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ABOUT EPSILON
SECOND DISTRICT
WOMEN OF THE MONTH
YOUTH LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE
DARRELL J. HAMPTON YOUTH SCHOLARSHIP FUND
EPSILON CHAPTER & PARTNERSHIP FOR BOYS
The Second District Conference, was founded in Brooklyn, N.Y. in 1947 shortly after being transferred from the First District which included Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut.
When formed the District was composed of five states: New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware and the Eastern Shore of Maryland. When the newly formed District was transferred there were eleven chapters and in 1973 there were forty-four chapters (twelve undergraduate, three Intermediate, and twenty-nine Graduate Chapters).
During the period of 25 years since its transfer changing times and with the growth of Chapters, our distinguished Omega Men in the District assumed competence and proper in all the basic fields of endeavor. Many of the brothers grew in strength and wisdom and it produced growth in the various communities and the Second District became a stronger organization.
THE FIRST OFFICERS OF THE DISTRICT WERE: Brother Nathaniel Burrell, a Forty year Honoree was elected the first President of the District Conference. However, at the next District meeting in Syracuse, N.Y., this office was abolished because the District Parliamentarian ruled that this office did not exist constitutionally.
The late Brother Mifflin T. Gibbs of Mu Omega Chapter in Philadelphia, PA was elected the first District Representative. His duties and responsibilities were clearly defined in Omega's Constitution. The duties of the other District Officers were defined in the Second District By- Laws.
Brother Marion English, of Brooklyn, N.Y. a YMCA Secretary was the first elected DKR & S and he was succeeded by Brother National Burrell and he held this office for ten years. Brother Burrell was succeeded by James L. Murray and both were cited for their meritorious service to the District.
Brother Richard E. Carey, Esq., of Xi Phi Chapter and the former Grand Counsellor was the first District Counsellor. Brother Carey also wrote with the assistance of other brothers the first District By-Laws and Constitution.
Brother H. Albion Ferrell (Grand Chaplain) was elected as the first District Chaplain. His successor was William C. Jason, Jr. (deceased) of Mu Omega Chapter of Philadelphia, PA. Brother Jason later became Chairman of the Recommendations Committee and he served with distinction.
The late Brother Irving H. Selden of Epsilon Chapter of N.Y.C. was the founder and first Editor of the Omegan and it was the official Voice of the District. Following Brother Selden was Brother Felmon Motley who gave the Omegan an added distinction. Brother Wiliam Brazier succeeded Motley and Brazier gave the Omegan an added pictorial and editorial scope. Our District Directors have continued publication of the Omegan and its excellence and they have maintained its high quality and high standards of good journalism in publicizing the Second District and the Editors have contributed materials to our National publication, the Oracle.
All of the District Representatives have been Brothers with dedication, men of vision, character, and action. In succession, they escalated the programs of the District to a higher plateau of Omega Brotherhood each year. Time no space will permit us to list all of their names for the past 25 years; but we wish to report some of the most important activities and important events during their time and under their dynamic leadership. One of the most important events of the Annual District Conferences was the TALENT HUNT PROGRAMS WHICH HAS BEEN COMPETITIVE ON THE LOCAL AND DISTRICT LEVELS. The District has been able to send outstanding participants (winners in the District) to the various Grand Conclaves. The idea of a Talent Hunt Program was created due to the fact that many Black youth were unable to display their talents as other ethnic American youth in our communities.
Thus, we must salute Brother Alphonso J. Patterson, District Chairman. Brother Patterson also conducted the Martin Luther King Male Glee Club of the Theodore Roosevelt High School in the Bronx, N.Y. Because of the talent and leadership of Brother Patterson the Glee Club made a European Tour.
Another example of Omega Men's strength and an effort to move Omega on the front line of community involvement, Brother Samuel C. Coleman of Upsilon Tau Chapter in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., and Co-Chairman of the National Social Action Committee, devoted three years research and campaign to create a $10 million housing project in Brooklyn, N.Y. The housing project was named in the Honor of the late Langston Hughes, the Negro Poet, novelist, essayist, and playwright. Brother Hughes was an active member of Xi Phi Chapter in New York City. During the sixties, Mayor John V. Lindsay of N.Y.C., and with other officials and Brothers officiated at the dedication of the Langston Hughes Branch, Public Library in Jamaica, Long Island, N.Y.
Through his leadership Brother James S. Avery (at the urging of Brother William Jason) created the first Shirtsleeve Conference in September of 1963. The first Shirtsleeve Conference was held at the Palmer Inn, on Route #1 (near the current Hyatt Hotel) and the Brothers of Delta Upsilon of Trenton, N.J. were the host for several years. Because of its importance to new programs for the District other chapters became the host for the conference. During this early growth of the District, Brother Lovell "Skip" Sutherland organized and successfully held the program "Books and Education for Africa". Another District program that was fostered was the social action program named EDDAN. However, this program did not reach its full potential.
The late Brother Irving H. Selden of Epsilon Chapter of N.Y.C. was the founder and first Editor of the Omegan and it was the official Voice of the District. Following Brother Selden was Brother Felmon Motley who gave the Omegan an added distinction. Brother Wiliam Brazier succeeded Motley and Brazier gave the Omegan
Brothers and District Representatives Norman and Milton Johnson have encouraged this reassessment (Shirtsleeve Conference, workshops, finance seminars, Undergraduate Workshops, and forums) in Omega programming designed to give the maximum rise of the human resource skills we have in Omega on the District level.
When Brother George E. Meares, Past Grand Basileus, was the D.R., the District showed its first sign of its financial growth. Meares was the first D.R. to introduce the system of District dues which were to be paid by the Brothers of each Chapter to help defray the expenses of the District Conference programs and the District Officers. He also visited all of the Chapters and he was accompanied by the late Herschel (Rip) Day. Both brothers supervised all the chapter Initiations and committed the Ritual to memory. Meares and Day also sponsored a very impressive "Model Initiation Ceremony" at the District Conference at the University of Pennsylvania, in Philadelphia. Meares was responsible for reactivating the Chapter of the University of Pennsylvania in late 1950.
The financial growth of the District was progressive during the administrations of D.R.'s Robert Johnson, Ermon Jones, E.W. Waters, James Avery (current Grand Basileus), James E. Grant, Norman and Milton Johnson. During his tenures D.R., Milton made the statement "The Second District Silver Anniversary Conference recognized that we are living in a SPACE AGE and a very confused society. America is at a crossroad."
If this is true, we hope that this Conference (1965) will help to find some of the answers and the methods by which to help solve these pressing problems, NOW.
Credit for this portion of Our History
Nathaniel Burrell and James Murray
Edward Taylor - Brooklyn, Past and Current DKRS and Historian
Charles Watkins - Pittsburgh
James C. Hardcastle - Delaware
Felmon Motley - Delaware
Yes, we did enter the "Space Age", and two of the African-American Astronautics were Omega Men and their ventures added pride to our growth. The space program was another step for mankind and recognition of racial abilities. The list of Brothers who can be acclaimed as achievers is endless. The list includes: Charles Drew, Benjamin Mays, Benjamin Hooks, William C. Jason, Richard Carey, Jeff Greenup, Theodore Randolph, Myron McGuire, Loftus Carson, Wiliam Hastie, Robert Gill, Lenwood Doger, James Pickney, Harry Denny, Richard Green, Othello Ashe, James S. Avery, Harry Denny, James Usry, Jesse Jackson, just to mention a few of the Brothers.
Since 1963, Chapters of the District have hosted the Annual Shirtsleeve Conferences that are held during the month of September. This important Conference allows the Brotherhood to brainstorm with each other and to create programs for the growth of the Second District. This conference as was stated earlier was the brainchild of James S. Avery (who became Grand Basileus) and at the urging of William C. Jason of Mu Omega. The early conference preparations were made by Seymour Hundley, J. Minor Sullivan, Charles Buford and James Murray, of Delta Upsilon Chapter. The ideas of a brainstorming working conference has served as the model for the Supreme Council and Grand Basileus in currently hosting the "National Leadership Conferences".
District Representatives have helped to create a healthy thrust for annual conferences by forming themes for each District Conference. This has stimulated discussion, growth, and motivation. The themes have some of our National Achievement Week Observances and from the brotherhood. Some of the themes were: Omega's Challenge in the 80's; Accent on Service Accountability: A Continuous Process; New Directions for Black America and our 1989 Theme of "The Black Family: Indispensable Resource".
Our District Representatives beginning in 1964 through 1990 have had the foresight to practice their personal expertise in business, public relations, and financial careers to enhance the District. Their experience helped the District to grow to a higher level with the advent of computers, networking, ability to motivate, and to travel across the USA gathering new ideas. As a result seminars and experts were attracted to assist Omega in the Second District. The D.R.'s also maintained a humble attitude in that the spirit that we must expand and still help the less unfortunate members in our communities. Plans were created to improve their status by sponsoring clinics, Health Fairs, Homes for the Aged, and by providing tutorial services.
Many of the District Talent Hunt winners and participants have appeared on T.V. Many winners have entered the entertainment and classical fields. Talent has no limitation for the Chapters have raised money for the United Negro College Fund. Theta Omicrom of Rochester has raised more than $40,000 and Mu Omega Has raised $25,000 for the UNCF. Other programs such as the NAACP annually receive financial support from Omega. Individual brothers have also contributed their and corporate monies to private and African-American institutions, such as: William Cosby, has given $20,000 to a college and $150,000 to support the 1991 Renn Relays Carnival that are held in Philadelphia, PA; Joseph Black, Vice President for the Greyhound Corporation has given Morgan State University a bus and $10,000. We must do much to remember our ARoots@ and to support education, our communities, and our youngsters. We, as Omega Men must always remember that we must lift others as we climb.
As we sit here at this Annual Conference site and look forward to the Grand Conclave in Detroit, we have a better understanding of the question asked in November, 1911: "Why We Are Here?" This question was written in the minutes of the First Conclave...WE ARE HERE TO FULFILL THE DESTINY THAT GOD AND OUR FOUNDERS SET FORTH NOVEMBER 17th, 1911 and by the FOUNDERS OF THE SECOND DISTRICT AS THEIR DREAMS FOR STRONG OMEGA UNFOLD.
In 2007, Omega and the Mighty Second District lost one of its most prolific figures. Brother Eddie Taylor served Omega since 1928. As a young member of one of the fraternity's oldest undergraduate chapters, Bro. Taylor went on to serve Omega in many capacities. Awarded for his persistence and ever resounding efforts, Bro. Taylor will be missed in the District. In September of 2007, the District Information Technology committee displayed a special page on the website commemorating Brother Taylor's service to Omega. We are stronger because of Bro. Taylor and his spirit will forever live in the Mighty Second District. This paragraph is added to the District History captured by Artifacts Committee.
We, the History and Artifacts Committee of the Second District take this opportunity to THANK YOU for reading this report and we invite you and your guests to visit and observe our History Display Room. This will give you an opportunity to observe some of the events that have contributed to the growth of the Second District, Omega Psi Phi Fraternity.
We thank the Trenton Chapter, Delta Upsilon Chapter for making the arrangements for the Display Room and services to this Committee. Most of all we thank our District Representative, Richard Johnson, for creating this committee and to the 1st Vice District Representative, George McKinney for this guidance and to David Wharton for making this document available to the conference.
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Doing 'Conservation': Effects of Different Interpretations at an Ecuadorian Volunteer Tourism Project
Kerry E Grimm
Current Affiliation: Department of Forest Ecosystems and Society, Department of Forest Engineering, Resources and Management, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR; Past Affiliation: Environmental Sciences Program, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, USA
Current Affiliation: Department of Forest Ecosystems and Society, Department of Forest Engineering, Resources and Management, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR; Past Affiliation: Environmental Sciences Program, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR
Date of Web Publication 6-Nov-2013
As more people volunteer in the name of 'conservation,' a careful analysis of 'conservation' and the actors' underlying ideologies becomes pressing. Volunteers work on the seemingly similar goal of 'conservation,' but differences in interpretations can have on-the-ground impacts. In this paper, I use interviews and participant interactions to: (1) analyse how volunteers, reserve managers, and volunteer coordinators at an Ecuadorian reserve articulated 'conservation' in their discourse; and (2) examine how different conservation ideologies affected interactions among actors and with the environment. Using political ecology and a modified version of ideological and cluster criticism to analyse discourse, I found actors interpreted 'conservation' differently. I identified three ideologies presented by volunteers: Type I (preservation-oriented), Type-II (mixed), and Type-III (sustainable use-oriented); managers and coordinators held similar views as each other. Different 'conservation' ideologies among actors affected the project (e.g., acceptability of sustainable logging), interactions, perceptions of locals, and general attitudes towards conservation work.
Keywords: conservation, volunteer tourism, political ecology, environmental discourse, ideology, Ecuador
Grimm KE. Doing 'Conservation': Effects of Different Interpretations at an Ecuadorian Volunteer Tourism Project. Conservat Soc 2013;11:264-76
Grimm KE. Doing 'Conservation': Effects of Different Interpretations at an Ecuadorian Volunteer Tourism Project. Conservat Soc [serial online] 2013 [cited 2019 Jul 19];11:264-76. Available from: http://www.conservationandsociety.org/text.asp?2013/11/3/264/121029
Conservation work is protecting future generations, and if you have to take the resource from the land to protect them, ultimately, it's okay, because it's still done in a sustainable fashion. (Volunteer Female 10)
I thought we were here to do conservation and aren't we just planting these trees so they can chop [them] down and sell them. (Volunteer Female 14)
We don't realize [ conservation is ] done by people and people need to live-I don't see any bad in… making conservation… something [like] a business. (Reserve Manager Male)
The above quotes by international volunteer tourists and an Ecuadorian conservation project manager all reference 'conservation,' but close examination reveals unexpected differences and similarities. Although both these volunteers are Canadian, the first volunteer offered a view that included sustainability, profit, and people, which was more closely aligned with the Ecuadorian manager than with her fellow volunteer who criticised profit generation. Despite differences in interpretations, 'conservation' is central to the volunteer tourism experience and is invoked at many levels. Promotional material advertises the concept to attract volunteers; projects are titled "conservation projects;" volunteers admit being attracted by buzzwords such as 'conservation;' and volunteers and managers on site regularly talk about and "do conservation" (Coghlan 2007; Cousins et al. 2009; Grimm and Needham 2012a, b).
Many participants involved in these projects likely do not interrogate 'conservation' or understand nuanced differences such as conservation vs. preservation (e.g., Adger et al. 2001; Durand and Vasquez 2011). This has also not been the focus of most conservation volunteer tourism research. What are the sociocultural impacts when people work for the common goal of 'conservation' but interpret the term differently? Given that discourse is "a constructed system of arguments, ideologies and interpretations that shapes social practices, affecting the way we see things and talk about them" (Hay 2000: 187), differences and similarities in how actors discursively articulate 'conservation' can have material, on-the-ground impacts on conservation volunteer tourism projects. As volunteering in the name of 'conservation' increases and gains more proponents, a careful analysis of 'conservation' and the actors' underlying ideologies-i.e. pattern or set of ideas, assumptions, beliefs, values, or interpretations of the world by which a culture or group operates (Foss 1996)-is important for understanding how differences in ideologies affect relationships with other actors and the environment.
Conservation volunteer tourism
Before exploring the impacts of 'conservation' on volunteer tourism, it is useful to know about this growing phenomena and related research. In recent years, given the lack of funding and need for labour, many conservation and scientific research projects have turned to travelling volunteers to help them accomplish goals and generate revenue (Brightsmith et al. 2008). These tourists "volunteer in an organized way to undertake holidays that might involve aiding or alleviating the material poverty of some groups in society, the restoration of certain environments, or research into aspects of society or environment" (Wearing 2001: 1). Conservation volunteer tourism projects involve multiple actors (e.g., international volunteer tourists, community members, etc.) in close human-environment contexts for extended periods of time. It can be considered an extreme example of ecotourism, because these tourists not only want to see nature and monetarily support conservation, but also to personally work for conservation (Cousins et al. 2009).
Proponents of conservation volunteer tourism have suggested that it is the best practice of tourism and an 'ideal' form of ecotourism (e.g., Wearing 2004). Wearing (2001, 2004) claimed that unlike traditional forms of tourism where differential power exists, volunteer tourism takes into account cross-cultural issues, can lead to community participation, and promote sustainability. Other benefits can include helping projects, contributing new insights, and spreading knowledge (e.g., Foster-Smith and Evans 2003). Wearing et al. (2005) contended that volunteer tourism, especially projects organised by NGOs, does not prioritise profit and instead decentralises power by focusing on development approaches that include host communities.
However, volunteer tourism has not gone without criticism. Simpson (2004) suggested that negative impacts on communities and projects could occur due to imperialistic attitudes of Westerners with pre-set notions about helping "developing" countries. Volunteers might also impose views of an expert (Wearing 2004). Callanan and Thomas (2005) claimed that many volunteers and projects are "shallow," providing little contribution to locals. Gray and Campbell (2007) questioned Wearing et al.'s (2005) contention that volunteer tourism is a decommodified activity. By interviewing multiple actors, including volunteers, organisation members, project staff, local cabiñeros, Gray and Campbell (2007) discovered that participants held different conservation ideologies. Cabiñeros believed that conservation and community benefits such as profit were linked, whereas volunteers worried that locals would be motivated to protect turtles for economic rather than environmental reasons.
Political ecology: Tool for evaluating sociocultural impacts of volunteer tourism projects
Despite extensive research examining conservation volunteer tourism in the past decade (e.g., Wearing 2001; Guttentag 2009), Benson and Wearing (2011: 251) claimed that "systematic academic research [on volunteer tourism] is still in its infancy" and that tools are needed to evaluate sociocultural impacts in assessing outcomes of volunteer tourism projects. One possible tool could be a political ecology framework, which has been applied to numerous studies examining conservation projects, and more recently ecotourism. Campbell et al. (2007: 201) contended that political ecology could reveal that ecotourism is a "phenomena both reflecting and reinforcing human-environment relations and tied to larger economic, political, and social processes." Political ecology is useful for studying conservation volunteer tourism because, similar to Wearing's (2004) comment about volunteers, many political ecologists (e.g., Bryant and Bailey 1997) warn that spreading knowledge can impose certain knowledges onto others due to hegemonic power. Political ecologists have also highlighted problems that can be encountered with community participation; projects may impose an imported Western project and not include local participants in the entire process, even if generated by an NGO (e.g., Sundberg 1998; West 2006). In this article, I examine issues that can arise due to actors from different cultures interacting in conservation volunteer tourism, as well as demonstrate how political ecology helps uncover these impacts.
A discursive political ecology analysis, which almost no one has explicitly applied to conservation volunteer tourism (e.g., Gray 2003), can also evaluate sociocultural impacts by expanding understandings of how 'conservation' functions in volunteer tourism. Drawing from Foucault, discursive political ecology recognises that there is not one truth, but rather a plurality of views (Peet and Watts 1996). By recognising plurality, discursive political ecology opens the door for questioning ontological givens, truisms, and dominant ideologies disseminated in discourse that pertain to concepts such as community, conservation, nature, and sustainability (e.g., Escobar 1996; Nygren 1998; Agrawal and Gibson 1999; Campbell 2002). Given that environmental concerns are not only material struggles, but also discursive struggles over ideas and meanings, discursive political ecologists analyse varying views that actors hold and how interpretations influence actor relationships with the environment and other actors (Bryant 1998). Loaded, taken-for-granted terms, such as 'conservation' can represent and privilege dominant ideologies, while neglecting other views; this can have ramifications for relationships and interactions among people involved in conservation development projects (e.g., Peet and Watts 1996; Campbell 2002). Discursive political ecology's focus on plurality should also lead to avoiding binaries (e.g., popularist/managerial, dominant/repressed) and acknowledging the importance of local context. As Adger et al. (2001: 709) stated, there are "striking discrepancies between discursive simplifications and the diversity of situations within the local context".
Brief history of 'conservation'
Similar to Moore's (1999: 655) explanation of development discourses, conservation discourse is not a "single, totalizing" discourse; such "unitary formation conceals spatial, historical and cultural differences." Therefore, it is beneficial to provide an overview of 'conservation's' recent history before analysing the use of 'conservation.' Political ecologists have highlighted differences between the protectionist paradigm and community-based conservation (e.g., Wilshusen et al. 2002; Büscher and Dressler 2007). The protectionist paradigm, or pro-park mentality, claims that wildlife, especially in developing countries, is threatened by human exploitation and population growth (Campbell 2002). Advocates of this view (e.g., Redford et al. 2006) feel justified in their call for policies that establish parks with strict authoritarian governance to keep people out and protect biodiversity (Wilshusen et al. 2002; Neumann 2005). Rather than appreciate linkages between human communities and local ecologies, this view silences and criminalises people with resource-dependent livelihoods (Neumann 2004; Hurley and Halfacre 2011). In addition, unlike the utilitarian, wise-use view of conservation (Pinchot 1910), the protectionist ideology does not link profit with conservation-except in the form of non-extractive practices such as tourism (Campbell 2002; Campbell et al. 2007).
More recently, a counter-narrative of conservation, in which community-based conservation and sustainable use are central, has proliferated (Campbell 2002). This view contends that conservation should include-not exclude-the voices of local community members and involve participatory and decentralised management and policy creation (Campbell 2002; Brechin 2003). Also central to this view is sustainable use, which the Convention on Biological Diversity (2011) defines as "the use of components of biological diversity, thereby maintaining its potential to meet the needs and aspirations of present and future generations." Use can be consumptive (e.g., hunting) or non-consumptive (e.g., wildlife viewing), thereby shifting the meaning to include utilitarian tones of conservation.
Despite this apparent shift in how conservation projects should be designed and implemented, Campbell (2002) and others have critiqued that sustainability narratives do not always differ from the protectionist paradigm. Scientists, conservation organisations, and others might prefer non-consumptive use and create management plans and policies that embody dominant Western ideologies, counter local views of conservation, and offer limited roles for local people (Campbell 2002; West 2006; Horowitz 2008). Durand and Vasquez (2011) analysed the discourse of government officials and scientists concerning a Mexican biosphere, and despite the fact that its major goal was to link local development and conservation, both groups focused on biophysical aspects of conservation and desired to keep human use limited. Similarly, Campbell et al. (2007) noted that although ecotourists are conservation-seeking, their vision of nature can be contradictory to views of local communities, and can impact these areas.
Even with extensive interest in the actors' different views of conservation, little research on conservation volunteer tourism has examined how this central notion is understood and affects on-the-ground practices. To discuss the gaps in conservation volunteer tourism research, I use a case study to: (1) systematically explore how 'conservation' is articulated by multiple actors, and the resulting on-the-ground ramifications of this discourse; and (2) demonstrate how a political ecology framework can contribute to understanding sociocultural impacts of conservation volunteer tourism projects. To do so, I first examine how volunteers, reserve managers, and volunteer coordinators talk about 'conservation,' determining differences and similarities in their ideologies. In the second part of the paper, I explore how differences revealed in the first section influence the project, actor interactions, and general attitudes toward conservation work.
Study Area and Methods
Case study: biological reserve in the western Andes, Ecuador
I conducted research at a family-owned biological reserve on Ecuador's western Andean slopes 1 . Although the reserve is small at 814 hectares, the elevation of 1100m to 2040m and location in the Inter-Andean cloud forest results in high biodiversity. It is located in the Rio Toachi-Chiriboga Important Bird Area (IBA) and in two of the world's top twenty-five biological hotspots: Tropical Andes and Choco Darien (Myers et al. 2000). Two family members live onsite, manage the project, and work closely with the local community, which consists of ~ 50 families. In 2008, the reserve's website listed that its goals were to protect existing forest, restore degraded areas, work toward sustainable development, foster community development, and educate about conservation. To help achieve these goals, the reserve turned to volunteers, who chose from three programs with various activities: (a) "Conservation in the Cloud Forest" (e.g., reforestation, trail work); (b) "In the Way to Sustainability [sic]" (e.g., sustainable wood production, organic agriculture); and (c) "Social Development" (e.g., teaching). I selected this site because: (a) Ecuador offers numerous conservation volunteer opportunities (Callanan and Thomas 2005; Cousins 2007); (b) many volunteers selected the reserve, allowing for diverse opinions, thus reducing the chance of a small sample, which can be common with onsite investigations of this nature (e.g., Lepp 2008); and (c) I had volunteered at the reserve in 2005, affording credibility to gain participant trust. 2
To collect data, I conducted on-site fieldwork for nine weeks between June and August 2008. I used participant observation, formal interviews, and informal conversations to gather and triangulate information (Bernard 2006; Hammersley and Atkinson 2007). I recorded semi-structured interviews with 36 volunteer tourists, 2 Ecuadorian reserve managers, and 3 Ecuadorian volunteer coordinators (1 from the reserve, 2 from an NGO working with the reserve 3 ). I interviewed all volunteers who were present during the nine weeks, except six who arrived at the end of my stay and one who declined to participate. Interviews were conducted in English, as all interviewees were either fluent in English or native English speakers. By conducting interviews during the summer months, which according to research by the NGO are popular months for volunteering, I interviewed volunteers from several subgroups (e.g., students on summer break, career break adults, etc.). Consistent with past research (e.g., Campbell and Smith 2006), I interviewed volunteers after they had been at the reserve for at least two weeks to ensure they felt settled. 4 Interviews ranged from 1-4 hours, with most lasting 1.5-2.5 hours. To ensure anonymity and confidentiality, I assigned a code to each participant (e.g., VF12=volunteer female 12, RMM=reserve manager male, RMF=reserve manager female, VC1=volunteer coordinator 1).
When formulating initial interview questions, I relied on existing literature and my exploratory study, which suggested that 'conservation' was used to advertise and guide the volunteer project, and that actors interpreted the term differently. In the current study, I did not ask participants how they defined 'conservation,' but instead analysed how they used the word throughout the interview. At the end of the interview, they participated in a free-listing exercise (Paolisso and Maloney 2000) in which they had a minute to list words and phrases that came to mind when they heard the term 'conservation.' This provided additional discourse to analyse. Although the interview may have influenced words and phrases listed, by triangulating this data with the views presented in interviews and participant observation, I gained an understanding of interviewees' ideology of 'conservation'.
Engaging in participant observation allowed me to observe and appreciate the volunteer experience, the reserve, interactions between actors, and how conservation was practised. I lived, ate, and spent free time with volunteers, as well as completed daily tasks and chatted informally with volunteers and managers. I attended, recorded, and transcribed volunteer orientation talks and weekly educational lectures. This information supplemented and supported semi-structured interviews, revealed changing opinions, and provided additional discourse to analyse.
Discourse analysis: ideological and cluster criticism
To understand how 'conservation' was interpreted by participants, I adapted ideological criticism (McGee 1980) and combined it with cluster criticism (Burke 1941) to analyse transcripts of interviews, lectures, and reserve orientation sessions, as well as participant observation notes 5 . In ideological criticism, a researcher selects and analyses an ideograph (e.g., conservation), which is an ordinary word or phrase that summarises and inspires "identification with key social commitments" (McGee 1980: 3). Although ideographs appear to unify all groups under the same ideology (Clarke 2002), an ideograph can have multiple meanings for different groups, imbue power dynamics through use by dominant groups, and impact interactions between people (McGee 1980; Moore 1993; Clarke 2002; Cloud 2004).
I located and highlighted each instance of 'conservation.' Modifying Foss's (1996) guidelines for ideological criticism, I identified the nature of ideology that was dominant in the discourse by analysing how the ideograph was used, determining arguments made, and exploring values and conceptions of what was acceptable and unacceptable. I then examined whose interests were represented and neglected, and identified how rhetorical strategies, such as characterisations, supported the actor's ideology. Characterisations are "labels attached to agents, acts, agencies, or purposes in the public vocabulary, and integrate cultural connotations and denotations while ascribing a typical and pervasive nature to the entity described" (Lucaites and Condit 1990: 7). Characterising other people and objects allows individuals to name, classify, and orient themself toward the other, and in turn justify their behaviour and attitudes towards others.
I also employed cluster criticism, which can aid in uncovering the worldview of actors, determining their meaning of the ideograph, and identifying the nature of ideology. I charted terms frequently clustered or used with great intensity near 'conservation' (e.g., protect, use, etc.) to discover patterns that illuminated participants' ideologies [Figure 1].1; Foss 1996). These terms could be the same words, synonyms, or similar concepts (e.g., money, economic). I considered words in proximity if they were within an interviewee's response to a question. I examined how these words were used and related to underlying ideologies, characterisations, and actions/beliefs toward the environment and other people. These terms (e.g., preservation, use) served as major themes, or "labels for assigning units of meaning to… information compiled during a study" (Miles and Huberman 1994: 56). The final themes denote general trends and do not represent all volunteers. In addition, to identifying how interpretations of 'conservation' affected both actions towards and beliefs of the volunteer project and other people, I also examined other words (i.e. not only clustered terms) surrounding 'conservation.' I then organised data by thematic categories to allow easy retrieval of relevant quotes (Berg 2004). Verbatim quotes illustrate representative examples of themes; I altered quotes only when removing unnecessary words to improve readability. Keeping in line with the methods used for this analysis, I present data in the following order: conservation ideology, characterisations, and resulting behaviour and attitudes.
Figure 1: Example of cluster analysis
Volunteer 'conservation' ideology
Volunteers, primarily aged under 25, were from "developed" countries (e.g., the United States, Canada, England; [Table 1]. Volunteers had attended, were attending, or planned to attend college, and 21 out of 36 had studied or were planning to study environmental science or a related science (e.g., biology). Most chose to volunteer at the reserve to "do conservation," which they believed was an extremely important, if not the reserve's main, goal.
Table 1: Volunteer typology demographics
Volunteers may have emphasised the preservation, pro-park mentality, or sustainable-use mentality, but most ranged across a spectrum, at times mixing ideologies in the same sentence. However, by examining words clustered near 'conservation,' I gained insight into volunteers' interpretations of 'conservation' and created a volunteer typology [Table 2] and [Table 3]: Type-I (preservation-oriented), Type-II (both preservation and sustainable-use oriented), and Type-III (sustainable use-oriented), referred to as T-I, T-II, and T-III for the remainder of the paper. T-I mentioned 'preservation' and 'protect.' In contrast, T-III did not often mention 'preservation' or related terms, instead focusing on 'sustainable,' 'use,' 'future generations,' and 'profit.' T-II illustrated elements of both T-I and T-III, tending to discuss all terms and concepts equally. For example, whereas eight T-I and T-II volunteers interchanged 'conservation' and 'preservation' or defined 'conservation' with 'preservation,' VF10, a T-III volunteer, exemplified the sustainable-use ideology when discussing wood harvesting:
Table 2: Clustered terms/concepts around 'conservation'
Table 3: Volunteer typology based on clustered words describing conservation
Conservation work is protecting future generations, and if you have to take the resource from the land to protect them, ultimately, it's okay, because it's still done in a sustainable fashion.
By examining terms clustered near 'conservation,' I identified whose interests volunteers included in their ideologies. All volunteers believed that conservation included non-human components (e.g., plants, animals, environment, land). However, this led 17 T-I and T-II volunteers to focus on protecting, saving, and restoring the environment; T-I volunteers never mentioned 'conservation' being linked to people or human needs. For instance, VF7 believed that the reforestation project "was going to be a little bit more like saving the rainforest. I thought we were going to be more like conserving the trees." In contrast, T-II and T-III volunteers believed that 'conservation' involved and affected 'people' and 'communities.' VF13 emphasised, "There always has to be a human aspect involved… you can't just say we're going to plant trees if it's not helpful to anyone. You have to do… conservation that is still practical to normal day life."
In a similar vein, volunteers had different views on whether conservation should involve 'profit.' All T-III and some T-II volunteers believed that conservation needed to connect 'social' issues with 'economic profit.' VF11 liked that the reserve was trying to become an "effective model of conservation and profit." In discussing what could be done for conservation efforts, VM1 mentioned growing coffee would be a good way to make money while supporting conservation efforts. In contrast, T-I and some T-II volunteers did not connect conservation with generating profits from resources. Most often, this was seen in their omission of mentioning 'money' and 'profit.' Others, however, emphasised that 'conservation' should not include 'profit.' For example, VF9 said, "[conservation is] important in the whole world, and you don't get money from it… conservation is not part of the money world." RMF recounted a conversation with VM2, in which the volunteer stated that if conservation involved 'profit' he would not volunteer but rather expect to be paid. When volunteers with these views mentioned 'money,' it often included purchasing and setting aside land as a conservation measure.
Characterisations by volunteers
Stating that nature needed to be 'protected' and 'saved' implied it is at risk from something. Few volunteers stated directly whom they blamed, but when discussing 'conservation', some volunteers, primarily T-I and T-II, characterised people as a danger and asserted that areas should be protected from human activities. For example, VF6 articulated:
Conserving the forest is really good in terms of not overusing the land and not destroying habitat… because Ecuador is so biodiverse, it would be really terrible to see it all get chopped down to produce bananas or something.
Other volunteers (T-II and T-III) characterised 'poor' people in "developing" countries as not able to prioritise conservation because they need to 'survive' and make a 'living.' These volunteers believed that local people could not be blamed for lacking a conservation mindset. VF2 stated, "You can see where forests have been cleared… people are living in poorer conditions… they are probably more interested in making a living and surviving than conserving." VM4 hoped that if Ecuadorians' standard of living rose, the desire to conserve their environment would also increase. Several volunteers mentioned that they had been taught these ideas in school, thereby highlighting how representations are transmitted and perpetuated through hegemonic discourse; for some volunteers, the image of Ecuadorians and their conservation efforts was created even before visiting Ecuador.
T-II and T-III volunteers appeared to be sympathetic to Ecuador's plight by characterising a "developing country" as a place where it is more 'challenging' to do 'conservation.' VF17 explained, "It's a completely different place… You have to accept things aren't going to run the same." VF2 and VF10 discussed with each other how other volunteers did not recognise that it was easier to do conservation in the "first world." VF2 said that in the "first world" a reserve manager could go to a nursery and buy trees, whereas in Ecuador, managers had to grow saplings from seeds collected from the forest. VF10 admitted that she had been frustrated with VM2 when he said that he had looked forward to seeing how challenging conservation was in a "developing country;" she explained to me that although this was a vacation for him, people had to deal with conservation 'challenges' on a daily basis.
Characterisations could also be seen by examining the clustered terms 'education,' 'knowledge,' 'learn,' or 'teach.' Fourteen volunteers indicated these terms were critical for effective conservation. T-II and T-III volunteers sometimes discussed this generally in that all people needed to understand conservation. VF17 emphasised, "Education's a big part of conservation. You want to make sure people know and care and have seen what it is that they're protecting." T-I volunteers tended to describe Ecuadorians as less knowledgeable about conservation and needing to learn, such as in school. VM11 explained:
Maybe [Ecuadorians] are going to leave school and work on a farm… you don't learn about conservation by doing that. You learn about conservation by having resources to go to school and having… leisure time… to do the research.
This statement could have resulted from his 'conservation' ideology, which restricted his ability to see other conservation methods (e.g., environmentally-friendly farming). It might also represent an imperialistic ideology that privileges Western environmental knowledge. VF17 acknowledged, "some people have this preconceived notion that because [they know] the popular discussion of conservation, they're experts."
Manager and volunteer coordinator 'conservation' ideology
Managers and volunteer coordinators were Ecuadorian, had attended university, and studied diverse topics (e.g., administration and marketing, environmental science). The reserve had been in RMM and VC3's family since 1970, but only started receiving volunteers in 2003. Although the family had been involved since the project's inception, NGO volunteer coordinators were relatively new (eight months to one year).
Given that the Ecuadorian managers and volunteer coordinators had similar ideological views of 'conservation,' I did not create a typology. They used many terms similar to those used by volunteers, and they also illustrated a mix of ideologies [Table 2]. Managers and volunteer coordinators at times interchanged 'conservation' and 'preservation.' To describe conservation efforts, they also mentioned terms such as 'protect'. For example, VC2 said, "In Ecuador, we try to take care of our ecosystems… protect all specific areas where we live and the environment, especially the forests [and] all the species that live in there." Despite this, their ideology was more in line with T-III volunteers. RMF also mentioned 'preservation' of cultures, thereby not limiting 'protection' to non-human inhabitants. In addition, although the reserve appeared to distinguish between 'conservation' and 'sustainability' by offering seemingly distinct programs addressing each concept ("In the way to sustainability" and "Conservation in the cloud forest"), volunteers noted no clear separation actually existed. The managers' approach was more in line with a pro-people, sustainable use ideology of conservation, in which 'conservation' and 'sustainability' are not disparate concepts. RMF stated people increasingly saw that 'sustainable' agriculture and 'conservation' were closely linked: "Now [it] is not farm [that] is the enemy of conservation, now it is sustainable agriculture, friend of conservation."
In addition, the managers and reserve volunteer coordinator emphasised continuously that 'conservation' is not only an environmental issue, but also a 'social' and 'economic' issue including 'human' interests. RMM claimed that "There is a gap between conservation and practical life… not a lot of projects can prove that it is possible to live a more sustainable life… more respectful with the environment, and that's what we need to prove." Both managers stated that before tackling environmental aspects of conservation, 'social' and 'economic' issues must be resolved. RMM explained, "We don't realize [conservation is] done by people and people need to live-I don't see any bad in making conservation… something like a business." The decision to receive volunteers arose because the managers had struggled to keep the reserve afloat. If volunteer tourism had not proved profitable, they would not have had initial funds to conserve and work towards self-sufficiency. To illustrate why it was necessary to generate income for people conserving land, RMM asked volunteers what they would do if they had a family member who was sick. He answered, "You would not think twice. You would cut the tree and you would do what you need to do."
Rarely present in volunteer comments was the idea that "conservation is a shared responsibility." For the managers and reserve volunteer coordinator, everyone worldwide must play a role in protecting resources, not only people in "developing" countries. RMF explained that one way to think about 'conservation' is that the world should pay for it, because everyone had a 'responsibility' to maintain places and resources. VC3 asked us, "Why should we conserve for you?" They struggled with the idea that those in the West, who had already reaped the benefits of development due to their resources, tell those in "developing" countries not to use their rich and comparatively untouched resources, but then offer no help.
Characterisations by managers and volunteer coordinators
Unlike volunteers who felt that Ecuadorians were not ready to conserve, VC3 stated, "Every Ecuadorian is learning how to preserve what we have." RMF surprised volunteers when stating, "[Despite] what you hear about Ecuador-that it has a very high rate of deforestation… we actually have 22%… protected." The difference is that in Ecuador people live inside national parks. Managers and volunteer coordinators also did not often characterise problems in terms of individual people, but instead a result of Ecuador's infrastructure, thereby taking the blame off "ignorant, poor people." For example, volunteers have wanted to dissuade littering and instill recycling in the community, but RMF explained, "We are not in that step. If you put the signs and you put the bins, then what do you do with the garbage? We don't have a garbage system in Ecuador." RMM also explained that currently in "developing countries" "there is not very much incentive for conservation."
Like volunteers, managers also mentioned 'education' in the context of 'conservation,' but they were not consistent in their characterisation of Ecuadorians. At one point, RMF seemed frustrated with other Ecuadorians, "Agriculture is not the best thing to do here… It is an education. It's hard to change how people live. In a lot of cases they don't even want to learn." However, at other points, she illustrated that volunteers can exhibit a dominant approach toward education, which impacted work at the reserve and with the community:
We had volunteers [in the school] trying to do… environmental activities that you do in your countries, but it doesn't work because… in [community members'] houses they don't produce much garbage… they don't do compost, because they have their pigs.
Behaviour and attitudes towards 'conservation' and other people
Ideological and cluster criticism, as well as identification of different 'conservation' ideologies, illuminated how varying views impacted actors' attitudes and on-the-ground behaviour (i.e. interactions) toward each other and conservation work. Three clustered terms, 'government,' 'organisations,' and 'private reserves,' illustrated beliefs about actions towards conservation in general. Contrary to the pro-park ideology, several volunteers-even some T-I volunteers-emphasised that they did not know if 'government' was the answer for conservation. For example, VF5 recognised that people often thought 'governments' should control 'conservation,' but she believed that 'conservation' was more effective beginning at the individual level. Doubting interests of 'governments,' VF22 stated, "I don't think governments are too concerned with reserves and conservation… not just in South America, but all over the place. People who take initiative to care for a large piece of land and do the best that they can to conserve [it are] really amazing!" Some T-II and T-III volunteers believed that a 'private' reserve also provided a more realistic option for 'conservation,' because it supported livelihoods. This view was more in line with managers and volunteer coordinators. RMM explained that even though it countered the popular approach to protect ecosystems, private reserves were incredibly valuable: "[People] tend to think conservation has to be done by the government, the NGOs, but… think how much land is in private hands." In contrast, some volunteers worried about the reserve being 'private,' either because they doubted its intentions or worried about its ability to 'protect' the area in the long term. In many cases, T-I volunteers believed that the way to 'conserve' and 'protect' land was to set land aside, not allowing people to own and work it. VM11 said, "It's kind of hard to tell Ecuador, which has a preponderance of land that needs protecting, that they can't farm… International conservation organisations could perhaps buy this land and when they own it, it's safe theoretically."
Varying interpretations of 'conservation' also affected interactions among actors at the reserve, sometimes highlighting imperialistic and dominant attitudes. At times, volunteers argued they knew better methods and goals for 'conservation' than those proposed by managers. RMF stated:
If… the activities… don't match what they thought they would be doing, it's like, "Why are we doing this if that is not conservation?" They are critical because… they can't conceive another way of doing conservation as the one they have in their mind.
For instance, volunteers who envisioned 'conservation' as tree planting did not always understand how weeding around saplings was conservation. RMF stated that because of these differences, "sometimes [volunteers] pressure too much. We ended up… doing projects that are not our projects [e.g., drying plants]." VC3 disclosed how hard it was to be judged by volunteers questioning the reserve's conservation efforts. She emphasised that the family had no obligation to protect its property; they conserved because they believed it was important to protect and use the forest wisely. In contrast, not seeing the connection between tasks and conservation, volunteers sometimes felt inefficient. VM1 admitted, "I almost feel [my volunteer fee] is benefiting conservation more than what I am doing here."
Problems resulting from differences in 'conservation' ideologies were most clearly seen in the reforestation and sustainable wood production project. Reforestation occurred in former pastures that had grown back to secondary forests. Volunteers often described the 10-15 foot vegetation as "trees," whereas managers described them as "weeds." To restore threatened hardwoods and supply trees for sustainable harvesting, volunteers and staff cut rows of "trees" to form openings to plant saplings. Clearing reforestation lines gave hardwoods a head start, instead of waiting decades for these species to regenerate on their own. Cutting trees contradicted T-I and some T-II volunteers' perception that 'conservation' involved 'saving' trees from deforestation. These volunteers struggled with both cutting "weedy" trees and knowing that some of the planted trees would be harvested. VF14 argued, "I thought we were here to do conservation and aren't we just planting these trees so they can chop [them] down and sell them and… we are chopping… 50 trees for one tree plant[ed]." RMM understood that volunteers were concerned about the reforestation project: "They say why [do] we plant trees for cutting trees. From a conservation mind that is a sin." He then illustrated the complexity of these issues when asking what was better-to have sustainable wood production or to continue having cows and crops that result in clear-cuts and increased pesticide use.
Part of the reluctance to cut trees could also have resulted from volunteers' belief that 'conservation' should not be 'profitable.' VM6 said he did not agree with sustainable wood production because "it's good to have sustainable things, but… that's part of a lumber industry." Yet, many of these volunteers said they thought the reserve should be more 'sustainable;' it seemed that for these volunteers agriculture and food (e.g., coffee, jam) were acceptable sustainable, income-generating activities and products, but not trees. RMF realized that given volunteers' views on profit the reserve had to be careful with how it presented information. For instance, after one staff member had told volunteers that they planted Canelo Negro (Ocotea heterochroma) because it was an economic species, RMF quickly listed for concerned volunteers the other reasons for planting this species (e.g., availability).
These different views toward 'conservation' also led to tensions among volunteers. For instance, after conducting reforestation work one day, VF2 and VF10, two T-III volunteers with ecological backgrounds, tried to explain to frustrated volunteers that trees being cut were secondary growth and that 'private reserves' must generate 'profit' to succeed with conservation. VF10, who studied soils and worked with farmers in Canada, questioned other volunteers' actions: "It's really easy to just be, 'They're doing it wrong. They're going to cut down trees,' but what do you do in your day to day life back home that's so admirable compared to planting trees so your grandkids can eat a meal." Interestingly, VF2 and VF10's responses differed from those of many scientists that Campbell (2002) interviewed had an underlying preservationist ideology of conservation; this could have resulted because both these volunteers also engaged in the social side of environmental issues (e.g., land planning).
Having different ideas of 'conservation' also led most T-I and some T-II volunteers to question the reserve's effectiveness because it was not as far along as they had expected. For instance, VM11 exclaimed: "I don't know where all the money and man hours go, honestly!… I see reforestation lines over there and… up the hill and all this could have been done in the last six months… what the hell has been happening here for so long?" However, VF10 pointed out, conservation 'takes time':
People… forget that conservation is not something you can see the results of in two weeks. It's something that you'll see results of [in] 50 years… or a 100 years… conservation work is an on-going process; it's not something you can stroll into.
RMM agreed that conservation projects need continuity and a long-term plan. VM9 believed that this desire for immediate results came from volunteers imposing a Western view: "Even though in your mind you know it takes a long time… it's almost like you wish it could just go quicker. It's probably part of that Western cultural thing. You want things to happen now or yesterday." Some volunteers who believed that conservation took time were also volunteers characterising conservation as challenging in South America.
Different 'conservation' ideologies caused mistrust toward the reserve among some T-I and T-II volunteers. For instance, VF1 doubted the reserve's conservation intentions and wondered if the goal was not just to make money: "If it would really be sustainable logging, if they are just cutting some of the trees… but how can we be sure that that is happening." After hearing that some of the volunteer fee would buy additional land for the reserve's untouched section, she felt better. Other volunteers also questioned where their volunteer fee went because they did not see it going to buying resources (e.g., seeds, tools) that they believed were necessary components for 'conservation.' In contrast, VF15 countered:
Some people see conservation as one thing and forget run[ing] a group of volunteers takes more than planting trees and building a garden and whatever else people might think conservation work is… I don't know if at this point, or at any point, people would actually give [up] what they think their definition of conservation work is.
It is worth mentioning that although almost all volunteers emphasised their desire to do 'conservation' at the reserve, 'conservation' ideologies did not greatly affect their attitudes and behaviours regarding personal environmental impacts-regardless of whether they held a preservation or a sustainable-use ideology. The most commonly recognised impact was the environmental effects of flying to plant trees, which ten volunteers, equally distributed among types, mentioned; however, some volunteers indicated they thought of this only after talking with other volunteers. Whereas some volunteers believed their net impact was positive, in extreme cases, such as VF13, volunteers wondered if the overall result was worth it: "You put out a lot of pollution in taking a plane here… [you] have to weigh whether that is as much you are going to give to conserving or whether you are just polluting more."
What was more surprising was the lack of connection between 'conservation' and their daily personal actions at the reserve. Despite mentioning 'conservation' involved being 'sustainable,' few T-II (n=2) and T-III (n=5) mentioned their or other volunteers' wasteful activities at the reserve (e.g., trash). Unexpectedly, more T-I volunteers (n=6) mentioned garbage or electricity when asked about negative environmental impacts resulting from volunteers. However, three of them referred to learning about this from a lecture given by RMF shortly before their interview. In contrast to the seven T-II and T-III volunteers who mentioned volunteer impact, only one T-I volunteer elaborated; many T-1 volunteers believed that the effect was minimal. For example, VF7 answered, "Living here using electricity, but I think it's pretty reasonable." Yet, I observed several volunteers, including those who mentioned waste being a problem, engaging in wasteful actions, such as leaving on lights and taking long, gas-heated showers. Over the years, RMF has repeatedly seen evidence of this disconnect between 'conservation' in the forest and 'conservation' in the daily personal actions of volunteers. She informed volunteers: "It doesn't matter how many trees you plant, if you let the light on, it's worse for conservation." VF17 was one of the few volunteers who recognised the tension between working for 'conservation' and volunteer consumption and waste:
The amount [of] trash produced by the volunteers is bad because we're creating this impact while we're supposed to be protecting the environment, sustainable, and not dependent on these processed global foods-and then you've got overflowing trashcans.
Ironically, when discussing some of the major environmental problems of the region, many volunteers characterised Ecuadorians as environmentally unknowledgeable because of the litter volunteers saw on the roadsides and in towns. For instance, VM3 said, "People in states don't just throw their trash out their window, but here that's just what people do… If people are having all these big environmental problems because they can't even be bothered to put their trash in a trashcan, what is the future of Ecuador?"
By analysing participants' use of the word 'conservation' and words clustering nearby, I offer a possible tool to evaluate the sociocultural impacts of volunteer tourism projects (Benson and Wearing 2011). This method allowed me to identify how differences and similarities in volunteer tourists', managers', and coordinators' interpretations of 'conservation' affected various dimensions of the project. Differing ideologies, as well as associated characterisations of people and environmental issues (e.g., locals blamed for environmental destruction), had on-the-ground implications, affecting behaviour and interactions among actors (e.g., tension about reforestation, imposition of beliefs, etc.). In some cases, volunteers with dominant conservation views resisted, to varying degrees, managers' and project goals (e.g., questioning, focusing on alternative activities). Given that Wearing (2004) proposed volunteer tourism might represent best practice tourism and Duffy (2002) claimed it can be a significant development force, this case study has several implications for conservation volunteer tourism, and international conservation projects more broadly.
As demonstrated in this paper, political ecology can be a fruitful lens for not only ecotourism studies (Campbell et al. 2007), but also for conservation volunteer tourism research. A political ecology framework allowed me to examine how "discursive struggles" over meanings and circulation of 'conservation' have material ramifications on conservation volunteer projects (Bryant 1998: 79; Campbell et al. 2007). Focusing on discourse and its resulting impacts builds on existing work examining conservation development projects and environmental concerns, in which researchers analysed meanings of loaded or ambiguous terms, such as "conservation," "nature," "sustainability" (e.g., Nygren 1998; Campbell 2002; Cadieux 2011). Despite this wider attention to how terms are understood differently, not much conservation volunteer tourism research has focused explicitly on how participants interpret 'conservation' and other terms central to the experience (e.g., Gray and Campbell 2007). By first deciphering the different ways in which actors interpret 'conservation' (or other terms), a more complex understanding of effects occurs. If differences are not clear, real impacts can occur, such as have been seen in this and other conservation projects where interpreting 'conservation' differently impacted projects and relationships between actors (e.g., Campbell 2002; Horowitz 2008).
In addition, rather than relying on a predetermined binary to understand interactions at the reserve (e.g., international volunteers versus managers; scientists versus local communities), analysing the use of 'conservation' allowed me to differentiate multiple types based on discourse and ideological views. This unmasked the differences and similarities between and among groups; actors could not be separated into distinct categories of international volunteers and Ecuadorian managers. For instance, T-III volunteers' views were more closely aligned with managers' than with T-I volunteers. Similar to how Adger et al. (2001) described local differences in discourse, and Belsky (1999) identified dissimilar views among community members, it cannot be assumed that non-local participants necessarily agree with each other or disagree with local members. Using this approach also illustrated the complexity of conservation ideologies; T-II did not clearly subscribe to either a protectionist or sustainable-use view of conservation, but rather articulated both in their discourse.
Focused attention on 'conservation' ideologies could also have some practical implications for volunteer tourism projects, and could be useful for assessing ecological, social, and economic outcomes (Benson and Wearing 2011). For instance, T-I and T-II volunteers who leaned toward an ideology embodying 'preservation' struggled with the reforestation project, which others might consider an economically, ecologically, and socially sustainable project. This was one of the reserve's major projects and some volunteers were reluctant to help because of either economic gain or perceived negative environmental impact; this could in turn affect achieving the reserve's goals. Some volunteers' interpretations of 'conservation' countered those of the managers and the project. Even when these volunteers helped with work, managers had to justify their actions on a regular basis to volunteers who doubted the connection between sustainable wood production and 'conservation.' Part of the problem could have resulted from managers not being clear in their usage of terms (e.g., using 'preservation' although it counters their ideology), which might have led volunteers to expect their ideologies would be more closely aligned with those of the managers.
The findings from this study also highlight the concepts discussed in literature on the political ecology of tourism consumption (Meletis and Campbell 2009). Much work examining conservation projects focuses on nature, protected areas, biodiversity, or natural resource use (e.g., Duffy 2005; Büscher and Dressler 2007); however, waste and personal actions also play a significant role in conservation projects. In examining ideographs and interactions, I found that although volunteers espoused 'conservation,' many appeared disconnected from the concept in their daily personal actions (e.g., long showers). If volunteers viewed 'conservation' as only protecting trees and wildlife, then consumption might not seem to be a contradiction. However, this illustrates the paradox of needing resources and saving nature from being consumed for resources (Büscher and Dressler 2007). Consumption affects the environment through extraction of resources to produce objects and the eventual disposal of these consumed objects, but volunteers might be too removed from the beginning and end points of the commodity chain to recognise this connection. Meletis and Campbell (2009) explained that recent work on the political ecology of consumption has conceptualised tourists and other consumers as "individual and collective impact producers," resulting in partial responsibility for effects of the industries catering to them. Many of the volunteers, even when recognising their responsibility, rationalised the impact or did not change their behaviour, in a sense still not accepting responsibility. Future work could examine further the relationship, and possible contradiction, between 'conservation' attitudes and personal actions involved in not only volunteer tourism projects, but also conservation projects more generally.
This research also supports Gray and Campbell's (2007) and Cousins et al.'s (2009) arguments that conservation volunteer tourism may not be a decommodified form of tourism (Wearing et al. 2005). Decommodification assumes that emphasis is not on profit, which can be problematic because it implies that those involved in conservation volunteer tourism have a conservation ideology that does not involve profit (Wearing et al. 2005; Gray and Campbell 2007). Although some volunteers believed conservation projects should not be profit-generating, they still chose to pay to engage in conservation work. Cousins et al. (2009) pointed out that "organizations that provide conservation projects are not simply conservationists but capitalists seeking to generate profits, and the volunteers are simultaneously conservationists and customers." In addition, those involved with conservation volunteer tourism may rely on profit for survival. The managers received volunteers to generate funds for continuing the reserve's conservation efforts. In emphasising the non-profit aspect, Wearing et al. (2005) seemed to dismiss the idea that people running volunteer projects might rely on revenue to support themselves. Perhaps Wearing et al.'s (2005) comments referred to larger, for-profit intermediary and international organisations, but even the NGO relied on volunteer fees to support its conservation initiatives and cover administrative costs.
In contending that conservation must be profitable, managers and volunteer coordinators appear to commodify nature (i.e. nature must pay for itself). In discussing the neoliberalisation of nature, Duffy (2008) stated that to conserve nature, people often claim it must have market value to generate funds for locals (e.g., ecotourism). Managers and the reserve volunteer coordinator emphasised repeatedly that conservation is a social and economic problem, and it must be profitable to encourage others to engage in it. They hoped to be a model for other Ecuadorians who wished to conserve their land while sustaining livelihoods. However, their discourse varies from what is more commonly critiqued as commodifying and neoliberalising nature. Reserve managers were not claiming that if nature had no market value it could not be protected, but rather that because conservation involved social and economic aspects, even conservation-minded individuals rarely could set aside their land, generating no income.
Benson and Wearing (2011) also believed that more research on volunteer tourism needed to examine if an absence of local involvement existed in the decision-making process. Although not specifically addressing local involvement, the findings of this study indicated that many volunteers might not be supportive of local environmental governance. Power dimensions that can ensnare environmental governance were seen in volunteers' characterisations of local people and conservation (Lemos and Agrawal 2006). T-I volunteers more often characterised locals as a danger to protected areas, which led these volunteers to support conservation approaches that set aside land and removed it from human use. These volunteers often did not like the idea of privately-owned property unless a conservation organisation owned it. Researchers studying the neoliberalisation of nature (e.g., Duffy 2005) have found similar sentiments among conservation development proponents who support safeguarding nature through protected areas created by government regulation or privatisation of land. However, there were some differences between volunteers and these conservation proponents. T-II and T-III volunteers were more supportive of private reserves that supported both conservation and livelihoods. In addition, volunteers from all typologies expressed scepticism of government involvement in conservation.
A close connection between governance and environmental knowledge existed in volunteer responses. T-III volunteers often believed that Ecuadorians were not yet at a place where they could focus on conservation. These volunteers hoped that in time Ecuadorians would have a conservation mindset that would result in different land-use practices. Those who believed locals were not able to conserve often linked this to lack of 'education.' In several instances, volunteers linked environmental knowledge to school and formal education. In other cases, volunteers expressed they had learned at school that locals were not ready to conserve. This re-articulation has been noted in other work on conservation and environmental knowledge. For example, Duffy (2005: 310) stated that "scientific knowledge becomes incorporated into stories and discourses, it is framed, interpreted, and rhetorically communicated." Future volunteer tourism research could examine the role environmental knowledge and perceptions of knowledge play in affecting and shaping conservation volunteer tourism projects.
This study does not capture all the actors in conservation volunteer tourism. Many volunteer projects also involve local staff and community members who, as political ecologists have found, may have different interpretations of 'conservation' and other key concepts such as biodiversity (Wilshusen 2003). If volunteer tourism projects hope to achieve positive on-the-ground interactions, not only is it critical to interview other participants, but also to examine how participants interpret and discuss terms. Future work exploring community members' interpretations of key concepts is a necessary step towards including locals' views into volunteer projects (Benson and Wearing 2011), and possibly also towards the community participation that Wearing (2004) had hoped volunteer tourism could attain.
I am grateful to the reserve and NGO for allowing me to conduct this research, as well as to the participants for sharing their time and thoughts. I appreciate the extensive feedback that Lisa Campbell provided on earlier versions, and Mark Needham's advice on study design. In addition, comments from two anonymous reviewers, as well as suggestions from Kathleen Guillozet and Patrick Hurley greatly improved this paper. This research was supported by an Oregon University System-Sasakawa Young Leaders Fellowship Fund (OUS-SYLFF) Graduate Fellowship for International Research.
I do not disclose the reserve's name to protect the reserve's and the managers' identities.
The reserve had 49 volunteers between July and September 2007; 40 volunteers between June and August 2008.
I do not disclose the NGO's name to protect the volunteer coordinators' identities.
My last week at the reserve, I interviewed five volunteers who were at the reserve less than two weeks.
For detailed explanation of this method, theory, and benefits, see Grimm 2010.
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61. Wearing, S., M. McDonald, and J. Ponting. 2005. Building a decommodified research paradigm in tourism: The contribution of NGOs. Journal of Sustainable Tourism 13(5): 424-439.
62. West, P. 2006. Conservation is our government now: The political ecology in Paupa New Guinea. Durham, NC: Duke University Press.
63. Wilshusen, P.R. 2003. Territory, nature, and culture: Negotiating the boundaries of biodiversity conservation in Columbia′s Pacific coastal region. In: Contested nature: Promoting international biodiversity with social justice in the twenty-first century (eds. Brechin, S.R., P. R. Wilshusen, C. L. Fortwangler, and P. C. West). Pp. 73-88. Albany, NY: State University of New York.
64. Wilshusen, P.R., S.R. Brechin, C.L. Fortwangler, and P.C. West. 2002. Reinventing a square wheel: Critique of a resurgent "protection paradigm" in international biodiversity conservation. Society and Natural Resources 15:17-40.
[Table 1], [Table 2], [Table 3]
Grimm KE
volunteer tourism
environmental discourse
Study Area and M...
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A Theologico-Political Treatise
Part 1 of 4 - Chapters I to V
PREFACE.
Origin and consequences of superstition.
Causes that have led the author to write.
Course of his investigation.
For what readers the treatise is designed. Submission of author to the rulers of his country.
CHAPTER I - Of Prophecy.
Definition of prophecy.
Distinction between revelation to Moses and to the other prophets.
Between Christ and other recipients of revelation.
Ambiguity of the word "Spirit."
The different senses in which things may be referred to God.
Different senses of "Spirit of God."
Prophets perceived revelation by imagination.
CHAPTER II - Of Prophets.
A mistake to suppose that prophecy can give knowledge of phenomena
Certainty of prophecy based on:
(1) Vividness of imagination,
(2) A Sign,
(3) Goodness of the Prophet.
Variation of prophecy with the temperament and opinions of the individual.
CHAPTER III - Of the Vocation of the Hebrews, and whether the Gift of Prophecy was peculiar to them.
Happiness of Hebrews did not consist in the inferiority of the Gentile.
Nor in philosophic knowledge or virtue.
But in their conduct of affairs of state and escape from political dangers.
Even this Distinction did not exist in the time of Abraham.
Testimony from the Old Testament itself to the share of the Gentiles in the law and favour of God.
Explanation of apparent discrepancy of the Epistle to the Romans.
Answer to the arguments for the eternal election of the Jews.
CHAPTER IV - Of the Divine Law.
Laws either depend on natural necessity or on human decree. The existence of the latter not inconsistent with the former class of laws.
Divine law a kind of law founded on human decree:
called Divine from its object.
Divine law:
(1) universal;
(2) independent of the truth of any historical narrative;
(3) independent of rites and ceremonies;
(4) its own reward.
Reason does not present God as a law-giver for men.
Such a conception a proof of ignorance - in Adam - in the Israelites - in Christians.
Testimony of the Scriptures in favour of reason and the
rational view of the Divine.
CHAPTER V. - Of the Ceremonial Law.
Ceremonial law of the Old Testament no part of the Divine universal law, but partial and temporary. Testimony of the prophets themselves to this Testimony of the New Testament.
How the ceremonial law tended to preserve the Hebrew kingdom.
Christian rites on a similar footing.
What part of the Scripture narratives is one bound to believe?
Authors Endnotes to the Treatise.
Part 1 - Chapters I to V
(1)Men would never be superstitious, if they could govern all their circumstances by set rules, or if they were always favoured by fortune: but being frequently driven into straits where rules are useless, and being often kept fluctuating pitiably between hope and fear by the uncertainty of fortune's greedily coveted favours, they are consequently, for the most part, very prone to credulity. (2) The human mind is readily swayed this way or that in times of doubt, especially when hope and fear are struggling for the mastery, though usually it is boastful, over - confident, and vain.
(3) This as a general fact I suppose everyone knows, though few, I believe, know their own nature; no one can have lived in the world without observing that most people, when in prosperity, are so over-brimming with wisdom (however inexperienced they may be), that they take every offer of advice as a personal insult, whereas in adversity they know not where to turn, but beg and pray for counsel from every passer-by. (4) No plan is then too futile, too absurd, or too fatuous for their adoption; the most frivolous causes will raise them to hope, or plunge them into despair - if anything happens during their fright which reminds them of some past good or ill, they think it portends a happy or unhappy issue, and therefore (though it may have proved abortive a hundred times before) style it a lucky or unlucky omen. (5) Anything which excites their astonishment they believe to be a portent signifying the anger of the gods or of the Supreme Being, and, mistaking superstition for religion, account it impious not to avert the evil with prayer and sacrifice. (6) Signs and wonders of this sort they conjure up perpetually, till one might think Nature as mad as themselves, they interpret her so fantastically.
(7) Thus it is brought prominently before us, that superstition's chief victims are those persons who greedily covet temporal advantages; they it is, who (especially when they are in danger, and cannot help themselves) are wont with Prayers and womanish tears to implore help from God: upbraiding Reason as blind, because she cannot show a sure path to the shadows they pursue, and rejecting human wisdom as vain; but believing the phantoms of imagination, dreams, and other childish absurdities, to be the very oracles of Heaven. (8) As though God had turned away from the wise, and written His decrees, not in the mind of man but in the entrails of beasts, or left them to be proclaimed by the inspiration and instinct of fools, madmen, and birds. Such is the unreason to which terror can drive mankind!
(9) Superstition, then, is engendered, preserved, and fostered by fear. If anyone desire an example, let him take Alexander, who only began superstitiously to seek guidance from seers, when he first learnt to fear fortune in the passes of Sysis (Curtius, v. 4); whereas after he had conquered Darius he consulted prophets no more, till a second time frightened by reverses. (10) When the Scythians were provoking a battle, the Bactrians had deserted, and he himself was lying sick of his wounds, "he once more turned to superstition, the mockery of human wisdom, and bade Aristander, to whom he confided his credulity, inquire the issue of affairs with sacrificed victims." (11) Very numerous examples of a like nature might be cited, clearly showing the fact, that only while under the dominion of fear do men fall a prey to superstition; that all the portents ever invested with the reverence of misguided religion are mere phantoms of dejected and fearful minds; and lastly, that prophets have most power among the people, and are most formidable to rulers, precisely at those times when the state is in most peril. (12) I think this is sufficiently plain to all, and will therefore say no more on the subject.
(13) The origin of superstition above given affords us a clear reason for the fact, that it comes to all men naturally, though some refer its rise to a dim notion of God, universal to mankind, and also tends to show, that it is no less inconsistent and variable than other mental hallucinations and emotional impulses, and further that it can only be maintained by hope, hatred, anger, and deceit; since it springs, not from reason, but solely from the more powerful phases of emotion. (14) Furthermore, we may readily understand how difficult it is, to maintain in the same course men prone to every form of credulity. (15) For, as the mass of mankind remains always at about the same pitch of misery, it never assents long to any one remedy, but is always best pleased by a novelty which has not yet proved illusive.
(16) This element of inconsistency has been the cause of many terrible wars and revolutions; for, as Curtius well says (lib. iv. chap. 10): "The mob has no ruler more potent than superstition," and is easily led, on the plea of religion, at one moment to adore its kings as gods, and anon to execrate and abjure them as humanity's common bane. (17) Immense pains have therefore been taken to counteract this evil by investing religion, whether true or false, with such pomp and ceremony, that it may, rise superior to every shock, and be always observed with studious reverence by the whole people - a system which has been brought to great perfection by the Turks, for they consider even controversy impious, and so clog men's minds with dogmatic formulas, that they leave no room for sound reason, not even enough to doubt with.
(18) But if, in despotic statecraft, the supreme and essential mystery be to hoodwink the subjects, and to mask the fear, which keeps them clown, with the specious garb of religion, so that men may fight as bravely for slavery as for safety, and count it not shame but highest honour to risk their blood and their lives for the vainglory of a tyrant; yet in a free state no more mischievous expedient could be planned or attempted. (19) Wholly repugnant to the general freedom are such devices as enthralling men's minds with prejudices, forcing their judgment, or employing any of the weapons of quasi-religious sedition; indeed, such seditions only spring up, when law enters the domain of speculative thought, and opinions are put on trial and condemned on the same footing as crimes, while those who defend and follow them are sacrificed, not to public safety, but to their opponents' hatred and cruelty. (20) If deeds only could be made the grounds of criminal charges, and words were always allowed to pass free, such seditions would be divested of every semblance of justification, and would be separated from mere controversies by a hard and fast line.
(20) Now, seeing that we have the rare happiness of living in a republic, where everyone's judgment is free and unshackled, where each may worship God as his conscience dictates, and where freedom is esteemed before all things dear and precious, I have believed that I should be undertaking no ungrateful or unprofitable task, in demonstrating that not only can such freedom be granted without prejudice to the public peace, but also, that without such freedom, piety cannot flourish nor the public peace be secure.
(21) Such is the chief conclusion I seek to establish in this treatise; but, in order to reach it, I must first point out the misconceptions which, like scars of our former bondage, still disfigure our notion of religion, and must expose the false views about the civil authority which many have most impudently advocated, endeavouring to turn the mind of the people, still prone to heathen superstition, away from its legitimate rulers, and so bring us again into slavery. (22) As to the order of my treatise I will speak presently, but first I will recount the causes which led me to write.
(23) I have often wondered, that persons who make a boast of professing the Christian religion, namely, love, joy, peace, temperance, and charity to all men, should quarrel with such rancorous animosity, and display daily towards one another such bitter hatred, that this, rather than the virtues they claim, is the readiest criterion of their faith. (24) Matters have long since come to such a pass, that one can only pronounce a man Christian, Turk, Jew, or Heathen, by his general appearance and attire, by his frequenting this or that place of worship, or employing the phraseology of a particular sect - as for manner of life, it is in all cases the same. (25) Inquiry into the cause of this anomaly leads me unhesitatingly to ascribe it to the fact, that the ministries of the Church are regarded by the masses merely as dignities, her offices as posts of emolument - in short, popular religion may be summed up as respect for ecclesiastics. (26) The spread of this misconception inflamed every worthless fellow with an intense desire to enter holy orders, and thus the love of diffusing God's religion degenerated into sordid avarice and ambition. (27) Every church became a theatre, where orators, instead of church teachers, harangued, caring not to instruct the people, but striving to attract admiration, to bring opponents to public scorn, and to preach only novelties and paradoxes, such as would tickle the ears of their congregation. (28) This state of things necessarily stirred up an amount of controversy, envy, and hatred, which no lapse of time could appease; so that we can scarcely wonder that of the old religion nothing survives but its outward forms (even these, in the mouth of the multitude, seem rather adulation than adoration of the Deity), and that faith has become a mere compound of credulity and prejudices - aye, prejudices too, which degrade man from rational being to beast, which completely stifle the power of judgment between true and false, which seem, in fact, carefully fostered for the purpose of extinguishing the last spark of reason! (29) Piety, great God! and religion are become a tissue of ridiculous mysteries; men, who flatly despise reason, who reject and turn away from understanding as naturally corrupt, these, I say, these of all men, are thought, 0 lie most horrible! to possess light from on High. (30) Verily, if they had but one spark of light from on High, they would not insolently rave, but would learn to worship God more wisely, and would be as marked among their fellows for mercy as they now are for malice; if they were concerned for their opponents' souls, instead of for their own reputations, they would no longer fiercely persecute, but rather be filled with pity and compassion.
(31) Furthermore, if any Divine light were in them, it would appear from their doctrine. (32) I grant that they are never tired of professing their wonder at the profound mysteries of Holy Writ; still I cannot discover that they teach anything but speculations of Platonists and Aristotelians, to which (in order to save their credit for Christianity) they have made Holy Writ conform; not content to rave with the Greeks themselves, they want to make the prophets rave also; showing conclusively, that never even in sleep have they caught a glimpse of Scripture's Divine nature. (33) The very vehemence of their admiration for the mysteries plainly attests, that their belief in the Bible is a formal assent rather than a living faith: and the fact is made still more apparent by their laying down beforehand, as a foundation for the study and true interpretation of Scripture, the principle that it is in every passage true and divine. (34) Such a doctrine should be reached only after strict scrutiny and thorough comprehension of the Sacred Books (which would teach it much better, for they stand in need no human factions), and not be set up on the threshold, as it were, of inquiry.
(35) As I pondered over the facts that the light of reason is not only despised, but by many even execrated as a source of impiety, that human commentaries are accepted as divine records, and that credulity is extolled as faith; as I marked the fierce controversies of philosophers raging in Church and State, the source of bitter hatred and dissension, the ready instruments of sedition and other ills innumerable, I determined to examine the Bible afresh in a careful, impartial, and unfettered spirit, making no assumptions concerning it, and attributing to it no doctrines, which I do not find clearly therein set down. (36) With these precautions I constructed a method of Scriptural interpretation, and thus equipped proceeded to inquire - what is prophecy? (37) In what sense did God reveal himself to the prophets, and why were these particular men - chosen by him? (38) Was it on account of the sublimity of their thoughts about the Deity and nature, or was it solely on account of their piety? (39) These questions being answered, I was easily able to conclude, that the authority of the prophets has weight only in matters of morality, and that their speculative doctrines affect us little.
(40) Next I inquired, why the Hebrews were called God's chosen people, and discovering that it was only because God had chosen for them a certain strip of territory, where they might live peaceably and at ease, I learnt that the Law revealed by God to Moses was merely the law of the individual Hebrew state, therefore that it was binding on none but Hebrews, and not even on Hebrews after the downfall of their nation. (41) Further, in order to ascertain, whether it could be concluded from Scripture, that the human understanding standing is naturally corrupt, I inquired whether the Universal Religion, the Divine Law revealed through the Prophets and Apostles to the whole human race, differs from that which is taught by the light of natural reason, whether miracles can take place in violation of the laws of nature, and if so, whether they imply the existence of God more surely and clearly than events, which we understand plainly and distinctly through their immediate natural causes.
(42) Now, as in the whole course of my investigation I found nothing taught expressly by Scripture, which does not agree with our understanding, or which is repugnant thereto, and as I saw that the prophets taught nothing, which is not very simple and easily to be grasped by all, and further, that they clothed their leaching in the style, and confirmed it with the reasons, which would most deeply move the mind of the masses to devotion towards God, I became thoroughly convinced, that the Bible leaves reason absolutely free, that it has nothing in common with philosophy, in fact, that Revelation and Philosophy stand on different footings. In order to set this forth categorically and exhaust the whole question, I point out the way in which the Bible should be interpreted, and show that all of spiritual questions should be sought from it alone, and not from the objects of ordinary knowledge. (43) Thence I pass on to indicate the false notions, which have from the fact that the multitude - ever prone to superstition, and caring more for the shreds of antiquity for eternal truths - pays homage to the Books of the Bible, rather than to the Word of God. (44) I show that the Word of God has not been revealed as a certain number of books, was displayed to the prophets as a simple idea of the mind, namely, obedience to God in singleness of heart, and in the practice of justice and charity; and I further point out, that this doctrine is set forth in Scripture in accordance with the opinions and understandings of those, among whom the Apostles and Prophets preached, to the end that men might receive it willingly, and with their whole heart.
(45) Having thus laid bare the bases of belief, I draw the conclusion that Revelation has obedience for its sole object, therefore, in purpose no less than in foundation and method, stands entirely aloof from ordinary knowledge; each has its separate province, neither can be called the handmaid of the other.
(46) Furthermore, as men's habits of mind differ, so that some more readily embrace one form of faith, some another, for what moves one to pray may move another only to scoff, I conclude, in accordance with what has gone before, that everyone should be free to choose for himself the foundations of his creed, and that faith should be judged only by its fruits; each would then obey God freely with his whole heart, while nothing would be publicly honoured save justice and charity.
(47) Having thus drawn attention to the liberty conceded to everyone by the revealed law of God, I pass on to another part of my subject, and prove that this same liberty can and should be accorded with safety to the state and the magisterial authority - in fact, that it cannot be withheld without great danger to peace and detriment to the community.
(48) In order to establish my point, I start from the natural rights of the individual, which are co-extensive with his desires and power, and from the fact that no one is bound to live as another pleases, but is the guardian of his own liberty. (49) I show that these rights can only be transferred to those whom we depute to defend us, who acquire with the duties of defence the power of ordering our lives, and I thence infer that rulers possess rights only limited by their power, that they are the sole guardians of justice and liberty, and that their subjects should act in all things as they dictate: nevertheless, since no one can so utterly abdicate his own power of self-defence as to cease to be a man, I conclude that no one can be deprived of his natural rights absolutely, but that subjects, either by tacit agreement, or by social contract, retain a certain number, which cannot be taken from them without great danger to the state.
(50) From these considerations I pass on to the Hebrew State, which I describe at some length, in order to trace the manner in which Religion acquired the force of law, and to touch on other noteworthy points. (51) I then prove, that the holders of sovereign power are the depositories and interpreters of religious no less than of civil ordinances, and that they alone have the right to decide what is just or unjust, pious or impious; lastly, I conclude by showing, that they best retain this right and secure safety to their state by allowing every man to think what he likes, and say what he thinks.
(52) Such, Philosophical Reader, are the questions I submit to your notice, counting on your approval, for the subject matter of the whole book and of the several chapters is important and profitable. (53) I would say more, but I do not want my preface to extend to a volume, especially as I know that its leading propositions are to Philosophers but common places. (54) To the rest of mankind I care not to commend my treatise, for I cannot expect that it contains anything to please them: I know how deeply rooted are the prejudices embraced under the name of religion; I am aware that in the mind of the masses superstition is no less deeply rooted than fear; I recognize that their constancy is mere obstinacy, and that they are led to praise or blame by impulse rather than reason. (55) Therefore the multitude, and those of like passions with the multitude, I ask not to read my book; nay, I would rather that they should utterly neglect it, than that they should misinterpret it after their wont. (56) They would gain no good themselves, and might prove a stumbling-block to others, whose philosophy is hampered by the belief that Reason is a mere handmaid to Theology, and whom I seek in this work especially to benefit. (57) But as there will be many who have neither the leisure, nor, perhaps, the inclination to read through all I have written, I feel bound here, as at the end of my treatise, to declare that I have written nothing, which I do not most willingly submit to the examination and judgment of my country's rulers, and that I am ready to retract anything, which they shall decide to be repugnant to the laws or prejudicial to the public good. (58) I know that I am a man and, as a man, liable to error, but against error I have taken scrupulous care, and striven to keep in entire accordance with the laws of my country, with loyalty, and with morality.
CHAPTER I. - Of Prophecy
(1) Prophecy, or revelation is sure knowledge revealed by God to man. (2) A prophet is one who interprets the revelations of God {insights} to those who are unable to attain to sure knowledge of the matters revealed, and therefore can only apprehend them by simple faith.
(3) The Hebrew word for prophet is "naw-vee'", Strong:5030, [Endnote 1] i.e. speaker or interpreter, but in Scripture its meaning is restricted to interpreter of God, as we may learn from Exodus vii:1, where God says to Moses, "See, I have made thee a god to Pharaoh, and Aaron thy brother shall be thy prophet;" implying that, since in interpreting Moses' words to Pharaoh, Aaron acted the part of a prophet, Moses would be to Pharaoh as a god, or in the attitude of a god.
(4) Prophets I will treat of in the next chapter, and at present consider prophecy.
(5) Now it is evident, from the definition above given, that prophecy really includes ordinary knowledge; for the knowledge which we acquire by our natural faculties depends on knowledge of God and His eternal laws; but ordinary knowledge is common to all men as men, and rests on foundations which all share, whereas the multitude always strains after rarities and exceptions, and thinks little of the gifts of nature; so that, when prophecy is talked of, ordinary knowledge is not supposed to be included. (6) Nevertheless it has as much right as any other to be called Divine, for God's nature, in so far as we share therein, and God's laws, dictate it to us; nor does it suffer from that to which we give the preeminence, except in so far as the latter transcends its limits and cannot be accounted for by natural laws taken in themselves. (7) In respect to the certainty it involves, and the source from which it is derived, i.e. God, ordinary, knowledge is no whit inferior to prophetic, unless indeed we believe, or rather dream, that the prophets had human bodies but superhuman minds, and therefore that their sensations and consciousness were entirely different from our own.
(8) But, although ordinary knowledge is Divine, its professors cannot be called prophets [Endnote 2], for they teach what the rest of mankind could perceive and apprehend, not merely by simple faith, but as surely and honourably as themselves.
(9) Seeing then that our mind subjectively contains in itself and partakes of the nature of God, and solely from this cause is enabled to form notions explaining natural phenomena and inculcating morality, it follows that we may rightly assert the nature of the human mind (in so far as it is thus conceived) to be a primary cause of Divine revelation. (10) All that we clearly and distinctly understand is dictated to us, as I have just pointed out, by the idea and nature of God; not indeed through words, but in a way far more excellent and agreeing perfectly with the nature of the mind, as all who have enjoyed intellectual certainty will doubtless attest. (11) Here, however, my chief purpose is to speak of matters having reference to Scripture, so these few words on the light of reason will suffice.
(12) I will now pass on to, and treat more fully, the other ways and means by which God makes revelations to mankind, both of that which transcends ordinary knowledge, and of that within its scope; for there is no reason why God should not employ other means to communicate what we know already by the power of reason.
(13) Our conclusions on the subject must be drawn solely from Scripture; for what can we affirm about matters transcending our knowledge except what is told us by the words or writings of prophets? (14) And since there are, so far as I know, no prophets now alive, we have no alternative but to read the books of prophets departed, taking care the while not to reason from metaphor or to ascribe anything to our authors which they do not themselves distinctly state. (15) I must further premise that the Jews never make any mention or account of secondary, or particular causes, but in a spirit of religion, piety, and what is commonly called godliness, refer all things directly to the Deity. (16) For instance if they make money by a transaction, they say God gave it to them; if they desire anything, they say God has disposed their hearts towards it; if they think anything, they say God told them. (17) Hence we must not suppose that everything is prophecy or revelation which is described in Scripture as told by God to anyone, but only such things as are expressly announced as prophecy or revelation, or are plainly pointed to as such by the context.
(18) A perusal of the sacred books will show us that all God's revelations to the prophets were made through words or appearances, or a combination of the two. (19) These words and appearances were of two kinds; 1.- real when external to the mind of the prophet who heard or saw them, 2.- imaginary when the imagination of the prophet was in a state which led him distinctly to suppose that he heard or saw them.
(20) With a real voice God revealed to Moses the laws which He wished to be transmitted to the Hebrews, as we may see from Exodus xxv:22, where God says, "And there I will meet with thee and I will commune with thee from the mercy seat which is between the Cherubim." (21) Some sort of real voice must necessarily have been employed, for Moses found God ready to commune with him at any time. This, as I shall shortly show, is the only instance of a real voice.
(22) We might, perhaps, suppose that the voice with which God called Samuel was real, for in 1 Sam. iii:21, we read, "And the Lord appeared again in Shiloh, for the Lord revealed Himself to Samuel in Shiloh by the word of the Lord;" implying that the appearance of the Lord consisted in His making Himself known to Samuel through a voice; in other words, that Samuel heard the Lord speaking. (23) But we are compelled to distinguish between the prophecies of Moses and those of other prophets, and therefore must decide that this voice was imaginary, a conclusion further supported by the voice's resemblance to the voice of Eli, which Samuel was in the habit of hearing, and therefore might easily imagine; when thrice called by the Lord, Samuel supposed it to have been Eli.
(24) The voice which Abimelech heard was imaginary, for it is written, Gen. xx:6, "And God said unto him in a dream." (25) So that the will of God was manifest to him, not in waking, but only, in sleep, that is, when the imagination is most active and uncontrolled. (26) Some of the Jews believe that the actual words of the Decalogue were not spoken by God, but that the Israelites heard a noise only, without any distinct words, and during its continuance apprehended the Ten Commandments by pure intuition; to this opinion I myself once inclined, seeing that the words of the Decalogue in Exodus are different from the words of the Decalogue in Deuteronomy, for the discrepancy seemed to imply (since God only spoke once) that the Ten Commandments were not intended to convey the actual words of the Lord, but only His meaning. (27) However, unless we would do violence to Scripture, we must certainly admit that the Israelites heard a real voice, for Scripture expressly says, Deut. v:4," God spake with you face to face," i.e. as two men ordinarily interchange ideas through the instrumentality of their two bodies; and therefore it seems more consonant with Holy Writ to suppose that God really did create a voice of some kind with which the Decalogue was revealed. (28) The discrepancy of the two versions is treated of in Chap. VIII.
(29) Yet not even thus is all difficulty removed, for it seems scarcely reasonable to affirm that a created thing, depending on God in the same manner as other created things, would be able to express or explain the nature of God either verbally or really by means of its individual organism: for instance, by declaring in the first person, "I am the Lord your God."
(30) Certainly when anyone says with his mouth, "I understand," we do not attribute the understanding to the mouth, but to the mind of the speaker; yet this is because the mouth is the natural organ of a man speaking, and the hearer, knowing what understanding is, easily comprehends, by a comparison with himself, that the speaker's mind is meant; but if we knew nothing of God beyond the mere name and wished to commune with Him, and be assured of His existence, I fail to see how our wish would be satisfied by the declaration of a created thing (depending on God neither more nor less than ourselves), "I am the Lord." (31) If God contorted the lips of Moses, or, I will not say Moses, but some beast, till they pronounced the words, "I am the Lord," should we apprehend the Lord's existence therefrom?
(32) Scripture seems clearly to point to the belief that God spoke Himself, having descended from heaven to Mount Sinai for the purpose - and not only that the Israelites heard Him speaking, but that their chief men beheld Him (Ex:xxiv.) (33) Further the law of Moses, which might neither be added to nor curtailed, and which was set up as a national standard of right, nowhere prescribed the belief that God is without body, or even without form or figure, but only ordained that the Jews should believe in His existence and worship Him alone: it forbade them to invent or fashion any likeness of the Deity, but this was to insure purity of service; because, never having seen God, they could not by means of images recall the likeness of God, but only the likeness of some created thing which might thus gradually take the place of God as the object of their adoration. (34) Nevertheless, the Bible clearly implies that God has a form, and that Moses when he heard God speaking was permitted to behold it, or at least its hinder parts.
(35) Doubtless some mystery lurks in this question which we will discuss more fully below. (36) For the present I will call attention to the passages in Scripture indicating the means by which God has revealed His laws to man.
(37) Revelation may be through figures only, as in I Chron:xxii., where God displays his anger to David by means of an angel bearing a sword, and also in the story of Balaam.
(38) Maimonides and others do indeed maintain that these and every other instance of angelic apparitions (e.g. to Manoah and to Abraham offering up Isaac) occurred during sleep, for that no one with his eyes open ever could see an angel, but this is mere nonsense. (39) The sole object of such commentators seems to be to extort from Scripture confirmations of Aristotelian quibbles and their own inventions, a proceeding which I regard as the acme of absurdity.
(40) In figures, not real but existing only in the prophet's imagination, God revealed to Joseph his future lordship, and in words and figures He revealed to Joshua that He would fight for the Hebrews, causing to appear an angel, as it were the Captain of the Lord's host, bearing a sword, and by this means communicating verbally. (41) The forsaking of Israel by Providence was portrayed to Isaiah by a vision of the Lord, the thrice Holy, sitting on a very lofty throne, and the Hebrews, stained with the mire of their sins, sunk as it were in uncleanness, and thus as far as possible distant from God. (42) The wretchedness of the people at the time was thus revealed, while future calamities were foretold in words. I could cite from Holy Writ many similar examples, but I think they are sufficiently well known already.
(43) However, we get a still more clear confirmation of our position in Num xii:6,7, as follows: "If there be any prophet among you, I the Lord will make myself known unto him in a vision" (i.e. by appearances and signs, for God says of the prophecy of Moses that it was a vision without signs), "and will speak unto him in a dream " (i.e. not with actual words and an actual voice). (44) "My servant Moses is not so; with him will I speak mouth to mouth, even apparently, and not in dark speeches, and the similitude of the Lord he shall behold," i.e. looking on me as a friend and not afraid, he speaks with me (cf. Ex xxxiii:17).
(45) This makes it indisputable that the other prophets did not hear a real voice, and we gather as much from Deut. xxiv:10: "And there arose not a prophet since in Israel like unto Moses whom the Lord knew face to face," which must mean that the Lord spoke with none other; for not even Moses saw the Lord's face. (46) These are the only media of communication between God and man which I find mentioned in Scripture, and therefore the only ones which may be supposed or invented. (47) We may be able quite to comprehend that God can communicate immediately with man, for without the intervention of bodily means He communicates to our minds His essence; still, a man who can by pure intuition comprehend ideas which are neither contained in nor deducible from the foundations of our natural knowledge, must necessarily possess a mind far superior to those of his fellow men, nor do I believe that any have been so endowed save Christ. (48) To Him the ordinances of God leading men to salvation were revealed directly without words or visions, so that God manifested Himself to the Apostles through the mind of Christ as He formerly did to Moses through the supernatural voice. (49) In this sense the voice of Christ, like the voice which Moses heard, may be called the voice of God, and it may be said that the wisdom of God (,i.e. wisdom more than human) took upon itself in Christ human nature, and that Christ was the way of salvation. (50) I must at this juncture declare that those doctrines which certain churches put forward concerning Christ, I neither affirm nor deny, for I freely confess that I do not understand them. (51) What I have just stated I gather from Scripture, where I never read that God appeared to Christ, or spoke to Christ, but that God was revealed to the Apostles through Christ; that Christ was the Way of Life, and that the old law was given through an angel, and not immediately by God; whence it follows that if Moses spoke with God face to face as a man speaks with his friend (i.e. by means of their two bodies) Christ communed with God mind to mind.
(52) Thus we may conclude that no one except Christ received the revelations of God without the aid of imagination, whether in words or vision. (53) Therefore the power of prophecy implies not a peculiarly perfect mind, but a peculiarly vivid imagination, as I will show more clearly in the next chapter. (54) We will now inquire what is meant in the Bible by the Spirit of God breathed into the prophets, or by the prophets speaking with the Spirit of God; to that end we must determine the exact signification of the Hebrew word roo'-akh, Strong:7307, commonly translated spirit.
(55) The word roo'-akh, Strong:7307, literally means a wind, e..q. the south wind, but it is frequently employed in other derivative significations.
It is used as equivalent to,
(56) (1.) Breath: "Neither is there any spirit in his mouth," Ps. cxxxv:17. (57) (2.) Life, or breathing: "And his spirit returned to him"
1 Sam. xxx:12; i.e. he breathed again.
(58) (3.) Courage and strength: "Neither did there remain any more spirit
in any man," Josh. ii:11; "And the spirit entered into me, and made me stand on my feet," Ezek. ii:2.
(59) (4.) Virtue and fitness: "Days should speak, and multitudes of years
should teach wisdom; but there is a spirit in man,"Job xxxii:7; i.e. wisdom is not always found among old men for I now discover that it depends on individual virtue and capacity. So, "A man in whom is the Spirit," Numbers xxvii:18.
(60) (5.) Habit of mind: "Because he had another spirit with him,"
Numbers xiv:24; i.e. another habit of mind. "Behold I will pour out My Spirit unto you," Prov. i:23.
(61) (6.) Will, purpose, desire, impulse: "Whither the spirit was to go,
they went," Ezek. 1:12; "That cover with a covering, but not of My Spirit," Is. xxx:1; "For the Lord hath poured out on you the spirit of deep sleep," Is. xxix:10; "Then was their spirit softened," Judges viii:3; "He that ruleth his spirit, is better than he that taketh a city," Prov. xvi:32; "He that hath no ru over his own spirit," Prov. xxv:28; "Your spirit as fire shall devour you," Isaiah xxxiii:l.
From the meaning of disposition we get -
(62) (7.) Passions and faculties. A lofty spirit means pride, a lowly spirit
humility, an evil spirit hatred and melancholy. So, too, the expressions spirits of jealousy, fornication, wisdom, counsel, bravery, stand for a jealous, lascivious, wise, prudent, or brave mind (for we Hebrews use substantives in preference to adjectives), or these various qualities.
(63) (8.) The mind itself, or the life: "Yea, they have all one spirit,"
Eccles. iii:19 "The spirit shall return to God Who gave it."
(64) (9.) The quarters of the world (from the winds which blow thence), or
even the side of anything turned towards a particular quarter - Ezek. xxxvii:9; xlii:16, 17, 18, 19, &c.
(65) I have already alluded to the way in which things are referred to God, and said to be of God.
(66) (1.) As belonging to His nature, and being, as it were, part of Him; e.g the power
of God, the eyes of God.
(67) (2.) As under His dominion, and depending on His pleasure; thus the heavens are
called the heavens of the Lord, as being His chariot and habitation. So Nebuchadnezzar is
called the servant of God, Assyria the scourge of God, &c.
(68) (3.) As dedicated to Him, e.g. the Temple of God, a Nazarene of God, the Bread of
(69) (4.) As revealed through the prophets and not through our natural faculties. In this sense the
Mosaic law is called the law of God.
(70) (5.) As being in the superlative degree. Very high mountains are styled the mountains
of God, a very deep sleep, the sleep of God, &c. In this sense we must explain Amos iv:11:
"I have overthrown you as the overthrow of the Lord came upon Sodom and Gomorrah," i.e.
that memorable overthrow, for since God Himself is the Speaker, the passage
cannot well be taken otherwise. The wisdom of Solomon is called the wisdom of God, or
extraordinary. The size of the cedars of Lebanon is alluded to in the Psalmist's
expression, "the cedars of the Lord."
(71) Similarly, if the Jews were at a loss to understand any phenomenon, or were ignorant of its cause, they referred it to God. (72) Thus a storm was termed the chiding of God, thunder and lightning the arrows of God, for it was thought that God kept the winds confined in caves, His treasuries; thus differing merely in name from the Greek wind-god Eolus. (73) In like manner miracles were called works of God, as being especially marvellous; though in reality, of course, all natural events are the works of God, and take place solely by His power. (74) The Psalmist calls the miracles in Egypt the works of God, because the Hebrews found in them a way of safety which they had not looked for, and therefore especially marvelled at.
(75) As, then, unusual natural phenomena are called works of God, and trees of unusual size are called trees of God, we cannot wonder that very strong and tall men, though impious robbers and whoremongers, are in Genesis called sons of God.
(76) This reference of things wonderful to God was not peculiar to the Jews. (77) Pharaoh, on hearing the interpretation of his dream, exclaimed that the mind of the gods was in Joseph. (78) Nebuchadnezzar told Daniel that he possessed the mind of the holy gods; so also in Latin anything well made is often said to be wrought with Divine hands, which is equivalent to the Hebrew phrase, wrought with the hand of God.
(80) We can now very easily understand and explain those passages of Scripture which speak of the Spirit of God. (81) In some places the expression merely means a very strong, dry, and deadly wind, as in Isaiah xl:7, "The grass withereth, the flower fadeth, because the Spirit of the Lord bloweth upon it." (82) Similarly in Gen. i:2: "The Spirit of the Lord moved over the face of the waters." (83) At other times it is used as equivalent to a high courage, thus the spirit of Gideon and of Samson is called the Spirit of the Lord, as being very bold, and prepared for any emergency. (84) Any unusual virtue or power is called the Spirit or Virtue of the Lord, Ex. xxxi:3: "I will fill him (Bezaleel) with the Spirit of the Lord," i.e., as the Bible itself explains, with talent above man's usual endowment. (85) So Isa. xi:2: "And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him," is explained afterwards in the text to mean the spirit of wisdom and understanding, of counsel and might.
(86) The melancholy of Saul is called the melancholy of the Lord, or a very deep melancholy, the persons who applied the term showing that they understood by it nothing supernatural, in that they sent for a musician to assuage it by harp-playing. (87) Again, the "Spirit of the Lord" is used as equivalent to the mind of man, for instance, Job xxvii:3: "And the Spirit of the Lord in my nostrils," the allusion being to Gen. ii:7: "And God breathed into man's nostrils the breath of life." (88) Ezekiel also, prophesying to the dead, says (xxvii:14), "And I will give to you My Spirit, and ye shall live;" i.e. I will restore you to life. (89) In Job xxxiv:14, we read: "If He gather unto Himself His Spirit and breath;" in Gen. vi:3: "My Spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh," i.e. since man acts on the dictates of his body, and not the spirit which I gave him to discern the good, I will let him alone. (90) So, too, Ps. li:12: "Create in me a clean heart, 0 God, and renew a right spirit within me; cast me not away from Thy presence, and take not Thy Holy Spirit from me." (91) It was supposed that sin originated only from the body, and that good impulses come from the mind; therefore the Psalmist invokes the aid of God against the bodily appetites, but prays that the spirit which the Lord, the Holy One, had given him might be renewed. (92) Again, inasmuch as the Bible, in concession to popular ignorance, describes God as having a mind, a heart, emotions - nay, even a body and breath - the expression Spirit of the Lord is used for God's mind, disposition, emotion, strength, or breath. (93) Thus, Isa. xl:13: "Who hath disposed the Spirit of the Lord?" i.e. who, save Himself, hath caused the mind of the Lord to will anything,? and Isa. lxiii:10: "But they rebelled, and vexed the Holy Spirit."
(94) The phrase comes to be used of the law of Moses, which in a sense expounds God's will, Is. lxiii. 11, "Where is He that put His Holy Spirit within him?" meaning, as we clearly gather from the context, the law of Moses. (95) Nehemiah, speaking of the giving of the law, says, i:20, "Thou gavest also thy good Spirit to instruct them." (96) This is referred to in Deut. iv:6, "This is your wisdom and understanding," and in Ps. cxliii:10, "Thy good Spirit will lead me into the land of uprightness." (97) The Spirit of the Lord may mean the breath of the Lord, for breath, no less than a mind, a heart, and a body are attributed to God in Scripture, as in Ps. xxxiii:6. (98) Hence it gets to mean the power, strength, or faculty of God, as in Job xxxiii:4, "The Spirit of the Lord made me," i.e. the power, or, if you prefer, the decree of the Lord. (99) So the Psalmist in poetic language declares, xxxiii:6, "By the word of the Lord were the heavens made, and all the host of them by the breath of His mouth," i.e. by a mandate issued, as it were, in one breath. (100) Also Ps. cxxxix:7, "Wither shall I go from Thy Spirit, or whither shall I flee from Thy presence?" i.e. whither shall I go so as to be beyond Thy power and Thy presence?
(101) Lastly, the Spirit of the Lord is used in Scripture to express the emotions of God, e.g. His kindness and mercy, Micah ii:7, "Is the Spirit [i.e. the mercy] of the Lord straitened? (102) Are these cruelties His doings?" (103) Zech. iv:6, "Not by might or by power, but My Spirit [i.e. mercy], saith the Lord of hosts." (104) The twelfth verse of the seventh chapter of the same prophet must, I think, be interpreted in like manner: "Yea, they made their hearts as an adamant stone, lest they should hear the law, and the words which the Lord of hosts hath sent in His Spirit [i.e. in His mercy] by the former prophets." (105) So also Haggai ii:5: "So My Spirit remaineth among you: fear not."
(106) The passage in Isaiah xlviii:16, "And now the Lord and His Spirit hath sent me," may be taken to refer to God's mercy or His revealed law; for the prophet says, "From the beginning" (i.e. from the time when I first came to you, to preach God's anger and His sentence forth against you) "I spoke not in secret; from the time that it was, there am I," and now I am sent by the mercy of God as a joyful messenger to preach your restoration. (107) Or we may understand him to mean by the revealed law that he had before come to warn them by the command of the law (Levit. xix:17) in the same manner under the same conditions as Moses had warned them, that now, like Moses, he ends by preaching their restoration. (108) But the first explanation seems to me the best.
