cost activity. • Two or more indirect activities that are allocated using different allocation bases. • An unallowable activity and a direct or indirect cost activity. A PAR must – • Reflect an after-the-fact distribution of the actual activity of the employee. • Account for the total activity for which each employee is compensated. • Be prepared at least monthly and coincide with one or more pay periods. • Be signed by the employee. Employees are told what to put on their timesheets and if they refuse to do so and sign off on them, they are threatened with termination. That is clearly not what the USDOE had in mind when they issued their guidance. LDOE was asked about their special education resources, alignment and composition in a December 17, 2014, Joint House and Senate Education Committee hearing. They responded on January 5, 2015, describing how they had reorganized internally to better address Special Education classes concerns that could potentially span across the department. Here is the question they answered and LDOE’s response: 8. Please identify the Department’s Special Education staff and describe their support of local school systems. Historically the Department has been organized into a fragmented system of divisions in which various elementary and secondary school sectors have been isolated – not only special education, but also career and technical education, curriculum, educator support, assessments, accountability, federal programs, early childhood education, and more. This structure did not foster planning or collaboration among divisions, nor did it reflect the real-world environments of public schools where all of these needs must be addressed every day in the same schools, even in the same classrooms. The isolation of special education staff, in particular, ran contrary to the goals of inclusion for students to be able to participate in and benefit from the total educational experience as their non-disabled peers. Because special education is a service for student who need it, and because all Department of Education staff and local school system staff are obligated to providing that service, not just “special education” staff, the Department began integrating special education supports throughout the agency: Network Teams: […] Program Staff: […] Most of this passage is gobbledygook designed to take up space and bore the reader into dozing off and accepting LDOE’s presumed expertise on the subject. The section I’ve highlighted is the basis under which LDOE is operating. Their reasoning is not supported by federal laws, regulations or policies, but it does describe the philosophy they are providing to legislators. In plain speak, what LDOE is saying is: “Because all school systems have or could have disabled students, and all support staff provide information for all students (which include disabled students), all employees support disabled students.” This is not just wrong but the opposite of what the federal government has provided this funding for. LDOE knows this is wrong, but they are willfully ignoring the laws and relevant federal guidance because no one is holding them accountable for following state and federal laws and policies. LDOE is using earmarked Special Education funding as a way to boost employees’ salaries and employ personnel for the programs they deem more important that Special Education. As a result: Many initiatives such as 833, an alternative pathway for disabled students to earn a diploma, are faltering. Students are being denied services and corporally punished for their conduct related to their disabilities. Parents are being told to fill out invasive surveys and are required to provide information illegally in order for their children to receive services. Charter schools are not only refusing to provide disabled students services but are being paid money for services they never provided. The state and RSD are being sued on a regular basis because of their handling of Special Education. Here is one of the of the class action settlements related to violations of special education students’ rights (ironically hosted on the LDOE’s website, www.LouisianaBelieves.com) Some of the complaints against RSD and LDOE involved students with disabilities being repeatedly locked in closets or disciplined for minor infractions until they could be expelled. Leskisher Luckett, whose third-grade son was repeatedly locked in a school closet as a means of punishment, described the effect this discrimination has had on her son. “After being treated like a lost cause for years, Darren has come to believe that about himself. My son, my 9-year old son, is too young to give up on his education.” Robyn Flanery’s daughter began suffering from profound emotional troubles upon entering the seventh grade. But rather than receive any type of services to address her condition, she was repeatedly punished for minor infractions until she was finally expelled from the school she had attended since kindergarten. Ms. Flanery reported that this led to even greater emotional trauma. These situations are largely attributed to the fact that special education coordinators across the state are lacking in guidance (have lacked it for years), direction and training on special education issues. The state is provided millions of dollars annually to employ staff to support school district personnel, but they are shirking these duties. Taxpayers are not getting what they are paying for. Instead, taxpayers are now also paying for lawsuits and settlements because disabled children and their parents are suffering abuse, neglect and ignorance as a result of the incompetence and lack of expertise of staff employed by the LDOE. For this story, numerous parents and other sources involved with Special Education in Louisiana were interviewed and asked to provide their thoughts on LDOE and their handling of Special Education for the state. Liz Gary, a mother of a student receiving special education services in St Tammany, and a staunch Special Education rights advocate in Louisiana had this to say about LDOE’s recent changes to how they handle (or don’t handle) Special Education training and oversight: The state department has offered no training, professional development or oversight in years. They believe their webinars and newsletter is all that is needed. Unfortunately, as you know, they have let a lot of experienced people go and replaced them with inexperienced people. It is not good. If districts are not doing what they are supposed to do there is no one to monitor them because the state department is not doing it. Districts are not doing what they are supposed to be doing. I’ve heard this refrain many times for years. This cry has only gotten louder since State Superintendent John White destroyed the Special Education department in the name of improving coordination and efficiency. White and his staff dismissed, demoted or drove off most of the qualified and experienced staff members and replaced them with politically driven appointments like the current Special Education Policy Director Jamie Wong. Jamie spent a few years teaching pre-k and kindergarten in DC as a TNTP teacher. (TNTP is The New Teacher Project, an organization founded by the now discredited Michelle Rhee, a former Teach for America Alum who is widely believed to have rigged test scores and overlooked or even encouraged cheating during her tenure as the Superintendent of DC public schools.) Jamie now earns $95,000 a year at LDOE with only a few years of teaching experience. Not so coincidentally, Jamie Wong is married to Michael Thomas Wong, one of the chief campaign strategists for Senator David Vitter who is widely presumed to be Louisiana’s next governor. It appears that Michael Wong is paid at least $90,000 to serve as Vitter’s Capital Area Director, and gubernatorial campaign advisor and strategist. Michael’s salary for just 6 months of last year was $43,318.54. Sources have claimed that Jamie’s job is a quid pro quo from John White to David Vitter, who is presumed to be John White’s next boss as the Governor of Louisiana. Perhaps that is true, or perhaps that was just the icing on the cake, but what I want to know is why no one else in Louisiana or at the Department of Education was considered qualified for her position? I’m having trouble understanding why a recent college graduate living in DC (someone with a few years of teaching experience and a degree in political science from Southern Mississippi) is in charge overseeing all Special Education for the State of Louisiana, or why she was appointed when folks with 30 and 40 years of Special Education teaching and experience and PhDs were cast aside. Dr. Laureen Mayfield, President of the Louisiana Association of Special Education Administrators (LASEA), had this to say about LDOE’s recent attempt at implementing Act 833: They are not rolling out the training until August, after school has begun for many of us. The Special Education Directors and Supervisors in the state have clearly communicated to LDOE that they needed advanced training on writing IEPs for students pursuing an alternate pathway to graduation under Act 833. In addition, LASEA members have repeatedly expressed that they do not need “IEP Writing 101” for beginning teachers, but instead, higher level training for experienced teachers who just need guidance on developing thoughtful, effective IEPs for Act 833. The drafts modules that have been shown to a stakeholder group, however, appeared to be basic “what is an IEP and how do you write it” information—which is exactly what LASEA clearly communicated they did not need. We will not know until August if LSU listened to feedback from directors, or if the modules will “have Act 833 embedded in them” by including a slide or two quoting from the legislation. LDOE has as many as a third to one half of their workforce reportedly dedicated to Special Education issues. According to LDOE’s own report to the legislature in January, these staff members were imbedded across all areas of the department, particularly curriculum, and yet they had to obtain a quarter million dollar contract with Alan Coulter at the LSU Human Development Center to provide guidance and training for Act 833 which is what the preceding comments are referring to. However, instead of actually providing that training, the Human Development Center produced a basic “IEP 101” course because LDOE, under John White, with 129 special education staffers, had lost the capacity to do even the most basic Special Education task. One former attendee of previous professional development sessions hosted by LDOE (in the pre-John White days) reminisced about how LDOE used to tend to Special Education issues: Pre-White [and former state superintendent Paul Pastorek] the Special Ed Directors from the entire state, including those in charters, met for quarterly meetings in BR with the Special Ed State Director and all the SPED staff. It was a whole day meeting and they updated us on everything–changes to laws, innovative practices, etc. In addition to that, an Ad Hoc group […] met monthly with Susan Batson and all the SPED staff at the LDOE. We went over everything going on of importance, including vetting and discussing any changes they wanted to make to bulletins. We talked and “argued” professionally until we all came to consensus. They also kept us up to date on all changes we needed to know about, listened to our concerns, and actually addressed them. I also spoke with former staff members from LDOE to get their take on what had happened. Here is one of the descriptions: You can point out that every student with disabilities in Louisiana has been affected by the greed and political aspirations of our so-called leaders. Districts have no guidance from LDOE because anyone with any knowledge or experience in special Ed has been run off either by layoffs or out of sheer disgust over the way things are being done. They (districts) are left to figure it out for themselves. The districts with stronger special Ed leaders are surviving; those with weaker leadership – not so much. One parent from Central had this to say. Her children were denied Special Education services at Tanglewood elementary because she refused to fill out an offensive questionnaire asking about her elementary children’s sexual experiences and drug use and if anyone might have abused them. Things are much better homeschooling. Two of my kids were finally able to skip a grade, so now they are working at a level that actually challenges them. My two that needed IEPs are getting one on one and are able to work at their own pace. And I’m NOT accountable to BESE 🙂 Maybe they’ll get their act together, and a few of them will get unseated. Maybe John White would be de-throned. Then I would maybe consider public school again. I looked at the website for Tanglewood so I could give you the name of the lady who told me my son could receive “intervention” but no “services” unless I filled out that stupid paper. She’s not on there anymore, so I don’t know what happened with her. Of course refusing services because a parent refused to complete an illegal questionnaire is illegal, but despite 129 employees being paid at LDOE with Special Education funds, there is literally no one to train these folks, no one to oversee them, no one for parents to complain to and obtain any help. Parents are forced to either subject themselves to illegal requirements or have their services illegally denied. Parents are forced to withdraw their kids and homeschool them or simply forced to watch their kids suffer while LDOE and John White doles out SPED funding to vastly unqualified political appointees. St Tammany and Central are by no means the only school systems suffering from neglect and malfeasance. Most of our districts are suffering in one way or another but cataloguing all the stories would require several volumes. This last story clearly illustrates the situation. I contacted Kathy Edmonston, the Parent Resource Facilitator for the Ascension Parish School System, to get her take on Special Education in Louisiana under LDOE’s guidance. (Kathy is also a District 6 candidate for the upcoming 2015 BESE election.) She had this to say about how disabled children are faring in her parish school system: Hey Jason. Thank you for taking time to express concern for our SPED kids. They are struggling so much with the new standards. My title is Parent Resource Facilitator for Ascension Parish School System. It looks as if it has been forgotten at DOE as it is difficult for parents to find any one there to talk to when they are experiencing difficulty in their schools. I have not been told so, but it seems that SPED department at state department has been dismantled. We in Ascension have done pretty well moving along with Act 833. It will be more fully implemented this coming school year. The transition has been difficult as the DOE has given very little guidance. If there had not been an ACT 833 steering committee established to stay on them, I am not sure if we would have gotten any direction! Fortunately, we have a very good SPED director in Ascension who didn’t wait, but started digging right away and communicating with other parishes, so at the end of the year, most of our teachers knew what to do. Since the implementation of the current [Common Core] standards, our SPED students are experiencing lots of stress and difficulty because they are taught and tested on standards that are above their academic functioning level. It is so sad. Parents have nowhere to turn, and teachers can’t answer their questions! When I explained to Kathy many of the things I’d heard from the Ascension Parish leadership and that everything there was peachy keen, she had this to say: Nothing is going peachy anywhere in the state right now!!!!!!!!!!!! Ascension is struggling just like all other parishes in the state with the new “transformation” we are experiencing. Our parents, teachers, but most importantly, our children. I’d say that about sums things up nicely. Note: ( Liz Gary was not a member of SEAP. This piece has been edited to reflect that change. We apologize for this error.) By crazycrawfishin politics May 30, 2015 June 12, 2015 3,519 Words33 Comments At a time of deep budget cuts, it is time to cut the Recovery School District (RSD) Latest John White lie Bobby Jindal recently released his budget for the 2015 fiscal year. This budget has some pretty steep cuts for the Louisiana Department of Education. State Superintendent John White recently claimed Bobby Jindal’s 2015 budget would force him to lay off as many as 100 of his 300 workers. Gov. Bobby Jindal’s proposed budget would force layoffs of about 100 of the state Department of Education’s roughly 300 workers, state Superintendent of Education John White said Monday morning. White said he was originally told that the governor’s budget plan could result in 45 agency employees losing their jobs. http://theadvocate.com/news/acadiana/11738663-125/white-says-jindal-budget-would Of course this a statement from a John White, a well documented liar, and an article from Will Sentell, who is rumored to be White’s pal outside of working hours, so it doesn’t surprise me that these figures are dishonest and not fact checked – not even a little. Fortunately I had recently asked for the lists of LDOE and Recovery School District (RSD) employees. RSD is a branch of LDOE and directly overseen by LDOE. The true number of employees I came up with was 447 “DOE State Activities” employees, 117 Special School District Employees, and 108 RSD employees. That comes to 675 employees scattered across several divisions that report to John White, or more than twice the number White quoted to the Advocate – and Will Sentell dutifully reported. From payroll file 1/23/2015 But what is one more lie? LDOE employees with multiple offices RSD no longer directly manages any schools, it just recruits them and “oversees” them. (New Schools for New Orleans is a non-profit that already does that.) RSD’s employees are actually extensions of the LDOE. Many LDOE employees live in New Orleans and have offices in Baton Rouge and luxury offices in New Orleans. Many of LDOE’s executive employees live in New Orleans and do all their work from the RSD offices across from the Superdome, or from the privacy of their homes – as their exorbitant conference call bills will attest to. Sources have relayed that a non-exhaustive list of employees operating this way are: · Katherine Westerhold · Hannah Dietsch · Alicja Witkowski · Taina Knox · Rebecca Kockler · Kunjan Narechania The truth behind LDOE state employee RIF’s (Reductions In Force) Everyone knows that John White and Bobby Jindal have claimed they have cut back employees in state service, so I decided to verify that claim myself. I asked Civil Service for the payroll of LDOE as of 1/1/2012 and 1/31/2015. A direct comparison would lead one to believe that John White had reduced his employees. John White filed dozens of RIFs, or Reeducations In Force, during his tenure. However what you can’t tell from these files is that John White simply reclassified all of his IT positions as belonging to DOA instead of LDOE. Many of these folks still work at the Claiborne building where LDOE is housed in their same roles, they just are paid from the DOA budget although they still work for John White and LDOE on LDOE systems. I asked for listing of these employees, but Civil Service has no way of identifying them. Therefore I excluded all the people from the IT area from my 12/31/2011 file so we could have an apples to apples comparison. These are the numbers I came up with as of 12/31/2011 excluding IT. However this was when RSD actually staffed schools with teachers! Now almost all the RSD employees are unclassified operatives of John White. Many freely move back and forth between these agencies at will as I will show you later. What this means is employees John White controls for day to day operations is down to 675 from around 697 – excluding IT and RSD employees. RSD actually had to run schools three years ago and most of those employees were teachers. Now RSD skims money from grants these schools receive and skims MFP funds to support their lavish lifestyle – as I will also get into later. Next I wanted to find out what types of employees are left and how the workforce changed. Instead of support personnel for things like Special Education, most of LDOE was turned into a charter school recruiting office and assessment section. At first blush it would appear the number of unclassified positions decreased, however when you add in RSD unclassified positions you can see a dramatic increase in this type of unrestricted worker. Below are some distinctions between classified and unclassified employees. Please refer to this definition from Civil Service. I have summarized some of the differences below: Unclassified state employees have no restrictions on salary or raises, can lobby legislators and donate to candidates, do not have need to have any specific qualifications, and are generally supposed to be restricted to just the heads of departments. Classified state employees cannot engage in any political activity, or even the appearance of political activity. They cannot donate or endorse candidates and cannot even discuss these topics publicly without suffering sanctions or being fired. Raises for classified workers are tightly controlled and limited. Classified positions have specific sets of duties, education requirements, and experience requirements they must meet to qualify for positions. Classified workers cannot be promoted if they do not meet the requirements of their new position. The vast majority of state workers used to be considered “classified.” Below are the basic positions defined in Civil Service that are supposed to be classified as unclassified. Elected officials and person appointed to fill vacancies in elective offices. The head of each principal executive department appointed by the Governor. Registrars of voters. Members of State boards, authorities, and commissions. One private Secretary to the president of each college or university. One person holding a confidential position and one principal assistant or deputy to any officer, board, commission or authority mentioned in (1), (2), (3), or (4), above, except the State Department of Civil Service. Members of the military or naval forces; including those employees in the Military Department of the State of Louisiana who are members of the Louisiana National Guard or Louisiana State Guard, either active or retired. The teaching and professional staffs, and administrative officers of schools, colleges, and universities of the State, and bona fide students of those institutions employed by any State agency. Employees, deputies, and officers of the legislature and of the offices of the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and Attorney General; and of police juries, school boards, and assessors; and of all offices provided for in Constitutional Article V. Commissioners of elections, watchers, and custodians and deputy custodians of voting machines. Railroad employees whose working conditions and retirement benefits are regulated by federal agencies in accordance with federal law. Notaries Public. All employees of the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness. Obviously unclassified employees are supposed to be restricted in number and held to a pretty high standard. Unclassified positions are supposed to be rare. The vast majority of state employees in Civil Service are supposed to be “classified” to prevent a return to the “spoils” system of governance in Louisiana; when most of the positions in state government we doled out based on who folks supported in elections. A classified state worker is loyal to the state, not a specific political party, candidate, or appointee. From information I’ve been given, John White reportedly did not like that arrangement and exploited Civil Service rules to simply drive off hundreds of classified state workers loyal to Louisiana and replace them with unclassified employees (mostly from out of state) loyal to him. Of 108 positions at RSD today, 107 are unclassified. What possible harm can come from converting our workforce from classified to unclassified? (Hint: New taxes!) In case you were wondering how this arrangement works out in the real world consider this. RSD and its staff, in conjunction with the charter lobby, successfully PR’d the public in New Orleans last year to pass a tax that contributes 90% of the proceeds to RSD until 2025 (in additional to their state and federal funding and fees they charge charters.) Shall the Orleans Parish School board (the “School Board”) levy a tax of four and ninety-seven hundredths mills on the dollar of the assessed valuation of property within the City of New Orleans assessed for City Taxation, (an estimated $15,540,000 reasonably expected at this time to be collected from the levy of the tax for an entire year), for a period of ten (10) years, beginning in 2015, for the purpose of preservation, improvement and capital repairs of all existing public school facilities, to be levied and collected in the same manner as is set forth in Article VIII, Section 13(C)(Second) of the Louisiana Constitution of 1974; provided that said tax is to be levied each calendar year at a millage rate not in excess of the difference between 4.97 mills and any millage levied in such calendar year for any outstanding general obligation bonds of the School Board?” How will property taxes be extended and/or redirected to fund RSD? OPSB is expected to pay off school facility debt by 2021 using 4.97 mills of property tax previously approved by voters. The tax is expected to end in 2021, and the amount collected from voters will begin to decrease as the debt service decreases. If voters approve the proposition, the mills will be renewed and extended through 2025. The difference that is not applied to the debt service will be set aside for facility preservation, and RSD can begin to access the funds as early as 2016. The mills currently collect approximately $15.5 million each year. (Source: OPSB FAQ on Tax Proposition. ) In full effect and after OPSB has fulfilled its debt obligations, the non-elected RSD would receive 90% of the funding ($13,986,000) of property tax revenue. OPSB would receive the remaining portion of approximately $1,554,000. What does RSD do with all their money? What does RSD do with all its money you ask? Well for one thing, they like to rent luxury office space in downtown New Orleans across from the Superdome. RSD takes up the entire 14th floor at 1615 Poydras street. Here is the floor plan of the suite right above them Here are some of the images of the building and the amenities: Encompassing 508,741 rentable square feet, the Class A Property is 85% leased and serves as the corporate headquarters for McMoRan Oil & Gas. The property’s rent rolls are dominated by high profile, local, national and international corporations including Freeport-McMoRan, ANKOR Energy, U.S. Coast Guard, Gillis Ellis & Baker, Kuchler Polk Schell Weiner & Richeson, Usry Weeks & Matthews, Duplantier Hrapmann Hogan & Maher, First NBC Bank and Regus. 1615 Poydras accommodates an on-site restaurant, a barbershop and dry cleaning pick-up & delivery services. Our location in the Central Business District (CBD) directly across from the Mercedes-Benz Superdome, provides easy access to City Hall, hotels, Canal Street shopping and the historic French Quarter. Tenants enjoy easy walking distance to the NFL Saints Champion Square and the world-class Mercedes-Benz Superdome directly across the street. Man, who wouldn’t want a drycleaners with pickup and delivery service and a barbershop in their office building? Check out the gorgeous marble and mahogany floors and enormous meeting rooms overlooking the city. Who knew being a state worker could be such a sweet deal, especially amidst a 1.6 billion dollar deficit? But maybe there was a logistical reason for locating so close to the superdome in a luxury office building? RSD claims this move makes them more accessible to families and parents. Recovery School District www.rsdla.net The Recovery School District is a special district of the Louisiana Department of Education (LDOE) charged with transforming chronically underperforming schools in Louisiana. The organization’s mission is to ensure that all students graduate high school on-time and be college and career ready. Their move to 1615 Poydras provides a more centrally-located site in the Central Business District – closer to business and community partners [true] and more accessible for families and parents [not true]. Recovery School District also maintains three Parent Centers at various locations throughout the city. But let’s be honest. This is move to put them closer to the Saints, not students. Right across the street in fact! RSD used to be located in a warehouse before John White came to town, where many of the parents actually lived. Let’s compare. RSD Pre-John White at 1641 Poland Avenue. Note the graffiti on neighboring buildings and less than august surroundings. . . but I bet the rent wasn’t too steep. RSD – Post John White at 1616 Poydras street on the 14th floor across from the Mercedes Superdome. Who knew School Reforming could be so good? So what if RSD is ripping us off. . . at least I get choices!?!? Now when parents have problems they can’t actually reach anyone at RSD. RSD makes thousands of parents with enrollment problems line up all day in the hot sun every year while they try to fix the choices the One AP enrollment system selected for them. Last year some parents waited in line all day only to be turned away and told to come back tomorrow. http://thelensnola.org/2014/07/09/frustrated-parents-wait-hours-to-enroll-in-schools-only-to-be-turned-away/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_fV5nCu_p4&feature=youtu.be RSD Choice. We choose for you. In my district, East Baton Rouge Parish, I actually have choices and can apply to numerous schools and programs. I can choose to send my kids from among the schools I get into. In public schools I have the choice to send my kids to a Montessori program, magnet school, language immersion school, Arts integrated or Math Sciences and Arts school, a trade focused school, a charter school or just send my kids to the school down the street. I can apply to all of those choices and select the one I want based on the ones I can get approved for. In New Orleans you put your top 3 choices in, and maybe the computer selects one for you. If you don’t like the selection, or the selection scatters your kids all across town, you and thousands of other parents must queue in line all day to try and find a new school for your kids to attend. That type of “choice” is more like Communism, than Capitalism folks. You know, where the state assigns you to a school and you line up for days to make simple changes to anything (and that’s on a good day.) The free enterprise system charter supporters often tout as the cure-all for the ails of the public education system can’t work because bad or undesirable charters can stay in business when the few desirable schools run out of spots. RSD and New Schools for New Orleans claim that RSD and the New Orleans Experiment has solved the problem of kids being limited by their Zip code. In actuality, they have just made it worse. These groups claim to provide choice, but the choice belongs to RSD, to the state, not to the parents. This is the future that awaits us as this “public/private” partnership proceeds. Wow. Can RSD do anything right? Uh. . . But that’s not the only form of waste at RSD. RSD’s 100+ strong workforce loses more property and equipment each year than the rest of the state put together. About a million dollars a year at last tally. Here is a statement from the legislative auditor: Statement: The Recovery School District reported more than 28 percent of its movable property missing in its 2014 inventory. Because of the large volume of missing inventory, [the Louisiana Property Assistance Agency] disapproved the agency’s property certification and completed an internal investigation on the losses. We have since reported our findings on the issue to the Attorney General and Legislative Auditor for further review The full report is here: http://app.lla.state.la.us/LLApress.nsf/10fbc08e4e1f685a86257c3f005437d5/dcf94ca15acaf57986257dab00780aa9/$FILE/RSD%202014%20Release.pdf You can also see how RSD’s losses compare to the rest of the state in Lee Zurik’s report: http://www.fox8live.com/story/27976094/zurik-millions-in-state-property-lost-and-not-found RSD and LDOE employees switch jobs fluidly because they are really the same agency now. To see this in action let’s look at the curious case of Kunjan Narechania, who came to Louisiana and RSD with John White as his chief of staff. Then she went with John White to LDOE, and now is back at RSD but is paid from LDOE’s budget. http://louisiana-employees.findthedata.com/l/185/Kunjan-Narechania http://www.nola.com/education/index.ssf/2015/02/did_the_community_get_a_voice.html From payroll file as of 1/23/15 From Nola.com article as of 2/2/15. Recovery chief of staff Kunjan Narechania said the department has held off on finalizing the Dunbar agreement pending the John Mac and Livingston decisions; if Believe moves into John Mac, it would be moot. She added that the Recovery system does not typically have written agreements with charter programs about which buildings they will get, though “the process has been fairly inconsistent.” Gotta’ love that freedom. As you can see, RSD and LDOE employees are fluid and all report to John White. They certainly don’t oversee any schools, and I sure hope they aren’t trying very hard to look after property that is disappearing at a burn rate of a million dollars per year. So do we really need them to recruit charter schools in a 100% charter district? Is RSD the future we want for Louisiana: a giant, unaccountable, exceptionally wasteful, state level agency who’s employees can lobby and donate to local and state officials for increases to its budget and power and which oversees all the schools in the state – instead of local school boards? Is there a conclusion in here somewhere? It is clear that RSD is not working. . . for parents or students. At a time of great financial crisis in our state, RSD is providing multiple luxury offices to its staff members so they don’t have the inconvenience of driving into Baton Rouge – where they really are supposed to work. Louisiana is facing a 1.6 billion dollar shortfall this year, while some state DOE employees are assigned multiple offices (luxury offices). Based on my calculations, Bobby Jindal is probably right to recommend 100 employees be reduced at the department of education. John White has actually maintained his staffing level at LDOE via RSD over the last 3 years (while increasing his overall payroll by eliminating classified positions and replacing them with unclassified positions.) The payroll at RSD alone is 1/4th of the entire payroll at LDOE for 1/5th of the employees. Many of John White’s employees swap back and forth for budgeting reasons but, they all ultimately report to White. RSD is the past, and it needs to be left in the past, and now is the time to do it. John White claims he needs to start discussions and meetings to determine where to make layoffs. I actually have 108 employees to recommend eliminating right now (or maybe 109 depending on where Kunjan actually works). It’s time to eliminate the RSD. That is a real choice that would be good for just about everybody. By crazycrawfishin politics March 2, 2015 March 14, 2015 3,197 Words5 Comments Background On the High Stakes Testing Opt Out Movement in Louisiana Unless you are already opting your kids out of testing this spring, most folks have probably only heard about this movement to “opt out” (parents refusing to permit children to take) of high stakes tests in Louisiana in the past couple weeks. Here are some recent stories: Caddo, Bossier parents refuse Common Core tests UPDATED- LPSS receives first testing refusal; more expected soon Opting out of PARCC testing- Parents have a say Parents-opting-state-testing-bese-concerned The opt out movement has been building momentum in this state and throughout the country for the past few years. I have been consulted numerous times by various organizers of this movement to promote it or provide information about possible consequences and implications. I actually don’t have a firm stand one way or the other on the “opt out issue” but I have been linking people up with individuals that do for the past year or so. A few of the opt out information providers in our state are Ann Burruss from Lafayette and Lee Barrios from St Tammany. You can generally find them on Facebook if you have any questions and want to keep up with the latest developments. This post is not going to delve too deeply into whether parents should or should not do this. I will leave this for them to decide. What I did want to do is provide some background on this issue. I found the background on this situation to be lacking in most mainstream outlets. First let’s define what High Stakes Testing means. This is a term that has come to mean annual tests that are tied to consequences for teachers, students, schools and districts. Low scores on these tests can mean teachers are fired, students are retained, schools are closed, districts are seized by the state. For a pro side you can review this edreform site that describes what education Reformers are hoping to accomplish. For the argument against High Stakes testing you might try looking through www.fairtest.org and this link: http://www.fairtest.org/arn/caseagainst.html High Stakes testing became all the vogue in 2001 with the passage of NCLB (No Child Left Behind act). NCLB is actually being debated and right now in Congress and even Secretary of Education Arne Duncan is telling Congress that standardized testing has gone too far and needs to be scaled back. (The original was co-authored by John Boehner and Edward Kennedy so you know it has to be good, right?) Today some school systems may spend a third of their class time taking standardized tests or preparing for them. I’ve spoken with parents in districts in Louisiana that claim test prep booklets sample tests start getting sent home in January for the high stakes tests we give in April each year. Parents are outraged about how much time is consumed in taking and preparing for tests, and I don’t blame them. I send my kids to school to learn, not to take or prepare for tests endlessly. A new wrinkle for this year is that no one outside of Louisiana State Superintendent John White and his close circle know what test kids will be taking. White has claimed at different times our children will be taking a PARCC or PARCC-like test. (PARCC is one of two major testing Consortiums tapped and funded by US DOE to develop Common Core tests for the States.) However Governor Bobby Jindal and his DOA intervened in a contract dispute and declared the way it was approved invalid and have asserted they will not pay for PARCC with State funds. This has led to several lawsuits brought by education Reform proponents and parents groups as well as the Governor’s office and BESE. I honestly have no idea where any of that stands right now. One judge has ruled the state can’t block White from procuring the tests. Jindal has vowed to seek repayment of any funds spent that way. Lawsuits are still pending. I’m not sure anyone else can tell you how this will ultimately play out with any degree of certainty either. Still, John White has made it clear Louisiana will be giving the PARCC exam this Spring and districts need to be prepared for it. According to previous statements and decisions by White and BESE, no students will be held back based on this exam, whatever it is. No teachers should be penalized based on the scores their students get for this year either. However (SPS) School Performance Scores will still be based on these test results. Schools and districts that do poorly on these mystery exams could be subject to seizure by the State Recovery School District (RSD) and handed over to charter operators. Students that “opt out” will be assigned a zero on the exam. If schools end up with a lot of zeros it could severely impact their SPS score and make takeover very likely if the school is already in a borderline achievement category and has been for several years. Louisiana has not defined a formal way to “opt out” of testing. Currently tests are mandatory. Some parents are writing letters to their principals that they wish to opt out of testing. It’s unclear whether any principals will honor these requests. My guess is students that get sent to school will be given tests regardless of any letters. To prevent this from happening parents are considering keeping their kids home on testing days and makeup test days or bringing them to school late. These would be considered unexcused absences. I would caution parents that do this that they could run afoul of LRS 17:221 and LRS 14:92.2 that outlines possible fines and jail time for parents of kids who are habitually absent or tardy (truant). Enforcing those laws would probably be worse case scenarios but some districts might play hardball with parents trying to keep their kids home during testing. Some parents have taken a third route. They have instructed their kids to bubble in all the same answer or to make “pretty pictures” on their scantron answer sheets if they have given tests against their parent’s permission. I’m not very clear on what the value of these tests could possibly be. Unless John White made a secret deal with PARCC to get the assessments for free (he is still a PARCC Governing board member so I wouldn’t rule that out) or PARCC has accepted the risk of contentious legal battles over any payments made, they are not true PARCC assessments. They will not be comparable to last year. They will not be comparable to next year. They may be rigged to be similar to PARCC using combinations of last year’s test and new items the state may have used micro contracts to generate. What I can tell you is this. These test booklets have already been printed or are in the process of being printed by DRC, the State’s longtime testing vendor. When I worked at LDOE 3 years ago it took months to print the hundreds of thousands of test booklets they have to prepare each year. DRC needed enrollment data from us in November or December to “precode” (pre-fill site code, name, DOB, grade level, etc) the majority of the test booklets give to students. Someone should be able to require John White turn over a sample test booklet to see how they are portraying the test they will be giving in a few months. Will they be calling it PARCC, iLeap, iPARCC, ParccLEAP? Who knows? What I am sure of is I’m glad I don’t have to make a decision on this till at least next year. Would you like to see a sample/practice PARCC test? http://parcc.pearson.com/practice-tests/ I was recently told by a parent that they tried the 7th grade math portion with their child and failed miserably. Common Core, which these tests are based on, was not phased in. That means many kids in higher grades will not be able to pass these tests because they were never taught the material. Because these tests are designed for kids to fail initially in the higher, unprepared grades as has happened in States like New York that gave these exams last year, parents are concerned this will lead to school takeovers anyways, as well as some mental anguish for their children. In some schools these tests are emphasized a great deal and a lot of stress is put on kids to perform. Some kids can shrug it off, and others can take this type of failure pretty hard and it can damage their self-esteem. I know from experience I hate this type of situation. I’ve had teachers that tested us on subject material we were not taught or even assigned and it did impact my attitude towards school and my teachers in very negative ways. I lost respect for those teachers, lost respect for the subject material, and tuned out. It did not inspire me to “try harder”. It just made me think tests and schools were stupid. Perhaps now I would handle that differently? It’s hard to say, but children are not little adults. Scholastic achievement might be tied to their self-esteem and identity, and they may not have other experience or achievements to anchor themselves. If I had this concern, if I thought my children would be impacted like I was, I can guarantee I would consider opting my children out. By crazycrawfishin education, politics January 29, 2015 January 30, 2015 1,588 Words14 Comments	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0030.json.gz/line1072
__label__cc	0.704403	0.295597	Crowdsourcing News RoundUP – November 11 Posted by Ejona Blyta \| Nov 11, 2016 \| News \| 0 Check out our curated Weekly RoundUP of the breaking and must-read news – How a Trump presidency affects real estate crowdfunding; why bike companies are turning to public money; CrowdFlower announces a scientific advisory board to combine AI and crowdsourcing and more … Crowdsourced products sell better when they’re marketed that way Read how crowdsourced products sell better and can be more profitable. What makes this cue sell so well? A series of more controlled follow-up studies revealed that consumers perceive customer-ideated products to be based on ideas that address their needs more effectively. In short, a product appears to be of higher quality if marketed as customer-ideated. Think of being in the market for a lunch box for your kid and seeing Yumbox marketed as “made by moms.” Or consider Red Chili, a climbing shoes brand created by a user-entrepreneur who prominently uses the slogan “Only climbers know what climbers need” on his website. If you respond to these cues like our study participants did, you likely will infer that something ideated by users will fit your needs better. However, when customers want to feel close to and affiliated with like-minded others and when they think users know better what other users need, there might be a hidden extra value to using crowdsourcing. It might not only constitute a promising route to better new products but also help marketers set their products apart from the competition by actively communicating the source of design to customers. Is crowdfunding better than a bank? New data suggests that crowdfunding has starting to show impressive returns. More details here. In it AltFi reveals that since 2011 there have been 955 crowdfunding rounds, from 751 companies, across platforms like CrowdCube, Seedrs, SyndicateRoom and others. Of these businesses that have raised funds from ordinary investors, 88 have formally stopped trading, while 79 are showing signs of distress.The vast majority are still trading and are growing in value, and if you’d invested across every business that has crowdfunded since 2011 you’d be earning an annual return of 8.55% on paper. Compare that to the 0.25% that most easy access savings accounts are offering, or the 2-4% you’ll get if you lock your money into a longer-term saver, crowdfunding appears to offer a good return compared to your bank. The big caveat here is that crowdfunding’s cash returns only appear if the businesses you’ve backed actually sell to another business or float on the stock market. “Our conclusion on the face of the data is that these results are positive. At this stage the success rate of crowdfunded companies is impressive…” How a Trump presidency affects real estate crowdfunding Here is what Trump presidency means for real estate crowdfunding. Jordan Fishfeld of Chicago-based CFX Markets speculated that from a purely financial markets standpoint, Trump’s presidency and the Republican legislature that comes with it could be “…an opportunity for growth in this industry, albeit a costly one. One of Trump’s main platforms was that regulation is hurting business…I think we can expect to see a reduction in oversight and regulation, which should benefit the flow of capital to small and medium-sized businesses, which will be tremendously beneficial for crowdfunding.” Coyne reiterated the idea that Trump and his Republican-led Congress would help the markets by scaling back regulation, specifically quoting Trump’s criticisms of the Dodd-Frank financial regulation law that was one of the crowning achievements of Barack Obama’s first term. He also expressed a sentiment shared by Jordan Uditsky, a real estate attorney with Gould and Ratner, about Trump’s plan to rebuild the nation’s infrastructure and its positive effect on the real estate industry. The rise of crowdfunding: Why bike companies are turning to public money Companies continue to launch new products through crowdfunding and this is why: “It’s great to access required capital for a project without debt or equity,” said Nick Slone of Spurcycle, a small California company whose artisan bicycle bells were launched in late 2013 after a wildly popular campaign on Kickstarter. “Some companies turn to crowdfunding as the only option, unable to get a bank loan or attract interest from investors. Certainly it would have been unlikely that we could have secured $300,000 from these sources. Even if we could have assembled a dozen investors and been fine giving up some equity, would we have wanted more owners complicating future decisions? Probably not.” On the surface, then, crowdfunding is, indeed, all about the money — but even successfully funded campaigns often have to seek additional investment to get a product off the ground. From the outside, the amounts sought by some crowdfunding campaigns seem like more than enough, but development costs can significantly exceed those figures. CrowdFlower announces a scientific advisory board as it works to combine AI and crowdsourcing Artificial intelligence and machine learning experts join CrowdFlower scientific advisory board. Now CrowdFlower bringing on more experts to shape the development of that technology. Specifically it’s formed a three-person scientific advisory board, made up of Barney Pell (founder/co-founder of startups including Powerset, LocoMobi and Moon Express, who also led an artificial intelligence team at NASA), Anthony Goldbloom (founder and CEO of Kaggle) and Pete Warden (a staff research engineer at Google, where he’s the technical lead on the TensorFlow Mobile machine learning project). “With all these different customers and all these different applications, we wanted them to be confident that they’re going to get a high-quality algorithm,” said Biewald. (He was previously CrowdFlower’s CEO and now serves as its chief data scientist and executive chairman. He’s also a friend of mine from college —although we really only talk about CrowdFlower now, which is kinda sad when you think about it.) “One way to make sure all the product decisions we make really reflect the cutting edge was to get some of the world leaders come in and look at our product.” Carrobot: the world’s most powerful car display Check Carrobot C2, a car heads-up display with full voice control for navigation, phone calls, messaging, music, and more. The Carrobot C2 is a multi-functional, holographic heads-up auto display that provides hands-free access to your phone, GPS, and advanced crash protection. Carrobot C2 is the most useful personal driving assistant to keep you safe and make the journey more efficient and enjoyable. The Carrobot C2 is a multi-functional, holographic heads-up auto display that provides hands-free access to your phone, GPS, and advanced crash protection. Carrobot’s C2 is the safest auto HUD display in the market. Equipped with a transparent LCD screen, the C2’s holographic display projects virtual images 8 ft. beyond the windshield.The device uses a high brightness Thin-Film Transistor LCD screen as the imaging source, which is 30 times brighter than an iPhone screen . The screen even automatically adjusts to brightness, making it safe & easy to transition from day to night. Keeping safety in mind, Carrobot has developed cloud-based computer vision technology for facial recognition, lane monitoring and spatial recognition. Carrotbot C2 Pro can warn you if you start to veer out of your lane or are too close to adjacent cars. The driver-facing camera can even recognize facial patterns, immediately flagging distracted driving before it becomes a safety issue. Image: cyclingtips There are many fantastic stories out there. What else caught your eye this week? Did you come across some breaking news or a good thought piece? Please do share them with us… PreviousFuture of Work, Education and Entrepreneurship at Day 5 of CSW Europe 2016 NextGreat Design is the Secret to Great Crowdsourcing Your Stay with Airbnb for CSW Global 15 Could Get More Comfortable This Week in Crowdsourcing: News Roundup February 20 Tuesday is SOLD OUT! AirAsia X, Presidential Office of the Philippines and Pirate 3D join on Wednesday & Thursday Time limit is exhausted. Please reload CAPTCHA. − = two	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0030.json.gz/line1077
__label__cc	0.738402	0.261598	CSUMB Academic Senate News and Updates from the CSUMB Academic Senate Author: Stirring up Trouble by DrVLoLil I am an educator seeking to share my perspectives on issues affecting Blacks in the U.S. These issues are important to me, not simply because I am a Black woman, but because I deem Blacks to be one of the most vulnerable populations in the U.S. and if keeping disparities in the mouths of many yields any reduction, I am delighted to stir up a little bit of trouble. November 2019 ASCSU Plenary Report The following report is intended to update you on some the important happenings in the statewide academic senate. ASCSU Chair’s Report November 2019 ASCSU Resolutions The ASCSU passed two resolutions during the November 2019 plenary. Copies of these and other resolutions can be found at http://www.calstate.edu/AcadSen/Records/Resolutions/. Increasing Access and Success Through Additional Preparation in Quantitative Reasoning. This resolution supports an amended proposal that again will be before the Board next week as an information item, designed to increase the quantitative reasoning preparation of incoming freshmen. The resolution urges both support for teacher preparation in this area and flexibility in implementing the requirement for students attending high schools, which are unable to support the requirement with appropriate course offerings. Passed. Land Acknowledgment and Statement. (Introduced by Senator Lopez-Littleton, CSUMB, Faculty Affairs Committee). This resolution acknowledges that many CSU facilities are located on traditional Native American lands and encourages the CSU to incorporate acknowledgment of this fact in their formal senate meetings. Passed with dissent. We introduced the following resolutions that will be considered for adoption at our January plenary. Copies of these resolutions should be available shortly for campus review. Creation of an Ad Hoc Committee to Advance Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Within the Academic Senate CSU urges the creation of such a committee to examine many of our practices for potential adverse impacts on equity, diversity and inclusion with the expectation that there will be annual reports to the Executive Committee of their findings. (This effort was headed by CSUMB Senators Scott Waltz and Vanessa Lopez-Littleton.) Creating a Holistic and Humane Educational Environment in the California State University (CSU) is a request to the system to focus on creating such an environment to support student learning. Recommended Implementation of an Ethnic Studies System Requirement recommends the adoption of related system-wide learning outcomes and curricular guidelines. (These outcomes and guidelines are found at the end of this report.) Feedback on ASCSU Resolution: Recommended Implementation of an Ethnic Studies System Requirement The Academic Affairs (AA) Committee introduced in first reading AS-3403-19/AA Recommended Implementation of an Ethnic Studies System Requirement. The resolution lays out learning outcomes and an implementation framework for a systemwide ethnic studies graduation requirement. The resolution is posted here. Any suggested change to the resolution must be made to the Academic Affairs Committee prior to January 15, 2020 for consideration for the Second Reading at the January 23-24, 2020 Plenary. The feedback with “read only” access is posted here. Campus senate feedback on our initial request in AS-3397-19/AA is archived in a separate Dropbox folder here. Recommended Implementation of an Ethnic Studies System Requirement recommends the adoption of related system-wide learning outcomes and curricular guidelines as noted below. Ethnic Studies Requirement: Student Learning Outcomes Upon completing their ethnic studies requirement, students will be able to: analyze and articulate core concepts of ethnic studies, including but not limited to race and ethnicity, racialization, equity, ethno-centrism, Eurocentrism, and white supremacy; apply theory to describe critical events in the histories, cultures, and intellectual traditions of communities of color with a particular emphasis on agency and self-affirmation; describe the intersection of race and ethnicity with other forms of difference affected by hierarchy and oppression, such as class, gender, sexuality, ability, and/or age; describe how resistance, social justice, and liberation as experienced by communities of color are relevant to current issues (communal, national, and international); and act to engage with issues of race and ethnicity to build diverse, just, and equitable communities beyond the classroom. Ethnic Studies Requirement: Implementation The primary ethnic studies requirement will be implemented as an overlay as part of lower division GE (ethnic studies outcomes 1-5 as a requirement of lower division GE) The secondary (additional scaffolded) requirement is for a reflective element (reinforcing any two of ethnic studies outcomes 2-5) overlaying upper division GE. Either (1) or (2) above may be met by not-otherwise-GE courses with campus approval (provided such courses meet the ethnic studies outcomes; i.e., the ethnic studies requirement could be met or partially met with existing campus requirements and/or courses that were developed to meet local requirements) Campuses may determine additional requirements (outcomes or implementation) beyond the minimal list provided. Upcoming Topics In the upcoming months, the ASCSU will be discussing a variety of topics relevant to the CSU. If you are interested or would like to chat about any of these topics, please feel free to reach out to your CSUMB statewide senators (Scott or Vanessa). The next plenary is scheduled for January 22-24. A more detailed review of Plenary business can be found here: Campus Report November 19 Author Stirring up Trouble by DrVLoLilPosted on December 1, 2019 December 8, 2019 Categories Academic Senate CSU (ASCSU) ASCSU September 2019 Update The following report is intended to update you on some the conversations happening in the statewide academic senate. ASCSU Chair’s Report September2019 BoT Report July 2019 Qualitative Reasoning Requirement Update The September Board of Trustees has proposed adding a 4th year of quantitative reasoning to CSU admissions requirements. Many, including representatives from CFA and California Teachers Association (CTA), are concerned with the disparate impact this policy may have students of color (Latinx, African American) and students who attend school in underserved communities. Click here to access the CSU Board of Trustee’s Committee on Educational Policy video (September 24-25, 2019) The ASCSU passed Towards Implementation of an Ethnic Studies System Requirement. This resolution is the first step in fulfilling the ASCSU promise made during our advocacy against AB 1460 (Weber) to take up the Ethnic Studies Task Force Report recommendation for a systemwide ethnic studies graduation requirement. That promise was made in response to legislative pressure to take up the issue, intense legislative support for some version of such a requirement and as a strategy to stave off legislative intrusion into the curriculum. AB1460 did not make it out of the Senate Appropriations Committee, but it was designated as a “two year bill,” which means that the author has an opportunity to bring the bill back to try and get it through the legislature a second time. The campuses are in the process of responding to requests from the Chancellor’s office on the ethnic studies requirements at CSUMB. If you have questions or comments, please connect with one of your campus senators. Anti-bias Training for the CSU and UC campuses As you may recall, the 2018 California Budget Act included an appropriation of $1,200,000 on a one-time basis to “contract for a two-year pilot program to provide anti-bias training for administrators, faculty, staff, and student leaders at campuses of the University of California and the California State University.” The UC/CSU anti-bias training pilot program has four key learning outcomes: 1) Raising Awareness: This includes learning about personal biases and understanding how biases may influence behavior and decision making at the 2) Application to Organizational-Level Change: Participants will be able to draw a connection between social group biases (positive and negative) and the impact they have on university policies, procedures and population-specific outcomes. 3) Tools and Strategies for Disrupting Bias: The training will introduce participants to tools and strategies for mitigating harmful bias in their functional area. They will learn how to change or disrupt attitudinal and procedural patterns that perpetuate multiple forms of biases. 4) Practice: Participants will receive ample opportunities to practice the tools and strategies for disrupting multiple forms of biases. For more information on the actions of the ASCSU, a detailed report is provided here. Resolutions passed during the September plenary may be found here. (Sort by date.) If you have questions, require more detailed information, or would like to have an issue taken to statewide senate, please reach out to one or both of your statewide senators (Scott Waltz and Vanessa Lopez-Littleton). Have a wonderful semester! Vanessa Lopez-Littleton & Scott Waltz Author Stirring up Trouble by DrVLoLilPosted on October 1, 2019 October 13, 2019 Categories Academic Senate CSU (ASCSU) Quantitative Reasoning Open Forum Author Stirring up Trouble by DrVLoLilPosted on September 9, 2019 September 9, 2019 Format ImageCategories Uncategorized ASCSU Report on May 2019 Plenary ASCSU Chair’s Report May 2019 The ASCSU passed the following resolutions: Fostering a Welcoming and Safe Campus Climate for African American Students requests that all mission statements and strategic planning documents espouse the importance of recruiting, retaining and graduating students of African descent, that CSU campuses continue to report racist incidents directed towards persons of African descent, and recommends that campus presidents, provosts, others adopt a list of specific actions to address related concerns. This was deemed urgent due to recent incidents on CSU campuses. Appreciation for the S.D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation’s Partnership with The California State University to Improve the Preparation of K-12 Teachers Across the State of California is self-explanatory and echoes previous resolutions of appreciation. The foundation is closing its doors soon and will be recognized at the BOT meeting next week. In Support of Ethnic Studies Programs in the CSU affirms a commitment to Ethnic Studies as beneficial curricula, shares the concerns that led to AB 1460 and recommends that campus senates revisit the Ethnic Studies Task Force Report to implement recommendations for Ethnic Studies curricula through faculty-driven processes of shared governance. This was deemed urgent given the aforementioned bill currently being considered in the legislature. Endorsement of Criteria for Engineering Model Curricula (MC) for Transfer to Receive the Same Admission Advantage as for Transfer Model Curricula (TMC) urges campuses to grant students completing associate degrees aligned with one of the four Engineering Model Curricula (MC) for Transfer the same admission eligibility advantage as for students who have completed a Transfer Model Curriculum (TMC) yielding an Associate Degree for Transfer (ADT) so long as no more than three lower-division GE courses be postponed to post-transfer as per prior ASCSU resolution. This was deemed urgent due to a desire to give encouragement to engineering faculty to continue doing work on this proposal in order to benefit transfer students as soon as is feasible. In Support of “The Strategic Advantage of the Distinctiveness of the Twenty-three Campuses of the California State University System” (Board of Trustees, Nov., 2008) reminds system leaders of this principle enunciated by the Board which has seemingly been violated by recent administrative actions and in responses to ASCSU resolutions. The urgency stems from recent developments including a response to an ASCSU request that variations in campus Early Start programs be allowed. On the Academic Senate CCC Resolution 5.02 S19 “Support for the CSU United States History, Constitution and American Ideals Commonly known as the American Institutions Requirement” thanks the Academic Senate of the California Community Colleges (ASCCC) for its interest in exploring the inclusion of a requirement similar to the existing CSU United States History, Constitution, and American Ideals (“American Institutions”) requirement into the CCC associate’s degree. This is urgent because these considerations are ongoing. Call for the Establishment of a Working Group on the Impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Higher Education accepts a white paper on the impact of AI on employment, education, and life-long learning; it calls for the creation of a working group to study the implications of the themes from this white paper and to develop possible recommendations to address them. Request That the ASCSU Schedule an Interrupting Racism Training Session in September 2019 recognizes the compelling need to recognize many forms of bias and requests that the training that ASCSU began this academic year be completed next year. Endorsement of the Student Success White Paper Process—Student Perspectives encourages consultation with students during the completion of this white paper which recognizes that student success is multi-faceted and involves many constituents. Preference for Consulting Assignments for CSU Faculty, Librarians, Coaches, and Counselors encourages the publication of consulting opportunities internally and the utilization of internal CSU expertise in these assignments. Special Rule of Order Governing Debate on Substantive Motions: 3 For/3 Against formalizes this rule which has been followed by ASCSU without apparent documentation of its adoption. Resolution in Support of Faculty Publication Rights with a Green Open Access Policy for the California State University urges central administration to review policies at the University of California and Harvard and to develop a similar policy for campuses to consider which supports open access. Recommending a Fourth-Year Quantitative Reasoning Requirement for Admission to the California State University: Towards a Responsible and Responsive Policy commends the policy development process and urges that steps be taken to ensure that any policies developed to reform the a-g standards with respect to this requirement mitigate any adverse impact on underserved students.