(109) Returning, then, to the main object of our discussion, we find that the Scriptural phrases, "The Spirit of the Lord was upon a prophet," "The Lord breathed His Spirit into men," "Men were filled with the Spirit of God, with the Holy Spirit," &c., are quite clear to us, and mean that prophets were endowed with a peculiar and extraordinary power, and devoted themselves to piety with especial constancy(3); that thus they perceived the mind or the thought of God, for we have shown that God's Spirit signifies in Hebrew God's mind or thought, and that the law which shows His mind and thought is called His Spirit; hence that the imagination of the prophets, inasmuch as through it were revealed the decrees of God, may equally be called the mind of God, and the prophets be said to have possessed the mind of God. (110) On our minds also the mind of God and His eternal thoughts are impressed; but this being the same for all men is less taken into account, especially by the Hebrews, who claimed a pre-eminence, and despised other men and other men's knowledge.
(111) Lastly, the prophets were said to possess the Spirit of God because men knew not the cause of prophetic knowledge, and in their wonder referred it with other marvels directly to the Deity, styling it Divine knowledge.
(111) We need no longer scruple to affirm that the prophets only perceived God's revelation by the aid of imagination, that is, by words and figures either real or imaginary. (112) We find no other means mentioned in Scripture, and therefore must not invent any. (113) As to the particular law of Nature by which the communications took place, I confess my ignorance. (114) I might, indeed, say as others do, that they took place by the power of God; but this would be mere trifling, and no better than explaining some unique specimen by a transcendental term. (115) Everything takes place by the power of God. (116) Nature herself is the power of God under another name, and our ignorance of the power of God is co-extensive with our ignorance of Nature. (117) It is absolute folly, therefore, to ascribe an event to the power of God when we know not its natural cause, which is the power of God.
(118) However, we are not now inquiring into the causes of prophetic knowledge. (119) We are only attempting, as I have said, to examine the Scriptural documents, and to draw our conclusions from them as from ultimate natural facts; the causes of the documents do not concern us.
(120) As the prophets perceived the revelations of God by the aid of imagination, they could indisputably perceive much that is beyond the boundary of the intellect, for many more ideas can be constructed from words and figures than from the principles and notions on which the whole fabric of reasoned knowledge is reared.
(121) Thus we have a clue to the fact that the prophets perceived nearly everything in parables and allegories, and clothed spiritual truths in bodily forms, for such is the usual method of imagination. (122) We need no longer wonder that Scripture and the prophets speak so strangely and obscurely of God's Spirit or Mind (cf. Numbers xi:17, 1 Kings xxii:21, &c.), that the Lord was seen by Micah as sitting, by Daniel as an old man clothed in white, by Ezekiel as a fire, that the Holy Spirit appeared to those with Christ as a descending dove, to the apostles as fiery tongues, to Paul on his conversion as a great light. (123) All these expressions are plainly in harmony with the current ideas of God and spirits.
(124) Inasmuch as imagination is fleeting and inconstant, we find that the power of prophecy did not remain with a prophet for long, nor manifest itself frequently, but was very rare; manifesting itself only in a few men, and in them not often.
(125)We must necessarily inquire how the prophets became assured of the truth of what they perceived by imagination, and not by sure mental laws; but our investigation must be confined to Scripture, for the subject is one on which we cannot acquire certain knowledge, and which we cannot explain by the immediate causes. (126) Scripture teaching about the assurance of prophets I will treat of in the next chapter.
CHAPTER II. - OF PROPHETS.
(1) It follows from the last chapter that, as I have said, the prophets were endowed with unusually vivid imaginations, and not with unusually, perfect minds. (2) This conclusion is amply sustained by Scripture, for we are told that Solomon was the wisest of men, but had no special faculty of prophecy. (3) Heman, Calcol, and Dara, though men of great talent, were not prophets, whereas uneducated countrymen, nay, even women, such as Hagar, Abraham's handmaid, were thus gifted. (4) Nor is this contrary to ordinary experience and reason. (5) Men of great imaginative power are less fitted for abstract reasoning, whereas those who excel in intellect and its use keep their imagination more restrained and controlled, holding it in subjection, so to speak, lest it should usurp the place of reason.
(6) Thus to suppose that knowledge of natural and spiritual phenomena can be gained from the prophetic books, is an utter mistake, which I shall endeavour to expose, as I think philosophy, the age, and the question itself demand. (7) I care not for the girdings of superstition, for superstition is the bitter enemy, of all true knowledge and true morality. (8) Yes; it has come to this! (9) Men who openly confess that they can form no idea of God, and only know Him through created things, of which they know not the causes, can unblushingly, accuse philosophers of Atheism. (10) Treating the question methodically, I will show that prophecies varied, not only according to the imagination and physical temperament of the prophet, but also according to his particular opinions; and further that prophecy never rendered the prophet wiser than he was before. (11) But I will first discuss the assurance of truth which the prophets received, for this is akin to the subject-matter of the chapter, and will serve to elucidate somewhat our present point.
(12) Imagination does not, in its own nature, involve any certainty of truth, such as is implied in every clear and distinct idea, but requires some extrinsic reason to assure us of its objective reality: hence prophecy cannot afford certainty, and the prophets were assured of God's revelation by some sign, and not by the fact of revelation, as we may see from Abraham, who, when he had heard the promise of God, demanded a sign, not because he did not believe in God, but because he wished to be sure that it was God Who made the promise. (13) The fact is still more evident in the case of Gideon: "Show me," he says to God, "show me a sign, that I may know that it is Thou that talkest with me." (14) God also says to Moses: "And let this be a sign that I have sent thee." (15) Hezekiah, though he had long known Isaiah to be a prophet, none the less demanded a sign of the cure which he predicted. (15) It is thus quite evident that the prophets always received some sign to certify them of their prophetic imaginings; and for this reason Moses bids the Jews (Deut. xviii.) ask of the prophets a sign, namely, the prediction of some coming event. (16) In this respect, prophetic knowledge is inferior to natural knowledge, which needs no sign, and in itself implies certitude. (17) Moreover, Scripture warrants the statement that the certitude of the prophets was not mathematical, but moral. (18) Moses lays down the punishment of death for the prophet who preaches new gods, even though he confirm his doctrine by signs and wonders (Deut. xiii.); "For," he says, "the Lord also worketh signs and wonders to try His people." (19) And Jesus Christ warns His disciples of the same thing (Matt. xxiv:24). (20) Furthermore, Ezekiel (xiv:9) plainly states that God sometimes deceives men with false revelations; and Micaiah bears like witness in the case of the prophets of Ahab.
(21) Although these instances go to prove that revelation is open to doubt, it nevertheless contains, as we have said, a considerable element of certainty, for God never deceives the good, nor His chosen, but (according to the ancient proverb, and as appears in the history of Abigail and her speech), God uses the good as instruments of goodness, and the wicked as means to execute His wrath. (22) This may be seen from the case of Micaiah above quoted; for although God had determined to deceive Ahab, through prophets, He made use of lying prophets; to the good prophet He revealed the truth, and did not forbid his proclaiming it.
(23) Still the certitude of prophecy, remains, as I have said, merely, moral; for no one can justify himself before God, nor boast that he is an instrument for God's goodness. (24) Scripture itself teaches and shows that God led away David to number the people, though it bears ample witness to David's piety.
(25) The whole question of the certitude of prophecy, was based on these three considerations: 1. That the things revealed were imagined very vividly, affecting the prophets in the same way as things seen when awake;
2. The presence of a sign;
3. Lastly, and chiefly, that the mind of the prophet was given wholly, to what was right and good.
(26) Although Scripture does not always make mention of a sign, we must nevertheless suppose that a sign was always vouchsafed; for Scripture does not always relate every, condition and circumstance (as many, have remarked), but rather takes them for granted. (27) We may, however, admit that no sign was needed when the prophecy declared nothing that was not already contained in the law of Moses, because it was confirmed by that law. (28) For instance, Jeremiah's prophecy, of the destruction of Jerusalem was confirmed by the prophecies of other prophets, and by the threats in the law, and, therefore, it needed no sign ; whereas Hananiah, who, contrary to all the prophets, foretold the speedy restoration of the state, stood in need of a sign, or he would have been in doubt as to the truth of his prophecy, until it was confirmed by facts. (29) "The prophet which prophesieth of peace, when the word of the prophet shall come to pass, then shall the prophet be known that the Lord hath truly sent him."
(30) As, then, the certitude afforded to the prophet by signs was not mathematical (i.e. did not necessarily follow from the perception of the thing perceived or seen), but only moral, and as the signs were only given to convince the prophet, it follows that such signs were given according to the opinions and capacity of each prophet, so that a sign which convince one prophet would fall far short of convincing another who was imbued with different opinions. (31) Therefore the signs varied according to the individual prophet.
(32) So also did the revelation vary, as we have stated, according to individual disposition and temperament, and according to the opinions previously held.
(33) It varied according to disposition, in this way: if a prophet was cheerful, victories, peace, and events which make men glad, were revealed to him; in that he was naturally more likely to imagine such things. (34) If, on the contrary, he was melancholy, wars, massacres, and calamities were revealed; and so, according as a prophet was merciful, gentle, quick to anger, or severe, he was more fitted for one kind of revelation than another. (35) It varied according to the temper of imagination in this way: if a prophet was cultivated he perceived the mind of God in a cultivated way, if he was confused he perceived it confusedly. (36) And so with revelations perceived through visions. (37) If a prophet was a countryman he saw visions of oxen, cows, and the like; if he was a soldier, he saw generals and armies; if a courtier, a royal throne, and so on.
(38) Lastly, prophecy varied according to the opinions held by the prophets; for instance, to the Magi, who believed in the follies of astrology, the birth of Christ was revealed through the vision of a star in the East. (39) To the augurs of Nebuchadnezzar the destruction of Jerusalem was revealed through entrails, whereas the king himself inferred it from oracles and the direction of arrows which he shot into the air. (40) To prophets who believed that man acts from free choice and by his own power, God was revealed as standing apart from and ignorant of future human actions. (41) All of which we will illustrate from Scripture.
(42) The first point is proved from the case of Elisha, who, in order to prophecy to Jehoram, asked for a harp, and was unable to perceive the Divine purpose till he had been recreated by its music; then, indeed, he prophesied to Jehoram and to his allies glad tidings, which previously he had been unable to attain to because he was angry with the king, and these who are angry with anyone can imagine evil of him, but not good. (43) The theory that God does not reveal Himself to the angry or the sad, is a mere dream: for God revealed to Moses while angry, the terrible slaughter of the firstborn, and did so without the intervention of a harp. (44) To Cain in his rage, God was revealed, and to Ezekiel, impatient with anger, was revealed the contumacy and wretchedness of the Jews. (45) Jeremiah, miserable and weary of life, prophesied the disasters of the Hebrews, so that Josiah would not consult him, but inquired of a woman, inasmuch as it was more in accordance with womanly nature that God should reveal His mercy thereto. (46) So, Micaiah never prophesied good to Ahab, though other true prophets had done so, but invariably evil. (46) Thus we see that individual prophets were by temperament more fitted for one sort of revelation than another.
(47) The style of the prophecy also varied according to the eloquence of the individual prophet. (48) The prophecies of Ezekiel and Amos are not written in a cultivated style like those of Isaiah and Nahum, but more rudely. (49) Any Hebrew scholar who wishes to inquire into this point more closely, and compares chapters of the different prophets treating of the same subject, will find great dissimilarity of style. (50) Compare, for instance, chap. i. of the courtly Isaiah, verse 11 to verse 20, with chap. v. of the countryman Amos, verses 21-24. (51) Compare also the order and reasoning of the prophecies of Jeremiah, written in Idumaea (chap. xhx.), with the order and reasoning of Obadiah. (52) Compare, lastly, Isa. xl:19, 20, and xliv:8, with Hosea viii:6, and xiii:2. And so on.
(53) A due consideration of these passage will clearly show us that God has no particular style in speaking, but, according to the learning and capacity of the prophet, is cultivated, compressed, severe, untutored, prolix, or obscure.
(54) There was, moreover, a certain variation in the visions vouchsafed to the prophets, and in the symbols by which they expressed them, for Isaiah saw the glory of the Lord departing from the Temple in a different form from that presented to Ezekiel. (55) The Rabbis, indeed, maintain that both visions were really the same, but that Ezekiel, being a countryman, was above measure impressed by it, and therefore set it forth in full detail; but unless there is a trustworthy tradition on the subject, which I do not for a moment believe, this theory is plainly an invention. Isaiah saw seraphim with six wings, Ezekiel beasts with four wings; Isaiah saw God clothed and sitting on a royal throne, Ezekiel saw Him in the likeness of a fire; each doubtless saw God under the form in which he usually imagined Him.
(56) Further, the visions varied in clearness as well as in details; for the revelations of Zechariah were too obscure to be understood by the prophet without explanation, as appears from his narration of them; the visions of Daniel could not be understood by him even after they had been explained, and this obscurity did not arise from the difficulty of the matter revealed (for being merely human affairs, these only transcended human capacity in being future), but solely in the fact that Daniel's imagination was not so capable for prophecy while he was awake as while he was asleep; and this is further evident from the fact that at the very beginning of the vision he was so terrified that he almost despaired of his strength. (57) Thus, on account of the inadequacy of his imagination and his strength, the things revealed were so obscure to him that he could not understand them even after they had been explained. (58) Here we may note that the words heard by Daniel, were, as we have shown above, simply imaginary, so that it is hardly wonderful that in his frightened state he imagined them so confusedly and obscurely that afterwards he could make nothing of them. (59) Those who say that God did not wish to make a clear revelation, do not seem to have read the words of the angel, who expressly says that he came to make the prophet understand what should befall his people in the latter days (Dan. x:14).
(60) The revelation remained obscure because no one was found, at that time, with imagination sufficiently strong to conceive it more clearly. (61) Lastly, the prophets, to whom it was revealed that God would take away Elijah, wished to persuade Elisha that he had been taken somewhere where they would find him; showing sufficiently clearly that they had not understood God's revelation aright.
(62) There is no need to set this out more amply, for nothing is more plain in the Bible than that God endowed some prophets with far greater gifts of prophecy than others. (63) But I will show in greater detail and length, for I consider the point more important, that the prophecies varied according to the opinions previously embraced by the prophets, and that the prophets held diverse and even contrary opinions and prejudices. (64) (I speak, be it understood, solely of matters speculative, for in regard to uprightness and morality the case is widely different.) (65) From thence I shall conclude that prophecy never rendered the prophets more learned, but left them with their former opinions, and that we are, therefore, not at all bound to trust them in matters of intellect.
(66) Everyone has been strangely hasty in affirming that the prophets knew everything within the scope of human intellect; and, although certain passages of Scripture plainly affirm that the prophets were in certain respects ignorant, such persons would rather say that they do not understand the passages than admit that there was anything which the prophets did not know; or else they try to wrest the Scriptural words away from their evident meaning.
(67) If either of these proceedings is allowable we may as well shut our Bibles, for vainly shall we attempt to prove anything from them if their plainest passages may be classed among obscure and impenetrable mysteries, or if we may put any interpretation on them which we fancy. (68) For instance, nothing is more clear in the Bible than that Joshua, and perhaps also the author who wrote his history, thought that the sun revolves round the earth, and that the earth is fixed, and further that the sun for a certain period remained still. (69) Many, who will not admit any movement in the heavenly bodies, explain away the passage till it seems to mean something quite different; others, who have learned to philosophize more correctly, and understand that the earth moves while the sun is still, or at any rate does not revolve round the earth, try with all their might to wrest this meaning from Scripture, though plainly nothing of the sort is intended. (70) Such quibblers excite my wonder! (71) Are we, forsooth, bound to believe that Joshua the Soldier was a learned astronomer? or that a miracle could not be revealed to him, or that the light of the sun could not remain longer than usual above the horizon, without his knowing the cause? (72) To me both alternatives appear ridiculous, and therefore I would rather say, that Joshua was ignorant of the true cause of the lengthened day, and that he and the whole host with him thought that the sun moved round the earth every day, and that on that particular occasion it stood still for a time, thus causing the light to remain longer; and I would say, that they did not conjecture that, from the amount of snow in the air (see Josh. x:11), the refraction may have been greater than usual, or that there may have been some other cause which we will not now inquire into.
(73) So also the sign of the shadow going back was revealed to Isaiah according to his understanding; that is, as proceeding from a going backwards of the sun; for he, too, thought that the sun moves and that the earth is still; of parhelia he perhaps never even dreamed. (74) We may arrive at this conclusion without any, scruple, for the sign could really have come to pass, and have been predicted by Isaiah to the king, without the prophet being aware of the real cause.
(75) With regard to the building of the Temple by Solomon, if it was really dictate by God we must maintain the same doctrine: namely, that all the measurements were revealed according to the opinions and understanding of the king; for as we are not bound to believe that Solomon was a mathematician, we may affirm that he was ignorant of the true ratio between the circumference and the diameter of a circle, and that, like the generality of workmen, he thought that it was as three to one. (76) But if it is allowable to declare that we do not understand the passage, in good sooth I know nothing in the Bible that we can understand; for the process of building is there narrated simply and as a mere matter of history. (77) If, again, it is permitted to pretend that the passage has another meaning, and was written as it is from some reason unknown to us, this is no less than a complete subversal of the Bible; for every absurd and evil invention of human perversity could thus, without detriment to Scriptural authority, be defended and fostered. (78) Our conclusion is in no wise impious, for though Solomon, Isaiah, Joshua, &c. were prophets, they were none the less men, and as such not exempt from human shortcomings.
(79) According to the understanding of Noah it was revealed to him that God as about to destroy the whole human race, for Noah thought that beyond the limits of Palestine the world was not inhabited.
(80) Not only in matters of this kind, but in others more important, the about the Divine attributes, but held quite ordinary notions about God, and to these notions their revelations were adapted, as I will demonstrate by ample Scriptural testimony; from all which one may easily see that they were praised and commended, not so much for the sublimity and eminence of their intellect as for their piety and faithfulness.
(81) Adam, the first man to whom God was revealed, did not know that He is omnipotent and omniscient; for he hid himself from Him, and attempted to make excuses for his fault before God, as though he had had to do with a man; therefore to him also was God revealed according to his understanding - that is, as being unaware of his situation or his sin, for Adam heard, or seemed to hear, the Lord walling, in the garden, calling him and asking him where he was; and then, on seeing his shamefacedness, asking him whether he had eaten of the forbidden fruit. (82) Adam evidently only knew the Deity as the Creator of all things. (83) To Cain also God was revealed, according to his understanding, as ignorant of human affairs, nor was a higher conception of the Deity required for repentance of his sin.
(83) To Laban the Lord revealed Himself as the God of Abraham, because Laban believed that each nation had its own special divinity (see Gen. xxxi:29). (84) Abraham also knew not that God is omnipresent, and has foreknowledge of all things; for when he heard the sentence against the inhabitants of Sodom, he prayed that the Lord should not execute it till He had ascertained whether they all merited such punishment; for he said (see Gen. xviii:24), "Peradventure there be fifty righteous within the city," and in accordance with this belief God was revealed to him; as Abraham imagined, He spake thus: "I will go down now, and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it which is come unto Me; and, if not, I will know." (85) Further, the Divine testimony concerning Abraham asserts nothing but that he was obedient, and that he "commanded his household after him that they should keep the way of the Lord" (Gen. xviii:19); it does not state that he held sublime conceptions of the Deity.
(86) Moses, also, was not sufficiently aware that God is omniscient, and directs human actions by His sole decree, for although God Himself says that the Israelites should hearken to Him, Moses still considered the matter doubtful and repeated, "But if they will not believe me, nor hearken unto my voice." (87) To him in like manner God was revealed as taking no part in, and as being ignorant of, future human actions: the Lord gave him two signs and said, "And it shall come to pass that if they will not believe thee, neither hearken to the voice of the first sign, that they will believe the voice of the latter sign; but if not, thou shalt take of the water of the river," &c. (88) Indeed, if any one considers without prejudice the recorded opinions of Moses, he will plainly see that Moses conceived the Deity as a Being Who has always existed, does exist, and always will exist, and for this cause he calls Him by the name Jehovah, which in Hebrew signifies these three phases of existence: as to His nature, Moses only taught that He is merciful, gracious, and exceeding jealous, as appears from many passages in the Pentateuch. (89) Lastly, he believed and taught that this Being was so different from all other beings, that He could not be expressed by the image of any visible thing; also, that He could not be looked upon, and that not so much from inherent impossibility as from human infirmity; further, that by reason of His power He was without equal and unique. (90) Moses admitted, indeed, that there were beings (doubtless by the plan and command of the Lord) who acted as God's vicegerents - that is, beings to whom God had given the right, authority, and power to direct nations, and to provide and care for them; but he taught that this Being Whom they were bound to obey was the highest and Supreme God, or (to use the Hebrew phrase) God of gods, and thus in the song (Exod. xv:11) he exclaims, "Who is like unto Thee, 0 Lord, among the gods?" and Jethro says (Exod. xviii:11), "Now I know that the Lord is greater than all gods." (91) That is to say, "I am at length compelled to admit to Moses that Jehovah is greater than all gods, and that His power is unrivalled." (92) We must remain in doubt whether Moses thought that these beings who acted as God's vicegerents were created by Him, for he has stated nothing, so far as we know, about their creation and origin. (93) He further taught that this Being had brought the visible world into order from Chaos, and had given Nature her germs, and therefore that He possesses supreme right and power over all things; further, that by reason of this supreme right and power He had chosen for Himself alone the Hebrew nation and a certain strip of territory, and had handed over to the care of other gods substituted by Himself the rest of the nations and territories, and that therefore He was called the God of Israel and the God of Jerusalem, whereas the other gods were called the gods of the Gentiles. (94) For this reason the Jews believed that the strip of territory which God had chosen for Himself, demanded a Divine worship quite apart and different from the worship which obtained elsewhere, and that the Lord would not suffer the worship of other gods adapted to other countries. (95) Thus they thought that the people whom the king of Assyria had brought into Judaea were torn in pieces by lions because they knew not the worship of the National Divinity (2 Kings xvii:25).
(96) Jacob, according to Aben Ezra's opinion, therefore admonished his sons when he wished them to seek out a new country, that they should prepare themselves for a new worship, and lay aside the worship of strange, gods - that is, of the gods of the land where they were (Gen. xxxv:2, 3).
(97) David, in telling Saul that he was compelled by the king's persecution to live away from his country, said that he was driven out from the heritage of the Lord, and sent to worship other gods (1 Sam. xxvi:19). (98) Lastly, he believed that this Being or Deity had His habitation in the heavens (Deut. xxxiii:27), an opinion very common among the Gentiles.
(99) If we now examine the revelations to Moses, we shall find that they were accommodated to these opinions; as he believed that the Divine Nature was subject to the conditions of mercy, graciousness, &c., so God was revealed to him in accordance with his idea and under these attributes (see Exodus xxxiv:6, 7, and the second commandment). (100) Further it is related (Ex. xxxiii:18) that Moses asked of God that he might behold Him, but as Moses (as we have said) had formed no mental image of God, and God (as I have shown) only revealed Himself to the prophets in accordance with the disposition of their imagination, He did not reveal Himself in any form. (101) This, I repeat, was because the imagination of Moses was unsuitable, for other prophets bear witness that they saw the Lord; for instance, Isaiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, &c. (102) For this reason God answered Moses, "Thou canst not see My face;" and inasmuch as Moses believed that God can be looked upon - that is, that no contradiction of the Divine nature is therein involved (for otherwise he would never have preferred his request) - it is added, "For no one shall look on Me and live," thus giving a reason in accordance with Moses' idea, for it is not stated that a contradiction of the Divine nature would be involved, as was really the case, but that the thing would not come to pass because of human infirmity.
(103) When God would reveal to Moses that the Israelites, because they worshipped the calf, were to be placed in the same category as other nations, He said (ch. xxxiii:2, 3), that He would send an angel (that is, a being who should have charge of the Israelites, instead of the Supreme Being), and that He Himself would no longer remain among them; thus leaving Moses no ground for supposing that the Israelites were more beloved by God than the other nations whose guardianship He had entrusted to other beings or angels (vide verse 16).
(104) Lastly, as Moses believed that God dwelt in the heavens, God was revealed to him as coming down from heaven on to a mountain, and in order to talk with the Lord Moses went up the mountain, which he certainly need not have done if he could have conceived of God as omnipresent.
(105) The Israelites knew scarcely anything of God, although He was revealed to them; and this is abundantly evident from their transferring, a few days afterwards, the honour and worship due to Him to a calf, which they believed to be the god who had brought them out of Egypt. (106) In truth, it is hardly likely that men accustomed to the superstitions of Egypt, uncultivated and sunk in most abject slavery, should have held any sound notions about the Deity, or that Moses should have taught them anything beyond a rule of right living; inculcating it not like a philosopher, as the result of freedom, but like a lawgiver compelling them to be moral by legal authority. (107) Thus the rule of right living, the worship and love of God, was to them rather a bondage than the true liberty, the gift and grace of the Deity. (108) Moses bid them love God and keep His law, because they had in the past received benefits from Him (such as the deliverance from slavery in Egypt), and further terrified them with threats if they transgressed His commands, holding out many promises of good if they should observe them; thus treating them as parents treat irrational children. It is, therefore, certain that they knew not the excellence of virtue and the true happiness.
(109) Jonah thought that he was fleeing from the sight of God, which seems to show that he too held that God had entrusted the care of the nations outside Judaea to other substituted powers. (110) No one in the whole of the Old Testament speaks more rationally of God than Solomon, who in fact surpassed all the men of his time in natural ability. (111) Yet he considered himself above the law (esteeming it only to have been given for men without reasonable and intellectual grounds for their actions), and made small account of the laws concerning kings, which are mainly three: nay, he openly violated them (in this he did wrong, and acted in a manner unworthy of a philosopher, by indulging in sensual pleasure), and taught that all Fortune's favours to mankind are vanity, that humanity has no nobler gift than wisdom, and no greater punishment than folly.
(112) See Proverbs xvi:22, 23.
(113) But let us return to the prophets whose conflicting opinions we have undertaken to note. (114) The expressed ideas of Ezekiel seemed so diverse from those of Moses to the Rabbis who have left us the extant prophetic books (as is told in the treatise of Sabbathus, i:13, 2), that they had serious thoughts of omitting his prophecy from the canon, and would doubtless have thus excluded it if a certain Hananiah had not undertaken to explain it; a task which (as is there narrated) he with great zeal and labour accomplished. (115) How he did so does not sufficiently appear, whether it was by writing a commentary which has now perished, or by altering Ezekiel's words and audaciously - striking out phrases according to his fancy. (116) However this may be, chapter xviii. certainly does not seem to agree with Exodus xxxiv:7, Jeremiah xxxii:18, &c.
(117 ) Samuel believed that the Lord never repented of anything He had decreed (1 Sam. xv:29), for when Saul was sorry for his sin, and wished to worship God and ask for forgiveness, Samuel said that the Lord would not go back from his decree.
(118) To Jeremiah, on the other hand, it was revealed that, "If that nation against whom I (the Lord) have pronounced, turn from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them. (119) If it do evil in my sight, that it obey not my voice, then I will repent of the good wherewith I said I would benefit them" (Jer. xviii:8-10). (120) Joel (ii:13) taught that the Lord repented Him only of evil. (121) Lastly, it is clear from Gen iv: 7 that a man can overcome the temptations of sin, and act righteously; for this doctrine is told to Cain, though, as we learn from Josephus and the Scriptures, he never did so overcome them. (122) And this agrees with the chapter of Jeremiah just cited, for it is there said that the Lord repents of the good or the evil pronounced, if the men in question change their ways and manner of life. (123) But, on the other hand, Paul (Rom.ix:10) teaches as plainly as possible that men have no control over the temptations of the flesh save by the special vocation and grace of God. (124) And when (Rom. iii:5 and vi:19) he attributes righteousness to man, he corrects himself as speaking merely humanly and through the infirmity of the flesh.
(125) We have now more than sufficiently proved our point, that God adapted revelations to the understanding and opinions of the prophets, and that in matters of theory without bearing on charity or morality the prophets could be, and, in fact, were, ignorant, and held conflicting opinions. (126) It therefore follows that we must by no means go to the prophets for knowledge, either of natural or of spiritual phenomena.
(127) We have determined, then, that we are only bound to believe in the prophetic writings, the object and substance of the revelation; with regard to the details, every one may believe or not, as he likes.
(128) For instance, the revelation to Cain only teaches us that God admonished him to lead the true life, for such alone is the object and substance of the revelation, not doctrines concerning free will and philosophy. (129) Hence, though the freedom of the will is clearly implied in the words of the admonition, we are at liberty to hold a contrary opinion, since the words and reasons were adapted to the understanding of Cain.
(130) So, too, the revelation to Micaiah would only teach that God revealed to him the true issue of the battle between Ahab and Aram; and this is all we are bound to believe. (131) Whatever else is contained in the revelation concerning the true and the false Spirit of God, the army of heaven standing on the right hand and on the left, and all the other details, does not affect us at all. (132) Everyone may believe as much of it as his reason allows.
(132) The reasonings by which the Lord displayed His power to Job (if they really were a revelation, and the author of the history is narrating, and not merely, as some suppose, rhetorically adorning his own conceptions), would come under the same category - that is, they were adapted to Job's understanding, for the purpose of convincing him, and are not universal, or for the convincing of all men.
(133) We can come to no different conclusion with respect to the reasonings of Christ, by which He convicted the Pharisees of pride and ignorance, and exhorted His disciples to lead the true life. (134) He adapted them to each man's opinions and principles. (135) For instance, when He said to the Pharisees (Matt. xii:26), "And if Satan cast out devils, his house is divided against itself, how then shall his kingdom stand? (136) "He only wished to convince the Pharisees according, to their own principles, not to teach that there are devils, or any kingdom of devils. (137) So, too, when He said to His disciples (Matt. viii:10), "See that ye despise not one of these little ones, for I say unto you that their angels," &c., He merely desired to warn them against pride and despising any of their fellows, not to insist on the actual reason given, which was simply adopted in order to persuade them more easily.
(138) Lastly, we should say, exactly the same of the apostolic signs and reasonings, but there is no need to go further into the subject. (139) If I were to enumerate all the passages of Scripture addressed only to individuals, or to a particular man's understanding, and which cannot, without great danger to philosophy, be defended as Divine doctrines, I should go far beyond the brevity at which I aim. (140) Let it suffice, then, to have indicated a few instances of general application, and let the curious reader consider others by himself. (141) Although the points we have just raised concerning prophets and prophecy are the only ones which have any direct bearing on the end in view, namely, the separation of Philosophy from Theology, still, as I have touched on the general question, I may here inquire whether the gift of prophecy was peculiar to the Hebrews, or whether it was common to all nations. (142) I must then come to a conclusion about the vocation of the Hebrews, all of which I shall do in the ensuing chapter.
CHAPTER III. OF THE VOCATION OF THE HEBREWS, AND
WHETHER THE GIFT OF PROPHECY WAS PECULIAR TO THEM.
(1) Every man's true happiness and blessedness consist solely in the enjoyment of what is good, not in the pride that he alone is enjoying it, to the exclusion of others. (2) He who thinks himself the more blessed because he is enjoying benefits which others are not, or because he is more blessed or more fortunate than his fellows, is ignorant of true happiness and blessedness, and the joy which he feels is either childish or envious and malicious. (3) For instance, a man's true happiness consists only in wisdom, and the knowledge of the truth, not at all in the fact that he is wiser than others, or that others lack such knowledge: such considerations do not increase his wisdom or true happiness.
(4) Whoever, therefore, rejoices for such reasons, rejoices in another's misfortune, and is, so far, malicious and bad, knowing neither true happiness nor the peace of the true life.
(5) When Scripture, therefore, in exhorting the Hebrews to obey the law, says that the Lord has chosen them for Himself before other nations (Deut. x:15); that He is near them, but not near others (Deut. iv:7); that to them alone He has given just laws (Deut. iv:8); and, lastly, that He has marked them out before others (Deut. iv:32); it speaks only according to the understanding of its hearers, who, as we have shown in the last chapter, and as Moses also testifies (Deut. ix:6, 7), knew not true blessedness. (6) For in good sooth they would have been no less blessed if God had called all men equally to salvation, nor would God have been less present to them for being equally present to others; their laws, would have been no less just if they had been ordained for all, and they themselves would have been no less wise. (7) The miracles would have shown God's power no less by being wrought for other nations also; lastly, the Hebrews would have been just as much bound to worship God if He had bestowed all these gifts equally on all men.
(8) When God tells Solomon (1 Kings iii:12) that no one shall be as wise as he in time to come, it seems to be only a manner of expressing surpassing wisdom; it is little to be believed that God would have promised Solomon, for his greater happiness, that He would never endow anyone with so much wisdom in time to come; this would in no wise have increased Solomon's intellect, and the wise king would have given equal thanks to the Lord if everyone had been gifted with the same faculties.
(9) Still, though we assert that Moses, in the passages of the Pentateuch just cited, spoke only according to the understanding of the Hebrews, we have no wish to deny that God ordained the Mosaic law for them alone, nor that He spoke to them alone, nor that they witnessed marvels beyond those which happened to any other nation; but we wish to emphasize that Moses desired to admonish the Hebrews in such a manner, and with such reasonings as would appeal most forcibly to their childish understanding, and constrain them to worship the Deity. (10) Further, we wished to show that the Hebrews did not surpass other nations in knowledge, or in piety, but evidently in some attribute different from these; or (to speak like the Scriptures, according to their understanding), that the Hebrews were not chosen by God before others for the sake of the true life and sublime ideas, though they were often thereto admonished, but with some other object. (11) What that object was, I will duly show.
(12) But before I begin, I wish in a few words to explain what I mean by the guidance of God, by the help of God, external and inward, and, lastly, what I understand by fortune.
(13) By the help of God, I mean the fixed and unchangeable order of nature or the chain of natural events: for I have said before and shown elsewhere that the universal laws of nature, according to which all things exist and are determined, are only another name for the eternal decrees of God, which always involve eternal truth and necessity.
(14) So that to say that everything happens according to natural laws, and to say that everything is ordained by the decree and ordinance of God, is the same thing. (15) Now since the power in nature is identical with the power of God, by which alone all things happen and are determined, it follows that whatsoever man, as a part of nature, provides himself with to aid and preserve his existence, or whatsoever nature affords him without his help, is given to him solely by the Divine power, acting either through human nature or through external circumstance. (16) So whatever human nature can furnish itself with by its own efforts to preserve its existence, may be fitly called the inward aid of God, whereas whatever else accrues to man's profit from outward causes may be called the external aid of God.
(17) We can now easily understand what is meant by the election of God. (18) For since no one can do anything save by the predetermined order of nature, that is by God's eternal ordinance and decree, it follows that no one can choose a plan of life for himself, or accomplish any work save by God's vocation choosing him for the work or the plan of life in question, rather than any other. (19) Lastly, by fortune, I mean the ordinance of God in so far as it directs human life through external and unexpected means. (20) With these preliminaries I return to my purpose of discovering the reason why the Hebrews were said to be elected by God before other nations, and with the demonstration I thus proceed.
(21) All objects of legitimate desire fall, generally speaking, under one of these three categories:
1. The knowledge of things through their primary causes. 2. The government of the passions, or the acquirement of the habit of virtue.
3. Secure and healthy life.
(22) The means which most directly conduce towards the first two of these ends, and which may be considered their proximate and efficient causes are contained in human nature itself, so that their acquisition hinges only on our own power, and on the laws of human nature. (23) It may be concluded that these gifts are not peculiar to any nation, but have always been shared by the whole human race, unless, indeed, we would indulge the dream that nature formerly created men of different kinds. (24) But the means which conduce to security and health are chiefly in external circumstance, and are called the gifts of fortune because they depend chiefly on objective causes of which we are ignorant; for a fool may be almost as liable to happiness or unhappiness as a wise man. (25) Nevertheless, human management and watchfulness can greatly assist towards living in security and warding off the injuries of our fellow-men, and even of beasts. (26) Reason and experience show no more certain means of attaining this object than the formation of a society with fixed laws, the occupation of a strip of territory and the concentration of all forces, as it were, into one body, that is the social body. (27) Now for forming and preserving a society, no ordinary ability and care is required: that society will be most secure, most stable, and least liable to reverses, which is founded and directed by far-seeing and careful men; while, on the other hand, a society constituted by men without trained skill, depends in a great measure on fortune, and is less constant. (28) If, in spite of all, such a society lasts a long time, it is owing to some other directing influence than its own; if it overcomes great perils and its affairs prosper, it will perforce marvel at and adore the guiding Spirit of God (in so far, that is, as God works through hidden means, and not through the nature and mind of man), for everything happens to it unexpectedly and contrary to anticipation, it may even be said and thought to be by miracle. (29) Nations, then, are distinguished from one another in respect to the social organization and the laws under which they live and are governed; the Hebrew nation was not chosen by God in respect to its wisdom nor its tranquillity of mind, but in respect to its social organization and the good fortune with which it obtained supremacy and kept it so many years. (30) This is abundantly clear from Scripture. Even a cursory perusal will show us that the only respects in which the Hebrews surpassed other nations, are in their successful conduct of matters relating to government, and in their surmounting great perils solely by God's external aid; in other ways they were on a par with their fellows, and God was equally gracious to all. (31) For in respect to intellect (as we have shown in the last chapter) they held very ordinary ideas about God and nature, so that they cannot have been God's chosen in this respect; nor were they so chosen in respect of virtue and the true life, for here again they, with the exception of a very few elect, were on an equality with other nations: therefore their choice and vocation consisted only in the temporal happiness and advantages of independent rule. (32) In fact, we do not see that God promised anything beyond this to the patriarchs [Endnote 4] or their successors; in the law no other reward is offered for obedience than the continual happiness of an independent commonwealth and other goods of this life; while, on the other hand, against contumacy and the breaking of the covenant is threatened the downfall of the commonwealth and great hardships. (33) Nor is this to be wondered at; for the ends of every social organization and commonwealth are (as appears from what we have said, and as we will explain more at length hereafter) security and comfort; a commonwealth can only exist by the laws being binding on all. (34) If all the members of a state wish to disregard the law, by that very fact they dissolve the state and destroy the commonwealth. (35) Thus, the only reward which could be promised to the Hebrews for continued obedience to the law was security [Endnote 5] and its attendant advantages, while no surer punishment could be threatened for disobedience, than the ruin of the state and the evils which generally follow therefrom, in addition to such further consequences as might accrue to the Jews in particular from the ruin of their especial state. (36) But there is no need here to go into this point at more length. (37) I will only add that the laws of the Old Testament were revealed and ordained to the Jews only, for as God chose them in respect to the special constitution of their society and government, they must, of course, have had special laws. (38) Whether God ordained special laws for other nations also, and revealed Himself to their lawgivers prophetically, that is, under the attributes by which the latter were accustomed to imagine Him, I cannot sufficiently determine. (39) It is evident from Scripture itself that other nations acquired supremacy and particular laws by the external aid of God; witness only the two following passages:
(40) In Genesis xiv:18, 19, 20, it is related that Melchisedek was king of Jerusalem and priest of the Most High God, that in exercise of his priestly functions he blessed Abraham, and that Abraham the beloved of the Lord gave to this priest of God a tithe of all his spoils. (41) This sufficiently shows that before He founded the Israelitish nation God constituted kings and priests in Jerusalem, and ordained for them rites and laws. (42) Whether He did so prophetically is, as I have said, not sufficiently clear; but I am sure of this, that Abraham, whilst he sojourned in the city, lived scrupulously according to these laws, for Abraham had received no special rites from God; and yet it is stated (Gen. xxvi:5), that he observed the worship, the precepts, the statutes, and the laws of God, which must be interpreted to mean the worship, the statutes, the precepts, and the laws of king Melchisedek. (43) Malachi chides the Jews as follows (i:10-11.): "Who is there among you that will shut the doors? [of the Temple]; neither do ye kindle fire on mine altar for nought. (44) I have no pleasure in you, saith the Lord of Hosts. (45) For from the rising of the sun, even until the going down of the same My Name shall be great among the Gentiles; and in every place incense shall be offered in My Name, and a pure offering; for My Name is great among the heathen, saith the Lord of Hosts." (46) These words, which, unless we do violence to them, could only refer to the current period, abundantly testify that the Jews of that time were not more beloved by God than other nations, that God then favoured other nations with more miracles than He vouchsafed to the Jews, who had then partly recovered their empire without miraculous aid; and, lastly, that the Gentiles possessed rites and ceremonies acceptable to God. (47) But I pass over these points lightly: it is enough for my purpose to have shown that the election of the Jews had regard to nothing but temporal physical happiness and freedom, in other words, autonomous government, and to the manner and means by which they obtained it; consequently to the laws in so far as they were necessary to the preservation of that special government; and, lastly, to the manner in which they were revealed. In regard to other matters, wherein man's true happiness consists, they were on a par with the rest of the nations.
(48) When, therefore, it is said in Scripture (Deut. iv:7) that the Lord is not so nigh to any other nation as He is to the Jews, reference is only made to their government, and to the period when so many miracles happened to them, for in respect of intellect and virtue - that is, in respect of blessedness - God was, as we have said already, and are now demonstrating, equally gracious to all. (49) Scripture itself bears testimony to this fact, for the Psalmist says (cxlv:18), "The Lord is near unto all them that call upon Him, to all that call upon Him in truth." (50) So in the same Psalm, verse 9, "The Lord is good to all, and His tender mercies are over all His works." In Ps. xxxiii:16, it is clearly stated that God has granted to all men the same intellect, in these words, He fashioneth their hearts alike." The heart was considered by the Hebrews, as I suppose everyone knows, to be the seat of the soul and the intellect.
(51) Lastly, from Job xxxviii:28, it is plain that God had ordained for the whole human race the law to reverence God, to keep from evil doing, or to do well, and that Job, although a Gentile, was of all men most acceptable to God, because he exceeded all in piety and religion. (52) Lastly, from Jonah iv:2, it is very evident that, not only to the Jews but to all men, God was gracious, merciful, long- suffering, and of great goodness, and repented Him of the evil, for Jonah says: "Therefore I determined to flee before unto Tarshish, for I know that Thou art a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness," &c., and that, therefore, God would pardon the Ninevites. (53) We conclude, therefore (inasmuch as God is to all men equally gracious, and the Hebrews were only, chosen by him in respect to their social organization and government), that the individual Jew, taken apart from his social organization and government, possessed no gift of God above other men, and that there was no difference between Jew and Gentile. (54) As it is a fact that God is equally gracious, merciful, and the rest, to all men; and as the function of the prophet was to teach men not so much the laws of their country, as true virtue, and to exhort them thereto, it is not to be doubted that all nations possessed prophets, and that the prophetic gift was not peculiar to the Jews. (55) Indeed, history, both profane and sacred, bears witness to the fact. (56) Although, from the sacred histories of the Old Testament, it is not evident that the other nations had as many prophets as the Hebrews, or that any Gentile prophet was expressly sent by God to the nations, this does not affect the question, for the Hebrews were careful to record their own affairs, not those of other nations. (57) It suffices, then, that we find in the Old Testament Gentiles, and uncircumcised, as Noah, Enoch, Abimelech, Balaam, &c., exercising prophetic gifts; further, that Hebrew prophets were sent by God, not only to their own nation but to many others also. (58) Ezekiel prophesied to all the nations then known; Obadiah to none, that we are aware of, save the Idumeans; and Jonah was chiefly the prophet to the Ninevites. (59) Isaiah bewails and predicts the calamities, and hails the restoration not only of the Jews but also of other nations, for he says (chap. xvi:9), "Therefore I will bewail Jazer with weeping;" and in chap. xix. he foretells first the calamities and then the restoration of the Egyptians (see verses 19, 20, 21, 25), saying that God shall send them a Saviour to free them, that the Lord shall be known in Egypt, and, further, that the Egyptians shall worship God with sacrifice and oblation; and, at last, he calls that nation the blessed Egyptian people of God; all of which particulars are specially noteworthy.
(60) Jeremiah is called, not the prophet of the Hebrew nation, but simply the prophet of the nations (see Jer:i.5). (61) He also mournfully foretells the calamities of the nations, and predicts their restoration, for he says (xlviii:31) of the Moabites, "Therefore will I howl for Moab, and I will cryout for all Moab" (verse 36), "and therefore mine heart shall sound for Moab like pipes;" in the end he prophesies their restoration, as also the restoration of the Egyptians, Ammonites, and Elamites. (62) Wherefore it is beyond doubt that other nations also, like the Jews, had their prophets, who prophesied to them.
(63) Although Scripture only, makes mention of one man, Balaam, to whom the future of the Jews and the other nations was revealed, we must not suppose that Balaam prophesied only once, for from the narrative itself it is abundantly clear that he had long previously been famous for prophesy and other Divine gifts. (64) For when Balak bade him to come to him, he said (Num. xxii:6), "For I know that he whom thou blessest is blessed, and he whom thou cursest is cursed." (65) Thus we see that he possessed the gift which God had bestowed on Abraham. Further, as accustomed to prophesy, Balaam bade the messengers wait for him till the will of the Lord was revealed to him. (66) When he prophesied, that is, when he interpreted the true mind of God, he was wont to say this of himself: "He hath said, which heard the words of God and knew the knowledge of the Most High, which saw the vision of the Almighty falling into a trance, but having his eyes open." (67) Further, after he had blessed the Hebrews by the command of God, he began (as was his custom) to prophesy to other nations, and to predict their future; all of which abundantly shows that he had always been a prophet, or had often prophesied, and (as we may also remark here) possessed that which afforded the chief certainty to prophets of the truth of their prophecy, namely, a mind turned wholly to what is right and good, for he did not bless those whom he wished to bless, nor curse those whom he wished to curse, as Balak supposed, but only those whom God wished to be blessed or cursed. (68) Thus he answered Balak: "If Balak should give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the commandment of the Lord to do either good or bad of my own mind; but what the Lord saith, that will I speak." (69) As for God being angry with him in the way, the same happened to Moses when he set out to Egypt by the command of the Lord; and as to his receiving money for prophesying, Samuel did the same (1 Sam. ix:7, 8); if in anyway he sinned, "there is not a just man upon earth that doeth good and sinneth not," Eccles. vii:20. (Vide 2 Epist. Peter ii:15, 16, and Jude 5:11.)
(70) His speeches must certainly have had much weight with God, and His power for cursing must assuredly have been very great from the number of times that we find stated in Scripture, in proof of God's great mercy to the Jews, that God would not hear Balaam, and that He changed the cursing to blessing (see Deut. xxiii:6, Josh. xxiv:10, Neh. xiii:2). (71) Wherefore he was without doubt most acceptable to God, for the speeches and cursings of the wicked move God not at all. (72) As then he was a true prophet, and nevertheless Joshua calls him a soothsayer or augur, it is certain that this title had an honourable signification, and that those whom the Gentiles called augurs and soothsayers were true prophets, while those whom Scripture often accuses and condemns were false soothsayers, who deceived the Gentiles as false prophets deceived the Jews; indeed, this is made evident from other passages in the Bible, whence we conclude that the gift of prophecy was not peculiar to the Jews, but common to all nations. (73) The Pharisees, however, vehemently contend that this Divine gift was peculiar to their nation, and that the other nations foretold the future (what will superstition invent next?) by some unexplained diabolical faculty. (74) The principal passage of Scripture which they cite, by way of confirming their theory with its authority, is Exodus xxxiii:16, where Moses says to God, "For wherein shall it be known here that I and Thy people have found grace in Thy sight? is it not in that Thou goest with us? so shall we be separated, I and Thy people, from all the people that are upon the face of the earth." (75) From this they would infer that Moses asked of God that He should be present to the Jews, and should reveal Himself to them prophetically; further, that He should grant this favour to no other nation. (76) It is surely absurd that Moses should have been jealous of God's presence among the Gentiles, or that he should have dared to ask any such thing. (77) The act is, as Moses knew that the disposition and spirit of his nation was rebellious, he clearly saw that they could not carry out what they had begun without very great miracles and special external aid from God; nay, that without such aid they must necessarily perish: as it was evident that God wished them to be preserved, he asked for this special external aid. (78) Thus he says (Ex. xxxiv:9), "If now I have found grace in Thy sight, 0 Lord, let my Lord, I pray Thee, go among us; for it is a stiffnecked people." (79) The reason, therefore, for his seeking special external aid from God was the stiffneckedness of the people, and it is made still more plain, that he asked for nothing beyond this special external aid by God's answer - for God answered at once (verse 10 of the same chapter) - "Behold, I make a covenant: before all Thy people I will do marvels, such as have not been done in all the earth, nor in any nation." (80) Therefore Moses had in view nothing beyond the special election of the Jews, as I have explained it, and made no other request to God. (81) I confess that in Paul's Epistle to the Romans, I find another text which carries more weight, namely, where Paul seems to teach a different doctrine from that here set down, for he there says (Rom. iii:1): "What advantage then hath the Jew? or what profit is there of circumcision? (82) Much every way: chiefly, because that unto them were committed the oracles of God."
(83) But if we look to the doctrine which Paul especially desired to teach, we shall find nothing repugnant to our present contention; on the contrary, his doctrine is the same as ours, for he says (Rom. iii:29) "that God is the God of the Jews and of the Gentiles, and" (ch. ii:25, 26) "But,
if thou be a breaker of the law, thy circumcision is made uncircumcision. (84) Therefore if the uncircumcision keep the righteousness of the law, shall not his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision?" (85) Further, in chap. iv:verse 9, he says that all alike, Jew and Gentile, were under sin, and that without commandment and law there is no sin. (86) Wherefore it is most evident that to all men absolutely was revealed the law under which all lived - namely, the law which has regard only to true virtue, not the law established in respect to, and in the formation of a particular state and adapted to the disposition of a particular people. (87) Lastly, Paul concludes that since God is the God of all nations, that is, is equally gracious to all, and since all men equally live under the law and under sin, so also to all nations did God send His Christ, to free all men equally from the bondage of the law, that they should no more do right by the command of the law, but by the constant determination of their hearts. (88) So that Paul teaches exactly the same as ourselves. (89) When, therefore, he says "To the Jews only were entrusted the oracles of God," we must either understand that to them only were the laws entrusted in writing, while they were given to other nations merely in revelation and conception, or else (as none but Jews would object to the doctrine he desired to advance) that Paul was answering only in accordance with the understanding and current ideas of the Jews, for in respect to teaching things which he had partly seen, partly heard, he was to the Greeks a Greek, and to the Jews a Jew.
(90) It now only remains to us to answer the arguments of those who would persuade themselves that the election of the Jews was not temporal, and merely in respect of their commonwealth, but eternal; for, they say, we see the Jews after the loss of their commonwealth, and after being scattered so many years and separated from all other nations, still surviving, which is without parallel among other peoples, and further the Scriptures seem to teach that God has chosen for Himself the Jews for ever, so that though they have lost their commonwealth, they still nevertheless remain God's elect.
(91) The passages which they think teach most clearly this eternal election, are chiefly: (1.) Jer. xxxi:36, where the prophet testifies that the seed of Israel shall for ever remain the nation of God, comparing them with the stability of the heavens and nature;
(2.) Ezek. xx:32, where the prophet seems to intend that though the Jews wanted after the help afforded them to turn their backs on the worship of the Lord, that God would nevertheless gather them together again from all the lands in which they were dispersed, and lead them to the wilderness of the peoples - as He had led their fathers to the wilderness of the land of Egypt - and would at length, after purging out from among them the rebels and transgressors, bring them thence to his Holy mountain, where the whole house of Israel should worship Him. Other passages are also cited, especially by the Pharisees, but I think I shall satisfy everyone if I answer these two, and this I shall easily accomplish after showing from Scripture itself that God chose not the Hebrews for ever, but only on the condition under which He had formerly chosen the Canaanites, for these last, as we have shown, had priests who religiously worshipped God, and whom God at length rejected because of their luxury, pride, and corrupt worship.
(92) Moses (Lev. xviii:27) warned the Israelites that they be not polluted with whoredoms, lest the land spue them out as it had spued out the nations who had dwelt there before, and in Deut. viii:19, 20, in the plainest terms He threatens their total ruin, for He says, "I testify against you that ye shall surely perish. (93) As the nations which the Lord destroyeth before your face, so shall ye perish." In like manner many other passages are found in the law which expressly show that God chose the Hebrews neither absolutely nor for ever. (94) If, then, the prophets foretold for them a new covenant of the knowledge of God, love, and grace, such a promise is easily proved to be only made to the elect, for Ezekiel in the chapter which we have just quoted expressly says that God will separate from them the rebellious and transgressors, and Zephaniah (iii:12, 13), says that "God will take away the proud from the midst of them, and leave the poor." (95) Now, inasmuch as their election has regard to true virtue, it is not to be thought that it was promised to the Jews alone to the exclusion of others, but we must evidently believe that the true Gentile prophets (and every nation, as we have shown, possessed such) promised the same to the faithful of their own people, who were thereby comforted. (96) Wherefore this eternal covenant of the knowledge of God and love is universal, as is clear, moreover, from Zeph. iii:10, 11 : no difference in this respect can be admitted between Jew and Gentile, nor did the former enjoy any special election beyond that which we have pointed out.
(97) When the prophets, in speaking of this election which regards only true virtue, mixed up much concerning sacrifices and ceremonies, and the rebuilding of the temple and city, they wished by such figurative expressions, after the manner and nature of prophecy, to expound matters spiritual, so as at the same time to show to the Jews, whose prophets they were, the true restoration of the state and of the temple to be expected about the time of Cyrus.
(98) At the present time, therefore, there is absolutely nothing which the Jews can arrogate to themselves beyond other people.
(99) As to their continuance so long after dispersion and the loss of empire, there is nothing marvellous in it, for they so separated themselves from every other nation as to draw down upon themselves universal hate, not only by their outward rites, rites conflicting with those of other nations, but also by the sign of circumcision which they most scrupulously observe.
(100) That they have been preserved in great measure by Gentile hatred, experience demonstrates. (101) When the king of Spain formerly compelled the Jews to embrace the State religion or to go into exile, a large number of Jews accepted Catholicism. (102) Now, as these renegades were admitted to all the native privileges of Spaniards, and deemed worthy of filling all honourable offices, it came to pass that they straightway became so intermingled with the Spaniards as to leave of themselves no relic or remembrance. (103) But exactly the opposite happened to those whom the king of Portugal compelled to become Christians, for they always, though converted, lived apart, inasmuch as they were considered unworthy of any civic honours.
(104) The sign of circumcision is, as I think, so important, that I could persuade myself that it alone would preserve the nation for ever. (105) Nay, I would go so far as to believe that if the foundations of their religion have not emasculated their minds they may even, if occasion offers, so changeable are human affairs, raise up their empire afresh, and that God may a second time elect them.
(106) Of such a possibility we have a very famous example in the Chinese. (107) They, too, have some distinctive mark on their heads which they most scrupulously observe, and by which they keep themselves apart from everyone else, and have thus kept themselves during so many thousand years that they far surpass all other nations in antiquity. (108) They have not always retained empire, but they have recovered it when lost, and doubtless will do so again after the spirit of the Tartars becomes relaxed through the luxury of riches and pride.
(109) Lastly, if any one wishes to maintain that the Jews, from this or from any other cause, have been chosen by God for ever, I will not gainsay him if he will admit that this choice, whether temporary or eternal, has no regard, in so far as it is peculiar to the Jews, to aught but dominion and physical advantages (for by such alone can one nation be distinguished from another), whereas in regard to intellect and true virtue, every nation is on a par with the rest, and God has not in these respects chosen one people rather than another.
CHAPTER IV. - OF THE DIVINE LAW.
(1) The word law, taken in the abstract, means that by which an individual, or all things, or as many things as belong to a particular species, act in one and the same fixed and definite manner, which manner depends either on natural necessity or on human decree. (2) A law which depends on natural necessity is one which necessarily follows from the nature, or from the definition of the thing in question; a law which depends on human decree, and which is more correctly called an ordinance, is one which men have laid down for themselves and others in order to live more safely or conveniently, or from some similar reason.
(3) For example, the law that all bodies impinging on lesser bodies, lose as much of their own motion as they communicate to the latter is a universal law of all bodies, and depends on natural necessity. (4) So, too, the law that a man in remembering one thing, straightway remembers another either like it, or which he had perceived simultaneously with it, is a law which necessarily follows from the nature of man. (5) But the law that men must yield, or be compelled to yield, somewhat of their natural right, and that they bind themselves to live in a certain way, depends on human decree. (6) Now, though I freely admit that all things are predetermined by universal natural laws to exist and operate in a given, fixed, and definite manner, I still assert that the laws I have just mentioned depend on human decree.
(1.) (7) Because man, in so far as he is a part of nature, constitutes a part of the power of nature. (8) Whatever, therefore, follows necessarily from the necessity of human nature (that is, from nature herself, in so far as we conceive of her as acting through man) follows, even though it be necessarily, from human power. (9) Hence the sanction of such laws may very well be said to depend on man's decree, for it principally depends on the power of the human mind; so that the human mind in respect to its perception of things as true and false, can readily be conceived as without such laws, but not without necessary law as we have just defined it.
(2.) (10) I have stated that these laws depend on human decree because it is well to define and explain things by their proximate causes. (11) The general consideration of fate and the concatenation of causes would aid us very little in forming and arranging our ideas concerning particular questions. (12) Let us add that as to the actual coordination and concatenation of things, that is how things are ordained and linked together, we are obviously ignorant; therefore, it is more profitable for right living, nay, it is necessary for us to consider things as contingent. (13) So much about law in the abstract.
(14) Now the word law seems to be only applied to natural phenomena by analogy, and is commonly taken to signify a command which men can either obey or neglect, inasmuch as it restrains human nature within certain originally exceeded limits, and therefore lays down no rule beyond human strength. (15) Thus it is expedient to define law more particularly as a plan of life laid down by man for himself or others with a certain object.
(16) However, as the true object of legislation is only perceived by a few, and most men are almost incapable of grasping it, though they live under its conditions, legislators, with a view to exacting general obedience, have wisely put forward another object, very different from that which necessarily follows from the nature of law: they promise to the observers of the law that which the masses chiefly desire, and threaten its violators with that which they chiefly fear: thus endeavouring to restrain the masses, as far as may be, like a horse with a curb; whence it follows that the word law is chiefly applied to the modes of life enjoined on men by the sway of others; hence those who obey the law are said to live under it and to be under compulsion. (17) In truth, a man who renders everyone their due because he fears the gallows, acts under the sway and compulsion of others, and cannot be called just. (18) But a man who does the same from a knowledge of the true reason for laws and their necessity, acts from a firm purpose and of his own accord, and is therefore properly called just. (19) This, I take it, is Paul's meaning when he says, that those who live under the law cannot be justified through the law, for justice, as commonly defined, is the constant and perpetual will to render every man his due. (20) Thus Solomon says (Prov. xxi:15), "It is a joy to the just to do judgment," but the wicked fear.
(21) Law, then, being a plan of living which men have for a certain object laid down for themselves or others, may, as it seems, be divided into human law and Divine law. {But both are opposite sides of the same coin}
(22) By human law I mean a plan of living which serves only to render life and the state secure. (23) By Divine law I mean that which only regards the highest good, in other words, the true knowledge of God and love.
(24) I call this law Divine because of the nature of the highest good, which I will here shortly explain as clearly as I can.
(25) Inasmuch as the intellect is the best part of our being, it is evident that we should make every effort to perfect it as far as possible if we desire to search for what is really profitable to us. (26) For in intellectual perfection the highest good should consist. (27) Now, since all our knowledge, and the certainty which removes every doubt, depend solely on the knowledge of God;- firstly, because without God nothing can exist or be conceived; secondly, because so long as we have no clear and distinct idea of God we may remain in universal doubt - it follows that our highest good and perfection also depend solely on the knowledge of God. (28) Further, since without God nothing can exist or be conceived, it is evident that all natural phenomena involve and express the conception of God as far as their essence and perfection extend, so that we have greater and more perfect knowledge of God in proportion to our knowledge of natural phenomena: conversely (since the knowledge of an effect through its cause is the same thing as the knowledge of a particular property of a cause) the greater our knowledge of natural phenomena, the more perfect is our knowledge of the essence of God (which is the cause of all things). (29) So, then, our highest good not only depends on the knowledge of God, but wholly consists therein; and it further follows that man is perfect or the reverse in proportion to the nature and perfection of the object of his special desire; hence the most perfect and the chief sharer in the highest blessedness is he who prizes above all else, and takes especial delight in, the intellectual knowledge of God, the most perfect Being.
(30) Hither, then, our highest good and our highest blessedness aim - namely, to the knowledge and love of God; therefore the means demanded by this aim of all human actions, that is, by God in so far as the idea of him is in us, may be called the commands of God, because they proceed, as it were, from God Himself, inasmuch as He exists in our minds, and the plan of life which has regard to this aim may be fitly called the law of God.
(31) The nature of the means, and the plan of life which this aim demands, how the foundations of the best states follow its lines, and how men's life is conducted, are questions pertaining to general ethics. (32) Here I only proceed to treat of the Divine law in a particular application.
(33) As the love of God is man's highest happiness and blessedness, and the ultimate end and aim of all human actions, it follows that he alone lives by the Divine law who loves God not from fear of punishment, or from love of any other object, such as sensual pleasure, fame, or the like; but solely because he has knowledge of God, or is convinced that the knowledge and love of God is the highest good. (34) The sum and chief precept, then, of the Divine law is to love God as the highest good, namely, as we have said, not from fear of any pains and penalties, or from the love of any other object in which we desire to take pleasure. (35) The idea of God lays down the rule that God is our highest good - in other words, that the knowledge and love of God is the ultimate aim to which all our actions should be directed. (36) The worldling cannot understand these things, they appear foolishness to him. because he has too meager a knowledge of God, and also because in this highest good he can discover nothing which he can handle or eat, or which affects the fleshly appetites wherein he chiefly delights, for it consists solely in thought and the pure reason. (37) They, on the other hand, who know that they possess no greater gift than intellect and sound reason, will doubtless accept what I have said without question.
(38) We have now explained that wherein the Divine law chiefly consists, and what are human laws, namely, all those which have a different aim unless they have been ratified by revelation, for in this respect also things are referred to God (as we have shown above) and in this sense the law of Moses, although it was not universal, but entirely adapted to the disposition and particular preservation of a single people, may yet be called a law of God or Divine law, inasmuch as we believe that it was ratified by prophetic insight. (39) If we consider the nature of natural Divine law as we have just explained it, we shall see:
(40) I.- That it is universal or common to all men, for we have deduced it from universal human nature.
(41) II. That it does not depend on the truth of any historical narrative whatsoever, for inasmuch as this natural Divine law is comprehended solely by the consideration of human nature, it is plain that we can conceive it as existing as well in Adam as in any other man, as well in a man living among his fellows, as in a man who lives by himself.
(42) The truth of a historical narrative, however assured, cannot give us the knowledge nor consequently the love of God, for love of God springs from knowledge of Him, and knowledge of Him should be derived from general ideas, in themselves certain and known, so that the truth of a historical narrative is very far from being a necessary requisite for our attaining our highest good.
(43) Still, though the truth of histories cannot give us the knowledge and love of God, I do not deny that reading them is very useful with a view to life in the world, for the more we have observed and known of men's customs and circumstances, which are best revealed by their actions, the more warily we shall be able to order our lives among them, and so far as reason dictates to adapt our actions to their dispositions.
(44) III. We see that this natural Divine law does not demand the performance of ceremonies - that is, actions in themselves indifferent, which are called good from the fact of their institution, or actions symbolizing something profitable for salvation, or (if one prefers this definition) actions of which the meaning surpasses human understanding. (45) The natural light of reason does not demand anything which it is itself unable to supply, but only such as it can very clearly show to be good, or a means to our blessedness. (46) Such things as are good simply because they have been commanded or instituted, or as being symbols of something good, are mere shadows which cannot be reckoned among actions that are the offsprings as it were, or fruit of a sound mind and of intellect. (47) There is no need for me to go into this now in more detail.
(48) IV. Lastly, we see that the highest reward of the Divine law is the law itself, namely, to know God and to love Him of our free choice, and with an undivided and fruitful spirit; while its penalty is the absence of these things, and being in bondage to the flesh - that is, having an inconstant and wavering spirit.
(49) These points being noted, I must now inquire:
(50) I. Whether by the natural light of reason we can conceive of God as a law-giver or potentate ordaining laws for men? (51) II. What is the teaching of Holy Writ concerning this natural light of reason and natural law?
(52) III. With what objects were ceremonies formerly instituted? (53) IV. Lastly, what is the good gained by knowing the
sacred histories and believing them?
(54) Of the first two I will treat in this chapter, of the remaining two in the following one.
(55) Our conclusion about the first is easily deduced from the nature of God's will, which is only distinguished from His understanding in relation to our intellect - that is, the will and the understanding of God are in reality one and the same, and are only distinguished in relation to our thoughts which we form concerning God's understanding. (56) For instance, if we are only looking to the fact that the nature of a triangle is from eternity contained in the Divine nature as an eternal verity, we say that God possesses the idea of a triangle, or that He understands the nature of a triangle; but if afterwards we look to the fact that the nature of a triangle is thus contained in the Divine nature, solely by the necessity of the Divine nature, and not by the necessity of the nature and essence of a triangle - in fact, that the necessity of a triangle's essence and nature, in so far as they are conceived of as eternal verities, depends solely on the necessity of the Divine nature and intellect, we then style God's will or decree, that which before we styled His intellect. (57) Wherefore we make one and the same affirmation concerning God when we say that He has from eternity decreed that three angles of a triangle are equal to two right angles, as when we say that He has understood it.
(58) Hence the affirmations and the negations of God always involve necessity or truth; so that, for example, if God said to Adam that He did not wish him to eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, it would have involved a contradiction that Adam should have been able to eat of it, and would therefore have been impossible that he should have so eaten, for the Divine command would have involved an eternal necessity and truth. (59) But since Scripture nevertheless narrates that God did give this command to Adam, and yet that none the less Adam ate of the tree, we must perforce say that God revealed to Adam the evil which would surely follow if he should eat of the tree, but did not disclose that such evil would of necessity come to pass. (60) Thus it was that Adam took the revelation to be not an eternal and necessary truth, but a law - that is, an ordinance followed by gain or loss, not depending necessarily on the nature of the act performed, but solely on the will and absolute power of some potentate, so that the revelation in question was solely in relation to Adam, and solely through his lack of knowledge a law, and God was, as it were, a lawgiver and potentate. (61) From the same cause, namely, from lack of knowledge, the Decalogue in relation to the Hebrews was a law, for since they knew not the existence of God as an eternal truth, they must have taken as a law that which was revealed to them in the Decalogue, namely, that God exists, and that God only should be worshipped. (62) But if God had spoken to them without the intervention of any bodily means, immediately they would have perceived it not as a law, but as an eternal truth.
(63) What we have said about the Israelites and Adam, applies also to all the prophets who wrote laws in God's name - they did not adequately conceive God's decrees as eternal truths. (64) For instance, we must say of Moses that from revelation, from the basis of what was revealed to him, he perceived the method by which the Israelitish nation could best be united in a particular territory, and could form a body politic or state, and further that he perceived the method by which that nation could best be constrained to obedience; but he did not perceive, nor was it revealed to him, that this method was absolutely the best, nor that the obedience of the people in a certain strip of territory would necessarily imply the end he had in view. (65) Wherefore he perceived these things not as eternal truths, but as precepts and ordinances, and he ordained them as laws of God, and thus it came to be that he conceived God as a ruler, a legislator, a king, as merciful, just, &c., whereas such qualities are simply attributes of human nature, and utterly alien from the nature of the Deity. (66)Thus much we may affirm of the prophets who wrote laws in the name of God; but we must not affirm it of Christ, for Christ, although He too seems to have written laws in the name of God, must be taken to have had a clear and adequate perception, for Christ was not so much a prophet as the mouthpiece of God. (67) For God made revelations to mankind through Christ as He had before done through angels - that is, a created voice, visions, &c. (68) It would be as unreasonable to say that God had accommodated his revelations to the opinions of Christ as that He had before accommodated them to the opinions of angels (that is, of a created voice or visions) as matters to be revealed to the prophets, a wholly absurd hypothesis. (69) Moreover, Christ was sent to teach not only the Jews but the whole human race, and therefore it was not enough that His mind should be accommodated to the opinions the Jews alone, but also to the opinion and fundamental teaching common to the whole human race - in other words, to ideas universal and true. (70) Inasmuch as God revealed Himself to Christ, or to Christ's mind immediately, and not as to the prophets through words and symbols, we must needs suppose that Christ perceived truly what was revealed, in other words, He understood it, for a, matter is understood when it is perceived simply by the mind without words or symbols.
(71) Christ, then, perceived (truly and adequately) what was revealed, and if He ever proclaimed such revelations as laws, He did so because of the ignorance and obstinacy of the people, acting in this respect the part of God; inasmuch as He accommodated Himself to the comprehension of the people, and though He spoke somewhat more clearly than the other prophets, yet He taught what was revealed obscurely, and generally through parables, especially when He was speaking to those to whom it was not yet given to understand the kingdom of heaven. (See Matt. xiii:10, &c.) (72) To those to whom it was given to understand the mysteries of heaven, He doubtless taught His doctrines as eternal truths, and did not lay them down as laws, thus freeing the minds of His hearers from the bondage of that law which He further confirmed and established. (73) Paul apparently points to this more than once (e.g. Rom. vii:6, and iii:28), though he never himself seems to wish to speak openly, but, to quote his own words (Rom. iii:6, and vi:19), "merely humanly." (74) This he expressly states when he calls God just, and it was doubtless in concession to human weakness that he attributes mercy, grace, anger, and similar qualities to God, adapting his language to the popular mind, or, as he puts it (1 Cor. iii:1, 2), to carnal men. (75) In Rom. ix:18, he teaches undisguisedly that God's auger and mercy depend not on the actions of men, but on God's own nature or will; further, that no one is justified by the works of the law, but only by faith, which he seems to identify with the full assent of the soul; lastly, that no one is blessed unless he have in him the mind of Christ (Rom. viii:9), whereby he perceives the laws of God as eternal truths. (76) We conclude, therefore, that God is described as a lawgiver or prince, and styled just, merciful, &c., merely in concession to popular understanding, and the imperfection of popular knowledge; that in reality God acts and directs all things simply by the necessity of His nature and perfection, and that His decrees and volitions are eternal truths, and always involve necessity. (77) So much for the first point which I wished to explain and demonstrate.
(78) Passing on to the second point, let us search the sacred pages for their teaching concerning the light of nature and this Divine law. (79) The first doctrine we find in the history of the first man, where it is narrated that God commanded Adam not to eat of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil; this seems to mean that God commanded Adam to do and to seek after righteousness because it was good, not because the contrary was evil: that is, to seek the good for its own sake, not from fear of evil. (80) We have seen that he who acts rightly from the true knowledge and love of right, acts with freedom and constancy, whereas he who acts from fear of evil, is under the constraint of evil, and acts in bondage under external control. (81) So that this commandment of God to Adam comprehends the whole Divine natural law, and absolutely agrees with the dictates of the light of nature; nay, it would be easy to explain on this basis the whole history or allegory of the first man. (82) But I prefer to pass over the subject in silence, because, in the first place, I cannot be absolutely certain that my explanation would be in accordance with the intention of the sacred writer; and, secondly, because many do not admit that this history is an allegory, maintaining it to be a simple narrative of facts. (83) It will be better, therefore, to adduce other passages of Scripture, especially such as were written by him, who speaks with all the strength of his natural understanding, in which he surpassed all his contemporaries, and whose sayings are accepted by the people as of equal weight with those of the prophets. (84) I mean Solomon, whose prudence and wisdom are commended in Scripture rather than his piety and gift of prophecy. (85) Life being taken to mean the true life (as is evident from Deut. xxx:19), the fruit of the understanding consists only in the true life, and its absence constitutes punishment. (86) All this absolutely agrees with what was set out in our fourth point concerning natural law. (87) Moreover our position that it is the well-spring of life, and that the intellect alone lays down laws for the wise, is plainly taught by, the sage, for he says (Prov. xiii14): "The law of the wise is a fountain of life " - that is, as we gather from the preceding text, the understanding. (88) In chap. iii:13, he expressly teaches that the understanding renders man blessed and happy, and gives him true peace of mind. "Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding," for "Wisdom gives length of days, and riches and honour; her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths peace" (xiiii6, 17). (89) According to Solomon, therefore, it is only, the wise who live in peace and equanimity, not like the wicked whose minds drift hither and thither, and (as Isaiah says, chap. Ivii:20) "are like the troubled sea, for them there is no peace."
(90) Lastly, we should especially note the passage in chap. ii. of Solomon's proverbs which most clearly confirms our contention: "If thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding . . . then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God; for the Lord giveth wisdom; out of His mouth cometh knowledge and understanding." (91) These words clearly enunciate (1), that wisdom or intellect alone teaches us to fear God wisely - that is, to worship Him truly; (2), that wisdom and knowledge flow from God's mouth, and that God bestows on us this gift; this we have already shown in proving that our understanding and our knowledge depend on, spring from, and are perfected by the idea or knowledge of God, and nothing else. (92) Solomon goes on to say in so many words that this knowledge contains and involves the true principles of ethics and politics: "When wisdom entereth into thy heart, and knowledge is pleasant to thy soul, discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee, then shalt thou understand righteousness, and judgment, and equity, yea every good path." (93) All of which is in obvious agreement with natural knowledge: for after we have come to the understanding of things, and have tasted the excellence of knowledge, she teaches us ethics and true virtue.
(94) Thus the happiness and the peace of him who cultivates his natural understanding lies, according to Solomon also, not so much under the dominion of fortune (or God's external aid) as in inward personal virtue (or God's internal aid), for the latter can to a great extent be preserved by vigilance, right action, and thought.
(95) Lastly, we must by no means pass over the passage in Paul's Epistle to the Romans, i:20, in which he says: "For the invisible things of God from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse, because, when they knew God, they glorified Him not as God, neither were they thankful." (96) These words clearly show that everyone can by the light of nature clearly understand the goodness and the eternal divinity of God, and can thence know and deduce what they should seek for and what avoid; wherefore the Apostle says that they are without excuse and cannot plead ignorance, as they certainly might if it were a question of supernatural light and the incarnation, passion, and resurrection of Christ. (97) "Wherefore," he goes on to say (ib. 24), "God gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts;" and so on, through the rest of the chapter, he describes the vices of ignorance, and sets them forth as the punishment of ignorance. (98) This obviously agrees with the verse of Solomon, already quoted, "The instruction of fools is folly," so that it is easy to understand why Paul says that the wicked are without excuse. (99) As every man sows so shall he reap: out of evil, evils necessarily spring, unless they be wisely counteracted.
(100) Thus we see that Scripture literally approves of the light of natural reason and the natural Divine law, and I have fulfilled the promises made at the beginning of this chapter.
(1) In the foregoing chapter we have shown that the Divine law, which renders men truly blessed, and teaches them the true life, is universal to all men; nay, we have so intimately deduced it from human nature that it must be esteemed innate, and, as it were, ingrained in the human mind.
(2) But with regard to the ceremonial observances which were ordained in the Old Testament for the Hebrews only, and were so adapted to their state that they could for the most part only be observed by the society as a whole and not by each individual, it is evident that they formed no part of the Divine law, and had nothing to do with blessedness and virtue, but had reference only to the election of the Hebrews, that is (as I have shown in Chap. II.), to their temporal bodily happiness and the tranquillity of their kingdom, and that therefore they were only valid while that kingdom lasted. (3) If in the Old Testament they are spoken of as the law of God, it is only because they were founded on revelation, or a basis of revelation. (4) Still as reason, however sound, has little weight with ordinary theologians, I will adduce the authority of Scripture for what I here assert, and will further show, for the sake of greater clearness, why and how these ceremonials served to establish and preserve the Jewish kingdom. (5) Isaiah teaches most plainly that the Divine law in its strict sense signifies that universal law which consists in a true manner of life, and does not signify ceremonial observances. (6) In chapter i:10, the prophet calls on his countrymen to hearken to the Divine law as he delivers it, and first excluding all kinds of sacrifices and all feasts, he at length sums up the law in these few words, "Cease to do evil, learn to do well: seek judgment, relieve the oppressed." (7) Not less striking testimony is given in Psalm xl:7- 9, where the Psalmist addresses God: "Sacrifice and offering Thou didst not desire; mine ears hast Thou opened; burnt offering and sin-offering hast Thou not required; I delight to do Thy will, 0 my God; yea, Thy law is within my heart." (8) Here the Psalmist reckons as the law of God only that which is inscribed in his heart, and excludes ceremonies therefrom, for the latter are good and inscribed on the heart only from the fact of their institution, and not because of their intrinsic value.
(9) Other passages of Scripture testify to the same truth, but these two will suffice. (10) We may also learn from the Bible that ceremonies are no aid to blessedness, but only have reference to the temporal prosperity of the kingdom; for the rewards promised for their observance are merely temporal advantages and delights, blessedness being reserved for the universal Divine law. (11) In all the five books commonly attributed to Moses nothing is promised, as I have said, beyond temporal benefits, such as honours, fame, victories, riches, enjoyments, and health. (12) Though many moral precepts besides ceremonies are contained in these five books, they appear not as moral doctrines universal to all men, but as commands especially adapted to the understanding and character of the Hebrew people, and as having reference only to the welfare of the kingdom. (13) For instance, Moses does not teach the Jews as a prophet not to kill or to steal, but gives these commandments solely as a lawgiver and judge; he does not reason out the doctrine, but affixes for its non-observance a penalty which may and very properly does vary in different nations. (14) So, too, the command not to commit adultery is given merely with reference to the welfare of the state; for if the moral doctrine had been intended, with reference not only to the welfare of the state, but also to the tranquillity and blessedness of the individual, Moses would have condemned not merely the outward act, but also the mental acquiescence, as is done by Christ, Who taught only universal moral precepts, and for this cause promises a spiritual instead of a temporal reward. (15) Christ, as I have said, was sent into the world, not to preserve the state nor to lay down laws, but solely to teach the universal moral law, so we can easily understand that He wished in nowise to do away with the law of Moses, inasmuch as He introduced no new laws of His own - His sole care was to teach moral doctrines, and distinguish them from the laws of the state; for the Pharisees, in their ignorance, thought that the observance of the state law and the Mosaic law was the sum total of morality; whereas such laws merely had reference to the public welfare, and aimed not so much at instructing the Jews as at keeping them under constraint. (16) But let us return to our subject, and cite other passages of Scripture which set forth temporal benefits as rewards for observing the ceremonial law, and blessedness as reward for the universal law.
(17) None of the prophets puts the point more clearly than Isaiah. (18.) After condemning hypocrisy he commends liberty and charity towards one's self and one's neighbours, and promises as a reward: "Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thy health shall spring forth speedily, thy righteousness shall go before thee, and the glory of the Lord shall be thy reward" (chap. lviii:8). (19) Shortly afterwards he commends the Sabbath, and for a due observance of it, promises: "Then shalt thou delight thyself in the Lord, and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the Lord has spoken it." (20) Thus the prophet for liberty bestowed, and charitable works, promises a healthy mind in a healthy body, and the glory of the Lord even after death; whereas, for ceremonial exactitude, he only promises security of rule, prosperity, and temporal happiness.
(21) In Psalms xv. and xxiv. no mention is made of ceremonies, but only of moral doctrines, inasmuch as there is no question of anything but blessedness, and blessedness is symbolically promised: it is quite certain that the expressions, "the hill of God," and "His tents and the dwellers therein," refer to blessedness and security of soul, not to the actual mount of Jerusalem and the tabernacle of Moses, for these latter were not dwelt in by anyone, and only the sons of Levi ministered there. (22) Further, all those sentences of Solomon to which I referred in the last chapter, for the cultivation of the intellect and wisdom, promise true blessedness, for by wisdom is the fear of God at length understood, and the knowledge of God found.
(23) That the Jews themselves were not bound to practise their ceremonial observances after the destruction of their kingdom is evident from Jeremiah. (24) For when the prophet saw and foretold that the desolation of the city was at hand, he said that God only delights in those who know and understand that He exercises loving-kindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth, and that such persons only are worthy of praise. (Jer. ix:23.) (25) As though God had said that, after the desolation of the city, He would require nothing special from the Jews beyond the natural law by which all men are bound.
(26) The New Testament also confirms this view, for only moral doctrines are therein taught, and the kingdom of heaven is promised as a reward, whereas ceremonial observances are not touched on by the Apostles, after they began to preach the Gospel to the Gentiles. (27) The Pharisees certainly continued to practise these rites after the destruction of the kingdom, but more with a view of opposing the Christians than of pleasing God: for after the first destruction of the city, when they were led captive to Babylon, not being then, so far as I am aware, split up into sects, they straightway neglected their rites, bid farewell to the Mosaic law, buried their national customs in oblivion as being plainly superfluous, and began to mingle with other nations, as we may abundantly learn from Ezra and Nehemiah. (28) We cannot, therefore, doubt that they were no more bound by the law of Moses, after the destruction of their kingdom, than they had been before it had been begun, while they were still living among other peoples before the exodus from Egypt, and were subject to no special law beyond the natural law, and also, doubtless, the law of the state in which they were living, in so far as it was consonant with the Divine natural law.
(29) As to the fact that the patriarchs offered sacrifices, I think they did so for the purpose of stimulating their piety, for their minds had been accustomed from childhood to the idea of sacrifice, which we know had been universal from the time of Enoch; and thus they found in sacrifice their most powerful incentive. (30) The patriarchs, then, did not sacrifice to God at the bidding of a Divine right, or as taught by the basis of the Divine law, but simply in accordance with the custom of the time; and, if in so doing they followed any ordinance, it was simply the ordinance of the country they were living in, by which (as we have seen before in the case of Melchisedek) they were bound.
(31) I think that I have now given Scriptural authority for my view: it remains to show why and how the ceremonial observances tended to preserve and confirm the Hebrew kingdom; and this I can very briefly do on grounds universally accepted.
(32) The formation of society serves not only for defensive purposes, but is also very useful, and, indeed, absolutely necessary, as rendering possible the division of labour. (33) If men did not render mutual assistance to each other, no one would have either the skill or the time to provide for his own sustenance and preservation: for all men are not equally apt for all work, and no one would be capable of preparing all that he individually stood in need of. (34) Strength and time, I repeat, would fail, if every one had in person to plough, to sow, to reap, to grind corn, to cook, to weave, to stitch, and perform the other numerous functions required to keep life going; to say nothing of the arts and sciences which are also entirely necessary to the perfection and blessedness of human nature. (35) We see that peoples living, in uncivilized barbarism lead a wretched and almost animal life, and even they would not be able to acquire their few rude necessaries without assisting one another to a certain extent.
(36) Now if men were so constituted by nature that they desired nothing but what is designated by true reason, society would obviously have no need of laws: it would be sufficient to inculcate true moral doctrines; and men would freely, without hesitation, act in accordance with their true interests. (37) But human nature is framed in a different fashion: every one, indeed, seeks his own interest, but does not do so in accordance with the dictates of sound reason, for most men's ideas of desirability and usefulness are guided by their fleshly instincts and emotions, which take no thought beyond the present and the immediate object. (38) Therefore, no society can exist without government, and force, and laws to restrain and repress men's desires and immoderate impulses. (39) Still human nature will not submit to absolute repression. (40) Violent governments, as Seneca says, never last long; the moderate governments endure. (41) So long as men act simply from fear they act contrary to their inclinations, taking no thought for the advantages or necessity of their actions, but simply endeavouring to escape punishment or loss of life. (42) They must needs rejoice in any evil which befalls their ruler, even if it should involve themselves; and must long for and bring about such evil by every means in their power. (43) Again, men are especially intolerant of serving and being ruled by their equals. (44) Lastly, it is exceedingly difficult to revoke liberties once granted.
(45) From these considerations it follows, firstly, that authority should either be vested in the hands of the whole state in common, so that everyone should be bound to serve, and yet not be in subjection to his equals; or else, if power be in the hands of a few, or one man, that one man should be something above average humanity, or should strive to get himself accepted as such. (46) Secondly, laws should in every government be so arranged that people should be kept in bounds by the hope of some greatly desired good, rather than by fear, for then everyone will do his duty willingly.
(47) Lastly, as obedience consists in acting at the bidding of external authority, it would have no place in a state where the government is vested in the whole people, and where laws are made by common consent. (48) In such a society the people would remain free, whether the laws were added to or diminished, inasmuch as it would not be done on external authority, but their own free consent. (49) The reverse happens when the sovereign power is vested in one man, for all act at his bidding; and, therefore, unless they had been trained from the first to depend on the words of their ruler, the latter would find it difficult, in case of need, to abrogate liberties once conceded, and impose new laws.
(50) From these universal considerations, let us pass on to the kingdom of the Jews. (51) The Jews when they first came out of Egypt were not bound by any national laws, and were therefore free to ratify any laws they liked, or to make new ones, and were at liberty to set up a government and occupy a territory wherever they chose. (52) However, they, were entirely unfit to frame a wise code of laws and to keep the sovereign power vested in the community; they were all uncultivated and sunk in a wretched slavery, therefore the sovereignty was bound to remain vested in the hands of one man who would rule the rest and keep them under constraint, make laws and interpret them. (53) This sovereignty was easily retained by Moses, because he surpassed the rest in virtue and persuaded the people of the fact, proving it by many testimonies (see Exod. chap. xiv., last verse, and chap. xix:9). (54) He then, by the Divine virtue he possessed, made laws and ordained them for the people, taking the greatest care that they should be obeyed willingly and not through fear, being specially induced to adopt this course by the obstinate nature of the Jews, who would not have submitted to be ruled solely by constraint; and also by the imminence of war, for it is always better to inspire soldiers with a thirst for glory than to terrify them with threats; each man will then strive to distinguish himself by valour and courage, instead of merely trying to escape punishment. (55) Moses, therefore, by his virtue and the Divine command, introduced a religion, so that the people might do their duty from devotion rather than fear. (56) Further, he bound them over by benefits, and prophesied many advantages in the future; nor were his laws very severe, as anyone may see for himself, especially if he remarks the number of circumstances necessary in order to procure the conviction of an accused person.
(57) Lastly, in order that the people which could not govern itself should be entirely dependent on its ruler, he left nothing to the free choice of individuals (who had hitherto been slaves); the people could do nothing but remember the law, and follow the ordinances laid down at the good pleasure of their ruler; they were not allowed to plough, to sow, to reap, nor even to eat; to clothe themselves, to shave, to rejoice, or in fact to do anything whatever as they liked, but were bound to follow the directions given in the law; and not only this, but they were obliged to have marks on their door-posts, on their hands, and between their eyes to admonish them to perpetual obedience.
(58) This, then, was the object of the ceremonial law, that men should do nothing of their own free will, but should always act under external authority, and should continually confess by their actions and thoughts that they were not their own masters, but were entirely under the control of others.
(59) From all these considerations it is clearer than day that ceremonies have nothing to do with a state of blessedness, and that those mentioned in the Old Testament, i.e. the whole Mosaic Law, had reference merely to the government of the Jews, and merely temporal advantages.
(60) As for the Christian rites, such as baptism, the Lord's Supper, festivals, public prayers, and any other observances which are, and always have been, common to all Christendom, if they were instituted by Christ or His Apostles (which is open to doubt), they were instituted as external signs of the universal church, and not as having anything to do with blessedness, or possessing any sanctity in themselves. (61) Therefore, though such ceremonies were not ordained for the sake of upholding a government, they were ordained for the preservation of a society, and accordingly he who lives alone is not bound by them: nay, those who live in a country where the Christian religion is forbidden, are bound to abstain from such rites, and can none the less live in a state of blessedness. (62) We have an example of this in Japan, where the Christian religion is forbidden, and the Dutch who live there are enjoined by their East India Company not to practise any outward rites of religion. (63) I need not cite other examples, though it would be easy to prove my point from the fundamental principles of the New Testament, and to adduce many confirmatory instances; but I pass on the more willingly, as I am anxious to proceed to my next proposition. (64) I will now, therefore, pass on to what I proposed to treat of in the second part of this chapter, namely, what persons are bound to believe in the narratives contained in Scripture, and how far they are so bound. (65) Examining this question by the aid of natural reason, I will proceed as follows.
(66) If anyone wishes to persuade his fellows for or against anything which is not self-evident, he must deduce his contention from their admissions, and convince them either by experience or by ratiocination; either by appealing to facts of natural experience, or to self-evident intellectual axioms. (67) Now unless the experience be of such a kind as to be clearly and distinctly understood, though it may convince a man, it will not have the same effect on his mind and disperse the clouds of his doubt so completely as when the doctrine taught is deduced entirely from intellectual axioms - that is, by the mere power of the understanding and logical order, and this is especially the case in spiritual matters which have nothing to do with the senses.
(68) But the deduction of conclusions from general truths . priori, usually requires a long chain of arguments, and, moreover, very great caution, acuteness, and self-restraint - qualities which are not often met with; therefore people prefer to be taught by experience rather than deduce their conclusion from a few axioms, and set them out in logical order. (69) Whence it follows, that if anyone wishes to teach a doctrine to a whole nation (not to speak of the whole human race), and to be understood by all men in every particular, he will seek to support his teaching with experience, and will endeavour to suit his reasonings and the definitions of his doctrines as far as possible to the understanding of the common people, who form the majority of mankind, and he will not set them forth in logical sequence nor adduce the definitions which serve to establish them. (70) Otherwise he writes only for the learned - that is, he will be understood by only a small proportion of the human race.
(71) All Scripture was written primarily for an entire people, and secondarily for the whole human race; therefore its contents must necessarily be adapted as far as possible to the understanding of the masses, and proved only by examples drawn from experience. (72) We will explain ourselves more clearly. (73) The chief speculative doctrines taught in Scripture are the existence of God, or a Being Who made all things, and Who directs and sustains the world with consummate wisdom; furthermore, that God takes the greatest thought for men, or such of them as live piously and honourably, while He punishes, with various penalties, those who do evil, separating them from the good. (74) All this is proved in Scripture entirely through experience-that is, through the narratives there related. (75) No definitions of doctrine are given, but all the sayings and reasonings are adapted to the understanding of the masses. (76) Although experience can give no clear knowledge of these things, nor explain the nature of God, nor how He directs and sustains all things, it can nevertheless teach and enlighten men sufficiently to impress obedience and devotion on their minds.
(77) It is now, I think, sufficiently clear what persons are bound to believe in the Scripture narratives, and in what degree they are so bound, for it evidently follows from what has been said that the knowledge of and belief in them is particularly necessary to the masses whose intellect is not capable of perceiving things clearly and distinctly. (78) Further, he who denies them because he does not believe that God exists or takes thought for men and the world, may be accounted impious; but a man who is ignorant of them, and nevertheless knows by natural reason that God exists, as we have said, and has a true plan of life, is altogether blessed - yes, more blessed than the common herd of believers, because besides true opinions he possesses also a true and distinct conception. (79) Lastly, he who is ignorant of the Scriptures and knows nothing by the light of reason, though he may not be impious or rebellious, is yet less than human and almost brutal, having none of God's gifts.
(80) We must here remark that when we say that the knowledge of the sacred narrative is particularly necessary to the masses, we do not mean the knowledge of absolutely all the narratives in the Bible, but only of the principal ones, those which, taken by themselves, plainly display the doctrine we have just stated, and have most effect over men's minds.
(81) If all the narratives in Scripture were necessary for the proof of this doctrine, and if no conclusion could be drawn without the general consideration of every one of the histories contained in the sacred writings, truly the conclusion and demonstration of such doctrine would overtask the understanding and strength not only of the masses, but of humanity; who is there who could give attention to all the narratives at once, and to all the circumstances, and all the scraps of doctrine to be elicited from such a host of diverse histories? (82) I cannot believe that the men who have left us the Bible as we have it were so abounding in talent that they attempted setting about such a method of demonstration, still less can I suppose that we cannot understand Scriptural doctrine till we have given heed to the quarrels of Isaac, the advice of Achitophel to Absalom, the civil war between Jews and Israelites, and other similar chronicles; nor can I think that it was more difficult to teach such doctrine by means of history to the Jews of early times, the contemporaries of Moses, than it was to the contemporaries of Esdras. (83) But more will be said on this point hereafter, we may now only note that the masses are only bound to know those histories which can most powerfully dispose their mind to obedience and devotion. (84) However, the masses are not sufficiently skilled to draw conclusions from what they read, they take more delight in the actual stories, and in the strange and unlooked-for issues of events than in the doctrines implied; therefore, besides reading these narratives, they are always in need of pastors or church ministers to explain them to their feeble intelligence.
(85) But not to wander from our point, let us conclude with what has been our principal object - namely, that the truth of narratives, be they what they may, has nothing to do with the Divine law, and serves for nothing except in respect of doctrine, the sole element which makes one history better than another. (86) The narratives in the Old and New Testaments surpass profane history, and differ among themselves in merit simply by reason of the salutary doctrines which they inculcate. (87) Therefore, if a man were to read the Scripture narratives believing the whole of them, but were to give no heed to the doctrines they contain, and make no amendment in his life, he might employ himself just as profitably in reading the Koran or the poetic drama, or ordinary chronicles, with the attention usually given to such writings; on the other hand, if a man is absolutely ignorant of the Scriptures, and none the less has right opinions and a true plan of life, he is absolutely blessed and truly possesses in himself the spirit of Christ.
(88) The Jews are of a directly contrary way of thinking, for they hold that true opinions and a true plan of life are of no service in attaining blessedness, if their possessors have arrived at them by the light of reason only, and not like the documents prophetically revealed to Moses. (89) Maimonides ventures openly to make this assertion: "Every man who takes to heart the seven precepts and diligently follows them, is counted with the pious among the nation, and an heir of the world to come; that is to say, if he takes to heart and follows them because God ordained them in the law, and revealed them to us by Moses, because they were of aforetime precepts to the sons of Noah: but he who follows them as led thereto by reason, is not counted as a dweller among the pious or among the wise of the nations." (90) Such are the words Of Maimonides, to which R. Joseph, the son of Shem Job, adds in his book which he calls "Kebod Elohim, or God's Glory," that although Aristotle (whom he considers to have written the best ethics and to be above everyone else) has not omitted anything that concerns true ethics, and which he has adopted in his own book, carefully following the lines laid down, yet this was not able to suffice for his salvation, inasmuch as he embraced his doctrines in accordance with the dictates of reason and not as Divine documents prophetically revealed.
(91) However, that these are mere figments, and are not supported by Scriptural authority will, I think, be sufficiently evident to the attentive reader, so that an examination of the theory will be sufficient for its refutation. (92) It is not my purpose here to refute the assertions of those who assert that the natural light of reason can teach nothing, of any value concerning the true way of salvation. (93) People who lay no claims to reason for themselves, are not able to prove by reason this their assertion; and if they hawk about something superior to reason, it is a mere figment, and far below reason, as their general method of life sufficiently shows. (94) But there is no need to dwell upon such persons. (95) I will merely add that we can only judge of a man by his works. (96) If a man abounds in the fruits of the Spirit , charity, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faith, gentleness, chastity, against which, as Paul says (Gal. v:22), there is no law, such an one, whether he be taught by reason only or by the Scripture only, has been in very truth taught by God, and is altogether blessed. (97) Thus have I said all that I undertook to say concerning Divine law.
AUTHOR'S ENDNOTES TO THE THEOLOGICO-POLITICAL TREATISE
CHAPTERS I to V
Endnote 1. (1) The word naw-vee', Strong:5030, is rightly interpreted by Rabbi Salomon Jarchi, but the sense is hardly caught by Aben Ezra, who was not so good a Hebraist. (2) We must also remark that this Hebrew word for prophecy has a universal meaning and embraces all kinds of prophecy. (3) Other terms are more special, and denote this or that sort of prophecy, as I believe is well known to the learned.
Endnote 2. (1) "Although, ordinary knowledge is Divine, its professors cannot be called prophets." That is, interpreters of God. (2) For he alone is an interpreter of God, who interprets the decrees which God has revealed to him, to others who have not received such revelation, and whose belief, therefore, rests merely on the prophet's authority and the confidence reposed in him. (3) If it were otherwise, and all who listen to prophets became prophets themselves, as all who listen to philosophers become philosophers, a prophet would no longer be the interpreter of Divine decrees, inasmuch as his hearers would know the truth, not on the, authority of the prophet, but by means of actual Divine revelation and inward testimony. (4) Thus the sovereign powers are the interpreters of their own rights of sway, because these are defended only by their authority and supported by their testimony.
Endnote 3. (1) "Prophets were endowed with a peculiar and
extraordinary power." (2) Though some men enjoy gifts which nature has not bestowed on their fellows, they are not said to surpass the bounds of human nature, unless their special qualities are such as cannot be said to be deducible from the definition of human nature. (3) For instance, a giant is a rarity, but still human. (4) The gift of composing poetry extempore is given to very few, yet it is human. (5) The same may, therefore, be said of the faculty possessed by some of imagining things as vividly as though they saw them before them, and this not while asleep, but while awake. (6) But if anyone could be found who possessed other means and other foundations for knowledge, he might be said to transcend the limits of human nature.
CHAPTER III.
Endnote 4. (1) In Gen. xv. it is written that God promised Abraham to protect him, and to grant him ample rewards. (2) Abraham answered that he could expect nothing which could be of any value to him, as he was childless and well stricken in years.
Endnote 5. (1) That a keeping of the commandments of the old Testament is not sufficient for eternal life, appears from Mark x:21.
End of Endnotes to PART I
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Fossils & Meteorites
Conserving our Collections
Europe and the Near East
Mesoamerica and Central America
Anthropology is all about what makes us human, our place in nature, our common concerns and our differences. Field Museum anthropologists explore these issues through laboratory and collections-based research at the Museum and at field sites throughout the world. They build and maintain the Museum's world class collections which now include more than a million and a half objects documenting the diversity and accomplishments of humankind. Our scientists also teach others, through exhibits, public programs and advanced training.
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Image above: Chinese rubbing in vermilion ink. Catalog Number 341389. © The Field Museum, GN91259_058d, Photographer Karen Bean.
Associate Curator and Section Head Integrative Research Center
Jamie Kelly
Head of Anthropology Collections; Collections Manager Gantz Family Collections Center
Cultural Collections
A. B. Lewis Collection
A.B. Lewis was born in Clifton, Ohio in 1867 and went to graduate school at Columbia University where he studied under Franz Boas. In 1907 George Dorsey recruited and hired Lewis to work at the Field Museum. A.B. Lewis served as Assistant Curator of African and Melanesian Ethnology between 1908 and 1935 and as Curator of Melanesian ethnology from 1936 until his death in 1940.
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A. W. F. Fuller Collection
In 1958 The Field Museum purchased one of the most extensive and valuable collections of Pacific artifacts ever assembled; Captain A.W.F.
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Africa Collections
The Museum’s collection of material culture from the continent of Africa, acquired through donations, museum sponsored expeditions, purchases, and exchanges with other museums, includes over 173,000 objects and continues to be an important resource for knowledge, ongoing research, and loan and exhibition. The African collections are comprised of nearly 30,000 ethnographic and approximately 143,500 archaeological objects. Africa's complex art, technology, architecture, and political systems are documented both by the Museum's archaeological assemblages and varied historical
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Andean Clays
The pre-Hispanic states of Andean South America are famous for their polychrome ceramics. They are recovered during archaeological excavations of burials, houses, palaces and temples. Ceramic vessels were used for many functions, including cooking, storage and in ritual events. In order to understand not only what ceramic vessels were used for but also how they were made, Field Museum scientists have been examining pottery production in the ancient Andes by investigating where people procured the raw clays used to make ceramic vessels.
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Andean Fine-grained Volcanics
Field Museum curator Ryan Williams and colleagues have conducted an intensive survey of basalt, rhyolite, and andesite sources in the western Titicaca basin to examine the potential for compositionally matching raw materials from these sources to archaeological artifacts, monuments, and prehistoric architecture on the Altiplano, including archaeological collections from middle Horizon archaeological sites at Taraco and Isla Esteves in the north basin and the sites of Tiwanaku, Lukurmata, and Iwawe in the south. Basalt and other fine-grained volcanic rocks were a key resource in the an
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Anthropology Curation Portal
Welcome to the Anthropology Collections Curation Portal! Know something we don’t know about objects in the anthropology collections at the Field Museum? Please use this portal to add new information to the Museum’s collections database.
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Asian Textile Collections
Seemingly fragile, textiles can be an enduring link to vanished cultures, as well as a fascinating cross section of the aesthetic sensibilities of far-flung contemporary peoples. Among the five most distinctive collections in the United States, The Field Museum’s holdings of Asian textiles include nineteenth and twentieth century pieces from India, Bhutan, Central Asia, China, Korea, Japan, Indonesia, and the Philippines.
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Australian Collection
The Australian collection, numbering over 2,200 objects, includes stone tools, boomerangs, shields, clubs, spears, spear throwers, ornaments, and ceremonial objects. While the first objects in the collection were received from the W.C.E. Commission of New South Wales, A.W.F. Fuller contributed the largest segment from this continent; 699 items. Other notable additions include 474 objects received from the University of Melbourne in 1911 and over 500 objects received from J.F. Connelly in 1928.
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Aztec, Inca and Maya Collections
The Museum is rich in collections from three of the ancient Middle and South American cultures whose conflicts with European societies were among the most dramatic and far-reaching. These collections are particularly strong in ceramics: Aztec pottery from Late Post-Classic Mexico (ca. A.D. 1450-1521)--one of the finest collections of Aztec ceramics outside Mexico. Through analysis of clay samples from a series of vessels, a Museum research associate uncovered pathways of economic exchange during this period on the brink of European contact.
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Berthold Laufer Collections
Berthold Laufer (1874-1934), curator of Asian Anthropology from 1908 to 1934, was a pioneer in the study of Asian cultures. With a doctorate in oriental languages from the University of Leipzig, Laufer was a sinologist who was fluent in more than a dozen languages, many of which were non Indo-European. Polymath and polyglot, his interests seemed unbounded and his linguistic skills unequaled.
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Boone Collection
The Boone Collection consists of over 3,500 East Asian artifacts gathered by Commander Gilbert E. Boone and his wife Katharine Phelps Boone. The Boones acquired most of these objects in the late 1950s, during a three-year tour of duty in Japan. Consequently, the objects are predominantly Japanese (accounting for over 50% of The Field Museum's Japanese collection), but a significant number are also from China and Korea.
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Brazil Collections
Material records of pre-contact cultures include polychrome pottery excavated from artificial earth mounds on Marajó Island, at the mouth of the Amazon. These well-preserved vessels hint at Brazilian lifeways over a 700-year span in the first millennium A.D.
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Chinese Rubbings Collection
For more than 1,500 years rubbings have been a vital medium for preserving China's art, culture, and history. These beautiful works are made by pressing thin sheets of wet paper into carvings or inscriptions cut in stone or other hard materials and carefully inking the surface to create a copy of the original. The resulting rubbing has white impressions where the paper was pressed into the carving surrounded by a typically black ink field.
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Coastal Peru Collection
Material records of pre-contact cultures include ceramics and textiles from settlements thriving between 1000 B.C. and A.D. 1300 on the Peruvian coast. These pieces came to light through the excavations of Field Museum Curators George Dorsey in the 1890's and Donald Collier in the 1940's and 50's as well as University of California anthropologist Alfred Kroeber in the 1920s.
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Contemporary Pacific Collections
While the acquisition of new collections for the Museum still involves obtaining actual objects, our collecting also involves much more than just this. It includes talking and listening to the people who made and used the objects being acquired to see if we can develop relationships with them that, at least in some cases, can grow into lasting partnerships between the Museum and people out in the Pacific.
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Early Pacific Collections
When the World’s Columbian Exposition ended at the end of October 1893, the newly founded Museum became the recipient of the majority of the anthropological and natural history collections that had been assembled. In addition to the numerous donations of collections, many other valuable collections were purchased from both domestic and foreign exhibitors. The anthropological collections originating from the World’s Fair numbered some 50,000 specimens of which between three and four thousand objects formed the Museum’s original collect
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First and Second Rawson-MacMillan Subarctic Expeditions
Photos from the First and Second Rawson-MacMillan Subarctic Expeditions, 1926-1928: Baffin Island, Greenland, Labrador, Nova Scotia, and Maine.
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Javanese Mask Collection
These masks were brought to the United States by a group of dancers, who performed at the World's Columbian Exposition at Chicago in 1893. Such masks are worn by actors in traditional dance dramas known as wayang topeng. The dancers were from the island of Java in Indonesia. While in Chicago they resided in the Java Village, which was organized and financed by the colonial government of the Netherland's East Indies as Indonesia was known in those days.
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Kish Collection
The ancient city of Kish was occupied from at least as early as 3200 B.C. through the 7th century A.D. Located on the floodplain of the Euphrates River eighty kilometers south of modern Baghdad, Kish held an extraordinary position during the formative periods of Mesopotamian history. At that time, it seems to have been the only important city in the northern part of the alluvium, while there were several major centers in the south. The ancient Mesopotamians regarded Kish as the first city to which "kingship descended from heaven" after the great flood that had destroyed the world.
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Latin American Textile Collections
The Museum's Latin American collections include fine textiles from highland Peru and Bolivia and from Guatemala. Dating from the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, the Andean collection captures a weaving heritage altered by the influence of industrial dyes and tourism on local communities. The diverse Guatemalan pieces shed light on social affiliation (as expressed through dress) and on the artistic vision of women.
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Melanesian Collections
The Melanesian collections, numbering over 38,000 ethnographic objects, represent one of the world’s finest collections of Pacific material culture ever assembled. Originating mostly during the first two decades of the 20th century, most of lowland and coastal New Guinea as well as the islands of the Bismarck Archipelago (New Britain, New Ireland, and the Admiralty Islands), the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, and New Caledonia are represented. The Joseph N.
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Mesoamerica and Central America Collections
The Field Museum's Mesoamerican and Central American collections include a wide-range of archaeological and ethnographic pieces, many of the highest exhibition quality. This collection also includes a number of collections of significant research value, including those from scientific excavations made by J. Eric Thompson, and the research collections gathered by several significant cultural anthropologists.
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Micronesian Collections
The Micronesian collections number nearly 16,000 specimens. Alexander Spoehr, Curator of Oceanic archaeology and ethnology between 1940 and 1952, performed fieldwork immediately after World War II in the Marshall Islands and Marianas Islands and collected both ethnological and archaeological material for the Museum. Roland W.
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Montez Collection
The Department of Anthropology holds an exceptional collection of ancient Peruvian objects purchased in the 19th century from a private Peruvian collector. This collection consists of approximately 1,200 objects, of which the vast majority are ceramic vessels from the Inca Period. Several important pieces have previously been loaned to the Fowler Museum, University of California, Los Angeles.
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New Guinean Clays
Potting was first introduced to Papua New Guinea over two thousand years ago, and remains a flourishing craft there even today. Potters on the Sepik coast of northern Papua New Guinea utilize complex paste recipes to produce their final finished ceramics, often mixing several types of clays and other materials such as beach sands (referred to as "temper") to obtain exactly the consistency and working properties that they favor. During field work on the Sepik coast between 1990 and 1997, Field Museum curator John Terrell and his colleagues collected clays and tempering materials
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North America Collections
Since its founding, the Field Museum has devoted considerable attention to the Native peoples of North America. The result is a series of collections of striking depth, strong in recent history and contemporary culture. Staff collaborate actively with Native American groups, who come regularly to visit and study the collections of their nations.
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North American Obsidian
Obsidian, natural glass formed during volcanic eruptions, was an important raw material in prehistory worldwide. Obsidian was prized for tool making for a number of reasons, including its workability, sharpness, and visual appeal. Consequently, prehistoric peoples went to great lengths to obtain obsidian, often from very distant sources. For archaeologists, obsidian is a powerful tool for understanding prehistoric economy and interaction, because individual obsidian outcrops are usually spatially discrete and chemically distinct from one another. During the 1960s, ar
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Paul S Martin Collection
The Field Museum has an extensive collection of valuable archaeological materials from the southwestern United States, most often referred to as the "Paul S. Martin Collection." These materials derive from work conducted between 1930 and the early 1970s, when Paul Martin was involved in single-season and multi-season excavations at 69 sites; six major surveys were also undertaken during this period.
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Photo Archives - Africa Collection
The Field Museum contains one of the finest collections of Cameroon artifacts from the West African grassfields. In the 1920's, Jan Kleykamp, representing the J .F. G. Umlauff Company in Hamburg, sold a collection of artifacts to the Field Museum. The purchase included 332 ethnological photographs taken in 1912 attributed to a man named Schroeder. The Umlauff collection of images illustrate the use and social context of the artifacts.
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Photo Archives - Anthropology Collection
Javanese masks from the Anthropology Department's collections. The Photo Archives has an extensive collection of anthropological images from the past and present.
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Photo Archives - Expedition Collection
In the early 1900's, the four scientific departments collected in North, Central and South America, and Africa. Artifacts and natural science materials were collected, but photographs made on the trips would likely include scenery, architecture and people.
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Photo Archives - Malvina Hoffman Collection
In 1930, artist Malvina Hoffman was commissioned to sculpt and cast bronze figures depicting the peoples of the world. The resulting exhibition, The Races of Mankind, is the largest single commission of her work and consists of 104 busts, heads, and life-sized figures. In preparation for the exhibition, Hoffman and her husband, S. B. Grimson, traveled throughout the world to find authentic models for the sculptures. Photographs from the trip appear in her two autobiographies, as well as in several publications about Hoffman.
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Photo Archives - Native American Collection
Between 1895 and 1910, the Museum collected most of its Native American ethnological and archaeological material to augment the collections obtained from the World's Columbian Exposition. Between 1897 and 1898, free-lance photographer Edward Allen and Museum curator George Dorsey documented the daily activities, ceremonies and peoples of the Pacific Northwest Coast, and the plains, plateau and desert regions of the western United States.
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Photo Archives - Philippines Collections
Between 1908-1910, Museum curator Fay-Cooper Cole visited the Philippine Islands and Indonesia and produced over 400 photographs while visiting the areas. Through Edward Ayer and the Newberry Library in Chicago, the Field Museum made copies of the Newberry's collection of Dean C. Worcester's collection of photographs. Over 2,000 copy negatives were made of the photographs made by Worcester and by his government photographers.
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Polynesian Collections
The Polynesian collections number nearly 8,000 objects and represent almost every island group in the region. The Museum received approximately 200 items from the World’s Columbian Exposition in 1893 and in 1897 added a 113 piece collection from Gustavus Goward from Samoa and a 300 piece collection from William Preston Harrison representing the Solomon Islands and Polynesia. In 1898 the Museum added W.T.
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Roman and Etruscan Collections
Purchased in the 1890s, the Italy collection includes fresco paintings, fine bronzes and jewelry, and household objects from the Roman villas of Boscoreale, a site near doomed Pompeii. Complete Etruscan tomb groups like the Museum’s are rare and of great scientific and educational value.
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Schuster Collection
The Carl Schuster collection of Chinese textiles is unique and by far the largest and most exclusive collection of Chinese folk embroidery in the world, including China. Distinct from multicolored and multi-technique silk or cotton embroideries from other parts of China, the Western and Southwestern folk embroideries collected by Schuster are mainly cross stitches in cotton thread on cotton cloth with combinations of either blue on white or white on blue.
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World's Columbian Exposition of 1893 Collection
When the Museum opened in 1894, visitors could once again experience many of the exhibits they had seen at the fair. Thousands of objects exhibited at the Fair were donated or sold to the new museum, and they have been cared for by the Anthropology Department since then. Many of those objects have not been viewed by the public since 1893!
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Fog City Journal / Opinion / Human History in a Hurry and the Circadian Theory of Learning
Human History in a Hurry and the Circadian Theory of Learning
Written by David Bryson. Posted in Opinion, Science
Tagged: big bang, circadian learning, evolution, science
Published on July 04, 2012 with 1 Comment
By David Bryson
Six years ago I wrote two columns for Fog City Journal. I’m now combining the two into a single concise summary. By reading this you will learn more about the evolution of mammalian and human learning than is available anywhere else. Consider this scientific speculation on a planetary scale.
First read “Cosmopolitics.” This is an exponential time series from the birth of the earth up to time present. It is easy to learn and hard to forget. My nickname for this mental invention is Human History in a Hurry. The search for a creation story has been universal in all cultures, and here for the first time is a creation story with a scientific basis and an exponential timeline.
Then read “Cosmopolitics II.” This is a gloss of the Circadian Theory of Learning, published by the University of Chicago Press in 1969. (There is a link to a 30 minute interview of me on National Public Radio. Anyone who listens to this, or is curious without hearing the interview, can email with questions or comments at davidbry@ktc.com).
The last time segment in the series – 5×10^0 – is no longer the first five years of the 20th Century, as it was in the link above. (Any number to the power of zero = 1, thus 5×10^0 = 5). Another five years have passed (2007-2012) and nothing important has improved. There is still ongoing degradation of the biosphere, more military mayhem, and increasing disconnect between the well being of people who vote and the actions of political leaders and governments who are supposed to serve them. Emma Goldman said, “There is no such thing as a good government.” When the subject is federal governments, rather than local and municipal governments, I agree with her.
The other time segments can stand as is – no adjustments to the presentation of my column in 2006 are necessary. Another five years is not important when considering the last 50, 500, 5000, 50,000, 500,000, 5 million, 500 million, and 5 billion years.
So let’s go!
5×10^9 (about 5 billion years ago) – Our understanding of the formation of the solar system and the origin of life is about the same as five years ago. Many more extra-solar planets have been discovered, and a few of these might have conditions compatible with the genesis of life. There is still no general accepted theory for how life first developed on earth.
5×10^8 (about 500 million years ago) – For conceptual purposes, I characterize the evolution of vertebrates, from the first fish all of way through to dinosaurs and the first mammals, as being the story of bodies. Each species of vertebrates is classified by its body rather than by its brain. The brain of all vertebrates is at the front end of the body, for close communication with sight, hearing, smell, and mouth/feeding. The brain of vertebrates is in the service of its body.
5×10^7 (about 50 million years ago) – With the appearance of the first monkeys, now the body becomes in the service of the brain. The Circadian Theory of Learning enters here! About 55 million years ago there was a huge increase in global temperature, rising about 11 degrees Fahrenheit in just 20,000 years. This brought about major changes in plant and animal life which the first monkeys had to learn about, rather than rely on instinct. New behaviors were dream driven more than gene driven. Incremental genetic changes in behavior would be way too slow to adapt to the explosion of new plants and other animals. Many new species of fruits and nuts evolved, which the monkey brain categorized via perceptual learning during REM sleep. Before the disappearance of the dinosaurs, mammals were mainly nocturnal, when it was safer to move about. Monkeys became diurnal, doing their business during the daylight, and relying on vision to seek out brightly colored ripe fruit which they had learned was maximally nutritious. They had never seen these fruits before. Monkeys were the first creatures to develop Learning with a capital L, because monkeys were the first vertebrates to have a robust cerebral cortex which switched to robust REM time (dreaming) during sleep. Little episodes of decisional learning while awake, providing the grist for inductive analysis for category formation and modification (perceptual learning) during sleep. The evolution of mammalian and human learning cannot be explained on a waking world only basis. (The 1969 theory is copied verbatim at circadiantheoryoflearning.wordpress.com).
5×10^6 (about 5 million years ago) – I have a new idea which relates the origin of bipedal walking, 5 million years ago, to the development of human speech, about 50,000 years ago (5×10^4). As humans evolved the brain kept getting bigger and bigger, and finally it became so big at birth that it was difficult for the female pelvic opening to pass the newborn’s head through the birth canal. The pelvic outlet got as big as possible about 500,000 year ago (5×10^5), and could get no bigger because more widening of the hips would produce bio-mechanical instability for walking and running. So evolution came up with something quite new – massive ongoing increase in brain size after birth – the prolonged infancy of humans. So human babies and toddlers up to the age of about 5 would sit around with mothers and other children, and I think it was these toddlers, sitting together for hours every day, who invented human speech as they played with sticks, stones, and gave names to anyone and anything.
5×10^5 (about 500,000 years ago) – the previous entry states the basis of my speculation about how walking humans eventually leads to talking amongst humans. Of the many ideas about the benefits of walking upright, I most like the suggestion that it is that is it far more efficient energetically than walking on all four limbs, as do chimps and gorillas. Thus, when humans had to travel perhaps several miles to a food or water source, it burned far fewer calories walking upright.. During their dreams, should we walk to the same stream for water tomorrow? What should we do tomorrow if we see the same group of potential enemies in the valley? The purpose of sleep is better management of the next waking state.
5×10^4 (about 50,000 years ago) – I have recently learned that organized warfare – the premeditated killing of humans by other humans, not just random aggression – is far older than the first cities and the onset of civilization. That the potential for lethal aggression towards others outside the tribal groups, armed with weapons of war, that this is hardwired in humans makes the search for world peace more problematic than ever. So while human groups were developing complex language, trading, ornamentation, music, cave painting, and more, there was a possibility of a major battle if attacked or if starving, and for this weapons were essential.
5×10^3 (about 5,000 years ago) – Here the importance of learning via dreaming starts to recede. In Mesopotamia it was written that certain dreams had a certain proper interpretation, such as “if you dream of your sister giving birth to twins, your crop of wheat may fail.” Totally arbitrary and dogmatic. The core importance of dreaming for human survival is exiled to a mental Siberia, dominated by waking-world-only rules, egocentric potentates, and material values.
5×10^2 (the last 500 years) – It was a long road from the first writing at 5×10^3 to full scientific logic. The music and mathematics of Mesopotamia and Egypt was more concrete than abstract. Einstein said that two mental revolutions had to occur…basic big league logic first appeared in Greece with Euclid and Archimedes, and it was not until the scientific revolution involving close observations and experiments, with Galileo as the prototype, that full-scale science could open the world of objective realities to the human mind. The real world is not designed for learning. It is full of false starts and biological camouflage. Rosa Luxemburg said, “Nothing is more revolutionary than to see the world as it actually is.”
5×10^1 (the last 50 years) – There are more and more examples of various human milestones that have jumped up exponentially in the last 50 years. From the depletion of eatable fish to the worldwide number of MacDonalds. This tops off 5000 years of unrestrained mercantilism with no natural limits or boundary restraints. Fifty-years of military expenses and hostilities defy the sanity of women and children. The last 50 years have been called the “Great Acceleration”.
This time frame is inherently provocative. The first humans are 1000 times older than the first cities. The first fish are 100 times older than the first humans. Since the onset of urban civilization, we are flying faster and faster without a flight plan. If the Darwinian world could speak, it would proclaim that aliens have arrived, dropping bombs and driving cars.
I hope you will share this with your friends, families, and students everywhere.
David Bryson
David Bryson is a retired physician, intellectual polyglot, and anarcho-pacifist. He lives in Kerrville, Texas.
Comments for Human History in a Hurry and the Circadian Theory of Learning are now closed.
Jyoungcolumn
” . . . flying faster and faster without a flight plan . . .” Have we left the evolutionary arc and begun the descent into the abyss?
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BioWare Montreal Scaled Down, Mass Effect Series Put on Hold
Written by ValH on May 11th, 2017
Citing unnamed sources close to the company, Kotaku claims that BioWare's Montreal branch, responsible for Mass Effect: Andromeda, has been turned into a support studio. This puts the Mass Effect franchise on hold for the time being, while the rest of BioWare works on their new IP. An excerpt:
In the wake of BioWare’s polarizing Mass Effect: Andromeda, fans have wondered where the lauded sci-fi series will go next. The answer, according to people familiar with the studio, is nowhere—at least for the time being. BioWare has put Mass Effect on hiatus and turned Andromeda’s developer, BioWare Montreal, into a support studio, according to four sources close to the company.
That doesn’t mean there will never be another Mass Effect game, of course. It’s unlikely that BioWare will kill the popular sci-fi franchise. But BioWare is letting Mass Effect sit for a while rather than putting staff on Andromeda’s follow-up right away, those sources said.
Last month, a number of BioWare Montreal employees were transferred to the studio EA Motive, also based in Montreal, to work on Star Wars Battlefront II. Those remaining at BioWare Montreal will help support BioWare’s other games including the new intellectual property, code-named Dylan, which we expect the company to announce at E3. BioWare Montreal will also continue to patch and support Andromeda’s multiplayer.
BioWare’s main studio in Edmonton is heading up Dylan, while BioWare’s other studio, in Austin, is also helping out with that game.
And in related news, the release date for this new IP, according to GameIndustry.biz, has been pushed back, into the fiscal year 2019:
During the earnings call today, EA CEO Andrew Wilson noted that BioWare's brand-new, as yet unannounced IP, has been moved into Fiscal 2019, meaning April 2018 at the earliest. The game was originally slated to be out by the end of the current fiscal year. Wilson said the game is very much built around live services and is coming along well. Some reports have noted that the new IP is similar to Destiny and The Division. Later in the investor Q&A, Wilson stressed that EA is "very happy with BioWare" despite review scores being lower for Andromeda than they hoped. The new IP delay shouldn't be seen as a sign of quality, he noted.
Related Games: Mass Effect: Andromeda
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« Discover these new Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection screens
Nintendo Download Update – Tiny Galaxy, Blaster Master, I Love My Dogs »
Game of Thrones: Episode 5 – A Nest of Vipers slithers out on July 21st
News, PC, Previews, PS3, PS4, Screenshots, Videos and Trailers, Xbox 360, Xbox One
Buckle up Game of Thrones fans, the penultimate installment of Telltale Games’ episodic game series is set to launch next week across all platforms.
Game of Thrones: Episode 5 – A Nest of Vipers will be hitting the PC/Mac and PlayStation platforms on July 21st; Then Xbox platforms the next day, and finally mobile platforms on Thursday, July 23rd.
Check out a selection of shots from the episode along with a new trailer.
Game of Thrones: Episode 5 – A Nest of Vipers trailer:
Game of Thrones: Episode 5 – A Nest of Vipers screens:
The fifth of six episodes in the series, ‘A Nest of Vipers’ will be available starting Tuesday, July 21st on PC/Mac from the Telltale Online Store, Steam, and other digital distribution services, as well as the PlayStation Network for PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 3 in North America (SCEA) and Europe (SCEE). The episode will be available on Wednesday, July 22nd on the Xbox Games Store for Xbox One and Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, and will be coming to compatible iOS devices via the App Store and to Android-based devices on Thursday, July 23rd.
Tags: game of thrones, hbo, playstation, telltale games, xbox
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PlayStation Vue expanding to Amazon Fire TV, Fire TV Stick, Chromecast »
Telltale Games’ Game of Thrones finale launches on November 17th
Android, iOS, News, Previews, PS3, PS4, Screenshots, Xbox 360, Xbox One
The debut season for Telltale’s excellent Game of Thrones episodic series is officially wrapping up on November 17th, 2015.
The 6th and final installment, titled The Ice Dragon, will hit all platforms on the same day worldwide. The retail version will also release that day for $29.99.
Here are a few new screens from the episode along with the official press release.
Game of Thrones – Episode 6 “The Ice Dragon” screens:
The final of six episodes in the season, ‘The Ice Dragon’ will be available starting Tuesday, November 17th on PC/Mac from the Telltale Online Store, Steam, and other digital distribution services, the PlayStation Network for PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 3 in North America (SCEA) and Europe (SCEE), the Xbox Games Store for Xbox One and Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, and on compatible iOS and Android-based devices. This marks the first time in Telltale’s release history that a finale will be available to download simultaneously across all console, PC/Mac and mobile platforms, day and date, worldwide.
The season will also debut on disc at retailers in North America beginning November 17th on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, Xbox One, and Xbox 360 for the suggested retail price of $29.99 USD or equivalent; and beginning November 20th in Europe on these consoles as well as for PC.
Tags: android, game of thrones, hbo, ios, playstation, telltale games, xbox
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Home > Articles > Networking
The Role of Technology in Communication and News Management
By Gerald R. Baron
Information Development
Information Distribution
Interactivity and Response
Inquiry Management
Web Site Control
Group Communication
New communication management technology provides the means to manage the most challenging issue or crisis situations. Gerald Baron explains how to manage information distribution, inquiry management, internal communication, user access, and other demands of the instant news world.
Now Is Too Late: Survival in an Era of Instant News
The first notice came from the border patrol manager at the international boundary between the United States and Canada. The local Department of Emergency Management (DEM) was notified and the volunteer Information Officer was alerted and activated. The situation: Someone had stopped a large motor home at the border crossing and a cloud of steam or gas was escaping from the air conditioning unit on the top. When approached by agents, the driver ran off and escaped on the Canadian side. The agents on the scene suspected it was a bioterrorist attack and the gas escaping contained a toxic substance, possibly anthrax. This occurred 4 p.m. on a Saturday afternoon.
The Information Officer was home mowing his lawn when he got the call. He quickly went to his home office with his computer and broadband Internet connection. The local DEM public information site had been prepared for just such an eventuality. He opened up the "dark site" and filled out the templates for public notices and press information. The incident dark site had been prepared in advance and was available on the Internet for immediate public launch, but was not visible to anyone except the communication team.
Using the internal message center and chat room functions built into his communication management system, he confirmed some of the latest information and completed a draft of the initial statement. The ICS was just beginning to be implemented and the local police chief was serving as Incident Commander while other agencies such as the FBI and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police were notified and activated. The Incident Commander approved the draft public notice and press release and the Information Officer pushed another button, posting the approved documents to the incident site, and then clicked another button to launch it as a public site available to anyone.
He also then reviewed the contact names contained within the system. He selected all the reporters in the immediate area and some of the major media reporters in the region, then he clicked a button to send the release. He decided that this release would go out via email and telephone. The system automatically converted the text of the release to voice, and across the region reporters began to receive telephone calls with the information. At the same time, the press release popped up in their emails, and if they didn't have email, their fax machines were humming with the startling news.
The Incident Commander said he wanted all agencies involved to be kept informed of the event and the unfolding response and activities. Simultaneous with the release of the press information, the Information Officer selected prepared mailing lists of community leaders, as well as local and state government officials. They also received emails or faxes with the news, as did the local hospital, the Red Cross, the local and state health departments, and every police and fire agency in a 30-mile radius.
It was now 4:30. Reporter calls were coming in, but many of the reporters were following the advice offered on the release, indicating that the best way to submit questions would be through the media inquiry function on the public Web site. The Information Officer monitored the inquiries coming in even while he activated the JIC team of volunteer and agency information professionals. He activated them using the system to send a simultaneous email and telephone message. He monitored their involvement by seeing who had "signed in" to the password-protected intranet site that served as their common desktop. He decided given the urgency and time, it was best they operate a "virtual JIC" for a couple of hours. They would operate from their homes or offices until a command center with sufficient computer resources was established nearer to the scene. He assigned one of the JIC staffers as Assistant Information Officer External and redirected calls coming in to his busy cell phone to the new Assistant Information Officer's home phone. The assistant grabbed a couple of other JIC volunteers and assigned one to handle local media, public, and government inquiries, whereas the other was to take state, national, and international inquiries.
The inquiries coming in by phone were captured by the team entering the relevant information into the communication system. Other inquiries coming in via the public Web site would show up on the "uncompleted inquiries" list. To complete the inquiries, information responders would answer the question and click a button to automatically email them, at which point they automatically moved into the "completed" category. Inquiries were shifted among team members by another click of the button. Meanwhile, the Information Officer could observe all this activity from his home office and send messages to responders when they were getting off track or weren't using the latest approved information. Using the internal email and secured chat room to communicate among team members meant they never needed to leave their common work platform, the intranet site, and the New Message button would light up when a message was directed to them.
The Assistant Information Officer Internal was given the duty of keeping up with the rapidly unfolding events and preparing the needed updates. One person was sent to the scene to be the liaison on scene with the Unified Command. A computer was now available at the scene so he used this to keep a running update of the rapidly unfolding situation. Multitiered access levels allowed key members of the information team as well as leaders of the responding agencies to review this minute-by-minute document online, whereas others on the team, such as those responding to inquiries, were not granted access to this "raw" information to prevent inadvertent release of unconfirmed or unapproved information.
An hour into the event, the hit counter on the crisis-capable server was moving into the hundreds of thousands of hits, but it was built to withstand millions of hits so it was in no danger of crashing. Members of the public, the media, and the government who were not on the initial release list were now taking up the offer to get automatic email updates and were adding their names by the hundreds to the mailing list available on the public site. The next email update was sent to all those who had just signed up. A press conference was scheduled and all reporters, including those who had added themselves, received an email notice as well as a phone call alerting them to time and place. An additional and connected Web site was established, this one without public access. The Information Officers for the response agencies were given passwords for this private site so that their agency leaders and top U.S. and Canadian government officials could get immediate access to the most complete information before it was released to the public. This site was launched and managed by the Information Officer, still operating from the vast high-tech control room that used to be his daughter's bedroom.
Did this event happen? No, but an international bioterrorism drill playing out this scenario did happen in August 2000. Called Northern Exposure, this drill brought together more than 40 federal, state, provincial, and local agencies from the United States and Canada in a table-top exercise to prepare for just such an event. I served as the Information Officer and the technology just described was available. If the drill had not been a table-top exercise, the communication technology could have been implemented in much the same way as described.
The new media environment requires that today's executives and communicators have a different picture in their heads about communicating with the public and the many stakeholder audiences. The old picture revolves around sending out press releases by broadcast fax and holding a press conference or conducting media interviews. The new picture is more like managing a control room in a highly complex industrial facility where multiple processes are occurring at the same time and everything needs to be carefully managed and controlled. Such a complex operation cannot be managed by sending runners out to check on this unit or that operation and having them report back to the office. Complex process management, in which speed is the driving element, requires all aspects to be networked together, with monitors displaying real-time information about what is happening.
New communication management technology provides the means to manage the most challenging issue or crisis situations. Even a relatively small team can manage the quickly escalating demands of multiple audiences wanting immediate, direct, and individualized information. This technology is entirely Internet-based, providing universal access. However, it is highly secure and controlled with multiple levels of user access. The most important advantage of using the new breed of communication management technology is that it puts the full potential of the Internet as a communication tool in the hands of executives and communicators and removes control from technicians, Web programmers, and IT managers who understand technology but don't understand the communication demands of the instant news world. You might note that in the scenario just described, not a single programmer or technician was part of the information team and there were no delays or additional steps required to make use of any aspect of the Internet.
The term communication management must be distinguished from the now commonly used term content management. There is a critical difference. Content management is focused on allowing a group of users with password access to jointly manage and control content on a Web site or Web sites. Communication management incorporates the content management function but goes considerably beyond it. Content management is aimed at "pull" communications, where viewers come to your Web site when they want and view or download information that they are seeking. Communication management incorporates interactive communication and "push" communications. Interaction involves the give and take, input and response, of most human communication. Push means directing the information to specific individual users via email or other more traditional means such as fax, telephone, or mail.
The many tasks to be managed by the communication team can all be supported by currently available technology. We'll break these tasks into various elements, understanding that in an instant news event, they flow seamlessly and simultaneously together.
If we look at the task of the communicator as getting the right information to the right people, right now, the first facet is the right information. Information development involves collecting the facts, data, comments, images, and all other elements needed, and then drafting those elements into an appropriate form such as a press release, backgrounder, fact sheet, or other type of document. Normally, the draft needs to go through a review process. The more important it is in terms of the company's or organization's reputation and credibility, the more thoroughly it will be reviewed. The editing process might put it through many hands and eyes, with a variety of people marking changes. It is not uncommon for people outside the organization such as attorneys, consultants, or communication professionals to be consulted or to actively participate in this process. Finally, it must be approved. A communication manager might have approval authority over most such documents but when the company's present and future rests on what is said, the CEO or another top executive might be the final approval authority. In a crisis situation, this is most frequently the case, and if the ICS is implemented, nothing can go out without the approval of the Unified Command.
All this can work relatively smoothly using today's common computer and Internet tools, such as word processing software and email programs. Documents are stored on network servers, outsiders participate via email, and their changes are incorporated back into the drafts on the server. The problem with the normal way is the need for speed. In a crisis situation, the normal way of doing things is almost always too slow. The instant news environment and the expectations of Internet users require a process that takes just minutes rather than days or hours. The urgency of getting it out is matched by the urgency of getting it right because no other releases or documents might be more important to the viability of the organization than the first few releases going out after a major event has occurred. Equally important is the development and distribution of information inside the organization to employees, managers, and families.
The only viable solution today is to place the process on an Internet platform. Document and information development needs to be accomplished completely on a common desktop made possible by the Internet. Team members can participate regardless of location, provided they have password access. Current technology provides for intranet sites specifically designed for this purpose. Drafters can create new documents in advanced Web editing tools that present a word-processor-like functionality. These same advanced editors provide those used to common word processing software the tools to place images, design pages, and fully control how they want the information to look.
Images and files can be uploaded for placement in documents or on a public Web site simply by browsing for the file on a desktop or network server. Each person with appropriate password access who signs into the intranet site can then see which drafts are available for editing and what changes to earlier drafts have been made by other editors. Designated "approvers" are established by the intranet site manager, and only they have the approval buttons on their screens allowing them to move the document forward, posting it to the public site or sending it for automatic distribution via email, fax, or telephone.
The very significant speed versus accuracy issue can only be effectively resolved by having a team prepared to work together instantly and providing a platform that makes that possible. Having document creation, editing, and approving set up on a universally available but highly secured intranet site is the only practical solution for this problem. It has proven its worth in numerous crisis situations, demonstrating that it is possible to resolve this difficult dilemma.
In addition to providing an Internet platform for document creation, more companies and organizations are also preparing for the demands of the instant news world by preparing incident dark sites. These are fully prepared Web sites that are not available to the public but can be made available in very short order when launched to provide the information that the public and the media are looking for about an event. These sites are exceptionally helpful in getting a headstart in providing information, and they provide an important opportunity to get ahead of the information curve.
However, most of these sites are built with common static Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) technology, which means they are dependent on technicians or programmers to keep them updated as an event unfolds. This might not be a problem for an event that has no changing information, but such events are quite unlikely. By building dark sites on a fully dynamic communication management platform, a company has a better chance of staying ahead of the curve. Drafting, editing, and approving information online is one critical element, as is the ability to instantly post existing digital documents without technical assistance. The option, of course, is to have an exceptionally efficient and responsive Web team able to keep up on a 24/7 basis for an indefinite period of time. The cost and inefficiency of this suggests that the technology platform is a more suitable solution.
Social Media Crisis Communications: Preparing for, Preventing, and Surviving a Public Relations #FAIL
By Ann Marie van den Hurk
Social Media and Public Relations: Eight New Practices for the PR Professional
By Deirdre K. Breakenridge
Social Media Marketing: Strategies for Engaging in Facebook, Twitter & Other Social Media
By Liana Evans
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INTERVIEW: Pete Miser
From Dido to Underground Hip-Hop (Ho-Made Media)
Portland, Oregon hip-hop is now on the industry's radar with the recent success of Lifesavs' Spirit In Stone (Quannum). However, before Lifesavas were creating a lot of buzz for Portland's hip-hop, one man, Pete Miser, and his crew, the Five Fingers of Funk, were generating tons of accolades and props for their independently released sophomore record, About Time, put out through Miser's own Ho-Made Media.
Following the release of About Time, however, Miser called it quits and moved to the other coast, preferring to call New York home.
"One of the reasons I left Portland was because I thought I was getting attention for art that didn't deserve attention," says a candid Pete Miser. "I thought I was getting empty props for shit that I think didn't need props. I mean, getting propositioned from a 17-year-old groupie when I was 28, that was really weird. I don't think any of that buzz is real anymore, not like I did back then. I mean, touring with Dido, I've seen what real acclaim is like."
After living in New York for awhile, while DJing a party that was attended by members of Dido's backing band, Miser unexpectedly found himself as the DJ in Dido's band, touring the world in support of her multi-platinum selling album, No Angel (Arista).
"Seeing the differences between touring with nine guys and touring with an Artista Records artist -- Dido -- it's a totally different thing," Miser says of his independent verses major-label supported touring experiences. "Five Fingers came to a town and we'd play a good show and then we were done. Dido comes to town and does two radio interviews, an in-store, and we fly first class to places like Japan and Australia. It's all there to build up and support the show. It's really different."
Miser says the differences helped him rethink his ideas on independently touring.
"I think doing it all D.I.Y. is just too insufficient. Now that I've seen the other side I don't think I could do the indie thing without a label. Without a label I don't think I'll be doing much touring," says an honest, realistic Miser, broken of any delusions of granger.
Following his gig with Dido, Miser returned home to continue DJing, recording material, and living his life.
After looking at all the material he had recorded since moving to New York, Miser realized he had an album in there.
The result was Radio Free Brooklyn, his second solo album, following up 1996's What It Be, both of which were released on his Ho-Made Media label.
"I try to write about what's going on with my life and I'm very politically active, so politics make it into my songs," comments Miser on the politically-heavy Radio Free Brooklyn, which includes a track of the same name, a song that details the aftermath of a nuclear bomb being dropped on New York, and finding a radio broadcasting to the survivors, or survivor as may be the case.
"[I wrote the song] 'Might Be' three days after 9/11. While I was writing that song, the title came to mind. It was weird," recalls Miser. "I had this mental image of a bomb going off in the subway and finding a radio and broadcasting to a survivor saying, 'you're listening to radio free Brooklyn'. So I went and wrote the song. But, I wrote the song before Afghanistan and Iraq."
"I was in Brooklyn at my girl's house," Miser says, commenting on where he was when he heard about the 9/11 attacks. "I had just gotten back from London, where I was on tour with Dido. I turned on the T.V. and couldn't believe what I was hearing."
The subject of 9/11 and its implications, as well as war in general, play a big role in the lyrical content of Radio Free Brooklyn, however themes of racism ("Ho-Made", a song about Miser's Asian heritage) and greed ("Got That") also line the record.
Whereas What It Be, Miser's first record, was more cryptic and less political, born out of the street life and gangsta mentality Miser was associating himself with, Radio Free Brooklyn takes a sharp 180, standing tall and proud, and not afraid to speak its mind.
"On the new record, I feel I got better at talking about politics because I've learned to be funny and talk about it," Miser comments. "I think I was too preachy on the first one. I'm more articulate with what I'm saying on the new one."
The record has been doing fairly well, considering Miser has yet t tour behind the record. With two-thousand units moved, Miser is content, but not completely happy with the situation. He sees the record as one that should be moving in the twenty-to-fifty thousand range, but realizes it takes marketing dollars and big(ger) label support to move that many units, all of which he hasn't got.
For Miser, though, selling more records isn't his big concern. His biggest concern is putting his life on tape and portraying himself through his music.
"It's about what you want as the end results," he tells me. "Selling records-- my stuff may be too political for that. But if I just want it to portray my life, I think Radio Free Brooklyn does that It's my hope that my music has value since my life has value."
The big question on my mind is whether or not Miser ever returns to play home for something other than the holidays and family reunions, whether he plans to perform in front of a Portland audience again.
Miser quickly tells me he hopes to soon, and that the band he has now is quite good, and ready for the road.
"I'll be surprised if we don't make it out to Portland for this record".
Local hip-hop kid moves to big city, gets a good break, records critically praised new record, and comes home to showcase for the fans that helped him develop his chops. Let's hope so.
INTERVIEW: Pete Miser (local hip-hop/rap artist -- former front man for Five Fingers of Funk) INTERVIEW: Pete Townshend: The Who's Songwriter Speaks About Current Projects, including The Who Reunion.
[Issue Sixty-Three // November-December 2003]
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Roll Call · Politics in Stereo
Inside Elections
Jury Duty in Today’s America
by Stuart Rothenberg December 18, 2014 · 10:47 AM EST
While most of America was still talking about what happened in Ferguson, Mo., and turning to law enforcement issues in Cleveland and Staten Island, New York, I spent the better part of the week of Dec. 1 in a courthouse in Rockville, Md.
I never expected to be selected to sit on a jury, let alone one where the defendant was charged with first degree rape. I also didn’t expect to hear some shocking information after the case ended.
No, my case did not involve a racially-charged act that tore apart a community. Though the rape was extremely violent, no lives were lost. There were no videos of the rape or of the police response, no national media attention to the case.
Still, as a member of a jury charged with determining guilt or innocence, I, like most members of juries and grand juries, felt an important responsibility to evaluate the evidence dispassionately and come to the correct conclusion.
Mohamed Mansaray was charged with raping a woman on March 31, 2014. Police concluded he entered her apartment in Silver Spring, Md., and attacked the victim, binding her hands behind her back and putting duct tape around her eyes.
He then dragged her into her bedroom and raped her. Throughout the incident, he talked to her as she sobbed and begged him not to hurt her, according to her testimony on the witness stand as part of the weeklong trial.
Even more shocking, we found out not only did Mansaray know the victim, but he was also her daughter’s boyfriend and the father of the unborn child her daughter was carrying at the time.
The victim testified she thought of Mansaray “like my son,” and she did not (or could not) identify him as the attacker and rapist to investigating officers or on the witness stand. In fact, after calling 911 and her sister, the victim called Mansaray to tell him what had happened.
But the accused had a key to the apartment, which showed no sign of forced entry, and he knew the apartment’s layout. An eyewitness’ description of a young man fleeing the scene seemed to fit Mansaray. The state also had DNA evidence from the woman that confirmed Mansaray was the rapist, as well as a videotaped confession from the 25-year-old native of Sierra Leone.
In response, Mansaray’s attorney sought to discredit the state’s case, primarily by raising questions about the chain of custody of the DNA evidence. Defense counsel also suggested the Montgomery County police had done a shoddy job investigating the case, including failing to follow obvious leads and interview potential suspects.
And the defense attorney sought to explain her client’s confession by arguing Mansaray said what the detectives wanted him to say only after they threatened he would never see his child if he didn’t confess.
Some of defense counsel’s arguments resonated, at least with me.
The first police officer on the scene was terribly green, and the detective investigating the crime seemed to have made up her mind very quickly that Mansaray had committed the rape. In addition, the eyewitness, a young woman still in her teens, never took the stand.
In her closing argument to the jury, defense counsel played the race and class card. She portrayed Mansaray as a “little guy” who was being rolled by a wealthy county and a prosecutor who could fly a witness across the country to testify. And she asserted the state’s allegedly cursory investigation of the crime and potential suspects reflected law enforcement’s lack of concern for the victim, because of her race and class.
The attorney for Mansaray also emphasized her argument that the DNA evidence in the case had been tampered with, leaving no doubt she believed the lead detective investigating the rape was involved in tampering.
In her rebuttal closing, the prosecutor called the tampering argument “beyond preposterous” and countered that defense counsel’s assertion the police and prosecutor “don’t care” a rapist was still at large was “offensive.” And she dismissed with equal zeal the suggestion race or class played any role in the handling of the case.
Jury deliberations proceeded quickly. Most jurors believed the charge of rape in the first degree had been proven, but a few believed second-degree rape was appropriate. After reading the judge’s instructions and the definitions of both first- and second-degree rape, the 12-person jury quickly agreed the crime of first-degree rape had been committed.
We then turned to the question of who committed the rape. Had the state proved beyond a reasonable doubt that Mansaray was the rapist?
After a brief discussion of the evidence — and of possible holes in the state’s case — we took an initial vote on whether the defendant was guilty of first-degree rape. All 12 jurors believed Mansaray was guilty. The DNA evidence was overwhelming.
During my week in that courtroom, my feelings about being called for jury duty changed completely. I entered the courthouse annoyed at being forced to give up my Monday and praying I would not be impaneled on a jury. By the end of the week I would not have traded my experience for anything.
Since the trial, I have reflected on how my experience with one trial, in one courtroom, fits into the larger national discussion about justice in America and police behavior.
I am convinced all 12 members of our jury had one goal in mind: To evaluate whether the state had proven its case against Mansaray. We didn’t see the case as anything more than that. We certainly did not see it as about class or race.
We were not interested in making a statement about the police, African-American men, rape or the judicial system in America. That wasn’t our job. We simply tried to understand the facts of the case and apply the law.
Maybe we were able to do that because there were no television cameras focused on our courthouse, no news anchors present, and no television hosts/preachers/activists trying to promote themselves and or their political agendas. There also were no professional agitators or ideological activists trying to turn our case and our decision into something bigger than it was.
And, thankfully, we didn’t have the conjecture, half-truths, speculation and spin that come with today’s almost inevitable media frenzy.
After the case ended, we talked with the two attorneys and learned things that explained some of what seemed to be holes in the state’s otherwise overwhelming case.
The Montgomery County detective focused so quickly on Mansaray and didn’t follow the many other potential leads because she knew something the jury did not — he had served time for repeatedly raping an 11-year-old girl in 2008 and was on probation following early release. That was plenty of reason to focus on the accused from the beginning.
We also learned the witness who provided the description of the man fleeing the rape scene was going to school out of state and refused requests from the prosecutor to return voluntarily for the trial.
Many other pieces suddenly fell into place, as well, when we were given details about the accused. (Here is the news story I read once the trial concluded.)
We found Mansaray guilty of rape in the first degree because the evidence took us there. Given what we later learned about the accused, I am grateful we arrived at our verdict.
I don’t know what evidence the grand juries in Ferguson and Staten Island saw, and I certainly don’t believe that every grand jury decision or jury verdict is a just one. But the jurors on my jury took their responsibility very seriously, and while any system is imperfect, my experience has led me to believe that it is far more reasonable to trust jurors than activists who have their own agendas.
This story first appeared in Roll Call, RollCall.com on December 16, 2014.
© 2014, Roll Call, RollCall.com, — All rights reserved. Reprinted with permission.
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Using the GEA
The Global Energy Assessment (GEA), launched in 2012, defines a new global energy policy agenda – one that transforms the way society thinks about, uses, and delivers energy. Involving specialists from a range of disciplines, industry groups, and policy areas, GEA research aims to facilitate equitable and sustainable energy services for all, in particular the two billion people who currently lack access to clean, modern energy.
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Cluster I: Major global issues and energy (regional, national and international challenges).
Cluster II: Energy resources and technological options (assessment of the components available to build future energy systems).
Cluster III: Describing possible sustainable futures.
Cluster IV: Realizing energy for sustainable development (assessment of the policies needed to address the challenges).
Coordinated by the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA), GEA was led by some of the world's leading energy experts in research, academia, business, industry and policy, representing both the developed and the developing world. GEA is the first ever fully integrated energy assessment that analyzes energy challenges, opportunities and strategies, for developing, industrialized and emerging economies. It is supported by government and non-governmental organizations, the United Nations Systems, and the private sector.
The Assessment was subjected to rigorous and independent analysis and review.
The Final Report:
The GEA final report was launched during Rio+20, and is currently available for purchase. A copy of the GEA Summary Document is available online. Click here to your order your copy from Cambridge University Press now!
The GEA provides policy-relevant analysis and guidance to governments and intergovernmental organizations, decision-support material to the commercial sector (energy service companies, investors and others), and analysis relevant to academic institutions. It provides technical guidance for implementing measures aimed at mitigating climate change and sustainable consumption of resources, for example the GEA:
proposes a portfolio of policies addressing global energy challenges;
addresses climate change mitigation targets as outlined by the UNFCCC and other GHG mitigation initiatives;
evaluates future commitments to the reduction of GHGs, for example, to levels 20+ percent below 1990-levels by 2020 and 50+ percent by 2050, and negative emissions before 2100; and
examines resource and technology options and policies needed to achieve such targets.
Please use the following reference for this report:
GEA, 2012: Global Energy Assessment - Toward a Sustainable Future, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK and New York, NY, USA and the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis, Laxenburg, Austria.
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Home Op-Eds Gregg Drinnan
SRO in Brandon . . . Another shutout for Whistle . . . New coach in Prince George
FRIDAY’S GAMES:
pic.twitter.com/4YOHI7OkyD
— Brandon Wheat Kings (@bdnwheatkings)
In Brandon, the Wheat Kings, playing before a sold-out crowd, opened with a 5-1 victory over the Regina Pats. . . . They’ll play Game 2 tonight in Brandon. . . . The Wheat Kings scored the game’s first two goals, with F Duncan Campbell getting his first at 9:48 of the first and F Tim McGauley getting his fourth at 1:56 of the second.
. . . F Taylor Cooper, a former Wheat Kings skater, got Regina’s goal at 9:12 of the second. . . . F John Quenneville got his fourth goal for Brandon at 13:50 of the second. . . . The Wheat Kings put it away with two third-period goals — D Ivan Provorov scored his first at 10:41 and F Jayce Hawryluk got No. 4 at 14:04. . . . F Tyler Coulter had two assists for Brandon. . . . Brandon has scored the first goal in each of its past five games and has won each of those games. . . . . Brandon G Jordan Papirny celebrated his 19th birthday by stopping 21 shots, five fewer than Regina’s Daniel Wapple. . . . Regina was 0-for-4 on the PP; Brandon was 0-for-3. . . . F Reid Duke was back in Brandon’s lineup after a 21-game absence with an undisclosed injury. He hadn’t played since Feb. 13. . . . Brandon F Morgan Klimchuk remains sidelined. . . . Attendance was 5,130. . . . A Friday tweet from Phil Andrews, the radio voice of the Pats: “Pats HC John Paddock will be inducted into the Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame in October. Official announcement coming Monday.”
In Medicine Hat, F Chase Lang had a goal and two assists to lead the Calgary Hitmen to a 3-1 victory over the Tigers. . . . The series now heads for Calgary and games on Sunday and Monday. A fourth game will be played in Medicine Hat on Wednesday. The remainder of the schedule, if necessary, has yet to be announced. . . . Last night, Calgary led 2-1 after two periods, despite being outshot 24-8. . . . With the Tigers leading 6-0 on the shot clock, F Connor Rankin scored his eighth goal of these playoffs on Calgary’s first shot, at 7:57 of the first period. . . . F Jake Virtanen scored his first goal at 16:30 of the first, for a 2-0 lead. . . . The Tigers got their goal from F Dryden Hunt at 19:50 of the first. . . . Lang scored his fourth goal at 6:30 of the third. . . . Calgary G Mack Shields turned aside 33 shots. . . . Medicine Hat G Marek Langhamer stopped 11 shots. . . . The Tigers were 0-for-3 on the PP; the Hitmen were 0-for-1. . . . Calgary continues to play without D Jake Bean, while F Beck Malensytn was back after a 10-game absence. . . . Attendance was 4,006.
In Kelowna, G Jackson Whistle stopped 20 shots to help the Rockets to a 5-0 victory over the Victoria Royals. . . . They’ll play Game 2 in Kelowna tonight. . . . Whistle has put up three shutouts in his first five playoff starts. He opened the first round with 6-0 and 3-0 shutouts over the Tri-City Americans. . . . The Rockets are 5-0 in these playoffs. . . . F Tyson Baillie’s third goal, at 5:40 of the first period, stood up as the winner. . . . The Rockets had a 14-1 edge in shots in a scoreless first period. . . . Victoria’s one shot came on a breakaway by F Alex Forsberg, who was stymied by Whistle. . . . D Josh Morrissey, out since Feb. 28, was back in the Kelowna lineup and drew three assists. . . . F Leon Draisaitl had two assists. . . . Victoria G Coleman Vollrath stopped 39 shots. . . . The Rockets’ last two goals came via the PP as they went 2-for-5. . . . Victoria was 0-for-4. . . . F Tyrell Goulbourne, who missed two games, returned to the Rockets’ lineup. . . . F Justin Kirkland, F Chance Braid (WHL suspension) and D Devante Stephens were among Kelowna’s scratches. . . . There were at least 21 NHL scouts on hand for this one. . . . Attendance was 5,481. . . . Larry Fisher of the Kelowna Daily Courier has a game story right here.
In Everett, the Silvertips scored the game’s first three goals and went on to a 5-3 victory over the Portland Winterhawks. . . . The teams will be back at it tonight in Everett. . . . F Kohl Bauml opened the scoring at 5:25 of the first period and F Remi Laurencelle made it 2-0 just 3:04 later. . . . Laurencelle added his second of the game, and second of these playoffs, at 4:42 of the second. . . . Portland F Miles Koules cut the deficit to 3-1 with 22.3 seconds left in the second period. . . . However, Everett F Jake Mykitiuk got that one back with 2.2 seconds left in the period with what likely was the biggest goal of the game. . . . After F Patrick Bajkov gave Everett a 5-1 lead at 7:58 of the third, via a PP, the visitors got goals from F Dominic Turgeon, his fifth, and F Alex Schoenborn. . . . Silvertips D Cole MacDonald had three assists, while F Ivan Nikolishin had two. . . . Portland F Keegan Iverson had two assists. . . . Everett G Carter Hart stopped 27 shots, 11 more than Portland’s Adin Hill. . . . Everett was 1-for-2 on the PP; Portland was 0-for-1. . . . D Noah Juulsen, D Tristen Pfeifer and F Dawson Leedahl were scratched by Everett, each with an undisclosed injury. . . . With two defencemen out, Everett had D Jantzen Leslie, 15, in the lineup for his second playoff game. . . . Attendance was 3,481.
An interesting tidbit from the Hodge’s Heroes blog, where Brandon Rivers writes: “D-man Caleb Jones (1996) was ranked No. 115 overall among North American skaters in Central Scouting’s final rankings. Jones, who is playing with the USNTDP, has reportedly signed with Portland, though this has not been announced by the Winterhawks. There could be some reason why this has not been announced as of yet, but I do not know exactly why.” . . . This speculation goes back to a report by Corbett Smith and his High School Sports Blog for The Dallas Morning News. Smith reported on April 2 that Jones, the younger brother of former Winterhawks D Seth Jones, has opted to join the Winterhawks, who selected him in the third round of the 2012 WHL bantam draft. Smith wrote: “According to local youth hockey expert Tanner Wilson, Caleb says he’s 100 percent committed to the Winterhawks for next season; Caleb had been courted by several top NCAA programs, most recently Wisconsin. He also had offers from Boston College, Boston University (currently in the NCAA’s Frozen Four) and Umass.” . . . Caleb Jones, 17, spent the past two seasons in the U.S. National Team Development Program.
David Levin, who was born in Tel Aviv, will be selected by the Sudbury Wolves with the No. 1 pick in today’s OHL draft. . . . Levin, now 15, was 12 when he left his parents and brother behind to come to Canada in order to focus on hockey. . . . He played this season with the AAA minor midget Don Mills Flyers. Their head coach is Lindsay Hofford, who once did a stint as head coach of the Lethbridge Hurricanes (2003-06). Hofford also is the director of scouting for the OHL’s London Knights. . . . John Matisz of QMI Agency has more on Levin right here.
——F Sam Reinhart’s debut with the AHL’s Rochester Americans has been delayed. Reinhart suffered an undisclosed injury as his Kootenay Ice dropped a seven-game series to the Calgary Hitmen last week, so the Americans, the AHL affiliate of the Buffalo Sabres, have chosen to hold out Reinhart until next weekend. . . . The Americans will conclude their regular season with three games next weekend. The last game, on Sunday, April 19, will be against the host Adirondack Flames, whose roster includes F Max Reinhart, Sam’s older brother.
The AHL’s Adirondack Flames have signed G Taran Kozun of the Seattle Thunderbirds to an amateur tryout deal. Kozun, who played out his junior eligibility this season, was in a development camp with the Washington Capitals in 2014. Adirondack is the AHL affiliate of the Calgary Flames. This season, Kozun was 33-19-8, .915, 2.41. . . . Former Kelowna Rockets head coach Ryan Huska is in his first season as Adirondack’s head coach. . . . The Flames are at home to Dean Chynoweth and the Lake Erie Monsters on Saturday and Sunday. . . . Seattle D Evan Wardley, who also used up his junior eligibility, has joined the ECHL’s Wheeling Nailers. . . . Seattle D Shea Theodore, 19, is playing with the Norfolk Admirals, the AHL affiliate of the NHL’s Anaheim Ducks. Theodore was selected by the Ducks in the first round of the NHL’s 2013 draft.
The BCHL has made a move to get older players onto its teams’ rosters. Here’s a note from Brian Wiebe, over at Brian’s Banter:
“The BCHL has re-introduced the roster rule stating that each team must have a minimum of two players 17-years-old or younger on its active roster in 2015-16. This is a change from this season when teams were required to have a minimum of four rookie players, which was defined as those entering the season with less than 30 games of junior A experience. The 17-years-old-and-under rule was in place for the 2012-13 and 2013-14 seasons after teams were required to carry a minimum of one 16-year-old and one 17-year-old on their rosters during the 2011-12 season.”
The Red Deer Rebels have signed F Austin Pratt, a native of Lakeville, Minn., who was a fourth-round pick in the 2014 bantam draft. Pratt, who attended a Rebels’ prospect camp last summer and was in their training camp prior to this season, played the past two seasons at Shattuck St. Mary’s in Faribault, Minn. This season, with the school’s U-16 team, he had 52 points, 20 of them goals, in 55 games. . . . Pratt may be the only 16-year-old on the Rebels’ roster next season as it prepares to play host to the 2016 Memorial Cup. . . .
It is expected that F Connor McDavid of the OHL’s Erie Otters or F Jack Eichel of Boston U will be first pick in June’s NHL draft. On Friday afternoon, Eichel was named winner of the Hobey Baker Award as the NCAA’s top player; later in the day, McDavid became the first Erie player to score five goals in a regular-season or playoff game as the Otters dropped the visiting London Knights 7-3 in a second-round game. . . . The Otters lead the series, 2-0. . . . Erie D Kurtis MacDermid has been suspended for eight games for a headshot that has taken London F Max Domi out of the series. . . . Erie F Mason Marchment has been hit with an indefinite suspension for a hit on London F Mitch Marner. . . .
G Eric Comrie of the Tri-City Americans started for the AHL’s St. John’s Ice Caps last night. He made 28 saves in a 3-2 loss to the visiting Hershey Bears. . . . F Brayden Point of the Moose Jaw Warriors scored his first AHL goal last night, as he and the host Syracuse Crunch beat the Bridgeport Sound Tigers, 4-3, in OT. Point forced OT with a PP goal at 3:43 of the third period.
THE COACHING GAME:
Chad van Diemen is the new head coach of the BCHL’s Prince George Spruce Kings. Van Diemen, 33, spent the past six seasons with the BCHL’s Powell River Kings, as assistant GM and associate head coach. . . . Van Diemen, who signed a two-year contract, replaces Dave Dupas, who resigned following the season. Dupas, who is from Kelowna, cited family reasons in resigning. . . . Van Diemen is from Kamloops. He played four seasons (1998-2002)in the BCHL, with the Nanaimo Clippers, Powell River and Quesnel Millionaires before going on to play four seasons of NCAA hockey — one at Iona and three at Manhattanville. . . . His father, Case, was the president of the WHL’s Kamloops Blazers for a while when the franchise was community-owned.
The Hamilton Bulldogs, who will begin play in the OHL next season, have signed George Burnett as their first general manager/head coach. Burnett, a 26-year veteran of the coaching wars, spent the past 11 seasons as the GM/head coach of the Belleville Bulls. That franchise is relocating to Hamilton. Burnett, 53, is a long-time OHL coach, having also worked with the Oshawa Generals, Niagara Falls Thunder, Oshawa Generals and Belleville. He also has coached in the NHL and AHL. He has 611 OHL coaching victories, ranking him second among active coaches and leaving him fifth on the all-time list.
Victoria Cougars vs New Westminster Bruins, playoff game April 7, 1979 at the Victoria Memorial Arena. pic.twitter.com/3R6UISrkNV
— Victoria Cougars (@victoriacougars)
Greg Drinnan
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Thimbleweed Park - Ron Gilbert and Gary Winnick's retro inspired Adventure gets a new trailer!
The last Adventure announcement of the day and one I think tops all others in terms of retro style news, is a brand new trailer for Ron Gilbert and Gary Winnick's upcoming Adventure game ' Thimbleweed Park '. From the creators of the incredible LucasArts classic Maniac Mansion, comes a new indie adventure with all the charm, look and feel of the golden age of adventuring. The latest successfully funded Kickstarter title from December 2014 is headed for a late 2016 release on Windows, Mac, Xbox One, and Linux. Android and iOS will follow soon after.
At its heart is a slow-boiling, neo-noir mystery infused with the satirical humor and clever puzzles that put Maniac Mansion and Monkey Island on the map. It's a game with five playable characters, a sprawling world to explore, and a story big enough to get lost in. An irreverent homage to True Detective, Twin Peaks, and The X-Files (with a little Stephen King tossed in for kicks). An adventure that takes you back to a simpler time, when puzzles were puzzles and story ruled
Links : 1) Website
at Friday, March 04, 2016
Labels: Adventure, ANDROID, Gary Winnick, IOS, LINUX, MAC, Maniac Mansion, PC, point and click adventure, RETRO INSPIRED, Ron Gilbert, Thimbleweed Park, TRAILER, XBOX ONE
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Bond (finance)
This article is about the financial instrument. For other uses, see Bond (disambiguation).
Futures exchange
Over-the-counter market (OTC)
Spot market
Bonds by coupon
Fixed rate bond
Floating rate note
Inflation-indexed bond
Perpetual bond
Zero-coupon bond
Bonds by issuer
Corporate bond
Government bond
Municipal bond
Pfandbrief
Equities (stocks)
Initial public offering (IPO)
Closed-end fund
Exchange-traded fund (ETF)
Index fund
Segregated fund
Agency security
Asset-backed security
Mortgage-backed security
Commercial mortgage-backed security
Residential mortgage-backed security
Collateralized debt obligation
Collateralized fund obligation
Collateralized mortgage obligation
Unsecured debt
Credit derivative
Hybrid security
In finance, a bond is an instrument of indebtedness of the bond issuer to the holders. It is a debt security, under which the issuer owes the holders a debt and, depending on the terms of the bond, is obliged to pay them interest (the coupon) and/or to repay the principal at a later date, termed the maturity date.[1] Interest is usually payable at fixed intervals (semiannual, annual, sometimes monthly). Very often the bond is negotiable, i.e. the ownership of the instrument can be transferred in the secondary market. This means that once the transfer agents at the bank medallion stamp the bond, it is highly liquid on the second market.[2]
Thus a bond is a form of loan or IOU: the holder of the bond is the lender (creditor), the issuer of the bond is the borrower (debtor), and the coupon is the interest. Bonds provide the borrower with external funds to finance long-term investments, or, in the case of government bonds, to finance current expenditure. Certificates of deposit (CDs) or short term commercial paper are considered to be money market instruments and not bonds: the main difference is in the length of the term of the instrument.
Bonds and stocks are both securities, but the major difference between the two is that (capital) stockholders have an equity stake in the company (i.e. they are investors), whereas bondholders have a creditor stake in the company (i.e. they are lenders). Being a creditor, bondholders have priority over stockholders. This means they will be repaid in advance of stockholders, but will rank behind secured creditors in the event of bankruptcy.[3] Another difference is that bonds usually have a defined term, or maturity, after which the bond is redeemed, whereas stocks are typically outstanding indefinitely. An exception is an irredeemable bond, such as a consol, which is a perpetuity, i.e. a bond with no maturity.
1 Issuance
2.1 Principal
2.2 Maturity
2.3 Coupon
2.4 Yield
2.5 Credit quality
2.6 Market price
3.1 Foreign currencies
4 Bond valuation
5 Investing in bonds
5.1 Bond indices
Issuance
Bonds are issued by public authorities, credit institutions, companies and supranational institutions in the primary markets. The most common process for issuing bonds is through underwriting. When a bond issue is underwritten, one or more securities firms or banks, forming a syndicate, buy the entire issue of bonds from the issuer and re-sell them to investors. The security firm takes the risk of being unable to sell on the issue to end investors. Primary issuance is arranged by bookrunners who arrange the bond issue, have direct contact with investors and act as advisers to the bond issuer in terms of timing and price of the bond issue. The bookrunner is listed first among all underwriters participating in the issuance in the tombstone ads commonly used to announce bonds to the public. The bookrunners' willingness to underwrite must be discussed prior to any decision on the terms of the bond issue as there may be limited demand for the bonds.
In contrast, government bonds are usually issued in an auction. In some cases both members of the public and banks may bid for bonds. In other cases only market makers may bid for bonds. The overall rate of return on the bond depends on both the terms of the bond and the price paid.[4] The terms of the bond, such as the coupon, are fixed in advance and the price is determined by the market.
In the case of an underwritten bond, the underwriters will charge a fee for underwriting. An alternative process for bond issuance, which is commonly used for smaller issues and avoids this cost, is the private placement bond. Bonds sold directly to buyers and may not be tradeable in the bond market.[5]
Historically an alternative practice of issuance was for the borrowing government authority to issue bonds over a period of time, usually at a fixed price, with volumes sold on a particular day dependent on market conditions. This was called a tap issue or bond tap.[6]
Nominal, principal, par, or face amount is the amount on which the issuer pays interest, and which, most commonly, has to be repaid at the end of the term. Some structured bonds can have a redemption amount which is different from the face amount and can be linked to performance of particular assets.
The issuer has to repay the nominal amount on the maturity date. As long as all due payments have been made, the issuer has no further obligations to the bond holders after the maturity date. The length of time until the maturity date is often referred to as the term or tenor or maturity of a bond. The maturity can be any length of time, although debt securities with a term of less than one year are generally designated money market instruments rather than bonds. Most bonds have a term of up to 30 years. Some bonds have been issued with terms of 50 years or more, and historically there have been some issues with no maturity date (irredeemables). In the market for United States Treasury securities, there are three categories of bond maturities:
short term (bills): maturities between one to five year; (instruments with maturities less than one year are called Money Market Instruments)
medium term (notes): maturities between six to twelve years;
long term (bonds): maturities greater than twelve years.
The coupon is the interest rate that the issuer pays to the holder. Usually this rate is fixed throughout the life of the bond. It can also vary with a money market index, such as LIBOR, or it can be even more exotic. The name "coupon" arose because in the past, paper bond certificates were issued which had coupons attached to them, one for each interest payment. On the due dates the bondholder would hand in the coupon to a bank in exchange for the interest payment. Interest can be paid at different frequencies: generally semi-annual, i.e. every 6 months, or annual.
Bond issued by the Dutch East India Company in 1623
The yield is the rate of return received from investing in the bond. It usually refers either to
the current yield, or running yield, which is simply the annual interest payment divided by the current market price of the bond (often the clean price), or to
the yield to maturity or redemption yield, which is a more useful measure of the return of the bond, taking into account the current market price, and the amount and timing of all remaining coupon payments and of the repayment due on maturity. It is equivalent to the internal rate of return of a bond.
The quality of the issue refers to the probability that the bondholders will receive the amounts promised at the due dates. This will depend on a wide range of factors. High-yield bonds are bonds that are rated below investment grade by the credit rating agencies. As these bonds are more risky than investment grade bonds, investors expect to earn a higher yield. These bonds are also called junk bonds.
The market price of a tradeable bond will be influenced amongst other things by the amounts, currency and timing of the interest payments and capital repayment due, the quality of the bond, and the available redemption yield of other comparable bonds which can be traded in the markets.
The price can be quoted as clean or dirty. ("Dirty" includes the present value of all future cash flows including accrued interest. "Dirty" is most often used in Europe. "Clean" does not include accrued interest. "Clean" is most often used in the U.S.[7] )
The issue price at which investors buy the bonds when they are first issued will typically be approximately equal to the nominal amount. The net proceeds that the issuer receives are thus the issue price, less issuance fees. The market price of the bond will vary over its life: it may trade at a premium (above par, usually because market interest rates have fallen since issue), or at a discount (price below par, if market rates have risen or there is a high probability of default on the bond).
Indentures and Covenants — An indenture is a formal debt agreement that establishes the terms of a bond issue, while covenants are the clauses of such an agreement. Covenants specify the rights of bondholders and the duties of issuers, such as actions that the issuer is obligated to perform or is prohibited from performing. In the U.S., federal and state securities and commercial laws apply to the enforcement of these agreements, which are construed by courts as contracts between issuers and bondholders. The terms may be changed only with great difficulty while the bonds are outstanding, with amendments to the governing document generally requiring approval by a majority (or super-majority) vote of the bondholders.
Optionality: Occasionally a bond may contain an embedded option; that is, it grants option-like features to the holder or the issuer:
Callability — Some bonds give the issuer the right to repay the bond before the maturity date on the call dates; see call option. These bonds are referred to as callable bonds. Most callable bonds allow the issuer to repay the bond at par. With some bonds, the issuer has to pay a premium, the so-called call premium. This is mainly the case for high-yield bonds. These have very strict covenants, restricting the issuer in its operations. To be free from these covenants, the issuer can repay the bonds early, but only at a high cost.
Putability — Some bonds give the holder the right to force the issuer to repay the bond before the maturity date on the put dates; see put option. These are referred to as retractable or putable bonds.
call dates and put dates—the dates on which callable and putable bonds can be redeemed early. There are four main categories.
A Bermudan callable has several call dates, usually coinciding with coupon dates.
A European callable has only one call date. This is a special case of a Bermudan callable.
An American callable can be called at any time until the maturity date.
A death put is an optional redemption feature on a debt instrument allowing the beneficiary of the estate of a deceased bondholder to put (sell) the bond (back to the issuer) at face value in the event of the bondholder's death or legal incapacitation. Also known as a "survivor's option".
sinking fund provision of the corporate bond indenture requires a certain portion of the issue to be retired periodically. The entire bond issue can be liquidated by the maturity date. If that is not the case, then the remainder is called balloon maturity. Issuers may either pay to trustees, which in turn call randomly selected bonds in the issue, or, alternatively, purchase bonds in open market, then return them to trustees.
Bonds are often identified by its international securities identification number, or ISIN, which is a 12 digit alpha numeric code that uniquely identifies debt securities.
Bond certificate for the state of South Carolina issued in 1873 under the state's Consolidation Act.
Railroad obligation Moscow-Kiev-Voronezh
The following descriptions are not mutually exclusive, and more than one of them may apply to a particular bond.
Fixed rate bonds have a coupon that remains constant throughout the life of the bond. A variation are stepped-coupon bonds, whose coupon increases during the life of the bond.
Floating rate notes (FRNs, floaters) have a variable coupon that is linked to a reference rate of interest, such as LIBOR or Euribor. For example, the coupon may be defined as three month USD LIBOR + 0.20%. The coupon rate is recalculated periodically, typically every one or three months.
Zero-coupon bonds (zeros) pay no regular interest. They are issued at a substantial discount to par value, so that the interest is effectively rolled up to maturity (and usually taxed as such). The bondholder receives the full principal amount on the redemption date. An example of zero coupon bonds is Series E savings bonds issued by the U.S. government. Zero-coupon bonds may be created from fixed rate bonds by a financial institution separating ("stripping off") the coupons from the principal. In other words, the separated coupons and the final principal payment of the bond may be traded separately. See IO (Interest Only) and PO (Principal Only).
High-yield bonds (junk bonds) are bonds that are rated below investment grade by the credit rating agencies. As these bonds are more risky than investment grade bonds, investors expect to earn a higher yield.
Convertible bonds let a bondholder exchange a bond to a number of shares of the issuer's common stock. These are known as hybrid securities, because they combine equity and debt features.
Exchangeable bonds allows for exchange to shares of a corporation other than the issuer.
Inflation-indexed bonds (linkers) (US) or Index-linked bond (UK), in which the principal amount and the interest payments are indexed to inflation. The interest rate is normally lower than for fixed rate bonds with a comparable maturity (this position briefly reversed itself for short-term UK bonds in December 2008). However, as the principal amount grows, the payments increase with inflation. The United Kingdom was the first sovereign issuer to issue inflation linked gilts in the 1980s. Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities (TIPS) and I-bonds are examples of inflation linked bonds issued by the U.S. government.
Receipt for temporary bonds for the state of Kansas issued in 1922
Other indexed bonds, for example equity-linked notes and bonds indexed on a business indicator (income, added value) or on a country's GDP.
Asset-backed securities are bonds whose interest and principal payments are backed by underlying cash flows from other assets. Examples of asset-backed securities are mortgage-backed securities (MBS's), collateralized mortgage obligations (CMOs) and collateralized debt obligations (CDOs).
Subordinated bonds are those that have a lower priority than other bonds of the issuer in case of liquidation. In case of bankruptcy, there is a hierarchy of creditors. First the liquidator is paid, then government taxes, etc. The first bond holders in line to be paid are those holding what is called senior bonds. After they have been paid, the subordinated bond holders are paid. As a result, the risk is higher. Therefore, subordinated bonds usually have a lower credit rating than senior bonds. The main examples of subordinated bonds can be found in bonds issued by banks, and asset-backed securities. The latter are often issued in tranches. The senior tranches get paid back first, the subordinated tranches later.
Covered bonds are backed by cash flows from mortgages or public sector assets. Contrary to asset-backed securities the assets for such bonds remain on the issuers balance sheet.
Perpetual bonds are also often called perpetuities or 'Perps'. They have no maturity date. The most famous of these are the UK Consols, which are also known as Treasury Annuities or Undated Treasuries. Some of these were issued back in 1888 and still trade today, although the amounts are now insignificant. Some ultra-long-term bonds (sometimes a bond can last centuries: West Shore Railroad issued a bond which matures in 2361 (i.e. 24th century) are virtually perpetuities from a financial point of view, with the current value of principal near zero.
Bearer bond is an official certificate issued without a named holder. In other words, the person who has the paper certificate can claim the value of the bond. Often they are registered by a number to prevent counterfeiting, but may be traded like cash. Bearer bonds are very risky because they can be lost or stolen. Especially after federal income tax began in the United States, bearer bonds were seen as an opportunity to conceal income or assets.[8] U.S. corporations stopped issuing bearer bonds in the 1960s, the U.S. Treasury stopped in 1982, and state and local tax-exempt bearer bonds were prohibited in 1983.[9]
Registered bond is a bond whose ownership (and any subsequent purchaser) is recorded by the issuer, or by a transfer agent. It is the alternative to a Bearer bond. Interest payments, and the principal upon maturity, are sent to the registered owner.
A government bond, also called Treasury bond, is issued by a national government and is not exposed to default risk. It is characterized as the safest bond, with the lowest interest rate. A treasury bond is backed by the “full faith and credit” of the relevant government. For that reason, for the major OECD countries this type of bond is often referred to as risk-free.
Pacific Railroad Bond issued by City and County of San Francisco, CA. May 1, 1865
Municipal bond is a bond issued by a state, U.S. Territory, city, local government, or their agencies. Interest income received by holders of municipal bonds is often exempt from the federal income tax and from the income tax of the state in which they are issued, although municipal bonds issued for certain purposes may not be tax exempt.
Build America Bonds (BABs) are a form of municipal bond authorized by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. Unlike traditional US municipal bonds, which are usually tax exempt, interest received on BABs is subject to federal taxation. However, as with municipal bonds, the bond is tax-exempt within the US state where it is issued. Generally, BABs offer significantly higher yields (over 7 percent) than standard municipal bonds.[10]
Book-entry bond is a bond that does not have a paper certificate. As physically processing paper bonds and interest coupons became more expensive, issuers (and banks that used to collect coupon interest for depositors) have tried to discourage their use. Some book-entry bond issues do not offer the option of a paper certificate, even to investors who prefer them.[11]
Lottery bonds are issued by European and other states. Interest is paid as on a traditional fixed rate bond, but the issuer will redeem randomly selected individual bonds within the issue according to a schedule. Some of these redemptions will be for a higher value than the face value of the bond.
War bond is a bond issued by a country to fund a war.
Serial bond is a bond that matures in instalments over a period of time. In effect, a $100,000, 5-year serial bond would mature in a $20,000 annuity over a 5-year interval.
Revenue bond is a special type of municipal bond distinguished by its guarantee of repayment solely from revenues generated by a specified revenue-generating entity associated with the purpose of the bonds. Revenue bonds are typically "non-recourse", meaning that in the event of default, the bond holder has no recourse to other governmental assets or revenues.
Climate bond is a bond issued by a government or corporate entity in order to raise finance for climate change mitigation- or adaptation-related projects or programmes.
Dual currency bonds [12]
Retail bonds are a type of corporate bond mostly designed for ordinary investors.[13] They have become particularly attractive since the London Stock Exchange (LSE) launched an order book for retail bonds.[14]
Social impact bonds are an agreement for public sector entities to pay back private investors after meeting verified improved social outcome goals that result in public sector savings from innovative social program pilot projects.
Some companies, banks, governments, and other sovereign entities may decide to issue bonds in foreign currencies as it may appear to be more stable and predictable than their domestic currency. Issuing bonds denominated in foreign currencies also gives issuers the ability to access investment capital available in foreign markets. The proceeds from the issuance of these bonds can be used by companies to break into foreign markets, or can be converted into the issuing company's local currency to be used on existing operations through the use of foreign exchange swap hedges. Foreign issuer bonds can also be used to hedge foreign exchange rate risk. Some foreign issuer bonds are called by their nicknames, such as the "samurai bond". These can be issued by foreign issuers looking to diversify their investor base away from domestic markets. These bond issues are generally governed by the law of the market of issuance, e.g., a samurai bond, issued by an investor based in Europe, will be governed by Japanese law. Not all of the following bonds are restricted for purchase by investors in the market of issuance.
Eurodollar bond, a U.S. dollar-denominated bond issued by a non-U.S. entity outside the U.S[15]
Baklava bond, a bond denominated in Turkish Lira and issued by a domestic or foreign entity in the Turkish market[16]
Yankee bond, a US dollar-denominated bond issued by a non-US entity in the US market
Kangaroo bond, an Australian dollar-denominated bond issued by a non-Australian entity in the Australian market
Maple bond, a Canadian dollar-denominated bond issued by a non-Canadian entity in the Canadian market
Samurai bond, a Japanese yen-denominated bond issued by a non-Japanese entity in the Japanese market
Uridashi bond, a non-yen-demoninated bond sold to Japanese retail investors.
Shibosai Bond, a private placement bond in Japanese market with distribution limited to institutions and banks.
Shogun bond, a non-yen-denominated bond issued in Japan by a non-Japanese institution or government[17]
Bulldog bond, a pound sterling-denominated bond issued in London by a foreign institution or government.
Matrioshka bond, a Russian rouble-denominated bond issued in the Russian Federation by non-Russian entities. The name derives from the famous Russian wooden dolls, Matrioshka, popular among foreign visitors to Russia
Arirang bond, a Korean won-denominated bond issued by a non-Korean entity in the Korean market[18]
Kimchi bond, a non-Korean won-denominated bond issued by a non-Korean entity in the Korean market[19]
Formosa bond, a non-New Taiwan Dollar-denominated bond issued by a non-Taiwan entity in the Taiwan market[20]
Panda bond, a Chinese renminbi-denominated bond issued by a non-China entity in the People's Republic of China market[21]
Dim sum bond, a Chinese renminbi-denominated bond issued by a Chinese entity in Hong Kong. Enables foreign investors forbidden from investing in Chinese corporate debt in mainland China to invest in and be exposed to Chinese currency in Hong Kong.[22]
Huaso bond, a Chilean peso-denominated bond issued by a non-Chilean entity in the Chilean market.[23]
Bond valuation
See also: Bond valuation
At the time of issue of the bond, the interest rate and other conditions of the bond will have been influenced by a variety of factors, such as current market interest rates, the length of the term and the creditworthiness of the issuer.
These factors are likely to change over time, so the market price of a bond will vary after it is issued. The market price is expressed as a percentage of nominal value. Bonds are not necessarily issued at par (100% of face value, corresponding to a price of 100), but bond prices will move towards par as they approach maturity (if the market expects the maturity payment to be made in full and on time) as this is the price the issuer will pay to redeem the bond. This is referred to as "Pull to Par". At other times, prices can be above par (bond is priced at greater than 100), which is called trading at a premium, or below par (bond is priced at less than 100), which is called trading at a discount. Most government bonds are denominated in units of $1000 in the United States, or in units of £100 in the United Kingdom. Hence, a deep discount US bond, selling at a price of 75.26, indicates a selling price of $752.60 per bond sold. (Often, in the US, bond prices are quoted in points and thirty-seconds of a point, rather than in decimal form.) Some short-term bonds, such as the U.S. Treasury bill, are always issued at a discount, and pay par amount at maturity rather than paying coupons. This is called a discount bond.
The market price of a bond is the present value of all expected future interest and principal payments of the bond discounted at the bond's yield to maturity, or rate of return. That relationship is the definition of the redemption yield on the bond, which is likely to be close to the current market interest rate for other bonds with similar characteristics. (Otherwise there would be arbitrage opportunities.) The yield and price of a bond are inversely related so that when market interest rates rise, bond prices fall and vice versa.
The market price of a bond may be quoted including the accrued interest since the last coupon date. (Some bond markets include accrued interest in the trading price and others add it on separately when settlement is made.) The price including accrued interest is known as the "full" or "dirty price". (See also Accrual bond.) The price excluding accrued interest is known as the "flat" or "clean price".
The interest rate divided by the current price of the bond is called the current yield (this is the nominal yield multiplied by the par value and divided by the price). There are other yield measures that exist such as the yield to first call, yield to worst, yield to first par call, yield to put, cash flow yield and yield to maturity.
The relationship between yield and term to maturity (or alternatively between yield and the weighted mean term allowing for both interest and capital repayment) for otherwise identical bonds is called a yield curve. The yield curve is a graph plotting this relationship.
Bond markets, unlike stock or share markets, sometimes do not have a centralized exchange or trading system. Rather, in most developed bond markets such as the U.S., Japan and western Europe, bonds trade in decentralized, dealer-based over-the-counter markets. In such a market, market liquidity is provided by dealers and other market participants committing risk capital to trading activity. In the bond market, when an investor buys or sells a bond, the counterparty to the trade is almost always a bank or securities firm acting as a dealer. In some cases, when a dealer buys a bond from an investor, the dealer carries the bond "in inventory", i.e. holds it for his own account. The dealer is then subject to risks of price fluctuation. In other cases, the dealer immediately resells the bond to another investor.
Bond markets can also differ from stock markets in that, in some markets, investors sometimes do not pay brokerage commissions to dealers with whom they buy or sell bonds. Rather, the dealers earn revenue by means of the spread, or difference, between the price at which the dealer buys a bond from one investor—the "bid" price—and the price at which he or she sells the same bond to another investor—the "ask" or "offer" price. The bid/offer spread represents the total transaction cost associated with transferring a bond from one investor to another.
Investing in bonds
Bonds are bought and traded mostly by institutions like central banks, sovereign wealth funds, pension funds, insurance companies, hedge funds, and banks. Insurance companies and pension funds have liabilities which essentially include fixed amounts payable on predetermined dates. They buy the bonds to match their liabilities, and may be compelled by law to do this. Most individuals who want to own bonds do so through bond funds. Still, in the U.S., nearly 10% of all bonds outstanding are held directly by households.
The volatility of bonds (especially short and medium dated bonds) is lower than that of equities (stocks). Thus bonds are generally viewed as safer investments than stocks, but this perception is only partially correct. Bonds do suffer from less day-to-day volatility than stocks, and bonds' interest payments are sometimes higher than the general level of dividend payments. Bonds are often liquid – it is often fairly easy for an institution to sell a large quantity of bonds without affecting the price much, which may be more difficult for equities – and the comparative certainty of a fixed interest payment twice a year and a fixed lump sum at maturity is attractive. Bondholders also enjoy a measure of legal protection: under the law of most countries, if a company goes bankrupt, its bondholders will often receive some money back (the recovery amount), whereas the company's equity stock often ends up valueless. However, bonds can also be risky but less risky than stocks:
Fixed rate bonds are subject to interest rate risk, meaning that their market prices will decrease in value when the generally prevailing interest rates rise. Since the payments are fixed, a decrease in the market price of the bond means an increase in its yield. When the market interest rate rises, the market price of bonds will fall, reflecting investors' ability to get a higher interest rate on their money elsewhere — perhaps by purchasing a newly issued bond that already features the newly higher interest rate. This does not affect the interest payments to the bondholder, so long-term investors who want a specific amount at the maturity date do not need to worry about price swings in their bonds and do not suffer from interest rate risk.
Bonds are also subject to various other risks such as call and prepayment risk, credit risk, reinvestment risk, liquidity risk, event risk, exchange rate risk, volatility risk, inflation risk, sovereign risk and yield curve risk. Again, some of these will only affect certain classes of investors.
Price changes in a bond will immediately affect mutual funds that hold these bonds. If the value of the bonds in their trading portfolio falls, the value of the portfolio also falls. This can be damaging for professional investors such as banks, insurance companies, pension funds and asset managers (irrespective of whether the value is immediately "marked to market" or not). If there is any chance a holder of individual bonds may need to sell his bonds and "cash out", interest rate risk could become a real problem (conversely, bonds' market prices would increase if the prevailing interest rate were to drop, as it did from 2001 through 2003. One way to quantify the interest rate risk on a bond is in terms of its duration. Efforts to control this risk are called immunization or hedging.
Bond prices can become volatile depending on the credit rating of the issuer – for instance if the credit rating agencies like Standard & Poor's and Moody's upgrade or downgrade the credit rating of the issuer. An unanticipated downgrade will cause the market price of the bond to fall. As with interest rate risk, this risk does not affect the bond's interest payments (provided the issuer does not actually default), but puts at risk the market price, which affects mutual funds holding these bonds, and holders of individual bonds who may have to sell them.
A company's bondholders may lose much or all their money if the company goes bankrupt. Under the laws of many countries (including the United States and Canada), bondholders are in line to receive the proceeds of the sale of the assets of a liquidated company ahead of some other creditors. Bank lenders, deposit holders (in the case of a deposit taking institution such as a bank) and trade creditors may take precedence.
There is no guarantee of how much money will remain to repay bondholders. As an example, after an accounting scandal and a Chapter 11 bankruptcy at the giant telecommunications company Worldcom, in 2004 its bondholders ended up being paid 35.7 cents on the dollar[citation needed]. In a bankruptcy involving reorganization or recapitalization, as opposed to liquidation, bondholders may end up having the value of their bonds reduced, often through an exchange for a smaller number of newly issued bonds.
Some bonds are callable, meaning that even though the company has agreed to make payments plus interest towards the debt for a certain period of time, the company can choose to pay off the bond early. This creates reinvestment risk, meaning the investor is forced to find a new place for his money, and the investor might not be able to find as good a deal, especially because this usually happens when interest rates are falling.
Bond indices
See also: Bond market index
A number of bond indices exist for the purposes of managing portfolios and measuring performance, similar to the S&P 500 or Russell Indexes for stocks. The most common American benchmarks are the Barclays Capital Aggregate (ex Lehman Aggregate), Citigroup BIG and Merrill Lynch Domestic Master. Most indices are parts of families of broader indices that can be used to measure global bond portfolios, or may be further subdivided by maturity and/or sector for managing specialized portfolios.
Bond credit rating
Bond fund
Bond market index
Collective action clause
Deferred financing costs
GDP-linked bond
Government bond/Sovereign bonds
Immunization (finance)
Short-rate model
Penal bond
Market specific
Brady Bonds
Criticism of debt
List of accounting topics
List of economics topics
List of finance topics
↑ O'Sullivan, Arthur; Sheffrin, Steven M. (2003). Economics: Principles in action. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458: Pearson Prentice Hall. pp. 197, 507. ISBN 0-13-063085-3. <templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
↑ Bonds, accessed: 2012-06-08
↑ Absolute Priority, accessed: 2013-10-8
↑ "UK Debt Management Office". Dmo.gov.uk. Retrieved 2012-03-22. <templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
↑ "Affordable Housing Finance". Housingfinance.com. Retrieved 2012-03-22. <templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
↑ Tap issue at Investopedia
↑ "Dirty Price". Investopedia. Retrieved 8 November 2014. <templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
↑ Eason, Yla (June 6, 1983). "Final Surge in Bearer Bonds" New York Times.
↑ Quint, Michael (August 14, 1984). "Elements in Bearer Bond Issue". New York Times.
↑ Benjamin Shepherd. "A Slice of the Pie". InvestingDaily.com. Retrieved 2010-01-19. <templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
↑ no byline (July 18, 1984). "Book Entry Bonds Popular". New York Times.
↑ Dual currency bond, accessed 2012-06-08.
↑ http://www.cfo-insight.com/financing-liquidity/loans-and-bonds/enquest-cfo-swinney-on-issuing-first-industrial-retail-bond/[dead link]
↑ http://www.hedgefundonline.com/
↑ "Eurodollar deposit". Retrieved 2009-01-05. <templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
↑ Memili, Ümit (2012). Baklava Bonds: Sweet Margins in Turkey. Evaluating Turkish Corporate Bonds in Local Currency. p. 117. <templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
↑ no byline (2005-12-05). "Ninja loans may yet overtake samurais". The Standard. Retrieved 2008-12-09. <templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
↑ Batten, Jonathan A.; Peter G. Szilagyi (2006-04-19). "Developing Foreign Bond Markets: The Arirang Bond Experience in Korea" (PDF). IIS Discussion Papers (138). Retrieved 2007-07-06. <templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
↑ Gwon, Yeong-seok (2006-05-24). "'김치본드' 내달 처음으로 선보인다 (Announcement: first 'Kimchi Bonds' next month)". The Hankyoreh. Retrieved 2007-07-06. <templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
↑ Chung, Amber (2007-04-19). "BNP Paribas mulls second bond issue on offshore market". Taipei Times. Retrieved 2007-07-04. <templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
↑ Areddy, James T. (2005-10-11). "Chinese Markets Take New Step With Panda Bond". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 2007-07-06. <templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
↑ Stein, Peter (2010-11-01). "Dim Sum Bonds' on the Menu for Foreign Investors". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 2010-11-01. <templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
↑ Moura, Fabiola (2011-03-26). "Chile Expects More 'Huaso' Bond Sales in Coming Months, Larrain Says". Bloomberg. <templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
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Bonds links at DMOZ
Estate planner victimized terminally ill, FBI
List of World Government Bonds on Investing.com
Types of bonds by issuer
Agency bond
Senior debt
Subordinated debt
Distressed debt
Types of bonds by payout
Accrual bond
Auction rate security
Callable bond
Convertible bond
Exchangeable bond
Extendible bond
High-yield debt
Inverse floating rate note
Puttable bond
Reverse convertible securities
Clean price
Convexity
Credit spread
Current yield
Dirty price
I-spread
Mortgage yield
Nominal yield
Yield to maturity
Z-spread
Securitized products
Yield-curve spread
Bond options
Embedded option
Option-adjusted spread
Commercial Mortgage Securities Association (CMSA)
International Capital Market Association (ICMA)
Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association (SIFMA)
Corporate finance and investment banking
Convertible debt
Exchangeable debt
Mezzanine debt
Pari passu
Preferred equity
Second lien debt
Senior secured debt
Shareholder loan
(terms / conditions)
Equity offerings
At-the-market offering
Book building
Bookrunner
Corporate spin-off
Equity carve-out
Follow-on offering
Greenshoe
Rights issue
Seasoned equity offering
Secondary market offering
Mergers and
Divestment
Drag-along right
Management due diligence
Managerial entrenchment
Minority discount
Pitch book
Pre-emption right
Proxy fight
Shareholder rights plan
Special situation
Staggered board of directors
Stock swap
Super-majority amendment
Tag-along right
Debtor-in-possession financing
Financial sponsor
Leveraged buyout
Leveraged recapitalization
Accretion/dilution analysis
Associate company
Conglomerate discount
Cost of capital
Weighted average
Discounted cash flow
Fairness opinion
Free cash flow to equity
Market value added
Modigliani–Miller theorem
Residual income
Sum-of-the-parts analysis
Tax shield
Terminal value
Valuation using multiples
List of investment banks
Outline of finance
Consumer lending
Debt-snowball method
Debtor-in-possession (DIP) financing
Collection<dot-separator>Evasion
Charge-off
Debt bondage
Distraint
Phantom debt
Strategic default
Tax refund interception
Consumer leverage ratio
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1Cramp et al. 1980. White-tailed Eagle. In Birds of the Western Palearctic, Vol. II.
2Forsman, D. 1999. The Raptors of Europe and the Middle East, A Handbook of Field Identification. T & AD Poyser, London.
3Ferguson-Lees, J. and D. A. Christie. 2001. Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London.
4Helander, B. & T. Stjernberg. 2003. Action Plan for the conservation of the White-tailed Eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla).
5Ratcliffe, D. A. 1967. Decrease in eggshell weight in certain birds of prey. Nature 215: 208-210.
6Helander, B., M. Olsson, and M. Reutergårdh. 1982. Residue levels of organochlorine and mercury compounds in unhatched eggs in the relationshipships to breeding success in the white tailed sea-eagle Haliaeetus albicilla in Sweden. Holarctic Ecology 5: 349-366.
7D’Arcy, G. 1999. Ireland’s Lost Birds. Four Courts Press.
8Ussher, R. J. and R. Warren. 1900. The Birds of Ireland, London.
9Praeger, R. L. 1937. The Way that I Went: an Irishman in Ireland. Hodges, Figgis and Co., Dublin.
10Evans, R. J., R. A. Broad, K. Duffy, A. M. MacLennan, I. P. Bainbridge, and G. P. Mudge. 2003. Re-establishment of a breeding population of White-tailed Eagles in Scotland. Pp. 397-404, in Sea Eagle 2000 (B. Helander, M. Marquiss, and W. Bowerman, Eds.). SSNC/SNF.
11Watson, J., A. F. Leitch, and R. A. Broad. 1992. The diet of the Sea Eagle Haliaeetus albicilla and Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos in western Scotland. Ibis 134: 27-31.
12Madders, M. and M. Marquiss. 2003. A comparison of the diet of White-tailed Eagles and Golden Eagles breeding in adjacent ranges in west Scotland. Pp. 289-296, in Sea Eagle 2000 (B. Helander, M. Marquiss, and W. Bowerman, Eds.). SSNC/SNF.
13Koivusaari, J., T. Stjernberg, H. Ekblom, and J. Högmander. 2003. Daily body weight, amount of food and time of feeding of White-tailed Sea Eagles at Finnish winter feeding stations 1992-2000. Pp. 315, in Sea Eagle 2000 (B. Helander, M. Marquiss, and W. Bowerman Eds). SSNC/SNF.
14D.P.Whitfield unpubl. data
15Willgohs, J. F. 1961. The White-tailed Eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla) in Norway. Acta Univ. Bergensis Ser. Math. Rer. Nat. 12: 1-212.
16Wille, F. and K. Kampp. 1983. Food of the White-tailed Eagle Haliaeetus albicilla in Greenland. Holarctic Ecology 6: 81-88.
17Sulkava, S., K. Huhtala, and R. Tornberg. 2003. Summer diet of the White-tailed Eagle in Finland in the 1990s. Pp. 307-314, in Sea Eagle 2000 (B. Helander, M. Marquiss, and W. Bowerman, Eds). SSNC/SNF.
18B. Struwe-Juhl. 2003. Why do White-tailed Eagles prefer coots? Pp. 317-325, in Sea Eagle 2000 (B. Helander, M. Marquiss, and W. Bowerman, Eds). SSNC/SNF.
19A. O. Folkestad & T. Nygård pers. comm.
20Folkestad, A. O. 2003. Nest-site selection and reproduction in the White-tailed Sea-eagle in Møre & Romsdal County, western Norway in relation to human activity. Pp. 365-370, in Sea Eagle 2000 (B. Helander, M. Marquiss, and W. Bowerman Eds). SSNC/SNF.
21Marquiss, M., M. Madders, and D. N. Carss. 2003. White-tailed Eagles (Haliaeetus albicilla) and lambs. Pp. 471-479, in Birds of Prey in a Changing Environment (D. B. A. Thompson, S. M. Redpath, A. H. Fielding, M. Marquiss, and C. A. Galbraith, Eds). Scottish Natural Heritage.
22Folkestad, A. O. 2007. The sea eagle and possible impacts on livestock. Unpubl. Report, see www.AnIolar.com.
23Houston, D. 1977. The effect of hooded crows on hill sheep farming in Argyll, Scotland. Journal of Applied Ecology 14: 181-195.
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China Forced to use “Deodorant Guns” to Hide Stench of Landfills
With the growth of the Chinese capital, the 17 million people living in Beijing end up producing 18,000 tons of waste every single day, most of which goes to landfills. With just 4% of the waste being recycled, the dumps that surround the city are overflowing, and with that comes the stench and health and sanitation concerns that the city ...
China Turns to Ethanol-powered Buses from Sweden to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions
China is turning to ethanol-powered buses from Sweden to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions. An ethanol-powered bus made from up north - Sweden (the bus is the same color as Sweden's flag) is seen on the streets of Beijing, capital of the middle kingdom. An ethanol-powered environmentally-friendly bus can reduce greenhouse gas emissions and meet Euro-V emission standards. But, the 18 ...