(Note: there appears to be more support across the state for a fourth year of quantitative reasoning overall rather than a senior year requirement. This requirement will likely not increase the number of required a-g courses. It likely will require that the elective course have a quantitative reasoning component. The proposed policy is still being refined.) The Board will take up this issue in July. For a more detailed report on the May 2019 ASCSU plenary session, see the Campus Report May 16-17, 2019. If you have questions, feedback, or comments, please contact Vanessa or Scott. Author Stirring up Trouble by DrVLoLilPosted on August 28, 2019 Categories Academic Senate CSU (ASCSU), Uncategorized ASCSU Report on March 2019 Plenary CSU Faculty Innovation & Leadership Awards (FILA) Nominations for the CSU Faculty Innovation & Leadership Awards (FILA) are being accepted to recognize faculty who demonstrate leadership or advance student success programs to improve degree completion or eliminate equity gaps. 23 awardees across the CSU will be honored and presented with $5,000 cash awards and $10,000 will be allocated to their academic departments to support awardee activities. Deadline for nominations: May 3, 2019. General Education (GE) Task Force Report Feedback In May, ASCSU will consider two second reading resolutions, each of which provides different advice to the 2019-20 ASCSU Executive Committee. One acknowledges receipt of the report and refers it to our Academic Affairs (AA) and Academic Preparation and Education Programs (APEP) committees for their review. The other recommends that the ASCSU create a new standing subcommittee on General Education Program Review for the CSU system and refer the report to that committee for completion. The ASCSU will decide which path to recommend. Any recommendations the full ASCSU approves will be forwarded to the Chancellor for final approval and inclusion in system-wide GE policy. ASCSU developed a feedback page for comments on the GETF Report. Required information includes your name and role in the university (faculty, student, administrator, etc). Responses to the survey over 4500 words should be emailed as a single PDF to ascsuoffice@gmail.com Please include your name and status (faculty, student, administrator, community member, etc.) at the beginning of the document. Survey results and documents will be posted weekly to a public Dropbox folder accessible here. Resolutions Passed Request for Action on Infringement of Faculty Intellectual Property responds to the actions of organizations such as Course Hero which publish class notes, etc. without permission of the faculty who create them. It requests that the Chancellor’s Office staff help to educate students about related law, provide faculty with means to stop the appropriation of their intellectual property, block web sites that violate the law, and pursue legal action when appropriate. Border Issues and Separation of Families: Impact on Students, Faculty and Staff in the CSU calls upon the CSU to continue to support immigrant students, faculty and staff and increase programs to support these communities. 2019 Legislative Advocacy Positions of the Academic Senate of the California State University (ASCSU) is self-explanatory and allows the Fiscal & Governmental Affairs and Executive Committees to represent formal positions as legislation moves forward in this legislative session. Positions of “support”, “oppose” or “no position” were discussed on bills of potential interest and impact for the ASCSU. Significant discussion was had about what to do when the body supports the intent of proposed legislation but opposes legislative intrusion into issues appropriately left to campuses and faculty. Support for AB 829 (Bloom) and the Occupational Therapy Doctorate (OTD) in the CSU supports granting authority for the CSU to offer this professional doctoral degree. It was felt that strong support early in the legislative process was important, hence the second reading waiver. This resolution amplifies the support position in the legislative advocacy resolution (see above). This bill is currently moving forward rapidly. Flexibility in the Implementation of Early Start calls for flexibility to meet the different needs of students attending the 22 campuses offering Early Start, including delaying some proposed curricular changes until they have been proven effective. It was deemed urgent because campuses are already well into the process of preparing for next summer’s Early Start programs. Support for a Higher Education Facilities Bond Act amplifies the support position in the legislative advocacy resolution (see above).The current budgetary practice of paying for CSU infrastructure using yearly budget allocations does not allow for the needs of the CSU to adequately be addressed. The general obligation bond being contemplated would address critical infrastructure needs and is a very high priority for the CSU. The following topics may be included on the May plenary agenda: Resolution Rejecting the February 2019 General Education Task Force Report asks that no action be taken on the report and that it be referred to a new subcommittee, the GE Program Review Committee, for completion The Impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) on Higher Education includes a white paper on the impact of AI on employment, education, etc. and calls for the creation of a task force to study the implications of the themes from this white paper and to develop possible recommendations to address them. (Referred by to committee). Request that the ASCSU Schedule an Unconscious Bias Training in September 2019 requests completion of the training that began this year. Endorsement of the Student Success White Paper 2.0 Process encourages consultation and data collection during the completion of this white paper. Receipt of the General Education Task Force Report expresses gratitude to the members of the task force and directs the Executive Committee to refer campus feedback to two standing committees for review. Concerns expressed by various discipline councils and campuses were acknowledged during the introduction and discussion of this resolution. Preference for Hiring Incumbent Contingent Faculty, Librarians, Coaches, and Counselors to Non-Contingent Positions requests that a database of these contingent faculty be developed and that hiring committees for non-contingent positions be urged to consult it. Resolution in Support of an Open Access Policy for the California State University urges a policy which increases student access to scholarly articles written by CSU scholars while maintaining copyright protections. Recommending a Four-Year Mathematics/Quantitative Reasoning Requirement for Admission to the California State University: Towards a Responsible and Responsive Policy urges that steps be taken to ensure that any policies developed to reform the a-g standards with respect to this requirement mitigate any adverse impact on underserved students.(Note: there appears to be more support across the state for a fourth year of quantitative reasoning overall rather than a senior year requirement.) For a more detailed report on the March ASCSU plenary session, see the Campus Report March 19. If you have questions, feedback, or comments, please contact Vanessa or Scott. Author Stirring up Trouble by DrVLoLilPosted on April 7, 2019 August 28, 2019 Categories Academic Senate CSU (ASCSU) ASCSU GE Task Force Report The following report was adopted from an email sent by Catherine Nelson, ASCSU Chair on February 22, 2019. Background: In 2017, the Academic Statewide Senate of the California State University (ASCSU) recommended the establishment of a task force to “…examine, offer suggestions and report on GE programs system-wide.” The General Education Task Force (GETF) Report was completed on February 8, 2019. The report includes a conceptual model and a series of recommendations to the ASCSU for the modification of CSU GE Breadth outlined in EO 1100(Rev). Next Steps: ASCSU is planning a two-step process. The first step is for the report to go through the two-reading resolution process that formally receives the report and refers it to the ASCSU Academic Affairs (AA) and Academic Preparation and Educational Programs (APEP) Committees for review. The first reading of the resolution will occur in March; the second reading for amendments, debate, and a vote will occur in May. The second step of the process is for the AA and APEP committees to review feedback and make recommendations. Then, in accordance with ASCSU’s established process, the GETF Report, including recommendations, will be forwarded to the Chancellor for final approval. Note About Process: ASCSU is committed to broad and inclusive system-wide consultation to get feedback about the GETF Report. ASCSU is working to provide ample time for full consideration and discussion of the report’s contents on the various campuses. ASCSU expects to collect feedback through October 2019, with the first reading of a resolution containing any recommendations AA and APEP make following at the earliest at the November 2019 plenary meeting. Chancellor White has assured ASCSU no new executive orders regarding GE will be issued before the ASCSU weighs in on the GETF Report. The only exception would be if there is a legal requirement to do so, such as a bill passed by the legislature and signed by the governor that requires some kind of change in GE. Opportunity for Input: ASCSU recognizes the importance of the report and encourages all stakeholders to provide feedback, through all available mechanisms. ASCSU is currently working to set up an online mechanism for direct feedback to ASCSU. CSUMB senators (Scott and Vanessa) will let you know as soon as the system is available. In addition, ASEC is exploring additional mechanisms for campus-wide feedback. You will be notified by the Academic Senate of any planned forums or other CSUMB-wide mechanisms. If you have questions, feedback, or comments, please feel free to contact Vanessa or Scott. Author Stirring up Trouble by DrVLoLilPosted on February 25, 2019 March 19, 2019 Categories Academic Senate CSU (ASCSU) November 2019 ASCSU Plenary Report December 1, 2019 ASCSU September 2019 Update October 1, 2019 Quantitative Reasoning Open Forum September 9, 2019 ASCSU Report on May 2019 Plenary August 28, 2019 ASCSU Report on March 2019 Plenary April 7, 2019 Academic Senate CSU (ASCSU) Follow CSUMB Academic Senate on WordPress.com CSUMB Academic Senate Create a website or blog at WordPress.com	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0030.json.gz/line1082
__label__cc	0.615979	0.384021	Proposed work requirements for Medicaid in Michigan June 7, 2018 June 7, 2018 Filed under: Access, Affordable Care Act, Budget, Medicaid, Policy, Politics, Trump Administration Margaret Randolph, MA; Marianne Udow-Phillips, MHSA At the start of 2018, the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced a major shift in federal policy that would allow states to request permission to establish, and test the impact of, work and community engagement requirements for able-bodied adults receiving Medicaid health insurance coverage. In the last five months, work requirement proposals have been approved in four states; formal applications have been submitted by seven more; and a number of others are preparing proposals.1 In April, the Michigan State Senate took the first step toward establishing work requirements by passing Senate Bill 897. The Michigan House of Representatives passed an updated version of the bill on June 6. And on the morning of June 7, the Michigan Senate approved the revisions and sent the bill to the Governor’s office for signature. To read the full brief, click on the image above. Improving Health. Informing Policy. Cover Michigan Survey Michigan Physician Survey 2020 Curriculum 2020 Policy Fellows Action and Impact Washtenaw Health Initiative State Innovation Model Michigan Primary Care Transformation Health and Human Services Integration Data Analysis and Reporting Systematic and Policy Analysis Surveys and Data Collection CHRT News Ask CHRT Center for Health 2929 Plymouth Rd, Ste 245 Ann Arbor MI 48105-3206 CHRT-info@umich.edu	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0030.json.gz/line1090
__label__wiki	0.94146	0.94146	Halep outlasts Svitolina in Doha thriller, faces Mertens in final By Reuters For Citizen Digital Published on: February 16, 2019 12:45 (EAT) Tennis - WTA Premier 5 - Qatar Open - Khalifa International Tennis and Squash Complex, Doha, Qatar - February 15, 2019 Romania's Simona Halep in action during her Semi Final match against Ukraine's Elina Svitolina REUTERS/Ibraheem Al Omari Top seed Simona Halep came back from 4-1 down in the deciding set to beat Elina Svitolina 6-3 3-6 6-4 in the Qatar Open semi-final on Friday, marking her first victory over the Ukrainian in nearly two years. Halep made an aggressive start and claimed an early break with a scorching backhand winner to set the tone for the evening. The Romanian clinched the opening set before WTA Finals champion Svitolina upped her aggression from the baseline to snatch a break for 2-1 lead in the second set. After bagging the second set, Svitolina claimed an early break again in the final set, while also frustrating her opponent with her relentless court coverage. Seeking another break of serve to close out the match, Svitolina came out on top in several high-octane rallies during an eight-minute sixth game and held three break points for a 5-1 lead in the final set. But Halep summoned her powers of recovery to fend off all three points and went on to clinch five straight games en route a remarkable victory. US cancels training camp in Qatar after unrest 2019 in Review: ‘Golden girl’ Chepkoech showed grit to win gold at Doha Worlds It’s time to go for World Record, Kipruto declares after Doha heroics Halep last defeated Svitolina in the 2017 French Open quarter-finals, and since then had not won a set in their following three encounters. The 2014 Doha champion was pleased to set the record straight to move into her first final of the season. “I’m happy because I didn’t give up… The two finals that I played against her in Rome I gave up and I was not ready to fight,” said Halep, who will face unseeded Belgian Elise Mertens in Saturday’s final. “Now I change that, and it makes me happier, because I showed myself that I’m able to do that.” “The mental part is really important… but definitely today I was stronger physically as well, because against Svitolina (it) is never easy to win a match. She’s very strong on the legs.” Mertens scored her second top 10 victory of the week as she battled past three-times Grand Slam champion Angelique Kerber 6-4 2-6 6-1. Mertens, who defeated fifth seed Kiki Bertens in the quarter-final, has failed to win a set against Halep in her previous two meetings — both on clay last year. Qatar Open semi-final Top seed Simona Halep “Small clubs” missing out around Sh.30 billion for nurturing players – FIFA Ferguson set for Man United return in charity match Story By Reuters sports Inter Milan trip up again at Lecce	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0030.json.gz/line1092
__label__cc	0.615063	0.384937	Russell Shows Lack of Experience on City Council Any who have been following the Columbian the past few days have seen the problems unearthed in the city of Washougal, Washington where their mayor, Stacee Sellers is accused of some improper use of tax dollars on personal trips pertaining to charges on her city credit card resulting from an accountability audit. Audit critical of Washougal spending Sellers’ Las Vegas expenses questioned Whether or not Washougal’s mayor is guilty of anything remains to be seen and I am not here to judge her. That will all be settled soon I hope for the citizens of Washougal. However, this matter has brought something more important to light that must be addressed and placed in front of Washington State voters within the 3rd Congressional District. That being, city councilman Jon Russell who is campaigning for the nomination to run against 6 term Democrat congressman Brian Baird in next years election. Washougal is a small town with a population of less than 9,000 people, just east of Vancouver, Washington. Jon Russell occupies a seat on the city council comprised of 7 citizens. As in any city council, their duties are to provide oversight of the mayor and to ensure matters pertaining to the city are not just rubber stamped through, but openly discussed and whatever is done is for the benefit of the city’s residents, not individuals. With the revelation of possible improprieties by the mayor, Stacee Sellers, Jon unwittingly has shown his immaturity or lack of experience for such a seat in his effort to distance himself from the mayor and the accusations against her. From the first article linked above we read, “Council member Jon Russell said he believed the findings showed that the problems were bigger than oversights. “I don’t think these are cracks, they’re craters,” he said. “It looks like a pattern that is not being dealt with and that is not being brought to the attention of the council.” Russell said he wants the council to hold a special meeting to look into each problem and discipline responsible parties, even ask for resignations if necessary. “I don’t see how we can trust this administration in moving forward with anything,” he said.” Does Jon not realize the city council IS part of the administration? Further eroding confidence in Jon is the second article linked where we see, “The people responsible for that oversight are members of the city council. Three council members — [Jon] Russell, Lou Peterson and Paul Greenlee — make up the finance committee tasked with approving city employees’ and officials’ receipts and spending.” Jon appears to be the head of the oversight committee charged with overseeing city expenditures. But he also says he doesn’t recall whether he saw details of the Las Vegas trip expenditures claiming, “It’s not at all a perfect system.” The real rub comes in the explanation, “The committee members do not meet to discuss the expenditures; that practice ended several years ago in favor of council workshops. Instead, members are told to go to Sellers with questions, Russell said. “We have been told by the mayor not to talk to department heads to get answers, that everything has to go through her.” Jon has been on the council for at least a couple years now and surely must know his duties were to provide oversight alongside the other council members. If what he says is accurate, why has he sat back until now and tolerated such orders from the mayor? If Jon is unable to stand up to the mayor of a small town of some 9,000, how would he ever stand up to the likes of Speaker Nancy Pelosi in Washington D.C.? I take no pleasure in bringing this out and in fact, from meeting Jon in person, I like him. But, we in the 3rd District that see congressman Baird has lost sight of who he is supposed to represent want a strong candidate to run against him and someone who will stand up for us and take on the established power base back in Washington D.C. We do not want someone who will go there, collect their salary and perks and just do as they’re told. I still think Jon is a good guy and has a future with government if he continues. But, at this time, he simply is not ready to tackle the likes of Brian Baird or Nancy Pelosi in campaigning. He just doesn’t have the experience yet. On the other hand, we also have a candidate that has experience in Washington D.C. with the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Homeland Security, David Castillo of Olympia. Jon, you look almost as bad as the mayor in this. If she is exonerated of all charges, you remain looking bad in not standing up to her or seeing the excessive expenditures. It is either your naiveté or inexperience. There is no shame in deciding to wait and gain some valuable experience for a future run at higher office. Join us Jon. Get behind David Castillo and let’s get Baird out of office this time and get an experienced conservative in office to represent the 3rd Congressional District. Remember Jon, if you couldn’t stand up to a small town mayor, how would you ever stand up to Nancy Pelosi? Posted in 3rd Congressional District, Clark County Issues \| 34 Comments » Tags: Brian Baird, David Castillo, Jon Russell, Sean Guard, Stacee Sellers, Washington 3rd Congressional District, Washougal Washington Royce Pollard’s ‘Concrete Canyon.’ The following video was shown to the City of Vancouver planning meeting in regards to mayor Pollard’s dream for Vancouver’s Columbia River Waterfront development. Sort of reminds me of waterfronts along Chicago, New York, Miami and other such overgrown cities plagued with high unemployment, ultra high taxes, out of control crime and street pan handlers. Is this what “Boss” Pollard wants for our community, to out Portland Portland? Add to this his other dream “cap” over I-5, most likely destined to be a haven for the homeless or drug dealers to hide out. Should “Boss” Pollard’s “dream” for the community come to fruition, how long before we are more like sections of Detroit? Vote Tim Leavitt for Mayor. Posted in Clark County Issues \| 2 Comments » Tags: "Boss" Pollard, I-5 Bridge, I-5 Cap, Royce Pollard, Tim Leavitt, Vancouver Washington, Vancouver Waterfront Project U.N. Rapporteur To Probe Affordable Housing In U.S. Raquel Rolnik, a professor of urban planning at the University of Sao Paulo in Brazil will be touring first New York then 6 other cities and will “report” back to the U.N. about housing rights violations and advances within the U.S. Rolnik plans to “hear the voices of those who are suffering on the ground,” in the U.S. Shouldn’t Ms. Rolnik be more concerned about the poor housing and poverty within her native Brazil, before she attempts to “teach” us? Has Obama begun ceding our sovereignty to the United Nations now? Posted in National Politics \| Leave a Comment » Tags: Brazil, Poor Housing, poverty, Rapporteur, Raquel Rolnik, United Nations Baird Snubs Columbian, Accused of Grandstanding By Castillo I found it somewhat peculiar to sign on to the Columbian’s web site Tuesday, October 20 and see Kathie Durbin had written yet another fawning article on congressman Baird pertaining to some new proposals he has recently dreamed up on health care, Baird suggests sweeping reforms. Although some of the thoughts Baird presents may hold a certain degree of merit, I found it most peculiar that his op-ed outlining these ideas turns out to be a “Special” to The Seattle Times, located well outside of his district, Washington State’s 3rd Congressional District and in fellow Democrat Jim McDermott’s 7th Congressional District. McDermott’s name appears nowhere within the op-ed appearing in the Seattle Times nor in the articles from papers located within the 3rd District that cover his new found ideas, leaving me believing he had nothing to do with any part of these new ideas of Baird’s. Wouldn’t you think these ‘grand new ideas’ should be presented to Baird’s constituents, not McDermott’s? That is what I find odd in his presenting this op-ed only to the Seattle Times and not to the Columbian or even the Olympian, 2 of the largest newspapers within his district. Could there be a specific reason constituents were not easily made privy to his ideas? Surely the Columbian, very supportive of him over the years, would run any op-ed he submitted. Unconfirmed rumors heard around town claim some at the Columbian are a wee bit irked over it, but you cannot tell from Durbin’s fawning article above. Out of the 3 challengers vying to replace Baird in the House next year, only one is calling him on this “newly unveiled proposal to overhaul the federal tax code, merge all government health plans, and adopt a means test for Medicare recipients,” David Castillo of Olympia. Kathie Durbin covers David on his accusation in her Thursday October 22 article, Republican accuses Baird of grandstanding. In spite of the less that appropriate headline, she seems to actually give David fair coverage interviewing him on his accusations. David said, “Baird offers no explanation why he made no such call for tax reform when Republicans controlled Congress and many of their members were pushing for the same agenda. He is making this call for change only when Democrats are in charge and his own leadership has shown absolutely no indication this is policy they are willing to address.” Coverage of the op-ed from the Daily News Online, also within Baird’s district, credits him with explaining, when asked why the silence up until now, “I thought it was fair to let President Obama and the leadership of the House and Senate take their best shot.” Isn’t that big of the congressman, allowing the president and congressional leaders months to “take their best shot.” Truth be known, these ideas are DOA, dead on arrival, should they actually be brought before congress, after all the months they have invested and all the backroom deals made in secrecy. Any novice can see that. Member of his own party will not agree to just scrap everything they have done in favor of a whole new approach as suggested by Baird. I have every reason to believe that he knows that, which would somewhat explain why his ideas appeared in the Seattle Times and neither the Columbian nor the Olympian. This is also why Castillo accuses him of another grandstanding play saying, “Baird gives no rational reason why Congress and the American people will turn to his solutions when President Obama — with a built-in bully pulpit — has been unable to convince a majority of Americans that his ideas are viable.” As can be expected, Baird accused Castillo of “a personal attack,” adding, “That cheap shot doesn’t contribute to solving our problems. How else is one supposed to discuss policy initiatives other than by publicizing them?” Uh, congressman Baird, did it occur to you to “publicize them” within your district to your constituents, not the Jim McDermott’s constituents? The last time Baird was caught ‘with his pants down,’ so to speak, he dreamed up his Ryder Truck death threat claim, which remains unresolved. Castillo is correct in calling Baird on these grandstanding plays of his lately. Baird is trying to appear relevant in the debates currently ongoing and takes the easy road, publishing new ideas, but outside of his district where most of his constituents will not even read about them until he comes back later to show his ideas that didn’t make it. Southwest Washingtonians, we can do better, we deserve better. We need to call Baird on his grandstanding and his claim of limiting his terms to 12 years, as he stated the election before his defeat of Republican Linda Smith. 2010 is year 12 for Baird. 2010 should be Brian Baird’s last year in Congress. We deserve and need strong representation with new conservative ideas. We need a man who isn’t afraid to call matters as he sees them, David Castillo. Posted in 3rd Congressional District, Clark County Issues, National Politics, Washington State \| Leave a Comment » Tags: Brian Baird, David Castillo, Grandstanding, Health care reform, Kathie Durbin, Lou Brancaccio, The Columbian What Happened To The Death Threats, Congressman Baird? There was a lot of noise made back in August of this year over Congressman Brian Baird, (D. Wa.) canceling out on all of his town halls over alleged death threats he claims he received. Baird was under fire from both sides for not holding face to face meetings with constituents and was strongly criticized for incendiary comments made comparing town hall attendees to “Nazi’s,” “Brown Shirts,” “Timothy McVeigh” and the like, which he eventually apologized for and agreed to hold some town halls. The day after the first town hall, Baird again came under heavy criticism for what was perceived to be yet another incendiary comment at a local Rotary Club luncheon where he said, “If there is a Ryder truck parked out front, it has my name on it.” The comment drew strong criticism from the Clark County Republican Party as Clark County Conservative previously noted at Brian Baird Steps On His Tongue Again. The Columbian, the paper of record for Clark County strongly condemned the criticism. Staff writer Kathie Durbin, who was present at the luncheon and must have missed the “threat disclosure” herself as she saw fit not to mention it in her first article on the luncheon, wrote the condemnation of the GOP criticism in her piece, Death threat disclosure by Baird draws criticism. Previously we had only heard about the faxed image of Barack Obama as the joker and now we heard about a phone message left at his office allegedly saying, “You think Timothy McVeigh was bad, there is a Ryder truck out there with your name on it.” Naturally, such a comment must be taken seriously and Baird’s office staff claimed to have reported the comment and fax to the Secret Service and to the Capitol Police in Washington D.C. A local blogger called the Capitol Police to inquire about a police report and said he was told no such police report existed. The Columbian’s managing editor, Lou Brancaccio also placed calls to the Capitol Police and wrote he was told that there was an ongoing investigation of an unspecified nature. Kathie Durbin wrote a more specific account claiming the Columbian was told, “A matter was brought to the attention of Capitol Police from Congressman Brian Baird’s office. But we cannot comment on any details of any ongoing investigation.” A comment left on a September 6 Brancaccio column, There He Goes Again asked about whether or not any additional information had come about from the investigation into the death threats allegedly received and Lou replied, “I’ve spoken with law enforcement several times since we reported that the matter was brought to their attention. (Which, as you recall was the large issue at hand at the time.) No additional info was given.” It seems that since that comment by Lou Brancaccio in September a very strange thing has happened in regards to this death threat and the investigation. NOTHING! ABSOLUTELY NOTHING! Wondering why we have not heard anything more about this in nearly 2 months, I emailed Lou Brancaccio Thursday October 22 asking about the status of any updates on the investigation, whether settled or still ongoing and received in reply, “No update Lew.” No curiosity on what we were told was “the large issue at hand at the time?” No follow up from the media? No questioning whether or not we have some loon in our community who feels death threats to elected officials is okay? I didn’t bother emailing Kathie Durbin because she never replies to me anyways. But, still curious I did call Congressman Baird’s office in Washington D.C. to ask about the status of any investigation. Almost as soon as I asked I was placed on hold for a few moments and the young man on the other end came back on saying he “was not privy to any such information” and that there was no one in the office who had such information. A little later the same day I called Baird’s Vancouver office with the same question and again was told no one was present who had any such information. I was invited to leave a message with Kelly Love, Baird’s District Manager asking her, which as of this writing has not been returned. In both phone calls I envisioned from the answerers tone of deer caught in a cars headlights, shocked surprised and not knowing what to do. After this length of time shouldn’t constituents have heard some sort of update on such a serious matter? I have to wonder why, since even Lou Brancaccio stated it was a “large issue,” that our local journalists lost interest and have not followed up on the charge in 2 months, especially since in early September Brancaccio stated he had called the Capitol Police “several times?” If a serious threat was received and the investigation showed that, shouldn’t we have an arrest of a suspect? If it was a ploy by Baird to draw heat away from his initial refusal to hold town halls, aren’t we also entitled to hear that as well? Candidate running against Baird for Washington’s Third Congressional District, David Castillo, has been calling out Baird for his hypocritical grandstanding in trying to appear as if he isn’t a liberal and that he has been diligently representing constituents, when in fact, he hasn’t. Has Baird sold us a bill of goods on these death threats that was supposed to just go away and be forgotten by now? I would hate to think that Baird’s claims of death threats was little more than a sympathy play back in August, but given the lack of curiosity seen in a supportive press and his lack of straight forwardness with us on the investigation, what are we left to think? Posted in 3rd Congressional District, Clark County Issues, National Politics, Washington State \| 5 Comments » V.P.Cheney: Obama, Keep Your Commitment August 17, 2009 Barack Obama, current occupant of the Oval Office, made a speech before the Veterans of Foreign Wars Convention in Phoenix, Arizona. In that speech, the glib Obama stated, “I will only send you into harm’s way when it is absolutely necessary. And when I do, it will be based on good intelligence and guided by a sound strategy. I will give you a clear mission, defined goals, and the equipment and support you need to get the job done. That’s my commitment to you.” Two months after receiving a request for that “equipment and support you need to get the job done,” Obama is only close to deciding when he might decide on what to do. Wednesday evening, October 21, 2009, V. P. Dick Cheney, after receiving the Center For Security Policy’s Keeper of the Flame Award made a speech in which he said of the Obama regime, “It’s time for President Obama to make good on his promise. The White House must stop dithering while America’s armed forces are in danger.” It’s time to wage war on the terrorists instead of warring with Fox News. UPDATE: As expected, the Obama regime adamantly denies they are dragging their feet saying, “What Vice President Cheney calls dithering, President Obama calls his solemn responsibility to the men and women in uniform and to the American public.” Left unexplained is how he was so decisive in rapidly dispatching his goons against Fox News. Tags: Afghanistan, Barack Obama, Center For Security Policy, Dick Cheney, VFW Speech IMPOSTER CANVASSERS MISREPRESENTING LEAVITT CAMPAIGN I can just imagine who is behind this dirty trick. HARASSING RESIDENTS Vancouver, Wash. –The Leavitt for Mayor campaign has received numerous reports from citizens about canvassers posing as Leavitt campaigners. Some of these canvassers are fully misrepresenting the candidate’s positions, while others are menacing and harassing those who answer the door, attempting to enter the home and take or fill out the ballots of voters who state support for Tim Leavitt. Such behaviors are unacceptable and are in no way endorsed or sanctioned by the Leavitt for Mayor campaign. Any and all canvassing by Leavitt for Mayor or authorized supporters is done by readily identifiable volunteers from the campaign or endorsing organizations like Unite Here!, who have been trained to be polite, efficient, and respectful. The Leavitt campaign is concerned about the false canvassers who are misrepresenting the candidate’s positions, but is highly alarmed by any conduct that potentially threatens any resident’s safety. Any resident who is approached by a canvasser who misrepresents Tim Leavitt’s positions is encouraged to call the campaign immediately, at 360.609.4846. However, any resident who feels that their safety or security as a voter is threatened should call 911 and then, only once you feel you are safe, call the Leavitt campaign to inform them. The 2009 mayoral race is the most contentious in the last quarter-century, and the Leavitt campaign finds it unconscionable that the opposition has resorted to these dirty tactics to undermine the political process. Whether or not the offenders are affiliated with the Pollard campaign, or are simply acting on opportunity, this behavior is unacceptable. Commenting on the reports, Tim Leavitt responds: “We do not know who is responsible for this, nor are we making any accusations. But the partisan, negative climate that has surrounded my opponent’s campaign has absolutely fostered this sort of behavior. I certainly hope that this is not the Pollard campaign’s doing – though we also, unfortunately, can’t rule it out. Vancouver residents should not be made to feel harassed or intimidated, and we will do everything in our power to help bring this behavior to an end. Please contact the campaign if you feel misled, or 911 if you feel endangered.” www.leavitt4mayor.com Facebook Group: Elect Tim Leavitt for Vancouver’s Mayor Facebook Page: Leavitt4Mayor LEAVITT for MAYOR I wonder who it was that said, “I intend to take this very seriously, and if you really want to know, I plan on kicking his ass.” Let’s hope “Boss” Pollard isn’t behind this and that it is just a few overzealous crazies supporting him. VANCOUVER COUNCIL CANDIDATE BURKMAN’S ERRONEOUS PUBLIC STATEMENTS Received in email and posted by request, Candidate Burkman has made several erroneous public statements as judged by his voting record when he was previously on council. Burkman’s voting record demonstrates an inability to break with the council majority. Sure he kept the city safe and secure when he voted for a contract to have city police assigned to patroling the condos across the street from Esther Short Park at taxpayers expense. Burkman voted to sell two city blocks to a former mayor’s family member for $75,000 per block, in order to build these condos. Was this truly a great fiscal decision by candidate Burkman? On the subject of creating better and more jobs, candidate Burkman needs to answer how many “actual” prevailing wage jobs materialized out of the wheeling and dealing that is going on in the downtown Vancouver area now and during his previous time on council. Burkman was and still is in lockstep agreement with the mentality that permeates a vision of turning downtown Vancouver into a 7-day, 24-hour play center to profit whom? Taxpayers have been requesting an answer to this question and thus far the majority of council members refuse to respond. Isn’t it time for candidate Burkman to step up to the plate? In addition, if candidate Burkman really managed funds well during his years in office why were/are the police and firefighter departments being used as pawns in an attempt to create fear among taxpayers to extract more tax money from their pockets?? Public representatives must be held accountable for their “public statements, actions and votes.” Your vote is powerful. Send a message to candidates who say one thing on the political platform then when elected do the opposite. In this case, Burkman’s voting record is clearly visible and that should speak to the voter louder than his soundbites. Frances E. Rutherford Mr. Burkman is free to respond if he so chooses. Posted in Clark County Issues \| Leave a Comment » Tags: Bill Turlay, Jack Burkman, Vancouver City Council “Boss” Pollard Stoops Even Lower UPDATE: LEAVITT LIED, he is as bad as Pollard was. Resorting to known Democrat dirty politicking, Mayor of Vancouver, Washington, Royce “Boss” Pollard, apparently worried about his bid for another term, has sent out a flyer trying to paint opponent Tim Leavitt as “unqualified” because he “introduced gubernatorial candidate Dino Rossi” last year. Has “Boss” Pollard gotten so desperate that he now campaigns on whom his opponent endorsed and introduced at a campaign event? Clark County GOP Chair Ryan Hart sent out the following this evening, Dear Republicans: The Clark County Republican party decided earlier this year to not make any endorsements in the 2009 non-partisan races. We did send out a voter information guide for the purpose of informing our members of identified Republicans running for office. Since there were many cases of Republicans running against Republicans, and Democrats running against Democrats, we have made it clear that we as a party have taken no official position in these non-partisan races. Today I was disappointed to see a mailer sent out by the Royce Pollard campaign attacking Mayoral Candidate and City Councilman Tim Leavitt for supporting Dino Rossi in 2008, and for introducing Rossi at his final appearance in Clark County the weekend before the 2008 election. The mail piece states, “The Leavitt-Rossi agenda will move Vancouver in the wrong direction.” As Chairman of the Clark County Republican Party, I remain proud of Mr. Rossi and the campaigns he ran in an effort to move Washington forward. Furthermore, it was an honor to have Councilman Tim Leavitt introduce Dino Rossi. Mayor Pollard needs to understand that tens of thousands of Vancouver residents voted for Dino Rossi, and that Rossi won Clark County in both 2004 and 2008. Christine Gregoire, however, now has an approval rating around 30 percent. It is her failed policies, and those of the Democratic majority, that are hindering Washington and, more specifically, Clark County from moving forward. It is doubtful that the majority of Vancouver voters approve of Governor Gregoire’s job performance today. Tim Leavitt was right to support Dino Rossi, and I applaud him for it. Ryan Hart Chairman, Clark County Republican Party “Leavitt/Rossi Agenda?” With the dire situation the city is in, under “Boss” Pollard, could we not say how the “Pollard/Gregoire Agenda” has drug our city down? Can we not say the debt Vancouver currently has and the strong possibility of doubling that debt should “Boss” Pollard succeed in bailing out the Columbian by having the city purchase their empty and over priced building is in “the wrong direction?” Looking over the endorsements on Tim’s site, Leavitt4Mayor I am unable to find Mr. Rossi’s name or endorsement listed. I have not seen or heard of Dino Rossi in town campaigning for Tim. And what if he were? Does supporting a candidate “Boss” Pollard doesn’t make you an unworthy person in his eyes? If so then “Boss” Pollard is in big trouble with 51%, 91,301 Clark County voters having voted for Mr. Rossi in 2008. Are we to believe than in his entire tenure as Vancouver’s Mayor, “Boss” Pollard has never had a cordial exchange with Dino Rossi or a Republican? Could we not also claim “Boss” Pollard is unqualified due to his endorsements? After all, he proudly displays endorsements from Portland and even a former Oregon Governor. Is this supportive of citizen charges of his “Portland envy?” If endorsements are to be held against Vancouver voters, will he harbor grudges against Tim’s supporters, including the Latino Leaders of Clark County and Vancouver? As desperate as he now seems, I doubt that will be a problem as Vancouver’s voters are seeing the actual harm brought by “Boss” Pollard and his heavy handed misguiding of Vancouver. It’s time to put an end to the “smoke filled back room” style of “Boss” Pollard and turn the reins over to a younger and more open mayor, Tim Leavitt. Tags: Dino Rossi, Royce Pollard, Ryan Hart, Tim Leavitt, Vancouver Washington Mayors Race Why are abortion doctors more important to the Obama administration than our Troops in Afghanistan? When Dr. Tiller was murdered, Federal Marshals were dispatched immediately to protect abortion clinics. Since General McChrystal requested reinforcements for our Troops in Afghanistan in late August, over 50 have lost their lives and nearly 2 months later, Obama simply ponders what to do, announcing no decision for weeks. The same day Dr. Tiller was brutally murdered Obama released a statement saying, “I am shocked and outraged by the murder of Dr. George Tiller as he attended church services this morning. However profound our differences as Americans over difficult issues such as abortion, they cannot be resolved by heinous acts of violence.” October 6, 2009 a statement from the White House said, “Given the importance of the policy to our security — and to our troops — the president said that he will be rigorous and deliberate, while moving forward with a sense of urgency.” By October 13 we hear, Obama: Afghanistan Decision within Weeks Weeks? That’s what Obama considers as “moving forward with a sense of urgency?” Is it “with a sense of urgency” that failed presidential candidate John ‘F’in Kerry states it would be irresponsible to send more troops to Afghanistan? It appeared to be “with a sense of urgency” that Kerry co-sponsored a bill condemning violence against abortion doctors, but reinforcing our Troops in Afghanistan is “irresponsible?” As much as I hate to quote such a person, Osama bin Laden said long ago, “When people see a strong horse and a weak horse, by nature they will like the strong horse.” Obama and the Democrats are providing such a “weak horse” attitude. How can we expect the Afghani people to stand alongside of us when they see this administration cares more for abortion doctors than our own Troops in harms way? If only Obama would wage war against terrorists as much as he is Fox News. Posted in National Politics, Veterans \| Leave a Comment » Tags: Afghanistan, Barack Obama, Dr. Tiller, General Stanley McChrystal, John Kerry, Paper Tiger, Troop Reinforcement Pat Campbell, Take A Vacation Fortunately for Vancouver’s City Councilman, Pat Campbell, he is not up for reelection this term. Given some of his outbursts towards citizens, if he were he might find himself ousted easily. I give Pat credit for being one of the few, if not only, council member who reads citizens blogs and letters to the editor and comments on occasion. In the past he has shown me that he cares what citizens are saying. Something has happened to his demeanor, though as I have noticed his comments towards citizens have been getting derogatory if he disagrees with them. I first came aware of Pat’s attitude last year from an email a friend received from Pat concerning I-409, the failed initiative on curbing Illegal Immigration in Washington. Pat assured me on my blog that it was just a joke and as happens to me, jokes are often taken serious. Giving him the benefit of doubt, I accepted the reply knowing how my own dry sense of humor gets me in trouble from time to time. However, some time later and completely out of the blue, he launched into another commenter with a totally unrelated comment to the subject. Again, in an October 11 Columbian article, In our view: Pollard for Mayor, Pat came at me for speaking against the mayor and the budget deficit the city faces, telling me, “If you have paid off your mortgage then you might have a pebble or two to throw at city council Mr. Waters.” That quip elicited the response from me of, “And no, I haven’t paid off my mortgage, but last I heard, voters still have the right to question the acts and conducts of our elected officials.” He said nothing more to me on that. However, the Saturday October 17 edition of the Columbian contains a letter to the editor from an 88 year-old Veteran who says he has not had his concerns on how the American Flag is flown at our Veterans Memorial against Army Regulations, in spite of asking Mayor Pollard about it for over a decade. A decade mind you! Pat’s outburst towards him is unbelievably rude and uncalled for. It is no doubt beneath the dignity of an elected official. It is a crude and disrespectful manner in which to address a citizen, especially an aging Veteran. Why haven’t the concerns of Mr. Tharp been addressed in the 10 years he’s been asking? Has anyone sat down or even written Mr. Tharp a letter explaining the flag is proper or the reason it may not be? Instead, Pat Campbell, a sitting member of the Vancouver City Council and who claims to also be a Veteran, blasts an aging Veteran for his comment against the mayor during a campaign! Disturbing on how he blasted Mr. Tharp is Pat’s own words left at the Columbian on February 17, 2009, “I expect some strong emotions in letters and emails directed towards me. People have a right to their feelings and an expectation they will be heard and treated as fellow human beings by those who endeavor to serve them.” Why isn’t a Veteran as Mr. Tharp entitled to that sentiment? What is most disrespectful is Pat’s words of, “It is only recently that some of us veterans have even been thanked for following the orders of your generation’s leaders… even though we weren’t so keen on a lot of Army regulations at that time or even now.” I wonder how Pat would react to a returning Veteran from Iraq or Afghanistan coming before him at a council meeting or even on the street and blasting him with the same words, since the leaders of the Military today is our generation? As a Viet Nam Veteran I am all too familiar with the reception we received coming back to “the world,” and since. I am also too familiar just which political party micro-managed that war from the Oval Office and how elements of the left undermined us and even cheered for our deaths. I also know that our thanks actually began when President Ronald Reagan dedicated the Viet Nam Veterans Memorial and issued a public thank you to all of us. I am also aware of crude, rude and obnoxious conduct by elected officials, Veterans or not, towards citizens. Is Pat worried that Royce Pollard is going to lose? Is he fearful of Tim Leavitt winning for some reason? Since Pat and Tim served together on the council and Pat once said of the council, “The Vancouver Council’s decisions are group decisions, not Leavitt’s nor Pollard’s.” I fail to see or understand why Pat chooses to attack commenters in disagreement with Pollard as he did Mr. Tharp, instead of addressing their concerns. This is very unlike the Pat Campbell I first began exchanging words with. Pat, take a vacation. Get away for a while. Get outside and breathe some fresh air. Don’t worry about when you get back. You will still have your seat on the council under Mayor Leavitt. But mostly, learn a little respect for the voters. Posted in Clark County Issues, Veterans \| 8 Comments » Tags: Pat Campbell, Royce Pollard, The Columbian, Tim Leavitt, Vancouver Mayoral Election, Wally Tharp A Message For Clark County From The Clark County GOP Posted in Clark County Issues, Washington State \| Leave a Comment » Tags: 2010 GOP Convention, Caucus, Clark County Republican Party, Michelle Malkin, Mitt Romney, Rob McKenna, Ryan Hart Columbian Misleading Voters On R-71 Dripping of left-winged bias, Thursdays In Our View column in the Columbian, In our view: Approve R-71 also tries to mislead voters about the measure. They are right in saying, “Voters are being asked if they support Senate Bill 5688, which passed this year in the Legislature and expanded domestic partnerships,” but little else. Where they actually begin misleading is when they say, “It’s also key to know that R-71 is not about gay marriage, despite dire warnings from those who advocate rejecting the measure.” Technically, although SB 5688 says nothing about same-sex marriage and is called “everything but marriage,” that is the ultimate intent, as admitted to by Senator Ed Murray, the author of SB 5688 who has repeatedly stated SB 5688 is but one more incremental step to same-sex marriage. Therefore, this particular measure will not make same-sex marriage legal, at this time, but it is just another step closer to it according to the author of the bill. So, it does have everything to do with same-sex marriage in Washington State, just not at this time. A parable capturing wild pigs applies here. Although about losing freedoms to socialism, it also applies in how small steps eventually lead to a societal change society does not want. They just aren’t aware of it being changed due to deception. You catch wild pigs by finding a suitable place in the woods and putting corn on the ground. The pigs find it and begin to come every day to eat the free corn. When they are used to coming every day, you put a fence down one side of the place where they are used to coming. When they get used to the fence, they begin to eat the corn again and you put up another side of the fence. They get used to that and start to eat again. You continue until you have all four sides of the fence up with a gate in the last side. The pigs, who are used to the free corn, start to come through the gate to eat; you slam the gate on them and catch the whole herd. Suddenly the wild pigs have lost their freedom. They run around and around inside the fence, but they are caught. Soon they go back to eating the free corn. They are so used to it that they have forgotten how to forage in the woods for themselves, so they accept their captivity. This is the second “domestic partnership” bill we’ve had in two years with more planned until we have the fence of same-sex marriage around us and the gate is slammed shut. Our constitution will be changed. Where we now have a Defense of Marriage Act in place, that will be gone and what will we have in its place? Maybe nothing because once we throw away the definition of marriage being “one man to one woman,” the Pandora’s box is opened. Once opened, how can it be closed again when others who “lifestyle” is not fully accepted today decide they are discriminated against? Could we see Pederasty, Bigamy and Polygamy accepted and become the norm? Not by this bill, no. But what about the future moves to approve of same-sex marriage? How can the Columbian split hairs saying, “The truth is, R-71 will have no impact whatsoever on your marriage or anyone else’s?” What about the institution of marriage itself? A Long-Term Strategy To Legalize Gay Marriage This is the strategy for winning gay marriage in Washington. Pursue incremental change but talk frankly and frequently about the ultimate goal. State Senator Ed Murray, an openly gay Seattle Democrat, is a key architect of this approach. He says gay rights advocates are borrowing a page from the civil rights movement. With Democrats in control, the expanded domestic partnership bills in Washington are likely to pass this session. It will be another step in Senator Ed Murray’s plan to legalize gay marriage within a decade. Lawmakers announce everything but marriage bill A measure legalizing same-sex marriage measure also has been introduced to the Legislature, but is unlikely to go anywhere this year, and supporters have made no secret of their desire in that effort. Washington expands domestic partnership law Senator Ed Murray, one of six gay lawmakers in the Legislature and the author of SB 5688 said, “We needed to have a multiyear discussion with the state on gay and lesbian families. I believe DOMA won’t long be the law of the state because those conversations are changing hearts and minds around the state.” In classic liberal “attack the messenger, not the message” tactic, the Columbian’s editors demean and denigrate Larry Stickney and Gary Randall, the men who authored R-71 and worked to have it placed on the November 3 ballot, giving voters in Washington State the choice of whether they support SB 5688 or not. And for a second time, to emphasize their canard I suppose, they again state the misleading, “But again, as the ballot states, this is not about marriage at all. It’s about domestic partnerships.” The Columbian ends with, “Voters should reject such narrow views and mark ‘Approve’ on Referendum 71.” The “NARROW VIEW” is really in their masking the true intent of SB 5688. When you look at your ballot, it’s actually very simple. If you desire to see same-sex marriage legalized in Washington’s future, approve R-71. If you wish to stop same-sex marriage from eventually becoming legal in Washington, reject R-71. It’s really that simple. I’m voting to reject R-71. Posted in Clark County Issues, National Politics, Washington State \| Leave a Comment » Tags: Gary Randall, Gay Activism, Gay Marriage, Larry Stickney, R-71, Same sex marriage, SB 5688, The Columbian Dalesandro Showing Desperation Michael Dalesandro, 28 year-old challenger against Lisa Walters for Battle Ground City Council position 4, appears to be getting desperate in bid. After personally contacting me over my posting in support of Mrs. Walters, including misrepresenting and misquoting what I said, I see that he has updated his campaign site to engage some mud slinging. In his email to me, Michael made note of, “My campaign has been positive and issue based,” and “the commitment she has made for the last 8 years is honorable.” I guess that is why he has decided to begin attacking his opponent over her 7-year performance on the council. Of particular interest to me was he begins his home page with, “I want to keep Battle Ground a great place to raise a family,” and then condemns Lisa by saying, “My opponent pushed for an ordinance to limit urban chickens. More big government.” What he neglects to mention is that this effort by Mrs. Walters was in the best interest of Battle Ground residents health as the incident was over a complaint received where a resident had 50 chickens on a 5,000 sq. ft. residential lot. I live on a similar sized lot, slightly larger and have very little room around a small house in the yard. So, doesn’t 50 chickens pose a health hazard in such a small area? Hailing from Pittsburgh Pennsylvania, maybe Michael has never been exposed to a chicken ranch and the unbelievable odor from the chickens waste, not to mention the hazard to others peoples health from the waste of 50 chickens confined in such a small area. But he obviously didn’t do his homework before deciding to slam Mrs. Walters for trying to look out for Battle Ground citizen’s health. Had he done his homework he would join Lisa on this one instead of trying to paint her as unsuitable for her seat. I refer back to his own words of, “I want to keep Battle Ground a great place to raise a family.” With the rapid growth of Battle Ground in the past few years and building lots shrinking to fit more homes in, do you wish your neighbor to have 50 chickens next door to you? Any sane person knows that chickens can be raised in an urban area but let’s face it, 50 chickens is excessive. That is why other urban areas placed restrictions on having them. I also find it curious that Michael would state “More big government” as if he feels that is a bad thing. As acknowledged in the September 2009 Democratic Party Newsletter, Michael is considered a “Democratic activist.” Nothing wrong with that, it is legal and I’m sure many consider me a “Republican activist.” But, a Democrat complaining about “Big Government?” The party that wants a government takeover of the Healthcare Industry? The party that recently took over the Auto Industry, Wall Street, Banks and wishes to impose government regulations on food, insurance, vehicles, schools and several other aspects of our lives? Curiously enough, Michael is featured in both the September and October newsletter from the Clark County Democratic Party. Doesn’t it make you wonder why such heavy biased support from them over a “non-partisan” seat? Could it be as said in the October newsletter, “County Democratic officers think Dalesandro would be a dandy candidate for the state Legislature in some future cycle?” Mike has never ran for office or held any elected position, other than precinct committee officer and in his email to me said, “I don’t have plans to run for another office.” Could it be as Mike mentions on his web page that Mrs. Walters raised issues with the mayor and like many other mayors, he doesn’t like being confronted by council members, so those that do must go? Of note is Mike’s “revelation” that Mrs. Walters raised a question about the mayor and his relationship with the Cultural Task Force were shared by other council members, not only Lisa, as mentioned in an August 25, 2009 article in the Reflector. I also find it odd that this “investigation” he mentions is not linked to or shown in his claim, just a condemnation of Mrs. Walters. I would say Mike should really stick to the issues and his record, but being his first run at office he has no real record to run on, relying on his involvement in the family business instead. No problem there, everybody starts somewhere. Still, I wonder if he never came under question during his time managing a small pizza shop? If so, he may be the only person alive do have escaped scrutiny. Michael, since you seem to show such a “High Interest” in my blog, allow me to say to you that this isn’t a “High Interest” in your campaign. It is a “High Interest” in seeing local governments remaining as diverse with council members as they claim and they not be stacked with yes-men in favor of any mayor. Be mature, Mike. Stand on your own merits instead of trying to sling mud. That isn’t a “positive and issue based” campaign. Posted in Clark County Issues, Washington State \| 1 Comment » Tags: Battle Ground City Council, Clark County Democratic Party, Lisa Walters, Mike Dalesandro A Message From Mike Dalesandro I am always flattered to be contacted directly by candidates for public office, even when I support their opponent. To think that they take time out of their busy day campaigning, working and caring for their families to compose a letter or email to me, a simple lone citizen in Clark County out of all others is flattering. I was no less flattered to receive the following email from Mike Dalesandro, running for Battle Ground City Council Position 4 against incumbent Lisa Walters. I wish his comments were a little more accurate, though. I assume my posting one supportive and unsolicited post for Lisa, one letter to the editor in the Reflector and my one comment in support of Lisa at the Columbian drew his attention to me. I will post the email in its entirety after this post. Let’s look at what Mike has to say to me. 1. I have noticed your high interest in my City Council race. High interest? One post, one letter to the editor and one comment on the Columbian? Puhleeze! 2. I understand and appreciate your conservative viewpoint and the fact you feel that you are advocating fair and balanced local government. So, according to Mike, I only “feel” like I advocate a fair and balanced government. I wonder what he thinks those who support his candidacy “feel?” A little judgmental, Mike? 3. I feel as though I need to clear up a few things. My choice to run for Council was my own. I was NEVER approached by Democratic Party officers or Mayor Ciraulo about running for any elected office and I don’t have plans to run for another office. Good to hear, Mike, but who ever said they did approach you? I said the heavily biased support for you over Lisa appears like a “stacking the deck” on the council in the mayor’s favor. I also know that parties “groom” candidates and even if they begin with no desire for higher office, they are later “encouraged” to by their parties. And don’t forget, Mike, you are running for a “non-partisan” seat. Lisa is not seeking endorsements from either party in retaining her “non-partisan” seat. You do not explain why such a heavily biased support for your candidacy for a “non-partisan” seat is warranted or accepted, in light of Lisa’s stance. 4. My experience managing a small-family business (pizza shop), working 80 hours a week, making very little pay, was a valuable life experience that taught me many important fiscal and work ethic lessons that I plan to bring with me to Council. I’m pleased that someone of your young age knows the value of hard work, Mike. Do you not think that Lisa also knows of hard work, raising and caring for a family and many years involvement in community activities and programs? I applaud you for putting in “80 hour weeks,” but ought to tell you that at about the same age, the guys I served with in Viet Nam and myself were putting in 126-hour weeks and you don’t really wish to know the pay we received for the conditions we were in. 5. As for being a “lowly assistant manager”, that’s just not fair, Lew. I agree, mike. Who said it? I didn’t. I said you were a “lower level assistant manager,” a far cry from a “lowly assistant manager.” In an effort to “clear things up,” couldn’t you at least be accurate in what you claim I say? I realize you desire to discredit my words, Mike, but misrepresenting what I say will not accomplish that. 6. My campaign has been positive and issue based. Whether or not I agree with Lisa’s performance on City Council, the commitment she has made for the last 8 years is honorable. Please don’t make personal judgments on me and my family. Thin skinned a little, Mike? Where did I judge either you or your family? Questioning how working in a pizza shop years ago and being a “lower level assistant manager” is hardly judging anyone. On the campaign news section on your page, you have a headline of “Bringing Credibility.” Are you claiming the council has no credibility without you? Is that an insinuation that Lisa has no credibility? Is that an example of your view of a “positive and issue based” campaign? 