Beijing Traffic is Back!
Beijing took steps during the Olympics and before to reduce traffic. Readers will remember Beijing's attempt to be like NYC and the government's move to get half of their cars off the road. Well ... Beijing's traffic is back. These two pics show the difference. What GP wants to know is, why can they tell some cars to stay home some of the ...
Beijing Smog Big Concern for Australian Olympic Athletes
August 5, 2008 / 2 Comments
Beijing has been trying to reduce the smog in the city in the lead up to the Olympics. They start this Friday!! Whoopee! But, the Australian government is still not buying into the green Beijing, fresh air thing. In fact, the Australian government has voiced its concern about the effects that the air might have on its athletes. Yeah, and ...
Greenpeace Gives Beijing Thumbs Up
I am as surprised as the next guy. I didn't think anybody could make Greenpeace content about anything. However, the environmental extremists have pronounced their blessings on Beijing for their 2008 Olympic Games preparations. "We are glad to see that Beijing has improved its infrastructure in preparation for the Olympics," says Greenpeace China's Campaign director. It has made public transport more ...
China Turns Pandas into Olympic Ambassadors
If you build it they will come. If you stage them, they will come. If you put the pandas on display, they will come. Beijing has brought 8 Giant Pandas to the city and put them on display for Olympic visitors and elsewise. Since June 5th, more than 1 million people have come to see the ambassadors for sport, the ...
How Much Energy Can You Buy with $8.8 Billion?
Beijing is a city of about 11 million people. Since 2001, in the lead up to the 2008 Summer Olympic Games the city has spent some $8.8 billion to improve its power supply capability. What does the city have to show for it? 1. Total power supply capability is up 124% 2. The city now has 344 transformer sub-stations 3. The sub-stations ...
Smart Road System for Green Olympics
Beijing continues to pull out all the stops, stop signs?, to make the usual transportation mess more Olympic friendly, greener, too. There's a plan: 1. Some 500 vehicles used for shuttling between the Olympic village and venues will be powered by electricity, mixed fuel, or batteries. 780 tons of gasoline and diesel fuel will be saved. C02 will be reduced by ...
Green Lung
One of the world's most polluted cities, Beijing, will have a "green lung" opening in it after the Olympics finish. The Olympic Forest Park will be a bit to the north of the Bird's Nest, home to the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. The park cost $1.12 billion! 1. Add 10 years to your life. 2. Listen ...
Half of All Government Cars Removed from Streets
June 25, 2008 / No Comments
Beijing is getting serious about clean air during the Olympics. The city has removed one half of all government vehicles from the streets of Beijing. The move eases congestion, reduces emissions and saves resources for a greener Olympics, which start 8-8-08. "The government wants to take the lead in guaranteeing smooth transport during the Games," said a transport official. The move ...
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← Just Another Girl On The I.r.t.
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The Director’s Cut
From the Chicago Reader (March 9, 2006). — J.R.
Moments Choisis des Histoire(s) du Cinéma
**** (Masterpiece)
Directed and written by Jean-Luc Godard
Ironically, the two greatest works by the two most innovative filmmakers of the French New Wave, Jean-Luc Godard and Jacques Rivette, were originally designed as TV series. Rivette’s 760-minute, 16-millimeter serial Out 1 (1971) was rejected by French state TV, and he spent most of a year editing it down to a 255-minute version to show in theaters, Out 1: Spectre (1972). Less a digest than a perverse variant — some shots were rearranged so that they had radically different meanings and contexts, and much of the comedy was turned into psychodrama — it’s the only version that’s ever shown in the U.S., though it hasn’t been screened for years. The original — almost certainly the best film ever made by anyone about the 60s counterculture and its demise — still shows periodically in Europe.
Godard’s eight-part, 264-minute video Histoire(s) du Cinéma (1998), conceived and made over 20 years, has fared better, but it’s still pretty hard to come by. The only version ever sold in France is a lousy mono video transfer; a package of CDs and books in several languages transcribing major portions of the stereo sound track came out here years ago. The only decent copy of the entire work that’s available is a set of subtitled Japanese DVDs. The distributor, Gaumont, has periodically announced the upcoming release of DVDs subtitled in English, but they’ve yet to materialize.
So Godard has edited an 84-minute feature out of his magnum opus and transferred it to 35-millimeter. He calls it “Selected Moments,” but like Rivette’s Spectre, it’s more a new work than an abridgment or anthology. For starters, it lacks the emotional and expressive range of its source, which is more celebratory. But it’s a beautifully composed work — a friend compared its construction to that of a cathedral — and its views of cinema and the 20th century remain powerful. The subtitles on the lovely print the Gene Siskel Film Center is screening are sparse and incomplete, though given how many elements Godard combines, anything more would surely have been overload.
The original TV series is hard to get, supposedly because of copyright issues. In 1998 Gaumont cleared the rights to the many dozens of clips, photographs, and paintings it includes, but only for use in France. So technically the Japanese edition is illegal. Godard had contracted to draw his music, most of it classical, from the German-based ECM label, which didn’t acquire permission to use other sound elements even though chunks of them were drawn from movie sound tracks; that’s why the CDs and books have been sold here but not the videos.
Sometimes issues such as copyrights are excuses rather than reasons, and rumor has it that Godard was so late delivering the original series to Gaumont eight years ago that they were fed up with it even before it premiered on French TV — which probably accounts for why they didn’t bother to make a decent video transfer to sell in stores. If copyrights really were a major concern for Gaumont, why would it allow Moments Choisis to be shown outside France?
Histoire means “story” as well as “history,” suggesting an ambiguous and very Godardian overlap of fiction and nonfiction. The film’s major exhibits come from his own work as well as many film classics, newsreels, paintings, and still photographs, making the overall story autobiographical as well as historical — and above all mythical. As English critic Michael Witt notes, Godard so fully identifies his own life span with cinema’s that for him his death and the death of cinema have become almost interchangeable. It’s easy to mock this solipsism, which takes on additional pathos if seen in the context of Godard’s self-imposed isolation. But the audiovisual poetry he’s able to extract from this premise — and others — is much more important than whether it happens to be true.
Two myths — that cinema was an invention of the 19th century and that it wound up conveying the history of the 20th — seem to provide the basis for most of Godard’s arguments. He also gets actor Alain Cuny to recite a long passage from art historian Elie Faure on Rembrandt while he substitutes cinema for each use of Rembrandt — implying that this 20th-century art form was a dream of many preceding centuries.
Diving into a meditative, melancholy funk even deeper than that of his other late features, Godard places cinema, including his own, on trial and finds it guilty of failing to bear adequate witness to the Holocaust and other mass slaughters. We “saw nothing in Hiroshima, Leningrad, Dresden, Madagascar, Hanoi, Sarajevo,” he observes, adding, “Suffering isn’t a star.” He implies that the job of entertaining and the task of recording reality are ultimately irreconcilable and that art located somewhere between the two doesn’t necessarily build a bridge: “We’ve forgotten that village . . . but we remember Picasso, that is to say, Guernica.”
Curiously, Godard accords the ultimate honor of achieving some sort of power through art to Alfred Hitchcock, “the greatest creator of forms of the 20th century,” who “became the only poète maudit to meet with success.” We may forget the plots and situations of his films, “but we remember a handbag . . . a bus in the desert . . . a glass of milk . . . the sails of a windmill . . . a hairbrush . . . a row of bottles, a pair of spectacles, a sheet of music, a bunch of keys” because “through them and with them Alfred Hitchcock succeeded where Alexander, Julius Caesar, Hitler, and Napoleon had all failed, by taking control of the universe. Perhaps there are 10,000 people who haven’t forgotten Cézanne’s apples, but there must be a billion spectators who will remember the lighter of the stranger on the train.” We can certainly dispute these figures and the hyperbolic conclusion Godard draws from them, but the sounds and images that counterpoint this monologue are exquisite and irreproachable.
Godard’s view of Western cinema is sufficiently inclusive to allow for the alternation of a cool James Dean walking near Times Square and a shouting Ukrainian peasant (in Dovzhenko’s Earth) running across a field, but the logic is more poetic than discursive. Film buffs may find more to chew over than other viewers, but they won’t necessarily come away with more. When Godard cuts from a production photo of Chaplin directing Limelight (1952) to a clip of two women wrestlers in a ring, is it important to know that the clip is from …All the Marbles (1981), the last feature of Robert Aldrich, who can be seen as Chaplin’s assistant director in the photo? I’d argue that the musical articulations of the cutting between the two subjects matter more.
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Home » Local » King announced 2018 Templeton Prize Laureate for interfaith, intrafaith harmony efforts
King announced 2018 Templeton Prize Laureate for interfaith, intrafaith harmony efforts
By JT - Jun 28,2018 - Last updated at Jun 28,2018
AMMAN — His Majesty King Abdullah was announced on Wednesday as the 2018 Templeton Prize Laureate, for his efforts to promote religious harmony within Islam and between Islam and other religions, according to a statement by Templeton Foundation.
“The King’s long quest to promote peace-affirming Islam gained momentum in 2004 in the wake of the Iraq war when the fragile unity of Sunni and [Shiite] Muslims in the region was at substantial risk,”
the statement said.
During that period, it continued, increasingly vocal rhetoric from marginal Islamic groups threatened to create deeper schisms within the Islamic community.
In the face of these challenges, the King launched the breakthrough Amman Message that articulated a clear understanding of the central elements of Islam, and affirmed that terrorism and violence have no place in the religion, a Royal Court statement said.
The following year, “he assembled 200 scholars from 50 countries representing all schools of jurisprudence in Islam who, under his guidance, issued a declaration now known as the ‘Three Points of the Amman Message.’ The first point recognised the validity of all eight legal schools of Islam. The second forbade declarations of apostasy (known as takfir) between Muslims, while the third established conditions for issuing fatwas, Islamic legal rulings. The Three Points have come to represent an unprecedented and almost unanimous religious and political consensus by Muslims around the globe. Since then, more than 450 Islamic scholars and institutes from more than 50 countries have endorsed it.”
Highlighting another interreligious initiative in 2006, the foundation said that King Abdullah supported the initiative known as “A Common Word between Us and You”, which led to a 2007 open letter from Islamic religious leaders to Christian religious leaders. A Common Word contains a call for peace and harmony between Muslims and Christians based on the twin commandments shared by both faiths, namely “love of God” and “love of the neighbour”. “Originally signed by 138 Muslim leaders and scholars from 52 countries, it now has more than 400 signatories including nearly 300 endorsements from a wide range of Christian leaders, and is considered by many to be the most important Muslim theological initiative towards Christians.”
The statement also highlighted the UN World Interfaith Harmony Week initiative by the King, which led to the UN General Assembly resolution expanding the twin “love” commandments by adding “love of God or love of the good” to “love of one’s neighbour”, thus, including all people of goodwill, with or without faith.
Adopted unanimously by the UN General Assembly, the resolution established the first week of February as UN World Interfaith Harmony Week to stress the moral imperative of promoting and understanding the values of peace inherent in all religions. It is generally acknowledged as the first and only time that the United Nations approved a resolution explicitly citing belief in God.
“Through these groundbreaking initiatives and many others, King Abdullah has led reclamation of Islam’s moderate theological narrative from the distortions of radicalism.”
The Templeton Prize is one of the world’s largest annual individual awards and honours a person who has made an exceptional contribution to affirming life’s spiritual dimension, whether through insight, discovery, or practical works.
Established in 1972 by the late global investor and philanthropist Sir John Templeton, the prize is a cornerstone of the foundation’s international efforts to serve as a philanthropic catalyst for discoveries relating to the deepest and most profound questions facing humankind. The foundation supports research on subjects ranging from complexity, evolution, and emergence to creativity, forgiveness and free will.
In a videotaped message on www.templetonprize.org, Heather Templeton Dill, president of the John Templeton Foundation and grand-daughter of Sir John Templeton, said: “His Majesty King Abdullah’s work is indeed inspiring. He has underscored the importance of Islam’s diversity rather than seeking to invent or enforce uniformity where none exists. He has built upon the power of principled pluralism to extend religious harmony among the 1.8 billion followers of Islam, the world’s second largest religion, so that each can recognise one another as Muslims.”
She added: “King Abdullah offers the world the true definition of a spiritual entrepreneur, a person shaped by temporal and political responsibilities, yet who holds both the belief and free expression of religion as among humankind’s most important callings.”
“Beyond his activities within Islam and between Islam and other faiths, the King has also tirelessly defended and supported refugees from across the Middle East, hosting and offering safe haven for millions fleeing conflict. Additionally, he has protected Jerusalem’s Islamic and Christian holy sites at considerable personal and monetary expense,” the foundation said.
His Majesty King Abdullah, in his videotaped acceptance of the prize on www.templetonprize.org, said: “Our world needs to confront challenges to our shared humanity and values. They are the very ground of the coexistence and harmony our future depends on. And this is why I feel it is so urgent to promote tolerance and mutual respect, support inclusion and hope, speak out against Islamophobia and other wrongs, and make our values a real force in the daily life of the modern world.”
His Majesty continued: “The Templeton Prize has blazed a trail for all of us, by upholding the importance of spiritual discovery and spiritual values across religions. And I am pleased and humbled to share your path. It is my deep and sincere hope that this award will continue to promote love and harmony within and among religions, and that in doing so, will invite the blessings of God upon us all.”
In his letter endorsing King Abdullah‘s nomination for the Prize, the Very Reverend Professor Iain R. Torrance, Pro-Chancellor of the University of Aberdeen, wrote: “The immensely important work of King Abdullah II lies in his decisive leadership and convening authority in worldwide Islam to call a principled halt to sectarianism and to mutual denunciation”.
The King’s work, Torrance added, epitomises progress “in the sense that through scholarship, example, encouragement, and publication, King Abdullah has offered the inherently flexible structures of Islam space to re-set and look again at matters of justice, interfaith relations and neighbourliness”.
In her reference letter, Georgette F. Bennett, president and founder of the Tannenbaum Centre for Inter-religious Understanding, a New York-based organisation dedicated to fighting religious prejudice, stressed the King’s efforts: “His leadership. His courage. His grace under fire. His unwavering commitment to expanding the boundaries of interreligious understanding.”
The statement also underlined the King’s efforts to restore and develop the Christ Baptism Site, also known as Bethany beyond the Jordan, on the Jordan River’s east bank, “which most Christians consider the site of Christ’s Baptism”, which UNESCO unanimously approved as a World Heritage Site in 2015.
“He has ensured that various denominations received blocks of land to build churches there, and a conference centre opened in 2012.”
The statement added that King Abdullah’s leadership also has guaranteed safe haven for Jordan’s ethnic and religious groups, including several denominations of Christians who are free to worship according to their own traditions. Moreover, it said, Jordan has hosted waves of millions of refugees since its independence in 1946 — Palestinians, Iraqis, Libyans, Yemenis and, most recently, Syrians fleeing the Syrian civil war — representing the embodiment of the Islamic requirement to care for strangers and affirm the dignity of life.
King Abdullah joins a group of 47 Prize recipients including Mother Teresa, the Dalai Lama (2012) and Archbishop Desmond Tutu (2013).
His Majesty King Abdullah II will be formally awarded the Templeton Prize in a public ceremony in Washington, DC, on November 13, the foundation announced.
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Striking a Balance Between Energy Reality and Ideological Fantasy
This time last year the Energy Information Administration (EIA) had just released a report showing the energy sources for electricity production in 2012.
That report showed that more than one-third of the electricity in the US comes from burning coal, and coal and natural gas together produce 67 percent of our electricity. And nuclear power comprises about 19 percent. That is the reality of energy production in the United States.
President Barack Obama prefers producing electricity with clean, renewable sources like solar and wind. Currently, wind accounts for just 0.11 percent of energy production and solar accounts for 3.46 percent, according to the EIA report.
The ideological fantasy is the idea that in a few years we can transition to producing a majority of our energy from sources that today account for less than 5 percent of energy production. Even ramping up wind and solar to produce the 37 percent of energy produced by coal in only a few years is a fantasy.
Under the most desirable circumstances imaginable, this transition would still be a tall order, and current circumstances are a long, long way from ideal. Solar energy is almost twice as expensive as natural gas, and wind energy is 46 percent more expensive than natural gas.
If the portion of electricity produced by natural gas were replaced with solar power, the price of electricity would increase by about 25 percent, and the costs for replacing coal-fired electricity with wind and solar are higher still.
Despite the difficulty with making this transition at all, or transitioning in a rational manner to keep pain and inconvenience to a minimum, the Obama administration is doing everything in its power to destroy the coal industry, and force the country to transition to producing electricity from clean sources that are not yet capable of doing the job.
Mr. Obama once said that anyone who wanted to build a coal-fired generating plant could do so, but the venture would go bankrupt, and those in coal producing states have already experienced the pain from this War on Coal.
Dan Lowery, writing for SNL Financial last September, paints the jobs picture: “Employment among U.S. coal miners plummeted by roughly 19 percent in the first quarter compared to the end of 2012, according to federal data.” He went on to say the number of employees of coal operators and contractors fell by more than 30,000 from 2011 to early 2013.
Coal jobs suffer from excessive government regulation, but also are affected by low natural gas prices. But then natural gas is also on the list of no-no energy sources.
An analysis for the Heritage Foundation predicts that significantly reducing coal’s share in America’s energy mix would, before 2030, destroy more than 500,000 jobs, cause a family of four to lose more than $1,000 in annual income, and increase electricity prices by 20 percent.
“Even worse,” authors Nicolas Loris, David Kreutzer, Ph.D. and Kevin Dayaratna write, “the Americans forced into unemployment lines and those paying higher energy prices couldn’t even claim that their suffering is helping to save the planet. If America stopped all carbon emissions, it would decrease the global temperature by only 0.08 degrees Celsius by 2050.”
While loudly and frequently pointing out the problems with coal, oil and natural gas, the green faction remains mostly silent about the problems with wind and solar energy installations. The obvious weaknesses are that if the wind isn’t blowing and if the sun isn’t shining, turbines and solar panels produce no electricity. So when the wind isn’t blowing and the sun isn’t shining, more dependable sources must be used for production. That means that coal, oil and/or natural gas units must run 24 hours a day in backup mode in order to be ready when needed.
The wind and solar energy that the environmentalists count on to reduce pollution produced by fossil fuels actually create serious pollution problems themselves. Both use rare earth minerals in their manufacture, and the mining and processing of these minerals generates hazardous and radioactive byproducts.
Both wind and solar have a negative impact on wildlife. The mirror-like surface of solar panels attracts birds, which think they are bodies of water, like ponds and lakes. The birds then flock to the solar array, where they are fried from the heat of the reflected sunlight.
Wind turbines also claim their share of birds, in addition to warming the land beneath them. "Given the present installed capacity and the projected growth in installation of wind farms across the world, I feel that wind farms, if spatially large enough, might have noticeable impacts on local to regional meteorology," according to Liming Zhou, associate professor at the State University of New York, Albany. So, while they don’t put CO2 into the air, “clean” energy sources cause their own form of climate change.
Combining the substantially higher cost of wind and solar energy with the job losses from the War on Coal, and the fact that trading fossil fuels for “clean,” renewable energy will produce miniscule benefits to the environment, one has to seriously consider the wisdom of this obsession.
Posted by James Shott at 5/27/2014 09:36:00 AM 1 comment: Links to this post
Labels: Big Government, Climate Change, Common Sense, Energy, Environmentalism, EPA, Ideology, Liberalism, Politics
Election protections in the US Constitution are being circumvented
Back in the good ol’ days, school kids studied history and civics where they learned how and why America came to be. And they came away from that with an understanding of the wisdom the Founders applied in creating this country.
They learned that the first governing document was not adequate to accomplish the desired goals. The Articles of Confederation reflected the Founders’ profound and well-grounded fear of a too-strong national government, gave too much independence and control to the states, and had other problems that failed to provide a solid foundation for a cohesive nation.
Their solution to that misstep was to develop a new governing document that gave enough power to the federal government to hold the union together, but left the states with a significant degree of control and autonomy.
The Founders created a unique and enlightened form of government that prevented a small minority of self-serving people from controlling the masses, and also prevented a majority of citizens from imposing its will on the minority.
In creating the US Constitution to replace the Articles the Founders considered having Congress select the president, but the president would then be beholden to the Congress, confounding the idea of three co-equal branches of government. They also considered state legislatures or governors selecting the chief executive, but those ideas, too, were rejected. And they rejected electing the president through a purely popular vote, because they wanted to balance the power of the larger and smaller states.
On this point, before being elected president then-US Sen. John F. Kennedy noted, “Direct election would break down the federal system under which states entered the union, which provides a system of checks and balances to ensure that no area or group shall obtain too much power.”
The deliberations on how best to select the president ultimately resulted in the creation of the Electoral College. But now there is an effort afoot to do away with this beneficial safeguard of the US Constitution that the Founders meticulously developed to best serve the citizens of their country.
Changing the Constitution requires amending the Constitution, and that requires the consent of two-thirds of Congress and three-fourths of the states; very difficult and unlikely to be accomplished any time soon.
The National Popular Vote (NPV) plan claims its purpose is “to ensure that every vote for president is equally valued no matter where it is cast.” However, it seeks to make this change without a Constitutional amendment. The Founders realized there might be legitimate reasons to change the Constitution, but also understood that such changes must have broad support among the citizenry and it therefore should not be too easily done. The system for amending the Constitution is demanding, as it should be.
Rather than approach this important change the proper way, by putting it before the people and the Congress through the amendment process, NPV advocates decided to take a short cut and simply subvert the Constitution through a back-door agreement.
The mission statement of the NPV initiative should therefore read: “Things aren’t working out to suit us, so we need to change the rules.” Its campaign seeks to obtain the consent of the majority of the 538 votes in the Electoral College to award electoral votes to the winner of the national popular vote instead of the winner of the popular vote in each state, a system in which the inmates run the asylum.
The president will be chosen not by the electors voting as the voters of their state determine they should vote, but under the terms of an agreement among themselves.
This effort to buy control of presidential elections must be the work of the evil Koch brothers, or the TEA Party, right? Nope. It is uber leftist Hungarian-American multi-billionaire George Soros pulling the strings.
Ten states have already signed up for this subversion: New York, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Washington, Vermont, California and Rhode Island. The District of Columbia also has joined the scheme.
Since the Electoral College protects the balance the Founders created with deference to states with smaller populations and by ensuring that the interests of these states be reflected in national decision-making, circumventing it through the NPV creates serious problems, according to former Federal Election Commission member Hans A. von Spakovsky:
** Recounts would be both more prevalent and more problematic.
** It could destabilize America’s two-party system, leading to a higher incidence of close elections and recounts.
** Provisional ballots could also lead to an extensive, widespread, and complex battle that could further delay and confuse the results of a presidential election.
** The plan would encourage vote fraud.
According to Mr. von Sapkovsky, “The NPV is unconstitutional because it would give a group of states with a majority of electoral votes the power to overturn the explicit decision of the Framers against direct election. Since that power does not conform to the constitutional means of changing the original decisions of the framers, NPV could not be a legitimate innovation.”
The NPV is yet another liberal idea that upon analysis turns out to be a lousy idea. Is it also criminal?
Labels: America, Constitutional government, Elections, Good Government, Ideology, Liberalism, Rule of Law, U.S. Constitution
Potpourri: government porn, federal lands, freedom of speech, etc.
Here’s an example of what can happen when there are too many government employees with too much time on their hands.
A report says that an Environmental Protection Agency employee watches porn for up to 6 hours a day. He makes $120,000 a year, and still has his job.
Nothing epitomizes a government that is so big and inefficient that its left hand has no idea not just what the right hand is doing, but doesn’t even know what its own fingers are doing. Or, just doesn’t care.
When the number of employees in a department or agency exceeds the number of truly essential employees, bad things happen, as the EPA example shows.
Agencies like the EPA are regulators; they produce regulations. Too many regulations exist already, and those people are paid to create more. On second thought, maybe it’s less harmful if they watch porn.
An efficient government, the kind of government we expect, deserve and pay for, should have few enough employees that every one of them is busy 8 hours a day doing beneficial work, serving us to the best of their ability, and to our highest expectations.
One of the major reasons our government has grown so humongous and overbearing is because too many people don’t understand that government is limited in its scope by the supreme law of the land, the US Constitution, and haven’t been paying attention to what is happening, or haven’t protested it. Still others seem to like living under the federal boot or seek control over us.
Did you know that the federal government owns or controls nearly one-third of the land in the US? Do you imagine that the feds are making the most beneficial use of it?
Some of it is used for government installations, national parks and memorials and so forth, which is fine. But much of it either lies essentially unused, like the land where Nevada rancher Cliven Bundy and his fellow ranchers freely grazed their cattle for decades before the federal government took over the land on the fraudulent premise that a tortoise that lived there was a “threatened” species.
More than a few cited Mr. Bundy as being a law breaker, so they thought it was just fine when the Bureau of Land Management sent 200 armed Rangers to the area because Mr. Bundy has refused to pay grazing fees for many years.
Mr. Bundy’s critics apparently believe that “if government says so, we must do it.” Had our forebears had this attitude, hundreds of singers at sporting events would be badly singing “God Save The Queen” instead of “The Star Spangled Banner.”
Other federal lands imprison vast stores of natural resources that would unleash new jobs and prompt energy independence.
When it was announced that former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice had been invited to speak at the Rutgers University graduation and receive an honorary degree, some members of the faculty passed resolutions calling for her to be “disinvited.” Students protested outside the office of the university president, some with signs calling her a “war criminal” because of her role in the Iraq War and the Bush administration’s use of waterboarding.
Showing she clearly has more class than those faculty members and students, Dr. Rice, withdrew her acceptance. “Commencement should be a time of joyous celebration for the graduates and their families,” she said. “Rutgers’ invitation to me to speak has become a distraction for the university community at this very special time.”
And so the tolerant and open-minded atmosphere of the university endures and the grand ideal of free and open debate of important, often conflicting ideas on campuses everywhere may continue for yet a while longer.
Then there is this: “I think that there are impulses in the government every day to second guess and look into the editorial decisions of conservative publishers,” warned Federal Election Commission Chairman Lee E. Goodman in an interview. “The right has begun to break the left’s media monopoly, particularly through new media outlets like the Internet, and I sense that some on the left are starting to rethink the breadth of the media exemption and Internet communications,” he added.
You have to admire the determination of the leftists to find a way to defeat contrary opinions when they cannot do so through the power of superior ideas and arguments. When they have control of government resources, they have no compunction about unleashing this power against their political enemies. “Well, we may not be right, but we will prevail.”
I’ve had an epiphany about Benghazi. I have adopted the Dem/lib philosophy: “Dude, that’s so yesterday.”
Since it happened on former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s watch, and she is satisfied that all the questions have been answered, shouldn’t that be enough for anybody? What difference, at this point, does it make? Now I can focus on other liberal goals, like which of the 10 amendments in the Bill of Rights we should trash next.
Oh, have you heard that a new helicopter fleet to ferry the president for short distances is being considered, and that the Congressional Budget Office estimates it will only cost $20 billion?
Posted by James Shott at 5/13/2014 08:24:00 AM 2 comments: Links to this post
Labels: Benghazi, Big Government, EPA, Free Speech, Freedom of the Press, Government, Government misbehavior, Leftists, Liberalism
Administration stonewalling cheats Americans of the truth about Benghazi
A large number of Americans still believe we have been told too little about who did things they shouldn’t have done, and/or didn’t do things they should have done that would have prevented the September 11, 2012 attack on the US consulate in Benghazi, Libya. The result was the brutal torture and murder of Ambassador Christopher Stevens, and the deaths of Information Officer Sean Smith, and two embassy security personnel, former Navy SEALs Glen Doherty and Tyrone Woods.
The heat was turned up on this simmering issue last week when emails that should have been turned over when requested by congressional committees months ago were released in response to a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request from Judicial Watch.
White House spokesman Jay Carney answered a press question on this development by saying that an email that discussed talking points really wasn’t about Benghazi, but about regional demonstrations, despite the fact that the FOIA request specifically asked for Benghazi documents.
This email from Ben Rhodes, deputy national security adviser to then-UN Ambassador Susan Rice, who used the talking points on Sunday talk shows, calls attention yet again to the story advanced by the White House and the State Department for far too long after the attack that it was the result of an anti-Islam YouTube video, not terrorism.
The administration has no one to blame but itself for the months-long effort to find answers to questions about the Benghazi attack. Had the White House and State Department responded appropriately to legitimate requests for answers to important questions, instead of stonewalling and dodging, we would know what mistakes were made, and by whom. But when you have something to hide, you stonewall and dodge.
The following events preceded the Benghazi attack:
• February: The US embassy is granted a four-month extension of a Tripoli-based “site security team” of 16 special forces soldiers who provide security, medical and communications support to the embassy.
• March: State Department Regional Security Officer Eric Nordstrom asked Washington for additional diplomatic security agents for Benghazi, and said he received no response. He repeated his request in July and again got no response.
• April 6: Two fired Libyan security guards throw an IED over the consulate fence.
• May 22: An Islamist attack on the Benghazi Red Cross office is followed by a Facebook post warning “now we are preparing a message for the Americans,” and another a month later highlights Ambassador Stevens’ daily jogs in an apparent threat. The Red Cross closed the office.
• June 6: Unknown assailants blow a hole in the British consulate’s north gate described as “big enough for 40 men to go through,” and four days later, the British ambassador’s car is ambushed by militants with a rocket-propelled grenade. The consulate is closed soon thereafter.
• July: The anti-Islam video “Innocence of Muslims” appears on YouTube.
• August. 14: The US security team leaves Libya, despite Ambassador Stevens’ desire that they remain, according to Lt. Col. Andy Wood.
• In the weeks before Sept. 11, Libyan security guards are reportedly warned by family members of an impending attack. On Sept. 8, the Libyan militia tasked with protecting the consulate warns US diplomats that the security situation is “frightening.”
• September 10: Al Qaeda leader Ayman al Zawahiri calls on Libyans to avenge the death of his Libyan deputy, Abu Yahya al Libi, killed in a June drone strike in Pakistan.
The American people deserve answers to the following questions:
• Why were the requests for additional security not granted, or even acknowledged?
• Why was the existing security team recalled when Ambassador Stevens asked that it remain?
• After violence against the Red Cross office and the British consulate forced their closure, why was the Benghazi consulate kept open?
• Why was Ambassador Stevens in Benghazi, given the rising violence and warnings of violence?
• Not knowing how long the attack would last (it lasted 7 hours), why were no US military assets dispatched to at least try to get to Benghazi in time to help?
• Why have those responsible for the attack not been hunted down and captured?
• Where was the president while the attack was being followed in the White House Situation Room?
Some administration supporters say that policies have been designed and put into place to see that a Benghazi-like event doesn’t happen again, so we don’t need another investigation. But doing so must be based upon knowing what went wrong, and if the administration knows what went wrong, why not come clean with the American people, as we expect from “the most transparent administration in history”?
That was Barack Obama’s pledge on the campaign trail, and WhiteHouse.gov reiterates that pledge: “My Administration is committed to creating an unprecedented level of openness in Government. We will work together to ensure the public trust and establish a system of transparency, public participation, and collaboration. Openness will strengthen our democracy and promote efficiency and effectiveness in Government.”
The Obama administration is open and transparent, unless an election is coming up, or it will make someone look bad, or it will confound some aspect of its radical agenda. It apparently did not learn about cover-ups from Richard Nixon, whose scandal did not include dead Americans.
Labels: Benghazi, Cover-up, Election, Imperial President, Liberalism, Obama, Politics, Terrorism
Striking a Balance Between Energy Reality and Ideo...
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Potpourri: government porn, federal lands, freedom...
Administration stonewalling cheats Americans of th...
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Home KAFU Life Intellectual Heritage Project 2017y.
Dronsejka R.P.
Dronsejka R.P. Pronouns "I" and "we" as an expression of egocentrism and altruism: Monograph / R.P. Dronsejka. - Ust-Kamenogorsk, 2017. – 196 p. (12.25 quires). ISBN 978-601-7334-99-4
The monograph is devoted to the semantic analysis of the personal pronouns "I" and "we" which most clearly represent the identity of the person in a language in its relation to the linguistic personality. The author is a candidate of philology- Dronsejka Regina Pranasovna. She considers the personal pronouns "I" and "we" as egocentrism and altruism concepts’ carrier at the system level (of language) in their functioning in artistic speech represented by the prose of one of the most striking writers of modern Russian literature - B. Akunin (G. Chkhartishvili).
Based on a textual study of using "I" and "we", their content structure is described, presented in the form of a scale of egocentrism-altruism, showing the gradation of these concepts and the transitional cases of their use. The monograph also deals with the concepts of "personality" and "linguistic personality".
The monograph is for students of philological disciplines and for a wide range of readers interested in the problems of personality.
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About IA CASS
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Signing Ceremony for the Establishment of the Chinese Cultural Heritage Protection and Research Union in Beijing
From：Chinese archaeology Writer： Date：2010-08-24
On July 28, 2010, head of the Center for Cultural Heritage Protection and Research (IA, CASS) Prof Du Jinpeng and Dr. Wang Tao on behalf of the International Center for Chinese Cultural Heritage of SOAS (London University) signed an agreement to set up the Chinese Cultural Heritage Protection and Research Union. Deputy Director Qi Zhaoye of the IA, Mrs. Jessica Rawson (Oxford University) and Deputy Director Han Wei of the Museum of Emperor Shi huang’s Mausoleum also participated in the ceremony. Other participants included Mrs. Wang Yarong, Prof. Wang Xuerong, and Prof. Wang Haotian. Apart from the two major organizers, other Union members include Beijing Administration for Cultural Heritage Management, the Museum of Emperor Shi huang’s Mausoleum, the Institute of Archaeology of University College London, Archaeology Department of Oxford University, the British Library, and the V&A Museum.
The newly established Union is intended to provide a stage for exchanging academic ideas and enhancing the cooperation between all the Union members. According to the agreement, all the cooperation activities are based on single research projects. Members are required to be responsible for funding application in order to conduct investigation and research, hold international conferences and symposiums and publish the project results. Meanwhile, all members of a single project may share the equal right to make profit from the intellectual properties.
The ongoing project at this moment is the compilation and publication of the Chinese collections housed in British museums and galleries.
After the ceremony, Mrs. Rawson and Dr. Wang Tao, accompanied by Mrs. Wang Yarong, visited the labs and studios of the Center for Cultural Heritage Protection and Research of the Institute. (Translated by Wang Renyu)
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During the time I worked and lived in Brooklyn, New York, several of this country's presidents came through our borough, headed for Manhattan. Before their actual arrival, the city prepared about two weeks, laying out the city's welcome mat in honor of the President. Security was tightened. The mayor and all the local government officials were in attendance. His announcement was known throughout the five boroughs.
This was the role of Jesus' cousin, John the Baptist. He was the one chosen to announce he coming of the King. John was keeping Kingdom royal protocol. His responsibility was to prepare the people, the nation, and the way for the coming of the King who would bring the Kingdom. God's Constitution describes John in this manner: In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!” For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, saying: “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord; Make His paths straight.’” Please notice, John kept in line with his role, down to the letter. He knew his purpose. He said: “I am ‘The voice of one crying in the wilderness: “Make straight the way of the Lord,”’as the prophet Isaiah said.” John the Baptist stayed true to his purpose by quoting The voice of one crying in the wilderness: “Prepare the way of the Lord; Make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
I want you to notice, John's message wasn't about a new religion, but the Kingdom of Heaven. It is very important to understand that John was the most unique prophet of the entire Bible. In fact, Jesus the Christ, stated that John was the greatest of all the prophets that had ever lived. “Assuredly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist; but he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. The question is, "Why does John hold such a prominent position among the prophets?" Well, this is the answer Because all of the other prophets before John spoke only of the coming of the Messiah (the King) and the coming of the Kingdom, while John had the privilege of announcing, presenting, meeting and baptizing the King of the Kingdom. John stayed in his purpose. He never tried to be something that he wasn't. Please note: Jesus never gave John a direct answer to John's question. The answer He gave was this: Jesus answered and said to them, “Go and tell John the things which you hear and see: The blind see and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached to them. By the way, these are the signs that the Kingdom of God is present. People should reconcile that the Kingdom culture is present through our behavior as Kingdom citizens. There should be a definite difference in our behavior.
Remember King Jesus' statement: For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.
Matt 5:1-3 John 1:23 Isaiah 40:3 Matt 11:11 Matt 11:4-5 Matt 5:20
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Place of birth : United States of America
Allen Anne Elizabeth
Elizabeth Anne Allen (1970)
Elizabeth Anne Allen is an American actress. Allen is best known for her recurring role as the witch Amy Madison on the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
Allen is an alumna of Gloversville High School in Gloversville, New York and graduated from Russell Sage College in Troy, NY in 2001. After college she moved to Hollywood to begin an acting career. Since 1992, Allen has worked regularly, primarily in guest or recurring roles on various television series. These include Doogie Howser, M.D. and Silk Stalkings. Allen also had a recurring role in the T.V. series Bull playing the character Pam Boyd.
Allen won the recurring role of Amy Madison on Buffy the Vampire Slayer for the season one episode "Witch". She returned as Amy in the second season's "Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered", the season three episode "Gingerbread" and season four's "Something Blue" (in a brief, non-speaking cameo). She returned for a three-episode guest arc in the season six episodes "Smashed", "Wrecked" and "Doublemeat Palace". She made one final appearance on Buffy in the season seven episode "The Killer In Me".
She auditioned for, and was the runner up for the role of Buffy. The role went to Sarah Michelle Gellar, but Joss Whedon was so impressed by Elizabeth that he created the character of Amy for her.
Silent Lies
Episodes: 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Episodes: 1 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22
Whole or part of the information contained in this card come from the Wikipedia article "Elizabeth Anne Allen", licensed under CC-BY-SA full list of contributors here.
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Manufacturers Warn Evers’ Tax Hike Could Force Companies To Make Moving Choices
By Matt Kittle - April 8, 2019
Budget, Budget Hearing, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Jim Doyle, Jobs, Manufacturing and Agriculture Tax Credit, Mitch Benson, Prent, Scott Walker, Tax, Tony Evers
““We take a look at what the environment is. Some states don’t have a friendly hand in manufacturing, and would never be considered, said Benson of Prent Corp. in Janesville.” #wiright #wipolitics Click To Tweet
MacIver News Service | April 8, 2019
By M.D. Kittle
JANESVILLE, Wis. — It’s about choices.
In an increasingly competitive global marketplace, businesses have lots of choices. Ultimately, business owners go where it makes most sense to do business.
Manufacturers like Prent want to make sure lawmakers understand how important the tax credit has been to growing their businesses — and Wisconsin’s economy.
That’s something tax-and-spend liberals never seem to get.
It’s a point Mitch Benson tried to drive home Friday afternoon at a day-long public hearing on Wisconsin’s yet-to-be-finalized 2019-21 budget.
Benson, senior vice president of Manufacturing Services for Janesville-based Prent Corp., urged members of the Legislature’s Joint Finance Committee to reject Gov. Tony Evers’ proposed cap on the state’s Manufacturing and Agriculture Tax Credit.
Evers, a Democrat, wants to roll back the successful tax break that his Republican predecessor, former Gov. Scott Walker, and the Republican-controlled Legislature crafted in Walker’s first term.
Evers’ plan limits the credit for manufacturers to the first $300,000 of qualified income. Why? To help pay for his middle-class tax cut plan. In other words, the governor raises taxes on a bedrock sector to pay for his tax relief package. The tax hike would raise a projected $516.7 million in tax revenue over the biennium.
That’s a nonstarter for Republicans, who continue to hold strong majorities in both houses of the Legislature. It is, at least for now. A lot can happen in the political horse-trading of divided government.
“The main focus we have is we need to maintain a competitive edge,” Benson told MacIver News Service after testifying before the powerful budget-writing committee. “We are constantly trying to find ways to optimize our production and find new innovative technologies to set us apart from our competition … so having a tax credit like this basically allows us to explore and employ new technologies that are out there…”
Prent, the world’s leading designer and manufacturer of custom plastic for the medical, electronics, and consumer industries, is one of Rock County’s largest employers, with a work force of approximately 550 people. Benson said the manufacturer has doubled its payroll since the tax credit took effect in 2013.
The credit, according to a 2017 University of Wisconsin-Madison study, created some 42,000 jobs by September 2016.
Evers’ Tax Increase On Manufacturers Would Hit Farmers, Too
It’s a big reason, economic analysts assert, for the resurgence of Wisconsin’s manufacturing sector, which boasted a $59.1 billion economic output in 2017. More so, the tax credit has meant a lot to the people employed in manufacturing, which in 2017 accounted for 16.4 percent of the Badger State workforce, second-highest nationally. The average manufacturing job in Wisconsin paid nearly $57,000 a year, compared to the annual statewide wage of $47,250, according to the Wisconsin Policy Forum.
Tax and regulation relief over the past eight years has put Wisconsin’s economy back on track after the dour days of the Great Recession. Evers’ budget plan calls for $1.3 billion in tax hikes, including the rollback on the manufacturing tax credit. He has described the increase as “small,” and Democrats say capping the tax credit will only impact Wisconsin’s wealthiest.
“The main focus we have is we need to maintain a competitive edge…so having a tax credit like this basically allows us to explore and employ new technologies that are out there…” Benson said, adding the manufacturer has doubled its payroll since the tax credit took effect in 2013.
Critics say the governor has a flawed definition of the word “small,” and the tax credit cap would hit a lot of pass-through businesses, smaller manufacturers that certainly could not be described as “wealthy.”
The Joint Finance Committee heard from hundreds of people on Friday in Janesville, the first stop on a four-city tour of public budget hearings this month. Many of those in attendance were affiliated with one liberal special interest group or another – from the ACLU to public employee unions to social justice groups. They all asked for more money for one government program or another. Not many taxpayers asking the budget-writing committee to rein in spending, urging lawmakers to check Evers’ massive $84 billion biennial budget plan that grows government by more than $6 billion.
Policymakers will have plenty of tough decisions to make.
Benson reminded them that manufacturers like Prent have choices, too. Capping the manufacturing tax credit could force businesses to rethink operating in Wisconsin.
“It goes back to you have choices, and we would have to look at where we would like to continue to invest,” he said.
It’s not a threat; it’s a reality of the increasingly competitive global marketplace. Need proof. Look to Wisconsin’s neighbor to the south. Illinois, thanks to the heavy hand of taxation and regulation, lost a breath-taking 97,000 manufacturing jobs in the decade since the beginning of the recession in 2007, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics figures. Many of those jobs have come north to Wisconsin.
“The state of Wisconsin has put tens-of-millions of dollars into an effort to try to attract Illinoisans across the border into Wisconsin,” Illinois Manufacturers’ Association president Mark Denzler recently told Illinois News Network.
Liberals like to say manufacturers ought to pay their fair share, that the tax break “strips resources from public priorities.” But Wisconsin manufacturers employ some 476,600 workers who are critical in feeding government’s insatiable hunger for tax revenue. Over-tax and over-regulate manufacturers like the days of Gov. Jim Doyle’s tenure in the 2000s, when chief executives ranked Wisconsin one of the worst states for business, and they will leave. And those high-paying jobs and their tax revenue will go with them.
“It’s a judgement call. We like states that are friendly to manufacturing,” said Benson of Prent, which has manufacturing facilities in Arizona, Malaysia, China, Costa Rica, Puerto Rico and Denmark, according to its website. “We take a look at what the environment is. Some states don’t have a friendly hand in manufacturing, and would never be considered.”
Will Wisconsin become one of those states again?
It’s all about choices.
Matt Kittle
M.D. Kittle is an Investigative Reporter with the MacIver Institute
Lawmaker: Evers’ Tax Cut Plan Sends Chilling Message To Booming Manufacturing Sector Evers’ Cabinet Secretaries Get Double-Digit Raises
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Home » Hindu Mythology » BHRIGU – A sage, son of Brahma
BHRIGU – A sage, son of Brahma
There are many versions of Bhrigu’s birth. Depending on the account, Bhrigu was born as one of the maharishis or as a demon (asura). One account said that he was the son of Brahma, born of Agni at a sacrifice (Brahma-yajna) presided over by Varuna as the chief priest (hotri). In yet another Bhrigu was born from Brahma’s skin. And still another account said that he was born of Manu and then sired the greatest of sages and rishis, the class of Bhargavas, called the Bhrigu- vams’a (Bhrigu’s family). Nevertheless, he was one of the grandfathers (Praja- patis) of a minor class of gods, the Bhrigus, with a family from each of his births, and he started at least two different family lines, one from Brahma and a second from Varuna.
Bhrigu was the officiating priest (hotri) at Daksha’s sacrificial feast, to which Siva was not invited. Sita cast herself into the sacrificial fire because of the humiliation she felt that her husband was not invited, which implied that he was not worthy to attend. In anger Siva produced two demons who avenged the loss of his wife—either pulling out the beard of Bhrigu or, according to another account, killing all the officiating priests, including Bhrigu.
Bhrigu was used often in the Puranas in myths about psychic powers and the curses that sages would put upon evil kings and demons. Bhrigu’s most famous action was his curse of Siva, whom Bhrigu condemned to be worshipped as a linga (a phallus). Siva had killed Bhrigu’s wife Puloma to end her ascetic practices (tapas) in support of the demons. In Bhrigu’s mouth was put an anti- Shaivite proclamation: that no one who was pious or respectable would ever worship Siva—only Siva’s linga.
PrevPrevious PuranaBHIMA – One of the Pandava brothers, a hero of the Mahabharata War
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‘Tommy’ Richards
Thursday, January 20. 2011
ATHENS – Thomas Edward “Tommy” Richards, 78, died Monday, January 17, 2011.
A native of Clarke County, he was the son of the late Thomas Wetzel and Matilda Bancroft. Mr. Richards was preceded in death by a son, Thomas J. (Jeff) Richards.
He operated a State Farm Agency in Athens for over 40 years, where he was recognized and rewarded many times for his achievements with awards and company trips. He was also a member of the Greensboro Masonic Lodge, where he received his 50-year membership pin. He was the fourth generation great-grandson of President Thomas Jefferson and a member of Emmanuel Episcopal Church.
Survivors include his wife, Charlene Ruark Richards, Athens; sons, Dr. Bart Richards and wife Suzanna, Jefferson, and Keith and Kathy Richards, Orlando, Fla.; grandchildren, Michelle Richards, David Richards and wife Jenna, Dane Richards, Clay Richards and Tucker Richards.
Funeral services will be held Sunday, January 23, at 2 p.m., at the Emmanuel Episcopal Church with Father Robert Salamone officiating. Burial will be in Evergreen Memorial Park with Masonic graveside rites.
The family will receive friends at the funeral home Saturday, January 22, from 6 to 8 p.m.
The family asks that memorials be made to the Atlanta Area Alzheimer’s Association, 1925 Century Blvd., Suite 10, Atlanta, GA 30345.
The family would like to thank the staff at BJC Nursing Home and The Alzheimer’s Care of Commerce for their care and support while Mr. Richards was at their facility.
Bernstein Funeral Home, Athens, is in charge of arrangements.
What is seven minus six?
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Georgia - Next Stop on the New Silk Road
Recent developments in the Republic of Georgia have largely gone unreported in the Western press. The significant economic, political, and security implications however warrant close attention, as Georgia is positioning itself to be at the center of a new economic order connecting Europe to Iran and Central Asia.
The Republic of Georgia has recently made important steps to invest in its economic future. Development projects along the Black Sea coast highlight the growing potential for the country as a whole, in light of both the dropping of Iran sanctions and growing economic inter-connectivity across Central Asia. Tbilisi is positioning itself well to benefit from these new developments, laying the foundation for long-term prospects economically, politically, and militarily.
New Deep-Sea Port
The Georgian government has recently selected the Anaklia Development Consortium (ADC) to develop the Anaklia Deep Sea Port and the Anaklia Free Industrial Zone, with the explicit purpose to “breathe new life into the ancient Asia-Europe trade route.” According to statements from the Consortium’s website, the “ADC embraces the Silk Road vision to accelerate Georgia’s GDP growth and create jobs for its people. The Anaklia Port will be a lasting economic driver for Georgia, both as a national asset representing Georgia’s historic significance and its vital role in the evolving global economy.”
The Consortium brings together primarily Georgian and American companies, including TBC Holding, Conti International, Moffatt & Nichol, Maritime & Transport Business Solutions, and BLC Law Offices. This combination of construction, finance, and legal expertise is well suited for large-scale investment and development efforts in Georgia and helps highlight a larger development trend throughout the former Soviet space and beyond.
Georgia’s geographic position puts it in the perfect place to benefit from such projects, a fact Tbilisi is well aware of. The Georgian government is actively seeking to capitalize on its position at the geographic and diplomatic center of an emerging trade corridor. On 15 February Energy Minister Kakha Kaladze traveled to Iran to “discuss potential gas imports and cooperation in other areas of energy sector.” According to a brief press statement, “The Georgian and Iranian sides are at this stage studying possibilities of import of Iranian gas to Georgia. Possibilities for implementation of various other investment projects in the energy sector will also be discussed.”
It is likely that, at least in part, Georgia’s desire for closer cooperation with Iran is due to recent controversies between Tbilisi and Russian energy giant Gazprom. For years, Georgia has allowed free transit of Gazprom gas to Armenia in exchange for a 10% siphon to Georgia, a relationship Gazprom now seeks to monetize. While this is not problematic in and of itself, Gazprom CEO Alexey Miller is now seeking to add political requirements to the deal, such as the re-opening of the controversial Georgia-Abkhaz railway. Some argue that this would require Tbilisi (unofficially) recognizing the breakaway government’s legitimacy, something that large portions of the Georgian public and political class are against.
Tbilisi also recently approved a visa-free travel agreement with Iran, allowing citizens of the Islamic Republic to more easily travel to the country. Georgia is already a popular tourist destination among many wealthier Iranians, and the new visa-free regime will no doubt dramatically increase the number of visitors Georgia will receive. This is consistent with Georgia’s newly developed long-term strategy for its tourism industry, which “targets to achieve 11 million international arrivals by 2025 and to increase tourism receipts from the current level of USD 1.8 billion to USD 5.5 billion.”
On 19 February the Georgian Foreign Minister, together with his Turkish and Azerbaijani counterparts, met to visit a planned regional rail link. In a joint statement adopted after the meeting in Tbilisi on February 19, the Azerbaijani, Georgian and Turkish foreign ministers stressed “the key role of the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars (BTK) railway in facilitating competitive transportation between Asia and Europe.”
On 23 February, officials from the Georgian Economic Ministry and Chinese Ministry of Commerce met in Tbilisi for the “first round of talks on free trade agreement between the two countries.” Georgia’s Economic Minister Dimitri Kumsishvili said that the Georgian side would “especially focus on gaining preferential regime for exporting of the Georgian wine and agriculture products to China,” during his signing of the memorandum.
Security Dimensions of Economic Growth
The emerging high-value trade area between Iran, the Caucasus, and the Black Sea basin is also one with significant political turmoil. Georgia alone is host to two unresolved ‘frozen’ conflicts; South Ossetia and Abkhazia, both of which have repeatedly proven their potential to disrupt Georgian economic and political projects.
In July 2015, South Ossetian forces expanded their territory by moving border fences southward, seizing control of a portion of a BP-operated pipeline spanning Azerbaijan and Georgia. South Ossetia’s heavy dependence on (and treaty-obligations with) Russian military forces leaves Moscow in a position to be able to completely disrupt the project if it so chooses, either directly or through Ossetian proxies. This action may be the Kremlin’s response to increasingly close military cooperation on the part of Georgia with Turkey and Azerbaijan.
Georgia has hosted and participated in a number of joint drills with these countries over the past several years. In May and June of 2015, drills dubbed the “Caucasian Eagle” (Kafkas Kartalı) were hosted on Azerbaijani territory. Reportedly, Georgian special forces played a prominent role over the course of the exercises, which were primarily tactical in nature.
Georgian special operations forces have historically operated against Jihadist groups in the predominantly-Chechen Pankisi Gorge (an area which has since largely been stabilized) and have experience fighting with coalition forces in Afghanistan, where Georgia is the largest non-NATO force contributor. Moscow has also accused Georgian troops of preparing sabotage operations against the separatist governments in South Ossetia and Abkhazia. The strengthening of Georgian special operations abilities, in combination with strengthened cooperation in conventional military affairs with major regional partners, will likely serve to increase national security in areas of high economic interest, if one leaves the disputed territories out of the picture.
Not to be out-done, Russia responded by conducting joint drills with Armenia, their primary regional ally. Armenia, while close historically, culturally, and religiously with Georgia, is nevertheless stuck between a rock and a hard place when it comes to geopolitics. Located directly between Turkey, from whom they suffered genocide in the early 20th century, and Azerbaijan, with whom they fought a brutal war for Nagorno-Karabakh in the 1990s, the Armenians are left with no choice but to look for Moscow in matters of security.
Yet, relations remain warm with Georgia generally speaking, leaving Tbilisi in the position to act as a mediator or middle man in dealings with Baku or Ankara. Armenia in turn would act as a land-bridge between Georgia and Iran, allowing easy access for an increasing number of goods traveling back and forth between Tbilisi and the Islamic Republic.
Georgia and the Caucasus will play a central role in the decades ahead, as Central Asia, Iran, China, and Europe become more economically interconnected. Its strategic position on the Black Sea, situated directly between Europe and the emerging economies in Iran and Central Asia, presents it with unique opportunities, both economically and politically.
Very real security issues remain, but Tbilisi seems to be using all means available to mitigate them. These efforts have apparently satisfied serious Western investors, likely encouraging more to come. The success of the Anaklia Development Consortium will be an important litmus test for Georgia. If successful, the South Caucasian country will prove a crucial player in the emergent new Silk Road, and an economic center to last well into the 21st century.
Photo Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
Newer PostTheir Land, Their Blood: Blowback From Russia’s Syria Intervention
Older Post(Not) Behind Enemy Lines VI: Hiding Russia's War in Ukraine
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Portuguese (Home)
Portuguese (Gallery)
Levantamos: The Center for Afro-Brazilian-American Cooperation is a non-profit corporation founded in January 2004 with the vision to affect profound educational, social and economic change in the lives of Afro-descendant populations. In keeping with this vision, Levantamos’ mission is to develop partnerships between Americans and Afro-Brazilians focused on eliminating inequality and provide technical and financial assistance to Afro-Brazilian community-based organizations.
Brazil is most frequently known as the land of samba, sun, and celebration. For decades those in North America have enjoyed Brazil’s music, food, dance, and culture. The Brazil that North Americans have come to love and appreciate is the Brazil that is at its essence Afro-Brazilian: the samba, the capoeira, Candomblé, and feijoada.
Contributions from individual private donors enable Levantamos to continue to work in partnership with Afro-Brazilians to affect educational, social and economic change in the lives of Afro-descendants in Brazil . We invite you to make a donation that will further this mission. All donations are tax deductible.
Mardi Gras Meets Carnival III
Levantamos’ inaugural fundraiser took place on February 5, 2004 with the theme “Mardi Gras Meets Carnaval.” All of the activities, a capoeira performance, an orixá dance performance, samba, and a Louisiana second line, exhibited the best of what Mardi Gras and Carnaval have to offer and celebrated the ties that bind Brazil and the United States. Learn More
Capoeira, along with samba, has historically been the port of entry for many Americans to discover the culture and dichotomies that are Brazil. Capoeira is a martial art disguised as a dance, that was developed by enslaved Africans in Brazil. The martial art, handed down over centuries, was formalized as a sport in the early 20th century in Bahia, Brazil. In 2014 UNESCO recognized capoeira as an “Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.” It is Levantamos’ intention in 2016 to bring capoeira to the under-served populations of the District of Columbia.
Our mission and outreach efforts are funded by your donations. We greatly appreciate anything you can offer.
Keep in touch with Levantamos by subscribing to our email list
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Home > Artists & Reviews > Althea Romeo-Mark: The Nakedness of New
Artists & Reviews News
Althea Romeo-Mark: The Nakedness of New
April 25, 2018 May 5, 2018 admin2 African book, Althea Romeo-Mark, Caribbean writer
In this remarkable collection, Althea Romeo-Mark uses poetry like a lance, a magnifying glass, and a soothing balm. Her verse gives the reader a close-up view of life as an immigrant in the Caribbean and details her experiences in England after fleeing the violence of the Liberian civil war.
Romeo-Mark grew up in the West Indies, where her family drifted from island to island looking for work. In a series of gripping poems, she takes us inside the uneasy tapestry of immigrant cultures that form the Caribbean islands: a pastiche of hunger and oppression that makes survival a daily struggle. She goes on to explore the problems encountered by women in a society that is male dominated, unstable, and unjust; by immigrants displaced from their homes and their ways of life; and by families committed to each other no matter what comes.
Divided topically, The Nakedness of New also includes three revealing personal essays and a section focused on her maternal grandmother, a controversial personality who held the family together. Through it all run the themes of resiliency, heart, and dedication to living—all things found in ordinary people if only you take the time to look for them.
Althea Romeo-Mark (born 1948) is an Antiguan-born writer and educator, who has travelled throughout the world and now makes her home in Switzerland. In addition to having published five volumes of poetry, she has been an invited speaker at international poetry festivals in Medellín, Colombia and Kisii, Kenya. She was one of the founders of the Liberian Association of Writers. In 2009, she was awarded the Marguerite Cobb McKay Prize by The Caribbean Writer.
Althea Romeo was born in 1948 in English Harbour, Antigua, to Gilbert Romeo and his wife. Her father was from the Dominican Republic, though his mother was Antiguan, of British heritage, and his father was from Saint Martin. Her mother was born in Saint Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands, to an Antiguan father, of black South African heritage, and her mother was from Nevis. When she was eight years old, Romeo’s family moved to St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands. After graduating from St. Peter and Paul Catholic School in 1967, Romeo earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of the Virgin Islands in education and English in 1971. After briefly teaching at Addelita Cancryn Junior High School in St. Thomas, she then attended Kent State University in Ohio, earning a master’s degree in literature in 1974. Her husband, a Grenadian national, had been educated in Liberia.
In murder case, former police boss under investigation
A Lifetime of Writing Books: The Legacy of Banks Henries
July 9, 2019 admin2 Books, Doris Banks Henries, Liberia
A. Doris Bank Henries was born on February 11, 1913, in Live Oak,...
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Michigan's jobless rate lowest since '00
Michigan's latest unemployment rate, announced at 3.9 percent on Nov. 21 by the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics, is the lowest since 2000.
But Michigan is still not even in the top half of states when it comes to low jobless rates: our state ranked No. 29, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported last month. Nationally, the jobless rate was unchanged at 3.7 percent. Hawaii had the lowest unemployment rate in October at 2.3 percent. Alaska had the highest with 6.4 percent.
Approximately 250,000 jobs were created in October 2018 according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Employment increased in health care, manufacturing, construction, and in transportation and warehousing. The BLS reported that nationwide, the number of unemployed persons in October was little changed at 6.1 million.
Over the course of 2018, the unemployment rate and the number of unemployed declined by 0.4 percentage point and 449,000, respectively.
Construction spending up vs. 2017
U.S. construction spending inched lower in October from September levels but increased from the October 2017 total, according to Dec. 3 analysis of new Census data by the Associated General Contractors of America.
"Although most segments of construction continue to post year-over-year spending gains, investment in vitally needed infrastructure has stalled or shrunk in the past four months," said Ken Simonson, the AGC's chief economist. "If infrastructure contractors start losing employees to more-active construction segments, it may be hard to get infrastructure projects done on time once funding resumes."
Construction spending totaled $1.309 trillion at a seasonally adjusted annual rate in October, a dip of 0.1 percent from the September rate but 4.9 percent higher than in October 2017. Private residential construction fell 0.5 percent for the month but increased 1.8 percent year-over-year. Private nonresidential spending slipped 0.3 percent from September to October but increased 6.4 percent over 12 months. Public construction spending, comprising public buildings and infrastructure, increased 08 percent for the month and 8.5 percent for the year.
The AGC said that public spending was boosted by large increases in educational spending and other public building segments, while all public infrastructure categories had declined from recent highs.
"Infrastructure is vital to all Americans and is a subject both parties should be able to agree on funding and improving," said Stephen E. Sandherr, the AGC's CEO. "The incoming Congress has an opportunity to create a bipartisan infrastructure bill that will benefit all regions and all parts of the economy.".
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PA and Fatah personalities
Fatah Facebook rebroadcasts Abbas' call to prevent Jews "in any way" from “defiling our holy places,” following terror attack on the Temple Mount
Official Fatah Facebook page - Nov. 28, 2018
Text and video posted on the official Fatah Facebook page
Posted text: “This is the call of brother [PA] President Mahmoud Abbas
We must defend our holy sites in every way and with our bare chests, and it is not enough that we will say that there are settlers at the Al-Aqsa Mosque, rather we must expel them and prevent them from desecrating the Al-Aqsa Mosque in every way.
#The_president_represents_me
#Palestinian_legitimacy”
Text in red circle on screen shot showing the Temple Mount: “Arab Jerusalem”
PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas: “It's not enough for us to say: ‘There are those carrying out Ribat’ (religious conflict / war over land claimed to be Islamic). We must all carry out Ribat in the Al-Aqsa [Mosque]. It's not enough for us to say: ‘The settlers have arrived [at the Mosque]’. They have come, and they must not come to the Sanctuary (i.e., Temple Mount). We have to prevent them, in any way whatsoever, from entering the Sanctuary. This is our Sanctuary, our Al-Aqsa and our Church [of the Holy Sepulchre]. They have no right to enter it. They have no right to defile it. We must prevent them. Let us stand before them with chests bared to protect our holy places.”
Click to view video
Click to view bulletin
Note: This video originally aired on official PA TV on Oct. 17, 2014 and was broadcast a total of 29 times that month. It was also broadcast 3 times on Nov. 1 and on Nov. 4, 2014, and once on Nov. 11, 2015. It was posted on the official Fatah Facebook page on July 15, 2017 and on Nov. 28, 2018.
An excerpt of Abbas' speech was broadcast on the official PA radio station The Voice Of Palestine and on PA TV (with different background footage) dozens of times in in Dec. 2017 - 2018, most recently on April 3, 2018.
On Nov. 28, 2018, Fatah reposted the video with the text: "What did [PA] President Mahmoud Abbas say about Ribat (i.e., religious conflict/war over land claimed to be Islamic) at the Al-Aqsa Mosque?"
The PA and its leaders consider all of the Temple Mount an integral part of the Al-Aqsa Mosque. Therefore they oppose any presence of Jews on the mount. It should be noted that Jews who visit the Temple Mount only enter some sections of the open areas, and do not enter the Al-Aqsa Mosque or the Dome of the Rock.
Muhammad Ahmad Muhammad Jabarin, Muhammad Hamed Abd Al-Latif Jabarin, and Muhammad Ahmad Mufaddal Jabarin - Israeli Arab terrorists aged 29, 19, and 19, who shot from the Temple Mount at Israeli policemen, murdering 2 Israeli Druze border policemen - Haiel Stawi and Kamil Shnaan, on July 14, 2017. Two of the terrorists were shot and killed by other policemen during the attack. The third terrorist was shot and killed while trying to flee.
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Useful advice and rules of conduct
Research projects and conservation
Home Get to know the park The bearded vulture
The bearded vulture
The name Gypaetus for this elegant giant from the skies derives from two Greek words, gyps (vulture) and aetos (eagle). The adjective barbatus, on the other hand, refers to the presence of silky feathers that surround the eye and grow down to the beak where they form a kind of beard. With a wingspan of almost three metres, and a weight of up to 7kg, the bearded vulture is one of the biggest European birds. Vultures are usually scavengers that mostly feed on the carcasses of dead animals, but this bird follows an even stricter diet that mainly consists of bones. This adaptation presents an obvious advantage to the bird: most other animals cannot digest bones; hence the bearded vulture has few competitors as far as its staple food is concerned. The bearded vulture is able to swallow and digest bones the size of a bullock’s backbone, but it also feeds on even bigger bones. It will carry large bones to a cliff and drop them onto the rocky scree down below, from a height of 50-80m, in order to crack them into smaller pieces that can then be eaten more easily.
One of the most characteristic aspects of the bearded vulture’s plumage are the silky but ruffled feathers hanging down from its beak. The wings and tail are dark, whereas the head and breast are reddish. In contrast to bearded vultures in the wild, birds living in captivity do not have reddish parts. It has been discovered that this characteristic is, in fact, a kind of “make-up”: when vultures find a water-source with a high content of iron oxide, they like to immerse themselves in this water and their feathers are dyed in the reddish mud.
Another interesting characteristic is the area around the eyes that turns gleaming red when the animal is agitated. Unlike other vultures, the bearded vulture does not have a bald head but is covered with dense plumage. The only difference between the sexes is the size: the female is slightly bigger.
The bearded vulture is often found near rocky cliffs, in steep valleys and on plateaus, where it displays its extraordinary ability to make use of upward currents, on which it will glide for many kilometres, patrolling in this way large areas. It is also capable of turning over in flight and carrying out other manoeuvres of incredible agility.
Contact Parco Nazionale Stelvio – Trentino Servizio Sviluppo sostenibile e Aree protette della Provincia autonoma di Trento Via Roma 65 - I-38024 Cogolo di Peio (TN) Phone +39 0463 909770
Fax +39 0461 493664 Email: PEC:
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Eminem, Elton John To Duet At Grammys
Rapper gets big-name support for a performance that has already generated controversy.
archive-David-Basham 02/10/2001
Accused homophobe Eminem will have a special guest for his Grammy performance of "Stan" the openly bisexual Elton John.
John, who has been championed by the same gay activists who have frequently attacked Eminem, will sing the song's chorus, which on record features a sample of pop singer Dido. The song appears on Eminem's 2000 album, The Marshall Mathers LP, whose nomination for the Album of the Year Grammy has generated a continuing controversy.
The Em and El duet, which will easily be the most anticipated event at the February 21 Grammy ceremony, was confirmed late Friday by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (NARAS).
"We view this moment not only as musically significant, but also as an opportunity to help tear down some of the unfortunate walls of division that Eminem's lyrics have built," NARAS president and CEO Michael Greene said in a statement.
In an interview with the Los Angeles Times on Saturday, John said that the idea for the Grammy duet was Eminem's, and that the singer was prepared for the detractors and protestors the joint appearance might cause.
"I'm a big fan of [Eminem's] music," John told the newspaper, "and I said I would be delighted to [do the song]. I know I'm going to get a lot of flak from various people who are going to picket the show. ... I'd rather tear down walls between people than build them up. If I thought for one minute that he was [hateful], I wouldn't do it."
Eminem's four Grammy nominations have drawn the ire of the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, which has called the rapper's lyrics hateful and homophobic (see "Gay Activist Group Plans Pre-Grammy Eminem Protest").
Shortly after the announcement that John would be joining Eminem onstage, GLAAD expressed disappointment that John had consented to the Grammy duet. In April, GLAAD honored John with its Vito Russo Entertainer Award in recognition of the singer having "furthered the visibility and understanding of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community."
"GLAAD is appalled that John would share a stage with Eminem, whose words and actions promote hate and violence against gays and lesbians," Executive Director Joan M. Garry said in a statement issued Saturday.
"Last year GLAAD bestowed upon John one of our most prestigious honors, named in honor of GLAAD founder Vito Russo, for outstanding contributions to combating homophobia. We believe John's actions today violate the spirit of this award."
Prior to the Recording Academy's confirmation of the duet, GLAAD had blasted NARAS for allowing the rapper to perform at all.
"Eminem should not have another platform for his hateful lyrics," Garry noted in a statement released on Friday.
"GLAAD is deeply offended that [NARAS] is yielding its Grammy Awards stage to Eminem," Garry said. "While we recognize that the Academy has restricted Eminem's performance to the song 'Stan,' that song while less homophobic than much of his material still contains misogyny and images of violence and murder."
The song's verses are a series of letters to Eminem from a deranged Eminem fan who eventually kills himself and his pregnant girlfriend portrayed in the video by Dido by driving his car off a bridge. In the final verse, Eminem responds, counseling the fan, "You and your girlfriend need each other/ Or maybe you just need to treat her better."
In a conciliatory move, NARAS and GLAAD will co-host a public forum the day before the Grammy Awards to "discuss the nominations of controversial artists whose lyrics have been called extreme, homophobic and misogynistic."
Greene, Garry, and an as-yet-unnamed musician will carry on a dialogue at "Intolerance in Music: A Town Hall Meeting," slated for the Los Angeles Public Library on February 20.
(This story was updated at 5:27 PM ET on Monday, February 12, 2001.)
For a look back at previous big Grammy winners, red carpet photos and much more, visit our Grammy News Archive.
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Taylor Swift Seeks More Trade Marks
Artistes, merchandising
Taylor Swift has filed trade mark applications for 20 words and phrases in the U.S including “Blank Space” and “1989” (the name of her last album) as well as “Swiftmas”. Whilst some commented that Swift appeared to be trying to gain trade mark protection for large swathes of the English Language (including Republican Congressman Justin Amash from Michigan), the Tantalizing Trademark blog notes that the reason Swift’s lawyers filed for so many applications is that trademarks only protect specific categories of goods and services. A trademark for a category covering handbags won’t apply to cars, for instance. And in some cases, including Taylor’s “1989,” the application isn’t for the word mark itself, but for a stylized writing of it as a logo.
Swift has also been accused of wrongfully using an artist’s work to promote 1989. US artist Ally Burguieres complained on Facebook after Swift used a wrongly-credited drawing of a fox identical to one of her watercolour designs. Swift removed the image but the artist claims she took months to compensate her, that it wasn’t enough and she was told she had to give it charity. Swift’s representatives say Ms Burguieres is just seeking publicity.
http://fox17online.com/2015/12/14/michigan-congressman-troubled-taylor-swifts-attempt-to-copyright-1989/ and http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-35100968
← ‘The Slants’ trade mark CAN be registered – for now Spotify face $150 million lawsuit from songwriter over infringement and non payment issues →
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Manowar and Womanowar are in a trade mark war
Manowar is a heavy metal band from New York, Womanowar are a “feminist tribute band” to…you guessed it: Manowar.
Manowar’s bassist, Joey Demaio, is the proprietor of US trade mark registration numbers: 75645524 and 85065290. The first registration is for a word device (logo) mark and the second is for a word only mark ‘Manowar’. The bassist is also the proprietor of EU registration number: 0011118041 for a word device (logo) mark. The three trade marks, amongst others, are all registered for use in class 41 entertainment services, namely, live performances rendered by a vocal and/or instrumental group.
But it appears that Manowar and not fans of their feminist tribute band ‘Womanowar’, it has been reported that Demaio’s legal representative has sent a cease and desist letter to the tribute band. The letter alleges that Womanowar’s logo is likely to “cause confusion among the consuming public”.
In practice, coincidences at the beginning of marks will increase the similarity as opposed to the middle or the end. If I were, Womanowar’s lawyer, I would certainly be arguing that the fact that one mark starts with ‘Man’ and the other ‘Woman’ means that the marks might not be as similar as it appears. Further, an assessment would need to be made in regards to dominant and distinctive elements of the two marks. This is that an assessment needs to be made on the overall impression created by the two marks, in particular the distinctive and dominant components, which I would suggest as being ‘Man’ and ‘Woman’. It is hard to see how the two words on their own may “cause confusion among the consuming public” because I am unsure as to how one can confuse genders.
However, I suspect, the legal representatives for Demaio know this: it is reported that the letter stated “demand is hereby made that you immediately change your logo so as not to be confusingly similar to our client’s logo”. Whilst trade mark similarity and confusion may not be an exact science, Womanowar are not fussed, they have been encouraging fans to come up with new logos.
But this isn’t the first time Demaio has threatened action with Womanowar. Back in September, Demaio attempted to have a Womanowar video from YouTube. However, things did not quite go to plan, Demaio does not own the publishing rights to the track in question so his efforts were unsuccessful.
By Samuel O’Toole www.lawditmusic.co.uk
http://www.completemusicupdate.com/article/manowar-force-tribute-band-to-redesign-logo/
http://www.metalsucks.net/2017/10/24/manowars-joey-demaio-sends-tribute-band-manowar-a-cease-and-desist-over-logo/
http://www.metalsucks.net/2017/09/06/manowar-are-apparently-not-fans-of-the-feminist-tribute-band-womanowar/
Tags: EU, USA
← National Party’s use of ‘sound alike’ song DID infringe on Eminen’s ‘Lose Yourself’ Goldenvoice wins another ‘Chella’ battle →
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Broadcast – TV Critics: Things We Won’t Say About Race That Are True
“Things We Won’t Say about Race That Are True may be among the most important documentaries of the decade. It is a pity the programme has generated headlines mostly for what Nigel Farage told Phillips. It is not hard to get Farage to say things even he probably does not mean.”
Andrew Billen, The Times
“Densely and rather beautifully written, it had all of Phillips’ patented mix of charm, warmth and reassuring, unthreatening gravitas, and demanded more of the viewer than average. Whether you agreed with what was being said or not, there was the odd and welcome sense of being talked to as an adult by an adult.”
Lucy Mangan, The Guardian
“Chummy interviews with his old boss, Tony Blair, and his potential new boss, Nigel Farage, secured him lots of lovely column inches, but ultimately they showed this to be a much more personal film than was advertised. Not only are Phillips’ unsubstantiated generalisations not revelatory, but they tell us far more about the specific failure of the CRE’s approach than they do about the current state of British race relations.”
Ellen E Jones, The Independent
“What made this assault on our national self-censorship so liberating was that it was presented by the very man who had made many of these topics verboten in the first place. At times, though, Phillips seemed keener to examine his own time in charge of race relations than to probe the nation’s attitudes.”
Tow Rowley, The Telegraph
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Inside Lincolnshire’s “Most Haunted” Bar & Restaurant
May 2, 2019 Mandy Kaur News
Located in Boston, Lincolnshire, Church Keys Wine Bar & Restaurant is said to be fuelled by a long history of supernatural occurrences.
Church Keys Sign outside of the building.
Only a walk away from the tragic but ever so beautiful St Botolph’s Church, Church keys shares a compelling past with the monument ageing back to the infamous Boston plague.
Church Keys was estimated to be constructed in 1520 and since then, the building has had an incredible array of uses, ranging from an antiquity shop to a Thai restaurant.
The question of why Chuch Keys has earned itself a supernatural identity is because of a woman named Sarah Preston, a former resident. In 1585, Preston jumped from the church tower, after an adulterous affair with a sailor caused her to contact an illness. The illness was believed to be the “Black Death”, a plague which claimed the lives of hundreds of people in Boston.
Owner of Church Keys, Jason Brackenbury said:
“In the beginning when I first came here, I would bring my dogs. I had a Doberman and Cavalier Collie. I would let them loose in every room, and on their first encounter here, they went upstairs into the washroom, they both stood there barking vigorously at the wall. I don’t know why to this day they were doing that.”
The Church Keys’ dining room is the part of the building customers have said to experienced the most paranormal activity.
After the renovations were complete, Brackenbury explained a situation in which large pictures were thrown to the floor.
“We walked around the inside of the building, and when we returned the pictures had moved position. They were off the wall and on the floor in another position.”
Church Keys is rumoured to be a playground of unexplainable voices and physical encounters.
“We’ve had many experiences where we have heard things said in the still of the night. We’ve had people’s names called out. We’ve had experiences of staff being touched on their shoulder.”
It had reached a point to where “Ghost Hunters” had to be called in for an investigation.
“When you’re experiencing it, it’s quite eye-opening to sense there is something in the room with you or to sense things moving in front of you. At the time it was quite serious, and they had to make multiple visits.”
After three years of trade, Brackenbury and his team have become accustomed to the abnormal. They are invested in customer satisfaction, whether it be through food and drinks or a friendly chat about the paranormal.
BostonChurch KeysghostsinvestigationspookySupernaturalWine bar & Restaurant
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Home > Politics > Councils and How They Work
Councils and How They Work
People go about their everyday lives, they pay their council tax and moan about the council but they rarely notice the councils and how they work. This is because much of the work that councils do is behind the scenes and makes lives run smoothly. It is not usually until something goes wrong that people start to question what the council is and how it works.
Council tax is one of the two main ways in which councils raise money. The other is from Government grants, which impacts on ordinary people in a far less direct way. But council tax is a very visible way for people which hits them hard, directly in their pockets. This leads many people to think that they are spending money on nothing, but of course, this is not the case. Council tax is used to pay for many services which local councils offer, from bin collections and street cleaning to parks and leisure centres.
It is easier to list exactly what services councils do not provide. When it comes to day-to-day life, councils work in virtually every single area. They organise and help with so many aspects of life; it would be difficult to envisage a day when council operations did not impact on a person’s life.
Councils are responsible for state schools – the local education authority is run by the council. They are also responsible for keeping roads, pavements and our town and city centres free of litter and grime. They collect our refuse and sort our recycling. They deal with issues which people may feel are mundane, such as dog fouling, to issues which can change people’s lives, including planning issues and licensing laws. Many people do not realise how politics affects them but it clearly does, in all of these ways and many more.
Councillors and Officers
Councillors are the elected representatives on the council who make final decisions in their meetings on things which will affect the public. Effectively, the buck stops with them. However, officers are the people who work in the council and advise councillors. Whenever councillors have to make a decision on something, an officer will have prepared a report advising them what to do. The councillors do not have to abide by this but they will certainly take it on board.
Officers’ reports should be impartial and will not usually take account of things such as public responses, which will impact on councillors’ decisions. Officers in very senior posts will hold what are called politically restricted posts – this means they cannot be a member of a political party because this may sway what they put in their reports, which should be politically neutral.
There is no real excuse for not knowing what a council does. The reason that it does not affect a person is completely redundant. It would be impossible for anyone not to be affected at all by their local councils and for the majority of people; councils impinge on virtually every aspect of life.
Local Decision Making
Fascism Explained
Communism Explained
Left-Wing, Right-Wing and the Centre
Voting and the UK Voting System
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Iran nuclear chief hopes deal will survive
By JON GAMBRELL and NASSER KARIMIEmail
Iran's nuclear chief Ali Akbar Salehi speaks in an interview with The Associated Press on Tuesday at the headquarters of Iran's atomic energy agency in Tehran, Iran.
TEHRAN, Iran – Iran’s nuclear chief said Tuesday that he hopes Tehran’s landmark atomic deal with world powers will survive President Donald Trump withdrawing the U.S. from it, warning the Islamic Republic’s program stands ready to build advanced centrifuges and further enrich uranium.
In an exclusive interview with The Associated Press, Ali Akbar Salehi stressed Iran would be guided by “prudence and wisdom” when weighing whether to abandon the deal if European nations fail to protect it from Trump.
The U.S. withdrawal from the deal already has badly shaken Iran’s anemic economy, crashing its currency, the rial. That likely will be compounded by U.S. sanctions coming in November that threaten Iran’s oil exports, a major source of government funding.
All this puts further pressure on the administration of Iran’s relatively moderate President Hassan Rouhani, to whom Salehi reports as one of his vice presidents. But Salehi dismissed out of hand the idea of caving to American demands to renegotiate the accord.
“Yes, we have our problems. Yes, the sanctions have caused some problems for us. But if a nation decides to enjoy political independence, it will have to pay the price,” Salehi said. “If Iran decides today to go back to what it was before, the lackey of the United States, the situation would” be different.
Salehi heads the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, whose Tehran campus encompasses a nuclear research reactor given to the country by the U.S. in 1967 under the rule of the shah. But in the time since that American “Atoms for Peace” donation, Iran was convulsed by its 1979 Islamic Revolution and the subsequent takeover and hostage crisis at the U.S. Embassy in Tehran.
For decades since, Western nations have been concerned about Iran’s nuclear program, accusing Tehran of seeking atomic weapons. Iran long has said its program is for peaceful purposes, but it faced years of crippling sanctions.
The 2015 nuclear deal Iran struck with world powers, including the U.S. under President Barack Obama, was aimed at relieving those fears. Under it, Iran agreed to store its excess centrifuges at its underground Natanz enrichment facility under constant surveillance by the U.N. nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency. Iran can use 5,060 older-model IR-1 centrifuges at Natanz, but only to enrich uranium up to 3.67 percent.
That low-level enrichment means the uranium can be used to fuel a civilian reactor but is far below the 90 percent needed to produce a weapon. Iran also can possess no more than 660 pounds of that uranium. That’s compared with the 22,046 pounds of higher-enriched uranium it once had.
Salehi spoke to the AP on Tuesday about Iran’s efforts to build a new facility at Natanz that will produce more-advanced centrifuges, which enrich uranium by rapidly spinning uranium hexafluoride gas. The new facility will allow Iran to build versions called the IR-2M, IR-4 and IR-6. The IR-2M and the IR-4 can enrich uranium five times faster than an IR-1, while the IR-6 can do it 10 times faster, Salehi said.
Western experts have suggested these centrifuges produce three to five times more enriched uranium in a year than the IR-1s.
While building the facility doesn’t violate the nuclear deal, mass production of advanced centrifuges would. Salehi, however, said that wasn’t immediately a plan.
“This does not mean that we are going to produce these centrifuges now. This is just a preparation,” he said. “In case Iran decides to start producing in mass production such centrifuges, [we] would be ready for that.”
Salehi suggested that if the nuclear deal fell apart, Iran would react in stages. He suggested one step may be uranium enrichment going to “20 percent because this is our need.” He also suggested Iran could increase its stockpile of enriched uranium. Any withdrawal ultimately would be approved by Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
While the U.N. repeatedly has verified Iran’s compliance with the deal, Trump campaigned on a promise to tear it up. In May, he withdrew the U.S. in part because he said the deal wasn’t permanent and didn’t address Iran’s ballistic missile program and its influence across the wider Middle East. But Trump meanwhile has tweeted he’d accept talks without preconditions with Tehran.
Asked what he personally would tell Trump if he had the chance, Salehi chuckled and said: “I certainly would tell him he has made the wrong move on Iran.”
“I think [Trump] is on the loser’s side because he is pursuing the logic of power,” Salehi added. “He thinks that he can, you know, continue for some time but certainly I do not think he will benefit from this withdrawal, certainly not.”
In the wake of Trump’s decision, however, Western companies from airplane manufacturers to oil firms have pulled out of Iran. The rial, which traded before the decision at 62,000 to $1, now stands at 142,000 to $1.
Despite that, Salehi said Iran could withstand that economic pressure, as well as restart uranium enrichment with far more sophisticated equipment.
“If we have to go back and withdraw from the nuclear deal, we certainly do not go back to where we were before,” Salehi said. “We will be standing on a much, much higher position.”
Still, danger could loom for the program. The Stuxnet computer virus, widely believed to be a joint U.S.-Israeli creation, once disrupted thousands of Iranian centrifuges.
A string of bombings, blamed on Israel, targeted a number of scientists beginning in 2010 at the height of Western concerns over Iran’s program. Israel never claimed responsibility for the attacks, though Israeli officials have boasted in the past about the reach of the country’s intelligence services.
“I hope that they will not commit a similar mistake again because the consequences would be, I think, harsh,” Salehi warned.
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Another arrest in homicide case
A photo of Justin McFarlane, supplied by his family. PHOTO: SUPPLIED
Police working on Oamaru homicide case Operation Steelers have made a further arrest.
A 22-year-old Oamaru man was arrested late on Saturday afternoon a murder charge.
He will appear in the Dunedin District Court today.
As part of Operation Steelers, the investigation into the death of Justin McFarlane, police executed two search warrants in Oamaru and environs on Saturday afternoon with the AOS deployed as a precaution.
During the search warrants, police uncovered a number of items of interest to the investigation.
These are being forensically examined.
Police say they are still seeking to talk with a number of people who either know about the circumstances surrounding Justin McFarlane’s death or who appear to have been involved in some way.
A forensic examination of the silver Nissan Skyline car thought to be linked to Mr McFarlane’s death, is continuing.
The scene examination at Mr McFarlen’s address in Pine Hill Rd in the rural community of Elderslie, is also continuing.
Police launched a homicide inquiry after Mr McFarlane was found dead at his home in the early hours of Wednesday morning.
At midnight on Thursday, police also arrested an 18-year-old North Otago man in relation to the alleged murder of dairy farm worker Justin McFarlane.
Steven Kenneth Boskell appeared before Judge Stephen Coyle in the Dunedin District Court on Friday charged with murder with a person or persons unknown, on or about September 11.
He was remanded in custody and is due to appear in the Timaru High Court on October 1.
Mr McFarlane was found dead in his home in Elderslie in the early hours of Wednesday last week.
Police believe more than one person is involved in the incident that resulted in the death of Mr McFarlane and inquiries are continuing.
The homicide investigation continues to focus on establishing the recent movements of Mr McFarlane and the events leading up to his death as well as interviewing a number of people who had connections with him.
Police inquiries have included speaking with a 26-year-old Oamaru woman in relation to Mr McFarlane’s death. She has been arrested on an unrelated assault matter and released on bail to appear in the Oamaru District Court in early October.
A post-mortem was completed on Mr McFarlane’s body on Friday. Preliminary findings from the post-mortem are yet to be confirmed by the pathologist.
The scene examination continued at the address in Pine Hill Road on Saturday. A number of items of interest were located that will assist the investigation team with their inquiries.
Police are also calling for sightings of a grey Nissan Skyline car involved in a short police pursuit in the early hours of Wednesday morning on SH1 south of Oamaru.
“It was very short before it was called off. Police patrol were doing that job and identifies that as a vehicle they wanted to stop,” Acting Detective Inspector Colin Blackie said.
Before joining State Highway One, the vehicle was travelling on roads in the general area of Elderslie and Maheno inland from Oamaru. Police have since impounded this vehicle.
Police believe the vehicle may be linked to the circumstances surrounding Mr McFarlane’s death.
Police believe the people who were involved in Mr McFarlane’s death were known to him and that the incident was not a random act.
Police are in the process of speaking to “multiple” other people, Mr Blackie said.
Anyone with information about Mr McFarlane’s activities over recent days can contact the Operation Steelers inquiry team directly on the Oamaru Police station number 03 433 1400 or provide information anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
By Rebecca Ryan and Jacquie Webby
Tasers are ‘a plus’, local police say
Farmers fear rise in poaching
Death still unexplained
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Home > Personalities, Cabaret, Broadway, Jazz, Dance, etc. . . > Yvonne Printemps - C'est la Saison d'Amour (2-EMI 65494)
Item# V0121
V0121. YVONNE PRINTEMPS: C'est la Saison d'Amour, incl. Martini, Lully, Handel, Flies, Durand, Bourtayre, Louiguy, Offenbach, Messager, Sylvano, Willemetz, Beydts, Poulenc, Auric, Poulenc, Oscar Strauss, Hahn, Yvain, Noël Coward, etc. (Holland) 2-EMI 65494, recorded 1929-41. Very long out-of-print, Final Copy! - 724356549425
CRITIC REVIEWS:
“While still in her teens, Printemps began singing in operettas in her homeland, appearing in shows such as LES CONTES DE PERRAULT (1913) and LE POILU (1916). Although she had an excellent soprano singing voice, following her marriage to the distinguished French actor Sacha Guitry, she turned to dramatic roles and became highly successful and very famous. This fame spread outside France, owing to performances in London and New York of MOZART, in which she had first starred in Paris in 1925. Following her divorce from Guitry, Printemps was offered the leading role in Noël Coward’s CONVERSATION PIECE (1934), written for her and allowing her to use her attractive voice on several songs, most notably ‘I’ll Follow My Secret Heart’. The show was a hit in London’s West End and on Broadway in New York. In 1935 she returned to Paris to play in LES TROIS VALSES, also appearing in the film version. Despite her success in the musical theatre, Printemps’ heart lay in drama to which she returned for the rest of her career. So intent was she on this aspect of her talent, that she is reported to have refused the role of Aunt Alicia in Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe’s 1957 film musical GIGI.”
- Ned Ludd
"It was impossible for me to write...a critical analysis for the simple reason that, as soon as [Printemps] appeared, in the first act of L'AMOUR MASQUÉ, singing seated on her bed 'J'ai deux amants', she annihilated all my critical faculties. During the years which followed, I heard her sing MOZART, MARIETTE, LES TROIS VALSES and the operetta which I wrote and composed for her - CONVERSATION PIECE."
- Noël Coward
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Building a brighter future for Bolton
01Cover
02In this edition
03Building a brighter future for Bolton
04A new way to buy a home
05Meeting housing need through new build
06Home is where the heart is
07Repairs policy update
08Get ready for work...and go for it
09Support into employment
10Cook up some cash
11How to save on your energy bills
12Backup schemes
Our ambitious five-year plan to build 1,400-homes across Bolton and beyond is gathering pace. Our Director of Development, Dominic Conway, talks us through the programme and explains how local people will benefit.
“Just like other towns across the country, Bolton is experiencing a severe shortage of housing to rent and buy,” says Dominic. “But changes to Government funding means we can now do more to help tackle the local housing crisis. Our focus will be on providing a wide choice of good-quality, affordable homes in areas where people need them most.
“Our plans will also see us working with private developers, where planning agreements require homes for affordable rent to be built as part of a larger housing scheme. For example, at The Vistas development in Westhoughton, private developer Bellway is building homes for sale, and we’re providing 34 homes for affordable rent and 11 homes for shared ownership.”
There are some standalone projects underway too such as the 13 homes being built at Deane Close, Harper Green. Ten of these are bungalows and two will be specially adapted for people with disabilities.
Larger projects include Bolton Council’s £1 billion plan to remodel parts of the town centre. It involves building around 2,500 new homes over the next 10 years. “We have a 66-home development going into planning at Chorley Street with more to come,” says Dominic. “We’re also involved in a partnership project to regenerate Farnworth town centre. And we’re working with other local authorities and private developers to build homes in Wigan and across West Lancashire.”
Homes to buy
With more Government funding available for shared ownership development, we now have the opportunity to build homes for sale. Shared ownership offers a more affordable way to buy a home, and we know there’s a demand for it in the town.
Last year, the National Housing Federation said the average working person in Bolton would need a 38 per cent pay rise in order to afford a mortgage. But with shared ownership, buyers can secure a home with a much smaller deposit and mortgage.
“Our first shared ownership development, Park Grove, is underway in Westhoughton,” says Dominic. “We’re building 21 two and three bedroom homes which can each be bought for a minimum 30% share. Buyers then pay rent on the remaining share. These homes are proving to be popular with many sold already, including one to an existing Bolton at Home tenant.”
“Another similar 14-home development is due to start on site at Bromley Cross. This is an area where property prices are high so this scheme will give local people a viable route into home ownership.”
Dominic is quick to point out that, while more shared ownership development is on the way, the focus will be on building homes for affordable rent. “The money we get from the sale of homes will be used to build more affordable rented homes and regenerate communities, and that’s what we’ll be concentrating on,” he added.
“The money we get from the sale of homes will be used to build more affordable rented homes and regenerate communities.”
Meeting a 1,400-home target in a climate when construction costs are high and there’s a lack of skilled workers will be a challenge. But Dominic says the business is using innovation to overcome any obstacles: “We’ve been looking at options for off-site construction. We have approval for a scheme of 22 energy efficient homes for affordable rent, using a pre-manufacturer through ilke Homes. And we’re also looking at other suppliers of factory-built homes.
“This approach helps us to plug the skills shortage while providing good quality homes that, in the long run, will be cheaper to build. We’re also exploring ways to bring more skilled jobs into the local labour market. This includes offering training opportunities for our customers. We already have agreements with our contractors which require them to take on local apprentices in a range of trades.
“It’s an exciting time for us and our residents. Ultimately, we’re keen to secure development opportunities that give value for money while allowing us to generate more income, grow our housing stock and be able to offer a range of solutions for people with different needs. It’s about doing our best for the communities where we work, and providing urgently needed homes for local people,” he concludes.
If you have a story to share, please email news@boltonathome.org.uk
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Navigation Home Intro Video Collaborators Contact Us
Beverly Biderman
Author, arts educator, and disabilities activist.
Beverly Biderman’s first career was in Information Technology where she worked at everything from coding to campus-wide IT planning at the University of Toronto. Her next (and current) career is as a writer. She is the author of a memoir of growing up deaf and learning to hear with a cochlear implant, Wired for Sound: A Journey into Hearing. In 2016, this memoir became the basis of a modern opera by Carlos Alberto Augusto.
Bev also gives art tours at the Art Gallery of Ontario in Toronto, with a special focus on the art and influences of Canadian Indigenous peoples. She has published many articles and essays on the subject of disabilities, and is a former Chair of the Board of the Canadian Hearing Society. She believes that her deafness has been an important factor in who she is, her perspectives, her personality, and her values.
HOME INTRO VIDEO COLLABORATORS CONTACT US
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Glass Hammer
Symphonic Prog
FragileKings
Prog Reviewer
Glass Hammer is a band that I have always liked since I first bought "If" a few years ago and I felt they had great ability to produce some fantastic symphonic prog. The thing was that the albums I bought after "If" (older albums) were not as impressive to me and I finally decided to leave off buying any more albums until some future date. Last year I was ready to give the band another chance to impress me as they had already released a few albums after "If". Since "Valkyrie" was the freshest delivery, I decided to go for that one. One review I read praised it while another review warned that it was not as good as previously released albums. What would my impression be?
Well, first of all, I had the impression that Glass Hammer were slowly trying to become a modern day Yes. It was as if they were saying, "If Yes won't do it this way then we will!" One can't help but feel that way when "The Culture of Ascent" covers "South Side of the Sky" and features a guest appearance by Jon Anderson or when "If" and "Cor Cordium" vocalist Jon Davison goes on to become the lead vocalist for Yes, or when they have this wonderful bass guitar sound that resembles Chris Squire's so much. But to be fair, Glass Hammer are not exactly like Yes, and on "Valkyrie" I think they have moved along, taking much of the Yes decor out of their music and adding in other influences and ideas.
Though the music intrigued me from the start, I was on the cusp of moving on from contemporary prog and into other styles of music, so I left this one for nearly a year before coming back to it recently. The album surprised me because as I walked home with my phone in my pocket and the ear buds pumping the music into the space between my ears, I kept taking the phone out of my pocket to check the song titles. That's because it was like, "Wow, that sounds really cool. What song is that?" And this process continued from the second track throughout nearly the whole album.
This is a story of a soldier returning home from the horrors of war to the girl who loves him, and to bring the story to life we have founding member Steve Babb (who also gives us that awesome bass) on lead vocals for the male lines and Susie Bogdanowicz on lead vocals for the female parts. My honest opinion is that while Steve Babb can lay down some fabulous bass work, his lead vocals are a notch behind what I'd like to hear from a lead vocalist for this kind of music. The good point is that he doesn't sing too often and Susie gets more lead vocal work (so I felt anyway). But how strong Steve is as a vocalist becomes a negligible concern as the album rolls on. As is usual for Glass Hammer, they very naturally write and produce some far out classic-prog-inspired symphonic prog. Aside from the rumbling and outstanding bass playing, you'll get a great blend of organ and guitar solos, and lengthy songs that cover different changes in music. There's pretty; there's almost a light Beatle-esque pop approach; there are ELP moments, hints of Pink Floyd keyboards in a place or two, and some music that goes a little darker and harder or heavier than what I've heard in the past.
I made some notes as I listened to this album for the second time recently (not counting the times I heard it last year) and it seems I have noted that "Golden Days" could be my favourite track, or maybe it's the 14-minute "No Man's Land" which is a true epic with some many changing parts, or it's "Fog of War" for its darker parts, or maybe it's the surprising change toward more dramatic music from lighter in "Dead and Gone". But then "Eucastrophe" features a beautiful acoustic intro with a dynamic organ/bass/drum passage coming in. "Nexus Girl" is a unique piece on this album and reminds me a bit of Nine Inch Nails in their softer, quieter moments.
So, this is the album that has reawakened my interest in Glass Hammer. It is not something grand and new and mind-blowing but "Valkyrie" has proved to me that Glass Hammer are capable of surprising me in a very positive way.
FragileKings | 4/5 | 2017-8-25
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PJ Harvey Has a Song for Everything
by Sasha Stone | Mar 3, 2019 | MEN, Obsessions, PJ Harvey
For my money, PJ Harvey’s To Bring You My Love is the album featuring a series of songs that expresses how I feel when I have fallen hard in my life for various people. No one else gets quite to it like she does. Full of passion, desire, occasional anger and pain. She gets the WANT better than anyone. Take, for instance, Long Snake Moan.
Part of it is that PJ looks so tortured, too. This is a woman who KNOWS. Long Snake Moan is so great, so overt, not even half-way suggestive:
Dunk you under deep salt water
Bring me lover
All your power
I’ll be no hell
Out of your spell
Over under die of pleasureHear my dreaming
You’ll be drowning
Hell’s no God above
All drunk on my love
You ought to hear my long snake moan
You ought to see me from my throne Dunk you under deep salt water
In my dreaming
Raise me up Lord
Call me Lazarus
Hey lord help me
Make me my fail
I don’t think Peej has ever matched the studio version of Long Snake Moan – the live versions are great but you have to listen to the studio version to really feel what it is.
She has so many great love songs on To Bring You My Love, including the title track. But this one is the one that really gets me every time. The Dancer.
There is no better breakup song that I’ve ever heard. Sure, there are songs filled with anger and rage and bitterness. But THIS is about lost love, agonizing loss of a kind you can’t get back. The kind that keeps you up at night. The Dancer is the one that makes me certain PJ knows. She knows what it feels like to experience that kind of heartbreak. Here are the lyrics:
He came riding fast, like a phoenix out of fire-flames.
He came dressed in black, with a cross bearing my name.
He came bathed in light and splendour and glory.
I can’t believe what the Lord has finally sent me.
He said, Dance for me, fanciulla gentile.
He said, Laugh a-while, I can make your heart feel.
He said, Fly with me, touch the face of the true god,
and made me cry with joy at the depth of my love,
because I’ve prayed days, I’ve prayed nights
for the lord just to send me home some sign –
I’ve looked long, I’ve looked far,
to bring peace to my black and empty heart.
And my love will stay until the river bed runs dry,
and my love lasts as long as the sun shines in blue sky,
and I love him longer as each damn day goes,
but the man is gone, and heaven only knows,
I’ve cried days, I’ve cried nights
for the lord just to send me home some sign.
Is he near? Is he far? –
bring peace to my black and empty heart.