7. You don’t know me and you have made no effort to contact me. You admit that you don’t even know my opponent. I suggest you get to know us before endorsing either of us or making accusations and ill-conceived conspiracy theories. Grow up, Michael. Your words, idealistic as they are, show a level of immaturity I see often on the left. Can you stand out there and tell us that you have personally met every single candidate you supported or voted for? I’m going to assume you supported and endorsed Barack Obama for president. Tell us how you personally met and got to know him before endorsing him with your vote. Playing victim doesn’t play well here, Mike. Crying “ill-conceived conspiracy theories” because I notice and point out the excessively biased support you accept from the Democratic Party is hardly a “conspiracy theory.” I assume you think you are performing your own “fight the smears” campaign with this email, but you are only making yourself look foolish, immature and unsuitable to hold the seat you seek. 8. I do encourage you to contact me with any questions about me or the campaign, in the future. This country is made up of both Democrats and Republicans and there are a few of us out there on both sides that can see beyond political party; not everything is partisan. Thank you for your encouragement, Mike. But, as a 61 year old addressing a young 28 year-old, allow me encourage you to do some homework and learn some comprehension. I’m glad you remembered that the country is made up of both Democrats and Republicans. Listening to the news these past 8 years and Democrat candidates, I would have thought Republicans were on the brink of being outlawed. I just have to ask you a simple question, Mike. Do you go after all of those who express support for the one you are trying to unseat? Or, did you single me out for some reason? Grow up, Mike. You chose to run for a political office and if you cannot tolerate a lone blogger commenting in support of your opponent, how will you ever question any of the mayor’s proposals? That you even felt the need to personally contact me about this and then misrepresent what I said shows me your level of immaturity and yes, not ready to occupy a seat on the council. You see, Mike, there are many of us out here, on both sides of the political spectrum that wonder why such heavily partisan support for a non-partisan seat is warranted. There are many of us who feel we still have free speech and may freely support or oppose a candidate for any public position. Get some more experience, Mike. You are clearly not ready to hold a seat on the council just yet in my estimation. Full email received in comments section. UPDATE: Dalesandro Showing Desperation Tags: Battle Ground City Council, Clark County, Democratic Party, Lisa Walters, Mike Dalesandro Swastika Vandalism: Ignorance or Hate? Spreading across the news is a story out of Lakeville Massachusetts where overnight, vandals carved into a golf course’s green “I Swastika Obama.” Inexcusable and indefensible, whoever did it, but look closer. It isn’t the Nazi Swastika but the symbol still used by Buddhist’s and Hindu’s in their religion today throughout Asia as a good luck sign. As can be expected, knee-jerk reactions, with no knowledge of whom or why, blame Republicans as “Nazi’s,” “Rednecks,” “Supremacists” and any other derogatory term one can find to throw at only Republicans. I am sure any neo-Nazi would know how to draw their hate symbol, but what else could such vandalism represent? An ignorant uneducated liberal trying to make conservatives look bad? A supporter of the Dalai Lama giving Obama their symbol of good luck? Doubtful. My guess is the former. Are we witnessing steps to America’s Reichstag Fire? Tags: Liberal, Nazi, Reichstag Fire, Swastika, White Supremacists Good News For Tim Leavitt: Columbian Endorses Pollard CONGRATULATIONS TO MAYOR ELECT LEAVITT Vancouver Washington’s mayoral candidate Tim Leavitt received some good news, along with more endorsements today. The financially troubled Columbian has endorsed the aging incumbent, Royce Pollard, showing just how out of touch with the community our local ‘paper of record’ currently is. Pollard for Mayor I am astonished that they could print, “Incumbent has solid record of achievement; Leavitt fails leadership test on voting record,” with a straight face. Pollard’s achievements include, but are not limited to plunging the city $48 Million into debt, threatening council members who may not vote his way, desiring more taxes and bridge tolls on an already struggling community in the county with the highest unemployment in the state, resisted attempts at forming a Business Advisory Council, utility taxes, sales taxes, electricity taxes, business license fees and employee head taxes and pretty much ignored much of the community outside of the downtown area. Pollard will not listen to Vancouver citizens who say they do not want Portland’s max Line light rail extended to Vancouver and insists it will be part of a new I-5 bridge, or no bridge at all. Who does that benefit monetarily? Portland, Oregon of course, not Vancouver, Washington. Tim Leavitt says he “will form a Mayoral Business Advisory Council, comprised of a diversity of employers within our community. Meetings will be held in public, with all residents encouraged to attend. Further, Tim will empower City Council to better know and understand the businesses and workers within the city, so that they all may act more responsively to the needs of this economic driver.” He is opposed to imposing tolls on Vancouver citizens who must cross the river twice daily to work in Portland. He understands that the real need to bring good paying jobs to Vancouver, not ship our citizens over there, where they still must pay Oregon Income taxes and receive no representation nor a voice in Oregon at all. 5 things that WILL happen when Tim is Mayor, and 5 things that WON’T happen Vancouver needs to be more attractive to businesses and instead of shipping our citizens over there, how about we attract their businesses, and jobs, over here? Showing their bias towards Pollard, the Columbian states, “The Vancouver Firefighters Union announced that Leavitt missed voting in 16 elections in 10 years. A statesmanlike leader would acknowledge the statistics, express regret and vow to correct the flaw. But Leavitt, after voicing regret, launched into an attack on Pollard. “How does this sleazy maneuver help our struggling communities today?” he asked. The answer: It exposes as delinquent the voting habits of a man who is courting Vancouver’s voters, and reasonable voters don’t see truth-telling as a sleazy maneuver at all.” Ignored by the Columbian is Pollard’s sleazy attacks on Leavitt after finishing second in the August primary election. What also cannot be ignored is that the financially failing Columbian built a new building they could not afford and now need bailed out. The city of Vancouver has “expressed an interest” in paying the $41.5 million asking price for the building that county assessor Linda Franklin assesses at $24.52 million. Mayor Pollard was a very outspoken advocate of the “deal,” but as election season grew closer, stopped commenting on it. Tim Leavitt, along with fellow council member Jeanne Stewart, were the only two from the council that came forward questioning the “deal.” No conflict of interest there, right? I can’t honestly say Tim’s slogan, “A Better Idea” is one I’d choose, but reading through Tim’s website, he does give us something more than Pollard has, representation and choice. In what I take as an attempt to taint Tim’s candidacy a little, they take a swipe at his endorsements with “Yes, he received a few more votes than Pollard in the Aug. 18 primary, but Vancouver’s political landscape is littered with wannabe mayors who tried and failed to topple Pollard. Yes, Leavitt is endorsed by the police officers union, but Pollard is endorsed by the firefighters union. Yes, Leavitt is endorsed by all three county commissioners, but Pollard is endorsed by a broad array of state politicians who have worked with him on many projects. His relationship with federal agencies is sturdy and productive.” Are we to believe that state politicians and federal agencies will only work with Pollard? And, “wannabe mayors who tried to topple Pollard?” Is he a king or dictator? Perhaps the Columbian editorial staff should think about those “few more votes than Pollard in the Aug. 18 primary.” Also running was Charlie Stemper at the time whose ideas reflected many of Tim’s and Charlie has endorsed Tim Leavitt and encouraged all who supported him to support Tim Leavitt. If the November 3 election will be like the August 18 primary, with many of Stemper’s supporters jumping in behind Tim, Pollard is in trouble. While Pollard might have added some nice looking areas to downtown, Vancouver is much larger than downtown. Areas of downtown still look depressed and not where I like to take my family. A vote for mayor Royce Pollard, who doesn’t seem to realize he is no longer an Army Officer ordering around enlisted men, is just more of the same. More taxes, more ignoring citizens wants and needs and less money in your paycheck. A vote for Tim Leavitt is a vote for change, a vote for fresh ideas and vote for someone willing to listen to you and be accountable to you. It’s time for a change, Vancouver. It’s time for Tim Leavitt, Mayor of America’s Vancouver. Tags: America's Vancouver, Charlie Stemper, Lou Brancaccio, Royce Pollard, The Columbian, Tim Leavitt Foul Mouthed Punk Gets Punked 35 year-old British Gulf War Vet Jason Smith has no idea why 23 year-old Les Andrews came to his door and began verbally and physically assaulting him. As you can see, Andrews ended up with the worst of it. Andrews was arrested for “yobbery,” a yob being British slang for an “aggressive and surly youth, especially a teenager.” The main lesson Andrews should have learned is, don’t bully people, you never know what the other guy knows. Smith it turns out, is a 15st master in karate and jiu-jitsu, holding two black belts. How he displayed the restriant he did is beyond me. Of the incident Smith said, “People sick of yob culture enjoy seeing someone turn the tables,” and “He deserved it.” If only more people in America would adopt Smith’s attitude now. Source: UK Sun Tags: Gulf War Vet, Jason Smith, Les Andrews, Punk, Yob Lou Brancaccio Shows Bias In Crying Non-Bias Lou Brancaccio, embattled managing editor of the Columbian newspaper, is still trying to create the appearance of ‘fair and balanced’ paper. This time, he is doing it over the papers coverage of both the Republican and Democrat conventions coming to Vancouver in 2010. He does it in his October 10 weekly column, Press Talk: Of fairness and this column. Always following the normal liberal venue of “victim,” as he opens the column with, “When it was announced the state Democrats were bringing their convention to Vancouver, it was a big — and good — story for the area. We put it on the front page. Then I waited for my phone to ring and my e-mail box to fill up. I wasn’t disappointed. Why? Because some would think we’re favoring the Democrats.” He then goes on to list one critical email received and his reply. I’ll take him at his word that the announcement for the GOP convention was also front page because I no longer buy the Columbian But I will ask, was that only email received? Are we to believe he only received critical emails from conservatives and none from the liberals? He then goes to lament on a complimentary email received from one I have to assume is a liberal on his October 2 column addressing the recent loss of the Olympics in Chicago, Press Talk: Too bad how we make decisions. We see “fair” coverage of political conventions for both parties criticized by a Republican and “fair” coverage of the Olympics denial praised by a Democrat. No Democrats were critical of the coverage of the conventions and no conservatives were praising the coverage of the Olympics loss, right? We don’t know about other emails or calls received, but that is what we are led to believe. Yeah, no bias there, uh huh. Let’s look at the “fair” coverage of the conventions and see if the coverage really was fair. On June 23, the Columbian ran an article announcing the Clark GOP securing the 2010 convention for Clark County. It consisted of 173 words about the convention being held in Clark County and another 94 words of filler addressing the elections this year. October 5, the same Columbian reporter, Kathie Durbin, ran the article announcing the Democrat convention coming which consisted of 273 words on the party and convention itself and some 62 filler words on general matters and acknowledging the GOP convention. Both conventions are mentioned within days in the weekly Cheers & Jeers Column. However, the October 10 Cheers & Jeers states, “Cheers: To Clark County’s growing stature as a place for meetings and conventions. This week the Democrats announced they’ll hold their 2010 state convention here next June. The Republicans likewise have picked us for their convention.” “Republicans likewise?” Shouldn’t that be “Democrats likewise,” indicating the GOP first secured a convention months ago? Likewise, to be fair, the June 25 Cheers & Jeers column was several times larger than the Oct 10 column mentioning the Democrat convention. Of course, then there was no idea that the Democrats were to follow suit in bringing their convention here too. Lou mentions receiving emails and phone calls, as noted. One thing he leaves out though, is comments from readers online. The June 23 column announcing the GOP convention has some 11 comments critical of or complaining about the Republicans. The June 25 Cheers & Jeers has 3 such comments. I have to assume those critical are Democrats. The June 23 article, in the comments section has 2 critical of the Democrat convention with 1 liberal seemingly expecting an onslaught from us. There none either way on the October 10 Cheers & Jeers column. That doesn’t show any bias on the Columbian’s part. They have no control over what citizens leave in comments, other then the ability to delete if need be. But it says something more about those within our community, to me. This post may seem nit picking, what with word counts and such, but is it any less than Brancaccio having a slow news day and turning to selected emails for his column? Where is his column on Brian Baird now taking a stand on voting against measures he hasn’t had time to read, after voting for the two largest spending bills in recent history and not having tome to read them? Where is the column on his two challengers criticizing him for such a “stunt?” Why do we have to turn to the Lewis County Chronicle or the Olympian to read such news on our congressman and not find it in our own local paper? Where are the investigative articles on all the charges of corruption in Mayor Pollard’s City Hall? Lou Brancaccio claims to receive complaints of right winged bias from liberals, but I fail to see just where, other than those fringe leftist who think any coverage of Republicans is bad. Does this post show any bias? I’ll leave that up to you, the reader to decide. Of course, having more than just one conservative column running every other week compared to weekly columns by Lou, John Laird and Tom Koenninger might forestall many claims of left-winged. Then again, liberals are said to already be crying about bias due to that one column every other week and we must keep them happy, right? I’ll end by saying to Lou Brancaccio; “there are none so blind as they who will not see.” Tags: Ann Donnelly, Clark County, John Laird, Kathie Durbin, Lou Brancaccio, Media Bias, The Columbian Vancouver School Board Needs Nelson Holmberg Anyone who has raised children or is currently raising their own knows how important it is for them to gain a quality education. The education they receive will form a base for their entire life. Although education begins at home, our schools play a massive part in giving our children many of the tools needed to not only become successful adults, but starts them on a path of productivity to better our society and communities. Every community has a School Board comprised of educators and citizens who desire our schools to be the best. When those School Boards aren’t performing at their best our schools and children suffer because of it. That is why Nelson Holmberg should be sitting on the Vancouver School Board. Holmberg is running against Kathy Gillespie for the seat being vacated by Dr. Ed Rankin. My own daughters, now grown, are products of the Vancouver School District, just like Nelson’s own children. My grandsons are currently enrolled in the Vancouver School District. While we have some pretty good schools, they could be better. Nelson has gained the support of teachers and school administrators, past and present, from the Vancouver School District, the Evergreen School District and from the Washougal School District who live (and vote) in the Vancouver district. His list of bi-partisan endorsements is impressive and growing. They include Port Commissioner Nancy Baker, former city councilman Jack Burkman, PUD Commissioner Carol Curtis, City Councilmember Phil Haberthur, City Councilmember Jeanne Harris, PUD Commissioner Byron Hanke, Clark County GOP Chairman Ryan Hart, Representative Jim Jacks, City Councilmember Pat Jollota, Clark County Auditor Greg Kimsey, City Council Candidate Anne McEnerny-Ogle, Representative Jim Moeller, Former Representative Val Ogden, Port Commissioner Jerry Oliver, Senator Craig Pridemore, City Councilmember Larry Smith, City Councilmember Jeanne Stewart, County Commissioner Steve Stuart, City Councilmember Troy VanDinter and Port Commissioner Brian Wolfe as well a host of private citizens who see his visions for improving Vancouver School District is much needed. Nelson says, “We need to make sure that our students have the resources they need to reach their full potential. That begins with teachers and school staff – building blocks to preparing students for life after high school,” mirroring my own thoughts above. Nelson Holmberg is a native of Vancouver, growing up and remaining in our community. He has seen our community grow and what must be done with our schools to keep them on pace with our growth. Nelson Holmberg “advocates full state funding for public education, thoughtful and realistic learning standards, replacement of the Washington Assessment of Student Learning (WASL), embracing transparency and accountability of the school board and responsible and reasonable district spending.” I am proud to add my name to the growing list of citizens, elected officials and organizations that feel Nelson Holmberg to not only be uniquely qualified to sit on the Vancouver School Board, but who is also much needed. You may hear and meet Nelson at an upcoming League of Women Voters Candidate’s Forum for School Board and Fire District Commissioner candidates on Monday, October 12, beginning at 7 p.m., at the Clark Public Utilities Community Room (1200 Fort Vancouver Way). The forum will also be shown, on a tape-delayed basis, on CVTV Channels 21 and 23, or online at www.cvtv.org, in case you can’t be there. Vote for our children’s future, Vancouver. Vote for Nelson Holmberg. Help him lead Vancouver Public Schools into the 21st Century. Posted in Clark County Issues \| 1 Comment » Tags: Clark County, Dr. Ed Rankin, Kathy Gillespie, Nelson Holmberg, Vancouver School Board, Vancouver Washington	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0030.json.gz/line1093
__label__wiki	0.714814	0.714814	The Queen West Project (2012) Date: September 26, 2012 Author: deborahpearson123 ← A Synonym for Love (2012) InFORMING CONTENT → In collaboration with choreographer and artist Allison Cummings, I spent several months in Toronto in 2012 making The Queen West Project, which premiered Theatre Passe Muraille’s Theatre Beyond Walls season, funded by a special 50th anniversary grant from the Metcalfe Foundation. The Queen West Project was a site specific immersive dance piece for six audience members at a time, questioning the relationship between homelessness and mental health in Queen West. Queen West is one of Canada’s most rapidly gentrifying neighbourhoods, and a neighbourhood that is built around Canada’s oldest mental health facility, CAMH. The piece was written in consultation with former street youth living at Eva’s Phoenix, and a past resident of CAMH. The Queen West Project had each of the six audience members wearing headphones, and using a map, on their own distinct route through the Queen West neighbourhood, leading to the grounds of CAMH, where they then followed a dancer through the grounds of CAMH. The piece ended in the community garden at the rear of the CAMH grounds, where all six audience members gathered with the six dancers. “In three decades of theatre, this ranks, despite its brevity, as one of the most intimate and moving pieces of theatre this reviewer has ever experienced.” ***** (John Coulbourn, Special to the Sun) The Queen West Project was directed by Deborah Pearson and Allison Cummings. Concept and Script by Deborah Pearson in consultation with Eva’s Phoenix. Choreography by Allison Cummings. Dancers: Lucy Rupert, Viv Moore, Jolyane Langlois, Kevin A. Ormsby, Andrew Hartley and Bill Coleman. Stage Manager: Gillian Lewis. Sound Designer and Composer: Thomas Ryder Payne. Commissioned by Theatre Passe Muraille for the Theatre Beyond Walls season. Listen to a clip of The Queen West Project here. The Queen West Project was on between September 12th – 23rd, 2012, along Queen Street West, with a meeting point at MOCCA. <p><a href=”https://vimeo.com/121949084″>Queen West 2 Minute Excerpts</a> from <a href=”https://vimeo.com/user35230306″>Deborah Pearson</a> on <a href=”https://vimeo.com”>Vimeo</a>.</p>	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0030.json.gz/line1094
__label__cc	0.680047	0.319953	Tag Archives for J.H. Williams III Points of Impact – February 2012 – Week 2 Long time no write, but it’s no use dwelling upon that sad fact. Life happens and we get carried off to unknown parts sometimes. I thought I’d kick off the renaissance by introducing a new regular (I hope!) feature spotlighting what are the points that had the most impact on me script-wise in my weekly comic haul. I thought I’d proceed as such: name one thing that really surprised me by how good it was (I loved…), one thing that made me smile (I liked…), and one thing that frustrated me because I know the guy or gal is better than that (I was disappointed by…). And no, you’ll never see me do any I hated… because what would be the point in throwing a tantrum? Ready for the first one? Let’s go! The tone of Brian Wood’s CONAN THE BARBARIAN #1 – When I first heard that Brian Wood was going to pen the script for the new Conan series at Dark Horse, I knew it was the right moment to get into the notorious barbarian’s adventures. Contrary to your probable expectations, I knew of Wood’s writing through THE NEW YORK FOUR and its sequel THE NEW YORK FIVE, not through to thematically closer NORTHLANDERS. I had already been charmed by the way he can craft engaging and natural-sounding dialogue. This comic is… quite the opposite, to say the least. It is however a perfect fit for conferring that pulpy epic feel that the narrative needs. Let’s face it: we’re talking about grim fantasy fare here, not Blackberry-obsessed college girls. If you can’t go for natural contemporary sensibility, you better go all-out with the the epicness – which is delivered in spades. Here, taste this sample: Page 1 (5 panels) CAPTION: Messantia, capital of Argus. CAPTION: Like a gilded pearl glittering against the cobalt waters of the Western ocean. CAPTION: A city of aristocracy, of the rule of law and the justice system. CAPTION: A city where great merchant villas adorning terraces high in the hills look down over… CAPTION: …grimy hovels bordering the quays, crime-infested bazaars where the abstract corruption of the upper classes translates down to a knife lodged in the ribs of a man dying in a dark alley. NO COPY CAPTION: Conan the Cimmerian does no notice this divide. Page 2-3 (splash spread) CAPTION: This barbarian from the north is busy riding for his life. The most interesting thing about this is that Brian Wood is in fact adapting the original novelette QUEEN OF THE BLACK COAST by Robert E. Howard, breaking down the prose into more digestible captions and dialogue for the comic while preserving the feel and tone of the original. The result is a magnificient homage to pulp literature instead of yet another watered-down modern adaptation. I strongly urge you to have a look at the writer’s commentary track on CBR for more details. Here, have another sample straight from the book: Also bonus points for Becky Cloonan’s character designs for Conan. Finally someone lets go of the Frazetta imagery and Schwarzenegger portayal to show a more plausible character. “Barbarian” was his origin, not his job. This isn’t Dungeons & Dragons! The witty dialogue in Adam Glass’ SUICIDE SQUAD #6 – You’ll have to forgive me for quoting a Monty Python sketch but: “There is only one thing in the world worse than being witty, and that is not being witty.” If there’s one thing that the comics world doesn’t lack, it’s witty people. Unfortunately, not all of of these people get to write dialogue. I wince at times when I read some of what passes for clever repartee, lines that would find a better fit in a 90s made-for-TV action movie than in a medium that should pride itself in part for its writing. Well to be completely honest, I don’t wince that much, I do groan more than I’d like, but most of the time I just go with the obligatory and unenthusiastic “heh”. Such was not the case for this month’s SUICIDE SQUAD offering. This time, I replaced the “heh” with a heartfelt “Ha!” After killing a roomful of Harley Quinn male impersonators (don’t ask) SAVANT: Man, this is going to make for some weird chalk outlines. DEADSHOT: Mind repeating that… Gun pointed at SAVANT’s groin DEADSHOT: …in a slightly higher voice? Interrogating siamese twins (again don’t ask) DEADSHOT: So… which one of you is the smart half? Granted, the characterization of the Joker has something that felt slightly off to me but still, you can’t fault a comic when it has this line in it: KING SHARK: Kill more clowns. The disjointed narrative in J.H. Williams III and W. Haden Blackman’s BATWOMAN #6 – Oh how the mighty have slightly slipped half a point down my imaginary ladder of excellence. It’s not much of a drop, but when you start at such a lofty position as the first five issues of BATWOMAN occupied, it can’t help but feel like a huge disappointment, even though the comic is still very, very good. The problem? This comic is literally ALL OVER the place. Every scene switch is a new jump in time as well as change in character POV. Pages 1-3: Batwoman, now Pages 2- 4: Colonel Jacob Kane, one month ago Pages 5-6: Detective Maggie Sawyer, one week ago Pages 7-8: Maro, four months ago Pages 9-10: Kate Kane, three weeks ago Pages 11-20: Chase and Batwoman, two weeks ago Page 21: Batwoman, now Now if the POVs had been limited to one or two characters of if the jumps always moved forward in time, it wouldn’t have been so disturbing. Not to mention that DC’s habit of slipping in ad pages at every two pages is not helping keeping up with the screwed up timetable at all. As it is, it’s a confusing narrative that forces you to manage an unwieldy timeline thus taking you completely out of the story. Reading comics should be an experience that engages your reader naturally, not something that requires more concentration than channel surfing. I’m not saying it should be mindless entertainment, but “what the hell is happenin right now” shouldn’t be one of the enlightening questions to occupy my mind as I’m reading. And seriously, guys, you did this just as Amy Reeder was starting on her turn drawing the comic. Not cool at all. That’s all for now! Come back next week for some new Points of Impact! 2012/02/11 by Yannick Morin Categories: Points of Impact \| Tags: Adam Glass, Amy Reeder, Batwoman, Becky Cloonan, Brian Wood, Conan the Barbarian, Dark Horse, DC, J.H. Williams III, Robert E. Howard, Suicide Squad, W. Haden Blackman \| 2 Comments	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0030.json.gz/line1096
__label__cc	0.682593	0.317407	Atanu Dey on India's Development Economics, Policy and Government Blaming People for Natural Disasters What do Pat Robertson, Priyanka Chopra, Jerry Falwell and Mahatma Gandhi have in common? If you thought that they were all religious nutcases, you are wrong. Priyanka Chopra’s nuttiness doesn’t belong to the religious variety. So think again. Give up? OK, they all blame people for natural disasters. Let’s start with the extreme religious nuts, Pat Robertson and Jerry Falwell. In 2001, they put the blame for the 9/11 Islamic terrorism on “the pagans, and the abortionists, and the feminists, and the gays and lesbians.” Jerry Falwell, alas, died in 2007. (The very naughty Mr Christopher Hitchens casually commented that Falwell was so full of it that had he been given an enema, they could have buried him in a match box.) But Robertson was at hand after the recent Haiti earthquake, and put the blame for the devastation and the awful loss of lives on some pact that Haitian slaves had made with the devil around two centuries before. Then comes the Feb 27, 2010 quake in Chile which left half a million homeless and around 800 dead. Not as bad as the Haiti quake that killed an estimated 230,000 people, 300,000 injured, and 1,000,000 homeless. Priyanka Chopra concluded that the cause was anthropogenic. Well, not in those words as I doubt she can spell that word. She put it across as a rhetorical question and tweeted, “400,000 people left homeless by quake in Chile..R we putting too much pressure on our planet..My prayers for the victims and their families.” I suppose the Chileans had to pay for the sins of humanity in pressuring the earth (whatever that means.) Perhaps people are overeating and the resulting obesity caused the pressure. But who the hell knows who Priyanka Chopra is. I certainly didn’t until my friend Rajan pointed her tweet (not to be confused with twat) out to me. Her opinion and analysis of natural disasters does not amount to a hill of beans. That’s not the case with Mr Gandhi, aka Mahatma. You recall the Bihar 8.4 magnitude earthquake of January 15, 1934? You don’t! Well, neither do I. The wiki informs me that it was one of the worst in India, and 30,000 died. Mahatma Gandhi visited Bihar and after due deliberation declared that it was divine retribution for the sins of Indians. That strikes me as one of the most perverted statements made by the man — and that’s saying something considering that he sort of specialized in that category of statements. If A were to commit a crime, and the police were to give an entirely innocent uninvolved person B a thrashing of his life saying, “I am doing this to you because A committed a crime and I think it is right and appropriate that you be thrashed,” would you say that the police were good, holy, enlightened and bow down in front of them in deep devotion? You would not do any such thing. Gandhi did. The god that he was devoted to by his (Gandhi’s) admission was killing Biharis for crimes committed by others. I have always been intrigued by the idea of scapegoating — “the practice of singling out one child, employee or member of a group of peers for unmerited negative treatment or blame”, as the wiki puts it. Gandhi searched for one and found a scapegoat. Why? Because it suited his personal agenda. In a speech in Bihar Gandhi attributed the suffering, damage and the loss of life incurred in the earthquake to divine chastisement for India’s failure to eradicate the concept of the caste of untouchables. [Source.] As I am not a huge fan of Gandhi (which is clearly an understatement), that did not come as a huge surprise to me. Normal people would be horrified at conceiving a vengeful mean irrational stupid god but for Gandhi, it was a no-brainer. The great thinker Rabindranath Tagore, however, gave it to Gandhi good and proper. Here’s a bit from Bidyut Chakrabarty’s “Social and political thought of Mahatma Gandhi” (2006) . . . an interesting debate took place following Gandhi’s characterization of the Bihar earthquake in February (sic), 1934 as ‘divine chastisement’ for the great sin committed against those known as harijans. Tagore took a serious view of this by saying that ‘it has cause me painful surprise to find Mahatma Gandhi accusing those who blindly follow their own social custom of untouchability of having brought down gods’ vengeance upon certain parts of Bihar’. Coming from the most revered political leader of the country, the statement, he felt, was most devastating for its obvious impact on the interpersonal relationships between harijans and others. So it should not go ‘unchallenged’. Tagore prefaced his critique of this superstitious view of Gandhi’s by saying that ‘it is all the more unfortunate, because this kind of unscientific view of things is too readily accepted by large section of our countrymen.’ Emphasizing that ‘physical catastrophes [like earthquakes etc] have their inevitable and exclusive origin in certain combinations of physical facts’, he further argued that: if we associate ethical principles with cosmic phenomena, we shall have to admit that human nature is morally superior to Providence that preaches its lessons in good behaviour in orgies of the worst behaviour possible . . . What is truly tragic about it is the fact that the kind of argument that Mahatmaji uses by exploiting an even of cosmic disturbance for better suits the psychollogy of his opponents . . . [He thus felt] profoundly hurt when any words from [Gandhi’s] mouth may emphasise the elements of unreason . . . which is a fundamental source of all the blind powers that drive us against freedom and self-respect. Gandhi responded to Tagore saying, “to me, the earthquake was no caprice of God nor a result of blind forces . . . Visitations like droughts, flood, earthquake and the like, though they seem to have only physical origins, are, for me, somehow connected with man’s morals. Therefore, I instinctively felt that the earthquake was visitations for the sin of untouchability. . . [I believe] that our sins have more force to ruin the structure than any mere physical phenomenon.” Now read that in the context of the burning of witches — which happens even today in many parts of the world. Ignorant superstitious people believe that someone is responsible for the crop failure or the drought and that they have to kill the person responsible and their problems will be solved. Those people who burn witches are not driven by reason. They say, like Gandhi, “that to us, somehow, it seems . . .” and “we instinctively feel” and get on with setting things right by torturing confessions and burning witches. The evidence is overwhelming that Gandhi was a superstitious person ignorant of basic scientific understanding of the world available even at the time when he did his schooling. Gandhi had a instinctive understanding of how to manipulate the superstitious illiterate ignorant masses, however, and they revered him with the devotion that they had for their other gods. Gandhi was cunning if he was anything at all. I have argued before that he blackmailed his followers, and that it was violence cloaked in the pious garb of non-violence. I am repelled by Gandhi’s arrogant insistence that his instinctive feelings that somehow arise within him gives him the right to attribute causes to natural phenomena and dictate that to his followers. Gandhi is revered by the masses in India. That is the most damning evidence I see of my conjecture that India is largely a nation of retards. That and the clearly related fact that these retards vote for the Gandhi-family led Congress party. Author: Atanu Dey Economist. View all posts by Atanu Dey Author Atanu DeyPosted on March 3, 2010 Categories Mahatma Gandhi 25 thoughts on “Blaming People for Natural Disasters” You can add Laloo who recently blamed the severe drought in Bihar on Nitish Kumar eating biscuits during the solar eclipse. Of course, he is not alone. Btw., had heard of devastation of Bihar earthquake from elders and seen the ruins of only pucca house in my village. There are many more of those evangelicals in USA who blame natural disasters on human sins. However the Christians are not alone in this sort of tomfoolery. Religious people of all shades and hues make similar statements when it comes to explaining natural disasters. Religiotards always seem to know god’s mind as if he speaks to them one on one. As for Priyanaka Chopra, there is not much that I have to say. She is a C grade actress with pitiful acting skills and not a very beautiful face either. Gandhi was a class one religious idiot who summoned his god in times of urgencies. Personally I feel that whoever takes religion really seriously should not be taken seriously at all.They are blaberring idiots who make no sense at all when it comes to finding a solution to the problems of this plannet. Just the other day I read an article written by the New Age con-man Deepak Chopra in which he had claimed that all the world’s problems can be solved by spirituality. I wonder how he plans to feed and provide medication to those who have no acess to either of them through spirituality. gajee says: the dumbest is priyanka chopra…tehe Nirvikar says: I know not many people will agree to what I say. SO here it is – no matter how bad or good we think of Gandhi the matter of fact is he was one individual on which the whole nation looked up for direction and he has to be wrong at a whole lot of places. I cant find a single leader who commanded so much power over such a large number of people. He was able to command people to go and face armed men empty handed and not respond to. That sort of power comes with its own set of problems. And arrogance being one of them. As far as his superstitions are concerned we have to see the time he was in and the ideology he followed. He was of the opinion that people can live simple life in villages and the country doesn’t need villages. So although being wrong in stating that earthquakes are anything more then physical phenomenon but that doesn’t put him in retards or even remotly evil. In fact politically that might be right as he used superstition to attack superstition (again purely my view point) As far as following him and retard thingy – Indians dont follow or worship Gandhi. We follow the flawless image of him projected by the party which claims his heritage. That too for purely vote purposes. We as indians, not retards, have one thing in common. we always find someone to blame for everything – problems, superstitions, radicalism etc etc. I think its time we grow up and realise that Gandhi was not this heaven/hell sent messanger who blessed/screwed us, but that he was as much a human as anyone of us with as many flaws. I am not a gandhi fan but I hate when we start blaming problems of today on past and forget all that our past did for all. Amit Doshi says: I used to enjoy this blog, when it focused on development issues, the importance of urbanization, free speech as a paramount right and so on. I stopped reading regularly a while ago, but the blog still pops up in my google reader and i have fond memories of your urbanization articles so I will read through. But I think I was right in getting this out of my regular list. The tones gotten terribly offensive. Did you really have to call Priyanka Chopra a twat? Just calling her a moron or dumb wasnt enough? Why the misogyny? Havent we enough stupidity from any number of “celebrities” male and female? I dont disagree with what your saying, but the manner of saying it is starting to get to me. Hey its your site do what you will with it, but I cant be the only one who is starting to feel this way. Atanu Dey says: Amit: How you feel is up to you. But please don’t misquote me. The joke was that I parenthetically distinguished between tweet and twat. That is not the same as calling her a twat. Now that you have wrongly accused me of misogyny, may I suspect that you are misogynistic and therefore reading into the text what does not indeed exist? And oh just btw, Amit, I am very careful with words. I don’t say something unless I really mean it. I take care to mean what I say. And I take care to say what I mean. If I wanted to be misogynistic, you would not have to read between the lines. It would be apparent all over my writing. You may have noticed that I don’t hint obliquely at things. I thought I was describing a particular word as Misogyny, i.e. Why the misogyny? Similar to how if someone used the N Word, Id ask why the racism? But your right it can be taken as calling you a misogynist. Bad word choice and I apologize for that. My point though wasnt that you are a mysogynist. It was that the tone of this blog has been getting nastier. Its feedback, make of it what you will. And the “I know you are but what am I” response was unexpected. Dear Atanu, Gandhi-Tagore dialogues have always been fascinating. With respect to this particular incident in Bihar — I must point out that there are elements of thought that are beyond what science can capture that one must see. I would not mind even if you call me superstitious. Indian thought has this thought deeply part of it that if Dharma (generally embodied by a cow) was standing on all its four legs — such as the Krita Yuga, then the gods including Indra and his subjects — would ensure that the rainfall was normal, no ecological disturbances and there would be happiness all over. When Dharma declines, as is depicted in the number of legs on which the cow stands — (three in Treta, two in Dwapara and one in Kali) — then evidently, the gods are not pleased and as a matter of a Pauranic telling, the Bhoodevi cannot stand the Adharmic acts so much so that she shows her most repulsive face — that includes the eruptions of Volcanoes, earthquakes among others. Gandhi may have a convoluted sense of his understanding of tradition – and of course Dharma. But contesting that need not require us to take to ‘scientific’ thought. Gandhi’s attribution of the earthquake to Adharmic acts happening in the country in general would not have faced the same amount of flak as his attribution of that to his agenda – of challenging ‘untouchability’ in the country in the traditional discourse. Tagore’s ‘scientific’ approach is one side of the critique of Gandhi’s position, but Gandhi broadly has this instinctive thought about how Indian mentality thinks about Dharma. That is what he was appealing to. Was he clear about Dharma? Well, well. Gandhi as a politician and a philosopher had his own limitations – but the underlying idea of the rule of Adharma – and adharmic acts by people resulting in natural disasters (including unnatural deaths) – is a thought that has weight independent of any scientific consideration. One must note that this is beyond the realm of science. Oldtimer says: >>I certainly didn’t until my friend Rajan pointed her tweet (not to be confused with twat) out to me. I am assuming that you meant the use of the word as a joke (and it is funny), not really to help the reader avoid confusion. I don’t read the misogyny that Doshi read into it, but methinks it comes across as sexist, because in the context in which it appears it will most likely be interpreted as ‘pussy’. I’dn’t mind sexist deployment of the right word once in a while either, but the target has to be some real nasty twat to have to deserve that kind of treatment. Priyanka is only silly, not nasty. @Pranav >>but the underlying idea of the rule of Adharma – and adharmic acts by people resulting in natural disasters (including unnatural deaths) – is a thought that has weight independent of any scientific consideration. One must note that this is beyond the realm of science. That’s cowardice. Just because we don’t fully understand some natural disasters, we don’t have to hide behind illogical reasons like: a few bad people = natural disasters with lots of innocent people dead. Life on Earth is not easy and it is not fair. Deal it with. If everybody thought like you, we wouldn’t have things like fire stations, emergency rooms in hospitals, weather stations which warn ahead of cyclones, earth quake resistant buildings (which prevented a lot of deaths in Chile) and so on. @Chandra I doubt if you understood what I meant. I never said one mustn’t do all that science offers in preventing ‘greater’ damage (through prediction, or through some other means, whatever that might be). You do what best you could. That is a different thing. What I said was this: Any adharmic act shows up in terms of some undesired effect. And if that adharmic act can be prevented, then naturally, that undesired effect is averted — because you have taken care of the root cause. It is in this sense that the argument must be understood. I hope that clarifies. Jatkesha says: Atanu, Just a quick question. How is the book you mentioned in this post by Bidyut Chakraborty? Is it a good book which offers a sane and sensible criticism of Gandhi? I did misread you. My apologies. But I still disagree with your attributing adharma as a cause for natural disasters. To a certain extent, preventing acts of adharma will prevent bad effects. But there are things which will happen regardless of dharma or adharma. Events like earthquakes and volcanoes have been happening on Earth before there was any life on it. Humans have an obvious effect on earth, but saying that we can cause large scale disasters is thinking a bit too highly of our capabilities. Look Nirvikar, Gandhi was not the only or the first who could hold millions in sway and awe and make them follow him. Hitler, Mussolini, Lenin, Genghis Khan and a vast multitude of people like them have done similar things on much bigger scales in human history. What was common to all of them is that they employed voilence as a tool to meet their ends. Some of them perpetrated voilence on others while others perpetrated it on themselves. Gandhi’s blackmail and his fanatical belief in non-retaliation are classical symbols of a perverted mind. Now I am not saying that all those who have united people for a cause have been evil, but sadly most of them use similar techniques to influence public opinion in their favour. This is what a cult is all about. Gandhi for sure was a fanatical cult leader who made others to suffer for his beliefs. Just think about it, how many times did gandhi get beaten up by the British employed Indian goons in uniform. His life in prison was no different from out of it. Ultimately Gandhi lost nothing and gained everything at the end of it. Finally to say that gandhi gave us freedom is a grave insult to the millions who laid their lives without fighting back and to those who lost their lives in the search of a homeland in India. Srinivas says: With such superstitious people as Gandhi leading India, is it any wonder that India is heading towards the standards prescribed by 7th century Arabian desert. How is it that America is blessed with leaders like Thomas Jefferson, and we end up with the likes of Gandhi? Going by this blog’s conclusion (?) everything is Karma neh ? May be India got Gandhi because that is what she deserved .. May be people are really retards… well most of them and those who are NOT retards cannot fight with those who are !! May be it is just majority Vs Minority issue or maybe it is issue of lack of courage. Lack of really saying what Non retards mean and stand by it no matter what situations they might get into. Gandhi was not the one who started National Congress. How the hell someone like him reaches to that position in National(? ) party despite coming so late in the scene ? May be the leaders at that time were also bunch of retards ? Or could it be something very different other than being retard ? I hope we are not missing the point in indentifying why people followed him. Subhash Chandra Bose/Savarkar were equally knowledgeable, charismatic people and around the same time. Then why didn’t people follow them ? And how can we blame the ruler ? The blame always has to go to subject no ? On related note I wonder why 1857 did not work out ? If it had worked out , this Nehuru-Gandu dynasty would never have been established in the first place. When I was in school they taught us that few of the major reasons of the failure of 1857 freedom struggle was A) lack of appropriate technology to fight British 2) There was no collective effort. Everybody was fighting their own little battle which was easier to stop for British. I think current fights against government or politician or corruption are also like this.. Many activists are fighting their own little battle and no real nationwide struggle. Same goes for illiteracy , political awareness etc etc. Fortunately this time subject has easy access to technology and something can really be done about our problems .. including evolution of retards to non retards ? B Shantanu says: Atanu: You may have missed this! Nation of Islam’s Farrakhan cites earthquake, warns America: ‘You will not escape’: Calling this weekend’s earthquake in Chile a divine precursor to his planned speech, controversial Nation of Islam leader Minister Louis Farrakhan predicted on Sunday that America will face its own imminent disaster and must prepare. Delivering a message titled “The Time and What Must Be Done,” Farrakhan addressed thousands at Chicago’s United Center as part of an annual celebration of Saviours’ Day, marking the birth of W. Fard Muhammad, who founded the faith 80 years ago. “It’s not an accident that a great earthquake took place in Chile,” Farrakhan, 76, said an hour into his three-hour address. “It was a precipitate of what I have to tell you today of what’s coming to America. You will not escape.” Everyone seems concerned about Priyanka’s twat. These same guys pop up from time to time and complain that there is no freedom of speech in India … f-ing pussies or shout I say twats. Sundried Atheist says: Rohit you sound like someone who has not really spent a lot of time reading history or philosphy. Your arguments are pretty childish at that. Are you aware that while Muhammad was preaching there were several other prophet pretenders in the same area. He was not alone at that time neither were the several other prophet pretenders in his day and age. Who suceeds is a matter of probability and we should not assign sypernatural causes to something like that, nor should we glamourise cult leaders like Gandhi. mxyzptlk says: While I’ll admit that Priyanka Chopra’s tweet was ill informed, I wouldn’t say that she hints that the people of Chile ~brought it themselves as a result of humanity’s sins against the earth~ . An attack upon her understanding of plate tectonics may be well warranted, but the subsequent strawman leading to insinuation (while being an appreciable attempt at humour) is unbecoming of the topic. Unless ofcourse, the whole point of the post is mockery, in which case, kudos, spot on target. mxyzptlk: The point was that Priyanka Chopra attributed the Chilean earthquake to what people were doing to the earth. It was a generalized blaming of a natural event — clearly nothing that people are responsible for — on humans. That’s asinine and deserves to be mocked for the stupidity it is. Nilu says: If stupidity had to be mocked, well.. 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__label__wiki	0.646821	0.646821	← You realize this means war. And now for something unexpected → My favorite year Without a doubt, in my lifetime as a college football fan (as opposed to a Georgia football fan), there’s no season I have enjoyed more than the 2007 one. It was absolutely and unpredictably nuts from start to finish, with plenty of stops along the way. So, it is with great pleasure that I share with you SBNation’s tribute to that season. Check out the following pieces in particular: Bill Connelly, on CFB’s 11 wildest seasons (2007 being #1) ULM 21, Alabama 14 Les Miles, ladies and gentlemen How would a four-team college playoff have looked? The Celebration, and Corch’s “stunning pettiness“ Steve Spurrier reminisces about 16-12, and Georgia in general The end result: the only national champion to lose two regular season games in multiple overtimes. Crazy as hell. But great. I doubt we’ll see another season like it again. Filed under BCS/Playoffs, College Football, Georgia Football, Nick Saban Rules, The Evil Genius, Urban Meyer Points and Stares 94 responses to “My favorite year” It’s like a Boston fan declaring the 1986 World Series as the most exciting. It’s like a surviving member of the crew of the USS Indianapolis saying, “well probably not see a day this chock full of intrigue again.” It was “interesting times” in the most painful meaning of the phrase. The long, all day lead up to the kick in the balls on the Sunday after the seccg to top it off. You knew it was coming. You knew it was gonna hurt. You just had to sit and wait while Herbie made everybody comfortable with the idea that we deserve to have our nuts kicked. All the while seething that the smug fuck face had taken the exact opposite position in 2006. Then we get friggin’ Hawaii. I hated 2007. I don’t even like thinking about it. Really? You thought there was a chance Georgia was going to play for the national title in 2007? I knew that ship sailed when Tennessee eked out their wins over Vandy and Kentucky. I just enjoyed the ride of those final 6 games. We were sitting at four. WVU and Missouri lost ahead of us and LSU was ranked 7th. If it had been week three or week seven or five, we would have moved to 2. Instead then jumped no. 7 LSU five spots to 2 and we went to four. Yeah we had a chance to get in that year. It was so realistic that they talked about it all fucking day on both Saturday and Sunday….dick. You’re right. ESPN would never talk up something that would never happen to keep ratings up for their bullshit selection show. Anyone could have predicted that they would jump LSU to 2 after they won the SEC title game. I said I saw it coming. Are you stupid? Then why were you so pained? Because we were at four and I watched two teams ahead of us lose on the last day of the season. Then I watched herbie change his story from 2006 that division titles were meaningless and that it’s really about getting the best teams together. It’s really pretty simple for those with functioning cerebral cortexes. The Russians stole it when they hacked into herbies headset There’s an email that says the equivalent of: “This is obviously very high level and sensitive information but is part of Russia and its government’s support for Mr. Trump?” I doubt it. People take football too seriously to collude with Russia to influence the outcome of a natty. But I get your point. Treason. Funny. An email that says. Was it one of hillarys 30k that were destroyed. You Dems used to love the Ru skies till ya lost . Maybe run a candidate that doesn’t scream at the camera , can walk 10 feet , and at least visits Wisconsin one time and doesn’t hate the white working class. .even ole Alan Dershowitz is laughing at you Der. Treason. Take a pill in addition to deep breathing and turn on CNBC I would think that any American would be disturbed by a foreign adversary interfering in an any election. Not only does that not bother you, you think it’s ok to go along with it and then to lie about it and then to cover it up. There’s a name for people like you: traitor. Maybe she just lost Der get over it gonna be a long 8 . Keep up the good work . Stick to football . At least you can carry on a conversation So it’s ok if it didn’t work? Attempts to commit treason isn’t treason? Stick your head back up your ass. The extra oxygen isn’t helping. Yep, screwjob for sure. There weren’t any teams without flaws and until Herbie comes up with his new rule, we’d have been there beating the crap out of OSU instead of LSU. I disagree with the screwjob, LSU never lost in regulation, and UGA lost tiebreakers to make the SECCG. LSU had the better resume with the SECCG win. I agree that LSU had the better resume. And I acknowledge that UGA had no God-given right to play in the championship game. The sour taste simply came from the obvious tail wagging the dog effort required to get LSU to jump UGA by the poll voters. This was made even worse when the Herbstreit Doctrine was abandoned to justify Michigan and Alabama playing for the championship. We were told that the bcs was designed to choose the “best” teams not the most “deserving” teams. By any measure we were the better team. Vegas would have favored by 6.5 in the seccg had we made it. If anybody thinks that if Missouri or WVU wins that we finish lower than 3, I have some beachfront property in hahira for sale. It was a manipulation of the process so that the regular order of things would not be followed. If you can point out one time where a team dropped a spot when two teams ahead of them lost, I’m listening. We got fucked. You can say we deserved it. You can say we should have never been rated ahead of LSU to begin with. You can say that late season losses weigh too heavily. Whatever your story is is fine with me but the idea that we didn’t get jackhammer fucked is simply wrong. We did. We didn’t UT abused that that team. LSU was never out of a game. Man, why are you obsessively angry and bitter over something that happened 10 years ago? Especially considering it’s something (UGA football) that’s totally outside of your control and has no real bearing on your life whatsoever? I can only imagine how insanely preocupied and passionate you are about things you actually have control over, otherwise I’d say your priorities are just slightly misaligned. I’m guessing (or assuming) you’re a big wig pulling in 750k+ annually with 6% body fat, a smoking wife, and hobbies galore that you excel at. Call it Irish Alzheimer’s. I forget everything except my grudges. “Best” and “most deserving” can be interchangeable terms depending on who is using them in the context of the BCS. It’s subjective to be sure. However, herbie was willing to forego application of the same objective standards in 2006 that he felt were so important in 2007. It’s blatant hypocrisy, plain and simple. I disagree…but I respect your opinion….even though it’s wrong. 🙂 You certainly make a compelling argument in support of your contrary position. It reminds me of the Erasmus vs. Luther debate in which Erasmus argued for several hundred pages in support of the existence of a free will. Luther came back with a stunning retort: “you’re wrong.” A very convincing argument I must admit. The good thing about subjectivity is that you could debate whether the sun rises in the east and walk away thinking that both sides views should be respected. Some would say that truth matters. But does it? Derek’s right. UGA got screwed over by the nattering nabobs of ESPN. If you examine who the talking heads were it is even worse as all of them had conflicts of interest: Granny Holtz, who Georgia owned while he was at South Carolina; Herbie, who Georgia beat like a drum in a bowl game and who, like SOS, never got over it; Jesse Palmer, a GayTurd. UGA beat LSU by about 2 TDs the next season so we have some empirical reason for saying the Dawgs were better, too. (I know, I know–a different season, a different team. But we still beat ’em 5 games after the BCSNCG.) We had the best team at the end of the season and we got screwed out of the Big Game. Just ask previously undefeated Hawaii how good the Dawgs were. Oh Mayor, year after year we continue to dance this little dance. We just view the 2007 season from opposing lenses. You see a team primed and ready for the BCS title game only to be left out. On the other hand, I see a team that lost to an awful Carolina squad and to Tennessee and failed to even win their half of the division. I believe winning your division and conference means something…and no, Alabama did not earn the right to a rematch vs LSU in the title game a few short years later in my opinion. Sure LSU soared past us in the polls. Sure ESPN and their “nattering nabobs” (well done with that name by the way! I will certainly use that in the future. Giving you full credit of course.) spoke poorly of the Dawgs. But all deservedly so. Don’t lose to the Gamecocks and/or the Vols and problem solved. We can agree to disagree and move on. Actually, give former vice president Spiro Agnew credit. Mayor was quoting him with the “nattering nabobs.” Actually it’s Bill Safire’s quote. He just lent it to the soon to be disgraced former VP. Skeptic, I understand and respect the opinions of others–including you–on this issue. What I don’t get is that you always seem to hold UGA, your supposed alma mater, to a higher standard than you hold other teams. You do that consistently. For example, you and others who espouse your view that the Dawgs weren’t “good enough” and LSU was “good enough” completely ignore the fact that LSU lost to Kentucky explaining that Kentucky “was ranked as high as #7 in the nation” during that season. Well, Georgia didn’t lose to Kentucky–Georgia BEAT Kentucky that year. Some how is it that you think LSU (also a team with 2 losses) was better when the Dawgs beat one of the teams LSU lost to? Eventual MNC, two loss LSU lost their final regular season game to lowly, unranked Kentucky…at home. That’s pretty much all that needs to be said. I remember James Carvell getting on every and any tv program after that game screaming that LSU deserved to play in the BCS title game because they were undefeated in regulation play. And basically OT rules were stupid anyway and shouldn’t really count. Kentucky was ranked 17th, the game was played on 10/13 and it was in Lexington. Other than that, you nailed it. 🙂 Seriously, you’ve got that loss confused with Arkansas. Kentucky was also ranked as high as 7th that season. Well I feel like an idiot. You’re right…I did confuse UK and Ark. On second thought, f it…I’m going to take the Hugh Freeze approach here: you’re wrong and I’m right on this. You also are responsible for my recent IRS audit too. Furthermore, if you find any proof that I’m wrong, email me. Otherwise, shut up and go away. Oh yea, lat but not least — God gives us the ability to be humble and faithful and stuff. Thank you Lord! I have a hard time with 2007. In principal it was a great season but as a Georgia fan, I just can’t look past some stuff. That was the year I lost any respect I had for ESPN and Kirk Herbstreit in particular. A mere year year after Herbie was shouting for the rooftops, “Who are the two best teams RIGHT NOW?!” trying to get a national title game rematch between Michigan and Ohio State that jackass turned the Big 12 title game into a 4 hour infomercial on how LSU should leapfrog Georgia in the polls because of LSU’s body of work during the regular season. I get that Georgia had no right to be in that game. We lost to Tennessee and an inferior 6-6 South Carolina team. We made our own bed, but the hypocrisy was a bit much. I still to this day don’t get my sports news from ESPN. I just watch the games I’m interested in that they televise. I was also not happy about the Sugar Bowl that year. I felt like we got shafted in 2003 when we ended up playing a 3 loss Florida State team that was only there because the ACC was terrible that year. But that was nothing compared to seeing what was a red-hot Georgia team get saddled with showing Hawaii they don’t belong in big boy college football instead of getting to play a real team. And if misery wants some company, I’ll add that the other Sugar Bowl during the Richt era wasn’t even a real Sugar Bowl. You were given dried up ground up peaches, thrown in a bowl, and told it was sugar. Not to mention, we once again had the distinction of being an upstart’s signature win. Guarantee you some WVU blogger perpetually lists that as his favorite win in school history. /thanks a lot Katrina ALL WVU bloggers list that as their favorite win in school history. It’s the only game against a big-time opponent that they ever won. Not to mention that a 2001 Nebraska team that was blown out by Colorado in its final regular season game and that didn’t win its division either and a 2003 Oklahoma team who had been beaten 35-7 in the Big12 championship had already played in the BCS championship game. I’ve also always wondered what the difference in the “hottest” team in the country and the best team at the moment is. I disagree on UGA being red hot or being a great team at seasons end. Along with the two losses, we had an ugly, 3 point win over Vandy late in the year where they were driving late to win only to fumble it away. Then we turn around and give up 34 points to Troy and barely beat them as well. Yet, most only seem to remember the Hawaii thumping which proved just how dominant we were that year. Instead, IMO that was a very overrated team with many flaws. A lot of internal cracks were present too which really opened up in the years following. I think that team had flaws but after a disappointing Troy game Georgia won their 3 final regular season games by double digits. Two of those wins were against ranked teams. The 2008 team was certainly overrated early on but I think the way Georgia was playing at the end of 2007 they could’ve at least been competitive with anyone. I remember going to Jacksonville after the Vandy scare and beating the shit out of Florida and Timmy Tears. After that, that team was completely different and would have pounded OSU like LSU did. That team had the perpetual flaw of CMR coached teams of playing to the competition. Troy and Vandy didn’t inspire the team, so lackluster performances resulted. You can bet your ass that, had they played in a championship game, they would have come out revved up like they did in the Sugar Bowl. And I disagree that the sky is blue. That team was unbelievable after the Vandy game. The defense relaxed and let them have some points but the Troy game was never, ever in doubt. Get out of here with that trash. And that Troy teams only regular season losses were to Florida, Arkansas, and Georgia. Ok, interpret that season as you wish, but the numbers say otherwise. BTW, internally there were all sorts of issues with that team as well — it certainly wasn’t a focused group, I’ll assure you of that No, the numbers say exactly what everyone has always said about that season; that the team lost two bad early games, then got their shit together and dominated after Vandy. There is absolutely no argument against that. Please, please show me some numbers that dispute that. The UT game occurred in the middle of the season, not early, in which we were humiliated and never in the game. Both the Troy and Vandy games were ugly (Vandy was driving for winning score before fumbling, a game they had led throughout) and we stuggled to put away a mediocre at best, 6 loss GT team, in which the game was in the balance until late. UK also was a 5-6 loss team, and I think we were losing to them in the 3rd quarter before finally going ahead to win by 10 or so. You’re acting as if that team got off to a slow start, then steamrolled the rest of the way, but that was far from the case. It was anything but a great team and had many flaws. Hell, WillieMart alone as DC should pretty much silence anyone who feels otherwise. That U.K. Team lost 4 games, beat the eventual national champion, and averaged over 36 points per game. 31-17 ain’t a struggle. Georgia was number 12 in total defense in 2007, to say nothing of the second half of the season. I don’t care who’s coaching that d, 12 in the country is a good d. You keep bringing up coaches and “internal problems”. Those guys are gone, you can quit trying to get them fired. Again, yes they did catch fire the second half of the season. You only argument is “well Kentucky”. “Well coaches”. Still waiting on those numbers. I’ll save you some time. They don’t exist. I already highlighted everything for you; if you refuse to ascertain, then there is nothing else to say. Please go back and look at the box scores, and show me a dominating team. I see a two loss team that trailed Vandy until the final minutes, a team that was losing to a 5 loss on the year UK team in the 3rd, and a team that trailed a 6 loss GT team in the 2nd half as well. Pray tell, where are your so called numbers that show otherwise? …and a team that trailed a 6 loss GT team in the 2nd half as well… Not sure what box score you’re looking at, but Georgia only trailedtwice in that game and both times were in the 2nd quarter and totaled only about 4 minutes of game time. They held the halftime lead and never looked back. In the first week of the BCS rankings that season, there were two SEC East teams in the top 10. Neither of them were Florida, Georgia, or Tennessee. They knocked off #1 LSU in OT and should have knocked off a top 15 Tennessee in OT. I believe Andre Woodson broke Danny Wuerrfel’s SEC record for TD passes in a single season that year. Bill C’s S&P rankings have them as a better team than Auburn that year. Kentucky was legit in 2007. Puh-leeze about Troy. They scored a garbage TD with 5 seconds left on the clock against back-ups that made it a 10 point game. Like MGW says, y’all can keep trying to fire coaches from 2007, but that equine specimen has been dead for a long-ass time. There’s no arguing that they shit the bed with two bad losses in the first half of the season, but the team was hell on wheels after the Vandy game. The Auburn game is the loudest Sanford Stadium has ever been. The WLOCP was awfully fun. On the other hand.. the South Carolina game saw Knowshon ripping it up between the 20’s only to have the ball taken out of his hands, and the team never got off the bus in Knoxville. Truly a roller coaster season. Stafford was really bad against South Carolina that day. I still see the wheel route Stafford threw 10 feet too far ahead of a wide open knowshon in my nightmares. Ironic that we missed a wheel route given willie’s trouble defending those in other games. Regardless of the BCS issue, it is still my favorite year of Georgia football. (Says the guy who was born 3 months after we beat Notre Dame) I’ll take 2002 every day. 1980, of course, was the best season. 2002 was incredible. The end of 2012 was pretty damn awesome even with 5 yards away. The best team of the last 40 years may be a team that came up just short … 1981. That team was nasty on defense and pretty much manhandled its SEC schedule. If Erk stayed UGA would have another title or 2. ’92 and ’07 were frustrating years so close but so far away. The ’92 team ended with a win over Ohio St and the final play was a Herbstreit INT. Good times. Personally, I thought the ’82 team was the best, which made the heartbreak in the Sugar Bowl that much harder to take. That team pretty much dominated all season long and I couldn’t believe that PSU could even hang with us, much less win. That team was flawed at QB, but really good everywhere else. Any SEC Championship year for UGA was better… Corch Always liked Moreno shaking his hands as he ran back to the sidelines after the second score in the Sugar Bowl, signaling that Hawai’i didn’t belong on the same field with him. Despite what Mark May, Thom Brennaman, and other assorted halfwits were saying. 2007? Wasn’t that the year some no-name QB from TN ran the same damn wheel-route play on Willie’s D over and over again? Fond memories. Yes and Bobo was running the ball with the safeties giving up the middle of the field. I think that was ’09…UT was coached by Kiffin, which made it worse. I must be getting my beat downs confused. CMR’s motto…close… Good thing Bama nor UT never hired him there would be no cigars on the 3rd Saturday in October. *or Maybe I am not really a general football fan; maybe I am mainly a Georgia football fan, because lots of 2007 was frustrating for me. We played well for most of the season, but then there the times when we just inexplicably shit the bed. In a way, looking back, it was the beginning CMR’s inability to win games he was supposed to win (South Carolina) all the while looking great on other (Florida comes to mind). This when I recall fan frustration start to develop even if we didn’t realize it yet. I agree it was a crazy, and it gave a lot sportswriters good copy, but I am too close to UGA to consider it my favorite year. I’ll take 1980, and not just because we won but because of how we won: Undefeated year, sweet, sweet win in Jacksonville, Tech helps us get the #1 ranking but doesn’t get a win in doing so. Ahh, the schadenfreude!! Interesting observation. ’07 seemed liked the promised land was just a fortunate season away. I do admit I wanted Cox’s redshirt burned in ’05 for the national title hunt. ’08 I wasn’t that let down as I thought the OL turnover would let us down. ’10 however with UCF loss followed by ’11 with the losses to Boise St, and Michigan St really set in for me that the program couldn’t be what I knew it could be, and Richt’s best years seemed to have Jekyll and Hyde games. My biggest disappointment was not getting to go to the Rose bowl to play USC. That I agree with…should have happened I can see the point but I was so tired of the MWC and WAC talk I wanted to pummel them out of the national discussion. I think even Illinois would have at least won. Lets not get carried away here At least we beat the pants off of Hawaii. Anyone else remember hearing idiots saying they thought Hawaii deserved to be in the BCSNG game because they were undefeated? pffffft http://tucsoncitizen.com/morgue/2007/12/10/71015-hawaii-deserves-more-than-it-received-from-bcs/ “For the second year in a row, the unbeaten champion of the underrated WAC (Western Athletic Conference) has been snubbed in the college football Bowl Championship Series title game. Last year it was 12-0 Boise State. This year it is 12-0 Hawaii, which deserved better alohas than it got in the BCS selections. Sure, twice-beaten LSU and once-beaten Ohio State played tougher schedules than Hawaii. But their Jan. 7 title game doesn’t excite many fans beyond Ohio and Louisiana, even though it might be a barn-burner. Unbeaten Hawaii vs. Ohio State would have had national appeal.” I emailed Al Neuharth about once a week for half a year asking him to follow up on this after the Sugar Bowl, but he never responded. And he never will now, seeing how he’s dead. He must have been HIGH, or reading from a script….I think the latter. Or hung up on Pitt not getting their chance in 1980. I gotta admit I took pride in UGA’s winning in such a way that it showed Hawaii didn’t belong. The WAC was what the American Conference is today a good mid major that didn’t belong in the national title discussion. My lasting memory of that game was June Jones telling his team before they came out on the Superdome turf to play like they belonged. I knew at that moment we were going to absolutely smoke them because Jones knew his team was stepping into a buzz saw. That was awesome, and the other was Martinez for his faults had a defense that showed up to rattle Brennan from the opening snap. I remember Fran Tarkenton laughing his ass off after he saw our opponent in the pregame warmups and telling everyone, while on national TV, that Georgia was going to destroy them. At the time I was worried that he was a bit over confident, but later I realized that he knew a thing or two about football. I remember that. I think Jimmy Johnson said something similar before the game in a bit more diplomatic way. Pretty much said Georgia was a completely different animal from anyone Hawaii played during the season … good times. Hope to see those again soon. This will always remain my favorite college fooball season. I’m a fan of the sport outside my alma mater and this season was just so batshit crazy from start to end that it’s hard to see something like it happening again. Fartwok I remember telling a buddy before the 2007 season that the SEC would never win another NC because there were now three coaches in the league with a natty since Saban went to Bama. I was so so wrong. Damn you can tell it’s July. 2007 was 10 years ago WGAS. Amusing comments and reflections here. The biggest culprit in screwing over Georgia in the last 25 years has been Georgia. In 1992, 1997, 2002, 2007, 2012 (seeing a pattern here?), we’ve had teams, seasons that could have been magic, could have been great. But we manage to let it slip through our hands by simply playing very poorly in games where we can’t afford to. 1992 (a heartbreaking year): UF 1997: Auburn 2002: UF 2007: UT 2012: S. Carolina Here’s hoping 2017 breaks the trend (in a good way).	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0030.json.gz/line1103
__label__wiki	0.578548	0.578548	Methodology article Imputation of missing genotypes: an empirical evaluation of IMPUTE Zhenming Zhao1, Nadia Timofeev1, Stephen W Hartley1, David HK Chui2, Supan Fucharoen3, Thomas T Perls4, Martin H Steinberg2, Clinton T Baldwin2 & Paola Sebastiani1 BMC Genetics volume 9, Article number: 85 (2008) Cite this article Imputation of missing genotypes is becoming a very popular solution for synchronizing genotype data collected with different microarray platforms but the effect of ethnic background, subject ascertainment, and amount of missing data on the accuracy of imputation are not well understood. We evaluated the accuracy of the program IMPUTE to generate the genotype data of partially or fully untyped single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). The program uses a model-based approach to imputation that reconstructs the genotype distribution given a set of referent haplotypes and the observed data, and uses this distribution to compute the marginal probability of each missing genotype for each individual subject that is used to impute the missing data. We assembled genome-wide data from five different studies and three different ethnic groups comprising Caucasians, African Americans and Asians. We randomly removed genotype data and then compared the observed genotypes with those generated by IMPUTE. Our analysis shows 97% median accuracy in Caucasian subjects when less than 10% of the SNPs are untyped and missing genotypes are accepted regardless of their posterior probability. The median accuracy increases to 99% when we require 0.95 minimum posterior probability for an imputed genotype to be acceptable. The accuracy decreases to 86% or 94% when subjects are African Americans or Asians. We propose a strategy to improve the accuracy by leveraging the level of admixture in African Americans. Our analysis suggests that IMPUTE is very accurate in samples of Caucasians origin, it is slightly less accurate in samples of Asians background, but substantially less accurate in samples of admixed background such as African Americans. Sample size and ascertainment do not seem to affect the accuracy of imputation. Missing genotype data in genetic association studies is a common problem often caused by poor DNA quality and inadequate genotype calling algorithms [1], and imputation has been widely used to infer missing genotype data [2]. Strategies for imputation that are specific to genetic data leverage knowledge of linkage disequilibrium (LD) between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) to reconstruct haplotypes that are used to inform imputation. The most popular solution is implemented in fastPHASE [3], that uses a Hidden Markov model to describe the spatial distribution of clusters of haplotypes along a chromosome and reconstructs individual haplotypes from unphased genotype data using a Bayesian rule. Machine learning methods that use k-nearest-neighbor, classification and regression trees, or Bayesian networks have also been proposed to impute missing genotype data in relatively small datasets and were evaluated in [4, 5] and [6]. Sun and Kardia [7] have recently proposed a neural-network based approach and, although computationally more efficient, none of these alternative methods was able to reach the high accuracy of fastPHASE under a variety of conditions [5, 7]. Marchini et al adapted this model from haplotype to genotype data and implemented it in the software IMPUTE [1]. The algorithm in IMPUTE models the probability of the vector of genotypes G i = {Gi 1,...,G iL } at the L loci of subject i, given a set of known haplotypes H, using a Hidden Markov model with hidden states that represent pairs of haplotypes from the set H. The key feature of this method is the use of the information from all markers in LD with the SNPs to be imputed in order to infer the missing genotypes. The set of known haplotypes can be derived from publicly available data such as that created by the International HapMap project [8]. The great potential of this method is to allow investigators to synchronize genotype data that were typed using different platforms and several authors have shown that this approach increases the power of genome-wide association studies [9]. This strategy is now widely accepted and genome wide association studies that include in their analysis imputed genotype data of untyped SNPs are becoming very common [10–14]. However, the original report [1] presented results of an evaluation based on control data from the Welcome Trust Case Control Consortium [10] and focused mainly on SNPs typed with the Affymetrix 500 K array in a cohort of Caucasian subjects. Because subject ascertainment, and differences in the genetic background of study subjects and in the design of the platforms may influence the accuracy of the imputation, we decided to extend the original evaluation to include populations with different genetic backgrounds and cases of rare disease. We used publicly available genotype data from a US Caucasian population of 270 neurologically normal controls (NNC) used in [15], an African American population of 111 sickle cell anemia patients (SCA) enrolled in the Multicenter Study of Hydroxyurea [16], a US Caucasian population of 280 centenarians enrolled in the New England Centenarian Study [17] (NECS), an African American population of 258 random controls (AA) extracted from the Illumina genotype control database http://www.illumina.com, and a Thai population of 104 β-thalassemia carriers (THAI). The first data set combines genotype data from the Illumina Infinium I (human-1) and Infinium II (humanhap300-duo) platforms. The human-1 array has assays of almost 110,000 gene-centric SNPs while the humanhap300-duo array has approximately 317,000 haplotype tagging SNPs that are based on the Phase I of the International HapMap Project [8]. The two arrays represent more than 400,000 unique SNPs. All the other data sets were typed with the Illumina humanCNV 370 array with approximately 350,000 haplotype tagging SNPs selected from Phase I and II of the HapMap project. Beside their availability, the rationale to use these populations in our evaluation was based on the following observations. The NNC set represents a "referent" Caucasian group that should not be enriched with subjects having a particular disease. We included the NECS set to examine the accuracy of IMPUTE in a Caucasian population with a rare trait that is supposed to be regulated by several genes [18] so that, genetically, these subjects may be substantially different from randomly selected individuals from North America. Similarly, the AA and SCA sets are two different groups of African Americans: the former consists of randomly selected subjects with varied levels of genetic admixture between Africans and Caucasians, while the latter should comprise subjects who are genetically more homogeneous because they are all affected with SCA. This feature should make them closer to Africans [19]. The THAI set consists of subjects with a genetic background that should be different from both the Chinese Han and Japanese panel used in the HapMap project [20]. Therefore, with the exclusion of the NNC set, all the other groups have characteristics that could make them substantially distant from the HapMap panel and impact the accuracy of the imputation. We used this data to assess the extent of the accuracy claimed in the original manuscript for increasing proportions of missing data, different sample sizes and SNP selection. We started our evaluation using the NNC set (Table 1) that should be the easiest case, and chromosome 21 that is tagged by the smallest number of SNPs (~5900 in the NNC set) compared to the other chromosomes, and removed either 100% or 80% of genotype data in an increasing proportion of randomly selected SNPs. Each simulation was repeated 1,000 times, and in each set we used the program IMPUTE to fill in the missing genotypes using the haplotypes inferred with the HapMap data from Utah residents with ancestry from northern and western Europe (CEU) as the reference population. The default parameters of IMPUTE were used. In each of the 1,000 runs, we computed the proportion of genotypes that were correctly imputed compared to the observed ones and to summarize the results we estimated the final accuracy as the median proportion of correctly imputed genotypes across different runs. We used the same procedure to evaluate the accuracy of IMPUTE in the other datasets and we repeated the analysis using also chromosome 2 that is tagged by the largest set of SNPs (~29,800 in the NNC set). We used IMPUTE with and without splitting this chromosome to 10 Mb chunks. Results are in Tables 2 and 3. We used reference haplotypes from the CEU set to impute genotype data in the NECS, from the Yoruba in Ibadan (YRI) set to impute data in the SCA and AA sets, and we combined the sets of haplotypes from the Japanese in Tokyo, Japan (JPT) and the Han Chinese in Beijing, China (CHB) to impute the data in the THAI set. The effective population sizes we used were: 11418 for CEU, 17469 for YRI and 14269 for CHB/JPT. Table 1 Summary of the accuracies of IMPUTE using data from chromosome 21 in the NNC set Table 2 Impact on imputation accuracy of splitting chromosomes into chunks Table 3 Comparison of the accuracies of the imputed genotypes in different populations Table 1 shows the summary statistics of the accuracy of the method when we impute an increasing proportions of SNPs in chromosome 21 in the NNC set. The results confirm a very good accuracy of the imputation method when either 100% or 80% of genotypes are missing in up to 40% of the SNPs. In fact, more than 40% of the SNPs have to be missing to lower the median accuracy to less than 95%. The median accuracy increases to 99% when we impose a posterior probability greater than 0.95 as the threshold to accept the imputed genotypes. This increased accuracy competes with the ability to complete the data as only 71–82% of imputed genotypes were acceptable. Figure 1 shows the distribution of imputation accuracy when 100% of genotypes in 1% randomly selected SNPs were removed in the genotype data of chromosome 21 in the NNC set. The data are essentially those summarized in column 2 of Table 1 and show a clear skewness of the results with a very small number of SNPs that failed to be imputed correctly while the majority of SNPs was imputed with large accuracy. We examined 30 SNPs with very low accuracy and found that most of them are in recombination hotspots which were estimated from Phase II Hapmap data. Distribution of imputation accuracies when 1% of the SNPs were randomly selected from chromosome 21 and their genotype data completely removed in the NNC set. The results for other proportion of missing SNPs are in the supplementary material. In each of the 1,000 simulations we randomly selected 1% of the SNPs to be removed from the data and their genotype data to be imputed. The chromosome is tagged by approximately 5,900 SNPs, so that 59 SNPs were removed in each run, and 59,000 SNPs had to be imputed across all 1,000 simulations. The x-axis reports the accuracy of each of the 59,000 SNPs that were imputed in the 1,000 simulations. The y-axis reports the frequency of different imputation accuracies. In addition, Figure 2 shows the accuracy of imputed genotypes (when 1% of the SNPs on Chr21 were randomly selected and their genotype data were completely removed in NNC set) as a function of the SNPs minor allele frequency (MAF) and shows that imputation of SNPs with smaller MAF appears to be more accurate than imputation of the SNPs with larger MAF. This is consistent with our expectation and suggests that imputation of SNPs with almost uniform allele frequencies may not be reliable. We also measured the accuracy of the inferred genotypes as a function of the strength of LD. The plot in Figure 3 shows that, with the exception of a few SNPs that may be recombination hotspots, the accuracy is very high even when the target SNPs are not in strong LD (D' < 0.7) with other SNPs that are used to reconstruct the imputation model. Accuracies versus minor allele frequency (MAF), when 1% of the SNPs on Chr21 were randomly selected and their genotype data were completely removed in NNC set. The cluster of 10 points corresponds to SNPs that are in recombination hotspots. Accuracies of imputed genotypes in 59,000 SNPs (y axis) versus a summary of the LD patterns surrounding them (x axis). The summary of LD is a weighted average of the pairwise D' between each SNP to be imputed and all other SNPs in the same chromosome with weights that are calculated as w D ' = ∑ i = 1 n D i ' exp ( − d i ) MathType@MTEF@5@5@+=feaagaart1ev2aaatCvAUfKttLearuWrP9MDH5MBPbIqV92AaeXatLxBI9gBaebbnrfifHhDYfgasaacPC6xNi=xH8viVGI8Gi=hEeeu0xXdbba9frFj0xb9qqpG0dXdb9aspeI8k8fiI+fsY=rqGqVepae9pg0db9vqaiVgFr0xfr=xfr=xc9adbaqaaeGaciGaaiaabeqaaeqabiWaaaGcbaGaem4DaCNaemiraqKaei4jaCIaeyypa0ZaaabmaeaacqWGebardaWgaaWcbaGaemyAaKgabeaakiabcEcaNaWcbaGaemyAaKMaeyypa0JaeGymaedabaGaemOBa4ganiabggHiLdGccyGGLbqzcqGG4baEcqGGWbaCcqGGOaakcqGHsislcqWGKbazdaWgaaWcbaGaemyAaKgabeaakiabcMcaPaaa@4428@ . In the formula, d i is the physical distance between the SNP to be imputed and the ith SNP, in 100 kb, and d i ' is the estimate of LD between the same two SNPs. In the evaluation we chose the two proportions of 40% and 60% SNPS to be fully imputed to create the hypothetical scenario of integrating data from the Affymetrix 500 K and the Illumina 370 K arrays. The two platforms have approximately 53,200 SNPs assayed in common so that the union of SNPs in the two arrays consists of approximately 820 K SNPs, and one needs to impute 60% of the SNP to synchronize Illumina with Affymetrix data (increase from 370 K to 820 K), and 40% of the SNPs to synchronize Affymetrix with Illumina data (increase from 500 K to 820 K). We observed a median accuracy of 95.20% when imputing 40% of the SNPs, while the accuracy goes down to 91.88% when 60% of the SNPs are to be fully imputed. The first case (imputation of 40% of the SNPs) would be close to synchronizing the data generated from the Affymetrix 500 K with those generated with the Illumina 370 K array, while the second case would be close to synchronizing genotype data generated with the Illumina 370 K array with those generated with the Affymetrix 500 K platform. The accuracy slightly improves when at least 20% of the genotype data are known and this data can be used to build the imputation model. The median accuracy increases to 99% when we impose a posterior probability greater than 0.95 as the threshold to accept the imputed genotypes, but this increased accuracy again competes with the ability to complete the data as only 70–80% of imputed genotypes are acceptable. This result would suggests that some caution is needed when trying to synchronize genotype data collected with the Illumina 370 K array with those collected with the Affymetrix 500 K array. However, a serious limitation of our analysis is that we did not consider the fact that Affymetrix and Illumina use different methods to select tagging SNPs and the distribution of SNPs is not uniform on the chromosomes between these two platforms. Therefore, more evaluation is needed to really understand the reliability of synchronizing data from these two platforms. We did not see significant differences in accuracies between the simulations conducted with data from chromosomes 2 and 21 (Table 2) and this finding suggests that chromosome size and the effective number of SNPs do not interfere with the performance of the method. Table 3 reports the results of the simulations that we extended to include populations of different genetic backgrounds. Because the initial analysis in the NNC set showed little variations of the accuracy for a wide proportion of SNPs to be imputed, we chose to randomly select only 10% of the SNPs in chromosome 21 and either removed 100% of their genotype data or 80%. Compared to the results in the NNC set, the accuracies of the imputed genotypes in the NECS set are slightly lower, while the accuracies of imputed genotype data in African Americans and Asians are substantially lower (Table 2). When only 10% SNPs are completely missing, the median accuracy of IMPUTE is 85.66% in the data from random African American controls, 87.39% for the SCA set, and 94.23% for Thai samples. The accuracies increase to 96.70%, 97.22% and 98.06% if we require that the posterior probability of the imputed genotypes is at least 0.95, but again this increased precision leaves approximately 20–30% of missing data. Because both the SCA and THAI sets have a smaller sample size compared to the NNC set, we also repeated the simulations in the NNC set using a sample size comparable to the other ethnic groups to remove possible sample size effects. The analysis showed no difference in accuracies thus confirming the conjecture that the lower precision of IMPUTE in the AA and SCA sets is not due to the smaller sample size but may be a consequence of the lower representativeness of the YRI haplotypes. In addition, we tested the effect of chromosome size in SCA set by dividing Chr2 to 10 Mb chunks and did not see any obvious difference in imputation accuracies. Considering that African Americans are genetically a mixture of Africans and Caucasians, we conducted a principal component analysis (PCA) with the EIGENSTRAT program [21] to assess the degree of stratification between the samples used for imputation and the four Hapmap populations [8] (see Figure 4). PCA identifies samples with common ancestry by examining similarities across a large set of SNPs and then assigning similar values for continuous axes of variation to those samples with common ancestry. We found that the Yoruban samples are genetically closer to the SCA samples (Fst = 0.007) when compared with the AA set (Fst = 0.020). Since the Yoruban samples served as the reference population for the imputation of both the SCA and AA sets, it is not surprising that IMPUTE reaches a higher accuracy in the SCA set rather than in the AA set. This observation agrees with the conjecture that African Americans with SCA are less admixed than general African Americans [22]. The analysis also suggests a strategy to increase the imputation accuracies of genotype data from AA samples: one may use the results of PCA to partition the subjects into two clusters based on their similarity to the Caucasian and African populations of the HapMap and then impute the data using as reference haplotypes those of the closest population. We followed this heuristic and split the AA set into two groups of 35 subjects closest to the CEU cluster and 223 subjects closest to the Yoruban. As shown in Table 4, comparing to the original 85.66% accuracy, imputation of genotype data in those subjects who are close to the Yorubans reached an accuracy of 87.88% that is consistent with the results of the SCA set, and the cluster close to the CEU reached an accuracy of 97.14%. Results for the principal components analysis (PCA) assessing the degree of stratification between the samples used for imputation and the four Hapmap populations. The two panels plot the top two principal components for CEU (Purple), YRI (Red), NNC (Black), NECS (Blue), AA (Orange), SCA (Green). The left panel shows that the African Americans (orange) are more admixed as compared to the SCA (green) in the right panel. Table 4 Accuracy of imputation in samples from African Americans The computational speed and memory usage of IMPUTE depend on the sample size and chromosome length. In our cases, imputing 10% of missing SNPs on a small chromosome (such as chr21) for 270 NNC subjects took ~20 min and ~500 MB RAM. For a larger chromosome (chr2) and larger sample (such as 1,000 subjects), we had to divide the chromosomes into small chunks of 10 Mega bases, otherwise it would exceed the maximum memory of common computers. The goal of our evaluation was to assess the effect of ethnicity, ascertainment, and different SNP selection on the accuracy of imputation of unobserved SNPs. Our analysis suggests that IMPUTE is very accurate in samples of Caucasian origin, it is slightly less accurate in samples of Asian background, but substantially less accurate in samples of admixed background such as African Americans. The lower accuracy may be an effect of the choice of reference populations and the increasing numbers of control samples that are becoming available to investigators will allow the development of better reference panels and improve the results. We are currently extending our evaluation to include the program Bim-Bam [9], and MACH 1 http://www.sph.umich.edu/csg/abecasis/MACH/ that use a similar approach to impute and analyze untyped SNPs. Although we expect the accuracy of imputation to be similar, an open question is to compare the procedures implemented in these different programs to analyze imputed genotype data. We conducted a very preliminary analysis to examine whether a naive analysis of imputed data that ignores the fact that data were imputed inflates the false positive rate and the results suggest that this procedure does not inflate the false positive rate. However, a more comprehensive evaluation is needed. Although our analysis shows that imputation is feasible even for genome-wide data, an open conjecture is whether the gain of accuracy of IMPUTE, or of similar programs such as fastPHASE, compared to faster but slightly less accurate methods may not be sufficiently large to justify the computational efforts. Machine learning procedures such as KNN and general classification models that we investigated in [4] may require some intelligent search procedure to be applicable to the size of genome-wide data sets but, as we discussed in our earlier work, they have the advantage of using long range LD that can span different chromosomes. More work is however needed to make these alternative procedures applicable to genome wide data. Available at: http://155.41.217.225/impute/ Marchini J, et al: A new multipoint method for genome-wide association studies by imputation of genotypes. Nat Genet. 2007, 39 (7): 906-13. 10.1038/ng2088. Balding DJ: A tutorial on statistical methods for population association studies. Nat Rev Genet. 2006, 7 (10): 781-91. 10.1038/nrg1916. Stephens M, Scheet P: Accounting for decay of linkage disequilibrium in haplotype inference and missing-data imputation. Am J Hum Genet. 2005, 76 (3): 449-62. 10.1086/428594. Abad-Grau M, Sebastiani P: Multivariate Imputation of Genotype Data Using Short and Long Range Disequilibrium. 11th International Conference on Computer Aided Systems Theory. 2007, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain: Springer Berlin/Heidelberg Yu Z, Schaid DJ: Methods to impute missing genotypes for population data. Hum Genet. 2007, 122 (5): 495-504. 10.1007/s00439-007-0427-y. Roberts A, et al: Inferring missing genotypes in large SNP panels using fast nearest-neighbor searches over sliding windows. Bioinformatics. 2007, 23 (13): i401-7. 10.1093/bioinformatics/btm220. Sun YV, Kardia SL: Imputing missing genotypic data of single-nucleotide polymorphisms using neural networks. Eur J Hum Genet. 2008, 16 (4): 487-95. 10.1038/sj.ejhg.5201988. International HapMap Consortium: A haplotype map of the human genome. Nature. 2005, 1299-320. 10.1038/nature04226. Servin B, Stephens M: Imputation-based analysis of association studies: candidate regions and quantitative traits. PLoS Genet. 2007, 3 (7): e114-10.1371/journal.pgen.0030114. Welcome Trust Case Control Consortium: Genome-wide association study of 14,000 cases of seven common diseases and 3,000 shared controls. Nature. 2007, 447 (7145): 661-78. 10.1038/nature05911. Uda M, et al: Genome-wide association study shows BCL11A associated with persistent fetal hemoglobin and amelioration of the phenotype of beta-thalassemia. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 2008, 105 (5): 1620-5. 10.1073/pnas.0711566105. McCarthy MI, et al: Genome-wide association studies for complex traits: consensus, uncertainty and challenges. Nat Rev Genet. 2008, 9 (5): 356-69. 10.1038/nrg2344. Zeggini E, et al: Meta-analysis of genome-wide association data and large-scale replication identifies additional susceptibility loci for type 2 diabetes. Nat Genet. 2008, 40 (5): 638-45. 10.1038/ng.120. Barrett JC, et al: Genome-wide association defines more than 30 distinct susceptibility loci for Crohn's disease. Nat Genet. 2008, 40 (8): 955-62. 10.1038/ng.175. Fung HC, et al: Genome-wide genotyping in Parkinson's disease and neurologically normal controls: first stage analysis and public release of data. Lancet Neurol. 2006, 5 (11): 911-6. 10.1016/S1474-4422(06)70578-6. Charache S, et al: Design of the multicenter study of hydroxyurea in sickle cell anemia. Investigators of the Multicenter Study of Hydroxyurea. Control Clin Trials. 1995, 16 (6): 432-46. 10.1016/S0197-2456(95)00098-4. Terry DF, et al: Disentangling the roles of disability and morbidity in survival to exceptional old age. Arch Intern Med. 2008, 168 (3): 277-83. 10.1001/archinternmed.2007.75. Perls T, Kunkel LM, Puca AA: The genetics of exceptional human longevity. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2002, 50 (2): 359-68. 10.1046/j.1532-5415.2002.49283.x. 2 Beutler E, et al: Prevalence of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency in sickle-cell disease. N Engl J Med. 1974, 290 (15): 826-8. Li JZ, et al: Worldwide human relationships inferred from genome-wide patterns of variation. Science. 2008, 319 (5866): 1100-4. 10.1126/science.1153717. Price AL, et al: Principal components analysis corrects for stratification in genome-wide association studies. Nat Genet. 2006, 38 (8): 904-9. 10.1038/ng1847. Steinberg MH, et al: Disorders of Hemoglobin: Genetics, Pathophysiology, and Clinical Management. 2001, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1 The authors were supported with grants from the NIH/NHLBI R01-HL87681, and NIH/NIA 5R01AG027216. Department of Biostatistics, Boston University School of Public Health, 801 Massachusetts Avenue, Boston, MA, 02118, USA Zhenming Zhao , Nadia Timofeev , Stephen W Hartley & Paola Sebastiani Department of Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine, 72 East Concord Street, Boston, MA, 02118, USA David HK Chui , Martin H Steinberg & Clinton T Baldwin Centre for Research and Development, Medical Diagnostic Laboratories, Faculty of Associated Medical Sciences, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, 40002, Thailand Supan Fucharoen Geriatric Section, Boston Medical Center, Boston, 02118, MA, USA Thomas T Perls Search for Zhenming Zhao in: Search for Nadia Timofeev in: Search for Stephen W Hartley in: Search for David HK Chui in: Search for Supan Fucharoen in: Search for Thomas T Perls in: Search for Martin H Steinberg in: Search for Clinton T Baldwin in: Search for Paola Sebastiani in: Correspondence to Paola Sebastiani. ZZ designed, conducted and analyzed the simulations and prepared a draft of the article. NT conducted the stratification analysis and participated in the manuscript writing. SH provided data management support. DC, SF, TTP, MHS and CB provided access to data for the evaluation, helped to interpret the results and contributed to the manuscript writing. PS conceived and designed the study, coordinated the work, and participated in the interpretation of the results and the manuscript writing. All authors read and approved the final manuscript. Zhao, Z., Timofeev, N., Hartley, S.W. et al. Imputation of missing genotypes: an empirical evaluation of IMPUTE. BMC Genet 9, 85 (2008) doi:10.1186/1471-2156-9-85 Genotype Data Sickle Cell Anemia Patient Imputation Accuracy	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0030.json.gz/line1104
__label__cc	0.598269	0.401731	Film Review: A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness Release Date: 1 January 2017 (UK) Genre: Fantasy, Drama Cast: Sigourney Weaver, Liam Neeson, Felicity Jones Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ Synopsis: 12-year-old Conor (Lewis MacDougall) is dealing with far more than other boys his age. His beloved and devoted mother (Felicity Jones) is ill. He has little in common with his imperious grandmother (Sigourney Weaver). His father (Toby Kebbell) has resettled thousands of miles away. But Conor finds a most unlikly ally when the Monster (portrayed by Liam Neeson) in performance-capture and voiceover) appears at his bedroom window one night. Ancient, wild, and relentless, the Monster guides Coner on a journey of courage, faith, and truth that powerfully fuses imagination and reality. (Official Website) Review: I was invited to a preview of A Monster Calls earlier this week and was blown away by so many things in this movie! The film is based on the novel by Patrick Ness, author of bestselling Chaos Walking Trilogy. Interestingly, the idea for the novel actually belongs to Siobhan Dowd, author of classic YA books Bog Child and A Swift Pure Cry. After Dowd’s untimely death, Patrick stepped in and finished the book with credits to her idea. I have to start with the acting. I was so so impressed by Lewis MacDougall as Conor. He portrayed the anguish of a teen trying to survive school and family woes whilst dealing with his mother’s terminal illness.I was totally struck by MacDougall’s raw talent and cannot wait to see him in more things – I predict a solid rise to fame for him. 🙂 This movie has a stellar cast of big names joining MacDougall including Felicity Jones who plays her character with such grace and poise, Sigourney Weaver as the stern but beleaguered grandmother, and Liam Neeson as the Monster. They were all phenomenal in their roles, their performances, especially Jones’s, was understated and just worked. Because of the way the film was directed by J.A. Bayona, (The Orphanage) at times I completely forgot they were acting because they fully became their characters. And if you need to break things, then, by God, you break them. The novel is known for its exploration of some pretty heavy themes like illness, grief, divorce and bullying. But my absolute favorite is how it explores the grey areas of morality – how sometimes people can be both good and bad and the book does this without ever coming across as patronising. This is what I think made the novel such a winner amongst people of all ages in the first place – it truly is an important idea for all of us to understand and I think it is so bravely tackled by Ness in A Monster Calls. Although the book deals with these difficult issues the movie handles it deftly and beautifully – it was neither heavy-handed nor did it shy away from reality, exactly like in the book. I love how imagination is such a big part of this movie and it really takes you back to a time when you were younger and thought was pretty unrestricted. I felt all of the emotions during this movie – it was heartbreaking, charming, moving and magical and so many more things all at the same time. I loved how although it is a fantasy, the thing that I took from it was an exploration of what it means to be human and inherently complex. Of course you are afraid, but you will make it through, for this is why you called me… The original novel has a brilliant illustrated version with illustrations by Jim Kay. Bayona does justice to the messages in the novel and made them resonate on a grander scheme by bringing the beautiful illustrations to life in such a visual way through stunning watercolour. I was totally mesmerised during these scenes, and I found it reminiscent of the Tales of Beedle the Bard scenes in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows film – easily one of my favourite bits in the entire film series. The cinematography in this movie is done so well that at times I forgot I was in a cinema watching with lots of other people because I’d become totally immersed in the drama on screen! This is one of those movies that will stay with you long after you’ve seen it! I’ve given it 5 stars – it’s a faithful adaptation and doesn’t try to overdo the drama just because it’s on the big screen. All of the actors give solid performances and I would recommend it just for the visual smorgasboard it offers alone! Are you planning to watch A Monster Calls? Have you read the original novel by Patrick Ness? What bits are you most looking forward to seeing on screen? Drop me a comment below! dramafantasyfilm reviewPatrick Nessyoung adult	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0030.json.gz/line1111
__label__cc	0.70211	0.29789	Tag Archives: Russian soldiers Colonel – General Andrei Kartapolov ( Russia’s Western Military District Commander and The Zapad 2017 joint Russian – Belarusian military drills) – Health, Career, During Zapad – 2017 military exercises – a conquering of polish territory. What is the goal of these military drills ? New assignment connected with a new space weapon – research, sales – Syria, Africa…. – Clairvoyant reading/Psychic predictions September 15, 2017, 2pm. – by Clairvoyant House “Dimitrinka Staikova and daughters Stoyanka and Ivelina Staikova” – from Europe, Bulgaria, Varna. http://sites.google.com/site/dimitrinkastaikova. + Lt.Gen. Stephen J. Townsend (Commanding General of the XVIII Airborne Corps. and Fort Bragg) – Health, Military Exercises – tactics and performance, A big explosion, Testing of new kind of weapon – How does it looks like?, Damages, Research on the health, damage in the blood – Secrecy. What’s wrong with the military exercises. A moving… research of the weapon in water. A work abroad – Guarding – Mining at sea – Korea, China … – Clairvoyant reading/Psychic predictions September 15, 2017, 1pm. – by Clairvoyant House “Dimitrinka Staikova and daughters Stoyanka and Ivelina Staikova” – from Europe, Bulgaria, Varna. http://sites.google.com/site/dimitrinkastaikova Photo – September 5, 2017. Time – after the photo. – CLAIRVOYANT /PSYCHIC PREDICTIONS FOR SALE Colonel – General Andrei Kartapolov ( Russia’s Western Military District Commander and The Zapad 2017 joint Russian – Belarusian military drills) – Health, Career, During Zapad – 2017 military exercises – a conquering of polish territory. What is the goal of these military drills ? New assignment connected with a new space weapon – research, sales – Syria, Africa…. – Clairvoyant reading/Psychic predictions September 15, 2017, 2pm. – by Clairvoyant House “Dimitrinka Staikova and daughters Stoyanka and Ivelina Staikova” – from Europe, Bulgaria, Varna. Lt.Gen. Stephen J. Townsend (Commanding General of the XVIII Airborne Corps. and Fort Bragg) – Health, Military Exercises – tactics and performance, A big explosion, Testing of new kind of weapon – How does it looks like?, Damages, Research on the health, damage in the blood – Secrecy. What’s wrong with the military exercises. A moving… research of the weapon in water. A work abroad – Guarding – Mining at sea – Korea, China … – Clairvoyant reading/Psychic predictions September 15, 2017, 1pm. – by Clairvoyant House “Dimitrinka Staikova and daughters Stoyanka and Ivelina Staikova” – from Europe, Bulgaria, Varna. Photo – September 5, 2017. Time – after the photo. + free gift from us – Part of the Ebook and Paperback book : The End of the World – Casus Belli, Operation “J” – Clairvoyant Predictions about : Rex Tillerson, Mike Pence, General Valery Gerasimov, General Joseph Dunford, Recep Erdogan , Gen. Herbert McMaster, the secrets of Smithsonian Institution, the war in Syria, Turkey, Iraq… Valery Gerasimov (Russian General, Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Russia and Deputy Defence Minister) – The War in Syria – optical illusion, Weapons in Turkey, USA – paying a damage, Observation of activity and movement of a star when is near the Moon, Clairvoyant Calendar year 2017, Health – Clairvoyant predictions February 23, 2017 – by Clairvoyant House ” Dimitrinka Staikova and daughters Stoyanka and Ivelina Staikova” – from Europe, Bulgaria, Varna. General Joseph Dunford ( US General, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff ) – Meeting of US,Russian chiefs of general staff – Negotiation with the Russians : about the stopping of russian flights above anerican ships, about flights in Syria, about american troops in Syria. Negotiations for american base in Azerbaijan…. When there will be a military coup in USA and when Donald Trump will be overthrown ? – Clairvoyant predictionsFebruary 25, 2017 – – by Clairvoyant House ” Dimitrinka Staikova and daughters Stoyanka and Ivelina Staikova” – from Europe, Bulgaria, Varna. Army Lt. Gen. Herbert McMaster (Trump’s new National Security Adviser) – Health, Strong and Soft spots, Clairvoyant Calendar 2017 – problems with China, Russia, the health of Donald Trump, public contract. When he will negotiate for the peace in the country and when he will kill the plotters? Financial problems – when will be ahead of war with China and Russia – Clairvoyant predictions February 27, 2017, 10 am. – by Clairvoyant House ” Dimitrinka Staikova and daughters Stoyanka and Ivelina Staikova” – from Europe, Bulgaria, Varna. This entry was posted in Bank of England, banks, Da'esh, Devlet Bahceli, George Soros, Hillary Clinton, Isis, terrorism, Turkey, Uncategorized, US Election 2016, World Predictions 2017 and tagged "the biggest army training event in the current year, #Austria, #Estonia, #FY18NDAA, 82nd Airborne Division, a military coup in USA, a spokesman for USASOC, A stealing, a travel, airborne operations, alien gene, Alien Generator for Electricity, american base in Azerbaijan, American soldiers, american troops in Syria, an attempt for murder, and also at the Luzhsky, and the Ministry of Emergency Situations (MChS), Andrei Kartapolov, Andrey Karlov, Archaeological complex in Ireland, armed conflicts, Army base, Army Forces Command, Army Lt. Gen. 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Wars, production of electricity, Prof. Peter Breunig, Protests in USA, psychic predictions, public contract, putin, Recep Erdogan, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, refugees, relics, Rex Tillerson, Russia, Russia's U.N. Ambassador, Russia’s Baltic exclave of Kaliningrad, Russian Armed Forces, Russian chief of General Staff, Russian chiefs of general staff, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, Russian Defense Ministry, Russian Deputy Defense Minister Alexander Fomin, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexei Meshkov, russian flights above american ships, Russian General, Russian military command, Russian military involvement in Donbas, Russian military operation in Syria, Russian officials, russian rockets and weapons, Russian soldiers, Russian threat, Russian troops, Russian weapons, Ruzhansky, searching of oil and gas, secret information, Secretary of Smithsonian Institution, Sen. John McCain, separated on two, Serbia, servicemembers, shareholders, Singapore, Singaporean presidential election 2017, Smithsonian Institution, soft spots, Special Operations Command, Staff Sgt. Alexander P. Dalida, Stone of Destiny, Stoyanka Staikova, Strategic War Game Zapad 2017, Strong and Soft spots, Strugi Krasnye, Syria, Syria future elections, Syrian civil war, tanks, terrorism-related activities, terrorists, The beginning, the election, The End of the World, the General Staff of the Union State, the health of Donald Trump, the Hill of Tara, The Killer, the largest military installation in the world, The lost Amber Room, the lost bones, The magnetic pole of the Earth, the Ministry of Interior (MVD), the Moon, the National Guard, The new history, the peace in the country, The Planet Earth, the plotters, the Republic of Belarus, the Republic of China, the Russian ambassador in Turkey, the secrets, the secrets of Smithsonian Institution, The Spear of Destiny, The Third Reich, the war in Syria, the whole world, The World Year 2017, training exercises, training field at Fort Bragg, Trump's new National Security Adviser, Tsai Ing-wen, TTIP, Turkey, Turkish Stream, Ukraine, UN, Union State of Russia and Belarus, United States Secretary of State, US Army Special Operations Command, US Army Special Operations Command (USASOC), US General, US military bases, USA, USA - paying a damage, USASOC, Valery Gerasimov, Very Expensive, Vice President of USA, Vitaly Churkin, volcanic eruptions, War in Syria, war with China and Russia, warplanes, Weapons in Turkey, West 2017, Western military observers, when Donald Trump will be overthrown, Womack Army Medical Center, World Predictions 2017, WRAL News, XVIII Airborne Corps, Yaacob Ibrahim Singaporean politican, Yves Shandelon, Zapad - 2017, Zapad scenario, Zapad-2017 strategic exercise on September 15, 2017 by Clairvoyant Dimitrinka Staikova. Media Confirmation about Severe battles in Syria – The air and the ground will become black – as predicted by Clairvoyant/Psychic Dimitrinka Staikova in her Ebook : War,Money,Power :TTIP, Turkish Stream and World Predictions 2016 for USA,FBI,CIA,The Spear of Destiny and the Crown by Clairvoyants Ivelina Staikova and Dimitrinka Staikova Media Confirmation about Severe battles in Syria – The air and the ground will become black – as predicted by Clairvoyant/Psychic Dimitrinka Staikova in her Ebook : War,Money,Power :TTIP, Turkish Stream and World Predictions 2016 for USA,FBI,CIA,The Spear of Destiny and the Crown by Clairvoyants Ivelina Staikova and Dimitrinka Staikova Buy the Ebook from the authors :http://sites.google.com/site/dimitrinkastaikova Buy the Ebook from Amazon : https://www.amazon.com/War-Money-Power-Predictions-Clairvoyants-ebook/dp/B01496BJF0/ This is only a part of the clairvoyant/psychic prediction Jens Stoltenber (Secretary General of NATO) -“Wars : Iraq,Syria,Turkey,Israel,Egypt,Iran,Russia,ISIS and PKK -and their future through through the eyes of Jens Stoltenberg- Clairvoyant/Psychic Predictions by Clairvoyant House ” Dimitrinka Staikova and daughters Stoyanka and Ivelina Staikova” – from Europe,Bulgaria,Varna – August 11 year 2015,3pm. Double war: on the border of Turkey and in Iraq encloses Syria and joins (unites) the wars. Three big countries are included, but only Turkey will lead the war in Syria. NATO is starting new stage of the wars – integration (unification). The unificating element is Syria.Turkey is cleaning its territories by the kurds – then passes in advance in Syria. They will stop on a stage – contractual in NATO. But what is really interesting for them is the energy field – oil field. There i see to stop their invasion. There are upcoming hard combats (battles) for that oil field. There are also included american soldiers, i see also battles consequently with ISIS, with russian soldiers and with soldiers of the Syrian Army. Iran is using a threating note and opens a corridor. The army equipment will enter in Syria through the borders of Iran. The first victory is for NATO. In the next two days after that are starting new battles. There will be withdrawal of the turkish army and with american soldiers. The battle will be terrible by air and overland. The air and the ground will become black, the land will be covered with killed people. Photos of that battle will be seen in the whole world. Turkey will go back in its territory expecting the new battle. NATO allowed to Turkey to deal with PKK (The Kurdistan Worker’s Party) – To kill them. ….. Syrian government and rebels trade gas attack claims http://home.bt.com/news/world-news/syrian-government-and-rebels-trade-gas-attack-claims-11364077072951 On Tuesday, residents of the rebel-held parts of Aleppo returned to burning tyres, sending up big plumes of black smoke in the hope of preventing air strikes. Interview: Syrian army’s progress in Aleppo could entirely change conflict map: expert Source: Xinhua 2016-08-03 04:49:57 http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2016-08/03/c_135558970.htm The Turkish coup has made Ankara busy rearranging its inner home, which led to lifting the cover from the rebels, who were largely supported by Turkey. This entry was posted in Uncategorized and tagged air strikes, al-Amerieh, al-Qaida, al-Ramouseh, al-Sukkari, Aleppo, Aleppo city, amazon, American soldiers, Ankara, anti-government activists, Assad, Atareb, Bani Zaid area, battle, bbc, Bilderberg group, billionaires, bomb attack, BRUSSELS ATTACKS, business, Castello road, chemical weapons, chlorine gas attack, Clairvoyant, Clairvoyants ebook, cnn, Confirmation, Cyprus, Damascus, Davutoglu, dimitrinka staikova, Donald Trump, ebooks, Erdogan, failed coup attempt in Turkey, gas attack, government forces, Health diagnosis, Hillary Clinton, Idlib province, invasion, Iraq, Isis, Israel, Ivelina Staikova, Jens Stoltenberg, Levant Conquest Front, Local Coordination Committees, Lybia, Manuel Valls, MH370, migrant crisis, military progress in Aleppo, money, NATO, natural gas, news, Nicos Anastasiades, northern province of Aleppo, Obama, oil, oil field, Peace, Politicians, President Barack Obama, President Bashar al-Assad', progress in Aleppo, Psychic, psychic predictions, Rebel fire, Rebel sources, rebel-held parts of Aleppo, rebels, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, refugees, Reuters, royal family, Russia, Russian army, Russian forces, Russian soldiers, Saraqib, Secretary General of Nato, severe breathing difficulties, Smashwords, state news agency SANA, Stephen Hawking, Syria, Syria's state news agency, syrian army, Syrian army's progress in Aleppo, Syrian authorities, Syrian crisis, Syrian government, Syrian government air strikes, Syrian political expert, syrian rebels, terrorism, terrorist groups, the Nusra Front, the rebellion in Aleppo, The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, The Turkish coup, The United Nations, toxic gas attacks, tunnel bomb, Turkey, Uncategorized, unguided barrel bombs, Us Elections 2016, USA, victims of a gas attack, war, Washington, Western powers, world news, world predictions, World Predictions 2015, world predictions that came true, Xinhua on August 3, 2016 by Clairvoyant Dimitrinka Staikova.	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0030.json.gz/line1121
__label__wiki	0.779064	0.779064	Tag Archives: US Embassy Budapest 15th Anniversary: September 11 Remembrances Around the Foreign Service September 12, 2016 By domani spero in Americans Abroad, Foreign Service, Memorial, Social Media, U.S. Missions Tags: 9/11, 9/11 Anniversary, US Consulate Halifax, US Consulate Munich, US Consulate Vancouver, US Embassy Budapest, US Embassy Djibouti, US Embassy Dublin, US Embassy London, US Embassy Montevideo, US Embassy Prague, US Embassy San Jose, US Embassy Wellington 1 Comment Posted: 12:56 am ET US Embassy Wellington, New Zealand 1103 stairs/51 flights/25kgs/ Remembering 343 @FDNY & 56 @NZFireService – heartwarming seeing Kiwis honor our finest pic.twitter.com/5E6oS36Otu — Mark Gilbert (@ambmarkgilbert) September 11, 2016 US Embassy San Jose, Costa Rica Embajada y Municipalidad de Montes Oca embellecieron Parque Kennedy #Honor911 #DíaNacionaldelServicio pic.twitter.com/RISeVPBqS2 — US Embassy San Jose (@usembassysjo) September 11, 2016 US Embassy Dublin, Ireland We had the honour to be invited to the @USEmbassyDublin residence for a 9/11 memorial service. #NeverForget pic.twitter.com/e7dha8zFYM — Du_lin Fire _rig_de (@DubFireBrigade) September 11, 2016 US Consulate Vancouver, Canada Remembering 9/11 at Peace Arch w/ @HarjitSajjan, law enforcement & citizens on both sides of border.#NeverForget -CG pic.twitter.com/wmx6a9S9hE — USConsulateVancouver (@usconsvancouver) September 11, 2016 US Embassy Prague, Czech Republic On 15th anniversary of Sept 11 attacks – remembrance ceremony at Firefighters’ Memorial, Kampa, Prague. #NeverForget pic.twitter.com/KjfSHflqRx — Andrew Schapiro (@AndySchapiro) September 11, 2016 US Embassy Warsaw, Poland Uroczystości upamiętniające ataki na USA z 11 września w parku Skaryszewskim #NeverForget #11września #September11 pic.twitter.com/KKSO2GFtKp — Strazacki.pl (@Strazacki) September 11, 2016 US Embassy London, UK We remember those killed on 9/11 & resolve to work with each other to forge a brighter future together #DayofService pic.twitter.com/WUJAgzTIZC — U.S. Embassy London (@USAinUK) September 9, 2016 US Embassy Budapest, Hungary In honor of the Ntl. Day of Service our DCM David Kostelancik is donating blood at our 9/11 Memorial Blood Drive. pic.twitter.com/v0JauMr5XA — US Embassy Budapest (@usembbudapest) September 9, 2016 US Embassy Montevideo, Uruguay #PatriotDay and National Day of Service and Remembrance at U.S. Embassy Montevideo #neverforget pic.twitter.com/Aeqr3nNkIX — U.S. Embassy Uruguay (@usembassyMVD) September 11, 2016 US Consulate Munich, Germany Remembering 9/11 and 3000 lost souls. @usconsmunich displays letters from Bavarian school children in response. pic.twitter.com/LUiP9TslGC — Jen Gavito (@fsjen) September 11, 2016 US Consulate Halifax, Canada The people of Atlantic Canada continue to be recognized for the outstanding support provided on & after #September11 https://t.co/b3zrly0LPM — USConsulateHalifax (@usconshalifax) September 9, 2016 U.S. Embassy Djibouti, Djibouti Privileged to witness a very moving ceremony to commemorate 9/11 at Camp Lemonnier @CJTFHOA today. #NeverForget pic.twitter.com/CaFBF11zQz — Tom Kelly (@USAmbDjibouti) September 11, 2016 US Embassy Budapest Issues Alert on Railway Station, Silent on Refugee/Migration Crisis on Doorstep September 4, 2015 By domani spero in Ambassadors, Foreign Affairs, Hall of Shame, Huh? News, Migration, Realities of the FS, Refugees, Social Media, State Department, U.S. Missions Tags: Colleen Bell, Hungary, John Kirby, Refugees and Migration, US Embassy Budapest 1 Comment Posted: 6:37 pm EDT The UNCHR in Budapest, Hungary writes that — an angry confrontation between police and refugees on a blocked train just outside Budapest; a makeshift camp of stranded Syrians, Afghans and others at the capital’s main railway station; more than 2,000 refugees crossing into the country from Serbia each day –the contours of Europe’s refugee and migration crisis are growing and shifting. It describes the concourse in front of the main Keleti train station in Budapest as resembling a sad, makeshift campsite. “More than 2,000 people slept there overnight, a few in small tents, some with blankets and air mattresses, many on the cement floor covered in nothing but their clothes.” @usembbudapest plz help resolve by this time next week, k thx pic.twitter.com/L1VQvbizW0 — Paddy (@paddyls) September 1, 2015 @WhiteHouse @BarackObama @usembbudapest We need help here, this is getting worse, watch, hundreds could die! pic.twitter.com/qorA1cHzLh — Theo Basch (@OrlandoBSL3Labs) August 28, 2015 Hungary accused of treating refugees inhumanely as migration crisis worsens http://t.co/ViEq7y1avY pic.twitter.com/RsKtcPVdeX — The Telegraph (@Telegraph) August 28, 2015 Hungary seals off Budapest train station to migrants and refugees: http://t.co/V7ILXb7oMW pic.twitter.com/Jc9oUL3qSr — VICE News (@vicenews) September 2, 2015 Why won’t #Hungary let @HRW visit this centre for #refugees? https://t.co/A0aau6JEmW — Andrew Stroehlein (@astroehlein) September 2, 2015 This GIF Shows Just How Big The Refugee Crisis Has Grown Since 2011 http://t.co/HEjxHd2toU pic.twitter.com/qKnTVk7TJK — Michael Rusch (@weeddude) September 4, 2015 On September 3, the U.S. Embassy in Hungary issued an alert concerning the migrants at the the Keleti Railway Station. This is about the only statement we could locate concerning the refugee crisis in its host country: The U.S. Embassy advises all U.S. citizens in Hungary to be alert when traveling through the Keleti Railway Station (Palyaudvar). Increasing numbers of migrants in and around the station have resulted in large crowds in public spaces. Although these crowds have occasionally confronted police, demonstrations have been peaceful, and the presence of migrants has not led to a rise in crime, violent or otherwise. However, even demonstrations intended to be peaceful can turn confrontational and escalate into violence. You should avoid areas of demonstrations, and exercise caution if in the vicinity of any large gatherings, protests, or demonstrations. Rail passengers should be prepared to show their passports to be admitted to the trains and platforms. Rail traffic to and from the station has been subject to significant delays. In some cases, departures have been cancelled. On the same day when Hungary was accused of inhumane treatment of refugees, Embassy Budapest tweeted this: One American poll lists #Budapest as among the world’s “most photographed cities”… Learn more here: http://t.co/70GJ8TRxUr — US Embassy Budapest (@usembbudapest) August 28, 2015 A couple of weeks earlier, the U.S. Ambassador to Hungary Colleen Bell toured Hungary’s majestic caves: Ambassador Bell @usembbudapest visits majestic caves of #Aggtelek #NationalPark. Thanks Facebook fans for suggestion. pic.twitter.com/awM3XvMTBS — USGov ESTH CEEurope (@REHBudapest) August 21, 2015 An FB commenter writes to Embassy Budapest: Ambassador Bell, by not speaking against Hungary’s regressive and inhuman actions on refugees you are proving all the charges that you are an ineffective diplomat and mere window dressing. Perhaps you should join Donald Trump’s campaign. Hungary needs to become the great country she could be, not revert to her infamous policies of the 20th Century. Two days ago, this photo shocked the world: Why I shared a horrific picture of drowned #SyrianRefugee toddler today. #Syrianlivesmatter. https://t.co/XoquSDIhUt pic.twitter.com/vQWxJhrLM6 — Peter Bouckaert (@bouckap) September 2, 2015 On September 3, the State Department spox tweeted this: We recognize urgency of refugee situation in Europe. Images shocking. Support efforts of nations & EU to address in comprehensive manner. — John Kirby (@statedeptspox) September 4, 2015 The latest from Embassy Budapest today is learning more about @statedept programs that support the conservation of culture, urging, “Follow @HeritageatState!” Tudj meg többet a kultúra megőrzését támogató @statedept programokról! Kövesd a @HeritageatState-et! On Facebook, there is a ‪#‎USAfridayQUIZ‬. Photo of the Day: Amb. Bell With Team USA at the U.S.-Hungary Water Polo Match February 23, 2015 By domani spero in Ambassadors, Americans Abroad, Diplomatic Life, EUR\|Europe, Photo of the Day, Public Diplomacy, U.S. Missions Tags: Colleen Bradley Bell, Hungary, Photo of the Day, Team USA, US Embassy Budapest Posted: 00:54 EST Via US Embassy Budapest: Ambassador Colleen Bell at the U.S.-Hungary Water Polo Match. See related story over at the USA Water Polo website. Dr. Dénes Kemény of the Hungarian Water Polo Federation (http://ow.ly/J3r6T), invited Ambassador Colleen Bell to be his guest during last night’s match between the U.S. and Hungary at the 2015 Volvo Cup. The American team (http://ow.ly/J3rbu) lost to their Hungarian hosts, but they played a great game according to the US Embassy! Photo by US Embassy Budapest/FB US Embassy Hungary: DCM M. André Goodfriend to Depart Post After Only 18 Months February 17, 2015 By domani spero in Ambassadors, DCM, EUR\|Europe, Foreign Service, FSOs, Leadership and Management, Realities of the FS, Social Media, Staffing the FS, U.S. Missions Tags: Colleen Bell, Hungary, M. Andre Goodfriend, Staffing Gaps, US Embassy Budapest 1 Comment M. André Goodfriend has served as Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Budapest since August 2013 . Pending the confirmation of the new ambassador, he was Embassy Budapest’s chargé d’affaires. Last month, he tweeted this: Preparing to welcome Ambassador Bell this week. Anticipating many opportunities for positive, constructive movement forward in relations. — M. Andre Goodfriend (@GoodfriendMA) January 17, 2015 On February 13, less than a month after Ambassador Bell’s arrival in Budapest, Mr. Goodfriend tweeted this: Friends, not as an official, but a person, I am overwhelmed by warm farewells. Honored to have been with you. Thank you. Viszontlátásra — M. Andre Goodfriend (@GoodfriendMA) February 13, 2015 Politics.hu notes that the embassy’s twitter feed had not acknowledged Goodfriend’s departure. Neither the embassy website nor its Facebook page carried any announcement about his departure prompting an FB user to write: No post about Mr. Goodfriend leaving Budapest? Why not? He has become a sort of iconic figure representing the tolerant and smart politics, which has been missing in and around Hungarian leadership. I think that it is a mistake to let him go. His political wisdom, experience and insight will be missed, I am sure. Mr. Goodfriend is a career diplomat, and the typical length of assignments, particularly in European posts like Budapest is three years. Budapest is a 5% COLA post, with zero hardship and zero danger pay. It appears that Mr. Goodfriend is leaving post 18 months short of a full tour. We’ve asked the U.S. Embassy Budapest via Twitter and email the reason for this early departure and we were told by Embassy Spokesperson Elizabeth Webster on February 14 that they normally do not issue press releases when personnel depart post; however, they made the following statement available to the media upon request: “DCM Andre Goodfriend is departing his posting in Hungary to return to the United States for family reasons. Mr. Goodfriend served nearly 18 months as chargé d’affaires of the U.S. Embassy in Budapest during a time of significant developments in Hungary and in our bilateral relations. Enjoying the full support of senior leadership in Washington, he did an excellent job of promoting and explaining U.S. policy in public and in private. We ask for the media to respect the privacy of the Goodfriend family.” To Hungary, to Hungary in January — Ambassador Bell sworn-in December 29, 2014 By domani spero in Ambassadors, Appointments, Celebrity, Political Appointees, U.S. Missions Tags: Charles Rivkin, Colleen Bell, Colleen Bradley Bell, Hungary, swearing-in, Tweet of the Day, US Embassy Budapest — Domani Spero Colleen Bell, the new US ambassador to Hungary (and of “Bold and Beautiful” notoriety) gets sworn in today at the State Dept. — Ali Weinberg (@AliABCNews) December 16, 2014 We don’t know who administered the oath of office, it looks like that official was cut off from the photo below except for his arm. According to the official schedule, the swearing-in ceremony at the Department of State was attended by Assistant Secretary for Economic and Business Affairs Charles Rivkin but it was otherwise closed to the press. We look forward to welcoming Ambassador Bell and her family to Hungary in January! Photo: swearing-in ceremony http://t.co/FCk9PHqqOk — US Embassy Budapest (@usembbudapest) December 26, 2014 Photo via US Embassy Hungary/FB High Drama in Hungary Awaits New American Ambassador December 15, 2014 By domani spero in Ambassadors, DCM, Diplomacy, Diplomatic Immunity, Diplomatic Life, Foreign Affairs, Foreign Service, FSOs, Political Appointees, Realities of the FS, Staffing the FS, State Department, U.S. Missions, Visas Tags: Anti-Kleptocracy Provision of January 12 2004, Colleen Bell, Hungary, John McCain, M. Andre Goodfriend, The Colbert Report, US Embassy Budapest, Viktor Orban 1 Comment This past October, the U.S. Embassy in Hungary released the following statement: The U.S. Embassy is not aware of any NAV investigations into US businesses or institutions in Hungary and no U.S. actions have been taken as the result of any such investigations. The U.S. takes corruption seriously. The U.S. Department of Justice has established an anti-kleptocracy unit to expand capacity to pursue cases in which ill-gotten wealth overseas is found to have a U.S. connection. Certain Hungarian individuals have been found ineligible to enter the United States as the result of credible information that those individuals are either engaging in or benefiting from corruption. This was a decision by the Department of State under the authority of Presidential Proclamation Number 7750 and its Anti-Kleptocracy Provision of January 12, 2004. Criminal proceedings are up to the host nation to pursue. U.S. privacy laws prohibit us from disclosing the names of the individuals involved. No one is above the law. The United States shares Hungary’s view of “zero tolerance” of corruption. Addressing corruption requires a healthy system of checks, balances and transparency. The U.S. Government action related to Hungarian individuals is not a Hungary-specific measure, but part of an intensified U.S. focus on combating corruption, a fundamental obstacle to good governance, transparency and democratic values. The Budapest Beacon reported that ten Hungarian officials and associates have been banned for travel to the United States including individuals close to Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. Yup, the same one Senator McCain called a “neo-fascist dictator. And the reason Chargé d’Affaires André Goodfriend, our acting ambassador at the U.S. Embassy in Budapest was summoned to Hungary’s Foreign Ministry. Last month, Hungary Today citing reports from Portfolio.hu has reported, said that the head of National Tax and Customs Administration of Hungary (NAV), Ildikó Vida had revealed that she and some of her colleagues are among those state officials that were banned by Washington from travelling to the United States. “The visa ban has nothing to do with politics” – @GoodfriendMA interview http://t.co/qpTgXBZK1H — Hungary Today (@HungaryToday) November 4, 2014 Had a rather unexpected visit from the tax authorities today… — M. Andre Goodfriend (@GoodfriendMA) November 10, 2014 Orbán tells NAV head ‘sue Goodfriend or you’re fired!’ – The Budapest Beacon http://t.co/iilu9ovJdw — Diplopundit (@Diplopundit) December 14, 2014 Orbán also criticized Goodfriend for accusing a government official of corruption “while hiding behind diplomatic immunity”. Orbán called on Goodfriend to “be a man and take responsibility for his accusations” by agreeing to allow himself to be sued in a Hungarian court for defamation. “In Hungary, if someone is proven to have been involved in corruption, we don’t replace that person but lock them up,” said the prime minister, neglecting to mention the fact that a similar fate awaits people convicted of defaming public officials. Later in the day the head of the Fidesz caucus, Antal Rogán, an authority on corruption, told the Hungarian News Service that Goodfriend could prove to a Hungarian court of law if Vida was guilty of corruption, “but that this would first involve the US agreeing to lift his diplomatic immunity”. Right and she did not want to be fired. As can be expected, the tax office (NAV) chief Ildikó Vida filed a defamation lawsuit against US embassy chargé d’affaires André Goodfriend. According to Hungary Today, the complaint was filed with the prosecutor’s investigations office on the ground of “public defamation causing serious damage,” a NAV lawyer said. Rather odd series of events between Hungary and the U.S. in last couple of weeks. http://t.co/GFjjpChke0 — Anup Kaphle (@AnupKaphle) December 11, 2014 The Financial Review notes that growing anti-government protests in the country may become another battleground between Europe and Russia. Several protests in the last few months over corruption, internet tax plan, private pensions, etcetera. The Review suggests that these protests against an increasingly pro-Russian leadership, raised questions about whether the former communist nation could become the next Ukraine. Amidst this, the U.S. Senate confirmed President Obama’s nominee to be ambassador to Hungary, and The Colbert Report noticed. Watching The Colbert Report: Obama’s Bold and Beautiful Ambassador Pick on @hulu http://t.co/17MNnzx0g9 — Anne (@anne79195328) December 6, 2014 Mr. Colbert notes that “The Bold And The Beautiful is perfect training to be an ambassador. Hungary is a region rife with drama and constant threat of violence — exactly the situation the Forrester family routinely handles from their palatial estate while simultaneously running their fashion empire.” As if that’s not enough, there are also some suggestions floating around the net on how Viktor Orbán can best use the Colleen Bell fiasco to screw the US and its liberal allies in Hungary. It includes wining and dining, and those are the nicer parts. Meanwhile, @GoodfriendMA is going about his business, checking out the Christmas markets in Budapest and awaiting the arrival of his new boss. Had a chance to walk around #Budapest today and visit some of the bustling Christmas markets pic.twitter.com/rm5Z7M4X36 — M. Andre Goodfriend (@GoodfriendMA) December 13, 2014 US Embassy Hungary: A well managed, productive mission awaits Ambassador Colleen Bell December 3, 2014 By domani spero in Ambassadors, DCM, Foreign Service, Leadership and Management, Media, Obama, Political Appointees, Realities of the FS, Social Media, Staffing the FS, State Department, U.S. Missions Tags: charge d’affaires, Chris Murphy, Colleen Bradley Bell, Daniel W. Drezner, David Rothkopf, Hungary, Jeffrey Goldberg, John McCain, M. Andre Goodfriend, Mark Leibovich, The Bold and the Beautiful, U.S. Senators, US Embassy Budapest, Viktor Orban 4 Comments So apparently, Senator John McCain led a CODEL to the Munich Security Conference a couple weeks back last February and made a four-hour side trip to Budapest. Bloomberg View’s Jeffrey Goldberg writes that, he suspect, though he could not prove it, that the good senator from Arizona decided to meet with two dozen Hungarian journalists in Budapest mainly so that the delegation would be asked questions about a woman named Colleen Bell. Who is Colleen Bell? Bell is a soap opera producer — “The Bold and the Beautiful” is her masterwork — who was nominated by Barack Obama’s administration to serve as U.S. ambassador to Hungary. Bell, one of Obama’s larger fundraising “bundlers,” bought this nomination with more than $500,000 of mostly other people’s money. In Budapest, they’re highly interested in her. When a reporter, early in the press conference, asked McCain about Bell, a devilish smile played across his face. “We’re very fortunate,” he said, “to have with us today the chairman of the committee that holds the hearings that these nominees come before, and that is Senator Murphy, and he is very knowledgeable about these issues.” Three things then happened. First, most everyone at the press conference laughed. Second, one of the people who didn’t laugh, the aforementioned Senator Chris Murphy, a freshman Democrat from Connecticut, approached the podium as if it were covered in rat poison. Third, McCain winked — not at all subtly — at the three American journalists sitting in the front row. This is a pretty hilarious piece, although definitely not/not hilarious if you are Colleen Bell. Just imagine being in her shoes — you have yet to arrived at your host country and a couple dozen journalists who presumably will cover your tenure in Budapest, were already laughing at your expense. Reax via Twitter: NYT’s Mark Leibovich, author of This Town, Two Parties and a Funeral — Plus Plenty of Valet Parking! — in America’s Gilded Capital says: McCain and Goldberg in full bloom // Depressingly hilarious look at America’s Woman to See in Hungary. http://t.co/evYjpX2lcT — Mark Leibovich (@MarkLeibovich) December 2, 2014 FP’s David Rothkopf thought this is bad news but …. Bad news: Obama is selling ambassadorships. Good news: It’s hilarious. Great piece by @jeffreygoldberg. http://t.co/GNqNV5OiZy via @BV — David Rothkopf (@djrothkopf) December 3, 2014 World News Tonight ponders the how: How did a soap opera producer become the new ambassador to Hungary? http://t.co/xxC9VjGjgT pic.twitter.com/qEohX1bcRc — World News Tonight (@WNTonight) December 2, 2014 Fox News talks credentials: Senate confirms #Obama bundlers to ambassador posts, despite objections over credentials: http://t.co/F3VLOoWe8m via @foxnewspolitics — Fox News (@FoxNews) December 2, 2014 WaPo’s Daniel W. Drezner reacts to WH spox spin about this nominee. Really a bad sign when the spox pulls out the “I wasn’t part of this decision process” excuse. The dudester is … who the heck expects the spokesman, even of the White House to be involved in the deliberation of ambassadorships? God, this is just f**king embarrassing: http://t.co/onVXCzw3Jk (via @jonkarl) — Daniel Drezner (@dandrezner) December 2, 2014 Oh, John McCain. The former straight talker, and former presidential contender, is apparently not happy about this nominee according to ABC News. Although, we’re not sure if the senator has been happy about anything since 2008. Soap Opera Producer Is Now an Ambassador and John McCain Isn’t Happy – ABC News http://t.co/skzXWzJaKO via @ABC — Diplopundit (@Diplopundit) December 3, 2014 “We’re about to vote on a totally unqualified individual to be ambassador to a nation which is very important to our national security interests,” he said. “I am not against political appointees … but here we are, a nation that’s on the verge of seceded its sovereignty to a neo-fascist dictator getting in bed with Vladimir Putin and we’re gonna send the producer of ‘The Bold and the Beautiful’ as our ambassador,” McCain said. (via) Isn’t our capital city just the most marvelously enchanting reality show ever? But there’s more. Today, Reuters is reporting that Hungary’s Foreign Ministry summoned Chargé d’Affaires André Goodfriend, our acting ambassador at the U.S. Embassy in Budapest over comments made by Senator McCain on Tuesday, calling Prime Minister Viktor Orban a “neo-fascist dictator.” This, we suspect, will not/not be a boring tour. The next time Senator McCain rants about Hungary, the MFA will be calling in the new ambassador. It would certainly help smooth relations if she is likable instead of grouchy. In any case, Ambassador-designate Colleen Bell, the producer of ‘The Bold and the Beautiful’ will officially be our top American representative in Hungary once that country accepts her credentials. You may not like that, but the Senate confirmed her nomination and she’s one of ours now. She will not only be the chief of mission at our embassy in Hungary, she will also be responsible for foreign service and other agency personnel and their family members at post. Embassy Budapest employs 95 Americans and 232 locally employed (LE) staff members, servicing five agencies. The total mission funding for FY 2013 was $17.5 million, which includes Department of State (Department) funding of $11.5 million and excludes U.S. direct-hire salaries. The total bilateral assistance for FY 2013 was $1.8 million. We hope that the ambassador-designate spent the last year while waiting for confirmation to learn more about her host country. She’ll need it. She will be America’s face in a country where the elected government doesn’t have a lot of fondness for America. She did graduate with honors from Sweet Briar College with a bachelor’s degree in political economy, a dual major in political science and economics, so she’s not stupid, despite a near disastrous confirmation hearing. The good news is — she’ll assume charge of a mission that has been “A well managed and productive, and led by a talented chargé d’affaires(CDA),” who arrived in August 2013. (The Hungarian right is apparently hoping that CDA Goodfriend would be recalled or replaced). According to the OIG inspectors, Chargé d’Affaires André Goodfriend effectively leads a collegial and active country team and is preparing carefully for the arrival of a new ambassador. So — let’s wish the new ambassador well in her new assignment and hope that she be a good steward of Mission Budapest. Confirmations: House Packing Officially On For Noah Mamet (Argentina), and Colleen Bell (Hungary) December 2, 2014 By domani spero in Ambassadors, Confirmations, Congress, Controversies, Foreign Service, FSOs, Nominations, Obama, Realities of the FS, Staffing the FS, State Department, U.S. Missions Tags: Argentina, Colleen Bell, Eleni Tsakopoulos Kounalakis, Hungary, Kevin K. Sullivan, M. Andre Goodfriend, Noah Mamet, Obama Bundlers, Palacio Bosch, Robert Woods Bliss, Senate Confirmations, Senior Foreign Service, US Embassy Budapest, US Embassy Buenos Aires, Vilma Martinez All that hand wringing whether or not controversial Obama bundlers would get to post or not this year ends today. On December 2, the U.S. Senate confirmed President Obama’s nominees for ambassadors to Argentina and Hungary. Cal #892, Noah Mamet to be Ambassador to Argentina . Yeas and nays ordered on nomination. The nomination was confirme http://t.co/tIbbmZw4ao — U.S. Senate Floor (@SenateFloor) December 2, 2014 Cal #631, Colleen Bell to be Ambassador to Hungary. Yeas and nays ordered on nomination. The nomination was confirmed http://t.co/tIbbmZw4ao Ambassador-Designate Noah Mamet would replace Vilma Martinez who served in Buenos Aires from 2009-2013. He will soon take up residence at Palacio Bosch, the official residence of the U.S. Ambassador to Argentina designed by French architect René Sergent. The residence is considered Sergent’s finest work because of its stylistic unity and contextual relation to its environs, and according to State/OBO, was seminal to Argentine architectural taste. Palacio Bosch via U.S. Embassy Buenos Aires The owner sold the residence to the United States Government in 1929 following recurrent propositions by U.S. Ambassador Robert Woods Bliss (Ambassador to Argentina from 1927-1933). Bliss, owner of Dumbarton Oaks in Washington, D.C., who joined the Foreign Service in 1903 also purchased some of the furnishings, which he later donated to the residence. Major renovation of the building was undertaken in 1994. The Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations’ first totally historic restoration began, using many Argentine artisans and craftsmen who were direct descendants of the original experts. 40,000 ft² palace, lots of rooms but we don’t know the state of the bathrooms. Embassy Buenos Aires acting ambassador has been Kevin K. Sullivan who began work as Chargé d’Affaires (a.i.) at the U.S. Embassy in Buenos Aires since June 2013. A career member of the U.S. Senior Foreign Service, he was posted previously in Argentina from 1997-2000. The Embassy Buenos Aires is up to speed and has already announced the confirmation of the new ambassador on its website, almost as soon as it happened. Ambassador-Designate Colleen Bell would replace Eleni Tsakopoulos Kounalakis, who served as Ambassador to Budapest from 2010-2013. Not sure where is the ambassador’s residence there but she will soon hold office at the building at Szabadságtér 12 in Budapest’s Fifth District which has been home to the United States Legation and Embassy since 1935. It was designed by the architects Aladár Kármán and Gyula Ullman, who were hired by a commercial company called the Hungarian Hall of Commerce, Ltd., who had purchased the site on May 16, 1899. According to the U.S. Embassy in Budapest, during World War II, the Chancery Building operated under the Swiss Flag. There are stories that Jewish refugees were hidden in the lower levels of the building during the War. From November 4, 1956 to September 28, 1971, the Chancery also served as the home of Cardinal József Mindszenty, who took refuge there during the Hungarian Uprising of 1956. The Cardinal lived in what is now the Ambassador’s office. Embassy Budapest’s second in command is M. André Goodfriend who has served as Deputy Chief of Mission since August 2013. He previously served as the Consul General at the U.S. Embassy in Damascus, Syria, from August 2009 until the embassy suspended operations in February 2012. Ex-Diplomat With Zero Acting Experience Wants to Join Cast of The Bold and the Beautiful December 3, 2013 By domani spero in Ambassadors, Appointments, Blogs of Note, FSOs, Funnies, Nominations, Obama, Political Appointees, U.S. Missions Tags: Charles H. Rivkin, Colleen Bradley Bell, Diplo Denizen, Hungary, James Bruno, James Costos, Soap opera, The Bold and the Beautiful, US Embassy Budapest — By Domani Spero His name is James L. Bruno. His LinkedIn profile says he was a Foreign Service officer for twenty-three years with prior experience in military intelligence and journalism. He previously served in South East Asia, Australia, Pakistan, Cuba, GTMO and Washington, DC. He is also the author of political thrillers, Chasm, Permanent Interests, Tribe and Havana Queen, all available via amazon.com. Now he wants to join the cast of The Bold and the Beautiful and try his luck as “a soap opera matinée idol.” What the hey?! Off the bat, we can’t really say what prompted this ex-diplomat to want to join B&B. But we should note that on November 6, 2013, President Obama announced his intent to nominate Colleen Bradley Bell as the next U.S. Ambassador to Hungary. Later, we discovered that Mr. Bruno has written an open letter to Bradley Bell, the Executive Producer of the CBS soap opera who is also the husband of the nominee to Hungary. Mr. Bruno published his letter three days after the White House announcement. Mr. Bruno writes: “I hereby submit my application to join the cast of your wildly successful soap opera, The Bold and the Beautiful. After reading about your wife, Colleen, a producer for B&B, being named by President Obama to be our next ambassador to Hungary, I thought, I too, can realize one of my wildest dreams: become a soap opera matinée idol. Now, looking at my résumé, you might think, “Hmm. Very thin. No acting experience. No background in showbiz. He’s very good looking though!” Mr. Bruno who at one point in his diplomatic career was Charge d’Affaires in Vietnam explains the compelling reason for this desired career change: “I’ll confess I haven’t watched a soap opera since my mother caught highlights of As the World Turns during breaks from housework when I was a little kid. But, having failed at getting my own presidential appointment to embassy Rome or Paris because political hack fundraisers always ace out career diplomats for these posts, I need to make a career change.” Well, so there you go, some sort of non-foreign exchange, is it? Mr. Bruno’s elevator pitch to B&B also includes what he can offer the show: “…[H]ere’s what I can offer to CBS’s B&B. Hollywood and Foggy Bottom have much in common: plenty of contrived dramas, glitzy superficiality, fragile runaway egos, Machiavellian intrigues and backstabbing. I was immersed in this bizarre culture for two-and-a-half decades. It’s all second nature to me. And here’s how I propose you use it on your show once you’ve hired me on: write me in as J. Huntington Outerbridge III, an effete, conniving, snarky diplomat who sleeps with all the beautiful female characters while engaged in high-stakes diplomacy to foil nefarious plots by al-Qaida and the Iranian Revolutionary Guard.” Ouchy! He did mention something about ratings “going through the roof” so that’s good, right? Read his whole letter at Diplo Denizen – The American Diplomatic Spoils System, Part III: My Job Application to the World’s Most Popular Soap Opera. Try not to fall off your chair. Anyway, apparently, résumés are also on the way to Ambassador James Costos, HBO V-P and current U.S. ambassador to Spain, and Ambassador Charles Rivkin, ex-CEO of The Jim Henson Company, and most recent U.S. ambassador to France. Mr. Bruno calls it a “spoils system.” He’s being diplomatic, of course and just want to be a soap opera matinée idol. Obama picks soap opera producer as next Ambassador to Hungary (politics.hu) Soap opera producer tapped for top diplomatic post (huffingtonpost.com) ‘The Bold and the Beautiful’: first look at Thorsten Kaye as Ridge (Video) (examiner.com) Soap opera producer tapped for top diplomatic post (publicintegrity.org)	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0030.json.gz/line1122
__label__cc	0.651838	0.348162	Conditioned medium from a rat ureteric bud cell line in combination with bFGF induces complete differentiation of isolated metanephric mesenchyme I.D. Karavanova, L.F. Dove, J.H. Resau, A.O. Perantoni Development 1996 122: 4159-4167; I.D. Karavanova L.F. Dove J.H. Resau A.O. Perantoni Differentiation of metanephric mesenchyme is triggered by an inductive signal(s) from the epithelial ureteric bud. As a result of this induction, most of the metanephric mesenchyme converts into epithelium of a nephron. We have developed and characterized an explant culture system, in which metanephric mesenchyme can grow and completely differentiate in vitro in the absence of an inductive tissue. When separated 13 dpc rat metanephric mesenchymes were cultured in serum-free conditioned medium from a rat ureteric bud cell line (RUB1) in the presence of bFGF and TGFalpha, they were induced to differentiate into nephron epithelia and glomeruli-like structures. The nephric type of differentiation was confirmed by both morphological and molecular criteria and paralleled the developmental changes of nephron differentiation in vivo. Expression patterns of brush-border antigen as well as molecular markers of kidney differentiation Wt1, Lim1, Hgf and c-met, c-ret, Shh, Wnt4, Wnt7b, and Wnt11 were analyzed in explants by whole mount and tissue section in situ hybridization following 1–9 days in culture. The expression of secreted patterning molecules Bmp7 and Wnt7b, but not Shh or Wnt11, were demonstrated by RT-PCR and northern blot hybridization with RNA from the RUB1 cells. Our culture system lends itself to examining the relevance of these and other signaling molecules required for nephron differentiation. You are going to email the following Conditioned medium from a rat ureteric bud cell line in combination with bFGF induces complete differentiation of isolated metanephric mesenchyme Morphogenetic cell movements in the middle region of the dermomyotome dorsomedial lip associated with patterning and growth of the primary epaxial myotome Germline and developmental roles of the nuclear transport factor importin (α)3 in C. elegans Monofocal origin of telencephalic oligodendrocytes in the anterior entopeduncular area of the chick embryo Show more JOURNAL ARTICLES	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0030.json.gz/line1126
__label__cc	0.687915	0.312085	DFW Airport Mobile App Now Gives Travelers Security Checkpoint Wait TimesThere’s an app for travelers flying out of Dallas Fort Worth International Airport and it can now display how long passengers will wait in security lines. False Report Of Gunman At Los Angeles Airport Causes PanicReports of a gunman opening fire that turned out to be false caused panicked evacuations at Los Angeles International Airport on Sunday night, while flights to and from the airport saw major delays. AA Flight Slides Off Taxiway At D-FW AirportAn American Airlines flight slid off the runway into the grass at DFW International Airport Monday night. Iris Scan = Shorter Wait In Airport Security LineIt sounds like something out of the Tom Cruise movie Minority Report, but if you’re willing to pay a fee and get your iris scanned, you can jump to the front of the security line at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport. Love Field Renovation At Cruising AltitudeDallas Love Field is roaring ahead with its first major terminal renovations since the 1950s. It's a $519 million project designed to be more than a facelift and more than keeping up with DFW. DPD Briefs Safety Committee On Love Field SecurityLove Field security and Dallas Police are already discussing ways to continue to secure passengers in advance of the 2014 completion date of a new terminal. New Terminal Means More Food At Love Field AirportThere are noticeable changes taking place at Dallas Love Field Airport. Four new eateries have or are set to open inside the terminal.	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0030.json.gz/line1128
__label__wiki	0.929773	0.929773	Ir para o Dot Esports Brasil Ir a Dot Esports Espanol October 24, 2019, 11:00 GMT-0500 Call of Duty / Modern Warfare / What time does Call of Duty: Modern Warfare release? Modern Warfare might be coming slightly earlier than expected. Jerome Heath Image via Activision The latest installment in the Call of Duty franchise is coming to PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC in a few days. Modern Warfare had a blazing start in its open beta, attracting hundreds of thousands of players and receiving a strong reception. Instead of taking the world war approach or using a futuristic science fiction feel, Modern Warfare brings fans to the present. The game shows fans the harsh realities of war, highlighting the troubles of the Middle East and the Russian-Ukraine conflict. And, like the game’s predecessors, it does so with all-guns-blazing style and sophistication. The new iteration of Modern Warfare should bring longtime fans back to what put Call of Duty on the map. The CoD 4 and MW2 eras were the heydays of the franchise with simple gameplay and guns that had a smooth and responsive feel. Since then, for some, CoD has taken a turn for the worse with watered-down fundamentals and the addition of unnecessary mechanics. Modern Warfare aims to fix that, though, and gives fans a raw interpretation of war. It’s fun, competitive, and addictive. And it might be coming slightly earlier than expected. What date and time does Modern Warfare release? PS4 Modern Warfare pre-order timer at 11am CT on Oct. 24 \| Screengrab via Sony Call of Duty: Modern Warfare will be released on Oct. 25. But PS4 players might be able to play the game a couple hours earlier. For players who pre-ordered and pre-downloaded the digital version of the game on PS4, a countdown timer suggests that Modern Warfare will be “playable” on Oct. 24 at 8pm CT. Activision hasn’t officially posted anything about PS4 players gaining early access to Modern Warfare, however, so this timer might not be accurate. We’ll update this story if any new information about the game’s specific release time is revealed. Here are the best Theros: Beyond Death decklists played during MTG Arena Early Access Danny Forster - January 16, 2020 Ornn, Trundle, and Mordekaiser are just a few of the champions getting skins in League this year Jerome Heath - January 15, 2020 Players who own Sett's Calling Card will get the champion for free Adam Newell - January 14, 2020 What time does Theros: Beyond Death release on MTG Arena? Overwatch’s Lunar New Year skins leaked Liz Richardson - January 15, 2020 © 2019 Dot Esports	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0030.json.gz/line1134
__label__cc	0.649366	0.350634	HomeLatest ArticlesMTG ArenaHow to Report a Player in MTG Arena How to Report a Player in MTG Arena Ender Orçun Çetiner November 7, 2019 MTG Arena Every online game can be prone to abuse, hacking, or people who are simply annoying. Although MTG Arena tries to prevent this as much as possible with the option to turn off emotes, providing no chat boxes, and a fairly balanced timer system, you might still feel the need to report someone for a variety of reasons. Reasons to Report Players in MTG Arena Abusing Bugs No Win Conditions Inappropriate Names and Hacking When Not to Report MTG Arena Players Reporting MTG Arena Players What to Expect After Submitting Your Ticket MTG is a much more complicated game compared to some of the other digital collectible card games out there. It’s not unusual to play a match that lasts half an hour or more, and in order to make sure players are kept in line, MTG Arena has a fitting timer system: a match timer and an overall timer. While playing, you’ll see an hourglass icon on your screen. If you’re playing fast, you’ll earn up to three of these. When you take around two minutes to complete your turn and burn the fuse (rope) that appears in the middle of the game, you’ll automatically spend one of your hourglasses to get the extra time you need. And, as you can imagine, if you run out of hourglasses and waste your overall timer, you automatically lose the game. This extra time might be necessary, especially if you are fond of playing decks with lots of activated abilities. Occasionally, though, you’ll face a player who just waits just until the fuse starts even if there is no complicated decision to make. This becomes extremely frustrating when you know that your opponent has already lost the game or is on the way. This is commonly known as “roping”. Another way your opponent can abuse the system is exploiting bugs. There’s no way to really sum up how this can happen as it depends on what the bug is, but we can give you a well-known example. During the beta, when Mastery Cat was first introduced, some players took advantage of a bug that caused even good PCs to slow. If the cat was spammed (by clicking on it repeatedly), it would cause their opponent’s PC to slow to the point where taking action was impossible or the game itself just gave up and crashed to the desktop. This guy just mulled to 1 card and spammed the cat and it literally lagged my GOOD pc not resolving cards unless I restarted every turn. :)))) thanks a**hole from MagicArena Aside from the obvious things, there’s another way that your opponents can frustrate you so hard that you’d wish them exiled from the field: dragging the game to a point that neither of you can win. This is not an easy feat, as first your opponent has to build a deck that has no win conditions. Second, they need to take control of the game so much so that they won’t allow you to even take turns. There was actually an instance of this experienced by Magic Pro League member Shahar Shenhar, who found himself in a 107-minute game. By using Ascanta, the Sunken Ruin with few cards remaining in his deck and looping Nexus of Fate, his opponent managed to stall the game for about 50 minutes. Thankfully, MTG Arena’s Game Director Chris Clay came to the rescue and banned Shenhar’s opponent by contacting customer service. Absolutely ridiculous! Here’s a quick video of Nexus of Fate being looped: There is no clear rule breaking here, and some might even argue that if the cards aren’t banned then you’re allowed to play however you want, but it’s not exactly in the spirit of the game. You wouldn’t pull that stunt if you were playing face-to-face with a friend, would you? You can also report people for inappropriate names, though WotC does its best to prevent them already. There’s also just plain hacking. I haven’t seen an instance of hacking yet, but the game is still fresh. If you think your opponent pulled up a questionable play without explanation, reach out to support for help. As frustrating as some people may be, very annoying behavior that doesn’t actually break any rules shouldn’t be reported. If your opponent spams emotes, you can just turn them off for the match and be done with it. There can be times you think that your opponent is exploiting a bug, only to find out that WotC designed a broken card and turned MTGA into an elk-ian nightmare. In fact, the number one reported bug in MTG Arena is “broken shuffler”. We’ve all experienced times when we just couldn’t get a single land and had to mulligan to four and still not manage to get a decent opening play. That’s just the game and the reality of true randomness: we get unlucky sometimes. Reporting this as a bug would be the same as your opponent reporting you for drawing the perfect opening hand. Quick side note about randomness: if enough people use the same random shuffler enough times, patterns are bound to pop up, because: statistics, and you’ll also likely see clusters of similar results in a truly random system. This can make it seem like you’re not experiencing true randomness, when the truth is the opposite: if something seems truly random to the human mind (no patterns, everything’s always different, nothing repeats ever, etc.) it actually probably isn’t. This article over at geekandsundry has a neat little paragraph about dice and probability that actually fits really well with MTG Arena’s “broken shuffler”. To sum it up: even if the probability of getting six awful deals in a row is incredibly low, the shuffler’s probability of giving one is the same every time and doesn’t go down just because you’ve had five bad deals the past five games. And of course, there will be some opponents who are just trying to annoy you by playing slowly (but not quite roping) or having decks that are immaculately designed to tilt an opponent. At these times, we can all understand getting angry or frustrated, but this doesn’t mean there’s anything to be reported. Maybe slowing down and having a cup of tea is a better choice. And hey, if you win anyway, then all they did was waste their own time. Reporting an MTGA player is fairly easy, thankfully. Once you’ve made sure that you’re not reporting your opponent for luck, being annoying, or spamming emotes, follow these steps to submit a ticket for player conduct: Make your way over to the MTG Arena support website and then click “Submit a Request” at the top right of the page Select “Report Conduct” from the What would you like to contact us about? drop-down menu Fill out each field that appears on the page (make sure to select “Player/Person” from Type of Report and “MTG Arena” from Where did this occur?) Don’t forget to include a log file (check out our explanation here to find out how to get that), a description of what happened, and any relevant attachments and then click “Submit” at the bottom of the page Congratulations, your report is submitted! But, what now? How long should you expect to wait to hear back, or will you even hear back at all? If the screenshots and game logs you provided are solid proof of misconduct, your opponent could face suspension or a permanent ban in extreme cases. WotC is trying hard to make sure that people aren’t exploiting the MTG Arena system, and so they’re encouraging people to report any kind of misconduct or rule breaking. Of course, some of the community doesn’t feel that. There’s a sense that nothing is really done when players are reported, especially for roping. A lot of players also feel like there should be an easier way to report players, the most common suggestion being an in-game option or “report” button during matches. The latter could easily be abused, but an in-game option definitely sounds reasonable. MTG Arena has a pretty active official twitter. If you run into a major bug or exploit or feel like your issue is being ignored, you can tweet or message them (within reason) and you’ll likely get a quick response. You can also contact WotC directly either through the previously mentioned help twitter, customer support, or their corporate line here. Hopefully, though, you won’t have to resort to any of that and will have a perfectly respectful, non-rule breaking opponent every match. As for when or if you’ll hear back on tickets, you’ll receive an automatic response once you’ve submitted the report, according to the WotC twitter help account. If the team needs any more info from you for the ticket they’ll follow up with you, but it doesn’t seem like you’ll hear anything other than that. Abusing Bugs Hacking Inappropriate Names MTG MTG Arena No Win Conditions Roping Ender Orçun Çetiner Ender likes to writes articles and to come up with unusual plays. Although he is a veteran with over 10 years of experience in Magic, he sees himself as a casual player. You can run into him playing MTG: Arena, probably trying one of his absurd decks. Follow Draftsim for more MTG awesomeness Download Draftsim’s Free MTGA Assistant Sign up to receive updates from Draftsim and get our combat tricks PDF guide for free: Bot Drafting the Hard Way: A New Drafting Model for Archetypes and Staying Open MTG Card Size/Dimensions, Weight, and Much Much More MTG Standard Rotation: Current Sets and How it Works MTG Arena Wildcards: How to Get Them and The Best Ways to Use Them MTG Arena Event Calendar January 2020 – Rotation Schedule and Formats Draftsim on Twitter Draftsim 3 days ago One last #MTGTHB P1P1 before heading into the prerelease! What's the pick from this pack? It's close. You can use code playtheros in MTGA to get 3 free THB packs. Our article has been updated accordingly: draftsim.com/mtg-arena-prom… MTG Arena Promo Codes: January 2020 Complete List Wizards of the Coast, Magic: The Gathering, and their logos are trademarks of Wizards of the Coast LLC. © 2020 Wizards. All rights reserved. The copyright for Magic: the Gathering and all associated card names and card images is held by Wizards of the Coast. Draftsim.com is unofficial Fan Content permitted under the Fan Content Policy. Not approved/endorsed by Wizards. This site is © Draftsim.com	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0030.json.gz/line1136
__label__wiki	0.625328	0.625328	User Management > Business Units¶ A business unit represents a group of users with similar business or administrative tasks/roles. For instance, one toy company with three toy shops can be set up as the main organization with three child business units created under it, one for each toy store. Permissions could be used to restrict access for these business units. If strict data isolation is needed between business units, it makes sense to use the multi-organization approach. See a short demo on how to create organizations and business units or keep reading the step-by-step guidance below. To create a new business unit: Navigate to System > User Management > Business Units in the main menu. Click Create Business Unit on the top right. In the General section, provide the following information: Name — The name used to refer to the business unit on the interface. This is the only mandatory field. Parent Business Unit — The business unit to which this business unit belongs (a level higher in the administrative hierarchy). Phone — The phone number specified for the business unit record. Website — The website specified for the business unit record. Email — The email address specified for the business unit record. Fax — The fax number specified for the business unit record. In the Additional section, provide a short description of the business unit record. In the Users section, select the Has Group check box next to the required users to add them to the business unit you are creating. One user can belong to more than one business unit. Once saved, the business unit is available on the list of all business units under System > User Management > Business Units, where you can filter business units by name, view, edit and delete them. Create and Manage User Groups Create and Manage Organizations Work with Multiple Organizations Introduction to Role Management	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0030.json.gz/line1143
__label__cc	0.712015	0.287985	Diana: Sky Goddess? One thing that’s always puzzled me about the theory that Indo-European languages are a guide to the mythologies of the peoples who speak them is the reluctance to take up the question of Diana and other “Divine” goddesses. After all, if Dyéus is the sky-father, are Diana, Divona, Dione and Divuša sky-mothers? Part of the answer, of course, is “we don’t know”, since most of the interest in Indo-European mythologies focuses on Dumézil’s three functions (king, warrior, producer) and the goddess who takes in all three functions. Nature-deities, although their names are easy to track through the I-E languages, get less attention. Sky-God, Sky Goddess? The personified sky turns up in Hindu mythology as Dyáus Pitā, or Sky-Father, and Jupiter and Zeus had similar titles. (Along with the Illyrian Dei-Patrous.) Tiwaz/Tyr in Scandinavian myth and the Baltic god Dievas/Dievs also fit this pattern. But if you look in Julius Pokorny’s Proto-Indo-European Etymological Dictionary, he also gives feminine forms, such as the Gaulish Devona, Indian Devi and of course Diana: diu̯ios in O.Ind.divyá-, diviá- “celestial “, divyǘni“ the heavenly space”, Gk.δῖος (from διFιος, Schwyzer Gk.I 472a) “divine, heavenly “, Lat. dīus “divine, god-like; hence fine, noble; also (apparently) out of doors, in the open air “(different from dīvus!), dīum “open space of heaven”, sub dīo; Diüna deriving from Diviüna, “the virgin goddess of the moon and hunting” Diviü (?); compare etr. Tiv “moon”, tives “months “, after Kretschmer Gl. 13, 111 f. from Ital.diviü, and orph. Πανδῖα ‘selene (goddess of the moon)” from παν-διFιᾰ “all kinds of illuminators “. So if the name Dyeus means sky/light/god, wouldn’t it’s feminine form mean sky/light/goddess? But what about the earth goddess? Which brings up a related question: who is the sky-god’s consort? We know that in the Vedic pantheon of India Dyáus Pitā is Prithvi Mata, the earth-goddess. (Jupiter and Zeus are a bit different, as Hera and especially Juno can be seen as the trifunctional goddess, with Gaea or Tellus Mater filling in as the Earth.) For a long time scholars assumed that this earth/sky pairing was a mythological given, as do most of us. (The Greek pantheon starts with the mythical pair Ouranos and Gaea, sky and earth, after all.) However, some are beginning to question this. Peter Jackson put forward diuoneh, the feminine sky, as the sky-god’s partner. His reasoning: She is only familiar through vague reflexes, but seems a more plausible partner of dieus than the often hypothisized “Mother Earth,” who, if prototyical at all, rather belonged to the sphere of perkwh3nos [the thunder-god]. Ceisiwr Serith backs Jackson’s ideas on the thunder-god, but seems more doubtful about the sky-couple: Jacskon wants to identify her as Diwona, but since that is essentially a female form of “Dyeus,” and he can give no other details, there hardly seems to be any point to the suggestion. Jackson cites an article by G.E. Dunkel, who takes the Zeus – Dione relationship as his model. (Dione is best known as Aphrodite’s mother, and the goddess of an oracle at Dodona.) Zeus’ name fits into the Dyeus model, as the genitive Dios and vocative Dei show, and Dione is a feminine version of his name. Dunkel speculates that Dyáus Pitā had a similar partner, Divanai, but that as Indra became a more important god his spouse Indrani took her place. Going back to the Greeks, in Mycenean times the god di-u-ja had a partner, di-wa-ja. In the Classical era, Phileious and Sicyon had a minor goddess called Dia, identified with Hebe. Another Dia was a mortal, who was impregnated by Zeus – it can’t have been any fun, since he took the form of a horse. (She later married Ixion, who tried to mate with Hera. The Centaurs, half-horse and half-man, were born of his union with the phantom substitute Hera. It’s another one of those Greek tales with lots of rapes.) A Myceanean goddess named Diwia may be an early form of Dione, and a partner to Zeus. She may well be the Greek form of the sky-god’s partner. There may be a Slavic goddess as well: Divuša, whose name suggests that she was the partner of the sky-god Div. Place-names in Poland, Lithuania, Belarussian Poland, Bohemia and the Balkans suggest her presence. While it’s normally assumed that the earth-goddess Mokosh is the sky-god’s partner, but the myths link her and the thunder-god Perun. Frame Goddess West (and Dunkel) don’t consider Diana as part of this myth-pattern, since she was never romantically involved with Jupiter. Georges Dumézil does include her with Dyaus pitar and another possible sky-god, Heimdall, in another of his theories. He suggests that all three were “frame gods” who were important at the beginning of time or society, but now have no function. According to Dumézil’s theory, Dyaus and Heimdall secured the succession of their dynasties, while Diana as goddess of childbirth makes sure that the human race continues. I don’t find this theory convincing, and I would guess that most others don’t either, judging by the lack of attention it’s received. It does, however, place Diana among the heavenly deities for once. Goddess of Light? In my book The Sun-Goddess I suggested that Diana was a goddess of light and the sky who became a moon-goddess over time. (The Roman/Greek pattern of sun-god, moon-goddess would have played a part there.) Perhaps Diana and the others (Dione, Divona etc) are variants on the sky-god’s partner. In my next post we’ll see what these goddesses have in common, and if they may have had a common ancestor-deity. Jackson, Peter 2002: “Light from Distant Asterisks: Towards a Description of Indo-European Religious Heritage,” Numen 49/1: 61-102. Porkony, Julius 2007: Proto-Indo-European Etymological Dictionary: 548-55. (pdf here) Serith, Ceisiwr 2007: Deep Ancestors: Practicing the Religion of the Indo-Europeans, ADF Publishing. West, M. L. 2007: Indo-European Poetry and Myth, OUP. Wikipedia: PIE Sky Father Oxford Classical Dictionary: deus, divus Britannica entry “Diana” Wikipedia: Diana (Etymology) Photo by Sora Sagano on Unsplash This entry was posted in Celtic, Gaulish, Goddesses, Greek, Mythology, Roman and tagged Diana, earth-goddess, Indo-European, rivers on January 15, 2020 by solsdottir. ← Celebrating Old Christmas Day (links post) 3 thoughts on “Diana: Sky Goddess?” Faye January 15, 2020 at 6:54 pm Interesting. Thank you. gunst01 January 16, 2020 at 2:07 am Reblogged this on Die Goldene Landschaft. ceridwensilverhart January 18, 2020 at 9:13 pm That’s an interesting theory of Diana/Artemis evolving from a sky goddess to a moon goddess. Do you think that she was once partnered with Zeus and then they were separated once he became the dominant deity? Or perhaps they were once both solo sky deities and only Artemis kept the association with independent virgins?	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0030.json.gz/line1153
__label__wiki	0.589314	0.589314	Royal Institution Christmas Lectures® 2012: Atomic Structure A teaching resource on atomic structure and the Periodic Table, supported by video clips from the Royal Institution Christmas Lectures® 2012. Atomic Structure and the Periodic Table: Teaching resource Tutorial \| PDF, Size 0.13 mb Video clips and accompanying resources produced in partnership with the Royal Institution. View the full 2012 Ri Christmas Lectures® at the Ri Channel (richannel.org). Elements and the periodic table Chemical world 3. Describe and model the structure of the atom in terms of the nucleus, protons, neutrons and electrons; comparing mass and charge of protons neutrond and electrons. 1. Periodic table and atomic structure 1.1 Periodic table Social and Applied Aspects History of the periodic table, including the contributions of Dobereiner, Newlands, Mendeleev and Moseley. 1.2 Atomic Structure Depth of treatment Matter is composed of particles, which may be atoms, molecules or ions. Properties of electrons, protons and neutrons (relative mass, relative charge, location within atom). Atomic number (Z ), mass number (A ), isotopes; hydrogen and carbon as examples of isotopes. 1.4 Electronic Structure of Atoms Electronic configurations of ions of s- and p-block elements only. Arrangement of electrons in individual orbitals of p-block atoms. Unit 1: Structures, Trends, Chemical Reactions, Quantitative Chemistry and Analysis 1.1.2 describe the structure of an atom as a central positively charged nucleus containing protons and neutrons (most of the mass) surrounded by orbiting electrons in shells; 1.1.4 define atomic number as the number of protons in an atom. CCEA Double award science Unit C1: Structures, Trends, Chemical Reactions, Quantitative Chemistry and Analysis 4.1 Atomic structure and the periodic table 4.1.1 A simple model of the atom, symbols, relative atomic mass, electronic charge and isotopes 4.1.1.4 Relative electrical charges of subatomic particles The relative electrical charges of the particles in atoms are: proton (+1), neutron (0), electron (-1). In an atom, the number of electrons is equal to the number of protons in the nucleus. Atoms have no overall electrical charge. The number of protons in an atom of an element is its atomic number. All atoms of a particular element have the same number of protons. Atoms of different elements have different numbers of protons. Students should be able to use the nuclear model to describe atoms. AQA Combined science: Trilogy Topic 1 - Key concepts in Chemistry 1.1 Describe how the Dalton model of an atom has changed over time because of the discovery of subatomic particles 1.2 Describe the structure of an atom as a nucleus containing protons and neutrons, surrounded by electrons in shells 1.3 Recall the relative charge and relative mass of: a proton, a neutron, an electron 1.4 Explain why atoms contain equal numbers of protons and electrons 1.5 Describe the nucleus of an atom as very small compared to the overall size of the atom 1.6 Recall that most of the mass of an atom is concentrated in the nucleus Edexcel Combined science OCR Chemistry A: Gateway C1 Particles C1.2 Atomic structure C1.2d recall relative charges and approximate relative masses of protons, neutrons and electrons AQA Combined science: Synergy 4.1.2 Atomic structure 4.1.2.3 Sub-atomic particles Describe the atom as a positively charged nucleus surrounded by negatively charged electrons, with the nuclear radius much smaller than that of the atom and with almost all of the mass in the nucleus. Recall that atomic nuclei are composed of both protons and neutrons, that the nucleus of each element has a characteristic positive charge, but that elements can differ in nuclear mass by having different numbers of neutrons. Recall relative charges and approximate relative masses of protons, neutrons and electrons. OCR Chemistry B: 21st century C2 Chemical patterns C2.1 How have our ideas about atoms developed over time? C2.1.1 describe how and why the atomic model has changed over time to include the main ideas of Dalton, Thomson, Rutherford and Bohr C2.1.2 describe the atom as a positively charged nucleus surrounded by negatively charged electrons, with the nuclear radius much smaller than that of the atom and with most of the mass in the nucleus C2.1.3 recall relative charges and approximate relative masses of protons, neutrons and electrons OCR Combined science B: 21st Century OCR Combined science A: Gateway 1. Chemical changes and structure (a) Periodicity Elements are arranged in the periodic table in order of increasing atomic number. The periodic table allows chemists to make accurate predictions of physical properties and chemical behaviour for any element, based on its position. WJEC Combined science Unit 2: Chemistry 1 (a) atoms containing a positively charged nucleus with orbiting negatively charged electrons (b) atomic nuclei containing protons and neutrons (c) the relative masses and relative charges of protons, neutrons and electrons (d) atoms having no overall electrical charge (e) the terms atomic number, mass number and isotope (f) how the numbers of protons, neutrons and electrons present in an atom are related to its atomic number and mass number (g) elements being arranged in order of increasing atomic number and in groups and periods in the modern Periodic Table, with elements having similar properties appearing in the same groups (h) metals being found to the left and centre of the Periodic Table and non-metals to the right, with elements having intermediate properties appearing between the metals and non-metals in each period (i) the electronic structures of the first 20 elements (j) how the electronic structure of any element is related to its position in the Periodic Table Unit 1: CHEMICAL SUBSTANCES, REACTIONS and ESSENTIAL RESOURCES (h) elements being arranged in order of increasing atomic number and in groups and periods in the modern Periodic Table, with elements having similar properties appearing in the same groups (i) metals being found to the left and centre of the Periodic Table and non-metals to the right, with elements having intermediate properties appearing between the metals and non-metals in each period (j) the electronic structures of the first 20 elements (k) how the electronic structure of any element is related to its position in the Periodic Table Escape the classroom – again Six more puzzles to challenge and enthuse your students Why the periodic table is a student’s best friend How to encourage your pupils to use it as a resource Getting to grips with the periodic table’s structure Help 11–14 students learn about the table’s development, structure and history	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0030.json.gz/line1163
__label__cc	0.620723	0.379277	ThinkGeek now shipping with Australia Post, finally affordable By Nick Broughall The magnificent purveyors of unique geeky toys for boys and men known as ThinkGeek have long frustrated Aussie consumers thanks to expensive international shipping options. But as of today, those days are over. A post on ThinkGeek’s blog has announced that the US-based online store has begun shipping using Australia Post. While that means there’s no item tracking and longer delivery times, it also means that shipping to Australia is a much cheaper option than before, cutting the cost my as much as $US25. There are a few restrictions though – it’s only valid for purchases under $US100 and less than 1.8kg, so there’s no way of getting that Wampa rug delivered on the cheap. Still, it’s great to see that Aussies can enjoy ridiculous products without obscene shipping charges from ThinkGeek now as well. Web: ThinkGeek Nick Broughall Nick Broughall is the Australian Editor of TechRadar.com, where he gets to indulge his passion for geekery and the lastest technology. He is also the Editor of EFTM.com.au, where he gets to indulge his passion for manliness, from sampling fine liquor to the joys of growing a beard. It’s a pretty good life, really. Related Items:gadgets, online, shipping, shopping, thinkgeek, toys Inside Amazon Go: The future of shopping Don’t throw out that expired Gift Card – you might just be able to use it! What did Aussies get for Christmas? Google smashes Alexa at the Checkouts Optus launches the first reasonable global roaming data offering Men of the Week featuring Bob Carr, Andrew Rochford, Steve Price, Gotye, Mark Arbib and more	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0030.json.gz/line1166
__label__cc	0.512378	0.487622	Ankara R06: Muzychuk, Humpy win, lead the Grand Prix 9/23/2012 – All the games – every single one of them – produced a decisive result in this round. Humpy Koneru defeated co-leader Ruan Lufei with the black pieces, and top seed Anna Muzychuk scored a win against Turkish WGM Betul Yildiz. The two GMs are now in the sole lead and with 5.0/6 a full point ahead of three Chinese players, all at 4.0/5. Full analysis by GM Evgenij Miroshnichenko From 15th to 29th September 2012 the sixth Women's Grand Prix is taking place in Ankara, the capital of Turkey and the country’s second largest city after Istanbul. It is the last of the 2011–2012 series of elite events organised by FIDE and Global Chess. The winner of each tournament takes home 6,500 Euros, the total prize fund is 40,000 Euros. The overall winner will get a further 15,000 Euros at the end of the series, and qualifies to challenge the Women's World Champion in 2013. Starting time of the games is 15:00h (check your local time here). The final round starts five hours earlier – at 10:00 a.m. local time. A full shedule with all pairings is given at the bottom of the page. Round six: Saturday September 22, 2012 at 15:00h GM Kosintseva Tatiana GM Cmilyte Viktorija WGM Ruan Lufei GM Koneru Humpy WGM Ju Wenjun GM Stefanova Antoaneta IM Munguntuul Batkhuyag GM Zhao Xue GM Muzychuk Anna WGM Yildiz Betul Cemre WGM Ozturk Kubra GM Socko Monika The playing hall in the offices of the Turkish Chess Federation at the start of round six The public can follow the games through glass windows Humpy Koneru won (right) beat co-leader Ruan Lufei in a line that already occurred in the game Kosintseva-Koneru, 0-1, in round four Anna Muzyhcuk showed fighting spirit and managed to win against Betul Yildiz after 130 moves of a tough fight. Monika Socko celebrated her first victory, over Turkish player Kubra Ozturk Tatiana Kosintseva defeated... ...Viktorija Cmilyte in a rook endgame Chinese WGM Ju Wenjun defeated GM Antoaneta Stefanova of Bulgaria GM Zhao Xue of China outplayed IM Munguntuul Batkhuyag with the black pieces Round six review by GM Evgenij Miroshnichenko Just above the replay board there is a drop-down menu where you can select the other games. The GM Evgenij Miroshnichenko at work analysing all the game Standings after six rounds of play Both Humpy Koneru and Anna Muzychuk have 5.0/6 and stay in the lead in this Grand Prix tournament. The three Chinese players Zhao Xue, Ju Wenjun and Ruan Lufei share third place in the tournament. Pictures by Anastasiya Karlovich and Kema Goryaeva, courtesy FIDE Schedule and results of the Sixth Grand Prix in Ankara Round one: Sunday September 16, 2012 at 15:00h Round two: Monday September 17, 2012 at 15:00h Round three: Tuesday September 18, 2012 at 15:00h Round four: Wednesday September 19, 2012 at 15:00h Round five: Friday September 21, 2012 at 15:00h Round seven: Sunday September 23, 2012 at 15:00h Round eight: Monday September 24, 2012 at 15:00h Round nine: Wednesday September 26, 2012 at 15:00h Round ten: Thursday September 27, 2012 at 15:00h Round eleven: Friday September 28, 2012 at 10:00h << London Rd2: Leko beats Ivanchuk, Nakamura bounces right back Ankara R07: Humpy wins and leads the Grand Prix >> Topics: Women's Grand Prix 2012 Ankara	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0030.json.gz/line1172
__label__cc	0.675126	0.324874	YLBHI Likens Weakening of KPK to New Order Era 12 September 2019 18:15 WIB TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI) and 16 cross-regional legal aid institutions opined that attempts to weaken the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) are similar to attacks on democracy. They remind the public of conditions in Indonesia under the authoritarian power of the New Order for 32 years. “Attacks on KPK and anti-graft movement are attacks on democracy,” said the YLBHI chairman Asfinawati in a written statement, Thursday, September 12. According to Asfinawati, the dictatorial government in the new order era went hand in hand with corruption, collusion, and nepotism, which occurred due to centered, secluded state administration. She said that such rampant practices attributed to distortion in the form of single interpretation by the authority in every aspect. The Tap MPR 1998 noted the abuse of power, legal harassment, neglect of a sense of justice, as well as lack of protection and legal certainty for the community. “In other words, corruption is near to autocratic government, either as its goal or as a tool to uphold it, which result in public misery,” Asfin said. According to the institutions, attempts to restrict the anti-graft body is currently happening in the era of President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo. It is carried out systematically through revisions of KPK Law and involvement of problematic candidates to be future chairmen of the body. The attempts not only target the institution but also the activists, who are bombarded by phone terrors, mobile phone hacking, up to physical intimidation. Several lecturers rejecting the KPK Law revisions reported they were terrorized and their phones were hacked dozens of times a day. “Those acts are evil attempts to restrict the corruption eradication movement,” she underlined. Asfin then called on all people to demand Jokowi to fulfill his promises about rejecting any forms that weaken the KPK. She also demanded DPR act based on the law and regulation by curbing corruption practices. “Not acting otherwise, protecting corruptors’ interest,” she concluded. M ROSSENO AJI KPK Law Jokowi Talks of Iran - US Tension in Abu Dhabi Bilateral Meeting Four Jokowi Clan Members Enter the 2020 Regional Head Elections SoftBank Confirms Capital City Investment, Numbers Unmentioned Japan's Foreign Affairs Minister Visits ASEAN Secretariat	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0030.json.gz/line1175
__label__cc	0.527392	0.472608	Keyword: Ly Son Island Ly Son island expected to become geomorphological tourism site Thursday, September 14, 2017 14:38 The central province of Quang Ngai should turn its Ly Son island district into a distinctive geomorphological tourism site. More efforts needed to preserve biodiversity on Ly Son Island Monday, September 04, 2017 17:46 Destructive human activities have put coral reefs, sea grass beds and marine species off Ly Son Island at risk, with local authorities urged to make more efforts to preserve the unique ecosystem. About 2,500 visit Ly Son island district on holiday Nearly 2,500 tourists visited Ly Son island district offshore the central province of Quang Ngai during the first day of the National Day holiday (September 2), said an official. Quang Ngai seeks measures for sustainable tourism on Ly Son island Wednesday, August 30, 2017 18:41 Tourism experts, representatives from 120 travel agencies and local authorities gathered at a workshop in the central province of Quang Ngai on August 30 to seek measures for sustainable tourism development on Ly Son island. Destructive human activities have put coral reefs, sea grass beds and many other marine species off Ly Son Island at risk in recent years, with local authorities urged to make more efforts to preserve the unique ecosystem. More 1,000 national flags come to fishermen in Ly Son Island The confederations of Labour of central Binh Thuan and Quang Ngai provinces presented 1,000 national flags to members of commune-based Fishery Trade Unions in Ly Son Island district, on August 1. Quang Ngai requests to improve health centre in Ly Son Friday, July 21, 2017 11:15 The central province of Quang Ngai has asked for State support to improve the health centre in Ly Son island district. NA Chairwoman visits Quang Ngai ahead of Martyrs’ Day National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan hailed the socio-economic achievements of central province of Quang Ngai over the years during a working session with local authorities on July 16. Protected marine areas face multiple threats Protected marine areas (MPAs) in the country face the serious threats of pollution, dynamite and electric shock fishing and haphazard infrastructure construction for tourism. Memorial site inaugurated to commemorate Gac Ma soldiers Saturday, July 15, 2017 17:43 A memorial site dedicated to 64 naval soldiers killed in the battle to defend Gac Ma island in Vietnam’s Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelago was inaugurated at a ceremony in khanh Hoa on July 15. Tam Hai Island to introduce mural project A group of 25 volunteers from Da Nang Technology College and other colleges have begun their efforts to transform a fishing village of Tam Hai Island into an art space for tourism development. Hang Pagoda attracts visitors to Ly Son Island Friday, June 30, 2017 10:07 The Hang (Cave) Pagoda is a “must see” destination for visitors to Ly Sơn, one of the most beautiful islands in the central province of Quang Ngai. Central province launches new destinations The central province of Quang Nam’s Culture, Sports and Tourism department has introduced eight new tourist sites this year. Students in Ly Son receive free summer lessons A project to provide free summer lessons for students in Ly Son island district was launched at Ly Son High School in the central province of Quang Ngai on June 15. Royal records, antique items on Hoang Sa, Truong Sa to be on show A collection of 19 imperial records from the Nguyen Dynasty and 150 antiques showing Vietnam’s sovereignty over the Hoang Sa and Truong Sa archipelagos will be displayed in Quang Nam next month. Ly Son to develop organic garlic farm Saturday, May 06, 2017 14:34 The Island district of Ly Son in the central province will start constructing its first organic garlic farm, with a total investment of 4 billion VND (177,000 USD). Ly Son Island to host street art contest The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has called for a street art contest with the theme ‘I love the ocean, and I’m born to be wild’ in An Binh islet commune during ‘Ocean week’ from June 1-8. Luxury resort coming to Ly Son island Wednesday, April 05, 2017 10:45 The Quang Ngai provincial People’s Committee has agreed for a local investor to do a feasibility study on a resort project in Ly Son island district. Festival commemorates soldiers of ancient Hoang Sa Flotilla Hundreds of locals and tourists flocked to the “Le khao le the linh Hoang Sa” (Feast and Commemoration Festival for Hoang Sa Soldiers) ceremony in the central province of Quang Ngai on April 2. Central provinces to tap maritime tourism potential The central province of Quang Nam plans to upgrade part of its Ky Ha Port for cruise services to nearby islands, Director of the provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism Dinh Hai has said.	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0030.json.gz/line1176
__label__wiki	0.66135	0.66135	Armenia, Azerbaijan, Nagorno Karabakh, Caucasus New report offers ways out of Karabakh deadlock Joshua Kucera Dec 20, 2019 Ruined houses in Kelbajar, one of the Armenian-occupied territories surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh. (photo: Joshua Kucera) Even as the negotiations between Armenia and Azerbaijan to resolve their three-decade-old conflict appear stuck, there are potential openings for more creative discussions on the stickiest issues dividing the two sides, a new report argues. Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict makes it to prime time Joshua Kucera Oct 17, 2019 A U.S. Navy Seal takes aim at an "enemy" -- perhaps Armenian militias? -- in an Azerbaijani power plant during a recent episode of an American TV series. (photo: Seal Team twitter) An elite team of American special forces airdrops into Azerbaijan to defend a strategic power plant against “enemy” “Armenian militia” who have taken it over in an attempt to force concessions over Nagorno-Karabakh. Georgia, Russia, Caucasus Georgia-Russia diplomatic talks spark accusations of “collaborationism” Joshua Kucera Oct 1, 2019 The foreign ministers of Russia and Georgia -- Sergey Lavrov and Davit Zalkaliani -- met in New York. It was the highest-level meeting between the two sides since 2008. A landmark meeting between the foreign ministers of Georgia and Russia has turned into a scandal in Tbilisi, with the government scrambling to defend itself against accusations that it supplicated itself before the Kremlin. Georgian and Russian FMs hold first talks in 11 years Joshua Kucera Sep 27, 2019 The foreign ministers of Georgia and Russia met this week on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, the highest-level meeting between the two sides since they fought a war in 2008. Russia accused of killing Georgian, but Tbilisi stays silent A screenshot of a Georgian TV report about a police operation in the Lopota Gorge, near Dagestan, in 2012. The killing of an ethnic Chechen Georgian citizen has brought up unwelcome memories of that episode. The dramatic murder of a Georgian citizen in Germany, apparently by Russian security services, has made worldwide news. But in Georgia itself, reaction to the killing has been uncharacteristically muted, as it has revived recent historical memories inconvenient to both the government and the opposition. Armenia, Nagorno Karabakh, Caucasus Pashinyan calls for unification between Armenia and Karabakh Joshua Kucera Aug 6, 2019 The crowd for Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's speech in Stepanakert. (photo: Facebook, Nikol Pashinyan) Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has visited Nagorno-Karabakh and called for the reunification of Armenia with Karabakh. The forceful appeal indicated that Pashinyan is taking a harder line on Karabakh even as he has made efforts to revive the negotiations with Azerbaijan over settling the conflict. Georgia, United States, Caucasus U.S. troops in Georgia amid tensions with Russia Joshua Kucera Jul 29, 2019 The opening ceremony of Agile Spirit 2019, joint military exercises between the U.S., Georgia, and other partner troops. (photo: DVIDS, Spc. Tori Miller, 124th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment) About 1,500 American troops are in Georgia for joint military exercises, a show of support amid a festering crisis with Russia. Armenia and Karabakh announce construction of third connecting highway The road from Armenia to Karabakh through Kelbajar. (photo: Joshua Kucera) Armenia and the de facto authorities in Nagorno-Karabakh will build a third road connecting the two territories next year, a senior Armenian official has announced. Kremlin continues pressure campaign against “Russophobia” in Georgia Joshua Kucera Jun 24, 2019 Signs opposing Russia and its president on display at a June 20 demonstration in Tbilisi. The Kremlin has responded to the protests by trying to stop Russian tourists from visiting Georgia. (photo: George Gogua) Amid their worst crisis in years Russia continued to increase the pressure on Georgia, with officials in Moscow hinting at the possibility of blocking imports of Georgian wine and saying they were forced to act because of “Russophobic” sentiments being expressed in Georgia. Fatal frontline shootings heighten tensions between Armenia and Azerbaijan Joshua Kucera Jun 3, 2019 Vehicles from the OSCE monitoring mission on the line of contact between Armenian and Azerbaijani forces. (photo: MoD Azerbaijan) In recent days one Armenian and one Azerbaijani soldier were killed on the Nagorno-Karabakh line of contact, a rare outburst of deadly violence since the two sides began a new round of negotiations over ending their decades-long conflict. Stay in touch with Eurasianet on social media	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0030.json.gz/line1179
__label__wiki	0.748734	0.748734	About household buildings medieval rural settlements Данные для цитирования: . About household buildings medieval rural settlements // . Исторические науки. ; ():-. In written sources there is no information about the remains of household buildings of medieval rural settlements. The main source for the study of household buildings of the medieval rural settlements is remains of the constructions which found out during archaeological excavations. The current level of the archaeological excavations carried out in the medieval rural settlements does not allow us to create an overall picture of the residential houses, agricultural, public and religious buildings of the people. The main reason for this on the one hand is poorly researching of domestic constructions, on the other hand having been associated with the limited number of the remains of the buildings found out during archaeological excavations, with the exposure to destruction of the buildings. In most cases base, the remnants of the floor, or the top rows of the walls of the domestic, economic and production constructions were found out and studied during archaeological excavations (1, p.155). Our main aim in this paper is to explore household buildings, determine their main characteristic features which found out during archaeological excavations. The most parts of the constructions found out in the medieval rural settlements consist of the residential houses. Thus, the residential houses are important cultural monuments which are the main residence of the people satisfing their necessary rest, economic, domestic and vital requirements. Compared with urban settlements residential houses of medieval rural settlements have been poorly studied (2, p.44). Archeological excavations carried out in the medieval rural settlements have given an interesting material to explore types, the plan structure, characteristic features of the domestic constructions. Depending on the existence of different types of building materials, the nature of the occupation of the population, on the natural and geographical conditions formed different types of residential buildings in separate regions of Azerbaijan. In the construction of houses as a building material were used cobblestone, adobe brick and burnt brick, limestone, rock stone, wood, clay, reed, cane, stick, and so on(2, p.44). As a rule, the foundation of residential houses were built of cob and cobblestone, breaks were filled with mud. The walls of buildings were built of various materials, mainly bricks and floors of the houses were land, plastered with clay and has been used ordinary mud as glue in building constructions. The oldest means of clay has been used in construction was big cob bricks (merhre). During archaeological excavations even in the monuments of late Neolithic and Eneolithic period of Nakhchivan, Mugan, Mil-Karabakh, Ganja-Kazakh region were found residential and agricultural buildings built with big cob bricks. Cob bricks houses have been used for a few thousands of years so that they were primitive in terms of architecture and were cheap and easy to come to an end. In the plain areas, especially, in the southern regions of Azerbaijan cob bricks technique has not lost its importance until recently (2, p.39). Remains of constructions built with cob bricks have been found out during archaeological excavations in the rural settlements of Mukhurtapa, I Gırag Kasaman. Foundation of the remains of construction have been found out in the rural settlement of Mukhurtapa were cob, walls built of adobe bricks. Foundation of the remains of construction consisting of 8 rows were built with width 50 cm, height 60 cm large cob bricks, walls with 29x25x5 cm standard size adobe brick mixture of straw. The length of remaining portion of the wall was 7meters, height 1,2-2meters (3, p.252). The remains of big cob wall found out and cleaned in the rural settlement of I Gırag Kasaman covered with 30-35 cm ash layer was determined destroyed by fire. The big cob brick wall had a redbrick colour as a result of the acquisition of high-temperature fire. Length of the portion was 2 meters, height 25 cm. The floor has been preserved well. Part of it remained under the excavation wall. It was possible to determine the two layer of the floor. Each layer painted with the lime has a thickness of 3-5 cm (13, p.12). Some construction remains found in the rural areas of the Middle Ages were built with adobe bricks. The abundance of clay reserves and the technology is very simple to prepare adobe bricks created conditions use of it as a construction material in the most regions of Azerbaijan for centuries. Now in some regions of the republic is widely used of adobe bricks as a building material in the construction of residential or agricultural buildings. Unlike other building materials adobe brick has weak nature to transfer heat or cold for that houses built in this construction material was warm in winter, cool in summer. During archaeological excavations in the medieval rural settlement of Garatapa was found out the remains of the wall was built of different sizes (38x38x12cm, 43x43x12) adobe bricks (4, p.195). Some construction remains found in the rural settlements were the remnants of the middle Ages wand wicker houses. The walls of these houses were built of sticks and plastered with clay on both faces. The walls of these buildings were built with twigs and sticks elm, hazel, willow and other elastic properties of trees were thin and transferred the hot and cold weather (6, p.63-64). Wand wicker houses were dwelled by economically disadvantaged and less privileged populations of the rural settlements. In ethnographic literature it is known that the light-weight construction wand wicker houses (reed, cane) have local-specific name in different regions of Azerbaijan and they have been used till the end of the nineteenth century and was also available in early twentieth century (2, p.49). The remains of the wand wicker houses of the eleventh century were found out in the rural settlement of Sarkartapa as a result of archaeological excavations. The house is 13 m long and rectangular in shape (7, p.192). The walls of the house were built of stick and cane and plastered on the both sides. Along the edges of the floor there were well cane racks with size 8-20 cm. The floor was land and plastered with clay. Cone-shaped roof of the house was covered with reed. In the south-east of the residential house were situated household and economic sectors. During archaeological excavations were found pits, hearths and ovens here. Researching registered wells shows that they have been used for various purposes (5, p.92-93). The remains of similar houses of IX-X centuries have been found at the rural settlement of Gıraq Kasaman I. Here it was not possible to determine the structural features of the building were used as a kitchen and storage which was destroyed by fire. The floor of the construction was land and plastered with clay. There were found five pillar wells when the floor was drilled. One of them was larger with a diameter of 2ç4 cm, depth of 30 cm. Diameters of other wells were 14-22 cm, depth-30-40 cm. The distinguishing feature of the residential house found in the rural settlement of Gıraq Kasaman was location storage-type construction in the south west side of the industrial-warehouse construction. The length of the storage was 2,4 m, width 0,8 m. During the excavations seven jugs filled with carbonized remains of food, 3 narrow-necked pots and 3 jugs were found in the storage (13, p.11-12). Residential houses built with cobblestones also widespread in the rural settlements of Middle Ages. This construction material was widespread especially in the rural settlements situated in the bank of the river. Remains of these buildings were uncovered and cleaned of IX-XII century’s layers of Sarkartapa and Sandıqtapa during archaeological excavations. The ruins of buildings made of cobblestone have also been found in the rural settlements Mukhurtapa, Seyidli, Turkyeri, IV Qaflatapa. In some rural settlements people used cobblestone more in the foundation of the houses. The walls were built with adobe or baked-bricks. In the twelfth century over the wand wicker house were built a sustainable residential house rectangular in plan in the rural settlement Sarkartapa. It consists of a room and combined it on the west side wood construction corridor. The living room area is 27,5 square meters. The south and east walls of it are relatively well protected. The western wall is completely destroyed. The thickness of the laying on the south and east walls are 60-70-cm. İn the center of the room, on the floor was found carbonized burning wood and 40×26 cm size cobblestone which was used as bases of column. The floor of the room and the corridor plastered with clay. The wood construction corridor which combined the room on the west side has been destroyed by fire. In the time when stone home has been built the domestic-agricultural construction was held a little in the south (7, p.193). The remains of similar composition and structure-plan cobblestone houses were found out in the IX-X century’s layer of Sandiqtapa. The building was constructed with an ordinary cobblestone with clay. Its length 5,2 m, width is 5 m. The eastern wall of the house has been well maintained. Four rows of masonry height of 40 cm, width of 1-1,1 m well preserved. The floor was land and plastered with clay. The domestic-agricultural construction was held a little to the south here as it was in Sarkartapa (5, p.96). The foundations of constructions of residential houses found out in the layer of XI-XIII centuries of Sandiqtapa were built with cobblestone, walls with adobe- brick and burnt-brick, the floor was land. The residential houses found out in this construction layer are absolutely different. In this layer of the settlement were found out an investigated three-room and four-room homes with cmall courtyards. The rooms were square-shaped and have 28 square meters area. Hearths and economic wells had been found out in these houses. Characteristic feature of these houses is the situation of the domestic purposes construction on the east side which used as a kitchen, paved with flat cobblestone the area between the living room and domestic construction(8, p.44-45). As a construction material limestone and rock stone were also used in building residential houses in rural settlements. The remains of houses built with limestone were found out during archaeological investigations in the rural settlement Nohur of Shakhbuz region of Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic in the rural settlement Gumushlu of Shamakhi region. These houses are square and rectangular formats in plan. Unlike limestone and cobblestone rock stone as a rule, was used in raw and processed form. The remains of these buildings were found in the rural settlements Gazanchi of Julfa region of Nakhchivan AR, in Dashtapa of Gusar region, in Kandyeri of Shamakhi region. The wall remains found in the rural settlement Kandyeri were built with raw rock stones with mixed lime mud (9, p.36; 10, p.159). Population had used of different sizes (18x18x4, 185x185x4, 19x19x4, 23x25x5, 23x23x25) square shaped baked bricks in the construction of residential houses as well as. Especially they have been found in the rural settlements of of Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic. Ethnographic literature gives information that baked bricks were used in constructions from ancient times in Nakhchivan, in X-XII centuries it had mass character (2, p.41). In baked brick buildings which belonged by the characteristics of heating appliances, natural color, fine texture were assumed lived the wealthy and rich villagers. The remains of buildings made of baked bricks have also been found in the rural settlements Turkyeri of Masallı region, Giziltapa, Mukhurtapa of Imishly region, Ilandag of Ardabil region and in the other rural settlements of Middle Ages. Some of the buildings found out in the rural settlements consist of “cave houses” or “kuhul” houses. Semi-drilled this type houses found out in the rural settlements of Ardabil region of South Azerbaijan crumbled on the decline part of the hill in which situated rural settlement. It was said that this type houses used more as a religious purposes or khanagah in Middle Ages. The remains of the houses like cave typewere found in Ganza and Viyand-Kahralan rural settlements of Ardabil region as well (14, p.16). Beside the residential houses and farm buildings production buildings and Tandirkhanas (Bakery houses-buildings where situated bread-ovens and hearths) take also place in the architecture of rural settlement. Bakery houses have a light wooden structure and about 5-8 square meters area. Bakery houses have been found and investigated during archaeological excavations in the Haciallili and I Giraq Kasaman rural settlements (12, p.6, 13, p.11). The length of the remains of bakery house which was found out in Quadrats 3 of Excavation Site II of the rural settlement Haciallili was 5 m, width 3,5m. Here were found out the remains of bread-oven and a fragment of the jug which was used in the cooking process. During archaeological excavations in the depth of 65-90cm there was registered a few plasters and clay layer in the bakery. Finding on the edge of the plastered floor pits in 30 cm diameter and the coal fragments allows us to say that the bakery was had a very light wooden roofing which afterwards was destroyed by fire (12, p.7). Carried out investigations in all regions of the Azerbaijan allows us to say that there was not standard principles in solution compositional-plan scheme of the construction of the rural settlement. In spite of social, religious and multi-room residential houses of urban areas of this period which were built of baked brick and stone, adobe brick houses, wand wicker homes, constructions built with cobblestone, big cob brick houses have dominated in the rural settlements. Orographic structure of the area, the natural and climatic conditions, nature of local building materials as a factor exerted their influence on the types of houses and they differed from urban buildings with the primitive construction equipment, the plan compositions and weakness of architectural ornament. The absence of geometersic plan, not evenness of the walls give a reason to say that unlike urban settlements, where the walls were laid neatly, in the rural settlements the house is not built on the basis of the current drawing and arbitrary. Biblography Dostiyev M. Medieval houses. // AAE. 2011, № 2, p.155-160. (Azerbaijan) Azerbaijan ethnography: Three volumes. v. II, Baku: East-West, 2007, 449 p. (Azerbaijan) Mustafayev M. The results of archaeological excavations in the medieval rural settlement in Muxortepe 2009. Archaeological investigations in Azerbaijan Baku, 2010. p.252-255. (Azerbaijan) Icmizade O.Sh. Excavations in Karatepe hill in the Mil steppe. // MIA. 1965, №125. p. 195-228 (In Russion) Dostiyev T.M. North-East Azerbaijan IX-XV centuries. (on the basis of historical and archaeological research of Quba region) Baku, Baku State University 2001, 396 p. (Azerbaijan) Nasirli M.N. The residential houses of Sheki-Zaqtala zone population. Baku, Science, 1975, 266 p. (Azerbaijan) Dostiyev T.M. Medieval cultural layer of Sarkartepe. // History and its problems. №1, Baku. Tuna, 1997, p.192-202. (Azerbaijan) Dostiyev T.M. Medieval archaeological sites of the North-East Azerbaijan (IX-in the middle XIII centry). Baku, Publishing house of Baku State Universitety, 1999, 154 p. (Azerbaijan) Novruzlu A.I., Baxshaliyev V.B. The archeological monuments of Baku, Science, 1992. 143 p. (Azerbaijan) Nuriyev A.B.The first information about the settlement Gumushlu. // AMM, VI c, Baku, 1965, s159163. (Azerbaijan) Novruzlu A.I, Baxşəliyev V.B. Archaeological monuments of Julfa region. Baku, Science, 1993, 100 p. (Azerbaijan) Dostiyev T, Mamedov, A.Comprehensive scientific report Hacıalılı III rural settlement located at the 302 km. of the route BTC. Baku, 2008. (Azerbaijan) Dostiyev T., Huseinov M., Guliyev F., Kvachidze V, Calilov B., Comprehensive scientific report Giraq Kasaman rural settlement located at 405 km. in the route BTC and SCP. Baku, 2007. 105 p. (İn English) Shahbazi H. Medieval archaeological monuments of Ardabil. Abstract of a thesis for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. Baku, 2014. 26 p. (Azerbaijan) Dostiyev T., Kvachidze V. The remains of workshops found out on the settlement Girag Kasaman. // Materials of scientific conference dedicated to the 60th anniversary expedition 2006, p.58-60. (Azerbaijan) Cəlilov B.M., Kvacidze V.A. Comprehensive scientific report Fakhrali rural settlement located at 289 km. in the route of BTC pipeline. Baku, 2007, 39 p. (Azerbaijan) Written by: Lankaran State University Edition: ЕВРАЗИЙСКИЙ СОЮЗ УЧЕНЫХ_30.04.2015_4(13) Рубрика: Исторические наукиОтмечено: Конференция №13 Предыдущая статья BASEL III IMPLEMENTATION: PROBLEMS AND CHALLENGES FOR KAZAKHSTAN BANKING SYSTEM Следующая статья ВЛИЯНИЕ РАСПОЛОЖЕНИЯ ФИКСИРОВАННЫХ ПАРАМЕТРОВ ЗАДАЧИ ЛИНЕЙНОГО ПАРАМЕТРИЧЕСКОГО ПРОГРАММИРОВАНИЯ НА ВРЕМЯ ПОСТРОЕНИЯ ДЕРЕВА РЕШЕНИЙ Исторические науки 30.12.2014 02.06.2017 ШАГИ ВНЕШНЕЙ ПОЛИТИКИ СССР-ОТ МИРА К КОНФРОНТАЦИИ И НАОБОРОТ Первый секретарь Якутского обкома ВКП (б) Певзняк Павел Матвеевич (1930-1937 гг.) ВЗАИМООТНОШЕНИЯ «СОВЕРШЕННЫХ» КАТАРОВ И ВЕРУЮЩИХ КАТАРСКОЙ «ЦЕРКВИ» ПО МАТЕРИАЛАМ ИНКВИЗИЦИОННЫХ РАССЛЕДОВАНИЙ Археологи нашли под Смоленском следы сражений 1812 года	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0030.json.gz/line1180
__label__cc	0.512312	0.487688	Brexit three months extension Posted on October 28, 2019 by Europe correspondent Leave a comment The European Union leaders have agreed to extend the UK departure date until 31 January 2020, indirectly acknowledging that the British government will not meet the foreseen deadline on October 31. https://twitter.com/eucopresident/status/1188748108764721152?s=21 The president of the EU Council Donald Tusk assessed the delay as “flextension“, underlining that there is no need to keep membership in the block until the date, but Britons could leave anytime before the date as soon as the Withdrawal Agreement was approved by Westminster. https://twitter.com/nickeardleybbc/status/1188868020569038848?s=21 The new Brexit delay has been announced amid MPs intend to vote on proposals by Prime Minister Boris Johnson for an early general election on December 12. The Scottish National Party (SNP) and Liberal Democrat’s (Lib/Dem) have also proposed an election a few days earlier – on December 9. The UK was due to leave the EU on October 31, but PM Johnson was required to request an extension after Westminster failed to agree a Withdrawal Agreement. Boris Johnson had repeatedly stated the UK would leave on 31 October meeting the deadline regardless the Withdrawal Agreement, but the law – known as the Benn Act – imposes to accept the EU’s extension proposal in absence of the Brexit deal. https://twitter.com/bbcpolitics/status/1188868668182020096?s=21 The Downing Street source said to the BBC that the government would introduce a bill “almost identical” to the Lib Dem/SNP option on October 29 if Labour voted their proposal down later, and “we will have a pre-Christmas election anyway”. tagged with Article 50, Boris Johnson, Donald Tusk, extension, featured, UK, WA, Westminster, Withdrawal Agreement Moscow hosts Libya talks	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0030.json.gz/line1181
__label__wiki	0.789627	0.789627	First Name* Last Name* Email Address* Zip Code Josh Ardizzoni Josh is Sommelier and former Maître D’ at Marcel, Ford Fry’s swanky ‘European-inspired’ steakhouse in the Westside Provisions District. Born in Boston, Josh began his career in hospitality at the renowned Boston Harbor Hotel and became hooked on fine food and beverage. After graduating from Boston University with a B.A. in Sociology, he relocated to Atlanta with his wife in 2010 and joined Ford Fry Restaurants at the opening of King + Duke in Buckhead in 2013. Since opening Marcel in 2015, Josh has been driven to share the breadth and beauty of French wine with guests, shining a spotlight on Burgundy, the Loire Valley, and the Rhône Valley as hotbeds for exciting grower-producers worthy of a place at the steakhouse table alongside the heavy hitters of Bordeaux and California. In addition, Marcel’s cocktail program, under Josh’s direction, focuses on ‘Mad Men’-era cocktails from the ‘50s and ‘60s updated with European ingredients. Marcel has been recognized by Wine Enthusiast Magazine as one of ‘America’s Top 100 Wine Restaurants’ for two consecutive years. © 2020 Share Our Strength 1030 15th Street NW, Suite 1100W	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0030.json.gz/line1183
__label__wiki	0.889409	0.889409	Spiritualized Danforth Music Hall, Toronto ON, April 12 Touring has never been about making money for Jason Pierce. In fact, while most musicians travel the world playing gigs to earn an income, S... Spiritualized Commodore Ballroom, Vancouver BC, April 2 Psych-rock legends Spiritualized enraptured the Commodore audience for two solid hours on Tuesday night. Stationed in a semi-circular format... Spiritualized Map Out 2019 North American Tour A few months removed from delivering And Nothing Hurt, Spiritualized have now announced plans to take the record on tour in 2019. The 19-... Spiritualized And Nothing Hurt Jason Pierce can't seem to make an album these days without suffering some major setback. For almost 30 years now the man they call Spaceman... Spiritualized's 'And Nothing Hurt' Might Not Be Their Last Album After All Jason Pierce doesn't know the meaning of taking it easy. Almost three decades after leaving influential drone rockers Spacemen 3 to form his... Stream Spiritualized's New Album 'And Nothing Hurt' Spiritualized have been busy teasing their first album in eight years, And Nothing Hurt, and now we can finally hear the entirety of the new... Spiritualized Share New Song "Here It Comes (The Road) Let's Go" Spiritualized are gearing up for the project's first album in eight years, And Nothing Hurt, and once again we're getting a taste of what's... Hopes of a Spacemen 3 Reunion Just Went Up in Flames While Spacemen 3 fans have been fortunate enough to get a series of reissues in recent years, don't expect any sort of band reunion to happe... Spiritualized Return with 'And Nothing Hurt,' Share Two New Songs After first making mention of an eighth studio album back in 2016, Spiritualized are set to return with a new full-length later this summer,... Spacemen 3's 'Dreamweapon' Treated to Expanded Vinyl Reissue Despite a whole bunch of drama erupting over the Spacemen 3 reissues last Record Store Day, the late, great space-rock heroes are set to be... Spacemen 3 Urge Fans to Not Buy Their Record Store Day Releases Record lovers the world over are gearing up for Record Store Day on Saturday (April 22), but for those who had their hearts and wallets set... Spiritualized's J. Spaceman Joins Föllakzoid for New Release While fans continue to wait for that final Spiritualized album, frontman J. Spaceman is busying himself with a new collaboration with Chilea...	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0030.json.gz/line1187
__label__cc	0.569668	0.430332	HomePosts tagged 'Pieman' Pieman Doing Jayda’s job for her March 27, 2016 March 26, 2016 EBFBlogger Anthony Blunn, Britain First, British values, Democracy, EBF, Exposing Britain First, Fact-checking, Far right myths, Islam, Jayda Fransen, Legal, Merchandise, Militia, Muslim, Paramilitary, Paul Golding, Paul Michael Sargeant, political uniform, Politics, Racism, Robin Lomax, Steve Lewis, vigilante Anthony Blunn, bail, Britain first, Jayda Franson, Paul Michael Sargeant, Pieman, political uniform, Robin Lomax, Steve Lewis Jayda Fransen used never to tire of telling us that she has a law degree. Nowadays she’s a bit more retiscent to talk about that. Perhaps that’s because we exposed the truth about her unfinished correspondence course in basic law. Or perhaps it’s because she got bored of academia (and all the hard work it involves) and moved on to easier, more entertaining activities like screaming at brown people and baiting the police. Either way, given her alleged knowledge of British law you’d think she might be able to put a few Biffers straight about legal processes like police bail, rights and restrictions, the wearing of political uniform and the nature of subversion and sedition. But no – apparently she’s content to let them carry on being just as ill-informed as ever. She hasn’t even bothered to inform Britain First itself about the huge legal trap they’re falling into not just as individuals but as an organisation. So we thought we’d educate them ourselves. We’ll do Jayda’s job for her because she’s clearly not going to. That’s a shame in itself – it would be nice to see her do something that’s actually useful for a change. Let’s begin with the political uniform thing. Back in 1936 the Public Order Act was passed banning the wearing of political uniforms and the militarisation of political organisations. The rise of paramilitary politics like the British Union of Fascists had been a step too far and the government acted to preserve the principles of democracy and freedom of expression that we all hold so dear. That law has since been amended and updated, the most recent version being the Public Order Act 1986 which upholds the uniform and political militarisation bans as well as additional injunctions against stirring up racial hatred. You’d think Jayda would have thought to warn her cronies about this one, wouldn’t you? Apparently not. She’s such a genius! Britain First’s track record on racial hatred is well known. We’ve blogged about it many times including here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here… etc (the list goes on and on). Evidence of their religious discrimination (also unlawful) can be found here, here, here, here, here, here, here and especially here… etc. But what’s all this about uniform? Britain First occasionally try to convince us that their fleeces (with the unauthorised use of the Royal crest) are not actually uniform. But their own communications amongst themselves show just how ridiculous that assertion really is. In keeping with their Walter Mitty aspirations to play soldiers they have insignia to denote rank and function, even using coloured clothing to denote function (a bit like Star Trek). This wonderfully obvious exchange contains a comment by Robin Lomax, the Biffers’ ‘armed forces division commanding officer’ talking about black ‘security’ beanies (yes – beanies). It may well be laughable but it’s still criminal! Then there’s a more recent exchange (also involving Lomax) about rank insignia that we’ve reproduced below. Steve “Pieman” Lewis is currently on bail (as are Der Fuhrer and his deputy) for wearing political uniform in relation to Britain First. Their legal team (or at least their excuse for more fundraising) seems so far to have been unable to make these very serious charges disappear. That’s hardly surprising. This stuff goes to the heart of British democracy and to disrupt our democratic process this way is a form of sedition, arguably even treason. The whole point of Britain First’s nefarious activities is to disrupt our established system of representative democracy, even calling for the execution of current politicians. If that isn’t treason we really don’t know what is! So come on Jayda – tell your cronies how the law works. That way they might be able to avoid looking quite as stupid as they do when they post ill-informed rubbish like this. Come on Dutchy… sort it out! Lewis languishes in the cells March 25, 2016 EBFBlogger Britain First, Fact-checking, Fascist, Legal, political uniform, Politics, Steve Lewis Arrest, bail, Britain first, Pieman, political uniform, Steve Lewis Oh how we laughed! It’s true. The EBF office fairly rocked with laughter today as the news broke about poor Pieman’s prolonged incarceration. According to Britain First the unfortunate fascist was arrested in a midnight raid and bundled off to captivity in a South Eastern police station (presumably without the benefit of pasties). The Biffers tell us that they arrested him for wearing political uniform outside a London mosque some days earlier. That seems a little unlikely to us. They further claim that he’d been held for 16 hours for that offence and no other. That seems unlikely too. We wonder if the Biffers are telling us the whole truth. Actually that’s not true. We don’t wonder at all. We’re absolutely certain that there’s more to it than that. We’ll keep an eye on the news and see what transpires. Watch this space for more information as it becomes available. We’ll also let you know if anything comes of the Biffers’ demand that their ‘patryoots’ jam up the police station’s telephone lines to demand Pieman’s release. We’re not sure but could that be classed as some sort of incitement? Perhaps it’s a form of wasting police time? It may even be an attempt to pervert the course of justice. We’ll let you know what happens.	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0030.json.gz/line1189
__label__wiki	0.994637	0.994637	Premiere: Muzzy Bearr – ‘Seduction Cup’ Team Elektro If you're a fan of the electro-funk scene, you may not know the name Muzzy Bearr, but chances are you've seen him performing live. He has been future funk leader and fellow Detroit producer GRiZ's live and studio guitarist for some time. Thus, it is only appropriate that he is making his debut on the GRiZ-fronted All Good Records imprint with his Vintage Sutra EP. As you might have expected from the release, the EP comes with the kind of electronic soul/funk tunes that are right at home at the All Good Records camp. While throwing in elements of future bass, hip-hop and juke, Muzzy Bearr has crafted a debut release that is entirely unique. Featured on the six-track release are a variety of fellow funk scenesters, including Exmag & Branx, brass extraordinaire Benny Bloom (who has provided the brass-work for Shady Horns, Lettuce and Pretty Lights), and saxophone from All Good Records-flagbearer GRiZ. The release's opening track "Suede" also features Detroit rapper Denmark Vessey, rounding out an impressive collection of collaborations. As we await the official April 14 release of Vintage Sutra, we've gotten our first taste of the EP, which comes in the form of its first single, "Seduction Cup." Sexy guitar solos combine with the track's spacey synth progressions for a jammy, funkdified baby-making anthem. Like all of the music released on the All Good imprint, this EP will be available for free. Stay tuned for more music from the release to come soon. In the mean time, check out the EP's hilarious trailer and Muzzy Bearr's tour dates as he supports GRiZ on his 'Say It Loud Tour' below. 4/16 — The Intersection — Grand Rapids, MI 4/17 — Aragon Ballroom — Chicago, IL 4/18 — The Pageant — St Louis, MO 4/20 — The Bourbon — Lincoln, NE 4/22 — The Granada Theater — Lawrence, KS 4/23 — George's Majestic — Fayetteville, AR 4/24 — Trees — Dallas, TX 4/25 — Emo's — Austin TX 4/29 — El Rey Theaer — Alburquerque, NM 4/30 — Orpheum Theater — Flagstaff, AZ 5/1 — The Wiltern — Los Angeles, CA 5/2 — Mezzanine — San Francisco, CA 5/5 — Knitting Factory — Reno, NV 5/7 — Mcdonald Theatre — Eugene, OR 5/8 — Showbox — Seattle, WA 5/9 — The Commodore Ballroom — Vancouver, CA 9/4 — Red Rocks — Morrison, CO Filed Under: all good records, muzzy bearr	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0030.json.gz/line1191
__label__cc	0.507812	0.492188	5 IT job trends to watch in 2019 Let's explore the key IT job trends that IT leaders and hiring managers should be thinking about – because success starts with talent 96 readers like this By Stephanie Overby \| December 20, 2018 One of the most important – and unfortunately enduring – IT job market trends for CIOs to monitor is the continued chasm between technology talent demand and supply. Computer-related jobs are expected to grow at the faster-than-average rate of 12 percent through 2024, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. In just two years, BLS predicted, there will be 1.4 million open technology jobs but only 400,000 new computer science graduates nationwide. That’s causing many IT leaders to get more involved in STEM issues to address this long-term problem. In the near-term, however, there are other movements afoot in the IT talent market – from skyrocketing demand for open source talent and AWS experts to the complete rethinking of the responsibilities of key IT leadership roles. Here are five developments IT leaders and hiring managers should be thinking about. [ Which of today's IT roles are vanishing? Read 4 dying IT jobs. ] 1. Desperately seeking open source skills “Open source is now adopted widely, even in areas outside of technology,” says Kathryn Seni, General Manager in the North Carolina office of career and talent management provider Keystone Partners, making open source talent particularly hard to attract to corporate IT. The vast majority of hiring managers (83 percent) said that hiring open source professionals is a priority and an even greater percentage (87 percent) said they were having trouble finding skilled open source developers to fill open jobs, according to a 2018 study by The Linux Foundation and Dice.com. Nearly half of the respondents (48 percent) said they are increasing their access and attractiveness to candidates by actively supporting open source projects with code or other resources and even more (55 percent) are paying for employee certifications, up from 47 percent in 2017 and 34 percent in 2016, as companies scramble to encourage and hire open source talent, the survey reported. [ Need cloud, DevOps, and containers gurus? Read our related story, Open source jobs report: 3 hot skill areas now. ] 2. Horizontal roles emerging Historically, IT roles have been largely vertical in nature. But as technology becomes more integrated and IT organizations focus on optimizing processes from end-to-end, CIOs are creating more horizontal roles. Rather than hiring someone as a VP of enterprise applications or infrastructure, for example, IT leaders are placing a single professional in charge of both. Rather than hiring someone as a vice president of enterprise applications or infrastructure, for example, IT leaders are placing a single professional in charge of both. “Companies now need someone to streamline operations from order to service and create a data ecosystem to enhance the customer experience,” says Katie Ross, Recruiting Partner at Heller Search Associates, an executive recruiting firm that specializes in IT leadership roles. “Technology is becoming so tightly integrated that the skill to understand the full technology stack and how to innovate or simplify that stack overall is becoming more imperative. We are also seeing lots of VPs of Innovation or Solution Architecture in big companies who are responsible for ensuring the utilization of cloud, AI, IoT, and other emerging technology across the organization,” Ross says. Likewise, chief technology officers are becoming accountable for everything from infrastructure through product development. 3. Most sought-after perk: Work flexibility Corporate IT leaders competing for the same in-demand technology professionals as digital Goliaths and slick start-ups may think they’re fighting a losing battle on the job perks front, from Airbnb’s free vacations to Netflix’s unlimited parental leave to Google’s gourmet meals. But it turns out that the perks would-be employees value most highly – those that give workers more control of where and how they get their jobs done – are those any IT leader can figure out a way to offer. According to a recent Robert Half survey, the perks employees value most are flexible work schedules (88 percent), a compressed workweek (66 percent) and the ability to telecommute (55 percent). However, many employers are falling short. While the majority of companies offer flexible work schedules (62 percent), Robert Half found that fewer than one in five offer shorter workweeks or remote work options. [ Read IT salary extras: 5 perks worth pursuing. ] Remote work, in particular, can be a win-win for CIOs having trouble recruiting talent in their markets. “With so many robust and integrated communication and collaboration platforms, remote employees are able to work fairly seamlessly from disparate locations,” Seni says. “This allows companies more flexibility and an ability to attract top talent outside of the local market.” 4. Next-gen skills hiring needs to pick up Enterprise IT leaders say they want to leverage their own internal talent to develop competitive differentiators, says Yugal Joshi, vice president of Information Technology Services for Everest Group. However, despite these aspirations of enterprises, their hiring hasn’t kept pace, he says. Everest Group research suggests that while CIOs need next-generation software architects, they aren’t actively hiring them. Everest Group research suggests that while CIOs need next-generation software architects, they aren’t actively hiring them. Emerging skills such as serverless, though great in demand, aren’t actually getting hired, he says. Jobs requiring advanced skills in areas such as serverless computing, application container technology, DevOps, and microservices account for at most 15 percent of open job requisitions in corporate IT, according to Joshi. In the meantime, IT leaders will likely look to contractors and IT service providers for these emerging technology capabilities. 5. Top certifications drive salary premiums The three highest paid certifications in the market right now according to the 2019 Robert Half Technology Salary Guide – for Cisco Certified Architects (CCAr), AWS Certified Solutions Architects, and Certified Information Security Managers (CISM) – offer a glimpse into corporate technology priorities. Network architects will pay upwards of $15,000 to get the CCAr certification, but are seeing median salaries of $137,500 as IT leaders seek them to oversee all aspects of their data networks, from laying down the hardware to aligning projects with business objectives. The strong demand for architects certified in Amazon’s cloud platform (with certification costing $170 and requiring a year of hands-on experience) is earning these application professionals mid-range salaries of $135,750. MORE ON IT JOBS 3 aging IT specialties that just won't retire 5 ways to find non-traditional IT talent Meanwhile, the rapidly evolving cyber risk landscape is driving the need for security managers. The CISM from vendor-neutral non-profit ISACA is an industry standard for security management, requiring applicants to have at least five years of infosec experience, three of them in management, and is garnering median salaries of $139,000, according to Robert Half. [ Arm yourself for IT job interviews with winning tactics and relevant data. Get our new eBook: IT job searching in 2019: A practical guide. ] How to do big data without being creepy Stephanie Overby is an award-winning reporter and editor with more than twenty years of professional journalism experience. For the last decade, her work has focused on the intersection of business and technology. She lives in Boston, Mass.	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0030.json.gz/line1195
__label__wiki	0.618336	0.618336	A Grand Challenge Agenda for Entomology Improving the human condition with insect science ESA Website Agenda for Invasive Species Summit The summit was a brief 12 hour event, spread out over a day and a half. The agenda (abbreviated version here) included posters, plenary talks, round-tables, and breakout sessions. The speakers were federal officials, researchers, nongovernmental organization leaders, and others who are well-known as leaders in invasive species management. Where speakers permitted, the slides from their presentations are included below as links. The Invasive Arthropod Forestry Pests of British Columbia: A Case Study for a Broader Challenge? As a border province with the U.S. and the western seaport of Canada, British Columbia can be viewed as a case study for the invasive arthropod species challenge. B.C. is Canada’s 3rd most populous province and home to Vancouver, one of the busiest ports in North America. Two primary industries, forestry and tourism, are known pathways for invasive species. Facilitator, Gail Wallin, Invasive Species Council of BC, Executive Director Babita Bains, British Columbia Ministry of Forests; Provincial Forest Entomologist Tim Ebata, BC Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development; Forest Health Officer Tracy Hueppelsheuser, British Columbia Plant Protection Advisory Council; Chair Jennifer McGuire; Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy; Assistant Deputy Minister Brian Van Hezewijk; Canadian Forest Service; Research Scientist Policy Considerations of the Trans-boundary Arthropod Forest Pests Challenge This session was a facilitated and strategic conversation on increasing the cross-border collaboration and cooperation between the U.S. and Canada to better enable early and rapid detection and management of invasive arthropod species. The panelists discussed the challenge from their perspective, reacted to the prior panel and addressed questions from the facilitator and audience. Stephanie Bloem; North American Plant Protection Organization (NAPPO); Executive Director Rick Cooksey; U.S. Forest Service; Acting Director Forest Health Protection Bruno Gallant; Canadian Food Inspection Agency; Senior Legislative Officer, Invasive Alien Species and Domestic Plant Health Programs Section Anthony Hopkin; Natural Resources Canada, Canadian Forest Service; Director, Entomology and Phytosanitary Service Samantha J. Simon; U.S. Department of Agriculture; Senior Invasive Species Coordinator Issues and Challenges Regarding Invasive Forest Insects Panelists focused on the technical challenges of the invasive forest insect problem across the U.S. and Canadian border. They presented on their areas of expertise, reacted to the prior two discussions, and sought to find areas where the entomological community can come together to make a difference in the ways that the two nations–and, indeed, the rest of the world–can improve our ability to manage invasive species. Robert Rabaglia; U.S. Forest Service; Entomologist Nancy Furness; Canadian Food Inspection Agency; Forestry Specialist Leland Humble; Natural Resources Canada; Research Scientist Meghan Noseworthy; Canadian Forest Service; Research Biologist Ian Pearse; U.S. Geological Survey; Research Ecologist Attendees previewed the day to come and received an overview of the summit’s purpose, including important updates and outcomes from the prior day’s round-table conversations. The presenter was Frank Zalom; University of California, Davis & Summit Co-Chair. Click here for the slides from this presentation. Sponsor address: Corteva Agrisciences, Agriculture Division of DowDuPont Headquartered in Wilmington, DE, Corteva, the former Agriculture Division of DowDuPont, is an agricultural company with a leading position in seed technologies, crop protection, and digital agriculture. The company has a strong belief in developing market shaping technologies and partnerships and views this sponsorship as part of their drive toward developing food security on a global basis. The presented was Sunil Tewari, Field Scientist, Corteva Agriscience. Click here for the slides from this presentation. The Views from Washington and Ottawa: The Invasive Species Challenge from Both Sides of the Border This two-part, high level and high impact plenary talk featured federal officials from both the Canadian and U.S. governments. They delivered talks that addressed their respective federal positions on invasive species, the challenges the governments are facing, and ways that they see for the U.S. and Canadian on federal priorities related to international cooperation in invasive species. There were two presenters: Samantha Simon, Senior Invasive Species Coordinator, U.S. Department of Agriculture (Click here for the slides from this presentation) Anthony Hopkin; Natural Resources Canada, Canadian Forest Service; Director, Entomology and Phytosanitary Service (Click here for the slides from this presentation) Ground War: The View from Inside Port Operations Several of the ports in the Pacific Northwest are among the busiest ports in the Americas. Vancouver itself is among the top 30 busiest ports in the world. This talk will be a real life discussion of the challenges faced by port managers on both sides of the U.S.-Canada border. Using the port of Seattle as an example for the issues faced by all managers, this talk showcased the scope of the problem in addition to highlighting other challenges, such as funding, scale, training, and the tools of the trade. The presenter was Roy Hamblin, Customs and Border Protection Agriculture Chief, Seattle Trade Branch. Funding Solutions Through Innovation This presentation focused on looking beyond the obvious for solutions and instead encouraged participants to think differently and build solution-seeking communities where they don’t currently exist. The e-Economy has disrupted most traditional business models, forcing individuals to look beyond the horizon to adapt to an always-new paradigm. A guiding question for this presentation was this: “What is to be learned by broadening our scope as we search for solutions to the invasive arthropod species challenge?” The presenter was Paul Bunje; Conservation X Labs; Co-founder. Click here for the slides from this presentation. Sponsor address: Syngenta Syngenta is a leading agriculture company helping to improve global food security by enabling millions of farmers to make better use of available resources. Through world class science and innovative crop solutions, our 28,000 people in over 90 countries are working to transform how crops are grown. We are committed to rescuing land from degradation, enhancing biodiversity and revitalizing rural communities. The presenter was Catherine “Caydee” Savinelli, Pollinator & IPM Stewardship Lead. Click here for the slides from this presentation. Challenge Areas Panel Many of the invasive species challenges that entomologists and other professionals face are the same, regardless of what pest is being considered. This panel presentation sought to define the primary issues that need to be addressed. The panelists addressed their views on the most critical elements of the challenge, including prevention, detection, and response. Facilitator: Tracey Cooke; Invasive Species Centre; Executive Director Sandy Smith; University of Toronto; Professor Stephanie Bloem; NAPPO; Executive Director Andrew Liebhold; U.S. Forest Service; Research Entomologist “No New Invaders” Perspective Talks We tend to think of invasive species as inevitable, and perhaps they are. But does that kind of thinking limit our approaches? What would it take to stop all new invasions? Re-framing the challenge allows us to better view our toolkit. These “What if …” scenarios were all short talks delivered in a lively presentation style. They were designed to get summit attendees thinking of the challenge from a different perspective. Introduction: What if … Helen Spafford, University of New Orleans. (Click here for the slides from this presentation) Picking winners: How can we get better at pathway analysis and risk assessment? Andrew “Sandy” Liebhold; U.S. Forest Service; Research Entomologist. (Click here for the slides from this presentation) What’s in your toolbox? Stephen Dobson, University of Kentucky and Mosquito Mate What tool is missing? Nancy Schelhorn, CSIRO (remote video presentation). How do we engage? Gail Wallin, Invasive Species Council of British Columbia. (Click here for the slides from this presentation) In a perfect world, how would we collaborate? Patricia McAllister, CFIA. (Click here for the slides from this presentation) A New Paradigm: Challenges and Opportunities in a Dynamic Political Landscape The political landscape is changing, seemingly on a daily basis. What does that mean from a policy perspective? What are we doing right (and wrong) in our current approaches to federal invasive species management? If we could start from scratch, how would we build a better system? The presenter was Sonny Ramaswamy, President Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities and Former Director USDA-NIFA. Click here for the slides from this presentation. Invasion Biology: Science and Policy This talk discussed invasion biology and the strategic usage of data to make better-informed decisions. In other words, how can we get better and learning from past lessons to help limit the impacts of invaders in the future? The presenter was James Carey; University of California-Davis; Professor. Click here for the slides from this presentation. Morning Wrap Up Lessons learned during the morning sessions were discussed, the process for developing the outcome report from the summit was reviewed, and the afternoon sessions were previewed. The presenter was Tracy Hueppelsheuser, British Columbia Plant Protection Advisory Council & Summit Co-Chair Breakout Sessions on Critical Issues The purpose of the breakout sessions was to begin to create a compelling narrative to discuss the four themes (Prevention, Detection, Response, and Policy) of the summit using the ABT narrative and working with communications expert Randy Olson. The process was summed up in a recent blog post by Dr. Olson. The breakout leaders were: Prevention Facilitator: Frank Zalom Detection Facilitator: Leland Humble Response Management Facilitators: Sandy Smith and Tracey Hueppelsheuser Trade and Policy/International Agreements Facilitator: Helen Spafford Sponsor address: Bayer CropScience Headquartered in Monheim Germany, the Crop Science Division of Bayer has a global footprint that spans nearly every country and employs more than 35,000 people. Bayer CropScience is a global team working to shape agriculture through breakthrough innovation for the benefit of farmers, consumers, and our planet. The presenter was Graham Head, Senior Scientist. Click here to see the slides from this presentation. Moving from Discussion to Impact This session was the outcome from the breakout sessions. It started with a brief presentation from Dr. Randy Olson, a scientist turned filmmaker, and then each breakout leader talked about the process and what their group developed. It was stressed that this is merely step #1 in the process with more work to refine the narrative to come in the weeks and months ahead. Click here to see the slides from the breakout reports. Helping to Set the Agenda for Invasive Species Research This talk addressed ways that the Grand Challenges summit can help to set the outcomes for the ways that the global community addresses the challenges of invasive arthropods in the future, including launching a new crowd-funding challenge grant for which ESA will contribute $1,500 in additional funding. The presenter was Denny Luan; Experiment.com Co-founder. Click here to see the slides from this presentation. The GCAFE Initiative is broader than this single summit. It is a community of entomologists and partners who seek to improve the state of the world through collaborative communication around the challenge areas. Perhaps the most important part of the summit will occur in the weeks that follow its conclusion. This talk set the stage for that. The presidents from the three hosting entomological societies and some of their other international counterparts discussed the day’s conversations, the consensus document, and identified needs in the coming days, months, and years. A summit to take place at the 2020 International Congress of Entomology was also announced. Facilitator: David Gammel; Entomological Society of America; Executive Director Patrice Bouchard; Entomological Society of Canada; President Panelist: Michael Parrella; Entomological Society of America; President Panelist: Jennifer Cory; Entomological Society of British Columbia; President Panelist: Luke Tilley; Royal Entomological Society; Chief Executive Panelist: Heikki Hokkanen; Entomological Society of Finland; President Panelist: Eliane Quintela; Entomological Society of Brazil; President Adjourn and Attendee Photo Entomology Today More Than Wheat to Eat: New Zealand’s Wheat Bug Has a Taste for Brassicas, Too Hungry, Hungry Hawaiian Caterpillar: Program Aims to Restore the Endemic Kamehameha Butterfly Advanced Morphology Techniques Reveal Tobacco Hornworm’s Secrets Entomological Society of America 3 Park Place, Suite 307	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0030.json.gz/line1196
__label__wiki	0.603427	0.603427	0 Aufrufe dasdas speichernstudy 5 für später speichern v. Botron Company et. al. 73.Burgos, Jr. v. Spouses Eladio Sj. Naval, Et Al. Ortigas v. CA (Digest) Stay on Execution When & How by Rakesh Kumar Singh Sport Dimension v. Coleman Company William Poku v. William Himelman, 3rd Cir. (2011) Co Ownership Digest 31) Estrada vs Desierto United States of America, Appellant/cross-Appellee v. City of Kansas City, Kansas, Appellee/cross-Appellant, 761 F.2d 605, 10th Cir. (1985) Frank M. De Fino v. Raymond M. Fitzpatrick, 342 F.2d 769, 1st Cir. (1965) Amberti vs CA Rule 39 Cases Highlighted (Alee) Fisher v. Perkins, 122 U.S. 522 (1887) Firestone Tire & Rubber Co. v. Risjord, 449 U.S. 368 (1981) Barops Cases 05. Global Business Holding, Inc. vs. Surecomp Sofware, B.V. Fabian Desierto Report Consti CTS Wholesale Complaint 11. Ignao vs. IAC Martinez v People G.R. No. 184203 November 26, 2014 CITY OF LAPU-LAPU, Petitioner, PHILIPPINE ECONOMIC ZONE AUTHORITY, Respondent. x-----------------------x G.R. No. 187583 PROVINCE OF BATAAN, represented by GOVERNOR ENRIQUE T. GARCIA, JR., and EMERLINDA S. TALENTO, in her capacity as Provincial Treasurer of Bataan, Petitioners, LEONEN, J.: The Philippine Economic Zone Authority is exempt from payment of real property taxes. These are consolidated1 petitions for review on certiorari the City of Lapu-Lapu and the Province of Bataan separately filed against the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA). In G.R. No. 184203, the City of Lapu-Lapu (the City) assails the Court of Appeals’ decision2 dated January 11, 2008 and resolution3 dated August 6, 2008, dismissing the City’s appeal for being the wrong mode of appeal. The City appealed the Regional Trial Court,Branch 111, Pasay City’s decision finding the PEZA exempt from payment of real property taxes. In G.R. No. 187583, the Province of Bataan (the Province) assails the Court of Appeals’ decision4 dated August 27, 2008 and resolution5 dated April 16, 2009, granting the PEZA’s petition for certiorari. The Court of Appeals ruled that the Regional Trial Court, Branch 115, Pasay City gravely abused its discretion in finding the PEZA liable for real property taxes to the Province of Bataan. Facts common to the consolidated petitions In the exercise of his legislative powers,6 President Ferdinand E. Marcos issued Presidential Decree No. 66 in 1972, declaring as government policy the establishment of export processing zones in strategic locations in the Philippines. Presidential Decree No. 66 aimed "to encourage and promote foreign commerce as a means of making the Philippines a center of international trade, of strengthening our export trade and foreign exchange position, of hastening industrialization,of reducing domestic unemployment, and of accelerating the development of the country."7 To carry out this policy, the Export Processing Zone Authority (EPZA) was created to operate, administer, and manage the export processing zones established in the Port of Mariveles, Bataan8 and such other export processing zones that may be created by virtue of the decree.9 The decree declared the EPZA non-profit in character10 with all its revenues devoted to its development, improvement, and maintenance.11 To maintain this non-profit character, the EPZA was declared exempt from all taxes that may be due to the Republic of the Philippines, its provinces, cities, municipalities, and other government agencies and instrumentalities.12 Specifically, Section 21 of Presidential Decree No. 66 declared the EPZA exempt from payment of real property taxes: Section 21. Non-profit Character of the Authority; Exemption from Taxes. The Authority shall be non- profit and shall devote and use all its returns from its capital investment, as well as excess revenues from its operations, for the development, improvement and maintenance and other related expenditures of the Authority to pay its indebtedness and obligations and in furtherance and effective implementation of the policy enunciated in Section 1 of this Decree. In consonance therewith, the Authority is hereby declared exempt: (b) From all income taxes, franchise taxes, realty taxes and all other kinds of taxes and licenses to be paid to the National Government, its provinces, cities, municipalities and other government agenciesand instrumentalities[.] In 1979, President Marcos issued Proclamation No. 1811, establishing the Mactan Export Processing Zone. Certain parcels of land of the public domain located in the City of Lapu-Lapuin Mactan, Cebu were reserved to serve as site of the Mactan Export Processing Zone. In 1995, the PEZA was created by virtue of Republic Act No. 7916 or "the Special Economic Zone Act of 1995"13 to operate, administer, manage, and develop economic zones in the country.14 The PEZA was granted the power to register, regulate, and supervise the enterprises located in the economic zones.15 By virtue of the law, the export processing zone in Mariveles, Bataan became the Bataan Economic Zone16 and the Mactan Export Processing Zone the Mactan Economic Zone.17 As for the EPZA, the law required it to "evolve into the PEZA in accordance with the guidelines and regulations set forth in an executive order issued for [the] purpose."18 On October 30, 1995, President Fidel V. Ramos issued Executive Order No. 282, directing the PEZA to assume and exercise all of the EPZA’s powers, functions, and responsibilities "as provided in Presidential Decree No. 66, as amended, insofar as they are not inconsistent with the powers, functions, and responsibilities of the PEZA, as mandated under [the Special Economic Zone Act of 1995]."19 All of EPZA’s properties, equipment, and assets, among others, were ordered transferred to the PEZA.20 Facts of G.R. No. 184203 In the letter21 dated March 25, 1998, the City of Lapu-Lapu, through the Office of the Treasurer, demanded from the PEZA 32,912,350.08 in real property taxes for the period from 1992 to 1998 on the PEZA’s properties located in the Mactan Economic Zone. The City reiterated its demand in the letter22 dated May 21, 1998. It cited Sections 193 and 234 of the Local Government Code of 1991 that withdrew the real property tax exemptions previously granted to or presently enjoyed by all persons. The City pointed out that no provision in the Special Economic Zone Act of 1995 specifically exempted the PEZA from payment of real property taxes, unlike Section 21 of Presidential Decree No. 66 that explicitly provided for EPZA’s exemption. Since no legal provision explicitly exempted the PEZA from payment of real property taxes, the City argued that it can tax the PEZA. The City made subsequent demands23 on the PEZA. In its last reminder24 dated May 13, 2002, the City assessed the PEZA 86,843,503.48 as real property taxes for the period from 1992 to 2002. On September 11, 2002, the PEZAfiled a petition for declaratory Relief25 with the Regional Trial Court of Pasay City, praying that the trial court declare it exempt from payment ofreal property taxes. The case was raffled to Branch 111. The City answered26 the petition, maintaining that the PEZA is liable for real property taxes. To support its argument, the City cited a legal opinion dated September 6, 1999 issued by the Department of Justice,27 which stated that the PEZA is not exempt from payment of real property taxes. The Department of Justice based its opinion on Sections 193 and 234 of the Local Government Code that withdrew the tax exemptions, including real property tax exemptions, previously granted to all persons. A reply28 was filed by the PEZA to which the City filed a rejoinder.29 Pursuant to Rule 63, Section 3 of Rules of Court,30 the Office of the Solicitor General filed a comment31 on the PEZA’s petition for declaratory relief. It agreed that the PEZA is exempt from payment of real property taxes, citing Sections 24 and 51 of the Special Economic Zone Act of 1995. The trial court agreed with the Solicitor General. Section 24 of the Special Economic Zone Act of 1995 provides: SEC. 24. Exemption from National and Local Taxes. – Except for real property taxes on land owned by developers, no taxes, local and national, shall be imposed on business establishments operating within the ECOZONE. In lieu thereof, five percent (5%) of the gross income earned by all business enterprises within the ECOZONE shall be paid and remitted as follows: a. Three percent (3%) to the National Government; b. Two percent (2%) which shall be directly remitted by the business establishments to the treasurer’s office of the municipality or city where the enterprise is located. Section 51 of the law, on the other hand, provides: SEC. 51. Ipso-Facto Clause. – All privileges, benefits, advantages or exemptions granted to special economic zones under Republic Act No. 7227, shall ipso-facto be accorded to special economic zones already created or to be created under this Act. The free port status shall not be vested upon new special economic zones. Based on Section 51, the trial court held that all privileges, benefits, advantages, or exemptions granted tospecial economic zones created under the Bases Conversion and Development Act of 1992 apply to special economic zones created under the Special Economic ZoneAct of 1995. Since these benefits include exemption from payment of national or local taxes, these benefits apply to special economic zones owned by the PEZA. According to the trial court, the PEZA remained tax-exempt regardless of Section 24 of the Special Economic Zone Act of 1995. It ruled that Section 24, which taxes real property owned by developers of economic zones, only applies to private developers of economic zones, not to public developers like the PEZA. The PEZA, therefore, is not liable for real property taxes on the land it owns. Characterizing the PEZA as an agency of the National Government, the trial court ruled that the City had no authority to tax the PEZA under Sections 133(o) and 234(a) of the Local Government Code of 1991. In the resolution32 dated June 14, 2006, the trial court granted the PEZA’s petition for declaratory relief and declared it exempt from payment of real property taxes. The City filed a motion for reconsideration,33 which the trial court denied in its resolution34 dated The City then appealed35 to the Court of Appeals. The Court of Appeals noted the following issues the City raised in its appellant’s brief: (1) whether the trial court had jurisdiction over the PEZA’s petition for declaratory relief; (2) whether the PEZA is a government agency performing governmental functions; and (3) whether the PEZA is exempt from payment of real property taxes. The issues presented by the City, according to the Court of Appeals, are pure questions of law which should have been raised in a petition for review on certiorari directly filed before this court. Since the City availed itself of the wrong mode of appeal, the Court of Appeals dismissed the City’s appeal in the decision36 dated January 11, 2008. The City filed a motion for extension of time to file a motion for reconsideration,37 which the Court of Appeals denied in the resolution38 dated April 11, 2008. Despite the denial of its motion for extension, the City filed a motion for reconsideration.39 In the resolution40 dated August 6, 2008, the Court of Appeals denied that motion. In its petition for review on certiorari with this court,41 the City argues that the Court of Appeals "hid under the skirts of technical rules"42 in resolving its appeal. The City maintains that its appeal involved mixed questions of fact and law. According to the City, whether the PEZA performed governmental functions "cannot completely be addressed by law but [by] the factual and actual activities [the PEZA is] carrying out."43 Even assuming that the petition involves pure questions of law, the City contends that the subject matter of the case "is of extreme importance with [far-reaching] consequence that [its magnitude] would surely shape and determine the course ofour nation’s future."44 The Court of Appeals, the City argues, should have resolved the case on the merits. The City insists that the trial court had no jurisdiction to hear the PEZA’s petition for declaratory relief. According to the City, the case involves real property located in the City of Lapu-Lapu. The petition for declaratory relief should have been filed before the Regional Trial Court of the City of Lapu-Lapu.45 Moreover, the Province of Bataan, the City of Baguio, and the Province of Cavite allegedly demanded real property taxes from the PEZA. The City argues that the PEZA should have likewise impleaded these local government units as respondents in its petition for declaratory relief. For its failure to do so, the PEZA violated Rule 63, Section 2 of the Rules of Court, and the trial court should have dismissed the petition.46 This court ordered the PEZA to comment on the City’s petition for review on certiorari.47 At the outset of its comment, the PEZA argues that the Court of Appeals’ decision dated January 11, 2008 had become final and executory. After the Court of Appeals had denied the City’s appeal, the City filed a motion for extension of time to file a motion for reconsideration. Arguing that the time to file a motion for reconsideration is not extendible, the PEZA filed its motion for reconsideration out of time. The Cityhas no more right to appeal to this court.48 The PEZA maintains that the City availed itself of the wrong mode of appeal before the Court of Appeals. Since the City raised pure questions of law in its appeal, the PEZA argues that the proper remedy is a petition for review on certiorari with this court, not an ordinary appeal before the appellate court. The Court of Appeals, therefore, correctly dismissed outright the City’s appeal under Rule 50, Section 2 of the Rules of Court.49 On the merits, the PEZA argues that it is an agency and instrumentality of the National Government. It is therefore exempt from payment of real property taxes under Sections 133(o) and 234(a) of the Local Government Code.50 It adds that the tax privileges under Sections 24 and 51 of the Special Economic Zone Act of 1995 applied to it.51 Considering that the site of the Mactan Economic Zoneis a reserved land under Proclamation No. 1811, the PEZA claims that the properties sought to be taxed are lands of public dominion exempt from real property taxes.52 As to the jurisdiction issue, the PEZA counters that the Regional Trial Court of Pasay had jurisdiction to hear its petition for declaratory relief under Rule 63, Section 1 of the Rules of Court.