So long day, so long night,
oh lord, be near me tonight.
Finally, PJ gets it so right with Dress – if you don’t know how awesome she is you just have to watch this video. The song is about wearing a dress that will get the necessary attention. It’s just so utterly brilliant.
“Must be a way I can dress to please him. Swing and sway and everything will be all right.” I know, Peeje. I KNOW.
I’ll Keep it With Mine
by Sasha Stone | Feb 3, 2019 | Bob Dylan, In Dreams, Obsessions, POETS, ROCKGODS, THE WEIRDNESS OF LIFE, TO MUSE
One of the best Bob Dylan songs without a doubt is I’ll Keep it With Mine. It’s so good, of course, that PJ Harvey quotes it in her song Oh My Lover. “Give me your troubles, I’ll keep them with mine.”
There is, of course, the famous Nico version:
You will search, babe, at any cost.
But how long can you search for what is not lost?
Everybody will help you.
Some people are very kind.
But if I can save you any time…
Come on, give it to me, I’ll keep it with mine.
Bob Dylan, of course, sings it best. If you’re one of those people who “doesn’t like” his voice then of course, you’d not want to listen to him singing it but you have to go to the source on stuff like this. The source is that voice. The way he plays piano on this.
Turns out Marianne Faithful covered it too:
And here is Richard and Linda Thompson’s version:
I don’t know why the photo they chose for this is from the Manchurian Candidate but that’s how YouTube rolls, I guess.
Sometimes it feels like we’re living through a time where nothing new can be invented. No new films, no new music. Maybe that’s true but music and songwriting has been around for hundreds of years at least, maybe even thousands of years. It’s not going anywhere any time soon. Bob Dylans come around once in a while but they appear to be more rare than anyone could have ever figured. Probably that’s because Dylan’s brain is wired for this and he happened to get lucky that he found the exact right thing to do with it.
We all find ourselves on paths when we start out in life. We are met with people who will help us and people who will hurt us. If you’re lucky, you don’t get stuck with the latter. For Dylan, he found his gift way before anything else could destroy him. It’s not the same for everyone. You will find this is true if you live long enough to look back on your life and assess where you were going and where you ended up. Most of us don’t end up in the place we wanted to be, not even close, and we’re baffled by why we couldn’t get there. What got in the way? What didn’t we do right? What was done to us?
Some people believe we have choices in how we end up, that we can game the system – we can have self-esteem and confidence. We can get really lucky and chase after our dreams and catch a few of them. Women are raised to believe that dream is a mate. Men are raised to believe that they will rise to the occasion of their births and make something of themselves. Most people fall somewhere in between.
Some people also believe there is no “right” or “wrong” there is just how we live out our lives, with or without success. A friend of mine once tried to nurture a baby bird that had fallen out of its nest. They could not keep the bird as a pet and so when it grew to adult size they decided it was time to set it free. They had their video cameras ready to film the bird’s ascent into the wild. Th moment the bird was let out, a hawk swooped down and ate the poor defenseless bird. That is what life is. It’s meant for those who have a plan.
Bruce Springsteen’s Noisy Prayer, his Magic Trick
by Sasha Stone | Dec 24, 2018 | Springsteen, THINGS LEARNED
I have never been the kind of Bruce fan who has seen every concert. I haven’t played every one of his albums non-stop, nor do I know every small detail about his life and work. There are those kinds of fans. I know those kinds of fans. The truth is, I was just never on the ball enough to get that kind of shit together. Obsessive details are not my strong suit. I did grow up listening to Bruce, as I grew up listening to Bob Dylan – almost to the exclusion of everyone and anything else. I’d be lucky if some great guy would deposit a mixed tape in my life and open up a world of music to me. That happened a lot. It wasn’t that I was always the girl who loved the music the guy loved. It was that the men I loved or even liked a lot usually had better taste in music than I did and so they would introduce it to me. Listening to it through them, as though I WAS them, was how they entered me so profoundly, for many years. As such, music is often tied to a relationship, for better or worse.
But Bruce was a standalone love, not tied to anyone in particular. He is so universal that if he touches you deeply he becomes a part of you and a part of your life forever.
His Broadway show, which I should have moved mountains to pay thousands to see but didn’t, is one of the best things I’ve ever seen him do. He tells stories – Bruce stories in the way he tells them, just not the way we expect to hear them. He doesn’t want to bring us to heightened excitement so much as sit around the fire and tell us a few tales. It turns out they are all quite moving. His story about his mother, Clarence, his father, his hometown.
We know these characters because they thread throughout his songwriting, inspire so many of the lyrics – the universe of Bruce and New Jersey and working class men and women trying to find a reason to believe. Bruce has taken us all the way there, like his own private Idaho, or his Castle Rock. I know Faulkner has one too but I can’t remember what it’s called.
The way I listen to Bruce now is only through his live recordings. I can’t listen to the original records because I’ve heard them too many times. On the Netflix show, as many times as I’ve heard Born to Run, it sounds different when sang as part of a storytelling ceremony, though the eternal power of that song is unbreakable.
I was a teenager when I first was deeply touched by Bruce. Darkness on the Edge of Town was my favorite – a record full of longing, full of desire for something you don’t have yet – which is, a life somewhere else. I remember listening to it in my bedroom over and over, Something in the Night, Prove it All Night, The Promised Land, Candy’s Room, Racing in the Street. The whole thing, like so many of his albums, has a distinct beginning, middle and end – it’s designed with its own dramatic arc, with conflict, and Bruce always feels the impulse to right things in the end. He doesn’t want to send you away sad.
The best lifelong songwriters do compile their albums to be long stories that take you from one place to another. Springsteen is particularly good at the highs (no one does the highs better, no one) and the lows. In his show on Netflix he talks about going on a journey with his fans, and how performing for us gave him a profound sense of purpose. He thanks all of us for going on that journey with him. Oh, how many of us want to thank him for filling the empty spaces, for reviving dead things, for taking us into worlds of used cars, wet skin by rivers, Jersey girls, velvet rims, state troopers, forgotten wives, redheaded women, the badlands, ghosts of Tom Joads, brilliant disguises, men who wrestle with demons, women who try to stand by them and love them. How do we thank someone who has given us all so much?
Maybe we can thank him by remembering what the real stuff is, by staying connected to people creating music and worlds still, in this blacked out, empty, dark and lonely world. We can keep what Bruce helped invent alive. Maybe that will matter. Maybe.
Photos and Time
by Sasha Stone | Dec 5, 2018 | WOMEN
Over the years, captured on camera.
Here’s Hoping the Noises Stop, Pops
by Sasha Stone | May 15, 2018 | FAMILY
My dad is dying. He’s really finally going. He’s been going for a year now about. I watched the slow decline of someone who did not think anything was wrong with him, refused any sort of treatment for what ailed him, and then his body just decided it was time to let go. It’s been a long road, his death. And he isn’t quite ready yet. Somehow his strong heart keeps beating. I am realizing that death brings us to a point of celebration and love we couldn’t really get to before they pass. I am watching his friends and family come together to show him their love which is kind of amazing.
I don’t really write much here. No one really blogs as such anymore. They use Facebook or Twitter because the response is immediate – you can reach a much larger audience that way. No one reads this anymore – or ever – so it’s a “safe space” for me now to write if I feel like it. Tonight I feel like it because I want to record the time my daughter Emma and I went to his hospital room and watched Black Panther as he lay dying. He was in the VA in Westwood before moving to the hospice, where he is now. He was obsessed with watching the movie Dark Tower, starring Idris Elba and Matthew McConaughey. It’s not very good to me but to him it’s the greatest film ever made. It revolves around – at least as far as I can tell – a boy with special powers who has to be sent off to a school where they “understand” him better. My dad was sent off to school by grandmother because she – a single working mom in the 1930s and 1940s – could not care for him. He was a troubled kid – theft, drugs, eventually gangs before he found Jazz drumming as an outlet. He’s known in jazz circles of LA as a bit of a legend when it comes to drumming. One time his jazz friends came to his hospital room and jammed with him. He picked up his drums and played on a practice pad with them.
When people we love die we do have to come to some sort of conclusion about them. Were they good to us? Good to the world? Were they bad? We’re all a mixture of both, I would imagine, despite the internet’s mass hysteria daily that seeks to roust out anyone not “pure” and “good.” We all do make mistakes. Someday I’ll tell the whole story of my dad but for now I want to just leave it at: to most people he was never “enough.” Not enough of a son. Not enough of a man, not enough of a father or a husband. But to me he really was. As hard as it was to communicate with him at times he was a man of great kindness and compassion. THAT is something I will dearly miss.
So here’s to you, pops. Please do go gently into that great night. You have earned a little peace.
The Year of Living Dangerously is Still a Great Movie
by Sasha Stone | Jan 1, 2017 | FILM
Sometimes when I watch movies now I think that film criticism is a waste of time, a waste of art, and a waste of human emotions. You can pick apart any movie but where does that get you? What road does it take you down? To have standards? To express your opinion? I’m not sure. I’ve seen this Peter Weir movie dozens of times, back when I had no clue what it was about and now, when I know what it’s about.
Mel Gibson has to be the gold standard of handsome in this. And sure, that’s probably a lot of the reason why I still watch it. But I also think it’s a nice blend of politics and love. It’s strange and beautiful but overall the message is about journalism. When a story is more important than loyalties. I think the film sides against the journalist but it’s a tough call when something is that important, civil war and all.
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The Cloverfield Paradox (2018): Review
Before the Movie
I've decided since I'm not much of a football guy I figured I'd take a second to mark my thoughts on the surprise release of The Cloverfield Paradox that was announced suddenly during the Super Bowl today. The third movie in the Cloverfield universe has been heavily hinted at for about a year and its gone under several names. Still it made it quite high on my most anticipated list for 2018. Last year there was a movie involving JJ Abrams named God Particle that was believed to be a Cloverfield sequel and lately we've heard rumors of a new title called Cloverfied Station. Now it appears to have been confirmed.
I (and the rest of the world) got out bell rung when a teaser trailer announced that not only will a new Cloverfield movie debut on Netflix (which had been rumored) but it would debut tonight. Right after the conclusion of the Super Bowl. JJ Abrams has thrown us for a loop once again with his marketing campaign and its suddenly turned my night into a very busy one. This is Us fans like myself must get through the really tough episode that we have coming after the Super Bowl and then I've got to watch the newly titled The Cloverfield Paradox as well. It'll be a 3 am night for me pretty easy.
I just needed a second to express my shock with this release. My thoughts on the movie probably won't come until tomorrow because its going to be pretty late by the time I finish the movie. Still I needed to talk about how cool this franchise is. Even if I don't end up liking the film I'll still be really excited about what may come next in this franchise. We don't even have time to speculate about how well the movie will tie in to the other movies. We know that there was little connection between the first two movies but the teaser did make a bit of an effort to tease an connection to the first film. Plus we've got a good cast composed of Daniel Bruhl, Chris O'Dowd, Gugu Mbatha-Raw and David Oyelowo gets me even more excited. I'll be back after I see the movie.
After the Movie
I woke up this morning after enjoying The Cloverfield Paradox quite a bit and I was shocked to find that a lot of trusted critics and sites weren't exactly fond of the movie. In some ways the rough reviews make these release even more genius because so many people went and viewed the film without any shortfalls of the film previously mentioned by critics in early reviews. There are still lots of people that came to that conclusion on their own after I checked Letterboxd, but to me this was a pretty engaging film.
I'll try to keep spoilers low on this, but I'm sure if you're a hardcore fan of the Cloverfield franchise you've already seen the movie or will have seen it by the end of today. So, the film revolves around an ensemble crew aboard a space station appropriately called The Cloverfield Station. The crew has been in space for two years trying to solve the pending energy crisis by using an particle accelerator in space. After two years of failure the crew finally gets a trial to work, but the success comes with some unexpected side effects. The first being that the Earth has essentially disappeared.
The real highlight of the movie is the cast, which has been public knowledge for quite a while now. The cast mostly feels like an ensemble although Gugu Mbatha-Raw does take a more defined role than the rest of the crew that includes Daniel Bruhl, David Oyelowo and Chris O'Dowd. Mbatha-Raw is the stand out of the cast and its only her character and her husband who remains on Earth that get explored at all. The only role I remotely remember her in was as Will Smith's wife in Concussion, but she appears to be in lots of films that I just haven't seen yet.
The disappearance of the Earth sets a lot of WTF moments into motion and mystery starts to develop about what actually happened and why the Earth. Things just seem to get weirder and weirder. The main tie in to the other entries in the Cloverfield franchise actually occur on Earth where Mbatha-Raw's husband is. I see a lot of people mentioning that the Cloverfield tie-ins are more of a subplot and they were probably added into the movie after it had already been completed, but I didn't feel that it was obvious.
The Cloverfield Paradox is heavily inspired by some horror classics. Alien and The Thing are easily the most obvious, but I felt like there was a bit of a tribute to Poltergeist in one scene and there was a moment that reminded me a bit of JJ Abram's own LOST. Later I've heard comparisons the mixed Life from last year. Still, to me it felt like a fresh concept. I was swept up in the mystery.
Somebody who I thought was tragically misused was Chris O'Dowd. I love the man in basically everything he does. He so natural funny, but I felt that he added a little too much humor this time around. I never felt like the humor was an essential part of the story. I still love him, but I found his constant lighthearted jokes to take me out of the movie a bit.
I should probably address that the shock of seeing this movie 3 hours after it was announced may effect my thoughts on the film. Looking back on it in a few months may change my outlook on it a lot, but currently I think this is a gamble that really paid off for Netflix. I do hope that this movie will generate an opinion similar to Bright where the audience seems to have enjoyed it a lot more than the critics. I've heard that a 4th Cloverfield movie has supposedly already wrapped up filming and I hope that critical failure won't keep JJ Abrams from taking risks on these movies. At this point he's done such an original effort with the marketing campaigns that I'm probably going to be interested in every Cloverfield movie that gets a release.
The Cloverfield Paradox gets 65 out of 100
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Mauricio Esquivel (El Salvador, 1983) uses socio-political implications of the context.
Mauricio has been developing projects about different social issues as Violence and Migration and the relationships between the history of different contexts represented in their currency.
Making handmade projects, the artist suggests different possibilities and gestures that change the way how we perceive the relations between power and economy.
Esquivel uses coins to explore social subjects such as migration, violence, war, displacement, freedom and hope.
Displacement Line
“In 2001, El Salvador adopted a bi-monetary system that introduced the United States dollar along with the ‘colón’. This ‘foreign’ currency infiltrated in transactional experiences throughout the country. Toying with this historical reference, Esquivel reinvents this 25-cent coin—locally known as “Cora”, a phonetic version of the American “quarter”—by laboriously hand cutting the distinctive eagle out of its center.” Claire Breukel
As a symbol of strength, in “Displacement line” eagles are arranged to depict a map of South and Central America breaking up into the United States over a blue ocean-color wall. On one hand the eagles are set free from their casing and on the other hand their removal renders the coins useless and therefore valueless, shedding a satirical light on the notions of exchange.
Forced displacement is a phenomenon that is growing and is affecting the entire world. With this site-specific installation, Mauricio shows the sadness of the displacement, but also through its beauty gives us the feeling of hope and freedom.
This wall intervention is a reflection about the migration process, and how this is a natural need for everyone everywhere the history of the world is build a clearly example of this process is the the US.
Central America Inverted
This project is about the importance of thinking of Central America as a region and about the different moments of colonization and post colonization. It is also a reflection, a mirror of recognizing and belonging.
Between March 12, 1859 and October 26, 1863, Gerardo Barrios was President of El Salvador. Barrios was a liberal and supported the unity of Central America. After his death, he was the leader of the Unionist Movement and served as president of El Salvador several times. He was known for his concern for international relations and is attributed for introducing coffee production to El Salvador, accelerating the spread through Central America. Coffee became the basis of El Salvador's economy.
Nowadays the Central American Integration System (Spanish: Sistema de la Integración Centroamericana, or SICA) is the economic and political organization of Central American states since February 1, 1993. On December 13, 1991, the ODECA countries (Spanish: Organización de Estados Centroamericanos) signed the Protocol of Tegucigalpa, extending earlier cooperation for regional peace, political freedom, democracy and economic development. SICA's General Secretariat is in El Salvador.
The Central American Bank for Economic Integration has not introduced a common currency, and dollarization is possible. The region has diversified output and price and wage flexibility; however, there is a lack of business-cycle synchronization, dissimilar levels of public-sector debt, diverging inflation rates and low levels of intra-regional trade.
The efforts of each country in the region are currently divided by violence, drugs and migration, which produces different kinds of segregation.
The content of this project is based on The Cuban Revolution (1953–59), an armed revolt conducted by Fidel Castro's 26th of July Movement and its allies against the U.S.-backed authoritarian government of Cuban President Fulgencio Batista. The revolution began in July 1953, and continued sporadically until the rebels finally ousted Batista on 1 January 1959, replacing his government with a revolutionary socialist state. The 26th of July Movement later reformed along communist lines, becoming the Communist Party in October 1965.
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Safari Tips
We are a destination management tour operator offering ground breaking flexible Itineraries that are suitable to our clients tailored preferences. As a way of promoting sustainable tourism we use a responsible travel approach by engaging local guides and partnering with community owned tourism organisations for various activities around the tourism attractions in order to give back to the communities.
3 Days Murchison Falls
DAY 1: Murchison Falls NPEarly morning departure from Kampala for the drive to Murchison Falls Murchison Falls UgandaNational Park. The journey takes
20 Days Discover Uganda
Day 1 You are warmly received to enjoy the drive to Murchison falls national park, through the famous Luwero triangle, and Budongo forest on the wes
3 Days Kibale
3 Days Tour to Kibale National Park.Day 1: Drive to Kibale National Park. Head to Kibale National park and drive through Hoima to reach Fort Portal.
5 Days Jungle Tour
5 Days to Queen Elizabeth & Semuliki ForestDay 1: Travel to Queen Elizabeth National ParkHave an early morning breakfast then depart from Kampala,
10 Days Exploration of the African Pearl
Day one: Meet the company representative who will transfer you to the proposed accommodation. If you arrive early you may go for a city tour to check
3 Days Queen Elizabeth
Day One: Queen ElizabethIn the morning wakeup for breakfast before driving southwest to Queen Elizabeth National Park. The drive will take you along M
6 Days Primates & Wildlife
Day 1: You will be met by our company representative at your Hotel to transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. The park is known to harbour half
3 days Gorilla Tour
Day 1: Travel to Bwindi ImpenetrableHave breakfast to drive to Bwindi Impenetrable forest. This journey will take you south west of Uganda. To stop at
9 Days Birding
Day 1: Birding in Entebbe and the surroundings. Our easy birding begins from UWEC which originally started as an animal orphanage in the 1920s but gr
DAY 1: Murchison Falls NPEarly morning departure from Kampala for the drive to Murchison Falls Murchison Falls UgandaNational Park. The journey takes about 6 hours and passes you through the famous Luweero Triangle, a former bush war zone in Uganda. Have a stop over at Masindi for lunch and later dr See more details
Day 1 You are warmly received to enjoy the drive to Murchison falls national park, through the famous Luwero triangle, and Budongo forest on the western arm of the Great Rift Valley. The journey offers great picturesque sceneries with lunch in Masindi town en route, reaching the park in the afte See more details
3 Days Tour to Kibale National Park.Day 1: Drive to Kibale National Park. Head to Kibale National park and drive through Hoima to reach Fort Portal. The journey will take you through farms, traditional homestead to reach the town that is located amidst the “mountains of the moon” Fort portal. Y See more details
5 Days to Queen Elizabeth & Semuliki ForestDay 1: Travel to Queen Elizabeth National ParkHave an early morning breakfast then depart from Kampala, drive through the beautiful green belt of the country side. Have a stop at the Equator, an imaginary line that divides the Globe into two equal parts See more details
Day one: Meet the company representative who will transfer you to the proposed accommodation. If you arrive early you may go for a city tour to check out some of the nice places in Kampala. Places include, the Bahai temple, Uganda Museum, Kasubi tombs and many more. Dinner and overnight in Serena / See more details
Day One: Queen ElizabethIn the morning wakeup for breakfast before driving southwest to Queen Elizabeth National Park. The drive will take you along Masaka Mbarara road to stop at the Equator for photographs and then proceed to stop in Mbarara for lunch and then drive to reach the park in the aftern See more details
Day 1: You will be met by our company representative at your Hotel to transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. The park is known to harbour half of the world’s endangered mountain gorillas. It is situated in a hilly country side, together with some remnant lowland forest outside the boundary See more details
Day 1: Travel to Bwindi ImpenetrableHave breakfast to drive to Bwindi Impenetrable forest. This journey will take you south west of Uganda. To stop at the equator for photographs and continue to Mbarara where you will have another stop for lunch and then proceed to reach Bwindi in the late afternoon See more details
Day 1: Birding in Entebbe and the surroundings. Our easy birding begins from UWEC which originally started as an animal orphanage in the 1920s but gradually grew to be a show place of various flora and fauna. Birds to look out for here include Crowned cranes, Parrots, Pelicans, ostrich, Crowned cra See more details
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Search in titles only Search in The Greater Edmonton Toy Car and Racing Society only
The Greater Edmonton Toy Car and Racing Society
We're HERE!
capn.curt.wiebe
National Racer
Welcome to the SCI Forum for the Greater Edmonton Toy Car And Racing Society (otherwise known as GETCARS)!
We are a bunch of old fogeys (with a few younger members thrown in for good measure) in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada who still love to play with toy cars! We started as kids and learned fundamentals of physics and electricity by racing our cars around plastic tracks, and working on them to try to get them to go faster! We want to help pass our knowledge along, as well as learn from others.
The Mission of our Society is to promote all aspects of the live toy car experience in the Edmonton Area. While the founding members are all avid 1/32 scale slot car enthusiasts, we believe that it is important to include other aspects of toy car enjoyment, including all scales of slot cars, Magcars, remote control cars, car modelling and collecting, among others.
Our goal is to promote the physical and social aspects of toy car enjoyment, and to provide a fun and safe environment for all who share similar interests. We also want to share expertise in all facets of the hobby with members of the public through the provision of clinics and short courses, and to provide 'hands-on' experience for youth groups, organizations, and others who may be interested in a toy car hobby.
We own and operate a 4-lane wood 1/32 scale track and a 2-lane HO track. Our members own & operate HO, 1/32 analog & digital, and even 1/24th tracks at home.
Won't you come and join us?
Aging is inevitable. Maturity is an option!
Curt Wiebe
Greater Edmonton Toy Car And Racing Society
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Nationally-Ranked Babson Comes From Behind to Defeat Baseball, 10-9, in Extra Innings
Final (10)
Springfield (16-13, 7-7) 3 3 0 0 0 0 2 0 1 0 9 9 3
Babson (23-4, 12-2) 0 0 2 2 1 2 0 0 2 1 10 12 4
2B: Brandon Drabinski
HR: Jack Simonetty
2B: Sean Harrington; Nicholas Browne
Babson Park, Mass. - April 16, 2019 - The Springfield College baseball team let a two-run lead slip away as nationally-ranked Babson defeated the Pride, 10-9, in 10 innings of New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) play on Tuesday afternoon at Govani Field.
Springfield College falls to 16-13 on the year with a 7-7 record againt league opponents, while Babson, which was ranked No. 10 in this week's American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) Division III National Rankings, and No. 10 in the d3baseball.com national poll, improves to 23-4 overall and 12-2 in NEWMAC play.
Both Jack Simonetty (Wappingers Falls, N.Y.) and Brandon Drabinski (Lisbon, Conn.) had a pair of hits in the game, as Noah Bleakley (Granby, Mass.), who got the nod, pitched 4.2 innings, giving up six hits, before Fletcher Comment (Westbrook, Conn.) came on for one frame. John Daley (Huntington, Mass.) was impressive in relief, as he threw 2.2 innings, allowing four hits while striking out a pair. Simonetty had a career day for the Pride as the sophomore infielder hit his first-career home run and had a career-best five RBI despite the loss.
Springfield College opened a 6-0 lead in the first two innings as in the first, Eduardo Martinez (Southwick, Mass.) started things with a single up the middle, before Jack Cooney (Pittsfield, Mass.) drew a walk to put two runners on. Next up, Simonetty cracked his first-career home run over the fence in right center field to give the Pride a 3-0 lead.
In the next frame, Martinez reached first on an error at short, which allowed Drabinski to score, before Brandon Russo (Lisbon, Conn.) and Ryan Smith (Millis, Mass.) both came home on a fielder's choice off the bat of Cooney, as the sophomore beat out a double play ball to keep the rally alive, and Russo hustled to cross home, giving the Pride a 6-0 advantage.
Babson answered with a pair in the bottom of the third inning to cut its deficit to four, before eventually taking a 7-6 lead in the bottom of the sixth, but in the top of the seventh, Simonetty went back to work as he drove in Martinez and Russo once again to push his RBI total to five, and give the visitors an 8-7 advantage.
Cooney would help the maroon and white push its lead to a pair in the top of the ninth with an RBI infield single that scored Russo, his third run scored of the game, but Babson would rally for two in the bottom of the ninth and one more in the bottom of the 10th to walk off with the victory.
Up next, Springfield College will return to Archie Allen Field on Wednesday, April 17 and will host Rhode Island College in non-conference play at 3:30 p.m.
For the latest on Springfield College Athletics, follow the Pride on social media on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Fans can also download the Springfield "Front Row" mobile app, powered by PrestoSports, on iTunes and the Android Market.
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Home > Barber Shop Facts > A History of Barbers
A History of Barbers
By: Scott McBride - Updated: 9 Sep 2012 | *Discuss
Razor blades have been found among the relics of the Bronze Age, so it is fair to say the barber’s art of cutting hair and shaving beards is an ancient trade. Early records show that barbers were prominent members of their tribe – either medicine men or priests. There were primitive men who believed that bad spirits entered individuals through the hair and inhabited the body. The only way to drive these bad spirits out was to get a haircut.
Ancient Egyptian monuments and papyrus show people being shaved and it is known that Egyptian priests were shaved every three days. In Greece, barbers had an important place in society from the fifth century BC, while the Romans first had barbers in 296 BC, when Ticinius Mean brought the art of shaving from Sicily. Just like today, these barber shops were the place to go to gossip. They were filled with the chatter of free men, whose absence of beards set them apart from the slaves. The Romans held barbers in such high regard that a statue was erected in memory of the first Roman barber.
Military Strategy
Shaving even played a role in military strategy. Alexander the Great’s men were defeated by the Persians, who grabbed hold of their enemies’ beards and pulled them to the ground before spearing them. Alexander later ordered his troops to be shaved so that they would be able to use the same tactics.
Barbers had far more versatile roles then and did the jobs of dentists and surgeons too, performing tooth extraction and bloodletting, enemas and wound surgery. The first official organisation of these barber-surgeons was formed in 1096 in France after the wearing of a beard was banned by the archbishop of Rouen.
As medicine started to become more defined as a field of its own, efforts were made to separate barber-surgeons from the academic surgeons. The French were the first to achieve this, with the College de Saint Come, established around 1210 AD in Paris, identifying barber-surgeons as surgeons of the short robe and academic surgeons as surgeons of the long robe. By the middle of the 13th century a school was established in France by the Brotherhoods of St Cosmos and St Domains in an effort to instruct barbers in surgery.
Oldest Barber Organisation
The world's oldest barber organisation, still known in London as the Worshipful Company of Barbers, was formed in 1308. In 1391, the guild of French barbers and surgeons was established and by 1505 the University of Paris allowed entrance to barbers. Ambroise Paré (1510-1590), the father of modern surgery and the most famous surgeon of the Renaissance period, was himself a common barber-surgeon until he embraced medicine.
In England in 1462, Edward IV established the Company of Barbers and 30 years later surgeons established their own guild. Henry VIII merged the two guilds in 1540 by forming the United Barber-Surgeons Company, but they were still set apart. Barbers were not allowed to perform surgery except for bloodletting and teeth-pulling and displayed blue and white poles, while surgeons were forbidden to cut hair or shave people and displayed red and white poles. France’s Louis XV decreed in 1743 that barbers could not practice surgery and two year's later several acts passed by George II separated surgeons from barbers in England.
The History of Shaving
Men's Hairstyles Through the Ages
The History of the Barber Pole
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Home | News Monday 26 March 2018
Dozens arrested after forceful disarmament in Imatong state
March 22, 2018(JUBA) - 17 youths in South Sudan’s Imatong state were arrested by the army on Wednesday and taken to an undisclosed location after they resisted forceful disarmament in the area, an armed opposition faction (SPLM-IO) official has disclosed.
The map of Eastern Equatoria state in red
In a statement, the SPLM-IO deputy spokesperson, Lam Paul Gabriel, claimed government forces targeted civilians in Longairo village.
“On 21/03/2018 at about 4:00 am, [government] forces besieged Longairo village to implement their orders, but the civilians resisted resulting a shootout that led to the death of the regime’s commander in charge 1st Lt Ofulla,” reads the statement.
He said some of the government forces, mainly from the division seven battalion, were commanded by the Imatong state governor, Tobiolo Oromo, claims Sudan Tribune could not independently verify.
During the attack civilians lost several items, including looted food.
“This instance of senselessness by the regime towards the civilians in Longairo is not only an act of crime and cowardice, but also a provocation to the SPLA-IO forces within the vicinity of the area to respond aggressively and be blamed for it,” he added.
Lam, however, urged the ceasefire monitoring body to investigate the crisis in Longairo between civilians and the government forces.
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Grading 15 Oscar Winners Who Went To Space on Screen
by Stacy Lambe 11/6/2014
Thanks to Christopher Nolan’s new film, Interstellar, two Oscar winners are making the leap into space. Both Matthew McConaughey and Anne Hathaway are following their golden roles by tackling sci-fi. And they’re not the first A-List actors to dip their toes into the genre.
Many performers have taken the sci-fi jump, to varying degrees of success. For some, it’s a flat performance that gets lost in the stars, and for others, it’s brought on even more accolades. Because the world of sci-fi is so deep and so vast, we’re focusing on roles that involve some sort of space travel — whether it be to the Moon or through a wormhole. Find out how Ben Affleck, Jodie Foster, and other Oscar winners did at traveling through space.
Alec Guinness
Oscar-winning Role: The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957)
Space Age Role: Star Wars (1977)
As Obi-Wan Kenobi, Guinness became a worldwide star and even earned Golden Globe and Academy Award nominations for the his part in the first film. It’s a heartfelt, grounded performance in George Lucas’ fantasy, space opera.
Oscar-winning Role: Les Miserables (2012)
Space Age Role: Interstellar (2014)
The role of Amelia Brand should have been a showy one considering the actress’ talents, and having previously shined in another Nolan-directed film. However, her role was largely one-dimensional.
Oscar-winning Role: Good Will Hunting (1997)
Space Age Role: Armageddon (1998)
There’s been a large debate about whether or not Affleck is a good actor. Yes, there were a few misses (see: Gigli), but he’s really stepped up his game of late (see Gone Girl). In Armageddon, he’s the dashing, hot young actor sharing a screen with an asteroid. He does what he’s supposed to do in this summer blockbuster.
Oscar-winning Role: Monster (2003)
Space Age Role: Prometheus (2012)
There’s no pretending that Prometheus is a perfect film. But Theron owns the screen as the bitchy, cold Meredith Vickers. If only she rolled to the side in the end!
Oscar-winning Role: Unforgiven (1993)
Space Age Role: Space Cowboys (2000)
Every few years, studios gather together a bunch of notable, aging actors and have them check things off their bucket list, go to Vegas, or in this case, head to space. Here, Eastwood and his co-stars have a terrific time on screen as a bunch of pilots who get a second chance at being heroes.
Oscar-winning Role: Syriana (2005)
Space Age Role: Gravity (2013)
While Clooney dabbled in sci-fi with the 2003 remake of Solaris, Gravity was his first space film since winning an Oscar. While Gravity is a fantastic, jaw-dropping spectacle, Clooney doesn’t do much more than play the charming guy fans are familiar with.
Oscar-winning Role: Monster’s Ball (2001)
Space Age Role: Extant (2014)
While the show failed to be a TV ratings blockbuster, Berry did her part as Molly Woods, an astronaut who returns to Earth following 13-month solo mission in space, to keep the show from drifting. It was hardly a showy role, but Berry was committed.
Oscar-winning Role: The Accused (1989)
Space Age Role: Contact (1997)
There’s very little that Foster does poorly. In this blockbuster adaptation of Carl Sagan’s novel, Foster plays a scientist who is determined to make contact with extraterrestrial life. Her trip through space may have lasted only seconds but it was a thrilling ride.
Oscar-winning Role: The Usual Suspects (1995)
Space Age Role: Moon (2009)
While Spacey never actually appears on screen, he does provide the voice of GERTY, the Moon station’s artificial intelligence system. It’s hardly a performance on the same level as any actor on this list, but Spacey does have a perfectly, creepy voice.
Oscar-winning Role: Dallas Buyers Club (2013)
While in space, McConaughey largely feels lost in Nolan’s epic sci-fi journey. He shines when he’s on the ground trying to keep his farm and family together.
Oscar-winning Role: The Goodbye Girl (1977)
Space Age Role: Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)
Dreyfuss technically doesn’t leave Earth until the end of the film, he makes the most of his role as Roy Neary, especially considering that Steven Spielberg originally wanted Steve McQueen. But the iconic film mostly belongs to Spielberg.
Oscar-winning Role: Gladiator (2000)
Space Age Role: Man of Steel (2013)
As Superman’s biological father, Crowe spends most of his time on his home planet Krypton in Zack Snyder’s bloated reboot. It’s a non-consequential part. He’s just there.
Grade: D+
Oscar-winning Role: The Blind Side (2009)
There’s no doubt that Bullock made the most of her starring role in Alfonso Cuaron’s gripping journey back to Earth. She met the challenge of being the only person on screen for most of this 91-minute movie. The actress proves that her 2009 Oscar wasn’t a fluke.
Oscar-winning Role: Philadelphia (1993)
Space Age Role: Apollo 13 (1995)
Just two years after winning the Oscar, Hanks proved that he was Hollywood’s go-to leading everyman. He embodied the nature of mission leader Jim Lovell in this spellbinding true story.
Oscar-winning Role: The Fugitive (1993)
Jones was one of Eastwood’s co-stars in this humorous adventure film. He also enjoyed his time kicking it will pals on screen. And it’s rare to see Jones as anything but grumpy.
[Photos: CBS, Columbia, George Lucas Films, Paramount, Sony Pictures, Touchstone, Twentieth Century Fox, Universal, Warner Bros]
Stacy Lambe
Tags: Anne HathawayGeorge ClooneyMatthew McConaugheySandra Bullock
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The Truth About the Bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki
Category: Peace and Conflict Tags: japan / politics / US / world war II
The U.S. had intercepted a Japanese cable from Japan’s Foreign Minister Togo to the Japanese ambassador to the Soviet Union, which stated that Japan wanted to end the war. (Screenshot/YouTube)
By Troy Oakes, August 7, 2015
This year will mark the 71st anniversary of the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. It was on August 6, 1945 when President Harry Truman told the world that the U.S. had dropped an atomic weapon nicknamed “Little Boy” on Hiroshima. Then, only three days later, a second bomb, “Fat Man,” was dropped on Nagasaki.
“Little Boy” had the power of over 20,000 tons of TNT, and had destroyed most of Hiroshima, killing an estimated 130,000 people. Then, Nagasaki was destroyed with “Fat Man,” killing between 60,000 and 70,000 people. Japan surrendered six days after the bombing of Nagasaki, which ended World War II.
President Harry Truman announces the bombing of Hiroshima:
The destructive power of these weapons was well understood before they were used on Japan. President Truman stated: “It was the most terrible thing ever discovered.” It is widely accepted that the bombs saved the lives of hundreds of thousands of Americans.
It is a mostly unknown fact that President Truman had received estimates from General MacArthur that up to 31,000 U.S. casualties, not hundreds of thousands, could be expected within the first thirty days, and still is being reported in the media.
“My history as an American was that I was happy to have the bomb because it saved millions of lives,” Bob Askey, 85 said. “It was necessary. It gave the Japanese an excuse to surrender.”
J. Samuel Walker—Truman’s decision to use the atomic bomb and its legacy:
It was clear that Japan was losing to the United States, and it was a matter of how Japan would surrender. Again, it is not commonly known, but the U.S. had intercepted a Japanese cable from Japan’s Foreign Minister Togo to the Japanese ambassador to the Soviet Union, which had stated that Japan wanted to end the war. The major impediment to the surrender was the insistence on unconditional surrender by the U.S.
Peter Kuznick, a professor of history at American University, said: “If you know that the Japanese are trying to surrender and looking for better surrender terms, why would you drop the atomic bomb if the invasion is not going to start for another three months?” in an interview with The Asahi Shimbun.
Hiroshima Atomic Bomb Aftermath (1946) – Rare Footage:
Historian J. Samuel Walker, in his book Prompt and Utter Destruction, gives five reasons on why Truman chose to use the bomb.
Ending the war at the earliest possible moment: The primary objective for the U.S. was to win the war at the lowest possible cost. Specifically, Truman was looking for the most effective way to end the war quickly, not for a way to not use the bomb.
To justify the cost of the Manhattan Project: The Manhattan Project was a secret program to which the U.S. had funneled an estimated $1,889,604,000 (in 1945 dollars) through December 31, 1945.
To impress the Soviets: With the end of the war nearing, the Soviets were an important strategic consideration, especially with their military control over most of Eastern Europe. As Yale Professor Gaddis Smith has noted: “It has been demonstrated that the decision to bomb Japan was centrally connected to Truman’s confrontational approach to the Soviet Union.” However, this idea is thought to be more appropriately understood as an ancillary benefit of dropping the bomb, and not so much its sole purpose.
A lack of incentives not to use the bomb: Weapons were created to be used. By 1945, the bombing of civilians was already an established practice. In fact, the earlier U.S. firebombing campaign of Japan, which began in 1944, killed an estimated 315,922 Japanese, a greater number than the estimated deaths attributed to the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The firebombing of Tokyo alone resulted in roughly 100,000 Japanese deaths.
Responding to Pearl Harbor: When a general raised objections to the use of the bombs, Truman responded by noting the atrocities of Pearl Harbor, and said: “When you have to deal with a beast, you have to treat him as a beast.”
What would have happened if the war had continued for another year?
asked Jim Eckles, 65. “Japan would have ended up being a divided country like Germany because the Russians wouldn’t have given it up. So in that sense, it was probably good for Japan that the war ended like that.”
Hiroshima: Dropping the bomb:
Now whether you believe it was necessary or not, surely you must agree that the killing of so many non-combatants, not once but twice, is not right. Even though the Japanese soldiers are responsible for thousands of atrocities, it is still not right to kill so many civilians.
To say that it was OK, even when it was known that they were negotiating terms of surrender, is to say that the families of murderers should suffer the same fate as their relatives. We should learn from what happened to Japan, and not use it as propaganda to make ourselves feel better.
Chinese Officials Try to Ground Balloon With Tibetan Flag, but Fail
Hungary’s Fence to Stem Illegal Migration to Be Completed by End of August
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A Safety Net That Works: Enforcing Child Support Payments
What parent doesn’t want to help his or her child? Most people would wonder why the question even needs to be asked. But while child neglect and child poverty are issues that the social safety net and public assistance rightfully focus on addressing, legislative efforts to require delinquent or absent parents to take financial responsibility prove a handy tool for reducing the problem of childhood poverty.
Child Support Enforcement (CSE) was first passed into federal law in 1974. It was set up to make parents become financially responsible for their children. At the time, 75 percent of welfare caseloads involved an absent parent.
CSE became a part of the social services network in order to take pressure off government services and return the job of parenting to where it belonged — the parent. Yet nonpayment of child support remains a huge problem today, even after the 1996 welfare reform law strongly enhanced enforcement mechanisms.
Child Support Enforcement is an issue that crosses partisan lines. Separation and divorce are an unfortunate circumstance of modern life, and child support delinquencies are not confined to one particular income level or political belief. At the same time, CSE was a major factor in reducing poverty among children after the 1996 welfare reform law was signed.
Believe it or not, one quarter of the welfare reform law of 1996 was dedicated to CSE. Its impact was notable. Child support agreements among poor parents increased by 8 percentage points from 1993-2003, meaning more children were assured that the parent not living with them helped pay for their upbringing. Enforcing child support payments resulted in a 74 percent increase in payment collections over 10 years.
So what happened? In the second decade since the law was passed, the percentage of custodial parents with a payment agreement dropped by nearly 14 points.
What accounts for the loss of momentum? Robert Doar, the former commissioner of New York City’s Health and Human Services, explains.
What accounts for this loss of momentum is a legitimate, although exaggerated, concern about being too tough on poor noncustodial parents, the parent who is not living with the child. A false wisdom has emerged in the policy community—from academics to the media—that the child support system forces noncustodial dads to, as the headline of a 2015 New York Times story put it, “Skip Child Support. Go to Jail. Lose Job. Repeat.” Some influential commentators even see the system as fundamentally unjust by imposing on poor men burdens that are viewed as the government’s responsibility. …
Certainly, some poor noncustodial parents are struggling and need help to live up to their obligations. But most noncustodial parents, poor and nonpoor alike, are capable of working and could contribute something—even a regular payment of $25 per month has value. Analysts who are critical of the program seem to forget that the parent raising the child full time is often poor too. In 2013, for poor custodial parents who received child support payments, the noncustodial parent’s payments represented 49 percent of their income. Allowing parents to completely walk away from their financial responsibility to their children should not be an option.
According to Doar, if the share of poor custodial parents with agreements had held steady at the percentage that it was in 2003 when the welfare reform law was still being closely enforced, then 500,000 more poor custodial parents would have had orders to receive support in 2013!
“Surely a substantial fraction of these parents would have received enough in payments for them and their children to be lifted above the poverty line,” he wrote in the introduction to a recent volume he edited on the topic.
What Reasons Are There For Parents to Refuse to Pay Child Support?
A lot of times, the parent responsible for child support payments is cut off from the child. Other times, resentment of one parent toward the other leads to a child being caught in the middle. Still other times, suspicion that the money is being misused by the custodial parent is made as an excuse by noncustodial parents to withhold payments.
But sometimes, the paying parent claims he just can’t afford it. And while that claim may have been doubted or disproven, it sadly is becoming a more frequent excuse due to an unfortunate shift in American culture and economy — notably the increasing struggle of men in the labor market. More from Doar:
Reliable data on noncustodial parents are hard to come by because the Census Bureau’s major surveys do not ask whether a man living alone is also a nonresident father. But a survey from 1997 conducted by the Urban Institute found that only 43 percent of noninstitutionalized, nonresident fathers who were poor worked at all—and this was during the late 1990s economic boom. Another study from the Urban Institute used administrative data from nine states in 2003 and 2004 and found that 25 percent of all obligors had no reported income. …
I suspect, given the evidence on young, low-skilled men generally, that these rates must look even worse today. In 2000, among African American men age 16–24 without a high school diploma and not in school, the employment rate was 40.8 percent, and for similarly positioned whites, it was 72.3 percent. By 2007 (like 2000, a year at the peak of the business cycle), the rates had fallen dramatically to 28.7 and 55.0 percent, respectively.
Seven million men age 25 to 54 are not working or even looking for work, according to recent data. Many of them have children despite having never married. These men are disproportionately less educated, and seen by woman as less “marriageable.” Yet marriage is a reliable indicator of higher paying jobs.
With the increasing struggle of men in the labor market, sympathy has shifted. But there is something of a chicken-and-egg argument to all this. Where once women claimed they didn’t need men to raise their children, they still demanded that fathers (a majority of noncustodial parents) help out. Did women tell men to get lost because they were dead weight? Or did men become deadbeats because their paternal role was rejected?
Data show that 70 percent of arrears are owed by noncustodial parents who have no documented income or very little earnings (less than $10,000 a year). And 25 percent of poor custodial parents with a support agreement aren’t receiving payments. So whatever the relationship between parents, the question is now whether it is even possible to get blood from a stone?
Much can be done to fix the mish-mash of regulations and changes that have occurred over the last 40 years. For instance, determining what is a proper measure of a noncustodial parent’s income would go a long way to changing the way male parents look at work. Why is this? Because evaluating a parent’s ability to pay support based on an over-the-table paycheck disincentivizes men from going to work.
The reforms to the program in 1996 focused on tracking down and holding accountable “deadbeat” dads, but it did little to acknowledge or address those who really are dead broke. This is a difficult balance to strike—I know from my experience working in New York that many fathers who appear to have few assets and no earnings are working off-the-books or involved in illicit activities, but they are reluctant to make that known because they either do not want to pay or do not want the government to know of their off-the-books activities.
Another issue is the requirement to declare the other parent’s ability to pay support before qualifying for assistance. The purpose of the requirement is to ensure custodial parents look to the other parent to contribute before going to the government for help. This is the case with Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), the cash welfare program.
But TANF is on the decline while Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Medicaid, child care, and housing assistance programs are on the rise. And guess what? Those programs don’t require opening a child support case as a condition of receiving aid.
But the issue, Doar explains once more, isn’t necessarily a matter of what you have to reveal, but whether the revelation leads to some kind of change.
Policy should not have to choose between helping single mothers or low-income men. CSE is a rare government program (outside the criminal justice system) that interacts often with disconnected, low-skilled men, but it does not do enough to help them. Order amounts should be responsive to the noncustodial parent’s ability to pay and his changing economic circumstances, and significant improvements have been made on this front. But a singular focus on reducing order amounts and forgiving arrears distracts from the main challenge these men face: not enough of them are working. Instead of reducing what we expect of these men, we should help them better meet their obligations to their families and society.
Lastly, Doar notes that if federal or state assistance is dependent on parents working, then expand the programs that incentivize work.
While momentum has been building in Washington for an expansion of the earned income tax credit (EITC) for all childless adults, this policy is not well-targeted. A better solution is to expand the EITC for noncustodial parents who work and pay current child support. As commissioner in New York State, I created and implemented such a program, and an Urban Institute analysis found that it increased the share of parents who paid their support in full.
Why Is the Child Support Enforcement Program Important?
Historically, CSE has worked. Even as late as 2015, CSE resulted in $5.26 in payments for ever dollar spent on enforcement. Doar explains that enforcement works for several reasons:
The program sends a clear message to all potential parents: if you play a role in bringing a child into the world, you have a responsibility to help support him or her.
Strong child support enforcement not only communicates that essential American value, it changes the incentives around fathering children outside of marriage by making it impossible to abandon the responsibilities of parenthood.
When child support obligations force an absent parent to be reminded of his financial responsibilities, he is also more likely to take up his other parental duties and be more involved in the child’s life. Unsurprisingly then, receiving child support is also linked to better outcomes for the children involved.
Studies have found that formal child support payments are associated with fewer behavioral problems, better academic performance, and increased self-esteem.
While it may seem counterintuitive, the CSE program offers one of policy’s best opportunities to address the crisis of prime-age male nonwork in America.
CSE is a needed and effective program. It currently lifts more than one million families above the government’s official poverty line, reduces single parenthood, and improves child outcomes, all by enforcing and facilitating personal responsibility at very low cost to taxpayers.
Filed Under: Front-Page Feature, Life Tagged With: child support, Child Support Enforcement, poverty, Robert Doar, safety net, SNAP, TANF, welfare reform
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Them Evils
Gemini Love, Loxias
Canal Club
1545 E. Cary Street
Richmond, VA, 23220
Southern California rock band Them Evils have started off fast and are accelerating rapidly. The band is endorsed by no less an icon than Zakk Wylde, who had them open for Zakk Sabbath in 2017. They have also toured with the likes of The Pretty Reckless and Alter Bridge; they have hit the stage at some of the biggest Rock festivals in the US – including Louder Than Life, High Elevation and Aftershock. With the upcoming release of scorching new single "Got Me Rockin'" on March 23rd and an EP of new material in May – recorded and produced by Kato Khandwala (The Pretty Reckless, Blondie, Drowning Pool, Pierce the Veil), the band is prepped to have a breakout year in 2018.
Them Evils' late-night joyride through Rock N' Roll's seedy underbelly was born in the shadows of neon vice and nocturnal living in Las Vegas, when Jordan and Jake met in High School. They started writing and playing together and knew that they had a chemistry that was undeniable. In 2013 they made the move to Southern California to pursue their music professionally – with nothing to fall back on other than their drive and belief in their music and each other. They connected with David through a friend that worked at a bar with Jordan and who knew they were looking for a permanent drummer. Delaney auditioned for Griffin and Massanari, and all 3 knew it was a good fit immediately. The nasty energy befitting their name grew from there.
Inspired by equal parts of rock giants like Led Zeppelin, AC/DC, and Queens of The Stone Age, among others, the band pays tribute to their roots while carving out their own unique sound. Them Evils music is at times throwback without being too derivative and is thoroughly modern. "We pretty much made our own scene," Griffin says. "We started out doing straight up rock and roll, and that's what we're still doing... That said, we're always evolving.”
The band has released Two EPs: their debut self-titled (2016) and “Rollin’ Stoned and Livin’ Free” (2018). They made inroads @ Active Rock Radio in 2017 with "She's Got Nothin", which peaked @ #22 on the BDS Rock Indicator chart.
They were born for the stage and have been road warriors for the past 4 years - constantly touring clubs, as well as with the aforementioned The Pretty Reckless, Alter Bridge, Zakk Sabbath and 10 Years, among others. To support the new "Got Me Rockin'" single and to set up the May EP release, the band are set to embark on a west coast run with Red Sun Rising followed by their own headlining tour this spring. They will play Welcome to Rockville, Carolina Rebellion and Rock on The Range – with more tour dates being booked for the summer.
Gemini Love
Loxias
Tickets Available at the Door
Red Jumpsuit Apparatus
Grohlmageddon
Sweet & Savage Sundays
Oh Sleeper
Them Evils with Gemini Love, Loxias
Saturday, February 2 · 7:00 PM at Canal Club
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TeleVisit is a California 501(c)(3) not for profit organization that connects older adults to each other through their participation in interactive group activities from the convenience and comfort of home. Using a simple, specially designed frame, customers can tune in and join the group, participating in a variety of live programs designed to entertain, engage, inspire and educate -- thus establishing community. Absolutely no technical skill is necessary to access programs.
The Interact Program allows older adults to join a community of other adults to participate in daily physical, mental and social activities from the comfort of their home using simple to use tablets.
TeleVisit enables Virtual Villages to connect members to daily social activities from home. It leverages your limited resources with a unique and value added service that will attract and retain your members.
Summary of TeleVisit Programs & Benefits
Summary of TeleVisit Benefits
Research shows that staying physically, mentally and socially active staves off cognitive decline experienced by older adults, and enables them to live independently longer. TeleVisit provides a convenient way for customers to exercise, interact, connect, socialize, and participate in activities.
Benefits of joining a TeleVisit program:
Short exercise videos 2X / day to maintain balance, posture and wellness
Maintain mental capabilities through games and socialization
Interact with friends & relatives who live in different locations
Provide continuity and companionship through changes in life, such as transitioning into an assisted living facility; from active social activity to being home bound for whatever reasons
Peace of mind for caregivers because someone is talking to their loved one at least twice a day
Up to 40 hours of activities for $15/month
Clients participate in 2 daily sessions. A different theme/topic is featured for each session & participants discuss, reminisce, and share their experiences & thoughts. Food & Nutrition, and Education sessions provide specific topic information; and participants get to engage in balance, stretching & posture improvement activities during the Exercise sessions.
Sample Activities:
Music: Favorites of the 30s/40s/50s, Big Band, Hymn Sing
Games: Trivia, Bingo, Name that Tune, Boggle
Reminisce: clients share their memories with each other
Education --- Topics such as Living Will, Fraud & Scams, Home Safety
Maintain physical wellness through 2X daily sessions
Join Interact Program
Virtual Villages.
Partnering with Virtual Villages, Senior Communities & Elder Care Service Providers to Create Virtual Communities using the TeleVisit Platform.
Depending on the virtual villages or organization’s needs and requirements, members of these communities can socially engage /participate by:
1. Joining TeleVisit’s Existing Programs in a special group that is created specifically for your organisation.
2. Joining a Customized Program that is co-branded with your organization
Studies have shown that an active physical and social life is an important factor in healthy aging and reducing the risk of cognitive decline and dementia. Physical limitations and constraints in the aging process may result in a decline in active participation for seniors.
TeleVisit’s programs aim to create virtual communities that enable homebound seniors to continue to remain socially active. Older adults can continue to be socially active, participating/engaging in daily social interactions and activities from discussions on topics of interest to exercise and stretching sessions, and attending educational “seminars” from the comfort of home.
Participants in TeleVisit’s pilot program study reported that active participation and being part of the virtual group and programs offered had given them access to social activities, opportunities to make new friends, and a general improvement in a sense of well-being.
Additionally, a similar Caregivers’ virtual community will offer support and social interaction for family members and caregivers.
Please contact us for additional information and to discuss co-branded and customized programs.
Listen to what our community has to say about the impact TeleVisit has made in their lives.
TeleVisit is a California 501(c)(3) non-profit organization whose mission to is to provide meaning & purpose to isolated elderly adults through facilitated group activities delivered via teleconference and easy to use tablets.
Older adults connect to each other through their participation in interactive group activities from the convenience and comfort of home. TeleVisit provides a service and virtual community platform that creates and hosts a variety of "live" programs designed to entertain, engage, inspire and educate -- thus establishing community.
To revolutionize how we use technology to enhance the social, physical and cognitive well-being of isolated seniors and to support them, their families and caregivers.
To transform the quality of life of seniors through simple-to-use technology and personalized, interactive online programs and activities that educate, entertain, inspire, connect and engage.
To dramatically enhance the ability of older adults to stay physically, mentally and socially active by creating and delivering interactive learning, social, entertainment and community-building group activities and programs that can be enjoyed from home.
TeleVisit is made up of a diverse group of individuals who care deeply about improving the lives of older adults. We are always looking for passionate people to join our team.
Board of Directors & Advisors
Executive Director: Wesley Cheng
Wesley is the founder and executive director of TeleVisit.
He is a high tech entrepreneur and co-founded KonaWare, a wireless applications company for mobile devices, in 2001. It was sold to ServicePower (the leader in service optimization software where he served as VP Product Management) and GPS pioneer Trimble. He then founded HabitatCare, a research and consulting company that focused on aging-in-place technology solutions. Wesley has also spent 15 years in technical management positions at Hewlett-Packard and Cisco Systems.
Board Member: Michelle Rogers
Michelle Rogers grew up in the Bay Area and has more than 25 years of marketing and sales experience within the technology sector.
Michelle acquired the South Peninsula Home Instead Senior Care franchise in 2007, after deciding she wanted to be involved in providing services that would support people in the community. Her CAREGivers provide non-medical, in-home services to seniors in Cupertino, Sunnyvale, Mountain View, Palo Alto, East Palo Alto, Los Altos, Menlo Park, Atherton, Portola Valley, Woodside, Redwood City, San Carlos, and Belmont, Calif.
Board Member, Program Director: Julie Cheng
Julie is the program director for TeleVisit; researching, sourcing, producing and scheduling interesting activities. She is the voice of TeleVisit as she hosts many of the sessions; greeting the seniors every day and facilitating the activities.
Julie is also the leader of the senior ministry at Peninsula Bible Church in Palo Alto, California.
Julie Cheng is a music therapist and piano instructor. She has used music to help seniors, stroke patients, and children with developmental or emotional challenges.
Advisor: Dr Jim McCabe
Dr. Jim McCabe is the President of Eldercare Resources, a geriatric care management company that specializes in eldercare and case management services. Over a period of more than 25 years, Dr. McCabe has assisted hundreds of families with planning in the areas of eldercare and long term care planning.
Jim has served on the Board of The Financial Planning Association in Phoenix, Arizona and has consulted extensively with estate planning professionals in the areas eldercare, health care planning risk management and client retention.
Dr. McCabe holds two Masters Degrees from the University of Hawaii and earned his PhD at the University of California, Berkeley. He is a frequent contributor to the Journal of Practical Estate Planning. Jim and his wife Deborah make their home in Los Altos, CA
Board Member: John Lehman
John is executive director of Senior New Ways, a non profit organization that applies vintage music group therapy for memory in residential and day care centers. He has led residential care visitation programs to over 600 persons in south bay area. John has over 50 developed classes on whole health for boomers and beyond, and caregivers.
John also creates one the favorite TeleVisit programs called Johnny's Jukebox where he introduces musical artists from the 1930's to 1970's and plays samples of their top hits.
Board Member: Dr Rita Ghatak
Rita is the Founder and Director of Aging Adult Services at Stanford Healthcare since 2005. She directs the programs of Care Coordination, Geriatric Health, Home Technology, Memory Support, Caregiver Education, and oversees coordinated care for thousands of older adults.
She received the Stanford Health Care Isaac Stein Award for Compassionate Care at Stanford in 2008.
She plays a key role in many eldercare coalitions including public policy. She has conducted research on dementia management, caregiver training, patient care outcomes and management of neurological disorders. Her current focus at Stanford is readmissions, post-discharge care models, delirium, heart failure and dementia support. She is a published psychologist/gerontologist with multiple articles and has spoken in multiple national and international forums.
She completed her Masters, PhD from JNU, India, and did her post-doctoral work at Stanford.
Advisor: Scott Townsend
Scott is a successful entrepreneur, currently at Blue Gecko Software, Inc. which was co-founded in 2006. The company has developed a strong record of developing business intelligence, analytics, and integration solutions for iSystems, Intuit, Intel, and Prosper.
He has a deep product development background that is balanced with a deep affinity for working with independently owned and operated payroll service bureaus to develop stronger sales and market growth strategies by transforming the service bureau from the inside out.
Advisor: Richard Adler
Richard is a Distinguished Fellow at The Institute for the Future, an independent non-profit research organization with over 40 years experience in forecasting and long-range planning. Located in the heart of Silicon Valley, IFTF identifies future trends and key discontinuities that will transform the marketplace.
He is also a Principal at People & Technology, which provides research and consulting in the areas of technology and aging. Clients include AARP, Bank of America, Broadband for America, California HealthCare Foundation, CNN, Deloitte, the Japan Research Institute, Mercer, Microsoft, On Lok, Procter & Gamble, Verizon and Seniors Media Lab
Richard is a board member of Institute for the Ages, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to accelerate innovation in the field of aging
Advisor: Dione Chen
Dione is a marketing consultant who has over 25 years of experience. She served as VP Marketing at StartX (Stanford-affiliated accelerator's mission is to advance the development of startup founders through providing educational programs, mentorship, a community of high-potential founders, resources and access to funding) and BOMA Systems (which provides patent-pending telecommunications services for emergency notification and group communications). She has held marketing management positions at high tech companies, including Sun Microsystems.
Dione serves as Board Member for the Center for Age-Friendly Excellence (CAFE) whose mission is to
mission of the Center for Age-Friendly Excellence is to advance applied research, information and resources, advocacy and evidence-based best practices for transforming intergenerational communities.
Marketing Director: Wai-Mun Chong
Wai-Mun manages marketing for TeleVisit, focusing on strategy, positioning, branding, messaging & online initiatives to drive awareness, demand & adoption of TeleVisit’s services and programs.
She had previously worked in IBM, Ogilvy & Mather, and US Committee for UNICEF across different roles ranging from marketing management, to business strategy & planning, market intelligence, communications & fundraising.
With a desire to change the way we age, Wai-Mun is passionate about educating & bringing solutions to improve quality life to a fast growing aging population.
Development Director: Sid Prudil
Sid is responsible for grant research and development at TeleVisit.
His previous work included the Food Bank in Vancouver, Canada.
He is experienced in software quality assurance, financial accounting and cloud taxonomy at high tech companies such as Cisco systems and ThinkFree.
Program Manager: Deborah Baker
Deborah works with our partner organizations such as virtual villages, home care agencies and senior residences to develop their virtual community programs.
She has 15 years of technical management experience at Hewlett Packard and Raychem (part of Tyco Electronics). Her startup experience includes operations management at Web Lunch box and Purple Coupon.
Her non profit work includes 6 years at the Los Altos Festival of Lights, where she is currently the president.
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Of Lions and Unicorns: A Lifetime of Tales from the Master Storyteller by Michael Morpurgo
Buy Of Lions and Unicorns: A Lifetime of Tales from the Master Storyteller by Michael Morpurgo at Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com
Category: Confident Readers
Reviewer: Louise Jones
Summary: A wonderful collection featuring some of Michael Morpurgo's most memorable and well-loved tales.
Buy? Yes Borrow? Yes
Pages: 592 pages Date: September 2013
Publisher: Harper Collins Children's Books
External links: Author's website
Of Lions and Unicorns is a collection of short stories and extracts from Morpurgo’s most popular books. The book is split into five sections, which focus on recurring themes in his writing.
The first section, Only Remembered, opens with a powerful tale based on the author's early childhood and the discovery that his biological father was an actor in the film Great Expectations. Apparently, his mother dropped the bombshell as the family were gathered around the television watching the film one Christmas, which soured the festivities somewhat. This section also contains an extract from the wonderful A Medal for Leroy and I am now compelled to get a copy of the whole book to find out what happens next after the arrival of the mysterious letter, the point at which the narrative frustratingly came to an abrupt end.
Most of Morpurgo’s most memorable and magical tales are his animal stories and the second part of the book features some of his best. We have extracts from the popular The Butterfly Lion and Running Wild (another book I have on my to-read list), as well as some beautiful short stories, my favourite of which was Conker, the story of a boy who discovers a neglected dog and forms a strong bond with him. Morpurgo has a wonderful way of capturing the relationship between man and animal in such a way that it is impossible not to be deeply moved by these stories.
The Pity and the Shame moves to darker subject matter, including war, death, loss and regret. Morpurgo never sugar-coats his writing and never speaks down to his young audience. Despite the sad nature of many of his stories, he always adds a little light to the darkness and they never feel too overwhelming or depressing. Still, parents with more sensitive children may wish to read the stories first to gauge whether their child would be upset by anything featured here.
The Lonely Sea and the Sky also has quite a melancholy tone, especially the incredibly moving This Morning I Met a Whale which was based on the events in 2006 when a bottle-nosed whale swam up the Thames and died during the rescue attempt. The Giant's Necklace is also quite sad and may disturb younger readers, as it concerns a young girl swept out to sea.
In the final section of the book, Morpurgo showcases his versatility by rewriting some popular folk tales, including Hansel and Gretel, the Pied Piper and Pinocchio. He adds a fresh new twist to each tale, with new details and settings to appeal to a new generation of readers.
The only problem I had with the book was that I would have preferred more standalone short stories. The book contained far too many extracts, which felt like taking a trip to the cinema and sitting through two hours of trailers. I found this aspect of the book quite frustrating and I think that a child reading it would become quite aggravated at getting to a cliff-hanger in a story and then being cut off at the most exciting point.
Each story in Of Lions and Unicorns offers a few minutes of pure escape and I would challenge anyone to read one story without reading the next...and the next...and the next!
Morpurgo fans may enjoy reading War: Stories of Conflict by Michael Morpurgo, a powerful collection of short stories by various authors edited by the man himself.
You can read more book reviews or buy Of Lions and Unicorns: A Lifetime of Tales from the Master Storyteller by Michael Morpurgo at Amazon.co.uk
You can read more book reviews or buy Of Lions and Unicorns: A Lifetime of Tales from the Master Storyteller by Michael Morpurgo at Amazon.com.
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Reviewed by Louise Jones
Confident Readers
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Geithner Gets Bashed in New Book
August 1st, 2012 Posted in Uncategorized
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Much has been written about “Turbo” Tim Geithner since he first became Treasury Secretary on January 26, 2009. In his book, Too Big to Fail, Andrew Ross Sorkin wrote adoringly about Geithner’s athletic expertise. On the other hand, typing “Turbo Tim Geithner” into the space on the upper-right corner of this page and clicking on the little magnifying glass will lead you to no less than 61 essays wherein I saw fit to criticize the Treasury Secretary. I first coined the “Turbo” nickname on February 9, 2009 and on February 16 of that year I began linking “Turbo” to an explanatory article, for those who did not understand the reference.
Geithner has never lacked defenders. The March 10, 2010 issue of The New Yorker ran an article by John Cassidy entitled, “No Credit”. The title was meant to imply that Getithner’s efforts to save America’s financial system were working, although he was not getting any credit for this achievement. From the very outset, the New Yorker piece was obviously an attempt to reconstruct Geithner’s controversial public image – because he had been widely criticized as a tool of Wall Street.
Edward Harrison of Credit Writedowns dismissed the New Yorker article as “an out and out puff piece” that Geithner himself could have written:
Don’t be fooled; this is a clear plant to help bolster public opinion for a bailout and transfer of wealth, which was both unnecessary and politically damaging.
Another article on Geithner, appearing in the April 2010 issue of The Atlantic, was described by Edward Harrison as “fairly even-handed” although worthy of extensive criticism. Nevertheless, after reading the following passage from the first page of the essay, I found it difficult to avoid using the terms “fawning and sycophantic” to describe it:
In the course of many interviews about Geithner, two qualities came up again and again. The first was his extraordinary quickness of mind and talent for elucidating whatever issue was the preoccupying concern of the moment. Second was his athleticism. Unprompted by me, friends and colleagues extolled his skill and grace at windsurfing, tennis, basketball, running, snowboarding, and softball (specifying his prowess at shortstop and in center field, as well as at the plate). He inspires an adolescent awe in male colleagues.
Gawd! Yeech!
In November of 2008, President George W. Bush appointed Neil M. Barofsky to the newly-established position, Special Inspector General for the Troubled Asset Relief Program (SIGTARP). Barofsky was responsible for preventing fraud, waste and abuse involving TARP operations and funds. From his first days on that job, Neil Barofsky found Timothy Geithner to be his main opponent. On March 31 of 2009, the Senate Finance Committee held a hearing on the oversight of TARP. The hearing included testimony by Neil Barofsky, who explained how the Treasury Department had been interfering with his efforts to ascertain what was being done with TARP funds which had been distributed to the banks. Matthew Jaffe of ABC News described Barofsky’s frustration in attempting to get past the Treasury Department’s roadblocks.
On the eve of his retirement from the position of Special Inspector General for TARP (SIGTARP), Neil Barofsky wrote an op-ed piece for the March 30, 2011 edition of The New York Times entitled, “Where the Bailout Went Wrong”. Barofsky devoted a good portion of the essay to a discussion of the Obama administration’s failure to make good on its promises of “financial reform”, with a particular focus on the Treasury Department:
Worse, Treasury apparently has chosen to ignore rather than support real efforts at reform, such as those advocated by Sheila Bair, the chairwoman of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, to simplify or shrink the most complex financial institutions.
In the final analysis, it has been Treasury’s broken promises that have turned TARP — which was instrumental in saving the financial system at a relatively modest cost to taxpayers — into a program commonly viewed as little more than a giveaway to Wall Street executives.
It wasn’t meant to be that. Indeed, Treasury’s mismanagement of TARP and its disregard for TARP’s Main Street goals — whether born of incompetence, timidity in the face of a crisis or a mindset too closely aligned with the banks it was supposed to rein in — may have so damaged the credibility of the government as a whole that future policy makers may be politically unable to take the necessary steps to save the system the next time a crisis arises. This avoidable political reality might just be TARP’s most lasting, and unfortunate, legacy.
It should come as no surprise that in Neil Barofsky’s new book, Bailout: An Inside Account of How Washington Abandoned Main Street While Rescuing Wall Street, the author pulls no punches in his criticism of Timothy Geithner. Barofsky has been feeding us some morsels of what to expect from the book by way of some recent articles in Bloomberg News. Here is some of what Barofsky wrote for Bloomberg on July 22:
More important, the financial markets continue to bet that the government will once again come to the big banks’ rescue. Creditors still give the largest banks more favorable terms than their smaller counterparts — a direct subsidy to those that are already deemed too big to fail, and an incentive for others to try to join the club. Similarly, the major banks are given better credit ratings based on the assumption that they will be bailed out.
The missteps by Treasury have produced a valuable byproduct: the widespread anger that may contain the only hope for meaningful reform. Americans should lose faith in their government. They should deplore the captured politicians and regulators who distributed tax dollars to the banks without insisting that they be accountable. The American people should be revolted by a financial system that rewards failure and protects those who drove it to the point of collapse and will undoubtedly do so again.
Only with this appropriate and justified rage can we hope for the type of reform that will one day break our system free from the corrupting grasp of the megabanks.
In his review of Barofsky’s new book, Darrell Delamaide of MarketWatch discussed the smackdown Geithner received from Barofsky:
Barofsky may have an axe to grind, but he grinds it well, portraying Geithner as a dissembling bureaucrat in thrall to the banks and reminding us all that President Barack Obama’s selection of Geithner as his top economic official may have been one of his biggest mistakes, and a major reason the White House incumbent has to fight so hard for re-election.
From his willingness to bail out the banks with virtually no accountability, to his failure to make holders of credit default swaps on AIG take a haircut, to his inability to mount any effective program for mortgage relief, Geithner systematically favored Wall Street over Main Street and created much of the public’s malaise in the aftermath of the crisis.
Barofsky, a former prosecutor, relates that he rooted for Geithner to get the Treasury appointment and was initially willing to give him the benefit of the doubt when it emerged that he had misreported his taxes while he worked at the International Monetary Fund.
But as more details on those unpaid taxes came out and Geithner’s explanations seemed increasingly disingenuous, Barofsky had his first doubts about the secretary-designate.
Barofsky, of course, was not alone in his skepticism, and Geithner’s credibility was damaged from the very beginning by the disclosures about his unpaid taxes.
Barofsky concludes his scathing condemnation of Geithner’s “bank-centric policies” by finding some silver lining in the cloud – that the very scale of the government’s failure will make people angry enough to demand reform.
Once Geithner steps down from his position at the end of the year, we may find that his legacy is defined by Neil Barofsky’s book, rather than any claimed rescue of the financial system.
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Comments Off on Manifesto
For the past few years, a central mission of this blog has been to focus on Washington’s unending efforts to protect, pamper and bail out the Wall Street megabanks at taxpayer expense. From Maiden Lane III to TARP and through countless “backdoor bailouts”, the Federal Reserve and the Treasury Department have been pumping money into businesses which should have gone bankrupt in 2008. Worse yet, President Obama and Attorney General Eric Hold-harmless have expressed no interest in bringing charges against those miscreants responsible for causing the financial crisis. The Federal Reserve’s latest update to its Survey of Consumer Finances for 2010 revealed that during the period of 2007-2010, the median family net worth declined by a whopping thirty-eight percent. Despite the massive extent of wealth destruction caused by the financial crisis, our government is doing nothing about it.
I have always been a fan of economist John Hussman of the Hussman Funds, whose Weekly Market Comment essays are frequently referenced on this website. Professor Hussman’s most recent piece, “The Heart of the Matter” serves as a manifesto of how the financial crisis was caused, why nothing was done about it and why it is happening again both in the United States and in Europe. Beyond that, Professor Hussman offers some suggestions for remedying this unaddressed and unresolved set of circumstances. It is difficult to single out a passage to quote because every word of Hussman’s latest Market Comment is precious. Be sure to read it. What I present here are some hints as to the significance of this important essay:
The ongoing debate about the economy continues along largely partisan lines, with conservatives arguing that taxes just aren’t low enough, and the economy should be freed of regulations, while liberals argue that the economy needs larger government programs and grand stimulus initiatives.
Lost in this debate is any recognition of the problem that lies at the heart of the matter: a warped financial system, both in the U.S. and globally, that directs scarce capital to speculative and unproductive uses, and refuses to restructure debt once that debt has gone bad.
Specifically, over the past 15 years, the global financial system – encouraged by misguided policy and short-sighted monetary interventions – has lost its function of directing scarce capital toward projects that enhance the world’s standard of living. Instead, the financial system has been transformed into a self-serving, grotesque casino that misallocates scarce savings, begs for and encourages speculative bubbles, refuses to restructure bad debt, and demands that the most reckless stewards of capital should be rewarded through bailouts that transfer bad debt from private balance sheets to the public balance sheet.
By our analysis, the U.S. economy is presently entering a recession. Not next year; not later this year; but now. We expect this to become increasingly evident in the coming months, but through a constant process of denial in which every deterioration is dismissed as transitory, and every positive outlier is celebrated as a resumption of growth. To a large extent, this downturn is a “boomerang” from the credit crisis we experienced several years ago. The chain of events is as follows:
Financial deregulation and monetary negligence -> Housing bubble -> Credit crisis marked by failure to restructure bad debt -> Global recession -> Government deficits in U.S. and globally -> Conflict between single currency and disparate fiscal policies in Europe -> Austerity -> European recession and credit strains -> Global recession.
In effect, we’re going into another recession because we never effectively addressed the problems that produced the first one, leaving us unusually vulnerable to aftershocks. Our economic malaise is the result of a whole chain of bad decisions that have distorted the financial markets in ways that make recurring crisis inevitable.
Every major bank is funded partially by depositors, but those deposits typically represent only about 60% of the funding. The rest is debt to the bank’s own bondholders, and equity of its stockholders. When a country like Spain goes in to save a failing bank like Bankia – and does so by buying stock in the bank – the government is putting its citizens in a “first loss” position that protects the bondholders at public expense. This has been called “nationalization” because Spain now owns most of the stock, but the rescue has no element of restructuring at all. All of the bank’s liabilities – even to its own bondholders – are protected at public expense. So in order to defend bank bondholders, Spain is increasing the public debt burden of its own citizens. This approach is madness, because Spain’s citizens will ultimately suffer the consequences by eventual budget austerity or risk of government debt default.
The way to restructure a bank is to take it into receivership, write down the bad assets, wipe out the stockholders and much of the subordinated debt, and then recapitalize the remaining entity by selling it back into the private market. Depositors don’t lose a dime. While the U.S. appropriately restructured General Motors – wiping out stock, renegotiating contracts, and subjecting bondholders to haircuts – the banking system was largely untouched.
If it seems as if the global economy has learned nothing, it is because evidently the global economy has learned nothing. The right thing to do, again, is to take receivership of insolvent banks and wipe out the stock and subordinated debt, using the borrowed funds to protect depositors in the event that the losses run deep enough to eat through the intervening layers of liabilities (which is doubtful), and otherwise using the borrowed funds to stimulate the economy after the restructuring occurs. We’re going to keep having crises until global leaders recognize that short of creating hyperinflation (which also subordinates the public, in this case by destroying the value of currency), there is no substitute for debt restructuring.
For some insight as to why the American megabanks were never taken into temporary receivership, it is useful to look back to February of 2010 when Michael Shedlock (a/k/a“Mish”) provided us with a handy summary of the 224-page Quarterly Report from SIGTARP (the Special Investigator General for TARP — Neil Barofsky). My favorite comment from Mish appeared near the conclusion of his summary:
Clearly TARP was a complete failure, that is assuming the goals of TARP were as stated.
My belief is the benefits of TARP and the entire alphabet soup of lending facilities was not as stated by Bernanke and Geithner, but rather to shift as much responsibility as quickly as possible on to the backs of taxpayers while trumping up nonsensical benefits of doing so. This was done to bail out the banks at any and all cost to the taxpayers.
Was this a huge conspiracy by the Fed and Treasury to benefit the banks at taxpayer expense? Of course it was, and the conspiracy is unraveling as documented in this report and as documented in AIG Coverup Conspiracy Unravels.
On January 29 2010, David Reilly wrote an article for Bloomberg BusinessWeek concerning the previous week’s hearing before the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. After quoting from Reilly’s article, Mish made this observation:
Most know I am not a big believer in conspiracies. I regularly dismiss them. However, this one was clear from the beginning and like all massive conspiracies, it is now in the light of day.
David Reilly began the Bloomberg Business Week piece this way:
The idea of secret banking cabals that control the country and global economy are a given among conspiracy theorists who stockpile ammo, bottled water and peanut butter. After this week’s congressional hearing into the bailout of American International Group Inc., you have to wonder if those folks are crazy after all.
Wednesday’s hearing described a secretive group deploying billions of dollars to favored banks, operating with little oversight by the public or elected officials.
That “secretive group” is The Federal Reserve of New York, whose president at the time of the AIG bailout was “Turbo” Tim Geithner. David Reilly’s disgust at the hearing’s revelations became apparent from the tone of his article:
By pursuing this line of inquiry, the hearing revealed some of the inner workings of the New York Fed and the outsized role it plays in banking. This insight is especially valuable given that the New York Fed is a quasi-governmental institution that isn’t subject to citizen intrusions such as freedom of information requests, unlike the Federal Reserve.
At least in the Eurozone there is fear that the taxpayers will never submit to enhanced economic austerity measures, which would force the citizenry into an impoverished existence so that their increased tax burden could pay off the debts incurred by irresponsible bankers. In the United States there is no such concern. The public is much more compliant. Whether that will change is anyone’s guess.
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Elizabeth Warren Should Run Against Obama
July 21st, 2011 Posted in Uncategorized
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Now that President Obama has thrown Elizabeth Warren under the bus by nominating Richard Cordray to head the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), she is free to challenge Obama in the 2012 election. It’s not a very likely scenario, although it’s one I’d love to see: Warren as the populist, Independent candidate – challenging Obama, the Wall Street tool – who is already losing to a phantom, unspecified Republican.
A good number of people were disappointed when Obama failed to nominate Warren to chair the CFPB, which was her brainchild. It was bad enough that Treasury Secretary “Turbo” Tim Geithner didn’t like her – but once the President realized he was getting some serious pushback about Warren from Senate Republicans – that was all it took. Some Warren supporters have become enamored with the idea that she could challenge Scott Brown for his seat representing Massachusetts in the Senate. However, many astute commentators consider that as a really stupid idea. Here is the reaction from Yves Smith of Naked Capitalism:
We argued yesterday that the Senate was not a good vehicle for advancing Elizabeth Warren’s aims of helping middle class families, since she would have no more, and arguably less power than she has now, and would be expected to defend Democrat/Obama policies, many of which are affirmatively destructive to middle class interests (just less so than what the Republicans would put in place).
A poll conducted in late June by Scott Brown and the Republican National Committee raises an even more basic question: whether she even has a shot at winning.
The poll shows a 25 point gap, which is a massive hurdle, and also indicates that Brown is seen by many voters as not being a Republican stalwart (as in he is perceived to vote for the state’s, not the party’s, interest). A 25 point gap is a near insurmountable hurdle and shows that Warren’s reputation does not carry as far as the Democratic party hackocracy would like her fans to believe. But there’s no reason not to get this pesky woman to take up what is likely to be a poisoned chalice. If she wins, she’s unlikely to get on any important committees, given the Democratic party pay to play system, and will be boxed in by the practical requirements of having to make nice to the party and support Obama positions a meaningful portion of the time. And if she runs and loses, it would be taken as proof that her middle class agenda really doesn’t resonate with voters, which will give the corporocrats free rein (if you can’t sell a liberal agenda in a borderline Communist state like Massachusetts, it won’t play in Peoria either).
Obviously, a 2012 challenge to the Obama Presidency by Warren would be an uphill battle. Nevertheless, it’s turning out to be an uphill battle for the incumbent, as well. David Weidner of MarketWatch recently discussed how Obama’s failure to adequately address the economic crisis has placed the President under the same pressure faced by many Americans today:
He’s about to lose his job.
Blame as much of the problem on his predecessor as you like, the fact is Obama hasn’t come up with a solution. In fact, he’s made things worse by filling his top economic posts with banking-friendly interests, status-quo advisers and milquetoast regulators.
And if there’s one reason Obama loses in 2012, it’ll be because he failed to surround himself with people willing to take drastic action to get the economy moving again.
In effect, Obama’s team has rewarded the banking industry under the guise of “saving the economy” while abandoning citizens and consumers desperate for jobs, credit and spending power.
There was the New York Fed banker cozy with Wall Street: Timothy Geithner.
There was the former Clinton administration official who was the architect of policies that led to the financial crisis: Larry Summers.
There was a career bureaucrat named to lead the Securities and Exchange Commission: Mary Schapiro.
To see just how unremarkable this group is, consider that the most progressive regulator in the Obama administration, Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. Chairman Sheila Bair, was a Republican appointed by Bush.
The lack of action by Obama’s administration of mediocrities is the reason the recovery sputters. In essence, the turnaround depends too much on a private sector that, having escaped failure, is too content to sit out what’s supposed to be a recovery.
What began as a two-step approach: 1) saving the banks, and then 2) saving homeowners, was cut short after the first step.
Instead of extracting more lending commitments from the banks, forcing more haircuts on investors and more demands on business, Obama has let his team of mediocrities allow the debate to be turned on government. The government caused the financial crisis. The government ruined the housing market.
It wasn’t true at the start, but it’s becoming true now.
Despite his status as the incumbent and his $1 billion campaign war chest, President Obama could find himself voted out of office in 2012. When you consider the fact that the Republican Party candidates who are currently generating the most excitement are women (Bachmann and the undeclared Palin) just imagine how many voters might gravitate to a populist female candidate with substantially more brains than Obama.
The disillusionment factor afflicting Obama is not something which can be easily overlooked. The man I have referred to as the “Disappointer-In-Chief” since his third month in office has lost more than the enthusiasm of his “base” supporters – he has lost the false “progressive” image he had been able to portray. Matt Stoller of the Roosevelt Institute explained how the real Obama had always been visible to those willing to look beyond the campaign slogans:
Many people are “disappointed” with Obama. But, while it is certainly true that Obama has broken many many promises, he projected his goals in his book The Audacity of Hope. In Audacity, he discussed how in 2002 he was going to give politics one more shot with a Senate campaign, and if that didn’t work, he was going into corporate law and getting wealthy like the rest of his peer group. He wrote about how passionate activists were too simple-minded, that the system basically worked, and that compromise was a virtue in and of itself in a world of uncertainty. His book was a book about a fundamentally conservative political creature obsessed with process, not someone grounded in the problems of ordinary people. He told us what his leadership style is, what his agenda was, and he’s executing it now.
I expressed skepticism towards Obama from 2005, onward. Paul Krugman, Debra Cooper, and Tom Ferguson among others pegged Obama correctly from day one. Obama broadcast who he was, through his conservative policy focus (which is how Krugman pegged him), his bank backers (which is how Ferguson pegged him), his political support of Lieberman (which is how I pegged him), and his cavalier treatment of women’s issues (which is how Debra Cooper pegged him). He is doing so again, with his choice to effectively remove Elizabeth Warren from the administration.
I just wish Elizabeth Warren would fight back and challenge Obama for The White House. If only . . .
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Discipline Problem
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At the conclusion of a single, five-year term as Chair of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) Sheila Bair is calling it quits. One can hardly blame her. It must have been one hell of an experience: Warning about the hazards of the subprime mortgage market, being ignored and watching the consequences unfold . . . followed by a painful, weekly ritual, which gave birth to a website called Bank Fail Friday.
Bair’s tenure at the helm of the FDIC has been – and will continue to be – the subject of some great reading. On her final day at the FDIC (July 8) The Washington Post published an opinion piece by Ms. Bair in which she warned that short-term, goal-directed thinking could bring about another financial crisis. She also had something to brag about. Despite the efforts of Attorney General Eric Hold-harmless and the Obama administration to ignore the malefaction which brought about the financial crisis and allowed the Wall Street villains to profiteer from that catastrophe, Bair’s FDIC actually stepped up to the plate:
This past week, the FDIC adopted a rule that allows the agency to claw back two years’ worth of compensation from senior executives and managers responsible for the collapse of a systemic, non-bank financial firm.
To date, the FDIC has authorized suits against 248 directors and officers of failed banks for shirking their fiduciary duties, seeking at least $6.8 billion in damages. The rationales the executives come up with to try to escape accountability for their actions never cease to amaze me. They blame the failure of their institutions on market forces, on “dead-beat borrowers,” on regulators, on space aliens. They will reach for any excuse to avoid responsibility.
Mortgage brokers and the issuers of mortgage-based securities were typically paid based on volume, and they responded to these incentives by making millions of risky loans, then moving on to new jobs long before defaults and foreclosures reached record levels.
The difference between Sheila Bair’s approach to the financial/economic crisis and that of the Obama Administration (whose point man has been Treasury Secretary “Turbo” Tim Geithner) was analyzed in a great article by Joe Nocera of The New York Times entitled, “Sheila Bair’s Bank Shot”. The piece was based on Nocera’s “exit interview” with the departing FDIC Chair. Throughout that essay, Nocera underscored Bair’s emphasis on “market discipline” – which he contrasted with Geithner’s fanatic embrace of the exact opposite: “moral hazard” (which Geithner first exhibited at the onset of the crisis while serving as President of the Federal Reserve of New York). Nocera made this point early in the piece:
On financial matters, she seemed to have better political instincts than Obama’s Treasury Department, which of course is now headed by Geithner. She favored “market discipline” – meaning shareholders and debt holders would take losses ahead of depositors and taxpayers – over bailouts, which she abhorred. She didn’t spend a lot of time fretting over bank profitability; if banks had to become less profitable, postcrisis, in order to reduce the threat they posed to the system, so be it. (“Our job is to protect bank customers, not banks,” she told me.)
Bair’s discussion of those early, panic-filled days during September 2008 is consistent with reports we have read about Geithner elsewhere. This passage from Nocera’s article is one such example:
For instance, during the peak of the crisis, with credit markets largely frozen, banks found themselves unable to roll over their short-term debt. This made it virtually impossible for them to function. Geithner wanted the F.D.I.C. to guarantee literally all debt issued by the big bank-holding companies – an eye-popping request.
Bair said no. Besides the risk it would have entailed, it would have also meant a windfall for bondholders, because much of the existing debt was trading at a steep discount. “It was unnecessary,” she said. Instead, Bair and Paulson worked out a deal in which the F.D.I.C. guaranteed only new debt issued by the bank-holding companies. It was still a huge risk for the F.D.I.C. to take; Paulson says today that it was one of the most important, if underrated, actions taken by the federal government during the crisis. “It was an extraordinary thing for us to do,” Bair acknowledged.
Back in April of 2009, the newly-appointed Treasury Secretary met with similar criticism in this great article by Jo Becker and Gretchen Morgenson at The New York Times:
Last June, with a financial hurricane gathering force, Treasury Secretary Henry M. Paulson, Jr. convened the nation’s economic stewards for a brainstorming session. What emergency powers might the government want at its disposal to confront the crisis? he asked.
Timothy F. Geithner, who as president of the New York Federal Reserve Bank oversaw many of the nation’s most powerful financial institutions, stunned the group with the audacity of his answer. He proposed asking Congress to give the president broad power to guarantee all the debt in the banking system, according to two participants, including Michele Davis, then an assistant Treasury secretary.
The proposal quickly died amid protests that it was politically untenable because it could put taxpayers on the hook for trillions of dollars.
“People thought, ‘Wow, that’s kind of out there,’ ” said John C. Dugan, the comptroller of the currency, who heard about the idea afterward. Mr. Geithner says, “I don’t remember a serious discussion on that proposal then.”
But in the 10 months since then, the government has in many ways embraced his blue-sky prescription. Step by step, through an array of new programs, the Federal Reserve and Treasury have assumed an unprecedented role in the banking system, using unprecedented amounts of taxpayer money, to try to save the nation’s financiers from their own mistakes.
Geithner’s utter contempt for market discipline again became a subject of the Nocera-Bair interview when the conversation turned to the infamous Maiden Lane III bailouts.
“I’ve always wondered why none of A.I.G.’s counterparties didn’t have to take any haircuts. There’s no reason in the world why those swap counterparties couldn’t have taken a 10 percent haircut. There could have at least been a little pain for them.” (All of A.I.G.’s counterparties received 100 cents on the dollar after the government pumped billions into A.I.G. There was a huge outcry when it was revealed that Goldman Sachs received more than $12 billion as a counterparty to A.I.G. swaps.)
Bair continued: “They didn’t even engage in conversation about that. You know, Wall Street barely missed a beat with their bonuses.”
“Isn’t that ridiculous?” she said.
This article by Gretchen Morgenson provides more detail about Geithner’s determination that AIG’s counterparties receive 100 cents on the dollar. For Goldman Sachs – it amounted to $12.9 billion which was never repaid to the taxpayers. They can brag all they want about paying back TARP – but Maiden Lane III was a gift.
I was surprised that Sheila Bair – as a Republican – would exhibit the same sort of “true believer-ism” about Barack Obama as voiced by many Democrats who blamed Rahm Emanuel for the early disappointments of the Obama administration. Near the end of Nocera’s interview, Bair appeared taken-in by Obama’s “plausible deniability” defense:
“I think the president’s heart is in the right place,” Bair told me. “I absolutely do. But the dichotomy between who he selected to run his economic team and what he personally would like them to be doing – I think those are two very different things.” What particularly galls her is that Treasury under both Paulson and Geithner has been willing to take all sorts of criticism to help the banks. But it has been utterly unwilling to take any political heat to help homeowners.
The second key issue for Bair has been dealing with the too-big-to-fail banks. Her distaste for the idea that the systemically important banks can never be allowed to fail is visceral. “I don’t think regulators can adequately regulate these big banks,” she told me. “We need market discipline. And if we don’t have that, they’re going to get us in trouble again.”
If Sheila Bair’s concern is valid, the Obama administration’s track record for market discipline has us on a certain trajectory for another financial crisis.
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Unwanted Transparency
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Immediately after assuming office, President Obama promised to provide a greater degree of transparency from his administration:
Transparency and the rule of law will be the touchstones of this presidency.
Did you really believe that? Do you remember Jane Mayer – author of that great book, The Dark Side, which exposed the controversial “enhanced interrogation techniques”? Well, she just wrote an article for The New Yorker, discussing the Obama administration’s use of the Espionage Act of 1917 to press criminal charges in five alleged instances of national security leaks. At the outset of the article, Ms. Mayer made this observation:
Gabriel Schoenfeld, a conservative political scientist at the Hudson Institute, who, in his book “Necessary Secrets” (2010), argues for more stringent protection of classified information, says, “Ironically, Obama has presided over the most draconian crackdown on leaks in our history – even more so than Nixon.”
Meanwhile, another sort of unwanted transparency is catching up with the Obama administration: transparent motives. Many commentators are finally facing-up to the reality that Obama never gave a damn about the unemployment crisis. I have repeatedly emphasized that President Obama’s February, 2009 decision to “punt” on the economic stimulus program – by holding it at $862 billion and relying on the Federal Reserve to “play defense” with quantitative easing programs – was a mistake, similar in magnitude to that of allowing Bin Laden to escape at Tora Bora. In his own “Tora Bora moment”, President Obama decided to rely on the advice of the very people who helped cause the financial crisis, by doing more for the zombie banks of Wall Street and less for Main Street – sparing the banks from temporary receivership (also referred to as “temporary nationalization”) while spending less on financial stimulus. Obama ignored the 50 economists surveyed by Bloomberg News, who warned that an $800 billion stimulus package would be inadequate.
A recent interview with economist Tim Duy focused on the inadequacy of the Economic Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009:
What went wrong with stimulus? Why does unemployment remain so high?
I don’t think anything “went wrong” with the stimulus, other than it simply wasn’t enough to fill the depth of the economic hole caused by the recession. There was simply a lack of political willpower to fully acknowledge the depth of the problem and bring to bear the appropriate resources. The result is an economy that is not bouncing back quickly enough to close the output gap and create sufficient job growth to drive the unemployment rate down lower at a faster pace.
Is the economy not weak enough to justify more stimulus? Or do policy makers think that deficit spending is not able to generate more jobs?
Yes, the economy is weak enough to justify additional stimulus, and the persistently low rates of government debt should prove that current fears of deficit spending are unjustified. Some policymakers appear to believe that a commitment to fiscal austerity will in fact generate more job growth, but this is nonsensical – austerity would only aggravate the existing challenges (as it has in Greece). There is currently no constraint that prevents more fiscal stimulus from being effective in promoting additional economic growth. Longer run, yes, the US federal budget does need to be addressed, but letting growth stagnate now will only intensify that challenge in the future. Policymakers, however, appear enamoured with the idea that these challenges need to be addressed now, and this attitude poses another risk to the recovery.
I want to focus on what Professor Duy described as a “lack of willpower”. That lack of willpower was rooted in a lack of authenticity. President Obama was never concerned about what most of us would consider “economic recovery” – reducing unemployment to just below five percent. Obama’s goal was to do just enough to avoid another Great Depression. Once that goal was accomplished, it was time to move on to other things. My cynicism on this subject was validated in a recent essay by Mark Provost for Truthout, entitled, “Why the Rich Love High Unemployment”. In fact, Provost’s article was met with such widespread enthusiasm that it was republished in its entirety on the following websites: Naked Capitalism, Angry Bear and The Economic Populist. Here are some key points from the piece:
Obama’s advisers often congratulate themselves for avoiding another Great Depression – an assertion not amenable to serious analysis or debate. A better way to evaluate their claims is to compare the US economy to other rich countries over the last few years.
On the basis of sustaining economic growth, the United States is doing better than nearly all advanced economies.
But when it comes to jobs, US policymakers fall short of their rosy self-evaluations.
The gap between economic growth and job creation reflects three separate but mutually reinforcing factors: US corporate governance, Obama’s economic policies and the deregulation of US labor markets.
Obama’s lopsided recovery also reflects lopsided government intervention. Apart from all the talk about jobs, the Obama administration never supported a concrete employment plan. The stimulus provided relief, but it was too small and did not focus on job creation.
The administration’s problem is not a question of economics, but a matter of values and priorities.
Mark Provost’s essay featured this infamous quote from a Washington Post article written by Steven Rattner (Obama’s “car czar” during 2009 – whose task force was overseen by “Turbo” Tim Geithner and Larry Summers):
Perversely, the nagging high jobless rate reflects two of the most promising attributes of the American economy: its flexibility and its productivity. Eliminating jobs – with all the wrenching human costs – raises productivity and, thereby, competitiveness (the president’s new favorite word). In the long run, increasing productivity is the only route to superior competitiveness.
That kind of efficiency is perhaps our most precious economic asset. However tempting it may be, we need to resist tinkering with the labor market. Policy proposals aimed too directly at raising employment may well collaterally end up dragging on productivity. And weak productivity would exacerbate the downward pressure on wages that caused the last decade to be the first in our history in which wages (after adjustment for inflation) declined.
In other words, productivity is more important than those pesky “wrenching human costs”. Too bad there just isn’t some kind of spray or ointment for those things! This attitude exemplified what Chris Hedges discussed in his book, Death of the Liberal Class. In a recent article for Truthdig, Chris Hedges emphasized how the liberal class “abandoned the human values that should have remained at the core of its activism”:
The liberal class, despite becoming an object of widespread public scorn, prefers the choreographed charade. It will decry the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan or call for universal health care, but continue to defend and support a Democratic Party that has no intention of disrupting the corporate machine. As long as the charade is played, the liberal class can hold itself up as the conscience of the nation without having to act. It can maintain its privileged economic status. It can continue to live in an imaginary world where democratic reform and responsible government exist. It can pretend it has a voice and influence in the corridors of power. But the uselessness and irrelevancy of the liberal class are not lost on the tens of millions of Americans who suffer the indignities of the corporate state. And this is why liberals are rightly despised by the working class and the poor.
To repeat an important statement from Mark Provost’s essay:
The unemployment crisis is destined to continue for several years – thanks to the administration’s abandonment of those human values discussed by Chris Hedges.
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Why Au-scare-ity Still Has Traction
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Many economists have been watching Britain’s experiment with austerity for quite a while. Britain has been following a course of using cuts in government programs along with mass layoffs of public sector workers in attempt to stimulate economic growth. Back in February, economist Dean Baker made this observation:
Three months ago, I noted that the United States might benefit from the pain being suffered by the citizens of the United Kingdom. The reason was the new coalition government’s commitment to prosperity through austerity. As predicted, this looks very much like a path to pain and stagnation, not healthy growth.
That’s bad news for the citizens of the United Kingdom. They will be forced to suffer through years of unnecessarily high unemployment. They will also have to endure cutbacks in support for important public services like healthcare and education.
But the pain for the people in England could provide a useful example for the United States.
Prior to this episode, there was already a solid economic case that large public deficits were necessary to support the economy in the period following the collapse of an asset bubble. The point is simply that the private sector is not prepared to make up the demand gap, at least in the short term. Both short-term and long-term interest rates are pretty much as low as they can be.
From this side of the pond, though, the goal is simply to encourage people to pay attention. The UK might be home to 60 million people, but from the standpoint of US economic policy, it is simply exhibit A: it is the country that did what our deficit hawks want to do in the US.
The takeaway lesson should be “austerity does not work; don’t go there.” Unfortunately, in the land of faith-based economics, evidence does not count for much. The UK may pursue a disastrous austerity path and those of us in the United States may still have to follow the same road anyhow.
After discussing the above-quoted commentary by Dean Baker, economist Mark Thoma added this:
Yes — it’s not about evidence, it’s about finding an excuse to implement an ideology. The recession got in the way of those efforts until the idea that austerity is stimulative came along. Thus, “austerity is stimulative” is being used very much like “tax cuts increase revenues.” It’s a means of claiming that ideological goals are good for the economy so that supporters in Congress and elsewhere have a means of rationalizing the policies they want to put in place. It’s the idea that matters, and contrary evidence is brushed aside.
There seems to be an effort in many quarters to deny that the financial crisis ever happened. Although it will eventually become absolutely imperative to get deficits under control, most sober economists emphasize that attempting to do so before the economy begins to recover and before the unemployment crisis is even addressed – would destroy any chance of economic recovery. Barack Obama’s opponents know that the easiest route toward subverting the success of his re-election campaign involves undermining any efforts toward improving the economy to any degree by November of 2012. Beyond that, the fast-track implementation of a British-style austerity program could guarantee a double-dip recession, which could prove disastrous to Obama’s re-election hopes. As a result, the pressure is on to initiate some significant austerity measures as quickly as possible. The propaganda employed to expedite this effort involves scaring the sheeple into believing that the horrifying budget deficit is about to bite them in the ass right now. There is a rapidly increasing drumbeat to crank-up the scare factor.