[53]] It also argued that it need not implead the Province of Bataan, the City of Baguio, and the Province of Cavite as respondents considering that their demands came after the PEZA had already filed the petition in court.54 After the City of Lapu-Lapu had demanded payment of real property taxes from the PEZA, the Province of Bataan followed suit. In its letter55 dated May 29, 2003, the Province, through the Office of the Provincial Treasurer, informed the PEZA that it would be sending a real property tax billing to the PEZA. Arguing that the PEZA is a developer of economic zones, the Province claimed that the PEZA is liable for real property taxes under Section 24 of the Special Economic Zone Act of 1995. In its reply letter56 dated June 18, 2003, the PEZA requested the Province to suspend the service of the real property tax billing. It cited its petition for declaratory relief against the City of Lapu-Lapu pending before the Regional Trial Court, Branch 111, Pasay City as basis. The Province argued that serving a real property tax billing on the PEZA "would not in any way affect [its] petition for declaratory relief before [the Regional Trial Court] of Pasay City."57 Thus, in its letter58 dated June 27, 2003, the Province notified the PEZAof its real property tax liabilities for June 1, 1995 to December 31, 2002 totalling ₱110,549,032.55. After having been served a tax billing, the PEZA again requested the Province to suspend collecting its alleged real property tax liabilities until the Regional Trial Court of Pasay Cityresolves its petition for declaratory relief.59 The Province ignored the PEZA’s request. On January 20, 2004, the Province served on the PEZA a statement of unpaid real property tax for the period from June 1995 to December 2004.60 The PEZA again requested the Province to suspend collecting its alleged real property taxes.61 The Province denied the request in its letter62 dated January 29, 2004, then servedon the PEZA a warrant of levy63 covering the PEZA’s real properties located in Mariveles, Bataan. The PEZA’s subsequent requests64 for suspension of collection were all denied by the Province.65 The Province then served on the PEZA a notice of delinquency in the payment of real property taxes66 and a notice of sale of real property for unpaid real property tax.67 The Province finally sent the PEZA a notice of public auction of the latter’s properties in Mariveles, Bataan.68 On June 14, 2004, the PEZA filed a petition for injunction69 with prayer for issuance of a temporary restraining order and/or writ of preliminary injunction before the Regional Trial Court of Pasay City, arguing that it is exempt from payment ofreal property taxes. It added that the notice of sale issued by the Province was void because it was not published in a newspaper ofgeneral circulation asrequired by Section 260 of the Local Government Code.70 The case was raffled to Branch 115. In its order71 dated June 18, 2004, the trial court issued a temporary restraining order against the Province. After the PEZA had filed a ₱100,000.00 bond,72 the trial court issued a writ of preliminary injunction,73 enjoining the Province from selling the PEZA’s real properties at public auction. On March 3, 2006, the PEZA and Province both manifested that each would file a memorandum after which the case would be deemed submitted for decision. The parties then filed their respective memoranda.74 In the order75 dated January 31, 2007, the trial court denied the PEZA’s petition for injunction. The trial court ruled that the PEZA is not exempt from payment of real property taxes. According to the trial court, Sections 193 and 234 of the Local Government Code had withdrawn the real property tax exemptions previously granted to all persons, whether natural or juridical.76 As to the tax exemptions under Section 51 of the Special Economic Zone Act of 1995, the trial court ruled that the provision only applies to businesses operating within the economic zones, not to the PEZA.77 The PEZA filed before the Court of Appeals a petition for certiorari78 with prayer for issuance of a temporary restraining order. The Court of Appeals issued a temporary restraining order, enjoining the Province and its Provincial Treasurer from selling PEZA's properties at public auction scheduled on October 17, 2007.79 It also ordered the Province to comment on the PEZA’s petition. In its comment,80 the Province alleged that it received a copy of the temporary restraining order only on October 18, 2007 when it had already sold the PEZA’s properties at public auction. Arguing that the act sought to be enjoined was already fait accompli, the Province prayed for the dismissal of the petition for certiorari. The PEZA then filed a supplemental petition for certiorari, prohibition, and mandamus81 against the Province, arguing that the Provincial Treasurer of Bataan acted with grave abuse of discretion in issuing the notice of delinquency and notice of sale. It maintained that it is exempt from payment of real property taxes because it is a government instrumentality. It added that its lands are property of public dominion which cannot be sold at public auction. The PEZA also filed a motion82 for issuance of an order affirming the temporary restraining order and a writ of preliminary injunction to enjoin the Province from consolidating title over the PEZA’s In its resolution83 dated January 16, 2008,the Court of Appeals admitted the supplemental petition for certiorari, prohibition, and mandamus. It required the Province to comment on the supplemental petition and to file a memorandum on the PEZA’s prayer for issuance of temporary restraining order. The Province commented84 on the PEZA’s supplemental petition, to which the PEZA replied.85 The Province then filed a motion86 for leave to admit attached rejoinder with motion to dismiss. In the rejoinder with motion to dismiss,87 the Province argued for the first time that the Court of Appeals had no jurisdiction over the subject matter of the action. According to the Province, the PEZA erred in filing a petition for certiorari. Arguing that the PEZA sought to reverse a Regional Trial Court decision in a local tax case, the Province claimed that the court with appellate jurisdiction over the action is the Court of Tax Appeals. The PEZA then prayed that the Court of Appeals dismiss the petition for certiorari for lack of jurisdiction over the subject matter of the action. The Court of Appeals held that the issue before it was whether the trial court judge gravely abused his discretion in dismissing the PEZA’s petition for prohibition. This issue, according to the Court of Appeals, is properly addressed in a petition for certiorari over which it has jurisdiction to resolve. It, therefore, maintained jurisdiction to resolve the PEZA’s petition for certiorari.88 Although it admitted that appeal, not certiorari, was the PEZA’s proper remedy to reverse the trial court’s decision,89the Court of Appeals proceeded to decide the petition for certiorari in "the broader interest of justice."90 The Court of Appeals ruled that the trial court judge gravely abused his discretion in dismissing the PEZA’s petition for prohibition. It held that Section 21 of Presidential Decree No. 66 and Section 51 of the Special Economic Zone Act of 1995 granted the PEZA exemption from payment of real property taxes.91 Based on the criteria set in Manila International Airport Authority v. Court of Appeals,92 the Court of Appeals found that the PEZA is an instrumentality of the national government. No taxes, therefore, could be levied on it by local government units.93 In the decision94 dated August 27, 2008, the Court of Appeals granted the PEZA’s petition for certiorari. It set aside the trial court’s decision and nullified all the Province’s proceedings with respect to the collection of real property taxes from the PEZA. The Province filed a motion for reconsideration,95 which the Court of Appeals denied in the resolution96 dated April 16, 2009 for lack of merit. In its petition for review on certiorari with this court,97 the Province of Bataan insists that the Court of Appeals had no jurisdiction to take cognizance of the PEZA’s petition for certiorari. The Province maintains that the Court of Tax Appeals had jurisdiction to hear the PEZA’s petition since it involved a local tax case decided by a Regional Trial Court.98 The Province reiterates that the PEZA is not exempt from payment of real property taxes. The Province points out that the EPZA, the PEZA’s predecessor, had to be categorically exempted from payment of real property taxes. The EPZA, therefore, was not inherently exempt from payment of real property taxes and so is the PEZA. Since Congress omitted from the Special Economic Zone Act of 1995 a provision specifically exempting the PEZA from payment of real property taxes, the Province argues that the PEZA is a taxable entity. It cited the rule in statutory construction that provisions omitted in revised statutes are deemed repealed.99 With respect to Sections 24 and 51 of the Special Economic Zone Act of 1995 granting tax exemptions and benefits, the Province argues that these provisions only apply to business establishments operating within special economic zones,100 not to the PEZA. This court ordered the PEZA tocomment on the Province’s petition for review on certiorari.101 In its comment,102 the PEZA argues that the Court of Appeals had jurisdiction to hear its petition for certiorari since the issue was whether the trial court committed grave abuse of discretion in denying its petition for injunction. The PEZA maintains thatit is exempt from payment of real property taxes under Section 21 of Presidential Decree No. 66 and Section 51 of the Special Economic Zone Act of The Province filed its reply,103 reiterating its arguments in its petition for review on certiorari. On the PEZA’s motion,104 this court consolidated the petitions filed by the City of Lapu-Lapu and the Province of Bataan.105 The issues for our resolution are the following: I. Whether the Court of Appeals erred in dismissing the City of Lapu-Lapu’s appeal for raising pure questions of law; II. Whether the Regional Trial Court, Branch 111, Pasay City had jurisdiction to hear, try, and decide the City of Lapu-Lapu’s petition for declaratory relief; III. Whether the petition for injunction filed before the Regional Trial Court, Branch 115, Pasay City, is a local tax case appealable to the Court of Tax Appeals; and IV. Whether the PEZA is exempt from payment of real property taxes. We deny the consolidated petitions. The Court of Appeals did not err in dismissing the City of Lapu-Lapu’s appeal for raising pure questions of law Under the Rules of Court, there are three modes of appeal from Regional Trial Court decisions. The first mode is through an ordinary appeal before the Court of Appeals where the decision assailed was rendered in the exercise of the Regional Trial Court’s original jurisdiction. Ordinary appeals are governed by Rule 41, Sections 3 to 13 of the Rules of Court. In ordinary appeals, questions of fact or mixed questions of fact and law may be raised.106 The second mode is through a petition for review before the Court of Appeals where the decision assailed was rendered by the Regional Trial Court in the exercise of its appellate jurisdiction. Rule 42 of the Rules of Court governs petitions for review before the Court of Appeals. In petitions for review under Rule 42, questions of fact, of law, or mixed questions of fact and law may be raised.107 The third mode is through an appealby certiorari before this court under Rule 45 where only questions of law shall be raised.108 A question of fact exists when there is doubt as to the truth or falsity of the alleged facts.109 On the other hand, there is a question of law if the appeal raises doubt as to the applicable law on a certain set of facts.110 Under Rule 50, Section 2, an improper appeal before the Court of Appeals is dismissed outright and shall not be referred to the proper court: SEC. 2. Dismissal of improper appeal to the Court of Appeals. – An appeal under Rule 41 taken from the Regional Trial Court to the Court of Appeals raising only questions of law shall be dismissed, issues purely of law not being reviewable by said court. Similarly, an appeal by notice of appeal instead of by petition for review from the appellate judgment of a Regional Trial Court shall be dismissed. An appeal erroneously taken to the Court of Appeals shall not be transferred to the appropriate court but shall be dismissed outright. Rule 50, Section 2 repealed Rule 50, Section 3 of the 1964 Rules of Court, which provided that improper appeals to the Court of Appeals shall not be dismissed but shall be certified to the proper court for resolution: Sec. 3. Where appealed case erroneously, brought. — Where the appealed case has been erroneously brought to the Court of Appeals, it shall not dismiss the appeal, but shall certify the case to the proper court, with a specific and clear statement of the grounds therefor. With respect to appeals by certiorari directly filed before this court but which raise questions of fact, paragraph 4(b) of Circular No. 2-90 dated March 9, 1990 states that this court "retains the option, in the exercise of its sound discretion and considering the attendant circumstances, either itself to take cognizance of and decide such issues or to refer them to the Court of Appeals for determination." In Indoyon, Jr. v. Court of Appeals,111 we said that this court "cannot tolerate ignorance of the law on appeals."112 It is not this court’s task to determine for litigants their proper remedies under the Rules.113 We agree that the City availed itself of the wrong mode of appeal before the Court of Appeals. The City raised pure questions of law in its appeal. The issue of whether the Regional Trial Court of Pasay had jurisdiction over the PEZA’s petition for declaratory relief is a question of law, jurisdiction being a matter of law.114 The issue of whether the PEZA is a government instrumentality exempt from payment of real property taxes is likewise a question of law since this question is resolved by examining the provisions of the PEZA’s charter as well as other laws relating to the PEZA.115 The Court of Appeals, therefore, did not err in dismissing the City’s appeal pursuant to Rule 50, Section 2 of the Rules of Court. Nevertheless, considering the important questions involved in this case, we take cognizance of the City’s petition for review on certiorari in the interest of justice. In Municipality of Pateros v. The Honorable Court of Appeals,116 the Municipality of Pateros filed an appeal under Rule 42 before the Court of Appeals, which the Court of Appeals denied outright for raising pure questions of law. This court agreed that the Municipality of Pateros "committed a procedural infraction"117 and should have directly filed a petition for review on certiorari before this court. Nevertheless, "in the interest of justice and in order to write finisto [the] controversy,"118 this court "opt[ed] to relax the rules"119 and proceeded to decide the case. This court said: While it is true that rules of procedure are intended to promote rather than frustrate the ends of justice, and while the swift unclogging of the dockets of the courts is a laudable objective, it nevertheless must not be met at the expense of substantial justice. The Court has allowed some meritorious cases to proceed despite inherent procedural defects and lapses. Thisis in keeping with the principle that rules of procedure are mere tools designed to facilitate the attainment of justice, and that strict and rigid application ofrules which should result in technicalities that tend to frustrate rather than promote substantial justice must always be avoided. It is a far better and more prudent cause of action for the court to excuse a technical lapse and afford the parties a review of the case to attain the ends of justice, rather than dispose of the case on technicality and cause grave injustice to the parties, giving a false impression of speedy disposal of cases while actually resulting in more delay, if not a miscarriage of justice.120 Similar to Municipality of Pateros, we opt to relax the rules in this case. The PEZA operates or otherwise administers special economic zones all over the country. Resolving the substantive issue of whether the PEZA is taxable for real property taxes will clarify the taxing powers of all local government units where special economic zones are operated. This case, therefore, should be decided on the merits. The Regional Trial Court of Pasay had no jurisdiction to hear, try, and decide the PEZA’s petition for declaratory relief against the City of Lapu-Lapu Rule 63 of the Rules of Court governs actions for declaratory relief. Section 1 of Rule 63 provides: SECTION 1. Who may file petition. – Any person interested under a deed, will, contract or other written instrument, or whose rights are affected by a statute, executive order or regulation, ordinance, or any other governmental regulation may, before breach or violation, thereof, bring an action in the appropriate Regional Trial Court to determine any question of construction or validity arising, and for a declaration of his rights or duties, thereunder. An action for reformation of an instrument, to quiet title to real property or remove clouds therefrom, or to consolidate ownership under Article 1607 of the Civil Code, may be brought under this Rule. The court with jurisdiction over petitions for declaratory relief is the Regional Trial Court, the subject matter of litigation in an action for declaratory relief being incapable of pecuniary estimation.121 Section 19 of the Judiciary Reorganization Act of 1980 provides: SEC. 19. Jurisdiction in Civil Cases. – Regional Trial Courts shall exercise exclusive original (1) In all civil actions in which the subject of litigation is incapable of pecuniary estimation[.] Consistent with the law, the Rules state that a petition for declaratory relief is filed "in the appropriate Regional Trial Court."122 A special civil action for declaratory relief is filed for a judicial determination of any question of construction or validity arising from, and for a declaration of rights and duties, under any of the following subject matters: a deed, will, contract or other written instrument, statute, executive order or regulation, ordinance, orany other governmental regulation.123 However, a declaratory judgment may issue only if there has been "no breach of the documents in question."124 If the contract or statute subject matter of the action has already been breached, the appropriate ordinary civil action must be filed.125 If adequate relief is available through another form of action or proceeding, the other action must be preferred over an action for declaratory relief.126 In Ollada v. Central Bank of the Philippines,127 the Central Bank issued CB-IED Form No. 5 requiring certified public accountants to submit an accreditation under oath before they were allowed to certify financial statements submitted to the bank. Among those financial statements the Central Bank disallowed were those certified by accountant Felipe B. Ollada.128 Claiming that the requirement "restrained the legitimate pursuit of one’s trade,"129 Ollada filed a petition for declaratory relief against the Central Bank. This court ordered the dismissal of Ollada’s petition "without prejudice to [his] seeking relief in another appropriate action."130 According to this court, Ollada’s right had already been violated when the Central Bank refused to accept the financial statements he prepared. Since there was already a breach, a petition for declaratory relief was not proper. Ollada must pursue the "appropriate ordinary civil action or proceeding."131 This court explained: Petitioner commenced this action as, and clearly intended it to be one for Declaratory Relief under the provisions of Rule 66 of the Rules of Court. On the question of when a special civil action of this nature would prosper, we have already held that the complaint for declaratory relief will not prosper if filed after a contract, statute or right has been breached or violated. In the present case such is precisely the situation arising from the facts alleged in the petition for declaratory relief. As vigorously claimed by petitioner himself, respondent had already invaded or violated his right and caused him injury — all these giving him a complete cause of action enforceable in an appropriate ordinary civil action or proceeding. The dismissal of the action was, therefore, proper in the lightof our ruling in De Borja vs. Villadolid, 47 O.G. (5) p. 2315, and Samson vs. Andal, G.R. No. L-3439, July 31, 1951, where we held that an action for declaratory relief should be filed before there has been a breach of a contract, statutes or right, and that it is sufficient tobar such action, that there had been a breach — which would constitute actionable violation. The rule is that an action for Declaratory Relief is proper only if adequate relief is not available through the means of other existing forms of action or proceeding (1 C.J.S. 1027-1028).132 It is also required that the parties to the action for declaratory relief be those whose rights or interests are affected by the contract or statute in question.133 "There must be an actual justiciable controversy or the ‘ripening seeds’ of one"134 between the parties. The issue between the parties "must be ripe for judicial determination."135 An action for declaratory relief based on theoreticalor hypothetical questions cannot be filed for our courts are not advisory courts.136 In Republic v. Roque,137 this court dismissed respondents’ petition for declaratory relief for lack of justiciable controversy. According to this court, "[the respondents’] fear of prospective prosecution [under the Human Security Act] was solely based on remarks of certain government officials which were addressed to the general public."138 In Velarde v. Social Justice Society,139 this court refused to resolve the issue of "whether or not [a religious leader’s endorsement] of a candidate for elective office or in urging or requiring the members of his flock to vote for a specific candidate is violative [of the separation clause]."140 According to the court, there was no justiciable controversy and ordered the dismissal of the Social Justice Society’s petition for declaratory relief. This court explained: Indeed, SJS merely speculated or anticipated without factual moorings that, as religious leaders, the petitioner and his co-respondents below had endorsed or threatened to endorse a candidate or candidates for elective offices; and that such actual or threatened endorsement "will enable [them] to elect men to public office who [would] in turn be forever beholden to their leaders, enabling them to control the government"[;] and "pos[ing] a clear and present danger ofserious erosion of the people’s faith in the electoral process[;] and reinforc[ing] their belief that religious leaders determine the ultimate result of elections," which would then be violative of the separation clause. Such premise is highly speculative and merely theoretical, to say the least. Clearly, it does not suffice to constitute a justiciable controversy. The Petition does not even allege any indication or manifest intent on the part of any of the respondents below to champion an electoral candidate, or to urge their so-called flock to vote for, or not to vote for, a particular candidate. It is a time-honored rule that sheer speculation does not give rise to an actionable right. Obviously, there is no factual allegation that SJS’ rights are being subjected to any threatened, imminent and inevitable violation that should be prevented by the declaratory relief sought. The judicial power and duty of the courts to settle actual controversies involving rights that are legally demandable and enforceable cannot be exercised when there is no actual or threatened violation of a legal right. All that the 5-page SJS Petition prayed for was "that the question raised in paragraph 9 hereof be resolved." In other words, it merely sought an opinion of the trial court on whether the speculated acts of religious leaders endorsing elective candidates for political offices violated the constitutional principle on the separation of church and state. SJS did not ask for a declaration of its rights and duties; neither did it pray for the stoppage of any threatened violation of its declared rights. Courts, however, are proscribed from rendering an advisory opinion.141 In sum, a petition for declaratory relief must satisfy six requisites: [F]irst, the subject matter of the controversy must be a deed, will, contract or other written instrument, statute, executive order or regulation, or ordinance; second, the terms of said documents and the validity thereof are doubtful and require judicial construction; third, there must have been no breach of the documents in question; fourth, there must be an actual justiciable controversy or the "ripening seeds" of one between persons whose interests are adverse; fifth, the issue must be ripe for judicial determination; and sixth, adequate relief is not available through other means or other forms of action or proceeding.142 (Emphases omitted) We rule that the PEZA erred in availing itself of a petition for declaratory relief against the City. The City had already issued demand letters and real property tax assessment against the PEZA, in violation of the PEZA’s alleged tax-exempt status under its charter. The Special Economic Zone Act of 1995, the subject matter of PEZA’s petition for declaratory relief, had already been breached. The trial court, therefore, had no jurisdiction over the petition for declaratory relief. There are several aspects of jurisdiction.143 Jurisdiction over the subject matter is "the power to hear and determine cases of the general class to which the proceedings in question belong."144 It is conferred by law, which may either be the Constitution or a statute.145 Jurisdiction over the subject matter means "the nature of the cause of action and the relief sought."146 Thus, the cause of action and character of the relief sought as alleged in the complaint are examinedto determine whether a court had jurisdiction over the subject matter.147 Any decision rendered by a court without jurisdiction over the subjectmatter of the action is void.148 Another aspect of jurisdiction is jurisdiction over the person. It is "the power of [a] court to render a personal judgment or to subject the parties in a particular action to the judgment and other rulings rendered in the action."149A court automatically acquires jurisdiction over the person of the plaintiff upon the filing of the initiatory pleading.150With respect to the defendant, voluntary appearance in court or a valid service of summons vests the court with jurisdiction over the defendant’s person.151 Jurisdiction over the person of the defendant is indispensable in actions in personamor those actions based on a party’s personal liability.152 The proceedings in an action in personamare void if the court had no jurisdiction over the person of the defendant.153 Jurisdiction over the resor the thing under litigation is acquired either "by the seizure of the property under legal process, whereby it is brought into actual custody of the law; or asa result of the institution of legal proceedings, in which the power of the court is recognized and made effective."154 Jurisdiction over the res is necessary in actions in remor those actions "directed against the thing or property or status of a person and seek judgments with respect thereto as against the whole world."155 The proceedings in an action in rem are void if the court had no jurisdiction over the thing under litigation.156 In the present case, the Regional Trial Court had no jurisdiction over the subject matter of the action, specifically, over the remedy sought. As this court explained in Malana v. Tappa:157 . . . an action for declaratory relief presupposes that there has been no actual breach of the instruments involved or of rights arising thereunder. Since the purpose of an action for declaratory relief is to secure an authoritative statement of the rights and obligations of the parties under a statute, deed, or contract for their guidance in the enforcement thereof, or compliance therewith, and not to settle issues arising from an alleged breach thereof, it may be entertained only before the breach or violation of the statute, deed, or contract to which it refers. A petition for declaratory relief gives a practical remedy for ending controversies that have not reached the state where another relief is immediately available; and supplies the need for a form of action that will set controversies at rest before they lead to a repudiation of obligations, an invasion of rights, and a commission of wrongs. Where the law or contract has already been contravened prior to the filing of an action for declaratory relief, the courts can no longer assume jurisdiction over the action. In other words, a court has no more jurisdiction over an action for declaratory relief if its subject has already been infringed or transgressed before the institution of the action.158 (Emphasis supplied) The trial court should have dismissed the PEZA’s petition for declaratory relief for lack of jurisdiction. Once an assessment has already been issued by the assessor, the proper remedy of a taxpayer depends on whether the assessment was erroneous or illegal. An erroneous assessment "presupposes that the taxpayer is subject to the tax but is disputing the correctness of the amount assessed."159 With an erroneous assessment, the taxpayer claims that the local assessor erred in determining any of the items for computing the real property tax, i.e., the value of the real property or the portion thereof subject to tax and the proper assessment levels. In case of an erroneous assessment, the taxpayer must exhaust the administrative remedies provided under the Local Government Code before resorting to judicial action. The taxpayer must first pay the realproperty tax under protest. Section 252 of the Local Government Code provides: SECTION 252. Payment Under Protest. -(a) No protest shall be entertained unless the taxpayer first paysthe tax. There shall be annotated on the tax receipts the words "paid under protest". The protest in writing must be filed within thirty (30) days from payment of the tax to the provincial, city treasurer or municipal treasurer, in the case of a municipality within Metropolitan Manila Area, who shall decide the protest within sixty (60) days from receipt. (b) The tax or a portion thereof paidunder protest, shall be held in trust by the treasurer concerned. (c) In the event that the protest is finally decided in favor of the taxpayer, the amount or portion of the tax protested shall be refunded to the protestant, or applied as tax credit against his existing or future tax liability. (d) In the event that the protest is denied or upon the lapse of the sixty day period prescribed in subparagraph (a), the taxpayer may avail of the remedies as provided for in Chapter 3, Title II, Book II of this Code. Should the taxpayer find the action on the protest unsatisfactory, the taxpayer may appeal with the Local Board of Assessment Appeals within 60 days from receipt of the decision on the protest: SECTION 226. Local Board of Assessment Appeals. - Any owner or person having legal interest in the property who is not satisfied with the action of the provincial, city or municipal assessor in the assessment of his property may, within sixty (60) days from the date of receipt of the written notice of assessment, appeal to the Board of Assessment Appeals of the provincial or city by filing a petition under oath in the form prescribed for the purpose, together with copies of the tax declarations and such affidavits or documents submitted in support of the appeal. Payment under protest and appeal to the Local Board of Assessment Appeals are "successive administrative remedies to a taxpayer who questions the correctness of an assessment."160 The Local Board Assessment Appeals shall not entertain an appeal "without the action of the local assessor"161 on the protest. If the taxpayer is still unsatisfied after appealing with the Local Board of Assessment Appeals, the taxpayer may appeal with the Central Board of Assessment Appeals within 30 days from receipt of the Local Board’s decision: SECTION 229. Action by the Local Board of Assessment Appeals. - (a) The Board shall decide the appeal within one hundred twenty (120) days from the date of receipt of such appeal. The Board, after hearing, shall render its decision based on substantial evidence or such relevant evidence on record as a reasonable mind might accept as adequate to support the conclusion. (b) In the exercise ofits appellate jurisdiction, the Board shall have the power to summon witnesses, administer oaths, conduct ocular inspection, take depositions, and issue subpoena and subpoena duces tecum. The proceedings of the Board shall be conducted solely for the purpose of ascertaining the facts without necessarily adhering to technical rules applicable in judicial proceedings. (c) The secretary of the Board shall furnish the owner of the property or the person having legal interest therein and the provincial or city assessor with a copy of the decision of the Board. In case the provincial or city assessor concurs in the revision or the assessment, it shall be his duty to notify the owner of the property or the person having legal interest therein of such factusing the form prescribed for the purpose. The owner of the property or the person having legal interest therein or the assessor who is not satisfied with the decision of the Board, may, within thirty (30) days after receipt of the decision of said Board, appeal to the Central Board of Assessment Appeals, as herein provided. The decision of the Central Board shall be final and executory. (Emphasis supplied) On the other hand, an assessment is illegal if it was made without authority under the law.162 In case of an illegal assessment, the taxpayer may directly resort to judicial action without paying under protest the assessed tax and filing an appeal with the Local and Central Board of Assessment In Ty v. Trampe,163 the Municipal Assessor of Pasig sent Alejandro B. Ty a notice of assessment with respect to Ty’s real properties in Pasig. Without resorting to the administrative remedies under the Local Government Code, Ty filed before the Regional Trial Court a petition, praying that the trial court nullify the notice of assessment. In assessing the real property taxes due, the Municipal Assessor used a schedule of market values solely prepared by him. This, Ty argued, was void for being contrary to the Local Government Code requiring that the schedule of market values be jointly prepared by the provincial, city, and municipal assessors of the municipalities within the Metropolitan Manila Area. This court ruled that the assessmentwas illegal for having been issued without authority of the Municipal Assessor. Reconciling provisions of the Real Property Tax Code and the Local Government Code, this court held that the schedule of market valuesmust be jointly prepared by the provincial, city, and municipal assessors of the municipalities within the Metropolitan Manila Area. As to the issue of exhaustion of administrative remedies, this court held that Ty did not err in directly resorting to judicial action. According to this court, payment under protest is required only "where there is a question as to the reasonableness of the amount assessed."164 As to appeals before the Local and Central Board of Assessment Appeals, they are "fruitful only where questions of fact are involved."165 Ty raised the issue of the legality of the notice of assessment, an issue that did not go into the reasonableness of the amount assessed. Neither did the issue involve a question of fact. Ty raised a question of law and, therefore, need not resort to the administrative remedies provided under the Local Government Code. In the present case, the PEZA did not avail itself of any of the remedies against a notice of assessment. A petition for declaratory relief is not the proper remedy once a notice of assessment was already issued. Instead of a petition for declaratory relief, the PEZA should have directly resorted to a judicial action. The PEZA should have filed a complaint for injunction, the "appropriate ordinary civil action"166 to enjoin the City from enforcing its demand and collecting the assessed taxes from the PEZA. After all, a declaratory judgment as to the PEZA’s tax-exempt status is useless unless the City isenjoined from enforcing its demand. Injunction "is a judicial writ, process or proceeding whereby a party is ordered to do or refrain from doing a certain act."167 "It may be the main action or merely a provisional remedy for and as incident in the main action."168 The essential requisites of a writ of injunction are: "(1) there must be a right in esseor the existence of a right to be protected; and (2) the act against which the injunction is directed to constitute a violation of such right."169 We note, however, that the City confused the concepts of jurisdiction and venue in contending that the Regional Trial Court of Pasay had no jurisdiction because the real properties involved in this case are located in the City of Lapu-Lapu. On the one hand, jurisdiction is "the power to hear and determine cases of the general class to which the proceedings in question belong."170 Jurisdiction is a matter of substantive law.171 Thus, an action may be filed only with the court or tribunal where the Constitution or a statute says it can be brought.172 Objections to jurisdiction cannot be waived and may be brought at any stage of the proceedings, even on appeal.173 When a case is filed with a court which has no jurisdiction over the action, the court shall motu propriodismiss the case.174 On the other hand, venue is "the place of trial or geographical location in which an action or proceeding should be brought." 175 In civil cases, venue is a matter of procedural law.176 A party’s objections to venue must be brought at the earliest opportunity either in a motion to dismiss or in the answer; otherwise the objection shall be deemed waived.177 When the venue of a civil action is improperly laid, the court cannot motu propriodismiss the case.178 The venue of an action depends on whether the action is a real or personal action. Should the action affect title to or possession of real property, or interest therein, it is a real action. The action should be filed in the proper court which has jurisdiction over the area wherein the real property involved, or a portion thereof, is situated.179 If the action is a personal action, the action shall be filed with the proper court where the plaintiff or any of the principal plaintiffs resides, or where the defendant or any of the principal defendants resides, or in the case of a non-resident defendant where he may be found, at the election of the plaintiff.180 The City was objecting to the venue of the action, not to the jurisdiction of the Regional Trial Court of Pasay. In essence, the City was contending that the PEZA’s petition is a real action as it affects title to or possession of real property, and, therefore, the PEZA should have filed the petition with the Regional Trial Court of Lapu-Lapu City where the real properties are located. However, whatever objections the City has against the venue of the PEZA’s action for declaratory relief are already deemed waived. Objections to venue must be raised at the earliest possible opportunity.181 The City did not file a motion to dismiss the petition on the ground that the venue was improperly laid. Neither did the City raise this objection in its answer. In any event, the law sought to be judicially interpreted in this case had already been breached. The Regional Trial Court of Pasay, therefore, had no jurisdiction over the PEZA’s petition for declaratory relief against the City. The Court of Appeals had no jurisdiction over the PEZA’s petition for certiorari against the Province of Bataan Appeal is the remedy "to obtain a reversal or modification of a judgment on the merits."182 A judgment on the merits is one which "determines the rights and liabilities of the parties based on the disclosed facts, irrespective of the formal, technical or dilatory objections."183 It is not even necessary that the case proceeded to trial.184 So long as the "judgment is general"185 and "the parties had a full legal opportunity to be heard on their respective claims and contentions,"186 the judgment is on the merits. On the other hand, certiorari is a special civil action filed to annul or modify a proceeding of a tribunal, board, or officer exercising judicial or quasi-judicial functions.187 Certiorari, which in Latin means "to be more fully informed,"188was originally a remedy in the common law. This court discussed the history of the remedy of certiorari in Spouses Delos Santos v. Metropolitan Bank and Trust Company:189 In the common law, from which the remedy of certiorari evolved, the writ of certiorari was issued out of Chancery, or the King’s Bench, commanding agents or officers of the inferior courts to return the record of a cause pending before them, so as to give the party more sure and speedy justice, for the writ would enable the superior court to determine froman inspection of the record whether the inferior court’s judgment was rendered without authority. The errors were of such a nature that, if allowed to stand, they would result in a substantial injury to the petitioner to whom no other remedy was available. If the inferior court acted without authority, the record was then revised and corrected in matters of law. The writ of certiorari was limited to cases in which the inferior court was said to be exceeding its jurisdiction or was not proceeding according to essential requirements of law and would lie only to review judicial or quasi-judicial acts.190 In our jurisdiction, the term "certiorari" is used in two ways. An appeal before this court raising pure questions of law is commenced by filing a petition for reviewon certiorari under Rule 45 of the Rules of Court. An appeal by certiorari, which continues the proceedings commenced before the lower courts,191 is filed to reverse or modify judgments or final orders.192 Under the Rules, an appeal by certiorarimust be filed within 15 days from notice of the judgment or final order, or of the denial of the appellant’s motion for new trial or reconsideration.193 A petition for certiorari under Rule 65, on the other hand, is an independent and original action filed to set aside proceedings conducted without or in excess of jurisdiction or with grave abuse of discretion amounting to lack or excess of jurisdiction.194 Under the Rules, a petition for certiorari may only be filed if there is no appeal or any plain, speedy, or adequate remedy in the ordinary course of law.195 The petition must be filed within 60 days from notice of the judgment, order, or resolution.196 Because of the longer period to file a petition for certiorari, some litigants attempt to file petitions for certiorari as substitutes for lost appeals by certiorari. However, Rule 65 is clear that a petition for certiorari will not prosper if appeal is available. Appealis the proper remedy even if the error, or one of the errors, raised is grave abuse of discretion on the part of the court rendering judgment.197 If appeal is available, a petition for certiorari cannot be filed. In this case, the trial court’s decision dated January 31, 2007 is a judgment on the merits. Based on the facts disclosed by the parties, the trial court declared the PEZA liable to the Province of Bataan for real property taxes. The PEZA’s proper remedy against the trial court’s decision, therefore, is Since the PEZA filed a petition for certiorari against the trial court’s decision, it availed itself of the wrong remedy. As the Province of Bataan contended, the trial court’s decision dated January 31, 2007 "is only an error of judgment appealable to the higher level court and may not be corrected by filing a petition for certiorari."198 That the trial court judge allegedly committed grave abuse of discretion does not make the petition for certiorari the correct remedy. The PEZA should haveraised this ground in an appeal filed within 15 days from notice of the assailed resolution. This court, "in the liberal spirit pervading the Rules of Court and in the interest of substantial justice,"199 has treated petitions for certiorari as an appeal: "(1) if the petition for certiorari was filed within the reglementary period within which to file a petition for review on certiorari; (2) when errors of judgment are averred; and (3) when there is sufficient reason to justify the relaxation of the rules."200 Considering that "the nature of an action is determined by the allegationsof the complaint or the petition and the character of the relief sought,"201 a petition which "actually avers errors of judgment rather than errors than that of jurisdiction"202 may be considered a petition for review. However, suspending the application of the Rules has its disadvantages. Relaxing procedural rules may reduce the "effective enforcement of substantive rights,"203 leading to "arbitrariness, caprice, despotism, or whimsicality in the settlement of disputes."204 Therefore, for this court to suspend the application of the Rules, the accomplishment of substantial justice must outweigh the importance of predictability of court procedures. The PEZA’s petition for certiorari may be treated as an appeal. First, the petition for certiorari was filed withinthe 15-day reglementary period for filing an appeal. The PEZA filed its petition for certiorari before the Court of Appeals on October 15, 2007,205 which was 12 days from October 3, 2007206 when the PEZA had notice of the trial court’s order denying the motion for reconsideration. Second, the petition for certiorari raised errors of judgment. The PEZA argued that the trial court erred in ruling that it is not exempt from payment of real property taxes given Section 21 of Presidential Decree No. 66 and Sections 11 and 51 of the Special Economic Zone Act of 1995.207 Third, there is sufficient reason to relax the rules given the importance of the substantive issue presented in this case. However, the PEZA’s petition for certiorari was filed before the wrong court. The PEZA should have filed its petition before the Court of Tax Appeals. The Court of Tax Appeals has the exclusive appellate jurisdiction over local tax cases decided by Regional Trial Courts. Section 7, paragraph (a)(3) of Republic Act No. 1125, as amended by Republic Act No. 9282, provides: Sec. 7. Jurisdiction. – The [Court of Tax Appeals] shall exercise: a. Exclusive appellate jurisdiction to review by appeal, as herein provided: 3. Decisions, orders or resolutions of the Regional Trial Courts in local tax cases originally decided or resolved by them in the exercise of their original or appellate jurisdiction[.] The local tax cases referred to in Section 7, paragraph (a)(3) of Republic Act No. 1125, as amended, include cases involving real property taxes. Real property taxation is governed by Book II of the Local Government Code on "Local Taxation and Fiscal Matters." Real property taxes are collected by the Local Treasurer,208 not by the Bureau of Internal Revenue in charge of collecting national internal revenue taxes, fees, and charges.209 Section 7, paragraph (a)(5) of Republic Act No. 1125, as amended by Republic Act No. 9282, separately provides for the exclusive appellate jurisdiction of the Court of Tax Appeals over decisions of the Central Board of Assessment Appeals involving the assessment or collection of real 5. Decisions of the Central Board of Assessment Appeals in the exercise of its appellate jurisdiction over cases involving the assessment and taxation of real property originally decided by the provincial or city board of assessment appeals[.] This separate provision, nevertheless, does not bar the Court of Tax Appeals from taking cognizance of trial court decisions involving the collection of real property tax cases. Sections 256210 and 266211 of the Local Government Code expressly allow localgovernment units to file "in any court of competent jurisdiction" civil actions to collect basic real property taxes. Should the trial court rule against them, local government units cannot be barred from appealing before the Court of Tax Appeals – the "highly specialized body specifically created for the purpose of reviewing tax cases."212 We have also ruled that the Court of Tax Appeals, not the Court of Appeals, has the exclusive original jurisdiction over petitions for certiorari assailing interlocutory orders issued by Regional Trial Courts in a local tax case. We explained in The City of Manila v. Hon. Grecia-Cuerdo213 that while the Court of Tax Appeals has no express grant of power to issue writs of certiorari under Republic Act No. 1125,214 as amended, the tax court’s judicial power as defined in the Constitution215 includes the power to determine "whether or not there has been grave abuse of discretion amounting to lack or excess of jurisdiction on the part of the [Regional Trial Court] in issuing an interlocutory order of jurisdiction in cases falling within the exclusive appellate jurisdiction of the tax court."216 We further elaborated: Indeed, in order for any appellate court to effectively exercise its appellate jurisdiction, it must have the authority to issue, among others, a writ of certiorari. In transferring exclusive jurisdiction over appealed tax cases to the CTA, it can reasonably be assumed that the law intended to transfer also such power as is deemed necessary, if not indispensable, in aid of such appellate jurisdiction. There is no perceivable reason why the transfer should only be considered as partial, not total. If this Court were to sustain petitioners' contention that jurisdiction over their certiorari petition lies with the CA, this Court would be confirming the exercise by two judicial bodies, the CA and the CTA, of jurisdiction over basically the same subject matter – precisely the split-jurisdiction situation which is anathema to the orderly administration of justice.The Court cannot accept that such was the legislative motive, especially considering that the law expressly confers on the CTA, the tribunal with the specialized competence over tax and tariff matters, the role of judicial review over local tax cases without mention of any other court that may exercise such power. Thus, the Court agrees with the ruling of the CA that since appellate jurisdiction over private respondents' complaint for tax refund is vested in the CTA, it follows that a petition for certiorari seeking nullification of an interlocutory order issued in the said case should, likewise, be filed with the same court. To rule otherwise would lead to an absurd situation where one court decides an appeal in the main case while another court rules on an incident in the very same case. Stated differently, it would be somewhat incongruent with the pronounced judicial abhorrence to split jurisdiction to conclude that the intention of the law is to divide the authority over a local tax case filed with the RTC by giving to the CA or this Court jurisdiction to issue a writ of certiorari against interlocutory orders of the RTC but giving to the CTA the jurisdiction over the appeal from the decision of the trial court in the same case. It is more in consonance with logic and legal soundness to conclude that the grant of appellate jurisdiction to the CTA over tax cases filed in and decided by the RTC carries withit the power to issue a writ of certiorari when necessary in aid of such appellate jurisdiction. The supervisory power or jurisdiction of the CTA to issue a writ of certiorari in aid of its appellate jurisdiction should co-exist with, and be a complement to, its appellate jurisdiction to review, by appeal, the final orders and decisionsof the RTC, in order to have complete supervision over the acts of the latter.217 (Citations omitted) In this case, the petition for injunction filed before the Regional Trial Court of Pasay was a local tax case originally decided by the trial court in its original jurisdiction. Since the PEZA assailed a judgment, not an interlocutory order, of the Regional Trial Court, the PEZA’s proper remedy was an appeal to the Court of Tax Appeals. Considering that the appellate jurisdiction of the Court of Tax Appeals is to the exclusion of all other courts, the Court of Appeals had no jurisdiction to take cognizance of the PEZA’s petition. The Court of Appeals acted without jurisdiction in rendering the decision in CA-G.R. SP No. 100984. Its decision in CA-G.R. SP No. 100984 is void.218 The filing of appeal in the wrong court does not toll the period to appeal. Consequently, the decision of the Regional Trial Court, Branch 115, Pasay City, became final and executory after the lapse of the 15th day from the PEZA’s receipt of the trial court’s decision.219 The denial of the petition for injunction became final and executory. The remedy of a taxpayer depends on the stage in which the local government unit is enforcing its authority to impose real The proper remedy of a taxpayer depends on the stage in which the local government unit is enforcing its authority to collect real property taxes. For the guidance of the members of the bench and the bar, we reiterate the taxpayer’s remedies against the erroneous or illegal assessment of real property taxes. Exhaustion of administrative remedies under the Local Government Code is necessary in cases of erroneous assessments where the correctness of the amount assessed is assailed. The taxpayer must first pay the tax then file a protest with the Local Treasurer within 30 days from date of payment of tax.220 If protest is denied or upon the lapse of the 60-day period to decide the protest, the taxpayer may appeal to the Local Board of Assessment Appeals within 60 days from the denial of the protest or the lapse of the 60-day period to decide the protest.221 The Local Board of Assessment Appeals has 120 days to decide the appeal.222 If the taxpayer is unsatisfied withthe Local Board’s decision, the taxpayer may appeal before the Central Board of Assessment Appeals within 30 days from receipt of the Local Board’s decision.223 The decision of the Central Board of Assessment Appeals is appealable before the Court of Tax Appeals En Banc.224 The appeal before the Court of Tax Appeals shall be filed following the procedure under Rule 43 of the Rules of Court.225 The Court of Tax Appeals’ decision may then be appealed before this court through a petition for review on certiorari under Rule 45 of the Rules of Court raising pure questions of law.226 In case of an illegal assessment where the assessment was issued without authority, exhaustion of administrative remedies is not necessary and the taxpayer may directly resort to judicial action.227 The taxpayer shall file a complaint for injunction before the Regional Trial Court228 to enjoin the local government unit from collecting real property taxes. The party unsatisfied with the decision of the Regional Trial Court shall file an appeal, not a petition for certiorari, before the Court of Tax Appeals, the complaint being a local tax case decided by the Regional Trial Court.229 The appeal shall be filed within fifteen (15) days from notice of the trial court’s In case the local government unit has issued a notice of delinquency, the taxpayer may file a complaint for injunction to enjoin the impending sale of the real property at public auction. In case the local government unit has already sold the property at public auction, the taxpayer must first deposit with the court the amount for which the real property was sold, together with interest of 2% per month from the date ofsale to the time of the institution of action. The taxpayer may then file a complaint to assail the validity of the public auction.231 The decisions of the Regional Trial Court in these cases shall be appealable before the Court of Tax Appeals,232 and the latter’s decisions appealable before this court through a petition for review on certiorari under Rule 45 of the Rules of Court.233 The PEZA is exempt from payment of The jurisdictional errors in this case render these consolidated petitions moot. We do not review void decisions rendered without jurisdiction. However, the PEZA alleged that several local government units, including the City of Baguio and the Province of Cavite, have issued their respective real property tax assessments against the PEZA. Other local government units will likely follow suit, and either the PEZA or the local government units taxing the PEZA may file their respective actions against each other. In the interest of judicial economy234 and avoidance of conflicting decisions involving the same issues,235 we resolve the substantive issue of whether the PEZA is exempt from payment of real Real property taxes are annual taxes levied on real property such as lands, buildings, machinery, and other improvements not otherwise specifically exempted under the Local Government Code.236 Real property taxes are ad valorem, with the amount charged based on a fixed proportion of the value of the property.237 Under the law, provinces, cities, and municipalities within the Metropolitan Manila Area have the power to levy real property taxes within their respective territories.238 The general rule is that real properties are subject to real property taxes. This is true especially since the Local Government Code has withdrawn exemptions from real property taxes of all persons, whether natural or juridical: SEC. 234. Exemptions from Real Property Tax. – The following are exempted from payment of real (a) Real property owned by the Republic of the Philippines or any of its political subdivisions except when the beneficial use thereof has been granted, for consideration or otherwise, to a taxable person; (b) Charitable institutions, churches, parsonages or convents appurtenant thereto, mosques, nonprofit or religious cemeteries and all lands, buildings, and improvements actually, directly, and exclusively used for religious, charitable or educational purposes; (c) All machineries and equipment that are actually, directly and exclusively used by local water districts and government-owned or – controlled corporations engaged in the supply and distribution of water and/or generation and transmission of electric power; (d) All real property owned by duly registered cooperatives as provided under R.A. No. 6938; (e) Machinery and equipment usedfor pollution control and environmental protection. Except as provided herein, any exemption from payment of real property taxes previously granted to, or presently enjoyed by, all persons, whether natural or juridical, including government-owned or - controlled corporations are hereby withdrawn upon the effectivity of this Code. (Emphasis supplied) The person liable for real property taxes is the "taxable person who had actual or beneficial use and possession [of the real property for the taxable period,] whether or not [the person owned the property for the period he or she is being taxed]."239 The exceptions to the rule are provided in the Local Government Code. Under Section 133(o), local government units have no power to levy taxes of any kind on the national government, its agencies and instrumentalities and local government units: SEC. 133. Common Limitations on the Taxing Powers of Local Government Units. – Unless otherwise provided herein, the exercise of taxing powers of provinces, cities, municipalities, and barangays shall not extend to the levy of the following: (o) Taxes, fees or charges of any kind on the National Government, its agencies and instrumentalities and local government units. Specifically on real property taxes, Section 234 enumerates the persons and real property exempt from real property taxes: nonprofitor religious cemeteries and all lands, buildings, and improvements actually, directly, (e) Machinery and equipment used for pollution control and environmental protection. Except as provided herein, any exemption from payment of real property tax previously granted to, or presently enjoyed by, all persons, whether natural or juridical, including all government-owned or - For persons granted tax exemptions or incentives before the effectivity of the Local Government Code, Section 193 withdrew these tax exemption privileges. These persons consist of both natural and juridical persons, including government-owned or controlled corporations: SEC. 193. Withdrawal of Tax Exemption Privileges. – Unless otherwise provided in this code, tax exemptions or incentives granted to or presently enjoyed by all persons, whether natural or juridical, including government-owned or controlled corporations, except local water districts, cooperatives duly registered under R.A. 6938, non stock and non profit hospitals and educational institutions, are hereby withdrawn upon effectivity of this Code. As discussed, Section 234 withdrew all tax privileges with respect to real property taxes. Nevertheless, local government units may grant tax exemptions under such terms and conditions asthey may deem necessary: SEC. 192. Authority to Grant Tax Exemption Privileges. – Local government units may, through ordinances duly approved, grant tax exemptions, incentives or reliefs under such terms and conditions as they may deem necessary. In Mactan Cebu International Airport Authority v. Hon. Marcos,240 this court classified the exemptions from real property taxes into ownership, character, and usage exemptions. Ownership exemptions are exemptions based on the ownership of the real property. The exemptions of real property owned by the Republic of the Philippines, provinces, cities, municipalities, barangays, and registered cooperatives fall under this classification.241 Character exemptions are exemptions based on the character of the real property. Thus, no real property taxes may be levied on charitable institutions, houses and temples of prayer like churches, parsonages, or convents appurtenant thereto, mosques, and non profitor religious cemeteries.242 Usage exemptions are exemptions based on the use of the real property. Thus, no real property taxes may be levied on real property such as: (1) lands and buildings actually, directly, and exclusively used for religious, charitable or educational purpose; (2) machineries and equipment actually, directly and exclusively used by local water districts or by government-owned or controlled corporations engaged in the supply and distribution of water and/or generation and transmission of electric power; and (3) machinery and equipment used for pollution control and environmental protection.243 Persons may likewise be exempt from payment of real properties if their charters, which were enacted or reenacted after the effectivity of the Local Government Code, exempt them payment of real property taxes.244 (A) The PEZA is an instrumentality of the national government An instrumentality is "any agency of the National Government, not integrated within the department framework, vested with special functions or jurisdiction by law, endowed with some if not all corporate powers, administering special funds, and enjoying operational autonomy, usually through a charter."245 Examples of instrumentalities of the national government are the Manila International Airport Authority,246 the Philippine Fisheries Development Authority,247 the Government Service Insurance System,248 and the Philippine Reclamation Authority.249 These entities are not integrated within the department framework but are nevertheless vested with special functions to carry out a declared policy of the national government. Similarly, the PEZA is an instrumentality of the national government. It is not integrated within the department framework but is an agency attached to the Department of Trade and Industry.250 Book IV, Chapter 7, Section 38(3)(a) of the Administrative Code of 1987 defines "attachment": SEC. 38. Definition of Administrative Relationship.– Unless otherwise expressly stated in the Code or in other laws defining the special relationships of particular agencies, administrative relationships shall be categorized and defined as follows: (3) Attachment.– (a) This refers to the lateral relationship between the department or its equivalent and the attached agency or corporation for purposes of policy and program coordination. The coordination may be accomplished by having the department represented in the governing board of the attached agency or corporation, either as chairman or as a member, with or without voting rights, if this is permitted by the charter; having the attached corporation or agency comply with a system of periodic reporting which shall reflect the progress of the programs and projects; and having the department or its equivalent provide general policies through its representative in the board, which shall serve as the framework for the internal policies of the attached corporation or agency[.] Attachment, which enjoys "a larger measure of independence"251 compared with other administrative relationships such as supervision and control, is further explained in Beja, Sr. v. Court of Appeals:252 An attached agency has a larger measure of independence from the Department to which it is attached than one which is under departmental supervision and control or administrative supervision. This is borne out by the "lateral relationship" between the Department and the attached agency. The attachment is merely for "policy and program coordination." With respect to administrative matters, the independence of an attached agency from Departmental control and supervision is further reinforced by the fact that even an agency under a Department’s administrative supervision is free from Departmental interference with respect to appointments and other personnel actions "in accordance with the decentralization of personnel functions" under the Administrative Code of 1987. Moreover, the Administrative Code explicitly provides that Chapter 8 of Book IV on supervision and control shall not apply to chartered institutions attached to a Department.253 With the PEZA as an attached agency to the Department of Trade and Industry, the 13-person PEZA Board is chaired by the Department Secretary.254 Among the powers and functions of the PEZA is its ability to coordinate with the Department of Trade and Industry for policy and program formulation and implementation.255 In strategizing and prioritizing the development of special economic zones, the PEZA coordinates with the Department of Trade and Industry.256 The PEZA also administers its own funds and operates autonomously, with the PEZA Board formulating and approving the PEZA’s annual budget.257 Appointments and other personnel actions in the PEZA are also free from departmental interference, with the PEZA Board having the exclusive and final authority to promote, transfer, assign and reassign officers of the PEZA.258 As an instrumentality of the national government, the PEZA is vested with special functions or jurisdiction by law. Congress created the PEZA to operate, administer, manage and develop special economic zones in the Philippines.259 Special economic zones are areas with highly developed or which have the potential to be developed into agro-industrial, industrial tourist/recreational, commercial, banking, investment and financial centers.260 By operating, administering, managing, and developing special economic zones which attract investments and promote use of domestic labor, the PEZA carries out the following policy of the Government: SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. — It is the declared policy of the government to translate into practical realities the following State policies and mandates in the 1987 Constitution, namely: (a) "The State recognizes the indispensable role of the private sector, encourages private enterprise, and provides incentives to needed investments." (Sec. 20, Art. II) (b) "The State shall promote the preferential use of Filipino labor, domestic materials and locally produced goods, and adopt measures that help make them competitive." (Sec. 12, Art. XII) In pursuance of these policies, the government shall actively encourage, promote, induce and accelerate a sound and balanced industrial, economic and social development of the country in order to provide jobs to the people especially those in the rural areas, increase their productivity and their individual and family income, and thereby improve the level and quality of their living condition through the establishment, among others, of special economic zones in suitable and strategic locations in the country and through measures that shall effectively attract legitimate and productive foreign investments.261 Being an instrumentality of the national government, the PEZA cannot be taxed by local government Although a body corporate vested with some corporate powers,262 the PEZA is not a government- owned or controlled corporation taxable for real property taxes. Section 2(13) of the Introductory Provisions of the Administrative Code of 1987 defines the term "government-owned or controlled corporation": SEC. 2. General Terms Defined. – Unless the specific words of the text, or the context as a whole, or a particular statute, shall require a different meaning: (13) Government-owned or controlled corporation refers to any agency organized as a stock or non- stock corporation, vested with functions relating to public needs whether governmental or proprietary in nature, and owned by the Government directly or through its instrumentalities either wholly, or, where applicable as in the case of stock corporations, to the extent of at least fifty-one (51) per cent of its capital stock: Provided, That government owned or controlled corporations may be further categorized by the Department of the Budget, the Civil Service Commission, and the Commission on Audit for purposes of the exercise and discharge of their respective powers, functions and responsibilities with respect to such corporations. Government entities are created by law, specifically, by the Constitution or by statute. In the case of government-owned or controlled corporations, they are incorporated by virtue of special charters263 to participate in the market for special reasons which may be related to dysfunctions or inefficiencies of the market structure. This is to adjust reality as against the concept of full competition where all market players are price takers. Thus, under the Constitution, government-owned or controlled corporations are created in the interest of the common good and should satisfy the test of economic viability.264 Article XII, Section 16 of the Constitution provides: Section 16. The Congress shall not, except by general law, provide for the formation, organization, or regulation of private corporations. Government-owned or controlled corporations may be created or established by special charters in the interest of the common good and subject to the test of economic viability. Economic viability is "the capacity to function efficiently in business."265 To be economically viable, the entity "should not go into activities which the private sector can do better."266 To be considered a government-owned or controlled corporation, the entity must have been organized as a stock or non-stock corporation.267 Government instrumentalities, on the other hand, are also created by law but partake of sovereign functions. When a government entity performs sovereign functions, it need not meet the test of economic viability. In Manila International Airport Authority v. Court of Appeals,268 this court explained: In contrast, government instrumentalities vested with corporate powers and performing governmental orpublic functions need not meet the test of economic viability. These instrumentalities perform essential public services for the common good, services that every modern State must provide its citizens. These instrumentalities need not be economically viable since the government may even subsidize their entire operations. These instrumentalities are not the "government-owned or controlled corporations" referred to in Section 16, Article XII of the 1987 Constitution. Thus, the Constitution imposes no limitation when the legislature creates government instrumentalities vested with corporate powers but performing essential governmental or public functions. Congress has plenary authority to create government instrumentalities vested with corporate powers provided these instrumentalities perform essential government functions or public services. However, when the legislature creates through special charters corporations that perform economic or commercial activities, such entities — known as "government-owned or controlled corporations" — must meetthe test of economic viability because they compete in the market place. Commissioner Blas F. Ople, proponent of the test of economic viability, explained to the Constitutional Commission the purpose of this test, as follows: MR. OPLE: Madam President, the reason for this concern is really that when the government creates a corporation, there is a sense in which this corporation becomes exempt from the test of economic performance. We know what happened in the past. If a government corporation loses, then it makes its claim upon the taxpayers' money through new equity infusions from the government and what is always invoked is the common good. That is the reason why this year, out of a budget of ₱115 billion for the entire government, about ₱28 billion of this will go into equity infusions to support a few government financial institutions. And this is all taxpayers' money which could have been relocated to agrarian reform, to social services like health and education, to augment the salaries of grossly underpaid public employees. And yet this is all going down the drain. Therefore, when we insert the phrase "ECONOMIC VIABILITY" together with the "common good," this becomes a restraint on future enthusiasts for state capitalism to excuse themselves from the responsibility of meeting the market test so that they become viable. And so, Madam President, I reiterate, for the committee's consideration and I am glad that I am joined in this proposal by Commissioner Foz, the insertion of the standard of "ECONOMIC VIABILITY OR THE ECONOMIC TEST," together with the common good. Clearly, the test of economic viability does not apply to government entities vested with corporate powers and performing essential public services. The State is obligated to render essential public services regardless of the economic viability of providing such service. The noneconomic viability of rendering such essential public service does not excuse the State from withholding such essential services from the public.269 (Emphases and citations omitted) The law created the PEZA’s charter. Under the Special Economic Zone Act of 1995, the PEZA was established primarily to perform the governmental function of operating,administering, managing, and developing special economic zones to attract investments and provide opportunities for preferential use of Filipino labor. Under its charter, the PEZA was created a body corporate endowed with some corporate powers. However, it was not organized as a stock270 or non-stock271 corporation. Nothing in the PEZA’s charter provides that the PEZA’s capital is divided into shares.272 The PEZA also has no members who shall share in the PEZA’s profits. The PEZA does not compete with other economic zone authorities in the country. The government may even subsidize the PEZA’s operations. Under Section 47 of the Special Economic Zone Act of 1995, "any sum necessary to augment [the PEZA’s] capital outlay shall be included in the General Appropriations Act to be treated as an equity of the national government."273 The PEZA, therefore, need not be economically viable. It is not a government-owned or controlled corporation liable for real property taxes. V. (B) The PEZA assumed the non-profit character, including the tax exempt status, of the EPZA The PEZA’s predecessor, the EPZA, was declared non-profit in character with all its revenues devoted for its development, improvement, and maintenance. Consistent with this non-profit character, the EPZA was explicitly declared exempt from real property taxes under its charter. Section 21 of Presidential Decree No. 66 provides: agencies and instrumentalities[.] The Special Economic Zone Act of 1995, on the other hand, does not specifically exempt the PEZA from payment of real property taxes. Nevertheless, we rule that the PEZA is exempt from real property taxes by virtue of its charter. A provision in the Special Economic Zone Act of 1995 explicitly exempting the PEZA is unnecessary. The PEZA assumed the real property exemption of the EPZA under Presidential Decree No. 66. Section 11 of the Special Economic Zone Act of 1995 mandated the EPZA "to evolve into the PEZA in accordance with the guidelines and regulations set forth in an executive order issued for this purpose." President Ramos then issued Executive Order No. 282 in 1995, ordering the PEZA to assume the EPZA’s powers, functions, and responsibilities under Presidential Decree No. 66 not inconsistent with the Special Economic Zone Act of 1995: SECTION 1. Assumption of EPZA’s Powers and Functions by PEZA. All the powers, functions and responsibilities of EPZA as provided under its Charter, Presidential Decree No. 66, as amended, insofar as they are not inconsistent with the powers,functions and responsibilities of the PEZA, as mandated under Republic Act No. 7916, shall hereafter be assumed and exercised by the PEZA. Henceforth, the EPZA shall be referred to as the PEZA. The following sections of the Special Economic Zone Act of 1995 provide for the PEZA’s powers,functions, and responsibilities: SEC. 5. Establishment of ECOZONES. – To ensure the viability and geographical dispersal of ECOZONES through a system of prioritization, the following areas are initially identified as ECOZONES, subject to the criteria specified in Section 6: The metes and bounds of each ECOZONE are to be delineated and more particularly described in a proclamation to be issued by the President of the Philippines, upon the recommendation of the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA), which shall be established under this Act, in coordination with the municipal and / or city council, National Land Use Coordinating Committee and / or the Regional Land Use Committee. SEC. 6. Criteria for the Establishment of Other ECOZONES. – In addition to the ECOZONES identified in Section 5 of this Act, other areas may be established as ECOZONES in a proclamation to be issued by the President of the Philippines subject to the evaluation and recommendation of the PEZA, based on a detailed feasibility and engineering study which must conform to the following (a) The proposed area must be identified as a regional growth center in the Medium-Term Philippine Development Plan or by the Regional Development Council; (b) The existence of required infrastructure in the proposed ECOZONE, such as roads, railways, telephones, ports, airports, etc., and the suitability and capacity of the proposed site to absorb such improvements; (c) The availability of water source and electric power supply for use of the ECOZONE; (d) The extent of vacant lands available for industrial and commercial development and future expansion of the ECOZONE as well as of lands adjacent to the ECOZONE available for development of residential areas for the ECOZONE workers; (e) The availability of skilled, semi-skilled and non-skilled trainable labor force in and around the ECOZONE; (f) The area must have a significant incremental advantage over the existing economic zones and its potential profitability can be established; (g) The area must be strategically located; and (h) The area must be situated where controls can easily be established to curtail smuggling Other areas which do not meet the foregoing criteria may be established as ECOZONES: Provided, That the said area shall be developed only through local government and/or private sector initiative under any of the schemes allowed in Republic Act No. 6957 (the build-operate-transfer law), and without any financial exposure on the part of the national government: Provided, further, That the area can be easily secured to curtail smuggling activities: Provided, finally, That after five (5) years the area must have attained a substantial degree of development, the indicators of which shall be formulated by the PEZA. SEC. 7. ECOZONE to be a Decentralized Agro-Industrial, Industrial, Commercial / Trading, Tourist, Investment and Financial Community. - Within the framework of the Constitution, the interest of national sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Republic, ECOZONE shall be developed, as much as possible, into a decentralized, self-reliant and self-sustaining industrial, commercial/trading, agro- industrial, tourist, banking, financial and investment center with minimum government intervention. Each ECOZONE shall be provided with transportation, telecommunications, and other facilities needed to generate linkage with industries and employment opportunitiesfor its own inhabitants and those of nearby towns and cities. The ECOZONE shall administer itself on economic, financial, industrial, tourism development and such other matters within the exclusive competence of the national government. The ECOZONE may establish mutually beneficial economic relations with other entities within the country, or, subject to the administrative guidance of the Department of Foreign Affairs and/or the Department of Trade and Industry, with foreign entities or enterprises. Foreign citizens and companies owned by non-Filipinos in whatever proportion may set up enterprises in the ECOZONE, either by themselves or in joint venture with Filipinos in any sector of industry, international trade and commerce within the ECOZONE. Their assets, profits and other legitimate interests shall be protected: Provided, That the ECOZONE through the PEZA may require a minimum investment for any ECOZONE enterprises in freely convertible currencies: Provided, further, That the new investment shall fall under the priorities, thrusts and limits provided for in the SEC. 8. ECOZONE to be Operated and Managed as Separate Customs Territory. – The ECOZONE shall be managed and operated by the PEZA as separate customs territory. The PEZA is hereby vested with the authority to issue certificate of origin for products manufactured or processed in each ECOZONE in accordance with the prevailing rules or origin, and the pertinent regulations of the Department of Trade and Industry and/or the Department of Finance. SEC. 9. Defense and Security. – The defense of the ECOZONE and the security of its perimeter fence shall be the responsibility of the national government in coordination with the PEZA. Military forces sent by the national government for the purpose of defense shall not interfere in the internal affairs of any of the ECOZONE and expenditure for these military forces shall be borne by the national government. The PEZA may provide and establish the ECOZONES’ internal security and firefighting forces. SEC. 10. Immigration. – Any investor within the ECOZONE whose initial investment shall not be less than One Hundred Fifty Thousand Dollars ($150,000.00), his/her spouse and dependent children under twenty-one (21) years of age shall be granted permanent resident status within the ECOZONE. They shall have freedom of ingress and egress to and from the ECOZONE without any need of special authorization from the Bureau of Immigration. The PEZA shall issue working visas renewable every two (2) years to foreign executives and other aliens, processing highly-technical skills which no Filipino within the ECOZONE possesses, as certified by the Department of Labor and Employment. The names of aliens granted permanent resident status and working visas by the PEZA shall be reported to the Bureau of Immigration within thirty (30) days after issuance thereof. SEC. 13. General Powers and Functions of the Authority. – The PEZA shall have the following powers and functions: (a) To operate, administer, manage and develop the ECOZONE according to the principles and provisions set forth in this Act; (b) To register, regulate and supervise the enterprises in the ECOZONE in an efficient and decentralized manner; (c) To coordinate with local government units and exercise general supervision over the development, plans, activities and operations of the ECOZONES, industrial estates, export processing zones, free trade zones, and the like; (d) In coordination with local government units concerned and appropriate agencies, to construct,acquire, own, lease, operate and maintain on its own or through contract, franchise, license, bulk purchase from the private sector and build-operate-transfer scheme or joint venture, adequate facilities and infrastructure, such as light and power systems, water supply and distribution systems, telecommunication and transportation, buildings, structures, warehouses, roads, bridges, ports and other facilities for the operation and development of the ECOZONE; (e) To create, operate and/or contractto operate such agencies and functional units or offices of the authority as it may deem necessary; (f) To adopt, alter and use a corporate seal; make contracts, lease, own or otherwise dispose of personal or real property; sue and be sued; and otherwise carry out its duties and functions as provided for in this Act; (g) To coordinate the formulation and preparation of the development plans of the different entities mentioned above; (h) To coordinate with the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA), the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), and the local government units and appropriate government agencies for policy and program formulation and implementation; and (i) To monitor and evaluate the development and requirements of entities in subsection (a) and recommend to the local government units or other appropriate authorities the location, incentives, basic services, utilities and infrastructure required or to be made available for said entities. SEC. 17. Investigation and Inquiries. – Upon a written formal complaint made under oath, which on its face provides reasonable basis to believe that some anomaly or irregularity might have been committed, the PEZA or the administrator of the ECOZONE concerned, shall have the power to inquire into the conduct of firms or employees of the ECOZONE and to conduct investigations, and for that purpose may subpoena witnesses, administer oaths, and compel the production of books, papers, and other evidences: Provided, That to arrive at the truth, the investigator(s) may grant immunity from prosecution to any person whose testimony or whose possessions of documents or other evidence is necessary or convenient to determine the truth in any investigation conducted by him or under the authority of the PEZA or the administrator of the ECOZONE concerned. SEC. 21. Development Strategy of the ECOZONE. - The strategy and priority of development of each ECOZONE established pursuant to this Act shall be formulated by the PEZA, in coordination with the Department of Trade and Industry and the National Economic and Development Authority; Provided, That such development strategy is consistent with the priorities of the national government as outlined in the medium-term Philippine development plan. It shall be the policy of the government and the PEZA to encourage and provide Incentives and facilitate private sector participation in the construction and operation of public utilities and infrastructure in the ECOZONE, using any of the schemes allowed in Republic Act No. 6957 (the build-operate-transfer law). SEC. 22. Survey of Resources. The PEZA shall, in coordination with appropriate authorities and neighboring cities and municipalities, immediately conduct a survey of the physical, natural assets and potentialities of the ECOZONE areas under its jurisdiction. SEC. 26. Domestic Sales. – Goods manufactured by an ECOZONE enterprise shall be made available for immediate retail sales in the domestic market, subject to payment of corresponding taxes on the raw materials and other regulations that may be adopted by the Board of the PEZA. However, in order to protect the domestic industry, there shall be a negative list of Industries that willbe drawn up by the PEZA. Enterprises engaged in the industries included in the negative list shall not be allowed to sell their products locally. Said negative list shall be regularly updated by the PEZA. The PEZA, in coordination with the Department of Trade and Industry and the Bureau of Customs, shall jointly issue the necessary implementing rules and guidelines for the effective Implementation of this section. SEC. 29. Eminent Domain. – The areas comprising an ECOZONE may be expanded or reduced when necessary. For this purpose, the government shall have the power to acquire, either by purchase, negotiation or condemnation proceedings, any private lands within or adjacent to the ECOZONE for: a. Consolidation of lands for zone development purposes; b. Acquisition of right of way to the ECOZONE; and c. The protection of watershed areas and natural assets valuable to the prosperity of the ECOZONE. If in the establishment of a publicly-owned ECOZONE, any person or group of persons who has been occupying a parcel of land within the Zone has to be evicted, the PEZA shall provide the person or group of persons concerned with proper disturbance compensation: Provided, however, That in the case of displaced agrarian reform beneficiaries, they shall be entitled to the benefits under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law, including but not limited to Section 36 of Republic Act No. 3844, in addition to a homelot in the relocation site and preferential employment in the project being undertaken. SEC. 32. Shipping and Shipping Register. – Private shipping and related business including private container terminals may operate freely in the ECOZONE, subject only to such minimum reasonable regulations of local application which the PEZA may prescribe. The PEZA shall, in coordination with the Department of Transportation and Communications, maintain a shipping register for each ECOZONE as a business register of convenience for ocean- going vessels and issue related certification. Ships of all sizes, descriptions and nationalities shall enjoy access to the ports of the ECOZONE, subject only to such reasonable requirement as may be prescribed by the PEZA In coordination with the appropriate agencies of the national government. SEC. 33. Protection of Environment. - The PEZA, in coordination with the appropriate agencies, shall take concrete and appropriate steps and enact the proper measure for the protection of the local environment. SEC. 34. Termination of Business. - Investors In the ECOZONE who desire to terminate business or operations shall comply with such requirements and procedures which the PEZA shall set, particularly those relating to the clearing of debts. The assets of the closed enterprise can be transferred and the funds con be remitted out of the ECOZONE subject to the rules, guidelines and procedures prescribed jointly by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, the Department of Finance and the SEC. 35. Registration of Business Enterprises. - Business enterprises within a designated ECOZONE shall register with the PEZA to avail of all incentives and benefits provided for in this Act. SEC. 36. One Stop Shop Center. - The PEZA shall establish a one stop shop center for the purpose of facilitating the registration of new enterprises in the ECOZONE. Thus, all appropriate government agencies that are Involved In registering, licensing or issuing permits to investors shall assign their representatives to the ECOZONE to attend to Investor’s requirements. SEC. 39. Master Employment Contracts. - The PEZA, in coordination with the Department of Tabor and Employment, shall prescribe a master employment contract for all ECOZONE enterprise staff members and workers, the terms of which provide salaries and benefits not less than those provided under this Act, the Philippine Labor Code, as amended, and other relevant issuances of the national SEC. 41. Migrant Worker. - The PEZA, in coordination with the Department of Labor and Employment, shall promulgate appropriate measures and programs leading to the expansion of the services of the ECOZONE to help the local governments of nearby areas meet the needs of the migrant workers. SEC. 42. Incentive Scheme. - An additional deduction equivalent to one- half (1/2) of the value of training expenses incurred in developing skilled or unskilled labor or for managerial or other management development programs incurred by enterprises in the ECOZONE can be deducted from the national government's share of three percent (3%) as provided In Section 24. The PEZA, the Department of Labor and Employment, and the Department of Finance shall jointly make a review of the incentive scheme provided In this section every two (2) years or when circumstances so warrant. SEC. 43. Relationship with the Regional Development Council. - The PEZA shall determine the development goals for the ECOZONE within the framework of national development plans, policies and goals, and the administrator shall, upon approval by the PEZA Board, submit the ECOZONE plans, programs and projects to the regional development council for inclusion in and as inputs to the overall regional development plan. SEC. 44. Relationship with the Local Government Units. - Except as herein provided, the local government units comprising the ECOZONE shall retain their basic autonomy and identity. The cities shall be governed by their respective charters and the municipalities shall operate and function In accordance with Republic Act No. 7160, otherwise known as the Local Government Code of 1991. SEC. 45. Relationship of PEZA to Privately-Owned Industrial Estates. – Privately-owned industrial estates shall retain their autonomy and independence and shall be monitored by the PEZA for the implementation of incentives. SEC. 46. Transfer of Resources. - The relevant functions of the Board of Investments over industrial estates and agri-export processing estates shall be transferred to the PEZA. The resources of government owned Industrial estates and similar bodies except the Bases Conversion Development Authority and those areas identified under Republic Act No. 7227, are hereby transferred to the PEZA as the holding agency. They are hereby detached from their mother agencies and attached to the PEZA for policy, program and operational supervision. The Boards of the affected government-owned industrial estates shall be phased out and only the management level and an appropriate number of personnel shall be retained. Government personnel whose services are not retained by the PEZA or any government office within the ECOZONE shall be entitled to separation pay and such retirement and other benefits theyare entitled to under the laws then in force at the time of their separation: Provided, That in no case shall the separation pay be less than one and one-fourth (1 1/4) month of every year of service. The non-profit character of the EPZA under Presidential Decree No. 66 is not inconsistent with any of the powers, functions, and responsibilities of the PEZA. The EPZA’s non-profit character, including the EPZA’s exemption from real property taxes, must be deemed assumed by the PEZA. In addition, the Local Government Code exempting instrumentalities of the national government from real property taxes was already in force274 when the PEZA’s charter was enacted in 1995. It would have been redundant to provide for the PEZA’s exemption in its charter considering that the PEZA is already exempt by virtue of Section 133(o) of the Local Government Code. As for the EPZA, Commonwealth Act No. 470 or the Assessment Law was in force when the EPZA’s charter was enacted. Unlike the Local Government Code, Commonwealth Act No. 470 does not contain a provision specifically exempting instrumentalities of the national government from payment of real property taxes.275 It was necessary to put an exempting provision in the EPZA’s charter. Contrary to the PEZA’s claim, however, Section 24 of the Special Economic Zone Act of 1995 is not a basis for the PEZA’s exemption. Section 24 of the Special Economic Zone Act of 1995 provides: enterprises within the ECOZONEshall be paid and remitted as follows: (a) Three percent (3%) to the National Government; (b) Two percent (2%) which shall be directly remitted by the business establishments to the treasurer's office of the municipality or city where the enterprise is located. (Emphasis supplied) Tax exemptions provided under Section 24 apply only to business establishments operating within economic zones. Considering that the PEZA is not a business establishment but an instrumentality performing governmental functions, Section 24 is inapplicable to the PEZA. Also, contrary to the PEZA’s claim, developers ofeconomic zones, whether public or private developers, are liable for real property taxes on lands they own. Section 24 does not distinguish between a public and private developer. Thus, courts cannot distinguish.276 Unless the public developer is exempt under the Local Government Code or under its charter enacted after the Local Government Code’s effectivity, the public developer must pay real property taxes on their land. At any rate, the PEZA cannot be taxed for real property taxes even if it acts as a developer or operator of special economic zones. The PEZA is an instrumentality of the national government exempt from payment of real property taxes under Section 133(o) of the Local Government Code. As this court said in Manila International Airport Authority, "there must be express language in the law empowering local governments to tax national government instrumentalities. Any doubt whether such power exists is resolved against local governments."277 Real properties under the PEZA’s title are owned by the Republic of the Philippines Under Section 234(a) of the LocalGovernment Code, real properties owned by the Republic of the Philippines are exempt from real property taxes: (a) Real property owned by the Republic of the Philippines or any of its political subdivisions except when the beneficial use thereof has been granted, for consideration or otherwise, to a taxable person[.] Properties owned by the state are either property of public dominion or patrimonial property. Article 420 of the Civil Code of the Philippines enumerates property of public dominion: Art. 420. The following things are property of public dominion: (1) Those intended for public use, such as roads, canals, rivers, torrents, ports and bridges constructed by the State, banks, shores, roadsteads, and others of similar character; (2) Those which belong to the State, without belonging for public use, and are intended for some public service or for the development of the national wealth. Properties of public dominion are outside the commerce of man. These properties are exempt from "levy, encumbrance or disposition through public or private sale."278 As this court explained in Manila International Airport Authority: Properties of public dominion, being for public use, are not subject to levy, encumbrance or disposition through public or private sale. Any encumbrance, levy on execution or auction sale of any property of public dominion is void for being contrary to public policy. Essential public services will stop if properties of public dominion are subject to encumbrances, foreclosures and auction sale[.]279 On the other hand, all other properties of the state that are not intended for public use or are not intended for some public service or for the development of the national wealth are patrimonial properties. Article 421 of the Civil Code of the Philippines provides: Art. 421. All other property of the State, which is not of the character stated in the preceding article, is patrimonial property. Patrimonial properties are also properties of the state, but the state may dispose of its patrimonial property similar to private persons disposing of their property. Patrimonial properties are within the commerce of man and are susceptible to prescription, unless otherwise provided.280 In this case, the properties sought to be taxed are located in publicly owned economic zones. These economic zones are property of public dominion. The City seeks to tax properties located within the Mactan Economic Zone,281 the site of which was reserved by President Marcos under Proclamation No. 1811, Series of 1979. Reserved lands are lands of the public domain set aside for settlement or public use, and for specific public purposes by virtue of a presidential proclamation.282 Reserved lands are inalienable and outside the commerce of man,283 and remain property of the Republic until withdrawn from publicuse either by law or presidential proclamation.284 Since no law or presidential proclamation has been issued withdrawing the site of the Mactan Economic Zone from public use, the property remains reserved land. As for the Bataan Economic Zone, the law consistently characterized the property as a port. Under Republic Act No. 5490, Congress declared Mariveles, Bataan "a principal port of entry"285 to serve as site of a foreign trade zone where foreign and domestic merchandise may be brought in without being subject to customs and internal revenue laws and regulations of the Philippines.286 Section 4 of Republic Act No. 5490 provided that the foreign trade zone in Mariveles, Bataan "shall at all times remain to be owned by the Government": SEC. 4. Powers and Duties.– The Foreign Trade Zone Authority shall have the following powers and a. To fix and delimit the site of the Zone which at all times remain to be owned by the Government, and which shall have a contiguous and adequate area with well defined and policed boundaries, with adequate enclosures to segregate the Zone from the customs territory for protection of revenues, together with suitable provisions for ingress and egress of persons, conveyance, vessels and merchandise sufficient for the purpose of this Act[.] (Emphasis supplied) The port in Mariveles, Bataan then became the Bataan Economic Zone under the Special Economic Zone Act of 1995.287 Republic Act No. 9728 then converted the Bataan Economic Zone into the Freeport Area of Bataan.288 A port of entry, where imported goods are unloaded then introduced in the market for public consumption, is considered property for public use. Thus, Article 420 of the Civil Code classifies a port as property of public dominion. The Freeport Area of Bataan, where the government allows tax and duty-free importation of goods,289 is considered property of public dominion. The Freeport Area of Bataan is owned by the state and cannot be taxed under Section 234(a) of the Local Government Properties of public dominion, even if titled in the name of an instrumentality as in this case, remain owned by the Republic of the Philippines. If property registered in the name of an instrumentality is conveyed to another person,the property is considered conveyed on behalf of the Republic of the Philippines. Book I, Chapter 12, Section 48 of the Administrative Code of 1987 provides: SEC. 48. Official Authorized to Convey Real Property. – Whenever real property of the government is authorized by law to be conveyed, the deed of conveyance shall be executed in behalf of the government by the following: (2) For property belonging to the Republic of the Philippines, but titled in the name of any political subdivision orof any corporate agency or instrumentality, by the executive head of the agency or instrumentality. (Emphasis supplied) In Manila International Airport Authority, this court explained: [The exemption under Section 234(a) of the Local Government Code] should be read in relation with Section 133(o) of the same Code, which prohibits local governments from imposing "[t]axes, fess or charges of any kind on the National Government, its agencies and instrumentalitiesx x x." The real properties owned by the Republic are titled either in the name of the Republic itself or in the name of agencies or instrumentalities of the National Government.The Administrative Code allows real property owned by the Republic to be titled in the name of agencies or instrumentalities of the national government. Such real properties remained owned by the Republic of the Philippines and continue to be exempt from real estate tax. The Republic may grant the beneficialuse of its real property to an agency or instrumentality of the national government. This happens when title of the real property is transferred to an agency or instrumentality even as the Republic remains the owner of the real property. Such arrangement does not result in the loss of the tax exemption/ Section 234(a) of the Local Government Code states that real property owned by the Republic loses its tax exemption only if the "beneficial use thereof has been granted, for consideration or otherwise, to a taxable person." . . .290 (Emphasis in the original; italics supplied) Even the PEZA’s lands and buildings whose beneficial use have been granted to other persons may not be taxed with real property taxes. The PEZA may only lease its lands and buildings to PEZA- registered economic zone enterprises and entities.291 These PEZA-registered enterprises and entities, which operate within economic zones, are not subject to real property taxes. Under Section 24 of the Special Economic Zone Act of 1995, no taxes, whether local or national, shall be imposed on all business establishments operating within the economic zones: SEC. 24. Exemption from National and Local Taxes. – Except for real property on land owned by developers, no taxes, local and national, shall be imposed on business establishments operating within the ECOZONE. In lieu thereof, five percent (5%) of the gross income earned by all business enterprises within the ECOZONE shall be paid and remitted as follows: treasurer’s office of the municipality or city where the enterprise is located.292 (Emphasis supplied) In lieu of revenues from real property taxes, the City of Lapu-Lapu collects two-fifths of 5% final tax on gross income paid by all business establishments operating withinthe Mactan Economic Zone: SEC. 24. Exemption from National and Local Taxes. – Except for real property on land owned by developers, no taxes, local and national, shall be imposed on business establishments operating treasurer’s office of the municipality or city where the enterprise is located.293 (Emphasis For its part, the Province of Bataan collects a fifth of the 5% final tax on gross income paid by all business establishments operating within the Freeport Area of Bataan: Section 6. Imposition of a Tax Rate of Five Percent (5%) on Gross Income Earned. - No taxes, local and national, shall be imposed on business establishments operating withinthe FAB. In lieu thereof, said business establishments shall pay a five percent (5%) final tax on their gross income earned in the following percentages: (a) One per centum (1%) to the National Government; (b) One per centum (1%) to the Province of Bataan; (c) One per centum (1%) to the treasurer's office of the Municipality of Mariveles; and (d) Two per centum (2%) to the Authority of the Freeport of Area of Bataan.294 (Emphasis Petitioners, therefore, are not deprived of revenues from the operations of economic zones within their respective territorial jurisdictions. The national government ensured that loeal government units comprising economic zones shall retain their basic autonomy and identity.295 All told, the PEZA is an instrumentality of the national government. Furthermore, the lands owned 1âw phi 1 by the PEZA are real properties owned by the Republic of the Philippines. The City of Lapu-Lapu and the Province of Bataan cannot collect real property taxes from the PEZA. WHEREFORE, the consolidated petitions are DENIED. MARVIC M.V.F. LEONEN Associate Justice WE CONCUR: ANTONIO T. CARPIO MARIANO C. DEL CASTILLO JOSE CATRAL MENDOZA Associate Justice Associate Justice BIENVENIDO L. REYES* I attest that the conclusions in the above Decision had been reached in consultation before the case was assigned to the writer of the opinion of the Court's Division. Chairperson, Second Division Pursuant to Section 13, Article VIII of the Constitution and the Division Chairperson's Attestation, I certify that the conclusions in the above Decision had been reached in consultation before the case MARIA LOURDES P.A. SERENO * Designated Acting Member per Special Order No. 1881 dated November 25, 2014. Resolution dated March 14, 2011. Rollo (G.R. No. 184203), pp. 51–54. This decision in CA-G.R. CV No. 88318 was penned by Associate Justice Josefina Guevara-Salonga with Associate Justices Vicente Q. Roxas and Ramon R. Garcia concurring. Id. at 48–49. Rollo (G.R. No. 187583), pp. 57–68. This decision in CA-G.R. SP No. 100984 was penned by Associate Justice Marlene Gonzales-Sison with Associate Justices Juan Q. Enriquez, Jr. and Isaias P. Dicdican concurring. Proc. No. 1081 dated September 21, 1972. Pres. Decree No. 66 (1972), sec. 1. Rep. Act No. 5490 (1969), sec. 2. Pres. Decree No.66 (1972), sec. 4(a). Pres. Decree No. 66 (1972), sec. 21. Pres. Decree No. 66 (1972), sec. 21(a). Rep. Act No. 7916 (1995), sec. 11. Rep. Act No. 7916 (1995), sec. 13(a). Rep. Act No. 7916 (1995), sec. 13(b). Rep. Act No. 7916 (1995), sec. 5(ll). Rep. Act No. 7916 (1995), sec. 5(m). Exec. Order No. 282 (1995), sec. 1. RTC records (Civil Case No. 02-0410), p. 16. RTC records, pp. 20–21, dated July 14, 1998; p. 22, dated December 22, 1998; p. 23, dated January 28, 1999; pp. 24–25, dated March 8, 1999; p. 26, dated May 29, 2000; pp. 27–31, dated December 13, 1999; pp. 32–33, dated May 2, 2000. RTC records, pp. 34–35. Id. at 2–15. Id. at 119–124. RULES OF COURT, Rule 63, sec. 3 provides: Notice on Solicitor General. – In any action which involves the validity of a statute, executive order or regulation, or any other governmental regulation, the Solicitor General shall be notified by the party assailing the same and shall be entitled to be heard upon such question. RTC records, pp. 137–166. Id. at 179–191. This resolution was penned by Judge Wilhelmina B. Jorge-Wagan. CA rollo (CA-G.R. CV No. 88318), pp. 12–44. Rollo (G.R. No. 184203), pp. 51–54. CA rollo (CA-G.R. CV No. 88318), pp. 127–130. Id. at 36. Rollo (G.R. No. 184203), p. 91, resolution dated November 17, 2008. CA rollo (CA-G.R. SP No. 100984), p. 100. CA rollo (CA-G.R. SP No. 100984), pp. 112–113, dated April 28, 2004; pp. 115–116, dated May 5, 2004. Id. at 114, dated April 30, 2004; p. 117, dated May 7, 2004. Rep. Act No. 7160 (1991), sec. 260 provides: SECTION 260. Advertisement and Sale. – Within thirty (30) days after service of the warrant of levy, the local treasurer shall proceed to publicly advertise for sale or auction the property or a usable portion thereof as may be necessary to satisfy the tax delinquency and expenses of sale. The advertisement shall be effected by posing a notice at the main entrance of the provincial, city or municipal building, and in a publicly accessible and conspicuous place in the barangay where the real property is located, and by publication once a week for two (2) weeks in a newspaper of general circulation in the province, city or municipality where the property is located. The advertisement shall specify the amount of the delinquent tax, the interest due thereon and expense of sale, the date and place of sale, the name of the owner of the real property or person having legal interest therein, and a description of the property to be sold[.] Id. at 51–52. This decision was penned by Judge Francisco G. Mendiola. Rollo (G.R. No. 187583), p. 68. 528 Phil. 181 (2006) [Per J. Carpio, En Banc]. CA rollo (CA-G.R. SP No. 100984), pp. 496–520. Id. at 76, resolution dated July 29, 2009. Id. at 94–120. RULES OF COURT, Rule 41, sec. 2(a). RULES OF COURT, Rule 41, sec. 2(b). RULES OF COURT, Rule 41, sec. 2(c). Far Eastern Surety and Insurance Co., Inc., v. People, G.R. No. 170618, November 20, 2013, 710 SCRA 358, 365 [Per J. Brion, Second Division]; Republic v. Malabanan, G.R. No. 169067, October 6, 2010, 632 SCRA 338, 345 [Per J. Villarama, Jr., Third Division]. Far Eastern Surety and Insurance Co., Inc. v. People, G.R. No. 170618, November 20, G.R. No. 193706, March 12, 2013, 693 SCRA 201 [Per C.J. Sereno, En Banc]. Id. at 207, citing Ybañez v. Court of Appeals, 323 Phil. 643 (1996) [Per J. Francisco, Third Division]. Municipality of Pateros v. Hon. Court of Appeals, et al., 607 Phil. 104, 114 (2009) [Per J. Nachura, Third Division]; Sevilleno v. Carilo, 559 Phil. 789, 792 (2007) [Per J. Sandoval- Gutierrez, First Division]. See Republic v. City of Parañaque, G.R. No. 191109, July 18, 2012, 677 SCRA 246, 257– 260 [Per J. Mendoza, Third Division]; Government Service Insurance System v. City Assessor of Manila, G.R. No . 186242, December 23, 2009, 609 SCRA 330, 349 [Per J. Velasco, Jr., Third Division]; National Housing Authority v. Iloilo City, et al., 584 Phil. 604, 609–610 (2008) [Per J. Tinga, Second Division]; Philippine Fisheries Development Authority v. The Honorable Court of Appeals, 560 Phil. 738, 748 (2007) [Per J. Azcuna, First Division]; Manila International Airport Authority v. Court of Appeals, 528 Phil. 181, 209–213 (2006) [Per J. Carpio, En Banc]. Municipality of Pateros v. The Honorable Court of Appeals, 607 Phil. 104 (2009) [Per J. Nachura, Third Division]. Id. at 115, citing Tabujara III v. People, 591 Phil. 216, 231 (2008) [Per J. Chico-Nazario, Third Division]. See Spouses Sabitsana v. Muertegui, G.R. No. 181359, August 5, 2013, 703 SCRA 145, 158–159 [Per J. Del Castillo, Second Division]; See also Allied Broadcasting Center, Inc. v. Republic, 268 Phil. 852, 857 (1990) [Per J. Gancayco, En Banc] cited inW. B. RIANO, II CIVIL PROCEDURE (THE BAR LECTURE SERIES) 216 (2012). RULES OF COURT, Rule 63, sec. 1. Republic v. Roque, G.R. No. 204603, September 24, 2013, 706 SCRA 273, 283 [Per J. Perlas-Bernabe, En Banc]. Ollada v. Central Bank of the Philippines, 115 Phil. 284, 291 (1962) [Per J. Dizon, En Banc]. 115 Phil. 284 (1962) [Per J. Dizon, En Banc]. Velarde v. Social Justice Society, G.R. No. 159357, April 28, 2004, 428 SCRA 283, 293 [Per J. Panganiban, En Banc]. G.R. No. 204603, September 24, 2013, 706 SCRA 273 [Per J. Perlas-Bernabe, En Banc]. G.R. No. 159357, April 28, 2004, 428 SCRA 283 [Per J. Panganiban, En Banc]. Id. at 283, citing Almeda v. Bathala Marketing Industries, Inc., 566 Phil. 458, 467 (2008) [Per J. Nachura, Third Division]. Boston Equity Resources, Inc. v. Court of Appeals, G.R. No. 173946, June 19, 2013, 699 SCRA 16, 28 [Per J. Perez, Second Division]. Villagracia v. Fifth (5th) Shari’a District Court, G.R. No. 188832, April 23, 2014 <http://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/pdf/web/viewer.html?file=/jurisprudence/2014/april2014/188832.pd f> [Per J. Leonen, Third Division]. Philippine Association of Free Labor Unions (PAFLU) v. Padilla, 106 Phil. 591, 593 (1959) [Per J. Labrador, En Banc]; Perkins v. Roxas, 72 Phil. 514, 517 (1941) [Per J. Laurel, En f> [Per J. Leonen, Third Division]. 616 Phil. 177 (2009) [Per J. Chico-Nazario, Third Division]. National Power Corporation v. Province of Quezon, G.R. No. 171586, January 25, 2010, 611 SCRA 71, 91 [Per J. Brion, Special Second Division]. Ty v. Trampe, 321 Phil. 81, 101 (1995) [Per J. Panganiban, En Banc]. See J. Carpio, concurring opinion, in Camp John Hay Development Corporation v.Central Board of Assessment Appeals, G.R. No. 169234, October 2, 2013, 706 SCRA 547, 578 [Per J. Perez, Second Division]. 321 Phil. 81 (1995) [Per J. Panganiban, En Banc]. Agoo Rice Mill Corporation v. Land Bank of the Philippines, G.R. No. 173036, September 26, 2012, 682 SCRA 36, 46 [Per J. Brion, Second Division]; Garayblas v. Atienza, Jr,.525 Phil. 291, 306 (2006) [Per J. Callejo, Sr., First Division]; Bacolod City Water District v. Labayen, 487 Phil. 335, 346 (2004) [Per J. Puno, Second Division]. 26, 2012, 682 SCRA 36, 46 [Per J. Brion, Second Division]. Nocum v. Tan, 507 Phil. 620, 626 (2005) [Per J. Chico-Nazario, Second Division]. Id., citing Ibrahim v. Commission on Elections,G.R. No. 192289, January 8, 2013, 688 SCRA 129, 145 [Per J. Reyes, En Banc], citing Republic v. Bantigue Point Development Corporation, G.R. No. 162322, March 14, 2012, 668 SCRA 158 [Per J. Sereno, Second Division]; Figueroa v. People of the Philippines, 580 Phil. 58, 76 (2008) [Per J. Nachura, Third Division]; Mangaliag v. Catubig-Pastoral, 510 Phil. 637, 648 (2005) [Per J. Austria- Martinez, Second Division]; Calimlim v. Ramirez, 204 Phil. 25, 35 (1982) [Per J. Vasquez, First Division]. RULES OF COURT, Rule 9, sec. 1; Villagracia v. Fifth (5th) Shari’a District Court, G.R. No. 188832, April 23, 2014 RULES OF COURT, Rule 9, sec. 1. Rudolf Lietz Holding, Inc. v. The Registry of Deeds of Parañaque City, 398 Phil. 626, 633 (2000) [Per J. Ynares-Santiago, First Division]. However, a court may motu proprio dismiss the case on any grounds for the dismissal of a civil action if the case falls under summary procedure per Section 4 of the 1991 Revised Rule on Summary Procedure. Samson v. Hon. Fiel-Macaraig, G.R. No. 166356, February 2, 2010, 611 SCRA 345, 351 [Per J. Carpio, Second Division]; Bugarin v. Palisoc, 513 Phil. 59, 66 (2005) [Per J. Quisumbing, First Division]; Association of Integrated Security Force of Bislig (AISFB)-ALU v. Hon. Court of Appeals, 505 Phil. 10, 18 (2005)[Per J. Chico-Nazario, Second Division]. Mendiola v. Court of Appeals, 327 Phil. 1156, 1164 (1996) [Per J. Hermosisima, Jr., First Division]; Nabus v. The Honorable Court of Appeals, 271 Phil. 768, 779 (1991) [Per J. Regalado, Second Division]. Division]; Nabus v. The Honorable Court of Appeals, 271 Phil. 768, 779–780 (1991) [Per J. Black’s Law Dictionary, Eighth Edition 241 (2004). G.R. No. 153852, October 24, 2012, 684 SCRA 410 [Per J. Bersamin, First Division]. Madrigal Transport, Inc. v. Lapanday Holdings Corp., 479 Phil. 768, 780–781 (2004) [Per J. Panganiban, Third Division]. Madrigal Transport, Inc. v. Lapanday Holdings Corp., 479 Phil. 768, 781 [Per J. Panganiban, Third Division]. Bugarin v. Palisoc, 513 Phil. 59, 66 (2005) [Per J. Quisumbing, First Division]; Association of Integrated Security Force of Bislig (AISFB)-ALU v. Hon. Court of Appeals, 505 Phil. 10, 18 (2005) [Per J. Chico-Nazario, Second Division]. The City of Manila v. Hon. Grecia-Cuerdo, G.R. No. 175723, February 4, 2014 <http://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/pdf/web/viewer.html?file=/jurisprudence/2014/february2014/17572 3.pdf>[Per J. Peralta, En Banc]; Oaminal v. Castillo,459 Phil. 542, 556 (2003) [Per J. 3.pdf> [Per J. Peralta, En Banc]; Oaminal v. Castillo,459 Phil. 542, 556 (2003) [Per J. Oaminal v. Castillo, 459 Phil. 542, 557 (2003) [Per J. Panganiban, Third Division]. Id., citing Delsan Transport Lines, Inc. v. CA, 335 Phil. 1066, 1075 (1997) [Per J. Mendoza, Second Division]. Sebastian v. Morales, 445 Phil. 595, 605 (2003) [Per J. Quisumbing, Second Division]. CA rollo (CA-G.R. SP No. 100984), p. 2. Id. at 7. LOCAL GOVT. CODE, sec. 247 provides; SEC. 247. Collection of Tax. - The collection of the real property tax with interest thereon and related expenses, and the enforcement of the remedies provided for in this Title or any applicable laws, shall be the responsibility of the city or municipal treasurer concerned. The city or municipal treasurer may deputize the barangay treasurer to collect all taxes onreal property located in the barangay: Provided, That the barangay treasurer is properly bonded for the purpose: Provided, further, That the premium on the bond shall be paid by the city or municipal government TAX CODE, Title I, sec. 2 provides: SEC. 2. Powers and duties of the Bureau of Internal Revenue. - The Bureau of Internal Revenue shall be under the supervision and control of the Department of Finance and its powers and duties shall comprehend the assessment and collection of all national internal revenue taxes, fees, and charges, and the enforcement of all forfeitures, penalties, and fines connected therewith, including the execution of judgments in all cases decided in its favor by the Court of Tax Appeals and the ordinary courts. The Bureau shall give effect to and administer the supervisory and police powers conferred to it by this Code or other laws. LOCAL GOVT CODE, sec. 256 provides: SEC. 256. Remedies For The Collection Of Real Property Tax. - For the collection of the basic real property tax and any other tax levied under this Title, the local government unit concerned may avail of the remedies by administrative action thru levy on real property or by judicial action. SEC. 266. Collection of Real Property Tax Through the Courts. – The local government unit concerned may enforce the collection of the basic real property tax or any other tax levied under this Title by civil action in any court of competent jurisdiction. The civil action shall be filed by the local treasurer within the period prescribed in Section 270 of this Code. Phil. Refining Co. v. Court of Appeals, 326 Phil. 680, 689 (1996) [Per J. Regalado, Second G.R. No. 175723, February 4, 2014 3.pdf> [Per J. Peralta, En Banc]. AN ACT CREATING THE COURT OF TAX APPEALS (1954). CONST., art. viii, sec. 1 provides: Section 1. The judicial power shall be vested in one Supreme Court and in such lower courts as may be established by law. Judicial power includes the duty of the courts of justice to settle actual controversies involving rights which are legally demandable and enforceable, and to determine whether or not there has been a grave abuse of discretion amounting to lack or excess of jurisdiction on the part of any branch or instrumentality of the Government. 3.pdf>[Per J. Peralta, En Banc]. See City of Iriga v. Camarines Sur III Electric Cooperative, Inc. (CASURECO III), G.R. No. 192945, September 5, 2012, 680 SCRA 236, 244 [Per J. Perlas-Bernabe, Second Division]. See Land Bank of the Philippines v. Court of Appeals, G.R. No. 190660, April 11, 2011, 647 SCRA 561, 567 [Per J. Carpio Morales, Third Division]. Rep. Act No. 7160, sec. 252. Rep. Act No. 7160, sec. 229(a). Rep. Act No. 7160, sec. 229(c). Rep. Act No. 1125, as amended by Rep. Act No. 9282, sec. 7(a)(5); RULES OF PROCEDURE IN THE COURT OF TAX APPEALS, Rule 4, sec. 2(e). RULES OF PROCEDURE IN THE COURT OF TAX APPEALS, Rule 8, sec. 4(c). Rep. Act No. 1125 (1954), as amended by Rep. Act No. 9282 (2004), sec. 19. Ty v. Trampe, 321 Phil. 81, 101–102 (1995) [Per J. Panganiban, En Banc]. Batas Blg. 129 (1994), sec. 19; Bank of the Philippine Islands v. Hong, G.R. No. 161771, February 15, 2012, 666 SCRA 71, 78 [Per J. Villarama, Jr., First Division]. Rep. Act No. 1125 (1954), as amended by Rep. Act No. 9282 (2004), sec. 7(a)(3). Rep. Act No. 7160 (1991), sec. 267. Salud v. The Court of Appeals, G.R. No. 100156, June 27, 1994, 233 SCRA 384, 389 [Per J. Puno, Second Division]. See Pryce Corporation v. China Banking Corporation, G.R. No. 172302, February 18, 2014, 716 SCRA 207, 235 [Per J. Leonen, En Banc]. LOCAL GOVT. CODE, sec. 232. LOCAL GOVT. CODE, sec. 198(c). Government Service Insurance System v. City Treasurer and City Assessor of the City of Manila, 623 Phil. 964, 982 (2009) [Per J. Velasco, Jr., Third Division], citing Testate Estate of Concordia T. Lim v. City of Manila, 261 Phil. 602, 607 (1990) [Per J. Gutierrez, Jr., Third Division]; Manila Electric Company v. Barlis, 410 Phil. 167, 178 (2001) [Per J. De Leon, Jr., 330 Phil. 392 (1996) [Per J. Davide, Jr., Third Division]. Manila, 623 Phil. 964, 976–977 (2009) [Per J. Velasco, Jr., Third Division]. EXEC. ORDER NO. 292, Introductory Provisions, sec. 2(10). Manila International Airport Authority v. Court of Appeals, 528 Phil. 181, 212–214 (2006) [Per J. Carpio, En Banc]. Philippine Fisheries Development Authority v. The Honorable Court of Appeals, 555 Phil. 661, 668 (2007) [Per J. Azcuna, First Division]. Republic of the Philippines v. City of Parañaque, G.R. No. 191109, July 18, 2012, 677 SCRA 247, 263 [Per J. Mendoza, Third Division]. Beja, Sr. v. Court of Appeals, G.R. No. 97149, March 31, 1992, 207 SCRA 689, 697 [Per J. Romero, En Banc]. G.R. No. 97149, March 31, 1992, 207 SCRA 689, 697 [Per J. Romero, En Banc]. Rep. Act No. 7916 (1995), sec. 13(h). Rep. Act No. 7916 (1995), sec. 12(d) and 19. Rep. Act No. 7916 (1995), sec. 4(a) Rep. Act No. 7916 (1995). CONST., art. XII, sec. 16. Republic v. City of Parañaque, G.R. No. 191109, July 18, 2012, 677 SCRA 246, 259 [Per J. Mendoza, Third Division], citing Manila International Airport Authority v. Court of Appeals, 528 Phil. 181, 234–237 (2006) [Per J. Carpio, En Banc]. 528 Phil. 181, 237 (2006) [Per J. Carpio, En Banc], citing J. G. BERNAS, THE 1987 CONSTITUTION OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES: A COMMENTARY 1181 Manila International Airport Authority v. Court of Appeals, 528 Phil. 181, 210 (2006) [Per J. Carpio, En Banc]. CORP. CODE, sec. 3 provides: Classes of corporations. – Corporations formed or organized under this Code may be stock or non-stock corporations. Corporations which have capital stock divided into shares and are authorized to distribute to the holders of such shares dividends or allotments of the surplus profits on the basis of the shares held are stock corporations. All other corporations are non-stock corporations. CORP. CODE, sec. 87 provides: Definition. – For the purposes of this Code, a non-stock corporation is one where no part of its income is distributable as dividends to its members, trustees, or officers, subject to the provisions of this Code on dissolution: Provided, That any profit which a non-stock corporation may obtain as an incident to its operations shall, whenever necessary or proper, be used for the furtherance of the purpose or purposes for which the corporation was organized, subject to the provisions of this Title. Republic v. City of Parañaque, G.R. No. 191109, July 18, 2012, 677 SCRA 246, 258 [Per J. Mendoza, Third Division], citing Manila International Airport Authority v. Court of Appeals, 528 Phil. 181, 211– 212 (2006) [Per J. Carpio, En Banc]. PRES. DECREE NO. 66, sec. 5 in relation to EXEC. ORDER NO. 282 dated October 30, 1995, sec. 1. The Local Government Code became effective on January 1, 1992. Miguel v. Court of Appeals, G.R. No. 111749, February 23, 1994, 230 SCRA 339,340 [Per J. Quiason, First COMMONWEALTH ACT NO. 470 (1939), sec. 3 provides: Property exempt from tax. — The exemptions shall be as follows: (a) Property owned by the United States of America, the Commonwealth of the Philippines, any province, city, municipality or municipal district. (b) Cemeteries or burial grounds. (c) Churches and parsonages or convents appurtenant thereto, and all lands, buildings, and improvements used exclusively for religious, charitable, scientific, or educational purposes. (d) When the entire assessed valuation of real property in any one municipality or municipal district belonging to a single owner is not in excess of one hundred pesos, or when the assessed valuation of a house, used as residence of the owner thereof, together with the lot on which the same is built, does not exceed three hundred pesos and such owner has no other property, the tax thereon shall not be collected, nor shall the tax be collected on a dwelling house built on the field, nor or an adjacent orchard, if any, as improvement, if the assessed value of each assessed separately, is not in excess of one hundred pesos, though in any event of the property shall be valued for the purposes of assessment and record shall be kept thereof as in other (e) Land held by a homesteader under an application filed in accordance with law prior to the approval by the Director of lands of the final evidence as required by law; but this exemption does not extend to buildings and improvements thereon the title to which is not in the Government. (f) Machinery, which term shall embrace machines, mechanical contrivances, instruments, appliances, and apparatus attached to the real estate, used for industrial agricultural or manufacturing purposes, during the first five years of the operation of the machinery. (g) Fruit trees and bamboo plants, except where the land upon which they grow is planted principally in such growth. (h) Until December thirty-first, nineteen hundred thirty-nine, land not exceeding one hundred hectares used for airports or landing fields open to all aircraft operations, either free of charge or upon the payment of a nominal charge, together with such improvements thereon as are used exclusively for aeronautical purposes, when such airports are necessary facilities for air commerce. The airports or landing files herein exempted from taxation shall revert to their original taxation status upon the certification of the Secretary of Public Works and Communications that they are no longer necessary or suitable facilities for air commerce. The provisions hereof notwithstanding, depreciation allowance shall be made for machinery mentioned in section three (f) equivalent to an amount not exceeding ten per centum of its value for its year of use. Cruz v. Commission on Audit, 420 Phil. 102, 109 (2001) [Per J. Pardo, En Banc]. CIVIL CODE, art. 1113. EXEC. ORDER NO. 292 (1987), Book III, title I, chapter 4, sec. 14 provides: SEC.14. Power to Reserve Lands of the Public and Private Domain of the Government. (1) The President shall have the power to reserve for settlement or public use, and for specific public purposes, any of the lands of the public domain, the use of which is not otherwise directed by law. The reserved land shall thereafter remain subjectto the specific public purpose indicated until otherwise provided by law or proclamation. Manila International Airport Authority v. Court of Appeals, 528 Phil. 181, 220–221 (2006) [Per J. Carpio, En Banc]. PUBLIC LAND ACT, secs. 83 and 88 provide: SECTION 83. Upon the recommendation of the Secretary of Agriculture and Natural Resources, the President may designate by proclamation any tract or tracts of land of the public domain as reservations for the use of the Republic of the Philippines or of any of its branches, or of the inhabitants thereof, in accordance with regulations prescribed for this purpose, or for quasi-public uses or purposes when the public interest requires it, including reservations for highways, rights of way for railroads, hydraulic power sites, irrigation systems, communal pastures or leguas comunales, public parks, public quarries, public fishponds, workingman’s village and other improvements for the public benefit. SECTION 88. The tract or tracts of land reserved under the provisions of section eighty-three shall be non-alienable and shall not be subject to occupation, entry, sale, lease, or other disposition until again declared alienable under the provisions of this Act or by proclamation of the President. Manila International Airport Authority v. Court of Appeals, 528 Phil. 181, 221 (2006) Rep. Act No. 5490 (1969), sec. 2 provides: SEC. 2. Mariveles Port: establishment of foreign trade zone therein: admission of foreign and domestic merchandise.-To attain the above policy, Mariveles, Province of Bataan, is hereby made a principal port of entry by further amending section seven hundred one of Republic Act Numbered Nineteen hundred thirty-seven, otherwise known as Tariff and Customs Code of the Philippines, as amended. . . . There is hereby established in the Mariveles Port a foreign trade zone herein referred to as the Zone. Foreign and domestic merchandise of every description, except such as is prohibited by law, may, without being subject to the customs and internal revenue laws and regulations of the Philippines, except as otherwise provided in this Act, be brought into the Zone and may be stored, sold, exhibited, broken up, repacked, assembled, distributed, sorted, graded, cleaned, mixed with foreign or domestic merchandise, or otherwise manipulated, or be manufactured except as otherwise provided in this Act, and be exported, destroyed or sent into customs territory of the Philippines therefrom, in the original package or otherwise[.] Rep. Act No. 5490, sec. 2. Rep. Act No. 7916 (1995), sec. 5 (ll). SEC. 3. Conversion of the Bataan Economic Zone (BEZ) into the Freeport Area of Bataan. — The existing Bataan Economic Zone located in the Municipality of Mariveles, Province of Bataan is hereby converted into a special economic zone and Freeport to be known as the Freeport Area of Bataan (FAB). The FAB shall cover the Municipality of Mariveles, Province of Bataan. Rep. Act No. 9728 (2009), sec. 4(e). RULES AND REGULATIONS TO IMPLEMENT REPUBLIC ACT NO. 7916, Rule V, sec. 1 SECTION 1. Qualifications. – Lands and buildings within an ECOZONE can be leased only to ECOZONE enterprises/entities authorized by or registered with the PEZA and owned or controlled by Philippine nationals or by aliens under such terms and conditions as the Board may formulate. Rep. Act No. 7916 (1995), sec. 44 provides: SEC. 44. Relationship with Local Government Units. - Except as herein provided, the local government units comprising the ECOZONE shall retain their basic autonomy and identity. The cities -shall be governed by their respective charters and the municipalities shall operate and function in accordance with Republic Act No. 7160, otherwise known as the Local Government Code of 1991. 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__label__cc	0.5648	0.4352	Admissions Roadmap and What Parents Need to Know Planning for a degree Monthly Milestones RESP & OSAP On-Campus Employment YU START Parents & Family Orientation Student Counselling & Development Centre for Human Rights, Equity and Inclusion Office of Student Community Relations As partners in student success, the Student Success Centre (SCC) exists to help your student connect to the York community. We advance the Division of Students strategy through our commitment to student development, learning and success. We support and empower students as they transition to and through their university experience. We build leadership, a sense of community, and York Pride. Student Counselling & Development (SCD) provides a comprehensive package of psychological and academic support services to members of the York Community. Their clients are students registered at the University, but consultations with faculty and staff also occur as necessary. Included among the services provided are personal counselling (individual, group, and couples counselling as appropriate), crisis response and support. The Accessibility, Well-being and Counselling (AWC) Centre at Glendon also offers support services for Glendon students. Student Accessibility Services provides specialized support to students with learning, mental health, physical, sensory or medical disabilities, and various consultative and outreach activities to the York University community. The Centre for Human Rights, Equity and Inclusion (REI) promotes and builds a respectful, equitable, diverse and inclusive university community. It strives to be a leader in providing accessible, impartial, non-adversarial, and confidential programs and services that uphold human rights, facilitate equitable access to opportunities, and champion diversity and inclusion. Centre for Human Rights, Equity and Inclusion (REI) The Office of Student Community Relations (OSCR) supports students impacted by critical incidents, facing personal crises or multiple complex issues. The Office of Student Community Relations supports students, parent/guardians and the community in its role as the University liaison in the management of critical incident cases. Other supports include contacting students and/or their family and assisting them by arranging appropriate referrals and support, both internal and external to York. OSCR works directly with the Office of the President, Faculties, Security Services, the Registrar and any other University unit that may be in involved. OSCR provides support for incidents such as, but not limited to, critical illness or injury of a student, student death, attempted suicide and sexual assault. OSCR advocates for students to secure academic accommodations, financial assistance, stop-outs/leaves and emergency housing. OSCR is also committed to fostering student success by upholding the behavioural expectations outlined in the Code of Student Rights & Responsibilities (CSRR). OSCR works with students to resolve complaints regarding inappropriate student behaviour either informally or through formal disciplinary processes. The Writing Centre helps students to become confident and grow into successful writers. The centre is not only a tool for those struggling, but for all students who want to improve their writing skills. The Writing Centre offers a variety of services including 50-minute one-on-one instruction, in which students are paired with a professional writing instructor and can seek assistance by making an appointment. The Writing Centre also provides 15-minute drop in sessions designed to answer any quick questions. There are also group workshops offered monthly throughout the year. All services at the Writing Centre are available to students at any stage of their writing process. The Student Financial Services (SFS) offers online and in-person support. SFS aids students with regards to OSAP, Scholarships and other awards, campus employment, and financial advising too. Health and Dental Plan The York Federation of Students offers one of the most comprehensive student health and dental plans in all of Canada. Most full-time undergraduate students are automatically enrolled in the plan, however students should always check their Student Account Statement to confirm enrollment before seeking undergoing treatments or purchasing services and medications. If you have comparable insurance, you can coordinate your benefits or opt-out for a refund. York Federation of Students Health and Dental Plan Note: For a complete list of all academic resources that are available to your student both online and in person please see this website: http://acadresources.yorku.ca/. Get a Parent Discount for your next hotel stay! Parents of York students get an exclusive deal of $109 plus tax during their stay at the Executive Learning Centre at the Schulich School of Business. Click here for more details! 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