Of course, the existence of this situation is the result of Obama’s own blunder. Although he did manage to defeat Osama bin Laden, President Obama’s February, 2009 decision to “punt” on the economic stimulus program – by holding it at $862 billion and relying on the Federal Reserve to “play defense” with quantitative easing programs – was a mistake, similar in magnitude to that of allowing Bin Laden to escape at Tora Bora. In his own “Tora Bora moment”, President Obama decided to rely on the advice of the very people who helped cause the financial crisis, by doing more for the zombie banks of Wall Street and less for Main Street – by sparing the banks from temporary receivership (also referred to as “temporary nationalization”) while spending less on financial stimulus. Obama ignored the 50 economists surveyed by Bloomberg News, who warned that an $800 billion stimulus package would be inadequate. In April of 2009, Obama chose to parrot the discredited “money multiplier” myth, fed to him by Larry Summers and “Turbo” Tim Geithner, in order to justify continuous corporate welfare for the megabanks. If Obama had followed the right course, by pushing a stronger, more infrastructure-based stimulus program through the Democrat-controlled Senate and House, we would be enjoying a more healthy economy right now. A significant number of the nearly fifteen million people currently unemployed could have found jobs from which they would now be paying income taxes, which reduce the deficit. But that didn’t happen. President Obama has no one else to blame for that error. His opponents are now attempting to “snowball” that mistake into a disaster that could make him a one-term President.
Former Labor Secretary Robert Reich saw this coming back in March:
House Majority Leader Eric Cantor recently stated the Republican view succinctly: “Less government spending equals more private sector jobs.”
In the past I’ve often wondered whether they’re knaves or fools. Now I’m sure. Republicans wouldn’t mind a double-dip recession between now and Election Day 2012.
They figure it’s the one sure way to unseat Obama. They know that when the economy is heading downward, voters always fire the boss. Call them knaves.
What about the Democrats? Most know how fragile the economy is but they’re afraid to say it because the White House wants to paint a more positive picture.
And most of them are afraid of calling for what must be done because it runs so counter to the dominant deficit-cutting theme in our nation’s capital that they fear being marginalized. So they’re reduced to mumbling “don’t cut so much.” Call them fools.
Professor Simon Johnson, former Chief Economist of the International Monetary Fund, recently brought the focus of the current economic debate back to where it belongs:
In the nation’s latest fiscal mood swing, the mainstream consensus has swung from “we must extend the Bush tax cuts” (in December 2010) towards “we must immediately cut the budget deficit.” The prevailing assumption, increasingly heard from both left and right, is that we already have far too much government debt – and any further significant increase will likely ruin us all.
This way of framing the debate is misleading – and very much at odds with US fiscal history. It masks the deeper and important issues here, which are much more about distribution, in particular how much are relatively wealthy Americans willing to transfer to relatively poor Americans?
The real budget debate is not about a few billion here or there – for example in the context of when the government’s “debt ceiling” will be raised. And it is not particularly about the last decade’s jump in government debt level – although this has grabbed the headlines, this is something that we can grow out of (unless the political elite decides to keep cutting taxes).
The real issue is how much relatively rich people are willing to pay and on what basis in the form of transfers to relatively poor people – and how rising healthcare costs should affect those transfers.
As the Tea Partiers flock to movie theaters to watch Atlas Shrugged, perhaps it’s time for a porno send-up, based on a steamy encounter between Ayn Rand and Gordon Gekko called, Greed Feels Good.
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Time For Another Victory Lap
May 9th, 2011 Posted in Uncategorized
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I’m no cheerleader for President Obama. Since he first became our Disappointer-In-Chief, I have vigorously voiced my complaints about his decisions. At the end of President Obama’s first month in office, I expressed concern that his following the advice of “Turbo” Tim Geithner and Larry Summers was putting the welfare (pun intended) of the Wall Street banks ahead of the livelihoods of those who voted for him. I lamented that this path would lead us to a ten-year, Japanese-style recession. By September of 2010, it was obvious that those early decisions by the new President would prove disastrous for the Democrats at the mid-term elections. At that point, I repeated my belief that Obama had been listening to the wrong people when he decided to limit spending on the economic stimulus package to approximately half of what was necessary to end the economic crisis:
Even before the stimulus bill was signed into law, the administration had been warned, by way of an article in Bloomberg News, that a survey of fifty economists revealed that the proposed $787 billion stimulus package would be inadequate.
Last week, I was about to write a piece, describing that decision as “Obama’s Tora Bora moment”. When I sat down at my computer just after 11 p.m. on Sunday, I realized that the timing wouldn’t have been appropriate for such a metaphor. The President was about to make his historic speech, announcing that Osama Bin Laden had been killed. Just as many have criticized the Obama administration’s handling of the disaster in the Gulf of Corexit as “Obama’s Katrina Moment”, I believe that the President’s decision to “punt” on the stimulus – by holding it at $862 billion and relying on the Federal Reserve to “play defense” with quantitative easing programs – was a mistake, similar in magnitude to that of allowing Bin Laden to escape at Tora Bora. The consequences have been enormously expensive (simply adding the $600 billion cost of QE 2 alone to a better-planned stimulus program would have reduced our current unemployment level to approximately 5%). Beyond that, the advocates of “Austerian” economics have scared everyone in Washington into the belief that the British approach is somehow the right idea – despite the fact that their economy is tanking. Never mind the fact Australia’s stimulus program was successful and ended the recession in that country.
The Fox Ministry of Truth has brainwashed a good number of people into believing that Obama’s stimulus program (a/k/a the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009) was a complete failure. You will never hear the Fox Ministry of Truth admit that prominent Republican economist Keith Hennessey, the former director of the National Economic Council under President George W. Bush, pointed out that the 2009 stimulus “increased economic growth above what it otherwise would have been”. The Truth Ministry is not likely to concede that John Makin of the conservative think-tank, the American Enterprise Institute, published this statement at the AEI website:
Absent temporary fiscal stimulus and inventory rebuilding, which taken together added about 4 percentage points to U.S. growth, the economy would have contracted at about a 1 percent annual rate during the second half of 2009.
On the other hand, count me among those who are skeptical that the Federal Reserve’s monetary policy can have any impact on our current unemployment crisis (it hasn’t yet).
Many of Obama’s critics have complained that the Presidential appearance at Ground Zero was an inappropriate “victory lap” – despite the fact that George W. Bush was invited to the event (although he declined). Not only was that victory lap appropriate – Obama is actually entitled to run another. As E.J. Dionne pointed out, the controversial “nationalization” of the American auto industry (what should have been done to the Wall Street banks) has become a huge success:
The actual headlines make the point. “Demand for fuel-efficient cars helps GM to $3.2 billion profit,” declared The Washington Post. “GM Reports Earnings Tripled in First Quarter, as Revenue Jumped 15 Percent,” reported The New York Times.
“Having the federal government involved in every aspect of the private sector is very dangerous,” Rep. Dan Burton, R-Ind., told Fox News in December 2008. “In the long term it could cause us to become a quasi-socialist country.” I don’t see any evidence that we have become a “quasi-socialist country,” just big profits.
Rep. Lamar Smith, R-Texas, called the bailout “the leading edge of the Obama administration’s war on capitalism,” while other members of Congress derided the president’s auto industry task force. “Of course we know that nobody on the task force has any experience in the auto business, and we heard at the hearing many of them don’t even own cars,” declared Rep. Louie Gohmert, R-Texas, after a hearing on the bailout in May 2009. “And they’re dictating the auto industry for our future? What’s wrong with this picture?”
In the case of the car industry, allowing the market to operate without any intervention by government would have wiped out a large part of the business that is based in Midwestern states. This irreversible decision would have damaged the economy, many communities and tens of thousands of families.
And contrary to the predictions of the critics, government officials were quite capable of working with the market in restructuring the industry. Government didn’t overturn capitalism. It tempered the market at a moment when its “natural” forces were pushing toward catastrophe. Government had the resources to buy the industry time.
In fairness, President Obama has finally earned some bragging rights, after punting on health care, the stimulus and financial “reform”. He knows his Republican opponents will never criticize him for his own “Tora Bora moment” – because to do so would require an admission that a more expensive economic stimulus was necessary in 2009. As a result, it will be up to an Independent candidate or a Democratic challenger to Obama (less likely these days) to explain that the persistent economic crisis – our own “lost decade” – lingers on as a result of Obama’s “Tora Bora moment”.
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More Wisdom From Jeremy Grantham
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One of my favorite commentators, Paul Farrell of MarketWatch, recently discussed some of the prescient essays of Jeremy Grantham, who manages over $100 billion as chief executive of an asset management firm – GMO. Paul Farrell reminded us that Grantham warned of the impending financial crisis in July of 2007, which came as a surprise to those vested with the responsibility of paying attention to such advice. As Farrell pointed out:
Our nation’s leaders are in denial, want happy talk, bull markets, can’t even see the crash coming, even though the warnings were everywhere for years. Why the denial? Grantham hit the nail on the head: Our leaders are “management types who focus on what they are doing this quarter or this annual budget and are somewhat impatient.”
Paul Farrell is warning of an “inevitable crash that is coming possibly just before the Presidential election in 2012”. He incorporated some of Grantham’s rationale in his own discussion about how and why this upcoming crash will come as another surprise to those who are supposed to help us avoid such things:
Most business, banking and financial leaders are short-term thinkers, focused on today’s trades, quarterly earnings and annual bonuses. Long-term historical thinking is a low priority.
Paul Farrell’s article was apparently written in anticipation of the release of Jeremy Grantham’s latest Quarterly Letter at the conclusion of the first quarter of 2011. Grantham’s newest discourse is entitled, “Time to Wake Up: Days of Abundant Resources and Falling Prices Are Over Forever”. The theme is best summed-up by these points from the “summary” section:
From now on, price pressure and shortages of resources will be a permanent feature of our lives. This will increasingly slow down the growth rate of the developed and developing world and put a severe burden on poor countries.
We all need to develop serious resource plans, particularly energy policies. There is little time to waste.
After applying some common sense and simple mathematics to the bullish expectations of immeasurable growth ahead, Grantham obviously upset many people with this sober observation:
Rapid growth is not ours by divine right; it is not even mathematically possible over a sustained period. Our goal should be to get everyone out of abject poverty, even if it necessitates some income redistribution. Because we have way overstepped sustainable levels, the greatest challenge will be in redesigning lifestyles to emphasize quality of life while quantitatively reducing our demand levels.
We have all experienced the rapid spike in commodity prices: more expensive gas at the pump, higher food prices and widespread cost increases for just about every consumer item. Many economists and other commentators have blamed the Federal Reserve’s ongoing program of quantitative easing for keeping interest rates so low that the enthusiasm for speculation on commodities has been enhanced, resulting in skyrocketing prices. Surprisingly, Grantham is not entirely on board with that theory:
The Monetary Maniacs may ascribe the entire move to low interest rates. Now, even I know that low rates can have a large effect, at least when combined with moral hazard, on the movement of stocks, but in the short term, there is no real world check on stock prices and they can be, and often are, psychologically flakey. But commodities are made and bought by serious professionals for whom today’s price is life and death. Realistic supply and demand really is the main influence.
Grantham demonstrated that most of the demand pressure on commodities is being driven by China. This brings us to his latest prediction and dire warning:
The significance here is that given China’s overwhelming influence on so many commodities, especially in terms of the percentage China represents of new growth in global demand, any general economic stutter in China can mean very big declines in some of their prices.
You can assess on your own the probabilities of a stumble in the next year or so. At the least, I would put it at 1 in 4, while some of my colleagues think the odds are much higher. If China stumbles or if the weather is better than expected, a probability I would put at, say, 80%, then commodity prices will decline a lot. But if both events occur together, it will very probably break the commodity markets en masse. Not unlike the financial collapse. That was a once in a lifetime opportunity as most markets crashed by over 50%, some much more, and then roared back.
Modesty should prevent me from quoting from my own July 2008 Quarterly Letter, which covered the first crash.
In the next decade, the prices of all raw materials will be priced as just what they are, irreplaceable. If the weather and China syndromes strike together, it will surely produce the second “once in a lifetime” event in three years.
For the near-term, we appear to be in an awful double-bind: either we get crushed by increasing commodity prices – or – commodities will become plentiful and cheap, causing the world economy to crash once again. It won’t bother Wall Street at all, because The Ben Bernank and “Turbo” Tim will be ready and willing to provide abundant bailouts – again, at taxpayer expense.
2012 Presidential election, Abundant Resources and Falling Prices, bull markets, China, commodities, commodities speculation, commodity prices, economic growth, economists, energy policy, Federal Reserve, financial crisis, food prices, gasoline prices, GMO, income redistribution, inevitable crash, interest rates, Jeremy Grantham, John T Burke Jr, MarketWatch, Monetary Maniacs, monetary policy, moral hazard, More Wisdom From Jeremy Grantham, natural resources, Paul Farrell, poverty, quantitative easing, Quarterly Letter, raw materials, shortages of resources, skyrocketing prices, stock prices, supply and demand, taxpayer expense, The Ben Bernank, Turbo Tim, Turbo Tim Geithner, Wall Street
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The Chronicle / Featured / Sight Seeker Long-time vision support group leader steps down
Sight Seeker Long-time vision support group leader steps down
Written by admin. Posted in Featured, Health & Wellness, Senior Living
Published on February 06, 2019 with No Comments
by Steve Euvino
After so many years, it’s time to take it easy. After nearly two decades as president of the Valparaiso Low Vision Support Group, Verne Sanford is stepping down.
Since 2002, Sanford has been making friends while working to help others, like himself, with vision problems. They’re not alone. According to the National Eye Institute, an estimated 135 million persons worldwide suffer a vision condition.
For Sanford, it all started in the early part of this century, when a minister at First United Methodist Church in Valparaiso saw a need for helping people with low vision.
As Sanford recalled, “I saw an interest and I liked it. It’s a place where people can come, get acquainted, and get some answers regarding vision.”
That started his involvement and leadership in the group, which has met at two Valparaiso sites, First United Methodist Church and Pines Village Retirement Communities, and now at Tradewinds Rehabilitation in the Ross Township section of Hobart and Banta Center in Valparaiso.
“We give information to people regarding low vision, for people with different eye diseases and conditions,” Sanford said. “People can learn from the group and slow down eye destruction.”
He added, “There’s a camaraderie in the group. You don’t feel alone anymore. People see other people with similar problems and they’re working to fight the problem together.”
A retired educator, Sanford has suffered from choroideremia, a hereditary condition, all of his 83 years. According to Fighting Blindness, choroideremia is a genetic condition characterized by progressive vision loss that mainly affects males. The first symptom of this condition is usually an impairment of night vision (night blindness), which can occur in early childhood.
Sanford’s condition is due to a degeneration of the specialized light-sensing photoreceptor cells that line the back of the eye.
Meetings feature guest speakers and printed material for distribution. Speakers address such topics as eye damage and cures, transportation, and related eye care equipment, including talking books. The group has also sponsored social outings, as well as a Christmas party, and had a float in the Valparaiso Popcorn Parade.
Transportation is a particular concern for those with vision issues, Sanford noted, because it directly impacts personal independence. Although Sanford drove as a teen-ager, he can no longer get behind the wheel.
Today, Sanford lives in Valparaiso with his wife of 60 years, Marie. The couple has five children, 21 grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.
Sanford retired after teaching math at Valparaiso University for 27 years. Originally from Waukegan, Ill., he also tutored at the University of Michigan and taught at a business school in Boston. He spent much of his life in Grand Forks, N.D.
As to the group, Sanford noted, “I’ve learned a lot and I enjoy being with people and being able to help. I’ve learned how people handle different eye problems. It’s interesting to watch how people handle their conditions.”
Meetings may draw as many as a dozen people. Numbers vary, Sanford said, because people receive the information they need and then move on with their lives.
“We’ve got a little family of people with every eye condition,” Sanford said. “Some people come and cry, because they can’t do what they want to do. We try to talk them through this.”
Marie Sanford added, “It’s interesting to see how people solve their problems.”
She cited, as an example, how drivers and others who accompanied group members used to leave or go to another room when the meeting begins. Eventually, she said, those companions remained in the room to learn how they could better help their husband, wife, or friend.
For more information on the Valparaiso Low Vision Support Group, call 219-464-1867. The group is free and open to the public.
Verne Sanford, a retired educator, has stepped down as president of the Valparaiso Low Vision Support Group.
Low vision is a visual impairment, not correctable by standard glasses, contact lenses, medicine, or surgery, that interferes with a person’s ability to perform everyday activities.
What causes low vision?
Low vision can result from a variety of diseases, disorders, and injuries that affect the eye. Many people with low vision have age-related macular degeneration, cataract, glaucoma, or diabetic retinopathy. Age-related macular degeneration accounts for almost 45 percent of all cases of low vision.
How many people have low vision?
Millions of Americans have low vision. About 135 million people around the world have low vision
What should a person do if he or she has low vision?
First, note the kinds of vision problems that are occurring. Some warning signs include the following:
Trouble reading, cooking, or sewing.
Trouble seeing because the lights don’t seem as bright as usual.
Trouble recognizing the faces of friends and relatives.
Trouble crossing the street or reading signs.
A person who is having these vision difficulties should immediately make an appointment with an eye care professional for an eye examination. If the person’s vision cannot be treated by conventional methods, such as glasses, contact lenses, medication, or surgery, then he or she should ask the eye care professional for information about vision rehabilitation. These services may include eye examinations, a low vision evaluation, training on how to use visual and adaptive devices, support groups, and training on how to perform everyday activities in new ways.
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Lenovo IdeaCentre Horizon
The Lenovo IdeaCentre Horizon on display in Hong Kong
The Lenovo IdeaCentre Horizon is a table PC released at the 2013 International CES. The Horizon has a 27-inch screen and is designed for multiple simultaneous users. It was designed specifically with tabletop gaming in mind but can also serve as a desktop computer.
The Horizon is Lenovo's first table computer. Peter Hortensius, a senior Lenovo executive said, "We've seen technology shifts across the four screens, from the desktop to the laptop, tablet and smartphone, and yet … there is still room for technologies like Horizon that bring people together." The Horizon was announced at the International CES in Las Vegas. Lenovo started selling the Horizon early in the summer of 2013 at a starting price of US$1,699.
The Horizon runs Windows 8 and has a 27-inch ten-point multitouch display with Aura, a software interface designed to support multiple simultaneous users. Touch based apps that can be launched with Aura include a photo browser, media players, games, and educational titles. The multitouch display, along with included detachable controllers in the form of joysticks, electronic dice, and air-hockey paddles, will facilitate game play, especially digital board games such as Monopoly. When the Horizon is placed flat a specialized user interface called a moon dial appears that allows interaction with the device from any direction. The unit can also be set upright via its rear kickstand to be used as conventional desktop computer paired with a keyboard and mouse.
The Horizon has an internal battery to enable unplugged use but its size, weight of 17 pounds, and two-hour battery life it is clearly not intended to be a mobile device. The Horizon uses Intel Core i3 and Core i7 processors, can hold up to 8GB of DDR3 RAM, can be ordered with hard drives up to 1TB in size, and includes Nvidia's GeForce graphics chips.
The Horizon comes with nine games pre-installed, each chosen in order to exploit the large screen and its multitouch capabilities. Major game and app developers such as Electronic Arts, FableVision, Open Labs, Ubisoft, and FilmOn TV have cooperated Lenovo to release software for the Horizon. Lenovo has launched an app store dedicated to the Horizon. Lenovo allows anyone to download the Horizon's software development kit.
The Horizon was displayed with a four-wheel stand that is probably best suited for institutional environments. Lenovo also displayed the Horizon mounted flat in a coffee table with motorized sliding leaves that conceal the electronics entirely, making the table look like a normal piece of furniture. A set of motors in the table allows the screen to be raised and titled like a conventional desktop computer. Lenovo sells an optional rolling table for US$300.
The Horizon was named by CNET's editors "Best of CES PCs and Tablets" for 2013. CNET stated, "Lenovo's Horizon Table PC received the award in the PCs and tablets category because it offers multiple new ways to use a computer, including a new way to integrate a PC into your home. It inspires conversation and some new thinking, and for that the Horizon deserves recognition."
In a review, Alex Roth of TechRader wrote, "When you like at it as an all-in-one, the Lenovo Horizon Table PC isn't so niche. Packing everything inside that 27-inch touch display for the sort of simple, elegant presentation we usually see from Apple. While the reclined mode is the most fun, it's also the least practical. If you've got the space, it would be a great way to share vacation photos or play a board game or two. The fact that Lenovo has garnered support from EA Games and Ubisoft, giants of the gaming space, has us hopeful that more apps will be designed for this unique device. Finally, it's not terribly expensive either, at least for the lower end version. i3 configurations start at only $999, so even if you're not running your own graphic design firm, the Horizon Table PC isn't out of your reach."
In a review for the New York Times David Pogue wrote, "One thing the Horizon certainly is, though, is novel. The concept really is fresh. And it neatly dispenses with the common refrain that electronic entertainment encourages isolation and represents a step down from the olden days, when families gathered around the coffee table for game nights." Pogue also stated, "Sadly, game nights around the Horizon may not become as much of a tradition as the old board games made of wood or cardboard. First, because as clever as the Aura world is, the games are a little laggy. You can get a little frustrated playing the air hockey game. It’s just not as responsive as you’d like. Often, that sluggishness really saps some of the joy."
Back to Lenovo
Last updated on 5 April 2016 at 15:41.
Labels: Lenovo Lenovo IdeaCentre Horizon Tabletop
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“Mountain” of bike park hand tools repaired by MBAS horticulture students
Posted On Wednesday, 27 June 2018 10:18
By Stephan Bosman
One of the philosophies behind the horticulture courses at Mercury Bay Area School is for students to learn and do.
It’s a philosophy that’s being put to great benefit of the local community and the environment. One of the most recent recipients of the students’ newfound skills and generosity was the Whitianga Bike Park.
“Many people think horticulture is just about growing things,” says Jamie Hutt, the MBAS teacher responsible for delivery of the MBAS NCEA Level 1 and 2 horticulture courses. “That cannot be further from the truth. Propagating, planting and caring for trees and plants are certainly important, but landscaping and caring for equipment is also important. Our NCEA Level 2 students are this term focusing on hand tools and small engines. They’re learning how to properly clean, sharpen and oil hand tools and how to service affect minor repairs to things like lawnmowers and line trimmers.
“We mostly ask school teachers to bring us their tools and equipment to work on, but there just weren’t enough hand tools this year to repair. Fortunately we became aware that the Whitianga Bike Park needed some help and we asked them to bring their hand tools to us.”
The bike park is a large area and a huge amount of ongoing maintenance is required. The maintenance is mostly carried out by volunteers using hand tools. The tools get worn out and break. A few weeks ago, the bike park delivered a lot (the word “mountain” is probably more appropriate) of their tools to the MBAS horticulture students’ maintenance shed on the school campus. The NCEA Level 2 students took to the task with gusto.
“It took about two weeks for the students to conquer the bike park’s tools and the finished product was nothing short of impressive,” says Jamie. “I’m really proud of what the students have achieved. “The tools were al cleaned oiled and sharpened, ready to go for another few years. A spade or two were broken beyond repair, but the students really thought outside the box and repurposed the broken tools into other types of tools that may come in handy at some point in time.”
The number of MBAS horticulture students remains relatively steady. “We have every year around 10 NCEA Level 1 and 10 NCEA Level 2 students,” says Jamie.
The course started at MBAS five years ago when Jamie, who’s also a science teacher, joined MBAS from Raglan Area School. “I taught horticulture while I was in Raglan and thought MBAS would benefit from a similar course,” he says. “Fortunately John Wright, the school principal, agreed with me and I must say the course gets enormous support from both the school and the wider community.
“Among the community projects we’re involved in are native trees in Kuaotunu we’re looking after and the planting and maintenance of trees in the Rings Beach wetlands. From time to time we also get involved in projects on Great Mercury Island and when we grow vegetables, most of the produce gets donated to worthy causes in the community.”
Alicia Herranz is one of the MBAS NCEA Level 2 horticulture students. She’s an international student from California. She says that she chose to attend MBAS for part of her high school studies as the school is offering her opportunities she would never be able to experience back home. “The horticulture course is one such opportunity,” she says. “Not only is it a lot of fun, it’s actually equipping me to pursue a career, should I wish to do so, that I never would have considered before.”
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#58 Latrelle Lee
POS. DL
HT. 6' 2"
HOMETOWN Dothan, Ala.
PREV. SCHOOL Dothan HS
2016-17 OVC Commissioner's Honor Roll
2016 - Junior Season
Played in 11 games, starting six at defensive end… Registered 25 tackles, 11 solo, 4.5 for loss and 2.5 sacks… Reeled in a season high five tackles at Eastern Illinois (10/8)… Earned four tackles with season highs in tackles for loss (1.5) and sacks (1.0)… Collected three tackles and 0.5 sacks at Southeast Missouri (11/19)… Recorded three tackles with a half a sack and another half a tackle for loss at Murray State (10/29)
2015 - Sophomore Season
Started and played in nine games at defensive end… Finished with 29 tackles, 6.5 tackles-for-loss, 4.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, a fumble recovery and a quarterback hurry… Registered season highs of 2.5 tackles-for-loss and two sacks against Murray State (11/7) while making four stops… Had a season high five tackles versus Jackson State (9/12) at the Southern Heritage Classic… Opened the season with two tackles-for-loss against Alabama State (9/6) in the John Merritt Classic
2014 - Freshmen Season
Played in seven contests… Made five tackles on the year (four solo)… Notched a career-high two stops in the season opener against Edward Waters (Aug. 30)…
Dothan HS
Started at defensive end for Dothan High School… Made 87 stops and 16 tackles for loss during his senior year… Recorded 13 sacks in his career… Tallied 93 wrap-ups as a junior… Named team Most Valuable Defensive Lineman in 2013… Had an offer from Alabama State… Can bench press 315 pounds and squat 405… Ran the 40-yard dash in 4.7 seconds… Led his team to a 6-4 record as a senior… Attended the same high school as fellow 2014 recruit Josh Bighems… Son of Nichelle Lee… Majoring in Criminal Justice... Born September 15, 1995.
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Latest News | News Archive |
TUCA opens its doors to the industry
The Tunnelling and Underground Construction Academy (TUCA) has flung open its doors to the first wave of students. The training courses at launch included the Tunnel Safety Card, health and safety training, precast concrete manufacture and tunnel operations.
A Crossrail spokesman said, “TUCA students will be made up of new entrants to the industry as well as Crossrail’s contractors’ existing workforces. Those already working in the industry can up-skill or formalise their knowledge through nationally accredited technical and safety training including apprenticeships, NVQs and other programmes.
“Facilities will replicate the key areas of a fully-automated tunnelling project. These will include a simulated tunnel boring machine environment, supported by a TBM backup area, with a loco and narrow gauge railway to the rear. There will be a separate chamber for Sprayed Concrete operations in addition to a large underground construction workshop. TUCA will also have four teaching rooms, a test centre for online safety tests, a large refectory and a Learning Resource Centre.
The spokesman added, “An Industry Advisory Panel, comprising representatives from client and contractor organisations involved in underground construction, will ensure the training on offer at TUCA is world-class and responsive to the needs of industry. The Panel will include representatives of Thames Water and National Grid.”
The GBP 13M training centre should be fully open early in 2012. The spokesman added, “In addition to the Tunnelling and Underground Construction Academy, Crossrail has committed to delivering at least 400 apprentices through its supply chain over the lifetime of the project. The first 20 apprentices are now employed on Crossrail and this number will increase as intensive station construction and tunnelling gets underway.”
Mayor of London Boris Johnson said, “I am a huge supporter of the aims of this academy and I am thrilled that it is now enrolling its first students. At the height of construction many thousands of people will be working on Crossrail and it will provide a huge economic boost to the capital. Our new academy in east London will be a vital resource and Crossrail is working closely with job centres along the route to ensure as many local people as possible are able to learn the skills necessary to play a part in the largest construction project in the southeast for 50 years.”
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Foreign aid and Ghanaian democracy
UNU-WIDER / Nov 2012
In the WIDER Working Paper 'Ghana: The Limits of External Democracy Assistance' E. Gyimah-Boadi and Theo Yakah look at how donor assistance has helped support elections, parliament, political parties, civil society, and the media in Ghana. They argue that while donor assistance has had a positive effect on Ghana's democratic evolution, donors still face some obstacles to promoting further democratization.
Ghana has made significant democratic gains since it transitioned from a quasi-military to a democratic government in 1992. While major challenges still exist Ghana has not suffered the stagnation or reversion of democracy that has occurred in other African third wave democracies. The strength of Ghana's democracy was recently put to the test following the death of President Mills in July 2012; the smooth transfer of the power to the Vice-President was a good demonstration of how far the system has come. In the WIDER Working Paper 'Ghana: The Limits of External Democracy Assistance' E. Gyimah-Boadi and Theo Yakah look at how donor assistance has helped support elections, parliament, political parties, civil society and the media in Ghana. They argue that while donor assistance has had a positive effect on Ghana's democratic evolution, donors still face some obstacles to promoting further democratization.
Ghana has made continuous improvements in the competitiveness, peacefulness, and credibility of its multi-party elections, demonstrated by the two peaceful turnovers of executive power following the 2008 and 2012 presidential elections. Donors have contributed to this by helping to improve voter registration, providing technical assistance to Ghana's Electoral Commission, supporting the education of Ghana's voters, and supplying vital equipment such as ballot boxes and registration form scanners.
Donors have also helped promote a fruitful dialogue between parties about the issues surrounding elections. In 1995 the Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC), funded by donors, was created for this purpose. Gyimah-Boadi and Yakah point out that through the IPAC, opposition parties won concessions that led to several transparency enhancing reforms at election time. Polling station counting was introduced, ballot boxes were made transparent, and party agents were allowed to be present at polling stations. The ability of parties and candidates to scrutinize and seek corrections to voter registration helped greatly in restoring opposition trust in the electoral process, and contributed to the competitiveness and credibility of the 1996 elections relative to the previous one.
Similarly, Gyimah-Boadi and Yakah argue, continued donor support for civil society organizations campaigning has enabled them to undertake a number of successful projects to increase governmental transparency and accountability. In 1996, donors financed a project, spearheaded by local civic groups, to carry out the first non-partisan election observation. Another donor funded project in 2000 enabled civic groups to observe and report on the unfair treatment and inadequate coverage of opposition parties in the media, helping to overcome another major concern with electoral fairness in Ghana.
However, election administration in Ghana is far from perfect. The integrity of the voters’ registry is questionable, and election officials are often not as professional or experienced as would be desirable. Elections in Ghana are still often fraught with intimidation and violence. Gyimah-Boadi and Yakah argue that these problems remain unaddressed, in spite of sustained donor support.
On transition to democracy, Ghana's parliament inherited a very weak institutional structure due to the fact that under the preceding military administrations it had no role to play. Gyimah-Boadi and Yakah point out that the executive has significant representation in parliament, and that a strong whip system and vast patronage powers of the incumbent president means that the executive largely succeeds in getting its policies through the house. Furthermore, due to the current interpretation of article 108 of the constitution, parliament is actually barred from proposing any initiative or bill which places financial burden on the state. This severely limits the parliament’s ability to seek solutions to the many public policy challenges Ghana faces.
Donors, who recognize Ghana's history of executive dominance, have naturally been keen to improve the capacity of parliament. The most extensive support has been given to strengthening the parliament’s capacity to oversee the country's financial affairs. Donors have run training workshops, and exchange visits, as well as provided support for a number of parliamentary committees, notably the public accounts committee. Gyimah-Boadi and Yakah argue that while the problem of executive dominance remains, donor support has helped increase parliament's accountability role, transparency and public participation.
However, not all donor interventions in Ghana have had a positive effect on the parliament’s capacity to hold the executive to account. The recent growth of budget support, which plays a positive role in promoting Ghana's ownership of its own development process, has the practical effect of further marginalizing parliament's role in financial affairs. Many budgetary decisions regarding both whether budget support is accepted, and how it is used, are made by the presidency and finance ministry, and subject to only perfunctory approval by parliament. Directly channeling external support through the presidency and the finance ministry has made it increasingly difficult for parliament to play a part in deciding how that money is used, and thus parliament’s capacity to hold the executive to account is diminished.
In the 1992 election the National Democratic Congress party (NDC) won 189 of the 200 available seats in parliament, its majority was substantially reduced to 133 in 1996, and in 2000, it lost its parliamentary majority (with only 92 seats) and the presidency to the New Patriotic Party (NPP). Gyimah-Boadi and Yakah suggest that the rise and peaceful transition of power to the NPP in 2001 and the NDC’s victory in the 2008 polls and return to power in 2009 means that Ghana can now be considered a two party system.
Aside from the indirect benefits the opposition parties have gained through improvements to the electoral system, donors have provided direct support for their development. Leadership training, technical assistance, and grant support, have all helped to strengthen the institutional capacity of Ghana's political parties. In particular the two smaller parties, the Convention People's Party and the People's National Convention, have probably only survived due to donor support. Gyimah-Boadi and Yakah point out that these parties add new voices to parliamentary proceedings and provide voters with a vital third option.
However, Ghana's political parties still face significant problems which donors have proven less able to deal with. Chief among these is the problem of incumbency advantage. The incumbent party regularly uses its position to generate funding for campaigns, reward loyal workers with employment in state institutions, and solicit donations from wealthy individuals and private companies. The advantages provided by incumbency are large enough to potentially tip the balance in a close election and as such are a clear obstacle to a party system based on a level playing field. However, Gyimah-Boadi and Yakah point out that there is little donors can do to alter this situation; an incumbent government is unlikely to cooperate with programmes aimed at challenging the very benefits it enjoys.
Civil society and the Media
Both the media and civil society have played key roles in Ghana's democratic development. Private radio stations have consistently provided the most reliable political information, media scrutiny of government transactions has increased, and government representatives now regularly appear on the radio to discuss policy decisions and respond to allegations of wrongdoing. Civil society organizations have staged productive campaigns on issues such as corruption, gender equality, human rights, and social and economic development.
Donor support for the media and civil society has been strong. In 1997 the deportation of a senior US diplomat who had been campaigning for freedom of the press inspired the NPP administration to repeal the criminal libel legislation, which had previously been used to punish unruly journalists. Donor activity is partially responsible for the relaxation of official restrictions on the media which has contributed to Ghana's incredible progress in terms of media liberalization. Furthermore donors have played a role in assisting the technical capacity development of the media by providing both training and financing.
Similarly external funding and technical assistance have been crucial in promoting Ghana's civil society organizations. Bilateral funding is channeled to NGOs in Ghana both directly, and through donations to pooled funds which distribute resources independently. Furthermore donor activity in promoting democracy in Ghana has helped to cement the idea that civil society representatives deserve a role in the country’s policy making and evaluation forums.
Nevertheless, both the media and civil society face lingering problems. The level of professionalism in the media remains low, and journalists play a largely reactive role. The Ghanaian government's continued suspicion of the media is a significant obstacle to improving press freedom. In the same vein, civil society organizations still suffer from limited research capacity, being overly focused on urban areas, and being marginalized if they are considered to be unfriendly by the government.
Gyimah-Boadi and Yakah conclude that while donor support has helped to sustain and improve democracy in Ghana, there are limitations to what it can achieve. They point to two lessons donors can take from the development of democracy in Ghana. First, reforms were most successful when they enjoy support from the incumbent government. But there are many areas where the incumbent government has no incentive to support reform. Second, projects aimed at democratic development will be more successful if they engage both opposition parties and civil society. In Ghana, the demand for greater transparency at election time created an environment which allowed donors to provided assistance in achieving this.
This report by James Stewart summarizes UNU-WIDER working paper no. 2012/40 'Ghana: The Limits of External Democracy Assistance' by E. Gyimah-Boadi and Theo Yakah.
Foreign Aid in Africa: Implications for Democratic Transitions and Consolidation
Economic aid vs. democracy aid: democratic consolidation in Africa
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University of Agribusiness and Rural Development is the successor of Higher School ‘Agricultural College’.
Higher School ‘Agricultural College’ was founded on October 23rd, 1992 by a decision of the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Bulgaria.
Following a positive assessment by NEAA and by a decision of the National Assembly of the Republic of Bulgaria dated November 15th, 2000 published in State Gazette No. 95 of 2000, the higher education institution was granted the status of independent college, which in 2003 received institutional accreditation from NEAA for a five-year period.
In 2008, the Accreditation Council of NEAA gave a positive assessment of the projects for opening branches in Veliko Tarnovo and Rousse.
In 2009, Higher School ‘Agricultural College’ received institutional accreditation for 6 years.
In 2011, the Agricultural College was transformed into University of Agribusiness and Rural Development with a positive assessment by NEAA of the submitted transformation project, Council of Ministers Decision dated May 26th, 2011 and Decision of the 41st National Assembly dated July 06th, 2011 (promulgated in State Gazette No. 54 of 15.07.2011).
In 2013, University of Agribusiness and Rural Development - Plovdiv received institutional accreditation from NEAA with a validity period of 4 (four) years.
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The Ultimate Paranormal Romance Giveaway
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Mr. Selfridge: A Celebration | Topics | WMHT
Mr. Selfridge: A Celebration
Watch Sunday, March 8, 2015 at 9pm on WMHT TV.
Contribute for the Masterpiece Collection
Go behind the scenes of the popular MASTERPIECE series for more intrigue, more glamour and more shopping excitement with Jeremy Piven as the all-American huckster who revolutionized the way Londoners (and ultimately the rest of us) do their shopping.
Season 3: Early Preview See a sneak peek of the new season.
MR. SELFRIDGE: A CELEBRATION highlights the first two seasons of the popular Mr. Selfridge series and offers a sneak peek at Season Three. It Features behind-the-scenes footage and key interviews with the actors and production personnel integral to the series.
The award-winning series is the story of Harry Gordon Selfridge, a flamboyant American entrepreneur who became a department store magnate and exclaimed: “We are going to show the world how to make shopping thrilling!” Mr. Selfridge is deliciously enjoyable not only for its magnificent Edwardian style and focus on class, fashion, and feminism, but for its compelling intrigue and love affairs. These liaisons, including the troubled marriage of Harry and Rose Selfridge (Frances O’Connor) and the intriguingly chaste triangle of Agnes (Aisling Loftus), Victor (Trystan Gravelle), and Henri LeClair (Grégory Fitoussi), have drawn and held a loyal audience. So, too, have the dramatic explorations of the evolving roles of women at the turn of the 20th century. As Harry Selfridge encourages the shift of female employees into jobs traditionally held by men, a number of interesting subplots seem to be blooming for Season Three.
Structured around three themes, MR. SELFRIDGE: A CELEBRATION begins with “Mr. Selfridge: Behind the Counters,” a look back over the first two seasons of the series, providing both a broad overview and a fun review of the plot and characters to bring old and new fans up to date. “The Women of Mr. Selfridge” looks at all the intriguing female characters in this wonderful period drama and explores their relationship to the store, their beaus and, of course, Mr. Selfridge himself. And “Love, Intrigue & Shopping!” will look into the various dalliances, affairs of the heart, and raw power plays frequently found in the series — all set against the background of London’s groundbreaking retail establishment.
Great Broadway Musical Moments From the Ed Sullivan Show
60s Girl Grooves
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Inspiring the next generation of African females into Science
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iamglamscientist July 28, 2017 Innovation, Inspiration, Uncategorized
Kenyan Girls Develop App to End Female Genital Mutilation
Five Kenyan schoolgirls have developed an app to help women and girls end female genital mutilation (FGM).
The girls will soon take part in the yearly international “Technovation” competition in California. Technovation is supported by Google, Verizon — a mobile telephone company — and the United Nations.
The competition supports girls as they learn the skills they need to become technology entrepreneurs and leaders. Girls who develop apps to end problems in their communities can win money. The Kenyan girls hope to win a $15,000 prize for creating “I-cut,” an app that they hope will help end FGM.
I-cut connects girls who may soon be forced to undergo FGM with rescue centers. It also gives legal and medical help to those who are suffering from the effects of FGM. The app has five sections: help, rescue, report, information on FGM and donate and feedback.
The girls are all between 15 and 17 years old. They are the only Africans chosen to take part in this year’s competition. Kenya is one of the most technologically advanced countries on the continent.
Stacy Owino is one of the girls who developed the app. She says “FGM is a big problem affecting girls worldwide and it is a problem we want to solve.” She and the four other developers will fly to California on August 6th for the competition at Google headquarters. They recently visited the computer company’s offices in Nairobi.
Owino said, “This whole experience will change our lives. Whether we win or not, our perspective of the world and the possibilities it has will change for the better.” Ivy Akinyi plans to become a computer programmer. She says she and the other girls “just have to use this opportunity as a stepping stone to the next level.” The girls are from the western city of Kisumu. One of them, Synthia Otieno, says they call themselves the “Restorers” because they want to “restore hope to hopeless girls.”
FGM is illegal in Kenya. But one in four Kenyan women and girls have had their external genitalia either partially or completely removed. The girls are from the Luo tribe, which does not practice FGM. But the girls say they have friends who have been “cut.” Purity Achieng is one of the developers. She says a close friend in school “was cut (and) never came back to school. She was among the smartest girls I knew.”
This is amazing news and we wish the girls all the best! we are rooting for you all!!!
Posted in Innovation, Inspiration, Uncategorized and tagged Africa, app, female genital mutilation, global health, google, Kenya, medicine, Science, technology, technovation, verizon. Bookmark the permalink.
Apply! AfOx Visiting Scholars Programme at the University of Oxford
Apply for the 2018/2019 Chevening Scholarship
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5th car found in I-55 wreckage; at least 1 dead
By Michelle Gallardo
CHICAGO (WLS) -- A fifth car has been discovered in the wreckage after five vehicles, including two semis, caught fire in a large crash on the city's Southwest Side.
At least one person was found dead in the fifth vehicle - a minivan. That person's identity has not been released.
The other four drivers managed to escape the crash on the Stevenson Expressway just east of Cicero Avenue. The expressway was closed in both directions at the crash site for nearly three hours. All lanes of northbound I-55 were reopened by 4 p.m. Southbound I-55 reopened around 12:05 a.m. Tuesday, nearly 14 hours after the crash.
Illinois State Police said the two trucks collided on outbound I-55 near Cicero around 10:50 a.m. Monday. All of the vehicles appeared to be fully engulfed by flames, and thick, black smoke could be seen for miles.
The fire department upgraded the blaze to a two-alarm around 11:25 a.m. State police said one of the semis was hauling a hazardous material - 17,800 lbs. of paint. The other was carrying 40,000 lbs. of frozen meat. A Level 1 hazmat response was called. CFD dispatched a foam truck from Midway International Airport to help put out the flames. The fire was extinguished by around 11:55 a.m.
After the fire was struck, an EMS Plan 1 was called, which sends five ambulances to the scene.
All three cars were destroyed by fire. State police are investigating whether the cars were involved in the original crash or if they were collateral damage.
Traffic on I-55 was backed up for miles in both directions Monday. Drivers were advised to seek alternate routes.
No sooner did the crash take place than the tanker truck of paint burst into flames. The materials spilled, spreading the fire onto four other vehicles, including a second semi.
Just getting the right emergency equipment on site to fight the fire proved a challenge.
"We're concerned about flammable liquids, there's corrosives. We had to regroup, back off, get the proper equipment," said Asst. Deputy Cmsr. Timothy Sampey, CFD. "So we had to stop the traffic in both directions as well as the runoff of the flammable liquid coming towards the traffic stuck in traffic - a lot of things to juggle at first."
The drivers of both trucks were unharmed. One person in a passenger car was taken to the hospital in stable condition, but it wasn't until the fire was struck and a search conducted that a body, inside a minivan stuck underneath the first semi, was discovered.
"It's going to take some time for our investigators to determine exactly what happened. Review all the parties that were involved, all the drivers and passengers if applicable to find out exactly what happened," said Master Sgt. Jason Bradley, ISP.
garfield ridgearcher heightstruck firecrash
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Home News Asad Umar Finally Unveils IMF’s Demands For Bailout Package
Asad Umar Finally Unveils IMF’s Demands For Bailout Package
The Pakistan’s politics took a new u-turn on Thursday (June 20) when former Finance Minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader ‘Asad Umar’ criticized his own party’s tax loaded and bloated budget. For the first time Umar disclosed the bailout conditions of International Monetary Fund (IMF). The controversial staff-level agreement reached between Pakistan and the IMF last month.
Umar shed light on five main conditions of the IMF deal.
The IMF had demanded that Pakistan should opt for free float of the exchange rate but Umar’s position was that the country could not afford the free float.
The IMF also demanded50% increase in electricity prices but the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority’s (Nepra) determination suggested that the increase would not be more than 15%.
On gas prices, the IMF wanted a 94% price increase.
The interest rate in Pakistan was 9%, the IMF wanted a 6% upfront increase to 15%. From there, the interest rate was to be increased to 23% due to increase in inflation, said the ex-finance minister.
IMF had demanded that in the first year the tax-to-GDP ratio must be increased to 13.2%. But the final agreement showed that the tax-to-GDP ratio would be 12.6% by the end of next fiscal year.
Shehbaz Sharif Rejects IMF Dictated Budget
Asad Umar while speaking on the floor of the National Assembly (NA), has urged the Imran Khan led government to reconsider taxes imposed on essential food items. “Tax on sugar has been raised. Prices of sugar have already risen at an alarming rate, and I think this should also be investigated,” said the former finance minister, adding that it was inappropriate to raise tax on sugar when price had already risen at an alarming rate.
“This tax is not appropriate; I think this should be withdrawn. And I believe it should also be investigated why sugar prices are rising at such a rate,” he said. The former finance minister further urged the PM’s Adviser on Finace Dr. Abdul Hafeez Sheikh to take back taxes on edible oil and ghee. He also urged his own government to bring reforms for old age people and said “labourers should be registered at the Employees Old-Age Benefits Institution (EOBI) along with domestic workers.”
While criticizing the Pakistan Muslim Leagie-Nawaz tenure he said, “the PML-N government left the economy in shambles. Due to the government’s efforts, the current account deficit decreased by 70 per cent in just a few months. We need to stop relying on other countries for exports. Instead, we should give a tax exemption to those bringing new business into the country for the next five years.”
Tags: Abdul Hafeez SheikhAsad UmarBudgetImran KhanNational AssemblyPakistan Tehreek-e-InsafPTITaxes
Trump-Xi Meeting Raises Hope For Trade Truce
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ADPAN – Pakistan:- NO EXECUTIONS BASED ON MILITARY COURT’S DECISION WITHOUT BEING ACCORDED THE RIGHT TO APPEAL
September 22, 2017 adpanadmin
Media Statement – 22/9/2017
NO EXECUTIONS BASED ON MILITARY COURT’S DECISION WITHOUT BEING ACCORDED THE RIGHT TO APPEAL
Abolish the Death Penalty, And Re-Introduce the Moratorium on Execution Pending Abolition
ADPAN is appalled reports that another 4 persons, tried by Pakistan’s military courts, may be executed soon after their death sentence was confirmed by the Chief of Army. This Military Court, which came into being in January 2015, for the purpose of speedily trying persons accused of committing terrorist offences, falls short of international fair trial standards and requirements, including the denial of the right to appeal.
Decisions of these military courts, unlike normal criminal courts in Pakistan, are not subject to appeals to the High Court and/or the Supreme Court.
This denial of the right to appeal means appellate courts will not have the opportunity of analysing the evidence produced before the military court or dwelling into the “merits” of the case. This reasonably will increase the possibility of miscarriage of justice, and hence the likelihood of a person not deserving the death penalty (or even an innocent person) to be wrongfully deprived of his/her life.
The Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa confirmed on Wednesday(20/9/2017) the death sentences awarded to four alleged ‘ terrorists’. This ‘confirmation’ is really an execution order, and this four persons could thereafter be executed at any time. (Geo News, 20/9/2017; Sify.com 20/9/2017; Dawn 20/9/2017; Pakistan News Service – PakTribune 21/9/2017 ).
Shabbir Ahmed, Umara Khan, Tahir Ali and Aftabud Din, according to a government statement, vide the Inter Services Public Relations, stated that these 4 persons were ‘involved in killing of 21 persons and injuring another person’ and also that ‘…arms and explosives were also recovered from their possession…’. It also stated that they were tried by military courts that then sentenced them to death.
Earlier this month, on 8/9/2017, it was also reported that Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa had confirmed the death sentence of four other persons, being Raiz Ahmed, Hafeez ur Rehman, Muhammad Saleem and Kifayatullah. (Daily Pakistan, 8/9/2017). These persons were said to have caused the death of 16 persons, and that arms were recovered in their possession. It was also disclosed that 23 others were also awarded imprisonment of various durations by the military courts.
Pakistan had a moratorium on executions for about 8 years, until the end of 2014, when it was lifted for terrorist linked offences, and thereafter for other capital offences. Since then, about 471 persons have been executed for various crimes.
After the December 2014 terrorist attack at the Army Public School in Peshawar, the Pakistan government set up this military court for speedy trial of detained terrorists. The military courts (Field General Court Martial – FGCM) came into being in January 2015, by virtue of Pakistan Army (Amendment) Act, 2015 commonly known as the 21st Constitution Amendment. This legislation had a sunset clause, and would have expired on Jan 7, 2017.
However, in March 2017, President Mamnoon Hussain signed the 23rd Amendment Bill 2017, which has now become an Act of Parliament, that had the effect of extending duration of the military courts for another two years, starting from January 7, 2017.
Article 10 of the UN Declaration of Human Rights stipulates that, ‘Everyone is entitled in full equality to a fair and public hearing by an independent and impartial tribunal, in the determination of his rights and obligations and of any criminal charge against him.’ The trying and sentencing of a person/s allegedly committing a certain kind of offence before a special ‘court’, different from the court having the jurisdiction to try criminal cases in Pakistan may also be considered discriminatory,
Article 14(5) of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which Pakistan ratified in 2010, states clearly that, ‘ Everyone convicted of a crime shall have the right to his conviction and sentence being reviewed by a higher tribunal according to law.’
The current unavailability of the right of appeal to higher courts on convictions and/or sentences of these military courts is clearly is a violation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and a denial of the right to a fair trial.
ADPAN calls on Pakistan not to proceed with the executions of persons convicted and sentenced to death by the military courts, until they have been accorded the right to a fair trial including the right to have the conviction and sentence reviewed by a higher tribunal, which would reasonably be the High Court and thereafter the Supreme Court of Pakistan;
ADPAN calls for the repeal of the Constitution Amendment/s and the law that created these military courts;
ADPAN calls for all persons charged with a crime in Pakistan be tried by the already existing criminal courts of Pakistan, and shall be accorded a fair and public hearing by an independent and impartial tribunal;
ADPAN calls on Pakistan to immediately re-impose a moratorium on execution, pending abolition of the death penalty.
Charles Hector
For and on behalf of ADPAN (Anti Death Penalty Asia Network)
ADPAN, ADPAN - Media Statements, Pakistan, Uncategorized Leave a comment
← Pakistan – 4 more persons death sentence by Military Court confirmed by Army Chief
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CUPE3903.com Was Billed to York University
Posted on April 4, 2018 by CUPE 3903 Communications Officer
On Wednesday, April 4, members of CUPE 3903 and the union’s legal counsel went to the Ontario Labour Relations Board to attend the first hearing of the Unfair Labour Practice (ULP) filed against York University for misleading and dishonest communication.
The hearing was adjourned until a later date because the union was unable to deliver the summons to the owner of CUPE3903.com: Michael Schiff. Schiff is an employee in the Office of the Dean of Graduate Studies. Documents reveal that Schiff billed the cost of the fake CUPE 3903 domain to the Faculty of Graduate Studies (FGS).
CUPE3903.com redirected to York’s labour relations page. York denied having purchased the domain. However, the union was informed on Monday afternoon that Michael Schiff owned the domain, and immediately issued a summons. The Board chose to adjourn the ULP pending the parties being able to contact Schiff.
Regardless of whether this was deliberate or an incompetent oversight by York University, the fact remains that one of their employees — working in an office that includes a member of the employer’s bargaining team — purchased CUPE3903.com and billed it to the university. While the case is yet to be heard at the Labour Relations Board, members of the York community should be alarmed by these recent events, as it contributes to an ongoing pattern of incompetence and misinformation on the part of York University.
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How will proposed education reforms affect our local schools?
All our region’s students should be back at school this week, hopefully refreshed after the summer holidays. While for many parents and pupils it will be a case of re-establishing existing routines, for those starting at a new school, it can often be a bigger process of adjustment.
In the broader context, our entire school system looks set for a major overhaul following the release late last year of a report by an independent taskforce into New Zealand’s education system. This report recommended radical changes to the way our schools are run including removing most of the powers currently held by school boards of trustees. Under the proposed reforms, the Ministry of Education’s 10 regional offices would be replaced with 20 education hubs, each responsible for around 125 schools. Each of these hubs would take over responsibility for schools’ property, funding and student achievement and the hiring of school principals, as well as coordinating pools of relief teachers and teacher aides for the schools in the hub area.
I know from my own experience as a Chairperson of the Board of Trustees at the local primary school my children were attending at the time that these boards do have a lot of responsibilities and challenges to navigate. However, being a board member is also a very rewarding opportunity for those that choose to take it on. Being a board member enables parents to give back to their communities in a meaningful way and to develop a broader understanding of the context of their children’s education.
While some school boards do struggle with managing their responsibilities currently, many are working extremely well. It is therefore important that parents understand the impact of these changes would which remove a lot of decision-making abilities from school communities.
It is proposed under the new system that schools would get less funding for students from outside their enrolment zone and the number of out-of-zone students would be capped at each school. A significant change for integrated schools would be that they would no longer be allowed to select out-of-zone or non-preference students and would instead have to hold a ballot in the same manner as state schools. This change may have affect some families living in Selwyn wanting to send their children to integrated schools in Christchurch.
The report also recommends a major redistribution of resources so that priority is first given to meeting the needs of students from disadvantaged backgrounds. This follows on from work that the previous National Government had initiated to replace the current decile system with funding targeted towards students with specific risk factors.
Public consultation on the recommendations of the Tomorrow's Schools Review taskforce is open until April 7th this year. You can read the full report at https://conversation.education.govt.nz/conversations/tomorrows-schools-review/. I will also be hosting a public information evening on the proposals in Rolleston during March for those who would like to find out more or share their views on how the proposed reforms may affect schooling here in our region.
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Trailer: English subtitled version
What it’s about: Daikichi arrives at his grandfather’s funeral to find a surprise guest – his grandfather’s illegitimate six-year-old child, Rin. None of the family knew that she existed, and none of them have any idea what to do with her now. When the idea of looking for an orphanage is raised, Daikichi steps up and offers to take Rin in himself until something better can be found. But he already has a job with long hours and has no idea what raising a child entails.
Why you should watch it: Usagi Drop is quite possibly the most heart-warming and adorable story I’ve ever seen put to animation. If you can watch the whole thing without even idly imagining yourself in Daikichi’s shoes, I’m not sure that parenthood is for you. This is a pure slice of life show – it never strays into outright comedy, romance, or any of the other genres that SoL shows tend to hybridise with, though there are elements of all of them scattered throughout. The script lends itself well to natural and affecting performances by the voice actors. But it’s the characters are truly what sell the show, from Daikichi and Rin themselves to the friends they make and the family who inevitably involve themselves in Daikichi’s life.
Caveats: This is a pretty simple show at heart. In all honesty, it benefits very little from being animated rather than live-action. And the studio seems to have taken the opportunity of the lower demands that this entails to be a bit looser with the animation and musical score. Episodes switch between basic watercolour backgrounds and barebones character designs to merely average versions of both. That said, they largely get away with it; the show itself doesn’t lose much by not being the most visually stunning thing out there.
Themes: Parenthood. The rewards, costs, and stresses of raising a child alone. The importance of family.
Similar works: Wolf Children
Posted in slice of life on January 30, 2015 by kdarkdiamond. 2 Comments
What it’s about: The police arrive at a school to find a classroom full of dead children, with only one survivor – a young boy named Ganta. The evidence of his guilt is overwhelming, despite his protestations of innocence, and the verdict is both swift and decisive. Death. The sentence is to be carried out at Japan’s only private prison, Deadman Wonderland, where inmates must participate in death games for the amusement of tourists.
Why you should watch it: This is an action show through and through. It pulls no punches, with deaths, fights and assorted ultraviolence in nearly every single episode. The conflicts and threats that Ganta faces are continually ramped up, and every time he begins to get a handle on his current situation, a new wrench is thrown into the works. The characters are entertaining in their insanity (and Shiro is adorable), and there’s a mystery to be solved under the surface of the story, but it’s the fight choreography and the fluid animation of the action scenes that are the major draws for the show.
Caveats: This is not a show you should try and watch with a 480px pirated stream; there are a *lot* of dark scenes – not thematically speaking (though that’s true too) – but in a literal sense of having the screen mostly black. Watching it on BluRay helps with the contrast but, annoyingly, there doesn’t seem to be a single release without some degree of gore censorship. Finally, the series ends quite abruptly. While it settles all of the immediate conflicts, it feels a lot like the first half of a story than a solid conclusion. But there’s always the manga to turn to if you want more.
Themes: Typical shounen fare with the power of perseverance and friendship,
Similar works: Mirai Nikki, Btooom!, Elfen Lied. Outside of anime, The Hunger Games.
Posted in action, horror, sci-fi on January 26, 2015 by kdarkdiamond. 4 Comments
Ping Pong: The Animation
What it’s about: They call him “Smile”, because he never does. While not as personable or charismatic as his friend and fellow club member Peco, Tsukimoto has begun to attract attention from the bigger ping pong societies as a potential pro-player. But his heart isn’t in the game; he lost his reason to play some time ago, and he’s fully aware that to reach the heights of any sport, one must be prepared to sacrifice everything else.
Why you should watch it: This is a sports anime, and simultaneously it isn’t. Unlike the standard entries in the genre, Ping Pong does not obsessively detail strategies and gameplay – it uses the sport as a lens through which to view the protagonists themselves. Every single character in the ensemble cast is both heroic and monstrous, obsessed in their own way, many willing to sacrifice everything they are upon the altar of the sport they love. Masaaki Yuasa is one of the most supremely self-confident directors in Japan today, and he’s one of the few willing to treat anime more as a medium than a genre, employing the tools that animation provides without indulging in the clichés. I’d be willing to say that Ping Pong is his masterpiece. The cinematography and soundtrack are without peer, and the show is one of those works where every element complements and builds off of the others to create a greater whole. If you want to see some of the best that anime has to offer as a medium, and if you have any interest in character dramas at all, Ping Pong is a show that you just have to watch.
Caveats: The art style is pretty polarising. The character designs are oftentimes quite ugly at first glance. But give the show a few episodes and you’ll find yourself warming up to it, particularly with the fluidity it lends to the game scenes themselves.
Themes: What does it take to succeed? Ambition? Talent? Passion? Hard work? No matter what you bring to the table, there will always be someone who has sacrificed just as much and is willing to continue doing so if it’s what it takes to win. The question is, at what point is it no longer worth it to you to carry on, and can you live with yourself if you don’t?
Similar works: Chihayafuru. The execution also reminds me a lot of the Monogatari series, though instead of exploring the mind of a sexual deviant, it explores competition and obsession.
Posted in sports on January 22, 2015 by kdarkdiamond. 2 Comments
Trailer: HD Trailer
What it’s about: Every five years, the various alien races of the galaxy are brought together by their love of racing, with the infamously deadly and spectacular *Redline* race. “Sweet” JP, a rockabilly racer with a fondness for driving a Transam souped up by his childhood friend and mechanic Frisbee. But is the clean weapons-free driving he gained his nickname for going to be enough to survive the upcoming Redline race, which is to be held in the territory of a hostile military power?
Why you should watch it: Many sports series use the genre as a jumping off point to expore other themes. Not Redline. This is a racing story through and through. The biggest draw of the film by far is its animation, which is unlike anything seen in anime before or since. It draws heavily on Western graphic novel styling, all bright colours and harsh shadows. The common anecdote is that it took six years to complete, and it really shows. It’s a non-stop adrenaline ride where the characters and plot are there to serve the spectacle, and not the other way around. That’s not to say that either are bad, it’s just a film that knows its strengths and plays to them. This is not a movie that would benefit from overly complex character progression or plotting.
Caveats: If there’s any anime out there where you don’t want to skimp on resolution quality, it’s Redline. Don’t resort to fuzzy garbage-level streams; use a premium service or just go and buy the DVD – it’s not that expensive.
Themes: Nothing particularly deep here. Doing what you love and sticking by the people you care about.
Similar works: Not much, really. There’s Trava, which is a side-story exploring the background adventures of another of the Redline racing pairs.
Posted in movie, sci-fi, sports on January 19, 2015 by kdarkdiamond. 1 Comment
Sakura Trick
What it’s about: Haruka and Yuu have been best friends for most of their lives. After transferring into the final intake of a high school due to be closed, Haruka is worried that their friendship won’t survive the transition. As a sign of how serious the two are about each other, they make a dare to kiss one another in an abandoned classroom. From there, their relationship only gets deeper, but they have to keep it a secret from their classmates and families.
Why you should watch it: Sakura Trick is one of the most adorable romcoms that I’ve seen in a long time. The key ingredient to the whole mixture is the innocence of the relationship, though having two or more extended kissing scenes in every episode certainly makes a nice counterpoint to the “show no progress” mentality of most such shows. The animation is simple but bright, and the comedy of the show is endearing. If you want a case of the warm fuzzies, pick up the show at your convenience.
Caveats: Each episode is broken into five-minute “sketches” with only a loose overarching continuity. There’s no real long-running storyline here, though certain elements continue to develop as the show goes on.
Themes: Blurring the line between friendship and romance.
Similar works: Candy Boy, Inugami-san to Nekoyama-san
Posted in comedy, romance, slice of life on January 16, 2015 by kdarkdiamond. 3 Comments
Patema Inverted
What it’s about: Some years ago, something strange happened. Across the world, the force of gravity suddenly flipped, and thousands of lives were lost as people and buildings “fell” into the open sky. Of those affected by the inversion, only a handful – those who were lucky enough to be in shelter – survived, and have since retreated underground. They live their lives upside-down, knowing that only a thin skin of earth separates from from the gaping void below.
Why you should watch it: This is science fiction as it should be – an imaginative, speculative concept made real and put on the screen for all to see. The animation and background art are gorgeous, with particular attention paid to shots of the sky that’s so terrifying and mysterious to both halves of the cast. But it’s the cinematography that’s most intriguing. The movie really can be watched with your monitor flipped upside-down as, even within the story, the perspective regularly changes to get the audience to focus on a particular character’s viewpoint. The plot itself is a nicely-executed adventure story with a tinge of action and romance, and it’s involving enough that the hour and a half run-time will pass in a flash.
Caveats: I wish that the same effort put into the landscapes had been lavished on the character designs. That’s not to say that they’re bad, by any means. Rather, they’re just standard when the world around them is a step above.
Themes: Prejudice, rebellion against authority. Seeing things from a different perspective.
Similar works: The Time of Eve and Pale Cocoon. If you want something a bit darker but with the same sci-fi dystopian vibe, Ergo Proxy
Posted in adventure, movie, sci-fi on January 12, 2015 by kdarkdiamond. 2 Comments
What it’s about: The Sakurasou dorm has a reputation at Suimei University – it’s where the administration houses its most troubled, desperate, or just plain weird students to keep them out of the way. Sorata has been living in the house for the better part of a year, after refusing to abandon an adopted cat. Now word has come in that a new resident is arriving; a transfer student from England named Mashiro. While extremely artistically talented, it turns out that she’s completely unable to look after herself, and Sorata is left in charge of handling her everyday life.
Why you should watch it: Sakurasou has a lot going for it. It’s a slice of life romcom, but those words don’t really do it justice. The heart of the series is in how it plays every member of the core cast off against one another. There’s enough space in the 24-episode run to explore each of the relationships in depth, to build the characters up from their initial impressions into fully-fledged personalities. You really get a sense that these people are friends, rather than actors. And if that’s not enough, the plot of the show is deeper than it appears at first glance, and it addresses its central themes with adroitness. The artwork is warm and bright, and I was quite impressed with the detail that the animators put into the manga, paintings and other artwork within the show itself.
Caveats: The romance aspect of the show is a little weaker than the rest, playing off of the typical anime-protagonist indecisiveness and denseness to delay resolution. The show has a moderate amount of fanservice, mostly frontloaded into the first few episodes. Finally, avoid the Coalgirls-subtitled version. The changes they make to the script aren’t really an improvement. Go with the Crunchyroll or Rori subs.
Themes: Talent and hard work, in combination and competition. The show deviates slightly from the standard “you can do anything if you try hard enough” anime storytelling approach. It’s remarkably realistic in showing interactions between those with natural talent and those without. At the same time, it’s careful to show that it’s not the be-all and end-all when it comes to living happily.
Similar works: Toradora!
Posted in comedy, romance, slice of life on January 8, 2015 by kdarkdiamond. 2 Comments
Shingeki no Bahamut
What it’s about: Favaro is a bounty hunter with a rogueish charm, surviving on his wits and combat skills. He’s made more than a few enemies in his time, including the relentless former nobleman Kaisar. By pure accident, a young woman of mysterious origins overhears one of his taller tales – about visiting the mythical land of Helheim – and mistakes it for the truth, taking him on as a guide.
Why you should watch it: Bahamut was one of the biggest surprises of 2014. By all rights it should have just been another generic card-game adaptation of the kind that we’ve seen dozens of times before. Instead, what we got was a flawlessly animated major action-adventure series reminiscent of Pirates of the Caribbean or The Road to El Dorado. The cinematography and direction are incredible, not just for a card game adaptation but by any standard. The characters are distinct, likeable, and consistent, with clean attractive designs. The story is leavened by a dose of humour (mostly well-executed sight gags), and the world itself is more interesting than I’d expected. It’s just a really fun show to watch.
Caveats: Shingeki no Bahamut is at its strongest when the episode isn’t actually progressing the central plot all that much. The story itself is, at its core, a pretty generic fantasy adventure; it’s the character interactions that make the show what it is, and where it rightly spends most of its time. There’s a noticeable dip in the quality of the CGI elements in the middle of the run. But even at its worst, it’s still good television.
Similar works: The aforementioned Pirates of the Caribbean. Within anime, Hitsugi no Chaika, Garo: Honoo no Kokuin, and Samurai Champloo.
Posted in action, adventure, fantasy on January 5, 2015 by kdarkdiamond. 2 Comments
Danna ga Nani wo Itteiru ka Wakaranai Ken
Danna ga Nani wo Itteiru ka Wakaranai Ken (I Don’t Understand What My Husband is Saying)
What it’s about: Hajime and Kaoru are a happily married couple with wildly divergent personalities and interests. But what they both agree on is that they’re nonetheless perfectly suited to one another. The show follows their daily lives as they interact with each other, their family and friends, and face various milestones together as husband and wife.
Why you should watch it: Most comedy short series stick to a single gag and pad the episodes out around it. Danna ga, on the other hand, integrates the slice of life elements really quite well, while still eliciting a few big laughs in every three minute episode. See if you can pick up on the pop-culture and otaku-culture references in every episode. The story actually progresses a bit and you do come to like the characters for themselves rather than as tropes. It’s also just plain nice to see a pair of happily married adults as the focus of an anime for a change. With little time commitment required and a second season already announced for early Spring, it’s a good time to pick the show up.
Caveats: None really, beyond the basic ones accompanying any comedy short series. The one episode that switches to a different art style to cover Kaoru’s backstory saw a little grumbling, but you’d have to be a real curmudgeon to look down on a little experimentation in a three-minute piece.
Themes: Relationships are best when both partners love and celebrate differences, rather than similarities.
Posted in comedy, shorts, slice of life on January 1, 2015 by kdarkdiamond. 1 Comment
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HANSARD 1803–2005 → 1930s → 1936 → May 1936 → 6 May 1936 → Lords Sitting
TRIAL OF PEERS (ABOLITION OF PRIVILEGE) BILL. [H.L.]
HL Deb 06 May 1936 vol 100 cc791-823 791
§ Order of the Day for the House to be put into Committee read.
§ Moved, That the House do now resolve itself into Committee.—(Viscount Sankey.)
§ On Question, Motion agreed to.
§ House in Committee accordingly:
§ [The EARL OF ONSLOW in the Chair.]
THE LORD CHAIRMAN
Perhaps I might say one word about the Amendments. As your Lordships see, there is no Marshalled List. The Amendments are on two papers—Amendments that have been handed in by two noble Lords. As to the first Amendment, Lord Rankeillour's, there is nothing to be said about it. With regard to the second, the noble Earl, Lord Halsbury, has handed in a manuscript alternative Amendment,
§ THE EARL OF HALSBURY
To Lord Rankeillour's Amendment.
I do not know whether Lord Rankeillour accepts it.
§ LORD RANKEILLOUR
I have not seen it.
So there are two Amendments. After Lord Rankeillour's first Amendment I think your Lordships would wish to take Lord Halsbury's Amendment, because it deals with the same matter, and then Lord Rankeillour's second Amendment after 792 that. I think your Lordships will agree that that would be the most convenient method of marshalling the Amendments.
§ Clause 1:
§ Privilege of Peerage in relation to criminal proceedings to be abolished.
§ 1.—(1) Privilege of Peerage in relation to criminal proceedings is hereby abolished.
§ (2) The procedure to be followed, the punishments which may be inflicted, the orders which may be made, and the appeals which may be brought shall, whatever the offence and wherever the trial is to take place, be the same in the case of persons who would but for this Act be entitled to privilege of Peerage as in the case of any other of His Majesty's subjects.
§ LORD RANKEILLOUR had on the Paper an Amendment, in subsection (1), after "proceedings," to insert "for felony" The noble Lord said: The intention of this Amendment is to continue the jurisdiction of your Lordships in cases of treason, but within the last ten minutes it has been conveyed to me that my words will not have that effect because treason is a felony. When I was considering this subject, I first looked up the definition in, I think it was, the Encyclopædia Britannica, which said that it was held by some that treason was a felony, but apparently the prevalent opinion was that it was not. I then searched in what I am sure is a high authority, Halsbury's Laws of England, and I found there that it is distinctly laid down that there are three classes of offence—treason, felonies, and misdemeanours. I adopted that view with the greater confidence because I saw, in the edition which I looked up, that this had been revised under the auspices of the noble and learned Viscount on the Woolsack. But if the words are material, and if there be a serious doubt on the matter, and as I have not seen the Amendment of the noble Earl, Lord Halsbury, perhaps I might be allowed, instead of moving to insert the words "for felony" after "procedings," to move the words "other than proceedings for treason." I thought the authority I quoted would have been sufficient, but perhaps I might be allowed to move my Amendment in the alternative form.
§ What I submit to your Lordships is that the main argument in favour of a change in the present system does not apply to proceedings for treason. It has been put very forcibly to your Lordships 793 that under our present system we may have very trifling offences brought before your Lordships—trifling in substance, though actually felonies in law. I think the last case which your Lordships had before you, if there had been a conviction, really amounted to no more than culpable negligence, and we know that slight offences may be felonies while much graver offences may be misdemeanours. It has been forcibly represented that the course of justice should not be interrupted for slight offences, Judges brought here, taken from their ordinary duty, time occupied and expense incurred for slight offences, of which there may easily be a recurrence. But, while there may be trifling felonies, there can be no trifling treasons. Treason is an offence of the greatest magnitude, an offence not only against individuals but against our gracious Sovereign and the State at large. It stands in a class apart, and so much was this recognised by our ancestors that they provided a very special and terrible punishment for it, which I will not shock your Lordships' ears by reciting.
§ If the offence is a grave one in any of His Majesty's subjects, it is an especially grave one in a legislator who has taken an oath of his own, and who is responsible, under and with his Sovereign, for the conduct of legislation. And, as it may easily be the case that a legislator is a Privy Councillor as well, the gravity of the offence is gravely increased owing to the very special and drastic oath that he takes. I submit that in a case of such gravity there should be some special provision to mark it apart from ordinary offences by the manner of its trial, and that greater pains should be taken for a complete review, without any question of haste or any want of thoroughness and investigation. But the law at present does not provide for this. It is quite true that in the last two cases there have been trials at Bar before three Judges. But any accused person has no right to it. It is set in motion by the Attorney-General, and it requires his motion for that to come about; and, as far as the law goes, the alternative in the case of a Peer to trial before his peers is a trial before one Judge and a common jury. I submit that this should not be the case, and as we cannot, with all the latitude that we allow ourselves in this House, 794 put as an. Amendment to this Bill that there should always be a trial at Bar in a case of treason, it is far better to retain in these rare and exceptional cases the present procedure.
§ Your Lordships may have noticed other Amendments in my name. The proposed two new clauses are not technically consequential, but I have put them down in order to meet certain other objections that have been raised to the continuance of your Lordships' jurisdiction. The first one gives an option to a Peer who is charged with treason. I do not know whether the case is likely to arise, but it is possible that a case might arise where a Peer, indicted, would prefer to be tried at Bar, if not at the Central Criminal Court, rather than stand trial by his follows. I think it an unlikely case, but I can conceive it. For example, supposing one of your Lordships had sympathies or affiliations with a foreign Power. Let me suppose that Power was a propagandist Power, and let me suppose also that war arose. It is just possible that that noble Lord might fall under suspicion, perhaps an unjust suspicion—I hope I am not making anybody nervous by this supposition—of bringing aid and comfort to His Majesty's enemies. He might think that he would prefer a trial in the ordinary way to trial before your Lordships. The first proposed new clause seeks to effect that.
§ A great deal was said about the cumbrousness of this procedure, but need it necessarily be so cumbrous? I very seldom differ from my noble friend Lord Salisbury, but it appears to me that a process of delegation of your Lordships' powers might be carried through with no very much greater trouble than the formation of a Select Committee on a very important subject. I imagine that the Lord High Steward, with a special Committee of Selection, could very easily produce a panel from which a delegation of your Lordships might be chosen, and that would secure the right of challenge to the accused Peer. It might result in twelve of your Lordships, with three of your Lordships in the ordinary course, three of the Law Lords, sitting, and that would be very roughly equivalent to what would be the case in a trial at Bar before three Judges and a jury of twelve. These suggestions are no part of this Amendment, but I throw them out in 795 ease any of your Lordships might be disposed to view the Amendment itself with favour but at the same time to have doubts on the two scores—the option and the cumbrousness of the procedure.
§ Lastly, if this Amendment were to be carried, it would no doubt necessitate on Report several further Amendments to the Schedule. These would be a matter for research, which I am willing to undertake, but I think it would be presumptuous on my part to assume that the Amendment will be carried and put down consequential Amendments in the Schedule of Enactments Repealed. I submit that the main argument against the present procedure does not apply to the case of treason, and I ask your Lordships to make this small concession to tradition and sentiment, which is fully justified by the special need, the heinousness and, I may add, the rarity of the offence concerned. I beg to move in the alternative form.
§ Amendment moved— Page 1, line 7, after (" proceedings ") insert (" other than proceedings for treason ")—(Lord Rankeillour.)
THE DUKE OF ATHOLL
After what has fallen from the lips of the noble Lord who moved this Amendment, just in case any of your Lordships should be under the delusion that the trial of a Peer for treason before his peers has always been fairly conducted, I need only refer your Lordships to the trial of Lords Balmerino and Kilmarnock in the year 1746 for their share in the Rebellion of 1745. At that time public opinion in this country had been so inflamed by false statements emanating from the Duke of Cumberland after the Battle of Culloden, and repeated in the Press, of the cruel behaviour of the Highlanders to their prisoners that it was really impossible to try the participants in the Rebellion without strong prejudice against them in any Court in the land. In particular, the story was put about and believed that in Prince Charles's orders, written by his General, Lord George Murray, before the Battle of Culloden, instructions for "no quarter" to be given were included. "The culprits," as they were called by the Lord Chancellor during the trial, not only pleaded during their trial that they had always gone out of their way to treat the Government prisoners with kindness— 796 a fact which is well known—but also in a petition to the King before their execution, as well as from the scaffold itself, they declared that they had never heard of the "no quarter" order and had been no party to such an order. Lord Chancellor Hardwicke however, harped upon their "cruelty and barbarity" prior to the "glorious and memorable day of Culloden." These words, of course, are not mine!
To-day only four copies of Lord George Murray's orders are known to be extant, and they are all in his own handwriting. Two are in my possession, one is among Cumberland's own papers, and the fourth, which I have also seen, was in Lord Hardwicke's hands at the time and is now, I think, in the British Museum. Not one of these four copies has a single word about giving "no quarter," but this allegation of cruelty remained, and was, as is well known, one of the strongest points that influenced the minds of what I may term the jury, whom I am not blaming. One word from the Lord Chancellor, who had the actual copy of the orders in his possession, and who was acting as Lord High Steward, might have made a considerable difference in mitigation of sentence, but he never produced his copy, and the wretched men went to the scaffold with this calumny of "no quarter" as their epitaph. This is my reason for thinking that at a time of inflammation of the public mind there often seems to be no more chance of obtaining a fair trial for an unpopular individual in any one particular Court than in another and, I may add, in any country, always assuming of course that the public Judiciary has been politically interfered with either directly or indirectly.
I hope your Lordships will excuse me if I say that, personally, I feel under a deep debt of gratitude to Lord Rankeillour for having given me this opportunity of clearing the character, in this House, not only of the two Lords whom I have mentioned, but also, incidentally, of my ancestor who wrote the orders, and I am glad to have been able to do so in the presence not only of those of your Lordships who are the lineal descendants of some of the jury, but also of the Lord Chancellor of England who, in these days, I am proud to number among my personal friends. I cannot but think that the days of the willfully 797 unjust Judge are over. I hope they are. If they are not, then the circumstances which result in unjust trials will be caused by a political upheaval of such a character that neither this House nor the ordinary Courts of Law will be able to control it.
There is just one other point I would like to make. I have hardly had time to look at it, and if I had had time I probably should not be capable of assessing its value, but it strikes me that in the happy opportunism of my noble and learned friend Lord Sankey in bringing in this measure he has again forgotten a tiling called the Act of Union. I think in Chapter 8, Article 23, he will find that there is a definite pledge and promise given to the Scottish Peers that they would have the privilege of being tried by their fellow Peers. I want to know in what circumstances and by what right your Lordships, even led by an ex-Lord Chancellor of such legal knowledge as the noble and learned Viscount, Lord Sankey, can be really prepared, on what is more or less in these days a trivial subject, to break your word as recorded in the Act of Union. I think the whole thing would be out of order from that point of view.
§ LORD STRICKLAND
I rise as one of many members of this House who hope that the proposer of this Amendment will succeed in so drafting it as to escape the difficulties, many of which he has indicated, which will cause it ultimately to be ruled out by legal acumen. In order to be able to offer some assistance I have spent some time this morning in the Library on the very same line of investigation—the great difficulty of discovering whether there be any form of treason which is not statutory. There may be Common Law treason, and treason by Statute. There are so many forms of treason that it is certainly very dangerous for an Amendment to be worded as this is worded. There is high treason, there is petty treason, there is treason felony, there is misprision of treason. This House, representing the hereditary principle, has to think of the future. The time may come when there may be treason enacted by a very advanced Government of the extreme Left. Such a Government may make it treason to differ from the Government in power. We have seen this enacted in 798 Germany and Italy quite lately, and if an Amendment is to be effective I think it should cover that possibility. Ideas move very rapidly in these days, and we must not be crystallised in the idea that we shall always have a Conservative Government, or even a Coalition Government, or indeed even a Socialist Government in this country. When there is a Socialist Government in this country with a large majority very astounding things will happen. Therefore there will be a time when we shall be very, very sorry that we have thrown away these privileges as almost worthless lumber. Who knows the why or the wherefore?
To come to the technical point I would suggest an investigation on these lines—to formulate an Amendment to cover all forms of treason whether enacted by Statute or based on the Common Law, and whether they be part of the law of the land to-day or whether they may be enacted by Statute in future. Perhaps an Amendment on those lines might defeat those who criticise the drafters of Amendments. The danger of legislation in the future cannot possibly be appreciated in your Lordships' House, which is so conservative, and perhaps the most conservative amongst us are the members of the legal profession. But I have had the honour to serve His Majesty on the other side of the world, where the Attorney-General has not always been a lawyer and where the difficulties of formulating Amendments to Bills have often been overwhelming for a real Labour Government. We welcome a real Labour Government, with which we co-operate to-day, but the time may come for a Government that has swung so far to what is known as the extreme Left that legislation will be passed which will make us regret—or make our successors regret—that some of us are to-day inclined to part so lightly with our privileges.
Finally, the cry for this Bill comes from the idea that the democracy does not want this sort of privilege. I can assure your Lordships that democracy does want this sort of privilege. The democracy loves display, and does not respect authority unless that authority is upheld by emblems. Certainly on the other side of the world, where we have the most marvellous and most admirable exhibition of democracy that history has 799 ever recorded, in the Antipodes, if any person in authority neglects the emblems of his office or the dignity he ought to uphold, whatever may be his other attributes he immediately loses popularity. I am quite certain that there are people in this country who are only too delighted to have a display. It cannot be defended from a legal point of view in any way, but I am quite certain the newspapers would have paid ten times the cost for the value of the copy provided for them. Moreover, we noble Lords are commonly assailed by the Press and by a very widespread section of public opinion for not being examples of virtue, for not being cultivators of Mother Grundy, for having departed too quickly from Victorian ideas. My Lords, if only one of these trials takes place in a great number of years it is proof positive that we are virtuous, at all events up to the point of not committing treason. If only for that reason, of being able to advertise our virtues, I think we ought to uphold this. Any carefully worded Amendment will no doubt sabotage this Bill, but let us try to find an Amendment that is likely to be accepted by Parliament.
§ LORD ATKIN
Perhaps I might be allowed to say a word or two in reference to the Amendment which has been proposed by the noble Lord to whom, if I may speak firstly for myself, I always listen with the greatest respect on any constitutional question, knowing how carefully he has studied and how he is entitled in fact to be called a learned Lord. But I cannot think that on this occasion his Amendment ought to commend itself to your Lordships. Just see what has happened. This House twice now has disclaimed the idea that it will any longer have its members on any footing other than one of common equality with all the other citizens in the country. They are to be equal before the law, and they are to be tried by the same tribunal as every other citizen. The Amendment does not seek, quite reasonably of course, to make any difference in respect of the serious crimes which will now necessarily go to be tried before a Judge and a jury. I need only mention cases of murder. One of the objections, certainly the prevailing objection I think in your Lordships' minds, was that the present tribunal is one of a large and 800 fluctuating body of people, the members of which you can never get together at any time, with the right of all your Lordships to be present, and your Lordships are the judges both of law and of fact, however difficult it may be to arrive at the fact and however difficult to know what is the law.
But that being the difficulty in ordinary cases, how very much more difficult in cases of treason! Cases of treason could hardly arise at all except in times when there is extreme political disquiet or when the country is at war, and those are the very cases in which feeling would be likely to run very high amongst all members of the community and no doubt also amongst your Lordships. That is exactly the class of case in which you might expect the members of your Lordships' House to appear necessarily and naturally to take a part in the trial of anybody accused of treason. It is exactly the kind of case where Party feeling might be brought to bear, not to decide the actual point—of course your Lordships would apply your minds to the facts—but because the questions that arise are questions that do stir up political feeling.
I have had the opportunity of studying some of the last trials for treason, which were the trials to which the noble Duke referred. I do not think, with great respect to him, that the trials he mentioned are instances of prejudice affecting the result of the trial—though things may have been said which were not justified—because, if I remember aright. Lord Kilmarnock pleaded "Guilty," as did Lord Cromarty. The only Peer who did not plead "Guilty" did so, I think, on a technical point which was eventually withdrawn. As they were taken in arms there was no question that they were guilty of making war against the King, and the result and the punishment unfortunately followed inevitably. As to particular points to which the noble Duke referred I have no doubt that what he said was thoroughly well justified, but with great respect it has no bearing upon the mode of trial or the result.
I was only speaking of the means taken to inflame the minds of the jury. The sentences may have been just in one sense. They were rebels and they suffered for that.
However much it might inflame the minds of the jury it would not affect the result. The evidence was so strong that no such inflammation was necessary to arrive at the inevitable result. In the record of these trials you will find the report of the Committee which was appointed to advise the House as to procedure, and in these cases you will find that it was advised that every member of the House of Peers should be summoned and that they should be told that it was their duty to attend under pain of incurring the grave and serious displeasure of the House. The consequence was that at the trial of the Scottish Peers 135—I think that is the right number—attended. I should imagine that was a very large proportion of the number of Peers available. Then there was another case—I think the last case before that—the case of a terrible miscarriage of justice in the Popish plot, when Lord Stafford was convicted on the evidence of that most wicked of all people, Titus Oates. He was convicted by this House, by a body of Peers consisting, I think, of 85. If any similar procedure to that is adopted, and it is considered the duty of people to attend on a serious issue like a trial of treason, who can contemplate the consequences?
May I interrupt the noble and learned Lord to say that I have tried to meet this point in my third Amendment?
I appreciate that and I was coming to deal with that position, but the Amendment as it stands does not provide for any alteration. I think that the proposal of the noble Lord by way of amendment makes the procedure very objectionable. As it stands you may have 300, 400 or 500 Peers attending, when public opinion is highly inflamed, for the purpose of determining this issue of treason, which involves questions of fact and also, I venture to say, having sat on appeal in two cases of treason in recent times, difficult questions of law. I venture to think that those are exactly the cases in which the procedure in this House should not be adopted. It is a very serious offence, as the noble Lord said, and a very serious offence committed by a legislator and a member of the Privy Council. But suppose there was a conspiracy in which 802 people who were commoners who were also legislators and Privy Councillors were charged with conspiracy to commit treason, and to commit treason in conspiracy with members of your Lordships' House. Would it not be very unfortunate to have commoners tried by one tribunal and fellow-conspirators tried before the tribunal of this House with difference in the results? Nothing, I venture to think, could be worse for the authority and prestige of this House.
So grave is the difficulty about procedure that the noble Lord—very reasonably, if I may say so—says that it ought to be altered and that there ought to be a panel. One of the striking things about high treason is that although, as your Lordships know, when this House is not sitting ordinary charges of felony can be tried before the High Steward and his Court—he empanels a certain number of Peers and summons them—so desirable was it thought by our ancestors that that should not be the case in charges of treason, that for such a charge all the members of the House must be summoned. The reason is obvious. To whom are you going to leave the responsibility of the difficult and delicate task of deciding who are to be the Peers to decide an issue of this sort? If it is a charge of treason it is a charge that must be brought under the auspices of the Government of the day, because that Government has been successful and it is a treason against them—against the Crown no doubt, but also against the Government.
My noble friend does not suggest how this panel is to be instituted, and I cannot imagine a more difficult task. Nor can I imagine that any one of your Lordships would be in a better position if he had to be tried by a small number of Peers than if he were tried by a jury, drawn from an impartial panel by lot so that no one knew what were the political prejudices of any of the jury, and with the right of challenge. I venture to think that that is the fairest tribunal that could possibly be devised. Therefore I venture to say to your Lordships that the trial of a Peer for treason by a panel selected in any way you please would be a most unfortunate mode of trial for any Peer. My noble friend suggested a panel or fifteen.
No, not a panel. The resulting tribunal would be fifteen.
A tribunal of fifteen drawn from a larger panel. I beg the noble Lord's pardon. Is that tribunal to decide by a majority?
I imagine it would be the same as a jury.
That is quite a new procedure in trials in this House, because in the past there always has been a decision by a majority. In the unfortunate case that I mentioned of the Popish Plot, Lord Stafford was condemned by a majority of something like fifty-two to thirty. I venture to think that, once you have decided that Peers are to be tried as ordinary people for serious offences, there is no reason at all for making a distinction in the case of treason. I suggest to your Lordships that charges of treason are exactly the kind of case where, if possible, abuses are greater than in any other case. Now your Lordships have started, and have decided that you will sweep away what is an outworn appanage of the Peerage, you should not falter but should make every Peer amenable to the Courts of this country precisely like every other citizen.
§ THE MARQUESS OF SALISBURY
If the noble and learned Lord who has just sat down will allow me to say so, I do not think the issue can be disposed of quite as simply as he would have us believe. He recited, of course, the arguments which have already been used in your Lordships' House in the other stages through which this Bill has passed. Among others he recited the objection which has been urged, that in the trial of a Peer by Peers the tribunal, although not consisting in the main of learned Lords, has to decide questions of law as well as questions of fact. That sounds, of course, a plausible argument, but I feel assured that there is very little in it. After the experience which your Lordships had in the trial which recently took place, there evidently never could have arisen any difficulty in that the lay Lords were or might be called upon to decide a question of law. We know what happened and what will always happen upon a question of law: the lay Lords will be very glad to be guided by the learned Lords. They were 804 in this case guided by the learned Lords, or, more accurately speaking, they were guided by the learned Judges who attended according to the Order on that occasion. So I really do not attribute much weight to those arguments.
The arguments which weighed with me upon the last occasion were quite different; they were the difficulty of distinguishing between felonies and misdemeanours, and the difficulty of the numbers of your Lordships in trying what might be a relatively small issue. Those were the main difficulties which I felt, and which led me to vote in favour of the Second Reading of the Bill. But I feel that those arguments have nothing like the same weight when applied to the Amendment which has just now been submitted to your Lordships. I do not go into the question of the drafting of my noble friend's Amendment. It may be that the drafting is not perfect and that there may have to be, if your Lordships agreed to the Amendment, a certain amount of redrafting in the later stages of the Bill in order to put all questions of treason upon the same footing, whether the charge is treason, treason felony, misprision of treason, or whatever it may be. This is merely a question of drafting, and I am quite sure that the matter can be put right. Therefore all that argument which weighed, I believe, with the majority of your Lordships upon the Second Reading, all the argument which depends upon the difficulty of distinguishing between misdemeanour and felony, disappears; it is gone, as far as this Amendment is concerned.
What is the other argument? It is a much more formidable argument—the argument to which the noble Lord has addressed himself just now: the great difficulty of having a trial when the tribunal is as numerous as your Lordships' House. I think, however, that there are certain considerations which weigh against even this argument when the case which this Amendment contemplates is distinguished from the trial which recently took place in your Lordships' House. After all, what we are taught to think of is a State trial, not a question of careless driving on the high road which led to the death of an unfortunate individual. It might be that if we did not alter the law, even smaller charges of felony would be the subject of this 805 procedure: small questions of alleged larceny, twopenny-halfpenny charges which could not really be properly judged by your Lordships' House as a whole without a grotesque result. In the present Amendment we are contemplating State trials—not held, as I venture to think, in the present state of things in this country. I do not look forward in the near future to trials for treason in which one of your Lordships will be the accused, or anything of that kind. We do live, however, in times of great change, of profound unrest, and we cannot tell when we look forward what the future may have in store. There may be great civil commotions, there may be strong political feelings, and your Lordships will remember that these trials for treason have always had a political side to them.
That is going too far; I think that would not be true, but at any rate the ones of which we are thinking at this moment have a political side to them, and the question is really whether your Lordships are willing to abandon the old form of procedure in respect of a great State trial exciting intense political feeling at the time. It might be, for instance, that the political action of your Lordships was very unpopular, and a charge of treason might even be brought—I am thinking, of course, not of the present time but of the future—against noble Lords for the attitude which they had thought it their duty to take as members of your Lordships' House. These things cannot be excluded. These would be great State trials, and no argument against maintaining this procedure, on the ground that we are applying the solemnity and difficulty of arrangement of a great trial by the whole of your Lordships' House, applies to anything like the same degree when you are speaking of a State trial as it does in the case of the petty offences to which I have called attention.
Of course I speak of the House of Lords as it is. I am one of those who look forward to some change in the membership of your Lordships' House. I am not going into the merits of the question, I assure your Lordships, nor into the difficulties which attach to it; but whatever reform of the House of Lords does take place, it will certainly include a great reduction in its numbers. I suppose every reformer on this question is agreed upon 806 that point. Therefore, in the sort of days I am contemplating we may anticipate that the difficulty of numbers, at any rate, will not present itself in anything like the same degree as was mentioned by the noble and learned Lord who has just sat down. For my part 1 doubt greatly whether the panel procedure ought to be applied to these great State trials which I am contemplating. I know my noble friend proposes it in his second or third Amendment, but I am rather doubtful whether that should be so. I saw the force of the argument addressed by the noble and learned Lord—the difficulty of picking a panel—and therefore on the Second Reading I felt it so strongly as to vote in favour of the Bill. I do not feel that a panel would be a necessity in the case of great State trials Such as I have mentioned. That is the argument that had great weight with me. I should be very sorry, as I said on the Second Reading, to touch these ancient forms which have great value in themselves, except so far as it can be shown to be absolutely necessary. I did think on the Second Reading that you could not defend this procedure as applied generally, but I do not think it in the case of these special cases of treason, and I hope your Lordships will agree to the Amendment.
§ THE LORD CHANCELLOR
My Lords, whatever the noble Marquess says by way of advice to this House is always listened to with the greatest attention, and generally, in my experience, he manages to convince the majority of the House.
I beg your pardon.
Perhaps not invariably but generally, and I hope generally that it will remain so in the future as it has been in the past. I share a great deal of the views of the noble Marquess. I share with him the feeling that one ought not to get rid of an old tradition, however it may have outlived its original usefulness, merely on the ground that it has become rather an anachronism, unless it can be shown that there is a serious practical inconvenience in its maintenance. I share, as he knows, his desire to see a reform in the constitution of this House. But, although I approach the subject to that extent from exactly the same point of view as my noble friend has laid before your Lordships, and although I am always 807 apt to accept what he says with respect—not only with the respect that is due to him for his long membership and wise counsel, but also from the fact that I had the privilege of serving under his leadership for a considerable time—I do not quite take the same view as he does on this topic, and since it is not in any way a Party or even a Government matter I feel bound to explain the reasons why I do not reach the same conclusion as he does.
Lord Rankeillour, when he introduced his Amendment, pointed out that one of the reasons that operated with your Lordships in carrying the Second Reading of the Bill was the inconvenience and cumbersome method involved in trying comparatively slight offences, and he said of course that a charge of treason was as grave a matter as could possibly be conceived, and therefore that argument no longer weighed. I do not think it is true to say that that argument, although it was one of several, was the main or dominant argument, and indeed my noble friend Lord Salisbury said so, and I do not think it was the main argument with him.
THE MAKQUESS OF SALISBURY
It was an important argument with me.
It was an important argument with him, but he pointed out two arguments which he thought were of particular importance. One was the difficulty of distinguishing between felony and misdemeanour, and the other was the inconvenience and difficulty of asking large numbers of persons to try a comparatively small issue. He said, with regard to the former argument, that no such considerations were involved in cases of treason. I do not think I can quite agree with my noble friend. It is true we are not dealing in cases of treason with any difficulty of distinguishing between felony and misdemeanour, but it is equally true that treason and felony, if they be separate offences—for which my noble friend cited high authority—are very much intermingled, and indeed in more modern days treason felony, which is undoubtedly felony, is the offence for which usually the indictment is brought. The actual charge of treason I think—I am speaking without research—ever since the beginning of the reign of Queen 808 Victoria has been reserved for persons taken in arms, in time of war against the State. Apart from that, treason and felony might very easily overlap and be difficult to distinguish.
With regard to the difficulty of having large numbers of persons to try a small issue, it seems to mo that the greater the issue is the more likely is it, as Lord Salisbury said, to be a matter of political controversy and high political passion, and the more unfortunate it is that the decision should be left not to an impartial jury of twelve persons, which has to be unanimous, but to the majority of a wholly innominate tribunal, which even to-day may extend to 600 or 700 people, and which if the Executive were ever so wicked as to bring a prosecution from some Party political standpoint, they could easily alter by creating fresh Peers. Your Lordships will appreciate that to-day, if there were a Government so lost to all sense of propriety as to launch a charge of political treason against members of this House, whereas under this Bill they would have to prove their case before three Judges of the King's Bench Division, with a jury acting under the directions of the Judges as to the law, and bound to reach a unanimous verdict before finding the accused guilty, under the existing procedure they could pack this tribunal by creating new Peers, and they would only have to produce a majority in order to obtain a conviction against the accused. It seems to me that if it be true, as I think it is, that an amorphous body, the constitution of which cannot be given with any certainty, and the numbers of which nobody can tell, is an unsuitable body to try a political issue such as has been envisaged, surely it is a mistake, when your Lordships have decided, as you have on the Second Reading of this Bill, to get rid of this so-called privilege, this difference between Peers and the rest of the community in the mode of trial, that you should limit it to exclude those cases of treason which, it seems to me, are pre-eminently the ones in which it is of the greatest value that we should have trial by a jury and King's Bench Judges.
With regard to the suggestion of a panel to be chosen in the same sort of way as a Select Committee—I think that is the proposal—and to consist ultimately 809 of about fifteen people, we all know that Select Committees are chosen from the representatives of each Party in the House, nominated generally, I think, by the Party Whips.
I did not say that the same procedure would necessarily be employed.
It is the only procedure which the noble Lord mentioned, and I think it is difficult to provide an alternative. Who is going to select? Is it to be the Government? Is it to be the Whips? Are you going to draw lots? How are you going to decide? Who are to be the fifteen people? And when you have decided, remember still under this constitution, unless you are setting up something quite different and new which cannot claim any antiquity or tradition to recommend it, a majority is going to decide. It is a decision of eight out of fifteen, who may be actuated by political passion, and who may be quite unsuitable to act as judges or to treat the matter impartially. It seems to me that the panel system would be, if possible, worse than the one that we might have to work under to-day.
In fact, of course, it is highly improbable that a trial of a Peer for treason will ever take place. We are dealing not with probabilities, but with possibilities; but when we are dealing with possibilities it seems to me a pity that, if that sort of trial ever happens, there might easily arise the very unfortunate situation that a Peer should have to stand this method of trial, which seems to me to give him every disadvantage and no advantages. And I am bound to say that what was said by my noble and learned friend Lord Atkin, who spoke with some personal experience of what treason trials really are, seemed to be quite unanswerable and almost conclusive on the merits. It is on those grounds that I hope that, in spite of what my noble friend has said, the Amendment will not be successful.
Of course, the noble Lord, Lord Strickland, says he wishes to sabotage the Kill. He quite consistently opposed it on Second Reading, and he supports any Amendment which will be likely to have that effect. I hope he exaggerates the effect of my noble friend's Amendment. But at any rate that is not an argument which would commend itself to anybody 810 who thinks that the Second Reading ought properly to have been passed. He said further that the democracy loves display, and if it is impossible to defend this mode of trial on any other ground it seems to me to be an extraordinary proposition to say that your Lordships' House is to preserve this mode of trial in order that some member of your Lordships' House in the future may be made a kind of public spectacle for the newspaper Press and for the proletariat to make fun of. To think that we should preserve this system in order that some of our successors may be butchered to make a public holiday seems to me to be very remarkable indeed.
Then, finally, there is this consideration, which I confess weighs with me a good deal. If there were such a trial as we are now considering, in which political passions run high and public opinion is widely aroused, whichever way the decision of your Lordships' House were to go with regard to the guilt or innocence of the prisoner, to the ordinary citizen it would be regarded as a political and a Party decision. At present if a Peer or a commoner be tried by a jury and found guilty or not guilty the public accepts that as having been a just trial, and an honest attempt at any rate to reach the truth. But if your Lordships imagine that a trial of this kind in a time of acute political passion, in which a majority has to decide one way or the other, is going to be accepted by the public as an impartial decision I think your Lordships are making a great mistake. I remember myself a Select Committee some twenty-five years ago in which my noble friend Lord Cecil took an active part, and the decisions that were reached, in which political matters were involved, were reached every time by the Party majority of six to four, I think it was.
§ VISCOUNT CECIL OF CHELWOOD
Six to five, I think.
I think I can remember—and I am sure my noble friend will confirm my recollection—how the decision of that Committee was accepted by nobody as being a just and impartial decision, or as anything but a travesty of any attempt at justice. I think it would be very unfortunate from the point of view of this House if we should ever be exposed to the kind of attack 811 which undoubtedly will be levelled against it in any sort of trial such as we are now considering. For all these reasons, while I hope and believe that it is very unlikely that any member of your Lordships' House will within any measurable space of time ever be charged with treason, if that unfortunate event should ever happen, I think it would be far better for him and for the House that he should be tried by a special jury and three Judges, as is normally the case in any high treason trial to-day, rather than that he should be left to the mercy of a majority decision in this House.
THE EAEL OF HALSBURY
My Lords, there have been two speeches that struck me as being rather strong against the Amendment, one by the noble and learned Lord, Lord Atkin, and the other by the noble and learned Viscount who has just spoken. They both seemed to be frightened lest, if political interests were at stake, feeling would be running high, and I think Lord Atkin went so far as to say that in those circumstances your Lordships' House would not be a proper tribunal to try the case. Why it should be more swayed politically than a jury I do not know. The noble and learned Viscount was following rather a different line. He was not suggesting that your Lordships could not try the case properly, but he was frightened of what the public might say of the result. Are your Lordships going to be frightened, if you have done your duty, of what the public will say about you? I should have thought not.
The other remark that fell from the noble and learned Viscount on the Woolsack that struck me as being very odd was this. He said, supposing you had in fact got a Government in power who for political reasons wanted either an acquittal or a conviction, all they had to do would be to make new Peers, who would come down—and do what? He suggested, to vote as they were told. Is it really suggested that you would have 400 or 500 people being made Peers, and that, having had to take their oath, they would then deliberately come here under orders, apart from the evidence, to vote "Guilty" or "Not guilty" as they were told? I do not believe there is any possibility of such a thing happening. If that is the only argument advanced to frighten us off this Amendment, I hope your Lordships will agree to it.
§ LORD CARNOCK
What has never been made clear to me is that there are other forms of trial which can be used besides the trial of a Peer by his peers. There is still an Act of Attainder, there is still a Bill of Impeachment, there is still a Bill of Pains and Penalties. So far as I know these are still on the Statute Book and could still be employed. For instance, the noble and learned Lord who spoke about the trial of Stafford, an infamous trial I think it was, based on the evidence of Titus Oates. Surely, he was tried on a Bill of Impeachment, and it was not a question of a trial of a Peer by his peers but quite a different procedure.
I beg the noble Lord's pardon. Stafford was tried on indictment. There was an impeachment pending, but he was in fact tried on an indictment.
Naturally, I bow to what the noble and learned Lord says, but I am afraid I was under the impression that it was a Bill of Impeachment. But there are these other modes of procedure, and I only suggest, in considering this Bill, that those other modes of procedure should also be considered, because they do exist.
VISCOUNT MERSEY
I was going to raise a similar point and did mention it to the noble and learned Viscount. The question is this: Does he consider the proposals in this Bill will affect the procedure by which a member of your Lordships' House is tried by this House on impeachment by the House of Commons?
§ VISCOUNT SANKEY
If I may answer the noble Viscount, No. And of course impeachment applies to commoners as well as to Lords.
Does attainder?
Yes. I hope this Amendment will not be carried. The noble Lord's proposal is that your Lordships should retain in your own hands the trial of any one of your Lordships' House who is accused of treason. The noble Lord evidently feels the force of the many objections there are to this mode of trial, because he has put down two Amendments to save, if possible, some of the objections from applying, and I rather gather that the noble 813 Marquess, Lord Salisbury, does not agree with the proposed Amendments as to procedure.
I was only speaking of the last of the three Amendments. There was an intermediate Amendment giving the option. I should have thought that was a very good Amendment.
I am much obliged to the noble Marquess. The argument therefore divides itself into two parts. First of all, will your Lordships permit me to give you the reasons why the trial of a member of this House by his brother Peers for treason is undesirable, and why the Amendments as to the procedure are not practicable? If some power had insisted that the House of Lords should try any offence committed by any one of its members, but that they might excuse themselves from trying any one particular offence, I should have thought that the one offence that this House did not want to try, and did not want to meddle with, was the offence of treason. Why? The House of Lords is a political Assembly, and treason is a political offence. Surely it is undesirable that a political Assembly should be entrusted with the task of trying a, political offence?
Consider for a moment. Let us suppose a trial for treason ten years hence. One thing you may be sure of is that feeling will be running high. It is the one class of offence concerning which the feeling of all of us runs high. There may be many in this House who will sympathise with the accused. There may be many in this House whose passions will be inflamed against him, because this House does not differ from any other body of our fellow countrymen. We are all Britishers. We share the feelings of our fellow countrymen, and we know perfectly well that in a case of treason feelings will run high and people will take strong views, one side or the other. Could there be a more unfortunate tribunal for a political trial than a political Assembly? What would be the effect of that trial on public opinion? What would be the effect of that trial on this House? Whichever way this House decided, it would not escape criticism. Would it not therefore be advisable that in the case of treason, above all others, this House 814 should not meddle with a political trial of that character? Would it not be far better to let such a charge go before the ordinary tribunal of the realm, before a Judge—I will not say above suspicion, because nobody suspects your Lordships of desiring to do the wrong thing, but feeling does run high and the Judge is detached? He has been trained to give up all idea of politics, and surely a Judge in that detached position, with a jury chosen by lot, will not only give much more satisfaction, but will come probably to a more correct result. It is not only important in this country that justice should be done but that justice should seem to be done.
May I endeavour to give some analogies and see whether we have had some sort of experience of entrusting political matters to political assemblies? It will be in the memory of some of your Lordships that before 1868 election petitions were tried by the House of Commons; and they never gave any satisfaction. I believe—but I cannot speak of this accurately, because I have not looked it up—an endeavour was made to meet that by trying to have members from both Parties to hear election petitions, and even then it was found that a political subject like an election petition was not satisfactorily tried by a political body. My second example has been already referred to. Every one of your Lordships remembers the Marconi case, and everyone of us would like to forget it. There was another example of a political assembly trying a political offence.
What did your Lordships do yesterday afternoon? You agreed with another place that in some question of a possible leakage concerning the Budget you would set up a Tribunal with a High Court Judge at the top of it. Let me put the point that the noble Lord, Lord Atkin, put. Supposing in one of these treason trials, which may very likely happen, there is more than one person involved, and supposing they are a Peer and a commoner. The Peer will be tried here, if this Amendment is carried, and the commoner will be tried at the Central Criminal Courts. Supposing your Lordships, quite rightly, acquit the Peer, and supposing the Central Criminal Court, quite rightly, convicts the commoner, what is the public going to say? You cannot 815 separate these trials in that sort of way. I repeat that there is no more unfortunate thing left to be tried by the House of Lords than a charge of treason.
I do not know whether the noble Duke, the Duke of Atholl, is in his place. He asked me to say something about the Act of Union. Really this will not affect Scottish Peers any more than it will affect English Peers. As a matter of fact the Act of Union has been altered time after time, and generally Scotland has gained by it. By the Act of Union there were forty-five Scottish members in the House of Commons. By the Act of 1832, there was a repeal which raised the number to fifty-three, and then the Representation of the People (Scotland) Act raised them to sixty. Next came the Redistribution of Seats Act, 1885, which raised the number to seventy-two; then a later Representation of the People Act which raised them to seventy-four. I am sure the noble Duke would acquit me of any desire to be discourteous if I say I really need not go into that matter any further. But one final thing I will mention. The Union of Scotland Act enacted that the Privy Council in Scotland was to be continued, and this provision was amended by the Union of Scotland (Amendment) Act, which enacted that there should be one Privy Council for Great Britain.
Let me now come to the next point—the question of some alteration in the procedure, because, if the noble Lord is logical, he is bound to have Amendments in regard to procedure if he is to induce your Lordships to adopt his Amendment in regard to treason. The noble Marquess, Lord Salisbury, intervened to say he was in favour of the first Amendment. That would put a very embarrassing choice upon the Peer. The Amendment is that a Peer may, if he likes, waive his privilege and not be tried by this House. That is to say he can be tried by the ordinary Courts of the realm. Most unjust things took place in the public Press with regard to Lord de Clifford, and the noble and learned Viscount, the Lord Chancellor, referred to anonymous letters that had been received. It was said: "This is a scandalous thing of Lord de Clifford. Why did not he waive his right to be tried by his Peers, and take his trial like an Englishman with ordinary Englishmen?" Of course the answer was that 816 he had no right to do so. See the position into which you put an accused Peer. People will say: "Here is this Peer; why did he not waive his privilege and save all this time and all this expense?" I submit that the Amendment is putting an undue burden upon the Peer.
Now let me endeavour to indicate to your Lordships, if I can, some of the difficulties with regard to reducing the numbers. You will observe that the noble Lord's Amendment is permissive. It says that the House may depute to some of its members the trial of a Peer. Who is to move? It will be, as was pointed out, a Government prosecution. Supposing the Government think it is a proper thing that there should be a smaller tribunal, and supposing the Government move to that effect and they are defeated? On the other hand, how are you to select the panel? Is there to be Amendment after Amendment as to who is to sit upon it? So you get the same difficulty that there is in the United States of America, where it may take weeks and weeks to constitute a jury. Again, is a noble Lord to have a right of challenge? Is he to be entitled to object to anybody on the Committee? Again, as has already been asked, with a panel of fifteen or twenty are they to be unanimous or is a bare majority of the panel to decide the fate of one of your Lordships? Surely, in whatever way you look at the proposed panel, the difficulties of constituting it—who is to constitute it, how it is to be constituted, its numbers and its functions—are overwhelming, and it does not get rid of one of the chief objections to this procedure, the waste of judicial time. It was the waste of judicial time on the last occasion which was one of the most striking objections to this form of procedure. I ask your Lordships to say that it is far better, as you have decided that you will abolish the privilege so far as felony is concerned, to make a clean sweep while you are about it. That is the only logical and practical way of doing it, and I hope very much the noble Lord's Amendment will not be carried.
The noble and learned Viscount who has just spoken gave considerable attention to the subsequent Amendments. They are no part of my present proposal, and I will say very little about them, but with 817 regard to the option, your Lordships will remember how it was urged with the greatest strength on the Second Reading that the present procedure was unjust to the Peer himself. Well, I seek to remove that. But it is not part of this Amendment. Then with regard to the panel, I look at it in this way. Cannot you take the membership of this House as a jury list as it were, and is it beyond the wit of your Lordships, by something analogous but not exactly like the present process in regard to jury lists, to get a panel and then exercise the usual rights of challenge upon it? I cannot believe that this bogey of debates going on day after day and week after week really has any validity in it. I do not flatter your Lordships by saying that we are a superior intellectual order, but I do say that a sufficient jury with a sufficient sense of responsibility can be selected out of the body of your Lordships' House, as out of any other 700 citizens.
However, I wish to turn for a moment to the more general considerations. The noble and learned Viscount who has just spoken made a very strong point that your Lordships ought to be detached from political issues. Would he support the abolition of the present appellate jurisdiction of this House because it often involves political issues which are twisted for political purposes—as the legal decision in Allen and Flood and the Taff Vale Railway? They were decisions of the Judges alone, but as long as the appellate jurisdiction remains in your Lordships' House you cannot avoid the kind of criticisms upon the judgments of your Lordships' House which were then passed. I come to a later case, that is the case with regard to the Scottish Rent Law. It is notorious that the Election of 1922 was fought in Scottish urban districts on a decision of your Lordships, which immediately became a political issue, and the usual misrepresentation of your Lordships' actions took place. Apart from that, I suggest that your Lordships should not think too much of public opinion in this matter. We should do our duty, and I am sure your Lordships would do your duty without fear and without favour if the task of judging one of our own number on this gravest of charges were put upon you.
Then the noble and learned Viscount, and the learned Lord Chancellor also, made some reference to the Marconi 818 Committee, which, I am happy to say, the Government have taken care shall not be reincarnated on the present occasion. But what is the objection to the Select Committee for a judicial purpose? The objection is that they have no judicial machinery, there is no Judge present to guide them, the laws of evidence are not followed, they are constituted, in another place at all events, on Party lines, and there is no check whatever against abuses such as must always exist when a tribunal is not constituted upon the judicial system. The noble and learned Lord began to speak as if this Amendment were inconsistent with the two decisions on the Resolution and on the Second Reading of the Bill to which your Lordships came. May I say that on the first of those occasions, I did not press this matter at all, for the very simple reason that there would have been amongst your Lordships some who would have voted against it on the ground that it admitted felonies as a matter to be transferred from your Lordships, and others because it did not go far enough. Therefore this specific issue was not before your Lordships then. Neither was it before your Lordships on Second Reading. Second Reading, following Parliamentary tradition, merely means that at any rate some part of the Bill should pass into law. To make this particular exception cannot go back on anything your Lordships then decided.
With regard to Party feeling, of course that will arise whether the case is tried by this House or a common jury or a special jury in times of great excitement. I know one prosecution undertaken during the War which I am morally certain would not have resulted in a conviction in time of peace. That was before a Judge and a common jury. These possibilities cannot be helped, but I do suggest that a jury chosen from your Lordships, or even consisting of your Lordships as a whole, would have as high a standard of conduct and, guided by judicial opinion, as good an appreciation of the laws of evidence as any other tribunal that could be constituted. The noble and learned Viscount the Lord Chancellor spoke of the difficulties of treason felonies running into treason and the difficulty of distinction. Surely, the distinction would be on what the Peer is committed for trial. It will be clear on 819 the charge. Of course the distinction is that treason involves the death penalty and treason felony does not. Lastly, may I say that I think everybody has ignored the point that any person may have to go before a common jury and a single Judge? More than one noble and learned Lord has spoken as if trial at Bar is a matter of right. It is not. It depends on the
§ Resolved in the negative and Amendment disagreed to accordingly.
§ Clause 1 agreed to.
§ LORD RANKEILLOUR had given Notice of Amendments to insert new clauses after Clause 1, giving any Peer committed for trial on a charge of treason the right to claim trial at Bar, and empowering the House to depute its powers and duties at the trial of a Peer to such of their number as might be signified by Resolution. The noble Lord said: I do not propose to move these further Amendments, as they are merely bound up with the last proposal, but I do propose on Report to move an Amendment assuring to any Peer the right to trial at Bar for treason.
§ Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.
§ wishes of the Government of the day. I submit that in this rare and grave class of offence a case has not been made out for a change, and I trust your Lordships will vote accordingly.
§ On Question, Whether the proposed words shall be there inserted?
§ Their Lordships divided:—Contents, 30; Not-Contents, 47.
Salisbury, M. Exmouth, V. Fairfax of Cameron, L.
FitzAlan of Derwent, V. Forester, L.
Effingham, E. Glenravel, L.
Halsbury, E. Abinger, L. Hastings, L.
Iddesleigh, E. Brocket, L. Jessel, L.
Macclesfield, E. Carnock, L. Middleton, L. [Teller.]
Malmesbury, E. Clanwilliam, L. (E. Clanwilliam.) Phillimore, L.
Peel, E. Rankeillour, L. [Teller.]
Cornwallis, L. Shute, L. (V. Barrington.)
Bertie of Thame, V. Dunleath, L. Strickland, L.
Esher, V. Ellenborough, L. Sudeley, L.
Teynham, L.
NOT-CONTENTS.
Hailsham, V. (L. Chancellor.) Sankey, V. [Teller.] Hutchison of Montrose, L.
Halifax, V. (L. Privy Seal.) Kinnaird, L.
Addington, L. Newton, L.
Bath, M. Amulree, L. O'Hagan, L.
Arnold, L. Palmer, L.
Hardwicke, E. Askwith, L. Ponsonby, L. (E. Bess-borough.)
Lucan, E. Atkin, L.
Midleton, E. Balfour of Burleigh, L. Rennell, L.
Munster, E. Bayford, L. Sanderson, L.
Onslow, E. Boyle, L. (E. Cork and Orrery.) Snell, L.
Plymouth, E. Stanmore, L.
Stanhope, E. Clwyd, L. Strabolgi, L.
Gage, L. (V. Gage.) Strathcarron, L.
Cecil of Chelwood, V. Hampton, L. Strathcona and Mount Royal, L.
Elibank, V. Hardinge of Penshurst, L.
Falmouth, V. Hare, L. (E. Listowel.) Templemore, L.
Goschen, V. Heneage, L. Wigan, L. (E. Crawford.)
Mersey, V. Howard of Glossop, L. Wright, L. [Teller.]
§ THE EARL OF HALSBURY had the following Amendment on the Paper: After Clause 1 insert the following new clause: . Any Peer committed for trial on any of the following charges:
treason;
misprision of treason;
treason felony;
murder;;
the setting on fire of a King's ship whether completed or in construction and all material therefor in any dock, the King's arsenals and all offences under the Dockyard Protection Act of 1772, penalty for which is death; piracy with violence, the penalty for which is death under the Piracy Act of 1837; præmunire, may by notice in writing to the Clerk of the Parliaments within fourteen days of the date of committal claim that his privilege 821 be waived in respect of the charge; whereupon the trial shall follow at Bar in the King's Bench Division before those of His Majesty's Judges and a special jury.
§ The noble Earl said: I have put down here six other offences that I want your Lordships to retain. With four of them—treason, misprision of treason, treason felony and præmunire—I do not think I ought to trouble your Lordships. Having expressed your views about the last Amendment, I do not think it would be right and proper to ask you again to express your views about this, because misprision of treason, treason felony and præmunire are very much bound up with treason. As you have stated that you will not deal with treason, I do not propose to say anything about these. Regarding the other offences I have put down, I took the trouble to find out exactly what were the offences for which the punishment was the capital punishment of death, as I thought they ought to be retained by your Lordships. If a man is being tried for his life he will naturally want to be tried by the best tribunal. We have all been brought up to believe that this House is the best tribunal to try Peers for serious offences. Therefore what I am suggesting to your Lordships is that you should retain for trial here those offences for which the punishment on conviction is death. They are, in fact, murder, the setting on fire of a King's ship in docks and various other matters connected with this offence, the punishment for which is death; and piracy with violence, the punishment for which is death. Those, as far as I have been able to find—I am leaving out treason—are the only offences which are punishable by death in this realm. For that reason my Amendment is that your Lordships should retain here the trial of those, the most serious offences one can have apart from treason.
§ I do not suppose there is any crime for which the noble and learned Lord opposite, or the noble and learned Viscount who introduced this Bill, or even the noble and learned Viscount upon the Woolsack could not find circumstances that might turn it into a political offence, if political feeling were running high or there were some factor of that kind. The offences I have put down here are not what one would normally call offences in which political feeling would be expected to run high. I do not say that you could not 822 find an instance in which these offences could become political crimes, because it would be difficult to think of any crime which could not be turned into a political offence. These, however, are not crimes in which you would expect to find a political complexion, as you would in the case of treason. I therefore beg your Lordships to say that you will retain the trial of Peers for the most serious crimes. On the Second Reading of the Rill a great deal was made of the fact that it was very inadvisable to call all your Lordships together to try some trivial offence. I quite agree, but that does not apply to the three offences that I have put down. I might have put down many more, but I did not; I confined myself to those alone which carried with them the penalty of death.
§ Amendment moved—
§ After Clause 1 insert the following new clause:
§ (". Any Peer committed for trial on any of the following charges: murder; the setting on fire of a King's ship whether completed or in construction and all material therefor in any dock, the King's arsenals and all offences under the Dockyard Protection Act of 1772, penalty for which is death; piracy with violence, the penalty for which is death under the Piracy Act of 1837; may by notice in writing to the Clerk of the Parliaments within fourteen days of the date of committal claim that his privilege be waived in respect of the charge; whereupon the trial shall follow at Bar in the King's Bench Division before those of His Majesty's Judges and a special jury.")—(The Earl of Halsbury.)
I venture to think that there is a really serious objection to this Amendment. Your Lordships have now accepted the view that this House is not to try what I venture to call the most serious offences which a subject can commit—namely, high treason, the punishment for which is death. But you are now asked to reserve to your Lordships, of all the cases that can be tried, the cases in which capital punishment is the only punishment that can be inflicted. Why your Lordships should now depart from your former decision and reserve to your Lordships the cases in which you have imposed upon you the most terrible burden that falls upon man—namely, the decision in cases of life and death, both in law and in fact—I cannot imagine. There is one, I venture to think, quite insuperable 823 objection, if the noble Lord will allow me to say so: it is quite impossible to try a case of murder unless you have jurisdiction to find a verdict of manslaughter, because the defence to a great many cases of murder is manslaughter. If you were to alter this decision and put manslaughter into the Amendment, you would be putting back again Lord de Clifford's case! In these circumstances I venture to submit to your Lordships that when once we have decided the question of high treason, it ought to follow as a matter of course that we will not take it upon ourselves to decide any further question.
I have only one word to say about the criticism that has been made. It would be perfectly simple to alter the law, bringing a trial by your Lordships' House into line with a trial elsewhere—namely, that when a person is indicted for murder you would be allowed to convict of manslaughter. That would not bring in the de Clifford case, where the defendant was only indicted for manslaughter.
That is not in the Amendment.
I was saying that the law could be altered to get over that difficulty. I say quite frankly that it startles me that the objection is made the whole time that your Lordships ought not to have the courage to give a decision because it is a difficult decision to give. I should have thought that your Lordships were perfectly capable of giving a decision and of taking upon yourselves the duty to give it, which at the present moment is still yours, and not of surrendering the duty. I certainly do not for a moment propose to withdraw the Amendment.
§ On Question, Amendment negatived.
§ Remaining clause agreed to.
§ Schedule agreed to.
§ Bill reported without amendment.
Back to MINISTRY OF HEALTH PROVISIONAL ORDER (BRIDPORT JOINT HOSPITAL DISTRICT) BILL.
Forward to LEAGUE SANCTIONS AND TRADE.
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Committee OKs funding for Cahokia Mounds advocacy
The Intelligencer
EDWARDSVILLE — An effort to have Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site designated a national historic park or national monument is picking up steam in Madison County, with the approval of $25,000 in funding for the plan.
An emergency appropriation for the Planning & Development Department to fund advocacy by the
County committee backs Cahokia Mounds advocacy
https://www.thetelegraph.com/news/article/County-committee-backs-Cahokia-Mounds-advocacy-14086406.php County committee backs Cahokia Mounds advocacy Planning & Development...
The Telegraph - Alton 2019-07-10
Bill would elevate 2,200-acre Cahokia Mounds site to national park
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Much-anticipated legislation to establish Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site in Collinsville as part of the National Park system got a boost Thursday as...
The Intelligencer 2019-07-18
Support builds for Cahokia park status
https://www.thetelegraph.com/news/article/Support-builds-for-Cahokia-park-status-14091762.php Support builds for Cahokia park status Scott Cousins,...
Bost introduces national park status bill for Cahokia Mounds
https://www.thetelegraph.com/news/article/Bost-introduces-national-park-status-bill-for-14105314.php Bost introduces national park status bill for Cahokia Mounds The...
Board expected to back proposal for Cahokia site
https://www.thetelegraph.com/news/article/Board-expected-to-back-proposal-for-Cahokia-site-14099959.php Board expected to back proposal for Cahokia site The Telegraph Published 2:24 pm CDT, Tuesday, July 16, 2019 Image 1 of / 1 Board expected to back proposal for Cahokia site 1 / 1 Back to Gallery EDWARDSVILLE — Madison County Chairman Kurt Prenzler expects the county board...
The Telegraph - Alton
County board OKs Cahokia Mounds effort, history week
EDWARDSVILLE — Wednesday was a good day for history at the Madison County Board, with resolutions supporting the addition of Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site to the national park system and the designation of History Week Sept. 14-20. A resolution supporting the creation of the Cahokia Mounds and Mississippian Culture National Historic Park — and an emergency appropriation of...
BOST INTRODUCES BILL TO MAKE CAHOKIA MOUNDS A NATIONAL PARK
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Representative Mike Bost today introduced bipartisan legislation to establish national park status for Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site. The Cahokia Mounds and Mississippian Culture National Historic Park would include mounds in Madison, St. Clair, and Monroe counties, as well as Sugarloaf Mound in St. Louis. The park would be jointly managed between...
Indian art show set July 13-14 at Cahokia Mounds
https://www.thetelegraph.com/news/article/Indian-art-show-set-July-13-14-at-Cahokia-Mounds-14063975.php Indian art show set July 13-14 at Cahokia Mounds Published 11:29 am CDT, Monday, July 1, 2019 COLLINSVILLE – Thirty Native American artists from 15 tribal affiliations will display and sell fine art during the 24th Annual Contemporary Indian Art Show July 13-14 at the Cahokia...
Archaeological digs at Cahokia Mounds
Last week’s article provided an introduction to Cahokia located near St. Louis, Mo. This week’s column details past archaeological digs at Cahokia.Archaeologists at Cahokia excavated an area that had previously been used as a drive-in movie theater in the 1980s. They dug down until they reached the level of the Mississippian period over an area covering several hundred square...
Bartlesville Examiner-Enterprise
Former judge set to be appointed to ETSB
EDWARDSVILLE — Former Associate Judge Ellar Duff has been recommended to be appointed to the Emergency Telephone System Board. The Madison County Board will consider the appointment at Wednesday’s meeting. Duff served 24 years as an associate judge, from 1987 until she failed to win retention in 2011. If approved she would take the seat held by retired Madison County Sheriff’s...
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From the Diocese
From the Vatican
Father William Felix
Deacon Ned Willkom
Seminarian Daniel Williams
All Saints Calendar
Holy Family Hall Calendar
Holy Family Hall
Parishioner Information
St. Joseph Catholic School
Catechesis & Evangelization
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RADIO 4 SAINTS
All Saints Radio
About All Saints Parish
In 2013, under the direction of Fr. William Felix following the directive of Bishop William Callahan, the rural parishes of Holy Family, Stanley; Sacred Heart-St. Joseph, Boyd; and St. Rose of Lima, Cadott; were merged into a new parish under the name All Saints, bringing the three faith communities into one parish family. The merger, in part, took place to address the needs of an area of northwestern Wisconsin in bringing Christ in the sacraments of the Catholic Church to the over 1,000 families residing in the Hwy. 29 corridor. Under the care of one parish priest and permanent deacon, a central parish organization would enable the people of God to receive the sacraments in a new manner than had ever been established in this area.
While retaining the three individual church locations, a school, rectory, parish hall, and five cemeteries, All Saints Parish was formed to make one of the largest parishes in the Diocese of La Crosse and the first to undergo such a merger of three parishes into one parish with three church locations. Each location has its own unique charm and warm environment that many in this area for generations have called their spiritual home where they encounter the living God.
Beginning in the Summer of 2012, the process was started with the formation of councils and committees that served all three parishes, instead of having individual units. The cluster also began referring to itself as All Saints Catholic Community, as name chosen by Father Felix and the people of the new community. With the assistance of Seminarian Daniel Williams, the parish staff, and numerous parishioner volunteers, the work on the administrative components began. Throughout the remainder of 2012 and into 2013, work began also on the pastoral needs of bringing the people of God in Stanley, Boyd, and Cadott into one community. With the guidance and grace of the Holy Spirit, the process of bringing the three into one moved forward and prepared the faithful for the formation of their new parish.
In his homily during the Mass of Thanksgiving for the formation of All Saints Parish, Bishop William Callahan called on the community to form a family, just as they had in each of the individual churches, while maintaining the ties to their respective houses of worship. In this Mass, celebrated on July 1, 2013, the official date of the opening of the new parish, was the new parish family celebrated by gathering at the altar at which we give worship to God for enabling us to continue to encounter Him in a new way through our new parish.
With the joining of the three into one, All Saints Parish was enabled to hire new staff members to begin a renewed focus on youth ministry, genuine Catholic Education, the New Evangelization, and care for the sick and newborn. This ever growing parish seeks to bring the sacraments to those who are members of the Church and to bring our brothers and sisters in Christ across the geographical span of our parish into communion in the Body of the Christ.
226 East Third Avenue
Stanley, WI 54768
For almost 120 years, a Catholic community has held its presence within the Stanley area. For most of Holy Family’s history, the parish was two parishes, St. Mary’s and St. Ann’s, both of which closed and consolidated in the mid-1900s, choosing the name Holy Family Catholic Church. The church presently has many features and art that bring parts of both parishes to give the feeling of one family. The present church building seats just over 1,000 and has architecture fitting to the 1970s. Just a block away from the church is the former school building and Holy Family Hall.
720 East Patten Street
Boyd, WI 54726
The presence of a Catholic community in the Boyd area has always been predominate. The consolidation of the Boyd and Township of Edson’s parishes brought together very closely knit communities and developed a much larger parish family. The Boyd church was built almost 100 years ago and features many beautiful artwork and aspects that brings many of the traditional elements to community liturgy. The church seats close to 1,000 and is placed adjacent to the school building and operating rectory for All Saints Catholic Parish.
St. Rose of Lima Church
Cadott, WI 54727
This close-knit parish community built a beautiful church in the 1950s featuring many stone features and more modern stain-glass windows that bring many different time periods of architecture and art together. The church is strategically situated on the corner of McRae and Maple Streets and adjacent to the former school building that housed Saint Joseph Catholic School and the former parish rectory. The church seats several hundred and has beautiful stone exterior.
All Saints Catholic Parish
226 E 3rd Ave Stanley, WI 54768 - 715-644-5435 - info@allsaintscathcom.com
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Brothers Grim: An Interview Of Dinos Chapman On The Power Of Humor And Violence
text by Oliver Maxwell Kupper
There couldn’t be a better time for Jake and Dinos Chapman’s new exhibition, To Live And Think Like Pigs, on view now at the UTA Artist Space in Los Angeles. That it opened on the same day as Donald Trump’s wildly xenophobic and damaging executive order banning Muslims from “terror prone” countries is compelling, but perhaps not coincidental. When the wickedness of the world reveals its evident truths, Jake and Dinos remind us that the horror, panic and depravity isn’t just a brand of reality they have invented to shock us – it is actually reality. We are eating in it, fucking in it and living in it. Swastikas, Ku Klux Klan iconography, rainbows, happy faces and the golden arches of the McDonald’s logo all exist on the same killing field. If their work appears apocalyptic, it is because the end seems so close that you can feel the tingling warmth of the glowing, earthly sun of nuclear annihilation. With the undeniable surge of violence and anxiety, the seething distrust of “the other” – the Chapman brothers create works that are artifacts of this existential catastrophe of our own making. But what people most misunderstand about the Chapman brothers is that their work is hilarious – a laugh riot, an obscene and brilliant joke. If you don’t laugh, you are missing the point all together. What's funnier than a couple of realistic surprised looking mannequins wearing full KKK garb, rainbow socks and Birkenstocks? We got a chance to sit down with one half of the Chapman brothers – Dinos Chapman – to discuss everything from the failure of the human species to their time working as assistants for fellow controversial British artists Gilbert And George.
AUTRE: So the title of the show is borrowed from the book, To Live And Think Like Pigs [by French philosopher Gilles Châtelet], which really predicted our current political and sociological turmoil. The show carries the same themes, right?
DINO CHAPMAN: Ish. I think the major theme of the show is failure.
AUTRE: Political? Spiritual?
CHAPMAN: Every aspect of failure, grand gestural failure.
AUTRE: Do you think we’re failing as a species?
CHAPMAN: Oh, we failed. Long time ago. I think we’re just in the death throes of failure
AUTRE: So what’s left after that?
CHAPMAN: Uhh we all die and we kill everything on the planet and it just continues to spin round and round and round the sun until it burns out.
AUTRE: Today, especially now it seems like a really apt time for the show and the political climate in the UK. Is this affecting your work in bigger ways than it has in the past?
CHAPMAN: No, no. I think we’ve always been intentionally pessimistic about humanity, culture. Yeah. It’s a failed project.
AUTRE: Do you think that when people are too positive it puts us in a space of false paradise?
CHAPMAN: Yeah, I mean I think you have to be incredibly short-sighted or an idiot to be positive. Certainly in today’s climate. Every single second, things get slightly worse because of other people’s positivist views. They think they’re doing good.
AUTRE: And complacent.
CHAPMAN: And complacent.
AUTRE: So going back to some of the work that you’ve done with Hitler’s paintings and some of the iconography you work with – it seems sort of like the idea of people wanting to go back in time to kill Hitler and other dictators to change the course of history. Do you feel like you’re doing that using the present, instead of actually going back in time?
CHAPMAN: Short of inventing a time machine and going back and actually doing something, I think we kind of did [change the course of history] when we bought the Hitler drawings and paintings and defaced them and turned them into hippie nonsense, it was kind of an attempt to give him a --- because those works are often considered evidence of when he was still sort of a human being. As though he would have been redeemable if he went to art school and everything would have been fine. He would have been another artist, but he didn’t get into art school so he decided to go out and kill as many Jews as he possibly could. And you know, the sort of popular idea is that if he was allowed to be an artist, he would not have done that. So we kind of got in there before he became a genocider and kind of fucked it up. Just to remove that bit of humanity from him.
AUTRE: Instead of KKK insignia and swastikas, you use smiley faces as part of that dialogue.
CHAPMAN: Happy faces and KKK insignia and rainbows and swastikas are all the same scale.
AUTRE: Exiting politics for a second, I want to talk about your process: where your studio is, what your typical process is, what a day is like
CHAPMAN: I’ve been in LA for three years actually doing fuck all. No, I’ve been at home working.
AUTRE: Do you work separately from your brother now?
CHAPMAN: No no no, we work together. We’re stretching the umbilical cord to a sort of monofilament at the moment. We’ve always tested the parameters of what it means to be working. It’s preferable to work on your own, because two people implies legion. Multi personalities, so yeah. I kind of moved out here for the weather and the politics.
AUTRE: What about the politics?
CHAPMAN: What about the politics, psshh. I don’t know. I mean I can’t complain, we have BREXIT in England. Europe is about to fall to bits. It’s a great big shit show.
AUTRE: How do you feel about CALEXIT?
CHAPMAN: I think it should divert a fence around California and keep everyone else out. It seems...why not? I’m quite pleased that California is rebellious and not seemingly republican. I’ve only just learned the difference between democrats and republicans. The only reason I know republicans are bad is because of France. I hate France. [laughter]
AUTRE: Oftentimes, there's not much of a difference between the two.
CHAPMAN: One of the nice things about being in a foreign country, although it’s not really strictly defensible, is that you don’t feel responsible for anything. I know that’s burying your head in the sand, but for me it seems preferable to being in Britain and sort of railing against something I may have been able to do something about.
AUTRE: Do you feel like the critics are harsher at home?
CHAPMAN: I just think I can look at Trump and not laugh, but not feel related to him in any way.
AUTRE: As brothers and collaborators have you always wanted to make work together?
CHAPMAN: There’s a five year difference between us. Five years is kind of the absolute point at which you’re at different schools at different times so in England I would have been leaving school as Jake would be joining us. We never really spent much time together apart from the evenings and then we finally kind of caught up with each other in college and did a lot of talking and then decided after we left college that we should work together. I mean, we tried to work on our own for a bit but it just seemed kind of pointless when the conversations we had were much more fruitful and much more interesting than the conversations we were having in our own heads which are invariably kind of solipsistic. You can’t argue yourself out of a color.
AUTRE: What is your typical response to people's misunderstanding your work? I mean, is there a typical response?
CHAPMAN: We don’t feel any responsibility for what people think of the art. If you make a child mannequin with a penis on its nose you have to invite a plethora of readings of that. There is no correct reading because once the work is finished and it’s in a gallery environment, it’s done. We’re no longer in control of what it means because every single work is entirely subjective.
AUTRE: Yup, it’s in the hands of the viewer.
CHAPMAN: Yeah. It’s not but that’s where it starts to do its biggest journey.
AUTRE: That’s where the job begins, the intellectual job. And you’re not just making depraved work to make depraved work. Reality is actually depraved.
CHAPMAN: We’re making stuff that hopefully clarifies or makes the fault lines in western culture's moralistic thinking apparent. Again, you put a mannequin with a penis on its face in a gallery and it trips people up, it makes people think lots of different things. I’m not that interested in answers. I’m more interested in questions.
AUTRE: In the beginning, you were both assistants to Gilbert and George, right?
CHAPMAN: I was an assistant for a long time. Jake joined up and got us both sacked.
AUTRE: How’d that happen? Is it a long story?
CHAPMAN: [laughs] No, it’s a really short story actually. I think we were bigger and more unrelenting than them. The two of us together was a bit too much.
AUTRE: A bit too much for them. I mean, they’re pretty politically charged but it seems like you want to take things in a new direction.
CHAPMAN: I just think they decided it was unfair.
[laughs]
AUTRE: Jake made a comment recently about the Ai Weiwei photograph of the drowned refugee boy. That it sort of aestheticized other people’s misery. Can you talk a little bit about that?
CHAPMAN: It’s a terrible, terrible, terrible thing that artists think that painting other people’s poverty or hardship helps. It doesn’t help their hardship or poverty it just—
AUTRE: Glorifies it.
CHAPMAN: It does that and it also doesn’t do anything apart from make the artist feel like they’ve done something, which is a terrible thing.
AUTRE: It’s selfish.
CHAPMAN: Yeah.
AUTRE: Everybody congratulates themselves for feeling sympathy.
CHAPMAN: Absolutely. I was watching Louis C.K. the other night and he said that, on airplanes, he always feels like he should give his first class seat to service men because they always sit in coach. He never does but he feels really good about thinking that he should do it. That’s an artist's’ mentality.
AUTRE: It’s the thought that counts mentality.
CHAPMAN: He didn’t actually do anything about it.
AUTRE: Yeah, so you think people should actually do something about it?
CHAPMAN: It would help [laughs].
AUTRE: So for this particular show, is there something you would want people to know that they might not see?
CHAPMAN: It’s all for sale [laughs]. At drastically reduced prices.
AUTRE: And my last question, because I know you probably want to get back inside for the opening.
CHAPMAN: Ah yes, being uncomfortable walking around my own work.
AUTRE: Is it uncomfortable being around your own work in that kind of setting?
CHAPMAN: It’s a very strange thing to do. It’s a bit like being a child.
AUTRE: When your mom puts it on the refrigerator?
CHAPMAN: Yeah. You want people to come up and pat you on the back for doing well, but you don’t. Still, that’s sometimes what it feels like.
AUTRE: Is art the most powerful medium for subversion? Especially now.
CHAPMAN: No, guns and hand grenades are. They’re powerful. And humor. Humor allied with guns and hand grenades.
AUTRE: Which one first though?
CHAPMAN: Guns.
Jake And Dinos Chapman "To Live And Think Like Pigs" will be on view at UTA Artist Space until March 11, 2017. text and photographs by Oliver Maxwell Kupper. Follow Autre on Instagram: @AUTREMAGAZINE
In Art Tags jake and dinos, jake and dinos chapman, humor and violence, jake and dinos chapman interview, brothers grim, uta artist space, super
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Beasiswa Pelajar
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Universitas China ( Bahasa Mandarin )
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Shanghai University
Shanghai University abbreviated as SHU or Shangda, is a public research
university located in Shanghai, China. Shanghai University is one of the nation's leading research universities. Its three campuses are in Baoshan, Jing'an and Jiading districts.
Founded in 1922, originally a revolutionary school, the university contributed a group of influential people to the cause of Chinese liberation and development. By consolidating four universities, it became a research-intensive comprehensive university and also the biggest higher learning institution run by Shanghai Municipality in 1994. The university enrolls 23,036 undergraduate and 12,181 postgraduate students, including 3,896 international students.
Shanghai University is amongst the list of Project 211 for top national universities. The university's enterprise scientific research funds stood at CNY¥489.9 million in 2016, ranked 13th in China. In the 2015 QS World University Rankings, it is ranked 411-420 in the world, 75th in Asia and 15th in China. The university was also ranked 51-60 globally and 1st in China in the global young university rankings, according to the 2015 QS Top 50 Under 50.
Tongji University
Tongji University colloquially known as Tongji, is a comprehensive university located in Shanghai. Established in 1907 by the German government together with German physicians in Shanghai, Tongji is one of the oldest and most prestigious universities in China.
Tongji University is especially renowned for its engineering, business and architecture programs; its civil engineering department has consistently ranked first in China for decades. The School of Economics and Management (Tongji SEM) is one of 74 business schools in the world being triple accredited by the European Quality Improvement System (EQUIS), the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) and the Association of MBAs (AMBA). Tongji University is a member of the Yangtze Delta Universities Alliance and Asian-European Laotse Universities Network.
Zhejiang University also known as Che Kiang University, is a national university in China. Founded in 1897, Zhejiang University is one of China's oldest, most selective and most prestigious institutions of higher education. It is a member of the C9 League, the Yangtze Delta Universities Alliance and the Association of Pacific Rim Universities.
The university campus is located in the city of Hangzhou, approximately 112 miles (180 km) southwest of Shanghai. Zhejiang University Library's collection contains about 7 million volumes, making it one of China's largest academic libraries.
Nanjing University
Nanjing University located in Nanjing, China, is one of the oldest and most prestigious institutions of higher learning in China. Following many changes through dynasties since CE 258, it was established as a modern school in 1902 in late Qing dynasty, and became a modern university in the early 1920s, during the early years of Republic of China, becoming the first Chinese modern university which combined teaching and research. It became a pioneer in higher education in China and set the foundation for the establishment of the modern educational system in China. Before the eve of establishment of People's Republic of China in
1949, the name was changed from National Central University to Nanjing
Nanjing University is consistently ranked among the top few comprehensive research universities in China. It is a member of C9 League, Yangtze Delta Universities Alliance, etc.. Nanjing University is consistently ranked among the top two universities for Chinese Language and Literature in China. Nanjing University is also a top research university for natural sciences, being ranked #2 in China, #3 in Asia Pacific and #12 in the world in the Nature Index 2017.
Guangzhou Medical University
Guangzhou Medical University is a Chinese medical school located in Guangzhou which is the third largest port city in China, Guangdong Province. It was established in 1958. Guangzhou Medical University is composed of four campuses. The main Campus is located in Dongfeng Road West and the other three campuses are in Longdong, Haizhu and Jianggao
GMU faces 31 provinces, autonomous regions, municipalities directly under the Chinese central government, Hong Kong and Macao regions to recruit 1,500 undergraduates and 550 postgraduates (master and doctors) in each year. There are
23300 full-time students, including 10000 undergraduates, 1300 graduates, and
12000 continuing educational students. All learning spaces have basic implementations of air conditioning, networking and internet service. The new dormitories for undergraduates provide phone calls, network television, soccer field with artificial turf, and a plastic runway track.
Anhui Medical University
Anhui Medical University is a key provincial university in Hefei, Anhui province, China. The predecessor of Anhui Medical University was Dongnan Medical College, established in 1926 in Shanghai. Moved first to Huaiyuan County, Anhui Province, at the end of 1949, and then to Hefei, the capital of Anhui Province, in
1952, Dongnan Medical College changed its name to Anhui Medical College. In June, 1996, approved by the National Committee on Education, Anhui Medical College was renamed Anhui Medical University. Today there are totally 16673 students at the university, of whom 179 are enrolled in doctoral programs,2728 in master’s programs, and 8867 in undergraduate programs, plus 95 international students (including those from Hong Kong and Macao) and 7187 students enrolled in the School of Extended Education. Currently, the university has 24 directly affiliated teaching units and ten affiliated hospitals, plus 42 clinical schools and 37 teaching hospitals.
Southeast University
Southeast University is a public research university located in Nanjing, Jiangsu
Province, China. It was part of one of the oldest universities and the first coeducational university in China. It is a member of both Project 985 and Project
211, and sponsored by the Ministry of Education of China aiming to become a well-known world-class university.
SEU has been ranked among the top 20 research universities in China, and among the top 300 in the world. In the official subject ranking conducted by the Ministry of Education of China, SEU has been ranked top three nationally in 8 fields including architecture, landscape architecture, urban planning, art history, civil engineering, electronic engineering, transportation engineering and biomedical engineering.
In 1952, many departments were divested of the original Nanking University as part of the adjustment of higher education, initiated by the communist government. Its engineering school, the largest school in terms of faculty number and student enrollment, stayed in its original campus and form Nanjing Institute of Technology (renowned as one of the Big Four Institutes of Technology ) , which renamed Southeast University in 1988.
Hohai University is a research university in Nanjing, China under the direct jurisdiction of the Ministry of Education of China. From 1958 to 2000 it was administered by the Ministry of Water Resources.
The university's main focus is the research and study of coastal engineering, hydraulic engineering, water resources, ocean engineering and it primarily educates engineering subjects, with coordinated development of engineering, science, economics, management, arts and law. It is part of Project 211 (a development initiative by the Chinese government involving over 100 key universities) and has set up a graduate school.
Shanghai University Of Finance And
The Shanghai University of Finance and Economics, founded in 1917, is a finance- and economics-oriented research university located in Shanghai, the People's Republic of China. The university is under the direct administration of the Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China and is among the national Project 211. The Shanghai University of Finance and Economics is a top-ranked research university specializing in economics, finance and business studies.
The university had been consistently ranked No. 1 in the “finance and economics” category in 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007 and 2008 by the Chinese university ranking (Netbig). Since 2005, the university has achieved substantial improvements in terms of research and started to gain international reputation. According to Tilburg University’s Economics Schools Research Ranking in 2012,[7] SUFE is ranked
120th in the world, 9th in Asia and 3rd in mainland China, only after Tsinghua
University and Peking University. In 2014 and 2015 the university is ranked 151-
200th in economics/business category in the world by ARWU.
Nanjing Normal University
Nanjing Normal University is a normal university in Nanjing, Jiangsu province, China. Located in the ancient capital of six dynasties in Chinese history, Nanjing Normal University is one of the provincial key universities of "Project 211" under the supervision of the Ministry of Education and Jiangsu Provincial Government. The International Research And Training Centre For Rural Education is affiliated with the university's Education Faculty.
The origin of Nanjing Normal University can be traced back to 1902 with the establishment of Sanjiang Normal College as one of the cradles of China's higher normal schools, which was founded by Zhang Zhidong, the Governor-General of Jiangsu Province and Jiangxi Province. Today, Nanjing Normal University has developed into a comprehensive university that is well known for its educational and scientific research, and has been included in the "Project 211" as one of the key construction projects on higher education in China since 1996.
Suzhou University
Sozhow University is a university in Suzhou, Jiangsu, China. The school is part of the Chinese Ministry of Education's Project 211, and a Jiangsu provincial key comprehensive university. The School of Humanities, School of Textile and Clothing Engineering, School of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, and School of Medicine are the university's most visibly distinguished schools.
The university was split in 1949 as a result of the Chinese Civil War, and merged with the Southern Jiangsu College of Culture and Education and the Department of Mathematics and Physics at Jiangnan University to form the Jiangsu Teacher's College in 1952. The English name Soochow University was revived in 1982; however, the original Chinese name Dongwu was not adopted, and the institution was given the name Suzhou. The Suzhou College of Sericulture, Suzhou Institute of Silk Textile Technology and Suzhou Medical College were each merged into the University in 1995, 1997 and 2000 successively.
Yangzhou University is a university in Yangzhou, Jiangsu Province, China. It grew out of a merger in 1992 of six local colleges. The university offers undergraduate and graduate programs.
Jiangsu Province Government proceeded to merge Jiangsu Agriculture College, Yangzhou Teachers' College, Yangzhou Institute of Technology, Yangzhou Medical College, Jiangsu Water Conservancy College and Jiangsu Commerce College into a new university in 1988. It was implemented in 1992.
Fudan University located in Shanghai, China, is one of the most prestigious and
selective universities in China. It is also a member in the C9 League. Its institutional predecessor was founded in 1905, shortly before the end of China's imperial Qing dynasty. Fudan is now composed of four campuses in downtown Shanghai, including Handan, Fenglin, Zhangjiang, and Jiangwan, which share the same central administration.
Fudan, formerly romanized as Fuh Tan, was initially known as Fudan Public School in 1905. The two Chinese characters Fu and Dan, literally meaning "(heavenly light shines) day after day", were chosen by Father Ma Xiangbo S.J., from the Confucian Classic Shangshu Dazhuan "Itinerant as the twilight, sun glows and moon luminesces". In 1911 during the Xinhai Revolution the college was taken up as the headquarters of the Guangfu Army and closed down for almost one year. In 1917, Fudan Public School became a private university named the Private Fudan University, and also had a middle school and university-preparatory school. In 1929, Fudan adjusted its departments, expanded to include the Journalism Department, Municipals Department, Law Department and Education Department, totalling 17 departments devoted to Arts, Science, Law and Business.
East China Normal University (ECNU) is a comprehensive public research university in Shanghai, China. It was formed in 1951 by the merger of the Great China University founded in 1924 and Kwang Hua University (est. 1925) which had its ultimate origins in the St. John's College established in the city in 1879. Its original role was to train teachers for secondary and higher education, as suggested in the name "Normal", but very soon housed top-class researchers and evolved into an elite research-intensive university.
ECNU is now organized into more than 22 schools, colleges, and institutes, located in two campuses throughout Minhang and Putuo. The university comprises 2 affiliated schools across the Shanghai metropolitan area: NYU Shanghai in Pudong, Asia-Europe Business School in Zizhu International Education Park. ECNU also maintains a National Forest Ecosystem Observation and Research Station in Tiantong National Forest Park, Ningbo, Zhejiang Province.
Donghua University
Donghua University is a public research university in Shanghai, China.
Established in 1951, DHU is one of the state-key universities directly under the Ministry of Education of China and is a member of China's Project 211 group of national universities. It is especially well known for its engineering, business and management, design and materials disciplines. Specifically, the distinguished departments including fashion design, textile engineering, international trade, material science, and information technology have been consistently ranked highly in China.
Founded in June 1951, Donghua University was originally named East China Institute of Textile Technology. In September 1985, the university changed its name to China Textile University and changed it once again to Donghua University in August 1999. It has been a national key university since 1960 and was one of the first educational institutions in China authorized to confer all three levels of degree: bachelor's, master's, and doctorate.
Nanjing University Of Science & Technology
Nanjing University of Science and Technology or NJUST, is one of the national key universities under the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology of China. The institute was successively called Artillery Engineering Institute (1960-
1966), Engineering Institute of Eastern China (1966-1984), and East China Institute of Technology (1984-1993), and finally to its current name in 1993. It is a science-oriented university located in Xuanwu District in the east suburban area of Nanjing, China. The university places emphasis on both education and research, and is listed in the national 211 Project. The main campus is located in 200
Xiaolingwei, Xuanwu district, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China.
It has become a multi-disciplinary university comprising academic fields including: science, engineering, liberal arts, economics, business, management, law and education. In addition, NJUST encompasses a wide array of centers, institutes, programs, and administrative support offices. NJUST carries on its education and research on both undergraduate and postgraduate levels in 15 schools, led by a total of 70 undergraduate majors, 116 master programs and 49 doctoral programs, and 14 Post-doctoral research stations.
Nanjing Forestry University
Nanjing Forestry University ( NFU or NJFU), is an institution of higher learning in Nanjing, China. It is jointly run and administered by central government of Jiangsu Provincial Government.
The origin of the university can be traced back to the Forest Departments of Jinling University and Central University. In 1952, Nanjing Forestry College was established after the merger of the Forest Departments from Wuhan University, Nanchang University, and Hubei Agricultural College. It was renamed Nanjing Technological College of Forest Products in 1972. It adopted the current name in 1985.
Wuhan University is in Wuhan, Hubei, China. The university is at Luojia Hill,
with palatial buildings blending Chinese and Western styles. It was commonly regarded as one of the most beautiful campuses and a top 10 university for decades in China.[4] It is administered by the Ministry of Education of China. It was selected by both Project 985 and Project 211 as a major receiver of state funding.
The university dates back to the Ziqiang Institute, which was founded in 1893 by Zhang Zhidong, governor of Hubei and Hunan Provinces in the late Qing Dynasty. It changed its name several times before it was named National Wuhan University in July 1928 and was among the first group of national universities in modern China. (There is a dispute on the establishment of Wuhan University: Some believe that its history should date back to 1913, when the National Wuchang Higher Normal College was founded.)In the early time of its establishment, Ziqiang Institute provided four courses - Chinese, Mathematics, Nature, and Business. After combining the Institute of Minerals and the Institute of Chemical, courses provided were enlarged, with Nature Science and Engineering added. Chinese was extended to English, French, German, Russian, and Japanese.
Central South University (CSU), is a national university of China located in
Changsha, Hunan province, central south of People's Republic of China. CSU was established in April 2000 on the basis of the amalgamation of the three former individual universities.
Situated in the famous historical and cultural city of Changsha, Central South University (CSU) is a comprehensive and national key university under the direct administration of the Ministry of Education of China. The University is among the first group admitted into both Project 211, a project of building national key universities and colleges for the 21st century, and Project 985, a joint constructive project of building world-class universities co-sponsored by the Chinese central government and local governments. Gao Wenbing is the Party Secretary of the CSU Committee and Tian Hongqi is CSU President. Approved by the State Council, CSU was established on April 29, 2000 by merging three separate universities: Hunan Medical University (HMU), Changsha Railway University (CRU), and Central South University of Technology (CSUT). CSU covers an area of 5,117 mu (341 hectares).
Jiangsu University
Jiangsu University was established through the combination of Jiangsu University
of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang Medical College and Zhenjiang Teachers’
College, under the permission of the Chinese Ministry of Education in August,
2001. Its main institution was the former Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, which was one of the 88 key universities designated by the State Council in 1978. Its history began with Sanjiang Normal School founded in 1902, which evolved and renamed Liangjiang Normal School in 1906, Nanjing Higher Normal School in 1915, National Southeastern University in 1921, Disi Zhongshan University in 1927, Jiangsu University in February and Central University in March 1928, and Nanjing University in 1949. Nanjing University Engineering College became Nanjing Polytechnic Institute in 1952 and then in 1960 a part of it became independent and moved to Zhenjiang next year and later became Jiangsu University of Science and Technology. It renamed Jiangsu University when merged with two colleges in the same city in 2001.
Anhui University
Anhui University colloquially known in Chinese as Anda, is located in Hefei, the capital city of Anhui Province, China. Founded in 1928 in Anqing, named
'National Anhui University' in 1946 and moved to Hefei in 1958, Anhui University
is now supported by the government under Project 211. The university currently has approximately 27,000 students and 2500 staff including 1522 faculty members. Consisting of 14 college & faculties, Anhui University's broad-based education covers philosophy, economics, law, literature, history, science, engineering and management. Its motto is 'honest, resolute, erudite, discreet'. Anhui University has provided higher education in fundamental knowledge, professional skills, social responsibility and innovative concepts for over 170,000 students in the past 80 years. Additionally, the university hosted the 7th Forum for Presidents from Asian Universities in the year of its 80th anniversary.
Sichuan University
Sichuan University is a university in Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan Province,
China. It has a long history and many predecessors, of which the earliest one was founded in 1740 with the origin in BCE 141. It was transformed to be a modern university in 1920s and the name National Sichuan University was adopted in
Sichuan University (SCU) is one of the national universities directly under the
Ministry of Education (MOE). It is also one of the State 211 Project and 985
Project universities enjoying privileged construction in the Ninth Five-Year Plan period.The current Sichuan University is the result of mergers of former Sichuan University and the two other universities, Chengdu University of Science and Technology, which is under the Ministry of Education and formerly called Engineering Institute of Chengdu, a school separated from the formal National Sichuan University in the 1950s, merged in April 1994, shortly known by the name of Sichuan Union University for the new formed university, and West China University of Medical Sciences, a university under the State Ministry of Health, in September 2000.
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Category Archives: Butterfly
Marbled White – Melanargia galathea- Gog Magog Meadows
Posted on August 5, 2016 by Stephen
Despite its name, the Marbled White is more closely related to the subfamily known as the “browns” that the “whites”. This butterfly is unmistakable, its black and white markings distinguishing it from all other species found in the British Isles. This butterfly is found in distinct and often large colonies, south of a line between Glamorganshire in the west and North-east Yorkshire in the east, although it is not found in much of eastern England. It is absent from Scotland, Ireland and the Isle of Man.
Green Hairstreak – Callophrys rubi (Stiperstones NNR)
Posted on May 29, 2016 by Stephen
This butterfly is the most widespread of our hairstreaks. However, it is also a local species, forming distinct colonies which can be as small as a few dozen individuals, although other colonies can be much larger. Both sexes always settle with their wings closed, the brown uppersides only ever being seen in flight. The undersides, by contrast, provide the illusion of being green, an effect produced by the diffraction of light on a lattice-like structure found within the wing scales, which provides excellent camouflage as the butterfly rests on a favourite perch, such as a Hawthorn branch. This butterfly will also regulate its body temperature by tilting its wings appropriately to catch the sun’s rays. This butterfly is found throughout the British Isles – partly due to the wide variety of foodplants it uses, and the wide range of habitats it frequents. However, it is absent from the Isle of Man, Outer Hebrides, Orkney and Shetland.
Holly Blue- Celastrina argiolus (garden)
So many Holly blue butterflies in the garden today.
The Holly Blue is primarily found in the southern half of the British Isles, and is a frequent visitor to gardens. This species is renowned for fluctuating wildly in numbers, forming a predictable cycle over a few years, believed to be caused by parasitism from the wasp Listrodomus nycthemerus whose sole host is the Holly Blue. The wasp lays its eggs in Holly Blue larvae, with a single adult wasp eventually emerging from the Holly Blue pupa. In England and Wales this species is widespread and common, south of a line running from Cumberland in the west to County Durham in the east. This species is also found on the Isle of Man and throughout Ireland, but is absent from Scotland except as a scarce vagrant.
Painted Lady Butterfly (Vanessa cardui)(garden)
While I have seen quite a few of these while out and about this is the first I’ve seen in my garden (studio).
This species is a migrant to our shores and, in some years, the migration can be spectacular. The most-recent spectacle, in 2009, is considered to be one of the greatest migrations ever, with sightings from all over the British Isles that are definitely on a par with previous cardui years.
This species originates from north Africa, and it has been suggested that the urge to migrate is triggered when an individual encounters a certain density of its own kind within a given area. This theory makes perfect sense, since this species can occur in high densities that result in foodplants being stripped bare on occasion with many larvae perishing as a result.
Unfortunately, this species is unable to survive our winter in any stage. This is a real shame, for not only does this species often arrive in large numbers, but is a welcome sight as it nectars in gardens throughout the British Isles in late summer. This butterfly has a strong flight and can be found anywhere in the British Isles, including Orkney and Shetland. An interesting fact is that this butterfly is the only butterfly species ever to have been recorded from Iceland.
UK butterflies
Brown Argus (Aricia agestis) Female (garden)
This little butterfly is laying eggs on that little plant
Unlike most other “blues”, the Brown Argus has no blue scales on its upperside, both sexes being primarily brown in colour as its common name suggests, although the butterfly does exhibit a blue sheen when at certain angles to the light. Both sexes have beautiful orange spots on the upperside of both forewings and hindwings. This widespread species can be found south of a line between Dorset in the west and South-east Yorkshire in the east, along with colonies in Derbyshire, North Devon, East Cornwall and West Cornwall. It is also found in north and south Wales, but is absent from central Wales. This species is also absent from Scotland, Ireland and the Isle of Man. This species occurs in small, compact colonies, and is not a great wanderer, only travelling a couple of hundred metres, at most, from where it emerged.
Wall Brown butterfly (Lasiommata megera ) *St Davids, Wales*
Posted on June 3, 2014 by Stephen
The Wall gets its name from the characteristic behaviour of resting with wings two-thirds open on any bare surface, including bare ground and, of course, walls! Many people will have come across this butterfly on footpaths, especially in coastal areas, where the butterfly flies up when disturbed, before setting again a few metres ahead.
The basking behaviour of this butterfly allows it to benefit from the full warmth of the sun whose rays shine directly on the butterfly, but also get reflected back onto the butterfly from whichever surface it is resting on. This habit allows the butterfly to raise its body temperature sufficiently high for it to fly. In particularly hot weather, however, such basking is avoided and the butterfly may even retreat to a suitably-shaded spot to avoid overheating.
This species was once found throughout England, Wales, Ireland and parts of Scotland. Today, however, is a very different picture, with this species suffering severe declines over the last several decades. It is now confined to primarily-coastal regions and has been lost from many sites in central, eastern and south-east England. In Scotland it is confined to coastal areas in the south-west of the country.
Orange tip butterfly
I have posted information on this butterfly before but thought this a great photo.
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Tag Archives: The Tree of Life
The Tree of Life (Alexandre Desplat)
Terrence Malick is one of the most respected and most divisive directors working in film today, and his works have aroused strong feelings, pro or con, in everyone who has viewed them. His 2011 film The Tree of Life was no less so, earning nominations in several Academy Award categories while simultaneously being savaged by many viewers and critics. Despite (or perhaps because of) his reputation, Malick had attracted a variety of top-flight musical talent to score his projects, from Ennio Morricone on Days of Heaven to Hans Zimmer and co. on The Thin Red Line to James Horner on The New World.
For The Tree of Life, Malick recruited French composer Alexandre Desplat, who was in the midst of an extremely busy year. 2011 saw seven movies scored in whole or in part by Desplat, including his Oscar-nominated score for Best Picture winner The King’s Speech and a score for Best Picture nominee Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close. Desplat is often strongest in his contemplative mode, featured in scores such as Birth and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, than his disappointing attempts at epic fantasy writing as in The Golden Compass and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. The Tree of Life represents in some ways the ultimate evolution of the former style, with his usual waltzes and melody supplemented by Philip Glass influenced minimalism.
Fans of Glass will probably enjoy what they find here, especially in “Circles,” the album’s longest and most impressive track. Cellular composition, repeated motifs, and a cyclical and evolving feel make the 11-minute centerpiece cue a true tour-de-force without losing Desplat’s distinctive voice. Echoes of Benjamin Button and Birth are to be had elsewhere, often in the most melodic and piano-led cues like the desolate “Childhood” and warm “Awakening,” although it’s by and large a score of textures more than melody or theme. Those expecting the empty bombast of Desplat’s Compass or Potter will be disappointed, though the composer does include his signature waltzes in the pair of “Motherhood” and “Fatherhood.”
Desplat also blesses the score with an air of impressionistic darkness in many cues. The aforementioned “Awakening,” for instance, includes a sinister full string section under its gentle piano melody, skillfully intermixing optimism and unease in a similar way to the deep electronic pulses from Birth, before building to an unnerving crescendo at the end. He uses other innovative techniques, like a solo and vaguely out-of-tune leading string in “Good and Evil” or discordant, Elliot Goldenthal style shrieking strings in “Temptation” (perhaps the score’s darkest cue).
From the minimalistic opening piano of “Childhood” to the inviting cyclic minimalism of “Circles” through the darkness of “Awakening” and “Temptation,” to the final innocent and childlike “Skies,” Desplat’s album truly feels like a musical journey. With only his signature musical voice to bind the score together, the composer nevertheless manages to create a cohesive musical narrative that can stand well on its own. This was perhaps the wisest decision Desplat made, given Malick’s history of tinkering with his films’ soundtracks: creating an album that can exist completely independently of its film, a contemplative masterpiece perfect for engaged listening or as a backdrop to writing or other creative endeavors.
There is one downside to the album: anyone looking for the classical pieces that were inserted into the film to replace the majority of Desplat’s original music will be disappointed. Malick, despite working with the very best original composers that Hollywood has to offer, often uses very little of the score they prepare, with what is used often chopped up and redistributed. This led to many angry viewers upset with the album from Lakeshore records, which includes only Desplat’s original score instead of the many classical pieces by John Tavener, Arsenije Jovanovic, and many others. This led to many reviews roundly trashing Desplat’s album for what it is not, rather than what it is.
Still, as long as listeners know exactly what they are getting into (and the available sound samples represent an excellent cross-section of Desplat’s music) they won’t be disappointed. It may be closer to a quasi-rejected score, or an instrumental “music inspired by” album, but The Tree of Life is still a musical journey well worth taking by one of Hollywood’s strongest musical voices. Lakeshore Records’ score album has become rather scarce the film’s release, commanding slightly inflated prices, but it is still readily available in digital form.
By alexp01 Posted in Capsule Review, Film Music Tagged 5 star review, Alexandre Desplat, Birth, Days of Heaven, Elliot Goldenthal, Ennio Morricone, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, Hans Zimmer, James Horner, Lakeshore Records, music, Philip Glass, review, score, soundtrack, Terrence Malick, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, The Golden Compass, The King's Speech, The New World, The Thin Red Line, The Tree of Life
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Houston's Hiring
Ruggles Green Hiring for New Sugar Land and Heights Area Restaurants
By Jennifer Patrick on August 15, 2012 at 1:34 PM
rendering of Ruggles Sugar Land location
Ruggles Green CityCentre, Houston’s first certified green restaurant and the greenest restaurant in Texas (3rd greenest in the U.S.) was opened with the goal of providing local, organic, and gluten free options to customers via a premium fast casual restaurant. The vision of founder Federico Marques was to lead the industry in sustainability, while still offering healthy and great tasting food.
With an 80 percent gluten-free menu, the CityCentre location on Town and Country Blvd. has become a favorite eatery among Houston’s health conscience consumers. Soon, two more locations will be added to serve even more people and the restaurants are hiring!
The Sugar Land restaurant, located in Town Square, will open August 27, 2012, and will be the greenest restaurant in the world. While several employees for this location have already been hired, they are still recruiting for many cashiers, kitchen help and busers.
The Heights restaurant is due to open in November 2012. Located at the former 11th Street Cafe, the space is going through substantial renovation to maintain the charm of the historical old building while bringing it up to Ruggles Green standards for Green Certification. They are looking to hire 40 to 50 people to work in all areas of the restaurant including managers, cashiers, busers and kitchen help.
Owner Frederico Marques said that approximately 70 percent of restaurant employees are full-time and they are compensated well. “The restaurant industry typically has a very high turn-over rate,” he said. “At Ruggles Green, we don’t experience very much turn-over at all.”
To find out more about the restaurants, visit their website. For more jobs available in the restaurant industry, visit The Houston Chronicle’s Job Search Site.
Jennifer Patrick
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U.S. House to take up transportation spending Tuesday, including new Metro language
By Dug Begley on June 8, 2015 at 2:37 PM
Though most of the attention nationally will be paid to the $55.3 billion in discretionary spending, members of Congress on Tuesday are poised to change the rules of light rail development in Houston, too.
Although much of the attention surrounding federal transportation spending is focused on highways, in Houston, the bill’s most notable section revolves around light rail. ( Gary Coronado / Houston Chronicle )
As part of the fiscal 2016 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act (my favorite named piece of federal legislation, the THUD bill), House members are asked to continue current highway spending levels, including $41.6 billion from the Highway Trust Fund that pays for major freeway projects across the U.S. The spending is always a tough subject for Congress to take up because it is often more than the Highway Trust Fund is expected to collect, which means other revenues help shore it up.
Cuts to the bill also have led to a veto threat from President Obama.
Without a long-term transportation bill, the appropriations stay about the same, but they always come with a lot of maneuvering among lawmakers who want to scale back federal spending and give states and metro areas more control. Others, meanwhile, angle to shift spending away from highways and toward transit and goods movement projects in urban areas choking on congestion and freight. Many oppose federal cuts to programs that they say are critical to keep the country economically competitive.
For Houston, however, the bigger item is buried deeper in the bill, right above the Saint Lawrence Seaway Corporation. Sec. 164, crafted and championed by Rep. John Culberson, R-Houston, states as follows:
(a) Loss Of Eligibility.—Except as provided in subsection (b), none of the funds in this or any other Act may be available to advance in any way a new light or heavy rail project towards a full funding grant agreement as defined by 49 U.S.C. 5309 for the Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County, Texas if the proposed capital project is constructed on or planned to be constructed on Richmond Avenue west of South Shepherd Drive or on Post Oak Boulevard north of Richmond Avenue in Houston, Texas.
(b) Exception For A New Election.—The Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County, Texas, may attempt to construct or construct a new fixed guideway capital project, including light rail, in the locations referred to in subsection (a) if—
(1) voters in the jurisdiction that includes such locations approve a ballot proposition that specifies routes on Richmond Avenue west of South Shepherd Drive or on Post Oak Boulevard north of Richmond Avenue in Houston, Texas; and
(2) the proposed construction of such routes is part of a comprehensive, multi-modal, service-area wide transportation plan that includes multiple additional segments of fixed guideway capital projects, including light rail for the jurisdiction set forth in the ballot proposition. The ballot language shall include reasonable cost estimates, sources of revenue to be used and the total amount of bonded indebtedness to be incurred as well as a description of each route and the beginning and end point of each proposed transit project.
The details are a slight change from Culberson’s previous provisions that essentially barred Metro for using federal money for light rail on Richmond or Post Oak. After Culberson and Metro made peace, sort of, he agreed to give them a way to build the lines if they get voter approval of a detailed route.
Rep. John Culberson, R-Houston.
Much like Culberson’s previous roadblocks, this is largely symbolic now, but significant later. Metro doesn’t have the money to build any new rail lines right now; and the 2012 referendum makes that more difficult as the agency refocuses on paying down it debt and revamping its bus network.
Plus, it just opened two routes, which it is working to integrate into the regional transit system.
The importance will come when, and if, Metro ever moves forward. Provisions like Sec. 164 tend to stay in federal spending bills, at least as long as the member of Congress who inserted it is roaming the Capitol. So that softer language might stick around. When and if Metro needs to make its case, it can.
Dug Begley
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David Mura · Secret Colors
Writer :: Speaker :: Performer :: Teacher
← November 9, 2016
On Trump’s Muslim Registry & The Internment Camps: A Japanese American Perspective
Posted by davidmura
Recently, one of Trump’s supporters cited the internment of Japanese Americans as setting a precedent for a Muslim registry. Of course we cannot let this happen; of course we must protect our Muslim, Arab and Indian American brothers and sisters. We must make sure that what happened to my parents and grandparents and the Japanese American community never happens again.
But what does a proposed Muslim registry say about our country? What does it say about our supposed belief in liberty and the Constitution? And what does it say about the internment camps themselves? Trump himself has refused to condemn the internment camps saying, “I would have had to be there at the time to give a proper answer.”
This past week, on the website Counter Current News, Jeremiah Jones put up photos taken by Dorothea Lange which recorded the “evacuation” and imprisonment of Japanese Americans in 1942. Though Lange was opposed to the internment, she took the commission because she felt “a true record of the evacuation would be valuable in the future.” After reviewing her photographs, military commanders seized them for the entire war, writing “Impounded” across some of the prints. They remained mostly unseen until 2006.
That the military censored Lange’s photos is not surprising. They record the quiet dignity with which Japanese Americans like my parents and Japanese immigrants like my grandparents withstood the internment orders–the violation of their civil liberties; their forced abandonment of their properties and businesses; being rounded up and sent to assembly centers, many of which were horse stables; and then being imprisoned behind barbed wire and rifle towers in desolate areas of the American west and south. Two thirds of those imprisoned were American citizens like my parents; half, like my parents, were under 18.
But the government did not merely censor photographs about the internment. In the early 1980’s, lawyer and professor Peter Irons was researching the internment cases that went to the Supreme Court. Irons uncovered evidence that Solicitor General Charles Fahy who argued Korematsu case, had suppressed FBI and military reports, reports which determined Japanese-American citizens posed no security risks. The documents proved that the military had lied to the Supreme Court; the government had knowingly used these lies to construct false arguments. This evidence led to the overturning of the Korematsu case, as US District Judge Marilyn Patel pronounced, “I would like to see the government admit that they were wrong and do something about it so this will never happen again to any American citizen of any race, creed or color…If anyone should do the pardoning, I should be the one pardoning the government for what they did to the Japanese-American people.”
Thus, the FBI lied during World War II when it claimed, “It is said, and no doubt with considerable truth, that every Japanese in the United States who can read and write is a member of the Japanese intelligence system.” To anyone truly familiar with the Japanese American community at the time, such a statement would have been ludicrous. Certainly it reflects nothing of how members of my own family felt about America, much less the Japanese Americans who joined the 442nd, the most decorated regiment in all of Europe during the war.
When I was a child, my parents, like many Nisei, never talked to me about their imprisonment; I think they, like many Nisei, felt a deep sense of shame concerning what happened to them. When I finally learned of the internment camps in my late teens, I thought of them as a singular event that happened long ago. Then redress came and President Ronald Reagan apologized to the Japanese American community and said the real reason for the camps was not military necessity but “racism, wartime hysteria, and a failure of leadership.” I thought, Okay, we’ve recognized that wrong, it’s not going to happen again.
A couple weeks ago I saw “Hold These Truths,” a one person show about Gordon Hirabayashi, one of the four Japanese Americans to take the case of the internment camps to the Supreme Court. Nothing in the play mentioned anything contemporary, no words about Muslims or immigrants, much less Trump, but the play was now allegorical: It spoke beyond the Japanese American experience to the fears of Muslim, Arab and Indian Americans now feel; it spoke to the hate and suspicion that is now being directed towards them–as it was to my parents and their parents and other Japanese Americans.
Confronted with the election of Donald Trump and Trump’s own refusal to disavow the internment camps, I’m forced to this conclusion: The internment camps were not just a one time event, but symptomatic and revealing of what America still is. And when Trump’s minions mention the internment camps as precedence for a Muslim registry, they’re telling us what they mean in saying Make America Great Again. Somewhere in their conscious or unconscious, they believe this is an essential part of that greatness: We used to have the power to do this to people of color and other disenfranchised and we want that power again. We used to lie with impunity about people of color and the disenfranchised. We should be able to do that again.
Given the history of my family and my community, I reject this definition of America, knowing that it may very well be with us for a long time to come.
I start with this declaration: If they are going to take one of us, they must take us all. Put my name down too. I am a Muslim. I am a Japanese American. Never again.
* “Trump Support Cites Japanese Internment as ‘Precedent for Muslim Registry”–Huffington Post: “We’ve done it based on race, we’ve done it based on religion, we’ve done it based on region,” Higbie said. “We’ve done it with Iran back — back a while ago. We did it during World War II with Japanese.”
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/higbie-japanese-internment-muslim_us_582d2f9fe4b099512f80f7b7
Note: No Japanese American was ever convicted of espionage. Two thirds of those interned were Japanese Americans–US citizens. Half were children (including my parents). All 120,000 Japanese Americans living on the West Coast were interned. Though Trump has also referred to the treatment of Germans and Italians during World War II, the internment of Japanese Americans was clearly racially based. For example, in the US at the time, there were more than 1.2 million people who had been born in German, 5 million who had two native-German parents, and 6 million with one native-German parent. The US detained 11,000 ethnic Germans, almost all German nationals (.0009).
@muradavid
The Last Incantations
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Dorico showcase: BBC Proms Inspire winner Sam Rudd-Jones
by Daniel Spreadbury | Apr 26, 2017 | SHOWCASE | 0 comments
This post is part of a series that aims to shine a light on projects in which Dorico has played a part. If you have used Dorico for something interesting and would like to be featured in this series, please let me know.
We like to say that Dorico is the future of scoring software, and it is really gratifying to see a new generation of composers using Dorico to help bring their musical vision to life. Lincolnshire-based young composer Sam Rudd-Jones is still at school, but last year his work Angry won the Upper Junior category in the BBC Proms Inspire Competition 2016, which garnered him an opportunity that many more established composers will envy: a commission from the BBC for another piece, to be conducted by Rumon Gamba and which was broadcast on BBC Radio 3’s flagship contemporary music programme, Hear and Now, this past Saturday. I caught up with Sam to find out more about the commissioned work, Opposites Attract, which he produced in Dorico.
When we spoke, Sam had just returned from a week’s residency with the National Youth Orchestra, where he was involved in writing new pieces for ensembles in a matter of days – and he used Dorico for those works too. “When working to a very tight deadline knowing that you’ll get a good-looking score and parts having to make edits is great,” he told me.
DS: You won the Upper Junior category in the 2016 BBC Proms Inspire Competition with your piece Angry. What was it like to hear your piece performed by the Aurora Orchestra?
SRJ: It was great to work with conductor Nicholas Collon, and the tremendously accomplished players of the Aurora – they really brought the energy needed to bring the piece alive. I’d never had my music played by professional performers before, so it was thrilling to see how quickly they picked it up.
DS: You list Thomas Adès and Oliver Knussen as being key influences on your compositional style. How did you first get exposed to their music?
SRJ: I was introduced to both these composers’ music by my teacher at the Junior Guildhall, Paul Whitmarsh. At that time I hadn’t really heard much contemporary classical music, so I was really fascinated by their highly individual sound worlds. I first came across Adès’ music when I inadvertently used a technique that he used in many of his earlier pieces. I really felt an affinity with some of the patterns and systems he used. His music is always so captivating and convincing and treads an interesting middle ground between having a dialogue with music of the past and creating music which is entirely new. Every note of Oliver Knussen’s music seems to have been very carefully placed and thought through. His total attention to detail really drew me in, especially in his meticulously crafted orchestral pieces.
An excerpt from the score for Opposites Attract.
DS: Your new piece Opposites Attract is a commission from the BBC. What can you tell us about the piece and the process of writing it?
SRJ: As part of the process, I had two workshops with the ensemble, where I could test out ideas and find out what worked and what didn’t. I wrote the majority of the piece in the last month and had been mostly playing around with different bits of material before then. When thinking about how the piece might fit together I noticed that the character of the individual instruments felt really important.
The piece starts with a sort of pastoral section for the winds and strings. They all work together pretty neatly as a group; every instrument “takes their turn”. The piano arrives late to the piece and does not fit in with the rest of ensemble. The middle section is about how the various instruments react to the entrance of the piano. The winds continue to work as a pair with their fast interjections, the violin stubbornly holds onto its melodic high notes and the cello is unsure whether to work with the piano or the others.
Eventually, this reaches a climax which moves into a slow section. The instruments become freed from their roles before and begin to work a bit like a single unit. The piece ends with everyone in a rhythmic unison; the instruments have set aside their differences and are working as one. Opposites Attract felt like an apt title to describe the tension between each instrument’s personality, and how in the end it works out.
DS: The score for Opposites Attract was prepared in Dorico. How did you find the process of using Dorico to produce the score? Did it influence your compositional process at all?
SRJ: A lot of the score was first entered in free time, as I had written it out before by hand, then I’d choose later how to divide it into bars. Dorico’s ease with switching time signatures made this a pretty painless experience. I also ended up using a lot more details than I may have done with Sibelius just because they were so easy to use (e.g. poco cresc.). In the last section, Insert mode became incredibly helpful; I’d planned the rhythm of it but realised that it was about twice as long as it needed to be. So I simply cut bits out and everything else shifted appropriately. Dorico’s strength was probably that it didn’t influence my compositional process too much, it just did what I wanted it to. In Sibelius I probably would have avoided cross-barline tuplets because of their inconvenience. Dorico let me create them without any issues.
DS: You clearly have a bright future ahead of you as a composer. What are your plans for continued study?
SRJ: I’ve got A-Levels to take next year, but after that, I’m planning to study music at university.
DS: Thanks for taking the time to talk to me, Sam!
Make sure you check out Sam’s work Angry from its performance at the BBC Proms 2016, and listen to Opposites Attract on BBC Radio 3’s Hear and Now (the piece starts at 1:23:22). And if you would like to give Dorico a try for yourself, you can download a free 30-day trial version here.
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Venezuela oil-backed cryptocurrency to launch in days, government says
29 Dec 2017 — Leave a comment
Venezuela’s cryptocurrency will launch within days and be backed by 5.3 billion barrels of oil worth $267 billion
The launch is a bid to offset a deep financial crisis, the socialist government said on Thursday
President Nicolas Maduro surprised many earlier this month when he announced the “petro” cryptocurrency
Carlos Becerra | Anadolu Agency | Getty Images
Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro (C) gestures as he speaks during a rally supporting him and opposing U.S. President Donald Trump, in Caracas, on August 14, 2017.
Venezuela’s cryptocurrency will launch within days and be backed by 5.3 billion barrels of oil worth $267 billion, in a bid to offset a deep financial crisis, the socialist government said on Thursday.
President Nicolas Maduro surprised many earlier this month when he announced the “petro” cryptocurrency, to be backed by OPEC member Venezuela’s oil, gas, gold and diamond reserves.
Despite the skepticism of cryptocurrency experts who do not think Venezuela has the wherewithal to pull it off, communications minister Jorge Rodriguez said the first petro offering would come within days.
“Camp one of the Ayacucho block will form the initial backing of this cryptocurrency,” Rodriguez told reporters, referring to part of Venezuela’s southern Orinoco Belt.
“It contains 5.342 billion certified barrels of oil. We’re talking about backing of $267 billion,” said Rodriguez, adding that that differentiated the petro from other cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin.
Miners were already lined up, he said, without giving more details. Cryptocurrencies are obtained by users setting up computers to do complex mathematical calculations in a process known as mining.
Cryptocurrencies are decentralized and their success relies on transparency, clear rules and equal treatment of all involved. Venezuela gave no technical details about the petro.
The government appears to be hoping the petro will offset a collapse in Venezuela’s currency – 97 percent in one year against the U.S. dollar on the black market – and isolate the country from the U.S. dollar and Washington.
Rodriguez also hopes to use the petro as part of a mechanism to pay international providers, many of whom have stopped supplying to Venezuela given its inability to pay its debts.
With Venezuela’s 30 million people suffering shortages, runaway prices and a fourth year of recession, Maduro has long blamed the U.S. government for an “economic war” against it. Critics say incompetent policies are to blame for Venezuela’s economic mess.
Earlier on Thursday, Maduro blamed U.S. pressure on Portugal for blocking imports of pork leading to a shortage over Christmas in Venezuela.
U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration has imposed various political and financial sanctions on Maduro’s government, accusing senior officials of rights abuses and corruption.
“It will be materially impossible for the dictatorial financial centers of the world to intervene against this initiative,” said Rodriguez, citing the Portugal case.
“It will allow us to overcome any financial blockade.”
Cryptocurrencies have grabbed global attention partly because of the remarkable rise in the price of Bitcoin, making millionaires of many early investors, including some in Venezuela who used Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies to shield themselves from strict foreign exchange controls which economists blame for the crisis.
This entry was tagged Bitcoin, crude oil, cryptocurrency, Maduro, Venezuela. Bookmark the permalink.
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License Zero
gainful open software development
licensezero.com
Google's Sam Ramji on Dual Licensing a very clear strategy for open source companies that is still working
From Salil Deshpande’s Q&A with Sam Ramji, VP of GCP, at RedisConf17 :
Deshpande: Let’s talk about AGPL.
Ramji: That’s a fun topic.
Deshpande: The Redis Modules are AGPL. There has to be some way for the commercial entity behind an open source project to make money, and that’s one way. Then there’s some closed-source features in Redis Enterprise.
But Google’s banned AGPL. MongoDB is AGPL, so is that a mistake, or pure genius?
Ramji: It’s a case-by-case issue. It’s something that you have to look at. What does it mean for the packager? What are the requirements? What does it mean to consumer software? So I think “ban” is probably a strong word. We’re very thoughtful about how intellectual property flows between the users of the software, the virtual machines they run on, the cloud infrastructure beneath it.
As you know, Mongo runs MongoDB directly on GCP as a first-class citizen. So, these things are solvable.
Often companies are running AGPL have a dual-licensing strategy, so AGPL is also a mode to make sure that you can be protected and make money, because when it’s hosted, if you don’t want to give away those rights, then you pay for them differentially. So it’s not that different from the world of the dual-licensing GPL model that we had pre-cloud.
So I think there’s a very clear strategy for monetization for open source companies that is still working. Obviously, AGPL raises the complexity of actually figuring out how to do business deals, but it’s not impossible.
Your thoughts and corrections to this post are very welcome.
Please fell free to reach out privately, by e-mail, or publicly, via Twitter.
index — revision history — back to top
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Tag Archives: Hachette
BookShots: The Hachette vs. Amazon Truce?
A few months ago, I published How to Build a Loyal Readership So Your Self-Published Books Get Picked Up by Literary Agents and Trade Publishers which highlights a few highly successful independent authors who are using “rapid release” publishing (among other tactics) to sell thousands of books online. Many of them are earning six-figure incomes. One of the early pioneers earned seven figures in her first year. I’ve since come across an article from 2016, titled “James Patterson Has a Big Plan for Small Books,” discussing how one of the world’s most famous trade-published authors is using some of the same tactics to sell more books to an extended audience:
…Mr. Patterson is after an even bigger audience. He wants to sell books to people who have abandoned reading for television, video games, movies and social media.
So how do you sell books to somebody who doesn’t normally read?
Mr. Patterson’s plan: make them shorter, cheaper, more plot-driven and more widely available.
In June, Mr. Patterson will test that idea with BookShots, a new line of short and propulsive novels that cost less than $5 and can be read in a single sitting. Mr. Patterson will write some of the books himself, write some with others, and hand pick the rest. He aims to release two to four books a month through Little, Brown, his publisher. All of the titles will be shorter than 150 pages, the length of a novella.
This article states that Patterson created the idea of BookShots to try to capture the growing number of people who just don’t have/make the time read traditional 300- to 400-page novels anymore; but, considering he’s offering these novellas in paperback, ebook, and audiobook formats, I’m willing to bet Patterson also sees how BookShots can help him to monopolize on today’s digital selling trends. The fact is, the best way to sell a book online is to publish another book. When done on a consistent basis, as the above-mentioned independent authors do, it can successfully ping both Amazon’s and Google’s algorithms to place an author higher and higher up in the rankings. The higher your rank, the more books you will sell. Online selling has more to do with indifferent computerized processes than publicity or popularity.
I also see Patterson’s BookShots concept as a form of truce between Hachette Book Group (which publishes his books in the USA through its Little, Brown imprint) and Amazon after their epic battle a few years ago. To refresh your memory, Amazon believed that all ebooks should be priced low all the time. The Amazon Books Team went so far as to send out a mass email to all its ebook publishers seeking support of its stance. Below is an excerpt from that email which was also published by Dave Smith for BusinessInsider.com in August of 2014:
Just ahead of World War II, there was a radical invention that shook the foundations of book publishing. It was the paperback book. This was a time when movie tickets cost 10 or 20 cents, and books cost $2.50. The new paperback cost 25 cents – it was ten times cheaper. Readers loved the paperback and millions of copies were sold in just the first year. With it being so inexpensive and with so many more people able to afford to buy and read books, you would think the literary establishment of the day would have celebrated the invention of the paperback, yes? Nope. Instead, they dug in and circled the wagons. They believed low cost paperbacks would destroy literary culture and harm the industry (not to mention their own bank accounts). Many bookstores refused to stock them, and the early paperback publishers had to use unconventional methods of distribution – places like newsstands and drugstores.…
…Well… history doesn’t repeat itself, but it does rhyme.
Fast forward to today, and it’s the e-book’s turn to be opposed by the literary establishment. Amazon and Hachette – a big US publisher and part of a $10 billion media conglomerate – are in the middle of a business dispute about e-books. We want lower e-book prices. Hachette does not. Many e-books are being released at $14.99 and even $19.99. That is unjustifiably high for an e-book.
Skip ahead a couple of years, and James Patterson announced his plan to publish cheaper BookShots novellas to reach the same audience Amazon was talking about. In the 2016 article, it states:
In some ways, Mr. Patterson’s effort is a throwback to the dime novels and pulp fiction magazines that were popular in the late 19th and early 20th century, when commercial fiction was widely available in drugstores.
There’s the truce. In November of 2014, Hachette was victorious in negotiating a deal that allowed trade publishers the continued right to dictate their own retail prices for the books they produce (as it should be, in my opinion). But Amazon got through in some ways, didn’t it? The company planted a seed with the traditional publishers that obviously grew. And now James Patterson and his team write BookShots.
The independent authors mentioned earlier may not be as famous as James Patterson. Just his name alone commands an automatic audience to sell all the BookShots he publishes each year with ease. But, as mentioned earlier, many are now selling thousands of books online each year using the exact tactics that are detailed inside How to Build a Loyal Readership So Your Self-Published Books Get Picked Up by Literary Agents and Trade Publishers. I now do the same and have seen my personal blog users increase from 1,000 to over 5,000 in one year. I’ve also watched my personal monthly book downloads increase from under 5 books per month to 300+ books per month on average. Now you know what I mean when I say it’s unecessary to add a bunch of extra “fluff” into a book to get it to a certain word- or page-count to make it more saleable. That’s irrelevant in this day and age. You can sell just as many—if not more—books by writing and publishing BookShots like James Patterson does, whether you write fiction or non-fiction.
As a user of this website, you are authorized only to view, copy, print, and distribute the documents on this website so long as: one (1) the document is used for informational purposes only; and two (2) any copy of the document (or portion thereof) includes the following copyright notice: Copyright © 2018 Polished Publishing Group (PPG). All rights reserved.
This entry was posted in Author Success Stories, Opinion, Sales and Marketing, The Book Business, Traditional Trade Publishing and tagged Amazon, BookShots, Hachette, James Patterson, rapid release publishing on June 11, 2018 by Kim Staflund.
How to Build a Loyal Readership So Your Self-Published Books Get Picked Up by Literary Agents and Trade Publishers
Now available through AMAZON, KOBO, and E-SENTRAL!
There is a form of online book sales and marketing known as “rapid release” publishing that many of today’s most successful independent authors (a.k.a. indie authors) are using to sell thousands of books every year. Some of these authors are earning six-figure incomes from their ever-growing online platforms. What is a “platform” you’re asking? It is a loyal readership. And that’s what the Big Five—Penguin Random House, HarperCollins, Hachette, Macmillan, and Simon & Schuster—trade publishers are looking for when scouting new book projects. They’ll sign the unknown indie authors with built-in audiences that can guarantee them sales before they’ll re-sign a known trade-published author with limited traction. That’s the reality of this business.
INDIE AUTHORS CAN BE SUCCESSFUL WITH FICTION AND NON-FICTION
Throughout 2017, my primary focus was finding and sharing indie author success stories with my subscribers on the PPG Publisher’s Blog. I’ve included many of those stories in this book, too. Interestingly enough, some of those original posts led to cautionary comments from other “author marketing consultants” who suggested that this type of online marketing technique can only work for indie authors who write fiction. They seemed to suggest that it’s somehow simpler to sell multiple fictional books than it is to sell multiple non-fiction books—that it’s easier to build up one’s readership based on entertainment genres rather than self-help/educational genres.
Something deep inside me disagreed with their logic. Something in my heart said it would be just as easy, if not easier, for indie authors to successfully utilize “rapid release” publishing for non-fiction books as it would be for fiction. I went in search of proof and found it once again. (You get what you focus on in this world!)
In my research, I’ve found that non-fiction indie authors are among the perfect candidates for this form of self-publishing. Why? Because of your diverse demographics (e.g., seniors, adults, teenagers, children, males, females, et cetera) and the varied subject matter you can cover within your respective industries (e.g., hairdressers can write about long hair, short styles, curls, braids, updos, colours, et cetera; automotive service technicians can cover vehicle maintenance and repair for all kinds of different makes and models, various automotive parts and how they work, et cetera). When it comes to topic matter, the sky is the limit for most non-fiction indie authors; and “rapid release” publishing provides an opportunity for you to expand your business to genuinely help more people—the do-it-yourselfers—without over-extending your current workload. Think of this as a unique way to clone yourself.
MODERN BOOK SALES AND MARKETING FOR INDIE AUTHORS
Selling physical books in an offline marketplace is different from selling digital books in an online marketplace. In the traditional offline world, indie authors must appeal to people such as booksellers, reviewers, and publicists to help you sell more books; but, in the online world, you’re working with intangible algorithms and computerized search engine optimization (SEO) processes to increase your exposure. This is a blessing, as you’ll clearly see once you read this book. This is a new and highly effective way for indie authors to reach literary agents and trade publishers. Or who knows? You may decide to remain independent once you see the kind of success that is truly possible for you.
This entry was posted in Coming Soon to PPG! and tagged Amazon, E-Sentral, Hachette, HarperCollins, indie authors, Kobo, literary agents, Macmillan, Penguin Random House, Simon & Schuster, the Big Five, trade publishers on November 21, 2017 by Kim Staflund.
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tv Quadriga - The International Talk Show LINKTV May 1, 2015 9:00am-10:01am PDT
annenberg media ♪
r of the late 20th century seems far removed, today 21st-century europe strains to accommodate the outcome. the fall of the berlin wall marked the end of the soviet empire's iron curtain and reshaped germany's borders. a new unified berlin is emerging: the capital of a reunited germany near the center of a european region whose borders expanded with the demise of the iron curtain. narrator: during the cold war that followed world war ii germany existed as two antagonistic countries, east germany and west germany.
berlin, the historic capital of the nation, located deep inside communist east germany was also divided into east and west sectors. for nearly 30 years, this division was marked by a wall built right through the city. the wall went up in 1961. then in 1989 germany was reunified and the wall was torn down. man: the wall comes down, there is great euphoria. finally the two cities can be connected again and made one. it is a new symbol of the unification of germany, the syol of unification of germany. people are euphoric-- they go to the wall when the wall opens up and they visit and they hug and everybody seems to be very happy but once the euphoria settles a little bit it becomes very clear that between the two sides there is fundamental differences. narrator: an entire generation had grown up on opposite sides of the wall under radically different political
systems with different social values. now everyone would live in a capitalistic market economy-- in effect, the west had won-- but it hasn't been easy to bridge the 40-year gap. isabelle aflalo studied the urban geography of berlin just after the wall was demolished. she starts herourney in what was west berlin, near what the locals call the "ku'damm," or the kurfuerstendamm. this avenue, often compared to the champs-elysées in paris was a showcase of western consumer goods and the capitalistic lifestyle when the city was still divided. ( aflalo speaking french ) translator: we have just seen the ku'damm district a very rich area with a lot of commercial and cultural activities. when the city was divided, this area was very heavily financed by west germany. herb: in the west, this was the symbol of the success of the capitalist system. we have the construction of ku'damm
building up with beautiful shops with department stores that showed, really, that this was the promised land, this is... all the goods could be had on the western side. narrator: the train takes isabelle toward the center of berlin, through a neighborhood called kreuzberg right beside the former wall. this area became during the time of the wall, the refuge of less-fortunate sectors of society and therefore the center of a more popular and cosmopolitan lifestyle. a whole culture of cheap if not free, accommodation took over the area. it was also the me of 50,000 rkish immigrants. after reunification, many expected kreuzberg to become more desirable and expensive, but that hasn't happened. it's still the poorest neighborhood in berlin.
as isabelle continues eastward she enters the station for the elevated train just at the place where the wall once cut the city in two. when the wall was built in 1961 by the soviet army the official reason was to create a barrier to protect the east from its capitalistic enemy, the west. in fact, the wall was built to stop the uncontrollable flood of emigration from east to west berlin. for 28 years, the blunt and brutal wall divided not only streets and families, but also symbolized the cold war dividing the entire world. ( aflalo speaking french ) translator: at the time when the town was split this place was an intermediate zone which was no longer in the west but not quite in the east either since the border was in fact, defined by the river. the wall was quite rough; it was not painted since it was situated in a zone reserved for transit formalities. in fact, there were three types of passage, very regimented:
those for foreigners those for west germans and, like here only for west berliners. ( continues in french ) translator: and now i'm entering east berlin. narrator: here, the tramway replaces the subway along avenues with many deserted buildings. the urban layout here, contrary to that of the west is radial rather than linear. it is a more classical and ntrolled urban model with avenues converging on alexanderplatz, both the historic center of the town and what was the symbolic center of communist power. it is here that alternative culture now gravitates. ( man speaking german ) translator: of course, for us, living in this building is a kind of philosophy. i've lived in the friedrichshain area
for four years now. before that, i lived in west berlin, in kreuzberg. i really needed a new apartment, and there were houses empty here. that's why i moved to friedrichshain. there are 70laims of ownership on this building. until 1933, it belonged to polish jews who were thrown out by the nazis. then it became the property of the german democratic republic and now the courts are trying to decide to whom they will give it. narrator: friedrichshain, and especially kreuzberg, were expected to become more desirable even expensive places to live after reunification. but the process of putting a city back together again is complex and can be very hard to predict. herb: now with the wall gone
there'll be investment into the city center area. this will bring the two sides together. there'll be speculation, and actually, the less- affluent sections of society will move out, because they will not be able to afford the new rents, which will go up with renovations left and right. and this hasn't happened to the degree that people thought it would. narrator: and as the realities of reunification diverge from expectations, some berliners resent the changes. ( taxi driver speaking german ) translator: before, no one was interested in berlin-- nobody came to berlin. why? because there was nothing to gain. now we're going to have the government and everything that goes with it-- all the big international companies, the lobbyists and all the rest. for me, it's not positive. once, just after reunification one
of my clients said to me "we should rebuild the wall, but four meters higher and this time, all the way around berlin." narrator: whether its inhabitants like it or not, berlin is now an open city and the site of major development efforts. one of the first big developments was created almost literally out of the rubble of the wall. potsdamerplatz is an ambitious attempt to build an entirely new corporate and commercial magnet right in the heart of what was prewar berlin. international corporations like sony, at&t and daimler-benz have invested in major construction, which also includes a vast shopping mall hotels, and movie theaters. perhaps because it is so totally new and shows off a commercial, global culture instead of the city's own past potsdamerplatz has become hugely popular with berliners.
this is one place where residents of the former east and west can mingle freely and comfortably. as much as potsdamerplatz has changed the face of berlin the most significant development in the city's new identity is not commercial but political: the decision to put the capital of a reunified germany in its orinal historic location-- berlin. ( speaking german ) translator: we are now entering the bend of the spree river. this is the site that was chosen for the future chancellery and the new parliament building. narrator: the new federal strip literally straddles the site of the old wall and includes a new chancellery and parliament building. like so much else in today's berlin, both its location and the design of the buildings are meant to express the spirit of a reunified city and country. the fact is, of course that after reunification east germany in economic and social terms is considerably behind west germany, and the decision to move or to designate berlin as the capital
is in part a reflection of a commitment to trying to show east germany that it is indeed part of the new germany. narrator: also symbolic was the decision to refurbish the traditional seat of the national legislature, the reichstag. in part, this was intended to make a statement about germany's democratic government. herb: here we have this old german symbol that's transformed by this glass dome over this and transforms the building, and you can now go upstairs in the dome and not only see all of berlin right around you-- you can see potsdamerplatz you can see over to oranienburgerstrasse, where the old synagogue used to be which has been beautifully restored you can see the alex the old eastern tv tower and you can also see into the chamber. the light from the dome feeds actually into the chamber where the debates are. so this is what... for the germans, it is a representation of the transparency of their new democracy that they're
having now. berlin is a very exciting city because of the construction, because it's in flux and it's not just a small town somewhere along the former iron curtain. berlin is where the east and west meets in a real, substantial sense. and i think that's why berlin can go out of the slump it has right now because it has that kind of unique situation of being at the cutting edge right there at the meeting place between the two sides of east and west. narrator: since the fall of the wall in 1989 and the end of the cold war rivalry between e west and the soet union berlin is being transformed into one city as the capital of a unified germany. the collapse of the soviet iron curtain reshaped europe itself. berlin has once again assumed a physically central location in a new expanded european region. berliners are hopeful that their city will soon attain
a more central functional location within europe as well. in the decades to come their success will be measured in an eastward shift of europe's economic core and the emergence of berlin as a city whose relative location is at the center of a new europe. technically, poland became democratic in 1989 almost immediately after the collapse of soviet rule here. but the diffusion of democratic practice-- that is, the transformation of people's behavior, values and social institutions-- takes much longer. this is the story of a polish-american geographer who has been leading an effort in poland to spread the skills and attitudes and create the social institutions that make a successful free-market economy and democratic society possible. ( woman speaking polish ) translator: the elections brought hope.
we thought the new system would bring change. but now we see that politicians are politicians. and while they quarrel, the people get poorer and poorer. ( speaking polish ) translator: society is still living as if we were in communism. people thi that every new thing is a bad thing. the people can't switch. ( students debating in polish ) narrator: years after the collapse of communist rule, these polish teenagers voice the frustrations of a nation. ( speaking polish ) translator: my father is 42. he doesn't have good health. what is he supposed to do, compete for a job? narrator: poland's transition to democracy has not brought the prosperity many poles expected. a recent survey claimed that 70% felt life was harder now than it was under communism. man 1 ( translated ): jarek is talking about natural selection. if you are a pusher, you get a good job and the others don't. but what about good, moral people? man 2 ( translated ): the person who is stronger wins-- this is capitalism!
the law of the jungle? the stronger will win. but that's the law of the jungle. narrator: but in the debate over these difficult economic questions joanna strzelecka-- the teens' attentive teacher in the middle there-- sees new skills emerging a new capacity for discourse compromise and civic engagement. the future of poland's democracy depends on how quickly these skills spread through its population. strzelecka is an agent of this diffusion. she is part of a plan crafted by a geographer to speed the pace of change in a race against the collapse of open society. in 1989, democracy reached poland and the other eastern bloc nations of the former soviet empire. now these nations face the turmoil of political and economic transition, and their fledgling democracies are put to a severe test. man ( translated ): each time you vote by majority
you should define what "majority" means. narrator: before she could teach it, strzelecka had to learn for herself that democracy is about more than voting for politicians; it's a decision-making process that pervades not just government but civic, social and even business organizations in an opociety. translator: in fact, a majority is always 50% of the votes plus one. narrator: today, in the very classrooms where communist workers once learned auto mechanics, community leaders like strzelecka are learning the mechanics of democratic decision making. ( man speaking polish ) translator: why is it 50% plus one vote? why can't it be 54%? ( translated ): we can't have people divided into point-somethings. and if we say 50% plus one then it's 12 in this case. ( continuing to discuss in polish ) narrator: this workshop on how to set up an association is one of many
given by the local democracy in poland program, a nationwide effort to introduce democratic practice to the population. ( group discussing in polish ) narrator: these trainees are here because local group decision making-- a crucial activity in a democracy-- was almost nonexistent under communist rule. so the trainees are taught some unfamiliar skills and insights... ( speaking polish ) narrator: like team building and public relations conflict resolution and negotiating and the importance of point of view. ( light laughter ) each of the trainees was selected according to a finely honed strategy, a strategy based on the geographic phenomenon of diffusion. diffusion is the spreading of an idea innovation, disease, anything, from its source outward across the landscape.
politically, a country can become democratic literally overnight. but true democratic practice spreads slowly and unevenly, a rate of change that poles are looking to increase. chief architect of poland's plan to spread democratic practice is polish-born geographer dr. joanna regulska, who teaches at rutgers university. regulska emigrated to the u.s. in 1977. since 1989, however, she's worked closely with poland's parliament developing the framework for political and economic reform. when you want to sometimes to achieve something and bring everybody together and you want it with all the democratic notion of getting the ownership, well you need to spread this around. you need to kind of bring the communities together the little places together. so these are the most important people-- for me, the people in the small village are the most important people. yes, the politicians in warsaw make the decisions.
but, actually, these people in the small village are going to need to eventually stand up and say those decisions are wrong and we need to change them. narrator: regulska's concern for the little places is not nostalgic but geographic. the bulk of poland's population lives in the small towns and villages, not in the more-democratized cities. rejection of democracy in these regions, then could jeopardize the people's freedom. as a geographer, regulska knows that diffusion of democracy will depend on the barriers and the carriers. in poland, democratic society seems to have taken root in the largest cities thanks to carriers such as the media... tourism... and universities,
all of which help to spread w ideas and opportunities. but in the small towns and villages, change comes hard. ( rooster crowing ) here, regulska found thatemocratic pracce as measured by voter turnout the presence of nongovernmental organizations and citizens' initiatives-- is lagging badly. the barriers-- such as isolation and massive unemployment-- are hi and the carriers-- humanor technological-- are few. ( discussing in polish ) narrator: working with the foundation in support of local democracy here in their warsaw headquarters, regulska lays out her strategy for diffusion. her team used the foundation's regional training centers as bases and targeted 25 towns in which to plant the seeds of democracy.
if all goes well, acts of public engagement in community life will spread outward from these hubs to the adjoining regions. strzelecka and her colleagues were recruited from among these communities. once they are schooled in democracy skills, each of these 90 trainees will be a carrier. back home they will model democratic behavior by initiating town projects, networking and organizing the citizens of their villages and regions. take the two trainees on the right, for example, two of the youngest participants. they are tomek podolski and jacek kretkowski a heavy-metal guitarist and budding writer, respectively. they live in korsze, a village of 3,200 people in one of poland's most remote regions. here, the mainstay of life has almost always been agriculture. under mmism, large ate-ownefarmlike t
were the number one employers. but the political and economic reforms of 1989 have changed that dramatically. since then, most of these cooperatives have either privatized and sharply reduced their labor forces or they've padlocked their gates for good. the result in korsze the trainees say ecord 32% unemoyment and suspicion and resentment for the reform ( gate rattles ) to show this town the democratic way the duo performed a simple act of citizen-initiated social organization. they put together a ping-pong tournament. so, what does ping-pong have to do with community needs? ( young man speaking polish ) translator: we are not starting with a very big or complicated problem but it would be very difficult for
us if we started with a major problem and we couldn't solve it. people would desert us. they would say, "they were trying but they are incompetent, and so we don't want to talk to them." but if we can make something simple, a tournament and we're successful then we can try to cope with more difficult problems in the future. narrator: in fact, grassroots organizing like this is the bedrock of a successful democracy. and in korsze, ping-pong proved the perfect ice breaker. ( rock music playi ) but even this isn't so simple. without a local paper, it's up to them to spread the news of the event. and for the winners, in a region where things are tight, s in gifts and cash totaling close to six million zlotys.
that's almost $300 or the equivalent in korsze of two months' wages. their campaign worked. four days before the tournament, these kids are here to practice, and the roster shows more than 75 entrants from three towns. and recent budget decisions show that starting small and gaining trust has paid off. korsze's legislators this year okayed the funds for tomek and jacek's second project building a town playground. as word of such success spreads, the potential for civic engagement grows. this diffusion will speed or slow according to local social and economic factors. regulska: it's important to really also think about the context you know, what's happening in these places, to what extent they will be like a sponge accepting and to what extent there will be certain resistance
and the barriers and kind of, you know, we need to work this differently. narrator: the barriers are not always obvious. an important one revealed itself only after the project had been running for years. we tended to lose women over time from these programs. and we did not understand what is really happening-- why, when initially we were very much gender-balanced when we have chosen, by the end of the year first year or second year, we notice that we have less and less women. we went back to women and we've asked them "what is it that caused you to stop coming to the meetings to the workshops to the seminars?" and women have pointed out a number of the things which point out that they're a very patriarchal, conservative society. they felt that they needed to know three, four times more and better than men in order to be allowed to speak, in order to be heard by the people and in order to create within the
meeting a space for themselves. they very often, uh, were, um, dismissed-- their efforts-- by the officials. they would go with men together, and the mayors would speak to men but women would be left out. they were overburdened because of the very still traditional gender division of labor at home: they work, they take care of the family of the husband, of the children. they have no time, they are exhausted, they are tired. they want to, but there was just not enough hours during the day. so, for us it was very important, because what it did, in that history of the gender relation in that particular country told us that we cannot do what we wanted to do-- bring at the same time from the beginning both men and women and work with them. and we've created a series of special programs, um, developed in particular addressing women-- um, focus on advocacy and lobbying skills--
to address these issues and to develop the styles and allow them to develop the styles of leadership, of management that they feel most comfortable with, because then that's when they're going to be the most effective. and so the difference by the 2002 is that certain things spread around. there's a clearly enormous civic potential. there are thousands of nongovernmental organizations across the country. there are enormous citizen participation in the local initiatives. narrator: though high unemploynt remains a problem here poland's post-soviet economy has grown by almost 25%. in 2002, as eastern europe's most stable society and best economic performer, it was poised for admission into the european union. credit for poland's achievements goes in part
to sound economic policy in part old-fashioned good governance and in no small part to the rapid diffusion of democratic practices throughout polish society. captioned by media access group at wgbh access.wgbh.org
rrator: europe is perhaps the region most associated with supranationalism-- the voluntary association of three or more countries. one example of supranationalism is the european union-- an economic alliance designed to improve european competitiveness in the world economy. but this alliance is more than just economic. it is also europe's attempt to forge a community with common values even as individual state identity is maintained. strasbourg is located on the border of france and germany and has endured centuries of conflict between those two nations. today, it is one seat of the european union--
a symbol of modern unity. as political boundaries become more permeable, perceptions of place change as well as deeper, more personal meanings of national identity. when state boundaries become porous, what does it mean to be french or german or european? strasbourg serves as one of three centers for the european union. this medium-sized city of 250,000 is not a major player in europe's financial or industrial arenas. so why is it playing such an important role in europe's political future? the answer can be found in strasbourg's cultural history-- a product of its unique borderland location. strasbourg literally means "city of the roads that cross." these roads lead west to atlantic europe east to central europe north to great britain and south to the mediterranean world. most crucial of all, strasbourg sits on the rhine river
between two of europe's strongest historical rivals-- france and germany. strasbourg really occupies a very special kind of position. of course, it's bounced back and forth a bit between german and french influence and, in fact 500 or 600 years ago it was really falling within the influence of the german empire. and then as the french empire was expanding and in conflict with the german empire along the rhine it came under french influence. the franco-prussian war in the 1870s, however, was partly driven by german efforts to expand to the west bank of the rhine-- that's where strasbourg sits. so it became formally a part of germany at that time. and then in the 20th century it's fallen back under french control. those original cultural and linguistic ties with germany are still there, so you have a dialect that is a germanic dialect but it's now, of course, formally a part of france. and this particular and special situation gives it a bifurcated identity which is really sort of special for a city of its sort. narrator: as the capital of france's
alsace region, strasbourg's combination of cultures is one of its strengths. ( speaking french ) translator: we are fortunate some would say to be the fruit of a mixed marriage-- a marriage between a so-called "germanic" culture and a latin culture. this is alsace. narrator: you can see this dual history in the architecture here. strasbourg is german in its 16th-century timber-framed houses. strasbourg is french in the ordered lines of the 18th-century rohan palace. strasbourg is german in the neoclassical architecture of emperor wilhelm ii's rhine palace. and strasbourg is french in its walls fortified by vauban in the time of louis xiv. in today's strasbourg, though, the walls that once existed between the city's two cultures
are breaking down. when you cross from germany into strasbourg, you notice something unusual at the border between two countries-- no one is stopping at customs. ( speaking french ) translator: the 1st of january 1993 marked the setting up of the european internal market, freeing circulation between the 12 countries of the european community. border crossings are no longer subject to customs controls at the point of entry to a country. all such controls take place within the borders and are supervised by mobile units. narrator: thirty kilometers south of strasbourg on the rhine river is a district called rhinau. most of rhinau is in france, but part is in germany. this is a very unusual situation left over from medieval times, but it shows how the meaning of borders is changing today. ( speaking french ) translator: i go to germany to reap the corn on my land--
a thousand hectares-- which is in the district of rhinau. when the borders were closed i had to stop here and the custom officers would ask what i was doing. so i would explain that i owned some land here. ( speaking french ) translator: all along the rhine, there are dozens of people who work in germany who are very happy that these openings still exist. and germans also come here to do their shopping. the formal transboundary cooperation agreements that have developed across the upper rhine have facilitated the ability of germans to come into the strasbourg area and to buy up property. and what this means, of course is that they are living now in a different context from the one they used to live in and that makes them think about themselves and their place in different ways, and it certainly helps to break down a sense of "this is french and this is german," which, of course, lay behind some of the animosities that characterized this region
throughout much of the 20th century. ( man speaking french ) translator: now we have come to the point that every house for sale is bought by german buyers. they even buy building sites. one of them has built his house out here. you know, the price is so much lower here that they can buy a house and its site with the price they would pay for a site alone over there. on the down side, however, of course, is they come in in growing numbers, buy up property; this raises real estate prices. and, of course, it makes it more difficult then for locals particularly locals of less... who are less well off, to get into the real estate market. and so there are potential resentments that can be fostered by this sort of activity as well. narrator: strasbourg's stature as an important center of european cooperation grew from a decision in 1949 to locate the council of europe here.
( speaking french ) translator: the council of europe finally became, at least to some extent, the route to a democratic europe, because all the democracies, one by one, became members. narrator: the council of europe was established in 1949 with ten countries. new members have continued to join, and since the fall of the iron curtain, the entry of russia and most of the eastern european countries has brought the total to 41. subsequently, the so-called european communities were born. firstly the coal and steel community, then in brussels the european community. these were the predecessors of the european union. adinolfi: all of the countries that joined the european community were, first of all members of the council. so it can be considered as a sort of antechamber for the european union. narrator: today strasbourg is also home to the european union's legislative branch-- the european parliament. but the capital of the european union is, in a sense, split
with major administrative centers in brussels and luxembourg city, as well as strasbourg. murphy: there's a little bit of a struggle about where the future of this will go. there's an enormous expense right now associated with running back and forth between brussels and strasbourg. indeed, many of the parliamentary committees meet in brussels. then they have to get on a train with their tons of documents and get on over to strasbourg for their formal parliamentary meetings. so it's an issue before europe of how much this is worth. but, of course there are political and cultural interests vested in this. ( speaking french ) translator: strasbourg is on the border between germany and france and for centuries, the city has been caught in the middle of conflicts between the two nations, and reconciliation between them has passed by strasbourg. since we have so few symbols in europe,
strasbourg is surely an appropriate symbol of unification and peace. and the parliament would be crazy not to take advantage of the possibilities of this town as its seat. even if the european union remains simply an economic union, it has already achieved a lot. but if it remains only economic, if it does not enter into the hearts of the people if there is no common belief it will run aground. narrator: these cultural foundations will be crucial to the success of the european union. translator: i am from naples and i am completely, thoroughly neapolitan. yet i have decided to spend my life in strasbourg. i will spend all my life here. it feels good here. i have a lot of friends here and this environment the european atmosphere, which is so much a part of strasbourg, suits me perfectly.
narrator: further economic unification continued in 2002 with the adoption of a common currency, the euro. but, as economic, political and cultural unification proceeds, will the europeans be able to maintain their national and cultural identities? many still feel themselves to be french and many still feel themselves to be german on either side of the international boundary. strasbourg, as we were talking about earlier, has always had a little bit of an in-between position with respect to that. but what this does is... the recent developments help to reinforce that in-between position. and i think, probably, although it's difficult to get survey evidence to show this it tends to make people think more in terms of not even so much necessarily local alsatian terms but in terms of multiple levels of identity in which europe is one of them. narrator: and how do these multiple levels of identity
translate to a self-image for the people who live in border regions such as alsace? translator: we are alsatian, and we are proud to be. but we are also proud to be french and i hope we will soon be proud to be european. narrator: as one of the capitals of a new, united europe, strasbourg symbolizes an increasingly important concept: that of supranationalism, as embodied by the european union. it is an idea that transcends cultural and national definitions of state territory. as boundaries allow more fluid movement, perceptions of state identity may become more fluid as well. in the final analysis, europe's supranationalism seeks to enhance how european places interact with each other and how europe, as a region, can most effectively interact with the world. europe has seen increasing supranationalism through organizations like the european union.
however, at the same time, certain countries in the region have split apart-- a process called "devolution." though former yugoslavia dissolved into bitter war, its neighbor, czechoslovakia separated peacefully into the czech and slovak republics. our focus is on the slovak republic. we'll see that this young country still struggles with border disputes ethnic tensions and economic development issues connected to its communist past and its independent future. thirty miles east of vienna lies a nation that is barely beyond its first decade of existence. the slovak republic-- or slovakia-- only came into being on january 1, 1993 with the breakup of the old czechoslovakian federation. french geographer ewa kulesza is exploring how boundary issues
have affected the people of this young east central european country. located only three miles from the austrian border slovakia's capital, bratislava already possesses a long frontier history which starts with the danube. it was the northern limit of the roman empire. then, having fallen under hungarian domination during the ninth century bratislava, then named pozsony lay at the limits of the territory. later, pozsony became pressburg and marked the border of the two halves of the austro-hungarian empire. finally, pressburg became bratislava when, in 1918, the first czechoslovakian state was forged. but one war and a few years later, the old castle still saw another frontier pass at its feet-- the iron curtain. then, in its turn, this last empire
fell in 1989. ( man speaking slovak ) translator: at a certain point the czech political class decided that it would suit them better if slovakia became independent thus to create a barrier to the ukraine and the balkans. they thought that this would allow their economy to conform more easily to western european norms. concurrently, a group of slovak leaders felt that the economic restructuring program proposed by the czechs was not very advantageous for slovakia. this was how following the 1992 elections the new prime ministers, vaclav klaus for the czech republic and vladimir meciar for slovakia decided that the two federal states must separate peacefully. ( speaking slovak )
( cheers and applause ) the slovaks always felt that they were treated as second-class citizens within czechoslovakia. they thought it was supposed to be an equal union and they felt that the czechs looked down upon them, and they didn't like that. that's part of the driving force for separating. it became... it helped slovak national self-esteem by having their own country and feeling like they had total governance over themselves. narrator: the so-called "velvet divorce" announced, the territory still had to be divided. for two years, a bilateral commission worked to determine the true line of the border. this line follows approximately the historic limitations of the ancient czech and slovak federal republics. ( speaking french ) translator: so, there's the border. kulesza ( translated ): this border corresponds more or less
to an ancient historic line. but, you can see that a border is a physical reality that is set out meter by meter with vy re consequences for people. borders are where we as human beings decide that we want to place them. and we change them and we change them every so often-- decades, sometimes it takes centuries-- but they're not what often people think as natural, you know, that somehow... that they're supposed to be there. borders are really human constructs. narrator: in the village of sidonia, the little stream which defines the border meanders so much that it was decided to use the road as the dividing line. ( speaking slovak ) translator: here, for example, the border tes the center line of the road. the family's house lies on the czech side of the road, while their outhouses are located on the slovak side. but you must understand that this situation arose as a result of a will to compromise
in order to facilitate the lives of the village people. ( woman speaking czech ) translator: i've lived on the czech side. i've always lived there, and when i saw barriers at the end of the road, i cried. why is it like this? who wanted it? why did those people up there decide to separate the people? it's really awful! narrator: along with such local concerns larger economic and political challenges are to be found along slovakia's borders. the gabcikovo dam rises over the danube river on the boundary between slovakia and its southern neighbor, hungary. begun in 1977, this was one of the last gigantic construction projects undertaken by the communist regime. a joint venture between hungary and czechoslovakia this immense hydroelectric project has become an inherited source of conflict.
white: the idea was that they would divert water from the danube river through turbines to generate hydroelectric energy. but at the same time it was potentially environmentally destructive. it would move 97% of the water from the danube river through a concrete channel that could then be run through the turbines. hungarian scientists began to realize that there would be vast environmental consequences-- pollution of groundwater tables, even surface water would be polluted. it could potentially destroy habitat for animals. and there was another issue that downriver from the dam is budapest, a city of 2 1/2 million people. in time, hunrians, through street prosts, et cetera pressured their own government to slow down on their... their half of the project, so that by late 1980s, the hungarians only had completed roughly ten percent of their project where the slovaks had pushed ahead, actually
and were almost 90% done. so this started to create tensions between the two countries. with the hungarians not wanting it to go through and... and stopping, the slovaks came up with an option to just completely finish the dam and the whole project on their side of the boundary. kulesza ( translated ): it has produced a tangled web of unresolved ecological political and legal problems with the southern neighbor. the two countries have applied to the international court of justice at the hague to resolve this dispute by peaceful means. this is not the balkans, this is central europe. the hungarians accuse the slovaks of having displaced the border between the two countries by a few hundred meters. narrator: in 1997, the court ruled that both parties must work to negotiate a new solution to their conflict. the gabcikovo hydropower plant is operational but issues of water control along the border continue to be a hostile point between the two countries.
another legacy of slovakia's communist past is its flagging economy. as part of czechoslovakia, its orientation was east its economy tied to the soviet union. since separation slovakia has lagged behind the czech republic due in part to its eastern location and lack of infrastructure. the czech half of the country was more industrialized. and without that half, the slovak part of it has languished more economically especially since the czech part of the country if you look at a map of europe is much closer to the industrialized part of western europe. the czech republic is in a good position in terms of import and export. the distances are quite short. slovakia ends up being farther away. bratislava is very close to vienna and budapest and is probably prospering more than the eastern parts of the country which now seem very far away
for any kind of german investment or french investment. just... they... they won't invest in factories in the eastern part of slovakia just because of transportation problems communication problems lack of infrastructure. countries bordering, you know, countries of the european union-- very industrialized-- have prospered quite nicely, but the eastern halves of the country haven't received the kind of investment that the western portions of the country have. narrator: slovakia initially applied for european union membership in 1995, eager for the economic and political benefits this alliance provides. membership approval is expected early this century. the e delay in membership can be attributed in part to both slovakia's languishing economy and ongoing ethnic tensions. the area north of the danube is home to 560,000 hungarians, about ten percent of slovakia's population. generally speaking the two ethnic groups get along on a local level.
( speaking slovak ) translator: actually, the population of the village is 63% hungarian and 37% slovak. there are no problems of coexistence between these simple people. here, primary schools exist for each community. the parents are free to choose but two-thirds of the children go to the slovak school. ( speaking hungarian ) translator: i am hungarian with some german blood as well. we hungarians do not have any problems with the slovaks. it is the politicians who want to turn us against one another. ( speaking slovak ) translator: i've got nothing against the hungarians even if i am a slovak. narrator: however, differences both political and cultural, do exist. when the hungarian minority go to the polls, it unanimously votes for more or less independent leaders.
one of them provides this assessment of the problems of slovak hungarians. only 2.9% of hungarians in slovakia have higher education and with... with such a small intelligentsia you can... you cannot build your future in the long run. narrator: there are also mixed signals from the local slovak populace. ( speaking slovak ) translator: i have a cousin who emigrated to the united states. his children were born in america and so they are american. when one is born in a country, one takes the nationality of that country, no? so why are the hungarians who were born in slovakia not slovaks? they were born in slovakia they are slovaks and that's the end of it! independent slovakia made many hungarians nervous within slovakia. they felt better in a bigger czechoslovak state, where they felt that the government
in prague which was the government for czechoslovakia-- they would be treated more fairly in that kind of government. in a newly independent slovakia, they felt like they were a minority in a country where the dominant people, now the slovaks, had historical grievances against them and they didn't have the czechs anymore to appeal to. narrator: during the communist era the totalitarian system tried to deal with nationality problems by denying them. but they never went away. in a country in the process of adapting to a market economy, there is often the temptation to designate scapegoats in order to mask real problems. ( speaking slovak ) translator: it doesn't make any difference if you're hungarian or slovak. that's not the problem. the real problem-- i'll tell you what it is. it's the gypsies! ( speaking slovak ) translator: miss, i'm going to tell you the truth. we have nothing!
we are slovakian gypsies and here, everybody hates us! white: it's hard, once you have conflict. one issue leads into another issue-- old competitions between people, such as slovaks not having been happy living in hungary finally get their own country, and you think there's going to be peace-- although, of course, boundaries weren't drawn to people's satisfaction so there's a lingering antagonism there. majorities that become minorities and minorities that become majorities, the tables become turned and it's hard for people to let bygones be bygones, so discrimination might now... might continue but in reverse. and then you get modern issues coming along like building a dam, which you would think should be around the issues of energy and... and self-sufficiency in energy. but in europe, they get wrapped up in these old ethnic disputes, where one group feels that they never really received justice, and now a new issue is coming along, and they see this not only as a contemporary problem
of building a dam, but a... a way of the other side grinding an ax or getting back at them. narrator: resolving these ethnic difficulties will be of vital importance in slovakia's future. ( speaking french ) translator: the most remarkable impression this journey leaves is of the strength of the slovak national sentiment. it remains for this national sentiment to find its balance in the fast-changing europe left by the collapse of the communist regimes. narrator: since independence slovakia has struggled with a number of difficult questions stemming from its communist past. these include: born of the forces of devolution, slovakia is poised to reap the benefits of supranationalism as it makes its way through the 21st century.
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Anderson Cooper 360 : CNNW : October 10, 2017 10:00pm-11:00pm PDT
. >> i agree completely. >> this is a profound cultural shift in america. thank goodness it's happening versus a decade or two decades ago. >> who said it's happening? >> roger ailes, bill o'reilly, these men were accused deck aad ago and they stayed in their jobs. >> i think it also would be progress if we didn't do what just happened here which is everybody went to their corners, and we have to pretend like bill clinton wasn't accused of sexual assault, which he was. >> and he was impeached by the way. >> he was for monica, but there were other accusations and if we believe all rape accusations should be believed, then there are some serious accusations against bill clinton. i think we have to stop politicizing it. it has to be it's not, you know -- yes, donald trump did bad things. he should be held accountable. that doesn't mean hillary is off the hook either. i think we have to treat them all the same way. >> thank you, everybody. breaking news also in the las vegas shooting aftermath. a live report from the utter devastation on the california fire lines. we'll be right back. i've
. >> i agree completely. >> this is a profound cultural shift in america. thank goodness it's happening versus a decade or two decades ago. >> who said it's happening? >> roger ailes, bill o'reilly, these men were accused deck aad ago and they stayed in their jobs. >> i think it also would be progress if we didn't do what just happened here which is everybody went to their corners, and we have to pretend like bill clinton wasn't accused of sexual assault, which he...
Anderson Cooper 360 : CNNW : October 10, 2017 6:00pm-7:00pm PDT
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for our viewers. >> reporter: sure. >> america is being respected again. something happened today, where a country that totally disrespected us, called with some very, very important news. one of my generals came in and they said, you know, i have to tell you, a year ago they would have never done that. it was a great sign of respect. you'll probably be hearing about it over the next few days. >> do you have any clarity on what he was talking about? essentially teasing, like he is prone to do. >> reporter: anderson, we don't. he was talking about some remote part of the world, obviously, that he said, used to treat the u.s. without respect, but did not answer that. it's almost like he's teasing the next episode of a reality show or something else coming up. we did talk to white house press secretary sarah sanders, who told us earlier this evening that this would be revealed when they can. it's unclear if people here at the white house know what he was talking about, but anderson, it's very similar to what he said a week ago when he was surrounded by a military officials, and he wa
for our viewers. >> reporter: sure. >> america is being respected again. something happened today, where a country that totally disrespected us, called with some very, very important news. one of my generals came in and they said, you know, i have to tell you, a year ago they would have never done that. it was a great sign of respect. you'll probably be hearing about it over the next few days. >> do you have any clarity on what he was talking about? essentially teasing, like...
and the other men in power. this is a subject that clearly is getting ahead of steam in america. >> gloria, also harvey weinstein in one of his initial statements seemed to be trying to play to those, you know to liberals, to democrats by saying he was going to take a step back and focus his anger on the nra as if that might sort of quiet the liberals from speaking out against it. >> it's ridiculous. it was completely lewd chris as if anybody given the extent of what he did would listen -- would listen to that. i'm one of you guys, i'm going to focus on the nra and that's where i'll put my efforts. that was just -- i mean it's silly, it's absolutely silly. i think the question now the democrats have is how do you unravel all of these donations, anderson. you're limited to what you can give individuals to a certain amount so harvey weinstein was limited to that. he's bundled way over a million dollars or many, we have no idea. he's bunt ld all this money for hillary clinton and other democrats and how do they unspool that to decide what they do with the money that he gave to them
and the other men in power. this is a subject that clearly is getting ahead of steam in america. >> gloria, also harvey weinstein in one of his initial statements seemed to be trying to play to those, you know to liberals, to democrats by saying he was going to take a step back and focus his anger on the nra as if that might sort of quiet the liberals from speaking out against it. >> it's ridiculous. it was completely lewd chris as if anybody given the extent of what he did would...
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included. and now netflix included. so go ahead. binge on us. another reason why t-mobile is america's best unlimited network. >>> the president took more action today to keep a campaign promise to undue obama care. he also did something he criticized president obama for time and time again. namely, using executive order instead of relying on congress. it makes it easier for small businesses to join together to buy coverage. also to extend short term policies. this could draw younger healthier people away from obama care marketplaces. they point to provisions that would allow certain plans to drop customers with certain conditions. the president and many other republicans call it a step toward greater choice and lower rates. >> this will cost the united states government virtually nothing. and people will have great, great health care. and when i say people, i mean by the millions and millions. >> back now with the panel. molly, i mean, the president is saying he keeps hearing repeal and replace, there executive order starting that process, is that what this is. >> no, this is not a repeal
included. and now netflix included. so go ahead. binge on us. another reason why t-mobile is america's best unlimited network. >>> the president took more action today to keep a campaign promise to undue obama care. he also did something he criticized president obama for time and time again. namely, using executive order instead of relying on congress. it makes it easier for small businesses to join together to buy coverage. also to extend short term policies. this could draw younger...
Anderson Cooper 360 : CNNW : October 2, 2017 10:00pm-11:00pm PDT
. book an appointment online. america's small business owners. and here's to the heroes behind the heroes, who use their expertise to keep those businesses covered. and here's to the heroes behind the heroes behind the heroes, who brought us delicious gyros. actually, the gyro hero owns vero's gyros, so he should have been with those first heroes. ha ha! that's better. so, to recap -- small business owners are heroes, and our heroes help heroes be heroes when they're not eating gyros delivered by -- ah, you know what i mean. woman: so, greg, it's a lot to take in. woman 2: and i know that's hard to hear, but the doctors caught it early. hi, blake! my dad has cancer. woman: and i know how hard that is to hear. but you're in the right place. man: and dr. pascal and her team, they know what to do. they know what to do. the doctors know what to do. so here's the plan. first off, we're going to give you all... (voice fading away) >>> welcome back to our breaking news coverage of the deadly mass shooting the massacre here in las vegas, 59 are dead, many injured in area hospitals, many in
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Anderson Cooper 360 : CNNW : October 2, 2017 5:00pm-6:00pm PDT
america, at a country music concert. these are sounds you are not supposed to hear on the streets of this country. brandon o'neill, we're so glad you were okay. thank you for being with us tonight. know that we're thinking about you. >> thank you, appreciate it. >> that does it for me tonight. i now turn it to anderson cooper for the rest. hey, anderson. >> john, thanks so much. gringo good evening everyone. this time last night 22,000 people were settling in for a few hours of music or getting ready to spend the night with each other. each with parents who raised them, family, friends, with no expectation whatsoever. no warning they would be telling their story. in a city built on living a little, no one expected what would be happening now or what happened last night. we have new information tonight on the nation's newest deadliest modern mass shooting. we are learning more about the arsenal the killer assembled, the weapons found at his home, the bomb-making ingredient found in his car as well. we're going to bring that to you in the hour ahead. we want to begin with what we are l
america, at a country music concert. these are sounds you are not supposed to hear on the streets of this country. brandon o'neill, we're so glad you were okay. thank you for being with us tonight. know that we're thinking about you. >> thank you, appreciate it. >> that does it for me tonight. i now turn it to anderson cooper for the rest. hey, anderson. >> john, thanks so much. gringo good evening everyone. this time last night 22,000 people were settling in for a few hours...
Anderson Cooper 360 : CNNW : October 2, 2017 9:00pm-10:00pm PDT
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Anthony Bourdain Parts Unknown : CNNW : October 7, 2017 11:00pm-12:00am PDT
on us. another reason why t-mobile is america's best unlimited network. >>> hurricane nate making a second landfall in biloxi, mississippi with wind speeds of 85, or 170 kilometers an hour. as the storm moves north, some areas could get up to ten inches or 25 centimeters of rain. officials expect dangerous storm surges to continue, also fallen trees and of course downed power lines. more than 15,000 households across florida, alabama and mississippi are already without power. >> well, "saturday night live" paid tribute tonight to the victims of the las vegas massacre. the show opened with the singer, jason aldean, who was the artist on stage when a gunman opened fire on those 22,000 convecert concert-goers who had come to see him and others perform. here's part of what he said. >> this week we witnessed one of the worst tragedies in american history. like everyone, i'm struggling to understand what happened that night and how to pick the pieces and start to heal. but can you be sure that we're going to walk through these tough times together, every step of the way, because when amer
on us. another reason why t-mobile is america's best unlimited network. >>> hurricane nate making a second landfall in biloxi, mississippi with wind speeds of 85, or 170 kilometers an hour. as the storm moves north, some areas could get up to ten inches or 25 centimeters of rain. officials expect dangerous storm surges to continue, also fallen trees and of course downed power lines. more than 15,000 households across florida, alabama and mississippi are already without power. >>...
At This Hour With Kate Bolduan : CNNW : October 10, 2017 8:00am-9:00am PDT
think about syria, you thing about afghanistan, there was a lot of talk of america first, we're not going to do this stuff, turns out we're expanding and looks like hillary clinton's policy would have been. nato, obsolete, sticking with nato. north korea, going to bomb them. actually no, we're leading the u.s. multilateral process. >> u.n. >> with the u.n. >> so i think tony is completely right. that there is an enormous difference between what trump is saying with what the americans are doing, everyone else in this administration. i would suggest so far on most foreign policy and national security issues trump is more to be seen than believedp. >> more to be seen than believed. >> that's right. >> that's what you're hearing from allies. >> tony, another meeting happening today i'm fascinated which we could be there for. the president's meeting with henry kissinger, any moment now, hopefully we will get video of that, could be the first time we could hear from the president since a multitude of his feuds have erupted. what do you think the advice is to the president on his foreign p
think about syria, you thing about afghanistan, there was a lot of talk of america first, we're not going to do this stuff, turns out we're expanding and looks like hillary clinton's policy would have been. nato, obsolete, sticking with nato. north korea, going to bomb them. actually no, we're leading the u.s. multilateral process. >> u.n. >> with the u.n. >> so i think tony is completely right. that there is an enormous difference between what trump is saying with what the...
, anywhere that men and women put on the uniform to defend america's national security interests, they're at risk. >> but do you question the quality of intelligence that led these men there, that led them what seems to be an ambush? >> not yet. i think we need more information before we can come to that conclusion. and we'll be engaged in an effort to make sure that we have all of that intelligence. >> we'll follow up on that. after the las vegas shooting, congressman, there's been a bipartisan -- there has been bipartisan agreement that something should be done about these bump stocks that everyone's learning about now. which is how the shooter made his weapons fire as if they were automatic weapons. you're a co-sponsor on the democratic proposal to get -- to ban bump stocks. paul ryan, though, he just said in his press conference this morning that fixing regulation, fixing it on the regulation side of the atf is the faxfastest fi and what they're looking into. do you support going that route? >> i think this needs to be federal law. i see no circumstance in which we ought to delegate t
, anywhere that men and women put on the uniform to defend america's national security interests, they're at risk. >> but do you question the quality of intelligence that led these men there, that led them what seems to be an ambush? >> not yet. i think we need more information before we can come to that conclusion. and we'll be engaged in an effort to make sure that we have all of that intelligence. >> we'll follow up on that. after the las vegas shooting, congressman,...
america, it just heart breaking. >> i do want to ask you. you became very emotional this week following the president's -- one of the president's tweets a message to puerto rico and part of the message was that we can't keep fema, military and first responders in puerto rico forever. is what he sent out. that upset you. for our viewers, i want to play what you said. you sent a message to the president through one of his cabinet secretaries that same warning, ben carson, when he was in your committee. listen to this. >> we shed blood to defend the freedoms that every american in this country enjoys. so to kick fellow citizens when they are down is shameful! >> why did that message from the president upset you so much? >> it was outrageous. it was an insult. it shows the inability of this president to understand that the solemn duty of a president is to protect the citizens of our country. and that puerto ricans are fellow citizens. they are not colonial servants. they need the services to any american citizen whenever there's a natural disaster. >> the next day the president se
america, it just heart breaking. >> i do want to ask you. you became very emotional this week following the president's -- one of the president's tweets a message to puerto rico and part of the message was that we can't keep fema, military and first responders in puerto rico forever. is what he sent out. that upset you. for our viewers, i want to play what you said. you sent a message to the president through one of his cabinet secretaries that same warning, ben carson, when he was in...
CNN Newsroom Live : CNNW : October 14, 2017 1:00am-2:00am PDT
families and the middle class of america. >> in the last ten months, we have followed through on one promise after another. >> and it's not surprising president trump is focusing on health care and iran. if you paid attention to his campaign, a key theme was an implied promise that he was going to do everything he can to undo the obama legacy. he is now taking aim at two of barack obama's most significant accomplishments. ryan nobles, cnn, at the white house. >> many u.s. allies reacted with dismay to mr. trump's decision. they say they will continue to honor the international agreement. >> iran's leader went on television immediately after mr. trump's announcement. he suggested mr. trump had acted out of ignorance. >> translator: this is an international multi lateral deal that has been ratified by the u.n. security council. it is a u.n. document. is it possible for a president to unilaterally decertify this important international deal? apparently he is not in the know. >> well, president trump's assessment that iran is not complying with the deal conflicts with the view of interna
families and the middle class of america. >> in the last ten months, we have followed through on one promise after another. >> and it's not surprising president trump is focusing on health care and iran. if you paid attention to his campaign, a key theme was an implied promise that he was going to do everything he can to undo the obama legacy. he is now taking aim at two of barack obama's most significant accomplishments. ryan nobles, cnn, at the white house. >> many u.s....
and the middle class in every corner of america. the president argues he is just following through on his campaign pledge. >> in the last ten months, we have followed through on one promise after another. >> reporter: and it's not a surprise that president trump is focusing on health care and iran. a key theme was an implied promise that he would do everything he could to undo the obama legacy. he is now taking direct aim at two of barack obama's most significant accomplishments. ryan nobles, cnn. >>> many u.s. allies reacted with dismay at mr. trump's decision on the deal. they say that they will continue to honor the international agreement, but iranian government has issued a dire warning that any u.s. action to on dismantle the deal would be a strategic mistake. the iranian president was especially harsh in his criticism of mr. trump. >> translator: this is an international multilateral deal that has been ratified by the u.n. security council. it is a u.n. document. is it possible for the president to unilaterally decertify this important international deal? apparently he is no
and the middle class in every corner of america. the president argues he is just following through on his campaign pledge. >> in the last ten months, we have followed through on one promise after another. >> reporter: and it's not a surprise that president trump is focusing on health care and iran. a key theme was an implied promise that he would do everything he could to undo the obama legacy. he is now taking direct aim at two of barack obama's most significant accomplishments....
CNN Newsroom Live : CNNW : October 15, 2017 11:00pm-12:00am PDT
gloating, saying tehran never should have negotiated with america in the first place. and so, natalie, really have to always point out how remarkable it is that the two sides are now unified there was pretty controversial discussion going on this year when hassan rouhani was voted in again. where hard-liners and moderates were really going at it. now a lot that ofs that evacuated. iranians are also seeing other countries coming to the deal's defense you. the germans, the french saying the same thing, the iaea is saying yes, the deal is working and it's being enforced. they also called the strictest verification regime in the world. so therefore the iranians at this point feel it's the u.s. administration that is isolated rather than them, natalie. >> fred pleitgen in iran, thank you. for more here is cyril. >> president trump has been vocal about the deal. he has dealt a blow to barack obama's health care legislation. let's talk about this with scott lucas, professional of international politics at the university of birmingham, england. scott? >> we knew he was going after barack obam
gloating, saying tehran never should have negotiated with america in the first place. and so, natalie, really have to always point out how remarkable it is that the two sides are now unified there was pretty controversial discussion going on this year when hassan rouhani was voted in again. where hard-liners and moderates were really going at it. now a lot that ofs that evacuated. iranians are also seeing other countries coming to the deal's defense you. the germans, the french saying the same...
officials, neighbors, volunteers, it is a real example of how america pulls together and how california is pulling together and all the local communities. so we're not out of the woods yet. still fires burning, still danger, people have to not come to the conclusion that they don't need to be on the alert. people need to move when they're told, they have to take it very seriously. this is just part of the dangers that we face in this kind of very dry weather with high winds. >> firefighters have been working around the clock for almost a week to contain these fires and weather conditions haven't always been working in their favor. hopefully, however, that's now about to change. here's cnn's miguel marquez. >> reporter: very long hard week of trying to get a hold of this fire, this may be the last of it, the winds have come down and three fires here in sonoma have come together and you can see fire crews from the air and the ground are working this thing very hard. they have been doing it for the last eight or ten hours, just pouring buckets after bucket of water on these fires. this is ove
officials, neighbors, volunteers, it is a real example of how america pulls together and how california is pulling together and all the local communities. so we're not out of the woods yet. still fires burning, still danger, people have to not come to the conclusion that they don't need to be on the alert. people need to move when they're told, they have to take it very seriously. this is just part of the dangers that we face in this kind of very dry weather with high winds. >>...
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CNN Newsroom Live : CNNW : October 16, 2017 12:00am-1:00am PDT
gloating, saying tehran never should have negotiated with america in the first place. and, you know, cyril, all of these issues make it more difficult for international companies to also come in here. when you're on the ground near the city, you can see there are international companies coming in, trying to scope out what it would be like to start doing business here, especially european companies. but uthat specter of the nuclear agreement possibly falling apart or being in jeopardy is also something that is on the minds of the companies as well. they certainly would like a little more clarity as to what the future will bring also, cyril. >> fred, i was watching your report there. it was fascinating. am i correct to understand from your reporting that perhaps in fact what mr. trump's speech did was actually strengthen and unite the iranians against? >> yeah. i absolutely think that is the case. i do think that the political factions here, the ones that were really at odds with one another, especially look back at the last presidential election here in iran, when hassan rouhani won
gloating, saying tehran never should have negotiated with america in the first place. and, you know, cyril, all of these issues make it more difficult for international companies to also come in here. when you're on the ground near the city, you can see there are international companies coming in, trying to scope out what it would be like to start doing business here, especially european companies. but uthat specter of the nuclear agreement possibly falling apart or being in jeopardy is also...
have been, what we have also seen is the spirit of america at its best. when ordinary people step up and do extraordinary things. >> the heart of america without regard to race or religion or political party is greater than our problems. >> i too am here to urge you to give to this fine fund and i want to thank all of the volunteers, but i am here for another reason. i speak for the folks right here when i say we really admire and love george h.w. bush. >> president trump did not attend the concert, but did appear in a video message. >> as we begin to rebuild, some of america's finest public servants are spearheading the one america appeal. through this effort, all five living former presidents are playing a tremendous role in helping our fellow citizens recover. to presidents jimmy carter, george h.w. bush, bill clinton, george w. bush, and barack obama, melania and i want to express our deep gratitude for your assistance. >>> cnn live in northern iraq as the news continues. so we sent that sample i doff to ancestry. i was from ethnically. my ancestry dna results are that i am 26
have been, what we have also seen is the spirit of america at its best. when ordinary people step up and do extraordinary things. >> the heart of america without regard to race or religion or political party is greater than our problems. >> i too am here to urge you to give to this fine fund and i want to thank all of the volunteers, but i am here for another reason. i speak for the folks right here when i say we really admire and love george h.w. bush. >> president trump did...
CNN Newsroom Live : CNNW : October 9, 2017 12:00am-1:00am PDT
reality show with reckless threats that could set america, quote, on the path to world war iii. corker said he is alarmed by a president who acts like he is doing "the apprentice" or something, and telling "the times" he concerns me. he would have to concern anyone who cares about our country. >> the verbal combat escalating sunday when the president launched a twitter tirade against corker. tweeting the retired republican senator doesn't have the guts to run again after the president supposedly denied corker's request for endorsement. that claim denied. it's a shame the white house has become an adult day-care center. someone obviously missed their shift this morning. it's been retweet in order than 100,000 times by the way. the trouble between the senator and the president has been brewing for weeks, underscored by this remark from corker last week. >> i think secretary tillerson, secretary mattis, and chief of staff kelly are those people that helped separate our country from chaos. >> this after corker three weeks ago questioned the president's stability and competence after he ass
reality show with reckless threats that could set america, quote, on the path to world war iii. corker said he is alarmed by a president who acts like he is doing "the apprentice" or something, and telling "the times" he concerns me. he would have to concern anyone who cares about our country. >> the verbal combat escalating sunday when the president launched a twitter tirade against corker. tweeting the retired republican senator doesn't have the guts to run again...
CNN Newsroom With Ana Cabrera : CNNW : October 14, 2017 12:00pm-1:00pm PDT
america's best unlimited network. ...from godaddy! in fact, 68% of people who have built their... ...website using gocentral, did it in under an hour, and you can too. build a better website - in under an hour. with gocentral from godaddy. so we created the only bed that adjusts on both sides to your ideal comfort, your sleep number setting. you can even see how well you're sleeping and make adjustments. does your bed do that? the most amazing part is they start at $699. that's $200 off our queen c2 mattress during the final days of our fall sale. ends sunday. visit sleepnumber.com for a store near you >>> right now harvey weinstein's future is being decided. the academy is deciding whether he's remain a member of that group. some are asking whether the academy will go a step further and take back his oscar. we'll bring you the outcome of their vote just as soon as we have it. in the meantime i want to talk more about this with wiomen's right attorney gloria alred. i want to start with some of the legal information we're getting. e understand that there we understand there's a
america's best unlimited network. ...from godaddy! in fact, 68% of people who have built their... ...website using gocentral, did it in under an hour, and you can too. build a better website - in under an hour. with gocentral from godaddy. so we created the only bed that adjusts on both sides to your ideal comfort, your sleep number setting. you can even see how well you're sleeping and make adjustments. does your bed do that? the most amazing part is they start at $699. that's $200 off our...
CNN Newsroom With Ana Cabrera : CNNW : October 14, 2017 5:00pm-6:00pm PDT
different in america now where women and men are reacting in horror to these stories. and not just hearing it, expressing out and moving on but wanting to see something done. this is hollywood today trying to get on the record saying you are not welcome in this organization. and if bill cosby were still actively working and making movies, i wonder if we would see a similar reaction. >> one of the most disturbing things is that weinstein's behavior wasn't even a secret. people knew about it. women warned other women to stay away from him. what can hollywood do to make sure these types of allegations are actually reported, not just whispered about? >> well this is a problem in hollywood and any industry in which men have a disproportionate amount of the power. there are some things they can do. their legal counsel won't tell them to do that because their job is to remove liability, make it safer for them. but frankly i think it's time that people at the very top of the food chain, the ceos of these major companies take responsibility so they have to be alerted when there's a serious allegati
different in america now where women and men are reacting in horror to these stories. and not just hearing it, expressing out and moving on but wanting to see something done. this is hollywood today trying to get on the record saying you are not welcome in this organization. and if bill cosby were still actively working and making movies, i wonder if we would see a similar reaction. >> one of the most disturbing things is that weinstein's behavior wasn't even a secret. people knew about...
france and included russia and included others. it's really important that the united states of america live up to its agreement. now we can argue about the agreement itself and there was a lot of argument when we enacted it and there are other aspects of our relationship with iran that we should be willing to address. but right now, it is really important that the world see that the united states of america when it enters into an agreement such as this, it lives up to the agreement and enforces the agreement and we don't sort of play games with language to communicate to the domestic political base one thing and then try to contradict that message through the secretary of state or other words that the president might use. that's very dangerous and not good for the country or safety of the world. >> don't agree with the steps they've taken but bottom line congress, it's in your court. what are you going to do? are you going to try to strengthen the deal? and what might that look like? >> it's in our court because the president has tossed it to congress. it's interesting to me, given the
france and included russia and included others. it's really important that the united states of america live up to its agreement. now we can argue about the agreement itself and there was a lot of argument when we enacted it and there are other aspects of our relationship with iran that we should be willing to address. but right now, it is really important that the world see that the united states of america when it enters into an agreement such as this, it lives up to the agreement and...
kind of muddying the waters, confusing people with what is america's foreign policy. >> can you think of another time when a president has had such public feuds with members of his own cabinet? >> they happen. but usually a president flushes them out. you don't want your own cabinet working kind of trying to assassinate you. meaning rhetorically. and, yet, this is what's going on here. we have seen, you know, problems. richard nixon, for example, didn't like secretary of state william rogers and just cut rogers out of all meetings and went one-on-one with the national security advisor trying to make the state department irrelevant. perhaps what donald trump is really doing is trying to cut the budget of the state department and rendered them a minor player in the world stage. >> thank you. >> now one of the pressing international issues facing the administration and now congress is that iran deal. secretary of state rex tillerson says the president does want to stay in the deal but that's not exactly what the president said just a couple of days ago when asked what changes he wants co
kind of muddying the waters, confusing people with what is america's foreign policy. >> can you think of another time when a president has had such public feuds with members of his own cabinet? >> they happen. but usually a president flushes them out. you don't want your own cabinet working kind of trying to assassinate you. meaning rhetorically. and, yet, this is what's going on here. we have seen, you know, problems. richard nixon, for example, didn't like secretary of state...
CNN Newsroom With Brooke Baldwin : CNNW : October 10, 2017 12:00pm-1:00pm PDT
united states of america of the fantastic. thank you very much. congratulations! >> it's always fun for any president to get a championship team on over to the white house. this is pittsburgh penguins, championship, your canadian, help me out, stanley cup, thank you rachel, forgive me, i'm from the south where we have a hockey team later in life. forgive me. stanley cup, pittsburgh penguins, so graciouses congrat. sarah huckabee sanders stand by the latest statement from the roger goodell saying we want our players to stand for the flag. there you have it the president with the penguins. we want to continue our conversation we had before this event on the breaking news on harvey weinstein, both gwyneth paltrow and angelina jolie among the high profile names speaking about their own personal encounters with harvey weinstein. these new developments ahead. also the political part of this story today, hillary clinton who accepted thousands of dollars in political donations from harvey weinstein, she is now breaking her silence with a statement. we'll have that for you coming up next. wh
united states of america of the fantastic. thank you very much. congratulations! >> it's always fun for any president to get a championship team on over to the white house. this is pittsburgh penguins, championship, your canadian, help me out, stanley cup, thank you rachel, forgive me, i'm from the south where we have a hockey team later in life. forgive me. stanley cup, pittsburgh penguins, so graciouses congrat. sarah huckabee sanders stand by the latest statement from the roger...
. >>> and boy scouts of america welcoming female scouts into the organization. we are back in a moment. you're watching cnn. she's nationally recognized for her compassion and care. he spent decades fighting to give families a second chance. but to help others, they first had to protect themselves. i have afib. even for a nurse, it's complicated... and it puts me at higher risk of stroke. that would be devastating. i had to learn all i could to help protect myself. once i got the facts, my doctor and i chose xarelto®. xarelto®... to help keep me protected. once-daily xarelto®, a latest-generation blood thinner... ...significantly lowers the risk of stroke in people with afib not caused by a heart valve problem. it has similar effectiveness to warfarin. xarelto® works differently. warfarin interferes with at least 6 blood-clotting factors. xarelto® is selective, targeting just one critical factor interacting with less of your body's natural blood-clotting function. for afib patients well-managed on warfarin, there is limited information on how xarelto® compares in reducing the ris
. >>> and boy scouts of america welcoming female scouts into the organization. we are back in a moment. you're watching cnn. she's nationally recognized for her compassion and care. he spent decades fighting to give families a second chance. but to help others, they first had to protect themselves. i have afib. even for a nurse, it's complicated... and it puts me at higher risk of stroke. that would be devastating. i had to learn all i could to help protect myself. once i got the...
tax relief and tax cuts to middle class america. i don't know why anybody wouldn't want to get on board with that. >> hunter? >> thank you, sarah. it's been almost a month since hurricane maria hit puerto rico. 80% of the island still don't have power and they still don't have reliable drinking water. does the administration consider the current state of affairs in puerto rico okay? >> we're continuing to do everything we can to help the people of puerto rico. that's one of the reasons that the governor will be here at the white house tomorrow, to continue those conversations to talk about how best the federal government can help aid state and local governments and help in the rebuilding and recovery efforts. >> thank you, sarah. fed chair search, the president said he considers himself to be a low interest rate guy. does he still consider himself to be a low interest rate guy? will that have any bearing on who he selects to run the fed? >> as the president said yesterday,' number of very qualified individuals have been interviewed. he'll make that. we can deliberate all of the de
tax relief and tax cuts to middle class america. i don't know why anybody wouldn't want to get on board with that. >> hunter? >> thank you, sarah. it's been almost a month since hurricane maria hit puerto rico. 80% of the island still don't have power and they still don't have reliable drinking water. does the administration consider the current state of affairs in puerto rico okay? >> we're continuing to do everything we can to help the people of puerto rico. that's one of...
CNN Newsroom With Brooke Baldwin : CNNW : October 5, 2017 11:00am-12:00pm PDT
america. that is an an paulg suggestion to come from the president of the united states. sarah was saying, well, reporters shouldn't engage in opinions and so on, that that amounts to some sort of fake news. i don't think it's outlandish to say that congress shouldn't be investigating news outlets, not in this country. >> stelter, this is directed at you. she said we see a problem with any story that's opinion that's put out as fact. brian stelter, isn't that basically fox news, the president's go-to tv channel? >> indeed. the president has not given news interviews on tv since may. he goes to the friends on the opposite at fox news and speaks with them. i hope next time the president is interviewed, we'll get an answer to this question, about whether he actually wants senate investigators to look into the editorial processes of american news organizations. i think he was just venting this morning, brooke, blowing off steam. it's newsworthy because the president continues to try to distract from the russia investigations, continues to try to say it is not a big deal, it is not real news,
america. that is an an paulg suggestion to come from the president of the united states. sarah was saying, well, reporters shouldn't engage in opinions and so on, that that amounts to some sort of fake news. i don't think it's outlandish to say that congress shouldn't be investigating news outlets, not in this country. >> stelter, this is directed at you. she said we see a problem with any story that's opinion that's put out as fact. brian stelter, isn't that basically fox news, the...
CNN Newsroom With Fredricka Whitfield : CNNW : October 14, 2017 11:00am-12:00pm PDT
included. so go ahead. binge on us. another reason why t-mobile is america's best unlimited network. having moderate to seis not always easy.is it's a long distance run and you have the determination to keep going. humira has a proven track record of being prescribed for nearly ten years. it's the number one prescribed biologic by dermatologists. more than 250,000 patients have chosen humira to fight their psoriasis. and they're not backing down. for most patients clearer skin is the proof. humira can lower your ability to fight infections including tuberculosis. serious, sometimes fatal infections and cancers, including lymphoma have happened, as have blood, liver and nervous system problems. serious allergic reactions and new or worsening heart failure. before treatment get tested for tb. tell your doctor if you've been to areas where certain fungal infections are common and if you've had tb, hepatitis b, are prone to infections or have flu-like symptoms or sores. don't start humira if you have an infection. join over two hundred and fifty thousand people who have chosen humira. a
included. so go ahead. binge on us. another reason why t-mobile is america's best unlimited network. having moderate to seis not always easy.is it's a long distance run and you have the determination to keep going. humira has a proven track record of being prescribed for nearly ten years. it's the number one prescribed biologic by dermatologists. more than 250,000 patients have chosen humira to fight their psoriasis. and they're not backing down. for most patients clearer skin is the proof....
really satisfy this idea that president had seen the deal as a disaster. but also to keep america in the deal. which secretary of state and secretary of defense, thinks by and large was in america's national interest. the question is what comes next and with whom do you go to the next stage. how will the world see what the american actions really are? >> right. not only that we just heard tillerson say that, you know, this country, this president, wants to work with european allies. but if that's the case, then why decertify or not recertify before working with the allies who are all now saying, we don't like the fact that the u.s. appears to be trying to make changes. >> that's the question. the world has seen this. and i think the real question he to me is whether by finding this way to decertify without destroying it, while you know, you can keep the deal in tact but is american credibility in tact. because domestically it makes sense and even talking with folks inside the united states military who are on the front lines of the war in syria, some of the fight in iraq, they will s
really satisfy this idea that president had seen the deal as a disaster. but also to keep america in the deal. which secretary of state and secretary of defense, thinks by and large was in america's national interest. the question is what comes next and with whom do you go to the next stage. how will the world see what the american actions really are? >> right. not only that we just heard tillerson say that, you know, this country, this president, wants to work with european allies. but...
CNN Newsroom With Fredricka Whitfield : CNNW : October 15, 2017 12:00pm-1:00pm PDT
are inaccurately pegged as protests of our flag, military, of america. so now concerted effort by the players in the league to get focus on the protest back on track. part of the problem has been this perception of inconsistent approach to the protest today. we say as you mentioned, saints kneeling about the anthem and standing as we saw the dallas cowboys do. other teams like packers, vikes, falcons, stood but locked arms. jets and patriots did something we haven't seen that often, standing on the same sideline to show solidarity. now the 49ers, organization for which colin kaepernick played when they first started protesting racial injustice had several players kneeling during the anthem as has been the case. the team owners and commissioner will discuss this during the fall meeting in new york or this coming week, i should say. in an extraordinary move, also inviting plays and union leaders to take part. this is profound, part of those meetings will be to figure out how to approach the anthem issue as a more unified front. i talked to high level nfl executive saying the league
are inaccurately pegged as protests of our flag, military, of america. so now concerted effort by the players in the league to get focus on the protest back on track. part of the problem has been this perception of inconsistent approach to the protest today. we say as you mentioned, saints kneeling about the anthem and standing as we saw the dallas cowboys do. other teams like packers, vikes, falcons, stood but locked arms. jets and patriots did something we haven't seen that often, standing...
CNN Newsroom With John Berman and Poppy Harlow : CNNW : October 10, 2017 6:00am-7:00am PDT
this morning. this is the water cooler discussion in offices and homes across america. nice to have you both. christine, so really great reporter, chris mortenson with espn had a conversation with jerry jones, and he said stand for the anthem or be benched. jones emphasized nfl game ops manuel and then said you know who reminded me of the game ops policy? donald trump. >> what is fascinate something because what jerry jones is saying if a player kneels during the national anthem he's not going to play in the game. what if the entire offensive line decides to take a knee? will he have them all replaced? you have potential chaos. the cowboys have not had that many players protesting, and two weeks ago was know, jerry jones himself was taking a knee. he knelt before the anthem. that was seen as a sign of protest, it was a negative towards trump. >> it's a total 180 now. >> exactly. >> yeah, this is a free country and he can do and say what he wants, but to implement it, it will be interesting. >> the ops manuel for the nfl was not available, and dead spin and other outlets does say tha
this morning. this is the water cooler discussion in offices and homes across america. nice to have you both. christine, so really great reporter, chris mortenson with espn had a conversation with jerry jones, and he said stand for the anthem or be benched. jones emphasized nfl game ops manuel and then said you know who reminded me of the game ops policy? donald trump. >> what is fascinate something because what jerry jones is saying if a player kneels during the national anthem he's not...
brought up opioid addiction as a barrier to creating jobs for people in rural america. this is clearly something that is on all levels people in the administration are focused on and this just shows how deeply people in the family care about this issue. >> quickly before we go, if you look at the approval ratings cnn survey from last month has melania trump 44% approval, higher than the president, i va ivanka, jared kushner, the american public is embracing her. >> this is a good thing she's getting out and doing things that broadly people in america can support. but the fact of the matter is she's out there less than most people in the administration. she's out less than ivanka, less than donald trump, her approval rating may be just the fact that she's not in the news as often. >> that's a really interesting and important point. emily, thank you, my friend. >>> in about 90 minutes, president trump will sit down for lunch with his defense secretary and also secretary of state rex tillerson. will they bring their i.q. scores. the president talked about in an new interview with "forbes.
brought up opioid addiction as a barrier to creating jobs for people in rural america. this is clearly something that is on all levels people in the administration are focused on and this just shows how deeply people in the family care about this issue. >> quickly before we go, if you look at the approval ratings cnn survey from last month has melania trump 44% approval, higher than the president, i va ivanka, jared kushner, the american public is embracing her. >> this is a good...
don't have a natural base. your base now is the world and america. you have all the different constituencies show them who you really are. in my opinion, he's better than this. joining us to discuss this, cnn contributor and political come n taters. >> it was intended to humanize trump, and he is trying to explain trump to the world and try to let some of the world filter into the trump bubble and connect with him. unfortunately, for this effort, as well intentioned as it may be, the time for inspired amateurs has passed. >> we wish him the best of luck. he has not been vetted. >> we have seen friends of the president try to communicate him through the media, through cable television. you know about the president's base and spent a lot of time reporting with them and on them. do you think he's right when he says you don't have a base? if he's not, do they support him in spite or because of the language, these tweets? >> i think they support him in spite and because of the comments. you know, my takeaway that i felt was really important in that interview was the notion that he
don't have a natural base. your base now is the world and america. you have all the different constituencies show them who you really are. in my opinion, he's better than this. joining us to discuss this, cnn contributor and political come n taters. >> it was intended to humanize trump, and he is trying to explain trump to the world and try to let some of the world filter into the trump bubble and connect with him. unfortunately, for this effort, as well intentioned as it may be, the...
the world and america. so you have all of these constituencies. show them who you really are. in my opinion, he's better than this. that's what thomas barack said about his friend. so do you agree? is the president better than this? >> i think we're all better than this. we're hear to do the american people's work. people are suffering. they have high insurance, they can't get health insurance. the dodd/frank act hurt them and being able borrow money. i have a rural area and banks now can't loan money the way they used to, especially in these small rural areas where there is not a lot of income and they need these small loans. we see people suffering and we have the opportunity to fix that. let's get to work and do that. i'm encouraging the senate, pick up the bills we have sent them, over 300 bills, let's get our work done. >> to be very clear, you do not like the senate, the senate version on the tax -- >> or the senate in general. >> or the senate in general, this is true. but you don't like them, especially right now when it comes to their tax plan. you want them to vote on the
the world and america. so you have all of these constituencies. show them who you really are. in my opinion, he's better than this. that's what thomas barack said about his friend. so do you agree? is the president better than this? >> i think we're all better than this. we're hear to do the american people's work. people are suffering. they have high insurance, they can't get health insurance. the dodd/frank act hurt them and being able borrow money. i have a rural area and banks now...
when you're the president of the united states america, and that tweet is a tweet that should never have been sent. >> let's switch gears and talk about, robbie, an article i'm sure you read this morning in "vanity fair" about a lot of folks close to the president and the fallout from the attack back and forth with senator bon corker. he talks about the white house being at an inflection point. it brought out into the open what several people close to the president have told me in private, trump is unstable losing his step, unraveling. that sounds like the language you and the clinton team used during the campaign, unhinged. how is this different? folks that don't like the direction of the president that may be close to him but don't like what he's doing and using these words or is this different? >> well, i think this is what actually democrats and republicans warned about. republicans were talking about this in the primary, people needed to take trump at his word, needed to take him seriously and needed to take the threat of him winning seriously. and here we are, this is what we
when you're the president of the united states america, and that tweet is a tweet that should never have been sent. >> let's switch gears and talk about, robbie, an article i'm sure you read this morning in "vanity fair" about a lot of folks close to the president and the fallout from the attack back and forth with senator bon corker. he talks about the white house being at an inflection point. it brought out into the open what several people close to the president have told me...
process of giving america the greatest system it deserves. >> he calls it a bailout for insurance companies, and that bailout goes to low income americans to help pay for health care and ending those key subsidies will speed up obamacare's implosion costing millions on health care coverage. we are talking about 6 million low income americans, and these are individuals that less than $30,000 a year, and families earning less than $61,000. it doesn't affect their premiums but makes a huge difference for the enrollees. for those above the poverty line, it lowers it to $255, and without it it's $3,600. the president has already threatened to stop paying these payments for months and that has caused many insurers already to hike for next year, and 43% of the carriers by 20%. some major players dropped out already, and insurance that didn't price in the loss of the subsidies, they can sue or raise rates and that's a brand-new problem with obamacare. >> many are saying the president is trying to sabotage obamacare, and we have evidence the administration is trying to undermine the succes
process of giving america the greatest system it deserves. >> he calls it a bailout for insurance companies, and that bailout goes to low income americans to help pay for health care and ending those key subsidies will speed up obamacare's implosion costing millions on health care coverage. we are talking about 6 million low income americans, and these are individuals that less than $30,000 a year, and families earning less than $61,000. it doesn't affect their premiums but makes a huge...
? that's not anything that bothers you? >> i checked. i'm fully intact. >> all of america laughed with jake along there. selena, he was responding to the reports that he called the president a moron, or refused to deny them. he did confirm that he's still fully intact. how do you think the president viewed that interview and viewed how rex tillerson is now handling -- trying to soft-pedal through this breyer patch? >> i suspect the president probably viewed that interview favorably. he didn't respond to the accusations and the rumors that tillerson had called the president a moron. and i suspect throughout history there have been plenty of cabinet members that have called their presidents they have served under names. it's just that this white house sort of is like a fire hose in a colander when it comes to leaks, right? >> right. >> and so looking at that, i think he danced around it effectively. he came out strong on the points he wanted to make, and he was able to dance around the ones that he didn't want to answer. >> dance around, to say the least. lynn, it's going to be an i
? that's not anything that bothers you? >> i checked. i'm fully intact. >> all of america laughed with jake along there. selena, he was responding to the reports that he called the president a moron, or refused to deny them. he did confirm that he's still fully intact. how do you think the president viewed that interview and viewed how rex tillerson is now handling -- trying to soft-pedal through this breyer patch? >> i suspect the president probably viewed that interview...
CNN Newsroom With John Berman and Poppy Harlow : CNNW : October 3, 2017 6:00am-7:00am PDT
america's best unlimited network. what's critical thinking like? a basketball costs $14. what's team spirit worth? (cheers) what's it worth to talk to your mom? what's the value of a walk in the woods? the value of capital is to create, not just wealth, but things that matter. morgan stanley >>> our next guest and her 9-year-old son were leaving when the gunfire began. they thought it was fireworks, and then the reality set in and that's when they ran. >> sherry rigs and her son, jason. good morning to you. i am so glad you are together this morning. how are you doing? how are you holding up? >> we're a little tired but we are doing well. we are just very blessed we are safe. >> nine years old, nobody should experience this, especially a child like you. how are you doing? you certainly have a brave mom. >> i felt safe with her around because i know she would protect me and she loves me, so she would protect me. >> you are one lucky man, to be sure, to have a mother like sherry. tell us what happened. you were on your way out of the concert when the horror began. >> yeah, this was the
america's best unlimited network. what's critical thinking like? a basketball costs $14. what's team spirit worth? (cheers) what's it worth to talk to your mom? what's the value of a walk in the woods? the value of capital is to create, not just wealth, but things that matter. morgan stanley >>> our next guest and her 9-year-old son were leaving when the gunfire began. they thought it was fireworks, and then the reality set in and that's when they ran. >> sherry rigs and her...
at one of the largest companies in america, and had some experience with special event security and honestly, the venue itself can be as secure as it needs to be, screening going in, walls up, security guards, all the things that need to be done, i have heard were done. you're only as good as the security around you in a scenario like this. the hotels nearby, the, you know, if there were presidential visit, a presidential event, there would be snipers up on rooftops. they would have checked every hotel room and might have evacuated the hotel rooms. that's not going to happen here. this is the hospitality industry. i was out there last week at a conference. there are exhibiters and exhibit halls and carrying large duffel bags in and out. i don't see what they could have done or what could be done in the future. >> all right. gentlemen, thank you both very much for your expertise. we appreciate it. >> thank you. >> president trump on his way to puerto rico right now touches down shortly. will the reality on the ground match the very high grades that president trump just this morning g
at one of the largest companies in america, and had some experience with special event security and honestly, the venue itself can be as secure as it needs to be, screening going in, walls up, security guards, all the things that need to be done, i have heard were done. you're only as good as the security around you in a scenario like this. the hotels nearby, the, you know, if there were presidential visit, a presidential event, there would be snipers up on rooftops. they would have checked...
that you think what brings america together. this is a distraction. >> but when you look at the latest cnn polling about a week ago, it does show that the country is really divided, that about -- i think it was 47% don't agree with the kneeling, and 49% do. i mean, this country is pretty split down the middle on this. >> yeah. i think that is probably true. surprisingly, i thought it would have been more against the kneeling. personally i've quit watching the nfl. it is the happiest i've been. it is sunday. >> you wrote about that even before -- even before this. >>s it it is amazing what you could do when you have sundays and not watching football. so i'm against white supremacist and kneeling during the national anthem, but i'm also against tearing the country apart. and i do agree. i think that is what this is. it looks like a stunt. i'm on mike pence's side substantively but this looks like a stunt. and i think trump -- clearly he likes drama. right. i mean, i just think there is a toll being taken on this country when you have someone would is actually stoking drama and controvers
that you think what brings america together. this is a distraction. >> but when you look at the latest cnn polling about a week ago, it does show that the country is really divided, that about -- i think it was 47% don't agree with the kneeling, and 49% do. i mean, this country is pretty split down the middle on this. >> yeah. i think that is probably true. surprisingly, i thought it would have been more against the kneeling. personally i've quit watching the nfl. it is the...
CNN Tonight With Don Lemon : CNNW : October 10, 2017 12:00am-1:00am PDT
america this summer leaving one woman dead. i want to bring in america's top taskers to talk about that. and the state of the union under president trump. joining me now is bishop jakes. author of "soar" can i ask you about some things in the news right now? his supporters held another rally holding tiki torches in charlottesville, virginia. did you ever think you'd be seeing something like this in 2017? >> i certainly did not. my parents are from mississippi and alabama. i grew up in the '60s at a time that we were terrorized. and i thought i would never see that again. yet we are seeing an uprising, without the sheets and without the cover. open and unashamed. it's very disturbing. >> what's happening? what's giving rise to that? >> i don't know. i think people are feeling validated, that they can say whatever they want to say in this climate. and certain people in authority and power are reluctant to speak out against it as forcefully and rapidly as they should. i'm so grateful for the ones that do, of all colors of all stripes to differentiate what the voices are of america tod
america this summer leaving one woman dead. i want to bring in america's top taskers to talk about that. and the state of the union under president trump. joining me now is bishop jakes. author of "soar" can i ask you about some things in the news right now? his supporters held another rally holding tiki torches in charlottesville, virginia. did you ever think you'd be seeing something like this in 2017? >> i certainly did not. my parents are from mississippi and alabama. i...
CNN Tonight With Don Lemon : CNNW : October 2, 2017 11:00pm-12:00am PDT
others are down, to step up and do whatever it takes. america is at her best when, against all odds, we come together and lift each other up. announcer: please donate to oneamericaappeal.org america needs you. thank you. thank you. thank you. thank you. thank you. >>> and you are watching our breaking coverage of the deadliest mass shooting in modern american history here in las vegas. i'm erin burnett live here behind me at mandalay bay. tonight, a man shot down from his hotel room from the 32nd floor on thousands of people who were there at an outdoor country music festival. police say that the shooter killed himself as they were breaking into the room. he shot at them first. his motive still unknown. alexand al >> reporter: it was during the final act when shots rang out. [ gunfire ] ♪ >> reporter: 10:08 p.m. local time. dozens of rounds from an automatic weapon slicing through the air, as country star jason aldeen performed. [ gunfire ] the crowd of 22,000 erupting in panic and screams as they tried to find kover from the hail of bullets. >> just sounded like fireworks, almost fak
others are down, to step up and do whatever it takes. america is at her best when, against all odds, we come together and lift each other up. announcer: please donate to oneamericaappeal.org america needs you. thank you. thank you. thank you. thank you. thank you. >>> and you are watching our breaking coverage of the deadliest mass shooting in modern american history here in las vegas. i'm erin burnett live here behind me at mandalay bay. tonight, a man shot down from his hotel room...
CNN Tonight With Don Lemon : CNNW : October 2, 2017 7:00pm-8:00pm PDT
. today we're bringing you america's number one shave at lower prices every day. putting money back in the pockets of millions of americans. as one of those workers, i'm proud to bring you gillette quality for less, because nobody can beat the men and women of gillette. gillette - the best a man can get. this one's below market price and has bluetooth. same here, but this one has leather seats! use the cars.com app to compare price, features and value. love you t♪ , dad. ♪ i will love you ... dad, dad, your tie! ♪ in the morning ♪ when the dew... >>> we're back now live from las vegas. our breaking news a las vegas massacre now indeadliest mass shooting in modern u.s. history. at least 59 people dead, more than 500 wounded. i want to bring in now retired astronaut and husband. good evening, mr. kelly. so good to have you onto talk about this. i wish we could have spoken under better circumstances. butioand your wife, congresswoman giffers, you spoke about it earlier today. >> the nation's counting on you. >> what was your reaction and gabby's reaction to this horrible news out of l
. today we're bringing you america's number one shave at lower prices every day. putting money back in the pockets of millions of americans. as one of those workers, i'm proud to bring you gillette quality for less, because nobody can beat the men and women of gillette. gillette - the best a man can get. this one's below market price and has bluetooth. same here, but this one has leather seats! use the cars.com app to compare price, features and value. love you t♪ , dad. ♪ i will love you...
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The Arctic Council has provided a forum for the negotiation of three important legally binding agreements among the eight Arctic States.
Agreement on Enhancing International Arctic Scientific Cooperation (signed 2017)
At the 8th Ministerial meeting in Kiruna, Sweden, in 2013, Ministers of the Arctic States mandated the creation of a Task Force "to work towards an arrangement on improved scientific research cooperation among the eight Arctic States". The culmination of this work came at the 10th Ministerial meeting in Fairbanks, Alaska on 11 May 2017, with the signature of the "Agreement on Enhancing international Arctic Scientific Cooperation".
Click here to read the "Agreement on Enhancing International Arctic Scientific Cooperation"
The Fairbanks Declaration (10th Arctic Council Ministerial meeting, 2017)
The Iqaluit Declaration (9th Arctic Council Ministerial meeting, 2015)
The Kiruna Declaration (8th Arctic Council Ministerial meeting, 2013)
Agreement on Cooperation on Marine Oil Pollution Preparedness and Response in the Arctic (signed 2013)
At the 2011 Arctic Council Ministerial Meeting in Nuuk, Ministers mandated a Task Force to prepare an international instrument on Arctic marine oil pollution preparedness and response. This led to the second legally binding agreement negotiated under the auspices of the Arctic Council. The agreement was signed at the Kiruna Ministerial meeting in May 2013.
To read the Agreement on the Cooperation of Marine Oil Pollution Preparedness and Response in the Arctic click here.
Appendix IV: Operational Guidelines for the agreement, as developed and maintained by the EPPR working group
The Arctic Council: Emergency Preparedness
The Nuuk Declaration
The Kiruna Declaration
Agreement on Cooperation on Aeronautical and Maritime Search and Rescue in the Arctic (signed 2011)
At the 2009 Ministerial Meeting in Tromsø, Norway, Ministers mandated the creation of a Task Force to develop an international instrument for cooperation on search and rescue operations in the Arctic. This led to the first ever legally binding agreement to be negotiated under the auspices of the Arctic Council, which was signed at the Nuuk Ministerial meeting in 2011, and came into force in January, 2013.
To read the Agreement on Cooperation on Aeronautical and Maritime Search and Rescue in the Arctic click here.
The Arctic Council: Search and Rescue
The Tromsø Declaration
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Sunday Night Film Club – Boston
Dinner and a Movie… er, Movie and a Dinner…
The Sunday Night Film Club (SNFC) gets together at a Boston-area theatre every Sunday to watch a film as a group, and then discuss it over dinner and drinks. There is no cost to join the club (other than your ticket and anything you may spend on food/drink afterwards) and there's no obligation to attend every week. It's just a very casual group of people that like film, period.
If you'd like to join us subscribe to our newsletter, our feed (RSS), subscribe to our iCal or Google calendars, or watch this page. Once a week you will recieve a newsletter announcing the details of that weekend's gathering (Film, Time, Place, etc).
If you have further questions, check out our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Brattle Theatre
Coolidge Corner Theatre
Kendall Square Cinema
Regal Fenway Stadium 13
Somerville Theatre
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“Shane” – May 15th
Join the Boston Sunday Night Film Club this Sunday, May 15th at 3:30pm for “Shane” at the Brattle Theatre. Look for Sean wearing a nametag and sitting with his crutches outside the box office about 15 minutes before the film. As always, after the film we will descend on a local establishment for dinner/drinks/discussion. This showtime is earlier than we usually meet, and it hardly qualifies as “Night”, but it was the last showing of this classic film.
George Stevens’ classic Western, adaptated from the Jack Schaefer novel, stars Alan Ladd in the title role. Riding the ranges of Wyoming’s Grand Tetons, Shane stops at the farm of homesteader Joe Starrett (Van Heflin) just before Ryker (Emile Meyer), a powerful and predatory cattleman, arrives with his hired muscle to make the farmer a threatening offer for land that he intends to get by any means necessary. When Shane lets the cattle baron know that his gun will back Starrett if there’s any trouble, the grateful homesteader offers the stranger a job as a hired hand, which he accepts. Joe’s young son Joey (Brandon de Wilde) is drawn to the quiet stranger, whose difference from the men he knows is confirmed by the accidental revelation of a gunfighter’s lightning reflexes. Shane becomes a valuable asset to the farm, but is slowly drawn into the continuing hostilities between the two opposing groups. To complicate matters, Shane feels an unspoken, and unwanted, attraction to Starrett’s wife Marian (Jean Arthur). This creates a sense of ambivalence in Joe, whose son already idolizes the gunslinger. Stevens’ meticulous artistry imbues the simple Western with the mythic aura of an Arthurian legend, as Loyal Griggs’ beautifully composed images provide the canvas for career performances by Ladd, Heflin, Arthur, and de Wilde, in what many regard as the finest western ever made.
Posted on May 12, 2005 Author grahamsCategories Newsletters
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By Gillian Clegg
Brentford and Chiswick Local History Journal No 14 (2005)
St Lawrence’s church, Brentford, closed in 1961, was sold last year (purchaser unknown). The whereabouts of the splendid memorials the church once contained has been exercising the minds of some members of the Local History Society but various attempts to locate them have met with no success. However, we are happy to report that two sections of one memorial have turned up, quite by chance, in the last 12 months. One part was discovered set in a garden wall in north London and another in Sydney, Australia, of all places! We know some memorials went to the Museum of London but there are many more that are not accounted for, including a stone to William Howell Ewin designed by John Flaxman and an alcove memorial showing the figures of John Middleton and his wife dated 1624. If anyone can throw any light as to where these and other memorials from St Lawrence are today the editor of this Journal would be delighted to know.
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Just published: a new Peruvian species of Sultana, published by two Spanish authors, Ahuir and Torres.
The species is described from northern Peru, Dept. Piura, near Huancabamba on the border with Ecuador. Unfortunately the picture given is quite dark, but it shows the characteristic pink lip and the white inside of the aperture well enough. The holotype will be deposited in the Paris museum.
Thanks to Philippe Bouchet who sent me the paper.
Ahuir Galindo, J. & Torres Alba, J.S., 2019. One new terrestrial gastropod species from Peru. – Malacologia Mostra Mondiale, 104: 3-4.
This entry was posted in Uncategorized and tagged literature, peru, sultana, types on July 12, 2019 by bramb.
Only now a paper turned up which was already published in 2014. Bloch & Stock reported on a Puerto Rican species from the Solaropsidae related to ecological research. Unfortunately the paper is text-only…
The abstract is “Because canopy gaps are characterized by elevated temperature and decreased humidity relative to closed-canopy forest, terrestrial gastropods may be exposed to greater desiccation stress in gaps than in undisturbed forest. We placed individuals of Caracolus caracolla at the edges of canopy gaps in montane forest in Puerto Rico and observed their movements. Individuals preferentially moved out of gaps except in one gap on the first night of the study, and the proportion of individuals recaptured inside gaps decreased over time. Individuals moved, on average, farther into forest than into gaps. Juveniles and adults responded similarly. These results suggest that C. caracolla actively avoids canopy gaps, and that its activity and ability to disperse are restricted in a post-disturbance environment“.
Bloch, C.P. & Stock, M., 2014. Avoidance of Canopy Gaps by a Common Land Snail, Caracolus caracolla (L.), in Montane Forest in Puerto Rico. – Caribbean Naturalist, 8: 1-13.
This entry was posted in Uncategorized and tagged biology, ecology, Solaropsidae, West Indies on July 8, 2019 by bramb.
When we consider Bermuda on the outskirts of the Neotropics, this information might be relevant:
Bermuda land snail: An animal ‘back from the dead’
By Helen BriggsBBC News
Thousands of critically endangered snails have been released into the wild after being rescued from the edge of extinction, with a little help from a British zoo.
The greater Bermuda land snail was thought to have disappeared for many years until an empty shell turned up in the territory’s capital city, Hamilton.
Live snails were then found among litter in a nearby alleyway.
Some were flown to Chester Zoo for a unique breeding programme.
More than 4,000 snails raised at the zoo have now been taken back to the island and released.
Many more captive snails will soon be returned to their homeland to help give the species a new lease of life.
Mark Outerbridge, a wildlife ecologist for the Bermuda government, said the snail was a “Lazarus species”, which was considered extinct not so long ago.
Then, in 2014, a man walked into his office in the capital, Hamilton, holding a fresh snail shell.
“It turned out that, yes, this was in fact the greater Bermuda land snail, a species that we thought had gone extinct 40 years earlier,” he said.
“He came back the next day with a fresh one, a live one in his hand, and that’s how I was thrust into this conservation project.”
A small but thriving population of land snails was discovered behind a restaurant. The gastropods were living among litter – specifically inside thrown-away plastic bags – in a “dank wet alley”, surrounded by four-storey buildings.
Water dripping from air conditioning units had created an environment where the animals could survive unnoticed.
“It turned out that the plastic bags were one of the favourite places for these snails to hang out, because of course it retained the moisture the best – and the snails are very vulnerable to drying out,” said Dr Outerbridge.
“And when we started picking up these plastic bags and unfolding them – literally they contained hundreds of juveniles and hatchling-sized snails.”
Some of the hatchlings were taken into captivity for breeding. Their offspring were later sent to Chester Zoo and the Zoological Society of London, where scientists were able to establish colonies.
It turns out that the snails are prolific breeders in captivity, with thousands of snails bred in a matter of years.
“At the last count we’ve got somewhere around 13,000 snails – we’ve probably got more than that, they’ve had a lot of babies since then,” said Amber Flewitt, of Chester Zoo, who cares for the snails.
The secret of breeding success, she said, was nice soil and their favourite foods, which include sweet potato and lettuce.
Thousands of the Chester Zoo snails have now been sent back to Bermuda for release in nature reserves.
The snails are thought to be doing well in their new home.
Dr Gerardo Garcia of Chester Zoo said that, following three years of intensive work, the zoo was proud to see the snails heading home.
“This is an animal that has been on this planet for a very long time and we simply weren’t prepared to sit back and watch them become lost forever when we knew we might be able to provide a lifeline,” he said.
The greater Bermuda land snail is unique to Bermuda and is part of an ancient lineage of land snail that dates back in time over one million years.
Once abundant on the islands that make up the territory of Bermuda, the population went through a dramatic decline during the 20th Century after being preyed on by invading killer snails.
The snails have been released on a nature reserve on the northern Nonsuch Island, which has snail-friendly habitats and no evidence of the main predators that nearly caused the animal’s demise.
They will join a small wild population, estimated at a few hundred individuals. This makes the species more rare in the wild than the likes of the giant panda or mountain gorilla, according to Chester Zoo.
Some captive individuals have been fitted with fluorescent tags to monitor their recovery in the wild.
“Not only did they escape the axe of extinction but they have rebounded so well in captivity through breeding that now what we’re doing is we’re identifying islands in Bermuda that don’t have the predators and reintroducing them to those islands, and our expectations are very high that they’ll do well,” said Dr Outerbridge.
In the case of this species, it was a matter of having to look literally under every rock and every log before writing the animal off, he added.
The original article, including some videos, can be found here.
This entry was posted in Uncategorized and tagged Bermuda, conservation, varia on July 5, 2019 by bramb.
Citizen sciences projects are becoming more and more popular with scientists to expand their capacity to collect data. Yet, there are ways to further improve this ‘tool’ as Callaghan et al. argue in their just published (open access) paper.
Their abstract reads: “Citizen science is mainstream: millions of people contribute data to a growing array of citizen science projects annually, forming massive datasets that will drive research for years to come. Many citizen science projects implement a “leaderboard” framework, ranking the contributions based on number of records or species, encouraging further participation. But is every data point equally “valuable?” Citizen scientists collect data with distinct spatial and temporal biases, leading to unfortunate gaps and redundancies, which create statistical and informational problems for downstream analyses. Up to this point, the haphazard structure of the data has been seen as an unfortunate but unchangeable aspect of citizen science data. However, we argue here that this issue can actually be addressed: we provide a very simple, tractable framework that could be adapted by broadscale citizen science projects to allow citizen scientists to optimize the marginal value of their efforts, increasing the overall collective knowledge”.
Also in malacology several projects are known that use(d) this tool of citizen science, mostly known in the northern hemisphere. While in the southern hemisphere (Neotropics, Asia, Africa) the lack of sufficient biodiversity data is more prominent and the number of professional researchers is comparatively low, the potential for well-organised citizen projects may be larger. Something to consider for malacologists out there?
Callaghan, C.T. et al., 2019. Improving big citizen science data: Moving beyond haphazard sampling. PLoS Biol 17(6): e3000357. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.3000357
This entry was posted in Uncategorized and tagged distribution, varia on July 4, 2019 by bramb.
Just published: a chapter on the land snails of the Venezuelan Pantepui region. It is a slightly updated summary of what was published some years ago, while in the meantime only slight progress was made.
For the species reported hitherto from this area the taxonomy is summarised, and data on the ecology and biogeography is presented.
The rest of the book presents a lot of information on this interesting area of South America, both general and on the flora and fauna. The illustrations are plentiful and often spectacular.
Breure, A.S.H., 2019. Land snails: an updated summary: 247-261. — In: Rull, V., Vegas-Villarrúbia, T., Huber, O. & Señaris, C. (eds.) Biodiversity of Pantepui: the pristine ‘Lost World’ of the Neotropical Guayana Highlands. Academic Press, Cambridge
This entry was posted in Uncategorized and tagged distribution, ecology, publications, venezuela on June 19, 2019 by bramb.
Historical range information
A paper just published by Salvador provides interesting information on some distribution ranges based on a historical collection. The abstract reads “The malacological collection of the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa (NMNZ), despite naturally focusing on New Zealand species, also includes a variety of specimens from South America. Examination of this material revealed new distributional data for several species. All Brazilian, Uruguayan and Argentinian terrestrial gastropods from the NMNZ collection were examined and re-identified (no material from Paraguay was found). The information gathered was compiled and is presented in this article, and may contain significant data for malacologists working with the region’s fauna. In summary, 99 species are reported, 13 of which represent new records and meaningful increments in geographical distribution, either extending their known range or filling distributional gaps. Moreover, the NMNZ collection houses the type material of six species from Brazil and Argentina described by the New Zealand malacologist Henry Suter (1841–1918) in 1900“.
The material consists of species from 17 families. “The following 13 species have significant increments in their distribution (range extension or filling of distributional ‘gaps’): Auris chrysostoma, Auris illheocola, Auris melanostoma and Thaumastus nehringi (Bulimulidae [Thaumastus belongs to the Megaspiridae]); Callionepion iheringi (Megaspiridae); Cyclodontina fusiformis, Moricandia willi and Spixia martensii (Odontostomidae); Simpulopsis decussata (Simpulopsidae); Neobeliscus calcarius (Achatinidae); Happia iheringi (Scolodontidae); Epiphragmophora hieronymi (Epiphragmophoridae); and Solaropsis punctatus (Pleurodontidae) [sic, Solaropsidae]“. The author rightly draws attention to the fact that even historical collections – although sometimes lacking from precise data – can contribute to our knowledge of distribution of species. This being said, however, it also points to the insufficient inventories being made on a detailed scale in many of the Neotropical countries which leads to insufficient insights in the distribution of many species.
Salvador, R.B., 2019. Brazilian, Uruguayan and Argentinian terrestrial gastropods in the collection of the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa. – Tuhinga, 30: 82-98.
This entry was posted in Uncategorized and tagged argentina, brazil, distribution, historical collections, literature, uruguay on May 31, 2019 by bramb.
How ‘lefties’ are initiated
In some snails it occasionally occurs, in others it is more frequent, and in a few families (e.g. Clausiliidae) it is the norm: sinistral shells or ‘lefties’.
Also in the Neotropics this can be found. Clausiliids occur mainly in the Andean countries, and groups with some genera where sinistrality more or less frequent does occur are e.g. Corona and Drymaeus. But the genetic mechanism behind this phenomenon is now slowly unraveled. See the story behind the link below…
This entry was posted in Uncategorized and tagged sinistrality, varia on May 29, 2019 by bramb.
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VW's CEO was told about emissions software months before scandal: Der Spiegel
FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Volkswagen (VOWG_p.DE) Chief Executive Herbert Diess was told about the existence of cheating software in cars two months before regulators blew the whistle on a multi-billion exhaust emissions scandal, German magazine Der Spiegel said.
Herbert Diess, Volkswagen's new CEO, speaks during the Volkswagen Group's annual general meeting in Berlin, Germany, May 3, 2018. REUTERS/Axel Schmidt - RC1A6C9AD8F0
Der Spiegel’s story, based on recently unsealed documents from the Braunschweig prosecutor’s office, raises questions about whether VW informed investors in a timely manner about the scope of a scandal which it said has cost it more than $27 billion in penalties and fines.
The Braunschweig prosecutor’s office was not reachable for comment on Saturday.
Volkswagen’s senior management, which has denied wrongdoing, is being investigated by prosecutors in Braunschweig, near where Volkswagen is headquartered, to see whether the company violated disclosure rules.
U.S. regulators exposed VW’s cheating on Sept. 18, 2015.
Responding to the magazine report, the carmaker reiterated on Saturday that the management board had not violated its disclosure duties, and had decided to not inform investors earlier because they had failed to grasp the scope of the potential fines and penalties.
Citing documents unsealed by the Braunschweig prosecutor’s office, Der Spiegel said Diess was present at a meeting on July 27, 2015 when senior engineers and executives discussed how to deal with U.S. regulators, who were threatening to ban VW cars because of excessive pollution levels.
Diess, who was VW’s brand chief at the time, became chief executive of Volkswagen Group in April this year. Volkswagen also owns the Scania, Skoda, Audi, Porsche, Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini and Ducati brands.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) had found unusually high pollution levels in VW’s vehicles and was threatening to withhold road certification for new cars until VW explained why pollution levels were too high.
Diess, who had defected from BMW to become head of the VW brand on July 1, 2015, joined the July 27 meeting with Volkswagen’s then Chief Executive Martin Winterkorn to discuss how to convince regulators that VW’s cars could be sold, a VW defense document filed with a court in Braunschweig in February, shows.
Volkswagen on Saturday said both Winterkorn and Diess declined to comment given the ongoing proceedings. A spokesman for Martin Winterkorn declined to comment on Saturday. Winterkorn’s lawyer Felix Doerr, could not be reached for comment.
Following this meeting, Winterkorn asked Diess whether BMW too had installed “defeat devices” in its cars, Der Spiegel said.
In the United States, legal engine management software is described as an “auxiliary emissions device” while the term “defeat device” is used to describe only illegal software.
Diess is said to have answered that BMW had not made use of such software, Der Spiegel said.
Volkswagen said on Saturday: “The contents of the discussion, where Martin Winterkorn and Herbert Diess were present, cannot be fully reconstructed, because the recollections of the people who were present partially deviate.”
Volkswagen further said it was the task of authorities and courts to evaluate the conflicting statements and to assess whether individual witnesses were credible.
Diess and Winterkorn left the July 27 meeting taking a presentation with them, Der Spiegel further said.
A VW employee intervened and cautioned the managers that it would be better if they were not in possession of the presentation, Der Spiegel said.
Volkswagen said on Saturday the purpose of the July 27 meeting was not to discuss whether Volkswagen had broken U.S. law, but how to resolve the issue of whether new models would be given regulatory clearance.
Volkswagen argued that it had struggled to understand whether its software was in fact illegal, the defense document filed with the Braunschweig court shows.
On July 31, 2015 Volkswagen hired a law firm to help the company understand its regulatory troubles, and lawyers were unsure whether the software would be deemed an illegal “defeat device” in the United States, VW said in the court filing.
The court filing further said that Hans Dieter Poetsch, Volkswagen’s finance chief at the time, on Sept. 14, 2015 believed the potential financial risk from regulatory penalties tied to emissions would be around 150 million euros ($172 million).
Hans Dieter Poetsch is now Volkswagen’s chairman.
Volkswagen on Saturday reiterated that it had not violated disclosure rules and had informed investors in a timely manner about the financial scope of the scandal when it published an “ad hoc” disclosure notice on Sept. 22, 2015.
Volkswagen said that although it had admitted to using defeat devices to regulators on Sept. 3, 2015 it had assumed that penalties would not exceed 200 million euros, based on the size of fines imposed against rival carmakers who had committed similar regulatory breaches.
Because the company had already accrued sufficient provisions for vehicle recalls to cover this amount, there was no need to inform investors that profits could take a further hit before September 2015, Volkswagen’s court filing said.
Reporting by Edward Taylor; Additional reporting by Joern Poltz; Editing by Andrew Bolton
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Professor finds Lithuania's 'birth certificate' in German archive
Andrius Sytas
VILNIUS (Reuters) - A professor said on Thursday he had found a copy of Lithuania’s lost declaration of independence languishing in a German archive, an achievement hailed by authorities as the discovery of the nation’s “birth certificate”.
Lithuanian historian Liudas Mazylis is pictured in Berlin, Germany March 30, 2017. REUTERS/Oliver Barth
Liudas Mazylis, political science professor at Lithuania’s Vytautas Magnus University, told Reuters his find on Wednesday was the culmination of an eight-month search, funded by himself.
The discovery of the 1918 document, a year short of its centenary, triggered celebrations in the Baltic state.
Lithuania was already planning to mark the 100th anniversary, keen to assert its independence in the face of what it sees as renewed aggression from its neighbor Russia. Memories are still fresh of Lithuania’s emergence from Soviet occupation in the 1990s.
Lithuania’s President Dalia Grybauskaite said she had asked Germany to send the document back, and was confident Berlin would comply.
“We now have the best gift, the best monument to our centenary”, Grybauskaite said.
Germany’s foreign ministry said it had confirmed the identity of the document uncovered in its own archives by the Lithuanian professor.
“What a great find! This is perfect news for our Lithuanian friends. We celebrate together with them,” it said in a statement that did not mention a return.
Lithuania traces its modern statehood to the independence declaration signed on Feb. 16, 1918, but it lost track of all copies as turmoil and fighting engulfed the region after the end of World War I.
The Lithuanian state was announced with the approval of Germany, whose army controlled the territory at the time, following a successful offensive against the Russian Empire in 1915.
“I was driven by an excitement of the possibility of finding such an important document, which was lost for so long,” Mazylis told Reuters.
“We found our birth certificate”, Lithuania’s ambassador to Germany Deividas Matulionis said.
“The historians always thought that at least three copies of the declaration were signed, with two of them meant for Russian and German governments”, he added.
Lithuanian business group MG Baltic last month offered a one-million-euro ($1.07-million) reward for the discovery of the document. The group’s owner, Darius Mockus, told LRT television he would pay out once the document was delivered to Lithuania.
(This version of the story was refiled to add dropped words in first paragraph)
Reporting By Andrius Sytas; Editing by Daniel Dickson and Andrew Heavens
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